Photos of the Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola acknowledging cheers from the people during an Inspection Tour to the A.U.D Elementary School, Inisha, at the weekend

From right- Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; General
Manager, TERA AND PICO Construction Limited, Engineer Shehu
Abdul-Kadir and Former Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Alhaji Abdullahi Binuyo during an
Inspection Tour to the A.U.D Elementary School, Inisha, at the weekend

From right- Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; General
Manager, TERA AND PICO Construction Limited, Engineer Shehu
Abdul-Kadir and Former Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Alhaji Abdullahi Binuyo during an
Inspection Tour to the A.U.D Elementary School, Inisha, at the weekend

From right- Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; General
Manager, TERA AND PICO Construction Limited, Engineer Shehu
Abdul-Kadir and Mr. Abimbola Daniyan during an Inspection Tour to the
A.U.D Elementary School, Inisha, at the weekend

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola acknowledging cheers
from the people during an Inspection Tour to the A.U.D Elementary
School, Inisha, at the weekend

The Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola, has charged politicians to eschew violence and conduct themselves in peaceful manners to make next month’s general elections successful. Speaking at the 7th edition of “The Front-liners”, an enlightenment programme organised by veteran journalists in Osun State, Ogunmola urged the two major political parties in the country to give peace a chance.
The REC noted that the postponement of the elections will further guarantee the safety of over 700 ad-hoc staff to the used by the commission as it is an opportunity for the security operatives to be better prepared in securing the nation. He added that the shift will facilitate the participation of more eligible voters as more people are now collecting their Permanent Voter’s cards.
THE NATION

Uncertainty hung over the proposed industrial action by workers in Osun State at the weekend, as both the Trade Union Congress, TUC, and Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, dissociated themselves from the strike.

Going by the declaration of Comrade Akinyemi Olatunji, leader of Osun State chapter of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, civil servants in Osun State were to down tools by Thursday this week.
Akinyemi had informed workers at the state’s secretariat, Abeere, during a protest to sensitise workers about the proposed strike last Thursday that labour leaders in the state had resolved to call workers out for industrial action over unpaid salaries running into five months, and handed down one week ultimatum for government to pay up or face workers’ wrath.
But, speaking with newsmen over the weekend, chairman of TUC in the state, Comrade Oladele Adetunji, threatened that other unions would sanction the leadership of Senior Civil Servants, who declared the industrial action.
He explained that Akinyemi lacked the power to single-handedly declare strike without the knowledge of leaders of other unions.
According to him, labour movement in the state comprises of NLC, TUC, and Joint Negotiation Council, JNC.
The three groups, he added, have been meeting with Governor Rauf Aregbesola, regarding the welfare of workers in the state.
He added that the protest amounted to “gross misconduct.” How could you say you are representing the interest of the union and start ringing bell around the state’s secretariat?
“About 43 leaders of the union were in attendance at the meeting held with the governor on October 2014. Only the Association of Senior Civil Servants has been boycotting the union’s meeting, and it is personal.”
Dismissing claims that workers are being owed five months salaries, Adetunji averred that only workers on grade level 12 and above are yet to receive December salaries, adding that local government workers and primary school teachers have all been paid December salaries, inclusive of deductions and leave bonuses.
He warned workers against following “illegal strike directive” by Akinyemi, saying “we have never directed anybody to go on strike. Any worker that chooses to go on illegal strike does so at his or her own interest.”

NATIONAL MIRROR

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State of Osun has threatened to institute a libel suit against the Director of Publicity for President Jonathan’s Reelection campaign- Mr Femi Fani-Kayode; over the video clip purportedly shown on Channels Television on Thursday the 19 of February, 2015.

 Mr Fani Kayode  has claimed that August 9 governorship election was rigged in favor of Gov.  Rauf Aregbesola, the APC gubernatorial aspirant.

 The party also called on the President and National Assembly to constitute an independent Judicial Commission of Inquiry to look into the allegations levied by Fani Kayode, over the Osun election, that many has tagged as free and fair.

The state Chairman of the party, Prince Gboyega Famodun, during a press conference at the party secretariat  in Osogbo today, said the party has written the Directorate of State Security and the Nigerian Police, to investigate the matter the said allegations.

The party also alleged that the video clip was acted by the PDP to cover up the Ekiti audio tape in which Governor Ayodele Fayose and Musiliu Obanikoro (Minister Nominee) were indicted.

Famodun said “Nigerians should note that the PDP badly acted this drama to cover up for their rape on democracy at Ekiti. We have seen through their evil machination to cover up their misdeeds in the Ekiti Governorship election.  The audio tape of which we expect the President or National Assembly to have ordered an investigation by now anyway.”
“Our party, the APC is constituted  with decent party members, who are committed democrats that will never involve in electoral offenses. The PDP should stop seeing us as criminals like them. We are not like them”
“More astounding is the fact that our party APC and PDP jointly conducted inspection into all materials used in the election and no discrepancy was found. Also, if the PDP are sure of their facts, why didn’t they tender this fabricated tape at the tribunal?”
“We are therefore demanding for an independent judicial commission of inquiry into the entire process leading to the Osun Election,” the party stated.
It added that the panel should be given the power to extract evidence from anybody through invitation and that nobody must refuse to appear before it.

The party however threatened that failure by the President and National Assembly to act on this within two weeks would compel it to call on Governor Rauf Aregbesola to take up the task of setting up the panel without delay.
“We also challenge the Directorate of State Security and the Nigeria Police to explain to Nigerians why they have failed, refused and or neglected to investigate and take necessary actions on the petition by our party on previous fake concoction of PDP since November, 2014,” the party stated.

 Proffering a response to whether there  is similarity between audio tape of Ekiti and purported Osun video, the immediate past Commissioner of  Special  duties  and  Regional Integration,  Barrister Jibola Basiru  reacted, saying there were clear  differences  between the two clips.

 Basiru further  explained  that , the deference between the audio clip of Ekiti  and that of Osun  was that, Ekiti  audio clip proved the  participants were known political actors, and that they were  in  clandestine meeting; while the purported  Osun clip was a drama being acted by PDP members, concluding the  video was just being concocted.

 According to Basiru, “when  Ekiti audio tape was revealed the presidency said it would not investigate the allegation therein, but we the APC in Osun, we are going to investigate  who acted the video and we are calling on security agencies to   carry out their investigation  concerning the video clip in order  to show that we don’t have anything to hide, but that it  is only PDP and the Presidency that has something to hide”.

 He added that “Fani-kayode should have been arrested to state where he got the concocted video clip  if we were in saner climes.

 The immediate past Commissioner continued, saying he wondered why the video clip couldn’t help the PDP before the election petition tribunal, where they were not able to show any iota of irregularities in the election.

Osun State government has disbursed N500 million as soft loan for farmers to boost mass production of food across the state.
The Coordinator, Osun State Rural Enterprise Agricultural Programme (O-REAP), Dr. Charles Akinola, disclosed this to newsmen in Osogbo after meeting with stakeholders, including the State Agricultural Development Corporation (OSSADEP), and Rural Access and Mobility Programme (RAMP).
Akinola further disclosed that the state government has, through OSSADEP assisted the famers in clearing over 1,000 acres of farmland in preparation of mass production of food in the state, adding that the land clearing spans through Mokore Farm Settlement; Iwo-Patara Farm Settlement; Ago-Owu Farm Settlement; Ifon-Osun Farm Settlement; Ila Farm Settlement; Esa-Oke Farm Settlement as well as other private farms located in the state.
He stated that the state government has graded over 122km of access rural roads and repaired river bridges to ease mobility of farm inputs and products to and from all farmlands across the state.
The graded rural roads, according to him, include Ago-Owu to Orile-Owu (30km), Iwo-Patara-Akinleye-Idi-Iroko Road (23km); Mokore Road (18.7km); Shasha Rover to Orile-Owu-Womonle (61km); Okinni-Igbokiti (23km); Alaguntan (18.3km) and Esa-Oke.
He explained that electricity had been restored in all the existing farm settlements in the state as well as potable water to make younger famers to stay in farm for massive production of food in the state.
Akinola, who is also the Director General, Office of Economic Development and Partnerships (OEDP), disclosed that the state through its partnership with International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is planning to promote massive production of cocoa and cassava across the state as well as effective fertilizer distribution and other farm inputs including quality seeds though private sector participation.
“The partnership will make the state to be the food basket of the southwest and meet its overall goal of 10 per cent supply of food products to Lagos market,” he said.
“We are also planning to invest in vegetable and soya beans massively through quality seeds to take food from the state to other region of the country.
“We want to open our doors to interested persons and bodies through partnership with private sector and approach fertilizer distribution and quality seeds multiplication with more vigour for maximum results,” he said.
DAILY INDPEPENDENCE

Pictures of the Governor Sate of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Oyo Sate Governor Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Deputy Governor Niger state ,Hon. Ahmed Musa Ibeto, Borno state Governor, Alhaji  Musa Shettima Kashim and others, during the All Progressive Congress [APC], Joint Leadership Meeting at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre Abuja on Tuesday 17/02/2015.

From left- Governor Sate of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Oyo Sate
Governor Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Deputy governor Niger state ,Hon.
Ahmed Musa Ibeto, Borno state Governor, Alhaji Musa Shettima Kashim
and others, during the All Progressive Congress [APC], Joint
Leadership Meeting at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre Abuja on Tuesday
17/02/2015.

From left- Governor Sate of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Oyo Sate
Governor Senator Abiola Ajimobi and Deputy governor Niger state Hon.
Ahmed Musa Ibeto, during the All Progressive Congress [APC], Joint
Leadership Meeting at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre Abuja on Tuesday
17/02/2015.

Governor Sate of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola[middle], Oyo Sate
Governor Senator Abiola Ajimobi[right] and Ogun State Governor,
Senator Ibikunle Amosun [left], during the All Progressive Congress
[APC], Joint Leadership Meeting at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre Abuja on
Tuesday 17/02/2015.

From left- Governor Sate of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Oyo Sate
Governor Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Deputy governor Niger state ,Hon.
Ahmed Musa Ibeto, Borno state Governor, Alhaji Musa Shettima Kashim,
Senator Abu Ibraheem, Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole and
other during the All Progressive Congress [APC], Joint Leadership
Meeting at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre Abuja on Tuesday 17/02/2015.

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has called on Christians and other Nigerians to use the Lenten period to pray to God for peace and the unity of Nigeria as the March and April elections inch in.

The governor in a message by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, appealed to Christians to use the occasion to supplicate to God for the peaceful conduct of the forthcoming elections.

Aregbesola held that all hands must be on deck to ensure that the 40 days of the lenten period must be used by brethren to pray for the country to have credible, fair and violence-free elections.

He admonished faithful to imbibe the lesson of the Lent, a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline.

The governor advised Christians to  set aside time to reflect on Jesus Christ, his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, resurrection and above all his love for humanity.

‎According to him, “What our nation needs at this time is love, sacrifice and forgiveness, we must all pray and join hands with our security agencies so that God can in His mercies on the occasion of Lent help the country conquer insurgency that is ravaging part of the country.

“I will also like to use this opportunity to charge our Christian clerics to educate their congregations on the need for peace and the unity of the nation.

“We must always pray to God for His will to be done on the nation, we must use the time of this Lent to pray for the coming elections to be free, fair and devoid of violence.

“As citizens, we owe our country a duty to be loyal. The stark reality is that we have no other place to go and so we should pray for continued existence of the nation.

“This season of spirituality is also good for our Christian brothers and sisters to preach and practically demonstrate love for other faiths so as to promote religious harmony wherever we live”. The governor stressed.

Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has commiserated with the Muslim ummah in Iwo over the demise of the Chief Imam, Alhaji Mudathir Ajao Akinlade.

The Imam, who passed on Wednesday, was described as versatile and experienced Islamic scholar during his time.

Aregbesola, in a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, described the deceased cleric as a charismatic religious leader.

The Governor said the late cleric worked harmoniously with people of other faiths thereby creating peaceful and enabling atmosphere for differences in religion to thrive.

The statement said: “The demise of the Chief Imam came to me painfully but as Muslims, we are not to agonise over death but pray for the repose of the soul of the deceased.

“It is from Allah we have come and onto Him is our return.

“We therefore commiserate with the entire Muslim ummah of Iwo land for the passage of the scholar.

“He would be remembered as a man who upheld the love of his creator, that of his religion and the love of humanity as a whole.

“More importantly, he demonstrated tolerance of other religions and preached assiduously on how to promote harmonious living between Muslims and people of other faiths.

“On behalf of myself, government and people of Osun, I send a heartfelt condolence to the immediate and extended family of our cleric as well as the entire Iwoland.

“May Allah offer him a befitting abode in Aljana Firdaus.”

Pictures of the Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola with Celebrant/Former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, during his 60th Birthday Party in his home town, Ipetu-Ijesa, State of Osun on Sunday 15-02-2015

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right) with
Celebrant/Former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi
Petinrin, during his 60th Birthday Party in his home town,
Ipetu-Ijesa, State of Osun on Sunday 15-02-2015

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle); his Deputy,
Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori (right) and Celebrant/Former Chief of Defence
Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin (left), during his 60th
Birthday Party in his home town, Ipetu-Ijesa, State of Osun on Sunday
15-02-2015

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle); his Deputy,
Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori (right) and Celebrant/Former Chief of Defence
Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin (left), during his 60th
Birthday Party in his home town, Ipetu-Ijesa, State of Osun on Sunday
15-02-2015

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (3rd right); his
Deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori (2nd left); Celebrant/Former Chief of
Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin (3rd left);
Commandant, Nigerian Air Force Institute of Safety, Ipetu-Ijesa, Air
Commodore Oyewole Jackson (right); Risa of Ipetu-Ijesa, High Chief
Ayodele Olayinka (left); Air Vice Marshal Kunle Nyananyo (2nd right)
and others, during his 60th Birthday Party in his home town, Ipetu-Ijesa, State of Osun on Sunday 15-02-2015

Farmers in Osun have cultivated 3,500 hectares of cassava in three months, according to the South West Chairman of the Cassava Growers Association, Mr David Ogunsade.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fertilisers were part of the Federal Government’s intervention through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to boost the production of High Quality Cassava Flour (HQSF).Ogunsade disclosed this while launching the distribution of 9,000 bags of fertilisers to cassava farmers in Ifon-Osun, Orolu Local Government area of the state.
Ogunsade said the farmers’ need had been verified and met through tracking and physical inspection by officials of the ministry.
He attributed the feat to the removal of bottlenecks that hitherto bogged down the distribution of farm input to farmers and commended President Goodluck Jonathan for his commitment to the reformation of the agriculture sector. Ogunsade said Jonathan has distinguished himself as the most farmer-friendly President in the history of Nigeria.
“Prior to the present programme, over 100 farmers have received grants, each beneficiary received N150,000 to cultivate at least two hectares of cassava farm.
“More than 2,000 cassava farmers in the state are to benefit from another round of grants under the High Quality Cassava Flour (HQSF) programme,’’ Ogunsade said.
He said it was high time Nigerian youths joined the cassava growing business to overcome poverty induced by joblessness.
“The Federal Government has put in place an arrangement to mop up cassava tubers being cultivated by farmers, to prevent glut in the cassava market.
“The World Bank is also working toward building more cassava processing industries, one of such industry will be located at Imesi-Ile in Osun,’’ Ogunsade said.
DAILY INDEPENDENT