The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Rauf Aregbesola

  • Only God can determine Aregbesola’s successor – Traditionalists

    Ahead of the September 22 Osun governorship election, the traditional worshippers under the aegis of the Ancient Religion Societies of African Descendants International Council (ARSADIC), have said only God could determine Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s successor.

    He warned politicians against using violent and dubious means to get to power, saying doing so would give dire consequences.

    In a statement in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, ARSADIC President, Aare Sola Olalekan Atanda, charged the politicians to demonstrate high level sense of responsibility in pursuing their aspirations.

    Atanda, who is Asiwaju Awo Agbaye and Aare Alasa of Osogbo, warned against do or die ambition and campaign that promotes hate speeches.

    Read Also: Dickson hails Aregbesola’s political tolerance

    “Let your campaign be issue-based. Engage the people in your interaction with them to know their minds. Instead of dolling out money to buy their conscience. Proof to the people that you are going into office to serve their best interest and they would submit their sovereignty to you,” he advised.

    He also advised the electorate not to sell their votes to “desperate politicians but to see beyond today and into the future with so much to benefit through good governance.

    According to him, it is imperative for people to demand accountability and keep the politicians on their toes at all times instead of looking for immediate pecuniary rewards.

    He prayed for successful governorship election and emergence of the best candidate that can serve public interest.

  • Osun Guber Poll: NSCDC warns officers against bribe taking

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)  has warned its officers against collecting bribe during the Osun governorship election scheduled for Sept. 22.

    Mr Abdullahi Muhammadu, Commandant General of NSCDC, gave the warning on Wednesday in Osogbo, at a town hall meeting with stakeholders ahead of the governorship election.

    The meeting, with the theme: ‘Benefits of Violence-Free Elections’, was organised in partnership with a German foundation, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).

    Muhammadu was represented by Dr Emmanuel Adeoye, Deputy Director, Crisis Management Directorate, NCSDC, Abuja.

    The commandant said any officer caught collecting bribe from politicians during the election would be summarily dismissed from service.

    He said that the corps would not allow any officer to discredit its operations.

    “Our only weapon is integrity, and we will not allow anybody to damage it,“ he said.

    Read Also: Buhari a ‘phenomenon’, says Lawan

    Muhammadu called for a violence-free election in the state, saying the election should not be a do-or-die affair.

    Earlier in his remarks, Gov. Rauf Aregbesola said the only way to select a credible leader was to conduct violence-free election.

    Aregbesola, who was represented by his deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori,  said that the nation could only have the best election when it was violence-free.

    The governor also said that there was need for the youths to be sensitised not to allow themselves to be used as political thugs during the election.

    Mrs Hildegard Behrendt-Kigozi, KAS Country Director, said the town hall meeting was organised to sensitise stakeholders on the need for a violence-free election in the state.

    “We are here today to share ideas in order to create better understanding, de-escalate tensions, and promote safety of lives and property in the state and Nigeria as a whole,” she said.

    NAN

  • AfDB promises to support Aregbesola’s administration complete projects

    The African Development Bank (AfDB) has promised to support the Rauf Aregbesola administration complete some of its projects.

    Top officials of the AfDB at a meeting with Governor Aregbesola at the Government House in Osogbo, the state capital mentioned the MKO Abiola International Airport among the projects.

    The AfDB team led by its Country Director Mr. Ebrima Faal, said he and his entourage were in the state on a one-day exploratory mission to support the state’s developmental agenda.

    Faals, whose team later inspected facilities at the Technical College in Osogbo and the waterworks in Ede, said the visit had given the AfDB the opportunity to see the developmental efforts of the current administration in the state and to determine the subsequent steps to be taken to support the State.

    At the Osogbo Technical College, the AfDB delegation was taking round various departments and workshops where modern equipment for carpentry, shoemaking and other machines were on display.

    Read Also: AfDB okays $120m to boost cassava, others

    Technical engineers at the Ede Waterworks conducted the AfDB team round the facilities, including the water dam and the water treatment equipment.

    The AfDB delegation was accompanied by the Senior Technical Adviser to Osun State Governor on Development Partners and International Relations, Dr. Michael Olugbile and members of the State Executive Council, including, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Dr. Dauda Olalekan Yinusa, and Commissioner for Commerce, Industries and Cooperatives, Hon. Ismail Adekunle Jayeoba-Alagbada.

    Dr. Olugbile, who acknowledged the ongoing support of AfDB for the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) project in the state, said the visit of the AfDB delegation was to attract more donor assistance to the State in order to support the developmental agenda of the Rauf Aregbesola administration.

    He said the visit would also lay a solid foundation for incoming administration.

    According to him, the AfDB would support Osun state government on the upgrading and completion of the nine Technical Colleges in the state.

    He added that the AfDB would also support Osun on Urban water schemes and to complete the Osun airport christened MKO Abiola Airport.

    Responding, Aregbesola, who showcased his administration’s numerous achievements to the team, appealed to the AfDB to fast track the process of its intervention in the state.

    The governor said: “I am in a hurry to achieve many things. Please, I cannot be patient to see this happening. Please let us move fast to achieve this because my tenure will soon end as governor of this state.”

  • AfDB promises support for Aregbesola’s administration to complete projects

    The African Development Bank (AfDB) has promised to  support Osun State government complete some of the projects of the Rauf Aregbesola administration.

    Top officials of the AfDB at a meeting with Governor Aregbesola at the Government House in Osogbo, the state capital mentioned the MKO Abiola International Airport among the projects.

    The AfDB team led by its Country Director Mr. Ebrima Faal, said he and his entourage were in the state on a one-day exploratory mission to support the state’s developmental agenda.

    Faals, whose team later inspected facilities at the Technical College in Osogbo and the waterworks in Ede, said the visit had given the AfDB the opportunity to see the developmental efforts of the current administration in the state and to determine the subsequent steps to be taken to support the State.

    At the Osogbo Technical College, the AfDB delegation was taking round various departments and workshops where modern equipment for carpentry, shoemaking and other machines were on display.

    Read Also: Aregbesola to Buhari: de-annul June 12 presidential election

    Technical engineers at the Ede Waterworks conducted the AfDB team round the facilities, including the water dam and the water treatment equipment.

    The AfDB delegation was accompanied by the Senior Technical Adviser to Osun State Governor on Development Partners and International Relations, Dr. Michael Olugbile and members of the State Executive Council, including, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Dr. Dauda Olalekan Yinusa, and Commissioner for Commerce, Industries and Cooperatives, Hon. Ismail Adekunle Jayeoba-Alagbada.

    Dr. Olugbile, who acknowledged the ongoing support of AfDB for the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) project in the state, said the visit of the AfDB delegation was to attract more donor assistance to the State in order to support the developmental agenda of the Rauf Aregbesola administration.

    He said the visit would also lay a solid foundation for incoming administration.

    According to him, the AfDB would support Osun state government on the upgrading and completion of the nine Technical Colleges in the state.

    He added that the AfDB would also support Osun on Urban water schemes and to complete the Osun airport christened MKO Abiola Airport.

    Responding, Aregbesola, who showcased his administration’s numerous achievements to the team, appealed to the AfDB to fast track the process of its intervention in the state.

    The governor said: “I am in a hurry to achieve many things. Please, I cannot be patient to see this happening. Please let us move fast to achieve this because my tenure will soon end as governor of this state.

  • Osun governorship aspirant promises to industrialize the state

    An Osun State governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in Engr. Ayoade Afolabi Lawal, to industrialize the state if elected into office.

    Addressing his teeming supporters at his declaration to run for the office of the governor at the party secretariat along Gbongan road, Lawal promised to continue from where the Rauf Aregbesola administration had stopped.

    He also pledged to priotize youth empowerment and provide necessary support for the vulnerable, including women, children and the aged.

    Lawal, a chemical engineer and business mogul,  commended Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for laying a solid foundation for the incoming administration to build upon.

    According to him, Osun State has experienced significant  infrastructural development in the last eight years, saying  Aregbesola’s administration  must be commended for rapid infrastructure development in education,  health and road .

    He said: “But for all-round sustainable development, industrial development should take precedence henceforth. This is the way to complement what has been achieved and to deepen the recent gains of democratic governance.

    Read Also: Osun aspirant to match Ambode’s performance

    “My administration shall create value chain industrialization that will be all inclusive and no son and daughter of Osun will be left out in the scheme. As we are promoting small and medium scale busineses across the nooks and crannies of the state, our government will also work hard toward attracting foreign investors into the state.

    “I want use this medium to commend our amiable Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, for his unprecedented development in the state within the state of seven and half years and I promise to build on his legacies if I emerge victorious in the coming election.

    “I will make sure I develop  the state  through agriculture, creation of industries in each of the local government areas of the state, Agriculture, Education, industrialisation,  free and quality Health care delivery,  security of life and properties, employment opportunity, increasing youths capability through sporting activities and improvement of tourist centres across the state.”

    Lawal also promised to empower the youths and generate mass employment through improvement on the standard of living of the residents of the state.

    He promised to liberate the people of the state from the shackles of poverty by providing standard education that will expose them especially the youths to inherent opportunities in the state.

    He assured to create more jobs through tourism by showcasing the inherent beauty of various tourist attraction in the state.

    Lawal, therefore, called on all members of the party to give him their support and ensure that he succeed Ogbeni Aregbesola to continue the good work he has done.

    Speaking, the State Chairman of the party, Gboyega Famodun, described the governorship hopeful as a courageous  and competent engineer.

    He assured that Lawal as a young man would  potray the youth in a good light if elected as governor of the state.

    Famodun promised all the aspirants a level playing ground, as well as a primary devoid of malpractice. END

  • Osun 2018: APC promises transparent primary

    The All Progressives Congress ( APC ) in Osun has promised to ensure credible and transparent primary among its 27 aspirants ahead of the Sept. 22 gubernatorial election in the state.

    Mr Gboyega Famodun, the state Chairman of the party, said this on Wednesday at its secretariat in Osogbo when one of the aspirants, Mr Peter Babalola, declared his intention to contest.

    Famodun, who noted that there was agitation for zoning of the party’s ticket to the West Senatorial District of the state, said the party would be guided by its constitution.

    “Although, l have respect for people of the West, but I stand with the party’s constitution.

    “Since we are going to the primary, whatever the wishes of delegates, I will abide, but I will ensure open and transparent primary,” he said.

    In his remarks, Babalola said that the party should allow the West Senatorial District of the state to produce the next governor.

    He said since the Central District had governed the state for more than 11 years and East District for close to eight years, the West District should also be given the slot.

    Read Also: Agency completes 368 micro-projects in Osun

    Babalola, who is from the West District, however, said that even if the party does  not give him the ticket, someone from the district should be considered.

    He said that all the aspirants from the West District had signed an agreement not to leave the party irrespective of anyone picked from the district.

    Babalola also canvassed that any aspirant to be picked should be  a Christian, adding that Muslims had  ruled the state for years.

    The aspirant, who is the Chairman of the State Civil Service Commission, said he was vying for the governorship election to consolidate on  Gov. Rauf Aregbesola’s legacies.

    ” I have the experience and I am competent to govern the state,’’ Babalola said.

    The News men reports that there had been agitation by APC members for the zoning of the party’s ticket to the West District of the state.

    NAN

  • Ramadan: Let’s pray for people in difficulties – Aregbesola

    Osun State Governor,  Rauf Aregbesola, has urged Muslims to approach the Ramadan season with best practices and show love to their neighbours.

    Aregbesola, in a Ramadan goodwill message on Thursday in Osogbo, urged Muslims to be sober and do things with moderation.

    The governor also admonished Muslim faithful to remember the poor, sick and those in difficulties in their prayers and work of charity.

    He said: “l am most pleased to see the beginning of this year’s Ramadan.

    ” Ramadan is that period when Muslims worldwide engage in fasting – a physical and spiritual act of self denial, cleansing, prayers, fellowship and charity.

    ” As one of the pillar of Islam, Ramadan is also a time of deep consecration to spiritual matters .

    “It is therefore time of spiritual awakening and commitment to the tenets of Islam.

    “As we celebrate this great festival of the religion of peace, may the peace and comfort of Allah (SWT) rest upon us , our family, community, state and the nation.

    ” This is wishing all Muslims Ramadan Kareem, with love and grace on behalf of the government and good people of Osun.”

    Similarly, the Osun House of Assembly has congratulated Muslim faithful on the commencement of Ramadan.

    The Assembly, in a statement signed by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information and Strategy, Mr. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, urged Muslims to use the period to renew their commitments, virtues of love and peace as taught by Prophet Muhammed.

     

    NAN

  • PDP asks EFCC to probe Osun 2016 audit report

    …It is ranting of an ant, says govt

    The People’s Democratic Party in Osun State on Thursday called on the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to probe the 2016 audited report of the Rauf Aregbesola led All Progressive Party government.

    Addressing reporters in Osogbo, the state capital, the PDP state Chairman, Hon. Soji Adagunodo, alleged that inability of Aregbesola to pay workers salaries and pensions was as a result of his administration “wasteful spending.”

    The PDP maintained that the alleged wasteful spending was evidenced in the audited report.

    Adagunodo in a press conference, where many governorship aspirants, including  Oluomo Gbenga Owolabi, Hon. Adejare Bello, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade and Dr. Ayoade Adewopo, we’re present, said the  2016 audit report on the account of the state revealed that the Governor spent a whooping sum of over 6 billion Naira as over-head cost in his office “when at a time the state workers were groaning under the yoke of half and no salary.”

    He said: “The office of the governor which is principally made up of the Governor, Deputy Governor, Secretary to the State Government and Chief of Staff expended a sum of N6,367,390,350.64) in one year. This was higher than the entire money spent on education, agriculture and health in the same year.

    Read Also: Aregbesola has redefined Osun politics – Ataoja

    “Of this figure, the sum of over five billion and fifty million naira was spent on overhead in the office of the governor. This was an increase of almost 400% on the sum of 1.2 billion naira spent on the same over-head in 2015.  The question is what could be responsible for this astronomical rise in overhead cost of running the office of the governor within 12months? How much of this money was funneled into private pockets and on political patronage?

    “Other financial irregularities discovered in the report according to the PDP chairman include the building of a website for over 10 million Naira as well as the spending of over 276 million Naira on the maintenance of infrastructure in the Governor’s office while a paltry sum of over 1 million Naira was spent on the maintenance of infrastructure in all the health institutions in the state.

    In a reaction, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Adelani Baderinwa, described the allegations against the government as the ranting of an ant.

    He said the opposition party was fond of allegations it could not substantiate.

    According to him, the people of the state know the type of people in the PDP, whom he said could not make any impact on the life of the people when they ruled the state for seven and half years.

    He said that the PDP would fail in the September 22 governorship election, adding that the party knew that it had failed to win the sympathy of the people in the state.

  • My plan for Osun, by aspirant

    Osun State All Progressives Congress (APC) govern-orship aspirant, Bola Olaniyi has said he will consolidate on the legacy of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, when elected in the coming election.

    He said he has all it takes to move the state forward. “I am the determinant and panacea for All Progressives Congress governorship election victory in Osun State. That means I am the only candidate that can make the people of Osun State vote for the party in the forthcoming governorship election in August.

    “I boldly say that denying me of the gubernatorial ticket as the party’s flag bearer will earn the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress zero-victory in the forthcoming governorship election.

    It is the will of God that I succeed Governor Aregbesola as the next governor of the state, but some of the state party leaders don’t have respect and regard for God’s instruction but believe in their own carnal decision and hereby go about parading a candidate of their own choice,” he said.

    According to the youths, it is now personality voting after sufficient evaluation of their chosen candidate.  The people are now wise making reference to their sour experience from the stakeholders of the present government.

    He said: “My ambition right from time is to serve the people of Osun in governorship position. The state has passed through leaders who were self-serving, but I believe that people like me could improve on what Aregbesola is doing.

    “Unlike before when people were fooled and made to vote on empty promises and tortoise stories, people are now wise.

    “Money sprayers are now all over the state, giving motor cycles, tricycles, grinding machines, while many of them slaughter cows and goats and organise open feast for people purposely to buy their minds which they could no more achieve.

    Broadly speaking, God who knows the beginning and the end can never make a mistake nominating and backing me to serve His people to carry out my mission to turn around the situation and engender a robust and booming economy that will make the people live in joy.

  • Osun spends N30bn on social investment initiatives

    Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of  Osun  on Tuesday said  his administration had spent more than N30 billion on direct social investment programmes in the state.

    The media aide to the governor, Sola Fasure, in a statement on Tuesday in Osogbo, quoted Aregbesola as saying this at the palace of the Elegboro of Ijebu-Jesa in Osun, Oba Moses Agunsoye.

    Aregbesola’s visit to the monarch was in continuation of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) sensitisation tour of the state.

    ” Our government has done so much to make life meaningful and abundant for the citizens just as we have made direct investment on the people to the tune of about N30 billion,’’ the governor said.

    He said the social investment was done through initiatives such as Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme ( O’YES ), Osun School Feeding and Health Programme ( O’MEAL ), Osun Rural Enterprise and Agricultural Programme (O’REAP) and Osun Ambulance services.

    According to Aregbesola, his government has performed creditably well in delivery on its electioneering campaign promises to the people of the state.

    Read Also: Osun indigenes hold Annual General Meeting

    The governor said that his administration, after the expiration of its tenure, would leave behind legacy projects.

    “We are using this tour to remind our people that we have fulfilled at least 70 per cent of our campaign promises and for them to know that they must do everything to ensure that our party remains  in the saddle of leadership,’’ he said.

    In his remarks,   Agunsoye commended the governor for the giant strides recorded in the last seven and a half years.

    The monarch said the present administration had done well in all aspects of governance.

    ” It has therefore become important for us as a people and as citizens of Osun if we truly desire good governance to allow continuity,’’ the monarch said.

    NAN