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Tag: Seyi Makinde

  • Ibadan Obas-in-Council congratulates Makinde

    The avalanche of congratulatory messages being poured on the Oyo State Governor-elect, Mr Seyi Makinde continued on Thursday with the latest of such coming from the Ibadan Obas-in-Council in which the new governor was admonished to walk his talk in terms of electoral promises.

    Rising from their meeting which held at Mapo Hall, Ibadan, the Obas-in-Council consisting the promoted members of Olubadan-in-Council and the promoted Baales in Ibadanland, they rejoiced with Makinde over his victory at the polls held across the state last Saturday.

    Makinde of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) defeated his closest rival, Mr Adebayo Adelabu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election, a development that has elicited jubilation across the state.

    In a message signed by the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba (Dr.) Lekan Balogun, on behalf of the Council, the governor-elect was asked to run an all-inclusive government that would reflect the combined efforts of the forces that saw him through the excruciating election.

    According to the Ibadan Obas, “We are happy for the governor-elect that at last, the Almighty creator crowned his efforts of many years back with this victory. We enjoin him to be magnanimous in victory, seeing the entire state as his constituency without any form of discrimination.

    Read Also: Makinde: my victory was like Agbekoya revolt

    “We equally note his utterances since he was declared winner of the election and we are happy to observe his continuous emphasis on socio-economic development of the state and we can only urge him not to leave any stone unturned to bring his dream into reality.”

    Asking the residents of the state to give the incoming government their maximum cooperation towards reaping dividends of democracy, the monarchs maintained that “it is only under a conducive environment devoid of brigandage and all forms of security threat that any government can perform optimally.

    “The pockets of violence recorded during or after the last Saturday’s elections coupled with the rumours of killing of different people in the state did not portray the state in a good light. We urge our people to please shun violence and desist from rumour mongering which are only capable of creating unnecessary tension in the state.”

    While praying for a successful tenure for the governor-elect, they urged the residents of the state to always remember him in their prayers, saying, “our leaders need our prayers at all times so as to succeed because it is in their success that the subjects can find peace and joy”.

  • Makinde, Oyo Govt. trade words over alleged last-minute spending

    Oyo State Governor-elect, Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday accused the outgoing administration of embarking on hasty payment for contracts and projects.

    But the government described the accusation as a deliberate ploy to heat up the polity and whip up sentiments.

    In a statement by his spokesman, Prince Dotun Oyelade, Makinde alleged that hush money was being ferried from government coffers at an alarming rate since the election result was announced.

    He said credible sources within government revealed that non-visible contracts were being used as a guise to cart away millions of Naira from government account with the connivance of a few civil servants.

    Makinde said that while he does not want a time-wasting holistic probe as he had promised during his campaign, he will set a dateline upon all contracts awarded and payments made under suspicious circumstances in the dying days of the current administration.

    According to the statement, he may be forced to open the books if the aim is to rush money out through foul means before May 29 and leave the state in further financial crisis.

    “Cases of unscheduled recruitments and appointments including back-dated once have also been brought before him. Government will be fair but reverse any such move without hesitation but with consequences on those found to have committed infractions of the civil service guidelines.” The statement read in part.

    Makinde said that while it was true that the out-going Governor Ajimobi wrote to banks in 2011 to stop honouring cheques from Akala’s out-going administration, he would not tow that line.

    But he warned the govt not to exhaust his patience on an issue that bothers on the livelihood of the people of the state.

    But reacting, the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism Mr Toye Arulogun, insisted that financial transactions have always been transparent.

    Arulogun described the accusation as the latest in a series of propaganda by the incoming governor, stressing that it was false.

    It read: “It is a hoax intended to heat up the polity and whip up sentiments.

    “Governor Abiola Ajimobi who will be in the saddle of the state till the expiration of his tenure on May 28 2019 has been running the affairs of the State including fiscal transactions in the last eight years in a transparent manner in accordance with good governance and best practices.

    “The Oyo State Government will continue to operate in line with its constitutional and statutory responsibilities.

    “At the appropriate time, the necessary machinery will be instituted for the outgoing and incoming administration to meet and establish the desirable transition obligations.”

  • Ajimobi to election losers: Embrace peace, prepare for next election

    Go to court if you’re not satisfied with election outcome, Ajimobi

     

     

    Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state has challenged all those who lost in the recently concluded general elections in the country to in the spirit of sportsmanship embrace peace and begin to prepare for the next election.

    Instead of fomenting troubles, Ajimobi said all those who think they have issues or suspected any untoward action or activities in the election result as announced by the electoral umpire should go to the court of law.

    He gave the charge while addressing journalists on Tuesday at the Governor’s office.

    Ajimobi who had congratulated the governor-elect, Mr Seyi Makinde of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) charged the incoming administration to learn and sustain the good things of his APC led government while also working on the areas he (Ajimobi) might have been perceived not to have done well.

    He warned trouble-makers not compromise on his legacy of peace and security of lives and property until the last day of his administration, urging the incoming government to ensure that the state does not slip back into the days of brigandage, adding that such will be antithetical to development.

    Ajimobi said “In all things, we must appreciate God and God has been very kind to our government. First, we have been able to for the first time, use eight years, and it was eight years of peace, security, safety and of development on all fronts.

    “When you talk about this last election, from the results that we have seen, the declared winners, the usual thing as a sportsman and democrat is to congratulate all those who won and to encourage those who lost to accept the losses.

    “Also, is the fact that we encourage sustainability of peace and development. We must not allow Oyo state to slip back to the days of brigandage. It is antithetical to development.

    Read Also: Ajimobi and the power in the tongue

    “So, all those who lost should accept and if they find reasons why they lost, and they believe that some maneuvering or manipulations have been done, they should take the legal course.

    “But if you believe that nothing untoward has happened, you leave it and prepare for the next time. My admonition is that our people should maintain and sustain peace.

    “This government will not leave until the 29th of May. Between now and the 29th of May, we are in government and will ensure peace and tranquility which is the hallmark of our administration. And we believe that all hands must be on deck to maintain this.

    “With regard to the newly elected governor, he should also toe the line of peace, encourage the people to toe the line of peace. Even if we have done badly in some areas, we have done many good things that outweigh those supposedly bad things and in anything in life, there are pros and cons.

    “Once our pluses are more than our minuses, it should be encouraged. The fact that we lost does not mean that we should throw away the baby with the bath water. I think there are good things he can learn from us, there are good things we will be ready to give him to take from and he should adjust and improve on the bad ones so that we can go to the next level.”

  • Makinde: my victory was like Agbekoya revolt

    Oyo State Governor-elect Seyi Makinde of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday likens his victory at the Saturday’s polls to the success of the Agbekoya struggle of 1968.

    Makinde, who spoke during a news conference in his Ikolaba home, said the victory, just like the peasants revolt, clearly showed the people’s dogged determination in spite of spirited efforts to frustrate them.

    Presenting his “thank you address to the people of Oyo State” at the conference attended by party leaders, some elected lawmakers amidst hundreds of party supporters, Makinde condemned what he described as needless, the bloodletting and killing of members of the opposition parties, which led to the death of a federal lawmaker, Mr. Olatoye Temitope (aka) Sugar, describing it as “unfortunate dent on our democracy”.

    Thanking former Governor Rashidi Ladoja, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, Sharafadeen Alli, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde and Senator Monsurat Sunmonu and others, who sacrificed their own ambition and supported him, the incoming governor said the people had made the job easier for the party by voting in majority of the legislators for the state House of Assembly.

    He assured the people that all the promises made during the campaigns would be kept.

    Makinde said: “The political struggle of the past weeks by the people of Oyo State, particularly the elections, which took place yesterday leading to my being elected as your next governor come May this year, reminds me of the Agbekoya struggle of 1968.

    “I compare the two historical events because while the original Agbekoya struggle of 50 years ago was a peasant revolt that kicked against high taxation and tariffs, particularly of farmers by the powers-that-be, Saturday’s voting pattern, clearly showed your dogged determination in spite of spirited efforts to frustrate you.

    “The needless bloodletting, maiming and killings of members of opposition parties, which led to the death of a federal legislator, Olatoye Temitope (Sugar) and some others was an unfortunate dent on our democracy. I assure the families involved that they will not die in vain.

    “In your valour, you stood up against what you perceived to be mismanagement of your common patrimony brought about by collusion with forces outside of our shores to fleece our treasury, among other obvious misdemeanors.

    “Well, there is no need crying over spilled milk and it is for us to move forward together and for me to fulfil my campaign promises to you in the clear understanding that we will take realistic decisions together because you did not elect me to compensate me for anything, you elected me to fulfil your desire for a better life and God helping me, I will not disappointing you.”

     

  • PDP leads Oyo state with 27 out of 33 LGAs

    Barring any unforeseen circumstance, the governorship candidate of the opposition People’s Democratic Party, Mr Seyi Makinde will be declared the winner of the 2019 governorship election in Oyo State.

    Makinde defeated the candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress, Mr Adebayo Adelabu with about 150, 000 votes.

    As at the time of filing this report, the results of 32 out of the 33 local governments of the state have been released by the state Returning Officer, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.

    According to the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, the total score of the 32 LGAs declared so far for the PDP stands at 481, 176 as against the APC’s 339, 826.

    So far, the PDP has won 27 while the APC won five LGA

    Only the result of the Ibadan Southwest LG is been awaited and yet to be declared as at the time of filing this report.

    But despite the non declaration of the final results, hundreds of the PDP supporters were seen gathered out of the Agodi headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Ibadan.

    The supporters who thronged the entrance in motorcycles and cars were denied entrance by the stern looking security operatives manning the entrance gate, which made kept about distance of about 100 metered away from the entrance..

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Adelabu vows to sustain school feeding, pay teachers’ higher wages

    The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Adebayo Adelabu, has promised to sustain the school feeding project, if elected by on Saturday.

    He gave the assurance during his ongoing final campaign across the state.

    Adelabu, who also hailed return of many breakaway members of the party across the state, assured teachers of higher wages if he succeeds in the election.

    He described education as the bedrock of human and nation’s development, stressing that teachers are a major pillar of quality education delivery.

    The APC candidate said without teachers, he would not be who he is today, adding all great men and women owe the development of their minds to their teachers.

    He said he holds teachers in high esteem so much he believes that they are a class of workers whose welfare should be a priority in the society.

    Read Also: I will work for Adelabu, says Akala

    On school feeding, Adelabu explained it is an APC project which has been helping a good number of public school pupils.

    He pointed out that school feeding helps children concentrate on their learning while also lessening the financial burden of many parents.

    Urging the electorate to cast their votes for him and APC House of Assembly candidates on Saturday, Adelabu said his party has the solution to the myriads of challenges facing the Nigerian society.

    He explained that Oyo State has a lot to benefit from continuity under the same party, adding his administration would build on the foundation of security and infrastructural development built by the outgoing administration.

    The APC candidate also welcomed back former members, commending them for returning to the house they jointly built.

    He promised not to discriminate against any member, saying the good ideas of everyone would help in the development of the state.

    Adelabu will contend with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Seyi Makinde on Saturday as the two most prominent candidates in the election.

  • Breaking: Akala, Lanlehin, Alli form alliance against Adelabu

    Major opposition parties in Oyo State have formed an alliance against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the governorship and House of Assembly election.

    The development will put the APC under intense pressure as the three parties, working together, commands large followership across the state.

    The alliance was formed on Friday in a meeting at the residence of the governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Adebayo Alao-Akala.

    Alao-Akala, who is a former governor of the state, had indicated three weeks ago that opposition parties would form an alliance to end the reins of the APC in the state.

    But he declared that he was not working for the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Seyi Makinde.

    The Nation gathered from a reliable source close to the meeting of candidates that Alao-Akala (ADP), Olufemi Lanlehin of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Sharafadeen Alli of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) agreed to review the results of tomorrow’s presidential and National Assembly elections to determine the structure of the full alliance.

    Read Also: I’m not in any alliance against Adelabu– Akala

    It was agreed the party, which performs best in polls tomorrow, will be supported in the governorship and House of Assembly elections on March 9.

    The source explained the alliance structure will spell out how the interest of the remaining two parties will be taken care of if the alliance succeeds in winning the election.

    “They agreed to wait for the result of the presidential and National Assembly election to determine which party will be supported in the governorship election.

    “They will review the result and work out the modalities for taking care of the interest of the two supporting parties. It will be a pure alliance,” the source said.

    If the alliance succeeds, the major parties in the governorship election will be three.

    This will put the APC and PDP on their toes as the three struggles to gain voters’ support.

  • Seyi Makinde to voters: I will create wealth if elected

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Oyo state Seyi Makinde has assured his administration would create wealth for all and sundry if voted in the March 2, 2019 election.

    He gave the assurance during his campaign in Igbeti and other communities in Oke-Ogun area of the state on Tuesday.

    The politician explained that creating wealth will help solve the major security and economic problems in the state.

    Makinde also pledged to give due honour to traditional rulers in the state.

    During his visit to the palace of the Afasegbejo of Igbeti, Oba Emmanuel Oyebisi, Makinde said nothing has changed since he came to seek their votes four years ago.

    He promised to correct all anomalies and put the state in a higher pedestal.

    He said: “Four years ago, I visited you soliciting for your votes to become governor of the state, this is God’s time and his time is the best.

    ” There is nothing I told you four years ago that is not still relevant today and the two vocal things were poverty in the land, after four years, it seems worse.

    “The second thing I mentioned is the entitlement of traditional rulers in Oyo State, which is five per cent of the allocation from the local government according to the constitution.

    “The current administration did not do it four years ago and not even ready to do it.

    Read Also: Lagos, Kano top list of voters

    “Today, you have tried the two options. You can attest to situations during PDP administration and the other party. Their style is to feed fat first without considering the fate of the masses.

    “We are here today to appeal to you to vote PDP government back to power in Oyo State.

    “From our presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his vice presidential candidate, Peter Obi, our senatorial candidate, House of Representatives, myself as gubernatorial candidate and my deputy, Raufu Olaniyan and our candidate for state House of Assembly, kindly support us by convincing your people to vote for us and not sell their votes.

    “It is very evident that people want PDP to return to power. We will be grateful if you can support us to achieve this.”

    Oba Oyebisi wished the PDP train success in their tour, intimating them the people have their right to vote but urged them to eschew violence during their rally.

    Should Makinde win, Oba Oyebisi urged him to direct investments into the town’s heavy deposit of marble to improve the economy of the town and create employment for locals.

    He also called for provision of potable water and citing of a tertiary institution in the town.

  • Police, Makinde disagree over attack on Titi Atiku

    Gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Oyo state Seyi Makinde on Saturday condemned Friday’s attack on wife of the party’s presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, Titi, who was in Ibadan to canvass for votes for her husband.

    Titi was on Friday evening reportedly attacked by suspected political hoodlums at Sarkin Sasa house in Ojoo area of the city.

    An eyewitness said she had, had a fruitful discussion with Sarkin Sasa and the Hausa community in the area when hoodlums pounced on their convoy and unleashed attack.

    In the ensuing melee: “PDP supporters in Titi Abubakar’s convoy sustained varying degrees of injuries,” the source hinted.

    READ ALSO: ‘Atiku’s only plan is to hand over Nigeria’s assets to friends, cronies’

    Reacting to the development, Makinde through his Director of Media, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said: “Very unfortunate incident where those who wanted to play clean and competitive politics were confronted by those who wanted to hold on to power by crook and by force and send their enforcers to attack and intimidate.

    “With the way the APC is conducting itself, the next election may be rougher if things don’t go their way and that’s looking pretty likely.”

    But the police public relations officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu disagreed with the position of the Oyo state PDP, saying Mrs. Abubakar was not attacked.

    Ajisebutu said: “She wasn’t attacked. It was one of the area boys begging for money but was not given that threw a stone.

    “The stone hit the side glass of a car belonging to a Fulani chief who was driving behind her convoy.

    “The chief had come to join Sarkin Sasa to receive the visitor who after her visit left successfully unhurt”.

     

     

     

     

     

  • We want more than SGF, South-West PDP tells Atiku

    The South-West Zone of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to give more key positions to the zone if he emerges as president.

    The South-West Vice-Chairman of the party, Dr Eddy Olefeso, made the demand in Lagos on Friday night, at a meeting of key members across the six states in the zone.

    The meeting, which lasted hours, had in attendance a former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George; the current Deputy National Chairman (South),Chief Yemi Akinwonmi; and a former National Vice Chairman of the party, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo.

    Also present were former Minister of State for Defence, Mrs Sola Obada; a former Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Alhaja Makanjuola Badru; and a member of the National Assembly, Sen. Abiodun Olujimi.

    The party’s governorship candidate in Oyo State, Mr Seyi Makinde; the governorship candidate in Ogun, Mr Ladi Adebutu; and a former governorship aspirant in Osun State, Chief Akin Ogunbiyi, was also at the meeting, among others.

    Olafeso said though the promise of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) slot by Atiku was a good development, the zone deserved more key political and government positions.

    The Vice-Chairman said that the zone had been schemed out in the power arrangement of the party for the past few years.

    Olafeso said for Atiku to give the zone a sense of belonging and compensate “for the years of abandonment”, he should zone key positions of the Chief of Staff to the President and Àttorney-General of the Federation to the South-West in addition to the SGF.

    He said the South-West had the second highest voting population in the country and would demand its fair share of political positions if PDP wins in 2019.

    “We have been denied for too long. In 2011, the country under the control of our party zoned the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives to the zone and it was taken away.

    Read Also: I earned N60.2m in three years, Atiku tells INEC

    “And from 2011 to 2015, we were left just like that and the reverberating effect of that abandonment is the reason why we are still having the hangover of neglect till today.

    “Now we are here again, the party is working with a zone with 14 million votes, the second largest in the country.  We refuse and we will not accept where we finish the job in the next election and for one reason or the other, we will not be considered.

    “We don’t have to wait till after the election before we say what we want. We want to let the party and our candidate know that certain positions are strategic to governance and we want them.

    “Yes, the SGF is great, but there is nothing wrong with having the Chief of Staff and Attorney-General on top of it to compensate us for the denials of the past, so that all of us can work as a united front.

    “We will continue to fight for it, we will speak with a loud voice. We give so much, so the zone deserves a lot,” he said.

    While congratulating Abubakar on his emergence as presidential candidate, Olafeso said the zone was pleased with the choice of Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, as his running mate.

    He said the country was faced with serious economic challenges, and Obi had the pedigree that could realize the party’s economic vision for Nigeria.

    Olafeso said the zone was concerned about the travails of former governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over a case.

    He urged members of the party to stand with Fayose at his trying moment, saying the former governor was paying for being truthful and standing against injustice.

    “I was in the court the last time and I am glad to tell you that he has been granted bail.

    “We will do our best to ensure that he perfects his bail conditions and he is released soon,” he said.

    Olafeso also said he was confident that the verdicts of the Osun and Ekiti governorship elections, where the All Progressives Congress was declared winner in both polls, would be upturned at the tribunal.

    Olafeso urged members to be leave behind post-primaries disagreements and work together to ensure the party’s victory in 2019.

    He said the party had come out of its recent factional crisis to emerge strong, expressing the confidence that it would dislodge APC in 2019.

    Akinwonmi, on his part, said the party was working assiduously hard to wrestle power from the APC in 2019.

    He, however, said the party executive could not do it alone, calling on all members to do their bit to help achieve the electoral goal.

    NAN