The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Edo State

  • Obaseki reaffirms commitment to welfare of Edo people

    Obaseki reaffirms commitment to welfare of Edo people

    All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Edo state, Godwin Obaseki has restated his commitment to the welfare of Edo people if voted into office.

    Obaseki spoke on Friday when he addressed traders and residents of Evbareke motor spare parts market and environs during his campaign.

    He said that with his stints in the private sector, he understood the challenges of businessmen.

    Obaseki noted that though the outgoing administration had done well in view of the administration’s scorecard, there was still more work to be done.

    He said that it was on the basis of this that continuity in programmes could not be ruled out.

    Obaseki said he would continue from where the outgoing administration would stop and ensure that roads, schools, and other infrastructure not renovated or reconstructed were tackled.

    He, however, said in spite of this, his administration’s main focus would be on empowerment through microfinance loans, agriculture and provision of technical schools.

    Meanwhile, Gov. Adams Oshiomhole, has expressed optimism of the APC winning the forthcoming Sept. 10 governorship election in the state.

    Oshiomhole said his conviction stemmed from the fact that the party had performed well in the state.

    He noted that election periods were periods of making promises, but added that what mattered was fulfilling the promises made.

    Oshiomhole urged the electorate not to make themselves gullible to empty political promises but to go out and vote wisely for the candidate they believed would deliver on his electoral promises.

     

  • Edo 2016: INEC smart card reader stolen in Edo

    Edo 2016: INEC smart card reader stolen in Edo

    The Independent National Electoral commission, Edo state has raised alarm over the stolen of it smart card reader in Akoko- Edo local government area.

    A statement by the Administrative Secretary of INEC on behalf of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Sam Olumekun and made available to journalists in Benin said the smart card reader was stolen during the training of presiding officers and assistant presiding Officers.

    “The Independent National Electoral Commission, has observed the ploy to tarnish the good image of the good people of Akoko-Edo local government area especially the inhabitants of Igarra.

    “It is a challenge for the people of Akoko-Edo to fish out the Impostor who during the training of presiding Officers and Assistant presiding Officers made away with the training smart card reader which has not been configured for election.

    “However, the Security Operatives are on the trail of the Impostor, and his co-horts.

    “INEC is using this medium to send a warning signal to all those who may be planning to disrupt the commission’s processes on election day to have a re- think, because the law enforcement agents will descend on them.”

  • Benin Chief makes case for payment of tenement rate

    Traditional Prime Minister of Benin Kingdom, Chief Sam Igbe, the Iyase of Benin, has urged residents of Edo State to begin payment of tenement rate as it obtains all over the world.

    Chief Igbe said he pays tenement rate for his house in Lagos State and wondered why it is difficult for landlords to pay in Edo State.

    He spoke Thursday in Benin City at a stakeholders meeting for tax payers in the state.

    Chief Igbe who urged the state government to stop incidences of double taxation and extortion said the state could do without allocations from federal government if residents in the state performed their civic duties.

    His words, “Why are we unable to get our people to pay tenement rate. My house I bought with loan as Superintendent of Police, I pay tenement rate for it.

    “If Lagos can do without federal government money, Edo state can do better.”

    In his address, acting Chairman of the Edo State Internal Revenue Services, Emmanuel Usoh, said several persons caught collecting N46,000 per truck along the Benin-Iguobazuwa road have been arrested.

    Usoh argued that Edo State was only adhering to the Federal Tax law and not carrying out a tax system that is punitive and excessive as being canvassed by political opponents.

    He noted that the issue of double taxation was because people’s inability to distinguish between taxes and money paid as rates, levies, penalties and fines.

    Usoh said the state now earns an average of N1.7bn monthly as Internally Generated Revenue.

    His words, “This administration has proved that an effective and efficient tax system is the foundation of good governance. Taxation, is a veritable tool not only for sustainable economic development and democratic consolidation and social stability.”

  • Economic recession in Nigeria a Blessing – Utomi

    Economic recession in Nigeria a Blessing – Utomi

    Founder, Lagos Business School, Professor Patrick Utomi has described the recession presently faced in Nigeria as a golden opportunity and not a problem, saying it is an opportunity to finally get the Nigerian economy right.

    Professor Utomi who spoke during the ground breaking ceremony of Integrated Produce City (IPC), a private initiative championed by him and other investors at Ugbokun community in Ovia North East local government Area of Edo state, added that without appearing to scandalise anybody, he actually pray for oil prices to stay down and stay down for a long time for Nigerians to come of their senses to know that the country is really rich.

    His words: “Let me shock you by saying that the recession we face in Nigeria is a golden opportunity. It is not a problem; it is an opportunity to finally get the Nigerian economy right.

    “So without appearing to scandalise anybody, I actually pray for oil prices to stay down and stay down for a long time. Then, we will come to our senses and we will know that Nigeria really is a rich country.

    “Right now, we are not behaving as we should be behaving. Competitively driven industrial policy ‎in select value chains will be helpful in confronting the misery index and bringing hope to millions.”

    He said Integrated Produce is unique first, because it aims to confront the biggest monster facing agriculture in Nigeria, which is yielding losses – the poor returns that farmers get, as middle men scoop everything up, the profits that slip away in these kinds of disarticulated markets and the poor infrastructure challenge that face people in agriculture  

    According to him, “With a well organised trading platform, accessing commodity exchanges, efficiencies increase at a pace that increases global competitiveness on the produce in which our factor endowment are strong.”

    On his part, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state who performed the grand breaking ceremony, on behalf of the Vice President, Professor Hemi Osibanjo described the Integrated Produce City as a shear commitment by the investors to combat poverty, noting that it is the first produce city in the heart of Benin kingdom.

    “Today we are having the first produce city right in the heart of Benin Kingdom few minutes’ drive from Benin City I want to appreciate you, your wife your boss because we know that the neck controls the head.

    “This is an event that will kick-start what will add meaning and values to thousands of people both within and outside here. What you have done by this initiative is to demonstrate that there are Nigerians who have those qualities that we celebrate elsewhere. All those who teach can also practicalise what they teach and practically in the country you are one of those teachers.

    This gathering couldn’t have been better not just what we have been telling people in the past three months that our candidate said he would create 200,000 jobs many believe that it is not possible and that brings you to two divide of Nigerians that we have  those who belief that our future lies in that lazy tradition of extracting the liquid gold and exporting it with little or no value to it, bring dollar home, quarrel over sharing it do some symbolic public toilets and buildings, and then privatise the rest and export more”, he said.

    Governor Oshiomhole who thanked all the foreign partners to IPC for showing confidence that they can come and invest in the state, also enjoined the host community to regard the project cited in their community and defend it as their own as they are they stand to benefit more.

    In his welcome address, Edo state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Joe Plague saluted the courage of IPC, saying the project is timely because it is in line with the agricultural policy of the state, more so with the concept of combining farming with industry.

    He therefore promised that the state government would do everything possible to ensure the purpose of the project is achieved.

    Also in his speech, the representative of Ugbokun community said his people will ever remain grateful for the project because it is going to open the forest that has become a hideout for hoodlums who use it to attack unsuspecting travellers.

    He therefore requested that government should establish a Police station in the community to help safeguard the investment, while calling on management of IPC to take care of the interest of the host community.

  • Edo: INEC set to distribute PVCs  

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it would commence distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to registered voters in Edo State on Friday ahead of Sept. 10 governorship elections.

    Deputy Director, Voter Education and Publicity at the commission, Mr Nick Dazang, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Mondayin Abuja.

    Dazang said that the distribution of the cards would be done from Friday to Sunday at Registration Areas and Wards across the state “for registered voters who are yet to obtain the PVC’’.

    “The distribution of PVC in Edo is tentatively and provisionally scheduled from Sept. 2 to Sept. 4.

    “This will afford the voters who have not collected their PVCs the opportunity to exercise their civic rights in the governorship election scheduled for Sept. 10,’’ Dazang said.

    He, however, advised registered voters in the state, including those that were registered in the recent exercise, to ensure that they collected the cards within the stipulated period.

    On preparation for the election, Dazang said that the commission was “fully ready’’ to conduct free, fair and credible poll in the state.

    He said that while the commission had already distributed the non-sensitive materials, the sensitive items would be moved from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) vault in Benin to the commission’s office for distribution on Wednesday.

    He assured that smart card readers would be distributed in time and well charged ahead for effective performance during polling.

    On security during the exercise, the director said that INEC had been meeting with security agencies under the platform of Inter- Agency Committee on Election Security (ICES).

    According to him, the security committee is working to ensure a secured election environment.

    “We are also having our final stakeholders meeting in Benin on Wednesday, to be addressed by the Chairman of INEC and the Inspector-General of Police as part of efforts to ensure that the election is peaceful,’’ he said.

     

  • PDP candidate Ize-Iyamu gets more adoptions

    PDP candidate Ize-Iyamu gets more adoptions

    The Edo State League of Professionals, non-Governmental Organization, at its meeting held on recently Abuja, was briefed by members on the upcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State.

    The League congratulated all the political parties that have fielded candidates for the gubernatorial election which have set the stage for a keen contest. It also availed the people of Edo State the opportunity to freely choose the candidate of their choice.

    The League also noted the preparations underway by INEC to conduct a free and fair election acceptable to the electorates. The League, therefore, encourage INEC to remain unbiased and avoid anything that is capable of derailing the process.

    The League recalled how development have eluded Edo State as a result of lack of selfless and visionary leaders. The League also noted the lack of political consciousness among the best brains in the state, thereby leaving the stage for self-centered politicians to ruin our dear state.

    The League took note of the two leading gubernatorial candidates in the upcoming gubernatorial election; Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the PDP and Mr. Godwin Obaseki of the APC. Both candidates were painstakingly analyzed and evaluated, taking into consideration whose victory at the poll will bring the much expected development to our state.

    The League also underscored the imperative of supporting a candidate who is accessible; will not be trapped in the old patterns of politics of misrepresentation and distortion; will close the door on the old economics that has written off the poor and left the Civil Servants poorer and less secure which the PDP gubernatorial candidate epitomized. Therefore, the League unanimously adopted the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Pastor Ize-Iyamu as the candidate of its choice to be the next Governor of Edo State. He is a candidate who offers a strategy for prosperity and lit a spark of hope amid the state of despair as clearly exemplified in his manifestos’ document called the “SIMPLE AGENDA”.

    The League call on all the good people of Edo state to support and vote overwhelmingly for the PDP to ensure Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s victory in the coming election.

    In another development, the Ebelle Development Union, Port Harcourt Branch under the Chairmanship of Mr. Patrick Ebhoma, has also adopted the PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as its candidate to be voted and supported for the Edo State gubernatorial election scheduled for September 10th.

    Again after fruitful interactions between Edo State League of Professionals and the Akoko-Edo Patriots on August 20th in Benin-City, the later also adopted Ize-Iyamu as its gubernatorial Candidate to be voted as the next Governor of Edo State.

  • Iduoriyekemwen accuses INEC of bias

    Iduoriyekemwen accuses INEC of bias

    Factional governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo state, Mr. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to show him copies court order it relied upon to declare Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the authentic candidate of the PDP.

    Iduoriyekemwen said he was confused on which court INEC relied upon because there were many court orders.

    Speaking at a press conference in Benin City, Iduoriyekemwen accused INEC of destroying the PDP in Edo State in collaboration with the Ahmed Makarfi faction.

    He said INEC was displaying deliberate bias in the ongoing PDP crisis.

    Iduoriyekemwen who insisted that he remains the authentic candidate of the PDP and not Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu said INEC deliberately refused to obey court orders that were in favour of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the PDP.

    According to him, “ INEC has been behaving in a manner that has shown clear partisanship in the internal affairs of the PDP. Openly making comments that tends to rubbish the court process. you will be surprise that when we are busy campaigning, reaching out to voters, to show INEC’s bias, on the 20 of June, one Deputy Directoro f Public Affairs in INEC said they won’t monitor Sheriff primaries.

    “In another event the same man said INEC was yet to take a decision since Modu Sheriff has gone to court. And the one some people said INEC did not monitor our primaries, the Electoral Act is very clear, it does not make it mandatory for INEC to be present in a primary. It said INEC may or may not attend.

    “I read the other day INEC published 19 candidates for Edo guber and my question is when did INEC monitor the primaries of other parties because I am in Edo state. And in that publication, with the intent to mislead Edo people not to vote for PDP, because you could see that recently a lot of PDP leaders are moving to APC because they know that the candidate that is supposedly being paraded by the party is not the candidate that they know can deliver the party in the next election.

    “And when it got to the part they wrote Ize-Iyamu’s name they said court order. I am here to challenge INEC to tell us what they meant by that court order, which court order are they obeying because they are a lot of court orders which said INEC should only deal with Modu Sheriff faction but INEC has continued to play politics to deceive Edo people. But we are determined to get justice, I remain the candidate of the party and sooner or later the courts will pronounce the truth,” he stated.

  • Obaseki promises to introduce e-governance

    Obaseki promises to introduce e-governance

    Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has stated that he planned to eliminate wastage and block leakages by introducing  e-governance.

    Obaseki said e-governance is more transparent, accurate and makes governance run faster.

    He spoke at an interactive session with some social-media expert.

    The APC candidate said he would make Edo the hub of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), with a view to gainfully engage youths in the sector.

    Obaseki promised to revolutionize governance in a manner that both the people and government can have immediate feed backs on issues affecting them.

    He did, “We have built the foundation where we can consolidate on the achievements made in the education sector, but priority will be on primary education because that is the basis and we must get it right from day one.

    “And that is why I said this election is very critical to me and the APC because we want to avoid a disconnect of what the current administration has achieved in the past seven and half years

    “Not getting it right with polices have always been the problem of many state governments. Once you get the policy right, every other thing will fall into place,” he stated.

  • Edo 2016: Owan people will vote Obaseki – Ihonvbere

    Edo 2016: Owan people will vote Obaseki – Ihonvbere

    The Secretary to Edo state Government and Iyase (Prime Minister) of lluleha kingdom, in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo state, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere has faulted reports that Owan people have vowed not to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) if the lluleha-Uzebba road was not constructed before the election.

    He said the comments were being made by political jobbers in the area who don’t “even know the difference between politics of development and that of the stomach.  That is just the figment of their imagination because Owan West particularly lulleha has been APC and will continue to be APC.

    “Regarding the road they are talking about, We are thankful that the road has been awarded to a credible contractor and the state government has mobilize the contractor and work is ongoing now. And to be honest, there is no way that road will be completed in the life span of the current administration.

    “But the good news is that Obaseki has visited the area and he understands the terrain and he has promised that if the road is not completed by November he will complete it. Obaseki’s mother is from Uzebba and he cannot abandon his people. Most of us were in PDP for years infact PDP spent ten years but they never poured a sand in that place, so why will people in the name of politics try to exhibit ingratitude to a government that at least had made effort to construct that road.

    “Apart from the fact that I am SSG, I am the Iyasele of lluleha so nobody knows my area more than me. These comments are coming from hungry characters who want to blackmail the APC but they have failed. The Local Government is an APC Local Government we have always done well there and there is nothing stopping us from defeating the PDP and their sponsors in this area. PDP cannot point at anything they have done for our people all they do is to sponsor some idle persons but they are wasting their time,” he stated.

     

  • Edo 2016: Onaiwu promises to revive Sports Council

    The All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) has said it will reduce youth restiveness in Edo State by reviving the State Sports Council.

    It promised to engage jobless youths in the state in meaningful and profitable ventures especially in the area of sports.

    Governorship candidate of the party, Osaro Onaiwu, made the promise while addressing sports enthusiasts in Benin City, Edo State capital.

    Onaiwu said he will establish football league across the 18 local governments being a sport man who won medals for the state as a youth.

    The former Director General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum said his campaign slogan termed the ‘Solution’ covered how sports development will help the state earn foreign exchange.

    Onaiwu urged the youths to come out and vote APGA into office as it is the only political party that has a clear cut out ideology that is implementable.