Author: oduduwanews

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state has alleged that Governor Seyi Makinde and the leadership of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) were out to waste the state’s scarce resources and also make a mockery of democracy and the rule of law with their plans to go ahead with the conduct of the local government election slated for Saturday, May 22, without the APC and other registered political parties.

The Caretaker Committee Chairman of the APC in Oyo state, Chief Akin Oke, stated this at a press briefing held on Wednesday, at the party’s new state secretariat, Oke-Ado, Ibadan.

Oke said it became compulsory for him to once again address the press on the deliberate and unconstitutional acts of OYSIEC which has excluded the APC from the local government election.

The Caretaker Chairman recalled that the court action of the members of ALGON in Oyo State challenging the unconstitutional dissolution of the duly elected executives of the 33 local governments and 35 local councils development areas in the state was finally laid to rest by the Supreme Court judgement of May 7, 2021.

He said:”One of the reliefs granted at the High Court among others was a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants in that case among which is OYSIEC or anybody whatsoever from conducting elections into the 33 LGs and 35 LCDAs and their councillors during the three years constitutionally guaranteed tenure of the chairmen.

“It would also be recalled that the All Progressives Congress was the political party through which platform the chairmen and councillors contested and won the elections in 2018 and it therefore stands logic on its head for the chairman of OYSIEC who is a senior lawyer and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria for that matter to assert that APC cannot seek to benefit from a pronouncement of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and we have to wonder why cases are being cited in court or what do lawyers mean by the doctrine of judicial precedent.

“It will be a situation of approbating and reprobating for the APC to field candidates during the pendency of a litigation instituted by its members and what the lawyers call subjudice which should tell the OYSIEC chairman who is a lawyer that parties are supposed to know that nothing should be done with respect to a matter already submitted for the adjudication of the court.

“It must also be noted that OYSIEC had in its guidelines imposed a nomination form fees of N250,000 and N100,000 to be paid by the chairmanship and councillorship aspirants respectively. These fees are illegal because election processes cannot be monetised. OYSIEC having realised this illegal imposition of fees have now decided to refund the candidates but not after OYSIEC had closed every avenues for participation in the electoral processes thereby shutting out so many citizens of Oyo State who would have participated in the election by seeking for political office but for the illegal imposition of the nomination fees.

“The question is, is it fair on the people for OYSIEC to refuse to extend the election period and allow those already shut out from participating to also have the opportunity to exercise their constitutional rights to seek elective offices? We hope that Oyo State Government and OYSIEC will have a rethink and allow reason to prevail.”

Oke revealed that APC has prepared its originating processes and same forwarded to the Chief Judge of Oyo State through party’s lawyers.

“We are hoping that same will be attended to timeously by accepting same for filing and assigning it to a judge for hearing. The courts are imbued with extensive power under the High Court Laws of Oyo State, the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria and under the High Court Civil Procedure Rules of Oyo State coupled with the fact that the Supreme Court even sat during the pendency of JUSUN strike to deliver its judgment on 7th May, 2021,” he said.

“We are equally aware that some Magistrate Courts in Oyo State are sitting over criminal matters considered urgent during this ongoing JUSUN strike. If the Oyo State Judiciary can permit criminal matters to be heard in a strike, we trust his Lordship, the Chief Judge to mandate the necessary units and personnel to effect filing and assignment timeously before election day,” the Caretaker Chairman added.

The Governor of the State of Osun, Adegboyega Oyetola, said on Tuesday that his Administration remained a critical partner of the Anchor Borrower Programme initiative of the Federal Government as part of efforts to revamp the agriculture sector.

The Governor made this comment at the unveiling of Ekiti State Government Rice Pyramid Project, the signing of MoU between the State and the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria and the flag-off of 2021 wet season rice cultivation.

He disclosed that the rice component of the Osun Food Support Scheme was sourced from local rice sellers in order to encourage and empower local farmers in the State and beyond.

Oyetola said the Scheme, which enables the State to feed 30, 000 poor and vulnerable persons, will ultimately support food sufficiency programme, as farmers will be encouraged to double their efforts while Government serves as the off-taker.

He further disclosed the Administration’s readiness to unveil a new cocoa initiative that would empower 2, 000 young farmers in the State.

Oyetola added, “In two days’ time, we will be unveiling a new Cocoa initiative, aimed at empowering 2, 000 youths. We are doing this in collaboration with Afex Commodity and the Central Bank of Nigeria. The aim of the programme is to bring rapid development to Cocoa value chain and promote agro produce in the Cocoa producing States.”

He noted that the aim of the programme is to bring rapid development to cocoa value chain and promote agro produce in the cocoa producing States, adding that the government has also been working hard to support the Maize farmers, Cotton farmers and Cocoa farmers to make sure that the Anchor Borrower Scheme’s goals are realised even in the face of dwindling resources.

Governor Oyetola, who described agriculture as the most critical sector and bedrock of socioeconomic development, said, “By the nation’s potential and history, agriculture remains a critical but missing mainstay that we must all as a nation and the constituent States join hands together to find and sustain.”

Governor Oyetola commended President Muhammadu Buhari for graciously initiating the Anchor Borrower Programme to achieve food sufficiency in rice and other food crops, saying, “If, today, Nigeria has moved significantly to food sufficiency from where it was in 2015, rice production plays a significant role.”

According to him, President Buhari has not only initiated the Anchor Borrower Programme, he has also demonstrated leadership by giving it tremendous support that has made it possible to display gigantic rice pyramids in Niger, Kebbi and Gombe States, and to gather in Ekiti to launch the Ekiti State Rice Pyramid Project.

He said, “The novel success we have recorded in rice production as a nation in the past five years is evidence that we have the capacity as a nation to feed ourselves and turn our economy around. It is also proof that the President Buhari Administration means well for the people and the nation.

Oyetola congratulated Governor Kayode Fayemi on the unveiling of Ekiti State Government Rice Pyramid Project, saying “If agriculture worked for us as the mainstay of the nation’s economy in the First Republic, it will I work for us better now in the knowledge- and technology-driven 21st Century. We must all at the Federal, State and Local levels muster the political will to give agriculture its pride of place as a staunch source of food sufficiency and security as well as an employment generation and revenue earner.

“I commend the Ekiti State Government, RIFAN and all our rice farmers for rising up to the challenges of 2020, including the Covid-19 pandemic, and for putting all the requisite measures in place for a bountiful yield during the 2020 Wet Season Harvested Paddy.

“I urge all stakeholders to continue to engage meaningfully in research and training and re-training of personnel to build capacity for optimum results. We will also do well to provide all the necessary implements and support for our farmers to perform to their optimum”.

In his remarks, the host Governor and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said the initiative was in line with the vision of the Administration to ensure massive food production which was also in tandem with the President Muhammadu Buhari’s agricultural transformational agenda.

He said his Administration has successfully demonstrated the need for the people to look inward towards improving and revamping agriculture sector with focus on improved rice production to ensure food security and economic prosperity.

“As a responsible and responsive government, we are encouraging our farmers to take full advantage of the programme to enhance their agriculture produce capacity.

“In the olden days, Ekiti used to be the leading rice producer for the entire Western Region, and beyond. We are working to regain our pride of place, and building a successor generation of players in the rice value chain that would ensure security and economic prosperity.

“I am sure we would put Ekiti rice on the world map as we have institutionalised commercial agriculture,” he added.

In their separate goodwill messages, the Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu; Kebbi State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; Jigawa State Governor, Badaru Abubakar; and Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, lauded Governor Fayemi on the initiative, describing the move as timely, apt and prompt, particularly at a time the nation needs workable diversification with emphasis on agriculture to improve on its national economic plan.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Ekiti State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Olabode Adetoyi, said the initiative was conceptualised to tell the whole world that Nigeria could feed itself.

He noted that the initiative was also aimed at sending a strong encouragement signal to the people, particularly the young famers that the time has come for all to return to the farm as the scheme is embedded with high value chain capable of providing employment opportunities for the young ones.

The killing of five men by Customs officers has become national issue as Senate on Tuesday concluded to begin investigation into what led to the issue. It was resolved also that appropriate compensation should be given to the families of deceased.

The decision of the Senate was sequel to a motion by Buhari Abdulfatai who said the customs manifested long-held abuse of processes in her handling of the crossfire at Iseyin.

Those noted to have lost their lives to the crossfire owing to unprofessionalism are Ibrahim Mojeed, Timothy Gbadegesin, Tobiloba Opeyemi, Abdullah Abdulazeez and a yet to be identified man.

The resolution reads: “Urge the Senate to mandate the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff and the Senate Committee on Police Affairs to jointly interface with the hierarchy of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Customs Service towards ensuring that the incident is thoroughly investigated and any wrongdoers brought to book and organizing proper compensation to the families of the deceased and the injured.”

The motion sought an urgent investigation of the recent killing of civilians by men of the Nigeria Customs Service in Iseyin and breaking of shops in Ogbomosho and Ibadan and the need for professionalism in the Customs.

The Senate also urged ”the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff to interface with the top hierarchy of the Nigeria Customs Service towards the reorientation of members of the Service to restrain the use of firearms in the course of their official engagements in line with international best practices and also return all the money taken away.”

According to Abdulfatai, the right to life of the five killed was deprived of them by the Customs operation.

He pointed out that the right to life is a qualified constitutional right in Nigeria and provides that persons living in Nigeria shall have a right to life and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life unless in the execution of the sentence of a court of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty.

He disclosed that ”the Senate regret that custom officials have abused these privileges and turn themselves into something else by terrorising and harassing innocent citizens, breaking their shops in absentia and carting away money and rice in their shops.”

Senator Abdulfatai said that the sum of N1,200,000.00 million naira (Nl.2m) with 600 bags of rice were carted away in Ogbomoso as well as N4,000,000.00 million naira (N4m) with lorry loads of rice from shops in Ibadan on the 1st, 2nd and 6th of May.

Earlier today, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde and entourage stormed Iseyin to present PDP flags to candidates contesting for local government chairmanship positions in Iseyin, Itesiwaju, Iwajowa and Kajola Local Councils.

Meanwhile, before the commencement of the campaign, the honourable member, representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju, Hon. Dele Adeola made a case for the governor to visit the families of the deceased who were killed by men of Customs on Sallah day.

Makinde and his entourage visited the deceased families and donated one million Naira each while assuring them that he would ensure that justice prevails in the whole matter.

Makinde while speaking, appreciated the good people of Iseyin for the support given to him during the last general election.

“I want to urge my good people of Iseyin and its environs that they should continue to maintain peaceful coexistence and virtue of integrity they have been known for even if they are confronted with provocative event that requires them to break down the laws and orders”, said Makinde.

“I have promised that satellite campus of Iseyin will be commenced for full operation this year and I want to reiterate here that an approval has been given to LAUTECH Governing Council to ensure the campus is established for operation this year.

“I will like to assure you also that Iseyin/Ogbomosho road will be completed before the end of my tenure.

“I want to urge our people to please come out massively and vote for our preferred candidates under the banner of Peoples’ Democratic Party PDP in order to allow dividends of democracy trickled down to the people at the grassroot.

Some of the members on the entourage of Gov. Makinde included, the Chairman Advisory Council to Oyo state Government, Sen. Hosea Agboola, The State PDP Chairman, Alhaji kunmi mustapha, Hon Dele Adeola, Member OYHA, representing Iseyin/ Itesiwaju State Constituency, the PDP flagbearer in the forthcoming council election in Iseyin LG, Hon. Mufutau Abilawon and a host of others.

Earlier today, Oduduwa News has gathered that some suspected internet fraudsters had staged a protest in Osun State calling for an end to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC raides on them.

The protesters seen carrying placards with various inscriptions trooped out in their number to stage the protest in Osogbo, the State Capital of Osun State.

Details later.

THE Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Abdulganiyy Salau, has asked Yoruba nation agitators, including Sunday Adeyemo also known as Sunday Igboho, not to visit Iseyin for now.

The monarch made this known in a press briefing held today in Iseyin.

Oba Salau said the current mood in the town was not suitable for such rally because it could easily turn violent.

Five youths were reportedly shot dead by men of the Nigeria Customs Service on Thursday while people were celebrating Eid-el-Fitr

The NCS men were reportedly pursuing a sport utility vehicle which was loaded with dozens of foreign rice.

The monarch said, “Yes, I said they should not bring Yoruba nation rally to Iseyin. The town is not in the mood for such rally now considering what happened last week.

“You can know when they will start but anything can happen along the line. The people are still grieving. So, they should not come to Iseyin for any rally now.”

The monarch was said to have earlier in the day addressed a press conference in the town.

Following the reports of an alleged fresh crisis erupting in Ife and Modakeke communities on Sunday night, May 16, the Osun State police command has debunked the claims.

Opalola Yemisi, the police spokesperson in the state, clarified in a statement released on Monday that the local vigilantes guiding the area were on their routine show of force to alert the people of the community of their presence and assure them of safety.

The statement reads;

”It has become increasingly necessary to keep you abreast of the incident that occurred in Modakeke last night, 16th May, 2021 and has been trending on the social media.

I want to categorically state that, it was an erroneous believe that some people came to attack people from Famia axis.

The news was fake and a blatant lie!

The true situation as gathered is that; the local vigilantes guiding the area against thieves & hoodlums were on their routine SHOW OF FORCE like any other places, to alert the people of community of their presence & assure them of safety. But because of what happened recently, people became apprehensive, thinking they were under attack.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Olawale OLOKODE, psc wishes to assure the good people of Osun of his unrelenting commitment to ensure adequate security of the state, which he is overseeing without any fear of attack or molestation.

He therefore appeals to everyone to timely report any strange movement around them or anyone suspected to be of questionable character.

He urged everyone to go about their lawful businesses without any fear of insecurity.