Organising Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Ogbiede Ifaluyi-Isibor, has dismissed claims by the state government that it secured a $250 million investment deal in Scotland, describing it as a ?fraud, a fallacy, and a ridicule of the Edo people.?

Speaking on ARISE News on Friday, the former Edo State Commissioner for Digital Economy, Science and Technology apologised to Nigerians and the people of Edo State for what he termed ?a barrage of embarrassments? under the current administration.

?First of all, let me apologise to Nigerians and also to the Edo people for the barrage of embarrassments that they?ve had to suffer in the hands of the Edo State government as presently constituted. It?s been back-to-back embarrassments and ridicule of the people. And I need to let Nigerians know that this government is not a reflection of Edo people. Edo people are smart, exposed, and intelligent, and the present administration is not a reflection of their wishes or aspirations,? Ifaluyi-Isibor said.

On the alleged investment deal, he was categorical:

?There was really no $250 million investment deal. The governor and his aides actually went to Scotland for a vacation. And just in an attempt to impress the Edo people, they came up with that idea. I can tell you, matter of factly, that the governor may not even have been aware of such a deal. Upon getting to Nigeria and seeing how the Edo people criticised these frivolous trips, two or three days later they came up with such an announcement. Trust the Edo people?they went to investigate and realised there was really no such deal.?

Ifaluyi-Isibor insisted that the PDP and other stakeholders had independently verified the claims and found them baseless.

?As a political party we did our checks, and as individuals we did too. We called the number on the website of the so-called organisation and a lady from Ibadan answered. Is that an organisation capable of giving $250 million in investment? The email bounces back, the website itself was created only months ago, and today it has crashed because they knew they had committed a blunder. This was just a fallacy, this was just a fraud,? he stated.

He questioned why the state government had not officially provided details of the deal.

?Where was this deal really signed? What were the terms and conditions? Normally, when a sub-national signs with an international partner, there are clear terms?what percentage the state is contributing, what land is being provided. Not a single aide of the governor or even the Commissioner for Information has addressed the Edo people on this burning issue. Edo has become the laughing stock of the nation. People see me at airports and offer their condolences, as though someone has died, just because I am from Edo State. My colleagues send me messages saying, ?our thoughts and prayers are with you.? That is how embarrassing this government has made us.?

The PDP secretary said the governor lacked credibility, alleging that his figures on electoral strength were also false.

?The moment you give my governor the microphone, the next two minutes he?s talking about 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu. Edo State does not even have 2.5 million registered voters with PVCs. Where does he get these figures from? Many people, even in government, suggest that there may be some external influence on him. This has to stop. Enough is enough,? he added.

Ifaluyi-Isibor further accused the governor of deepening ethnic tensions and allowing his daughter to ?desecrate Edo culture.?

?The governor must de-escalate rising ethnic tensions. It has never been this bad. We have unprecedented ethnocentric chauvinism in Edo today. And his daughter recently made a desecration of our land by coronating a market leader. That is alien to Edo culture. Even when the Oba had admonished against it, they went ahead. We cannot have two crowns in one kingdom. There will be political consequences if this is not corrected.?

On his party?s position, he maintained that the PDP won the September 2024 governorship election but was denied victory by federal imposition.

?The PDP was not defeated. The Edo people came out massively and voted for us, but the federal government imposed an individual who did not get the imprimatur of the people. That is why Edo people are upset. But as politicians, you enjoy government and endure opposition. We are regrouping and re-engineering the fabrics of opposition politics in Edo. We will hold government to account.?

Ifaluyi-Isibor also spoke on the national stage, criticising both the APC-led federal government and his own party?s inertia.

?Nigerians are seeing unprecedented hunger, infant mortality, maternal mortality, and a fall in happiness. Instead of fixing this, they are already campaigning for 2027. Have we become a defeated people? Sadly, the PDP at the national level has also failed to hold them accountable, but we are determined in Edo to show how opposition should be done. Nigerians deserve better.?

The PDP official added that his support for Peter Obi during the last general elections was guided by conscience, not party loyalty.

?For me it wasn?t just about party, but about conscience. What is better for Nigeria? I?m in my early 40s, approaching half-time in my life. Would we allow those at the departure lounge of their lives to keep destroying this country for our generation? Nigerians deserve better. We used to be Africa?s number one in foreign direct investment, but now we are number four. Our people are hardworking and young, with a median age of 18, yet government cannot provide programmes to make them productive. Instead, we are making mockery of democracy.?

He concluded with a direct challenge to the Edo State government:

?Our governor has five media aides. So you mean five people, five adults, and the Commissioner for Information could not find a way to bail the governor out of this quagmire? It?s a shame, and the Edo people are deeply embarrassed.? (AriseNews TV)

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