The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Pius Odubu

  • Obaseki promises open administration

    Obaseki promises open administration

    Gov Godwin Obaseki of Edo has promised to operate an open door policy and commended workers in the State for the trust they have in his administration.

    The governor spoke at a dinner on Monday night to felicitate with members of the Nigeria Labour congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on 2017 May Day.

    The dinner was held alongside an award night organised by the Edo chapters of NLC and TUC.

    The governor assured that he would operate an open door policy with them provided they continued to have confidence in his administration.

    “Nothing good thrives in a community where there is no trust, you have given me your trust and I will not betray that trust.

    “Today marks a new dawn, I want to be able to look back and say while I was a governor, I never had an incident of strike.

    “As long as you trust me, I will put every issue in front of you for dialogue”, he said.

    Obaseki promised the workers that the hosting of the Workers Day dinner would be a yearly event.

    The governor said his government did not the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), from collecting dues and levies from its members in the state.

    He said the present administration had adopted electronic system for revenue collection sequel to the ban on collection of taxes and levies by non government agents.

    Obaseki explained that the technology was being test run so that the union would start collection of tax and levies from its members via electronic payment before the end of May.

    The governor also commended leaders of the labour unions for the presentation of awards to outstanding personalities who he said had contributed immensely to the development of the state.

    Chairmen of the NLC and TUC in Edo, Emmanuel Ademokun and Marshall Orhue commended Obaseki for hosting the unions’ members to a dinner after gracing the May Day celebration earlier in the day.

    The duo said that the dinner went to show that the governor was workers friendly.

    They added that the labour unions working with the state government would build a stronger Edo state.

    Former Gov. Oserheimen Osunbor, former Deputy Governor Pius Odubu and immediate past Secretary to the State Government, Julius Ihonvbere were honoured.

    The organisers of the award said it was a tradition of the labour unions to present awards of excellence to outstanding Nigerians during workers day celebration.

  • Odubu, Shuaibu vote in Edo poll

    Edo State Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu and the running mate to the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Philip Shuaibu have voted in their various polling units.

    Shuaibu voted in unit 11, Auchi, Etsako West local government area of the state.

    He voted at 9:15 a.m., while materials arrived before 8:00 a.m.

    Shuaibu expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the election.

    Odubu said materials and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials arrived at his polling unit as early as 6:00 a.m., while voting commenced at 8:00 a.m.

    The deputy governor voted at unit 4, Urhonigbe South, at 10:15 a.m.

  • Oshiomhole recalls sacked aides

    In a demonstration of total reconciliation between Governor Adams Oshiomhole and his deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu, all aides of the governor sacked or suspended for supporting Odubu have been recalled.

    Oshiomhole announced this at a reconciliatory meeting held with Odubu on Tuesday.

    The governor said the party primaries was to demonstrate internal democracy and distinguished the All Progressive Congress (APC) from other political parties.

    He noted that the step taken towards reconciliation was in the interest of the APC and honesty of purpose on his part.

    He said, “The deputy governor and I have worked together, dined together and socialized together. For time it’s being in the news that the deputy governor and I are not in good term. I believe watchers of Nigeria politics will agree that Pius and I have had an extremely cordial relationship and I have had without any prompting agree that in my working with Pius I found him to be absolutely loyal, dedicated and committed.

    “Nobody was able to infiltrate us and nobody ever came to settle a quarrel between the deputy governor and I in the past seven and half years. Some times when we joke we don’t relate as boss and subordinate but as brothers as we have been.

    “Pius and I fought many battles, both political battles as well as battles to reposition this government and together we can effortlessly point out what our stewardship accomplished for the benefit of the people of Edo State. I believe all these formed the foundation for the electioneering campaign that is about to begin. Having worked so hard and related so closely, there is no question Pius and I in and outside government will remain friends and comrades.

    “The primaries have come and gone. As a governor, I took some decisions some of which clearly affected some of the supporters of my brother the deputy governor.

    “As part of my own atonement and to demonstrate my commitment to our friendship, some of the people who were affected in the cause of this contestation I have decided to reinstate them to their former positions and even to get their remuneration reinstalled.

    “I believe that when a leader shows compassion and demonstrate spirit of forgiveness and calls his younger ones, pat them on the back and say return home, it is not a mark of weakness, it simply shows that we are ever conscious that as humans there are times to make mistakes and times to correct them.

    Responding, Odubu reaffirmed his commitment to the APC and victory at all elections.

     

     

  • Edo APC Primary: Obaseki meets Odubu

    … I will not leave APC- Deputy governor

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has started a reconciliation move ahead of the September 10 Governorship election in the state.

    Obaseki, in company of Barr. Osarodion Ogie, the Director General of Godwin Obaseki Campaign Organization and some APC leaders in the state, visited the private home of Dr. Pius Odubu on Sunday evening, for a peace meeting.

    At the meeting, the deputy governor told Obaseki and the party leaders present that nobody should contemplate or think of him leaving the party.

    Odubu said as a true party man, he is ever ready to work for the party and its candidate come September 10.

    The deputy governor, who came second in Saturday’s primary, said what is paramount now is to ensure victory for the party and its candidate in the governorship election.

    Odubu, however, advice Obaseki and the party leaders to quickly move to reconcile aggrieved party members, especially the “victimized ones.”

     

  • Deputy Governor’s assassination claim false — Edo Govt

    Deputy Governor’s assassination claim false — Edo Govt

    The Edo State Government has faulted the faulted the reported assassination attempt on the Deputy Governor of Edo State and a gubernatorial aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Pius Odubu.
    In a statement issued on Sunday by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation! Kassim Afegbua, the government condemned the incident at Auchi, but noted that the conclusion of the Odubu Campaign Organisation on alleged assassination attempt appears hasty.
    The government said preliminary reports suggest that the fracas at Auchi was caused by thugs loyal to the Odubu campaign imported in two truck-loads to Auchi who attacked other party loyalists not in support of the Deputy Governor’s aspiration.
    Odubu, on Saturday reportedly escaped death by the whiskers when gunmen shot at him at the secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Auchi while receiving a delegation.
    The attack took place a few minutes after Governor Adams Oshiomhole and Odubu left a party organised by Damian Lawani, representative of the Estako Central Constituency in the House of Assembly.
    Afegbua said ” It is instructive to note that the Deputy Governor was inside the secretariat building of the APC in the company of the Party Chairman in the Local Government, Alhaji Umoru Akokhia, addressing the delegates while thugs loyal to him who had become unruly fired gunshots at other APC loyalists who were outside protesting against his visit.”
    ” We gathered authoritatively that the first shots were, in fact, fired by Odubu’s security details in an attempt to scare away the party faithful who were against the hoodlums imported to their domain by the Odubu Campaign Organisation, before thugs loyal to him fired at the party’s loyalists.
    “It should be noted that among those who sustained injuries are APC loyalists who are presently receiving medical attention in the hospital. It is laughable that the Odubu Campaign Organisation will allege that the Deputy Governor, with full compliments of security details, was shot at yet no casualty was recorded on the other side and nobody apprehended.
    ” Given the above scenario, we find it lousy for anyone to impute assassination theory as propounded by the Odubu Campaign Organisation especially when investigations are still ongoing and the Police are yet to submit their findings on the fracas. A responsible campaign organisation should have waited for investigation reports before jumping into reckless conclusions.”
    The Commissioner said the Governor has already directed the Commissioner of Police to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the incident and whoever that is found culpable will be made to face the full wrath of the law no matter how highly placed.

  • Attack on Edo Dep Gov: CP orders arrest of suspects

    Attack on Edo Dep Gov: CP orders arrest of suspects

    The police high command in Benin, Edo State has declared that it will not leave any stone unturned in the investigation on the attack on the state deputy governor, Dr Pius Odubu.
    The incident which occurred on Saturday in Auchi,headquarters of Etsako west, left eight persons critically injured. They are being treated in University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and Auchi.
    Police Commissioner, Chris Ezike who gave the assurance at the Odubu campaign secretariat said the incident could have been avoided
    Ezike who came into Secretariat at about 9.21am went upstairs to meet with the deputy governor and left about 9.24am.
    He said the command is working on a lead that will help the police unravel those behind the dastardly attack on the deputy governor who was on campaign tour to Edo north.
    The Commissioner said the command is ready to ensure the safety and security of lives and property during and after the governorship elections.
    The attack on Odubu happened in the State Governor’s local government,
    “I have given a marching order that those involved be arrested. This thing happened in the day time, names have been mentioned and we 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”

  • PDP welcomes Odubu to Edo governorship race

    The Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State has welcomed the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr. Pius Odubu, to the race to succeed Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

    It commended Dr. Odubu for what it termed “courage and temerity exhibited by officially declaring his intentions to vie for the office of Governor under the All Progressive Congress (APC) platform.”

    A statement signed by the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Chris Nehikhare, said the declaration by Odubu has opened up the political landscape in the state.

    The statement said Odubu deserved commendation for his refusal to be blackmailed and cowed out of the race.

    The deputy governor had in his declaration promised to grant tax holiday to new investors in the state if elected as governor.

    He promised to waive certificate of occupancy fees as additional incentives to new investors.