Tag: Osun 2018

Reenacting The Oyo Scenario?

Analysis by Osun Defender Data Analyst, OJENIKE OLUWADILOLA, assisted by AJETUMOBI MARIAM and AMUDA ABDULLAHI.

With myriads of candidates popping up everywhere, and the scenario of crowded races in a ‘first past the post system’ could the scenario of the Oyo State governorship election of 2015 be reenacted?  In Oyo State in 2015, the incumbent state governor, Abiola Ajimobi running against a fractitionalised “opposition” got through with 37.2% of the total votes cast. This might be more than an academic exercise as the scenario nationwide unveils itself via the road to 2019. Watch this space for projections, scenarios et al.

 

CVR: Osun Residents Express Mixed Reactions, Calls For More Centres

By Francis Ezediuno

Even as the State Government of Osun declared Monday April 16, 2018 as public holiday so that eligible voters could register in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration [CVR], complaints and commendations have continued to trail the exercise.

For those who complained, their grouse was that they were being disenfranchised because there were not enough voter registration centres and where such existed, they had to travel long distances to get themselves ready in order to exercise their civic duties.

They revealed that because of the lack of enough centres, mammoth crowds turned up at the available centres and they could not be attended to until late in the afternoon.

According to a voter residing in Esa-Oke, Mr. Gbenga Adeola, “I was at the centre this morning to register for the new voters’ card with my wife but could not be attended to due to large turnout of people for the exercise.

“This afternoon, I repeated my visit only to discover that those who have been coming for the past three days are yet to register”.

He said that with this situation, about 70% of residents of the town have been technically disenfranchised.

Corroborating, Abodunde Olaniyi stated that majority of the people could not register because of the unavailability of registration centres while others complained that in towns like Iloko-Ijesa, there is no CVR centre at all.

Meanwhile, some residents of Osogbo and Olorunda local governments who turned up at the CVR centres expressed their satisfaction with the exercise and praised the state government for giving the exercise the needed publicity and prayed that the maturity with which the electorates have been handling the exercise was going to be translated during the Gubernatorial and General Election in 2018 and 2019.

Even as the exercise came to a close at the end of the day, mixed reactions however followed it as many residents in the state complained that there were not enough centres in their vicinity and thereby demanding for centres to be located in each ward during future exercises while others expressed satisfaction at the opportunity given for them to have a work free day in order to take part in the continous voter registration exercise.

 

 

Observers Urge INEC To Extend Registration

By Israel Afolabi

One of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) accredited Observers in the state of Osun, Comrade Omirinde Gboyega of Good Governance Concerned, has implored the Commission to extend the date for the continuous voter registration to capture more electorates.

Comrade Omirinde made the appeal during the OSUN DEFENDER visit to some registration centres in Osogbo and its environs to witness the just concluded registration exercise.

He noted that the electorate trooped out enmasse to participate in the registration.

According to him, “the huge turnout of electorate at the wards visited was a strong reason for the Independent National Electoral Commission to extend the exercise by few days”.

The observer noted that since the commencement of the exercise on April 11th, to the last day, he was impressed with the large turnout.

He also added that it would be helpful, if the exercise is extended for more days by INEC to capture more electorate.

At the various places visited in Alekuwodo and Oke-Fia, the people yearned for more extension of the registration exercise.

A community leader in Oke-Fia, PA Isaac Ayoola observed that the electorate came out in large number for registration in the area.

An INEC registration officer at Alekuwodo Mr. Ademola Olusola noted that peoples’ turnout to register for their permanent voters’ card in the unit was impressive.

Another INEC registration officer, Azeez Ayoade want INEC to give more time to attend to electorate who wanted to register for their permanent voters’ cards across the state to enable them participate in the future elections.

Osun 2018: Ademola Adeleke’s Son, B-Red Jumps The Gun

DMW crew member and singer B-Red has always been known for a lot of bragging since he got into the industry, but his latest comment might cost his father who has a governorship ambition in the State of Osun.

The singer went on his social media page to brag that any woman who refused to marry him was a fool, as he was the son of a senator and soon to be Governor.

This came shortly after his dad Senator Ademola Adeleke declared his intention to contest the September 22 governorship election in the state. Senator Adeleke is only popular in the news as a ‘dancing senator’ and uncle of music star Davido, which has left citizens of the state of Osun skeptical about his intentions.

With the son’s latest post, fans and haters of the singer have gone ahead to say that it was obvious what he’d do to the state’s resources if his father’s dreams’ come to pass.

 

Osun Abandoned 413,009 PVCs’ Worries Political Parties, Civil Societies

  • INEC Commences Registration In 332 Wards

By Kehinde Ayantunji

Despite the commencement of the continuous voters’ registration in the state of Osun by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political parties and civil societies have been expressing concern over the alarming rate of abandoned Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC).

According to INEC, 413,009 PVCs’ have been abandoned across the 30 local governments, local council development areas and area offices.

Meanwhile, ahead of the September 22 Governorship Election in the state,  INEC  has urged electorate to register  and collect their permanent voters’ cards in the ongoing continuous voters’ registration that commenced last Wednesday April 11 and will end  on April 16, 2018.

The National Electoral Commissioner for Oyo, Ekiti and Osun states, Mr  Solomon Soyebi at a sensitisation meeting with stakeholders on the continuous voters’ registration in Osogbo, the state Capital, said the first step to a credible election is for the people to collect their PCVs’ having attained the age allowed by law.

The national commissioner noted that politics is a game of number which required citizens to have their voters’ cards in order to vote for candidates of their choice.

Reacting on the abandoned PVC, Osun Coordinator of Democracy Vanguard (DV), Comrade Olowu Emmanuel described the situation as worrisome and disturbing, urging all concerned authorities to double their efforts in the advocacy for the PVC collection.

He attributed poor political awareness from the orientation agencies and political parties to the huge number of abandoned PVCs’, arguing that there was more awareness by the major political parties in 2014 than now.

He said: “The situation is disturbing, comparing the figure with other states with higher population than Osun. If Lagos with 20 million population has less than 650,000 uncollected PVCs, Ogun with 10 million population is having 426,000 uncollected PVCs and Osun with just less than 5 million population is having abandoned 413,000 PVCs  despite having election this year, that is not too good.”

“The difference between 2014 and now is that as far back as January 2014, the two major political parties, All Progressive Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  have already known their gubernatorial candidates,  it was already settled for Governor Rauf Aregbesola, and those in PDP knew that despite the contest, Senator Iyiola Omisore would have his way but now,  both parties are not sure of their candidates not to talk of mobilising for registration exercise five months to the election.”

The State Chairman, Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC),  Dr Idowu Omidiji while speaking with OSUN DEFENDER  also expressed concern over the large volume of the uncollected cards, saying political parties in the state should use the opportunity of the 6 days continous registration and PVC collection exercise to mobilise.

The State APC Director, Media and Research, Bar Kunle Oyatomi  in his reaction said the party is mobilising through its structures from the ward to the state level for the collection of the PVC.

Oyatomi said the sensitisation is not only the role of a political parties, religion bodies,  civil societies must participate, saying it is an obligation that every individual  must value like their life.

“I urge the people of the state to use the present opportunity by going to their ward collation centres to collect the PVC, it is the only instrument they can use to reward the present administration by ensuring continuity and ensure that the monsters of yesteryears are not coming back to power.

Efforts to speak with the PDP state Chairman, Hon Olusoji Adagundo on the party efforts in mobilising for registrations and PVCs’ collection were unsuccessful, as several calls to his line were not picked or returned as at the time of filing this report.

 

Osun 2018: APC, PDP, Others In Dilemma?

By Shina Abubakar

With barely four months to the conduct of party primaries ahead of the 2018 governorship election in the state of Osun, political activities among parties in the state is still at its lowest ebb contrary to the expectation of the general public.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had attempted to lift ban on political activities in the party about two weeks ago thereby creating excitement among members of the party and supporters of potential aspirants, but the excited public were disappointed as the party is yet to lift the ban, making it about the second time to be unsuccessful in its attempt to make the political space lively.

Similarly, the ostensible internal crisis rocking the main opposition party has become an hydra-headed nemesis which is sapping party gladiators of their energy and attention away from the preparation for the guber poll and with no hope of going away any moment soon.

The party has not been able to reach compromise regarding the way to go on the conclusion of its congress as it has failed to bring warring factions to the round table thereby failing to meet the expectations of the people, who rely on them to provide alternatives.

It was gathered that one of the opposition gladiators, Senator Iyiola Omisore holds the party by the jugular because of his political ambition against the resolve of the entire party machinery in the state because he has the ears of the party’s national secretariat.

The popular parlance among members of the PDP in recent times has been “It is Osun PDP vs Omisore”, which seems to be a reflection of the position of the majority of the party members, particularly in the Osun central and west senatorial district with a section of the Ijesa Federal Constituency in support, while Ife Federal Constituency appeared to be solidly behind the former senator.

This stems from a public reaction of a member of House of Representative from Ife, Dr Albert Adeogun that Ife zone is yet to produce a governor since the birth of the state over two decades ago.

However, the ruling APC seems to be the most troubled as party hierarchy is yet to have a common ground over the time it would lift ban on political activities, a position that is not suitable to some prospective aspirants and their supporters.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the decision not to lift the ban was not unconnected with the party’s inability to finalise over which district to zone its governorship ticket, as many members of the party favour zoning the ticket to the West Senatorial district.

Information at the medium’s disposal revealed that the voice of the party’s hierarchy is not united on the matter as different chieftains of the party had different stances about it. A former Governor of the State and a chieftain of the APC, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola had at a public function disclosed that it is the turn of the West senatorial district to produce the next governor of the state.

Checks further revealed that the APC is battling with convincing majority of its members to buy into the idea of returning the ticket to Osun central with a view to convincing the electorates to vote for the party later in the year.

Similarly, even while gladiators in the PDP have refused to sheath their swords, the party is also divided on the choice of the district to zone the ticket. The Adagunodo faction, according to reports, has settled for the west senatorial district, but Omisore is said to be hell-bent on having another shot at the ticket.

It was gathered that both parties were confused as to the choice of candidate that would be acceptable to the general public in the poll, this, investigation revealed has hindered both parties from going ahead with political activities so it could curtail fallout of its decisions before the primaries.

Meanwhile, other political parties too seem to have refused to grow out of the shadow of the APC, PDP and their political activities appeared to be dictated by the action of the two major political parties in the state.

Labour Party, Accord Party and NCP seems to have been at lost with regards to political realities in the state as none of the parties is showing any readiness to give the two dominant parties a fight for the guber poll later in the year.

 

Battle For Osun’s Soul Has Begun – APC

 

All Progressives Congress in the State of Osun has alerted its members, supporters and friends including every concerned citizen of the state that the epic battle for the soul and future of the state has just started.

According to the party, ‘the critical first stage of that struggle has been concluded with a comprehensive victory for the APC in the last local government election and the swearing in of councillors last week.

A statement by the party’s Director of Research, Publicity and Strategy, Barr Kunle Oyatomi says ‘That is a positive sign but not without a battle for the ultimate victory, come September 2018. The prime adversary of the APC and the people of Osun, who are massed up in the opposition led by the notoriously unstable PDP, are also preparing for a battle royale to upturn whatever progress has been made in the state since 2010.

Oyatomi said ‘They will attempt a violent performance worse than in 2014; they will come with the vengeance of hungry, angry and wounded lions to destroy and devour, but they will be contained’, the APC assured.

The APC warned that, ‘what is involved in the governorship election this September is life threatening for the soul and the future of Osun.

‘The people will be called upon to determine whether the state should continue with the progress made so far under the leadership.of the APC government, or the vultures who mismanaged the state between 2003 and 2010 should again be handed a blank cheque to return the state to the era of the locust under a reckless PDP government.

‘The choices are stark’, the party continued, ‘if you vote APC, you will be voting for continuity, but if you vote for the gang of PDP opposition, you would have signed the death warrant of Osun because that party had said openly that it will destroy everything done by the APC under Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s leadership.

It alleged that ‘In practical terms, this PDP resolve means bringing a calamitous evil on the state of Osun, unknowing since its creation some 28 years ago. That is the kind of disaster impossible to recover from in decades.’

‘The prospects are gory; which makes failure to keep the APC momentum of progress going not an option at all.

‘And this is telling everybody who cares about the future of their children and grandchildren to brace up for the fight of a lifetime In September.

‘All councillors that have just been sworn in at the local governments should provide leadership and impress it on people of their localities that wisdom demands that, at this point in time in the state of Osun; PDP is not an alternative to APC, and that if the state must continue to develop, then the only viable choice is APC’, the party concluded.

Osun 2018 Governorship Election Holds Sept 22

…..APC, PDP React

By Shina Abubakar

The Governorship election in Osun State would hold on September 22, 2018, while that of Ekiti State would hold on July 14, 2018.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the timetable on Thursday.

According to the timetable released by the commission, the commencement of campaign has been fixed for April 15, 2018 for Ekiti and June 24, 2018 for Osun.

Reacting to the timetable released by the commission, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi said, he has no doubt that the APC is a party to beat.

He said, the APC was ready for the election and sure of victory, saying, “We have the number and we are not in short supply of integrity and people’s support. We have done it once, twice and we are going to do it again.

“In 2014 when they were armed to the teeth and with huge resources from the Federal Government, we defeated the PDP. Whether in splinter or in whole, no party in Osun can upstage the APC.

“We are not swayed by their noise. That’s in their character. But just take away this: PDP is not an alternative to APC in this state. Quote me after September 22, 2018″, Oyatomi said.

Also, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in its reaction through a chieftain of the party, Mr Diran Odeyemi described the situation as a welcome development, saying it would drive the PDP to hasten its reconciliatory process and reposition itself for the task ahead.

He disclosed that what INEC did was to number the days of the APC as the ruling party in the state, particularly now that the party’s congress to elect new executive members would end by November 4, emphasising that the PDP would ensure that its house is in order to take over from the APC come September 22, 2018.

He added that the leadership of the party is not relenting in its decision to pacify aggrieved members of the party and also appeal to the public, who, according to him, are already tired of the APC excesses in the state for over seven years.

Odeyemi disclosed that the party has confidence in INEC’s ability to conduct free and fair election, but quickly added that the electoral body should remember that it is a special election and should prepare for the complexities the governorship poll is likely to generate.

…Hawks And Sharks On The Prowl

Succession is probably one of the manifest problems of democracies anywhere in the world. Even the matured democracies are not left out.  We are all witnesses to the sharp divide between supporters of Mrs. Hillary Clinton and those of Donald Trump now the President of the United States. America was virtually on fire. Caustic words were employed by both sides. The resentment from both sides was palpable and it reverberated to the far ends of the world such that all discussions worldwide focused on the American succession. Mr. Donald Trump, the billionaire businessman did not help matters with his bold racist stance, which gave more vigour to the divides. The election has been won and lost but the scars still remain.

Well, coming down to Nigeria and a little further to the State of Osun, the drums are beginning to sound, but bitterly, unfortunately.  One would have expected a comical-drama type most often witnessed in the second republic when aspirants would want to display their prowess in control of local and English languages to mesmerize the voting populace. Uncle Bola of blessed memory won many hearts through this. Same goes for Adelabu Adegoke, alias Penkelemeesi (peculiar mess) and Ladoke Akintola, the oratory Lord, both of the first republic fame. One would have also expected intending aspirants of today to take full pages of adverts, advertorials or airtime in local newspapers and electronic media to marshal their antecedents, which they think qualify them for the numero uno position in the state.

I mean, one would have expected these politicians to go to the village squares or marketplaces, both physical and online, to display their political wares to the prospective (buyers) voters. One would have expected that they put decorum to display by restraining from uncouth tones. Worse is the half truths and utter display of ignorance by these latter day “redemptionists” who talk as if they wish to re-invent the wheel. But could they?

Continuity, irrespective of the succeeding person or political party, is necessary. Even the most vitriolic critics of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s government will attest to the fact that he has transformed the state from its hitherto glorified rural status to a modernized one; the government has put in place what is now popularly known as Social Protection/Intervention Programmes apart from the massive intervention in the education sector through infrastructural and contextual deployment, never witnessed before in the history of any state in Nigeria.

The state has witnessed massive community as well as urban renewal in roads, which hitherto were death traps. These are not just ordinary roads but durable ones that could stand the tests of time and adverse conditions of the elements. Stipends are paid to vulnerable elders and this is branded Agba Osun. The elementary feeding system which is being adopted at the federal government level is an initiative of the government of Osun just like the Sukuk Bond. Government of Osun, through this elementary school feeding system has provided employment to many people at the rural and urban areas while also spinning up commerce for farmers and other suppliers. The beauty of this scheme is that it is “home-grown”, giving all the benefits to residents of the State.

The State might presently not be in the first position in the West African School Certificate examinations probably because of the rot in the system that predated the current democratic dispensation, which the government is ameliorating. But one thing that is certain is that the government is doing everything possible to take education to enviable position, in functionality, not just in paper certificate, which many see as measure of performance. The Ukraine-trained medical doctors and the Germany-trained agriculturists are just few examples of a determined government, to make education functional.

In the above context, it will be wiser for those inordinately jostling to take the baton from Ogbeni to play it according to the rules since it is their inalienable rights to seek the position. They should stop peddling falsehoods as they will lose at the end of the day when their falsehoods and shenanigans would have come to the open. A serious contender willing to take on the baton will, no doubt, go for tutorials from no other school but from the same man, Ogbeni, whom he or she wants to take over from. The shoes are too big for the tiny legs of hawks and legless sharks. They (the Sharks and Hawks) should rather be contented with where they are now…the Killer Squad of the opposition.

Osun 2018: PDP Plots Hate Campaign Against Aregbesola, APC

To launch itself back into the heart of the people of the State of Osun ahead of the 2018 governorship election, some characters in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were alleged to have decided to launch hate campaign against Governor Rauf Aregbesola and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

A source within the PDP in one of the faction said the party has concluded arrangement to whip up community sentiments against Aregbesola and his party with a view to getting towns and cities to reject them in 2018 at a meeting held with leadership of the newly inaugurated Caretaker Committee.

PDP sources who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER on condition of anonymity confessed that the newly elected Senator Ademola Adeleke and two wealthy Nigerians in Lagos have been contacted to bankroll the project.

According to the PDP sources, the PDP has also set up a committee to work on aggrieved members of the APC, particularly the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Lasun Yusuff and Alhaji Fatai Diekola with a plan to get them to continue undermining the leaders of the APC and causing crisis.

The PDP sources disclosed that the party could not win election in the state with fair campaign, hence it has resolve to recruit people and engaged them to smear Aregbesola’s image and discredit his achievements in the state.

The hate campaign is said to be centred on ongoing projects, religious and community crisis, among others.

According to the PDP sources at the meeting, the PDP concluded to set discontent for the APC by selling messages of hate, peculiar to a locality, to the people with a view to getting members of the public in such locations to hate Governor Rauf Aregbesola and the APC.

Specifically, the hateful messages are to be designed to stress a problem in a locality is meant to whip up community sentiment against Aregbesola and the APC in towns and cities.

For instance, Governor Aregbesola is to be held responsible and made the scapegoat of any wrong in any town or city using uncompleted projects in such place as a deliberate wish of the governor and the APC.

According to the sources, the PDP is working seriously to ensure that Aregbesola and the APC lose the strong base it has in Osogbo, the state capital by watering down his love in the heart of Osogbo residents.

To achieve that, the PDP allegedly resolved to sell a story that Osogbo is being marginalised in the Aregbesola’s administration with too little number of appointments and that the governor is victimising prominent Osogbo indigenes who are members and supporters of the APC.

The PDP also resolved to discredit the Aregbesola’s achievement in Osogbo by watering down their essence and dissuading indigenes of the city from commending him on the ground that Osogbo deserved more infrastructural development than what it is on ground, compared to the votes given to the governor.

The medium learnt that the PDP has been recruiting people to carry out the hatchet job.

For Iwo Federal constituency, the PDP sources disclosed that the dilapidated Osogbo/Iwo road was chosen to launch the hate campaign against Aregbesola and the party.

The story to tell the people of the Federal Constituency, according to the sources, was that Aregbesola deliberately refused to reconstruct the road as a mark of lack of concern for the plight of the people of Iwoland.

It was also gathered that the PDP members resolved to play devil’s advocate by telling the people of Iwoland that Aregbesola did not treat the Secretary of the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti well and attempted to frustrate him out of office.

“They wanted to paint a picture that Aregbesola does not like Iwoland and that is why the SSG is being marginalised by his administration”, said the sources.

The sources also said that the PDP allegedly concluded on embarking on campaign of calumny with the ongoing Gbongan/Osogbo road dualisation which has gone on for more than two years which was initially earmarked for it.

“At the meeting, the party concluded to poison the mind of the people of Gbongan, Ode-Omu and other communities that the Gbongan/Osogbo road is serving. The people engaged for the job will be telling the people that Aregbesola has bastardised the economy of the area with the non-completion of the road”, the source disclosed.

It was gathered that the PDP has begun move to source for fund to implement these strategies.

Senator Ademola Adeleke, who is representing Osun West Senatorial District at the Senate, two other people in Lagos and one of the recently inaugurated caretaker committee members have been penciled down as financiers of the project.

PDP Is Unhealthy To Rule Osun – APC

By Toba Ajisafe

All Progressives Congress, State of Osun has maintained that Peoples Democracy Party is unhealthy to rule the State, irrespective of their gubernatorial candidate.

This assertion was contained in the statement by the Party’s Directorate of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Barr. Kunle Oyatomi, made available over the weekend to OSUN DEFENDER in Osogbo.

APC reacting to speculations circulating concerning gubernatorial candidate of PDP, said, “whether or not the opposition plans to entice some elements in APC to make the PDP win, they will lose.

It was also noted that, “no matter who is chosen as PDP flag bearer  for the 2018 governorship in Osun, or whoever jumps ship from the APC to gang up with the PDP,  the ruling party will still win convincingly”.

According to the Statement, it was highlighted that,  “what the PDP failed to understand, is that it has such a terrible image in the state that no matter who, from the APC defects to PDP,  the good people of Osun can’t choose PDP as an alternative to APC, notwithstanding what happened in Osun West Senatorial District in June this year.

”So, those who may be tempted to jump ship and aligned with the PDP are very well aware of the monstrosity they will be moving into; an action that will amount to cutting their noses to spite their faces.

“PDP in Osun suffers multiple political defects, which worsen by the day, as a result of the lack of respectable, focussed and dignified leadership that Osun people can trust.

The APC further argued that, although a personality appears to encapsulate everything that’s wrong with the PDP leadership, the problem however runs deep in the rank and file.

“Osun PDP appears to be structured on a heartless, capitalist business model which end-goal is profit at all cost, no matter whose ox is gored’, the APC alleged.

APC accused PDP has been riotous, it was also alleged that , ”the use of violence by the PDP has become such a nasty part of their DNA, that rather than gain the people’s confidence,  they earn rejection – that’s why the PDP can’t win the governorship election in Osun.

” The PDP’s reckless and baseless antagonism to virtually everything Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has done since 2010, including the party’s proclamation to reverse all of it, make the PDP not only detestable, but also unelectable in the state of Osun.

‘”The party is terribly unhealthy politically to govern the state ‘, the APC concluded.