Osun Defender - July 12th 2014, Edition

www.osundefender.org SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

As August 9 draws closer by the day we must continue to remind the electorate in our dear state of t h e i r responsibiliies; the need to vote right and to jealously guard their votes.

THE 6TH MOST-VISITED NEWSPAPER WEBSITE IN NIGERIA

VOL. 9. NO.083

responsibilFront Page Comment itymajor Who Killed as responsible citiof our state. Of Compatriots, Jealously zens course we are not in Chief Bola Ige, doubt that the votes formerAttorneyGuard Your Votes! of our people will be dented developTo use the power for Ogbeni General and ment going on in the of our thumb to vote Aregbesola who has state since the infor continuity - as the done the state much Minister of ception of Ogbeni state cannot afford good.

Aregbesola's adminto do away with the Justice? istration - is our first Continue on pg5 level of unprece

N50

IGE

Osun 2014 Governorship Election:

FG ‘l Flood Osun With Hausa Soldiers A Week To Election • Omisore Boasts - See Story On Page 2

•A cross section of the newly-commissioned Armoured Personnel Carriers distributed to the state security officers by the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola. Insert: Governor Aregbesola (middle in white); his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) Titi Laoye-Tomori; Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salam (left); Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 11, Mr David Omojola (2nd left); Osun Commissioner of Police, Mr.Maishanu Ibrahim (5th left); Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Barrister Amos Adekunle (6th left) and other dignitaries during the commissioning in Osogbo, State of Osun, last Thursday.

News

2

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

FG ‘ll Flood Osun With Hausa Soldiers A Week To Election • Omisore Boasts

T

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Iyiola Omisore, has boasted that the Federal Government plans to flood Osun with Hausa soldiers one week before the August 9 election in a decisive show of force to secure PDP victory.

The PDP candidate was threatening to deal with APC leaders in their homes in a bid to paralyze the party operatives and take control of the electoral process and fake victory at the polls.

But to divert public attention from its evil plot, the PDP has rushed to the press shortly after Omisore’s outrageous revelation during a rally in Ifetedo in Ife-South Local Government Council Area of Osun to accuse the APC of being behind terrorism and violence in the state in the runup to the election.

Besides, the PDP has added the allegation of gun-running against APC fingering the political support group named “State Boys” as those causing mayhem in Osun at a press parley in Osogbo on Wednesday.

“PDP is Nigeria’s number one enemy and their brutality against their perceived political opponents who are fellow Nigerians has become a national calamity. That calamity is what the PDP has brought into Osun, which has been universally acknowledged as peaceful since 2010.

“It was when they started to set up in Osun for the August 9 election that the peaceful atmosphere in the State became disturbed.

The current allegation against the APC by the PDP is an attempt to take the wind off the sails of the dangerous revelation by Omisore that Hausa soldiers are being prepared to storm Osun a week before the election to brutalize leaders of the APC, cow the electorate and manipulate INEC to rig victory for the PDP”., the Osun APC said.

The APC challenges the PDP to produce credible evidence on gun-running or terrorism against the APC. Nigerians should be alerted that the Jonathan presidency could well be the harbinger of the worst crisis Nigeria has ever had if its satanic desperation to destabilize the West goes ahead in Osun as Omisore has revealed.

“The APC will like to make it abundantly clear to the PDP that Osun cannot be taken by violence. The consequences will be too devastating to

contemplate.

“Let democracy prevail. To import soldiers from Hausa land to cow Yoruba people in Osun will backfire catastrophically. Let Nigerians of goodwill and the international committee prevail on the PDP, for it is treading a very very dangerous and catastrophic path.”

Omisore who made the reckless statement at his party's rally at Ifewara in Atakumosa-West Local Government Council Area of the State of Osun few days ago threatened to deal with APC

leaders in the town.

The PDP governorship candidate informed his supporters that he would run out of town all his political opponents of the APC extraction with the aid of soldiers who are under the control of Mr Musiliu Obanikoro, the junior minister of defence and Mr Jelili Adesiyan, the Minister of Police Affairs.

His words: "I will deal with Gala (Gala is an APC leader in Ifewara) and the House of Assembly member

representing Atakumosa-West.

Don't worry, I will ask some people to go and sack his house after this rally.

"I will deal with anybody who stands on my way in realising my governorship ambition. I am up to the task.

The soldiers are at my bell and call. I will use them to the fullest.

"Any member of the opposition who stands on my way will see the wrath of the soldiers. If they are capable, let them come out on the election day".

Osun Govt Establishes Micro-Credit Agency •Gives Out N4 Bn Interest-free Loan •Fashola Lashes PDP

By KEHINDE AYANTUNJI

A

S part of the efforts of the government of the State to banish poverty and empower the informal sector, it has launched and commissioned a Micro Credit Agency in the state, to improve small scale businesses.

The state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on Wednesday launched the agency with N4 billion interest-free loan.

The launching which also featured the distribution of mini-buses to operators of mini-buses popularly known as (Korope) was held at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park in Osogbo, the state capital.

The Micro-Credit agency is expected to be interest-free loans to farmers, artisans, small scale business owners and

others for the purpose of creating and sustaining their business and expand the economy of the state.

Speaking at the commissioning, Governor Aregbesola said that the present administration is determined to banish poverty, hunger and unemployment in the state.

According the governor, his government is determined to make every Osun indigene successful and independent, arguing that individual per capital is what determines the success of any government.

Aregbesola added that it is only a wicked government that will refuse to see to the basic needs of the people as they are the main reason why any government is in place.

He explained that the sum of 4 billion naira is already available to be given out as interest-free loan and called on all those who have legitimate businesses to go and obtain the loan facility and expand their various businesses.

The governor also announced that motor cycles will soon be distributed to commercial motorcycle riders and assured them that his administration has no intention of banning Okada and urged them to ignore the rumour.

He said: “Our government is determined to make every Osun indigene successful because it is the success of the people that determines the success of the government.

“A total amount of Four Billion Naira is already available for you to borrow from. I call on everybody that has legitimate business to come forward and take the opportunity.

“We don’t have any plan to banish okada riders, we are going to give motorcycles to you soon. I appeal to you not to allow your members to be used to commit crimes in our society,” Aregbesola said Aregbesola said the interest

rate of the loan according to the agreement with Sterling Bank is nine per cent and announced that the state government will be responsible for the interest and encourage the beneficiaries to use the loan judiciously.

Also speaking, Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola also blamed the PDP for underdevloping Nigeria, saying the government at the centre is confused on how to address the nation’s challenges.

He said, there is no presence of PDP-led federal government in any part of Nigeria, adding, it is the APC government in the South-West that is taking the welfare of the people serious.

Fashola lauded the efforts of the governor in giving out the interest-free loans and urged them to support the second term ambition of the governor.

He said, giving an assistance to small scale business owners is one of the means of boosting an economy for the benefit of all and sundry.

In an address, state Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Empowerment, Mr Ismaila Alagbada, said that the vision of the present administration is to make every resident of the state to be gainfully employed and contribute to the socioeconomic development of the state.

He said the commissioning of

the micro-credit agency is part of an elaborate approach of the state government to the empowerment of the people for their total emancipation.

The commissioner said: “This administration has set out a pragmatic action plan to promote the commercial and industrial development of the state through the empowerment of the people on the platform of cooperatives as well as formal and informal business outfits.”

The Commissioner for Finance, Dr Wale Bolorunduro, explained that one of the major keys to develop an economy apart from building infrastructure is to empower the people economically which is the major reason the present administration is working hard to ensure that every citizen of the state is empowered to revive the economy.

President of the Cooperative Transporters Association, Alhaji Asimiyu Oladejo, expressed appreciation to the governor for giving his members buses to aid their trade, saying no government has done so in the history of the state.

He said that the present administration has done what will make their vehicles last longer by putting the state roads in good condition.

Group Accuses Omisore Of Flouting Ban On Siren In Osun

By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

C

ANDIDATE of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the August 9, 2014 governorship election in the State of Osun, Senator Iyiola Omisore, has been accused of flouting an order of the state government banning the use of siren in any part of the state.

A group under the aegis of respect the people, the law and Peoples Welfare League (PWL) morality of such place, saying called on Omisore to obey the that politics is different from standing law of the state he governance of a state. wished to govern, charging him The group coordinator also to drop the toga of what it urged Omisore not to mix tagged pomposity and politics with governance in the embraces that of humility. state, explaining that it was not Coordinator of the group, the All Progressives Congress Comrade Biodun Agboola, in (APC) that made the law, but an interview with OSUN the State of Osun House of DEFENDER on Thursday, Assembly. stated that Omisore was fond The state parliament had, of arbitrary use of siren few months ago, enacted a law whenever he and members of banning the use of siren by his entourage are driving anybody in the state except through Osogbo, the state ambulance and police on capital. emergency cases.

Agboola therefore, called on None of the political office the police and the leadership holders in the state, including of the PDP to caution Omisore Governor Rauf Aregbesola and and advise him to obey the law his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) and play politics according to Titilayo Laoye-Tomori and the the rules and regulations of the Speaker of the House of state.

Assembly, Honourable Najeem He averred that anybody Salaam, uses siren ever before aspiring to govern a place must the enactment of the siren law.

Agboola said: “Omisore is flouting the law of the state, and by that, he is disrespecting the people of the state, who are abiding by the law. The House of Assembly had some months ago passed a law forbidding the use of siren by individuals except ambulances and the police on emergency cases. Omisore is aware of this law. Even, if he is not aware, we are telling him now.

“Omisore is aspiring to govern the state; he should, at least, respect what the state stands for. A law is a law, no matter how it comes and who and who drafted it. The House of Assembly is the law-making body of the state, so you cannot say because it is so-soso party that is there and violate the law.

“What people are saying is that Omisore is feeling too big to respect the law because he is contesting governorship election with the party dominating the state parliament. If that is true, then he needs to rethink. He needs to submit himself to the rules and regulations of the state. He needs to drop his current toga of arrogance and obey the law.”

News

3

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

Osun 2014: Islamic Group Writes Jonathan Over Planned Arrest Of Aregbesola’s Supporters •Condemns Thuggery And Violence In Nigerian Politics

B

ARELY a month to the conduct of the governorship poll in the State of Osun, an Islamic group of international repute, the Jama’atu Ta’awunil Muslimeen Society of Nigeria, has raised alarm over a plan of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State through the assistance of Federal security agencies, to effect unlawful arrest and detention of some leaders and leading supporters of Governor Rauf Aregbesola ahead of the poll slated for August 9, 2014 by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC).

The Islamic group also Molasan, ahead of the condemned the alleged forthcoming gubernatorial political threat to the life of election in the state, saying the political its National President, that Sheikh Daood Imran assassination, violence and

thuggery in the nation’s electioneering process ahead of 2015 general elections is barbaric, evil, uncivilized and antidemocratic.

This was contained in a press statement issued by Sheikh Molasan titled: “Letter to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on Osun Guber poll and State of the Nation” and also copied both leadership of the Chambers of the

National Assembly, the United Nations, American and United Kingdom Embassies, InspectorGeneral of Police, DirectorGeneral of the Department of State Security Service (DSSS) and a host of others, while a copy was made available to newsmen in Osogbo, on Thursday. The group maintained that the alleged planned intimidation of the members and supporters of Governor

•Former Governor of Ekiti State and All Progressives Congress (APC) Deputy National Chairman, South-West, Mr Segun Oni, addressing journalists after a meeting of some APC governors/leaders in Nigeria at State of Osun Government House, Osogbo, on Thursday.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI

APC Advises Osun Christians To Vote Their Choice

C

HRISTIANS in the State of Osun have been asked to disregard the false information being circulated by PDP agents in some churches that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has instructed Christians in the state to vote for a Christian candidate in next month’s governorship election.

The All Progressives “Our attention has been drawn Congress (APC) in a statement to a political statement going in Osogbo on Thursday said that round some churches. OS-CAN it is not impossible that some leadership hereby dissociates officials and members of the itself from such as we are churches involved may have spiritual fathers to all irrespective received gratification from the of political affiliation. By this opposition PDP to introduce announcement, we hereby religious sentiment into a purely implore all to exercise their franchise according to conviction political matter.

According to the APC, the devoid of coercion.”

Christians therefore, are being Osun State branch of CAN leadership has categorically advised by both CAN and the dissociated itself from such APC to vote according to their conscience, and not because one sentiment.

In a statement made available candidate is a Moslem or the to the APC Secretariat, the CAN other a Christian.

“The religion of a leader has leadership signed by its Chairman, Rev Ogundiya said: nothing to do with the choice before citizens of Osun on August 9. What is important is the quality of service which either of them has rendered to the people of Osun.

“The vital question before HE Pen College, Fiwasaye, Street, our people is, between Kola Balogun, Aregbesola and Omisore who Osogbo, will today July 12, would you rely on to make life 2014 hold its annual Special in Osun State better for the Ramadan Lecture at Event people?

Hall, Iya Ariya, Idi Seke, “Omisore and his party, the Osogbo.

PDP, had been in the politics of A statement by the Osun for nearly eight years Coordinator of the Programme, between 2003 and 2010. Their Barrister Badmus Kazim, said Sheik Tajudeen Arikalamu, will most outstanding achievement deliver a lecture on ‘The Gate was the creation of Osun State to Aljanat’ at exactly 11.00am. University which was made Religious scholars, public beyond the reach of the poor. office holders and other But for the most part, the duo of people from all walks of life the PDP and Omisore practically are expected at the event. ruined the State.

Ramadan Lecture

T

“It took Aregbesola’s intervention to make that state university accessible to everybody rich or poor alike.

And within 47 months of being in office, the APC government under Aregbesola has so impacted the lives of the people that no leader since Osun was created has been as popular as Aregbesola.

“There is no discrimination whatsoever between Christians and Moslems in his administration. When Aregbesola decided to feed 300,000 primary school children- he did not discriminate between Christian and Muslim children.

“Our balance, when you look at Christian-Christian governorship of PDP administration between 2003 and 2010 in comparison with the Muslim-Christian ticket that has ruled Osun since 2010, responsible and reasonable Christians know the wide margin of difference between both. The latter outclasses the former.”

The Osun APC said, Christians don’t need any church or pastor or bishop to tell what is best for them. Christians are among the most rational people in Osun and they know that Omisore, the Christian candidate of the PDP is a notorious fellow.

“They cannot prefer him to the Moslem Aregbesola of the APC who has so transformed Osun from amongst the worst governed to one of the best administered states in the country today. His Muslim religion may have influenced his attitude to governance.

“However, his popularity and success in governance today in Osun is purely on the basis of

his performance. He has touched the lives of the people, and made their environment better than it ever was irrespective of whether they are Muslims or Christians.

“Thank goodness that CAN leadership has dissociated itself from the unchristian attitude of some pastors and churches in Osun that are trying to deceive their followers in the name of CAN to vote for a notorious socalled Christian politician of the PDP”, the APC declared.

The ruling party therefore, called for unity amongst citizens of Osun to go to the polls on August 9 to vote for the better candidate who they know will bring further progress to the state, not somebody who has told all of us that he is coming to destroy everything Aregbesola has done.

Aregbesola and his party leaders before and during the governorship poll as was experienced in the justconcluded Ekiti guber poll by the agents of the Federal government was an aberration of the highest order in a democratic setting.

The Islamic organization however, called on the authorities in the country and international community to assist Nigeria in eliminating political thuggery facing our electoral process through political re-orientation, political activism, legal/ legislative mechanism and sincere and people-oriented empowerment programmes.

On the issue of violence in the country, Molasaan said: “It is our belief that Boko Haram has the strength it has because some powers that be (be it local or foreign, private or institutionalized) are giving them support, and that in the same vein, if political thuggery goes unchecked, it may grow wing to the extent that if Boko Haram dies, political thuggery may succeed it.

“We heard rumours that some selected personalities, especially, Sheikh Daood Imran Molasan, the National President of Jama’at Ta’awunil Muslimeen are to be arrested/assassinated on or before the gubernatorial election in the State of Osun come August 9, 2014. It is our belief that unlawful arrest or political assassination is not only un-constitutional but also undemocratic, not only in Nigeria, but also in all the civilized societies. It is also our belief that same pushes people to the wall and forces them to react violently (and the cases of Tunis, Egypt, Syria and Libya as well as the United States of America as a colony under the United Kingdom are living witnesses).We, as citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who believe in its UNITY AND PROGRESS, call on the above mentioned authorities to assist our country in eliminating the traces and elements of

unlawful political arrest or assassination”.

According to the group: “As if the arbitrary, unlawful and silent assassination of Chief Bola Ige (the then Attorney-General of the Federation) is not enough, the agent of intimidation added salt to the sore, as witnessed in Ekiti State recently (where and when private citizens, leaders of communities, elite in the society and political stalwarts were unlawfully arrested and detained, and nothing was done to fish out and punish the perpetrators). And this makes average Nigerian citizens to ask that who is now safe in Nigeria?”.

“It is our observation that though the demographic statistics of Syria is just 2330 million, the effect of Syrian war on Turkey cannot be overlooked, the population of Libya is less than 7 million, the effect of Libyan war on the neighbouring countries and International market is monumental, and the greatness of Egypt in Africa does not surpass that of Nigerian, (yet) the effect of Egypt crisis on the Arab world is a history to be told and re-told in future. If Nigeria, with her over 170 million population, should burst (Allah forbid!), the effect it will have on the neighbouring countries, International market and economy, International community and the global stability will be too disastrous for all.”

The group later enjoined the President Jonathan-led Federal Government to stand up in finding a lasting solution to the sociopolitical and economic problems facing the peaceful co-existence of the nation as being rightly submitted in their last letter to the president.

“To stand up and arrest the problems of insecurity, political violence, decay infrastructure and so on as we rightly submitted in our last letter to Mr. President as these problems have been the thorn in the flesh of this country which is capable of pitching Christians against the Muslims, South against the North and Nigerians against Nigerians. It is totally condemned by us and all well-meaning Nigerians.”

Debt May Collapse Power System - Senate

By KAZEEM MOHAMMED HE Senate Committee on Privatisation has said that if the debt crisis in the power sector is not addressed, it would collapse the power generation and transmission system in the country.

T

Chairman of the committee, Senator Gbenga Obadara, made the observation during the committee’s oversight visit to the National Control Centre (NCC) of the Nigeria Electric Power Grid in Osogbo, Osun State.

He said the present status of power generation is so low that it cannot take the country to anywhere,

saying, “do we think we can grow with the present situation?”

According to him, the senate is not happy with the present state of electricity in the country and would try its best to address it.

He charged stakeholders in the power generation and transmission system to be contentious and dedicated as the senate would do all

that is necessary to address all the issues involved.

Responding, the Executive Director, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Engineer Sahid Mohammed, said the company is capable of evacuating 7,000 Mega Watts of electricity.

He said that by 2017, the company would have been able to evacuate 10,000 Mega Watts of electricity.

Engineer Mohammed identified poor funding, gas pipeline vandalism and grid generation inadequacy among others as part of the challenging facing power supply.

If you have a story or advert for us, contact 08033927286, 08033880205, 08061197897, 08023191891.

4

News Feature

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

Osun Economy: Aregbesola Releases N4bn Loan To Informal Workers, Mini-buses For Transporters

By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

T

HE administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in the State of Osun has again taken another positive step towards alleviating poverty, hunger and creation of employment opportunity for informal workers section in the state.

Aregbesola, whose Six victor.”

The Road Transport Integral Action Plan includes: Banish Poverty, Banish Hunger Employee Association of and Creating Employment Nigeria (RTEAN) in the state Opportunity, has never ceased also commended Aregbesola for in striving hard to develop what the union described as economy of the state through tremendous developmental wealth creation for all and projects geared towards wealth creation and employment sundry.

As part of his programmes opportunity.

The RTEAN recalled the bad to develop the economy of the state, Aregbesola’s state of the roads in the state administration on Wednesday before the emergence of launched Osun Micro Credit Aregbesola’s administration, Agency and also distributed saying that there is total departure from the dark era of mini buses known as korope. since The distribution of the buses underdevelopment dismissed the false information Aregbesola came into power.

Commissioner for Finance, being spread by opposition parties, particularly the Peoples Budget and Economic Planning Democratic Party (PDP) that of the State, Dr Wale Aregbesola was planning to ban Bolorunduro, disclosed that the the Korope operators and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) commercial motorcyclists also has released a sum of N2 billion to the State Government of known as Okada.

Appreciating the Osun as loan facilities to be distribution of the mini-buses, disbursed to various interested the Chairman, Korope groups.

According to Bolorunduro, Cooperative Association, State of Osun, Alhaji A. Asimiyu, said the CBN placed nine per cent Aregbesola is the first governor interest rate on the loan which to give recognition to the is supposed to be paid by informal workers, especially the beneficiaries of the loan.

The commissioner however, transporters.

According to Asimiyu, the said Governor Aregbesola in his wellbeing of the people of the magnanimity directed that the state was paramount to state government should pay Aregbesola’s administration, the nine per cent interest on the saying that the governor was fund and released the loan doing his best to eradicate without any interest to the poverty, hunger and beneficiaries.

Bolorunduro further unemployment in the state.

He said: “I have never seen a disclosed that out of the Southgovernor like Aregbesola. He is West states, Osun is the only the first governor to relate with one that qualified for the CBN and give attention to us the N2 billion loan, due to the efforts transporters. He is the first and achievements of Aregbesola governor to buy 70 hummer on job creation and poverty buses for the transporters. He eradication.

He stated that the loan is the first governor to buy korope for us too. We would be disbursed to informal acknowledge his achievements workers sector of the society, and efforts to eradicate poverty, saying that farmers, self-help hunger and unemployment in groups, cooperative societies, small scale businesses, cottage the state.

“Aregbesola has built roads industries, hotels, hair dressers, that will enable the buses to last artisans and others would be the longer. There are good roads in major beneficiaries of the loan.

The commissioner stated every nook and cranny of the state. Bad roads contribute 90 that the beneficiaries would per cent to mechanical fault in undergo capacity building our vehicles, but in Osun today, training from the CBN on we have good roads and we are entrepreneurship and economic spending less on mechanical management to enable them have adequate knowledge and fault.

“Aregbesola has made us understanding of what they proud and we shall continue to want to venture into.

Bolorunduro maintained that support his administration. We want to tell you sir, Mr the loan is basically to create Governor, that you have won wealth and employment the August 9 election already. opportunity for the people of Do not doubt your victory the state.

Addressing the gathering, because you are already a

Governor Rauf Aregbesola said government’s duty is to protect life and property of the people, provide enabling environment for their daily endeavour and improve their wellbeing.

Aregbesola said any government that failed to provide the basic need of the people is a failure and satanic.

Aregbesola said: “Government is not done by blaring siren. Government is not spending lavishly. Government is not the struggle for power.

Government is not the enjoyment of immunity, and certainly not impunity. People want power for different purposes. Some people as we have seen want power just to be blaring siren all around the state. Some people want power to inflict pains and sufferings on the people. Some people want power simply to be spending lavishly and commit atrocities with impunity.

“Power is a huge responsibility. government is to make provision for the wellbeing and progress of the people, to provide security and peaceful environment for them, to assist the people in their daily endeavour and to improve the economy of the state. Any government that does not plan for these is a satanic government; it is a wicked government that does not consider the plight of the people.

“The umbrella party has never provided a peaceful and responsive government for the people. The umbrella party is nothing but a disaster to the country. Government is meant to improve the wellbeing of the people let me reiterate that.

Since 43 months, we have been improving the wellbeing of the people, create wealth and employment opportunity. I want everybody to check the state where our party is ruling, that is what we are doing. Our party is the Awolowo party. It is the Awolowo party from UPN to SDP to AD to AC to ACN and to APC. “In 2006 and 2007, we promised Six Integral Action Plan and we thank God today that we have been doing that.

We have achieved in those areas.

A party had governed this state; the party spent seven-and-ahalf years and the state was under spell. Things were tough and nobody could work freely then.

“How is the state now since our 43 years? Things are now in order and Osun is peaceful and developing. Between the 2003 and the 2010, the state was

underdeveloped. We are different from them. We provide free launch for the elementary school pupils; we provide free school uniform and computer tablet-Opon Imo for our pupils. Our government does not use siren and we wait for traffic light on the road as responsive and responsible government. We are responsible government and people.

“We launch the Osun Micro Credit Agency to give loan to people of the state and assist them on their businesses. We have put N4 billion loan in place.

There is no discrimination in the loan. Everybody can go there and take loan; what you need to do is to explain yourself and the loan will be released to you. It is a free interest loan.

“We have N4billion loan for everybody; groups, association, cooperative and anybody that needs money for the improvement of their businesses. Succour has come to every cooperative in Osun.

The empowerment programme and loan of the PDP is fraudulent and satanic. The form they are distributing is part of the strategy they used to win Ekiti. How do you explain an empowerment programme that you need to take oath before you benefit from it?

“Anybody that has fallen into the trap of the PDP should retrace his or her step. If you have taken oath with them, go to your alfas and pastors for deliverance on that. You will be delivered. Our own loan has no interest, nor oath taking. It is purely loan to develop the economy of the state.

“For those that want to benefit from the Korope, you only need to deposit N10, 000 and the mini-bus will be given to you. Aside that; you will be paying N1,200 everyday to complete the payment. Very

soon, precisely from October this year, the korope would be assembled at the Free trade Zone in Ede.” Dismissing the rumour that he was planning to ban the operation of the commercial motorcyclists-Okada, Aregbesola said: “We cannot ban okada; we have no reason to do that. Osun is not like Lagos; just like Osun is not Ekiti. Lagos is an economic developed state, but Osun is just coming up economically. If we ban okada, there will be hunger and unemployment in the state. There is no highway in Osun that poses serious threat to the use of okada. It is a lie and falsehood from those that do not want the development of the state.”

Speaking on the August 9, 2014 governorship election in the state, Aregbesola charged the electorate to vote wisely and support the development of the state. He said: “Don’t be scared of the security personnel they are bringing to Osun during the election. Let us come out with the faith and belief that nothing will happen to us. Let us vote peacefully. Governorship post is not a chieftaincy title. It is the people that elect. You cannot force yourself on anybody. I am sure that the charlatans will lose. They will cry after the election.”

Lagos State Governor Babtunde Fasola who graced the event explained the rationale behind the ban of okada on some highways in Lagos State, accusing the PDP of misinforming the people on policies of the government.

Fashola said: “When I was young and it was raining, people used to give me umbrella to use inside the rain but my mother was found of rejecting the umbrella. My mother would insist that I would rather use raincoat instead of the umbrella.

I do not know that my mother had foreseen that an umbrella party would be the problem of Nigeria.

“PDP government is a disaster, it is satanic and criminal. PDP government lies, it is mischievous, corrupt and unprogressive. Let me ask you; which party is ruling Abuja-the central government? Which party is ruling Delta and Akwa Ibom states? Are Okada working in Abuja and in those states? In Lagos State, we have over 10, 000 expressways and we told the Okada not to operate on the Ikorodu highway and other few highways. We do not ban Okada in Lagos State. We told them not to ride on highways because of accident.

And ever since then, there is not incident of Okada accident.

Before, 15 people died of okada accident every month before the ban. The police confessed that criminals used okada to rob, and ever since the ban, crime has reduced.

“The PDP government is a failure. They make law but they do not follow it. Some years ago, what they brought was Vision 2020, followed by seven point agenda and now transformation.

Vision 2020 has failed; seven point agenda has crumbled and transformation is not transforming. PDP government is the one improvising poverty, hunger and unemployment in this country.”

The Oologi of Oogi Oba A. Adeleke, popularly called Oba tio Kere, gave an award of “The Moon” to Governor Aregbesola in recognition of his unprecedented achievements in the state. The traditional ruler explained that the Moon Award was drawn from the natural superiority of moon over the stars, saying that Aregbesola is incomparable to other governors.

Take Keen Interest In Osun’s Pre-election Process - APC Urges International Community

By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO

T

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the international community to take very keen interest in the campaign process leading to the August 9 governorship election, because it will critically impact the election itself.

From all indications while the APC and Governor Rauf Aregbesola are hyper-active on the campaign trail in carnival-like campaign rallies that get bigger by the day with tumultuous

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, addressing the crowd during the commissioning of Osun Micro-Credit Agency and distribution of mini-buses to co-operative transporters and Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria by Governor Rauf Aregbesola at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, State of Osun, last Wednesday.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

crowds, the opposition PDP is lackluster with scanty crowds on the campaign trail.

However, the PDP propaganda machine is loudest in letting Nigerians know that plans have been concluded to remove APC and its governor from office, against the popular will of the people.

Expression of the people’s popular preference is already being registered daily since the campaigns started. From Ile-Ife to the latest Mega Rally in Ede, the crowd has swollen so exponentially that the latest experience in Ede on Tuesday was unprecedented.

Both Ile-Ife and Ede are significant, because they are the hometowns of PDP’s governorship candidate and his deputy respectively. But neither of them is capable of pulling the kind of crowd and support that the APC candidate and incumbent governor Aregbesola has attracted in both towns.

We are looking at a

scenario here that gives irreversible indication of the popularity of the governor which should be replicated at the polls hopefully. So it should interest the world what kind of plan the PDP has in place beside the verdict of the ballot box that is capable of reversing victory for the incumbent governor.

We are not unaware of the desperation of the PDP to retain the presidency at all costs, and that winning in the West is a key factor in that desperation which has already produced a strange upset that is being explained away in a silly concept of “stomach- infrastructure” in Ekiti State.

We are also aware of what role the military and police played in Ekiti election that seriously compromised the process. In the run-up to Osun election, so far so fair, yet so sinister that the opposition PDP, which is so unpopular on the ground, is bragging about some strange plan that will be effected to give it victory on August 9.

This is why the world and all stakeholders should be on the alert to forestall any undemocratic method the PDP may have the intension of using to cause another mysterious upset that could go terribly wrong.

5

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 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 pre-Aregbesola 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?

We know that the virtuous and 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.

OSUN DEFENDER Publisher

–

Moremi Publishing House Ltd.

Managing Editor

–

Kola Olabisi (0803-392-7286)

Editor

–

Kayode Agbaje (0803-388-0205)

Lagos Editor

–

Kola Odepeju (08023191891)

Production Editor

–

Pet-Kola Taiwo Ibitowa

Senior Reporter Senior Reporter

– –

Sola Jacobs Kazeem Mohammed

Magazine Editor

–

Niyi Olasinde

Reporter Reporter

– –

Kehinde Ayantunji Francis Ezediuno

Photographer Photographer

– –

Oluwagbemiga Adeniyi Olushola Aderinto

Admin. Manager

–

Murtala Agboola

Computer Operator – Computer Operator – Assistant Computer Operator

Saheed Afolabi Mary Akintola – Lukman Oseni

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

6

FEATURE

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

Demonstrating That One Good Term Deserves Another

••ALL FOR GOVERNOR AREGBESOLA: A mammoth crowd of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s admirers, welcoming the governor (on top of a bus), during his re-election mega rally in Ede North/Ede South/Egbedore/Ejigbo Federal Constituency, held at the Seventh Day Adventist Grammar School, Ede, State of Osun, last Tuesday.

The seventh in the series of mega rallies put together by the State of Osun Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to drum up support for the re-election into office of the incumbent governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, in the forthcoming Gubernatorial Election recorded huge success. NIYI OLASINDE brings out the unique features that stood the rally out as truly representative of the yearnings and aspiration of the people of the Ede Federal Constituency and of the State of Osun by extension. of the series of mega THE pendulum rallies packaged into this election season swung in the direction of the Ede Federal Constituency of the state last Tuesday. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state had embarked in an all-embracing, broadbased grassroots mobilization, involving campaign rallies at constituency, local government as well as the basest of grassroots levels to educate enlighten and create awareness to residents, voters in particular, on the larger-than-life need not to allow the accelerated rate of progress being currently witnessed in the state crash into retrogression by a careless slip of its baton of leadership into the hands of a bunch of self-seeking avaricious hijackers. This process of mobilization has continued since late May. This time around it became the turn of Ede Federal Constituency, comprising four local government council areas to receive the election campaign team of Ogbeni. The local government council areas involved are Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore and Ejigbo – all of which are components of the Osun West Senatorial District. As the campaign efforts ushering in the elections come to an end, this latest rally held in Ede marked the last of its kind to be held in that senatorial district. Two earlier ones had been held in Ikire and Iwo. In similar reports on the duo of Ikire and Iwo rallies, the importance and gravity of the entire areas under consideration had been underscored. The same points are here advanced for Ede, being a sub-set of the same area. Part of the added significance of this constituency to the coverage and spread of campaign messages in particular is the fact that it is one of the few federal constituencies in the state with a total of four local governments. There are other uniqueness with the area and its

component councils which may be too voluminous for the purview and space of this discourse. This is not to preclude the equal importance of all other areas and council areas in the state. It is just an attempt at bringing out the uniqueness of each of the areas and local councils as the turn of campaign rallies swing on them.

The Ede mega rally unfolded a promise fulfilled. In similar reports carried on earlier-held rallies, it had been disclosed continually how the political arrow-head of the area, one-time senator of the Federal Republic and the first civilian governor of the state, Otunba Senator Isiaka Adeleke had coveted the tumultuous crowd that greeted the occasions and how he assured the surging crowd that the Ede event would outweigh in its crowd-pulling effect and eventual votes cast for the Symbol of the liberation of Osun. As far as we have seen, the crowd at Ede did not disappoint; neither did it betray the trust of the political enigma. It was a crowd that was so impressive that it became the talk of everyone that mattered; by that I mean, everyone who spoke at the occasion.

Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo had seen longer days than all speakers at the event.

Also, his political experience that had spanned several decades outstripped what most of the other attendees could claim to have garnered. The former university don was the Second Republic civilian governor of the old Oyo State between October 1, 1983 and December 31 same year. His hoary hairs spoke volumes of his advanced age and vast view on life.

The time he last governed old Oyo State is now put at about thirty-two years ago!

That length of time alone surpassed the entire years of experience of some put together.

In spite of these rich antecedents, Baba Olunloyo spoke at length on the impressive size and prolific quality of the

crowd. He used the crowd at that single convergence as affirmative confirmation of all he had heard and read about the giant strides of Aregbesola. He went further in his assessment that Aregbesola is today rated as one of the most impactful administrators among political office holders of this time – the kind which elders of his calibre pray to have spread all over the landscape so that the good work could continue. Baba’s speech at that occasion meant a lot to the credibility of our collective advocacy. It added credence to it that we have on hand a noble cause. Thank God for the life of Chief Dr. Olunloyo.

The Ede Mega Rally demonstrated the profound love the people of that area have for; and the great respect they wield toward Aregbesola and his team. It also showed their profound appreciation for the good gestures of Ogbeni to the people in less than four years.

Everywhere in the ancient town was replete with positive things to show for the administration’s magnanimity. This included the venue of the big event – Seventh Day Adventist High School – which new magnificent edifice is under construction.

The gathering also put into silence the tongue-wagging of some politicians in the camp of the conservatives who are also indigenes of the town; and who had been seen bragging about that they had weight more than Senator Adeleke. It now becomes unreasonable to doubt the fact that Ede has massive support for Adeleke and any cause he stands for. One good lesson from Adeleke and Aregbesola is that one should play his part well if given the rare privilege to serve. Adeleke held the surging crowd in spell-bound silence as he rolled out his past and present achievements in the community. This is not to talk of what he did in the positive in his days as governor of the state.

Also, the local organizing committee, the Aregbesola Second Term Campaign Committee for the federal constituency did an excellent job. Anyway, nothing less should be expected when the chairman of the committee is none less than a seasoned politician, grassroots mobilizer and the current Speaker of the State of Osun legislative arm of government, Right Honourable Najeem Salaam. The turnout at the event spoke loudly of the professional touch that went into the mobilization. The people of the four local governments were largely represented at the event. Their admiration for the governor was rapturous. Their responses to slogans and questions were roaringly overwhelming. No hired crowd could be so relevant, apt and practically responsive.

The earlier stop-over by the governor and his train at the palace of the monarch of the town, the Timi of Ede spoke of real acceptance by the people of the area. The royal fathers, traditional rulers, chiefs and community leaders in the entire area had converged on the ancient palace of the Timi of Ede to bid the governor a deserving welcome. The royal host, His Royal Highness, Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal, Laminisa I was on the throne to receive all. It was a commendation galore for the campaign train as they gave appreciation to the governor for how wondrously he had impacted the lives of the people of the area in particular and the state in general.

The Obas took turns to praise the virtues of the governor; just as they wished him well and prayed for utmost success in his bid to return as governor for second term in office.

Speaking at the palace, Aregbesola as usual intimated the royal fathers with the purpose behind the visit. He formally intimated them with his desire to recontest

Continued on page 13

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

7

8

PHOTOTALK

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

Commissioning Of Osun Micro-credit Agency And Distribution Of Mini-Buses To Co-operative Transporters And Road Transport Employers Association Of Nigeria

By The Governor, State Of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, At Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, State Of Osun, Last Wednesday.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

•Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (arrowed) acknowledging cheers from the crowd.

•Governor Aregbesola and his counterpart from Lagos, Barr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), during the programme.

•(L-R) State of Osun Commissioner for Commerce, Mr Jayeoba Alagbada; Special Adviser to State of Osun Governor on Commerce, Dr Olalekan Yunisa; State Commissioner for Finance, Dr Wale Bolorunduro and State Head of Service, Mr Sunday Owoeye.

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

PHOTOTALK

9

Commissioning Of Osun Micro-credit Agency And Distribution Of Mini-Buses To Co-operative Transporters And Road Transport Employers Association Of Nigeria

By The Governor, State Of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, At Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, State Of Osun, Last Wednesday.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

•(L-R) Comrade Amitolu Shittu; Mr Tijani Oladosu; representative of Sterling Bank, Mr Biodun Jegede; Honourable Kamorudeen Akanbi and the Deputy Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Akintunde Adegboye.

•

•(L-R) Deputy Governor, State of Osun, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori; Governor Aregbesola; his wife, Sherifat, and Honourable Ayo Omidiran.

•Aregbesola cutting the tape to commission the mini-buses.

•

10

PHOTOTALK

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

Official Commissioning Of Ayegbaju International Modern Market By Governor Rauf Aregbesola, In Osogbo, Last Tuesday.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI

•Governor Rauf Aregbesola (with mic), his wife, Sherifat (3rd left); the deputy governor, Mrs Grace Laoye-Tomori (2nd left); the Ataoja of Osogboland, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun (4th right); developer of the market and Managing Director, Edward Property Konsult, Engineer Femi Oshoniyi (2nd right); the Iyaloja-General in Osun, Mrs Awawu Asindemade (right); Deputy Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Akintunde Adegboye (left) and other dignitaries during the programme.

•(L-R) Honourable Femi Fafiyebi; Honourable Leke Ogunsola and Honourable Olanrewaju Ajibola.

•(L-R) State of Osun Head of Service, Mr Sunday Owoeye; Secretary to the State Government of Osun, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti and State of Osun Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties, Barrister Ajibola Bashir.

•

•A crowd at the event.

11

FEATURE

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

Demonstrating That One Good Term Deserves Another

•A sea of heads of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s supporters at the Ede APC mega rally.

Continued from page 12 the governorship seat in the approaching elections, promising not to fail them, as his performances in the next dispensation would be superlative, compared to established grounds in his first tenure. Governor Aregbesola thanked the people for their massive support which had made his mandate a reality.

The governor used the opportunity of the visit to the palace of Timi of Ede to debunk the rumour making the rounds that he had disdain for the people and matters pertaining to them. The governor then started to cite the laudable projects and programmes which his administration had put in place in Ede and the entire area.

As a matter of fact, no one could so meaningfully impact on the lives of the people he loathes or hates. The achievements ranged from road infrastructure, through airport project, to education, health, agricultural rejuvenation and all other sub-sectors.

At the palace of the monarch, an intimidating crowd awaited the arrival of the governor. This did not include the mammoth crowd that greeted him all the way to the ancient town. Upon entering Ede, it appeared that the crowd multiplied itself in the semblance of the power of multiplication demonstrated by Jesus Christ in one of His miracles. The crowd simply settled on Ede and dotted all its access roads and streets to welcome their man, Aregbesola into their midst. The atmosphere was charging all along.

From Oja Timi to the Seventh Day Adventist High School venue of the big meet, it was a rapturous crowd that regrouped to greet and accompany Governor Aregbesola to the venue. As the much slowed-down journey progressed, the crowd increased in leap and bounds.

It was as if the multitude of all nations had a deal to strike in Ede on that day. All roads narrowed down under the impact.

The experience was electrifying.

The spacious and auspicious premises of Seventh Day Adventist High School shrank more and more under the pressure of the crowd. In spite of its pressing nature, the people were still much jubilant, as they attempted to outdo one another in hailing the man of the people. The long

wait mattered nothing to them. The boredom and drudgery were flung overboard. Weather uncertainties were defied. All sorts of groups usually identified with campaign rallies of such crescendo and gravity made appearance.

I imagined taking an aerial view of the events of the day, probably, just landing from another planet. Then, what I would have figured out was that I was landing on a planet of brooms. People brandished brooms of many giant sizes. Governor Aregbesola was not left out. He brandished his broom as if the effect reshuffled the crowd with renewed strength. On the people’s part, the response was vehement. It is wonderful that someone could attract that large crowd at just one occasion. As Aregbesola aptly reasoned it out, it takes God to gather such number of people and keep them waiting for an indefinite period.

The programme of events had already kicked-off at the venue. It was the turn of the State of Osun Acting Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) to address the crowd when the governor arrived. The time of day was about 3:06 p.m. The arrival caused another round of festivity, as brooms were wielded in exchange with same gesture from the governor. Prior to the great arrival, speaker after speaker had taken turns to address the people.

Dignitaries including members of the State of Osun Executive Council, members of the State House of Assembly, federal legislators from the state, party hierarchy, supporters, friends and admirers of the party and the state had been on ground at the venue. The great Fuji entertainment maestro had been on ground to add colour and glamour to the occasion. That is talking of King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall (K1). He sang beautiful numbers eulogizing the good qualities of Aregbesola and his administration.

After exchange of pleasantries, it was time for the events proper to kick-off.

After the singing of the National and State of Osun anthems back-to-back, events were started. Introduction of dignitaries and guests took the central stage. Thereafter, speeches began to be made.

The first to speak was the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, who

doubled as the Chief Host at the event, Honourable Najeem Salaam. He welcomed all and sundry to the occasion. He then assured the governor and dignitaries of the rallying support of the constituents for the second term bid; which would be translated to massive votes on the d-day that is August 9.

Salaam then went ahead to tongue-lash the antics of lies and deceits embarked upon by the opposition. He took the rumours of lies and deceit one after the other, debunking them with all strength of logicality. He cautioned the people on the decoy of all opposition parties of baiting the constituency with second fiddle, stressing that the real mandate that can bring immense benefit their way is the Aregbesola mandate.

In the words of the State of Osun Interim Chairman of the party, Elder Adelowo Adebiyi, he thanked all groups and sectors for their support. He then cautioned the people against being threatened on the election day by the strong presence of security operatives, saying that it was only for the purpose of maintaining law and order. He concluded by suing them to poll their votes massively for the man of the moment, assuring them that victory is certain.

The former governor of the old Oyo State spoke next. He commended Governor Aregbesola for being obviously the last man standing with the undiluted ethos and philosophy of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. He appreciated the support accorded the administration by the people of the state, charging them not to allow their mandate to be swindled as the case was few weeks back in nearby Ekiti State.

Former governor of the state, Otunba Isiaka Adeleke gave detailed erudition on antecedents of democratic growth and development of the state and the area, his imprints on development during his brief period of administering the state and debunked all deceits and deception propagated by pathological liars about his role in recent times. It was an attestation of consummate approval that greeted his list of achievements as he read them one after another. He then announced ongoing efforts by the incumbent administration at revamping the Ede

Cocoa Industry, under the reconstituted headship of an Ede indigene, Mr. Wale Adeeyo, who is currently on a trip to China to acquire equipment for operations at the industry. According to Adeleke, the resolve of the administration in taking this bold step was to generate more employment opportunities for indigenes of the state as a means of empowerment.

He sounded a note of caution on the members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to be deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as ad hoc staff for electoral duties, on why they should not compromise to distort election facts and figures. Lastly, as an experienced security operative in the United States, he cautioned other conventional security operatives to refuse unlawful orders as may be issued to them by their superiors.

Finally, it was a highly elated Governor Aregbesola who mounted the podium to speak. He appreciated all attendees for gracing the event. He went ahead to list his achievements in three-and-a-half years which had outstripped what his contemporaries usually parade in two terms of eight years. He challenged the opposition on the woeful state of the federation. He cited specific states of the federation where youth crimes, kidnap, armed robbery and other forms of brigandage are order of the day. That sad trend does not spare the home front of the sitting President Jonathan, who hailed from Bayelsa State. He also challenged Omisore, the candidate of the leading opposition party in the state to point to his concrete achievements in his Senatorial District while his eight-year period at the Senate lasted.

Further, the governor cautioned the people on the need for extra vigilance. He warned against the danger of selling their voters’ cards for ephemeral gains and urged those who were yet to collect their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to collect them in order to be eligible to vote. He then unraveled his double-double package for the constituency after being sworn in for second term on November 27.

However, he promised that all ongoing projects would be completed before the current year runs out.

FEATURE

12

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

‘President Jonathan Should Separate Governance From Politics’ Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, incumbent governor and candidate of the August 9, 2014 gubernatorial election in Osun State, says his popularity, street credibility and impact in the state over the past three and a half years will guarantee his re-election. He spoke to a group of journalists in Osogbo on salient issues in the polity. SEYE OLUMIDE was at the interactive session.

H

OW prepared are you for the coming poll, to avoid a repeat of the Ekiti experience for the APC? Firstly, I want you to know that I don’t even think about it and that is the interesting part of it. I set about this being cautious of democratic norm.

In the statement I made after the Ekiti election, I reflected that a genuine democrat must be willing and ready to embrace defeat as he or she will embrace victory provided the election is transparent, credible, free and fair.

The real issue is not about you, as a candidate, but the quality of the electoral process. Once the quality is good and high, whatever the people say (holds) because they are the ultimate decider of who represents or governs them.

Democratic choice is expected to be correct, good and right but it is not always that the choice is good, correct and right.

To answer the question, I don’t even think about it (Ekiti poll). As a loyal APC member, I was disturbed, but as head of a government that has worked so well with the people, I don’t even see the effect.

I look at my engagement with the people, the products of my government, which has not left any home unaffected positively, and I said if election is about acceptance, popularity and impact you have made on the people, we are waiting for what the dictate of democracy would be.

In a credible, transparent, free and fair election, Rauf Aregbesola does not have any worry at all about what people will say about his administration.

Long before I assumed this office, I prepared so well in a way that going by the normal run, I should not be working as hard as I am working now for re-election.

I started my campaign from day I entered this office. How many governors walk the streets with their citizens? I have been doing that since the first month in office. How many governors create interactive forum in Nigeria before me? There is none.

I was the first governor that devote close to 10 hours of continuous engagement on a quarterly basis with the citizens. The people ask any question in a no hold-barred atmosphere.

‘The Ogbeni Till Daybreak’ is a worldwide engagement because we take feedbacks from the social media. The Gbangba Dekun is a monthly community interactive forum where the governor sits with all stakeholders in the community to ask or make inquiries on any issue.

This is the picture of direct engagements that we are doing with the people that no government in Nigeria has ever attempted to do.

We also have a carnival-like procession in ‘Walk To Live’ where we just walk round the communities and it is too engaging and popular because everybody wants to be with the governor.

Hardly is there any community in this state that I have not touched personally. In terms of physical and social services, this is the first government that will say that there is no household, be it PDP, be it APC and others that our programme has not reached. There is none.

I feed 300,000 pupils every school day at the cost of N3.6 billion a year. I have been doing it since 2012 and I have spent N7.2 billion on that. You can go to the schools by yourself and access what the children are eating to be sure whether it’s worth what we are saying or not. I can tell you that nobody touches the money except those in charge.

Long before we commenced the feeding arrangement, we empowered poultry farmers to produce poultry products so that the chicken and eggs the children consume are all sourced from them and that is the way they pay back to us because we are not going buy from them.

The students consume 15,000 wholechicken every week and it is served twice.

They consume 300,000 eggs every week, one

•AREGBESOLA egg a week. They consume 400 tons of fish every week. They consume 35 herds of cattle every week.

We gave close to N600 million to the poultry farmers and also the fish farmers. The only people we buy from now are the cattle rearers.

We had challenge with eggs supply because the totality of the eggs produced in Osun cannot cope with our demands; so, we go to Kwara and Oyo States to make it up and we pick the real foods in the markets.

The women, 3,007 of them, who cook the meals to serve the students take money from the bank. We gave the women a seed capital to set up themselves and start. The bank pays them for the numbers of pupils they feed and the bank comes to us for settlement. With that, we have been getting a value to a large extent for the money we spend.

Also, 1,000 new farmers, who we raised to produce cocoyam, are in this. Close to 500 ‘O’YES’ exited cadets are equally empowered to outtake the cocoyam and give to the vendors.

We are tied with the farmers, and there is no farmer that does not benefit one thing or the other from the government of Osun State.

We are almost concluding a process in which all farmers in the state — we have enumerated them — would have credit cards with which they buy their farm inputs by their doorsteps. They will buy on guaranteed credit and will pay back with either their commodity or they sell and pay back.

Tens of thousands are equally engaged providing different items. From this alone, close to one million people are directly impacted from just one programme, ‘O’MEAL’. We have the second batch of ‘O’YES’ cadets. The first batch of 20,000 had gone; the second batch of 20,000 is on and they are from homes.

They work two or three days a week and they have the entire days of the week left for them to see what they can do with their hands and earn a living because they are taught entrepreneurial training but they earn N10,000 monthly as cadets. On this scheme alone, this administration has spent N9 billion.

I tell people what this type of scheme means for national government. You can’t say I don’t have 18 friends who I can give half a billion naira contract to; whether they do it or not, I would have still given it.

But the maximum amount of that investment that will stay here will be less than 50 per cent. Yes, you will have the project here but there would still be capital flight because we are talking about direct impact on the economy.

We are one of the few governments that develop a meaningful programme for elderly citizens’ care. We are not into a blanket social welfare scheme for the elderly; we have a package that did an extensive survey of citizens that are 65 years and above, and we have them in our database. We now identified those among them that are without any support, that is the first time any government will so do in Nigeria.

We engaged a consultant, Professor Ogunbameru, who is a Professor of Gerontology in OAU, Ife. He developed the programme they used and without sentiment or parochialism, they got elderly citizens that lack support.

We called them critically-vulnerable people, who are aged but have nobody to care for them. If we did not discover them, nobody would know such people existed in Nigeria because they were waiting to die because they lacked everything.

We identified 1,800 of such people statewide. The selection was purely based on their conditions, no primordial sentiment. We have been giving them N10,000 monthly since 2012.

For politics, Jonathan didn’t acknowledge my letters, approve our request ARE you prepared for a possible lockdown of the state few days to the election?

You see, I came here from the street and it is easy for me to go back to the street. My real home is on the street; whoever will hold me on the street will try.

I laugh when they talk about me because

they don’t know I am from the street.

What is your perception about the term, ‘stomach infrastructure’?

To those people who are elite and are therefore separated from the people, this term may make a new meaning to them. I am a product of the popular forces — the people — and I am part and parcel of them. I emanated from them and a product of their struggles.

What is now known as stomach infrastructure is what we know as interaction, engagement, living with the people and meeting their aspirations and needs. That is what we have been doing from the very beginning of this administration. I feed their children every day with quality meal. The akara seller knows that I fed her child every day.

I identify with them on a daily basis in their struggle to live and they understand that everything we do is to make life easy for them.

My administration does not suffer alienation from the people; it is one and same with the people and that is the basis of our confidence in their ever-ready support at all times.

Is there any aspect of the state that you think you have not touched?

There is no trade, commercial or social group in the state of Osun that we have not impacted. There is no aspect. Apart from Lagos, we are the only state government that has an emergency call centre, but has been made dysfunctional because the Federal Government just refused to give us a short code to make it work. It has been ready for the past 13 to 18 months.

If that centre had been activated — we acquired a helicopter that will get to the farthest place of this state in 15 minutes to attend to emergency issues. It won’t cost the Federal Government a dime but to just direct the NCC to allow us use their 122 line.

I wrote to the President, telling him that emergency does not know political parties.

What we don’t want is needless deaths because of the absence of emergency services.

The state-of-the-art facilities are still lying there fallow. They did not even acknowledge the letter talk less of giving us approval.

That is the effect of all these things when people reduce everything to politics. I told Femi Adesina (President of the Nigeria Guild of Editors), when he came here, to tell this man (President Goodluck Jonathan) to separate governance from politics. Is it because of election that I want to get emergency code?

You are seizing money meant for the people on the altar of politics because there is no justification for these crumbs.

By the sixth month of being in power, I got a deal from a Chinese company to give me five locomotives, five rolling stocks without paying a dime.

I have this programme of transporting goods — farm products from here to Lagos and finished products from Lagos to this place because since we remove the cost of transportation, goods would sell here at the price in Lagos.

I took a letter and stayed in the front of President Jonathan’s office for close to three hours in the night. By 3.00am, he came out and said, ‘Osun, you are here.’ I gave him the letter; he didn’t even acknowledge it. I went back, wrote another one.

What we are requesting for is that they allow us the use of their tracks because I can’t bring stocks in if I can’t use the rail line. I am telling you how totally insensitive some of us are to the critical issues of our people.

Whether you are APC or PDP, is your commitment not to improve the lot of your people?

And when you get to these offices, you must shun partisanship because you have sworn to an oath of allegiance to the Constitution and service to the people.

Continued on page 13

13

FEATURE

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

‘President Jonathan Should Separate Governance From Politics’ Continued from page 12

not collected June allocation.

I said at a rally recently that from what I have heard from the grapevine — because they (Federal Government) had a meeting where they said that, ‘squeeze them (opposition); if they can’t pay salaries, you will create problem for them’ — mark my words; they might not give us June allocation until the end of August. But we will pay our workers. Already, we have paid June.

I am happy to tell you that majority of our civil servants see and appreciate what we are doing. You can go to the secretariat and see what we are doing. We increased the car loans by 400 per cent; we increased housing loans by 100 per cent.

For 36 out of 43 months we have been paying regularly. Let’s even assume that there is a problem of delayed payments now; I cannot believe all the workers will be against us because I have done my best. If the demonstration of interest of workers in their remuneration and allowances counts, and with what we have done, I don’t think they will be against us.

I read the advert they published and I laughed because it indicted them. They wrote that my income was N2.8 billion and this is what I have to pay, N3.4 billion and pegged it with the state and local governments.

There is no way I can touch local government account because it’s separate and distinct. I don’t know where their account is. I can only give policy statements on that.

I challenge anybody to say that my programmes are discriminatory? Why should it be anyway; are they not our citizens? We have a nation to build and a people to serve.

My motivation: To eliminate poverty, elevate the blacks man Is your administration in good terms with four critical sectors, namely, Teachers, Civil Servants, Okada Riders and Students who can swing votes?

From the newspapers (account), there are not less than 20 parties seeking power, democratically. If you have 60 per cent, that doesn’t mean you don’t have opposition.

The 40 per cent, who doesn’t want to see you and may cut your head if you are careless, will vote against you.

If you have 60 per cent, you are home and dry. In a struggle with other stakeholders, six is a good number.

So, what we are doing is to ensure that each of these critical sectors don’t have any basis at all to be opposed to us.

Students: Let us start with the students. We met a condition when we came in that students were given a bursary of N3,000 and they won’t even get the bursary on time and it was full of scam. They brought it to me to sign and I said why do I have to sign N3,000 for anybody? It’s best if we don’t give this bursary or we give it meaningfully.

We raised the bursary to N10,000 flat. For medical and law students, N20,000 while our indigenes in the Law School get N100,000.

The school authorities give the money to students in their system.

I don’t see how such students will hate us in the majority; I can’t see it. Whoever now hates us has something else against us not for the fact that we have not done the needful. The increase wasn’t solicited; we did it out of our own understanding of the reality of what the students were going through.

There was clamour for reduction of fees; we reduced the fees from a huge amount to something that is comparably affordable.

Also, we have been investing in developing the institutions much more than any administration had done in the history of this state.

Yes, we are having some challenges with the lecturers but it’s not peculiar to us but you just have to bear it.

Okada Riders: For Okada riders, they have no problem with us. They may want us to do things for them, as we have done to some other groups, but it’s not as if they said compared to others, these are the problems.

Even those who trek appreciate the roads here. Has any government succeeded in constructing 200 kilometres of road in all nooks and crannies of the state? There is no part of this state that we have not constructed a new road and it’s not just any road but roads with concrete drainage, with stone base and thick asphaltic cover.

Above all, when I get to campaign grounds, I say our roads have tribal marks.

In all general roads, we have roads with marks. We now have special roads: when we complete some of them, they will be tourism attraction and centres on their own.

The road we are building in Gbongan; people will be coming to look at it, mark my words. That road, Gbongan to Akoda, will be a tourism attraction because it’s a road that took me time to conceive and design and we are taking our time to develop it.

So, when people talk about the cost of our roads, I just laugh because it’s not good to be talking to people who don’t know what they are saying.

We are changing the landscape and making the State of Osun a hub of everything that is good. We also want to tell the world that the black man is a human being.

I have two major objectives on earth. One is to help in the process of eliminating poverty because I hate poverty. I wasn’t born poor but I feel bad to see people in destitution.

Two, I don’t like how blacks are in the world today. As long as I live, I must be part of the process that will give the black man a good reckoning where they are because sadly, we are in the lowest part of noncivilisation.

Teachers:

•AREGBESOLA These are the two issues that motivate me.

Civil Servants: Before our advent, the civil servants never knew that salary could be paid before the end of the month. For seven and half years, salaries were never paid here before the end of the month. But from when I assumed office, we changed that.

Before the year ended when I assumed office, I paid 10 per cent of their basic as 13th month salary and paid the December salary before the end of the year. The civil servants were dazed.

Since that day up until December 2013, I paid salaries on or before the 25th of every month. But as from January 2014, we ran into trouble, which we explained to everybody six months before then.

In July 2013, the Federal Government began a squeeze that they themselves knew nobody believed them. They said 400,000 barrels of crude oil was being stolen everyday.

We didn’t know the problem was coming.

Instead of collecting N4.6 billion, they gave this government N2.6 billion, 40 per cent slashed. We thought it would be temporary because after that month, they said the stolen crude had reduced to 200,000 barrels per day. When the oil being lost reduced, would you still expect a 40 per cent cut?

From that July to now, the maximum allocation this state has ever received is N3.2 billion, which was in November 2013. I am not making up anything; I am simply saying the truth.

Now, how was I able to pay up until December 2013? My people are called Osomalo — they are very deft in the management of money and I took this from them.

I had been saving through the Omoluwabi Conservation Fund in which 10 per cent of all allocation must go and rest. So, I had money in reserve, which was a build-up for my refusal to form a cabinet for 10 months.

Whereas my income fell to N2.6 billion at the lowest and N3.4 billion at the highest for a month, my statutory expenditures, which are expenditures that I have no control on once we have agreed on, for instance, salary, pension and others are N3.6 billion every month. I can’t say no, I am not paying.

Between July and December, I augmented my income with N5.4 billion, all in the hope that this thing would go; it didn’t go. It has not gone as we speak; it is even worse.

Previously, when you got your allocation, you would cash it by the 15th of

every month; that was why they were paying salaries on the 15th of the month before we came in.

But now, because you (Federal Government) want to squeeze the opposition governments, they even squeeze themselves. Nobody gets the reduced allocation earlier than the 26th of the following month. But before now, I wasn’t waiting for their money; I just pay on or before the 25th.

If for whatever reason — because when we wanted to introduce the digital automation, it was difficult to do cross-over — it will get to the 1st or 2nd of the following month, not that the money is not there. We have arranged; banks just pay; we have money with them.

To make up the deficit in what I received and what I must pay, I spent extra N5.4 billion. However, I told you that I gave 10 per cent of basic salary for 13th month salary; the second year, I gave 25 per cent; the third year, I gave 50 per cent; the fourth year, I gave 100 per cent.

So, December of 2013, I gave every worker in the employment of Osun 100 per cent of their basic salary as extra income, which I paid before the end of the year.

Ordinarily, why should any worker say I am not friendly with them? Before, workers here were given their leave allowances en bloc at the end of the year. I told them this was unreasonable because we don’t go to leave at the same time.

So, choose when you want your leave allowance to be paid. Is it at your birthday or the anniversary of your employment into the service? So, whenever you summit your birthday, your leave allowance will be credited to you. I don’t know if any other government in Nigeria does that.

Two, go and visit the secretariat and see what we have made of their work environment. So, if these are things that should motivate workers, I stand tall and proud because I have done my best. No matter what anybody tells me, majority of them will appreciate these things.

However, since January, because I have exhausted my reserve, it is when we get money that we now go and look for money to add to it and pay. That began in January.

The difference between others and me is that I don’t hide anything; I tell whosoever cares to listen. I am the most loquacious governor in Nigeria.

I went to the retreat of lawmakers and I said what’s happening in Nigeria today was equivalent to the declaration of economic war on the states. If it is just mere shortage and it comes early, of course, we will pay. It doesn’t come early. As we speak, we have

Our teachers in the state are very well motivated such that you cannot distinguish between them and bank workers. Before, when you saw a teacher in Osun, you would know. They were so depressed, unmotivated and there’s absence of facilities.

Our teachers now appear corporate and well-motivated. It is not that there won’t be some of them who, for whatever reason, don’t like us but they are in the minority.

Don’t buy the talk you hear that teachers don’t like him (Aregbesola); I don’t believe that. We do independent, scientific opinion poll, and it does not support all these talks.

You need to see how people respond to us everywhere; people just swarm around me. I have never been in a place where my presence does not generate euphoria. You don’t get such reception if people have problem with you.

I don’t really believe I have any problem with any critical sector. There is nothing that they have done to deride us. There is no household in this state that does not feel our impact.

We are talking about how to make education the central focus of our administration because I am no longer thinking of now but we want to create a new set of Nigerians on which a new society would be born and we can’t do it on what is there now.

(We are) the first government in Nigeria to give free uniforms to all students; the first government that will say you do not need to buy textbooks for your children in the high school.

Opon Imo, and it’s targeted at 150,000 students. One of the attractions is that it reduces the cost of book. With that number, and with what it costs us to procure the eBook — N200 million for 53 textbooks; if you divide N200 million by 53, you will get the cost per book on that basis.

All should celebrate Opon Imo because it reduces the capital outlay on books. Tell me any government anywhere in the world that can provide eight textbooks free of charge to students? How many parents can buy all books required by their children?

But we have changed this by putting into the hands of all our students in high school a library of 53 textbooks.

Our students here keep it with them, go home with them, and sleep with them for as long as they are in school. That was why I said that we have saved our state N8 billion to procure these books for the students.

Immediately they heard that I said we had save the state of N8 billion, they said Aregbesola has stolen N8 billion. That was the genesis of the money they said my son took from Opon Imo. Let’s ask them where the N8 billion is.

•Culled from Newspaper

THE

GUARDIAN

14

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

1

2

4 3

15

PHOTOTALK

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Commissioned And Distributed Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) To Police Officers In The State, Last Thursday.

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle in white); his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) Titi Laoye-Tomori; Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salam (left); Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 11, Mr David Omojola (2nd left); Osun Commissioner of Police, Mr.Maishanu Ibrahim (5th left); Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Barrister Amos Adekunle (6th left) and others, during the commissioning of Amoured Personnel Carriers (APC) in Osogbo, State of Osun, last Thursday.

•Governor Aregbesola after test driving one of the newly-commissioned Amoured Personnel Carriers (APC) his Administration distributed to the state security personnel, during the commissioning in Osogbo, the State of Osun, last Thursday.

www.osundefender.org

THE 5TH MOST-VISITED NEWSPAPER WEBSITE IN NIGERIA

SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

L

AST week, I wrote about the popular cliché in town now, the stomach infrastructure. I did ask whether we have descended so low as to make stomach infrastructure the basis of our assessment of political parties.

Are we really advancing in development or we are retrogressing? This question is more pertinent now, because we are laying a basis for something dangerous in the future.

In previous elections, there were fora where candidates engaged one another on their manifestoes and programmes for the masses in an open debate. In the case of the last presidential election debate, President Goodluck Jonathan tactically refused to partake in the general one except the one organised for him by the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).

In the widely-publicized one, the new Minister for Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, then the flag bearer of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) was adjudged the best candidate in the debate. He was able to marshal his points and programme and came out as a person who had a grasp of what problems there were and had the capacity and capability to tackle them. He had the elocution to pass his plans across to the electorate. Simply put, he was convincing. Mallam Nuhu Ribadu of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was equally convincing. His pedigree stood him out as somebody who has focus and knows the major cankerworm which has brought the country to its knee.

As a former anti-corruption czar, Nigerians had confidence in him and believed if given the job, he could do it well. President, Jonathan who had been in government by default, as a result of the death of President Musa Yar’ Adua ought to have seized the opportunity to tell Nigerians that, if given a full tenure, he would do better.

Even though, Jonathan coasted home to victory, opportunity was not given to Nigerians to critically assess him. Shekarau is now a Miniser under Jonathan. May be the lofty ideas he had then could be tapped by his current boss.

In the same vein, gubernatorial election debates took place in Edo and Ondo states where the candidates exhibited the stuff they were made of.

AUDACIOUS EXPLOIT with MURTALA AGBOOLA TEL: 0806-119-7897 E-mail: murtalamuag@yahoo.com

Any Better Alternative?

•AREGBESOLA

Debates by contestants in elections are done to enable voters make their choice which is essential in a democracy. Survey or opinion poll is also conducted to enable respondents give their views on the election at hand. The public opinion poll in a way helps to predict what the outcome of the election would be. However, in the case of the Ekiti election, it was one and only one major determinant factor - stomach infrastructure.

While I am not positing that only one party is guilty of it, it behoves on the system to ensure that in modern age, our programmes should be issues-based. Whatever we do today had implication for the future. The governor, State of Osun, has thrown up a challenge to the candidates of other parties in the contest for the August 9 election in the state.

The open debate challenge was made at the commissioning of Ayegbaju Market, last Monday in Osogbo.

In a response to the challenge, the Director of Media of Omisore Campaign Organisation, Mr, Diran Odeyemi, said the only condition which would make his boss to accept the challenge is the tendering of a current certificate of mental fitness of the governor.

According to Odeyemi “this has become necessary, because a nongovernmental organisation, Egalitarian Mission for Africa had a running battle with Governor Aregbesola, concerning issues of his health status”.

While individuals have the right under the constitution to act the way they like, any aspiring public official should be seen and be heard.

Voters should be able to know and appreciate the manifestoes of

individual parties and candidates to be able to determine how to vote.

Election must be representatives and responsive to have meaning. It can only be so if we know our candidates and we can assess them based on their presentation.

As a country, we need to identify our goals and chart a course to achieve them. The world is advancing in technology, yet we are here bogged down by mundane and pristine sentiments. Every eligible Nigerian has the right to vote and be voted for, however, in spite of this inalienable right, we should entrust people with mission and vision with our votes.

Governance is now a serious business which should be so handled. This country is resourceendowed, yet majority of the people live in penury. We can do better than the present situation we find ourselves. Nobody would change it for us except we do it by ourselves. If we get it right with governance, other things would fall in place.

Between 1999 and now, a large chunk of revenue has been received by the country with nothing substantial to show for it. Nigeria should lead the way for other African countries to follow. If we fail to do so, other less-endowed countries may lead while we follow.

The election coming up on August 9 in the State of Osun should be free, fair and credible.

Voters should be free to perform their civic responsibility with less militarization. It should be a normal obligation where voters stroll in to cast their ballot paper in favour of their preferred candidates.

The incumbent governor should present his score-card while the other contestants should be able to fault him, if need be. They should in turn proffer alternatives to his programmes.

For now, what the voters are availed with are perceived seeming loopholes in the current government’s programmes and nothing new about what the over ten other political parties intend to do. If issues are raised, it would afford the populace the chance to vote rightly.

It is my sincere hope and prayer that nothing would negatively affect the voters the opportunity to freely cast their votes on August 9 to elect their governor. It is then that we can beat our chest and say we have arrived.

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.