Bishop Osadolor Ochei.
Ochei had petitioned the anti-graft agency to investigate the former governor of Edo State over allegations of massive corruption during his time as the chief executive of the state.
Osadolor had persistently lamented that it was frustrating that almost two years after he sent a detailed petition, listing the numerous allegations against the former NLC president, the anti-corruption agency was yet to commence investigations.
Ojezua and Nehikhare spoke in two separate interviews in Benin at the weekend.
While the APC chieftain insisted that Osadolor is an unknown quantity and as such should be disregarded, the PDP spokesman differed saying that Oshiomhole should submit himself to the EFCC for amongst other allegedly authorising and awarding a highly inflated contract and payment within a few hours for the construction of a 168 room-hostel in Edo State University, Iyamho for the sum of N1.88 billion naira.
The average cost per room translates to N10 million naira. The contract was awarded to the firm of A & K Construction Limited without compliance with due process. Similarly, Mr Adams Oshiomhole
He charged: “Oshiomhole authorised and approved the diversion of N1.2 billion naira approved for the construction of a new accident and emergency ward complex and renovation of existing structures in the Central Hospital, Benin City for the payment of additional 10% advance payment to A & K Construction Limited for the construction of the Teaching Hospital of the University of Science and Technology, Uzairue (also known as Edo State University, Iyamho) without compliance with due process and against public interest.”
Nehikhare who demanded to know why President Buhari shielding Oshiomhole charged that he also authorised and awarded the highly inflated contract of building the Teaching Hospital of the said University for the sum of N12.2 billion also without compliance with due process.
The APC chairman, however, countered, remarking that the petitioner was an unseen hand being used to smear the party’s national chairman.
He noted that the opposition is rooted in the fact with the outcome of the party’s recent convention which led to the emergence of the erstwhile president of the Nigeria Labour Congress national, the PDP is gone.
Ojezua said: “The allegations are frivolous and lack credibility. Oshiomhole introduced transparency to governance in Edo state with the adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
“According to the World Bank, it will not do business with any government that is not transparent in its processes. That is the government must be accountable in its financial dealings and be prudent in its resources.
The World Bank found Edo state worthy and invested heavily and still investing because Obaseki has not deviated from the robust system established by Oshiomhole and it is working.”
He emphasised that the petition was frivolous and was the reason nothing has been heard anything about it since Oshiomhole became APC national chairman.
“Osadolor is an unknown quantity and that speaks volumes. He is an unseen hand being used to smear Oshiomhole. He knows that if Oshiomhole becomes APC national chairman, the PDP is gone. The allegations are frivolous and lack credibility.”
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