The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Olagunsoye Oyinlola

  • ‘PDP can survive without Obasanjo’

    ‘PDP can survive without Obasanjo’

    Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Chief Adebayo Dayo, in this interview with Jeremiah Oke, speaks on the crisis rocking the party, defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and preparations for next year’s elections.

    What is your reaction to the election timetable recently released by the INEC?

    When Professor Jega assumed office as the INEC Chairman, we are all rejoicing that the Messiah, who will salvage the commission and perform wonders, has arrived. Now that he is ready to carry out his duties, why are people complaining about ordinary timetable? If you are sure of your party, whatever timetable presented by the INEC, you have to accept it. It is the right of the INEC to tell us how the election will be conducted. Either the presidential election comes first or the governorship election comes last, I do not see anything bad in it.The most important thing is to prepare for the election. It is the people that are not prepared that are complaining about time-table. But, as for the PDP, we are ready.

    You said the PDP is ready. But there are factions in the Ogun State chapter. Is the party really ready?

    There are no factions. Chief Fadairo completed his tenure when we had the last congress, even though there were disputes after the congress. Dayo Soremi took over from Chief Fadairo. Later, Dipo Odujirin was talking about the non-existence of the executive in Ogun State. Odujinrin did not participate in the March 2011congress. Meanwhile, there was no reason for him to participate in the election because the whole 36 states of the federation had their congresses the same day the ward, local government and state levels. There is no reason why that of Ogun State should be different.It is unfortunate that people who are holding sensitive positions in the country insist on imposition, instead of the due process. Odujinrin was imposed, but we said no, we don’t want imposition. We insisted on the congress, which was held in the presence of the INEC officials, security agents, and press men.

    But, to our surprise, the National Secretary then, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, ensured that our executive was not recognised at the national level. They also went to court and the court ruled that we had a legitimate congress because there was an order from the national headquarters that Dayo Soremi-led executive should conduct the congress. It was in February, last year that I received a letter from the NEC which stated that our committee has been recognised by the NWC. That was when we started representing Ogun State at the NEC meetings and other national assignments.

    Your explanation has confirmed that there is division in the chapter. How do you intend to win election in 2015 when the house is divided?

    The PDP is one in Ogun State. Dipo Odujirin has nowhere to go, even though we heard that they had decided in Baba Obasanjo’s library to defect to the APC. But as at today, I know they are still in the PDP. Obasanjo himself said he will keep his membership card and he will stay in the PDP. Other dissenting members have come to terms with the court ruling. We are one and we work together. Few days ago, I was in Imeko-Afon to visit Chief Adejobi, one of the staunch members of Baba Obasanjo’s group.The situation is unlike when the former governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, had his own PPN as a faction of the PDP. Today, most of the people in the PPN are back in the PDP. For instance, the representative of the PPN in my own local government is now my Personal Assistant.

    Do you agree that the Ogun PDP crisis led to the sack of Oyinlola, Oni and others from the national executive?

    To certain level, it is correct. We had one national convention and six zonal congresses. The Southwest congress did not follow the rule of law and the party’s constitution. We in Ogun State went to court to challenge the validity of the zonal congress that produced Oyinlola and others as national officers. We believe Oyinlola and others were not duly elected at that congress, since the congress was faulty.

    The case of Ogun State is different from Adamawa. In Ogun, Chief Buruji Kashamu is fighting for the rule of law. He is fighting for the masses. He is fighting for the people to know their right. We have people here in the state who believed in staying in their living room and writing down names of those who are going to represent the state at the federal level. The court had pronounced the congress held in the Southwest illegal. I am close to 70 years now. Why must I be afraid to call a spade a spade? This country does not belong to a single individual. It belongs to all of us.

    Former President Obasanjo has not be participating in the activities of the party. Don’t you think it will affect the party?

    If a single individual says he does not want to go ahead any longer, would that consume a national party? The PDP still remains the only national party in Nigeria.

    So, what you are saying is that the PDP can win election without Obasanjo…

    With or without anybody, the PDP will win elections. When Chief Obasanjo won the Presidency, he did not win his polling booth, he did not win his ward, he did not win his local government and he did not win his state. Yet, he became the President because God wanted him there. For Jonathan to contest and win election, it is up to God and not that an individual will be telling us that it is over. If anybody loses his life today, people will continue to live. Despite the fact that we are having three solid groups in the Ogun PDP, we are still going to win election.

    Northerners are clamouring for power shift and Obasanjo is backing them. In view of the North’s voting strength, do you think it will be possible for Dr. Jonathan to secure second term?

    Where have you ever heard an African President losing election? Not that they usually rig, but the power of incumbency is very strong in Africa. People love Jonathan and they will vote for him in 2015 because of his performance.

    Are you saying both at the national, regional and state levels, Obasanjo is not a factor…

    What I am telling you is that, when he contested the presidential election, he did not win his ward, polling booth, local government and the state.

    G5 governors, Atiku and many National Assembly members have defected to the APC. Don’t you think it is a threat to your party?

    Well, politics is a game of number. But, don’t forget that, when we lost one person to the APC, 10 members of the APC will also defect to the PDP. So, if anybody leaves, there are thousands who are ready to join the party. The governors did not believe in the party supremacy. They are indisciplined and they wanted to dictate for the party, which is not acceptable in the PDP.

    Do you think Chief Obasanjo can move to the APC because you said he is planning to defect?

    Yes, they are already negotiating with the APC. Have you not heard that? They negotiated with Amosun and they have succeeded in working together. Is that the guarantee that Amosun will retain in Ogun State? If Obasanjo supports him, it is never a guarantee for him that he will return to government.

    Don’t you see Otunba Gbenga Daniel as a threat in Ogun State as he has instructed his men to defect to labour party ahead of 2015?

    When Daniel was in government, he has money and followers but today, all his commissioners who helped him are nowhere to be found. I am not saying he does not have money again but not like when he was in office as governor. His commissioner in my home town cannot win his ward again. Is that not the kind of people he relied on to win election in 2015? Although he has some people working with him but many have defected. I told you earlier that my PA was his leader in my home town. So, what left for him? As far as I am concerned, in Ogun state of today, labour party is not in existence.

    Atiku said the crisis in PDP has gone beyond redemption, and the new chairman Adamu Mu’azu is moving from state to state and region to region to ensure reconciliation of members. Do you have confidence in the leadership of Mua’zu that he can bring back the fortune of the party?

    Atiku has said such thing sometimes ago before he came back to the party, so I am not surprised. I believe so much in the leadership of Mu’azu. He does not need any magic to turn around the fortune of the party. Everything he needed is fully on ground and all he needs to do is to coordinate the party members and he has been doing that.

    Do you think national conference can address many challenges facing Nigeria most especially when some states have declared that they won’t send delegates to the confab?

    National confab is the only solution to Nigeria problem. People will be able to say their mind and I trust Mr. President; he must have done necessary things to ensure that the delegates are people of high moral standard. I know there is equal representation and they are going to give us the way forward. If they refused to send delegate the presidency knows how to handle that.

     

  • Oyinlola replies Ogun PDP boss on party’s post

    Oyinlola replies Ogun PDP boss on party’s post

    FORMER Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola has accused the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Chief Bayo Dayo, of feigning ignorance about the provisions of the party’s constitution on the election of the national secretary.

    Oyinlola, in a statement yesterday, was reacting to an interview in which the Ogun PDP chieftain said the former governor was nominated for national secretary by the Southwest congress.

    Oyinlola said: “It is either he is ignorant of the constitution of our party, which he is supposed to be operating in his state, or he is simply mischievous because the world knows that national posts of the PDP do not, by law, go through zonal nominations.

    “I was not nominated by any zonal congress. I obtained the nomination form to contest at the national convention with other aspirants from the Southwest. It was because there was no zonal nomination that the world watched on live television other aspirants, like Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Professor Tunde Adeniran, Chief Dapo Sarumi and about five others from the Southwest storming the Eagle Square (in Abuja) to contest against me at the national convention.

    “While Babatope and Adeniran and some others stepped down for me, it is on record that Chief Sarumi and two others contested the election with me and they lost. So, where did this talk of a Southwest zonal nomination come from? Or, was Bayo Dayo saying all these eminent people are not from the Southwest?”

    Oyinlola explained that the PDP constitution was clear on how national officers were elected.

    According to him, the entire country is the constituency of aspirants to all national posts.

    “It was because of this fact that the party overruled the Southwest zone when it elected Babayo Shehu as its candidate for the national chairmanship, instead of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, who was later elected, like me, at the national convention by party delegates across the country,” Oyinlola said.

    The former governor added that he issued the statement to correct the “deliberate falsehood” being repeated by the Bayo Dayo faction of the PDP in Ogun State on his election as national secretary.

     

  • 2015: Merger redefines political landscape

    2015: Merger redefines political landscape

    The merger of a PDP faction with the opposition yesterday is the biggest political cross-over since 1999. The merger seemed to have shifted political calculations in the country going into 2015 elections. Bolade Omonijo analysed the new political configuration

    This appears to be the season of the unprecedented. Before the merger of three major political parties – the Congress for Political Change (CPC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) was formalized in July following the registration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); there had been speculation that the move would be aborted before the consummation.

    However, four months after, the merger seems to have come to stay. The leading lights of the political movement have traversed the entire country selling their position on the Nigeria Project and insisting that the time had come for a change.

    Soon after, the crisis within the ruling PDP became unmanageable and the party was split down the middle. In the House of Representatives, the Senate, the party secretariat and the states, the PDP became a party divided against itself. Would it fall in 2015?

    Yesterday’s defection from the party by a faction that had gone by the appellation new PDP for months is the strongest indication that things would not be the same again. Those who left the PDP include the chairman of the faction, Alhaji Kawu Baraje who was a former Acting National Chairman of the party, a former national secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola who was also the immediate past governor of Osun State, former governors Bukola Saraki of Kwara State, Danjuma Goje of Gombe and Abdullahi Adamu of Nasarawa State.

    Others, Governors Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano, Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, Abdulafattah Ahmed of Kwara and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers have taken the plunge and it remains to be seen the weight to be attached to their crossing.

    2011 and 2015: a comparative analysis

    The figures from 2011 suggest that APC may be poised to give PDP a strong fight at the 2015 general elections. In 2011, the elections in Kano showed that the leaders now in APC dictated the pace. In the presidential election, the party’s candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, polled 1.62 million votes, followed at a distance by ANPP’s Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau who was the governor of the state. In the third place was President Goodluck Jonathan, the PDP’s candidate with 440,686 votes, leaving ACN’s Mallam Nuhu Ribadu in the fourth position with a paltry 42,363 votes. Now, all the four leading parties in the state are in the state structure. Thus, it has become academic to ask which the dominant party in the state is. While the dynamics swung in favour of the PDP in the hotly contested governorship poll, the leading parties merely shuffled their positions.

    The celebrated performance of Kwankwaso since he resumed the office he was made to vacate in 2003 has strengthened his position in the state, and Buhari remains a cult figure, especially among the masses and the youth in the entire far North.

    If things do not change and the APC is united going into 2015 elections, no other party stands a chance.

    Kwara has always presented a fascinating scenario to political analysts. For decades, the late Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki ruled the waves. He literally dictated the pace of things and direction of voting. It took his disaffection with the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in 1983 to pave the way for the Unity Party of Nigeria. He literally singlehandedly installed Alhaji Shaaba Lafiagi as governor in the Third Republic and Rear Admiral Mohammed Alabi Lawal at inception of the Fourth Republic in 1999.

    In 2003, he brought in his son, Bukola Saraki who repeated the feat in 2007. However, a parting of way between father and son in 2011 saw the emergence of the current governor who had received the blessing and support of the former governor, now in the Senate. So, just before the transition of the former strongman, another had emerged. The former governor has f a full hold on the PDP structure in Kwara State. He is in the Senate alongside Lafiagi who is a strong member of his political tendency. If there is understanding among the political roller coasters from the legacy parties that have coalesced into the APC in Kwara, victory is certain in all elections in 2015.

    In the 2011 presidential election, the Bukola Saraki-led PDP was credited with 288, 243 or 64 per cent of the total votes cast while the CPC polled 83,603 and the ACN 62,432. As in Kano, all three tendencies are now in the APC. It is a formidable platform.

    In Sokoto, the dominant parties in all the elections in 2011 were the CPC and PDP. Governor Wamakko’s disenchantment with the party had begun to show at the PDP presidential primaries in Abuja where delegates from Sokoto clearly voted against President Jonathan. At the presidential election, CPC polled 540,769 votes to PDP’s 309,067. While the reverse was the case in the governorship election that returned Wamakko to office, all the elections showed that the PDP and CPC decided what happened in the state. They also proved the electoral worth of the governor. When it is noted that former Governor Attahiru Bafarawa is also involved in the formation of the APC, it is obvious that the next elections are for the APC to lose in the state.

    The situation in Rivers State is not as straightforward. While the PDP swept the polls the last time, the defection of Governor Amaechi is an acid test of his popularity. How much of the victory in 2011 could be attributed to Amaechi’s personal charm and what proportion could be credited to the party structure? At the moment, the governor retains hold of the governance structure as well as the dominant faction of the party. However, the sentiment that a son of the region is President and the hostility of other PDP governors in the South South would test the resilience of the governor who was Speaker of the House of Representatives for eight year. The fact that he retains the control of the legislature and representatives in the National Assembly is an indication that he is a strong factor in his own right.

    Hitherto, Rivers has been a one-party state and is renowned for an uncanny ability to turn up crucial votes for the winning party. Would the trend continue in 2015? A call cannot be easily made at the moment until the caliber of candidates and other factors unfold.

    The trend in Adamawa where Governor Murtala Nyako was one of the first to indicate that it was all over with the PDP is not much different from the Rivers State scenario. Nyako has enemies within and without. The move to register the Peoples Democratic Movement spearheaded by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been attributed to the uneasy relationship he has at home with Nyako. It is to be noted, too, that the party’s national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur hails from the state. The situation remains foggy. How it turns out remains to be seen.

    In Nasarawa State where CPC’s Governor Tanko Al-Makura holds sway, he narrowly won the 2011 governorship poll. He has since been making efforts to consolidate his hold on power. He has a formidable foe in the PDP that has former Governor Abdullahi Adamu as captain. Now that Adamu is in the same boat with the governor, Al-Makura could breathe easy. However, it remains to be seen whether interests and ego would not affect their relationship in the run up to 2015. United, the state would remain in the APC fold.

    If the scenario prevailing today remains till 2015, the general election would be the first to provide real contest. In the entire Far North, comprising states in the North East and North West, 13 in all, the PDP will have to struggle to rake up sizeable votes. In the Middle Belt of North central states, both major parties remain strong. The South East and South South remains impregnable for the PDP and APC will have to struggle to make the 25 per cent mark outside Rivers and Edo. How fast Governor Rochas Okorocha, backed by the likes of ex-Governor Achike Udenwa can move remains to be seen.

    The South West is likely to remain a stronghold of the APC. It has a tradition of filing behind progressive parties and, the fact that there would be a strong contest would likely encourage the people to votes in high numbers for the tile-tested progressive platform.

    If it were to be a football march, commentators would describe it as a crunchy tie. The challenge is to ensure that all elections henceforth, starting with Ekiti and Osun next year are free, fair and credible. Otherwise, rigging becomes the overriding factor.

  • Aregbesola: Three years of renewal

    Aregbesola: Three years of renewal

    Three years ago, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola took over the reins in Osun State. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the achievements of the administration, which underscore the governor’s endorsement for a second term by stakeholders.

    Six years ago, a pall of gloom descended on Osun State. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had just wreaked a monumental havoc on the people. Following the governorship election. The loser, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, was declared the winner. Voters were dejected. The winner, Comrade Rauf Aregbesola, was left in the cold.

    Undaunted, the former Lagos State Works and Infrastructure Commissioner approached the temple of justice for redress. For three years, the legal fireworks raged. The people could only heave a sigh of relief, following the Oyinoloa’s deposition and subsequent inauguration of Aregbesola as the third civilian governor of the State of the Living Springs.

    The engineer-turned politician met a state writhing in pains. The stolen mandate had been used to the disadvantage of voters. Almost all the sectors were on their knees. Roads were bad. Schools laid prostrate. The morale of the civil service was down. Internally generated revenue was at a low ebb. Governance was reduced to a tea party.

    The euphoria of victory withered immediately in the face of the challenges. Aregbesola swung into action. His first step was to plug the loopholes. For six months, he did not have an executive council. Through this measure, he succeeded on saving N30 billion. His Spartan lifestyle, disdain for opulence and aversion for primitive accumulation made Aregbesola to reduce the cost of governance. The painstaking planning and metyicu-lous execution of projects have yielded dividends.

    Today, observers believe that the state is counting its blessings across the sectors. This, they argue, is in fulfillment of the promise to make the government friendly and responsive to public yearnings.

    Aregbesola re-christened Osun State as “Ipinle Omoluabi”, which translates into a state of character. In his opinion, the people should return to the old value and virtue, which defined their past and made their leaders to shun vices. An ideologue, he is also a believer in the Awoist philosophy of welfarism and “Life More Abundant.”

    For three years, the governor has canvassed for the practice of the federal principle and regional integration. Although he has come under fire for his federalist ideas, he is unrelented. To him, the clamour for decentralisation of power, preservation of identity and agitation for autonomy in a federal set-up is in tune with reality.

    Aregbesola promised to maintain a clean break from the past. Today, the governor has turned the state into a huge construction site. Many have applauded him for constructing roads that will connect the state with the neighbouring Ogun and Kwara States.

    Another key area his government has recorded transformation is the education sector. Shortly after assuming the reins, the governor organised the Osun State Education Summit. It attracted eminent Nigerians, including the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, and other stakeholders. The public schools have become a burden to the society. Indigent students became drop-outs. The students, especially those in primary schools, were roughly dressed and malnourished. School buildings were in dilapidated state, students’ performance, both at the internal and external examinations, were abysmally poor.

    There were no instructional materials and tuition fee was beyond reach of many indigenes.

    From the recommendations of the summit, the government developed a blue-print. Since then, education has not been the same in the state.

    One of the steps taken by the administration in sharpening the sector is the provision of two pairs of unified school uniforms to each of 750,000 pupils in the public primary and secondary schools. It was meant to boost the morale of the students and promote unity among the public schools.

    The provision of free uniforms. This is apart from N800million. This is apart from N1.8billion being injected into the basic education, including the provision of examination and running grants and instructional materials for public schools.

    No fewer than 3,000 tailors were contracted by the government to sew the new uniforms made of Adire batik. The material was chosen to empower the artisans and Adire makers in the state. It has become a showpiece of creativity.

    The deputy governor and Edu-

    cation Commissioner, Mrs. Titi

    Laoye Tomori, said that N30billion has also been spent on the physical structures, especially the classrooms, to guarantee a conducive atmosphere for learning. She explained that the administration is also constructing 170 new model schools to replace the dilapidated buildings. The new classrooms will have state of the art facilities, adding that it will enhance and stimulate the teaching and learning environment.

    Tomori said that 20 schools are for students in Senior Secondary Schools. When completed, she said that each is expected to conveniently accommodate 3,000 students on the basis of 40 per class. Each of the structures will have an examination hall that can comfortably seat 1,500 students and two e-libraries; one for sciences and the other for arts and social sciences would cost the N700 million, according to the government. Many of these school building have since been completed and commissioned.

    For Junior Schools, from Primary 5 to Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3), 50 of them would be constructed, each accommodating 1,250 students while the elementary schools, Primary One to Four, which would be 100 pieces, would accommodate 900 pupils.

    To further stimulate the interest of students to learning, the government has invented computer tablets. The equipment, designed in form of an iPod called “Opon Imo,” contains the entire senior school syllabus, including Yoruba traditions, past questions of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), National Examination Council (NECO) and Joint Administration and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for 10 years in the software design for the system.

    Besides, in a bid to encourage the enrolment of children in public schools, government has rejuvenated the school feeding programme, tagged ‘O’MEAL’. The programme has increased the enrolment figure in public primary schools by 40 per cent in the last session. Determined to ensure the sustainability of the programme, government also said it was committing N3 billion annually for its implementation.

    Besides, the government, which also increased the running and examination grants per student in public secondary schools to N150 and N400, making a total of N550 against the N150 made available by the last administration, and N400 per pupil in primary schools, has now decided to invest N500 million annually, for the scheme.

    The state-owned tertiary institu-

    tions are also funded ad-

    equately. School fees have been reduced. For those at the polytechnic and College of Technology, the fee was reduced from N42,000 to N25,000, while those in the state university was slashed from N205,000 for Law and Medical Students to N100,000. Sciences was reduced from N155,000 to N75,000 while Social Sciences and Art now pay N75,000, instead of N130,000.

    Another milestone in the educational sector under the current administration was the scholarship offered to all the 98 medical students of Osun State University (UNIOSUN) for their clinical courses to complete their medical programme in Ukraine.

    The intervention gulped N146 million at the rate of $7,000 each, comprising the cost of training, accommodation and other sundry matters while their parents were supposed for care of their feeding only.

     

    Security

     

    Aregbesola is presiding over a peaceful state. Security experts are of the opinion that the state has the lowest crime rates. “Aregbesola’s government places high premium on security of lives and properties.

    This stems from the belief that peace and security engender growth and development. On the contrary, insecurity poses direct threat to direct investment both local and foreign as no investor would risk investing in an atmosphere of violence and insecurity”, said his media aide, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon. He added: “Against this backdrop, apart from the regular police manning the state, government set up dedicated crime response team nicknamed Swift Action Squad (SAS), who are now visible in strategic areas in the state as well as identified troubled sports.

    “Government also equipped this special squared with five Armoured personnel Cars (APCs) and 25 patrol vans for surveillance. Government also constructed two state-of-the-art police stations and multi-force security control centre.

    “Additional 100 patrol vans were also to be provided for the SAS and seven more police state to be built. Currently, a state –wide distress management system, which would allow security agency to respond within 40 minutes, is being developed so as to guarantee effective and efficient crime, detection, crime prevention and crime control”.

    The community policing network is evolving to boost security network across the country. Thus, the government recently purchased a helicopter for SAS for area surveillance. The goal is to make the state a “no-go-area for criminals” and “a no-crime-area”.

    As a humanist, Aregbesola is an exponent of poverty alleviation.

    About 90 percent of the Nigeria’s over 150 million people are said to have been living below poverty line. An average Nigerian lives on less than a Dollar per day. The rising unemployment has compounded the poverty rate. The Aregbesola government’s response to this is a structural empowerment programme, a social security trust, for vulnerable indigenes. It is tagged “Agba Osun”. Under this programme, 1, 600 people are placed on monthly stipend of N10, 000 for their upkeep.

    The governor is also committed to youth empowerment. No fewer than 20, 000 youths were employed in Aregbesola’s first 100 days in office. The Youth Empowerment Program-me is tagged “OYES”. Beneficiaries are young volunteers who render community service. They are placed under a monthly stipend of N10, 000. Also, about 5000 youths have been trained to acquire special ICT skills through the “OYESTECH”. Last month, they had good tales to tell during their graduation ceremony. Some of them were employed by private organisations. Some received soft loans from government to start their business.

    Under the “OREAP Programme”, 600 youths were trained in the government’s Agricultural Enterprise Academy. Also, 50 youths were sent to Germany to acquire advanced farming skills.

    The administration has also recuited over 6000 qualified youths as teachers in the public schools. The school feeding scheme (O’MEAL) for the elementary school also employed about 3000 caterers, who cook delicious meals for the children.

    Equally, through the school uniform programme, government has empowered 3000 tailors, who were sourced locally to sew over 750,000 pieces of school uniforms for elementary, middle and high school children. All these schemes have reduced poverty and crime.

    Many experts have lauded the

    urban renewal efforts of the

    Aregbesola Administration. To improve the physical condition of urban areas,the aadministration has provided N100m counterpart fund to the UN-Habitat initiative.

    The partnership, which will explore the state’s urban renewal potential, will also focus on rural-urban developmental potential. The partnership is sequel to the collaboration of the state government with the UN-Habitat for the preparation of structured plans for nine cities.

    The cities, which include Osogbo, Ife, Ilesa, Ejigbo and Ikire, have been earmarked for urban renewal by the government. The partnership agreement was concluded at the UN-Habitat Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, during the 24th Governing Council meeting of the agency. These programmes are aimed at preparing and implementing the structural plan project currently going on in nine cities in the state.

    The state’s N100m contribution to UN-Habitat was fully paid last year by the state government. In consonance with these preparations, the UN-Habitat has agreed to give technical support in the area of effective deployment of these tools.

    The training programme will address the unsuitable urban growth, problems affecting the environment and growing inequalities between the rich and the poor, and serious distortion in the form and functions of cities.

    Health is wealth. Thus, health care-delivery is a priority in Osun State.

    The government has planned the location of the facilities in such a way that the sighting of the hospitals, referral hospitals and healthcare clinics fall within reasonable radius to one another across the state.

    For example, a Primary

    Healthcare Clinic is sited within

    10 kilometers radius of every Osun town, with special attention to the needs of the children, women and elderly. Also, a functional General Hospital is sited within 20 kilometres radius of human habitation and referral hospitals within 30 kilometres radius of human settlement. The nine state-owned hospitals and 12 comprehensive healthcare centres have been rehabilitated for optimal functionality, easy access and quick service delivery

    In three years, government has also built 74 additional primary health centres. It has carried out six medical and surgical missions to offer free treatment and surgeries to several thousand citizens. Provisions have been made for over N300m worth of drug to state hospitals and primary health centres.

    Apart from physical development, government also focused on human capacity building in the health sector by empowering about 400 youths as paramedics to join Osun Ambulance Service Authority.

    Aregbesola believes that the health sector has not been uplifted to an optimum standard. Thus, it has shifted his attention now to training and upgrading of cadres of health sector. Oddly, this has not been done in the history of the state since its creation twenty years ago.

    The idea behind this retraining is for the medical personnel to be exposed to latest medical technologies and techniques in various fields of medical practices. Hence, the State of Osun Government has committed N18 million for sponsorship of six medical personnel to the University of Magdenburg Teaching Hospital, Germany.

    Aregbesola is of the opinion that no nation or state can thrive in an atmosphere of violence and insecurity. Peace and security are the major developmental ingredients without which any investor, local or international, can be attracted.

    Statistically, Osun is said to have one of the list crime rate in the country. The security of lives and properties ably guaranteed in the state is a veritable carrot the state dangles to investors and they followed.

    Dagbolu as a commercial hub is a mid regional market for the entire South West. Less than five kilometer outside Osogbo, it is expected to be a logistic village where various warehouses would be specifically built for relevant investors and manufacturers so that their goods would be sold to the people of the state at the exact prices they are being sold at Oke Arin in Lagos, for instance and other major markets in Lagos.

    There are also international markets for ready-made products. Currently, Ayegbaju International Market, located at the old governor’s office and Aje International Market, sited at the state Trade Fair Complex, Osogbo.

    Osun State is a tourist state. One of its major towns, Ile-Ife, is the cradle of Yoruba. The tourist centres in the state is being re-activated. “It is the priority of this administration to generate revenue through tourism and that is why we are developing the tourist sites”, said Sikiru Adetona, the Commissioner for Tourism.

    Recently, the government hosted the traditional rulers from the old Yoruba Empire, stretching to Togo and Republic of Benin. At the ceremony, the governor stressed the need for cultural renewal and unity among the members of the race.

    Aregbesola is very passionate about Southwest integration. He is one of the governors, whose commmitment to the regional vision has inspired the re-chanelling of creative ideas towards the drive for self-reliance in the region.

  • Suspension: Oyinlola sues PDP

    Suspension: Oyinlola sues PDP

    tHE Sacked National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has sued the party. The embattled PDP chieftain was suspended following allegations that he engaged in anti-party activities.

    His lawyer, Awa Kalu (SAN),  said he sought legal redress to set aside Oyinlola’s suspension as the PDP National Secretary.

    Kalu said the PDP did not follow due process in suspending his client.

    The lawyer, who confirmed on phone yesterday that he sued for Oyinlola, added that his client’s suspension “is against the constitution of the party”.

    He said Oyinlola maintained that there were procedures to be followed for anybody to be suspended from his or her party.

    By the suit, Oyinlola wants the court to order the party to reverse its decision to suspend him.

    Oyinlola was suspended by the PDP on November 11, alongside the Chairman of the new PDP, Abubakar Baraje; his deputy, Sam Jaja and another member of the party from Jigawa State.

  • Only PDP NEC can suspend Baraje, Oyinlola

    Only PDP NEC can suspend Baraje, Oyinlola

    A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Adamawa State Chief PP Elisha, has debunked the alleged suspension of the national secretary of the PDP Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, factional Chairman Abubakar Kawu Baraje and others as announced by Chief Olisa Metuh as a nullity.

    Elisha, who is also the secretary of the PDP in Adamawa State, said the suspension contravened the PDP’s constitution.

    According to him, any member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of PDP can only be disciplined by NEC, according to Section 57 [7] and Section 58 [3].

    Section 57 [7] states: “Notwithstanding any other provisions relating to discipline or suspensions, no executive committee at any level, except the National Executive Committee [NEC] of the PDP, shall entertain any question of discipline or suspension as may relate or concern a member of NEC, provided that nothing in this constitution shall prelude or invalidate any complaints submitted through the NWC to the NEC concerning any person whatsoever.”

    Section 58 [3] said: “Notwithstanding any other provision relating to discipline, no executive committee at any level, except NEC, President, Vice President, Governors, Deputy Governors, Special Advisers, or members of any of the legislative houses.”

    Elisha said based on the provisions, only NEC can suspend Oyinlola. He urged party faithful to disregard the suspension.

  • Crisis rages as PDP rejects Baraje, Oyinlola, others

    Crisis rages as PDP rejects Baraje, Oyinlola, others

    Factional leaders to face Dikko Panel

    Four key members of the Abubakar Baraje faction of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were suspended yesterday – an action that is likely to truncate the party’s peace move.

    Slammed with indefinite suspension are the chairman of the New PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja and Senator Ibrahim Kazaure.

    Baraje is the national chairman of the New PDP – the breakaway faction. Oyinlola is the National Secretary. Jaja is the Deputy National chairman and Kazaure is vice chairman, Northwest.

    The PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, who announced the suspension at a press briefing, said the party chieftains were guilty of anti-party activities.

    The suspension is coming on the heels of a ruling by the Court of Appeal, Abuja, ordering the leadership of the party to reinstate Oyinlola as the National Secretary.

    Oyinlola was removed from office in January, ostensibly on the orders of a high court that voided his election as the National Secretary of the mainstream PDP.

    But the Court of Appeal on Wednesday reinstated Oyinlola and directed that he be recognised as the party’s National Secretary. Metuh said the party had not been served a copy of the ruling.

    The ruling party said the four party chieftains breached provisions of Section 58 of the PDP constitution by declaring a parallel PDP and carrying out actions that are inimical to the party’s interest.

    Metuh said that the suspended party chiefs, who are also members of the National Executive Committee (NEC), would face the Umaru Dikko-led Disciplinary Committee.

    The party spokesman added that the actions and conduct of the party chieftains in the past few weeks were capable of causing disaffection among party members.

    By setting up the New PDP, Metuh said, the party chiefs committed an offence of “identity theft”, adding that the leadership of the PDP had condoned their excesses long enough.

    He said: “We have withheld taking any action for a long time and we have been appealing to them to put a stop to the attempt at identity theft. Our members nationwide are not happy and they think we have been treating them with kid gloves.”

    But, in a swift reaction, Oyinlola faulted the suspension, saying it was meant to circumvent the judgment of the Court of Appeal that reinstated him as National Secretary.

    Oyinlola said: “‘This is part of the impunity we are protesting against.None of us has been queried or requested to give explanations for any alleged offence.

    “And if they are reacting to the issue of the new PDP, why did they decide to leave out the serving governors, senators and members of the House of Representatives who have been very vocal?

    “It’s all an attempt to circumvent the ruling of the Court of Appeal. Certainly, the last has not been heard about this matter and I am sure that truth will prevail over falsehood.”

    The New PDP also reacted to the suspension yesterday. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chukwuemeka Eze, the faction said the Bamanga Tukur-led PDP lacked proper understanding of the party’s constitution.

    Eze said: “The problem we are having with Tukur and his NWC is that they lack not only democratic character but also common understanding of the PDP Constitution.

    “To us, this is an abuse of the judiciary, Nigeria Consitution on fair hearing and, most importantly, the PDP Constitution of 2009 as amended in Article 21 Section 9.”

    The section reads: “Notwithstanding any other provision of this Consitution relating to discpline, no Executive Committee at any level, except NEC, shall entertain any question of discpline as may relate or concern a member of the NEC.

    These include public office holders, like ministers, Ambassadors, Special Advisers or members of the federal legislature.

    Article 21: 10 of the constitution also states that no disciplinary committee at any level, except the National Disciplinary Committee, shall impose any punishment on such category of members.

  • Can Oyinlola work with Tukur?

    Can Oyinlola work with Tukur?

    The Appeal Court’s judgment that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should reinstate its estranged National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has generated ripples. Assistant Editor GBADE OGUNWALE examines the implications of the verdict for the self acclaimed party in Africa.

    Former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola has cause to smile. The Appeal Court has ruled that he should be reinstated as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But he has also not renounced his position as the National Secretary of the Baraje faction.

    The puzzle is: can Oyinlola work harmoniously with the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur?

    The Okuku-born politician is at war with the party that launched him into partisan politics 14 years ago. The party is also at war with him.

    Little did the chieftains guess that the intra-party wriggling, which was triggered by the distribution of party positions a year ago, would fester. The members of the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Tukur came into office amid the controversy. The PDP national convention, which held in Abuja on March 24, last year, was the bone of contention. Many chieftains complained that they were excluded from the exercise.

    A crisis broke out between Tukur and Oyinlola, few days after the party officials were sworn-in. The 2015 presidential elections divided the two leaders. While Tukur is believed to be supporting President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term; it was difficult for the President to get the secretary’s support.

    The relationship between the two leaders degenerated when they started exchanging memos. Oyinlola accused Tukur’s aides of usurping the functions of the national secretary. He drew the attention of the chairman to extant establishment manual guiding the day-to-day running of the secretariat. Responding to Oyinlola’s memo, Habu Fari, for Chief of Staff to the national chairman, cast aspersions on the office and person of the national secretary.

    Things started falling apart at the PDP secretariat. Miffed by what he described as the aide’s insolence and disregard for constituted authority, Oyinlola demanded Fari’s sack. It degenerated to open confrontation between the chairman and the national secretary. The furore died down when Tukur eventually fired Fari. But that did not end the animosity between the chair manand the scribe. On September 11, 2013, Tukur and Oyinlola took one other to the cleaners. Tukur had through his Special Adviser on Media, Oliver Okpara, described Oyinlola as an incompetent official, whose politics is at variance with the prevailing political dispensation.

    The chairman also accused Oyinlola of getting into elective positions through the “back door”, citing his ouster as the governor of Osun State by the Court of Appeal in 2010 and his removal from office as the PDP National Secretary. Tukur also accused Oyinlola of directing his frustrations at him, since he was removed as National Secretary. he said: “Under normal circumstance, he should not be heard to resort to platitudes or righteous pontifications on the ideals of democracy and the rule of law.

    “This is because, by training and orientation, he (Oyinlola) is a slave to ‘Order and Command’ of the military. Oyinlola was smuggled in as the National Secretary of the PDP, when he was bereft of the basic competence, experience and the pedigree to hold such a sensitive position in a big political organisation like the PDP. Since his removal from office, following the patent loop-holes in the electoral process that produced him, Oyinlola has continued to besiege the portals of our courts in search of far-fetch reliefs, which are neither here nor there. Besides, he now relishes brick-bats and vitrioli on perceived enemies, especially Alhaji Tukur.

    “Unfortunately, Oyinlola has refused to understand that Tukur is not the architect of his political problems. Oyinlola’ nemesis is traceable and also has its roots in the way and manner in which he was foisted on our party. His political career will continue to nose-dive, until he undertakes a political re-think. The major mantra in PDP is adherence to the core values of rule of law and due process. In politics, rules and regulations are obeyed, for a statesman is judged by his selfless love and service to his people and not by the enormity of effusions and vituperations from his mouth or pen. Oyinlola should retrace his steps, return to the path of political rectitude, remove his military toga and dictatorial tendencies, study the manifesto and constitution of any party he chooses to join in order to have a place in our current political dispensation.

    “Oyinlola was one of those militray putchists, who held down our democracy for a long time. As a former military man, Oyinlola is an unrepentant dictator of the first-order. He lacks any credible credential to sermonise on democracy and due process, including rule of law. No self respecting party can afford the chalice of imposition of candidates like in Oyinlola’s case, which is the bane of Nigerian politics. Oyinlola’s antecedents are well-known. He has been a miliatry dictator, who suddenly became a letter-day democrat. He miraculously became the governor of Osun State and was booted out, following litigation over his election which swept him out through judicial fiat.

    “There must therefore, be something vehemently wrong with Oyinlola and his peculiar brand of politics, which always sees him mount the saddle of leadership only to be found tumbling and crashing thereafter. Oyinlola has refused to change with time. He has failed to come to terms with the fact that democratic dispensation is in place in Nigeria and that the ways of democracy are not the same with the command structure of the military. Oyinlola might have been a good military tactician,but a kindergarten politician who requires total political re-adjustment and the removal of his military toga to face the realities of the moment. Oyinlola’s differences with the chairman stemmed from the fact that he could not appreciate the essence of rule of law against the essence of rule by force. It is his lack of democratic posture that made it impossible for him to work with Tukur who is an accomplished statesman, politician and a highly successful businessman with outstanding administrative sagacity and acumen”. Many believe that the statement was full of bile.

    But Oyinlola would not let the verbal assualt go unchallenged. According to him, the party chairmnan must have gone senile, owing to his advanced age. He said: “ While I don’t want to join issues with Baba Tukur, out of respect for his old age, one can excuse him on his account of senility.

    “Tukur has gone senile. In addition, the fact that I trained as a military officer has never negatively affected my administrative capabilities and abilities. I remain a gentleman in all my services as a public officer and a politician. Tukur should attempt to do an opinion survey at the headquarters of his PDP and I can assure him that his findings would make him abdicate his position without further delay, based on the fact that he lacks the support of the members of staff, who regard his authoritative style as being responsible for the crisis in the PDP.

    “That I’m a stickler for due process is a plus for me and Tukur should find out, if I ever circumvented rules and regulations or acted in an improper manner that he (Tukur) always does in company with his co-travelers. I remember he (Tukur) once granted an interview, in which he described me as a fine officer and a gentleman. This same view was expressed by Olisa Metuh in a media interview recently. His statement shows inconsistency and poor leadership qualities”.

    Oyinlola described his brief tenure as the National Secretary as the best ever, adding that the records are there to speak for him. He stressed: “It is on record at the headquarters of the PDP, that the period I served as the National Secretary marked remarkable changes in the administration of the PDP. For instance, I made sure that all the rules and regulations of the PDP were strictly followed to the letter and that made it impossible for Tukur to appoint the Chief of Staff, which he wanted, in violation of extant rules and regulations. He also attempted to appoint innumerable special advisers, who were unknown to the establishment manual of the PDP. It is on record, and you can ask any member of the National Working Committee, that he (Tukur) used his special advisers as parallel NWC members, thus effectively undermining the leadership of the party.

    “Everybody knows that Tukur’s tenure, so far, has been the worst in the 14 years of the party and nobody should be surprised that Tukur, who came in with pre-conceived personal agenda of caging and antagonizing state governors and other interest groups in the PDP, has been a monumental failure and he is the root of all the crises within the PDP today.

    “I ask that the leadership of the PDP should subject our tenure to a management audit to be able to determine who serially violated the PDP constitution through reckless administrative actions and who attempted to sanitise the whole administrative procedure at the national headquarters”.

    The staff at the PDP national secretariat will never forget Oyinlola’s brief stay as the national secretary. Within few weeks, he ensured an upward salary review for the workers, who had been on the same salary level, since the inception of the PDP in 2008.

    He also ensured that all outstanding allowances owed the staff were cleared. Up to now, the workers testify to the fact that Oyinlola brought a new lease of life to the PDP. So, it was bad news for the workers when a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, January 11, voided Oyinlola’s election as the National Secretary. On January 14, the party replaced Oyinlola with his deputy, Onwe Solomon Onwe, as the Acting National Secretary, pending the time a new national secretary would emerge. Justifying Oyinlola’s replacement, Tukur said: “Pursuant to the powers conferred on the National Chairman by Chapter V Section 35 (1), 35 (1)(b), as well as section 36(2) of the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party, (as amended), the Deputy National Secretary of the PDP, Barrister Solomon Onwe, is hereby directed to assume duties as the Acting National Secretary of the PDP. Barr. Onwe shall, by this directive, conduct all correspondences of the party, issue notices of meetings of the National Convention, the National Executive Committee, the National Caucus and the National Working Committee as stipulated in the Constitution of our great Party.

    “This directive takes immediate effect and is hereby communicated to all the levels and offices of the party”. Many said the speed with which the national chairman replaced Oyinlola with Onwe smacked of vindictiveness.

    But the party defended the chairman, saying that the action was in compliance with the court judgment that voided Oyinlola’s election. The statement, dated January 15, 2013 and signed by Metuh said: “The National Working Committee wants to make it very clear that what happened was nothing more than obedience of a court judgement, and the consequential application of the relevant sections of the party’s constitution. Section 45 (1) states that if a national officer of the party is removed or resigns from office, he shall immediately hand over to the National Secretary all records, files and other properties of the party in his or her possession. Section 45 (2) states that inthe case of the National Secretary, he shall hand over to the Deputy National Secretary.

    “We want to make it clear that our great party is a law abiding party, which bases its conducts and activities on internal democracy and rule of law. Whatever a court of competent jurisdiction decides on any matter involving the party, the PDP will have no hesitation in obeying and implementing the judgement”. Metuh, in that statement had acknowledged the fact that Oyinlola had appealed the judgment and that the case was pending before the Court of Appeal”.

    Metuh also gave a commitment that the party would accord Oyinlola immediate recognition, should he win the appeal.

    He said: “In any event, reports have indicated that Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola has appealed against the court judgement and the NWC wants to say that, as soon as the appeal is decided, the party will, in the same way as it did in the case of the Federal High Court ruling, obey the appeal decision”.

    Now that the Appeal Court has ruled in Oyinlola’s favour, will the PDP honour its own word?.

    However, when he was contacted, the National Publicity Secretary said that the matter has not been discused because the chairman travelled out of the country. He also said that the party’s National Legal Adviser said he did not have a copy of the ruling yet. Metuh promised that the leadership of the party would meet today to take a decision.

    The ruling party, according to analysts, have some options. The party can appeal the ruling at the Supreme Court or reinstate Oyinlola in the spirit of reconciliation.

    Also, since Tukur and Oyinlola are not the best of friends, the party should broker peace between them, so that they can cohabit peacefully at the PDP secretariat.

    But, are politicians good in mence mending?

  • Baraje’s faction elects NWC members

    Despite the security siege at its national secretariat, the Abubakar Baraje faction of the Peoples Democratic Party on Monday ratified the election of its national officers.

    Ahead of its reconvening on Tuesday, there is however pressure on ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Peace Team to sanction the G-7 governors and all those behind the new PDP.

    The list of the National Working Committee members was contained in a statement issued by its National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

    The statement said: “Despite the security siege at its national secretariat, the Abubakar Baraje- led Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), has ratified the election of its national officers.

    “The stakeholders of the party across the country at a meeting in Abuja have ratified the election of members of its National Working Committee.

    “The NWC members are: Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, (Chairman); Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, (Deputy National Chairman); Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, (National Secretary); Hon. Maode Umar Hiliya (Deputy National Secretary).

    “Others are Mr. Timi Frank (National Youth Leader); Hon Binta Koje, National woman leader; Mallam Nasir Issa (National Organising Secretary); Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze(National Publicity Secretary); Hon. Wadada (National Financial Secretary)and Mallam Tanko Isiaku Gomna (National Treasurer).

    “The positions of National Auditor and that of National Legal Adviser which are zoned to the South East and South West respectfully will be announced soon.”

    A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The presidency is insisting on sanction against the rebellious members to serve as deterrent to others.

    “But the elders are of the opinion that the party should adopt no victor, no vanquished policy to move forward.

    “This demand for sanction will top the resumption of peace talks in Abuja when Obasanjo’s team reconvenes.”

     

  • Talks to resolve PDP crisis deadlocked

    Talks to resolve PDP crisis deadlocked

    The meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and 16 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held at the Presidential Villa on Sunday night to resolve the crisis rocking the party ended in deadlock.

    Seven governors including Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Abdulafatah Ahmed (Kwara), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto), and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) left the venue of Saturday’s Special National Convention of the party with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to form a parallel exco for the “new PDP.”

    They announced the sack of the Bamanga Tukur- led executive committee and replaced them with Kawu Baraje as National Chairman, Olagunsoye Oyinlola as National Secretary and Dr. Sam Jaja, as Deputy National Chairman of the new PDP.

    Reading the Communiqué of the meeting convened to resolve the crisis at the early hours of Monday, the Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, said that discussions at the meeting was smooth and encouraging.

    Anenih, who was flanked by President Jonathan on the right and Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso on the left, said that all the other aggrieved governors will attend another meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

    Out of the seven governors that left the convention to form a parallel party, only four of them attended the Sunday meeting. Those in attendance were – Aliyu, Wamakko, Nyako and Ahmed.