News

Defection: Ize-Iyamu Clears The Air, Discloses That He Is Not Desperate For Political Office

Published

6 years ago

November 29, 2019

Says He Is Passionate About Good Governance, Better Edo

Following the recent resignation of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and it attendant criticism and controversy, he has come out open to say his movement to the APC was not desperation for political office but a drive for a better Edo State.

He said his movement to the APC was not to escalate problem but to be solution, add value and for the betterment of the party and the state in general, adding that he wants to make sure the party is well connected to the grassroot.

Pastor Ize-Iyamu who disclosed this on Thursday during an interactive session with newsmen in Benin City, expressed surprise the controversy his defection has generated so far in the public partucularly on the social media.

According to him, he was one of the funding members of the party both at the state and national levels and so, his coming back should be seen as homecoming rather than the rumours and the stone being thrown at him.

He said many people join politics for different reasons but his own is based on good governance, service delivery and a better Edo, adding that he wants to belong to a party that he can connect to the grassroot.

When asked which of the factions he was going to join with the apparent division of the party in the state, Ize-Iyamu disclosed that the party division is not as complicated as being portrayed in the public domain, stressing that if there is no room to accept him at the state level, he could be accepted at the national level or even at the ward level where according to him, is the most legitimate place for such politics.

He said, “The faction is not as worst as it is being portrayed. For example, who are the two secretaries; who are the two publicity secretaries; who are the parrallel chairmen in the different local government areas; who is the national chairman of the other side. So, you find out that it is not as deep as being presented. You may find disagreement in some very few areas, but I am telling you that, when you really want to see faction, it goes down to the wards.

“When you see a ward chairman here, you see another one there, that is when you see real faction in play, but my people are highly intergrating at the local level, and you find out that there is no faction. At the local level, it is one APC. If it happens that we have crises at the state level, the national can receive me, anybody can receive me. I can also decide they receive me at the ward level. In fact, to be honest with you, where you actually join politics is at the ward level. There is a disagreement at the top but at the bottom, it is still one APC”, he disclosed.

Ize-Iyamu emphasised that his joining the APC was not borne out of desperation for political office nor to escalate the crises, rather, to strengthen it and actualise a better Edo State

“I am passionate about developing Edo, a party you and I will do very well. If I left a place and later decide to come back, what’s is surprising or new about that. I have not come to escalate the problem, rather, I want to be solution”, he noted.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

2 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

2 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.

News

N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs

Published

4 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.

Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.

Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.

“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”

“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”

Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.

Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.

Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.