Politics
Wike Campaigns For Obaseki, Says “Today Is The End Of Godfatherism In Edo”
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has declared that South-South Zone completely belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to him, the people of the region will not allow any other political Party to have a foothold in the area any more.
Wike stated this today during the flag-off of the PDP campaign for the September 19 Edo Governorship election held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, in Benin City.
Wike who is Chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council for the Edo Governorship election also declared that “godfatherism is over in Edo.”
“The people of Edo State must reject godfatherism because nobody can rig the September 19 governorship election in the state,” he said.
“Former national Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole is making a u-turn to lick his vomit by presenting a candidate he earlier rejected and castigated.
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“Today, we are here to tell the people of Edo State that they should not be afraid because nobody can rig the forthcoming election.
“Today is the end of godfatherism in Edo State. I want to thank Governor Godwin Obaseki for refusing to dance to the tune of godfatherism.”
“Four years ago, Adams Oshiomhole said he cannot trust the APC governorship candidate that he was rusticated from school.
“Today, Oshiomhole is coming back to present the same person to Edo people. He thinks Edo people are fools. I challenge Edo people not to vote any person presented to them by Oshiomhole,” he stated.
Governor Wike assured that as the Chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council for Edo Governorship election, he would be in Edo State during the election to ensure that the state is returned to PDP.
He noted the “outstanding performance of Governor Godwin Obaseki in the last four years in the development of Edo State.”
Governor Wike urged the people of Edo State to come out en masse and vote for the PDP candidate during the election.
“As the Chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council, I will be in Edo State. We will make sure that everything needed will be done to return the state to PDP.
“You should all come out and vote on September 19, and as you vote, you wait and defend your votes.
“Governor Obaseki has done well in the last four years. You should not allow anybody to deceive you again. APC has no candidate. The only person who thinks that the party is running an election is Oshiomhole,” he said.
Also speaking, the Governor of Sokoto State and Chairman, PDP Governors Forum, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal described Edo State as strategic to the nation and called on Edo people to always remain steadfast and resolute.
Governor Tambuwal who took a swipe at former APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole for condemning godfatherism and turning back to practice it, however urged Governor Godwin Obaseki to hold onto God and the people of Edo State to defeat the enemies of the state as he did in Sokoto State.
He also called on the INEC Chairman, Professor Yakubu Mahmoud to build on the legacies of his predecessor, Professor Attahiru Jega who ensured that free and fair election was conducted in Edo State which enabled Adams Oshiomhole to govern for eight years.
Governor Tambuwal also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that his anti-corruption crusade also affects the forthcoming Edo State Governorship election in order to ensure peace and stability in the state.
Presenting the PDP flag to the party’s Governorship candidate and Governor of Edo State, the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus described him as an “accomplished gentleman and performer.”
Prince Secondus who noted that the party is proud of PDP Governors in view of their high standing performance in governance, said they are the reason democracy is thriving in the country.
He stated that “the nation is at a cross road” and appealed to President Buhari to ensure that “free and fair elections hold in the country.”
Responding, the PDP Governorship candidate and Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki said the mandate given to him marked the transformation of the state and Nigeria.
He promised to “sustain the tempo of his developmental strides in his second tenure.”
The flag off was also attended by the Governors of Bayelsa, Douye Diri, Oyo, Seyi Makinde, Bauchi, Senator Bala Mohammed, Delta, Ifeanyi Okowa as well as the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi.
In a significant development, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially lifted the visa restrictions that were previously imposed on Nigerian travelers. This announcement came from the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, following a Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.
“I can tell you that the agreement has been reached and effective from today, Nigerian passport holders intending to travel to the UAE are able to do so,” Idris confirmed.
The lifting of these restrictions marks the end of a prolonged diplomatic dispute between the two nations. The UAE initially imposed the visa ban due to several unresolved issues, including financial disputes. Notably, Dubai’s Emirates airline had suspended flight operations to Nigeria over the Central Bank of Nigeria’s inability to remit an estimated $85 million in revenue to the UAE.
In June, after extensive negotiations, the Nigerian government reassured its citizens that the visa ban would soon be lifted. The government also announced that it had paid 98% of the $850 million owed to the UAE, paving the way for this positive outcome.
Further details on the agreement will be provided later today, as mentioned by Minister Idris. This development is expected to strengthen bilateral relations and promote travel and trade between Nigeria and the UAE.
Stay tuned for more updates as the full details of the agreement are released. For now, Nigerian travelers can start planning their trips to the UAE, free from previous travel restrictions.
The Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, told the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja on Tuesday that he was leaving the party.
He said he would join the ruling All Progressives Congress which he claimed would protect the interest of the South-East in the 2023 elections.
Our correspondent gathered that Umahi told the members of the National Working Committee of the PDP that his decision to join the APC was irrevocable.
The members of the PDP NWC, who were led to the meeting by its National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, were said to have tried in vain to convince the governor not to abandon the party.
Apart from Secondus, among those that were at the meeting at the Ebonyi Governor’s Lodge in Abuja were Deputy National Secretary, Agbo Emmanuel; National Organising Secretary, Austin Akobondu; Financial Secretary, Abdullahi Maibasira; National Women Leader, Mariya Waziri and Senator Sulieman Nazif.
The governor was said to be friendly when he received the PDP delegation, but stuck to his decision to leave the PDP when the issue came up.
It was gathered that the PDP delegation impressed it upon the governor that there was no need leaving the PDP for the APC, which they argued had become unpopular.
Sources at the meeting, however, said the governor was not convinced, insisting that the APC was planning to zone the 2023 Presidency to the South-East.
He was said to have promised to stay in the PDP if the party could make a pronouncement that it would zone the Presidency to the same zone.
One of the sources said, “I think his (governor’s) mind was made up. We told him there was no need for him to abandon the party that had made him a deputy governor, state chairman of the party, two-time governor and all that. But he refused.
“He wanted us to unilaterally zone the office of the Presidency to his area. We cannot do that. Parties are not run that way. He told us he was leaving. That is what we got from him.’’
When contacted, Secondus confirmed that the party’s leadership met with Umahi.
He, however, refused to declared the details of the meeting, insisting that the meeting was on ‘‘national issues.’’
An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigating officer, Adariko Michael, on Tuesday, alleged that N2.2 billion was spent on prayers in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia to win the war against Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria.
Mr. Michael was giving evidence as the first prosecution witness (PW1) in the trial of Sambo Dasuki, former National Security Adviser (ONSA) to President Goodluck Jonathan, in the alleged two billion dollars arms deal fraud.
Others charged with Mr. Dasuki, a retired colonel, are a former General Manager with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba-kusa, Acacia Holdings Limited, and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
The EFCC charged them with 32 counts bordering on misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, dishonest release and receiving various sums of money before Husseini Baba-Yusuf.
Led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, Mr Micheal said N750 million was allegedly transferred from the ONSA special account to Reliance Referral Hospital Limited’s account with First Bank.
He added that N650 million was also transferred to Acacia Holding Limited’s account with EcoBank, while another N600 million and N200 million were transferred to the company’s account with UBA.
“Between September 27, 2013, and April 16, 2015, N50 million was credited to Reliance Referral Hospital’s account.
“Based on responses from the banks involved, as investigating officer, we found out that money was transferred to several individuals and companies.
“When we went through the account statement, we asked the second defendant (Aminu Babakusa) the reason for this.
“He informed us that the money was used to hire clerics to pray for the nation as regards Boko Haram crisis.
“When we asked him to provide the names, contacts and phone numbers of the clerics he hired to pray for the nation, he mentioned only two,” he said.
Mr Dasuki spent four years in detention, following his arrest in 2015 over alleged misappropriation of N2.2 billion meant for arms purchase during his time as National Security Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan
After the Federal Government had consistently failed to honor court orders granting him bail, including an ECOWAS court judgment in 2016, he was finally released on December 24, 2019
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