Osun Defender - August 14th 2014, Edition by OsunDefender

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www.osundefender.org THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2014 The victory of the All Progressives Congress, APC in last Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Osun State reinforces the opposition against a seemingly rampaging political train of President Goodluck Jonathan

PEOPLE FIRST

Front Page Comment Osun and 2015: The game changer the result of the Osun It was a welcome relief to the national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Those who saw him yesterday morning as

State governorship poll was declared said they saw a man greatly relieved but reinforced for the battle ahead. Besides being an

elixir to the opposition that was badly traumatized by defeat in Ekiti a month ago, the Osunvictory acts as a spring orheopposition towards the 2015 presidential prize Continue on pg6

VOL. 9. NO.097

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Who Killed Chief Bola Ige, formerAttorneyGeneral and Minister of Justice?

IGE

Aregbesola Collects Certificate Of Return •Dedicates Victory To Osun People

- See Story On Page 3

Osun 2014: Police On Election Duties Protest Non-payment Of Allowance In - Pg 3 Osogbo

•(L-R) National Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ambassador Muhammed Wali; Secretary of the Commission, Mr Oladapo Oladipo; Acting Director, Legal, Mr. Ibrahim Bawa; Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Deputy Governor, Otunba (Mrs) Titi Laoye-Tomori, at the presentation of Certificate of Return to Governor Aregbesola and his deputy at INEC headquarters, Osogbo, State of Osun, on Tuesday

Osun Residents, - Pg 9 Traders Throw Parties Over - Pg 4 Aregbesola’s Victory Osun Poll: Federal Might Has Failed - Pg 4 - Council Boss

Aftermath Of Osun Poll: PDP, Presidency Plan To Unleash Terror On Osun - See Story On Page 3

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, August 14, 2014

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OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, August 14, 2014

Aregbesola Collects Certificate Of Return •Dedicates Victory To Osun People

OVERNOR of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on Tuesday evening dedicated his certificate of return to the entire people of the state for their steadfastness and unflinching support in voting for the continuation of his government. National Aregbesola made the supervising dedication in his remark at the Commissioner, Ambassador Independent National Electoral Mohammad Wali. He commended INEC for Commission’s Headquarters in Osogbo, shortly after the conducting a largely free and presentation of the certificate fair election which he scored as of return to him by the high as 75 per cent in

performance. Aregbesola however, advised INEC to guard jealously vital electoral materials against being tampered with. According to the governor: “I want to advise INEC to take seriously the security of election materials, they should be extra vigilant with the materials they used in election,

we appeal to you to be alert and more determined to secure materials to avoid compromised staff to tamper with the materials. “I also want to commend other contestants who enriched the country’s democratic process, they must all come to us on how we can move forward our state. For those who are embittered, we are in no way inducing them not to chart the legal way to redress. “We must add that while

•A mammoth crowd during, Walk-To-Live, the monthly exercise in Osogbo, State of Osun, recently.

Osun 2014: Police On Election Duties Protest Non-payment Of Allowance In Osogbo By SHINA ABUBAKAR EGULAR and Anti-riot Policemen deployed to the State of Osun for the special assignment of policing the just-concluded governorship election in the state, last Monday barricade the Oke-Fia GRA road, in protest of refusal by their superiors to pay their allowances. The security personnel that the policemen, since were angry that three days their arrival, were left to take after the conclusion of their care of accommodation, assignment, they were yet feeding and logistics on to be paid their dues and no their own, yet, the refusal to superior officer bothered to pay them off after explain what went wrong, concluding their only to be abandoned to assignment in the state. their fate. The angry officers were According to findings said to have waited patiently around the state police for someone to, at least command at Oke-Fia and ,offer an explanation for the Dugbe Police Division in delay in the payment, Osogbo, where the protest believing they ought to began around 9.00am, the have returned to their men, mostly deployed from various points of duty since Delta State, have been Sunday evening. taking care of themselves After seeking explanation since they came into the that was not coming, they state last week. went haywire, barricading It was learnt that those at the road, smear it with dirt the Dugbe division were and stopped vehicles from protesting the non-payment passing through the road, of their over N1 million thereby creating a gridlock allowance after they had on the road for over an hour. effectively completed their They (protesting officers) assignment and had to also demanded that their disrupt the division for over allowances be paid thirty minutes. immediately, saying ferrying However, a source inside the cash from Abuja should the police division said the not be a problem. allowance was just about Journalists from two N500,000 and it was not the broadcast media houses, fault of the superior officers who were at the scene to do at the division, as no cash their job fell victims, as their was deployed to the camera was seized and one division to offset the of them whisked away by allowances. the police. Meanwhile, as the protest Meanwhile, not happy gradually died down at the with the development, the division, the combined superior officer in the state force of both regular and ran into action and anti-riot policemen at Oke- commenced the process of Fia were creating scenes, as getting money to pay the the medium gathered that protesting officers and save the security personnel were the Police from national not just protesting non- embarrassment. payment of their It surprised the angry allowances, but were also officers that within two not happy with the manner hours, they were all they were treated summoned to get their throughout their stay. money in cash and were told Investigations showed to return to their various

points of duty. One of them confided in the medium that reform would not be possible in the nation’s Police Command

until rank and file form a union to protest the excesses of their superior officers.

they are seeking redress in court, they can still join us on how we can give meaningful life to our people”, the governor stressed. Aregbesola averred that no democratic mandate is inferior to the other, noting that for democracy to be meaningful, whatever honour gi ven to the president must be extended to anyone that is democratically elected. On the conduct of the troops drafted to the state, Aregbesola lamented that some of them acted in a manner completely contrary to the nation’s constitution by turning themselves into a terror gang shortly before and during the conduct of the election. He condemned in strong terms harassment, intimidation and arbitrary arrest of members, supporters and chieftains of the All Progressive Congress on the eve of and the day of the election. He advised the security agencies to always sieve between genuine and wrong orders so as to know which one to carry out and one to turn down. Aregbesola continued: “I must commend the security agencies for their commitment to making the election a huge success and violence-free. “However, one must not fail to mention the overzelousness of few of the security agents, who in the name of obeying orders, ran riot and clamped down on innocent chieftains, members and supporters of our party. “As security personnel, your constitutional role is to maintain law and order as well as protect the people of

Aregbesola’s Victory Opens New Chapter Of Development - Oranmiyan President By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

term of the administration. Appreciating the people of the state for their steadfastness and commitment to the course of progressivism, he also called for their support for the administration to be able to realise its dream for the state. He them called on Aregbesola’s contenders to shelve partisan politics after the election and come on board to join him in developing the state.

RESIDENT of Oranmiyan Group Worldwide, Prince Felix Awofisayo, has stated that the victory of Governor Rauf Aregbesola in the last Saturday’s governorship election has opened another chapter for further development of the State of Osun and its people. Awofisayo, who is the Noting that the Chairman, Osun State performance of Aregbesola Universal Basic Education in his first term was just a Board (SUBEB), also said foundation for what to the poll has shown that the witness in the second term, people of the state would he stated that Osun would not for anything witness more tremendous compromise their support development in the second for the administration. Oranmiyan is the political group of Aregbesola and he is the Grand Patron of the group. Saying that he was not surprised of the victory recorded by Aregbesola at By OUR REPORTER the election, Awofisayo OLLOWING the defeat it suffered from the last noted that within the last governorship election, the rattled Peoples three and half years, he has Democratic Party (PDP) in the State of Osun has been able to transform the state and its people within allegedly concluded plans to unleash terror on the people the very limited resources. of the state, with the sole aim of making the state “With the support of God ungovernable for Governor Rauf Aregbesola. and of the people on our Some chieftains of the even after they lost the side, we knew that nothing governorship election. would stop the victory, PDP, who spoke with OSUN “All they are planning is DEFENDER under even when the Federal power laid siege to our condition of anonymity on to terrorize the state, make Monday, in Osogbo, the it unsafe for the people and people. for “One signal that this state capital, confided in the ungovernable victory has sent to the medium that the party has Aregbesola. The PDP and entire world was that God contracted the violence presidency are planning to is supreme, no matter the mission to a notorious declare state of emergency federal power. political thug, known as in the State of Osun. They do not want Aregbesola to “We have been Sunday Igboho. vindicated that in the first According to the continue governing the term of Ogbeni Aregbesola sources, the PDP state”, the sources said. administration, Osun has governorship candidate, The impeccable sources been placed on a right path Senator Iyiola Omisore and disclosed that chairmen of of development and the party in all the 31 local prosperity, which has made the Presidency are still very government council areas of much committed to crushing it a reference point to the the state, including the Area whole world,”, Awofisayo the All Progressives Office, were called to a Congress (APC) stressed. meeting on Sunday evening

Nigeria. “It is therefore, criminal for any law enforcement agent to molest, harass or intimidate innocent people let alone killing a Nigerian. “You must from now on develop the attitude of resisting wrong orders, which are antithetical to what constitution permits. “Any order that is giving and which is not supported by the constitution is inimical to good governance and the rule of law. “Therefore, whatever order that violates the constitution of Nigeria is criminal.” The Resident Electoral Commissioner of Osun, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, charged the governor to be magnanimous in victory for the benefit of the state and its people. Agbaje described the August 9 election as one in which INEC was determined more than before to conduct a free, fair and credible election, saying INEC stands tall with the way the election had gone in Osun. He admitted that the election was not completely smooth because political leaders were not too careful in their utterances, which unnecessarily heated up the polity before the election proper. He said: “We, at INEC, by the judgement of international communities and observers are pleased that the Osun election is adjudged as the best in the country, though it was not completely smooth because of utterances that overheated the polity among other allegations against INEC. “Not bordered on these, the commission focused on conducting a free, fair and credible election, we ensured that the distribution of election materials were done without any hiccup, so also voting and accreditation were done without any hitch. “We will continue to do everything possible to make INEC one of the best in the world. Political leaders must shun all election vices, they must educate their people against this, there is a pressing need for unity among political leaders and others,” the commissioner pointed out. He commended the people of Osun for coming out en masse to vote for their candidate which lent credence to what INEC has stressed on people’s votes that will represent the outcome of election.

Aftermath Of Osun Poll: PDP, Presidency Plan To Unleash Terror On Osun

government in the state,

at Omisore’s country home, Ile-Ife, where they were given the mandate to recruit warlords that could assist Igboho’s team. The sources further hinted that some leaders of the PDP were called to Omisore’s campaign office in Osogbo on Monday to review the evil plan and how to make it a success. It was further gathered that Igboho’s team would launch its first attack tomorrow (Friday) in Ile-Ife, with the help of some other PDP thugs residing in the ancient town. Some notable APC chieftains and their residents have been allegedly marked for attack, which does not leave out commercial motorcyclists, known as Okada riders, and shop owners at popular areas across the state.

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OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, August 14, 2014

Osun Residents, Traders Throw Parties Over Aregbesola’s Victory By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

ELEBRATION for the victory of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun in the Saturday’s governorship election continued on Monday, as residents and traders in Osogbo, the state capital and other parts of the state threw parties. In virtually all the streets people, as they were of Osogbo, Fuji and Juju wining and dining musicians were seen together. entertaining the joyous At the popular Ajegunle

Auto Spare Parts Market, it was party time, as traders were sighted dancing to life music sponsored by the traders at about six joints within the market, eating and drinking. Since morning till about 8.00pm, traders were still being sighted within the market celebrating the

victory. Situation was the same at Ogo-Oluwa/Ola-Iya; Alekuwodo/Ola-Iya, OldGarage/Station Road/OjaOba, Old-Garage/Oke-Fia, Igbona/Ayetoro/Stadium stretches of Osogbo, as well as Oja-Oba, Ibokun road, Owode area and so many other parts of the state capital.

Reports across the state showed that the situation was not different in Ikirun, Ejigbo, Iwo, Ilesa, Ile-Ife, Ede, Inisa, Ila, Ikire, Gbongan, Modakeke, and so many other parts of the state. One of the traders at Ajegunle Market, Mr Ismail Kolade, said the celebration was necessary to appreciate God and show that Aregbesola’s administration is acceptable to the people of the state. According to him, the people of Osun have shown that Aregbesola has met their yearnings and close to ordinary man on the street, saying, that was

the main reason the people of Osun love him. “The truth is that Aregbesola has met the yearnings of the people by bringing himself closer to the people and providing basic infrastructure needed for them to excel. “Some voted for him because they want him to finish the developmental jobs he has started, some voted for him because they like his approach to governance and some voted for him because he is the best option among all the candidates. “This calls for celebration because in spite of all the forces, the power of Almighty God reigned supreme,” Kolade said.

Ebola Virus Disease: Osun Puts Residents On Red Alert By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle), European Union Election Monitoring Coordinator, Mr Paul Edwards (left) and Ambassador of Kingdom of the Netherlands,Mr John c.m Groffen, during a courtesy visit to the governor at Government House, Osogbo, on Sunday.

Osun Poll: Federal Might Has Failed - Council Boss By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

OVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola’s victory at the electoral processes. “Putting a state under last governorship election in the State of Osun has been described as the will of God siege with 75, 000 security that could not be crushed by any force or voice of agents; arrest of key APC leaders, harassment of and opposition. “The federal might, the kerosene and cash to buy intimidation of electorate Peoples Democratic Party their votes. robbed the election of its He said: “Osun election credibility. (PDP) and the Presidency have failed woefully on has come and gone, but we “The turnout of voters their mission to stop need to restate the need to was encouraging and Aregbesola,” said the deepen our democracy. impressive, considering Executive Secretary, The election appeared to the militarization of the Ayedire Local Government be free and fair, but it is state and other anomalies Council Area of the state, far from being credible. during the election Like I said before the process. Mr Gbenga Ogunkanmi. Ogunkanmi, in a election, voting, collation, “Congratulations to the congratulatory message counting, announcement people’s governor, Mr. sent to the governor on of results and declaration Rauf Aregbesola and the Monday, described of winners are parts of good people of the State of Aregbesola’s victory as resounding and deserved to a man that has committed all what he has to serving the people of the OVERNOR of the State of Osun, Ogbeni state by delivering good Rauf Aregbesola, has charged the people of governance. The council boss stated Osogbo and traditional adherents to display that Aregbesola’s victory high level of hospitality towards influx of tourists, could be described as who would be coming to celebrate 2014 Osun ‘unshackling the shackles’ Osogbo with them. that the PDP and The governor assured Ogbeni Aregbesola, who Presidency had placed on the people of the state was represented by thr the opposition governors in government continued Permanent Secretary, the country. According to him, the Ministry of Home Affairs, support in the celebration outcome of the Tourism and Culture, Mrs of World Osun Osogbo governorship election Olajumoke Bello, at Ataoja festival and all other would further strengthen Palace during the path- traditional festivals in the Nigeria’s democracy and cleansing called ‘Iwopopo’ state. reduce to barest minimum, ,which marked the In appreciation of the politics of inducing beginning of 2014 Osun government gesture, the electorate with rice, Osogbo festival. Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba

Osun, who stood up for their right to participate in a democracy. “Aregbesola’s victory marks the beginning of the new era in Nigeria and a good day for democracy in our dear state. “I salute the courage and bravery of our people who risked their lives to vote and fought successfully to protect their votes. We have won a great victory but our victory is incomplete without renewing our support for the Aregbesola’s administration.

HE State of Osun Commissioner for Health, Dr (Mrs) Temitope Ilori, said on Wednesday that residents of the state have been put on red alert to avert the spread of the Ebola virus. Ilori told newsmen in any population. Osogbo, the state capital, This informed our efforts that health education was to embark on incessant crucial in checking the awareness programmes. spread of the disease. In spite of the fact that we The commissioner have not recorded stated that although the incidence of the disease state had no record of the in our state, there is need disease in spite of its for our people to be proximity to Lagos, it was vigilant and more important to put residents proactive in the area of on red alert. personal and She urged residents to environmental hygiene. be more proactive in The means of terms of environmental transmission, which is hygiene, since the disease basically through the body could easily be fluid of the carrier, transmitted through the makes it compulsory for body fluid of an infected us to take our personal person. hygiene seriously,’’ she Ilori also said that the said. state government was Ilori, however, called on committed to healthy churches to be careful living in line with its unique about keeping Ebola health policy. infected persons in their “It is indisputable that premises for spiritual health education is highly healing, describing such germane for the act as ”dangerous and promotion of health and inimical.’’ reduction of diseases in “We are appealing to our men of God to quickly report any case of Ebolainfected person to the Osogbo people, State of appropriate authority and Osun and Nigeria at large. not keep such persons in Highlights of the event their churches for were royal movements and miraculous healing. blessings of people from “In as much as we are Gbaemu junction to Ataoja not doubting the power of palace, royal homages God, the Ebola virus is too from Olori’s, High Chiefs deadly for an infected ,Iyalodes, Iyalojas, person to be kept in a Baloguns and cultural entertainment from place without thorough medical attention,’’ she Oludare cultural group. Present were Directors said. She further advised and staff of the State Ministry of Home Affairs, residents to desist from Tourism and Culture, eating bush meat for now, Ologi of Oogi, High Chiefs especially carriers of the and hundreds of sons and disease like bats and daughters of Osogbo. monkeys.

Osun Osogbo 2014: Aregbesola Charges People On Oyetunji Olanipekun Peaceful Celebration Jimoh Larooye 11, congratulated the governor on his victory

at the election for the second term in office, which he said coincided with the celebration of 2014 Osun Osogbo, while praying for resounding success. Oba Jimoh Olanipekun then solicited for government support in the celebration of Osun Osogbo and appreciate government efforts at making Osogbo a befitting state capital. He also prayed for

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OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, August 14, 2014

Aregbesola’s Victory Is Well Deserved - ACPP people could not afford to and that is why we reHE Alliance of Collaborating Political By ISMAEEL UTHMAN have a stop or slow down elected Aregbesola.” Parties (ACP) has joined has congratulated He, therefore, urged the Governor Rauf Aregbesola on his “well Oyolola said: “The was ruling the state, on the rapid development, peace, governor not to let the deserved” victory in the last Saturday’s ACPP and the electorate hence their resolve to sustainable governorship election, described as free and fair. do not want the recurrent vote for the continuity of promotion of functional people down in his second that the of the dark era, stagnant A r e g b e s o l a ’ s education and good roads term, saying that the ACPP applauded the ensure in the state pioneered by expectations from the people who came out en government of the state development witnessed in administration that has A r e g b e s o l a ’ s people of the state are been transforming the masse in all the local does not fall in the hands the state between 2003 t0 administration and opt for higher and valuable than government council areas of the people that would 2010, when the Peoples state. self-centred personalities during the first term. “The ACPP and Osun Democratic Party (PDP) of the state to peacefully misgovern the state. and freely exercise their democratic rights, not minding the militarization of the state and and people that stood by By ISMAEEL UTHMAN him against the intimidation intimidation. and threats from the power and governing the people. delivers good governance in Acting Chairman of the that be. Aregbesola should He is from ideological his first term. HE National Conscience Party (NCP) has ACPP, Alhaji Adetunji “The governor should not let the electorate down congratulated Governor Rauf Aregbesola for his background and that is why Oyolola, in a victory in the last governorship election, describing we in the NPC are please, remember the and he should not relent on congratulatory message the victory as a call to more service to the people of the associating with him. The society that produced him, his efforts to transforming people love him because he the people that voted for him the state,” he said. to Aregbesola on State of Osun. NCP in a congratulatory individuals who attempted Tuesday, said the outcome message by its Deputy to frustrate free, fair and of the election reflected National Chairman, South- credible election processes. the free will of the people West, Comrade Waheed The NCP chieftain, to re-elect Aregbesola for Lawal, urged the governor however, called on to continue fulfilling his Aregbesola to remember the second term. electoral promises and the sacrifice, trust and Oyolola stated that delivery of good confidence reposed on him Aregbesola’s victory was governance. by the electorate to get him Lawal commended the re-elected, and make sure an indication that the people of the state were electorate in the state for that they have no cause to making a right choice in spite voting him for another independent in decision- of the threats; harassment, regret four years. making and appreciative intimidation and seduction He stated that of good governance being from some politicians, who Aregbesola was able to earn to foist the people’s trust and votes rendered by Aregbesola’s attempted themselves on the people of because of his well administration. the state. established passion for the He said that the According to Lawal, development of the state decision of the electorate Aregbesola’s victory is an and the continuity of his to have Aregbesola for a indication that the electorate developmental projects. “Aregbesola should •Nigeria Police Force (NPF) officials at State of Osun Headquarters attacked Muri second term was are sophisticated and more to be remember that he is from the International Television (Mitv) cameraman, Mr Kamal Jamiu, working in the State last informed on the need to enlightened compromised by some

Aregbesola Should Fulfil His Promise To Electorate - NCP

people, among the people

Monday.

Feature

No Birthday Gift For Sambo From Osun T

HE August 9 governorship election in the State of Osun has gone the way the people of the landlocked state wanted it. They enthusiastically affirmed their approval of the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. The appreciative people of the state rewarded him with a second term of office for his numerous indisputable achievements and unusual performance. Prior to now in Osun, they were not as generous as to return a governor for second term. This time, the jinx was broken because of the indisputability of the sterling performance of Aregbesola. But as the electioneering gathered momentum and attained its finale, mindboggling demands and insulting expectations were made and vocalised. One of such visible demands, nay unjustifiable expectations, was the one made by President Goodluck Jonathan to the crowd that thronged the Osogbo City Stadium for the final mega rally of the Peoples Democratic Party. After he revealed the rugged determination of his feckless administration to unconstitutionally militarise the state, apparently for want of any meaningful thing to say, the President then in his characteristic drab and dour fashion announced to the barely bubbly crowd that same day, Saturday 2nd of August, was Vice-President Mohammed Sambo’s birthday. And there the demand was made: Vote for Senator Iyiola Omisore and you would have given VP Sambo a memorable birthday gift. Not minding the fact that his party, both in governments at the centre and in the states under its control, is yet to affect the lives of Nigerians in remarkably

•SAMBO By BIDEMIADEKUNLE

positive ways, the president gravely asked that his VP’s birthday be celebrated with a gift of victory for Senator Omisore at the polls. This untenable demand and the revelation of the unprofessional use he would put the army to in Osun formed the crux of President Jonathan’s torturing utterances at the rally to which he led a delegation of questionable characters. Alas! The wise and thoughtful people of Osun have no birthday gift for VP Sambo. If the people who provide leadership for them at the centre are profligate, inconsiderate, and inured to

making awful demands, the large majority of voters in Osun are not careless enough as to give their votes to unprofitable leaders and governorship candidate with everything but the core requirements of leadership. Omisore has lost and therefore there is no birthday gift for VP Sambo from the Osun electorate. In many ways, the electorate in Osun are not like people who continue to glide from one sphere of appalling policy to another domain of policy summersault. Unlike President Jonathan and other top brass of his cabinet, who often demonstrate inaction in the face of urgent national matters, the Osun people know the right decision to make with their votes. Although President Jonathan would be unduly tardy in doing what is constitutionally expected of his office, make wrong moves, and abuse the powers of his office, the people of Osun understand the seriousness of election and the power of their votes. Hence, they will not vote for unelectable persons, and as in the case with the PDP in Osun, they will not overlook the questionable character and lack of viable programmes of Senator Omisore. For the Osun people, therefore, elections mean voting for people like Aregbesola who can do more to affect their lives for good. Moreover, the point must be made that the victory of Aregbesola is a loud testimony of his genuine acceptance by the people of Osun. His popularity with them is no fluke. He is deeply connected with the people and is widely approved of by them. His reelection is a reward for the positive ways he has through the instrument of governance affected the people. They love his unusual

governance, warts and all. They are convinced that he will widen the space of development if given another chance. The people would rather reward performance than to gift Abuja with an undeserving birthday perquisite. Need it be emphasised here again to the PDP wastrels that the successful and convincing reelection of Aregbesola is yet another piece of evidence that he was indeed the winner of the 2007 governorship election and that the Appeal Court that affirmed that was not monetarily induced as advertised by fair weather democrats? One has the feeling that come February next year Osun will once again demonstrate its ringing disapproval of anything PDP and President Jonathan’s undemocratic behaviours. One can only appeal to Nigerians in other part of the country to prepare to put an end to the pain that is Jonathan reign of terror and deliver democracy from the vice-like grip of the PDP. Let us deny VP Sambo a birthday gift next year – he should celebrate August 2, 2015 outside public office. While I heartily congratulate Governor Aregbesola for his deserved victory, particularly over the dark forces of the Federal Government of Nigeria, I should honestly like to appeal to him to stay the cause, improve massively on his feats in office in first term. In addition to adding enduring value to the inhabitants of Osun, Aregbesola has a bounden duty to use the instrument of excellent delivery of good governance to make the return of PDP in Osun permanently impossible. Congratulations to the people of Osun. May it always be morning for democracy in Osun and, of course, Nigeria.

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, August 14, 2014

Osun and 2015: The game changer Continued from pg1 that was being considered a foregone booty of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The message yesterday was that 2015 is still within play. Despite earlier claims by the APC that the presidency was determined to rig the election in favour of the PDP’s Senator Iyiola Omisore, the outcome of the election showed the limit to which President Goodluck Jonathan would go in forcing his will on the electorate. Overwhelming presence The overwhelming presence of security men in the state in the days ahead of the poll did not impede the electorate from exercising their will on who governs them. That indeed, is a reassuring sign for many Nigerians and the international community that the 2015 election could be a free and fair election. Indeed, ahead of the polls last weekend, the APC and its flag bearer, Aregbesola, had in the face of the strong presence of security men around the state betrayed clear signs of unease. The APC’s national spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in statements painted the impression of the determination of the presidency to rig the election in a clear determination to reshape the political configuration of the Southwest ahead of the decisive 2015 election. Such panic caused the opposition party to summon all its elected office holders and political appointees from across the country to show presence in Osun State from last Tuesday as a way of boosting the morale of its supporters in that state. The PDP’s candidate was also lifted by the

presence of strong detachment of the security forces whose presence helped to suppress whatever advantages the incumbency factor would have given to Aregbesola. Omisore also had his friends from the Senate including Senators Enyininnya Abaribe, Ehigie Uzamere and some others to lift his heart. But the most decisive factors were the voters on ground who at the end of voting on Saturday showed their preference for the incumbent. The outcome was, however, not a rout as the Aregbesola camp had predicted it would be without rigging. That underscored the agitation among some PDP loyalists who had sought for an alternative candidate. Omisore, a former deputy governor of Osun State had before this election been on the winning side of all the gubernatorial elections conducted in Osun State. He was deputy governor to Chief Bisi Akande, strongly supported the immediate past governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola in 2003 and 2007, but, however, came short in delivering himself into an office he had in the past helped others to enter. Though a very lively man with sound education, the factors against Omisore were mostly fanned by perceptions about him arising from his trial for the murder of Chief Bola Ige, a former attorney general of the federation. Omisore who was acquitted of complicity in that murder, however, did little to clear that perception. Besides, his political foes helped to fan the negative perception about him. Oyinlola, the immediate past governor of the state who himself had a grudge against the PDP rubbed in the Ige wound on the people when he questioned why President Jonathan had surrounded himself with all those who were questioned over the murder of Ige. “The candidate of the PDP was arrested for killing Ige. He was arrested and detained. “The

national secretary of the [PDP], Professor Wale Oladipo, was also detained in connection with the killing. The Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan, was also detained. “The chairman of the party in this state, Ayobami Olaoluwa, was also arrested. So, why is everyone who was in detention given appointment or put in a position of authority? We need to ask the government,” Oyinlola said. Great minus Linking anyone or party with the death of Ige was a great minus especially given the adoration that Ige continues to draw from most parts of the state. The election was also an opportunity for political enemies in the Southwest to hit at him. Tinubu had by every indication mounted the platform of political leadership of the Southwest with the dominance of his party in five of the six Southwest states. After the loss of Ekiti, his political empire was trimmed to four states and the prospect of losing Osun, had in the last weeks of the campaign become an exciting lure for Tinubu bashers in the region. Internal dissent It was especially so, given that Aregbesola was generally considered the closest of the APC governors to Tinubu. The internal dissent to Tinubu in the Southwest was especially fanned by vestiges of Afenifere, the socio-political organization through which Tinubu, himself emerged as governor of Lagos State in 1999. But the former governor’s alleged role in splintering Afenifere after his emergence as governor helped to create animosity that today irks many Yoruba leaders. Even though many Afenifere leaders did not come out openly to antagonise Tinubu and Aregbesola ahead of the election, some of them were enthusiastically waiting to celebrate the downfall of the APC in Osun. Celebrating the downfall APC leaders who learnt from their laxity in Ekiti

WAEC And Mass Failure In Maths And English HE West Africa Examination T Council (WAEC) on Tuesday, released the result of its May/June 2014 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results. Mass failure was recorded in Mathematics and English Language with only 31.28% obtaining five (5) credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics. There is a marginal decline in the performance of candidates compared to 2012 (38.81%) and 2013 (36.57%). This is not surprising because of daily decline in the quality of education in the country. During the period, ASUU, ASUP, COEASU, NASU, NUT and other teaching and non-teaching labour unions were on strike, due to neglect of the sector by the President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan-led government and various state governments in the country. However, I cannot solely lay the blames at the doors of our governments; parents as well

should take responsibility for the mass failure. How are they faring in supporting their wards to succeed academically? Also, the students have their own share of the failure story. Students’ nowadays spends more and quality time on social media services like Facebook, 2go, Twitter, Whatsapp etc. than they do on studying. How can you spend the whole day on

chatting and expect to pass? Never! Manna is no longer falling; you are Nigerians and not Israelites. However, the buck stops at the governments table. How do you expect students to pass when they feel unsecured? How do you want them to pass when the facilities and teaching aids are short in supply or nonexistent? How do you expect them to pass when the teachers are not motivated? How do you expect

them to pass, when their parents cannot afford their fees with unfriendly economic policies? How do you expect them to pass, when even the leaders are Toronto certificate holders? How do you expect them to pass, when their brothers and sisters are still at home searching for admission even with brilliant O’Level results? How do you expect them to pass, when their brothers and sisters, who graduated with good results are still roaming the streets without job, years after graduation? And jokingly, don’t you think that “the bloods you are sharing” will affect them? Anyway, education remains the bedrock for meaningful development and that is why there is urgent need for our government at various levels to prioritise education in the country especially, public education. Save Public Education from Doldrums Now! •JIDE AFOLABI, Jos, Plateau State.

were well prepared for Osun and went out of the way to woo known and unknown enemies. PDP on the other hand did not help its candidate with the clear animosity towards rebels in the party. The treatment of Oyinlola and another former governor of the state, Senator Isiaka Adeleke subsequently proved to be one of the major problems for the PDP on Election Day. Though Oyinlola did not muster enough votes to win his booth, Adeleke’s grip on Ede, one of the largest towns in the state helped to firmly deliver the town to the APC. After being lured into the PDP gubernatorial contest, the former governor was allegedly forced out by what he claimed to be impediments put on his way. That was the beginning of his defection to the APC, a move the PDP would now regret not to have stopped. One APC source revealed that Adeleke was the candidate the party feared most could trouble Aregbesola. But even after he withdrew, the PDP hierarchy in the state failed to soothe him giving him room to defect. Tinubu, the APC national leader and the many presidential aspirants in the party would be very gleeful with the outcome of the polls. Yesterday, a source said Tinubu was himself very bouncy as he saw the result as a vindication against the aspiration of his internal foes in the Southwest. For the presidential aspirants, the outcome of the election gives hope that their permutations of forging a Southwest and Northern alliance against the PDP remains feasible. For President Jonathan, the permutation may have been that whatever loss of support he may have suffered in the North would be gained in the Southwest. Now, it is back to basics. By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor is

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OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarantee Trust Bank GTB, Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun. All correspondence to the above mail address. ISSN: 0794-8050 Telephone: 0803-392-7286, 08033880205 Website: www.osundefender.com/index.php e-mail: osundefender@yahoo.com

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, August 14, 2014

PHOTOTALK

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, August 14, 2014

More Pictures On Jubilation In Osun State After INEC Declared Governor Rauf Aregbesola The Winner Of 2014 Governorship Election On Sunday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

•A cross section of Aregbesola’s supporters during the jubilation.

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• •Aregbesola’s admirers on a trailer trying to catch a glimpse of of the governor in Osogbo.

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, August 14, 2014

PHOTOTALK

More Pictures On Jubilation In Osun State After INEC Declared Governor Rauf Aregbesola The Winner Of 2014 Governorship Election On Sunday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

•Joyous APC supporters on a car.

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•Another supporters of Aregbesola on waiving to him in Osogbo last Sunday.

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•Another cross section of supporters displaying their support to Aregbesola on the occasion.

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, August 14, 2014

FEATURE

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, August 14, 2014

The President’s False Self-congratulations! T

HE gubernatorial election of Saturday August 9, 2014 in Osun was a significant event in many ways. It was one of the most peaceful in the history of elections in Nigeria. It witnessed massive voters’ turnout and palpable good conduct on the part of the electorate and the competing politicians, particularly those in the camp of the incumbent governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. After putting the nation on edge in what was the longest wait for result declaration, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announced Aregbesola as the winner. This was followed by a gale of congratulatory messages, including, surprisingly, from President Goodluck Jonathan, whose message has the sinister inference of selfcongratulations for allowing the opposition to win. However, the circumstances surrounding the conduct of the polls clearly suggest that, contrary to the false self-congratulations, nothing so good can be said of the role of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) controlled Federal Government, whose duty it is, thanks to our warped federal system, to provide security and all other logistics for the poll. Under the guise of carrying out its security obligations, the government at the centre placed the state under siege. Nobody, whether residents in or visitors to Osun, during the period, would be able to dismiss the thought of being in a war zone. The situation was that of a complete lockdown, in which the state was crawling with security personnel of different hue and ilk – DSS, police, civil defence corps, soldiers and others, all armed to the teeth. There were at least 5,000 DSS agents alone deployed to the state during the election period. Thus, as the polls came to a peaceful conclusion, the Federal Government immediately went to the media to take a devious advantage of the situation. It quickly congratulated the incumbent and winner of the election and expectedly went on to congratulate itself as the unbiased umpire in the electoral game. But a more careful and diligent dissection of the facts of the situation would give a different picture. Contrary to what obtains in the advanced democracies, there is no institution of state in Nigeria that is capable of asserting

•AREGBESOLA By BIDEMI ADEKUNLE any institutional independence from the Presidency. It is common knowledge that our institutions are simply appendages of and tools in the hands of the Federal Government, which happens to be partisan in the Osun election. Hence, we must differentiate fact from appearance for the sake of clarity. There is a qualitative difference between providing security and imposing a state of siege. The requirement of security at elections is to assure voters of their safety and democratic freedom. It is thereby meant to enhance their participation in the process. On the other hand, placing the electorate under siege betrays a badly disguised intent to intimidate and bully them, in order to make them shy away from exercising their franchise, which was the case in Osun.

When we put this together with other facts in the election, it gives a clearly different indication of the real motive of the Jonathanled administration. How, for instance, does the Federal Government explain the harassment and arrests of several All Progressives Congress (APC) members by its security agents on the nights before the election, including members of the incumbent governor’s cabinet? At least, 200 of the APC bigwigs were arrested without any charges whatsoever on the night preceding the poll, only to be released without any reasons or explanations. What plausible reason can the Jonathangovernment give to rationalise the embedding of Niger Delta militants in the ranks of the DSS agents deployed to Osun; they were distinctly wearing balaclavas to cover their faces, while most of their colleagues were going about their business, and mingling with people, without any face coverings.

How does the President explain the presence of Asari Dokubo in Ilesa or that of Tompolo in Osogbo, the state capital, during the election? Were they in Osun as tourists at a time when the state was in a security lockdown by the Jonathan government? Or is it the case that they came as part of the team to carry out the ulterior and dastardly plan of their pay master? What about the deliberate bombardment of the Osun government with false intelligence regarding ballot paper stealing and thumpprinting by PDP members throughout the night prior to the election day? The false information is a tale that accords with widespread expectation that the PDP candidate is incapable of winning in any free and fair manner. However, the real purpose of the intelligence is to tempt the opposition into taking precipitate action, which would then be used as an excuse to use the security agents for the real objective of their deployment; pacification. It would then have paved the way for the PDP candidate to emerge victorious from the orchestrated chaos. The sitting governor and his party would have been blamed for bringing about disorder and for losing the election. But thankfully, it all failed. Reason and restraint prevailed in the opposition camp; they refused to take the dangerous bait of the powers that be. The PDP candidate lost massively and incontrovertibly. Consequently, the claim by the Federal Government to the effect that President Jonathan is a benevolent democrat would certainly ring hollow. We have all read The Prince. We are very familiar with that tactic. It is classic Machiavelli: make yourself appear very generous and magnanimous, while harbouring grievously evil intention. The Osun election is not a tribute to President Jonathan’s magnanimity. Far from it! It is a victory to the good people of Osun, who defied all the bully and show of force to come out and exercise their democratic right and freedom. They refused to be intimidated or browbeaten by the gunpoint magnanimity of President Jonathan. They trooped out on election day; they conducted themselves in a most orderly and peaceful manner; and they exercised their inalienable rights to freely choose their own leader. The people of Osun refused to have a leader foisted on them. They taught us all a useful lesson in democracy: that, with their power to wield the ballot paper, they can trump the power of the Federal Government to wield the guns. •Ogundele lives in Osogbo.

Congratulations The People’s Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has been re-elected to carry on for another term of four years. Ogbeni Aregbesola recorded a resounding success in the just-concluded election. The election shows that the Governor is well embraced by all the people of the State of the Virtuous. In view of this, your popular grassroots tabloid, OSUN DEFENDER newspaper, is doing a supplement to congratulate the People’s Governor. Individuals, corporate bodies, institutions and well-wishers can avail themselves with the pocket-friendly advert rate of OSUN DEFENDER newspaper.

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INTERVIEW

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, August 14, 2014

Saving Lives Is Our Priority – Dr Soji Akinloye Dr. Soji Akinloye is the General Manager, the State of Osun O-Ambulance Services. He speaks with OSUN DEFENDER reporter, WOLE OLAYIDE, on how far the agency has gone in saving the lives of people and how it has changed the face of health care delivery in the society.

have been at the helm of affairs OSDF:atYou Osun Ambulance Services, also known as O-Ambulance for the past twelve months. How has it been? AKINLOYE: To God be the glory since the scheme was launched on the 4th of February 2013 by Governor Rauf Aregbesola with three fundamental objectives. First is the reduction of carnage along our highways by rapid medical response and prompt relief to accident victims. The second one is to encourage good referred system that is, transferring of patients from primary to tertiary health facilities for specialist intervention, and third, to take care of medically challenged elders. It has not been so easy in the beginning, just like any other new organization. The initiator, the governor, made available funds required to set rolling the operation. We recruited staff and they were made to undergo necessary training; the drivers, the paramedics and so on. Initially, we were faced with problem of appropriate operation discharge schedule, but within a very short time, we overcame the problem. There were some time when people will call me from all corners of the state to confirm from me about our operation. There were sleepless nights for me but gradually, through awareness, our operation has improved tremendously. Our staff all over can handle things. Kudos to effective communication, they are used to the job now. In all, I thank God Almighty. OSDF: You are a medical doctor working at the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital before your appointment to the present office. What is your assessment of ambulance and emergency operation before the advent of O-Ambulance and after it was formed? AKINLOYE: Yes! I think I am in the best position to speak on the change that has occurred. When we want to talk of emergency service before now, when there was no OAmbulance agency; one, the number of people that were in need of emergency service were not as much as we have now. Many people will lose their lives at the scene of accidents, as no one will help accident victims that time there was the fear that the victims may die in the process. Sometimes before they could get someone to help, it would have been too late. On getting to the hospital, they will be told it is BID (Brought In Dead). It then becomes a burden on the neck of those who assist in taking the victims to the hospital. Effective emergency service operation is a necessity for any society that cares. The second reason is that there was little public awareness regarding the steps one has to take when there is accident or any emergency situation. Today, we were on air to sensitize people on how to save lives using emergency service, what to do at the scene and how best to make use of services. What we have today is a large number of victims being taking to the hospital everyday as people are now aware of the accessibility to the emergency service. All our hospitals are receiving patients, who are in need of emergency services day in day out. Our hospital workers are wondering why sudden rise in the number of victims of accident and emergency. It is not the case that the situation just arises, but due to the provision and high level of awareness, people are now making use of services. The result is that the number of people that are saved has increased. OSDF: From your record, can you give us a brief statistic of operations that your agency carried out. DR. AKINLOYE: In the last twelve months, we have had more than 21,352 invitations or emergency calls. Out of these, 3,840 patients have been successfully rescued and were taken to the nearest health facilities in the state. Due to the current free health service programme of the state government, they were all treated free-of-charge; some before their relatives would show up. Between 320 to 330 victims are being rescued every month with the highest number in the month of December with 562 victims. This has reduced remarkably, carnage on our highways, coupled with road renovations and reconstruction. 75% of the rescues were road traffic crashes involveing motorcycles. OSDF: Can you remember one or two important operations you have carried out? AKINLOYE: We take every rescue operation as important since all lives are important. Sometimes, it is after a patient is rescued, taken to the hospital and becomes

conscious that we realize that he/she is a relative of who is who in our society. There was a case of a pregnant woman we rescued along Ibadan –Gbongan road. She was coming from Lagos with her two-year old baby. She convulsed in a commercial vehicle. She had a kind of status; epilepticus, indicating a state of continuous seizure activity lasting for a significant amount of time or having frequent recurrent seizure without regaining consciousness in between them. Immediately the driver saw one of our ambulances and called their attention of rescue operators, she was taken to the hospital unconsciously, while the baby was taken to the motherless home for some days. Our staffers were shuttling back and forth between the hospital, where the mother was receiving treatment and motherless home, where the child was been taken care of. It took us about three days to connect with her family after she had regained consciousness. The driver could have dropped her by the road and run away. There was another case of journalists from Oyo State NUJ, who were coming from Abuja last year. They had an accident in Ilesa. It was our team that resued the survivors. If we continue to mention, we won’t leave this place today. At times, it is until when a patient becomes conscious that we will get to know his/her identify as I have said. Our priority is to continue to save lives. We will not allow complacency. OSDF: It is a known fact that rescue operation is highly demanding. How can you describe the attitude of your staff to the duty? AKINLOYE: Yes, I can describe their attitude as being positive so far. There are lot of factors that are responsible for this; the commendations that came from people. I meant the people they rescued and their families are some of the motivating factors. In most cases, the people that they rescue are their people. You know we are related one way or the other in this part of the world. So while doing their job, they have it at the back of their minds that it could be my relative or any of their colleagues. Sometimes, you cannot identify patients in a pool of blood until he/she has received treatment at the hospital. Other factors and most importantly is that we have a government that really supports them. There a lot of incentives; a kind of positive motivational influence; good working environment, job security and a feeling of personal worth of saving lives of people in need. OSDF: Is there any assistance from any other agency? AKINLOYE: When we talk of assistance, agency such as Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) helped to train our drivers on how to safe-drive in case of emergency. Apart from FRSC, our security agents are partners also; they provide security for our operators, especially at night. The media organizations have also helped a lot, as they are assisting us in their own way. Also collaborating with us in rescue accident and emergency victims is (OSEMA) Osun State Emergency Management Agency. We are also working together with the State Ministry of Health, and Hospital Management Board, especially in the area of training of our paramedics. All have been good partners. OSDF: What is your take on general health sector? AKINLOYE: On assumption of office, our governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has taken seriously the development of the health sector along with others. Under this government, we have free health services, the O-clean programme, renovation and reconstruction of hospitals, recruitment and immunization. I mentioned O-clean because there are many things that are prerequisite to human health. A good environment promotes good health. Even on the issue of security of lives and properties, you can now sleep with your two eyes closed. You can imagine what is going to happen to an hypertensive patient, who is worried about his own security and that of his/her properties. Coming down to our agency, we have rescued a lot of people and save them from untimely death. Our referral service has improved, especially from primary to secondary or tertiary health institutions. Maternal mortality has drastically reduced. People are now much more aware about their health and how to help in time of emergency through our public awareness programme on radio and television.

•AKINLOYE OSDF: … And other sectors generally? AKINLOYE: The government of Ogbeni Aregbesola has improved tremendously the living standard of the people of the State of Osun. There is even development in all the sectors and all are working together to promote general living standard. When you have good roads, the number of road accidents will be reduced to the minima and if there is accident, it would be easy access to the hospital. What I am trying to say is that government has touched all aspects of human lives and is not relenting in its effort to develop our state. There are good roads all over, good health facilities, reconstruction of schools and general innovation in education sector (O-meals, reclassification and staff recruitments). Generation of employment through innovative farming policy is applaudable. Thousands of youths are now gainfully employed in agricultural sector in which they are happy. We have O-Reap, loan schemes for young entrepreneurs, control of flood in our settlements and so on. Look at the new market (Ayegbaju) that everyone is marvelled at. Security of lives and property, payment of stipends to the widows and aged, OYES Scheme and so on are some of the landmark achievements of the current administration in State of Osun. You don’t have to crack your brain to assess this government. All you need is to look around and you’ll see government efforts. Even though you’re a blind person, once you have ears, you must appreciate that God has really been kind to the people in the last three years or more. OSDF: Let us come back to your agency. Are you in anyway incapacitated by either human or material resources? And how do you ensure there is discipline among your staff? AKINLOYE: I must say this that we have determined as an agency of government to serve people with all our strength. When I came in as the General Manager, the notion of sit-and-control from office got removed. I am a man full of energy. I receive calls 24 hours a day; more in the night and that is what the job demands. If I, their manager, don’t sleep, why will any staff not abide by the rule of the game. That is that on discipline. On the issue human and material resources, we have 400 paramedics and some other staff call dispatchers. Fifty high-tech ambulances were procured and to this effect, Osun Ambulance Services Agency has the highest number of ambulances in the emergency ambulance service in the country followed by another state that has 25 ambulances. Nineteen of these ambulances were allocated to strategic points along our major highways. Our ambulances are being furnished with walkie-talkie and also CUG (Close User Group) phones; these serve as dual means of communication for the agency staff. The call dispatchers at the control centre receive all calls from our clients through two hotlines:

07080601212 & 07080601313 and call the ambulances that are at the closest distance to scene of accident or where our service are needed. OSDF: Apart from those you have mentioned, what other facilities are in place to make your service more effective? AKINLOYE: Recently, eight ultramodern ambulance ports were built by the state government, which are second to none, for our ambulances on the highways and for quick first aid, if necessary, before a victim is transferred to the nearest hospital. OSDF: Do you have collaboration with your sister agency in other parts of the country? AKINLOYE: When we talk of emergency services, we have it in Lagos fully established long time ago; we have in Ogun also. Initially, we understudied Lagos to learn from their experience, but today, if you can do your investigation, we are second to none. We are far ahead of them. Apart from road traffic crash, which is common, we have introduced into our system, the referral operation, where parties are moved from one hospital to another for better treatment. We have facilities to attend to those who collapse. these are innovations peculiar to our system only. Sometimes while we are on air, people call from neighbouring states to commend us. Anyone who had enjoyed our services before will appreciate government effort in health care delivery. Some go as far as using abusive language against their state governments, when they see how useful we are to the society. Don’t ask me the names of those states please. By referral, I meant a situation where patients or their relatives call us from one hospital to move them to another in the case of someone calling from General Hospital, Awo for instance to be transferred to LAUTECH in Osogbo. We are the only one rendering such service. Our presence is felt in all nooks and crannies of the state. Occasionally, we extend our services to neighbouring states’ boundary towns. OSDF: What are the problems facing by your agency? AKINLOYE: There are few problems but thank God, we have overcome some of them. In the beginning, there were cases of attack on our workers by hoodlums. I think that has been resolved with the cooperation of security agencies. Another problem is that some political fanatics want to bring politics to the issue of saving lives. There was a case when one political party was involved in an accident. When our team got there, they refused to allow our ambulance to convey them to the hospital, and eventually, a life was lost. OSDF: Are you getting financial support from other sources apart from government? AKINLOYE: Not at all. Government alone is the sole financier of our operations.

PHOTOTALK

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, August 14, 2014

More Pictures On Jubilation In Osun State After INEC Declared Governor Rauf Aregbesola The Winner Of 2014 Governorship Election On Sunday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

•A cross section of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s supporters on the car.

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• •APC supporters on the street.

• •Aregbesola’s supporters during the jubilation.

POLITICS

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, August 14, 2014

Triumph Of People’s Will Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola Has Braced All Odds To Secure A Second Term In Critical Election That Has Affirmed The Relative Commitment Of The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) To The Security Of The Ballot Box. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU Writes On The Lessons Of The Poll. For seven and half hours, there was suspense at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office on Gbogan-Osogbo Road, Osogbo, the Osun State capital. That was between 12 midnight on Saturday and 7.30 on Sunday, when the people anxiously waited for the announcement of the final result of the governorship election by the Chief Returning Officer, Prof. Bamitale Omole, the Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife. Hours before the Local Government Collation Officers (CO) returned to the INEC office from 30 local governments, there were jubilations in many parts of the state, particularly Osogbo, Ede, Iwo, Ejigbo, and Ilesa, Based on the reports of the All Progressives Congress (APC agents, party’ chieftains were also in celebration mood. But, the celebration of the governor’s victory was suspended, following the delay by the university don. At 1.51 am, Omole, who was accompanied by the INEC National Commissioner, Ambassador Mohammadu Wali, the National Commissioners for Election Operations, Nuhu Yakubu, Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC Olusegun Agbaje and his Ondo State counterpart, Akin Orebiyi, begun to receive the results from the local governments. As the case begun to submit the results one after the other, there was no panic and no eyebrow was raised by any of the political parties’ representatives. However, tension rose when it took Omole a long time to announce the winner. Party leaders from far and near bombarded the electoral agency with phone calls and text messages. Suddenly, the rumour of likely malpractice and distortion of the final result at the final collation spread like a wild fire. Many had kept vigil as they were glued to television sets monitoring the collation Sources said that Aregbesola, who had returned to the Government House, Osogbo from Ilesa, where he had gone to cast his vote, was restless. At the APC Situation Room, a party chieftain shouted: “I suspect a foul play. It appears that they wanted to rig the election, even at this stage.” Nobody could assuage that shared fear. When the rumour spread to the final collation centre that midnight, many people were enveloped in anxiety. Reporters, security agents, party agents and others were discussing in hush tones. “Is it true that there is an order from above putting the announcement on hold, “a party chieftain asked some reporters. There was no answer. One of the chieftains of a smaller party alleged that a notable Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gladiators from the Southeast had advised the Federal Government to deploy more troops to curtail any violent reaction, if the PDP candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, was declared winner. The allegation could not be substantiated. But, a misleading statement in the social media by a former minister that PDP chieftains and followers were also celebrating victory heightened the tension. The APC agent at the collation centre, Hon. Oladosu Rasak, was worried by the turn of events. He noted that the submission of results by 30 LGA COs could take time because of the distance between some local government headquarters and the state capital. But, he said the delay in final collation was suspicious. Asked to read to the allegation that the ‘loser may be declared the winner he said: “I have had that too, but how it can be possible is what I don’t know.” Another APC chieftain, Ajibola Famurewa, a member of the House of Representatives, said: “At this stage, it is too late to rig. We will wait for the pronouncement by the chief returning officer.’ But, Information Commissioner Hon, Sunday Akere, was confident that the verdict will not be aborted. “We have voted ‘and the people have decided. We know the result already. We are only here for validation and affirmation by the INEC,” he said. Around 7a.m, reporters and party agents were running out of patience, “All we are saying, give us the result,” they chorused in protest. The RO was not indifferent to their protest. Urging them to exercise more patience, he said: “I thank you for your patience: Give me two minutes to round up and announce the result.” The OAU Vice Chancellor was conscious of his historic duty. The work of a Returning Officer is sensitive. Apparently, he scholar was not

•AREGBESOLA unaware of the suspicion of the INEC by stakeholders. He wanted to make sure that the final collation was neatly done and right figures were released. The old teacher shunned the calculator and opted for manual calculation Omole did not request for any assistance from mathematicians and statisticians from the OAU and the University of Ibadan who were Local Government COS. The manual calculation was done for almost three and half hours. During that suspense, anxiety and tension had brew. The announcement of Aregbesola as the winner by Omole doused the tension in seconds. Aregbesola’s victory became the PDP’s nightmare. The party had invested much in the exercise. Party chieftains, including the candidate, Omisore, the Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan, Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, and South West PDP Contact and Mobilisation Committee Chairman Buruji Kasharnu, were full of bravado. Unable to reconcile expectation with reality, the PDP agent at the collation centre, Hon, Bolu Ajao, was downcast. When the Chief Returning Officer asked him to sign the result sheet, he refused. “We have notified the commission about the lapses in the election. We have issue with the integrity of the process. Our candidate is in the best position to take an appropriate action,” he told reporters. According to the result, the governor, who won convincingly in 22 local governments, scored 394,684 votes, beating his main challenger, Omisore, who polled 292,747 and second runner-up, Fatai Akinbade, who got 8,898. Omisore won in eight councils. The analysis confirmed the two-party pattern in Osun State and underscored the weakness of smaller parties merely warming the INEC register. But, the outcome of the poll also has implications for 2015 general elections. If this pattern is sustained, the PDP may dislodge some APC legislators in the House of Assembly and the National Assembly in next year’s election. For Aregbesola, the road to victory was laced with thorns. Ahead of the poll, the PDP, basking

in the euphoria of its victory in Ekiti State, boasted that the governor’s days in office were numbered. The campaigns were hot and chaotic in some areas. Lies and fabrications were reeled out on the podium by the opposition to discredit the government and get an upper hand. The idea of stomach infrastructure also came on the front burner, with the PDP chieftains urging prospective voters to ignore performance and embrace transient cash gifts and foodstuffs. The governor was portrayed as a reckless administrator who had plunged the state into debt. Many PDP chieftains also incited civil servants, motor cyclists, artisans and peasants against him, saying that he was their lives would be in jeopardy in his second term. Omisore also relied on the federal might. Under the pretext of maintaining order, soldiers were deployed to Osun. The PDP flag bearer copied the style of his Ekiti State counterpart, Ayodele Fayose, by going populist. He rode on okada to rallies and bought roasted com and banana on the road, projecting himself as the man to beat. Few days to the poll, former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, a defector from the PDP to the PDP, put spanner into his calculation. Describing Omisore as incompetent, he warned the people against voting for an exAgodi Prison detainee. Aregbesola ran an issue-oriented campaign. His strength lied in his achievements, power of ideas and courage. In every local government, he pointed at development projects completed by his administration. He said he needed a second a term to consolidate his service delivery to 30 local governments. Many observers pointed out that the poll was largely free and fair. Throughout the state, only results from three polling booths were disputed. The Collation Officers cancelled them and notified the REC. Thus, many party leaders hailed the electoral commission for their commitment to the sanctity of the ballot box. However, selected party agents had an axe to grind with the INEC on poll day. They complained that they were not allowed to

‘Aregbesola ran an issue-oriented campaign. His strength lied in his achievements, power of ideas and courage. In every local government, he pointed at development projects completed by his administration, He said he needed a second a term to consolidate his service delivery to 30 local governments’

monitor voting by INEC officials and security agents, owing to their lack of identification tags. To douse tile anxiety, Agbaje, directed that some officials to issue the tags to the affected agents. The REC later explained to reporters that the non-issuance of tags to the agents was not deliberate. Agbaje said: I have received calls from party leaders on the complaint. Many party agents did not show up with their tags. They did not go to the polling booths with tag. We have directed that the specific electoral officer should return to the INEC Office to release the tags to them.” From 8 am to 4pm, movement was restricted across the state. Nature was kind to the State of living Springs. The weather was benevolent. Voters stormed polling units for accreditation without fear of intimidation by thugs. Owing to the huge turnout, accreditation could not be completed at noon. However, prospective voters who came late were not allowed to join the queue by polling officers and security agents. Ahead of the poll, sensitive and non-sensitive polling materials had been deployed to the local governments by INEC. Unlike the controversial 2007 poll, there were no complaints about shortage of voting materials, late coming by polling officers, absence of accreditation materials, lack of voters’ register and harassment and molestation of voters by security agents. Also, there was no case of ballot snatching by thugs. Unlike the eve of the election, when APC leaders were harassed and arrested by policemen, there was respite on poll day. The only chieftain who was harassed was former Governor Isiaka Adeleke. But, when police invaded his polling unit at Ede, he escaped being arrested. Therefore, he could not vote. His aides were not lucky as they were arrested and taken to Osogbo. The pre-election experience of some APC chieftains created doubts about the possibility of a credible poll. Alarmed at the massive presence of soldiers, Aregbesola cried out that the PDP wanted to stage a civilian coup, adding that the state is under the siege of the gun. It was an understatement. No fewer than 50 chieftains and supporters were arrested and detained. Among them were the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon, Wale Afolabi, his Ministry of Agriculture counterpart, Wale Adedoyin, Mr. Tijani Oladosun and party supporters. Another chieftain, Hon, Bamisaye, a legislator from Ilesa, had to run into the bush to escape arrest Bamisaye, who spoke with reporters on phone, said that’ hired policemen had chased APC members into the bush in Ijesa area”. He added: “I can’t reveal where I am now. I escaped into the bush. Many of our leaders are in the bush; wounded. We don’t know whether they are policemen or fake police.” Adedoyin, who was released around 11.30 am, said the arrest of party leaders was unfortunate narrating his ordeal, he said: “Around 9.15 pm, some people were banging my gate in my house at llesa. They said I should open the gate. I reported to the SSS. The SSS said that I should not open. After 15 minutes, one of them jumped the fence into my house. They said that, if I don’t open my door, they will blow up my house. They said they wanted to interrogate me at their office in Osogbo.” During the door-to door campaign by the APC, party followers were educated on now to handle the ballot papers, to avoid another” photocromic” experience. Former APC Interim National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande objected to the decision by some INEC staff to stop voters from folding the ballot papers after voting. He said they had the constitutional right to do so. Akande added: “Voters are at liberty to fold the ballot box before dropping it A voter can even put the ballot paper inside his pocket and refuse to drop it” Akande also berated the security agents for molesting APC supporter. Decrying the arrest, Aregbesola said that it was part of the flawed process that heralded the poll. “The problem is not with the people, but with the institutions charged with the conduct of the election The crackdown on APC leaders was unwarranted. They were molested, brutalised and incarcerated. Osun is under the siege of the gun. What does the Federal Government want? Do they want to force their candidate on the people or they want the people to exercise their right to vote. The want to stage a civilian coup in Osun.” •Culled from THE NATION

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, August 14, 2014

PHOTOTALK

All Progressives Congress (APC) In Ajegunle Community, Osogbo, Celebrated The Re-election Of The State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, At Ajegunle Photo: SHOLA ADERINTO. Market, Osogbo, Recently.

•(R-L) Alhaji Rasheed Adebisi; Alhaji Sule Aderemi and Alhaji Wahab Oyewale, Chairman All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ajegunle Community with other dignitaries at the event..

•A cross section of All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters at Ajegunle during the celebration.

•A cross section of All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters at Ajegunle rejoicing and dancing.

•A cross section of All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters at Ajegunle cooking at the event.

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2014 no further WE need testimonials any more after convincing evidences have been tabled before jurists to either plead for exoneration for the guiltless, or for the offender to be summarily hammered. It is true that even the vilest offender will desire to plead his way out of condemnation, but the meticulousness of an impartial Jurist will not allow the guilty to be exonerated; even if the throat of the offender turns dry in an attempt to prove case out of perfidy. I still do not understand why we merit the kind of leadership that the people of this country have at the moment. If we are sinners, I believe we have Intercessors, and with the people that are genuinely standing in the gap for us, our God is merciful enough to avail us better options, and give us people with modicum of mere pity to be at the helm of affairs. I don’t think the left option is for us to be stripped of our toga of compassion that we are known and cherished for; all because inordinate obstinacy has subtly crept into our ethos and usages. Flagrant exhibition of heartlessness has never been as manifest in our creed and character as is presently evident in our national life. We are known to be our brothers’ keepers; with compassion wafting all around us. It is alien to have unbridled impunity displayed so much that all other people now see us as epidemically callous. No evidence is germane anymore when the President disdainfully disregarded scores of lives that perished in the hands of heartless miscreants at Nyanya Motor Park, the outskirt of the Federal Capital Territory. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan displayed the highest level of insensitivity, when less than forty eight hours after Nyanya incident, he consciously, albeit flagrantly, went on political jamboree to Kano, dancing to the hurts of concerned individuals, who were never at the scene of the ugly event, but mourned and groaned for lives’ extermination that just took place. Mr President was physically there with some of his kitchen cabinet members, appearing sober with melancholic and mournful look. He feigned compassion when he put on hold the planned trip to Ibadan to felicitate with the Olubadan of Ibadanland on the occasion of his centenary birthday, only to appear at PDP’s political rally in Kano raining abusive words on the state governor. He later appeared in Ibadan, where mere emotion initially prompted a restraint that later became a derelict, as if nothing calamitous recently took place; when in fact hundreds of Nigerian citizens are writhing with pains in various hospitals all over the Federal capital. There are some people in Nigeria that can succinctly be regarded as thoroughly bred and Gate-Keeper Democrats through their antecedents. Such never had military background that might have shrouded their proclivity for full adherence to democratic norms. Mention cannot be made of the first ten people in this category without due reference to President Jonathan; for having occupied almost all available political offices in the land. They must have understood that in democracy, it is not possible that all voters will vote for one amongst many contestants. Where a contestant is not known to any voters, one of them will make mistake to inadvertently vote in his\her favour. The winner must know at the end that he\she has won for all. It is now a known fact that most states of the federation are groaning under fund starvation that the man at the centre deliberately employed to stifle opposition. Mr President has no justification for this

By ADE OLUGBOTEMI

Why Jonathan, PDP Must Go

•JONATHAN because our revenue has not dwindled. This is not what obtains in developed democracy. democracy, where no IN liberal constituent unit is allowed to suffer in the overall interest of the whole, systemic collapse is considered grave; it is seen as a misnomer that should be grossly repudiated. This is at variance with what we have at the moment in Nigeria under President Goodluck Jonathan, where the party at the centre seems poised to see that all states being governed by opposition continue in economic quagmire, as if they are not part of Nigeria, to create wrong signals that unless people in those states change their minds to vote-in PDP’s candidates, they cannot perceive the aroma of democratic dividends. The President recently confirmed peoples’ impression of him as being insensitive to aggregate of opinions, when he cancelled the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting, for his cabinet members to commiserate with VicePresident Namadi Sambo over the loss of his junior brother in a motor accident. Nobody would have raised any eyebrow if similar concern was exhibited when scores of innocent lives were exterminated in recent Nyanya bomb blast. Another blast in the same area in the night of May Day was responded to with mere verbal condemnation, and the assurance to those billed to attend an international conference in Abuja that there was no cause for alarm. Recent appointments in which two ministerial nominees from the South West states were given the portfolios of the ministries of Police affairs and Defence as

Minister and Minister of State respectively have further accentuated people’s consternation that the President is resolute in his attempt to recapture the states that were lost to opposition in the fast-approaching elections. The two recently-confirmed ministers have also not helped matters because the way they have reacted to issues in their respective states of Osun and Lagos left much to be desired. Jelili Adesiyan recently allegedly maltreated a former governor of the State of Osun in a hotel in Osogbo, using his police orderlies; while Musiliu Obanikoro’s first official assignment was to stop those working in a State’s Housing Estate in Lagos with soldiers on the prowl. The President should be happy that some governors somewhere, though in opposition, are working in tandem with his well-taunted transformation agenda. He ought to have developed a very large heart to make the states that are working some sort of reference models to those in his party (PDP) with the culture of cakesharing that has labelled us “Profligates who are not poor”, (as the President has emphasized severally) but cannot provide for the basic needs (as opposed to wants in Economics) of the populace. This is to tell us that the much-orchestrated Transformation Agenda is a fluke after all. Recently, the Minister of Finance; and the coordinating Minister of the economy came up to tell the whole nation that the recovered money from Late Head of State, General Sani Abacha has been spent to develop the rural areas. Nigerians are yet to know what exactly the money was used for in the rural areas that depict development. As a rural dweller, I am yet to feel any federal impact that may justify

the position of our ‘Super-powerful Minister’. The minister owes Nigerians explanations as to the modality applied to pick selected areas, and in which states of the federation the areas are located. This is part of corruption per excellence that has become permanent stain on our chequered status in the comity of nations. The recently-concluded World Economic Forum has been said to have injected into our economy billions of dollars, the manifestation of such benefits may never be felt by ordinary Nigerians because we only hear with our ears, and the more we look, the less we see. We are now in an era when money is chameleonic and occasionally grows wings to fly to unknown destinations. The World Bank expertise in our supervising minister has only availed us illogical explanation about issues that appear comical on missing billions of foreign currencies that ought to have given our economy survival impetus. We may appear boastful about our democracy that has been in place for almost fifteen years now; the question we need to ask ourselves is: what democratic values have we really imbibed? Not even the ruling Peoples Democratic Party can boast of valuable democratic tenets. The ruling PDP still believes in rigging as a ‘legitimate’ means of winning elections. They do not believe in the rule of law, and to them, the principle of separation of powers remains a sham; yet, we say there is democracy in place. Recently, a PDP stalwart was arrested with voters’ cards that must have been collected either from the owners for money, or our electoral umpire with financial inducement. Members of PDP in the State of Osun have ubiquitously become boastful that their flag bearer will defeat the incumbent governor in the August 9 poll. It is now crystal clear that the confidence they have is in rigging mastery that will be aided by that unscrupulous source that made it possible for voters’ cards meant for many voters to get to a politician, to be used against opponents illegally. Many Nigerians will not be too surprised if the culprit is let off the hook and the case is unheard of till eternity comes. There is no way a country can develop if the leadership is corrupt. Our own corruption has reached the crescendo of epidemic, and unless the present crop of leaders in the ruling PDP are eased out of power, Nigeria may never have a modicum of progress and peace which can only be availed by genuine and functional democratic culture. It is only in big-fornothing Nigeria that a non-performing central government will be audacious to boast that they will defeat a performing state governor, since the power to hire and fire electoral umpire is vested in an autocratic President. Given the current security challenges, which the ruling PDP has failed to tackle in the past three years, the failed promises on power, transportation, employment generation, and economic meltdown that has brought excruciating devastation, there is no more justification for President Goodluck Jonathan and PDP to either remain in power beyond 2015, or aspire to take over any of the states currently being governed by opposition. People have been bombarded with numerous promises since 1999 and all the promises have failed. There is nothing wrong in trying another political party, so that Nigerians will be able to also assess the alternatives that are available in all the tiers of government, so as to know whether we have respite somewhere or we should send all political gladiators packing.

OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guaranty Trust Bank GTB, Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun. All correspondence to the Managing Editor, KOLA OLABISI, Telephone: 08033927286 (kolaolabisi@yahoo.com); Editor, KAYODE AGBAJE, Telephone: 0803-388-0205, E-mail:

osundefender@yahoo.com, kayodeagbaje@yahoo.com. ISSN: 0794-8050.Website: www.osundefender.org.