Group cautions against appointment of political neophyte as minister from Edo

• State to airlift pilgrims July 20
The Benin National Congress (BNC) has advised President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, to resist any temptation of fielding or appointing a political neophyte as minister from Edo State.

Chief Mobilisation Officer, BNC, Amadin Idaeho, while arising from an emergency meeting yesterday in Benin City, said: “We are tired of ministers who are incapable of critical mobilisation of our people for civic national programmes. This accounts significantly for the disorientation of our youths, which often reflect in the notoriety of desperate land border migration of our Edo youths to Europe for greener pastures.

“We won’t pray for the replication of the last experiences where our people could hardly benefit from a vocal voice due largely to crass complacency of our representatives.“We want to specially appeal that our huge natural resources and strategic political position as the only APC state in the South-South region of Nigeria should not be taken for granted, hence this noble appeal for a political savvy ministerial nominee.”

Idaeho, who lamented that some of the ministers from the state lacked empathy for aggressive youth development through skills acquisition, scholarship and gainful employment, said it is unfortunate to state that “some of the ministers appointed from the state are not known beyond the four corners of their immediate residence.”

“Such sorry political episodes should not be reinvented, hence our noteworthy appeal,” he said. While commending Oshiomhole for his leadership style and contributions to the development of Edo State, the group appealed to Buhari to consider handing Edo State two ministerial slots.

In another development, Chairman, Edo State Muslim Pilgrim Board, Sheik Ibrahim Oyarekhua, yesterday said that the state’s intending pilgrims for this year’s holy pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia would be airlifted on July 20.

Oyarekhua, who disclosed this in Benin while speaking with The Guardian on the state’s preparation for this year’s pilgrimage, said: “Tentatively, we have been given July 20 date to airlift the state’s pilgrims by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). So, hopefully, our pilgrims will be in Medina between July 20 and 23 at most,” he said.He said that no fewer than 130 intending pilgrims would perform this year’s hajj in the state.