The Nation Newspaper

Tag: chiefs

  • Ex-military chiefs’ discordant tunes

    SIR: In his valedictory remarks made on the occasion of his ceremonial “pulling out” from the Armed Forces, retired Air Chief Marshal Alex Sobundo Badeh painted a depressing picture of the state of readiness and combat worthiness of the Armed forces of Nigeria. He stated rather matter-of-factly that the Armed Forces are ill-equipped and lacking in motivation to combat Boko Haram gun men! That shocked Nigerians and certainly non-Nigerians who have been monitoring the “war on terror” in the North East Nigeria. Not done, the Air Chief Marshall also alluded to the inadequacy of the strength of the Armed Forces with respect to the number of troops under arms. He has since been roundly condemned in the media, print and electronic as well as on the social media. Many have stated the view, that it was an act of cowardice for the former CDS to be gamboling around in smart military uniform complete with bogus epaulettes, whilst the troops under his command were in the terrible shape he admitted they were in.

    Less than a week later, former Chief of Army Staff General Minimah read his valedictory remarks at a similar parade held in his honour in Abuja. His remarks were not as acerbic as those of the CDS. However, some key issues were raised about the state of the Nigerian Army in his time as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and the on-going war against Boko Haram insurgents. Starting with those he referred to as “the elite” he claimed that they used the Boko Haram to advance their ‘political, religious and sectional interests”. This is similar to the charge of the former CDS that there were fifth columnists in the military. General Minimah claimed that if the elite had supported the government in the war on Boko Haram, more successes would have been recorded. He alluded to the inadequate funding by the “authorities” which show-cased the scant regard for the health and vitality of the Nigerian Army personnel. He claimed that adequate welfare could have motivated the troops to perform better. He bemoaned the decay occasioned by long period of neglect. General Minimah stated that he left the Nigerian Army better than he met it.

    The views General Minimah expressed were in many ways in tandem with those of the former CDS, particularly with respect to funding and equipment of the troops. But in an interview with PRNigeria, a public relations firm, former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd), claimed that “Jonathan facilitated the acquisition of weapons for the military in the last one year”.

    Can this be the same military that the former CDS described as “ill-equipped? It just does not add up. Or can it be that the former CDS was not aware of the weapons the Jonathan administration acquired for the military? This is very unlikely to be the case because it is impossible for such a quantum of armament to have escaped the attention of the CDS. Dasuki named some of the acquired weapons to include Alpha jets, APCs, MRAP vehicles, advanced artillery pieces, assorted arms and ammunitions, as well as highly sophisticated surveillance drones. The administration also deployed Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles that were bought and could withstand improvised explosive device (IED) attacks and ambushes”. Somebody is not telling the truth.

    In the light of the claims and counter claims, it has become an absolute necessity that the Federal Government carry out a full scale investigation into the matter, even as we await the valedictory speeches of the former Chief of Naval Staff and the former Chief of Air Staff. It should interest Nigerians where all the huge defence budgets went. If the funds announced in the budget were not released, then what has to be accounted for would be the funded actually released to the military out of the humongous budgets year in year out. Exactly what happened has to be unearthed. The troops in combat as well as Boko Haram elements are closely monitoring the claims and counter claims. When the truths are finally established, government must correct all the lapses and inadequacies and ensure that the Nigerian Armed Forces are fully kitted, highly motivated and given full logistics back as the combat Boko Haram insurgents and indeed kidnappers, violent criminals and saboteurs who vandalized our oil facilities and all the kingpins of illegal oil bunkering.

     

    • Col Ola Majoyeogbe (rtd)

    Lagos.

  • Ooni’s ‘death’ and Ife chiefs

    My interest in Ile-Ife stems from an understandable emotional attachment to the ancient town. Though not an indigene of the antique town, my formative years were spent in Ile-Ife. The memories of my early years in Ile-Ife remain part of the most cherished aspects of my life. I had both my primary and secondary education at Ile-Ife.  My first degree thesis, at the University of Ilorin, partly centered on the ancient town.

    Ile –Ife is unique in many ways. It is the tradition power house and the custodian of the ancient tradition of the Yoruba race. As a young and curious undergraduate studying history, I was enthralled by the mystical aura surrounding Ile-Ife. I wanted to know as much as I could about this deeply mystifying ancestral home of the Yoruba nation. I could recollect that my search took me to the late Chief M.A Fabunmi, who was then the Odole Atobase of Ile-Ife. Chief Fabunmi was a living encyclopedia of the rich oral history of Ile-Ife. He knew the history of Ile-Ife inside out. One could actually affirm that whatever the late Chief did not know about Ile-Ife’s history did not, perhaps, exist. For days, Chief Fabunmi took me on about many astonishing tales that further highlight the reverent place of Ile-Ife in Yoruba tradition and history. According to him, Ile-Ife is the centre of Yoruba cosmology being the first place of human habitation in the world. It is “the spring where the sun rises before any other place in the world”.

    Chief Fabunmi further revealed that the palace of the Ooni, the venerated traditional ruler of the ancient town, has several ‘sacred rooms’ where the king discuses with the deities (and Ile-Ife boasts of an assortment of deities as it is claimed that diverse traditional rites are performed on a daily basis to these deities all through the year with the exception of one particular day which the Ooni alone knows) from time to time. Not only that, the palace, according to Chief Fabunmi, has certain links where the deeply initiated could connect directly with ‘Olodumare’, who is considered by the Yorubas to be the Supreme Being. There are also revelations about certain doors that must not be opened within the ambience of the palace by the uninitiated.

    Ife’s traditional ruler, the Ooni of Ife is one of the most highly revered kings in Africa. Almost every king in Yoruba land got his beaded crown from the Oduduwa house which is personified by the Ooni. In the political history of our country, especially in the post colonial era, the Ooni has played vital role in the nation building process. Sir Adesoji Tadeniawo Aderemi, who ruled in Ile-Ife between 1930 and1980, played significant role in the politics of the defunct Western Region. His successor, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, simply followed in this rich tradition, intervening in several political fiascos that could have thrown the country into turmoil since his assumption of the throne in 1980.

    In Ile-Ife, ancient traditional values are held as sacrosanct and the Ooni, who is the custodian of this tradition, is at the centre of it all. We live in a modern and technological driven age where hitherto highly revered ancient traditional norms and customs are either being gradually eroded or have actually been completely gotten rid of. But, being the “Source of the human race”, tradition rarely dies in Ile-Ife. Being the very basis of the existence of the town, the death of tradition in Ife could only mean the demise of the ancient town itself. As blood is to the body, so is tradition to Ile-Ife.

    The current debate surrounding the transition of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade further underscores the rich traditional values and customs of the ancient town. Traditional and social media recently went to town about the news of the demise of the Ooni in faraway London. As the news was gaining ground, the Chief Priest of the ancient town, Oba Olajide Farotimi Faloba, who is traditionally empowered to make available such information, promptly came out to debunk the news, affirming that the respected monarch is alive. Equally, while on a recent visit to Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Royal Traditional Council of Ife informed the governor that the Ooni of Ife was alive, contrary to the news being peddled in the media.

    The way things currently stand, there seems to be a stalemate. The Ooni was curiously absent at the recent wedding of one his sons in Lagos. His absence at the event has further heightened fears about the monarch’s real condition. Indeed, many, though without any concrete proof, are convinced that the revered monarch has gone to join his ancestors. Could it then be that the chiefs that constitute the Royal Traditional Council of Ife are lying about actual state of things?

    As it has been previously established, Ile-Ife is a deeply traditional town. The Ooni personifies the rich tradition of the ancient town. Supposing the Ooni has, indeed, passed on, traditionally, the Royal Traditional Council of Ife has the onerous task of first knowing and equally breaking the news to the entire public. The Ooni is not just an ordinary person. He is the custodian of the rich heritage of the House of Oduduwa. As such, if the delicate issue of an Ooni’s death is not properly handled, according to tradition, it could lead to dire consequences. The chiefs has the traditional task of averting such.

    So, the announcement of the death of an Ooni must follow due traditional process. Such announcement can only be made by the Obalufe of Ife, being the only person authorised by convention to do so and until he does that, the king implicitly lives on. Therefore, we need to respect this age-long tradition of Ile-Ife. Since it is the same tradition that produced the current Ooni, we must respect the words of the chiefs who are the preservers of the tradition. Tradition bequeathed Oba Okunade Sijuwade on us; we must keep faith with the same tradition to acquaint us about his supposed demise.

     

    • Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Lagos State Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.  
  • CNPP expresses outrage at security chiefs

    CNPP expresses outrage at security chiefs

    The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has expressed outrage at the submission of the security chiefs that they could not guarantee security for the general elections earlier planned for February 14.

    In a statement, its spokesman, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, said: “We are at a loss the mileage the security chiefs will cover between now and March 28 to crush the Bokom Haram, which warranted the shift of the February polls, or will the poll be shifted again, if the insurgency rages?

    “CNPP is making this assertion, based on our phobia of possible truncation of our fledgling democracy; for we witnessed firsthand how our member political parties, some of whom have no candidate for any parliamentary bid or governorship were manipulated and compromised by the presidency to support polls’ elongation.

    “We, however, commend the 21 Resident Electoral Commissioners and 12 political parties that opposed poll-tenure-elongation and pray that there is no further elongation: they should take solace on the truism that postponement of examinations cannot assist an indolent student.”

  • ASUU chiefs in road crash

    The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof Nasiru Isa Fage and a member of the union’s board of trustees, Dr. Dipo Fashina, have survived an accident on the Anyigba – Enugu road in Kogi State.

    The duo, who along with other leaders of the union, including Prof Suleiman Abdul of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, were on their way to Abia State University, Uturu, for the union’s National Executive Council meeting in Fage’s bus when a commercial vehicle ran into them.

    Though Fage and Fashina escaped unhurt, Prof Suleiman Abdul sustained a dislocation on his shoulder and was rushed to an orthopaedic specialist hospital in Abuja.

  • Open letter to defence chiefs

    SIR: This letter is vital to you at this moment in the background of predictions that Nigeria will break up in 2015. There is a dangerous trend afflicting the military today: politicians are gradually involving the institution in the wars they create. Before now, many people were of the view that soldiers will always rise against bigotry. But that’s simply not true. If tension could tear the military’s fabric apart before before the  civil war, it can happen again.

    Sirs, why should a garrison of the military be allocated to guard the homes, entourage and kinfolks of people of influence when these personnel are needed in the field to protect national interests especially in the light of emerging internal security challenges?

    Shouldn’t the government fashion out a way to give licences to retired military personnel to establish private security companies like Blackwater (a private military Army in the US that even went to foreign mission in Iraq before the ignoble shootings that led to the withdrawal of its license) to be supervised by the Army Intelligence so that the military will be left to concentrate on their regimental duties while the private security companies go on to protect those that can afford their services?

    The military over time has displayed skill and courage within and outside Nigeria. The country needs to appreciate their worth not only as the fight against the insurgency rages but at all times and its members in-and-out of service must not be left to suffer in ignominy.

    Your time in office should be used to get the political class to address the needs of the military more. Past military leaders have baulked at acquiring modern armaments for fear of coups; civilian administrators likewise have either towed same line or refused to convoke bi-partisan meetings needed to help the military.

     

    • Simon Abah,

    Port Harcourt,

    Rivers State

  • Court restrains ALGON chiefs

    Justice Abdulkadir Abdulkafarati of the Federal High Court, Abuja has restrained Nwabueze Okafor and Ibrahim Dikko, claiming to be National Chairman and Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) to desist from parading themselves as such.

    Justice Abdulkafarati, while ruling on a suit filed by the Registered Incorporated Trustees of ALGON, Uthman Kassim Ibrahim (Chairman Board of Trustees of ALGON and Prince Cornelius Nnaji on behalf of all serving Local Government Chairmen, specifically ordered parties to maintain status quo ante bellum as at when the suit was filed.

    The order, which is to subsist until the determination of the suit, was informed by arguments by lawyers to parties in the case.

    Plaintiff’s lawyer, Ted Iseghohi-Edwards urged the court maintain status quo as at March last year. He drew the court’s attention to a subsisting judgment where it was held that Okafor and Dikko are not members of the Incorporated Trustees of ALGON and could not institute a case on their behalf.

    Iseghihi-Edwards also drew the court’s attention to two existing orders of the court; one for an order directing Okafor, Dikko and Shittu Bamaiyi Yakmut to show cause, and the other for parties to maintain status quo pending the determination.

    He urged the court to hold that the two orders made on October 15 this year subsists, a request the defendants’ lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) opposed, insisting the  preliminary objection raised by his cleints should be determined first.

    The plaintiffs are, by their suit, challenging the “continued flouting” of an earlier judgment in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/33/2014, dated March 28, 2014, where Justice Abdulkafarati dismissed the suit filed  by the defendants in this case, challenging the eligibility of the plaintiffs to be on the board of ALGON.

    Justice Abdulkafarati held, in the judgment attached to the fresh suit as exhibit: “The irresistible conclusion is that the 2nd and 3rd plaintiff (Okafor and Dikko) are not members of the Incorporated Trustees of ALGON and so, they do not have the locus standi to institute this action in their names and institute the action in the name of the 1st plaintiff (Incorporated Trustees).

    “Having come to conclusion, I hold that the 2nd and 3rd plaintiffs have no locus standi to bring this action in their names on behalf of the 1st plaintiff. Secondly, they do not have the locus standi to authorize the institution of this action on behalf of the 1st plaintiff and in its name.

    “On the whole, I hold that this court has no jurisdiction to entertain this suit. This suit is an abuse of court process and same is hereby dismissed.”In the fresh suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/719/2014, the plaintiffs are of the view that the either the Registered Trustees led by Kassim Ibrahim or a duly elected Executive of serving Local government Chairmen, is the only body currently recognised by law to run the affairs of ALGON.

    The case has been adjourned to November 20 next yearfor hearing.

  • ‘Abia APC chiefs won’t defect to other parties’

    ‘Abia APC chiefs won’t defect to other parties’

    Is it true that some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State are defecting to other parties to be relevant?

    No, said Rt. Hon Stanley Ohajuruka, a former Speaker in the state House of Assembly, and a chieftain of the APC. In fact, he added, APC chiefs in the state do not need to leave the party in order to be in reckoning.

    Such rumours were rife in the state last week but the ex-Speaker has waved them away.

    Ohajuruka who spoke with our reporter in Aba, the commercial nerve of the state, said, “I am not aware of any move by anyone in APC to defect from the party to any other party, but if somebody is moving, where will the person be going to? You want to go to another party where you will go and stay on the queue or what?

    “I am not aware of any such move, unless it is being arranged for tomorrow. Though people are free to make their personal decisions, I don’t think there is any action like that by any of the APC chieftains or party members.

    “The problem which APC like every other party is having is internal and at the moment as I am speaking with you, it is being resolved amicably among the warring members at the national level.”

    Ohajuruka who intends to contest for the Abia Central Senatorial District under APC said, “I don’t belong to any faction as a person. My own duty is to encourage or promote understanding and peace amongst all the members of the party and whoever gets what, everybody should support the person so that we can form a formidable opposition to the ruling party because the absence of unity will bring about discord among us which will be to the advantage of the ruling party.

    “That is why we are encouraging our members to come so that we can work together. We (APC) members should shun hatred and put rancour aside to fight for a common goal”.

    He added “We don’t have one political party in Abia State like the ruling party will always boast. Every state has its dynamics and the dynamics of Abia State politics will soon play out itself very well, I can assure you.

    “Nobody should rule out any party. Every political party has its own internal problems, but the most important thing is to how to resolve it. I am assuring my supporters and the party’s supporters across the state that APC will live up to its expectations.

    “It is not even easy in the political parties where they are decamping to, if the rumours were anything to go by. Who are they going to pitch their tents with? Are they going to dislodge people or contest for a position or be a delegate there (defected party)? I will urge every APC supporter wherever that they might be to hold on to the APC ideologies and disregard such insinuations.

    “I am assuring them that everybody will be carried along as soon as things were harmonized and we hit the ground running. APC is the political party that will provide for Abians the true dividends of democracy which they truly deserve.”

     

  • Lagos council chiefs empower physically-challenged, artisans

    Lagos council chiefs empower physically-challenged, artisans

    For Medinat Azeez, a physically challenged mother, it was all smile Thursday last week when her name was mentioned as a beneficiary of a hair dryer and an electricity generating set at the community empower programme organised by Conference 57, the umbrella body of chairmen of the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos State.

    The event which held at Teslim Balogun stadium saw scores of physically challenged persons, artisans and youth going home with empowerment tools that would help them start up their own business.

    Azeez, a hairdresser, who was assisted to the venue by her 18year old daughter, told The Nation that it meant a life changing experience for her and family.

    The visibly excited mother said she had depended solely on sporting activities before now to cater for the needs of her family adding that with the latest development the family can now have additional income that would help improve their status.

    Also Kazeem Waheed, another physically challenged person, a tailor who received tools for tailoring alongside a generator to power his shop described the gesture as very noble.

    He commended the chairmen for considering the physically challenged in their programme saying that it will go a long way to change their situation.

    Lagos State Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Otunba Henry Ajomale who presented the tools to the beneficiaries said the problem of corruption in Nigeria will be a thing of the past when the party wrest power from the Peoples Democracy (PDP) in the 2015 general elections.

    Ajomale said the APC has decided to tackle the menace of corruption in the country and focus on three cardinal areas like; Women Development; Youth Development and Care for the disabled.

    According to him:”The issue of corruption must be eliminated by an APC government when the party gets into power. This is very important and key to our programmes when it comes to elections in 2015. When the APC takes over government from the PDP, these are the programmes that form part of our manifesto that would be tackled first.”

    Harping on the empowerment programme Ajomale said “we are distributing this because we want the average Nigerian to live comfortably. Every Nigerian is a stakeholder in government and we must see to it that everyone gets a chance to develop.

    “I want to specially thank the chairmen for this gesture. The equipment that they are giving you is for you to start up (your business). It’s a complete set with generator. If there was electricity, there would be no need for generators, but the federal government has failed to give us power.  I want to encourage all the beneficiaries of this laudable gesture to use these items effectively to better your lives and your future.”

    He warned people against selling the empowerment tools, urging them to use them to generate more income.

    In his address at the event, Chairman of the Conference 57 chairmen, Hon. Sulaimon Akeem  noted that poverty seems to have become a natural phenomenon in the country, adding that  it has persisted even though successive governments in Nigeria have made efforts to alleviate it.

    He said the conference embarked on the exercise due to the success of the first exercise which he said was carried out in August, 2014.

    According to him, the empowerment which saw residents of the state carting home items like sewing machines, battery charging machines, vulcanizing machines, generator sets, dryers, refrigerators and food stuffs, among others was the second phase.

    He said, “We followed up the materials given to those that benefited from it (the first phase), they actually used it for the purpose the items were meant for as seen in the development of their business that have brought about economic improvement.”

    Akeem noted that the program was in fulfillment of one of the promises made to alleviate poverty in Lagos and country.

    “You will agree with me, that sourcing for skilled labour from lesser developed countries around the world  shows that given the right support,  our people will help to develop human capital base , skills, resources and materials that can help to kick start small and medium scale business for the overall development of our society”, he said.

  • Local govt chiefs urged to work with workers

    Local govt chiefs urged to work with workers

    Council chairmen in Lagos State have been urged to work with workers to enhance quality service delivery at the grassroots.

    The Permanent Secretary in the Office of Local Government Establishment, Training and Pensions (LGETP), Mr. Adewale Ashimi gave the charge at the end of the Public Policy Development, Analysis and Implementation training for senior administration managers of all the 20 councils and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) at the Public Service Staff Development Centre (PSSDC), Magodo, Lagos.

    Ashimi said the commission’s efforts to train and equip its workforce for future challenges would be futile, if the chairmen and the management staff do not work together.

    He said the commission decided to train the council workers in policy development to enable them key into the overall vision of the government to empower workers in order to drive efficiency of the public service, whether at the local or state government levels.

    Ashimi said the commission would link up with the chairmen to ensure that the lessons of the trainings are not lost. “If you want to increase revenue, work with the local government workers; if you want to increase tourism potentials in the state, work with the councils; if you want to grow entrepreneurship, work with the grassroots; government at that level is key to development anywhere in the world and anyone working at the councils must be as effective as possible if they must drive the overall growth potential of the state government,” he said.

    He charged participants to be change agents and ensure that introduced what they learnt anywhere they found themselves. “I will urge you not to be frustrated if you met with challenges as you try to implement what you have learnt here, but be persistent and introduce the change,” Ashimi said.

    Earlier, PSSDC Director General Mrs. Olubunmi Fabamwo hailed the participants for putting in their best during the training.

    Mrs. Fabamwo said policy development, analysis and implementation is a newly designed programme and one of the eight contents designed for civil servants at the grassroots.

    She said: “Take away all the good things you have learnt from us here and introduce them at your various offices and local councils to improve service delivery.”

    Mrs. Fabamwo presented awards to two of the participants in line with the centre’s tradition. The most outstanding participant award went to the class governor, Mr. Joseph Olufemi Ojo, an engineer at the Badagry Local Government; Mr. Michael Adebisi Opeseyi, an administrative officer with the Mushin Local Government Area got the punctuality award.

    Ojo and Opeseyi praised the facilitators for giving their best during the training, adding that the training would make councils deliver to people at the grassroots. Over 46 participants were at the training

     

  • Improve grassroots, Fayemi urges council chiefs

    Improve grassroots, Fayemi urges council chiefs

    •Appointees take oath

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has sworn in caretaker chairmen in the 16 local governments and the 19 local council development areas (lcdas).

    Fayemi said they were chosen for their competence and closeness to the grassroots.

    He urged them to be diligent, noting that they would be held accountable by God and the people.

    The governor said: “I have no doubt that going by the pedigree of the leaders being sworn in today, there will be accelerated progress in meeting the needs of our people at the grassroots. These are leaders carefully chosen, not only on account of their competence, but also for their closeness to the grassroots.

    “I urge you to live up to the expectations of our people in serving them with diligence and honour. Above all, remember that power belongs to God and to Him shall we  ultimately give account.”

    On the creation of the lcdas, Fayemi said it was to meet the “long and persistent clamour of our people for the creation of new local governments”.

    He said the chairmen would play pioneering roles in the establishment of structures, programmes and policies for good governance at the grassroots.

    Speaking for the chairmen, Ado West LCDA Caretaker Chairperson Mrs Omotunde Fajuyi said they will justify the confidence reposed in them.

    At the event were the Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva; House of Assembly Speaker Adewale Omirin; All Progressives Congress (APC) State Chairman Chief Jide Awe; top government officials and traditional rulers.

    The council chairmen are Tope Olanipekun, Ado; Mrs Omotunde Fajuyi, Ado West LCDA; Sunday Ibitoye, Ado North LCDA; Raheem Balogun, Ado Central LCDA; Richard Apolola, Ekiti Southwest; Ayodeji Olaniyi, Igbara Odo/Ogotun LCDA; Tope Alonge, Oye; Olumide Adeyanju, Ifeloju LCDA; Adeyeye Bolaji, Ifesowapo LCDA; Dipo Ogunleye, Efon; Tope Ogunleye, Ilejemeje; Aribasoye Adeoye, Ajoni LCDA; Akinwale Alebiosu, Ero LCDA; Sina Ogunleye, Ifedara LCDA; and Kareem Agunbiade, Ekiti West.

    Others are Ayodeji Ajayi, Ise/Orun; Febisola Adewale, Emure; Olunide Fadipe, Isokan LCDA; Ojo Atibioke, Irewolede LCDA; Mrs Remi Balogun, Irede LCDA; Chief Dayo Ajayi, Ijero; Azeez Awolokun, Irepodun/Ifelodun; Gbenga Omole, Ikere West LCDA; Femi Ayodele, Ikere; Rotimi Afolabi, Ido/Osi; Bayo Akerele, Araromi LCDA; Damilare Ajayi, Gbonyin; Sunkanmi Onipede, Moba; Rotimi Ajidara, Ekiti East; Fadumiye Ayodele, Ayedire; Lateef Akanle, Ekiti South East LCDA; Olatiboye Titus, Okemesi/Ido Ile LCDA; Joshua Ayorinde, Eka Meta LCDA; Razak Aladetuyi, Ikole; and Kayode Ogunsakin, Ikole West.