* Oshiomhole 

 Ikhili  Monday EBALU, Benin City 


Few hours after Comrade Adams Oshiomhole left office as governor of Edo State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has conducted a postmortem of his administration, saying the ex-governor ruled Edo like a personal estate and his government as corrupt.


The party said the former governor offered much promises and expectations at the inception of his government in 2008, but visited on Edo people disappointment, frustration and hardship, while throwing the state into debt and poorer than he met it.


Edo State chairman of the PDP, Dan Orbih, who briefed journalists in Benin on Monday, stated that Oshiomhole received over N1 trillion from the federation account and internally generated revenue, but borrowed more than N300 billion, an amount he said it will take the state decades to offset.


On separation powers, Orbih, who was joined by the PDP governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, at the briefing, alleged that Oshiomhole maintained a firm grip over the judiciary and legislature during his eight-year government by denying the two arms of government financial independence.


The party also regretted that due process was neglected to the background during the Oshiomhole's years, making the governor run a one-man financial riot act and listing some of the projects used to swindle Edo as the Edo University Iyamho, award of road contracts, the Accident and Emergency ward of the Benin Central Hospital.


On the commissioning of the Accident and Emergency ward last week by President Muhammadu Buhari, Orbih claimed that Oshiomhole deceived Mr. President by removing equipment from the existing Stella Obasanjo Hospital and brought them to the Central Hospital for commissioning. 


Orbih expressed confidence in reclaiming the mandate handed Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu through the election petition tribunal, even has he disclosed that the PDP has approached a Federal High to prove to Edo people that Governor Godwin Obaseki was never qualified to contests for the office of the governor of Edo State.


"For eight years, Oshiomhole took the path of inequity to achieve vanity. He abused and insulted Edo people. We have taken it upon ourselves to put in place a government that will defend the right of the Edo State. At the end of the day, we will all have reasons to smile.


When asked about the allegation that pressure was being put on him to drop his petition at the tribunal, PDP governorship candidate, Pastor Ize-Iyamu said the fight to reclaim his mandate was beyond him, pointing out that the Edo people and the members in the state were all looking forward to him