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Tag: Ekiti STATE

  • Ekiti 2018: Kidnapped PDP chief set free

    Party silent on whether ransom was paid

     

    After spending about four day in kidnappers’ den, the Ekiti State People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Financial Secretary, Mr. Kayode Oni, has regained his freedom.

    Oni was abducted on Saturday at a location between Efon and Erio on his way to Aramoko, the headquarters of Ekiti West Local Government.

    The PDP chieftain was returning from Efon where he had supervised the conduct of the party’s local government congress.

    The local government congress was part of the process leading to the party’s governorship primary slated for May 8.

    Oni’s captors contacted family members and demanded a ransom of N30 million.

    Ekiti PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jackson Adebayo confirmed the release of Oni to reporters on Wednesday.

    Adebayo disclosed that Oni was set free by his abductors Tuesday night.

    He was however silent on whether any ransom was paid by the party or the victim’s family before he was let off the hook.

    Adebayo said the party is happy that Oni returned home unhurt and reunited with his family.

  • INEC insists on transmitting Ekiti, Osun election results electronically 

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Monday insisted that it would transmit the results of this year’s Ekiti and Osun State governorship elections electronically.

    According to its commissioner Muhammed Mustafa Lecky, one of the innovations that the commission is adopting for the 2019 elections is the electronic transmission of results and it has “come to the conclusion that this will be done come Ekiti and Osun elections.”

    He made this disclosure at the roundtable of The Electoral Institute (TEI) in Abuja. The theme of discussion was “Anambra Governorship Election: A Post-Mortem and Lessons for Ekiti and Osun States Governorship Polls.”

    The chairman of the Institute, Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu, had asked the commissioner to give an update on the electronic transmission of results.

    Lecky noted that INEC has discussed with the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) and all the telecom companies that have assured it of the feasibility of transmitting the results electronically.

    His words: “we have begun discussions with the Nigerian Communication Commission, and we have also discussed with MTN, Etisalat and all other telecommunication companies in Nigeria. We have been having meetings with them.”

    Lecky said from the last week Tuesday meeting, the telecom companies assured the commission in the successful electronic transmission of the results.

    The commission, he said, has taken steps to ensure the functionality of the card reader, stressing that “the aperture where you do the scanning of the finger has been enlarged.”

    He said that the smart card reader has been enhanced to function better in the two states elections, and measures are underway for the commission to improve on them in the 2019 elections.

    The chairman revealed that there are steps to “document the Voter Identification Number the Permanent Voters Cards to trace the phone numbers of the owners in order to send them text messages informing them where their PVCs are.”

    He however insisted that despite the effort, it remains the responsibility of the owners to collect them.

    He added that the commission is trying to make copies of the PVCs so that our registration area officers and other staff at the local government level and see how they can identify the owners for collection.

    The commission, according to him, is doing its best to ensure that the PVCs are collected, stressing that “the onus is still on the owners to collect his or her PVCs.”

    A discussant from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Stella Okunna, advised the INEC to avoid late arrival of election materials and prevent electoral officers from being induced.

    She charged the commission to ensure that its equipment would work and compel the operators of the ICT to function ethically during the Ekiti and Osun state governorship election.

    She recalled that voting buying took place under the nose of the police, INEC officers and others authorities unmolested during the last Anambra  State governorship election.

    She urged the government to deploy the army to arrest the situation if the police allow vote buying.

    Read Also: Osun Guber Poll: INEC releases timetable

  • Ekiti 2018: Retired-General predicts landslide victory for APC

    A retired Army Brigadier General, Ebenezer Ogundana, has predicted a landslide victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming governorship poll in Ekiti State.

    He also expressed confidence that the party will coast home to victory in the 2019 general elections in the country.

    Gen. Ogundana, who is now an APC chieftain, assured Ekiti people that the party will give them a candidate “who will rule with the fear of God and manage its meager resources to their benefit.”

    Speaking with reporters after attending a ward meeting at his hometown, Kota-Ekiti in Ekiti East Local Government Area, Ogundana said the alleged bad governance of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has paved the way for APC to win the July poll.

    “The victory of APC in future elections in the state is not negotiable and it will never be compromised, therefore no stone will be left unturned to achieve success,” he said.

    According to him, all stakeholders within the party are working hard to wrest power from the PDP during the coming governorship election is a good testimony.

    Ogundana added: “It is a known fact and an indisputable argument that APC has become the party to beat, as a result of bad governance being witnessed in the state at the moment.

    “The level of impunity of the present administration in the state towards the electorate has no doubt set the people against it.

    “And the resultant effect of it is a blessing to the APC and with the level of preparedness of the party towards the polls; the party will record a landslide victory in all elections.

    “And what is paramount to Ekiti people now is a real development and good governance in all the sectors of our economy as being witnessed in some other APC controlled states of the federation.

    “Ekiti state must not be an exception therefore, APC remains only party in the present political dispensation that can develop the state.”

  • Ekiti Election: FRSC urges politicians to maintain sanity on roads

    Ahead of the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Ekiti, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has appealed to politicians not to drive recklessly during campaign trail.

    The FRSC Sector Commander, Ekiti State Command, Mr Ismaila Kugu, made this appeal in an interview with our reporter on Thursday in his office.

    Kugu said that politicians in the state should conduct themselves in a responsible manner by not driving recklessly before, during and after the polls.

    The Ekiti State governorship election will hold on July 14, 2018.

    “It has been the norm for some politicians to disregard traffic rules and regulations during electioneering.

    “However, in order to fulfill our assurances of reducing carnage on the road in the state, we will not condone overloading of vehicles and bikes with passengers during campaigns.

    “We also urge politicians not to allow their supporters cover the registration numbers of their vehicles with the aspirant’s name, as criminals can use it to cause havoc.

    “The command will have a zero tolerance for politicians’ convoys blocking the roads, thus hindering free movement of vehicles and pedestrians,’’ he said.

    The commander advised politicians to install speed limit devices in all the vehicles that they would be using during their campaigns.

    “This will prevent them from speeding,’’ he said.

    He assured the residents of Ekiti that the FRSC was determined to reduce crashes on the roads to the barest minimum.

    Kugu commended Gov. Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti for constructing a flyover and installing traffic lights in Ado metropolis.

    He said that this had helped to reduce traffic gridlocks and crashes in the town.

  • We’ll sue Fayemi if cleared to contest – Group

    An interest group in Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) has threatened to go to court to challenge the eligibility of the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, if cleared to contest at the May 5 primary.

    The group, Concerned APC Patriots, said Fayemi’s indictment by a Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by Ekiti State government has rendered him ineligible to vie for the party’s ticket.

    But Special Adviser (Media) to Fayemi, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, described the Concerned APC Patriots as a “faceless group unknown to the party working for a paymaster.”

    He said the minister is not bothered by the opposition to his nomination and would not be disturbed by the ranting of a tainted ant.”

    Addressing a briefing in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday, the group’s Coordinator, Dr. Ifeolu Olubusuyi, also urged the party to listen to the voice of its members who are concerned over Fayemi’s eligibility to stand as a candidate.

    Olubusuyi also urged the party’s national leaders to embrace the zone the governorship ticket to Ekiti South senatorial district which had never produced governor since the state was created in 1996.

    He said: “We are concerned and advise that the APC headquarters must adhere strictly to its own rules and disqualify whoever has not met the minimum conditions for governorship as indicated by the constitution and guidelines”.

    “We are patriotic Nigerians and APC members, who believe in constitutionality. We won’t tolerate subversion of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under any guise.

    “So, our party must comply with the provisions of the laws. The laws must not be applied based on convenience.

    “If you check the nomination form of our party, there is a column where the aspirant was asked whether he has been indicted before or not. This is not an issue that can be suppressed else, our party will have no candidate in this election.

    “And should our party decided to gloss over this and go ahead to screen former Governor Fayemi, we will have no choice than to challenge his eligibility in court, because our party is very dear to our heart and we don’t want to miss the opportunity to reclaim Ekiti in this election .

    “We have consulted our legal team and they are fine-tuning arrangements on all necessary steps to take as regards this”, he said.

    Oyebode said: “There is machinery in place. We are not a lawless society and APC is not a lawless party. Everything is being done according to the dictates of a laid down procedure.

    “They are faceless group not known to the party, having collected money from their paymaster, they want to disrupt what the party is doing. Let them go ahead.

    “This is a faceless group and we believe they have a paymaster. However, they can go ahead, we are not bothered about all that, it all amounts to ranting of a tainted ant.”

  • Ekiti 2018: CNPP cautions monarchs on zoning

    The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) in Ekiti State has cautioned traditional rulers on their insistence that the next governor must come from Ekiti South senatorial district.

    The body contended that “all parties should be encouraged to follow their constitutions so that the best can emerge from each party so that Ekiti will choose the best of the best.”

    The traditional rulers who rose from a meeting with Governor Ayo Fayose at the weekend vowed to “mobilize their subjects to vote against any political party that fields governorship candidate from outside Ekiti South.”

    The CNPP in a statement on Tuesday by its Director of Publicity and Strategy, Deacon Olu Akomolafe, said although the Obas have the freedom to air their views but they must not throw stones.

    The statement said: “Ekiti is homogeneous, unlike many other states in Nigeria. Ikere is the next town to Ado while going to Akure so the thin line between Central and South is the bounding between the two ancient towns.

    “Any formula that will make an Ekiti man see one as his kinsmen as against the other should be rejected in its entirety. Whether the governor comes from Central, North or South, CNPP is of the opinion that it is sure that he will be an Ekiti person.

    “Our condition is that he or she should must be capable of all ending the present sufferings of Ekiti people. He or she should be a type that will give us the good things of life like good roads, potable water, jobs for our youth, salary as and when due, among others.

    “CNPP does not wish to imply that Ekiti South cannot produce the next governor. They can, but the selection must be subjected to a standard that is general and not restricted to just one area of the entire state.”

    In a related development, the Ekiti Oke Renaissance Group has urged traditional rulers in Ekiti State to be watchful against being used as cannon fodders ahead of the governorship election.

    A statement issued in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday by the group’s Board of Trustees Chairman, Dr. Olusegun Osinkolu expressed disappointment with the action of the monarchs.

    Osinkolu expressed shock that the Obas could be cajoled by anybody to believe that he can use them for sinister purpose to reach an unacceptable end.

    He condemned the attempt by Governor Ayo Fayose to disrupt the ongoing political activities by recruiting the Obas to cause political disharmony among the electorate.

    Osinkolu maintained that it was wrong for the governor to tell the monarchs to reject aspirants from any zone apart from the South saying such an action is “undemocratic and violates the fundamental human rights of voters.”

    “The choice of who becomes the governor is the prerogative of the electorate. Mr. Fayose should please excuse the palace from desecration,” Osinkolu concluded.

    Read Also: Ekiti 2018: Buhari grants Fayemi leave for guber race

  • Ekiti 2018: Buhari grants Fayemi leave for guber race

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a leave of absence requested by Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    The leave granted was to allow him, former governor of Ekiti State, to seek the nomination of his party, the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) to stand as a candidate in the July 14 governorship poll.

    According to a statement on Monday signed by Fayemi’s media aide, Mr. Olayinka Oyebode, the one-month had commenced on April 9.

    It reads: “The attention of the Media office of Dr Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, has been drawn to media some reports putting the date for the commencement of his leave at April 30th.

    “As a matter of fact, Dr Fayemi had commenced the one-month leave on April 9 the as approved by the President, following the Minister’s request.

    “This is just to put the record straight and avoid any further mix up on the issue of the leave approved for the honourable Minister, who is a governorship aspirant on the APC.”

    Oyebode noted that the clarification became necessary to educate certain individuals calling for Fayemi’s disqualification over non-resignation as minister before joining the governorship race.

  • APC convention to hold May 15

    Barely any last minute change of plans, the elective National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may hold on Monday, May 15, 2018.

    In a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) dated April 9, 2018 with the title, notice of conduct of congresses/national convention, the party it intend to conduct special local government congresses to elect delegates to the convention.

    The letter with reference number APC/NHDQ/INEC/19/018/010 signed by the National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni was received at the INEC office on the same day.

    It reads ‘we write to advise that our party is scheduled to conduct Ward, local government, state congresses and national convention to fill vacant offices arising from effusion of time or appointment into government offices, death and other reasons as stipulated in Article 17 of our party’s constitution.

    “Please be informed that we also intend to conduct special local government congresses to elect delegates to our forthcoming national convention, meanwhile, this serves as a formal notice in line with the provision of Electoral Act.”

    According to the letter, ward congresses are to hold on Wednesday, May 2, local government congresses to hold Saturday, May 5th, State congresses to hold on Wednesday, May 9 while the national convention will hold on May 16.

    The National Executive Committee of the party had directed the conduct of the national convention to elect new leaders for the party, but the letter was silent on this

    Meanwhile, a governorship aspirant of the party in Ekiti state, Bamidele Opeyemi has promised to be an unusual governor if elected into the exalted position.

    Opeyemi who is angling for the position on the platform of the ruling All progressive congress (APC) said he has developed a blueprint tagged “Keeping Hope Alive” required to chart the course of development of the state.

    Opeyemi who spoke to reporters after submitting his nomination form at the party secretariat in Abuja assured that he would redress the multifaceted problems plaguing Ekiti  state.

    According to him: “We will hit the ground running as soon as I am sworn into office because everything in Ekiti has been afflicted. I hope to intervene through the offer of a selfless and quality leadership.

    “We will make Ekiti one of the best state in the country. Already, I have conducted a town by town, and local government by local government analysis of resources available and the opportunities that could be utilized by the people of the state.”

    “My vision is to mobilise the people; particularly young men and women, to activate their latent potentials in consultation with relevant stake holders at the Local Government level with a view to evolving strategic roadmap for agricultural development and rural transformation in Ekiti state.”

    He singled out the revitalization of the economy, agricultural sector, ensuring qualitative education and the creation of employment opportunities as areas he would prioritized if voted into power.

    Promising that he would not let the allure of the governorship office to get into his head, he reiterated his faith in God to see him through in the governorship race.

    Read Also: APC gets convention committee

  • Ekiti 2018: Senator, Envoy, others quit PDP for SDP

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has lost more leaders and members as they announced their defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    Among those who quit the PDP for SDP are former Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Clement Awoyelu, former High Commissioner to Canada, Ambassador Dare Bejide, former House of Representatives member, Hon. Yemi Arokodare, former Commissioner for Commerce, Mrs. Omotomilola Osunde, among others.

    Rising from a meeting in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, they said they took the decision to join SDP because they could no longer stomach the alleged dictatorial tendencies, impunity, lack of respect for elders and subversion of party constitution by Governor Ayo Fayose.

    They condemned the attempt by Fayose to impose his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, as the sole candidate ahead of the July 14 governorship election which they said was done in violation of party guidelines and Electoral Act.

    They also berated Fayose for victimizing party members who disagree with him on principle and turning the party to his personal estate.

    Awoyelu is the first state PDP Chairman while Bejide who is the first State Secretary later served as Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

    Addressing reporters after the meeting held in his Ekute, Ado-Ekiti residence, Awoyelu who represented Ekiti Central in the Senate between 2003 and 2007 said Fayose and his faction frustrated all peace moves to resolve crisis in Ekiti PDP.

    He said a whole faction of the PDP, led by Chief Williams Ajayi had defected, saying the SDP will work hard to ensure that the party wins the impending gubernatorial poll in the state.

    Ajayi was leading a splinter group before Appeal Court  validated the pro-Fayose group , led by Chief Gboyega Oguntuase as the authentic faction.

    Awoyelu said: “We have been on this issue for long, particularly since Governor Fayose pronounced his deputy the sole candidate for the next election. We have experienced impunity, reckless imposition and lack of respect for elders being displayed by the governor.

    “As a leader, I could not have taken a unilateral position over issue that affects the corporate existence of all of us. So today, we met and we all agreed to move en mass to SDP .

    “We are receiving complaints everyday about how PDP members loyal to Fayose have been victimizing their perceived enemies in PDP.

    “We could all see how a man has turned himself into a dictator  in a party we all laboured to build. Looking at all these infractions, we have agreed not to return to PDP, we are now to move en mass to SDP.

    “We deliberated well before taking this decision and since it was the voice of the people, I have to abide by it as a leader”, he added.

    Awoyelu said the decision to defect was not triggered by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s association with SDP.

    Awoyelu said: “ We are old enough to take actions on our own, we are not neophytes in politics, so this is not true.

    “We are aware that Obasanjo has formed the a National Intervention Movement (NIM) , which he said was not a political movement.

    “But, we will be happy if this group is ready to work with SDP. Our aim is to take over Ekiti and Nigeria in 2019 and we are ready to work with like minds to achieve this task”.

    On whether the constitution of the executives from the wards to the State level may spark up controversies in the party between the old and new members, Awoyelu dispelled such insinuation, saying  there are no class differences in SDP.

    “We are all one, whether new or old and it is the secretariat that will give directive on how the executives should be constituted”, he said.

  • I will lay solid foundation for Ekiti – Ex-PPPRA Boss

    Former Executive Secretary, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Oluwole Oluleye said he was contesting the governorship of Ekiti State to lay a solid foundation, using the agricultural potential of Ekiti to develop the state an improve the well-being of its people.

    Oluleye who spoke after collecting his nomination and expression of interest from at the APC National Secretariat said most of the young men that has governed the state have not done well, leaving the people in hunger and poverty.

    The governorship aspirant said agitation for the zoning of the governorship position to a particular Senatorial zone will not bring out the best candidate, adding that everybody contesting the position must learn to use what they have to fight for the ticket of the party.

    Oluleye who was also Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) said Ekiti state was in a “very precarious situation right now and we have had a lot of relatively young men who have administered the state in one way or the other. They have worked very well and if you considered those who have administered the state. You will see that the relatively older one have done a lot.

    “But for me, while I want to govern Ekiti state is to provide good governance, leadership,by example and lay a solid foundation for the economy of the state using agriculture as a base.

    “Ekiti state is basically an agrarian state and we need to utilize what is available in the state to get the economy going. This basically is why I am contesting and having gone round the state, the level of poverty I see in the state in the midst of plenty is totally unacceptable.

    “I firmly believe that I can change the situation within the shortest possible time, to alleviate poverty through solid agricultural base. I am coming out to bring Ekiti state out of the doldrum and do exactly what is done everywhere in terms of governance. Standard must be set for the younger ones coming behind us to emulate and build on.”

    On agitation for zoning, he said “APC does not have a zoning formula. Secondly if you want to zone the seat or you prefer a particular Senatorial district to being out the candidates, it presupposes that they have not taken part in previous elections.

    “Mind you, nobody concede power anywhere and so, it is important that everybody fight for it with what you have. I have the experience, I have managed places, I have a track record which I want to extend to Ekiti state and better the welfare of the people.

    “So, my take on a Senatorial district agitating for zoning is simple that if you bring in zoning, we will now know that we have zoning and so, nobody need to come out from other places.

    “By that, you will not have as many people as there outside competing now. But Ekiti needs the best hands now to pilot it to where it should be. We should not leave people to continue to wallow in poverty in the midst of plenty at all. With the experience I have both locally and internationally, that is what I will bring to bear on Ekiti state.”

    At the time of this report, about 20 aspirants have so far obtained the ticket to contest the APC ticket during the primary election scheduled for May 5 in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.