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Tag: Osun election

  • Osun election: We didn’t collect money from anybody-PFN

    The Osun State chapter of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), did not collect money from anybody before, during and after the just-concluded gubernatorial election, its chairman, Rev. Olasunmbo Ige, has declared.

    He made the declaration at a meeting of all the chapters of the body in the South West in Osogbo last week.

    Ige, who delivered a sermon at the meeting urging members of the body to return to the message of the second coming of Christ said: “We thank God that the election has come and gone.

    “We want to categorically state that we did not collect money from the Osun State government because we don’t joke with our integrity.

    “We are committed to the message of the cross and we will not allow anybody to drag our name in the mud.”

    About 50 delegates from the region attended the meeting, which considered how the body can be more relevant to nation-building.

    The National Vice Chairman South West PFN, Bishop Reuben Oke, enjoined members to work towards the progress of the country and the church.

    Oke noted that the PFN cannot make any impact if there is disunity among members, noting that the success of the church lies in unity.

    “Our strength lies in the unity of purpose and cooperation among ourselves. We cannot overemphasise the unity of the body,” he reiterated.

    Oke added: “We are in a strategic period in the history of our country. This is the time for us to close rank and come together with a heart of oneness.

    “This is the time for us to build our nation and work towards the progress of the church and Nigerians in general.”

    The Chairman of the Lagos Chapter, Bishop Sola Ore, urged the leadership of the body to begin to focus on grassroots pastors whom he noted have been very active in the PFN.

    “There is a need to begin to look at how the PFN can be blessings to churches that are small and growing so that they will be encouraged to continue to participate in the activities of the body.

    “Many members of the PFN want to know how the PFN will be a blessing to them. That is what we should be working on in the years to come,” he counselled.

  • Osun Election Petition Tribunal assures APC, PDP of fairness

    Osun Election Petition Tribunal assures APC, PDP of fairness

    The Electoral Tribunal sitting at Osogbo yesterday assured the All Progressives Congress (APC), the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and other parties involved in election petitions before it of fairness and justice. The Chairman of the three-man tribunal, Justice Sulieman Amousa, made the statement while ruling on an application before the tribunal. Speaking further, Justice Amousa said, “we shall go by evidence and the Electoral Act.

    We shall be fair to all.” Meanwhile, Justice Amousa granted another substituted service on the governor of Osun State, Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, due to the inability of PDP’s counsel to paste earlier order on the state Government House. A new application brought before the tribunal was, however granted for substituted service. It was received by the state Attorney General, Wale Afolabi, on behalf of the governor. The Attorney General then assured the Tribunal on the willingness of the state to comply with the order.

  • Osun election tribunal chair removed

    Osun election tribunal chair removed

    THE Chairman of Osun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, Justice I. M. Bako, has been removed by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, it was gathered yesterday.

    Justice Bako was removed barely two weeks after the panel started sitting.

    His removal is provoking comments on why the court is always having challenges with election petitions in Osun.

    Although the removal of tribunal chairman is within the power of the appeal court’s president, political motives and intrigues were suspected to be behind Justice Bako’s removal.

    The three-man tribunal began sitting on August 27, 2014.

    Its other members are Justice A.M. Awwalu and Justice Benson Ogbu.

    Investigation by The Nation revealed that the redeployment, which was effected on Wednesday, caught Justice Bako and other members unawares.

    Besides the  verbal notice, an official letter would be dispatched to the tribunal next week after a formal pronouncement by the court on Monday.

    A top source said: “Members of the tribunal have been informed that the chairman has been redeployed to another panel based on a petition written by some people.

    “We do not know the contents of the petition, but the change will be made known to the counsel to parties when the tribunal resumes sitting next week.

    “I do not think the petition has anything to do with the impeccable integrity of the chairman. It might just be part of steps to serve justice judiciously.

    “You know the stake is high in Osun State. Politicians will never be satisfied even if you make their relations members of election petition tribunal.”

    A source said: “Some judges at the appellate court have cultural/ marital affinity with some stalwarts of one of the parties before the tribunal.

     “We just hope that the cultural and marital links will not determine who should preside over a tribunal or where the pendulum of justice will swing in Osun.

    “They need to know that everyone is watching with keen development on how justice will be served in Osun as regards the August 9 governorship poll.

    It was however learnt that the development has caused anxiety at the Court of Appeal.”

    Another source said: “We are worried that politicians want to throw the Appellate Court into another round of crisis like the long-drawn one on the 2007 poll which created a crisis of confidence in the nation’s judiciary.

    “For instance, no one has seen the petition. It is also unclear if the members of the tribunal were availed the copy of the petition and whether the chairman was allowed to defend himself or not.

    “The indications from the tribunal have shown that the members were kept in the dark about the petition. If there are issues, members of the tribunal, litigants and their counsel should know.

    “When her Lordship was at the Court of Appeal in Jos, Plateau State, a petition was written against her by the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and its chairman, Lt.-General Jeremiah Useni (rtd).

    “The then Chief Justice of the Federation and NJC Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi, queried her and she was creditably discharged and acquitted. The entire process of the phantom petition and her travails were put in the public domain. Today, she is better for it because Nigerians can attest to her integrity.

    “All parties and stakeholders need to know what has gone wrong in Osun to have warranted the change of the tribunal chairman.”

    Public Relations Officer of the Court of Appeal  Hajiya Saudatu Kachalla  said: “I will check with the authority.”

     The National Judicial Council (NJC) last year recommended Justice T. D. Naron for compulsory retirement based on the findings of the committee that there were constant and regular voice calls and exchange of SMS messages between him and a lead counsel for one of the parties (Oyinlola) to the suit in the Osun State Governorship Election Tribunal.

    The calls were said to be contrary to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers vide Section 292(1((b) of the 1999 Constitution.

  • Osun election: Coalition commends INEC

    Osun election: Coalition commends INEC

    Coalition of Civil Society Organizations in Nigerian, an umbrella body of over 120 registered prominent civil society groups in Nigeria, committed to strengthening democratic values within the African continent who were amongst the numerous accredited observers of the just concluded Osun State governorship election has commended President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for allowing a level playing ground and the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega  for a job well done. The group also applauded security agencies for providing a secured and peaceful environment for the election.

    Leaders of the groups, Comrade Bassey Ewa Ekamon, Country Director of International Network Against Corruption in Nigeria,, Mr. Victor Kalu Team Secretary and Hon. Abdullahi M. Jabi who were In Osogbo, the Osun State capital however congratulate the winner, His Excellency Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), urging him to run an inclusive governance.

  • I played no role in Osun election, says Kuku

    THE special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Amnesty, Mr. Kinsley Kuku, said at the weekend he did not play any role in the August 9 governorship election in Osun State.

    Kuku said he was outside the country on official assignment at that time, contrary to the claims that he led a team of Niger Delta youths to Osun State for the election.

    The presidential adviser cleared the air on the issue in a lecture he delivered at the 10th convocation ceremony of the Benson Idahosa University in Benin on Friday.

    Kuku, who spoke on the topic: Challenging current security issues for national transformation: the way forward, said: “They even went as far as publishing that on the Election Day, I, Kingsley Kuku, led ‘Niger Delta militants’ into Osun State to help the PDP win the election.

    “I left the country on official assignment to the United States of America on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 and returned to the country on Monday, August 11, 2014. So, how could I have been in Osun State and the United States of America at the same time? “

    He described the election as “a new dawn” which is free and fair and the result acceptable to all including foreign observers and the party that lost, saying the credit for it should be given to President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Commending the late Bishop Benson Idahosa for his vision to establish the university more than 30 years ago, Kuku said: “Boko Haram continues to militate against the transformation agenda of President Jonathan.”

    He added that “discerning Nigerians have since formed the opinion that political actors and interests generously help to fan the embers of insecurity in the country for selfish and pecuniary reasons.”

    He said: “There is indeed a nexus between education, transformation and security,” hence the federal government’s investment in education in the north especially through the Almajiri schools to combat the terrorist activities of the sect.

    “The Boko Haram insurgency is not just a problem for northern Nigeria or Nigeria as a whole. It is a global problem that deserves collective effort to confront and defeat. I can assure you that this unfortunate matter is receiving the maximum albeit sophisticated attention that it deserves.”

    Kuku praised security agents for their untiring efforts which most of the time is unheralded.

    “I am aware that for every suicide bombing that occurs, more than 100 attempts would have been prevented by our vigilant security agents,” he said.

    The presidential adviser blamed the insecurity situation on “the ineptitude, insensitivity and tardiness of successive past leaderships in the country both at the Federal and State levels” which Jonathan inherited.

    Kuku said in spite of the security situation, the president had achieved a lot in many areas like aviation, agriculture, education and transportation, among others.

  • Now that Osun election is over

    SIR: Now that Osun State election is over, what next for the Peoples Democratic Pary which deployed the army, state security service, police and other personnel all to intimidate the people of the state for their candidate to carry the day?

    There is nothing surprising in the wide gap between the incumbent and the PDP challenger. Governor Rauf Aregbosola has lived up to his promises to the electorate. Today, in Osun State, education at the basic level is free and the administation provides freee books to the students. There is also something that is not obtainable in virtually  all the states of the federation: free meals for its pupils.

    No wonder analysts predicted a sweeping victory for the incumbent; and little wonder the PDP’s resort to the militarisation of election to guarantee them success.

    This attitude portend grave danger for the survival of democracy in this country.

    As 2015 approaches, the PDP needs to be able to convince Nigerians of what it has achieved in the

    last 12 years as the party at the helms of affairs in this country. Surpressing the opposition  through the use of security agencies cannot lead to success at the polls in 2015. With what has happened in Osun State, the people of this country have got their eyes opened and are ready to vote and protect the votes.

    President Jonathan need not live under the illusion that he can intimidate the people by

    militarisation more especially in the northern axis. The people of Kano, Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna, Jigawa, Zamfara and Kebbi are not ready to give the President Goodluck and the Peoples Democratic Party their votes.

    It will be a miracle if the ruling party and the President can even scale through. The PDP should stop deceiving themselves that they can use the army and related security organs to win as the people are no longer afraid and can stand to defend the votes they cast. By now, it ought to be clear that the primitive method of deploying security agencies in elections as was done in Ekiti and Osun states won’t work.

    • Usman Santuraki,

    Jimeta-Yola, Adamawa

     

  • LIVE UPDATES: Osun Election

    LIVE UPDATES: Osun Election

    05:23: APC’s Aregbesola wins Osun Election capturing 22 out of 30 LGAs in the state with PDP’s Omisore winning in 8 LGAs

    05:20: The Osun INEC returning officer Professor Bamitale Omole, announced that Aregbesola won majority of the poll with 394,684 votes against Senator Iyiola Omisore of PDP who polled 292,747 votes.

    04:56:The Returning officer has now declared a break in the announcement to collate the total result

    04:45:LGA announcement of results completed. Final tally being calculated

    04:45: Ejigbo: APC: 17, 700 PDP: 12, 495

    04:39:IFE South APC : 7325 PDP: 12811

    04:35:Atakumosa East  : APC 9287 PDP6294 LP120

    04:27: APC 26,551 PDP 8483 LP 410

    04:20: Osogbo:APC 39,983 PDP 11513 LP 673

    04:15: Iwo : APC 20827 PDP 15493 LP 790

    Ayedire: APC 7724 PDP 7813 LP 423

    Egbedore :APC 10615 PDP 7024 LP 157

    04:00: APC18328 PDP 10330  LP 117

    03:52:Ayedaade APC 12801 PDP 11255 LP 137

    Obokun APC 11696 PDP 8618 LP 84

    03:49: Odo Otin: APC: 11, 950 PDP:  12, 902

    Irepodun APC 13314 PDP 7386 LP 343

    Ifelolodun APC 17447 PDP 12442 LP 96

    Ife  East APC 13821 PDP  20831 LP 29

    Ife central APC 9670 PDP 24,555 LP 102

    Olaoluwa APC 7927 PDP 2476 LP 2476

    Ife North North APC 8603 PDP 9841 LP  265

    Isokan APC 9758 PDP 1028 LP 197

    Ede North north APC 15403 PDP 10427 LP 54

    03:30:Ola Oluwa LG APC: 7927 PDP: 4963

    02:55: Atakumosa West – 6,128  PDP 5,142

    02:54:Oriade APC 12523 PDP 10214

    02:51:Orolu APC 8558 PDP 6786

    02:27:Boripe APC 12723 PDP 9344

    02:25: Odo Otin: APC: 11, 950 PDP:  12, 902

    02:22:Ilesa West APC: 15, 427 PDP: 5449

    02:19:Ilesa East APC 16106 PDP5913

    02:15: Boluwaduro APC: 4891, PDP: 5035

    02:10: Ifedayo APC  4225 PDP  3982

    01:50:Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Bamitale Omole is Chief Returning Officer

    01:07: Local Government collating officers confirming their results.

    00:30: Candidate of the PDP,  Iyiola Omisore has petitioned the INEC over the Osun State gubernatorial election.

    The petition titled: Protest on the August 9, gubernatorial election said candidate of the APC, Rauf Aregbesola flouted provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 by announcing results.

    00:14:INEC officials to begin the announcement of results soon

    23:20:Tight security as INEC begins collation of final results

    20:17:Atiku urges Osun people to guard their votes jealously

    20:15:APC has won in 23 LGAs, says Senator Babajide Omoworare

    20:00: INEC commends Osun voters

    19:37: Aregbesola in early lead,Osogbo erupt in jubilation

    16:37: In Osogbo, counting has begun in some units like Unit 3 Ward 4. The counting has been transparent with the voters monitoring it.

    16:30: In may wards in Osogbo, voting still ongoing at 4PM. In Unit 1 and 2 Ward w, more than 100 people were still waiting to vote

    16:09: Collation of results commence

    14:51: Aregbesola: “150 leaders, chieftains and supporters molested, brutalised and incarcerated, says Aregbe. Fed Govt and PDP want to stage a civilian coup. Osun under military siege”

    14:15: The All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised the alarm over the mass arrest and intimidation of its members in Osun on Saturday as the state’s governorship election continues, saying over 250 of its members have been arrested so far in Osun.

    14:12:  Former APC Interim Chairman Chief Bisi Akande has described the handling of the poll by INEC as a disservice to democracy. He said this may be the worst election since 1966. He complained that accreditation was even flopped in some areas. He also flayed the arrest of the PDP leaders and supporters.

    14:05PM: Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has urged voters to vote, wait at polling booths and defend their votes.
    He condemned the arrest and detention of APC leaders across the local governments.

    14:00: About five aides of the former governor of Osun State were picked just now by security operatives armed to teeth with one of them in a black mask. The man in mask is the one that is pointing to whom to be picked. They were all driven to an unknown destination.

    13:55: Ward 4 Unit 1 Osogbo, voting is yet to commence, REC not happy. Voters complain Of electoral officers slowness. There are 518 accredited voters in unit 1 and 2 out of 1, 041.

    Osun Election

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    13:47:   Lai Mohammed: “We were being driven to the Government House when we were stopped at a military check point by men in military and DSS uniforms, all hooded and armed to the teeth with AK-47 assault rifles, pistols and other weapons. Since there was no curfew in Osun State and people were moving around freely, we felt it was a routine check.

    13:26: LP candidate Fatai Akinbade on the queue to cast his vote at Ward 3 Unit 1 Ogbaagbaa , Ola-Oluwa LGA
    LP Candidate

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    13:22: The two polling units at Oba-Laoye Grammar School, Ede, similarly recorded an impressive turnout of voters. The atmosphere at Ede North Local Government was also calm and peaceful. Voting commenced simultaneously in all the polling units at about 12: 30 pm.
    13:20: At ward 10, units 5 (Isale Osun), 6 (Saint George) and 7 (Oke Osun), Offa-Tedo, enthusiastic voters patiently took their turns to cast their ballots in a quiet and orderly manner. Similarly, the voting process at polling unit 08, ward 7, Sabo Agbongbe 11, Ede, was went smoothly.
    13:15: The former Governor of Osun State, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke, narrowly escaped assassins’ bullet on Friday in his home town Ede.
    13: 03: Aregbesola: “They have been arresting, harassing and molesting our people for no just reason. The democracy is about making your choice freely without being hounded.”
    13:01: Aregbesola voted at exactly 10.45am at Ifofin ward 8, unit 1 polling centre in Ilesa, the governor condemned the clampdown on chieftains and members of the APC across the state by security agents.
    12: 58: Senator Omisore voted at Unit 13, Ile Ife.
    12: 55: In Okinni towards Ilobu in Irepodun LG, suspected thugs invaded a polling booth and attempted to distrupt the accreditation process by shooting in the air. But men of the NSCDC same on hand to calm the situation.Also in Obokun ward 3, Boluwaduro Local government and Odo Otin, armed thugs stormed some polling booths but were repealed from causing mayhem by the NSCDC.
    12:52: The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Segun Agbaje has been touring the state said from Osogbo ,to Ilesa to Ife, accreditation has been smooth. He told The Nation ” we have seen people patiently waiting to start the voting process, the people understand the process and democracy is working”
    12: 35: Voting has commenced in all the polling booths in Osogbo. According to the Commandant of the NSCDC, Engr. Felix Gbolade,  there has been calm despite initial reports of skirmishes” We are fine, we are still deploying our men as the situation demands,” Gbolade said. Also the state Director of Security, SSS Andrew Iorkyar said some polling booths have requested for additional security due to large turnout of voters.
    12:30: PDP spokesperson, Prince Diran Odeyemi, said that one Adelani Owoeye,  PDP man in Ilahun, Obokun Local Government, was picked by the soldiers for complaining that different people were used by the APC.
    The following APC leaders, party agents and members were arrested by suspected fake security operatives from Oba-Ile at 3am. Alhaji Tijani Oladosu (aka Tilad), Hon. John Abioye, Fagbemi Jacob, Fagbemi Segun, Amodu Isiaka, Aminu Adamo and Akinyemi Abioye. Some of the operatives are busy facial hairs while some wore face masks. Their whereabouts are unknown.

     

     

     

     

  • Sani warns against rigging in Osun election

    Sani warns against rigging in Osun election

    Civil rights activist Comrade Shehu Sani, yesterday warned against rigging in today’s Governorship Election in Osun State.

    He also urged resistance to coercion and brigandage in the state.

    Sani, in a statement ahead of the election condemned the use of troops to intimidate voters,warning: “The Osun state Gubernatorial elections must not be rigged.”

    “The massive deployment of troops and the gale of arrest of APC chieftains in the state stands condemned. The people of Osun and indeed all the people of Nigeria must stand firm in the defence of free,transparent and fair elections in Osun,” he said.

    Any attempt to rig the election,he stressed would amount to a declaration of war against all Nigerians and a deliberate mutilation of the 1999.

    He added: “Ekiti must not repeat itself in Osun.The use of heavily armed troops by the Federal Government is aimed at intimidating the voters of Osun just as it was done in Ekiti. Nigerians must resist coercion and brigandage.

    “We fought military dictatorship to a stand still we can together defeat the misuse of armed troops to rig elections.

    “The resort of the ruling PDP and their dogs to use the presence of soldiers to win elections is a testimony to their unpopularity. PDP believes and depends on physical force to win elections.

    “Injustice and evil flourishes when it’s not resisted at its budding stage.osun elections will determine the sanity, orderliness or otherwise of the 2015 general elections. All Nigerians must be interested on what is happening in Osun.

    “The future of our country is bleak under reactionary and retrogressive forces whose mission in power is lining their pockets with public funds. Genuine democratic forces must be supported in all respect.

    “If we allow guns and boots to determine the results of our elections,guns and boots will decide the fate of our democracy.”

  • Osun election: Security intercept ballot boxes

    Security agents have intercepted ballot boxes and other electoral materials at Gbongan in Osun state.

    According to our correspondent Adekunle Yussuf, there were already thumb printed and stuffed inside ballot boxes.

    Those arrested were taken to the headquarters of the State Security Services in Osogbo.

  • INEC officials caught moving ‘sensitive materials’ in Osun

    INEC officials caught moving ‘sensitive materials’ in Osun

    Two Independent National Electoral Commission officials in Obokun local government  area of Osun State were reportedly arrested on Friday morning  for allegedly diverting sensitive election materials.

    One of the suspects, an electoral officer in the area, reportedly confessed to the act, but refused to mention who sent him.

    However, the official did not deny when confronted that he was seen inside vehicles belonging to a Peoples Democratic Party stalwart in Obokun.

    The call log of his mobile phone also showed  that he had regular communication with the PDP chief.

    The suspects would have been lynched by irate mob but for the quick intervention of policemen, report said,

    The suspects and the  INEC vehicle with registration number –  FG 816 V01, used in transporting the materials are presently held at the state CID office in Oshogbo.