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Tag: Ogun

  • Ogun targets .5m pupils for deworming

    The Ogun State government has said its School Based Deworming (SBD) and Community-Based Deworming (CBD) for this year are targeting over 500,000 school children from age five to 14 in the 11 local government areas.

    It said the programmes are meant to curtail the prevalence of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in all the local government areas.

    Health Commissioner Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Nofiu Aigoro, spoke in Abeokuta, the state capital, at the sensitisation of stakeholders in deworming.

    He said it was imperative to deworm all children across the state to control worm transmission in the communities.

    Ipaye said it is possible for children to carry worms for a long time without exhibiting visible symptoms.

    The commissioner noted that 534,368 school-aged children (five to 14 years) would to be dewormed, while 2,951 schools (public and private), 272 health workers and 3,576 school teachers would be involved.

    He added: “The infections have long-term impact on the health, educational and overall well-being of the child. But the deworming tablet is safe and effective for all children, even the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Federal Ministry of Health recommend these tablets for treatment of Soil Transmitted Helminths (STH) and schistosomiasis.”

    Also, the Deputy Director for National Deworming Programme in the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Obiagel Nebe, said worms infect more than one-third of the world’s population with the most intense infections in children and the poor.

    The director said it was important to embrace the programme in order to tackle rampant cases of NTDs among the children.

    She added that common worm infections in school-age children could be treated effectively with two single-dose pills: one for all the common intestinal worms (hookworm, roundworms and whipworms) and the other for schistosomiasis (bilharzia).

    Dr Nebe said the treatment was safe, even when given to uninfected children.

    The Programme Coordinator, Dr. Islamiyat Soneye, reiterated government’s commitment to tackling the NTDs.

    She said the diseases were communicable and constituted public health concerns, including onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis and Buruli ulcer.

    The programme coordinator noted that NTDs are estimated to affect over one billion people worldwide, while 40 per cent of those found to reside in sub-tropical Africa, in which Nigeria has 25 per cent.

    According to her, the World Health Organisation (WHO) focuses on over 17 of the diseases, out of which 11 were endemic in Nigeria.

    Soneye said the state’s NTDs control programme focused on only four of the diseases.

    Also, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Project, Mrs. Tinuola Shopeju, who was represented by the Nutrition Officer for Home-grown Project, Mrs. Omolola Oluga, assured the publics, parents and guardians of proper feeding of their wards for the deworming.

    Mrs Shopeju government would prepare adequate food for the pupils in public schools for the taking off the programme.

    The programme was witnessed by members of League of Imams and Alfas, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Parents/Teachers Association (PTA), the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Community Development Associations (CDAs), All Nigerian Conference of Principals Secondary School (ANCOPSS) and other stakeholders.

     

  • Buhari’s camp upbeat over Lagos, Kano, Kwara, Ekiti, Adamawa, Ogun

    CONFIDENCE. That was the general feeling in the All Progressives Congress (APC) last night as results of the Presidential and National Assembly elections began trickling in from across the nation.

    Leaders of the party  were particularly upbeat  at the strong showing of President Muhammadu Buhari  and the party’s national assembly candidates in Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Kwara, Ekiti, Kano, Borno and Adamawa among others.

    But the party warned its supporters to be vigilant, saying the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had hatched a plan to unleash violence during collation of results of the elections.

    The PDP said it was the APC that masterminded the killings in some states.

    Early returns from the Southeast and much of Southsouth looked good for the PDP and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

    Buhari and Atiku said, moment after casting their votes yesterday, that they were optimistic of winning.

    Buhari, asked by reporters in his home town, Daura, whether he would congratulate the winner in the event that he (President) lost, he said:  “I’m going to congratulate myself, because am going to win.”

    Responding to a question on his expectation in Yola, Atiku said: “I look forward to a successful transition.”

    But it was Buhari who appeared to be coasting home to victory last night on account of yet to be confirmed results.

    Some of the key backers of Atiku who were expected to deliver  votes for him failed in show of their  electoral worth.

    They include former President Olusegun Obasanjo who could only muster 18 votes for Atiku in his Abeokuta polling unit against the 87 for Buhari.

    Buhari himself floored Atiku at the former vice president’s polling unit in Yola with 186 votes to 157.

    Former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba delivered 147 votes for Buhari at his Abeokuta polling Unit while Atiku received 81.

    Another former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel who is the Deputy Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council, Southwest, delivered 137 votes for Atiku while Buhari got 88 votes.

    The governorship candidate of the party in the State and Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial district, Senator Buruji Kashamu also delivered his Sopen unit 26 in Ijebu Igbo to the PDP Presidential candidate.

    While Atiku polled 138 votes, Buhari polled 110 votes

    As we projected in our assessment of the chances of the two candidates a few weeks back, Buhari is doing very well in Akwa Ibom State where the former  Governor, Senator Godswill Akpabio delivered 1,553 votes for him  in his Ukana West 2, unit 9, Essien Udim Local Government Area. Atiku got only 11 votes there.

    Buhari also defeated Atiku 84 -80 votes in the Apapa, Lagos polling unit of the PDP governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje while it was the other way round in the Ikoyi polling unit of the APC governorship candidate, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

    Atiku attracted 52 votes in the unit while Buhari got 48.

    Atiku got 219 votes as against Buhari’s 68 at   the Agbaji polling unit, Ilorin of Senate President Bukola Saraki.

    In another unit at Agbaji, Ilorin, Saraki’s younger sister, Gbemi got 275 votes for Buhari while Atiku received 71.

    It was also Buhari all the way in most of the units in Ekiti, Kano, Borno, Adamawa States.

    But it seemed to be a close race in Edo State although APC national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole  made it 770  0  in favour of Buhari while Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu gave it all to Buhari in his Mpu units in Enugu State.

    Atiku also got 84 votes, nine more than Buhari at one of the polling units at Aso Rock Villa, and 207 votes at the Kaduna polling unit of former Vice President Namadi Sambo.

    Buhari got only  34 votes there but made up for it at Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State’s  polling unit with 453 votes to Atiku’s 80.

    Other results that came in last night are as follows:

    Owan West Unit six Ward one (Edo State)

    APC  — 124

    PDP — 90

    Kabiyesi: Ona-Ara unit (Essa B ward) (Kwara)

    APC – 290

    PDP – 64

    Kabiyesi: PU Ilesha Primary School, Ilesha Baruba  (Kwara)

    PDP=39, APC=190

    Idi Agba Polling unit 004  Ilorin (Kwara)

    APC 397

    PDP  57.

    0de imam 005 (Kwara)

    APC=195

    PDP=231

    Ward 06 (Orokere), Unit 001 (Kogi)

    APC   90

    PDP 100

    Ward 06, Unit 002 (Orokere, Kogi).

    APC 54   PDP 112

    Ward 04 (Ileteju Mopa), Unit 004 (Kogi)

    APC   43

    PDP 138

    Yagba Ward 04, Unit 003 (Kogi)

    APC  46

    PDP 131

    Yagba House of Representative:

    APC=30, PDP=76, ADC=69.

    Local Education Authority (LEA) Primary School, Kubwa, Abuja, unit 006

    PDP: 953

    APC: 182

     

    APC to supporters: Be vigilant

    The All Progressives Congress Campaign Council last night issued  a security alert that about an alleged plot by the PDP to unleash violence during the collation of the  results of the elections.

    Spokesman for the campaign council, Mr. Festus Keyamo said:

    “It has come to our knowledge from insiders within the PDP Campaign Council who are making last-minute efforts to switch allegiance to President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress that the PDP is currently recruiting armed thugs and miscreants nationwide to attack ward and local government collation centres this evening till the wee hours of tomorrow morning.

    “The purpose is to disrupt the collation process of the elections nationwide in order to cause crises and make this election inconclusive. As we know, most of these collation centres are usually in schools or other places that are poorly protected.

    “This is, therefore, a clarion call to all law enforcement agencies to mobilise extra armed security to protect all collation centres nationwide. We also appeal to Nigerians of goodwill and our supporters to provide standby electricity this night at these collation centres.

    Read Also: EFCC operatives at INEC collation centre in Lagos

    “We also call on all our party agents, supporters and patriotic Nigerians to stick with these election results from the various units up to the State Collation Centres. There is no cause for any political party at this stage to jubilate or be dejected. Nothing has been won and nothing has been lost. Official results have not been declared. Hence we call for eternal vigilance on the part of our agents and supporters.

    “We repeat: NOBODY SHOULD JUBILATE NOW AND ABANDON HIS/HER DUTIES. LET US KEEP OUR FEET FIRMLY ON THE GROUND AND STICK WITH OUR ASSIGNED ROLE(S) UNTIL FINAL RESULTS ARE DECLARED BY INEC.”

     

    APC killing Nigerians, burning ballot boxes, PDP alleges

    The PDP in its reaction to the conduct of the elections accused the APC of killing innocent Nigerians, and snatching and burning ballot boxes during the polls.

    The PDP, in a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the unleashing of violence was the major part of the script by the APC to intimidate Nigerians and disrupt the election, in a bid to enforce President Buhari’s self-succession plot.

    His words: “President Buhari and the APC leadership must know that they are directly responsible for the killings in Rivers state, the violent snatching of ballot box and burning of electoral materials in Lagos and various other states where compromised security agents were used to directly interfere in the electoral process. “In Lagos State, the world watched in amazement as security agents aided APC thugs to invade polling centres, disrupt electoral process, manhandle voters, destroy and burnt electoral materials, including ballot papers and boxes.

    “In Rivers State, voters were shot and killed by agents of the APC in their desperation to manipulate the elections.

    “Our party is compiling a list of all infractions and the killings as well as securing the identities of all individuals who played roles in these the atrocities.

    “The PDP deeply salutes the resilience, courage and sacrifices by Nigerians, across the board, in resisting the Buhari’s anti-democratic forces and insisting that their votes must count, against all odds.

    “Nigerians, across the country are exceptionally upbeat in their resolution to vote out this incompetent, divisive, vengeful, violent prone and corrupt APC administration, despite the machinations of the Buhari Presidency.

    “This election has shown President Buhari and in particular, certain individuals in Lagos state, who thought that they were emperors, that the will of the people is bigger than them. The APC turned the election into a war but Nigerians have shown that nobody can suppress their resilient spirit.

    “The PDP therefore calls on INEC to ensure that all votes count as Nigerians are following all the figures from the polling units.  Having come thus far and after making huge sacrifices, Nigerians will never accept any result that does not reflect the reality of their already expressed wishes and aspiration at the polls.”

    House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara   won his polling unit at Gwarangah in Bogoro, Dass, Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State for Atiku with 285 votes as against 15 for Buhari.

  • Two held for ‘robbing’ female cops

    The police in Ogun have arrested two suspected armed robbers said to be dispossessing two policewomen on their way to work.

    The suspects Hafiz Omidokun, 29, and Peter Babalola, 27, were apprehended on Wednesday at Iyana-Ilogbo where they allegedly double-crossed the policewomen’s vehicle and held them hostage with a locally made pistol, said spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi in a statement on Wednesday evening.

    According to Oyeyemi, the victims were in a vehicle belonging to one of them enroute Sango Ota from Ifo when the incident occurred.

    “After collecting their bags and phones, the suspects were about to climb back their motorcycle when the two women officers engaged then in fighting and raised alarm.

    “Sensing danger, the suspects fled but were chased by the policewomen assisted by passersby.
    The suspects attempted to snatch another motorcycle when they realised they were about to be caught but were arrested there.

    “A mob soon made to lynch them but the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Sango Oyedele Nasirudeen, a Chief Superintendent (CSP) who was earlier contacted, arrived the scene with a patrol team and rescued the suspects.

    “A locally made pistol, an expended cartridge and a motorcycle were recovered from them. Police Commissioner Ahmed Illiyasu has ordered the transfer of the case to the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) for discreet investigation.“

  • Breaking: Hoodlums abduct Ogun market leaders, disrupt ‘TraderMoni’ distribution

    Scores of hoodlums swooped on the seedy Lafenwa market on Tuesday afternoon and disrupted the distribution of the Federal Government’s Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) popularly called ‘TraderMoni,’ forcing distributors and beneficiaries to flee in different directions for safety.

    They whisked away the Iyaloja and Babaloja of Lafenwa market to an unknown location.

    The hoodlums, numbering over 50, The Nation gathered, were not deterred by the fact that the Lafenwa Divisional Police Headquarters situates directly beside the market but proceeded to attack the handlers of the GEEP ‘TraderMoni’ who had arrived the market to document and verify the traders’ data with any valid means of identification such as Permanent Voter Card(PVC).

    Many of the prospective beneficiaries, who were yet to get their bio-data captured before the hoodlums struck and disrupted the exercise, alleged a key member of the Abeokuta North West Local Council Development Area (LCDA) led the hoodlums to the venue and sacked everybody before abducting the Babaloja and Iyaloja.

    However, The Nation learnt the Iyaloja of Lafenwa market regained freedom hours later and returned to the market.

    However, the Chairman of Abeokuta North West LCDA, Monsuru Shorunke when contacted, told reporters that he was the one that led some “boys” to Lafenwa when they heard that some politicians “were giving the traders money in exchange with their PVCs.”

    He said: “We heard that some people came to Lafenwa market, collecting people’s PVCs from the traders with their names and PVCs numbers.

    “And governor said we should go out and find out: it was Governor Amosun that sent us.

    “I was in front of the governor when we heard the information. So, I collected Iyaloja’s phone number from Hon. Akintona. We took Iyaloja to the governor’s house along with Babaloja of Lafenwa.

    “We believe it was wrong for them to come and collect people’s PVCs with numbers before Election Day. That was what they came to do at Lafenwa.

    “My message is that we should be vigilant. Not only the electorates but all the politicians in Ogun state. We must be vigilante.

    “These people are ready to confuse our programme by giving them money.

    They want to give them money because of the coming election and it is wrong. No, that is wrong because, that information is not right.“

  • FRSC advises passengers to caution reckless drivers

    The Ogun Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC ) on Monday advised passengers to always caution drivers against reckless driving to avoid accidents.

    Mr Clement Oladele, the Ogun Sector Commander of FRSC, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Ota, Ogun.

    Oladele was reacting to an accident that claimed eight lives, injured a pregnant woman and a boy along Ewekoro axis on Abeokuta/Lagos Expressway on Sunday.

    The sector commander said that the accident could have been averted if passengers in the vehicle cautioned the driver against reckless driving.

    “The driver who was drunk, drove against the traffic and unfortunately rammed into a stationary articulated vehicle,’’ he said.

    Oladele condoled with families of the victims and prayed God to grant the victims’ families the fortitude to bear the loss.

    He instructed the FRSC Unit Commander in Itori, Ogun, to increase the parking space for the Cement Company in Ewekoro axis as part of measures to prevent future occurrence.

    Oladele, however, advised motorists to desist from drinking intoxicating substances and driving against traffic to avoid unnecessary death.

    Mr Sunday Oko, the Itori Unit Commander of FRSC, described the accident as `a regrettable one’, urging motorists to adhere strictly to all traffic rules and regulations.

    Oko also warned motorists against speeding, saying that if the driver of the ill-fated vehicle did not speed, the accident could have been prevented.

    He reiterated the command’s commitment to increase patrol teams along Ewekoro and environs to check the excesses of drivers and avoid unnecessary loss of lives and property.

    NAN reports that the accident which involved a Toyota Corolla Sport vehicle, occurred around 12.30 p.m. and claimed eight lives, injured a pregnant woman and a child.

  • Tension in Ogun as thugs disrupt Presidential rally

    Sacks Abiodun’s Supporters from Stadium

    Scores of hoodlums chanting the slogan of a rival opposition governorship candidate on Monday disrupted the Presidential rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and sacked supporters of the Prince Dapo Abiodun, the governorship candidate of APC, from the main bowl of the MKO stadium, Abeokuta

    Other APC members and supporters seated awaiting the arrival of President Muhammadu Buhari for planned rally, were also chased away as the thugs hurled stones, shoes and other dangerous weapons at them.

    Many were injured in the attacks, forcing thousands of people to leave the stadium while the President is yet to arrive.

    In less than 10 minutes, all the seats and positions occupied by Dapo Abiodun supporters and other APC members were deserted as stones and objects hurled by the hoodlums, fell on them in torrents.

    Read Also: Abiodun: I will bring new lease of life to Ogun

    Some of the hoodlums were overheard brazenly boasting “this is Ogun and nobody can intimidate us” while throwing stones at the fleeing APC members and supporters of Abiodun.

    Not even the announcement of the arrival of the wife of the Vice – President, Dolapo Osinbajo, at the time could elicit respite to the reign of terror unleashed on people.

    Outside the stadium, dozens of armed soldiers and other security agencies battled to prevent the entry of another batch of hoodlums who were allegedly hurried to the venue to reinforce their colleagues who had seized the main bowl of the main stadium.

    Many were appalled that a Fuji musician called to entertain at the occasion, prodded the hoodlums on with inciting lyrics even as those who ought to ensure orderliness at the venue acted as though they were on holiday.

    There was palpable concern over the safety of the APC chieftains such as Senator Gbenga Kaka, Abiodun’s running mate, Noimot Oyedele – Salako, Chief Tolu Odebiyi and others, with many wondering if they were able to leave the stadium unscathed.

  • Akinlade accuses Amosun of leaving Ogun hopeless for next administration

    Governor Ibikunle Amosun preferred governorship candidate, Hon. Abdulkabir Akinlade on Friday couldn’t help indicting his godfather of being unable to uplift residents of Ogun state significantly.

    The governor, he said, was leaving the state hopeless for the next administration.

    He lamented all he saw during his campaign tour of 211wards out of the 236 wards in the state was “hopelessness of people.”

    Akinlade, who is the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) gubernatorial candidate, a party largely enjoying steady support from Amosun at the expense of the the All Progressives Congress (APC), described the people’s situation as that of “hopelessness.”

    READ ALSO: Amosun: I’ll give my all to make Akinlade win in Ogun

    The House of Representatives member representing Yewa South and Ipokia Federal Constituency made the comment while fielding questions at the just- concluded BBC Yoruba gubernatorial debate at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library(OOPL), Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    The APM candidate, who was aide to Amosun on Revenue matters during his first term in office, made the comment in Yoruba to the consternation of the audience at the debate considering his affinity with Amosun and his administration in the last seven years and eight months.

    “I have covered 211 wards in Ogun state and have seen the hopelessness of people,” Akinlade said.

    Another gubernatorial candidate at the debate, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka of the African Democratic Congress(ADC) lauded Akinlade for speaking the truth.

    Isiaka noted that on his part, he has covered the whole 236 wards about four times since 2011 and was conversant with the hopelessness of the people in the state.

    This, he said, formed his quest for the governorship seat come March 2 to enable him change the narrative of the people’s situation.

  • Stop embarrassing us, monarchs warn Customs

    The Yewa Traditional Council in Ogun State have demanded immediate end to the routine “embarrassment” of the traditional rulers in Yewaland by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Owode-Yewa in Yewa South Local Government in the “name of suspecting that their vehicles are smuggled.”

    The traditional rulers – 40 of them- lamented they, their people and other Nigerians live in fear whenever they are in Yewaland following recurring “accidental shooting” by the Operatives of the NCS.

    The Olu of Ilaro and Paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, who addressed reporters at the Council hall in Ilaro on behalf of 40 other traditional rulers in Yewaland, expressed sadness that all calls and SMS messages he sent to the NCS Comptroller General, Col. Hammed Ali, highlighting their plights in the hands of the Operatives were ignored.

    Olugbenle added similar calls and SMS to the Deputy Comptroller General (Enforcement) DCG Chidi and the state Comptroller, Mike Agbara, were also totally ignored.

    The Paramount ruler reminded the NCS top echelons that “they are not God and not bigger than the law and Nigerians.”

    He also demanded justice and compensation for the gruesome killings of five persons by the Operatives last January while raiding shops and warehouses for suspected smuggled rice.

    The Oba said the Yewa Obas were pained by the incessant cutting down of lives of their people and inflicting of severe injuries to others, by NCS Operatives, said the activities of the NCS  have become a grave concern to them and called for a thorough investigation into the killings of those innocent Nigerians.

    Olugbenle faulted claims by the Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, that one person was killed on January 24, when the Operatives raided some houses and shops suspected to be housing smuggled items whereas the contrary is the case.

    He lamented that the Operatives have been mowing down, maiming and harassing their people in the name of riding Yewa area of the state of smugglers, and called on President Muhammadu Buhari, the acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu and other security agencies to urgently wade into the danger NCS Operatives now posed.

    Olugbenle said: There are evidences that five persons were killed by men of the Nigeria Customs Service on Monday 21st, January. Two of the victims have been buried by their families while post -mortem was carried out on three others.

    “I don’t know when a bag of rice becomes a valuable item than the life of any human being. They should not take laws into their hands.

    “They should seal up any property housing contraband goods rather than raiding shops which could lead clash. Government has the power to confiscate anything.

    “The question is -how did contraband goods get to town considering the number of checkpoints along the border axis?. We are not at war with the NCS. We demand justice and wants the perpetrators of Owode killings brought to book.

    “We are not only speaking the minds of the Yewa people but the minds of Nigerians. The FG and the NCS should improve on surveillance of the border lines areas.

    “They should device means to block all illegal routes being used by the smugglers rather than exposing their inefficiency by killing innocent Nigerians at towns and communities outside the borderline communities in the name of raiding for smuggled items.”

    The paramount ruler hinted that the Council would approach the court to seek redress on the ugly incident.

    Also speaking, the Eselu of Iselu, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, called the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences, to investigate individual accounts of the NCS operatives manning over 45 checkpoints from Idi -Iroko to Sango.

    He accused some NCS operatives of collecting bribe from the smugglers for easy transportation of smuggled items from Idi -Iroko to other parts of the state.

  • Accident kills 12 in Ogun

     A dozen people – including two drivers- perished on Sunday afternoon when a speeding Kia Cerato car veered off its lane, crossed the road median and rammed into a commercial bus on from opposite direction in Ogun state,

    All occupants of both vehicles died at the scene.

    READ ALSO:Tears flow as 15 die, four injured in Ekiti trailer accident

    The accident occurred around 1pm at the Siun stretch of the Abeokuta – Kobape – Sagamu road.

    The remains of the victims have been deposited at the morgue of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital(OOUTH), Sagamu.

    The Kia Cerato car, which was said to be speeding excessively, suffered a burst tyre.

    It was gathered the driver in panic stepped on the break and lost control before the lethal collision with a Toyota bus from the opposite direction, said Route Commander Florence Okpe of the Federal Road Safety Commission(FRSC), Public Education Officer, Ogun State Command.

     

     

     

  • 2019: Obasanjo meets with politicians in Ogun

    •Warns against further violence

    FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo on yesterday met with leaders of political parties and security chiefs in Ogun State, following the spiraling circus of violence during campaigns in the state and the attendant risks to lives and properties.

    This came about 48 hours after the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Dapo Abiodun and running mate, Engr. Noumot Oyedele – Salako, reportedly escaped alleged assassination plot when people suspected to be political thugs blocked their access way in Mokola area of Abeokuta, leading to a clash between the thugs and supporters of Abiodun, who battled to shield him from harm.

    Obasanjo who met with some leaders of political parties at the Green Legacy Resort, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Abeokuta, warned them not to heat up the politics of the state but to strive towards ensuring peaceful polls before and during the general elections.

    In attendance at the two – hours long private meeting were the quartet of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

    The State Chairman of ADP, Chief Wale Egunleti, who addressed reporters on behalf of the political parties present at the meeting, disclosed that the former Head of State, called for orderly and peaceful campaign in the state ahead of the Presidential and governorship elections slated for February 16th and March 2nd respectively.

    “Our father (Obasanjo) has called the political parties for a meeting to shun any act of thuggery, fighting, and any form of violence during and after the elections.

    “We want to serve the people and we must lead by example. Therefore, we have been warned and advised to keep the peace in Ogun for the benefit of all,” Egunleti said.