Osun State Election Petition Tribunal has issued a fresh order, directing the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to produce the Certificates and other documents of the state Governor-elect, Ademola Adeleke used in the 2018 governorship election.
The order followed the failure of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the commission to produce the certificates in the previous sitting in compliance with the Subpoena issued on the commission.
Governor Adegboyega Oyetola is challenging the declaration of Adeleke as Governor-elect by the INEC.
At its resumed sitting on Friday, the tribunal, Chaired by Justice Tertsea Kume ruled that the mere appearance of the representative of REC has not answered the Subpoena on the commission to produce the documents.
In the ruling, the tribunal said an application for Subpoena is in Administrative Act and when it is granted, it becomes Judicial Act and the party upon which the Subpoena is issued must comply, citing Section 218 and 219 of the evidence act.
It ruled: “An order of the court is bound to be complied with by the party upon which it was made until it is set aside by the court. In the instant case the order has not been complied with.”
The tribunal further held that the request by the respondents that the petitioners should continue with the calling of the witness whose testimony is hanged on the Adeleke’s credentials was baseless, as the petitioners has the absolute prerogative on how to conduct their case.
The panel said the application was consequent to the failures of the state REC of the commission to produce the documents requested in the Subpoena.
According to the ruling, the Petitioners’ have shown sufficient reasons for the tribunal to compel the the National Chairman of INEC to produce the documents in question.
It then dismissed all the objections raised by the counsel for INEC, Adeleke and PDP and compelled the National Chairman of the commission to produce the documents in the next sitting of the panel on Thursday, December 1.
Counsel for the Petitioners, Chief Akin Olujinmi, SAN, described the ruling as a well researched one, saying it would go a long way in serving the course of justice in the hearing of the petition.
Addressing journalists shortly after the proceedings, Chief Olujinmi, said the court has done the right thing for reordering INEC to produce the requested documents containing Adeleke’s certificates.
He added: “The respondents, as we said during the last sitting, didn’t want to produce that document and that was why we had to argue at length to persuade the tribunal to reorder, which they eventually made today.
“The effect of this is that the INEC is now under a binding obligation to produce these documents at the next appearance in court on Thursday December 1st, 2022,” he added.
Counsel for INEC, Professor Paul Ananaba, SAN also conceded that they were ready now to follow the order of the court by producing the requested documents.
The Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, the state capital, has nullified the just concluded local government election conducted in Osun State.
The local government poll was conducted on Saturday, October 15, 2022, by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) under the Chairmanship of Segun Oladitan.
Justice Ayo-Nathaniel Emmanuel of Federal High Court Osogbo on Friday had declared the local government election as illegal, null and void.
He also added that the election was not conducted in consonance with the Electoral Act of 2022.
He also ordered the local government chairmen and councillors who were sworn in after the election to vacate Local Government Secretariats and offices with immediate effect.
Reacting to the court judgment, the Osun Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stated that its activism against the illegality of the outgoing administration of Adegboyega Oyetola has been vindicated.
In a statement signed by Akindele Adekunle, the Osun caretaker chairman of the party, lamented that about N1.5 billion naira that has been deployed for workers’ welfare was wasted by the Oyetola’s administration for the conduct of the election in addition to several millions of naira illegally paid as salaries and allowances to fake council chiefs.
“We had warned against holding that fake selection they called election. We had cited all relevant legal authorities to convince OSIEC to back out of the undemocratic scheme. The Commission Chairman who himself is a lawyer decided to act against clear provisions of the law to supervise this crudely executed lawlessness.
“This judgement is an affirmation of the correctness of many alerts we have issued in recent times. The outgoing Governor had deliberately committed a lot of infractions and lawlessness. We will deploy all legal means to correct the anomalies in compliance with public service rules, extant laws and the constitution of the republic,” the party leader stated.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola, has been lambasted by Nigerians who were shocked over a statement he made at Port Harcourt where he expressed his joy on Thursday that the Governor of his (Oyo) state, Seyi Makinde, had continued to support Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers in the coalition of five governors, now known as the Integrity Group.
Many people have taken to Twitter to condemn what they termed ‘judicial rascality on the part of the Chief Judge who according to them should not be partisan.
The group of five include Governors Wike, Makinde of Oyo state, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state.
They have been at daggers drawn with the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of reneging on his alleged promise to ensure that if both the party’s standard bearer and National Chairman, now Iyorchia Ayu, emerged from the same region, the chairman would be forced to resign.
The quintet has refused to either endorse or support the campaigns of PDP’s Atiku, maintaining that for peace to return to the opposition party, Ayu must go.
But aside backing Makinde’s membership of the group, Ariwoola, joked that Makinde was being held to ransom by Wike by threatening to withdraw his sister (Makinde’s wife), who he said is from the South-south state, from the Oyo governor.
“That is why we should not be scared to have these men of the integrity group and I am happy that my own governor is among because he would try to imitate his friend and in-law because we came here to marry for my governor.“So, Governor Wike will always threaten that he will call back his sister if my governor fails to play ball. That is why you see him following his Excellency (Wike) because my governor is afraid of his wife being recalled,” he joked.
He acknowledged the presence of the group of five governors at the gala night and judiciary project inauguration which held in Rivers, stressing that they had been similarly present when Makinde held a reception to celebrate his appointment as CJN some months ago.
Any Coordinating Director who accepts a permanent Secretary appointment from outgoing Governor Gboyega Oyetola will exit the service from November 28th, Osun State Governor-elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke has warned.
In a statement by his Spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the Governor-elect affirmed that taking such appointments at this last minute indicated the readiness of those directors to exit the state service.
“We want to put on record that those who accept the appointments should be ready to leave the service whether or not their service tenure has reached statutory age. The occupants will be treated as political appointees who will automatically follow the outgoing Governor out of public service from November 28.
“At the same time, those who still want to remain in service of the Osun state government should decline the Greek gift from the outgoing Governor. We affirm that no waiver will be entertained in sacking from office any kangaroo permanent secretary”, the statement concluded.
The Osun State Government on Thursday installed Prince Adegboyega Famodun, as the new Owa of Igbajo, in Boluwaduro Local Government Area of the State.
Until his unanimous selection and appointment by the kingship authority, Famodun was the State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Recall that the State Executive Council at its meeting last Monday ratified the selection of Oba Adegboyega Famodun by the kingmakers from Igbajo and he was subsequently installed on Tuesday morning after undergoing all the traditional rites associated with the stool.
The installation of Oba Famodun from Gbeleru section of Owa Oke Ruling House became necessary after the demise of his predecessor, the immediate past monarch, late Oba Engr. Olufemi Fasade who joined his ancestors on the 23rd of December, 2020.
Presenting the Staff of Office and Instrument of Appointment to the new traditional ruler, Governor Oyetola expressed confidence in the ability of Oba Famodun to take the ancient town to an enviable height.
Oyetola who described the new monarch as an embodiment of good character, nobility and political wherewithal, said he had no doubt that his reign will attract unprecedented development and progress to the town.
According to him, Oba Famodun is imbued with high political sagacity and leadership qualities which will be sustained on the throne
“As the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, the new Owa was a significant player in our Administration’s good governance model that unleashed sustainable development on Osun in general and Igbajo in particular in the past four years.
“These laudable projects include the revitalization of 332 Primary Health Centres in every ward in the State, including Igbajo; the rehabilitation of rural and township roads designed to open up our rural areas, help our farmers to transport their produce to the market and generally bring equitable development to our State; renovation of buildings, distribution of educational materials to our pupils, provision of free education and free meals to them as well as training and re-training of our teachers to provide quality education for our children to enhance their performance as leaders of tomorrow,” Oyetola said.
He also urged the people of Igbajo particularly the youth to rally round the new monarch in their collective quest to advance and accelerate the course of development and progress of the town.
“I urge you all to reciprocate these interventions by cooperating with your new Monarch to engender peace in the State and discharge your civic responsibilities through regular payment of taxes and other levies to achieve further provision of services.
“Let me appeal to our youths to cooperate with the Monarch by continuing to leverage on the various programmes we embarked upon to cultivate and develop them, including the institution of the 4Es of our Youth Policy – Youth Engagement, Youth Education, Youth Enterpreneuship and Youth Empowerment – to integrate them into our sustainable development plan.
“I have no doubt that as a political and traditional ruler, Kabiyesi Famodun will continue to cultivate the youth so that our administration’s resolve to make them responsible and functional members of the society will be accomplished.
“In order to achieve these lofty ideals, the youth, our strength and leaders of tomorrow, must refuse to be used for violence by people who have no respect for their person and future. They must also desist from acts that can truncate the peace and tranquility of the State”, he added.
In his short remark, Oba Famodun applauded the state government and his subjects for their unalloyed support and solidarity.
He promised to do all that is humanly possible to advance the cause of the ancient town and herald socio-economic development befitting the town and her people throughout his reign.
Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, has said the advent of COVID-19 pandemic in the world and insurgency in Nigeria have worsened the problems of insecurity and unemployment.
Governor Akeredolu said profitable and optimal engagement of the youth is crucial to a desirable future, adding that they constitute the largest percentage of the population.
The Governor spoke on Wednesday at the Exco Chambers of the Governor’s Office while receiving participants of the Senior Course 45 programme of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, who are on Study Tour of Ondo State.
The 46-man team was lead by the Faculty Leader, Commodore Promise Dappa.
Appreciating them for finding Ondo State suitable again for the Study Tour, Governor Akeredolu noted that the importance of the topic of the Study Tour, “Youth Unemployment and National Security”, cannot be overemphasised.
He explained that the challenges of insecurity and unemployment are hydra-headed not only in the country but in the world at large.
Governor Akeredolu said the prevailing unemployment in the country has now made some youth to seek greener pastures abroad.
He added that there is correlation between unemployment and insecurity, stressing that all hands must be on deck to address the problems.
Governor Akeredolu reiterated the need for state police, saying the stand of his administration is that a police command in Abuja can not serve the nation of 300 million people.
His words: “In spite of our meager resources, our administration has recorded remarkable successes in securing the lives and property of people of the State as well as in the area of employment generation.
“Optimal and profitable engagement of the youth cannot be carried out without the enabling environment of which security of life and property occupies a central place. There is no gainsaying the fact that security of life and property is the most basic duty of government, without which peaceful coexistence will be hampered.
“It is in the light of the foregoing that our administration instituted a time-tested developmental agenda, with the acronym: REDEEMED. The agenda provides the framework for our interventions in the areas of security, education, health and provision of infrastructural facilities, employment creation and so on.
“I am glad to inform you that we have been providing consistent financial and logistic supports to all security agencies in the State, including the Army, Navy, Police, Airforce, Nigeria Civil Defence and Security Corps etc.
“As the saying goes, “the taste of the pudding is in the eating”, I should like you to experience firsthand the remarkable achievements of our administration in the highlighted sector, as you travel around the State.
“The Study Tour has, therefore, been carefully designed to afford participants opportunities to directly see some of the achievements, particularly with regard to security and employment generation.
“Resource persons have also been carefully selected to do justice to the lectures you will have at our Public Service Training Institute, Ilara-Mokin.
“The State owned Security Agency, the Amotekun Corps, has also been doing wonderfully well.
“The success of Amotekun Corps in Ondo State in particular and South West of Nigeria in general underscores the fact that the security architecture of the country must be decentralized for effective security of lives and properties in Nigeria.
“Apart from the unfortunate carnage that took place in St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, on Sunday, 5th June, 2022 and a few isolated security breaches, there is relative peace in the State.
“The prevailing peace in the State, which is as a result of collaborative efforts of all the security agencies including the State own Amotekun Corps, has led to inflow of people and investors into the State.
“Our administration has also made significant progress in employment generation. Many professionals have been recruited into the State Public Service including health sector, teaching service, agric sector etc.
“Apart from massive investment in the hospitality and financial industries, we have also been able to attract a number of industries such as textile industry, cassava to etanol company, truck assemblage plant, etc. All of these are located in our Ondo Linyil industrial hub located in Ore.
“There is also the establishment of oil palm project termed Red Gold Project. The Red Gold Project has reduced youth unemployment in the State because thousands of youths are involved in the oil palm plantations and processing value chain.
“In line with our REEDEMED agenda, our interventions are also ongoing in provision of infrastructural facilities such as road construction, water supply, major intervention in the renovation and reconstruction of primary schools, provision of major infrastructure in our Teaching Hospitals.
“For instance, Ore Redemption Bridge was constructed in Odigbo Local Government Area; Oke Alabojuto in Ikare, Akoko North East Local Government Area; dualisation of some major streets in Akure, Owo, Okitipupa, Igbokoda etc.
“The above interventions have, no doubt, impacted positively on the well-being and standard of living of our people. Let me once again appreciate you for coming to Ondo, the Sunshine State. I wish you all distinguished participants a good time among the good and hospitable people and the richly endowed landscape of Ondo State.
Earlier, the Faculty Team Leader, Commodore Promise Dappa, explained that the purpose and objective of the study tour is for the participants to visit selected states every year to study the prevalent socio-cultural, socio-economic and security challenges in those states.
He added that it is to also see the efforts and various actions taken by the various state governments towards addressing those prevalent challenges.
“They are also required to establish a nexus between those challenges, the actions taken by those governors and the security of the states and national security as a whole. That is why this year, the theme of the tour is “Youth Unemployment and National Security of Nigeria,” Dappa added.
The University of Lagos Mass Communication Alumni Association has announced its plans to hold its annual Dinner and Awards night on December 3, 2022.
According to a statement by the alumni association on Wednesday, the venue of the event will be at De Rembrandt Hotel, Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos.
The statement revealed that there would also be special recognition awards for 10 veterans, with categories such as Broadcast Journalist of the year, Public Relations Professional of the year, Advertising Professional of the year, Print Journalist of the year, Online Professional of the year, Lecturer of the year, UMCAAite of the year and Most Participatory set of the year.
This year, the new categories of awards were said to have been introduced to appreciate illustrious members, individuals, and sets, who had contributed immensely to the development of the department and the growth of the association.
The Chairman of the Award Sub-Committee, Eniola Mayowa, stated that the 2021 dinner and awards were big and loud but this year would be bigger and better.
She said, “You have seen the sights and sounds of the 2021 dinner and awards, the 2022 edition promises to be bigger and better. You will have to do the nominations. And it has more awards and recognitions. It is a beautiful way to end the year.”
The Chairman of the Dinner and Awards Committee, Tunde Awobiyi, noted that the 2022 dinner and awards will be bigger and more colorful.
He said, “This year’s dinner will be different and special because it will be a 3-in-1 event: the dinner proper, swearing in of the new executives, and awards for deserving UMCAAites,” he said.
The Chairman of Oyo State Park Management System (PMS), Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi otherwise known as Auxillary has said that contrary to the negative projection by anti-government elements in the state, the motor parks regulatory body has been a source of revenue to the state government.
Alhaji Mukaila made this disclosure in Ibadan last weekend while playing host to journalists to discuss affairs and operations of PMS In Oyo State.
He explained that during the era of the proscribed National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), all revenues generated from motor parks and garages across the state are shared among its leaders with nothing extended to the state government.
He added that it was this culture that has long depleted government’s revenue but noted that PMS has continued to remit revenues generated to the state coffers since its creation which has also translated to evenly spread infrastructural development across the geopolitical zones in the state.
The PMS boss stated that other states including Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti who have since emulated Oyo State in adopting the park management system can attest to the improvement in their revenue generation base while crimes emanating from hooliganism and thuggery at motor parks and garages have since reduced. On the allegation that some of his people are responsible for the destruction of opposition billboards in the state, Alhaji Mukaila denied such insinuation maintaining that there is no need for him or any of his people to execute such a dastardly act ” I have instructed my people to ensure that any billboard irrespective of Party erected in their jurisdiction should be protected, as I will hold them responsible for any vandalization of such billboard that may arise.”
Also speaking on other security issues he has been accused of, the former acting Chairman of Oyo state chapter of NURTW noted that the allegations are lacking in substance as they are politically motivated he said ” I am presently an employee of this government, why should I willfully do anything that will disrupt the peace of the state”. He queried. ” I am not a thug or a street fighter, I am a complete gentleman” he added.
Alhaji Mukaila reiterated that he is not a bad person, stressing that he has done his bit in reaching out to the less privileged in the society, he said those who have had course to relate with him has benefitted immensely from his philanthropic gestures.
Lastly, he urged all PMS members to be law abiding and steer clear of any act that can lead to breach of peace in the state.
The Oyo State House of Assembly has today passed the bill to upgrade Emmanuel Alayande College of Education to University into law.
The third reading was read today at the State House of Assembly by the Chairman House Committee on Education, Hon. O. A. Fowokanmi.
The bill seeks to upgrade Emmanuel Alayande College of Education to University had in October 5th scaled second reading after a thorough deliberation at the State Assembly.
The Chairman of the Committee on Education, Hon. Fowokanmi while reading the bill for the third time, made clarifications on some ambiguities in the bill on a clause by clause basis as amended by his committee.
The House unanimously agreed that the Chairman Committee of the whole House who also doubled as the Speaker of the House, Hon. Debo Ogundoyin considers the report presented by the Education Committee clause by clause.
The Majority Leader, Hon. S. A. Onaolapo thereafter moved for the final adoption of the third reading and seconded by the Minority Leader, Hon. Asimiyu Alarape.
The Minority Leader, Hon Alarape, while granting interview to ODUDUWA NEWS, said the agitation for the upgrade had been on for a long time now because there are so many existing Universities that can not boast of the facilities owned by Emmanuel Alayande College of Education.
He congratulated the 9th Assembly for the success recently achieved in realizing the dream of upgrading the College to a University. He maintained that the upgrade will boost the enrollment capacity of tertiary education in the State.
He stressed that the upgrade will further help to increase the internally generated revenue of the institution as more students pursuing higer degree programme will now be admitted.
Hon. Isiaka Arole in his words, said the recent acheivement of the House in upgrading the College of Education to University would spread development to Oyo town.
