By Seyi Babalola
The campaign council of the All Progressives Congress(APC) for the September 21 2024 governorship election in Edo State has called for the probe of Osarodion Ogie who resigned as the Secretary to the Edo State Government on August 9 2024, in order to pursue his political ambition as Deputy Governorship candidate.
In a press release he issued on behalf of the Council, Adaze Emwanta Esq, the Deputy Director of Publicity noted that Osarodion Ogie by submitting his belated letter of resignation has given formal notice of another search for the remainder of the golden fleece he left at Osadebe Avenue, Benin City.
He said, “it should be noted that any perceived opinion expressed by any individual *on his resignation* either in a private or professional capacity does not represent the position of the APC Campaign Council.
We of the APC Campaign demands public scrutiny of Ogie’s engagements with government and would be glad to have him present his code of conduct assets declaration form in the coming days, for public scrutiny.
This will be a better way to appreciate his trajectory as a public appointee in the 18 years he served in Edo State Government.
It is rather unfortunate to add that Ogie’s tenure as Secretary to the Edo State Government may have ended, but his letter of resignation is a smokescreen, which does not apply to his unconstitutional roles in the past one year as the de facto Deputy Governor of Edo State and Chairman of the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission(EDSOPADEC).
Today a multi billionaire, Ogie came into Benin with the portfolio of a serving Casino Manager from Lagos, into the Lucky Igbinedion administration mid-way, as a co-opted member/secretary of an ad-hoc Education Committee and remained in government for a cumulative period of over 18 years, with a lot of personal, corporate and real estate possessions to show for his indirect stewardship to the people.
These possessions include a group of schools in Benin and Lagos, real estate, including a highly priced property formerly owned by a former governor of the Midwest region, amongst others.”
Emwanta further noted that “though he is not a public servant, but the outgone Secretary to government who is in his mid 60s knows that the official retirement age from public service is 60 years and if not for greed coupled with a sense of self-entitlement, he ought to humbly go into retirement, as Edo State Government House was not built to be inherited like a royal stool.”
Emwanta concluded by advising Ogie to be prepared to face the court of public opinion, a legion of NGOs and anti-graft agencies waiting to probe him for the role he played in the wanton mismanagement of public funds by the Godwin Obaseki administration, where-in he served as the de facto second in command.
