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Tag: Adams Oshiomhole

  • 20 perm secs appointed

    20 perm secs appointed

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has appointed 20 new permanent secretaries.

    A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Peter Okhiria, gave the names as Dan Aigbavboa; F.A. Bello; I.O. Okuo; B.E. Oiboh; M.E. Okojie; Faluyi Osarayi and V. Enebi.

    Others are: O.G. Umolu; S.E. Eghomare; P.E. Aziagbemhin; O. S. Uhinmwangho; C. O. Odigie; A.C. Osunde; L.I. Obayagbona; R.E. Osaghae and S.E. Omorodion, Esq.

    The rest are A.C. Abbe;  Ofure Eboreime; E.E. Osahon; Dan Aigbavboa and Idugboe Helen – Adesuwa.

     

  • Be vigilant, Oshiomhole’s aide urges youths

    Be vigilant, Oshiomhole’s aide urges youths

    ALL Progressives Congress’ (APC) youths in Osun State have been urged to mobilise themselves and ensure the sanctity of the ballot process on August 9.

    Executive Director, Youths Affairs to Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole and APC Youths Leader, Comrade Emma Yakubu told journalists yesterday in Benin.

    He said the youths should embark on civil policing of the polling units by ensuring there is no intimidation and irregularities on the election day.

    Yakubu said as Edo youths resisted the militarisation and intimidation of APC members during July 14, 2012 governorship election, “Osun State youths should do the same thing because the election is about their future.”

    He urged the youths to mobilise themselves and occupy all polling units in Osun to ensure the sanctity of the ballot process.

    “PDP attempted to rig the Edo State governorship election, but the youths resisted.

    “Youths in Ekiti State was molested, intimidated and the whole state was militarise by President Goodluck Jonathan. At the end, they had their ways with all form of manipulations, which they couldn’t do in Edo State.

    “I urged you all to resist any form of intimidation, harassment and molestation. Soldiers cannot kill every person in Osun State.

    “They should checkmate all irregularities the PDP may plan to execute, because they are known for manipulation, thuggery and all forms of election manoeuvres,” he said.

     

  • Jonathan lauds Oshiomhole for investments in Edo

    Jonathan lauds Oshiomhole for investments in Edo

    President  Goodluck Jonathan has praised Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole for attracting investments into the state, saying the governor is an investor’s delight.

    The President spoke yesterday at the inauguration of Presco BioGas Power Plant Project at Obayantor, Benin City.

    Represented by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, the President said: “For any form of investment, policies are critical, but the enabling environment is far more important.

    “I wish to praise the government, and in particular the governor, we heard his comments when they said they needed another 20,000 hectares of land, he said it is available, come and get it.

    “He is the kind of governor who investors want to work with.  A governor who is dynamic, a governor who understands the economics, understands the needs of the people, understands the importance of investments in his state.

    “I wish also to praise the people for providing the cordial atmosphere for Presco to operate all these years and to continue to invest in this state and in this country.

    “It is my hope that the cooperation that has sustained Presco will be extended to other industrial establishments in Edo State.”

    Aganga assured that the Federal Government will continue to partner with states, such as Edo, in its policy to bring about results which Nigerians expect from governance.

    He said: “I also want to say thank you to the governor for your kind support for Presco Company in boosting the agro-allied industry. It is a great honour for me to be here today for the formal commissioning of this Bio-Gas Plant.

    “It is important to note that 10,000 Nigerians are among the shareholders of this company. So every penny they make and the dividends they pay have a huge success in maintaining these Nigerians.”

    Oshiomhole said: “Part of the problem of our democracy is that we spend too much time talking politics and very little time discussing the economy, investment, wealth creation among others.

    “We need to do more to ensure that there is policy coherence beyond what we see in terms of what we do as government both at the federal and state levels. As you know, trade has never been free, nation-states must formulate policies that are informed by their enlightened self-interest.”

     

  • I can’t be intimidated over 2015 election, says Oshiomhole

    I can’t be intimidated over 2015 election, says Oshiomhole

    •Blames PDP, Police for crisis in Edo State House of Assembly

    EDO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has said he cannot be intimidated by the allegation that he is destabilising his state to contest next year’s election as a vice-president.

    The governor told State House correspondents in Abuja that he has the right to contest for the position, if he decides to do so and that he would not be intimidated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because of the matter.

    Oshiomhole said he does not need to destabilise the state to vie for the office of the vice-president.

    He said: “And as you read one Metuhsella or Olisa Metuh or by whatever name he is called, he was reported as saying that I am destabilising Edo State because I want to contest for vice-president. Now, that is standing logic upside down.

    “If I want to contest for vice-president, do I need to distablise the government that I currently head?

    “So, they have let the cat out of the bag, meaning that they are afraid of their own rumoured ambition that I want to contest the vice-presidency. So, the point I want to make is that, if I decide even to contest for the Presidency, the PDP cannot intimidate me. I have a right to do so, if it is my conviction.

    “It is unfortunate that some people want to put their individual interest above national interest, but I cannot be intimidated. I’m firmly on the ground and there is nothing to worry about.”

    The governor blamed the PDP and the police for the crisis in the Edo State House of Assembly.

    He linked the crisis with  the High Court order restraining four PDP lawmakers from going to the House of Assembly.

    Oshiomhole said: “Now, the other thing is that you are seeing the police excessive use of power, compromising the commercial and economic life of Edo State. This is making the whole place to look like the police have become an invasion force. It is just to protect these four members, aid and abet them from obeying court order.

    “So, if four people refuse to obey a court order, that does not mean the state is on fire. You just have few people who are celebrating lawlessness and the police force is helping them to celebrate lawlessness.”

    He added: “Now, what is my position? It’s simple! Without the state instrument, on the streets of this city of Abuja, we confronted the powers that be. We confronted the people who occupied this Villa from 1999 to 2007. I did, along with my colleagues, across the 36 states. We did. So, I am not a coward who can be intimidated.

    “One thing is that an election is coming in 2015 and we have defeated the PDP consistently since 2009, when I assume office. Every bye-election, they lost. In the last National Assembly election, we defeated them in the whole of Edo South, which is about 51 per cent of the population. We defeated them in Edo North, which is about 33 per cent of the population; we defeated them in Edo Central, which accounts for about 17 per cent of the population.

    “In my own election, despite all they boasted that they were going to do, I defeated them in all the 18 local government areas, including the local government of the PDP godfather. So, what they are trying to do now is that having lost the election, having been rejected by the Edo people and knowing that another election is coming, they want to distablise the state, intimidate my person.”

    Tracing the genesis of the four lawmakers’ problem, the governor said: “You have some people who believe that because they are members of the PDP, they are above the law and they want to celebrate the culture of impunity. But I am a product of struggle all my life. I’m used to people who think that they are much more than what they are.

    “My own life history tells me that only the man on the side of truth is on the side of God and only that could survive. The issue in Edo is straight forward. Four members of the PDP, on their own, went to court, asking the Federal High Court to ask the Speaker not to declare their seats vacant…”

     

     

     

     

     

     

    “Number two, asking the Court to restrain the Speaker and the House of Assembly from carrying out any disciplinary action against them. The court granted these two relief. Now the issue is, I cant understand why they were asking that their seats should not be declared vacant because they had changed camp, the penalty as provide by Section 109 of the Constitution.”

    “But they also went on to ask the court to restrain the Speaker from suspending them based on internal disciplinary issues. The court granted both prayers. But when the motion was argued by both sides, the court ordered that the Speaker should still not declare their seats vacant pending the determination of the substantive suit.”

    “However the court vacated the order restraining the House and the Speaker from suspending them for any allged misconduct on the ground that the court cannot prevent an arm of government from carrying out internal  disciplinary measures.”

    “Now having vacated one leg or the other the House met subsequently based on their rules and suspended these four members. You know as media men and women that across the 36 state houses of assembly and even National Assembly at one time or the other members have been suspended for one offence or the other. And in a democracy if any action is taken against you and you are not satisfied there is only one civilised way to go, that is to go to court.”

    “However these members refused to abide by the suspension order in clear violations of the rules of the House of Assembly. The House of Assembly determined to be on the right side of the law decided that rather than physically resolve the matter decided to approach the High Court to ask it to grant interim injunction restraining the four suspended members from coming into the House of Assembly.”

    “Because the police was aiding and abetting these suspended members, the House also asked the court to restrain the police from aiding and abetting these people from violating the suspension order.”

    “The High Court granted this order, restraining them from going to House of Assembly, restraining the police from aiding and abetting from doing so.”

    “I’m sure you have seen on the news channel that they boastfully said they will not obey the court order, in fact they described the court order as useless. And when they bailiff went to serve them the contempt paper they harassed and abuse the hell out of the bailiff. Which means these guys because they are members of the PDP believe they are above the law, they are above the court and that court orders are not meant to be obeyed.”

    “Ironically, the only reason Edo tax payers money is spent to maintain these honourable members of the House is to make laws for the good governance of the state and yet you who live on law making you are the first to dismiss the order of a High Court even when you were the first to approach the High Court for protection. And as we speak you are enjoying that protection but the other leg of the court decision that is against you, you choose to disobey it.” He said

     

  • You failed Edo people, Oshiomhole tells Ize-Iyamu

    You failed Edo people, Oshiomhole tells Ize-Iyamu

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has challenged a former Secretary to the State Government, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, to render an account of his stewardship.

    Oshiomhole spoke when over 2,000 market women from across the 18 local governments visited him at the Government House, Benin City.

    He said: “I defeated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in all the wards and local governments in the last election and that was because of your massive support.

    “After the defeat, a man who claims to be a pastor, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, insisted on being imposed on the people. I refused because I said, as a former SSG, what did you do?

    “What effort did you make in bringing development to our people? Did you give them electricity? Did you give them water? Did you give them good roads?

    “How did you influence the government in bringing development to your constituencies? Did you bring hospitals to the people?

    “Everywhere I go, people ask me, why did you always allow this man to go with you? Like you have said, in the morning, you see some of them as PDP; at night they become All Progressives Congress (APC) members and how can you commit state resources to such people?”

    The governor said some are in politics and parade themselves as servants of God to deceive people.

    Oshiomhole assured the people that he would not allow those who looted the state to take over the helm of affairs, saying Edo people will decide who leads them when the time comes.

    He assured the women of his administration’s support for them, stressing that his relationship with them can be likened to a Catholic marriage that can never be broken.

  • Oshiomhole sacks SSA

    Oshiomhole sacks SSA

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has sacked the Senior Special Assistant on Projects Monitoring, Captain Felix Omokhodion.

    Capt Omokhodion was directed to hand over all government property in his possession to the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

     

  • We’re not disturbed, says Oshiomhole

    We’re not disturbed, says Oshiomhole

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole said yesterday that the government was undisturbed with the shenanigans of the defected lawmakers.

    Oshiomhole spoke when he addressed youths who were protesting at the Government House.

    His words: “I thank you for recognising that we all went round to campaign for these people who have decided to sell their mandate.

    “What is sickening is that they are young men who should be anxious to break away from the past.

    “Obviously, I think it is important that if democracy is going to survive, each promise must be kept because in the last election, I had to go and do a television advert when the PDP people said this election is not Oshiomhole’s election, therefore vote for individual candidates.

    “I had to do that because Edo people were not going to accept some of these people and I had to remind them that if they do not vote for them they would create problems for me.

    “As far as I am concerned, there is no cause for alarm.  A lot of these people cannot win election on their own merit in their ward.

    “They were voted for as ACN with the broom. If you were voted for with the broom, how can you now go and replace it with an umbrella that is torn and abandoned?”

  • APC, PDP flex muscles in Edo

    APC, PDP flex muscles in Edo

    The recent defection of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and his followers from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is being celebrated with fanfare in Edo State. But, can he swing the pendulum of victory towards the opposition in future election? Correspondent OSAGIE OTABOR asks.

    The emergence of Adams Oshiomhole as the governor of Edo State six years  ago under the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has diminished the stature of the   Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).  He also impressed the people during his first term, with the rapid transformation of the state. This earned him the mandate for a second term.

    The governor got the second term mandate, in spite of the determination of the PDP to bounce back. This feat has convinced everyone that his victory in the 2007 governorship election, which was  stolen, was not a fluke.

    But, the Edo State  PDP is celebrating the recent defections from the ruling party to its fold, saying the party is capable of displacing the APC in 2015 and 2016. The next governorship election may be two years away, but the PDP is already beating its chest. The PDP leaders believe that the party has found its feet, with the defection  from across the 18 local government areas. The former APC members are loyalists of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who had a disagreement with  Oshiomhole  over the recent party congresses.

    With this development, members of the  PDP are optimistic that the party would sing victory songs during next year’s general elections and the 2016 governorship election. The chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih had boasted  that it is a signal that the party is returning to power.

    Observers however, fault  Orbih’s optimism, saying it is too early to conclude that the coming of Pastor Ize-Iyamu will swing the pendulum of victory towards the PDP.

    Apart from the four APC lawmakers in the  House of Assembly who joined the defection train, other defectors were former members of the PDP that had left the party, ahead of the 2007 general elections. The key defectors are Evelyn Omokhodion, former Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Bright Omokhodion, Chief Amos Osunbor, Alhaji Usman Shagadi, and Abubarkar Momoh.

    The four former APC lawmakers are Abdulrasaq Momoh (Etasako West 1), Friday Ogieriakhi (Orhiomwon South) Patrick Osayimen (Oredo East) and Jude Ise-Idehen (Ikpoba-Okha).

    Abdulrasaq Momoh said that he was not really part of the APC because he was disowned by the defunct ACN, following last year’s local government elections. Momoh was arrested during  the elections following rifle allegedly found on him. Subsequently he was remanded in prison.

    He said: “Before now, I had decided to give the party a chance, to know whether the new leadership would reconsider their action. But, recent events have convinced me that they are hypocrites. Similarly, the people of my constituency appear to have also seen through the party and its leadership, especially as it relates to the provision of basic amenities. We are from the same local government with the governor, but he has totally neglected us.

    “The governor has done creditably well in his homestead, Uzairue, but he abandoned my constituency for reasons best known to him. He also neglected Auchi, the headquarters of the local government. My people said they can no longer bear it and I have no other option, but to move with them. It was not a personal thing, but as a result of the neglect of my constituency. I expected when money was voted to contain the erosion problem in Auchi that it would be used for that purpose. But, it was diverted. If they used N30 billion for Benin City erosion, they should have spent N2 billion on the erosion problems in Auchi. What I’m saying is that Auchi has not been given the necessary attention. At the rural areas, there are no roads. The governor could not go to those areas by road during the campaign for his second term. He went there with helipcopter.

    “The PDP’s chances in the coming elections are better because the people are not satisfied with the performance of the ruling party. The women are complaining, bike riders who are now without jobs are complaining, school proprietors, saw-millers, workers, teachers are complaining of over taxation. All these are indicators of the people’s rejection of APC as a party.”

    But, others are leaving for personal reasons. Ise-Idehen, for instance, is warming up for the House of Representatives race, after his eight-years stint at the House of Assembly. His ambition is however, considered unrealistic by leaders of the APC.

    The lawmaker said he left due to lack of internal democracy in the party. He said the governor failed to take decisive actions on certain pertinent issues.

    His words: “It was difficult for me to leave the APC. It is only a mad man that continues to do the same thing and expect a different result. It was like I was hitting my head against the wall. People refused to change. They say one thing and do something different. It was a difficult situation.

    “The governor is fair and a good man, who has the interest of the people at heart, but the people around him are the problem. They are the problem we have in the APC. We are not fighting the governor; we are fighting the group surrounding him. The governor is a friend. He has not offended me in any way. I have nothing against him. What I am against is the system and the people around the governor. I have not heard of any plan to impeach the governor and I will not be involved in any plan to impeach Oshiomhole. As for the  speaker, it is an internal issue within the house. It is only the members of the house that can remove the speaker. It is not about me wanting to remove the speaker.

    “Those people saying we left because of our stomach are the ones lying to the governor. They tell the governor lies so that they can get something from him. But, the governor has not been able to see through the lies and when his attention was drawn to the issues, he did not act.

    “We are not in the system to fight anybody. I believe the PDP has improved in the last few years. Much to our surprise, the PDP has made a major turn-around. I decided to leave the house, which I helped to build because the environment was no longer conducive. What they are saying does not make sense.  It is really not about the stomach. I have never been hungry in my life and I will never in this life time be hungry again. I can walk away from politics and not be hungry.

    Osayimen, who is also eyeing the House of Representative, said his problem with the APC started 18 months ago when the House leadership started treating him like a minority member because he voiced the feelings of his people concerning the Land Use Charge.

    He said that he left to prove a point, adading that,  based on personal principle, he could not be in a party where he would not be allowed to express his opinion.

    Osayimen said: “The congress was just the last straw. My spirit left the party about 18 months ago. They crucified me because I stood to speak the voice of my people. What a Bini man hates most is to ask him who are you?  The party may be doing well, but without internal democracy, it still has a long way to go.”

    Ize-Iyamu is insisting that he would deliver the state to the PDP, by winning in all the 18 local government areas. He said no amount of money and blackmail could change the situation adding that more lawmakers would soon defect to the PDP.

    He said: “I gave my best to ensure the success of the party, but Oshiomhole tried to belittle some of us. Majority of the party members had a lot of confidence in me. Many of them accepted the last ACN executive list because of me. Some of us did certain things to support him. We were interested in him delivering the dividends of democracy. We wanted him to be more involved in governance. Issues pertaining to the party that would have distracted him, we took it off him.

    APC chieftain Chief Dan Owegie, who described the defection as a one-man movement, said the exit of Ize-Iyamu would not affect the fortune of the party. His words: “Those people, who allegedly defected with, him were hired. Only few people there were party men. The party tried its best. The governor tried his best. He called several meetings, but Ize-Iyamu was resolute on leaving the party.

    “The APC is going to score 18 over 18 in the next election. Pastor Ize-Iyamu can no longer deliver Edo for the PDP. We will win because of the APC, development strides. The governor will redouble his effort to develop the state. Our future is very bright in Edo. The trouble shooters have left. It is greed that is pushing them out of the party. It is too early for somebody to start putting structures on ground, two years before the expiration of the Comrade Governor’s tenure.”

    APC Secretary, Chief Osaro Idah expressed confidence that Pastor Ize-Iyamu would return to the party after he gets tired of the PDP.  Idah said it was laughable for Ize-Iyamu to talk of winning the state for the PDP when the people are aware of what is going on.

    Comrade Godwin Erhahon, who challenged  Ize-Iyamu to a public debate, said it was Oshiomhole’s goodwill and antecedents that gave the party victory in 2007. He said those being wooed by the PDP were “the rejected ones of APC, who have fallen out of grace.”

    He said: “I have challenged Pastor Ize-Iyamu to a public debate and he is not bold enough to accept it. One of the PDP spokesmen challenged me, asking why it is only the governor that is inspecting projects and not the commissioners. That shows they are scared of the achievements of the governor. The Benin Water Storm is an unprecedented achievement. Have they not always acclaimed the goodness of the governor? Is it now that they have lost out they are saying different things?

    “Oshiomhole has so deflated the PDP that, even if a swarm of flies that fell out of grace  join the PDP, is will celebrate them. The PDP are receiving those we rejected and the bad ones in the APC. Ize-Iyamu should have hijacked other parties, if he had the structure. But, they are going to where the food is ready.

    “It was when they saw what we put in place for Oshiomhole in 2005 that they begged Oshiomhole to join them. Oshiomhole won because of his personal appeal and not what those leprous hands did. Nobody wants to shake hands with them.”

     

  • Aggrieved Edo APC members haven’t left, says Oshiomhole

    Aggrieved Edo APC members haven’t left, says Oshiomhole

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole said yesterday that grievances expressed by some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state will soon be resolved.

    Speaking with State House correspondents in Abuja, he insisted that the aggrieved members were still members of the party.

    According to him, the fact that there were issues among members showed that the party is democratic, open and promoting inclusive participation.

    He said: “As far as I know, there are a couple of issues and that show that we are very democratic. We are open. We believe in inclusive participation.

    “No party in history has done what we are doing; getting people to register in all polling units and conducting elections at ward levels.

    “That people complain if elections were properly or not properly conducted show that elections were held.

    “For me, it shows that we are building a new democracy, you know when we founded our party, our commitment was to let the people lead, not the godfathers.

    “So, you are bound to have in any genuine democracy, sometimes discordant voices. That is the first evidence that people feel sufficiently free to say what they want to say and for me that is fine.

    “Those persons you are referring to, no, they have not moved to another party, they have only said they have issues with APC  and in a democracy there are bound to be issues from time to time. What is important is to resolve those issues and I believe we will resolve them using democratic methods.

    “Democracy is not about grip, we have freedom of association. The beauty of democracy is that people can move front or back, right or left. Some people have joined us from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the past months, a member of the house left PDP to join us, don’t forget that some people also left.”

    The governor declined to speak on the condition given by Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau to release the over 200 school girls.

    His words: “I have no reaction because at my level, you don’t jump to conclusion on the basis of newspaper reports. After all, just yesterday, there were pictures showing some American marines arresting someone and we were told the marines were in Nigeria only to be told later that they were not here.

    “I cannot comment on a story I am not in a position to verify. I don’t have access to classified security details to enable me make an informed position and it will bother on recklessness if I were to take what you may call an official position.”

    On the nation’s security situation, he said: “My attitude is that Nigerians have to wake up to the reality that terrorists are here. All of us must work together. It’s not a blame game. The reality is here. A terrorist doesn’t know your age, your region or your religion.

    “The truth is that everybody has become a victim. So on this issue we must speak as a nation, united to denounce terrorism and  work together with the Federal Government.”

     

     

  • ‘Appoint Edo NDDC commissioner’

    ‘Appoint Edo NDDC commissioner’

    Edo State House of Assembly lawmakers have expressed their disappointment in President Goodluck Jonathan’s delay in the appointment of a state commissioner on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    The new NDDC board was inaugurated last December but the nominee from Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Henry Okhuarobo, was not approved due to political manouvering.

    Ms Elisabeth Ativie, who moved the motion under matters of urgent public importance, said several NDDC projects have been abandoned.

    She named a water project at her village that has been stalled due to non-appointment of a commissioner.

    “As we speak, eight other  states that make up NDDC have representatives but our state has been left out.

    “Most NDDC projects in this state have been abandoned.

    “We cannot fold our hands and watch this continue. The people have been subjected to undue hardship”

    Majority Leader Philip Shaibu said it was unfortunate that the state was yet to get a representative on the NDDC board.

    The lawmakers passed a resolution calling on the President to appoint Edo Commissioner into the NDDC.