GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday, raised alarm that huge sums of money from Abuja was being used to induce some members of the state House of Assembly to impeach him.
He also said that the four All Progressives Congress, APC, lawmakers, who defected to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were ingrates, adding that any attempt to impeach him will not succeed.
It will be recalled that the four former APC lawmakers, had last week denied the allegation that they were plotting to impeach the governor. But Oshiomhole, who addressed thousands of youths from the three senatorial districts, who paid him a solidarity visit, regretted that he was stabbed on the back by people who rode on his back to become lawmakers.
Commending the youths for their visit, Oshiomhole said: “I know that you have read in the newspapers that some of them (lawmakers) are planning through corrupt means to change a popular mandate that was conferred on me by the great people of the state, including your good selves. History will have it, whether they like it or not, that for the first time, Edo Central, North and South, everybody voted for me overwhelmingly in all the local governments.
“Now they have brought in a lot of money from Abuja paying Assembly members who we campaigned for, marketed some of these people who are not known in their neighbourhoods, who rode on my back to get to the House of Assembly. Some of them cannot walk on their streets.
“I heard that they are going to pick up more money to buy the people. Let them bring it. But the day the devil will rise to say that he will dare what God has willed, they will increase the fire power in heaven. So, I need you to remain resolute and not to be disturbed. When I was not in government, I laid down my life to fight for Nigeria. I confronted those in powers then. We are determined to be on the side of the people.”
Leader of the group, Mr Solomon Okoduwa, in his remarks, expressed support for the governor, but appealed to the state government to make grants available to youths who had acquired different agricultural training skills which would help address unemployment in the state.