BENIN CITY – Edo State government yesterday gave an insight into the circumstances that led to the exit of Mr. Dennis Idahosa from the state Executive Council as Commissioner for Investment, Public/Private Partnership.
The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Louis Odion in a statement made available to The NIGERIAN OBSERVER, said the exit is not unconnected with the allegation that Mr. Idahosa was engaged in fraudulent activies (popularly called 419).
According to the statement, “in the last two months, the state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole had received series of petitions, mostly from overseas, alleging that Mr. Idahosa was engaged in fraudulent activities on an industrial scale. The petitioners purportedly to be his victims, alleged they had been swindled of huge sums of money.
“Disturbed and consistent with his zero tolerance for corruption or any conduct that might tarnish the image of Edo State or bring the country to international odium for that matter, Comrade Oshiomhole had late last year set up a high-level administrative panel to look into the grave allegations discreetly.
After weeks of forensic investigations, the panel’s findings were startling.
Last week, Mr. Idahosa became aware that the administrative panel was on the verge of formally requesting him to answer those weighty charges.
As a matter of fact, last Thursday (January 29), Mr. Idahosa had attended APC Mega Presidential rally at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium that was well attended in his capacity as Commissioner. Curiously, he  dramatically reappeared barely 24 hours later at the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), announcing his defection.
“We do not want to join the speculation that Mr. Idahosa’s defection was designed to pre-empt the report of the administrative panel or his action motivated by an external offer of protection.
“However, in the name of decency and justice and international image of our country, we can only encourage Mr. Idahosa to come out in the open and answer the sundry allegations of 419 leveled against him.
“Otherwise, the long arms of the law, though may be delayed by his new powerful friends, will ultimately prevail,” the statement added.

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