The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Edo South

  • My plans for Edo South, by Obahiagbon

    Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Edo South Patrick Obahiagbon has said he is contesting for the senate to change the political narrative.

    Obahiagbon promised to hold robust engagement with the people of Edo South in line with organs of the party to know the problems to tackle.

    The candidate, who spoke at a rally in Egor council, promised not to repeat the mistake of his first term in the House of Representatives.

    Obahiagbon said the outcome of the debate would determine projects to be attracted to the constituency, even as he promised to work with other lawmakers to ensure that projects meet the people’s needs and expectations.

  • Why Okpella, Urhonigbe communities are without electricity

    Okpella and Urhonigbe communities are located far apart in Estako East in Edo North and Orhionmwon in Edo South respectively. They are communities that housed vital companies in the state. Okpella is home to BUA cement factory because its huge limestone and mineral deposits. There are other small cottage mining firms located in Okpella.

    Urhonigbe has the largest rubber plantation and a huge forest reserves. A new firm managing the rubber plantation, the Rubber Estate Nigeria Limited is investing about N5.1billion to boost rubber production in the country. The firm has planted new rubber plants.

    Both communities however have something in common. They don’t have electricity supply. Both communities are in absolute darkness as the Bénin Electricity Distribution Company has since disconnected them over huge debt.

    The non-availability of electricity has crippled business activities in both communities that the residents have to pay to charge their phones at business premises using generator.

    Okpella has been without electricity since December 2017. Management of the BEDC cut the community off over alleged N170m debt. It was gathered that after an initial imbroglio over non-payment of electricity bills, the community leaders and BEDC management entered agreement for the community to be paying N21m monthly for power supply.

    In Urhonigbe, the situation is worsen as the community was cut off for over six years. Ahead of the 2015 general elections, the community was connected but disconnected after the elections over non-payment of electricity bills.

    A resident in Urhonigbe who gave his name as Osaigbovo said the BEDC is asking them to pay the sum of N30m and it is difficult for them to raise money.

    Managing Director of BEDC, Funke Osibodu, told reporters in Bénin City that the firm expected communities to pay for electricity consumed.

    Osibodu explained that representatives of Okpella community brought a N7 million cheque issued by BUA cement instead of N21m agreed to be paid monthly. She stated that the monthly N7m payment continued until the balance bill rose to N170m.

    According to her, “No customer in Okpella wants to pay electricity bills. They depend solely on BUA Cement. We cannot continue to them power when they have not paid for the power consumed.

    For Urhonigbe, She explained that the then Governor assisted to connect the community but members of the refused to pay bills.

    “When we give you power, you must pay. If you owe bills, naturally you don’t have power.”

    But a resident of Okpella, Magnus Philip, said the continuing perpetual darkness in Okpella since 16th December 2017 was alarming and a call for every sons and daughters to wake up to their responsibility.

    According to him, “It is hard time. We have to challenge it. So many businesses have been crashed down due to this singular act of impunity. How long are we going to sit down watching our light gradually disappearing like a vapor? “

  • Edo South youths insist on Urhoghide’s recall

    •‘Thugs imported to attack Obaseki’

    Some youths from Edo South Senatorial district have insisted on the recall of Senator Matthew Urhoghide if he fails to withdraw the motion for the impeachment of President Mohammadu Buhari.

    Senator Urhoghide, last Friday, said he did not move a motion for the president’s impeachment but for the Senate to invoke Section 143 of the Constitution, which deals with the processes to follow for the impeachment of the President and Vice President.

    Urhoghide insisted that President Buhari violated Section 80 of the Constitution by purchasing 12 Tucano aircrafts without the Senate’s approval.

    But the youths, under the auspices of Edo South Youth Coalition (ESYC), challenged Senator Urhoghide to respond to their query that he did not consult with his constituents before moving the motion.

    They urged Urhoghide to stop blaming people not from his constituency as being responsible for his ordeal at the Benin Airport.

    A statement by Comrade Ehis Odaise insisted that those who protested against Urhoghide were his constituents.

    The statement reads: “We call on Uroghide to respond to the issues we raised in our protest and stop dragging the Deputy Governor and the Chief of Staff, who are not even from Edo South, into the issue.

    “We demand that Senator Matthew Uroghide withdraws his statement totally as the 48 hours for his recall ends today (yesterday). We believe in proper representation and have nothing to do with Chief of Staff to the governor.

    “Edo State remains an APC state under Governor Godwin Obaseki, who is committed to bringing good governance to the people as desired by President Muhammadu Buhari.”

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senator Matthew Urhoghide of importing thugs to the Benin Airport to attack Governor Godwin Obaseki.

    It said the thugs were imported on the guise of giving a rousing welcome to Urhoghide for moving a motion to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The party said it sent spies to investigate reports that thugs had invaded the airport at a time the governor was expected to arrive from Lagos State.

    A statement by the Secretary, Lawrence Okah, said comments by Senator Urhoghide and the PDP that the government promoted violence was disappointing.

    The statement reads: “We heard last Friday that militants have taken over the airport and we became scared because we were expecting our governor that day. We thought it was a joke until we those sent to spy reported that they were Urhoghide’s thugs; and we also saw some PDP leaders.

    “„e began to wondering when it has become a tradition for militants to be stationed at our airport, particularly when our governor is being expected, under the guise of waiting for Urhoghide. And particularly when we are aware of the plots by PDP to cause mayhem in the state and attack the governor, if possible assassinate him due to their frustration of being out of power.”

    But the PDP, through its spokesman, Chris Nehikhare said: “The APC thugs were actually at the airport to assassinate Senator Urhoghide. The APC thugs were aggressive. It was obvious they were mobilised and they had a mission to accomplish. Our people were at the airport to welcome Urhoghide after moving such a motion at the Senate.”

     

  • Edo 2016: Senator Uzamere resigns his membership of PDP

    A governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo state, Senator Ehigie Uzamere on Monday resigned his membership of the PDP barely two weeks after the state congresses of the party.

    Senator Uzamere who was in the senate between 2007-2015, is the only senator from the Edo South senatorial district who had spent two terms in the senate, since the creation of the state.

    Though the reason for his resignation was not stated in a letter he sent to the National leadership of the party, but The Nation learnt that he was not happy with the way and manner the PDP was being run in the state particularly with the recent congresses of the party in the state, which Nation learnt the senator feared the party has been hijacked by a cabal.

    However, in a statement signed by the senator announcing his resignation, he stated that “after due consultation with my family and political associates, I have withdrawn my membership of the PDP.

    “I wish to thank the leaders of the PDP at the national, state and local government levels for their unflinching support and provision of platform for my first term as senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Edo South senatorial district between 2007-2011.

    “I also wish to thank the leaders of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as it were then, for their unflinching support and provision of the platform for my second term 2011-2015. My heartfelt appreciation goes to the general electorate of Edo South senatorial district for giving me their mandate for eight years, the first of its kind in Edo South senatorial district”.