The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Edo

  • Sallah: NSCDC to deploy 300 personnel in Edo

    Sallah: NSCDC to deploy 300 personnel in Edo

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ), Edo Command, said on Thursday that it would deploy 300 of its personnel across the state during the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

    The Spokesman of the command, Mr Efosa Ogbebor, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin.

    Ogbebor who said the deployment was to guarantee maximum security during the celebration, added that the command would be working closely with other sister security agencies in the state.

    He said that both armed and unarmed of its personnel as well as those that operated undercover would be deployed during the Sallah holiday.

    He said: “all arrangements to ensure a perfect Sallah celebration, security wise, have been made by the command.

    “These personnel will particularly monitor activities at praying grounds and public places where people may likely gather for fun and other activities.’’

  • Edo Govt to relocate schools under transmission lines

    Edo Govt to relocate schools under transmission lines

    The Edo government has ordered the immediate relocation of a public school, Etete Primary School in Benin for the safety of the pupils, before the commencement of the 2017/2018 academic session.

    The Commissioner for Communications, Mr Paul Ohonbamu, announced this while briefing journalists on the outcome of the Executive Council meeting in Benin on Wednesday.

    According to Ohonbamu, the school is being relocated because it is situated located under high tension transmission lines.

    He said the relocation was in compliance with the earlier directive to residents of the state to remove all temporary or permanent structures under such lines.

    The commissioner said the affected pupils, teachers and parents would be informed of their new location before schools would resume for the next academic session in September.

    “The state governor is particular about the health and safety of citizens of the state and has ordered that pupils and teachers of Etete Primary School should not resume the next session in that location,” he said.

    Ohonbamu said that the Edo State Geographic Information Services, an agency to automate land administration and development control, had also been approved.

    He said the agency had the mandate to undertake the aerial mapping of Edo into a geographic information system, to ease the challenges of doing business in the state.

  • Edo has hope, says Alimikhena

    Senate Deputy Chief Whip and senator representing Edo North Francis Alimikhena has lauded the achievement of Governor Godwin Obaseki. He said that government and governance have assumed a new meaning in the state.

    He said: Edo State deserves to celebrate, if nothing else, looking back to our dark days of the PDP, compared to the standard in the state in terms of structure and facilities with high level of infrastructural development all over the state and a self motivated workforce. While we thank God today for where we are as a state, we should also not forget that it would have been worst, but for former Governor Adams  Oshiomhole and Governor Godwin Obaseki.”

    In a statement by his Personal Assistant, Benjamin Atu, to mark the 26th anniversary of the state creation, Alimikhena said: former Governor Adams Oshiomhole has made himself a conquering Model who move Edo State from a glorified local government area during the PDP era into a progressive State through purposeful leadership vis-à-vis infrastructural cum social economic development.

    He maintained that development was a mere political slogan in Edo State, until the time of Oshiomhole and Obaseki. “At 26 years old as a State, Governor Godwin Obaseki has made himself an unusual Governor in Nigeria by his silent revolution and focus on the rural communities to synchronise government development in the rural and urban areas in order not to make the rural areas dejected.

    While expressing great hope for the future of the state, the Deputy Chief Whip commended indigenes for their support and urged them to continue to sustain the tempo  and their children by supporting  Obaseki.“

  • Nine die in Edo accident

    Nine persons were on Tuesday morning killed in a road accident involving a tipper and a commercial bus driver.

    The accident occurred at about 6am along Upper Sokponba road near Oka market in Ikpoba-Okha local government area.

    All the passengers in the commercial bus marked BEN 435 ZN died.

    Six of the passengers including a pregnant woman died on the spot, while others died at the hospital they were rushed to.

    Eye witnesses said the tipper rammed into the commercial bus after it parked to pick a passenger.

    The incident sparked protest from family members, friends and other commercial drivers plying the route.

    Bonfire were set on the road while commercial drivers suspended work which made passengers to trek long distance.

    The protesters set the tipper ablaze but the driver was not seen.

    At the Central Hospital morgue, families were seen coming in to identify their relatives.

    It was not however confirmed whether the baby in the deceased pregnant woman was rescued.

    When contacted for comments, Edo Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Samuel Odukoya, confirmed the incident.

    He said the protesters prevented his men from getting access to the scene.

    A bus driver who gave his name as Osas said they decided not to work to protest reckless driving of tipper drivers.

  • Case for Edo charter of equity

    SIR: The political absurdity going on in Edo State in which the Speaker of the House of Assembly from Edo Central, Justin Okonoboh, has just been impeached and replaced with Kabiru Adjoto from Edo North, should worry well-meaning stakeholders, political actors and those who crave the unity and stability of the state.  The development has, also, forcefully brought to the fore, the issue of lack of equity and the whimsical accommodation of the minority Esan tribe (Edo central) in the fluidity of power sharing by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

    The strategic offices of deputy governor and speaker of the House of Assembly are, by implication, now ceded to Edo North with the governor domiciled in Edo South, leaving Edo Central out of the tripodal arrangement for balancing  the sharing of the three topmost offices among the three zones. Even if this resonated with previous administrations, Governor Godwin Obaseki should not allow it to continue.

    I am worried that this is the kind of misguided development and political injustice that have made agitations to rise to boiling points in different parts of the country.  I believe it is high time genuine effort was made to work on and birth a charter of equity that will, henceforth, irrevocably underpin political interactions and power sharing among the three senatorial zones that make up the state sans the factor of voting population.

    Edo State does not need distractions caused by agitation from political marginalisation. It is common knowledge that peace cannot be guaranteed in the absence of justice.  Overtime, the marginalised people of Edo Central are bound to react.  We can really avoid this insensitive action by ensuring fair arrangement for all.

    The charter should benefit from the buy-in of political leadership and the people as it will go a long way to assure the minority and the majority tribes of their fair share and positions, at every intersection, in government in the state, as well as ensure that there is a seamless ceding of power as and when due.  This is necessary to give every side a sense of belonging.  A whole senatorial district, regardless of its minority status, is too big to be politically denied and enslaved in a state where everyone should be equal.

    It is a fact of our fourth republic history that Edo South produced the governor of the state in the person of Lucky Igbinedion from 1999 to 2007. The victory of Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor from Edo Central in the 2007 governorship election was short-lived, following the legal victory of Adams Oshiomhole in 2008. Oshiomhole was in the saddle from 2008 to 2016.  Should Edo Central not have been given the opportunity to produce the governor from 2016 to 2024 in the spirit of political equity?  What we witnessed was a collective pandering to the majority Edo South in the desperate bid to grab gubernatorial power.

    The early lesson to learn from the “grudge fight” in Edo House of Assembly is the attention that it has adverted to the chicanery and weakness in the power sharing arrangement that has rendered Edo Central easily subjugated and subservient to the majority Edo South and Edo North; and, the trigger to have a charter of equity that will assuage fears and feelings of marginalization, if conscientiously implemented. This is surely a good starting point for political renaissance in Edo. We must avoid needless political agitations that could unsettle the heartbeat of the state.

     

    • Sufuyan Ojeifo,

    Abuja.

  • Edo Assembly may sue ex-Speaker 

    The leadership of the Edo State House of Assembly has threatened criminal action against a former Speaker Elisabeth Ativie, for refusing to return her official vehicles.

    It said claims by the former Speaker that the vehicles were given to her by former Governor Adams Oshiomhole were untrue as there was no evidence Oshiomhole and the House leadership took such decision.

    Ativie, who represents Uhunmwode, served as Speaker for 84 days after the impeachment of Victor Edoror.

    She stepped down following calls for balance of power, and Justin Okonoboh was elected Speaker. She became his deputy.

    Last week, both were impeached, but Ativie refused to return her official vehicles.

    Ativie, through her lawyer, Olayiwola Afolabi, wrote the Assembly the vehicles were given to her by former Governor Oshiomhole as compensation for stepping down as Speaker.

    She stated in the letter that she sold one of the vehicles, a Prado SUV 2016 model.

    New Speaker Kabiru Adjoto, in a letter to Ativie’s lawyer, said the signature in the letter purportedly written to Ativie by Oshiomhole was not genuine.

    Adjoto,  in the letter signed by the Clerk, Mr James Omoataman, said the leadership of the House warned of severe consequences of parading such document.

    He said original documents of the vehicles were still in possession of the House.

    The letter reads: “As your client will recall, the vehicles were purchased for the use of the Office of the Speaker when your client occupied the office. Consequently, when she became Deputy Speaker, the official vehicles were left with her office while alternative arrangement were made for the Office of the Speaker.

    “Despite the clarity of the above, your client deliberately skewed the words used in the purported letter from the former governor, claiming the former governor wrote to say the vehicles were given to her, which is far from the truth.

    “Further, the original documents of the vehicles are still in the possession of the House of Assembly till date, which means that title to the vehicles were never transferred or intended to be transferred to your client, contrary to your client’s assertions.

    “Accordingly, I hereby reiterate my instruction and demand your client’s return of the vehicles attached to the Office of the Deputy Speaker, which are still in her possession. Finally, if your client maintains that she indeed sold one of the vehicles, the Lexus Jeep 2016 model, then we expect that your client will furnish us with the details of sales.

    It warned further: “The House expects to receive all vehicles that have not been sold, together with details of the alleged sale of the Lexus jeep as enumerated not later than two days from the date of receipt of this letter. Failure to do so will attract the necessary legal action, both civil and criminal against your client”.

  • Edo Assembly threatens criminal action against ex-speaker

    Edo Assembly threatens criminal action against ex-speaker

    The new leadership of the Edo State House of Assembly has threatened to institute criminal action against a former Speaker of the assembly, Hon Elisabeth Ativie, over refusal of Ativie to return her official vehicles.

    It said claims by the former Speaker that the vehicles were given to her by former governor Adams Oshiomhole were untrue as there was no evidence to show that Oshiomhole and the leadership of the House took such decision.

    Hon Ativie who represents Uhunmwode constituency served as Speaker for 84 days after the impeachment of Hon Victor Edoror.

    Ativie stepped down as a result of political pressure for balance of power in the state and Hon Justin Okonoboh emerged as Speaker while she became Deputy Speaker.

    Last week, both the Ativie and Okonoboh were impeached but Ativie has refused to return her official vehicles.

    Ativie had through her lawyer, Olayiwola Afolabi, written the Assembly that the vehicles were given to her by former Governor Oshiomhole as compensation for relinquishing   her position as Speaker.

    She stated in the letter that she has sold one of the vehicles, a Prado Jeep 2016 model.

    Current Speaker of the Assembly, Hon Kabiru Adjoto, in a letter to Counsel to Ativie’s, lawyer, said the signature in the letter purportedly written to Ativie by Oshiomhole was not genuine.

    Speaker Adjoto  in the letter signed by the clerk of the House, Mr James Omoataman, pointed out that the leadership of the House warned of severe consequences of parading such document.

    Adjoto said original documents of the vehicles were still in possession of the House.

    The letter reads in parts, “As your client will recall,the said vehicles were purchased for the use of the office of the Speaker when your client occupied the office. Consequently, when she became the Deputy Speaker, the official vehicles were left with her office whilst alternative arrangement were made for the office of the Speaker.

    “Despite the clarity of the above, your client deliberately skewed the words used in the purported letter from the former governor claiming that the former governor wrote to say the vehicles were given to her, which is far from the truth.

    “Further, the original documents of the vehicles are still in the possession of the House of Assembly till date which means that title to the vehicles were never transferred or intended to be transferred to your client contrary to your client’s assertions.

    “Accordingly, I hereby reiterate my instruction and demand your client’s immediate return of the vehicles attached to the office of the Deputy Speaker which are still in her possession. Finally, if your client maintains that she indeed sold one of the vehicles, the Lexus Jeep 2016 model, then we expect that your client will furnish us with the details of sales.

    It warned further that “the House expects to receive all the said vehicles or the vehicles that have not been sold, together with the details of the alleged sale of the Lexus jeep as enumerated not later than 2 days from the date of receipt of this letter. Failure to do so will attract the necessary legal action, both civil and criminal against your client”.

  • ‘You can’t rule PDP out in Edo’

    ‘You can’t rule PDP out in Edo’

    Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Hon. Dele Bankole Balogun, in this interview with reporters in Lagos, speaks on the last governorship election in Edo State and efforts being made to resolve the leadership crisis that has engulfed the opposition party. MUsa Odoshimokhe was there.

    The judgment on the Edo State governorship election did not go in favour of the PDP. What is the fate of the chapter in the future.

    Let me say that the election petition was hard-fought because I was involved and I know that the true will of the people was not manifest in the outcome. The PDP and Pastor Osagie Izi-Iyamu have gone through all due process but, the Supreme Court nullified the appeal and we have no choice than to accept the decision. What personally disappointed me was that there was a case of over voting and it would have been a wonderful opportunity for the apex court to actually define what constitute a voting process. Is voting just putting your thumb on the paper or is there a process of accreditation and all of that. I personally wish the governor well, having got the verdict in his favour.

    What is the future of the PDP at the national level, especially now that the leadership crisis is being been solved?

    I’m very hopeful and that is why the PDP is one homogeneous political party with an organic structure of growth. What has happened to PDP in the past nine months or thereabout has been a major distraction to the party. You will see that the distraction was not of the PDP itself, maybe one of the mistakes of the leaders, created the problem. What I want us to realise is that but, for the PDP Nigeria cannot be enjoying the democracy we have today. Now, we have a government that has barely ruled for two years and they have begun to fight one another even right from day one. The PDP has also done well for the Nigerian economy, the statistics are there. Some Nigerians might feel disappointed with some of the things that eventually happened, but the truth of the matter is that if the PDP can gather itself together and come back to the Nigerian people and say that we are sorry, Nigerians will forgive us, give us another chance, this is our contract with the people. I expect the PDP now to have an ideology, based on what will propel us and Nigerians.

    The party is in a capable hand, if the caretaker chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, adopts an open door policy. The truth is that, as far as Nigerian politics is concerned, we cannot wish away the PDP. I believe in the PDP. I will always wave my flag and support the PDP.

    What is your view on the agitation for restructuring?

    What this country needs is not restructuring, what we need is equity, justice, fair play, meritocracy and to hell with tribalism, favoritism and the likes. First and foremost, you need to look at where you we coming from but, let’s go back a bit, who are those talking about restructuring? They are the leaders of every parts of the country who have failed us before. These are people who had hands in the government of Nigeria in the last 50 years. How do we achieve a better Nigeria, is not by doing the right thing? Nigeria has been in existence for over 100 years, there has never been a problem with the country, and these people came and destroyed it and now want to restructure it.

    People have called for part-time lawmaking, what do you think about it?

    I think there is some sense in that. But, let me digress a bit, I think if there is basic health care, education, security, the basic amenities in short, people will not care about governance. There is so much instability because the government has failed. It has been a total failure, so all the retired generals and ex-politicians are actually coming out to tell us that they have failed us. They are equally saying let us do it another way, that is why they are calling for restructuring. Gentlemen, it will be a disaster for anyone to pay attention to their clamour. We need to sit and face the problem. The problems are tribalism, nepotism, favoritism and so on let’s face them. If you don’t know people or not connected, you can have all the brains in the world but, you’re not going anywhere. We need to get rid of that nonsense. I don’t mind if we have just 10 bright brains from any part of the country running the show and we’re getting the results. I don’t care and am sure Nigerians don’t care about that. We need to channel our minds and improve the mentality of Nigerians. So that is my view on this whole restructuring thing.

  • Youths to cultivate cassava in Auchi – AFAN chairman

    Youths to cultivate cassava in Auchi – AFAN chairman

    Dr Mohammed Abdullahi, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Edo North Senatorial District, on Monday said that youths in the area would cultivate 500 hectares of cassava next year.

    Abdullahi disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Auchi, the headquarters of Etsako-West Local Government Area of the state.

    He said that the cassava project would be under the Edo Government/Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers’ Programme.

    He said that no fewer than 200 youths would be registered under cooperative societies and each of the farmers would cultivate one hectare of land.

    Abdullahi said the Auchi community had provided land for the project while government would provide funds for land preparation which would commence in Dec. as well as input.

    The chairman said the state government’s Cluster Farming Scheme, was initiated to empower the youths to become self-reliant.

    He said that the state government had approved the Ozemhoya Multipurpose Cooperative Society as the off-taker of the produce.

    “The state government has directed that we register 200 youths for the project and we are appealing to the youths in the senatorial district to key into the project.

    “This is a forum for them to be empowered; this government is showing very serious interest in agriculture.

    NAN reports that the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme is a CBN’s initiative which is aimed at creating economic linkage between small scale farmers (out growers) and reputable large scale processors.

    It also has the objective of increasing agricultural output and improving capacity utilization of integrated mills.

  • Lucky Igbinedion becomes grandfather

    Former Governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, is over the moon at the moment. The source of his ecstasy is none other than one of his daughters, Ehi Igbinedion, who was recently delivered of a set of cute twin girls.

    The elation felt by Ehi and her handsome beau, Femi Oni, is almost rivalled by the joy pouring out from the former governor. He has been on a high since hearing the good news.

    Ehi and Femi got married at a high octane ceremony three years ago. Unlike other celebrity couples whose marriages crumble like a house of cards after a few months, theirs has been waxing stronger and stronger.

    The birth of their twin daughters is just one more sign that the medical doctor couple who already had a daughter are made for each other. As the grandfather of the girls beautifully named Oluwaseun Gabriella and Oluwasegun Bernice, Chief Igbinedion is already spoiling them with lots of love, offering the kinds of gifts only a rich grandfather can provide.