Osun - Defender April 16th, 2015 Edition by OsunDefender

www.osundefender.org thursday, April 16, 2015

Thank God the nightmare of the Jonathan maladministration is about to end. It ends predictably on a sad note on many fronts.

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VOL. 10. NO.035

N100

After 16 Grueling years ...

For example, it’s now a year since the Chibok girls were abducted. The non non-chalant

attitude of the Jonathan government to this issue sums up the irresponsible attitude across the

board which captures the 16 years of wasted opportunities under the far

the long and winding military interfrom being Peoples regnum. There were great expecDemocratic Party tations for a better (PDP). Much was expected society. Very little from the PDP after Continue on pg7

We Will Deal With Trouble Makers In Osun

•Aregbesola Reads Riot Act To Political Thugs

- See Story On Page 2

•To Declare Disarmament, Peace Week After May 29 - Pg 2 Osun Rejects PDP Totally -

•(R-L) All Progressives Congress (APC) Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dangote Industrial Limited, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Lagos State Governor-elect, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode; his running mate, Dr Oluranti Adebule and Group Executive Director, Oando Plc, Mr Wale Tinubu at the celebration of Ambode’s declaration as governor of Lagos State last Sunday.

One Year After: Nigerians Kick As FG Fails On Chibok Girls- Pg 3 Labour Union Divided - Pg 5 Over Strike

Politicians Advised To Time For Consolidation Has Stay In Their Parties - Pg 3 Come To S’West - APC - Pg 5 Obokun, Ile-Ife Post-Election Crises: Stop This Criminality - Osun APC Tells PDP - Pg 5

osun Defender Thursday, April 16, 2015

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We Will Deal With Trouble Makers In Osun

•Aregbesola Reads Riot Act To Political Thugs •To Declare Disarmament, Peace Week After May He stated that a house- encouraged to voluntarily unleashing terror on our locations, saying too

By KEHINDE AYANTUNJI

he governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on Tuesday, warned any individual or group of people, who are in possession of illegal firearms in the state to hand them over or face the wrath of the law. Aregbesola the warning in Osogbo, the state capital while gave receiving week after the May 29 t h e r e p o r t s o f t h e inauguration of Alhaji Commission of Inquiry M u h a m a d u B u h a r i ’s on the Communal Crisis administration for the involving Ipetumodui and concerned individuals Asipa communities headed or groups to summit the by Justice Jide Folala firearms to appropriate The governor gave authorities. an ultimatum of one

to-house search would be conducted to rid the state of illegally-acquired ammunitions, which have been engaged by some elements to terrorise citizens, especially during election periods. The governor said: “After the inauguration of the APC government on May 29 in Abuja, we will declare a week of dissarmamant and peace, when pocessors of illegal weapons will be

turn in such weapons.” “From May 29 by the grace of God, my government will ensure strict adherence to the rule of law. But because of our compassion, we will give those people with illegal pocession of such weapons one week of grace for them to turn them in; after which we are going to deal decisively with anybody who threatens our peace. We will deal with those individuals who glorify in

•All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters celebrating in Lagos after Akinwuni Ambode was declared the Governor-elect of Lagos State last Sunday.

people. Their best abode is the prison as it will be determined by law,” Aregbesola said. He stressed that as long as life exists, if care is not taken, the issue of land will always lead to crisis and therefore advised that as much as the issue of land can lead to crisis, people should always realise the maturity that is necessary as humans to handle the crisis when it occurs. “It is important to ensure that the issue pertaining to land dispute will not cause crisis in our peaceful state. I want the people of Osun to always realise that they are “Omoluabis” who should be desirous of peace at all times. “I want to use this opportunity to note that the issue of arsenal building by communities will be taken seriously by this administration, as the present government will be strict on the rule of law” “It is our intention to make our state a model of civilised environment in Nigeria and the world at large,” the governor said. The state governor also used the occasion to announce that all markets in the state that have encroached on major roads and highways should be moved away from such

State Assembly Election: Group Charges Newly-elected Lawmakers To Play According To Rules and judiciary had been flow, they should strictly

By Francis Ezediuno

or the resounding victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the just-concluded State House of Assembly elections in the State of Osun, congratulatory messages have started to emerge from different quarters. Adding their messages state assembly election to the ones flooding the as I see it in Osun is a different media spaces, demonstration of the a pro-democracy group, confidence that the people Advanced Democrats, repose in the current has congratulated the House membership as people of Osun for composed. “It is unfortunate that embarking on a smooth the electorate in Ife electoral exercise. Speaking with Mr. Central and East State Olayinka Aare, the leader Constituencies decided of the group in Osogbo to go the other way round recently, he stated that by voting in the PDP. It with the victory of the just goes to show that APC in the elections, the they are not mindful of electorate in Osun did not the wind of change and only desire change, they consolidation blowing wanted to consolidate across the country”. Aare advised all the on the good work of the governor by ensuring winners of the state that he has the space to a s s e m b l y e l e c t i o n , both old and new, to be continue working. This, he disclosed, ready to work for the was made possible by development of the state. He charged the new the electorate giving the APC 24 out of the 26 comers to put aside all seats in the State House party sentiments and put on the toga of working of Assembly. “The outcome of the for the progress of the

state. “Now the time of politicking has passed, i t ’s n o w t i m e f o r governance. The newlyelected state legislators should put on the toga of work and ensure that in their schedule, they put Osun before party affiliations. “Osun is bigger than them or their political party. We know they came into the House through their political parties but they have sworn to work for the betterment of the State of Osun and that is the most important thing.” He also counselled them to take time to learn the legislative duties from their senior colleagues, as no one was an island and to help the state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, in making legislation that would aid the executive and not frustrate or suffocate their efforts. “For four years, everything from the legislative, executive

working smoothly, so we do not expect them to come and experiment when they resume the new assembly session. “There are laid down House rules they will meet and for a smooth

adhere to it and above all, they should never forget their constituencies. “If they take them for granted, they have dug their graves politically because after another four years, they will

many lives have been lost because the markets have been struggling with vehicular movements. Presenting the report earlier, the Chairman of the commission, Justice Jide Falola, expressed appreciation to the governor for supporting the committee with everything needed logistics and not interfering in the job of the committee. He also expressed gratitude to the royal fathers in the communities for their cooperation throughout the period the committee needed their help. “I thank Mr Governor for giving us all the support and encouragement we needed to do our job effectively and for not interfering in our assignment. It will be recalled that the state government had on the 28th of January 2015 set up a committee to look into the communal crisis which broke out between Asipa and Ipetumodu communities. The commission carried out its assignment within a six-week time lag. According to Justice Falola, there were a number of widespread bottled-up land and boundary disputes among many communities in the state. The commission gave nine recommendations in its five volumes reports; including the setting up of a committee by each traditional council in the state to nip in the bud land and boundry dispute.

Osun Rejects PDP Totally - APC

he All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State of Osun has congratulated the people for their emphatic statement of rejection of the Peoples Democratic Party (APC) as component governance in the state. In a reaction to the statement issued and landslide victory the APC signed by the party’s recorded in last Saturday’s Director of Research H o u s e o f A s s e m b l y and Publicity in the election in the state, the state, Barrister Kunle party said not only did Oyatomi, in Osogbo on the people vote for peace Monday made available and progress, their vote to the media, the APC was unmistakably a total claimed that if anybody rejection of everything had doubted the rejection the PDP and its leadership of PDP in Osun by the stand, for in Osun. citizens, that vote on “Of the 26 seats up Saturday said it loudly for grab in the State beyond any iota of doubt. House of Assembly last According to the Saturday, the APC won APC, the PDP’s current 24 conceding only two leadership is that party’s to the PDP by default,” albatross; and except it is according to the APC. replaced by respectable, The congratulatory intelligent and dignified

politicians with the capacity to be restrained in challenging situations, the PDP should be considered dead and buried in the State of Osun. “The people of Osun have spoken and the coast is now virtually clear for one of the most dramatic experience in social, economic and infrastructural development people in the state would witness in the next four years, God willing, under the unusual and focused leadership of Rauf Aregbesola,” the APC said.

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Osun Defender Thursday, April 16, 2015

Poll: PDP Going Into Extinction In Osun - Ogunkanmi

By Ismaeel Uthman

ollowing the defeat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the National and State Assembly elections in the State of Osun, the Executive Secretary, Ayedire Local Government Council Area of the state, Mr Gbenga Ogunkanmi, has said that the party was gradually going to extinction in the state. O g u n k a n m i , (APC) in the justwhile reacting to the c o n c l u d e d g e n e r a l performance of the All elections in the state on Progressives Congress

Tuesday, maintained that the PDP was no longer a threat to the sustainability of the progressive administration in the state. The Osun APC won seven Federal House of Representatives seats, three senators and 24 state lawmakers in the general elections, thereby having comfortable majority in

the State of Osun House of Assembly. According to Ogunkanmi, the outcome of the State House of Assembly election showed that the people of the state have totally embraced Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s style of governance, which has been impacting on

their lives positively since 2010. The council boss, who commended the electorate for voting the APC, stated that the PDP might lose the two House of Representatives members and the two state lawmakers won in the elections, if the APC contested the election

•Governor Adams Oshiomole of Edo State on a 10-km road show round major streets of Benin City, last Monday, to thank the People of Edo State on the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State House of Assembly election held last Saturday.

One Year After: Nigerians Kick As FG Fails On Chibok Girls

By francis ezediuno

t’s been a year that reports filtered in that the Boko Haram sect attacked the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State and abducted more than 200 girls. The reaction was spontaneous, as Nigerians rose up in peaceful protest with the banner;

results at the election petitions tribunal. Ogunkanmi said: “The outcome of the general elections in Osun was an indication that the PDP is gradually going into extinction. Where we had expected that the PDP would poll a spirited vote, the party lost woefully in the areas. APC crushed the PDP at the elections, and we shall continue to crush the remaining PDP. “In Ayedire Local Government Council Area, where the PDP had the impression of being its den, we floored the PDP conveniently. We lost only a single unit in Ileogbo, the headquarters of the council area and few units in other areas. We have successfully destabilized the PDP and the party has crumbled. “As it happened in Ayedire, so it was in other local government council areas too. Osun people are enjoying good governance and dividends of democracy, courtesy of Governor Aregbesola and they do not want the development of the state to be truncated by the PDP. Therefore, they rejected the PDP.” Ogunkanmi said, Aregbesola would consolidate his achievements in the second term to ensure that there is total transformation of the state, adding that by 2018, when there would be another governorship election, the PDP would not have anything to campaign for in the state. He, however, enjoined the people of the state to continue supporting Aregbesola’s administration and the APC, promising that they would enjoy more dividends of democracy now that the APC will soon controlling the Federal Government.

Politicians Advised To Stay In Their MPar ties “Many opposition election as the most eanwhile, Bola

By francis ezediuno

he Chairman of a social group, The Pathfinder Team of Ede, Lukman Afolabi, has stated on Saturday that the strong wind of defections blowing politicians across different political parties was not good for Nigeria’s democratic development. Afolabi made this for Nigeria’s democratic known while speaking to development. He advised those OSUN DEFENDER in Ede shortly after casting defecting to the APC his vote at Oba Laoye because of its landslide High School, Unit 4, victories to rather stay in their political parties Alajue1, Ede South. He stated that the and form a formidable gale of defections by opposition to enrich the politicians was not good nation’s democracy.

party members have started defecting to the APC just because they lost out. That is not good for political development and societal growth of country. “One would have advised that as opposition members, they should stay where they are and form a formidable opposition to check the ruling party.” He described the House of Assembly

decent, orderly and peaceful ever conducted in Ede North and South Local Government Council Areas and other parts of the state but condemned the actions of political hoodlums, who snatched cards readers and ballot boxes in other states. The group chairman later commended INEC and security personnel for discharging their duties as expected.

Okunola, a student of Osun State University, raised an alarm that unidentified party agents stormed Anu Olu Junction, Unit 8, Alajue1 and frightened voters during the voting exercise. It was gathered that they came with ‘Ghana Must Go’ bags filled with cash and their intention was to make voters compromise their

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osun Defender Thursday, April

House Of Assembly Election Records Hitch-free Card Readers, Violence • Electorate Expresses Satisfaction By Ismaeel Uthman

nlike the previous Presidential and National also lent credence to the Assembly elections, last Saturday House of good experience of the Assembly election in the State of Osun recorded card reader, saying that the a successful conduct with effective usage of the card voters were satisfied with readers. Unit 7, Elejigbo-Isale Osolo, the performance of the card O SU N D E F E N D E R Ward 2, Ejigbo, Mr Ismail readers. Aside the hitch-free card gathered that none of the Azeez stated that the card card readers deployed for reader worked very well reader recorded at the House the accreditation of voters during the accreditation of Assembly election, there for the election had faulty exercise, adding that there was no report of violence in issue. was no report of failure of any part of the areas visited by OSUN DEFENDER The electorate and officers the card reader. of the Independent National A voter at Elesu Polling in Ede-North and South, Electoral Commission Unit 10, Ward 3, Molete in Egbedore, Ejigbo and Iwo (INEC) confirmed the Iwo, Mr Ibrahim Rasheed, Local Government Council hitch-free usage of the card readers, saying that the device was much faster and functioning than they were in the previous election. In all the polling units visited by the medium esidents and indigenes of the State of Osun have in Osun East Senatorial been assured of better days ahead, for their District, no incident of overwhelming votes for General Muhammadu card reader malfunctioning Buhari and other All Progressives Congress (APC) was recorded, though few National State Assembly candidates in the last elections. voters claimed that their This was the assurance to the state after what he fingerprints could not be given in a press statement to referred to as years of the authenticated by the device. the media on Monday by a locust represented by the A voter in Ede, Mr concerned Osun stakeholder Peoples Democratic Party Kazeem Ayofe, who voted and coordinator of a Non- (PDP) in the state and in at Polling Unit 9, Abogunde Governmental Organisation Nigeria. Compound, Ward 2, EdeIn the statement, Akinola North Local Government (NGO), the Osun Liberty thanked the workers and other Group, Mr. Ayo Akinola. Council Area, affirmed According to Akinola, residents of the state for their that the card reader was the current governor of the patience and understanding, effective and had no issue state, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji despite all orchestrated of malfunctioning. Another voter at Polling Aregbesola, is God’s gift efforts by the opposition to

Areas. However, there was violence at Asipa Open Space Polling Unit, Ward 4, Ileogbo, Ayedire Local Government Council Area, when a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and another member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) engaged exchange fisticuffs. A House of Assembly aspirant in Ile-Ogbo under the APC, Mr Kunle

Awolowo, sustained injury to the head during the fight which threw the electorate at the polling unit into panic. The fight, according to eye witnesses, broke out when an old woman called a young girl to help her to locate where the APC logo was on the ballot paper. The PDP agent at the polling unit objected to the woman’s request and the APC agent also responded, a development that degenerated into physical

combat. However, the crisis was settled and voting continued at the polling unit after the intervention of the security agents. Aside the Ileogbo v i o l e n c e , O SU N DEFENDER had no other report of violence in all the local government council areas visited in Osun West Senatorial District.

as other welfarist policies and programmes. “Imagine declining federal allocation to the tune of 40% since 2013. Aregbesola has creatively managed the finances of the state such that the effect was not immediately felt until the decline persisted. Akinola also stated that Osun is next to Lagos in the sheer size of its civil service, but the revenue is not just there to cope. “It would have been rational and economically logical to embark on staff rationalisation as advised by some concerned indigenes and economic experts but our governor would not listen to that due to his workerfriendly stance. “When the suggestion of rationalisation was brought to his table, he refused to give it a thought because, according to him, we cannot downsize now except the workers themselves sit down and advise us accordingly. That would have been the best option to take us out of the woods but he is not favourably disposed to it,” said Akinola. The release further stated that the governor was meeting monthly wage bill of over N3.6 billion with N4.6 billion federal allocation until July, 2013, when the Federal Government announced a

decline of about 40 per cent allocation to states. “This reduced the state’s allocation from N4.6 billion with which the government was meeting its bills to N2.6 billion. Since then, Osun has had to augment salaries by sometimes N1 billion, sometimes N1.6 billion. “The option left to Ogbeni Aregbesola was to either spend the state’s reserves on salaries or borrow money. “Aregbesola’s administration however remained pro-workers in spite of the tight corner it had found itself, which was the result of booby-trap deliberately put on his path by agents of the opposition in the state. All efforts are however being made in ensuring that the salary arrears are paid as soon as the means was available.” Akinola also appreciated the people of the state for overwhelmingly voting for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates despite all the challenges. “It only shows the understanding of the good people of Osun and their support for their government, despite bad politics of the PDP,” he stressed. He then assured that the government of Aregbesola will not let them down.

A New Dawn Is Here For Osun Workers And Indigenes Osun Liberty Group

use the unfortunate event of paucity of funds as a political tool to rubbish the state government’s numerous achievements. He further explained that the state government’s inability to pay workers’ salaries and allowances as at when due was as a result of declining federal allocation, which has political undertone. “Our people need to appreciate the fact that the governor has everybody’s welfare at heart as demonstrated by huge infrastructural developments throughout the state, as well

Osun Lawmaker-elect, Oyintiloye, Commends Constituents For Support

By kazeem mohammed Mr Fadahunsi were still late him on his victory. The lawmaker-elect howon rampage, particularly at Ward 3 at Ikinyinwa and ever thanked the people Ward 4, Olorunda, Ibisomi, of his constituency, speCoker and Oniyere, unleash- cifically APC leaders and ing terror on APC members. members of other political This threat, he alleged, and non-political groups, had led to displacement of traditional rulers, religious people that are loyal to APC leaders, market men and to seek in neighbouring women, artisans, groups communities, calling on and youths for their support security agencies to live up before during and after the election. to expectations. Calling for more support Oyintiloye also gave kudos to his PDP opponent for from his constituents in orbeing courageous enough der to ensure his success, he to concede defeat, disclos- promised that he would give ing that the PDP candidate his best in accordance with whom he defeated had sent the mandate given to him by a text message and a call to the people. him on phone to congratu-

he House ofAssembly member-elect in Obokun State Constituency of the State of Osun, Mr. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has appreciated the people of his constituency for reposing their confidence in him through their votes in the last Saturday elections. Oyintiloye, who contest- deny them their franchise. ed under the platform of the This has shown that the peoAll Progressives Congress ple indeed have become not (APC), polled 9,499 to de- only politically awaken, but feat his Peoples Democrat- defenders of democracy,” ic Party (PDP) opponent, he noted. He then lauded the secuMayowa Adejorin, who rity agencies for responding polled 7,130. In a statement, he ac- promptly to complaints at knowledged the electorate in flashpoint areas. Oyintiloye however exhis constituency for standing firm to ensure that their pressed sadness that even votes count in his favour in after the election, report spite of unwholesome activ- reaching him indicated that ities of those he described some hoodlums loyal to as agents of darkness, who plotted to undermine and truncate the popular wishes of the people. He recalled that members and agents of his party were molested, intimidated and chased away, while some were specifically shot at Ilase town by PDP thugs, saying, this ugly development did not deter the people from exercising their franchise. “In the course of the election, there were harassment of our people, interruption by fake security personnel moving around with unregistered Toyota Hilux van believed to belong to Mr Franchis Fadahunsi, the defeated PDP senatorial candidate in Osun East. Oyintiloye alleged that these elements hijacked ballot boxes and other materials, specifically in Ward 2, Unit 6, Oja Tuntun and disrupted voting at Ward 4, Unit 9 Olorunda. “Desspite this intimida- •All Progressives Congress (APC) Supporters celebrating the victory of the party’s governorship candidate, Alhaji Bello Abubakar, in the election tion, our people stood firm in Bauchi last Monday. and defied the attempt to

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osun Defender Thursday, April

Ila APC Assures Residents Of Good Governance

•Pays Thank You Visits To Communihe All Progressives Congress Campaign

Committee for Ila Federal Constituency has assured the people of the community of good governance as the progressive elements take over the administration of Nigeria. This was disclosed inaugurated on May 29, by the Chairman of the would not disappoint the Campaign Committee, expectations of Nigerians. Mr. Sunday Akere, while He disclosed that leading members of the though expectations from committee on thank you the people are high, but visits to royal fathers in urged them to be patient major communities in the with the administration, as federal constituency. it would begin to correct According to him, many wrongs in the the nation is witnessing polity and would require i t s f i r s t p r o g r e s s i v e sacrifice from all segments government after 53 of the society. years of independence, Akere commended assuring the monarchs that the royal fathers for the administration, when their role in ensuring peaceful environment

before, during and after the general elections in the area and also lauded their fatherly role to all candidates, irrespective of their party affiliations. In their separate remarks, the royal fathers felicitated with APC for its success in the

By shina abubakar

general elections, saying they believed the party would not disappoint the numerous expectations of Nigerians, who ensured its success in the poll. The palaces visited by the committee included the Eleripa of Eripa, the Owa of Otan-Ayegbaju, Owa of Igbajo, Oragun of

•Congratulates Ambode, Ajimobi, Amosun

he All Progressives Congress (APC), on Monday, congratulated the people of the South-West geopolitical zone for electing its governorship candidates in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo, noting that with this remarkable success, time of consolidation has come to the region. The party also congratulated the three governors-elect in the zone namely; Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi participating in the politics of of Oyo State and Senator this country any longer,” the Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, all of whom were said APC spokesperson declared. The APC therefore, called to have fought good fight in on its supporters in Ile-Ife the governorship contest. and Ilase in particular and The party’s National Vice citizens of the state in gener- Chairman (South-west), al, to exercise a restraint and Chief Pius Akinyelure, said continue to be peaceful no this in a goodwill message, matter the provocation from appreciating the people of the violence-loving opposition the region for unflinching in the state. “The impunity of the PDP support they gave the APC is coming to a decisive end, during the just-concluded and it is only a matter of general elections. Akinyelure, a former months when the APC-controlled Federal authority will Executive Director in bring all the PDP malfeasance Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc, said in Osun and elsewhere in Ni- Ambode’s victory signalled

a season of socio-economic consolidation, which he said, became necessary due to transformation already going on in the APCcontrolled states. He also said the party’s victory will not have been possible without the support of South-west, which stood against poor governance and earnestly pushed for regime change in Nigeria, noting that a new dawn has started already in Nigeria. According to him: “It is a dawn of political stability and economic progress. Indeed, it is a dawn of new Nigeria, where people’s aspiration and yearning would be realised. It will mark a total break from diverse socio-economic indicators that threaten our indivisibility as a state and as a people in spite of our diversity. “It will herald an order

recognised chairman of the TUC in the state, vowed that senior staff and members of the Trade Union Congress would not embark on any strike but continue with the sit-down strike they had embarked upon. However, for Adetunji, there was no going back on the strike, with a warning that all gates leading to the Government Secretariat, Abeere and other government offices across the state would be shut to ensure total compliance. Adetunji, who said only permanent secretaries would be spared during the industrial action, urged his members

across the state to ensure total compliance, so that government would heed to their demands. While appreciating the civil servants for their patience and perseverance with the government since few months back, Comrade Adetunji called on the state government to take necessary action to protect its property, while the three-day warning strike lasted. Earlier, the state Head of Service, Mr Olayinka Owoeye, had urged the labour unions to look beyond the striking period and be considerate in the interest of the state. For more than a year now, there have crises over the authentic chairman of the Trade Union Congress between Adetunji recognised by the state Government and Comrade Olatunji, who was elected on the 6th of March last year at the union’s delegate conference in Osogbo. Comrade Adetunji’s threeyear single tenure was said to have expired more than two years ago but refused to vacate the seat, banking on a court order, which said status quo should be maintained until the issue of the union’s leadership is resolved However, the warning strike was effective across the state on Tuesday, as most government offices were under lock and key including the local governments, hospitals and agencies.

This Criminality - Osun APC

he State of Osun chapter of the All Progressives Con gress (APC) has called on the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to prevail on the state chapter of the party to stop forthwith, the criminality killings going on in Ile-Ife and Ilase in Obokun Local Government Council Area of the state by people suspected to be PDP thugs. The party stated this in a last Saturday’s election, the press statement issued and lawful and civilised thing to signed by its Director of Pub- do is to seek redress from the licity, Research and Strategy, election tribunal. Barrister Kunle Oyatomi made “Resorting to the criminalavailable to journalists in ity of murder, arson, violence Osogbo, the state capital on and destruction of property Monday. is not only unbecoming of a The APC in the state also responsible party and civilised appealed to security forces politics, it makes those asto be more pro-active and sociated with it unworthy of robust in their engagement with suspected PDP criminals in both towns, who have resorted to unprovoked violence By Kehinde Ayantunji and murder of Osun citizens, ivil servants in the State of Osun were put into simply because the PDP has confusion on Tuesday, on whether to embark on an been rejected by the people at industrial action as directed by a faction of the Trade last Saturday election. Congress (TUC) and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Reacting to the killings in Union or to continue their work according to the directives from Ile-Ife and the violence and another faction. destruction allegedly orchesA factional leader of Abere. trated by the PDP leadership It was learnt that the state TUC, Mr. Francis in the state, the APC said in a statement in Osogbo on Mon- Adetunji, had directed civil c o n t r a d i c t i o n b e g a n day that violence and murder servants to commence a three- immediately after the meeting are crimes against humanity day warning strike beginning between the factional Chairmen and society, which are not tol- from Tuesday to press home of the Trade Union Congress erated in a democratic setting. their demands from the state over leadership tussle leading According to the APC: “If government, after a meeting to counter-directives against Osun PDP leadership and their between Labour Unions and the earlier one on the warning supporters have any issue or representatives of the state strike. Speaking with journalists, objection to the outcome of government at the Banquet Mr. Akinyemi Olatunji, who Hall of the Governor’s Office, said he remained the only

Labour Union Divided Over Strike In Osun

Earlier, the committee had thanked the people of the constituency for voting for all the APC candidates in the general elections and ensuring they emerged victorious, adding that the state legislators voted would represent the interest of the people adequately.

Time For Consolidation Has Come To S’West - APC

Obokun, Ile-Ife Post-Election Crises: Stop

Ila and Oke-Ila, as well as Asa-Oni and Apesin of Ora respectively. The monarchs also assured the party of their supports at all times to ensure that their subjects benefit from the incoming administration and the government of the State of Osun.

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right), receiving a report and recommendations of the Judicial of Inquiry on Ipetumodu and Ashipa Towns Communal Clash/Disturbance from the commission’s Chairman, Justice Olajide Falola, during the submission of the reports at Government House, Osogbo, State of Osun, on Tuesday.

of confidence building and put an end to a culture of impunity that has become entrenched in our country. With your support, we have emerged victorious at the polls. Successfully, we have returned the APC to power in three South-West states, where governorship elections were conducted. “We have also made good progress in all SouthWest states during the state legislative elections. We, therefore, thank the people of South-West for unflinching support they gave our party during the 2015 general elections,” he stressed. He, therefore, assured that the party would make good all its promises, citing that the party has never reneged all its past promises. “ We h a v e b e e n implementing lifetransforming policies programmes in all states under the control of our party. Now that our party has been given another opportunity to rule, the APC will continue to pursue pro-people policies and programmes, not just in South-West, but also in Nigeria.” The party chieftain, however, expressed concern over irregularities and malpractices, which he said, marred the State House of Assembly election in Ekiti and Ondo states, saying the party would seek redress legitimately. In Ondo, for instance, Akinyelure explained that the State House of Assembly election was full of irregularities and malpractices, which culminated in the supposed defeat of candidates in the party areas of strength. “We will seek redress at the appropriate time. The era of impunity has gone. Until we are proved otherwise, we keep pushing for the restoration of our stolen mandate. But we have not completed the work yet. We still have a lot of work to do in Ekiti and Ondo states. “In Ekiti, our mandate was rigged in 2014 with the use of military officers. Even when we demanded probe into the allegation, the Presidency refused to investigate the Ekiti election rigging tape. But we keep fighting legitimately until justice is done,” he stressed.

osun Defender Thursday, April

After 16 Grueling years ... Continued from pg1

unfortunately was delivered. The opportunity cost of 16 years of misrule by the PDP is horrendous. It is best illustrated by increasing misery and plunging living standards at a time when the country had earned a superlative amount of petro-dollars. This has become known and now sadly entrenched as the `Nigeria Paradox`. Very much as in the fool going thirsty in the midst of plenty. The mismanagement of the party has been fueled by mind boggling corrup-

tion. The country`s oil sector has been turned into a cesspit of corrupt practices. This is why what we have is an all enclave rather than what we need which is a properly integrated oil industry. The cost to the economy is reflected in loss of revenues to the government and the inability to position the oil sector as a vital trajectory for the economy. Every sector of social and economic life was distorted by the PDP. The party inanely gloated about a` rebased` economy. As always this was a distortion of reality. For what we have in reality is a classic case of growth without development. Without missing words there is

This is why we must all rally round and support the incoming government. For The incoming government will now have to painstakingly the task of cleaning up the mess which is the legacy of as well painfully clean up the the PDP requires all hands mess of sixteen years of ineptitude and mismanagement. to be on deck. It’s not what They will do so in a very tight a single person can do even if such possesses the magic fiscal climate. The outlook wand. Our cooperation with for oil prices is dire. This is the incoming government why the voters have gone for General Muhammadu Buhari; is a necessary condition to achieving the change we a man known for discipline all yearn for. We can only and fiscal rectitude. For after the years of PDP mismanage- achieve a better society ment, the public finances will through collective effort. have to be re-organised in the direction of sanity. It will be a

Why The President-elect Should Deliver

roadly, elections are seen as a tool for selecting between approximate options, relative to a highlighted thesis, usually considering numerical advantage among other factors. This utterly explains the March 28, 2015 presidential election of Nigeria with Buhari reflecting as the most-appreciated by the Nigerian public. Abraham Lincoln’s inexorable story has been a metonym to Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari’s ascension to power in the era of democracy with the election on March 28, 2015 being the last piece of the resemblance. Around the world, it is infrequent for generals to engage in patient races. Buhari’s thirst for democratic leadership was been born in 2003, it kept burgeoning cutting across diverse cultural, social hypothesis and different political parties to be eventually delivered in the hands of the All Progressive Congress. All Progressives Congress (APC) is a political bevy born out of a merger of two closest parties (formerly Action Congress of Nigeria and Congress for Progressive

C h a n g e ) i n t h e 2 0 11 presidential election race won by Goodluck Ebele Johnathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The Jonathan-led government was ousted by the people’s stone-deaf ears to excuses. The government is widely criticized for mismanagement of the e c o n o m y, u n g r o u n d e d policies, political antagonism and insecurity.

However, the contributions of the agricultural sector to the nation’s GDP does not reflect a responsive increment as it fell from 7.20% in 2007 to 2.61% in 2013, policy implementation has been majorly believed to be responsible for the dip in productivity. The promise of a considerably improved power sector, which forms the arch of Goodluck Johnathan’s 2011 campaign, believed to have

consumed over $20 billion under the administration but struggled to generate 4000MW within this period. The nation’s per capita consumption still stands at 106.21KW/h, a figure well behind Gabon’s 283.6KW/h, Cameroun’s 176.0KW/h and Kenya’s 128.68KW/h. Even with some of the feats in this sector like the 750MW power plant in Olorunsogo, Ogun State commissioned

by President Johnathan, his government has been scored low by Nigerians, who want to see power in their sockets and light in their bulbs, giving explanations is a wanton exercise. President Johnathan’s testament is heavily blemished by the rise of insurgents and a declination in domestic security in the country during his tenure. The president’s reserved approach was viewed as cowardly by majority,

long and hard road but we all know that Gen. Buhari is up to the task. The General will now have to launch operation clean up Nigeria.

a whole world of difference between growth and development. Under the PDP the country’s development has been stunted. Our story is unarguably synonymous to; all motion without movement.

preferring to trust their lives and properties in the hand of a government of staunch disciplinary record as the result of the just-concluded presidential election reflects. Among other insidious stains to the government of President Johnathan is the breakdown in the dyadic relationship between the government and lecturers resulting in the longest ever Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike in the history of the country, which lasted for six months. This is the report sheet on which the outgoing administration was scored and presumed to have failed. A forewarning to Nigeria’s Moses, that he should not only prepare to tackle the problems facing the country, his government should ensure solution. This can be achieved by neutralizing cultural, religious preference and employing only virtuous individuals to implement rational policies. The last thing the country needs is a repeat of the 1983 junta, Nigerians won’t tolerate same excuse from a different tongue. GOD BLESS NIGERIA

OSUN DEFENDER

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

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osun Defender Thursday, April

State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Received Recommendation/Reports On Ipetumodu And Ashipa Towns’ Communal Clash On Tuesday.

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (centre); his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) Titi Laoye-Tomori (2nd left); Chairman, Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Ipetumodu and Ashipa Towns Communal Clash/Disturbance, Justice Olajide Falola (2nd right); Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti (right) and Chief of Staff, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola (left), during the Commission’s submission of the Report and Recommendations to the governor at Government House, Osogbo, State of Osun, on Tuesday.

Osun Traditional Rulers Paid A Congratulatory Visit To The State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Over The Recent Victory Of Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari At The Government House, Osogbo, Recently.

•Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (4th right); his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) Titi Laoye- Tomori (middle); Ondo State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi (4th left), the Akinrun of Ikirun, Oba Abdul-Rauf Adedeji (3rd right); the Olokuku of Okuku, Oba Abioye Oyebode (3rd left); the Elerin of Erin- Osun, Oba Yusuf Omoloye (2nd left); the Olobu of Ilobu, Oba Asiru Olatoye Olaniyan (2nd right); the Olunisa of Inisa, Oba Oladunjoye Oyedele and others, during the congratulatory visit to the governor on the victory of Alhaji Muhamadu Buhari and other APC candidates, at Government House, Osogbo, recently.

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osun Defender Thursday, April

Governorship And State House Of Assembly Elections In Some States In Nigeria.

•All Progressives Congress (APC) leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, casting his vote at Alausa, Ikeja ward, Lagos State.

•APC governorship candidate and Lagos State governor-elect, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode •Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, casting his vote at Ward 11, Unit 20, com- with his wife casting his vote at Ward A5, Unit 33, Ogunmodede Junior College, Epe munity Grammar School, Oluyole Extension, in Ibadan, Oyo State. in Lagos State.

•Governor-elect in Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai being accredited by an INEC official at Unit 024, Angwan, Sarkin, Kaduna.

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osun Defender Thursday, April

All Progressives Congress (APC) Celebrating Their Victory Across The Country After The Governorship And State House Of Assembly Elections.

•Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (middle); his Deputy-elect, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga (2nd left); the First Lady, Mrs Olufunsho Amosun (2nd right) and members of Amosun’s immediate family during the victory celebration in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

•Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN (2nd right); his deputy, Mrs Orelope Adefulire (left); Lagos State Governor-elect, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd left) and Deputy •Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi (atop a luxury bus) with his supporters governor-elect, Dr Oluranti Adebule (right) during the celebration in Lagos. during the celebration in Ibadan, Oyo State.

•People of Obokun Local Government Area of the State of Osun, celebrating with State of Osun House of Assembly member-elect, Honourable Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, in Ibokun, State of Osun. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

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osun Defender Thursday, April

APC Sweeps Osun Assembly Seats

•State Elections Record Poor Turnout The second phase of 2015 General Elections has come and gone; even as poor turnout nearly hampered the success of the contest. NIYI OLASINDE summarizes his findings from the experience at the polls. He however predicts overwhelming success for the All Progressives Congress (APC), judging from the wave of its early lead in already released results.

AST Saturday witnessed the conduct of the second phase of the 2015 General Elections all over the country. Like all other states in the federation, elections held in the state of Osun. Unlike all others however, it was only the State House of Assembly Election that was held in the state. This is because by the dictates of court litigations, the timing and dates of Gubernatorial Elections in the state has witnessed a slight shift, which caused the last in its series to be held on August 9 last year (2014) This shift in the date of Governorship Elections concerns not the State of Osun in isolation. In other words, other states o the federation are equally affected. Last Saturday, Governorship elections, alongside State Houses of Assembly elections were held in twenty-nine (29) states of the federation. In seven (7) remaining state, only the State Parliamentary elections were held. The states equally affected include Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo and Ekiti. Others are Kogi and Ondo dstates. In addition to this, no election were held in the Federal Capital Territory, since it has no governorship seat, neither does it have state constituencies. In spite of the foregoing, the wave of change in the State of Osun had not in any way abated, as residents of voting age who had their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) still went out in their determined vow to return their representatives and their tested and trusted political party into office as parliamentarians, come May 29 this year. It is instructive to remember that the trust of the people in their choicest party had not been misplaced. The principal factor that could sustain the victory they won through the reelection of incumbent Governor Aregbesola in last year’s election is clearly to ensure a majority of the party’s membership of the State House of Assembly; so that the trend of development and progress in the state would not witness daring set-back. Last Saturday’s elections unfolded in circumstances slightly different from the one held a fortnight earlier. This is as it was characterized by low turnout throughout the length and breadth of the state. Most respondents who spoke with our crew responded that though there are obvious proofs enough to the fact that democracy has finally come to stay in our strands; it has not approached maturation; not to talk of maturity. According to a cross section of respondents, people did not turn up as such due to apathy which is not unconnected with expectations that members of the opposition may capitalize on their party’s loss at the earlier elections to unleash pent-up anger on voters; thereby causing violence and mayhem, which no one wishes to experience. Other respondents wove the situation round the economic adversity in the land. According to this line of reason, it was the expectation that the Buhari Revolution wields the magic wand of change at the macro level (Federal Government) that the turnout of the

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (left), casting his vote at Ward 8, Unit 4, Ifofin, Ilesa during the State House of Assembly election in Osun last recently.

•Wife of the governor, State of Osun, Mrs Sherifat Aregbesola, casting her vote at Ward 8, Unit 1, Ifofin, Ilesa, last Saturday.

March 29 presented some appreciable difference. Now that Buhari had won, most people found this second election as irrelevant and as such kept indoors. Some other respondents identified bottlenecks associated with the introduction of the smart card reader in the earlier election as repelling factor that kept most people away. Reports had it that some people encountered a timetested effort in getting accredited during the last polls; while a larger number left home disappointed – the more reason why they absented themselves from voting during this second round. There were other voters who attributed the sparse turnout to the ranking of the election in the minds of electorate.

According to this class of people, the turnout would have been more robust were the Governorship Election to hold simultaneously in the state as was being done in many other states. Some even reasoned that if all elections, the Presidential Elections had been held in a fell swoop, it would have boosted the voter statistics. However, the election was held as scheduled and the result was a peaceful, free, fair, transparent and credible exercise.

ince about seven o’clock on Saturday, voters had been sighted trooping in their trickles to their various voting stations to decide who represents them at the state legislative

chamber. A walk through all the areas adjoining both sides of Gbongan / Ibadan Road at Ogo Oluwa / Africa / Ataoja Axis of the state capital left us with findings that the turnout for the day’s approaching election was going to present a far-cry from the earlier one held a fortnight ago. In polling are that are situated at Baruwa Junction, old Coca Cola all through to Onward, the usual mammoth crowd of voters thinned down remarkably Like the situation was during the previously held elections, the streets, including the stretch of major roads across the capital of the State of Osun and other parts of the state were bereft of vehicular movement, save for few

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APC Sweeps Osun Assembly Seats

•State Elections Record Poor Turnout

•Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam, answering questions from newsmen in Ejigbo during the election.

and monitoring the entire exercises. Those involved in all these overseeing activities included law enforcement agents, security operatives, election monitors (local and / or foreign), civil liberty groups, delegates of international communities and all other manners of dignitaries. As at one o’clock, preliminary talks commenced at many centres; consisting in enlightening the electorate on the nitty-gritty of conducting the next phase. It regards the manner of thumb-printing, dropping the respective thumb-printed ballot papers in the correct ballot boxes and the process of waiting the time of vote-counting. It is highly commendable and worthy of note that in all voting units visited by OSUN DEFENDER crew, there were no cases of violence or disturbances whatsoever. Cases of near-violence were recorded at Units 7 and 8 of Ward 4, Osogbo Local Government stationed at the afore-mentioned St. James’ African Primary School, Gbodofon, where prompt intervention of elders at the scene averted further degeneration prior to the arrival and intervention of law enforcement agents. The cases were not unconnected with in-fightings among members and loyalists of some opposition parties over largesse allegedly released to them by some of their godfathers.

•A voter casting her vote at Ward 8, Unit 7, Ogbon-Arogbo, Ilesa.

vehicles on election and / or other critical assignments like ambulances, security operations, fire fighting and others. The pedestrians, who dominated the scenery of streets were businesslike, as they took determines steps to use their thumbs to influence their destinies. These were the optimists who were not deterred by fear of uncertainties of failure of recognition of smart card readers. As 8 o’clock approached, queues were not found in most places, as voters simply filed in for accreditation. In a nutshell, most polling units were bereft of the struggles that characterized similar exercise in the earlier episode of elections. At Aregbe Bus Stop Area in Gbodofon Area, it was a peaceful atmosphere that pervaded the air. The weather of that morning was generally clement. The entire day was favourable. Enough rain had fallen to smoothen the atmosphere prior to the d-day. So, the weather was not hot and voters found it quite

comfortable to accredit and stay around.

he same atmosphere of smooth accreditation pervaded all visited polling units to Olaiya, through the famous Old Garage Area to Ayetoro Area. At Olaiya end, curiosity took OSUN DEFENDER crew to the Baptist Primary School at the precincts of the Union Baptist Church, Odi-Olowo. Inside the premises of that school were two separate polling units. Both units were filled to capacity. However, there were no struggles or wrangling. People conducted their affairs in an orderly way. The observation included the fact that the crowd in each o0f the stations outdid one another by various standards and qualities. Back to the premises of St. James African Primary School at Gbodofon, the spacious arena was moderately populated with prospective voters, most of who waited patiently for the approach of voting time, having got duly

accredited. Inside that spacious premises too, there were two polling units. The events at the two voting points were conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner. On and on the crew went to places along Odi-Olowo / Asubiaro / Isale Osun areas. The events were good and voting went on free, fair, transparent, orderly and credible. When accreditation exercise was through, lots of people were seen waiting enthusiastically for the approach of the 1:00 o’clock deadline for arrival for the voting proper; while some who could not endure the wait left to return. For those who waited, there was no boring moment, as groups were found discussing the victories, triumphs and defeat of the previous elections and the prospects of the present one. During the periods already mentioned; even as long as voting exercises lasted, lots of categories of voting umpires and officials were seen plying all the voting units, inspecting the exercise

uch earlier, the smart card readers were used at all visited polling units on accredited voters during the accreditation stage. There were no hiccups or noticed lapses; neither were there reported or noticed cases of failure in the performances of the devise. Voters were accredited in turns, and they all spoke in applause of the newly-introduced devise. Part of added strengths noticed in the devise is the length of duration of its battery. There was no observed battery failure for any of the devise while the accreditation lasted; neither were there cases of failure to recognize cards or thumbprints as complained in some places. At the end of the entire exercise, late in the evening, votes were sorted, separated and counted in the full glare of all present electorate and with their full participation in the process of counting. It was with no fight nor expressed acrimony that the results were accepted. At both polling points at St. James’ African School at Gbodofon, i.e. units 7 and 8 of Ward 4, Osogbo Local Government Council Area; the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged victorious with a landslide margin. As at the time of filing this report, the All Progressives Congress is maintaining early lead, having swept the assembly seats in state constituencies like Ila, Ifedayo, Boripe / Boluwaduro, Ilesa West and Ilesa East. Others include Isokan, Ejigbo, Olorunda, Ola-Oluwa, Iwo, Atakunmosa East, Ayedire and OdoOtin. Other results of constituenc8ies are expected to come in handy in due course of time.

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osun Defender Thursday, April

Political Violence As Threat To Democracy In Nigeria

•Buhari By Ayo Akinola with additional notes from Adesola Adesote and John Abimbola

he history of political development in Nigeria has recorded the growth of multi-dimensional forms of violence as a major political behaviour in the quest by political-minded individuals and groups to attain state power and keep it. In recent times, Human Rights Watch revealed that over 2000 Nigerians lost their lives in post- election violence in the country. As the campaigns for the 2015 general elections was rounding off, the governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, had his convoy attacked at Ilase, Obokun Local Government Council Area of the state. That was on Friday, the 13th of March, 2015. The attack, though initiated by stalwarts of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was allegedly led by one Sunday Akinyemi, alias “Yellow”. It left at least one person dead, many injured and properties worth millions of Naira destroyed. This is a sad footnote on our quest for a true democratic process, because it illustrates happenings in almost all states of the federation, in Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Imo and hosts of other states. Updated report has it that 66 violent incidents targeted at polling units were recorded nationwide during the April 11, 2015 governorship and state Houses of Assembly polls. In a remark, the leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had this to say, “Throughout the week, before the election, there were lots of gunshot across the state. That was scaring to the people. That is why they didn’t come out. That is a method of rigging. It is because you are not popular. If you are popular, you will want the crowd to be there and make their choice. The abuse of power in this nation must stop. It takes a commonsense revolution to do that.” The historical trajectory of electoral process in the post-colonial Nigeria is characterised by violence. In fact, recent manifestations of electoral violence, most importantly, since the birth of the Fourth Republic in 1999, have assumed an unprecedented magnitude and changing form, resulting in instability in democratic consolidation, as well as the loss and displacement of many innocent lives. I wish to historicize electoral violence and its implications on the survival of democracy in Nigeria with major emphasis on this Fourth Republic (1999-2015). The high incidence of electoral violence (pre and post) in the Fourth Republic in particular is closely associated with neo-patrimonial character of the Nigerian state, the nature and kind of party politics being played, the weak institutionalisation of democratic architectures and inefficient electoral management body among others. These were among the factors that led to the fall or collapse of the First, Second

•Tinubu and Third Republics. I dare say that the survival of democracy in this Fourth Republic involves adherence to the ideals and principles of electoral process as practised in ideal democratic societies. In every stable democratic society, election remains the essential ingredient of transitory process from one civilian administration to another. Elections have become an integral part of representative democracy that by and large prevails across the world. According to Lindberg (2003), every modern vision of representative democracy entails the notion of elections as the primary means of selection of political decision makers. Thus, it is incomprehensible in contemporary times to think of democracy without linking it to the idea and practice of elections. Ojo (2007), described election as the ‘hallmark of democracy’ while Chiroro (2005) sees it as the ‘heart of the democratic order’. In all, elections constitute a core component of democracy. The electoral process in Africa in general and Nigeria in particular especially since the beginning of the 21st century is characterised by violence. It is important to emphasize here that though violence has been a longstanding feature of the democratisation process in the post-colonial Nigeria, its recent manifestations especially since the birth of the Fourth Republic has assumed an unprecedented magnitude thus constituting a major threat to the survival of democracy. Fundamentally, there is no doubt the fact that electoral violence remains a major source of political instability in a democratic society with palpable threats of deconsolidation. Scholars among which were Adigun Agbaje and Said Adejumobi have argued that violence has become infused in political processes in most new democracies in Africa especially with respect to the 21st century. For instance, according to the 2008 Amnesty International Report, ‘the violent struggle for power, even in states which do not descend into armed conflict, still remains an important component of political life in Africa. Nigeria, having survived decades of military dictatorship, which was characterized by despotism, violation of fundamental human rights, financial profligacy among others, eventually returned to democratic rule on May 29, 1999, which culminated in the birth of the Fourth Republic. The republic, which started amidst great hope and expectations is yet to significantly convince the generality of the Nigerian populace its democratic success especially, with respect to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections devoid of election violence (pre and post). The block votes for failed President Jonathan recorded from the South East and South-South in the justconcluded 2015 elections leaves a sour grape in the mouth regarding incessant geo-ethnic loyalty in voting patterns. This has however put the zones in a disadvantage position in the unfolding power-sharing and political

•Aregbesola relevance. The threat of violence by militant leaders (especially by Asari Dokubo) in the zone is a sad commentary that must not be allowed to endure. In Majekodunmi, R & Adejuwon, K.D (2012), electoral violence is defined thus: any spontaneous or organized act by candidates, party supporters, election authorities, voters, or any other actor that occurs during an electoral process, from the date of voter registration to the date of inauguration of a new government, that uses physical harm, intimidation, blackmail, verbal abuse, violent demonstrations, psychological manipulation, or other coercive tactics aimed at exploiting, disrupting, determining, hastening, delaying, reversing, or otherwise influencing an electoral process and its outcome. Also, Igbuzor (2010) sees electoral violence as: any act of violence perpetuated in the course of political activities, including pre, during and post-election periods, and may include any of the following acts: thuggery, use of force to disrupt political meetings or voting at polling stations, or the use of dangerous weapons to intimidate voters and other electoral process or to cause bodily harm or injury to any person connected with electoral processes. International Foundation for Election Systems (2011) defines electoral violence as “any violence (harm) or threat of violence (harm), like that of Asari-Dokubo, that is aimed at any person or property involved in the election process, or at disrupting any part of the electoral or political process during the election period.” These above definitions of electoral violence typically captured the deeper nature and stages of electoral violence in Nigeria especially since the birth of the Fourth Republic in 1999. The first and immediate post-independence electoral violence in Nigeria occurred during the 1964 general elections; the first election to be conducted after independence. The Northern People’s Congress needed the elections to consolidate its power at the centre. The Action Group (AG) also needed it in order to dislodge Chief S.L Akintola from power in the West. The NCNC on its own also wanted to improve its bargaining strength in the East. It became obvious that all the major political parties were adequately anxious to participate in the elections (Falola et al, 1991). By the middle of 1964, two major political alliances had emerged from all the maneuvers. The NPC and the NNDP founded the Nigerian National Alliance (NNA). The AG and the NCNC constituted themselves into the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA). The 1964 federal election was contested between these major alliances (Ige, 1995). Two main coalitions contested these elections: the Nigerian National Alliance (NNA) made up of the NPC and some other minor parties; the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA) comprising the NCNC, AG, NEPU and

UMBC (Falola, et al, 1991). The campaigns by these coalitions generated much bitterness, acrimony and violence, especially in the west. The elections, which were said to have been massively rigged through different means, led to widespread violence/conflicts in the west following the announcement of results by the Chairman of Federal Electoral Commission in person of Mr. Esua. This argument could be corroborated with the address of President Nnamdi Azikiwe and the then Inspector General Police, Mr. Louis Edet. Azikiwe, in his dawn broadcast to the nation, expressed that the head of state condemned the way and manner the electioneering was conducted and his disappointment. The politicians in power have no right to employ instruments of power in order to perpetuate their stay in office. The President cited instances, where Nigerian citizens had been deprived of their constitutional rights to freedom of association. He warned the politicians that: “If they have decided to destroy our national unity, they should summon a round-table conference to decide how our national assets should be divided for it is better that we should disintegrate in peace and not in pieces” (Anifowose, 1972). In a similar view, the Inspector General of Police, Louis Edet made a nation-wide broadcast reporting that incidents involving violence had reached alarming proportions. He appealed to the politicians to protect Nigeria’s enviable reputation as a bastion of democracy in Africa (Anifowose, 1972). The attendant violence, including arson, looting, killing, wanton destruction of properties and the total collapse of public order, especially in the Western Region, was unprecedented. For example, at Isokun, Ilesa, present Osun State, twenty school children were murdered on the ground that they were in town to combat an impending riot. Also, at Isho, a village few miles from Owo, in present Ondo State, sixteen people was killed. As it was in the West, so also it went on in the Middle Belt. A good example was the second Tiv riot of 1964 (Anifowose, 1972). The last straw that broke the camel’s back was the elections into regional assembly in the west in October 1965. The announcement of the election results by the Federal Electoral Commission, which led to the purported victory of Chief S.L Akintola of the Nigeria National Democratic Party (NNDP) as against the wishes of many people, who expected that Chief Adegbenro of the UPGA, led to large-scale widespread violence in the whole of Western Region on the ground that there were irregularities in the election results. The decision of the Federal Government to recognize the election thus gave Chief Akintola the power to form a new government. This however made UPGA to embark on a spontaneous and violent demonstration known as “operation wet e” – an operation which required the spraying of houses, cars

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osun Defender Thursday, April

Political Violence As Threat To Democracy In Nigeria

•Awolowo and persons with petrol and then setting fire to them (Ige, 1995). There were series of protests and demonstrations carried out by angry students, market women, farmers and other groups in most towns and villages throughout the Western Region, and these were accompanied by looting, arson, killing on an unprecedented scale and burning of houses, vehicles and shops. Anti-governmental placards were displayed, party slogan- Awo! Awo! UPGA! UPGA! -as well as war songs were advanced. In some cases, the demonstration ended in clashes with anti-riot police squad, who did not hesitate to shoot. A typical song by the angry demonstrators was “E jeki a mura ogun, eleyi l on je iya (let us prepare for war, this is an insulting behaviours) (Anifowose, 1972). The high rate of electoral violence (pre and post) following the 1964 and 1965 elections were said to have contributed in no small measure to the collapse of the first Republic (Osaghae 1998; Akinwumi 2004). Continuation of this political violence led to spates of military coups, which prelude the 30-month civil war pogrom. The electoral process of the Second Republic (1979– 1983) equally led to various cases of electoral violence across the whole of Nigeria. The most important one was the second election that was conducted after the first administration in 1983. The structure of politics, despite the alteration in the structure of the federation from three (and later four) regions of the first republic, to nineteen states, was still largely driven by ethno-religious forces, where each party maintained its stronghold in a given regional/ethnic domain (Omotola). For example, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) dominated the Northern region, the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) dominated the Western region, while the National People’s Party (NPP) dominated the Eastern region (Abimbola & Adesote, 2012). The National Party of Nigeria (NPN), obviously NPC’s successor, controlled the Federal Government between 1979 and 1983. In the 1983 elections, it wanted to extend its reach to other regions, either by hook or by crook. The attempt to achieve this underscored the massive rigging of the 1983 elections, which resulted in an unprecedented outbreak of violence in the Western Region, where the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), AG’S successor, held sway (Omotola, 2007). In the then Oyo and Ondo States, the two UPN states were declared for the NPN. This announcement led to unprecedented violence, in which a writer simply described it as ‘the house of war’ (Babarinsa 2002). Although Ondo State was later returned to UPN at the Election Tribunal, series of violence that accompanied the disputed election results following various cases of alleged irregularities in the conduct of the election led to the collapse of the second republic; thus giving the military the opportunity to seize power on 31 December

•Azikiwe 1983. Violence and the aborted Third Republic: Prior to the Presidential election in 1993, the local government and gubernatorial elections had already been conducted in preparation for the birth of the Third Republic. It is known fact that Nigeria since independence has never had any peaceful election devoid of violence and other electoral vices. Thus, the 1992/1993 elections were no exception. Meanwhile, the circumstances that led to the aborted Third Republic revealed that General Ibrahim Babangida, a dictator, in spite of his long transition programme, had no intention of handing over power to the civilians. This became known when he annulled the June 12, 1993 presidential election, which was internationally acclaimed as free and fair; and as well described by local observers as the fairest election in the post-colonial Nigeria. The annulment of the election caused series of crises, especially in the Western part of Nigeria, championed by some groups such as NADECO among others. The post-electoral violence, which followed the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election, was what forced General Ibrahim Babangida to form an Interim National Government (ING) headed by Ernest Shonekan, who was later overthrown in what was regarded as peaceful coup on November 17 1993 by General Sani Abacha. This development made the Third Republic an aborted republic (Abimbola & Adesote, 2012). The above historical analysis of the electoral violence in the post colonial Nigeria in particular contributed immensely to reasons why democracy in the first two major republics (first and second) could not only be consolidated but also be sustained. It could also be argued that the electoral processes as well as the kind of party politics (popularly known as zero sum game, winner takes all syndromes) played in the two republics were parts of the reasons why democratic rule could not be sustained. The conduct of free, fair and credible periodic elections by unbiased electoral body including its umpire as well as other electoral officials and the adherence to democratic principles of governance remain major factors responsible for the avoidance of electoral violence in any democratic society. These two major factors were the challenges which the fourth republic had been contending with since its birth in 1999, with little departure from this norm in the just-concluded 2015 general election . It is against this backdrop that I shall examine various electoral violence vis-à-vis elections that were conducted in Nigeria since the birth of the fourth republic with major emphasis on the 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections, and a peep into the 2015 experience. Since the birth of the fourth republic in 1999, four general elections have been conducted under a civilian administration in the country in which one can say that democracy was actually consolidated. In other words, the years between

•Akintola 2003 and 2015 witnessed the successful transition of one civilian administration to another. For instance, in 2003, a presidential election was conducted and the incumbent president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo of the PDP was declared the winner by INEC. In 2007, Late Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua of the same PDP was also declared by INEC as the President elect. In April 2011, another presidential election was conducted by INEC in which Dr. Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP, who was initially sworn in first as, Acting President following the critical condition of Late president Umaru Yar’Adua, and later as a substantive President after its death also contested and was declared winner of the election by INEC. In his quest for a second term, President Goodluck Jonathan contested against candidates from other political parties, prominent among which was Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, a one-time military dictator, who had contested and lost thrice. The fact that elder statesmen led by General Abdulsalami Abubakar, had to extract nonviolence agreement from the two leading contenders (Jonathan and Buhari)lead credence to the fear of violence. The early concession of defeat by incumbent President Jonathan has been applauded nationwide. This gesture did not permeate among other PDP contestants across the country. Pockets of violence, ballot-snatching and outright rigging were observed, despite assurances from security agents. CONCLUSION In spite of the fact that the just-concluded elections for the Presidency, Governorship of 29 states as well as National and State Houses of Assembly witnessed minimal violence, we should be on our guards to sustain this democracy. Thanks to national and international democratic institutions, Nigeria, for the first time witnessed a smooth transition not only from a democraticallyelected government but also from one party to another. With several deaths on its toll, especially in the South-South state of Rivers, as well as recorded malpractices in Ekiti State, where 7 assembly members sacked 19 others, resulting in some deaths, and pockets of violence nationwide, a lot still needs to be done to safe guard this democracy from doom. There is the need to strengthen our democratic institutions like the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, encourage internal democracy among political parties, de-emphasize money-politics and the need to play by the rules of engagement. I will not end this essay without a reference, once again, to the admonition by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a living sage. He says “We have to remove violence from our body politic. Election is about people and service

to the people. That is why democracy is the government of the people, by the people and for the people. It is not a process of gun and war and violence. It is power by all means necessary that leads to violence. We need to eschew that, allow the process to run its course, nurture the institutions of democracy; respect the rule of law and the lives and property of Nigerians. The right of the people to choose their own leader for a specific period of time should be respected.” “All these riggings, violence are not necessary. You are talking about low turnout. When there is violence and harassment, there will be low turnout. When there is escalation of violence and the lives of people are threatened, every hour every week, we are given the impression that we are not civilised. We are educated. What is the value of our education? If the Police and Army are used to terrorise people as the Police and Army of one man or one party in power, the country is heading for danger. For every action, there will be a reaction. •Additional notes from Adesola Adesote and John Abimbola.

osun assembly election reporters’ diary

Unemployment Is The Bane Of Ifeland

Bandwagon And Voter Apathy •kehinde ayantunji

he major beauty of constitutional democracy is the periodic change of leadership. In developed nations, it is a mere citizenship responsibility, which does not require closing of business and public holidays declaration but as a result of the leadership flaw in Nigeria, election has became a “war”; getting to power with all required means, even if you are to take a human life. In election period, people assume cynical dimension that creates apprehension, despair, fear, tension and uncertainty. As journalists with social burden of providing public information, you are not in any way exempted from the election tension, fear and uncertainty. First, your audience do not care how much you suffer to get best information, as long as it is accurate, timely and comprehensive enough for their consumption. Secondly, it is a fundamental principle that no journalist ever rise to military greatness without convincing his audience that he put them first and above all. Thirdly and most importantly, your establishment will not publish excuses. Your last performance is as simple as your best rating. My editor as I know him will be less-concerned about how dangerous or difficult the terrain is, but my ability to break news exclusively. No doubt, election environment in Nigeria is hostile and dangerous for journalists, despite the improvement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies. News reporter still work under serious tension. The just-concluded State House of Assembly election on Saturday, April 11, 2014 was not in any way different. I was assigned to cover the election in Ifelodun, Boripe, Boluwaduro, Ila and Ifedayo Local Government Council Areas; all in Osun Central Senatorial District. Since Friday, nothing else got my attention than the coverage of the election. First, thinking about my movement to the area from the state capital, considering my previous bad experiences and expected pressure from the anxious editor, who will be expecting report from the accreditation process. I decided to move on Friday so as not to miss the accreditation process because of the August 9, 2014 governorship election experience, where I spent over an hour from Osogbo to Ikirun, as a result of military check points. Despite the INEC accreditation tags and stickers, they would still search from the hood to foot mat of your car. We slept in Iree with some other

colleagues from Premium Times. As early as 6.00 am on Saturday, we moved to the Ikirun Federal Constituency Collation Centre, where they were distributing election materials for the local government council area. It was however discovered that INEC had modified the distribution system. From the Akinrun’s Palace, we moved to Obagun to observe the arrival of election materials and as at 7.30 am, most of the polling units visited included LA Primary School, Olobagun’s Palace and Ojomu’s Compound, where the NYSC members had set the table and ready for voters’ accreditation. We had divided views on whether to move to Iba from Obagun, as a result of the bad road leading to the town and a colleague pushed an argument that we had left most of the presiding officers from the town at the coalition centre and may likely not meet them at the polling centre in Iba. As I was driving, I was looking at my phone whether it would beep, expecting my editor’s call. We later resolved to move to Iree and Ila. On our way back to Iree, we met a road block by the Nigeria Police at the entrance of the town. The development suggested an improvement on the security arrangement, compared to that of the presidential election, where there was not even a single barricade from Ikirun to Ila. We scaled through the checks and moved to Iree, where accreditation had already begun. Approaching Unit 5, Ward 9, Baptist High School, Iree around 8.30 left no one in doubt that there will be poor turnout of voters compared to the previous election, as the place was near deserted. We v i s i t e d o t h e r f e w polling units and moved to Otan Ayegbaju. At Otan, as at 10.20 am, most of the voters had completed their accreditation in the town. At Unit 3, Ward 1, Itadada, the unit of the Boluwaduro Local Government Council Executive Secretary, Prince Stephen Dosunmu, the NYSC members had nothing doing again by 10.45 am, as people were not coming out for accreditation. From Otan, we rushed to IlaOrangun. On our way, we met another military barricade with the soldiers armed-to-teeth. They had impounded over 20 vehicles and 10 motorcycles for loitering. When we approached the leader of the team, who was identified as Sergeant Ibraheem Muduli through his chest tag, he said: “Press, I no fit talk, them dey waka around. I no go beat them, I no go do anything, but na here we go dey together till the end of the election.” All the effort of the vehicle owners to plead with the tough-looking soldier attracted no sympathy, instead, he constituently replied them: “I dey do my job, go to hell.” We visited Iresi and Oke Irun, where voters’ turnout was also low, and later proceeded to Isedo, Ila-Orangun, the polling unit of the for APC

National Chairman, Chief Adebisi Akande. There, the INEC officials said he had done his accreditation before 10.00 am and we moved to his residence to get him interviewed, but one of his aides came out to tell us that he was relaxing and advised us to go and wait for him at the polling centre, where he would later return to cast his vote. We then moved to Ifedayo, but on our way to Ominla, Oyi Aduni, Oyi Ayegun, we decided to turn back as a result of the dilapidated condition of the road. With the condition of the road, we resigned to fate and returned to Ila-Orangun to interview the electorate on what may be responsible for the low turnout. In Ila-Orangun, the turnout was better compared to other towns visited. At Unit 9, Ward 2, Aje Oni and Alakoniyi Unit 8, Ward 1, Isedo, there were long queue of voters, while people were also trooping out enmass. I approached the APC candidate, in Ila State Constituency, Mr Ademola Akanni Clement, who attributed the voters’ apathy to the opposition party members who decided to stay away as a result of the loss they suffered at the presidential poll. After the interview, Femi Idowu, a colleague, agreed with Clement that in most of the polling units we visited, most of the opposition figures we interviewed during the presidential election were absent at their polling units. For instance at Ward 5, Unit 3, Iresi, a PDP chieftain in the town, Alhaji Adelani Usman, was outside the town, when we asked after him at the unit. In all, the card readers worked perfectly, the security agencies were up to the task; INEC logistic was also commendable, which was responsible for the peaceful conduct of the election in the areas I monitored. As we were returning to various coalition centers in Otan, Iragbiji, Ikirun, the APC supporters had thronged to major streets, jubilating. That

•sola jacobs

lection coverage is not a new experience to me as a reporter but being posted to cover State House of Assembly election in Ife Federal Constituency, consisting Ife-Central, EastNorth, and South Local Government Council Areas is a daring job, considering the volatility of the area. In the past nine years, I had been reporting events in the area, maybe because Ife as a whole is my turf, which gave me courage not to see it as a tackling assignment. I had to leave Osogbo on Friday 10th of April, 2015 ,so as to pass the night ay my village, Iyanfoworogi and I had to pass the night at my maternal Aunty’s hut, which reminds me of my childhood experience, when we used to have our holiday in the village. Nothing has really changed. It was still the same rustic and brown environment, except that the village now has a monarch and the palace is the only modern and decent structure. There is now a petrol station at the entrance of the village, so the wind of change is blowing also at Iyanfoworogi. I savoured the delicacy of grasscutter and breadfruit pounded yam “Gbere” in Ife language from which the village derived its name ‘Iyanfoworogi’ literarily translated “pounded yam that hangs on a tree”. I washed it down with a cup of fresh palm wine, which made me to sleep like a baby. However, my Friday assignment was not completed till I negotiated with “Baba Muniru,” a popular driver in the village, who uses his car for commercial purposes. By 6:00 am on Saturday, my assignment had begun,

I Will Like To Cover Ede During Another Election hat can I liken in the air maybe, there was

my experience in Edeland during this last State House of Assembly Election, I had a swelling experience and I would likely want to have another feel of the ancient town when another opportunity beckons again. I did not really know the landscape of the ancient town of Ede if not for my guide, colleague and good friend; Lawal Abdulrasheed Abiodun, an Ede indigene who took it upon himself to take me to some parts of the town where I would hitherto not have even thought of traversing. The election in Ede began on a peaceful note but unlike two weeks before during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections, not many voters were initially seen at their polling units and there was this apprehension hanging

osun Defender Thursday, April

as I called at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office, Alagbado road at Ifetedo, the headquarters of Ife-South Local Government Council Area of the state. The presence of armed mobile policemen and the Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) stationed at Ifetedo junction gave the reporters, INEC officials and the entire citizenry of the council area security, as political hoodlums had terrorized the inhabitants of Ifetedo, Olomu, Garage-Olode, Kere and Osi villages during March 28th, 2015, which had resulted in loss of lives. With a view to forestalling such occurrence and to assure the citizens of the area on the security of their lives and property, the State of Osun Government had no option than to dispatch heavy security presence to the area. I did not have to explain my mission to the security personnel that kept screening vehicles on the election day, as my tag had explained my mission in the area. We only exchanged pleasantries. At INEC offices in Ifetedo, buses loaded with electoral materials also conveyed INEC officials and security personnel to their various destinations. I observed that as early as 5.00 am, Ife-South being an agrarian council area, farmers had gone to their various farms with the women and children, as most of them went to their farms before coming out for accreditation and voting exercise later in the day. By 7.40 am, as I got to Modakeke, I called first at the polling units at Roman Catholic School, Iraye Unit 001, the INEC officials were already at their duty post, set for the day’s business, expecting voters at the centre. The situation was the same at L.A Primary School, AmudaOba Polling Unit 002, Salem Baptist Church Centre, Kajola Unit 009, and Commercial Middle School, Toro Road,

going to be voting or not. You can not dampen the spirit of the average Nigerian as before long, from different directions I started to observe the young and old trooping out all in the hope of getting verified •Francis Ezediuno and ultimately casting their out at Unit 8, Area Code 4, Alajue 1, when soldiers had votes. Without being educated to be deployed. Trust Nigerians, on as to the modus operandi of the day, Ede voters sighting armed men in mechanically went about camouflage, the miscreants their accreditation and even disappeared and never while some went away to resurfaced. I really enjoyed my time come back later for the Ede, my job there was voting proper, a good in capped I sat down number stayed back and with mywhen friend at the end chatted on different topics of the day to a sumptuous while the time slowly crept hot bowl of ‘amala’ and away. ‘gbegiri’ with different At the commencement types of bush meat. of voting, there was There was no Ebola in an atmosphere of peace the meat anyway. pervading the different units though I can not say categorically that in some units, it was all peaceful. An ugly scenario played

Modakeke. The zeal at which the voters came out at this centre was commendable, as they lined up waiting to be accredited at their various centres. After leaving the polling unit at Aaje road at Alagbagun Area Polling Unit 004, a caller in Modakeke informed me that some hoodlums had besieged Polling Unit 008 at Bosa Market and they had threatened that no one would be accredited or vote at the centre. Just as I was racing to the centre, the police armoured car too arrived the scene as the same time I got there. The question that raced through my mind was: What could have informed the hoodlums’ decision to disrupt election as early as 8.20 am? On further probing, it was gathered that the card reader failure and the refusal of INEC officials at the centre to use the manual process to identify voters nearly marred the exercise, but for the timely intervention of the police and an INEC officer who interfered saved the day. At Lagere Junction, the heavy presence of security personnel at the twelve polling units situated at Oranmiyan Towers Complex kept off hoodlums at the units as there were few voters at the unit by 9.00am. Getting to most of the polling units within Ife Central and Ife-East Local Government Council areas, only youths and men were seen at the units and it was relatively low turnout considered to other places visited. But it could be noted that some of the polling units were situated close to a drinking joint, which most of the hoodlums and party canvassers used as their rendezvous for the day. I noticed that this could be a mere coincidence and it really helped hoodlums to have their day. The most frightened polling units were in Ilode, Iremo wards, Otutu and Oke-Arubidi, as youths armed with cutlasses, broken bottles, and axes concealed in school bags, freely sat few metres away from polling units, which scared prospective voters, especially women away. Only those who were ready to do their bidding could freely move to polling units. Some of them who even recognized the reporter warned her not to record their activities as they threatened to harm my family if I did. In conclusion, covering election assignment within Ifeland was a daring experience and it call for a reporter who knows the terrain to cover the assignment effectively unhurt. The need to get the youths employed in Ile-Ife and its environs will curb youth restiveness in the area, as well as stop the usage of youths as political thugs by scrupulous politicians. In conclusion, there is a need to mop-up arms in

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osun assembly election reporters’ diary

Restriction Of Movement And Threat To INECWeOfficials went straight to Ifofin Nobody argued with this

An Exclusive Professional Adventure

•ismaeel uthman “An elderly man that runs on the land filled with thorns is either chasing something or something is chasing him”, so says the Yoruba maxim. Movement of vehicles and individuals (to a far area) was prohibited on election day by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The restriction was part of security measures to have a violence-free, fair, transparent and credible election. But going around on election day was an unfailing duty for some professionals; so INEC had granted the professionals an exclusive right of movement. I am happy to belong to one of the professions; journalism; the Forth Estate of the Realm. It is a pride and it is good to be a journalist! As early as 7:00 am, I set out to perform my lawful duty on the House of Assembly election in the State of Osun. Kitted with an i-pad, writing materials, and INEC-approved tag, I walked down straight to Ola-Iya, the popular junction in Osogbo. The road could be best described as empty, as vehicles (except security and INEC-approved vehicles) deserted the road and not many people were seen trekking. A car was already waiting for me at Akindeko Market, so I strolled to the car to join two other of my colleagues, who were on the same mission with me. Here comes the adventure! I observed some few polling units in Osogbo. There was voter apathy to the State House of Assembly election in majority of the polling units. I moved on to Ofatedo

in Egbedore Local Government Council Area. In all the polling units I touched in the town, the INEC officers were humble, cooperating and civil. They treated us with respect. Ede was not far from Ofatedo; so I zoomed off to Ede. I went round the length and breadth of the ancient town with keen interest in some polling units. There was impressive turnout of voters, when compared to that of Osogbo. Though, the turnout was very low when also compared to the last Presidential and National Assembly elections. Ejigbo was my next destination, being a close town to Ede. As I was going to Ejigbo through Ojo, Ara and other towns and villages on the road, I observed that there were few voters at the polling units. Having gotten necessary accurate information in some of the polling units in Ejigbo, I vamoosed and headed to Iwo. I however, branched at Awo, headquarters of Egbedore Local Government to observe what was going on at the two first polling units in the town. The people of the town and the INEC officers were accommodating; they attended to us with respect, but I could not stay long there. I moved ahead to my next destination, Iwo. At Ori-Eru, the first junction in Iwo, we were stopped by some soldiers, who were probably on patrol. Our vehicle was searched and nothing incriminating was found. The soldiers were polite in their approach; they even apologized for delaying us. We were humbled and felt elated with how we were addressed, may be because we were not expecting such mature and friendly encounter with any of the security agents. We also ran into the barricade of some officers of the Security and Civil Defence Corps (

NSCDC) at the Odo-Ori popular market in Iwo. As usual, we were cleared to move on. I was observing the election in all the polling units along the road until I got to the Iwo Town Hall. I further went into the sub-hub of Iwo and I made my way out of the town after fulfilling all righteousness. My next journey was to Ile-Ogbo, headquarters of Ayedire Local Government Council Area. As expected, the people of the ancient town were very friendly and supportive. I gathered all the information I needed and I checked out of the town. I came back to Osogbo, from where I went straight to Ilesa to see what was happening there. I met Governor Rauf Aregbesola at his polling unit 4, Ward 8, Ifofin in Ilesa. He was answering questions from newsmen, who besieged the polling centre. I exchanged pleasantries with my colleagues at the polling unit and we all departed to our various next destination. I came back to Osogbo around 6:30 pm to write my reports. It was an exciting experience. I have to commend the security agents for their maturity in discharging their duties on the election day. I was, like other journalists on election duty, treated with almost respect by the security agents, particularly the soldiers. Thump-up for all the security agents on election duty. The INEC officers too were civil, co-operative and humble in attending to me everywhere I went. The election was not unexpected to be peaceful. One can say now that our votes are counting and INEC has gone a long way in conducting acceptable election; however, there is more to be done by the commission.

Chagrin Confounds Opposition Members he s t a r k r e a l i t y

noticed with members, sympathizers and admirers of the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is the fever of chagrin; which has to do with the psychological emptiness experienced by a loser-out, upon the realization of the gravity of what he is about to lose. During the last presidential election, there was this young lady, who apparently was a member of the opposition. She came to one of the polling units in Osogbo in a spirit of defeat; even before the elections were conclusive. Like Orubebe, that man who vituperated out of obvious obsession from chagrin in a show of shame for the entire world to see, the lady, identified as daughter to one of the topmost women in the PDP, wagged tongue in condemnation of the APC, Tinubu, Buhari and all others - even the entire North. According to her, she would rather remain a willing slave to an Ijaw man (Jonathan) than serving in bond a person of Northern extraction (Buhari). She went further to condemn Tinubu, whose leadership she viewed as mortgaging

Yorubas to the North. Under normal conditions, that type of discourse was not supposed to take place at a polling unit on an election day. Yet, most people kept mum in order not to rouse a hornet’s nest. However, the bubble burst when suddenly she became abusive; tonguelashing Aregbesola that he arrogated schools’ construction to his administration, rather than the Federal Government. She denigrated a fairly elderly person that he had the wrong quality of education. The lady however got her match when another elderly person, who had earlier kept quiet joined in the discussion and asked her where the money went and the same quality of schools were built prior to Aregbesola’s coming on board; if truly the buildings were funded by the Federal Government. The man did not forget to ask the lady where else in the entire nation the same kind of buildings were springing up. Finally, the fairly elderly man cautioned the lady to desist from administering medicine after death. She was cautioned to wait for election results to determine who she would serve as a slave by choice. Surprisingly, the discussion for that day came to an abrupt end.

•niyi olasinde As the time for vote counting approached, the lady and his co-travellers disappeared in style as soon as the sorting process showed a clear difference in the volume of ballots for a political party became bulkier than those of others combined. The same lady came for voting last Saturday in a mood fa5r more sober. As a matter of fact, she showed scanty appearance at the polls and avoided discussions like a contagious disease. Another experience is this particular agent of the PDP, who was distributing cash freely at a particular polling unit; both during the last year’s gubernatorial election and the March 28 Presidential / National Assembly Elections. Surprisingly, the man became calm and reserved during the last Saturday election. While the exercise lasted, he was aloof and withdrawn. He probably had distributed enough easy cash;

osun Defender Thursday, April

•kazeem mohammed

s I set out from my house in Osogbo to join other members of the team I covered the April 11 House of Assembly election with, it did not appear as if election was holding, as there were movement of vehicles and motorcycles without any hindrance. “Since the restriction of movement started by 8.00 am and it was already 7:30 am, I thought motor vehicles and motorcycles couldnot still move,” I thought to myself, but I was wrong, I still saw vehicles and motorcycles moving around, while I was still moving round the state capital. There was no fear of moving around at all, as it was the case during the last Presidential and National Assembly elections. After leaving Osogbo, the first point of call was Ido-Osun in Egbedore Local Government Council Area and on getting to Unit 2, Ward 4, Ido-Osun, an obviously overzealous policeman, Atanda, stopped members of our team from working, saying: “You must take permission from us, or else, you cannot do anything here”. We tried to draw his attention to all the paraphernalia of INEC accreditation on all of us and our vehicle, but the “Almighty Policeman” said he was acting on the instruction from above that we must take instruction from him. In the process, hot argument ensued and when this was going on, the cameramen and other reporters, who had earlier been prevented by the “Almighty Policeman” were doing their jobs on the other side and we eventually left the place after capturing the election process at the unit. We subsequently moved to Motor Park Unit in the same town, where we met one of the electoral officials sensitising the electorate on the queue on the processes to be followed, especially to avoid too many voided votes. I was expecting that immediately after this, accreditation would start, but unusual thing happened. “Let us pray before we start”, one of the voters said. This was quite unusual to me, as I have never experienced such situation in the coverage of any election.

suggestion and inter-denominational prayers were offered before the commencement of the exercise. When we got to Egbedi, also in Egbedore Local Government Council Area, it was a business as usual. It did not even appear as if election was holding, as shops were opened, farmers were seeing going to their farms. This actually explained the complaints of low turnout of voters, as many people did not show interest in the election. After moving round this axis, we were in Ejigbo and later found ourselves on the way to Ilesa. At a bad portion in Idominasi along Osogbo-Ilesa road, we met a convoy of combined security team of Department of Security Services (DSS), the Police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) and Nigerian Customs Service. In the convoy were the State Director of DSS, State Sector Commader of FRSC and Commander of NSCDC among others. As we were moving closer to the last vehicle in the convoy; a pick up van, which conveyed the gun-wielding custom officials, I was scared when three of the operatives cocked their guns and wanted to shoot for God-know-what, even with the INEC car sticker read “Election Duty” on our car. We quickly told the driver of our vehicle, also a journalist to quickly park the car, so that they could go far ahead of us. Few minutes after, we took off again, but we met them on the way again and the same scenario repeated itself. This time, we did not have a choice other to move behind them at the low spate of the convoy of the security team. When we entered Ilesa, the team met a convoy of another security team coming and the two teams had to wait to exchange pleasantries. It was an opportunity for us to have an interview with the security officers on the field and we quickly alighted from our vehicle with cameras, pen an jotters. Quickly, the story changed for the gun-wielding Customs operatives and they asked us to come closer for our interview. In a jiffy, they became our friends and cracking jokes with us. Subseqently, we had the interview, and the convoy moved again. It was then that the operatives asked us to enter into the convoy for them to guide us, which we refused until we went our different ways.

Ward 8, Unit 4, Ilesa East Local Government, where the state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, was billed to vote, but the governor and members of his family did not come out to vote until about 2:25pm. It was carnival-like when the governor eventually came out of his father’s house, as local drumers and singers were accompanying him to the unit before they were stopped. A crowd of young and old in the area trooped out to accompany him to the unit. He eventually cast his vote at about 3.00pm after his mother and wife, Sherifat. Our train moved to Ilase in Obokun Local Government Council Area, where the defeated PDP senatorial candidate for Osun East, Francis Fadahunsi, cast his vote and what we met was quite heavy security with a Armoured Personnel Carrier, stationed in front of the school, where the collation for the ward was being done. It was there that we saw some youths in the area threatening some INEC presiding officials, who had brought the results of their units to go away or be dealt with. NYSC members, who had brought the result to the center for collation, quickly removed their uniform and wore different clothes, probably to avoid being attacked. When the NYSC members were still waiting for the vehicle that would convey them back to their destinations, they were told by security operatives, “we cannot guarantee your security here, if you stay, you do that at your own risk”, one of the orp members recounted. With this statement, they did not have a choice other than to leave and be trekking out of the town, through Ibokun road. All these happened in the presence of Fadahunsi. It was when we were also leaving the town that we had to carry one of the officials, backing a baby in our car. During an interview with the press before we left the town, Fadahunsi kicked against the allegation that he was the perpetrator of the shooting, saying: “I have been hearing that we killed two people here. Only one person was shot and he is in the hospital there. I am older than the governor and I am richer than him.” When we got to Ibokun at about 6.00 pm, what we met was jubilation by APC members that their candidate, Olatunbosun Oyinti-

An Exciting Election Trip

•murtala agboola

his r e p o r t e r w a s assigned to cover election in Inisa and its environs in Odo-Otin Local Government Council Area of the State Of Osun.

Driving from Osogbo to Inisa in the early hours of the election day was smooth, until I got to the Federal Government College (FGC) junction at Ikirun. There were security personnel asking drivers to open their car boots to show the contents. The soldiers held rifles and ordered everyone to comply. They were however, courteous in their approach. Immediately it got to my turn and one of them saw the INEC tag on me, he waved me to move on. The journey continued

without any hindrance. At Inisa, I drove through the town and visited all the polling units as well. The town erupted in joy after the results was declared, even though the two major contestants are from the neighbouring Okuku town. There were no vehicles on the roads in compliance with the directives of the InspectorGeneral of Police. The trip back to Osogbo was equally peaceful except at the check-point, where there was a serious traffic gridlock.

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ll Nigerians; except those who were hellbent on setting our country on fire are today democratic winners and true democrats. For once, Nigerians have demonstrated that we are matured to hold our destiny in our own hands, whether the wielders of power of incumbency like it or not. All is well that end well; that is the simple reason we can gloss over numerous malfeasances that transpired predominantly in a section of the country in March 28, 2015 elections. However, it will constitute a great omission on our part, if we fail to have a review that will relatively put some corrigenda in order. The suspense of political hindsight really sent jitters to the spines of average Nigerians because of various nasty experiences of our stereotype politics of bitterness usually accompanied by win at all cost syndrome. We saw during electioneering campaigns vicious cycle of acrimony, mud-slinging, hate-speeches, and other indecorous manifestations that put doubts on any propensity to let go in an event of a loss at the polls. Not even the signing of a peace accord by some parties’ presidential candidates, most especially the two major contenders, was able to entrench decorous behaviour amongst the rank and file of various party hierarchies. It was like we were preparing for real warfare in the countdown to the elections. The whole world are now pouring encomiums on the outgoing President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for essentially nipping in the bud, imminent breakout of violent reactions from apparently aggrieved individuals that feel the pinch of losing power in an unprecedented manner. Although, it is very much true that the telephone call Mr President put across to the president-elect; General Muhammadu Buhari, doused tensions and potentially potent restiveness that would have ensued, certain underlying factors need illumination, so that some avoidable misconceptions may be rooted out of our political scenario that has now become a topical issue for discussion in the global arena. It is eminently clear that the outgoing president was vicious in the build-up to the general elections. The campaign organisation of Mr. President applied all manner of antics to dissuade votes that majority of Nigerians determined to give General Muhammadu Buhari. Undue character assassination held sway as sponsored hate-speech advertorials dubbed most print media. Desperation got to the highest crescendo after a sixweek extension was slammed on election time table, when the impartial Channels Television was also made to kiss the canvas against its avowed propensity for neutrality. Though still allowed for some modicum of decency, Channels Television still carried some offensive advertorial at some points in time: the power of inducement and gratification at work one would say. Flouting of earlier peace accord by Goodluck Jonathan and his ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was enough to derail our chequered democratic process, while frequent visits to Lagos by the President left much too hot for comfort. It was considered a desperation taken too far by a sitting president to visit a zone severally with foreign and local currencies as gratification to cause disaffections amongst kith and kin in Yoruba land. So worse was the reckless spending by those expected to know the economic implications of indiscriminate withdrawal of fund that the value of naira got to all time low of N242 to $1; while non-indigenes began to sing discordant tunes because different

By ade olugbotemi

Encomiums On President Jonathan In Perspectives

interference from the ruling party. I have listened to President Jonathan’s telephone conversation with the President-elect, and the simple conclusion I can draw from it is that President Jonathan has all along been flying a kite that is remotely controlled. He cannot be said to be in-charge of Nigeria’s affairs as President. It may be that the general conjecture that his wife, Patience, or some big wigs in PDP have been defacto rulers is correct after all. Mr Jonathan that threw decorum to the wind during campaigns to subject his archrival to serious dehumanization is different from one that gave Buhari lavished respect in their conversation; just like Mr Jonathan that disgracefully sent Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi packing, only to kneel down before him a few months later begging for his (Sanusi’s) royal blessings. His Lilliputian spirit could not withstand the tension any remarkable electoral fraud could generate; more so when the international community has repeatedly warned against rigging and any act capable of undermining or subverting the electoral process.

•jonathan people were stripped of their resilience and determination for good governance through money-engendered hypnotism. Some old people within the South-West geo-political zone suddenly threw caution and wisdom of old age to the altar of compromise; claiming that they were speaking for Yoruba people that are predominantly progressive-inclined.

am not sure the pressure of electioneering can be so fierce that we shall forget so quickly the menace of compromised election in Ekiti State and the perpetrated impunity under Jonathan, whereby only seven members of twenty six in the State House of Assembly have been legislating for the state government. The reality of Ekiti election fraud will surely unfold very shortly, when appropriate authority beam searchlight on shrouded facts in a recorded tape by an army captain. The impunity of seven Ekiti legislators to suppress majority voice of nineteen legislators under Jonathan watch also left much to be desired. Recklessness was elevated above civility in the Fountain of

Knowledge State; so much that people began to ask question as to what effect the acquired knowledge of numerous Ekiti sons and daughters has had on their ability to cherish freedom and good governance. A Judge was beaten in the discharge of his duty, yet nothing was done to bring the hoodlums said to be sponsored by governor Fayose to book. It is like that all over the country as PDP literally went for the jugular against opposition in all states of the federation. Nigerians will be interested in unravelling how the personal file of General Buhari while in the service of his fatherland in the Nigerian Army was tampered with in an attempt to discredit him as a candidate that purportedly never obtained a school leaving certificate. At a point in time, espirit de corps was debased such that a far junior officer to Buhari, while in the Nigerian Army treated him with derision; all in the name of politicking. Military operations became so politicized such that professionalism that is the hallmark of military tenets became grossly compromised due to unbridled

wo scenarios I quickly want to draw attentions to at the International Conference Centre, Abuja that served as collation centre are the sudden interruption by a former Niger Delta affairs minister Elder Godswill Orubebe, who was said to have been directed by Patience Jonathan to disrupt the ongoing process, so that the election might remain inconclusive; while the other was the case of a Professor who could not read what he purportedly collated and personally wrote down in the open. Not even the provision of extrasuper illumination could help him out, as it was another person entirely that read the results; a clear evidence that the figures were arbitrarily written by someone else for the professor to read. These are clear inferences of fraud that can conveniently be drawn. The needless accolades being poured on President Jonathan are capable of being counterproductive and attract undue sympathy towards him and his ruling party. Also, a true statesman should not engage in activities that will divide citizens along ethnic and religious lines as exemplified in President’s Jonathan body language as he was seeking re-election. Different nationalities that have been living together without rancour suddenly became adversaries one to another because of ambition. It took God’s intervention for Ndigbo in Lagos not to go into war against their host Lagosians. We suddenly realised that some sections of the society are being marginalized through mere imagination propelled by inordinate ambition. Instead of unnecessarily alluding heroism to President Jonathan, we owe God full appreciation and adoration for helping us to escape the effect of time bomb that the outgoing president and his co-travellers set against the Nigerian majority. We must thank Professor Attahiru Jega for applying his God-given wisdom to insist on the use of card reader machines that PDP vehemently rejected; and for his endurance through barrage of provocation meted to him while discharging his duty for the survival of his fatherland. Kudos also goes to all Nigerians who endured all manners of intimidation to see to the emergence of a new Nigeria. All supporters of this positive change are indeed the true heroes that must be eulogized. I welcome all to a new Nigeria.

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:

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