Category: South West

Senator Nicholas Tofowomo (Ondo South) has asked a Federal High Court to disqualify former Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Ondo South.

Tofowomo cited Agboola’s ‘controversial academic records’ as reasons for the disqualification.

Agboola polled 78 votes to defeat Tofowomo who polled 74 votes in the PDP primary.

Other defendants in the suit are the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Tofowomo, in the suit filed through his lawyer, Femi Emodamori, alleged that Agboola did not meet the constitutional requirements for contesting the 2023 general election as contained in the interpretation and application of Section 66(1)(I) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and Section 29(5) and (6) of the Electoral Act, 2022, as well as other relevant laws.

He urged the court to determine if, together with the totality of the facts, Agboola did not present false information and/or forged certificate(s) in his INEC Form EC9.

“I believe the first Defendant (Agboola) lied and/or swore to a false information when he stated in Exhibit FEE4 (the Affidavit For Correction of Date of Birth which he submitted to the third defendant) that he was issued the 2004 WASSC (Exhibit FEE3) No. NGWASSCS 5529745 and claimed ‘that in the said certificate my date of birth was mistakenly printed as December 8, 1980 instead of September 24, 1968’.

“Whether, having regard to Section 29 (6) of the Electoral Act, 2022, the first defendant should be disqualified as candidate of the second defendant (PDP) for Ondo South Senatorial District in the 2023 general elections,” Tofowomo said.

Tofowomo is also seeking an order of the court to declare him candidate of the PDP having scored the second highest number of votes in the PDP primary for Ondo South. He also wants a court order directing the PDP and INEC to substitute Agboola for him.

Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court yesterday adjourned the impeachment suit against Deputy Governor Rauf Olaniyan till today.

The court gave the adjournment to allow for the claimant’s lawyer to file a reaction to the responses sent by the defendants’ lawyers. It also said the status quo order earlier given on the impeachment proceedings subsists.

While Chief Afolabi Fashanu (SAN) appeared for Olaniyan (claimant), Otunba Kunle Kalejaiye (SAN) led the defendant’s legal team.

Speaker of the House of Assembly, the House itself and the Clerk are the first, second and third defendants in the matter.

The court, after seeking the consent on both lawyers, adjourned till today for hearing of the originating summons and interlocutory injunctions, while adding that the status quo order given earlier subsists.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has disowned Josiah Asumosa, an assistant Pastor in the Whole Bible Believers Church in Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State, where some persons suspected to have been abducted were found.

CAN President Rev Samson Ayokunle said the pastor in question and his church are not members of the association.

Asumosa reportedly camped his members in the church premises, misleading them into believing that the rapture was coming. He reportedly told the uninformed members that the rapture will happen in April but later said it had been changed to September 2022.

A statement yesterday by Ayokunle’s media aide, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, said no true pastor will claim to know the date of the rapture because ‘the Bible clearly said only God knows the date’.

The statement reads: “The pastor in question and his church are not members of CAN at all levels and, so, he is not known to us. But the fact that the organisation claims to be a Christian church necessitates that we state our position on his practice.

“We therefore call on the police to investigate him and his activities with a view to prosecuting him and his cohorts, if there had been any infringement on the law of Nigeria and the rights of the members in his custody.

“No true pastor will claim to know the date of the rapture because the Bible says clearly that it is only God who knows the date. Whoever claims to know the date is not only misleading the public, but cannot also claim to be a genuine servant of God. He is at best an agent of Satan pretending to be a pastor.

“CAN, therefore, hail the Police for their prompt actions, including rescuing over 70 victims from the Church premises. They should further be subjected to medical checks since nobody knew what they went through.

“We hereby urge all denominations to keep an eye on the pastors under them towards ensuring wholesome biblical conduct. Members of the churches all over the nation are enjoined to cross-check every teaching from the Bible before believing it.”

About 18,000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State have joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Led by the member of the House of Representatives representing Ibarapa Central/Ibarapa North Federal constituency, Muraina Ajibola, the defectors were received by the APC Chairman Isaac Omodewu, Oyo South Senatorial candidate Sarafadeen Alli and other party leaders.

At the meeting were Vice Chairman Alhaji Olaide Abas, former Secretary Mojeed Olaoya and other party leaders in Ibarapaland.

Ajibola boasted of having about 18,000 followers who came with him to the APC, and begged members not to leave the party for those coming to join.

Read Also: APC council begins house-to-house campaign

Omodewu said he has been appealing to aggrieved party members and his appeal is yielding good result. He welcomed the defectors, saying they will work together to defeat the PDP-led government.

He added: “We are here to ensure that we unite our people. We have been appealing to these people to stay in their home that they have nothing to do outside the party when we are working hard to return to the Agodi Government House in 2023.

“For those contemplating going to other parties, there is no place like home. Let them stay in their house. As the state party chairman, I will continue to appeal to them to stay. If you see what is going in here today, you will see the need to unify our people. Our chances in the 2023 election are very bright and that is why our primaries were very tense.”

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed 10 packaged water companies in Ondo State over non-compliance with the regulation and standards.

State Coordinator Benu Philip said the companies were sealed between January and June.

According to him, the affected companies were operating with expired licence and producing in an unhygienic environment.

“In addition to locking the facilities, the companies will pay an administrative charge for late renewal of their registration licence and submit necessary documents for the renewal process,” he said

Philip added that the licence issued is not forever and so renewal periods should be sustained to avoid regulatory interruption. He advised Nigerians to always look out for the NAFDAC registration number on sachet and bottled water, batch information and date markings.

He added: “Our mandate, specifically, is to regulate and control the manufacturing of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices and chemicals, which we refer to as regulated products. What we do in Ondo State majorly is to engage the stakeholders to keep them abreast of our mandate to ensure they follow the rules.

“Most of the packaged water, popularly called ‘pure water’, have been operating with expired licence. The licence is the marketing authorisation that enables you to sell your product in the market as verified and safe for consumption. Once you have that number on your certificate, it shows that you have gone through the regulatory processes that says you make safe products to the consuming public, but it is not forever; it has a timeline.”

Philip said the agency will continue to collaborate with other agencies to ensure its set goals and targets were achieved.

Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly Sanai Agunbiade has admonished his constituents on the imperatives of not getting their Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) and refusing to vote.

Agunbiade, who represents Ikorodu I in the Assembly, said ‘if you don’t get you PVC, you deny yourself the franchise to vote; you deny yourself the eligibility to vote; you deny yourself the opportunity to vote for candidates of your choice, who may not win if you don’t have your PVC and do not vote, and may win if you have your PVC and vote’.

The lawmaker spoke during the eighth annual constituency stakeholders’ meeting in Ikorodu, themed ‘2023 General Elections: The Imperatives of Permanent Voters’ Card’. He urged the people to set aside their apathy and fears of votes not counting, saying those days were over.

According to Agunbiade, the current electoral system works in a way that no one of voting age can be denied the franchise, except willingly. He, thus, urged the people to make the right decision.

He said: “Apathy is caused by people not wanting to vote because they don’t see what they will benefit therein, but we are doing this to help them know that they have to vote, and let their vote count, that is how they can have a good government.

“We have enlightened the people that they stand to gain a lot by voting, but a lot to lose in the overall larger picture if they don’t vote. If everybody votes, the best candidate will win and that will make things work well in the country.

“This meeting gave us the opportunity to hear the people speak on their challenges and difficulties in getting their PVCs, and we will work on it. Representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were here and the have listened. I am sure the commission will act on all responses gotten.

“The House of Assembly will also collate memoranda from each constituency and discuss on how to make things better as regard getting the PVC and voting.

“But I will reiterate to my people to get their PVCs and vote. If you don’t get your PVC you deny yourself the franchise to vote; you deny yourself the opportunity to vote for candidates of your choice who may not win if you don’t vote…”

“The All Progressives Congress (APC) primary is a clear example that votes count. It is also a good example to show that the country is gradually moving away from electoral violence; everybody wants to vote peacefully and leave peacefully. The security mechanisms in the country are now strengthened to contain violence . Ballot box snatching, which is always the cause of violence, is no more in vogue. So I urge the people to come out on election day and exercise their franchise.

“I also urge them to remain committed to the government of Lagos State and the APC.”

Residents of Ido-Ekiti in Ido-Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State have urged governor-elect Biodun Oyebanji to prioritise security and safety of the people.

Some who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday lamented that insecurity in had caused unrest and setback to their farming and businesses.

Bode Ogunniyi, a farmer, explained that the fear of kidnappers and gunmen had prevented him from visiting his farms in the last two months because his family cannot afford to pay ransom. He advised Oyebanji to empower the security agencies with necessary logistics and support to curb crime during his administration.

He said: “I appeal to our governor-elect, Biodun Oyebanji, to prioritise the security of lives and property of Ekiti residents. For the past two months, I have not been able to visit my farm to harvest my cassava and other food crops because of the fear of gunmen and kidnappers.”

Another resident, Mrs. Adebimpe Babalola, a civil servant, urged Oyebanji to consider the safety of the people and take proactive measures to stop kidnapping. Babalola explained that businesses and farming were already abandoned because nobody was ready to travel or cultivate their farm.

She advised the governor-elect to curb crimes such as kidnapping, killing, extortion, and ensure that perpetrators were arrested and prosecuted.

Foluso Ogunrinde, a commercial driver, appealed to the governor-elect to empower the security agencies and provide proper welfare for them.

Ogunrinde noted that security agencies were not properly motivated and encouraged to fight kidnapping.

The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) has appealed to politicians in the Southwest to support the presidential bid of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in the general election.

The socio-cultural group stressed on the imperative of unity among the southwest politicians, and the need to coalesce efforts with other zones in ensuring Tinubu becomes the next president.

Publicity Secretary and Chairman of Ajoni LCDA in Ekiti State Prince Michael Ogungbemi, who addressed a news conference yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital, called on the politicians to shun divisive politics but forge a strong and united front in the overall interest of the Southwest.

He said: “It is now time for the Southwest to display uncommon unity to complement the patriotic and progressive efforts of the APC members who, overwhelmingly, elected Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the primary. This is not the time for ego or sulking in the enmity of the past; we must chart a new course and work hard with other zones for Tinubu to ascend the throne.

“We hereby urge Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Chief Bisi Akande, Governors Rotimi Akeredolu, Kayode Fayemi, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Rauf Aregbesola, and other bigwigs in the progressive fold to midwife sincere and genuine reconciliation among contending forces and unite for Tinubu.

“The trajectory of election in Nigeria since 1999 clearly presents an unassailable narrative that no zone can singlehandedly produce the president without recourse to the sensibilities and cooperation of others. With this reality, we must jettison primordial sentiments and divisive comments, and form a formidable coalition with other ethnic nationalities to galvanise support for Asiwaju Tinubu in the 2023 election…”

The ARG, however, expressed confidence that with strong political networks, structures and contacts that Tinubu had erected over the years, coupled with his cosmopolitan political stature, the APC is set and more than ready to win the 2023 presidential poll.