News

Crisis: Edo PDP Ask Court To Stop State Local Government Elections

Published

3 years ago

July 4, 2023

Editor

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

The protracted crisis rocking the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, may not come to an end soon as a faction of the party had approached a High Court sitting in Benin, praying the court to stop the State local government election scheduled for September, 2023.

The PDP faction loyal to the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, and led by the state Chairman, Dr. Tony Aziegbemhim on Saturday, May 27th, 2023, purportedly held primaries of aspirants for the elective offices while the State Electoral Commission consequently scheduled the l election for September, 2023.

But the party faction led by Chief Hilary Otsu, Secretary, Edo State chapter of the PDP, through its Counsel, Omorodion Ehigiator, Esq., in a restraining order marked: B/506/2023 and dated June the 9th, 2023, prayed the State High court to declare the Aziegbemi faction primaries as unconstitutional, illegal, invalid and void.

The claimants in the suit seeking a stop to the local government election are: Hilary Otsu, Secretary, Edo State chapter of the PDP; Johnson Tunde, PDP Ward 3 Chairman, Akoko-Edo local government council; Kure Benedict, PDP Ward 3 Secretary, Akoko-Edo local government council; Ebade Christopher, PDP Ward 4 Chairman, Etsako Central local government council; Alabi Moses, PDP Ward 4 Secretary, Etsako Central local government council, and 13 other ward chairmen and secretaries across different local government councils of the state.

Defendants in the suit are: Dr. Tony Aziegbemhim, Chairman, Edo State chapter of the PDP (1st Defendant); the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) (2nd Defendant) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) (3rd Defendant)

Among prayers by the Claimants is:
“A declaration that the primaries of the 2nd Defendant, Peoples Democratic Party purportedly held in Edo State on Saturday 27th May, 2023 without the sanction approval of the National Executive Committee of the 2nd Defendant to nominate the candidates for Local Government Election in Edo State is unconstitutional, illegal,invalid, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”

The Claimants also seek: “A declaration that any list of 2nd Defendant’s candidates for Local Government Election in Edo State emerging from the aforesaid purported primaries of 2nd Defendant purportedly held on 27th May, 2023, is unconstitutional, invalid, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”

And that: “An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 3rd Defendant from acting on or recognizing any purported list of the candidates for Local Government Election, 2023 in Edo State.”

News

Edo NLC Crisis: Caretaker Committee Drags Rival Exco, Govt To Court

Published

6 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The division in the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), took a new dimension on Wednesday as Prof. Monday Monday Lewis Igbafen-led caretaker committee approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Benin Judicial Division, seeking to affirm its authority and restrain a rival executive from parading itself as the council’s leadership.

Joined in the suit are the Edo State Government, the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

In a suit marked: NICN/BEN/12/2026, and filed before the court in Benin, the claimant, Igbafen, acting for himself and on behalf of the NLC Caretaker Committee in Edo State, is challenging the continued occupation of the union’s secretariat and control of its assets by members of the Bernard Egwakhide-led factional State Executive Council.

The claimants are asking the court to declare that the caretaker committee (Igbafen-led faction), constituted on August 11, 2025, by the NLC national leadership, remains the only lawful authority to administer the affairs of the Edo State Council pending fresh elections.

They further seek a declaration that the continued occupation of the NLC secretariat located at No. 1 Teboga Road, Benin City, as well as the retention of union assets, financial records, and official instruments by the defendants, is illegal and void.

The suit also prays for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from parading themselves as officials of the NLC Edo Council or interfering with the functions of the caretaker committee.

In addition, the claimants are seeking a mandatory order compelling the defendants to immediately hand over the secretariat, vehicles, financial documents, cheque books, and all other properties belonging to the union.

The caretaker committee further urged the court to restrain the state government and its officials from interfering in the internal affairs of the union, alleging undue support for the dissolved executive.

The claimants further demand N50 million as general and exemplary damages against the defendants for alleged unlawful usurpation of office and acts prejudicial to the administration of the council.

According to court documents made available to our correspondent, the crisis followed the dissolution of the Edo State Council by the NLC National Executive Council on February 27, 2025, over allegations of misconduct, anti-union activities, and constitutional violations.

However, the matter has yet to be assigned a hearing date.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

11 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

12 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.