Politics

Edo Governorship: I am not afraid Of Impeachment or intimidation- Shaibu

Why Obaseki supporters want to leave PDP after two years – Edo deputy gov

Edo State Deputy Governor, Mr Philip Shaibu, says intimidation and harassment will not change his resolve in the pursuit of his political ambition.

Shaibu said this while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Saturday.

Shaibu emerged PDP’s candidate in a parallel primary held on Thursday to choose a standard bearer for the upcoming governorship election in Edo State.

He alleged so much intimidation and harassment of people in the build up to the primary.

“The level of intimidation and harassment meted out to me and those people who believe in me was beyond comprehension, yet it does not actually change our resolve in what we believe in.

“People were sacked, some civil servants were suspended, others transferred from their positions and taken away from their family comfort to different places, all because they were associating with me.

“Well, I dare say that anybody still intimidating or harassing anybody means that he is not ready to win an election“, he told newsmen.

He, therefore, said that his emergence as a candidate was no longer about him but the people, adding that it was imperative the party listened to the voice of the people.

He said if the party truly desired to win the election on September 21, it would field a popular and competent candidate not impose a candidate on the people.

He also said that the PDP must adhere to the electoral laws and party guidelines to be able to win the upcoming election in the state.

He explained that there were party guidelines for electing a governorship candidate, just as there is an electoral law guiding political activities.

Shaibu further said for the PDP to win the upcoming governorship election in the state, it should adhere strictly to its own rules and guidelines.

The deputy governor also alleged that elections were about contestation, noting that the other primary that produced Mr Asue Ighodalo as its candidate disenfranchised 381 delegates.

“The electoral law forbids exclusion. An election can be re-ordered because of exclusion, it is a major sin that the law forbids“, he told newsmen.

He said though political parties have the right to produce candidates, such rights must comply with the electoral laws and the party’s own guidelines.

“If the guideline is not followed in the process of producing your candidate, that candidate cannot see the light of day.

“So the ultimate right of any party is to follow your rules in producing your candidate”, Shaibu said.

Asue Ighodalo defeated about nine other candidates, including Shaibu in the election.

He had 577 votes to become the PDP candidate in the September 21 governorship election while his closest rival garnered one vote.

The Chairman, Edo PDP Primary Electoral Committee and Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State declared him as the winner of the exercise.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitored the exercise.

However, in a parallel exercise, Shaibu was declared winner of the election.

The returning officer, Bartholomew Moses, declared: “during the counting of this primary election, Philip Shaibu has a score of 301 votes.

“Therefore, I hereby declare Philip Shaibu as the authentic elected candidate for this election in the PDP”.
No INEC official monitored the parallel exercise.

Politics

N’Assembly threatens zero allocation to JAMB over N1b spent on meals, refreshments

NASS Transmits Constitution Amendment Bills To State Assemblies

The National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance has threatened to cut off the Federal Government’s grant to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in the 2025 budget proposal over excessive spending.

This decision was made after JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede presented the agency’s 2025 budget proposal to the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives.

According to Oloyede, JAMB remitted N4 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund in 2024 but received a grant of N6 billion from the Federal Government.

This sparked criticism from committee members, including Hon. James Abiodun Faleke and Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who questioned why a self-funding agency like JAMB should receive government allocations.

Faleke asked: “Why not keep the N4 billion and stop government funding for JAMB?” Oshiomhole also slammed JAMB for its expenses, including N1.1 billion on meals and refreshments, N850 million on security and cleaning.

Faleke asked: “Why not keep the N4 billion and stop government funding for JAMB”? Oshiomhole also slammed JAMB for its expenses, including N1.1 billion on meals and refreshments, N850 million on security and cleaning, and N600 million on local travels. He demanded justification for the N6.5 billion spent on local trainings, asking, “What did you fumigate? Is it mosquitoes that took all this money?”

“You remitted N4 billion and got N6bn f on the Federal Government. Why not keep the N4bn and we stop. the government from funding JAMB,” the Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Faleke asked.

“You spent N1.1 billion on meals and refreshment. Are you being freely fed by the government? What this means is that you are spending the money you generate from poor students, many of them orphans.

“You also spent N850m on security, cleaning and fumigation in 2024.What did you fumigate? Is it mosquitoes that took al this money”? Oshiomhole asked

The former Edo State Governor also slammed JAMB for spending N600m on local travels even as he called on Oloyede to justify the N6.5 billion on local trainings.

Politics

Mojisola Meranda emerges new Lagos Assembly Speaker

Mojisola Meranda has emerged as the new Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

This development comes after the impeachment of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.

Meranda, who represents Apapa Constituency I, was previously the Deputy Speaker of the 10th Assembly.

She has been a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly for three consecutive terms, starting from 2015.

With her new role, Meranda is expected to lead the House and ensure the passage of laws that benefit the people of Lagos.

Politics

Gov. Adeleke breaks silence on report of ‘defection to APC’

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has rubbished reports claiming that he has made several attempts to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The governor gave his response to the defection report on Monday via a statement issued by his media aide Mallam Olawale Rasheed.

According to Olawale, the report of defection is fake and from a pit of hell.

Olawale further said: “The report reflects the depth of unelectability of the APC in the 2026 guber election as the opposition is at a crossroad over acute short supply of electable aspirants. The opposition has noticed the futility of fielding the former Governor, confused over the cantankerous nature of Senator Ajibola Bashiru and in disarray over the featherweight, Oyebamiji from Ikirre whose traditional leaders have endorsed a second term bid for Governor Adeleke.

“By the fake reports, the opposition is indirectly preparing for the possibility and eventuality of a second term win for the State Governor. The ‘Imole’ winning signal must have become so clear that the state APC is surrendering to the reality that God, the people and even federal authorities have affirmed the re-election of Mr Governor even before 2026.

“I will put on record that Governor Adeleke has never at any time hosted any meeting on defection either within or outside the country. A very popular Governor with over 85 percent approval rating is the doyen of all stakeholders at subnational and federal levels. Recent report confirmed that the state APC under the former Governor has lost more than 65 percent of its followership to the PDP because of the Governor’s acclaimed superlative performance.

“Mr Governor enjoys the confidence of the Presidency and top federal officials because he concentrates on good governance delivery and patriotic collaboration with the Federal Government on federal- national programmes. As a state governor, he prioritises positive partnership for service delivery instead of political bickering which retards rather than advance development.

“Mr Governor is also a passionate believer that President Bola Tinubu must succeed in his efforts to reform the national economy for several reasons. We all know that the success of President Tinubu is the success of all Yoruba sons and daughters as well as of all patriotic Nigerians. So supporting the President is a national duty as far as Governor Adeleke is concerned.

“There is however no plan whatsoever by the Governor to defect to the APC. We pity the APC for its crisis of unelectability. It is apparent that Governor Adeleke is unbeatable, hence there is a crisis of electoral strategy within Osun APC. That crisis within the opposition will get more compounded if the Osun APC continues on the path of fake news and concerted falsehood

“It is not wrong neither is it bad if the Osun APC can simply abandon futile efforts of fielding a candidate in 2026.

“As the former Governor cannot beat Governor Adeleke, neither Senator Bashiru nor Oyebamiji can scratch the solid re- election assurance of the incumbent.”