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Tag: ADELEKE

  • Osun governorship dispute: Tribunal directs PDP, Adeleke to open case Monday

    The Osun State Governorship Election Tribunal has directed the petitioners – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the last governorship election in the state, Senator Ademola Adeleke – to open their case on Monday by calling witnesses.

    Tribunal Chairman, Justice Ibrahim Sirajo, gave the directive, following the prayer by the petitioners’ lawyer, Paul Ananaba (SAN), to allow the petitioners some time to prepare their witnesses and bring them from Osun State.

    Ananaba made the request for an adjournment till Monday after the tribunal ruled yesterday on two applications by the second and third respondents.

    The PDP and Adeleke are, by their petition, challenging the outcome of the election.

    They are querying the victory of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Isiaka Oyetola, in the election.

    Respondents to the petition are: the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC and Oyetola (first, second and third respondents).

    Many people, including lawyers to the respondents who expected the petitioners to be eager to prove their case, expressed surprise at the request by Ananaba.

    Respondents’ lawyers: Adesina Agbede (for the first), Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) for the second, and Abiodun Layonu (SAN) for the third, were unhappy that Ananaba sought the postponement of hearing till Monday.

    They applied for cost to, among others, compensate for the wasted time.

    But, due to tribunal chairman’s intervention, to the effect that the case was adjourned till Thursday for the hearing of the applications by the second and third respondents, the respondents’ lawyers changed their minds and conceded to an adjournment.

    At the commencement of proceedings around 10am on Thursday, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), who led Owonikoko for the second respondent, and Akin Olujinmi (SAN), who led Layonu for the third respondent, moved their applications, in which they prayed the tribunal to, among others, decline jurisdiction over the petition and dismiss it.

    Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) led the petitioners’ legal team, which included Ananaba.

    He also adopted the petitioners’ counter-argument.

    The tribunal reconvened at noon and dismissed the applications by Olanipekun and Olujinmi on the grounds that the Fourth Alteration to the Constitution, as reflected in Section 285(8), precludes an election tribunal from dismissing a petition without hearing it.

    Justice Sirajo said the Fourth Alteration had altered the position of the law that existed when an election tribunal, some years ago, dismissed a petition by Jimi Agabje (now PDP’s governorship candidate in Lagos State) without hearing it.

    The tribunal said under Section 285(8) of the Constitution, it was empowered to reserve ruling on all preliminary applications, including those challenging its jurisdiction, and deliver ruling at the point of judgment.

    Justice Sirajo said the tribunal would stick to its earlier decision to reserve ruling on two applications argued by the respondents, which touched on the tribunal’s jurisdiction and the competence of the petition.

    Adeleke, who had witnessed the proceedings till the ruling was delivered, did not return when the tribunal returned from its noon short break.

    Olanipekun, Olujinmi and Ikpeazu also did not witness the afternoon proceedings.

    At the commencement of proceedings after the one hour break, Justice Sirajo asked if the petitioners were ready to open their case. Ananaba, who took Ikpeazu’s place, said the petitioners needed time to get their witnesses.

    He sought an adjournment to enable the petitioners bring their witnesses from Osun State.

    Justice Sirajo granted Ananaba’s request and adjourned till Monday for the petitioners to open their case.

     

  • Be your brother’s keeper, Adeleke tells Muslims

    The senator representing Osun West, Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke, has urged Muslims worldwide to show brotherliness in their dealings and interactions with one another in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and Ahadith of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

    In an Eid-el-Mawlud message by his media aide, Olumide Lawal, the senator said Islam is a religion of peace, which should not be tainted by evil-doers.

    He said nobody should take a soul that he cannot create, adding that the power to do so belongs only to Allah Almighty.

    Adeleke maintained that global peace should not be threatened because of selfish and narrow interests of those who falsely claim to be fighting in the cause of Allah, whereas they do the opposite.

    Read also: Presidency tackles ex-UK official over comment on Buhari’s anti-graft war

    He said Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) lived a peaceful life, which extended love to all of mankind.

    Adeleke also urged Muslims and other Nigerians to live in peace and promote unity rather than play up issues that weaken the nation’s oneness.

    The senator advised all to avoid issues that threaten the fabric of the nation’s existence, as enunciated by Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W).

  • Adeleke, four others arraigned for alleged exam malpractices

    Senator Ademola Adeleke (Osun West) and four others were yesterday arraigned at the Federal High Court, Abuja for allegedly engaging in examination malpractices.

    Also arraigned were Sikiru Adeleke (who is said to be the senator’s relative), Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau (the school principal), Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo (registrar) and Dare Samuel Olutope (teacher).

    The five were arraigned on a four-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/156/2018, filed in the name of the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

    Ademola and Sikiru were accused of fraudulently, through personation, registering as students of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School, Ojo-Aro, Osun State to enable them sit for the National Examinations Council (NECO) examination of June/July 2017.

    The other three defendants were accused of aiding the commission of the alleged offence.

    They pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them, following which their lawyers prayed the court to grant them bail pending trial.

    Alex Izinyon (SAN) appeared for Senator Adeleke, while Nathaniel Oke (SAN) appeared for Sikiru Adeleke.

    The first three defendants, on whose behalf bail applications were filed and argued, were granted bail by Justice I. E. Ekwo.

    Ojo and Olutope, who were represented by Isaac Adeniyi on October 15 when the case earlier came up, were not represented by any lawyer yesterday. No bail applications were also filed for them.

    However, during the proceedings, Oke made an oral application for their bail, which the judge disallowed and insisted that a formal application be filed for them.

    Ruling, Justice Ekwo ordered the remand of Ojo and Olutope in prison pending the hearing of their bail application.

    For Senator Adeleke, the judge granted him bail on self- recognition and directed that he should endorse a bond to always be available for his trial.

    Justice Ekwo ordered that Senator Adeleke should deposit his passport with the registrar and must not travel out of the country without the permission of the court.

    For the two others, the court granted each bail at N2million with one surety, who must be a “responsible” citizen and an owner of landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.

    They are to deposit their passports with the court’s registry and are not to travel out of the country without the court’s permission.

    Dressed in a traditional attire (buba and sokoto), with his signature cap, Adeleke kept a calm disposition throughout the about 45 minutes proceedings.

    Shortly after the proceedings, the senator was seen making calls, while the other defendants made efforts to perfect the bail granted them.

    Unlike the show of solidarity exhibited by leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose was recently taken to court, no prominent PDP member was in court yesterday.

    In the first count preferred against the defendants, the prosecution alleged that the five defendants “conspired to commit felony, to wit: examination malpractices, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 10 of the Examination Malpractices Act Cap E15 LFN 2004.”

    In count 2, the prosecution alleged that the three members of staff of the school acted in concert by aiding and abetting “the commission of examination malpractice by personation” when they allegedly “registered Senator Ademola Adeleke and Sikiru Adeleke”, knowing or having “reasons to believe that they are not students of the school”.

    The alleged offence was said to be contrary to Section 9(1) of the Examination Malpractices Act Cap E15 LFN 2004.

    In count three, the two Adelekes were accused of acting in concert, and “personated as students of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School when you fraudulently registered as students of the school in the June/July, 2017 NECO”.

    The offence is said to be contrary to Section 3(2) of the Examination Malpractices Act Cap E15 LFN 2004.

    The fourth count accused the three members of staff of the school of “acting in concert” and while “saddled with the responsibilities of registering students of your school in the June/July 2017 NECO examination, breached that duty by registering Senator Ademola Adeleke and Sikiru Adeleke as students of your school in the June/July 2017 NECO examination when you know or had reasons to believe that they are not students of the school”.

    The fourth count was said to be contrary to Section 10(a) and punishable under Section 3(2) of the Examination Malpractices Act Cap E15 LFN 2004.

  • Defeated Adeleke rejects result

    The Independent National Electoral Commission#s (INEC) declaration of victory for candidate of ruling APC, Gboyega Oyetola, in Osun governorship election has been rejected by Sen. Ademola Adeleke, of PDP.

    Adeleke, in a statement in Osogbo by his campaign organisation’s spokesperson, Mr Olawale Rasheed, said he would seek legal redress.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, the APC candidate defeated Adeleke with 482 votes in the rerun poll.

    Oyetola scored a total of 255,505 to defeat Adeleke who scored 255,023.

    Adeleke, however, alleged that voters were deliberately refused access to polling points at gun points while those allowed to voting centres were forced to vote for APC.

    He said PDP party agents were arrested, beaten up and shut out of polling centres while the roads were blocked to stop voters and observers.

    “Applying all standards, today’s supplementary poll is a non-event as all norms of the electoral process are violated,” he said.

    But the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun said the people of the state had spoken through the ballot

    A statement by Mr Kunle Oyatomi, APC Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy in Osun, said PDP got their votes in the first election through manipulation.

    Oyatomi said that nobody expected that the PDP would come second during the election, adding that most people in the state believed that it would be a straight fight between the APC and SDP.

    “We have always known and have made ourselves clear before the election that the PDP had made elaborate arrangement to rig the election through the manipulation of the card readers.

    ” And it was this process that made them get the votes allocated to them in the first ballot.

    ” We like Osun people to understand that the run off votes went the way it did because the PDP was unable to manipulate the card readers this time around and fortunately the police thwarted their plot of buying and trying to use the PVCs of unsuspecting voters.

    “That was why some of their leaders were arrested. So the PDP should look for other excuses.

    “They attempted to win by fraud, they failed in the first round and eventually lost the rerun election,’’ Oyatomi said.

    NAN reports that the election was declared inconclusive and a re-run ordered because the number of cancelled votes was higher than the margin between the two top candidates.

    Adeleke led the race with 254,698 votes, 353 votes more than his closest rival, Gboyega Oyetola of the APC.

    The margin was, however, less than the 3,498 votes in the polling units where voting was cancelled.

    Consequently, INEC Chief Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Joseph Fuwape, declared the poll inconclusive and ordered a re-run.

    “Unfortunately, as the returning officer, it is not possible to declare any party as the clear winner of this election at the first ballot,” Fuwape had said. (NAN)

  • My life in danger, says Adeleke

    Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun state governorship elction Senator Ademola Adeleke, has written the European Union and the United States over an alleged threat to his life.

    Spokesperson of the Adeleke Campaign Organisation Rashed Olawale in a statement quoted the PDP candidate as saying: “My life is under threat and the leaders of my party are under siege before and after Saturday main polls.

    “During the campaigns, we were subjected to countless attacks. I escaped about four assassination attempts. Our campaign vehicles were severally attacked and our rallies disrupted. We went through the pre-election process under constant onslaught from political thugs and merchants of violence.

    “Despite the violence-prone climate, I still won the election. On live television, our votes were removed and protestations for re-addition of the votes were rejected. Votes for the ruling party were jerked up and again the electoral umpire refused to correct the arithmetical errors. After all the manipulations which saw about 4000 votes removed from my total votes, I still won by close to 400 votes. ”

  • Victory is assured, says Adeleke

    After casting his vote, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ademola Adeleke, has assured his supporters that, if he is not rigged out by the authorities in charge of the process, he is sure of victory.

    Adeleke who arrived exactly 8am at his polling unit 009, Ward 2, Abogunde/Sagba registration area, Ede North, was the first to vote at the unit.

    The Card Reader Machine had initially difficulties authenticating his fingerprints, but after about five minutes, he succeeded in doing his accreditation.

    The PDP flag bearer who voted at about 8.07am told reporters afterwards that so far everything was proceeding normally and that if it continues that way he is sure of victory.

    He said attempts were made to frustrate his bid, to destabilise him ahead of the election, but everything failed in the end.

    Buoyed by the support he is getting from his constituency in Ede, Senator Adeleke who surprisingly emerged winner of the Osun West senatorial by-election in July 2017 fancies himself as the next governor of Osun State.

    Adeleke became actively involved in partisan politics when he contested and won the by-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),  after the death of his elder brother, former Governor Isiaka Adeleke, then a serving senator, in April 2017.

    Read Also: Live Updates: Osun 2018 governorship election

    Ademola Adeleke had defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP, when he suspected that the ruling APC in Osun State would deny him its ticket for the contest.

    He proved book makers wrong when he won the election which was conducted on July 23, 2017. Everyone had expected the APC to win the election.

  • Osun decides: Oyetola, Omisore, Adeleke, Adeoti, Akinbade in tough contest

    Four years after outgoing governor, Rauf Aregbesola, won a reelection in tough circumstances, another governorship election holds today to produce his successor. As the electorate cast their votes, BISI OLADELE and ADESOJI ADENIYI analyse the likely voting patterns across the major towns and cities in the State of Virtues.

    FIVE main gorvernorship contenders are set to battle for the votes of 1.24 million voters expected to turn out today to choose who should govern Osun State for the next four years. Although the available votes will be shared between 48 candidates of different parties standing for the election, Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Iyiola Omisore of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Moshood Adeoti of the African Democratic Party (ADP), Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Fatai Akinbade of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) are considered as main contenders. The huge number of PVC holders presents both a challenge and opportunity for the candidates one way or the other. For candidates that are really popular in towns and communities with high number of PVC holders, it will be an opportunity to score high and vice versa.

    The towns and cities include Osogbo, Ile-Ife, Ilesa, Iwo, Ede, Ejigbo and Ikirun. Osogbo Osogbo, the Osun State capital, has the highest number of votes, judging by past elections. This is so particularly when joined with votes from Ikirun, a neighbouring town. Voters in Osogbo will more likely decide in favour of APC’s Oyetola because the city has benefitted most from the urban renewal project and education policies of the Aregbesola administration in the last eight years. The transformation of Osogbo has been massive under Aregbesola, and this has greatly enhanced the economic strength of the city. Besides, none of the five major candidates hails from the town. While Oyetola hails from Iragbiji, Omisore from Ile-Ife, Adeleke from Ede and Adeoti from Iwo, ADC’s Akinbade hails from Ogbagbaa, near Iwo. In fact, some opposition politicians have accused the APC of concentrating development on Osogbo alone, given the massive infrastructural renewal and beautification project of the Aregbesola administration. But that does not foreclose the chances of other parties from gaining some percentage of the votes as they all have their supporters spread in the entire state. But APC is tipped to score the majority of votes in Osogbo and its surrounding communities. Ede Adeleke is expected to pull a large number of votes from Ede.

    APC strategists, however, believe that the party will get substantial votes from the town as many of its indigenes are not favourably disposed to Adeleke. The emergence of Adeleke as the PDP flag bearer has sharply divided the PDP faithful. The aggrieved among the members believe that the Adeleke family is cornering the privileges coming to the town even when it is obvious that other qualified people should be considered. Our reporter gathered reliably in the town that the emergence of Adeleke forced the former Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Adejare Bello, and his followers out of the party. His followers believe that Bello or other qualified Ede indigenes should have been given the opportunity to emerge as the PDP candidate instead of Adeleke who replaced his late elder brother in the Senate.

    But Bello and his supporters are not alone, some other indigenes of the town also believe that it was wrong to have presented the new senator who has no higher education to represent the town as governor when there are well educated politicians who have also been contributing their own quota to the development of the town. Added to the above factor is the recent award of the contract for the rehabilitation of Ede-Ejigbo Road by the Aregbeshola administration, a decision that was applauded by many in the town. For these reasons, Adeleke may not enjoy block votes from Ede as it happened during his senatorial election. APC is likely to pull huge votes next to Adeleke in Ede. Iwo Though ADP’s Adeoti and ADC’s Akinbade hail from Iwo zone, many will be surprised at how APC will poll high number of votes in the zone. Though Adeoti and Akinbade are well known in the towns and communities in Iwo zone, their expected bloc votes are threatened by APC’s acceptance, particularly in Iwo town which has the largest population in the zone. The establishment in the town is largely behind the APC. This will weaken the chances of Adeoti producing bloc votes from the area. Even if the APC candidate comes second in Iwo, it will really weaken Adeoti’s chances because the town has a huge voting strength. Ilesa Ilesa, in this analysis, covers the entire Ijesa land, which comprises six local governments. The voting pattern in the zone is largely unpredictable. But APC will likely have a good showing in the area.

    The outgoing governor hails from Ilesa. The current Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, also hails from the area. It is, therefore, expected that their kinsmen will reward their sons’ selection and successes by voting massively for the APC candidate. One of the major roads leading to Ilesa will soon be awarded for reconstruction by the state government. But Omisore and Adeoti will also corner some votes from the area. While Omisore represented the area at the Senate twice, Adeoti’s party has some juggernauts in Ijesa land. Nonetheless, APC is expected to score the majority votes in the area. Ile-Ife This is the base of the SDP candidate, Omisore. Ile-Ife has the second largest voting strength in the state due to the Obafemi Awolowo University community. Omisore, who is a former deputy governor and senator, has proved to be a dogged fighter since his crisis with his former boss, Chiefs Bisi Akande and the late Bola Ige exploded in 2001. He was then the deputy governor under the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). He won his first senatorial election while in detention at Agodi, Ibadan prison during his trial over Bola Ige’s murder.

    Since then, he remained very popular in his town. This time, THE NATION gathered reliably that Omisore is sure to poll the highest number of votes in Ile-Ife and its environs. The surrounding communities include Garage Olode, Ifetedo and Ipetumodu. But the APC is hopeful; it believes it will poll sizable votes in these areas, given the number of people that have benefitted from the Aregbesola administration in the last eight years. Ejigbo Ejigbo is another town within Osun West Senatorial District which has a good number of voting population. The current Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salam, is a native of Ejigbo. Feelers from the town show that he is well loved due to his accessibility, love and philanthropy. For the above reason, the APC will likely win in the town with wide margin.

    Iragbiji In Iragbiji, Oyetola’s home town, he is sure to poll the highest votes while in other towns such as Ikire, Gbongan, Odeomu, Ila, Iree and Okuku, the candidates will enjoy patronage based on the strength of their parties and candidates. Omisore is popular in some parts of Ikire zone. For being in government in the last eight years, it is expected that the APC will enjoy a good patronage from the voters across all parts of the state. Ikire Ikire is another town with sizable number of voters, particularly when joined with its surrounding communities such as Orile-Owu, Apomu and some surrounding villages. Oyetola’s running mate, Benedict Alabi, hails from the zone. Omisore’s running mate Lawal, also hails from the zone. But due to the influence of some PDP juggernauts in the zone, Adeleke’s PDP is tipped to have a fairly good showing in Ikire Zone.

    Oyetola, Omisore and Adeleke are likely to garner high number of votes in the area. Obviously, votes in the zone are most likely going to be divided. NEWS THE NATION I SATURDAY I SEPTEMBER 22 I 2018 3 Osun 2014 governorship election results LG APC PDP Ifedayo 4,225 3982 Boluwaduro 4,891 5,035 Ilesha East 16,106 5,913 Odo Otin 11,950 12,902 Ilesha West 15,427 5,449 Orolu 8,558 6,786 Oriade 12,523 10,214 Atakumosa 6,928 5,142 Ede South 11,738 7,462 Ila Oragun 10,825 7,916 Boripe 12,723 9,344 Irepodun 13,314 7,386 Ife Central 9,680 24,555 Ife East 13,821 20,831 Ola Oluwa 7,927 4,963 Isokan 9,758 10,028 Ife North 8,603 9,841 Ede North 15,403 10,427 Ifelodun 17,447 12,442 Ayedaade 12,801 11,255 Obokun 11,696 8,618 Irewole 18,328 10,330 Egbedore 10,215 7024 Aiyedire 7,724 7,813 Iwo 20,827 15,493 Osogbo 39,983 11,513 Olorunda 26,551 8,483 Ife South 7,325 12,811 Atakumota East 9,287 6,294 (Election did not hold in Alarere polling unit) Ejigbo 17,700 12,495 (11 polling units had over voting and forged signatures) Gbongan and Odeomu These are towns whose voting patterns are unpredictable. There are supporters of each of the five leading parties in the two towns. Yet, the majority may vote for the APC, the party having been impacting their lives and communities in the last eight years. In all, the four candidates that will most likely have the highest votes are Oyetola, Omisore, Adeoti and Adeleke in that order.

  • Support for Adeleke from unsuspected quarters

    The country home of the Adelekes in Ede, which served as the constituency office of the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke and now as that of Senator Ademola Adeleke, was swarming with gaily-dressed red-cap chiefs and women dressed like those from the Southeast when ‘The Nation’ called at the venue on Friday afternoon.

    Indeed, the standard bearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in tomorrow’s governorship election in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, is enthusiastically supported in the bid to take over the Government House in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, by his compatriots from across the River Niger.

    Sen. Adeleke’s mother, Mrs. Nnena Esther Adeleke, hails from the coal city state Enugu, in the Southeast geo-political zone.
    One of such supporters, a red-cap chief, told our reporter in confidence that the Adeleke brothers, including Senator Ademola Adeleke, had always maintained a cordial relationship with people from the Southeast, particularly those living in Osun State.
    He said: “Igbos living in Osun State have always had a good relationship with the Adelekes. We Supported Ademola Adeleke when he contested and won the Osun West senatorial by-election in July 2017.”

  • PDP leaders canvass votes for Adeleke

    Readers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stormed Osogbo, Osun state capital, yesterday to canvas votes for the party’s candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

    Stalwarts of the party, including National Chairman Uche Secondus; Senate President and Chairman of National Campaign Council for Osun Election Senator Bukola Saraki; former Vice President and Presidential  aspirant, Atiku Abubakar; PDP Vice Chairman (Southwest), Eddy Olafeso; and the Osun State Chairman, Soji Adagunodo, advised voters to protect their votes on the day of election.

    The Senate President said the APC government has failed the people of Osun State for failing to pay workers’ salaries and pensions for three years.

    He said since the Nigeria returned to civil rule in 1999, no state government has owed its workers for three years as Osun had done.

    He said: “Owing salaries for three, four, five months is understandable, but for a government to owe its workers for three years as Osun has been owing is unthinkable,

    “So, it is important there should be a change of government in Osun State, to usher in a government that will be ready to pay workers and pensioners regularly.

    “Good people of Osun, the suffering is enough. The election on Saturday is not about everybody. It is about the people of Osun. A government that will owe workers for three months should be sent parking. After Saturday, your incoming governor, Senator Adeleke, will be sworn in.”

  • WAEC to ‘do the needful’ on Adeleke

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has said it is working on the court order to provide Adeleke’s result.

    Head of Public Affairs for WAEC, Mr Demianus Ojijeogu, told The Nation on phone that the council had received the request.

    He said: “Those that should receive it have received it and are already working on it. WAEC is a law-abiding institution and would do the needful. We will obey the court order.”