NEWS
No Agreement on Rotation of Governorship Seat in Edo State – Dep Gov
By Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja
Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu has said the state has no agreement whatsoever on the rotation of the governorship seat among the three Senatorial Districts – South, Central and North, in the state, but welcome the idea if it is based on equity, justice, fairness and competence.
“I think we have a tradition in Edo State of not rotating the governorship, there is no where we had actually sat as a people, whether as a political party or as a traditional institution or pressure group or any group at all where we sat and said we want to rotate the governorship,” Shaibu said.
Speaking with political correspondents in Abuja over the weekend on his aspiration to contest for the number one seat in Edo in 2024, the deputy governor noted that less populated zones or districts in the state could only get the governor seat through rotation.
“But if you ask me, do I want us to rotate, am I an apostle of rotation? I will say yes, because in areas where population wise and other things they are not advantageous to get certain things, through rotation they can get.
“So, I believe in it, but I also believe in equity, justice and fairness, because in rotation there must be equity, justice and fairness. So, all I am saying is let us have equity, justice and fairness and nothing more. Also, we should not mortgage competence on the altar of rotation. Competence is also key and critical especially in this time where we are all struggling to survive in the country,” he said.
The deputy governor, who is hoping to realize his ambition on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), argued that it is the turn of Edo North District to produce the next governor of the state.
According to him, if we must go to the issue of rotation and whose turn it is, that is if we must use the word turn, it is the turn of Edo North to produce the Governor of Edo State.
“Why, PDP has never given tickets to anyone from Edo north since the inception of the party. So, if we decide to go by that, for equity, justice and fairness by the PDP, it is the turn of Edo north because PDP has given tickets to Edo South two times, Lucky Igbinedion, the present Governor.
“PDP has also given ticket to Edo Central once, Prof. Oserheime Osunbor, who was a former Governor of Edo State who earns pension as a former Governor and gazetted. And for you to have been governor of Edo state means that you earn all paraphernalia of office like pension, and others you are entitled, so if you check the array of former Governors of Edo State, Prof. Osunbor was a former Governor.
“If you want to check who has been Governor, Edo central has been governor twice, Edo north once, Edo south four times. In terms of population, Edo south, which has been governor four times, has the largest population, followed by Edo north.
“So if it is by population, Edo south has taken four times, Edo north is supposed to have taken at least two or three times, before you now come to two or one for central. So if you are to go by sharing, it has to be senior, junior first. Edo South has the population, the second son is Edo north and the last born is Edo central.”
On why he thinks he should be the next governor, Shaibu said he has the capacity, experience and, close to the people at the grassroots.
“So for me, for equity, justice and fairness and rotation favours Edo North. Also in terms of capacity, I have the capacity, I have the experience. I am the closest to the people among those that are contesting now and if you want to ask who is a home boy, they will tell you, Shaibu is a home boy. I am not a home boy in terms of politics, home boy in all ramifications.
“So, for me, PDP will win the 2024 Governorship election, if they have a home boy as their candidate. But if you have people that have to talk to their people in the rural areas through an interpreter, just forget about it, because Edo people have said they don’t want someone that will go to his village and go with an interpreter.
“It means he does not understand them, he does not know them. Also, let them tell us what they have done for their people,” he said.
On how to give a sense belonging to Edo Central District, Shaibu said the zone could produce the next governor if it presents competence and a generally accepted candidate.
He said, “The thing is that the Central District can be Governor if they have the candidate that has capacity, a candidate that is popularly accepted by the people. Because in all elections, all the senatorial zones contest for it.”
He said some people want to cash in on sentiments – ethnicity and religion, to divide the Edo people, noting that everyone from the state can trace their origin from Benin, the Edo South Senatorial District.
Shaibu said, “Some of these people are complex, I am not going to play ethnic politics, religious politics, because those things divide us, it does not unite us. What I would say is who has the capacity, who is more grounded in the activities of our state and can hit the ground running from day one.
By David Torough, Abuja
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said that the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are laying the foundation for long-term prosperity by improving economic stability, boosting investor confidence and driving national development.
Idris made the remarks on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving the leadership of the APC Forum of Former Presiding Officers of State Houses of Assembly (FOPSHA), led by its Chairman, Rt.
Hon. Sen. Wasiu Esinlokun, during a courtesy visit to the Ministry’s headquarters.The minister said the Tinubu administration had, within three years, implemented critical reforms aimed at addressing longstanding economic challenges and creating a more sustainable growth path for the country.
According to him, key achievements of the administration include the removal of fuel subsidy, foreign exchange reforms, improved fiscal capacity for the federal and state governments, expansion of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), growth in external reserves, improved Gross Domestic Product (GDP) performance, major infrastructure projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, as well as intensified efforts to tackle insecurity.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took courageous decisions that previous administrations avoided for decades. Today, Nigeria is witnessing greater fiscal stability, improved investor confidence, enhanced infrastructure development and expanding opportunities for citizens. The foundation has been laid for a more prosperous future,” Idris said.
He urged members of the forum to leverage their experience and grassroots networks to deepen public understanding of the Renewed Hope Agenda and the long-term benefits of the administration’s reforms.
The minister also commended FOPSHA for its contributions to democratic governance and national development, assuring the delegation that the Federal Government’s media organisations—the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)—would provide coverage for the forum’s forthcoming National Executive Council and Board of Trustees meeting.
Earlier, Esinlokun said the visit was to brief the minister on the forum’s activities and seek the ministry’s support in publicising its upcoming meeting, which is expected to bring together former Speakers of State Houses of Assembly, former governors, former ministers and distinguished senators.
He said the forum remained committed to mobilising grassroots support for the Renewed Hope Agenda through sustained engagement with Nigerians across the country.
By David Torough, Abuja
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has urged the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to fully embrace digital technology in the administration of justice to improve case management, records administration and overall operational efficiency.
Akume made the call on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Dr.
Mainasara Umar Kogo, and members of the tribunal’s management team during a courtesy visit to his office.He said the adoption of digital tools aligns with the Federal Government’s ongoing drive to modernise public institutions through digital transformation, improved service delivery and stronger inter-agency coordination.
“The Tribunal should continue to embrace technology to improve case management, records administration and overall operational efficiency in line with the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda,” the SGF said.
Akume commended the tribunal for its role in promoting integrity, accountability and ethical standards in Nigeria’s public service, describing its constitutional responsibility of adjudicating breaches of the Code of Conduct for public officers as a key component of the country’s anti-corruption framework.
He said the President Bola Tinubu administration remains committed to institutional reforms, public sector efficiency and the rule of law, stressing that strong institutions such as the CCT are essential for sustainable national development, economic growth and boosting investor confidence.
The SGF also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening institutions that promote transparency, accountability and responsible public service in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He called for greater collaboration among government institutions to advance integrity and accountability, assuring the tribunal of the continued support of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation within its statutory mandate.
Akume further encouraged the CCT to deepen engagement with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to improve compliance with ethical standards and constitutional obligations through public enlightenment, training, awareness campaigns and effective enforcement.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Dr. Mainasara Umar Kogo, said the visit was to brief the SGF on the tribunal’s achievements over the past year.
He said the tribunal had implemented far-reaching reforms aimed at strengthening its institutional capacity and improving the delivery of justice.
These included inspection visits to all its zonal offices to assess operational needs, improve performance and address challenges affecting service delivery.
Kogo also disclosed that the tribunal had strengthened collaboration with other anti-corruption agencies and civil society organisations to enhance coordination in the fight against corruption and improve the administration of justice.
He announced that the tribunal had cleared all inherited and pending cases, leaving it with no case backlog, and pledged to sustain ongoing reforms, deepen institutional partnerships and continue delivering impartial, timely and efficient justice to Nigerians.
By David Torough, Abuja
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said that the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu are laying the foundation for long-term prosperity by strengthening economic stability, boosting investor confidence and accelerating national development.
Idris made the remarks on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving the leadership of the APC Forum of Former Presiding Officers of State Houses of Assembly (FOPSHA), led by its Chairman, Rt.
Hon. Sen. Wasiu Esinlokun, during a courtesy visit to the Ministry’s headquarters.The minister commended the forum for its contributions to democratic governance and national development, assuring its leadership that federal government-owned media organisations—the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)—would provide coverage for the forum’s forthcoming National Executive Council and Board of Trustees meeting.
According to Idris, the Tinubu administration has, within three years, implemented difficult but necessary reforms that are repositioning the country for sustainable economic growth.
He listed the administration’s achievements to include the removal of fuel subsidy, foreign exchange reforms, improved fiscal capacity for the federal and state governments, expansion of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), growth in external reserves, improved Gross Domestic Product (GDP) performance, major infrastructure projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, as well as intensified efforts to tackle insecurity.
He said previous administrations had avoided many of the reforms for decades, stressing that the decisions taken by President Tinubu were beginning to yield positive results.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took courageous decisions that previous administrations avoided for decades. Today, Nigeria is witnessing greater fiscal stability, improved investor confidence, enhanced infrastructure development and expanding opportunities for citizens. The foundation has been laid for a more prosperous future,” Idris said.
The minister also urged members of the forum to leverage their experience and grassroots networks to deepen public understanding of the Renewed Hope Agenda and the long-term benefits of the administration’s policies.
Earlier, Esinlokun said the visit was to brief the minister on the forum’s activities and seek the ministry’s support in publicising its forthcoming meeting, which is expected to bring together former Speakers of State Houses of Assembly, former governors, former ministers and distinguished senators.
He added that the forum remained committed to mobilising grassroots support for the Renewed Hope Agenda through sustained engagement with Nigerians across the country
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