Politics

Place Obaseki On Security Watch List, Edo APC Urges FG, As State Govt Kicks

Published

1 year ago

July 25, 2024

The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has called on the Federal Government to put the state governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, on a security watch list, ahead of the proposed August 1, 2024, nationwide protest.

The State Chairman of the APC, Jarret Tenebe, in a statement made available to INFO DAILY, said the call became necessary following his (Obaseki )alleged threat to burn down the country if the Federal Government fails to arrest APC members who allegedly carried out an attack at the Benin Airport recently.

In the statement titled, ‘The All Progressives Congress, APC, Alerts Federal Government to Put Governor Obaseki on Security Watch’ Tenebe said the call was to “alert the security agencies that facts have emerged of an engagement between Obaseki and an alleged section of the Civil Society Group drawn from Edo State and cultists from neighbouring states, with the sole aim to recruit them for any protest that may be in the offing.”

The APC chairman alleged that the “aim of the governor’s plan was to create anarchy in Edo State, and the five other South-South States and blame the APC for the destruction that would follow the protest.”

According to him, “it was embarrassing and worrisome that the Edo State House of Assembly has turned a blind eye to the danger Obaseki has become, as the Speaker and members had refused to condemn the serious security breach the governor has committed.

“The prevailing circumstance is worrisome and demands urgent action that will frustrate the plan Obaseki has made with Edo State Security Network (ESSN), PUWOV and thugs from the five other South-South States of Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Bayelsa”, he said.

He, however, called on the National Security Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to carry out an urgent and comprehensive investigation of the recent meetings that were allegedly held by Governor Obaseki within and outside Edo State.

Tenebe also urged the National Security Adviser to withdraw or change the governor’s security details as the day for the planned protest draws nearer.

He also demanded restriction to the governor’s movement before the planned protest, especially on the protest day.

Tenebe further demanded the resignation of the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, for allegedly being partisan in the Benin Airport attack incident that led to the killing of a Police Inspector attached to the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo.

“Finally, worried by the open partisan role the state Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye has played in recent times, we request that he should emulate his counterpart, Kimberly Cheatle the United States of America Secret Service Chief, who has resigned for failing to prevent Donald Trump’s assassination attempt.

“In the event he fails to take this honourable path, Mr Adegboye should be transferred out of Edo State, because his action is capable of bringing the force to disrepute.

“The consequences of ignoring this timely call is capable of leading to subsequent breakdown of law and order in Edo State and Nigeria,” he added.

But in a swift reaction, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, described the call as unfortunate and disgusting.

“It is rather surprising that the APC is calling on the Presidency to put Governor Obaseki on the watch list when there are obvious pictures and videos of APC members wielding sophisticated weapons in the presence of policemen, breaching public peace and unleashing mayhem on the people of the State, and are still walking free.

“Their names are not on any watch list and they have not been arrested and prosecuted. What an irony”, he stated.

Politics

Obasanjo, Atiku, Obi Meet In Abuja

Published

14 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Editor

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi met in Abuja on Saturday.

The trio were among prominent political figures who attended the Tambuwal Colloquium, titled “Leadership, Service and Statesmanship at 60,” held at the New Event Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, in honour of the 60th birthday of former Sokoto State Governor and Senator, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

Atiku confirmed his presence at the event in a post on his X handle, stating that he had arrived at the venue for the colloquium organised to mark Tambuwal’s milestone birthday.

The former vice president also shared images of himself, Obasanjo and Obi at the event.

The event attracted political leaders, statesmen and stakeholders from across the country.

Politics

PANDEF Wades Into Rivers Crisis, Sets Up Seven-member Mediation Team

Published

20 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Editor

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has intervened in the political crisis in Rivers State, calling on all actors to sheathe their swords and embrace peace in the interest of the development of the state and the region in general.

Expressing concern that the political disagreement involving the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the State House of Assembly might degenerate to total lawlessness, the Board and National Executive Committee of PANDEF set up a seven-member reconciliation team to resolve the issues.

The team, which is headed by a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Kanu Agabi, has six other members.

They are Senator Obende Domingo (Vice Chairman); Chief Essien Nduese; Dr Timiebi Koripamo-Agari; Chief Mike Ejiofor; Mrs Nella Rabana-Andem, SAN; and Prince Godwin Okotie, the Deputy National Secretary of PANDEF, who will serve as the secretary of the team.

Politics

Wike: Why Removing Fubara Will Be Difficult – Ex-Commissioner

Published

2 days ago

January 9, 2026

Editor

A former Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Austin Tam-George, has said that attempts to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara would be difficult to sustain, citing what he described as the governor’s performance record and the lack of concrete allegations against him.

Tam-George made the remarks on Thursday while speaking on Prime Time on Arise Television, arguing that the impeachment process being initiated against Fubara was to scuttle his chance for a second term.

According to him, Governor Fubara has continued to place the needs of the people at the centre of his administration, with visible interventions in rural development, housing, education and healthcare.

He said this, in his view, has made it difficult for opponents to justify moves to remove the governor from office.

Tam-George also called on the All Progressives Congress, APC, to intervene, arguing that the party should not allow what he described as the humiliation of a sitting governor.

He said: “Well, all I think he needs to do is to do exactly what he’s been doing from the beginning, which is to place the people at the center of gravity of his administration, prioritize the needs of the people, so that the people can see the direct impact of government action in their lives.

“And that’s exactly what he’s doing in terms of rural development, in terms of housing sector transformation, which I mentioned that he is doing the same in education sector and in health.

“So if he continues, if he persists in placing the people’s need at the center of focus of his administration, there is no way they are going to be able to justify this kind of shenanigans.

“Because, if you look very carefully at the so called articles of impeachment, you will see that there is no specificity in terms of any infraction by the governor or his deputy.

“What they are trying to do is to make sure they scuttle the administration so that the governor doesn’t then get to the point where he will be seeking a second term.

“Let me be clear, just two days ago, Nyesom Wike was at one of the local governments, and he made it clear in a moment of epiphany, he made it clear that, look, if Governor Fubara were to get a second term in office, it will amount to his own political burial.

“So all of these things that we are seeing the so called impeachment proceedings they’ve initiated, it’s actually an effort to try to scuttle the prospects of the governor coming for a second term, and I don’t see how they will succeed.

“If you look at the so called articles of impeachment, as I said, they lack specificity in terms of the kind of infraction that they allege that the governor has committed. He has done nothing wrong, and they will see how the process will play out.

“My sense, and in fact, if I were to advise the governor, my sense is that he should just maintain the people, retain the people at the center of gravity of his administration, meet their needs, run a transparent administration as he always done, and then the truth will come out, and he will be able to defend the administration.

“I think the the governing APC should also step in because they can’t possibly allow the governor of the office with probably one of the best performance records in the country to be humiliated by some of these members of the assembly.”