Obaseki Coming To PDP Is A Curse And Not A Blessing – Hillary Otsu
<div><img width="300" height="208" src="https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Obaseki-300x208.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Obaseki-300x208.jpg 300w, https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Obaseki.jpg 650w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>
<p>The Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Hillary Otsu, has said the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, is a curse rather than a blessing to the party. According to him, unlike his predecessors on the party’s platform in the state, Obaseki’s precedents and records in the party happen to have been more […]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.naijanews.com/2023/09/29/obaseki-coming-to-pdp-is-a-curse-and-not-a-blessing-hillary-otsu/">Obaseki Coming To PDP Is A Curse And Not A Blessing – Hillary Otsu</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.naijanews.com">Naija News</a>.</p>
The Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Hillary Otsu, has said the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, is a curse rather than a blessing to the party.
According to him, unlike his predecessors on the party’s platform in the state, Obaseki’s precedents and records in the party happen to have been more of a curse to the party and the Edo people.
Naija News reports that Obaseki decamped to the PDP from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in June 2020 when he was seeking re-election for his second term in office.
Recall that the APC had disqualified him from seeking re-election on the platform due to alleged submission of questionable certificates.
Speaking with The Nation in an interview, Otsu, said under Obaseki, Edo not only lost the presidential election, the state did not win a single National Assembly seat.
Compared to the previous government, the Edo PDP secretary noted that “Compare that with previous years when we had no Obaseki in our party when Chief Dan Orbih was leading PDP as a strong opposition party, we always won at least two Senate seats and a minimum of four or five House of Reps seats.”
Otsu submitted that “It isn’t rocket science to understand that Obaseki coming to PDP turned out to be a curse and not a blessing, both to PDP and to Edo people. This narrative of a curse can even be perceived on the streets of Benin City and major cities.
“All the candidates fielded by Gov. Obaseki were unpopular, and most voters in their various constituencies were also aware of the illegal processes which brought them. So many of the voters who followed all that transpired leading the emergence of Obaseki’s candidates, worked and voted against them, and most PDP supporters opted to work against the illegal candidates by supporting other candidates.
”That’s why you see that in many places, they gave support to APC candidates and, in some, to Labour candidates, leading to unprecedented victories for those Parties. For example, the PDP had never lost Edo Central and South Senatorial seats before, while a Labour candidate swept the Edo South Senate seat, after leaving the PDP for Labour just a few months before the election.
”Furthermore, I believe there was an uncoordinated conspiracy by all to prove to the world that Obaseki wasn’t a popular governor. Many of us were pleased that the national body has come to realise that without the Legacy PDP, Obaseki cannot win Edo State for PDP. And so, for the first time in history, PDP also lost Edo in a Presidential election and did not win a single National Assembly seat.”
<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/a-wendy-s-restaurant-in-montreal-right-la-paan-villa-on-jean-talon-street-in-montreal.jpg?id=56313325&width=1200&height=400&coordinates=0%2C136%2C0%2C136"/><br/><br/><p>Montreal is a foodie town littered with <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/foodie-montreal-restaurants-2025" target="_blank">incredible eateries</a> on every corner of the island. But how safe is your go-to spot? </p><p>The <a href="https://media.mapaq.gouv.qc.ca/condamnations/" target="_blank">Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation (MAPAQ)</a> inspects restaurants regularly to ensure compliance with health and safety standards. Since the start of 2025, several well-known Montreal restaurants have been hit with fines ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 for various infractions, including improper food handling, cleanliness issues, and pest control violations.</p><p>Each week, several establishments and restaurants are inspected by the MAPAQ and may receive warnings or fines following quality controls. These inspections focus on an establishment's food and conservation methods, labour practices, equipment and environment.</p><p><span></span>Despite the fines, these restaurants are still open to the public. Presumably, they’ve since addressed the issues flagged by the inspectors. To keep you updated, we've rounded up the key details.</p><p>It's worth noting that some of these violations occurred months ago due to the delay between inspection and the court's judgment. However, all of the judgments listed below were issued in January 2025.</p><h3>La Fraîcheur Tropicale - Casse-croûte créole et crèmerie</h3><br/><img alt="La Fra\u00eecheur Tropicale restaurant in Montreal" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fc3b96d2db903c11f63868d59e8f4d6d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="feb67" loading="lazy" src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/la-fra-u00eecheur-tropicale-restaurant-in-montreal.png?id=56313215&width=980"/><p>Address: 6654 rue Sherbrooke E, Montreal, QC</p><p>Total fines: $5,000</p><p>Reason for the offence: "No one may, without holding a valid permit, operate a place or vehicle where the activity of a restaurateur is carried out."</p><p>Date of Offense: 2024-01-08</p><p>Date of judgment: 2025-01-24</p><h3>Second Cup Café & Co</h3><br/><img alt="A downtown Second Cup location in Montreal." class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="47ed0bc3ad8ea0a69f89a6e8e5bdfba2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="ad71f" loading="lazy" src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/a-downtown-second-cup-location-in-montreal.png?id=56313202&width=980"/><p>Address: 1166 Sainte-Catherine O, Montreal, QC</p><p>Total fines: $4,500</p><p>Reason for violation: "The place or vehicle must be free from contaminants, pollutants, any species of animals including insects and rodents or their excrement."</p><p>Date of Offense: 2024-02-13</p><p>Date of judgment: 2025-01-31</p><h3>La Paan Villa</h3><br/><img alt="La Paan Villa on Jean-Talon Street in Montreal." class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="89286a6a44b477fa25117d1a7dab1a20" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="26d60" loading="lazy" src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/la-paan-villa-on-jean-talon-street-in-montreal.png?id=56313049&width=980"/><p>Address: 717 rue Jean-Talon O, Montreal, QC</p><p>Total fines: $3,000</p><p>Reason for violation: "The place or vehicle must be free from contaminants, pollutants, any species of animals including insects and rodents or their excrement."</p><p>Date of Offense: 2023-11-16</p><p>Date of judgment: 2025-01-24</p><h3>Mr. Puffs</h3><br/><img alt="A Mr. Puffs restaurant in LaSalle, QC." class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1de9525528abdd138cbb2a05dfe1c40f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="6389d" loading="lazy" src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/a-mr-puffs-restaurant-in-lasalle-qc.png?id=56313040&width=980"/><p>Address: 7775 blvd Newman, LaSalle, QC</p><p>Total fines: $2,000</p><p>Reason for violation: "The place or vehicle must be free from contaminants, pollutants, any species of animals including insects and rodents or their excrement."</p><p>Date of Offense: 2024-01-30</p><p>Date of judgment: 2025-01-31</p><h3>Wendy's</h3><br/><img alt="A Wendy's franchise in Montreal." class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="97ac0aec35d8bd1227cbb873d8dd2072" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="8739e" loading="lazy" src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/a-wendy-s-franchise-in-montreal.png?id=56312978&width=980"/><p>Address: 5180 blvd Décarie, Montreal, QC</p><p>Total fines: $1,500</p><p>Reason for violation: "The place or vehicle must be free from contaminants, pollutants, any species of animals including insects and rodents or their excrement."</p><p>Date of Offense: 2023-10-30</p><p>Date of judgment: 2025-01-29</p><h3>Frite Alors!</h3><br/><img alt="A Frite Alors! location in Montreal." class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="57185678795c6d591c6d56ca0ce3a1c5" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="f3a57" loading="lazy" src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/a-frite-alors-location-in-montreal.png?id=56312881&width=980"/><p>Address: 1562, ave Laurier E, Montreal, QC</p><p>Total fines: $1,000</p><p>Reason for violation: "The place or vehicle must be free from contaminants, pollutants, any species of animals including insects and rodents or their excrement."</p><p>Date of Offense: 2024-01-30</p><p>Date of judgment: 2025-01-27</p><h3>Le Platana</h3><br/><img alt="La Platana restaurant in Montreal." class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="02a01eb8e138b18b5093f265a1abf824" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="94aac" loading="lazy" src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/la-platana-restaurant-in-montreal.png?id=56312872&width=980"/><p>Address: 361 rue Bernard O, Montreal, QC</p><p>Total fines: $1,000</p><p>Reason for the violation: "Premises, vehicles, equipment, materials and utensils used for the preparation, packaging, storage, transport, labelling and service of products, as well as other sanitary facilities and premises, must be clean."</p><p>Date of Offense: 2024-04-12</p><p>Date of judgment: 2025-01-27</p><h3>Tommy Café</h3><br/><img alt="Tommy Caf\u00e9 on the corner of Notre-Dame Street in Montreal." class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cea93e3e068fe7c09020e5d8eb423cf9" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="1acda" loading="lazy" src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/tommy-caf-u00e9-on-the-corner-of-notre-dame-street-in-montreal.png?id=56312707&width=980"/><p>Address: 200 rue Notre-Dame O, Montreal, QC</p><p>Total fines: $1,000</p><p>Reason for the violation: "The heat-damaging product, with the exception of whole fresh fruits and vegetables, must be cooled without delay and maintained constantly at an internal and ambient temperature not exceeding 4 °C until its delivery to the consumer, except during the time required for the application of a manufacturing process or a treatment recognized in the food industry and which requires a higher temperature."</p><p>Date of Offense: 2024-05-29</p><p>Date of judgment: 2025-01-31</p><h3>Pizza Georges</h3><br/><img alt="Google Street View of Pizza Georges in Montreal." class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="29264259ef48e8455529389087cc9577" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="fd99d" loading="lazy" src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/google-street-view-of-pizza-georges-in-montreal.png?id=56312560&width=980"/><p>Address: 844 rue Sauvé E, Montreal, QC</p><p>Total fines: $1,000</p><p>Reason for violation: "The owner or operator of a restaurant or business engaged in the preparation of food must ensure that all water from the restaurant or business that may come into contact with fat is, before being discharged into a sewerage system, treated by a properly maintained, installed and used grease trap."</p><p>Date of Offense: 2024-03-19</p><p>Date of judgment: 2025-01-24</p><h3>Pizza Chicken New York</h3><br/><img alt="Google Street View of Chopstix Restaurant in Montreal." class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8d7b17b03b16445cbd9f8daa6ead2bf9" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="bb8b0" loading="lazy" src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/google-street-view-of-chopstix-restaurant-in-montreal.png?id=56312548&width=980"/><p>Address: 6352, rue Pascal, Montréal, QC</p><p>Total fines: $1,000</p><p>Reason for violation: "Perishable product sold hot or served hot to the consumer must be kept at an internal temperature of at least 60°C until delivery."</p><p>Date of Offense: 2024-09-10</p><p>Date of judgment: 2025-01-16</p><h3>Chopstix</h3><br/><img alt="Google Street View of Chopstix Restaurant in Montreal." class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6d20137818ed8d56121a787f527d88fc" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="ff85b" loading="lazy" src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/google-street-view-of-chopstix-restaurant-in-montreal.png?id=56312399&width=980"/><p>Address: 325 blvd Henri-Bourassa E, Montreal, QC</p><p>Total fines: $1,000</p><p>Reason for violation: "The place or vehicle must be free from contaminants, pollutants, any species of animals including insects and rodents or their excrement."</p><p>Date of Offense: 2024-01-05</p><p>Date of judgment: 2025-01-31</p><p class=""><em>This story was adapted from the article <a href="https://www.narcity.com/fr/montreal/mapaq-amendes-restaurants-montreal-insalubrite-2025-janvier" target="_blank">"11 restos à Montréal qui ont eu jusqu'à 5 000 $ d'amendes aux inspections du MAPAQ en 2025"</a> </em><em>which was originally published on Narcity Quebec by Izabelle Bee.</em></p><em>Love this? Check out our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/notices/" target="_blank">MTL Blog noticeboard</a> for details on jobs, benefits, travel info and more!</em>
<p><br/></p><em>AI tools may have been used to support the creation or distribution of this content; however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of MTL Blog's Editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/editorial-standards" target="_blank">Editorial Standards page</a>.</em>
The more than 20,000 pages of Jeffrey Epstein emails released earlier this month by the House Oversight Committee have been enough to prompt more investigations…