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Tag: Edo 2016

  • Edo 2016: Avoid bloodshed – Monarch

    Ahead of the Edo state Governorship election holding September 10th, ‎The Onogie of Uromi, HRH Anslem Eidonogie II, has called on politicians to avoid campaigns of hate speeches and other acts capable of stirring up violence in the State.

    The Onojie made the call at his palace in Esan North East Local Government Area of the state, when received the campaign team of a former commissioner with Niger Delta Development Commission and governorship aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen.

    Although the election is scheduled to hold on September 10, the monarch, however, explained that politicians must conduct themselves according to electoral laws in order avoid electoral violence, which claimed the lives of several persons during the Rivers State rerun elections.

    He also urged them to eschew bitterness and embrace peace, as they plan for their party primaries which will hold between June 2 and July 4.

    While commending the aspirant for declaring his intention contest the election, the monarch expressed hope he would perform creditably, having served as a two-term lawmaker in the state House of Assembly.

    ‎Earlier, Iduoriyekemwen, who later met with party leaders, federal and state lawmakers from Edo Central senatorial district, explained that his visit was to solicit support ahead of the poll in order to achieve the much needed socio-economic development of the state.

    He added, “I have travelled to almost all the states in the country and I can tell you, whether they say they have done well in the APC or not, Edo State is still the least developed since 1999. It ought not to be so.”

  • Edo 2016: APC battles imposition threat

    Edo 2016: APC battles imposition threat

    Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, reports on the current efforts to douse the tension in the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s alleged endorsement of Godwin Obaseki for the ticket of All Progressives Congress (APC)

    As All Progressives Congress (APC) prepares for its primaries ahead the September, 2016 Edo State Governorship Election, some aspirants for the party’s ticket and their supporters have continued to express fears over Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s alleged endorsement of one of the aspirants, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, threatening that anything short of free and fair primaries will endanger the fortunes of the party at the governorship election.

    Aside Obaseki, who is the head of the economic team of Oshiomhole’s government, other prominent aspirants for the ticket of APC in the governorship election include the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Pius Odubu, Mr. Kenneth Imasuagbon (fondly called the Rice man), former governor of the state, Prof. Osarhiemen Osunbor, Works Commissioner, Osarodion Ogie, former Minister of State (Works), Dr Chris Ogiemwonyi and Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, amongst others.

    The tension over Oshiomhole’s alleged preference for one of the aspirants, which has been building up since late last year, when it was first rumoured but was stoutly denied, gathered steam in January this year, when the governor was reported as openly supporting Obaseki and for making government facilities and aides available to him to promote his ambition at the expense of the other aspirants.

     Insiders told The Nation that this allegation, which is the major subject of contention within the party in the South-South state today, is giving the leadership of APC concern as some of the aggrieved aspirants have allegedly reached out to top leaders of the party outside the state, warning that they would resist any form of imposition.

     A top campaign official of one of the high-profile aspirants, who revealed the current moves by the concerned aspirants, told The Nation this week that “Oshiomhole’s open support of Obaseki has split the party along ethnic and ideological lines. From what we are seeing, it seems clear that the governor is trying to change the goalpost in the middle of the game. This is not acceptable to us. Everybody knows that the calibre of aspirants in the race for APC ticket today was made possible because the governor initially and openly promised to allow a level playing field, to ensure that only the best and most popular candidate would emerge APC flag bearer. If what we are seeing is real, someone is poised to breach that sustaining trust.”

    Calling on President Muhammadu Buhari and the national leadership of APC to wade into the matter urgently to save the party in the state, the source, who is a campaign director of one of the aspirants asked rhetorically, “Will President Buhari, APC chieftains and national leaders of the party allow Governor Adams Oshiomole to go ahead and impose a candidate in Edo APC? Is it not common knowledge that he is sponsoring delegates to favour his candidate? So, why are the leaders folding their hands and watching this dangerous development, knowing the obvious consequence of destroying the party’s chances at the real governorship election?”

    The source added, “We all know that the governor came in with a populist ideology as a labour leader, fighting for the welfare of the people and so they embraced him and the party but it seems he has turned out to be a capitalist. In his actions, especially on this issue of how his successor would emerge, he is not walking the talk as he now sees himself as alpha and omega. He should allow people’s will to prevail and shouldn’t be allowed to truncate Buhari’s change mantra.

    “When he called Anenih, Ogbemudia and Igbinedion godfathers, Edo people believed him. Is he now the godfather? We are worried, not just because of our personal aspirations but because of the likely effect of this action on the fortunes of APC in the state and on the overall politics of the state. It is not enough to suspend and intimidate party chairmen and APC chieftains in the state. What we and the party national leaders should be concerned of is how this development will impact on the party in the state. If you ask me, it will impact negatively. It will be better for all of us, including the party and the governor, if free and fair primary election is allowed in Edo and if the governor retains his father image for all the aspirants. This way, APC will remain united and strong.”

    Already, some recent reports confirm sharp disagreement between some APC chieftains in the state and governor’s close associates and aides on the alleged plot to foist Obaseki.  For example, it was recently reported that while Anselm Ojezua, Edo APC Chairman, denied that the governor would impose a candidate, the state Attorney– General and Commissioner for Justice, Henry Idahagbon, confirmed the governor’s support for the aspirant. Ojezua was quoted in an earlier interview as saying, “the governor would never consider handpicking a candidate when he should be playing the role of an impartial arbiter in a most sensitive issue as a candidate to succeed him. All the over 20 candidates in the race are all Oshiomhole’s favourities,” he said. But in a later report, Idahagbon was quoted as saying that the governor had thrown his weight behind Godwin Obaseki.

    What may influence the parties’ choices?

    Preliminary investigations into the current sentiment of both the political leaderships in Edo State and amongst the common people show that the issue of who will succeed Oshiomhole would be determined not only by the calibre of the aspirant but also by the unity of either the ruling APC or the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the election. The fact is that the two political parties now have strong roots in Edo State. So, none of the two leading parties would afford serious disunity amongst its leaders during the election. As a result of this reality, which some insiders said may be decisive, the two leading political parties in the state may be forced to weigh all options and likely effects before electing their candidates. This explains why some national leaders of APC are expressing concern over the alleged plans to impose a candidate; a development they feared may negatively affect the unity of the ruling party during the governorship election.

    The opposition PDP will not wait to celebrate such disunity in the camp of the ruling APC.  Confirming this, Tony Edosoma, a grassroots PDP leader in Edo Central, said, “We understand there are threats in APC that if some of their governorship aspirants confirm the governor imposed one of them on the party, then the rest will work against the party. For us in PDP, we have always known the celebration and the noise in APC in Edo State will not be forever.  Whether or not they fight amongst themselves, PDP will regain Edo State’s Government House this year. If they fight themselves over imposition, it will only make the task of dislodging them easier for us,” he boasted.

    Also, considering the widespread belief that APC-led government of Adams Oshiomhole performed very well, bookmakers are of the opinion today that an APC candidate, if generally accepted, will be on a better footing than other candidates during the September governorship election.

    But our findings show that aside performance of the outgoing governor and the current popularity of his party, APC, people’s sentiment on the need for what they described as “fair zoning,” will play a major part. This is a major challenge that all the parties must take into consideration in the election of their candidate if they hope to win the governorship election. In this case, Edo Central Senatorial District is being favoured by many leaders for the sake of equity and fairness. Dr. Eugene Iyare, a political commentator in Benin, told The Nation on Thursday that the quest for Edo Central to produce the next governor of the state in 2016 “is non-negotiable.” He explained that the agitation is “for the purpose of justice, equity and fair play.”

    According to him, “Edo Central had only occupied the governor’s office for only 18 months. The people of Edo Central are therefore demanding to be allowed to produce the next governor to take over from Oshiomhole in 2016. Honestly, I think the people of Edo South, which had occupied the position for over nine years when Lucky Igbinedion held sway and Edo North presently completing its eight years in that office in the person of Oshiomhole, should not argue about it. It is the turn of Edo Central.”

    Given these contentions, insiders said the parties must take the people’s sentiment into consideration before determining who will fly their gubernatorial flags.

    Summarizing the situation in APC, Chief Eric Obaseki, a retired civil servant in Benin, told The Nation that “although other parties may field candidates, the battle would most likely be between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). So, the major task before these two parties is the task of picking the right candidate from the right zone. From what I have seen so far, apart from ensuring that the candidate has what it takes to step into the big shoes of the Comrade Governor, zoning may be the major consideration here,” he said. He added, “From the calibre of aspirants so far, there is no doubt that we have qualified people vying to succeed the comrade governor. But fair is fair, any of the parties that fails to consider where its candidate comes from may pay dearly for it.”

    So as Edo prepares for the governorship primaries amidst intense pressure on who emerges the parties’ flag bearers and how they emerged, our investigation shows that the leading aspirants for Oshiomhole’s job from APC today include:

    Godwin Obaseki

    As the head of Governor Oshiomhole’s economic team, Godwin Obaseki is considered a very close aide of the out-going governor. He is the aspirant the governor is accused of throwing his weight on at the detriment of the others. This has made him one of the leading aspirants for the ticket today.

     But our enquiries reveal that the governor’s efforts to sell his candidacy may have suffered serious opposition from powerful stakeholders.

    Besides criticism arising from an attempt to impose him on others and on the state, Obaseki’s critics said he has no background and experience in politics. They said he has no supporters and is not known like the other leading aspirants.

    But his defenders insist he fits the bill because Oshiomhole is looking for the best man, especially a technocrat or someone with private sector background, with a firm grasp of the relevant issues today to succeed him.

    Kenneth Imasuagbon

    A lawyer, philanthropist and former aspirant to the Edo State Government House in the April, 2012 election, Mr. Kenneth Imansuangbon has emerged the major aspirant in the race for APC governorship ticket. This is because apart from his distinguished private sector background, as a foremost educationist in Nigeria, Imasuagbon has made a unique mark as a genuine philanthropist. One of his philanthropic gestures has earned him the name, the Rice Man. This has, according to insiders in Edo State, made him the man of the common people. He is also said to be very popular, amongst the youths in the three senatorial districts of the state, most of who have benefitted from his continuous I-pad gifts and scholarships.

    A respondent said even when there is no election at sight the Rice man still gives out during festivities, like Christmas, New Year, Sallah, etc. During these festivities, he distributes thousands of bags of rice to the less privileged in the three senatorial districts in the state; a gesture he explained was to put smiles on the faces of the poor during the festive periods.

    Asked to explain why he gives out rice to the people, Imasuagbon said, “This is my own commitment to fighting poverty in my state. I came from a home where there was no rice to eat but now that I can afford rice, my commitment is that to the extent God permits, I will always give food, every time, to the poor in Edo State and if I had enough money, I will send it to other parts of the country to put smile on the faces of the people.”

    Another factor that may go for the Rice man is his wide experience and strong political structure in Edo State. He is one of the few aspirants for APC ticket that can combine grassroots popularity with the right political connection and experience. Besides these, his private sector background fits into what insiders said Oshiomhole wants for a successor. He is also from Edo Central; the zone many say should produce the next governor of Edo if fairness and equity are to be given their pride of place.

    Besides these two aspirants, other visible aspirants for the ticket include, the deputy governor, Hon. Pius Egberanmwen Odubu, from Urhomehe in Urhonigbe North Ward, Orhionmwon Local Governrnent Area of Edo State, the former governor of the state, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, from Edo Central, Chris Osa Ogiemwonyi and Major-General Charles Airhiavbere (retired), the PDP candidate at the 2012 Edo State Governorship Election.

    Pius Egberanmwen Odubu

    Considered by many as one of the frontline aspirants on the platform of the ruling APC is. Odubu, a lawyer who served two terms at the House of Representatives, is currently the Deputy Governor of Edo State.

    Oserheimen Osunbor

    Another top APC aspirant is Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor. He was elected Senator for the Edo Central constituency at the start of the Nigerian Fourth Republic, on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In April 2007, he was elected Governor of Edo State also on PDP platform but only spent 18 months on the seat before he lost at the tribunal and the Appeal Court to Oshiomhole.

    Chris Osa Ogiemwonyi

    An engineer with over 30 years of work experience in the oil and gas industry, who retired as Executive Director (Exploration and Production), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), before his appointment as Minister of State for Works, Chris Osa Ogiemwonyi has consistently harped on his desire to render service to the people. But his critics have said that he cannot boast of the kind of solid political structure that would enable him win the APC governorship primaries.

    His response to this is however instructive. He had said, “I hear that and I laugh when I hear it; structure, what is structure, these are human beings. What is going to play out now and tomorrow in Nigeria is not how deep you are in politics, but people are going to respect the character of the person

    Charles Airhiavbere

    Major-General Charles Airhiavbere (retired) was Commander, Corps of Army Finance and Accounts at the Army Headquarters. An accountant, he was the PDP candidate at the 2012 Edo State Governorship Election. Now in APC, he is seen as one of the aspirants whose supporters are already deeply involved in consultations.

    With such array of highly qualified aspirants, and their consistent call for a free playing ground observers say the threat over alleged plot to impose an aspirant over the other APC governorship aspirants should not be overlooked by Oshiomhole and APC national leaders. It remains to be seen how the current tension will be resolved before the primaries.

  • Edo 2016: Esan Youths allege marginalization

    Edo 2016: Esan Youths allege marginalization

    The Esan Youth Movement have raised alarm over marginalization of Edo Central Senatorial district since 1999 in the sharing of political positions in the state.

    It said for equity and justice to prevail in the politics of Edo state, political parties in the state should pick the next governor from Esanland

    President of the group, Mr Kingsley Ohens, who spoke at a world press conference Tuesday in Benin City, said Edo south and Edo North have had their fair share of power as producing governors but Edo Central was not privileged.

    Ohens noted that it was time for the injustice to be rectified.

    He said Governor Oshiomhole made nonsense of the federal character principles as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution ‎and succeeded in keeping Esan people out of his government without any explanation.

    He pointed out; “Esan has credible, reliable and dependable candidates that have what it takes to take Edo state to the next level. All Esan people must unite and bring this injustice to an end.”

    “Edo south has since 2008 held on to the deputy governor, Chief judge, Head of Service,  accountant-general, auditor-general, Attorney-general, solicitor-general ‎as well as chairmen, Judicial  service Commission, law Review Commission, Oil and gas Commission among others”.

    “Edo North has held on to the Governorship, the SSG, ‎chairmen, board of Internal Revenue, Universal basic education, Local government service commission, Executive Director, ICT, Directors of Edo state Liaison Office in Abuja and Lagos, State Security Adviser and Principal Security Officer among others.”

     

  • Edo 2016 and Oshiomhole’s friends

    Edo 2016 and Oshiomhole’s friends

    From 2007 up to the re-election of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for a second term in 2012, the diminutive former icon of massive mobilisation and labour activist, respected the opinions of the leaders of his political party and the Benin “Leaders of Thought”. To some extent, he was a team player. To a very large extent he was not. To back the claim that he was not a team player, they made allusions to the fact he handpicked local government council chairmen whimsically across the state in 2013 without recourse to the will of the people.

    Sometime ago, a purported conversation between Oshiomhole and the Oracle of Benin Kingdom, Chief David Edebiri, the Esogban of Benin Kingdom, went viral. The frenzy it generated, if it is anything to go by, further mirrors Oshiomhole’s inner antics and banal crave for political control, long after vacating office!

    Chief Edebiri was said to have reported back to Oshiomhole on the assignment to search out the mind of the Benins(The Palace) on the Godwin Obaseki Candidacy. The Esogban allegedly said that he told the governor that the Benins are gravely against the Obaseki project. He told the governor that he would offer his support to whoever the governor wants but added that they both may sink together should they go on with Obaseki as APC candidate in the coming election.

    The governor pointedly told the Esogban that he was eternally sold to the Mr. Godwin Obaseki project and that nothing could change his position. He has since stepped up moves to get delegates who will elect his successor across the three senatorial districts.

    Such outright imposition, should we call it sweeping autocracy from a governor who owns his office to purported ‘One Man One Vote’ perfunctory and judicial democracy, open democratic process and the virtues of universal adult suffrage calls for equal deconstruction. If I may ask, how many times shall we repeat it that democracy, or democratic government, is a system of government in which all the people of a state or polity are involved in making decisions about its affairs, typically by voting to elect representatives? If the simple definition finds no meaning or seen as a mere rabble by those who should know then we are in for backwards movement.

     

    Oshiomhole’s friends

    and foes

     

    Oshiomhole, no doubts, has earned the qualification as the best performing governor in recent times, after Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia and Prof Ambrose Alli, who were both governors of the old Bendel State.

    But he has derailed tremendously with his penchant crave for turning his back at his earliest allies, foot-soldiers and apostles. Now, he is patently sold to treating them more like conquered species; subdued folks and dispensable spent forces at the twilight of his government. He has since replaced them with the very reactionary forces that opposed, and denied him his mandate at every stage of his political life, from the very beginning.

    With Oshiomhole’s new friends, he doesn’t need enemies. It’s a somewhat sense of impounding catastrophe which has to do with recurring patterns but with the inescapability of the unforeseeable. Now, the chicken has come home to roast.

    From Chief Edebiri, who vowed to sink with the governor on his unpopular decision on the candidacy of Mr. Godwin Obaseki to avoid a traitor’s appellation to the Benin Leaders of Thoughts who were former ardent followers of the governor, now stridently disavowing themselves from the governor for allegedly assuming the role of the godfather and the all-powerful family of the Benin monarch who were the buffers and bulwarks through which Oshiomhole anchored and prosecuted his governorship successfully in the last seven years plus are badly disappointed.

    In a rare show of public appearance, support and solidarity, the revered Benin monarch, Oba Erediauwa, on November 14th, 2012, paid a royal visit to Oshiomhole at Government House, Benin City. The Oba, who is rarely seen in public, arrived the Government House in the company of some senior palace chiefs and Enogies and urged the governor to keep up with his good work.

    “I came to congratulate you on your swearing-in. I watched it on television and it was very impressive. You have done well. Keep the flag flying”. Aligning himself with prayers offered, His Royal Majesty noted: “My chief broke kola and said, may God continue to enrich the treasury with the wherewithal to do what you are doing. Please finish the projects. Thank you very much. My brother traditional rulers are waiting for you to continue work in their domains”, the Royal Father said.

    On that occasion Governor Oshiomhole expressed deep gratitude to the Oba for his support and prayers. “I am deeply indebted to your Majesty. Your Majesty has been a father to me and to all of us in Edo State. “My own biological father would not have done better for me than what you have done.” Outlining his vision for the second term, the governor noted: “I am determined to do more than what I did in the first term. We have overcome our learning curve,” he said.

    Oshiomhole listed the next phase of work to include aggressively reclaiming the moat and sustaining the work on the Benin Masterplan. He added that over the next two years, it would be completed: “Let me assure Your Majesty that the great Bini kingdom will receive accelerated development. I will devote huge resources to continue to address our urban renewal programme to restore the glory of this great kingdom, reclaim the moat, which I know is dear to your heart as one of the legacies, and, indeed, one of the unique features that distinguish Benin City from the rest of the cities in Nigeria; we will complete our agenda at Ovonramnwen Square as well as the Ramat Park. The Benins  take me as their son and a brother. By their votes they spoke very loud and clear that without them I wouldn’t have been governor of Edo State,” Oshiomhole said.

    Till date, Ramat Park and other historical sites which housed some of the falling heroes of Oshiomhole’s electoral victory remain dark spots.

     

    Oshiomhole’s legacy

     

    In spite of his pragmatic delivery in some aspects, Governor Oshiomhole’s willingness to enter the polluted waters of red mud and swim in the direction of current where some awful disaster lurk around the corner is a high way to go. Oshiomhole by now should accept the price of his administration in solitude; that of abandoning the Benin Palace; the Benin Leaders of Thoughts, Chief Esogban’s wise counsel and his earliest minders who bore him across the threshold and hoisted him to power.

    As an addict of vision, he is also a casualty of power. In the last seven years, he has been trying to surpass the Angels. When the Angels didn’t have the vanity to speak of themselves as the only wise, Oshiomhole did.

    Despair/ecstasy- Legacy!

    It’s not easy to lose power when you have earned false horizon. It isn’t easy to go back into your box, into a narrow island, an entity of anticlimax, when you have tested undiluted power, such as Oshiomhole’s. A feeble successor is needed to keep the illusion of power. The succession power politics is here, and it’s Oshiomhole’s own to lose.

     

    • Okojie writes from Ikeja, Lagos.
  • Oshiomhole’s successor must have courage, personal convictions – Ogbemudia

    Oshiomhole’s successor must have courage, personal convictions – Ogbemudia

    Former governor of defunct Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia has said that the successor to Governor Adams Oshiomhole must be somebody who could combine knowledge and ability to take the state to the promise land.

    Dr. Ogbemudia said the successor should not take the state back to Egypt and should be somebody that has the courage of personal convictions.

    Ogbemudia urged the people to listen to Governor Oshiomhole “so that we can journey to the land of our dreams.”

    The former governor spoke Wednesday at the first lecture series organised by the Edo Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.

    Dr. Ogbemudia described Oshiomhole as a man that knows where the shoe “pinched yesterday, is pinching today and likely pinch tomorrow.”

    According to him, “All through human history, when a people were faced with challenges for survival, everyone made sacrifices. We will be told later what is expected of us. My appeal will be that all hands must be on deck in our quest for survival and this state must lead the way.”

    Chairman of the occasion, Chief David Edebiri, the Esogban of Benin urged the Nigerian press to support anti-corruption crusades of the Federal Government.

    Chief Edebiri noted that President Mohammadu Buhari has shown the zeal and political will to prosecute the anti-corruption war to its logical conclusion.

    He said, “I am convinced that the change revolution of President Buhari is still very much on course despite the initial hiccups created by some members who had laid an ambush for the new administration in order to achieve their personal desires.”

  • Edo 2016:Lawmaker warns APC against implosion

    Edo 2016:Lawmaker warns APC against implosion

    The lawmaker representing Akoko-Edo constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Peter Akpatason, has warned that the current tension within the All Progressive Congress (APC) over who gets the party’s governorship ticket might lead to implosion of the party in the state.

    Hon Akpatason urged the APC  leadership at all levels to guide against any implosion in the party after a candidate has been elected.

    Akpatason who described the tension generated over the governorship ticket as a “normal practice” in Nigerian politics urged the party leaders to begin reconciliation process immediately after the party primaries.

    Speaking with reporters in Benin City, Akpatason said consultation with the various interests groups in the APC would increase the party’s chances of winning the governorship election.

    According to him, “what is keen and important is for the leadership of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) to be able to manage the situation in such a way that it does not lead to implosion. I believe that the situation is not out of hand.

    “After the primaries, the onus is on the leaders to quickly call everybody together and start the process of reconciliation and appease those who may feel aggrieved at that point in time because they did not win the primary election or their Candidates did not win the primaries. So that at the end of the day, the party would come out stronger and more United,” he said.

  • Edo 2016: Let the people decide

    Actually, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole had to lay ‘low’ to conquer the godfathers, the demonic cabal and legions of contract hungry vampires swooping on his young administration. It was the zenith of political frustration for the Comrade  Governor. Tactically, he waited to conquer those tyrants, thieves and despots in political garbs, who ravaged the blessed land of Edo state with absolute impunity’’-Quoted in Nowinta’s book; 2012: Conqueror of The Godfathers (page 64).

    In many ways the recently concluded Bayelsa Governorship Election was an acid test for Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its number one citizen, Professor Mahmood Yakubu.

    This is so because the peculiarity of the election raised tempers and eye brows to the zenith in both camps of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressivess Congress (APC).

    In the midst of some dare devil election spoilers spread within the wings of APC and PDP who wanted at all cost to tarnish and rubbish all concerted efforts put together by INEC and other stakeholders, thank goodness that a winner has finally emerged.

    Those who were equally throwing stones at the presidency concerning the just concluded Governorship election in Bayelsa State, implying that President Buhari and the APC were hell bent on grabbing the state can now swallow their words like bitter pills. One thing INEC and the presidency must urgently look and work out is the terrible issue of electoral violence in Nigeria. Because if there is an Electoral Offences Tribunal the indiscriminate and reckless resort to savagery and barbarity by a fraction of supporters of both leading candidates would have been drastically reduced.

    What I am saying in essence is that like never before we need to practicalise the setting up of Electoral Offences Tribunal. It was most unfortunate and degrading to see some political thugs bathing in the pool of blood of innocent electorate. As I congratulate  sitting Governor Seriake Dickson of the PDP for a well deserved victory over Timpre Sylva of APC, Edo State 2016 Governorship Election is on my mind.

    Edo state in 2008 was like a big ocean of rot and decay created by the PDP after a most ruinous eight years in power. Every where one turned to the appalling state of things stared at us unblinkingly, even as the masses were worst of.

    Much more disturbing was the palpable loss of confidence in the political leadership of Edo State before the April 14,2007 general elections, as poverty stricken citizens were manipulated by economic/political elite to achieve their selfish egocentric and destructive ambitions. Then came the man with the big heart-Comrade Adams Oshiomhole!

    As some one tenaciously committed to duty, Oshiomhole began in 2008,to introduce a brand new analysis to the issues of governance by preferring reasonable and better arguments to counter the reasons earlier adduced by the political godfathers when they vehemently subjected the ‘people’ to unimaginable animalism and brutality. Now more than seven years in the saddle the people of Edo State are at liberty to judge the performance of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

    Absolutely, it is only the people, certainly not the politicians that often behave like prostitutes that will honestly scale and score Comrade Oshiomhole transparently without any shadow of bias.

    If the people are the umpires that must blow the whistle for or against Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, as the count down to Edo State political governorship primaries approaches they should be made to be truly in charge of things within the political parties fielding candidates?

    In Edo State 2016 political governorship primaries intra-party true democratic process must be allowed to prevail so that the best material will have the opportunities of facing the people during the governorship election proper.

    It is only in that way that the people of Edo state can settle for the right man that will continue from where Comrade Oshiomhole will stop on November 12th 2016. If you ask me, amongst the aspirants that have indicated their interest so far in the race for Sir Dennis Osadebey Avenue, Engineer Chris Ogiemonyi stands taller in terms of pedigree and integrity?

    • Nowinta wrote Adams Oshiomhole: Conqueror of the Godfathers.
  • Edo: Thugs invade APC leader’s home, beat up ward chairman

    Edo: Thugs invade APC leader’s home, beat up ward chairman

    Unknown thugs on Monday invaded the resident of All Progressives Congress leader, Mr. Ehisco Matthew at Benoni, Government Reservation Area, Benin City and beat up a ward chairman.

    It was gathered that the suspected thugs  learnt that Mr. Ehisco Matthew with the connivance of some ward leaders in the party, has shifted their usual meetings held at the party’s secretariat in Orionmwon to his house with the intension of engaging in some shady deals.

    Another thug who preferred anonymity said Mr. Ehisco Matthew who is a leader of the All Progressives Congress in Orhionmwon in Orhionmwon local government area  is not happy that the Edo state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole  has thrown his weight behind Mr. Godwin Obaseki ahead of the 2016 governorship election against their choice candidate and thus decided to covey an emergency meeting in his house to suspend those in support of the choice of the state governor.

    He said having learnt of the meeting, they decided to invade the place and disrupt the proceeding of the meeting.

    The situation however went out of control when Mr. Okoro Sylvester of evbuosi  ward chairman wanted to gain entrance into the place of the meeting but was vehemently prevented from entering. He  was however rough handled and got  his clothes  torn to pieces.

    Narrating his ordeal, Mr. Okoro Sylvester said it was yesterday that he got a notice of a meeting at the party’s chairman’s house and he chooses to attend but to his greatest surprise getting to the place of the meeting, he was given the beatings of his life and barred from entering.

    “it was yesterday we got a message that we will be having a meeting today in our party’s chairman’s house. So, we said ok, what is the time? They said 10 o’clock this morning. I could not go back yesterday because we were still having another meeting in Benin. So I have to pass the night here in Benin.

    “Getting to this morning, I got prepared and parked my pathfinder jeep somewhere. Coming in, i saw people chasing me out saying I should not come  into the house. I asked what is happening?  This a meeting. They called that the whole ward chairmen should assemble here today by 10 0clock. Before I could know it, they have started beating me. They tore my clothes, collected one of my phones, took two hundred thousand from the back of my pocket. I do not tell lies as you can see. It was after much investigations that they returned the money,” he lamented in pains.

    Mr. Okoro noted that he could pinpoint why they have to beat him up in that manner adding that it is not wrong to honour the invitation of a party’s chairman.

    He said though those who beat him up are from Orhionmwon but he cannot identify anyone.

    Expressing dissatisfaction on the incidence that played out in his house, Mr. Ehisco Matthew said the elders of the party from Orhionmwon usually meet in his house to brainstorm on how each wards is faring and to profer solution to those having problem adding that it was on that note he invited the twelve ward chairmen.

  • Edo 2016: Aspirant faults Oshiomhole’s support for Obaseki

    An aspirant of the All Progressive Congress in next year’s governorship election in Edo State, Blessing Agbomhere, has said it would be a mistake for Governor Adams Oshiomhole to support the Chairman of the state Economic Team, Dr. Godwin Obaseki, to pick the party ticket for the poll.

    There had been apprehension among leaders of the APC in the state since Governor Oshiomhole reportedly asked his trusted loyalists to start marketing Obaseki as his preferred successor.

    Among those the governor asked to support Obaseki is the state Commissioner for Works, Osarodion Ogie, who is also eyeing the governorship seat.

    Agbomhere, who described himself as the youngest aspirant in the race, said Oshiomhole was “only testing the waters” with the alleged support for Obaseki.

    He spoke at a maiden town hall meeting with youths in Edo where he unveiled his blueprint for developing the state.

    Agbomhere noted that the people of Edo and not an individual would decide who emerged the next governor of the state.

    He said his team was carefully studying the APC constitution to ensure that the supremacy of the constitution is ensured during the party primaries.

    He said, “Governor Oshiomhole is an individual. He can decide to support whomever he chooses. Remember in politics, there is deceit.”

    “A time will come when people will analyze the history, successes and failures of these aspirants. Obaseki is the biggest mistake Oshiomhole can make in Edo State.

    “Oshiomhole is only testing the waters. He is not supporting Obaseki and he will not support Obaseki. Obaseki does not have the quality and qualifications to govern Edo State. Dangote cannot produce the governor of Edo State.”

    “As the chairman of Edo Economic team, Obaseki was given the resources and the finances to bring investment to Edo State. He said he worked for Dangote and brought him to Edo State. They were given land and spent billions on it only to abandon it to the detriment of Edo people.”

  • Edo 2016: APC chieftains await directive from Oshiomhole

    Edo 2016: APC chieftains await directive from Oshiomhole

    As political tension in the camps of aspirants seeking to fly the flag of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the coming party primaries, a chieftain of the party, Reverend Michael Egharevha, yesterday insisted that only Governor Adams Oshiomhole will determine who succeeds him in 2016.

    He also dismissed as untrue perceived acrimony in the party following speculation making the round that the governor may have settled for the candidacy of Mr Godwin Obaseki, Chairman, Edo State Economic Team.

    He equally berated those aspirants who are threatening fire and brimstones over the alleged governor’s support for Obaseki and the reminded them that they are political creation of the governor and therefore should trend with caution.