Osun Defender Online Version of December 23, 2022

News

Christmas: Residents, Traders Lament Fuel Price Hike, High Cost Of Commodities

and also take something home for our families.

The trader, who idenfied herself as Darasimi said: “I have been selling chicken here at the Oluode market since 2010. This year is not encouraging at all. People are not even considering coming to buy at all. Sales is dull at the moment.”

Another trader, Mrs Kehinde Taiwo, who sells rice at Oja Tuntun, Ile-Ife corroborated Darasimi, ci ng the economic situa on of the country and bi ng hardship as reasons for the lull in purchase of food items and other commodi es for the Yule de.

“We cannot blame the people. Everyone is complaining. There is no one who is not affected by the economic situa on of the country. The prices of commodies are on the high side, people are losing jobs, people are owed salaries and so on.

“Even, those of us who trade pay more for transport due to the lingering fuel scarcity bedeviling the country. It is that bad. The government should do something urgent. We are badly affected. This does not look like a fesve season at all”, she said.

A commercial driver who transports foodstuffs from Saki, Iseyin, Igbe and other parts of Oke-Ogun in Oyo State to other states in the South West, Mr. John Adewoye, said he and his colleagues increased fares due to what he described as arbitrary increment in the pump price of petrol.

He told OSUN DEFENDER that: “You also would agree with me that there is hike in the price of petrol. It is what we buy that we will also use to peg our fares. If we collect N4,000 for a trip to carry 10 tons of yam to Osogbo from Saki before, we cannot but raise it to at least N8,000. We will fuel our vehicles, maintain them, se le security opera ves on our way

“We cannot do all these without increasing our fares. Even the farmers on the farms are adding to the price of their commodi es. I do not also expect traders not to hike the price of the commodi es too. No businessman or woman would want to run at loss. We would only appeal to the government to do the needful so that things would be much easier for us.”

Besides, ac vi es of various bodies, organisa ons and individuals who organise Christmas Gro o and par es in the State of Osun are also affected by the economic situa on.

Checks by OSUN DEFENDER revealed that while some of the centres where the events were holding were re-

ceiving a low turnout of children and other parcipants, others are not

receiving a en on.

It was also gathered that due to the

prevailing cost of commodi es, most of the operators of such par-

es have also increased cket fees, a development that led to the low turnout.

OIRS Workers Lock Out Chairman, Say He’s No Longer Head Of Agency

Ismaeel Uthman

THERE was a mild drama at the headquarters of Osun Internal Revenue Service (OIRS), Abere, on Monday.

The OIRS workers reportedly locked out the Chairman of the agency, Prince Adegbite Ademikanra to protest his alleged connuous stay in office a er the expira on of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s tenure.

According to some of the workers who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday, Ademikanra was denied entry into the OIRS building because he had ceased to be the chairman of the agency, going by the direc ve of Governor Ademola Adeleke , which dissolved all non-statutory agencies and boards.

The workers accused Ademikanra of a emp ng to force himself on the agency, sta ng that he is also affected by the direcve of the governor.

Speaking with the medium under condi-

on of anonymity, the workers said: “Prince Adegbite Ademikanra was appointed as Chairman of the Osun Internal Revenue Service by former governor Oyetola. His appointment is poli cal. Ordinarily, he tenure expired with that of the former governor.

“When the new government issued a circular to the effect that all non-statutory boards and agencies have been dissolved, we expected Prince Ademikanra to toe the path of honour, but he connued to lord himself on the agency. He has been arguing that OIRS is a statutory agency and that his appointment as the Chairman is not affected by the circular. To us, OIRS is not a statutory agency, so his appointment has been terminated.

“We have been on this for a while, but there was a turn of events on Monday. The workers decided to stage a protest against the Chairman. We locked him out of the OIRS headquarters’

premises; we did not allow him to enter the building because he is no longer the head of the agency.”

When contacted, Ademikanra declined comment on the mat-

ter.

He said: “I have no comment to make because I am not answerable to them. I work for the government and I am answerable to only the government.”

A parent, Ms. Temitope Olaiya stated that she was unable to take her daughter to see Santa because the centre where the la er preferred had increased their cket to N3,000 from the N2,000 taken from parents last year.

Yuletide: Osun NSCDC Deploys Personnel, Assures Hitch-Free Celebration

THE Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun Command, has said it has deployed its personnel to ensure adequate security of lives and property during the fes ve period.

State Commandant of the NSCDC, Sunday Agboola, said the end of the year usually witnesses a lot of criminal ac vies, hence, the need for all personnel to be on their toes to smoke out criminally–minded people, who are hell bent on frustra ng the peace and tranquility enjoyed by the residents of the state.

Agboola, according to a press statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo, yesterday by the Ac ng Public Rela ons Officer, Kehinde Adeleke,

said he has directed Area Commanders and Divisional Officers across the state to iden fy strategic and vulnerable points across to state.

He said he has also instructed the Area Commanders to make sure that their deployment covers all recrea-

on centers, worship centers, shopping malls, motor parks, cri cal naonal assets and infrastructure.

The Commandant noted that the patrol teams and surveillance squads will be fully deployed throughout celebra ons, assuring the ci zens of a secured state during and a er the fes ve period.

Agboola charged the personnel to strengthen their leadership capacity and opera onal strategies to be able to deal with various crimes associated with the end of the year.

•Agboola

He also appealed to members of the public to assist security agencies by providing intelligence that could lead to the arrest of men of the underworld, adding that security is everybody’s business.

•Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, during the commissioning of DelSat1 and Associated Projects at Defence Space Administration, Obasanjo Space Centre, Abuja, on Tuesday

Kazeem Badmus

THE decision by the Federal Government of Nigeria to stop polytechnics and other ins tu ons from awarding degrees needs urgent reconsidera on.

The thrust of this policy illuminates the confusion not just in our educa on policy but the inability to achieve a much needed synergy between educaon, cer fica on, skills acquisi on and development and the manpower needs necessary to enhance the economy. It is a sad reflec on of a rent collec ng poli cal economy.

By enforcing what is in effect a bar on the career advancement of polytechnic graduates, the government is inadvertently undermining the raison d’etre for their establish-

A Dubious Decision Needs Evaluation

technics must now move to center stage and at the heart of economic development.

In this way, we will be emula ng those who have profited from pu ng polytechnics at the heart of development.

The gold standard of course is Germany where the economy is propelled by the skills produced by as well as the pres ge of the polys. Although we are not advoca ng this in Germany University educaon is free but polytechnic educa on is not, reflec ng it’s centrality.

ment in the first place.

Now that there is an emerging na onal con-

sensus about the need to move from consump on to produc on, the poly-

THE DISCOURSES

With the new emphasis on produc on, we must up the ante and revitalise our polytechnics. This new policy is the opposite of that and should be reversed.

Replicating Osun Governorship Poll In 2023 General Elections

OSUN 2022 gubernatorial poll was conducted on July 16 amidst enthusiasm by the electorates to exercise their franchise. In spite of the tension, violence that almost envelop the State of the Virtuous few days preceding the elecon that could have marred the successful conduct of the poll by Independent Naonal Electoral Commission (INEC), people trooped out in large numbers to cast their votes in contrast to vote apathy witnessed in 2018 governorship elec on.

There was rela ve peace during the poll with the deployment of 21,000 policemen, three helicopters and drones for serial surveillance by Inspector-General of Police-Baba Usman Alkali, con ngent of soldier, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officers and other security agents that are highly professional in their conduct coupled with peace accord ini ated by Na onal Peace Commi ee led General Abdulsalam Abubakar (Rtd) which was signed by governorship candidates of 15 poli cal par es par cipa ng in the poll in the midst of Rt. Reverend Ma hew Hassan Kukah, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Archdiocese.

While inaugura ng Na onal Campaign Council for Osun gubernatorial poll in Abuja, All Progress Congress (APC) Na onal Chairman, Senator Adamu Abdullahi mandated campaign council members to adopt strategy of winning the elec on through crook and means and ensure major opposi on – People Democra c Party (PDP) and its candidate cry to court.

PDP gubernatorial candidate, Senator Nurudeen Ademola Jackson Adeleke, tagged ‘dancing Senator’ now dancing and entertaining Governor; polled 403,371, (winning 25% of the total votes cast in 17 LGAS) to defeat former governor Gboyega Oyetola of APC who garnered 375,027 votes (winning 25% of votes cast in 13

LGAS) to the admira on of the Osun State indigenes and residents.

Result(s) of the poll was a rude shock to Oyetola, stakeholders of the APC, its Na onal Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, APC na onal leader and presiden al candidate, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, party faithful, supporters and sympathizers that had bragged of landslide victory at the poll during their mega rally at Osogbo township stadium.

The Independence Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC) deserves commendaon for organizing fair, credible, transparent and conclusive elec on in Osun State, a clear dis nc on from 2018 governorship poll which was characterized with inconclusiveness. More s ll need to be done.

To sustain the improvement of the elec on process na on wide, cross border movement should be curtailed. Security agents such as immigra on, police, NSCDC, soldiers should guard our porous borders to checkmate the influx of marauders in possession of Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) into the country with the ulterior mo ve of perpetra ng elec on malprac ces.

INEC should collaborate with security agents to forestall the menace of vote merchandise orchestrated by poli cians and poli cal par es. INEC should improve its technology in elec on management. Bimodal Voters Accredita on System (BIVAS) should be more func onal; transmission of results into server should be more effecve. INEC should develop so ware that will disrupt the ac vi es of the hackers.

Security opera ves should be apolical. Neutrality ought to be their watch word in the discharge of their du es. Law enforcement agents owed it a duty to maintain law and order, ensure security of lives and proper es of the ci zen before, during and a er elec on.

It is impera ve to aver that our votes now count; poli cians are now aware, the more reason they throw bait at us to curry our votes. Our des ny is now in our hands. We should vote wisely. Nigerians should avoid acclaimed life ambi ous poli cian.

The primordial sen ment of the turn of one ethnic region should be je soned by

all and sundry. The concern of Nigerian is how to elect leader who has poli cal will to move the na on out of the myriads of challenges that is bese ng her.

Nigerians are stakeholders in the Nigeria project. The onus fall on them to reject selfish, insensi ve, ethnic jingoist, religious bigot, divisive candidates and the party come 2023 general elec on.

Meanwhile, in the 60S and 80s, Western States (Most especially Osun State) are poli cal conscious and savvy. Their revoluonary trend for ous ng successive brutish, savage, tyrannical government are legendary. The poli cal sophis ca on earned her the sobriquet “Wild Wild West.”

In spite of the fact that sovereignty belongs to the people. Nigerians irrespecve of their par es’ affilia ons and religion sen ments should exercise their power and elect leaders that have capacity to administer this country effec vely.

With the evolu on of technology in the management of the electoral process by INEC led Professor Mammoud Yakubu, the synergy by the security agents to beef up security in the polling units across na on and ensure hitch free poll, the resilience of the electorate to elect unifier, entrepreneur, philanthropist who would transform this country irrespec ve of any form of inducement by the poli cians during the poll, the forth coming general elec on will unequivocally be free, fair, credible, transparent and of interna onal standard and acceptable.

Stephen Fayenuwo Esq.

“The primordial sentiment of the turn of one ethnic region should be jettisoned by all and sundry. The concern of Nigerian is how to elect leader who has political will to move the nation out of the myriads of challenges that is besetting her.”

Ooni Awards Scholarship To 50 Students

HE Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has awarded scholarship to 50 indigenous students.

The students were selected from primary and secondary schools across Ile-Ife, including the school for persons with special needs.

Receiving the students on Tuesday at Oodua Palace in IleIfe, Oba Ogunwusi explained that the scholarship was to celebrate this year’s Christmas.

The monarch who was represented by his wife, Olori Temitope Ogunwusi, urged the school children to move closer to and learn from good mentors in the society.

Olori Ogunwusi urged the children to remain focused on their educa on, im-

Adeleke Promises To Boost Osun Creative Industry

THE Governor of the State of Osun, Sen. Ademola Adeleke has declared his administra on’s readiness to provide an enabling environment for the creave industry to thrive in the state.

Adeleke made this declara on at the Afrotrad Fes val held in Osogbo, on Wednesday, where he highlighted his plans to leverage the crea ve sector to improve Osun’s economy.

The Governor, who iden fied the crea ve sector as one of the highest employers of labour in the world, promised to look into whatever that would promote the industry and unleash benefits for the youth.

He said: “Reasonably, the crea ve industry in Nigeria has become the major mainstay of the Nigerian economy. It is even per nent to menon that the global acceptance and dominaon of our music and film industry today has further entrenched this domina on.

“Let me assure you that the crea ve industry in Osun State will blossom through crea ve inia ves to drive growth and produc vity in this

sector.

“The PDP government in Osun State is going to leverage the close affilia on of the crea ve industry and the tourism sector to increase our Internally Generated Revenue.

“Let me use the opportunity of this programme to inform youths and their parents that our government will put in place, all those things that will help to facilitate the development of our youths.”

virtuous characters as mentors and role models.

She said: “While you listen to music, watch movies and so-

cialize, pick from what is good only. Do not imbibe bad habits be-

cause such is capable of destroying you and your purpose in life.

“Kabiyesi cannot wait to hear and celebrate your success stories in the nearest future, so he is urging you to be right and do right at all mes.

“To our daddies and mummies here present, we need to train these children to have the fear of God. When a child fears God, he/she will be diligent, hardworking, obedient to their parents and on every other people that they come in contact with.”

Speaking at the event, wife of the Deputy Governor of the State of Osun, Mrs. Olusola Adewusi, described the Christmas season as a special moment of reflec on on one’s purpose in life and an exclusive moment of praise to God.

Group Decries Rising Hoodlum Clashes In Osun

Acivil society group, the World Instute for Peace, has decried the increasing hoodlum clashes, in the State of Osun.

According to the group, no fewer than 10 lives had been lost, while many residents of the state have been injured in thugs clashes between July and December, this year.

The group lamented that no suspect has been apprehended by security agencies in connec on to the clashes.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, the group’s Execu ve Chairman, Omotoyosi Lamina, said the increased ac vi es of hoodlums could affect the successful conduct of the 2023 general elec on in the state if not urgently tamed.

Lamina said: “It is clear that the most crucial purpose of security is to protect people and their property. This includes both their physical safety and their possessions, as good security measures will make it difficult for criminals to target a person or a place.

“The World Ins tute for Peace, an internaonal organisa on, urges the security agencies in Nigeria to focus the force ar llery and manpower to combat the recent rampant killings and havoc by hoodlum clashes in Osun State between July and December.

“We implore security opera ves in this country to join forces in other to make the state habitable for the February 2023 general elec on.

“We cited the case of the recent gruesome murder of ex-Osun park revenue collector, Waheed Abioye, whose corpse was burnt a er

his killing. This was perpetrated by suspected hoodlums in Osogbo, Osun State capital few days ago”.

She said, “Like the queen just men oned, let us learn from the good life and me of our Lord Jesus Christ and reflect this always. Be good children at home, school and everywhere you go.”

Man Remanded In Prison Over N7m Land Fraud In Osun

Kazeem Badmus

A47-year-old man, Ayofe Akinloye, has been remanded in Correc onal Centre by a Magistrate Court, si ng in Osogbo, capital of the State of Osun, for alleged N7m land fraud.

Akinloye, was accused of obtaining the sum from one Olanrewaju Asimiyu on the pretence of assis ng him to purchase two plots of land.

According to the charge sheet obtained by OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, the accused person and others said to be at large commi ed the crime between August 24 and November 1, 2022.

The police said the alleged offence contravened Sec ons 516, 419 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol. II, Laws of

Osun State, 2002.

But the accused person pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge of conspiracy, fraud and stealing leveled against him.

Defence counsel, Niran Ojekale, prayed the court to admit the defendant to bail on a liberal term, promising that he would provide reliable surety.

However, the bail applica on was objected to by the police prosecutor, Inspector Elisha Olusegun, on the ground that the accused person might jump bail.

In his ruling, the presiding magistrate, Dr. Olusegun Ayilara, ordered that the defendant be remanded in Ilesa Correc onal Centre.

The case was adjourned ll December 30, 2022 for ruling on the bail.

•Mr. & Mrs. Olalere during the Walimotul-Qur’an of their son, Ibroheem, on Sunday

TKazeem Badmus bibe the spirit of hard work and look up to good people with

Yusuf Oketola

Yusuf Oketola

•Adeleke

2023 Polls: Politicians Now See INEC As Enemy – Osun REC

THE Resident Electoral Commissioner in the State of Osun, Dr. Mu u Agboke has stated that the Independent Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC), is now the target and enemy of poli cians due to the introduc on of the Bimodal Voter Accredita on System (BVAS) machine.

Speaking during an advocacy visit to the Engineering Construc on Command (ECC), Ede, Na onal Orienta on Agency (NOA) and the State Police Command headquarters, Osogbo, on Monday, Agboke also expressed concern over the security architecture, advocacy and sensi sa on towards the 2023 general elecons.

Agboke, who met

Brigadier General Kabir Suleiman, the Commander of the ECC, hinted that poli cians believed that everyone could be bought.

He said: “INEC has become the enemy of poli cians because of the introduc on of the BVAS machine.

“The day we allow due process to run our elec on in Nigeria, correct leaders will start to emerge.

“Poli cians are the ones speaking against the use of technology. Our elec ons cannot be rigged by anybody.

“No accredita on, no vo ng. No BVAS, no vo ng. Where the accredited voters are more than the votes cast, there is human interference.

“We are going to apply the use of BVAS in the 2023 general elec-

ons.

“INEC does not have a poli cal party. We will deliver the process.”

While solici ng for the coopera on of the military in the elec ons, the Osun INEC boss

Nigerian Immigration And My Passport Experience In Osogbo

By Olaide Oluwatimilehin

Ihave always wished to own a Nigerian Passport. However, the situa on with past experiences of siblings, friends and colleagues over the years have con nued to discourage me, especially with issues of fraud, scam and racketeering. I decided to je son the idea.

A er years of losing interest in the exercise, I told a friend, who advised me to apply for my Interna onal Passport at Osogbo Command of the Immigra on Service. I reside in Ogun State and my friend, who lives in Lagos assured me that in Osogbo, I would be able to get the passport done without stress. A er weeks of procras na on, I finally se led and agreed to try my luck. He had assured me that it would be possible, especially with the ongoing reforms in the Nigerian Immigra on Service (NIS).

I visited the Osogbo office recently, and to my surprise, I met a large number of people waiting to be captured. But the applicants were being a ended to by the immigra on officers in a very professional manner. The environment was so organised. While I joined the other applicants in waiting around 10am (I was 126 on the list), a tall fair man came and addressed us. He was said to be the head of the passport sec-

on. He explained what we needed to do and urged us to remain calm and orderly. He assured us of quick service delivery devoid of any form of manipula on or delay. The head of the passport sec on explained that the Nigerian Immigra on Service does not delay applicants for capturing, except when they do not have correct informa on which can only be corrected on the Na onal Iden ty Management Commission (NIMC) server.

One of the persons sitng behind me who accompanied an applicant said the man was responsible for the improvement in the capturing process at the command.

From my observa on, the head of the passport

sec on priori sed the elderly people (65 years and above) and children who were among us. There is a sec on called VIP where the elderly, children and other important personali es were being a ended to. I was told the VIP secon was created about three months ago.

While we waited, the head of the passport office and his officers were on ground to a end to us. He was obviously monitoring the capturing process through CCTV.

former applicants) when some of the NIS personnel would always manipulate the process to favour their clients, the call for capturing is now ‘first come, first serve’.

added that the 2023 elec ons must be won on merit.

In his address, Gen-

eral Suleiman noted that military is a stakeholder, assuring INEC of its collabora on and support.

Suleiman stated that the military was ready for the 2023 elec ons and would not hesitate to do all within its statutory right to ensure that the poll is peaceful.

The Commissioner of Police in the State, Patrick Longe, while receiving Agboke, maintained that the 2023 general elec ons must be peaceful.

Longe also promised that the police will cooperate with the INEC to make the 2023 general elec ons a reality.

The Director of the Na onal Orienta on Agency (NOA) in Osun, Abiodun Ibikunle, on his part, assured that INEC would get the full coopera on of the agency.

to

There was no chea ng on the roll call. Contrary to what was said about the Osogbo passport office before, there is now orderliness and due process in the call for capturing of applicants. Unlike before (according

The NIS personnel did not cluster around the capturing sec on (unlike before when they usually surrounded the capturing officers and compel them to call in their clients ahead of other applicants who have been seated for long. The capturing process is now fast and transparent.

When it reached my turn, I alongside five other applicants went straight into the capturing room to have our details captured around 2pm. The process was fast, transparent and seamless. I also observed

•Muhammed Babandede, NIS Comptroller-General.

that all through the period we waited, no NIS Officer approached us to assist with anything for a token. Rather, everyone including those with us concentrated fully on their jobs.

One of the challenges I observed while I waited for my turn is that some applicants who complained about being delayed for capturing actually had issues with their Na onal Iden fica on Number (NIN).

As one of those with such issues told me, he was told to rec fy the error as informa on he provided while applying for the Interna onal passport did not match his records with Na onal Iden ty Management Commission (NIMC). He immediately realised that the problem was not with the Nigerian Immigra on Service (NIS), and proceeded for correc-

on. Two women also had the same issue and were directed to do the needful a er detec ng the problem.

As it was for us wai ng for capturing, so it was for those wai ng to collect their passports. The meline for the collec on of passports a er capturing is s ll much on cause. The process is also hitch-free and devoid of any hassle.

I need to commend the Nigeria Immigra on Service for the improvement in the applica on process. The Osogbo passport office is very organised. The place is like you are in Bri sh embassy waiting for visa. There was no noise, nor disorderliness. The Ministry of Interior and Nigerian Immigra on Service should be hailed by all for this improvement. I wish all centers can be like this.

Yusuf Oketola

•Children of the Eagle Assembly Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Okinni, during their Christmas Carol and Quiz competition, held at the church premises, on Tuesday

Osun Assembly Investigates Debt Profile Discrepancies

Ismaeel Uthman

THE State of Osun House of Assembly has begun invesga ons into the discrepancies on the debt profile of the state.

According to the Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Timothy Owoeye, the figure that the House of Assembly has as the total amount of debt owed by the state, is different from what was reeled out by the execu ve arm of government.

Consequently, Owoeye, at the plenary on Wednesday, inaugurated a 10-man adhoc committee to urgently do a thorough inves ga on about the exact debt profile of the state.

The commi ee, according to a statement by the Press Secretary to the Speaker, Kunle Alabi, has Owoeye as the Chairman, Chairman, House Commi ee on Public Account and Chairman of

Commi ee on Finance and Appropria on, Hon Gbenga Ogunkanmi and Hon Adebayo Olodo respec vely as the CoChairmen.

Other members of the commi ee are the

Minority Leader, Hon. Kofo Adewunmi, Hon. Tunde Olatunji, Hon. Michael Adetoyi, Hon. Babatunde Ibirogba, Hon. Lateef Adebisi, Hon. Babatunde Komolafe, Hon. Adiru Abefe

and the Clerk, Mr. Simeon Amusan as the Secretary.

The Speaker noted that the situa on if not carefully handled may affect investors and people who want to have

Controversies Over Alleged Diversion Of N941m SURE-P Fund In Osun

Ismaeel Uthman Kazeem Badmus

CONTROVERSIES have been trailing the alleged diversion of N941, 850, 000.00 SURE-P fund meant for the provision of social infrastructure in all the local governments, of the State of Osun.

The All Progressives Congress (APC), accused the administra on of Governor Ademola Adeleke of diver ng the sum to buy Christmas rice for members of the Peoples Democra c Party (PDP).

But Adeleke, in a statement by his Spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, denied the allega on, saying that the SURE-P fund was intact.

Ac ng Chairman of the APC in the state, Prince Tajudeen Lawal, said the party has discovered that Adeleke was “spending a huge sum of N941,850, 000.00 to buy rice for the members and leaders of the PDP in the state.”

Lawal said it was disturbing, worrisome and disheartening that a state governor that has spent barely four weeks in the office could dip his hand into the ki y of the government, without recourse to the state House of Assembly.

He noted that the SURE-P fund is meant for capital projects across the nooks and crannies of Osun.

The Ac ng Chairman said: “The APC surprisingly stumbled on a le er where

Adeleke, through the State Ministry of Local Government and Chie aincy Affairs, directed the diversion of the money meant for the generality of the people of the state.

“In the le er issued and signed by Mr. Femi Ogundun, Coordina ng Director, Ministry of Local Government and Chie aincy Affairs, dated December 16, 2022, Governor Adeleke approved the assessment of N13, 650, 000 (Thirteen million only) for each of the 69 local government councils including the local council development areas and area offices to purchase Christmas and New Year gi s for poli cal loyalists.

“Adeleke also directed that N13,440,000.00 being the cost of the rice and transporta on cost of N210,000 should be paid by each of the local government council areas into one company, Hill Crest Agro-Allied Industries Limited with account number 1014686758.

“The governor’s approval le er through the Coordina ng Director to each of the Heads of Local Government Administra on in the state reads: “I wish to convey the approval of His Excellency, the Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke to your local government to access the sum of N13,650,000.00k only from your Statutory Alloca on Account in Wema Bank PlC, Ede for the purpose of procuring bags of

rice as Christmas and New Year gi s to the ci zens in the local government.”

“It is obvious that the Osun State people have boarded a metaphorical one-chance vehicle with Governor Adeleke in the driver’s seat of governance in the state.

SURE-P Fund Intact - Adeleke

But Adeleke debunked the allega on that the Sure-P fund he inherited from the past administraon was used to purchase rice to be distributed to members of his party.

Speaking through his Spokesperson, Mallam Rasheed Olawale, Adeleke said the Sure-P fund remains intact and safe in the account of the local governments, adding that the 40 bags per ward rice were for all the people of the state, irrespec ve of poli cal affilia on.

Olawale in a statement on Wednesday said: “I also wish to affirm to Osun people that the Sure-P fund, which Governor Adeleke stopped the former government from loo ng, remains intact and safe in the accounts of the local governments

“His Excellency affirms that his administra on is not a thieving government like that of his predecessor and he remains commi ed to cushioning the effect of the hard me on all secons of Osun society.

“It is therefore shameless lie and false reports to claim only PDP members are benefi ng from the purchased rise or that the

Sure-P fund was diverted. It is also a pure falsehood to claim Heads of Local Government Administraon are denied their entlements. All issues pertaining to the en tlements of public servants are being a ended to by the relevant offices.

“Osun people can bear witness that the family of His Excellency has consistently distributed food items to Osun people for the past several decades. The philanthropic family with one of its own as the State Governor is determined to elevate the tradi on of giving as a state policy.

“We, therefore, assure Osun people that the Adeleke administra on is not a thieving government and will not in any way follow the path of the past. All ac ons so far taken and that will be taken are in line with due process, state regula ons and extant laws”.

transac on with the state.

Tongues have been wagging on the actual amount of the debt profile of the state, especially when the N30bn bond and N11.4bn Sukuk loan obtained by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s administra on had been fully repaid in July 2019 and March 2020 respecvely.

During a debate organised by Channels Television for governorship candidates in the state of Osun in 2018, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, who was the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) admi ed that the domes c debt of the state was N141bn, while the external subsidiary debt was N30bn.

Also, former Accountant General of the State, Mr. Sunday Igbaruola had earlier in May 2018 stated that the total (domes c) debt le for the state to pay was N143.6bn

Oyetola, who was the Chairman of Debt Management Board during Aregbesola tenure, had insisted that his administra on did not obtain any loan, sta ng that the loans le behind were that of his predecessor.

But contrary to his claim, record showed that Oyetola obtained a sum of N18bn loan in the name of budget support from the Federal Government.

Though Oyetola is insis ng that the N18bn is not a loan, available record showed that the amount was incurred with nine per cent interest rate while repayment will start in January 2024.

PUBLIC NOTICE

AGBOOLA GRACE OLAYINKA

That I was formerly known and addressed as OLALEYE GRACE OLAYINKA

With former Date of Birth 15/10/1991. Now wish to be known and addressed as AGBOOLA GRACE OLAYINKA. With correct Date of Birth 15/10/1996. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CSO Demands Public Hearing On Osun Debt

Acivil society organisa on, Youth Voice Movement, has called on the State of Osun House of Assembly, to begin a public hearing to unravel the total debt profile of the state.

The group decried the arguments that trailed the N407.32bn declara on as the debt profile of the state, by Governor Ademola Adeleke at a mee ng with council of Obas, last week Thursday.

The group, during a protest in Osogbo, on Monday, expressed displeasure over the poor state of infrastructure, saying there is nothing to jus fy the homogeneous debt.

Speaking with journal-

ists during the protest, the Leader and Spokesman of the group, Adebisi Emmanuel and Abiodun Badmus, respec vely challenged the AccountantGeneral of the state to clear the air and explain the details of the debt.

The said: “We call on the Osun State House of Assembly to explain to the public that N18 billion was approved for the administra on of Adegboyega Oyetola a er losing the July 16 governorship elec on.

“We demand the public hearing of what the money was used for in less than 90 days. The House of Assembly as a check on the execuves is expected to probe and tell the people of the state the true posi on of the allega on.”

•Osun House of Assembly Complex

Yusuf Oketola

Sports

Sodiq Yusuf

THE Super Eagles will finish 2022 as Africa’s fi h-best team and 35th in the world.

Sodiq Yusuf

Messi Is The Greatest Of All Time - Guardiola Super Eagles End 2022 As Fifth Best Team In Africa

MANCHESTER

City Manager and former Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola, has said that Argenna star and latest World Cup winner, Lionel Messi, is the greatest footballer of all me.

In an interview seen on Sky Sports, Guardiola said Messi’s World Cup triumph confirms he is the best footballer in history.

He added that the World Cup win is the “final achievement of an incredible career” for Messi.

The coach admi ed that even if Messi hadn’t won the World Cup, he would s ll rate him as the best.

Guardiola also congratulated Argen ne player, Julian Alvarez, who is also a Manchester City player, saying “one of our own is a world champion,” as well as Nicolas Otamendi, who was also a former City player.

The Man City boss said, “Everyone has an opinion but nobody can doubt that he is there, with the greatest of all me. For me I said many mes, he is the best, but it will be difficult to understand.

“A player can appear and compete with what he has done in the last 50 years to 70 years, but the people who saw Pele or Di Stefano or Maradona, they can say their favourite.

“In their opinions they are sen mental, you know? But on the other side, if he (Messi) had not won the

World Cup, my opinion about what he has done for world football, it wouldn’t have changed absolutely anything. Of course, for him it’s the final achievement of an incredible career.

“Do you know why Messi is the best player I’ve ever seen in my life, because he is a competor. He’s an animal.”

According to the final FIFA ranking for the year released on Thursday, Brazil remains the top-ranked team in the world despite failing to advance beyond the quarter-finals in Qatar 2022.

Argen na, who were crowned world champions for the third me last Sunday, rose only to second place, up from third place prior to Qatar 2022.

France is third, while Belgium and England are fourth and fi h, respecvely.

The year 2022 has largely been a letdown for the Super Eagles, which only made it to the second

round of the Africa Cup of Na ons in Cameroon before blowing their chance at a seventh World Cup appearance against Ghana in March.

The Black Stars edged the Super Eagles to the Qatar 2022 cket on the away goals rule.

Unfortunately, the Black Stars did not advance beyond the group stage despite recording a thrilling 3-2 win over South Korea and ruffling Cris ano Ronaldo and his Portugal teammates, who eventually claimed a

nervy 3-2 win.

Aside from the disappointment in official games, the Eagles did not fare any be er in the handful of friendly games played in the year, with losses against Portugal, Algeria, Mexico and Ecuador.

The country’s best ranking in 2022 was in March when the Eagles were ranked 30th.

Though 2022 was bad for the Eagles, they s ll finished one notch be er than 2021 when they ended the year in 36th place.

APC Asks Assembly To Query Adeleke Over Non-payment Of Salary To Oyetola’s Appointees

Yusuf

Oketola

THE All Progressives Congress (APC), in the State of Osun has asked the House of Assembly to inves gate the reason why Governor Ademola Adeleke refused to pay November salary to all poli cal appointees of immediate past governor, Adegboyega Oyetola.

Ac ng Chairman of the APC in the state, Prince Tajudeen Lawal, expressed dissa sfac on over nonpayment of the salaries of the poli cal appointees, sta ng that there could be no jus fiable reason for Adeleke to withhold the salaries of the appointees who were validly engaged by his predecessor.

Lawal urged Adeleke to shun poli cs of hatred, vindic veness, oppression and vic miza on, reitera ng that there is no any jus fiable reason for him to withhold the appointees’ ‘ salaries other than wickedness, insensi vity, lack of empathy and inconsidera on.

He said: “I can’t understand how we came to this level. What will be the reason why Governor Adeleke is punishing

a cross sec on of Osun State workers whose salaries he is si ng on.

“Thank God that we are opera ng in a democra c society where there are expected statutory checks and balances by the all arms of any government.

“It is on this basis that it is expedient for the Osun State House of Assembly to wade into the issue and ask ques ons why Governor Adeleke is working a bleak Christmas for some people in the state through non-payment of salaries”.

Return Property In Your Possession Before Any En tlements, Adeleke Tells Former Appointees

But the State Government in a swi response to the APC claims, asked all former poli cal appointees of Oyetola to return government proper es in their possession for them to claim their entlements.

The Spokesperson to the Governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, in a statement made available to OSUN DE FENDER yesterday, al-

leged that the poli cal appointees had appropriated government cars and proper es in their care for their private use in viola on of government regula ons and extant laws.

Olawale said: “The appointees not only le offices with their official

cars, they also added service cars and others in clear viola on of public service regula ons.

“Some former officials admi ed that the former governor authorised them to claim the official cars even though there is no law that authorised the former gov-

ernor to such act”.

He noted that many former appointees resisted the refusal of top bureaucrats to sign letters for the release of the vehicles, leading to clandes ne disappearance of many official vehicles.

Olawale submi ed

that those who engaged in pilfering and pillaging of public assets must return same before they can lay any claim to salaries or any other entlements even as the Assets Recovery Commi ee is intensifying efforts to revealing the culprits.

•Messi.

•Super Eagles.

•The family of Late Prince George Arojojoye of Ilase Ijesha, in Obokun Local Government area of Osun, in a group photograph after the burial of their patriarch, recently

Crime

APC Asks Assembly To Query Adeleke Over Nonpayment Of Salary To Oyetola’s Appointees

RIGHT from pre-independence when the Electoral Commission of Nigeria (ECN) was inaugurated in 1958 to conduct 1959 federal elec ons, we had been using manual ballo ng for electoral exercises - voters’ registra on, register display, vo ng, coun ng, colla on and declara on of results. Despite advances in technology, this manual ballo ng had endured for so long notwithstanding some amendments intermi ently that didn’t change anything fundamentally because majority of the poli cians are not disposed to transparent, free, fair and credible elec ons. They love riggings and manipula ons of electoral processes; they see poli cs and polity as their personal estate and empire and would do anything to orchestrate electoral malprac ces in despera on to hold on to power and winning at all cost.

In the process of outsmar ng themselves via various malprac ces, peoples’ votes could not count. This had been the atmosphere under which our electoral processes existed un l a er 2007 general elec ons won by the Peoples Democra c Party (PDP). President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who was the beneficiary of the massively rigged and manipulated general elec ons, honestly agreed to the fact that the elec on was not credible. Hence, he immediately inaugurated Jus ce Muhammed Uwais Electoral Reform Commi ee to look at the en re electoral processes with the view of making recommenda ons that would forestall future reoccurrence and the panel submi ed its report on December 11, 2008. Although Yar’Adua forwarded the modified version of the report to the Na onal Assembly, which was mostly cons tuted by the beneficiaries of the flawed elec ons, most of the fundamentals in the report were thrown into waste bin.

If the truth must be said, Jus ce Uwais Panel report remains the roadmap for credible elec ons in Nigeria. One of some of the recommenda ons that scaled through Electoral Act 2010 as amended is empowerment of INEC for electronic vo ng which gave birth to produc on and distribu on of first Temporary Voter Cards to Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) to eligible voters na onally. As against manual electoral register which could be abused for manipula on, smart card readers were used for accredita on having iden fied finger print for vo ng through PVC. In few cases where card readers had problems in iden fica on of the voters, incident forms were filled so as not to disenfranchise voters.

It is instruc ve to state that a member of Uwais Panel, Professor A ahiru Jega, eventually emerged INEC Chairman in June 2010 ll June 2015. It was under his watch that a si ng PDP President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was defeated by opposi on APC Muhammadu Buhari, courtesy of Electoral Act 2010 as amend-

“Therefore, BVAS is on trial as it is the bedrock upon which 2023 general election is built; verdict of Election Tribunal sitting in Osogbo will either vindicate or invalidate its efficacy”

BVAS On Trial

ed; that empowered INEC on use of electronic accredita on and vo ng for the 2015 general elec ons, which made peoples votes count without which it would have been impossible to defeat an incumbent. Despite that it somemes malfunc ons in the process of accredita on, use of smart card readers and PVC was advancement over hitherto manual process, as it makes votes count because it is almost impossible to manipulate.

In its quest to arrest smart card readers and PVC limita ons and enhance free, fair and more credible elec ons, INEC, as empowered by 2022 Electoral Act, introduced Bi-modal Voter Accredita on System (BVAS). BVAS is an electronic device designed to read PVC and authen cate voter. In addi on to tradi onal use of the voter fingerprint to prove that an acclaimed electorate is eligible to vote at a par cular unit, BVAS could capture the photo of the voter, scan the barcode or QR code on the PVC or capture last 6 digits of voter ID to verify and authen cate a voter a er which he/ she proceeds to vote. Ul mately, the process is expected to make accredita on and vote

cast equal to each other. Hence, use of incidence forms during accredita on is eliminated. With BVAS, manually wri en results on form EC8A at every unit is photographed and transmi ed to the designated colla ng centre. BVAS is, therefore, expected to virtually eliminate electoral malprac ces as it authencates the iden ty of voters, making mul ple and proxy vo ng impossible and ul mately makes votes count. The innova ve device is also expected to eliminate tradi onal results hijack by rouge poli cians via their thugs on the way to colla on centers.

BVAS was first introduced in Delta State for Isoko South Cons tuency 1 bye-elec on on September 10, 2021 and later for staggered gubernatorial elec ons in Anambra, Eki and Osun on 6th November, 2021, 18th June, 2022 and 16 July, 2022 respec vely. The use of electronic vo ng and electronic transmission of results were some of the major elements in the 2022 Electoral Act signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on 25th February, 2022. Many individuals, Civil Society Organisa ons, INEC and other major stakeholders believe that reforms in the electoral laws would ease electoral processes that will promote free, fair and credible elec ons in Ni-

STRIKER Striker is not the opinion

geria. In the last 16th July, 2022 gubernatorial elec on in Osun, efficacy of BVAS was demonstrated as the en re exercise was smooth with no major incidence of violence. Kudos to security agencies for a well-done job. In addi on, results were declared within 24hours – July 17.

However, the loser of the elec on, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola and his APC had submi ed a pe on before Elec on Tribunal in Osogbo on 5th August, 2022, challenging INEC declara on of Sen. Ademola Adeleke of the PDP winner having polled 403,271 votes against Oyetola’s 375,027 votes. Oyetola and APC are challenging declared results of the 976 BVAS used in 749 polling units across 10 local government areas of the state for various alleged electoral malprac ces par cularly, over voting. INEC had deployed more than one BVAS to polling unit that had more than 750 registered voters.

Although, it will take almost a whole year before the case is determined ul mately by the Supreme Court, the Elec on Tribunal will most likely dispense its decision on or before 31st January, 2023. Without any prejudice to the ma er before the Tribunal, if Oyetola’s counsels could prove their allega ons beyond reasonable doubt, vis-à-vis over vo ng as a result of inability of BVAS machines to synchronize one another at the conten ous polling units, it will cast aspersion on the BVAS reputa on and capacity to deliver free, fair and credible in the forthcoming 2023 general elec ons which would be almost one month of the tribunal ruling. Therefore, BVAS is on trial as it is the bedrock upon which 2023 general elec on is built; verdict of Elec on Tribunal si ng in Osogbo will either vindicate or invalidate its efficacy.

Make The Days Count

“ DON’T count the days, make the days count” is famously ascribed as an exhorta on by that GOAT, Muhammed Ali. The message is clear and simple: live fully everyday. A phrase like it in La n is Capa Diem – seize the day! It will be of great benefit to the people of Osun, the Glory of God and excellent legacy for the PDP government of Osun and its new Governor, Ademola Adeleke, if they can heed the call – as per service delivery to the people. Will they? Time will tell.

Everything in life is rela ve: a day is like a century for a man in the torture chamber while it is like an hour for a couple on honeymoons. A four-year mandate always seems long; in truth, it is not – for a man with a mission, of course. Between November 27, 2022 and November 27, 2026, there are only 1,461 days, and the sun goes on rising and se ng. The people, who are with heavy expecta ons, are already coun ng days; it is for the government to make the days count. As of today, there are only 3 years, 11 months and 3 days le , with 26 days gone!

A party and a government with a 4-year mandate that wants it renewed therea er must mind each passing day and make it count, knowing full well that endearing itself to the people cannot wait ll the last few months. Indeed, it has only 3 years as the last year of the tenure is always loaded with poli cal distrac ons and elec oneering.

Of course, the Adeleke government is

not to be envied as it is; it has been handed an alibi by an out gone government with a weird understanding of transi on in government, which it refused to allow happen. It would have spared the Adeleke government days of unnecessary poke-nossing around inherited assets and liabili es and fussing up and about the mess it is now alleging. The government must come to terms with reali es, however, and quickly realise that it is part of the hazards of government changing hands across party divide, and get on with its own programmes, if it has any. The APC na onal government wasted precious much me at incep on cataloguing the disaster wrecked by the ousted PDP-Jonathan government as if the people were oblivious to them, and that was not the reason PDP was voted out and APC voted in. Today, it has not succeeded in remedying those corrup on, insecurity and economy disasters it was was ng me in highligh ng, if it has not arguably worsened them. The Adeleke-PDP government must be mindful of that and avoid that pi all!

It is conceded that delivering dividends of good governance is not easy by any means in Osun. In a country where almost all states depend majorly on monthly accruals from the federa on accounts, with Osun obtaining from it one of the least sums, and with IGR difficult to raise drama cally and quickly due to low produc vity and widespread ci zen suffering from economic and social hardship, where will the money come

from for infrastructure and growing producvity? Meanwhile, the only way out of the wood for every poor and underdeveloped space is rapid build up of infrastructure and human produc vity accelera on especially in agriculture and trade immediately, while making the most of educa on and informaon technology for medium term calculaon. Even when stealing and waste are minimised, it is s ll a difficult task; much else when they are not.

However difficult and whatever the cost, it must be done. That is the basis for government, which we would remind ourselves here, especially the forge ul. The reason for government is nowhere be er captured than in the opening paragraphs of the American Declara on of Independence: “...We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness – THAT TO SECURE THESE RIGHTS, GOVERNMENTS ARE INSITUTED AMONG MEN, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed...”

It cannot be stated clearer: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness pack a lot, and securing it as best as it can for the people of Osun, despite all na onal challenges, is the task for the state government. It is best for it to set about it now, if it has not already done so, making the days count, as the people count the passing days.

of the Columnist featured above