• ‘I moved for Oshiomhole’s suspension to end godfatherism in Edo’
• ERA/FoEN expresses concern over flooding, environmental hazards

Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Edo State 2020 governorship election, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, yesterday, challenged Governor Godwin Obaseki to disclose the amount he spent on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket.

He charged Obaseki to stop distracting Edo people with screening of videos involving Kano State Governor Umar Ganduje and open up on the amount of dollars he spent on his gubernatorial project with the opposition party.

In a statement issued by his Director of Communication and Media, John Mayaki, he (Ize-Iyamu) asked Governor Obaseki to reveal the amount of state funds he allegedly wasted on his ‘Oshiomhole-Must-Go’ project.

However, governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Dr. Isaiah Osifo, has condemned Ize-Iyamu’s emergence as APC’s governorship candidate, citing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC’s) litigation bothering on alleged N700m fraud against him.

The four other defendants in the suit are former Edo State PDP Chairman, Dan Orbih, current state PDP Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, former Deputy Governor, Lucky Imasuen, and Efe Anthony.

Osifo, who noted that APC was taking Edo voters for granted, said it was shameful for a party that prides itself on fighting corruption to field a candidate, who is being prosecuted over money laundering.

Besides, Ward 10 Chairman of APC in Etsako West Council Area, Stephen Oshawo, who moved for the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole from the party, explained why he did not want Oshiomhole to remain in office.

He said he had no regrets over his actions, which culminated in the eventual removal of Oshiomhole as National Chairman of the APC.

He stated this while receiving an award for good governance as an outstanding political icon of the year, from the Chief Executive Officer of Mega House Entertainment, Goodluck Osama Ogbeide.

Oshawo pointed out that he moved for Oshiomhole’s suspension to pay him back for his [Oshiomhole’s] failure to pay his pension for eight months, as Edo State governor.

He, however, said when Obaseki took over, it did not take him a month to pay his outstanding pensions.

Meanwhile, the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) had identified synthetic activities as responsible for the heavy flooding and other environmental hazards in the country.

Speaking at a training workshop for youths on environmental degradation, field monitoring and reporting, Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Dr. Godwin Uyi-Ojo, lamented the damage to the environment due to human activities.

Uyi-Ojo, who stressed the need to be responsive to the impact of environmental degradation and challenges, said sustainability of the environment should be of major concern to members of the public, which he explained, resulted in the training workshop for youths.