Please read and make your contribution Greatest Edolites!!!
It is understandable why Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is hysterical. He is confronted with the monstrous reality of defeat in the scheduled July 14 governorship election in the state. And because his administration is on a quicksand, he has become desperate, seeking platforms and structures that will give support to his precarious re-election project.
This is the reason he has been shopping for support and endorsements from different quarters that he never gave any consideration or cared about until now that election is around the corner.
Oshiomhole had, from the outset of his administration on November 14, 2008, carried on as the ‘alpha and omega’ of governance in Edo State. Ask his commissioners!
He is the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) government in the state; other leaders of the party amount to nothing. As far as he is concerned, they can go to hell. He can afford to underestimate elements in the party because he is governor; whereas, he never had a political structure of his with which he secured the party ticket in 2007 to contest in the governorship election.
The Grace Group founded and funded by his friend, Lucky Igbinedion (former governor of Edo State) and superintended by Pastor Osagie Izze-Iyamu propped him up and sponsored his election on the ACN platform against the PDP and Chief Tony Anenih.
The party structure belongs to some forces within and outside the party. But Oshiomhole has, all along, acted in spite of the owners of the structure that produced him on the party platform.
He has successfully arm-twisted and unduly influenced all the elements within the ACN to secure the party nomination. That was after he had been able to etch himself, through propaganda, in the consciousness of gullible groups of people in the state as the best thing to have happened to Edo. He has done so little with so much money and has overrated his performance through half-truths.
While his friend Lucky Igbinedion was a disaster and the greatest nightmare that had happened to Edo State in terms of failure of governance, he (Oshiomhole) has performed poorly, scoring below 20 percent; the truth is that 15 percent of the rating he got was on account of the road infrastructure he built in some areas of Etsako ethnic nationality from where he comes in Edo North.
The people of Akoko-Edo and Owan ethnic nationalities in Edo North are complaining because their areas have suffered conscienceless marginalisation in the hands of the Oshiomhole administration.
They have not benefitted from the selective road repairs/rehabilitation/construction in Edo North. This is to underscore how Oshiomhole has succeeded to set the people against themselves.
In Edo Central, most of the good roads are the ones constructed by the administration of the late Professor Ambrose Alli and Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia. For understandable political motive, he claims to have rehabilitated the less than a kilometer road that leads to the house of Anenih in Uromi.
If it is true that he did that, of what significance is that to the people who are locked up in the hinterland of Edo Central which need to be opened up?
What of Edo South, the largest zone in the state? What he claims to have done there is infinitesimal compared to what he has done in his Etsako ethnic nation. How much of the state fund has he pumped into Edo South compared with Edo North (nay Etsako)? Yet, he is claiming a rare performance that will campaign for him.
The vast majority of enlightened people in the state are not deceived. Oshiomhole is running a deceptive government on the platform of Lucky Igbinedion’s disastrous outing, which has made him (Oshiomhole) look like a star with mostly uncompleted political projects and contracts to which he pretends to be committed.
It is true that he has beautified the popular Ring Road in Benin. But what has happened to the N1 billion water fountains that have stopped working? What was the philosophy behind the beautification project?
The answer to the last question is simple: to divert the attention of a people who had witnessed his friend (Igbinedion’s) eight year administration of the locust from the real issues of governance and accountability. Some people now naively talk about this without interrogating other sectors.
It is also true that he has patched some failed parts of a few intra-city roads in Benin. A vast majority of the roads and street roads are still bad and need repairs. The expansion of the 8 kilometer Benin Airport road is perhaps the most expensive road contract in Nigeria at about N10 billion.
The road contract has been mired in controversy. Oshiomhole knows that governance is not about road alone. But this has been the focus of his propaganda. What about other sectors that have been abandoned?
Oshiomhole knows that the political elites in the state have seen through his chicanery. He knows as much as they (elites) know that his second term in office will be an anti-climax; he knows that they know how uncaring and brutal he will be, knowing full well that he will no longer be constitutionally enabled to seek renewal of mandate if he wins.
This is the scenario in Edo. There are hurdles between Oshiomhole and a second term in office: his ethnic-motivated road rehabilitation; his oppressive treatment of teachers; his intimidation of the organised labour whom he accused of taking a sub-contract from the opposition party to destabilise his administration, etc.
Dokubo and his like should be informed that Oshiomhole is not the messiah that Edo people have been looking for. He has been pretending to be. But the wind has since blown and we have seen the rump of the chicken.
Therefore, it will not amount to an upset when Oshiomhole is defeated at the poll. It will only confirm the resolve of Edo people to take their destiny in their hands by liberating themselves from the grips of a propagandist in the Government House. I hope Dokubo understands that Edo is not Rivers State.
— Omoregie, a political analyst, sent in this piece from Benin, Edo State capital
Friday, April 13, 2012
Thursday, April 12, 2012
'Underwear bomber' Abdulmutallab moved to Supermax facility
A Bureau of Prisons spokesman would not say why Abdulmutallab, 25, was moved there from the nearby high-security facility.
"We wouldn't comment about why any inmate is moved from one status to another," prisons spokesman Edmond Ross said Thursday. "Every individual is reviewed, and they are placed in the appropriate secured facility."
There was no immediate comment from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit.
The maximum-security prison in Florence, Colo., 90 miles south of Denver, has about 430 inmates.
Abdulmutallab's fellow inmates include Unabomber and University of Michigan graduate Ted Kaczynski and Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols, a Lapeer native.
At the Supermax facility, some inmates, including terrorists, are assigned to a unit where they are locked in cells 23 hours a day. Those inmates are allowed one hour of recreation a day in a yard secluded from other prisoners, said Joe Gunja, a former warden at the prison complex.
Abdulmutallab likely will face unusually restrictive conditions: No visitors; no phone calls, except from lawyers; no outgoing mail; and no communication with fellow inmates, even those in adjoining cells — the air vents are sealed.
Abdulmutallab was sentenced in February to four life terms for his failed attempt to blow up a Detroit-bound flight on Christmas Day 2009.
He pleaded guilty in October to trying to blow up the airliner over Metro Detroit with a bomb in his underwear.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Oshiomhole swears-in teacher, 17 others as Perm Secs
| BENIN CITY - A former Secondary School Principal of Western Boys High School,Benin City, Mr. U.X Orhue, was among the eighteen new Permanent Secretaries sworn in by Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday. Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony, Governor Oshiomhole said the new Permanent-Secretaries were appointed purely on merit, saying “our campaign against godfatherism means even in the civil service, appointment should not be based on who you know, but what you know. “This morning, I have had the honour of swearing-in a teacher as PermSec. The importance of this is to send a clear message that the fact of your being in the classroom does not make you less important. You represent a constituency that is central to the development of our state. “The second person I want to mention is our brother who had an accident in the recent past and now he is battling between the wheel chair and crutches. Yes, that the accident has affected his physical structure but not his brain and it won’t affect his ability to discharge his duties effectively. And as you can see, the accident has not stopped us from swearing him in.” Dispelling rumours of possible retirement of workers from the service, Oshiomhole said “nobody will be retired. On the contrary we have a lot of vacancies in the service. civil servants and teachers are assets and not liability. They are instruments of growth. We have not carried out any retrenchment and we will not”. The governor who urged the new Permanent Secretaries to be diligent in discharging their duties said “in discharging your responsibilities, you should be firm, just, you protect government secret to the extent that they are classified as secret and that you will put your job before any other consideration. I believe you are capable of doing all of these. This government is founded on one principle, that every human being is capable of doing good and evil and I assume that every human being would rather do good than do evil. “I believe in hard work, I have a deep heart and deep commitment to the development of our state and I ask you to join me in this commitment.” The governor said “we have tried the best we can to stick to merit and I have tried as much as I can to abstain from political consideration, because they say whoever God must give power, He must give wisdom. Power without wisdom will lead to self destruction. We have done what we think we should do and I am convinced that we have injected new blood into that core of leadership of the civil service and the state would benefit from their industry, commitment and sense of duty which has characterised their career and at the end we expect nothing less”. “In spite of our own open-mindedness, our determination not to discriminate, we still have people who three years down the line, they prefer for personal reasons to work as agents of those who do not wish Edo State well. Today it is an open secret that some of our officers have procured photocopying machine to photo copy documents and passing them to certain individuals” he added. Expressing his belief in the principle of accountability, Oshiomhole said “our documents are open to investigation and indeed we have been investigated. But I hope that one day those who are investigating would be investigated. They have to be investigated over the N300billion for the Ore -Benin road. We make payments for work done. We do not make payments for failed contracts. From Edo South to North to Central we have not awarded any failed contract”. Responding on behalf of others, Dr. H.O. Iyoha thanked the governor for finding them worthy to serve the state. “I affirm that we shall carry out our duties loyally and diligently to the glory of God and the benefit of the state”, he said. |
Past govts must account for misrule - Oshiomhole
BENIN CITY - Edo State Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has warned that there is no hiding place for those who underdeveloped Edo State as they must account for their misrule.
The governor who stated this in Benin City during an interview with newsmen advised the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to concentrate on patching the leaking umbrella of their party which has been torn into shreds.
According to Oshiomhole who was reacting to the PDP’s accusation that he gave N300 Million to Alhaji Asari Dokubo to campaign for him, “the PDP have always accused every one that supports me.”
He said it has been the philosophy of their party to share money and they think that applies to others.
“ Foremost elder statesman and two time governor of Edo State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia expressed his support for me because at his age he cannot lie against Edo State when asked by reporters about the development going on.
He had said that political party aside, he will not speak against the truth . He is a PDP man and still is a PDP man,” the governor said.
According to him “the Esogban of Benin, Chief David Edebiri and the Benin Forum said they have moved beyond ethnic politics to endorse my second tenure.
The Oba of Benin acknowledged what we are doing and the impact my government has made in Benin kingdom. He did not campaign for any political party but acknowledge that things have changed in the Kingdom.”
”A two time senator, Oyofor condemned the PDP for failure and ‘former governor of Edo State Chief John Oyegun said he was shocked at what we have accomplished in three years and the Nigeria Labour Congress wanted to celebrate their own and like cowards they used another political party to try to stop it. Over 100 Enigie’s endorsed me on account of proven evidence, including market women and students and yet they are making baseless accusations,” he added.
He disclosed that two weeks after the student union government SUG of higher institutions with their presidents and secretary’s in the state endorsed his second tenure bid, the PDP picked some students without the SUG president or secretary who endorsed the PDP Candidate
Comrade Oshiomhole said, “we are part of the Niger Delta, the heart of the South South and those who pushed Nigeria to adopt amnesty and drew attention of the national and international community to the deprivation in the region will come to monitor those who want to rig the election according to law.”
The governor who stated this in Benin City during an interview with newsmen advised the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to concentrate on patching the leaking umbrella of their party which has been torn into shreds.
According to Oshiomhole who was reacting to the PDP’s accusation that he gave N300 Million to Alhaji Asari Dokubo to campaign for him, “the PDP have always accused every one that supports me.”
He said it has been the philosophy of their party to share money and they think that applies to others.
“ Foremost elder statesman and two time governor of Edo State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia expressed his support for me because at his age he cannot lie against Edo State when asked by reporters about the development going on.
He had said that political party aside, he will not speak against the truth . He is a PDP man and still is a PDP man,” the governor said.
According to him “the Esogban of Benin, Chief David Edebiri and the Benin Forum said they have moved beyond ethnic politics to endorse my second tenure.
The Oba of Benin acknowledged what we are doing and the impact my government has made in Benin kingdom. He did not campaign for any political party but acknowledge that things have changed in the Kingdom.”
”A two time senator, Oyofor condemned the PDP for failure and ‘former governor of Edo State Chief John Oyegun said he was shocked at what we have accomplished in three years and the Nigeria Labour Congress wanted to celebrate their own and like cowards they used another political party to try to stop it. Over 100 Enigie’s endorsed me on account of proven evidence, including market women and students and yet they are making baseless accusations,” he added.
He disclosed that two weeks after the student union government SUG of higher institutions with their presidents and secretary’s in the state endorsed his second tenure bid, the PDP picked some students without the SUG president or secretary who endorsed the PDP Candidate
Comrade Oshiomhole said, “we are part of the Niger Delta, the heart of the South South and those who pushed Nigeria to adopt amnesty and drew attention of the national and international community to the deprivation in the region will come to monitor those who want to rig the election according to law.”
Robbers force Edo banks to close businesses
Armed robbers on Monday night raided Union and Zenith Bank branches in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State forcing a closure of banks in the area on Tuesday.
The robbers reportedly broke into the Union Bank branch along the Warrake Road with the aid of dynamite.
The robbers, who were said to have come in two groups, attacked the banks simultaneously after blocking both the entrance and exit points of the Warrake Road.
They were said to have fired into the air several times to scare residents while they operated.
No death or injury was however recorded during the operation that lasted for over one hour.
An employee of Union Bank, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “We cannot really tell you anything for now until we carry out some verification. All we can tell you for now is that nobody died or got injured in the attack.”
Residents of the area complained that the police were late in responding to a distress call.
The Divisional Police Officer, Auchi Police Station, Mr. Ahmed Umaru however said his men responded swiftly and succeeds in “chasing away” the robbers from Zenith bank.
He said, “Unknown to us, while we engaged the robbers at Zenith Bank, that other group were at the same time robbing Union Bank, which is close by.”
Bank officials in the area said the banks would remain closed until after the meeting of Auchi branch of the Bankers’ Forum.
The forum’s branch chairman, Bash Sanusi, who refused to comment on the robbery said, “We will make our position known after our meeting later in the day, but for now, all banks in the area remain closed.”
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Lawmaker tasks contractors on govt projects
BENIN CITY- The Chairman, Edo State House of Assembly Standing Committee on Education,
Hon. Foly Ogedengbe has directed contractors to complete the State
Government Projects in Government Secondary Schools within two weeks.
He gave this directive yesterday which marked the inception of the Committee’s visit to Government Secondary Schools across the State where state projects are being executed.
Hon. Ogedengbe who visited some schools in two local government areas (Oredo and Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Areas) in Edo South Senatorial District alongside members of the Committee, summoned the attention of all the erring contractors to the floor of the House on Tuesday April 17, 2012 to explain the reason behind their inadequacy, warning that any contractor who fails to meet up with the deadline would be sanctioned and therefore stressed the need for strict supervision to achieve efficient project execution.
In this regard, the Committee Chairman directed the immediate return of supervisors who have abandoned their project sites, and expressed satisfaction over the high standard of work done in some of the schools visited such as Idogbo Secondary School.
The other schools visited were Edokpolor Grammar School, New Era College, Emotan College, Ihogbe College, Akenzua II College and Iyekogba Grammar School.
The rest include Imaguero Junior Secondary School, Niger College, St. Maria Gorotti College, Idogbo College, Ugiomo Secondary School, and Western Boys High School.
Earlier, in the course of the Committee’s visit to Western Boys High School, Hon. Ogedengbe engaged in an impromptu meeting with the members of All Nigerian Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Edo State Chapter, where he pledged his support to the association and education sector in the State.
Having described his brief meeting with the members of the association as a fortunate one, Hon. Ogedengbe solicited the association’s support for the Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in the July 14
He gave this directive yesterday which marked the inception of the Committee’s visit to Government Secondary Schools across the State where state projects are being executed.
Hon. Ogedengbe who visited some schools in two local government areas (Oredo and Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Areas) in Edo South Senatorial District alongside members of the Committee, summoned the attention of all the erring contractors to the floor of the House on Tuesday April 17, 2012 to explain the reason behind their inadequacy, warning that any contractor who fails to meet up with the deadline would be sanctioned and therefore stressed the need for strict supervision to achieve efficient project execution.
In this regard, the Committee Chairman directed the immediate return of supervisors who have abandoned their project sites, and expressed satisfaction over the high standard of work done in some of the schools visited such as Idogbo Secondary School.
The other schools visited were Edokpolor Grammar School, New Era College, Emotan College, Ihogbe College, Akenzua II College and Iyekogba Grammar School.
The rest include Imaguero Junior Secondary School, Niger College, St. Maria Gorotti College, Idogbo College, Ugiomo Secondary School, and Western Boys High School.
Earlier, in the course of the Committee’s visit to Western Boys High School, Hon. Ogedengbe engaged in an impromptu meeting with the members of All Nigerian Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Edo State Chapter, where he pledged his support to the association and education sector in the State.
Having described his brief meeting with the members of the association as a fortunate one, Hon. Ogedengbe solicited the association’s support for the Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in the July 14
Death Of 2 Students: ASUU AAU lambasts past administrations
EKPOMA - The cumulative failure and political will of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) to fund the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma in
the past has been identified as the cause of the untimely death of two students when a well caved in at the girls hostel recently.
This was the view of majority members of the Non-Academic and Academic Staff Union of the University (ASUU), yesterday during an interactive session with the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole at Ekpoma.
According to Engr. Dr. Osadolor Odia, chairman of the committee investigating the failure of the well that led to the death of the students, “it was discovered that the well which was not constructed by the present administration failed because the design was faulty and the construction was terrible”.
While noting that investigation was still ongoing, Engr. Odia , commended the Comrade Governor for the quality construction work of projects going on across the state.
“As citizens, we see your work. As an Engineer I have visited the administration block at the AAU which is of high quality standard being constructed by your administration,” he noted.
The ASUU, Vice Chairman, Dr. Monday Igbafen debunked the statement credited to ASSU that the incident was caused by the state government but explained that the union in a press statement only expressed the gross under funding of the University generally.
He disclosed that there are external forces trying to cause disaffection between the government and the ASUU in Ambrose Alli University, by deliberately politicizing issues , saying that comparatively speaking the Comrade Governor is doing fantastically well.
Other speakers including, a lecturer in the faculty of law and ASUU member, Austen Agbator, Malam Aliu UAC, an English teacher, Dr. Agharese Osifo of the Agriculture faculty and Prof. Agatha Eguavoen, Dean faculty of Social Sciences, advised the governor not to be distracted with his developmental agenda for the state.
Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who sympathized with those who lost their lives condemned those who politicized and trivialized the death of two students at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma with the aim of scoring cheap political points.
The governor noted that the underground tank was shoddily constructed and those responsible for the construction should be prosecuted for involuntary murder and he assured that the administration will ensure that never again will such tanks be constructed.
The governor said that even if two hundred billion Naira would be required to reposition the University said the construction of the administrative building has commenced, while plans are on to revamp the other departments in the university.
The governor announced the payment of N20m monthly to pensioners who retired from the University, stressing that pension is the fundamental right of retirees.
The Vice Chancellor , Prof. Mrs. Cordelia Agbebaku and the Pro- Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Chief Nosakhare Isekhure were present at the interactive session.
This was the view of majority members of the Non-Academic and Academic Staff Union of the University (ASUU), yesterday during an interactive session with the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole at Ekpoma.
According to Engr. Dr. Osadolor Odia, chairman of the committee investigating the failure of the well that led to the death of the students, “it was discovered that the well which was not constructed by the present administration failed because the design was faulty and the construction was terrible”.
While noting that investigation was still ongoing, Engr. Odia , commended the Comrade Governor for the quality construction work of projects going on across the state.
“As citizens, we see your work. As an Engineer I have visited the administration block at the AAU which is of high quality standard being constructed by your administration,” he noted.
The ASUU, Vice Chairman, Dr. Monday Igbafen debunked the statement credited to ASSU that the incident was caused by the state government but explained that the union in a press statement only expressed the gross under funding of the University generally.
He disclosed that there are external forces trying to cause disaffection between the government and the ASUU in Ambrose Alli University, by deliberately politicizing issues , saying that comparatively speaking the Comrade Governor is doing fantastically well.
Other speakers including, a lecturer in the faculty of law and ASUU member, Austen Agbator, Malam Aliu UAC, an English teacher, Dr. Agharese Osifo of the Agriculture faculty and Prof. Agatha Eguavoen, Dean faculty of Social Sciences, advised the governor not to be distracted with his developmental agenda for the state.
Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who sympathized with those who lost their lives condemned those who politicized and trivialized the death of two students at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma with the aim of scoring cheap political points.
The governor noted that the underground tank was shoddily constructed and those responsible for the construction should be prosecuted for involuntary murder and he assured that the administration will ensure that never again will such tanks be constructed.
The governor said that even if two hundred billion Naira would be required to reposition the University said the construction of the administrative building has commenced, while plans are on to revamp the other departments in the university.
The governor announced the payment of N20m monthly to pensioners who retired from the University, stressing that pension is the fundamental right of retirees.
The Vice Chancellor , Prof. Mrs. Cordelia Agbebaku and the Pro- Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Chief Nosakhare Isekhure were present at the interactive session.
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