EDO GUBER BATTLE: Deployment of 3,500 soldiers splits Reps

THERE was chaos in the House of Representatives, yesterday, as rival party members took strongly partisan positions over the deployment of troops ahead of the Edo State gubernatorial election. 

The uproar ensued as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar vowed at a stakeholders parley in Benin that this weekend’s election would be used as a test run of the pledge to ensure free and fair elections in the country. 

 The chaos in the House was stirred by Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN members following Speaker Aminu Tambuwal’s initial rejection of a motion proposed by a party member over the deployment of troops in Edo State for the election. 

 The gubernatorial campaign which is stretching into its final days had a temporary break as Jega, IGP Abubakar, met with the candidates to appraise security and other regulations concerning the election. Jega and Abubakar on the occasion addressed serious concerns raised by the leading candidates, Adams Oshiomhole of the ACN and Charles Airhiavbere of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP over plans to rig the polls.

 Among the observations raised by Oshiomhole at the stakeholders meeting were that the PDP was mobilizing fake soldiers and policemen and equally distributing fake voter’s cards for the election. Airhiavbere on his part accused Oshiomhole of erecting campaign signboards and posters around polling centres.

 IGP appoints new Police Commissioner for Edo At the end of the meeting as the IGP prepared to board a plane back to Abuja, he directed the Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr. Femi Adenaike who came with him to take over as the new Commissioner of Police for Edo State. All the Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers, DPOs were also affected in the changes. 

 The Police Service Commission, PSC also, yesterday, said that it is deploying top officials of the commission to monitor conduct of policemen during the election. The commission has also released telephone numbers through which malfeasances by policemen could be channeled to.

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Army deploys 3,500 soldiers to Edo

CHIEF of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubike Ihejirika has announced the deployment of 3,500 soldiers to Edo State ahead of the July 14 Governorship election in the State. Assistant Inspector General of Police, (AIG) Zone 5, Hashimu Salihu Argungu, disclosed this press conference held in his office with the commanding officer, 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Benin, Brigadier General Abel Obi Umahi in attendance.

 Brig- Gen, Umahi at the meeting, said the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubike Ihejirika has approved the deployment of the soldiers to assist the police and other security personnel for the election. 

 He further disclosed that the Chief of Army Staff has also approved 60 Hilux buses and some army patrol trucks will be distributed in various local governments and constituencies in Edo State. While advising the electorate not to be scared of the presence of the military personnel, the Brigade commander said the soldiers would be placed in different locations to monitor the election in all nooks and crannies of the state.  

Similarly, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Argungu, said, the police command was fully ready to engage any trouble maker or politician who will be out to derail the election process even as he warned that any person who attempts to hijack electoral materials would be treated as an enemy of the process and would be made to face the wrath of the law. 

 He also warned those warming up to serve as thugs during the election to discard their plans as any person who wears a uniform that is not recognised by the law enforcement agency will be treated as an armed robber and political thug, while those planning to use money to lure voters or electoral officers will also be treated as criminals.  

While calling on the electorate to come out en-masse to cast their vote, the AIG who assured of adequate security said only those that are with their voter’s card would be allow to move to their voters’ centres during the election, as no vehicle will be allowed into the town, except through the by-pass.

 He also assured journalists of safety, saying that no journalist with INEC accreditation would be harassed or intimidated by security personnel during the election, advising all journalists to ensure that they are accredited by INEC. Also present at the briefing were the State Director of the SSS, the Federal Road Safety Commission and the Nigerian Security and Civic Defense Crops.

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Edo guber candidates throw brickbats

THE second and final debate among the major candidates in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State was held last night with the incumbent, Adams Oshiomhole of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP rival Charles Airhiavbere locked in a feisty debate that was characterized by personal attacks. 

 The climax of the exchange came towards the end of the debate as Comrade Oshiomhole responded to allegations of building a N10 billion country home when he dared his PDP rival not to provoke him into releasing what he claimed to be details of how he, Airhiavbere was allegedly forced out of the army and detained for three months prior to retirement. 

 The third candidate in the debate, Chief Solomon Edebiri, of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP was largely calm and was often left out in the exchanges that dotted the brickbats between Oshiomhole and the PDP candidate. Edebiri repeatedly deployed his experience in business and industry to respond to many of the issues raised bothering on the economy and industralisation of the state.

 The debate organized by the Nigeria Elections Debate Group, NEDG, immediately deviated from the peaceful nature which it started when the three candidates were asked to shake or hug one another as Oshiomhole spiritedly fought off persistent challenges by his rival to deflate his achievements in office. Twice during the nearly three-hour debate, Oshiomhole was indeed forced to ask the debate moderator to remind him of the questions asked as he was lost in the track of responding to allegations raised by his PDP rival. 

 Airhiavbere consistently sought to expose what he claimed as the inadequacies of the incumbent repeatedly citing the lack of due process in the award of contracts, high level taxation and increase in school fees. As he attacked, Oshiomhole responded sometimes making mockery of his main challenger.

 Asked how he would boost the economy of the state, Airhiavbere took umbrage at what he said was the Oshiomhole government’s insensitivity in demolition of residential buildings saying that such actions put the citizenry in a state of discomfort to contribute to the economy. “In modern day world before you bring down peoples houses you must have alternatives for them,” the PDP candidate charged. 

But responding, Oshiomhole flaunted his administration’s record in linking the rural economy to the urban economy as his major platform in boosting the economy base of the state. “We have been able to reconnect the rural economy to the urban economy. Last year we made available N1 billion which we shared to actual farmers in addition to distribution of fertilizers. We have sunk over 100 boreholes,” the governor said as he relayed his achievements in infrastructure and economic empowerment.

 Award of contracts

 But Airhaivbere again and again faulted the award of contracts as skewed in favour of insiders in the Oshiomhole government. To that, the governor chided him saying that Airhiavbere was still in the army and would not have followed the tenders unless according to him, he Airhiavbere was looking out for tenders as a serving officer.

 “He keeps on talking about advertising but he was at the army at that time I don’t know what time he had to look out for tenders,” Oshiomhole said. Airhiavbere sought again and again to portray the Oshiomhole government as peopled with former members of the PDP who he said were the wrong men in the PDP.

 “Those that were in the old PDP have moved over to the ACN to continue what they are doing and a child that is thirteen years has not seen anything,” Airhiavbere said. The governor was quick to admit that the ACN in the state had sprinkling of former members of the PDP, but then challenged his rival to the fact that the same group of leaders have continued to lead the PDO. “What matters is leadership, if good men work under a robber over time they will become robbers. We have no apologies that people have left the PDP and Edo State was almost a one party state at one time. 

You saw their rally at the stadium all the old men were there,” the governor noted as he affirmed that the young men crying for change were fully with him. “We are happy that you are not proud of your past,” Oshiomhole told the PDP candidate. “PDP keeps referring to itself as new PDP, what is new in the PDP when all the old men are still there. We are proud of our past that is why we are ACN, not new ACN.” “Edo people are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel and from the ashes of the old PDP we are building a new Edo State,” the governor added.

 Airhiavbere attacked Governor Oshiomhole over his failure to conduct local government election alleging that he has continued to defy the provisions of the law and the constitution in sustaining appointed local government officials. “A situation where in three years local government elections have not been conducted. A situation where you will be the one to handpick the senators, we will not allow that,” the PDP candidate charged. A sort of drama played out when the three candidates were asked on how they would handle local government funds. 

Edebiri in his response said that “The local government funds should go straight to the local government, they should have no business with the state.” When Airhiavbere took his turn to attack Oshiomhole without addressing the question, the governor flayed the PDP candidate for not answering the question saying “My brother in the PDP did not answer the question,” as he alleged that the law used in appointing local government caretaker officers was approved by the PDP dominated House of Assembly and implemented twice by PDP governors. 

 On how he is utilizing local government funds, the governor said: “The practice I think has been under the PDP that the state government spends the money on behalf of the local government. But now we insist that local governments (get their money) we never spend local government money and will never do.” 

As Oshiomhole teased Airhiavbere about his role in the army and in the finance corps noting repeatedly that funds for military hospitals were mismanaged alongside pension funds for soldiers, Airhiavbere responded that he would not join issues with the military saying he was not the Army Paymaster and that he retired from the army with honour. “I trained leaders at the NIPSS, I know what is it to lead.”

 Extension of service

 He said that there were attempts to extend his service in the army on account of his usefulness but he politely declined. 

Oshiomhole was not pleased with Airhiavbere’s depiction of the students of the Ambrose Alli University, AAU when he said “If you train children like goats they will come out like goats.” Responding to the allegation published on online media that he is building a N10 billion mansion in his village, the incumbent fired back: “That is not all that they have said, they even claimed that I have a big estate in Benin city and another one in Lagos.

 Only God knows where they get their information from. In 1991, I completed a family building, it is part of our tradition in this part of the world that you don’t forget your place of birth. I had a house nine years before I became the NLC president.” “What I am doing in my village is a four bedroom house which I intend to live when I leave government I have not started building a house because I am a governor. In my assets declaration, I did declare all my assets, where they are and how I acquired them.” 

 “So, it is up to the PDP that is spreading this information to tell me how an uncompleted building, even the photograph shows that they have not completed the roofing, the scaffolding is made up of bamboo. How can that four bedroom become N10 billion? And I don’t think that is what I will want to waste my time on.” Oshiomhole said that the PDP candidate, however, would not have that manner of testimony saying that he had information of how Airhiavbere was forced out of the army after a three month detention.

 Giving his testimony of service to labour and the country, Oshiomhole added: “I served as the NLC president for eight years, I was the longest serving NLC president. All my predecessors served for six years. I was the first to serve for eight years. No one has made that mark so far. Some of us denied ourselves of comfort, we lived on our pedigree. I have made my name around the world. I am not a saint, but a decent human being.”

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Edo poll: Anenih warns against violence

Former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih, has sounded a note of caution to youths in Edo State against allowing themselves to be used by desperate politicians to cause violence during the July 14 governorship election. 

 Anenih urged the youths to shun all forms of electoral malpractice and violence, even as he warned that adequate security personnel would be on ground in the State to ensure that the election was not disrupted. He spoke at the PDP governorship rallies in Edo North Senatorial District in Igarra, headquarters of Akoko-Edo Local Government and Edo Central Senatorial District in Uromi, headquarters of Esan Northeast Local Government on Friday and Saturday respectively. 

 Anenih called on parents to counsel their wards/children to resist attempts to lure them into perpetrate acts of violence that could undermine the integrity of the governorship poll. He said in Igarra, “I want to appeal to the youths, because I have children in my house, not to allow themselves to be used by desperate politicians for violence. “Parents who are here, please, inform the ones that are not here that the youths should not be used or allowed to create violence in Edo State.

 Please, don’t allow them to use your youths and the youths that are here for malpractices on election day. “I want to assure you that on the election day, there would be adequate security. Snatching of ballot boxes in Akoko Edo in the rerun election in 2009 when over 50 AK-47 rifles were recovered from ACN youths or the rerun election into Etsako Central House of Assembly seat and those experiences we had that time will not be repeated on July 14”. Anenih also announced that President Goodluck Jonathan, PDP governors, the national chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and senators will grace a rally slated for end of June ahead of the July 14 governorship poll. 

 Both occasions were attended by thousands of party members, supporters and leaders, including the runner-up in the party’s governorship primaries, Barrister Kenneth Imasuangbon, Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Political Matters, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, Chief of Staff to the President, Mike Ogiadomhe, the Minister of Works, Mike Onolemhemen and the Director General of the PDP Campaign Organisation, Senator Odion Ugbesia. Imasuangbon said he was at the rally to support the party’s flag-bearer in the July 14 poll, Maj. Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (retd), stressing that he did not support Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s second term bid as speculated in some quarters.

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Jonathan targets Edo state governorship poll

President Goodluck Jonathan has initiated moves to pacify the people of the South-West as he begins preparations to contest 2015 presidential election. It was learnt that the President intended to use the renaming of the University of Lagos and the Edo State governorship election as the springboard to endear himself to the South-West people. 

 Investigations by our correspondents indicated that the President and members of his kitchen cabinet are worried about the level of his popularity, which they believe has plummeted nationwide and especially in the South-West in the last one year. The President was initially said to have been emboldened with the support he got during the 2011 presidential election, when the South-West abandoned the presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and voted en-masse for him . 

 Apart from Osun State, Jonathan crushed Ribadu in all the other five states in the zone despite the fact that the ACN controls a majority of the states in the zone. However, the President was said to have been saddened with the mobilisation that was carried out in the zone during the protests for the removal of the oil subsidy last January. The protests, which drew a large number of Nigerians, were carried out at Ojota, Lagos and were peaceful to the amazement of the opposition. The Protesters were later forced to suspend the action when armed soldiers took over the Gani Fawehinmi Park, venue of the protests.

 A presidency source told one of our correspondents on the condition of anonymity on Friday that the President and his advisers knew from then that he must do something to regain the confidence of the people of the zone, which he said, was paramount in their 2015 calculation. “The President knows he has to do something; his advisers also know he must move fast to regain the confidence of the people of the zone,” the source stated. He said this was why the President was advised to immortalise the late Pillar of Sports in Africa, Chief MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, who was denied his mandate by the military.

 Former military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, was the president at that time. The source said, “We had a lot of discussions on how to immortalise Abiola, who we believed, was highly loved and respected across the country, especially in the South-West. “We thought about honouring him in Abuja, but those who said it was better done in his zone where he would be better appreciated, carried the day.

 That was how we zeroed in on the University of Lagos.” The source, however, said the President was astonished with the protests that greeted the renaming of the institution. He said though the President was saddened by the development, he believed that he had to stick to his gun by ignoring the protests and sending a bill to the National Assembly for the ratification of the change of name. “In two years’ time, those protests would have died down and the renaming of the institution would be one of his selling points in the zone,” the source added. 

 But the Coalition of Northern Leaders, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen said the move had failed. Its spokesperson, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, told one of our correspondents in Abuja that the aim of renaming the university was to kick-start the President’s 2015 campaign. He said, “The aim has backfired. You can see the protests that followed the renaming of the school. Jonathan would not do anything without any sinister motive. He has kick-started his 2015 campaign with the renaming of the University of Lagos. That has failed with the opposition to it.” Also, the Congress for Progressive Change described the renaming of UNILAG as a cheap populist agenda. 

 The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, told one of our correspondents that even Abiola would not be happy with the President concerning the move. He said, “I am sure MKO Abiola would turn in his grave that the administration is using his name for vain political succour after pauperising the citizenry! Abiola stood on the side of the people all his life. “A president that is freely condoning corruption and is unable to assent to a prayer against corruption is languidly laying hold on a straw of hope in a bid to attract better public image.

 “This is another bungled project! Where do you put Moshood Abiola Polytechnic in Abeokuta? Whoever wrote the memo to the President to take this awful decision has done incalculable damage to his public worth.” A former Special Assistant to the late Abiola, Chief Olu Akerele, described the naming of the University of Lagos after the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election as “mere tokenism and not far-reaching enough.” 

 Akerele said that the activities of the late Abiola transcended the South-West geopolitical zone, where he came from, noting that naming UNILAG after Abiola had limited his recognition to the Yoruba speaking areas of Nigeria. He advised that the President should have named the Eagle Square, Abuja or the University of Abuja after Abiola, who sacrificed his life for democracy. He said being the Pillar of Sports in Africa during his lifetime, it would also have been appropriate to name the National Stadium, Abuja after the late doyen of sports. 

 The National Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Chief Bisi Akande, also flayed Jonathan for renaming UNILAG after Abiola, describing the renaming as “one right thing done in a wrong way and at a wrong time.” Akande warned the Federal Government not to destroy the superstructure of democracy, which he said included the courts and conduct of credible elections. However, the Vice-Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the South-West, Mr. Segun Oni, described the ACN as not being sincere. 

 Oni, commenting through his spokesperson, Mr. Lere Olayinka, said the question that the ACN people needed to answer was, “If they love Abiola that much as they claim, why did they deny one of his sons the party’s House of Representatives’ ticket in Ogun State last year? “Or was there anything that qualified Chief Segun Osoba’s son for the ACN House of Reps ticket ahead of MKO Abiola’s son?

 “Isn’t it very sad that these same people, who dined and wined with the late MKO and had used his name for political gain have suddenly become anonymous and cannot show appreciation to the FG for immortalising him? “Shouldn’t the ACN people, who benefited from MKO Abiola’s martyrdom have eschewed parochial politics and be supportive of whatever honour done him by the People Democratic Party-led FG?

 “Instead, they suddenly lost their voice in their usual hypocrisy and also went to the extent of igniting protests in Lagos.” He said since the leadership of the ACN lost their usage of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s name because of their glaring aversion for what the late sage stood for, “they must be afraid of the consequences of losing their access to the name of MKO Abiola.” While the renaming of the university has polarised the people of the zone, the appointment of Deaconess Olatoyosi Ayo as the chairman of the Federal Civil Service. 

 Commission by the President was also said to be another move by Jonathan to pacify the people of the zone. The President has also nominated Mr. Ezekiel Adeniyi as the chairman of the Board of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency. His appointment was confirmed on Wednesday by the Senate. 

 Our correspondents gathered that anytime the President decides to reshuffle his cabinet, he would pay attention to the clamouring of the political leaders from the zone, who have complained that juicy ministries were not given to their representatives. Before now, the zone had complained about the refusal of the President to give any tangible appointment to people from their zone. They listed the absence of anyone from the zone into any of the first six positions in the country. 

These offices include that of the President, Vice-President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Chief Justice of Nigeria. The northern zone of the PDP is already using this argument to woo the people of the zone to wrest power from the President in 2015. One of the PDP governors from the zone told one of our correspondents that the zone was already reaching out to people from other parts of the country on the need to stop Jonathan in 2015. 

 He said he knew that the zone was not happy with the number of cabinet ministers assigned to it by the Presidency and besides, he added that Northerners were aware that Jonathan had refused to appoint people from the South-West to strategic positions in his government. Our correspondents gathered that the ACN was aware of the PDP/Jonathan moves in the South-West and Edo State. It was learnt that the PDP considered the South-West and Edo State strategic to its electoral success in 2015. 

 The National Vice-Chairman, South-South Zone of the party, Dr. Stephen Oru, had at the inauguration of Bayelsa State Executive of the party in Yenogoa in May, said the victory of the party in the Edo governorship poll would pave the way for Jonathan’s second term presidential ambition in 2015. He had said, “The PDP must triumph in the July 14 governorship election in Edo State to provide a unified regional base for Jonathan to actualise his second term presidential ambition in 2015.

 “Being the sons and daughters of the South-South zone and since the President is from our zone, it is only fair that we take back Edo State so that he (Jonathan) will have 100 per cent PDP states behind him in 2015 when he will be contesting a second tenure.” An ACN chief, who pleaded anonymity, said the party knew that some of the actions of the President were meant to shore up support for him in 2015. He stated, “We know that it is not that the President loves the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential poll by renaming the University of Lagos after him. 

His action is a form of campaign for the 2015 presidential poll.” When contacted, the ACN national chairman said the party was aware of the PDP plan for South-West and Edo. He, however, stated that the ruling party would fail. Akande explained that the PDP governments at the centre and state level had done nothing to merit the re-election of the President or any of the PDP governors. 

 On the forthcoming governorship election in Edo, Akande said, “If performance is the parameter by which public office holders are rated, then Edo State is a no-go area for the PDP. “If the PDP thinks it is going to win the Edo governorship election, it is building its castle in the air. Adams Oshiomhole has written his name in the hearts of the people of Edo. “No amount of regional sentiments will make the people vote for any other person than Oshiomhole.” But the PDP National Vice-Chairman Oni, said that the party would not be distracted by the ACN and the CPC.

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Factors that will determine Edo guber election

With the re-nomination of Governor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as its candidate and the emergence of Gen. Charles Ehigie Airhiavbere as the standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Edo State July 14, 2012 gubernatorial election, the die is cast. Irrespective of the candidates other political parties may field in the election, the electoral battle would be clearly between the ACN and the PDP, and it is expected to generate interest and excitement for many reasons. 

 In retrospect, many people argue that the election would be a re-enactment of the 1983 Governorship election between then incumbent Governor Ambrose Foloronsho Ambrose Alli of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in which Ogbemudia was declared winner by the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO), the defunct electoral umpire headed by Justice Ovie Whiskey. 

 The PDP in picking Gen. Airhiavbere as its candidate, seem to agree with many who hold the view that the experience of the 1983 election has shown that Edo South with its large population would always prefer to vote for one of their own in an election. This view which is generally bandied about in the State, is not supported by any logical or empirical reasoning.

 First, it should be re-called that one of the reasons the military took over government in a coup that year was because elections were rigged and then Bendel State was one of the states were many believe that election was rigged. Besides, 1983 and 2012 are different in time and space and therefore, events that have taken place in the State between then and now would either confirm or disprove the notion that the Binis would always support one of their own in an election on the basis of the candidate’s ethnic affinity.

 Factors that will determine the outcome of the election The July Governorship election would be determined by a number of factors which includes the popularity of the candidates and their parties, performance and voters ability to defend their votes. In terms of popularity rating of the candidates and their political parties, the candidates of the ACN and PDP, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Gen. Charles Airhiavbere are the dominant candidates, though other political parties are yet to nominate candidates at the time of this analysis.

 However, between the ACN and the PDP, Oshiomhole and his party from all indications, were on top of the ladder. Indeed, the antecedents of the former Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) president in the Labour arena, have contributed in no small measure to his soaring rating, partly because he has further built on these antecedents to the surprise of those who at the beginning of his political career derided him by saying that presidency of NLC was not the same thing as being Governor of a state.

 On the other hand, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere unlike Oshiomhole who has become a household name, has a big task of fashioning out ways of gaining popular ity. Though his political party, the PDP which once held the reins of power in the state controls power at the National level, the performances of these who wielded power on the platform of the party in the state in the past, have somewhat created difficulties for the retired General to navigate through. 

As stated above, the performance of the candidates would determine to a large extent, how they would fare in the July 14, Governorship election. Here, Oshiomhole has advantage over Airhiavbere since he is the incumbent Governor who has had the opportunity to showcase his talent in governance, unlike Gen. Airhiavbere whose’s performance in the Army, is not open to public assessment. 

 No doubt, Governor Oshiomhole’s performance, judging from comments from members of the public and series of endorsement from different segments of the society and recently from the organized labour led by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have increased his approval rating, which no doubt, would translate to his victory at the polls. Beside the loss of some of its key members to the rival ACN in the state, the cause of the PDP is not helped by the wrangling within the party arising from the fall-out of its gubernatorial primary election. 

Some of the aspirants that lost out have vowed to work against the party at the polls. This is a warning to the party leadership to rise up and embark on quick fence-mending in the run up to the July election. All said, the outcome of the election would depend largely on the vigilance of the electorate and their determination to ensure that their votes count. In other words, the electorate must be prepared to defend their votes to ensure that their preferred candidate is declared the winner of the election. It is only that way they would truly say they have elected a Governor of their choice.

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Imasuagbon flays Edo govt’s tax, education policies

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial aspirant in Edo State, Mr. Ken Imasuagbon, weekend, flayed what he described as the burdensome taxation and educational policies of the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, administration in the state.

Challenging Governor Adams Oshiomhole to a debate on the economy, Imasuagbon said that the situation in the state currently, had to do more with the governor’s “lack of understanding of these key elements,” which he claimed had “engendered confusion in his administration.”

Imasuagbon said the ACN government of Oshimolole, had continuously inflicted a heavy yoke on the people through heavy taxation and multiple fees in all spheres of the economy.

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