The Nation Newspaper

Category: Osun 2014

Osun Election stories

  • Osun lawmakers, others arrested

    A major clampdown and shooting spree around the homes of leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State was reported at nightfall on Friday with armed and masked security agents surrounding and invading their homes.

    The Government Reservation Area home of Senator Bayo Salami was invaded by armed soldiers and security agents at midnight while the country home of the first civilian Governor of Osun State, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke was not spared of the invasion.
    The entrance gate of Salami’s house was forced open by the hooded security agents who fired sporadically to gain entrance into the compound to arrest him.
    The National Publicity Secretary of APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the State Secretary of APC, Prince Gboyega Famoodun were also attacked at midnight by armed soldiers.
    Already, the State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Sikiru Adetona Ayedun, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Wale Adedoyin,the Executive Secretary of Osogbo Local Government, Mr. Isiaka Faramade, the House of Assembly member representing Obokun and Ilesa State Constituencies, Hon. Femi Fafiyebi and Folarin Fafowora have all been arrested by armed soldiers and hooded security agents from their homes on Friday night.
    APC agents in Ifelodun and Ede South Local Governments have been arrested at the time of distribution of election materials by officials of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
    The Ede South Local Government chairman of APC, Alhaji Surajudeed Opalola was also arrested by the security agents.
    Also arrested and whisked to the office of the the SSS was Mr. Sunday Dare a communication expert.
    Spokesman of the APC, Kunle Oyatomi, in a swift reaction, said the wave of arrests and intimidation would further deepen defeat of the PDP.
    “It is a shame this is happening. This is democracy and our people are resolute on electing the leader they can trust,” Oyatomi said.

  • APC Spokesman, Mohammed arrested in Osun

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    The spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has reportedly been arrested by security agents in Osogbo, on the eve of the state’s governorship election.

    In a statement issued in Osogbo on Friday night, his personal assistant, Mr. Williams Adeleye, said he was on the phone with him when suddenly he heard voices said ‘you are under arrest, enter this vehicle’.

    Mr. Adeleye said his subsequent attempts to reach his boss failed, as his numbers all rang out.

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  • Photo: Osun elections 2014

    Photo: Osun elections 2014

  • LP candidate urges peace, denies stepping down

    The Labour Party candidate,Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, has enjoined stakeholders in the Osun State governorship election  not to see the contest as a do-or-die affair.
    Akinbade, who spoke at his residence in Osogbo on Friday, advised that peace should be allowed to reign to enable the electorate choose the candidate of their choice without being threatened under whatever guise.
    He said the maintenance of peace was the duty of everybody
    “While the security agents have their roles to play,we must make sure their efforts bear fruit by ensuring that we cooperate with them to make sure there is no break down of law and order.”
    He appealed that the exercise should be rancour-free,adding that nobody would gain from violence.
    “Nobody can force his or herself on the people. The electorate should not be coerced during this exercise,a development that can spark off trouble and violence does no one any good”
    The LP candidate who called on other contenders in the race and leaders of different parties to caution their supporters against heating the polity,also advised the INEC to remain unbiased with a view to making the exercise credible.
    Akinbade implored security agents to live up to expectations by protecting lives and property.
    “In as much as their presence is welcome,but they must ensure that people’s expectation from them does not fall short. The electorate’s confidence must be boosted which will give them the courage to troop out enmasse to cast their votes.     Akinbade has debunked insinuations that he has stepped down from today’s poll in support of the candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC) Governor Rauf Aregbesola and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
    Akinbade said rather than jettisoning his ambition for any candidate, he is assured of victory.
    He wondered why he would drop his ambition for Aregbesola or Omisore.
    He assured his supporters that he was still in the race.
    “Five of the groups campaigning for me just left now to talk to the real voters,” he said.
    Akinbade said he has surprises in store for his opponents today.
    He described the presence of posters of another LP candidate, Mr. Joseph Adetunji Oyewale, as a move by his opponents to diminish his chances.
    He said: “Those behind the move have failed. I defeated the scheme of the so-called candidate in court in the past. A few days to the election, his posters are appearing on the streets. He is not even recognised by the LP National Executive. That kind of a man suppose to be in jail by now. But we have reported the matter to the Police and they are handling it.”
    On five parties adopting Omisore as their candidates, he queried: “What is their strengths.”
    To him, “the five parties are paper weights.”
    The LP candidate praised the high presence of security personnel, saying the move would desist troublemakers from the “big parties” from causing havoc.
    He urged his supporters to come out en mass to vote for him.
  • Osun: Don’t set Nigeria on fire – Jakande

    Osun: Don’t set Nigeria on fire – Jakande

    The first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, has warned those in position of authority to be wary of actions that could lead to chaos in the country.

    Jakande bemoaned the “militarization of democratic process” as witnessed in Ekiti State and now in Osun, describing it as unfortunate.

    The veteran journalists said never in the history of the nation has election been so tense as the case of Osun governorship election.

    “Electorate should be allowed to freely choose their leader without molestation, inducement or harassment. The idea of deploying large number of security operatives is wrong and should not be encouraged. It discourage electorate from discharging their duty and gives room for impunity,” he said

    akande asserted that those heating the polity do not love Nigeria.

    Nigerians, he warned, should beware of desperate politicians who want to win election at all cost.

    He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to maintain its neutrality at all times, saying that allegations of connivance with particular political party is not good for the integrity of the commission.

    Meanwhile, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has described as appalling, soldiers’ appear in hoods in Osun State at a time when the state is soaked in election tension.

    MURIC said, “Soldiers in hoods can be anybody – fake security officials, political thugs, Boko Haram insurgents or Niger Delta militants. Anything is possible.”

  • Osun election: Security intercept ballot boxes

    Security agents have intercepted ballot boxes and other electoral materials at Gbongan in Osun state.

    According to our correspondent Adekunle Yussuf, there were already thumb printed and stuffed inside ballot boxes.

    Those arrested were taken to the headquarters of the State Security Services in Osogbo.

  • Osun: Travellers stuck on expressroad

    Ahead of tomorrow’s governorship election in Osun State, soldiers at Ile Ife junction on Ibadan – Akure expressway are stopping motorists on both sides of the busy road.

    Travelers to Abuja, Ekiti, Ondo, Kogi, Benue, from Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo States are stuck at the junction.

  • Osun poll: Shehu Sani warns against rigging

    The President, Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria, Comrade Shehu Sani, on Friday warned against the rigging of Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.

    He also asked Nigerians to resist coercion and brigandage in the state.

    Sani, who gave the warning in a statement, condemned the use of troops to intimidate voters in Osun State.

    He said: “The Osun State gubernatorial election must not be rigged. The massive deployment of troops and the gale of arrest of All Progressives Congress chieftains in the state stands condemned. The people of Osun and indeed all the people of Nigeria must stand firm in the defence of free, transparent and fair election in Osun.

    “Any attempt to rig the Osun election amounts to declaration of war against all Nigerians and a deliberate mutilation of our constitution. Ekiti must not repeat itself in Osun.

    “The use of heavily armed troops by the Federal Government is aimed at intimidating the voters of Osun just as it was done in Ekiti. Nigerians must resist coercion and brigandage.”

    Sani said it is possible for Nigerians to resist deployment of troops for elections nationwide.

    He added: “We fought military dictatorship to a stand still and we can together defeat the misuse of armed troops to rig elections.

    “The resort of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and their dogs to use the presence of soldiers to win elections is a testimony to their unpopularity. PDP believes and depends on physical force to win elections.

    “Injustice and evil flourishes when it’s not resisted at its budding stage. Osun elections will determine the sanity, orderliness or otherwise of the 2015 general elections. All Nigerians must be interested in what is happening in Osun.”

    He asked the people of Osun State to rally round Governor Rauf Aregbesola for second term in office.

    He said: “Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is a genuine progressive and an upholder of the politics of principles and ideology. He is a freedom fighter and an incorruptible leader. He competently and meritoriously deserve a good second term.

    “The people of Osun must resist the return of slavery and slave owing government of the PDP In the state. The people of Osun should not bring back the rusted chains of the PDP.”

  • INEC officials caught moving ‘sensitive materials’ in Osun

    INEC officials caught moving ‘sensitive materials’ in Osun

    Two Independent National Electoral Commission officials in Obokun local government  area of Osun State were reportedly arrested on Friday morning  for allegedly diverting sensitive election materials.

    One of the suspects, an electoral officer in the area, reportedly confessed to the act, but refused to mention who sent him.

    However, the official did not deny when confronted that he was seen inside vehicles belonging to a Peoples Democratic Party stalwart in Obokun.

    The call log of his mobile phone also showed  that he had regular communication with the PDP chief.

    The suspects would have been lynched by irate mob but for the quick intervention of policemen, report said,

    The suspects and the  INEC vehicle with registration number –  FG 816 V01, used in transporting the materials are presently held at the state CID office in Oshogbo.

  • Osun election: APC uncovers PDP’s alleged rigging plans

    Osun election: APC uncovers PDP’s alleged rigging plans

    Ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state has uncovered a ‘secret’ document on how the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) allegedly intends to rig the election.
    The National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Oyegun in a statement on Thursday said the document, marked boldly as ‘CONFIDENTIAL’, a copy of which is now in the possession of APC, Osun, contains the program of the PDP to rig the election and the projected results from the rigging exercise.
    The full text of the statement reads as follows:

    “De-register 47,000 by deleting their names from the Register. This is certainly to disenfranchise them on Saturday.

    “Programmed ballot paper designed. By this, the import is that the voting becomes distorted in favour of the PDP through a chemical process.

    “Programmed thumbprint. This is being done with a view of accounting for the lacunae created between those disenfranchised and those that failed to turn up for voting.

    “Impression on the ballot papers

    “Vanishing ink on the programmed ballot paper.

    “These two processes are part of the grandplan to manipulate the process through scientific rigging.

    “Polling units 1195

    Ward 155

    406,116.

    In preparation to harvest the brazen electoral heist being planned by the PDP, the document also outlines the pre-alloted scores for all the 30 Local Government Areas as follows-
    S/N
    LGA
    PDP PROJECTED VOTES
    1
    ATAKUNMOSA EAST
    10,000
    2
    ATAKUNMOSA WEST
    10,000
    3
    AYEDAADE
    15,000
    4
    AYEDIRE
    10,000
    5
    BOLUWADURO
    5,000
    6
    BORIPE
    10,000
    7
    EDE NORTH
    10,130
    8
    EDE SOUTH
    10,000
    9
    EGBEDORE
    10,000
    10
    10

    EJIGBO
    15,000
    11
    IFE CENTRAL
    35,000
    12
    IFEDAYO
    7,000
    13
    IFE EAST
    33,018
    14
    IFELODUN
    15,000
    15
    IFE NORTH
    20,000
    16
    IFE SOUTH
    20,000
    17
    ILA
    10,000
    18
    ILESA EAST
    10,000
    19
    ILESA WEST
    10,340
    20
    IREPODUN
    10,007
    21
    IREWOLE
    20,105
    22
    ISOKAN
    10,000
    23
    IWO
    15,000
    24
    OBOKUN
    10,203
    25
    ODO-OTIN
    10,107
    26
    OLA-OLUWA
    5,070
    27
    OLORUNDA
    15,000
    28
    ORIADE
    10,000
    29
    OROLU
    7,936
    30
    OSOGBO
    28,000

    TOTAL
    409,916

    The document further contains a meticulous outline of plans to rig the election Polling Unit by Polling Unit using pre-programmed ballot papers already designed, and thumb printed with vanishing ink in favor of PDP. The document further contains the plan to deploy specified numbers of impression ballot papers and vanishing ink in 1,195 polling units across 155 wards in all Local Government Areas in Osun. This, by their machination is expected to award the PDP a whooping 406,916 votes even before voting commences!

    This elaborate and audacious plan is to be carried out in connivance with key INEC officials from the National headquarters, and those deployed from other states with staunch backing of all security agencies deployed for the election, with particularly mobilized personnel, former militants and masked thugs impersonating security officials under a combined team code named ‘Election Task Force’ directly under the instructions of Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro (Minister of State for Defence) and Jelili Adesiyan (Minister of Police Affairs), Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode and Mr. Chris Uba mandated to intimidate and harass APC party chieftains, agents and sympathizers who are uncompromising or refuse their offer of filthy lucre.

    Evidently, PDP’s repeated boasts that it would capture Osun is predicated on this grand plan. This cannot be regarded as an empty boast considering the chronicle of recent PDP ‘abracadabras’ in Delta Senatorial, Anambra governorship and Ekiti governorship elections. All these points to the fact that PDP’s devilish plans to destroy our nascent democracy would stop at nothing to achieve its aim.

    We hereby put all stakeholders on red-alert. We call on Prof. Jega to ensure that his name does not go down in infamy as some others have. We also call on the new IGP, Mr. Abba and other security agents to show to Nigerians that they are truly professional and men and women of honor. We appeal to all Nigerians and particularly the Osun electorates to be extra vigilant and ensure that, their will is not subverted by this on-rushing brigade of evil. On our part, we shall put all machinery in place to safeguard the mandate of our teeming supporters as we shall resist all forms of intimidation or devilish manipulation of the voting process,

    According to our source, in the unlikely event that the above fails, violence must be unleashed on the people so as to forestall the announcement of the winner. In furtherance of this, Chris Ubah has been allocated fifty soldiers to terrorise , intimidate and maim the Osun voters. Additionally, to compliment this act of brigandage, three hundred thugs are camped by Omisore at Ballam Hotel, Bolonduro and are with unclaimed voters card.