The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for governor in the most recent election, Asue Ighodalo, his running partner, and other persons have been given a 72-hour ultimatum by the Edo State Government to return any state-owned vehicles that they may have in their hands.
On Tuesday, Kelly Okungbowa, the chairman of the Government Assets Recovery Committee, issued this decision. In order to reclaim government assets, including automobiles that are still in private ownership, Okungbowa, who was recently appointed by Governor Monday Okpebholo, established an assets recovery committee.
According to Okungbowa, some of the vehicles that belonged to Edo Line, the now-defunct state transport firm, were purportedly sold off and found in Benin City spare parts markets.
“We want to use this medium to appeal to those people whose names have been mentioned to please return those vehicles to the authorities because they are not my property. Those vehicles are the property of the state government, for the Edo people. And we all know the cost of buying one vehicle. To buy a brand-new Hilux costs you nothing less than N120 million. Where do they expect the governor to get that kind of money to purchase new vehicles?” Okungbowa told journalists.
Ighodalo and his running mate were expressly urged by Okungbowa to comply, saying that returning those cars would be the appropriate thing to do.
The chairman also said that 12 Edo Line vehicles were found during a recent inspection at Uwelo Spare Parts Market, six of which were in serviceable condition and six of which were not.
He added, “Mr. Governor went to Edo Line during the time of his electoral campaign. He said he would revamp Edo Line. When we got there, there was no vehicle. We got some information that those vehicles were taken from the Edo Line and sold. This morning, we got information, and we went to a place called Uwelo Spare Parts. We discovered about 12 vehicles there. Six were movable, six were not movable. We have the video here.”
He added that the vehicles the governor has directed should be reallocated to the agencies. He also listed the names of officials attached to the previous administration who are allegedly still in possession of government vehicles and advised that such vehicles be returned within 72 hours.
If the cars are not returned within 72 hours, Okungbowa threatened, the government will be forced to take further action.
“While we are appealing, the government will also decide on its own. We are not here to witch-hunt anybody. We are doing our job according to the law. It is not that we don’t know where some of them were kept. They took some of the vehicles to Lagos, Abuja, and Abeokuta. But we are appealing to them to follow due process.
“We are giving them another 72 hours to do the needful. If they fail to do it, then we will do the needful,” he added.
