Politics

Edo APC, Govt Trade Words Over Palliatives

Published

1 year 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

Tinubu Sends Ex-INEC Chair, Former Oyo First Lady, 30 Additional Ambassadorial Nominees To Senate

Published

2 days ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has forwarded 32 additional ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, just days after submitting an initial batch of three names.

In two separate letters to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the President urged the upper chamber to consider and swiftly confirm 15 career diplomats and 17 non-career nominees.

The list includes four women among the career nominees and six women among the non-career nominees.

Prominent names on the non-career list include Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu from Abia State; former presidential aide, Reno Omokri (Delta); former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmud Yakubu; former Ekiti First Lady, Erelu Angela Adebayo; and former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Others are former Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Tasiu Musa Maigari; former Plateau State Commissioner, Yakubu N. Gambo; and former Deputy Executive Secretary of UBEC, Yakubu K. Musa.

Also nominated are former Plateau senator, Prof. Nora Ladi Daduut; former Lagos Deputy Governor, Otunba Femi Pedro; former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode; and Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu from Anambra State.

Additional nominees include former Oyo First Lady, Fatima Florence Ajimobi; former Lagos Commissioner, Lola Akande; former Adamawa senator, Grace Bent; former Abia governor, Victor Okezie Ikpeazu; Senator Jimoh Ibrahim of Ondo State; and former envoy to the Holy See, Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue).

The career ambassadorial nominees are Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu (Abia), Yakubu Nyaku Danladi (Taraba), Miamuna Ibrahim Besto (Adamawa), Musa Musa Abubakar (Kebbi), Syndoph Paebi Endoni (Bayelsa), Chima Geoffrey Lioma David (Ebonyi), and Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim (Ogun).

Others include Abimbola Samuel Reuben (Ondo), Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah (Edo), Hamza Mohammed Salau (Niger), Ambassador Shehu Barde (Katsina), Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), Ambassador Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna), Ambassador Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari (Kwara), and Ambassador Wahab Adekola Akande (Osun).

The new nominees are expected to be deployed to countries with which Nigeria maintains strong and strategic diplomatic relations, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya, as well as to Permanent Missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union.

Their specific postings will be determined after Senate confirmation.

Recall that President Tinubu, last week, forwarded three ambassadorial nominees, Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun), who are being considered for postings to the UK, USA, or France.

President Tinubu said additional ambassadorial nominations will be announced in due course.

Politics

Soludo Visits Tinubu, Goes Into Closed Door Session With President

Published

4 days ago

November 28, 2025

Editor

Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo, on Thursday, paid a courtesy visit to the President, Bola Tinubu, GCFR at the State House.

Report by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Soludo, Mr Chris Aburime stated that President Tinubu received the Anambra State Governor with excitement, describing him as his long standing friend of over 22 years.

Aburime said, “The President used the occasion to further congratulate Governor Soludo on his landslide victory in the just concluded Anambra gubernatorial election.

“Recall that President Tinubu had earlier issued a congratulatory message to Governor Soludo immediately the governorship election was concluded.”

Governor Soludo was declared winner with 73% of the votes cast by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Other details of the meeting were, however, not disclosed as the press Secretary told DAILY POST that both men went into a closed door meeting after the reception.

Politics

2027: I Will Resign If Tinubu Loses In Edo – Governor Okpebholo

Published

4 days ago

November 28, 2025

Editor

Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholor has vowed that President Bola Tinubu will win the 2027 presidential election in Edo State.

Okpebholor in an interview captured in a viral video vowed to resign if the outcome of the 2027 election does not favour the president in Edo State.

According to him, the entire people in Edo State are ready to vote for the president, citing projects that his (Okpebholor) administration executed since the All Progressives Congress, APC took over the state.

He claimed that there is no opposition in the state, stressing that everyone is supporting the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.

He said, “There is no opposition here in Edo everybody is for Asiwaju in this state.

“Tinubu is more popular than me in Edo state. If he doesn’t win the presidential election in Edo in 2027, I will resign.”