Obaseki - JSS3, SS3 students are priority in Edo

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has insinuated that the JSS3 and SS3 students in the state will be given top priority when schools reopen.

Schools in the state were shut in March as part of measures to curtail the spread of the coronavirus disease.

But in a statement on Sunday, the governor said the state government was liaising with the Federal Ministry of Education to develop guidelines for the reopening of schools. He said, 

“Schools remain closed, however, guidelines for phased reopening are being developed together with the Federal Ministry of Education especially for students in JSS 3 and SS 3 who are preparing for their exit examinations.

I encourage all Edo parents and guardians of pupils in primary schools, to continue to utilize our e-learning platforms for their educational needs, while they are still at home.”

Obaseki noted that preparations were on for churches and mosques to reopen in the state, stressing that contact tracing of COVID-19 suspected cases would be extended to worship centres.

“Following consultations with the Christian Association of Nigeria and religious bodies, we will commence a reopening of places of worship. We are expanding screening and testing to religious groups/organisations and business establishments. 

We call on all religious organisations, corporate bodies, and health facilities to assist us drive modalities for our new norm and cooperate with the designated health and security agencies in this regard,” he added.

The governor emphasised that the 10pm to 4am curfew as directed by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 subsist in Edo state.

Osunbor talks about the depth of crisis between Obaseki and Oshiomhole

Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, a former Governor of Edo State has revealed that the warring between Adams Oshiomhole and Godwin Obaseki is way bigger than was anticipated.

According to the statesman, Nigeria’s billionaire businessman, Aliko Dangote, reportedly intervened in the crisis between the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, and Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki. However, his efforts to reconcile the two politicians failed.

In a statement, Osunbor also said that efforts to broker peace between the warring APC chieftains by the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, were not successful. Part of the statement read, 

“Given my position in the party, I have made efforts outside of public glare towards bringing about reconciliation by speaking to the two leading protagonists, the National Chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and His Excellency the Governor of Edo State Godwin Obaseki as well as some of their supporters.

I also tried to rally some elders of the party from the State to broker peace. It is common knowledge that our revered royal father, His Royal Majesty the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II made his own efforts including appealing to our President Mohammadu Buhari to help broker peace among these two illustrious sons of Edo State.

It is also believed that their mutual friend Dr. Aliko Dangote made repeated efforts at reconciliation to no avail. So did a number of others that I know.”

The Professor of Law lamented that National Reconciliation Committee which was reconstituted in February 2020 has not yet completed its assignment.

With this, Osunbor warned that it was not advisable for the party to proceed with its primaries ahead of Edo 2020 as planned.

The APC chieftain cautioned that the party would emerge victorious in the governorship election but might lose in court. He said, 

“The reason that reconciliation is imperative is that if the Party conducts rancorous primaries and goes into the governorship elections divided, winning will become more difficult than it should be ordinarily, given the weakness of the opposition in the State.

There is no doubt at all that the APC Candidate will win the forthcoming election but we must be mindful not to lose the victory in court because of a flaw in the process that produced the candidate.

For now the signs are not good. There is danger ahead. We must avoid pitfalls. I, therefore, make this clarion call on the APC national leadership to act urgently and decisively to put our house in order by fostering reconciliation before it is too late. We need to tread with caution.”