Godwin Obaseki, the re-elected governor of Edo State, has asked the people of the state to deal with him any day he attempts to be a godfather.
Mr Obaseki stated this today while addressing at the State House, Abuja, where he went to thank President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said having defeated his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole, who wanted to be the godfather in the state, he is not aiming to succeed him in that regard.
The governor asked the people of the state to deal with him the way they dealt with the erstwhile APC helmsman should he attempts to become one.
He also spoke on returning to the All Progressive Congress (APC) which disqualified him from using its platform for seeking re-election.
ALSO READ: Oshiomhole tweets aftermath of Edo election, Nigerians react, say he’s now a motivational speaker
Due to the political differences he had with Mr Oshiomhole, when the latter held sway as the national chairman of the APC, Obaseki was disqualified over his academic credentials said to be deceptive. The incumbent decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party PDP where he was admitted and subsequently became its flagbearer for the September 19 contest.
He won the exercise, trouncing his opponent, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who had the backing of Mr Oshiomhole.
Speaking further, Obaseki told State House correspondents that returning back to his former party is not in his agenda at the moment as such will erode his integrity.
FrontpageSouth BREAKING: #EdoDecides2020: Obaseki wins APC candidate’s LGA By Happiness Chukwuebuka On Sep 20, 2020
Share Godwin Obaseki, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in the ongoing election has won the local government of Osagie Ize-Iyamu, candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
Mr Ize-Iyamu who polled 10,458 in his domain lost to the incumbent governor who scored 13,445 as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC in Benin City, the state capital.
Nyesom Wike, the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national campaign council has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against declaring the Edo State governorship election inconclusive.
Mr Wike gave the warning this afternoon in a press conference taking place at the situation room of the PDP.
He was reacting to the disappearance of some INEC electoral officers. So far, results from 16 out of 18 councils have been announced while the wait for two missing officers continues.
The Rivers State governor also expressed shock why officers of the electoral body would disappear with the result of the exercise that has already been declared at the polling units and ward levels.
“Everybody knows who have won this election and it is not in doubt. We are calling on INEC and let the whole public know that the man is in the office of the administrative secretary of INEC,” Wike claimed.
“And they locked him in that office and we are saying that INEC should please tell the man to come out and present the result of the Orhionmwon LGA as declared at the ward and local government levels,” he added.
UPDATE:
Meanwhile, the said man has come out of his hiding place and is currently presenting his report.
While the PDP scored 13,445, the APC polled 10,458.
FrontpageSouth #EdoDecides2020: Don’t rejoice, it’s not yet over, Buhari’s aide tells seeming victorious Obaseki By David Hero On Sep 20, 2020
Share Bashir Ahmad, the Personal Assistant on New Media to President Muhammadu Buhari, is indirectly telling Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, not to rejoice yet as the battle is far from being over.
Mr Ahmad made his remarks Sunday morning on Twitter while reacting to the seeming victory of the governor at the polls.
“Seems it’s over, but it’s not over until it’s over,” the presidential aide tweeted
ALSO READ: #EdoDecides2020: Live updates of official results by INEC
4 hours ago
Mr Obaseki who is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in the ongoing election. He moved to the party after being disqualified over his academic credentials said to be deceptive.
Out of results from the 13 local government areas announced so far, the governor is currently leading with over 100,000 votes.
The remarks of Mr Ahmad suggests the battle might be taken to the judiciary which his principal and party is in firm control of.
Some of his followers rebuked him saying attempt to repeat the Imo State governorship scenario will fail. The Supreme Court had nullified the election of the PDP in the south east state, declaring Hope Uzodinma of the APC as the winner.
Mr Uzodinma who came fourth in the exercise is often referred to as Supreme Court governor by critics.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Friday alleged a siege to his hotel in Benin City by the police, restricting his movement ahead of the governorship elections in the state.
The governor, who spoke exclusively to Channels TV says he is in the state to monitor the election on behalf of his party and insists he won’t leave the state.
He said, “As the Chairman of the National Campaign Council (of the PDP), I came in here with some of my colleagues; I was in the hotel. Around 2 o’clock in the afternoon, the IG (Inspector General of Police) called.
“I think they called my orderly; I don’t know how they got his number and then I spoke with the IG and he said I must leave Edo State. I said ‘for what?’ He said because my being here may cause a crisis. I said how will it cause crisis? He said because I made a statement that is inflammatory. I said ‘which statement did I make? That we should be extra vigilant? That people should protect their votes?’ So, ‘what is the inflammatory statement I made?’”
Maintaining that he had done no wrong, the governor told the IGP, he won’t leave the state.
According to him, about 10 minutes after he refused to leave the state, over 300 policemen had surrounded his hotel.
Governor Wike said regardless of the siege, he won’t leave the state because he is Chairman of the PDP national campaign council and is not the only governor in Edo for the election.
“The governor of Kano is here, the governor of Imo is here, the Deputy Senate President is here,” he said. “So why will you tell me to leave?” All three men Governor Wike mentioned are members of the All Progressives Congress.
The governor decried the said call by the IGP, describing it as “the highest level of impunity”.
Meanwhile, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo, told Channels TV that the police are making sure that there is peace in the state and will resist any act of violence.
He said, “The police don’t have to lay siege on anyone, but the situation is that no matter the status of the citizen of Nigeria in Nigeria, we will ensure that we do all within our capacity to create a conducive atmosphere for free, fair, credible elections.
“People having no business within Edo State cannot be moving from one point to another. Movement is restricted. For the purpose of this election, movement is restricted. The restriction commences from midnight to 18:00 hours tomorrow when we believe that election would have been concluded. Nobody is empowered to move about, whether you are a governor or not.”
Atiku Abubakar, former vice president, has reacted to the police siege on Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, who is currently in Edo State.
Mr Wike, according to his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was barred from leaving a hotel he lodged in at the state capital, Benin City.
He is the national campaign chairman of the state ruling party on whose platform Godwin Obaseki, the state governor is seeking a second term in office.
His major challenger, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, is of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and enjoys the support of erstwhile national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole.
While leaders of the PDP are said to be under police siege, leaders of the APC are reportedly moving around freely despite restrictions on vehicular moment. TODAY POLITICS as at press has not independently verified the claim.
“A promise of free & fair election cannot be mere lip service. It’s a commitment & should be demonstrated by way of equal access & restriction to every stakeholder,” Mr Abubakar said in a Friday evening tweet.
“Blockading the hotel of @OfficialPDPNig governors in the eve of the Edo election isn’t a good way to show fairness,” the opposition candidate in the last presidential election added.
He is referring to the assertion of President Muhammadu Buhari who promised free, fair and credible election during the exercise tomorrow.
The All Progressive Congress APC says the police siege which Nyesom Wike, which the governor of Rivers State, is under is part of COVID-19 protocols.
The Edo state chapter of the national ruling party stated this in a tweet in reaction to announcement by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the Rivers governor is under police siege in Benin City, the state capital.
This is coming hours to the governorship race which has Godwin Obaseki, the state governor seeking re-election on the platform of the PDP while his major challenger, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, of the APC seeks to oust him.
“Enjoy the quarantine, sir, in accordance with the existing COVID-19 protocols,” the APC said in the tweet.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a two weeks ultimatum to the federal government to review recent price hike in petrol and electricity tariff.
Ayuba Wabba, president of the labour workforce, said the fourteen days ultimatum will elapse on September 28, the same day it fixed for demonstration should nothing be done in that regard.
“We have convened because of the twin issues of hikes in fuel price and electricity tariff and the CWC has noted that the two increases, despite the fact that they are ill termed because of COVID-19 and the economic situation of the country, the CWC has also identified that it has reduced the purchasing power of Nigerians,” the NLC president said after the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting today.
“Also it has brought about high cost of goods and services and it has eroded completely the gains of N30k minimum wage.
“The CWC also took report of the meeting that held between the Federal Government and Organized labour where NLC was represented by 14 of its leaders and therefore as resolved to issue a two weeks ultimatum to the Federal Government to reverse or face full industrial action.
In furtherance to this the CWC has resolved to also convene the meeting of the National Executive Council in line with our constitution on the 22nd of September to also give effect to this decision. The action will commence on Monday 28th of September if those issues are not addressed,” he added.
A petition demanding the barring of Nasir El-rufai, incumbent governor of Kaduna State, from visiting the United Kingdom and the European Union has garnered over ten thousand signatures.
This is coming days after the United States Government extended it ban on the Kaduna helmsman. The sovereign nation had earlier in the year barred him from visiting its territory over his verbal threat of returning foreign election observers in body bags should they interfere in the 2019 general election.
The petition started by former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, yesterday, has been endorsed by over ten thousand signatures when TODAY POLITICS checked it Wednesday afternoon at 3:15pm.
Mr Omokri while creating the petition listed with dates the alleged wrongdoings of the Kaduna governor.
obailala: And so?... Was it not under PDP days that people sometimes had to buy fuel for black market price of N600? Where is the lie there? With the official prices known by all, even a child wouldn't need special explanation to know that the N600 referred to there was black market prices during scarcity. But here we are, adults celebrating their poor understanding of English...
President Muhammadu Buhari has charged his ministers to go on the offensive on those peddling falsehood about his administration.
Mr Buhari gave the order yesterday at the two-day ministerial performance review retreat at the presidential villa, Abuja.
“I have charged all of you to defend the government vigorously and not allow any irresponsible and politically motivated statements to keep spreading falsehoods about this government,” Mr Buhari said.
“Information to the public should be better packaged. Go on the offensive, we are proud of our achievements, and we should blow our own trumpet,” he added.
The president who reiterated his call for meetings with him to be channeled through his Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, said he is been called Baba Go Slow because he has decided to follow the rule of law rather than his dictatorial pathway when he held sway as military head of state.
President Muhammadu Buhari says the killing of Christians in the country is cultural and has not ethnic or religious affiliations.
Mr Buhari stated this yesterday while speaking at the two-day ministerial performance review retreat at the presidential villa, Abuja. He said this formed part of the discussion he had with the president of the United States of America, Donald Trump, when he visited the latter in April 2018.
The Nigerian leader said Mr Trump privately asked him why Christians are being killed in the country and he responded by telling him it was not his making as the violence predated him.
While linking the killings to the unending herders and farmers clashes, Buhari also blamed subsequent governments that came after the first republic, of doing nothing to remedy the situation.
“I believe I was about the only African among the less developed countries, the president of United States invited, and when I was in his office only myself and himself, only God is my witness, he looked at me in the face, he said ‘why are you killing Christians?’” Buhari said.
“I wonder if you were the person how you will react. I hope what I was feeling inside did not betray my emotion.
“So, I told him that the problem between the cattle rearers and stagnant farmers I know is older than me not to talk of him (Trump). I think I am a couple of years older than him.
“With climate change and population growth and the culture of the cattle rearers, if you have 50 cows and they eat grass, any root to your water point, they will follow it, it doesn’t matter whose farm it is.
“The first republic set of leadership was the most responsible leadership we ever had. I asked the Minister of Agriculture to get a gazette of the early 60s which delineated the cattle routes where they used meagre resources then to put earth dams, wind mills even sanitary department.
“So, any cattle rearer that allowed his cattle to go to somebody’s farm is arrested, taken before the court, the farmer is called to submit his bill and if he can’t pay, the cattle are sold, but subsequent leaders, VVIPs (very very important persons) they encroached on the cattle routes, they took over the cattle rearing areas.
“So, I tried and explained to him, this has got nothing to do with ethnicity or religion. It is a cultural thing which the respective leadership was failing the nation,” he added.
obailala: This thread is actually exposing the folly of some people. Even imbeciles know the N600 was referring to black market price and it wasnt specific to any particular date; it's just what happened whenever there was acute shortage. But I can see how certain people are rejoicing over a meaningless fact check.
“
Don’t allow the PDP to deceive you. Amidst acute shortages, they sold petrol at N600 per litre on Easter Sunday in 2013 (See Punch published on that day),” he tweeted attaching the screenshot.
So you didn't see where he said people should not be deceived by the PDP which, according to him, sold petrol at N600?
Yesterday’s evening, Garba Shehu, spokesman to President Muhammadu Buhari, while attempting to justify the recent increase of petrol pump price nationwide, said the product sold for N600 in 2013.
Mr Shehu while making the claim on Twitter, shared a screenshot of a national daily with the lead story captioned “Petrol now sells for N600.” He told Nigerians not to be deceived by the now opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which held sway at the time of the cost.
“Don’t allow the PDP to deceive you. Amidst acute shortages, they sold petrol at N600 per litre on Easter Sunday in 2013 (See Punch published on that day),” he tweeted attaching the screenshot.
Checks by TODAY POLITICS showed the claim is inaccurate, did not occur on the said date and was not the official pump price of the product at the time.
A glance at the screenshot showed the publication was made on May 25, 2015.
The screenshot by Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, claiming petrol was sold for N600 in 2013.
A visit to the online version of the newspaper in a bid to verify the story was unsuccessful as it was not found on the platform which has existed for more than 17 years now and created on Friday, April 11, 2003.
Further search on the internet threw up a blog, Pan African News, which copied the said content from Punch online version and attributed credit to the national daily. The content published on May 25, 2015 showed the N600 price of petrol at the time was its cost at black market due to scarcity of the product and not the official pump price.
“Our correspondents reported on Sunday that petrol had dried up in almost all the filling stations nationwide, while black marketers capitalised on the prevailing scarcity by selling the product in jerry cans for between N200 and N600 per litre in places like Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Kaduna and Oyo states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory,” part of the story read.
Two other stories, titled: “Family Barred Us From Chukwumerije’s Burial – Abia Govt” and “Rivers Cps, Military Commanders Reporting To Patience Jonathan – Amaechi,” found on the said publication, investigation also showed, was published on May 25, 2015, two days to the hand over of the then outgoing administration.
The two stories when checked on Punch Newspapers website by TODAY POLITICS, did not show up apparently due to reconstruction of the site. This reporter further checked the internet and traced the stories to Nairaland, one of the online forums in the country, with links on it credited to the national daily.
The stories, first and second were republished by members of the online community with Punch online platform credited as the source.
VERDICT: The claim of the presidential spokesman that the product was in 2013 sold for N600 is inaccurate. That was the price at the black market on May 25, 2015 after his principal defeated then incumbent president who handed over power two days after.
Garba Shehu, the spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari, has advised Nigerians not to fall for the antics of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mr Shehu stated this Tuesday evening while reacting to the increase of petrol pump price which Nigerians are criticising the All Progressive Congress (APC) led administration for.
“Don’t allow the PDP to deceive you. Amidst acute shortages, they sold petrol at N600 per litre on Easter Sunday in 2013 (See Punch published on that day),” he said on Twitter.
During his days in the opposition, his principal criticised and protested against the decision of the Jonathan government to remove subsidy on petroleum products and increased the price of petrol to N145.
After the then nationwide demonstration, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led government backtracked and reversed its decision.
With the removal of the subsidy in March this year, a decision this present administration kicked against while in opposition, and with the rise of crude oil recently, the price of fuel increased to N162.
Amotekun, a regional security outfit put together by state governors from the South-West region has been disbanded.
The outfit, according to Rotimi Akeredolu, chairman of the South-West Governors Forum, is now a state-based security.
Mr Akeredolu stated this after the state governors held a meeting with the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, on Thursday.
The formation of the regional outfit gathered momentum across the country. It also led youths from the Northern part of the country to unveil their own codenamed Shege Ka Fasa.
“We have spoken and we want everyone to know that, Amotekun was not conceived as a regional police, but a state-based security outfit,” Akeredolu said.
“We have come out of this meeting happy and we have agreed on the resolution. We have shed lights on dark areas and we are on the same page with the police with respect to these issues,” he added.
In his remarks, the IGP said Amotekun will now operate as a state initiative in collaboration with community policing strategy.
“Amotekun is not a regional security outfit. Every state has one form of security arrangement, whether it is vigilante or neighbourhood watch that are working security agencies in the states to fight crime,” Adamu said.
Amotekun is not different from these initiatives. We have agreed that community policing strategy be infused into the Amotekun structure, so that policing will be initiative of the community members,” he added.
The police boss added that the force would be part of the recruitment, training and deployment of personnel to be assigned for Amotekun operations.
A similar meeting he had with state governors from the South-East region made the leaders of the zone to dump the intention of floating their own regional security.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) has said with the verdict of the Supreme Court on Bayelsa State governorship election, the democracy of the country is in danger.
The apex court had sacked the candidate of the party David Lyon, in the last year November 16 election, citing false documents submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by his deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo.
“Where justice and democracy thrive on the altar of technicalities, it constitutes a danger to our democracy. Nobody has raised issues whether David Lyon and his running mates won an overwhelming majority,” Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the APC said at the party’s secretariat Thursday evening.
“PDP candidate does not have one-quarter of the total lawful votes cast in that election in two-thirds of the eight local government areas in Bayelsa State.
“Therefore, from the facts available to us and in due consultation with our lawyers, it is clear that no candidate meets the requirements of the Supreme Court, which means no one can be sworn in legally tomorrow unless there is deliberate attempt to abuse the legal process.
“We have accordingly asked our lawyers to look at all the windows that exist in law and take steps to ensure that the will of the people of Bayelsa State is not undermined on the altar of technicalities.
“In 1999, there was a similar case in Bauchi involving Governor Adamu Muazu. The court found that his running mate was not qualified for whatever reason to contest that election, and accordingly, the Supreme Court nullified the election of Governor Adamu Muazu and the court as a consequence directed INEC to conduct a fresh election,” Mr Oshiomhole added.
Meanwhile, the PDP has described the comments of the former Edo governor as an inconsequential ranting.
Politics › Deal With Me If I Attempt To Be Edo Godfather – Obaseki by sharpden(op): 1:42pm On Sep 25, 2020
