By Our Correspondent
According to an eyewitness, Austine Imonche Oviosun, the accident happened in the afternoon along First Bank Road.
See more photos below…
By Our Reporter
Benin City (Precise Post) – An eye witness, Emma Ik Umeh has revealed what Governor Godwin Obaseki is doing with Edo state public fund.
Umeh who took to his twitter handle @emmaikumeh to expose this said that Obaseki is not stealing Edo funds but using it to work for Edo people.
He noted that Omoruyi street off sapele road was transformed by the administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
“This is why Edo State people want him back as Governor, he added.
The tweet reads:
By Chris Udochukwu
Abuja (Precise Post) – The National Working Committee of our great the Peoples Democratic Party has approved the revised composition of the Edo State Guber National Campaign Council for the upcoming election in the State.
The announcement of the revised composition and approval by NWC was contained in a statement signed by Kola Ologbondiyan.
Precise Post recalls that the earlier released version had 77 members while the revised version contains additional 13 members, bringing the total members of the national campaign council for Edo state election to 90.
The membership of the Campaign Council is as follows:-
By Our Reporter
Abuja (Precise Post) – Amidst the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday approved a new policy framework known as Policy on Conducting Elections.
The commission, in a statement issued by Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, said the policy document would be released on May 25.
Mr Okoye said that the provisions would be applied to the conduct of governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states scheduled for September 19 and October 10, respectively, as well as other by-elections to be conducted soon in seven states.
“The general purpose of the Policy is to enable officials and staff of the Commission to understand and respond adequately to the challenges of conducting elections in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is also to provide a guide for engagement with stakeholders as they prepare for elections.
“The clean copy of the policy document, which will be released on Monday, May 25, covers health and legal issues, election planning and operations, election day and post-election activities.
“It also covers voter registration, political parties, election observation, electoral security and deployment of technology.
“Conducting elections in a pandemic such as COVID-19 is yet uncharted waters. Only very few jurisdictions have any experience with this.
“That notwithstanding, the Commission is committed to conducting all elections that are due within the extant legal framework..
“However, in so doing it will put a premium on public safety and mitigation of health risks from COVID-19. Citizens must be assured that they will be safe while participating as voters, candidates and officials.
“The Commission remains committed to raising public confidence in the electoral process in spite of the challenges posed by the pandemic and to regularly communicate its actions and challenges to the public,” he said.
Mr Okoye also disclosed that in view of the end of tenure governorship elections in Edo and Ondo, INEC would flag off robust engagements with its critical stakeholders to present the policy document by meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on May 30.
He said that the meeting would be followed by that of political parties on June 1, civil society groups on June 2, and the media on June 3.
Mr Okoye noted that in addition to the Edo and Ondo governorship elections, the commission had received the official declaration of vacancies for four senatorial districts and read reports of the passing of a senator and four members of some State Houses of Assembly.
“As of today, the Commission is planning for nine by-elections across seven states of the Federation,” he said.
The by-elections are Bayelsa Central and West Senatorial Districts, Imo North Senatorial District, Plateau South Senatorial District and Cross River North Senatorial District.
Others are Nganzai State Constituency, Borno State; Bayo State Constituency, Borno State; Nasarawa Central State Constituency, Nasarawa State; and Bakori State Constituency, Katsina State.
“The provisions of the Policy on Conducting Elections in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic shall also apply to the conduct of these elections,” Mr Okoye added.
He urged all Nigerians to adhere strictly to the COVID-19 protocols issued by the health authorities. (NAN)
…Accuses Edo CJ of Attempt to Supplant Nominees with Cronie
Abuja – The Nigerian Bar Association, Benin Branch, has appealed to the National Judicial Council (NJC) to resist plots by the Edo State government to influence the appointment of its preferred candidates into the state’s judiciary.
In a unanimous resolution passed by the Benin NBA after its general meeting recently, the association said there were indications that the current Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Esther A. Edigin, whom they alleged is an ally of the Executive arm in the state, to jettison a pending list of nominees for appointment as High Court judges for the state.
According to the NBA, in September 2018, the process for the appointment of five judges in the Edo State judiciary was commenced by the state’s former CJ, Justice Esohe Frances Ikponwen, who invited the National Judicial Institute, an arm of the NJC to conduct aptitude test for applicants for the vacancies.
Subsequently, five nominees were shortlisted as the overall best from the pool of applicants who participated in the examination, which the NBA said was geared towards ensuring that the most suitably qualified persons were appointed for the onerous responsibility of justice dispensation in the state.
“There are indications that the present Chief Judge of Edo State, Hon. Justice Esther A. Edigin who is an ally of the Executive, and who also supported the Executive in compromising the independence of the judiciary in this matter (before she became the Chief Judge), is planning to abandon the April 2019 list pending before the NJC and commence a fresh process of selection that will suit the Executive.
“The NJC has dealt with appointment concerning other states including those that submitted their lists several months after Edo State had submitted its own. But have failed to deal with the Edo State list of nominee Judges,” the NBA noted.
The association further said the undue influence of the executive arm of government in the appointment of judicial officers breeds corruption.
“In furtherance of this retrogressive act, the Deputy Governor of Edo State who was the Acting Governor then because the Governor was on vacation approached the then Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Esohe Frances Ikponwen and requested that some of their preferred candidates be used to replace the list already submitted to the NJC. The then Hon. Chief Judge vehemently refused to yield to this request as that will compromise the whole exercise. A request she considered an Executive Interference and a compromise of the Independence of the Judiciary.”
“This is how corruption is institutionalized and established in the judiciary. It begins with the process of appointment, because those who ordinarily lack the capacity and integrity to be judges are appointed and influenced when they are handpicked, usually doing the biding of those that helped them.”
It lamented that the Edo State judiciary had been battling with the problem of “poor quality of judgement”, hence the need to recruit judicial officers based on merit, and not political consideration.
Consequently, the NBA advised the NJC to redeem its image in the matter by fast-tracking the process of appointing the shortlisted five nominees who have already been cleared by security agencies, urging the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mohammed Tanko Ibrahim “to ensure that no other fresh process is commenced in Edo State until the April 2019 list is treated.”
By Imelda Osayande
Benin (Precise Post) – The Edo State Task Force Against Human Trafficking has arrested two women, over their alleged involvement in child trafficking, abuse and modern slavery of teenagers in Edo.
The Head of the task force and Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe who paraded the suspects in Benin on Thursday, gave their names as Mrs Martina Oziegbe and Mrs Idehen Esohe Grace.
The suspects, however, said they were ignorant of the act, claiming that they never knew that receiving a child for domestic work was an offence.
Omorogbe said it was a crime to take a child to one’s side under the guise of taking care of such a child, thereby depriving him or her of dignity and right to education.
She said that regardless of where a child came from or the status, no child in the state was for sale.
“Edo State is not a place where a child or a young person can be bought or sold.
“When you are bringing someone as a house help, you need to know that he or she must not be a child or teenager; he or she must be an adult.
“In Edo State, all children are to go to school. Child labour and child trafficking is not allowed; that is the law,” she said.
The attorney-general said that the offence was liable on conviction, to imprisonment of not less than five years and a fine of N5 million.
She, however, said that the suspects would be pardoned, since it was the task force’s first outing of making arrest.
The commissioner for justice warned that henceforth any suspect arrested would be prosecuted accordingly. (NAN)
By Ozioruva Aliu
Benin City (Precise Post) — FOUR persons, including a lady, were, yesterday, set ablaze by a mob in Otuo, Owan East Local Government Area over allegation of kidnapping an SS III female student and killing her for ritual purpose.
It was gathered that the victim, a student of Azama College in Ikhuera quarters of the rustic town, was allegedly sent to buy sachet water by her neighbour Sunday night.
A source said while she was on her way from buying the water that her head was severed from her body apparently for ritual.
It was also gathered that when the young girl’s parents could not find her, they raised the alarm, but her whereabouts remained unknown.
The source said one of the culprits caught in the early hours of yesterday while attempting to dump the victim’s body confessed to the crime and those involved, including the woman, who allegedly performed the rituals for them.
“The two boys were burnt this morning (yesterday) along with the woman while her house was razed. They were all dragged to the popular ‘Women Centre’ where the community police station is located. The third boy was traced to his farm and apprehended,” he said.
Vanguard gathered that the third man apprehended in connection with the ritual killing was later burnt by a mob late yesterday.
One of the suspects, the gang leader, identified as Lukeman, was alleged to be a serial killer while two of the boys, who accompanied Lukeman, are of same parents and from Ikhueran quarter, Otuo.
He also said the woman, who performed the rituals was from Kogi State while Lukeman is said to be from Auchi in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.
Spokesman for Edo Police Command, Mr Chidi Nwabuzor, while confirming the incident, said it was only two of those arrested that were burnt.
“The command is aware that a young girl’s head was cut off and the youths of the community arrested two suspects they took to the station where they were set ablaze,” he said.(Vangurd).
Abuja (Precise Post) – The Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Chief Dan Orbih, has condemned the endorsement of Obaseki by the Ebonyi Governor, David Umahi, saying he is indirectly working for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He called Umahi and some others “saboteurs within”, who were doing all in their powers to ensure that the PDP doesn’t win the Edo 2020 governorship election.
The Chairman said this in a letter to the National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus.
The letter, dated January 25, 2020, condemned Umahi’s endorsement of the Governor of Edo State and leader of APC, Godwin Obaseki.
Earlier, a member of the Board of Trustees of the PDP from Edo State, Daisy Danjuma, had declared support for Obaseki’s candidature.
The full letter by Orbih to Secondus reads:
H.E. Chief Uche Secondus
The National Chairman,
People’s Democratic Party,PDP.
Wadata Plaza
Abuja
Your Excellency,
Edo 2020 Election Under Threat. Saboteurs Within!
As you are aware, Edo State is holding its governorship election later in the year. Edo PDP has been in opposition in the state since 2008 and from the opinion polls we conducted, this year, 2020, represents our brightest chance of winning the state back.
The party in government is engrossed in a fierce battle of supremacy between the governor, Governor Obaseki and his national chairman Adams Oshiomhole. Their “fight” has seriously affected governance to the extent that even the state house of assembly only has 10 out of 24 members seating even though they won 24/24 seats in the last elections. Not fewer than 6 council chairmen have been sacked as well as at least 4 members of state executive council because of their “questionable loyalty”!
They have polarized their party beyond recognition. There is a gale of suspension going on in their party as the National Chairman, State chairman and even the Governor, Deputy Governor and the Secretary to the State Government have all been suspended by the rival factions in their party. Their party is therefore now immersed in court cases across the federation.
Your Excellency, this background was necessary so that you understand the pains we are going through in Edo when we hear leaders, members of the board of trustees and even some Governors uncharitable endorsement of APC embattled Governor Godwin Obaseki. The most recent of this is Governor David Umahi open endorsement of Godwin Obaseki for re-election.
This practice you will agree with us is condemnable and smacks of indiscipline and ingratitude. It defeats the spirit of camaraderie that is supposed to exist within a political party. It is a morale-damper and it’s unacceptable.
Your excellency, please use your office to call these leaders to order so that this open treachery doesn’t become a norm in our great party.
We thank you for the support and leadership you have always provided.
Be assured of our best wishes.
Chief Dan Osi Orbih
Chairman
PDP EDO STATE.
…Tasks Politicians To Think Of Next Generation Not Next Election
By Francis George
Abuja (Precise Post) – Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has said that from what his administration is doing, Edo state will be the next Silicon Valley of Nigeria. My dream is that by 2050, Edo will host the Olympics, he said.
Obaseki challenged political leaders across the country to always think about creating worthwhile values for the next generation of their respective domains once they are elected into office.
He said a situation where the next election dominated political discourse more than how to positively impact the next generation was responsible for the country’s lack of development.Obaseki spoke at a town hall meeting organised yesterday by Unuedo Renaissance Group in Lagos.
The governor, who enumerated his various development strides to reposition the state, noted that the problem of Edo was not resources and opportunities, but leadership.“Our thinking has been so short-sighted. For politicians, it’s all about the next elections. We’re not thinking about the next generation. Where will we be in 2050? How will we overtake Lagos in 2050? For me, it’s all about the next generation.
“If we’re able to make the massive investment in the Benin River Port, even (Aliko) Dangote told me that is my goldmine. It can beat Tin Can Port. What we need do is to plan our regional and urban development. From what we are doing, Edo is the next Silicon Valley of Nigeria. My dream is that by 2050, Edo will host the Olympics.”
The governor said unveiling the future of Edo was uppermost in his mind as he showed his audience the roadmap of a desirable future for Edo people, drawing on their strong aspiration, which he said is founded on the people’s strong, enterprising and regal disposition.He said his administration was founded on three pillars, namely “what are we, what went wrong, and our response”.
The Edo helmsman also spoke on the raging security situation in the country following the establishment of Operation Amotekun in the South West geo-political zone. He enumerated the efforts of his administration to transform the security architecture in his state, adding that it was no longer possible to ignore a federal security arrangement for effectiveness.
“Security arrangement must align with our federal arrangement. We must devolve it, but it must be done responsibly,” he said.
Earlier, while welcoming the governor and his cabinet comprising his deputy, Phillip Shaibu, Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Chief of Staff, president of Edo Okpa’no, Emmanuel Ijewere, said the town hall meeting was convened to ascertain if Obaseki was indeed “the right man we chose or the wrong man. We in Lagos may not vote, but we influence what happens in Edo. We want to hear from the man himself.
“The kind of politics being played in Edo today is that of division. We have one common heritage and we stand by it, as exemplified by our motto, Edo okpa ‘no.”Representatives from the three senatorial districts also addressed the governor and presented development challenges in their districts to him.
