Tag: ADELEKE

…relocation decision not ill-conceived — Osun govt 

The former Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), Adewale Adebayo has berated the decision of Governor Ademola Adeleke to relocate the proposed M.K.O Abiola Airport from Ido-Osun to his hometown, Ede. 

The Nation gathered that Adeleke alongside Aviation and Works Ministers; David Umahi and Festus Keyamo will performed the foundation laying of the new airport in Ede after abandoning initial airport that over N20billion had been expended on. 

Reacting to the development, Adebayo who is also the Osun State Chairman of Allied Peoples Movement (APM) said, “We find the decision of relocation of the airport  troubling, especially considering the N20 billion already invested in the original project site. 

“We had raised concern over the style of governance of Adeleke. We strongly believe that the style of governance of Adeleke is anti-democratic not only because of this but with appointment of about 17 Permanent Secretares from Ede, his hometown.

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“This pure nepotism and anti-democratic. He is governing the state as if he is the governor of Ede and not Osun State. Most of the initiative of his government are concentrated in Ede as if other communities did not voted for him. 

However, the Osun State Government through a member, Osun Airport Technical Committee, Otunba Lai Oriowo said relocation of the airport project to Ede is not ill-conceived but due to technical faults. 

He explained: “The last government actually ceded the project and the site to the airforce, so when the new administration comes on board , it has a duty to set up a technical committee to consider all the issues for a decision. 

“Findings of the Committee on the Ido Osun site is that existing runway which is 1.67km did not meet the required standard. Citing the runway at this site (Old Aerodrome Site) therefore, will require relocation of Adeleke Secondary School, the existing culvert of 65 metres transversely located at different sections of the running route and open/fabricated drainage already constructed are not ideal for an Airport. 

“The uncompleted Terminal Building, Control Tower Building and Fire and Rescue buildings, are wrongly located with reference to the runway and access to the Airport is limited to only Osogbo – Ede Road among others.”

Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun on Wednesday said his administration has paid N12bn pension debt in his two years as governor of the state.

Adeleke made this known during his state  broadcast to mark the two years anniversary of his administration.

While reeling out the achievements of his administration,  Adeleke said his government has been able to settle pension debts, and also constructed numerous roads as well as upgraded health centres.

“In line with norms of accountability and responsibility to the electorate, I am obligated to render my stewardship midway into the life of our administration.

“For the public service sector, our government has paid about N12 billion pension debt in two years, compared with 11 billion paid by the opposition for its 12 years in the government of the state.

“We pursue a preventive health care policy which places emphasis on access to health care.

“By today, our administration has upgraded 200 primary health care centres out of almost 400, with solar power, boreholes and medical materials.

“In the same vein, we conducted two major Imole medical outreach with over 100, O00 beneficiaries.

“The third edition is upcoming, even as we have enrolled 29,000 pensioners in the health insurance scheme to bankroll their Healthcare,” he said.

The governor said that 332 boreholes were also delivered across the 332 political wards in the state and that another 332 borehole project is ongoing.

Read Also: Obasanjo joins Adeleke to inaugurate 2.7km road in Osogbo

He said his administration is also reviving the farm settlements and implementing the new cocoa and cashew expansion initiatives, while 31 tractors had been bought to kick-start the state farm mechanisation plan.

He said the University of Ilesa has also become a reality with take off grants and accredited courses, while the rehabilitation of its internal roads are now ongoing.

“For the Osun State University, four abandoned projects were completed and a new anatomy laboratory was started and completed by our administration.

“We rehabilitated 99 secondary schools, restarted the upgrade of the six technical colleges and are about to issue letters of appointment to new teachers,” he said.

He reassured citizens of the state of his administration’s commitment to complete all ongoing projects, and continue to address the infrastructural and social needs of the people.  (NAN)

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Kabiru Adisa, has criticized Governor Ademola Adeleke’s decision to relocate the ongoing M.K.O. Abiola Airport project to his hometown, Ede.

Adisa described this move as uncharitable, emphasizing that the governor should represent the interests of the entire state rather than just the Ede constituency.

Adisa’s reaction came after the Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, announced plans for Adeleke’s second anniversary.

This announcement included the governor, along with the Ministers of Works and Aviation, David Umahi and Festus Keyamo, laying the foundation for the new airport in Ede.

In a statement, Adisa urged the governor to avoid actions that might be perceived as clannish or nepotistic.

Read Also: BREAKING: Osun community protests Adeleke’s decision to relocate Airport to Ede

He said: “This is nepotism taken too far. This is clannishness beyond comprehension. The people of Osun State will not accept this. The governor must see himself as the governor of the whole state, not that of Ede.”

Adisa, however, assured the people of the state that the APC is coming in 2026 to right the wrongs of the Adeleke-led People’s Democratic Party (PDP) government.

…stay away from Osun for foundation laying, xommunity tells Keyamo

Residents of Ido Osun, in the Egbedore local government area of Osun state, staged a protest on Tuesday against Governor Ademola Adeleke’s decision to relocate the ongoing M.K.O Abiola Airport project to his hometown, Ede.

The protest followed an announcement by the Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, outlining plans for Adeleke’s second anniversary, which included the governor, along with the Ministers of Works and Aviation, David Umahi and Festus Keyamo, to lay the foundation for the new airport in Ede.

Led by the Eesa of Ido-Osun, Chief Oyewale Basiru, and former Osun Assembly lawmaker, Abiodun Awolola, the protesters gathered at the palace holding placards with inscription s such as: “Is Adeleke governor of Ede or Osun State?”, “We say no to favouritism”, “Give us back our airport”, and “Relocating the airport to your hometown is nepotistic.”

Awolola, speaking on behalf of the community, condemned the governor’s decision, highlighting that over N20 billion had already been invested in the airport project by previous administrations.

He said: “Removing the airport in the original location to Adeleke’s hometown will amount to nepotism and favouritism which oppose to the oath of democracy he took when he was sworn in as the governor. 

“Adeleke made a promise to our late king to complete the project but the reverse is the case now.  Unfortunately, Kolapo Alimi who served under the government of Rauf Aregbesola and now under Adeleke is the one stating reasons to relocate the airport despite knowing the level of work done and the billions of Naira that had been expended on it. 

Read Also: Our govt paid N47b to pensioners within two years, says Adeleke

“The government decision is unacceptable and unjust, as it undermines the rights and interests of the people of Ido-Osun. 

The community called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and stop Governor Adeleke from relocating the airport to his hometown, urging him to direct his ministers to refrain from attending any foundation-laying ceremony for the new project in Ede.

He added: “We urge the Osun State Government to reconsider this decision and maintain the original plan and complete the airport because the decision can lead to a communal clash between Ido-Osun and Ede communities as they share boundaries.

“Citing encroachment as reasons for relocating the airport lack logic because their institution encroached that land before time. We have enough land for the airport.”

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has said his government prioritised the welfare of workers and retirees, as he has paid N1.9billion pension to retirees.

The governor, speaking yesterday while presenting bond certificates to pensioners as part of the activities slated for his second year anniversary, said: “Our administration has paid N47billion since we assumed office.

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“As part of our determination to settle pension indebtedness, today we are paying One Billion, Nine Hundred and Ninety Nine Million, Nine Hundred and Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eight Seven Naira (N1,999, 908,887.33). This is a combination for both state and local governments.”

He said the two previous administrations for 12 years paid N34,408,087,059.77 in total.

A Socio-Political group on Saturday demanded that Governor Ademola Adeleke should apologise to the leadership of the police and residents of the state for defending a murder suspect who engaged security operatives in a gun battle.

It will be recalled that an appointee of Adeleke, who is the head of Park Managers, Nurudeen Wakili was arrested but shot while attempting to escape from the police after a gun battle and ammunition were discovered in his car.

Reacting to the development, the group, Osun Progressives Youths (O-SPY), through its coordinator, Tunmise Ajiboye in a statement on Friday berated Adeleke’s stance about the incident.

Read Also: Youths slam Adeleke for ‘rationalizing criminality’

He cautioned that, “Our governor must be wary of defending a suspect who was arrested with arms and ammunition who engaged in a gun battle before his arrest. Doing this will give residents the courage to bear one, hence anarchy has been invited by Osun number one citizen.”

 He queried “How could one defend a murder suspect whose residents that the governor swore to protect had written several petitions against, over his threats and assaults on them?”

“We hereby urge Adeleke to apologize to police leadership and residents for defending the murder suspect, probably in error because he was his appointee.”

Meanwhile, Concerned Osun Civil Society Groups, led by Comrade Olanrewaju Stephen, berated police over the arrest and shooting of Alowonle, urging the IGP to probe the police team that carried out the operation.

The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Monday, encouraged undergraduates to participate in the Osun 2024 Intercollegiate Games, an initiative aimed at addressing youth restiveness.

During the unveiling of the games at Fountain University in Osogbo, Adeleke announced that the event will take place from Wednesday, November 20, 2024, to December 4, 2024.

The primary goal of the games is to promote physical activities and healthy lifestyles among students.

Representing the governor, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sport, Layi Adesiyan, revealed that the 2024 games will include various sports such as football, badminton, scrabble, chess, athletics, table tennis, and tug-of-war.

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He said: “I want to encourage undergraduates in Osun state to participate in these games because it will tackle restiveness and other social vices. It will even improve the economic status of the state because it will be held on two campuses; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and Federal Polytechnic Ede.”

He added that officers of the Sports Council will scout for young talents during the events to recruit them into state teams.

The organiser of the games, Mr Abdulganiyu Olayiwola, disclosed that Osun State has the highest number of tertiary institutions in Nigeria, hence the games will promote one spirit.

“About 13 schools have registered so far which include; Fountain University, OAU, Fed of Ede, Redeemer University, Adeleke University, Osun State University, Osun Poly, OSCOTECH, Oduduwa University, Fed College of Medical Science, Ila, and others.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun state is gearing up for a strong comeback in the 2026 governorship election, with leaders and members in the Ifelodun/Boripe/Odo-Otin federal constituency joining forces to strategize for victory, aiming to unseat Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The initiative is led by Hon. Eniade Damilare, who has also rallied former members of the Osun State House of Assembly, including Olawuwo Hassan, the APC state auditor, Aliu Akinloyè, and other party leaders to promote unity ahead of the elections in the state.

During one of the strategy meetings held in Ikirun, Eniade emphasized the importance of unity among members, maintaining a positive mindset, and consistently mobilising residents to join the APC as they prepare for the upcoming elections, particularly the 2026 gubernatorial race.

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“I can assure you that our party will sack Adeleke in 2026. This is the reason I am mobilising youths for this move. We are a party to beat, we have won Edo and Ondo State, and Ekiti and Osun States will not be exempted. As we commence our strategic moves to galvanize the party, victory is sure and we are going to sack Adeleke come 2026,” he said.

Addressing members of the party, Olawuwo said the leadership of the party at the state level has put the house in order and APC is stronger than in 2022.

“This strategic meeting and mobilisation of youths led Eniade will further strengthen the victory party. He is leading the move and this will pay for our party in the future. I want to admonish other leaders of the party to start this kind of move in other federal constituencies,” he said.