Oyo state house of assembly has commenced screening for the five out of the seven commissioner designate sent to the assembly last Thursday 22nd June 2023.
Names of the commissioner designate that were available for screening are below:
Former Commissioner for Woman Affairs, and the Immediate Past Commissioner for Special Duties, Fausat AJOKE Sanni
Immediate Past Commissioner of Public Works and Transport Prof. Dahud Kehinde Sangodoyin.
Immediate Past Commissioner Of Finance Akinola ojo
Hon. Commissioner for Energy & Mineral Resources, Oyo State Government Seun Asamu
Former Oyo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, And the Immediate Past Commissioner for Trade & Investment Adeniyi Adebisi.
Meanwhile, Seyi Makinde Women Mobilization Director for the last general Election Mrs. Toyin balogun and Oyo State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Professor Musbau Babatunde were unavailable for the screening.
The commissioner designate that were available were asked germane questions as to why they think they deserve to be appointed as commissioners of Oyo state.
Governor Akeredolu embarked on medical leave last week after handing over to his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has called on the people of the state to pray for the full recovery of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who is on medical leave.
Mr Akeredolu embarked on the leave last week after handing over to his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
His health had been the subject of intense speculations in the state and infighting in the government that seemed to pit the governor’s family against the deputy governor.
Mr Akeredolu’s health condition was speculated to be so severe that rumours broke on at least two occasions that he was dead.
Although he has not been seen in public for a long time, his aides released a video of him watching a live broadcast of the English FA Cup final between Manchester City and Manchester United early this month.
Reacting to continued speculations over the governor’s condition, the APC called for prayers for him and his family as the party chided the opposition over the assumptions.
In a statement on Sunday by its spokesperson in the state, Steve Otaloro, the APC accused the opposition of exploiting the ill health of the governor to score political points.
“The Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has been battling health issues lately,” he said.
“It is pertinent to note that his health issue is not too serious a type that will prevent him from resuming his official position as Governor of Ondo State.
“Despite this, some individuals and groups have taken it upon themselves to spread false news and rumours about his death.
“It is disheartening to see that some people would wish death upon a fellow human being. Such actions are unfair and should be condemned by all well-meaning individuals.
“The opposition has also been quick to malign the Governor’s family, accusing them of not doing enough to take care of the Governor’s illness. Such accusations are falsely disrespectful, flippant and callous.
“Engr. Ade Adetimehin, APC chairman in Ondo State, who is not happy with rumours being peddled around the health of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, appealed for support and prayer for the governor and family.
“What Arakunrin Akeredolu and the family requires at this period is our support and prayers for the full recovery of their family patriarch.
Arabinrin Betty Akeredolu and her children have been doing their best in taking care of Governor Akeredolu.
“We must continue to pray for the Governor’s recovery and stand by the family in these difficult times. He is a good man who loves the downtrodden and deserves all the support and prayers for a full recovery from his illness.”
Former governor of Ogun state and senator representing Ogun East senatorial district, Gbenga Daniel, said that the relationship between himself and incumbent Governor Dapo Abiodun has not been amicable after he supported President Bola Tinubu’s bid for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the presidential election primaries in 2022 against the governor’s wish.
“For me, it is difficult not to support Asiwaju’s presidency because he is our overall boss. That is different from the position of my governor. But I understand where he was coming from, he was not really one of us at the beginning of the transition in 1998/1999. The contest did not go the way my governor wanted,” Mr Daniel said.
In an interview with This Day published on Sunday, Mr Daniel revealed that speculations on his relationship with Mr Abiodun stemmed from differences in which aspirant they supported for the presidential primary election.
He disclosed that Mr Abiodun did not initially support Mr Tinubu’s bid for APC’s nomination which despite efforts by the governor to conceal would be referred to as an audacious retaliation for derogatory comments Mr Tinubu made when he claimed credit for his emergence as governor.
Mr Tinubu had on June 2, 2022, visited the party’s stakeholders as part of his final push for support to win the APC’s nomination. During the event, he referred to Mr Abiodun, as “eleyi”, a term many described as derogatorily.
He also claimed that Mr Abiodun could not have been elected governor without his help. Mr Abiodun, visibly humiliated by the comments, later tweeted that he holds public office in trust and not as an emperor, a comment which was seen as a response to Mr Tinubu.
Mr Daniel added that Mr Abiodun’s win, which is currently being contested, was narrow because of the many administrative challenges that beset the state under his leadership.
“The people of Ogun state were also complaining. I am in position to know because I have my network across the state. I know a lot of people were not particularly excited about his election. Civil servants have the issue of unpaid allowances. Teachers too have their own issues with him. Pensioners have issues with the governor,” he added.
Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon, a renowned Ifa priest and Araba of Osogbo has called on the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi to stop ridiculing Yoruba tradition.
Elebuibon spoke in Osogbo on today in an interview grantee BBC Yoruba.
He said if the monarch failed to stop ridiculing tradition, he would face the consequences.
The Araba of Osogbo while speaking with BBC said he was sad when he heard Oluwo speaking against Ifa and traditional culture in Yorubaland. He claimed that Oluwo is not a true of son of Oduduwa and that could be major reason why he is hellbent at destroying Yoruba culture.
Elebuibon stated further that millions of Oluwo cannot destroy Yoruba culture saying that Yoruba culture is sophisticated than his belief. He averred further that there is no way a King in Yorubaland will not be linked to tradition because he is enthroned only after Ifa might have been consulted.
He said the Iwo monarch is not an example of a proper Yoruba traditional ruler, because he was chosen without recourse to tradition.
The Ifa priest described the king as a major setback to Yoruba tradition, who has created a vacuum in Iwo traditional institution.
“Each Yoruba town has a seclusion room, where an incoming king will be for a stipulated number of days. That is where he will get to learn the tradition and given proper cultural orientation but Oluwo didn’t go through the process.
“So, for him to be acting improper due to civilization is an indication that there is a big vacuum in Iwo. Maybe all kingmakers and chiefs have converted to either Islam or Christianity. He also boasts that a Governor made him a king not Ifa, so he chose to be what he wanted not a proper Yoruba king,” he said.
Elebuibon said the Yoruba tradition has faced several challenges since the coming of foreign religion and especially since the death of custodians of tradition.
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji has said that a list of Commissioners would be forwarded to the State House of Assembly next week for consideration and confirmation.
The Governor disclosed this on Thursday evening when he visited the Ado Ekiti APC Ward 9 meeting venue at Ori Apata, Ado Ekiti. He said he would abide by the recommendations of the Committee on Political Appointment, adding that the committee did a wonderful job.
The Governor said the new arrangement, where appointees were recommended by the grassroots people and the party, was designed to make the appointees answerable to the people.
Similarly, the Governor who addressed APC members at the meeting said the people also have the right to write to request a replacement of a non performing appointee.
Governor Oyebanji, who was accompanied by Special Adviser on Media, Mr Yinka Oyebode and Senior Special Assistant on Community Communication, Mrs Mary Oso-Omotoso, stressed the need to build the party from the ward level to the national level and make elected and appointed officials know that they are in governor to serve the people.
“I am saying today that in honour of the memory of the Late Chief George Akosile ( who served as chair of the Committee on Political Appointments), I will abide by the decision of the Committee. The list of commissioners will get to the Assembly next week.
“The first set of appointment is for the commissioners and those who are not selected now may have opportunities to be appointed as Special Adviser, Special Assistants or board members. Let us note that political positions cannot go round and that is the reason we are saying those you will select must be those who will give you regular feedback, attend your ward meetings and attract dividends of democracy to their wards.
“When I was canvassing for votes and I told party members that you will be the ones to choose your representatives, some thought it was a political statement, some people are not happy about the decision and I said I got to this position on the platform of the party, so the party should be supreme. By God’s grace, names of Nominees will be submitted to the House of Assembly for the Commissioners you selected. If anyone of them fail to perform to expectation, hold your leaders responsible because they were the ones who sent the names.
“We don’t want Commissioners that will neglect ward meetings or automatically make himself a leader and start to lord things over you. And you also have the right to ask that a non performing commissioner be replaced.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Ado Ekiti Ward 9, Mrs Falilat Akorede commended the Governor for coming to their level by attending their ward meetings. She described it as a demonstration of fatherly love the Governor has for the party and the people of the state.
Mrs Akorede assured the Governor that ward 9 would continue to support his administration, even as she lauded the government’s as remarkable achievements in the last eight months.
I have been bringing you up to speed about happenings in Ondo state for sometime now, particularly, matters affecting the relationship between the Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN and his Deputy now the Acting Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa – the governor’ s high-handedness and his inability to tame his family’s overbearing interference on governance.
However, this time, I must exonerate the Governor because he has done the needful – transmitting power to his deputy while he takes sick leave to attend to his deteriorating health in a hospital abroad. I must equally wish him a complete and quick recovery. Amen.
Sadly, with deep sense of patriotism we regret to note the satanic activities of some members of the ” Ondo State Cabal” namely: the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Wale Akinterinwa, Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties and Union Matters, Dare Aragbaiye and others to sabotage and subvert the Acting Governor’s effort to assume full and smooth running of government and its machineries while Mr Governor is away as stipulated by law.
Section 190 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) is apposite: ” Whenever the Governor transmits to the Speaker of the House of Assembly a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or that he is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office, until he transmits to the Speaker of the House of Assembly a written declaration to the contrary such functions shall be discharged by the Deputy Governor as Acting Governor “ Therefore, it is instructive and behoves all the state government officials – political and the civil servants – to report and take orders from the Acting Governor the manner and way they would have done to Mr. Governor. Anything to the contrary is tantamount to an act of insubordination and should attract sanction.
As a lawyer, I understand that it is within Mr. Wale Akinterinwa’s constitutional right to run for the office of the governor or any other elective public office. But such personal inordinate ambition should not be cloaked to undermine constituted state authority as presently being exhibited by the Finance Commissioner and his co- travellers in Ondo state.
This surreptitious sponsored blackmails to smear and besmirch the reputation of the Acting Governor in some sections of the media should not be allowed a breathe in a sane society. Not even a state prided as the intellectual plinth of the South Western Nigeria.
I just read an unsavory News Report, poorly crafted, obviously, by these state skulduggery to create an imaginary rift between the Governor and his Deputy, now Acting Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa. The drafters fruitlessly attempted to portray the Acting Governor as a power hankering and over ambitious persona.
It’s a sharp contradiction, to accuse an Acting Governor of “undermining the authority of the governor’s office”. How can the Acting Governor undermine the authority he is exercising?
In another twist, they cunningly revealed that the Acting Governor (although ignorantly and repeatedly referred to Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa as deputy governor) demanded unrestricted access to the state treasury. There’s no such office now in Ondo state as “deputy governor” What we have presently is Acting Governor. In other words, Mr Governor in action. If the Acting Governor does not have access to the state’s Treasury, who else does?
Ridiculously, as expected though, the Cabal complained bitterly in their infamous write up about the functions of the Acting Governor. In their words:
” On Wednesday, the Deputy Governor was supposed to represent the governor at the 2023 FIDA Nigeria held at the International Centre for Culture and Event (DOME). But he declined, he chose to attend the 2023 NAF Conference World Hydrography Day in Abuja” .
Àwon Oloriburuku, they don’t want the Acting Governor to feature, attend or even appear at any serious state function outside the state. They want to cage him so that he will not have national connection and recognition as the Acting Governor.
Truly, I will not advise or counsel the Acting Governor to sack or terminate the appointment of any public office holder in the state like the then Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo did to the former Director General of State Security Service, Lawal Daura. He will be playing to the gallery.
Appropriately, a cabinet reshuffle and rejig of the state cabinet may be desirable to ensure the requisite unity of command in the instant circumstance. As critical stakeholders, we simply can not afford to look away while the state skid into full anarchy and mobocracy.
The Oyo state House of Assembly has made move to address the spate of killing, kidnapping and other insecurities in the state.
This is coming following a Matter of Urgent Public Importance by the lawmakers representing Iseyin, Itesiwaju state constituency, Honourable Surv. Bamidele Adeola and Leader of the House, Hon Sanjo Adedoyin, member representing, Ogbomoso south state constituency.
Adeola while speaking said the people of Iseyin and its environs have been witnessing serious security threat adding that the residents and indigenes of Iseyin community have been living their lives in panic and could not sleep with their eyes closed because of the risen cases and spate of kidnapping in the area.
The second term lawmaker said cases of kidnapping had been reported where the families of the victims paid ransom to secure the release of their loved ones from their abductors.
He added that people in his area are now living in palpable fear of who might be the next target.
His words: “Mr. Speaker these horrendous incidents continue unabated. As the last count no fewer than five (5) cases of kidnappings had been reported where the families of the victims paid ransom to secure the release of their loved ones from their abductors. In short, people in the area are now living in palpable fear of who might be the next target.
“For example, in early 2022, one Alhaji wasiu Mamod popularly known as (Megeri) was abducted at his residence at sawmill area Iseyin and a ransom of Sixty Million naira (N 60,000,000.00) was reportedly paid to the abductor by the family. Eventually when the family secured his release after some months, the victim died.
“In the most recent times precisely on may 12th and early June 2023 one Mr. Rahmon Aralamo (a phone repairer) and seller at fire station, Oluwole Iseyin and a poultry farmer at Odo- ogba along Oseyin-Saki Road were victims of kidnapping. According to report in the community, the families paid millions of naira as ransom before they could secure their releases . This is very pathetic because aside from paying ransome the victims are usually subjected to seriuis torture by the kidnappers.
“The Rt. Hon Speaker, distinguished colleagues, you will all agree with me that, this is the experience of the most victims of kidnapping in Nigeria. This calls for serious concern for the constituted authority in the Stated and Nigeria at large.” Hon Bamidele said.
The House resolved to invite the Commissioner of Police, Amotekun Commandant and other heads of security agencies in the State for a security parley and to also brief the House on the State of insecurity in the State with a view to strengthening security architecture of Oyo State under Omituntun 2.0.
It equally urged men of Oyo State Security Network Agency codenamed Amotekun which is a local and indigenous security apparatus to collaborate with other security operatives in the area of surveillance and patrol of volatile areas, highways and community forests where the kidnappers use as hideouts to perpetrate their evil plans.
The lawmakers further urged the 10th National Assembly to, as a matter of doctrine of necessity, consider the decentralization of Nigeria security architecture and kick start legislative process of constitutional amendment which will allow for devolution of powers to enable the respective state Government handle security matters in their domain.
They called on the security operatives in Oyo State to re-double their efforts to abate the spate of insecurity and the menace of kidnappings, killings and other crimes across the State.
The President of Nigeria has not approved the increment in salary of politicians and judicial workers in Nigeria.
This was contained in a statement made available by Presidential Spokesman, Dele Alake as read in part:
“We have followed with consternation the viral story of the purported 114% increase in the salary of the President, Vice President, elected Federal and State political office holders and judicial officers.
“We state without any equivocation that President Bola Tinubu has not approved any salary increase, and no such proposal has been brought before him for consideration.
“While we recognise that it is within the constitutional remit of Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission to propose and fix salaries and allowances of political office holders and Judicial Officers, such can not come to effect until it has equally been considered and approved by the President.
“It is important to note that RMAFC, through its Public Relations Manager, has responded to this fake story being circulated and has already set the record straight.
“However, that this unfounded story gained prominence on social media and in a section of mainstream media, again, brings to the fore the danger fake news poses to the society and our national well-being. The misinformation was, obviously, contrived to create ill-will for the new administration, slow down the upward momentum and massive goodwill the Tinubu-led administration is currently enjoying among Nigerians as a result of its fast paced, dynamic and progressive policies.
“It is important to reiterate to journalists, media managers, and members of the public that stories on government activities and policy issues that do not emanate from approved official communication channels should be ignored.
“Media practitioners are enjoined to, at all times, cross-check their stories to ensure accurate reportage, which is the hallmark of responsible journalism”.
It was another round of legal setback for Ladi Adebutu and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday as the Ogun State Election Petitions Tribunal dismissed their application seeking to strike out Governor Dapo Abiodun’s prayers establishing vote buying allegations against them.
Previously, Governor Abiodun had made a strong allegation of electoral fraud against the PDP candidate, Ladi Adebutu, and his party, allegedly perpetrated during the March 18 governorship election in the state.
Consequently, acting on what it termed a plethora of evidences at its disposal through discreet investigation and the confessions of some members of PDP who were caught in action, criminal charges were filed against Adebutu, PDP, and Zenith Bank, with the police accusing them of gross criminal conspiracy and money laundering during the polls, following which Adebutu hurriedly sneaked out of the country.
Meanwhile, the portion of Governor Abiodun’s response at the Tribunal, which specifically indicates the degree and effects of electoral fraud committed by Adebutu and the PDP, was unanimously admitted by the panel, against the application seeking to strike it out, giving the governor another victory in the ongoing legal proceedings.
Adebutu and PDP had argued that their petition did not include allegations of vote buying and so the governor’s defence should not also have included such allegations.
However, in its ruling, which was delivered by a member, Hon. Justice J.B. Egele and supported by the Chairman Hon Justice H N Kunaza and the other member Hon. Justice Sannusi Shehu, the Tribunal held that Governor Abiodun was not restricted to the same issues that Adebutu and PDP raised in their petition.
The Tribunal further held that in any event, vote buying is in the same family as corrupt practices, which is a ground on which Adebutu and PDP filed their petition, and accordingly dismissed the application.
Following this ruling, Governor Abiodun is free to present evidence of vote buying by Adebutu and PDP.
The Oyo State House of Assembly has reinstated the suspended Saki West Council Chairman, Salaudeen Omirinde.
The House cleared him of alleged gross misconduct having read the resolution of adhoc committee instituted to investigate allegations leveled against him.
The House also reinstated the Political Head of Iseyin South Local Council Development Area, Hon. Ajibola Raheem.
While receiving the reports of the Ad-hoc Committee set up to investigate the suspended chairpersons on Thursday during its plenary, the house directed the Vice Chairman of Saki West Local government area, Mr Gbenga Akinola, who is acting as the chairman to revert as political Head of the local council development area.
The resolution reads: “Engr. Sarafadeen Omirinde, having found not culpable of all the allegations leveled against him be reinstated as the Chairman, Saki-west Local Government with immediate effect.
“The vice-chairman of the Local Government who is Acting as Chairman of the Local Government be reverted as the political Head of Local Council Development Area.
“The Leader of the Legislative Council who took over the affairs of the Local Government Area be reverted to the leader of the Legislative Council immediately.
“The House directs the Saki-West Legislative Council to reinstate the suspended leader of the House of the Legislative Council, Councilor Fasasi Quadri Amao as the leader of the House and ensure the status quo of the leadership of the legislative Arm remains in the Council.”
