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SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014
As August 9 draws closer by the day we must continue to remind the electorate in our dear state of their responsibiliies; the need to vote right and to jealously guard their votes. To use the power of our
VOL. 9. NO.095
Front Page Comment
Compatriots, Jealously Guard Your Votes! thumb to vote for continuity - as the state cannot afford to do away with the level of unprecedented develop
going on in the state since the inception of Ogbeni Aregbesola's administration - is our first major responsi
bility as responsible citizens of our state. Of course we are not in doubt that the votes of our people will be for Ogbeni Aregbesola who has done the state much good. Continue on pg5
Who Killed Chief Bola Ige, formerAttorneyGeneral and Minister of Justice?
N50
IGE
Osun Election:
APC Uncovers Fresh PDP Rigging Plan - See Story On Page 2
Bullion Vans - Pg 2 Brought Ballot Papers Secretly To PDP Office From Abuja - APC Army Chases Osun Workers From Freedom Park - Pg 4
•Supporters of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, participating in the 16th Edition of the Walk to Live Exercise in Osogbo. INSERT: From left, Acting Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Osun Chapter, Elder Adelowo Adebiyi; Deputy Governor, Otunba (Mrs) Titi Laoye-Tomori; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; his wife, Sherifat and other dignitaries, on Thursday.
Osun Students Defy Army, Police Guns To Hold Support Rally For - Pg 6 Aregbesola
PDP Begins Move To Bribe Returning Officer With N1bn
- See Story On Page 12
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OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, August 9, 2014
APC Uncovers Fresh PDP Rigging Plan T By ISMAEEL UTHMAN HE All Progressives Congress (APC) has revealed that it has discovered a document detailing the rigging strategies of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the August 9 governorship election in the State of Osun. According to the APC, a copy of the document the PDP had already allotted was in the custody of the 406, 116 votes to award APC. Oyegun said the victory to its governorship candidate, Senator Iyiola document exposed the PDP Omisore, as contained in the plan to deregister 47,000 document marked voters and has already confidential, and also programmed the ballot allotted results for the APC papers to be used for the in all the polling units in the Saturday gubernatorial election. state. He alleged that the ballot The National Chairman of the APC, Chief John papers have been thumbOyegun while addressing printed with invisible ink the press at the Nigerian that would be activated Union of Journalists, Osun when a voter’s thumb Council, on Thursday, said printed on it.
The APC chairman further alleged that the PDP was planning to rig and manipulate election results in 1,112 out of the 3,010 polling units and 155 wards in the state, adding over 3000 thugs were being lodged at a hotel in Ile-Ife. Oyegun stated that the thugs would be deployed across the polling units in the state with fake voters’ cards as substitutes for the electorate that would not go out for accreditation and to utilize unused ballot papers at the polling units. He said: “The PDP is basically planning to rig scientifically. The rigging plan is to be carried out in collaboration with the State Minister of Defence, Senator Musliu Obanikoro and the
Minister for Police Affairs, Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan and some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission. “The PDP has already deployed militants, armed thugs, security with hoods to the state for the purpose of intimidating the electorate and bar them from coming out to vote. The PDP will stop at nothing to destroy our nascent democracy.” Oyegun further alleged that the PDP has an alternative plan, should the scientific rigging plan fail, disclosing that the plan was to unleash terror on the people of the state to forestall the declaration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the winner of the election. The APC chairman
therefore called on the electorate to come out enmasse and vote and that they should be extra-vigilant on the election, stating that the APC was putting all machinery in place to protect the mandate of the people. He threatened that the APC would not allow a situation where its supporters and electorate will be subjected to intimidation, harassment, or barring them from exercising their constitutional rights, maintaining that the party and its supporters would
resist rigging and intimidation from the PDP. Oyegun called on the INEC Chairman, Professor Attair Jega and the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba to call caution themselves, as well as their officials against conspiring with the PDP to rig the election, saying that Osun was not available for capture by the PDP. He specifically urged Jega to ensure that his name does not go down in infamy with the conduct of the election.
Youths Mobilise Support For Aregbesola’s Re-election By KAZEEM MOHAMMED
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•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, acknowledging cheers from his supporters, during the 16th Edition of the Walk-to-Live Exercise in Osogbo, State of Osun, last Thursday.
Bullion Vans Brought Ballot Papers Secretly To PDP Office From Abuja - APC •Despite GEJ’s Assurance
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HE Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Party (APC) on Thursday has alleged a surreptitious and criminal transportation of millions of ballot papers into Osun with a bullion van by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Abuja on Wednesday. A statement entitled: “In Federal Roads Safety spite of Mr President’s Commission (FRSC) are to Assurances, We Still Have be used for the distribution Shenanigans,” and signed of the ballot papers to the by the party Chairman, Elder selected areas, where the Adelowo Adebiyi, and the PDP plans to use them to Director of Publicity, subvert the wishes of the Barrister Kunle Oyatomi, people. said the bullion van was The statement noted that parked at the PDP the crude method PDP is secretariat until the wee adopting is completely hours of Thursday before it contrary to the assurance was taken to an unknown President Goodluck destination. Jonathan gave to the This ballot papers, the people of Osun that the party stated, was brought in election would be free and preparation for thumb fair in all ramifications. printing them at a Catholic The party thus School in Ife-Odan and then condemned in strong terms surreptitiously to be added the desperate act of to the party’s tally in all sabotage by the PDP aimed wards and councils in at winning the Saturday’s election. gubernatorial election at all The statement also added cost. that there are credible The statement said: “We information to the effect that condemn this subterfuge in vehicles belonging to the its entirety. It is an act of
desperation and a cynical vote of no confidence on the democratic process and the inalienable right of the people to freely choose their leaders. “President Goodluck Jonathan assured the people of Osun last Saturday of his commitment to free and fair election and disapproval of rigging and electoral fraud. “The evidence before us now is to the contrary. Mr President should be true to his words and rein in his party members, who appear hell bent to truncate our hard-earned democracy, if they fail in their diabolical bid to rule the state at all cost. “The PDP must know that the people of Osun are determined to have only their votes counted and to make only their votes count. They are willing on Saturday to let the whole world know that the only way in a democracy to acquire political power is to win their hearts and minds.” Meanwhile, the party warned all stakeholders involved in conduct of the
election, particularly the security agencies and the ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to be above board before, during and after the election process. It also called on the people of the state to be on the lookout and be sensitive to all activities in their areas and report any suspicious movement to the appropriate quarters for quick intervention. The statement continued: “We are therefore urging security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and especially the people of the affected areas, to be vigilant and be on the lookout for suspicious activities, which may be tantamount to subversion of our hard-earned democracy. “Our people must also ensure that such subversive activities should not be condoned or allowed to happen in their precinct.”
OUTHS of the State of Osun in their thousands took to major streets of Osogbo, the state capital on Monday to mobilise support for the second term bid of Governor Rauf Aregbesola. The road show tagged: “One from others in terms of quality. Million March for Aregbesola” “Apart from that, we are had people from all walks of giving out interest-free loans. life in attendance, all clad in We have also given N1.5 billion white T-shirts with the loans to farmers and we are inscription of “1,000,000 doing this for the development march 4 Aregbe” pasted on the of our state and the people,” front of their wears and he said. “RAUFOMANIA” at the He urged the youths to vote back. and stand by their votes for In a carnival-like manner, development. youths from the 30 local The Natioal Chairman of the government council areas and APC Youths Forum, Barrister the Area Office snaked through Ismail Ahmad, said that the Okefia-Olaiya- Fagbewesa- road show was aimed at station road-Gbaemu-Oluode mobilising supports for to Orita- elelede. Aregbesola to ensure his return The motorcade, with music because of the development he in support of Aregbesola blaring has brought to the state. from speakers mounted on He said that people of Osun trucks rented the air, as it have shown passionate support moves from Orita- Elelede to for Aregbesola because he has Abaaku- Ayetoro- Igbona- affected many lives positively Ajegunle and terminated at the through his developmental Nelson Mandela Freedom programmes and policies. park. Ahmad charged other The governor, while youths who have not been part addressing the youths, stressed of the revolution to get engaged that what he has done in his and be part of the revolution four years in office was just a going on the state by voting tip of the iceberg, saying that massively for the governor. the development of the state The State of Osun would be more massive in his Coordinator of APC Youth second term. Forum, Comrade Olateju Isola, According to him, there is warned that security nowhere in Osun, where his operatives should not allow administration has not brought themselves to be used against development in all sectors of the wishes of the people. According to him, the governance, expressing happiness that the people are youths of the state would not happy with the current allow any rigging during the August 9 election, saying; “we development in the state. In his words: “I am very don’t have anything against happy that youths actually security men, but we will resist identify with us. Any any attempt to use them for government that does not rigging.” Advising the electorate not recognise the importance of youths is a government that to fear the security operatives, has no reason to be in power. he also expressed confidence that Aregbesola would emerge My own understanding of winner in the election. power is responsibility. Also, General Secretary, “What we’ve done in our Raufomania, a socio-political first term that you are happy youth group, Comrade Remi about, are just foundation and Odewale, held that the group in our second term, there will decided to embark on the be more massive development. campaign to encourage the “The massive schools we governor that youths in the will complete this year will be state are not unaware of his able to accommodate 100,000 commitment to developing the students, while we will state. He noted: “Unlike what complete the rest and do more in our second term and before happened at the PDP rally, the end of second term, all our where people who had voters’ students will be learning in our cards were not up to one hundred, the Raufomania has new schools”. “In our first term, we have close to 30,000 youths with attracted many industries, voters’ cards attending the ranging from Omoluabi march for Aregbesola. He counselled youths not to Garment Factory, Adulawo RLG Technology City, Korope be intimidated with the Assembly Plant, Ede Cocoa presence of security personnel Industry, which is on the way, in the state, saying they are for the protection of voters. while our Airport is different
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OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, August 9, 2014
Do Not Dare To Rig Osun Election, NATA Tells President, IGP By ISMAEEL UTHMAN
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HE Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association (NATA) has called on President Goodluck Jonathan and the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, not to rig or manipulate tomorrow’s (Saturday) governorship election in the State of Osun in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). NATA said President providing a level play Jonathan should not see ground for all the himself as PDP president, contestants in the but rather the President of gubernatorial election. the Federal Republic of Addressing a press Nigeria, and thereby conference in Osogbo, the
state capital on Wednesday, the National Secretary General of the association, Comrade David Ajetumobi, called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr Sulaiman Abba, not to see his appointment as a call to rig Osun election in appreciation of his consideration by the president. According to Ajetumobi, the association and the
people of the state do not want anything short of free, fair and credible election, stating that the police and other security agents on duty on the election day must do away with any activity that is capable of frustrating the process of a credible election. Ajetumobi said: “We call on the president not to see himself as the president of the PDP, when the parry has
•Students and Youths Coalition in Osun organized a rally to endorse Governor Rauf Aregbesola for second term in Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI. office in Osogbo last Wednesday.
its National Chairman, but he should see himself as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So, he must be fair to all contestants in the Osun election. “We also call on the new Inspector General of Police not to see his recent promotion as a call to rig Osun election, he should not see rigging as an appreciation for his consideration for the IGP position. We want a credible and fair policing. “All policemen and women and other security officers involved in the policing of this election must be mandated not to wear any hood covering their faces and identity such as names and ranks. It is very important for fair policing and any person that does contrary must be sanctioned. “In fact, the police authority should mandate it that every policeman must first identify him/herself by name and rank before engaging any citizen, and there must be Citizen Complaints Unit at the Police Command to be headed by and Assistant Commissioner of Police. “This will help to checkmate the abuse of police power by some undesirable elements; it will strengthen the confidence of the people on the
Osun Poll: Rigging ‘ll Spell Doom For PDP, Jonathan - Activists By ISMAEEL UTHMAN
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is taken the country to another level of fascism, high level of corruption, election rigging, militarization and dehumanization of the electorate for subjugated electoral victories. “The country is fast relapsing to a police state to rip-off the people’s vote. The president has even corroborated this when he came
group of human rights activists and pro-democracy people under the aegis of the Movement Against Electoral Fraud has threatened that any attempt to rig the Osun governorship election would spell doom for President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). phase of the democratic The activists warned the experiment under President Independent National Electoral Goodluck Jonathan. It is indeed Commission (INEC), the PDP sad that the PDP government and the Presidency not to provoke the masses, stating that President Jonathan should prepare to leave office should the governorship election be By ISMAEEL UTHMAN rigged as being planned by the PDP and the presidency. HE formal National Secretary of the Peoples According to them, rigging Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the governorship election who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) would have adverse on Tuesday, has stated that Governor Rauf Aregbesola would consequence that could not be win tomorrow’s governorship election with a landslide. controlled for Jonathan and the According to Oyinlola, all Osogbo. PDP. indices of electoral victory have The former governor of the Convener of the group, pointed to Aregbesola, the state averred that Aregbesola’s Comrade Taiwo Otitolaye, candidate of the APC, as the popularity, the support of gave the warning on Thursday awaiting winner of the over 90 per cent of the in Osogbo, while addressing a Saturday governorship election electorate that trooped out for in the state. press conference. the APC mega rally and the Oyinlola stated this in an acceptability of the party Otitolaye alleged the PDP and the presidency of using interview with OSUN among the common people state powers to clothe political DEFENDER on Wednesday in were indications that thugs in security uniforms for hatchet jobs in the governorship election coming up tomorrow in the State of By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO Osun. S part of plans by different local government council The MAEF convener said area chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in that some of the security the State of Osun to support the second term personnel using hood and gubernatorial ambition of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, its flag shooting sporadically in the bearer in the election that would be held on Saturday, the APC state, are suspected to be in Orolu Local Government Council Area has embarked on a political thugs deployed to the massive council area wide campaign rally to sensitise the state to intimidate the electorate on why Aregbesola should be returned to the Bola electorate. Ige House, Governor’s Office, Abere. He condemned the The campaign train, which enjoying under the Aregbesola militarization of the state for criss-crossed the length and administration in the state since the election, describing it as an breadth of the wards in the 2010. assault on democracy and council area, kick-started at IfonAfterwards, the campaign contrary to the provisions of Orolu Town and moved to Ile- convoy proceeded to Ile-Disu, the 1999 Constitution of the Akimo, where the party leader; where they addressed all the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Alhaji Kelani Orisawale, Baales of Kajola Community. At Egan Aaje, the campaign reminded the Ebira Community the 2011 Electoral Act. Otitolaye stressed: “We of the development and fulfilled train met and discussed with the have monitored the current promises that they are currently town’s people, who pledged
to the PDP rally in Osogbo on August 2, 2014, when he threatened to use force on the people during the August 9, 2014 governorship election in the state.” “We are calling the attention of Nigerians and international community that Nigeria’s political experiment is in danger and may hastily collapse
if President Jonathan and his political brigandage continue in this direction.” Otitolaye called on the electorate in the state to ignore all forms of intimidation being employed by the PDP and the “President Jonathan’s backward regime” to come out en-masse and cast their votes on issue based political participation.
security arrangement and will enhance the chance of democratic policing.” Ajetumobi enjoined the people of the state not to be intimidated by the heavy presence of security personnel on the election, nor be dissuaded by the force information being circulated by supporters of one of the candidates that his party has used federal might to win the election before its conduct. OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the supporters of Senator Iyiola Omisore, the PDP candidate, had been bragging that they have won the election, even if the entire people of the state do not vote for their candidate. The NATA official appealed to the electorate not to be dissuaded by such statements, saying that they were meant to discourage the people from coming out to vote on the election. He said: “We are using this opportunity as part of our contributions to a free, fair and credible election in the state to advise the people to ignore some rumours that can derail the course of credible election in the state. “Some enemies of free and fair election are advising the people to stay at home on August 9; their reason is that the security agents are in Osun to intimidate and shoot at sight, and people are advised for their safety to keep away from voting centres. “All voters should go out to vote. Never create any vacuum for rigging. Your refusal to come will give them the needed vacuum to rig your choice away. Nothing is like an anointed candidate in democracy. People must choose their leader.”
Osun Poll: Aregbesola ‘ll Win With Landslide - Oyinlola
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Aregbesola would emerge victorious in the governorship election. Speaking on the militarization of the state by President Goodluck Jonathan, Oyinlola said it is unlawful to deploy soldiers for a civil activity, adding that the step contravenes the dictates of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act. However, Oyinlola called on the electorate to go out on the election day and cast their votes for Aregbesola amidst the
watertight security, saying that the security agents are to protect them. Describing the PDP and its governorship candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, as unpopular and rejected by the people, Oyinlola said all the politicians with good characters have left the PDP to take solace in the APC. He stated that the leaders of the PDP in the state are those that were accused of complicity in the killing of the late Chief Bola Ige, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the
federation. Oyinlola said he joined the APC because of his conviction that the party meant well for the country and prioritizes the wellbeing of the citizenry, which coincide with his own priority too. The former governor added that he left the PDP because of the frustration from a set of people within the party, adding that he had to continue his political life when it was obvious that President Jonathan no longer wanted him in the party.
Osun 2014: Orolu APC Tours Wards For Aregbesola
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their full support and vote on August 9th. The party leader announced to the people that the PDP had no chance of winning because all their leaders like Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Alhaji Adeleke, Felix Ogunwale, Peter Babalola had all defected to the APC. At Owode-Ifon, where the Olowode was absent, the team, led by Alhaji Kilani, observed that the PDP had never brought any meaning development to their community and therefore they should vote wisely for the candidate that would develop Owode for them. At the Benue Community, the leaders promised the team that
the APC has their full backing, while promising that that their votes would be massive for Aregbesola. When the train arrived Osun Eesa, the people of the town revealed that since they had been supporting the progressives, they were neglected by the PDP. They stated that Aregbesola had started the rehabilitation of the Ilie in Olorunda to Ifelodun road. At Gaa Fulani, the Fulani Community further pledged their loyalty and requested that Ogbeni Aregbesola should provide them with potable drinking water and also for two slots to be given to them for the next batch of holy pilgrimage to
Mecca. The communities at Okiti, Baara and Idi-Iroko all pledged their support come August 9, 2014. The community leaders also requested that the state government makes its presence felt more in their towns, so that they too would enjoy the dividends of democracy. The APC campaign team comprised of the party leaders; Alhaji Kilani Orisawale, Alhaji Ganiyu Ibrahim, Adekunle Benson, Alhaji Rasheed Oyedele and Honourable Kamil Oyedele representing Irepodun-Orolu State Constituency in the State House Of Assembly.
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OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, August 9, 2014
Army Chases Osun Workers From Freedom Park •NLC, TUC, NULGE Endorse Aregbesola For Second Term By KEHINDEAYANTUNJI
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N another show of intimidation on the peace-loving masses of Osogbo, the State of Osun capital, men of the Nigerian Army on Wednesday took over the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, located in the heart of the state capital, to prevent the various labour unions from endorsing Governor Rauf Aregbesola for second term in office. Residents of Osogbo woke relaxing. on Wednesday morning to the People, who without sight of stern-looking military knowing what was going on, men that were fully-armed at tried to pass through the the Nelson Mandela Freedom premises for one reason or the Park, barricading the whole other, were given the beating place and preventing passers- of their lives and made to pick by from walking along or dirts with their bare hands.
Some residents, who spoke with newsmen, expressed their total displeasure at the situation, which they described as infringement on the people’s freedom of movement. A businessman, who deals in clothing materials directly opposite the park, Mr Ndubuisi Akabueze, expressed dismay at the way the Federal Government is going about its preparation towards the Osun gubernatorial election. He said the bombardment of Osun with heavy security
speaks volume about the manner in which the party at the centre is planning to rig the election. The army has not disclosed the reason for the invasion but the officers and men at the park said it was an “order from above” However, despite the setback, members of the labour union in Osun, under the aegis of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which comprise of all the civil servants and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) headed
•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (with mic), addressing a mammoth crowd of his supportersduring his re-election governorship campaign at Garaji Olode in Ife South local government area of the State of Osun last Monday.
to the Government House, Oke -Fia, Osogbo in their thousands to show their support for Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. The workers, who were all in their white T-shirts, with the inscription: “Aregbesola for second term” marched from the park to the Government House. Speaking on behalf of the workers, the Permanent Secretary, Local government Loans Board, and former NULGE Chairman, Dr Oyeboade Olowogboyega, explained that workers in the state have no choice than to support the governor because he has done creditably well in the state. He noted that there is so much difference in the administration of the state before Aregbesola became governor and after he assumed office. He said all the workers in the state are solidly behind the governor for a second term, adding that the difference in governance is so clear for all eyes to see, as Osun can now be ranked above beyond its peers. He explained that workers in the state have never had it so good under any administration in the state, as workers now enjoy better welfare packages since the coming of the current administration. He appreciated the governor for approving and increasing car and housing loans for workers in the state, despite the paucity of funds that the
Hold Obanikoro Responsible For APC Members’ Death In Osun - Aregbesola •Launches Student Smart Card By KEHINDEAYANTUNJI
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HE governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on Wednesday said should anything happen to any member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun during the August 9, 2014 governorship election, the Minister of State for Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro, should be held responsible. The governor stated this at stiff resistance of APC will be the launch of the students’ destroyed. smart identity cards at “We want to use this Salvation Army Middle medium to appeal to our School, Alekuwodo in Osogbo, security agencies not to allow the state capital, while noting themselves to be used by these that he learnt it on good PDP candidate and the two authority that Obanikoro in ministers, whose party before conjunction with the Police this administration had been Affairs Minister, Mr. Jelil terrorising the good people of Adesiyan, have instructed our state. security personnel to shoot and “I am using this medium to kill two of APC members. tell the security operatives that He charged security agents Osun people are law abiding, to play by the rules, saying that they have always been with what happened at the contributing to the payment of Nelson Mandela freedom Park your salaries and you are not on Monday morning, where supposed to harrass them with people, who were supposed to the guns, which were bought campaign for APC, were turned for you with their money,” the back by security agents, while governor said. same security agents allowed On the smart identity cards Peoples Democratic Party for students, the governor (PDP) to campaign at noted that Information Alekuwodo in Osogbo. Communication Technology Aregbesola questioned what (ICT) is among other promising Musiliu Obanikoro is doing in paths his administration has Osun, noting that members of chosen to tread in the march APC have been told to be law- towards realising the state’s abiding but with the resent development dream. level of provocation, when He said with the launch of pushed to the wall, people may the smart identity cards, Osun react. becomes the first state in He said: “How could a party Nigeria to provide its students like the PDP be this desperate. with a card that contains all Obanikoro with Jelili Adesiyan information that may be told the security agents that by required on the student. the time two members of the Aregbesola held that in the APC are shot and killed by the history of human inventions, police, other members will there are not too many that are learn from it, and with that, the as useful as ICT in terms of its
efficiency and effectiveness at providing solutions to human problems. He added that ICT is the solution that his administration has embraced in order to solve and ease the problems associated with public administration in the state. The Osun student smart identity card will have all the biometric, personalised identifying features of the workers’ smart ID cards, but without the ATM enablement. “With the card, each student is a uniquely identifiable individual that cannot be mistaken for another person, while government can equally identify all the genuine students in all the public schools, and have access to their information at the push of a button. Aregbesola said: “The O’MEALS and other supplies to pupils will be checked off through this smart card, adding that it will give government the exact number of beneficiaries and eliminate fraud and accounting error of any type. According to the governor: “We have applied it to our revenue collection and tax administration, which gives us a good results, immediately we deployed it to our revenue collection system, our internally generated revenue jumped by 100 per cent from N300 million to N600 million. “We have deployed it to our salaries and pensions payment system, with very happy results for all. It has helped eliminated situations where our hard-working civil servants are short-changed in the payment
of money due to them. “In a similar vein, we have applied it to our pensions system in a manner that makes it possible to eliminate the stress and troubles that our retired elderly citizens are subjected to,” the governor noted. Aregbesola pointed out that the technology has removes the usually untoward intervention of intermediaries in payment to workers and pensioners that often makes underhand dealings and cheating possible. He also added that his administration has recently applied ICT to the identity system of all its workers in Osun, saying it is the same scheme that is being extended now to the students. Aregbesola revealed that with the new identity cards, workers now have a small smart card that can identify them as authentic Osun workers without the possibility of impersonation. “The same small smart card enables them to cash money at the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), as well as gives them the capacity to cash up to 20 per cent of their salaries before they are paid. “The card eliminates for all time the possibility of ghosts rising up from their graves to collect salaries and pensions in Osun,” the governor told the audience. Speaking earlier, the deputy governor, Otunba (Mrs) Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, who also doubles as the State Commissioner for Education noted that ICT is the solution that Aregbesola-led
administration has embraced, thus making governance easy and productive in the state. “We cannot but continue to pray for the governor for what he has done in the state. This is a governor, who is committed to the development of education. Presently, this administration is feeding close to 300,000 elementary pupils among others. “With this innovation now, Osun becomes the first state with this kind of identity cards. Every information needed on each pupil is contained in the card,” the deputy governor averred. The Group Managing Director, Chams PLC, Mr. Charles Aladekomo, in his remarks on the occasion, commended the governor for building of ultra-modern schools and developmental strides in the education sector in the state. He said: “I am proud and astonished that Osun is feeding pupils of elementary schools. This is a very serious business. It will gladden me the more, if we have other state governments tapping into feeding pupils. “What we are doing here is the first of its kind. This is more than an identity card because we have their full details and their family trees. It is with this that government will be able to plan for them. “This will also afford the government of Osun the opportunity to plan its programmes as they affect students and education,” the Chams boss emphasised.
state is facing. He said: “There is so much difference between this government and the previous governments we have been witnessing in this state.” “The difference is so clear for all to see that our dear state is getting better in terms of our economy and the development of infrastructure in all nooks and crannies.” “No government has taken interest in the education of our children like the Aregbesola administration. He is building new schools and at the same time, feeding our elementary school children.” “This is why we have decided to throw our weight behind your second term bid because we want you to continue to secure our future for us. We have tried you and we trust you. We know you cannot fail us.” In his response, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola expressed appreciation being the first governor that civil servants will openly show their endorsement for, while promising that he will not let them down in all their expectations from him. He told the workers that what his administration has been able to achieve in the last three and half years was just a foundation of what will come up in the next four years, as his administration would build more roads and more schools and make life better for the people of the state. While assuring them that no worker will lose his or her job, Aregbesola enjoined workers in the state not to listen to mischief makers, stressing that his administration values and respects the welfare of workers at all times. He noted that the delay in the in the payment of salaries was as a result of the delay and reduction in the federal allocation from N4.6 billion to N2.6 billion, explaining that despite not getting June allocation till now, his administration has already paid July salaries. He said: “We are committed to the welfare of our workers and we shall continue to take steps that will make life more comfortable for you and the people of Osun generally. “A government that does not love workers will not do anything that will make life easy for them. Our government is worker-friendly.” “What you have seen is just a foundation of the good things to come in the next four years. We are determined to continue to make life easier for our people. “I urge you not to listen to mischief makers. They have framed us with all sorts of lies like accusing us of giving all the contracts in the state to people who are not from this state. I am telling you it is all a ploy to destroy the good things happening in the state.” On the issue of security operatives harassing and stopping people from using the Nelson Mandela Freedom park for rallies, the governor condemned the act, saying it was absurd. He explained that security operatives are not supposed to harass members of the public whose tax money are being used to pay their salaries and buy the guns and uniforms they use for their job.
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OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, August 9, 2014
Compatriots, Jealously Guard Your Votes! Continued from pg1 But to guard our votes jealously could even be said to be more important than casting our votes. This is in view of the desperation of the far from being democratic Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its gubernatorial 'wannabe' in the state, Iyiola Omisore Mr. 'Money miss road', to coast home victory in the coming election. Thus while it's important to give our votes to Ogbeni, it's even more important to jealously guard our votes. This is what we need to do to ensure that the PDP doesn't succeed in its evil machinations. Already there are threats of violence from the party on members of the ruling party, APC as they (PDP) are threatening fire against APC members. Going by their antecedent violence and rigging are their stock-in-trade. And since there is no hope for them of winning the coming election through 'One man One vote' then their hope lies in repeating what they know how to do best. Another way through which the PDP is hoping to claim victory is by throwing money and other valuable gifts out to entice voters to sell their votes. In this regard the handwrit-
ing had for long appeared on the wall. With the distribution of kerosene to their members and some members of the public which started last year their journey to entice voters with the aim of buying their votes started. This stratagem rather than strategy, being viciously employed by the PDP in the state of Osun, is what we see as 'jeun s'iku' should citizens get swayed by it. 'Jeun s'iku' literally means 'eat and die' or 'eat the food that will lead you to your grave'. The money and other forms of gift which the PDP and Iyiola Omisore rely on to buy citizens' votes are nothing but 'Greek gift' and 'blood money' and collecting them to do their biding means doing so at one's peril. It simply means sending our state back to the preAregbesola era; backwater of development. May God forbid! But it's not enough to pray to God to forbid evil things. We the citizens must also not use our own hands to bring evil things on our heads. To collect PDP's blood money to sell our conscience in the coming election will be tantamount to 'jeun s'iku' the consequence of which will be dire for our state. Of course the citizens can collect the gift of money and other gifts the PDP is ready to offer them but they must not do so to do their bidding. The votes in the coming election are for Ogbeni Aregbesola who has raised the bar
of good and responsible governance in the state and should never go to any other party let alone the PDP. The PDP and Iyiola Omisore are free to go about to throw carrot to the people in their desperation to capture the conscience of voters but never should the voters allow their conscience to be captured by these unscrupulous elements who have nothing to offer our state. The PDP has been in power for close to eight years here without any positive thing to show for it. All it had to show for its eight years of misrule are purely negative; violence, hunger, unemployment, collapsed school system, bad roads and general under-development across the state. And on the part of the party's candidate, 'Mr. Money miss road' himself, he too had nothing positive to show for representing the state at the highest legislative body of this country even as he held a juicy position in the Senate, being Chairman Appropriation Committee for four years. Rather than serving the people and made positive impact in their lives he was only there to serve his own pocket. So in what way are they - both the PDP and Omisore - going to effect any meaningful change in the life of the state as they are shouting around?
responsible citizens of our state who have enjoyed dividends of democracy in unprecedented term under the able and visionary leadership of Ogbeni Aregbesola will not waste their votes. We are sure they are not going to sell their conscience. We believe fervently that their votes will be for Aregbesola as they are not ready to 'jeun s'iku'. However,as we said above it's one thing to vote, the next important task before them come election day after voting is for them to protect their votes. Our people must guard their votes jealously so that these visionless elements who rely on vote stealing like they did in 2007 and who have nothing to offer the state and its people don't succeed in their fraudulent and evil plans. For them not to succeed the ball is in the court of the people. Our responsibilities are clear; to vote and to protect our votes. These are what we must do to ensure the return of the Aregbesola-led progressive government that has done so well for our state.
We know that the virtuous and
OSUN DEFENDER Publisher
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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
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OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, August 9, 2014
Buruji, Obanikoro, Uba, Fani-Kayode Storm Osun
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HEAD of the August 9 2014 governorship election in the State of Osun, prominent Peoles Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains have arrived the state and have been issuing directives to the military personel that had earlier arrived the state to drive fear into and intimidate the electorate. Intelligence at the medium’s disposal has revealed that in the last one week, series of nocturnal meetings have been held with the party heirachy together with the commanders of the military personel drafted to the state to aid the party’s victory at the poll. A source close to the
Minister of Police Affairs, Mr Jelili Adesiyan, revealed that in the past one week, he has been very busy, boasting to whoever cares to listen how Osun victory for the PDP has been accorded highest priority by President Goodluck Jonathan and the presidency. According to the source, Adesiyan was heard to have said that the federal government vault has been left open for Osun agenda,with the president giving directive to the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to release whatever amount would be needed by Adesiyan and his ilk to
prosecute the state poll. The source further confided in the medium that the invading military personel have since been taken directives from the PDP chieftains, who have since been pointing out personal residence of the All Progresives Congress (APC) chieftains with the sole purpose of packing them out of circulation
ahead of the governorship election in the state. It would be recalled that in the wee hours of Monday morning, a chieftain of the ruling-APC from Obokun Local Government Council Area of the state, Wale Oke, was arrested by the goons of the Federal Government for supposed gun-running but was later released after
much noise was raised by his party over his illegal arrest. Other PDP chieftains who have recently moved down to the state for the sole purpose of the election are: Femi FaniKayode, the former Minister of Aviation, ; Musliu Obanikoro, the Minister of State for Defence; Andy Uba, an
erstwhile aide of former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Buruji Kashamu, a suspected fugitive and drug baron; Ayo Fayose, the governorelect for Ekiti State, whose election has become a subject of litigation. The nation Vice President Namadi Sambo, was also reported to have volunteered to leave the comfort of his official residence in Abuja and relocate to Osogbo for the purpose of ensuring victory for the PDP at whatever cost.
APC, Jega Differ Over Osun Election HE APC has rejected INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega’s assertion, that a voter cannot photograph his ballot paper with a cell phone, as the clearest indication yet of what could be called “implied complicity” by INEC with the PDP to rig Saturday’s vote. The APC in a statement reacting to the INEC boss’ assertion said that no law in the country’s constitution or INEC’s own electoral regulations prohibits such exercise. Jega therefore, cannot single-handedly prevent citizens from protecting their votes, moreso when the rumour is rife that INEC is insisting on using “magical ballot papers” that transfer other parties’ votes to the PDP, as was suspected to have happened in Ekiti. “If Jega were absolutely sure that INEC’s ballot papers were normal, why should he bother about anybody wasting his energy and resources photographing a normal ballot paper? “Jega must have inadvertently corroborated speculations that most of the ballot papers may have been scientifically wired to transfer opponents’ votes to the PDP. “A discovery of this anomaly at the post election tribunal, with thousands of photographed ballot papers showing that the original voting exercise was different from that which INEC actually counted, will not only annihilate the commission’s reputation it will catastrophically damage the integrity of Jega himself. “This is perhaps the only reason Jega is struggling to prevent APC supporters from photographing their ballot papers. There is no such legal provision in our law books. Jega on his own cannot create one. “We therefore advise the INEC boss to come clean on the kind of ballot
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papers the commission plans to use. APC supporters are determined to protect their votes. “If the ballot paper is normal, why should Jega bother? We suspect foul play,” the APC said. The party therefore, called on all election observers to note this new dimension in the rigging process and ensure that the INEC doesn’t complicate the outcome of Saturday’s vote. “There is a clear winner in sight. You cannot fraudulently reverse that,” the APC said.
•State of Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola, receiving blessings from the state chapter of the labour union after his endoresment for his re-election in Osogbo on Wednesday.
Security Forces Clamp Down On Osun - APC ECURITY forces S appear to have intensified their harassment of Osun citizens by interfering with movement of people in our cities and towns, and arresting targeted individuals including Hon. Yemi Oke, a leader of APC in Obokun Local Governmenet area who was arrested by
“special forces” from Abuja led by local PDP leaders at about 2.30 am Monday. This is the replication of what happened in Ekiti in June. Early Monday morning they created panic through rigorous searches in Osogbo and Ilesha causing traffic to
Soldiers Seal Off Nelson Mandela Park TATE of Osun chapter S of All Progressive Congress (APC) have condemned the military laying of siege to Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo. The party's spokesman, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi in a statement issued in Osogbo yesterday said the development is a possible attempt to prevent Labour from assembling at the Park, which they had originally secured for their event.
The soldiers were reported to have told the General Manager of the Park that they were acting on ‘order from above’. According to the soldiers: “The order is for now.” Oyatomi’s words: “It is unclear why that order was given, but a competent source informed the APC that the Federal Government machinery is trying to prevent as much as possible demonstration of support for
Gov Rauf Aregbesola. ‘We understand that the Federal Government was frightened by the magnitude of the mega rally of the APC which is the biggest scene so far in the history of campaign in the State. Citizens are therefore advised not to put themselves in arms way by confronting the soldiers. “They should move on and reassemble somewhere else.” “The people of the State of Osun will not submit to oppression and intimidation,” the APC declared.
crawl for hours before relenting as the afternoon approached. Convoys of strangelooking people believed to be militants from Bayelsa and other Niger Delta States have been moving in and out of Ilesha escorted by branded vehicles of Omisore campaign organisation. Speculation is rife that the security services may be rehearsing a lock-down of Osogbo and other cities on Tuesday (today) in what we have been informed is a desperate bid to whittle down the massive numbers of supporters expected at the final mega rally of the APC. Also it is alleged that the PDP will use the security forces on Thursday to cause mayhem in Ede and Ilesha respectively. But the APC has warned that the security services should not give the impression that they are being partisan in favor of the PDP because it did everything it could to promote full attendance at
PDP rally last Saturday. “There is therefore no excuse today (Tuesday) to have any reason whatsoever to disturb APC’s rally under the pretest of security concerns. If it does, it will lose public confidence as a national institution designed to mainitain peace and protect citizens,” the APC said. The APC urged the security services to prove to the people that they are not in Osun to do a hatchet man’s job for the PDP that is madly desperate to snatch power in the state. “ It is in the national interest that our security agencies resist the temptation to be abused and misused by greedy and desperate politicians to violate constitutional rights of the people to freedom of movement, assembly and the choice of who their leaders should be ,” the party said.
Osun Students Defy Army, Police Guns To Hold Support Rally For Aregbesola in their STUDENTS thousands on Wednesday defied stern looking security agents in Osogbo who had laid siege to the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park venue of the scheduled adoption of the governor of the state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as their candidate for the August 9 election. The students under the aegis of Youths and Students Coalition for the re-election of Aregbesola took to the Olaiya Junction in the heart of the State Capital and marched to Ogo-Oluwa axis of Osogbo before they converged at Fakunle area to address members. The student coalition
which comprises of National Association of Nigerian Students Joint Campus Committee , National Association of Osun State Students (NAOSS) and all other students associations on campuses. Convener of the Youths and Students Coalition group, Comrade Abiola Oludele, stressed that the Independent Electoral Commission should be fair enough to conduct credible election in Osun, saying Youths in the state will take no excuse for any failure. According to Oludele,”We want to use this medium to charge INEC to conduct an election that will be seen by
all as free and fair. Youths in Osun will take no excuse for their failure and any attempt to go against the popular wish of our people will be resisted. “Youths and students coalition wish to inform INEC and security agents deployed to the state that we bargain for nothing other than free and fair governorship election come August 9. “People as the owners of votes, we do not need any clearance to monitor, safeguard and protect our votes. “We wish to state it clearly that we are fully aware that various security agents and others deployed for our protection and as such should not be turned to instrument of oppression and
harassment before election. “It is important for INEC to note that the duties of its officers are not expected to be carried out by any of the security agents in any of the polling units across the state,” The Youth association pointed out. It will be recalled that Mobile policemen and the Military men were seen on Wednesday morning turning back people who had arrived the Mandela Freedom Park, venue of the event for the endorsement of the governor by the students. The Bureau of Communications and Strategy in the Office of the Governor, commenting on the development said it was unthinkable that the PDP-led Federal Government is
allowing this to happen at this stage of Nigeria’s democratic journey. “One is miffed by the audacity of the security agents who dared to stop members of the workforce of Osun and students who wanted to adopt the Governor today and tell the whole world that they are behind Aregbesola. “But we are consoled by the fact that the people have shown them their power. People have demonstrated that even in the face of intimidation, they are peaceful but resolute on the decision to vote for Rauf Aregbesola,” said Semiu Okanlawon, Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Government
OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, August 9, 2014
PHOTOTALK
Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s Re-election Campaign At Garaji-Olode, Ifetedo, Omi Funfun In Ife-South Local Government Council Area Of The State Of Osun, Last Photo: GBENGA Monday. ADENIYI.
•Governor Rauf Aregbesola (with mic); Senator Babajide Omoworare (3rd left) and other dignitaries during the rally.
•Some of the Aregbesola supporters welcoming him to Garaji Olode.
•Some of the Aregbesola supporters on an uncompleted building.
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•Aregbesola acknowledging cheers from his supporters at Omifunfun town.
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OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, August 9, 2014
More Pix On All Progressives Congress (APC) 2014 Governorship Re-election Of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s Mega Rally At Osogbo City Stadium, Osogbo, State Of Osun, Last Tuesday. Photo: SIKIRUADEOYE-YUSUF
•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and former Governor of the State of Osun, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, acknowledging cheers from the crowd during Governor Aregbesola’s ‘re-election mega rally at Osogbo City Stadium, Osogbo, State of Osun, last Tuesday.
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•All Progressive Congress (APC) National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun (right); APC leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (4th left); Aregbesola (4th right) his wife, Sherifat (3rd right); first civilian governor in Osun, Senator Adetunji Adeleke; Former Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo (2nd left) and other dignitaries during Governor Aregbesola’s 2014 re-election mega rally at Osogbo City Stadium, Osogbo, on Tuesday.
OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, August 9, 2014
PHOTOTALK
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More Pix On All Progressives Congress (APC) 2014 Governorship Re-election Of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s Mega Rally At Osogbo City Stadium, Osogbo, State Of Photo: SIKIRUADEOYE-YUSUF Osun, Last Tuesday.
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•A mammoth crowd of Governor Aregbesola’s admirers during the governor 2014 re-election mega rally at Osogbo City Stadium last Tuesday.
• •A cross section of APC supporters during the mega rally at Osogbo City Stadium.
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PHOTOTALK
OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, August 9, 2014
Launching Of Osun Students Smart Cards In Osogbo By The Governor, State Of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Last Wednesday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.
•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right), cutting the tape of the smart card. With him are, his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Laoye-Tomori (left) and General Managing Director (GMD), Chams PLC, Sir Demola Aladekomo (right).
•Some of the dignitaries at the event.
•A cross section of pupils during the programme.
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•One of the pupils, Samad Ayomide (right), receiving her smart card from Governor Aregbesola on the occasion.
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OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, August 9, 2014
INEC ‘ll Use Ballot Papers With Different Colours In Each LG - Jega •Police Assures Electorates Of Safety THE Chairman of the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, has disclosed that the commission would use ballot papers with different colours in each local government council area in the State of Osun. He disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by INEC held at Leisure Springs Hotel in Osogbo, the state capital, last Wednesday. According to the him, the ballot papers are also serialised to avoid fraudulent conduct during the poll. He said the different ballot papers from one local government council area would not be useful in another, should some people snatch such ballot papers during the poll. He added that the colours for Osun election ballot papers are different from those used in Ekiti and each party agent would be given a copy of state colour map to know what colour is available in a local government council area. The INEC boss also disclosed that anyone caught with a voter’s card that is suspected to belong to another person or allegedly cloned, will be arrested at the unit and prosecuted. He said the issue of card-cloning is a mere allegation, but added that necessary measures are being taken to ensure such
issues are dealt with if discovered. He stressed that the INEC s ad hoc staffers have been mandated to give each party agent a copy of the result of the election, as soon as it is counted and recorded and paste a copy of same on the wall for the electorate to know the outcome. Professor Jega however, implored the candidates, political parties and opinion leaders to cooperate with the commission to ensure the successful conduct of a credible poll in the state. According to him, the commission would have loved to have an election without physical presence of any security outfit like it is done in developed countries, but it is unfortunate that the issue of thuggery is still prevalent in the country. He however added that security operatives are deployed to ensure the security of the electorate to have free atmosphere to express their electoral will. He also cautioned the security operatives deployed to the state to do their job professionally without any bias or
political intonation, adding that no voter should be intimidated nor harassed during the poll. Speaking at the gathering, the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr Abba, disclosed that his men and officers are well-prepared to ensure that the poll is devoid of violence.
By SHINA ABUBAKAR He reiterated the commitment of the police to cooperate with the commission to ensure safety of lives of the electorate, electoral materials, as well as ensure that things are done appropriately. He urged the electorate in the state to feel free and secured to go out during the poll to cast their votes
as they wish, without fear of being intimidated or harassed. He said the law prohibits anyone from canvassing for votes at the polling units or hindering people from exercising their civic rights, warning that such individual would be a arrested by the police. He reminded the
stakeholders that no person is allowed to use siren or be escorted by uniform personnel to polling units. However, the people disagreed with the IGP over his position that the electorate should return home after casting their votes, as their view is to stay back and watch as things unfold.
•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola acknowledging cheers from his supporters at Igbona market, Osogbo after his ‘re-election mega rally at Stadium Osogbo last Tuesday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI
Announcement
The Osun APC situation room can be contacted on the following Numbers 1. 08172176617 2. 08172176618 3. 08172176614 4. 08104966402 5. 08166464352 6. 08166401619 7. 08106040141 8. 07064222687 9. 08172176613 10. 08172176615 For information before, during and after the Saturday August governorship election, members of the public are hereby called upon to call any of these Situation Room numbers. They can also send us mails through osunapcsituationroom2014@gmail.com Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter (@ApcOsun) Signed: Situation Room Management
Ejigbo Agog As Osun Speaker Leads Campaign For Aregbesola By KAZEEM MOHAMMED
JIGBO, the hometown of the Speaker, E State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam, was agog on Wednesday, as thousands of members and sympathisers of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ejigbo Local Government Council Area of the state trooped out en masse for the final campaign for Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s re-election in the council area. The campaign, which was led Salaam and started with a road show from Igbo-Owa, snaked through the major streets of Ejigbo and terminated at the APC Secretariat, Oke Royal, in the ancient town. As the campaign train snaked through the town, residents were thrown into joyous mood, as traders, motorists and commercial motorcyclists abandoned their businesses and joined the train. Addressing the crowd of APC supporters, Salaam said that the supports being received has continued to give the APC and his candidate confidence to win the poll, saying that the people of the state would never regret the gesture.
He said: “If not for the fear of those who only believe in rigging, there should not be any reason for us to entertain any fear, but with the support we are seeing, we are now confident that our votes cannot be rigged. “Let us all translate the support we are giving to Aregbesola to votes and stand by our votes, so that we can continue to enjoy the development we have been seen everywhere,” he said. Re-emphasising how to cast votes, he said: “To make sure your vote counts, identify the APC logo on the ballot paper, count three party logos upward and fold it across, straight and sharply on that logo, then count three party logos downward again
and do the same thing and thumbprint in the APC box with a little effort, wait to see the ink dry, then put your ballot paper in the ballot box. “After voting, stay around and let your vote be counted in your presence and we should not be scared of security operatives because they are there to protect us.” Also speaking, the former Speaker of the State Assembly, Professor Mojeed Alabi, said that since the electorate have been assured of free and fair election by the election umpire, there is confidence that Aregbesola would win the poll. He then urged the electorate to vote massively and stay calm at the polling units until their votes are counted, recorded and announced in their various units. Among those on the campaign train was the Senator Representing Osun West, Mudashir Hussein and some other APC leaders in the council area.
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OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, August 9, 2014
PDP Begins Move To Bribe Returning Officer With N1bn •Security Operatives To Set Osun On Fire RESH facts emerging ahead of Saturday F governorship poll in the State of Osun have revealed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in connivance with security operatives have concluded plans to ensure the poll outcome is manipulated in favour of its candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore. connection to stand on the Investigations revealed neck of the Vicethat the PDP has resorted Chancellor of Obafemi to desperate last-minute Awolowo University move to ensure that (OAU) to announce Omisore is declared the Omisore as winner, no winner of the poll no matter the odds against matter the decision of the him. electorate. According to a source The medium gathered close to INEC, from impeccable sources compromised staffers of that the party had already the commission have been contacted the supposed holding meetings with the returning officer for the National Youths Service poll, Professor Bamitale Corps (NYSC) members, Omole, to declare the PDP who would be used as candidate as winner and presiding officers to would be rewarded with tamper with the ballot N1billion as his share for papers like it was done in the dirty job. Ekiti State. The presence of Mr The medium gathered Musiliu Obanikoro in the that the presiding officers state, it was further have been instructed to gathered, is to ensure that no riot breaks out after the fold the ballot papers vertically before giving it PDP candidate might have to the electorate in a bid to been announced. activate the alleged tiny It was learnt that wire to ensure votes being Obanikoro and Omisore cast are erased in favour of are using their Ife-
the PDP. It was gathered that the corps members protested the instruction and were told it is not their business, but must ensure that they follow the instruction to the letter. Similarly, the medium was reliably informed that the security operatives at the polling unit would be co-opted into the plan, as they would allegedly be in
possession of already thumb-printed ballot papers to stuff the boxes, after scaring away voters at each unit. It was also gathered that the PDP is hell bent on ensuring that the security operatives harass and intimidate the electorate at the various units, so that ballot papers would not be counted in public glare, all in a desperate move to execute the evil plans. Checks also showed that the ad hoc staff have
been instructed to tie a rope at the polling units, with a view to making sure that agents of all the parties are excluded from knowing what is going on during the poll, so as to allow the security details perfect their evil plans. Meanwhile, report suggests that the top echelon of the DSS have instructed their officers on ground to make sure the plan works out except there is report of extreme violence threat by
residents of the state. However, residents of the state are currently prepared for the worse, as the news spread round the town, insisting that no one would determine their fate on their behalf. It was gathered that the party was jolted with Governor Rauf Aregbesola educating the voters during his last rally, hence, the desperate last-minute move to ensure it wins at all cost
PDP In Fresh Plot To Compromise Corps Members By ISMAEEL UTHMAN HE attention of members of the public has been drawn to a fresh move by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the Saturday governorship election in the State of Osun with the use of the National Youths Service Corps members. T
PDP, according to sources, met with some of the NYSC members in Gbongan, headquarters of Ayedaade Local Government Council Area of the state on Thursday morning and offered them cash to compromise their principles on the election day.
Part of the favour sought by the PDP from the corps members was that the ballot papers should be folded before giving it to the voter, as it was done in the Ekiti State governorship election. It was gathered that one of the corps members turned down the PDP
request, a development that sensitized other NYSC members at the meeting. However, the PDP also made an appeal for the corps members not to allow party agents to check the voters’ cards of the electoral, as the party members would be using some fake voters’ cards to vote on the election day. Some of the corps members have agreed to bar the party agents from checking the voter cards. Also, sources close to the PDP, confided in the medium that PDP met with
all its party agents in at the house of the State Chairman, Gani Olaoluwa on Thursday, where they were told to arm themselves with already thumb-printed ballot papers and drop them inside the ballot box. The already thumb printed ballot papers would be entrusted to the PDP faithful. The ploy is to make sure that there are over-voting in the stronghold of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
OPINION
Osun And PDP’s Mind Game A
UGUST is finally here, and the countdown to
the
governorship election in the state has begun in earnest. The man to beat in the election, the incumbent Governor of the State of Osun, the laconic and irrepressible Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has in the past three months traversed the nooks and crannies of the state showcasing his accomplishments at every turn to justify the people’s confidence with a clear promise of more to come when re-elected. On the other hand, his main challenger, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Iyiola Omisore, lacks any pedigree of previous accomplishments in the service of the people since his time as deputy governor and later as Senator, and in the absence of any programme or manifesto, he had no option than to resort to boast of deploying the crude might of the powers that be in Abuja to decide for the people of Osun. True to his boasts, like they did in Ekiti, two weeks to the election, the undue militarization of the State of Osun has commenced and the dogs of war have begun shooting sporadically everywhere in order to heighten tension and intimidate the electorate ahead of the election. Like the atoko wa ba ile je that they are, they have similarly recruited mercenaries from the Niger Delta, and the goons are on ground as well. This, however, is the greater insult and the salt on the injury. Importing a band of ill-bred and uncouth thugs to come and truncate the wishes of the people of the cradle of civilization. However, unlike Ekiti, where they had a free reign because we were caught unawares as a result of our underestimation of their level of desperation, we now have all of these facts and much more, and I make bold to assert that the game is up for the PDP in the South West. The election of 9th August will be a turning-point for Nigerians, as we begin to roll back the fortunes of the PDP that has inflicted pain and sorrow on the country and its people ahead of the fateful year of 2015. Basking in the euphoria of their victory in Ekiti, members and leadership of the PDP had no inhibition to equate the singular occurrence that shocked all critical observers for acceptance in Yorubaland. They see Osun as a walkover. Billions of Naira have been moved in to bribe, seduce and influence our people. The fact, however, is that the State of Osun presents a different political terrain in comparison to Ekiti. The issues that are germane to the average voter in Osun are far removed from those that played out in Ekiti. The traditional societies made up of Oyos, Ijesas, Igbominas, Ifes, Ibolos, etc. will place a higher premium
By LATEEF RAJI on the quality of education for their children, availability of healthcare services, functional infrastructure that have been the priority of the Government of Rauf Aregbesola than the populist pretentions of an Ayo Fayose aptly aped by Iyiola Omisore in his public appearances. They have equally taken little cognizance of the temerity of the man they are up against, aside the monumental achievements recorded by Governor Rauf Aregbesola, which are in themselves sufficient to see him through; he is a grassroots man and had always identified with the people and is always to be found in their midst. Little surprise he is so popular, and they found it convenient to relate with him unlike the corneating Baba Suwe. The cohesion APC enjoys in Osun is one critical success factor that would ensure victory for Ogbeni Aregbesola. There is no crisis within the APC in Osun. The party is one, and everybody is working together for Aregbesola’s victory. The loss of APC in Ekiti State was premised on so many factors that are confounding and requires time to unravel. No doubt, the exodus of some party stalwarts or stakeholder’s equally paved way for the victory of Fayose. Like the saying goes ‘’the cream would always settle at the top’’ which depicts that Ogbeni’s performance is enough to make him coast to victory with little or minimal effort. Ogbeni Rauf has preformed creditably like Kayode Fayemi but not taking any chance, which explains why he has been able to engage the people with grassroots programmes like ‘Ogbeni until day break, Gbangba D’ekun, to mention a few, which shows how connected he is to the grassroots. The good people of Osun are not only sophisticated but very wise, and they can discern. The death of the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice is still very fresh in the minds of Osun people. His alleged involvement in Bola Ige’s murder continues to ring in the heads of the people. The good news is that, PDP as a party lost the State of Osun gubernatorial election the very day Omisore was imposed as the flag bearer of the party via a kangaroo primary. His character and antecedents as an alleged murderer, thug and fraudster are enough to convince the people to vote the incumbent. Notwithstanding, Omisore is aware of this but would be banking on the support from Abuja to rig him to power, but Osun people would resist any form of militarization and rigging. The umbrella suffered a setback when one of their
strong pillars in Osun state, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke, defected to the APC based on the fact that the foundation of the party was based on deceits and falsehoods. The whole of Osun East Senatorial districts are now solidly behind Ogeni Aregbesola. Not that alone, but the geopolitical demographics and permutations currently favor the incumbent. Rauf Aregbesola’s empowerment programme has impacted on lives in almost every home in the state of Osun having employed twenty thousand young and able youths in his first 100 days in office. He feeds school children across the state with balanced diet meals daily. Ogbeni’s administration introduction of Opon Imo, a high-tech educational electronic device or tablet has revolutionized learning in the state. The last straw that broke the camel’s back for Senator Iyiola Omisore of the PDP was his inability to present himself to the people of the state in a wellpublicized debate organized with the support of some international agencies. The debate would have given the electorate ample opportunity to clarify some burning issues with regards to several allegations leveled against him (Omisore). The highest level of disdain for the Osun voters was the fact that he couldn’t attend a debate in a state he wishes to govern but came down to Lagos to hold an interview with a private TV station. At this juncture, it behooves on APC to challenge INEC to fast-track the distribution of permanent voter’s card (PVC) to avert the insinuation of rigging, which is synonymous with the PDP style of “winning” elections. These they have done in several places but the good people of Osun would vehemently resist any such shenanigan. On a last note, it is confounding that it is the PDP that has raped and reaped so much from the country’s attempt at democratic rule that has become the greatest threat to its sustenance with its intolerance of the opposition. They have refused to learn from the experience of the NPC and the NPN before them. For State of Osun and come 2015, we are prepared and better organized in a way that the armed men they have shipped in, in order to intimidate our people and suppress popular will, will end up turning the barrels on themselves, and on the day after they shall depart the State of Osun in shame with their tails tucked in between their hind legs. •Lateef is a Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on Information and Strategy, writes in from Lagos.
13
INTERVIEW
OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, August 9, 2014
Aregbesola Is Committed to Improving People’s Lots - USA Oranmiyan Chair Dr Lateef Opawoye is the Chairman, Oranmiyan Group, USA chapter and he hails from Osogbo, capital of the State of Osun. In an interview with our reporter, KAZEEM MOHAMMED in his Osogbo home recently, he spoke on the development going on in Osun and the need to re-elect Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for second term. Excerpts:-
O
SDF: Why did you decide to take on the Oranmiyan Group in USA? OPAWOYE: Where we are in US, community orientation and participation is very important and when you live in a civilised area, you should pick good things that can benefit your people back at home. We believe that those of us abroad, we should be able to contribute to the progress of Osun and we have seen an appropriate platform in Oranmiyan Group. We have seen what the present government is doing as commendable and what we are doing is to contribute our own development. That is what is paramount to us. OSDF: Can you compare the politics over there to the politics here in Nigeria? OPAWOYE: You cannot compare the politics over there to politics here, being that the way and manner thing are done over there is vastly difference. There are only two major parties and those parties are civil, no rancour before and after the election. Even when they are doing their political campaigns, nobody is going to attack or kill anybody. More so, anybody that is appointed or elected into the house is accountable. They must be servants of the people because anything they do, they must report back and if you don’t report back, you would be voted out. But here in Nigeria, there is nothing like that. People get huge amount of money for constituency projects and they pocket it. Subsequently, you begin to see them with different cars, houses and other material things. They will be squandering the money that belongs to the people on personal aggrandisement. When you are elected, you are elected to seek what can benefit the people, but unfortunately that is not happening here in Nigeria. OSDF: Who can we blame for these anomalies, the leadership or followership? OPAWOYE: It is followership. OSDF: How? OPAWOYE: If I am elected to represent the people around here, by tomorrow morning, what you see is people coming to demand for money. Some will say I want to pay for my children school fees; some will say my wife just delivered yesterday; some will ask for money for burial and many more. That is an opportunity you are creating for them to steal because what they get as a salaries cannot be enough for what people are asking and I think it is a question of education. OSDF: What are those things
•OPAWOYE
that you have seen in Aregbesola that makes you to go with him? OPAWOYE: It is because he has a very good idea to develop the state. His major concern is how to raise the masses from mat to mattress; where the people can improve their lots. Once you take off poverty, you have good education and good healthcare, the rest is history. If you and I can get a decent wage and get my business, there will be no reason for me to demand for money from anybody again. If I am employed by setting up a business, I will employ someone else and gradually, poverty will be eradicated. If you can feed people by giving them land to farm, you have done a lot and that is part of what Aregbesola has done. When that is done, you have less people to demand from government and subsequently development will come. OSDF: Will you say his policies are in line with what operates abroad?
OPAWOYE: The idea of empowering the people, making them to be engaged as being done are in line with what operate abroad and in a Western World as a whole. It is good to copy a good thing, but our people don’t do that, when they go abroad and see good things, they will not bother to replicate it at home like Aregbesola is doing. For example, about two years ago, Ogbeni came to US for a project which I was championing and on our way to Colorado, they were doing road construction and when he saw it, he asked the driver to stop. He saw that the asphalt they were laying was so thick as if they are decking a house and there and then he said, “we should be able to replicate this back at home”. Those are the ones who want to learn and ready to bring development to the state. That is why we appreciate him. OSDF: The governorship election in Osun is fixed for August 9 and the polity has started been
heating up by series of political activities, what do you see in that election? OPAWOYE: Our people are not blind, they see what is happening. One of those that are desperate to occupy the governorship seat had been a deputy governor, from there he went to the Senate and occupies a very powerful position, but he has nothing to show for it. Even a blind or a deaf knows that Aregbesola is doing very well in terms of bringing development to the state because all the development we are seen now were not possible under the last government. You can drive around Osogbo and other towns conveniently. Which other government has ever done that? One argument that I don’t like to hear is that he borrowed money and even if he does, he has spent it judiciously, because some people have borrowed that money in the past, there was nothing they achieve. We have passed the age of being deceived, they will just promise and won’t deliver, but in the case of Aregbesola, he has promised and he has delivered. People see that there is development and I am sure they know the decision to take through their election because they would not want that development to stop. OSDF: But the PDP people are saying that they will use Ekiti strategy to win Osun election, what is your comment? OPAWOYE: I don’t know the strategy they used and I cannot comment on it, but what I heard about scientific rigging is possible, because in the last election in US during the Obama and Romney election, it happened. Even in my unit where I voted, when people voted for Obama, it jumps to Romney, but there and then, the people complained to electoral officers and they just whisked away all the machines being used and replaced them. That may not be possible here because they may not have a spare one. So, technically what they claimed has happened in Ekiti as scientific rigging is possible. OSDF: What is your message to the people of Osun? OPAWOYE: The people of Osun should see beyond their tummy, they should see beyond the lies being told by the opposition party, especially the PDP and thinks about the future of their children. When you have a good education, good healthcare system, good road as being presently witnessed, you will live a better life.
FEATURE
14
OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, August 9, 2014
State Of Osun, The Land Of Chief Bola Ige, Will Speak Loudly On August 9
H
ISTORY has shown that we forget things easily in Nigeria. We do not remember things easily, we do not look at past events, and we move on as if yesterday never existed. Nigeria has gone through a chequered history, seen many wars, seen many tragedies and recorded sordid and awkward events. Yet, whenever we scale through these calamities, our bags and luggage are dusted up and businesses go on as usual. Questions are not raised, answers are not expected, no solution proffered and the rot continues unabated. But the events of December 23, 2001 will not be forgotten in a hurry. On that day, Chief Bola Ige, the Attorney General and Minister of justice of the Federation, was murdered in Ibadan at peace time in Nigeria. Before the tragedy of December 23, 2001, something unusual in Yorubaland took place in the Palace of Ooni of Ife, where Chief Bola Ige was physically assaulted and his cap removed by thugs put together by Iyiola Omisore. After that ugly incident, Mr Iyiola Omisore granted an interview to the defunct Tempo Magazine, where he almost ate Chief Bola Ige alive. In that interview, Omisore prepared and wetted the ground for Chief Bola Ige’s death. Chief Bola Ige was murdered on December 23, 2001. The rest is now history. Iyiola Omisore and his gang were arrested and put in prison custody. From prison, Omisore was rewarded by PDP with a very questionable mandate to go to the Senate, a great chamber meant for decent men and women. He went to the Senate. Meanwhile, the shoddy way the Federal Government handled the so-called trial of Omisore and those accused with him for murdering Bola Ige was enough to churn the stomach. It was so bad that on the very day those that confessed of killing Bola Ige were acquitted through a sham trial, the wife of Bola Ige, Justice Atinuke Ige, a judge of the Court of Appeal, died of heart attack. It is now 13 years after the tragic event and no one has been prosecuted for killing Chief Bola Ige, a sitting Minister of the Federal Republic and the nation’s
•IGE By JOE IGBOKWE
number one law officer. The only offence Chief Bola Ige committed then was that he gave the PDP-controlled Federation Government he was serving as a Minister of Justice, the information that he was leaving to work for his party, Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the coming elections. He never lived to fulfill that dream. The nest of killers led by Iyiola Omisore stopped him in the most bizarre and callous manner. His wife, Justice Atinuke Ige, also died as a result of the shock she received during the trial of socalled killers of Chief Bola Ige. Saturday August 9, 2014 is again decision time for who will preside over the affairs of the State of Osun, the land of Chief Bola Ige and Omisore, the principal suspect in the brutal murder suspect is standing for election under the platform of PDP. Omisore has been gallivanting all over Osun, pretending that Osun people have forgotten the ugly events of the past 13 years. He has been pretending to love Osun people
of the 21st Century in Nigeria that an Ayo Fayose will defeat a Dr. Fayemi in Ekiti State and some Nigerians will be celebrating it. I consider it an absurd and an affront that in this stage and age in Nigeria, an Omisore of all persons will be a contender in Osun gubernatorial race, as if we are all historical idiots. No, Nigeria can do better than this. Now, if the State of Osun still remains the land of Chief Bola Iges, Omisore is no match to Governor Aregbesola. If the State of Osun still remains the land of the Iges, I know then that history cannot be reversed. A friend, Bayo Oluwasanmi once told me that “Yorubas are not gullible, manipulable and downright callous. We have long and enduring memory. Yoruba do not anoint thieves, fools, saboteurs, traitors and hoodlums as heroes and heroines. Yoruba do not drive a car forward by looking at the rear mirror. Yoruba do not use shoes for hammers, newspapers for umbrella, and a fingernail to tight a screw” I like this so much and I have been quoting it always. Saturday August 9, 2014 will be a date with history in State of Osun. It is a day PDP will be told in the strongest terms that apples and oranges are not the same. It is a day PDP will come to terms with the phenomenon called Governor Rauf Aregbesola in the State of Osun. Omisore and his forty murderous thieves will meet on Aregbesola with the strength of Samson, Wisdom of Solomon, the Humility of Daniel and the Character of Abraham. In the State of Osun, Omisore’s PDP will meet a performer, an achiever, a leader and a popular governor. In the State of Osun , Omisore and his co-travelers will meet a great and consummate mobilizer in the class of President Obama of the United States . Come Saturday August 9 2014, the world will know a Governor Rauf Aregbesola is no pushover in Nigeria’s political equations and calculations. On Saturday this case will be settled for good and Nigerians will learn a lesson or two and possibly start the recovery of the country from the land of anomie where PDP has dragged it for fifteen years. Till then!
more than anyone else, riding on Okada and buying corns by the road-side pretending to be a grassroots man. No, Osun people are wise people and they know their leaders. I do not want to believe that Nigeria is a basket because I will be indicting myself but our sense of history worries me. How can we easily forget Chief Bola Ige, Justice Atinuke Ige and others? How can we be eating our food in the midst of human waste? How can we continue to pretend that yesterday does not matter? How can the worst in our midst be the ones to remain in the front page and driver’s seat? How can the blind continue to lead people with eyes? How can the crippled be our commanders in a war situation? How can the deaf and dumb be our spokespersons? Rewarding criminals and murderers has been the greatest threat to national unity in this country. It has at once exposed Nigeria as a country for scammers, •Culled from NIGERIA fraudsters and vagabonds. VILLAGE SQUARE Website. I consider it the biggest joke
15
PHOTOTALK
OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, August 9, 2014
More Pix On All Progressives Congress (APC) 2014 Governorship Re-election Of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s Mega Rally At Osogbo City Stadium, Osogbo, State Of Osun, Last Tuesday. Photo: SIKIRUADEOYE-YUSUF
•Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (left); Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi (3rd left); Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (3rd right); Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi (2nd left); Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Adejoke Elope-Adefulure (right); Senator Isiaka Adeleke and other dignitaries.
•A cross section of APC supporters.
•
•The governor, State Of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s being presented with a party flag during his re-election mega rally At Osogbo City Stadium last Tuesday.
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A
T long last, the State of Osun gubernatorial election is less than 24 hours away. In all, there are twenty gladiators to vie for the office of the governor of the state. Among the serious contenders are the sitting governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, who is also the candidate of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) and the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyiola Omisore. Alhaji Fatai Akinbade of the Labour Party (LP) is by available opinion poll, trailing in a distant third position. These candidates have transversed the whole state to sell their manifestoes to the people and have convinced the electorate why they should be voted for. The 8-point programme of the PDP is yet to be known by many people. What, however, is popular with the PDP candidate is that he would reverse all that the government of Aregbesola has done. To him, the uniform prescribed for students in the state is a “slave uniform” which would be taken away from them if elected. Still on education, the PDP candidate has promised to bring back schools into their former positions but this has not been properly elucidated. Would Omisore pull down the new structures that Aregbesola’s government has put in places or he will suspend others that have yet to be built? Omisore also did not see reason why the state should have a garment factory in the state, where it (the state) went into competition with the local fabric dealers, tailors and seamstresses. Essentially, the campaign of Omisore has centred on what Aregbesola has done. One would have thought that he would come out openly to sell his manifesto to the people on which he would be assessed if he is lucky enough to be voted for. In the case of Aregbesola, he had a pact with the electorate of Osun in 2007, when in his green booklet, he stated clearly what he desired to achieve. He did not stop there. He allocated timeline to some of his projects. He promised that he would provide 20,000 people with employment within his first 100 days in office. This, Aregbesola did with the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES). He has implemented two streams of OYES totaling 40,000 youth empowerment. The third scheme
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As Osun Goes To Poll
•Professor ATTAHIRU JEGA
is on-going now. The unique feature of this programme is that it is non-discriminatory; as long as the person involved is from the State of Osun. Incidentally, the greatest beneficiaries of the scheme are off-springs and relatives of members of the PDP. The PDP candidate’s edge, according to him, is the fact that he has traversed the whole state and visited every nook and canny. True as that assertion may be, what is his selling point? He boasts about the fact that he is the next governor of the state and that Aregbesola should be counting his days in the office. Democracy allows that boast, but ultimately, it is the decision of the people that really matters. The President and CommanderIn-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Goodluck Jonathan was in the state last Saturday and he did promise that security would be fully mobilized for the election on
Saturday. Already, we have seen contingent of the military, members of the Department of the State Security (DSS) the first amongst them to be deployed. The Nigeria Security and Defence Corps (NSCDC) are also in town for the election. If the experience in Ekiti State is anything to go by, then the people of the state have something to fear. Political stalwarts of the ruling party in the state were arrested on the eve of election and released later. Already, an APC chieftain in Obokun Local Government Council Area of the state was allegedly arrested with no known infringement of the law. All said and done, one would have expected the President to act statesmanly in his utterances in Osogbo. Granted the fact that he expects violence-free election in the state;
he should have mobilized the same forces for Chibok, Borno State. If the security operatives are deployed for security purposes only, there would be no cause for alarm. The facts on ground, however, show that the ruling party in the state has done enough to justify reelection. It is my fervent hope that by the time the results are released, the will of the people would prevail. The election in Ekiti may not serve as a precedent for Osun for obvious reasons. The personalities involved are different. By every standard, Aregbesola has done in almost four years, what the previous government could not do. Omisore has held offices in two different situations. As a deputy governor before he was impeached, was there any indelible mark to show for his stay in Government House? Also as a senator for eight years, what was his achievement? He was also the chairman of the Appropriation Committee of the red chamber. What can the people of the Osun East Senatorial District remember him for? By now we expect him to lay his cards on the table for people to critically assess. The voters in the State of Osun are privileged to have as candidates, contestants that have held offices at one time of the other. It is the basis on which they would be assessed. This is the time for politicking, hence innuendos can be put up in the public space as a fact. The indigenes of the state know the difference between how the state was and what it is now. If the will of the people is anything to go by, then we should be rest assured that there would be no problem about the re-election of the sitting governor. However, in election matters, there could be room for manipulations and other scheming. This is why there is the need for extra vigilance on the part of the voters to ensure that they vote correctly and their votes count. By the time the result is released; hopefully the majority of the voters will sing praises to the Lord for a successful conduct of election. For those who have turned the voter’s card into a purchasable commodity procuring them as if it is going out of existence, one hopes that they would reap the dividends of their work appropriately. Above every other thing, I pray to the Almighty God to give us this day and let us vote accordingly.
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.