The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Gbenga Obadara

  • APC will form govt in Ogun come May 29 – Osoba

    Former Governor Segun Osoba has expressed confidence that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Prince Adedapo Abiodun, would form the government of Ogun State come May 29, 2019.

    Osoba said with the good support of the APC members, supporters and caliber of the governorship candidate, Abiodun, the party would coast home with victory, enjoining party faithful not to rest on their oars.

    The Akirogun of Egbaland made this known while addressing thousands of party members and supporters at his residence in Ibara GRA, Abeokuta, the state capital, during the formal unveiling of Abiodun’s running mate, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele.

    He assured that the next APC administration in the state would place more premium in zoning all political offices to reflect a sense of belonging to all sections, unlike what allegedly obtained today with Ibikunle Amosun’s government where a particular zone benefits more from appointments to the disadvantages of other zones.

    Osoba implored all the chieftains and members of the party to work in harmony to ensure success.

    He said: “Whether they like it or not Dapo Abiodun had become the Ogun State APC governorship candidate.

    Those who didn’t wish APC well have been disappointed.

    “The task had begun. We are in the midst of enemies and we should come together as one.

    “I want to urge all that we have just started. I am 80 years old and I am old enough to say things the way they are.

    “We don’t want any group within the APC. It is an insult.

    “We are just going into elections period and we should stop insulting our candidate.

    “From now onward, let us be one. Leaders don’t hold group meetings, but what you should be having is APC meeting as a party and it should be for the governorship candidature of Dapo Abiodun.

    “Three-quarter of your poster should bear APC logo, a quarter for a candidate’s picture and another quarter for the party’s slogan.

    “So, as we are moving today, disunity is over. We are fighting a vicious war and we should fight it within the purview of the APC constitution. Go and deliver your polling booths,” said Osoba.

    Prominent leaders in attendance include the governorship flag bearer, Prince Dapo Abiodun, the governorship running mate, Mrs Noimot Salako-Oyedele, Senators: Biyi Durojaiye, Gbenga Kaka, Gbenga Obadara, Akin Odunsi, Dipo Odujinrin, Tunji Egbetokun, Prince Segun Adesegun among others.

  • Debts may cause power collapse

    The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Privatisation, Gbenga  Obadara, has said the Power sector may collapse,  if the debts it is owed are not settled soon.

    Obadara  spoke in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, during the committee’s visit to the National Control Centre (NCC) of the Nigeria Electric Power Grid.

    The senator noted that the present power generation is so low for the nation’s needs.

    He said the Senate was unhappy with the state of power supply, adding that it was taking steps to address the challege.

    Obadara urged those responsible for  power generation and transmission to ensure effective service delivery.

    Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Executive Director Sahid Mohammed said the company could generate 7,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

     

  • Senate seeks Ogun’s support on power reform

    Senate seeks Ogun’s support on power reform

    The Senate Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation has solicited the support and cooperation of the Ogun State government to stop revenue leakages at the Federal Government-owned Olorunsogo Power plant located in the state.

    Chairman of the Committee Senator Gbenga Obadara made the appeal when the committee members visited Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

    Obadara, who represents Ogun Central, said revenue leakages and corruption were the major factors responsible for the failure in the power sector, adding that it would take the commitment of all stakeholders to reverse the trend.

    He said the committee was visiting federal parastatals across the country to block revenue leakages and ensure maximum productivity and efficiency.

    Obadara expressed optimism that if effectively reformed, the unbundling of the power sector would be worthwhile and successful, adding: “This visit gives us the opportunity to meet with you and the management of the Olorunsogo Power Plant. Yesterday, we visited the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) to charge them to increase revenue drive at the ports because we know they are capable of raking in more revenue for the nation than they are doing.

    “The aim of the committee is to tackle the generation of peanuts by government parastatals, despite their potentials to do more. If only the nation can generate 50 per cent of the power needed, the country would be better for it. We believe we can count on you as to achieve good result.”

    Amosun said it was worrisome that after many years of independence, Nigeria is still struggling to have uninterrupted power supply while other less-endowed countries have stable supply.

    He said constant power supply was key to the survival of the country’s manufacturing sector and the revamping of moribund companies.

    Describing the privatisation of the power sector as “a step in the right direction”, Amosun said the initiative must be pursued tenaciously to achieve the desired result.

  • Stop causing tension in Ogun, Amosun tells lawmakerso

    Stop causing tension in Ogun, Amosun tells lawmakerso

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has described the political crisis in the state as “a premeditated attempt by Ogun All Progressives Congress (APC) members in the National Assembly to destabilise the party and cause tension in the state”.

    This was contained in a letter signed by the governor to Senator Gbenga Obadara (Ogun Central), titled: “Pulling Down the House to Protect a Corner: A Note of Caution”.

    Amosun advised them to desist from “their plot”, saying “it is an ill-wind that does not blow anyone any good”.

    On the January 9 violence at the state party secretariat and the disruption of a political meeting at Wasimi in the Ewekoro Local Government Area on January 16, the governor said: “The Wasimi incident, in particular, was part of a premeditated, choreographed and coordinated but needless crisis in our great party, with the National Assembly members elected on the APC platform as the major Agents Provocateur working in concert with other elements within and outside the party.

    “In the last few months, I have received security reports and information from credible sources, including party faithful, leaders, mutual friends and utterances directly emanating from your group, indicating that you and your colleagues were planning to precipitate a crisis in our party in pursuit of your personal agenda.

    “Although I initially dismissed the reports, the unfortunate events of the last few weeks, with their intensity and frequency, have lent credence to them. The incidents are part of a larger plot by the group to control the party structure, beginning with the hijack of the membership registration, hence the attempt to foist a ‘Harmonisation Committee’ on the party.

    “The second objective is the desire of the National Assembly members from our state and some members of the House of Assembly to secure automatic second-term tickets for the 2015 general elections without regard to the opinions of party members.

    “In order to get the support of the unwary, these personal agenda of the very few have been couched and packaged as altruistic party issues and deliberately orchestrated to attract national attention.”

    Amosun said the group plans to achieve its “narrow objectives” through eight elements, including the instigation of pockets of violence to create a sense of disunity in the party and insecurity in the state; demonisation of his person and administration through “a well-oiled smear campaign in the media that will evoke memory of the immediate-past”; and the distraction of the government’s attention from governance.

    Others are blackmailing him (Amosun) and the party’s national leadership; making the state ungovernable; perpetrating further crisis that will enable the group move motions in the two chambers of the National Assembly to embarrass the state government; disruption of the party membership registration; and “joining forces with the opposition, who are known masters of violence, in an unholy alliance to re-enact the immediate inglorious past”.

    The governor said: “The overall thrust is to force a negotiation to secure an undeserved advantage that could not be otherwise achieved through the internal party democracy. What is more disturbing is that in this venture, no tool is considered too crude to use, no weapon too unconventional to deploy and no approach too demeaning to adopt.

    “I learnt that you and your colleagues have been boasting that the nationwide destruction of our party will be kick-started from Ogun State. I remain resolute to building bridges within the party and beyond. Far from being a sign of weakness, this is demonstration of our commitment to peace and security in the state.

    “While I will continue to make overtures for peace and pursue initiatives to forge party unity and harmony, I will not abdicate my responsibilities as the chief security officer of the state.”