Tony Osauzo, Benin
Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has said the current political tension in Edo State will soon become a thing of the past.
He said the palace is working round the clock to resolve the impasse among the All Progressives Congress political gladiators.
The Oba disclosed this when he hosted the Niger Delta Development Commission Chairman (NDDC)-designate, Pius Odubu, and the Commissioner, representing Edo State in the commission, Victor Ekhator, in his palace in Benin.
He said Edo would not be left out from the main stream of development in the current administration and sued for the co-operation of everyone irrespective of political, religious and ethnic affiliations to attract more federal presence to the state, even as the palace authorities have intensified more prayers and other spiritual exercise to ensure overall development of the state.
The Oba, who described the appointment of Odubu as a landmark in the state, said the palace was keen at ensuring overall development of the kingdom and the state.
Earlier, Odubu told the Oba that he was at his palace to formally inform him of his appointment as the new chairman of the commission.
Odubu, the immediate past deputy governor of the state, described his appointment by President Muhamadu Buhari as a milestone and attributed it to the hard work of the Oba and the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.
Meanwhile, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal of frustrating its right of appeal in the judgement delivered in a petition filed by Omosede Igbinedion against the election of Dennis Idahosa.
The three-man panel tribunal had dismissed Omosede’s petition for lack of merit.
But, the PDP, in a statement, signed by its Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, said it was curious to lovers of democracy about what it termed unwarranted delay in the release of the Certified True Copy of the Enrolled Order of Judgement, pointing out that the Omosede’s petition was the first the tribunal read and delivered its judgement on, 10 days ago.
“It is a known fact that parties are allowed by law to go on appeal within 21 days of judgement. But our right of appeal is being frustrated by the deliberate delay to avail us with copies of the judgement to enable us file our appeal within time.
“We are informed that APC leaders have boasted that by the time we get certified copies of the judgement, our lawyers will not have time to file any appeal. They have admitted in certain quarters that they may lose at appeal even though they know the tribunal tried in its five-hour long judgement to justify its position.”
APC Chairman, Anselm Ojezua, who denied the allegations, said: “When did the APC become a member of the judiciary? We are also affected by the delay.”
He said the APC has more judgements to file appeal against than the PDP and urged the party to know where to direct its complaints.