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EDO STATE GOVERNOR, COMRADE ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE

… As Governor Admits Ownership Of Two Mansions

SAN FRANCISCO, April 18, (THEWILL) – In furtherance of its trademark promotion of responsible governance and encouragement of complete public abhorrence of corruption, THEWILL had on Sunday 15th May 2012, published the story (and pictures) of the ongoing construction of a multi-billion naira edifice, belonging to governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who is renowned for professing his association with the lowly and his disdain for ostentatious living.

“Buried in his hometown of Iyamoh, off Auchi-Okene Road near Auchi, the sprawling estate houses multiple swimming pools, fountains, multiple theatres for cinemas and live entertainment, and a huge events hall,” we had written, adding that, “His widely perceived incorruptibility as a former labour leader and current public office holder completely negate all possible explanations for the source of the fund with which he has been prosecuting the construction of a grandiose multi-billion naira country home, which was a secret project until Saturday when it was unearthed.”

Of important note is the manner and style of our conclusion, which reads: “As news of the stately mansion is certain to spread in the weeks ahead, Governor Oshiomhole will be faced with the uphill task of convincing his hordes of followers that the project has been funded with money other than public, and that he, being only a civil servant for many years until he became governor of Edo in 2008, has incorruptibly accumulated enough wealth to own such imposing edifice.”

Expectedly, the media team of Oshiomhole, led by Tony Iyare, special adviser (media affairs); and Peter Okhiria, the chief press secretary, has responded. But what was unexpected is the vitriol that coloured its lengthy but empty statement. A statement of clarification was the ideal, but the team chose to launch abuses at a media agency’s innocuous pursuit of an incorruptible society. If anything, the statement has further served to implicate Oshiomhole.

“Our attention has been drawn to this fairy tale about a purported multi-billion naira mansion being built by Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, in his native Iyamho, concocted by an online publication, The Will, and parroted by Nigerian Compass of Monday, April 16, 2012,” the release began. “We are aware that the promoters of this laughable falsehood had gone round many media houses in Lagos with sack-loads of blood money to induce its publication, but were turned down outright on the basis of the amateurish job done, until the cheap bait finally caught these unconscionable hacks in the periphery of yellow journalism.”

However, THEWILL, the responsible agency that it is, will never trade abuses with the governor or his media team; we will never return tirade with tirade. We had the facts of a story, bared it before the public and asked the governor to defend himself. Nowhere in the piece did we expressly pronounce the governor guilty, as we are not a court of law; albeit we had stated, quite logically, that the governor was faced with the “uphill task” of convincing his followers that the building of the mansion was not being footed with public funds.

One point must be stressed: from Oshiomhole’s media team’s release comes another implicating, self-made revelation that must be explained to the public.

“The facts: Governor Oshiomhole built his country-home at Iyamoh more than 20 years ago. Everyone knows the road to the house in question. In fact, all his houses, including the one located in Kaduna and Abuja, were built many years before he ever contemplated contesting the governorship seat in Edo State.” So the team wrote. Their words; not ours.

The minimum interpretation of “more than 20 years ago” is 21 years. If Oshiomhole had built houses in “Iyamho,” “Kaduna,” and “Abuja,” since “many years” ago, then there, really, are more questions he must answer. Where did he make the money to build “all his houses?” Where was Oshiomole’s career “more than 20 years ago,” 1991?

Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole was born in 1953, 4th April to be exact. He secured a job at Arewa Textiles Company in 1969, after completing his secondary school education. In 1982, he was appointed general secretary of the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, a union with a membership base of some 75,000 workers; after becoming a fulltime trade organiser in 1975. It was in that role that he became a frontline activist in the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

So, how did a textile unionist cum public worker have the huge funds to build “all his houses” in at least three regions of the country? Two of the mansions we mentioned in our initial report – one in Maitama, Abuja and another in Kaduna.

And if Edo State’s finance is half as strong as he claims, what is the basis for its latest borrowing, which Oyare and Okhiria admitted when they wrote: “Only last week, the World Bank granted the state a credit support of $225 million, which is envisaged to spread over a three year period.”

Governor Adams Oshiomhole will do well, in his next release, to honestly answer these self-imposed questions, particularly by logically marshalling his arguments to prove his incorruptibility, which his media team has further splotched with its wrong-headed vituperation.

To state the obvious clearly, THEWILL has no political or financial interest in Governor Oshiomhole or any other Edo politician seeking his office. We will write our stories on any public official whose claim to incorruptibility we find questionable. We will continue to ask questions.

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Kai, Comrade Governor like better things.
No cause for alarm!

no cause for alarm abi? after painting himself a saint, all these guys are jst theives

He deserves more.

I like Oshiomhole, but... O lord!! What a wicked wicked wicked wicked article!

Not holding brief for anybody. How do the pictures convince us that this is Oshiomole's Mansion? Could have been anybody's. Would Oshiomole be so stupid as to embark on building a Palace when he is a sitting Governor and knowing the consequences of same in an election year?Could he not have hidden the 'ill-gotten wealth'until he was done as a governor before starting this project? I need to be better persuaded than throwing up a few pictures and labelling them Oshiomole's.

Please this should make the front page! I am in awe! would like to see how the average Nigerian would react to this story.

http://www.ipaidabribenaija.com/index.php/latest-news/item/2516-oshiomhole%E2%80%99s-multi-billion-naira-mansion-we-stand-on-our-story

Edo PDP agents @ work! Well, dont worry urselves too much because Йą we ''edo people'' dash A̶̲̥̅̊M̶̲̥̅ †ЂΞ palace. Nonsense blackmail!

Are we saying Oshiomole cant afford that building on his personal income or what!!!

How about you come to Rivers State and see an 8 stort building on prime land in a prime location owned by the WIFE of former rivers State governor. .

I dont see a problem here until one is stated.

bokohalal: Not holding brief for anybody. How do the pictures convince us that this is Oshiomole's Mansion? Could have been anybody's. Would Oshiomole be so stupid as to embark on building a Palace when he is a sitting Governor and knowing the consequences of same in an election year?Could he not have hidden the 'ill-gotten wealth'until he was done as a governor before starting this project? I need to be better persuaded than throwing up a few pictures and labelling them Oshiomole's.

bokohala,
I take it you did not read the article at all

One point must be stressed: from Oshiomhole’s media team’s release comes another implicating, self-made revelation that must be explained to the public.

“The facts: Governor Oshiomhole built his country-home at Iyamoh more than 20 years ago. Everyone knows the road to the house in question. In fact, all his houses, including the one located in Kaduna and Abuja, were built many years before he ever contemplated contesting the governorship seat in Edo State.” So the team wrote. Their words; not ours.

The minimum interpretation of “more than 20 years ago” is 21 years. If Oshiomhole had built houses in “Iyamho,” “Kaduna,” and “Abuja,” since “many years” ago, then there, really, are more questions he must answer. Where did he make the money to build “all his houses?” Where was Oshiomole’s career “more than 20 years ago,” 1991?

@Jenams,
Why don't you simply debunk the story with credit counter-arguments of your own.

Is it not d same Oshiomole dat was greased to call off strike during Obasanjo tenure.Its quite disgusting for an avowed labor activist 2 av houses in 2 prime locations in d country;dey definitely were not built frm his labor union salary

Okija_juju: Are we saying Oshiomole cant afford that building on his personal income or what!!!

How about you come to Rivers State and see an 8 stort building on prime land in a prime location owned by the WIFE of former rivers State governor. .

I dont see a problem here until one is stated.

Is it not d same Oshiomole dat was greased to call off strike during Obasanjo tenure.Its quite disgusting for an avowed labor activist 2 av houses in 2 prime locations in d country;dey definitely were not built frm his labor union salary
Nigerians are used to corruption dat some pple dnt honestly bliv there is anything wrong wt it any longer

waistbead: Is it not d same Oshiomole dat was greased to call off strike during Obasanjo tenure.Its quite disgusting for an avowed labor activist 2 av houses in 2 prime locations in d country;dey definitely were not built frm his labor union salary
Nigerians are used to corruption dat some pple dnt honestly bliv there is anything wrong wt it any longer

I am sorry but your view is quite myopic. . .

The fact that he was a labor Leader did not mean he didnt have other businesses and or other sources of income.

The greasing of plam for him to call off industrial actions is a conspiracy theory that has been going on for years. . . I have even been a part of those that spread those kind of talk. . . But that not withstanding, I find it rather myopic for us to judge him as corrupt just because he owns prime properties. . . He is human just like you and by virtue of his position as Labor leader may have had access to bid for contracts and get favors that were not necessarily compromising to his office. I suggest that until you prove a man guilty, let him remain innocent. Its not as if he was caught with 2 billion in his house. My father earns an honest living and judging the size and esthetiques of the house so far, its not so out of this world. . Two of my fathers properties are prolly worth more than that house (in its current state). .

That building isnt so over the top is my point. . . Any upper middle class Nigerian should be able to build same. Even if it takes him/her 6 years to complete.

fact is labor leaders are quite solvent.one of them was buying properties like no man's business last christmas,and it was not omar or esele.

Bla bla bla, even with this article, Osho baba will get his landslide victory. Most people do not have first hand experience of what Osho baba took edo people out, its like a dream till date. Carry go.

Propaganda here and there because of election.Oshiomhole has a good house in maitama,so what is the big deal about building a house in a village of all place for that matter ?

The yeye article detailed itself when I begin read multiple pools, múltiple cinema, multiple event halls, multiple this and that...


Obviously, these useless people put this rubbish out there just for propaganda and,attention. Which one be will again? Is this not another hating ibo website like the republic?

Can you people believe this made the news this evening? This is the height of desperation. Good thing edo people are not docile like deltans. The state will be made ungovernable for a PDP government. ℓ̊ really want to see how they will unseat an incumbent, a popular one for that matter.

They have pillaged this country. Black african politicians and public treasury cannot be separated.