By GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

BENIN—AS controversy continues to trail the planned sale of Edo House, Victoria Island, Lagos by the state government, the state Peoples Democratic, PDP, has called for dialogue with Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

However, Governor Oshiomhole had insisted that the decision to put up the property for sale was taken in the best interest of the state, explaining that proceeds from the sale would be used to built a five- star hotel and a state of the art shopping mall at the King square of the state.

Chief Dan Orbih, Edo State PDP Chairman,  in a statement addressed to Governor Adams Oshiomhole said: “It will appear that efforts to dissuade your administration from selling this property are yet to yield any positive dividends.  We hereby, proposed a meeting for October 14, 2013 between your good self and our party, PDP, with a view of settling this matter amicably. We believe that at such a meeting, we may be able to persuade your government from going ahead with your proposed sale. We believe that a dialogue on this issue would be preferable to avoidable litigation.”

But the Special Adviser to Oshiomhole on media, Prince Kassim Afegbua in a live local radio programme monitored in Benin City, said that the PDP as a party lacks the moral credential to call for such a dialogue with the governor, alleging that PDP when it held sway ran the state aground.