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Oshiomhole Denies Involvement In Impeachment Move Against Shaibu …CRPP Condemns Move
The lawmaker representing Edo North Senatorial District and the Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, has denied his alleged involvement in the move to impeach the embattled deputy governor of Edo State, Phillip Shaibu.
A statement by Oshiomhole’s legislative aide, Victor Oshioke, said the report in the social media linking the former governor of the State to the plot to impeach Shaibu was fake.
The statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to an article circulating on social media regarding a purported plan by the Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki to call on lawmakers of Edo State House of Assembly to begin impeachment proceedings against his deputy, Philip Shaibu.
“Ordinarily, we would neither be concerned nor bothered by what methods the characters in the unending feud within the Edo State PDP employ to settle scores among themselves. However, we are compelled to clarify and set the record straight because in the said article, it was falsely claimed, and I quote ‘our reporter also gathered that the governor have(sic) already gotten across to Senator Adams Oshiomhole to help him lobby and talk to the APC lawmakers in the House to support the impeachment move against Philip Shaibu since he and the deputy governor are not in good terms with the Edo North Senator.
“We wish to categorically state that Senator Oshiomhole has not, at any time, engaged in discussions with Governor Obaseki regarding plans to impeach his deputy.””Let it be put on record that Senator Oshiomhole, as the apex leader of the APC in Edo State, is solely focused on fostering goodwill between the people of Edo State and the APC, with the goal of winning the upcoming governorship election and returning the state to a path of progress under an APC government.
“Also, it is important to state that matters of impeachment are the sole responsibilities of the Edo State House of Assembly and the Edo State Judiciary. Political parties have no constitutional role to play in any impeachment process. Therefore, the notion that Senator Oshiomhole can influence the actions of APC lawmakers should there be any impeachment exercise in the Edo State House of Assembly is simply preposterous. Senator Oshiomhole has not and will not engage in any deals with Governor Obaseki on this or any other political issue.
“Lastly, we urge all Edo people to approach articles of this nature with skepticism if the authors fail to take credit for their allegations. As we begin the process leading to the September 2024 governorship election in our beloved state, let us all strive for truthful and responsible discourse in our political environment.”
In a related development, the Coalition of Registered Political Parties, CRPP, has called on Governor Obaseki to jettison his alleged impeachment plan against his deputy and start preparing his hand over note for his successor.
The CRPP Chairman, Samson Isibor, who gave the warning in a statement, said that Shaibu has not committed any offence by choosing to contest the governorship election and that he was only exercising his right and that any plan to impeach him would lead to crisis in the state.
The statement read in part: “The CRPP in its emergency meeting on March 3, deliberated on the political development in Edo State particularly the purported plan to impeach the Deputy Governor being muted by Governor Obaseki and the Speaker Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku.
“The CRPP resolved that the impeachment idea is condemnable and is uncalled for. This act by Governor Obaseki can ignite a chain reactions, which can lead to anarchy
“We implore the governor to jettison the idea of impeachment and work towards the peaceful transition of power to the next elected governor of Edo State. As far as we are concerned, the Deputy Governor has not committed any impeachable offence or breached his oath of office. The Edo people have the exclusive right to call for his impeachment if he commits any offence like corruption, misappropriation of public funds. Governor Obaseki has no right to continue to intimidate Shaibu.”
The Tide reports that the Edo State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, served Shaibu an impeachment notice, giving him seven days to respond to the allegation of constitutional infractions.
At the sitting of the House on Wednesday, the Majority Leader, Mr. Charity Aiguobarueghian, announced that a petition to that effect, dated March 5, 2024, was signed by 21 of the 24 members against the deputy governor, adding that the number of members who signed the petition were more than the two-thirds requirement stipulated by the Constitution.
He also announced that the petition was based on two grounds: perjury and revealing of government secrets.
The House Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, who acknowledged receipt of the petition, directed the Clerk, Yahaya Omogbai, to serve the impeachment notice on Shaibu and gave the deputy governor seven days to respond.
Shaibu has been in the eyes of the storm following his frosty relations with his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki, over the Edo governorship ticket of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.