The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ONDO

  • Strike takes toll in Ondo

    Strike takes toll in Ondo

    From Akure DAMISI OJO reports that patients in various hospitals across Ondo State are having a traumatic experience over the nationwide strike embarked upon by members of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA)over their demands which had crippled medical services in government hospitals in the State.

    Many of the hospitals visited by The Nation in Akure and few local government areas showed that many patients have been forcefully discharged from the hospitals.

    According to the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the State Specialist Hospital, Akure, Dr Adeniran Ikuomola, patients with serious conditions had been discharged even before the commencement of the strike, in anticipation of any eventuality.

    He said the management took the decision to reduce the sufferings of the patients, stressing that those left behind are having minor cases that could be handled by nurses.

    Dr Ikuomola said repeated appeals for skeletal services were rebuffed because the NMA has threatened to sanction any doctor that tries to sabotage the struggle.

    He expressed optimism that the strike would not last too long before it is resolved, stressing that God has been in total control of their activities at the hospital since the strike commenced without casualties.

    Activities were at the lowest ebb at the Specialist Hospital. Its premises were deserted, no medical doctors available. However, security men at the gates were at alert watching visitor’s movement in and out of the hospital.

    Nurses were at work to give assistance to few patients whose conditions warrant attention.

    The congested wards of the hospital which normally enjoys heavy presence of doctors however had other health workers attending to in-patients.

    The Accident and Emergency (A and E) units of the hospital, which also treats emergency cases, were also deserted.

    The male ward was empty, with nurses busy sorting out pending files.  In the female surgical wards, a few patients listed in minor condition were on their beds sleeping.

    Senior Nurses were in the Children ward attending to them, some were even being bathed.

    At the General hospital in Okitipupa, it was learnt that patients who had decided to move out left for their respective homes to rely on their medications pending the end of the strike.

    Sources said nurses at the hospital were overburdened, and had advised patients to leave the hospital wards in their own interest.

    At the Ikare Akoko General hospital, sources hinted that nurses were managing the few patients in the wards. They were said to be administering drugs to in-patients.

    Sources said the nurses there were only attending to in-patients, and that new patients were being prevented from obtaining hospital cards for treatment.

    The story was the same at Ido Ani government hospital in Ose local government area, where no doctor was available.  Some patients were seen pleading with nurses to give them drugs.

    It was gathered that many of the patients had been advised to return to their respective homes.

    With this development, owners of private hospitals in the state are now smiling to their banks as they are now having a boom in business because of surging patients.

    A patient, Mrs Doriz Okofu said the strike embarked upon by doctors would have adverse effect on the masses, stressing that many ailing persons in severe conditions had been discharged immediately.

    She pleaded with the federal government to meet the demand of the doctors to rescue people from untimely deaths.

    Reports from Federal Medical Centre (FMC) indicate that Residents Doctors also abandoned various wards, but Consultants and Nurses were at their duty posts attending to patients.

    Its Chief Medical Director (CMD) Dr Olufemi Omotosho said the Consultants and Nurses were carrying out their normal duties as expected saying the hospital is not feeling the pulse of the strike too much.

    However, a visit to the Mother and Child Hospitals both in Akure and Ondo town was a different ball game.

    Consultants and Nurses were fully at work as normal medical services were being rendered to the people and patients. The Medical personnel there declined comments on the doctors’ strike.

    A relative of one of the patients on admission at the State Specialists Hospital in Akure, Mr Amos Jayeoba told The Nation that they decided to remain behind in the hospital because they could not afford the huge medical bill at a private hospital in the vicinity.

    According to him, “God has been helping me with the assistance of nurses around to manage the health condition of my younger brother Sunday who had a road accident a month before the strike and may be discharged this week.

    He used the opportunity to plead with the federal government to respond to the demands of the striking Doctors to save human lives.

  • 30 yrs after, court fines Ondo firm over illegal possession of land

    AN Okitipupa High Court in Ondo State has fined Okitipupa Oil Palm, the sum of N2million over unlawful acquiring of 29.571 hectares of land belonging to the Awotokunle Akinnameji family of Ode-Irele in Irele local government area of the state.

    The oil palm company was said to have taken possession of the land for the past 30 years  without the express permission of the plaintiff.

    According to the claimant’s leading counsel, Victor Ajisomo, his client’s grandfather, Akinmameji, founded the land called Awotokunhe Akinmameji family land, Maran quarters in Ode-Irele.

    He added that the acts of trespass of the defendant into the land started in 1984 when the workers of the defendant came to the land and started planting oil palm seedlings without concrete agreement with members of the family.

    But the defendant’s lawyer, Olu Ogungbemi, submitted that the claimants had acquiesced their right over the land in dispute as they did not challenge the defendant when the planting of the palm seedlings were done on the promise that members of their family would be employed as staff of the defendant.

    The presiding judge, Samuel Bola, said the claimant has succeeded in proving their case by preponderance of evidence as required by the provision of the Evidence Act.

  • Operation halted in Ondo hospitals

    Medical officers in public hospitals in Ondo State yesterday joined their colleagues for the indefinite strike of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), which began yesterday.

    The strike almost paralysed activities in government health facilities.

    It was learnt that patients with serious ailments had been discharged before the strike started.

    The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the State Specialist Hospital in Akure, Dr Adeniran Ikuomola, explained that the management took the decision to reduce the suffering of the patients.

    He said those retained on admission were those with minor cases that nurses could handle.

    Our reporter noticed that nurses were seen attending to patients; the doctors complied with the NMA leadership’s directive.

    Some nurses, who spoke in confidence, told our reporter that they were only doing the job expected of them.

     

  • Upo Village and its mysteries

    Upo Village and its mysteries

    In the small village of Upo in Ondo State are various and interesting ancient things that would make one marvel. Taiwo Abiodun reports

    AT the entrance of the village is the billboard that reads” Welcome to Upo Community.” Upo is a hamlet. It is very close to Iyere, in Owo Local Government Area, Ondo State. It is along Benin Road, about 35 minutes drive to the ancient city.

    Apart from the community’s royal palace which  is still under construction, there are thatch-roofed houses,  bamboo sheds, mud houses and also a few buildings made of bricks with corrugated  iron sheets. The villagers are mainly peasant farmers, tilling the ground and grazing animals. Majority of the villagers are Christians and Muslims while only few openly practice African traditional religions. This notwithstanding, they all live in harmony .The environment is peaceful and neat with different plants and shrubs dotting the landscape.  The spiritual and community leader, Chief Adewale Ojo, 75 years old, who is a peasant farmer, did not hide his profession as he was met with his cutlass in his hands and his hoe placed on his shoulder- evidencing that he was just arriving from the farm.

    Road to Upo

    At the Iyere junction along Benin Road is the beautiful signpost showing the road to Upo Village. According to Chief Gbenga Alade, an historian and a researcher (and also the Vice Principal of Ijebu Community High School), the name Upo was inherited from Ile Ife.  There is also a hamlet in the main Ile-Ife Town.

    The monarch of the village, His Highness Adewale Ojo, said it is forbidden to offload or carry load on one’s head at the entrance of the gate leading to Upo. He said, “We don’t do it. It is forbidden and it is calamitous, no one should carry load or offload or place load on his head at the entrance of this village here. We all know that it is forbidden.”

    Asked what could happen if that is done, the village head shook his head with pity and said, “That is how we met it and we must obey it.”

    Mysterious ditches

    Going round the village one could see ditches dug round it though the ditches are shallow but it was deeper than this when it was dug. According to one of the most respectable sons of Upo , Mr. Akinwale  Francis Oladimeji, “These ditches were dug  round Upo during the  period of our forefathers. If you go round the village you will still see them, we call it yara. Enemies had never been here to fight us. Anytime they were preparing and organising to wage war, they would be destabilised and confused and they would change their mind by fighting themselves. Examples abound. We had never been at war with anybody. I remember when ‘Ado’ people (Benin) came to wage war against us, they could not enter the town as they were confused and while many were jumping into the ditches others were drowning, and we never went to war with them.”

    “We won the war not only because of the ditches we dug to safeguard us here. Traditionally, that in the history of Yoruba race, no warrior had ever succeeded in coming here to wage war against us or conquered us here and, it had never been witnessed here for they would all have perished. History is there to attest to this,” he said with confidence, beating his chest, and added, “That is how it is from time immemorial, you can see that this place is small, our population is not many but the people here are very, very powerful. Our forefathers safeguarded this town with unseen powers that can never be unravelled. That is why that neighbouring towns and villages still fear us till today, for they did not understand where we got the power from.”

    Though they were feared, believing they had powerful soldiers and armaments, they were despised because of their number, they fought with their trenches, supported by the rivers that also surrounded the village. One of the villagers recalled: “The Ogboho River used to defend us in the past; it would rise and cover the enemies who came against us during war times.  War could never get here. It was once a big river where. Today, we the indigenes use to bathe in it.”

    The village head declared, “We used to kidnap healthy and robust people in the olden days and they were made to work for the progress of the town unlike nowadays when they use human beings for rituals. All these things were done during the slave trade, unlike now when they are killing them .We did not kill any kidnapped victim then and we called it kodokodo. If you wanted your hamlet to be beautiful, you have to kidnap hefty and healthy men and make them work for you , make them work in your farm or for the town.”

    According to investigation, the village has been in existence since the 18th century. No one knows exactly the date due to lack of records. But the story has it that the people migrated from Ile Ife, where the Yoruba progenitor, Oduduwa the founder of Yoruba race, came from.

    Mysterious leaf!

    There is a mysterious leaf in the town. In local parlance it is called Ewe Ayira (Wandering leaf). According to the villagers, no stranger, however smart he is, plucks the leaf and goes scot free. Any stranger that plucks it would be restless, moving from one place to another and would not leave the vicinity until he drops it.

    It is difficult to differentiate the leaf as it looks like ordinary ones and could be mistaken for the ones used for wrapping moinmoin, pounded yam, pap or whatever. The village head told the story of the mysterious leaf. He said, “Our forefathers migrated from Ile Ife in the 1880s, they came with many mysterious things and  they planted and buried many fetish  things here for our security and to make sure war will not be experienced here. This leaf is among those security measures they added to it.

    “We have caught strangers who stole our agricultural products but added this leaf in their load, not knowing its implication, because the leaves could be taken for the ordinary household leaves meant for wrapping pap, moinmoin and many other things. It is now due to civilisation and pressure that we are trying to have a police station here now. We don’t have a police post here and nobody steals here but now due to civilisation and in order to follow the trend of time, the community has now donated some plots of land to the police to build a police station there in order to fulfil all righteousness in this modern world.”

    The mysterious stone (Ota Kobo)

    Discovered  in the village  to the amazement  of the  community is a strange stone  called Ota Kobo (Kobo stone) .The  mysterious stone has holes  of  shoe sizes that will fit in a newly born baby’ s feet and also matured men and women of all ages. According to Madam Ajike Filani who is one of the residents of the community, “We discovered it a long time ago but with no access to the media, we could not publicise it. We also discovered special natural artistic drawings on the stone .We cannot read them and they have meanings .We called it Ota Kobo. It has many designs on it.  We don’t know how they came about. We called it Oyinbo Kaa ti (The White men found it difficult to interpret. On the stone are designs of chairs, legs and other natural things engraved on them naturally.”

    “We were glad that we could see this stone among the precious things what our forefathers left behind for us. Now we have inherited it and many people have been coming here to have a look at it. We were told by our parents that our forefathers used to offer sacrifice to it whenever there was calamity, such as when it failed to rain or during outbreak of diseases. We all do this irrespective of our different religions.”

  • Ondo CJ’s meeting with lawyers end in deadlock

    Ondo CJ’s meeting with lawyers end in deadlock

    The boycott of courts by lawyers in Ondo State entered the seventh day yesterday.

    The lawyers are protesting against a circular issued by the State Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Olasehinde Kumuyi, which makes the presentation of tax clearance compulsory for sureties.

    Tax clearance costs N75,000 minimum.

    Courtrooms were deserted by lawyers, litigants and judges.

    A meeting held last night between Judiciary officials and lawyers last night ended in a deadlock, as the lawyers insisted that the CJ must withdraw the circular.

    They said bail terms should remain at the discretion of courts, not dictated by a circular.

    The lawyers said pensioners are exempted from Personal Income Tax and should not be prevented from standing as sureties, adding: “Even a tax evader must be given fair hearing before he is punished. A court of law cannot create extra judicial administrative punishment not known to our law.”

    The CJ insisted on implementing the circular.

    No resolution was reached at the meeting and the lawyers said the boycott would continue.

    A source hinted that lawyers may petition the National Judiciary Council (NJC) on the matter.

    The lawyers said apart from practice directions and rules, court proceedings and judgment could not be directed by a circular.

     

  • Dispute over choice of new monarch in Ondo community

    Moves to fill the vacant stool of Olumoru of Imoru community in Ose local government area of Ondo State are causing ripples in the ancient community.

    Sources hinted that one of the contenders to the throne who is said not to be favoured by the kingmakers is allegedly threatening to attack the choice of the kingmakers for the stool.

    Prominent indigenes of the town are said to be concerned over the development, which according to them, may cause acrimony in the ancient community.

    Six indigenes from the ruling house were said to have signified their intention to contest for the throne, which became vacant following the demise of the late Olumoru, Oba Abel Okinbaloye early last year.

    A Regent, who is an octogenarian, High Chief Sunday Oluagbaka, has assumed responsibilities of administering the town during the current period of interregnum.

    The Contestants are a serving Permanent Secretary, Prince Ade Okiti, Charles Olotu based in Canada; a Journalist, Rotimi Obamuwagun, Akin Oluwafemi, Bade Olowojoba and Ade Aboluwodi.

    Sources disclosed that Okiti is the most favoured among the contenders and his choice has been made known to others.

    However, one of the contestants has allegedly vowed to frustrate the efforts of the kingmakers to present Okiti’s name to Ose local government for consideration and approval.

    Some indigenes of the community who spoke to The Nation pleaded with the kingmakers and the local government to expedite action on the selection process.

     

  • Ondo: Disquiet as lawmakers, party chieftains allege victimisation

    Intrigues continue to trail the emergence of new leadership at the Ondo State House of Assembly. Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan reports that Governor Olusegun Mimiko and some aggrieved lawmaker are now on war path

    Crisis is looming within the ruling party in Ondo State over alleged plot by the government and leadership of the Labour Party (LP) to deal with lawmakers and other chieftains of the party suspected to be critical of the administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

    Although there has been indications that all is not well between the Governor and some chieftains of the party for a while now, the latest pointer to the fact that the party may be set to witness a serious internal crisis is the  dissolution of the House Committees by the new Speaker of the State House of Assembly,Princess Jumoke Akindele shortly after her election last week Tuesday.

    Sources within the party say the action has been interpreted as a move by the Governor and his cohorts to pay some lawmakers who refused to toe the same line with the governor over party and government decisions, back in their own coins.

    Already, the ‘G92  lawmakers who voted for Mr Oyebo Aladetan against the new Speaker, Princess Jumoke Akindele, who is widely believed to be Governor Mimiko’s candidate for the position, have gone to town with allegations that they are being targeted for victimisation.

    “The situation in the party now is that some people are saying the dissolution of House committees is the first step in a plot that will see lawmakers who opposed the Governor’s choice being removed from choice positions. It is the first step before the more serious punishment of denying many of them return tickets to the House in 2015. This is why they are alleging that they are being targeted .

    Many of them who before now are in juicy committees like Cash Allocation,Finance & Appropriation,Tender,Works,and Human Capital Committees may be removed to pave way for the “loyal” members as ordered from above,” our source claimed.

    The loyal members are those who supported Mimiko’s decisions. They include those who voted for Akindele and those who were present at the controversial budget presentation earlier in the year. Those to be dealt with, according to sources are those who supported Aladetan’s decision to contest the Speakership in spite of instructions by the Governor and the party leadership that he shouldn’t.

    Also said to be on the list of “offenders” are the unrepentant ones among lawmakers who boycotted the budget presentation. While a good number of those who were absent at the presentation have apologised to the governor, a few are still insisting that the presentation was illegally done.

    “These are lawmakers whose hope of returning to the Assembly on the platform of the ruling party are already sealed. Of course, they will be denied return tickets. Of course, they will not get good positions whenever the House committees are reconstituted.

    They know all these too and they are ready for the looming showdown. Knowing many of them for what they are, it is unlikely that they will go down without a fight. Also, many of them are being punished because of disagreements between the Ggovernor and their perceived godfathers or leaders. such godfathers and leaders too are expected to rise in defense of their wards.

    The situation is such that a serious internal crisis may rock the ruling party soon. Unless some sort of miracle happens soon, these gladiators may throw the party up in flames,” a source, who is an official of the party in Ilaje Ese-Odo L.G.A, said.

    The Nation also learnt that G9 lawmakers in the House have rejected efforts by some concerned stakeholders in the party to call for reconciliation after the election of the new speaker. One of the G9 members said “We are awaiting the announcement of the new House committee members. It is then we will know whether there will be reconciliation among lawmakers in the parliament or not.

    “We are heavyweights in our own rights. we are no push- over at all. The new leadership must realise that first for any peace move to be meaningful and effective here. They may have the backing of whoever and whatever, but the business of lawmaking cannot be influenced that easily. We will all be here to see to that.”

    The Nation also leant that the process leading to the emergence of Akindele has also pitched the Governor against some prominent leaders of the party who had opposed her choice. “These leaders directed their representatives in the House to vote against her choice. They also backed the decision of Aladetan to contest the position.

    Now, these leaders and the governor are not on the same wave length within the party. It is expected that the development may have created unnecessary rivalry between them. Now, every action of the Governor is being interpreted as targeted against these leaders,” a source said.

    Akindele’s election followed the death of the former speaker, the late Samuel Ajayi Adesina, who died in February after a protracted illness. Following his death, in spite of an agreement that the post should be retained in the southern senatorial district of the state since the governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, is from the central senatorial district, and his deputy, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, is from the northern senatorial district of the state, various camps emerged to canvas for different candidates for the job.

    Of all the eight LP members from the southern district, only Oyebo Aladetan from Ilaje State Constituency I and Victor Akinwe from Odigbo State Constituency I are second term legislators. Consequently, many had thought the contest would be between the duo as ranking lawmakers. But Mimiko and the party leadership allegedly backed Akindele for the job in spite of her status as a first term legislator.

    And while Akinwe chose to abide by the decision of the Governor, Aladetan, backed by the G9 lawmakers and some prominent party chieftains, decided to go all the way and contest the election against Akindele. Although this was on many occasions denied by the spokespersons of the governor and the government, it soon became public knowledge that the Mimiko administration would rather have Akindele as against Aladetan as speaker.

    The new speaker’s unalloyed loyalty to the Governor and the party is believed to have worked strongly in her favor to clinch the job. Also, some analysts say the decision of the governor to ensure that no critic of the government emerge as the speaker worked against Aladetan, who is seen as too independent -minded.

    Also while Akindele is a foundation member of the LP, Aladetan, who is a prince of Ugbo kingdom, the oil -producing community of the state, joined the LP from the PDP. He was first elected into the house on the platform of the PDP in 2007 but defected to the LP towards the end of his first term on the seat and was able to secure the ticket of the LP to run for another term.

    Of note is also Aladetan’s role in the crisis of the presentation of the 2014 appropriation bill by Mimiko before the house. He was one of those that stayed away on December 31, 2013 when the bill was presented. It is believed Governor Mimiko and the party are yet to forgive the offending lawmakers for that singular act.

    A source told The Nation on Akindele’s emergence that “She is a loyal party member. As a foundation member of the party, she has always supported the government and the party. She is somebody that is so passionate about whatever she believes in and she is not one to unnecessarily rock the boat. She is reliable and dependable. There is no doubt that her emergence will bring stability the house.”

    This is not the first time the unity of the ruling party would be threatened by rift between the governor and the lawmakers. In November 2012, tension rose between the leadership of Ondo State House of Assembly and the executive over the sack of nine local government caretaker chairmen in the state. The council chairmen were removed from office for their refusal to submit staff audit in their councils, and other related offences.

    But Mimiko, apparently unhappy with the state legislators’ decision, condemned the action of the State Assembly for sacking the former council bosses. At a meeting summoned by an aide of the governor, the new caretaker chairmen were allegedly ordered not to resume office until Mimiko returns from his overseas trip.

    Aladetan, who was at the time, the Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Information, , said the House took the decision in accordance with the nation’s constitution. He said the decision to sanction the council bosses was taken to put them on their toes and make them accountable to the people. However, one of the sacked Chairmen, Femi Ofakurin, said the decision of the House was not taken in good fate.

    The crisis was eventually resolved following interventions by party chieftains and elder statesmen, including the national leadership of the party.

    But by December 2013, 17 out of the 26 lawmakers elected into the Ondo State House of Assembly, shunned Mimiko’s 2014 budget presentation, sending signal of another breakdown in the relationship between the governor and the lawmakers. Only nine lawmakers were present at the Assembly. It was gathered that majority of the lawmakers who shunned the presentation did so out of grudge, particularly over what they described as poor implementation of the 2013 budget.

    The minority leader, Akpoebi Lubi, did not hide his feelings over the crisis. He rated the 2013 budget implementation in the state as 30 percent. He added that the House rejected the governor’s request for a review of the 2013 budget in December. Lubi said, “The budget presentation ceremony was illegal,” submitting that the governor needed a two-third majority of the members of the House to present the budget.

    The state Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, while reacting to the charge back then, said the budget represented the hope for the development of Ondo State and its people. He argued that the people could not be kept waiting and their yearnings threatened by any form of politics. According to him, there was no need to overheat the polity, because the governor was in a hurry to deliver projects that would transform the lives of the people.

    Akinmade explained that the seeming conflict would certainly be resolved, but the state would need stability for robust politics. Somehow, the issue was resolved and the party appeared to have returned to its peaceful ways until the recent standoff reared its head, threatening to tear the ruling party apart.

  • Monarch arrested over alleged criminality in Ondo

    The suspended traditional ruler of Igburowo community in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Pius Akinfesola Adewola, has been arrested by the police in connection with alleged defrauding of the council of several millions of naira.

    Oba Adewola was picked up at the premises of the state High Court where he had gone to in connection to a court case he instituted against the government, by men of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), of the Ondo State Police command, Akure.

    The monarch, who is the Akamuja of Igburowo, was alleged to have impersonated a staff of Odigbo Local Government and defrauded the council to the tune of N16 million.

    Sources said the suspected monarch was arrested in Ondo town, following a petition written to the state Commissionmer of Police, Isaac Eke,  by his community through their counsel, Gabriel Ohre a copy of which was made available to The Nation.

    The monarch was alleged to have injected names of some people into the payment voucher of chiefs in the community.

    The petition entitled: ”Complaint of forgery, impersonation, stealing and fraud of a sum of N16m against Oba Pius Adewola” accused the monarch of putting the names of some high chiefs and chiefs of his community, who had died a long time ago in the payroll of chiefs for the purpose of collecting their salaries from the council.

    “Some of the late high chiefs and chiefs, who died since 2002, still have their names listed in payment voucher for payment of allowances to chiefs of Igburowo community by Oba Pius Adewola with the conspiracy of four other suspects.

    “The existing chiefs whose names reflect in the payment voucher for chiefs allowance for Igburowo community are denied access to the allowances, while Oba Pius Adewola in collaboration with the suspects forged their signatures, impersonated them and stole their respective allowances.

    “The deceased chiefs who died since 2002, have their names retained in the voucher by the Oba while their signatures were forged, money meant for them claimed and diverted into the personal pocket of the Oba via Odigbo Local Government and for this reason the monarch refused to appoint news chiefs to replace the dead ones,” the petition stated.

    It was also alleged that the monarch injected names of four persons, two of whom were civil servants into the fictitious staff list in his palace and fraudulently obtained their salaries at the end of every month.

    It would be recalled that the Ondo State government had in a letter dated November 17, 2012, suspen-ded Oba Adewola, during which the people of the community embarked on a peaceful demonstration and chased the monarch out for bringing disgrace to the community.

    However, in defiance of the order of the state government that the embattled Oba should stop parading himself as the Akamuja of Igburowo, he went ahead to institute a law suit against some indigenes of the ancient town.

    It was after his appearance in the state High Court that he was arrested by the police.

    When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Wole Ogodo, confirmed the arrest of the monarch, adding that investigation has begun on the matter.

    He stressed that the suspect would be arraigned in court as soon as investigation is concluded.

  • Mimiko has failed in Ondo, says LP chieftain

    Mimiko has failed in Ondo, says LP chieftain

    Benson Enikuomehin, a lawyer and chieftain of the Labour Party (LP) in Ondo State has been at daggers drawn with the state governor, Olusegun Mimiko in recent times. The former representative of the state on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) spoke with DAMISI OJO on his grouse with the governor and x-rays the various challenges militating against the ruling party in the state.

    It appears your relationship with Governor Olusegun Mimiko has gone sour considering your recent criticisms of the government.

    If that is the way people viewed it, so be it. I am a chieftain of Labour Party in Ondo State and that is the party in power. LP as a party is beyond individuals in the party. As a member of the party you are not bigger than the party. Governor Mimiko became the governor on the platform of the party. If his government makes any mistake or does anything that could affect the party negatively or bring the name of the party into disrepute, it is the duty of the party leaders to call him to order.

    The LP government under the leadership of Governor Mimiko has failed to transform the state and perform its statutory responsibilities to the people particularly to the oil producing communities. This has been my grudge with the governor. My curiosity to know how the N48 billion oil derivation accrued to Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC), since the inception of Mimiko’s government was spent has been the major issue between us.

    As a chieftain of LP, do you think it is proper for you to criticise a government controlled by your party (LP)?

    About two weeks ago, I was on a TV programme in Lagos along with representatives of other political parties, that was few days after the inconclusive Ilaje/Ese-odo bye-election. I was there to represent LP while others also spoke for their respective parties. We were to review the inconclusive bye-election in Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency and proffer possible solutions to avoid future occurrence of our past mistakes. During the programme, I admitted that the LP government in Ondo State has not done enough to justify the success of the party during the election or to seek for the people’s support during the election. I needed to say the truth in order to save the party from going into oblivion. The truth will always sound bitter in the ears of the evil doers and sycophants.

    The challenge LP is facing in Ilaje/Ese-odo Federal Constituency today was as a result of the poor performance of the LP governance. As a patriotic Nigerian and a politician who doesn’t want to soil his name, I think I should not hesitate to say this anywhere, anytime that the LP-led government in the state has performed far below expectation.

    But do you think you have taken a right step on this issue by going on air to criticise the governor?

    I had met with the Governor on several occasions where I advised him to complete all the projects embarked upon by the late Agagu’s administration in the coastal area of the state before initiating new ones particularly the Igbokoda/Ugbonla road and other road projects in the coastal area but he turned deaf ears and rebuffed my pleas and rather treated my entreaties with disdain. He has seen the repercussion of the neglect of the area now. During the by-election, the people expressed their anger against our party (LP).

    You petitioned the IGP that some people are after your life and that of your family members. How serious is this allegation?

    Immediately after my appearance on the Channel TV programme, I started receiving numerous threat calls from people I suspected to be agents of the state government and LP in the state. Even as at today, I still received threat calls. As I am talking to you, I have relocated my family from Akure to another state. This will not stop me from telling the truth. It is not everybody in the party that has the courage to walk up to the governor and say Mr. Governor you have not done well in so-so and so area. Forgetting that the party is bigger than any individual. Mimiko became the governor of Ondo State on the platform of LP. Whatever he does today, will tell on the party tomorrow. The LP government in Ondo State has not done well. The current administration in the state is worse than Agagu’s government.

    You are a close confidant of the governor and a strong member of LP. Don’t you think that your outburst will have negative effect on your party?

    During the last governorship election, I was the LP state returning officer. That tells you my relevance and status in the party. The righteous in the party are in support of my action because they want the party to grow and outlive Governor Mimiko but the sycophants do not.

    The leadership of your party (LP) accused you of anti-party activities during the inconclusive by-election in Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency, you were also accused of working for the PDP. What is your take on this?

    What is anti-party? If they accused me of anti-party which means the Governor himself is guilty of the same offence. Governor Mimiko is a chieftain of LP in Ondo State. But in Abuja he claims to be a PDP member. Everybody knows this. Is that not anti-party? Who is deceiving who? I am a chieftain of LP and if they accuse me because of my constructive criticism of Mimiko’s government, they can suspend or expel me from the party, then it will be another phase of “war” or battle.

    The problem we had during the by-election was engendered by the governor’s deceptive tendencies. How could the governor flag-off projects in an area he has neglected for over five years, few days to an election? The people knew he was doing that to cajole them in other to get their votes. The people are no fools. I am from that area, so I know what I am saying. Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local Governments are the economic pillars of Ondo State. The two councils generate billions of naira to the state coffers on a monthly basis. What has Mimiko government done with this money?

    The Ondo State government said your attack on Mimiko’s government is a ploy by you to seek political relevance.

    That is not correct. You see the government in Ondo State has inflicted wounds on our party (LP) and we have invited doctors to treat the wounds. I am one of the resident doctors. For the wound to heal up on time, we need to clean it up thoroughly before applying any medication. We need to open-up the wound and make it ready for proper treatment. Although it may be very painful, but we must endure it if we need quick positive result. I don’t know if you understand my parable.

    Your party and INEC in Ondo State accused the Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro of hijacking ballot boxes during the by-election, the allegation INEC commissioner in the state, Akin Orebiyi later retracted. What is your stand on this?

    The allegation was not true. It was borne out of Governor Mimiko’s desperation to manipulate and win the election at all cost. On the day of the election, I was at Obe-Enikanselu unit in Ugbo ward, I never saw Obanikoro or heard of his presence in any part of the two councils. It is not good for somebody to make flippant statement which you cannot substantiate.

    The LP has already filed a suit to compel INEC to declare its candidate, Kolade Akinjo as winner of the inconclusive by-election and INEC has suspended the supplementary election because of the injunction. What is your reaction to this?

    It is just a panicky measure by the ruling Labour Party. Its Leaders are afraid of partaking in the supplementary poll because they are no more popular in the area. In 2010, our party won the by-election into the State House of Assembly because of our popularity then, but now the party is no more in the minds of the people and they are afraid of being defeated. As a lawyer, I am sure that no matter how long, the supplementary election will come up and the popular party in the area will win.

  • Ondo communities protest dearth of infrastructures

    Ondo communities protest dearth of infrastructures

    Apparently fed up with the discomfort of total neglect by successive governments in Ondo State, youths from Iyange and Okeogba communities in Akure South Local Government area of the state have trooped out to express their grievances.

    They particularly protested the incessant power failure and bad road linking their communities to other parts of Akure, the state capital.

    The irate youths in their hundreds recently blocked all the major roads linking the communities to the main town and prevented free flow of traffic for hours.

    Apart from blocking the road to vehicular movement, the youth sat on the major road linking the communities to prevent any resident of the communities from using their vehicles for several hours the protest lasted.

    Armed with different placards, the youth said the government should intervene in the plight of their communities by providing social amenities for them, wondering whether they were not part of the state. They decried the neglect of the communities by the government.

    Many residents who had wanted to drive their cars to their places of work had to forcefully park their vehicles along the road and trekked several kilometers to their offices.

    Commercial motorcyclists benefitting from the disruption in vehicular movement made brisk business by carrying passengers from one short distance to another at exorbitant prices.

    Residents who could not afford to trek long distances had to return home for the day.

    Many people who wanted to take alternative routes were frustrated as the youth blocked all the link roads in the communities.

    For hours, social and commercial activities were paralysed in the communities as the youth prevented everybody from transacting their businesses.

    According to them, the over 20,000 residents of the area have literally been cut off from the rest of the world because of bad roads, lack of potable water and incessant power failure.

    They pleaded with government to provide social amenities for them or else they would make life unbearable for residents in the area.

    It took the intervention of the men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), who persuaded the youth to channel their grievances to the appropriate quarters instead of taking the laws into their hands before the situation could be curtailed.

    One of the youth leaders, Edward Akeju lamented that the government of the day abandoned them to face infrastructural deprivations as if they are not part of the larger society.

    He sent a signal to Ondo State government and Akure South Local Council that the protest would remain persistent until they proffer solutions to their sufferings.