The Eagle Gate

Tag: Edo State

  • Edo Governorship Race: Why Oshiomhole’s backing Obaseki — Bello-Osagie

    Edo Governorship Race: Why Oshiomhole’s backing Obaseki — Bello-Osagie

    BENIN CITY—FORMER member of House of Representatives, Mr Rasaq Bello-Osagie, has said that Mr Godwin Obaseki’s credentials as a management expert was what Edo State people need as the next governor of the state.

    He urged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state to commend Governor Oshiomhole for his preference for Obaseki as APC governorship candidate ahead of the governorship election in the state, saying that being a politician alone cannot guarantee positive future for the people of the state, adding that those insisting that Obaseki was not a politician should have a rethink.

    Bello-Osagie, who represented the people of Oredo federal constituency of Edo State from 2011 – 2015, said, “Oshiomhole was never a politician before he ran for the governorship of this state. But today, Edo State is one of the most vibrant states in the country despite its meagre resources.

    “When Oshiomhole came, he constituted a team and this same Obaseki for instance, from day one, put a team together to support the governor. He supported the process to raise a strong team of professionals to help the administration of the governor. He remained in the policy cockpit of the Oshiomhole administration.

    “What is needed in Edo State now as a recipe for development, not restricting the choice of candidate to those who see themselves as just politicians. We are looking for managers who can creatively manage our meagre resources for the benefit of Edo State. His antecedents as a management expert qualify him to aspire to the position of governor of Edo State. Edo State as presently constituted, in line with its own vision for the state needs a super manager not just a politician.”

  • Oshiomhole carpets PDP on ‘rice and garri’ politics

    Oshiomhole carpets PDP on ‘rice and garri’ politics

    As controversy rages over alleged diversion of Goodluck Jonathan campaign rice meant for distribution to the people of Edo State in the last general election by a gubernatorial aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Friday, took a swipe at the said aspirant and the PDP, saying the people of Edo State will no longer be swayed by rice and garri politics.

    A chieftain of the PDP, Mr Okharedia Ihimekpen had alleged that bags of rice released by former President Goodluck Jonathan to sway votes in favour of the PDP in the last general election were not distributed and was shocked to see the portraits of a certain gubernatorial aspirant super-imposed on the bags of rice and distributed as his Christmas package last December.

    Speaking at the 2016 Auchi Day celebration, on Friday, Governor Oshiomhole said politics of rice and garri was out of fashion as the people now prefer politics of development which his administration has introduced to the state in the last seven years.

    Giving his scorecard to the mammoth crowd of natives of the town who thronged the palace of the Otaru, Alhaji Haliru Momoh, Ikelebe 111 and some invited guests at the Auchi Day celebration, Oshiomhole said: “the PDP Federal Government awarded the Auchi erosion contract to one of their own; in the name of Auchi erosion, they enriched themselves and abandoned even the tractor in the erosion site, compounding the erosion problem. You wrote petitions and those letters were read and ignored but we thank God for using me.

    “We thank God that today, in the Auchi Erosion site, we can now locate two, three football pitches of Olympic standards in those areas that erosion had claimed.

    “We have shown that government needs not lament, that government can listen and when contracts are awarded, they are meant to be done, not to provide avenue for them to deepen their pockets and use out of it to buy rice once in two years.

    “I am glad that, Otaru, it will go down in the records that it was under your reign that God used us to dualise the Auchi road which your highness has kindly named Oshiomhole way and I am humbled. At night, we now can have street light in spite of the challenges of power arising from PDP mismanagement of billions of naira that was voted for power.

    “As you drive here, you see red roofs of schools that Auchi children can now attend and this year before the end of my tenure your Highness, the remaining schools in Auchi will wear red roofs. We will do that because your highness, you deserve it and I will try to discharge only part of my debt obligations to you.

    “Every commitment that I have made, I will do, including the ones we are already doing. We will sustain them, we will complete them before the end of my tenure. My government will never lament. When others are not paying salaries, we paid before Christmas because my task is to make things happen, not to cry.

    “Edo people continue to prosper and our people will never again submit to the politics of rice and garri.”

  • Edo State: Communique, One-Media Round-Table Discussion Forum

    Edo State: Communique, One-Media Round-Table Discussion Forum

    A Communique Issued At The End Of A One-Media Roundtable Discussion Forum Held At The Bishop Kelly Pastoral Centre In Benin City Under The Auspices Of The Coalition For Good Governance And Economic Justice In Africa On Wednesday, January 6, 2016.

    A Round-table Forum was convened by the Coalition for Good Governance and Economic Justice in Africa in Benin City with the theme: “The Media Practitioner’s View of Edo State under Gov. Adams Oshiomhole”.

    A panel of seven discussants, all practicing journalists in Edo State, critically x-rayed, reviewed and appraised Gov Oshiomhole’s seven-year tenure so far and made projections into the future of governance in the state.

    The panelists, after expressing their viewpoints observed as follows:

    That Edo state, prior to Adams Oshiomhole’s assumption of office on Nov 12, 2009, was characterized by general despair and despondency; and near-total decay of public infrastructure.  That ‘god-fatherism’ phenomenon had virtually held the state hostage and so negatively impacted on governance, thus hindering socio-economic growth in the pre-Oshiomhole years.

    That the Adams Oshiomhole’s administration has succeeded in upgrading the benchmark for infrastructural development in the state with particular references to road construction/rehabilitation, drainage and erosion control via the Benin Water Storm Project, as well as the multi-million naira Queen Ede, Auchi and Ekewan gully erosion projects. Also remarkable has been the “Red Roof” revolution in primary and secondary schools across the state.

    That the Adams Oshiomhole’s “one-man one-vote” mantra has changed and improved the electioneering process in the state.

    That the government deserved an applause for its efforts at keying into the Federal Government’s UBE counter-part funding scheme that has improved the standard of education in the state with particular reference to the improved facilities and increased performance rating of Edo State in national examinations.

    That Gov Oshiomhole has reasonably restored the people’s confidence in government through people-oriented and purposeful policies and programs. This confidence had been greatly eroded by past governments which perverted leadership, looted the commonwealth and thus engendered the distrust of the people.

    That Gov Oshiomhole’s gesture at improving on past administration’s assistance to the state council of NUJ and the practicing correspondents in the state through logistics support to aid their job performances is salutary.

    They noted, however, that the Oshiomhole administration has not done much to improve on workers’ welfare through payment of approved salaries and allowances, especially for pensioners as evidenced by the series of protests in the state over the years.

    That Oshiomhole’s healthcare policies have not been far-reaching enough as they seem to pay more attention to tertiary health institutions to the detriment of the primary healthcare institutions which are indeed closer to the people.

    That his government did not devote much resource to human capacity development in commensurate terms with infrastructural development in the state since capacity development is sine qua non to any government’s desire for speedy socio-economic development.

    RESOLUTIONS:

    The round-table resolved as follows:

    1. That arising from these findings, political parties should re-align their manifestoes and policy plans and programs ahead of the state governorship election to be in tune with people’s desires, aspirations and expectations.
    1. That political party leaders should make credibility, personal integrity and unquestionable pedigree of candidates as a crucial factor to be considered during party primaries.
    1. That political parties should do away with the old tradition of imposition of candidates to avoid unnecessarily over-heating of the polity as the electorate has become wiser.
    1. That governorship aspirants must be prepared to diversify the state’s economy and move it away from the current over-reliance on statutory allocations and excessive taxation as sources of its revenue.
    1. That the next government in the state must aspire to foster agricultural revolution, taking good advantage of the fertile and arable environment of the state.
    1. That any incoming government must first believe in the people and ensure a holistic approach to development of the state by providing the enabling environment for safety of lives and property.
    1. That the Press at all times has a constitutional responsibility to make governments accountable to the people and this they must continue to do through unbiased and objective reportage that placed the interest of the people foremost.

    In attendance at the round-table forum were over 70 journalists from various media in the state.

    The forum is first in series by the Coalition for Good Governance and Economic Justice to sensitize the citizens on participatory democracy and responsible governance.

    Chairman, Communique Committee

    Date: Jan 6, 2016

  • 6 Pupils win IGP scholarship in Edo

    6 Pupils win IGP scholarship in Edo

    BENIN CITY-Six pupils of the Police Children School 1 and 11 have won the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) scholarship in Benin City.

    The pupils whose ages range between six and nine included Aboye Israel, Izomon Osariemen, Obah-Oshomokhare Peculiar, Aliyu Mohammed Junior, Obah-Oshomokhare Destiny and Nawerebgha Faith.

    The commissioner in Edo State Mr Chris Ezike presented the IGP scholarship to the pupils at the state police command headquarters in Benin City, yesterday.

    CP Ezike explained that that the scholarship programme was initiated by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to provide succour to serving, retired and deceased police officers in the junior cadre, whom he said had distinguished themselves in service to the nation.

    He disclosed further that similar presentation of the IG scholarship had earlier held in Abuja as it would go round other states across Nigeria.

    CP Ezike urged parents and guardians to moderate the behaviour of their children and wards, especially as it affects the companies they keep.

    The police boss however congratulated the children maintaining that many were called but few chosen.

    “Having said that, I want to ask all DPOs, whose jurisdiction covers our police primary and secondary schools or police institutions, to do their utmost best to offer the necessary security and safety that the children need.

    “If you have problems doing that, get back to the DC Ops, who will reinforce you to ensure their safety and security are not compromised,” CP Ezike stated.

    By MIKE OSAROGIAGBON, January 4, 2016, Culled from the Nigerian Observer

  • The Jonathan Campaign Rice Thief

    The Jonathan Campaign Rice Thief

    President Jonathan conceded office and President Buhari was sworn in on May 29, 2015. There was the question of loyalty among PDP members. Everyone blamed someone else for failing to return Dr. Goodluck Jonathan back to office. Many of the issues bordered around provision of finances and other resources to ensure a win in all states including Edo State. However, it is puzzling to many members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo that they seemed to be the only state left out in the distribution by the Jonathan Campaign team.

    It was shortly before the presidential primaries a group of individuals left the All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the PDP in Edo State. One of such large groups was led by Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu after a major disagreement between himself and Governor Oshiomhole in 2014. It was after the PDP’s primaries that he got himself the choicer job as State coordinator in Edo State to the Jonathan Campaign Team. Heavily mobilized in December 2014 in the millions to begin his work in the State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu returned to claim that no money was given to him, that in fact he was using his personal funds to assist the President. The situation was so sad that no bill boards were erected on behalf of the president in Edo State by the state team and hardly any effort to promote the comeback of the president.

    The rumour about the President’s neglect of Edo State spread like wild fire, it increased when the money sent by the president’s campaign headquarters for the House of Assembly candidates representing the PDP was also diverted and majority of them lost in the elections.

    There was unprecedented theft of campaign funds and materials. This came to public glare in December 2015, when the then state coordinator and aspirant for the Governor’s seat, pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu decided to distribute rice to his followers. To their surprise it was the rice packs meant to be distributed for the presidential elections in April 2015.

    Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has not only proven to be dishonest, but a liar and a thief. The individual, who assisted with the large theft of Edo resources during the Lucky Igbinedion administration, milked the ACN/APC dry before decamping to the PDP where he now wants the governor’s seat in 2016 to carry out wanton looting of state resources and assets and further impoverish the people.

    The PDP through its publicity secretary, Mr. Chris Nehikhare gave a statement on December 30, 2015 to refute the allegations to cover up this theft. This is a knee jerk reaction on Mr. Nehikhare’s part because he was not privy to the conversation the pastor had with a PDP leader in his defense saying, “if he shares the rice in April or December is it not the same thing.” The hush-hush is meant to still bring out Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as its candidate, the party desperate for a win believe that only he can give a good contest and possibly win on behalf of the party. However, the error in this decision would either bring the party to its knees or leave the state in shambles.

    What everyone should know and understand, it was not the APC that discovered this theft, but the members of the PDP who raised the alarm of the theft. They were surprised that anyone could be so callous as to divert funds and materials meant for another’s election as his own and betray President Jonathan. If this is the best that the PDP can do, then opportunity should not ever be given to them to take back the reins of power.

    In any civilized society the pastor has no alternative now, but to apologise to President Jonathan, the people of Edo State, and the National headquarters of the PDP, quit the race and the party on its own submit him to law enforcement for the offense of theft.

  • A Tale of Two Thieves

    A Tale of Two Thieves

    The showdown between Governor Adams Oshiomhole and Chief Lucky Igbinedion, both of Edo state brings to mind a small but powerful verse in one of Fela’s songs, which goes something like this, “I no bi thief, u bi thief; I no bi robber, u bi robber”.

    The insult back and forth by both of them is not that money wasn’t stolen, but who stole more given the resources of the state. This is very interesting to watch, and also very cunning as most people are focused on the show rather than digesting what it all means.

    Let’s examine the situation for a moment in sequence of events so we fully understand this matter.

    Edo State was governed by a PDP led government under Chief Lucky Igbinedion’s administration from 1999 to 2007. As far as the people of Edo State are concerned no development whatsoever took place in the state during that time frame.

    This was confirmed by the statement of the Chief-of Staff from 1999 to 2003 and Secretary to State government from 2003 to 2007, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu when “He listed the challenges to include the rot inflicted on the state by long years of military rule which left Edo State with huge liabilities, the ruling party which produced the governor, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the small finances that was available to the state as at the time Igbinedion was governor.

    He also stated that the PDP backed the poor performance of former Governor Igbinedion because “it had no manifesto, blueprint or plan for governance and in Edo State was actually personified by one lead character that was literally worshipped as the owner and giver of political power.”” Published June 10, 2013

    In many other instances, he claimed not to have knowledge of how the finances were spent, even though as the SSG all files must pass through his desk for approval. He joined Oshiomhole to rubbish the PDP and stated during campaign that the PDP was a failure; never did he try to defend an administration he was part of.

    As poor as the state was and unable to meet up with the demands, we all knew that the then Governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion spent most of his time out of the country, spending the states scarce resources on trip to different countries where he lavished our treasury on parties, imported girls, and shopping. It is also not news that the then labour leader Adams Oshiomhole escorted him on many of those trips opening his eyes to money laundering and excesses while remaining silent. It was the agreement never to probe the Lucky Igbinedion administration that got him the right to contest for governor in 2007 on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). It is also believed that Governor Oshiomhole also agreed then that upon leaving office he will hand over to Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

    So Governor Oshiomhole prompted us to the dual carriage way from the Lagos Express Road to Okada for which N2 billion (Two billion Naira) was paid to Bright Igbinedion’s company. This project was never executed. Is the state not entitled to a refund and the culprits brought to book?

    The abandoned Ava Cement company in AKoko-Edo which was established with the sum of $31 million (Thirty-One Million Dollars) stolen from Edo State treasury. This fund was never appropriated by the House Assembly, neither was it discussed in the state executive council and the company is owned privately by Igbinedion and Fashanu. This is stealing o. The money should be returned or the abandoned project ceased and auctioned to recover the money, and returned to the state treasury. Government land and property sold to the the Igbinedion family for pennies and much more.

    Governor Oshiomhole boasted that he will drag Chief Lucky Igbinedion to the EFCC. Chief Lucky Igbinedion exposed Governor Oshiomhole of his Estate in South African purchased with Edo State treasury from which the state does not benefit, Commercial property in Dubai, A hospital in the United States for his son, a penthouse in Atlanta next to Chief Lucky Igbinedion’s penthouse, homes in California, Abuja, Kano and the Ten billion naira home in Iyamoh and some investments in his wife’s home country.

    Is it blackmail or is it pay-off that has suddenly made these two silent. Haba, all this money fought over is it not our State money meant to develop the state? Now Governor Oshiomhole will see it fit to tax the people three times over to cover for money stolen from us.

    This is where it gets very interesting. Let us not forget that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has always denied being a participant in Chief Lucky Igbinedion’s administration one which he calls a failure. He also claimed that he did not have any powers or control over what the governor did. However, earlier this year 2015 he choose to render an apology to the people of Edo State and this was his statement as published.

    “According to the report, Osagie Ize-Iyamu asked Edo people to “forgive me for being one of those in the forefront that brought Mr. Oshiomhole to be the governor of the state. We now know who he is. Therefore, in the coming elections, Edo people should not repeat the mistake of the past”.”

    We wonder how a “NOBODY” had the powers to install a governor in our state. But one thing is sure Edo people should not repeat the mistake of the past.

    This is why, the failed then governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion stated that he was going to decide who the next governor was going to be, and well we are yet to know on what grounds he stands on to make that decision, since all he does is fail. All failing and thieving and no progress.

    We know who he is supporting by his statement which reads, “Whoever is going to be the next governor of Edo State must be one of the founding members of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state. And must also be a member of the ‘family’”, he said.

    He went on to tip Ize-Iyamu for the governorship race and rated him ahead of other contestants in the race.” Published July 2015.

    Is Edo State now a family business? NO, it is not and we have had enough. But What Chief Lucky Igbinedion and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu have unmistakably alerted us to, is that they have controlled the State for fifteen years with nothing but theft and failures and the timid people of Edo State should give them another 8 years.

    Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu functioned in the failed 8 years of the PDP led administration governed by Chief Lucky Igbinedion from 1999 to 2007, Installed a failed ACN/APC led administration governed by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole from 2008 to Present, back tracked to PDP to install himself as governor for another 8 years. Since everything Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is involved in is a failure on what foundation of good governance does he stand on to run for the number one position of the State. A man who never takes responsibility for his failings can never be trusted and does not mean well for the good people of Edo State. Does the PDP now have a manifesto, blueprint and plan just because he is running. The grand-father and supreme chopper wants direct access to the chopping.

    Governor Oshiomhole on the other hand is hell bent on producing the next governor, and as it has been rumoured his mind is made up on Mr. Godwin Obaseki, which information has it that he has been the one helping Governor Oshiomhole in securing unpaid loans, moving Edo State monies in the billions for investment into the Dangote groups and laundering of our states funds. All of this earned Obaseki the lead on the State’s economic team. Sadly the state benefits nothing and the people continue to wallow in poverty. Oh yes, while the thieving and chopping continues.

    All we have heard is “na u thief pass me”. I no thief reach u”. We as Edo People must free ourselves from this sham. Remember there are some mistakes that take a life time to correct.

    In this next election for the governor’s seat in 2016 we must be wise to vote for someone who can administer Edo state, brings goodwill to its people and doesn’t see it as a family business.