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Tag: Godwin Obaseki

  • Obaseki consoles Odubu over father’s death

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has commiserated with former Deputy Governor Pius Odubu over the death of his father, the Okaevbo of Urhomehe, Pa Manson Odubu.

    The late Pa. Odubu was 103.

    The governor thanked God for the deceased’s life, who “worked to transform lives”, adding that “upon reflection, we have every reason to thank God for his life, not because of his longevity, but his accomplishments over ten decades”.

    Obaseki described the deceased as a legend who valued education and ensured that his children took advantage of education to transform their lives.

    Read Also: No rift between Oshiomhole and I, says Obaseki

    According to him, Pa Odubu would be remembered for the development he attracted to his community. “We can see from the way you conducted yourself as a politician, a leader, a lawyer in and out of government, that you were well raised. Certainly, you are exhibiting some of the values which your father imparted in you.”

    Obaseki urged Odubu to take solace in the fact that his late father lived a fulfilled life, stressing the need for his children to follow the good legacy laid by his father.

    Odubu thanked God for the life his late father lived, and thanked Obaseki for identifying with his family in their moment of grief.

    He said his family has every reason to thank God because his father lived an exemplary life, as a consummate politician and one of the pioneers of politics in the then Mid-West Region.

  • Obaseki to probe hospital contracts under Oshiomhole

    The Edo Government says it will probe contracts for construction of structures and supply of equipment to Benin Central Hospital, awarded by the administration of Adams Oshiomhole.

    Mr Cruise Osage, Special Adviser to Edo Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Benin, saying a Commission of enquiry would soon be constituted to probe the contracts.

    According to the Governor’s aide, the action for probe was necessitated by numerous calls on the government to look into the contracts in which billions of taxpayers’ money were expended on poorly executed projects under the regime of Adams  Oshiomhole, past Governor and incumbent APC National Chairman.

    He said the Commission of Enquiry would have a mandate to ascertain if details of contract terms were adhered to, especially the quality of materials used for the building.

    Osagie said the Commission of Enquiry would also determine the extent of irregularities regarding the purchase of equipment among others.

    Read Also: No rift between Oshiomhole and I, says Obaseki

    “The state government will investigate allegations of fraud and irregularities with the contract for procurement of the hospital equipment,” he said.

    The aide stated the commission would unravel why the equipment contracted were yet to be supplied and other claims made by the contractors.

    He said: “The contractors who handled the building had questions to answer including the shoddy jobs done among others.”

    Osagie said works were ongoing at the hospital to patch up parts of the Hospital, as parts of the poorly constructed facilities leading to collapse of the roof in some sections.

    NAN

     

     

  • Will Edo APC survive Oshiomhole, Obaseki’s feud?

    Following the inability of concerned forces to resolve the disagreement between Governor Godwin Obaseki and former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Osagie Otabor in Bénin, in this report, examines the issues behind the face-off and wonders how All Progressives Congress will fare in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.

    ALL is not well within the ranks of the All Progressives Congress in Edo State. The gulf is widening by the day and it appears the red line has been crossed by the warring groups. It is no longer speculation that the relationship between Governor Godwin Obaseki and National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has broken down. On the one side of the fight is the Edo Peoples Movement (EPM), an Edo APC group whose sole purpose is to stop Governor Obaseki from securing a second term ticket of the party and on the other side, the core members of the Oshiomhole Political Family but now fully in support of Governor Obaseki’s second term bid.

    Comrade Oshiomhole has kept sealed lips on the matter and Governor Obaseki once described it as fake news but recent events show that both men are not on the same page in Edo political matters.

    The quarrel between Oshiomhole and Obaseki was long anticipated by some politicians right from the early days of Obaseki’s administration, especially when Obaseki’s style of governance was in direct opposite of Oshiomhole’s method and approach. Obaseki had told politicians when he assumed office to allow him focus on governance and leave politics for elected officials of the party.  He barred politicians from entering Government House without an invitation and refused to interfere in political affairs in the state. Political issues were most times referred to unit and ward leaders of the party by the governor, an action many big politicians viewed as a ploy by Obaseki to retire them from politics.

    To perhaps avoid a clash, Obaseki conceded the position of the leader of the state APC Caucus to Oshiomhole. Contractors used by Oshiomhole were retained by Obaseki. In the selection of Commissioners and local councils’ Executives, Oshiomhole was consulted.

    A source said some politicians wanted Obaseki to take instructions from Oshiomhole and when it failed, they tagged themselves ‘Oshiomhole men,’ including some commissioners in Obaseki’s cabinet. The source said many APC leaders wanted Obaseki to accede to anything brought before him in the name of Oshiomhole. Before he was made the National Chairman of the APC, Oshiomhole’s residence, both at Iyamho and in Bénin City, was thronged by politicians seeking ways to reach the governor despite Oshiomhole’s insistence that he was no longer the governor. Many political appointees of Oshiomhole who couldn’t get Obaseki to reappoint them joined the rank of ‘Oshiomhole men’.

    Also, the 2017 ban on the use of private individuals to collect state and local government revenue pitched Obaseki against those that benefited from the system across the state. The former private revenue collectors claimed the job was empowerment for the boys from previous administrations but Obaseki rather introduced e-ticketing which saw an astronomical increase in the revenue of state and local governments. Thus, the enemies of Obaseki were increasing. There were other aggrieved politicians that saw themselves as deserving appointment or patronage from Obaseki owing to their contribution to his electoral victory but were abandoned. These are the category of persons that formed the EPM for the purpose of removing Obaseki.

    It was gathered that the frosty relationship between Obaseki and Oshiomhole began to manifest during the nomination of candidates ahead of the 2019 general elections. In Oredo Federal Constituency, Obaseki wanted Hon Osagboivo Iyoha but Oshiomhole rooted for Osaro Obazee. It took the insistence of Obaseki that he as the governor must pick who represents his constituency in the House of Representatives. The resultant altercations, especially the cancellation of the Edo APC primaries, worsened their relationship.

    In May this year, members of the EPM unveiled themselves apparently to show where their loyalty lies. At the meeting, the EPM, led by Elder Francis Evbuomwan and Barr Henry Idahagbon, listed why they would not support Obaseki for second term. They said they were committed to rescuing the Edo APC from doldrums.

    The EPM further stated that Obaseki does not fit into the needed candidate equipped to strike a balance between delivering on good governance for the people and promoting the party platform that formed the government.

    Among their grievances were non-opening of the new five star hospital built by Oshiomhole. They accused Obaseki of deliberately shutting down the hospital as a ploy to create room for Oshiomhole to be criticized. Others are lack of political patronage, awarding contracts to friends from outside the state and closure of some tertiary institutions.

    A communique issued by the group reads in parts, “We are committed to rescuing the All Progressive Congress in Edo State due to the monumental loss it suffered in the last Presidential and National Assembly elections as a result of the actions of Governor Godwin Obaseki towards the party and its members.

    “That we urge the national leadership of our party, the APC, to support this efforts else we stand the risk of losing hold on the government of Edo State to the other political parties with whom the governor is already empowering clandestinely.

    “That we condemn in the strongest terms the resort to intimidation and harassment of loyal party members by the governor and his aides on account of their dissent with the style of governance and not fulfillment of promises made to many local government areas.

    “That we demand the immediate opening of the five star Central Hospital in Benin City built by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole administration and the resuscitation/opening of the Tayo Akpata University , Ekiadolor and College of Agriculture, Iguorhiakhi for the use and benefit of Edo citizens.”

    If the EPM had hoped that its action would spur Obaseki to appease them, they are mistaken as attempt by some leaders to broker peace between Obaseki and Oshiomhole hit the wall because Obaseki insisted that Oshiomhole must issue a statement denouncing activities of EPM before they would meet.

    An intervention by President Mohammadu Buhari, which led to a meeting between the two leaders in Abuja, also did not yield results. It was gathered that Oshiomhole told Obaseki to go and settle with aggrieved party leaders in the likes of Obahiagbon, Tony Kabaka, Osakpamwan Eriyo, Thomas Okosun, Francis Inegbeneki and others. Another condition for peace was for Obaseki to drop his deputy, Philip Shaibu, Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie and Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Mr. Crusoe Osagie.

    Indications that all did not go down well at the Abuja peace meeting was when Oshiomhole’s former Political Adviser, Mr. Charles Idahosa, and Prince Austin Eweka berated Oshiomhole for attempting to abrogate the powers of a godfather to himself. Idahosa insisted that Oshiomhole’s refusal to say anything after Obaseki said there was no issues between them was consent to activities of EPM.

    The quarrel however shifted to who controls the Edo State House of Assembly. The APC won all the 24 seats and majority of them were supposed loyalists of Oshiomhole. Obaseki managed to outsmart his opponents and had his preferred Speaker, Hon Frank Okiye elected in his ‘Wake and see’ style. From 15 members-elect opposed to emergence of Okiye, the numbers have depleted to 12. The whereabouts of the 12 members-elect are unknown even though there are speculations that they are holed up in Abuja.

    With the control of the House of Assembly, Obaseki appeared set to take grips of his administration. In the quest to resolve the Edo Assembly crisis, Obaseki sent the Deputy Governor to a meeting in Abuja where the Senate and APC NWC asked that he send another proclamation letter for the 24-member Assembly to be properly inaugurated.

    To prevent taking over of the Assembly by the 13 lawmakers-elect under the cover of heavy security apparatus, Clerk of the Edo State House of Assembly, Alhaji Yayaha Audu Omogbai, got restraining orders from the Federal High Court in Bénin City barring the NWC of the APC and the Inspector General Police, Adamu Mohammed, from harassing or interfering in the legislative duties of the Edo State House of Assembly.

    Justice M. Umar who gave the restraining order in the motion ex-parte, ordered defendants in the suit, their servants and agents, not to interfere, disrupt or obstruct the constitutional duties of members of the Edo State House of Assembly.

    He also barred the defendants from further publishing in any newspaper or other media, any inciting publications concerning the inauguration of the 7th Assembly of the Edo State House Assembly and the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker which took place on June 17, 2019 in the Edo State House of Assembly.”

    According to the court document, “that an interim order of injunction is hereby granted restraining the defendants by themselves, their servants, agents, officers or privies from interfering with, obstructing or harassing, in any manner whatsoever, the plaintiffs in the performance of their constitutional duties as the legislative arm of the Edo State Government pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

    “That interim order of injunction is also granted restraining the defendants by themselves, their servants, agents, officers or privies from further committing any act aimed at disparaging the integrity of the legislative arm of the Edo State Government and/or destabilising the peace, order and good governance of Edo State in general, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.”

    Governor Obaseki on Wednesday sacked eight Commissioners believed to be loyal to Oshiomhole.

    The governor immediately nominated six persons for appointment as commissioners without deference to Oshiomhole and they included Damian Lawani; Joe Ikpea; Felix Akhabue; Moses Agbakor; Momoh Oise Omorogbe and Marie Edeko.

    The Egure Oshiomoshiofu of Igarra in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo and a chieftain of the APC, Chief Adewole Mayaki, had earlier told newsmen that any plot against the second term bid of the governor was an exercise in futility and bound to fail.

    Also, the Estako Solidarity Front said those kicking against Obaseki are plotting to return the state to the Peoples Democratic Party because they were defectors from the PDP.

    President of ESF, Comrade Said Momoh, in a press statement cautioned Oshiomhole to know his true friends and those that have genuine intention to develop Edo State.

    But a former Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, Samson Osagie, in an interview said no amount of intimidation and harassment can stop their disagreements with Obaseki

    “His deliberate attempt to sideline party leaders from the party administration and his vow to retire all politicians is the bane of his problem, coupled with his closure of institutions in Edo South while using consultants to carry out the responsibilities of this institution is unacceptable. The staff and students of these institutions are in limbo. His substandard roads, many of which are jointly funded by World Bank and NDDC, are a source of worry.

    “He imported outsiders from Lagos, USA, Delta to preside over our affairs. Derides every one that disagrees with him, his growing authoritarian tendency unacceptable, No one is asking him for contract or money. ”

    It is not clear yet how this quarrel will end as some field ‘generals’ of Oshiomhole are now in support of Obaseki. Also, the Edo State Executives members of the APC are backing Obaseki.

    Also, besides the known EPM members, there are many other aggrieved persons against Obaseki.

    Given the development, only the days ahead will determine how APC will fare in the governorship election.

  • We’re transforming Secretariat Complex into world-class centre, says Obaseki

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said the ongoing renovation work on blocks C and D of the Secretariat Complex along Sapele Road in Benin City, will transform the complex into a world-class centre and serve as a hub for civil servants.

    Obaseki disclosed this during the inspection of ongoing work on Blocks C and D at the Secretariat Complex in Benin City. 

    He said the work at the secretariat building was informed by his desire to transform the Civil Service in the state, noting, “This secretariat complex was designed 40 years ago by the Samuel Ogbemudia administration as blocks C and D. It was later abandoned. But as part of our transformation programme for the Civil Service, we decided to rebuild the entire Civil Service buildings.

    “We have completed Block C and finalising work on Block D. We will make the secretariat complex world-class with a civic center, supermarket, and a crèche for nursing mothers. It will be furnished with state-of-the-art facilities to create a very conducive environment for Edo State civil servants,” Obaseki said.

    At the Treasury House, Obaseki said: “We have almost completed the Treasury House designed by Samuel Ogbemudia administration. We redesigned the building and it is almost completed. The Accountant General and the Commissioner for Finance will have their offices located here.”

    Obaseki noted that his administration was working hard to ensure that civil servants who are the engine room of his administration take pride in where they work.

    He assured civil servants that the 5MW electricity project to provide embedded power to the complex will be ready between September and October.

    The governor also inspected ongoing construction of St. Saviour Road, noting that he embarked on the visit after receiving complaints from residents in the area.

    “I got complaints from residents in the area and decided to see things for myself. The road is about 15km stretch with about five low points along the stretch. Houses are flooded when it rains. I am here to understand the design and how to proffer solutions and channel the flood water so that it doesn’t affect residents in the area. We are going to use about 15,000 square meters of space as a retaining point for the flood water in the area.”

  • World Economic Forum applauds Obaseki’s Basic Education Reforms

    In yet another accolade for Governor Godwin Obaseki’s basic education reforms in Edo State, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has applauded the Edo State Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST) initiative which has improved learning outcomes among pupils in primary schools across the state.

    The WEF, in a recently published commentary on its website, hailed Governor Godwin Obaseki as a trailblazer, who is “quickly and dramatically lifting the quality of government schools and upskilling teachers in his low-income state.”

    According to the forum, “The governor of Edo State is becoming an international symbol of successful public-sector education transformation. Godwin Obaseki has become a trailblazer, quickly and dramatically lifting the quality of government schools and upskilling teachers in his low-income state. He has described his reforms – known as EdoBEST – as a means of boosting the economy and improving people’s life chances. Institutions such as the World Bank and the IFC have been looking at how Obaseki has so effectively reformed state education in only one year.”

    The WEF noted that “education experts around the world and across Africa in particular are paying close attention to EdoBEST, and has become a beacon of light to other education ministries because it is improving learning for marginalised children and upskilling both novice and experienced teachers at scale, within existing state budgets and without western aid.”

    The Forum said that the changes are happening within the existing system and being spearheaded by existing teachers and school leaders, and hailed the reforms as “a Nigerian solution to a Nigerian problem.”

    They added, “The changes have been embraced at a grassroots level, with both teachers and union leaders celebrating the investment in their work. Government teachers are at the heart of the transformation and are being coached in some of the latest instructional and pedagogical approaches.

    “The adoption of a new teaching philosophy and associated classroom techniques has left teachers emboldened and empowered in the classroom. They have been through intensive retraining that focuses on developing their teaching techniques and classroom management to create positive learning environments. They are returning to work more motivated, with new resources and knowledge around how to create a more child-centred classroom. They are also returning to the classroom as part of a consistent support network – underpinned by technology – that will see them benefit from ongoing coaching and training as they implement this new approach.”

    On the impact of the reforms, the Forum said, “The impact on children’s learning has already been significant, even over a period of only three months. An initial study, commissioned by the state government in the first term of the programme showed learning gains were positive. Pupils learned more, spent more time learning, worked harder and experienced a more positive classroom environment. Girls in EdoBEST schools outperformed all other pupils.”

  • Oyegun: Obaseki is distracted by party

    Former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun has accused his successor, Adams Oshiomhole, of engaging in anti-party activities by creating distractions for Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki.

    Odigie-Oyegun accused the national chairman of heightening the tension in Edo State with his activities against the governor.

    Reacting to the decision of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) on the crisis rocking the House of Assembly, Odigie-Oyegun said in a statement by his Special Assistant on Political Affairs, Ray Murphy, that Obaseki should be allowed to concentrate on presiding over the affairs of the state.

    The former APC leader said he was yet to come to terms with the fact that Obaseki is not being distracted by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but by his predecessor, who is also the chairman of the ruling party.

    Read Also: ‘Obaseki can’t intimidate us’

    The statement reads: “This party must be stronger because we cannot go into the 2023 general elections with these discordant tunes, especially as President Buhari will not be contesting. We need to get our acts together. Oyegun has no personal grievances with Oshiomhole but Nigerians must know that he cannot go to equity with unclean hands.

    “Today, there are all kinds of rancour coming from Edo State. They all boil down to attempt by godfather and godfatherism that is heating up the polity in the state. Obaseki is the executive governor of Edo State and he should be allowed to exercise the powers vested on him by the law. To what purpose is this idea of the APC chairman putting the state under tension?

    “As a governor under the APC platform, he should be allowed to run out his tenure before they decide whether to bring him back or not. There are so much antics going on and you don’t need to be a prophet or Babalawo (diviner) to trace where they are coming from. They are coming from the APC.

    “I want to think that they are all targeted at weakening the governor of Edo State. Ordinarily, the man in Edo should be given every support so that he can succeed to fend off the opposition PDP already around the corner.

    “Ask anybody from Edo State what is Obaseki’s biggest distraction and they will tell you that his distraction is not whether he has governed well or not, but from his immediate predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole.

    “It is very unfortunate, especially considering the fact that he is the national chairman of the same party with the governor. I have not heard that PDP or Edo leaders want to remove Obaseki. What has been trending is how his predecessor who happens to be the party chairman does want him back in the office.

    “If his actions against Obaseki are not anti-party, someone should then explain to me what is anti-party. The problem of the APC is from a singular man, the national chairman who runs the party like an executive chairman. The idea of working singlehanded and inducing the party members to endorse is the problem of the party.

    “Look at what is happening in the party today. When was the last time the NEC meeting was held? But when these crises came to the fore, he has called several emergency NWC meetings.”

     

  • Obaseki to Oshiomhole: You’re biased, hear from all sides before taking sides

    Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on Saturday, rejected his indictment by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, for the crisis in the State House of Assembly.

    Obaseki, who succeeded Oshiomhole as governor of the state, accused the APC chair of showing bias with his view that he (Obaseki) played a role in the emergence of the leadership of the State Assembly.

    The governor, in a statement through his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said Oshiomhole “needs to hear from all parties in a matter before taking sides.”

    Osagie in the statement said: “We read with utter astonishment a statement credited to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, with respect to Governor Godwin Obaseki’s alleged role in the inauguration of the Edo State House of Assembly.

    “Apart from the fact that he based his conclusion on a totally false and baseless premise, we believe that he could have shown that he does not have a vested interest by simply inquiring from his friend, the governor directly, or any official of the State Working Committee of our party as to what actually transpired.”

    Osagie said Oshiomhole’s “failure to satisfy the basic tenets of natural justice, which makes fair hearing from all sides of a matter mandatory, has clearly exposed his bias in this issue.”

    Read Also: Archbishop Idahosa writes Obaseki, urges governor to shun detractors

    He added: “For the avoidance of doubt, all the decisions relating to the leadership of the Edo State House of Assembly recently elected by the House were taken by the State Working Committee and leaders of the party from across the state.”

    He added: “In deference to the rule of party supremacy, which the National Chairman so eloquently professes, the governor and all party members are obliged to respect the party’s decision, as we expect the National Chairman to also do.”

    Oshiomhole had, on Friday in Abuja, described the circumstances which produced Mr. Frank Okiye as the State Speaker as a shame.

    “I am ashamed to talk about it but there is nothing to hide,” he said and wondered why ‘somebody’ wanted minority members of the House to pick the Speaker, while leaving out the majority. “In our own case we have 24/24 all of them APC but somebody wants a particular person as a Speaker, 19 out of 24 are opposed to this person,” he said.

    The Bauchi legislators had gone to brief him on how the PDP minority members of the State Assembly allegedly acting in concert with a few APC members and Governor Bala Muhammad met secretly and picked the Speaker of the House.

  • Edo hands of fellowship

    With barely a year to the next governorship election in Edo State, these are interesting times for political observers with keen interest in the politics of the state.

    With the rumour rife that all is not well between Governor Godwin Obaseki and the former governor of the state and National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, every move in the camps of the two politicians is bound to provoke interest.

    Such is the above picture of Obaseki and a chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie-Ize-Iyamu, at the birthday thanksgiving service in honour of Pastor Ize-Iyamu and his wife in Benin City yesterday.

    Considering that the two were bitter foes in the 2016 governorship contest with Obaseki as the candidate of APC and Ize-Iyamu flying the flag of PDP, one cannot but wonder what discussion the two statesmen are so engrossed in that they can hardly afford to bat an eyelid.

    Could they be reviewing the poll? Could they be previewing a possible re-match? Obaseki has said he would seek a second term, but Pastor, as Ize-Iyamu is called by his admirers, is yet to throw his hat in the ring. Will he try a second time? Could they also be reviewing the situation in the state, particularly the crisis rocking the APC in the state?

    Obaseki has said he would not share the state’s money with anybody, a statement interpreted in enlightened quarters as a jab at Oshiomhole, his estranged godfather and former governor of the state. In the 2016 election, Pastor was at the receiving end of Oshiomhole who accused him of fronting for the godfathers that he (Oshiomhole) had retired. Could they have been discussing godfatherism, its relevance in the politics of the state and the merits and demerits of the phenomenon?

    Would Obaseki have visited Pastor two years ago when he was in the good books of the comrade ex-governor? What is this telling us about 2020? Is this a sign that there could be a realignment of forces in the state as we inch towards 2020? Will Pastor queue behind the governor to try and retire the comrade ex-governor from the state’s politics like the latter says he did to those elders the pastor kowtows to? Is he telling Obaseki “l’m coming to retire you and your godfather?”

    The unfolding drama in Edo is indeed interesting.

  • Heavy security, thugs at Edo Assembly

    The Edo State House of Assembly was on Tuesday overtaken by security personnel to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order following Monday’s inauguration of nine of the 24 members of the seventh Assembly.

    Government officials said the lawmakers were inaugurated about 3pm on Monday but anti-Obaseki lawmakers-elect said the event held at night.

    A top government official said the inauguration held when the 19 lawmakers-elect were addressing reporters on the need for Governor Godwin Obaseki to transmit a proclamation letter to the Clerk.

    Suspected thugs and youths were seen around the assembly complex.

    The letter of proclamation addressed, to the Clerk of the Assembly and dated on June 14, slated the inauguration for June 17.

    Meanwhile, the newly sworn in lawmakers received their official vehicles and other paraphernalia of office.

    Read Also: Edo new Speaker assumes duty

    The Speaker, Frank Okiye, said the seventh Assembly would work to deliver dividends of democracy to the people. Okiye said Obaseki deserved the lawmakers’ support to put the state in the right economic perspective.

    He said: “We are determined and in high spirit to hit the ground running. The job we are doing will not be completed without the complementation of the executive.

    “I subscribe to the fact that the governor is doing well, and we will partner with him to do better

    “We will get the government closer to the people; we will create think tank among ourselves and associates and invite him to be part of us to do the good job. The betterment of Edo State in terms of economic and security is our focal point, and we intend to address this headlong.”

    But the 16 lawmakers-elect insisted that they were not invited to the inauguration.

    Their spokesman, Washinton Osifo, said they would have been present at the inauguration if they were invited.

    According to Osifo, the Clerk called them at about 5:30pm that he had been called from the Government House, and they were happy that the news conference has pricked the Governor to do what the constitution demands.

    He said: “The Clerk told us he will call back 30 minutes later but we didn’t hear from him again. Some of our brothers who were supposed to be at a meeting with us were absent. We called them and they were not picking their calls.

    “At 9:30pm, photographs began to filter into our phones suggesting that a kangaroo Assembly was being inaugurated. We were disappointed. One of us was spotted with a short and slippers taking oath of office. That was an offence in the hallowed chamber. They humiliated him.”

  • Edo 2020: How far can Imasuangbon go?

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to announce the time table for next year’s governorship election in Edo State. But, politicians have started indicating interest to contest against Governor Godwin Obaseki. The tension in the state is such that the election seems to be holding next month.

    Political parties where candidates have indicated interest to contest the election are the Accord Party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC). A United States based businessman,  Clement Eranomigho Edegbe, who has joined the Accord Party, is mulling to run for governor, General Charles Airhiavbere has said he would run against Obaseki for the APC ticket while an educationist,  Kenneth Imasuangbon, said he would run on the PDP platform.

    Imasuangbon, popularly known as the ‘Rice man’ has been regarded as an unlucky politician in Edo State. His previous three attempts to clinch the coveted seat has been unsuccessful, despite his influence among party members and philanthropic activities.

    Imasuangbon is known  for distribution of rice to thousands of people during festive seasons. He organised annual quiz competitions for secondary school students across the state where he distributed i-pads and money to lucky winners. Medical bills for indigent patients are usually paid for those that were held back for inability to pay bills.

    It was in 2007 that Imasuangbon first indicated interest to run on the platform of the defunct Action Congress (AC). He financed the activities of the party during its formative years, including payment for secretariat and donation of chairs. The entrance of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole into the race made him to step down.

    In March 2009, Imasuangbon left the AC for a fractured PDP. The PDP then was in tatters as it was factionalised between those loyal to late Chief   Tony Anenih and late Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia. Imasuangbon held a reconciliatory rally at Ewohinmi where he brought both leaders together to shake hands, but the two leaders parted ways after the rally.

    Imasuangbon contested the PDP primary, but he lost to General Charles Airhiavbere by polling 178 votes. Other aspirants, including Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, Prof Oserheimen Osunbor and Matthew Iduoriyikemwen, left the venue in protest. Imasuangbon rejected the results of the primary and called it scientifically and environmentally rigging tailored by Chief Dan Orbih.

    After losing the primary, Imasuangbon was courted by both the PDP and then Governor Adams Oshiomhole for support at the polls.

    He said: “It is true that Chief Tony Anenih came to my house. It is also true that Governor Adams Oshiomhole came to see me but it goes beyond Chief Anenih and the governor. This election is about the future of our children and the future of the state. We will do what is right. This goes beyond party line. What is on trial is about schools that are not working and job creation. This will sharpen my idea on the way to go. We will look at all options and the best options will be taken in the best interest of the people.”

    In January 2015, Imasuangbon joined the APC at his ward in Ewohimi, Esan South East Local Government Area. He contested for the governor against Obaseki, Chris Ogiemwonyi, Charles Airhiavbere, Pius Odubu. Obaseki won.

    Imasuagbon and Ogiemwonyi rejected the results, alleging that the printer worked in connivance to rig the poll. They alleged that the smuggling of non-delegates into the venue to vote and the direct interference in the voting process by Governor Oshiomhole were part of measures to ensure victory for Obaseki.

    Last year, Imasuangbon returned to the PDP to support the presidential ambition of Governor Aminu Tambuwal. He defected alongside 500 of his supporters.

    His words: “The APC will soon be history in Nigeria. I refused to remain in the APC because of hunger in the land.

    “I am back home. This is a new dawn for the PDP in Edo State. There is nothing to celebrate in this country.”

    Imasuangbon is a big fish no political party wants to miss. His entrance in the governorship race has altered the political calculation in the PDP. No zoning arrangement has been announced by the party’s leadership, but the party may zoned the ticket to Edo South. This means Imasuangbon may be contesting for the ticket against Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Senator Matthew Urhoghide and others. The coming months will tell, if Imasuangbon would become the next Buhari to win election after four trials.