Nothing But Fact
The chairman Oyo State Housing Corporation, Bayo Lawal has just been confirmed by the Assembly as the substantive Deputy Governor.
The State House of Assembly has removed the deputy Speaker, Rauf Olaniyan.
The decision was sequel to the report of the seven man panel set of by the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Munta Abimbola.
In the report, the committee said the deputy Governor was found guilt of all allegations levelled against him and was thereby removed.
The Oyo State House of Assembly has impeached the state’s deputy governor, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan.
This is coming barely hours after the House received the report of the investigative panel constituted by the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Munta Abimbola.
24 members of the House had voted for the impeachment move, following which the Chief Judge of the state inaugurated an Investigative panel to probe the deputy governor.
The assembly had served the deputy governor with a notice of impeachment over alleged gross misconduct, abuse of office, financial recklessness, among others.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Debo Ogundoyin, said the investigative panel found the deputy governor guilty of the charges against him.
Following various complaints and allegations of continuous abuse of female students in the Federal Government Girls College, Oyo, and the petition written to the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Oyo State chapter by concerned parents, Oyo NAWOJ on Sunday, July 18, 2022, demanded that relevant authorities take immediate action to halt such alleged abuses.
NAWOJ also called for the suspension of the principal of the school, to allow thorough investigation in the matter.
NAWOJ, speaking through its chairperson, Comrade Jadesola Ajibola, at a Press Conference held at the NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan, called on the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to immediately set up an investigation panel to look into the alleged molestation of the girls, sexual harassment and all forms of abuse against students of FGGC, Oyo.
NAWOJ also called on the Registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Professor Segun Ajiboye, who it described as an outstanding indigenous son of Oyo state, to investigate the attitude of these registered teachers without delay and take appropriate action.
“We demand the immediate suspension of the principal to allow for thorough investigation on the matter and the PTA Chairman also should resign with immediate effect as the Concerned Parents claim they no longer have confidence in your leaderships as it portends more danger to the lives of the girls in the school.
“And as the alleged perpetrators are undoubtedly members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), we call on Comrade Raji Oladimeji to look into this issue further.
“As an association, we will not relent on our oars until we get justice for the survivor of the recent abuse, a minor who was regularly sexually abused and violated and other victims in that school.
“Also, we ask that the Federal Government who owns the school to set up a committee and make Oyo NAWOJ one of the members to investigate the alleged sexual abuse perpetrated against these students and bring any erring staff to justice,” NAWOJ demanded.
While condemning what is now called the sexual siege on FGGC Oyo and any form of violation against the rights of any child in the state in its totality, Oyo NAWOJ stated that it believed that by now, the leadership of the school ought to have set up a panel to investigate the dangerous trend reported by concerned parents of the school.
The association commended the Oyo state Police Command under the leadership of the new Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Williams, for taking up the recent incident involving a 14 year-old girl who was sexually molested and abused by her teacher and urged the CP to speed up investigations and start prosecution of the accused teacher before a court of competent jurisdiction within the state without delay.
NAWOJ also called on Governor Seyi Makinde and his wife to support in ensuring justice for the victims and provide more protection for pupils and students in the state, while warning others who are constantly engaging in the inhuman acts to stop it immediately as the law would surely catch up with them shortly.
Oyo NAWOJ also dvised parents to do more in ensuring the protection of their children at all times, adding that NAWOJ remains the voice for the voiceless in the country and would continue to respond to calls of this nature from other schools where some violators were still perpetrating such an act.
In her contribution, a representative of the Concerned Parents, Faniyan Nancy, stated that the molestation and defilement of girls in FGGC, Oyo has been on for over a decade within the school but became worse under the current principal, adding that parents could not continue to watch while the school sweeps cases under the carpet without considering the effect of the sexual abuses on the children.
Also speaking, another parent, Honourable Adewale Adebayo, said the parents had to shout out as rather than diminish, cases of teachers in the school abusing students sexually continue to rise and many students have been destroyed psychologically.
“We cannot close our eyes to this menace that can truncate the future of our children. Perpetrators must be made to face the law especially since the management of the school has been covering up such incidents in the past for months and refusing to take disciplinary actions against the perpetrators when such cases are reported,” he added.
Judging by the various televised debates of the contenders for gubernatorial seat in the just concluded Osun state elections, it is safe to conclude that the most vocal (I won’t say the best, because being vocal may not necessarily be yardstick for performance) is former deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Lasun Yusuf of Labour Party. His presentations at various debates were exceedingly fantastic.
While I would’ve wished, based on the depth on knowledge he demonstrated and his political track records, he is considered for the gubernatorial seat, it is unfortunate that voting decisions are guided by what I will call ‘extraneous’ considerations, which makes the election strictly two-horse race between the APC and PDP.
I adjudge the PDP candidate as a personality that is ‘not loaded’, judging by his various presentations at the debates and even interviews that I had watched him speak. I have no iota of believe in his personality and capability to deliver and I had discussed it among friends, who held contrary views that he might actually not be talker but may be a competent harvester and manager of people for delivery, a position that makes me give him a benefit of doubt that he might surprise everyone who sees him as a mere ‘dancer’ with performance. Sarcastically, if as fat as he is, he could carry his body effortlessly in his conscious dance step, he should expectedly be able to carry the huge burden of leadership in Osun with ease, too.
However, majority of Adeleke’s traducers criticize him for his habitual public dances. Yes, it may align with the social standards of some people but it cannot be said to be antisocial, neither can it be termed immoral. His PDP people who supported him in 2018 still believes in him, renominated him and supported him to actually ‘dance’ to victory.
Now, to incumbent Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, who served as Chief of Staff to former Governor and current Minister for interior, Rauf Aregbesola who later supported him to emerge Osun state Governor in a keenly contested election against same Adeleke. I personally consider him the architect of his own political misfortune, this time.
To my conviction, Gov. Oyetola’s defeat is not simply the choice of Osun people, but the consequence of a house divided against itself. While I am not so acquainted with the facts of the crisis that rocked Osun APC, I am aware that as a sitting Governor; a position the APC has equated its holders to demigods, H. E Oyetola had all it takes to arrest the fire that has now razed his own chances of re-election.
From barring a former Governor from holding a mere birthday party in the State capital, to barring him and his supporters from registering as Party members, to frustrating payments to contractors who worked for previous government of the State (not Aregbe personally) and other funny and petty aggressive tendencies, the Governor made some of us who are external observers (although with friends in Osun) see him as a mere sociopath betrayal. Perhaps, judging from our experience with a Governor we also toiled day and night to ensure his victory, but polarized his own party and tore his own people apart in a bid to assert dominance in a Machiavellian manner. How has the party structures Gov. Oyeleke unilaterally installed saved him in the election?
While it is truism that politics is about interest and these Governors have every right to protect theirs’ too, for the sake of morality, it should be done with all sense of purpose, collectiveness, empathy and most importantly, conscientiousness. Anything contrary is betrayal, which in all its form is evil and evil is darkness that is susceptible to the overtake of the light. Osun just demonstrated that!
Therefore, whichever way we chose to look at it, my moral compass convinced me that it is better to chose a ‘conscious dancer’ over ‘sociopathic betrayal’, because while dancing cannot be said to be antisocial or immoral, betrayal is a worse immorality! That must have guided the decision made by Osun today, which is a reference point for so many APC states, especially Kwara and I hope and pray the people of Osun gets the best out of the choice they have made and lessons they’ve taught us.
Ibrahim Sheriff writes from Oke Andi, Ilorin, Kwara State.
A human rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has called on the Governor of Osun State and candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Gboyega Oyetola, to concede defeat and congratulate the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and governor-elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke.
Olajengbesi stated that it will be a disgrace for Oyetola to challenge Adeleke’s victory in court as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
In a statement on Sunday, Olajengbesi described any litigation by the APC candidate as a waste of time, adding that even the Supreme Court cannot save Oyetola from his defeat at the poll.
He, therefore, asked Oyetola to be honourable and congratulate Adeleke, just as the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), did on Sunday.
He, therefore, asked Oyetola to be honourable and congratulate Adeleke, just as the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), did on Sunday.
However, rather than following the footstep of the President, Oyetola said APC leadership in Osun will respond to the result of Saturday’s governorship poll after studying it.
According to Olajengbesi, “It is only wise for Governor Gboyega Oyetola to bury his head in shame, concede defeat and congratulate the people’s choice and the winner of the July 16, 2022, governorship election in Osun State, Senator Ademola Jackson Adeleke.
“The governor will be disgracing himself big time should he head to court or to the tribunal to challenge the people’s mandate. Oyetola should also know that no moneybag from Bourdillon can save him from this catastrophic defeat he suffered on Saturday. After all, Senator Adeleke only reclaimed the mandate that was stolen from him in 2018 through a sham rerun election.
“However, times have changed and the people of Osun have become wiser. The beauty of democracy is about choice – Governor Oyetola was apparently kicked out of office by the people because of bad governance and poor performance; the people wanted more.”
The lawyer, who is the Principal Officer of Law Corridor, an Abuja-based law firm, also commended INEC and the security agencies for their role in ensuring a free and fair electoral process and congratulated the governor-elect.
He stated, “The role of INEC and security agencies in this free and fair election can also not be overemphasised. They can only do more as we step into the bigger election season in 2023.
In what appears to be passage of vote of no confidence on its leader, a political group within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekiti State has called for the immediate suspension of former governor Ayo Fayose from the party.
The group, Ekiti Political Intervention Coalition, EPIC, in a statement issued on Sunday by its Co-Convener, Alexander Obisesan, also called on the party to dissolve the ‘factional’ PDP executives in the state and install a caretaker committee to reorganise the party.
While congratulating Senator Ademola Adeleke for emerging victorious in the Osun governorship poll, EPIC attributed PDP’s poor showing in Ekiti State to the alleged “Fayose’s mismanagement of the party for personal gains and secret alliance with the APC.”
The group further said, “Former governor Fayose has lost the trust and confidence of PDP members in Ekiti State; he has the respect of the people and has become surplus to requirement in Ekiti politics.”
The Coalition also called on PDP governors across the country to distance themselves from Fayose, alleging that he is secretly working for the APC to win the 2023 presidential election.
It claimed that “PDP members in Ekiti State and across the country are disenchanted with former governor Ayodele Fayose and blaming him for the party’s worst performance in Ekiti State since 1999.
“It is no longer hidden to party members and Nigerians that Fayose deliberately worked against PDP’s fielding of popular candidates in 2018 and 2022 in order to please some interest in the APC.
“While the victory of Senator Ademola Adeleke in Osun State is a reprieve for the PDP in the South-West, the party should, however, take a deliberate step to reorganise the party in Ekiti State.
“Since it has become evident that Fayose will never work for the PDP presidential candidate as his alliance with Asiwaju Tinubu is not hidden, it is time for the PDP governors to distance themselves from him,” the statement added.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday, said the election of Senator Ademola Adeleke in the Osun State governorship poll is a reflection of the will of the people.
Lagos Reporters reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday morning, declared Adeleke as winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.
The Governor-elect had polled a total of 403,371 votes to beat his closest rival and incumbent governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gboyega Oyetola, who secured 375,027 votes.
In a statement issued on Sunday, by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, the President admonished that the people’s choice must be respected.
He noted the success of the exercise as a testimony to the maturity and commitment of all stakeholders.
According to the statement, with the election over, the President expressed conviction that the people of Osun have expressed their will through the ballot, and the will of the people must always matter and be respected in a democracy.
President Buhari noted that the successful conduct of the election is a further testimony to the maturity and commitment of all stakeholders – the electoral body, security agencies, political parties, the media, civil society and the electorate- to further strengthen the integrity of the electoral process in the country.
The President reassured the nation that the commitment of this administration towards having credible elections remains unshaken.
“With the election over, the President expresses the conviction that the people of Osun have expressed their will through the ballot, and the will of the people must always matter and be respected in a democracy,” President Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
“President Buhari notes that the successful conduct of the election is further testimony to the maturity and commitment of all stakeholders – the electoral body, security agencies, political parties, the media, civil society, and the electorate – to further strengthen the integrity of the electoral process in the country.
“The President reassures the nation that the commitment of this administration towards having credible elections remains unshaken”, the statement read.
The Ajafeto Youth Forum held official launching of its socio-cultural group yesterday at Award Hall, Akinyele Local Government Council of Oyo State.
According to ODUDUWA NEWS correspondent at the event, the Convener of the group, Okesanmi Taiwo, while speaking used the ocassion to highlight aims and objectives of the group and affirmed that the forum is not affiliated to any political party.
The theme of the programme: “A Developing Nigeria, Youths As A Driving Force” was discussed by the former Oyo State Commissioner for Works and Transport, Prof. AbdulRahman Afonja who spoke on the need for Nigerian youths to position themselves for the task of leadership.
He averred that the youths should also ensure that they discharge their responsibilities well whenever they are tested with leadership role.
“When I was serving I always ensured that I attended to any file that came to my table without any delay and that aided productivity. I thank Gov. Makinde for the privilege given to me and I use this medium to solicit for his re-election because he has performed creditably well”, said Afonja.
The second speaker, Barrister Wuraola Ayodele-George while speaking said, Nigerians are blessed with alot of innovative youths that can turn the economy around. She further stated that youths need to get involved in leadership role to tackle the challenges of economy, power and security confronting the nation.
Among the guests at the programme were the State PDP Youth Leader, General Manager of Amuludun FM, and several others.
Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka on Sunday said those who conspired to catapult Chief Bola Ige’s destroyers to unmerited national prominence, have been justly served by the outcome of the Osun governorship election.
Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defeated the incumbent governor, Adegboyega Oyetola to emerge winner of the Osun governorship election held on Saturday.
Reacting to the outcome of the poll, Soyinka, in a statement, said the voice of Ajibola Ige, slain Minister of Justice, resounded from beyond the grave.
“Those who conspired to catapult his destroyers to unmerited national prominence, to insult the memories of the living, and jettison basic ethical constraints, have been justly served.
Soyinka said the outcome was a lesson that speaks to other zones of rightful public expectations, equity, and just entitlements.
“It is a lesson that speaks to other zones of rightful public expectations, equity, and just entitlements. One despairs but continues to hope that there are still receptive minds in which such lessons will germinate.
“If we may adapt a wise saying from the ancients: the beast of burden, nicknamed Equity, ambles its mined course to destination but, sooner or later, that donkey arrives,” he stated.
Zaazu singer, Portable, has congratulated Ademola Adeleke, on his emergence as the winner of the Osun State governorship election.
Portable had campaigned for the All Progressives Congress candidate, Governor Gboyega Oyetola, in the days leading up to the election and had even berated Davido for unfollowing him on Instagram.
Sharing a video on his page on Sunday with a sound track singing the praises of Adeleke, Portable said, “Congratulations Kinimah Akoi ADEMOLA ADELEKE IMOLE TIDE 💯”
He also added, “Na performance dem pay me for.”
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