Alimikhena Can't Buy My Edo North Senatorial Mandate, Says Ugbome

...The Same Delegates Who Voted Me, Voted Our Presidential Candidate at the National Convention. 

By Simeon OSAJIE

Edo North Senatorial Candidate under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Barr. Pascal Ugbome has dissociated himself from the purported rumour going round on social media that he has traded out his overwhelming mandate as Edo North Senatorial Candidate of the PDP to the incumbent Senator Francis Alimikhena.

"For the avoidance of doubt, the same Delegates who voted for me also voted Our Presidential Candidate at the National Convention" 

In a press statement issued and signed by Barr. Paschal Ugbome, Edo North PDP Senatorial Candidate for the 2023 General Election called on the good people of Edo North to disregard the rumour as he is willing and ready to contest in the forthcoming 2023 senatorial election to represent the senatorial district at the Red Chamber of the National Assembly.

The statement reads, "My attention has been drawn to a concocted, wicked and malicious rumour making the rounds, that a purported Supplementary Senatorial Primary has been ordered, supposedly by one National Official of our Party, PDP,  to hold today, 4th June 2022 for the Edo North Senatorial District. To the best of my knowledge and leaders of our great party, this is a strange development and certainly not a decision of our Party even as its illegality smells to high heaven.

"Secondly, it has also been alleged in another breath that a certain Senator Alimikhena has paid me for the Ticket and that I have stepped down for him. That is A LIE FROM THE PIT OF HELL. I am a Lawyer and not a TRADER and I cannot trade away the Mandate which  the honourable Edo North PDP Delegates gave to me on the 23rd of May, 2022.

"For the avoidance of doubt, the same Delegates who voted for me also voted Our Presidential Candidate at the National Convention. 

"Consequently, let me reassure our teaming Supporters that I remain the duly Nominated and Elected Edo North PDP Candidate and flag bearer of the PDP for the seat of Senator to represent Edo North in the forthcoming General Election slated for 2023. I look forward to vigorously Campaign and deliver Victory to our Party at the 2023 Senatorial Election," the assured.

Shaibu Commissions New GT Plaza Outlet At NUJ Premises

....Charges Journalists to balance  reports for sake of unification

 

By Simeon OSAJIE

Deputy Governor of Edo State Comrade Philip Shaibu, has charged journalists to do more of investigating journalism and always balance their reports for the sake of unifying of Nigeria and also called on the media to downplay kidnappers activities and ransoms being paid by their victims, “media continues given publicity to the activities of kidnappers is making some of our citizens to think otherwise.”

Comrade Philip Shaibu gave the advice yesterday 3rd of June, 2022 during the official commissioning of the new outlet of Glad Ridings otherwise known as “GT Plaza” located at the premises of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Edo State Council Secretariat.

He congratulated the achievements recorded in short space of five months by the new executive of Edo NUJ ably led by Comrade Festus Alenkhe for bringing life to Edo State NUJ secretariat. “If not for journalists, by now, I would have long be forgotten, nobody could have thought who is Comrade Philip Shaibu, because one of your colleagues played an important role for my release during my days in the school.  So, I will remain grateful to the pen pushers, I will for life be grateful to journalists and will continue to partner with the media.  

He thanked the Managing Director GT Plaza, Elder Pius Omofonmwan for his contributions towards the development of Edo State. “Your business expansion across the nooks and crannies of the state is a testimony to the fact that Edo State is secured for business to strive.

“Government need people like you, and will continue to encourage other to come to Edo State to do business of their choice; we need champion leaders who don’t only think of themself  alone but for the wellbeing and for the good of the people. Government alone cannot fix our country, together we can fix Nigeria,” he admojiahed.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Managing Director GT Plaza, Elder Pius Omofonmwan thanked Edo State deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu for finding time out of his time scheduled to commission the NUJ GT Plaza Outlet.

“Our Deputy Governor Sir, I am very honoured to have you here. You beat me to my earlier belief that you will not be able to come for the commissioning when Festus Alenkhe told me you promised to come. Oga, God bless you and prosper you,” he declared.

Going further, the GT boss said Edo State NUJ under the leadership of Comrade Festus Alenkhe is doing marvellously well, “I saw myself as part of NUJ” and I want to appreciate the chairman and his exco for releasing the space for GT Plaza to establish the eateries.

Earlier in his opening address, Chairman of the Union, Comrade Festus Alenkhe thanked Edo State government for its support towards the development of the union's secretariat and that of the deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu who is always available when Edo State NUJ keep knocking. 

“Your Excellency sir, we will remain grateful to you and I want to remain you sir and appeal on behalf of the Union to make up your promised during your host of Edo journalists last year December 22 to help develop our space behind the secretariat."

Side attraction during the opening ceremony was NUJ Musical Band rendered melodious songs to the delights of the deputy governor, the Managing Director GT Plaza and others.  At the end, Elder Pius Omofonmwan made a donation of N250,000 to the music band while the deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu promised to support with the sum of N250,000.

Atiku Candidacy To Restore Peace To Edo PDP

By Simeon OSAJIE

The arrival of the former Vice President of Nigeria of Nigeria under President Olusegun Obansajo administration, the Waziri of  Adamawa State, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as the presidential flag bearer of the opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party,  (PDP), in the forthcoming General Election, may after all serve as the herald of good notifications in the final resolution of the inflexible dispute among the rival factions in the Edo State chapter of the party.

The Edo State chapter of the party has been involved in an internecine dispute over which faction should exercise control of the party structure.

Edo State PDP is wringing profusely from what observers would call "political hemorrhage" and attempts to "patch" things up have often resulted in  "mere window dressing".

The Executive governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, immediately after the success of his re-election bid, as the leader of the party going by the PDP Constitution made several attempts to take control of the party structure   from the "old executives to replace them with what he referred to as harmonized executives.

Leaders of the old PDP members were able to successfully repel the plot, since then the party in the state is yet to experience some measure of peace and steadiness.

The Edo State ruling party was still winding in that state of chaos and confusion until it went into the serious business of electing party delegates and candidates during its primaries. This form part of the outcome of  hatred and division in the party manifested in the parallel primaries conducted by the two rival factions.

Past attempts at reconciling the rival factions have often yielded unsuccessful results.

The national body of the party at a time tried to wade in to see if it could resolve the logjam with the setting up of the Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State Committee but in the end, the report of that committee barely dented the surface of the deeply rooted crisis.

However, the emergence of  Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as PDP presidential candidate, an old political warhorse,  may ultimately be the relaxing ointment that will compel the spiteful fighters to sheathe sword and embrace peace.

The hope of a possible and quick resolution of the inflexible Edo PDP crisis is anchored on the premise of the campaign theme of Atiku as the "UNIFIER".

Political observers in the state are of the firm belief that the Waziri of Adamawa possesses the clout to restore peace and stability to the crisis-ridden since the majority of the power brokers in the centre of the tussle have at one time or another belonged to his political camp.

Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, Chairman of Edo State chapter of the party and also an apostle of unification, is one of those confident that the end is in sight as regards the crisis rocking the state chapter of the party. 

His optimism is based on the emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as well as the magic wand his characteristic and influence will bring to bear on compelling the contending political forces to adopt moderate positions rather than extreme positions that tend to jerk vigorously on the heart of the party.

Besides, pundits are also of the view that Atiku's intervention will "settle the power tussle" between the chief protagonists, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, Governor of Edo State and Chief Dan Orbih South-South Vice Chairman of the party, both of who seem to hold the ace in the crisis rocking the party in the state.

Ironically, Governor Obaseki rooted for Atiku at the last presidential convention of the PDP held in Abuja while in 2019 presidential election  Chief Orbih then as the Edo State PDP Chairman delivered Edo State votes to the Atiku an indication that the duo are known to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

With Alhaji Atiku Abubakar now fully in the saddle, one might soon witness a  convergence of the Obaseki and the Orbih forces as a political masterstroke in ensuring the PDP does not lose Edo State to the opposition APC which is already waiting in the wings to "snatch" back a state it "carelessly lost" to the PDP in 2019 when Governor Obaseki fell out with his godfather, Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomole and scuttled to the PDP for "salvage" and to actualise his re-election bid.

BSM Kicks Against Discrimination Of Benins From NPDC Job By NPDC

By Simeon OSAJIE

Benin Solidarity Movement (BSM) Worldwide, a non-governmental and non-profit making organisation has kicked against discrimination of the Benins from Nigeria National Petroleum Development Company Limited (NPDC) job by some staff of the company who are non indigene of Edo State.

In a statement issued and signed by  Ambassador Curtis Eghosa Ugbo, President of the Movement advised  Benins cum South-South indigenes  to go apply immediately for employment into the company while instructed legal team to immediately do a strong worded letter to the NPDC authorities in this regard.

The movement statement reads; “The attention of the Benin Solidarity Movement (BSM) Worldwide has been drawn to the employment currently going on in Nigeria National Petroleum Development Coy. Limited (NPDC), Benin City, Edo State and we have observed that there are some secret moves by some Northern staffs to disenfranchised the Southerners especially the Benin Indigenes from being employed.

“We also have information that NPDC have taken over the control of another oil Servicing/Exploration Company-Pan Ocean Oil and Gas Company including the flow station in Ovade Ogharefe, Delta State and employment is also on going.

“We are using this medium to inform all Benin cum Edo cum South-South people to go apply immediately for employment and we have instructed our legal team to immediately do a strong worded letter to the NPDC authorities in this regard.

“We members of the Benin Solidarity Movement BSM Worldwide have in good and authentic record of the oil wells in Benin Kingdom cum South South region and the Northerne are not supposed to be taking decisions on the resources in our Land.

“We will not continue to fold our hands and allow this demonic discrimination against our Kingdom cum Region,” the statement advised.

Time To Speak Truth To Power, Says Activist

By Simeon OSAJIE

Civil Rights Activist, Patrick Osagie Eholor, popularly known as 'Ultimate Equal'' has described President Muhammadu Buhari's statement that he will choose his successor is a reckless statement and urged him to apologise to Nigerians for his uncivilized statement.

In a chat with The9jaTREND, Comrade Ehokor opined, "We all are educated. Anywhere in the world, a sitting president cannot use the word ‘successor’ he can use the world ‘flagbearer’. We Nigerians are expecting apology from you, President Buhari. 

"Ahmed Idris (embattled Account General of the Federation) is a notorious criminal. If it was China, by today the government of China would have flushed out his family. They will not exist again, because they can be infection if they continue to exist.

"I love my country. Perhaps there was one reason the British put us together, because they know that they don’t want Nigeria to progress. Otherwise, the north could have been a different country. Likewise, the South and East. 

"We are not the same. I want to say it loud and clear, we are not the same.

 Now, people that stole ordinary maggi cubes, people that stole Okada, they are still awaiting trial today after two to fifty years. A man that took N200 billion from Nigeria treasury, I say it again, N200 billion is on bail because Malami (Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice) is his brother, the Chief of Army Staff is his cousin, because all the institutions are run by the Fulani, Northern elites.

 

"We are old enough, it is time for us to speak truth to power to decide if we are going to live free or die. We cannot afford to live like this again. Whatever affects me also affects you, and whatever affect you affects me.

"ASUU was asking for N18 billion, and Malami stole N200 billion and he is working freely in our society. What a shame to Nigeria government.

 Where our President is the Minister of Petroleum, 48 vessels of our crude oil under his watch was sold. The navy, soldier and the police are begging for transfer to go there and assist the sabotage, only in Nigeria."

Going further, Eholor added:

"What I am saying is that, if the man who stole our N200 billion is not arrested and detained, they should open the whole prisons in South-South and South-East. They are not prisoners, but prisoners of conscience. They are prisoners because they are poor, whereas the real prisoners are all out there stealing our money and crude oil.

"In a country where a man like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar spent over 80 million dollars to buy delegates. Can we ask Atiku the source of his wealth? Can we ask Atiku his income tax.  An indeed society ought to know a wealthy man and his source of wealth. But in Nigeria, nobody cares. When you show your income tax that will tell how genuine you are as a citizen. Can we continue to live like this. Absolutely no. What a failed country."

NOMINATE EMMANUEL EHIMARE OKODUGHA FOR CHAIRMAN, ESAN SOUTH-EAST LG. COUNCIL

My name is Emmanuel Ehimare Okodugha from Esan South-East LGC. I am presenting myself in response to the yearnings of my people to serve and represent them as Chairman, Esan South-East LG Council.

I have the blue print to revitalize Esan South-East LG Council. I trust God that with us all, we can build a new Esan South East LGC of our collective dream. I seek for your nomination and support in this race.

God bless you all

Blue Print Below 👇👇👇