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Category: News

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN RALLY ADO-EKITI  5

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN RALLY ADO-EKITI  5The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Friday accused President Goodluck Jonathan of squandering about $35billion of oil revenue which accrued to his government since its inception.

Aregbesola was quoted as speaking in Lagos on Friday at the Lagos edition of the Presidential rally which saw the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, his running mate, Prof  Yemi Osinbajo, former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and others reminding the huge crowd that the 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party have brought Nigeria to her knees.

Aregbesola, who is also the South-West Coordinator of the Buhari/Osinbajo Campaigns, said it’s either Nigerians wanted misery, poverty, insecurity and other indices of misrule to continue or they want a halt to them.

“The issues involved in the 2015 election are not many at all. It is about sustenance of poverty and abolition of poverty. If you are interested in being poor, if you are interested in misery, if you are interested in hardship, vote PDP,” Aregbesola, in a release by his media aide, Semiu Okanlawon, was quoted as saying.

He continued, “But if you believe there must be an end to poverty, if you believe there must be end to hardship, if you believe that there must be an end to backwardness, the only choice in Nigeria today is APC.”

Accusing the Jonathan administration of squandering the nation’s wealth, the Osun governor said “Under the watch of President Goodluck Jonathan, at about average cost of 80 dollars per barrel, Nigeria has earned about $35billion of oil and what have we to show for it? Nothing! Poverty unemployment, hunger, insecurity, and what have you. That is why we say all the time that it is bye to all these shenanigans.”

The governor also said that the insecurity challenge in the country has robbed Nigeria of a sizeable part of its whole noting that Jonathan cannot today boast of having under his control, the same size of Nigeria that he inherited some six years ago.

He said, “About six years ago, when President Jonathan inherited the Presidency of Nigeria, Nigeria was a peaceful united nation. But within the six years of his presidency, a whole chunk of Nigeria is out of Nigeria. Do you want that to continue? When President came with his name, our better luck became bad luck. APC promises best luck.”

Gen Buhari, while speaking, assured the supporters and all Nigerians of good governance under his watch. He said the government of the PDP has bled Nigeria to coma just as he urged all to ensure collection of their voters’ cards.

Former Governor of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, said the issue of Buhari’s ambition and readiness to serve has moved beyond the qualifications dust being raised by the Jonathan campaign organization. He said Nigerians have been so battered economically, politically and socially that they no longer want to care about academic qualifications.

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Rauf-Aregbesola

Rauf-AregbesolaAfter the August 9, 2014 gubernatorial election which was convincingly won by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the All Progressive Party (APC) candidate, the Returning Officer, Professor Bamitale Omole, in returning Ogbeni Aregbesola, said Aregbesola got 394,684 votes to win the election. His closest contestant was People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, who polled 292,747 votes to emerge second. The candidate in the third position was Alhaji Fatai Akinbade with 8,898 votes.
Professor Omole said “Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law, and scored the highest votes, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected. After the election results were declared, the PDP candidate petitioned the Osun Election Tribunal claiming there were irregularities in the election and its conduct. By Section 285 (6) of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999, as amended in 2011, the original judicial responsibility of handling and disposing within 180 days (6 months) from the date of filing of the petitions (within twenty-one (21) days after the announcement of the final result), of gubernatorial election is rested on the Election Petition Tribunal (equivalent of High Court).
By Section 285 (7), an appeal from the decision of an Election Tribunal or Court of Appeal in an election matter must be heard and disposed of within 60 days (2 months) from the date of the delivery of judgment of the Tribunal or Court of Appeal. Of all the poll petitions’ cases, the governorship poll cases have the longest duration of ten (10) months; that is to say six (6) months at the tribunal, two (2) months at the appeal court and two months at the Supreme Court.
From the above declarations of the 1999 constitution (as amended in 2011), two cases emerged at the Osun Gubernatorial Election Tribunal. One, is the case filed by the PDP and its candidate, Iyiola Omisore, on the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the election; and two, the case brought by APC and its candidate on the lateness of the PDP and its candidate to file their petitions legally. Legal filing must conform to the twenty-one (21) days stipulated by the constitution. No match organizer wants the contest to be won through ‘work over’. PDP and its candidate were not responsive enough to file their petitions within the stipulated time of twenty (21) days but the tribunal gave them the chance to air the views on the conduct of the election, anyway.
In the process of proving that there were irregularities in the conduct of the August 9, 2014 gubernatorial election, PDP and its candidate in the election were only able to show that there should be higher penalty for “abuse of court process” and not the N50,000.00 (fifty thousand naira) only fined the Labour Party candidate, Niyi Owoade. The Osun Gubernatorial Election Tribunal dismissed Accord Party’s petition in the August 9, 2014 election and a fine of N50,000.00. This fine may be brought up to forestall future abuse of court process.
In the Osun Gubernatorial Election Tribunal that took place in the Osogbo High Court premises, the legal team of PDP and Iyiola Omisore turned the court into a cinema theatre and freely entertained the tribunal judges and the whole court with their comedy most of the times that the tribunal sat. In the beginning of the petition, PDP and its candidate (the petitioners) claimed that there were irregularities in all the wards in the state and wanted to inspect the ballot papers to establish irregularities. The tribunal struck out the application of PDP and its candidate to take the entire petition together so as to fast track pre-hearing.
The petitioners claimed they had 1200 witnesses at the beginning of the tribunal sitting. This was later reduced to 500 out of which they were only able to invite 43. The witnesses invited were not coherent in their submissions. The comedy of the one-sided case was in the presentation of experts, evidences and witnesses. The forensic expert procured by the petitioners in the petition, Mr Pius Bakare, could not prove how he became an expert in fingerprint analysis. This can only be done through certificate or work-experience.
The witnesses were in court during the morning session of one of the sittings, but in the afternoon session, when they were expected to give evidence before the tribunal, none of them was seen. When tribunal members resumed from the break at exactly 2:30 pm, the PDP legal team discovered that the witnesses have left the court premises. Some members of the PDP legal team, including Otunba Ojo Williams, quickly rushed out of the court to call the witnesses back to the court. The lead counsel of the petitioner, Mr Chris Uche (SAN), appealed profusely to the court for the delay, as the witnesses were not on ground, admitting that “this is not good for us at all”.
When the delay was becoming unbearable, the tribunal Chairman, Elizabeth Ikpejeme, stood down the case, rose and asked the petitioners’ counsel to inform them when they were ready with their witness. It took about 15 minutes before the legal team could get the witnesses back to court after several appeals and assurances. After the witnesses were gotten back to court, the tribunal resumed sitting and the petitioners resumed calling of their witnesses. The witnesses intentionally varnished because they were scared of what they would face from the Aregbesola’s counsel having heard from witnesses who had earlier given evidence.
In cross-examining the witnesses in the morning session on the day the witnesses disappeared, a PDP witness from Oriade Local Government Mr Oluwaseun Fapohunda, stunned the tribunal, when during cross-examination said that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola voted at his polling unit in Oriade Local Government whereas Aregbesola voted in Ilesa in Ilesa East Local Government Area. Mr Fapohunda who claimed he voted in Unit 14, Ward 3, of Oriade Local Government was asked to show the tribunal his allegation of over-voting which he claimed was apparent in his witness statement on oath, failed to do so even when he was obliged a reading glasses by the petitioner’s counsel, Kunle Adegoke Esq. He also stated that he did not have any pictures of canopies erected in each of the polling units where APC members were winning and dinning.
For Mr. Adejare Moshood, he confessed during cross-examination that he cannot see any super-imposition of any result in Exhibit 192 and 207 which is the result tendered for all the units and ward, contrary to paragraph 5 of his statement on oath. When asked what he meant by super-imposition, he said ”when you see something bad and you complain about it and nobody attends to it”.
Habeeb Trimisiyu Oluwafemi, supervisor in ward 4 Ayedaade Local Government claimed he voted in unit 4. He claimed in his witness statement on oath that agents of APC were busy awarding votes arbitrarily to the Respondents. When he was asked to mention the name of those agents, he said he does not know them. He was further asked to point out the genuine votes and the inflated votes as claimed in his witness statement on oath which he said he cannot identify. He also testified to the effect that when votes were counted in his unit or anywhere in his ward he was not present and when it was being recorded he was not in any unit.
It was also a bad day for an old man Rasaki Olawuni who claimed to be a party agent in Unit 1, Ward 3, Ayedaade Local Government. He stated in his witness statement on oath that unregistered voters were allowed to vote, that PDP supporters were chased away from the polling unit and others were intimidated. During cross examination, he claimed he can neither read nor write, but can see his name on the voters register and no other. He also confirmed that he did not have the voters card of those PDP members that were prevented from voting neither did he have the names of PDP members that were intimidated and harassed contrary to his affidavit sworn to.
He further stated that he was not allowed to sign the result sheet and was not given a copy either. Chief Akin Olujinmi, SAN then asked him that since he did not signed the result and copy not given to him, he will not know the result contained therein form EC8A. He answered in the affirmative. Chief Olujinmi further confronted him with paragraph 4 which alleged over-voting in his statement on oath which he could not find answer to. The last straw was the revelation by chief Akin Olujinmi SAN that he was not the party agent at that unit; that it was Bolarinwa Ebenezer whose name was sent by PDP and he was the one that signed form EC8A. Contrary to his claim that he did not collect copy of the result in his unit, he was shown the duplicate of the result signed by Bolarinwa Ebenezer tendered by PDP counsel.
It is rather too absurd and inconceivable that a peti­tioner would claim irregularities in 85 poll­ing units of the 105 of a local government area will call only 3 witnesses whose only evidence is, in most cases, by proxy, or hear­say. These are clearly inadmissible in law. As a Petitioner’s witness, by defini­tion, you ought to be the first-hand witness to the event in contention. You are not supposed to present third party information. And even then, calling 3 witnesses representing only 3 polling units of the alleged 85 units Ikire in Irewole Local government, for example, is nothing but ridicule and abuse of court process. The picture painted above also represents what the Peti­tioner was claiming in virtually all the other local governments contested.
From the above analysis done on a local government by local government basis, it is crystal clear that out of 965 Polling Units be­ing challenged by the Petitioners, they only called evidence in support of their petition in only 239 Polling Units with the abandonment of 726 Polling Units pleaded in their petition. Assuming, without conceding, that the Peti­tioners have led credible evidence in all the 239 polling units (which is not the case here), is that enough to sway the judgment in their favour?
239 Polling Units represent 7.94 per cent of the 3,010 polling units contained in the State. This is definitely too insignificant to upturn the result of the gubernatorial elec­tion held on August 9, 2014. To make matters worse, the Petitioners tendered Form EC8A in respect of only 230 units which mean that even if their claim suc­ceeds in respect of the 239 Polling Units in which evidence was led, the Tribunal can only rule in their favour in respect of the said 230 Polling Units in which Form EC8A was tendered. But they failed to prove allegations of wrongdoings in all.
In his final submission on Friday, January 23, 2014, Chief Akin Olujinmi, the lead counsel to the petitioner, proved that the exercise was an effort in futility and urged the court to strike out this case. He opined that even where the results of the 965 polls being challenged by the petitioners were cancelled, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola will still win in two-third of the local governments in the state and still lead the petitioner by simple majority. This means that Aregbesola will still ‘satisfy the requirements of the law’ to be declared winner. The results of all the 965 polls were not addressed in the court as only 230 units were addressed and evidenced even wrongly. These are the premise to say that Ogbeni Aregbesola cannot lose this case.
Olufemi Oyedele sent this in from Osogbo, State of Osun.
BIOREPORT

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Nigerian-votercard

Nigerian-votercardThe headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the Staten of Osun has said it has distributed 993,459 (70.65 per cent)  out of 1,406,147 permanent voters cards in the state.
The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Adekunle Ogunmola, who was just deployed to the state, spoke on Friday at his maiden press briefing, saying, 412,688 (29.35 per cent) of the cards were yet to be distributed.
He added that the distribution of the PVC would stop at the end of January, noting that the commission has extended the distribution of the cards to ward level to ensure that more people get it.
Ogunmola also stressed that Saturdays have now been included in the days for the distribution of PVCs, while the closing times have been extended.
The INEC boss also said the state office of the commission has so far received 2,133 Voter Card Readers, while the rest are yet to be deployed, saying, the commission would use the available ones to start training of officials that would work with them.
He said, 3,960 Plastic Ballot Boxes have so far been deployed to the state and were in the store of the commission.
Ogunmola added that the commission has started voters’ enlightment, while workshop would also be organised for all categories of people.
On allegation of bias against his predecessor, Ambassador Rufus Akeju, the REC described his predecessor as a man of integrity, but a victim of bad politics on the side of those castigating him.
Wondering why politicians would go extra mile to blame “such thorough bred diplomat” when they could not achieve their aims, he said, “it is unfortunate that the kind of politics we play in this country is quite dirty.
“He is a man of integrity, but he was misunderstood,” he said.
THE NATION

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Petrol_pump_mp3h0355

Petrol_pump_mp3h0355Reactions have continued to trail the reduction of the pump price of petroleum by the Federal Government from N97 to N87.
Many Nigerians saw the N10 reduction as political, as it was meant to canvass support for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan, saying that it was not done with genuine intensions.
Nigerians argued that if the reduction was done with the aim of objectively reducing petroleum pump price in line with the crash of crude oil prices in the international markets, the Federal Government would have put the price at N45.
They added that President Jonathan would not wait till election period before reducing the petrol pump price.
Similarly, a coalition of civil society groups in the State of Osun has rejected the N10 reduction in the petroleum pump price, describing it as ridiculous and meagre.
The Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC) stated that the N10 reduction does not reflect the fallen price of crude oil in the global market, adding the new N87 pump price was still arbitrary and fraudulent.
According to the OCSC, the President Jonathan-led Federal Government was being insensitive to Nigerians’ plight and taking the people for granted if it could “ridiculously” take away just N10 from the pump price of petrol.
Chairman of the OCSC, Comrade Biodun Agboola, in a press statement made available to the medium on Sunday in Osogbo, said N10 reduction was politically-motivated, as it is not commensurate with the fallen crude oil prices in the global market.
Agboola said; “When crude oil was $119 per barrel, the Federal Government increased the petroleum pump price to N110. However, it was reduced to N97 following massive protest against the unjust and arbitrary hike in the pump price of petrol in 2012.
“Now that crude oil is $49 per barrel in the international market, the expected pump price reduction should have been between N35 to N40.
“We however, wondered why the Federal Government delayed the reduction in the petroleum pump price till the election period, when the crude oil price had crashed for almost five months in the global market.”
Agboola maintained that the Federal Government was still defrauding Nigerians with the N87 fuel pump price, adding that the new price further pronounced the brazen corruption and bad governance in the country.
THE NATION

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PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN RALLY ADO-EKITI  1

Photos of the Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on the top of a vehicle acknowledging cheers from the broom wielding supporters of the All Progressives Congress APC, during the Presidential Campaign of General Muhammadu Buhari at  Pavilion Central Ado-Ekiti on Saturday 24/01/2015.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola(4th right),Presidential Candidate All Progressive Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari(right) Vice Presidential Candidate, All Progressive Congress (APC), Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (2nd right) Former Governor Lagos State,Senator Bola Tinubu (3rd right),Former Governor Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi(left) and  member representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency Lagos State in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa of, during the Presidential Campaign Rally in Ado-Ekiti State at Pavilion Central Ado-Ekiti on Saturday 24/01/2015.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola(4th right),Presidential
Candidate All Progressive Congress (APC), General Muhammadu
Buhari(right) Vice Presidential Candidate, All Progressive Congress
(APC), Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (2nd right) Former Governor Lagos
State,Senator Bola Tinubu (3rd right),Former Governor Ekiti State, Dr.
Kayode Fayemi(left) and member representing Ikorodu Federal
Constituency Lagos State in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa of, during the Presidential Campaign Rally in
Ado-Ekiti State at Pavilion Central Ado-Ekiti on Saturday 24/01/2015.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Presidential Candidate All Progressive Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi and   Former Governor Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, during the Presidential Campaign Rally in Ado-Ekiti State at Pavilion Central Ado-Ekiti on Saturday 24/01/2015.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Presidential Candidate
All Progressive Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, Ewi of
Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi and Former Governor Ekiti
State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, during the Presidential Campaign Rally in
Ado-Ekiti State at Pavilion Central Ado-Ekiti on Saturday 24/01/2015.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on the top of a vehicle acknowledging cheers from the broom wielding supporters of the All Progressives Congress APC, during the Presidential Campaign of General Muhammadu Buhari at  Pavilion Central Ado-Ekiti on Saturday 24/01/2015.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on the top of a vehicle
acknowledging cheers from the broom wielding supporters of the All
Progressives Congress APC, during the Presidential Campaign of General
Muhammadu Buhari at Pavilion Central Ado-Ekiti on Saturday
24/01/2015.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Presidential Candidate All Progressive Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari and Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi, during the Presidential Campaign Rally in Ado-Ekiti State at Pavilion Central Ado-Ekiti on Saturday 24/01/2015.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Presidential Candidate
All Progressive Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari and Ewi of
Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi, during the Presidential
Campaign Rally in Ado-Ekiti State at Pavilion Central Ado-Ekiti on
Saturday 24/01/2015.

 Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola(4th right),Presidential Candidate All Progressive Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari(right) Vice Presidential Candidate, All Progressive Congress (APC), Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (2nd right) Former Governor Lagos  State,Senator Bola Tinubu (3rd right),Former Governor Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi(left) and  Member Representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency Lagos State in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, during the Presidential Campaign Rally in Ado-Ekiti State at Pavilion Central Ado-Ekikiti on Saturday


Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola(4th right),Presidential
Candidate All Progressive Congress (APC), General Muhammadu
Buhari(right) Vice Presidential Candidate, All Progressive Congress
(APC), Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (2nd right) Former
Governor Lagos State,Senator Bola Tinubu (3rd right),Former Governor
Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi(left) and Member Representing Ikorodu
Federal Constituency Lagos State in the Federal House of
Representatives, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, during the Presidential
Campaign Rally in Ado-Ekiti State at Pavilion Central Ado-Ekikiti on
Saturday

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IMG_3722

Your vote is your voice! Pick up your PVC and if you have any issues doing that, reach the INEC office in your Local Government or the closest ward office. February 14 2015 is the date. Make your vote count!
IMG_3722

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INEC-VOTE5-300×275

INEC-VOTE5-300x275The Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, for Osun State, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola has charged religious leaders to actively pursue the success of the forthcoming general elections by preaching to their congregations to shun violence before, during and after the polls.
The Osun State REC made the call weekend in Osogbo during an advocacy parley with religious leaders in the state in preparation for the coming elections.
The parley was part of sensitization meetings scheduled with stakeholders held at Olu-Osungbohun Hall of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osogbo,
Ogunmola said that the parley was organized to address all the irregularities in the 2011, and to conduct a credible election.
The INEC boss who recalled the success of the commission in the August 9, 2014 governorship election in the state, promised that “we are ready to conduct elections that will be better than the past and be acceptable to the people.”
He asked the people of the state to go and collect their Permanent Voters’ Card, PVCs, saying; “We have extended the distribution time to 5.30pm and Saturdays included.”
He added that; “We observed that politicians do listen to you Pastors and Imams during service that is why we are appealing to you to help us crusade for peace in your mosques and churches.”
He also warned that religious places should not be used to campaign for candidate, advising that youths should be warned to shun violence.
Responding, the President, League of Imams and Alfas in Osun State, Alhaji Musa Animasahun, commended the commission for the programme stressing that Muslims leaders have been praying and warning their followers in the mosques.
Also, Osun State President of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Reverend Elisah Ogundiya, urged politicians to desist from provocative utterances, promising that Christians would do all it could, to support the INEC and ensure that the elections succeed.
Meantime, the All Progressives Congress, APC in Osun State has appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to ensure that all polling units in the country have card readers planned to screen all voters during the elections.
VANGUARD

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timthumb5

timthumb5Come February 14th and 28th 2015, the people of Osun State will join the rest of Nigerians to cast their votes for the candidates of their choice for the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly elections. Also on these dates, the Presidential and Governorship elections will hold respectively.
In Osun State, the elections will be unique because there will be no gubernatorial election. This is because election into the office of the Governor took place in August 2014 with the Action Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola re-elected for a second term. Thus, the battle shifts to the Osun State House of Assembly for election of Honourable Members, as well as the National Assembly for the election of Honourable Members of the Federal House of Representative and that of the distinguished Members of the Senate. We must note also that in Osun State, just like in all other States of the Federation, we now have two major political parties – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC) in addition to the other smaller political parties thereby making the elections more competitive.
Before we go to the parliamentary polls in Osun State, we need to ask ourselves the question: Do we want continuity of the harmonious relationship that has existed in the last four years between the State Executive arm of government and the State Legislature? Do we want continuity of the massive infrastructural development that is taking place in Osun State as a result of this harmonious relationship? If your answers to these questions are in the affirmative, then you must vote for all the candidates of the ruling All Progressive Congress in Osun State. Please note that Governor Rauf Aregbesola wouldn’t have succeeded in his first term if he did not receive the support of the State House of Assembly members. Also, the wonderful support he got from the House of Representative members and Senators from Osun State cannot be underestimated. And mind you, this unflinching support is hinged on one major fact: the State House of Assembly members and those of the National Assembly are from the same Party (APC) with the Governor.
I am not saying that cordial relationship does not exist in States where the Governor and members of the State House of Assembly come from different Political parties but my experience in south west politics has shown that such party differences between the head of the Executive and the majority members of the Legislative arm gives room for frictions. The ugly incident playing out in Ekiti State since the election of Ayodele Fayose of the PDP as Governor is a pointer to what I am trying to explain. When an opposition party gains majority in a State House of Assembly, the threat of impeachment is usually high. It is either the Governor will be busy wooing some members of the House who are in the opposing party to decamp to the ruling party or the House members will be pre-occupied with how to frustrate the Governor through the threat of impeachment and non-passage of executive bills. And of course, the end result of this scenario is the collapse of governance. This is the least of what we expect in Osun State and that is why I plead with all Omoluabis to continue with the progressive politics that we have enjoyed in the last four years in Osun State. With the co-operation of the State House of Assembly, Governor Aregbesola has performed excellently given the limited resources that come to Osun State. We have witnessed massive infrastructural development, peaceful co-existence and security of lives and properties as well as over 20,000 jobs created for our Youths just to mention a few. We need more of these developmental strides in our beloved State of Osun and these can only be guaranteed if all hands are on deck to support the present government of Aregbesola by electing all APC candidates into the Osun State House of Assembly and also at the National Assembly.
-Yinka Olatunbosun, a former Aspirant for Ife East Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, wrote in from Ile-Ife.
DAILY INDEPENDENT

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scales-of-justice

scales-of-justiceOsun State Election Petition Tribunal hearing the petition of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, challenging the victory of Mr. Rauf Aregbesola of All Progressives Congress, APC in the August 9, 2014 governorship election on Friday adjourned for judgment.
The adjournment came following the adoption of written address of the two parties by their counsel.
The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP)’s governorship candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore is praying the tribunal to cancel the results of the election in some polling units in 17 local government councils of the state and declared him the lawful winner of the election.
Counsel to Omisore, Alex Izinyon (SAN), while addressing the panel said the respondents, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, APC and Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had failed to defend the allegation of corrupt practices, substantial non-compliance and irregularities levelled against them, urging the tribunal to discountenance their defense.
He said that the petitioner’s evidences were weighty enough to declare Omisore the winner of the election.
But respondents urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lack of merit, baseless and wasting of time.
Represented by Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN) and Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and Mr Ayptinde Ogunleye, submitted that the specific allegations upon which the grounds of the petition were predicated were criminal in nature adding that the petitioners had failed to prove the allegations beyond reasonable doubt.
They noted that the tribunal had no discretion to hear the petition based on their initial application that the petitioner filed his petition out of time.
They however urge the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lacking in merit with substantial cost.
Meanwhile, security were beefed up around the court premises as armed policemen and operatives of State Security Service (SSS) were deployed in the area to ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order.
Members of the PDP after the tribunal sitting had gone to town singing that the tribunal had declared their candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore winner. The news which spread like wild fire around the town as residents of state were making callings to government officials and journalists to find out the true story concerning the sitting at the tribunal.
In a swift reaction, the All Progressives Congress (APC) faulted the claim that PDP has won the election petition tribunal case.
A statement issued by its Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Mr Kunle Oyatomi said “it is not true that the PDP has won at the Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo.
“The PDP members had gone beserk. Nothing of sort has happened anywhere in any court of law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The APC admonished the residents of the state to shun the rumour describing it as wicked and cynical jubilation by PDP members around some centres in Osogbo that they have won at the Tribunal.
“It is not only false, it is intended to create confusion in the state capital and other cities. What happened today at the tribunal was not a judgment. ‘The Tribunal simply had addresses by all counsel, representing their clients on the case. After that, the Tribunal chairman adjourned sitting indefinitely.
“No date has been fixed for judgment. Only a terrible mischief-maker and political vagabond will go about town declaring victory and rejoicing in a case of this nature which the court has not made final pronouncement on.
‘The people of Osun should disregard PDP’s antics. ‘That party is already losing its mind and its leadership in the state of Osun‎ needs spiritual and medical help.
‘Governor Rauf Aregbesola is in charge and All Progressives Congress is the party in power in the State of Osun.
‘Nothing has changed that fact. Osun people should go about their lawful businesses and treat the PDP people who are jubilitating over nothing with pity for something has seriously wrong with them, the APC said.
However, the Chairman of the three member panel, Justice Elizabeth Ikpejime, adjourned indefinitely, saying the date of the judgement would be communicated to the parties.
“It is a fact that based on intelligence at the Command’s disposal, there was massive deployment of policemen at conspicuous locations in Port Harcourt to forestall breakdown of law and order.
“Members of the public are by this release called to ignore and disregard the rumour, please.”
When contacted, Okocha also told THISDAY that he was not under house arrest.
He however raised concern over the massive police presence around his residence.
According to him, “I woke up this morning to see about six troopers of police around my residence. Although my movement was not restricted, the police have not explained to me why that large security presence.
THISDAY

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Your vote is your voice! Pick up your PVC and if you have any issues doing that, reach the INEC office in your Local Government or the closest ward office. February 14 2015 is the date. Make your vote count!
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