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Tinubu, Govs Forum Congratulate Okpebholo On S’Court Victory …As Obaseki Expresses Disappointment
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, on the affirmation of his election by the Supreme Court, yesterday.
Tinubu urged him to unify the state and accelerate the delivery of good governance.
This was contained in a statement issued yesterday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
“President Bola Tinubu congratulates Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State on the affirmation of his election by the Supreme Court.
The Tide reports that the Edo State governorship election took place in September 2024, and Governor Okpebholo was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Supreme Court, as the final arbiter, upheld the election of the governor yesterday.
Following the conclusion of all legal challenges regarding the 2024 election, Tinubu called on the governor to embrace all citizens of the state, irrespective of political affiliations.
“President Tinubu encourages Governor Okpebholo to be magnanimous in victory and rally the citizens of Edo across divides towards a singular vision of advancing the state’s development,” the statement read.
With the legal battles now behind, the President advised the governor to intensify his governance agenda.
“The President advises that now that the governor has cleared the legal hurdles, it is time for him to accelerate the delivery of exceptional services and good governance to the people of Edo State, which he has already begun to do,” the statement added.
Tinubu also congratulated members of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Edo State for the legal victory.
Meanwhile, Ogun State Governor and Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, Dapo Abiodun, has also hailed the Supreme Court’s affirmation of Okpebholo as Governor of Edo State, describing it as a well-earned victory.
Abiodun, who stated this in a statement issued on behalf of the forum in Abeokuta, Ogun State, yesterday, said the verdict had laid to rest any insinuation that the victory of Okpebholo, who won the September 21, 2024, governorship election with 291,667 votes, defeating his closest challenger, Asue Ighodalo, who garnered 247,655 votes, was a fluke.
He said that with the apex court’s verdict, the Edo State Governor now has the opportunity to devote full attention to actualising the agenda for which the Edo electorate gave him an overwhelming mandate, without any political distractions.
Abiodun stated, “On behalf of my brothers in the Southern Governors’ Forum (SGF), I heartily welcome the verdict of the Supreme Court today, Thursday, affirming what Edo State people and Nigerians had known all along, namely that on September 21, 2024, Edo State voters gave Governor Monday Okpebholo a mandate to pilot their affairs for the next four years.
“The verdict shows that, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and earlier validated by the Election Petitions Tribunal, the Court of Appeal, the legitimacy of Governor Okpebholo’s mandate cannot be questioned.
“No doubt, this victory is great news for democracy in Nigeria, for the people of Edo State, for our great Party the All Progressives Congress, and for good governance and the development of our dear country.
“Democracy may be imperfect but it represents the best form of government available to us as a people, and there is no doubt that this victory further consolidates and strengthens it Nigeria.
“Significantly, the victory represents the arrival of good things for the great people of Edo State and Nigeria as a whole.
“I have no doubt in my mind that the expectations of the people will be fully met by the pro-people, focused and dynamic government of my dear brother, Governor Monday Okpebholo.”
However, the ex-governor of the State, Godwin Obaseki, expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court’s judgment.
In a statement issued via X shortly after the verdict yesterday, Obaseki thanked the people of Edo State and Nigerians for their support, while insisting that the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie, won the governorship election held on September 21, 2024.
“I am profoundly grateful to the good people of Edo State and Nigerians for their overwhelming support for the victory, which we believe our party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie, won,” Obaseki stated.
The former governor noted that the PDP pursued legal redress through all available judicial channels, beginning with the Election Petition Tribunal, then the Court of Appeal, and finally the Supreme Court, due to their conviction that the results were manipulated.
“But unfortunately, and most surprisingly, all the courts have ruled against us,” he said.
Obaseki acknowledged the binding nature of the verdict despite strong disagreement.
“Although we strongly disagree with the decision of the Supreme Court, but as adherents to the rule of law, we are bound by their verdict,” he said.
He warned, however, that the manner in which the election was conducted and judicially validated could endanger Nigeria’s democracy.
“We want to caution that the iconic manner in which the Edo election was manipulated, coupled with the judicial validation it has received, portends grave danger for Nigeria’s democracy,” he added.
The governor concluded by urging faith and perseverance.
“As people of faith, we leave our matter in God’s hands, trusting that only He knows the appropriate time and manner to deliver divine justice and redemption to our people. I encourage our people to keep hope alive as we persist in the struggle to redeem our fatherland,” he said.
The Supreme Court, yesterday, upheld the election of Okpebholo, dismissing the appeal filed by PDP’s governorship candidate, Ighodalo.
A five-member panel of the apex court, in a unanimous decision delivered by Justice Lawal Garba, ruled that the appellants failed to prove their claims of over-voting, non-compliance with the Electoral Act, and other electoral irregularities.
The court held that Ighodalo failed to substantiate his allegations, challenging results from only 395 of the 4,519 polling units and calling 19 witnesses whose testimonies failed to aid his case.
Justice Garba stated that there was no convincing evidence to overturn the decisions of the Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, which had both affirmed Okpebholo’s victory.
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Rivers State Chapter, has inaugurated a new Executive Council to pilot the affairs of the institute for the next two years.
The new Executive Council was elected during the maiden edition of the Rivers Public Relations Week and Annual General meeting held last Friday, in Port Harcourt.
The re-election marked a historic moment as members of the chapter converged to chart a new course for professional excellence, ethical standards, and the advancement of public relations practice in the State.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the institute, Ayodeji Emmanuel Afelumo, at the weekend.
The Registrar and Secretary to the NIPR Governing Council, Chief Uzoma Onyegbadue, who swore in the officers charged them to redouble their efforts in upholding professional integrity and excellence in public relations practices.
The officers re-elected for the second term include Rev. Francis Asuk as chairman, Dr. Parry Saroh Benson (Vice Chairman), Mr. Felix Tamuno (Secretary), Alhaja Ayo Odungweru (Treasurer), and Edna Alete as Financial Secretary.
Those with fresh tenure are Dr. Helen Chimezie who was elected as the Assistant Secretary, Mr. Ayodeji Emmanuel Afelumo (Public Relations Officer), and Mrs. Ngowari Oba as Welfare Officer, following the tenure expiration of the former officers.
In his acceptance remarks, Rev. Asuk expressed gratitude to members for their confidence and pledged to uphold the ideals of the institute, promote professional development, and foster partnerships that would further enhance the visibility of public relations in Rivers State and beyond.
The Rivers Public Relations Week is the first of its kind organised by a State chapter of the institute and it provided a platform for practitioners, scholars, and stakeholders to engage in knowledge-sharing, networking, and discussions on the evolving role of public relations in governance, business, and society.
The statement added that the Rivers State Chapter of the NIPR looks forward to a new era of purposeful leadership, innovation, and impact under the stewardship of its newly inaugurated executive council.
News
Falana Gives Ken Saro-Wiwa, Others Clean Bill Of Health …As Activist Decries Marginalisation Of Ogoni People p6 lead
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana(SAN) has apparently exonerated the slain writer and environmental rights activist, Mr Ken Saro-Wiwa and his eight Ogoni kinsmen of the murder charge which led to their execution by hanging by the Gen Sani Abacha military junta on November 10, 1995.
This is even as a human rights activist, Evangelist Caroline Nagbo, has decried the spate of marginalisation against Ogoni people in Nigeria and Rivers State, saying, in spite of the struggles, sacrifices and contributions of the Ogoni people, they have continued to be marginalised, particularly in politics.
Falana, who bared his mind in a keynote address during the 30th Anniversary of the Ken Saro-Wiwa Memorial Lecture at Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt on Friday, said the Ogoni nine never committed the crime for which they were hanged by the Federal Government.
On her part, Nagbo noted in a goodwill message at the event that despite the Ogoni people’s contributions, struggles and sacrifices, they continue to face exclusion and intimidation.
She decried a situation where people who hated Ken Saro-Wiwa during his lifetime, equally hate Ogoni people, because they consider them as very intelligent, stressing that instead of giving them political power, stooges are rather favoured.
According to her, Ogoni people must continue to speak out and agitate for their rights.
Nagbo further noted that the name of Ken Saro-Wiwa always evokes environment, minority and politics, emphasising that the legacies of the late environmental rights activist have continued to inspire and motivate the Ogoni people, and highlighted the significance of his birthday, which coincides with the Ogoni struggle for self-determination, environmental justice, and human rights.
She said the Federal Government’s treatment of Ken Saro-Wiwa’s memory and the Ogoni people is a reflection of the country’s flawed political system, and criticised politicians for their absence at events commemorating Ken Saro-Wiwa’s birthday and even illegal execution, attributing it to the marginalisation and intimidation faced by the Ogoni people.
“If you identify with Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni struggle, you are the enemy of the state, and that is marginalisation and intimidation,” she said.
Nagbo further lamented that despite the Ogoni people’s contributions to the country’s struggle for democracy, they are yet to be adequately rewarded.
“Politically, up till now, an Ogoni individual has never been a Governor, and they are not ready to give it to us, even in the next 30 years.The same thing they did to Ken Saro-Wiwa is the same thing they are doing to the Ogoni sons and daughters. They are manipulating it,” she said.
Nagbo praised the consistency of fiery human rights lawyer, Femi Falana(SAN), in championing the cause of the Ogoni people, saying, even Ken Saro-Wiwa was known for his consistency.
The keynote speaker, Mr Femi Falana actually chronicled the circumstances surrounding the hanging of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight of his kinsmen on November 10, 1995, saying, they never committed the offence for which they were executed, and,therefore, deserve not only the recent pardon granted to them by the Federal Government but also exoneration and apology from the government.
Falana accused the state and Shell of masterminding the murder of four Ogoni sons, with the intent of roping in Ken Saro-Wiwa and the other Ogoni activists, saying, the execution of the Ogoni activists was premeditated.
According to him, when it was clear that the then Abacha military junta had already made up its mind to kill Ken Saro-Wiwa and others, the legal team defending them had no option than to withdraw from the trial in order not to give it legitimacy.
The human rights lawyer said the Ogoni people must be united today more than ever before to fight for their rights, stressing that the move for resumption of oil production in Ogoniland can only be justified when the ongoing cleanup of Ogoniland has attained an appreciable level.
He also applauded the siting of the Federal University of Environment and Technology in Ogoniland, but insisted that the university must employ Ogoni people to justify its establishment.
Falana said the time has come for the people of the Niger Delta region to demand accountability from the political class at all levels of governance in the region, saying, they are constitutionally empowered to find out how the 13 percent derivation funds and other funds are utilised.
According to him, the three percent fund stipulated and specified in the Petroleum Industry Act(PIA) is supposed to go directly to oil and gas bearing communities in the Niger Delta.
He also sympathised with Umuechem people for what befell them during the military regime, and decried a situation where oil companies failed in providing social amenities to the people, in spite of benefiting from the oil and gas deposits in their land.
He promised to set up a think tank of lawyers to advocate and ensure that oil and gas host communities in the country, particularly in the Niger Delta are provided social amenities.
Also, human rights and environment campaigner and one of the organisers of the event, Mr Celestine Akpobari thanked Femi Falana, Dr Nimo Bassey and other dignitaries and participants for gracing the event, which he described as the celebration of Ken Saro-Wiwa’s legacies.
He said the rush for the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland does not make any economic sense, and likened it to mopping the floor while the taps are open.
At the event, the panel of discussants consisted of Prof KialeeNyiayana of the University of Port Harcourt; Prof Lucky Akaruese of the University of Port Harcourt; Eze(Prof) Christian Akani of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education; and Leader of Ogoni People’s Assembly, Rev Probel Williams, while the moderator was Dr EmemOkon.
The discussants gave a good account of themselves, as they did not only dissect the keynote address presented by Femi Falana, giving more insights into it, but also did justice to the questions posed to them by the moderator, bordering on Ken Saro-Wiwa and his legacies, among other issues.
By: Donatus
News
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