The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ogun

  • Farmers laud Ogun govt’s programmes

    Farmers laud Ogun govt’s programmes

    Ogun State government has been lauded for its commendable agricultural programmes which have improved the fortunes of farmers in the state.

    The State’s Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Chief Olusegun Dasaolu, gave the commendation during an interactive session between  farmers and Governor Ibikunle Amosun on how best to further improve the quality of service delivery in the sector.

    Chief Dasaolu said he was impressed with government’s rice cultivation in Eggua in Yewa North, 50-hectare Cocoa farm and a plantain farm in Alagbagba in Odeda Local Government, 50- hectare oil palm farm in ImekoAfon and the establishment of Green House in Kotopo, which has started to produce high-yield tomatoes, pepper to the citizens as well as various cassava farms in the state.

    The AFAN chairman also praised the state government for paying its counterpart fund regularly, saying it has allowed farmers to  get their input, such as fertiliser, ands seedlings, among others.

    He urged the state government not to relent in agriculture, saying more is still needed to be done, so that the state agricultural programmes can lead to industrialisation as seen by more irms opening shops in th state as well as the establishment of an ethanol factory the first in Sub-Sahara Africa in Agbara.

    The Chairman, Ogun State Poultry Farmers Association, Dr. Odunsi, urged the state government to look at the possibility of acquiring broiler processing machines as well as egg processing machines, which will turn egg into powder, which can be used by top companies such as Cadbury.

    This, he said, would improve the state Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

    Governor Amosun thanked the farmers for their unflinching support to his government in the last 46 months,adding that agriculture will be given more priority in his second term.

    He urged them not to relent in their support as his government means well for them and their families especially now that all attention must be focused on agriculture as oil prices has fallen on the international markets

    Also speaking, Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Ronke Sokefun urged farmers to have faith in Governor IbikunleAmosun’s administration as they stand to gain more if he is re-elected in next month governorship election.

  • 55.5m PVCs collected as Ogun gets 170,000 cards

    55.5m PVCs collected as Ogun gets 170,000 cards

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that 55.490 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have been collected as at yesterday.

    There are 68.833,476 million names on the INEC register.

    According to INEC’s latest update, the collection rate is now 80.61 per cent. There are still 13.343 million PVCs for collection before the March 22 deadline.

    Most states have attained between 60 per cent and above collection rate apart from Ogun state which has 47 per cent collection rate. Gombe and Zamfara have recorded 95 per cent

    Ogun State INEC said yesterday that it had taken delivery of additional 170,000 PVCs.

    The Administrative Secretary of the commission, Mr. Dickson Atiba, told reporters that the new consignment brought from Abuja contained between 170,000 to 190,000 PVCs, noting that the remaining ones would arrive before Friday.

    “We have 15 cartons for Ifo Local government, 12 cartons for Ijebu-Ode Local government, 14 cartons for Ado-Odo/ Ota Local Government, 19 cartons for Sagamu Local Government, four cartons for Odogbolu Local Government, one carton for Obafemi Owode Local government, one carton, Abeokuta South Local Government, one carton for Abeokuta North, one carton for Ijebu East and then we have some pieces, which are in about five small cartons.”

    Last week, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Chief Timothy Ibitoye, said the state had a shortfall of 425,454 PVCs, still being expected from Abuja.

    He put the number of registered voters in the state at 1,795,794.

     

  • 87, 853 traffic offenders held in Ogun

    87, 853 traffic offenders held in Ogun

    The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) has apprehended no fewer than 87,853 traffic offenders with various offences in 10 years, its Commander/Chief Executive Officer, Ayo Sangofadeji has said.

    Taking stock of TRACE’s achievements in its first decade of existence, Sangofadeji said the offences included riding motorcycle without safety helmet, driving without safety belt, using mobile phones while driving, illegal parking and overloading.

    The offenders, he said, were fined and also counselled before their vehicles or motorcycles were released to them.

    Sangofadeji said TRACE started with public enlightenment and orientation of road users on how best the road can be used, and the need to comply with safety rules before embarking on enforcement.

    The TRACE boss, who spoke with reporters in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, said the government is committed to a technology-driven traffic management by installing modern devices on the roads.

    Some of the devices according to Sangofadeji, are Close Circuit Television (CCTV), radar gun, speed detector among others.

    These, he said, were being installed to enhance compliance with safety rules and to bring erring motorists to book.

    TRACE, the commander said, would not relent in retraining its officers on modern road safety management.

    Sangofadeji added that TRACE will continue to champion road user-friendly education and enforce traffic regulations in the years ahead.

  • ‘Don’t underrate APGA in Ogun’

    ‘Don’t underrate APGA in Ogun’

    Ogun State All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate Prof. David Bamgbose, spoke with SEYI ODEWALE on his plans for the state and other issues that he and his new party will direct the affairs of Ogun State come May 29. 

    How has your campaign been?

    Our campaign journey has been so wonderful. I’m the candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) The whole idea is that we are looking for a party that will match our vision. A party that will not just think of the money bags, a party that will look at programmes and individuals; a party that loves justice. You know one of the banes of the political parties in Nigeria is the consideration of presentation of candidates not based on the generality of interest or antecedents or things an individual has done in the past. Our experience is that two predominant factors played roles in the emergence of candidates, especially in the dominant parties. Of course APGA is the third dominant party in the country. But in all these dominant parties there is a lot of consideration on the emergence of candidates. It depends on how much can you spend? I can speak authoritatively that the processes of emerging as candidates of some parties have been monetised.

    And APGA to you is not monetised?

    No, definitely, it is not.

    You are now speaking glowingly of APGA, but I remember when you were with Accord Party, you spoke in like manner…

    No, no, no. You see our movement from Accord to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) was a kind of national action. The whole idea was that everyone in the opposition, especially in our state, must come together against the ruling party. So, everybody moved, even from the Labour Party into the PDP. Accord is a party that was not that monetised even though the idea was that the candidate would have to do a lot on his own. So, when we decided to come to the PDP, my focus was on the dominant party and the emergence of people from this party. Apart from the fact that there is a whole load of factors that may not necessary be because of the people when they are doing the consideration. My experience with APGA has been a little bit different on the strength of the fact that what you have and how much you can spend are not some of the predominant reasons for the emergence of candidates. If that was part of the requirements, someone like me may not get the party’s ticket.

    Are you saying that the party is supporting your campaign financially?

    Even if I’m not talking of serious financial support to me, they do it on programmes and the media. The other time we had a flag-off the national leadership of the party put it on the broadcast media and the newspapers without taking a kobo from me. They did that to promote the project. Not necessarily that they are the ones to do that, but they did it to support us. They have also given buses for campaigns.

    Following your political progression of late, one may ask this question, what exactly are you looking for moving from one party to another. You have moved from Accord Party to the PDP and later to APGA and you may probably move from APGA to another party tomorrow, why this?

    APGA is very definitive for us; we have berthed. I’m the party’s governorship candidate in Ogun State and after the elections it will still be my party.

    Did you join APGA simply because you were robbed of the ticket in the PDP?

    I want to go into its full explanation. My focus has been on a national party; a party that has a very big connection with the Federal Government, even though the manifestoes of parties are almost the same. So, that is why you would see that we were running around the PDP and its related political organisations. The movement to the PDP is basically because of the need to come together to confront the incumbent governor and make a change in our state, but the process of the emergence of the candidate of the PDP was not properly managed. If things had been done in a more transparent manner, some of us will still stay in the party. There was a primary election that was not authorised and quite a number of us boycotted the election on the instruction of the national executive of the party. Not only me, but nine of us boycotted the said election. They now turned around to uphold that same election, which they said was not monitored by them. What they told us initially was that the primaries were not monitored by them.

    Did that amount to double standards by you?

    Yes, that is why things felt apart and the centre could not hold. Quite a number of our people had to find their way out of the party. It was not only in Ogun State, it also happened in other states like Oyo. That is why people like Seyi Makinde and Alao Akala moved out. APGA is a party that was ready to give justice and I was approached…

    Were you approached or you approached APGA?

    I was approached. Definitely, when we looked at the party’s constitution and manifesto, we realised that it is a party we can move to, to actualise our dreams and aspirations. The change in Nigeria today needs passion and somebody with the drive. Things are at a level where every Nigerian must do the unusual.

    Which is?

    We must go out of our cocoon; our comfort zone in a way everybody would be motivated to contribute in changing the system. So, whatever opportunity and platform that we have in contributing to political space in making the required change, we must seize it. Apart from the fact that things are not done in transparent manner, one of the drive that I have was the urgency and the need to make sure that we contribute to making a difference in Ogun State and Nigeria at large. That is the drive for moving to APGA.

    Since you moved to APGA, what has been the experience?

    The response has been tremendous. I want to inform you authoritatively that APGA is in serious reckoning for the race.

    You mean you can give the incumbent a run for his money?

    Yes, the incumbent acknowledged it.

    Is it the shift in the date of election that is giving you this confidence?

    Of course, it gives us more time and gives more time to INEC to get its acts right. If you look at the percentage of collection of PVC in my state, it is worrisome. As at last Monday, it was 40 per cent and as at last Thursday, it was about 50.8 per cent of the actual registered voters. If the election had held, a lot of eligible voters would have been disenfranchised. So, apart from that larger opportunity, our campaign has more time to run its full course. But much more than that, is the response of the people. My candid experience is that people are looking for credible alternative. And if you refuse to give to them, you cannot blame them, because they must choose from what has been presented to them. If good people with good intention refused to do something, then wrong choice may be taken. We observed that from Ipokia to Ijebu Waterside, from Imeko to Ifo, all the four corners of the state, people are a yearning for a change.

    You mean subscribe to the excuse given for the shift in polls, which some see as a way of helping someone’s ambition?

    It was obvious and clear why the polls were shifted. I don’t know why insecurity was cited as the reason for shifting the polls. Like I told you, as sophisticated as this state is, less than 40 per cent of registered voters have collected their PVCs. How can you justify that? I wonder, what is the rocket science in the production and distribution of PVCs?

    Was it because the cards were not produced or the people were not coming out to collect their PVCs?

    If you look at it categorically, the first challenge was the production of those cards. As at the time that we were to have the election, quite a number of the cards were yet to be produced.

    And you felt it was deliberate?

    To me, the first question I’m going to ask is that what is the rocket science about card production and distribution? The second question is why must we wait till six months to the elections before starting the production of the cards?

  • Ogun East: Kashamu faces fresh hurdles ahead senatorial poll

    Ogun East: Kashamu faces fresh hurdles ahead senatorial poll

    Barely weeks to the April National Assembly Elections, Buruji Kashamu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is facing fresh hurdles threatening his ambition to represent the Ogun East Senatorial District at the red chamber, reports, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan

    A FRESH lawsuit challenging the eligibility of Prince Buruji Kashamu to contest the March 28, 2015 National Assembly election and unending rejection of his candidature by groups and individuals within the Ogun East Senatorial District he seeks to represent, may be creating fresh worries in the camp of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) strongman.

    Sources told The Nation that anxiety gripped Buruji’s political family, the Omo-Ilu group, as well as leaders of the PDP in Ogun State as the Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, last Wednesday, commenced hearing in a suit filed by two members of the party seeking his disqualification as the party’s candidate for Ogun East Senatorial District.

    Although the hearing was stalled following arguments by Kashamu’s counsels that their client was yet to be served the processes of the court, The Nation learnt that the commencement of the proceeding, after Kashamu had allegedly vowed that the case will not see the light of the day, scared his supporters stiff.

    “When we first heard of the case, we were bothered. But when our leaders assured us that it will not be heard before the election as things were being taken care of, we relaxed. But when we got to court on Wednesday and the judge said he was prepared to entertain the case, fear gripped many of us,” a supporter of the politician said.

    Signs that things may not go the way Kashamu’s supporters expected showed when the defendant’s counsel, Ufoma Eze, urged the court to first thrash out the matter concerning its jurisdiction to hear the case as already raised in her notice of preliminary objection, before considering the applicants’ originating summons and motion on notice.

    Swiftly, counsel to the applicants urged the court to hear the issues raised in the originating summons, the motion on notice and notice of preliminary objection at the same time.

    Rather than accede to Eze’s demand, presiding judge, Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo, however, adjourned further hearing to March 12 to enable the applicants’ counsel reply to the notice of preliminary objection filed by the applicants’ counsel, while insisting that the main case will be heard on its merit.

    The two PDP members, Dele Ajayi from Ward 08 in Ijebu North Local Government Area and Saula Adeniji Wasiu of Ward 003, Sagamu Local Government Area of the state, last week, dragged Kashamu to court and prayed the court for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising him as the candidate of the PDP for Ogun East.

    Sources within the party in the state also revealed that leaders of the PDP are worried of what will be the lot of the party should the Judge grant the prayers of the applicants barely three weeks to the rescheduled elections.

    “The concern by party leaders is based on the fear that an injunction restraining any candidate at this time will greatly injure the chances of the party not only in the senatorial election, but in other contests. Kashamu is one of the flagships of the party in Ogun state.

    Stopping him now under any guise will harm the PDP. That is why all hands are on deck to ensure that he surmounts this current hurdle. As a party, we are solidly behind him and determined to field him as our candidate,” a member of the elders’ caucus of the party told The Nation.

    But another prominent chieftain of the party, Hon. Dave Salako, is opposed to what he called the political antics of Kashamu and his camp. According to the former House of Representatives member, anything short of justice for those opposed to Kashamu’s manipulations will spell doom for the PDP in the state.

    “Like I always say, Kashamu needs to be honest and he should be far away from anything that is politically fraudulent. He has done so many things that I have seen that are very wrong and he is getting away with it. I have also taken him to court but instead of him backing out, he is bringing another dimension into politics of Nigeria.

    He always gets people who are ready and eager to compromise in many things that they know are wrong. Check out all the candidates he fielded in his so-called list; they are all weak aspirants who can never win any election. Even Kashamu himself cannot win Ogun East Senatorial seat for PDP. He is not even qualified. We cannot be under the same umbrella with him unless he goes back to mend his ways,” Salako said.

    Expressing worry over the readiness of PDP members to dump the party and move to the opposition, Salako said “our people are daily telling us they want to move to another party because they don’t want to stay under the same umbrella with Buruji. If they do, we cannot stop them and we will lose that election again.”

    Also on Wednesday, some members of the PDP in Ogun East Senatorial District dissociated themselves from Kashamu’s senatorial ambition. Speaking under the aegis of PDP Elders and Youths Coalition, at a meeting in Ago-Iwoye, Ijebu North Local Government, they denied any support for Buruji Kashamu’s ambition.

    In a communiqué, the leaders of the coalition, including Tola Alausa, Wale Soile, Segun Odujirin, Segun Adekoya, Emily Sholaru, Dan Akitan and Moshood Adebayo, urged the national leadership of the party to stop the candidacy of the politician before he plunges the party into more crises.

    The communiqué read in part: “We hereby reject the leadership and candidacy of Prince Buruji Kashamu in Ogun East. It is instructive to state here that with him as the leader and or candidate of PDP in our zone, the party will fail to get the vote of the highly intelligent and self-respecting people of Ijebu and Remo kingdoms.

    “While it is public knowledge that the coming of Kashamu into the PDP in Ogun state has brought more damages than good into the party, we urged the national leadership of the party to stop the candidacy of the politician before he plunges the party into more crises.”

    The group condemned what they called the damaging support being enjoyed by the Kashamu faction from the national leadership of the party. They argued that unless the PDP leadership calls Kashamu to order, PDP in Ogun state will remain in the opposition for much longer.

    The leaders, who pledged their loyalty to the party, said they would not work with the Kashamu-led faction of the party. Sholaru, a former chairperson of the party in Ikenne LGA, warned that “Kashamu and his co-travelers are working hard to end the hope of our party returning to its winning ways in Ogun State.

    But responding to the current developments, Kashamu said nothing will truncate his desire to represent the people at the senate. According to him, he remains the man to beat at the polls.

    According to the business mogul-turned politician, the ongoing attempt to stop his aspiration through the courts will fail because the allegations against him are baseless and frivolous.

    In a statement, he said: “I have not been charged or convicted of any offences whether here in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world. The Interpol and other relevant agencies, including the courts in the United Kingdom and Nigeria, have exonerated me of the unfounded allegations.”

    Kashamu said his lawyers are addressing the issues at the court, urging his supporters to remain calm and be focused on winning the forthcoming elections.

  • Ogun 2015: Jonathan, Fayose unite Daniel, Kashamu

    Ogun 2015: Jonathan, Fayose unite Daniel, Kashamu

    The almost five-year rift between former governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel and Prince Buruji Kashamu, the Chairman, Mobilising Committee of the South West chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been finally resolved.

    The national leader of the party, President Goodluck Jonathan and the Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, brokered the truce some days ago; a development sources in the party said was quite timely, with the April 11 governorship election just about four weeks away. The first leg of the peace meetings, which was held in Lagos at the instance of Fayose, commenced Saturday evening at about 9:30pm till about 5am penultimate Sunday.

    The delegation later moved to the State House in Marina, Lagos, to brief the president on the decision reached. Members of the delegation include Fayose, Daniel; PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka; former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe; Chairman, Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engr. Jide Adeniji; Ogun State PDP Chairman, Engr. Adebayo Dayo and Kashamu. At the parley, the president expressed delight at the rapprochement and reportedly urged them to work together in the interest of the party.

    Following the resolution, sources say Daniel will now lead the party’s campaigns in the state ahead the 2015 general elections. Speaking on the development, Kashamu blushed, “I am the happiest person today. I am delighted that I and my leader and brother, His Excellency, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, have resolved our differences. As a two-term governor of our dear state, His Excellency remains our leader and by God’s grace, he will lead us to victory in the coming elections.” Now the big poser:

    Does the Ogun PDP have what it takes to dislodge Governor Ibikunle Amosun next month?  Ripples’ take: only time would tell.

     

  • Over 555 Ogun registered voters dead – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) on Monday said that of 1.795,794 registered voters in Ogun state between 2011 and 2015,  over 555 of them spread across the state have die

    The Resident Electoral Commission(REC) in the state,  Timothy Ibitoye who made this known in  a press conference, said the Permanent Voter Cards belonging to the dead people have also been set aside.

    Ibitoye said investigation is still on-going  to ascertain  the true  statistics of people who registered  for PVCs during the registration exercise, but had not yet collected their cards before death beckoned on them.

    Speaking on how the commission discovered the PVCs belonging to the dead people,  Ibitoye explained that, it was  discovered shortly after it had displayed  the names of those that had yet to collect their PVCs.

    He said: “we got the figure(555) from all the local government areas,  we got it from our electoral officers and we have put their PVCs aside,  so, that is how we were able to get the figure. That is the information for now. We  are still  collating by the time we get the figure we will let you know.

    “The community leaders also assisted us,  when they saw the list of those that have not collected their PVCs , they identified some of these names as of those that have died.”

    Ibitoye noted that the state Headquarters of INEC had collected from Abuja, a total of  1.370,340 PVCs while  860,076 of that received figure have also been distributed to the owners.

    The REC noted that  the correct figure of the registered voters remained 1.795,794 and not 1.829,534.

  • Ogun builds three bridges

    Ogun builds three bridges

    The Ogun State government will build three bridges on Imeko Afon and Agosasa- Ipokia roads.

    These narrow bridges, which had claimed many lives and property over the years, are situated at Odo-Oyo and Afon on Imeko-Afon Road in Imeko-Afon Local Government and at Odo-Oniru in Agosasa, Ipokia Local Government Area.

    Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Olamilekan Adegbite, who announced this during an inspection of the bridges, said the works are being done by contractors, who are experts in bridge construction.

    Adegbite said Amosun decided to end unnecessary waste of lives and property on the three axes by immediately awarding the contracts and mobilising contractors to sites.

    He added that building the bridges has started in earnest, saying that the bridges would have four carriage lanes each to give enough space for vehicles.

  • Ogun HoS lauds TUC on performance

    The Ogun State Head of Service, Mrs. Modupe Adekunle, has lauded the performance of the state chapter of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) by promoting and protecting the interest of its members nation-wide.

    She made this statement while declaring open the 5th Triennial delegates’ conference of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Ogun State Chapter held recently at the Academic Staff Union of Secondary School (ASSUS) Hall, Leme in Abeokuta.

    The Head of Service who was represented by the Consultant to the Governor on Labour, Comrade Julius Ogundipe, said the TUC has been able to meet the demand of workers for better insight into the management of the different unions, adding that it is becoming increasingly clear in the public and private sectors that the economic growth and advancement of the country required the inputs of not just properly trained workers and professionals, but also union leaders who represent the true and collective aspirations of their members.

    Mrs. Adekunle urged the TUC members not to sit on the fence even as the general election is at hand,  noting that the conference must demonstrate the truth democratic structure and maturity of the different unions during their election.

    ‘’The conduct of this delegates conference must demonstrate the democratic structure of our different unions and maturity of our members. I need not remind you that this congress must be held devoid of violence, we must eschew bitterness, and ensure that the process does not produce a victor nor a vanquished. It is a process to move the congress forward and put it at a vantage position to represent the collective aspiration of your principals and make your voice heard’’ Hos said.

  • Senatorial candidate lights up another community in Ogun

    All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Ogun East, Prince Dapo Abiodun has promised to ensure regular power supply to Emuren Remo in Sagamu local government area of the state.

    Prince Abiodun ,spoke  at the palace of Elemuren of Emuren Remo, Oba Abdul Oduloye, in response to the request of the community in the course of his Ward-to-Ward campaign.

    Abiodun promised to provide a high capacity electricity transformer for the people and have it connected and activated by the power service provider serving the community before the forthcoming  elections.

    Oba Oduloye thanked the APC candidate for his gesture , saying they were convinced that he would fulfil the promise, having done a similar thing for waterside communities in the senatorial zone some weeks ago.

    He, however, enjoined the APC candidate to help them appeal to Governor Ibikunle Amosun to construct  the Falilat Ogunkoya/Emuren road for easy transportation of their farm produce to the urban centers.

    Prince Abiodun  had some weeks ago signed an agreement with Ibadan Disco to ensure power supply to Ijebu Waterside within 30 days, following a donation of N50 million for the execution of the project.

    During his visit to the palace of the Lemo of Ogijo, Oba Ganiu Dosumu, Prince Abiodun assured the people that the Governor Ibikunle Amosun-led administration would re-enact the developmental facilities put in place at the urban centers in the suburb if voted in next month as they requested.