The Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has described as the triumph of the will and wishes of the people, the verdict of the Osun Election Petition Tribunal delivered today Friday February 6 2015 which awarded him victory.

Aregbesola, in a swift reaction to the judgment, said in a sane society, his opponent in the August 9, 2014 governorship election would not even approach the election tribunal because there was no redress to be sought in the first place.

“It is pertinent to state here that ab initio, those who went to the tribunal knew that the petition lacked any substance whatsoever. It is a share waste of the time of the judiciary. And they knew!

“One is appalled by the fact that a candidate who knew that the entire state rejected him and the political party he represents; performed abysmally in the build-up to the election, during the election and compounded his woes by failing to meet up with the required deadline set by the rule of the court, would be taunting us with any fake victory.

Aregbesola, in the statement made available by his media aide, Semiu Okanlawon, congratulated the people of Osun on the victory, saying it is a confirmation of their dogged desire for good governance as demonstrated by the four years of the first term of his administration.

“We must salute the courage of our people that in the face of overwhelming intimidation, harassment of unimaginable proportion, they stood by their government and ensured re-election. This is a further affirmation of the fact that any government that makes the people the centre of its policies will always find the people solidly behind it,” he said.

    Governor Aregbesola further re-assured the people that his government would not relent in its zeal to make Osun the hub of the most profitable commercial centre not only in the South-West but in Nigeria as a whole.

“Our target is to make this small corner of the earth a centre of reference in all that is great and elegant. The history of our place tells us that civilization was not alien to us and that indeed, our people were epitome of innovation, technology, industry and enterprise.

“We must revamp this and make our people proud again among other nations of the world,” he concluded

Nigerian farmers on Tuesday declared that they will only cast their votes for politicians with workable policies that will ensure food security and enhance agricultural production across the country when elected to official positions.
The farmers, who spoke under the aegis of the Association of Small Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria, whose parent body is the Voices for Food Security, stated that politicians should during their campaigns discuss how to improve the country’s agricultural sector, a development that would positively impact on the lives of farmers.
“Nigerian farmers will only vote for politicians with sound food policies. Policies that will ensure food security, considering the fact that the fall in global oil price is seriously affecting our country’s earnings negatively,” a representative of ASSAPIN, Mrs. Mariam Buhari, said.
Buhari, while speaking during a press briefing organised by Oxfam Nigeria, stated that Nigerian farmers decided to come up with a farmers’ manifesto, adding that politicians would have to endorse and pledge to commit to its dictates in order to drive the agricultural sector to amiable heights.
She said, “There are needs in the sector that have to be addressed. Particularly, women in agriculture face a lot of challenges and that is why we are saying that any politician that doesn’t have sound policies that will ensure meaningful improvements in the sector should forget our (farmers) votes.”
Speaking also at the briefing, a member of the group and Head, Madakiya Mondiccu Cooperative Society, Mrs. Monica Maigari, said it might be difficult for the government to fund its bills if it continues to relegate agriculture to the background.
She said, “Oil prices are nose-diving and Nigeria is losing revenue as a result of this. This is the time to harness agriculture so that through the sector the government can generate revenue to run its activities. But if farmers are neglected, then it will be tough for the government to actualise this.”
The Programme Officer, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Mr. Salaudeen Hashim, said food insecurity posed a pervasive and non-violent threat to the existence of individuals, considering the fact that hunger significantly shortens life expectancy, undermines quality of life and limits participation in income generating activities.

…says the concept of e-learning device is in line with its objective of promoting education

The United‎ Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has approached the government of the state of Osun seeking to adopt the e-learning device created by the Rauf Aregbesola administration, Opon Imo (Tablet of Knowledge).

UNESCO, in a letter dated 15 November 2014 to the Osun Commissioner for Education and signed by Prof. Hassana Alidou, Director and Representative UNESCO’s Regional Office in Abuja said the organisation is impressed by the components of the Osun e-learning project.

UNESCO also requested to reproduce and adapt the educational learning resource material and content of Opon-imo to promote it’s educational programmes in Nigeria.
‎ The organisation added that it was fascinated by the three major content categories of the e-library, the integrated test zone, the virtual class room containing 63 books covering civic education, Ifa on ethics and morals among others in Opon-Imo.
The United Nation’s organisation held that the concept and educational contents of Opon-Imo is in line with UNESCO’s objective to promote open access to quality education in the country. According to UNESCO in the letter of request, “as you may be aware, UNESCO is a specialised Agency of the United Nations with a broad mandate in promoting education, science, culture, communication and information.
“The concept and education content of Opon-Imo is in line with UNESCO objective to promote open access to scientific information, open educational resources and open training platform as well as open distance learning.
“We acknowledge that the Opon-Imo was designed to enhance students’ access to knowledge, sexuality education and entrepreneurship, all of which are within the scope of UNESCO’s educational programme activities in Nigeria”.
The organisation also pointed out that it will partner with Osun, noting that the government of Osun will be officially acknowledged by UNESCO and other users as the major source of the e-learning resource materials wherever they are used.

Opon Imo [Tablet of Knowledge] the innovative education tool by Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration has bagged several international awards.

Opon Imo was selected as the best in innovative category in the e-learning and science category of the awards of United Nations backed World Summit Awards (WSA) among many other awards.

Governor State of Osun and South West Coordinator APC Presidential Campaign, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; his Deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori; President, National Association of Osun State Students (NAOSS), Offa Poly Chapter, Mr. Akintunde Maruf and Secretary General, National Association of Polytechnic Students, Mr Seriki Ibrahim Olawale, during a visit to declare support for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari presidency, at Government House in Osogbo on Tuesday 03-02-2014

Governor State of Osun and South West Coordinator APC Presidential
Campaign, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; his Deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori;
President, National Association of Osun State Students ((NAOSS), Offa
Poly Chapter, Mr. Akintunde Maruf (2nd right) and Secretary General,
National Association of Polytechnic Students, Mr Seriki Ibrahim
Olawale, during a visit to declare support for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari
presidency, at Government House in Osogbo on Tuesday 03-02-2014

Governor State of Osun and South West Coordinator APC Presidential
Campaign, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; his Deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori;
President, National Association of Osun State Students ((NAOSS), Offa
Poly Chapter, Mr. Akintunde Maruf (6th right); Secretary General,
National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), Mr Seriki Ibrahim
Olawale (5th right); Student Union Government (SUG), Mr Adegbele
Hammed (2nd left) and NAPS Director of women Affairs, Miss Giwa
Oluwadamilola (left) and others, during a visit to declare support for
Gen. Muhammadu Buhari presidency, at Government House in Osogbo on
Tuesday 03-02-2014

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has lamented what he described as the criminal silence of Nigerians at mind-boggling revelations that about N30 trillion of Nigerian money allegedly got missing under the watch of the Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Aregbesola, while receiving representatives of students of Nigerian polytechnics who visited him at the Government House on Tuesday, said it was amazing how corruption had become so entrenched in the country that the mention of N30 trillion common wealth missing under the government of President Goodluck Jonathan has not been greeted with trepidation.

He said with such mind-blowing frittering away of the nation’s resources, the future of the youths of today has been mortgaged.

Addressing the students representatives who said they were at the Government House to show solidarity with the Governor, his APC-led Government and support for presidential candidate of the APC, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, Aregbesola said With the way Nigeria is now, Nigerians of the age of the students should take it upon themselves to ensure the pursuit for change is driven to a logical conclusion.

“With the bomb that Soludo threw on the missing money, when I was in school, Jonathan would have been preparing for his exit. For a former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor to accuse the Minister of Finance that under her watch, the country lost about N30 trillion and all of us can keep quiet?

“How much was involved in the crisis that led to the Ali Must Go protests? But the whole country became charged and demanded for the resignation of the Minister,” Aregbesola lamented.

The governor said the amount in question is enough to build several kilometres of roads, several schools, and help bring back into life many of the country’s decaying infrastructure.

 He said, “Look at how many roads that would build.  Look at how many schools that would build.

“Incontrovertible facts have it that the Three Gorges Dam in China was built at a cost of USD26 billion and it is generating 22,500 MW of power by July 2012.

“Now, look at our country, we have spent about $31.45 billion and we could only generate 4,000 MW,” he disclosed

The Governor said what is made of Nigeria is a business of the youths adding that they must join hands to ensure the needed change in the country.

He added, “What you make of Nigeria is your business. It’s in your interest to join in the struggle to have a new leadership in Nigeria.  We must have a change of government to have a new beginning.

“Should this man have another 4 years, the country is doomed totally.”

Speaker of Osun House Assembly, Mr Najeem Salaam, has urged the electorate in the State not to sell their Permanent Voter Cards to desperate politicians.
The speaker gave the advice while addressing a group of artisans in Ejigbo, his home town.
He urged people yet to collect their PVC to do so before INEC’s deadline to enable them to vote in the forthcoming elections.
He told the electorate to see the PVC as a symbol of power for individuals to determine who governed them.
He urged the people to keep their PVC away from unscrupulous politicians who may want to collect them for mischievous reasons.
(NAN)

An exciting photograph showing special passion for APC. Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola enthusiastically ordered a toddler to the podium after sighting him within a mammoth crowd in his loud voice shouting ‘APC Shai Buhari’; ‘APC Shai Buhari’; ‘APC Shai Buhari’ during a campaign for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and National Assembly Aspirants, at Palace’s Squire, Apomu, State of Osun on Monday 02-02-2014

Special passion for APC: Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf
Aregbesola enthusiastically ordered a toddler to the podium after
sighting him within a mamoth crowd in his laoud voice shouting APC
Shai Buhari; APC Shai Buhari; APC Shai Buhari. With them are, his
deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori; An Aspirant, Senator Isiaka Adeleke,
representing Osun West Senatorial District and others, during a
campaign for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and National Assembly Aspirants,
at Palace’s Squire, Apomu, State of Osun on Monday 02-02-2014

Special passion for APC: Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf
Aregbesola enthusiastically ordered a toddler to the podium after
sighting him within a mamoth crowd in his laoud voice shouting APC
Shai Buhari; APC Shai Buhari; APC Shai Buhari. With them are, his
deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori; An Aspirant, Senator Isiaka Adeleke,
representing Osun West Senatorial District and others, during a
campaign for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and National Assembly Aspirants,
at Palace’s Squire, Apomu, State of Osun on Monday 02-02-2014

Photos of the Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola addressing Party supporters, during a Campaign Rally for General Muhammadu Buhari and National Assembly aspirants in Osun West Senatorial District at Ile-Ogbo, State of Osun, during the weekend

State of Osun Supporters of All Progressives Congress (APC) at a
Campaign Rally for General Muhammadu Buhari and National Assembly
aspirants in Osun West Senatorial District at Ile-Ogbo. Insert: From
left, Senatorial Aspirant, Osun West Senatorial District, Senator
Isiaka Adeleke; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; his Deputy, Mrs Titi
Laoye-Tomori; APC State Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun and others,
during the weekend

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola addressing his Party
supporters, at a Campaign Rally for General Muhammadu Buhari and
National Assembly aspirants in Osun West Senatorial District at
Ile-Ogbo. Insert: From left, Senatorial Aspirant, Osun West Senatorial
District, Senator Isiaka Adeleke; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; his
Deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori and others, during the weekend

From left, Deputy Governor State of Osun, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori;
Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Senatorial Aspirant, Osun West Senatorial
District, Senator Isiaka Adeleke; All Progressives Congress (APC)
State Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun and others, at a Campaign Rally
for General Muhammadu Buhari and National Assembly aspirants in Osun
West Senatorial District at Ile-Ogbo, State of Osun, during the
weekend

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola addressing Party
supporters, during a Campaign Rally for General Muhammadu Buhari and
National Assembly aspirants in Osun West Senatorial District at
Ile-Ogbo, State of Osun, during the weekend

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola the unusual Governor of Nigeria’s most-politically conscious State of Osun, has scored another brilliant goal with Twitter Verified Status which occurred earlier this evening. This digital milestone makes him among the elite 37,000 Twitter “Influencers” globally out of about 600 million Twitter users worldwide.

Aregbesola capped the 2014 social media metrics by being “the last man standing” among the 2014 Top 100 Social Media Influencers from Nigeria with 70,000 followers, thereby occupying the 100th Position. He has since inched up to the 96th position due to the momentum-generating electioneering season which has thrown up opposition challenger General Muhammadu Buhari (GMB), presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) whose Twitter followership has also risen phenomenally to over 94,000 followers in 2 months!

It is no wonder he was recently chosen by his party (APC) to spearhead the Presidential Campaign of Muhammadu Buhari (GMB) as Coordinator for the six South West states of EKITI, LAGOS, OGUN, ONDO, OSUN and OYO States, and also to replicate his resounding victory across Yoruba land.

Aregbesola is one enigmatic politician who has effectively deployed social media and web optimisation strategies to win political battles from as far back as 2008 when he was rigged out of the 2007 Governorship election of Osun State, Nigeria. His deft deployment of the informative power of the web exposed the crude rigging of the Governorship election by those he called “VOTE-ROBBERS”. He did well and successfully wrought victory and reclaimed his stolen mandate.

Read Also: How The Top 100 Twitter ‘Influencers’ Finished 2014, Two Governors – Fashola, Aregbesola Made It

Aregbesola is top 5th politician from Nigeria to be verified by Twitter coming after Babatunde Fashola, Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki and latest entrant, Muhammadu Buhari, as at January 28th 2015.

Outside of Senator Bukola Saraki a former Governor of Kwara State, and Governor Babatunde Fashola, Aregbesola is the second Governor with great social media influence in Nigeria in the Top 100 bracket. He deployed his social media team effectively to out-paced federal might during his re-election battles in August of last year, 2014 and, used the expository power of the internet to nip in the bud all the attempt by the opposition to massively rig that election by timely and instant exposition of verified collated results from the polling units which he incidentally has digitally mapped and marked with his party APC agents who digitally transmitted all verified and collated results. This singular move thwarted efforts to delay and announce manipulated results because the estimated results from all units were already in public domain and would have been herculean for the vote-robber to announce the altered result without consequences.

Our correspondent interviewed the Governor and this is what he has to say: “Verified Status with global social media platform like twitter is good but the greatest verification this year would be to put food three times daily on the table of millions of hapless Nigerians, and, creating jobs for the tens of millions of unemployed youths of our nation. I pray the February Elections would usher our party the APC and Candidates starting from General Muhammadu Buhari to the lowest House of Assembly candidates as verified and certified victors to bring good tidings and good governance to our troubled nation in the throes of economic mismanagement by the buccaneer party PDP that has destroyed Nigeria in the last 16 years of their brigandage!”

All Hail the social Media Governor of the year 2015: OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA!

Photos of the APC Presidential Candidate Gen Muhammadu Buhari Governor state of Osun,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Governor of EdoState, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole  APC National Leader,Chief Audu Ogbeni,  APC National Leader,Chief Bisi Akande during the Lagos state APC Presidential Candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari Rally at Teslim Balogun Stadium Lagos, on Friday 30-1-2015.

APC Presidential Candidate Gen Muhammadu Buhari
Governor state of Osun,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right); Governor of Edo
State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole(rigth) APC National Leader,Chief Audu
Ogbeni (2nd left); APC National Leader,Chief Bisi Akande.(left).
during the Lagos state APC Presidential Candidate, Gen Muhammadu
Buhari Rally at Teslim Balogun Stadium Lagos, on Friday 30-1-2015.

APC Presidential Candidate Gen Muhammadu Buhari
Governor state of Osun,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right); Governor of Edo
State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole(rigth) APC National Leader,Chief Audu
Ogbeni (2nd left); APC National Leader,Chief Bisi Akande.(left).
during the Lagos state APC Presidential Candidate, Gen Muhammadu
Buhari Rally at Teslim Balogun Stadium Lagos, on Friday 30-1-2015.

APC Presidential Candidate Gen Muhammadu Buhari Governor state of
Osun,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola And Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams
Oshiomhole Addressing the crowd during the Lagos state APC
Presidential Candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari Rally at Teslim Balogun
Stadium Lagos, on Friday 30-1-2015.

APC Presidential Candidate Gen Muhammadu Buhari Governor state of
Osun,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola And Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams
Oshiomhole Addressing the crowd during the Lagos state APC
Presidential Candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari Rally at Teslim Balogun
Stadium Lagos, on Friday 30-1-2015.

APC Presidential Candidate Gen Muhammadu Buhari Governor state of
Osun,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola And Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams
Oshiomhole Addressing the crowd during the Lagos state APC
Presidential Candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari Rally at Teslim Balogun
Stadium Lagos, on Friday 30-1-2015.

APC Presidential Candidate Gen Muhammadu Buhari Governor state of
Osun,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola And Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams
Oshiomhole Addressing the crowd during the Lagos state APC
Presidential Candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari Rally at Teslim Balogun
Stadium Lagos, on Friday 30-1-2015.

APC Presidential Candidate Gen Muhammadu Buhari Governor state of
Osun,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola And Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams
Oshiomhole Addressing the crowd during the Lagos state APC
Presidential Candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari Rally at Teslim Balogun
Stadium Lagos, on Friday 30-1-2015.