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Obaseki Runs One Of Nigeria’s Most Transparent Govts, APC Transition C’ttee Dazed By Documentation Of Projects, Others, Says Nehikhare

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…says Okpebholo’s team digging for dirt where there’s none, laments absence from meetings_*

The Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Osa Nehikhare, has said the State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki runs one of the most transparent and prudent governments in the country, noting that the members of the transition committee of Senator Monday Okpebholo are only dazed and overwhelmed by the documentation of projects and other achievements of the incumbent government.

Nehikhare, who spoke to journalists in Benin City, the Edo State capital, decried the absence of Okpebholo’s transition committee for the second consecutive day from the joint transition session with the team of the State Government.

He said the narrative that Okpebholo’s team boycotted the joint sessions over failures of the government’s team to provide necessary documents was false, noting that the government had provided both digital and hardcopy documents to the APC team who are only overwhelmed by the level of documentation of projects and achievements in the last eight years.

Raising and showing some of the hard copy documents that have been made available to the APC transition team, Nehikhare insisted that the team must realize that they are a transition and not an inquisitive committee.

He said, “We are here again for another transition committee meeting, and as we have noticed yet again that it’s only the Edo State Government Transition Team that is present while that of the APC are yet to arrive at the venue of the meeting after over two hours of waiting.

“Before the transition meeting started, we had to basically harass the APC to send us a list of their members and it took them days to respond. The Edo State Government did all that because it’s the civilized thing to do. If a government is leaving power, it hands over power smoothly and orderly to the next government.

“When handing over power, you are not just handing over the instrumentality of power but everything you have done while in Government, to showcase what you have done, the achievement and challenges faced while in power.

During our inaugural meeting, we listed out the timetable of how this committee was going to meet because creating a transition Committee when a government is changing hands is crucial for ensuring a smooth transfer of power. We are only having this problem because our brothers from the other side most likely are not prepared for the kind of projects and achievements they saw in our documentation.”

Displaying the documents, the Commissioner stated, “These are the hard copies of Edo State Government thematic pillars which were put in place in our normal way of working digitally. But our brothers said it’s too complicated for them that they want hardcopy. We have made hard copies of these documents in 24 places but they later informed us that they have increased their membership to 27. We have yet again printed more copies.”

He added: “A transition government like ours, we are very proud of what we have done and achieved and we have asked the incoming government to come and inspect what we have done. We have asked them to look at our projects and what we claim to have done but they have refused to even look at the documents.”

Noting that they were only dazed by Obaseki’s performance in the last eight years, Nehikhare said during the last gubernatorial election, the APC made spurious claims and peddled lies that the government had no projects but they are today “overwhelmed with documentation, pictures, facts, and data of the governor’s projects and achievements.”

He further noted, “Instead of them to face the issue of transition, they have turned themselves into inquisition team. They are asking questions only the Chief Executive can pass to the next Chief Executive. We have answers to all their questions in the document we are presenting to them.

“They have a list of about 24 questions they want us to answer as if they are the ones dictating the transition but I would like to remind them that until after November 12th, 2024, Obaseki and this team are in power and are the team in government.

“The Edo State Government does not take orders or instructions from members brought in for transition issues. We are not worried about financial data or Edo State assets, they are all documented. Edo State Government has developed the Edo State Government Asset Register as all assets owned by the Edo State Government both in the State and outside the State are all listed in the register. This is available for all Edo people to see.”

According to him, “We are the ones transiting and would give them all the information they need. It’s not true and quite embarrassing to say the PDP government can’t provide them with documentary evidence of financial transactions. Sen. Monday Okpebholo will receive a very detailed handover note from Governor Godwin Obaseki.

“Also on the e-gov platform in the office of the governor, all financial transactions, and bank statements, among others are on the governor’s dashboard. The transition committee is not the incoming governor but is sent to verify what we have done.

“We are here every morning at the recommended time to provide them with what we have done in our transition committee’s report. We will not tolerate lies from them as this government has been very transparent in all we have done and have received countless awards.”

He reassured, “We are here to reassure Edo people that the Edo State Government is committed to a smooth handover as we will be here on a daily basis to provide the APC transition team with whatever information they require. The governor will give a detailed handover note to his successor as it’s a standard practice all over the world.

“As a government, we have provided documentation in digital forms but they said they want it in hardcopies and we have done the same. We have nothing to hide as we are ready to help them visit sites and projects undertaken by this administration.”

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Ghana: Tinubu Congratulates Presudent-Elect John Mahama In A Telephone Call

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President Bola Tinubu has congratulated President-elect John Dramani Mahama on his victory in the December 7 general election in Ghana, following his opponent’s concession speech.

In a telephone call to Mahama, President Tinubu hoped that Mahama’s ascension to power for the second time would further bring stability to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), of which President Tinubu is the chairman.

President Tinubu commended the people of Ghana for their commitment to democracy, which was demonstrated through the peaceful and successful conduct of both the presidential and parliamentary elections.

He applauded Ghanaians for demonstrating again to the world that democracy is the preferred path to achieving political stability, economic development, social justice, and transparent governance in Africa.

He affirmed that Nigeria’s and the region’s belief in the principles of the people’s right to choose their leaders freely will remain a source of pride.

The Nigerian leader applauded the candidate of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, for conceding defeat before the official announcement by Ghana’s Electoral Commission.

President Tinubu said Bawumia’s stance reinforced Ghana’s democratic ethos.

President Tinubu noted that President-elect Mahama’s return to Jubilee House, having served as President from 2012 to 2017, reflects the Ghanaian people’s trust in his stewardship and vision to take the country to greater heights.

Mahama served as Vice President of Ghana from 2009 to 2012, Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2009, and held deputy and ministerial roles between 1998 and 2001.

President Tinubu renews his steadfast support for deepening the fraternal bonds between Nigeria and Ghana, underpinned by shared history, cultural ties, mutual support and cooperation, Pan-African goals, democracy, the rule of law, and economic integration.

The Nigerian leader thanks President Nana Akufo-Addo for his exemplary leadership and numerous contributions to Ghana’s progress and regional peace and stability.

The President looks forward to working with President Mahama’s incoming administration to strengthen bilateral ties across various sectors and build a brighter future in the West Africa region

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NDLEA Arrests Engineer For Allegedly Concealing Illicit Drugs In Pressure Machines

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have arrested a suspected drug trafficker, Egwu Phillip Inya, who claims to be a building engineer, while attempting to take delivery of illicit consignments concealed in pressure machines imported from South Africa.

According to a statement by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi on Sunday, the 42-year-old Egwu was arrested on Monday 2nd December 2024 at Okeyson motor park Enugu when he showed up to collect three units of pressure machines inside which were hidden parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, weighing 7.40 kilograms.

Babafemi stated that the consignments had arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos import shed on 29th November 2024.

“Following credible intelligence, officers of the MMIA Strategic Command of the Agency had monitored the shipment pass through clearing processes up to a logistics company’s warehouse outside the airport where it was to be collected by the consignee.

“The importer however changed the point of collection to Enugu at the last minute. As a result, NDLEA operatives in a follow up operation in Enugu arrested Egwu when he showed up to collect the consignments.

“No fewer than 511,000 pills of tramadol were recovered from a Siena vehicle at Hildi, Askira Uba way in Adamawa state by NDLEA operatives on patrol along the road in the early hours of Friday 6th December.

“The occupants of the vehicle had made a detour on sighting the NDLEA team and after a distance abandoned the vehicle with the consignments after noticing the operatives were on their trail,” the statement said.

It also added that in Ekiti State, two suspects, Olanrewaju Alale, 48, and Babatunde Kayode Ijadahun, 55, were arrested along Ise- Emure road in a J5 bus marked EPE 958 XJ while transporting 108 jumbo bags of cannabis weighing 1, 323 kilograms to Owo, Ondo state from where they claimed the consignment will be moved to the North for distribution.

It further read, “Another suspect, Adekunle Yusuf, 33, was nabbed by NDLEA operatives with 704 kilograms of the same psychoactive substance, concealed in white sacks on Friday 6th December at Idere road, Igboora, Oyo state.

“In Lagos, a grandmother, 65-year-old Ramata Bola Adeyemo was on Friday 6th December arrested by NDLEA operatives at 62 Odunfa street, Lagos Island, where 20.6 litres of codeine-based syrup were recovered from her. Also arrested in Lagos was Alhaji Lawan Manga who was picked at Ogundana Street, Ikeja on Thursday 5th December while 4.7kg cannabis and 1.3kg tramadol were recovered from him.

“With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization lectures to schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA sensitisation lecture to students and staff of Progressive Secondary School, Ado Awaye, Oyo state; Muslim Grammar School, Ede, Osun state; Government Girls College, Maiduguri, Borno state; Community Secondary School, Ogale, Rivers state; Santa Maria Secondary School, Igogoro, Enugu state; and Chiranci Upper Basic Junior Secondary School, Bichi, Kano state while Lagos State command of NDLEA organised WADA enlightenment lecture for leaders and members of NURTW, Orile Agege, Lagos, among others.

Commending the officers and men of MMIA, Adamawa, Ekiti, Lagos, and Oyo Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.

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NSIB Begins Probe Into FlyBird Aircraft Incident

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The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has commenced an investigation into what it has termed a serious incident involving a FlyBird HS 125 aircraft, with registration number 5NKAL.

The Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance at the NSIB, Mrs Bimbo Oladeji, confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday.

According to her, the aircraft, operating a flight from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to Kotoka International Airport, Accra, experienced technical difficulties during its flight on December 6, 2024.

It was reported that the aircraft lost two engines during the flight and decided to return to Abuja.


Preliminary information indicated that the aircraft, with four persons on board, was climbing through flight level 240 en route to flight level 280 when the crew reported an engine number 2 indication issue.

The aircraft was approximately 25 nautical miles southwest of VOR station VONUK at 17:54 UTC when the crew requested a diversion back to Abuja due to the engine indication.

Findings by the NSIB showed that the aircraft lost engine No. 2 at flight level 230

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