The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ekiti STATE

  • Seven PDP members arrested for alleged PVCs racketeering

    Seven members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State have been arrested for illegal collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from eligible voters in Ikere Ekiti.

    The House of Assembly member representing Ikere Constituency 1, Wale Ayeni, who allegedly masterminded the voter cards racketeering was said to be on the run.

    Ayeni escaped being arrested by the whiskers when the policemen swooped on his situation office in Oke’kere area of the town where the alleged PVCs racketeering was going on.

    The armed policemen believed to be acting on tip off stormed the area few minutes before 1pm and recovered unspecified number of PVCs from the suspects.

    Ayeni was said to have blocked the federal highway that passes through the area gathering eligible voters to collect their cards.

    Read Also: PDP are jesters, says Ondo APC

    The operation caused confusion as the seven other PDP members allegedly assisting Ayeni to collect the PVCs were apprehended by the policemen.

    Party members arrested are said to be cooling their heels in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) where they are relaying all they know about the incident.

    The lawmaker is the Deputy Director General of PDP Presidential Campaign Council in charge of Ekiti South senatorial district of which Ikere is part.

    Ayeni could not be reached on his mobile phone at the time of filing this report.

    When contacted, Police spokesman Caleb Ikechukwu said the report of the incident was yet to be brought to his office.

     

  • Police arrest four over alleged murder, cultism

    The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested four persons for alleged cultism and murder.

    The suspects are members of Eiye confraternity allegedly involved in the killings of members of Black Axe “AIYE” confraternity rival Secret Cult Group in Ekiti and Ondo State in recent time.

    Among those cult members arrested by Special Anti-Robbery Squad included Ayodele Ayodeji, 31, Olamide Olurunsola, 43, Gbenga Aluko ,29, and Adewale Adekunle ,23,  all from  Ifaki Ekiti while others escaped during the operation.

    A statement by the Command’s Police Commissioner, Mr, Asuquo Amba in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, explained the cult group confessed they had surrendered their gun to a prominent king in Ondo State in 2017 but his claim was found to be false.

    “Investigation revealed that the suspects had been using one Toyota Camry Car with Registration number KJA 710 FF to perpetrate the killing of their victims. The said vehicle has been recovered and in custody mine”.

    Amba said materials recovered from them are: one cutlass, criminal charms, one Dell Laptop, a foreign woman photograph, Two Ipad phones and one infinix Phone.

    Read Also: Polls: DIG Baraya to police: be professional, avoid inducement

    The CP said:  “On February 11, 2019 about 2.30pm at Ifaki Ekiti, further efforts intensified by the team led to the arrest of some other members of Eiye Supreme Confraternity group.

    “All the suspects confessed to be members of Supreme Eiye Confraternity respectively and claimed that their guns are in custody of other fleeing members of their gang.”

    The CP added the police have also arrested Kehinde Adams and Adeyanju Timilehin for allegedly receiving stolen property.

    “On February 8, 2019, the suspects were arrested with the aid of tracking technology.

    “The suspects confessed to have bought a stolen Infinix Hot 5 handset from one Adeniyi Adewumi and Sunday Idowu , who belong to an armed robbery syndicate who had earlier been arrested, charged to court and remanded in prison custody”.

    Amba assured they shall be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

  • INEC begins deployment of electoral materials in Ekiti

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ekiti State has deployed sensitive and non-sensitive materials ahead of the Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    Speaking with newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, INEC Acting Resident Electoral Commissioner, who doubles as Administrative Secretary in the state, Dr. Muslim Omoleke, said both sensitive and non-sensitive have been redeployed to all the 16 Local Government areas.

    Omoleke disclosed the INEC in Ekiti had received virtually all the materials ready for the conduct of the elections and are 98 percent ready for the polls.

    He added apart from the fact that adequate security was on grounds to monitor the materials to the councils and from there to the wards and registration areas, that all vans used for the movement were tracked and monitored to their respective destinations.

    “The reason for the postponement of the election for basically that of logistic problem.

    “As we speak, we have distributed all the materials, both sensitive and non-sensitive materials to the local governments from where they were moved to the wards and registration areas.

    “Virtually all the materials have been offloaded as of 11am this morning(Thursday). To make the elections credible, we are going to do refresher training for our ad-hoc staff on Friday to remind them about the rules of the game.

    He also assured the sensitive and non-sensitive materials already distributed for the conduct of Saturday’s elections got to the right destinations across the 16 local government areas of the state.

    The acting REC added the vehicles that conveyed the electoral materials were adequately monitored through a Special Centre called Electoral Operation Support Centre (EOSC).

    “We created Electoral Operation Support Centre (EOSC) to monitor events and ensure that materials get to the right places.

    Read Also: ‘We have confidence in INEC to conduct polls’

    “We also have people working in the situation room who have all the numbers of the staff on the field, especially the Presiding Officers.

    “We are also working with the security agencies, the police, NIA and NSCDC and the military, who have been guarding our materials.

    “We are 100 percent sure that our materials are intact and safe.

    “I can boldly say that we have substantially addressed the situations that led to the sudden postponement last week.

    “The mix up encountered in our materials last week could be factory error and that was why we started the sorting early this time at the Central Bank of Nigeria to prevent such again”, Omoleke said.

  • INEC begins movement of sensitive materials to 16 Ekiti LGs

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ekiti on Wednesday began movement of sensitive materials for Saturday’s rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly elections to the 16 local government areas.

    The News Agency of Nigeria  (NAN) reports that sorting and distribution of the materials took place at the temporary site of the state branch of the Central Bank on the State Secretariat Road, Ado Ekiti.

    Among the items distributed were card readers, ballot papers, result sheets, and different forms and registers.

    Representatives of leading political parties such as the PDP and APC were on hand to monitor the distribution exercise.

    Dr Muslim Omoleke, the INEC Administrative Secretary in the state, who doubles as the Acting Resident Electoral Commissioner, said it was part of  proactive measures devised by the commission to  ensure a hitch-free exercise.

    He said the exercise,  which began about 2.00 p.m on Wednesday,  would be concluded  before the close of work on Thursday.

    Omoleke assured that the commission was not leaving any stone unturned toward achieving a timely and hitch-free exercise.

    NAN reports that the adjoining roads leading to the apex bank were barricaded by stern looking mobile policemen keeping vigil.

    Speaking on the development, the PDP representative at the Central Bank, Mr Oluwalafe Sunday,  expressed satisfaction that all the sensitive materials were intact and distributed accordingly.

    His APC counterpart, Mr Garuba Arogundade,  also expressed satisfaction with the process.

    He said his only area of concern was that INEC should have started the distribution days earlier so as not to be under pressure.

    Also commenting, the MEGA Party representative, Mr Femi Oladipo,  commended INEC for making efforts to live up to its promise of making sure all election materials got to polling booths on record time on the day of the election. (NAN)

  • Buhari’s directive against ballot snatchers patriotic, says ex- Speaker

    A former Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon Femi Bamisile, has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to security operatives to deal ruthlessly with ballot snatchers.

    The directive, he said, is not defective but patriotic.

    The chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) said the comment has proven the Buhari-led administration had no plan to rig the February 23 rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly polls.

    He argued the President is committed to credible electoral process, saying Buhari remains allergic to any acts capable of undermining the country nascent democracy.

    The House of Representatives candidate in Ekiti South Federal constituency II predicted Buhari and other candidates of the party would win in Ekiti by 80 percent on Saturday.

    Bamisile, who spoke in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday while interacting with journalists, said: “The President didn’t give a shooting order the way former President Olusegun Obasanjo gave a shoot at sight order against OPC when he was President.

    “President Buhari only said those who snatched ballots will have themselves to blame. So, I stand hundred percent behind him on this order.

    Read Also: Buhari warns ballot box snatchers

    “We are not in the 19th century when things were absurd. It is a barbaric act for anyone to snatch ballot boxes.

    “If anyone loses his life while attempting to snatch ballot boxes, he should have himself to blame.

    “Nigerians should see elections as a process that will come and go and the nation will remain.”

    He added: “Why is the PDP afraid? If you are not a thief and they say if you steal you go to jail, why are you bothered if you are not a thief?”

    He promised if elected, he would join the vanguard of those federal legislators that will make laws for the good governance of the nation, which on the long run will have positive impacts on the citizens.

    Bamisile said his utmost priority for the masses in his constituents would be bursary and scholarship awards to students and provision of solar- driven ICT library to aid learning and research.

    He added that provision of employment for youths and empowerment for women groups to alleviate poverty in the state would be given premium.

    Speaking on the allegation some Resident Electoral Commissioners had been bribed and ready to compromise for PDP, Bamisile said the leadership of the commission may not be the problem but those around him.

    “There are so many bad eggs in INEC but the way I see Prof Yakubu, isn’t a bad person.

    “But as a leader, he must watch those around him who could undermine credible electoral process by their conducts.

    “But to make the job easier for INEC, politicians need to be more civil, patriotic and realize that the game is temporary, it doesn’t last forever.”

  • Fayemi assures workers of prompt salaries

    Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi on Tuesday assured workers of his administration’s commitment to regular payment workers’ salary for effective and efficient service delivery.

    Fayemi said his government would be committed to rescuing the Civil Service from the level of decadence experienced under the immediate past administration.

    He disclosed the template to restoring the core values of civil service has been entrenched in the four pillar of his administration.

    He explained public servants during the last administration were demoralized and deprived of service tools, which hindered effective performance.

    The governor added that the core values of civil service went to extinction in recent past years with deprivation of a conducive and work friendly environment by the government.

    The governor spoke on Tuesday while unveiling the special edition of Fountain Bureaucrat magazine at the Conference Hall, Governor’s Office, in Ado Ekiti.

    He said civil servants were not only deprived of deserved welfare packages but were made to suffer indignity and ridicule of high magnitude.

    The Governor, represented, by his Deputy, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, was of the opinion the public service, being an engine room of governance, deserved to be treated with much dignity and respect.

    Read Also: Vote wisely, Fayemi tells teachers

    Fayemi said: “We are all living witness to the level of decadence that the Service sunk during the recent inglorious past.

    “An average civil servant was demoralized and disoriented with the inclement and unfair environment of operation.

    “Civil servants were not only denied of deserved welfare packages, they were arrogantly deprived of tools of service.

    “In many instances, they were made to suffer indignity and ridicule of high magnitude.

    “For whatever it takes, the public servants do not deserve these inhuman treatments and never again will such indignity be allowed to befall its public service.”

    Fayemi assured the state government would continue to support the publication and ensure that it was well positioned to be a journal of note across states in the federation.

    Mr. Segun Omolayo while reviewing the magazine revealed that the latest edition was not only special because it was anchored on the four pillars of Fayemi or his achievements in the first hundred days in office but for its wealth of quality content.

    Acting Head of Service, Mrs. Peju Babafemi, who is also the publisher of the Journal, explained that Fountain Bureaucrat would continue to serve as a veritable platform and tool for sharing knowledge and experience among public servants.

  • APC chieftain berates Amosun, others for anti-party activities

    The Director General of Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Council in Ekiti State, Dr. Olusegun Osinkolu, has berated the anti-party activities by some All Progressive Congress (APC) stalwarts.

    Osinkolu described as “unfortunate and worrisome” the anti-party posture allegedly displayed by some APC governors in the Southwest ahead of Saturday’s general elections.

    He said the cracks in the party in Ogun State due to Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s opposition to APC governorship candidate, Mr. Dapo Abiodun, could have adverse effects on the party and reduce votes for President Muhammadu Buhari in the presidential election.

    The campaign chief, who addressed reporters in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, said cases of anti-party activities were also levelled against some other governors in the Southwest.

    He described the development as pivotal to the victory of President Buhari in the February 16 poll.

    Amosun is alleged to be backing the candidate of Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Abdulkadir Akinlade, for the March 2 governorship election.

    This was said to have triggered the recent imbroglio which characterised the party’s presidential campaign on Monday, where President Buhari and other party leaders were nearly hit with missiles thrown by the governor’s suspected hirelings.

    “We are worried that our members go as far as trying to pelt a President. I am seeing a lot of anti-party playing out here in the Southwest and it is not going to be in our best interest.

    “But the bulk stops on the table of Governor Amosun because he ought to manage that situation better, being the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the state. He didn’t handle the issue very well.

    “Whether you are a President or governor or holding any other position, the party is supreme. This is because the crisis was a fallout of the primary. Governor Amosun must repent and change his ways because the Southwest is important to APC in the coming elections,” Osinkolu said.

    The campaign chief hailed APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole for displaying ingenuity in crisis management for the party to be largely united.

    He added that the party could have been more polarised but for Oshiomhole’s strong leadership acumen.

    Read also: Buhari to Commonwealth Sec-Gen: we’ll conduct credible polls

    Osinkolu expressed confidence that the party would win in Ekiti State due to Governor Kayode Fayemi’s superlative performances in the last four months.

    He said: “Within the last four months, Fayemi has boosted APC’s electoral fortunes through regular payment of salaries and pensions. He abrogated the development levy in public and private schools and introduced true and genuine free education. He approved N200 million car and vehicle loans for teachers.

    “Just on Tuesday, the governor met with teachers and canvassed for votes for President Buhari. So, our projection to get the nine

    National Assembly and 26 House of Assembly seats can be realised. The governor now relates well with the people and it will help us in getting more votes for Mr. President.”

  • 124 Ekiti indigent pupils get learning kits

    A non-governmental Organisation, Olubunmi Foundation, has given out educational materials to 124 less privileged pupils.

    The foundation  gave out school uniforms, exercise books, school sandals and other materials to four pupils from the 31 primary schools in Efon-Alaaye Council Area at a ceremony tagged: “Community empowerment” in Efon-Alaaye-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

    Convener of the initiative, Mrs Omisola Olubunmi, said the gesture was aimed at helping to develop the pupils as well as assist indigent parents purchase necessary books for their wards.

    The foundation presented a cheque of N50,000 to a mechanic, Mr Adewale Adedeji to buy his working tools.

    Olubunmi said: “Since the initiative began about 10 years ago, this foundation has been committed to taking out-of-school children back to school and giving scholarships to street children or orphans, who cannot continue with their education.

    “School children in poor communities need support from NGOs and corporate bodies, this initiative was established to cater for such poor children by providing them with educational materials.”

    She said the programme aims to support  the laudable initiative of  Governor Kayode Fayemi for cancelling fees in both primary and secondary schools in the state.

    “I have the greatest pleasure of presenting school uniforms, exercise books and school sandals among other educational materials to four pupils each in the 31 primary schools in Efon.

    “I am embarking on this laudable programme to further support the programme of Governor (Kayode) Fayemi, who cancelled all fees in primary and secondary schools in Ekiti, and to make every children have access to education.

    “As a community worker for over two and half decades and a medical practitioner based in Canada, I am giving back to my community  in my little way,” she said.

    Presenting the materials to the beneficiaries, the wife of Ekiti State governor, Mrs Bisi Fayemi, represented by the Senior Special Assistant, Public Affairs and Advocacy, Mrs Olatubosun Gbadamosi, praised the foundation.

    Mrs Gbadamosi noted that the government was desirous in giving free education at the basic level to every child.

    Speaking on behalf of the benefitting schools, Mrs Dupe Ilesanmi from SUBEB Model School, Efon-Alaaye, praised the foundation for the gesture.

    Similarly, former Efon-Alaye local government chairman and a former commissioner in the state, Mr Odunayo Ategbero, Chief Amos Fapuro, Chief Bode Olayinka and Mrs Folake Odufale, seized the opportunity to appeal to the government to ensure  that tertiary institutions’ tuition fees are reduced to enable parents afford the payment.

  • Egbeyemi campaigns for Buhari in market

    Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, on Tuesday stormed the Bisi Market in Ado Ekiti to campaign for President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Egbeyemi, during the market campaign, also canvassed support for all the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates for federal and state legislative seats in the February 16 and March 2 elections respectively.

    He was joined at the market outreach by former Deputy Governor Prof. Modupe Adelabu and other party stalwarts.

    The Deputy Governor, who built the market during his tenure as Ado Ekiti Local Government Chairman, said residents have much to gain if they vote for APC candidates at all levels.

    According to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Odunayo Ogunmola, Egbeyemi particularly called on Igbo traders to cast their votes for Buhari and APC National Assembly candidates on Saturday at all the polling units in the area.

    Read Also: Ekiti has no plan to ban okada business – Egbeyemi

    He also urged the electorate to vote for the APC House of Representatives candidate for Ekiti Central Federal Constituency 1, Mr. Olusola Fatoba; House of Assembly candidate for Ado Constituency 1; Oluwatoyin Lucas and House of Assembly candidate for Ado Constituency 2, Mrs. Adekemi Famuagun-Balogun.

    Egbeyemi described the candidates as loyal, tested, trusted and competent to contribute to law enactment that would bring better life to the electorate.

    The deputy governor enjoined all residents of Ogbon Ado and Ogbon Oba areas within the vicinity of the market to troop out en masse and vote APC to continue to enjoy good governance at state and federal levels.

    Egbeyemi stressed that although he won his unit and ward at last year’s governorship poll, he was not satisfied with the total number of votes recorded.

    Describing general elections as “family vote,” Egbeyemi urged all registered voters, especially the traders to vote overwhelmingly this time around for the APC.

    Massive votes for the APC, according to him, would afford the state government to make demands for federal appointments and projects that would be beneficial to the people.

     

  • Vote wisely, Fayemi tells teachers

    Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi has urged teachers in the state to use their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) positively for the progress and sustainable development of the state.

    Fayemi said the state would benefit more in terms of educational, infrastructural, industrial development with stronger alignment with the Federal Government.

    He added that since he became the governor, development partners and government agencies are already supporting the activities of the state in the education sector due to his alignment with the government at the centre.

    The governor spoke in Ado-Ekiti,the State capital during an interactive session with representatives of teachers across primary and secondary schools at the  Ekiti parapo pavilion.

    He disclosed his administration had paid the SUBEB counterpart fund for 2016, 2017 and 2018 to the tune of N3.3 billion, which is expected to bring N6.6 billion to the state for renovation of some schools, provision of necessary facilities and educational materials in the public schools.

    The governor stated the government is committed to recruitment of teachers in the state, promising the exercise would be devoid of political and community coloration.

    According to him: “We have a golden opportunity in Ekiti. And the opportunity is that we can consolidate better on these positive steps we have taken if we have a government in Ekiti that is in a very strong alignment with the government at the center.

    Read Also: Fayemi sponsors free cataract surgeries

    “I am not a promoter of mainstream politics for its own sake but I want to assure you that Ekiti has an advantage through me this time around.

    “If we have a strong relationship with the Federal Government, it will be difficult for Ekiti people to enjoy the benefits of such a relationship.

    “So, we are in campaign season and I know you have PVCs. For our own sake let’s use it positively so that we can all enjoy the benefits of good governance.

    “I don’t want Ekiti to be retrogressive but rather progressive so that the needs of our younger generation can assured and not compromised.”