A former aide to ex-president, Muhammadu Buhari, Okoi Obono-Obla, on Monday, accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of manipulating the 2023 national and state assembly primary elections to benefit defectors from other political parties.

Obono-Obla, in a statement where he called for midterm elections to reform the leadership of the APC in Cross River State, claimed that only the governorship primary election was conducted fairly, with the winner emerging through a consensus.

He alleged, “All tickets for elective positions such as national and state assemblies (except the governorship ticket) were manipulated and handed over to defectors.”

He urged the party to conduct midterm congresses at the state, local government and ward levels to address the alleged imbalances, claiming deep divisions within the party’s ranks due to perceived injustices that followed the 2021 defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Obono-Obla also criticized the current APC leadership in Cross River State for running an exclusive and undemocratic administration.

He argued that the party’s executive committees at all levels are dominated by defectors from the PDP, and called for a more inclusive leadership.

The APC State Chairman, Barrister Alphonsus Ogar Eba, in response to the allegations, dismissed Obono-Obla’s allegations, accusing him of attempting to divide the party.

Eba said Obono-Obla’s frustration stemmed from the failure of his efforts to secure federal and state appointments for himself and his nominees.

Nigerians’ hopes of some relief from the cost of living crisis in the country have been dashed as petrol from the newly launched Dangote Refinery is being sold at prices higher than expected, as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) fixed new estimated petrol pump prices across all states.

The NNPC said that after completing the loading of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, from the Dangote refinery, petrol prices for September 2024 would range from approximately N950 to over N1,000 per litre, depending on the region.

Recall that NNPC stated it paid N898 per litre for the 16.8 million litres of petrol purchased from the Dangote refinery on Sunday, September 15.

A breakdown of the pricing showed that Borno State will pay  N1,019.22 per litre; Sokoto State – N999.22 per litre;  Kano State – N999.22 per litre;  Kaduna State – N999.22 per litre;  Federal Capital Territory (FCT) – N992.22 per litre; Rivers State – N980.22 per litre Oyo State – N960.22 per litre; and  Lagos State – N950.22 per litre.

NNPC explained that the new prices for September are based on figures obtained from the Dangote refinery and not set by the federal government.

The company’s spokesman, Olufemi Soneye, in a statement on Monday, said these prices are for September 2024.

The NNPC also stressed that the petrol loaded from the Dangote Refinery was priced in dollars as the Naira sale of petrol will commence in October.

Initially, there were hopes that local production would significantly lower fuel costs, thus lowering the cost of transportation, and prices of food items.

According to the NNPC, it purchased petrol from the Dangote Refinery at N898 per litre, while distribution costs and regulatory fees contributed to the final retail prices. The company emphasised that these prices are determined by market forces, as mandated by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), rather than government regulation.

To this end, other petroleum products marketers are expected to sell higher as they adjust to the new price regime as announced by NNPC.

The executive secretary of the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria(MEMAN), Clement Isong, while reacting to the situation when LEADERSHIP put a call across to him yesterday said, he is not aware of the adjustment but will get the clearer picture and revert to our Correspondent.

The price hike caught many off guard, especially as it came shortly after the refinery’s launch. NNPC’s pricing reflects a significant increase from previous rates, with petrol prices rising from N568 to N896 per litre on the same day. This has led to calls for transparency regarding the refinery’s pricing structure and production costs, with some stakeholders questioning why locally produced petrol is not cheaper than imported alternatives.

The situation has sparked debates about market dynamics and regulatory practices in Nigeria’s petroleum sector, with many citizens feeling that the anticipated relief from high fuel prices has not materialised.

Many Nigerians are understandably shocked that petrol being pumped out of the Dangote refinery will not be selling at a relatively affordable price at the pumps, or a little cheaper than the imported variety.

Long conditioned to subsidised products, Nigerians had expected that locally produced petrol would offer a huge relief from the cost-of-living crisis currently in the country.

Hope was heightened when the government announced recently that Dangote will buy Nigerian crude oil in Naira and sell his products within the country in the same currency.

In many social media platforms and talk shows, Nigerians have been busy analysing the refinery’s production economics and explaining why we should be buying cheap fuel soon.

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria expressed concerns over the pricing of petrol from the Dangote Refinery, urging the NNPC to ensure it is not sold at a higher price than imported fuel.

IPMAN argued that such a disparity would be counterproductive to the nation’s drive for energy self-sufficiency and could negatively impact consumers and marketers alike.

According to IPMAN on Monday, the pricing strategy for locally refined petrol should reflect the advantages of domestic production, offering Nigerians a more affordable option.

The association emphasised that maintaining competitive pricing is crucial for the success of the Dangote Refinery and for fostering a sustainable fuel market in the country.

IPMAN national welfare officer John Kekeocha stated this on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief breakfast programme on Monday.

“If NNPC can sell Dangote products higher than the imported products then it doesn’t make sense. What is the celebration we are having all these while then?” he queried.

An energy analyst, Etim Etim, while commending NNPCL for these disclosures, noted that these prices are only obtainable for the month of September when NNPC is buying in dollars from the refinery.

“For October, when crude would be sold in Naira, the prices may change, depending on a few variables like the exchange rate and the crude oil price in the international market.

He said that the downstream market is now fully deregulated, and for the first time in our history, subsidy is truly gone.

He urged Nigerians to brace up for a market-determined pricing structure that would be influenced by a few factors: the price of crude oil, the exchange rate, the cost of refining, overheads, borrowing costs, and insurance.

“Crude oil price will continue to be a major determinant of petrol price. Even when NNPC sells crude in Naira to Dangote, the pump price would still be determined by the prevailing exchange rate. If the naira continues to slide, petrol prices will increase, even if other factors remain unchanged.

He further said, “This morning, crude oil is selling at about $72, and at the exchange rate of N1,600/dollar, Dangote would be buying a barrel of crude oil at about N115,200. Although there are many other products that are obtained from a barrel of crude oil, petrol will not come cheap because of other inherent costs in the production process.

“Dangote is highly indebted to Nigerian banks, and even before his refinery began production, he was already repaying and servicing his debts.

“He had told the media in July that he had incurred huge interest charges due to failed attempts at land acquisition in Ogun State and delays in construction in Lagos State due to communal issues. The accumulated interest charges and other interest costs will count in the pricing of his gasoline.

Etim noted that Dangote’s production costs must also be very high, which will heavily impact the pricing of its products.

“The refinery provides everything for itself, including building three ports within the complex for its use in bringing in heavy equipment and building a huge 400 MW power plant to provide its own electricity. In addition, DR has over 8,000 people on its payroll. During construction, 29,000 Nigerians and 11,000 expatriates worked at the site. The huge wage bill would have to be taken care of by the selling prices of the products.”

Etim expressed hope that the refinery’s purchase of crude oil in Naira would ameliorate the impact on the exchange rate.

“The only reason petrol will sell cheap is if crude oil goes for as low as $40 per barrel or if the dollar exchanges for N800 or less. Both have significant implications for the economy, of course. But with tension mounting in the Middle East, cheaper crude oil is not likely soon.

“I have taken note of the assurance from the Finance Minister, Wale Edun, that petrol prices will fall as the refinery scales up production.

Speaking at the refinery on Sunday, Edun said, ‘’We’re expecting that as this refinery, and even others, ramp up production scale, and achieve economies of scale, there should be the opportunity—and there is definitely the potential—to reduce their costs, which should be passed on to consumers’’.

Nigerians have taken to social media to express their dismay at the current situation.

One X user queried, ‘’Why would Dangote not sell his petrol cheap or cheaper than imported product when he is not bearing the cost of shipping, LC charges, wharf charges, insurance, and other costs borne by importers?’’

Another person noted on X, ’’Anything above N766 per litre from Dangote is back to square one’’.

One other commentator wrote, ‘’Queuing for fuel is not our problem. If Dangote’s fuel is not cheaper than what we have now, then the whole thing is not worth it’’.

The NNPC began loading the first batch of petrol from the Dangote Refinery on Sunday, saying it got N898 per litre from the private refinery.

Before lifting petrol from the Dangote Refinery on Sunday, NNPC retail outlets in Lagos sold petrol for around N855, but a litre of Dangote petrol now sells for N950 per litre in Lagos and N1,019 in Borno.

However, Dangote Refinery denied selling petrol to the NNPCL at N898. In a statement late Sunday, a spokesman for the refinery, Anthony Chiejina described the claim by the NNPCL as “misleading and mischievous”.

“It should also be noted that we sold the products to NNPCL in dollars with a lot of savings against what they are currently importing. With this action, there will be petrol in every local government area of the country regardless of their remote nature,” Chiejina said.

However, the NNPCL insisted that it got petrol from Dangote Refinery at N898 per litre and challenged the latter to release the price at which it sold petrol.

The NNPCL further released a breakdown of pricing it sells Dangote petrol at its filling stations nationwide.

Last December, Dangote, Africa’s leading industrialist, commenced operations at his $20bn facility in Lagos with 350,000 daily barrels.

The refinery, initially bogged by regulatory battles, hopes to achieve its full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day by the end of the year.

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is pleased with the commitment of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to guarantee a free, fair and credible election in the state.

Obaseki stated this while addressing journalists after a closed-door meeting of the party caucus, Monday night, at the Government House in Benin City, the Edo State’s capital.

Expressing confidence that the party will come out victorious in Saturday, September 21 governorship election, the governor expressed the readiness of the PDP for the poll, charging party leaders and members to continue mobilising support for the party across the State.

He said, “As a caucus, we are pleased with the current utterances from the security agencies in Nigeria. We want to particularly appreciate the statement issued by the Inspector General of Police, making a commitment to support the peace process, ensuring that there is a level-playing field for all the players, and we endorse his efforts to draft a lot more men to Edo to support the elections on Saturday.

“We are also pleased with INEC so far and have every reason to trust the authorities of INEC and what they are committed to doing. So, our leaders are going to various local governments to continue mobilising for citizens to come out and support our candidate who clearly stands shoulder high above other candidates in the governorship race.

“We want to say that we are ready for this election. From this meeting of the caucus of the party, we have made sure that we have covered all grounds and the leaders of our party have all assured me that they are heading back home now to cross the ‘Ts’ and dots the ‘Is’ on Saturday.”

Obaseki added, “We are hoping that when the Courts resume tomorrow, Tuesday, September 17th, 2024, all our people who have been detained in Abuja all these weeks will be released. If they are granted bail, allowed to come back home to their families and participate in the democratic process, we would consider signing the Peace Accord.”

On INEC’s plans to postpone the governorship election in Edo State, the governor noted that “the Chairman of INEC has promised that the election will be held on Saturday 21st of September 2024, so we have no reasons to doubt his words.”

On his part, the Chairman of the PDP in Edo State, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi said, “After some hours of deliberations, the State caucus of the party reviewed and endorsed all the programmes put together by the party thus far.

“It was a deliberate and exhaustive conversation. A few areas not covered have been taken note of. We wish to State that the PDP in Edo State is ready for the election and believes very strongly that the programmes we have put together will lead us to victory.”

He added, “Edo people should not be afraid to come out on September 21st to cast their votes. We believe that we are one and nobody will come to hurt anybody. We are brothers and sisters in the polling units and together we will make the right choice and Edo will be better for it. We are confident that the Edo people will vote for PDP and Asue Ighodalo.”

The federal government says increasing halal exports will add $1.5 billion to Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2027.

Aliyu Sheriff, the special assistant to the president on export expansion, announced on Monday in a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, spokesperson to the vice-president, in Abuja.

The halal market refers to the global trade in products and services that comply with Islamic law.

Halal also means permissible or lawful in Arabic, hence halal products and services refer to goods and services that are produced and provided in accordance with Islamic law.

The halal market encompasses a wide range of sectors including food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, garments, tourism, finance and banking.

Sheriff said the government will unveil a comprehensive strategy on September 17 aimed at positioning Nigeria as a leading player in the $7 trillion global halal economy.

The project, he said, is part of initiatives to diversify the economy and tap into the burgeoning global halal market- products and services that meet Islamic standards of permissibility and embody ethics, integrity and universal values that resonate across cultures and regions.

“The Halal economy represents a tremendous opportunity for Nigeria to diversify our economy, generate foreign exchange, and achieve sustainable growth,” Sheriff said.

“By increasing our Halal exports and focusing on strategic import substitution, we project an addition of nearly $1.5 billion to our GDP by 2027.”

According to the presidential aide, the initiative will bring together government agencies, private sector leaders and international partners with a view to capitalising on Nigeria’s position as the eighth-largest domestic halal economy globally.

“The success of Sukuk bonds and the growing appeal of Islamic banking demonstrate that Halal principles are compatible with global economic standards and can benefit all Nigerians,” Sheriff said.

He added that a strategic focus on the halal economy opens up new avenues for Nigerian businesses to compete on the global stage.

Sheriff said it is not just about tapping into a market but elevating Nigeria’s standards and practices to world-class levels.

The Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA) has offered a six-month grace period to hospitality businesses to resolve parking shortfalls.

Adebisi Adelabu, general manager (GM) of LASPA, spoke on Monday during a meeting with representatives of the restaurant, cafe, bar and club (RCBC) association in Lagos.

The meeting aimed to address concerns regarding the Lagos state parking policy and its impact on businesses in the hospitality industry.

Adelabu expressed concern over the inadequate parking facilities in some establishments.

She said many hospitality businesses had failed to comply with building regulations that require sufficient parking for their customers.

The LASPA boss reassured attendees that the state government remains committed to the parking policy, which aims to curb indiscriminate parking and reduce traffic congestion.

The general manager also addressed concerns about overlapping jurisdictions and interference from local governments.

Adelabu said the state has formed strategic partnerships with local governments and local council development areas (LCDAs) to prevent additional disturbances over parking levies.

“Business owners are advised to consult with LASPA before allowing customer parking on roads, which can obstruct traffic,” she said.

“We acknowledging the challenges faced by businesses. There is need for the hospitality sector to communicate their specific needs so that LASPA can provide appropriate guidance and recommend nearby parking options.”

She stressed the need to balance business interests with the rights of the general public and urged businesses to comply with the policy, adding that LASPA has made provisions for flexible payment plans for compliant businesses.

Adelabu called on Lagos residents to support the state’s parking regulation efforts and participate in the regulated on-street parking scheme.

“Compliance with the policy is vital for reducing traffic congestion and improving parking efficiency,” Adelabu said.

“By paying the required parking levies and engaging with the system, you help create a more organised and accessible urban environment.”

In her remarks, Morenike George-Taylor, RCBC’s president, thanked the LASPA general manager for her proactive engagement and confirmed that many members were already in compliance with the parking regulations.

George-Taylor also affirmed the hospitality sector’s readiness to support and adapt to the new parking scheme.

Chelsea are reportedly considering a move to sign Victor Osimhen before the January transfer window, with the English Premier League club keen to secure the services of the Nigeria striker, The PUNCH  reports.

The Stamford Bridge giants, who missed out on the Nigeria striker during the summer transfer window, are said to be closely monitoring his situation at Galatasaray, where he is currently playing on loan from Napoli.

A source close to Football Insider revealed that Chelsea are eyeing a potential deal, thanks to a break clause in Osimhen’s loan agreement with the Turkish giants.

Their interest in the player has been reignited following his impressive debut for Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Lig. The former Lille striker made an immediate impact, providing an assist in a 5-0 thrashing of Rizespor and setting a new league record with seven shots on goal in a single match this season.

Osimhen’s performance showcased his versatility and threat in attack. He completed eight of nine attempted passes, won six out of eight duels, and successfully executed all his dribbling attempts. This display has not gone unnoticed by Chelsea, who are still in the market for a prolific striker.

The London club’s pursuit of Osimhen dates back to the summer, when negotiations collapsed in the final hours of the transfer window despite representatives flying to Naples.

Al Ahli also saw a mega-money offer rejected by the player at the time.

Osimhen’s current contract with Napoli, extended in December 2023, includes a release clause between €120m and €130m. However, with just 18 months remaining on his deal come January, Napoli may be forced to consider offers below this valuation to avoid losing him on a free transfer.

Chelsea’s renewed interest comes at a time when Osimhen’s price tag is expected to drop. The club are reportedly eager to steal a march on other potential suitors by making an approach before the January window.

However, they are likely to face stiff competition from several elite clubs across Europe and the Middle East.

As the reigning CAF Player of the Year continues to impress in Turkey, Chelsea’s management will be weighing their options carefully. With Osimhen’s loan at Galatasaray set to run until the end of the season, any potential move would require careful negotiation with all parties involved.

For now, Osimhen remains focused on his performances for Galatasaray, where he aims to help the club defend their Super Lig title.

Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior on Monday received his award as the Best Player for the 2023/24 Champions League.

Vinicius was decisive as the LaLiga champions won the title.

The Brazilian winger scored six goals and laid on five assists in the competition last season.

His ability to step up in crucial matches was instrumental in ultimately securing the trophy.

Meanwhile, Mbappe was also awarded as the top scorer of the Champions League, netting eight goals throughout the tournament.

Both players will be hoping to form a lethal duo that will dismantle opposing defences this campaign.

A Nigerian Catholic priest was indicted in Texas, United States of America on felony sexual assault charges after several victims accused him of s3xual and financial abuse, according to court documents and investigators, The New York Times reported on September 15, 2024

Odiong was indicted on Thursday by a grand jury in McLennan County, Texas, on two counts of second-degree sexual assault and one count of first-degree sexual assault. 

He was arrested in July in Ave Maria, Fla., when investigators found him in possession of child pornography while looking into sexual assault claims reported to the police, according to a Facebook post from the Waco Police Department. 

He was not indicted on possession of child pornography, but could be in the future, Detective Bradley DeLange said.

The police had been investigating Father Odiong for months because they had received “credible information” alleging he committed a sexual assault in 2012, according to the police. 

During the investigation, Detective DeLange said, the police found several women with similar stories of abuse as the original victim who had come forward. 

Detective DeLange discovered at least eight women who claim that the priest groped, s3xually assaulted or financially abused them, including one woman who sought Father Odiong’s counsel over her marriage troubles.

Under Texas Law, it is considered s3xual assault if members of the clergy engages in sexual activity with individuals who depend on them emotionally as “spiritual advisers.”

Father Odiong served as a priest at St. Peter Catholic Student Center in Waco, Texas, and at St. Mary’s Church of the Assumption in West, Texas, from 2007 to 2012, according to the police, and he also served in Luling, La., from around 2015 to 2023.

He was brought to McLennan County Jail on Aug. 6 and is being held on a $2.5 million bond, according to jail documents.

He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted on the second-degree sexual assault charges and could get life in prison for his first-degree felony charge, according to Christopher King, a lawyer representing several people in a separate civil case against the priest.

The Guardian reported in February on the allegations, which Father Odiong denied in April in a Facebook post that called them a “false, salacious and one-sided smear campaign.”

Archbishop Gregory Aymond, the Diocese of Austin, Texas, during the beginning of Father Odiong’s time as a priest at that diocese, and he now leads the Archdiocese of New Orleans, where Father Odiong served in recent years. 

Bishop Joe S. Vásquez, the current leader of the Diocese of Austin, said in a statement in July that the diocese would fully cooperate with law enforcement.

Sarah McDonald, a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, said on Sunday that Father Odiong had served there at the request of the Diocese of Uyo in Nigeria.

“When the archdiocese became aware of allegations of criminal activity we reported him to law enforcement and removed him from ministry,” Ms. McDonald said in a text.

A Ghanaian woman, tired of being a single mother, is desperately searching for the father of her child after confessing to dating two men before becoming pregnant and being unsure of the biological father.

The woman made the revelation during an appearance on Oyerepa Afutuo on Oyerepa TV. In a video that has since gone viral on TikTok, she shared that both men abandoned her after learning of the pregnancy, leaving her to raise the child on her own.

Now, years later, the woman revealed that she no longer knows the whereabouts of either man. Her situation has become more complicated as her child is pressuring her to meet their father.

The ongoing nationwide fuel crisis has forced the Independent National Electoral Commission to increase its financial commitment to the transport unions that would be involved in Saturday’s Edo State governorship election, The PUNCH has exclusively learnt.

The adjustment, one of our correspondents learnt, was in response to the recent surge in fuel prices, which has impacted the operational costs of transport companies.

The decision followed a meeting held last Friday at the INEC State Office in Benin-City, the Edo State capital, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, told The PUNCH on Monday.

The meeting, chaired by INEC boss, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had the electoral body holding discussions with representatives of the three major transport unions – National Union of Road Transport Workers, National Association of Road Transport Owners and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria.

The discussions, which culminated in a new Memorandum of Understanding that addressed various concerns related to the election logistics, came after concerns were raised about the availability and cost of transportation for the timely distribution of election materials such as ballot boxes, voting machines and other sensitive resources.

Oyekanmi noted that the revised funding aimed to ensure the unions effectively contributed to the smooth conduct of the election.

He further noted that the unions would mobilise their resources and workforce to support the election process, pledging their cooperation to ensure a successful outcome.

“The meeting, held last Friday at the INEC State Office in Benin-City between the INEC team led by the commission’s chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and the national/Edo State officials of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, National Association of Road Transport Owners and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigerian agreed on all areas of concern,” Oyekanmi said.

“INEC agreed to increase the amount payable to them due to the increase in per litre price of fuel, and the terms of the MoU were agreed upon.

“The three unions thereafter gave their commitment to work hard for the successful conduct of the Edo Governorship election.”

Meanwhile, with just four days to the election, Edo political landscape witnessed a new twist on after the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Asue Ighodalo, filed a N20bn defamatory suit against Senator Adams Oshiomhole of the All Progressives Congress even as he dared the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, saying the ex-Rivers governor had no power to determine his fate in the poll.

Ighodalo, through his counsel, Ayo Asala (SAN) & Associates, sought an immediate retraction and apology for the comments made by Oshiomhole on the defunct Planwell Scheme – which allegedly scammed many Edo People in the 1990s – during an All Progressives Congress ahead of the poll.

A letter by Ighodalo’s lawyers, dated September 16, 2024 and addressed to Oshiomhole read, “It is our information that at a campaign rally of your Party on Saturday, 14th of September, 2024, you (Oshiomhole) made statements to the effect that our aforesaid client, Dr. Ighodalo, was associated with or participated in an alleged pyramid scheme known as ‘PLANWELL’ in which numerous Nigerians were defrauded of their hard-earned funds.

“This false and unfounded statement of yours was broadcast live on television and has received extensive exposure on electronic and social media.

 “It is sad to note that despite your status as an elder and holder of a public office, you appear to have developed a pattern of spewing false statements in the public domain purely for the achievement of your political ends.

 “Our client is an accomplished Nigerian legal practitioner and a corporate leader whose impressive resume from birth up till the current day is entirely in the public domain and our client has absolutely no connection with and could never have been involved in any manner whatsoever with the purported ‘PLANWELL’ scheme with which you have seriously defamed our client’s reputation.”

The letter stated further, “In consequence of the foregoing, therefore, our client demands the following:  i) an immediate and unqualified retraction and apology for your false, defamatory and malicious statements which should be published in at least two National Television Networks and three nationally circulating newspapers.

“Pay to our client damages in the sum of 20 billion Naira for your false, defamatory, and malicious statements referred to herein.

“Take Notice that it is our client’s instructions that we immediately institute appropriate proceedings against you for damages in the sum of Twenty Billion Naira (N20,000,000,000.00) for your said false, malicious, irresponsible and damaging statements made against our client without any foundation whatsoever in fact.

“Further take notice that such action will be instituted without further notice or correspondence to you in that regard whatsoever,” it added.

In a similar move, Ighodalo, on Monday, stated that Wike didn’t have the power to determine the next governor of Edo.

The contestant’s statement was a response to Wike’s claim that he told Governor Godwin Obaseki he won’t back Ighodalo during the governorship poll.

Ighodalo expressed disappointment in the position of the FCT minister, saying that wasn’t exactly the outcome of the meeting he earlier had with him.

He said, “Sometimes when gentlemen talk in some kind of privacy or arrangements, we don’t voice out what has been said. But it is not correct that (former) Governor Wike said he wasn’t going to support us. That’s incorrect. But events may have overtaken his decision at that point and he is free to change his mind.

“I believe, as a gentleman, he would adhere to the word he gave me. But if he changed his mind, so be it. When he and I spoke, we deliberated on issues around fair governance, and how we can create a better country and Edo State. At the end of the day, we ended the conversation at a point where Wike said he would mind his business and Edo State is not part of his business.

“Again, if he has decided to change his mind, that’s fine. But the decision as to who becomes the next Governor of Edo State is the decision of the people. It is not his or anybody else’s to make.

“Whether you are a governor or a minister, it is only Edo citizens and residents who have their PVCs who can take that decision with the support of God Almighty. I fear no man, I only fear God.”

Continuing, the lawyer emphasised that he would concede defeat and congratulate the winner if his party lost the political contest but expressed strong conviction that he would defeat his political opponents.

“Honestly, if we lose this election and we know we’ve lost it fairly and squarely, I will be the first to concede. But I know we can’t lose this election if there is a level playing field for everybody.

“We have related with the people of Edo State and told them what we plan to do for them. They trust us and will vote for us. All the polls and indicators (seen so far) support us. So I have no fear,” he stated.

Peace Accord discord

On Monday night, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki said the PDP will sign the Peace Accord if arrested members of the party were released.

Obaseki, who stated this after the party’s caucus meeting at the Government House in Benin City, said granting bail to the arrested members would allow them to come back home to their families and participate in the democratic process.

“We are hoping that when the courts resume tomorrow (today), all our people who have been detained in Abuja all these weeks will be released.  If they are granted bail, allowed to come back home to their families and participate in the democratic process, we would consider signing the Peace Accord,” Obaseki said.

The Governor added that the PDP was pleased with the commitment of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetoku, and INEC boss Prof. Yakubu in ensuring a free, fair and credible election in the state.

He said, “As a caucus, we are pleased with the current utterances from the security agencies in Nigeria. We want to particularly appreciate the statement issued by the Inspector General of Police, making a commitment to support the peace process, ensuring that there is a level playing field for all the players and we endorse his efforts to draft a lot more men to Edo to support the elections on Saturday.

“We are also pleased with INEC so far and have every reason to trust the authorities of INEC and what they are committed to doing. So, our leaders are going to various local governments to continue mobilising for citizens to come out and support our candidate who clearly stands shoulder high above other candidates in the governorship race.”

With just four days to the Edo State governorship election, the leading political parties, the PDP, APC, and the Labour Party on Monday began massive wooing of voters across the state.

After the grand rally of the PDP and APC on Saturday in Benin City, and the road show of the LP last Friday, all the parties are back strategising for the big day.

The APC kicked off their ward-to-ward campaign, consolidating their support base and winning new voters to its fold.

Media Director of the APC Campaign Organisation, Orobosa Omo-Ojo, said, “As I speak to you now, we are doing unit-to-unit and house-to-house campaign, soliciting for votes from the electorate for our candidate. This is what we will be doing in the next 48 hours.

“The moves have been very successful. It was easy to sell our ideas to them because where we went to, there was no government presence there. The only presence of governance in those places was the project done during Adams Oshiomhole’s tenure as governor of the state.

“The school built, road constructed, primary health centre and farm road graded under Oshiomhole were still the only signs of development in those areas.

“We had to apologise to the people of Ovia North East and other people who we sold Governor Godwin Obaseki to in 2020 because of the poor state those area are in.”

The Public Relations Officer of the Labour Party, Sam Uruopa, said the party candidate, Olumide Akpata, visited the riverine areas in the state to seek votes.

He said, “The Olumide Akpata Campaign Organisation visited the riverine areas on Monday. That is the first time a candidate is visiting the people and he has shown that he has their interest at heart.

“The welcome by the mammoth crowd was overwhelming and they have also vowed to vote for Akpata. They are tired of PDP and APC and were happy to welcome him at the jetty.”

The Deputy Director-General of the Asue/Ogie Campaign Council Management, Olu Martin, added that the party had embarked on unit-to-unit and ward-to-ward campaign to strengthen its support base.

He said, “The election is ours to lose, so, campaigns are going on unit-to-unit and ward-to-ward. Even though the open campaigns have been slowed down, there are strategic meetings going on. The idea for us is to defend our votes.

“It is obvious that 70 per cent of the Edo voters have the name of Asue Ighodalo on their lips and on September 21, they will put their thumbs on the ballot papers for Ighodalo.”