…As NURTW, Drivers Welfare Association endorse him
Stories by Tony Osauzo, Benin
Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday warned that any attempt to rig the forthcoming governorship election will be resisted by his party and his supporters.
Ize-Iyamu who gave the warning when members of the National Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Drivers Welfare Association adopted him as their candidate, declared: “that we are peace-loving does not mean that we can be taken for granted. In this election, as Oshiomhole used to say, the votes must count.”
Receiving the NURTW leaders and their supporters numbering about 200, Ize-Iyamu described as illegal the proscription of NURTW and Drivers’ Welfare Union by Oshiomhole, adding that the NURTW members have been victimized by the state government.
“We know the recognized union that is supposed to man our parks. That union is NURTW. Whether Oshiomhole likes it or not, his tenure is about to come to an end and when his tenure expires, we will find out if he can ban NURTW in Edo State.
“I heard him say that he has banned Edo State Drivers Welfare association. It is not Oshiomhole who established the union and he cannot ban it. Drivers welfare association is neither a ministry nor parastatal of Edo State government. That so-called ban can only happen to those that are
loyal to him and you are not banned at all.
He asked the NURTW members to take care of their units during the governorship election, promising to co-opt them into his campaign organization.
Earlier, the National Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Drivers Welfare Association while adopting the PDP candidate, promised to mobilize their members and voters in the state for him.
The state chairman of the NURTW, Comrade Warriman Erhengbo, who led the state president of the Drivers’ Welfare Association, Comrade Sunday Eke, and 12 other local government chairmen of the union to the state secretariat of the PDP for the adoption, accused incumbent Governor Adams Oshiomhole of promoting division upon his assumption of office in 2008 when he proscribed the operations of the NURTW in the state and introduced the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).
He said the governor lacked the power to ban the union, adding that it is an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and not a creation of the governor.
According to Erhengbo, after a careful consideration of the governorship candidates for the election, the NURTW has come to the conclusion that Ize-Iyamu was the best for the NURTW and Edo people.
“He is a man of the people. He loves everyone and does not discriminate. He is a son of the land. We can’t wait for him to become the next governor of Edo State,” he said.
APC presents certificate of return to Obaseki
From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday confirmed Mr Godwin Obaseki as the party’s flag-bearer for that Edo governorship election with the issuance of a Certificate of Return to him at the National Secretariat of the party.
Speaking to the National leadership of the party after receiving the certificate, Obaseki promised he will not disappoint the party, revealing that he has already reached out to and won the blessing of 11 out of the 12 aspirants that contested the primary election with him.
His words: “Firstly, today I want to thank God, I am truly, truly lucky and blessed that I have in our National Chairman, who to me is my uncle John. I have known him for years. To have the opportunity of him presenting my Certificate of Return today, I am really, really excited.
“I also want to thank you as members of the National Working Committee and the Executive of our National party that you have done us proud, the way you run or ran the primary election in Edo State gives us all joy and excitement that we are members of APC.
“You all recalled that the exercise was beamed live locally and internationally and the President of our country, Muhammadu Buhari had cause to commend you (National Chairman) and the officials for the exercise that was so transparently and professionally conducted.
“I want to use the opportunity to ask you to help me extend our gratitude to the committee you sent to Edo State to run the exercise, they were truly professional as you know it’s now been revealed,” he said.
He added: “I see myself as going to run, I am going to be a lap for APC to demonstrate how that change we promised really would occurre at a sub-national level.
“We have all the ingredient laid out, all the equipment are ready in the lab and with the team you are sending out, you would be proud of the decision you have made.
“By grace of God, we are winning the election, because we will unite the party to work as one. We have already started the exercise. We have personally approached all my other co-11 co-contestants, 11 of them, I want to inform you today that of all the 11 it is only one that is not totally accepted to work with us.
“However, I am very optimistic even that one would be with us at the rally. So, I want to assure you sir that we will truly reconcile. I believed that everybody must be carried along and in the new politics which we are ushering, we cannot afford the issue of marginalization. I want to thank you again and that I would not disappoint you,” he assured.
Oshiomhole, Odubu reconcile
From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), may be back on track to consolidate on its winning streaks, as Governor Adams Oshiomhole and his Deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu, yesterday resolved their differences.
The duo were torn apart by the party’s governorship primary election in which Oshiomhole backed Mr. Godwin Obaseki to clinch the ticket against Odubu who was the runner up.
As part of the reconciliation, Governor Oshiomhole agreed to recall all sacked government appointees loyal to the deputy governor. He also donated the sum of N10 million for the treatment of a police officer who lost his eyes, following attack on Odubu at a meeting with party delegates in Auchi, even as he promised to rehabilitate the policeman.
Odubu, while appreciating the governor, pledged to work for the victory of APC at the gubernatorial election, saying that he and Oshiomhole have become “more indivisible”.
The meeting which took place in Government House at Osadebey Avenue yesterday, was attended by party leaders from across the state.
Accord Party seeks to restrain Pedro Obaseki from parading as candidate
Edo State chapter of Accord Party has filed a suit at a Federal High Court in Benin-City seeking to restrain Don Pedro Obaseki from parading himself as the candidate of the party for the September 10 governorship election in the state.
The state chairman of the party, Samson Isibor and Isaac Adeniyi, the interim national chairman instituted the case against the gubernatorial candidate and the national leadership of the party.
The plaintiffs are also praying the court for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) from recognizing Don Pedro Obaseki as the candidate of the party for the September 10, 2016 governorship election pending the determination of the suit.
They further urged the court to restrain Lawal Muhammad Nalado and Nureni Adisa from parading themselves as the national executive committee officers of the party.
Isibor in an affidavit in support of the motion on notice averred that the duo were removed from office as national chairman and secretary of the party respectively since July 29, 2011.
He said Don Pedro Obaseki was not a member of the party and that the party have genuine for the governorship election.
INEC trains 200 staff on ICT
The Edo State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission has begun capacity training for its staff on relevant ICT programmes and devices ahead of the September 10 election.
In his speech, INEC National Commissioner, Dr. Mohammed Lecky, said the training exercise is a nation-wide affair to familiarize staff with the latest ICT and equipment to help function efficiently in the course of their duties.
According to him, all staff, both senior and junior, were undertaking the training for five days to adequately prepare them on the use of the various devices for the upcoming elections.
He said the training will be replicated in Ondo, which will commence today (Wednesday), assuring that no stone will be left unturned as expectations were high.
Dr. Lecky, who led other national officials for the training in Benin, lamented the huge number of Permanent Voter Cards which are yet to be collected by Nigerians, disclosing that cards from the just concluded Continuous Voters registration in Edo will soon be ready for collection.
He appealed to Nigerians to find time to collect their PVCs, adding that the commission was looking for modalities to get across to those yet to collect theirs either by sms or email.