The ongoing nationwide fuel crisis has forced the Independent National Electoral Commission to increase its financial commitment to the transport unions that would be involved in Saturday?s Edo State governorship election, The PUNCH has exclusively learnt.

The adjustment, one of our correspondents learnt, was in response to the recent surge in fuel prices, which has impacted the operational costs of transport companies.

The decision followed a meeting held last Friday at the INEC State Office in Benin-City, the Edo State capital, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, told The PUNCH on Monday.

The meeting, chaired by INEC boss, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had the electoral body holding discussions with representatives of the three major transport unions ? National Union of Road Transport Workers, National Association of Road Transport Owners and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria.

The discussions, which culminated in a new Memorandum of Understanding that addressed various concerns related to the election logistics, came after concerns were raised about the availability and cost of transportation for the timely distribution of election materials such as ballot boxes, voting machines and other sensitive resources.

Oyekanmi noted that the revised funding aimed to ensure the unions effectively contributed to the smooth conduct of the election.

He further noted that the unions would mobilise their resources and workforce to support the election process, pledging their cooperation to ensure a successful outcome.

?The meeting, held last Friday at the INEC State Office in Benin-City between the INEC team led by the commission?s chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and the national/Edo State officials of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, National Association of Road Transport Owners and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigerian agreed on all areas of concern,? Oyekanmi said.

?INEC agreed to increase the amount payable to them due to the increase in per litre price of fuel, and the terms of the MoU were agreed upon.

?The three unions thereafter gave their commitment to work hard for the successful conduct of the Edo Governorship election.?

Meanwhile, with just four days to the election, Edo political landscape witnessed a new twist on after the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Asue Ighodalo, filed a N20bn defamatory suit against Senator Adams Oshiomhole of the All Progressives Congress even as he dared the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, saying the ex-Rivers governor had no power to determine his fate in the poll.

Ighodalo, through his counsel, Ayo Asala (SAN) & Associates, sought an immediate retraction and apology for the comments made by Oshiomhole on the defunct Planwell Scheme ? which allegedly scammed many Edo People in the 1990s ? during an All Progressives Congress ahead of the poll.

A letter by Ighodalo?s lawyers, dated September 16, 2024 and addressed to Oshiomhole read, ?It is our information that at a campaign rally of your Party on Saturday, 14th of September, 2024, you (Oshiomhole) made statements to the effect that our aforesaid client, Dr. Ighodalo, was associated with or participated in an alleged pyramid scheme known as ?PLANWELL? in which numerous Nigerians were defrauded of their hard-earned funds.

?This false and unfounded statement of yours was broadcast live on television and has received extensive exposure on electronic and social media.

?It is sad to note that despite your status as an elder and holder of a public office, you appear to have developed a pattern of spewing false statements in the public domain purely for the achievement of your political ends.

?Our client is an accomplished Nigerian legal practitioner and a corporate leader whose impressive resume from birth up till the current day is entirely in the public domain and our client has absolutely no connection with and could never have been involved in any manner whatsoever with the purported ?PLANWELL? scheme with which you have seriously defamed our client?s reputation.?

The letter stated further, ?In consequence of the foregoing, therefore, our client demands the following: i) an immediate and unqualified retraction and apology for your false, defamatory and malicious statements which should be published in at least two National Television Networks and three nationally circulating newspapers.

?Pay to our client damages in the sum of 20 billion Naira for your false, defamatory, and malicious statements referred to herein.

?Take Notice that it is our client?s instructions that we immediately institute appropriate proceedings against you for damages in the sum of Twenty Billion Naira (N20,000,000,000.00) for your said false, malicious, irresponsible and damaging statements made against our client without any foundation whatsoever in fact.

?Further take notice that such action will be instituted without further notice or correspondence to you in that regard whatsoever,? it added.

In a similar move, Ighodalo, on Monday, stated that Wike didn?t have the power to determine the next governor of Edo.

The contestant?s statement was a response to Wike?s claim that he told Governor Godwin Obaseki he won?t back Ighodalo during the governorship poll..

Ighodalo expressed disappointment in the position of the FCT minister, saying that wasn?t exactly the outcome of the meeting he earlier had with him.

He said, ?Sometimes when gentlemen talk in some kind of privacy or arrangements, we don?t voice out what has been said. But it is not correct that (former) Governor Wike said he wasn?t going to support us. That?s incorrect. But events may have overtaken his decision at that point and he is free to change his mind.

?I believe, as a gentleman, he would adhere to the word he gave me. But if he changed his mind, so be it. When he and I spoke, we deliberated on issues around fair governance, and how we can create a better country and Edo State. At the end of the day, we ended the conversation at a point where Wike said he would mind his business and Edo State is not part of his business.

?Again, if he has decided to change his mind, that?s fine. But the decision as to who becomes the next Governor of Edo State is the decision of the people. It is not his or anybody else?s to make.

?Whether you are a governor or a minister, it is only Edo citizens and residents who have their PVCs who can take that decision with the support of God Almighty. I fear no man, I only fear God.?

Continuing, the lawyer emphasised that he would concede defeat and congratulate the winner if his party lost the political contest but expressed strong conviction that he would defeat his political opponents.

?Honestly, if we lose this election and we know we?ve lost it fairly and squarely, I will be the first to concede. But I know we can?t lose this election if there is a level playing field for everybody.

?We have related with the people of Edo State and told them what we plan to do for them. They trust us and will vote for us. All the polls and indicators (seen so far) support us. So I have no fear,? he stated.

Peace Accord discord

On Monday night, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki said the PDP will sign the Peace Accord if arrested members of the party were released.

Obaseki, who stated this after the party?s caucus meeting at the Government House in Benin City, said granting bail to the arrested members would allow them to come back home to their families and participate in the democratic process.

?We are hoping that when the courts resume tomorrow (today), all our people who have been detained in Abuja all these weeks will be released. If they are granted bail, allowed to come back home to their families and participate in the democratic process, we would consider signing the Peace Accord,? Obaseki said.

The Governor added that the PDP was pleased with the commitment of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetoku, and INEC boss Prof. Yakubu in ensuring a free, fair and credible election in the state.

He said, ?As a caucus, we are pleased with the current utterances from the security agencies in Nigeria. We want to particularly appreciate the statement issued by the Inspector General of Police, making a commitment to support the peace process, ensuring that there is a level playing field for all the players and we endorse his efforts to draft a lot more men to Edo to support the elections on Saturday.

?We are also pleased with INEC so far and have every reason to trust the authorities of INEC and what they are committed to doing. So, our leaders are going to various local governments to continue mobilising for citizens to come out and support our candidate who clearly stands shoulder high above other candidates in the governorship race.?

With just four days to the Edo State governorship election, the leading political parties, the PDP, APC, and the Labour Party on Monday began massive wooing of voters across the state.

After the grand rally of the PDP and APC on Saturday in Benin City, and the road show of the LP last Friday, all the parties are back strategising for the big day.

The APC kicked off their ward-to-ward campaign, consolidating their support base and winning new voters to its fold.

Media Director of the APC Campaign Organisation, Orobosa Omo-Ojo, said, ?As I speak to you now, we are doing unit-to-unit and house-to-house campaign, soliciting for votes from the electorate for our candidate. This is what we will be doing in the next 48 hours.

?The moves have been very successful. It was easy to sell our ideas to them because where we went to, there was no government presence there. The only presence of governance in those places was the project done during Adams Oshiomhole?s tenure as governor of the state.

?The school built, road constructed, primary health centre and farm road graded under Oshiomhole were still the only signs of development in those areas.

?We had to apologise to the people of Ovia North East and other people who we sold Governor Godwin Obaseki to in 2020 because of the poor state those area are in.?

The Public Relations Officer of the Labour Party, Sam Uruopa, said the party candidate, Olumide Akpata, visited the riverine areas in the state to seek votes.

He said, ?The Olumide Akpata Campaign Organisation visited the riverine areas on Monday. That is the first time a candidate is visiting the people and he has shown that he has their interest at heart.

?The welcome by the mammoth crowd was overwhelming and they have also vowed to vote for Akpata. They are tired of PDP and APC and were happy to welcome him at the jetty.?

The Deputy Director-General of the Asue/Ogie Campaign Council Management, Olu Martin, added that the party had embarked on unit-to-unit and ward-to-ward campaign to strengthen its support base.

He said, ?The election Is ours to lose, so, campaigns are going on unit-to-unit and ward-to-ward. Even though the open campaigns have been slowed down, there are strategic meetings going on. The idea for us is to defend our votes.

?It is obvious that 70 per cent of the Edo voters have the name of Asue Ighodalo on their lips and on September 21, they will put their thumbs on the ballot papers for Ighodalo.? (The PUNCH)

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