Author: oduduwanews

Member representing Lagelu State Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Akintunde Olajide aka AKT has applauded the passage of the Oyo State Market Leaders Council Bill, 2020 into Law.

Hon Akintunde Olajide gave the commendation on Tuesday shortly after the passage of the bill by the Oyo State House of Assembly.

The Lawmaker who sponsored the Bill said it was not only meant to regulate and reposition the activities of the market leaders in Oyo State but also to give them due recognition in the scheme of things.

Hon Akintunde described the Bill as the first of its kind in Oyo State.

” I am happy that the Bill has eventually been passed. It is a dream come true. It will bring a total reform to the market leaders Council in Oyo State. Our relentless effort in this regard has yielded result at least with the passage of the Bill into Law. ” Hon Akintunde said

He said once the law is assented to by the Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, the offices of Babaloja and Iyaloja General at the State level will become rotational among all the administrative zones.

” We have included so many clauses that will promote and foster peace and harmony among various societies within our markets. The Babaloja and Iyaloja in the new law will also perform other functions that will enhance their effectiveness and also synergy in their activities. ” Hon Akintunde added.

Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji on Monday presided over the swearing-in of the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Habibat Adubiaro and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dayo Apata (SAN), with a charge to them to develop new socio political skills and emotional intelligence to cope with the pressure associated with their respective offices.

The Governor who said the two officials were appointed based on their rich credentials and experiences, restated his promise to get very competent Ekiti indigenes wherever they are to man strategic positions in his administration.

He also debunked insinuations in some quarters that he was under pressure by the immediate past Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi , his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi and former Deputy Governor to appoint their cronies into his cabinet.

Oyebanji said he had promised the people of the state that members of his cabinet would be the best set of individuals that would assist him in managing the affairs of Ekiti in a manner that would bring about the fulfilment of his electoral promises to the people of the State.

According to him, “While I recognize the right of people to freedom of expression, I also have the right to respond to the fake news being circulated on social media. Having listened to the CVs of the two appointees, you will discover that they got this job clearly on merit. My promise to Ekiti people is that I am going to look for the best anywhere to help me run Ekiti and that is what we are going to do.

“We are not going to be distracted as long as we are doing what is right in the interest of our people. But, I need to put it on record that neither the former Governor nor his wife, nor the former deputy Governor has put any pressure on me to appoint anybody. But if I have to go back to his former cabinet and appoint relevant people that can assist me , I will go and pick them.”

Expressing confidence in the professionalism and competence of Dr Adubiaro to serve in the capacity of Secretary to the State Government, Governor Oyebanji stated that her appointment was in consonance with his administration’s commitment to gender balance, affirmative action and equity.

The Governor further charged the duo to develop a robust policy engagement platform where policy stakeholders can learn, interact, engage, review and evaluate government plans and programme from time to time to achieve the overall objectives of his administration.

“As you assume office, you need to learn fast on the job and familiarize yourself with the function of your respective offices, you must also acquaint yourself with the manifestoes that earn us the mandate of the good people of Ekiti State and to understand the direction of policies and programmes of this administration.

“Similarly you must pay attention to the political environment under which we operate and apprise yourself to its uniqueness and idiosyncrasies. As top government functionaries, you will expectedly come under intense pressure. You, however, need to develop the right socio political skills and emotional intelligence to manage pressure with firmness and magnanimity.”

Responding on behalf of the duo, Apata assured the Governor that they would live a life of dedication, commitment, integrity, loyalty in discharging their responsibilities.

Expressing gratitude to the Governor for the appointment, Barrister Apata said they would key into the vision and mission of his administration and also add value to the progress of the State.

The new SSG, Dr Habibat Adubiaro, who holds a doctorate degree in Chemistry, was formerly Vice Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Federal University, Oye ( FUOYE) Chapter; while Apata was a former Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja.

The event was attended by the Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye; Ekiti State First lady, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji; Deputy Speaker, House of Assembly, Hon Hakeem Jamiu; traditional rulers led by the Chairman, Ekiti State Traditional Council and Onisan of Isan Ekiti, Oba Gabriel Adejuwon; Wife of Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Eyesorun Abosede Adejugbe; Ekiti State Chairman, All Progressives Congress, Barr Paul Omotosho, Permanent Secretaries, top Government Functionaries, clerics, among others.

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, a former Deputy National Chairman, Bode George, has backed the call for the resignation of the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

George faulted the resolution of the Acting PDP’s Board of Trustees, BoT, chairman, Adolphus Wabara-led reconciliation committee.

The Wabara-led PDP BoT, in its report submitted to the party, recommended that the National Chairman, Iyorhcia Ayu, should resign after the 2023 general elections.

The committee also urged Ayu to assure members that he would step down after the polls.

Some PDP governors like Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State have been calling for Ayu’s resignation.

They argued that PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the National Chairman can’t come from the same region.

However, while appearing on Channels Television’s Programme, Sunday Politics, George wondered why the PDP chairman should be a judge in his own case.

He said: “The board of trustees met, and we are told by one group that what they recommended was not what the acting board of trustees chairman said on the day they presented the report. So what is going on? For example, I wasn’t invited to the meeting. I am a life member of the board of trustees. We were not there.

“And the shocking part of it, when I saw it on television, I saw that Iyorchia Ayu, the National Chairman of the party, who was the centre of the issue, was sitting as a judge in his own case. Does that make any judicial sense? You are discussing him; he is sitting as if he was the one moderating. That is not the way things are done. I don’t know what the factual analysis is. All we were told was that Ayu made a promise and he must honour his promise.

“On that day, we were told again that was not what was said. What was said was that Ayu should make a promise that when the elections are over, he will leave, that he will make that promise. My goodness, time is of the essence. Nobody is going to wait for us.”

Photo of Ayu at the BOT meeting where decision was to be taken on him