The Nation Newspaper

Category: Osun

  • Oyinlola: why I can’t join PDP campaign train now

    Oyinlola: why I can’t join PDP campaign train now

    •Asks George to speak on PDP Caucus meeting

    THE Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) suspended National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has said he cannot join the party’s governorship campaign train since his alleged suspension has not been lifted.

    Oyinlola also asked a former Deputy National Chairman of PDP, Chief Olabode George, to speak on what the South-West PDP leaders discussed recently at his Abuja residence on the party’s National Secretary’s office.

    The former Osun State governor, who made the clarification in a statement yesterday, said the alleged endorsement of Prof. Wale Oladipo as the Southwest’s candidate for the office was contemptuous of the court.

    The statement said: “The party said I am on suspension and a suspended member of any organisation cannot be expected at the same time to be part of its activities.

    “Those who went to the Supreme Court should withdraw their appeal against the Court of Appeal decision which reinstated me as the party’s National Secretary.  I call on the party to obey that verdict of the court on the post.”

    Oyinlola warned against sub judicial comments on the issue by some persons who claimed to have been part of the Southwest PDP leaders’ meeting.

    He said: “I have been reading some funny, sub judicial comments from some comical fellows purporting endorsement, at that meeting, of someone for a post that is subject of a case at the Supreme Court.”

     

    “One does not need to be a lawyer to know that it is not only futile, but contemptuous of our courts for a group of people to be making moves to overreach and undermine the justice system.

    “I am quite aware, through my sources at that meeting, that claims of endorsement of any pretender by the Southwest are false as no decision of such was reached.”

    The former governor urged a former Deputy National Chairman of PDP, Chief Olabode George, to tell Nigerians the outcome of a recent meeting of South-West PDP leaders in his residence in Abuja.

  • U.S. Consul General, 30 others to observe poll

    U.S. Consul General, 30 others to observe poll

    THE United States (U.S.) Consul General in Lagos, Jeffrey Hawkins, said yesterday he would be leading a team of about 30 American observers to Osun State for the August 9 governorship election.

    Hawkins spoke at the opening ceremony of a four-day workshop organised by the U.S. Mission in Nigeria for press and public affairs officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) drawn from parts of the country.

    He said the U.S. would closely monitor the election because it is a key to cementing Nigeria’s democracy.

    “I will be in Osun on the election day. We will be deploying about 30 observers in similar magnitude with that of Ekiti.

    “The Osun election is the last litmus indicator for future elections in Nigeria. Please be transparent with the process.

    “We have a wide programme working with the INEC through the United States Agency for International Development and through various training sessions to support the work of INEC and we have a close collaboration with the Chairman, Attahiru Jega and others.

    “So, there is a strong commitment from the U.S. to democracy in Nigeria whether it is on a localised level or at the national level,” said Hawkins.

    While expressing the U.S.’ satisfaction with the Ekiti governorship poll, Hawkins urged the INEC press and public affairs officers to be open and transparent while they go about their duties during elections.

    He said: “Be honest with your immediate colleagues, journalists and the Nigerian public and demonstrate to the Nigerian people that the country is on the right track; that the democracy is moving forward.

    “Let the people know that they have an electoral commission that cares about honest results in the elections. It is a big challenge, but if you can achieve that you would have done a good thing for the country and you would be great patriots for Nigeria.”

    Osun State INEC Public Affairs Officer Adenike Tadese has said the commission was 85 per cent ready to conduct the election.

    “We in INEC Osun State are 85 per cent prepared. We still have other things to put in place such as the training of adhoc staff which would be done between July 29 and 31,” she said.

    “The leave of absence which our REC, Akeju, proceeded on would not affect us. The REC standing in for him, Olusegun Agbaje, has since assumption of office, continued from where Akeju stopped.

    She made the remark while emphasising their readiness despite the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Rufus Akeju being on leave of absence.

     

    “We have been having series of meetings to ensure a smooth and crisis-free election. In fact, the meetings we used to have with all security agencies in the state have moved from monthly to weekly basis,” she said.

     

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  • SDP: credible poll possible on August 9

    SDP: credible poll possible on August 9

    OSUN State Social Democratic Party’s (SDP)governorship candidate Mr. Olusegun Akinwusi has expressed confidence in the ability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a free and fair poll on August 9.

    Akinwusi, who spoke during the visit of Concerned Osogbo Indigenes and Non-Indigenes Group (COING) to his campaign office in Osogbo, the state capital, called on co-contestants in the forthcoming election to desist from violence.

    He expressed concern over alleged plan of Governor Rauf Aregbesola to use his “State Boys” and members of Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) to cause mayhem during the election.

    “I detest violence and that is why I go about my campaigns with no thug or armed men. If I truly want to be leaders of my people, why will I move around to harass them with thugs?

    “There must be a departure from what we have before. We want to create a sane society where development will be our focus. We want to plan for our people and create a conducive environment for economic growth,” he said.

    He urged security agencies to ensure that there is a repeat of what they did in Ekiti state in Osun by providing adequate security for voters during the polls.

    He said: “We all saw what happened in Ekiti State. People should be allowed to express their minds by voting for who they like. Security must be adequately beefed up for electorate to exercise their voting right.”

     

     

    On INEC, Akinwusi told his guests that he was sure the electoral body will perform up to expectation and even improve on what it did during the last governorship election in Ekiti state.

    He assured the group of SDP’s readiness to bring all stakeholders into government if voted into power. “Go and encourage others that our party will bring even development into Osun State and we will make this state a good example to others  in term of good governance.”

    COING Chairman and Secretary, Mr. Israel Olowookere and Alhaji Oladapo Usman urged the SDP candidate not to forget his promises to the electorate during his campaign tours.

    Olowookere said: “Nobody forced us to come here to identify with your aspiration, but after careful observation of the state’s political trend and how honest you are, we decided to associate with you and to support you in the August 9 election.

    He charged the former Head of Service (HOS) to beware of politicians with deceitful agenda and those “who are only interested in lining their pockets to the detriment of the entire citizenry.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • ‘Opposition planning to implicate Adeleke’

    ‘Opposition planning to implicate Adeleke’

    •PDP: No plot against anybody

    THE All Progressives Congress in Osun State has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of planning to implicate the state’s first civilian Governor, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, by hiding criminal objects in and around his Ede country home.

    According to a statement by the party’s spokesperson, Kunle Oyatomi, the APC got the information of the “evil plot from usually reliable sources within the PDP.”

    He said the plan was meant to create an excuse for security operatives from Abuja to come and arrest the APC leader and whisk him away.

    “The plan is to replace their aborted attempt to assassinate Adeleke. There is no guaranty that the man may not be assassinated after his arrest. Our source is very reliable. Nothing that had been exposed in the past through the sources was found to be false.

    “We accused them of going about buying people’s voter cards, in order to manipulate the electoral process. Already, we have evidence of over 2,000 people, real people whose cards are in the PDP’s  possession with their names, addresses and telephone numbers.

    “We accused the PDP of planning to destroy Aregbesola’s projects if it came to power. Omisore went to campaign in Ejigbo and promised to turn the best of Aregbesola’s schools built so far into a poultry. Within a couple of days of that statement, a huge explosion went off at the assembly hall of the school and brought it down,” he said.

    The APC added that its allegations against the PDP were based on credible information.

    It urged the citizenry to take seriously its allegation that “the PDP intends to frame Adeleke in order to get security people from Abuja to come and take him out of circulation.”

    The PDP, through its Director of Publicity, Mr. Bola Ajao, has denied the allegation, saying “only the guilty are afraid.”

    The party spokesperson said the PDP has no business plotting or planning to incriminate anybody.

    He said as far as the PDP is concerned, Adeleke is of no political value, maintaining that the major pre-occupation of the party was how to make its governorship candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, emerge the winner of the August 9 election.

    He said: “Whatever the APC is alleging is its own cup of tea. We are not interested in any allegation. Our principal interest lies in how to win the forthcoming election. Let the guilty be afraid, we are less concerned.”

     

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  • LP: good times await workers

    OSUN State Labour Party (LP) has assured civil servants of good times, if its governorship candidate, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, is voted into power in the August 9 poll.

    The Media Director for the LP’s governorship candidate, Mr. Kayode Oladeji, in a statement, said workers’ minimum wage would be reviewed upward across board.

    The LP candidate assured that there would be job security for workers, saying they would be allowed their full term of 35 years of service or 60 years of age, while those in tertiary institution would enjoy the statutory 65 years of age.

    Akinbade said: “By the special grace of God, under the Labour Party government in Osun State, we shall ensure that the welfare of workers receives due and prompt attention. Their present minimum wage shall be reviewed upward across board.”

     

    “The civil service would be allowed to perform its statutory responsibilities as against the present system, whereby jobs of career civil servants are contracted out to consultants which constitute a drain in the state’s purse.”

    According to the former Secretary to the State Government, training and retraining of workers would be given priority, adding that “promotion and advancement of officers, including other welfare packages, will be attended to as when due.”

     

    END

  • Omisore gives conditions for public debate

    Omisore gives conditions for public debate

    Osun State governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyiola Omisore, has given conditions for accepting an open debate with Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

    Aregbesola, during the commissioning of the modern Ayegbaju International Market in Osogbo last Monday, challenged candidates of opposition parties to a debate on the state’s development.

    Omisore, reacting to the challenge in a statement by his Head, Media, Prince Diran Odeyemi, said Aregbesola must first tender his current certificate of mental fitness, if he wants him to participate.

    According to Omisore, tendering the certificate is necessary “because a nongovernmental organisation, Egalitarian Mission for Africa, had a running battle with Governor Aregbesola concerning issues of his health status.”

    He also said the open hatred of Aregbesola towards Omisore might make the PDP disallow him from participating in any debate with the governor unless his security is assured.

     

  • Aregbesola: we’re in politics to serve

    Aregbesola: we’re in politics to serve

    Osun State Governor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola said yesterday that service to the people motivated him to go into politics.

    Aregbesola noted that while others have no ideas of what to do with power, he thinks about policies and programmes that would improve the people’s live.

    The governor spoke at the palace of the Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal, during a political campaign in Ede yesterday.

    He said an analysis of his administration’s programme would show that his government had treated the people and various political districts equally.

    He recalled that Ede Constituency supported his governorship ambition in 2007 by voting en masse.

    According to the governor, the Cocoa Industries in Ede would soon be rejuvenated as a government delegation had gone to China new machines.

    “Our administration has treated the various political districts equally, without favour of sentiment.

    “Ede has been supportive of our ambition and government. Without the votes of Ede North and Ede South Local Government Areas, I would not be governor.

    “Without these two local governments, we would not have the two members of House of Representatives and one member of House of Assembly.

    “Don’t let the opposition tell you lies because that is their stock in trade. Ask them to tell you the programmes they have for the people. But we know they have none.

    “What we have done in less than 40 months, surpassed what they did in seven years both in quantity and quality.

    “As we speak, the Chairman of Ede Cocoa Industries is in China on how to get brand new cocoa processing machines.

    “I assure you that this is just the beginning of good things in Osun,” Aregbesola said.

    He listed some achievements of his government in the federal constituency as including the rehabilitation of 21.3km Ede township roads, construction of 7.3 kilometres (km) local government roads in Ejigbo, 7.7km local government roads in Ede South, 10km local government roads in Ede North and 8.5 local government roads in Egbedore.

    Others were rehabilitation of 8.9km Abere-Ojoro-Yidi Road, total overlay of Royal Hotel Road, Ejigbo, completion of a Government High School in Ejigbo – AUD Government Middle School, Ejigbo, Seventh Day Adventist Government High School, Ede, L.A Government Middle School, Agbongbe, Ede and L.A Government Elementary Schoo, Obada, Ede.

    According to him, his administration also distributed 1,941 tablets in the Federal Constituency: 561 tablets in Ede South Local Government Area, 324 tablets in Egbedore, 669 tablets in Ejigbo and 393 tablets in Ede North.

    The Timi of Ede, who gave his royal blessings, praised Aregbesola for the massive work he has done.

    The monarch stated that the governor, having given a good account of his administration in the first term, deserves to be re-elected to continue the good work.

    “You have performed very well in your first term. The people of this state will make sure you come back to continue the developmental stride. With the people supporting you, your second term is definitely assured,” Oba Lawal said.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • INEC to voters: go to local councils for PVCs

    INEC to voters: go to local councils for PVCs

    THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has told Osun State’s registered voters to go to local government areas for their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

    Only voters with the permanent cards, the commission said, will be allowed to vote in the August 9 governorship election.

    The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, in a statement yesterday, urged voters who are yet to collect their cards to head to their local council areas.

    He explained that PVCs yet to be collected are at the 30 local government offices of the commission in Osun State, awaiting legitimate holders to come for them.

    He stressed that the commission disallows proxy collection to prevent abuse of the cards by unscrupulous persons.

    He said: “In line with INEC’s guideline for the exercise, uncollected PVCs were at the end of the polling unit level distribution in March taken to respective local government office of the commission in the state for subsequent issuance to legitimate holders. The distribution at the local government level has been on-going since then.

    “In other words, all PVCs yet to be collected are at the 30 local government offices of the commission in Osun State, awaiting legitimate holders to come for them. But the Commission disallows proxy collection to prevent abuse of the cards by unscrupulous persons. Prospective voters in the August 9 election who are yet to collect their PVCs are therefore urged to do so in readiness for the election.”

    He explained that “the distribution of PVCs to duly registered persons has been on-going since March 7th, 2014, contrary to suggestions that there is a hindrance in the distribution of the cards.

    “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) therefore urges every prospective voter in Osun State, who is yet to collect his / her PVC to urgently do so, ahead of the state governorship election scheduled for August 9, 2014.

    “For avoidance of doubt, only registered voters with PVCs will be able to vote during the election.

    “This clarification is necessary against the backdrop of calls on the commission in the last couple of days to ensure timely distribution of the PVCs. A political party had, at the weekend, accused INEC of being “painfully slow in processing the permanent voter cards;” while a non-governmental organisation, on Monday, urged the commission to ensure timely distribution of PVCs before the governorship election – suggesting that the contrary is presently the case.

    “It should be recalled, however, that the commission undertook polling unit level distribution of PVCs to registered voters in Osun State from Friday, 7th March, 2014 to Sunday, 9th March, 2014, simultaneously with the conduct of the exercise in Ekiti State.”

     

     

  • APC flays PDP candidate for using masked gunmen

    APC flays PDP candidate for using masked gunmen

    •’He is afraid of his shadow’ 

    ALL Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the Osun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Otunba Iyiola Omisore, for using masked gunmen at his electioneering campaign for the August 9 election.

    The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement in Abuja yesterday, said the only reason Omisore could have resorted to hiring “ninjas” for protection was because he was afraid of his own shadow.

    It wondered how a man, who wants to rule a state, would be afraid to move freely among the same people whose votes he is seeking, saying the PDP candidate should “emulate Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who is barely distinguishable from the Osun ordinary citizens.”

    “Every month, Governor Aregbesola leads the people in a jogging exercise on the streets, during which he mixes freely with them. Not once has a ‘ninja’ been spotted behind him in the name of security.

    “During his ongoing electioneering campaign, Governor Aregbesola has continued with his tradition of being with the people without any invasive security. Mr. Omisore has a lot to learn from Aregbesola, and should realise that being a people’s governor goes beyond a made-for-television eating of roasted corn or riding of Okada,” APC said.

    The party said if the PDP governorship candidate had known the history of masked gun men or “ninjas,” he would not have resorted to the use of masked gunmen for protection.

    “The message which the use of masked gun men sends to the populace is that of intimidation, harassment, espionage, sabotage, assassination and terrorism. No one seeking to rule a state should want to be portrayed in that light. Therefore, we call on Mr. Omisore to immediately halt the use of masked gun men unless of course it is a deliberate ploy to intimidate and terrorise the same people he wants to govern,” it said.

    APC said it was bad judgment for anyone, least of all a public official, to resort to the use of ‘ninjas’ for security at a time the country is reeling from terrorist attacks that have left thousands of people dead or injured.

    The party wondered why uniformed or plain-cloth policemen as well as State Security Service (SSS) personnel were suddenly not good enough for the PDP candidate.

    “Mr. Omisore and the PDP should please spare the peaceful people of Osun State any further harassment and intimidation. The PDP should prevail on its candidate to be civil. A man who wants to rule a state should not be afraid to mix freely with the same people. Osun people say no to ‘ninjas’.

    “If Mr. Omisore and the PDP think we are crying wolf, they should monitor the comments being made on the picture that has been posted in the social media showing a ‘ninja’ standing behind the PDP governorship candidate. Perhaps then they will realise how much they have goofed,” it said.

     

  • Conduct your rally peacefully, engineers urge politicians

    Nigeria Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE), Osun State chapter, has appealed to political parties to conduct their rallies peacefully in order to avoid chaos and lawlessness in their quest to canvass for the electorate’s vote in the governorship election.

    The chapter’s chairman, Timothy Olusegun Abiona, who stated this in Osogbo, the state capital, urged politicians to concentrate on issues rather than personalities during the electioneering campaign.

    He noted that less than two months into election, all the stakeholders, particularly the politicians, should always put in mind the interest of the people.

    He added that politicians should also try to avoid campaign of calumny, which can trigger off political tension.

    He argued  that Governor Rauf Aregbesola with all his monumental projects that are scattered round the nooks and crannies of the state, he will not have any stress to government house again because he has done more than 80 per cent in the civil engineering projects.

    Abiona contended that the governor, within a period of just three and half years, has turned the Osun’s fortune around in terms of provision of infrastructural amenities, the type the state has not witnessed since its inception.

    He re-affirmed that the civil engineers would continue to assist the government in order to give it the required face-lift.

    Abiona, who assured his members that his tenure would witness a new innovation and take the organisation to the next level, added that the welfare of the people would    be his topmost priority throughout his reign.