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Obaseki Importing Guns, Thugs, APC Alleges

Published

4 years ago

August 18, 2020

Editor

It’s A Lie – PDP

The State Media Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress for the Edo Governorship election has accused Governor Godwin Obaseki of the PDP of arming thugs and other non-state actors with newly-purchased guns and weapons to attack innocent Edo people on their campaign trail following multiple embarrassing episodes of boos and rejection suffered by the embattled Governor in several communities.

The APC claims that the Governor spent state resources on the procurement of hundreds of high-grade weapons distributed to thugs sourced from neighboring states to join his convoy and inflict violence on dissenters during his campaign trail across the State.

A statement from the Chairman of the Media Campaign Council, Mr. John Mayaki, released on Monday quoted a source in the Government House as a whistleblower on the Governor’s illegal arms procurement and demanded an immediate investigation by the heads of all security agencies, including the Police and DSS, into the Governor’s security detail for proper identification of all individuals bearing arms to ascertain if they are state actors with legal backing and training to do so.

The statement read: “In a new development that further stretches the tyrannical reach of Mr. Godwin Obaseki, the embattled Edo State Governor has, arbitrarily, procured multiple and hundreds of brand new guns using state resources.

“A reliable source in the Government House, tired of the many wrongdoings allotted to his names, revealed that added to this massive weaponry procurement, Obaseki had gone ahead to employ a band of rascals whose only work is to shout themselves to riches, soak a state in conflict, and escort the Governor to campaign venues where they have an unrestrained mandate to anyone who dares express dissent, despite the clear provision of the constitution protecting the people’s right and freedom of speech and expression.

“First, the PDP and Mr. Godwin Obaseki sought to rationalize and justify the presence and appearance of the blood-sucking band of men with the shameful claim that the reality of insecurity in Edo State, which had increased alarmingly under the sleeping eyes of Mr. Obaseki, had created an unsafe environment for the governor, hence warranting the new measure.

“But this clumsy, unintelligent rationale only invites further probing and justifies the claim of the people, alongside other experts, that insecurity in Edo State has worsened and the Governor, rather than invest the security votes he jacked up to 7.5 billion naira annually, chose to hide the funds and pursue selfish ambitions with it.

“It also begs the question: “why is the PDP, of all the contesting political parties and their ongoing campaigns, being the only one assaulted and experiencing violent response from the communities?

“Attempts to answer this question only unmasks the face of Obaseki’s incompetent and inept leadership, his unpopularity and rejection by the people of Edo State, both of which facts agreed to by neutrals and secretly upheld by his fellow partymen who are now holding him to ransom to get their own cut of his accumulated loot before the curtain is drawn in November.

“Why is the PDP, out of over 10 contesting political parties, being the one filing reports for imagined attacks on their convoy? Where did Obaseki, the governor who failed to win over the agitating Association of Resident Doctors, get the money to fund the unnecessary stock-up of gubernatorial armory, dangerously arming boys that will return home to roost someday?

“We demand an explanation from both the executive government of Edo State, on how and why and what qualifies Edo State government for the procurement of arms and weapons. Is it because we are at war, or that the visionary organ of the government foresaw an impending future of war, and is now obligated to react proactively in preparation of this imagined and conceived time?

“Investigation should be launched into the process of procuring these weapons, and the governmental supervision of this heist. They should, without pardon, be subjected under thorough examination, and utterly urged to account for the financial behavior and pattern seen to have rooted itself, lately, in Edo State.

“Video footage exists of these new Obaseki boys touting the guns and weapons procured for them by the shameless governor, shooting bullets here and there into the thin air, choreographing a horrible display of “clearing road” for the power-drunkard. The demand is beyond holding the concerned responsible, but rather the banding together of all people of goodwill towards the common goal of preventing Edo State from slipping into a banana republic.”

But, the Governor’s media aide, Crusoe Osagie, denied the allegation, saying that it was unfounded and baseless.

News

2023: Why INEC Servers Failed To Work – Peter Obi

Published

4 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Editor

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi has explained why the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, servers failed to work during the 2023 presidential election.

He said the ‘establishment of criminality’ made the INEC servers not work during the last last general elections.

Obi stated this, while addressing the issues of the 2023 elections, including the IREV servers, in Canada during the weekend.

The Labour Party flagbearer in 2023 said people must intensify engagement with all the stakeholders to make the system work.

The former Anambra State governor explained that Amazon testified there were no glitches recorded globally on the day of the presidential election.

He said: “Where did we go wrong in the last election? We didn’t go wrong anywhere. We did the right things.

“But as I can always tell people: when you bring a change, you fight all those who live off the old order. They don’t go away; they gang up. And don’t think it’s a straight race to remove an establishment.

“It’s a long-distance journey anywhere in the world. Go and check anywhere, whether you are looking at what happened in India, with Mandela in South Africa, or America. No change has happened overnight, it takes time.

“I urge all of you, if you really want change, we have just begun. We just have to continue from where we are.

“Yes, there might be one or two things we will correct, those things we will correct. I assure you we are correcting them without naming them.It’s not going to be easy.”

News

INC Vows To Internationalise Ijaw Struggle

Published

4 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Editor

The Ijaw National Congress (INC) says time has come to internationalise the “Ijaw struggle” beyond rhetoric.

Prof. Benjamin Okaba, President, INC, said this in a communique of the 2024 edition of the Ijaw National Day celebration held in Bayelsa.

Okaba said that the vexatious factors that provoked grievances between the late Maj. Adaka Boro and the federal government in the improper management of the oil political economy of Nigeria, have remained unmitigated.

He noted that the situation had worsened with its attendant impunity.

According to him, the Ijaw environment continues to bear the brunt of petroleum resources exploitation-related pollution without concomitant remediation or reparations of the heavily despoiled ecosystem.

“Instead, Ijaw communities still face the adverse effects of uncontrollable spills, perennial flooding, ocean encroachment and so on,” he said.

The INC president noted that at different forums, it had been made clear that the Ijaw agenda of self-determination was premised on resource and environmental justice.

“What all Ijaw people seek is for a fair, just and justifiable reward for our resources and sacrifices.

“The Ijaw Congress has articulated a set of prescient conditions for its continuous commitment to the Nigerian project and these include restoration of true federalism (fiscal federalism).

“Devolution of power and repel of all obnoxious and discriminatory environmental and resource related laws (Land Use, PIA), as well as restoration of Ijaw Territory as non-balkanised, administrative and politically generated unit(s).

“This is for the reassurance and promotion of Ijaw developmental pursuits by creating at least two additional states, more local government areas and wards for the Ijaws.

“Remediation of our massively polluted and endangered environment and the enforcement of adherence to international environmental best practices by IOC’s operating in Ijaw territories,” he said.

Okaba also demanded for the relocation of the administrative headquarters of all oil companies and their subsidiaries to their operational bases in Ijaw territory and Niger Delta.

He further called for proper funding and management of the Interventionist Agencies such as the Presidential Amnesty Programme and Niger Delta Development Commission.

“We call for the promotion of modular refineries owned by our people.

“We also want a balance in appointment at the federal levels (the civil service, military and oil companies) as well as equitable distribution of critical infrastructure, to reflect the true principles of federal character.”

He said it was against this backdrop that the theme of the 2024 Ijaw National Day “Re-Invigorating Our Resolve to take the Ijaw struggle for Self-determination beyond Rhetoric” was derived.

News

Drake Gives Condition To Quit Music As Feud With Kendrick Lamar Thickens

Published

5 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Editor

US rapper Drake has vowed to quit his music career if allegations regarding a secret daughter are substantiated.

The controversy started when rival artiste Kendrick Lamar, in his diss track ‘Meet The Grahams,’ levied accusations suggesting Drake’s involvement with an 11-year-old secret daughter.

Lamar branded the Canadian rapper a “deadbeat” for purportedly neglecting his paternal responsibilities

Renowned American media personality Akademiks, however, disclosed rapper’s response to the allegations during a recent broadcast.

According to Akademiks, Drake denied the claims, going as far as promising to leave the music industry and work for Akademiks if any evidence of the alleged secret daughter emerged.

During his Saturday night show, Akademiks shared the rapper’s direct message, stating, “Drake hit [texted] me, he said, ‘Ak, if you or anybody can prove that I have an 11-year-old daughter, I’ll quit rapping and come work for you.’”