Author: oduduwanews

The Police in Ogun State on Friday warned against political thuggery and violence as the two major factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are set to conduct parallel State congresses on Saturday.

ODUDUWA NEWS reports that the warring groups led by Governor Dapo Abiodun and his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, had held parallel ward and Local Government congresses last month.

The factions battling for the soul of the ruling party have now concluded plans to also hold separate congresses to elect the state executive members of the APC in the exercise slated for Saturday.

Amosun group had picked the Ake palace ground, Abeokuta as venue of its congress, Abiodun’s faction will be conducting their congress at main bowl of the MKO Abiodun stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta.

The State Police Command said it had deployed large number of policemen to secure the MKO Abiola Stadium, Kuto, where Abiodun’s faction had picked as the venue of the congress.

The Police Spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, in a statement, on Friday night, warned that “any act of hooliganism and brigandage before, during and after the congress will not be tolerated.”

He also warned that anybody who has no business in and around the venue of the congress should steer clear of the area

Oyeyemi said, “The Command will deal decisively with anybody caught in any act capable of undermining the peace and tranquility being enjoyed in the state, no matter the position or status of such person.

“Parents and guardians are also advised to call their wards to order by counseling them not to allow themselves to be used for political thuggery as such will be viewed with all seriousness.”

The Police Spokesman quoted the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, to have wished members of the party successful congress, while enjoining them to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner and exhibit high sense of sportsmanship.

However, the chairman of the Congress Committee for Ogun state, Wale Ohu has declared that, any congress outside the one conducted by his committee is “null and void.”

Ohu insisted that the only congress conducted by his committee will be regarded as valid State Congress election in the state.

Ohu disclosed this while briefing journalists after the screening of all aspirants seeking election into various state party offices, held at the APC secretariat, Moshood Abiola Way, in the State capital.

He said, “I have the mandate of the National Secretariat of the party to vet, screen and conduct the Ogun State congress of the APC. No other election is valid, except the one my committee of 7 sent by the National headquarters of the party.

“You will recall that we had conducted Ward and Local Government Congresses in this State before. The outcome of the congresses were subjected to appeal and subsequently validated and upheld by the CCECP of the party.

“Only a few minutes ago we sworn in the leadership at the local government level because the caretaker committee of the State Executive Council had been dissolved. For emphasis, tomorrow’s Congress of the APC will hold at MKO Abiola International Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, not anywhere else. Any other purported or supposed election is therefore a nullity,” he stressed.

According to Ohu, the clarification became necessary because he had been inundated with calls, text messages and physical enquiries over the exercise and insinuations that some other persons are planning to have another election.

The national leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced suspension of the ongoing State Congress in Oyo state due to forging of documents meant for the exercise and other irregularities.

Governor of Yobe state and Chairman, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, gave the ordered.

In a statement signed by the party’s National Secretary Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe, Saturday morning, said the suspension became necessary to ensure credibility of the process leading to the emergence of new leaders in Oyo state.

The statement affirmed that APC under governor Mai Mala Buni will not tolerate act of indiscipline and fraudulent manipulation of process of any kind.

“It has become necessary to suspend the ongoing State Congress exercise in Oyo state due to information regarding the forging of documents meant to conduct this exercise.

“The national chairman, has however ordered the Oyo state Congress Committee to return to the National Secretariat for further briefing.” The statement said.

The APC also assured the teaming members of the party of level playing ground and justice at all time.

Pastor Tunde Bakare of Citadel Global Community Church (also known as Latter Rain Assembly), has said that it is of no importance what region the next president comes from, as long as said individual is able to govern properly.

“Listen to me, if where the president comes from will make the place he has come from to be better, the northern part of Nigeria should be the richest and should be the most progressive and the most developed because out of 61 years, the north has produced either the president or heads of state for 40 to 41 years, and yet see the retrogression in the North,” Mr Bakare told State House correspondents on Friday afternoon. “Not where they come from, it’s what they carry and what they have to offer. May the best of the best of Nigerians rise, whether they’re from the east, from the west, from the north, and from the south.

Mr Bakare’s comments came shortly after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

His position could widen the raging debate about whether or not the presidency should be ceded to Southern Nigeria by way of consensus in 2023 when Mr Buhari’s tenure will expire. Mr Buhari is from Northern Nigeria and power rotation has been practiced amongst political parties in informal arrangements because the Constitution did not prescribe power rotation between the multiple ethnic and religious groups within the country.

While several politicians in the South have threatened serious political consequences if the power is not shifted to the region in 2023, northern politicians are insisting that no citizen should be disenfranchised because they are from a region that produced the last president.

Mr Bakare, in his exchange with the State House reporters, acknowledged the validity of internal party zoning arrangements, but said such affairs cannot supersede extant constitutional provisions.

“If there are agreements between politicians among themselves on rotation, a bargain is a bargain, that’s between them,” he said. “But as far as this country is concerned, what we need at this stage is a man who can drive us to the Eldorado.”

Mr Bakare also hinted at the 2023 presidential election, saying if Nigerians and God wanted him to run for the position. he would.

“Every Nigerian, who is of age and who is not disqualified by any means, is free. I’m a nation builder, if God wants me to do that, and the people of Nigeria will appreciate that, why not? I’m as free as anybody to do anything with my time. I’ve pastored a church for 33 years, now we raise new leaders. I want to focus on nation-building.

This meeting comes after Mr Bakare, who was Mr Buhari’s running mate in the duo’s unsuccessful presidential run in 2011, had publicly declared in July that he would no longer visit Mr Buhari as the president failed to improve the lives and wellbeing of Nigerians.

Last year, Mr Bakare had asked that he be exempted from national conversations.

Governor of the state of Osun, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola, his Ondo State counterpart, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN and other stakeholders on Thursday, advocated that constitutional roles should be assigned to traditional rulers to give legal backings to their responsibilities especially in the security of their domains.

The governors were among notable stakeholders who partook in the fourth edition of the Ooni Ogunwusi annual international leadership symposium 2021, in commemoration of the birthday anniversary of the Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II.

The event which has the theme: “Addressing Security Challenges As They Affect Grassroots Development In Nigeria: Need for Constitutional Empowerment of Traditional Institution”, held at the prominent Oba Okunade Sijuwade Memorial Hall, Enuwa, Ile-Ife.

Represented by the Commissioner for Education, Hon. Folorunso Oladoyin, Governor Oyetola, who expressed huge concern about the current challenges confronting the country, revealed that much could be achieved by empowering the traditional rulers.

“As the closest to the people at the grassroots, traditional rulers are critical components of government. They also have the responsibility for ensuring security, governance and economic development in their abodes.

“This is important because as all politics is local, all security is also local. The criminals come from families, homes, villages and towns. To effectively secure our nation, therefore, requires that government should work with our traditional rulers as critical stakeholders in promoting active communal peace building, intelligence gathering, good neighborliness and responsible followership.” Governor Oyetola admonished.

On the other hand, Ondo state Governor Akeredolu SAN who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Chief Olugbenga Ayinde, prescribed that outcome of the symposium should be compiled and transfered to the National Assembly for inclusion in the country’s constitution in line with the ongoing constitutional reform.

Arakunrin Akeredolu however asked salient questions that will determine the type of constitutional inclusiveness that should be given to traditional rulers.

He asked, “Will this entitle them to a share of the security vote?
“Will the present 5% allocated to traditional rulers be enough with the constitutional roles being assigned to them?
“Will they not be perceived as now being part of the government of the day?
“Will it not erode part of their institutional legitimacy and traditional authority?”

In the same vein, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, CP Olawale Olokode, described traditional rulers as a great partner in progress to the Nigeria Police, calling for a constitutional backing of their indispensable roles.

“In the 1999 constitution, there is no definite constitutional role for the traditional rulers. This is one of the defaults of the 1999 constitution. How do they operate without a constitutional resolution has seriously been undermined both in terms of authority and power. Their inability to intervene at the earlier stage of crisis has led to the escalation of such crisis leading to a serious instability, chaos and huge damage to lives, property and economic activities of the nation.” The commissioner stated.

Among other items of the event was the presentation of scholarship to indigent Higher Institution students by the Ooni of Ife as powered by Hopes Alive Initiative (HAI), under the leadership of Princess Temitope Adesegun.

The scholarship initiative was supported with five hundred thousand naira, by the representative of the Governor, Honourable Folorunso Oladoyin who is the Osun State Commissioner for Education.

Speaking on the involvement of the nongovernmental organization (HAI) in humanitarian support particularly in the education sector, Dr. Ese Oghene while presenting the scholarship on behalf of Princess Temitope, said, “HAI understands the importance of education in the life of children and so HAI is currently working on operation ‘Send Every Child To School’, as a way of rewarding academic excellence, HAI offers scholarship to A-rated students one of which we just witnessed.”

The Ooni however thanked the organizers including Sooko Kemade Elugbaju, Olamide Awosunle, Comrade Moses Olafare and Hopes Alive Initiative, for putting up the wonderful event despite the challenges during preparations.

“All I want to say is a very big thank you especially to all of you here present, you really made my day and I hold you all in a very high esteem. I really laud the speeches of Governor Oyetola, Governor Akeredolu and Osun State Commissioner of Police as they all addressed the security challenges being faced by all of us in this country. This is the time for all of us to come together and defeat this menace of insecurity so that we can progress as a country.
Ooni Ogunwusi said.