The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC says preparations for the conduct of free, fair and credible governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states as well as the 2015 general elections are on course.
Kayode Idowu, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman made this known in a press statement detailing the commission’s distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) as well as conduct of its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise for the benefit of Nigerians who just turned 18 years old.
According to the statement, PVCs are being produced by INEC for voters whose biometric data including the record of at least two fingerprints from each hand were captured during the general registration in 2011.
The CVR, on the other hand, is primarily targeted at persons who turned 18 years since the general registration of 2011, as well as those who were 18 years at the time yet did not present themselves for registration.
It is also an opportunity for persons who were registered in 2011 and were issued the Temporary Voter Card (TVC), but who for whatever reason did not find their names on the biometric Register of Voters or did not have the PVC printed for them, to come out and get re-registered.
In Ekiti and Osun states, the PVCs were distributed simultaneously from Friday, 7th March, 2014 to Sunday, 9th March, 2014; while the CVR was conducted from Wednesday, 12th March, 2014 to Monday, 17th March, 2014 according to the statement.
In other states across the country where distribution of PVCs and Continuous Voter Registration are upcoming, the INEC statement advised previously registered persons to use the display of the Register of Voters that will precede CVR to double-check their names on the register.
According to the statement, the Commission however noted with regret, the persisting tendency towards impunity by some politicians and their supporters in the electoral process. It advised politicians to abide at all times by relevant rules and codes of ethics, and also persuade their supporters to do likewise.
DAILY TRUST

The attention of the government of the State of Osun has been drawn to shocking cases of jungle justice at the State capital Osogbo allegedly melted out to some individuals suspected to be kidnappers.
Reports at the disposal of the government indicate some barbaric administration of jungle justice by irate mobs against those accused of some nefarious activities in different locations at the state capital.
The government wishes to remind all that just as kidnapping and other criminal acts are condemnable, it is equally unacceptable practice for citizens to take the laws into their hands by summarily killing those suspected of any criminal act.
The good people of Osun are therefore enjoined to be vigilant and only hand over those suspected of crimes to security agencies for appropriate actions.
The constitutional responsibility of determining the guilt and commensurate punishments of criminal acts lie with the security agencies. Anything short of this is equally criminal, barbaric and total negation of the Omoluabi ethos for which the State of Osun is known for.
It must be stated in clear terms that dire consequences await anyone caught in any act of breaching the peace of the state in the guise of punishing those involved in crimes.
Signed
SEMIU OKANLAWON
DIRECTOR
BUREAU OF COMMUNICATION AND STRATEGY OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
OSOGBO

Founding fathers of Osun State are set to form a broad-based task force committee on the forth-coming governorship election.
A statement by the Chairman of Osun Founding Fathers Movement, Amb Diran Fagbongbe said the committee will serve as a link among all the political parties, ensure peace prevails before, during and after the election.
According to him, the committee will also ensure that the best candidate emerge as the next governor .
“The committee will include all the surviving founding fathers of state, along with all the surviving traditional rulers who joined forces ro ensure the creation of the state on August 27, 1991, some newly installed Obas and chairmen and other top political chieftains. Also some powerful spiritualist and clerics of traditional, christian and muslims, faiths will also be invited to join them” Fagbongbe explained.
THE NATION
 

Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has disclosed that his administration has approved the tarring of Igbajo/Ada road in its bid to enhance movement of farm produce to commercial centres in the state.
He stated this at the 27th Igbajo Day celebration held at Baptist Elementary School Igbajo.
The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Mrs. Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori, said his administration is focused on enhancing inter-communal peace impacting positively on all communities in the state.
He, however, charged the indigenes and residents of the community that government alone cannot endear development in all the communities in the state, hence, the need for partnership with various communities’ development associations to stimulate development and progress.
“Development goals require our individual and collective involvement. They demand that we come together and map out means of fulfilling them. In so doing, we become not only partners in progress minding the same thing and having common goals for our well-being, we equally strengthen the bond of togetherness, peace and harmony”, he said.
This, the governor disclosed, would help facilitate the gain of economic, social, and psychological benefits derivable from working and celebrating together.
“Like many other communities, Igbajo has benefitted greatly from the valuable programmes of our administration in the areas of road infrastructure, school development, healthcare delivery, agriculture, employment opportunities, and security.
“Certainly, the Iresi-Irun-Igbajo road, which we have reconstructed, is one project that is sure to advance economic activities in this community. Farmers in this area and in many parts of Boluwaduro Local Government Area will find it easier to move their produce from the farms to the commercial centres where they can sell. Four local government roads have also been completed in Igbajo, to complement road infrastructure development”, Aregbesola disclosed.

The era of ‘business as usual’ in the road construction sector in the State of Osun is over, as the government of the day will not under any guise, condone sub-standard job delivery from any contractor.
This admonition was made by the Head, Special Project Unit (Office of the Governor), Egnr Abiodun Isola while briefing journalists after a meeting with some contractors handling road jobs across the state.
He opined that, if the Government, in spite of its lean purse, with competing demands, could strive to provide the citizenry with essential amenities, there is no excuse for any contractor to be shoddy in the execution of projects.
In his contribution, the Co-ordaining Director of the Agency, Engineer Wale Ajayi lauded the Governor for his people oriented programmes.  He urged motorists to bear with the Government, especially on the Gbongan/Akoda road project.
Engr. Ajayi further said that, there are so many intervention works on the road which requires optimum professionalism and meticulous execution.  Road users were enjoined to always observe carefully, all road signs for their safety and that of others.
The meeting was rounded off with Engr. Abiodun Isola reiterating the commitment of the Aregbesola administration to completing all the projects as soon as it is practicable for the benefit of all citizens.
OSUNNEWS

The Osun State governor, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, had called on the Federal Government to prioritise the rescue of the remaining abducted Government Secondary School girls in Chibok, Borno State and stop other acts of violence by insurgents in parts of the country.
The governor made this call in Lagos yesterday during public presentation. Also his Lagos counterpart, Mr. Babatunde Fashola blamed the socio-economic and political crises facing Nigeria on leadership vacuum.
Aregbesola, spoke at the public presentation of a book titled, “Giants of history: Making of our world”, authored by Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba.
Speaking at the occasion, Aregbesola, who was the Keynote Speaker, lamented the lacklustre attitude of the Federal Government towards the abduction incident, saying; “The implication of the abduction on national security psyche and image are enormous. I am so depressed about what is happening in the country and I do not know how to put it.
“I cannot understand the rationale behind the kidnapping of school girls; girls who left their homes with sole ambition of acquiring knowledge only to end up as companions to criminals and sycophants. It is frightening.
“I urge everybody to do everything humanly possible to put an end to this sad development.
“The Federal Government must rise up to this; everyone in authority must act now. As horrible as Afghanistan is, we never read of abduction of human beings, let alone school children.
Also, the Special Guest of Honour at the occasion, in person of Governor Fashola, said,”We had great people that could handle the situation well and make the difference but they were not allowed to occupy the right positions.”
Moreso, there was leadership vacuum in the country, which had remained unfilled in many spheres of the country’s national life because the rich human resources had not been well harnessed- Fashola lamented
OSUN DEFENDER

If you are on the same page as I am on the matter of the forthcoming governorship poll in the State of Osun, then you are probably noticing a most interesting development of our time. Of the two leading contestants, Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Chief Iyiola Omisore of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), one would be waving a scorecard of verifiable achievements to ask for the renewal of his mandate at the August ballot, while the other, untested in the delivery of good and disciplined governance, would be flaunting a promissory note to request for the people’s vote.
Now, between the one who has performed and is reeling out his accomplishments which the whole world can see and the other who is merely promising heaven and earth(he might include hell!) based on ”unsecured” pledges, who will electorate opt for? The first is asking for votes upon his conviction that he has done well to deserve an encore in office. That is to say he is resting on what political scientists call the theory of merit votes.
The theory says an incumbent office holder who has done well merits the vote or mandate of the people on account of the solid achievements in his first term, if he should seek re-election. He stands on a surer footing for a second coming than the inexperienced person.
In addition to these theorists, the greatest and most visible proponents and supporters of this position are the people who have benefited from the government of Rauf Aregbesola, the intellectuals as well as the media practitioners in our midst. We must applaud them for this. For it is only when we establish merit as the core utility in our daily activities and at election time that we can expect genuine elevation of ethical values in the society.
A people seeking progress and stability should be driven by “meritocracy”, if you permit poetic license to apply this coinage! They would head into a blind alley if they should rely on the promissory notes of Omisore. At the moment what he is doing is to ask for the vote of the people based strictly on the promises to provide this and to provide that if elected, and to even cancel what have been provided.
Promissory notes, as well known US lawyer Aaron Larson observes, are unreliable as a tool for “adequate protection”….. In the event the promisor defaults”. He calls the promissory note an “unsecured” obligation which can result in “bankruptcy”. He said “care should be taken” on the issue of those offering promissory notes. (See Promissory Note Template by Aaron Larson published by Law Offices of Aaron Larson, Michigan, the United States of America 2003).
In Nigerian politics, promissory notes are even more treacherous and hazardous as an instrument of bargain or campaign for vote. Once the promisor secures your vote, he reneges on his word and resorts to harsh tactics of alienation. The wise citizen would keep a very long distance from him and go for the one who is asking you to examine the scorecard of his tenure to see the difference between the two.
And the difference is clear…
Under Rauf Aregbesola, the State of Osun has crossed the line away from the indices that made observers call it a dull and poor civil service state. A Briton who toured the state declared after coming face-to-face with the changes he saw:”Osun is brimming with possibilities”.
The changes going on in the state are specially programmed to raise a new breed of citizens prepared for the future and to compete with those in areas we call the advanced societies of the world. Aregbesola correctly argues that education is the key. So, he has practically destroyed the mechanism of the past that made it impossible for the Osun citizen to develop. His school reclassification policy, along with Opon imo learning technology and a conducive teaching  ambience has now been accepted statewide, indeed nationwide and globally.
In nearly four years, the APC government has now put in place an aggregate of economic and social policies that have attracted critical acclaim to earn Osun the respectable position of being the seventh largest economy in Nigeria. Yet, Osun is only a state of four million people with less than N300 million internally generated revenue (IGR) when the Ogbeni took over in 2010. Today, it boasts IGR of N1.6b.
Naturally, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has also gone up, rising from N110 billion in 2010 to N800 billion in 2013. The implication is that there has been a huge thrust of economic activities and steady investment in infrastructure development in the State of Osun, including the move to build an international airport. It is going to have the longest runway in Africa.
These are citizen-friendly statistics, enabling mass employment, the provision of modern roads, hospitals, schools, industries, subsidized agriculture, free nutritious meals for students, welfare packaged for the vulnerable in the society and a general clime of stability and peace.
At the poll in August 2014, this is the merit test Rauf Aregbesola will subject himself to. He will be telling the people he merits (deserves) their overwhelming vote again because of his achievements. Poor Iyiola Omisore will tender empty promissory notes! What a shame!.
Oluwalogbon, a media practitioner of International exposure, writes from Osogbo
GAZELLE NEWS