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Tag: Osaro Obazee

  • Edo APC begins voter education to avoid void votes

    Ahead of Saturday’s House of Assembly elections in Edo State, the ruling All Progressives Congress has embarked on voter education to enable its supporters vote appropriately.

    Candidate of the APC for Oredo East constituency, Mr Osaro Obazee, who spoke to newsmen in Benin City said the purpose of the voter education was to avert high number of voided votes as recorded in the February 23rd presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

    Obazee stated that the high volume of voided votes was responsible for the defeat of the APC in the presidential and some seats in the National Assembly.

    Insisting that the APC did not lose the election, Obazee said many of the voided votes belonged to the APC.

    He said the long list of political parties in the ballot papers made it difficult for APC supporters to vote properly.

    According to him, “Our party did not lose; we did not lose that election. The agents of our party, some of them were not too experienced, some of them were not too confident. If you look at the void votes, if you add them to the votes they scored, you will see the difference so what we have embarked on is voters education.

    “We have to educate them on how to vote because our party actually won that election but for the number of voided votes. The APC is very much on ground, the governor has performed, it is very evident what the governor has been doing since he assumed office and that alone is enough for us to be convinced of the vote we garnered

    “For my election, I don’t have any fear, I have always been on ground. I have been in constant touch with my people and I think that I will emerge successful in the election come Saturday. I have been chairman of the council which is made up of 12 wards. I have contested elections before and we won.

    Read Also: Edo needs supportive House of Assembly – Obaseki

    “It will be absurd that half of the local government will now be difficult for us. I have reached out to people, I have done the sampling and we are very much on ground so by the grace of God, not by my power come Saturday, I will emerge victorious.”

    Reacting to allegation by the PDP that the APC plot to cause crisis on election day, Obazee said, “That is quite unfair of the opposition. If look at the last election which we consider more important the Senate, House of Representatives and the Presidential Election, we ensured the process was followed so why should they now be making such allegation in a lesser election.

    “I think they are afraid because they know they actually lost the last election going by the number of voided votes that is why they are trying to create this impression. You know the governor, he is a very educated and polished person and would never want such things, such a man will not be planning for violence.”

  • Edo Assembly sacks two council chiefs

    The Edo State House of Assembly on Thursday approved the removal of two council chairmen who were earlier suspended.

    The sacked chairmen are – Osaro Obazee of Oredo local government area and Emmanuel Momoh of Etsako Central LGA respectively.

    Both were suspended in June last year over inability to pay salaries, illegal appointments and diversion of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), amongst other allegations.

    The lawmakers said the two chairmen were indicted by the panel of inquiry that investigated allegations against them.

    Two other chairmen, Victor Enobakhare and Roland Ibieorutonwen, of Egor and Orhionmwon LGAs, who were also suspended, were reinstated by the lawmakers.

    The lawmakers said the panel’s report did not indict Enobakhare and Ibieorutonmwen, adding that both chairmen were not given fair hearing.

     

  • Edo council chiefs’ suspension extended by two months

    The Edo State House of Assembly on Wednesday approved the extension of the suspension of four council chairmen for another two months.

    The four council chairmen – Osaro Obazee (Oredo) Victor Enobakhare (Egor) Roland Ibierutomwen (Orhiomwon) and Emmanuel Momoh (Estako Central) were suspended from office in June.

    Reasons given by Governor Adams Oshiomhole for their suspension included non-payment of salaries without proper explanation, illegal employment, diversion of funds, lack of due process in the award of contracts and violation of due processes.

    The extension approval by the lawmakers was sequel to a letter sent to them by Governor Oshiomhole who said investigations into the allegations were yet to be concluded.

    The Majority Leader of the House, Folly Ogedengbe, said the request by the governor was in line with the local government laws as amended.

    The lawmakers later adopted a resolution approving the extension of the council chiefs’ suspension.

    Speaker of the House, Victor Edoror, said the extension would enable investigation into the allegations against the suspended council bosses be concluded.

     

     

     

     

  • Suspended council boss denies diverting fund

    Suspended chairman of Oredo local government area of Edo State, Osaro Obazee, has denied allegations that he diverted funds that accrued to the council under his tenure.

    Obazee said the council funds were too meagre to be diverted.

    He was among four council chairmen that were suspended on Tuesday for inability to pay salaries without explanation, illegal employment, diversion of funds and lack of due process in the award of contracts.

    Obazee, who spoke at a press briefing, said the allegation of funds diversion, illegal employment and lack of due process in the award of contracts were not targeted at him.

    He explained that his inability to pay salaries was due to poor funding from the federal allocation.

    The chairman said the fund accrued to the council coffers from January to September was N102.57million whereas the council salary wage bill within the period was N486.

    Obazee said the council’s Internally Generated Revenue was used for essential duties especially evacuation of refuse.

    “There was no fund to pay salaries. I cannot be so wicked to divert fund when I have not paid salaries. I have not diverted any fund meant to carry out my original responsibilities.”

    “I am not responsible for employment. It will be unreasonable for me to employ workers when I have not paid salaries.”

  • Edo: Four councils’ chiefs suspended

    Lawmakers in the Edo State House of Assembly have approved the suspension of four council chairmen in the state.

    The affected council bosses are – Osaro Obazee (Oredo), Victor Enobakhare (Egor), Roland Ibierutomwen (Orhiomwon) and Emmanuel Momoh (Estako Central).

    Their suspension followed a request by Governor Adams Oshiomhole in letter seeking action on the affected council bosses.

    Reasons adduced by Governor Oshiomhole included non-payment of salaries without proper explanation, illegal employment, diversion of funds, lack of due process in the award of contracts and violation of law processes.

    Oshiomhole said his letter was in compliance with relevant section of the local government laws as amended.

    He said the suspension was to pave way for a panel of enquiry to investigate allegations against the chairmen.

    The lawmakers approved the letter and suspended the chairmen for two months in the first instance and ordered the vice chairmen to take over affairs of the affected councils.