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 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 our correspondent 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.
