He said this in his first press interview with journalists in Abuja, on Friday night. The former governor explained that there were times when banks didn't want to do business with the state.
He claimed that at the time he took office in 1999, civil servants and pensioners were owed 24 months backlog of salaries, which his administration had to pay in order to move on.
Igbinedion, who turns 57 on Monday, said the perception of wrong doing ascribed to him was the handiwork of individuals who were desperate for power.
He said, "This is the first time I am saying this. Two people that I owe a lot of gratitude to in Edo State that made my tenure successful. My father and (Chief Tony) Anenih.
"In the darkest of days, when the state was broke, we could not pay salaries, we could not do anything, I run to the two of them and they will lend the state money.
"They will loan the state money, it is documented, it is there, when banks will not even touch us, I would go to them.
"When pensioners will go to him crying or lie in front of Government House, a couple of times I went to Chief Anenih and he gave money just to make sure the government ran smoothly."
He said the state's internally generated revenue was almost non-existent because Benin was a civil service capital with only two or three old generation banks.
This, he said, changed when he created a conducive atmosphere for businesses to thrive. He maintained that this laid the foundation for the huge IGR the state enjoys today.
On his conviction by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the ex-governor said it was politically motivated.
Igbenedion traced his travails with the anti-graft agency to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo whom he said branded governors who did not see things his way as corrupt.
The former Edo State governor noted that several operatives confided in him that they were only acting on "instructions from above" but that they had nothing on him.
He said "They (EFCC) are doing their job. They challenge you, you answer their questions. I have nothing to fear. I was outside the country, when they said I was declared wanted, I came back. If I had fear, I would keep running but I was confident that I had nothing to fear. In fact, if anything, it is the state that owes me money, not me owing the state money.
"For me to loot, there must be something to loot. Edo State had no money to loot. I borrowed money from my father; and from Chief Anenih.
"They went round and round and after a while, they came to the Code of Conduct, they said I failed to disclose an amount of N3.3 million in my account.That's what I was charged and fined for."
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Abeg make ds bloody tiff quiet jare! Does he feel nigerians were born ysterday??
ReplyDeleteDon't mind the blood tiff he's talking new born babys we have hard you answer will you live for ever? And when you die will you Go with all the money?
ReplyDeleteOle. Ur dad was part of d looting
ReplyDeleteHis story can only be true because he was busy stealing state resources, taking some abroad with the small change remaining probably used for establishing a private university. Why can't people start telling the truth and make confessional statements in their old age...?
ReplyDeleteYou try. Thief. Your father borrowed the state money through what mechanism. Provide evidence of these individuals paying money into Government account. 24 months(2years) and the people were still working.
ReplyDeleteWhat has he got to say about his assets abroad declared in EFCC court documents? South Africa, UK, USA, etc.
ReplyDeletedon't mind him.he thinks we are fulls what will it profit a man if you gin the world and loss your all the money we you die with dem? Answer, or you will not die again when you die make sure you carry the money with you.hear hungry tiff
ReplyDeleteU have don well my uncle we the enterire usen indigen are pround of u.
ReplyDeleteLucky. U must think d Edo pple are fools. If I were I wud have just laid low. Now Chief Anenih u fought while in office, u are now claiming rescued u.D world knows how dubious ur father is. U shall see no peace to ur 4th generation for what u stole from d Edos, and put them thru.
ReplyDeleteI believe my comrade Adams will respond to this statement " that Edo state has no money" Lucky, if I remembered what I passed through at Igara during Or regime, I feel like strangling U to Ur final resting place.
ReplyDelete@ EL MATOSKY,U went through what u went via because u r evil. Well, all of u will soon meet ur water loo by the grace of God. Amen
DeleteThe man stole the WHOLE state money that he had to borrow from his DAD
ReplyDeleteShameful interview. Saying EFCC was doing their job, they had nothing on him. SO EFCC weas payingt lip service to Obasanjo. This is the most shameful administration, one run by this governor. FUnny, he is enjoying the state now, something he could not give to others during his tenure.
ReplyDeleteIf a state government has to borrow money from the father of the state governor, it shows that the state governor is not competent, in the first instant, to run an ordinary company, let alone a whole state. On the other hand, it is possible that the state's money was being diverted to his father only for his father to turn around and lend the same money to be government.
ReplyDeleteIn any case, I thank the man for telling us how incompetent he was as a state governor.
The Most difficult thing is to cover layers of Lies. It takes an evil genius to due that very well and as we can see this man is not so intelligent,talk less of being a genius. Infact,thank you for borrowing from your father. So all Edo people should wait for your father before the state can even think of parching those rough roads and garbage during your tenure? Shame on you.The gods of the Binis will never let you go free oo ! for your information
ReplyDelete