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Tag: Ondo state

  • Akeredolu decries corruption in judiciary

    Ondo state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has hinged corruption in the judiciary especially in recent times on the challenges arising from incursion of strange elements into the nation’s legal system.

    He spoke on Monday during the swearing in ceremony of four judges of the state High Court in Akure.

    The four male judges are Bamidele Olupitan, Olajide Abe, Ademola Enikuomehin and Tope Adedipe.

    The governor explained that it was sad to note that even judicial officers at the appellate courts were not immune from the malady of corruption.

    Akeredolu said “The average citizen must be able to perceive the intervention of the Bench as credible regardless of the outcome. Litigants must leave, believing that justice has been done.

    “A judge must be a shining light to the society since his conduct and behaviour reflect the public image of the judiciary.

    Read Also: Why we are in Thailand, by Akeredolu

    “The future of the judiciary and indeed the nation depends, to a large extent, on how our judges perform their duties, effectively,”

    The governor, said since judges decide the fates of the citizens, there is need for them to be decent, professionally disciplined and incorruptible to achieve a better society.

    Earlier, the Chief Judge (CJ) of the state, Justice Toyin Akeredolu hailed the governor and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Bamidele Oleyelogun, for their positive interest in the affairs of the judiciary.

    Akeredolu equally lauded the governor for his commitment to the implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary and urged the new judges to brace up for the task ahead.

    She solicited for more support from the state government, especially in the appointment of more judges, magistrates, personnel of the Customary Court and other staff to fill the yawning gap.

    Responding on behalf of others, Olupitan expressed gratitude to the state government for the opportunity to serve and promised to influence the judiciary positively.

    He assured the governor that the new judges would justify the confidence reposed in them, noting that they were conscious of the onerous task ahead of them.

     

  • Chevron facility fire: Delta community vows not to cede its land to Ondo

    Polobubo (Tsekelewu) community in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State has vowed to resist alleged schemes by Chevron Nigeria Limited to cede parts of their land to their Ilaje neighbours in Ondo State.

    The community made its position known on Monday during a meeting organised by the Delta State government among leaders and elders of the community on one side and representatives of Chevron on the other side. They gathered to discuss ongoing faceoff between the two sides over a facility location and an inferno raging on it.

    Recall that fire had broken out on an oil-well in the area since April 18. However, the situation had also sparked a heated disagreement between Polobubo leadership and the oil multinational, over the designation of the facility on fire; while the community identified it as Ikpalapkala-Bou oil-well, located in their Ijaw community in Delta State, Chevron has insisted that the facility is Ojumale oil-well, located in Ondo State.

    The community was represented by the hierarchy of the Polobubo (Tsekelewu) National Council (PNC) , including its National President, Mr. Ebilate Mac-Yoroki; the General Secretary, Mr. Midwest Kukuru; former President, Mr. Edmund Tiemo; one of the clan heads of Egbema, Chief Matthew E. O. Tiemo and Hon. Dickson Asoki, among others.

    Chevron’s management was also represented at the meeting, which held at the Delta State Government House (Annex), Warri, by Mr. Tony Emegere and Mr. Happy Appai, both of the Policy Government and Public Affairs (PGPA) Department.

    Presenting the community’s position at the meeting, Mac-Yoroki expressed sadness over the unpleasant and provocative positions that Chevron’s operations and recent actions had put the people trough, urging the Delta State government to step in and defend the position of its people by prevailing on the company to take steps to remedy every wrong done to the community since it commenced operations in the area.

    “The oil multinational had continued feeding the mass media and other agencies that the incident occurred in Ondo State. This is unacceptable and we will not succumb to such reckless and unsubstantiated claims.

    “Your Excellency sir, the aspiration of Ondo State government to have our community under its control could be traced back to the mid-70s, resulting in the boundary disputes between Delta and Ondo states, which final decisions were made in favour of Delta State. This is a re-enactment of the past, of which we are calling on Your Excellency to passionately wade into it, as a matter of urgency to checkmate the antics of the Ondo State government.

    “It will interest Your Excellency to note that your predecessors, be they military or democratically elected governments, fought relentlessly to maintain the status quo ante. On our part, it has not been without a price being paid for this struggle. Many of our patriots are martyred for this cause. We are still resolute to this day.

    “Our governor, we are not safe at this point in time when our health and environment are compromised by spontaneous fire incidents, coupled with our land being threatened. The entire area here in question is christened Tsekelewu field in NNPC’s data base. See the federal oil map, there is nothing like Ojumole Oil Field”, Mac-Yoroki said.

    He, however, pleaded with the state governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, who was represented at the meeting by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Peter Mrakpor, and the  Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the governor on Intelligence Gathering and Community Development, Captain Smart Yomi Asekutu, to, among other things, prevail on Chevron to immediately end the inferno on the facility, evaluate the level of health and environmental damage the fire had done to the community and commence immediate remediation, even as he asked for an urgent delineation of the boundaries with Ondo State to forestall border crisis.

    Responding on behalf of Chevron, Mr. Emegere said the company, in a bid not to ignite communal crisis between the Ijaw of Polobubo in Delta State and Ilaje of Ondo State had been playing safe, dealing with both sides equally, adding that it would not be the duty of Chevron to determine who owns the land on which the facility is located.

    Although he initially denied reports that his company had allocated the land in question to Ondo State, he was immediately called to order by leaders of the community, citing media reports that quoted a department of the company, categorically zoning the land to Ondo State.

    The representative of the governor in the meeting, Mr. Mrakpor had tried to persuade the representatives of the company to see to it that immediate measures were taken to ease the negative effect of the fire on the environment and the health of the people. He, however, said he would take the message back to the governor for appropriate actions.

  • Ore: From ‘theatre of war’ to industrial hub

    Ore, a town in Ondo State, is known to be theatre-of-war during the Nigerian Civil War. When Rotimi Akeredolu was elected as governor of Ondo State, he promised to transform the rustic town into an industrial hub. STEVE OTALORO writes that Ore town has become an insdustrial hub as promised.

    The mention of Ore town will send chills down the spine of so many people who were active participants of the great battle that took place there in the late 60s. It is a town where thousands of Nigerians were mowed down in a reckless and wanton manner during the Nigerian Civil War.

    Ore town was a theatre-of-war where the Nigerian troops and their Biafran opponents confronted each other in a fierce battle for the gain of Nigeria’s soul and territories.

    The sleepy town of Ore was historically known as the battle ground where the Biafran soldiers’ advancement into Lagos was halted by the superior and sophisticated weaponry power and tactical maneuvers of the Nigerian forces during the civil war.

    The battle was so fierce that it lasted for so long, almost unending. It was a defining moment in the war history, one which prevented the Biafran soldiers from gaining access to overrun the Western region of Nigeria, particularly, Ibadan and Lagos that were the seat of the Western Region government and Nigeria’s federal capital, respectively.

    This battle epitomised the defeat suffered the most by the ravaging Biafran Army which, consequently, led to the prevention of the Biafran troops from gaining further territorial leverage after they had captured the Midwestern states.

    Ore is a gateway town, situated in a vantage position between the Western and the Eastern parts of Nigeria. The historic town was so important to Nigeria’s continuity that it could sway victory to the enemy if captured during the civil war by the Biafran soldiers. The Nigerian Army has a real test and fierce battle for the soul of Nigeria at Ore. The Biafran Army which could not withstand the firepower of Nigerian troops retreated and the war was eventually restricted to the Eastern side of the federation.

    Vestiges of the civil war are still evident in this town and in our history till date as “o le ku, ija ore” was coined as a Yoruba maxim in describing the great military battle at Ore during the Nigerian civil war.

    In spite of the significance of Ore in the history the country and its strategic gateway location between the Western and the Eastern axes of Nigeria, Ore remained a very semi-urban town with poor infrastructure to support its huge population that comprised people from different parts of the country who have found a home in the town as traders and farmers.

    Also, Ore’s potential as a viable transit gate between the western and the eastern parts of Nigeria is another reason that its population is booming. The town has, however, been growing organically from its modest beginning after the civil war without no concerted effort by successive federal and state administrations to address infrastructure deficit of this this historic town. More importantly, to develop it into a functional city with full options of infrastructural development that will support her ever-teeming population after the civil war.

    Ore now enjoys the attention it deserves since the inception of the administration of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN). Governor Akeredolu has made true his promise of making Ore, a once-theatre-of-war town into becoming one of the industrial hubs of Nigeria.

    Akeredolu gave hope to Ore town as it joins the league of industrialised areas of the country. It is a common sight passing through Ore to see massive constructions of overhead bridges and link roads on the expressway to Lagos, Benin and Ondo town. These will serve as infrastructure support baseline for Ore as an industrial hub.

    When these multi-billion Naira constructions are completed, it will put an end to the traffic jam on the popular Ore Junction and adequately ease the flow of traffic on the notorious transit axis of Lagos-Benin-Ondo Road in Ore town that was partially caused by the location of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) deport at the entrance of the expressway in Ore.

    In his determination to ensure the realisation of Ore as an industrial hub and as a solid economic base for Ondo State, Governor Akeredolu has embarked on an investment tour to China at the inception of his administration in 2017. That tour gave birth to an entirely new industrial park, now called Ondo Linyi Industrial Park, situated at Ore. The park is an offshoot of Linyi Municipal Government of Shandong in China where Akeredolu signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Linyi Municipal Government of Shandong Province of the People’s Republic of China in 2017.

    Since that MoU was signed, many Investors from the Shandong Province of China have made good their promise to set up different industries in this park.

    Already, Linyi Industrial Park in Ore is bubbly as human and vehicular traffic are common features of the landscape of this once-empty space in the woods. Different companies have set up plants and warehouses while many other companies are undergoing construction.

    A paper mill, a textile company, an ethanol plant, a medium-density fiberboard, a high-density fiberboard and plywood factories and a host of other agriculture products-based companies have commenced production at the Ore Industrial Park.

    With the completion of the paper mill, the ethanol plant, the plywood factory and other industries, they will provide combined efforts in excess of over 20,000 direct jobs while many more double that figure are expected to benefit from jobs created down the value chain for residents of the state.

    The choice of Ore as the nation’s industrial hub was apt and a decision well thought out by Akeredolu because the town is strategically located between the western and the eastern gateway of the country.

    The people in the community are mostly settlers. The land is devoid of the activities of the notorious land grabbers who often prevent ease of doing business in some other traditional settlements.

    The proximity of Ore to Lagos ports through the proposed bridge by the Akeredolu’s administration over the Atlantic Ocean to Lekki in Lagos is the icing on the cake that makes Ore town the perfect location for the nation’s next industrial hub where thousands of hectares of land are in abundant and waiting for development.

    Sooner than later, Ore will become an industrial hub.

    Many established companies in Nigeria are now taking advantage of the opportunities provided by the Ondo State government in assisting prospective businesses in securing land free to establish their factories upon request. More than 50 existing companies in Nigeria have made inquiries on how to relocate their companies to Ore and be part of the industrial revolution going on in Ondo State.

    No doubt, Akeredolu has, through his performance indices across the nook and cranny of the state, etched his name in the history of the state as a visionary leader; one with inexorable desire for the growth and development of his people.

    • Steve Otaloro is the Director of Media and Publicity of the APC in Ondo State.

  • Cleric preaches unity at Synod

    It was another annual Synod, the 31st of its kind, for the Methodist Church of Nigeria (Diocese of Owo) in Ondo State where delegates came from within and outside the state to witness the opening ceremony.

    The theme of the Synod was “Obedience to God Better than Sacrifice”.

    At the occasion, Bishop of Owo Diocese, Methodist Church, Nigeria, Rt. Rev. Solomon Adegbite, canvassed for constitutional democracy in Nigeria.

    He decried a situation where court orders were disregarded; stressing that such development would breed anarchy.

    Rev. Adegbite spoke at the synod held at the Methodist Church, Nigeria, Ehin-ogbe, Owo, Ondo State.

    Delegates from various circuits, special areas and sections within the diocese were in attendance.

    The cleric noted that the act of impunity by political office holders should be discouraged.

    He said: “There is the need for the government, especially at the federal level, to give right orientation to political office holders to behave accordingly.

    He said anti-corruption crusade must not be turned to witch-hunting, saying “if corruption must be fought, it must be across board and not partial or selective”.

    Adegbite pointed out that the kind of attention the trial of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen attracted should be extended to others involved in any corruption-related allegations.

    On Federal Character, the cleric called for absolute respect of the policy.

    “A situation where appointments to political offices are lopsided in favour of a particular tribe and religion is unfair, fairness to all Nigerians is superglue that will keep us together,” he said.

    Adegbite decried the attitude of a section of the country that regards other sections as slaves or second-class citizens, saying that cannot build an egalitarian society for Nigerians to co-exist.

    Commenting on the recent general elections, the cleric said there were still elements of rigging, harassment, vote buying and selling, but  noted that the exercise were generally fair and peaceful in Ondo State.

    He hailed Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for prompt payment of salaries, school renovations and road construction.

    The Diocesan Lay President, Prof. Oladapo Olawoye described the annual Synod as the constitutional meeting of the Diocese with the highest power of the conference to appropriate and set the benchmark for leading the flock of God in line with the laid down rules of the Methodist Church.

    Olawoye noted that the main problem in Nigeria was not lack of money, but failure to manage the resources available.

    The Oloba of Uso, Oba Ademola Oyinbade hailed Bishop Adegbite for the progress in Owo Diocese, even as he urged the entire members of the Methodist Church Nigeria to continue spreading the gospel for the betterment of the country and its people.

  • Lawmaker seeks peaceful coexistence

    A House of Representatives member-elect, Otunba Timehin Adelegbe, has urged Muslims to continue to promote peaceful coexistence, love and tolerance even beyond the Ramadan period.

    Adelegbe made this known in a statement by his Media aide Wale Akingbade.

    The business mogul said meaningful development can only take place in an atmosphere devoid of rancour and acrimony.

    He appealed to Nigerians to tolerate one another for the country to witness rapid growth and development.

    “I urged you all to live in peace with one another and imbibe the spirit of tolerance for the progress of the country, as no meaningful development can take place in a crisis-filled society.

    Read also: Ondo Varsity gets Acting Registrar

    “Islam, as stated in Holy Qur’an is a religion of peace that upholds the values of love for one another and peaceful coexistence.

    “I, therefore, celebrate with all Muslims of my Ose/Owo Constituency and Nigeria at large, as they begin their Ramadan fasting and prayer. I pray that Almighty Allah bless you all with happiness and accept our acts of Ibadah during and after the fast,” he said.

    Adelegbe reassured the people of the constituency of his readiness to deliver his campaign promises.

    According to him, plans are on top gear to set up a committee for the speedy implementation of all the promises he made during the campaigns.

  • Ondo to partner local professionals in project execution

    Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has indicated his administration’s readiness to partner professionals in the state to enhance ongoing massive infrastructural growth.

    He spoke in Akure at the third Annual Lecture and Investiture of Mr. Adedire Adeyinka as the fourth Chairman of Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), Ondo State Chapter.

    The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ifedayo Abegunde, solicited the support of the professional bodies for his administration’s efforts to bring dividends of democracy to the people through road construction and establishment of industries to create employment opportunities.

    Read Also: 100 women empowered in Ondo

    He reiterated his administration’s efforts to bring dividends of democracy to people through massive infrastructure growth in road construction and establishing industries for job creation.

    The governor hailed the dynamism of APBN for its proactiveness in giving a sense of direction to at least 30 functional professional bodies.

  • Muslims converge in Owo for Olowo

    Muslims across Nigeria has converged on Owo in Ondo state for a Jumat service in honour of the late Olowo of Owo kingdom, Oba Victor David Olagbegi-Olateru.

    It was held at the Central Mosque, Owo.

    Oba Olateru- Olagbegi’s death was officially announced on April 18 at 77.

    The crowded religious service, was led by the Chief Imam of Owo Kingdom, Chief Sheikh Ahmed Aladesawe, who described the departed monarch as a man of  honour, amiable, gentle and accommodating with good responsibility to Islamic  programmes despite the fact that he was a core Christian.

    He said” The late king is a king of honour blessed with glorious children. He accepted two major religions.

    “Though he was a Christian to the core, he never degraded Islam. In fact some of his children are Muslim.”.

    Aladesawe added that the ancient town witnessed tremendous development during his reign, saying the entire state would miss the late king’s generosity and immense roles.

    The Chief Imam prayed for the repose of the deceased.

    Speaking with reporters, Wife of Oba of Lagos, Olori Adenike Mariam Rilwan-Akinolu, a younger sister to the late monarch, described him as a kind loving brother loved by everybody.

    Olori Rilwan-Akinolu said she became worried when the news of the exit of late Olowo filtered in.

    “We just celebrated his 20th anniversary on the throne and not too long that we heard his death. l became worried because he was too kind to me and to everyone as well.

    Read Also: Olowo: Tribute to a gentleman Oba

    He and my husband, Oba of Lagos had good rapport, always communicating because my brother taught my husband in Law school and they are both kings” she said.

    Similarly, a leader of Oba of Lagos delegation, Chief Ajayi Yusuf Akinlaja, stated that what he heard about the late king was highly commendable.

    “I knew him as our brother-in-law and I heard about his generosity to Owo Kingdom, the state and the southwest in general.

    “I know that Owo people will miss him a lot though traditionally king does not die but changes” he stated

    In his remarks, one of the foremost chiefs in the town, Chief Jamiu Afolabi  Ekungba,  said that the late monarch never allowed fame and popularity to weigh him down.

    Ekungba added that the king was very humble, accommodating and listening, saying that he would be missed by not only Owo people but Nigeria because he impacted many notable Nigerians whom he taught in Law school.

    He noted that Owo town had astonishing and rapid development during the reign of the king.

    Ekungba described Oba Olateru Olagbegi as a devout Christian of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) but that he saw himself as king to Owo people and not failing his expected roles in any of three major religions.

    “He would stand with Muslims, donate and contribute towards their development and as well respected the value of culture and traditions of Owo,” Ekungba said.

    According to him, the fear that is permeating the ancient town especially among the kingmaker is how to present somebody that will not be too low to qualities of the departed Monarch.

    The Caretaker Chairman of the local government area, Adebayo Benjamin explained that late Oba Olateru Olagbegi was fatherly, intelligent and a great man of honour.

    Oke prayed God to give the deceased family, Owo kingdom the fortitude to bear the loss.

  • Why Nigerian lawyers must embrace technology–Akeredolu

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Tuesday advised lawyers in the country to take advantage of  the current developments in technology to improve the legal profession.

    Akeredolu gave the advice at the 2019 Annual Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Section on Legal Practice which took place at the International Event Centre in Akure.

    The governor said the introduction of technology into legal practice would promote proficiency, save cost as well as improve practice and service delivery.

    Akeredolu noted that the step would also give both the bench  and the bar proficiency and better leverage.

    He, however, argued that artificial intelligence could never totally replace  practitioners but rather assist them.

    The governor also described as archaic a situation where lawyers take boxes of books and files to court for reference instead of  using a  digital library.

    “Technology will certainly assist with the things that are repetitive. We cannot run away from technology, it is good,” he said.

    Read Also: Akeredolu, Adekoya, Falana, others for conference

    Earlier, Tanko Muhammed, the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), had urged  legal practitioners to be fair to clients and ensure professionalism.

    Represented by Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, the CJN enjoined  lawyers to add value to the profession by critical examination and analysis of services rendered to their clients for the betterment of the society.

    According to him, the theme ‘Value Added to Legal Practice’ is encompassing and includes but not limited to probate practice, labour law as well as  identifying the strength, weaknesses, opportunity and threat to valued added legal practice,

    “It would further give opportunity to legal practitioners to analyse and improve the quality of their services and their revenue,” he said.

    He stressed that adding value would ensure responsiveness, integrity, problem solving and efficiency mutually beneficial to members of the legal profession and their clients.

    NAN

  • Ritual killings: Ondo community on marathon prayers, fasting

    Disturbed by two recent incidents of ritual killings which occurred simultaneously in Arigidi, Akoko Northeast local government area of Ondo state, the Zaki Arigidi,-in-council has pronounced the commencement of interdenominational prayer session and fasting to curtail the menace.

    Besides, the community leaders employed the service of traditionalists and vigilante group for action.

    Two women were killed in the community within one week interval, their breasts were clinically removed, a development that was strange to Arigidi Akoko community regarded as very peaceful.

    Oba Yisa Olanipekun met with women who are family members of victims of the gruesome killing.

    The monarch disclosed that an indigene of Arigidi Akoko from Ogo quarters, Tunde Ajileye alias Efo, 30 year old had been napped when his father surrendered him to the traditional ruler who handed him to the police.

    The police men took him to Akure to join two other suspects now at the state Criminal Investigation Department, Akure.

    READ ALSO: Fear grips Ondo community over ritual killings

    A woman leader, Mrs. Ayoka Oshodi on behalf other women blamed youths looking for blood money.

    She appealed to parents to monitor their children living above their income.

    The chairman, Akoko Northwest local government, Elder Samson Akande said his administration would give priority to security and generation of revenue.

    He said he was not happy with the recent killings of two innocent women at Arigidi Akoko.

    Akande called on his management team to liaise with traditional rulers to make sure life and property are safe in the local government.

    He hailed Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for his leadership style which made infrastructures possible in every nook and cranny of the state.

  • Ondo: Akeredolu and APC’s festering crisis

    There is fear that except the national leadership of All Progressives Congress moves fast to resolve the festering crisis within its Ondo State chapter, the party may be threatened in future elections, reports Assistant Editor, ‘Dare Odufowokan

    THE crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has deepened as stakeholders within the ruling party continue to haul brickbats at one another over the reported querying and suspension of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC over allegations of anti-party activities during the last general elections in the state.

    According to party sources who spoke to The Nation on the raging crisis on condition of anonymity, Akeredolu is being accused of using state and party machineries to support the aspirations of some National Assembly candidates who contested the February National Assembly Elections on the platform of the Action Alliance (AA) in some parts of the state.

    The Nation gathered that the reported suspension of the governor is not unconnected with the hordes of petitions received from numerous chieftains of the party in the state accusing Akeredolu of dumping the APC candidates in the affected areas and supporting the AA candidates as part of his camp’s protest against the alleged imposition of some National Assembly candidates by the national leadership of the party contrary to the desires of the governor.

    Trouble started between the governor and the Adams Oshiomhole-led NWC when the party decided to give automatic tickets to the three senators in the state to seek re-elections on its platform. Akeredolu, who had been at loggerheads with one of the beneficiaries, Senator Ajayi Borrofice, protested and insisted that primary elections be held, to determine who the APC candidates should be in the elections in the state.

     

    Suspended, unaware

    After the general elections, the NWC of the APC reportedly communicated Akeredolu’s suspension to him following a query earlier issued him by the national leadership of the ruling party, urging him to defend allegations of anti-party activities leveled against him by some prominent members of the party across the state. Party sources told The Nation that scores of petitions were received by the NWC from members of the APC in the state on the matter.

    Reports claim the governor was told in clear terms that he will remain on suspension from the party for engaging in anti-party activities until a decision is taken on whether to expel him from the ruling party or have him punished in other ways as allowed by the constitution of the party. While the party is yet to make an official statement confirming the reports, it has also failed to issue a statement debunking the reports.

    Early last month, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Isa-Onilu, after the meeting presided over by Oshiomhole, the APC announced that Akeredolu’s anti-party activities “greatly affected the fortunes of its candidates in the recently conducted Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.” Isa-Onilu, while speaking to reporters, also confirmed that a query had been sent to Akeredolu based on the directive of the NWC.

    “Yes, it has been done. The query has been sent to him according to the NWC’s resolution,” he said, while adding that he couldn’t tell whether the governor had responded to the query at the time or not. “It is not to my knowledge whether he has replied the query. You know that it is not my department that handles that particular assignment. I am not the one to receive his reply if he has done so. But I know that a query has been dispatched to him,” he said.

    However, Segun Ajiboye, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, while insisting that reports of the suspension are untrue, said his boss has yet to receive any query from the party’s National Working Committee. “As far as we are concerned, it is a rumour. The governor did not receive any query. The matter itself is an internal affair of the party which will be handled by the party.”

    Meanwhile, checks at the secretariat of the party revealed that the APC’s NWC may had on the first day of March, taken the decision to issue a query to the governor following its conclusion that Akeredolu has some explanations to make over some of his activities during the last general elections in the state as alleged in some of the petitions received by the party against him.

     

    Unending spats

    Recently, Otito Atikase, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Akeredolu on Political Affair’s, re-ignited the face-off in the embattled state chapter of the APC when he accused the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, and the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, of being behind the travails of the governor in the party. According to him, some forces are bent on working against Akeredolu at all cost.

    “Akeredolu is a principled man who does not play politics with anything goes. “He will not allow anything that is not right to be done. Tinubu and Oshiomhole should not rule the party for their expansionist and narrow agenda. All I can see is the aftermath of the defeat Tinubu suffered when he sponsored Alliance for Democracy, AD, against Akeredolu in 2016.What disciplinary action did the party put in place?

    Oshiomhole, on the other hand, wanted his candidate to be picked after him in Edo but Akeredolu supported the man on the seat-Obaseki. Adams was very angry, so he became Chairman of the party to witch-hunt our governor. All I know is that Ondo people will determine who governs them. The God who brought Akeredolu to governance is not dead but reigns supreme over them,” Atikase said.

    But Bola Ilori, a chieftain of the party, accused Governor Akeredolu, of being the “spanner in the cog of wheel” of peace in the party. The former Commissioner for Regional Integration in Osun State said Akeredolu’s vengefulness and uncooperative attitude are the root causes of the lingering disunity and disharmony within the state chapter of the APC.

    “It was well reported on national headlines that Akeredolu organised an attack on me at the venue of an official government assignment in Akure. We were to go to court, but some elders of the party, led by Chief Bisi Akande, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Pius Akinyelure and others, intervened. They appealed to all aggrieved against the gubernatorial election processes to drop all further agitation and return to the party and embrace unity.

    “I also wish to place on the record that, as the Director General of the Alliance for Democracy campaigns in 2016, I don’t have any record of funding received from Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola or Senator Ajayi Boroffice for the AD. I dare Akeredolu and his team to come up with such fact. Let it be noted that neither Asiwaju Tinubu nor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola directed us to the AD nor funded the party.

    “They did not campaign for the party to the best of my record, also. If any of Akeredolu minions is in possession of substantive evidence against any of our leaders let such fellow come forward with it or forever keep their peace. We, as adults have rights to our independent actions and Asiwaju never encourage sycophancy, he promotes robust intellectual discuss and don’t see dissent as a crime, yet we voluntarily hold him in high esteem,” Ilori countered.

     

    Fresh trouble

    Sadly, efforts to resolve the differences among the chieftains of the party appear not to be yielding fruits. Instead, a fresh face-off recently erupted between the camps of Governor Akeredolu and Senator Borrofice over a petition filed against the victory of the Senator at the National Assembly Election last February. As we speak, some aggrieved members of the party have ruled out reconciliation with the governor, accusing him of still working against the party.

    Specifically, Boroffice recently accused Akeredolu of instigating a petition against him at the election tribunal. In a statement by his Press Secretary, Kayode Fakuyi, the Senator claimed the governor’s loyalist, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, sponsored a petition against him at the Election Petition Tribunal as the candidate of the APC, in the last election in the state. He also insisted that Akeredolu was in the know of the said petition.

    The statement was in response to an earlier claim by one of the governor’s aides that Akeredolu intervened on behalf of the APC and Boroffice by asking the Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN), to withdraw the petition it submitted to the tribunal over the absence of its logo on the ballot paper. The petition was subsequently withdrawn to save Borrofice’s mandate.

    But Fakuyi said: “The Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN) did not actually file petition against INEC and Boroffice. It was the senatorial candidate of Action Alliance (AA) for Ondo North, Mr. Tunji Abayomi, who sponsored the case on behalf of MPN without the authorisation of the national leadership of MPN.

    “Instructively, Mr. Tunji Abayomi of the Action Alliance could not have sponsored the case without the support and nod of his political leader, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu. From the above-stated facts, it is clear Governor Rotimi Akeredolu did not play any such role like role of arbiter in the resolution of the MPN to discontinue a case that was initiated and instituted on its behalf without its authorisation.”

     

    Still a divided House

    As part of the effort to resolve the crisis before the last general election, a Peace and Reconciliation Committee was inaugurated by the party in January. Speaking during the inauguration of the 15 man committee, Adetimehin had said the committee was put in place to resolve all the crises within the party ahead of the election. He also charged the committee to draw from their political experience to ensure that every aggrieved member of the party is pacified.

    “You have been carefully selected. I charge you to represent the party well and justify the confidence reposed in you. You are not going to judge anyone but write and submit a report to us based on what you meet on the field,” he said back then. He urged the committee, which was decentralised into senatorial zones, to submit its report to the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, within the next one week. But it appears nothing good came out of the assignment of the peace committee.

    Currently, a number of other leading figures of the APC in Ondo State, including former chairman of the party, Isaac Kekemeke, a former Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, as well as a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bamidele Baderinwa, are currently at loggerheads with the governor and his people. Reliable party sources said most of the aggrieved members are not ready for the reconciliation.

    When contacted, the Chairman of the party in the state, Chief Ade Adetimehin, said stories of crises and disagreements in the party are being sponsored by enemies of the party. According to him, before, during and after the elections, the party was and remained united. “I want to tell you that there is no crisis in our party. We remain one and that is why we are doing great in the state. The APC in Ondo State is moving forward and we have no problem.”

    But a group within the state chapter of the party disagrees with Adetimehin. According to the Mandate Group, the crisis currently troubling the APC in Ondo State is capable of affecting the chances of the party in the forthcoming gubernatorial election and as such, should promptly be looked into by the national leadership of the ruling party. The group also wants the state leadership of the party sacked.

    The group, which has been complaining that Governor Akeredolu was working against the interest of the party said Akeredolu and the state party chairman actually worked for the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar in the election, attributing the PDP victory in the state to the anti-party activities carried out by the governor.

    Addressing newsmen at the APC national secretariat, the group’s Publicity Secretary, Comrade Olugbenga Bojuwomi, said they have evidence that Akeredolu did not vote for President Muhammadu Buhari and all APC candidates in the Feb. 23 Presidential and National Assembly Elections. The aggrieved party members also blamed the governor and the leadership of the party in the state for the disunity within the party in the state.