The Nation Newspaper

Category: Osun

  • Jonathan advised to allow free, fair poll

    Jonathan advised to allow free, fair poll

    A member of the Aregbesola Campaign Organisation (ACO), Prince Solagbade Amodeni, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to allow free and fair election on August 9.

    He observed that the desperation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to capture Osun State at all costs without minding its repercussions would not augur well for the nation’s nascent democracy.

    Amodeni, a former Commissioner in Ondo State, said Governor Rauf Aregbesola had used his acumen to transform the state through physical and infrastructural development, stressing that people were ready to show appreciation to him through massive votes.

    Besides, he said the governor had surpassed any other past governors in the state by allowing all citizenry to practise their religion to the best of their abilities.

    Speaking to The Nation in Akure, the Ondo State capital, Amodeni said the Christian Praying Ground under construction in Osun State is unprecedented in the history of any state in Nigeria.

    According to him, “During the burial ceremony of Prophet Timothy Obadare, not only he was there personally, his whole cabinet members were there and the state’s financial contribution to the successful burial of the famous religious leader was unrivalled.

    Amodeni recalled that when Aregbesola campaign was launched in Ile-Ife, the opposition said the surging crowd that attended the rally were rented. The blackmail, he said, later stopped when they saw subsequent mega rallies becoming huge by the day.

    He said: “There is no way you can compare Ekiti election to that of Osun because the personalities involved are different and its people are different. Ekiti people were caught unaware and APC left the election for Governor Fayemi alone either through omission or commission.

    The former commissioner noted that though Aregbesola and his team could win the election single-handedly in Osun State, but said: “People are not taking things for granted. We are fully prepared for the political abracadabra and antics of PDP during the election.”

    “We will do everything possible to ensure that the integrity of the ballot papers shall be tested during the poll and the whole world will know APC members are ready for any eventuality during the election.

    Amodeni argued that under free and fair election devoid of any malpractices or using of Federal apparatus, “the PDP candidate, Iyiola Omisore, would not score more than 10 percent,” saying he would only come in distant third  because according to him, his party had no crowd in Osun State.

    His words: “We are fully prepared for the contest, if PDP has anything to show, they will not resort to violence and visible destruction of APC’s candidate billboards and posters.”

    The politician noted that in his 30 years of active politicking, Aregbesola would be the first candidate that would not “use his personal money to purchase campaign materials like billboards, posters, vests, key holders and even pay for radio and television jingles.”

    He disclosed that all materials for Aregbesola’s political campaigns were donated through friends, including himself and numerous political associates.

  • Don’t trust politicians, SDP candidate tells civil servants

    Don’t trust politicians, SDP candidate tells civil servants

    Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Osun State, Mr. Olusegun Akinwusi, has stated that civil servants are better managers of men and resources than professional politicians.

    Akinwusi spoke during an interaction with a group of retirees in his campaign office in Osogbo yesterday.

    He decried the manner in which politicians had nearly ran the nation aground, saying it would be suicidal for public servants to wholly entrust their lives in the promises of politicians.

    The SDP governorship candidate, who served former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and the incumbent, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola as Head of Service (HOS), stated that he had been among politicians and therefore knows what they were up to.

    He stated that civil servants are technocrats who ensure stability and continuity of government and have contributed immensely to the development of the nation.

    “Public officers are expected to be loyal, anonymous and impartial to government but that is not saying we must be blind followers of politicians. Now, they are going around making several promises to civil servants in the state but none of them can be trusted.

    “It is dangerous to just believe in today’s Nigerian politicians who are unstable in their ways. Yesterday they were in PDP, today, they are in APC and by tomorrow they jump back to PDP. Can they be trusted? I say no. We cannot take them by their words”

    “Now, they are prostrating and begging for votes, if by chance they get into office, they become the kings and we become the slaves. They will rule with iron fists as if we are nobody”, he stated.

     

  • LP to voters: be wary of ‘rice-sharing-politicians’

    LP to voters: be wary of ‘rice-sharing-politicians’

    The Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Osun State, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, has warned voters to be wary of politicians, who are distributing rice.

    Akinbade said the trend was a cheap way of manipulating the people’s mind, warning that if the voters fall for their “Greek gift,” they could be put in another four agonising years.

    The LP candidate, in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Kayode Oladeji, described the development as an insult on the psyche of well-meaning people.

    “Were they distributing these rice and kerosene before? It is nothing but a tactical ploy by these politicians to mortgage the future of the public,” he said.

    He argued that if the politicians had good intentions and programmes for the people, they would not be distributing the rice.

    “Politicians engaging in such an act are only afraid of their shadows. They know too well that with somebody like me in the race, the tide will be in my favour. I have God and the people; so rice or no rice, I will win by the grace of the people and the valued support of our people.”

    Akinbade said  the deployment of heavy security in the August 9 polls would allow  for a peaceful conduct of the exercise.

    Besides, he  urged the people not to be swayed by the antics of his opponents, particularly the PDP, about their  rumoured alliance, insisting that he would never enter into any alliance with the party or its candidate.

    According to his media aide, Akinbade spoke at Ile-Ogbo, Ayedire Local Government area, while addressing the people during his campaign tour.

  • ODA: politicians don’t turn Osun into a theatre of war

    ODA: politicians don’t turn Osun into a theatre of war

    The Osun Development Association (ODA) has called on politicians, especially those vying in the August 9 governorship election, not to turn the state into a theatre of war.

    The association’s Chairman, Prof. Olu Aina and Secretary, Mr. Ademola Fabunmi, in statement yesterday, noted with dismay what it described as “the disturbing reports of acts of thuggery, threats to life, arms stockpile and vandalism associated with the state’s electioneering,” warning that such activities have the unhealthy tendency to mar next month’s governorship election.

    “We are extremely worried that rather than focusing on strategies to win the hearts and minds of the electorate, politicians in Osun are preparing for outright war. The ugly trend is, unfortunately, reinforced by alarming and reckless pronouncements by political leaders boasting that their parties would win the election at all costs. “We therefore, call on all stakeholders, particularly politicians, not to turn Osun State into a theatre of needless conflict, which would disrupt the prevailing peace and harmony of the people of Osun and stifle the state’s development,” the statement stated.

    It called on President Goodluck Jonathan and the Federal Government to live up to their claim of utmost neutrality in elections by ensuring that the Osun poll is credible.

    The association warned that the bloated or excessive deployment of security operatives for the election has the potential to intimidate voters.

     

  • Election ’ll be credible, says Jega

    Election ’ll be credible, says Jega

    •INEC justifies heavy security need

    Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Attahiru Jega has assured Nigerians of  free, fair and credible election in Osun State on August 9.

    Jega, who spoke at an event titled: “Experience Sharing Dialogue With Media Professionals” in Abuja yesterday,  justified the need for effective deployment of security personnel during the election.

    He argued that the measure would ensure a violence-free poll in Osun State.

    The commission chairman warned politicians involved in the Osun poll to eschew violence and to approach the  election with a positive mindset.

    Jega said INEC would  adopt the colour-coding method in the ballot papers to be used in Osun as it was effective in the Ekiti poll.

    He said: “In Ekiti, there was an effective engagement with security agencies. We believe that the mobilisation of security led to a violence-free election in Ekiti State despite the post-election complaints.

    “In Osun, we will also be up and doing. Though Osun is relatively larger than Ekiti with a voter register of about 1.4 million. We are looking at the size and the complexities and we have factored them in our preparations.

    “Contrary to what some persons say about the Ekiti election, we actually did colour-coding of our ballot papers and the procedures were so rigorous that we would be able to detect any fraud.  We did it in Ekiti and we will continue to do that because it has eliminated fraudulent activities.

    “We will create a level-playing field in Osun and we are cooperating fully with the NYSC and security agencies to ensure a hitch-free election. My assessment is that everything is on course in Osun State for a free, fair and credible poll.  What is left is for the politicians to have a positive mindset towards August 9 and eschew violence.

    “We are doing our best, we’ve done our best and we will do our best and also ensure that the 2015 general elections come out successful.”

    Describing the Ekiti elections as one of the best in recent times conducted by INEC, Jega said the redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun State had nothing to do with an indictment of the affected officer, but to forestall the raging allegations and counter-allegations by politicians in the state.

    “We are convinced that the former Resident Electoral Commissioner has done nothing wrong, but we have had to take the painful decision to send another person there. Our REC did nothing wrong. We sent another person to Osun to conduct the election to reduce the allegations and counter-allegations.

    “Ekiti poll was successful because INEC adopted a more-centralised, effective and efficient deployment of materials. We also improved on our consultations and stakeholders’ engagements, which go a long way in establishing trust and confidence.”

  • APC: we’ve taken steps to ensure free, fair poll

    APC: we’ve taken steps to ensure free, fair poll

    All Progressives Congress (APC) said yesterday it had taken steps to ensure that the candidates in the August 9 Osun State governorship election are provided with a level-playing field.

    It added that actions have also been taken to guarantee that the election is free, fair and transparent as well as devoid of harassment and intimidation.

    APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, spoke in a statement in Abuja yesterday.

    The statement said APC had challenged in court the powers of the President to deploy troops and that of the Inspector-General of Police to impose a curfew during the election.

    It also said the party had written to INEC to demand a postponement of the election if the electoral commission cannot guarantee that all registered voters would be given their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) before voting day or in the alternative allow all registered members in possession of INEC temporary voter cards to vote.

    The actions, according to the party, were aimed at avoiding a repeat of the massive harassment, intimidation and arrest of opposition politicians witnessed at the Ekiti governorship election.

    It said the steps would also prevent any illegal lock down of Osun State, which turned out to be a ploy to pigeon-hole opposition politicians while allowing PDP members to move around freely.

    The party said the letter to INEC followed concerns expressed by APC members in Osun that they have so far been denied their PVCs under shady circumstances, a development that could be a ploy to massively disenfranchise APC members and rig the election at source

    The statement said: “In the first case filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos on July 15, 2014, we are seeking, among others, ‘a declaration that by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), it is ultra vires for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to deploy members of the armed forces to Osun State for the purpose of the conduct of the gubernatorial election scheduled for August 9, 2014’.

    “In the second case, also filed at the same court on July 17, 2014,  we are seeking, among other reliefs, ‘a declaration that by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), and the Curfew Law of Osun State, CAP 36, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2001, it is ultra vires for the Inspector General of Police of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to impose curfew on any part of Osun State during the conduct of the gubernatorial election scheduled to hold on Aug. 9th, 2014, or at any time whatsoever in any part of Nigeria’.

    ‘’The actions have reinforced the credentials of our party as law-abiding and peaceful. Instead of resorting to self help, as many would have done in the face of the many underhand tactics by the PDP-led Federal Government to stifle the opposition and skew the conditions in favour of the ruling party, we decided to embark on a legal challenge of the unlawful actions of the government.

    ‘’We are not seeking any favour beyond that all candidates in the election be allowed to have a level-playing field, for all registered voters to be able to cast their votes in an atmosphere devoid of violence, harassment and intimidation, and for the election itself to be conducted in substantial compliance with the law.”

    APC said popular participation is at the core of democratic governance, hence a development in which registered voters, most of them from the opposition, will not be allowed to vote based on the incompetence of the electoral authorities is anti-democratic.

    “That is why we have written to INEC to allow duly registered voters to exercise their franchise on August 9, whether or not they have PVCs or temporary voter cards. If this is not possible, INEC should consider postponing the election until such a time that not one voter will be disenfranchised due to the incompetence, collusion or shenanigans of INEC,’’ the party said.

    It warned that the Osun governorship election must not just be free, fair and transparent, it must been seen to be so by all stakeholders.

  • ‘Why Aregbesola’s agric programme is a success’

    ‘Why Aregbesola’s agric programme is a success’

    Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Osun State Governor has emphasised that the StateRural Enterprise and Agricultural Programme (OREAP) remains “one of the successful, laudable development and wealth creation programmes of the Rauf Aregbesola administration.”

    The Bureau spoke yesterday while reacting to what it called “another in the litany of the Iyiola Omisore lies.”

    Omisore had claimed in some media reports that the state’s agricultural programme tagged OREAP was a fraud, alleging there is nothing to show for it in almost four years.

    Describing Omisore’s position as ill-informed and an indication of the crass ignorance of the working of development programmes in government, the Bureau said Aregbesola had not come to power before recognising the need for massive food production to grow an economy such as that of Osun; ignite industrialisation and create jobs.

    The statement by its Director, Semiu Okanlawon, said the allegation gave away PDP and its candidate as a lazy bunch of people who lack the capacity for simple facts-finding before going to the press.

    “Farmers are among the happiest beneficiaries of the current administration in Osun. This is because of the prime place Aregbesola accords food production. The agricultural sector has been very strategic to the overall development of Osun. At least, the state’s massive food production programme is central to the realization of three of the six integral action plans of the administration. Only the nit-witted would conclude that agriculture has not played a lead role in banishing poverty, banishing hunger and creation of jobs and wealth,” the Bureau stated

    Against the lies being bandied by the PDP that farm estates and settlements were supposed to be upgraded, he said land validation exercise and perimeter survey were done with latest technology in nine farm settlements which he noted is the first in the history of farm settlements in South-West of the country.

    He added that over 3,070.3 hectares of land was cleared and 6,209 hectares tractorised across the state.

    Okanlawon also noted that 20,000 Hectares of farmland were validated in the nine farm settlements, more 4,211 Hectares was discovered and reallocated to small holders.

    According to him, “This is a programme that was well thought out to empower farmers. The Government procured 5000 metric tons of fertilizers sold to farmers at 50% subsidy over the last 2 years; 1,830 rural farmers in 61 local communities received farm inputs from the State in collaboration with UNICEF.”

  • Party, Omisore’s group differ over plan to militarise poll

    Party, Omisore’s group differ over plan to militarise poll

    The Osun State All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Omisore Campaign Organisation differed yesterday over plans to deploy military personnel for  the August 9 governorship election.

    Interim Chairman of APC, Elder Adebiyi Adelowo, at a media briefing yesterday at the party’s secretariat, said the election was supposed to be a civil exercise devoid of soldiers.

    He said at the event, which was also attended by APC State Interim Secretary, Prince Gboyega Famodun and a chieftain, Alhaji Fatai Diekola, that the APC had no evil plan during the election, but want an environment devoid of use of security agents to intimidate the electorate.

    The APC chieftain said it should be made compulsory that the soldiers and police as well as other security agents to wear name tags and hang their identification cards to prevent infiltration of fake security agents during the poll.

    He raised the alarm over alleged plans by the PDP to rig the election with the collaboration of the Presidency and security agencies.

    Adelowo appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to caution the leaders of the party over their alleged desperation to take over power through fraudulent means.

    According to him, President Jonathan should caution the Ministers of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Oobanikoro and Police Affairs, Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan, over their alleged desperation to ensure that PDP captures the Southwest.

    He said: “Information at our disposal shows that the PDP has perfected plans to rig the August 9 governorship election. They want to use various machinery, including the security agencies, especially the soldiers and police. Apart from this, the PDP is planning to use the police to pick some of our members, particularly stalwarts before the poll.”

    But  the Director of Publicity for Omisore Campaign Organisation, Prince Diran Odeyemi, described the APC’s allegations as baseless.

    He said the PDP would win the election without rigging and without the influence of any individual or group of people.

    Odeyemi, who said the APC resorted to the allegations having realised that its days are numbered in the state

    He said the allegations would not make the PDP lose focus on its determination to take over government from the APC.

  • Adeleke: ‘Zimbabwe’s formula’ won’t work in Osun

    Adeleke: ‘Zimbabwe’s formula’ won’t work in Osun

    THE Osun State first civilian Governor, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, has warned that the “Zimbabwe formula” used in June 21 Ekiti State governorship election would not work in the August 9 poll.

    Adeleke, who said this in a statement thanking the people of Ede Federal Constituency for their show of solidarity during the APC mega rally in the town, urged the party faithful “to be 24 hours on our guards” before, during and after the election.

    The statement reads: “Your support for me, the leaders of our party in Ede Federal Constituency is overwhelming. You have demonstrated by your patriotic action  that I can always count on you, any day and anytime to make our party – APC grow from strength to strength.”

    Adeleke told the people that “it is not over” yet, appealing to them to treasure their voter cards jealously and use them “to bring Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola back for a second term as governor.”

    He urged the party faithful to continue to educate voters to come out and vote. “Osun belongs to the down-trodden masses of our people, who determine where victory goes. We therefore repose confidence in you all to make August 9, 2014, a landslide victory for APC in the governorship election.

    “I enjoin parents to please take good care of their children, so as not to fall victim of the antics of the opposition, who have perfected plans to kidnap innocent children and put the blames on the doorsteps of APC leaders.

    “Don’t allow your voter cards to be bought for a paltry N2,000 as being planned by the opposition in Ede. Your voter cards are your weapons to see Ogbeni Aregbesola back in Osun,” he said.

     

  • Police deny APC chieftain’s arrest for gun-running

    Police deny APC chieftain’s arrest for gun-running

    OSUN State Police Command has denied that a local government chief, Steven Dosumu, was arrested and detained for gun-running.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleged that Dosumu, who is also a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was arrested and transferred to Force Headquarters for gun-running.

    The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Maishanu, in a statement, said the allegation was false.

    Maishanu explained that Dosumu, who is the Executive Secretary of Boluwaduro, “was at no time arrested, detained, taken to Abuja or threatened to be taken to Abuja by the command.”

    He described the report in some dailies as outright falsehood, meant to unduly cause crisis among the parties and generate tension.

    He said no ammunition was found in the private residence of the council chief.

    The statement said: “The attention of the Osun State Police Command has been drawn to the rumour making the round that an Executive Secretary of a Local Government in Osun State was arrested by the State Police Command for gun-running. This is false in all ramifications.

    “Some newspapers had reported on July 10 that the Executive Secretary was arrested by the police for being in possession of 17 Kalashnikov rifles, 10 Pump Action guns and 50 machetes. No such thing happened in this command.

    “The police received a petition by one Hashim Abioye alleging attempted murder, illegal possession of firearms, violent conduct and criminal assault against four persons. The police invited all the parties and carried out a thorough investigation, including searches in the premises of those accused, in company of the petitioner. The allegations turned out to be false and without any basis. No weapon of any kind was found in possession of the Executive Secretary or any of his associates.

    “The Executive Secretary was at no time arrested, detained, taken to Abuja or threatened to be taken to Abuja by the command. It is most unfortunate that newspapers will report outright falsehood, unduly fuel crisis among the parties and generate tension among the people.

    “The quantum of weapons alleged is sufficient to start a war and the false report is therefore capable of instilling fear in the people and brings the peace in the state on the edge. This kind of allegation is therefore very sensitive and requires to be verified by the appropriate authority, which are the police.

    “The police will like to advise those concerned to stop spreading rumours, falsehood and making unfounded allegations. We will also like to appeal to the media to be alive to their social responsibility of reporting the truth, and not speculation.”