Politics

Edo APC, Govt Trade Words Over Land Grabbing, Others

Published

3 years ago

May 30, 2022

The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Obaseki-led government in the state are at loggerhead over land grabbing and the state government’s alleged new policy on land and land grabbers.

Obaseki was said to have invited leaders of different Church organisations to a meeting at the Government House, Benin City, last week where he told them that he has declared a war on land grabbing.

Obaseki was said to have said: “With the support of the Inspector General of Police, we are building trucks with guns and a barrack that will contain 100 men. We are working with the Private Property Protection Committee to come up with a list of petitions which is about 420. We will address all and ensure we end land grabbing in the state.”

But reacting to Obaseki’s alleged ‘war on land grabbers’, the APC in a statement signed by the state Assistant Publicity Secretary, Victor Osehobo, accused the Obaseki-led government of highest culprit of land grabbing with its several policies.

Osehobo, in the statement titled: ‘That Scam of Mr Obaseki’s War On Land Grabbing,’ said the government of Obaseki had in several occasions demolished individuals houses including churches and seized their plots and in many cases claiming them as Government plots, adding that there was a time the government attempted on relocating the same churches he pleaded to support him in his war on land grabbers.

“Ironically, Edo people know for a fact that the reason why Land grabbing is a major problem in the state is because the Obaseki government is the biggest culprit.

“As it were, over time, the government has perfected a policy of grabbing peoples land by demolishing their houses and seizing their plots and in many cases claiming them as Government plots.

“In the process, the state government has earned itself myriads of litigations, which could have been avoided ab initio.

“At a time, the Obaseki government contemplated grabbing the lands belonging to these same church organizations and even attempted to relocate many of them over a spurious land use plan. Now he wants these same bodies, which are duly registered to apply for fresh registration with his government by presenting building plans.”

The statement added: “It smacks of cluelessness for Governor Obaseki to announce that he has a declared war on land grabbing.”

According to Osehobo in the statement, what Edo people expected Obaseki “to declare war on and long before now was the activities of rampaging criminal herdsmen, kidnappers and bandits, that have been busy terrorizing highways across the state.”

Osehobo’s statement added: “This is the same Governor Obaseki who could not declare a war in January, when scores of persons, dressed in military uniform and suspected to be herdsmen invaded several farming communities in Ovia Northeast Local Government Area of Edo State, chased all the villagers away and took control of their farms, homes and properties.

“Mr Obaseki did not also declare a war when last month, less than five persons and several others were maimed as suspected criminal herdsmen attacked Odiguetue, among other agrarian communities in the same Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.

“Indeed, Governor Obaseki was really busy, politicking, and absent from the state, else he would have known that over 45 communities, including Odiguetue, Ofintebe, Igolo, Okokuo, Abumwenre I and II, Obarenren, Uhiere, Uyimo I and II, all in Ovia Northeast Local government, protested the activities of herdsmen which resulted in killings, destructions of farm produce and forceful evictions from their ancestral homes, by barricading the Lagos – Benin Expressway for hours.”

The statement, while appealing to “religious organizations especially the churches and their leaders to be on red alert,” advised Obaseki to “hand over to the relevant security authorities, all the barracks, the trucks and the guns he is building and has acquired, against land grabbing.”

But the Edo State Government in its reaction said with the APC’s utterance, it’s obvious that the party “in Edo State is out of its depth and are now spokespersons for violent elements whose actions were responsible for the state’s underdevelopment in the past.”

The government’s statement titled ‘Edo Govt Berates APC For Backing Land-grabbers, Others,’ and signed by Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser, Media Projects to Obaseki said: “On the charge for the state government to deploy its assets to check banditry and herdsmen attacks, the Edo APC is obviously playing the Ostrich. In case they have forgotten, I would like to remind them that the Federal Government – which is controlled by their party, the APC – is constitutionally empowered to address issues of national security.

“The APC-controlled Federal Government is in charge of the machinery of state to fight off banditry and herdsmen/farmer clashes. They control the Civil Defense, Nigerian Army, Department of State Services, Nigeria Intelligence Agency and the Nigeria Police Force. Hence, the criticism should be directed at their party at the national level.”

Politics

BREAKING: Nigerian Senate Approves Tinubu’s N1.15tn Loan Request

Published

4 days ago

November 12, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Senate has approved the request of President Bola Tinubu to raise N1.15 trillion from the domestic debt market to cover the unfunded portion of the 2025 budget deficit.

This comes after the adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debt during plenary on Wednesday.

According to the committee, the 2025 Appropriation Act provides for a total expenditure of N59.99 trillion, representing an increase of N5.25 trillion over the N54.74 trillion initially proposed by the Executive.

The expansion created a total budget deficit of N14.10 trillion. Of this, N12.95 trillion had already been approved for borrowing, leaving an unfunded deficit of approximately N1.15 trillion (N1,147,462,863,321).

In a related development, a motion by Senator Abdul Ningi was adopted, directing the Senate Committee on Appropriations to intensify its oversight to ensure that the borrowed funds are properly implemented in the 2025 fiscal year and used strictly for their intended purposes.

Recall that President Tinubu had on November 4th requested the approval of the National Assembly for a fresh N1.15 trillion borrowing from the domestic debt market to help finance the deficit in the 2025 budget.

The President’s request was conveyed in a letter. According to the letter, the proposed borrowing is intended to bridge the funding gap and ensure full implementation of government programs and projects under the 2025 fiscal plan.

Politics

Agege LG Chairman Resigns

Published

2 weeks ago

November 5, 2025

Editor

Agege Local Government
Mr. Tunde Azeez Disco has stepped down as the Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government, citing persistent health challenges as the reason for his resignation.

The former chairman submitted his resignation letter to the Agege Local Government Legislative Arm.

He noted that his health status had significantly impacted his ability to effectively discharge his official duties.

The legislative house, while acknowledging Azeez Disco’s dedication to public service, quickly accepted the decision. Following a thorough deliberation, a unanimous resolution was passed, accepting the resignation with immediate effect.

The council wished the outgoing chairman well in his future endeavours, with the event underlining the necessity for public officials to prioritise personal health and well-being.

Ganiyu Obasa, son of the Speaker, Lagos State Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, is the Vice chairman of Agege Local Government.

In May, residents of Agege, under the banner of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the local government election in Agege.

They claimed that Obasa allegedly plans to foist his surrogates as candidates in the local government and councillorship elections.

In a meeting held in response to the announcement of candidates for the chairmanship and vice-chairmanship of the Agege Local Government and Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA), the aggrieved residents alleged that those shortlisted as candidates to represent the area were handpicked by Obasa.

They said the process was void of internal democracy and collective participation.

Addressing the media, Kamardeen Sabitu, chairman of the PCC for Agege and Orile-Agege, alleged that Obasa did everything possible to manipulate the political structure in the area for personal gain.

During the protest, demonstrators carried placards reading “Red Card, Obasa O to ge, (it is enough). They also chanted songs such as “Enough is Enough, this suffering is enough, Tinubu, rescue us.”

Politics

JUST IN: Reps In Rowdy Session, Reject Key Motions

Published

2 weeks ago

November 4, 2025

Editor

The plenary session of the House of Representatives on Tuesday turned rowdy after members voted against some motions of urgent public importance, which bordered on the protection of lives and key government assets.

With the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, presiding, the session became rowdy, as members dissolved into a closed-door session to restore order.

It all started when the member representing Somolu Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Ademorin Kuye, drew the attention of his colleagues to what he called the illegal allocation of lands within the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex and prayed the House to refer the matter to the Committee on Public Assets for investigation.

Kuye, a member of the All Progressives Congress is the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Assets.

Proposing an amendment to the prayers, Delta lawmaker and Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, argued that though the matter brought before the Green Chamber is urgent enough, the Committee on Commerce, not Public Assets, should be in charge of the investigation.

Waive was supported by Akwa Ibom lawmaker, Mark Esset, who argued that “It is the Committee on Commerce that should take responsibility on this matter.”

On the other hand, Yusuf Gagdi representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, Plateau State, supported Kuye, stating that the Public Assets Committee should be allowed to take charge of investigating the allegation of illegal land sale and submit a report to the House.

With no end to the back-and-forth argument in sight, Gbefwi Gaza (SDP, Nasarawa) on the advice of Kalu, proposed the constitution of an Ad-hoc Committee comprising members of both Committees (Public Assets and Commerce) to conduct the probe.

When subjected to a voice vote, almost an equal number of lawmakers voted in support and against the motion.

Not sure whose voices were louder, Kalu gave it to the nays, sparking unrest in the chamber.

Next on the order of urgent motions was Mohammed Bio representing Baruten/Kaima Federal Constituency, Kwara State.

Bio who lamented the worsening security situation in his constituency, prayed the House to urge the military to establish a base in the crisis-prone areas to stem the tides of attacks.

This time, more lawmakers voted against the motion, to the surprise of Kalu and the Kwara lawmaker.

It became clear to Kalu that members had resolved to frustrate the day’s session owing to the rejection of Kuye’s motion.

So, when again voices thundered against Ayodeji Alao-Akala’s motion which drew members’ attention to the need to address Nigeria’s description as a “Country of Particular Concern” by the United States President, Mr Donald Trump; Kalu allowed the motion to pass, forcing members to openly oppose the decision.

Voices of dissent rent the chambers and the plenary was suspended for a closed-door session.

…Details later