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Tag: Omisore

  • Omisore, VOR convener is dead

    Convener of Voice of Reason (VOR) and the Chairman of its Board of Trustees, Prince Goke Omisore is dead.

    Omisore, through the VOR championed the improvement of society and the lot of the common man, especially in the South West.

    He died after a brief illness on October 7.

    The deceased owned well-known brands such as the Omission Emporium, Lekki, Higher Ground Furniture Showroom and Headmasters Unisex Salon.

    A statement by the group stated funeral arrangements would be made available soon by the family.

     

  • Omisore: my alliance with APC’ll give Oyetola victory

    Osun State Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate  Iyiola Omisore yesterday confirmed that he had teamed up with the All Progresives Congress (APC) to win today’s supplementary election.

    Besides, leaders of his party explained why it chose to work with the APC instead of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The battle to produce the governor-elect is a straight one between APC candidate Mr Gboyega Oyetola and PDP candidate Senator Ademola Adeleke.

    Today’s poll will hold in seven units across four local goverments in Ife South, Ife North, Orolu and Osogbo.

    There are 3,498 registered would-be voters in the units.

    Omisore, who came third in Saturday’s election, became the beautiful bride for the supplementary poll, wooed by the leading parties.  Senate President Bukola Saraki visited Omisore to seek his suppot for Adeleke.

    The delegation of the APC was led by Ekiti State Governor-elect Kayode Fayemi,

    Omisore was received in Osogbo by a team of governors and leaders of the APC, including  National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole. In the team is Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha.

    Omisore told reporters in his Ile-Ife country home yesterday that the SDP’s coalition with the APC would guarantee victory for Oyetola.

    According to Omisore, the SDP was left with no option other than to pitch its tent with the APC after the PDP failed to respond to the SDP’s terms and conditions for a coalition government.

    The SDP candidate said he took the decision on the acceptance of his party’s manifesto, including payment of backlog of arrears to civil  servants and pensioners within the first three months of assumption of office by the APC- led government.

    He said: “What is paramount to me is the practise of true democracy, good governance and accountability in Osun State and that I will never renege on my promise of good governance, accountability and human dignity in Osun State.

    “Osun State has always been a stellar example of democracy where the people have consistently and freely expressed their franchise to determine who governs them. This should remain so.

    “Osun people have shown that it is not business as usual. It is a positive deviation from what was hitherto the norm. I am telling my people that they should go with any political party that believes in what we in the SDP stands for – good governance, social justice and accountability.

    “I have already detailed how we plan to restore Osun to the path of good governance through the five thematic pillars in my manifesto I shared  during the electioneering. I will not negotiate for personal gains and abandon my people.

    “My alliance is with the people of Osun State, irrespective of the political parties they belong. I want my people to be treated with the dignity they deserve. I desire that they have a government that will be accountable to them.

    “I want them to experience the good governance the founding fathers of this state envisaged. I have told the parties that have solicited for my support to approach the electorate and ask for their mandate as I have assured them that I will not coerce them for political or social power. It is because I have kept my promise that made me enjoy their unalloyed support all these years.”

    Also yesterday, SDP leaders in a communique after meetings in Iwo, Ijesa, Ikirun and Ile-Ife zones, said judging by many standards, Oyetola is a far better candidate than Adeleke.

    The SDP leaders recalled how Sen. Adeleke, with the collaboration of the National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Uche Secondus, “masterminded the conduct of another congress which rubbished the earlier congress already approved by the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) which favoured Otunba Omisore”.

    According to them, Adeleke confirmed at various times that he could not be trusted. ju The incidents, they claimed, include his initial agreement not to join the governorship race when he approached Omisore for his senatorial ambition; an agreement to have at least one legislative assistant ‘selected through each of the aspirants that stood down for him on which he reneged till date and alleged failure to respect the agreement to compensate Dr Akin Ogunbiyi with the deputy governorship slot, even when the election was at sight.” Now that the election would be over, the SDP leaders wondered how such a man could honour any agreement.

    The SDP leaders also expressed the fear that the PDP governorship candidate would most likely be prosecuted for ‘‘aiding and abetting’’ before he is sworn in or even be impeached for frivolous reasons by the House of Assembly shortly after his swearing-in.

    Besides, the leaders viewed the control of the Federal Government by the APC as an advantage, stressing that the PDP is the “architect of the present predicament’’. They posited that joining forces with the PDP can spell doom for the SDP.

    They also stated that numerous leaders within the PDP would not allow the party to function well because “too many cooks spoil the dish (broth)”.

    They added: “Because of the fact that we want the best for our people in Osun State, we see Oyetola as a more capable and qualified candidate.”

    They also posited that they would enjoy more possible positions and privileges in the APC government than in a PDP government.

    “The APC is a more reliable party than the PDP. For instance, the APC promised Isiaka Adeleke the senatorial ticket of Osun West and it was honoured unlike the promise made by the PDP to Dr Ogunbiyi which it reneged on.”

    The communique was signed by virtually all the leaders in the zones.

    However, a former Minister of Aviation Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, lashed at Omisore for supporting the APC candidate.

    In a statement, Fani-Kayode said: “Iyiola Omisore’s decision to support the APC in tomorrow’s rerun is shameful.

    “ It is sad that he would seek to deny Ile-Ife the position of Deputy Governor simply for money. He told me he would stand firm two days ago and he told our leader and father Baba Ayo Adebanjo the same thing last night.

    “ I do not know what has turned his head but we shall forge ahead and by God’s grace Adeleke will win. There is no excuse or justification for joining or supporting those who treated our people like filth and slaves over the last 8 years  and who rigged last Saturdays election.”

  • Boss Mustapha visits Omisore in Ile-Ife

    The Secretary to the Government of Federation, Barr Boss Mustapha, has visited Sen Iyiola Omisore in Ile-Ife.

    Mustapha came with Ekiti Governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who has been to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) gubernatorial aspirant, Sen Omisore’s house, three times in the last 24 hours.

    Mustapha’s visit came after another visit by an APC delegation, comprising four state governors, Fayemi and the national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

    The SGF told a Pressmen that Omisore has proven beyond reasonable doubt that he plays politics of maturity.

    He said that his visit was beyond politics as he married from Osun State.

    He described Omisore as his in-law.

    “Omisore has been exemplified among other leaders because of the pivotal role played in the establishment of democracy in Nigeria.

    “Honestly, Omisore needs to be commended, should forget all that happened in the past and come together to build our state and nation at large” he stated.

    In his response, Omisore lauded his visitors and other supporters throughout his journey so far in politics.

    Omisore appealed to all voters to cast their vote to their right choice and maintain peaceful coexistence in the rerun election. (NAN)

  • Osun: Lasun, Omisore join forces with APC to fight PDP

    • PDP for court today

    • PDP agents ‘cloning PVCs’

    • INEC is right, say SANs

    HOUSE of Representatives Deputy Speaker Yussuff Lasun yesterday joined the battle to ensure victory for All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Gboyega Oyetola in tomorrow’s supplementary governorship election in Osun State.

    The APC lost in Orolu Local Government Area, which is believed to be Lasun’s stronghold. He is known to be aggrieved with APC leaders.

    The supplementary election will hold in three units in the local government due to cancellation over hijacking of materials by thugs.

    There are 987 registered voters in the three units.

    Also joining forces with the APC is Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Senator Iyiola Omisore.

    The election will determine the winner between Oyetola and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Ademola Adeleke.

    Saturday’s election was declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which ordered the supplementary election in seven polling units in four local governments – Osogbo, Orolu, Ife North and Ife South.

    There are 3, 498 registered voters in the polling units where the elections were cancelled due to various reasons, including hijacking of election materials, abscondment of presiding officer, disruption of election by hoodlums who were shooting sporadically, manual accreditation and over voting.

    The supplementary election is a straight fight between Oyetola and Adeleke.

    Adeleke has a marginal 353 votes advantage in the election in which Omisore finished third.

    Omisore hosted an APC delegation of Ekiti State Governor-elect Dr Kayode Fayemi and Dr Olu Agunloye at his home in Ile-Ife.

    On Monday, he received Senate President Bokola Saraki, who came to lobby him to support the PDP.

    Omisore, who left the PDP for the SDP because the PDP ticket was skewed in favour of Adeleke, declined to give Saraki his commitment.

    But after his meeting with the APC team, Omisore twitted under a photograph of himself with Fayemi and Agunloye: “With @OfficialAPCNg Ekiti state governor elect @kfayemi during his visit today. #goodgovernanceinosunstate #OsunDecides2018.”

    In another tweet, Saraki Presidential Campaign Council spokesman Doyin Okupe said: “Omisore I’m told caved in to pressure from APC…”

    It was learnt that Omisore, whose dad is the traditional ruler of Olode in Ife South where the election will hold in unit 07, 012 Adereti village with 812 registered voters, joined the APC for a campaign yesterday.

    Also yesterday, the police confirmed the arrest of three people for allegedly buying Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and breach of the public peace.

    The suspects, Alhaji Fatai Diekola, 61, Sikiru Lawal, 54 and Adekilekun Segun, 54, were arrested on Monday at Adewale Street, Alekuwodo area, Osogbo.

    Spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command Folasade Odoro, a Superintendent (SP), said the suspects were arrested by the teams drafted to the state for election duties.

    Odoro said: “The three suspects were arrested at Adewale Street, Alekuwodo area, Osogbo at one of the polling units where a re-run election is scheduled to take place on Thursday, September 27.

    “They were said to be soliciting to buy additional PVCs from one Olawale Kazeem of 4B, Adewale Street, Alekuwodo area, Osogbo and Azeez Sulaiman of 3A, Akinlade Street, Alekuwodo. It was gathered that when the duo declined to sell their PVCs, they were allegedly attacked by the supporters of the suspects.

    “However, timely intervention of the police operatives led to the arrest of the three suspects after they were attacked and wounded by the mob. “However, the wounded were taken to the Police Hospital for medical treatment and currently assisting the police in investigation into the crime and the recovery of the PVCs alleged to have been bought from other people in Osun State. The outcome of the investigation will definitely be made public.

    “In the meantime, the Nigeria Police Force is assuring the good people of Osun State and other critical stakeholders of its renewed commitment and resolve to ensure adequate security for a free and fair re-run election as announced by INEC in Osun State.

    “Members of the public are however advised to desist from any action that may elicit violence as any person arrested will be made to face the full wrath of the law.”

    The brickbats continued yesterday between the APC and the PDP over the Osun State governorship election.

    The governor-elect will emerge tomorrow after the supplementary election in seven units in four local governments.

    The PDP plans to file a suit today on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s declaration of Saturday’s election as inconclusive.

    But the APC Campaign Council urged voters in the areas where the supplementary election will hold to ignore the “ranting’’ of the PDP and turn out en masse to vote for the ruling party.”

    The Chairman of the Council’s Media Committee, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the PDP’s threat to challenge in court  INEC’s declaration of Saturday’s election as inconclusive  was “  nothing but sheer bravado’’.

    Mohammed said the threat was because the opposition party was afraid of losing the rerun.

    The chairman, who said the PDP might also have contrived the court threat as a way of distracting the APC and its members ahead of the rerun, called the  strategy “dead on arrival”.

    ”The PDP knows that the so-called court challenge which it has threatened to mount will not fly, especially because the highest court in the land has already pronounced on the issue of whether or not INEC has the powers to declare an election inconclusive.

    ”The PDP is not unaware of the pronouncement of the Supreme Court in the case of James Abiodun Faleke Vs INEC and others.

    “The apex court held that INEC has the duty of conducting elections and that, besides the constitutional provisions, it is guided by the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and the Election Guidelines and Manual issued for its officials in accordance with the Act,” he said.

    Mohammed said that since the PDP had boasted that its candidate would win if  the Osun Governorship Election was conducted over and over again, the party “ should stop being jittery and put its money where its mouth is by willingly participating in the rerun.’’

    He, however, said that if the PDP chose to boycott tomorrow’s rerun out of fear, the party’s right to do so would be respected.

    ”The PDP, after its failed mission to win Saturday’s election at all cost, is shopping for an illegal shortcut to victory by threatening a court action over an issue that has been settled.

    “It’s a sheer waste of time. Let the PDP drop its pretension and get ready to be defeated in Thursday’s rerun.

    “Alternatively, it can withdraw to save face,” the chairman said.

    The APC also accused the PDP of cloning Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) with the intention of using them to rig the rerun election.

    The statement said: “The APC has received fresh reports from our field agents on the ongoing cloning of PVCs by PDP agents. We view this development as bizarre and a sign of the desperation of the PDP to takeover Osun State by all illegal means.

    “While we call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to urgently investigate the development and promptly arrest persons behind the cloning, we strongly advise INEC to ensure that its voters’ register is not tampered with.

    “Also, we call on INEC and security agencies to speak publicly on measures being taken to stop the ongoing vote buying by PDP agents, which has become widespread in the state.

    The APC called for calm in the face of the already tense situation caused by the alleged PDP’s rigging plot.

    “The Osun electorate must remain alert and resist any plot to subvert the people’s will and manipulate the rerun election.

    “Commendably, the police already have in its custody a PDP stalwart who led other PDP leaders to buy up voters’ cards ahead of Thursday’s governorship rerun. There, however, remains much to be done to ensure the credibility of the forthcoming rerun election.”

    Spokesman of the party in Osun State Kunle Oyatomi, said tomorrow’s supplementary poll “cannot be bought”.

    In a statement, he said: “Sen Ademola Adeleke  can’t win on the popular votes. First, he is the least educated and qualified candidate Osun has ever raised in its history of political contest.

    “The fraud that brought him to this lever (manipulation of card readers and purchase of the PVC of ill-informed voters) that we are now discussing him as a potential governor, marks us as essentially an illiterate and backward democracy.

    “Such a person should not have qualified to be taken as ‘O’YES Cadet.

    ‘The PDP and Adeleke family would be disappointed on Thursday.

    ‘That vote can’t be bought, and would not be bought.

    ‘The PDP insists on going to court and contesting the rerun election at the same time. That is evidence of desperation.  If they have confidence they could win, they have no business to be in court at this stage.

    ‘The people of Osun will decide on Thursday (tomorrow) in closely monitored and protected votes where the likes of moneybags and fraudsters will be neutralised’

    The PDP, however, demanded the immediate resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

    The opposition party also called for  the immediate resignation of INEC Director of Operations Mrs. Amina Zakari who is also in charge of commission’s Information Communication Technology (ICT) Department.

    At a media briefing in Abuja yesterday, the PDP, through its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan called out the INEC chair over his “controlling role in the fraudulent manipulations” in the September 22 governorship election in Osun State.

    The opposition party accused Mrs. Zakari of altering election figures in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    INEC had declared the election inconclusive, following the cancellation of the election in some local government areas. The commission has slated a supplementary election in the affected areas for tomorrow.

    Rejecting the inconclusive verdict on the election, the PDP insisted that the polls were concluded, adding that the party and indeed well-meaning Nigerians no longer have confidence in the INEC chairman.

    The party said, “With INEC’s fraudulent conduct in the Osun governorship election, and approval that a concluded election be declared inconclusive, it is completely inexcusable that Prof. Yakubu presides over an atrocious and compromised electoral umpire that manipulates electoral processes, doctors figures, allocates fictitious votes and subverts the will of the people in an election.

    “The PDP has additional documentary evidence of how this compromised INEC, through its Operations and ICT Department, doctored results from polling centres, directly shortchanged the PDP with no fewer than 4,387 votes by slashing votes cast for the PDP at the polling centres while allocating fictitious figures to the APC.

    “The PDP has facts on how INEC slashed over 1000 votes freely cast by the people for our candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, in Ayedaade Local Government Area, just to reduce our votes from our legitimate 10,836 votes cast at the polling centres to 9,836 votes so as to give APC the lead with a 1000 vote margin in the local government.

    “Also, the PDP has evidence of how INEC, while collating results, directly allocated over 1,367 fictitious votes to the APC in Olorunda Local Government Area, to fraudulently shore up the APC votes to duplicitous 16,254 votes. This is in addition to evidence of how INEC awarded over 2,000 fictitious votes in favour of the APC in Osogbo to push APC’s vote to 23,379 against the actual 21,479 votes scored by the defeated party.

    “Such writing of results by INEC in collusion with the APC occurred in many other areas leading to INEC’s ill-fated directives to its junior officials, including the one apprehended in Ayedaade, to destroy results already displayed at polling and collation centers.

    “It was after INEC and the APC realised that despite their manipulation of figures, our candidate still scored the highest number of votes, making him the clear winner of the election, that they decided to fraudulently apply unconstitutional grounds to declare the election inconclusive.

    “From the facts available to us, INEC robbed our party of over 4,387 votes. Our actual winning margin stands at 4,740 votes against the 353 votes declared by INEC.

    “Furthermore, while the PDP, in rejecting INEC’s declaration, is resolute in the decision to seek legal redress and take our mandate, freely given to our candidate by the people of Osun State, our party has also discovered schemes perfected by INEC to rig its planned supplementary election in favour of the APC.”

    “The PDP is already aware that INEC has increased the original number of voters in the affected polling centers by over 850 so as to expand its latitude to manipulate results with uncollected Permanent Voter Card (PVCs), a development, which further shows INEC’s determination to rig the election for APC.

    “The PDP holds that the shenanigan that has characterised the Osun governorship election is a testing measure by the APC in collusion with INEC to rig the 2019 general elections, particularly the Presidential election, which they plan to plunge into similar controversy immediately it becomes obvious that APC is losing”.

    The PDP expressed fears that the alleged complicit role of the electoral body could push the nation into an irretrievable state of anarchy and spell doom for the country’s democracy.

    “While Prof. Mahmood Yakubu can no longer be trusted to conduct the 2019 general elections, it is public knowledge that Mrs. Amina Zakari, the INEC Director in charge of Operations and ICT is a direct blood relation of Mr. President and as such, we believe that she cannot be an impartial arbiter in an election involving her uncle.”

    “The PDP therefore calls on all patriotic Nigerians to join in the demand for the resignation of Prof. Yakubu and Mrs. Zakari so as to avert this dangerous path, where INEC is leading our nation.

    “As a law abiding and people-oriented political party, all that the PDP is demanding for is the return of our candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, as the duly returned candidate at the September 22, 2018 Osun Governorship Election.

    “We call on INEC to guarantee free, fair and credible election at all levels of engagement, as we will not allow unpatriotic individuals to destroy our nation with their inordinate and selfish aspirations”.

  • Osun decides: Oyetola, Omisore, Adeleke, Adeoti, Akinbade in tough contest

    Four years after outgoing governor, Rauf Aregbesola, won a reelection in tough circumstances, another governorship election holds today to produce his successor. As the electorate cast their votes, BISI OLADELE and ADESOJI ADENIYI analyse the likely voting patterns across the major towns and cities in the State of Virtues.

    FIVE main gorvernorship contenders are set to battle for the votes of 1.24 million voters expected to turn out today to choose who should govern Osun State for the next four years. Although the available votes will be shared between 48 candidates of different parties standing for the election, Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Iyiola Omisore of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Moshood Adeoti of the African Democratic Party (ADP), Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Fatai Akinbade of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) are considered as main contenders. The huge number of PVC holders presents both a challenge and opportunity for the candidates one way or the other. For candidates that are really popular in towns and communities with high number of PVC holders, it will be an opportunity to score high and vice versa.

    The towns and cities include Osogbo, Ile-Ife, Ilesa, Iwo, Ede, Ejigbo and Ikirun. Osogbo Osogbo, the Osun State capital, has the highest number of votes, judging by past elections. This is so particularly when joined with votes from Ikirun, a neighbouring town. Voters in Osogbo will more likely decide in favour of APC’s Oyetola because the city has benefitted most from the urban renewal project and education policies of the Aregbesola administration in the last eight years. The transformation of Osogbo has been massive under Aregbesola, and this has greatly enhanced the economic strength of the city. Besides, none of the five major candidates hails from the town. While Oyetola hails from Iragbiji, Omisore from Ile-Ife, Adeleke from Ede and Adeoti from Iwo, ADC’s Akinbade hails from Ogbagbaa, near Iwo. In fact, some opposition politicians have accused the APC of concentrating development on Osogbo alone, given the massive infrastructural renewal and beautification project of the Aregbesola administration. But that does not foreclose the chances of other parties from gaining some percentage of the votes as they all have their supporters spread in the entire state. But APC is tipped to score the majority of votes in Osogbo and its surrounding communities. Ede Adeleke is expected to pull a large number of votes from Ede.

    APC strategists, however, believe that the party will get substantial votes from the town as many of its indigenes are not favourably disposed to Adeleke. The emergence of Adeleke as the PDP flag bearer has sharply divided the PDP faithful. The aggrieved among the members believe that the Adeleke family is cornering the privileges coming to the town even when it is obvious that other qualified people should be considered. Our reporter gathered reliably in the town that the emergence of Adeleke forced the former Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Adejare Bello, and his followers out of the party. His followers believe that Bello or other qualified Ede indigenes should have been given the opportunity to emerge as the PDP candidate instead of Adeleke who replaced his late elder brother in the Senate.

    But Bello and his supporters are not alone, some other indigenes of the town also believe that it was wrong to have presented the new senator who has no higher education to represent the town as governor when there are well educated politicians who have also been contributing their own quota to the development of the town. Added to the above factor is the recent award of the contract for the rehabilitation of Ede-Ejigbo Road by the Aregbeshola administration, a decision that was applauded by many in the town. For these reasons, Adeleke may not enjoy block votes from Ede as it happened during his senatorial election. APC is likely to pull huge votes next to Adeleke in Ede. Iwo Though ADP’s Adeoti and ADC’s Akinbade hail from Iwo zone, many will be surprised at how APC will poll high number of votes in the zone. Though Adeoti and Akinbade are well known in the towns and communities in Iwo zone, their expected bloc votes are threatened by APC’s acceptance, particularly in Iwo town which has the largest population in the zone. The establishment in the town is largely behind the APC. This will weaken the chances of Adeoti producing bloc votes from the area. Even if the APC candidate comes second in Iwo, it will really weaken Adeoti’s chances because the town has a huge voting strength. Ilesa Ilesa, in this analysis, covers the entire Ijesa land, which comprises six local governments. The voting pattern in the zone is largely unpredictable. But APC will likely have a good showing in the area.

    The outgoing governor hails from Ilesa. The current Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, also hails from the area. It is, therefore, expected that their kinsmen will reward their sons’ selection and successes by voting massively for the APC candidate. One of the major roads leading to Ilesa will soon be awarded for reconstruction by the state government. But Omisore and Adeoti will also corner some votes from the area. While Omisore represented the area at the Senate twice, Adeoti’s party has some juggernauts in Ijesa land. Nonetheless, APC is expected to score the majority votes in the area. Ile-Ife This is the base of the SDP candidate, Omisore. Ile-Ife has the second largest voting strength in the state due to the Obafemi Awolowo University community. Omisore, who is a former deputy governor and senator, has proved to be a dogged fighter since his crisis with his former boss, Chiefs Bisi Akande and the late Bola Ige exploded in 2001. He was then the deputy governor under the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). He won his first senatorial election while in detention at Agodi, Ibadan prison during his trial over Bola Ige’s murder.

    Since then, he remained very popular in his town. This time, THE NATION gathered reliably that Omisore is sure to poll the highest number of votes in Ile-Ife and its environs. The surrounding communities include Garage Olode, Ifetedo and Ipetumodu. But the APC is hopeful; it believes it will poll sizable votes in these areas, given the number of people that have benefitted from the Aregbesola administration in the last eight years. Ejigbo Ejigbo is another town within Osun West Senatorial District which has a good number of voting population. The current Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salam, is a native of Ejigbo. Feelers from the town show that he is well loved due to his accessibility, love and philanthropy. For the above reason, the APC will likely win in the town with wide margin.

    Iragbiji In Iragbiji, Oyetola’s home town, he is sure to poll the highest votes while in other towns such as Ikire, Gbongan, Odeomu, Ila, Iree and Okuku, the candidates will enjoy patronage based on the strength of their parties and candidates. Omisore is popular in some parts of Ikire zone. For being in government in the last eight years, it is expected that the APC will enjoy a good patronage from the voters across all parts of the state. Ikire Ikire is another town with sizable number of voters, particularly when joined with its surrounding communities such as Orile-Owu, Apomu and some surrounding villages. Oyetola’s running mate, Benedict Alabi, hails from the zone. Omisore’s running mate Lawal, also hails from the zone. But due to the influence of some PDP juggernauts in the zone, Adeleke’s PDP is tipped to have a fairly good showing in Ikire Zone.

    Oyetola, Omisore and Adeleke are likely to garner high number of votes in the area. Obviously, votes in the zone are most likely going to be divided. NEWS THE NATION I SATURDAY I SEPTEMBER 22 I 2018 3 Osun 2014 governorship election results LG APC PDP Ifedayo 4,225 3982 Boluwaduro 4,891 5,035 Ilesha East 16,106 5,913 Odo Otin 11,950 12,902 Ilesha West 15,427 5,449 Orolu 8,558 6,786 Oriade 12,523 10,214 Atakumosa 6,928 5,142 Ede South 11,738 7,462 Ila Oragun 10,825 7,916 Boripe 12,723 9,344 Irepodun 13,314 7,386 Ife Central 9,680 24,555 Ife East 13,821 20,831 Ola Oluwa 7,927 4,963 Isokan 9,758 10,028 Ife North 8,603 9,841 Ede North 15,403 10,427 Ifelodun 17,447 12,442 Ayedaade 12,801 11,255 Obokun 11,696 8,618 Irewole 18,328 10,330 Egbedore 10,215 7024 Aiyedire 7,724 7,813 Iwo 20,827 15,493 Osogbo 39,983 11,513 Olorunda 26,551 8,483 Ife South 7,325 12,811 Atakumota East 9,287 6,294 (Election did not hold in Alarere polling unit) Ejigbo 17,700 12,495 (11 polling units had over voting and forged signatures) Gbongan and Odeomu These are towns whose voting patterns are unpredictable. There are supporters of each of the five leading parties in the two towns. Yet, the majority may vote for the APC, the party having been impacting their lives and communities in the last eight years. In all, the four candidates that will most likely have the highest votes are Oyetola, Omisore, Adeoti and Adeleke in that order.

  • Omisore: Power will shift

    Social Democratic Party yesterday held its mega rally in Osogbo, Osun State capital, to rally support for its candidate in the September 22 governorship election, Senator Iyiola Omisore.

    Led by the national leader of the party, Chief Olu Falae, who was former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the SDP said it was well positioned to win the forthcoming poll.

    Falae spoke on restructuring of Nigeria, which he said was  over due, maintaining that “until something is done in that direction, peace and development cannot be guaranteed in Nigeria.

    He said restructuring of the country could only be realized under the SDP-led government.

    On the candidature of Omisore, Falae said: “Our candidate remains the best among all other contestants in the race and with Omisore in government, Osun will get out of pains occasioned by mis-governance.”

    Addressing his supporters at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, the venue of the rally, the SDP flag bearer accused the Aregbesola administration of owing workers and pensioners their salaries and pensions.

    Omisore said Aregbesola should first “go and pay” workers salaries before fielding a candidate for the September 22 governorship election.

    He wondered why a government could owe workers’ salaries when it has money to fund political campaigns and rallies, alleging that the APC had spent over N5 billion on campaign bill boards.

    Assuring workers of paying the backlog of their salaries arrears on assumption of office, he promised total overhauling of the Education, Health and Agricultural and other sectors.

    Omisore also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of working hand in hand to perpetrate electoral fraud before, during and after the conduct of the election.

     

     

  • Peace Corps denies holding meeting with Omisore

    A paramilitary group, the Peace Corps in Osun State, has denied holding any meeting with the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Senator Iyiola Omisore.

    The corps’ Public Relations Officer, Olabode Makinwa, in a statement, said the allegation of planning to provide support for Omisore in the September 22 governorship election was not correct as reported by the media.

    Giving an account of the corps’ encounter with the SDP governorship candidate, he said Omisore and his campaign train only paid unscheduled visit to the Peace Corps’ state command along Ilesa road in Osogbo, the state capital, as they were passing by for a political programme.

    He said the Peace Corps does not have any political affiliation or collect money from any political group or individual because our organisation is non religious and non political but only answerable to any government in power.

    Makinwa added: “The campaign train was on the way to Ilesa, possibly for a political rally, when they branched to our command by the road side and met us in a middle of a programme. Omisore solicited for our support and we made it clear to him that ours is a non political organization. Our members have the freedom to make their own choice individually.

    “The National Commandant of the Corps, Dr. Dickson Akoh, before leaving for the United Nation for 67th DPI/NGO Conference in New York, warned all officers against partisanship. Contrary to the information published about us, ours is an organization registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in Nigeria and with a legal backing of the National Assembly whose bill is only waiting the Presidential assent.”

  • Omisore to return mission schools

    The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Osun State, Sen. Iyiola Omisore, has said that he would return mission schools to owners and employ skilled youths in the state, if elected as governor in the September 22 election.

    Omisore, in an interview with The Nation yesterday explained that his first priority will be to boost the morale of civil servants and teachers in the state, having been demoralised by irregular payment of their salaries.

    The SDP candidate, who is a former deputy governor of the state between 1999 and 2002, said the demoralised workforce is the engine room of development in the state, hence requires an urgent and special focus by the incoming governor. If elected, he promised to pay salaries, pensions and gratuities promptly as the principal part of his human capital development agenda.

    According to him, a survey has shown that most graduates and artisans in the state have been jobless in the last eight years because of alleged poor government policy. Omisore said he would open up employment for graduates, retrain artisans and employ them through government projects. “Aside graduates, our auto technicians, carpenters, welders etc that have been jobless in the last eight years will be retrained and offered jobs.” He said.

    Omisore said he would return missions schools to original owners with a solid arrangement that will ensure their teachers do not lose their jobs. He said the arrangement will ensure that students are the major focus of the idea while existing teachers are well taken care of.

  • Oyetola accuses Omisore of clandestine meetings with Peace Corps cadets

    The Gboyega Oyetola Campaign Organisation has accused  the governorship  candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Senator Iyiola Omisore, of holding “clandestine meetings” with Peace Corps cadets in Osun State.

    The group said Omisore held meetings with the cadets at Ife-Oluwa Gramnar School in Osogbo, the state capital.

    In a statement, the campaign organisation alleged that Omisore’s motive was to deceive the members of the Peace Corps to thwart the goodwill and popular desire of the generality of indigenes of Osun State to elect a candidate of their choice in the September 22 governorship poll.

    “At one of such gatherings last Saturday, where plots were hatched to foist mayhem during campaigns of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the residents of the area swooped on them and chased them away from the school at the point of sharing some cash.

    “The Gboyega Oyetola Campaign Organisation hereby draws urgent attention of the security agencies, particularly Nigeria Police (NP) and Department of State Services (DSS) to conduct a check on operations of the unregistered paramilitary organisations, particularly the Peace Corps to achieve a hitch-free election on September 22.

    “We equally wishe to draw attention of members of the public to slight similarities between the color of the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) and the so-called Peace Corps.  We are assure that efforts would be made before long to distinguish the corps from our formidable OYES innovation for the people not to get mistake one for another,” the group submitted.

    In a reaction, the SDP said  Oyetola was afraid of losing the election.

    In a statement, the spokesperson for the party, Taiwo Akeju, said: “They  are just making noises. They are panicking because of the fear of losing the election, they have destroyed the grassroots. We in the SDP believe in the electorate to vote for us. They are afraid because of their failure in government for the past eight years.

    “We are not bothered about them. On our part, we are mobilising the people for the success of the SDP in the governorship election. SDP is the first political party today in Osun State. Our rising profile in Osun is giving the APC and their candidate, Gboyega Oyetola serious headache because our profile has risen so much. Members of the peace corps have the rights to vote for any candidate they like. They are citizens of Nigeria and they are indigenes of Osun State.

  • SDP: Court strikes out case against Omisore

    An Osun State High Court in Osogbo on Monday struck out a suit challenging Senator Iyiola Omisore as the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the September 22 state guber poll.

    It would be recalled that two state officers of the SDP, Alhaji Rasheed Mayowa and Chief Azeez Alakinde-Ismaila, had approached the court to compel the party’s national body not to allow a fresh congress but to stand by the congress which produced the executives of SDP in the state in 2016 and which their tenure would expire by 2020.

    The applicants also told the court that the congress which produced Senator Omisore as the party’s candidate was illegal having being conducted contrary to two respective court orders.

    At the yesterday’s hearing, the applicants’ counsel, Barr. Olayinka Sokoya, argued that the matter was beyond the internal running of the party but was premised on the constitution of the party.

    He further argued that the defendants’ disposition against his applications before the court be discountenance, noting that disobeying court orders had rendered everything done by Omisore’s group null and void.

    Sokoya prayed the court to sack all the executives elected by the factional SDP congress led by Dr Bayo Faforiji and declare all actions taken so far as unconstitutional including, the primary it conducted which produced Senator Omisore.

    He also asked to court to fully restore all powers back to the Chief Ademola Ishola led executive which produced an Iwo indigene, Barr. Kehinde Atanda, as the governorship candidate.