News

Edo 2020: APC, PDP At Verbal War Over Allegation To Doctor Election Result

Published

5 years ago

August 24, 2020

Editor

The APC Media Campaign Council for the Edo governorship election has accused the PDP of colluding with a senior INEC staff to rig the September 19 election in the state.

According to a statement released on Monday by the Chairman of the campaign council, Mr. John Mayaki, “the senior staff who recently quietly retired as INEC’s Director of Voter Education, is a first-cousin to Governor Godwin Obaseki and has been identified in a plot to trade sensitive inside information on the results collation process of the electoral body with the PDP in exchange for unnamed benefits”.

The party alleged that the said staff had initially refused to bow out of INEC despite the expiration of his tenure at the electoral commission, but was forced out following the revelation of his strong ties with the Edo Governor and his secret plot to stay put at the Commission to gain access to sensitive information on the Edo election.

Mayaki added that ” Edo State governor has discreetly named the said retired INEC staff as a private consultant in his re-election campaign with a mandate to provide tactics and strategies, using his experience at INEC, on ways to manipulate the election and substitute real results obtained at the polling units with fake results pre-written in the Edo State Government House.”

Mayaki continued, “As an upgrade to the server scam that failed the PDP in the 2019 General Election because it ignorantly went with the fraud without insight on the result collation process of INEC, the party of tax-collectors, having lost all hopes of winning the Edo election in a fair contest, are concluding plans on another rigging strategy with the recent secret conscription of one INEC retired staff.

“The said staff, Obaseki’s first-cousin who served for many years at INEC and had to be forced out of Commission despite his stalling tactics to stay put until the conclusion of the election which he had planned to manipulate by offering sensitive inside information to his cousin, has now fully joined the Obaseki campaign, though secretly as a private consultant.

“His mandate, and those of others assigned to serve as his aides in the secret location has been lodged, is to develop strategies and tactics for the party on how to substitute results obtained at the polls with fake, pre-written ballots and a corresponding reflection of the electoral fraud in any electronic transfer, using his experience at the Commission.

“We have been reliably told by numerous sources at the Commission of the person in question’s strange enthusiasm and stubborn insistence to be a part of every meeting held at INEC, even sensitive ones outside the remit of his former position as Voter Education Director, before an internal disquiet at the Commission left him with no other choice but to tender his resignation.”

The party called on INEC to strengthen its infrastructure for the election against potential saboteurs, jus as he urged the “PDP to accept its looming defeat in good fate and as deserved consequences for the failure of its embattled candidate, instead of dabbling into actions that could attract criminal prosecution and imprisonment.”

Reacting to the allegations, Chris Nehikhare, PDP publicity secretary in the state said the allegations were laughable, just as he questioned how the state government can rig election when it has no control over INEC and other security agencies.

While accusing the APC of the owner of the said plan of rigging, Nehikhare said he was “not surprised by the allegation because such was the practice when Adams Oshiomhole held sway as governor”.

He continued, ” How on earth can a state government that has no control over INEC, police, DSS, NSCDC or military influence election results? This is laughable to say the least.

” Edo people can still recollect how that same government through EDSIEC announced election results when collation was still ongoing.

” Indeed Edo people and Nigerians know the party that is plotting to rig the election. They watch the video of Adams Oshiomhole talking about arresting some people,” he said.

Recall the PDP also raised the alarm yesterday that the APC was plotting to smuggle fake election results into collation centre.

News

Cherryland, Unifield, Divine Pattern Schools Shine At ITV 2025 Quiz, Debate And Essay Competition

Published

7 hours ago

July 5, 2025

Editor

Winners in the various categories.

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo, Benin

Cherryland Royal School, Divine Pattern Schools, and Unifield International School, on Friday, 4th July, 2025 won the Independent Radio and Television 2025 Interschool Quiz, Debate and Essay Competition in their respective categories.

The Essay Competition, with the topic: ‘There has Been a Growing Incidence of Gambling Amongst Youth in Your Country. Write an Article Suitable for Publication in a National Newspaper Stating Three Probable Causes, and Suggesting how this Problem can be Cured,’ was won by Oghogho Triumph of Divine Pattern Schools, while Eczema Praise of Cherryland Royal School emerged winner in the debate category with the topic: ‘The Youths of Today Are More Interested in the Pursuit of Pleasure than in Academic Work.’

The quiz, which was competed by primary pupils from various schools was won by Victory Ighotomare of
Unifield International High School.

Winners in the various categories in group photograph with the management of ITV/Radio

Earlier, in his opening remarks, Chairman of the occasion and Deputy Chief of Staff to Edo State Government (office of the deputy governor), Hon. Pius Alile, while recalling his primary school days, pledged scholarship to university level for winners in the various categories.

Alile urged the students and pupils to desist from social vices and face their studies, stressing that it’s through education that they can actualise their dreams in life.

In his short remarks, Managing Director, ITV/Radio, Engr. Elvis Obaseki, urged the students and pupils present at the event to face their studies, and above all be disciplined and well behaved.

He stressed that no matter how a student may be brilliant in life, such a student needs discipline to navigate through the journey of life, adding “no matter how intelligent you are, you must be well behaved and disciplined. This will take you far in life.”

The MD, who told the students and pupils that they cannot all be winners at the same time, said being present at the event, they are expected to take one or two lessons back home from the event.

Engr. Obaseki, who said “it’s not too good that none of our public schools are here,” promised, “next year, we will make everything humanly possible to bring our public schools so that the competition will be more interesting and fierce.”

Also speaking, Chairman, organising committee of the event, Dr. Sunny Duke, while expressing joy at the large turnout of schools in this year’s competition, thanked the management and staff of ITV/Radio for their support, and in particular the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion for creating the platform (ITV/Radio) through which young ones can actualise their dreams.

He also thanked the chairman of the occasion, Hon. Alile for offering the winners in the various categories scholarship, stressing that it has been his prayer and wish.

“Where I am today is because of the scholarship I won in JSS 2 back then. And today, that ambition and dream has been fulfilled with the scholarship for the winners of the quiz, debate and essay competition by Hon. Pius Alile, I’m overwhelmed,” Duke said.

The event was spiced up with dance competition amongst students and pupils, and on the other hand amongst teachers, and other side attractions.

News

Ex-gov Ohakim, IGP, Others Win Fundamental Rights Suit

Published

9 hours ago

July 4, 2025

Editor

In a judgment certified on 26th June 2025 and obtained by this reporter,

Hon. Justice Binta Mohammed of the High Court of the Federal Capital has dismissed a fundamental rights suit filed by one Lady Chinyere Lilian Amuchinwa on 4th May 2022 against six parties, including a former Governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Alaikum; and the Inspector-General of Police.

The judgment was certified on 26th June 2025 and obtained by newsmen

The suit stemmed from Lady Amechinwa’s claims that Dr Ikedi Ohakim and another party instigated the police to detain her at the Force Headquarters in Abuja in July 2021 over what was not stated in the suit.

Her claim is not unconnected with some unsubstantiated allegations she had earlier levelled against Ohakim , and for which the former Governor was exonerated.

The defendants, had in their replies, said the suit was devoid of cause of action and an abuse of the process of the court, “the suit having been filed after other similar suits were being pursued elsewhere by Lady Amuchinwa against Dr Ohakim.”

They cited the other suits as a fundamental rights suit in Imo High Court Owerri; an appeal at Owerri Division of court of appeal court; and charges filed at Federal High Court, Abuja, all of which the court noted were either dismissed or struck out against Lady Amuchinwa.

Delivering judgment on the suit Justice Mohammed held that: “From the unchallenged and uncontroverted evidence in this suit, it is established that the Applicant/Respondent, has commenced a multiplicity of action involving the same set of fact and the same persons therefore constituting an abuse of the judicial process. Therefore this issue is resolved in favour of the 1st 3rd and 4th Applicant/respondent as well as the 5th Respondents/Applicants.”

“In conclusion the preliminary objection of the 1st 3rd 4th and 5th Respondents/Applicant succeeded accordingly, the suit filed by the Applicant/Respondent for Enforcement of Fundamental Right on 4/5/22 is hereby dismissed.

“The Applicant has failed to establish a cause of action against the 6th Respondent as nothing remotely connects him to the suit of the Applicant, his name is accordingly struck out from the suit.

“There will be no need to consider and determine the Applicant suit the preliminary objections to the suit having succeeded and the suit dismissed”, the Court ordered.

News

Constitution Amendment: South-East Demands Rotational Presidency, Legislative Seats For Women

Published

10 hours ago

July 4, 2025

Editor

The people of the South-East have demanded a constitution that allows for the rotation of the presidency and grants full autonomy to Local Governments in the country.

They requested the South-East Zonal Public Hearing on Review of the 1999 Constitution, organised by the Senate on Friday in Enugu.

Speaking during the exercise, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State noted that the concept of a rotational presidency was paramount to the Southeast.

The governor said the state believed that adopting a rotational presidency among the six geopolitical zones, this would provide every region, including the Southeast, a fair chance at the nation’s highest office.

\Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, added that the idea would foster a greater sense of belonging and national unity.

Similarly, the governorship should rotate among senatorial zones, and legislative seats should be allocated among constituencies, ensuring broader representation and participation at all levels of governance.

“To further enhance inclusivity, particularly for women, we propose legislative seats. We advocate for one additional Senate seat per state for women and two additional House of Representatives seats per state.

“As a state, we advocate for three additional assembly seats per state for women.

“This measure will significantly boost gender parity and ensure active participation of women in governance and in decision-making processes,” Mbah said.

The governor also called for the institutionalisation of Local Government Councils as a truly autonomous form of government team.

According to him, the current practice where state governors meant for local governments and appoint caretaker committees instead of elected representatives and hinder grassroots development.

“We urge the committee to reinforce section1999 constitution to ensure the democratic existence of local governments, allowing them to directly access their funds from the national consolidated account,” Mbah said.

The governor equally called for legislative powers, enhancements, and fiscal reforms that would devolve more powers and resources to the states.

He stressed that the current concentration of power at the centre, a legacy of the military rule, had stifled the growth and development of sub-national entities.

“A true federal system requires that states are autonomous entities with sufficient powers and resources to positively impact the lives of their citizens,” he concluded.

On his part, Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State called for the creation of an additional state in the Southeast to bring them on par with other geopolitical zones of the country.

Nwifuru, represented by the Speaker, Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mr Moses Odunwa, also called a for women’s inclusiveness and reserved political seats for women.

“If a particular seat has been designated for women, all the parties will feature women candidates to fill in the space,” he said.

The public hearing was attended by government officials, traditional rulers, NGOs, and civil society organisations.
(VANGUARD)