Tony Kabaka GETS BOOT – APC disowns protesting youths The Edo State chapter of the All Progressive Congress has disowned some members of the party who threatened not to work for the victory of the party in future elections in the state.

It said the members consisting mainly youths were dissident members of the party.

Some members of the APC led by Comrade Tony Kabaka had said that the APC risk losing Edo to the PDP in 2019 if Governor Godwin Obaseki did not change his style of governance.

Kabaka accused Obaseki of abandoning the youths and party leaders that worked for his victory in 2016.

But State Youth Leader of the APC, Mr. Valentine Asuen, who spoke at a press briefing described allegations by Kabaka as false and misleading.

Asuen said youths in the state have been involved in every policy initiative and programme of Obaseki through various organs of the APC.

He said the state government would no longer allow harassment of market women and drivers in the guise of collecting revenue by private contractors.

According to him, “The governor established EdoJobs portal, through which thousands of Edo youths have been gainfully employed while others have been trained on several skills.

“The Edo APC government ensured that all political appointees, namely; Commissioners, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants, among others, were nominated by the party structures in the 192 wards in the state.

“So, I do not know where Kabaka, perhaps, after waking up from the wrong side of the bed, got the information that Edo youths are not carried along by the Governor.

“The youths with the right skills and qualifications are being employed and trained daily through Edo Jobs portal and the Edo Innovation Hub, without knowing people in government.

“Thousands of the youths have been engaged through the Public Works Volunteer Scheme and the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA), who are adding value to governance on a daily basis.”

Asuen noted that the Obaseki led government is a sticker to the rule of law and would not be intimidated into succumbing to cheap blackmail by people whose interest is nothing but themselves.
“Never again will we allow the harassment, intimidation and assault of our market women and men in the name of revenue collection, more so, when technology-based revenue collection systems abound,” he said.