Politics
Edo 2016: Obaseki Dedicates Victory To Delegates
The winner of Saturday’s All
Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries in Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has said that his victory was a collective one for him, his co-contestants and the delegates.
In the result of the primaries announced in the early hours of yesterday at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, venue of the exercise, Obaseki scored 1,618 votes to clinch victory.
He defeated 11 contestants, including his closest rival, Dr Pius Odubu, the Deputy Governor of the state, who polled 471 votes.
The result was announced by Chairman of the primaries committee and Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State.
In his acceptance speech after the announcement, Obaseki urged his co-contestants to work with him to achieve victory for APC in the September 10 governorship election in the state.
According to him, the primary election was only the first leg of other challenges ahead.
“The delegates were true heroes of democracy. They have shown that indeed, democracy has evolved and far more sophisticated than they have been given credit for.
“We have collectively decided who will fly the flag of our great party in Edo. My greatest encouragement in this race was my co-contestants, this array of accomplished individuals, including the deputy governor, Dr Pius Odubu.
“I am indeed humbled by my nomination, but I will like to state that this is our collective victory.
“As a party, we must continue to work as a team to deliver victory at the Sept.10 governorship election. But, let me assure you that we will win,” he said.
The party’s nominee said that the state had commenced another journey into a brighter future, “a future which will define the state as a modern and progressive state where every citizen is provided with opportunity to live life to its fullness”.
He promised to build on the successes of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
In his remarks, Masari, who presented the Certificate of Return to Obaseki, urged those who participated in the primaries to regard themselves as winners and not losers.
He said that together the aspirants could and would make Edo and Nigeria better.
“For those who are not lucky to be the flag bearer this time around, they should get ready; four years in the life of a nation is so small, even in the life of an individual.
“In politics, we have to learn to accept defeat and prepare for the next election.
“May I appeal to the winner also to be magnanimous in victory because this is the first leg.
“The second and most important is the general election, where you need the support of not only the members of APC, but also other people of Edo State.
“For this reason, I call on you to extend the hands of fellowship to your fellow contestants.
“And, for the contestants, take solace that it is only God that decides and who chooses who to lead in a particular time,” Masari said.
He said that the committee adhered strictly to the rules and guideline provided by the party in the conduct of the primaries.
APC primaries which started at about 9 a.m. with accreditation on Saturday came to a conclusion at about 4:30 a.m. yesterday.
It would be recalled that the chairman of the Edo State Economy and Strategy team, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, won the governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress, after beating 11 others in the race.
The other aspirants include the Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu; a former governor, Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor, and a former Minister of State for Works, Chris Ogiemwonyi.
Others are Maj-Gen Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), Kenneth Imasuagbon, Peter Esele, Tina Agbarha, Blessing Agbomere, Emmanuel Arigbe-Osula, Professor Ebegue Amadasun and Austin Emuan.
The other contestants including Imasuagbon and Ogiemwonyi had 247 and 137 to settle for third and fourth places, respectively. Airhiavbere got 11 votes while Arigbe-Osula had 10 votes.
Other results are Esele (eight votes), Amadasun (eight votes), Emuan (seven votes) and Agbomere (five votes).
The only female aspirant in the primary, Agbarha, had a total of three votes.
The total number of invalid votes was 41.
Politics
Reps Constitution Review Committee Holds Zonal Hearing For Rivers, C’River, Akwa Ibom In Calabar

A press statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Cross River State Governor, Mr Linus Obogo, disclosed that the Calabar Centre — designated as Centre B — will host representatives and stakeholders from Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States.
The public hearing is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Transcorp (Metropolitan) Hotel, Calabar.
The initiative, according to the statement, is designed to promote inclusive dialogue and capture the aspirations of Nigerians from all regions.
It aims to serve as a platform for citizens to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing national efforts to refine and strengthen the country’s legal and institutional frameworks.
“Citizens, civil society groups, professional bodies, traditional rulers, and other interest blocs are invited to participate in this landmark engagement aimed at advancing a more just, equitable, and responsive Nigerian Constitution,” the statement read.
The hearing forms part of the broader review process of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and is seen as a strategic move toward fostering national unity and addressing structural legal issues within the federation.
Politics
Tinubu’s Contribution To Buhari’s Presidency Marginal – Ex-SGF

For the first time since 2022, when then-presidential aspirant Alhaji Bola Tinubu declared he made former President Buhari Nigeria’s President in 2015, Mr Mustapha dismissed the claims, stressing that the merger only contributed about three million votes in addition to Buhari’s existing 12 million votes in the North.
He insisted that former President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to the breakthrough, not the three million votes from the merging parties, which he described as insignificant.
Speaking on the role of the merging parties, particularly President Tinubu, the leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr Mustapha, who was the keynote speaker at the launch of the book ‘According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesman’s Experience’ authored by Mallam Garba Shehu, described the impact of the votes from other merging parties as very insignificant.
In attendance were former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, chair of the event; immediate past Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; SGF George Akume, who represented President Tinubu; PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar; former Chief of Staff to Buhari Ibrahim Gambari; elder statesman Babagana Kingibe; former governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Chris Ngige (Anambra), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Raji Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); former ministers Solomon Dalung and Sunday Dare; former Army Chief Tukur Buratai, and Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s spokesman, among others.
According to Mr Mustapha, “I do not intend to stir up any controversy. The merger in 2013 was midwifed to create a Buhari presidency. Let us look at the statistics. In the 2003 election, it was the Obasanjo-Buhari presidential contest where Buhari recorded 12.7 million votes. In 2007, it came to 6.6 million, and it went back to 12.2 million in 2011.
“When we were conceptualising the merger, what would give us a headstart? Obviously, it was at the back of our consciousness that the merger with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), though it had only one state, the ACN had six states, ANPP three states, and when you sum up the total votes that we had as the presidency in 2015, the aggregate of the total votes was 15.4 million.
“So, basically, what we brought to the table after the merger outside the Buhari 12.5 million votes was three million. Before turning to that presidency, it is important to recognise the former President’s role in reshaping Nigeria’s political trajectory.
“In early 2013, as the leader of the CPC, Buhari formally requested and supported the creation of a CPC merger committee, part of a broader coalition-building process that brought together the ACN, ANPP, APGA faction, and elements of the ruling party through the breakaway ‘new PDP’ group. His endorsement and participation, along with other party leaders such as President Tinubu and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, lent credibility and direction to the merger, helping to unify disparate party factions under the banner of the APC. That coalition-building paved the way for the first democratic defeat of an incumbent ruling party in Nigeria’s history.
“President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to that breakthrough. No account of President Buhari’s tenure would be complete without acknowledging the extended periods he spent on medical leave. These moments, while politically delicate, were also telling of his leadership philosophy and personality,” he said.
In his remarks, President Tinubu promised to build on the legacies of former President Buhari, stressing that “nation-building is a relay. The efforts of one administration lay the foundation for the next.
“In this regard, I acknowledge the efforts of my predecessor, President Buhari, and assure all Nigerians that the reform-oriented path he initiated will be consolidated and strengthened under this administration. Our Renewed Hope Agenda is inspired by the desire to build a resilient, just, and inclusive Nigeria—a nation that delivers dividends of democracy to all its citizens”.
Politics
Your Lies Chasing Investors From Nigeria, Omokri Slams Obi
Speaking during an appearance on live television on Wednesday, Mr Omokri alleged that Mr Obi’s statements were misleading and damaging to the country’s economic prospects.
Mr Omokri said some investors currently operating in Nigeria were considering exiting the market due to Mr Obi’s remarks.
“That is not true. He doesn’t rile me up. I rile him up. The reason why I came here is because I’m a patriot. Peter Obi lied. You know, foreign direct investors are watching your programme, who are making investment decisions not to come to Nigeria. There are foreign investors in Nigeria that are making investment decisions to leave Nigeria because of the lie he told.
“One of the lies he told is that President Tinubu has borrowed more than the administrations of Yar’Adua, Jonathan, Buhari. That is a blatant lie”, Mr Omokri said.
To buttress his claims, Mr Omokri referenced figures from the Debt Management Office (DMO), maintaining that President Tinubu had actually reduced Nigeria’s external debt burden since assuming office.
“I have here with me data from the Debt Management Office, and Nigerians who are watching can go to DMO.com and search Debt Management Office, Nigeria State of Indebtedness 2015.
“As of 2015, Nigeria was owing a total of $63 billion. When Buhari was leaving office, Nigeria was owing $113 billion. Today, from the DMO, our debt has gone from $113 billion to $97 billion, meaning that Tinubu has reduced our debt by over $14 billion.
“We should be appreciating this man. Yet Peter Obi came here and lied to the Nigerian people. He took the debts and translated them into naira to make it look like the debts have increased”, he said.
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