One hundred and eighty members of the minority caucus of the 10th House of Representatives have adopted a motion by lawmaker, Obi Aguocha for the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
Aguocha, who represents the Ikwuano, Umuahia North and Umuahia South Federal Constituency, revealed this on Monday during a meeting of the caucus.
He urged his colleagues to take a definitive position on the ongoing discourse surrounding Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and to explore a political solution to the pressing issue.
The adoption of the position by the influential caucus comes on the heels of Aguocha’s recent visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari, the successful mobilisation of 50 of his colleagues across all parties and the southeast caucus of the National Assembly.
In his address, Aguocha emphasized the importance of a united stance within the minority caucus, highlighting that the resolution of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case was crucial for national peace, stability, and unity.
He called for immediate and strategic engagement with relevant stakeholders to advocate for a peaceful and political resolution to the matter, which has significant implications for the socio-political landscape of Nigeria.
In a statement from the address, ‘‘Aguocha underscored the potential benefits of addressing the situation through dialogue and reconciliation rather than a prolonged abuse of legal processes and confrontation.
He expressed the belief that a political solution could pave the way for enhanced national integration and the restoration of trust among various communities.
He said, “today, the opposition parties have taken a decisive stand on Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the planned protest, insecurity, the dilapidated infrastructure, and the economy.
‘‘This call to action serves as a reminder of the critical role that legislative bodies play in fostering peace and stability in the nation. We remain committed to championing initiatives that promote justice, equity, and harmonious coexistence across Nigeria’’.
The caucus which endorsed Aguocha’s call consists of all members from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, 115 seats, Labour Party, LP, 35 seats, New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, 19 seats, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, 5 seats, Social Democratic Party, SDP, – 2 seats, Young Progressives Party, YPP – 2 seats, and the African Democratic Congress, ADC, – 2 seats.
180 members of minority caucus adopt Obi Aguocha’s call for Nnamdi Kanu’s release
180 members of minority caucus adopt Obi Aguocha’s call for Nnamdi Kanu’s release
Stock markets mixed after US rally ahead of inflation report
Asian markets were mixed Tuesday as investors struggled to extend a surge on Wall Street, where the tech sector bounced back after last week’s losses, while attention turned to the upcoming release of key US inflation data.
In New York, all three main indexes rose, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq up more than one per cent each.
Asia followed suit Tuesday morning but some markets were unable to maintain their advances.
Tokyo finished flat and there were losses in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mumbai, Bangkok and Jakarta, while Sydney, Seoul, Singapore, Wellington, Manila and Taipei rose.
London and Paris fell at the open while Frankfurt rose.
Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the presidential election race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris had little major impact on sentiment, analysts said, though there is much debate about who she chooses as her running mate.
However, analysts warned the road will likely be bumpy over the next few months.
Saira Malik at Nuveen said Biden’s decision to pull out of the presidential race “adds even more uncertainty around what has already been a tumultuous 2024 geopolitical landscape.
“Mr Biden announced he will endorse… Kamala Harris, but the exact path forward is uncertain.
“If this news gives former President Trump a bump in the polls, that could provide a further boost to areas of the market that have been pricing in increased prospects for a Republican sweep in November.
“One thing does seem certain: More twists and turns in the political roller coaster in the months ahead.”
Traders are also hoping for more policy announcements to kickstart the stuttering Chinese economy after last week’s closely watched Third Plenum of leaders unveiled few measures save a pledge to help local governments financially.
This week has seen a more upbeat start after a sell-off last week that came on the back of a tech retreat fuelled by profit-taking and reports the White House was planning a fresh crackdown on firms supplying chip tech to China.
But, optimism for another healthy earnings season, particularly among semiconductor makers, saw a bounce on Monday, with market darling Nvidia among the big winners along with Broadcom and Texas Instruments.
This week sees releases by Google parent Alphabet, Tesla and Spotify.
Tech firms have led the rally in markets this year, helping push all three main indexes in New York to multiple record highs, thanks to expectations the Federal Reserve will cut borrowing costs.
After last week was devoted to the US election and the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, the central bank’s monetary policy is back in focus ahead of Friday’s report on personal consumption expenditure, the Fed’s favoured gauge of inflation.
The figure has come down steadily in recent months, giving central bank officials room to begin cutting rates, with bets on a September move increasing.
In currency markets, the dollar weakened against the yen ahead of a policy meeting at the Bank of Japan next week that some say could see it hike interest rates again.
The greenback has softened of late against the Japanese unit, with OANDA’s Kelvin Wong citing two catalysts.
“Firstly, it has been the increased odds of a more dovish US Federal Reserve… to kickstart in the September (policy) meeting after a slew of soft key US economic data in terms of spending and inflationary trends.
“Secondly, in an earlier Bloomberg interview with… Donald Trump published on Tuesday, 16 July, Trump implied that he favoured a weaker US dollar against the Japanese yen and Chinese yuan yuan (due to US exports losing competitiveness).”
Seoul-listed Kakao tanked more than five percent on news that the billionaire founder of the internet conglomerate, Kim Beom-su, had been arrested Tuesday facing accusations of manipulating stock prices during the purchase of K-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment.
– Key figures around 0715 GMT –
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: FLAT at 39,594.39 (close)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.9 per cent at 17,476.49
Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 1.7 per cent at 2,915.37 (close)
London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.3 per cent at 8,172.10
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0884 from $1.0890 on Monday
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2919 from $1.2929
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 156.54 yen from 157.08 yen
Euro/pound: UP at 84.25 pence at 84.20 pence
West Texas Intermediate: FLAT at $78.38 per barrel
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.1 per cent at $82.47 per barrel
New York – Dow: UP 0.3 per cent at 40,415.44 (close)
AFP
DANGOTE: Dele Momodu cautions against anti-investor policies as Nigeria battles economic crisis
Social commentator and Ovation Magazine publisher, Dele Momodu, on Monday, expressed concern over the recent public spat between the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Authority and Dangote Refinery’s management, warning that it may deter local and foreign investors from doing business in Nigeria.
Appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Momodu urged the government to resolve the issue discreetly, stating that publicizing the dispute could have far-reaching consequences for the economy.
He emphasized the significance of encouraging investors, citing Aliko Dangote’s substantial investments in Nigeria and other countries.
“It’s almost like it is a crime to be an investor in Nigeria. I saw the reports in the Financial Times, Bloomberg and others. It will not help Nigeria.
“I don’t know who has grudges to bear with him. He should call him into a bedroom. Let them go and settle it behind closed doors. We cannot afford to wash this dirty linen in public. It is going to boomerang for all of us. That is my attitude.
Read Also: Substandard petroleum products claim: Reps panel places gag order on Dangote, NMDPRA, others, launches probe
“I believe this man has invested so much in Nigeria, just like other people. We have a lot of good businessmen in Nigeria who are doing great things. We should encourage them and not allow them to run away. Now, he said one of his friends is laughing at him because he warned him not to put all his eggs in one basket.
“I have seen other countries where Dangote invested. I have been to his plants in Ethiopia, Zambia and Tanzania. I can see the effort those countries are making to accommodate him there. We should not chase our businessmen away.
“I am sure other business people in Nigeria are watching. They might say, ‘hey, if this can happen to Dangote, it can happen to me.’ And everybody will be scared. We should not create this panic. We can’t afford this at this time,” Momodu warned.
Momodu’s concerns come as the Federal Government intervenes in the face-off between Gangote and the regulatory agency highlighting the need for a harmonious business environment to attract and retain investors.
His warnings suggest that Nigeria’s economic crisis may be exacerbated by anti-investor sentiment, potentially scaring off potential business opportunities.
The post DANGOTE: Dele Momodu cautions against anti-investor policies as Nigeria battles economic crisis appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.
Ukraine drones hit Russian ship, kills one, five injured
Ukrainian drones attacked a ferry at a port in southern Russia, just across the Moscow-annexed Crimean peninsula, killing at least one and injuring five, local authorities said Tuesday.
The port is in the Kerch Strait, 12 kilometres (seven miles) from the Kerch bridge, which connects Russia to Crimea. Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
“Drones attacked a ferry vessel in the port of Kavkaz,” Krasnador governor Veniamin Kondratyev said in a post on Telegram.
“Unfortunately there are injured and dead among the crew and port staff,” he added.
The state-run TASS news agency said one person died and five were
injured, citing local authorities.
Kyiv has targeted the area since Moscow launched its military offensive in Ukraine in February 2022.
Ukraine has destroyed and damaged several Russian military ships in the Black Sea, but successful attacks as far east as Kerch, which is heavily protected by Russian defences, are rarer.
The peninsula is a key military hub and supply route for the Russian army.
AFP.
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Ndume insists Tinubu is inaccessible, cites personal experience
Former Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, despite his removal from the office has continued to speak out against what he feels are abnormalities in the present administration.
The Borno senator on Monday, reaffirmed his claim that President Bola Tinubu is inaccessible to lawmakers and party chieftains.
Ndume was sacked last Wednesday and replaced by Senator Tahir Monguno, following a directive from the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, Umar Ganduje, and national secretary, Senator Bashir Ajibola.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Ndume revealed that he made concerted efforts to meet with the President, writing several letters to request an audience, but was unsuccessful.
He emphasized that his complaints about the President’s inaccessibility were not baseless, but rather a result of his personal experience.
Ndume’s removal as Chief Whip was reportedly due to his public comments about the President’s accessibility.
Read Also: Oil minister, Lokpobiri, wades into face-off between Dangote, regulatory agencies, IOCs
However, he maintains that he has no grudge and is focused on moving forward, particularly in addressing security challenges in the country.
He acknowledged some improvements in security in certain areas but stressed that collective effort is necessary to effectively tackle the issue.
He said, “I can tell you that one of the major issues I had that led to my removal as the Chief Whip (of the Senate) was my complaint that the President is not very accessible. If he is accessible, we would have told him this in a closed door, not on TV. But I can tell you that I made an effort for myself. I made several efforts. I wrote several times so that we can discuss some of these things. I didn’t have the chance.
“But I have no grudge now that we don’t have any communication. But definitely, we are moving forward in terms of security in one area. In other areas like Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and Kaduna, I can’t speak much about it. But we know that the security challenges are still there, even recently. What I am saying is that security matters are a collective matter. Everybody should come out and talk about it.
“Everybody should do and say something so that we can bring it to an end. The earlier we keep on deceiving ourselves that it’s all over, we will not get control.
“But so far, I can’t say the government is not doing anything. They are investing in it. Like in my place, as I said, I can talk about Gwoza where I slept. I did not sleep with the soldiers in my house or roaming around. That means there is improvement in Gwoza.”
The post Ndume insists Tinubu is inaccessible, cites personal experience appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.
Colombia bans bullfighting
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has enacted a law banning bullfighting, ending a practice constitutionally recognised as part of the country’s culture.
In front of a crowd gathered at the bullring in the capital Bogota, renamed the Santamaria Cultural Square, Petro on Monday celebrated the ending of the “right to kill” animals for entertainment.
“Culture, and even less the justice (system), cannot say that it is culture to kill sentient beings, living creatures, for pleasure,” said Petro, in reference to a 2018 Constitutional Court ruling permitting bullfights in places with such a tradition.
“If we have fun by killing an animal, we will have fun by killing human beings,” Petro said, addressing the crowd which included animal rights activists.
Spectators chanted “No more ‘ole’!”, a slogan used during the legislative process by supporters of the law, which was passed by Congress in late May.
Luana Delgado, an influencer and anti-bullfighting activist, underlined the importance of the ban being enacted at Bogota’s bullring.
“A place where you saw blood, where you saw death, now you will see culture,” she said.
The nationwide legislation paves the way for bullrings to be transformed into cultural spaces or sports venues.
Jesus Merchan, an animal rights campaigner, said to applause: “Today, we put an end to a long history of suffering.”
The new law will be enforced in 2027, allowing time to convert arenas and provide alternative jobs to those who rely directly or indirectly on bullfighting.
Colombia joins other Latin American countries that have outlawed bullfighting, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala and Uruguay.
Bullfights are still held in Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela, as well as in European nations France, Spain and Portugal.
AFP
Imo, Digital SME sign MoU to connect digital talents with EU
The Imo State Government in Nigeria and DIGITAL SME have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch a digital skills development initiative aimed at enhancing the state’s digital economy.
This partnership according to a statement on Monday aligns with the Africa-European Union Partnership’s digital development goals and aims to strengthen both parties’ digital ecosystems through freelancing, mentorship, and digital skills training programs.
The parties said the freelancing program will connect European companies with digital professionals from Imo State, providing these professionals with valuable development opportunities.
The initiative is expected to improve socio-economic conditions in Imo State, with a particular focus on empowering the local female workforce, the statement highlighted.
The President of DIGITAL SME, Dr. Oliver Grün, said that the partnership with the Imo State Government will open up more opportunities for European digital SMEs, who will be able to benefit from insights into tech market dynamics in West Africa and access to local talent.
He said, “Cooperation between SMEs from like-minded regions is essential for building an inclusive and innovative digital economy that benefits everyone, and this is just the beginning of our worldwide collaboration efforts.”
Further, they noted that the mentorship program will link European businesses with young people in Imo State, offering them guidance on digital careers and the knowledge needed to succeed in both national and international markets.
This interaction will also help European businesses understand the challenges faced in Africa and Nigeria, facilitating internationalisation opportunities, the statement added.
The Commissioner for Digital Economy and E-Government, Imo State, Dr Chimezie Amadi, remarked, “This collaborative partnership with the European Digital SME Alliance will foster innovation and entrepreneurship while creating new market opportunities for startups and innovators in Imo State.”
Digital skills training is recognised as a means of increasing the quality of life in Imo State by equipping young people with relevant digital skills that can connect them to new job opportunities arising from the global digital economy.
To this end, DIGITAL SME noted it will share best practices on upskilling and reskilling young people interested in working in the digital sector and, through a “train the trainer” approach, support the creation of a digital skills training hub.
According to the release, the government of Imo State will oversee the dissemination of the knowledge acquired from these exchanges through organising local training on digital skills.
This agreement is an additional step by DIGITAL SME in collaborating with international partners as part of its commitment to support efforts to establish a productive dialogue with public and private stakeholders.
The European DIGITAL SME Alliance is the largest network of ICT small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe.
Seek God’s face over refinery, storm not over – Primate Ayodele to Dangote
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, on Tuesday, advised Africa’s wealthiest man, Aliko Dangote to seek the face of God because the storm isn’t over regarding the crisis he is currently facing.
Primate Ayodele advised Dangote to seek the face of God if he wants to have continuity in his refinery business.
In a statement by his media aide, Oluwatosin Osho, Ayodele warned that people that don’t want him to succeed will come against him in another dimension which he would least expect.
The popular prophet narrated how he sent a prominent Northern traditional ruler to deliver a message to Dangote that he will have a confrontation with the government regarding his refinery.
He explained that his prophecy was to warn him ahead of danger but it was ignored.
The prophet revealed that the refinery will help Nigeria’s economy but some powerful people will not want it to stand.
He said: ‘’Before the incident of Dangote, I sent a very prominent northern traditional ruler to tell him that the government will fight him.
“I also made a video about it, it has come to pass and I want to advise that people don’t take prophecy with levity.
“It is to warn you against an impending danger and maybe it’s because I am not a Muslim, that’s why he ignored my warning. The same way I warned against a gang-up regarding Glo.
‘’The storm isn’t over for Dangote, they don’t want that refinery to succeed, there are people behind it in order to frustrate his effort.
“Let him seek the face of the Lord so that he can have continuity in the refinery, there are still challenges ahead. Despite the fact that the refinery will boost the economy, some people will not want it to stand.’’
Furthermore, he knocked the Nigerian government for fighting indigenous companies like Dangote despite the fact that Nigeria has a very bad economy.
‘’If the government starts fighting indigenous companies, how do we expect to grow? We have to encourage indigenous companies and having Dangote refinery will create more labour in the market.
“I don’t know why they are trying to sabotage the refinery because it’s a blessing to Nigeria. The government should support these people. We also have Innoson motors and instead of supporting foreign countries, why not give Innoson the full support?
‘’These are the people who can make the economy smile, I see no reason Dangote should not be licensed or joking with this multi-billion naira project. It is time to put ethnicity aside and focus.
‘’Although Dangote is a businessman and his fuel may not make any serious difference, there won’t be scarcity anymore and it will create more jobs for Nigerians,‘’ he added.
Seek God’s face over refinery, storm not over – Primate Ayodele to Dangote
AfDB invests $10.9bn in Nigeria- DG
The Director-General of West Africa Region, African Development Bank, Lamin Barrow, says the banks’s cumulative financing approvals in Nigeria stands at 10.9 billion dollars.
Barrow said this at the Second Interactive Session and Workshop on Developing Bankable Business Proposals/Business Plans for Youths in Agriculture on Monday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the event is being held as part of the activities to celebrate the Bank’s 60th Anniversary with stakeholders.
“Over the last 60 years, the Bank has grown into a trusted partner and the continent’s premier development financial institution.
“Our cooperation with Nigeria has expanded over the years, especially considering that Nigeria is the largest shareholder.
“Since it started operations in the country, cumulative financing approvals has reached 10.9 billion dollars and our portfolio currently stands at 4.9 billion dollars supporting projects in the public and private sectors,” he said.
Barrow said the AfDB’s President, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, upon assumption of office eight years ago, prioritised the High 5–of Power, Feed, Industrialise, Integrate and Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa.
He said these were the accelerators for achieving the SDGs and the targets in the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
According to him, the projects and programmes supported during this period have impacted over 400 million people.
He said, “This Interactive Session provides an opportunity to discuss ways of addressing the many challenges faced by youths and women in Agro-business, including access to finance.
“We applaud the Federal Government of Nigeria in spearheading various initiatives and programmes to increase production and productivity in the sector.
“And its efforts to create job opportunities for the youths and women, and combat food insecurity in the wake of the high food inflation currently witnessed in Nigeria.”
According to him, the workshop will enhance the knowledge and skills of participants in preparing bankable proposals to unlock financial support for their enterprises.
Meanwhile, Mrs Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, AfDB’s Vice-President, Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Complex, during her key note presentation, identified agriculture as a business.
NAN
Rising tension, legal battles, attacks heighten political temperature
Ahead of the September 21 governorship election, Edo State’s political landscape has been in turmoil as rival parties APC and PDP battle for who rules the state in the forthcoming. The reinstatement of impeached Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, his defection to the APC, and subsequent gun attacks have intensified the political rivalry, writes ADEYINKA ADEDIPE
With less than 60 days before the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, the political landscape is becoming more intriguing, chaotic and bloody. The last week threw up more twists and turns than any time in the lead-up to the election, with the political actors now even becoming more desperate in their quest for power.
The battle line is getting longer daily, the division between political leaders and parties is widening, while the forthcoming contest is taking a do-or-die colouration.
In a political setting where the winner takes all and the loser is left with nothing, the action being taken by political leaders and major stakeholders in the state is not unexpected, despite the tension created by such actions.
Thrown into the twist are court judgments and Saturday’s defection of notable actors from the ruling party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party, to the All Progressives Congress, which has turned the political calculation on its head.
The tension in the state heightened when an Abuja High Court, presided over by Justice J.K. Omotosho, on Wednesday reinstated the impeached Deputy Governor of the state, Philip Shaibu. The reinstatement threw the state into a political logjam, with the state government insisting that Marvellous Omobayo, who took over from Shaibu upon his impeachment by the state House of Assembly in April, would continue to be the state’s Deputy Governor. The government reportedly filed an appeal and a stay of execution of the judgment on Thursday, same day Shaibu returned to Benin City, the Edo State capital.
Armed with the judgment reinstating him to office, Shaibu arrived Benin on Thursday at about 3pm, in company with the candidate of the APC in the September 21 governorship election, Senator Monday Okpebholo, hoping to retrieve his mandate.
Things, however, turned deadly as soon as the duo’s convoy exited the Benin Airport. Gunmen, in a Sienna bus, opened fire on the convoy, killing one of the police orderlies attached to Okpebholo. After surviving the initial attack from the gunmen, other police officers fought back gallantly and were able to fight off the onslaught of their attackers.
A section of Airport Road in the heart of the city was turned into a battleground and shooting range of sorts as the gunmen freely shot at people, leaving members of the public scampering for safety while others, who were not so lucky got hit by bullets.
No one would have thought that the state would degenerate into this level of chaos a year ago when Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Shaibu, were best of friends.
Then, Shaibu, a trusted ally of Obaseki, was in charge of the state’s local revenue generation drive and the sports ministry. He handled both jobs well to the admiration of his boss, who heaped praises on him at every opportunity he got to do.
However, the issue of who succeeded Obaseki brought an end to their once enviable cordial relationship. This came after Shaibu made his intention of becoming the next governor of the state known to Obaseki, who had a preference for a long-time business ally and head of his government’s economic team, Asue Ighodalo.
Shaibu’s ambition unsettled his principal, who planned to relieve him of his position to pave the way for the easy emergence of Ighodalo at the primary election of the PDP. Shaibu, not deterred, pressed on with his ambition and approached a Federal High Court in Abuja to halt any move aimed at impeaching him before the PDP primaries. The governor contended that the suit was not based on fact and Shaibu was prevailed upon to withdraw the case.
The fallout with his boss led to the relocation of Shaibu’s office from the Government House to the state Procurement Office on Osadebe Avenue. With this move, it was clear that the battle line had been drawn between the governor and his deputy.
While the rift between the two deepened, the wooing of party delegates began in full force with Ighodalo and Shaibu emerging as the main contenders for the party ticket. Despite Shaibu’s best efforts, Ighodalo emerged as the PDP candidate, defeating Shaibu and eight others to the ticket in a landslide. Shaibu was subsequently impeached by the Edo State House of Assembly on Monday April 8 following the adoption of the report of the seven-man investigative panel set up by the state chief judge to probe allegations of misconduct against the former deputy governor.
The investigative panel set up the House of Assembly, which was headed by Justice S.A. Omonua (retd.), probed Shaibu on allegations of perjury and leaking of government secrets, ending its sittings with the former deputy governor refusing to appear before it.
Not perturbed by Shaibu’s impeachment, three of his loyalists, who said they were part of the authentic delegates not allowed to vote alongside 381 others during the primary, approached an Abuja High Court to quash the result.
Justice Inyang Ekwo granted their request, noting that the exclusion of the 381 delegates, including the plaintiff, nullified the primary. He subsequently held that the process that returned Ighodalo as PDP’s candidate for the election was null and void.
The matter then came to a head when Shaibu, who also dragged the state House of Assembly to court over his impeachment, got a judgment last Wednesday, after he requested that he be reinstated as the Deputy Governor of Edo State.
In a swift move, the state House of Assembly appealed the judgment and filed for a stay of execution on Thursday, the same day Shaibu travelled down to Benin to be reinstated. However, Shaibu escaped death by a whisker alongside Okpebholo, following the gunmen attack on their way out of the airport.
However, a policeman to Okpebholo, Inspector Akor Onuh, was killed during the gun battle.
Brandishing a certified true copy of the judgment on Friday at his residence in the Government Reservation Area of Benin, Shaibu noted that the judgment was declaratory and that following the law, he had to be reinstated before any judicial move in the form of appeal or stay of execution of the judgment could be made.
He noted that those insinuating that he could not assume office were in contempt of court. He also noted that the attack was a planned assassination attempt on him.
He took a step further by announcing that he had instituted a N5bn suit against Obaseki, Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Project, Crusoe Osagie, for defamation.
Noting that he was not surprised that Nehikhare and Osagie were insisting that he remained impeached, Shaibu said it was clear that the duo did not study the court judgment before sending out their responses, which, he said, was their mode of operation.
He said, “I can tell you that Thursday’s attack was planned by the governor to assassinate me. The governor vowed to destroy me when I remained resolute in vying for the position of the governor. They said I was the one who planned the attack but I came in peacefully from Abuja to the state capital. Why were the armed thugs laying ambush for me? Were they expecting a visitor?
“I have already instituted a N5bn suit against the governor, Nehikhare and Osagie for defamation. They will be served next week. I have resumed, recalled all my staff and I will be working from home to prevent any confrontation. I remain the deputy governor. All salaries and entitlements will be paid,” he added.
Nehikhare, however, denied Shaibu’s allegation that Obaseki planned the Benin Airport attack. He said, “The accusation is nonsense. How can Shaibu say that the governor planned the attack against him? His thugs, who he mobilized, were the ones shooting sporadically and eventually killed the policeman. Having realised the enormity of what had happened; he is now running around to clear his name. But we all know that his thugs were the ones who carried out the attack.
“He was the one who ignored the plea by the Commissioner of Police to remain calm due to the appeal and stay of execution of judgment, which the state government got. We have videos of his thugs causing mayhem in the city on Thursday and he should be made to answer for his deeds.”
Saturday’s return of Shaibu to the APC from the PDP, alongside his supporters and members of the Legacy Group, led by Dan Orbih, means the leadership crisis in Edo State has ensured the governor and his deputy are from the ruling and opposition parties respectively as the September 21 gubernatorial poll edges closer.
Shaibu walked straight to where the former Governor of Edo State, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, was seated and knelt before him, which drew rapturous celebrations from party supporters.
“On behalf of the Legacy Group, I announce our movement to the APC. We have come to add value to the party. It is time to take back our state. We will not talk too much because action will speak for us. We are not afraid; we are ready to move forward,” Shaibu stated.
“We the homebody are ready to take our state back through the APC governorship candidate, Monday Okpebholo, and his running mate, Dennis Idahosa. We are not troublemakers but if it comes, we will use it to rub our body and move on.”
However, Edo PDP chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, said Shaibu’s exit didn’t affect the party, boasting that those eager to join the PDP after Shaibu’s exit were more than those leaving the party for opposition parties.
He said, “I wish them good luck in their official endeavours. The PDP cannot be depleted because of this. Every vote counts, but those who are now coming to us because of his (Shaibu) exit are more than those who are leaving the party. So, we are good.
“My message to our party members and Edo people is that they should not lose focus. They should not be distracted. Let them align with the party. We are winning this election hands down, no matter what anybody thinks or does.”
In another twist, the state Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, since Thursday’s attack and killing of a police inspector, has been under fire, as major actors in the state’s political space are either calling on him to fish out the killers of the policeman or those involved in the shooting incident or blaming him outright for the death of the junior officer and his inability to provide security on the fateful day.
“It is disheartening to observe that while the ruthless shootings were going on, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Funso Adeboye, was at the Benin Airport and he did nothing to repel the vicious attack, which led to the death of one of his officers,” Director of Media, APC Campaign Council for the September 21 governorship election, Kassim Afegbua, said.
“As fate would have it, it was our candidate’s police attache that was killed, our candidate and the deputy governor missed death by the whisker. From eyewitness accounts, some of these hoodlums are members of the Edo Vigilante Network fully kitted in their uniforms.
“The Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, has willfully undermined the responsibility placed on him by law, which is the protection of lives and property within his jurisdiction, as he has become the puppet of the governor from whom he takes politically-minded instructions.”
The police commissioner, Adeboye, however, exonerated himself of any wrongdoing.
He said, “I had information that some people gathered at the airport and I went in there because our goal is to maintain law and order. Where we discover we have a crowd, we will go there. So, we were there, myself and my men and it was after these people left the airport that we learnt about the shooting which led to the death of the inspector.”
With the election closing in, hearts of residents of the state with the motto ‘The Heartbeat of The Nation’ are beating over what could happen next as analysts watch with keen interest the next move by the political gamesmen in the state as they battle to untangle the political logjam ahead of the September poll.