The Osun State Government has declared Thursday September 27 a public holiday throughout the state.
In a short statement by the Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Sola Fasure, the state government said the holiday will enable workers participate in the rerun governorship election holding in seven polling units of Ife-North, Ife-South, Orolu and Osogbo Local Government Areas of the State.
The Special Adviser to Osun State Governor on Media, Mr. Sola Fasure, has said the retirement of the state’s Accountant-General, Mr. Akintayo Alaba Kolawole, followed due process.
In a statement yesterday in Osogbo, the state capital, Fasure regretted that “a section of the media, on September 9, went to town with half-truth, speculation and outright falsehood on the disengagement from service of Mr. Kolawole as the Accountant-General of the state”.
He added: “These reports ranged from the spurious to the totally ridiculous and are not worthy of repetition. For the avoidance of doubt, Mr Kolawole retired voluntarily from service, having attained the statutory age of 60 on August 11.
“He duly notified the state government through the Head of Service (HoS) on May 11. The HoS also notified the governor on June 11 and Governor Rauf Aregbesola approved the retirement on June 16.
“As statutorily required of him, Mr. Kolawole wrote to the banks and other financial institutions doing business with the government to notify them of the invalidity of his signature since he will be stepping out of service and will no longer be competent to act as signatory to government accounts or transact business on behalf of the government.
“Having served the state meritoriously for 31 years, Mr Kolawole deserves a happy and peaceful retirement, not wild and unfounded allegations that maligned his person and portrayed him as a disloyal and troublesome civil servant.
“It is regrettable that Mr. Kolawole’s retirement has been twisted and complete falsehood built around this due process. We are not in doubt that this falsehood was concocted at the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) secretariat and this tiny section of the media as its willing tools. Mr Kolawole has since set the records straight and debunked the lies…”
Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress for September 22 Osun governorship poll, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, and the federal lawmaker, Senator Babajide Omoworare, have sent goodwill messages to the Muslim community on the celebration of the 2018 Eid El-Kabir Festival holding on Tuesday.
In the goodwill message by Aregbesola’s Media Adviser, Mr. Sola Fasure, the governor urged the Muslim faithful to uphold their obedience to Allah in the spirit of forgiveness for one another.
Aregbesola described Islam as a religion that upholds the spirit of love, peace and charity and preach harmonious living relationship with other religions adherents.
He commended the Muslim community in Osun for supporting his administration and for being good citizens.
The governor urged Muslims to expand the spiritual benefits of Sallah by ensuring and promoting peaceful co-existence with each other and people of other faiths and shun violence and religious conflicts in whatever form they may manifest.
He enjoined Muslims to pray for and conduct themselves peacefully before, during and after the September 22, governorship election, noting that it is only Allah who enthrones and anyone who wants to forcefully enthrone himself can only do so in vain.
Also, the APC governorship candidate, who congratulated Muslims on the occasion, advised them to co-exist peacefully with their neighbors at all times.
In a statement by his Media Assistant, Dayo Fasola, he enjoined Muslims and other Osun indigenes to rededicate themselves to service of humanity and meditate on lessons of the festival, which he said include piety, faithfulness, dedication, fortitude, obedience, and sacrifice for the benefit of all mankind.
Oyetola said: “I am grateful to God for his mercy in preserving our lives to see another Eid el Kabir. And I am thankful for the advancement recorded in the state of Osun in the last eight years under the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
“I urge us all to continue to uphold the tenets of both Islam and Christianity which is peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and understanding of our differences. May God preserve us to witness many more in good health, prosperity and happiness.”
The Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District, Omoworare, advised Muslims to explore the spiritual sobriety of “this season to pray for peace and progress of the State of Osun and Nigeria.”
The Senator, in a press release by his media assistant, Tunde Dairo, said: “This is a period of celebration and spiritual engagement with God. It is very important that we allow the lessons of faith, obedience and sacrifice which season of celebration represents to guide our ways.
“We owe ourselves a duty to maximize the opportunities provided by God to seek his face and obtain his favour by praying for ourselves, family and not forgetting to pray for peace and progress of the State of Osun and Nigeria especially at this electioneering period.”
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.
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.
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The Oba of Benin, Omo N’oba Akpolokpolo Ewuare II, has called for peaceful coexistence among Nigerians.
The media aide to Gov. Rauf Aregbesola, Sola Fasure, in a statement on Sunday in Osogbo said the monarch made the call during a courtesy visit to the governor in Osogbo.
Ewuare said it was necessary to promote peaceful coexistence among Nigerians and as well rescue the country from the shackles of insecurity that has become the lot of the citizenry.
The monarch also urged Aregbesola to work with his colleagues in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to stop the incessant killings by suspected herdsmen in the country.
He further urged the Federal Government to tackle the security challenges facing the country by taking necessary steps.
“I want you to mobilise your colleagues in the Nigerian Governors’ Forum to address the issue of insecurity in the country and do something to stop the unwarranted killings in Benue, Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Edo and other parts of the country.
“Nigerians cherish their comfort and a peaceful environment so much.
“So we are charging those of you at the helms of affairs in the country to do everything humanly possible to guarantee peace for Nigerians.
“It is unfortunate that this is going on in our land.
“We want something to be quickly done as soon as possible so that Nigerians can know peace, ‘’ the monarch said.
The traditional ruler also condemned the prevalence of human trafficking in the country, particularly in Edo, describing the menace as modern day slavery that must be urgently confronted.
Also speaking, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, expressed delight on the visit of Ewuare, saying it was an affirmation of the fact that Yoruba people would continue to be united.
Ogunwusi said the visit had demonstrated the love, unity and cohesion between the people of Benin and the whole of Yoruba speaking states in Nigeria.
In his response, Aregbesola said that efforts were in top gear to tackle insecurity in the country.
He described the gruesome killings in some parts of the country as criminal and an act of lawlessness which were beyond the issue of farmers and herdsmen clash.
Arebesola said that the killings had been extensively discussed at the last National Executive Council meeting held in Abuja.
He assured Nigerians that the killings by the herdsmen would soon be a thing of the past.
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The Osun Government says it has released N200 million to settle part of the outstanding gratuities due to he 2011/2012 retirees in the state.
Mr Sola Fasure, the media adviser to Gov. Rauf Aregbesola, said this on Thursday in Osogbo in a statement released after the State Executive Council meeting.
Fasure said that the 2,006 retirees that were expected to benefit from the money would receive N100, 000 each on ‘first come, first served’ basis.
He listed the beneficiaries to include 801 high school teachers, 704 civil servants and 501 others from parastatal agencies.
Fasure said that the payment would commence on Feb. 26
He also said that all retirees from local governments, elementary schools and middle schools would have their entitlements settled in instalments from Feb. 26.
Fasure said that the state government also releasedN1 billion for the payment of 142 pensioners under the Contributory Pension Scheme.
The governor’s aide said that among the beneficiaries were 100 high school teachers, 30 retirees from MDAs and 12 others from parastatal agencies.
He further said that the council had dispelled the rumour that the state government was collecting fees in public schools in the state.
According to him, government is only charging students and pupil’s maintenance levies in the new state-of-the-art elementary, middle and high schools in the state.
“Elementary school pupils are required to pay N2, 000; middle school pupils, N3, 000; and high school pupils N6, 000 maintenance levy every academic session.
“Nevertheless, a flat rate of N1, 500 education trust levy is required from every pupil in public and private schools in the state every academic session, “Fasure said.
The Osun Government on Saturday dispelled speculations of outbreak of lassa fever in the state.
Mr Sola Fasure, media aide to Gov. Rauf Aregbesola, said in a statement issued in Osogbo that a patient who died at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife,as a result of the fever, was not from the state.
“A patient from Ore, in Ondo State, with symptoms of lassa fever, went to Seventh Day Adventist Hospital in Ile-Ife, for treatment, and was immediately transferred to OAUTH, where he regrettably died due to the advanced nature of the sickness.
” We must note however that the victim was not a native of Osun, and did not contact lassa fever in the state”, he said.
Fasure said the clarification became necessary to put a stop to speculations in the social media that ‘Lassa Fever had claimed two lives in the state’.
He urged people of the state, not to panic, assuring that the state government had put in place,
surveillance teams in all the local government areas to monitor and check the outbreak of the disease.
He also urged resident of the state to be watchful of visitors who might be exhibiting symptom of the vital disease, advising that such persons should be reported to the nearest health centre in the state.
“Residents are required to be vigilant, maintain the highest hygiene standard possible, avoid contact with those infected and report illnesses and deaths emanating from the disease to hospitals and government health centres.
Lassa fever is an acute viral infection which is transmitted from the faeces and urine of rats when in contact with food and the food is eaten.
This disease is associated with bleeding and can affect any age group.
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…Osun declares Thursday, Friday work free days
The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission ( OSIEC ) on Wednesday said that 318 councillorship candidates are running unopposed in the Saturday January 27 elections. This is because there are no candidates running against them.
According to the commission, the election would therefore hold in 71 out of 389 wards in the state.
The Chairman of OSIEC, Barr. Segun Oladitan, at a press conference in Osogbo, the state capital, further disclosed that another 12 political parties have withdrawn from participating in the election, adding that only 6 parties would now participate.
He also said the election would hold in 6 wards of the Central District, 13 wards in the West and 52 wards in the East Senatorial District of the state.
In his words: “For the purpose of this election which is based on the parliamentary system of government, 38 parties registered at the initial stage out of which only 18 signified their intention to participate. I can reliably tell you that 12 political parties have withdrawn from participating in the election, remaining only 6 political parties in the race.
“Of all the candidates representing the participating political parties in the 389 wards across the state, 318 councillorship candidates in 318 wards have been presented unopposed representing the candidates who satisfy the requirements of the law with reference to section 41 of the Electoral Act (2011) as amended. Therefore, there shall be elections in only 71 wards of the state.”
The OSIEC chairman, who spoke about the injunction against the commission, said the state high court sitting in Ilesha on Tuesday dismissed application for restraining the commission, hinting that the Federal High Court, Abuja also on Wednesday dismissed the exparte motion, sought to restrain the commission from conducting the Saturday local government election.
He gave an assurance of free and fair poll, adding that there would be vehicular restriction that he said would exclude federal roads from 7am to 2 pm.
Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Sola Fasure, in a statement, said that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has vacated its order 2017 restraining the holding of elections into the Local Council Development Authorities ( LCDAs ) and withholding local Government Allocations in the state.
The court had on December 4, 2017 ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria, Accountant General of the Federal government and Ministry of Finance to warehouse statutory allocations to the local government councils in the state, as prayed by three members of the Peoples Democratic Party in a Motion Experte.
The PDP members, Chief Kolawole Osunkemitan, Chief Douglas Adeyinka Oyinlola and Prince Aderemi Adeniran Adelowo had approached the court with an application for the stoppage of monies for the local government in the state in an attempt to stop the conduct of the local government in the state.
Contesting the court order, the state government filed an application before the court with a prayer for the vacation of the order.
According to him: “In his ruling on Wednesday, January 24, 2018, Justice John Tosho of the court held that the interim order earlier granted restraining the holding of elections into the LCDAs and withholding Local Government Allocations has lapsed by effusion of time.
“Justice Tosho also upheld the contention of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Dr. Ajibola Basiru that the orders earlier for the plaintiffs were made upon the earlier ex parte application heard on November 27, 2017.
“The court further held that they were caught by the provision of Order 26, Rule 12 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules which provides that an order granted upon an ex parte application will lapse where a person affected by the orders filed as application to discharge and/or vary the orders and the application is not heard within fourteen (14) days of filing.”
Consequently, the state Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has called on Osun eligible voters to come out to perform their civic responsibility in the Local Government Parliamentary Election, without let or hindrances.
This was just as the state government declared Thursday and Friday January 25 and 26, 2018 as work free days to enable Osun residents prepare and participate in the election scheduled to hold on Saturday January 27, 2018.