NEWS Curve

By Lucky Isibor. Edo North Solidarity Movement has disowned the Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Senator Francis Alimikhena over his decision to vote against the electronic transmission of election results.  The group in a statement released in Auchi today, Monday and signed by the chairman, Comrade Adamu Oshiogwe, made it clear that the embattled senator does not serve the interest of the people of Edo North but of a tiny and rudderless cabal. The chairman who said the group wasn't surprised by the Senator's decision over the e-transmission of results said, " we are not surprised over this decision because the Senator has always voted against his people. He is an absentee Senator who has neither moved a motion nor does he have any bill to his name. The only bill he tried to raise, was a bill to legalise prostitution in Nigeria but was quickly killed by his colleagues".         Senator Francis Aliminkhena Voted Against E-Transmission of

.......says party strategising to win 2023 elections. The national chairman of the Action Alliance Party (AA), Hon. Adekunle Rufai Omoaje has described the rejection of the electronic transmission of election results by the 9th National Assembly as satanic, anti-people, anti-democratic and an attempt to plung the nation into anarchy after the 2023 general elections.  The AA national chairman stated this on Saturday while welcoming a presidential aspirant, Engr Solomo-David Okanigbuan into the party at an elaborate ceremony in Benin City. Recall that  Senators, mostly from the All Progressives Congress(APC) voted against the electronic transmission of election results  last week, while Senators from the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party(PDP) voted in favour of the reform, making "for or against" look like a  party affairs.            Engr Solomo-David Okanigbuan       Action Alliance presidential aspirant. While invoking imprecations against the Senators and

By Lucky Isibor. Evelyn Utomwen, a Benin based socialite is set to walk down the aisle with her hearthrob, Ikponmwosa Ogieva to tie the nuptial knot in what fans of the love birds regard as a potential society wedding.  In a statement signed by Presley Lawani and made available to journalists, said the wedding which will be conducted in accordance with Benin native laws and costumes will hold on 7 August at the bride's family compound at No. 14, Ogbesasa street, between Sapele road and Sokpoba road, opposite the High Court Complex in Benin City, beginning at 1PM. The love birds, Evelyn & IK According to the statement,  Evelyn and Ikponmwosa are scions of late David Utomwen of Ugbor Village in Oredo Local Government Area and late Chief Eboigbe Ogieva of Isi Village in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State respectively.

By Lucky Isibor. The Edo State Govermenmet in a bid to strengthen transparency, accountability and reduce corruption in its procurements, have launched an electronic public procurement platform to for all its processes. The Managing Director of Edo State Public Procurement Agency (EDPPA), Mr. Henry Imogiemhe Idogun, who spoke to journalists in Benin City during the launch of the system, said the portal has eliminated all forms of human interference in the state's public procurement processes adding that it will enable contractors to bid for contracts from any part of the world. L-R: Head of Finance and Account, (EDPPA), Mary Ikhajiagbe; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, EDPPA, Henry Imogiemhe Idogun; Head of e-procurement unit, EDPPA, Ezekiel Obazele and Director of Admin and Supplies, EDPPA, Paul Aigboje during the launch of the state’s e-procurement portal in Benin City, on Friday, July 16, 2021. Idogun noted that Edo State has taken a bold step towards a bet

By Lucky Isibor. Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has assured that the Edo State government under his watch will not go into conflict with the revered Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare ll and the Benin Royal family over the expected return of the looted Benin artifacts and   warned individuals, groups whether in or out of government not to engage in any form of disrespectful exchages with the Benin Royal Palace.                       Oba Ewuare ll In a statement signed by the Secretary to the Edo State Govermenmet, Osarodion Ogie (Esq) and made available to journalists said that there's no conflict of interest of the Edo State government and that of His Royal Majesty, the Oba of Benin. Expressing concern over a palace statement issued last week, the government statement assured that Governor Obaseki has displayed and will continue to display high respect for the traditional institution adding that the concerns of the Benin Monarch will be discussed and addressed. "The

... Wants FG to take interim custody. By Lucky Isibor. The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has called on the sons and daughters both home abroad to pray to God and the ancestors to guard the state governor aright in his decision for the overall interest of all as the repatriation of the looted Benin artifacts during the British punitive expediction in 1897 are being awaited and appealed to the federal government to take custody the artifacts in the interim pending the completion of the building of the Benin Royal Museum where they will be housed.               Oba Ewuare ll, Oba of Benin. The monarch made the call while meeting with his palace chiefs and Enigie on the repatriation of the looted Benin Artifacts in his Palace in Benin City. "We wish to use this medium to call on the federal government to take custody of these artifacts on behalf of the palace until the Benin Royal Museum is ready for their collection. "Under no circumstances should custody of our age old a

By Lucky Isibor An anti-corruption activist and advocate of economic and environmental rights, Reverend David Ugolor  has been elected into the board of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) Coalition, representing Sub-Saharan Africa Regional seat. Managing Director of UNCAC Coalition in Vienna, Austria, Mr. Mathias Huter in a congratulatory message to David Ugolor who is also the founder of the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Thursday, said David Ugolor emerged winner of the Sub-Saharan African Regional representative in the board.                        Rev. David Ugolor                 Executive Director, ANEEJ.  “The UNCAC Coalition’s board elections are over and I am happy to inform you that you have been elected by our members. Congratulations and warm welcome on the Coalition Coordination Committee,” Mathias Huter wrote in the message. Also, Andrii Borovyk of Transparency International Ukraine was elected to represent E

By Lucky Isibor. The Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission (EDSOGPADEC) has concluded plans to ensure contractors return to site to continue work on the reconstruction of the 105.6km Benin-Abraka Road. The reconstruction of the project was initiated by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration through a tripartite deal between the state government, EDSOGPADEC and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Permanent Secretary of EDSOGPADEC, James Ufumwen, confirmed that the commission had, in a recent meeting, reached a decision to commence work on the reconstruction project.                Governor Godwin Obaseki. According to him, “We are going to commence the reconstruction project. We had a recent meeting where the decision was reached.” The road project would receive attention after initial delays when the NDDC failed to honour their part of the tripartite agreement on the reconstruction of the road. With the new drive by EDSOGPADEC, thou

......Urges National Assembly to Use Fontier Fund  For Renewable. Nigeria’s foremost environmental rights  group, the Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/ FoEN), has rejected the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) as passed by the National Assembly and called on both chambers of the National Assembly to immediately harmonize and produce an environmentally friendly and peoples bill. In a press statement released to news men in Benin City, Edo State, Tuesday, July 6,  Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo; Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, said the National Assembly failed to do justice to the bill which has been pending since 2008. Dr. Uyi Ojo, querried “why members of the National Assembly would approve a paltry three percent for the host communities in the Host Communities Trust Fund, saying it's way below bar, and constitutes an affront to the suffering rural communities.” Also, ERA/FoEN wants the law to make provision for allocation of the 30 percent

By Lucky Isibor  A university Don and Professor of Biochemistry at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Prof. Marshall Azeke has said that crime and criminality, including the perpetrators of crime have expiry date. He pointed out that criminals of different shades are only able to carry out crime for a while as their shelf life in the crime world may not be more than four or five years.  Professor Azeke who stated this while delivering the 3rd annual lecture of Josemaria Escriva Foundation (JOSEF) titled, "Rethinking the Dilemma of Wealth Without a Source, its Security Implecation"; and the swearing-in of members of the Board of Trustees of the foundation, appealed to the youths to shun crime pointing out that the attractions to ill gotten wealth are effemeral and short lived. While stating that inspirers of wealth without a source include misappropriation of public funds and embezzlement, Prof. Azeke appealed to parents to inculcate moral values in their children as "l

By Lucky Isibor. The Edo/Delta States Resident Anti-corruption Commissioner of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, (ICPC) Barr. Yusuf Olatunji has called for the collaboration of all stakeholders in the fight against corruption to reduce the incidences of corruption in the nation's body polity.  The Resident Commissioner made the call at an anti-corruption engagement with communities, Civil Societies Organisations (CSOs), labour and trade unions to deepen accountability and efforts on budget and abandoned projects organised by Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa, (PAACA) held Thursday, 1 July at Randekhi Royal Hotel, Benin City.  Ezenwa Nwagwu, Executive Director of PAACA addressing participants at the event.  The Resident Commissioner who was represented by the second in command in Edo/Delta States, Eze Nwafor urged the stakeholders to maintain a high standard of ethical and moral conduct in their engagement with government agencies and the gene