Tag: Edo

By Biola Lawal
Abuja (Flowerbudnews): President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rejoiced with Senator Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate over his victory in the just concluded Edo state governorship election.

In a congratulatory message to Okpebholo and the people of Edo state, President Tinubu welcomed the APC victory and commended the peaceful conduct ot the election, a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga has disclosed.

Senator Okpebholo was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday, having defeated other contenders for the position.

President Tinubu commended APC national leaders, Edo State leaders, and party governors for working hard to achieve victory.

He said the victory testified to the people’s support for the ruling party, its progressive ideals, its economic reengineering programme and its commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians.

He urged Senator Okpebholo not to gloat over his victory but to see it as a challenging call to service. He encouraged him to demonstrate magnanimity by reaching out to his political rivals and uniting the people of Edo State to ensure its development.

President Tinubu also praised other candidates who participated in the election for their contributions to advancing Nigeria’s democracy, saying peaceful political contests, such as the one on Saturday, portray Nigeria as a stable democracy.

The President urged all those aggrieved by the election outcome to seek redress through the legal channels.

In addition, the president commended the people of Edo State for their orderly and peaceful conduct during the election, underscoring the maturing of Nigeria’s democracy after 25 years.

“I commend the INEC and our security agencies for working round the clock to conduct a successful, peaceful and largely hitch-free exercise.

“INEC has once again demonstrated that it is committed to organising a free and fair election in our country”, President Tinubu says,” the President said.

The Edo State Police Command said it has rescued a kidnapped victim, recovered his car and is now on the tail of one of the fleeing gang members.

The Edo State Police Public Relations Officer and a Superintendent of Police, Moses Joel Yamu, revealed this in a statement to newsmen

Yamu explained that on September 15, 2024 at about 9:15pm, operatives of Ugbowo Division responded to a distress call from one Valentine Igbinevbo of 19th Street, Ugbowo, who said that his silver-coloured Mercedes Benz C350 car with registration number KWL 195 KC was snatched at gunpoint by two armed men.

The distraught man also told police that his friend, Iyobo Ighodaro, 21, was abducted in the car from his hostel.

In a swift response, the Divisional Police Officer and a Chief Superintendent of Police, John O. Emmanuel, mobilised and personally led a surveillance team, traced the suspects to their hideout in Egor, where they were negotiating for ransom using the victim’s phone.

On sighting the police, a gun battle ensued, where one male suspect, whose identity is yet known, sustained fatal gunshot injuries and was rushed to the hospital, but was pronounced dead, while his colleague is believed to have narrowly escaped with gunshot injuries.

Yamu said: “The operatives recovered the said vehicle, one cut-to-size gun, one live cartridge, a cutlass and three phones of a different make.

“Meanwhile, the victim was rescued unhurt, received medical attention and reunited with his loved ones while the corpse of the suspect was deposited at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Nemi Iwo, commended the DPO and his operatives for their effort in combating crime and further warned all criminal elements in the State that their days are numbered if they continue in crime.

By Perpetua Onuegbu

Abuja:  The Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness (CCLCA), has urged stakeholders to adhere to ethical conduct and respect for human rights during the Sept. 21 Edo governorship election .

Dr Gabriel Nwambu, Director-General, CCLCA, a coalition of INEC accredited observer organisations, made the call in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said that the coalition is concerned about recent reports by their election observers of alleged unlawful arrests, and detention of members of the ruling political party in Edo.

“These actions are perceived as unethical, aimed at weakening the ruling party and stifling their ability to participate in the upcoming governorship election in the state.

“As INEC Accredited Observer Organizations, it is our duty to advocate for credible, transparent, and free elections, where all citizens can exercise their democratic rights without fear or coercion.

“It is in this regard that we are urgently notifying the Inspection-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, as well as the head of the Department of State Services (DSS),“he said.

He urged the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Military to ensure that their personnel comply with ethical standards, and respect the fundamental human rights of all individuals.

Nwambu called on Egbetokun, as the highest-ranking police officer in Nigeria, to take decisive action to release all persons unlawfully arrested and detained in Edo.

He said these actions are not only contrary to the principles of democracy but also a violation of citizens’ fundamental rights.

Nwambu said it was imperative that all security agencies embrace the rule of engagement in line with global best practices, and the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“This is crucial for upholding the credibility of the electoral process and ensuring the preservation of peace and stability in Edo.

“CCLCA reiterates its commitment to promoting transparency, accountability and the rule of law in all electoral processes.

“We call upon all relevant authorities to address this urgent matter, providing a level playing field for all political parties and citizens to exercise their democratic rights devoid of intimidation or harassment.

“We remain optimistic that the I-G, and other heads of security agencies will take swift actions to address this concern and uphold the values of a credible election in Edo,”(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)/ Flowerbudnews

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Edo State governorship election, Monday Okpebholo, has advised his counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Asue Ighodalo to withdraw from the race.
Okpebholo stated that his demand was due to the failure of Ighodalo as the Economic Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki.

He alleged that Ighodalo’s roles as an economic adviser plunged the state into huge debt.

The governorship candidate stated this on  Tuesday during a meeting with the Edo State chapter of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Benin City.

He lamented that it was a sad story that the man who had failed Edo State was bringing somebody who was his economic adviser.

“I told myself that if I was Barrister Ause Ighodalo I would not bother myself to contest the governorship election because a government that I am an economic adviser in has failed.

“Where I came from, which is Esanland, we were taught morals and anything that is bad or spoiled we don’t eat”, he said.

The APC governorship candidate lamented that the current debt profile of the state was over ₦573 billion from the inherited ₦43 billion.

He also alleged that the rate of stealing in the Obaseki-led government was unprecedented, advising the people of the state not to allow the stealing to continue with his third-term agenda through Asue Ighodalo.

“In Edo State, do you know that the debt profile of the state at the moment is over N573 billion. That is what Edo State is owing now.

During Adams Oshiomhole’s period, monthly allocation from the Federation Account was between N3.1 billion and N3.3 billion but today the allocation is between N11.1 billion and nothing to show for it.

Flowerbudnews

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, dismissed the suit filed by Kenneth Imansuangbon, seeking the disqualification of Olumide Akpata as Labour Party (LP)’s candidate for the Sept. 21 Edo governorship election.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu, in a judgment, dismissed the suit on the grounds that the suit was statue barred, having been filed outside 14 days after the cause of action arose.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the LP conducted its governorship primary election in Edo on Feb. 23, where Akpata won and was declared as the winner.

Dissatisfied with the declaration, Imansuangbon, through his Counsel, Anthony Malik, SAN, filed the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/472/2024 to challenge Akpata’s emergence.

In the originating summons dated and filed on April 12, Imansuangbon sued Akpata, Oluyinka Alufohai, LP and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st to 4th defendants respectively.

The plaintiff had prayed the court to invalidate Akpata and Alufohai’s nomination as governorship and deputy governorship candidates of LP on the ground that Akpata submitted forged documents in his FORM EC9.

But Akpata, through his Counsel Johnson Usman, SAN, filed among other processes, a notice of preliminary objection, challenging the competence of the suit on the ground that it was statute barred and the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain it.

Usma equally argued that the originating summons was incompetent, having been accompanied by an incompetent written address.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Egwuatu upheld Usman’s objection and agreed with the senior lawyer’s argument.

The judge, who held that the suit was statute barred, said the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

He subsequently dismissed the suit, thereby affirming the nomination of Akpata and Alufohai by the party.