By Victor Osehobo



The cardinal responsibility of any government is the security of the lives and properties of its citizens. The government must be limited, and there should be no room for self-enrichment, since we must assume that the people are in government because of their love for the people and not due to their own desires for financial and political gain.

Sadly, in Governor Godwin Obaseki's government, there is no room for such a view. Here we have a man who has abysmally failed Edo people. Under his leadership, we have suffered the highest level of emotional and psychological trauma as a party and a people.

The people of Edo have experienced the highest level of criminality ranging from herdsmen ravage, armed robbery, drug and cult wars, rapes, kidnapping etc. without any response from the Chief security officer of the state.
Observers say these have largely been due to poor level of security, lack of support, and motivation from the government to the security agencies. What of the millions of jobless but qualified youths roaming the streets waiting for the elusive 200,000 jobs, Obaseki promised in 2016.

A large proportion of Edo people now live in hunger, poverty and frustration, as government's drastic taxation drive rapes the already pauperized informal sector. The result is low self-esteem and inferiority complex among the traders and artisans. People who were breadwinners in their families, can no longer help their loved ones and other dependants.

Boards have remained un-constituted, while parastatals and agencies of key government Ministries been pauperized, deprived of management, personnel and funds under Obaseki. Government contracts if any are given to Lagos Contractors who import workers from outside the state. People centred projects like the Accident and Emergency Ward of the over 100-year old Central Hospital in Benin City which was completed and commissioned, is now a subject of a probe, 4-years down the road.

Under Governor Obaseki, Edo people have also experienced the highest level of political violence since the state was created in 1991. Former government officials opposed to the second term bid of the Governor and critics though his party members are being hounded, harassed and intimidated. Government is gradually turning a personal weapon for political vendetta.

The state is now faced with these and so many other challenges that it requires a New, committed and dedicated leadership, who can and will provide humane social services and people centred governance at minimal stress on the voters by rebuilding the public trust in government in order to make it easier for citizens to re-engage with their government.

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has the requisite leadership qualities, experience, exposure, discipline and the depth of commitment to provide this required leadership to the people of Edo state, having served as Chief of Staff and Secretary to the State government. A vote for Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as APC flagbearer would usher in the reign of peace and security of lives and properties, as he is a community leader and a people centred politician who has over the years advocated for quality leadership in the state.

For a better Edo, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, is the right choice and APC as the vehicle and as a party must do the needful to make this a reality. Edo APC leaders and stakeholders know that a vote for any aspirant like Obaseki would be a vote for the perpetuity of unbridled passion for malfeasance, as he would unfailingly continue with a poor irresponsive and irresponsible governance. Edo must move forward.

Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, was at his cheapest when he wrote some hours ago that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu should first clear himself of the heavy burden of a so-called N700m election-related fraud case hanging around his neck before dabbling into affairs of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State. Crusoe was quoted as saying that Ize-Iyamu has no grounds to comment on any issue bordering on the APC in Edo State because he is not a member of the party.

According to him, “Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is not a member of the APC in Edo State. He has no grounds whatsoever to comment on the affairs of the party in the state. Ize-Iyamu is not a member of the party at the ward level. He attempted to join the party from Abuja, which is not the right way to go in becoming a member of the party. So, he is not known at the ward level.”

For Crusoe his statement deserves applause but it is one issued out of a deep sense of ignorance and the worst that can be exhibited by a man, who claims to be advising a state Governor about media issues. It goes to shows that the many problems his boss has landed himself ever since are orchestrated by the likes of Crusoe who are not only myopic but pretend they know all whereas they know not even little.

Anyway since Crusoe has chosen to play the Ostrich in a matter that he ought to be aware of he needs enlightenment. And for starters it would interest many to know of even Mr Crusoe is a member of the party as his statement on Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu shows how ignorant he is of the history of the APC, in Edo and Nationally. Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is one of the main founders of the APC at state and National levels and for the information of Mr Crusoe, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was there long before his master, the outgoing governor as one of the midwives of the APC; but Crusoe will not know this. He knows very little.

Crusoe would have heard and read how Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu went to his ward and has duly registered as an APC member. At the rally in Benin City, which Crusoe’s masters earlier that day attempted to stop by sealing off the Garrick Memorial Schools venue, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was welcomed into the APC by no less a man that Col David Imuse, the State chairman of the party.

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu at that occasion displayed his APC membership card which makes him a full fledged member of the APC, haven registered at his Ugboko ward in Orhionmwon Local government area last year, after he and his supporters resigned en masse from the PDP. As a full fledged party chieftain and a gubernatorial aspirant therefore, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is a stakeholder who is eminently and very qualified to speak on APC issues.

Even if he were not a member of the APC, the Constitutional provision of freedom of expression allows him as a citizen concerned about issues around him, to speak, not to mention now that he can speak to the architects of the rot in the party he was part of bits birth; Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is interested in speaking in the belief that perhaps they could turn a new leaf. This is all the more so because he has a deep passion for Edo state and is interested in moving the state forward.

Mr Crusoe also chose to exhibit his ignorance of court processes in Nigeria by dabbling into a case he obviously knows little about. Since it is in his character to feign ignorance, it would not have been necessary to respond to his gambit on the EFCC case at the Federal High Court Benin City. He certainly is not abreast of the fact that the Court at its last sitting adjourned to rule on March 26 2020 on the competence of the case. For purposes of removing the log in Crusoe’s eyes, he needs to know this much.

As things stand today, Crusoe is only doing his Master’s bidding which can be pardoned. Yet he is an ugly errand boy who is not concerned about facts but relishes fiction and falsehood, else he would have known also that unlike the type of integrity, which his bosses are used to buying and paying heavily for at Edo peoples expense, integrity is not a product people wear as badges everywhere they go… and in Edo today, when the list of persons with integrity is drawn up, Pastor Ize-Iyamu will come out tops. The records speak for themselves.

FYI, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was among the individuals that built APC.

There two qualities, among others, that the close associates of Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki have attributed to him. These are the elements of intellectual laziness and hypocrisy. Sadly, this is in spite of the virtues of intellectuality and honesty, that he is erroneously robe in, particularly by his followers and admirers.

These negative traits have become remarkably obvious since he has been trying hard to consolidate on his Machiavellian onslaught against his erstwhile political benefactors and their associates in his quest for an inordinate second term despite having bitten the fingers that fed him in his rise to the stupendous office of Edo State Governor. This has been very evident in his thoughtless remarks about the state of the APC in Edo State, the status of members and the smear campaign launched against his self made and self proclaimed real and imaginary adversaries within the Edo APC.

Among the persons the governor seeks to exterminate politically, is his former inter-party and now intra-party opponent, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. Incidentally, at both respective times, Ize-Iyamu has proven to be Obaseki's worst nightmare as it concerns becoming governor and returning the second time. In the bid to ward off the Ize-Iyamu threat, the Governor has increasingly appeared in the worst of his elements.

How best indicative of Obaseki's rootedness in the above descriptions could it be than in the latest delivery of his well known message through his arrogant errand boy, the Special Adviser on Communication, Crusoe Osagie. Presenting the message of his ignorant master, Crusoe Osagie stated that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who had spoken against Governor Obaseki's hounding of the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and other APC stakeholders in Edo State, does not have the right to speak on issues pertaining to the Party because he is not a member of the APC and that also, he is yet to clear his name from the EFCC prosecuted N700m 2015 PDP Presidential Campaign Fund case. There is no need recalling here the well known details of the case which will soon be resolved but to say that all indices point to the fact that it is a case waiting to be thrown out of court.

Meanwhile, saying that Ize-Iyamu is not a member of the APC, and thus could not comment on the issues of the Party, reveals a two-pronged ignorance which largely subsists on intellectual laziness. Since Ize-Iyamu with his thousands of supporters rejoined the APC, Obaseki has claimed that the highly revered politician and one of the founding members of the party has not properly joined the party. This smacks of part ignorance and part hypocrisy. It is apparent that the Governor, despite advice, is yet to read the APC Constitution and fully come to terms with the rules and regulations of the Party, among which is the manner by which a person becomes a member of the APC - a condition which Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has fulfilled.

Becoming a member of the APC is one of the simplest things in the world. Even as one is reading this article, hundreds and thousands of people are joining the Party all over Nigeria, including Edo State where the Governor claims to be the leader. You become a member of the APC by going to your political ward to register with the ward chairman. Insofar as you are not a member of any other political party as at the time of registration, you are as good a member as any other person. Ize-Iyamu and his followers have done that. This was even attested with the membership card he was duly issued, and which he displayed on the day he and his followers were formally received into the APC by the State Chairman, Col. David Imuse (rtd) and other high ranking officials of the party in Benin City.

The statement that the Governor is not aware of Ize-Iyamu's membership of the APC, is not only hollow but smacks of hypocrisy. This is against the backdrop of another statement made by the Governor when he addressed a gathering of some members of the party in Edo Central a few days ago. At the gathering, the Governor had stated that some friends have been coming to meet him in Government House to tell him that they wanted to become members of the party but that he had always told them that the only way of joining the party was by going to their wards to register and that they cannot become members through him or at Government House. If this be the case, why does he insist that Ize-Iyamu is not a member because he, the Governor is not aware? He does not have to be aware, anyway, especially as he is not a member or an official of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu's ward. Ize-Iyamu telling him he had joined the party is sufficient courtesy which the Governor ought to have honestly acknowledged and reciprocated.

Meanwhile, knowing how desperate the Governor is, it would not be strange to discover that the APC party registers have been seized, destroyed or tampered with to erase the evidence of Ize-Iyamu and his followers' inclusion. The bad news for the Governor though, is that by virtue of the Constitution of the APC, the National Chairman has the exclusive right to validate the membership of anybody who may be having problem with registering with the Party in his ward. This could be one of the reasons why Obaseki wants to force Oshiomhole out of office by all means and at all costs.

It is the height of hypocrisy for the Governor, through his Special Adviser, Crusoe Osagie to attempt to whip up sentiments with the inherently baseless EFCC trial of Ize-Iyamu and others, including the State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, by falsifying and hyping it’s narrative. Yes, it is sheer hypocrisy that the Governor would tread this route of cheap blackmail and smear campaign when he has an unexplained baggage of substantial weight resting on his head. The issue is the continued detention in an Italian jail, of Obaseki's favourite aide and Commissioner of Arts and Culture, Osaze Osemwengie-Ero for a matter related to money laundering. It is alleged that the sum of $2m cash was found on Obaseki's Commissioner while he was on a trip with the Governor in Europe. As we speak, close to four months after Osemwengie-Ero's arrest and detention, Governor Godwin Obaseki is yet to make an official statement to clear the air despite the speculation that the money found in the possession of the Edo State Commissioner, by the time of his arrest, was Edo State money being unofficially ferried to a haven somewhere in Europe on behalf of the Governor. Therefore, is the Governor's stoking of fire around Ize-Iyamu's witch-hunt trial not a matter of someone pointing at the speck in another's eye while he is indifferent to the log in his own?

Finally, against the background of this revelation, Edo people must discountenance the Governor's spirited attack against the person of Ize-Iyamu, who has been found unblemished despite having served in the tempting offices of Chief of Staff to Edo State Governor and Secretary to Edo State Government, respectively, for eight years. Also, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu's followers, supporters, admirers and the general public should be rest assured that Ize-Iyamu is not only a bonafide member of the APC, competent to speak on all issues related to the party, he is also privileged and qualified to seek the office of the Governor of Edo State on the platform of the ruling party, which, incidentally, is a child of his dream, and no one, including Godwin Obaseki can stop him.

It is no longer news that Comrade Adam's Aliyu Oshiomole the National Chairman of APC was removed from office today through an Interlocutory Injunction granted by an Abuja High Court and he is restrained from parading himself as the National Chairman of APC based on suspension from his Etsako ward in Edo State. I do not want to comment on the APC Constitution vis a vis discipline of a National Officer which is an issue before the Court as the matter is subjudice.

I have received a lot of calls and messages that I should volunteer my opinion with regards to this matter of Interlocutory injunction which purported to have removed Oshiomhole from office and I wish to succinctly do that as follows:

I have taken my time to look at the processes filed to achieve the removal and I have also seen a copy of the Notice of Appeal filed by Oshiomhole against the said ruling.

By nature of Interlocutory order, the purpose is to preserve the res i.e the subject matter of a case. In legal parlance it is said to the purpose for the granting of Interlocutory Injunction is to maintain status quo ante belum. This means injunction is meant to preserve the state of things as at when the matter was brought to court so as not to over reach the court and the other party.

In this case, when the matter was brought to court, Oshiomole was the Chairman of APC why its ward is claiming to have suspended him as a member. It means therefore that the purpose of any Interlocutory injunction should have been to preserve that state of affairs pending the determination of the main suit already pending in court.

In the case of Green v Green (1987)-LPELR (1338) SC, the Supreme Court talked about Purpose for the grant of an order of injunction in the following:
"An order for an injunction cannot be made in vacuo. The aim of an order of injunction is usually to protect an established legal right. If the substantive right had not been established, as in this case, it will be, and it was, very wrong of the learned trial judge to grant the injunction sought against the defendant, Accessorium non ducit sed sequitur suum principale (the accessory right does not lead, but follows its principal)."
Per OPUTA J.S.C. (P.7, paras. C-E)

I am also aware that it is an established principle of law that a court should not pronounce on live issues that will touch on the substantive issues in a case at Interlocutory level.

In this case, the aim of those who approached the court is to remove Oshiomhole from office at the end of the matter and it is part of their prayer before the court. It is therefore illegal for the court to have removed Oshiomhole at the Interlocutory stage in this case.

See the case of UBN PLC v ASTRA BUILDERS (WA) LTD (2010) LPELR- 3383 SC where the Supreme Court has the following to say on Whether Court can pronounce on substantive matters or issues in the course of interlocutory proceedings:
"It should be noted that the appeal originates from the exercise of the discretion of the trial court either to grant or refuse the grant of the application in issue. It is equally important to note that the application being interlocutory the law is that the court should not decide the substantive matter at the interlocutory stage of the proceedings."
Per ONNOGHEN J.S.C. (P.35, paras. B-D).

In this case, the FCT High Court has decided the substantive case at the Interlocutory stage and this in my opinion is wrong and will not stand at the Court of Appeal.

I am aware that Oshiomhole has now Appealed this interlocutory order at the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal. That is the right thing to do and haven done that, Oshiomhole can effectively resume his office any moment from now as if nothing happened, parade himself as National Chairman and carry on as the National Chairman and he will not be in contempt of court. This is because a party that has filed an Appeal against an Interlocutory order cannot be guilty of contempt of that order especially where it is obvious that the Court granted the order without jurisdiction like it obviously did in this case.

In the case of Group Danone & Anor vs Voltic Nigeria Ltd (2008) LPELR-1341 SC the court have this to say:

"Firstly it is settled principle of law that where a Defendant in a cause challenges the validity of an order directed against him either by way of an appeal or other application, he cannot be proceeded against for contempt of that order unless and until the issue of its legality is settled one way or the other."

Now that Oshiomhole have challenged the order on Appeal, he can go back to his office without committing contempt of court.

Generally speaking, I am of the opinion that the FCT High Court with all due respect to My Lord has no jurisdiction to entertain this matter because the matter is an internal affairs of a political party and a court should not determine a political question according to Supreme Court.

Those who are happy that Oshiomole has been removed from office and are dancing Asonto and Shakushaku only have a temporary relief as Comrade Adams Oshiomole will be back earlier than expected in a more consolidated form as this action will certainly fail and will not achieve anything in the end.

Though it is a temporary set back for Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomole but he will certainly survive the onslaught! This process cannot remove him from office based on law except if there is anything behind and different from Legal process which I am not privy to but if it this one based on law, it will certainly fail and collapse! This is my humble opinion.

TOLU BABALEYE ESQ writes from Wuse Zone 5-Abuja.

If the court can suddenly wake up to suspend a party National chairman, then a magistrate court will tomorrow wake up to suspend the president without a recourse to due process.

Frontline APC gubernatorial aspirant Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has reiterated the fact that he is not desperate to be Governor but rather for things to be better for Edo state.

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was addressing Leaders and members of the National Union of Edo South Youths, who on Tuesday endorsed him as their preferred aspirant to fly the APC flag at the forthcoming gubernatorial primaries.

He commended the group for deeming it fit to identify with his project which he said is designed to change the status quo in Edo to a better one in the overall interest of Edo people.

Emphasising that Edo state cannot remain where it is Pastor Ize-Iyamu said ,"Edo must move forward", but that this is one task which can only be actualised by an individual who is, "accountable, accessible, humane, humble and sincere about making things better ".

According to Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu such a person must see politics as a rescue mission and be one who grew up in Edo state, has deep roots in Edo state and understands the terrain holistically.

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu who appreciated the group for identifying with his project also commended their rationale for coming together to articulate ideas and views on how to improve the lot of Edo south senatorial and urged them to sustain the efforts.

Leader of the group, Comrade Collins Osaghae Amadin, who was lead speaker of the group, said that members were mainly Youths who are tested grassroots mobilizers drawn from all the 7 local government areas of the state.

Many are in shock especially in Edo state, with the Spiritual Leader of the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry, Enugu State, Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka being credited with the following tissue of lies, titled, "Father Mbaka makes 3 Final Prophecies for 2020".

According to the authors of the very "Fake" prophesy who sources say are domiciled inside Osadebey Avenue in Benin City, Edo state, the prophesies are:

"1. Ize-Iyamu will be sentenced to jail before the end of 2020

2. Oshiomhole will be sacked as APC Chairman and will be charged by EFCC for fraud and

3. Godwin Obaseki will be sworn in for a second term as Governor of Edo State by 12 Nov. 2020".

For the avoidance of doubt, Fr. Mbaka, a Catholic priest is from Enugu, he is not from Edo State. There are even no records that any of his recent sermon, online and offline, has descended to the level of dreams or visions about EDO as a state, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, APC National Chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomhole or outgoing governor Godwin Obaseki.

For the records, the suit against Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, does not concern him alone but has the State Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Orbih and 3 others as defendants. The Federal High Court, sitting in Benin said on Monday that it will on March 26,2020 give a ruling on the competence of the suit.

As for Comrade Adams Oshiomhole his seat as National chairman of the APC is not under threat in anyway.

Nevertheless, it is the outgoing governor Obaseki who should be worried because he dreads the imminent fate that will soon befall him as far as the Edo 2020 polls is concerned hence his resort to fake predictions and prophesies. He will certainly need voodoo priests and marabouts, going forward.

To say that the outgoing governor Obaseki has been sleepless since Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu returned home to APC is stating the obvious. Worse is his rising blood pressure over the National chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

The fake Mbaka prediction in favor of Obaseki falls flat on its face value, on many counts. How can a man who will not participate in an election be sworn in for a second term?

The Outgoing governor Obaseki knows that he has to first be the flag bearer of his party to contest, before talking of winning the election to be sworn in. There is no room for Independent candidacy as yet.

His supporters know the bleak future ahead of him and think that dragging the name of Fr Mbaka into their scam will help them. But its all fallacies.

It is therefore the highest point of rascality to credit Fr. Mbaka with a prediction he himself is unaware of. Suffice to say that in no time, the priest will do the needful on this vexatious matter.

Let's also not forget so soon though that Mbaka’s invasion of Nigeria’s political space was perhaps through his 31st December 2014 Crossover Night Talk, titled “From Goodluck to Badluck,” in which he, openly chided the Nigeria’s former President, Goodluck Jonathan and lent open and absolute support to President Muhammadu Buhari, the-then candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Ever since Mbaka's predictions have remained open; they have never been secrets, sent as courier packages to individuals or groups to soothe their wracked political nerves due to their own machinations like the outgoing governor of Edo state.

The Edo state government has once again showed its limitless capacity for falsehood and slander with its recent concoction and distribution of false “prophecies” attributed to Reverend Father Mbaka on the outcome of Edo elections and certain issues pertaining to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and frontrunner aspirant of the Edo APC, Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu.

The false, carelessly-written story, beginning bizarrely with “father Mbaka makes ‘final’ prophecies for 2020”, even though we are only in the second month of the year, is a lame attempt by Obaseki’s henchmen to latch on to recent public frenzy trailing the proclamations of the Priest on Imo Elections.

We find it especially strange that this shoddy job capable of putting Reverend Father Mbaka in bad light was commissioned and sanctioned by the Special Adviser on Media to Obaseki, Crusoe Osagie who claims to be a Pastor and is thus aware of the consequences of this egregious violation of truthful reporting as well as the spiritual ramifications of pinning falsehood on a Priest for political gain.

We wish to clarify to the public that the report is COMPLETELY FALSE. Reverend Father Mbaka has not made any prophecy concerning elections in Edo or any of its political actors including Chairman Adams Oshiomhole and Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu.

The purported prophecies are mere wishful thinking of the failed Godwin Obaseki and his hapless administration as they are now out of options and no longer able to avert the inevitable loss and disgrace that await them.

Furthermore, the exclusive focus on Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu since his return to the All Progressives Congress and the relentless effort to smear his image using doctored stories and exaggeration of events should be understood by the public as an affirmation of Obaseki’s fear of Ize Iyamu’s soaring popularity within the party and the state.

Having failed woefully to block the return of Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu to the APC or secure the removal of the widely loved Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, despite spending hundreds of millions of public funds on the doomed exercise, Godwin Obaseki is now keen on discrediting both parties with manufactured allegations of fraud, amongst other mendacious claims.

We urge members of the public to be wary of such fabricated stories and remain rest assured that the affliction called Obaseki will not rise a second time in Edo state.

Source:

https://bloomshire.com.ng/2020/03/03/fake-news-no-prophecy-from-mbaka-on-edo-elections-oshiomhole-and-ize-iyamu-by-john-mayaki/

The State Chairman of the Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih has come to the defence of his party’s 2016 Governorship Candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu over the allegation that Ize-Iyamu along with Obih and others committed a crime with the handling of the 2015 PDP Presidential Campaign Fund sent to Edo PDP and for which they are presently being prosecuted by the EFCC at a Federal High Court in Benin City.

Orbih is reported to have explained to a number of his party faithful who had sought his comment over the matter which the very outspoken PDP helmsman had been uncharacteristically quiet despite the adverse negative media narrative sponsored by Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s political adversaries but which had equally disparaged Chief Orbih.

Chief Orbih had explained that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was naturally a target for media attacks because of his interest in the 2020 Edo State Governorship Election as he had similarly been in 2016 over the same matter.

He said that it was not unusual for political opponents to capitalize on any scandal, real or imagined, to rundown anyone or party considered to be a threat to their interest over a particular matter.

Orbih further stated that the EFCC trial is a witch-hunt because there is ample evidence to disprove the allegation of the EFCC that the N700m in question did not originate from any government fund whereas EFCC insists that it did.

He also said that the manner in which the money was received and distributed for the Party’s 2015 Presidential Election was also transparent enough to absolve the accused of any fraudulent involvement. The Edo PDP State Chairman told his followers that there was nothing unusual or criminal about how the money was given out to the respective local government chairmen of the party for election use.

He said that the APC also distributed money by hand to their agents and wondered why it was that of the PDP that became a crime under the same law and the same country.

On his expectation about the outcome of the EFCC trial, Orbih told his party faithful to relax their nerves because he believes that if the rules of the law are applied and judicial integrity maintained, the case against them would be dismissed for lacking merit.

Meanwhile, Opponents of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who decamped to the APC about four months ago, and is believed to be the favourite to clinch the 2020 Edo APC Governorship Ticket, have sustained the smear campaign against him, twisting the particulars of the trial in a bid to misdirect public perception.

In the first instance, there has been a deliberate distortion of the narrative to make it look like Ize-Iyamu had been involved in stealing money other than being a mere signatory to acknowledge money that was transferred to the Edo State PDP.

Secondly, his opponents have mounted a hype of the regular trial running commentaries to suggest that Ize-Iyamu would be convicted.

Interestingly, the proponents of the smear campaign are chiefly supporters of Governor Godwin Obaseki. The embattled governor has fallen out of favour with the majority of APC leaders and followers in Edo State. These APC leaders and their followers have vowed that Obaseki will never get a return ticket because he had shut out members of the party from his government in the past three years and had reneged on his promise to continue the developmental stride of his predecessor and benefactor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. They are of the opinion that giving Obaseki the Party’s ticket is likely to jeopardize the chances of the APC in the September 19 Governorship Election.

Meanwhile, as Chief Dan Orbih hopes that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, himself and others will ultimately be discharged and acquitted, the attention of everyone remains fixed on the court where the matter is presently tried. With Obaseki and others opposed to Ize-Iyamu contesting the 2020 Governorship Election, having their hope on his being messed up at the trial, a lot of drama is expected in the coming days.

According to sources, the desperate Obaseki supporters have come up with certain options that are intended to interfere with the proceedings in court and the media narrative of the ongoing trial which resumes on March 2.

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) In Edo state speaks on latest developments in the state and his agenda if he becomes the governor of the state. ISAAC OLAMIKAN brings the excerpts:

Politics in Edo State is associated with violence. How do you plan to change the trend when you become governor?

The reason that you are seeing all these violence in Edo is because the state government and the governor, in particular, who is supposed to be the chief security officer, is ironically the chief funder of those who are perpetuating this violence. He funds them, he encourages them and he creates the atmosphere for this situation.

You’re openly threatening those who are opposed to you as if they don’t have a right to their own opinion. I was shocked when I heard the governor say that his second term is non-negotiable. For a governor to say his second term is non-negotiable it means that the opinion of his party does not matter. The opinion of the electorate does not matter. That is strange. That’s not how democracy works. I can understand a military dictator saying “what I am going to do is non-negotiable.”

But a man who wants to play in the democratic space should understand that there are rules. Those rules allow for contestation. If government was not encouraging or funding this thing it is very easy to clampdown on them. How do you clampdown on them when those who should be in the forefront of dealing with the situation are the ones actually encouraging them.

That is why you will notice that all these violence there are no arrest. The people that threw bomb at Inegbeniki’s house, there is no arrest. People threw bomb at Lawrence Okah’s house, no arrest. People shot at Henry Idahagbon in his office, no arrest. People shot at Chris Okaeben’s house, no arrest. Legislators were beaten up at Golden Tulip Hotel, no arrest. The pattern is that of complete nonchalance. Nothing is happening. The other day because I condemned the bomb that exploded in Lawrence Okah’s house which, if not for the grace of God, could have brought down the entire house and killed everybody inside including Lawrence Okah himself, his mother, his wife and children, the next thing the state government raised alarm “you’re the person doing it.”

You don’t expect government to be that irresponsible. If I am the one that’s doing it I should not be free. I don’t have immunity. If I am the one doing it the police should pick me up immediately and keep me in detention. Everyone knows that I don’t have a hand in it. Why would I be throwing bombs at the houses of people who are my close friends and associates? But government who controls our resources, who even have security, votes that they collect religiously every month could not even visit the scene of such dastardly acts. The least you will do is to at least inspect the place and be seen to be condemning it.

What kind of politics do you embrace and why?

The politics that we like to preach is a politics of love, not even tolerance. Politics where you can win the opponents by the love you show to them in spite of their criticisms because they have the right to criticise you. But to develop so much intolerance to the level of even wanting your opponents to be killed is too shocking to even comprehend.

For me, the peace of this state is even the foundation for development. If you are a chief executive, you must do everything to ensure that your state is peaceful so that people can come here, visit, and invest their money. People are building hotels here with the hope that people would be coming to visit. How would they come if they know that it is a state where bombs habitually go off? Many people today are afraid to go to Yobe and Borno States because of the activities of Boko Haram. You don’t want to create a situation where people are afraid to come to your state because a bomb takes off there.

If a bomb takes off in your place you cannot tell where the next one will happen. And if people survive it now what is the guarantee that people will survive the next one?

If you really want development in your state you must do everything to ensure that there is peace there. Power belongs to God. I don’t subscribe to violence as a tool to get power. What you need is persuasion, dialogue and engagement. They will be surprised; appeal to them. And of course, your performance. That speaks louder than threats. It is not by force that this thing is achieved.

What are the empowerment programmes that you have now for the youth, women and indigent people?

There are a couple of activities that I do. The reality is that all these projects are just a scratch in the surface. A couple of people have tried to help, some with funds. But how far can I go? I have tried to teach people how to farm. I have taken people through IT teaching, paying their fees.

But we need to create a more enduring structure that can lift our people from poverty to prosperity. It is not just empowerment alone. It has to be a combination of things. For example, the level of unemployment is unacceptable. If we’re to empower you today by giving you a certain amount of money you will find out that because of the endemic poverty whatever I give you will not last before you are back to the street. We need to deal with the situation from a holistic view point. That’s what I have tried to capture in my Simple Agenda.

I can say that I am the only person who is aspiring for governorship that has a prepared document that people can read and be able to assess your seriousness, what you want to do, interrogate you on it and even measure and assess your performance later.

Many people just go to a place and make promises which they deny later because they were never documented. Even if you have such a person on tape when he was making his promise he will deny it. What I have is what you can call a covenant. Of course, I can expand it but it gives you a clear road map of what this man wants to do in government.

The reason I have been able to come up with the roadmap is because by the grace of God I have held positions that have prepared me for the highest office in Edo State. I have had opportunity to serve at the local government level. So, I know how it operates. I have had opportunity to be chief of staff and secretary to the state government. I have also had the opportunity to be national vice chairman of a political party. You must know how to manage these things.

For example, Godwin Obaseki has been distracted from governance in the past two years because he cannot manage his party leadership. For me, based on all these experiences I have come up with a workable Simple Agenda that can be a roadmap for a governor to work with even in four years.

Women deserve better than they are getting right now. Our youths cannot be left alone. You can see the continuous exodus overseas. Despite the risk they are still going. That’s not good for our state.

I was very happy when Godwin Obaseki said that his focus is to industrialise the state. But for almost four years now down the line nothing has happened because he is not helping matters.

No matter the people you meet abroad, no matter the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) you sign if your state is seen as unsafe nobody will come. It becomes tragic when you that’s supposed to make your state as attractive as possible is the one creating narration that shows your state is not conducive. It is tragic.


Source:

https://www.independent.ng/peace-is-the-foundation-for-development-in-edo-ize-iyamu/

The State Chairman of the Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih has come to the defence of his party’s 2016 Governorship Candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu over the allegation that Ize-Iyamu along with Obih and others committed a crime with the handling of the 2015 PDP Presidential Campaign Fund sent to Edo PDP and for which they are presently being prosecuted by the EFCC at a Federal High Court in Benin City.

Orbih is reported to have explained to a number of his party faithful who had sought his comment over the matter which the very outspoken PDP helmsman had been uncharacteristically quiet despite the adverse negative media narrative sponsored by Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s political adversaries but which had equally disparaged Chief Orbih.

Chief Orbih had explained that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was naturally a target for media attacks because of his interest in the 2020 Edo State Governorship Election as he had similarly been in 2016 over the same matter.

He said that it was not unusual for political opponents to capitalize on any scandal, real or imagined, to rundown anyone or party considered to be a threat to their interest over a particular matter.

Orbih further stated that the EFCC trial is a witch-hunt because there is ample evidence to disprove the allegation of the EFCC that the N700m in question did not originate from any government fund whereas EFCC insists that it did.

He also said that the manner in which the money was received and distributed for the Party’s 2015 Presidential Election was also transparent enough to absolve the accused of any fraudulent involvement. The Edo PDP State Chairman told his followers that there was nothing unusual or criminal about how the money was given out to the respective local government chairmen of the party for election use.

He said that the APC also distributed money by hand to their agents and wondered why it was that of the PDP that became a crime under the same law and the same country.

On his expectation about the outcome of the EFCC trial, Orbih told his party faithful to relax their nerves because he believes that if the rules of the law are applied and judicial integrity maintained, the case against them would be dismissed for lacking merit.

Meanwhile, Opponents of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who decamped to the APC about four months ago, and is believed to be the favourite to clinch the 2020 Edo APC Governorship Ticket, have sustained the smear campaign against him, twisting the particulars of the trial in a bid to misdirect public perception.

In the first instance, there has been a deliberate distortion of the narrative to make it look like Ize-Iyamu had been involved in stealing money other than being a mere signatory to acknowledge money that was transferred to the Edo State PDP.

Secondly, his opponents have mounted a hype of the regular trial running commentaries to suggest that Ize-Iyamu would be convicted.

Interestingly, the proponents of the smear campaign are chiefly supporters of Governor Godwin Obaseki. The embattled governor has fallen out of favour with the majority of APC leaders and followers in Edo State. These APC leaders and their followers have vowed that Obaseki will never get a return ticket because he had shut out members of the party from his government in the past three years and had reneged on his promise to continue the developmental stride of his predecessor and benefactor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. They are of the opinion that giving Obaseki the Party’s ticket is likely to jeopardize the chances of the APC in the September 19 Governorship Election.

Meanwhile, as Chief Dan Orbih hopes that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, himself and others will ultimately be discharged and acquitted, the attention of everyone remains fixed on the court where the matter is presently tried. With Obaseki and others opposed to Ize-Iyamu contesting the 2020 Governorship Election, having their hope on his being messed up at the trial, a lot of drama is expected in the coming days.

According to sources, the desperate Obaseki supporters have come up with certain options that are intended to interfere with the proceedings in court and the media narrative of the ongoing trial which resumes on March 2.

The gubernatorial ambition of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has continued on an upward swing as more support groups loyal to the Obaseki Shaibu joint ticket has thrown their support for the RCCG Pastor.
The past few weeks has seen a massive boost in the political train of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as more groups have come out openly to declare their support for him.

Last week saw leaders from the 18 LGA council of the state urging Pastor Ize-Iyamu to contest for the seat of the Executive Governor of Edo State.
In what can be described as forward ever and backwards never another 19 support group have thrown their weight behind the aspiration of Ize-Iyamu.
The group, Edo State Liberation Network,ESLN an amalgamation of 19 APC support group has endorsed Paster Osagie Ize-Iyamu for the APC governorship primary.

The support group who before now were in support of Obaseki's re-election bid explained that they took the decision because “the government we put in place has failed and continues to fail our people and we cannot continue to reinforce failures.”
According to the coordinator, Jude Ikponwonsa, the group as consulted extraordinarily with the electorates and has come to the conclusion that Ize-Iyamu is not only the most credible candidate amongst all the aspirants but also the most sell-able.

They recalled the sacrifices Ize-Iyamu has done for the APC in the past and the role he played as the Director-General of Adams Oshiomohole's reelection campaign.
It urged the APC national committee to give Pastor Ize-Iyamu the APC ticket as he represents the hope Edo people are looking for.
They frowned at the slow pace in which Obaseki is tackling insecurity in the State and the lack of development presently witnessed.
"If we must be truthful to ourselves the state has completely derailed from its master plan,
Edo is meshed with a multitude of challenges and instead of the Governor to squarely address these pressing issues he is busy hunting down political opponents.

But sadly enough the state is comatose under this present government which affirms it is clueless. We strongly believe that under Ize-Iyamu, our economy will be revived and returned to the path of progress.”
Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is presently the favourite to pick the APC ticket due to his grassroots network and famed integrity laced with a passion to serve.

-Osato Iyasere writes in from Benin City.
Source Edofocus

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has read with utter disgust a statement by the Rivers State government that he and Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, “sponsored thugs” to attack the residence of former Rivers State governor, Dr. Peter Odili.

According to the malicious statement signed by the Rivers state Commissioner for Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Paulinus Nsirim, the “attacks” were made because Justice Mary Odili was a member of the Supreme Court panel that gave a unanimous verdict against the APC-governor-elect in Bayelsa State, David Lyon.

This reckless defamation of the character of Oshiomhole is unbecoming of a state government that is supposed to operate under the rule of law including fairness and justice to all.

The statement is an egregious assault on the reputation that has taken Oshiomhole a life-time to build.

For clarity, Oshiomhole was not in any way involved in the action that took place at the residence of Dr. Odili, a gentleman for whom Oshiomhole has tremendous respect as a friend of many years despite political differences.

As a matter of principle, Oshiomhole condemns any harassment Hon. Justice Mary Odili had suffered for a judgment she gave within her powers aa a judicial officer. Oshiomhole as a one-time beneficiary of judicial redress of injustice always holds the judiciary in the highest esteem and the obedience of court orders.

Dissatisfied as a party, the APC under Oshiomhole’s leadership has returned to the Supreme Court seeking the review of the judgment . That is the democratic culture to which Oshiomhole subscribes.

It would be expected that it is the police that should give account of what happened at the residence of Dr. Odili based on investigation and not the Rivers State government in Port Harcourt.

The unsubstantiated allegation by the Rivers State government is , therefore, an insult on the APC National Chairman. It is an indecent thing for a state government to do in the circumstance.

We hereby call on the Rivers State Government to toe the path of decency and withdraw the defamatory statement with due apologies.

Signed:

Simon Ebegbulen

Chief Press Secretary to the APC National Chairman

I read a disaster of an article titled, " Edo need Obaseki not Barabbas", by Paul Ohonbamu, in the Nairaland forum. The piece does not warrant a response but for the records to be set straight, it is necessary.

Ohonbamu is one man who is supposed to be the Edo state Commissioner for the Ministry of information but erroneously christened Ministry of Communication and orientation; an identity which has seen the Commissioner going to sleep over his duties since he was erroneously appointed in 2017.

I say this because in the last three years, a pupil deacon from the Heritage Assembly Benin City who was a support hand in the Agric Desk of This Day Newspapers, Mr Crusoe Osagie who was appointed as Special Adviser on Media and Strategy by Mr Godwin Obaseki has swallowed up, both Ohonbamu and his Ministry.

Any way his article tried in vain to explain why Edo people after November 2020 will be better off with an Obaseki still in office. For me that is a dream that will never see the light of day. Its like Darkness aspiring to transform into light. And that is why I titled this response to Mr Ohonbamu, "Edo needs Light not darkness"!

Every people has the seed of its own redemption or destruction. It is a choice between darkness and light; no one cannot borrow an item from darkness without consequences. Governor Obaseki has gone too far in turning back the good fortunes and fame of Edo State which Comrade Adams Oshiomhole won for her between 2008-2016.Today Edo has retrogressed massively. That is why those who want him out are very vocal.

The battle in Edo today is between agents of darkness and forces of light. Here is a man who had no dream to be a commissioner suddenly found himself a Governor by Providence. He did not fight for the office. It fell on his laps. This is the choice before the people of Edo State today. In this piece, the forces of light is a metaphor for the four Positive alternatives to Governor Obaseki. They are Osagie Ize lyamu, Charles Airhiavbere, Pius Odubu and Chris Ogiemwonyi. These four had shown ambition before Obaseki. In fact Ize-Iyamu ran for the office against Obaseki, challenged the victory at the tribunal up on to the Supreme Court and congratulated him, in the hope that Obaseki had good intentions for Edo people.

But after three and a half years on the saddle today, with Governor Obaseki, the condition of government has been negatively altered as he has turned governance upside down preferring to operate as a Sole Administrator in a democracy where his party won all of 24 seats in the state legislature but has only 9 members pretending to be a legislature!.

Governor Obaseki parted ways with the people who toiled in the campaigns at the units, wards and local governments , collecting available goodwill to get him into office. He concluded that they want him to share Edo state money like akara balls to them whereas he should use same to build markets, roads, schools, an Health facilities for the people. And ironically he is not building anything but acrimony, chaos, violence and anarchism, in a state where is Chief security officer.

Obaseki today stands alone or better still, he stands with himself as Ohonbamu rightly pointed out. When one pays attention to the history of Obaseki in Benin, many will agree that in 2020 he has chosen to embark on a journey through a nonexistent route to an unknown destination. That place cannot be Osadebey Avenue or Edo Government House as His actions today as a custodian of state power is soon to be history.

It is said that the Chief Executive of a State Government is the power House of the government and Obaseki squandered the life time opportunity to make an impact. Rather than use the position to bring the government closer to the people, ensure the addition of value to government, and the enhancement of the fortunes of Edo people, he rather preferred to use it to undermine public interest in the worst three years of Edo state underdevelopment and backwardness visible in numerous but worthless MOUs, partnerships and preliminary reports, many of which were dead on arrival with his Chinese, Indian and Italian collaborators: a feat which has seen his diaspora Commissioner incarcerated in a European jail.

Obaseki believes in primitive accumulation of public wealth and arrogance of power. All the distortions and disarticulations that negate democracy reside in his bosom. Above all, he is a formal entrepreneur of betrayal and state violence against poor hapless citizens he vowed to defend. These cannot by no means be part of the definition of good governance.

Due to Obaseki’s poor judgement, all the legacies of the government of Oshiomhole era in Edo are in coma: tayo akpata university, college of Agriculture, School of nursing to mention a few in his own Senatorial district, Edo South.

With Obaseki, as Edo governor after 4-years, as Ohonbamu argued you will realise that the politician’s mouth has two edges like Esimuda’s sword. It is murder both ways. When they tell you their tale, ask them to wait till you bring a sieve. Whoever believes what they say has his ears blocked by the carcass of the truth. This man and his agents from the dark must face reality and know that the politics of “merit” and those of “cause and effect” cannot be sacrificed on the altar of betrayal and violence.

Coming to the soon to be held Edo 2020 APC primaries, Obaseki's affiidavited certificate and fake credentials as a source of strength will suffer intimidation and damnation. Edo State being the only APC State in South-South, cannot be left to a castrated soldier who delights in quarrelling, fighting and insulting his Commanders at the field of battle otherwise APC in Edo State will take a long sleep before sunset.

Obaseki and his agents must be shown the way out of Edo State and the APC because history will judge every Edo person and the judgment of history is not subjective; neither can it be rigged. Obaseki and his cohorts have not done well at all and they will be worse given a second chance. As Gordon A.J. puts it “The hours of this present life are ages in embryo of life to come:”

Governor Obaseki’s account in Edo State is that of a failure and must be ended fast and now. The governor has fallen short of Edo people’s expectations and friends of development know that a detour will be the best thing to do. As William Shakespeare puts it, “There is a tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood lead to fortune, omitted all the voyage of their lives is bound in shallows and miseries.”

credit: Davidson Momoh

#Edomustmoveforward

Former Secretary to Edo state government and frontline APC gubernatorial aspirant, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu responds to the allegations by Government officials on recent shooting and bombing of APC chieftains offices and residences in Benin City:

Excerpts:

"There has been a Mass exodus of people from Edo state in the last one year. Many people have had to relocate because of the unprecedented violence targeted at those who are opposed to the second term of the Governor.

A bomb will not explode in a state where I am Governor and I will not go and visit those affected. Even if they are not members of my party, not to talk about when we are in the same political party.

And these are people who played serious role in your election as Governor. Even if they did not play a role. But they played. The bomb that could easily have killed them exploded in their homes, you must go an visit.

Henry Idahagbon had gunshots into his office; you did not go and visit, you could not send somebody to go and visit. What kind of hard-heartedness is being exhibited?

And the next thing Government is saying it is Ize-Iyamu that is responsible. This will be really tell you that their allegation is very ridiculous. It also shows the poverty in intelligence of those in the Government right now: Very shallow reasoning!

If they have nothing to say keep quiet instead of making allegations that show you as not well educated; because the people you are talking to are not stupid, they are not fools.

And Edo people are no fools. There is a clear pattern. All the people being attacked whether Lawrence Okah, or Inegbeneki, Idahagbon or Okaeben, the 14 APC Members-elect or the Pastor Ize-Iyamu rally or that in Auchi, where they burnt chairs and canopies, the common denominator is that all those affected are opposed to the Governor's second term or they are not seen to be in his group. All of them not one or two. And you cannot point to any retaliation.

So there is no doubt that these attacks are coming from a particular group. Then the silence of government also lend credence to it. Of course if I was the Governor, I will go and visit Okah's home, Inegbeneki's house.

For your information, by the time I came into the party, the EPM ceased to exist. And it will interest you to know that since I came, nobody invited me to an EPM meeting. If EPM existed maybe before I came. But I can tell you that this so-called EPM has been in the imagination of those in government.

Assuming without conceding that bombs are being thrown to create the scene for a state of emergency, so you will throw the bombs in the homes of your members? Because those that have so far been affected are those they have classified as EPM members. Unless they are saying that Lawrence Okah is with the Governor but I think I have them saying that, he is an EPM chieftain like Inegbeneki.

Does it make sense for EPM members to be throwing bombs in the residence of their members? The Police said a bomb exploded in the house of Lawrence Okah and left a huge hole in the house. And I personally went there and saw that it was just the grace of God that the bomb that exploded did not go close to the two gas cylinders that were nearby.

Are they really saying that so-called EPM members are bombing and shooting themselves because they want a State of Emergency in Edo state? Why are these bombs not being thrown on the houses of those on the other side?

All these people affected are classified as enemies by the government. So if anybody has any motive to do what is happening, it is those are in government who have never visited the scene, never condemned the incidents and see nothing wrong in at is happening but are very quick to point accusing fingers at the victims"

Credits: Ofure Victor Osehobo

A new law designed to attract highly qualified foreigners from outside the EU, which very well includes Nigeria, will come into force on March 1. It is supposed to make it easier for skilled professionals to migrate to Germany for work.

OKPODU REPORTERS takes a look at the new legislation and what it means for migrants.

Faced with a skilled workers shortage, the German government has introduced new legislation that will allow foreigners with certain skills to apply for work permits and move to Germany using legal channels. The new Skilled Immigration Act, the “Fachkräftezuwanderungsgesetz”, will come into effect on March 1, 2020.

According to the online portal “Make it in Germany” launched by the federal government to complement the new legislation, the law “expands the possibilities for qualified professionals to come to work in Germany.” In the future, it “will be easier for skilled workers with vocational, non-academic training from non-EU countries to migrate to Germany in order to work.”

But the new law is not without controversy. Some think that it doesn’t go far enough to reach out to skilled labor, others regard it as a failed attempt to gloss over certain shortcomings of Germany’s immigration laws, such as long waiting times for asylum seekers with sought-after professional skills to obtain work permits.

People working in care professions are among those that Germany is hoping to attract with the new law

What does the new law entail?

The government hopes that the Skilled Immigration Act will help attract people from professions for which there is a strong demand in Germany, such as elderly care, IT and engineering. The new legislation is modeled after existing laws in Germany designed to attract academics.

Under the stipulations of the law, work permits will be made available to anyone who manages to get a work contract in these professions. German employers don’t have to give priority to German or EU nationals with equivalent qualifications anymore. This rule (“Vorrangprüfung”) is now obsolete for positions in skilled professions.

However, given a change in the situation of the labor market, it can be introduced again, according to the interior ministry.

Those without a contract will be allowed to apply for a six-month job seekers’ visa — as long as they fulfill the main requirement of having professional skills in areas in which German businesses are struggling to find qualified applicants. There are more than 1.5 million jobs that Germany will find it difficult to fill in the long term, according to the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK).

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said the law was a “very modern law that meets the needs of the national economy.” While hoping to fill gaps in the labor market, the government also hopes that the law will help to make Germany more attractive and competitive internationally.

Language requirement

There is one issue that stops the law from being seen as a game-changer in Germany’s immigration system.

The Act stipulates that applicants for work permits need to prove proficiency in the German language first. Learning a foreign language is a big investment for a lot of people who don’t know whether a work contract is waiting for them at the end of the process.

Foreigners in IT professions are among those who could stand to benefit from the legal changes

The new law is aimed at foreigners in countries outside the EU. They are required to have acquired qualifications in Germany or possess qualifications equivalent to those in Germany, according to the interior ministry.

It is unclear whether the new law will also help to address the needs of certain migrants who are in Germany already but are not allowed to work. If the recognition of foreign qualifications is streamlined, they too could be eligible to be employed under the new law.

Nor is it clear whether asylum seekers who are already in employment, having spent years waiting to obtain a work permit, will be allowed to switch over their status. Many asylum seekers who eventually obtain work permits don’t have their permits renewed in Germany, which puts them at risk of deportation.

If they were able to switch over their status, they may no longer face the threat of deportation and be granted permanent residency. But the negotiating parties are not in agreement on this issue, with Merkel’s CDU party arguing that this could make immigration to Germany too attractive.

The new law specifically states that it does not aim to make unskilled immigration easier.

The Law is not as popular as the government had hoped

Critics of the legislation, such as the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, say that the government is trying to justify its policy of welcoming asylum seekers in 2015 by making it appear that the arrival in Germany of a large number of migrants and refugees helped to solve labor shortages.

The mood across Germany with regard to the new law is mixed. The German daily newspaper Der Tagesspiegel found in an online survey of more than 33,000 people that 44% were largely in favor of the law, while 47% said there weren’t enough jobs to go around already.

On the website “Make it in Germany”, you can check whether you qualify for immigration, search current job openings, and find more information about visa regulations and other bureaucratic procedures.


SOURCE: https://okpodureporters.com/germanys-nigerians-residence-law/

Edo state’s commissioner for arts, culture and tourism, Mr. Osaze Osemwingie-Ero, a close ally of Godwin Obaseki, has been languishing in an Italian prison since last year after he was nabbed by the international police over questionable financial dealings centered on illegal ownership and movement of funds perceived to be stolen or diverted, according to former Obaseki's spokesman, John Mayaki.

While his arrest and prolonged detainment has been the subject of speculation for weeks and the Obaseki-administration has refused to offer clarifications on why a senior member of its cabinet has remained in jail, instead attempting to distract the public from the matter, newsmen have obtained confidential information on the circumstances surrounding the arrest of Mr. Osaze Osemwingie-Ero and the possible involvement of the Edo State Government, specifically Governor Godwin Obaseki, in a corruption scandal that is still unfolding as investigation by foreign agencies intensifies.

According to a trusted source in Italy who was at the detention center where Mr. Osaze is being held in solitary and refused visitors, the Commissioner shot himself in the foot and got caught in the crosshairs of the Italian Police when last year, he threw a lavish party in Parma, inviting scores of friends and treating them to expensive foods and drinks at a high-profile hotel.

The bill at the party, including payment for deluxe rooms, reportedly amounted to fifteen thousand euros [an estimate of 5.9 million naira] which Mr. Osaze Osemwingie-Ero paid instantly using a credit card, raising suspicion and compelling the management of the establishment to run a quick background check on the credit card as part of regulatory compliance in European countries that compels business owners to report large, suspicious transactions to local authorities.

Trouble began for Mr. Osaze Osemwingie-Ero when the background check revealed that the credit card is linked to a bank account owned by a white Italian man that bears no semblance or obvious ties with the Edo Commissioner. Suspecting that it may be a case of stolen credit card, a common problem in Europe, the establishment immediately contacted the authorities who wasted no time in arriving and remanding Mr. Osaze for questioning.

While Mr. Osaze Osemwingie-Ero was being questioned, the local police surreptitiously contacted the white man listed as the owner of the bank account to inquire, without informing him of the arrest of Mr. Ero, if his credit card is missing or if he has noticed any unauthorized transactions on his account. The white man answered in the negative and that was the first cue for the Police that far from being a case of a stolen card, it may be a coordinated effort to launder funds using a bribed/induced foreign national as cover.

Italy has recently moved to block loopholes allowing money laundering through its financial system following accusations from other European countries that the country previously served as a corridor for terrorism financing, safe haven for ill-gotten funds, and an enabler of corruption especially in developing countries notorious for corrupt governments and elected leaders.

To shed this image and join the global efforts to clamp down on illegal movement of funds, the Italian Parliament in 2017 passed a legislation implementing the Fourth European Money Laundering Directive (Directive 2015/849/EU) on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose of money laundering. The provision of the law compels financial institutions and other establishments to, amongst other requirements, identify customers and verifying their identities on the basis of documents, data or information obtained from a reliable and independent source and reporting suspicious transactions to relevant agencies charged with the powers to arrest and investigate.

As part of its clampdown on money laundry, investigatory agencies in Italy found that some corrupt governments often operate foreign accounts owned by indigenous citizens in a sophisticated arrangement that includes the payment of percentage on the sum to these foreign nationals who operate the account on behalf of the government or a designated official.

A deep dive into the account linked with the credit card Mr. Osaze used to foot a bill of nearly six million naira at a go affirmed the suspicion as it was discovered by the Italian investigatory agency that large sums suspected to belong to the Edo State Government were moved from Nigeria into the account and further transferred to similar bank accounts in other capital cities in Europe such as London, making the case an international one.

The agency has reportedly written the Edo State Government, through the Italian Embassy, requesting for the presence of Governor Godwin Obaseki for questioning over the potential criminal laundering of funds as Mr. Osaze, forlorn and aggrieved, is said to be helping with the investigation of the international police. There has been no response from the Edo State Government.

According to sources at JohnMayaki.com, we have been reliably told that Governor Godwin Obaseki and a host of other officials of the Edo State Government involved in the scandal have deliberately stayed away from Italy, effectively abandoning Mr. Osaze Ero, to avoid the embarrassment of an immediate arrest and detainment for questioning.

Mr. Osaze Ero-Osemwingie could be detained for up to a year as the agency is presently tracing all the other foreign accounts identified in the long chain of undercover movement of large funds and until this is concluded, he is unlikely to be charged to court yet. When he is finally brought before a judge, if found guilty, Mr. Osaze could be imprisoned for up to 12 years in accordance with Italian laws.

source: https://okpodureporters.com/obaseki-italy-fraud/

Get to know the man behind the movement, his life, what he stands for, and what his plans are for our Edo State!.

Pastor Osagie Andrew Ize-Iyamu was born on 21 June 1962 into the family of Late Chief Robert Osayande Ize-Iyamu, the Esogban of Great Benin Kingdom and Mrs. Magdalene N. Ize-Iyamu (nee Obasohan), a very successful business woman.

In 1973, Osagie Ize-Iyamu completed his primary education at Ebenezer Nursery and Primary School, Benin City, remarkably obtaining one of the best result in the common entrance examination of the then Midwestern Region.

For his secondary school education, he attended the prestigious Edo College, Benin City. Reminiscent of his stellar performance in the primary school common entrance examination, in 1979, Osagie Ize-Iyamu completed his secondary school education with the best result amongst the students in the art class that sat for the West Africa Examinations Council Certificate (WAEC).

Inspired by his high academic performance, Osagie Ize-Iyamu decided to study Political Science in the university. Upon sitting for and passing the university matriculation examination, he was admitted into the prestigious University of Benin in 1980. However, in a twist of fate, the following academic session, he changed his course of study to Law, which was introduced into the institution that year. Thus, he became one of the pioneer students of the Faculty of Law, University of Benin.

Osagie Ize-Iyamu graduated in 1986 with honors. He immediately proceeded to the Nigeria Law School, whereupon being successful in the Bar Examination was then called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987.

In 1988 Osagie Ize-Iyamu proceeded to participate in the mandatory National Youth Service in Akure, Ondo State. For his primary assignment, he worked in the law firm of Jide Aladejana.

While he was in the National Youth Service, the electoral contest for the local government councils in Edo State, under the zero party arrangement came about. He made his strategic contribution to the emergence of Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion as the Chairman of Oredo Local Government Council. In recognition of his resourcefulness, the local government chairman appointed him his Special Assistant. Thus, he was Special Assistant to Oredo Local Government Chairman between 1988 and 1989.

In 1990, he established a law firm with other associates as a principal partner. The Law firm was Idahosa, Ahonaruogho & Ize-Iyamu (Solicitor & Advocates). The firm had offices in Benin City and Lagos.

Osagie Ize-Iyamu also set his eyes on building a business with varied interest. This culminated in the establishment of the I.O Ventures Limited in 1996, of which he has been Chairman/CEO till date.

He showcased his sagacity in management and entrepreneurial spirit when he set up the magnificent I.O Farms Training Institute- a model farm settlement at Ugbor-Amagba communities in Benin City, Edo State. The institute has turned out hundreds of young agriculturists. The Training Institute has the triple objective of agricultural training, skills acquisition and youth empowerment, which is a veritable mechanism for the reduction of unemployment, youth restiveness and organized crime.

In 1995, Osagie Ize-Iyamu had a life threatening experience which altered the course of his life as he was unimaginably led into the service of God under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The incident was a ghastly car accident from which he was unconscious for nine hours, and the hope of his coming out of it was uncertain. His hips were dislocated and his toes fractured. Miraculously, God healed him perfectly at the National Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos. Overwhelmed by the manifestation of divine favour, and the words of encouragement from his wife, Osagie Ize-Iyamu decided to dedicate his life to serving God. Promptly, he joined the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), where he grew in knowledge and wisdom about God and church administration.

To the amazement of his family, friends and foes, Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s spiritual life transformed beyond imagination. Within a short time, he qualified and was made a minister in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. In 1998, he became Pastor of the Upper Room Parish of the Church, located at Adesuwa Road, G.R.A., Benin City.

He committed himself to the propagation of the Gospel as well as the infrastructural development of the Church. With the encouragement and prayerful support of his wife, as well as the commitment of his fellow ministers, he raised the hitherto small parish (branch) to the biggest RCCG Church in Edo State. Subsequently, he was appointed the Area Pastor of the GRA 1 Area Church overseeing three parishes with headquarters at the Upper Room parish. His transformation became an inspiration to thousands of youths in Edo State.

Today, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is the Assistant Pastor in Charge of Province (APICP), and Christian Social Responsibility (CSR) of The Redeemed Christian Church of God Edo Province 2 in Benin City.

Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s great strides have not only been manifest in the faith but also in his political life.

In 1999, upon the return of democratic government to Nigeria, Osagie Ize-Iyamu was appointed as the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Edo State, Dr. Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion.

As the Chief of Staff, from 1999-2003, he elevated the office to the enviable status of a melting pot of consultation, strategy and confidence building. As someone led by the Holy Spirit, he became the man to trust and do business with - the rallying point of energies and ideas. He engineered the smooth and peaceful relationship that the state enjoyed with pensioners and labour leaders in Edo State.

In appreciation of his sterling performance as Chief of Staff, Osagie Ize-Iyamu was elevated to the position of Secretary to the State Government (SSG). In this position of immense trust, critical nexus and strategic catalyst in the government, he proved to be reliable, dependable, trust worthy and a positive generational ambassador committed to the well-being of Edo people.

He has continued to contribute to the political development of the state and at a time was given the award of politician of the decade in Edo State.

Osagie Ize-Iyamu is a politician that does not discriminate. He is highly detribalized, open to positive ideas, a motivator of positive agenda for government, and a respecter of elders and social values, a nexus of hope for Christians in Government and a crusader of fairness and social justice.

Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s bold footprints in partisan politics and public office in Edo State has been phenomenal in scope, depth and intensity. He is a calm and deep-thinking political architect whose courageous designs inspire the hope for good governance and democratic freedom.

Today, Osagie Ize-Iyamu is widely respected, acknowledged, and referred to as the “Leader” by both the elderly and the young. This is in recognition of his uncommon courage, wisdom, integrity and commitment to the advancement of the common good.

For his intellectual and tactical abilities, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has been entrusted with critical positions in party politics. He has been, Vice Chairman, South South, ACN, DG, Governor Adams Oshiomhole Re-election Campaign Organization and Member, APC Constitution Drafting Committee. In all these assignments, he has discharged his responsibilities excellently.

He is an honorary doctorate degree holder of the Benson Idahosa University, Benin City. On July 1st, 2019, he was recognized for his contribution to the development of our democratic process and rule of law when he received the Life Time Achievers Award by the Nigerian Bar Association, Benin (Lion) Branch.

Osagie Ize-Iyamu is happily married to Pastor (Prof.) Idia Ize-Iyamu, a Consultant Orthodontist with the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and Professor in the University of Benin. They are blessed with four children.

The government of Edo State, headed by Obaseki, may have countered itself in its persistent vehement claim that the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, stands suspended.

The government house went agog Tuesday celebrating the inauguration of the reconstituted APC Reconciliation Committee headed by former APC National Acting Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, which was constituted by Adams Oshiomhole who Obaseki’s faction of the APC even went to court to challenge his legitimacy over the party.

Meanwhile, with the sudden realisation among the governor’s camp that Chief Akande is a correct party man who abhors disloyalty and who may move against the Obaseki’s camp, the government has started to reach out to opinion moulders on the national chairman’s side to pressure Oshiomhole to give the governor soft landing in this battle that is obviously not favouring the second term ambition of the outgoing governor.

Detail later...

source: https://okpodureporters.com/adams-oshiomhole-suspended/

PREAMBLE
In fulfilment of my promise to present to the general public an articulation of those qualities, which make PASTOR OSAGIE IZE-IYAMU the most suitable Candidate for the Edo 2020 Governorship Election, today, I shall begin A SERIES OF ARTICLES to the effect.

Before launching into definite qualities, which should make him endearing, it is pertinent that we have an overview of the the man by way of looking at his biography in brief.

Therefore, we shall be looking at his biography in two parts today and tomorrow. The general title for this series is: Why Osagie Ize-Iyamu will make a Great Governor of Edo State.

Welcome on board as I take you on this revelational voyage with a man of great promise.
..............................................

THE BEGINNING AND HIS JOURNEY TO THE CHURCH

Pastor Osagie Andrew Ize-Iyamu was born on 21 June 1962 into the family of Late Chief Robert Osayande Ize-Iyamu, the Esogban of Great Benin Kingdom and Mrs. Magdalene N. Ize-Iyamu (nee Obasohan), a very successful business woman.

Remarkably a child of great promise, between 1968 and 1979 Osagie Ize-Iyamu completed his primary and secondary education at Ebenezer Nursery and Primary School and Edo College, Benin City, respectively, with flying colours in the final exams. He had the best result in the common entrance examination of the then Midwestern Region in 1973 the best result amongst the students in the art class that sat for the West Africa Examinations Council Certificate (WAEC) in 1979.

Osagie in his early childhood had developed keen interest in local politics, from observing political activities that were a regular features of their household because his father was deeply involved in the politics of Midwest Region. He was at a time the secretary of the Committee that fought for the creation of the the Midwest Region, of which the Oba of Benin of blessed memory, Oba Akenzua 11 was Chairman. Therefore, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, ostensibly attracted to playing politics applied to study Political Science in the University of Benin in 1980. He was admitted. However, as fate would have it, he graduated with an LLB (Hon.) from the Faculty of Law as one of its pioneer students, having changed his course of study in his second year at the University.

Upon his graduation in 1986 he proceeded to the Nigerian Law School. Having successfully completed his course at the Nigerian Law School, Osagie Ize-Iyamu was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987. Meanwhile, for his mandatory practical attachment, he worked as a law student in the reputable law firm of Okeaya-Inneh (SAN), in Benin City.

In 1988 Osagie Ize-Iyamu in compliance with the mandatory participation in the National Youth Service Corps was sent to Akure, Ondo State. For his primary assignment in Ondo State, he worked in the law firm of Jide Aladejana.

While he was in the National Youth Service, the electoral contest for the local government councils in Edo State, under the zero party arrangement came about. He made his strategic contribution to the emergence of Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion as the Chairman of Oredo Local Government Council. In recognition of his resourcefulness, he was Special Assistant to Oredo Local Government Chairman between 1988 and 1989.

In 1990, Osagie Ize-Iyamu with some friends established a law of which he was a Principal Partner, with offices in Benin City and Lagos. The Law firm was named: Idahosa, Ahonaruogho &

Ize-Iyamu (Solicitors & Advocates). where he was a principal partner. His partnership in the Law Firm was however very brief (1990 – 1991). His mind was on other bigger ideas.

After leaving the partnership, Osagie Ize-Iyamu set his eyes on building a business with varied interests. This culminated in the establishment in 1996, of the I.O Ventures Limited, of which he has been Chairman/CEO till date.

He has been an astute business man and entrepreneurial innovator of no mean achievement. He has been involved in the estate development business, finance management and assets growth, procurements and general contracts. Of relevant mention in his sagacious entrepreneurial and managerial Odyssey is his setting up of the magnificent I.O Farms Training Institute - a model farm settlement at Ugbor-Amagba communities in Benin City, Edo State. The institute has turned out hundreds of young agriculturists who are presently doing well with the skills and knowledge acquired from the Institute. The Training Institute has the triple objectives of agricultural training, skills acquisition and youth empowerment. These are veritable factors for reducing unemployment, youth restiveness and organized crime.

In 1995, Osagie Ize-Iyamu had a life threatening experience in the form of a ghastly car accident. This experience, however, brought a turning point in his relationship with God and the Lord Jesus. Having survived an accident which left him in coma for nine hours, and with dislocated hips and fractured toes miraculously healed, Osagie came to a full understanding of the mercy, the grace and the awesomeness of God. He realized that God had a special purpose for his existence, which was to serve him in spirit and in truth. He became more appreciative of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus. Like Apostle Paul from his encounter on the road to Damascus, the ghastly car accident, miraculous deliverance and healing became for Osagie Ize-Iyamu, his epiphany. He did not need much prompting to make up his mind to become a dedicated servant in the Lord’s vineyard but with the encouragement of his darling wife he promptly joined the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), where he grew in knowledge and wisdom about God and church administration.


written By Nosa Omorodion

On Consensus candidate:
"You can see that many of us aspirants have chosen to work together, myself, General Airhiavbere, Engineer Chris Ogiemwonyi, Dr Pius Odubu, Hon Saturday Uwuilekwe, Professor Amadasun, Chief Solomon Edebiri, people who have expressed here and there, their interest in Governorship.

But that has not stopped us from interacting; from sitting together. And we have all resolved that somebody will get it and whoever gets it, all of us will support the person. And that is how it is supposed to be.

But of course there is the other side who believes, governorship should be non negotiable; governorship should be left for only one person but that is not democracy. That is not how it is done.

Their own method is that either you support an agenda or you are crushed. But Edo people have never been cowards and we are not cowards. We believe in engagement. We believe in dialogue.

For many of us, we are ready to concede to the party position. Whoever the party wants, fine. And if by the grace of God, it happens the party also chooses us, we also expect the same level of grace from them and that means to concede.

I don't see any reason for any more agitation. That is not how democracy works. We must go through primaries. Somebody eventually would get elected and we expect every genuine party man and woman to support the person".

On Leaving APC if he does not get party ticket:
"I have no intention of leaving the party simply because the party has chosen somebody and am not the person. That is very wrong. That will be very ridiculous. And am not not going to allow that kind of stigma to be put on me.

Am a team player. If we can actually get to the Level where we can actually engage ourselves, interface and come up with a consensus, it saves a lot of money, a lot of stress, a lot of bitterness, a lot of rivalry. That will be fine.

There is nothing wrong with consensus, but not the consensus that some people are advocating that is founded on force and imposition. Nobody will support that. Genuine consensus is based on dialogue, based on mutual respect, based on persuasion. Yes that is feasible. That will be supported.

Infact, the dialogue that four of us are already doing is working towards a consensus candidate. Why do four of us need to go and buy forms when we know that only one person will emerge? So if we able to talk among ourselves and narrow down to one or two persons be rest assured that we will be okay".

On Governor Obaseki
"For the past one and a half years the Governor has abandoned governance. All we are hearing from him are very inciting and very provocative and not the kind of statement a chief executive or a statesman is expected to be making.

I have heard him say, 'I will deal with him', 'I will crush him', 'We will deal with them'. Such statements are deplorable. And when you also realize who is he talking about, most of the time, it is worrisome. He is talking about somebody who was the immediate past governor of the state.

Somebody who more or less did everything to get you elected and more importantly somebody who is the National chairman of the party you belong to. For crying out loud, you must respect your chair. That goes without saying.

Whoever is your party chairman is first among equals, you owe him that respect. For those of us who have been playing politics for a long time, when the local government or state chairman of the party comes in, we Stand up. It shows respect for the party.

So when you hear a governor getting so aggressive and begins to use the kind of words you hear on the street, it becomes alarming. And the level they have gotten to now, is very disturbing!".


Watch interview via this link.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Tixjc-i0rM

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has released the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2020 Edo State governorship election.

According to the INEC, the tenure of the Governors of Edo and Ondo States will end on 12th November 2020 and 24th February 2021 respectively. Pursuant to the provisions of Section 178(2) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 25( of the Electoral Act 2010, elections cannot hold earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of office of an incumbent Governor.

The break down of the activities revealed that the 1st June, 2020 will be Notice of Election, 2nd June, 2020, will mark the commencent of collection of form. Also, the conduct of party primaries including resluctions of disputies arising theirin is schedule to be on the 2nd June - 27th June, 2020. Party campaign starts on 21st June,2020. 29 June,2020 is the last day for submission of forms while on 6th July, 2020 the personal particulars of the contestants will be published. 13th July, 2020 is slated as the last day for withdrawal by candidates/Replacement. Last day for submission of nomination forms by Political Parties is 26 July, 2020. on 13th August, 2020, the final list of nominated candidates will be published. On the 1st September,2020, the Notice of Poll will be publised. 1st September is the last day for submission of names of Polling Agents for the Election to the Electoral Officer of the Local Government Area. 17th September is the last day of campaign.

The election proper will hold on 19th September, 2020.

source: https://www.channelstv.com/2020/02/06/breaking-inec-fixes-date-for-edo-ondo-elections/

Somewhere in Edo State in Nigeria, Emperor Jean Bedel Bokassa has reincarnated. The Edo Bokassa unlike the real Bokassa was never a soldier and fought no previous war. He crept into the political space pretending to be a guru in public finance. No one is sure how he met the ex-comrade Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole. One common version is that he was introduced to Comrade by Aliko Dangote, the richest black man in the world. Another version is that he was recommended by his erstwhile friend Victor Ogiemwonyi, the stock trader who ran into stormy waters a few years ago. Once, he got introduced he worked his way into Comrade’s heart by very queer methods. One of his tactics was to paint everyone around Comrade as a thief and gave the impression that he could help the State fund legacy projects. Adams believed him. He thought he would help his ambition to make a mark in Edo State’s infrastructural revolution which the Comrade had launched at the time. Insiders remember how the new Bokassa would stand for hours in deceitful humility, while Comrade Oshiomhole and other Government officials are either having lunch or dinner. He would refuse to join out of respect for the esteemed Comrade. He continued with his strategy until the then Governor began to see him as the real deal. Months later, he helped to source questionable financial facilities for certain public projects and collected 10% commission on these projects.

For the sake of brevity, Obaseki finally curried Oshomhole’s favour and received the endorsement from nowhere to become Oshomhole’s successor as APC candidate for the 2016 governorship race in Edo State ahead of solid political figures like Pius Odubu, Chris Ogiemwonyi , Ken Imansuangbon and a host of others. The public was shocked. This man was an unknown political quantity who barely had any knowledge of the sociology, political economy or topography of Edo State. Other than being a descendant of Agho Obaseki, a one time Iyase of Benin who after the Benin Massacre of 1897 unsuccessfully schemed to become the Oba of Benin against the tradition and custom of the Benin people of over 1,000 years. His genetic lineage was a source of worry in certain quarters and words were passed to Oshomhole about this. Not only that, some who had personal knowledge of his real lifestyle were quick to warn about it. He was said to have been at war with his father for years and had a dislike for children. Despite having the privilege of these pieces of information, Comrade Oshomhole went ahead to support Obaseki with every energy, resources and oratory that he could muster and the new political sheriff entered Government House at Osadebey Avenue.

Suddenly, he brought his instrument of magic as Fela would sing in those days. He practically barred members of APC from entering Government House. He described them as thieves who were only interested in stealing public funds. He appointed rookies and no hopers as political leaders in many local Government Areas and by fiat he fired several political leaders, claiming that he had retired them. One of such leaders is Charles Idahosa who was demoted to nothingness and had to run to Oshomhole for political succor and safety. There were many in his category that the new Bokassa pushed into oblivion. He didn’t stop with the leaders, he descended on the youths who helped him to power. One of them known as OSAKPAMWAN NO MOLEST was jailed for months. He was told that the only condition for his freedom would be to quit politics and go on exile from Benin. After about six months in Oko Medium Security Prison, he was released and he relocated to Abuja. Ironically, No Molest used horse whip to beat helpless members of APC in a bid to compel them to nominate Obaseki as the Governorship candidate of the party for the 2016 Governorship election in the State. He destroyed several ballot boxes and ballot papers in units were Pastor Ize-Iyamu was leading in the 2016 governorship election in Edo State. Another youth Leader sent to jail was SHABA. This young man fought with everything he had to support Obaseki in his journey to Government House. After a couple of months in jail, he was released on the condition that he must relocate from Benin. Enter TONY KABAKA.

Kabaka like No Molest, spend every kobo he had to back Obaseki to become Governor. He was lucky not to go to jail, but he was kept far away from Government House with no reckoning whatsoever. As these events continued, APC leaders began to blame Oshomhole for bringing a cruel stranger into their mix and threatened never to honour his political preferences in future endeavors. The popular leader was worried and decided to intervene to restore harmony and party cohesion. He arranged series of meetings with Obaseki to persuade him not to alienate those who worked for him from his government for the sake of the party and his own future. Unknown to Oshomhole, he did not know Obaseki enough before helping him to power. While Oshomhole was thinking of peace, Obaseki was thinking of wiping out the name of Oshomhole and his legacies from the memory of Edo public. So the game started.

Stories were told of how Oshomhole wanted Obaseki to open the public vault to political leaders of APC and bleed the State to death. The storyline was very attractive to the public and the new Sheriff was hailed by all as WAKE AND SEE. This was a reference to a few roads and Government buildings that Obaseki was renovating at the time. As time went on the roads became a source of embarrassment to both the Governor and people of the State. The roads were washed away like quick sand by the slightest of rains. The cookie began to crumble.

Obaseki gradually intensified his plot to exterminate Oshiomhole and anyone who had the gut to call that name. Enter Philip Shuaibu, the Deputy Governor of Edo State. He had been sidelined in the Government of Edo State like everyone else and cried to the high heavens. He suddenly became relevant for his terror inclination. A very experienced organizer of political violence, he was commissioned to set up a militia to deal with any dissident in the party. Many party leaders became completely locked out from the party and government activities and they began to complain aloud. The situation did not improve and a formidable section of the party decided to fight for their right to govern their party. They broke into a faction and openly criticized Obaseki’s political and governance style.

This came to a halt when the House of Assembly elections of June 2019 were conducted in the State and APC won the 24 seats of the House. The struggle for who would be Speaker led to a nocturnal inauguration of the House with 9 members to the exclusion of the vast majority. The APC kicked against this. National Assembly did same, but to no avail. The situation escalated the crisis in Edo and the Bokossa in Obaseki emerged.

He opened the purse of Edo State in a series of court actions to ensure that he worked with a nine-man Assembly instead of 24. Before then, his militia led by the notorious Muntari and Gbovo with a group of thugs and policemen attached to the Governor’s Office attacked the elected Assembly Members who had been locked out of the inauguration of the House for protesting loudly at a well known hotel in Benin City. They were chased out of Benin after partly stripping Saeed Oshomhole and beating up Victor Edoror, a former Speaker of that House to pulp. Public funds were deployed to intimidate party members. Many succumbed. Those who refused to do so were removed from office. Even elected council chairmen and councilors were not spared. They were arbitrarily removed from office. Obaseki himself gave an open directive that no group of party members, other than those loyal to him, should be allowed to hold any meeting in Edo State. Those who defied him got the beating of their lives on his instructions. Heads of defiant party members were broken in Several local Government Areas. So were properties of such dissidents destroyed. Many ran out of the State for safety sake. The Government began to issue demolition Notices for properties belonging to members of APC opposed to him. No Molest, Kabaka , Idahagbon and others got such Notices. They were all APC members opposed to Obaseki’s style of leadership. They were told to surrender or suffer.

In the midst of this, Pastor Ize-Iyamu returned to APC with thousands of his supporters. Obaseki went into a frenzy. He refused to allow a political rally to receive him to hold at Garrick Memorial School. Edo State Police Command took side with the Governor on the instruction of the Inspector General of Police who appears to be neck deep in the political crisis in Edo State. Comrade Oshomhole was warned not to come to Benin city for the said rally. Thugs were sent to the Airport and the road leading to the Airport to stop Oshomhole from entering Benin City. As part of the plot Tyres were burnt on the said road and barricades mounted in broad daylight under Police watch. It was indeed a descent into the abyss of political intolerance characteristic of very repressive leaders.

Frightened by the arrival of Ize-Iyamu, Edo Bokassa banned all forms of political rallies despite the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria which allows for freedom of association by citizens in the country. When many political rallies held in Benin City and other towns within the State inspite of his ban, he threatened to revoke the Statutory Right of Occupancy over the land of anyone who allowed a rally to hold in his private or commercial premises. Not done, a reign of terror began.

Gun men attacked the law office of Henry Idahagbon. They attacked the private residence of Lawrence Okah, the State Secretary of APC and Hon. Chris Okaeben, one of the vocal elected lawmakers locked outside the State House of Assembly since the inauguration of that House like a thief at night. Dynamite was used to blow up part of the private residence of Chief Francis Inegbeneki, a staunch opponent of Obaseki from Edo Central Senatorial District. In all these, Obaseki’s scanty supporters are celebrating the new reign of terror never before witnessed in the State within the same political party. The 4 + 4 TORGBA Movement had quickly metamorphosed into a terror organization with assorted weapons at their disposal to maim or kill any antagonist. The crux of the repression occurred with the well publicized destruction of Tony Kabaka’s hotel without legal justification as a way of punishing Kabaka for his refusal to support Edo Bokassa and to remind other opponents of what awaits them in the State. Billions of state funds have been expended on this mindless, but state sponsored terrorism against opposing members of APC in Edo State whose leadership by Col. Imuse is recognized by the National Working Committee of the Party.

The prayer of many is that Obaseki’s opponents should continue to conduct their political activities with candor and civility in order not to turn the whole State into a killing minefield just because one man wants to get a second tenure as Governor of the State by deploying violence and intimidation as he preferred method of achieving same.

PAUL ASIMA wrote this feature from Benin City.

happy sunday

Governor Obaseki should ask IBB, since Abacha is no more, if any threat of a clampdown ever deterred comrade Oshiomole in his bid to give a better life to Nigerian workers as NLC president. He should also ask Obasanjo if Oshiomole was deterred by the presence of military tanks and soldiers when strikes and protests and planned.

A parlance In Etsako that says "Onokele Omiofu" simply means "a seeker must be patient and persevere" The resort to violence and threat to armtwist Oshiomole for a second term ticket is as strange as condemnable. Jesus had enormous powers to have freed himself when being accused and arrested yet he healed the ears of his abductors and left a golden advise "He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword"

What was Phillip and Obaseki thinking when in their first term, they were truncating the second term ambition of politicians? Sacking politicians in their first tenures? Yet another golden rule says, do unto other what you want them do unto you. Now, the army of opposition they created by themselves have risen. Guns and bombs will not solve it, as they also own houses that can be bombed. They also have relatives that can be shot. They own cars that can also be burnt.

"Omogberai" in afenmai means its a taboo for a child to beat his parents. Yet Phillip Shaibu has openly challenged the gods to a contest. "We will continue to fight godfathers" He is fighting both his father and his God. May his godchildren do same to him.

Oshiomole may be villified for his choice of these seeming ingrates today, but i think he made no mistake building up the likes Phillip Shaibu, Rt hon Johnson Oghuma, prince Clement Agba, Chief Oseni Elamah, Senator Francis Alimikhena, but the hard fact is, there will always be a Judas among the twelve. Time will tell. Que sera sera.

Former Deputy Whip of the House of Representatives, Rep. Pally Iriase on Tuesday asked Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state to account for the N250billion his administration collected as revenue in the last four years.

Iriase, who revealed this in a chat with journalists in Abuja, accused the Obaseki government of perpetrating a reign of jackboot politics instead of concentrating on delivering dividends of democracy to Edo people. 

The APC chieftain added that the N250 billion that had accrued to the state is based on figures obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and the Federal Ministry of Finance.

According to him, the figures shows that the Edo state government had received over N251billion in three years to November 2019, excluding deductions. This amount, he added does not include receipts  on account of Paris Club refunds, the several bail-out funds and other receipts like grants, loans and counterpart funds. 

Similarly, he explained that the figures do not also include funds of the 18 local governments usually annexed by the Edo state government. “Edo state has never had it so good in revenue receipts. In fact, since January 2018 to date, monthly revenues have been a low of over N7billion and a high of over N8billion each month.

“All we have on ground to show as the performance of the government are roads without drains and repainted primary schools.

“Against the backdrop of high earnings, secondary schools in the state lack teachers, health care services are in limbo, without infrastructure and inadequate manpower.

“In short the developmental masterplan of which Gov. Obaseki was a key contributor in desiging has been abandoned. We the Edo people are now suffering from arrested development,” the former secretary to the Edo state government asserted.

He maintained that instead of the governor to deliberately halt the ongoing plunder, he has resorted to jackboot methods to repress Edo state citizens from voicing out their frustrations and unhappiness with the goings on in the state.

“This is why it is only from Obaseki and his hirelings that we hear of the contrived crisis in Edo state.

“The problem a lot of us have with Gov. Obaseki is that of lackluster performance. The contrived crisis with Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is a ploy to divert attention from the government’s non-performance,” Iriase stated.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2020/02/04/explain-how-you-spent-n251bn-iriase-asks-obaseki/amp/