Edo APC Guber Candidate, Dennis Idahosa Accused of International ‘419’

House of Representatives member Dennis Idahosa, who emerged victorious in the Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primary election has been accused of international fraud.

The national leadership of the APC has officially recognised Idahosa as the winner of the primary despite conflicting information from Stanley Ugboaje, the returning officer for the election, who asserted that Monday Okpebholo was the rightful winner, having allegedly garnered 12,145 votes to Idahosa’s 5,536. Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, who chaired the election committee, announced Idahosa’s victory, stating that he secured 40,453 votes in the direct primary, surpassing 11 other contenders.

A petition titled ‘Petition Against Hon Dennis Idahosa Over Allegations of Involvement in International Fraud’ was recently submitted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by the Guardian of Democracy and Development Initiative. 

The petition called for an investigation into the accusations levelled against Idahosa by the government of Adams Oshiomhole. The petition reads in part,

“We write on behalf of ‘Guardians of Democracy and Development Initiative’ concerning the subject matter above. It has been brought to our attention, as a group committed to democratic best practices and sanity in the public space, that Hon Dennis Idahosa was reported in 2015 by the administration of Senator Adams Oshiomhole while he was governor of Edo State to be involved in international fraud which led to abrupt exit from the State Executive Council as Commissioner for Investments and Public/Private Partnership.”

“The State government traced his exit to an allegation that Mr Idahosa was engaged in fraudulent activities (popularly called 419). “The petitioners, purportedly to be his victims, alleged they had been defrauded of huge sums of money. Disturbed and consistent with his zero tolerance for corruption or any conduct that might tarnish the image of Edo State or bring the country to international odium for that matter, Comrade Oshiomhole had late last year (2015) set up a high-level administrative panel to look into the grave allegations discreetly.”

“After weeks of forensic investigations, the panel’s findings were startling. Last week, Mr Idahosa became aware that the administrative panel was on the verge of formally requesting him to answer those weighty charges. “However, in the name of decency and justice and the international image of our country, we can only encourage Mr Idahosa to come out in the open and answer the sundry allegations of 419 levelled against him. “Otherwise, the long arms of the law, though may be delayed by his new powerful friends, will ultimately prevail,” the report stated.”

As reported by FIJ, Idahosa maintained his innocence in response to the allegations, stating, “Basically, I will say that is Nigerian politics for you, and I find it very laughable… As you can see, this is my residence, where I live. You can see how transparent the whole compound is.”

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Oluwasegun Sanusi

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