Suspended Council Chairman Fires Back At Edo Governor

Hon Patrick Aguinede, the suspended Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, has fired back at the Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki for linking his suspension to corruption.

Recall that the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Monday Osaigbovo, had on Tuesday, alleged that Mr Aguinede acquired N30m property and refused to pay agency levy to the client prior to his suspension for two months to pave way for a thorough investigation into allegations of fraud and abuse of office against him.

However, Mr. Aguinede who claimed to have accepted his removal from office in good faith said the matter of buying a house for N30m was not a government matter, adding that it should not be made a state government affair.

While speaking further, Aguinede said he was ready as he would appear before any panel set up to investigate the allegations.

According to the Commissioner, one of the allegations levelled against him include an estate agent who petitioned Aguinede that he bought a house for him for N30m and Aguinede refused to pay his agency fees.

“Aguinede was alleged not to have remitted complete money collected as Internally Generated Revenue.

“The statistics he gave as the number of tricycles and motorcycles operating in Esan West is 3000.

“If he collected N150 each from them, that amounts to N9m monthly but Aguinede was remitting only N4.5m.

“The Governor always warned us that anybody caught would not only be sacked but be prosecuted,” the commissioner said.