Tag Archives: Oshiomhole

Edo residents protest planned N200 million home for Oshiomhole.

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Pro-government and anti-government protesters clashed in Benin on Tuesday over the alleged plan of the Edo Government to build N300 million retirement homes for former Gov. Adams Oshiomhole and his deputy.

The pro-government group and members of some civil society organisations (CSOs) fought at Ring Road, Benin, when the latter marched through the streets over the amendment of the law for the pension of the governor.

Edo State House of Assembly last week amended the 2007 Pension Rights of the Governor and Deputy Governor Law to include the provision of a building valued N200 million for a former governor and N100 million for his deputy.

Justin Okunobor, the speaker of the assembly, had said that the new provision was justified as there was an existing law on pension benefits for former governors and deputies.

Civil society groups have criticised the move.

Anti-government protesters, under the aegis of Edo Civil Society Organisations, had converged on the museum ground in Benin as early 8 a.m. and marched toward the Anthony Enahoro House of Assembly Complex to announce their rejection of the new pension benefits.

The civil society groups were confronted by those who support the amendment, who prevented them from gaining access to the major entrance of the building.

The challenge resulted in the CSO members running away, while security operatives who had taken position at strategic positions around the assembly premises watched.

Some protesters sustained injuries during the fight which lasted about an hour, while some vehicles and public address systems used by the CSOs were vandalised.

As a result of the fight, passersby scampered to safety.

The spokesperson for the civil society groups, Osazee Edigin, said his members were attacked by thugs allegedly sponsored by the government.

‘’They mobilsed thugs to attack us and we are trying to revive a guy who fainted, the thugs have taken over Ring Road,’’ Edigin said.

The Chief Press Secretary to Edo Governor, John Mayaki, said the state government recognised the rights and freedom of citizens to express their opinion on public issues and would not do anything to infringe on their freedom.

Mr. Mayaki said there was no iota of truth in the claim of the CSOs as the government would not in any way attempt to gag the people’s freedom.

Edo PDP, Ize Iyamu rule out involvement in Obaseki’s government.

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo state monday ruled out the possibility of participating in the APC-led government of Godwin Obaseki.

Obaseki in his inaugural speech last Saturday, disclosed the possibility of his administration to extend a hand of fellowship to the opposition parties, remarking that after a hard-fought campaign, he was willing to gather ideas that have been articulated by all parties and integrate them for the transformation of Edo State.

But state PDP Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, at a press conference to x-ray the eights years administration of former governor, Adams Oshiomhole, said the party cannot be part and parcel of an administration whose tenure would terminate at the end of the state election petition tribunal.

Orbih who decried the huge debt profile legacy of Oshiomhole-led government, said the state currently rank the third highest indebted state in Nigeria.

He said not less than N1trillion accrued to the immediate past administration as federal statutory allocation and internally generated revenue in the last eight years, while the sum of N300billion was borrowed with escalating interest rate

The Edo PDP chairman also accused Oshiomhole of lavishing N500 million every month on undisclosed security challenges, adding that besides denying the judiciary and legislative arms financial independence, the former governor engaged mass acquisition of properties in and across the state.

“The only legacy Oshiomhole left behind is that he succeeded in providing students of politics and history materials on nemesis of bad government, propaganda and failed promised”

On his part, the PDP governorship candidate in the September 28, 2016 election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, re-assured the people of his unflinching resolved to recover what he termed the ‘stolen mandate’ at the state Election Petitions Tribunal in the face of present intimidation, bribe and financial inducement

“We are not asking the tribunal to cancel the election. We are saying we won the election. Not only PDP voted for me, Edo people voted for me. We are following the matter to a logical conclusion”

I Need Oshiomhole’s Services In Abuja– Buhari

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President Muhammadu Buhari says the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will find an important national assignment for the outgoing Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, when he leaves office.
Buhari said this yesterday at the Palace of the new Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Nku Akpolokpolo Ewuare II, before he embarked on the commissioning of several projects in the state.
He said: “It will be a pity to waste his energy by him retiring. I hope there will be a higher assignment for him to do more for the nation. I congratulate the governor for his hard work; Oshiomhole is a hard working governor. We will need his services in Abuja.
‘‘Thank you for inviting me, most especially during this time in the country. You have served two terms and you are about to leave. You deserve a place in history. I hope the APC will look for a place for you because your service for the country is far from over.”
Buhari also congratulated the Oba for successfully ascending the throne of his ancestors and extended the support of the Federal Government to his Royal highness in his bid to improve the lives of Edo people.
The Oba expressed delighted on the president’s visit, noting that it was the first since his recent coronation.
‘‘We believe this is a sign of better things to come. I appreciate your contribution to my coronation,’’ the royal father said.
The Ewuare II, who commended Buhari for appointing Edo indigenes into positions in government appealed for the establishment of an export and import processing zone for agro-allied industries in the state.
Buhari who is on a two-day working visit to Edo commissioned the renovated Central Hospital in Benin. President Buhari also commissioned the Upper Siluko Road in Benin City,  inspected the Queen Ede Gulley erosion site and commissioned the Samuel Ogbemedia College rebuilt to ‘world class standard.’
Credit: dailytrust

Oshiomhole Accuses PDP Of Buying PVCs

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Governor Adams Oshiomhole has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of buying PVCs from voters in different parts of the state with a view to rigging the September 10 Governorship election in the state.

Speaking at a rally of the All Progressives Congress in Jattu, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state, Monday, Oshiomhole said anyone caught in the illegality will be prosecuted and jailed if found guilty.

According to him, “They are going round, collecting PVCs and dropping lies, please don’t sell your PVCs. Poverty cannot be cured with a dash, it has to be fought on a systematic basis.

“In Agenebode, they are buying PVCs, they will say bring it, we will give you N5,000. Ask them, if they sweat to make the money, will they use it to buy PVC? “Don’t allow them, after impoverishing you, they take N5,000 and stop you from voting. I’ve told the security agencies to monitor, when we catch them they will be prosecuted and jailed, but please, N5,000 will not bail anyone out of poverty.”

The Governor said “when we say the PDP, you actually buried it, we only announced it, and they will remain politically dead. They died in sin, they undermined the people, looted the treasury, failed all the questions and they breached all 10 commandments of development, so they died in sin and shall never resurrect in our lifetime.

“I hear them say Change the change, the dead cannot change the living because they are dead politically, they cannot change us who are politically living. So it’s a futile slogan. He said the PDP ruined the nation’s economy in 16 years.

According to him “On May 29, 1999, when the PDP took over the reins of the Federal Government, the official rate of naira was N21.90 to $1, by the time they were chased out of power, the naira was already exchanging for close to N200.”

We have written our own development testimonial in our own ink and they have written the testimonial of their failure in their own ink.”

Candidate of the APC, Mr Godwin Obaseki said the Edo progress cannot be put on the reverse by the PDP, adding “we will continue with what Oshiomhole has started; he has built roads, schools, hospitals, so we will continue with the next phase with human capital development.”

Credit: Vanguard

 

Oshiomhole Sacks Commerce And Industry Commissioner

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Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has terminated the appointment of Mr. Abdul Oroh, as the state  Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, with “immediate effect.?”

It was, however, not clear whether the governor’s action was connected with the forthcoming governorship election.

But according to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Peter Okhiria, on Monday evening, the commissioner was dropped “in the public interest.”

The governor said that Oroh’s removal was “with immediate effect” and thanked him for his invaluable services to the state.

He also wished him well in his future endeavours.

Meanwhile, Oshiomhole has approved the appointment of Mr. Kerry Emokpare as Commissioner-designate.

Oshiomhole Increases Workers’ Minimum Wage From N18,000 to N25,000

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Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo on Sunday announced the increment of the National Minimum Wage from N18,000 to N25, 000 with immediate effect, for employees in the State Public Service.

 

He also promised prompt payment of outstanding arrears of salary to the staff of Local Government Councils in the state.

 

Oshiomhole who made the announcement on Sunday at the grand finale of activities to mark the 2016 Workers Day, said that plans had also been concluded to pay staff of Egor Local Government Council who were being owned 13 months arrears of salary, within the next two weeks.

 

Explaining why the council was omitted from the bailout to local government councils in 2015, he gave the assurance that the Edo Government had been meeting with the Central Bank of Nigeria and that within the next two weeks, the funds would be released and staff of the council would be paid in full.

Jonathan Shared Ecological Funds To PDP Govs – Oshiomhole

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The Edo State Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, on Thursday accused former President Goodluck Jonathan of favouring state governors elected on the platform of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, during his regime.

He specifically accused the former President of doling out N2bn from the Ecological Fund to each of the PDP governors without considering giving same to governors of the All Progressives Congress.

Oshiomhole made the allegation while speaking with State House correspondents after a meeting state governors had with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The state governors had approached Buhari on the need for the Federal Government to assist state governments to cushion the effects of the economic downturn.

Oshiomhole said they were lucky to have at this time a President they could approach on such issues.

He said it would have been impossible for them to approach Jonathan to seek support without being given lectures on fiscal responsibility.

The governor said despite Jonathan’s posture, wastage was more at the Federal Government level during his tenure.

He said Buhari was showing the difference the APC promised by accommodating their governors irrespective of their party affiliations.

He said, “We are very lucky to have President Buhari at this time. I have been here now for seven-and-half years and I have had the opportunity to work with three Presidents, that is the truth.

“Under the last President, it would have been impossible for us to approach Abuja to give us support because we have personal challenges.

“We would have been given lectures on fiscal responsibility and all those kind of talks, even though the wastage was more here (federal level) than any other place at that time.

“We now have a President who recognises that he is not just President of the Federal Government, he is the President of the federation of which the states are part and regardless of our political affiliations.

“This is very important. Everybody is able to ask this President to give him support and he is giving, whereas in the recent past, some PDP governors got N2bn from the Ecological Fund. We the APC governors were not given but we promised to be different and I am happy this President is showing that difference.”

When asked for his view on the proposed new minimum wage by workers, Oshiomhole who is a former labour leader, said, “I have not seen the document proposing a new minimum wage but believing in your judgment that it is a proposal, from my own experience there is always a difference between a proposal and a final agreement.

“Man proposes, God disposes and in the real world, nobody gets what he wants, you get what you negotiate. Any day any time, wake me up, I believe in a living wage.”

Oshiomhole Blames PDP For Tension In Niger Delta

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Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday, regretted that the current tension in the Niger Delta was created by the immediate past Peoples Democratic Party, PDP-led administration through the empowerment of people he described as “wrong guys who showed capacity for violence.”

He urged the new Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru and the Minister of State, Niger Delta Affairs, Prof. Claudius Daramola to reform the ministry, saying, “You have a huge challenge due to the disastrous performance of your predecessors under the last PDP government which made more noise about the Niger Delta than work.

“They empowered the wrong people because they showed capacity for violence and then ignored the real people who were peaceful, who just wanted development. Therefore, you have a huge task to bring development and carry out massive reforms for our people and you need to re-enlighten our people to recognise that the long term challenge of bringing prosperity to our people will not necessarily continue to be driven by intervention agencies, it has to do with creating jobs and making the region peaceful.”

Oshiomhole spoke when the new leadership of the Niger Delta Ministry, led by the minister, Pastor Uguru, paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Benin City.

Credit: Vanguard

Jonathan Threatened To Cage Me– Oshiomhole

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Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has revealed how former President Goodluck Jonathan threatened to cage him after May 29 for throwing his weight behind the candidature of President Muhammadu Buhari in the last general elections.

Speaking at a meeting with APC leaders across the three Senatorial Districts of Edo State on Thursday, a highly elated Oshiomhole said “around this time last year, the tension in Nigeria was such that Prophets of doom around the world were almost unanimous that Nigeria would not survive 2015 but as you can see, man proposes, God disposes.

“Around this time last year, in January, a few weeks to the election, many were saying quite recklessly on radio and television that we were finished.

“The former President, Goodluck Jonathan told our National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun to inform me that after the election, he will put me, Adams, the son of Oshiomhole in a hole and I told Chief Oyegun to inform him to dig that hole very deep because although I am short, in the course of pushing me into the hole, nobody knows who will get there first.

“Since he is taller than me, he needs to dig the hole deep enough so that either of us can get in. In the end, he is inside the hole and I am busy putting dust into that hole”.

Credit: Vanguard

Oshiomhole Sacks Petroleum Committee Chairman

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Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has terminated the appointment of Chairman of the state Petroleum Monitoring Committee, Mr Soni Idahagbon for negligence and dereliction of duty.

A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary, Peter Okhiria, said that other members of the Committee have also been suspended.

They will however undergo screening before being reconsidered for re-engagement.

The Governor has warned petroleum dealers in the state that they stand the risk of their land being revoked if they do not return to the official price of petroleum products.

Mr Idahagbon is requested to hand over all government property in his possession to the Permanent Secretary, (Administration) Government House within 24 hours.

Credit: ChannelsTV

Oshiomhole Suspends Four Local Government Chairmen

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Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has suspended four local government chairmen for non-payment of staff salaries, diversion of funds among others.

The four chairmen are Emmanuel Momoh, Etsako Central Local Government Area; Victor Enobakhare, Egor Local Government Area; Osaro Obazee, Oredo Local Government Area and Roland Ibierutomwen, Orhionmwon Local Government Area.

A letter to the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Julius Ihonvbere, said that their suspension, which is for two months, is to pave the way for unhindered investigation into several allegations against the chairmen.

The allegations include non-payment of staff salaries without satisfactory explanations, inability to account for Internally Generated Revenue, diversion of funds, failure to follow due process in the award of contracts as well as illegal employment of senior officers without going through Local Government Service Commission, which is a violation of laid-down provisions.

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Diezani’s Arrest: Just Tip Of The Iceberg- Oshiomhole

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Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday spoke on the arrest in London of former Petroleum Resources Minister Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Mrs. Alison-Madueke and her brothers, who are directors of Hadley Petroleum Solutions Limited, were arrested for alleged bribery and money laundering. No charges have been preferred against them.

Oshiomhole, who has been outspoken against fraud in former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, has been under attack in the social media for his views. Now, according to him, he is vindicated.

Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, the governor said Alison-Madueke’s arrest was a tip of the iceberg.

He said: “For me, I don’t think anybody should be surprised because the most favorable commentator on the Nigerian condition, both the economy, the polity and society, everybody agree that our economy was badly mismanaged over the past several years.

“I have not seen one commentator that disagrees.  Even when they talk about rebasing and so what. Have you rebased the level of poverty? Have you rebased prosperity? Have you rebased unemployment? Have you rebased homelessness? Have you rebased hunger?…”

Read More: thenationonlineng

Oshiomhole, Sylva In Words Battle Over Failed Bayelsa Governorship Primaries

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday cancelled the Bayelsa State governorship primary election held on Tuesday.

The election, held in Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa, the state capital, was purportedly won by a former governor of the state, Timipre Sylva, in a controversial manner.

The Chairman of the Election Committee, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State said he was held hostage by thugs allegedly led by the former governor of Bayelsa State and supported by the police, who insisted that the primaries be conducted without proper accreditation.

However, Mr. Sylva, in a swift reaction described claims by Governor Oshiomhole that he truncated the governorship primary election as a deliberate act of mischief.

He noted that though Governor Adams Oshiomole was the Chairman of the Election Committee, the election which led to his emergence as the flag bearer of the party was free, fair and without violence.

Mr Sylva alleged that the Edo State Governor never wanted to conduct the primary as scheduled and cannot really say anything about the primary election because he had left the venue at the time voting commenced.

He added that Mr Oshiomhole set the process in motion for voting to commence before he excused himself on the grounds that he was going to eat and he mandated other members of the committee to carry on without him.

The National Chairman of the party, John Oyegun, said that a new date for the election would be announced soon.

“The primary has been rescheduled. It had to be called off due to security challenges,” he said.

Read More: channelstv

I Was Held Hostage By Sylva’s Thugs- Oshiomhole

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The Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Wednesday, narrated how he escaped from the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa, venue of the 2015 governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress, after he was held hostage for hours during the exercise which was marred by violence.

He said, “I was appointed with six other members from the APC to conduct the governorship primary in Bayelsa State. The exercise took place yesterday (Tuesday) and, somehow, thugs took over the sports complex where the exercise was to take place.

“They practically prevented the actual delegates from participating and as a result, we could not proceed with the exercise. The committee was virtually held hostage, including my humble self and, this time, they were supervised unfortunately by one of the aspirants, the former governor of the state, Timipre Sylva, who said to my face and to the committee that we could not leave the venue of the conference unless we conducted the exercise without accreditation, as prescribed by the national secretariat.”

Oshiomhole wondered why the former governor insisted on his own position rather than that prescribed by the national leadership of the APC.

He said, “Whereas all the aspirants agreed with the guidelines, it was only Sylva that did not. He rejected the mode of accreditation and chose to accuse the national secretariat of formulating the guidelines to frustrate his ambition.

“Every effort made to reassure him and direct his attention to the fact that same guidelines had been used (before) and that they are standard guidelines that would be used in future elections fell on deaf ears.”

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Oshiomhole Sacks Four Commissioners

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Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has terminated the appointment of four Commissioners in the State Executive Council.

Those affected in the exercise, which is in line with government’s commitment to strengthen the system towards optimal performance are: Chief Lucky James, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; Mrs. Blessing Maigida, Commissioner for Women Affairs; Mr. Patrick Aguinede, Commissioner for Basic Education; Mr. Chris Ebare, Commissioner for Energy and Water Resources.

They are directed to hand over all government property in their possession to the Permanent Secretaries in their respective Ministries.

Read More: vanguardngr

Orubebe Deserves To Rot In Jail, Oshiomhole Fumes

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Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State on Wednesday said former Minister of the Niger Delta, Godsday Orubebe is afraid of President Muhammadu Buhari’s planned probe of several billions of naira squandered on the East-West road and on the Amnesty programme under his watch as Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs.

The governor said that fear of an impending probe was what triggered Mr. Orubebe’s latest outburst in the media.

Mr. Oshiomhole, in a statement by his spokesperson, Peter Okhiria, said the “incompetence” of people like Mr. Orubebe contributed to the dismal failure of the administration of former president Goodluck Jonathan.

“Our attention has been drawn to the latest outburst of one clown called Godsday Orubebe in his attempt to taint the image of the Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

“It is no surprise that the former president, Goodluck Jonathan, failed woefully because he surrounded himself with such charlatans as Godsday Orubebe, whose only credential is his ethnic origin and the large size of his bowler hat.

“Here was a man whose un-ministerial conduct at the election nearly plunged the nation into an avoidable crisis

“Does Orubebe really think Nigerians are fools, does he truly believe Nigerians have forgotten so soon the ignoble role he played in his attempt to truncate the release of the election results and announcement of the eventual winner of that election, a move which could have plunged the nation into another civil war?

“Is it not a shame that Orubebe who should be cooling off his heel in jail for that failed plot to truncate democracy has now found a convoluted voice?

“We are not surprised at the timing of Orubebe’s latest outburst. It is no doubt unconnected with the planned probe by President Muhammadu Buhari of the billions of naira allocated to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, even as the East-West road remains in bad shape and the probe of the fleecing of amnesty funds under his watch.

“We are aware that Orubebe, the perpetual noise maker, has raised the decibel of his noise a notch higher so that he would have a ready-made defence of witch-hunting if he is indicted in the planned probe of Amnesty funds.

“Orubebe is a yesterday’s man. We could have chosen to ignore him like his Delta brother, Mr. Sunny Onuesoke, an unknown entity who doesn’t know the arithmetic of financing, but decided to delve into a matter of a World Bank loan, something completely beyond his mental and intellectual capacity, but we simply can’t let Orubebe have the last say.

“We are not unaware that it has now become the fad for drowning and neophyte politicians to take cheap shots at the impeccable character of the Comrade Governor just to gain cheap publicity. However, Orubebe’s image, as he himself knows, is beyond redemption.

“Is it not laughable that Orubebe, the clown, accused Oshiomhole of biting the fingers that fed him? Pray, how did Jonathan feed Oshiomhole? Did he feed Oshiomhole by supervising over a government that fleeced the nation of trillions of naira, thereby denying Edo State her rightful share of funds for development? Or did he feed Oshiomhole by canvassing votes for him!

“Our candid advice is for Orubebe, a perpetual failed governorship aspirant, to go to his family and apologise for the irreparable damage done to the family name with his infamous outburst beamed live to the whole world, before coming forward to confront Governor Adams Oshiomhole who is not in any way in the same class as him.

“It is no wonder that Nigeria was at a state of near collapse until President Muhammadu Buhari came on a rescue mission and rendered people like Orubebe irrelevant.

“Never again will characters like Orubebe take us on the path of Golgotha; never again will they hold sway in the affairs of Nigeria and ruin the collective aspiration of the people.”

Read More: premiumtimesng

Orubebe Comes For Oshiomhole, Calls Him Villa Sychophant, Ingrate

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Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe on Tuesday lashed out at the Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole over the latter’s constant criticisms of former President Goodluck Jonathan and the immediate past administration.

Orubebe described the Governor as a “villa sycophant.” The former minister, who met with some journalists in Abuja, described the Governor as someone who is willing to switch allegiance to whoever is in power at any point in time.

He chastised the Edo governor for speaking against Jonathan whom he called a great leader. “Oshiomhole is an ingrate and a popular villa sycophant who is quick to switch allegiance to whomever is in power,” Orubebe said.

Read More: dailytimes

Call Oshiomhole To Order, Rep Tells Buhari

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The lawmaker member representing Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Linus Okorie, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to quickly call Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state to order on the purported appointment of two foreign forensic audit firms to look into federal government revenue generating agencies from 2010 to 2015.

In a statement in Abakaliki, Mr. Okorie observed that neither the Mr. Oshiomohole-led National Executive Council Adhoc Committee on Excess Crude Accounts and Remittances to the Federation Account nor the NEC itself has the power under the constitution to make the purported appointments.

He also stated that even if they had the legal authority, the said appointment is contrary to the clear provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2007, adding that the NEC created under the part 1 of the third schedule 1999 constitution (as amended) is merely an advisory body to the President and has no authority to enter into contractual obligations on behalf of the government of the federation.

Read More: premiumtimesng

Oshiomhole Accuses Okonjo-Iweala Of Destroying Nigerian Economy

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The Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has lambasted outgoing finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, over her claims that states received N2.92 trillion excess crude money between 2011 and 2014 with little to show, the latest in a series of tit-for-tat between governors and the minister over allegations of mismanagement of oil revenues.

Mr. Oshiomhole accused the minister of gross mismanagement of the Nigerian economy, saying she was merely feeding Nigerians with half-truths in the last four years.

Mr. Oshiomhole said the minister has herself to blame as she ran the Excess Crude Account as a “one-man show”.

The governor said Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala’s recent outcry against oil marketers over falsification of fuel subsidy claims may have been out of in fear about the incoming President, Muhammadu Buhari.

“It is quite intriguing that with barely few days left in office, she has suddenly woken up from her slumber to realize that oil marketers have all along been falsifying subsidy claims and defrauding the nation of billions of naira and dollars,” the governor said.

He said the person best placed to explain the state of the country’s economy at the moment was Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala.
As a member of the National Economic Council, Mr. Oshiomhole said he had spoken out publicly at different times about the way the economy was managed by Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala.

He said the minister’s silence over the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) audit on the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation is “deafening”.

The audit revealed “massive abuse of public trust and stealing of our common patrimony in high places under her watch and the government she serves”, Mr. Oshiomhole said.

Criticising what he called “latter day policy activism” by the minister, Mr. Oshiomhole said apart from the subsidy regime, the minister must also come clean on some other critical issues that demand accountability from her.

“The question to ask is: how come that it is now, for the first time, that we are hearing from the Minister of Finance about fraudulent claims by the oil marketers amounting to billions of Naira? At what point did the Minister of Finance and CME realize that these fraudulent and similar claims are going on? When did it start? Is it just recently or it has been going on all along? These questions are pertinent because we know that if the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) were doing its work diligently, all claims by oil marketers would be vetted on a daily basis before their payments are processed by the Ministry of Finance. Hence, there should be no dispute about the amount due to oil marketers at any point in time.

“What the foregoing, therefore, suggests is that all along, PPPRA, the Ministry of Finance and the oil marketers have been involved in an unholy alliance, in the mismanagement of the fuel subsidy regime and in the process defrauding the nation of its revenues,” the governor said.

Mr. Oshiomhole said the Minister cannot stop at simply shedding “crocodile tears” about fraudulent claims by oil marketers, saying she should ensure full disclosure by giving the full details of subsidy payments to oil marketers in the last four years, including the parameters used to calculate the subsidies.

“The recent nationwide fuel and energy crisis, adjudged the worst in the economic history of Nigeria, is merely a reflection of the gross mismanagement of the economy which characterized Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s tenure since 2011,” he said.

Mr. Oshiomhole said state governments, who are joint owners of the Excess Crude Account, were not properly briefed on the status of the account, and challenged the minister to shed more light on the spending from the account.

Credit: premiumtimesng

Buhari, IBB, Others Expected In Edo As Oshiomhole Remarries Today

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General Muhammadu Buhari and his wife Aisha, are among dignitaries expected today for the wedding between Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and his fiancée, Miss Lara Fortes, at his country home in Iyamho, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

Other dignitaries expected include former Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the national leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and others.

Oshiomhole is re-marrying five years after he lost his first wife, Clara on December 8, 2010. She died after several years of battle with cancer. Oshiomhole has been under pressure from traditional rulers including the Benin monarch, Oba of Benin to take another wife who will be of assistance to him at home.

Credit: vanguardngr

 

Why PDP Must go in 2015, by Oshiomhole

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Adams Oshiomhole, Govonor of Edo State, said that Nigerians must reject the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP at all levels in next year’s general elections, noting also that as long as the PDP remains in power, Nigerians will remain in darkness.

Speaking  when he received about 2,000 defectors from Oredo and Egor Local Government Areas of the state led by Mr. Festus Oviawe and Igbe Kingsley respectively, Oshiomhole said that the choice before the people in the next elections was very clear, a choice between darkness and change.

He said: “In the last 16 years, Edo State gained nothing from the PDP besides the resurfacing of the Ofosu-Benin Road and the attempt at the dualisation of the Okene-Benin Road, with all its imperfections, which they were forced to embark on after we cried out that how could they dualise the road from Abuja and stop abruptly in Okene without extending it to Edo.

“In 16 the last years, after spending over $25 billion, we have no light. Now they have shared the electricity companies to their friends and associates. For as long as they remain in power, Nigerians will remain in darkness. Our companies will remain shut and the economy will be subjected to the vagaries of instability of the international oil market.”

Accusing President Goodluck Jonathan of abandoning Edo, Oshiomhole, said: “He got 95 percent vote from Edo State. What has he done in Edo, what has he done in Benin City? The Queen Edo erosion was caused by the Federal Government and I had written several letters to them to fix their mess, yet they ignored us and gave money to Delta and Kogi states.

“See the newly refurbished airport in Benin. I was there and the roof was leaking during the rain. Is that the kind of government we still want in Nigeria? No way. For too long, across Nigeria, PDP has buffeted us with, lies, empty promises, both at the political level and economic front and every day they have run short of lies and they have run short of excuses.”

Credit: Vanguard Nigeria

Oshiomhole: Buhari’s Running Mate???

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Previously, reports had it that Rotimi Amaechi, governor of Rivers state, is considered as the top contender for the VP slot against Bola Tinubu, APC national leader.

New developments provide that Adams Oshiomhole, governor of Edo state, is now in strong contention for the vice-presidential slot of the All Progressives Congress (APC), against earlier reports that he was not interested in the race.

Reports also claim that this new development came to being after APC leaders were unable to settle for a vice president after General Buhari’s win, thus the announcement of his victory proceeded without a running mate beside him.

Credit: The Cable Nigeria