The Court of Appeal on Tuesday upheld an order suspending Adams Oshiomhole as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress based on lack of merit.
Earlier in March, an Abuja high court had ordered the suspension of Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of the APC.
Hours to his resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC), the political supremacy battle between incumbent governor Godwin Obaseki and predecessor and National Chairman of the APC had gotten hotter with recent happenings in Edo state, supporters of both actors are not relenting in pointing out which side of the divides is right for wrong on the disqualification over certificate saga.
In a debate monitored by Echotitbits on TVC News channel, party chieftains loyal to Governor Obaseki and Oshiomhole disagreed over the issue.
Dr. Pedro Obaseki, a cousin to the embattled Edo Governor, accused Adams Oshiomhole of an attempt to “emasculate” and “disenfranchise” the people of Edo State.
Obaseki condemned Oshiomhole for “summarily orchestrating the disqualification of a sitting governor whom he (Oshiomhole) just less than four years ago said was the shining star in his own armour”.
Dr. Obaseki, who contested against his cousin, Godwin Obaseki in the 2016 APC governorship primary election described the decision of the Jonathan Ayuba-led screening committee to disqualify Edo Governor from participating in the primary election as upsetting.
“It is clear that Mr Oshiomhole who is the most biased umpire in the history of any political party in Nigeria had orchestrated the summary dismissal or disqualification of Mr Godwin Obaseki in the most spurious, the most unethical manner.”
During the debate, when the House of Representatives member representing Akoko Edo, Honourable Peter Apaktason mentioned how Dr. Obaseki, as a governorship aspirant in the primary election of the APC in 2016 described as unqualified and not to be trusted, his own cousin, Governor Obaseki, whom he contested against; Dr. Obaseki said:
“It’s a pity that my most Honourable has decided to be a little less factual this bright morning by turning this issue about me. It is not about me, it’s about the Edo people and I don’t want to start talking about him and casting aspersions on his person. That will be most dishonourable.
Dr. Obaseki berated APC National Chairman Oshiomhole for cooking “tales by moonlight” rather than concentrating on guaranteeing the progress of the party.
“Before he became National Chairman, APC had 27 states. Now if Godwin leaves APC today we would have dwindled down to 19. The same certificate issue was in 2016 a major issue. The PDP went to three courts, and all the courts exonerated Mr. Godwin Obaseki.”
In his attempt to discredit his cousin’s disqualification, the University lecturer said: “He’s talking about discrepancies when our national law, the electoral law made it clear in the last judgement passed in the case between Atiku Abubakar and our President was clear that all he needed to show was attendance up to secondary school level.
“And the University of Ibadan where he’s seeing discrepancies in the certificate came out to publicly in an unprecedented move to say this man went to our school and graduated. It is not the position of any of the parties to begin to question the veracity of his entry qualification when that entry qualification has not been rejected by the issuing authority” he said.
Dr. Obaseki lamented that Edo people who once had a governor that had no primary school certificate are being shortchanged by the conspiracy. ,
“I’m talking about Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, we all know that he had to set ablaze the Ministry of Education” he added.
On the other hand, Oshiomhole’s loyalist, Representative Peter Akpatason affirmed the decision of the APC screening committee to disqualify Governor Obaseki so as to “protect the interest of the party against what has become obvious in recent times”.
“When there are discrepancies in documents presented by candidates, a party stand the chance of loosing. Even after winning election, this is exactly what has happened in Edo state. And I think it is important that we look at the merit of the issue rather than sentiment” Akpatason said.
The Akoko Edo representative in the House of Representatives noted that: “The fact is that what happened in Bayelsa is the same thing that is happening in terms of defect of documents. That’s what it is. You protect the interest of the people by not allowing them to file out to go and vote for nothing, but ensuring that when they vote they are actually voting for a candidate that can stand the test of litigation”.
The embattled Governor of Edo State has withdrawn his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party on whose back he won the governorship seat in 2016 that has now turned its back on him and even determined to stop him from returning to the number one office in the State.
Governor Obaseki, who announced his leave from the APC this Tuesday afternoon after visiting the State House for the second time in less than a month
“I have officially resigned my membership of the All Progressives Congress after meeting with the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We shall continue the battle to protect the interest of Edo people and sustain good governance in the state”, the Governor stated.
Idowu Sowunmi
To reaffirm its status as the biggest cement producer in Africa, Dangote Cement has set the pace with the exportation of 27,800 metric tonnes of clinker to a neighbouring African country, Senegal.
With this historic maiden voyage from its Export Terminal located in Apapa Port, Lagos at the weekend, Dangote has gradually made Nigeria, which until recently was one of the world’s largest bulk importers of cement, first self-sufficient in cement production, and now an exporter of cement clinker to other countries.
The exportation of clinker from the Dangote Cement Export Terminal would also place Nigeria as one of the leading clinker exporters in the world. The company is expected to increase the quantity of clinker export to other African countries within the next few weeks.
It said this development would enable Dangote Cement take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area, and by so doing contribute to the improvement of intra-regional trade within the ECOWAS region.
Speaking during the departure of the ship conveying clinker from the Export Terminal at the weekend, Group Executive Director, Dangote Group, Alhaji Sada Ladan-Baki, said the increased exportation of clinker and cement to other African countries would not only place Dangote Cement among top clinker exporters in the world, but would also boost Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings and reduce unemployment in the country.
“The beauty of what we have done is that we are going to be generating foreign exchange for the country in terms of dollars and Euros. For every batch of clinker we export, the money comes back to Nigeria. The amount we are talking about is not small.
“Presently, Dangote Cement should either be number one or number two exporter of cement in Africa and the revenue we have generated in the form of foreign exchange is running into millions. Today, we have formally launched the Dangote Cement Export Terminal. We are still going to do another major launch when the second ship is going out of the country,” he added.
Alhaji Ladan-Baki recalled that only a few years ago, Nigeria was one of the world’s largest bulk importers of cement, saying that “Dangote has gradually made Nigeria self-sufficient in cement production as well as an exporter of clinker to other countries.”
He disclosed that the company would also be launching its export terminal in Onne in the next few days, adding that the export terminal would enable the company export clinker, initially to its grinding facility in Cameroon and then to new grinding plants the company is building across West Africa.
Ladan-Baki explained that not only would this generate useful foreign currency for Dangote Cement to support other expansion projects outside Nigeria, it would also help to increase the output of the Nigerian plants, saying these would help to improve job creation and increase prosperity in Nigeria.
According to him, “This terminal will assist Dangote to actualise the full potential of the company’s investment in cement. You know as usual, when the rain comes, sales decline, but not clinker export. This feat by Dangote is going to generate a lot of jobs because the Export Terminal has already created jobs to many Nigerians.
“As at now, the numbers of employed Nigerians at the terminal have reached 100. We are targeting about 200 to 300 workers in Lagos Terminal alone.
“But, apart from job creation opportunities, the exportation of clinker by Dangote will position the country to participate fully in the Africa Free Trade Liberalisation Agreement when it comes into being, so that Nigeria will be protected against foreign products. It will also help the country compete effectively with every country that are in the business of exportation of clinker. At Dangote Cement, we are going about it aggressively and we are seeing it as an opportunity.”
Alhaji Ladan-Baki said the company has also concluded plans to increase its clinker and cement export to other countries. “This vessel, being the maiden ship is exporting 27,800 metric tonnes to Senegal and this is just a tip of the ice-berg as to what we have in plan. What we have in plan is to send clinker from Nigeria to Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Ghana. Cameroon as an example, takes about 82,000 metric tonnes every month. Our target is to export at least 4 million metric tonnes of clinker annually to various parts of Africa.
“That is our target that we hope to achieve within the next one to two years. This particular voyage is going to our sister company in Senegal. We have an integrated plant of 1.5 million tonnes and this one is expected to give the plant additional clinker that is required for the plant to sustain production. In the next one week or two, we are going to be shipping 82,000 metric tonnes to Cameroon in batches of about 25,000 to 29,000 metric tonnes per voyage,” he added.
The Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) has commended Dangote Cement for leading the way for Nigeria to become one of the biggest cement and clinker exporter in the world.
Speaking on Dangote’s achievement, MAN Acting Director-General, Chuma Oruche, praised the wealthiest man in Africa, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, for leading the way in the export of product from Nigeria to other countries.
According to him, this feat by Dangote Cement is capable of boosting Nigeria’s foreign earning and reduce unemployment in the country.
He said: “The export of clinker by Dangote Cement at the weekend will definitely be beneficial to Nigerian economy in terms of export earnings, job creation and wealth creation for families connected with these achievements.”
Idowu Sowunmi
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a full investigation into a security breach at the Presidential Villa in Abuja in which an Aide-de-Camp to First Lady, Usman Shuguba, fired gunshots last Thursday in a bid to apprehend Buhari’s cousin, Sabiu Yusuf, who was alleged to have refused to self-isolate after returning from Lagos State, where he had gone to see his wife who had just put to bed.
Prominent Nigerians have expressed concerns over the development and tasked the President to take a decisive action.
Reacting to the incident for the first time on Sunday, Buhari, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, ordered investigation into the matter and vowed that rule of law would be allowed to take its natural cause.
“Armed guards and other security personnel assigned to the State House receive the necessary training of especially weapons handling and where they come short, their relevant agencies have their rules and regulations to immediately address them.
“Having authorised the proper investigation to be carried out into this unfortunate incident by the police, the President has acted in compliance with the rule of law.
“In this particular instance, the President says the law should be allowed to take its course,” the statement said.
While acknowledging concerns expressed by several members of the public regarding the recent incident among the occupants of the State House which escalation led to the arrest of some staff by the police, the statement assured that “the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari, is not, and was not at anytime in any form of danger arising, either from deadly infections or the reported incident by security personnel which is currently under investigation.”
The Presidency added that the incident happened outside the main residence of the President.
Shehu described the incident as “a minor occurrence,” and condemned some individuals who used the incident to “justify attacks on the government and the person of President Muhammadu Buhari,” saying such attitude “beggars belief.”
Meanwhile, the President has criticised members of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) for alleging that the insecurity in some northern states of the country was an indication that Buhari and governors have failed in their constitutional duty to protect the people.
Reacting to this statement, Buhari said: “We are not surprised by this latest statement by Prof. Abdullahi, and our past position on what his group represents remains unchanged: a mere irritant and featherweight.”
NEF, in a statement on Sunday and signed by its Convener, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, had berated the President and some northern governors for not foing enoigh to protect the northerners.
But the President, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, countered NEF’s position.
“Hearing that title, you would think the body was a conglomeration of true elders. But the truth is that NEF is just Ango Abdullahi, and Ango Abdullahi is NEF. It is a quasi-organisation that boasts of no credible membership, and its leader is akin to a General without troops.
“Before the 2019 presidential election, the one-man army called NEF had shown its antipathy against President Buhari, and its preference for another candidate. They all got beaten together.
“NEF is merely waving a flag that is at half-mast. President Buhari steadily and steadfastly focuses on the task of retooling Nigeria, and discerning Nigerians know the true state of the nation. They don’t need a paper tiger to tell them anything,” the statement said.
The police chief in the US city of Atlanta resigned after an officer fatally shot a black man during an arrest, the mayor said Saturday, with the new killing injecting fresh anger into protests against racism and police brutality.
Images on local media showed hundreds of protesters in the streets on Saturday and flames engulfing the Wendy’s restaurant where 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks was killed.
The officer who shot Brooks was dismissed Saturday and identified by Atlanta police as Garrett Rolfe. The second officer was placed on administrative duty, according to ABC News.
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms — who has been touted as a potential running mate for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden — earlier announced the resignation of Chief Erika Shields.
Wendy’s employees called police on Friday night to complain that Brooks was asleep in his car and blocking other customers on the premises, an official report said.
He failed a sobriety test and resisted when police tried to arrest him, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said.
Surveillance video showed “that during a physical struggle with officers, Brooks obtained one of the officer’s Tasers and began to flee from the scene,” the report continued.
“Officers pursued Brooks on foot and during the chase, Brooks turned and pointed the Taser at the officer. The officer fired his weapon, striking Brooks,” it said.
Brooks was taken to hospital but died after surgery, it said, adding that one officer was injured.
An attorney acting for the dead man’s family said disproportionate force was used in the confrontation.
“In Georgia, a Taser is not a deadly weapon — that’s the law,” L. Chris Stewart told reporters.
“Support came, in I think 2 minutes. He would have been boxed in and trapped. Why did you have to kill him?”
“(The officer) had other options than shooting a man in the back.”
Brooks has four children, Stewart added, and had celebrated the birthday of his eight-year-old girl earlier on Friday.
His death is the 48th shooting involving an officer the GBI has been asked to investigate this year, according to local newspaper the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Fifteen of those incidents were fatal.
The unrest comes as the US faces a historic reckoning on systemic racism, with mass civil unrest ignited by the May 25 killing of another African-American man, George Floyd, while in police custody.
Floyd died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Protests which spread first around the country then the globe, have forced a conversation on the legacies of slavery, colonialism and white violence against people of color, as well as the militarization of police in America.
Police chief Shields had worked for Atlanta’s police department for more than two decades.
“Because of her desire that Atlanta be a model of what meaningful reform should look like across this country, Chief Shields has offered to immediately step aside as police chief,” the mayor said in televised comments.
AFP
Unperturbed by his disqualification from contesting the June 22 All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primary in Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki has held a series of meetings at the Government House in Benin City to rally his supporters and determine his next political move.
There are strong indications that Obaseki may pitch his tent with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Rallying his supporters ahead of September 19 governorship election in Edo State, the governor appreciated the people of the state for their unflinching support and prayers.
“The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki sincerely appreciates Edo people, Nigerians and our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora, for the outpouring of goodwill and solidarity since the announcement of his unjust disqualification by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Screening Committee from the Edo governorship primary election. He thanks them for keeping the faith.
“We are consulting widely with party leaders and members in the state and other stakeholders and we shall soon brief the public on the next steps we are taking, going forward,” said Obaseki, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie.
The statement explained that the governor’s insistence not to appeal his disqualification was informed by his stance not to kowtow to the wishes of a handful of politicians, who do not have the interest of the people at heart.
“The governor is unfazed, even as he would soon announce his next line of action. But at the moment, Edo people and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) are solidly standing behind the governor. They have declared unflinching support for him and the ideals he stands for.
“The market women, labour unions, clerics, women groups, the elderly, artisan groups, youths, among others, are strongly in support of the governor’s ambition and his stance to keep the state’s treasury sealed from those who have now resorted to disqualifying him from running under the APC in the gubernatorial elections because of their selfish interests. But Governor Obaseki remains undaunted and unperturbed.
“For Obaseki, it is Edo people or nothing. This is why he has remained in this battle thus far. Among many other reasons, each of the groups that form the governor’s support base have benefitted from Governor Obaseki’s stance against thuggery and extortion. The governor has enthroned probity and accountability in governance. For labour unions, regular salaries, clearing of over 20 months pension arrears and providing a conducive work environment is what is gearing them to support the governor. The pensioners are fully in support of his policies. The governor has not only cleared pension arrears accrued since 1999, but would soon commence the payment of gratuities.
“The governor’s loyalty rests with Edo people. He would not trade them away to those who have decided to become godfathers and waging a war of impunity to subjugate the people,” the statement said.
Why disqualifying Obaseki on Friday, the Jonathan Ayuba APC Screening Committee adduced six why the incumbent governor could not seek second term in office.
The reasons include:
1. For claiming to have a Higher School Leaving Certificate which is unknown to the Nigerian educational system;
2. For allegedly being in possession of an affidavit disowned by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory;
3. For error in the National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate which bears Obasek as against Obaseki;
4. For loss of primary, secondary and the Higher School Leaving Certificates;
5. For alleged violation of Article 21 D (V) of the party’s constitution, which forbids members from taking the party to court; and
6. For legal precedents occasioned by the judgments of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court on discrepancies in names.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has invited embattled Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) so as to actualize his reelection bid, which is being threatened by forces in the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to TheCable, the former Vice President on Friday reached out after news of Obaseki’s disqualification from participating in the APC primary election broke.
Atiku Abubakar, who defected from the APC to the PDP in November 2017 in order to contest the 2019 presidential election is said to be negotiating a “soft landing” for Obaseki should he decide to switch lanes to the opposition party.
Atiku’s “soft landing” moves is believed to help Obaseki bypass the PDP constitution, which requires anyone who seeks an elective position under the party to have been a registered member for at least 18 months, and favour him with a waiver.
A source close to Atiku was reported to have said that the former Vice President discussed Obaseki’s likely defection with some PDP governors.
According to TheCable, the source said: “The Waziri (of Adamawa Emirate which Abubakar was turbaned in 2018) is wooing Obaseki on behalf of PDP. He spoke with him yesterday and encouraged him to join the PDP.
“He also spoke to some of the PDP governors and urged them to give him a soft landing and access to the party”, the source said.
Governor Godwin Obaseki, who has been in a long drawn battle with his predecessor and National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, was disqualified from participating in the primary election that would have been a vehicle to his second term reelection.
On Friday, Chairman of the APC screening committee Edo governorship poll, Jonathan Ayuba, announced that Obaseki was disqualified based on a “defective certificate”.
While political observers believe that Obaseki will likely join the PDP, his alleged traducer, who once supported him to be Governor in 2016, APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole is believed to be backing Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a consensus candidate for one of the party’s faction in Edo State.
The political drama playing out in Edo State ahead of the September 19 Governorship election continues today as youths who are members of the Edo Concerned Citizens stormed the streets of Benin, the Edo State capital to stage a peaceful protest.
The youths on Saturday marched through major streets carrying signs that read “fairness in politics”, “Peace not war”, Edo must choose wisely”, amongst others.
The protest March, which is suggestive of the political tension that is brewing in the state due to the disagreement between the immediate past governor of the state, now National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the incumbent, who is seeking a reelection under the APC, Governor Godwin Obaseki, was clear in its purpose of reaching out to political gladiators in the state and demanding a peaceful governorship election.
The protesters, who explained that the demonstration became necessary as political events heightened in the state, also urged political leaders to sustain the relative peace in the state as they prepare for the September 19 governorship election.
They also noted that recent turn of events, likely referring to the power tussle within the APC, which on Friday led to the disqualification of Governor Obaseki by screening officials, have raised concerns about likely violence and other electoral malpractices during the upcoming governorship election.
As the protest held, rumour of the defection of Governor Obaseki to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was rife in town.
