Lucky Igbinedion’s claim to fame is being the son of a famous man. He is not known for any outstanding contributions as a professional in any field. However, before becoming the Governor of Edo State, this former local government chairman was widely regarded as a playboy. Lucky is the first son of Bini Chief and business mogul, Gabriel Igbinedion. More importantly, Lucky is the two-term Governor of Edo State.
Image
Gov. Lucky Igbinedion





The Esama of Bini Kingdom and founder of Okada Airlines was one of the richest men in Nigeria. His business empire included Okada Air (now moribund), a bank (now distressed), a private boarding school, hospital, car dealership, and an international trading firm. A very flamboyant man, Gabriel Igbinedion, started experiencing a decline in fortunes and was reputed to have been heavily in debt to the tune of billions of naira. However, this trend took a different turn after his first son, Lucky, became the Governor of Edo State.

"Let the rich people in this country also know that there are poor people here who they should help lift up. They should not just stash their money away in Switzerland, they should bring it home and invest and help develop Nigeria as I have done over the years." These are the words Gabriel Igbinedion delivered at his seventieth birthday anniversary.

It would appear that his son, Lucky Igbinedion, the Governor of Edo State, did not heed his father's advice. His Kenwood Mansion in London is certainly not an investment that benefits any Nigerian. Kenwood Mansion is what he named his personal home in London. It is located on 29 Sheldon Avenue, N6 4JP. This place, mostly inhabited by upper class members of British society, is described as serene and intimidating.
Image
Kenwood Mansion


Kenwood Mansion usually has nine cars parked on its premises; of these, two are Ferraris. An Igbinedion neighbor, who did not want to be named, speculated that the owner of the house must be a drug dealer. Asked why he thought that way, he said, "Only a drug dealer would have such a big house and abandon it. The guy comes to the house once in a long while." He told our reporter that Igbinedion's presence is usually announced by the influx of very expensive cars in the neighborhood. When informed that the owner of the property is an African and a government official, he asked: "Is he the son of Mobutu Sese Seko?"

Gov. Lucky Igbinedion's Kenwood mansion was purchased and registered on November 29, 2000. A princely sum of three million, three hundred thousand pounds (£3,300,000.00) paid for it. In fact, on the title the following statement is noted, "The house was paid for in one day." The house is registered to Bex Holdings, Ltd. Bex Holdings is an offshore company registered in St. Helier, Jersey, one of the Channel Islands and a tax haven. Trident Nominees owns Bex Holdings, Ltd. Trident Nominees is owned by Fidelis Nominees, Ltd. and Magnus Nominees, Ltd. Trident, Fidelis, and Magnus have all been owned at various times by the following companies, Citron 2004, Ltd., Coutts (Jersey) Ltd., NWJ Trustees Ltd., National Westminister (Jersey) Fund Managers, Ltd., Rostand Nominees, Ltd., and Fidelis Secretaries, Ltd.

A local Benin tabloid recently accused Edo State Governor Lucky Igbinedion of presiding over a reign of profligacy. The Benin tabloid claims that Gov. Igbinedion looked the other way while members of the Edo State House of Assembly pillaged the State Treasury. The report shows that members of the Edo State House of Assembly were given money for foreign trips that had little or no relevance to the lives of Edo people.

Records made available to Elendureports.com indicate that between April 2004 and August 2005, Edo State House Speaker David Iyoha made 3 trips to the United States of America, 3 trips to London, and 1 trip each to Germany, South Africa, Cameroon, and Canada. Thus, in less than one-and-half years, the Edo House Speaker has been out of the country a minimum of ten times and the Edo people have paid dearly for all these trips. The least expensive was his trip to Germany, which cost Edo State taxpayers one million, seven hundred, and ninety-six thousand naira. His trip to Cameroon cost taxpayers a whopping two million and thirty-thousand naira, while his numerous trips to the United States cost between three and four million naira a trip. In total, these ten trips have cost Edo people about thirty-one million naira.

Between October 2003 and August 2005, another high-flying member of the Edo State House of Assembly, Patrick Obahiagbon, traveled outside Nigeria eight times. In total, he spent about eighteen million naira for all eight trips.

We asked, "Why did Gov. Lucky Igbinedion allow members of the House to junket the world?" A Benin source told Elendureports.com, "That's how the Governor settled them. He allowed them to loot the Treasury through these phony trips so they will look the other way as he does his thing. Don't you know the game? Scratch my back, I'll scratch your own." The Edo State Speaker was recently questioned by officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on allegations of defrauding a South African businessman.


Lucky Igbinedion may have heeded his father's advice after all. His three million, three hundred thousand pound (₤3,300,000.00) London home is nothing compared to his Abuja residence. According to a highly placed source in Aso Rock, Lucky's Abuja residence is estimated to have cost about twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000.00), making it the most expensive personal residence in Africa. The house, according to a source at the Presidency who has visited the place, has a mini golf course, a football field, an Olympic-size swimming pool, six living rooms, and other amenities. The lawns are covered by a special grass and the house is completely covered with Italian marble.


How could Lucky Igbenedion have built such an edifice as a sitting Governor right under the nose of the President? Why haven’t Obasanjo, the EFCC, the ICPC, and other highly placed individuals from Edo State said anything? This kind of attitude on the part of the President and his cronies gives credence to the notion that the anti-graft war is a political tool targeted at the President's opponents or his expendable acquaintances.

Source Elendu Reports

Terminator:

Records made available to Elendureports.com indicate that between April 2004 and August 2005, Edo State House Speaker David Iyoha made 3 trips to the United States of America, 3 trips to London, and 1 trip each to Germany, South Africa, Cameroon, and Canada. Thus, in less than one-and-half years, the Edo House Speaker has been out of the country a minimum of ten times and the Edo people have paid dearly for all these trips. The least expensive was his trip to Germany, which cost Edo State taxpayers one million, seven hundred, and ninety-six thousand naira. His trip to Cameroon cost taxpayers a whopping two million and thirty-thousand naira, while his numerous trips to the United States cost between three and four million naira a trip. In total, these ten trips have cost Edo people about thirty-one million naira.

Between October 2003 and August 2005, another high-flying member of the Edo State House of Assembly, Patrick Obahiagbon, traveled outside Nigeria eight times. In total, he spent about eighteen million naira for all eight trips.

We asked, "Why did Gov. Lucky Igbinedion allow members of the House to junket the world?" A Benin source told Elendureports.com, "That's how the Governor settled them. He allowed them to loot the Treasury through these phony trips so they will look the other way as he does his thing. Don't you know the game? Scratch my back, I'll scratch your own." The Edo State Speaker was recently questioned by officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on allegations of defrauding a South African businessman.

But that was about the time OBJ was globetrotting the whole world, looking for willing investors for Nigeria. Would you blame these people? They were only following the footsteps of their leader.

Lucky Igbinedion may have heeded his father's advice after all. His three million, three hundred thousand pound (₤3,300,000.00) London home is nothing compared to his Abuja residence.

Lol, this cracked me up.

Let us continue exposing these thieves to the people, so that everyone would have a rethink before voting them in. Because I think if people are aware of these bastards actions, and the media helps in airing all these atrocitrities, ordinary Nigerians would wake up from the juju they've used to make us look the other way while they do all these in our faces.

stillwater:

Let us continue exposing these thieves to the people, so that everyone would have a rethink before voting them in. Because I think if people are aware of these bastards actions, and the media helps in airing all these atrocitrities, ordinary Nigerians would wake up from the juju they've used to make us look the other way while they do all these in our faces.

Sadly enough, nobody elected them.
They were selected and handpicked
And looks like their juju has expired, they all will account for all their loots
Just a matter of time

With all the looting spree by the ex-governors, the only consolation we have right now is the fact that at least they are being arrested and prosecuted. This confirm the popular notion that the worst civilian government is better that the most benevolent military dictatorship. OBJ brace up, the ball may be inching closer to your court.

igbinedion, barawo.sege.

how do we stop this from ever happenning with d current crop of looters we hav in office as elected officials?it shows how ineffective Ribadu's EFCC was.its not enough to clamp down on them after d tenure.they should be hounded out of office and stripped of immunity as soon as they are found to hav sticky fingers.

kai, naija don suffer o.this is ridiculous

Nigeria get e money, plenty money for,