News

Edo 2020: APC, PDP In A Row Over N300m Allegedly Earmarked By Tinubu, Others For Vote Buying

Published

5 years ago

September 13, 2020

Editor

The Edo State Peoples Democratic Party Campaign Council has raised the alarm over alleged plot by the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other APC chieftains in Edo to buy votes with N300m during the September 19 governorship election.

Chairman of the council’s publicity and media committee, Chris Nehikhare, in a statement, said intelligence available to the council revealed that the local councils in Lagos State have been mandated to contribute N15 million each to finance the rigging plan.

According to him, “We are once again drawing the attention of the world and all lovers of democracy to the glaring fact that the APC is attempting to rig the Edo 2020 governorship election scheduled for Saturday, September 19, 2020, by mobilising N300 million from Lagos State local councils, each council contributing N15 million to execute the sinister plan.

“It is regrettable and disturbing that at a time when Lagosians are suffering from the vagaries of biting economic hardship superintendented by the APC government’s policies, the party is deploying Lagos State’s resources to subvert the will of Edo People.”

He said it was shameful that the APC is propagating the template of vote buying and rigging that should best be left to the relics of Nigeria’s political history, noting.

“We are sure that the resort to this despicable tactic is because the party is certain of defeat at the poll and is only trying to save face. The people have been unanimous in their support for the candidate of the PDP and no matter the underhand tactic of the APC, the will of the people must surely prevail,” Nehikhare said.

He queried the interest of Tinubu in the outcome of the poll in Edo, noting that the people are resolute in truncating the reign of godfathers in the state.

“Edo is not Lagos. Edo people are proud and dignified people and would not surrender their freedom and freewill to men who want to act god over their affairs. So Tinubu can keep his money in Lagos,” he said.

Meanwhile, reacting to the allegation, Mr. John Mayaki, Chairman of the APC Media Campaign Council, described the PDP as “master riggers”.

He noted that the APC has no interest in dishonest politics, just as he added that Nehikhare, PDP spokesman, may have been disoriented when he “fabricated the story”.

He said, “The PDP are renowned countrywide for their matchless fabrications. They are masters of falsehood, but whenever Nehikhare gets excited and tries to fabricate one, he overdoes it. It is glaring that the man did not know what he was saying. He should meet Chief Dan Orbih, his mentor, to teach him the art.

“Edo people know that APC has no interest in dishonest politics. What do we stand to gain from buying votes that the people have already promised us? Why would Lagos local government councils raise that kind of money for us? Don’t they have anything to do with money in Lagos? If Lagos went about furnishing APC states with that kind of outrageous sum, what will they use to develop themselves?

“I think their claim is due to our earlier exposure on Obaseki’s order to council chairmen to release the sum of N1.7 million to 18 local government Electoral Officers (EOs).

“If the man (Nehikhare) had been following the news, he would have noted that the person is lying against is only giving us moral support as a party leader. He is not here in Edo, and he is a man who strongly opposes anti-democratic moves.

“I don’t know why Nehikhare wants to drag him into the mess that Mr Obaseki has made of Edo politics, but he is insignificant to Tinubu and would likely not get a response from him. Again, don’t forget that this is the same APC National Leader Obaseki visited for endorsement and support for the APC ticket”.

Mayaki, however, advised Edo people not to “sell their birthright and votes to the dishonest merchants and tax collectors of PDP, as the APC was coming to right all the wrongs of the past four years.”

News

DSS Arraigns Sowore Over Anti-Tinubu Post

Published

5 hours ago

September 30, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government is set to arraign human rights activist Omoyele Sowore on a five-count charge for allegedly posting false statements about President Bola Tinubu intended to cause a breakdown of law and order, court papers show.

Sowore was sighted at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ahead of the arraignment.

The suit dated 16th September,2025, was lodged after Sowore allegedly refused to delete the controversial posts about the President.

The Sahara Reporters publisher was accused of using his official X handle to make the post, “This criminal @ official PBAT Actually went to Brazil to state that there is no more corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly!”

The alleged offending post, said to be contrary to Section 24(2) (b) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention Act 2024, was said to have been made on August 25 within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.

The charges were brought on behalf of the DSS and the Federal Government by M.B. Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, alongside four other counsel to the DSS –M.E. Ernest, U.B. Bulla, Dr. C.S. Eze, and E.G. Orubor.

Social media companies X Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. are listed as co-defendants.

Confirming the legal action in a Facebook post last week, Sowore wrote, “The State Security Service, alias @OfficialDSSNG today filed a 5-count charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja against ‘X’ (formerly Twitter Facebook, and myself. They claimed that because I called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu a criminal, I have somehow committed a set of ‘novel’ offences they invented and spread across five counts.

“It’s hard to believe there’s anyone sensible left in these offices that should be making Nigeria work. Regardless, I will be present whenever this case is assigned for trial. #RevolutionNow.”

Recall that the human rights activist and African Action Congress candidate in the 2023 election vowed not to delete the controversial tweet, despite a request from the DSS to X demanding its removal.

Restating his stance, Sowore wrote, “This morning, X (formerly Twitter) officially contacted me about the despicable threat letter they received from the lawless DSS over my Tweet on Tinubu. One option I will NOT be taking is deleting that Tweet. Thank you, @X.”

News

Lagos Opens Portal For Teaching Job Applications

Published

5 hours ago

September 30, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board has opened its official application portal for teaching positions across the state.

In a statement signed on Monday by the Executive Chairman of LASUBEB, the board said the recruitment exercise, approved by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, targets qualified candidates willing to contribute to the delivery of quality education in Lagos State.

The statement partly read, “This is a unique opportunity for NCE holders, B.A (Ed), B.Sc (Ed), B.Ed, HND+PGDE, BA+PGDE, and B.Sc+PGDE graduates to build a career in teaching and contribute meaningfully to qualitative service delivery in the State.”

According to the commission, applicants are required to submit applications strictly online via https://subebjobs.lagosstate.gov.ng.

The statement warned that physical submissions would not be entertained and stressed that the board has not authorised anyone to collect money for the exercise, which is completely free.

It stated that the documents for application include, O’ Level Certificate (WAEC, NECO, NABTEB), Degree Certificate or NCE Certificate, and NYSC Discharge or Exemption Certificate, as applicable.

The board also noted that notifications or statements of results issued beyond two years would not be accepted.

“LASUBEB has not engaged or authorised any individual or group to collect money for this exercise. The application is absolutely free.

“Closing Date: The portal will close on 14th October, 2025,” the statement concluded.

News

FG Approves New NYSC Mandatory Regulations

Published

7 hours ago

September 30, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has approved the compliance with the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) a mandatory requirement for mobilisation into or exemption from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The provides that, effective from Oct. 6, no Nigerian graduate – whether from a Nigerian university, polytechnic, college of education, or an overseas institution would be mobilised for or exempted from NYSC without proof of NERD compliance.

This directive was contained in a circular issued to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) by Sen. George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) on Sunday in Abuja.

The directive does not, however, affect serving Corps members or those enrolled before the enforcement date.

Akume said that the compliance directive was to convey the approval for the adjustment of “NYSC mobilisation criteria in accordance with the President’s regulation requiring proof of NERD Policy compliance for all prospective Corps members, regardless of where they were educated.”