Osagie Obayuwana
Labour protests in Benin over hike in electricity tariff, fuel price
Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress in Edo State took to the streets of Benin on Monday to protest the recent increase of electricity tariff, fuel and Value Added Tax (VAT), in defiance of organised labour’s call off of an earlier planned strike action over the hike in the prices of utilities. The protesters who were led by the former presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP), Dr Osagie Obayuwana, and the State NLC chairman Mr Sunny Osayande, assembled at the King’s Square (Ring Road) and bore placards with inscriptions such as “No to Electricity Hike”, “No to Fuel Hike”, “Kill Corruption” amongst others, even as they attacked the government for the increase the prices. They insisted that they will embark on a total strike if the gover...
Rumble in Edo as governor runs government without cabinet
Precisely 129 days into his second tenure as governor of Edo State after his election on September 20, 2020 and inauguration on November 12, 2020, Godwin Obaseki, has not formed his cabinet. This has generated some flaks from different quarters, including the opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC), constitutional lawyers, political analysts, public commentators, residents among others. While others feel that Obaseki has not committed any crime or breached any law, others believe that he is running a one-man administration and must go ahead to form his cabinet. They argued that going by Section 192 of the 1999 Constitution, the governor is obliged to form a cabinet, saying this is a circumvention, which the state House of Assembly should take action on. Obaseki had said that his ...