The Nation Newspaper

Category: Osun 2018

Osun Decides

  • Osun debate: Oyetola, others promise education, health revolution 

    Plans to revolutionize education, health and other sectors were laid bare by candidates of some of the political parties participating in the Osun State governorship election in the final debate Thursday.

    The debate, which was organized by the TVC in conjunction with some civil society groups, was held at the WOCDIF Centre, Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

    The participants are Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Olugbenga Akintola of Alliance for Democracy (AD), Babatunde Loye of Labour Party (LP), Mercy Ayodele of Reformation Party of Nigeria (RPN) and Oluseyi Fabiyi of KOWA party.

    Candidates of the remaining four major parties – Social Democratic Party (SDP), African Democratic Party (ADP), People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) were absent.

    The organizers said they all promised to attend but failed to show up.

    On education, Oyetola said the Rauf Aregbesola administration has done well in education but that he would focus more on the technological aspect of education, give scholarships, train and retrain teachers and also sustain the free meal for students.

    Akintola promised to promote functional literacy and numeracy skills, improve funding for education and improve welfare of teachers.

    The other candidates also promised to train and retrain teachers and pay salaries regularly.

    On health, the APC candidate promised to embrace the National Health Insurance Scheme for workers, upgrade facilities of primary health centres, equip them with drugs and motivate medical workers.

    Other candidates also promised to motivate health workers, build mega hospitals whose services will be paid for as well as embrace health insurance.

    On job creation, Oyetola pledged to sustain the Osun State Youths Employment Scheme dubbed OYES, create five new farm settlements and give incentives to youths to go into agriculture. He further promised to look at exploring the value chain in agriculture that includes processing, transportation and storage, among others.

    Fabiyi promised to build technology village in the three senatorial zones to harness the skills of artisans for development.

    For Loye, the way to succeed in job creation in times like this is to encourage youths to go into technology related businesses.

     

  • Osun 2018: Security beef up in Osogbo

    As the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) put finishing touches to its preparation for Saturday’s governorship election in Osun state, security is being beefed up within Osogbo, the state capital and some of its adjourning towns.

    Earlier Thursday morning, at the commission’s office located on the Gbongan/Ibadan road, security men who were deployed to the state on election duties were seen arriving to be accredited and briefed on their involvement in the election process. Accreditation of security and other officials, including pressmen and election monitors was still ongoing as at the time of filing this report.

    Expectedly, security has been beefed up at and around the INEC office. Some other locations within the state capital, including the state secretariat at Abere and the Central Bank of Nigeria building on Ede road, among others, are also being manned by security operatives.

    Not less than two armoured personnel carriers (APC) were sighted by our correspondent at the entrance of INEC office while another one was noticed around the Olaiya axis of the state.

    Read Also: Osun: INEC’s ban on phones will reduce vote buying – CSO

    Men of the Counter Terrorism Unit as well as mobile and regular policemen are involved in the task of providing security for lives and properties as the people of Osun prepare to elect a new governor on Saturday.

    The Nation also learnt that the security beef up in the town may not be unconnected with the arrival of sensitive materials meant to be used during Saturday’selection, earlier in the day. Sources who spoke to our reporters said the commission took early delivery of the materials to avoid any delay in the distribution of the materials for the election.

    “With the sensitive materials in town, one can understand the security beef up around town. It is all to forestall any attempt by any person or group to act funny. Don’t forget that 18, 426 policemen were deployed to be part of this election process. We are taking the issue of security very serious as we go along,’ he said.

  • Osun: INEC’s ban on phones will reduce vote buying – CSO

    YIAGA Africa, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), said the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) ban on phones in voting booths during the Osun governorship election would reduce vote buying and selling.

    Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu, a board member of YIAGA Africa in a statement said that the group under its Watching The Vote (WTV) project deployed 561 observers to monitor the pre, during and post election environment of Osun.

    Nwagwu said that 500 stationary observers, 32 mobile citizen observers and 30 collation observers would be sent to 250 polling units across the 30 Local Government Areas of Osun to observe the election.

    “As noted during the 2018 Ekiti governorship election, the Osun governorship election may be decided by the highest bidder.

    “This is based on prevalence of voter inducement that precedes Election Day voting.

    “With this in mind, WTV welcomes the reorganisation of polling units by INEC in its bid to protect the secrecy of ballot.

    “ Specifically, we welcome the ban on use of phones in the voting cubicles or voting booth, if properly enforced, WTV believes it will reduce the incidence of vote buying and selling at the polling unit.”
    Nwagwu urged voters to resist any attempt by politicians to subvert the process through material inducement or cash.

    He also urged voters to make informed voting choices based on capacity, character and competence of candidates and not amount of cash or gift items distributed by parties and candidates.

    He said that the group also identified some early warnings that needed attention.

    He said that the WTV observers reported cases of violent physical or verbal attacks, vandalism, destruction of properties, inflammatory and inciting statements and recruitment of political thugs by a candidate or the supporters.

    He said that these incidences could potentially lead to breach of peace if not abated.

    He said that the group was concerned with the growing rate of fake news and misinformation in the public space ahead of the election.

    Nwagwu said that this was dangerous and could negatively influence political behaviour in this election.

    He said the group urged INEC and security agencies to remain alert and counter fake news and misinformation in a timely and expeditious manner.

    The official said that sponsors and peddlers of fake news and misinformation should be reprimanded and sanctioned in line with legal stipulations.

    He said that the group reiterated its call that security agents on election duty should uphold the principles of non-partisanship, transparency, civil policing and professionalism in the conduct of their affairs.

    He urged security agencies deployed for the election to respect the rights of citizens and observers, including the right to freedom of movement on Election Day for duly accredited observers.

    He, however, expressed concerned with the influx of top government functionaries from other states into Osun, adding that such officials should be barred from moving around with security agents.

    Nwagwu said that on Election Day, WTV observers would report to their assigned polling units at 7:00 am and remain there throughout setup, accreditation and voting, counting and the announcement and posting of the official results.

    He said that throughout the day, every citizen observer at sampled polling units will send in eleven coded text messages to the Osun data centre located at Ideal Nest Hotel, Osogbo.

    He said that once the text messages are received at YIAGA Africa’s data centre, they would be processed and reviewed to ensure the information is complete, authentic and accurate.

    “We urge the electorate to remain calm even in the face of challenges that may arise as every Osun voter has the right to participate irrespective of party affiliation.” he said.

    Nwagwu said that in the interests of transparency and accountability, INEC should make polling unit results publicly available in a timely manner.

    This, he said, would enhance the confidence of political parties, contestants and the public in the accuracy of the official results.

    He encouraged all registered, with their cards to go out on Saturday, Sept. 22 to vote their choice in the Governorship Election

  • Osun 2018: Saraki, Fayose accuse INEC, police of compromise 

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, have accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigerian police of colluding with the Federal Government to rig elections in states.

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains made the accusation while addressing reporters in Ede, Osun State after the party’s mega rally for its governorship candidate, Sen. Ademola Adeleke.

    Read Also:Oyetola: why Osun deserves govt of continuity

    Saraki said he has observed a trend in recent elections where results declared by INEC shows a huge invalidated number of votes with a narrow margin with which candidates win.

    He said the trend showed in the Bauchi National Assembly bye-election and Ekiti State governorship election.

    Saraki warned INEC and the Federal Government to desist from the trend, saying it is the latest style of rigging the elections in favour of All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates.

    He said the trend must not repeat itself in tomorrow’s governorship election in Osun State.

    He faulted the declaration of Sen. Adeleke wanted by the police two days before the election.

    His words: “There is a pattern that we have seen and we hope that in this election of Osun we will not see that. When you look at the margin of victory between the party that wins and that party that loses, and you look at the amount of cancellation, you tend to see that the difference is almost the same. We are seeing that trend here, we saw it in Bauchi bye- election and to me, there’s something fishy going on.

    “And so it’s important in a credible election, there should not be that amount of cancellation. And I think INEC needs to step up. In the 2015 election, we never saw this level of cancellation. This is a new trend that is very disturbing and I hope that in this election INEC will show how credible it is and ensure invalid votes should not be like that. When cancellation is more than the margin of victory, then that election carries a big question mark.

    When asked about the level of confidence with which PDP was going into the Osun election, Fayose said the process was already compromised.

    He said: “It is not about level of confidence. We are talking about the process, the process leading to an election. INEC has been compromised, police have been compromised. When they want to arrest they will arrest PDP. When they are doing vote buying it is PDP that will be arrested, not APC. It is whoever police call a criminal that is a criminal. When already police are taking sides, what do we say to that? When you are telling us what level of confidence?  It is about the system, the process. If I come here and arrest you with gun what will you do? If they have the effrontery to say they are declaring the candidate of PDP in an election that is 48 hours away as the criminal to create a perception, you can imagine.”

    He added: “They are taking this state one after the other and they forget that nothing will last forever. We must all condemn this unnecessary, unwarranted assault on democracy…

    “For APC to come here and start talking about corruption, we have had enough of that. I wrote to EFCC that I will be coming on the 16th. I am still a sitting governor, you are declaring me wanted. You said they should be looking for me. I am here today. When I was passing the airport I had to look for Customs officers to tell them ‘I am here if you need someone to arrest.’

    “This is not the country of our dream; this is not the democracy of our dream. For anybody to say PDP wants to rig this election it’s exactly what they want to do that they are now laying on others. You saw what happened in Ekiti. Have you ever seen a governorship election won by under 20,000 votes? They won with 19,000 votes and voided votes were 18,000. The one the Senate President was talking about, their strategy is to invalidate most of the votes when they know that it is not adding up for them. This is not the spirit at all.

    “And I want to say to them if they like they should set Nigeria ablaze. They must remember the children yet unborn. Those who are benefiting from this wickedness should remember that if the last administration were to be like this they would never have got there.”

  • Osun poll: WAEC tenders Adeleke’s result in court

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has confirmed that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, sat for its examination in 1981.

    WAEC’s confirmation is in its response to an order made on September 11 by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Bwari, Abuja, directing the examination body to produce evidence of Adeleke’s result.

    Justice Othman Musa had, on September 11, while ruling on an ex-parte motion by the plaintiffs, ordered WAEC, to among others, provide evidence that Adeleke sat for its May/June 1981 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination.

    Justice Musa also ordered Adeleke to show cause why he should not grant other reliefs sought by the plaintiffs, including an order disqualifying him as a candidate of the PDP for the election.

    The order was on a suit marked: FCT/HC/BW/CV/122/2018 filed by Wahab Adekunle Raheem and Adam Omosalewa Habeeb.

    In its affidavit sworn to by Henry Sunday Adewunmi Osindeinde, a Deputy Registrar/Head of School Examination Department, WAEC said Adeleke sat for the May/June 1981 examination at Ede Muslim High School, Yidi Road, Ede, with Centre Number: 19645 and Candidate Number 149.

    WAEC attached a copy of the results of all 122 candidates who sat for the May/June 1981 in Ede Muslim High School.

    In the attached results, Adeleke is listed as number 149. He sat for only English Language in which he scored F9.

    He was said not to have sat for Literature in English, Islamic Knowledge, Geography, Economics, Mathematics and Biology.

    Osindeinde said in the affidavit: “By virtue of my position as Deputy Registrar/Head of School Examination Department, I have read the enrolled order of this court (specifically orders iv, v and vi) dated 11th September 2018 directing and compelling the WAEC to depose to an affidavit confirming or denying the said orders contained in the said enrolled order and referred to in this paragraph and I wish to state as follows:

    ”The said candidate named in this suit known as Adeleke Ademola, with Centre Number 19645 and Candidate Number 149, indeed sat for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination in May/June 1981 conducted by the council at Ede Muslim High School situate at P. O. Box 6 Yidi Road, Ede, State of Osun.

    ”The copy of the result listing referred to by the court order as the ledger containing the results of all the candidates (001 – 221) who sat for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination in the said school is hereby certified, attached and marked: Exhibit WA1.”

    Adeleke is yet to file any response to the case and complied with the court’s order asking him to show cause why the plaintiffs’ reliefs should not be granted.

    It is the plaintiffs’ contention that Adeleke’s claim that he sat for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination in May/June 1981 could not be true because Secondary School Certificate Examination had not been introduced then.

    What was in existence then was the West African School Certificate examination.

    The court that had slated Wednesday for further proceedings in the case, did not sit because the judge was away on an official assignment.

    The court’s Registrar, with the agreement of lawyers in the case Bankole Komolafe (for the plaintiffs) and Nathaniel Oke, SAN (for Adeleke), adjourned the hearing till September 25.

    Also yesterday, the police Adeleke to report to the Special Investigation Panel at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

    Also invited are: Mr. Sikiru Adeleke, Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau, the head teacher of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School in Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State; Mr Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo, the school official responsible for the registration of candidates for the National Examinations Council (NECO) and Mr Dare Olutope, the teacher the police accused of aiding the alleged crime.

    But President Muhammadu Buhari ordered Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris to stop the invitation to Adeleke.

    A Presidency source, who spoke in confidence, told reporters that the President ordered that Adeleke should not be invited until after Saturday’s election.

    Force Headquarters spokesman Jimoh Moshood, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), had invited Adeleke and four others through a statement.

    The police invitation is premised on alleged examination malpractice, criminal conspiracy, impersonation, breach of duty as well as aiding and abetting among the five persons.

    The police, yesterday, also filed charges of examination malpractice, criminal conspiracy, impersonation, breach of duty, aiding and abetting against Adeleke and others at the Federal High Court, Abuja, under the Examination Malpractice Act, CAP E15, 2004.

    The senator and the others are expected to report at the Force Headquarters for immediate arraignment in court.

    On police findings while investigating Adeleke, the statement said: “Investigation revealed the following prima facie and culpability facts against Senator Adeola Adeleke and four others.

    “Senator Adeleke made cautionary statement and admitted that he registered for the 2017 NECO examinations as an internal student in the said school and did not sit for the examination but have a result from NECO with seven Credits and one Pass, a copy of which was obtained from NECO by the police.

    “The Ojo/Aro 2017 NECO, SSCE school photo album (school’s copy) with Senator Adeleke and Sikiru Adeleke photographs in school uniform in the said album.

    “Senator Adeleke, in the NECO 2017 result obtained by the police claimed that he was born on June 12, 1997 but in his statement to the Police, Senator Ademola Adeleke wrote May 13, 1960 as his date of birth.

    “The photographs of Senator Adeleke and Sikiru Adeleke appearing side by side in the photo album have no NECO stamps on them.

    “Senator Adeleke and four others were arrested, investigated, granted bail and being charged to court.”

    On the charges against the suspects, the police said: “Charges of examination malpractice, criminal conspiracy, impersonation, breach of duty, aiding and abetting against Senator Adeleke and Mr Sikiru Adeleke, Alhaji Mufutau, Mr Ojo and Mr Olutope have been filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, under the Examination Malpractice Act, CAP E15, 2004 on September 19.

    “Senator Adeleke and four others are hereby advised in their own interest to report to the Special Investigation Panel, Force Headquarters, Abuja, immediately for arraignment in court.”

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday cautioned the police to desist from what it called a witch-hunt of Senator Adeleke.

    Accusing the police of acting the script of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) against Adeleke and the PDP, the main opposition deplored the latest police action on the politician.

    A statement by its spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan described the police allegation against Adeleke as laughable, horrible, nauseating and displeasing.

    The party faulted the sudden realisation by the police that Adeleke was involved in NECO examination malpractice in 2017 as well as his subsequent invitation.

    The statement said: “While the PDP is in no way against any legitimate effort by any security agency in the discharge of its duties, we totally reject this unrelenting attempt to use trumped-up charges to take down our candidate, simply because the All Progressives Congress (APC) has realised that he is coasting to victory.

    “Perhaps, the police need to be educated that the West African Examination Council (WAEC) has already confirmed that Senator Adeleke wrote his WAEC examination in 1981, thus ending the earlier unnecessary controversy about his WAEC status…”

    “Moreover, this is the same police that have not been able to invite the disgraced erstwhile minister of finance, Kemi Adeosun, who confessed to having a forged NYSC Exemption Certificate or the Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution and Chairman of the Special Investigative Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, whose certificate, WAEC openly told the National Assembly, was fake.

    “More so, there are several leaders in APC, whose certificates have been questioned and which the police have not considered it needful to conduct the littlest investigation.”

    The PDP charged the Inspector General of Police to protect the integrity of the Force by immediately calling his officers hounding Senator Adeleke to order.

    “The issue of who becomes the governor of Osun State resides with the people of Osun and nothing should be allowed to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the election,” the PDP added.

  • Oyetola: why Osun deserves govt of continuity

    Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the battle for the Bola Ige House and the chances of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the poll.

    Osun State is warming up for a critical contest. Many believe it may be a festival of choice and change. On Friday, residents will troop out to choose Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s successor. The poll will herald a new dawn in less than 70 days. What are the issues that will shape the exercise?

    No fewer than 48 candidates are eyeing the Bola Ige House. But, only five-Gboyega Oyetola (All progressives Congress (APC), Ademola Adeleke (Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyiola Omisore (Social Democratic Party (SDP), Moshod Adeoti (African Democratic Party) and Fatai Akinbade (African Democratic Congress)-are serious contenders.

    Analysts have predicted a tough battle. The exercise may not be a walk over. One of the factors that is likely to shape the poll is merit. To the people, competence is key. This may have made observers to single out Oyetola as the flag bearer likely to carry the day. His party is formidable. In the last seven and half years, he has acquired more experience about governance in Osun and he is conversant with the challenges.

    Besides, his party has worked for the development of the state under the indefatigable Governo Rauf Aregbesola, whose sterling performance in eight years cannot be ignored. Many believe that Oyetola has been the stabiliser of the administration and a key driver of the giant strides.

    During the direct primary that thre him up as candidate, there was a momentary split. Predictably, it was a stormy shadow poll. Feathers were somehow ruffled. However, the  skirmishes contained. Although his major rival, Adeoti, called it quits with the platform, APC has remained formidable as a party to beat on Saturday.

    Aspirants and other chieftains who were aggrieved, following the emergence of the former Chief of Staff as flag bearer, have reiterated confidence in his ability and in the wider accommodation provided by ruling party. They have resolved to close ranks for the party’s ultimate victory.

    Oyetola, a fair player who strongly believes in the saying that “a tree does not make a forest,” has reached out to many of them and succeeded in winning them back to the fold.

    However, observers said that those who have refused to accept the olive branch are in the minority and may not have the capacity to muster enough votes that can stop him.

    Poll-confident stalwarts who expressed the optimism, said that no matter how tough the contest may seem, the APC candidate would emerge winner.

    A party chieftain from Ilesa said: “”That he won the primary against some formidable forces that include Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Lasun Yusuf; former Secretary to Government Moshood Adeoti and over 20 others that contested for the APC ticket with him, speaks volume of his ability.”

    For Oyetola, the future is more important than the present.  When he was appointed as Chief of Staff, little did he guess that he will also be part of the struggle for the driver’s seat. He has worked with faith and fidelity as a principal aide of the governor. He is also at home with the party as a member of the progressive bloc since 1999.

    According to party chieftains, Oyetola has rendered exemplary service to the people of his state, adding that he has acquitted himself with governance and its intricacies that he was practically into everything in the government, especially during Aregbesola’s second term in office.

    The Southwest progressive bloc is pushing for a government of continuity, with Oyetola as its symbol. On his chances, the party chairman, Gboyega Famodun, said the candidate is coming to build on the feats already achieved by his former boss. “The people of the State of Osun know what is good for them and they will make a good choice in person of Gboyega Oyetola, a man of experience, honour, reputation and integrity,” added.

    Also, Aregbesola’s Special Adviser on Information, Semiu Okanlawon, said: “We don’t really need to lose sleep over the election concerning Oyetola’s victory on Saturday. It is a fait accompli. It is a payback time. The good people of Osun State would use the election as a parting gift to His Excellency, Rauf Aregbesola.

    “One good turn deserves another. If you look at the work the outgoing administration has done in the state, particularly in the areas of education, infrastructure, social re-engineering of the state, you would appreciate the commitment to governance. We anchor our campaign on continuity.

    He added: “The Oyetola administration will continue with the strides the Aregbesola government has made. You know in Nigeria, the brand of politics people play is a bad one.People appropriate government and personalise it rather than making it a continuum, which it is actually what it is; that is why we see abandoned projects in many states because a new administration that does not understand the meaning of development would just come on board and begin to jettison progressive foundation instead of building on it.

    “They would start another foundation which they would not be able to complete. We do not want such a thing in the state of Osun. Oyetola will build on the successes Aregbesola has made, and that is continuity, no dislocation. This is the message we have continued to drive into the consciousness of our people. I am glad they have really understood that message perfectly. So, Saturday is just going to be a formality; an endorsement by the good people of Osun.”

    The messages of continuity and consolidation at rallies are not falling on deaf ears. An analyst said: “Should this message be bought by the electorate, many of whom rate highly the Aregbesola’s reign, it may translate into huge votes for the APC candidate.”

    Also, the people’s perception about the candidate is positive. He has been calm and calculating during campaigns. Oyetola spoke on his drive, saying: “Our core agenda is continuity and consolidation. The six integral action plan of the out-going administration has transformed the Osun landscape and changed the face of infrastructure in the state.”

    He added:  “We shall be guided by the invaluable experiences we have acquired from the implementation of the six-point integral action plan of banishing hunger, poverty, unemployment; restoring healthy living, promoting functional education and enhancement of communal peace and progress enunciated by the Aregbesola-led administration. We will ensure that the plan is objectively reviewed for effectiveness and efficiency in order to learn from what worked and what did not quite work.

    “My approach shall be innovation, quality, accountability and effective teaching. Technical and vocational education will be strengthened to provide technical skills for our people. Higher education will not be left out. The focus of higher education will not be left out. The focus of higher tertiary education will be to produce self-reliant individuals.”

    Oyetola is also seen as a perfect successor to Aregbesola by many keen followers of political events in the state going by the the enormous influence he wields in the current administration and to keep the machinery of state moving at same tempo and direction.

    “Oyetola is the best man for the job”, said Olu Akinola. He further said: “Having understudied  Aregbesola for eight years, Oyetola appears well-grounded and prepared to wear the big shoes of his boss. His brilliance, calmness, thoroughness and ability to pay attention to details must have endeared him to many, especially core professionals, academics and other categories of people in the state. I have no doubt that he will garner block votes from these quarters, and he will ultimately emerge victorious.

    “The fact that Osun Central where the candidate comes from, has the largest number of voters and also has Osogbo and Olorunda Local Government Areas, whose votes gave Aregbesola almost 40 percent of the votes that made him governor in 2014, is also to the advantage of the APC candidate.”

    The candidate has the backing of prominent APC stalwarts, including Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who is expected to throw his weight behind him.  But, the candidate is not a poor man.  Oyetola has the financial wherewithal to fight a legitimate battle. He is isolalated from the pack of politicians struggling for power because they see politics as a means of livelihood.

    Speaking on his chances, even if there is gang up against him under the guise of coalition, he said: “Coalition, alliance and mergers are part of the antics of power struggle in a democracy. But, obviously that is and can never be a threat to my ambition.

    “Sovereignty rests with the people. They are the ultimate judge who will, on Saturday decide who gets their mandate. The people are sufficiently knowledgeable and conscious of what they want. The APC has served them transparently and inclusively in the last eight years.

    “The people want continuity of governance. They want their children to continue to eat free and nourishing food in schools. They know that we value education. They want to continue to enjoy soft loan for business, and they know we are the ones that can serve them better.

    “They know such alliance is a mere conspiracy to impose people with little or no capacity to provide the required leadership. They know we are not pretenders. I am confident that come Saturday, good people of Osun State will return the APC government to the Government House.”

    Aregbesola, Oyetola is a candidate to beat, stressing that  he has justified his capacity and capability as a man of impeccable character and worthwhile personality, who remains dogged and forthright to all policies that had impacted positively the lives of the citisens.

    He added: “We are not in doubt about Oyetola’s competence and ability. He is calm and much more reserved. He knows the job and he will serve our people. He will advance the development programme of our party.”

  • As Osun goes to the polls

    FORGET the brickbats. Put aside the empty sentiments. The jokes. The dull, drab and dumb debates. The gossip and the beer-parlour talk. Dump them all. Let’s get down to brass tacks.

    Osun State is lucky. There is an army of candidates – 48 in all – running in Saturday’s governorship election. With the field so crowded, it is easy for the less discerning to lump them all together – the serious, the tricksters and the pranksters.

    Of all the candidates, five seem to be the front runners. All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Gboyega Oyetola; Moshood Adeoti Shehu, African Democratic Party (ADP); Ademola Adeleke, People’s Democratic Party (PDP); Iyiola Omisore, Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Fatai Akinmade, African Democratic Congress (ADC). All are eminently qualified to get the trophy.

    Adeoti used to chair the APC. He was prominent in the days of the struggle to retrieve Rauf Aregbesola’s stolen mandate from the PDP predators who had seized the state by the throat. After Aregbesola’s legal victory, Adeoti mounted the saddle as chairman. He landed the prestigious Secretary to the State Government (SSG) post.

    When it was time to choose an APC candidate to join the race for Aregbesola’s successor, Adeoti threw his hat in the ring. He expected that the prize should be his, naturally. “I have suffered a lot for this party,” he was quoted as saying. The elders rejoined – trust elders and their wisdom – that he was right. “Eight years as SSG after being chairman; what suffering could be bigger than that? No greater sacrifice can a true party man make,” he was told.

    Before the APC could decide on the way forward, a divisive and bitter campaign had taken off. Enter “West lokan”(it is the turn of the West). Suddenly, it was no longer in the best interest of the state to have the best; just anybody as long as he is from the West.

    The party organised a free and fair primary. Sadly, not many members remembered how Adeoti “suffered” for them. By direct primary, they chose Oyetola. Adeoti and his associates stomped out of the party to berth at ADP.

    Adeoti studied Business Administration at the University of Benin (UNIBEN). From 1975 to 1978, he was the manager at Igbehin Adun Sawmill in his Iwo hometown.

    Wherever he goes now, his supporters scream “Sheeeehu!” and many mistake him for a famous Islamic scholar who goes by that name, but he is not bearded.

    Otunba – sorry; I take that back – Dr Iyiola Omisore is widely seen as a pugnacious fellow who hugs controversy like a long-lost-and-found lover. He is seen as brash and harsh. His associates dismiss that as a wrong impression. He is just audacious, they say, stressing that this is in no way a bad quality.

    On account of the N1.7b he was said to have got from the N4.6b collected from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in the days of the PDP bazaar, he is seen as tainted. In fact, it is said, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would not let him rest until he pays back the cash in full. What they forget is that everybody who was somebody in the PDP – Omisore was indeed a political juggernaut– was a partaker of the largesse.

    Those who obviously would like to provoke the usually reticent politician and master of the cut and thrust politics by alluding to the Bola Ige murder must remember that a court had long ago found Omisore not guilty of the crime.  They should also remember that Omisore’s kinsmen voted him as senator while he was in prison – a record no Nigerian politician  has matched. What greater love can a people show their dearest son!

    Now, the former deputy governor is running a familiar race; he wants to be governor – to crown a glorious political career that opponents describe as turbulent and full of desperation. They say he loves corn-on-the-cob so much that he chomps two cobs at a time, one in each hand.

    Until the sudden passage of Senator Isiaka Adeleke, little was known about his younger brother Ademola, now a senator – thanks to a sympathetic electorate who felt the family deserved to be compensated with the seat.

    Adeleke has a family tree festooned with frontline entertainers, businessmen and politicians. He has since become famous after taking his seat in the Red Chamber. This is not on account of the motions he has moved. Nor is it for his contributions, rendered with remarkable oratory. Nor for his erudition on and off the floor.

    But, fair is fair; no lawmaker – living or dead – has Senator Adeleke’s dancing skills.

    To those who know him, this is no surprise. He used to be a disc jockey in the United States, they claim. Video clips of his dancing skills have suffused the social media. You cannot but marvel at how he does it; he is obese, yet he swings his waist like a teenager’s, rolls his massive buttocks seductively and swings his hands like a master choreographer’s.

    Everywhere he performs, the audience keeps screaming: “Wow! More! More!” He reminds many of the late pop icon, Michael Jackson and the dancer Jeffrey Daniels of the American band, Shalamar.

    Adeleke’s fans are already visualising the great tourism potential of a dancing governor. A huge disco hall at the Government House, free shows for residents at festive seasons and street parties for all.

    To his opponents, however, such prospect of an unending parties makes no sense. They say the distinguished senator often puts his foot in his mouth. They refer to a video in which he says Aliko Dangote, the shrewd business giant and Femi Otedola, the diesel magnate who has recently been threatening to join the race for Lagos governor, promised to daze Osun residents with cash to pave the way for his (Adeleke’s) governorship.

    His opponents, who are obviously busybodies and idle critics, swore that Adeleke never went to school. They have since been put to shame as liars. The senator did not only go to school, he has a WASSCE result showing that he actually sat for the exam and failed in just one subject, the only one he attempted. Is there any crime in that?

    Adeleke  actually enrolled in a university. Perhaps unable to figure out how it would help his career, he quit. Again, any crime in that?

    Goaded on by his people, Adeleke has since set his hand to the plough, but the busybodies, aforementioned, are asking no one in particular: “Is this your best?”

    Akinmade, an engineer, is a former SSG. He used to chair the PDP when the party had the state in its pocket and winning elections was as simple as ABC. Besides, he used to be Works Commissioner (1994-1998).

    When he failed to get the PDP’s ticket, he defected to the ADC, the one backed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who once swore that he was done with partisan politics.

    Handing Akinmade the mandate, in the view of his critics, amounts to returning Osun to what President Muhammadu Buhari called the “dark days”. Undaunted and confident, Akinmade soldiers on.

    Oyetola has a Bachelor’s (B.Sc.) degree in Insurance and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA), Finance. He worked in Leadway, Crusader and Alliance and General Insurance before founding Silvertrust Insurance Brokers, which he ran until his appointment as Chief of Staff to the governor – a job he did with remarkable passion and dexterity.

    He was chairman of Ebony Properties, Executive Vice Chairman, Paragon Group and Director, Pyramid Securities Ltd. His campaign is built around the continuity theme. Continuity of what? His critics ask derisively. He replies eloquently: “Continuity of the fantastic infrastructural development embarked on by the Aregbesola administration – those beautiful schools, roads and bridges – the school pupils’ feeding programme, the big investment in security that has made bank robbery a suicidal venture, the health projects, including the ‘O Ambulance’  and many more.”

    Oyetola is that steady hand that Osun needs now; not some revisionists threatening to bring the roof down on everyone. When brain counts and brawn is of no use; when experience counts and apprenticeship is out of the way and when wisdom counts as against tomfoolery,  Oyetola is the man. My money is on him.

     

    Dariye and the limits of confidence

    FORMER Plateau State Governor Joshua Dariye does not seem to have faced the reality of his doing time in prison. He has obtained the expression of interest and nomination forms to contest the next senatorial election.

    He is serving a 14-year jail term for fraud. It is not that his party, APC, is short of aspirants; there are two others. But Mr Chindo Dafat, the publicity secretary, believes that with his popularity – indeed – Dariye will carry the day.

    Breaking: Court sentences Dariye to 16 years imprisonment
    Joshua Dariye

    It is true that no law stops Dariye from obtaining the nomination and expression of interest forms, but whatever happened to our values? He has appealed his conviction and we are praying for him, Dafat said.

    But why put the cart before the horse? Why not wait for the court’s verdict before running?

    What drives Dariye’s ambition? The public interest he so blatantly betrayed? Sheer selfishness? Conceit? Mere fancy?  I really don’t know.

    Dariye should reflect more and be sober. The race can do without him.

  • Osun 2018: Why Oyetola fits the bill

    One of the primary functions of party leaders in a democracy is to ensure the emergence of candidates for political positions, who would uphold party principles, respect its constitution, and effectively implement its agenda. The leaders of all political parties which fielded candidates for the Osun governorship election to be held on Saturday, September 22, engaged in various manoeuvres in performing this essential function. Some arranged elaborate party primaries, while others endorsed so-called consensus candidates. In yet other cases, candidates were swapped in the last minute to accommodate party switchers.

    Gboyega Oyetola emerged as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress after an elaborate direct (open) primary. Ìlérí Olúwa (God’s promise) is the inspirational slogan of his governorship campaign. How he came about the slogan is a story for another day; let it suffice that he believes strongly in its divine inspiration.

    Oyetola is one of 48 or so candidates for the Osun governorship race. However, it is generally believed that there are only five top contenders, namely, Oyetola (APC); Demola Adeleke (Peoples Democratic Party); Iyiola Omisore (Social Democratic Party); Moshood Adeoti (Action Democratic Party); and Fatai Akinbade (African Democratic Congress). As the race moves nearer and nearer to the finish line, close observers would argue that it is between the candidates of APC and PDP, because of the profiles of the two political parties and their candidates.

    To be sure, each candidate has his strengths and weaknesses; but Oyetola is far ahead of the field in several respects. First, he has the most relevant qualifications and experience to be the governor of Osun State at this time in the state’s history. Of the top five candidates, he is the only one with university credentials and broad experiences in financial management as well as business and public administration, having attained his Bachelor’s and Masters degrees in these fields from the University of Lagos.

    These are extremely relevant qualifications, given the financial challenges facing the state. Armed with these qualifications, he had served in top management positions in various insurance companies before establishing his own company, which he successfully managed with handsome returns until he was appointed the Chief of Staff to the outgoing governor, Rauf Aregbesola. It was in this position that he brought his financial expertise to bear on steering the state through these austere times.

    He was involved in negotiating the payment of modulated salaries by which workers on levels 1-7 (a whopping 72 per cent of the workforce) got full salaries, while workers on levels 8-11 (20 per cent of the workforce) were paid 75 per cent of their salaries. The top echelon of workers on level 12 upwards, which constitutes only eight per cent of the workforce, got 50 per cent for their salaries. Oyetola was also involved in the arrangements for the recent payment of full salaries and arrears as well as pension for all affected workers. As he indicated on Sunday, September 16, during the governorship debate, he is committed to the continued payment of full salaries, if elected.

    Second, Oyetola’s eight-year service as the Chief of Staff puts him in the best position to sustain the developmental strides of the government. In particular, his involvement in implementing the government’s Six-Point Integral Action Plan puts him in good stead to sustain it. Today, the plan, which is ongoing across various sectors, includes massive development of township roads, including the ring road around Osogbo, and the Rural Access and Mobility Project, partly funded by the World Bank and the French Development Agency.

    Particularly notable in the plan is the focus on improving the school’s educational attainments, including the restructuring and reclassification of primary and secondary schools in order to facilitate the free feeding of vulnerable children in the elementary grades, while preserving the country’s 6-3-3-4 system of education; the provision of free meals and free school uniforms; the development of centres of excellence in the primary and secondary education system through the construction of mega schools, while also renovating and preserving existing school buildings where necessary; and capacity building workshops for teachers, especially in English Language and Mathematics.

    Other aspects of the plan include a focus on agriculture; improved healthcare facilities and delivery; social welfare for the vulnerable elderly; the provision of recreational facilities, such as Mandela Park in Osogbo; and a vigorous drive to improve the state’s Internally Generated Revenue.

    The sustainability of these projects is crucial to the development of Osun State, which is presently considered as (a) one of the fastest growing state economies in the country and (b) the best state in the provision of social welfare programmes.

    Oyetola is the only candidate who campaigned on consolidating and sustaining this plan, while others have vowed to disrupt it, beginning with verbal disruption through misrepresentation and outright falsehoods. To be sure, there are holes in the plan, which need to be filled, just as there are necessary modifications in the light of current financial realities. Oyetola acknowledges these gaps and plans to take appropriate measures to fill them.

    Third, Oyetola is a solid, reliable, and loyal individual, endowed with enviable temperament and noble mien. He confronts difficult situations with a muted smile and then goes on to do the right thing. He certainly is more of a doer than a talker. His loyalty to causes has been demonstrated times without number. For example, he is the only one among the top five contenders who has never switched political parties. Rather, he has consistently aligned with the progressive trajectory of Alliance for Democracy, Action Congress, Action Congress of Nigeria, and now APC. He was never caught or even suspected of wavering or aligning with the opposition or working against the party’s interest. No wonder he earned the accolades of his colleagues and his boss as the most loyal party man, who stood by party principles and agenda, where others wavered.

    Oyetola might not have displayed all of these qualities during the governorship debate last Sunday. In my own assessment, there was no flyer in that debate, perhaps due to the pressure of the moment. Nevertheless, Oyetola carried the day in demeanour, poise, and truthfulness. As he has stood firmly with his party and the government he faithfully served, he stood his ground amiably during the debate. He was sincere enough to avoid providing false information, when pressed for figures he did not have at his fingertips, unlike Omisore who hardly made a truthful statement throughout the debate.

    It is for the above reasons and more that I follow the tradition of civilized journalism in endorsing Oyetola as the next governor of Osun State.

     

    • Professor Akinnaso lives in and writes from Akure.

  • Osun 2018: Ganduje, Alaafin clamour for continuity

    Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullah Umar Ganduje, and a foremost Yoruba traditional ruler, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, have called on the good people of Osun to support continuity of good governance by electing the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 22, gubernatorial election, Mr Gboyega Oyetola.

    The duo commended what they described as monumental, the achievements recorded by the Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, in almost eight years, saying his government has done very well in all aspects of the economy.

    They admonished the people of Osun not to allow themselves to be induced by unscrupulous politicians who didn’t have the wherewithal to build on Aregbesola’s good legacies.

    The two prominent Nigerians made the statement on Monday during a courtesy visit to Aregbesola at Government House, Osogbo.

    Ganduje said the Aregbesola administration has placed Osun on the path of development in all sectors of governance as reflected in the infrastructural facilities put in place across the nooks and crannies of the state.

    The Kano Governor, who doubles as the Chairman National Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress for Osun 2018 Governorship Election, noted that it is imperative for the people of Osun to support the continuity agenda, which he described as the only way to socioeconomic advancement, progress and prosperity.

    Ganduje, who said his visit to Osun was to ensure free, fair, credible, acceptable and transparent governorship election, noted that it is high time Osun residents supported Aregbesola by voting for APC.

    According to him, continuity is the bedrock of socioeconomic development in any society, hence the need for all to support the good works, which Aregbesola’s administration had brought to Osun by voting the APC candidate in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

    “As a matter of fact, the only way to pay Aregbesola back for the good works that his administration has done is to vote for continuity so that we can sustain Osun on the path of development.

    “We have seen the infrastructural facilities that his administration has put in place; the good roads, schools among others. These are legacies that must be sustained and prevented from being destroyed

    “If we truly love Aregbesola and we believe in his good works, then no one must hesitate to vote for continuity as this gesture will place Osun on enviable height.

    “As we strife to ensure free, fair, credible and transparent governorship election, it is also important to let our people know that there is need for them to support the continuity agenda of this administration”, Ganduje said.

    Also, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi said Aregbesola has built a state worthy of emulation by any serious government in Nigeria.

    Oba Adeyemi canvassed for continuity of the good works of Aregbesola’s administration as the state couldn’t afford to swing backward again.

    He applauded the governor for the good works his administration has done in the past eight years, appealing to Osun people to vote for APC in the interest of genuine development and transformation.

    Alaafin said APC governments in Nigeria have proved their competence in all strata of the economy as no opposition party had faulted the good works of very many of them, particularly in the southwestern Nigeria.

    He described APC government as the best government so far in the history of the state, saying it is time for the people of Osun to elect continuity.

    He charged traditional rulers to be wary of power-hungry politicians, who have nothing tangible to offer, warning them to place development above their personal interest.

    In his words, ” It is only an enemy of progress that will not appreciate the performance of Aregbesola’s administration in spite of the challenges posed by the nation’s economy which had adversely affected the states of the federation.

    “I am happy that Aregbesola has been practising what he preaches, he has not disappointed us, he has not disappointed his people and he has not disappointed Nigerians.

    Read Also: 2019: APC chieftain, Dahiru defects to Sokoto PDP

    “I am happy to identify with Aregbesola not only because he is a governor, but because he has done very well in all aspects of life; he has improved on the economy of Osun and he has raised the bar of governance, despite the present economic reality.

    “I commend him, I commend his government for what he has been able to achieve so far, particularly on his administrative sagacity and prudence in the face of daunting challenges.

    In his remarks, the Governor of Osun Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola expressed profound gratitude to Ganduje and Alaafin, saying he will utilize the remaining days to the expiration of his administration to build more on his giant strides.

    He expressed confidence in the ability of his party, the All Progressives Congress, at winning the gubernatorial election, saying “we have God and the good people of Osun behind us”.

  • Osun 2018: APC will emerge victorious – Ajimobi

    Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has expressed confidence that the APC candidate, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, will emerge victorious in the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State.

    He expressed the opinion in Ibadan on Wednesday while receiving Danjuma Ibrahim, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone II in his office.
    .
    The governorship election in Osun State will hold on Sept. 22.

    Ajimobi said that Oyetola would win the election, judging by the exemplary performance of the incumbent administration under Gov. Rauf Aregbesola.

    “We are confident that the APC will win the Sept. 22 election because of the exemplary performance of the incumbent administration in Osun State. One should have no doubt that the APC will retain Osun State,” he said.

    The governor, who described Ibrahim as an intelligent officer, expressed confidence that the leadership of the police in the zone was well grounded and competent to ensure a peaceful election.

    He assured the police authority of the state government’s readiness to assist the zone in ensuring a successful governorship election in Osun State.

    “AIG Danjuma Ibrahim is one of the most intelligent officers I have ever met and I can easily predict that he will get to the peak of his career soon.

    “It is very apparent, though, that APC will win easily because ours is the only party that is on ground and accepted by the people.

    “We are quite sure that the coming Osun election is going to be free and fair, and we shall provide necessary support towards this,” he said.

    Earlier, Ibrahim commended the governor for restoring peace and security to the state through the combined efforts of security agencies, which he said had spurred socio-economic growth.

    He appealed to the governor to extend the assistance to the police command by  refurbishing operational vehicles, provision of Armoured Personnel Carriers and other logistic supports to the zonal command.

    “You already know that policing is not easy, especially when you consider the logistics that must be put in place to achieve success. The zonal command needs operational vehicles to assist our operation.

    “On the coming Osun State governorship elections, we can assure you that we have more than enough personnel ready for the assignment.

    “We will do everything humanly possible to ward off intruders that might want to sneak in and wreck havoc on the election day. We know Osun State to be peaceful, but we do not want to leave anything to chance.

    “So we are soliciting your support to also help in spreading the gospel of peace to the people in Oyo State and to caution anti-democratic elements against coming to Osun State to foment trouble during the election,” he said.