The Edo State Government has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to Asue Ighodalo, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last governorship election, and other supporters of the party, to return government vehicles currently in their possession.
The PUNCH reports that Kelly Okungbowa, Chairman of the Government Assets Recovery Committee, recently appointed by Governor Monday Okpebholo, issued the order on Tuesday.
Okpebholo had established the assets recovery committee to retrieve government assets, including vehicles still held by private individuals.
According to the Channels Tv on Tuesday, Okungbowa revealed that some vehicles belonging to the now-defunct government transport company, Edo Line, were allegedly sold and later discovered in a spare parts market in Benin City, the state capital.
He said “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?
“We want to appeal to them, especially the candidate of the PDP, Barrister Asue Ighodalo and his running mate. It is good for us to also advise them as a father and leader in the state, that they should do the right thing by returning those vehicles.”
