Category: Politics

The Oyo State House of Assembly has expressed concern over the possible rise in herders/farmers clashes in most agrarian communities across the State as the dry season approaches, and has therefore called on the Executive arm of Government to put measures in place for the implementation of Anti-Open Grazing Prohibition Law.

This was the resolution of the lawmakers while contributing to a motion on the need to put measures in place to forestall herdsmen/farmers clashes in Oyo State as the dry season approaches jointly brought by Hon Francis Adetunji (Oluyole) and Hon Saminu Gbadamosi (Atisbo/Saki East).

The motion states in part ” As the dry season approaches, herders and their cattle from the fast drying North will be moving down to the West to get greener pastures for their animals. The concern is that the herders would not restrict grazing of their cattle to uncultivated farmlands alone. Experiences in the past would remind us of the bitter tales our farmers have had to tell. Many of our farmers have left their farms for either the fear of being killed by notorious herders or because of great losses they have recorded overtimes due to the wanton destruction of their farms by these set of people and their animals.”

The lawmakers stated that it was time for implementation of the anti-open grazing law passed by the Assembly on the 24th of October, 2019 and already assented to by Governor Seyi Makinde to checkmate the destruction of farmlands by the herders and also compel them to adopt the modern ways of rearing their animals.

In their remarks, Hon Asimiyu Alarape (Minority Leader), Hon Simeon Oyeleke (Ogo-Oluwa/Ajaawa) urged the Executive arm of Government to take proactive measures in addressing the activities of the Fulani herders who carry weapons and guns around.

The duo of Hon Akeem Adedibu (Chief Whip) and Hon Jacob Bamigboye who were almost moved to tears narrated how their farmlands were recently destroyed by the herds of cattle of these erring Fulanis.

They said farmers in Oyo State will experience worse situation from Fulani herders in the coming dry season if the recalcitrant Fulani herders are not made to face the full wrath of the provisions of the law, and appealed to the Governor to be courageous enough in implementing the Open Grazing Prohibition Law.

The Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Adebo Ogundoyin maintained that continuous destruction of farmlands by Fulani herders and their cattle was unacceptable.

He stressed that this has continued to take it toll on the food production and has resulted in scarcity of foodstuff and increase in their prices.

” Our Security Agents, Amotekun Corps and other Vigilance Groups must work together to address this menace and arrest these agents of destruction. We cannot afford to have increase in the activities of Fulani herders on our farms. ” Oyo Speaker said.

The House also called on all stakeholders to organize farmers, herders meeting in order to emphasize compliance to the Open Grazing Prohibition Law and re-emphasize the need for everyone to live together in peace and harmony.

It was equally resolved that there should be adequate sensitization on the media in different languages to ensure everyone becomes aware of penalities and provisions of the law to prevent further violations.

The socio-cultural organization, Afenifere has called on Federal Government to take a decisive action to prevent the country going into smithereens.

This was contained in a statement signed and made available to ODUDUWA NEWS today by the National Publicity Secretary of the organization, Comrade Jare Ajayi as read in part:

“With the ever growing reports of how much terrorists are gaining grounds in Nigeria, urgent, decisive, enduring and sincere actions need to be taken to prevent the country from going into smithereens.

“Sounding this note of warning was the pan Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere in press release signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi.
According to the release, the reports of how gunmen overran the police divisional headquarters in Umulokpa, Uzo-Uwani LGA of Enugu state on Friday, October 9, 2021, in broad day light and abducted a police officer and the abduction of seven inmates of St Albert the Great Institute of Philosophy, a Catholic seminary in Fayit, Kaduna State on Monday, October 11, 2021 are the latest of instances epitomizing the level of how the government is failing in the most basic of its responsibilities – protection of the citizens. They added to the list of reports of terrorists overrunning military formations and police stations particularly in the northern part of the country.

“Only last week, unrefuted reports had it that bandits suspected to be remnants of Boko Haram terrorists were setting up camps in villages in Kuje Area Council of Abuja Municipality. Penultimate week, the chairman of Shiroro local government area of Niger State, Hon Suleiman Chukuba, disclosed that insurgents had taken over about 500 communities in his local government area.

“According to him, the insurgents were forcing the residents of the communities into becoming Boko Haram members and equipping them to fight against the government.
The Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello ealier in August had announced that Boko Haram terrorists had captured some areas in the state and had even hoisted their flags in those communities. Before then, Nassarawa State Governor Abdullah Sule had made a similar declaration. He even went further to remind the federal government and security agencies that Nassarawa is very close to Aso Rock, the country’s seat of power. As such, allowing the terrorists to establish in the state can be dangerous not only to his state but also to the country. Not long after he sounded the warning, the Taliban took over power in Afghanistan – to the chagrin of virtually the whole world.

“Niger and Nassarawa are not the only states that terrorists have set up camps in. Zamfara, Borno, Kaduna, Benue, Yobe have cache of lands where bandits have established themselves from which they unleash terror on the people and government interests.

“In the South West, Ibadan to Ijebu-Ode highway, parts of Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun and Osun States posted cases of armed attacks and abductions almost on a daily basis. The same way it is happening in Edo State among others.
In the South East, besides frequent killings by gunmen, the effectiveness of the ‘stay-at-home’ order being given by a non-state actor, IPOB, is an indication of how much governments seem to have been consigned to feebleness by insurgents that kept getting emboldened by the day.
The foregoing were exclusive of many areas in the North East and North West of the country where the indigenous people have been displaced. Indeed, reports have it that some residents in parts of Sokoto State have been forced to flee into Mali. The situation was that bad.

“President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier said that those wreaking havoc in Nigeria were from outside the country. He hinted again at this in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, last Tuesday during his meeting with President Salva Kiir of Southern Sudan when he attributed the proliferation of arms in this part of the world to the instability in Libya.

From all indications, President Buhari is very much aware of the security challenges facing the country as well as the way out. For, as far back as 2011, during his campaign for presidency under the banner of CPC, he promised that the policing system in the country would be decentralized such that the state, local governments and the communities would have their own police. Of course he did not win in 2011. But he has been president since 2015 and the said promise has not been fulfilled despite the fact that his current party, the APC, has not openly expressed aversion to the idea of ensuring security at all levels of government and in every part of the country. Indeed, going by a number of statements that had come from the President, he is very much aware of the challenges. What is lacking is the will and determination to confront the challenges headlong. We would not be uncharitable to raise the issue of capability as the government is in possession – or should be – of all that is needed to tackle such challenges. Where it does not readily have it, it is within its power to seek the needed capacity and capability from both within and without.

“During the electioneering campaigns, the president went round various parts of the country. But having consolidated after the electoral victory, the president has not found it necessary to tour the country. Indeed, there are some areas that governors are not so enthusiastic to visit within their own states because of insecurity occasioned by insurgents in those areas. The situation was so bad.
So bad that the two chambers of the National Assembly has called on the President to declare bandits who are committing the horrendous atrocities as terrorists so that the security agencies could deal with them more decisively. Why the presidency has been reluctant to do this is confounding.

“The failure of government to act decisively on security challenges confronting Nigerians has imperiled the social and economic activities in various parts of the country. This is not only deepening the poverty and despondence in the land, it is heightening the loss of trust and confidence in government by the people.

Unfortunately, there is no more time. Failure to snuff life out of insurgency now is putting the fate of the country on the tenterhook. It is still possible to reverse the trend. Some of the ways to do this include the following:

• Do away with primordial cleavages
• Equipping security agencies, particularly the army and the police, and boost their morale with good pay and good welfare packages.
• Let perpetrators of banditry face the full wrath of the law without let or hindrance. Impunity must stop now.
• Allowing state governors to truly become the chief security officers of their respective states by letting them have their own policing system with all the powers they need to operate with.
• Convey meetings of all, or virtually, all ethnic nationalities across the country. The meetings should include various interest groups and stakeholders.
  These must be done urgently as the country is bleeding too seriously from various arteries”.

Former Ekiti State governor Ayodele Fayose has said his visit to former governor of Lagos State and a leader in the ruling All Progressives Congress Bola Tinubu was on health ground.

“To those negative political analysts, this visit notwithstanding, I remain an unrepentant PDP leader and key stakeholder,” Fayose said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

He suggested that despite their political differences, Tinubu was still deserving of his visit, noting that “politics should be about love for each other.”

“Health issues know no political party and in this part of the world, we seldom celebrate people when they are alive,” Fayose said. “Rather, we like to sign condolence registers. To me, that is not the best way to live.”

“I’m over 60. What do I want to become? I was governor at 42. All the opportunities anybody could offer, PDP offered me,” Fayose said on Channels TV’s Sunday Politics in February.

“I will not go to APC. What is missing? Some people choose to be dishonourable. Not me. I will rather go and be the husband of my wife, Feyisetan Fayose, and my son.”

Chairman of the Elders Advisory Council of the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, has read the riot act to members of the party, saying era of impunity is over.

The former governor of the state said disrespect for party supremacy would no longer be tolerated and assured that the main opposition party in the state would be returned to the people.

He also debunked the insinuation that there is a plot to give the governorship ticket of the party to a particular aspirant, assuring that the ticket is open to all the zones in the state.

Alao-Akala made these clarifications while addressing party supporters who were at his Awosika, Bodija residence to demand for a fair and just process during the forthcoming state congress of the party scheduled to hold on Saturday.

The state congress, expectedly, would lead to the formation of new party executives that will lead the APC in its quest for victory in the 2023 general elections in Oyo State.

Alao-Akala, decried the level of impunity and disrespect for party institution in the state and said its leadership will no longer tolerate distruptive tendencies whose stock-in-trade, he said, is to put the sanctity of the party to ridicule and disrepute at the slightest opportunity.

He said no individual, no matter how highly-placed, is above the party, adding: “Anybody that calls him or herself a politician can never be a recognised politician without first belonging to a political party.

“That political party will serve as your Identity. It is on the platform of that political party that you will ply your political trade. You can never use your surname to contest and win an election.

“So why can’t we abide by the rules guiding the party? Treating that platform that gave you a political leverage with disdain and disrespect will no longer be tolerated.

“The era of members of the party going on radio, granting newspaper interviews or going on social media to tarnish the hard-earned image of the party has come to an end.

“Anybody caught in this web of Impunity will be sanctioned appropriately, as prescribed by the constitution of the party. There are rules of engagement and it will henceforth be followed to the latter.

“This coming state congress, you members of the party will decide who you want as your leads. They should know they cannot be the aspirant and at the same time be the one in charge of the party structure.

“You cannot eat your cake and have it. Anybody clamouring for the party structure is wasting his or her time. The party has returned to the people who are the members of the party. The people own the party not any leader or stakeholder.

“Without you followers, we cannot exist as the leaders you call us. This coming state congress will be an open affair and nobody’s ambition can supersede the interest of the party.

“I want to assure you that every local government will have a representative on the state executive. We have 36 positions in the state executive and we have 33 local government areas in Oyo State.

“It is a simple arithmetic, each local government area will have a slot in the spirit of fairness and equity, unlike in the past where some local governments had up to three representatives in the state exco while some had none.

“The era of some local governments being disenfranchised in the scheme of things is over. In the formation of this outgoing state executives, Oluyole Local Government Area, for example, has three representatives on the exco, while Surulere Local Government Area has nothing. where is the fairness in that?

“Same thing for Ibadan South-East, where they have the state secretary, PRO and welfare officer and Itesiwaju Local Government Area has nothing. Same thing in Ibadan North East Local Government with special leader and youth leader.

“These are the abnormalities we are out to correct in the formation of the new executives of the party and I can assure you we will achieve that. Each local government area will have, at least, a representative,” he said.

Alao-Akala said Oyo APC parades a conglomeration of the finest brains one can ever think of, adding: “Our membership is populated by an arrays of cerebral minds that are very capable of steering the ship of the party for us.

“We will not recycle old hands. Rather, we will ensure that we bring on board a new set of team to steer the ship of the party for the next four years.

“Even the party primaries coming up next year will be an open contest by the grace of God. It will be thrown open to all. Those carrying rumors of zoning the governorship ticket are wasting their time. They will be in for a great shocker.

“I have said it often times and I will repeat it again, it will be an open contest. Whoever the party chooses, we will support and we will win the election.

“It can be anybody from any zone of the state. Whoever is interested in contesting for the hovernorship ticket of the APC in Oyo State should be ready to work for it. It will not be tossed on anybody’s laps.

“That is where the practical aspect of politicking will come to play. Political theory is far different from practical politicking.

“A practical politician will always be in the field canvassing and mobilising for support, not making noise on the pages of newspapers and the social media.

“APC, as a party, is a progressive-minded institution, hence Oyo State will toe that line firmly. If the delegates at the party primaries decide to vote for a candidate from Ibarapa North as the governorship candidate of the part, so be it. That is who we will work with and ensure we win the election.”

The Special Adviser to President Buhari on Politics, Sen. Babafemi Ojudu has kicked against attempts in some quarters to pitch Vice President Yemi Osinbajo against leader of APC Bola Tinubu against eachother.

In a statement made available to newsmen as read in part:

“My attention has been drawn to a media engagement on Channels TV this morning and a front page story of Daily Independent today.

“On the Channels TV Sunrise programme two persons supposedly representing Asiwaju Support Group and Osinbajo Support Group were pitched against each other.

“On the other hand, Daily Independent ran an headline thus:
2023 Presidency: Osinbajo On A Collision Course With Tinubu, Pushes To Succeed Buhari

“It is incumbent on me to state emphatically that neither the Vice President nor his office is aware of this or endorse this kind of a divisive engagement and news reports. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo are members of same party. Osinbajo regards Tinubu as a respected leader of a political family to which he belongs and will therefore not for any reason endorse an endeavor that seeks to pitch them against each other.

“We are not unaware of some people who may want to foist a crack among our leaders. Such an attempt is abortive. Osinbajo and Tinubu’s relationship dates way back and it shall continue to wax strong.

“Let me therefore call on individuals and media houses engaged in this act to desist from doing so. The APC remains one single, indivisible party and Osinbajo remains a loyal member of the party who respects both the party structure as well as its leadership.

“Moreover, the INEC has not given a go ahead yet for politicking towards 2023. As a law abiding citizen, Osinbajo will not commence any act in this regard until INEC blows the whistle, and in any case the VP has not indicated interest in the 2023 elections

“While appreciating individuals who are clamoring for him to contest, we however want to plead that they should not draw him or allow themselves into an unnecessary and precipitous controversy.

“We welcome our great leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu back into the country. As a great democrat himself, he will certainly welcome politics without bitterness and divisiveness. We wish him good health, long life and prosperity”.

A group within the Oyo State All Progressives Congress (APC), the Concerned APC Stakeholders have raised an alarm over alleged hijack of the party structure by Mrs Florence Ajimobi, wife of the immediate past Governor of the State, late Abiola Ajimobi and the acting Chairman of the party, Chief Akintola Oke.

Chairman of the group, Mr Olusoji Adelana made this disclosure while addressing journalists in Ibadan on Monday.

He told journalists that Mrs Ajimobi and Oke have hijacked the structure of the party because they are claiming to have federal backing. He explained that what happened during the time of late Ajimobi where many people left the party is repeating itself.

“The three tendencies are Teslim Folarin, Mrs Ajimobi and Baba Oke and Unity Group where we have Adeseun, Deolu Akande, Soji Akanbi and others, while the Minister of Youth and Sports, Chief Sunday Dare is said to be seeking unity among the tendencies.

“For peace to reign, the unity group decided to work with the Ajimobi and Baba Oke camp, but Mrs Ajimobi has hijacked the party’s structure. A reconciliatory meeting held with Baba Oke Sunday night was deadlocked as the acting Chairman refused to shift grounds on the order of the former First Lady.

“So, the problem that occurred during the time of her husband is repeating itself. It was this that made President Buhari lose Oyo State in the Presidential election. APC also woefully lost the gubernatorial election to Seyi Makinde.

“She and Baba Oke have used their powerful relations in Kano and Abuja to outsmart other camps, and this is not good for the future of the party.

“Mrs Ajimobi said that she has zoned the positions and no one can change it. This is inimical to the progress of the party. We are saying that we should work in harmony to fight the common enemy which is PDP.

“I am using this medium to call on the national leadership of the party to call Mrs Ajimobi to order so as not to destroy the party as the husband did in his time.

“APC called a stakeholders meeting today, how many people went there? Only a few, because the structure of the party has been hijacked”.

The founder and financier of Dominion mother foundation, Erelu Kemisola Josephine Elebute Halle, has urged Ekiti people and PDP delegates to yield to the popular demand of the electorates by fielding former governor Engr Adebayo Segun Oni in the forthcoming PDP governorship primary election.

She made the appeal in Abuja when Engr Segun Oni submitted his nomination and expression forms at the PDP national Secretariat, today.

Erelu stressed that Engr Segun Oni remains the best candidate acceptable to the general public and the delegates must align with the demand of the populace to render the rigging tactics of APC useless.

The Ayedun-Ekiti born philanthropist tasked the delegates to go out and feel the pulse of workers, artisans and common people in Ekiti to form their decision.

“I urge our dear delegates to go out and feel the people’s pulse to know the candidate they are expecting our great party to give them and form their decision around it, this is the only way our party can return to power in 2022” Erelu distributed umbrellas, nose masks, cooked rice and T-shirt designed with Segun Oni picture to people with no regards for nepotism and she stated that the umbrella serving as logo of our great party, shows that we’re working under the same shelter as family regardless of any of the group working for Segun Oni you belong to, in her statement while addressing the people, she expressed her undoubtedly happiness on contributions of every other group working for emergence of Segun Oni, she also urged them to continue with their tremendous working to return Engr Adebayo Segun Oni to Oke Ayoba come 2022, the statement reads.

Engr Segun Oni stormed the PDP national Secretariat to submit his forms amidst fanfare.

While speaking, the governorship aspirant said all is now set to rescue the state from its crippling stage and return it to enviable height.

He called on the party to ensure that the primary election slated for early next year is conducted freely and fairly.

The former governor was accompanied by Dominion mother foundation members, party chieftains and stalwarts from Ekiti state.

Rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has described Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as an evil and dangerous man.

Sowore claimed that Osinbajo is as dangerous as President Muhammadu Buhari.

The RevolutionNow activist alleged that Osinbajo and Buhari plot the evil plaguing Nigeria together.

In a series of tweets on Monday, Sowore claimed that Buhari is deceiving Osinbajo with a succession plan.

According to Sowore, Osinbajo is informed about all actions taken by the current administration.

He wrote: “I’ve said it several times that @ProfOsinbajo is as dangerous as his principal, @MBuhari!

“They plot all the evils afflicting this country together.

“He’s in on every action of the regime. Because Muhammadu Buhari’s deceiving the Bozo that he plans to hand over power to him.

“He’s blabbing up and down. Buhari remains one of Nigeria’s most unpopular rulers ever! Buhari has no iota of credibility both as a human being or a “leader” Shame on miniman OSINBAJO.”

It recalls that Osinbajo, speaking with top officials of Nigeria’s High Commission in the United Kingdom at Abuja House on Saturday, described Buhari as the most popular politician Nigeria has had in generations.

“The President is possibly the most popular Nigerian politician that we have ever had in generations. He is possibly the only person who can go into a place or somewhere without bossing people to gather and they will come and listen to him speak.

“We need that level of credibility to be able to solve problems in our country. And I think because of his level of credibility, despite everything, he is still the only one that can call everyone, and even people who do not necessarily agree with him know that he is a man of his words,” he said.

The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN); Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu ((SAN); Osun State Governor, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola and the immediate past Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha and other top dignitaries are scheduled to be in Ile-Ife, Osun State to partake in the annual birthday lecture of the the Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II.

This was contained in a statement sent to ODUDUWA NEWS today by Ooni’s Spokesman, Prince Yera Olafare.

Scheduled to hold at the prominent Oba Okunade Sijuwade Memorial Hall, Enuwa, Ile-Ife by 10am on Thursday, October 14, 2021, the event has the theme “Addressing Security Challenges As They Affect Grassroots Development In Nigeria: Need for Constitutional Empowerment of Traditional Institution”.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Senator Okorocha would be the keynote speaker, in the presence of other stakeholders especially in the security sector including the Osun State Commissioner of Police, CP Olawale Olokode and the Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye, among others while the Osemawe of Ondo kingdom, Oba (Dr.) Victor Aladesimbo Kiladejo would be the royal guest of honour.

Preceding the symposium on Wednesday October 13, 2021, within the same premises (Oba Okunade Sijuwade Memorial Hall, Enuwa, Ile-Ife) is an Healthcare support program sponsored by the Iyalaje Oodua, Princess (Dr.) Toyin Kolade to assist the poor and other vulnerable persons particularly those suffering from High Blood Pressure and Diabetes.

Details of the Iyalaje Oodua Health Initiative includes; Health Education or prevention and Management of High Blood Pressure and Diabetes, Fee Blood Sugar Test, Visual Accuracy Test, Free Pick Flow Test, Free Blood Pressure Test and free Healthcare services for 200 persons suffering from High Blood Pressure and Diabetes among others.

Friday 15th, October 2021 at the same venue is slated for women and ladies suffering from Urinary Tract Infections(UTI) to receive treatment and lectures on the cure and prevention of any type of urinary tract infection(UTI) being organized by the Ooni’s Hopes Alive Initiative(HAI) being managed by Princess Temitope Adesegun as a free health care support in commemoration of the birthday celebrations the African foremost king.

The activities of this year’s birthday the Arole Oduduwa will be climaxed on Sunday 17th, October 2021 with a get-together ‘Imperial Birthday Party’ at the Ojaja Arena within the Ife Grand Resort and Industrial Park at Ile-Ife.

The entire public is hereby invited to partake and equally benefit from the events listed above as we celebrate and equally commemorate the annual birthday anniversary of the Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula and the Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II.