Tag: Adams Oshiomhole

•Sack families of Speaker, Majority Leader, others
•Vandalise 36 APC lawmakers’ cars
•PDP behind attack, says Oshiomhole
•We knew nothing about it, PDP replies

NO fewer than 200 thugs suspected to be sympathetic to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday unleashed terror on the legislatives’ quarters located along Ihama road in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) part of Benin, capital of Edo State.

The heavily-armed thugs, who stormed the quarters in ten Hiace buses, were allegedly led by a certain Shaba.

The invasion may not be unconnected with last Monday’s violent attack on PDP lawmaker, Hon Abdulrazak Momoh, who is being treated at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

The armed thugs overpowered security operatives attached to the quarters with heavy gunshots shaking the vicinity.

The official residences of many All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers were destroyed.

About 36 cars belonging to them were also destroyed. Many of them were riddled with bullets.

It was gathered that the thugs launched the attack at about 6:30am after they tied up the security guards at the gate.

Policemen attached to the lawmakers have earlier been withdrawn for undisclosed reasons.

The thugs shot sporadically and chased the lawmakers away.

A visibly- shaken eyewitness, who spoke with our correspondent, said: “We woke up to the sounds of gunshots and about 100 thugs firing bullets at vehicles parked.

“They were shouting that we will kill all the APC lawmakers today. I hid in one of the boys quarter for my safety.

“They also threatened to return back on later day.”

At the time of filing this report, a heavy detachment of stern- looking policemen from the State Command had condoned off the Assembly Quarters.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who visited the quarters after the incident, accused the police of connivance for failing to stop the attack after receiving intelligence reports about the attack.

Oshiomhole stated that failure of the police to stop the attack showed that the police have permission for the attack.

The governor stated that PDP leaders in the state had a meeting where it was decided that thugs should be recruited using one Idehen to perpetrate the attack.

According to him, “It is very clear that the Police granted permission for this attack. The Commissioner of Police was informed at about 10:00pm last night of the plan of the PDP to attack the Legislative quarters and the APC office.

“We made this intelligence available to the Commissioner of Police and you can see that even the minimal police presence here was evacuated so that these thugs can come and have a free reign of terror.

“This morning, when they assembled at a point they were meant to assemble, the fact was conveyed to the Commissioner of Police.

“They actually assembled at George Idah Primary School this morning before they proceeded and the Police provided supervision for this very serious criminal act.

“It is very clear that the police command granted permission to PDP to carry out this heinous crime.”

The governor added: “This is a very dangerous thing. I am not so much worried about the violent character of the PDP. I am more worried by what seems to be the police readiness to provide them with cover.”

Speaking on the attack on Momoh said: “You will recall that during the Local Government Election, Razak Momoh was arrested by the police with two guns; a pistol and a double barrel gun. As of that time during that local government election, he was still a member of ACN.

“When he was arrested and the facts were brought to my attention, I asked the police to ensure that he was prosecuted according to law.

“He was remanded by court in prison for four months before he was granted bail and, as we speak, that matter is pending at the High Court.

“About six months before the election, Razak was shot by his own fellow criminals and he was taken to the hospital. I encouraged Rasak Momoh to disclose who shot him and he claimed he didn’t know.

“This is someone who has a history of violence. History of carrying guns and attacking people with guns and I have insisted and I still do that everyone who has committed crime must be prosecuted according to the law of the land.

“The fact that he is a lawmaker makes it imperative for him to be seen to obey the law and the police told me then that when he was arrested he asked the police, do you know who he is? That he is a member of the House of Assembly and the police had to remind him that he doesn’t have immunity.”

Oshiomhole said: “My warning to the PDP is that power is very transient. Today you are in power, tomorrow you are out of power. Any crime you have committed that the present political order covers you, when the order changes, you will report to justice.

“Yesterday (Friday) at the a Airport, the president came and in line with my conviction that he is the President of Nigeria and not of a particular party, I went to receive him.

“When he was here two weeks ago to address a rally, I went to the airport to receive him. For me, that is the idea of politics. It is not war. It should not be so primitive

“Yesterday (Friday) again, I went to the airport to receive the president for the ground breaking ceremony of a private sector investment which we jointly midwifed with over $800 million. This same Pastor Ize-Iyamu organised rascals and they were abusing themselves.

“The whole idea of their plan was to create a scene at the airport because they have no responsibilities and I have responsibility. If there was any fracas at the airport it would seem as if the Governor of Edo State was not able to receive the president.”Because they didn’t get a response, they descended on the APC Chairman and they attacked him, attacked the Chief of Staff and the Secretary to the Government. I advised them to leave them as two wrongs do not make a right.”

He said: “The activities of the rascals cannot distract us from governance, it will not lead us to resorting to their primitive practice and we will document all these facts and draw the attention of the president and I will like to see how the president responds to them.”

But the Edo State chapter of the PDP denied orchestrating the invasion of the legislators’ quarters.

It said leaders of the party never met on Friday to plan the attack.

Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, who spoke at a press briefing, said the only business conducted by the party on Friday was to welcome President Goodluck Jonathan to the state.

According to him: “There is no truth whatsoever in the governor’s allegations. After welcoming Mr. President to Edo State on Friday, many of us went to our houses, had a light dinner and went to bed.

“It is common knowledge that what happened may have been borne out of the attack on Hon Rasaq Momoh and the fact that those accused are now free today.

“What happened this morning was not the work of our party. We believe in the law enforcement agencies to deal with the situation.”

Also, the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Godwin Erhahon, alleged he was attacked during the visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to the state at the Benin Airport by PDP thugs.

Erhahon, in a statement, narrated that he was beaten, slapped and almost lynched by the irate thugs.

The statement reads: “On Friday morning, as I joined my co-state officers to welcome President Goodluck Jonathan on the invitation of our Comrade Governor Adams Oshiomhole, I was attacked by thugs of some PDP leaders who violently objected to my wearing APC-labelled shirt to the occasion.

“It took the effort of some patriotic police officers and the Chief of Staff, Government House to rush me to safety even as the thugs rainedblows, kicks and slaps on me.

“They equally attacked APC State Auditor, Mr. Joe Imasuen.

“Yet in that moment of brutality, I pitied the thugs for how their so-called leaders have reduced them to such an animalistic level as neither my children nor those of the leaders who sent them would allow themselves to be so used.”

It added: “Till now, I have no apology for wearing my party dress to accompany my party governor to the laying of the foundation of a state project to which the president was invited.

“When the president came recently for a PDP rally, APC leaders had no business being at the airport. And when he came today as guest of APC-controlled government, I did not expect PDP to see it as their show.

“I do not see why members of APC and PDP cannot mix up freely and peacefully in an event where leaders of both parties are featuring.”

Reacting to the violent attacks, the State Commissioner of Police, Foluso Adebanjo, said the Command will get to their roots.

He assured that anyone found involved in them would be brought to book, no matter how highly-placed.

According to him, “We cannot tolerate this act of thuggery in a state I control. Anybody involved will face the law.”

He informed that some persons suspected to have been involved in the incidents have been arrested, adding that the Command was investigation the matters.

Thugs loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party nearly disrupted the visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to Edo State yesterday for the foundation laying of a $1 billion (about N165 billion) Azura Gas-powered Independent Power Project in Benin City.

The thugs, led by a man identified as Shaba, physically assaulted some senior officials of the Edo State Government, including the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Julius Ihonvbere; the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon Patrick Obahiagbon; Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon Anselm Ojezua and some commissioners.

The President’s visit, which was meant to show solidarity with the Edo State Government led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for attracting such a huge investment to the state and the country, was temporarily hijacked by PDP thugs who stormed the airport in large numbers chanting anti-Oshiomhole songs.

Displaying the posters of some PDP aspirants and placards that bore various inscriptions, the thugs disrupted activities at the airport for several minutes as a combined team of soldiers and policemen had a hectic time controlling them.

However, some PDP men who were also at the airport to receive the President, including the state chairman of the party, Mr Dan Orbih; suspended Deputy Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Mr Fstus Ebea and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu were left untouched but did nothing to rein in the thugs.

Soldiers had to be mobilised from the nearby Air Force base and they quickly took charge, dislodging the thugs from the airport before the President’s plane touched down at 10:42 am.

The President was received at the Airport by Governor Oshiomhole and they both flew in the President’s helicopter to the venue of the foundation-laying ceremony.

It was the second time the President would visit Edo State in two weeks, having attended a PDP South-South rally held in Benin City on September 27.

Meanwhile, President  Jonathan yesterday flagged-off the first phase of the $1billion Azura-Edo Power Plant in Ihovbor/Orior Odemwende communities of Edo State.

At the occasion, he called on the various communities in the country who are hosts to several federal, state and private sector projects to play their roles, stressing that there is development in partnership.

The President said the Federal Government would continue to ensure that the growth of the electricity industry becomes self-sustaining and sustainable.

He said: ”I want to use this opportunity to call on all the local communities around the country who are hosts to several federal, state and even private sector projects that have been hindered by communal disruptions, to recognise that in partnership there is development and so, everyone must play their roles.

“My administration is fully committed to continuously improving the framework and enabling environment based on sound policy formulation, access to long-term low interest finance and transparent and consistent regulatory guidelines.”

The President said he was greatly encouraged at the progress made so far towards reforming the power sector since the launch of the Road Map on Power Sector Reform back in August 26, 2010.

According to him, the flag-off of the project is the first signal from the global financial industry that the years the federal government has dedicated to the reform of the power sector is finally yielding results.

The Azura project, he said, demonstrates that “we have laid a strong foundation on which we are building a sound and sustainable electricity industry, with great expectations for robust growth in the sector.”

Stressing that success in any endeavour does not happen by accident, he said that it is facilitated by sound decisions, conscious effort and immense persistence.

According to him, government is committed to irreversibly repositioning the Nigerian power sector as a pivot for the attainment of the nation’s developmental targets.

“We are also maintaining our policy push for increased diversification of our energy, expanding investments in large hydro power projects through public-private partnerships, and the provision of necessary support to accelerate the exploitation of our coal resources,” he said.

He charged the project’s sponsors and their contractors to ensure that the estimated completion date of early 2017 is met, adding that he was eagerly looking forward to when the Azura IPP begins to supply power to the national grid.

In his remarks, the Edo State Governor,  Adams Oshiomhole, said the financial support received by the investors from the international finance community confirms that Nigeria still remains an investment haven.

He said Jonathan had been able to foster the required confidence for investors to participate in the sector, though the privatisation of the power sector has been on since 1999.

Oshiomhole noted that the success recorded by the Jonathan administration in its power reform has further shown that government works better with synergy and collaboration between federal, states, ministries and other government agencies.

The Minister of Power, Chinedu Nebo, had earlier disclosed that the flag-off was a testimony to the inter-ministerial collaboration between the ministries of power, petroleum, finance, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other agencies of government.

The Co-Managing Director of Azura West Africa, David Ladipo, said that the project would create 1000 direct and 20,000 indirect jobs during its construction, assuring that Azura would continue to be a key driver in the power industry to ensure an increase the nation’s total grid-based power generation capacity for a long time to come.

The first phase of the Azura-Edo IPP is a 450 MW green field, open cycle gas turbine power station, with a total capital cost of $735 million. It represents the first phase of a 1,500 MW power plant facility.

It is the first fully financed private sector power plant project. It is also the first power generation project to receive the World Bank Partial Risk Guarantee and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) support.

The IPP project, a 450 megawatts of new generation capacity, which is expected to be completed by early 2017, has attracted almost a billion dollars, mainly in foreign direct investment, into the power sector; comprised of $700 million in construction of the power plant, and $300 million in associated gas supply infrastructure.

•Edo has one Assembly, says governor

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole signed yesterday the 2015 Appropriation Bill.

Oshiomhole presented a budget estimate of N156.551billion but the lawmakers shored it up by almost N3billion, increasing it to N159.3 billion.

The governor said his administration would ensure that the objectives of the budget are realised.

He said he would ensure the people get value for money in line with the tradition of prudent management and proper costing of projects.

Oshiomhole said the hope of getting the budget implemented would depend on how the Federal Government succeeds in curbing oil theft.

His words: “It is my hope that the effort the Federal Government has been making to improve security around oil installations will lead to substantial reduction if not ending crude oil theft.

“Once we can attain that, then we hope that all the revenue accruing from our oil and gas sector will become available for distribution at the federation account.

“If that happens, then our hope of getting this budget properly implemented will be realised.”

Oshiomhole lambasted some electronic media for reporting that the Edo Assembly was divided into factions.

He said: “These electronic media that are owned by PDP leaders that choose to report the activities of some individuals as if we have two parliaments in Edo State, it remains laughable.

“It is the height of abuse for the electronic media to keep on referring to the activities of some suspended lawmakers and the activities of the absentees as amounting to a faction.

“The people know they have a parliament, they know the parliament inaugurated by the governor in accordance with the constitution.”

Edo State House of Assembly lawmakers have passed the 2015 budget proposal submitted by Governor Adams Oshiomhole last week.

Oshiomhole presented a budget of N156.551 billion, consisting of N87.56 billion as Capital Expenditure and Recurrent Expenditure of N68.99 billion.

But the lawmakers passed a budget estimate of N159.3 billion.

Chairman of the Appropriation and Project Monitoring, Peter Aliyu said the budget proposal presented by the governor reflected the views of the people and meant complete all ongoing projects.

The lawmakers passed N88. 6 billion allocated for capital expenditure; N70. 7billion was allocated for recurrent expenditure.

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole will, today, present next year’s budget proposal to the House of Assembly, led by Speaker Uyi Igbe.

The presentation would be the first at the old Assembly chamber since the beginning of the present democratic dispensation.

Lawmakers and the Assembly workers abandoned the Assembly complex at the Oba Ovoranmwen Square due to what the Speaker termed “ongoing renovation”.

Nine PDP lawmakers have however continued to sit at the Assembly complex, using officials who were sacked for certificate forgery.

The governor informed the lawmakers about the budget presentation in a letter by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere.

The governor also sent the name of Dennis Idahosa from Ovia South West Local Government Area as a commissioner nominee for confirmation.