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Edo Election Tribunal Chairman Sues For Cooperation As Sitting Commences

Published

1 year ago

December 9, 2024

The chairman, Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Justice Wilfred Kpochi, on Monday called for cooperation from all the stakeholders as the tribunal commenced pre-hearing sitting.

Flanked by the other two members of the panel, Justices A.B. Yusuf and A.A. Adewole, Justice Kpochi also urged counsels not to engage in unnecessary arguments that could lead to shouting, craving that the conducive atmosphere he met should be sustained.

According to Kpochi, “I am impressed by the conducive and calm environment I am seeing and going forward, I will want this to continue, I appeal to you all that let us put our eyes on the ball so that we can have serene proceedings.

“You have SANs and very senior lawyers here, nobody is going to shout at you, please don’t also shout at us, if there are areas you feel not comfortable about, please draw our attention to it.”

Responding, one of the lead counsels to the PDP candidate , Asue Ighodalo, Ken Mozia, SAN, pledged their commitment to the proceedings as far as other parties would do the same.

He added: “We will do our best to represent our client, and we have admonished his supporters to be civil and not to even be in the court premises. We will do our best to cooperate with you.”

On his part, lead counsel to the governor, Oyinyechi Ikpazu, SAN, said they were ready to cooperate with the panel and other parties in the suits to ensure a smooth exercise.

“We sue for understanding and working together. We have done cases; we have also done cases against each other so we know ourselves and we will give our maximum cooperation for this.”

On his part, the chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Benin branch, Idemudia Osifo, while pledging cooperation from the association, however, expressed concerns about the space where the sitting took place.

He said the room used for the sitting was too small compared to the number of people present, and Justice Kpochi said he had taken note of that.

In today’s sitting, candidate of the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo was accompanied by the state chairman of the party, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi.

Asue Ighodalo is challenging the September 21, 2024 election victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo.

Others challenging the result of the election are Accord Party (AC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Meanwhile, Edo State governor, Monday Okpebholo was absent at today’s sitting, while his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) was represented by the State Legal Adviser, Stephen Okoror and other chieftains of the party including the former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Fran Okiye.

There was tight security in today’s inaugural sitting which was held at the Edo State High Court Premises along Sapele Road in Benin City.

In a related development , while sitting was ongoing inside the courtroom, suspected supporters of parties clashed outside the court premises

Some people believed to be supporters of some of the parties wearing white fez caps and T-Shirts with alleged inviting inscriptions were said to have clashed with other supporters who were said to have been against such inscriptions.

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Grassroots To Global Podium: Edo Sports Commission Marks Enabulele’s First Year In Office

Published

6 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Editor

The Indoor Sports Hall in Benin City came alive on Wednesday as the Edo State Sports Commission rolled out the drums to celebrate the first anniversary in office of its Executive Chairman, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele. Management, staff, coaches and athletes gathered in an atmosphere charged with pride, reflection and optimism.

The colourful ceremony drew executives and members of various sports associations, officials of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), coaches, athletes and other key stakeholders in Edo sports.

In her welcome address, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Commission, Mrs. A. P. Amenze, praised Hon. Enabulele for what she described as focused and purposeful leadership. She said the past year had seen renewed confidence, discipline and energy return to the state’s sports ecosystem.

Adding excitement to the event were exhibition bouts and demonstrations by the Kung Fu, Karate, Taekwondo and Judo associations, staged in honour of the Executive Chairman.

Speaking for SWAN Edo State, Chairman Comrade Kehinde Osagiede commended Hon. Enabulele’s open-door leadership style and consistent support for sports development. He noted that the Commission had effectively driven Governor Monday Okpebholo’s “Catch Them Young” policy through practical grassroots programmes that identify and groom young talents across the state.

In recognition of his contributions to sports development and media relations, Comrade Osagiede conferred the Patronship of SWAN Edo State on Hon. Enabulele and presented him with a special anniversary card.

Goodwill messages followed from Executive Directors of the Commission, including Hon. Frank Ilaboya (Edo North), Coach Baldwin Bazuaye, MON (Edo South), Barr. Anthony Ikuenobe (Edo Central), and Mrs. Sabrina Chikere, Executive Director, Sports Development and Operations. Representatives of coaches, athletes and sports associations also took turns to acknowledge the progress recorded under the current leadership.

In his stewardship address, Hon. Enabulele expressed gratitude to Governor Monday Okpebholo and Deputy Governor Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa for the trust placed in him, noting that their backing and shared vision had driven the Commission’s achievements.

He highlighted Team Edo’s third-place finish at the 9th National Youth Games in Asaba, where the state recorded its best-ever outing with 79 medals—33 gold, 18 silver and 28 bronze—reinforcing Edo’s reputation as a national sports powerhouse.

The Chairman also pointed to the impact of inclusive and grassroots sports programmes, citing Favour Ojeabu, a visually impaired para-cyclist who won three gold medals to emerge Africa’s champion at the African Track Para-Cycling Championship in Egypt.

Other milestones listed included outstanding performances by Edo para powerlifters on the international stage, historic achievements in cricket, weightlifting, cycling, judo and deaf athletics, as well as structural reforms such as the repositioning of Bendel Insurance FC and deeper investment in grassroots sports development.

Cultural performances added colour and tradition to the celebration, as stakeholders closed the event united in their assessment of the past year as a truly transformative period for sports development in Edo State.

News

Otuaro Tasks Media On Objective Reportage

Published

15 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Editor

The Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Dr. Dennis Otuaro has charged media practitioners particularly members of the Ijaw Publishers’ Forum to promote ethical journalism through their reportage.

He gave the charge in Warri on Wednesday during the 2nd Annual Ijaw Media Conference organised by the Ijaw Publishers’ Forum (IPF).

Represented by Princewill Binebai, spokesman, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Otuaro while stating that the Niger Delta stories have been told in such a way that is quite different from what is obtainable in the real sense, said this, IPF must do everything possible to correct.

The administrator added: “I am happy that Ijaw journalists have boldly come out together to champion the Ijaw struggle in a very dynamic perspective”.

“The Ijaw story was misrepresented over the years, but IPF’s emergence had corrected this error and the story is gradually changing for better.”

Otuaro, however, challenged Ijaw media practitioners to be objective, truthful, accurate and fearless in their reportage to correct many years anomalies of the Ijaw struggle.

He admonished members of IPF to see themselves as brothers and love one another in the discharge of their activities to achieve a common goal.

News

Police Confirm Edo Tanker Explosion, say No Casualty

Published

15 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Editor

The Edo State Police Command has confirmed tanker explosions that rocked Auchi, the administrative headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

The Command’s Police Publice Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, who confirmed the incident via the phone, said the explosion occurred at about 6:30 p.m. following the fall of a fuel tanker along the road.

Ikoedem said the incident occurred on Wednesday evening at about 6:30 p.m. following the fall of a fuel tanker along the road.

She explained that spilled fuel seeped into underground tunnels, which later ignited and caused three explosions in different parts of the Auchi community.

According to her, officers from the Auchi Divisional Police Headquarters and the Area Command were mobilised to the affected areas and successfully cordoned them off to prevent loss of lives.

She added: “No casualty was recorded. Our men on ground were able to cordoned the affected areas.”

It was gathered that three separate explosions rocked the town simultaneously in different parts, which led to properties worth millions of naira destroyed.

A resident who does not want his name in print said via the telephone that the blasts occurred along Igbei Road, Igbo Shade, and along the Auchi–Okene Road, close to Winners Junction.

The resident, who alleged the explosions appeared to have been coordinated, called for a thorough investigation into the incident to prevent future occurrences.

Calls put across to Mr. Monday Edogiawere, Chairman, Red Cross, Edo State, were not picked.