The Edo State Government and the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, on Thursday engaged in a war of words over Presco Plc’s statutory right of occupancy of land, which Governor Monday Okpebholo purported to revoke and later reversed within 24 hours.
In an advertorial (public notice) published by two national dailies on Wednesday, and signed by Okpebholo titled: ‘Revocation of Statutory Rights of Occupancy Pursuant to Sections 28 and 38,’ the state government announced the revocation of a parcel of land belonging Presco Plc in Ologbo, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of the state.
But in a swift backtrack on Thursday, in another advertorial published by the same national dailies, and signed by Secretary to the State Government, Umar Ikhilor, with the title, “Disclaimer on Public Notice Purportedly Revoking Statutory Rights of Occupancy of Presco Plc,” the state government distanced itself from the public notice (advertorial).
Ikhilor, who said the publication did not “emanate from the Executive Governor of Edo State nor from any authorised organ of the state government, added, “The government has verified that the immediate past Managing Director of Edo State Geographic Information Service (EDOGIS), acted unilaterally, without authorisation, and in complete disregard for established procedures and the actual numbers of hectares intended for excision from Presco Plc’s landholding.”
As of when the first public notice was published, the EDOGIS MD was still an appointee of Okpebholo.
Reacting to the development in a statement on Thursday, State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Dan Osa-Ogbegie, described the situation as shameful.
The State Publicity Secretary, said “Edo people are witnessing a government that does not know what it signs, it does not understand what it announces, and cannot defend what it authorises.
“This, apparently, is not governance. It is a circus. A dangerous circus.”
Osa-Ogbegie, while noting that Presco Plc is not just a company; but the largest agro-industrial investment in Edo State, a 34-year pillar employing thousands directly and indirectly,” adding, “Edo people deserve honest answers. Instead, they got a contradictory drama that exposes the hollowness of this administration.”
Reacting to PDP’s statement, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kassim Afegbua, described the PDP as crying more than the bereaved.
Afegbua, while stating that the release by the Secretary to the Edo State Government that captured the essential details of the government’s position should suffice, especially the Constitutional dimensions, however, admitted that there was an initial mix-up.
He said, “There were initial mix-up on the issue under discourse, but the explanation by the Secretary to the State Government, gave a constitutional rationale for the position taken by government concerning land in oil minerals areas and one had thought, that was self-explanatory to any reasonable and rational mind, but because comedians must always trivialise scenarios, the PDP will never disappoint in their vainglory.
“We have since concluded that each time we needed to unwind, we turn the page to the embattled factional People’s Democratic Party, in Edo State, for some relief.”
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