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Tag: Ekiti

  • Check-ups for Ekiti workers

    The Ekiti State Head of Service, Dr. Olugbenga Faseluka, has directed the Ministry of Health to conduct periodic medical check-ups for civil servants to avert sudden fatalities.

    Faseluka highlighted the government’s efforts at boosting health care delivery to include the recent recruitment of 100 professionals into the health sector.

    Speaking during the monthly peer review meeting of the head of service and permanent secretaries, Faseluka cautioned workers against obtaining more loans than what their salaries could service.

    He said the Fayose-led administration would complete and equip the Oba Adejugbe General Hospital, so as to reduce the indiscriminate use of the teaching hospital as a secondary health care facility instead of a research and referral centre.

    He lamented that the teaching hospital served as both a secondary and referral facility because of the non-existence of a general hospital in Ado-Ekiti.

  • PDP, APC and battle for Ekiti restoration

    PDP, APC and battle for Ekiti restoration

    In this piece, Rotimi Opeyeoluwa highlights the challenges confronting the Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) in its bid to bounce back to power.

    Legendary British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said: “Democracy is the worst form of government-except all the others that have been tried”. Upon reflection, this view bears eloquent credence when juxtaposed with discoveries that some undesirable characters rode to power through popular mandate to unleash a most ferocious attack on the very democratic tenet that served them as ladder to great height of power.

    Democracy holds a lot of promise for humanity when the electorates are truly informed, the ownership of government by the people; after all, it is defined as government of the people, by the people and for the people is glaring. However, some charlatans have often escaped detailed scrutiny through a combination of factors such as when the citizenry feel disenchanted or are impoverished in their reasoning; they simply are swayed by sentiments.

    When such a scenario plays out, it not about the capacity or ability of the preferred to live up to expectation, it is about the electorates cutting its nose to spite its face. Feeling emasculated by reforms, public interest becomes the sacrificial lamb. Such is the case of Ekiti State.

    It is a statement of fact that the Nigerian political system is such that it is the era of instant gratification where politicians dole out cash or other souvenir and are not subjected to background checks. In Nigeria, politics and cash are synonymous. Long ago, in the distant past, the pull to public office was service, our politicians spoke and wrote beautiful prose to articulate their position on any and every issue; arguments were made with great points.

    The leading lights then were prepared but not any longer. Ultimately, we lost good governance for politics and Politics became an all comer’s affairs. The trajectory of Nigeria remains pathetic and uninspiring. The electorates abdicated its responsibility because of poverty of both the mind and the pocket. In Ekiti under Governor Fayose, the master political professor, who understands the game better than the descendants of the Progressives on the field.

    It is just unfortunate that it is only in Ekiti that Courts were sacked, Judges were beaten with no a single reprimand. His obvious alleged involvement in the damnable drama of the absurdity is not tangential. There is no restraint or hallowed grounds in Ekiti, every ground is sinking ground. Fayose has devalued everything of value on the altar of politics.

    As we speak, Governor Fayose is yet to make a single policy statement. He does not seek glory, but craves the limelight for all the wrong reasons on earth. His actions portray him as an individual who is not ready to approximate the moment for tomorrow, playing to the gallery is his notion of governance. His new Stomach infrastructure ideology is an embarrassment on the Ekiti people but unfortunately the residents wouldn’t see it as such because it has a high degree of politics and propaganda clouted therein.

    Critically making a peer review of Governments’ policies, what comparison can a Social Security Scheme or Free Education make with doling out a handful of rice, chicken and the purchase of condiment in the open market? But it is a statement of fact that that is Politics and that’s what wins Election in this part of the world; Not governance! Elections are won with so many factors which includes, how often are you seen and associated with the people, how many people have you empowered, how accessible are you, how deep is your pocket, and most importantly, how sugar-coated are your lips? It is unfortunate as you may not want to believe, that it may take a long time, if care is not taken to defeat the political sagacity of his character who boasts of defeating all the three governors of the APC in different and collective elections in the State. No doubt he is an institution when the matters of elections erupt in Ekiti.

    The APC’s loss in 2014 can only become meaningful if the party realises, as Dwight Eisenhower said, “the potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exist-and would always persist”. The former governor and other leaders of the APC must close ranks, bury their hatchet and forge ahead in a bid to rescue the state from the visionless marauders currently on parade. The electoral loss is not the end of any party-It bound to happen anytime, it is just a game. A thoroughly reformed and revamped APC bristling with talents, seasoned politicians and a buoyancy of spirit of its youth wing offers Ekiti the best opportunity to re-invent itself on or before the next round of elections.

    The party is challenged indeed with leadership crisis and several schools of thoughts have evolved claiming ownership of the headship. Such are the Action Group led by a former Senator of the Ekiti Central, a Lagos-based political heavy weight and Media Giant, Senator Babafemi Ojudu; The Bibiire Coalition of the Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, former Member of the House of Representatives, the Ikere group of Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua, former Governor of Old Ondo State, the Isan group led by Yemi Adaramodu, Dr. Fayemi’s Chief of Staff, the Restoration Group, the Ekiti Reconciliation Mandate, Network Alliance, Council of Elders Groups and a host of others. All these cannot help the renaissance of the party. It is imperative for the APC to demonstrate its willingness to prove itself. It is unlikely to say with exactitude how things will pan out in the days ahead but one indisputable fact is that the state party leadership as it stands needs to take charge and harmonize all these interests in fighting one enemy and encourage all aspirants-those who are on ground and those who are yet to join. Of all the aspirants in the Ekiti APC today, one must commend the spirit of Femi Bamisile, the ex-speaker of the State who dared the perilous storm and threw his hat into the ring to provide the required character to rally party members. No doubt in principle, he is currently offering leadership where a lot of the party leaders have since retreated in pursuit of other life’s desires. His mobilizations within the party have been on advantage being another great political grass-rooter and team player.  The time for renaissance in Ekiti beckons and it is advisable that the party should encourage as many as possible interested leaders in the seat of Governance to also throw their hats into the political ring and put in their own strengths too like Bamisile- The Adaramodus, the Alukos, Bamideles, Afuyes, Ojudus, Alakes and Oyebodes who are rumoured to be interested should show up now and not wait till six months to the party primaries in 2018.

    A united APC with strategic planning can defeat the PDP anyday in Ekiti. Fayose has his own masters in the game.

  • Bandele is new Ekiti Varsity VC

    Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State has approved the appointment of Prof. Samuel Oye Bandele as the new Vice-Chancellor of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti.

    This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Idowu Adelusi, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday and released to newsmen.

    The statement said that the governor acted on the recommendations of the Governing Council of the university.

    According to the statement, Prof. Bandele emerged first out of the three‎ candidates who were interviewed for the job.

    It said that the appointment of the new VC takes effect from December 2, 2015 as the tenure‎ of the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oladipo Aina, expires on December 1, 2015.

    Fayose, while congratulating the new vice-chancellor for coming first in the interview and for being appointed for the job, urged him to improve on the good work‎ of his predecessor in office and take the university to a lofty height.

    The governor also thanked Prof. Aina, who he said had contributed immensely toward the growth of the university physically, socially and economically.

    The statement prayed God to be with the outgoing VC in his new endeavour after leaving office.

     

     

  • Army probes alleged role in Ekiti, Osun 2014 polls

    Army probes alleged role in Ekiti, Osun 2014 polls

    Soldiers’ conduct in 2015 elections also for review

    ‘Free Chibok girls unconditionally’

    MORE than one year after the Ekiti and Osun states’ governorship elections, the army is probing the polls to determine whether its men acted unprofessionally.

    The army is also looking into the alleged malpractices of its men in some states during the last general elections.

    In a statement yesterday, army spokesman Col. Sani Usman said these measures were being taken to avert a recurrence.

    The then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is believed to have used the army to aid its victory in the June 21, 2014 Ekiti poll.

    Soldiers were allegedly used to intimidate the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Army Captain Sagir Koli later revealed detail of how the military was used to rig the election.

    PDP also tried the same trick in the August 9, 2014 Osun governorship election, but was stiffly resisted by the Rauf Aregbesola-led APC government.

    But many voters, including Senator Isiaka Adeleke, were prevented from leaving their homes to go and vote.

    Since the elections, many have been calling for the probe of the military’s role.

    Usman said a Board of Inquiry (BoI) had been set up to probe allegations of misconduct against its personnel.

    The panel, he said, was also mandated to review the roles of army formations and units in the last elections and other operations in the country.

    He did not name the panel members.

    Col. Usman said: “The Nigerian Army has set up a high-powered BoI to investigate among other things alleged malpractices and involvement of its personnel in Ekiti and Osun States governorship elections in 2014.

    “The BoI is to investigate the alleged unethical conduct of some Nigerian Army personnel in Ekiti and Osun States’ Gubernatorial Elections 2014, as well as in any other state in Nigeria where other allegations of misconduct were made during the 2015 general elections.

    “As part of its terms of reference, the BoI is to also review the involvement of the Nigerian Army formations/units and their personnel in elections and other duties in aid to civil authority.

    “The essence of the Board is to prevent future professionalism conduct by officers and men in the performance of their constitutional roles while strengthening Nigerian Army’s support to democratic values and structures in Nigeria.”

    The army also urged the international community to prevail on Boko Haram members to renounce their membership of the sect and desist from acts of terrorism.

    Col. Usman urged the terrorists to surrender to avoid a serious military action.

    The army, he said, was aware of their hideouts and had closed in on them.

    He urged the insurgents to release the Chibok girls and other captives in their custody unconditionally.

    During Osun state governorship election, security was deployed mainly against the opposition party. Some of the security men wore hood and arrested members of the opposition including APC National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed. Mohammed was arrested for “wandering.”

    In the Ekiti governorship elections, APC governors were prevented from entering the state to campaign for the party’s candidate as part of the security clampdown.

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole was stopped from flying out of Benin to campaign for his party’s candidate Dr. Kayode Fayemi. Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi was stopped at the boundary between Ekiti and Ondo States and prevented from driving into the state. The securitymen even threatened to shoot at his convoy.

    Captain Koli, an Intelligence officer of the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, released a secretly recorded tape of discussions between a general and some PDP leaders plotting how to influence the election.

    The audio and video tapes detailed how some top Federal Government officials and the PDP, including then Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, Police Affairs Minister Jelili Adesiyan, PDP chieftain Iyiola Omisore, then PDP governorship candidate Ayo Fayose and Brigade Commander 32 Artillery Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Aliyu Momoh, among others, used the Army and other security agencies to rig the election.

    Capt. Koli said 1,006 military officers and men were deployed in Ekiti, as part of a “Special Task Force” for the election.

    The APC alleged that “soldiers were deployed in each of the 16 local governments with the express instruction to ‘work’ with the PDP contacts in the local governments.

    “Special stickers were given to select PDP officials so that their vehicles could be granted unfettered access to any part of the state, despite the traditional Election Day restriction of movement.”

     

  • Igbo traders protest ‘outrageous’ tax in Ekiti

    Igbo traders protest ‘outrageous’ tax in Ekiti

    •Fayose seals banks, petrol station, over 100 shops
    •Angry traders invade revenue office

    Scores of Igbo shop owners on Secretariat Road, Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, yesterday protested what they called “outrageous taxes” imposed on them by the Ayo Fayose administration.

    Over 100 shops belonging to Igbo traders, Zenith and Diamond banks and NNPC mega filling station were shut by officials of the Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) in an operation that began at 9am.

    The traders marched from their shops to the BIR headquarters opposite Old Governor’s Office and sang songs such as “We no go gree o, we no go gree”, among others.

    Frightened BIR workers shut their doors on the protesters and didn’t open them until the 4pm closing time.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Revenue Ropo Ogunjobi was not at his desk when the protesters invaded the BIR headquarters.

    The traders claimed that they entered into an agreement with BIR for a tax rate of N5,500 but officials of the tax agency visited their business offices yesterday morning claiming the agreed tax no longer subsists.

    Chairman of Secretariat Road Traders Association Uchenna Madunagu claimed that BIR imposed taxes ranging between N75,000 and N180,000 on the traders, which he said are too much for their businesses.

    Madunagu said the traders were forced out of their shops by stern-looking armed policemen, civil defence officers and suspected thugs clutching chains and padlocks.

    The traders’ boss claimed that most of the traders still had cash, passbooks, cheques and keys to their homes inside the shops.

    Madunagu said: “The newly imposed taxes have no basis anywhere because a tax is supposed to be based on your income and you don’t do assessment of taxes in your room, you have to come to our shops and see the business we run.

    “You don’t have to send hoodlums and thugs to close our shops. Imagine a shop that the goods inside is not up to N200,000 being asked to pay N100,000.

    “The most painful part is that we entered into an agreement with the tax people and they gave us a bill of N5,500 and as the chairman, I told my members because things are difficult in Ekiti and Nigeria now.

    “We came to their office based on the agreement of N5,500 only for them to tell us that the one we agreed upon is no longer valid that they are coming up with new taxes.

    “They came with keys, chains and other things and used force to intimidate us. Why should shop owners in Ajilosun be paying N3,500 and those in Fajuyi be paying N5,500 and those of us on Secretariat Road be paying between N75,000 and N180,000?

    “We have been paying taxes every year, not that we don’t want to pay but this latest tax regime is unbearable and their approach is selective because we contribute much to commerce and economy in Ekiti.

    “Most of our belongings such as keys to our houses, cash, cheque books, passbooks and other valuables have been locked inside by the government agents.

    “They should open our shops and listen to us, we are citizens of this country and we should not be marginalised because we are contributing between 80 and 90 per cent to the economy in Ekiti.”

    Secretary of the association Chizom Unegbu urged Fayose to reduce the taxes, saying there should be no selective application of taxes in the state.

    Ogunjobi said the question of the traders paying N5,500 never emanated from his office.

    He said: “Those traders are lying.  The N5,500 they are talking about is not from this office because what we are talking about now is the Personal Income Tax.

    “We have assessed them, they should go and collect the assessment notice and go to the bank and pay their taxes.”

    Diamond bank was said to be owing operational tax which used to be N10,000 in the past but has been jerked up to N120,000.

    A source said the tax has been paid after which the bank was reopened, meaning that its doors will be opened to customers today.

     

  • Ekiti APC accuses Fayose of mismanagement

    Ekiti APC accuses Fayose of mismanagement

    The Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Governor Ayo Fayose of mismanaging the bailout funds received from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    The opposition insisted that Fayose should explain how the bailout funds had been spent.

    But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused the APC of running what it called a “wasteful government”.

    The PDP said the “Fayose’s numerous achievements had brought the opposition to its knees”.

    The APC, in a statement yesterday by its spokesman, Taiwo Olatunbosun, accused Fayose of refusing to pay last year’s September salary and leave bonus.

    He said: “He has also refused to pay September, half October salary, severance and furniture allowances to former political office holders, who were captured in the bailout fund protocol.

    “The salaries paid into  primary school teachers’ accounts were reversed 30 minutes after they received bank alerts.”

    Olatunbosun warned the governor against the alleged plan to divert the bailout cash, saying Ekiti workers would not take any excuse for any further delay in the payment of their entitlements.

    “We have it on good authority that the governor is planning to divert the bailout and we warn that the era of impunity and bare-face fraud is over.

    “We call on anti-graft agencies to help appeal to the governor to pay workers, pensioners and former political appointees their entitlements and these agencies should monitor the disbursement of the bailout cash to ensure it is spent as approved by the Federal Government,” Olatunbosun said.

    PDP spokesman Jackson Adebayo in a statement berated the APC leadership for its seemingly antagonism.

    “One would have expected a congratulatory message from a genuine and quintessential opposition on visible achievements of the PDP government in Ekiti State and an offer of challenge on other things that are yet to be done.”

  • Tension in Ekiti community over monarch’s installation

    There is tension in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State, three days after the installation of Oba Afeez Sulaiman as the new Alawo of Awo-Ekiti.

    Sulaiman was presented with the instruments of office by Governor Ayo Fayose on Friday after the youth of the community had protested for nearly three hours.

    One of the princes who contested for the Alawo seat with Sulaiman, Bunmi Alade, was reported to have died “mysteriously” on Thursday at 8.30 am.

    His remains were yet to be buried when the government decided to present the staff of office to Sulaiman on Friday.

    The Awo youths maintained that the installation of Alawo should be delayed as long as Alade’s body was still in the mortuary.

    They had trooped out at 9am blocking the major road that passes through the town, singing war songs.

    The protesters held palm fronds and poured ashes and coconut oil at many junctions.

    Condemning the circumstances surrounding the emergence of the Alawo, they alleged that the oracle was sidelined, which they said was contrary to tradition.

    Motorists and commuters passing through the community had a hard time as traffic, commercial and social activities were paralysed.

    The protesters later stormed the palace square, venue of the installation ceremony, and upturned canopies and chairs arranged for the programme.

    Fayose visited the deceased’s family.

    A source said locals are  living in fear after Friday’s protest.

    Security has been strengthened to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

    He said: “There is tension in our town (Awo) and nobody knows what may happen next because the youth are not happy with the circumstances surrounding Alade’s death.

    “He was invited to a meeting and few hours later, he fell ill and was rushed to at least two hospitals in Ado-Ekiti.

    “What pained the youth was that they suspected foul play in his death and that government supposed to have postponed the installation.”

    Police spokesman Alberto Adeyemi could not be reached for comments.

  • Photo: Fayose’s wheelchairs for the handicapped

    Photo: Fayose’s wheelchairs for the handicapped

  • Battle for grassroots power in Ekiti

    Battle for grassroots power in Ekiti

    An attempt to conduct the local government election in Ekiti State for the first time in seven years has been dogged by controversy. Correspondent ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA examines the issues generated by the proposed council poll.

    Conducting local government elections in Ekiti State has never been a tea party. It has always generated controversy, acrimony and brickbats among the political gladiators whenever the idea is broached.

    The last local government poll was held on December 20, 2008, during the administration of former Governor Segun Oni, then of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The election was boycotted by the defunct Action Congress (AC), which was the main opposition party. The party complained  that the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) led by Major-General Kayode Oni (rtd) had only four members, which fell short of the minimum number of commissioners required by law; a minimum of five commissioners are required.

    The AC boycotted the poll, arguing that the constitutionally-required minimum 150 days between notice and conduct of poll was not complied with.

    The PDP coasted home to victory, winning all the chairmanship seats in the 16 local government areas and all but one 177 councillorship seats.

    The elected council officials were in office, until October 29, 2010 when they were sent packing by former Governor Kayode Fayemi.

    They went to court to challenge the dissolution of the councils and the case was still in court as at when Fayemi left office last year.

    The Fayemi administration equally made attempts to conduct a fresh poll on February 4, 2011, but the PDP secured a court injunction and stopped the election. The case was still pending when the government exited from power.

    One of the complaints of the PDP was that the composition of SIEC, which was led by Mrs. Cecilia Bosede  Adelusi, was that it was made up of  members of ACN/APC and loyalists of  Fayemi.

    Shortly after Governor Ayodele Fayose assumed office, he dissolved the SIEC alongside other boards, commissions and agencies (statutory and non-statutory) and the former office holders are still in court challenging their removal from office.

    Between late 2010 and now, the local government councils in the state had been manned by caretaker chairmen and members, thus denying people at the grassroots the opportunity of electing their representatives.

    One of the promises made by Fayose to the people of the state is that he would ensure that the election is conducted, to give the people at the grassroots a say in the administration of affairs at the local level.

    The governor while performing the swearing-in of commissioners in July declared that there would be a local government election “before the end of the year” to reduce pressure on the state government.

    He reasoned that if an election is conducted at the councils with chairmen and councillors in office, the number of people coming to Ado Ekiti, the state capital, “looking for one thing or the other” will be reduced, as the elected council officials are expected to met some of their needs.

    To demonstrate his seriousness towards conducting the election, Fayose on August 28 inaugurated SIEC, by swearing-in a new set of officials to run the agency.

    Speaking on the plan of his administration to hold the election “within the shortest possible time”, Fayose challenged anybody who has anything against the newly-sworn-in SIEC chairman and commissioners to come out with any proof, saying that he would not hesitate to remove such an erring individual.

    The new SIEC is led by former Chief Judge, Justice Kayode Bamisile, who came to national prominence during the 2006 impeachment saga in the state.

    Other SIEC commissioners are Mrs. Victoria Funke Adeyera, Alhaji Ganiyu Bello, Mrs. Mojisola Florence Bankole, Mr. Rufus Sunday Olaiya and Mr. Vincent Olajide Adeyeye.

    Bamisile assumed office on August 31, with a pledge to conduct credible, free and fair local government elections in few months time. Subsequently, he and other commissioners held an inaugural meeting with the staff of the agency, to seek their cooperation towards ensuring a successful tenure.

    He said the commission would be  fair to all political parties and  other stakeholders and that he would abide by the guidelines stipulated for the election in the electoral law.

    According to him, the election would not be in an atmosphere of fear, favour or bias. In other words, it would pass the test of credibility usually demanded by local and foreign observers.

    The SIEC boss charged political parties, politicians and their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully, to ensure that the result of the poll is accepted by all stakeholders. He also appealed to the media to support efforts to conduct a free, fair and credible local government elections in the state.

    The former Chief Judge urged the media to partner with the commission to deliver a local government election that would be acceptable to stakeholders and deepen democracy at the grassroots.

    Just as the Justice Bamisile-led SIEC was settling down to conduct the election, the opposition APC alleged that the chairman and other commissioners cannot be trusted to conduct a free and fair poll. The APC described the SIEC officials as “PDP card-carrying members, associates and business partners of Fayose.”

    Bamisile not only debunked the allegation, but also maintained that he and other SIEC members “are people of unquestionable integrity.” He challenged anyone with any shred of evidence that they are members of the PDP or loyalists and business partners of the governors to come out with same.

    According to the guideline,  electioneering campaigns would commence on Monday September 28, 2015 and political parties are expected to hold ward congresses to elect their councillorship and chairmanship candidates by Saturday October 3 and 10 respectively.

    Similarly, the collection of nomination forms are expected to commence on Tuesday October 13, and the forms are to be submitted on or before Monday October 19.

    Checking and verification of particulars of candidates would run from Tuesday October 26 to Saturday October 31, while the results of the screening would be out on Monday November 2, with the parties having a day of grace for substitution of any unqualified candidate.

    Other highlights of the timetable include submission of Nomination Forms on Tuesday November 10, publication of list of candidates by Tuesday November 17. Parties have the opportunity to withdraw their nominations latest by Thursday November 19 and names of candidates for polling agents are to be submitted to SIEC on Wednesday November 25.

    Stressing that Electioneering campaigns would end on Thursday December 17, Bamisile emphasized that the elections would hold on Saturday December 19, 2015.

    But, determined to prove its allegation that the Bamisile-led SIEC is composed of partisan officials, the APC has filed a suit at an Ado Ekiti High Court. In the suit, the APC said empanelling  a SIEC made up of alleged PDP chieftains  was”illegal and an invitation to chaos”.

    In the suit, filed by its counsel, Abiodun Fasakin and Tajudeen Akingbolu, the party said the composition of the electoral body contradicted the constitutional requirement for a non-partisan electoral body that could organise credible elections that would be acceptable to all contesting parties.

    The APC alleged that Justice  Bamisile and commission members — Victoria Olufunke Adeyera, Ganiyu Bello, Mojisola Florence Bankole, Rufus Sunday Olaiya and  Olajide Vincent Adeyeye — are PDP members.

    Other defendants include the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and the House of Assembly. In the Originating Summons before the State High Court, Ado-Ekiti, the defendants are to appear before the court within seven days after service of the summons on them.

    The court is expected to determine whether by the combined effect of Sections 197, 199 (1)(c) and 200 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the purported appointment of the 5th to 10th Defendants as Chairman and members of the 3rd Defendant is not null, void, illegal and unconstitutional; whether by virtue of Sections 14(4) and 197(3) of the constitution the composition of the 3rd defendant is not null, void, illegal and unconstitutional;  and whether having regard to questions one and two above and the circumstances of the appointment of the 5th to 10th defendants, the 4th defendant’s confirmation of the appointment of the 5th to 10th defendants is not invalid.

    It is also expected to determine whether having regard to the hitherto composition of the 3rd defendant as made in 2011, which tenure is still deemed subsisting pursuant to Section 199 (1)(c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the appointment and confirmation of appointment of the 5th to 10th defendants by the 1st and 4th defendants, is not invalid; whether a member of a registered political party, which party is having interest in a pending election to local councils, is eligible to be appointed as member(s) and/or chairman of the 3rd defendant for the purpose of conducting local councils’ elections in Ekiti State; and whether the 1st and 4th defendants can appoint and/or confirm the appointment of the 5th to 10th defendants thereby reconstituting the 3rd defendant during the pendency of a matter involving the 3rd defendant before the Supreme Court in APPEAL NO: SC.695/2013: PDP & ANOR VS EKSIEC & 8 Ors.

    In its statement of claims, APC wants a declaration that the appointment of the 5th to 10th defendants as Chairman and/or members of the 3rd defendant is null, void, illegal and unconstitutional as it violates the provisions of Sections 197, 199 (1) (c) and 200 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999  (as amended).

    It also wants a declaration that the 3rd defendant as presently constituted by the 1st defendant with the 5th to 10th defendants as Chairman and members, is not vested with legal capacity to conduct elections into the various elective offices/positions in the 16 local councils in Ekiti State.

    The party further seeks a declaration that the tenure of the hitherto members of the 3rd defendant as constituted in 2011 having not expired, their dissolution by the 1st defendant coupled with the appointment of the 5th to 10th defendants is null, void and unconstitutional.

    In conclusion, the APC is seeking an order setting aside all steps and/or actions taken by the 1st, 2nd and 4th defendants in the purported appointment and /or confirmation of the appointment of the 5th to 10th defendants. It also seeks order setting aside all steps and/or actions taken by the 5th to 10th defendants purportedly as Chairman and/or members of the 3rd defendant, ostensibly for and towards the conduct of elections into the various elective offices in the 16 local councils in Ekiti State and an injunction  restraining the 5th to 10th defendants, their agents, servants, officers, whosoever/howsoever taking   instructions from them, from conducting elections into any of the elective offices/positions in the 16 local councils in Ekiti State and/or from taking any further steps or embarking on any further activities ostensibly for the conduct of the aforesaid local councils’ elections, under the guise of acting as the chairman and/or members of the 3rd defendant, forthwith.

    The party noted that while it is ready to participate in the local government elections, due process must be followed in the composition of the State Electoral body.

    “The APC is not comfortable with membership of the commission most of who apart from being PDP card-carrying members, are friends and business associates of Governor Fayose,” the party said.

    No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit, which will go a long way to determine whether the planned December 19 poll will hold.

    Another factor expected to shape the destiny of the Ekiti local government election is the factional crisis rocking the PDP.

    The Tunde Olatunde-led faction which has 14 State Working Committee (SWC) members has warned SIEC against recognizing council poll candidates nominated by the faction loyal to Fayose.

    The pro-Fayose faction, which is led by embattled state PDP chairman Idowu Faleye, has been dragged to an Ado Ekiti High Court by the Olatunde-led faction, with the latter claiming to be the legitimate state exco.

    The Olatunde faction has forwarded a petition to SIEC warning the electoral body about the dire consequences of recognizing the candidates put forward by the faction backed by the governor.

    It threatened legal action against the state electoral agency, if it goes ahead to recognize the candidates produced by the governor’s faction, saying SIEC should be aware of pendency of a matter already in court.

    The petition dated September 21, 2015 and addressed to the SIEC Chairman, Olatunde and exco members loyal to him maintained that “Faleye and his loyalists are impostors and that SIEC should stop dealing with them on electoral issues.”

    In the petition entitled, Olatunde warned the commission against recognizing candidates of the PDP presented through Faleye, otherwise it would take legal action against the commission.

    Ekiti PDP had been rocked by factional crisis, leading to the emergence of Olatunde, former Vice Chairman (North) senatorial district, as the Acting Chairman, following purported resignation of Faleye.

    According to the embattled Secretary of the party, Dr Tope Aluko, Faleye, who succeeded Mr Makanjuola Ogundipe, sequel to his appointment as the PDP National Vice Chairman(Southwest) in acting capacity, purportedly resigned as chairman due to irreconcilable differences with SWC members.

    In the same way, Faleye, a close ally of Fayose claimed that his appointment had been confirmed by State Executive Council , just as he refuted the allegation of his resignation, insisting that he remains the authentic chairman.

    In a bid to assert itself, Faleye’s faction had set up disciplinary committee, which indicted Olatunde’s group of anti-party and gross misconduct and about five members in that faction were expelled from the party.

    The process leading to the emergence of PDP candidates generated controversies with some party members alleging imposition of candidates by the governor and his faction.

    Aggrieved aspirants alleged that the process could not pass for a credible primary as it was allegedly skewed in favour of the loyalists of Fayose, especially those who followed him to the Labour Party (LP) and came back with him to the PDP.

    With this state of affairs, the PDP does not appear to be ready for the polls.

    Meanwhile, legal fireworks will soon begin on the suit filed by the APC. Residents of Ekiti are waiting with bated breath to see how the numerous hurdles before the election would be overcome.

     

  • Unity Summit: another theatrics in Yoruba politics (1)

    Unity Summit: another theatrics in Yoruba politics (1)

    “Yoruba may pull out of Nigerian Union, Gen. Adebayo, others speak at Ibadan summit” -Irohin Oodua, October 9, 2015

    “Ekiti is my priority. I call on all the House of Representatives members and senators that went to Abuja from here, some people petitioned the National Assembly stating how Fayemi sank Ekiti into heavy debts, I have told the members not to do that,…” he said. “It is God that judges people, not us. You must support him there. They should not go to the Senate and oppose Kayode Fayemi, no, they must never do that. An Ekiti man is an Ekiti man. I appeal to everybody, you must support him.“– Fayose, October 9, 2015

    The Yoruba have never been found wanting in relation to raising or complicating Nigeria’s political discourse. Chief Obafemi Awolowo wrote years before Nigeria’s independence that the best way to organise Nigeria and make it prosper and peaceful is to construct a fully federal union to house all its diverse nationalities.  Rain or shine, Awolowo stood till the end of his life by his theory that the best model for a multi-national state is federalism.  Awolowo’s vision is as much in circulation today as it has ever been. During the Biafran war, the Yoruba was pivotal to the mantra of “to keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done.”

    After the civil war, the Yoruba also called incessantly for establishment of a social democratic model of government in Nigeria. During the Jonathan presidency, some Yoruba politicians and activists joined Jonathan to convene and populate an election-eve national dialogue on how to re-invent Nigeria while other Yoruba shouted about Jonathan’s marginalisation of the Yoruba region. Many Yoruba people took active part in the recent enthronement of a federal government that, in the words of President Buhari during his commiseration with the children of Mama H.I.D. Awolowo, is committed to realise the kind of government preferred by Chief Awolowo for all Nigerians.

    Whatever anybody wants to say about the Yoruba, no one can say that it is a nationality with citizens who are bereft of ideas in terms of making the Nigerian federation viable through a democratic process. While other regions of the country were pushing the country in the direction of unfettered feudalism or mindless unitarism from the period of colonialism to the end of military dictatorship, most Yoruba politicians and intellectuals chose to make strong cases for restoration of federalism in the country. The news report by Irohin Oodua on a summit of some Yoruba nationalist groups in Ibadan last Thursday illustrates one of the few efforts by some opinion leaders in the region to confuse Yoruba people about how to make Nigeria work and thrive for all its diverse nationalities.

    As expected, the meeting of experienced Yoruba politicians and activists has brought back to focus many of the challenges facing the Yoruba in the context of the Nigerian federation: the harassment of Awolowo in the administration of Alhaji Tafawa Balewa’s Northern People’s Congress; the annulment and detention till the end of his life of Chief M.K.O. Abiola for winning the presidential election under the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida; recurrent harassment of Yoruba farmers by Bororo Fulani herdsmen; and the recent abduction of one of the most senior Yoruba men to serve the Nigerian federation, Chief Olu Falae, by unidentified Fulani herdsmen, to name a few. Also as expected, the communique at the end of the meeting had some gaps and silences that can cause confusion for Yoruba men and women that did not collaborate with Jonathan’s PDP government. For example, no mention was made of the marginalisation of Yoruba people during the regime of the immediate past president of the country, Goodluck Jonathan.

    It is worth mentioning that the summit focused on the recent abduction of recent Falae, a worthy son of the Yoruba region and one of the unforgettable brain boxes for the federal government in the past and a former presidential candidate. It is also reassuring that the summit has called on the federal government to do the right thing: “Summit asks the federal government to ensure immediate arrest and prosecution of the abductors of Chief Falae and all perpetrators of the violent crimes which have been reported at different police stations in Yoruba land arising from cattle rearing activities.”What is capable of confusing average citizens in the Yoruba region is the decision of the summit to conflate recommendations of the 2014 Jonathan conference and the demand of Yoruba people  since 1966 for a sustainable federal system:”Realising that the crisis that we are witnessing presently over the actions of the Fulani herdsmen is a function of the refusal of Nigeria to practice true federalism which would guarantee significant autonomy to the constituent units, Summit demands an immediate restructuring of Nigeria with the implementation of the report of 2014 National Conference as a starting point”.

    Without doubt, the crises that the Yoruba have faced in their development efforts are serious enough to require meeting of opinion leaders of any political affiliation. But the crises enumerated at the summit may not constitute a sufficient condition for pulling out of the union, should the new federal government fail to re-federalise Nigeria in consonance with the recommendations of the Jonathan conference. If re-federalisation Nigeria is high on the agenda of the many Jonathan conference veterans at the summit, this may be a good time for them to start a sincere dialogue with the Yoruba nation by placing their recommendations side by side with other suggestions from non-delegates for consideration by the people. This will be an effective way to mobilise Yoruba people on the issue of re-federalisation of the union. Should Yoruba people not have a voice in what kind of federalism they want? Must they be pulled into a federal system that may not include fiscal federalism but just devolution of administrative services and further balkanisation of the six states in the Yoruba region?

    Every Yoruba patriot, indeed, every lover of justice, should be incensed by the abduction of Chief Falae. No self-respecting nation should keep quiet over the humiliation of its vertical minds, of which Chief Falae has been of its few poster children. But it may be counterproductive to lump the matter of abduction of Chief Falae by suspected Fulani nomads and the implementation of recommendations of Jonathan’s conference together. In his own remarks since his release, Chief Falae himself has called for justice, without tying his travails to non-implementation of Jonathan’s conference in which he served as leader of Yoruba delegates.

    To bring the first in the series on theatrics in Yoruba politics to a close (for lack of space), let us raise a few issues that need to be addressed by the groups at the summit and other Yoruba opinion leaders and groups that did not participate at the summit.

    At present, the Yoruba region seems to be saddled with two forms of leadership: elected leaders at the end of the 2015 presidential and state elections and unelected leaders produced largely by various groups that attended the Thursday summit and many others that chose to stay away or were not even invited to the summit. Which group was the summit addressing: those whose party won in the elections of 2015 or those who lost? When the summit made the following brave statement: “If we do not see any step in this direction within a reasonable time, the Yoruba may reconsider their place in a union that cannot protect them and would not allow them to protect themselves and use all legitimate and peaceful means to attain self-determination,” on whose behalf or authority did the summit give the deadline? At what point are members of the socio-cultural groups at the summit going to join other Yoruba federalist groups, such as the Yoruba Assembly, Afenifere Renewal Group, Atayese, and hundreds of self-determination groups in the region to present re-federalisation as a non-partisan or supra-partisan project in the Yoruba region?

    If the groups at the summit are in opposition to most of the governments in the Yoruba region, at what point are they going to call for rapprochement with elected governments of Yoruba states not in attendance at the summit? Do Yoruba citizens have a stake in the kind of federalism the Ibadan summit has called for? If so, what process does the summit have in place for mobilizing citizens in the region for the fight for immediate re-federalisation or secession from the Nigerian union? These are graver issues than any group’s obsession with recommendations from the 2014 Jonathan conference. From the experience of  other countries: the United States of America, United Arab Emirate, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ethiopia, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, and South Africa, federalism is not achieved via periodic meetings of veterans of one conference at which federalism was discussed. Federalism results from a long-term process of consultation and negotiation between citizens and their democratically elected leaders.

    To be continued