6th March, 2018
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
Edo State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Dan Orbih was on Tuesday quizzed by the State police command over allegations of fraud in the distribution of relief items for internally displaced persons in Benin by the state government.
Orbih had at a recent press conference, accused the State Government of allegedly diverting over 4,000 bags of rice donated by the Nigeria Customs Service to internally displaced persons in Uhogua.
It was gathered that Orbih was invited by the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Johnson Kokumo, following a petition by the Governor, which urged the police to ask the PDP chairman to proof the criminal allegations.
The petition which was signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Osarodion Ogie, and addressed to the police commissioner, read in part: “The purpose of this complaint is to formally bring these weighty and unsubstantiated allegations to your attention and to request a thorough investigation with a view to establishing the veracity or otherwise of same.
“It is the contention of the Edo State Government that Chief Dan Orbih should be called upon to provide evidence of the serious crimes he has alleged to have been committed by the Edo State Government and to furnish your command with facts, details and proof of the allegations he has made in the public domain.”
A police source disclosed that Orbih made a statement and was questioned for several hours by police officers at the Command headquarters in Benin.
The development however sparked a protest by supporters of the party, who accused the State Government of using the police to intimidate the opposition.
Speaking shortly after his interaction with the Police Commissioner, Orbih said his statement to the police substantiated his claims.
“From my own statement, it has been well established that the government of Edo State misappropriated the rice meant for the IDPs. I also want to commend the Edo State Police Command for the mature and professional way they have handled this issue.
“Now that they (State Government) have decided to ask the police to be investigating, we will be giving more information so that they can write more petitions to the police for investigation.
“I think these are very weighty allegations. In my own opinion, it is being put forward by the government to incite members of the public against the PDP in Edo State. In a democracy, there must be opposition,” Orbih said.