The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ONDO

  • Ondo East APC crisis deepens; two injured in bloody clash

     

    The lingering leadership tussle in the Ondo East local government chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC) has led to a bloody clash between supporters of two rival groups in the local government.

    During the melee, two party supporters were reportedly injured at the Council’s Secretariat, Bolorunduro.

    Already, the executives of the party in the local has petitioned the State Commissioner of Police, Gbenga Adeyanju and other relevant  security agencies to quickly intervene in the prevailing dispute.

    In the petition made available to ‘The Nation’ and signed by two party executives in the local government,Roseline Okafor and Jimoh Adebayo with two council executives,Alhaji Rabiu Awotunde and Olafisoye Festus,they accused the State APC chairman,Ade Adetimehin of instigating the crisis in the local government.

    They urged the security officers to call Adetimehin with his cohorts especially one kelly Agboola to order to prevent crisis in Ondo East local government

    However, Adetimehin speaking through APC’s Director of Media and Publicity, Steve Otaloro described the allegation as frivolous; stressing that he was not involved in the dispute.

    Adetimehin said as the chairman of the ruling party in the state, he was aware of the rift among some members in the local government, which was being investigated for amicable settlement.

    The petitioners hinged the crisis on the alleged move by Agboola, a supporter of Adetimehin to impose one Isaiah Adejo as the acting chairman of APC in the local government.

    Read Also: Ondo poly students seek ‘reasonable’ reparation fee

    They insisted that the local government party Exco had constitutionally appointed Ibikunle Awolope since August 1,2017 as contained in a letter signed by 14 Exco members.

    According to the petition,there was another contrary letter signed by the APC state secretary on February 16 recognising Adejo as the acting chairman without reference to the August 2017 letter of the local government Exco appointing Awolope as its Acting Chairman.

    “We plead with the Police Commissioner to provide security at the APC secretariat in Bolorunduro to prevent Agboola from taking it over, which can create anarchy in the local government, we are contended with our chairman, Awolope,we are against any imposition through any external influence” The petition stressed.

    The party local government executives also called for the suspension of State Working Committee (SWC) visit to Ondo East pending the resolution of the crisis.

    Adetimehin urged the warring parties in the local government to embrace peace and unite ahead of 2019 polls to guarantee victory for the party in the local government.

     

     

  • Herdsmen’s kids, others to be immunised in Ondo

    Wives of Fulani herdsmen and those of Igbira residents in Ondo State have trooped out for the immunisation of children under five years against measles.

    The response of non-indigenes in Akoko camps to the immunisation excited health officials, who had insinuated that there would be apathy among the camps.

    Leader of the Fulani in Oyin-Akoko camp Alhaj Musa Fulani attributed their active participation to earlier sensitisation and meeting at the instance of Primary Health Care (PHC) at Okeagbe-Akoko in Akoko North West Local Government Area.

    It was a forum where non-indigenes were briefed on the benefits of free immunisation.

    The PHC Coordinator in the council, Dr Abdulazees Adewale, said the immunisation had met with 109 per cent target.

    The coordinator said his officials visited churches, mosques, camps and schools to immunise children.

  • Expectant mother, five others die as building collapses in Ondo

    Six people, including an expectant mother, have reportedly died at Igbabo town of Arogbo-Ijaw in Ese Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State in a church building collapse.

    The expectant mother was identified as Dalen Gunubo.

    The building was said to be under construction when it caved in and fell on the people below.

    Sources said the Cherubim and Seraphim (C & S) church building was besieged by the some residents who were collecting the planks for propping it up for firewood.

    An eyewitness and an information officer with Ese-Odo Local Government Area, Monday Konwei, said: “The victims were on the church premises to gather firewood, which were the planks used in the church building, before part of the dilapidated old structure and the one under construction fell and killed six people instantly.”

    The Chairman of the local government’s Caretaker Committee, Bekewe Olowu, confirmed the development.

    Olowu described the incident as shocking and devastating.

    He condoled with the bereaved families and prayed to God to give the families the fortitude to bear the loss.

    The chairman added that a resident, Chief Ola Golabo, lost his two wives – Beni and Magi – to the building collapse.

    The traditional head of the community, High Chief Pose Tariwei Tanimawo, described the incident as most unfortunate.

    According to him, it had thrown the community into mourning.

    He urged the government to assist the residents in their trying moment.

     

  • NSCDC secures six convictions in Ondo

    Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) in Ondo State says it has secured six convictions in 10 cases on various offences in courts from January till date.

    The State Commandant, Mr Pedro Ideba, disclosed this in a statement in Akure on Wednesday.

    Awili said among the convictions was a case of a 35-year-old businessman, Akinyosoye Oladapo, who was sexually abusing a 16-year-old girl.

    According to him, a case of sexual abuse by one Akinyosoye Oladapo was reported to the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the command on the June 14, 2017.

    He said the suspect was charged to the Family Court, Oke-Eda, Akure, on June 22, 2017 and after thorough investigation, the case was transferred to Oke-Eda Magistrate’s Court, Azure, for proper trial.

    The NSCDC boss said that after several adjournments, judgment was delivered on March 8, 2018.

    He said that Oladapo was found guilty by the court and was convicted on charge of sexual exploitation and sentenced to five years imprisonment with hard labour.

    Awili said that Oladapo was sexually abusing the 16-year-old girl whom he brought under his custody from the village when she was nine-year-old on the pretence of giving her better future.

    He said that the convict connived with a quack nurse, one Abiodun Ekundayo, to perform abortion on the victim on two different occasions.

    The NSCDC boss said that the victim confessed that she was been molested by the convict since she started living with him and always threatening her not to reveal his actions.

    He said that Oladapo’s evil act was only brought to light when the girl’s teacher noticed a drop in her academic performance.

    “The victim was then questioned and she revealed what she had been passing through,” he said.

    Awili, therefore, urged parents to always keep “a good eye on their wards”.

    He also warned sexual offenders to desist from the act or face the wrath of the law.

  • Ondo saw-millers protest natural resources privatisation

    After series of failed promises and alleged persecution which recently culminated in the arrest of some members of the Big Road branch of indigenous saw-millers’ association on Sagamu-Ore Expressway, leaders of the group have taken their protest to Akure, the state capital.

    They also met with the leadership of the House of Assembly.

    Their chairman, Chief Mayegun Oloruntobi, who was supported by other association members, told reporters that they were initially happy when Governor Rotimi Akeredolu introduced a privatisation policy through the Ministry of Natural Resources.

    The saw-millers said they were convinced that it would bring more social amenities, as the governor promised during the kick-off of the programme.

    Oloruntobi said the hope that the area would benefit from the privatisation policy, being indigenes and stakeholders in the sawmilling business to support the government, was soon dashed.

    The chairman recalled that trouble started when the core investor in the plank and forestry business, West Africa Plantation (WAP), increased the tariff paid to the government.

    He said this is because they are mostly APC members who contribute to the progress of the state.

    The saw-millers regretted that despite their cooperation, the core investors allegedly used “retrogressive and unbearable policies” the saw-millers complained about.

    Oloruntobi said: “WAP later ordered us off our business environment, but the state government, through their official, told us they had no hand in it. So, WAP’s director, Mr Umeh, who has been the intermediary, assured us of his company’s good intentions. But he has turned around to arrest our members and has since refused to meet us by unilaterally cancelling scheduled meetings.”

    Efforts to speak with Umeh were unsuccessful last night.

  • ‘Why Ondo APC is polarised’

    In this piece, Kayode Fakuyi, media aide to Senator Ajayi Boroffice (Ondo North), states that his principal has not committed anti-party offences. He emphasises the need for reconciliation in the Ondo State chapter of All Progressives Congress  (APC).

    The attention of Senator (Professor) Ajayi Robert Boroffice has been drawn to Governor Oluwarotimi; Akeredolu’s uncomplimentary utterances castigating the Senator Boroffice’s membership of All Progressives Congress and alleging spurious anti-party activities. Senator Boroffice represents the Ondo North District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

    Governor Akeredolu was reported as follows: ”The Governor does not deny the legitimacy of Senator Ajayi Boroffice’s position as the senator representing Ondo North senatorial district.

    However, the point Governor Akeredolu, SAN, made was that he knows of only two APC senators in the state who are currently working with the state government for the upliftment of Ondo State.”

    We have previously refrained from joining issues with Governor Akeredolu on the pages of newspaper to avoid further heating up of the polity. However, the statement clarifying the position of Governor Akeredoluvis-à vis his earlier vitriolic utterances  where the governor roundly condemned Boroffice for anti-party activities raises the need to set facts from fictions, hence this press rejoinder.

    The insinuation and innuendoes contained in the press statement suggest that Senator Boroffice has not been working for the progress and development of Ondo State in general and Ondo North Senatorial District in particular and given several developmental strides that have been spur by the eventful tenure of the Senator, such suggestion of non-performance is wholly incorrect. It is a cherry-picked attempt to taint Senator Boroffice with bad name in order to hang him. Nothing can be farther from the truth.

    Setting the records straight, Governor Akeredolu has sent two private communications to the Senate since his inauguration as Governor of Ondo State on 26th of February, 2017, in respect of Senate confirmation of appointments from Ondo State and Senator Boroffice, despite the underlying differences, rallied his colleagues to support Governor Akeredolu’s position in the interest of the good people of Ondo State. Yet Senator Boroffice is not working for the upliftment and progressive of Ondo State.

    The Senator wishes to place on record that the Governor has not extended any invitation to him let alone turning down any of such invitation to attend any meeting or an APC’ s events since Arakunrin Akeredolu became Governor of Ondo State.

    In promoting and projecting the programmes of our great party, All progressives Congress and in fulfillment of the Party’s manifesto to the people of Ondo North Senatorial District, the Distinguished Senator Boroffice has initiated and installed solar-powered electricity street lights in more than 80 per cent of the 72 wards of the Ondo North Senatorial District. A visit to the district will clear the doubts. The percentage is growing by the day.

    In addition, Senator Boroffice constructed more than thirty-five solar-powered boreholes in various communities.

    The Senator installed over 25 electricity transformers located in various communities of the Ondo North.

    What more, Senator Boroffice has built and commissioned an obstetric hospital located at Iboje Oka, Akoko SouthWest. The Senator conceived, built and commissioned three  agricultural plants, i.e. Cashew processing plant, at Ikakuma Akoko Northeast Local Government., Biodiesel producing  plant…at Ajowa Akoko Northwest Local Government, five garri-processing plants at… Ifira, Iboropa, Ago Oka., Ipele, and Ebo. In addition there are well equipped skill acquisition centres in Ikaram, Ifon and Oka.

    In the area of formal education, Senator Boroffice built, furnished and commissioned five blocks of classrooms at Ikaro, Oka, Obato mention a few. He has also attracted the following Federal Institutions to his senatorial Districe; National Science Laboratory in Akungba, Bioresources Development Centre, Technology  Incubation Center, Regional Center for Leather Research, National Aerospace Laboratory, Regional Center for Chemical Technology.

    Despite the controvercial. emergence of Arakunrin Akeredolu as the candidate of the APC in 2016, the Senator worked tirelessly for the victory of our great party, All Progressives Congress at the Ondo State Governorship poll held on the 26th of November, 2016.

    Today, the attitude of Governor Akeredolu to other party leaders in the state who did not see things from his perspective has unfortunately polarised the Ondo State chapter of the party and alienated a critical mass of the party leadership and supporters as well.

    It is based on the above referenced developments that the Senator Boroffice is of the view that all is not well with APC chapter in the sun shine state and rather than for Governor Akeredolu to embrace the challenges of leadership and reach out to every leader of this party in Ondo State, he preferred to run the party and government of Ondo State with his trifling followership and continue to assert that he alone owns this party and others can go to hell. He continues to threaten others with expulsion from the party.

    The National Leadership of this great party cannot forget in a hurry the road we had to travel to reach where we are; it is our collective will and unity of purpose that have taken us this far and to destroy that is to destroy the great bond that binds us together as members of the All Progressives Congress.

    It is our unshakeable article of faith that moral justice is the armament of political and socio-economic progress. There can be no justice when someone appropriates our common wealth and violates our common law (APC Constitution, 2014 as amended) that binds us together, to do so.

    We therefore, call on the National Leadership to urgently  intervene in the crisis in Ondo State Chapter. We cannot afford to sweep under the  carpet issues polarizing the State Chapter of the party as we move into another rounds of congress and Federal Elections.

    It is for this reason that His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari has called for reconciliation of leaders and resolutions of disputed issues. This is the wise road to travel and we cannot dissent and we fully support our National Leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu on this course.

  • Four injured as policeman, driver clash in Ondo

    A commercial bus driver was at the weekend allegedly brutalised by a police officer at Ogbagi-Akoko in Akoko North West Local Government of Ondo State.

    The Nation learnt that the driver, identified as

    Wale, was returning from a farm with 10 passengers when he was accosted by the officer.

    He was allegedly beaten up after disobeying the policeman, who asked him to stop at a check point close to a police post.

    It was gathered that the driver was beaten up while in motion, he lost control and the vehicle hit an electric pole. Three passengers were injured.

    The incident, which caused confusion, was, however, brought under control through the intervention of leaders of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

    The officer was said to have fled. His identity could not be ascertained last night.

    The driver and passengers were said to have been hospitalised.

    Police spokesman Femi Joseph accused the driver of reckless driving.

    He alleged that there was an accident because the driver was reckless.

    Joseph said the driver caused the accident, but shifted the blame to the officer, who was performing his duty.

    He exonerated the officers attached to Ogbagi-Akoko from any offence, urging the public to desist from violence whenever the police and civilians were involved in any matter.

  • Petrol attendant docked over N450,000 fraud

    Petrol attendant docked over N450,000 fraud

    A 28-year-old petrol attendant, Andrew Tawei, was on Thursday arraigned in an Okitipupa Magistrates’ Court, Ondo State, over alleged N450,000 fraud.

    The defendant of no fixed address is standing trial on a two-count charge of fraud and fraudulent conversion of other person’s money to personal use.

    The prosecutor, Insp. Zedekiah Orogbemi, told the court that the defendant, between December  2017, and February 2018, sold petrol at a petrol station in Okitipupa and refused to remit the sales to the owner, one Ayo Sabitu.

    Orogbemi said that the defendant was arrested on March 2, around 8:00 a.m. at Ayeka in Okitipupa after he had fraudulently converted the money to personal use.

    Read Also: Buhari writes Senate on petrol funding

    The prosecutor said that the offences were contrary to, and punishable under, Sections 390( 9 ) and 383( 1 ), Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol.1, Laws of Ondo State 2006.

    The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge leveled against him.

    The magistrate, Mr Banji Ayeomoni, granted the accused bail in the sum N200,000 and a surety in like sum, and adjourned the case until March 22, for further hearing.

    NAN

  • Ondo APC spokesman loses mum

    Ondo APC spokesman loses mum

    The death has been announced of Mrs. Grace Bayode Otaloro, mother of the Director of Media and Publicity of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Steve Otaloro.

    She died after a brief illness in Lagos. She was 75.

    The deceased hailed from Idoani in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    Steve described the deceased as the woman who inspired integrity and encouraged others to be the best they could be.

    She is survived by six children, grand-children and great-grand-children.

     

  • Gunmen abduct two council workers in Ondo again

    Two workers of Akoko South East local government in Ondo state were yesterday  seized by gunmen.

    Their abduction came as an abducted lawyer Wale Ilenusi regained his freedom.

    The LG workers on their way to work in Isua from Ikare when  theri abductors swooped on them between Ise and Isua .

    The release of the lawyer was sequel to the intervention of the  Oloba of Oba Akoko,Oba Nurudeen Adegoroye, the  community and the  police .

    Efforts to speak to the freed lawyer failed as he was said to have gone for medical treatment in an undisclosed private hospital while his father,a retired soldier, Mr Olu Ilenusi was full of praises to God .

    Hon Rafiu Eniayewu, chairman, Akoko North East local government called for more presence of security personnel in the area which shares boundaries with Ekiti Edo and Kogi states.

    The National Organizing Secretary, Ansar ud Deen society of Nigeria(AUD),Alhaji Ibrahim Kilani pleaded for increased vigilance and security.