Our Reporter

 

The Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) standard-bearer in the September 19 poll, Governor Godwin Obaseki, has said he will prioritise the power sector if re-elected.

He spoke during his visit to Ewohimi community in Esan South East Local Government, in continuation of his ward to ward campaign.

Obaseki said the major challenge observed since the beginning of the tour was shortage of power in the areas he visited.

Read Also: Chamber of Commerce endorses Ize-Iyamu

 

He said his administration last year built Ossiomo Power Plant because of the electricity challenge faced by the people.

The governor said Ossiomo Power Plant was generating 50 megawatts of electricity to the state.

The Chairman of the PDP Campaign Council, Chief Dan Orbih, said the election was vital because it would be a test for the sustenance of democracy.

He said democracy was about the people, adding that the governor, who was also the party’s candidate, was committed to repositioning the state and moving it forward.

The state Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, said many people from the All Progressives Congress (APC) had defected to the party.

By Emmanuel Oladesu

Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday alleged that Governor Godwin Obaseki and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were fuelling religious tension.

It frowned on the reaction of the PDP to the honorary ‘Itsemakohna’ (‘this is our own’) title conferred on Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu by the Otaru of Auchi, Alhaji Aliru Momoh, Ikelebe III.

The Opposition said PDP’s uncomplimentary remark about the conferment was a slap on Christians and an attempt to introduce RUGA to Edo State.

APC Media Campaign Council Chairman John Mayaki said PDP is insensitive to the cultural and religious diversities in the state.

But, Obaseki’s media aide, Crusoe Osagie, said the PDP has promoted religious harmony in Edo more than the APC.

Read Also: PDP crumbling under your watch, APC tells Secondus

Mayaki said in a statement that Auchi, popularly called the Afemai or Afenmai region, is a predominantly Muslim area under the traditional leadership of the Otaru of Auchi, Alhaji Aliru Momoh, Ikelebe III.

He said this fact had been respected by Edo people for long, adding that the citizens had lived in harmony despite religious differences because of mutual respect.

Mayaki added: “The conferment of the ‘Itsemakohna’ title on Pastor Ize-Iyamu, as explained by the candidate, was a mark of honour indicative of his level of acceptance in all parts of Edo State.

“His religion and position as a pastor are not unknown to the Otaru who, indeed, refers and regards him as a Christian and an ordained man of God.

“The symbolic turbaning is not a religious ceremony, but a cultural one to show that the people of Auchi no longer want Governor Obaseki and have embraced the APC candidate.

“There are many reasons for the rejection of the embattled governor, part of which include his flagrant disrespect for tradition and well-known divisive tendencies, a fact he and his party have corroborated with the evil insinuations they introduced to the event, seeking to stoke religious tension.

“The governor’s disrespect for tradition was apparent when he visited the palace of the Oba of Benin without the customary kola nut he should have carried and met a cold reception. His opponent, Pastor Ize-Iyamu, a more urbane and culturally conscious man, carried the kola nut on his visit and was met by a full regiment of powerful Benin chiefs, who greeted him affectionately.”

Agency Reporter

Business mogul and Edo State leader, Captain Hosa Wells Okunbo, has said an Edo State of the dream of all citizens is possible.

He urged the people to ensure a hitch-free governorship election on September 19.

Speaking at his Abuja office, Okunbo said the only home he knows and will always cherish is Edo State; adding that a free and violence-free election is the least the state is owed by her citizens.

Read Also: Okunbo calls for violence-free election in Edo

“I love my state and will always like her progress, which can only be guaranteed by capable and responsible leadership. This is what I want Edo residents to ensure by voting wisely next month,” he said.

Okunbo said he would like to retire home one day and eat a delicacy his grandmother brought him up with.

“I will like to eat roasted yam with palm oil; which was the delicacy my grandmother brought me up with. Then I can tie my wrapper, go to the palace and make my king laugh,” he added.

On the attacks on his person by some disgruntled elements, Okunbo said he has chosen to remain a father to all.

He added that as a father to all, he would not exchange words with those he was supposed to be leading.

By Bisi Olaniyi, Benin

A group, the Coalition for Good Governance and Economic Justice in Africa, has urged the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate Governor Godwin Obaseki, Afrinvest Ltd and Primus Bank for alleged corruption.

The organisation, on Tuesday through its Deputy National Chairman, Jude Gadimoh, at a news conference in Benin, accused Obaseki of abusing his office by awarding inflated contracts running into billions of naira to his firm, Afrinvest Ltd, without following due process.

It alleged: “On July 4, we were shocked, like all Edo State indigenes, to read the petition by members of Obaseki’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to ICPC against the governor over his corrupt relationship with the firm (Afrinvest Limited) he founded and he was chairman of its Board of Directors, before he was elected governor, and Primus Bank.

“Obaseki has been stashing Edo State’s funds in Afrinvest Ltd, which formed the starting capital for the establishment of the regional bank, with the name Primus Bank. The governor, acting through his proxies, has requested approval for the operation of Primus Bank at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“Obaseki, whose commissioner was nabbed in overseas for possessing an unexplained $2 million, and remains in detention for money laundering, should explain the sources of funds in Afrinvest Ltd and Primus Bank.

“We demand immediate commencement of investigation into the allegations levelled by the petitioners against Obaseki, in order to serve justice to the people of Edo State, who have suffered double jeopardy of an incompetent and manically-corrupt governor.”

Read Also: Edo 2020: Monarch condemns Obaseki over Edo Assembly invasion

The coalition demanded a full audit of the earnings of Afrinvest Ltd between 2016 and now, by a competent third-party auditing firm, with the report to be submitted to the ICPC to support its investigation into the petition filed against Obaseki.

The governor, reacting on the phone through the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Efe Stewart, urged the citizens to ignore “the senseless allegations.”

He said: “These are falsehood and campaigns of calumny. The allegations are not true. The governor did not divert any money. Instead, he is bringing money into the state to see how he can carry Edo forward. You can see the dividends of what we call MoUs (Memoranda of Understanding) that we have been talking about. We have results to show for the MoUs. The MoUs are result oriented.

“Since they know that they have failed already, and they know that in the September 19 election, they have no hope and Edo people have resolved to chase them out, they are looking for one way or another to blackmail and tarnish the governor’s image.” group, the Coalition for Good Governance and Economic Justice in Africa, has urged the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate Governor Godwin Obaseki, Afrinvest Ltd and Primus Bank for alleged corruption.

The organisation, yesterday through its Deputy National Chairman, Jude Gadimoh, at a news conference in Benin, accused Obaseki of abusing his office by awarding inflated contracts running into billions of naira to his firm, Afrinvest Ltd, without following due process.

It alleged: “On July 4, we were shocked, like all Edo State indigenes, to read the petition by members of Obaseki’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to ICPC against the governor over his corrupt relationship with the firm (Afrinvest Limited) he founded and he was chairman of its Board of Directors, before he was elected governor, and Primus Bank.

“Obaseki has been stashing Edo State’s funds in Afrinvest Ltd, which formed the starting capital for the establishment of the regional bank, with the name Primus Bank. The governor, acting through his proxies, has requested approval for the operation of Primus Bank at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“Obaseki, whose commissioner was nabbed in overseas for possessing an unexplained $2 million, and remains in detention for money laundering, should explain the sources of funds in Afrinvest Ltd and Primus Bank.

“We demand immediate commencement of investigation into the allegations levelled by the petitioners against Obaseki, in order to serve justice to the people of Edo State, who have suffered double jeopardy of an incompetent and manically-corrupt governor.”

The coalition demanded a full audit of the earnings of Afrinvest Ltd between 2016 and now, by a competent third-party auditing firm, with the report to be submitted to the ICPC to support its investigation into the petition filed against Obaseki.

The governor, reacting on the phone through the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Efe Stewart, urged the citizens to ignore “the senseless allegations.”

He said: “These are falsehood and campaigns of calumny. The allegations are not true. The governor did not divert any money. Instead, he is bringing money into the state to see how he can carry Edo forward. You can see the dividends of what we call MoUs (Memoranda of Understanding) that we have been talking about. We have results to show for the MoUs. The MoUs are result oriented.

“Since they know that they have failed already, and they know that in the September 19 election, they have no hope and Edo people have resolved to chase them out, they are looking for one way or another to blackmail and tarnish the governor’s image.”

By Bisi Olaniyi, Benin

Edo State chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) are engaged in a fresh face-off over alleged printing of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to rig the September 19 governorship election.

The parties also disagreed over the allegation of stoking violence in the state to ensure the postponement of the poll.

PDP, through its Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, on Sunday at a news conference at the re-election campaign organisation’s office of Governor Godwin Obaseki at the Government Reservation Area (GRA), Benin, levelled the allegations against the leaders and members of the APC.

The party said: “We wrote letters to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Department of State Services (DSS), the police and other security agencies to give them our itineraries for the campaigns.

“Owan West was one of the local governments that we gave the dates for, for our electioneering, but to our surprise, APC leaders chose the same day for Estako West Local Government to visit the same area, but our intelligence showed that they deliberately did that to ensure clash, because from the outset, all they are interested in, is to have the September 19 election postponed, by fomenting trouble.

“They are aware that as it is today, they will be defeated roundly and very decisively. So, it is in their interest that the election is postponed.

Read Also: Edo 2020: APC, PDP bicker over house of assembly crisis

“We also notified the security agencies that APC leaders are printing PVCs to be used to rig the election. We told them of the location of the printing of the PVCs, but they decided to turn a blind eye.

“APC leaders have discovered that they cannot win a free and fair election. So, they are displaying desperation. Governor Obaseki is sure of winning the election, in view of his impressive performance in almost four years. Edo people are also tired of godfatherism and the use of touts.”

It said Obaseki had no godfather, adding that he would not loot the treasury.

PDP hailed the monarchs and Edo North Senatorial District people for their warm reception during the campaigns.

It urged residents to re-elect the governor.

The party said from today (Monday), it would begin campaigns in Edo Central Senatorial District, which it described as its stronghold.

APC, through its Publicity Secretary, Chris Azebamwan, said it was a mark of ignorance for PDP and its spokesman (Nehikhare) to accuse APC leaders of printing PVCs.

It said: “Any politician who does that (printing of PVCs) will be wasting his/her time and money, because INEC’s card readers will reject the fake PVCs.

“PDP leaders are trying to distract and deceive Edo people and other Nigerians about their plot to rig the September 19 governorship election, but it will be an exercise in futility. Edo residents and other Nigerians should ignore the antics, propaganda, misinformation and disinformation of Nehikhare and other members of PDP.”

Agency Reporter

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu has ordered commissioners of police to initiate actions to identify, isolate, disarm, arrest and prosecute individuals or groups in possession of prohibited arms.

He said this is part of preparations for the coming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, as well as efforts by the police to curb the proliferation of prohibited firearms.

A statement on Sunday in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, said the directive became necessary against the backdrop of the deliberate arming and movement of political thugs and other criminals across the country.

Read Also: Blame IGP, AGF for Assembly invasion, says PDP caucus

The statement said: “The directive is targeted at addressing the proliferation and unlawful possession of prohibited arms, which is contrary to Chapter F.28 LFN 2004 of the Firearms Act.

“Commissioners of police in all states and the FCT have been directed to convene an enlightenment meeting of vigilance groups and quasi security outfits spread across the country to ensure that their activities are in conformity with the extant laws guiding their establishment and operations.

“The IGP, observing that civil groups such as vigilance groups, quasi state and regional security outfits under guises are arming themselves with prohibited arms and weapons in contravention of the Firearms Act, notes that the trend, if unchecked, will pose threat to national security.

“The IGP enjoins citizens to cooperate with the police in the enforcement of this order, as it is aimed at ensuring safety of lives and property.”