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Edo women paid N50million to protest against Oshiomhole – APC chieftain
Betsy Obaseki, wife of Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has been accused of inducing some women in the state to demonstrate against Adams Oshiomhole, former Governor of the state and current Senator representing Edo North in the National Assembly over his controversial comments on the first lady, last week.
Matthew Osifo, a retired permanent secretary and Convener of Election Eyewitness Report, who made the allegation, after blaming the first lady for instigating the situation, said she must never be allowed to use state resources and tax payers money to procure such demonstration insisting that the governor must call the wife to order.
While condemning Obaseki for allegedly spending N50m on some women to protest against Comrade Oshiomhole, Osifo said that the out-going governor has just displayed another act of desperation and should apologise to Monday Okpebholo, candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the September 21 governorship election in the state, as well as Oshiomhole and the people of Edo state, for throwning open the floodgate of the campaign of calumny in Edo state.
He said: “The campaign for the governorship election has been going on well until the First Lady changed that with her tongue. Rather than accept the money to make a shameful appearance in public, the women should berate the First Lady for insulting Senator Okpebholo and wrongly claiming that he does not have a wife.
“We know what people have said about Betsy and Godwin in the past, but we chose not to let the rubbish out of the bag. We are saddened and ashamed because it is one thing to marry a woman but another thing to manage her properly, which Obaseki has failed to do. Why will anybody blame Comrade Oshiomhole for coming out heavily on Betsy Obaseki in defence of his candidate?
“Comrade Oshiomhole has lived with the fact that Obaseki and Betsy are in a contract marriage that is childless. But now that the First Lady has brought herself so low, the proper thing to do was what Oshiomhole did, by exposing her because those who live in glass houses do not throw stones.
“Betsy Obaseki threw very heavy stones at Okpebholo and we expected Edo women and Nigerian women to condemn her. The manner the First Lady took the centre stage in the presence of her husband to tongue-lash their political opponent, Senator Monday Okpebholo, speaks volumes about the kind of home Obaseki was running. I cannot pity him enough.
“Some spokespersons of the PDP have even suggested that Oshiomhole should have ignored the First Lady because she was a woman. These sets of people have even demeaned the womenfolk more than anybody else by bending the rules to favour a woman who was not properly trained. Those who know Betsy Obaseki very well claimed that she was less enterprising than the husband. Some even added that she does not have a compassionate heart and that she was worse than Governor Obaseki.”
“It demonstrates, in the clearest possible terms, that when citizens act with unity, clarity of purpose, and resolve, they can indeed move mountains.”
These were the exact words with which the African Democratic Congress (ADC), reacted to Tuesday’s agreement of the 10th Senate to reverse the controversial provisions in the Electoral Amendment Bill, in which they earlier retained the discretionary provision of transmission of results of election electronically by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the coalition party, attributing the U-turn to the resilience of Nigerians, described the development as a victory for democracy and people-powered civic action.
Abdullahi, a former Minister, who called on Nigerians to stay alert and continue mounting pressure on relevant authorities until the amended bill secures presidential assent, is duly gazetted, and takes full legal effect, urged Nigerians to maintain eternal vigilance.
Following a groundswell of outrage across the country, regarding its initial decision to retain the 2022 provision and subsequent protests, which saw Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party in 2023 and Rotimi Amaechi, former Governor Rivers State, teaming up with a group of Nigerians on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, the Senate eventually bowed to pressure mandating the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit elections to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), real time, but with a proviso to use manual collation only as a contingency in cases of technological failure.
Hailing the development, ADC stated that the recant by the lawmakers was beyond a simple legislative reversal, but a reflection of the resilience, alertness, and growing political awareness of Nigerians from all segments of society.
The statement, added: “The decision of the 10th Senate to urgently reverse the contentious provisions of the Electoral Amendment Bill that it passed is a significant victory for the Nigerian people.
“This outcome is not merely a legislative U-turn. It is a testament to the resilience, vigilance, and rising political consciousness of Nigerians across all walks of life. From street protests to digital campaigns, the Nigerian people have once again shown that sovereignty truly belongs to them.
“In the face of the ruling APC’s habitual disregard for due process and democratic values, the Nigerian people have reaffirmed their place as the ultimate custodians of our democracy.
“In this regard, the African Democratic Congress salutes the courage and tenacity of Nigerians. We commend every citizen who raised their voice, whether online or offline, to resist legislative mischief that threatened to undermine our electoral integrity.”
Calling on Nigerians to remain steadfast, stressing that the development represents only a step in the right direction, not the final victory, the party, added: “We must now ensure that this momentum is sustained until the amended bill is not only passed but duly assented to by the President, properly gazetted, and becomes an enforceable law of the Federal Republic.
“We must remain vigilant to ensure there are no last-minute betrayals or technical ambiguities, the kind that often lead to ‘stories that touch.’ Let this be a reminder that democracy does not thrive in silence or indifference. It demands participation, persistence, and sometimes, peaceful defiance.”
Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Tuesday, confirmed that President Bola Tinubu has once again intervened to stem the political schism between the Rivers State House of Assembly and Siminalayi Fubara, the governor that would have led to the latter’s impeachment.
But the Minister, left a caveat – this is the last time the President would be making such an intervention – as he added that both sides would now have to work according to the terms agreed at the parley.
In the latest faceoff which started early in the year, 27 members of the assembly said to be loyal to Wike, had launched a fresh impeachment move against the governor – the third since he took office in 2023, accusing him of sundry infractions of the constitution including spending money without appropriation.
Fubara, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), last year, was believed to have run to the President for succour, whose intervention is believed to have halted the move.
Giving details of the rapprochement, Wike told reporters in Abuja, on Tuesday that the President playing a fatherly role stepped in to resolve disputes between the two parties.
His words: “He is very kind to the people of the state. If there seems to be any problem between the legislature and the governor, as a father, he really has to intervene.
“This is the second time Mr President is intervening and I believe by the grace of God that this will be the last time Mr President will intervene.”
Wike, who has since been linked to the crises from the outset and in firm grips of the lawmakers, also pointed out his own role in the matter, saying: “I have told them to obey Mr President and I know that they would not hesitate.”
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday finally sent the name of Usman Isa Dakingari, former Governor of Kebbi State to the Senate for confirmation as as a non-career ambassador after last month’s embarrassing mix-up in which his name suddenly appeared for posting to Turkey without legislative clearance.
Tinubu, in a correspondence conveying the appointment, which was read by Godswill Akpabio, said: “I write for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of Usman Isa Dakingari as non-career ambassador,.
“Whilst I hope that the senate will consider and confirm the nominee expeditiously, please accept, distinguished senate president, the assurances of my highest consideration.”
After reading the letter at plenary, the Senate President, said the matter would be referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for consideration and report back to the Committee of Whole within one week.
Electoral Act: Don’t go to sleep, maintain eternal vigilance, ADC tells Nigerians
This is the last time Tinubu will intervene in Rivers’ row – Wike
Tinubu finally sends Dakingari’s name to Senate after ambassadorial posting row
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