Edo guber: PDP blames Oshiomhole for Edo CP removal

The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has raised the alarm over the alleged redeployment of the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Finihan Adeoye, allegedly on the instruction of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
The party described the removal of the police commissioner as one done in “controversial circumstances,” especially as it came a few days to the governorship election scheduled for next Wednesday.
The Publicity Secretary, Edo PDP, Chris Nehikhare, in a statement on Tuesday evening, alleged that the governor influenced Adeoye’s redeployment over a disagreement on the use of police personnel before and during the poll.
Adeoye had resumed office on September 5, after his predecessor, Chris Ezike, was redeployed to the Police College in Lagos.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Edo State Command, Theodore Okafor, neither confirmed nor denied the report when he was contacted for comment.

Edo guber: Obaseki to provide farmers free Cs-of-O

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has promised to provide farmers, under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, with free Certificates of Occupancy to enable them access their lands for productive farming.
Obaseki stated this on Wednesday during the inauguration of the programme in Benin, where the beneficiaries were awarded a loan of N2bn provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria and guaranteed by the Edo State Government.
He spoke just as Governor Adams Oshiomhole explained that the aim of the loan was to provide

PDP faults govt’s claim on $100m airport terminals counterpart-funding

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted claim that the past administration did not pay the $100 million counterpart-funds for airport terminals.
In a statement issued by the party’s spokesman, Dayo Adeyeye, yesterday, the PDP said that the claim was false and misleading.
“Once again, our attention has been drawn to a statement made by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, during the Channels Television Live Programme, ‘Sunrise Daily’ of Tuesday, September 20, 2016 in which she stated that ‘Nigeria has not paid the Airport Terminal Counterpart- Funding of $100 million….’
“This information like many of her previous statements is false, misleading, malicious and was deliberately made with the intention of blackmailing previous PDP-led administration which has been the hallmark of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
“We are pained that the APC under President Muhammadu Buhari is bent on sacrificing our hard earned democracy on the slab of falsehood by consistently disregarding and denying all the obvious achievements of the 16 years of PDP era and collective successes of Nigerians. Why is that?”

Kogi: Ex-Gov. Wada declares support for Bello

Former Governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada, has resolved to offer his support to his successor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
In a statement issued by his chief communications manager, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, yesterday, Wada, who lost his appeal at the Supreme Court on Tuesday, said he had resolved to do his best in whatever way possible to offer support to Governor Bello for the uplift of the state.
According to him: “Though the decision of the apex court brings to an end a legal battle he initiated not because he just wanted a second term in office; but to serve as a historic denunciation and a befitting dirge for electoral fraud.
“Without doubt, we shall serve as the polished metal for the compunction of government with the

Edo guber: Onaiwu warns against dragging Bini palace into politics

The candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Mr Osaro Onaiwu, has faulted the manner some Bini chiefs were dragging the revered palace of the Oba of Benin into politics.
He appealed to the chiefs involved not to rubbish the palace in the name of politics.
Onaiwu spoke while reacting to the purported endorsement of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, by the Eson of Benin, Chief Amos Osunbor, who also is a member of the PDP.
He said: “Chief Osunbor should have made that endorsement with his name and not using the umbrella of a powerful group in the palace to do that.
“I don’t know the role being played by Chief Osunbor in Benin Kingdom; as a PDP leader, he can endorse Ize-Iyamu who is their candidate in his own capacity but not using the name of a group in the palace. That is his personal business and that goes to show how some of these people think about our state.
“But I want to let him know that he can endorse Ize-Iyamu but the Binis don’t want him and it will

Edo guber: Commercial drivers‎ resolve to support Obaseki

A group under the aegis of Drivers Welfare Empowerment Scheme, yesterday resolved to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Godwin Obaseki.
The drivers made the resolution at a rally in Benin attended by Obaseki.
The Secretary of the drivers’ scheme, Mr Jude Anomeh, while addressing the rally, said the people who ruined the state between 1999 and 2007, will never be allowed to govern again.
He noted that same set of people, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who then, at different times, was secretary and chief of staff to the government, have positioned themselves to govern again.
Anomeh who vowed that the state will never be allowed to go back to Egypt again, noted that these same sets of people have nothing different to offer to the people.
He said their aim was to destroy the good work that the Adams Oshiomhole government has done, and also to impoverish the people like they did between 1999 and 2007.

S’Court ruling on Kogi tainted by ‘lucre’ – Wada

A ruling of the Supreme Court upholding the election of Gov. Yahaya Bello on Tuesday did not meet expectations of being “untainted by lucre”, a former governor of the state, Idris Wada, who challenged the election, said.
The court said Mr. Bello was validly elected, and dismissed cases filed by Mr. Wada and James Faleke, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Mr. Faleke said he should have replaced Abubakar Audu, the first candidate of the party in the November 2015 election, after Mr. Audu’s sudden death.
The APC nominated Mr. Bello, instead.
Mr. Wada, the immediate past governor and a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said the election was flawed.
“Though we expected the noble dispensers of Justice at the Apex court to have delivered a judgment that will be untainted by lucre and un-cowed by the threat of immoral power; unfortunately, it was not to be,” Mr. Wada said in a statement signed by his Chief

Buhari Welcomes More Investment And business partners At Ongoing UN Meeting

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday applauded the long history of economic relationship between his country and France on the one hand, and Nigeria and Switzerland on the other.

At separate bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the ongoing 71st United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States of America, the Nigerian leader welcomed more investment and economic partnerships.

“Nigeria is a fertile ground for handsome return on investments.

“Apart from your country’s close relationship with us, you have the same with most of our neighbours.

“We seek more collaboration, particularly in agriculture, mining and security,” President Buhari told Francois Hollande of France.

A spokesman for President Buhari, Femi Adesina, said that the President further briefed his

"Release Our Stolen Funds" - Buhari To Switzerland President

Release our stolen funds, Buhari to Switzerland President

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked President Johann Schneider-Ammann of Switzerland to urgently release Nigeria’s stolen funds stashed in the country.

In a statement signed by the president’s special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, the president on Wednesday, September 21, said the country needed such resources, particularly for infrastructure.

With the two countries having agreed on projects to which the restituted funds would be deployed, President Schneider-Ammann promised quick action, as soon as the draft agreement was signed.

He also pledged consolidation of mutual trade relationships, infrastructural development as well as support in training and equipping of the Nigerian military.

National Assets: Political Class Only "Sell And Spend"- Ezekwesili

Former minister of Education Dr. Oby Ezekwesili took to twitter to warn against selling of National assets.

In a series of tweets, Ezekwesili said " It seems that the default instinct of our political class is "Sell and Spend". Sell oil. Spend. Oil fails? Sell assets. Spend. WON'T WORK!"



She had earlier stated that the delay by President Muhammudu Buhari led administration is making worse an already bad situation.

She tweeted "This FG was handed a LEMON package by the former but it worsened that heritage by a mix of DELAYS, UNCERTAINTY & WRONG POLICIES. #Recession"

Recession: Senators Divided Over Sale Of National Assets

Barely 24 hours after the Senate reconvened and recommended to the federal government to sell some national assets to raise funds as one of the ways to bring the country’s economy out of the woods, some Senators yesterday took a different position.

This happened as President Muhammadu Buhari, while addressing a large gathering of political and business leaders from the United States, Africa and other regions of the world at the Second United States-Africa Business Forum in New York, yesterday, organised by the United States Department of Commerce and Bloomberg Philanthropies, said the country’s economic recession is an opportunity for Nigeria to diversify its economy, achieve sustainable growth and prosperity.

The president also assured potential investors that Nigeria would soon be one of the most attractive places for investment as his administration had embarked on significant economic reforms to realise that goal.

Jibrin Can Escape Suspension If…. – Golu

ABUJA- CHAIRMAN, House Committee on Legislative Budget and Research, Timothy Golu (PDP, Plateau), said despite the level of ridicule Jibrin had allegedly subjected the House to in the past two months, members were ready to forgive him if he could apologize to the House and Nigerians.

This is as Rep Joan Onyemaechi Mrakpor has said that the allegation of budget padding by the erstwhile appropriation committee chairman against the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara and three other principal officers was an indictment on the executive that implements projects.

Golu in his reaction to the resolution of the House that referred Jibrin to the Ethics and Privileges Committee for investigation said, “I believe knowing the person of the speaker, if Jibrin shows remorse and apologizes to the House, I can assure you that members will forgive him. We’re all human beings, but he has to tell Nigerians that all that he said were lies. I advise him to quickly do that.

We Will Ensure Nigeria Doesn't Depend On Oil Again- Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has, at the U.S.-Africa business forum, said that his administration would ensure that “Nigeria does not slip back into a lazy and dangerous dependence on the price of crude oil” again.

Buhari who expressed optimism that “Nigeria is on the rise” said that his government has set an enviably workable modalities to drive the economy out of recession and reposition the country and Africa as a destination point for every investor. Below is the full speech on Bloomberg, titled “Making ‘Africa Rising’ a Reality in Nigeria.”

Until a few years ago, Africa Rising was a dominant theme in conversations about the global economy. That enthusiasm has since cooled, so that in newsrooms and think tanks and conference panels, “Africa Rising!” has given way to a more questioning “Africa Rising?”

While some of that pessimism may be justified, we do not have the luxury of distracting ourselves

Buhari To Begin Payment Of N5000 This Month - Lai Mohammed

The Federal Government has commenced shortlisting candidates for the 500,000 jobs it promised.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, disclosed this on Tuesday, in Abuja when a delegation of the National Council for Women’s Societies (NCWS) paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

Mohammed said that applications were being received and government had started processing them for the recruitment.

“The process for the recruitment has started.
“About 1.2 million people applied and they classified them into categories including agriculture support officers, teachers, technical officers and so on,’’ he said.

The minister also said that the payment of N5,000 conditional cash transfer promised by the government would begin before the end of the month.

Tai Results: PDP Huffing And Puffing Empty Air - Rivers APC

THE Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, said the party’s attention has been drawn to the relentless noise on radio, television and in the newspapers by the Rivers State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, through its State Chairman, Felix Obuah and the Publicity Secretary, Samuel Nwanosike attempting to foul the air over the release of March 19 rerun election results for Tai Local Government Area.


The APC in a statement signed by the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Senibo Chris Finebone said, the APC has “so far, repeatedly reminded the PDP that the Electoral Act clearly specifies how results of elections including legislative polls are released and by whom at all levels. The Tai rerun election results were announced by the statutorily recognised INEC officials at the appropriate levels. Whether the Commission had issues to establish about those results is inconsequential, internal and merely administrative.”

The statement reads: “The PDP has always talked about a dubious and largely suspect court order they obtained restraining INEC from releasing the said results. We would like to advise the