Politics

Edo APC Chides Obaseki Over Poor State Of Schools, Alarming Insecurity

Published

2 years ago

June 30, 2022

Editor

The All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State chapter, has condemned the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration for the poor condition of schools, and increasing alarming insecurity in the state.

Reacting to the poor state of schools and insecurity, the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Peter Enoserogbe Uwadiae Igbinigie Esq., said it’s very “worrisome to note that the Obaseki’s led PDP administration has returned the education sector in Edo to the doldrums, also allowed the ever alarming rate of insecurity.”

The party lamented that the high level of overall development in the education sector established by his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole, has since been abandoned by the administration.

He Said: “Now, the schools has returned to utter state of decay before the coming of the APC led administration of Oshiomhole.

“What is prevailing is a radical departure from the high standard as set by Adams Oshiomhole’s administration, ‘the Red Roof Revolution’ which was widely applauded within and outside the State and even beyond.”

He noted that the story of Ofumwengbe Primary School in the media where there is no roof and the pupils sit on the bare floor, is only a classical example of the unfortunate situation across the state under the Obaseki’s administration.

“Whearas, the Obaseki’s administration continue to deceive the people with the so called EDOBEST programme which obviously has no bearing with the physical realities on ground.

“Evidently, ‘EDOBEST’ has been a conduit pipe via which the Obaseki’s administration has been using to syphone the collective resources of Edo people.

“If you go to schools across the state, with the Ofumwengbe Primary School story as brought to the fore by the journalist who visited the school on the behest of the community leaders; pupils now sit on the bare floor to learn.

“Whereas, the Edo State Government keeps singing with the EDOBEST programme to have greatly changed the narrative in the state.

“But while Oshiomhole was in charge, the practicality of what the education system should be, was obvious: red roof revolution, holistic infrastructure development and teachers employment.

“Since the coming of the Obaseki’s administration, no employment of teachers, infrastructure are in utter decay; underlining the fact that EDOBEST programme is not only a total failure, but a charade.

“Ultimately, this is not how the education sector should be as compared to the dreams of our forebears.”

Also notably, insecurity in Edo has assumed a frightening dimension that no one feels safe anymore. Traveling on our roads is now a nightmare, and people can no longer go to their farms for fear of being attacked.

“It is very saddening that the environment is very volatile that going about one’s business is a top risk.

“A case in point is the killing of the Catholic Priest in Okabigbo, Edo North last Sunday, and resumption of cult related killings on Wednesday in Benin City.

“We, however, commiserate with the family of the victims, the Catholic Church, and Christiandom for the untimely loss of their loved ones.”

The party accused the Obaseki’s administration for poor funding of the security architecture in the state, hence the prevailing ever increasing insecurity in the state.

The vigilante outfit are not even trained, they go about carrying arms that are inferior to that of the criminal elements.

The APC consequently challenged the Obaseki’s administration to put to judicious use, the monthly security vote of the N750m it receives from the Federal Government.

As it reiterates that the situation prevailing is very worrisome, and charged the Government to wake up to the challenge.

Politics

JUST IN: Ex-PDP Deputy National Chair, Oyedokun Defects To APC

Published

24 mins ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, has resigned his membership of the party and announced defection to the All Progressives Congress.

Oyedokun, a notable personality within the political circle in Osun State and beyond, said he decided to dump the PDP after consultation with his loyalists.

He said he would be joining APC, where his experience, efforts, and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.

His resignation letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP through the ward, local government and state chairmen of the party obtained late Thursday further read, “As a functional member and leader of PDP (Ward 13, Jagun/ Osi-Bale Ode, Odo-Otin South Local Government, Osun State,) whose high electoral productivity and value have been credibly and positively acknowledged in my ward, across the local council, state and country-wide for the enhancement of the fortune of the PDP, I have the honour (though with pain) in announcing the renunciation of my membership of the party on principle, having observed that the ideals of we, founding members, had been sorely contaminated.

“In taking this step which is not even without due consultation with my teaming loyalists in the PDP, I have consequently decided to shift my allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where I believe my experience, efforts and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.”

Oyedokun’s defection to the APC is coming at the time the aspirant he supported during the 2022 Osun governorship primary of PDP, Mr Dotun Babayemi is also moving to the national ruling party.

Osun APC said on Wednesday that Babayemi and his supporters would be dumping PDP and joining the party at a rally scheduled to be held in Osogbo on Friday.
PUNCH

Politics

Poll: APC Has No Sellable Candidate, Nothing To Campaign On – Edo Govt

Published

3 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

The Edo State Government claimed on Monday that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has no credible candidate for the September 21 governorship election.

This was an assertion made by the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, at a press conference in Benin City.

Nehikhare also alleged that the party is using lies and propaganda as its campaign strategy.

According to him: “The only APC strategy for the governorship election is to resort to lies and propaganda. When a party takes lies and propaganda as an election strategy, it means it has nothing to offer the people. The party lacks people with character, capacity, and intellect.”

The commissioner who took journalists through a screened shot WhatsApp chat said: “What we have here is the official APC WhatsApp platform, their own people screenshot their discussion. One of them who has a conscience asks, is this the only thing we have?”

Nehikhare, who said APC is ashamed to campaign for its candidate, noted that, as of today, nobody had heard of what the party has for the state.

“All we heard is how they are going to help their paymaster, lies and propaganda that will not help the state,” he added.

He opined that lies and propaganda are not strategies the opposition party, like APC, can use to win the September 21 governorship election.

The commissioner, who warned against misinformation and fake news ahead of the governorship election, urged media practitioners to be neutral in matters concerning lies and propaganda.

He, however, noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration has a lot of achievements to market and sell its candidate for the election.

Politics

Defection: Edo Govt, Ex-PDP BoT Member, Idahosa In Verbal War

Published

3 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

Edo State government and a former member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, Charles Idahosa, on Monday traded words over the latter defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Recall that Idahosa resigned
formally resigned who had last month resigned from PDP, rejoined the APC on Monday in Benin City.

Speaking during his formal presentation to the APC in Benin City, he noted that he left the party four years ago due to internal crisis.

Idahosa added that he dumped the PDP because of what he described as the “damning deeds of the Obaseki-led administration in the last four years”.

He took a swipe at Obaseki for saying that PDP would win the forthcoming September governorship election with 80 per cent of votes.

“I thank God, four years later we all are wiser now. Like the Secretary said, I was a founding member of ACD, ACN and APC. The damage we did four years ago, the APC never remained the same.

“But I am glad we are back to the family. I was nominated to the Board of the Railway when I was in the APC. When I moved to the PDP, I wrote to resign my membership but it was rejected and showed my wide acceptance.

“At 71, I am not here to contest position with anybody, I am here to work. I want to urge APC to keep their eyes on the ball. It is not over until it is over.”

While lambasting Governor Obaseki for his comment that those leaving PDP have been given money, he noted that his greatest regret was not allowing the governor to resign after his first four years in office.

“When he came to beg me like a weather beaten chicken, how much did he give to me? Anytime he goes religious gathering he would say those leaving PDP have been given money.

“He came to me three times in my house to say he wants to resign, that he was tired of being governor but I appealed to him, telling him it was not about him but Benin interest.”

But in a swift reaction, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare alleged that Idahosa was never a PDP member.

Nehikhare noted that Idahosa was also never a BOT member of the party, because the party in the state rejected his nomination.

He alleged that it was as a result of the rejection that he found his way back to APC.

“I heard that he claimed to be a member of BOT of PDP but I want to challenge him to tell us when he was sworn in as a member of PDP BOT. He was not a fit and proper person. Even though he was nominated he was shunned by the party.

“It was this that drove him back to APC which he never left in the first place. He was holding on to the board appointment which was offered him while in APC prior to 2020 governorship election.

“He has reached the end of his political career. He has nothing to offer any political party or any group he joins because he believes in bread and butter politics,” Nehikhare said.