By Gabriel Enogholase
BENIN—Edo State Police Command weekend in Benin questioned the councillor representing Ward 5 in Oredo local government area, Mr. Abiodun Olotun, over false allegation  that his signature was forged in a letter adopting the removal of the council chairman, Deacon Mike Ehima.

Vanguard gathered from a source closed to the police that the police through forensic examination discovered that the alleged signature claimed to have been forged by Abiodun Olotun was similar to a sample signature collected by the police.

The legislative arm of Oredo local council  recently adopted the recommendations of a seven-man committee it set up to investigate alleged financial improprieties by the council chairman and the councillor was said to have been one of the signatories to the adoption of the legislature.

The councillor, it  was further gathered, had written to the police and the state House of Assembly disassociating himself from signing the adoption of the legislators claiming that it was forged.

Police spokesman, ASP Peter Ogboi, when contacted, said  that the matter was still being investigated and that he had not been briefed on the forensic report.

On his part, Olotun refused to agree with the  police’s claim that the  forensic report indicated that the signatures were similar and maintained that the signature was lifted.

He said that he was not present at the sitting on the day the recommendations of the seven-man committee was read.

It would be recalled that there had been a crises lingering between the legislative arm of Oredo local government and chairman of the council, Deacon Ehiman, and this has stalled the presentation of the 2009 budget in the council for the past seven months.

Council officials revealed that the local council is currently being run at a deficit, making it difficult for any meaningful projects to be executed.

The council boss could not be reached for comments, as his phones went unanswered.