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Tag: Okun

  • Audu pledges power rotation for Okun, Ebira in 2019

    Audu pledges power rotation for Okun, Ebira in 2019

    Kogi State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the November 21 election, Prince Abubakar Audu, has pledged to support the Ebira and Okun ethnic nationalities for a power shift in 2019.

    Audu restated his commitment to Kogi Tripatrite Agreement signed in 1991.

    The agreement was a power rotation mechanism among the Igala, Ebira and Okun.

    In a statement yesterday in Abuja by his Media Office, the APC candidate noted that this would ensure peace and mutual understanding for power rotation.

    The former governor recalled that it was the challenges of political domination and neglect of the Igala in Benue State, the Okun and the Ebira in Kwara State that led to agitation for the creation of Kogi State for the three groups, which had lived together peacefully under Kabba Province for over 70 years.

    He said: “I have told Kogi residents that when we mutually met at Engineer Sule’s house in Okene, in 1991, the three groups – the Igala, Ebira and Okun – met and said they believed in power rotation.

    “When God, in His infinite mercy, spoke to the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, to create Kogi State, we have a destiny in our hands. It was only fair to allow the Igala to have the first shot. For that, the reason adduced by the late Chief Sunday Awoniyi was that the component that came from Benue State, that is, the Igala, had never had the opportunity to produce the governor. But the second component from Kwara State, comprising the Ebira and the Okun, had had the opportunity in the late Adamu Attah, who was a Second Republic Governor of Kwara State.

    “On that premise, it was agreed that we give it to Igala. Further, after the Igala, it was agreed that the governorship seat should return to the other components – the Okun and the Ebira – who should meet to determine the next person to have the seat after the Igala.

    “I am the first beneficiary of the agreement. Thank God, I am still hale and hearty because most of those who reached the deal in good faith on behalf of our people are late. When we returned to democracy in 1999, I was uncompromising and firm in my intention to implement the 1991 agreement. But I was blatantly rigged out. That, of course, stultified development of the state in all facets.”

  • Group to Okun aspirants: don’t destroy power shift

    A coalition of Okun Democratic Movement at the weekend urged aspirants from Okun land in Kogi West, for the Kogi governorship election, not to allow their personal ambition destroy the power shift struggle by the leaders of the area.

    The movement in a statement by its General Secretary, Chief Kayode Bamidele Ariyo, said there could never be power shift in Kogi State if aspirants from Okun land or any place in the central and west senatorial districts settled for the deputy governor.

  • Okun greet Buhari, others

    Okun greet Buhari, others

    The Lagos/Ogun states chapter of Okun Development Association has congratulated the President-elect, Gen Muhammadu Buhari; Lagos State Governor-elect Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and his Ogun State counterpart, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, on their electoral victories.

    In a statement by the Publicity Secretary, Odunayo Joseph, Patrons Cladius Olusegun Olorunfemi, Mohammed Aliu Elewonibi and the Chairman, Akere Owoniyi, the group said: “We join millions of Nigerians in congratulating Buhari, Ambode and Amosun.

    “With their election, the people’s age-long prayer for the emergence of an egalitarian society has been answered by God.

    “The group hails the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for his relentless and rigorous campaigns, which have visibly and undoubtedly contributed significantly to the actualisation of the cries for change in Nigeria.  His name will be written in gold as one of the outstanding agents of change in Nigeria.”

     

    “We will like to thank Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, whose exemplary workaholic character and an astute provider of dividends of democracy paved the way for continuity in the State of Excellence.”

     

  • Okun leaders allege marginalisation

    Okun Yoruba people in Kogi State have said they are being marginalised by the Idris Wada administration.

    A 70-member delegation, which included traditional rulers, academia, politicians, clerics, women and youth leaders, led by the National President, Okun Development Association, Babatunde Fadumiyo, was sent to the governor.

    In their address read by a former Health Minister and Convener, Okun Think-Tank, Prof Eyitayo Lambo, they expressed regret that successive civilian administrations had compounded the trend of marginalisation of the Okun people.

    He said the Igala and Bassa people of Kogi East Senatorial District occupy the positions of Commissioner for Finance, Accountant-General and Auditor-General, which give them total control of the state’s finances.

    Lambo said Okun Yoruba had 41 per cent representation in the civil service in 1991, Kogi East, which then controlled 49 per cent, now has 78 per cent.

    He expressed regrets that the State University, jointly funded by the state and local governments, was being run as if it was owned by Kogi East alone.

    “All the vice chancellors so far have been Igala. The same goes for the Director of Works. The registrar and librarian are also from Kogi East.”

    Lambo said of the 637 directorate level positions in the civil service, Kogi East held 318, leaving the other two senatorial districts to share the remaining.

    According to him, the positions of Chief of Staff to the Governor, Permanent Secretary (Administration), Director-General (Protocol), Special Advisers on Security, Special Duties and Media are held exclusively by the Igala.

    He urged Wada to correct the lopsidedness in the distribution of political offices and halt the continued decimation of Okun people in the civil service.

    Lambo counseled the governor to tackle the excruciating and pervading poverty in Okunland by increasing government presence in the area.

    He called for a review of the law establishing the state university to enable it open campuses in each senatorial district; the post of vice chancellor should be rotated among the districts “since all parts of the state have qualified materials for the position”.

    Wada thanked the delegation and promised to set up a committee to examine the grievances of the Okun people.