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Tag: Sen Abiola Ajimobi.

  • Crowds still throng Ajimobi’s office despite APC’s governorship election loss

    Despite losing in the Oyo South Senatorial election and his party losing in the governorship election, crowds of people are still scrambling to see the outgoing Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi.

    From morning till evening on any day of the week that the governor is in the office, crowds of people including members of groups, associations, religious leaders, politicians and contractors are still thronging the Governor’s Office, to discuss issues, projects and politics.

    It is believed that some of them are meeting with the outgoing governor to conclude ongoing projects, issues and other leadership matters which are time-bound.

    As at press time, the governor in his capacity as the Chief Executive still played host to people from all walks of life.

    To say the least, Governor Ajimobi seems not to forget that he still has the power, running the affairs of the state till the midnight of May, 28 and he never fails to do, as he even takes delight in informing anyone who cares to listen that he is  still the man in charge.

    This may account for the reason why his house and office still look like a Mecca of sort to politicians, political associates, corporate bodies, groups, institutions, partners amongst others.

    Instead of feeling deserted, the governor till date still faces the ‘challenge’ of attending to people who often throng his office and even personal residence for various reasons.

    Some believe that those who still besiege and run after Governor Ajimobi, barely three weeks to the end of his tenure, could be doing so to attract last-minute favour or privileges given the fact that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is controlling the Federal Government. Particularly, since the commencement of the Ramadan, the governor has continued to host fellow Muslim faithful from all walks of life as his culture since 2014. They join him to break their fast.

    The governor still sometimes work into the night in the office along with members of the State Executive Council, an indication that the seriousness and commitment with which the team started the work is not cooling off.

    Commenting on the situation, the Special Adviser to the governor on Communication and Strategy, Mr Bolaji Tunji, explained that his principal was comfortable with the crowd gathering around him. He added that he is used to it, being a man of the people.

    As a good leader, Tunji explained that Ajimobi welcomes everyone that has genuine ideas to discuss as well as issues that require attention.

    According to him, that crowds still mill around him is an additional sign of his popularity among his people.

    This situation was in contrast with that of Governor-elect, Seyi Makinde, whose Ikolaba Estate residence was deserted for weeks until last week when he returned from vacation in the United States of America (USA).

    When our reporter visited his house and Idi-Ape Omi Tuntun office, both buildings were deserted.

    Our reporter gathered that his absence made people stay away because there is nobody to attend to them.

    His house had earlier become popular, receiving hundreds of visitors daily. But that stopped since he travelled since early April. But Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members sometimes hold meetings at the office.

    But the situation changed again last week on his return. His residence has since become a Mecca of sort for different people seeking one form of favour or the other. When asked, his spokesman, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said: “The Governor-elect is no stranger to crowd upsurge and its physical and psychological management.

    “I think it was John F. Kennedy who said that success has many fathers but failure is an orphan. That summarizes the issue.

    “Seyi makinde can sift the chaff from the wheat and while he respects and appreciates those new faces of millions around him now, he’s well aware that the journey didn’t just start now.

    He is well prepared for the future and he is not overly excited about the enthusiastic crowd.

    He is far more sober and reflective about fulfilling the desires of the massage, and he will

  • Oyo, FRSC vows to enforce crash helmet usage

    The Oyo State Government and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), has said they will begin the enforcement of crash helmets rule for motorcyclists popularly known as Okada riders in the state.

    The State Governor, Sen Abiola Ajimobi and the State Sector ‎Commander of FRSC, MR Yussuf Salami disclosed this yesterday during a sensitisation/safety awareness programme organised by the community relations unity of the state government.

    Ajimobi, who was represented ‎by his Chief of Staff, Dr Gbade Ojo said it is the role of government to ensure safety of lives and properties, adding that due to recklessness and non-usage of crash helmet, many motorcyclist and passengers have lost their lives.

    According to him, we have distributed thousands of crash helmets to okada riders in the past just to protect their lives.

    “Oyo State Government does not intend to ban okada riders but we are charged with the responsibility to protect the lives of our citizenry and that is why we need to partner with law enforcement agencies to enforce the usage of helmet. They must be cautious on the highway and must begin to use helmet.

    ‘Thousands of helmets were distributed to them last year but we observe that some of them are not using it and are keeping it at home. They also engage on overload thereby endangering the lives of their passengers and creating social problems. All this are causing overstretching of government facilities in hospitals\’ he said‎

    In his own view, Salami noted that the agency will partner with the state government to enforce stiffer penalties for Okada riders without helmet.

    The FRSC Sector Commander said‎ the decline in helmets usage in the state had caused untold hazards.

    Salami said: “Any Okada rider caught without helmet is fined N10, 000 but I think if we can increase the fine in partnership with the Oyo State Government, so many Okada rider will adhere strictly to the rules and regulation. ‎Many Okada riders in this state needs attitudinal change and are inpatient. They are even ungrateful to government because they should have banned them.

    “If we now charge them N30, 000 for non-usage of safety helmet, I know they will change. I will even advice the state government to state conducting psychiatric test on them because most of them behave abnormal while riding. Even Okada riders unions unit that ought to discipline their members are only interested in their daily dues. So many deaths has been recorded in this state from Okada accidents”

    He urged the state government to have a database for all Okada riders in the state and give them same uniform in order to curb crimes.‎

    Similarly, the Special Adviser to the Government on Community Relations, Alhaji Abidemi Siyanbade said a typical Okada rider is not patient, adding that they ride the Okada as if they are the only people using the road.

    He said: “Another appalling habit of Okada riders is harassment of other road users especially anytime‎ there is an accident involving one of them. Whether they are guilty or not, they will want to solidarise with their fellow Okada rider involved in an accident and in the process, harass and threaten other road users”

    ‎Part of the communique reached at the end of the meeting are:

    With effect from today;‎ No person shall operate a motorcycle (Okada) in Oyo State without a valid riders license;‎  No person shall operate a motorcycle (Okada) without proper registration number plate, ‎Incase of any Okada accident, a passenger or rider should seek proper medical check-up.‎

    All Motorcycle must be road worthy and must have the two side mirrors fixed on them; ‎No person shall operate a motorcycle without wearing a standard crash helmet with full head protection.‎ In case of a passenger on a motorcycle (Okada), the owner or rider of such a motorcycle shall provide a standard crash helmet for the use of the passenger;
    • No motorcycle (Okada) operator shall carry more than one passenger at a time;
    • No motorcycle (Okada) operator should carry any load at any time.‎ ‎Alcohol should not be sold in any motor parks.

  • Oyo begins enforcement of environmental laws

    Oyo begins enforcement of environmental laws

    Oyo State Governor, Sen Abiola Ajimobi, on Wednesday, led top officials of the state on a roadshow across the state to sensitise the people on the preparedness of the state to begin the enforcement of environmental sanitation laws.

    At each stop, the governor said he decided to lead the train to underscore the importance attached to the environmental sanitation and urban renewal flagship programmes of the administration.

    The campaign, which took the governor and his team to markets in Bere, Oja Oba, Bode, Molete and Challenge, is expected to continue on Thursday (today) in other areas of the state.

    Addressing the traders and residents, the governor warned them to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse, refuse burning and other violations of the state’s new sanitation laws, which he said would be fully enforced beginning from February 2.

    Advising the residents to comply with the law, he said that violators would be brought to justice irrespective of their status.

    Ajimobi said, “As we have been doing earlier, we have come again on environmental sanitation sensitization to make our people know that Ibadan should be one of the cleanest cities in Nigeria. We want Ibadan to be aesthetically friendly and environmentally attractive to investors.

    “We want people to know that this sensitization has three goals; one is the health goal, a clean environment is conducive to good health; the third one has to do with invitation to investors, when investors know you have a clean environment, they will certainly come.

    “As you can see now, we are doing road network with dualization of all entrances into the state and major cities across the state. This form of modernization will make our state the preferred destination for investors.

    “What is important to us for now is that all our people must join hands with us and make Oyo State a better place. We want a good state that we can all be proud of and I’m happy that my people are very supportive.”

    The governor said that the state could not afford to go back to the era when Ibadan, the state capital, was adjudged as one of the dirtiest cities in the country.

    The Oyo State Environmental Laws prescribes imposition of fine and jail terms for indiscriminate dumping of refuse, street trading, building structures on the water ways and under high-tension cables.

  • Oyo charges police, judiciary officers on implementation of Criminal Justice law

    The Oyo State Government has urged the Nigeria Police and judiciary officers in the state to ensure proper implementation of the Administration of ‎Criminal Justice Law (ACJL), recently signed into law by the governor of the state, Sen Abiola Ajimobi.

    The State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice,‎ Oluseun Abimbola who stated this at a stakeholder workshop organised by the Ministry of Justice and Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) in Ibadan, said all stakeholder must ensure that their officers and men, prosecutors, counsel and judicial officers, familiarise themselves with the workings of the new law.

    “‎The ACJL repeal and replaces the now 70 years old Criminal Procedure Law (CPL) of the state inherited from the Colonial government, which has out lived its relevance in terms of its responsiveness to achieving an effective and efficient criminal justice system. This state of affairs inevitably lef to the unconscious abuse of the process by some stakeholders, clogging the pace of justice delivery and consequently congestion of criminal courts and prison cells.

    “The law through the committed implementation of its provision by all stakeholders, in the short term crash the rate of arbitrary remand of suspects in our prison and police cells and on the long term ensure less congestion in our prisons and quicken the pace of criminal prosecution.” he said

    Abimbola said the judiciary must be ready to fashion out an implementation strategy with internal process management structures to monitor compliance and results.

    He said the police must also ensure thorough investigations, and recognise that the work of the security agency does not end at transferring files to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution, but includes diligent attendance to the prosecution as dire consequences may visit cases plagued with either the continuing absenteeism of investigating officers, sloppy investigation or non-compliance with the statutory requirements of the ACJL.

    Similarly in his remarks, the Chief Justice of Oyo State, Justice Munta Abimbola ‎said ACJL will promote efficient management of criminal justice institution, speedy dispensation of justice, protection of society for crime and protection of rights and interest of the suspects, the defendant and the victim.

    “In my view, the law ‎if enforced shall have effect of not only trial process and quicken same as it will limit the numbers of adjournments a counsel can request for which is only five adjournments and in capital offences 180 days if not trial shall be granted bail and adjournment must not be more than 14 days,” he said.

  • Ajimobi approves creation of 35 LCDAs

    Ajimobi approves creation of 35 LCDAs

     

    Oyo State Governor, Sen Abiola Ajimobi has approved the creation of 35 new Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), in the state in order to accelerate even development at the grass root.

    This follows a motion entitled:”Need to establish Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), for effective grassroots development”, brought before the house of ass‎embly on June 16, 2016, were the. Lawmakers urged the state government to take proactive measures to establish LCDA’S to ensure that development get to every community in the state.

    The Chief of Staff to the Governor, ‎Dr Gbade Ojo who made this known on Tuesday while addressing journalist in Ibadan, said the approval will give more legal teeth to Oyo State Gazette No. 23, Vol 27 of August 13, 2002, which created the 35 LCDA’S but with a nomenclature of Local Government Areas.

    Ojo who said the 35 new LCDA’S will be distributed zonally in line with both political and administrative zones of the state, listed the breakdown of the new LCDA’S as follows: Ibadan Zone 14, Ibarapa zone 2, Oyo zone 4, Ogbomoso 7, Oke-Ogun 8.

    He said the governor had directed the State Commissioner of Justice to prepare enabling laws as Executive Bill to be presented to the state house of assembly so that the new LCDAs can take off.

    “Between 2002 till date there has been explosion in the demography of each council area to the extent that what was gazetted in 2002 may not be sufficiently representative of the new yearning of our people. Thus, any council area that needs ‎more may begin to work on memorandum to justify their demands as in no distant future. ” he concluded.

     

  • Oyo constitutes education reform initiative committee

    Oyo constitutes education reform initiative committee

    In order to widen the scope of consultation to accommodate more suggestions and models in addition to the ones presented and discussed at ‎the Oyo State Government Stakeholders’ Form on Education reform, the state government has constituted an Education Reform Initiative Committee.

    This followed the controversy surrounding the government education policy to improve the standard of education in the state which resulted into violent protest by some teachers, students and labour leaders.

    The State Governor, Sen Abiola Ajimobi who disclosed this while addressing journalist at the exco chambers, Agodi, Secretariat, Ibadan, said the committee with comprise 31 members from different sectors.

    Ajimobi who was represented by his deputy, Otunba Moses Alake-Adeyemo listed the members as follows: Education expert (Chairman), University of Ibadan (Nominee Member), National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria ( two members), Nigeria Labour Congress and Nigeria Union of Teachers ( two members), All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (two members), National Association of Nigerian Student (two members, Market Advisory Council (two members.

    Others includes; Christian Association of Nigeri (two members), Muslim Community of Oyo State (two members), Community leaders (two members), Private Sector Education Practitioners (two members), Traditional (two members), Commissioner for Education (two members), Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education, Civil/Public servants (three members), Commissioner for Justice, Commissioner for Information, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Nigeria Union of Journalist (one member) and a Secretary to b provided by the Ministry of Eduction.

    Also, following the ongoing strike action by workers in the state, a 14 man committee set up by the state government after a reconciliatory ‎meeting of government and labour leaders will be inaugurated tomorrow, July 12, 2016 at the executive chambers secretariat.

    The committee will include seven members each from government and labour union to resolve the impasse between them.

  • Oyo Assembly receives list of Commissioners, OYSIEC nominees

    Oyo Assembly receives list of Commissioners, OYSIEC nominees

    The Oyo State House of Assembly has received the names of the 14 Commissioner- nominees as forwarded to the house by the Governor of the state, Sen Abiola Ajimobi.

    Also sent with the names of the proposed Commissioners was a list of eight members to constitute the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC).

    They names which were announced at a plenary session of the house on Wednesday by the speaker, Hon Michael Adyemo‎, was received on May 26, 2016 with reference number Gov/2016/05/120, with the caption “Nomination of Commissioners into the state Executive Council”.

    The names of the commissioners includes; Abimbola Adekanbi, Atinuke Oshinkoya, Abimbola Kolade, Taibat Adaba, Barr Oyewole Oyewumi, Barr Abayomi Oke, Wasiu Dauda, Ajiboye Omodewu, Isaac Ishola, Abdul-Ganiyu Mudashiru, Toye Aruloun, Oluwaseun Abimbola, Prof Niyi Olowofela, Dr Azeez Adeduntan and Fatai Salawu.

    Also the names of eight members to ‎constitute OYSIEC are; Adewole Ajeigbe (Chairman), Sunday Aborisade, Adedeji Raimi, David Adeagbo, Bello Lateef, Omolola Odekunbi, Abdulrazaq Akuru, Rasheed Oyekanmi.

    Adeyemo directed all the nomines to submit 40 copies each of their Curriculum Vitae to the Clerk of the house on or before June 3, 2016.

    He stated that they will be screened by next week.

    In his reaction, the Special Adviser Adviser to the Governor on Communication and Strategy, Yomi Layinka ‎ said:” The names of the nominees was carefully selected after due consultations with stakeholders and party members.  As you will recall a few months ago when the governor inaugurated the caretaker committee Chairman he promised to constitute the OYSIEC members and conduct local government elections and this process is one critical step towards the council election,” he said

    Layinka said the OYSIEC members cut across all religions and professions, adding that they are people of impeccable character who are not controversial.

    “They have public respect and they are apolitical and are people that will conduct themselves in a manner that is Honourable and will toe integrity in the process of electing people.

    “Similarly, the governor has been careful in selecting the list of Commissioner nominees and was very careful in ensuring that stakeholders representation is taking care of but most especially competence is the operating parameter for determining who made that list,” he said.