Gov Adams has been called upon to hand over to his deputy Dr Pius Odubu as he has once again travelled out of the country. This time to South Africa.
oshiomhole
It will be recalled that even though President Buhari is only travelling for five days, he has handed over to the Vice President, Prof Osinbajo, who will act as president during the period.
Governor Oshiomhole who travels regularly has not deemed his deputy fit to deputize for him who by the constitution is supposed to act when the governor is not around.
IT is gathered that the governor is staying out of the country longer than five days compared to that of the President.
The crack in Edo State government continues to widen as the battle for succession intensifies.
The budget to the deputy governors office was allegedly slashed to a mere N35m in the 2016 appropriation bill sent to the Edo State House of Assembly for consideration from N212m the year before.
Also, nominees of the deputy governor in some government agencies have systematically been sacked, while party executives known to be sympathetic to the Deputy Governors’ course are been suspended and harassed as in the case of Gentleman Amegor.
It could be recalled that the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the State, Chief Dan Orbih had advised Oshiomhole not to “allow the internal disagreement in Edo APC affect the smooth running of the state”
We don’t have hard copy evidence against Amegor – Henry Idahagbon
By Ehi Ekhator.
An Edo State based lawyer and a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has reacted to Amegor’s assertion that he was suspended over his support for the deputy governor, Pius Odubu.
Barrister Jefferson Uwoghiren
Speaking with NAIJA CENTER NEWS on Thursday, Uwoghiren took a sweep on Senatorial Leader and the state Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress over a statement credited to him, adding that he deserved the suspension for not being a firm leader.
He also cleared that those who signed the petition have the party and the legal backings to do so. He noted that the Attoney General of the state openly said he has evidence that indicted the Senatorial Leader of taking money from PDP to compromise the presidential election.
He condemned the decision of Gentleman Amegor to support Odubu instead of party decision. He advised the embattled Vice chairman to submit himself to party rules and regulation in resolving such crisis.
The Advocate also took a sweep on the APC publicity Secretary, Mr. Erhabon Godwin, said he has turned to Odubu Publicity Secretary instead of his party.
His words: “Every political person here have interest and they have rights to support candidates of their choice, But the personal decision to support a personal aspirant within your party come with a price. The position of Senatorial Leader is a very important position in a party and if you look at the performance of APC in the last election, you would see that they dropped in their ratings and performed so woefully.
“One would expect that the action comrade and the APC in Edo State would respond very aggressively to channelling their image through more proactive and responsible policy.
“The Attorney General of Edo State came out to say openly that they have evidence that the Senatorial Leader, Gentleman Amegor of their party took money from the opposition to compromise the party during the last election. No responsible party would see allegation lying low without investigating it, you cannot investigate such allegation when the man still occupies the office. He is ” suspended and not removed and they have set up a committee to look into the allegation.
“Barrister Amegor should submit himself to party procedure for resolving such allegation. The issue of whether he is supporting a certain aspirant should not arise. He should quietly and responsibly answer questions on the allegation. Of course there is no denying the fact that there are other interests that are outside, but for the Attorney General to say that he has evidence that the man compromise the party interest during the last election, I don’t see any party that will be happy about that.
“Since the last time the man was elected as the Senatorial Leader, they said he has never conveyed one meeting of the senatorial leadership of the party. They have their structure, he is the state vice chairman and people are concerned about that. They have executives, they have seven in the local government and out of this seven, five signed the document that Amegor should be suspended, that means there is a problem.
Those allegations like ‘i am being removed because i support Pius Odubu’ are excuses that should not arise. The important part i expect people to be asking and addressing is the point that, do those people who issued the suspension have the legal representative and capacity to take the action they took? Do they have party backup to carry out what they did?
Anyone in Oshiomhole government who crossed some lines now, or fall foul of the rule of the party will blame the party action on his or her support for Odubu. These are statement that reflects blackmail.
“We should respect APC to take decision they have taken. The Party state chairman or the national party chairman has not debunked the suspension; he has not made any statement that the decision is illegal. So if the suspension is illegal, the state chairman is the right person to say so and not the publicity secretary. We all know that in the past few months, the publicity secretary, Mr. Erhahon Godwin has turned to public secretary of Odubu campaign and not of his party.
“I see a lot of suspension coming up, naturally, nobody will like to empower his enemies. This is the time to make political enemies.
“If Gentleman Amegor said he was suspended because of his personal support for Pius Odubu, that is an admission that is supposed to lead to what he has just experience. We have over five aspirants from Edo South who are members of his party, why will he openly be supporting Odubu as if he is not aware that Ogiemwonyi, Ogie Osarodion, Godwin Obaseki, and the other Don Pedro Obaseki are contesting, it is an affirmation for his removal. If the party have zoned the governorship to his senatorial zone, he should then be the father of everybody and make sure the best person represents instead of picking his own. What kind of prayers will he pray for other aspirants if they come to see him with a kola?
“A leader must remain firm, covertly or overtly. He should not have interest in any aspirant. But when he had taken a position, it is an indication for others to do the same. That was exactly what Lucky Imansuen did to PDP. He sat with cabals and collected money from different people, giving order on who will go and will not. Till today, PDP is still suffering the action of Imansuen, some of us were victims of such irrational action and is exactly what Amegor is doing in Egor.
“I am sure Imansuen must have corrupted Gentleman Amegor. Amegor should stop fooling himself by saying “i was removed because of my support for Odubu”. He has admitted partisanship, he has admitted wickedness, he has admitted that he betrayed people who looked up to him, and he has betrayed their trust because as the Senatorial Leader, he is supposed to give advice to all the aspirants without picking his favourite. It is when the leadership of the party comes to him and pronounce who they are supporting before he could make such announcement and not having his personal favourite like in this current circumstance.”
Uwoghiren admitted that Odubu has equal right like others to contest the governorship election, but adding that he is not the owner of APC.
“Odubu is not APC, he is not the owner of APC, how much did Odubu put in, is he the one that created APC in Edo South? He was invited like every other person. He has every right to become the governor of Edo State, but the manner they are trying to smuggle him, they are locked out, they cannot force anybody on anybody.”
“Defending the state governor’s action to support Godwin Obaseki, Barr. Uwoghiren said “it is very idiotic for anybody to say that. The governor can only say this is the man i like because people consider him. He cannot force someone on a do or die. If you check the profile, Obaseki is ahead of the other aspirant, is it by popularity? Some people are notoriously popular. Anini was very popular in Edo State, what determined popularity? Over what knowledge, or intention, popularly in ability to steal, lie, plunder and loot the economy? We don’t need a man who w ill sit there and be feeding and helping others to feed. If it requires going to higher person or the university to search for somebody as we did to Ali, we are ready to do that, we are not looking for popular person to kill us, we know who we want and don’t want.
If the senatorial leader is taking side, what stop Oshiomhole from taking side? Is it not normal to find someone to an office you stayed for eight years? Oshiomhole should be concerned about the person who takes over from him. Oshiomhole has created a lot of enemies; he should be accorded some respect. He is not my friend, i never like him because of his approach but he should be respected.
When contacted by NAIJA CENTER NEWS, the Attorney General of Edo State, Barrister Henry Idahagbon who was one of the signatory that suspended the Senatorial Leader, addressed the evidence against Gentleman Amegor.
Idahagbon confirmed signing the suspension, adding that a panel has been set up to investigate the allegation bordering on anti-party activity.
The Attoney said “Yes my name was mentioned. I signed his suspension resolution. The party has evidence of his collection of funds from the pdp before the last presidential election
“We already have a panel to take the evidence.
“There’s no copy. It’s oral evidence from those close to him who knew he collected money from Anenih. Some of them are even pdp members
“If they are lying the events of Election Day supports their claim. He has a right to support his preferred aspirant just as the governor has his right. Nobody can fault him on this. He’s the one ostracizing people he believes aren’t supporting his aspirant
When asked if the crisis will affect the outcome of the coming governorship election, Idahagbon said “No internal division yet that we can’t manage. At the eve of any election these things do happen in our politics
“The governor has not and will not annoit Mr. Obaseki . What the governor has said is that he believes Mr. Obaseki is most competent out of the motley crowd jostling to be the governors
Speaking on the pictures of bag of rice with the governor and Mr. Obaseki’s pictures imprinted on it, Idahagbon said “Not correct. That stuff is an Internet creation!
“Especially after we exposed bags of rice with pastor ize iyamu’s picture
“People saw the pastor’s rice here. Obaseki’a was thereafter created
“You are free to ask anybody if they ever saw any bag of rice with obaseki’s pix. I should know if there were
The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Dr Pius Odubu, marked his 57th birthday recently in Benin-City, but it was low keyed. Odubu said he decided to mark it that way due to the kidnapped Chibok girls. In this interview, he speaks about his life, the crisis in Edo Assembly, his loyalty to Governor Adams Oshiomhole among other issues.
Excerpts:
How are you feeling at 57
As always, we have reasons to thank God almighty for the gift of life, for the gift of good health, for the gift of a happy family. Let me inform you that this birthday marks a substantial milestone in my life. Friday last week, I became the father of a graduate.
Pius Odubu
My first son graduated from the university last Friday at the age of 22 and I give God the glory. And one is gradually aging and assuming more responsibilities. God has been kind; last year, we celebrated big time because it coincided with our 25th wedding anniversary. This time we just decided to mark it quietly because I don’t think I need to celebrate when our children are still in the forest somewhere in Borno state. It is sad.
Lessons of life
Life has taught me to be me. Life has taught me, most importantly to believe in God. Life has taught me that one with God is a majority. I am from a traditional Benin home setting. I grew up in the Urhomemehe village in Orhionmwon local government area. My both parents are still alive. In fact my father is the traditional head of that community.
Let me say that, against popular belief here in our usual joking manner in Government House, I was introduced to Christianity very early in life. I attended St. Pius Catholic Primary School in my village as it was then. I was baptized and was confirmed in 1966 and 1967 respectively. So I got introduced to Christianity and to be specific Catholicism very early in life and I have always remained a strong Catholic.
But my advent into politics brought the other side of me, that is, I am a proud Benin man, versed in Benin language and tradition and also grew up in a family of politicians both from my father’s side and mother’s side. I met my father as a topmost politician and we admired politicians and all those who came to visit him then. And politics in traditional Edo setting is all about communicating your message directly and sometimes through songs and dancing and I copied this from my father and those who campaigned with him then.
But while doing so, a lot of persons misconstrued that to mean this man must is very traditional and to read other meaning to it jokingly to say he is a native doctor. But people tend to forget my background of a devoted Catholic and a devoted Christian. In fact all the institutions I attended from primary to university are religious institutions. I have never veered off from Christendom.
But of course there were challenges and I must thank Fr. Obiyan and others for resolving them for me. You know they say love conquers it all, I am a devoted Catholic, but my wife is a Winner and you must be married in the Catholic Church to continue to be a communicant. That became a challenge. That was what people noticed when I was not taking the holy communion each time I went to church. They said may be I am not a genuine Catholic. But Fr. Obiyan resolved that and I was now given a waiver by the Pope and that is why you now saw me back now becoming a communicant.
As a Catholic, and your wife is a Deaconess in Winners Chapel, any attempt to convert her?
No. That is not an issue at all. Firstly, I am free spirited person; I believe in the freedom of worship, secondly, I have American orientation. I went to school in America. I met my wife as a Pentecostal and there was no attempt to deceive me or try changing her faith and no pressure was put on me to change mine either.
And I watching my children carefully, they all seem to have taken after her. They go with her to church; I am not interested in forcing anybody to change. But I noticed one of them, every now and then comes home with a chaplet and I am like I don’t want to force him and I am thinking that very soon some of them will take to Catholicism. But it is all about one God.
Being versed in Benin culture and tradition
It was a matter of interest. I love mastering my environment. Even now I believe I am still not where I want to be by way of mastering the Bini language and indeed the Benin tradition..Yes a lot of people have asked me, how, given that you have never really stayed in the village and you went overseas for your education, how did you master the Benin tradition? Even when I was in America I used to ask my parents to send me Bini records and music. In our time, music was didactic, it was entertaining and also taught lessons. I listened to those music that tell stories, folklore about Benin.
But is it true that before you become a successful politician in Benin Kingdom, you must be a cult member?
I can tell you equivocally that, that is not true. I have been politically relevant since 1980 and I can put my hand on the Bible today and swear that I don’t belong to any secret cult. When people say that maybe it was like that in the days of the old, but now, nobody really cares. I am a friend to all. I mingle with everybody but I don’t belong to any one of those societies.
Don’t you think the defection from your party, the APC, will affect the fortunes of the party in 2015?
I am saddened by what has played out after the registration and the subsequent congresses. It pained me because in it all I have lost some very good friends. It is sad that they left, because we are going to lose the vote of one or two of them, but it does not mean that it will affect our chances.
APC is solidly on ground in Edo due to the developmental strides of the Comrade Governor. In so many areas now, people see it as a taboo to mention PDP, so they stand no chance. Yes we lost quite a few of them, the good ones, some the bad ones to the extent that they are leaving with their supporters and they will not vote for us. Yes, we will be affected, but not to the extent that it will affect our victory train in Edo. By the special grace of God, what the governor has done and what he is still doing and what he will do for the good people of Edo, APC here is on a very sound footing.
Some people in the APC accused you of being too loyal to the governor
I am very loyal and I have no apologies for that. I am a very loyal person, not just now, in everything that I do. If we subscribe to a cause, I go all the way to ensure that we succeed. Also it is my style. I am not the type that is very loud and I don’t go running, seeking for publicity. Let me ask this, do you fight for fighting sake? I don’t believe you fight for the purpose of fighting. In a situation where you have a man or a woman doing all that you expect him to do or perhaps more, do you just fight because you want to assert yourself?
I have been fortunate to work with a governor that believes in collective responsibility. For whatever policy decisions that were made, for whatever policy that we are implementing, it is the collective effort of key stakeholders of this government. The governor often will sit down with everybody, discuss the idea, and analyze it to the extent that sometimes we are caught on the paralysis of analysis.
Then come away with consensus here and there and agree on a position and it is that position that Mr. Governor goes out to implement and execute. So why will I now go to criticize a decision I partook from the formative stage to the execution stage? So I don’t just believe in fighting for fighting sake and it is also not my nature. Loyalty, yes, is my middle name. I believe in being loyal to my superiors, and also particularly when that person is performing beyond your wildest imagination.
So I have no regret being loyal to the governor and I will continue to be loyal to him. I wanted to make life better for my people and here am I now in a government that is doing exactly that. I can say today that I am a fulfilled man thanks to the developmental initiatives of Governor Adams Oshiomhole. I have no reason to fight him and I will not fight him.
But why do you think people call him a dictator?
Whatever decision we take is a collective effort of everybody and perhaps people, when they don’t get what they want, give the dog a bad name in order to conveniently hang it. I don’t see Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as a dictator; in fact everyone accuses him of over-consulting. Before he comes away with a decision, he consults, even those he ought not to consult. So anybody calling Mr. Governor a dictator is standing the truth on the head.
Edo Assembly crisis
My candid advice to my colleagues at the Edo Assembly is to let the rule of law prevail. But now I will not want to dabble into the internal affairs of the Assembly because they are a different arm of government. What is happening is in the public domain, we watch on television and we read on the pages of newspapers that some members, due to what the other members alleged as unbecoming behavior, were suspended and those members, before their suspension, had gone to the Federal High Court to restrain the House from declaring their seats vacant.
They attempted to also restrain the House from suspending them, the judge refused and said that was the internal working of the House into which the judiciary couldn’t dabble into.
Haven gone through the House rules, those four members were suspended and the Speaker and the House of Assembly also went to court restraining those members from coming to the House or doing anything that will interfere with the sitting of the House of Assembly.
From what we see constitutionally, those members have refused to obey court order. To me as a former legislator, the way out of this is two ways. One, if a legislator is suspended, the legislator stops attending the sitting of the House, the House proceeds to set up a committee or refer the case to the appropriate committee of the House to hear or investigate the matter and come away with findings which will now be reported to the plenary and discussed.
During the process of that investigation, issues are sorted out and even they are found guilty, the House can decide to pardon them and lift the suspension. But these four legislators have refused to avail themselves of that opportunity; neither have they also obeyed court orders to stay away and then contest the court order with a view to reversing that. My candid advice to them is to avail themselves of any one of these option and let sanity prevail.
One of the suspended lawmakers is from your area and it was learnt that you sponsored him, where did you part ways?
We are not God. Nobody can predict what another human being will do tomorrow. We did what we did; if we made mistake, we apologize to the good people of Orhionmwon to forgive us. We will continue to try to improve on our interrogatory and observatory capacities such that when we come to look at people next time, it will be an accurate and correct impression. So I don’t think that has to do with what is happening. We can’t really predict what human beings can do.
How optimistic are you ahead of 2015 for APC
I am very optimistic, but you see, I am one of those who believe that no matter how mad the situation is, you must draw some lessons from it. I believe my party at the national level is investigating what happened in Ekiti with a view to analysing it and coming out with what to do in order to avoid similar situation in future. Quite frankly, I am still at sea as to what happened in Ekiti, everybody knows that Governor Fayemi performed, he did well. For him to be so roundly defeated even in his ward and local government calls for serious concern.
I know the leadership of my party will investigate thoroughly what happened and I want to believe that something happened that we are yet to put our fingers on. But we have learnt our lessons and I think we will take steps to correct observable lapses so we can unravel the mystery. I am not the least troubled but I am sad that we lost.
BENIN—DEPUTY Governor of Edo State, Dr. Pius Odubu, yesterday, said he has no apology for being loyal to his boss, Governor Adams Oshiomhole, saying those against his loyalty were against the development of the state.
Odubu, who will clock 57 today, told newsmen that he had no reason to fight the governor, whom he described as God-sent to the people of the state, adding that those who accuse his boss of being a dictator were people whom the governor failed to meet their greedy request.
He was reacting to allegations by some All Progressives Congress, APC, leaders who recently joined Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Odubu said: “If I subscribe to a course, I go all the way to ensure that I succeed. I am even fortunate to work with Oshiomhole.
“Oshiomhole is not a dictator. Where you have a man or woman doing all that you expected, and perhaps more, do you fight such a person because you want to assert yourself?
“Let me use this opportunity to repeat this again: whatever policy decision that this government has made, whatever policy that we are implementing, it is the collective responsibility of the stakeholders of this government.”
Odubu, who will clock 57 today, told newsmen that he had no reason to fight the governor, whom he described as God-sent to the people of the state, adding that those who accuse his boss of being a dictator were people whom the governor failed to meet their greedy request.