The Nation Newspaper

Category: Southwest

  • Another three persons killed in Ife clash

    Another three persons were monday killed by gun men suspected to be on a revenge mission in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

    A source, preferring not to be mentioned, said the gun men were on rampage, shooting to kill? their targets on sight.

    It was gathered that the violent fight, in which the unidentified people were killed, was between two rival gang groups believed to be working for some political parties.

    On Saturday after the state House of Assembly election, three people were killed following a violent clash between the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party supporters in Ile-Ife.

    After a hull, fighting between supporters of both parties resumed on Monday at about 6 pm and lasted till 8.30 pm. It claimed another three lives in Iloro and Otutu areas of the ancient town.

    Investigations revealed that apart from the three killed during the fight, several people’s were also injured.

    While source disclosed that the fight was between the rival political parties while another claimed that it was a clash between members of rival cult groups in the town.

    According to the source within the town, “The rampaging cultists numbering about 20, wielding rifles, opened fire in the direction of the another group, which had gathered few metres away in Otutu area and the latter group retaliated.

    “Their fight caught us all unaware. People were just returning home when we started hearing gun shots from different directions. Infact, we had to relocate to another area of the town so as not to be attacked or fall victims of the attack.”

    The Commissioner of Police in charge of election in the state, Mr. Valentine Ntomchukwu, confirmed the incident and said his men are on ground to maintain peace.

    Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress in the State has called on the national leadership of the People’s Democratic Party to prevail on its party’s Osun chapter to stop forthwith, the “killings going on in Ile Ife and Ilase in Obokun local government area of the state by people suspected to be PDP thugs.?”

    In a statement by its spokesperson, Kunle Oyatomi, the APC also appealed to security forces to be more pro-active in combating violence in Ife.

    The APC condemned the PDP for resorting to “unprovoked violence and murder of Osun citizens simply because the PDP has been rejected by the people at last Saturday According to the APC: “If Osun PDP leadership and their supporters have any issue or objection to the outcome of last Saturday’s election, the lawful and civilised thing to do is to seek redress from the Election Tribunal.

    “Resorting to the criminality of murder, arson, violence and destruction of property is not only unbecoming of a responsible party and civilised politics, it makes those associated with it unworthy of participating in the politics of this country any longer.”

    The APC, therefore, called on its supporters in Ile Ife and Ilase in particular and citizens of the state in general, to exercise restraint and continue to be peaceful no matter the provocation from the violence-proned opposition in the state.

  • Madam Speaker: A rare breed in Oyo’s 7th Assembly

    Madam Speaker: A rare breed in Oyo’s 7th Assembly

    Hon. Monsurat Sunmonu is the first woman member of the Oyo State House of Assembly to be elected Speaker of the parliament. TAYO JOHNSON writes that her sterling performance as Madam Speaker must have influenced the decision of her constitutents in Oyo Central Senatorial  District to send her to the National Assembly as their senator in the next dispensation.

    Aristotle said “Excellence is an art won by training and habituation; we do no act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have repeatedly acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do.”

    Excellence, then, is not an act but habit. Same can be said of Rt. Hon. Monsurat Sunmonu, a woman of much virtue, enviable bravery and dogged vigour. Her strong drive for development makes her stand tall amidst intimidation and sectionalism against women, especially in politics. When politics was deserted by women, especially in Oyo town, Monsurat Sunmonu defied all odds and put herself into the ring to serve her people as the Honourable Member Oyo State House of Assembly, for Oyo East/West local governments.

    Despite coming from two prominent families in Oyo town, she worked relentlessly, presenting herself as the best candidate for the job and she was victorious, later emerging as the first female Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly at the inauguration of the Assembly in 2011.

    Madam Speaker did not forget her promises to her constituents during politicking. She campaigned vehemently that the condition of the 7 kilometer Owode-Sawmill road in Oyo Town prompted her involvement in Nigerian politics. She promised if elected she would facilitate the rehabilitation of the road which had turned into a death trap for many years.

    The once dilapidated road which had suffered neglect by previous administration the state was top on her priority list and with her influence as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, she used the machinery of her office to ensure that the once blood sucking road now wears a new look and put smiles on the faces of the people.

    While in office, Madam Speaker demonstrated tactical nous by doing the extraordinary and sponsoring Bills on the floor of the House. Though  this is rather unusual for a Speaker, it demonstrates the trust other members of the House have in her ability. As an advocate for gender equity and protection for women, she sponsored a Bill for the protection of women against incessant abuse they suffered in our society.  She equally sponsored a Bill targeted at reducing child mortality in the State.

    Hon. Sunmonu is a mother and a kind one at that, she has used her seat of power to advocate and empower people in various capacities. One of such is the routine empowerment for vulnerable woman. While the Speaker has trained over 1500 women in various technical skills which will avail them be business owners, she also provided tools and a comfortable leverage for them to start business on their own after the training.

    As the only female lawmaker in the Oyo State House of Assembly, the mind marvels at her managerial skills. She was able to manage the affairs of the Assembly in an unprecedented way. Since the first republic, not only was there peace in the Oyo State House of Assembly, for the first time ever there wasn’t an impeachment of the Speaker. This is another feet recorded by this woman of great political and managerial acumen, even more astounding considering the near-equal composition of the House between the three dominant parties in the State.  Under her leadership the House passed over 60 bills and made over 300 Resolutions- by far the most productive in Oyo State History. Her finesse in leadership is extraordinary as the peace sustained in the House chambers transcends to the entire State.

    No doubt her enviable leadership skills earned her the trust of the people of Oyo Central Senatorial District as she offered herself again for a selfless service in the red chambers. Without hesitation the people’s voice made her the first senator from Oyo town, the first female senator from Oyo State and only the second female senator in the whole of south-west Nigeria, a feat which seemed unachievable in years past.

  • Why Ajimobi got a return ticket to Government House, Agodi

    Why Ajimobi got a return ticket to Government House, Agodi

    After an exact prediction of how the Oyo State governorship election would go on this page last week, BISI OLADELE, examines the factors and strategies that helped Ajimobi break the second term jinx to become a man of history

    When Abiola Ajimobi threw his cap into the political ring in 2003 after a fulfilled career in the oil and gas industry where he retired as the Managing Director of National Oil, little did the people of Oyo State know that the Ibadan-born Management expert was a man of history waiting to be unveiled.

    After winning his first election as the senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District in 2003, Ajimobi gave the governorship contest a try in 2007. He fought a good fight but he did not make it, though he was adjudged to have won the election against the then candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Adebayo Alao-Akala. He tried again in 2011 and won convincingly.

    His victory again in last Saturday’s governorship election produced a new man of history as he broke the second term jinx. The jinx had reigned for decades in the state like a strong curse, weakening the hands of previous governors in their battle to win a second term.

    Other Southwest states – Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti – had experienced two-term governors but it never happened in Oyo State until last Saturday. It became so popular at a stage that it looked impossible for any governor to achieve even as residents sang it like a traditional song to let any governor aspiring for a second term realize the futility of his dream. In a way, it was seen as a mark of political awareness and sophistication of indigenes, sometimes giving them a sense of pride. But others saw it as a reason for the stunted growth the state has been experiencing since the return of democracy in 1999.

    But Ajimobi broke the jinx at the weekend, defeating his two predecessors – Rashidi Ladoja and Adebayo Alao-Akala – who also fought tooth and nail to be the first to emerge the man of history.

    He beat them for the second consecutive time to make history as the first governor to be re-elected back-to-back, sending the two of them to retirement from the state’s political landscape. He had polled 420,852 votes to beat Alao-Akala who polled 387,132 and Ladoja who scored 275,773 in 2011.

    This time, he scored 327,310 votes to beat his closest rival, Ladoja who polled 254,520 and his immediate predecessor, Alao-Akala, who scored 184,111 votes to clinch the third position. Ajimobi’s APC also won 18 seats at the House of Assembly to operate at a comfortable position as the party with the vast majority. The combination of Accord’s eight seats and Labour Party (LP)’s six seats are less than half of the Assembly’s 32 seats.

    The Assembly result was a clear departure from the 2011’s where the PDP and Accord secured a total of 19 seats, a development that forced Ajimobi to enter into an alliance with Accord to enjoy stability in the state legislature. This time, APC’s 18 seats totally leave the two other parties in the minority.

    Interestingly, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) came fourth without winning any seat at the House of Assembly.

    Ajimobi’s victory is particularly symbolic because all other political juggernauts in the state contested against him in the election. Unlike in other states, there were five major candidates for the governorship seat in Oyo State. The remaining four were top political influencers who are strong enough to swing the results. They include two former governors who still have large number of followers across the state, a former Senate Leader and a top business man. But Ajimobi defeated them all to write his name in history.

    The factors

    Ajimobi’s performance

    Ajimobi’s performance in the area of peace and security, particularly in Ibadan, a city that used to be known for violence, was a major factor. His accomplishments in urban renewal, infrastructural development and environmental management also spoke for him in the election. His administration constructed quality roads across the state, revived the abandoned Agodi Garden which has now become the only standard government resort centre in the state as well as beautified the environment.

    These resulted in APC gaining more votes in Ladoja’s strongholds in Ibadan such as Egbeda, Akinyele, Ona-Ara, Lagelu and Ibadan North East local governments which ultimately reduced the latter’s chances of recording unusually high number of votes in the areas.

    Consequently, unlike in 2011, Ajimobi gave Ladoja a close run in such councils. For instance, in Egbeda, while Ladoja scored 15,811 to defeat others, Ajimobi polled 13,495. In Akinyele where Ladoja polled 14,793 to lead others, Ajimobi polled 12,367. The results were similar in Ona-Ara, Ibadan South East and Lagelu where Ladoja won. The only different council was Ibadan North East where Ladoja led Ajimobi with about 10,000 votes.

    With the performance, Ajimobi sustained his popularity in Ibadan and Oke-Ogun.

    The Buhari factor

    The consummation of the APC, its highly successful presidential primary and eventual victory at the federal level earned more votes for the APC in Oyo State. It contributed to the party’s strength and further weakened the opposition.

    For the first time, some voters saw wisdom in allowing the state to enjoy the reward of being in a progressives’ party that produced the president. Going to the opposition, some argued, was needless and would further hinder the rate at which the state should develop.

    This factor also helped in a way to produce three senators and 12 members of House of Representatives who returned to their constituencies to campaign vigorously for Ajimobi’s victory.

    Weak opposition

    One important factor that helped Ajimobi rewrite history is that the opposition is weak in Oyo State. But the weakness is not about lack of criticism or monitoring of government activities. It is in the popularity or otherwise of its candidates.

    His closest rival, Rashidi Ladoja is only popular in Ibadan, the state capital. His party, Accord, won in only one local government outside Ibadan in the just concluded governorship election. Even at that, his popularity is restricted to Ibadan less cities and Ibadan North East Local Government.

    As for Alao-Akala, his popularity is restricted to Ogbomoso and a part of Oke-Ogun where he eventually won a House of Assembly seat.

    The PDP in the state broke down completely when Akala and Seyi Makinde defected to other parties to contest as candidates.

    Hence, for voters who might not like Ajimobi, many of them had problem of finding a better candidate in his opponents who could match the person of the incumbent governor and the strength of the APC whose popularity is soaring across Nigeria.

    These and other factors contributed to Ajimobi’s unprecedented success.

    The strategies

    Against expectation, Ajimobi attracted so much criticism and condemnation from opposition parties and a section of the populace. His urban renewal policy was singled out for virulent criticism. So was his decision to award some contracts to non-politicians. His second term ambition also pitted him against some others who believed that such ambition would affect theirs or negatively affect their future political career.

    Realizing this midway into his four-year tenure, Ajimobi employed some strategies to beat his opponents.

    Establishing direct relationship with traditional rulers, associations, groups and communities

    From the time the governor realized that he was losing some party supporters to the opposition due to the reasons stated above, he developed a personal relationship with opinion leaders including traditional rulers, associations and groups. He invited them for meetings regularly, listened to their criticism and advice and borrowed from their wealth of advice.

    He also visited communities, observing his Jumat service at their central mosques. After the service, the governor held town hall meetings with them, offering opportunity for heart-to-heart discussions on the needs of the communities. It also allowed locals to have a personal feel of their governor.

    Ajimobi also visited popular markets, using the same technique to listen to market women, other traders and offered solution to their challenges where possible.

    The meetings also offered him the opportunity to clear air on certain criticism and condemnation by the opposition.

    Interest-free loans for traders and artisans

    Realizing that women and artisans vote more than the elite, the governor deliberately facilitated interest-free trading loans for traders and artisans across the state. He gave over N500 million. They are to borrow a lump sum, use for some months and return to the coffer of the unions to enable others access it. The loans rejuvenated the business of many of them and endeared them to Ajimobi.

    Meeting specific needs of communities

    Ajimobi deliberately enhanced economic strength of many communities to earn their support. For instance, while he could not establish a tertiary institution in Oke-Ogun which is the people’s topmost desire, the governor granted full autonomy to the existing Saki campus of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, renaming it Oke-Ogun Polytechnic. He also established a school of nursing at Kisi in Irepo Local Government area of the zone.

    The governor also completed the permanent orientation camp of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) located in Iseyin which he described as the best in the country and also constructed the first dual carriage way in Iseyin.

    In Ibarapa Zone, he granted full autonomy to the Eruwa campus of The Polytechnic, Ibadan as well as the Lanlate campus of the state’s college of education.  He also repaired the abandoned water works in Ayete.

    In Ogbomoso, Ajimobi dualized the main road into the town in addition to those he dualized around the Soun’s palace. He also renovated the town hall.

    In Oyo Zone, aside dualization of two major roads, the governor established an FM radio station under the state’s broadcasting corporation, renovated the town hall and constructed a silo for agricultural produce.

    Appointment of more politicians

    Ajimobi ranks first among governors who patronized politicians with appointments. Aside creating new ministries which gave room for more politicians to be commissioners, the governor appointed liaison officers for each local government in addition to the 33 local government chairmen and caretaker committee members. He appointed so many special assistants and senior special assistants who were drawn equally from the five zones across the state. Ajimobi still gave appointments as late as January this year to those he considered important to his success.

    Women mobilizing women

    His wife, Mrs Florence Ajimobi has been a strong mobilizer of the women folk since she became the First Lady in 2011. By starting off with programmes such as Ajumose Food Bank through which she distributes food to rural women and Educate a Rural Child with which she provides school uniform and books to rural school pupils, Mrs Ajimobi has had personal encounter with women and children across the 33 local governments. She also organizes regular Christian women prayer services for the state.

    When election came, she found it so easy to have the ears of the women in large markets, local communities and across the two major religions. She devoted good time to mobilizing women all over the state for the cause of her husband.

    She accomplishes this with the support of all appointed women in the government including wives of local government chairmen.

    Scaling down the ladder

    Former leader of the party, the late Lam Adesina and business mogul, AbdulAzeez Arisekola Alao were strong pillars of support for the Ajimobi’s administration. They managed the political aspect of his leadership while he concentrated more on governance. But the two died before election came.

    As soon as Arisekola died last year, Ajimobi threw his door open to all. He entertained all manners of visitors who wanted one form of assistance or the other. He maintained a personal contact with people on individual level, a decision that helped him gain a better insight about perception of his leadership.

    Within a short time, a once distant performing but misunderstood governor became one that bonded closely with even the common man on the street.

    Teachers for their communities

    One strategy that worked for the governor was the employment of 5,300 teachers at once. The beauty of the move was that teachers were recruited from their localities and posted there. The decision was taken to redress a similar gesture by the Ladoja administration in 2005 which created a serious problem of huge application for transfer back to their localities.

    Aside providing employment on a large scale, the teaching and non-teaching staff filled several vacancies in public primary and secondary schools to bring an end to such complaints.

    Appointees’ input

    All the appointees were last year given order to come up with strategies to mobilize support from their localities. By the time they finished their assignments after a few months local support grew tremendously for the administration.

    The strategies created a sense of belonging for all stakeholders as the leaders became so close to the led, perhaps on a scale that is unprecedented in the history of the state.

    The outcome

    As predicted last Wednesday, the results in each zone is given below.

    Oyo Zone

    Ajimobi won by polling 35,857 votes to beat Ladoja who scored 22,661 votes. Others came behind them.

    Ibadan Zone

    Ajimobi won by polling 162,207 as against Ladoja’s 159,350 votes. Others came behind them.

    Ibarapa Zone

    Ajimobi won. He scored 17,364 to beat Ladoja who polled 15,813. Others scored less.

    Oke-Ogun Zone

    Ajimobi defeated others by polling 87,254 votes. Ladoja polled only 41,391 votes to come second.

    Ogbomoso Zone

    Alao-Akala won by polling 73,553 votes to beat Ajimobi who scored 24,628 votes to come second.

    The results confirmed this reporter’s prediction last Wednesday.

    Oyo zone

    APC:                                 35857

    Accord:             22661

    Labour Party: 17935

    PDP:                  5940

    SDP:                  2495

    Ogbomoso zone

    APC:                                 24628

    Accord:             15305

    Labour Party: 73553

    PDP:                  10493

    SDP:                  11611

    Oke-Ogun zone

    APC:                                 87254

    Accord:             41391

    Labour Party: 38460

    PDP:                  26856

    SDP:                  10095

    Ibarapa Zone

    APC:                                 17364

    Accord:             15813

    Labour Party: 7767

    PDP:                  9071

    SDP:                  4659

    Ibadan zone

    APC:                                 162207

    Accord:             159350

    Labour Party: 46396

    PDP:                  26639

    SDP:                        33070

  • Ayangburen of Ikorodu: Court battle resumes tomorrow

    Justice Akintunde Savage of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikorodu will tomorrow rule whether or not to allow new persons to join the defendants in the suit contesting the nomination of the Odofin of Ikorodu, Chief Kabiru Shotobi by the kingmakers, as the next Ayangburen of the town.

    The persons seeking to be joinders (defendants) are from another sub-royal family different from the Lambo and Adegorushen royal families of the Lasunwon Ruling House of Ikorodu.

    Messrs Mathew Adetayo Shodipo, Omobo Sokelu, Shakiru Shodipo, Nurudeen Fakomaya and Albert Aina had, for themselves and on behalf of the Lambo Branch of the Lasunwon ruling house of Ikorodu challenged the nomination of the Odofin of Ikorodu, Chief Kabiru Shotobi for the stool of the Ayangburen.

    The first to 12th respondents in the suit are Ezekiel Shodipo, Tajudeen Odofin for themselves and on behalf of the Adegorushen branch of Lasunwon ruling house. Other respondents include the Odofin, Chief Kabiru Shotobi; the Olisa and regent of Ikorodu, Chief Oludele Odusoga; Solomade of Ikorodu Chief Afolabi Adekayaoja; Apena of Ikorodu, Chief Karimu Ore; the Oponuwa, Chief Jacob Kolawole Adaraloye for themselves and the kingmakers of Ikorodu.

    Other respondents are the Ikorodu Local Government; Ikorodu Division of Council of Obas and Chiefs; Secretary, Ikorodu Chieftaincy Committee; Lagos State Ministry Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.

    At the last hearing of the matter March 11, 2015, counsel to persons seeking to be joinders (defendants) in the suit,  Sulaiman Talabi, was granted leave of the court to respond to the various  affidavits filed by the different parties in the matter. None of the counsels to the different parties in the matter was opposed to the application for joinders.

    The trial Judge, Justice Savage had however ordered parties in the Obaship tussle of the ancient town to refrain from doing anything towards the vacant stool of the Ayangburen of Ikorodu pending the determination of the substantive suit filed by the applicants.

    In their originating summon, which was supported by a 22 point affidavit and filed through their lawyer, John Osighala, the claimants asked for six issues to be determined by the court. They asked the court to determine “whether the consent judgment of a Lagos High Court, Ikorodu division in suit IKD/57/2007 (Mathew Adetayo Shodipo and others versus Ezekiel Shodipo and others) is subsisting and valid; whether parties and privies are bound by the aforesaid judgment until same is set aside on appeal; whether fourth to eighth respondents-kingmakers are bound by the aforesaid judgment being parties in suit no IKD/57/2007 and whether eighth and ninth respondents are not bound as well being parties/ privies thereon”.

    They also prayed the court to determine “whether third defendant/respondent is not bound and stopped from being presented, nominated and selected as a candidate from Lasunwon Ruling House to any future chieftaincy title” and “whether indeed the Adegorushen Branch of the Lasunwon Royal Ruling House is not precluded by the decision in IKD/57/2007 from presenting a candidate for the now vacant title of Ayangburen of Ikorodu”.

    The claimants also sought five reliefs which were hinged on the affirmation of the six issues raised before the court. They sought a declaration that the consent judgment of the Lagos High Court dated April 1, 2009 in suit IKD/57/2007 is subsisting, binding and in force; a declaration that by clause 2 of the consent judgment, the first, second and third respondents conceded the right to the claimants in future to the next chieftaincy title that is due and available to the Lasunwon Ruling House.

    They also sought a declaration that the kingmakers, fourth to seventh respondents were bound by the decision in suit IKD/57/2007 as the seventh to tenth defendants and that they cannot now consider any candidate from the Adegorushen branch of the Lasunwon ruling house and a further declaration that the third respondent, having by the aforesaid judgment, been installed as Odofin of Ikorodu cannot in defiance of the judgment, present himself as a candidate for the vacant Ayangburen Royal Chieftaincy title “and he is thereby stopped from contesting any other vacant Chieftaincy title available to the Lasunwon family.

    They therefore prayed the court for an injunction restraining the fifth to 10th respondents by themselves, agents, privies, from considering the third respondent nor any candidate from the Adegorushen branch of the Lasunwon Chieftaincy family for the candidature of the vacant stool of Ayangburen of Ikorodu.

    But in their counter affidavit to the originating summon, the deponent Prince Odofin Adegboyega Aliu, averred that contrary to paragraph 17 of the affidavit in support of the originating summon, the first to the  third respondents and all other defendants are not in breach of the judgment in  exhibit A, paragraph 2, the first to fourth defendants conceded the right to the next chieftaincy title to that is due and available to Lasunwon ruling house to the claimants and listed the titles available as Otunba of Ikorodu.

    He said that contrary to paragraph 18 of the affidavit in support of the originating summon, the defendants ought not to be restrained as they have not breached the order of the court.

    He said counsel to third to seventh defendants informed him that judgment in suit IKD/57/2007 relates to chieftaincy title and not an Obaship stool or position; that a chieftaincy title is different from Obaship stool or position and that the nomination/selection of the third defendant by the family and kingmakers was not a breach of the judgment in suit IKD/57/2007.

  • How ‘stomach infrastructure’ won Assembly elections for PDP in Ondo

    How ‘stomach infrastructure’ won Assembly elections for PDP in Ondo

    The surprise strong showing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP in the April 11 House of Assembly election in Ondo State in contrast to its failure at the presidential election held two weeks earlier, is being attributed by political observers in the sunshine state to alleged monetary inducement of the electorate by Governor Olusegun Mimiko. DAMISI OJO reports.

    Unlike the March 28 Presidential election which was massively won by Gen Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC),  last Saturday’s State Assembly Election was a rude shock to many residents of Ondo State,  particularly APC supporters.

    In fact, scores of people were seen in groups discussing the outcome of the election in hushed tones because the result fell below many people’s expectations.

    Workers in the state are aggrieved with the present Mimiko’s government for allegedly not putting their welfare on its priority list. Artisans, market women, pensioners and other professionals are not too comfortable with the government of the day either, hence the manner they voted massively for Buhari and APC during the March 28 poll.

    Mimiko, the Southwest Coordinator of the doomed Goodluck Jonathan second term bid nearly lost his Ondo township home base during that election.

    With that earlier victory, APC supporters were jubilant and upbeat as they prepared for the April 11 election with the hope that Mimiko and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would be trounced once again.

    A defeat for the PDP at the House of Assembly election is expected to hasten the departure of Mimiko from the government house as many expects an APC controlled legislature to commence impeachment proceedings against him soon after inauguration, but the medical doctor turned politician was able to outwit the opposition, this time around, winning most of the seats for PDP.

    An observer said Mimiko’s victory at the poll last Saturday with 19 of his party candidates winning their seats as against five seats for APC and two seats declared inconclusive was an indication of the level of poverty in the land.

    According to him, “Mimiko understands Ondo electorate more than anybody else; he knows money is their problem and he has that money in excess to lavish on them especially as the Southwest Coordinator of Jonathan’s campaign.

    “With many people living in penury, the development forced many electorate to succumb to the paltry N1,000 per head being distributed with impunity as inducement in virtually all polling units across the state”.

    Many observers hinted that distribution of money had started since last Wednesday to pauperised individuals, who allegedly thronged the state seat of power at Alagbaka, on daily basis to collect their own share of the common wealth.

    It was also visible at every polling unit on Saturday how money ranging from N1,000 to N5,000 exchanged hands between the voters and those assigned the responsibility of inducing them with the cash.

    Our correspondent who monitored the election at most polling units in Akure and other neigbouring towns observed how the ruling party agents “settled”  prospective electorate who showed them their ballot papers indicating their thumb print on PDP logo even in the presence of security agents.

    At one of the polling units in Akure, one of the PDP cashiers after disbursing half of the money in his possession running into millions of Naira disappeared with the rest.

    It became a mild drama as others pursued him, but he smartly evaded them and bolted away to enjoy his loot.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state described the poll as a contrived fraud aimed at providing soft landing for Governor Olusegun Mimiko who has lost favour with the masses of the state.

    In a statement issued in Akure by the secretary of APC media committee, Charles Titiloye, the party noted that PDP deployed unconventional strategies to rig the Assembly poll in the state.

    It noted that the election was marred with electoral irregularities, swapping of ballot papers to disenfranchise APC supporters in the party’s strongholds, “threats and intimidation of APC supporters, open ballot box snatching by agents of PDP and unprecedented monetary inducement of voters.”

    According to the statement:”In Igbotako, Ijuodo, Odeaye ballot papers/electoral materials meant for other polling units were deployed to the units in the area to ensure that election did not start as scheduled.

    “The outcome of the election was a confirmation of the party earlier warning to INEC and security agents of the plan by PDP to rig the election and use all means to ensure victory for its candidate.

    “Voters were openly harassed and forced not to vote for APC in Akure and PDP buses were stationed near the polling unit to share money to electorate.

    “In Ondo town our party agents were driven away by armed thugs from the polling units. Police looked the other way while all these electoral fraud were been perpetuated.

    “In Ugbo, Ayetoro community, Uteh in Ose local Government and part of Ondo East, armed thugs came after INEC staff and forcefully hijacked electoral materials. PDP desperation was at its extreme on Saturday in Ondo state. Both INEC and Police failed to take pre-emptive steps even when APC alerted them of plans by PDP to use thugs to rig the election.”

    The party said it was studying various reports of the electoral fraud, urging INEC to beef up security in areas where fresh elections would take place.

    However, in a jiffy and without minding negative comments of many people against him, Governor Mimiko immediately after the election organised a thanksgiving service at Government House Chapel, Alagbaka to praise God for his outstanding feat at the poll, describing it as democracy in action.

    With this victory and PDP’s near total control of the next parliament in the state, any plan of Mimiko being impeached before the end of his second term has no doubt been dealt a major blow, according to observers, who are however not ruling out a mass defection of the incoming PDP lawmakers to swell the ranks of the APC.

  • Sweet, sour taste of life of a kidnap queen

    Sweet, sour taste of life of a kidnap queen

    Cracking life through crime can be sweet for some time but it ultimately turns sour, bringing such a life of affluence and comfort to an abrupt end. Such was the case for a young mother-of-three whose leadership of an advance fee fraud and kidnapping gang came to a sorrowful end in Ibadan. BISI OLADELE reports

    From Port-Harcourt to Yenagoa; Benin to Aawe, and then to Ibadan, the glamorous life of a young suspected female kidnap kingpin has come to a predictable sad end in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    Ms Olabisi Babatunde, 33, who lived like an empress in her empire of fraudsters and kidnappers, is now cooling her heels in a police cell in the ancient city of Oyo, awaiting her day in court.

    Bold, beautiful, debonair, outspoken and assertive, Olabisi’s life as leader of a fraud and kidnap syndicate, revolved around men. But unlike many of her ilk, she did not tremble before men or their wealth, neither did she run after them to get a slash of their possession by offering sexual pleasure. She simply recruited, groomed and commanded men who were out to make money through dubious means.

    •Olabisi with members of her ganga
    •Olabisi with members of her ganga

    She gave orders and men carried them out. She was a boss in the art of fraud and kidnapping, according to her.

    As the commander of a gang of men, Olabisi knew what to do at the right time. And she did so for many years until a little slack in the team landed them in the hands of policemen on March 11, 2015.

    Her gang members were rounded up by heavily armed policemen who smashed their operation at their hideout in a remote location in Ajia Village, Ibadan. They had brought a successful businessman, Chief Adebowale Omotoso, to the village two days earlier after kidnapping him from Aawe, a town that borders Oyo.

    Holed in a dilapidated mud building with a tattered roof, the gang kept its victim in perpetual fear in the building surrounded by three different shrines. From there, they networked with other members in various towns and cities through whom they extorted the victim’s family. That is their trade – and, they lived big!

    On the fateful day, however, members of the eight-man gang engaged police in a gun duel from midnight till the wee hours before they were overpowered, according to the Oyo State Police Commissioner, Mr Mohammed Katsina. The victim was rescued alive!

    When paraded, most of the eight kidnap suspects, including the boss, Olabisi, looked robust with some looking beefy, confirming that they were not merely managing to eke out a good life but actually living well. It was not their first operation, as they later confessed, neither did they think it would be their last.

    When encountered, Olabisi looked beautiful. She exuded confidence in her expression. Her debonair quality caught the attention of this reporter who later engaged her in an exclusive chat.

    The third child in a family of seven, Olabisi said she lost her mother when she was 11 years old. She said the incident later forced her out of school.

    Expressing herself in Pidgin English (roughly translated), she said:  ”I am from Aawe. I was born in Ibadan.  My mother is late. She died about 22 years ago. My dad was living in Ibadan and my mum in Aawe. My younger brother and I lived with my mum but when she died and her family neglected us, we moved to Ibadan to join our dad who was living in Olorunsogo area of the city.  We used to hawk packaged (satchet) water then. But because he could not take care of us well, we moved out of the house to start living under the bridge at Olorunsogo. My mother was a tailor during her lifetime. One day, I went out to hawk, but when I returned I could not find my younger brother again. I searched for him and could not find him. While still living there, I met someone who impregnated me. Thereafter, I had to go and live with the man’s mother at Ilora. I was very young then, I was about 16 years old.” She explained that the young man was an apprentice mechanic.

    After having three children for the man who seldom visited her, Olabisi took her destiny in her hand and fled from Ilora to Ibadan where she located her elder sister who according to her, had also been impregnated by another man. Her brother in-law got a job for her at a popular farm in Ibadan but was later sacked in a mass retrenchment.

    Speaking about the father of her children, Olabisi explained that:”I met him while living in Olorunsogo. He was an apprentice in a mechanic workshop. He took me to his mother’s place at Ilora. He did not come to check on me till I gave birth. After some years and my child grew up a little, he came around and I had the second pregnancy for him. It was after giving birth to three children for him, that I was advised to find a way to eke out a living for myself. He only came around once in a while and that was how I had the three children I had for him. He and his parent did not treat me well and I was suffering. The indigenes of that town had to ask if I had no relative as the suffering was so much. So, I ran away from the place. Then I located my elder sister. She also had been impregnated by someone. I cannot remember the year again. They have all been looking for me. She was living around Odo-Ona. That was where my father’s mother was living. Her husband got a job for me then at Zartech. But we were later sacked.”

    With despair arising from the sack at Zartech, the young woman chose to seek greener pasture wherever she could find it. After much thought, she concluded to go to Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, a land of opportunities.

    Her words: “Afterwards, I gave my children to my elder sister to look after. I told her I wanted to travel. I did not know anywhere and anyone. I just took a bus to Port-Harcourt. When I got there, I saw a woman selling food and I explained that I needed a job and shelter. I was there for a while. I left because she wanted to lure me into prostituting with her customers, knowing the dilemma I faced at home, I decided to quit.

    “Then I got a job where I worked as a cleaner and receptionist and I was being paid N5,000 monthly. I also left the place and moved to NTA. I worked as a cleaner there, in their canteen. It was while working there that I learnt hair styling vocation. I lived with a friend, a Calabar girl, when I left the canteen job. After, I lived with a lady I met where I was learning the vocation. But after graduating as a stylist, I did not have money to procure working equipment and also get a stylist job. While working at NTA, I met a man who had a tipper and was into supply of sand and building materials. He accommodated me and taught me the trade. Later, I started the business. I got money to run the business from the gains I made from buying and supplying.

    “While doing that, in 2007, I had this customer who gave me N500,000 for supply of sand to a site. He said he decided to give me the huge sum to enable me make enough gain from the supply. I was so happy and disclosed this to a friend. It was this friend that set me up with fraudsters who duped me of the money. Thereafter my business plummeted. I could not even refund the money completely. My customer gave me the money so I could supply him trucks of sand for the construction of his fish pond. He locked me up but after he was sure I was duped, he released me and I was paying little by little. Later he released me completely.”

    After the sad experience, Olabisi recalled that she switched to vending cooked food. In the course of food vending, she said she met those selling medicinal herbs (agbo).

    “They introduced me to how they sell the herb as well as how they tell false stories of ill-luck to make their customers come back and pay as much money as demanded. So, I joined the business. Their clients were rich men with ailments like diabetes and arthritis and young people who suffer setback in getting married. We have a way of introducing another problem to them. First, we settle the problem that they brought, then we defraud them by telling them about another problem. We have traditional herbalists who will tell us what to use to cure their first ailment or problem. We collect huge sums of money from the client and pay little to the herbalist. We use to travel all over the place to get herbalists that will help. We travelled as far as Oke-Iho (a town in Oyo State) to get help.” She said.

    With two cars, herbs sale and thriving kidnap business, Olabisi lived big. She disclosed that she housed and fed 13 adults. She said her three children are living with her step mother in Ibadan.

    She said: “Cousins and other relatives do come to look for me when I was in Port-Harcourt.  My elder sister, her husband and family also lived with me. I was responsible for about 13 people then. I accommodated and fed them.”

    But trouble started for her a few months ago, when her boyfriend, Lucky, was almost caught in a criminal act which led to the seizure of one of her cars that he used for the operation. Afraid of being linked to the crime through the car, Olabisi disclosed that she relocated out of Port-Harcourt to neigbhouring Bayelsa State, before eventually landing in Aawe, her place of origin. But she got another kidnap business in Aawe, which eventually led to her arrest in Ajia in Ibadan last month.

    She said: “When I left Port-Harcourt, I still had money on me. I first settled down at Bayelsa. I lodged at our office there. But when I was running out of cash, I relocated to Aawe, here in Oyo State. I had to run because one guy had put me into trouble with my car. I called the guy and he said he was in Benin but he was going to be in Lagos. He said that some people would help him get to Lagos. He then located me. I was in Aawe when I did the last deal that took me here.”

    When asked if her relations have been visiting her in the police custody, she said: “They do not know where I am.”

    In Aawe, nobody was willing to be associated with Olabisi when The Nation visited to find out about her root.

  • IPMAN pledges regular supply of fuel in Ondo

    The newly elected Chairman of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Ore depot chapter, Mr. Bayo Olowokere, has said he would do everything possible to normalise fuel price in Ondo State as soon as possible.

    Olowokere made the pledge during the inauguration of the new executives of the association held at the IPMAN building at Odigbo, Headquarters of the Odigbo Local Government.

    His words: “We have a lot of things we are lacking. We have problem of none availability of fuel at the depot, the marketers are not well coordinated, fuel scarcity is one of the important issues that I need to address as fast as possible. Since I assumed office, I have made every means possible to address this by meeting the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President but a new administration is in the offing with the emergence of General Muhammudu Buhari.

    However, I’m going to wax stronger and make sure that Ore depot receives fuel so that this issue of fuel scarcity can be put to an end.

    “My advice to my members is to cooperate with us. I also use this opportunity to tell the public that the fuel being sold by marketers above the approved price was not their making. We are making arrangement towards solving this problem so that as soon as possible the price will go back to N87 per litre as approved by the government. They should just bear with us, as soon as possible, I will try my possible best to bring the price back to N87”

    The other officers of the association include Oluayo Oguntuase, Vice Chairman;Kunle Adedokun, Secretary; Bayo Awodunni, Treasurer; Toyin Fasakin and Assistant General Secretary; Zubair Jimoh.

  • Why PDP won in Ondo, by Adekanmbi

    Why PDP won in Ondo, by Adekanmbi

    A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] in Ondo State, Hon. Femi Adekanmbi, has given an insight into why the party  bounced back quickly from its defeat in the presidential election by winning majority of the seats in the Assembly election. He spoke with LEKE AKEREDOLU.

    How will you assess the State Assembly poll recently conducted in Ondo State?

    The victory that we recorded in Ondo State by winning 21 seats is very spiritual. Spiritual in the sense that nobody has ever thought that PDP will bounce back like this considering what happened in the last Presidential election, where we lost woefully. Thanks to the governor, Olusegun Mimiko who sat down and critically analyzed where the fault came from. He discovered that we lost due to the unending crisis between the old and new PDP members.  This was what we have been clamoring for that we need to resolve the issue. We thank God that some of the issues were settled before State Assembly election. Why did you reconcile with Mimiko despite denying you House of Representatives tickets twice?

    My differences with the governor came just because of the issue of party primaries when we were in Labour Party in 2011, and also during last year PDP House of Representatives primaries and he denied me the ticket. After that, I sat with my family and critically looked at the issue that for the governor to deny me this ticket might be divine. Divine in the sense that when God says yes, nobody can say no, I believe destiny cannot be changed. If Mimiko wanted to give me, he would have done so but for not giving me the ticket, why should I be fighting him? He called me several times, though, I refused and eventually we met, we resolved our differences and he pleaded that I should forgive and forget.

    Some of the old PDP worked against the party during the Presidential election, what is your take on this? 

    I sincerely believed that during the Presidential election, people had their differences against President Goodluck Jonathan, not particularly against Mimiko, because they expected Jonathan to have settled the issue. They expected his Chief of Staff, Arogbofa, who is from the state to settle the crisis. We held about three to four meetings with Mr. President and he never took any cogent decision on what he wanted to be done in Ondo State. That is why I don’t blame the governor because series of meetings were held, and agreement reached that the issue should be resolved. Our leaders in old PDP let us down, and that what why majority people worked against the party. We have corrected our mistakes now and that was why we got a resounding victory in the State assembly poll.

    What was the magic behind the party victory in the State Assembly, particularly in the APC strongholds?

    It is not longer news that my own northern senatorial district is the stronghold of APC but this time around, we got a victory there because we actually worked for it. In the last Presidential and National Assembly elections  we did not win any seat there, but the magic was that we called some of the aggrieved candidates of old PDP together and we held series of meetings with the governor and we pleaded with everybody. At this time now, we can’t leave our party, we need to join hands together and build the party. The governor accepted his blames and he went around to apologise to the people in all the 18 local governments.

    Are you saying the Crisis in Ondo PDP is over?

    Yes, the crisis is over because those who refused to accept the pleas of the governor have left the party and that means those who are left behind are those who have resolved their differences with the governor. We believed that we should move ahead and work with the governor.

    You were a leader of defunct ACN; did you regret leaving the progressive party?

    I don’t regret leaving the party because every stages of your life you progress. As a man, you must not regret everything you do in life provided that nobody can point to you and said I made you in life. I don’t take decisions without consulting my people. When I was in LP, I never intended to leave the party because the governor appealed to me when he denied me the ticket but, when I got to my house in Owo, thousands of my followers were already waiting for me and they said all us must go to ACN. I left Ondo State ACN due to the fact that 80 percent of them were not progressives. But the leaders of APC at the national level are excellent. I have worked with them before and they are doing great. Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu is getting closer to the legend of late Obafemi Awolowo in Yorubaland. Governor Rauf Aregbesola is an excellent leader, I have worked with him for about six months and he trained me in politics. These people are doing great in the party but coming to the state level, the people there are very terrible and I said I can’t join them. I can assure you that PDP will start growing as from today and all our leaders who have defected will return back.

    It was learnt that you were already contemplating joining APC before Mimiko appealed to you, how true is this?

    I never made an attempt to leave PDP, though there were calls from the APC national leaders but I have said it before that I will not leave the party. I don’t want to turn to a political prostitute. Just because PDP lost Presidential election and I should not decamp to APC. I don’t think it is polite. People will start seeing me as unserious politician. I don’t just take decision without proper consultation. I can tell you that if I jump to AA today, my people will follow me and we will develop it.

    Do you think PDP will bounce back in South West?

    How did Yobe survive; how did Borno survive; how did Lagos State survive when PDP was at the center? We have to look at these things. If they can survive for 16 years that means Ondo and Ekiti can survive. We are looking at what it takes to survive as an opposition. First we must carry our people along. We need to embark on grassroots policies and that is what it takes a state in opposition to survive in situation like. You must be open to the people in whatever you do so that if any election comes up they stick with you. Look at Lagos State, APC remain unshakable because Asiwaju Tinubu does not neglect them. He embarked on a lot of grassroots politics and it will be so difficult for any other party to take over the state and that is what we are going to do in Ondo State. I can tell you that it will be very hard for any party to take over Ondo state with people like us still in PDP.

  • Will Ajimobi break the jinx?

    Will Ajimobi break the jinx?

    Two former governors, the incumbent and a former Senate Leader will lock horns on Saturday for the right to occupy the government house at Agodi, Ibadan as the governor of Oyo State. The four, and a businessman, Seyi Makinde, are the top contenders for the job.

    Except for the former Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin, who is the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Makinde, who is the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), any of the other three  that wins the election will be breaking the second term jinx in the state. They are the incumbent, Abiola Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rashidi Ladoja of Accord and Adebayo Alao-Akala of Labour Party (LP).

    Since the Second Republic, no governor has been re-elected in the state. All attempts by previous chief executives of the state have been futile. Hence, it has become a popular saying that no governor gets a second term in Oyo State. Judging by the results of the National Assembly election on March 28, none of Ladoja and Alao-Akala can be easily wished away in the race to take Ajimobi’s job, meaning that the jinx is about to be broken on April 11 by one of them.

    The National Assembly election naturally puts the APC far ahead of others as it produced the three senators and 12 out of the 14 House of Representatives members in the state.

    Though they were beaten, Ladoja and Alao-Akala look undefeated by the bravery they have been displaying since then. But can either of them or Folarin spring a surprise?

    How they stood in the 2011 governorship election

    Ajimobi, who stood on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), polled 420,852 votes to dislodge the then incumbent, Alao-Akala, who scored 387,132 votes. The latter contested under the platform of the PDP. Ladoja scored 275,773 to come third in the election.

    Factors that shaped the 2011 governorship election

    The administration of the then sitting governor, Alao-Akala, was associated with thuggery and violence. It was also seen as a profligate government which undertook so many projects that were poorly executed due to lack of commitment to quality and alleged collection of kickbacks by key functionaries of the administration.

    The crisis that rocked his party, the PDP, also grew sharply during his tenure so much so that many of the party stalwarts, particularly in Ibadan zone, worked against his re-election.

    Besides, the wave of change represented by the then ACN, was blowing through Ekiti and Osun states which had their PDP governors removed by the Court of Appeal for ACN governors.

    But Alao-Akala was generous to people around him, a factor that helped him retain so many people who patronized political power and its privileges.

    In the growing discontent against Alao-Akala’s government, Ladoja, who was his predecessor, began to make wave again, rendering the political turf more complex with his defection from PDP to Accord and speedy growth of the party before the April 26,2011 governorship election.

    But the wave of change in the region and Ajimobi’s personal popularity combined to earn him the victory in the election, defeating his closest challenger, Alao-Akala, with 33,720 votes. To earn the victory, Ajimobi defeated Akala in Ibadan and Oyo zones with a wide margin and also gave him a very close marking in Oke-Ogun area where he polled 96,667 to Akala’s  97,398. Ladoja occupied a distant third position with his 275,773 votes. As tough as it was, Ajimobi dislodged the then incumbent governor whose party was also controlling the Federal Government.

     

    With this result, however, the three parties produced seven, 13 and 12 members in the state’s House of Assembly respectively to operate as a strong party each. They also produced members of both houses of the National Assembly except Accord which did not produce a senator. But it went to the March 28, 2015 election with one senator, Olufemi Lanlehin, who defected from the ACN.

    Yet, the dynamics have changed within the last four years. Because human beings and the society are not static, politicians have criss-crossed the parties to find better comfort and advantage in realizing their personal ambition. New issues and developments have also reshaped the polity to alter voting patterns and interest that determine voters’ choice.

    It is, therefore, no surprise that in the March 28 presidential and National Assembly elections, the APC produced the three senators from zero level, and also produced 12 out of the 14 members of the House of Representatives.

    How the zones voted in the March 28,2015 National Assembly elections

    Senate

    The APC won the three senatorial seats. Results of the senatorial election may not be fully suitable for this zonal analysis. However, the results are given below for a better insight.

    As shown above, aside keeping its lead in its traditional zones of Ibadan and Oyo, the APC has gained more popularity in Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa zones where Alao-Akala came tops four years ago.

    The party did not only gain an inroad into Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa, it’s popularity has increased in Ogbomoso, Alao-Akala’s home town.

    The APC chairman in the state, Chief Akin Oke, attributed the gains to what he described as the unprecedented performance of Governor Abiola Ajimobi in the last four years across the state. Oke emphasized that the governor succeeded in touching all the five zones with unique projects that meet their needs and generally improved the standard of living of residents in the areas. For instance, the politician cited dualization of roads in Ibadan, Oyo, Ogbomoso and Iseyin (Oke-Ogun) as one of such projects.

    But Accord did not agree with him. The Director General of the Sen. Rashidi Ladoja Campaign Organization, Hon. Adeolu Adeleke, described the result of the election as sham, saying it was rigged in favour of the APC.

    The Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Kehinde Salawu, also attributed APC’s victory in the election to the overwhelming popularity of Gen. Buhari. He said the governorship election would be different.

    Alao-Akala also attributed APC’s performance in the March 28 election to the popularity of its presidential candidate, Gen. Buhari (rtd).

    Speaking through his spokesman, Oludare Ogunlana, the former governor said that most voters are illiterate who could not differentiate between presidential and National Assembly elections.

    April 11 governorship election

    Interestingly all the major parties are approaching the governorship election with confidence. They largely believe that the tide will turn in their favour, hence, they have stepped up personal campaigns.

    In an interview with The Nation, Hon. Adeolu Adekele said in spite of the result of the National Assembly election, “Accord remains undaunted and psychologically stable with optimism of winning” the Saturday election. He said the March 28 election only encouraged the party to strengthen its campaign to prevent rigging in the governorship election.

    In his own comment, the PDP candidate, Teslim Folarin, asserted that voters would choose him because the party had educated its supporters to vote only for the PDP this time. He spoke through the State Publicity Secretary, Kehinde Salawu.

    He said: “We have educated our people to vote right this time because governorship election is crucial in any state. That is the government that is closer to the people. And we believe we will do wonderfully well on Saturday.” He said.

    The LP candidate, Alao-Akala, also insisted that he would gain people’s votes across the state to return as the next governor because, according to him, Oyo State people are tired of the Ajimobi administration.

    But APC chairman, Chief Oke, said it is very clear that voters are very pleased with the transformation, restoration and the repositioning agenda of the Ajimobi administration as shown in the results of the last election.

    Factors that will shape the April 11 election

    Buhari’s victory

    Never in the history of the Yoruba has its party of choice won at the federal level. Oyo State was among the states that rejected PDP’s president Goodluck Jonathan. Buhari polled 528,620 votes to defeat Jonathan who scored 303,376 votes, leaving him with a deficit of 225,244 votes.

    The APC’s victory at the centre will play a key role in putting Ajimobi ahead of other candidates because a lot of voters would reason that the state deserves to enjoy the privileges of having the progressive party controlling the centre.

    Besides, Oyo State has always been home to the progressives’ party. Except in 2003 and 2007 when it is generally believed that the PDP rigged massively to take over Southwest states, Oyo has always been controlled by the progressives’ party. It partly accounts for the reason Ajimobi defeated the incumbent Alao-Akala of the PDP in 2011.

    Secondly, Ajimobi’s performance in the last four years is unparalleled. He has succeeded in changing the face and the name of the state among committee of top states through his cardinal programmes including urban renewal, environmental sanitation, integrity, laudable welfare for civil servants and infrastructural development, among others.

    His footprints are visible in major towns across the state. This is perhaps the strongest factor that will count for the incumbent governor.

    Thirdly, results of the National Assembly election has punctured assumption that Accord was next in strength to the APC in the state, and that it might upstage the former. In the result, while the APC won three senatorial seats and 12 out of 14 House of Representatives seats, Accord did not win a single seat. Only the PDP and LP won one seat each, and both are in Ogbomoso land.

    With a total of 357,017 votes in the Senate and 349,618 in the House of Representatives, APC is poised to trounce, once again, other parties who came in distant second, third and fourth positions.

    Accord that came second overall, scored 213 votes for the Senate and polled 171,675 in the race for the House of Representatives. It’s total of 384,826 is barely about 53 per cent of APC’s 706,635.

    The PDP came third with a total of 325,251 votes, which is less than half of the APC’s.

    With this result, the majority of voters are likely to see other parties as weak while seeing the APC as strong, and even waxing stronger by the day.

    Already, some members of Accord in Ibadan North East Local Government have defected to the APC in a display of death of hope in their previous party. More of such defections are likely before the April 11 election.

    In another perspective, the LP may not record another landslide victory in Ogbomoso as it did in 2011 because of Akala’s defection from the PDP. As shown in the March 28 elections, voters in Ogbomoso are now divided into LP, PDP and APC, with the profile of the APC rising sharply in the last four years.

    The result has largely shown that both Alao-Akala and Ladoja, who were considered very strong contenders prior to last month election, no longer possess the electoral strength assumed. In fact, APC defeated Ladoja in his Ibadan North Local Government while Alao-Akala was unable to win all the seats in Ogbomoso or additional seat in Oke-Ogun as he did in 2011.

    Fourthly, with three senators, 12 representatives mobilizing support across all the zones, combined with the power of incumbency, Ajimobi is most favored to break the second-term jinx in Oyo State on April 11,2015.

    How the election will go

    Oyo Zone

    Judging by results of the 2011 governorship election, the March 28,2015 election and the presence of a senator and House of Representatives member, APC’s Ajimobi is projected to coast home to victory in the zone.

    Ibarapa Zone

    Going by the result of the National Assembly election and the projects Ajimobi undertook in the zone such as granting autonomy to two tertiary institutions in the area, Ajimobi is projected to comfortably lead other candidates in the zone.

    Oke-Ogun

    Judging by the results of the last election and the fact that the zone is traditionally progressives inclined, Ajimobi is projected to win convincingly in the area.

    Ogbomoso

    LP’s candidate, who hails from the town, is projected to have a clear lead in the zone. But APC and PDP candidates are also projected to follow him within a reasonable gap. This is because his defection from the PDP has broken his absolute following in the area. The deputy governorship candidate of the PDP hails from Ogbomoso while an APC senator has also emerged from the town. All these would combine to reduce the total votes he will garner from the zone.

    Ibadan

    Though Ibadan zone is a loose ground for all the four major parties, Ajimobi is projected to lead other candidates given the 2011 result and that of the last election. He is most likely to be followed by Accord candidate, Ladoja, who is popular in some of the councils.

     

  • Nigerians urged to embrace peace

    Nigerians have been urged to shun violence and embrace peace for the society to move forward.

    Executive Director Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation (ZSF), Imam Abdullah Shuaib said this against the backdrop of rising insecurity in the country.

    Shuaib spoke at an event tagged: “Dialogue of peace: As a religious leader, what is the definition of peace in your religion?.”

    It was organised by Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), at the Lagos State College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Ikeja.

    HWPL is a non-governmental organisation registered under the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    Nothing that Islam was derived from the word – peace, Shuaib said:

    According to him, “We all believe there is a world after now and the owner of that world is the God of peace. Anyone who aspires to enter into paradise must be a peaceful citizen. That is why one of His (God) attributes is salaam meaning peace. Islam promotes the unity of mankind for peace to reign. It recognises and tolerates diversity in religion.

    “Mankind must first strive to accomplish peace on personal level because peace in the society depends on peace within us. When you are lacking peace within yourself there is no way that you can give the society peace. If leaders can conquer their egos, there will be peace in our society.” In his contributions Venerable Kaine Nwashili, Registrar, Crowther Graduate Theological Seminary, said:  “In Christianity, we have the old and new testament. These are books accepted for us. In Hebrew language peace is called “shalom”. Peace is between people and between men and God. It is a convenant to join people in terms of promise. Wherever God is, there is peace.

    “I feel we have a common ground and that is looking at various religions and various areas of talking about peace. If we can come sincerely and what other scriptures talk about peace and sincere about it then we shall have peace because we need peace in our Nation,” he said.

    According to the founder, BAMAS Islamic Foundation, Imam Abd’l wasiiu Bawaallah “If he asked you, give him, if he fights you, answer him. If he wants to borrow from you, assist him. If he seeks for protection, protect him. If he is sick, visit him. If he is dead, bury him. Do not torment him with fried stew without giving him out of it. Do not erect your building crossing his own building ventilation except with his permission. That is how our prophet our leader, teacher and mentor define peace.”