Ahead of July 14 2012 governorship election in Edo state, Comrade Governor, Adams Oshiomhole has denied the allegation leveled against him by the Edo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of constructing an alleged N10.8 billion mansion in his home town, Iyamho,Estako West local government area of Edo state.
Oshiomhole while featuring at a live debate programme put together by Nigeria Election Debate Group,(NEDG),in Benin on Thursday, said, contrary to the allegations of PDP, what he was erecting was a mere four bed room guest house.
This is the first time that Governor Oshiomhole is breaking his silence on the alleged construction of a multi billion Naira mansion after the allegation was made by the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state under the leadership of Chief Dan Orbih
PDP had also led the showcasing of photographs of the alleged mansion reportedly showing the aerial view of the sprawling estate with multiple swimming pools, fountains, theatres for cinemas and a huge events hall.
According to Governor Oshiomhole, “That is not is not all that they have said, in 1991, I completed a family building in my village and it’s part of Nigeria culture that anywhere you are, you don’t forget home. I did make my asset declaration even before I became a Governor..
“Is it only the N10 billion estate they said I own? They also said I own a big estate here in Benin City and another big hotel in Lagos. But the truth is that I’m extending my house in Iyamho which I had built in 1991 with a four-bedroom building which I intend to use as a guest house”.
” What baffles me is how a four-bedroom building that is still under construction, not yet roofed, with the sky-folding made of local bamboo trees, could now amount to N10b. How? It shows how unserious PDP can be in trying to destroy my hard-earned reputation. In any case, my country-home at Iyamho is contained in the asset declaration form which I filled and submitted”.
On the establishment of State Police, expressed his concern over the issue of creating a state police, saying that “ Until we have a political elite tat recognize that power belongs to the people, for we know that we have this tendency to misuse the police; I fear that if you post a police man under a state governor’s command, a governor that will supervise election, he will likely the state police to official dog of the party in government”
On his part, the PDP Governorship Candidate, Major Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd) who was also present at the debate while advancing reasons why Governor Oshiomhole should not be re-elected for allegedly awarding contracts that were never bided for to his party men, alleged flagrant disrespect to Court orders and unabated postponement of Local Government election as abuse of executive powers..
The All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, Governorship Candidate, Chief Solomon Iyobosa Edebiri, said, the nine and half years of PDP, puts a lot of pains on the People and that the three and half years of ACN made a tremendous improvement on the lives of the People.
He insisted that if given this scenario, if elected on July 14 2012 Governorship election, the All Nigeria Peoples Party will do better.