The Osun State Government has inaugurated five committees to educate the public on how to tackle the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
Health Commissioner, Dr. Temitope Ilori, spoke yesterday in Osogbo, the state capital, at the inauguration of the committees. She said the government would also deliberate on how to prevent the disease from entering the state.
According to her, the five committees are on Medical, Information and Environment, Forestry, Education and Women Advocacy.
She said each committee would sensitise the public to ensure quality and preventive control of the Ebola virus.
Environment and Sanitation Commissioner, Prof. Olubukola Oyawoye, and her Lands, Physical Planning Urban Development counterpart, Mr Muyiwa Ige, haile the Rauf Aregbesola administration for its proactive measures against the dreaded virus, though it had not been reported in the state.
They said the committees would serve as the watchdogs on the symptoms of the virus infection, such as general body weakness, and public enlightenment through the Ministry of Information and Strategy and the media.
The committee members were drawn from the ministries of Information and Strategy, Agriculture and Food Security, Environment, Women and Children Affairs and    Tourism and Home Affairs.
Other members are drawn from non-government organisations (NGOs), such as the International Rotary Club and the Red Cross.
THE NATION

Determined to use technology to improve planning, allocation of resources and service delivery in its education sector, Osun State government has unveiled what it said is first-of-its-kind smart identity card with biometric features was launched for all public school students in the state.

The launch of the initiative took place at Salvation Army School, Alekuwodo, Oshogbo, Osun State. An initiative of Chams Plc, the smart ID card is linked back to a central database which provides the government of the State of Osun with accurate and reliable data on the identity and number students attending public schools in the state.

Speaking on the occasion, the state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, said: “In the history of human inventions, there are not too many inventions that are as useful as technology in terms of its efficiency and effectiveness at providing solutions to human problems. This is the reason why the government of the State of Osun adopted and is deploying technology as the solution to the legacy of inefficiency bequeathed to the civil service by past inept leaders. The Osun Student Smart ID card which is embedded with biometric features is also an ingenious technology solution that we have adopted to further raise the service delivery levels in the education sector.”

The governor added that with the card, each student is a unique and identifiable individual that cannot be mistaken for another person. “Effortlessly, government can identify all students in public schools, and have access to their information at the push of a button. It improves the effectiveness of life enriching programmes such as the O’Meals, O’Schools and Opon Imo, among other other innovations put in place for the welfare of students. The Smart Card makes tracking possible, implying that we are provided with more accurate information on the exact number of beneficiaries which eliminates fraud and accounting error of any type.

Commenting on the project, Deputy Governor of the state who is also the Commissioner for Education, Mr. Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, said: “This is indeed a significant milestone for the State of Osun because without accurate data, a holistic transformation of the education sector in Osun may remain elusive. Issuance of smart identity cards to all public school students will ensure that we have accurate data for use in updating our education strategy and sustain our pragmatic work-plan to ensure overall policy success. In no small measure, the smart identity card will also ensure accountability to government by students of public school as it makes it possible for schools to track attendance.”

 She added that the government of the state will continue to upscale its investment in education across the state because it regards education of children and youths as one of the prime investments that can guarantee the exponential growth and development of the state in the 21st century’s maturing knowledge economy which places very high premium on human capital.

Also speaking on the occasion, Managing Director, Chams Plc, Mr. Demola Aladekomo, said: “The Osun Smart ID card provides biographical and biometric identification of public school children from elementary schools to middle schools and high schools, equipping government relaible demographic data of the student population in the state. This certainly improves planning, distribution and allocation of educational resources in alignment with population size, and the unique needs of students and schools across the 30 local government areas of the state. It will also aid the judicious use of government resources and improve budgeting, while also providing accurate data that will lead to the enunciation of more transformative policies.”

Aladekomo added that Chams is proud to be associated with the giant strides achieved by the government of the State of Osun as its continuously deploys Information and Communications Technology to improve governance and service delivery to the people of the state, irrespective of their location and status. “Without doubt, the Osun State is indeed becoming a model in e-governance that is worthy of emulation by other state governments because of its shrewdness and foresightedness in using technology to reduce the high incidence of fraud and wastage often associated with the public sector programmes. We can only promise the government of the State of Osun that we will continue to work with you to use Information and Communication Technology to make governance more inclusive in alignment with the realities of contemporary times.”

Similarly, in April, Chams Plc and First Bank of Nigeria partnered the government of the state to provide civil servants in Osun State with smart identity cards embedded with MasterCard prepaid capabilities – which is also the first of its kind by any state government in Nigeria. The card with biometric features can be used by the civil servants outside the country and is accepted by over 16 million merchants worldwide.

Full deployment of the scheme points to the government’s commitment to its 2011 education policy which sought an integrative and ICT enabled approach to the education of children and youth in the State. The policy evolved from the Osun Education Summit held also in 2011, and it has been described by local and international stakeholders and education regulatory bodies as a comprehensive and holistic response to the deterioration of public school system in the state.

BIZ TECH

..advises security agents to disobey future orders that are inimical to democracy

Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Tuesday evening dedicated his certificate of return to the entire people of the state for their steadfastness and unflinching support in voting for the continuation of his government.

Aregbesola made the dedication in his remark at the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Headquarters in Osogbo‎, shortly after the presentation of the certificate of return to him by the supervising National Commissioner, Ambassador Mohammad Wali.

He commended INEC for conducting a largely free and fair election which he scored as high as 75 percent in performance.

Aregbesola however advised INEC to guard jealously vital electoral materials against being tampered with.

According to the governor, “I want to advise INEC to take seriously the security of election materials, they should be extra vigilant with the materials they used in election, we appeal to you to be alert and more determined to secure materials to avoid compromised staff to tamper with the materials.

“I also want to commend other contestants who enriched the country’s democratic process, they must all come to us on how we can move forward our state. For those who are embittered, we are in no way inducing them ‎not to chart the legal way to redress.

“We must add that while they are seeking redress in court, they can still join us on how we can give meaningful life to our people”. The governor stressed.

Aregbesola averred that no democratic mandate is inferior to the other, noting that for democracy to be meaningful, whatever honour gi‎ven to the president must be extended to anyone that is democratically elected.

On the conduct of the troops drafted to the state, Aregbesola lamented that some of them acted in manner completely contrary to the nation’s constitution by turning themselves into a terror gang shortly before and during the conduct of the election.

He condemned in strong terms harassment, intimidation and arbitrary arrest of member, supporters and chieftain of the All Progressive Congress on the eve of the and the day of election.

He advised the security agencies to always sieve between genuine and wrong order so as to know which one to carry our and one to turn down.

Aregbesola continued: “I must commend the security agencies for their commitment to making the election a huge success and violence-free.

“However, one must not fail to mention the overzelousness of few of the security agencies, who in the name of obeying orders, ran riot and clamped down on innocent chieftains, members and supporter of our party.

“As security personnel, you constitutional role is to maintain law and order as well as protect the people of Nigerian.

“It is therefore criminal of any law enforcement agent to molest, harass or intimidate innocent people let alone killing a Nigerian.

“You must from now on develop the attitude of resisting wrong orders, which is antithetical to what constitution permits.

“Any order that is giving and which is not supported by the constitution is inimical to good governance and the rule of law.

“Therefore, whatever order that violates the constitution of Nigeria is criminal.”

The Resident Electoral Commissioner of Osun, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje charged the governor to be magnanimous in victory for the benefit if the state and it’s people.

Agbaje described the August 9 election as one in which INEC was determined more than before to conduct a free, fair and credible election, saying INEC stands tall with the way the election had gone in Osun.

He admitted that the election was not completely smooth because political leaders were not to careful in their utterances, which unnecessarily heated up the polity before the election proper.

He said: “We at INEC by the judgement of international communities and observers are pleased that the Osun election is adjudged as the best in the country, though it was not completely smooth, utterances that over heated the polity among other allegations against INEC.

“Not bordered on these, the commission focused on conducting ‎a free, fair and credible election, we ensure that the distribution of election materials were done without any hiccup, so also voting and accreditation were done without any hitch.

“We will continue to do everything possible to make INEC one of the best in the world. Political leaders must shun all election vices, they must educate their people against this, there is a pressing need for unity among political leaders and others”. The Commissioner pointed out.

He commended the people of Osun for coming out enmasse to vote for their candidate which lend credence to what INEC has stressed on people’s votes will represent the outcome of election.

Photos of the indigenes of Ora-Igbomina in Ifedayo Local Government of Osun welcoming Governor Rauf Aregbesola, during a Thank You Visit to the ancient town on Monday 11-08-2014

Indigenes of Ora-Igbomina in Ifedayo Local Government of Osun welcoming
Governor Rauf Aregbesola, during a Thank You Visit to the ancient town.
Insert: From left, Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Member, National Assembly
representing Osun Central Senatorial District, Senator Sola Adeyeye and
Executive Secretary, Ifedayo Local Government, Mr Kunle Ayantoye, on Monday 11-08-2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (on the Vehicle)
acknowledging Cheers from indigenes of Ora-Igbomina in Ifedayo Local
Government, during his Thank You Visit to the ancient town

From left, Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Member,
National Assembly representing Osun Central Senatorial District,
Senator Sola Adeyeye and Executive Secretary, Ifedayo Local
Government, Mr Kunle Ayantoye, during Aregbsola’s Thank You Visit to Ora-Igbomina in the State of Osun

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at the presentation of the Certificate of Returns to him at Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office, Osogbo, State of Osun on Tuesday 12-08-2014

National Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ambassador Muhammed Wali (left); presenting Certificate of Return to the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. With them are, Deputy Governor, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori; Secretary of the Commission, Mr .Oladipo Oladapo; Acting Director, Legal, Mr Ibrahim Bawa (3rd left) and others, at the INEC office, Osogbo, State of Osun on Tuesday 12-08-2014

From left, National Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ambassador Muhammed Wali; Secretary of the Commission, Mr Oladapo Oladipo; Acting Director, Legal, Mr. Ibrahim Bawa; Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Deputy Governor, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, at the presentation of Certificate of Returns to Governor Aregbesola at INEC office, Osogbo, State of Osun on Tuesday 12-08-2014

Governor State of Osun Ogben Rauf Aregbesola, signing copies of his Certificate of Return. With him are his wife, Sherifat (right); his Deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori; former Executive Governor of the State, Senator Isiaka Adeleke (2nd left); Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salam and others, at the presentation of Certificate of Returns to Governor Aregbesola at INEC office, Osogbo, State of Osun on Tuesday 12-08-2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, hugging his wife after the presentation of Certificate of Returns to him at Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office, Osogbo, State of Osun on Tuesday 12-08-2014

Deputy Governor State of Osun, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori and the Governor,  State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola during a congratulatory visit to the Government house in Osogbo following the Victory in the 2014 Gubernatorial Election on Saturday August 9 2014

Deputy Governor State of Osun, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori; her
Ekiti State Counterpart, Professor Modupe Adelabu; Governor State of
Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; his wife, Sherifat and Wife of Ekiti
State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, during a Congratulatory visit to
Aregbesola over his Victory in the 2014 Gubernatorial Election at Government House, Osogbo

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (3rd right); his wife,
Sherifat (2nd right); Deputy Governor State of Osun, Mrs Titi
Laoye-Tomori(2nd left); her Ekiti State counterpart, Professor Modupe
Adelabu (3rdleft); Wife of Ekiti state Governor, Mrs Bisi Fayemi and
Member National Assembly representing Osun Central Senatorial
District, Senator Sola Adeyeye, during a Congratulatory visit to
Aregbesola over his victory in the 2014 gubernatorial election at Government house, Osogbo

The elections that have gripped the nation’s imagination just ended yesterday – with Osun voters choosing to return their governor, Rauf Aregbesola over the corn-eating Senator, Iyiola Omisore.

So we know who won the election and who lost it, but who really won from the events of yesterday?

THE WINNERS

APC

Rumours of the party’s demise were greatly exaggerated. After Ekiti, the narrative spread – with good reason – that Nigeria’s only real opposition party in a decade had imploded, done in by its confusion, its arrogance and its lack of connection with the larger populace. Apparently, it was just a question of numbers. The All Progressives Congress went into Osun with all it had and it got a crucial lifeline. It’s game on, again.

Bourdillon

The story of the ApC is the story of its center of power, and for that all roads lead to the Kingdom of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the lion who resides at Bourdillon, Ikoyi, Lagos. Losing Ekiti was a perception disaster for him, just as he was consolidating a repitatioon as the country’s alternative leader. He had to deploy an Opeds machine across media to combat the odour of loss around him. Aregbesola is also his right hand man, in more ways than one. With this results, expect the strut to return.

Attahiru Jega

For the first time in as long as any member of this generation can remember, we are all in awe of an electoral commission. Professor Attahiru Jega, who heads the Independent National Electoral Commission, has recovered from egregious errors in previous elections to restore faith through the conduct in Ekiti and now in Osun. It is now official: this man will do right by us. His heart has always been in the right place, but now his hands are firmly on the till.

GEJ

Of course 2015 will be the real test, but as it stands, the president, Goodluck Jonathan has made a very good case for himself in ensuring free and fair elections, which is one of the first promises he made when he got into power. The toga of desperation that other presidents (we’re looking at you, OBJ) have carried won’t fit with this man. When the story of our democratic evolution is told, the man who let the Labour Party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance and the APC thrive will have pride of place.

Pollsters

This week, wherever you turned there were pollsters talking about the Osun elections. There was TNS-RMS, there was the BD Consultants, there was this one and then there was that one. They all predicted victory for Rauf Aregbesola. And they were right. All suspicion is gone, data is good, and Nigerians elections are the better for it.

THE LOSERS

Iyiola Omisore

We know we said losers apart from the two candidates, but Iyiola Omisore loss goes far below the loss of this election – it’s the loss of standing and of a national profile following this. First, unlike his competitor, he has no existing political job. Second, he has so much baggage leading from the Bola Ige death that his election here would have done well to wipe away. Third, following Ayo Fayose’s victory, his is in fact a humiliation. The only way from here is not up for him.

Femi Fani-Kayode
We’re not sure if this wasn’t his plan in the first place – to somehow find his name mentioned when the story of the Osun elections is told. That is the certainly the only explanation that makes sense as to why the man half of the country already sees as unstable would wait until it had become abundantly clear that the APC was winning the election… and then declare that the PDP was. By the time this man is through with his own reputation, not even his gate man will take him seriously.

Olagunsoye Oyinlola

We hope Oyinlola knows that not even his new friends in the APC trust him? We don’t have any exclusives in that regard, but it would appear madness for them to trust a man who has moved from the PDP to the nPDP, then to the APC, always in the nick of time. Not only is it nationally confirmed that loyalty is not his strength, but it appears the former Osun governor is also of no electoral value. He lost in his Okuku Ward polling youth – and badly too. The PDP got 125 votes. His party got 61.

Omisore’s deputy

The other half of the losing team also makes it to this list. Adejare Bello, who was running mate to Omisore didn’t just also lose the election; he also lost in his polling unit in Ede. The APC got 130 votes, and the politician? Just 30! With Omisore’s loss, a strong showing by his ostensible deputy would have bolstered the latter’s reputation as an independent political force. But right now, he’s just a postscript moving forward.

Bisi Akande

The former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress is a former governor in Osun. His party also just won the elections to the seat he once held. So he certainly must have a played a huge part in that process, yes? Not if you ask his neighbours. He lost, though only by four votes. Much better than those before him here, but sir, the title they gave you is National Chairman. You can do better.

Ynaija

To the people of Osun, August 9, 2014, will forever remain august! It was the day they buried the shackles of perpetual slavery. They openly resisted and rejected those who sought to throw them into economic and social captivity. They broke the crab fingers of looters and killers. They expelled domination and oppression. They defied over 50,000 boots and guns deployed to the state to harass, intimidate dehumanize, and steal their inalienable right to elect a leader of their choice under a peaceful, free, fair and credible elections. They voted for the All Progressives Congress (APC). They re-elected Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as governor.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had stolen Aregbesola’s victory in 2011. He fought for three years to retrieve it. This time round, when the PDP came like a flood, the great people of Osun raised a standard against it with their votes. They have confirmed to the whole world that they elected Aregbesola in 2011 and not the candidate of the poverty development party who was wrongly declared winner then.

How could an Otunba Iyiola Omisore, the PDP governorship flag-bearer in the just concluded elections in the state, have ever dream of ruling the great and sophisticated people of Osun? In 2007, he went to the Senate by fraud. He was in prison. Nominated in prison. Won in prison. And was surreptitiously let off the hook to go to the Upper Chamber. A fugitive as federal lawmaker! He was given the appropriation committee. And he lived in a fool’s paradise thereafter. Omisore loves roasted corn. In a manner that evinced the greed in him, he grabbed two cobs and grubbed them simultaneously. What manner of man is this that sought to rule over the sophisticated people of Osun, the land of Oramiyan?

The victory is not for Aregbesola or the APC. The victory is for the great and valiant people of the State of Osun. Osun today represents the new face of true democracy in Nigeria. The people of Osun have displayed their rich pedigree with royal courage. The PDP thought they could beguile the people of Osun like they did in Ekiti. But the people were wiser. The people of Osun did not fall like the people of Ekiti. They showed resistance and now they are happy for it. They were not cowed by the overwhelming importation of thugs dressed in national security apparels and other hooded security agents to intimidate the people and make them abandon their mandate. They were not moved by the slush funds that were openly distributed to security agents in a bid to make them complicit in the rigging of the election.

Nigeria needs to borrow a leaf from this exemplary determination and courageous disposition, if this country must witness the needed change in 2015. The people of Osun were too positive to be doubtful. Too optimistic to be fearful. Too determined to be defeated. They have not only elected Aregbesola but have defeated the worst form of coup against democracy in the annals of Nigerian history. The total clampdown on the leaders of the APC with over 250 of them arrested within 12 hours led to the outcry by the leadership of the APC that except the people rose, their state might again fall into the hands of plunderers.

The Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led superlative national leadership of the APC must be commended for their courage and doggedness to preserve and make democracy work in Nigeria. They must be specially commended for exposing the rigging plan of the PDP before the election. They must be lauded for refusing to run out of town in the face of the fiercest intimidation and political terrorism in the history of this country. Even the national publicity secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, was among the over 250 APC stalwarts that were arrested in a Gestapo style by agents of the state and detained in a bid to break the resolve of the party’s leadership and supporters at ensuring a free, fair and credible governorship poll in Osun. The leadership of the APC has been vindicated. The people can now see that the Ekiti fiasco was a broad day robbery which must be reclaimed. The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory. Security agencies at the behest of the PDP   harassed APC governors, intimidated and deceived the people of Ekiti and stole their mandate scientifically. But the leadership of the APC and the people of Osun, even though they were stretched to breaking point, persevered till victory was attained.

The victory will remain a potent signal to the federal government under the PDP and all agents of election rigging in this country not to try their evil antics in 2015. This is not 1999. This is not 2003. This is not 2007. This is not 2011. This is going to be 2015. Osun has shown the way and Nigerians will follow their sterling example to make their votes count in 2015. The PDP and all reactionary forces in Nigeria are beatable and defeat-able. Osun has proved it. Those who are banking on stolen mandates in 2015 should beware!

Ogbeni’s performance endeared him to the people. In fact, no other governor has developed Osun State like Ogbeni since its creation in 1991. His victory has successfully upturned the lies that the people of the south-west would rather prefer “stomach infrastructure” to innovative leadership and development. They bandied the lie after stealing Governor Kayode Fayemi’s victory in Ekiti State. But the state of Osun rejected the evil label. The people were ready to die for the man that is leading them out of Egypt to the promised land. They rose up, having learnt from the Ekiti heist, to defend their votes.

Nigerians must not go to sleep. They should not be deceived by the outcome of this election, which was won due to the tenacity of the people, to believe that this outcome will usher in a free, fair and credible election in 2015. For the election to turn out the desired way, the people must insist that their votes must count. INEC cannot be trusted based on this flash in the pan in Osun. Democracy in Nigeria must truly be the government of the people, by the people and for the people and never a government of the mighty, by the mighty and for the mighty. In view of this, INEC must not take glory for the success of this election. They have always compromised wherever the people were not defiant like the people of Osun. They either shape up or ship out. The people will not tolerate any shenanigans from them in 2015. The people must be allowed to choose their leaders at all times. Osun is not the litmus test for 2015 as many erroneously think. 2015 is going to be the litmus test for credible, free and fair elections in Nigeria. Until then, let INEC not bask in false euphoria of having got it right.

Nigerians must seize this moment and say “never again” to rigging and brutal subversion of the genuine wishes and aspiration of the people for true democracy in this country. If not, we the people will have ourselves to blame, like Shakespeare said in Julius Caesar: “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.” This is our chance; let the Osun example be our guiding light in 2015. Nigerians are more than ever before determined to vote out corruption, insecurity, poverty, unemployment and continuous looting of our national resources.

LEADERSHIP

Despite widespread public concerns of possible rigging and violence, the Osun State governorship election was successfully held last Saturday.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) incumbent Governor Rauf Aregbesola was overwhelmingly returned to office, recording 394,684 votes as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) -over 60 per cent of the votes cast. His main opponent, Mr. Iyiola Omisore, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) obtained 292,750 votes; quite impressive, but still a distant second. He was comprehensively beaten and has conceded defeat.
As expected and because of the huge stakes involved, the election was closely fought by the main contenders in a long, hard and often bitter campaign. Tension was high in the state and there was a real possibility of violence breaking out during the election. But it turned out to be quite peaceful and, by and large, the results reflected the electoral choice of the electorate. The observers adjudged the actual voting to have been free and fair.
Governor Aregbesola deserved to win the election. His performance in government has been quite impressive, with an astonishing development of infrastructure. His schools’ reforms have also been widely acclaimed as innovative. Despite reservations in some enlightened quarters, his populist and charismatic style of government earned him a huge electoral victory in the election. But he also campaigned very hard, leaving nothing to chance. He and the APC leaders had learnt some hard and useful lessons from the Ekiti governorship election, which Governor Kayode Fayemi lost to his PDP rival, Mr. Ayo Fayose.
In contrast to Governor Aregbesola, his opponent, Iyiola Omisore, had little or nothing to offer the electorate. When he was in office as deputy governor in the Bisi Akande administration, his record was really appalling. It included his determined and prolonged effort to organise Akande’s impeachment as governor. The source of the friction which paralysed the government was Akande’s refusal to meet his financial claims for a fraudulent contract Omisore had purportedly concluded with the previous military administration. I tried to resolve his differences with Governor Akande, but failed as Omisore wanted his financial claims met. In addition, there is still a considerable public speculation that he may have been involved, or implicated, in the assassination of the late Alliance for Democracy (AD) leader and Federal Attorney-General, Bola Ige, a case which has remained unresolved since 2002. Soon after, he defected from the AD.
Because of all these, public perception of him as a politician has been quite negative. His character, or lack of it, has not matched his lofty and remorseless political ambition to be governor of the state at all costs. He tried the Ekiti strategy of ‘stomach infrastructure’ but this did not work. He was rejected. His election as governor would have been a terrible set back for the state.
Though the election was largely devoid of any serious violence, this was due largely to the remarkable and commendable restraint shown by the electorate in the electoral process, particularly on the voting date. A week before the election, the PDP Federal Government deployed a large number of military forces, including the Police and the State Security Service, evidently to intimidate and harass the APC and its supporters. There were palpable fears that the security forces would be used to rig the election, which the PDP was determined to win, after its victory in the Ekiti State governorship election.
Scores of APC leaders, including its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, were arrested on the eve of the election. What was even worse and totally unacceptable was the deployment by the PDP Federal Government of hooded armed men that were not even part of the regular armed forces of the country, with the clear intention of intimidating the electorate. This is reminiscent of Hitler’s storm troopers, the infamousSS, used by the Nazis to subvert democracy in Germany. Not a few innocent German heads were broken by Hitler’s SS men in his quest for absolute power in Germany. Are these not the men that former President Olusegun Obasanjo warned the nation about in his attack on Jonathan last year? Has he not been proved right in raising the alarm?
Those so arrested and detained by these armed men included my youngest brother, Folarin Fafowora, a member of the State House of Assembly. It was claimed that ballot papers were being stamped in his house. But the house was not even searched by the DSS in the first place. In fact, as he has since told me, he was riding an Okada in Osogbo when he was picked up by the DSS officials. He was only released on Tuesday after four days in illegal detention. I have asked him to sue the DSS for his illegal detention and denial of his rights. We cannot continue to have the security forces acting illegally so brazenly against innocent citizens. This is provocative and designed to subvert the electoral process in the state. But undaunted by the heavy military presence, the voters refused to be intimidated and cast their votes in a peaceful manner. They displayed admirable and exemplary courage that the voters in other states should show in future elections to restore electoral integrity.
Next year’s general elections, including the presidential, are crucial for the future of free and fair elections and the survival of democracy in our country. We cannot accept the continued use by the PDP Federal Government of military and illegal para-military forces to intimidate the electorate. That was why a substantial number of voters simply decided to stay away rather than risk intimidation and illegal detention by the security forces, including hooded and unidentified armed men. The role and use of security forces in future elections in our country should be clearly spelt out and defined by the INEC. Armed forces, regular or irregular, should not be deployed unless asked for by the INEC, or by the contending political parties themselves. When deployed, such security forces must be plainly neutral between the contending political parties.
The Federal Government cannot arrogate to itself the right to deploy its security forces anywhere in the country, except where a situation of emergency has been declared, and duly approved by the National Assembly. What happened during the election in Osun State was farcical, disgraceful and plainly illegal. The APC must ask the courts to pronounce on the legality, or otherwise, of the use of the military by the Federal Government during the elections when a state of emergency has not been declared. The Federal Government must not be allowed to unleash a reign of terror in the country, particularly during elections.
Even among senior military and security officials, there is a serious and growing concern regarding the deployment of armed soldiers in elections in our country as we saw during both the Ekiti and Osun states elections. These officers are concerned that the Army is being illegally used to determine the outcome of elections in Nigeria. This will inevitably lead to the military becoming more politicised and less professional. It is a road we have often taken in this country in the past with disastrous consequences. It destroys the professionalism and political neutrality of the military. There are enough security challenges for the military in our country without them being further dragged into the vortex of politics.
Now that he has been deservedly returned to power, Governor Aregbesola will be well advised to review and reflect on some of his controversial policies and strategies which have created divisions in the state. I refer here, specifically, to his education policy to which Christian leaders have raised strong and determined opposition. He may have good intentions on this issue, but there are serious concerns that he may have unwittingly fuelled religious tensions in the state. Osun state is multi-religious with both the Muslims and Christians living together peacefully for over a century. The governor must keep things this way and not create among the electorate the impression that the government is in support of one side or the other of the religious divide. His electoral victory would probably have been more comprehensive had the religious factor not crept into the consideration of Christians in the state, most of whom probably voted for Omisore, despite his several shortcomings and lack of electoral appeal.
In addition, the quality of governance in the state should be elevated. Governance is a serious business. It should not be handled in a cavalier style as is the case now. The governor must reach out to all sections of the civil society in the state, particularly the workers and teachers. No matter the support and attraction that a populist strategy may generate for the governor, sight should not be lost of the need to ensure that the state is not polarised economically, or religiously.
THE NATION

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has congratulated the Governor of Osun State and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Saturday’s election, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on his re-election for a second term in office.

Describing the outcome of the election as an expression of the will of the people, Fayemi said Governor Aregbesola’s victory was well deserved in view of the positive impact of his administration on the lives of the people of the state.

He however said that the Osun electorate deserves even a much bigger congratulations for rewarding Governor Aregbesola’s exemplary and transformational leadership with electoral victory.

Fayemi in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olayinka Oyebode, said he was confident that Osun State will witness a greater level of development in all spheres of life during Governor Aregbesola’s second term in office.

Governor Fayemi who flayed the security clampdown on the state and unwarranted arrest and detention of APC leaders before and during the period of the election, said it gratifying, however, seeing the people’s power triumph in spite of these ugly incidents.

He also commended the leadership of APC for increasing its vigilance ahead of the Osun election.

“This is indeed a well deserved victory. We congratulate Governor Rauf Aregbesola and the people of Osun State. It is victory for democracy, integrity and performance.

“The election in Osun has shown that performance still counts in electoral contest and that the average voter, if allowed to make his /her choice freely, would vote for the candidate and the party that have the greater impact on their lives.

“On behalf of myself, the government and good people of Ekiti State, we heartily congratulate Governor Aregbesola on his re-election. We also congratulate the people of the state as they get set for another term of purposeful leadership under the APC-led government of Governor Rauf Aregbesola” Fayemi added.