The Nation Newspaper

Tag: All Progressives Congress

  • 17 governors plot APC chair Oyegun’s removal

    17 governors plot APC chair Oyegun’s removal

    Crisis has broken out in the All Progressives Congress (APC), with 17 governors plotting to dump National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun.

    The governors are said to be angry that Oyegun has been running the party with only seven of their colleagues.

    They may table their grievances at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on October 31 and pass a vote of no confidence in Oyegun.

    The governors are said to have reached out to President Muhammadu Buhari on their decision to reject Oyegun’s leadership.

    But Oyegun’s supporters have fingered former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s backers as part of the plot.

    They said Oshiomhole’s loyalists had been lobbying party leaders ahead of the NEC meeting to concede the slot to the ex-governor should Oyegun be forced to step aside.

    READ ALSO: Jonathan accuses APC of lies, propaganda

     APC seems set for a “make or break” meeting because of the sharp division among the governors on Oyegun.

    Some of the governors are alleged to have refused to assist the party because of the national chairman.

    A source, who pleaded not to be named, said: “Ahead of the NEC meeting of APC next week, there is tension in the party. About 17 of the 24 governors are unhappy with the national chairman. They are plotting to withdraw their support for him, unless he carries all of them along.”

    In Oyegun’s corner are Governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna); Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano); Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi); Rochas Okorocha (Imo); Solomon Lalong (Plateau); Yahaya Bello (Kogi)  and Samuel Ortom (Benue).

    “The 17 governors believe that Oyegun is romancing their seven colleagues because the APC National Chairman believes they are close to the President.

    “They expressed fears that the party might split the way the National Chairman was leaving decisions on issues to the ‘anointed’ governors,” the source added.

    Another source said: “Initially, the 17 governors decided to write a letter to the APC leadership but they shelved the idea because it will appear as if they are reporting their colleagues.

    “They are, however, reaching out to President Buhari but through the back channels to avoid embarrassing the President during the October 31 NEC meeting.

    “They want the President to call the National Chairman to order. They said if care is not taken, they might be forced to come out openly on their concern.”

    But a member of NEC said: “What you are hearing is a game plan to pass a vote of no confidence on Oyegun at the NEC meeting.

    “The issues the 17 governors are raising are part of the conspiracy against the National Chairman. And what you are likely to see is the direction where things will go at the NEC session.

    “As regards Oyegun’s preference for some governors, I do not think it is true. If the chairman has personal relationship with some governors, I think it is by virtue of their position or performance.

    “For instance, the National Chairman does not hide his likeness for El-Rufai who he describes openly as ‘very energetic and full of ideas’. He is always proud of the governor of Kebbi and he relates well with Okorocha as the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF). He is also used to the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Abdul-Aziz Yari, to get update on issues of governance.”

    Another NEC source said Oyegun’s camp was already aware of “the plot”.

    “In the last few days, strategists of Oshiomhole have been pushing his candidacy as successor to Oyegun ahead of the NEC meeting.

    “But the pro-Oshiomhole governors will fail because by the APC constitution, only the Deputy National Chairman from the South, Chief Segun Oni, can succeed Oyegun.”

    “The thinking is that Oni could resign at the NEC meeting to contest the Ekiti State governorship primaries. The APC constitution is silent on who takes over.

    “So, we will be running into a deeper crisis, the source added”

    National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi told our correspondent last night on telephone: “I don’t know the basis for the discontent because the party’s leaders always meet with the governors every month. And on some occasions, we had more than 70 to 80 per cent attendance.

    “In fact, we met with the governors on Wednesday in Abuja as part of our monthly session with them. If there is any discontent, such a forum would have provided an opportunity for them to raise it.”

  • APC women leader backs devolution of power

    APC women leader backs devolution of power

    Hajia Ramatu Aliyu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Women Leader has drummed support for the devolution of power in the country.

    According to the women leader, it will enhance the delivery of essential services to Nigerians.

    She stated this at a public hearing organised by APC Committee on True Federalism on Thursday in Abuja.

    Aliyu stressed the need for some of the items on the exclusive list to be transferred to the concurrent list.

    This, she said was critical to fast-track the country´s development, adding that Nigerians had a lot to benefit if the country was restructured.

    “As most of us will agree, there is the need for devolution of power from the centre to the federating unit.

    “A few items of the exclusive legislative list should be transferred to the concurrent list to fast-track the development of the country and enhance the delivery of essential services to the Nigerian people,´´ she said.

    She also said that it would not be out of place to transfer federal roads and similar infrastructure to states for continued derivation principle.

    The women leader maintained that if all hands were on deck and the country´s development became the priority of all, its challenges would be surmounted in “harmony rather than acrimony’’.

    Speaking on ideal federating units, whether to adopt or not, or if there should be a merger or creation of more states, Aliyu said that the present statuesque should be maintained.

    She also said that a return to the regional government format was not visible, as it would among other things fan the embers of suspicion of oppression by the minority.

    According to her, many states of the federation as presently constituted are not economically viable and may not be able to pay workers salaries without allocation from federation accounts.

    The women leader also said that there was the need for the Federal Government to revisit the country´s present land tenure system to ensure easy access to land.

    She decried the practice in most communities in the country where people were discriminated against because there were not indigenes, saying that such practice should be of concern to the government.

    “What is clear to us is that the present land tenure system needs to be revisited to make access to land for agriculture and development easy for the average Nigerian.

    “What should matter in our nation today is where you reside and pay your taxes and not your state of origin.

    “This will enable every Nigerian, irrespective of where you are from or live to enjoy the full rights and benefits guaranteed under our laws,’’ the APC women leader said.

    She, however, said that the country´s unity in diversity provided its citizens with limitless opportunities and urged women as mothers to “keep talking and encouraging our sons and husbands that the unity of Nigeria is not negotiable.’’

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that orgnaisations which submitted memorandum to the committee were given opportunity to make presentations at the event.

    The APC Committee on True Federalism was constituted on Sept. 14, by its National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun to articulate the party’s position on restructuring Nigeria.

    The committee which is headed by Gov. Nasir el-Rufia of Kaduna State, had earlier embarked on a tour of the country´s geo-political zones to get the people´s positions on the issue.

    The committee´s mandate was to look into issues of states and state creation, devolution of power, federating units, fiscal federalism and revenue allocation among others (NAN)

  • Ex-Rivers lawmaker slumps, dies

    Ex-Rivers lawmaker slumps, dies

    A a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former member of the Rivers State House of Assembly between 2011 and 2015, Andrew Miller has died.

    Miller, who represented Opobo/Nkoro constituency, slumped and died in the early hours of today.

     The former lawmaker had earlier lost his wife in an accident at Saakpenwa-Ogoni, the headquarters of Tai Local Government Area of Rivers state.

    It was learnt that the ex-lawmaker was earlier sick, but later recovered, making him to drive to the Port Harcourt venue of penultimate week’s send-off in honour of an APC chieftain, Oji Ngofa, who is now Nigeria’s Ambassador to Netherlands.

    Miller, according to reliable sources, visited a hospital in the Rivers state capital on Wednesday for check-up, but slumped and later passed on.

    It was gathered that the APC chieftain’s death might be as a result of sudden relapse of the illness.

    The Publicity Secretary of APC in Rivers State, Chief Chris Finebone, who confirmed the former lawmaker’s death in a telephone interview yesterday evening, described it as shocking and that he would be greatly missed.

  • ‘Reps will not discard APC restructuring committee report’

    ‘Reps will not discard APC restructuring committee report’

    The House of Reps has said it will act on the final report of the All Progressives Congress (APC) committee on True Federalism set up by the ruling Party to articulate its position on the ongoing debate on restructuring and true federalism.

    Speaking on the sideline of the ongoing public hearing by the APC Committee on True Federalism, spokesman of the House of Reps, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas assure that the lawmakers would not discard the report when it is presented to them.

    “We are products of this party. Every lawmaker came to the National Assembly on the platform of various political parties and this committee was put together by our own party. So, naturally we (APC Committee) will collate views of the people here and send it to the party and the reason why we are part of it is that no view can be said to be ‘independent’. It has to come through a legislation.

    “Even the President said in his speech that the only recognized group that can talk about this is the National Assembly. But the National Assembly too is a product of the people. You cannot on your own amend things to suit the people. You have to collate views from them.

    “So, when these views are collated and sent to us, I can assure you that we are going to work on it. I told you that I am a member of the National Assembly Committee on Agitations. We call it agitations but it is restructuring.

    “We realized after we voted that Nigerians are more interested in the devolution of powers and certainly, some of these states are not viable because they cannot get revenue on their own. If you devolve the powers to the states and probably restructure the revenue allocation (template), these states will be viable and they can generate revenue and pay their salaries,” he stated.

    Namdas hailed Nigerian women for coming of age, advising them to organize and translate their numerical strength into tangible political gains.

    Chairman of the committee, Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state restated the commitment of the committee to be fair in compiling its final report as all shades of opinion expressed at its public hearings would be reflected.

    El-Rufai who was represented by a member of the committee and former governor of Edo state, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor APC said the committee has also resolved to forward the report to the lawmakers as well as forward a framework of its implementation to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    A cross-section of women groups at the hearing advocated the greater inclusion of women in Nigeria’s restricted and patriarchal political space, saying for every position occupied by a man, a woman must be made to deputize and vice versa.

  • APC women oppose return to regional government

    APC women oppose return to regional government

    Female members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are demanding that power is devolved to the states to fast-track development while opposing a return to the regional government saying such will only fan the ember of suspicion and the fear of oppression among minority groups in the country.

    National Women Leader of the APC, Hajia Ramatu Aliyu who made the position of the women known at a town hall meeting organised by the APC committee on True Federalism also said the creation or states should not be considered for now as many of the existing states are not viable and cannot afford to pay salaries of workers.

    She also suggested that the country should maintain the current presidential system if the government, pointing out that even though it is expensive to maintain, adopting a parliamentary system of government will encourage sectionalism in the country.

    She said: “As most of us will agree, there is the need for devolution of power from the centre to the federating units. A few items on the exclusive legislative list should be transferred to the concurrent list to fast-track the development of the country and enhance the delivery of essential services to the Nigerian people.

    “Some of the things we believe we can benefit from this restructuring include the provision of state and community police among others. It will also not be out of place to transfer the so-called federal roads and similar infrastructure to the states for continued derivation principle.

    “We believe that by putting Nigeria first, the question can be tackled in harmony rather than acrimony.

    On the issue of an ideal federating unit to adopt and whether there should be the creation of more states or merge existing ones, she said, “it is our considered opinion that status quo should remain and be maintained. A return to the regional government format is not visible for many reasons which are well known to all of us.

    She said that a return to regional government will fan the embers of suspicion among minority groups who will be afraid of oppression, adding that it is on record that many states in the country are not economically viable and so, without allocation from the centre, they are not paying salaries of workers.

    Hajia Aliyu stressed that there are other contentious issues that shapely divides opinions among Nigerians such as whether the country should be operating a presidential or parliamentary system of government, unicameral or bicameral legislature, citizenship, indigeneship conundrum and efficacy and legitimacy of the of land use tenure and the rotational presidency under our law.

    She said: “Our position is that each of this options has their pitfalls. As such, Nigeria must adopt the best one that suits our national reality and peculiarities.

    “For instance, while it is widely believed that the presidential system encourages waste and is too expensive, it is also argued that the parliamentary system of government in Nigeria was not exactly successful in the past because it encourages sectionalism

    “However, what is clear to us is that the present land tenure system needs to be revisited in other to make access to land for agriculture and development easy for the average Nigerian.

    “Furthermore, the widespread practice in most Nigeria communities of discrimination against people in the name of indigeneship and settlers must be a source of concern to the government.

    “What should matter in our nation today, is where you reside and pay your taxes and not your state of origin. This will enable every Nigerian irrespective of where you are from or live to enjoy the full rights and benefits guaranteed under our laws.”

    According to her, the country´s unity in diversity provides its citizens limitless opportunities, pointing out that women as mothers must continue to believe in the country´s unity and nurture her in spite of their differences, saying let keep talking and encouraging our sons and husbands that the unity of Nigeria is not negotiable”.

  • World Bank: APC supports Buhari on Northeast

    World Bank: APC supports Buhari on Northeast

    The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governors on Wednesday backed the request from President Muhammadu Buhari to the World Bank to focus its development attention on the North-Eastern part of the country.

    The party said the President’s request was not meant to give preferential treatment to any section of the country above others.

    National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi told newsmen at the end of a meeting between that the President’s request was made in view of the specific attention that the northeast need as a result of the devastation caused by the Boko Haram activities in the area.

    “It was not a statement meant to give special preference to any section of the country against the other. So, the APC throws its weight completely behind Mr. president’s decision and we believe that as long as the north east of Nigeria continue to suffer the devastation that it has suffered, and continue to represent a very dark spot in human development indices for Nigeria, there is a need to direct special attention to that part of the country.”

    Bauchi state governor, Barrister Mohammed Abubakar dismissed claims that the President accused governors of not paying salaries, saying that the President’s statement to the governors at a meeting on Tuesday was part of his usual concern for the plight of workers.

    He said state governors have judiciously utilized the federal government intervention in the payment of salaries and pensions, but was quick to add that the governors were not begging the federal government for money, but demanding what belong to them.

    Governor Abubakar said: “I was at the meeting with the President. Mr President, in his usual faction, has always expressed his concern on the plight of workers and the downtrodden. He did not direct any accusation at the governor’s because the governors have actually utilized mist of the intervention of the federal government for payment of salaries.

    “Take Bauchi state, for example, my salary bill is N5.1 billion, including states and local government. If you count the number of months that I came to FAAC and collect anything above N5 billion, it will not be more than five months in my two and half years in office.

    “But because of the intervention today, I am proud to say that I am not owing single kobo salary or pension. We have in the main, utilize this intervention towards payment. Don’t forget, this is money belong to us. We are not begging for anything, but demanding what belongs to us and that it should be paid to us. I was at that meeting and Mr. President did not level any allegation against anybody.”

    On why most governors of the south-west were absent from the meeting, he said: the Bauchi governor said “there is no communication gap. Two other deputy governors send words that their flights was cancelled because of weather problem. The same thing applied to the governor of Sokoto state who sent words that his flight was cancelled due to difficulty in weather.

    “So, there is no communication gap whatsoever. In the past, the governors have been attending. Governors are very busy people and it is always very difficult for us to have time to be on the field in addition to running our states.”

    On the recent statement credited to former interim Chairman of the party that the 2019 presidential election was open to all members of the party, he said “the meeting has not deliberated on that. The APC has a constitution and in fact. That is one of the items that was discussed, how to amend the constitution of the APC with a view to strengthening the party in line with democratic principles. We will abide with the tenets of the constitution.”

    Speaking at the opening of the meeting, National Chairman of the party said previous editions of the meeting has been extremely useful not only in stabilizing the party, but also contributing immensely towards handling various challenges that have appeared before us as a nation and as a people.

     

    Seven governors and four deputy governors attended the meeting which is the sixth in the series of consultative meetings between the National Working Committee of the party and the governors.

    Apart from the House Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, other leaders of the party in the two chambers of the National Assembly who were supposed to be a party of the meeting stayed away without sending any form of apology.

    The governors include, Nasir el Rufai (Kaduna), Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Rochester Okorocha (Imo), Godwin Obaseki (Edo)  and Abdullahi Jibrilla Bindo (Adamawa) who was attending the meeting for the first time, as well as the Deputy Governors of Ondo, Kano, Kogi  and Nasarawa states.

  • 2019: PDP set to dislodge ruling party – Senate caucus

    2019: PDP set to dislodge ruling party – Senate caucus

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senate Caucus on Wednesday, met with the party’s, minority leaders of State Assemblies, assuring that the party was stronger and set to dislodge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), from power in 2019.

    Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Godswill Akpabio made this known while briefing newsmen shortly after the meeting, which held behind a closed door at the National Assembly Complex.

    He said that a teeming number of stalwarts of other political parties “were on their way to the main opposition party in droves.

    “These are the Minority Leaders of the PDP in different State Houses of Assembly, who are in Abuja to interact with the Deputy President of the Senate, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, and the Minority leader of the Senate.

    “We congratulated ourselves that we stood firm and at the end. God gave us victory at the Supreme Court and the party is now waxing stronger.

    “We have reviewed the state of the party and re-evaluated the situation, state by state, and we found out that the party is stronger than it was.

    “And as I speak, stalwarts and thousands of members of other political parties, starting from APC, all the way down to APGA, are on their way to the PDP.

    “We also want to urge the leadership of the party at the national level to open the door wide open between now and the next convention to receive them.”

    Akpabio said the caucus also discussed the guideline for the forthcoming national convention of the PDP in order to make meaningful contributions to the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC).

    Speaking on behalf of the PDP Forum of the State Assemblies, Minority Leader of the Imo House of Assembly, Hon. Ken Agbim, assured of total support and mobilisation at the grassroots to give the party victory in 2019.

  • Shots fired as angry Kaduna women protest

    Shots fired as angry Kaduna women protest

    In spite of heavy security backing, shots were fired on Wednesday morning by an Operation Yaki van escorting high profile prisoners from a court hearing to the Kaduna Convict Prison, who were obstructed by thousands of angry Kaduna women were on a procession to protest the non approval of a $350 million loan requested by the state government

    The women, most of whom had babies strapped to their backs, while on the procession along Independence Way, occupied the road and in a bid to clear a portion of the road, shots were fired.

    Fielding questions from newsmen who tracked them up to the entrance of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, State Women Leader of international Women and Youth Development Revival, organisers of the protest, Saratu Abdulazeez explained that, the protest was targeted at expressing displeasure on the delays in approving of the loan.

    She said that they are not accusing the Senator Representing Kaduna Central of preventing the approval of the lian, but are only appealing to him to fast track its approval.

    “We are here because we want our leader to assist our government in getting money needed to develop the state. We are not accusing Senator Shehu Sani for frustrating the loan request. We voted for him, we took him to Abuja.

    ”We are only pleading with him that he should listen to us, not accusing him,” she stressed.

    Also explaining why they embarked on the peaceful protest, Kaduna Central Women leader of the group, Amina Ali said that the NGO which has been in existence for over two years are begging that the loan is approved to ensure a better future for them and the generation yet unborn.

    The protesting women, under the aegis of international Women and Youth Development Revival had commenced the procession from the Murtala Mohammed Square at about 11am.

    Other stop overs were at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kaduna Council Secretariat, the All Progressives Congress (APC) North West Secretariat before reaching the final point, the Kaduna State House of Assembly where they delivered a letter to the Speaker, expressing their displeasure over the non approval of the lian request.

    Similarly, a coalition of Civil Society Organizations in the state had on Monday issued a seven-day ultimatum to Senator Representing Kaduna Central, Comrade Shehu Sani to ensure the requests scales through, or face consequences.

    The coalition during a press briefing in Kaduna on Monday, in which the text was jointly signed by its chairman, Comrade Zubairu Mukhtar and Secretary, Comrade Richard Augustine and read by the chairman.

    According to the coalition, “we are saying that Senator and his pay masters should as a matter of urgency hands off and reverse their position to stop the Government of Kaduna State from accessing the loan. Kaduna State does not belong to any individual. We the people of Kaduna State stand in solidarity with the leadership of the state to acquire the loan of $350 million for our state’s development”.

  • Jonathan advises PDP not to elect wrong chairman

    Jonathan advises PDP not to elect wrong chairman

    Former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, has advised Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members not to make the mistake of making wrong choice of National Working Committee (NWC) members at the December convention.

    Jonathan gave the advice when he received an aspirant for the party’s national chairmanship position, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, in his residence in Abuja on Tuesday.

    He cautioned that the party could not afford to make mistake in choosing its next national chairman and publicity secretary, describing them as “very delicate positions’’.

    “This time around we need a very courageous and vocal person to be the chairman.

    “There are two positions that we must not make mistake on – the positions of the national chairman and that of the national publicity secretary, because I have worn the shoes before and I know where it pinches.

    “If we make a mistake as a party and elect wrong chairman and publicity secretary, we are finished,” Jonathan said.

    He said that PDP at this moment, needed courageous chairman, who in the face of persecution, would remain courageous to protect the party’s interest and defend democracy.

    “We need very competent person and a team player, somebody who will not negotiate to get money from the aspirants to make them candidates.

    “If you do that, you have destroyed the party because a party must come up with programmes and policies that will elect the best of the best.

    “If you present the best material, the chances of your wining election are stronger than when you present a wrong material.

    “We need such kind of chairman that will galvanise the national committee and also link up with state committees and do the best for the party.

    “This is key so that by 2019 when we go for the general elections, PDP will have majority in the states and national assemblies and of course, PDP must win the presidency,” he said.

    Jonathan, who said that the December convention would be keenly contested, urged chairmanship aspirants to see the exercise as a family affair.

    “Whatever comes out, as faithful loyalists of the party, you should accept it. So, whoever is going to contest should have that in mind.

    “Recently, I read that you met with one of the aspirants; that is a good spirit; no victor no vanquished. The winner must be PDP and not an individual.”

    He also corroborated the view of the former military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar (retd), on the need for the PDP to fully assume its role of opposition.

    According to the former president, PDP must migrate from the ruling party to opposition for the purpose of stabilising the country’s democracy.

    “I am not saying that as an opposition party you must been saying anything you like, no. PDP is a very mature party.

    “We will not go to the quarter and criticise anyhow but all over the world, the opposition party checkmates the ruling party so that things are done properly, so that there will not be impunity.

    “If the opposition party goes to sleep, the ruling party can do anything it likes,” he said

    He, however, commended the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the party, saying that they had done very well, especially during the period of crisis in the party.

    Jonathan prayed for Dokpesi in his aspiration to become PDP chairman and described him as “a member who has done well for the party’’.

    He said that Dokpesi had used his resources to support the party, and “has shown so much commitment to the affairs of the party.”

    Earlier, Dokpesi had urged Jonathan to ensure that the PDP came out of the December convention stronger and united.

    He commended for former president’s resilience and efforts in ensuring that the party’s leadership crisis was resolved.

    “I am very positive that this party must come out of December elective national convention stronger and united to be able to give the needed opposition to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “As our leader, you have to look for means to ensure that we come out of the forthcoming convention stronger and united,” he said.

    (NAN)

  • Obaseki receives PDP decampees

    Obaseki receives PDP decampees

    • Oluku, Utoka wards agog over appointments, projects

     The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, accompanied by his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu and other top government functionaries, commenced a state-wide tour on Monday, to thank Edo people for voting him as governor in the last gubernatorial election.

    A visibly elated Obaseki who received Mr Andrew Uzamere, formerly of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) with his followers into the All Progressives Congress (APC), expressed his appreciation to members of the APC in the 13 wards that make Ovia North-East Local Government Area, for their overwhelming support for him before, during and after the election.

    Speaking at Okada, headquarters of Ovia North-East Local Government Area, Obaseki said his administration has embarked on several road construction projects in the rural and peri-urban areas to open up the communities and link farmers to markets.

    He added that plans have reached an advanced stage to partner with ready investors from Asia to establish an oil palm estate in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of the state.

    “In the last two months, we have approached investors to come to Edo State, to do large-scale oil plantation business, starting with Ovia. The jobs we promised will be generated through this means, with focus on mechanised farming and a ready market for the products,” the governor said.

    He added that in the next months, his administration will be launching an industrial park at Ologbo, in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of the state, while another will be launched in Ovia later.

    “We are working with the World Bank to provide potable water for the people of several Edo communities,” he added.

    The Edo State Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) Mr. Anslem Ojezua, commended the governor for keeping to his electioneering promises to the people of the area.

    “Before the primary election, the governor promised that he would work with the party and respect party leadership. He has kept to his promises,” Ojezua said and hinted that the party will commence the digital registration of members from next month, which will be handled by party officials from the various wards of the state.

    The Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ovia North-East Local Government Area, Mr. Benson Edosowman, who could not hide his excitements about the governor’s visit, thanked him for appointing people from the local government area into the state executive council.

    Specifically, he expressed his delight at the appointment of three Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and thirteen Special Assistants (SAs) from the local government area by the governor and described it as a step in the right direction towards addressing the age-long agitations for equitable distribution of political appointments in the state.

    “The agricultural initiatives of Obaseki’s administration are visible and impacting lives in the local government area through the Public-Private Partnership project with Saro Farm in Iguobo, Okada East Ward and the Gelegele Sea Port project in Oduna Ward being developed will boost the economy of Ovia North- East Local Government Area when completed.

    To show appreciation for their unalloyed support, the governor awarded cash prizes to the wards with the highest numbers of votes during the governorship election and Oluku came out first and got one million Naira while Utoka got a promise of road construction and a cash gift of five hundred thousand Naira with the highest percentage win over the opposition at the last election.