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Tag: ONDO

  • After four years of outage, Ondo communities get power supply

    Four communities in Plaza area of Akure, Ondo State capital have been relieved of four-year power outage by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

    The governor ordered immediate installation of a new 300kVA transformer substation for the communities.

    He directed the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Utilities, Tunji Light Ariyomo, an engineer, to ensure that a new transformer was provided for the communities after the necessary engineering assessment.

    The transformer which was initially planned to be delivered on Monday arrived on Sunday to the delight of residents in the communities.

    Ariyomo who handed over the transformer to the community leaders explained to them that Akeredolu directed his office to provide the transformer.

    He told residents that Akeredolu was aware that there are serious issues in Ondo South senatorial district on the issue of electricity but the governor could not believe there was any community in total darkness in Akure, the state capital.

    The Special Adviser, therefore, ordered that the power problems should be fixed immediately.

    Ariyomo said a power substation would be built for the four communities and connected to the power line at Plaza, hence the new transformer.

    While appreciating the governor for the speed at which the problem was fixed, the Chairman of the communities Association, Goke Adurota said the BEDC officials had disappointed them severally after the residents had spent so much on fixing the power problem.

    He, however, assured the governor that the residents would pay back by their ballots on Saturday when the House of Assembly election would come up.

    Adurota promised to mobilise the youth, women and men in the four communities to appreciate the governor with their votes for APC.

    One of the residents, Mrs Oluwawemimo Oluwafemi praised Akeredolu for the gesture.

    Beneficiary communities are Ibikunoluwa, Bada, Ifelodun and Olorunsogo.

  • ‘Lassa fever killed 15 in Ondo in two months’

    •102 infected

    Fifteen people died of Lassa fever in Ondo State between January and February, it has been learnt.

    One hundred and two others were confirmed to be positive with symptoms of the fever.

    The State Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Wale Oke, broke the news while addressing reporters in Akure, the state capital.

    He said: “As at (last) Thursday February 21, 102 people have been positive with Lassa fever; 82 people were recorded in January and 20 others in February, apart from 15 people who died in January as a result of the fever. But no death was recorded in February.

    “Most people who died either reported late or were already subjected to alternative treatment and self-medication before they eventually came to hospital. Their kidneys and livers had been affected as a result of the delay.”

    Oke, who also works at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC)in Owo, urged residents of the state to report early to the medical centre, if they experienced an upsurge in their body temperature.

    He said: “We have a contact tracing mechanism whereby we can place on surveillance for 21 days those who may have contact with infected persons. We continue to monitor their temperature, if it is above 37.8, and give them quick treatment.”

    The NMA chairman said the centre had the highest success rate among the three Lassa fever treatment centres in Nigeria.

    He hailed the hospital’s management team.

    Read also: Police: no tribe under threat in Lagos

    According to him, the state government had put in place measures to curtail the fever, adding that it had declared a state of emergency in the Health sector.

    Oke said the state’s NMA chapter alongside the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and others had engaged in series of sensitisation programmes for the people.

    The NMA chairman said the exercise was aimed at preventing further cases in the state.

    He added: “NMA is concerned about the infection, prevention and control out of the so many pillars involved in the management of Lassa fever, hence the basis for the sensitisation.”

    Oke also said Owo, Ose, Akoko North, Akure South and Akure North local government areas recorded cases of the fever.

     

  • Akeredolu hails Buhari’s victory

    Ondo State governor, Olurotimi Akeredolu has joined millions of Nigerians to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    Akeredolu in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary(CPS) Segun Ajiboye, said Buhari’s victory in the keenly contested presidential election signified the acceptability of his leadership by the majority of Nigerian citizens.

    The governor noted that the victory belongs to all Nigerians irrespective of their ethnic and religious beliefs.

    He was optimistic that the next level promised the Nigerian citizens by President Buhari will indeed take the country to unprecedented heights.

    Read Also: Orji Kalu congratulates Buhari on his re-election

    Akeredolu hailed stakeholders including local and international observers, security agencies, social commentators and members of the media organisation who in one way or the other played a role in ensuring the peaceful conduct of the election.

    He particularly commended the Independent National Electoral Commission( INEC) for conducting a free, fair and credible presidential election accepted by observers and international community.

  • INEC declares Ondo South Senatorial election inconclusive

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Monday in Okitipupa, Ondo State, declared Ondo South Senatorial election inconclusive.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Otunba Nicholas Tofowomo of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 79,029 votes, while his closest rival, the current Senator, Mr Yele Omogunwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 51,993 votes at the Saturday’s National Assembly elections.

    Prof. Kayode Onifade, the INEC Returning Officer for Ondo South, also of Department of Micro-Biology, Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), who declared the election inconclusive sighted various irregularities.

    He pointed out that the number of cancelled votes of 28,047 was higher than 27,036 which the margin between the two leading parties, PDP and APC.

    Read Also: Elections: Buhari in early lead in Lagos

    He said registered voters were 576,733, while accredited voters for the election were 196,282 in the six Local Government Areas (LGAs): Okitipupa, Irele, Odigbo, Ilaje, Ese-Odo and Ile Oluji/Oke-Igbo.

    He added that elections were cancelled in 56 Polling Units in five LGA’s: Ilaje: 42, Irele: 4, Okitipupa: 6, Odigbo:1 and Ese-Odo: 3.

    He also pointed out various irregularities ranging from voters refusal to use card readers, over voting of accredited voters, snatching of ballot boxes and violence among others which marred the credibility of the polls.

    “About 56 polling units were cancelled in five LGAs and several electoral irregularities marred the conduct of the polls.

    “As the numbers of cancelled votes of 28,047 was more than the margin of the leading votes of 27,036, I hereby declare the election inconclusive,” Onifade said.

    NAN also reports that Odigbo and Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo LGAs turned in their results very late in the night, which delayed collation of results at the Stellamaris College Collation Centre in Okitipupa.

  • APC wins one senatorial seat, PDP two in Ondo

    The embattled Ondo North senatorial candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Ajayi Boroffice, has retained his seat at the Upper Chamber.

    He won last Saturday’s election with 53,199 votes to beat the Action Alliance (AA) candidate, Dr Tunji Abayomi, who polled 43,100 votes and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Segun Alonge, who got 34,490 votes.

    It was learnt that former Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko may have lost the battle to represent Ondo Central in the Senate with the results being released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officers (RO) in some of the local government areas in the district.

    Although the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Ondo Central, Dr Rufus Akeju, had not officially announced the results, reports from the six local government areas in the central senatorial district indicated that the PDP won the election.

    The party’s candidate, Ayo Akinyelure (All Over), who was at the Senate before he was defeated by incumbent Senator Tayo Alasoadura, may likely take over again from Alasoadura.

    Mimiko contested under the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) after he dropped his ambition to contest the presidential election under the Labour Party (LP).

    The results of Ondo South Senatorial District had not been announced last night.

    But it was learnt that the PDP candidate and a former Commissioner for Transport, Nicholas Tofowomo, was leading other contestants.

    In Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency, the PDP candidate, Mr Ikengboju Gboluga, polled 31,042 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mr Albert Akintoye of the APC, who polled 19,875 votes.

    The result was announced by INEC Returning Officer for the Federal constituency, Prof Enuwo, at Stella Maris College in Okitipupa.

    Also, in Akoko North East/Akoko Northwest Federal Constituency, Olubunmi Ojo of the APC polled 20,988 votes to defeat Mr Wale Ogunleye of the PDP, who had 12,969 votes and the incumbent Federal lawmaker, Stephen Olemija, of AA, who got 10,979 votes.

    In Akoko South West/Akoko South East Federal Constituency, Ade Adeogun of the APC polled 19,047 to become winner, while two of his closest rivals, Dr Victor Ategbole of the AA got 14,694 votes and Martins Abiloye of the PDP polled 12,907 votes.

    INEC’s Returning Officer, Prof Taiwo Abraham, announced the result at Oka-Akoko.

    But six House of Representatives seats are still awaiting official declaration by INEC’s returning officers last night.

     

  • Ondo signs power purchase pact with firm

    The Ondo State government at the weekend signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with a private power company, Alagbaka Power Limited, to boost power supply across the state.

    The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ifedayo Abegunde, who signed the PPA, said the project was part of the efforts of the Oluwarotimi Akeredolu administration to solve power supply challenges.

    The Special Adviser (SA) to the Governor on Public Utilities, Tunji Light Ariyomo said the company would site a 15 megawatts (MW) gas-fired power generation plant in Alagbaka GRA, Akure, the state capital.

    He said it would feed government facilities in the GRA as well as some government-owned residential estates in Alagbaka and Ijapo areas within the state capital.

    Ariyomo said the governor was passionate about solving power problems as soon as to make the state the most preferred for investors.

    The Managing Director/Chief Executive of the company, Victor Adedeji, said the signing of the PPA was the major prelude to make the company start operations.

    He added that the company would move to site immediately and begin installation of the equipment for power generation and distribution to captive zones.

    Adedeji, who was accompanied by the company’s Legal Adviser, Olawale Aro, promised that the plant would be ready for operations in the next 18 months.

    Ariyomo described the event as an epoch-making exercise in the state capital.

    He said it would bring to two the number of PPAs activated by the Akeredolu administration.

    The governor’s aide recalled that another state-sponsored generation source was coming to the southern to improve energy supply and uninterrupted power supply for residents of Igbokoda and its environs.

     

  • Gunmen abduct saw millers in Ondo, demand N5m ransom

    Residents of Akunu in Akoko Northeast local government of Ondo state were in confusion on Tuesday as two prominent saw millers who have their factories at Ikakumo-Akoko were reportedly abducted by gunmen between Akunu and Ayere in kogi state.

    According to eyewitnesses,Mrs kudi Obayan and Engr Bello Micheal, the victims were three in a Honda Accord car they were travelling when the gunmen waylaid them and took two of the occupants to the bush.

    The other one was said to have been spared in order to report the development to their families for ransom.

    A farmer who was working in his farm during the abduction said he heard the booming of guns along the road in their attempt to seize the two victims.

    It was learnt their vehicle was abandoned on the road, while the third person with the victims narrated his ordeal.

    Police in Akunu said the spot where the kidnappers struck fell within Kogi state territory.

    Soldiers at the military checkpoint in the vicinity, vigilantes and local hunters combed the forest to arrest the gunmen and rescue the victims.

    The kidnappers according to a source, have demanded N5m as ransom for the release of their captives.

    It would be recalled that two persons travelling along Ayere Akunu-Auga-Ise road were kidnapped within the last one week.

    Residents urged the police to increase security network in all border towns of Ondo state.

  • Hoodlums kill four NDLEA officers, burn patrol vehicles

    Hoodlums suspected to be drug peddlers on Sunday night reportedly killed four officers of the Ondo State command of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Ifon, headquarters of Ose Local Government Area of the state.

    Sources said the hoodlums also burnt the official vehicle of the Agency used for patrol in the area.

    It was learnt that the suspected drug peddlers who were three in number carried AK47 rifles and other dangerous weapons when they attacked the NDLEA officers who were on patrol.

    They were said to have emerged on a motorcycle and shot the four NDLEA officers on the chest, but one of the officers narrowly escaped into the bush.

    The NDLEA officers were met unawares at their checkpoint along lkaro, Sabo road. All efforts to escape death failed.

    Five of the NDLEA officers on patrol were said to have been on patrol before the killers emerged.

    All their rifles and personal belongings were carted away by the hoodlums.

    The dead NDLEA officers are Abduljalad Mohammed, Wellinton Emmanuel, Magaji Aliu and Mohammed lliyasu.

    The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Femi Joseph, a Superintendent of Police(SP) who confirmed the incident, said the Police would collaborate with the NDLEA to bring the culprits to book.

    According to him, the state police command was investigating the incident, with a view to bringing the culprits to book.

    He assured that those who perpetrated the devilish act would be apprehended and prosecuted.

    Joseph said the NDLEA and the Police would work together to ensure that justice was done on the matter soonest.

  • Buhari, Osinbajo, Tinubu, others meet in Abuja

    President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday met in Abuja in the party’s caucus meeting.

    The meeting started at the APC National Secretariat around 11.30am when the President arrived.

    Those in attendance included the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole.

    State governors at the meeting included that of Zamfara, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Jigawa, Borno, Bauchi, Kebbi, Niger, Lagos and Kaduna state.

    Read Also: Buhari: no plan to remove INEC Chairman Yakubu

    Also in attendance were the Senate leader, Ahmad Lawan, senators, Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SGF), Boss Mustapha, ministers, among others.

    Discussions at the meeting will not be unconnected with the issues affecting the party, including the postponement of the general elections by a week.

  • Oke urges Ondo, Ekiti residents to troop out for Buhari

    The Southwest Coordinator of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Chief Olusola Oke, yesterday urged residents of Ondo and Ekiti states to come out massively to receive President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC leaders today.

    Oke said there would be no APC without the contributions of the Southwest.

    Addressing reporters in Akure, the Ondo State capital, to herald the President’s visit, the campaign coordinator said the region in the past three and a half years gained more than it did in the 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Read also: Obanikoro: no record of cash collected from Dasuki for Fayose

    He said: “The Southwest is the engine room of this government and APC as a party. President Buhari has done more for us than the 16 years of the PDP. We have been a major beneficiary of the change mantra and ready for the Next Level.

    “Rehabilitation and expansion of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, construction of 158-kilometre Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail, dualisation of Oyo-Ogbomosho road, Lagos-Ore-Benin road and other major infrastructure are being centred in this region by President Buhari.

    “Major ministries are being managed by our people from the Southwest. You don’t change a winning formula. We want to retain a working formula.”

    Oke said the recent endorsement by some groups, like Ohaneze N’digbo, Afenifere, among others, would not affect the chances of President Buhari in the February 16 election.

    He said: “Afenifere and other groups are not political parties that can muster votes in the coming elections.”