Politics

Edo APC, Govt Trade Words Over Palliatives

Published

11 months ago

August 1, 2024

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

The Edo State Government and the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Thursday, clashed over alleged diversion of Federal Government’s palliatives meant for residents of the state.

A video, which has gone viral on the social media, had emerged earlier today, wherein people are seen rushing to carry 10kg bag of rice.

A background voice is heard in the video saying ‘See our rice wey government give us wey dem go hide… See our rice, we don locate where dem hide am. Here na Urora. See rice everywhere. Make una come carry rice ‘

Speaking during a briefing in Benin on Thursday, August 1st, state chairman of the APC, Emperor Jarett Tenebe, accused the state government led by Governor Godwin Obaseki of repackaging rice given to the vulnerable in the state by the Federal Government, and also warehousing them.

Tenebe alleged: “Last month, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) handed over 786.6 metric tonnes made up of 17,424 bags of assorted grains to the Edo State Government as part of palliative measures to cushion the adverse effects of the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government on the people of the State, but Obaseki has refused to share them.

“Last month, the Federal Government confirmed that the 36 states, including Edo have received 20 trucks of rice, yet Obaseki has failed to account for them.

“In his usual deceptive style of governance, Obaseki has converted everything he received from the APC Federal Government on behalf of Edo people, to donations made by his administration.

“He has achieved this by repackaging the rice and other grains in branded mini bags with Edo State insignia. He has announced also that his PDP government spends N1billion each month for purchase of rice.

“If Edo people were ever in doubt, the video that emerged in the social media today, where an abandoned trailer load of repackaged Federal Government rice with Edo State Government inscription was discovered by Urora residents, has exposed Obaseki’s deliberate plan to deprive Edo people from accessing the different palliative measures.

“We have intelligence of several warehouses in the state, hoarding rice and other grains met for Edo people. There are reports also, that substantial parts of the rice are being sold in markets by a prominent PDP market woman leader.

“What Obaseki has succeeded in doing amounts to economic sabotage and certainly, he should have a date with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission,” he added.

But responding to the allegations, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, said: “The government supports the vulnerable with relief materials through religious organisations particularly the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and the Edo State Muslims Pilgrim Welfare Board.

“The State government does not keep any relief material by itself but reaches out to the people through these channels.

“We will not put this tactic past the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is spreading malicious content to score cheap political points. This condemnable action is intended to cause chaos in the state and the APC is discouraged from such ignoble practice.”

Politics

Coalition: Abure-led LP Gives Obi 48 Hours To Leave Party

Published

1 day ago

July 3, 2025

Editor

The Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has given the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, a 48 hours ultimatum to leave the party haven formally joined the coalition party.

This was contained in a statement signed by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, in Abuja, on Thursday.

He explained that the Labour Party under Abure’s leadership remains vehemently opposed to joining the coalition while dismissing members of the coalition as “power mongers whose only interest was self and not the people.”

The party warned Nigerians that the often mouthed ‘new Nigeria is Possible’ is a ruse and cannot be achieved with the assemblage of old, recycled, desperate and frustrated politicians in the coalition.

Ifoh said the party is aware that all those who mismanaged Nigeria over the years are the ones that gathered themselves in the coalition while noting that desperate politicians can’t birth new Nigeria.

He said, “We are aware of several nocturnal meetings between Peter Obi and some of our members, lobbying them to join him in his new party. We’re also aware that a number of them has refused to defect with him.

“Labour Party has consistently said it is not part of the coalition and therefore, any of our members who is part of the coalition is given within 48 hours to formally resign his membership of the party.

“Labour Party is not available for people with dual agenda, people with deceptive persona. The party will not avail itself to individuals who have one leg in one Party and another leg elsewhere.

“People who in the morning they will claim to be in the Labour Party and in the evening they are in coalition.

“Nearly 70 per cent of the Nigerian population are youths who are tired of the old order, tired of gerontocrats deciding their fate. The new Nigeria that the youths are dreaming of, is not what can be realized from what we are seeing in the coalition.

“These people are opportunistic politicians who are only interested in relaunching themselves into circle of power, people who are desperate to continue holding on to power.

“The new Nigeria of our dream can only be realised through the Labour Party, and the party is willing to lead Nigerians along that trajectory.

“I therefore urge all members of the party to remain loyal and keep the party structure intact ahead of future elections.”

Politics

Only A Formidable Coalition Can Salvage Nigeria, Says Peter Obi

Published

1 day ago

July 3, 2025

Editor

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has given his full support for the coalition of opposition parties aimed at ending President Bola Tinubu’s rule in 2027.

He explained that it was a fact that no single group can change Nigeria alone, hence the need for people to come together to pursue the goal.

The former Amambra State Governor said this in a post on his verified X handle, on Thursday.

He said this just as the Julia Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has given him 48 hours within which to formally resign from the party or risk expulsion.

Obi in his post wrote, “Yesterday, the coalition members formally adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 Nigeria General Elections with Distinguished Senator David Mark serving as the National Chairman and H.E. Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola serving as the National Secretary.

“Our commitment is to sacrifice and work together towards the 2027 General Elections, ensuring that Nigeria gets a competent, capable, and compassionate leadership that will prioritise the nation’s future by putting the welfare of Nigerians first.

REAS ALSO: Peter Obi Speaks As Port Harcourt Refinery Begins Production

“This decision was not made lightly. It comes from deep reflection on where we are as a country and what must be done to move forward.

“No one group can change Nigeria alone. To dismantle the structures that keep our people in poverty and insecurity, we must build bridges, not walls even when those bridges are uneasy. A New Nigeria is Possible. -PO.”

Politics

I Don’t Owe Anybody Explanation On Truce With Fubara – Wike

Published

1 day ago

July 3, 2025

Editor

Federal Capital Territory FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday, declared that peace has returned to his home state, Rivers, saying he does not owe anyone an explanation on the terms of the truce.

Wike disclosed this during a Media chat monitored in Abuja.

According to him, several people had turned the crisis in Rivers State into an “oil well”, from which they were drawing illicit funds for their selfish interests, saying such fifth columnists are no longer happy that he has reconciled with the suspended Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara.

Details later…