The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Oshiomhole

  • Fuel price hike: Why I support Fed Govt, by Oshiomhole

    Fuel price hike: Why I support Fed Govt, by Oshiomhole

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has explained why he stands with the Federal Government on the new price of petrol.

    According to him, it doesn’t make economic sense for the government to spend more than half its earnings just on fuel subsidy to the detriment of other development programmes.

    He spoke at a special thanksgiving service organised  by Apostle Charles Osazuwa, Senior Pastor and founder of Rock of Ages Christian Assembly International (RACAi), Benin City, to round off a 7-day programme of the church yesterday.,

    Oshiomhole said the former President Goodluck Jonathan spent as much as N1.2 trillion on fuel subsidy.

    He said: “l have listened to our chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and he reminded us that the Hon. Minister of Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has been under fire. I believe the fire will continue for some time. In spite of all that he is going through, the Minister recognized that we can’t be too busy to come to the church to ask God to help us to do the job. After all, the Bible says that the unless the Lord builds the house, the labourer labours in vain.”

    He said: “The fire that he is going through, the end of it will translate to prosperity for our people. Leaders must see ahead of their followers, and when followers can’t see what leader is seeing, with time and consistency, the followers will see the benefits of the decisions the leader has taken.

    “As many of you might have known, this is not my first time in the struggle against pump price increase. I have fought it over and over again, and at a point, God used us to shut down the country just to make a point to the then government in power, but the truth is that the fundamentals have changed.

    Under President Olusegun Obasanjo, we were talking of N20 billion for subsidy. And Obasanjo would ask me, Comrade, N20 billion can build XYZ road. I think the last one was about N40 to N45 billion a year for subsidy.

    “However, the last government under President Goodluck Jonathan quadrupled the number to N1.2 trillion. When your total earning is about N2 trillion and you spend more than half for petrol, how much will you use for your house? How much money will you use for clothing of your children? How much will you use to send your children to school?

    “Government must make investments in research, in education, in technology. If we spend all our money or half of it on subsidy, we will drink petrol without vehicles for us to ride in. It simply doesn’t make sense anymore.

    “The life of a nation is not different from the life of a human being. When you are traveling on a road which you believe will take you to a destination, sixteen years down the road, it appears to be getting longer and longer, only a fool will continue to travel on that road. From the way it is, this is the time to stop, look back and see other options that are available. I believe that is what this Minister of Petroleum and President  Muhammadu Buhari have done. I give my full support.”

    He added: “When a nation and a people could not for good reason trust the leadership, even when the leadership asks you to make a sacrifice, the first question you ask is, if I make the sacrifice, what about you? Obviously, for a government that was sharing money for security services to party leaders, that government didn’t have the moral standing to call on Nigerians to make sacrifices.

    “So, I think it was that thing that was missing, having a president that cares, a President that is not corrupt, a President that commands respect within the country and outside the country. When he asks you, change your ways of life, look at my own lifestyle, let us restart, we have all sinned in the past, let us repent so that we might not sin again, I think it makes sense to listen.

    “There will be sacrifice, so, no pain, no gain. I believe this is the time to accept a lot of pains, so that once free, the gains will come. I know under President Buhari the gains will come. I know that this time will come and go and Nigeria will maintain its progress.”

    Also speaking, Minister of State for Petroleum Dr. Ibe Kachukwu said the Buhari administration would change the country, explaining that things could not continue the way they had been.

    All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun noted that the country was going through difficult times, but the people had to change their ways for things to get better.

  • ‘Oshiomhole can’t impose candidate’

    ‘Oshiomhole can’t impose candidate’

    A former member of the Edo State House of Assembly, Lukeman Mohammed, has described as unfortunate the statement credited to Commissioner for Works, Osarodion Ogie, that Governor Adams Oshiomhole will decide who gets the ticket of the All Progressives Congress(APC)  in this year’s governorship election, adding that it is the delegates that have the final say.

    Mohammed, who represented Estako West 1 Constituency in the assembly between 1999 to 2007,  said that it is the responsibility of the Edo APC family to pick the candidate for the election and not that of an individual.

    He said: “It is surprising that some of them are going round one person, but for us we are going round the delegates; because they are the ones to decide the fate of the aspirants. To that extent, I think it is the APC political family that matters, not a single individual.

    “The governor has made it very clear that he has not endorsed any person. Even if he endorses an individual, it does not translate to victory. It is very important for the aspirants to know that they have to go round and campaign, rather than relying on endorsement by one person or one group.”

    The former lawmaker added: “The APC is a united family and in this regard, it will eventually decide who represents it at the election. Bye and large, I think the principle of one man, one vote is part of democracy and I believe it is still applicable in the APC.”

    Mohammed said the governor cannot write the rules for the party, by deciding singlehandedly who becomes the party’s flag bearer.

    He said: “Does the governor have a say in this matter? Yes; he has a vote and he can also canvass for support for his preferred candidate.

    “But, the delegates will vote and it is their vote that will determine who becomes the candidate. As an individual, I  am convinced that the next person that will succeed Oshiomhole is the present Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu. He has all it takes to succeed the governor.

    “Even those who pretend to be doing the will of their master have confessed to us that as far as it is going to be secret ballot, their prefence is Odubu. He is the only way out for our party, to win the battle for the soul of Edo State. Any person apart from Odubu may spill doom for the APC.”

     

  • Government, labour meet over fuel price hike

    There was a mild drama on Monday at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) during a meeting convened between the organised labour and the Federal Government to resolve the brewing crisis caused by hike in fuel price when the leadership of labour threatened to boycott the meeting if the factional leader of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero, was allowed to be part of the meeting.

    The meeting earlier slated for 3:00pm did not start until 7:10pm when the SGF led other members of the negotiating team to the conference hall.

    The government delegation was led by the SGF, David Lawal and it included Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kackukwu, Minister of State for Solid Minerals, Abubakar Bawa Bwari, Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed and the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Ita Enang.

    The labour delegation included President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, President of the Trade Union Congress, Bobboi Kaigama, General Secretaries of both the NLC and TUC, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson and Comrade Simeso Amachree, Deputy President of the NLC and TUC, Najim Yaseem and Austin Etafo and the President of PENGASSAN, Comrade Francis Olabode Johnson.

    However, the factional leader of the NLC, Ajaero and his deputy, who is also the president of NUPENG, Igwe Achese, who were present at the SGF office were not allowed into the meeting as they were asked to stay out and await their turn to meet with the government team.

    The president of NLC and TUC led out their team from the conference hall of the SGF office, insisting that Ajaero and his team should not be part of the meeting since the issue for discussion was not about electricity and pleas by Dr. Kachikwu to get them into the meeting proved abortive.

    Addressing the meeting before going into a closed door section, the SGF said the decision to deregulate the petroleum sector was taken in the best interest of Nigerians, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari empathizes with Nigerians over the short time consequences of the decision.

     

  • Fuel price hike: Oshiomhole joins FG’s team

    Fuel price hike: Oshiomhole joins FG’s team

    Edo State Governor, Adams Oshoimhole, was on Monday drafted to join the Federal Government team seeking to resolve the crisis caused by hike in price of petrol.

    The Federal Government had last week increased the pump price of petrol from N86.50 to N145.

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other unions have threatened to embark on strike if government fails to revert to the former pump price.

    To resolve the crisis, Oshiomhole, who was a former president of NLC, met with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday.

    He was accompanied by the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige.

    The duo left the Villa on Monday afternoon for a meeting with the unions’ leaders at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

    When approached to speak on the crisis after the meeting with the vice president, Oshomhole told State House correspondents: “Sorry, we are already late for a meeting.”

  • Oshiomhole’s wedding anniversary

    Oshiomhole’s wedding anniversary

    Today marks the first anniversary of the wedding of Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole and Cape Verdean model,Iara Fortes.
    Oshiomhole’s second wedding followed the death of his wife, Clara on December 8, 2010.
    The governor and his bride took the marriage vows at a private marriage registry attended by family and a few friends on May 15, 2015, after which a reception, attended by guests, including President Muhammadu Buhari was held.

  • Edo 2016: Ogiemwonyi is Oshiomhole’s worthy successor

    Governor Adams Oshiomhole has presented a template; performance is that template. Whoever must aspire to step into the shoes of the comrade governor, therefore, must show evidence of performance.

    Having come into governance from the private sector, Governor Oshiomhole has employed the must-to-drive and the managerial efficiency of the sector to raise the bar of development in the state. Of course, this immediately narrows down the choice of who should succeed him. That person must be a professional who evidently proved his mettle in his profession.

    Considering the achievements of Governor Oshiomhole in the past seven years, this means a lot, for whoever succeeds him. Oshiomhole is perceived in the public as an achiever and indeed a pacesetter in governance in this dispensation. His popularity rating is very high. Whoever takes over from him must, therefore, be seen in the same light, an achiever.

    The Edo and indeed the Nigerian populace would want to know. So we can see, that though Edo is our immediate constituency, there is also a larger constituency of curious Nigerians from all walks of life who have taken to the Oshiomhole administration and would want to know who the party decides to bring out and why.

    Who is, therefore, this new person and what are the qualities that he will be brining into office to consolidate on Oshiomhole’s laudable achievements and sustain his gains.

    This is why the intention of Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi to contest the Edo State governorship this year is most welcome and should be celebrated. Engr. Ogiemwonyi, a former minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, wears a peerless and unassailable reputation.

    In the course of his professional and public service engagements, he is exemplary. He is credited with numerous philanthropic gestures. It is also remarkable that he is a product of the Harvard Business School.

    Engr. Ogiemwonyi belongs to many professional bodies, including the Society of Petroleum Engineers. He is a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and former President of the Nigeria Gas Association. He is a recipient of the Justice of Peace (JP) by Edo State Government and the Kwame Nkurumah Leadership Award. He is also patron to several bodies, including the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) and the Association of Community Newspapers Publishers of Nigeria (ACNPN), among numerous others.

    Now these are virtues that would greatly advance and deepen the nation’s democracy. To be sure, it is not enough to boast of high sounding institutions with democratic tokens. You need men and women of integrity and passion to drive these institutions.

    Sometime ago, the former U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton declared that what developing nations need really to succeed and join the league of advance nations are strong institutions and structure of government peopled by strong men and women of character. She said this has been the missing link all along.

    You can’t but agree with her. Indeed, when you look at the course of the development of the U.S. itself, you would notice the blend of abiding institutions manned by those with near-flawless pedigree. They were not saints, but as a result of their passion, selflessness and commitment they put great performance and left behind legacies which their successors latched on to offer their own contributions in their own generations. After all, government, as they say in political science is a continuum. Edo State cannot be different. “We need a man of repute and good record like Ogiemwonyi to launch the destiny of the citizens to a higher level than we are at the moment”. Because of his service in the strategic public sector of the society, he can be trusted to deliver on two counts.

    First, looking at the profile of Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi, he stands out as the leader and most experienced administrator and manager of men and resources. We can count on him to build strong institutions capable of delivering the much sought after dividends of democracy. This is the political talisman the American Secretary of State referred to above.

    Second, he has the capacity to transform the state into the one that will be worthy of emulation. This will perhaps explain why Emmanuel Gold Idehen acknowledges the fact that Engr. Ogiemwonyi’s outstanding quality has earned him the sobriquet, Mr. Integrity.

    He said: “Look at the United States of America. They need men like Ogiemeonyi to draw on their vast experience which beginners may not be able to offer. We need Ogiemwonyi as a governor in Edo, given his past where his ideas stabilise the polity”.

    The choice is, therefore, before Edo APC delegates as the survey shows that Ogiemwonyi will win the APC primary election. Edo APC delegates are no pushover. They cannot be deceived. They are not fools as some sponsors think. They have realized that giving Ogiemwonyi their votes will transform the state to another level.

  • Oshiomhole: Abuja APC should leave Edo alone

    Oshiomhole: Abuja APC should leave Edo alone

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has expressed misgivings about the silence of the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the political rift in the state.

    He said the national APC must settle its crisis before seeking to settle the crisis in the state’s chapter.

    It was the first time the governor was speaking on the crisis in Edo APC.

    Oshiomhole spoke when the Fact-finding and Reconciliation Committee for Edo State APC, led by former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, visited him in Benin.

    The governor noted that the crisis in Edo APC was blown out of proportion by those he said were rehabilitated by the party.

    He said an informal approach to issues worked better than a formalised approach.

    According to him, the party may be shedding crocodile tears about the crisis in the state.

    Oshiomhole wondered why the official language should be “reconcile everybody” when the most uncouth and vulgar language had allegedly been used against him.

    The governor noted that those allegedly beating the drums of war in the APC were defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who want to discredit the progressives in Edo.

    He said: “The secretariat should check carefully because it always ends up with a statement that unless the Comrade wants to return the state to the PDP. This state cannot return to the PDP.

    “We can distinguish between fifth columnists and genuine APC members. Those fomenting trouble in APC could not deliver their wards. I delivered my unit, ward, local government and senatorial district.

    “I hope you are able to talk to everybody; assure Abuja that there is no cause for alarm. I will finish stronger than I started.

    “Be assured of my commitment to the party, be assured of my commitment to democratic values. I will fight this election as if I were a candidate, regardless of who wins.”

    Oyinlola said reports from Edo State APC in the last few weeks were not edifying.

    Oyinlola said the party at the national level was alarmed at the erosion of the stability and cohesion, which were seen in the state.

    The former governor said the few weeks appeared to be undoing what took so much energy, commitment and sacrifice to put in place in the last eight years.

    He said: “We are here because our party believes darkness must not fall on this state. When you came, you gave every man a reason to believe in participatory democracy as the best form of government.”

  • I will defeat Okowa in Delta – Oshiomhole

    Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Thursday said he will defeat Governor Ifeanyi Okowa if both of them contest election in Delta State.

    Oshiomhole chided the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors in the South- south for promising to win Edo for the party.

    He said the PDP governors should be allowed to wallow in their dreams.

    Oshiomhole said workers in the state who received their salaries regularly will chase the PDP governors away.

    He said, “I will defeat Okowa in Delta State. My pedigree speaks for me. My power is not money but my oratory and pedigree.”

    “Those who cannot pay salaries want to come and take Edo. We pay salaries before the end of the month. The workers are already kicking against them. We will not allow them take Edo back to Egypt.”

     

  • Esele: Will another labour leader succeed Oshiomhole?

    Esele: Will another labour leader succeed Oshiomhole?

    Former President of Trade Union Congress (TUC) Peter Esele is a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State. Correspondent OSAGIE OTABOR highlights the hurdles he must cross to become the candidate.

    During the 2013 May Day celebration, Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole reflected on the challenges of succession and hinted that he would prefer to hand over to a “comrade,” rather than a typical politician.

    The governor said: “I will like to handover to a comrade, if you position yourself properly. I have a right to position a comrade, market him and handover to him.

    “Edo people now know the difference between a worker-governor and a businessman-governor. Don’t sit at home and wait to be called to come and take the key. This is the time to position yourself. There are politicians behind me. When I talk like this, they will not be very happy, but I don’t care. Everybody has to have his constituency. I am ready to work to hand over to a comrade.”

    Many politicians were not  happy when Oshiomhole made the statement. Present at the event was his deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu, one of the serious contenders for the job. Perhaps, some politicians also perceived the statement as a mere remark from a comrade-governor to members of his constituency.

    Out of the 15 aspirants  in the APC, Oshiomhole is alleged to be backing the ambition of the Chairman of his Economic Team, Godwin Obaseki, a financial expert.

    The only labour leader in the race is the former National President of the Trade Union Congress, Comrade Peter Esele. His ambition has left many guessing whether Oshiomhole might ditch Obaseki for him as the party prepares for the primary.

    The governor has made impact in the areas of infrastructural development, flood and erosion control and education.

    Esele seems to have the same focus as Oshiomhole. He has listed his priorities. They cover the critical sectors, including agriculture,  education and tourism. The labour activist said he is prepared for the challenge, adding that he has carried out a research on the state and he knows the solutions to its developmental problems.

    Esele said: “We want to have a functional educational system to help children fit into the 21st century. My life is my canvass, which I intend to reproduce. You cannot have a government when you cannot plan. A government is driven by data, research and analysis.

    “I have a degree in Mass Communication, but I have never worked with it. I worked as a tanker boy selling water before learning a skill that got me to where I am. I went to get a university degree because I was looking at the future. We live in a society where you are defined, not by your content, but by your paper qualification. I needed to have the paper qualification to face the challenges of today.

    “This contest is what I prepared for. We need to have the dignity of labour. It is compulsory we have something to do to put food on our table. That is the responsibility of government. I want to create that level-playing field for people to understand that doing technical jobs is not a death sentence. I want to make everybody know that whatever they are doing is important. Of what use are the universities in Edo State to the society? There is no link between governance and research. How do we grow when there is no respect for knowledge.

    “I will create an avenue for strong competition among universities in the state. I am the most well travelled aspirant in this race. Any of these universities in Edo State that did research that would affect Edo people would be given grant. I have decided to set aside N100m for that. Each of the three senatorial districts would get an all female secondary school, which only the best will attend.”

    Esele said he would invest massively in agriculture, with a view to growing crops for export. He promised to make the three senatorial districts an oil-palm producing hub. “We can set up an oil palm mill. We will make agriculture attractive and create environment where people would want to farm. Any factory that want to employ over 500 persons would be given a tax holiday,” he added.

    But, can Esele match money bags in the race? He said society is changing, adding that delegates will pick the best. In his view, delegates will not accept dictation from leaders.

    The aspirant stressed: “Leaders want to go this way, delegates want to go the other way. I am in this race because I love it. I have carried out research because it makes me happy. Other aspirants should tell the people what they want to do. I will not be a governor where my Commissioner for Education cannot tell you the number of pupils in primary school. I will not be a governor where my Commissioner for Agriculture does not know the extension workers. I know what to do. I do not believe in money bag. I want to bring in new things.”

    Esele hails from Ohodua, Esan South East Local Government Area. He is not showing much support for the Esan agenda, an idea being propagated to ensure somebody from Edo Central Senatorial District succeeds Oshiomhole.

    Edo South leaders have, however, insisted that the district should produce the next governor. The position of the district may put paid to Esele’s ambition, owing to its voting population.

    If Oshiomhole’s words in 2013 were to stand, Esele has a chance. But, between 2013 and now, it seems it’s all water under the bridge. Politics is a slippery field.

  • Oshiomhole, deputy clash over gun attack on convoy

    Oshiomhole, deputy clash over gun attack on convoy

    There is tension in Edo State over  Saturday’s gun attack on the convoy of Deputy Governor Pius Odubu during a visit to the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat in Auchi, headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area.

    Odubu yesterday relived the incident and called on the police to arrest the suspects he fingered in the attack. But Governor Adams Oshiomhole dismissed it all as “hasty”, saying “preliminary reports suggest that the fracas was caused by thugs loyal to the Odubu Campaign imported in two truck-loads to Auchi, who attacked other party loyalists not sold to the deputy governor’s aspiration”.

    Besides, Etsako West party leader Abubakar Akokhia dismissed the claim that Odubu was targeted.

    He alleged that the shooting might have been carried out by those in the deputy governor’s convoy.

    He said Odubu was not under any threat at any time during the shooting.

    At a news conference addressed by a member of the Odubu Campaign Organisation , the deputy governor called on security agencies to arrest and prosecute those who attacked him and members of his campaign organisation. He said he had identified “three principal suspects’’ behind the attack.

    He urged the police to immediately unearth them and their pay masters, and prosecute them for this felonious act.

    The former APC Minority Chief in the House of Representatives, Mr Samson Osagie, who spoke for the organisation, described the attack as “the height of naked display of cruelty, animosity, acrimony, intolerance, gross irresponsibility and man’s inhumanity to man’’.

    He said Odubu would not back down from pursuing his ambition to be governor, saying that “in democracy, it is only the people that have the right to choose their leaders”.

    “And for those who seek to spill blood on account of a mere party nomination exercise, the God of justice shall bring justice upon them,’’ he said.

    Osagie said eight persons including a Department of State Services (DSS) officer and a police Inspector in Odubu’s entourage were injured.

    “As we speak, six of them are currently at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital( UBTH) receiving treatment while the other two are still convalescing at a hospital in Auchi,’’ he said.

    Osagie gave the names of those injured as Patrick Amakiri, a DSS official, Inspector Agge Felix, the escort police commander attached to  Odubu, Zibiri Yakubu, Ogbeso Nice, Osabuohien Igiebor and Matthew Ajayi.

    Osagie said delegates were dispersed from receiving him at Fugar, Estako Central Local Government by an executive director to Governor Adams Oshiomhole. He did not name the executive director.

    He described the attacks as another attempt to intimidate, harass and put pressure on Dr. Odubu to quit the governorship race or be eliminated.

    “We wish to notify the National Chairman and members of the National Working Committee of the APC that they must pay proper attention to the happening in the Edo State chapter of the party as we move closer to the governorship election,” Osagie said, adding that the APC must be jealously protected for the party to retain its foothold in the South South zone.

    The state Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr Godwin Erhahon, also at the news conference, described the attack as “madness’’.

    “What happened yesterday (Saturday) in Auchi is absolute madness.

    “I want to appeal to APC supporters to remain calm and be friendly ahead of the elections proper.’’

    Police Commissioner Chris Ezike, who visited Odubu’s campaign secretariat, said although the command was yet to make any arrest, it had names of suspects.

    Ezike, who also condemned the attack, said all aspirants must be given a level playing field to campaign, noting that the command would not tolerate any act of violence from any quarters.

    He said the command had in the last eight months been mopping up firearms from those undesirable elements and would continue to do so ahead of the governorship election on September 10.

    CP Ezike who came into the secretariat at about 9.21am, went upstairs to meet with the deputy governor and left at about 9.24am.

    On the attack on Odubu which happened in the governor’s local government, Ezike said: “I have given a marching order that those involved be arrested. This thing happened in the day time; names have been mentioned and we are going after them.

    “The actors in this game should know that power belongs to God. It is our appeal that they conduct themselves and their supporters in a lawful manner. We will get to the bottom of the incident. Luckily, a few names have been mentioned, they are not ghost.”

    The APC chair in Estako West Local Government, Alhaji Abubakar Akokhia, said yesterday that the shooting  was carried out by his supporters.

    He said a warm reception was accorded Odubu, but it was the crowd outside and not party delegates that kept shouting “Odubu you don win, Odubu, na you we know”.

    Akokhia told reporters in Benin yesterday that there was no plan to kill the deputy governor in the locality.

    He said he was inside his office with Odubu when the shootings started outside.

    His words: “Before the deputy governor came, there were boys around. I asked them what they came for; they said they came to see the deputy governor and I told them they were not invited and that they were not delegates. They said they were Odubu’s supporters.”

    “There was not directive that we should not receive the deputy. Maybe it was the thugs he brought that did the shooting. When the deputy governor came, there was a crowd outside and they were shouting, “You don win, You don win”. Later, we heard them shooting.

    “Anybody that said the attack was directed at the deputy is a black liar. We were together inside my office. He was inside my office during the shooting.

    “Nobody planned to kill the deputy governor. We agreed to host him. Who is planning to kill him? He should reduce the number of his entourage. The cars that came with him were more than 20.”