Gov. Lucky Igbinedion was elected as governor in May 1999. Four years in office has left Edo State in financial crisis unprecedented in the history of Edo State.
He has run Edo State like a family business. There is no transparency in his government. His government has become "cash and carry" business. An example is the state owned transport business Edoline, a firm that generates N45million monthly and gives the governor N10 million cash monthly.
This defies any known accounting procedures. The former MD Elder Amos Osunbor (JP) started this practice. The result has been the crippling debt incurred by Edoline.
Gov. Igbinedion issued a directive through his deputy Chief Mike Ogiahdome instructing the 18 local government chairmen to make monthly allocation of N2million to his father Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion.
Without budgetary approval leased 18 Peugeot 604 vehicles at the cost of N200, 000 monthly from UniBright motors in Benin owned by his brother. Mr Bright Igbinedion. These vehicles for the interim local Government chairmen.
He has taken over 300 foreign trips, to Brazil, South Africa, China, United Kingdom, United States and Australia, In each of these trips Gov. Igbinedion travels first class with his aides and collects estacode of N2million daily allowance. Over $2.5 spent on travelling alone.
The vouchers for collecting money are signed by him alone and without budgetary approval. The height of his travel was summer last year, without paying worker withdrew N57million from Edo State treasury and led a federal government delegation to Japan.
The result is inability to pay workers. As I write this piece, workers in Edo State have gone on indefinite strike because has not been able to pay salaries since November last year.
Pensioners in Edo State have not been paid their allowance for months. Several pensioners have died while waiting in vain for payment.
Gov. Igbinedion sought and received assistance from the World Bank for water treatment in Benin City. The World Bank insisted on executing the project themselves. Till date Edo State government has not gone back to take up the offer.
The ill-fated Ikpoba dredging cost Edo State over N400 million. Not one single job was done. Yet Gov. Igbinedion has not refunded the money back.
The biggest drain on Edo State is the Iyekogba housing estate project. He successful collected the money and has not completed a single unit. The result is monthly interest repayment of N36 million monthly deducted at source. The total yearly interest to date is N864 million. The whole venture is no longer economically viable.
He has not built or rehabilitated one single hospital in Edo State. He has neglected the Health service in Edo.
His industrialisation programme has been a big scam. Again not one single industry has been established. The fruit Juice factory at Ehor has be commissioned several times. Yet he purchased used equipment that are laying waste at the ports.
Agriculture has received little attention from Governor Igbinedion. The state of the roads in Edo State is deplorable.
Four years of Igbinedion's administration has been disaster to the people. After years of military dictatorship, the people are confronted with an elected dictator who arbitrarily terrorises the populace in collusion with the Nigerian police and his private malitia. Only recently a critic Dr Caesar Iyayi was detained on his orders by the security services for writing an
article in the local press.
Re-electing Lucky Igbinedion for another four years will reduce Edo State to an unbearable situation that may result in social, economic and political disorder.
Gov. Igbinedion is being investigated for corruption by the Anti-corruption commission. The reality is that this man has become a liability and embarrassment to Edo people.
Dr. Efe Igbinosa
Co-ordinator Good Government for Edo State
Guides
