Meanwhile, the APC governorship candidate in Edo State, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, on Saturday decried the alleged collection of N750m as monthly security vote by the PDP candidate, Obaseki.
The APC candidate also accused Obaseki of making the state House of Assembly increase his (Obaseki’s) security vote from N500m to N750m.
Ize-Iyamu, who spoke at a media parley in Benin City, Edo State capital, alleged that only N5m was given to the state police command monthly, adding that the “paltry money” was making it difficult for the security agency to effectively tackle kidnapping, banditry and other crimes in the state.
He said the police could not combat crime with such a meagre amount of money, adding that since the governor allegedly decided to increase his security vote, he should have also done the same for the police.
Ize-Iyamu also accused the state government of failing to account for the N5bn loan it received from the 2018 Central Bank of Nigeria Agricultural Credit Scheme.
He said while the state government claimed to have spent N2.8bn out of the loan meant to assist farmers in clearing their farmland, the details of the farmers to whom the balance of N2.2bn was shared had remained a mystery.
“The over N2bn supposedly invested in Sobe Farms, in Sobe, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, is a complete hoax. The farm was established as a drainpipe to siphon the scarce resources of Edo people into the pockets of government agents, her cronies and surrogates in the guise of Agric vendors from other states. “In a similar light, the 2018 CBN Agricultural Credit Scheme of N5bn, a loan meant to assist farmers in clearing their farmland and increasing their yields in the state, remains unaccounted for,” Ize-Iyamu said in his manifesto
