Osun Defender Online Version of July 8, 2022

FRIDAY, JULY 08 - THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022 VOL 17 NO 26

I Will Run An Inclusive Unity Govt – Adeleke

Pg. 5

Sallah: High Cost Of Ram, Foodstuffs May Hinder Elaborate Celebration P. 2

Osun APC Gov’ship Ticket: Oyetola’s Ally Moves To Compromise Judge For Favourable Judgment

•A ram market at stadium area, Osogbo.

8 Days To Go!

Pg. 2

Osun 2022: State Of Play Across The Three Senatorial Districts Yusuf Oketola Kazeem Badmus

A

s the people of Osun geare up for July 16 governorship elec on to elect the person that will paddle the canoe of the state for another four years, contestants and ‘pretenders’ have been campaigning, canvassing and manipula ng the electorate to either convince or confuse them.

Fi een poli cal par es and candidates are par cipa ng in the race to the Bola Ige House.

However, the elec on is mainly between two dominant poli cal par es – the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democra c Party (PDP), accord-

•Assessing The Mood Of The Electorate

2018 OSUN GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION RESULTS APC = 254,345 PDP = 254,698 Total registered voters= 1,955,657 Total votes cast= 731,882 Total valid votes= 721,621 Rejected votes= 37,874 ing to poli cal analysts. “Other contestants in the elec on are mere par cipants who will not have significant votes”, said the analysts.

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola is represen ng APC while Senator Ademola Adeleke is the flagbearer of the PDP in the elec-

on. This is a repeat of the 2018 gubernatorial elec on where Oyetola managed to win with just 482 votes. Oyetola defeated Adeleke at the re-run elec on that took place in seven polling units across four local government areas a er the first ballot.

Adeleke had in the first ballot

2019 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS IN OSUN APC = 347, 634 PDP = 337,377 Total registered voters= 1,674,729 Total votes cast= 731,882 Total valid votes= 714,682 Rejected votes= 17,200 Cancelled votes= 12,082 (reason: over voting)

TOTAL REGISTERED VOTERS IN 2022 = 1,955,657 won with 353 votes a er polling 254,698 against Oyetola’s 254,345.

Unlike in 2018, there are slight poli cal factors to be considered in projec ng who wins the July 16 elec on. The

candidature of Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi of Accord Party (AP), Rt. Hon. Lasun Yusuf of Labour Party (LP) and Arch. Goke Omigbodun of Social Democra c Party (SDP), presented ununited third force as alterna ve to the dominant

PDP and APC. Besides, OSUN DEFENDER noted that the trio of AP, LP and SDP does not have ‘state-wide poli cal structure’, financial capacity, popularity and public acceptability needed for the elec on. It was observed that only PDP and APC are leading in poli cal campaigns in every nook and cranny of the state.

Osun Central Senatorial District

For Oyetola, the APC might have a smooth electoral sail across the state because of the exis ng structure which com•Continued on Page 4

Kuje Prison Attack: Be Calm, Vigilant, Aregbesola Tells Nigerians

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FRIDAY, JULY 08 - THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

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News

Ileya: High Cost of Ram, Foodstuffs May Hinder Elaborate Celebration Ismaeel Uthman

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HIS year’s Eid el Adha known as Ileya fes val will likely be affected by the harsh economic condi on being experienced

by Nigerians, inves ga ons have revealed.

There may not be elaborate celebra ons of the fes val by Muslims as a result of skyrocke ng infla on which has resulted into high cost of foodstuffs, rams, goats and chicken.

OSUN DEFENDER noted that the price of rams is on the high side in Osogbo and other parts of the state compared to the price they were sold last year.

This is just as the prices of rice, beans, yam flower and other foodstuffs appear unaffordable for common men whose incomes have been deflated by infla on and poor exchange rate.

Some residents of Osogbo who spoke with the medium on Wednesday and Thursday also noted that the current economic hardship would not afford them the opportunity of celebra ng the Ileya fes val as they want, maintaining that the price of ram which is an essen al commodity for the celebra on was very high.

The medium noted that ram dealers in Osogbo

have reduced compared to last year when every juncon and strategic loca ons were turned to ram’s market.

According to findings, the high price of ram and transporta on cost from the northern part of the country to Osogbo discouraged a lot of people from the ram business this year.

In different interview

with OSUN DEFENDER, some commercial truck drivers who transport rams and goats to Osun stated that the increment in the price of diesel is having reverbera ng effect on everything that is connected to the product in one way or the other.

According to them, the cost of transpor ng a small, medium and big rams was

increased from N3000 to N5000, N5000 to N8000 and N8000 to N10,000 respec vely.

As the diesel price affect the transporta on of animals, so is it with the transporta on fare of the people too.

In Osogbo, OSUN DEFENDER visited Stadium, Oja Oba market, Powerline, Sasa market and Dele

Yes Sir roundabout to know the price a ached to different size of rams.

The medium also visited Ifon market where there was a large depot of rams.

It was noted that there was no N20, 000 ram or goat. The minimum price for a small ram was N35, 000 while the smallest hegoat was sold at N25,000.

A fair-size ram was sold

•(R-L) Osun NAWOJ Chairperson, Mrs. Motunrayo Ayegbayo, Osun NUJ Chairman, Comrade Wasiu Ajadosu, Representative of Osogbo Grammar School Principal, Mrs. Abigail Omolade and others during the African Child Day, held at Osogbo Grammer School, recently.

Osun NUJ Promises Accurate Reportage Of Guber. Election Activities Yusuf Oketola

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HE Nigeria Union of Journalists, State of Osun Council has promised to accurately report ac vi es of the July 16 governorship elec on in the state.

NUJ made the commitment during a roundtable with media execu ves organized by the Independent Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC) and Interna onal Founda on for Electoral Systems (IFES), recently in Osogbo.

The Chairman of the union, Comr. Wasiu Ajadosu vowed for the wealth of experience and professionalism of journalists in the state.

Ajadosu said that the union was ready to collaborate with INEC officials and other stakeholders to ensure a credible poll in the state.

He said: “Journalists in Osun are not new to elecon coverage. We will cover the elec on professionally and objec vely.

“We will collaborate with INEC officials and other key stakeholders to ensure peaceful, inclusive, free and fair elec on.”

He lauded INEC for new innova ons and provision

of improved technological gadgets for inclusive and credible polls.

In his speech, the Naonal Commissioner, Informa on and Voter Educa on of INEC, Festus Okoye, said:

“the success of every elecon depends on the collabora on and involvement of cri cal stakeholders in the electoral process. The media is a cri cal stakeholder in this elec on and will play

an effec ve role in its success.”

He urged the media prac oner to be acquainted with the right informaon and knowledge.

“The commission ex-

pects you to cross check informa on received before le ng it out. The unity and stability of the country is important. Be careful of breaking news,” Okoye said.

Osun APC Gov’ship Ticket: Oyetola’s Ally Moves To Compromise Judge For Favourable Judgment Our Reporter

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HERE is an ongoing plan to pervert the cause of jus ce on the suit ins tuted by Alhaji Moshood Adeo against Governor Adegboyega Oyetola on the governorship cket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State of Osun.

Adeo is praying a Federal High Court in Abuja to nullify Oyetola’s victory as the flagbearer of the APC in the February 19, 2022 primary elec on of the party on the ground that the governor was not eligible to contest the primary.

The former Secretary to the State Government asserted that Oyetola did not resign his membership of the

Na onal Caretaker and Extra Ordinary Convenon Planning Committee of the APC when he was contes ng the party’s cket as required by the cons tu on of the party.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that a top government official, apparently ac ng on the instruc on of the Governor, has set machinery in mo on to compromise Jus ce Ekwo of an Abuja Court 5 Federal High Court which in hearing the suit.

Findings also revealed that the top government official had about a month ago commissioned a strong and an outspoken poli cian who has his network in Abuja to help the governor ‘reach out’ to the

judge for favourable judicial process and if possible buy the judgment.

According to sources, the commissioned polician is not a member of the APC but a strong ally of the Governor.

The medium reliably gathered that the commissioned poli cian has contacted Jus ce Ekwo’s blood rela ve who asked for a sum of N10m to get ‘to talk to his brother’, with a clarifica on that the N10m was for him and not the amount demanded by the judge.

But the N10m was not paid to the judge’s rela ve, it was gathered.

Instead of paying the N10m, the said Oyetola’s front man je soned his first contact and commissioned another person in the ‘presidency’ to compromise the judge.

Sources in Abuja told

OSUN DEFENDER that the new man for the hatchet job did not go through Jus ce Ekwo’s rela ve but reached out to one of the judge’s aides who has been working with him for a long me.

The sources promised to update the medium and possibly other newsmen as event unfolds on the ma er.

“We are monitoring the situa on and we will update you. There are some details we did not release out now because of some certain things.

We will soon expose the alleged involvement of Mr. Governor and the first person that took up the hatchet job. But it is not yet me”, said the sources.

The judge is set to deliver his judgement on the ma er on July 14, 48 hours to the governorship elec on.

at N50,000 while the price of big rams was between N85,000-N200,000.

Some of the Muslims who spoke with the medium lamented the high cost of the rams, saying that they would not afford to buy the size of rams they wanted.

One of the Muslims, Mr. Sunkanmi Adeo , said: “I came to this Ifon market from Osogbo. I was told I would get ram at a cheap price here. But the reality is that the price of ram is generally high. My budget for the ram I want to buy is N40,000. But with what I am seeing here, a N40,000 ram does not befit me; it is too small.

“How will I buy a ram that will not be enough for us to eat? I am red of this country. Everything is just on the high side. Anyway, we will celebrate this Ileya as situa on demands. It is heartbreaking that things are ge ng worse every year.”

Another Muslim who went to buy ram at Oja Oba market in Osogbo, Mr. Kareem Ajibade, told OSUN DEFENDER that he resolved to buy one ram as against two he bought last year because he could not afford to buy a second ram this year.

According to Ajibade, Nigeria’s economy has go en worse to the extent that some people could not afford to eat two mes daily not to talk of buying ram to celebrate Ileya fes val.

He said: “I buy two rams every year; one for me and the other for my late dad. The budget for the two rams has always been N150,000. But this year, I can only afford to buy one ram. The reason is that, apart from the high cost of the rams, there is no money in circula on.

“What sense does it make if I buy two rams and start to struggle to buy foodstuffs and other things we need for the celebraon. Infla on has led to increment in the price of everything. We should just live within our means and hope for a be er 2023 Ileya fes val.”

OSUN DEFENDER also noted that some people have resorted to contribu ng money to buy a cow instead of ram.

It is allowed in Islam for seven people to kill a cow for Ileya.

Apart from the high cost of ram and he-goats, the price of rice, tomatoes, pepper and onions were also on the high side. A bag of rice is now N29,000 (from N25,000), a basket of tomatoes was sold at N23,000 (from N19,000), while a bag of pepper was sold at N10,000 (from N5000).

PEOPLE FIRST

FRIDAY, JULY 08 - THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

3

Review & Outlook

BY JAMES ASHIPA Discourses On Democracy An Overview Of The Forthcoming Osun Governorship Election

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HE BBC Yoruba Service and Arise television are to be commended for providing pla orms for what analysts have correctly described as ‘discourses on democracy’. It ought to ma er.

Since 1959 when presiden al candidates John F Kennedy and Richard Nixon jousted in a series of debates, the format has become entrenched in elec ons.

Arise analyst in a review of the debate politely described the debate amongst the State of Osun governorship candidates on Wednesday as “ fair but not outstanding”. This appears to be the assessment in conven onal wisdom.

Another Arise analyst, Waziri Adio, described the candidate of the SDP as “outstanding” he also felt that the nona endance of the PDP’s Ademola Adeleke will not adversely affect his chances in the elec on.

Honourable men on has also been made about the performance of the candidate of the SDP with his emphasis on new technologies led economy and that of Labour Party’s Lasun Yusuf who emphasised the potenal of the state’s agro-economy.

Obviously, reflec ng the disorder in Nigeria’ skewed economy and it’s defec ve federal set up much was missing in analy cal rigour. A

“Honourable mention has also been made about the performance of the candidate of the SDP with his emphasis on new technologies led economy and that of Labour Party’s Lasun Yusuf who emphasised the potential of the state’s agro-economy” good example is the opportuni es provided with the exploita on of the state’s gold resources. Sadly, the fixa on was on gold as a resource as opposed to value - addion. This means that no lessons have been learned from the disaster of crude oil and the tragedy of the ‘resource course’. As one of the reviewers pointed out without inter medita on “ how can you build an economy around a resource?”

This is why the immense poten al of the value addi on in the long-established Cocoa sector has not been fully exploited. This is burdensome.

For the world post COVID and the Russia and Ukraine war will place more emphasis on the sub na onals and the local government levels more than ever before. This structural imbalance in our set up must be reconstructed. Shows that it is s ll a long way to Uhuru.

As we look forward to the final debate to be organised

by Channels TV on Sunday, we ask that the contestants up - the - ante and that the audience pay keen a en on as they choose to vote wisely.

T

HE beauty of any democra c process is the conduct of periodic elec ons to avail the electorate the opportunity to assess and either revalidate the mandate of an incumbent or send it packing, if dissa sfied with its performance. Elec ons have always reminded us that power resides in the people who willingly surrender this sovereign power to their elected representa ves. Since Nigeria’s return to civil rule in 1999, Anambra, Kogi, Bayelsa, Osun, Eki , Edo and Ondo states now conduct off-season gubernatorial elec ons due to various judicial pronouncements with the last one held in Eki state on 18th June, 2022 while the next one will hold in Osun state on the 16th July, 2022, which is about nine days away to determine who will be the next occupant of the Bola Ige house for the next four years.

As a result of this development, the poli cal temperature in Osun state is very high now as about 15 poli cal par es are ge ng ready to slug it out at the polls with the major ones being the All Progressives Congress (APC) with Alhaji Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola who is the incumbent governor as its flagbearer; the Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) has Senator Ademola Jackson Adeleke as its flagbearer; the Social Democra c Party (SDP) with Goke Omigbodun as its flagbearer; Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi of the Accord Party and last but not the least Hon. Lasun Yussuff of the Labour Party (LP).

The Independent Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC) and other stakeholders such as security agencies (police, army, and civil defence), local and foreign elec on observers (YIAGA Africa, EU, NGOs’, etc) are on ground for the conduct of the elec on.

The Osun elec on will be the second a er Eki to be conducted under the amended Electoral Act 2022 and INEC will use E-transmission of results and the Bimodal Voters Accredita on System (BVAS) that is capable of both fingerprints and facial recogni ons, which is an improvement over the Smart Card Reader, thus deepening the use of technology in our electoral process.

Although there was significant improvement in the just-concluded Eki gubernatorial polls that was won by the APC as it was adjudged by elec on monitors/observers to be violent-free and INEC got a pass mark for its performance, the issue of vote buying and selling reared its ugly head during the elec on, as all poli cal par es were alleged to be involved.

Tthe Osun gubernatorial polls is expected to follow the same trajectory but violence could be heightened due to intra and inter party crisis among the political parties, especially the two main contenders- APC and PDP, as there have been reports of clashes between supporters of both parties at their political gatherings”

Judging from the above, the Osun gubernatorial polls is expected to follow the same trajectory but violence could be heightened due to intra and inter party crisis among the poli cal par es, especially the two main contenders- APC and PDP, as there have been reports of clashes between supporters of both par es at their poli cal gatherings.

Also, there are allega ons of vote buying and selling by poli cal par es due to the crippling poverty in the land that is a crea on of the poli cal class so as to make the popula on more subservient and amenable to their control. There are also reports of missing Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), which will result in the disenfranchisement of voters. The situa on is worrisome to the extent that a bigwig of one of the poli cal par es never denied the existence of thugs but only claimed that calling party supporters thugs is mere seman cs.

As the Osun gubernatorial elec on is fast approaching, there is no gain-saying the fact that although Osun state has increased her Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from N13.8 billion to N19.6 billion, it is s ll a far cry when compared to Lagos, FCT and Rivers states with N267.2 billion, N69.1 billion and N57.9 billion respec vely and with her huge agriculture and mining poten als, the state needs an innova ve and visionary leader to transform her economy and improve the quality of life of the people of the state. However, it is a pity that rather than focus on issue-based campaigns, most of the poli cal par es are busy engaging in narcissist smear campaigns.

Moving forward, we must strive to promote poli cs of decency and je son power poli cs that is based on the MachiavelPublisher – Moremi Publishing lian principle of “the end jusHouse Ltd. fy the means”. We must refrain Deputy Editor – Ismaeel Uthman from zero-sum tendencies and Produc on Editor – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa reform our poli cal system to Reporter – Yusuf Oketola provide a role for the main opReporter – Kazeem Badmus posi on, maybe some form of Photo Journalist – Olushola Aderinto shadow cabinet. Also, the poli Computer Graphics – Zainab Olalere cal system should be made less OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing lucra ve by cu ng down on the perquisites of office to a ract House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), Gbogan Road Osogbo, only genuine and decent characters into the poli cal space.

State of Osun These measures will douse ISSN : 0794-8050 the tension associated with asTelephone : 0809-301-9152 piring to poli cal offices in NiWebsite : www.osundefender.com/index.php geria like we have experienced e-mail : osundefender@yahoo.com in the past and are currently witosundefenderbank@gmail.com nessing in the forthcoming Osun All correspondence to the above email addresses. state gubernatorial elec on.

OSUN DEFENDER

FRIDAY, JULY 08 - THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

4

Insight Across The Three Senatorial Districts

•Continued from Page 1 prise party execu ves, leaders, government func onaries, supporters and sympathisers.

Specifically, the Governor is expected to have above average electoral performance in Osun Central Senatorial District because he hails from Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government. Also, Osogbo which has Osogbo and Olorunda local governments has the highest votes in the state and has always been vo ng massively for progressive. However, PDP will also have a good electoral show in Osogbo in the coming elec on because of division in the APC, recent outburst of Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun Oyetunji and what people described as ‘footdragging’ infrastructural development in the State Capital. The winning margin might not be that significant for APC in Osogbo. The Governor is expected to win his own local government with wide margin higher than that of the 2018. Poli cal analysts have submi ed that electorates in Orolu and Irepodun local governments of Osun central would vote massively for the LP candidate, Yussuff. The former deputy speaker of the House of Reps hails from Ilobu, Irepodun local government. According to observa on, PDP is likely to win Ifelodun, Odo-O n and Boluwaduro local governments of Osun Central. APC appears to be an orphanage in Ifelodun because of the demise of late Akinrun of Ikirun, Oba Abdurauf Olawale Adedeji and Chief Gbadamosi Owoseni. Poli cal func onaries who are claiming to be leaders in the local government are s ll struggling to coordinate their immediate followers. Also, last House of Reps and House of Assembly primary elec ons have further embi ered members of the APC in the local government.

Odo-O n local government might go with PDP because of the perceived chea ng on the House of Reps cket for Ifelodun/Boripe/Odo-O n Federal

Cons tuency. Also, members of the party in Oyan are aggrieved because the APC House of Assembly cket has been taken away from the town that has always been vo ng for progressives. Boluwaduro is known to be PDP local government. APC is likely to win Ila and Ifedayo local governments.

SOUND BITES

“It is only when a candidate is not popular enough that he will be giving people money on election day,”

Osun West Senatorial District

The PDP is predicted to win majority of the local government in Osun West Senatorial District where Adeleke of PDP and Ogunbiyi of AP hail from.

Adeleke of PDP has his electoral strength in Ede, an ancient town with two local governments, where he got his bulk vote in 2018. Adeleke got 16,693 votes as against Oyetola’s 4512 votes in Ede South while in Ede North, the PDP candidate won with 18,745 to defeat Oyetola who polled 7025. Ede North and Ede South Local Government will be delivered for Adeleke with margin higher than that of 2018, according to poli cal analysts.

Another local government which will decide the winner of the Zone is Iwo, where a former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeo and the fac onal chairman of the party, Hon. Rasaq Salinsile hail from. Analysts believed that the two party chie ains who have not been seen anywhere near the campaign tour of Oyetola will have a say in the elec on result of the local government. Adeo is a grassroot poli cian who is loved by his people. This is evident in the result of the 2018 elec on where he contested under ADP and got 16,425 votes in Iwo. Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER in Iwo yesterday, a member of the APC in the town who do not want his name in print, said the silence of the two chie ains is confusing their followers as they were yet to decide who to vote for.

According to the APC member, followers of the two APC

•Oyetola bigwigs are angry with Oyetola but s ll remain in the party, adding that the followers may vote for whoever they wish if the party chie ains do not give them direc on on the elec on.

He disclosed that the APC is also having an issue with a religious group which has influence on the vo ng pa ern of the town.

He said: “APC may win the elec on in Iwo but the margin will not be much. Alhaji Moshood Adeo and Hon. Rasaq Salinsile are there and right now, they have not said anything about where they are going in the elec on. They kept their followers in the dark and if on the long run they fail to give direcons, the followers will likely vote for whoever they want.

Your guess is as good as mine.

“Iwoland tradi onally do follow a progressive party and indigenes of the town follow their leaders. Last me when Alhaji Moshood Adeo was con-

SNIPETS

“I will return Osun’s lost glory through farming”

•Lasun

“I will create 100,000 jobs within my first six months in office” •Ogunbiyi

“I will replicate Silicon Valley in the state to create jobs for the youth” •Omigbodun

tes ng in ADP, he got bulk of his votes from the town while APC came second. PDP came third.

But now, PDP may win in Iwo considering the fact that people like Senator Oriolowo is being denied the second term cket to the Senate. There a lot of people from Iwo land who will not support APC. The Salinsile and Adeo factor needs to be considered too.

“There is also a par cular religious organiza on here in Iwo that is not happy with Oyetola.

These organiza on influences a lot of people when it comes to elec on in the area. APC has a lot to do if they want to win convincingly in the area”.

Irewole is the country home of the incumbent deputy governor, Gboyega Alabi and the Commissioner for Finance, Bola Oyebamiji. The two poli cal func onaries have been making efforts to deliver the local government for APC. The local government was won by PDP in

2018. However, APC might also lose the local government again in the coming elec on because of the poli cal strength of PDP’s senatorial candidate, Chief Lere Oyewunmi, a grassroot poli cian. Oyewumi, an indigene of Ikire is a former chairman of the local government. PDP might likely win Egbedore, Isokan and Ayedaade local governments.

Osun East Senatorial District

Osun East has no governorship candidate. But votes from the senatorial district are mainly for Oyetola and Adeleke because of party structures and poli cal bigwigs in the area. One of the ci es where PDP has strong presence is Ile-Ife, the hometown of the Na onal Secretary of the APC, Senator Iyiola Omisore. The 2018 governorship candidate of the SDP joined APC in in February 2021. The PDP is also strong in Ijesaland with personali es like Senator Francis Fadahunsi, Hon. Wole Oke, Sanya Ominrin and Mr Ibukun Fadipe. In 2018, electorate in Ile-Ife voted massively for Omisore. He won in Ife Central and Ife east local governments, while APC won Ife South and Ife North local government.

However, Omisore may not be able to deliver the same vote he got as a governorship candidate for Oyetola in the July 16 elec on, because the deputy governorship candidate of the PDP, Kola Adewusi, is from the town. Community vote may be in favour of PDP in Ife Central and Ife East Local Government, while APC might win Ife South and Ife North local government.

In Ijesaland, the PDP is likely to win Oriada, Obokun, Atakumosa East and Atakumosa West local government. APC is expected to win Ilesa West local government with a wide margin while Ilesa East was s ll not sure for either of the two par es as at the me of filing this report.

Speaking with OSUN DE FENDER in Ile-Ife yesterday, a poli cal analyst, comrade Ol-

ubukola Faforijin, said the candidates of APC and PDP will ba le for votes in the East Senatorial District, adding that the margin of victory may not be too much.

According to Faforijin, Adeleke is likely to win in all Ijesaland, excluding Ilesa West were the influence of the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Timothy Owoeye and the member represen ng Ijesa South Federal Cons tuency, Hon. Lawrence Ayeni will give APC victory.

He further disclosed that the last State and Na onal Assemblies primaries of the APC has caused a lot damage for the party in Osun East, adding that the opposi on party has taken full advantage of the situa on.

He said: “As at today, PDP is likely to win majority of Ijesaland. The only excep on may be Ilesa West local government and that is due to the influence of the poli cal bigwigs in the area.

“Hon. Wole Oke with his people are fully on ground in Obokun and Oriade local governments and most APC members in the area are angry with how the last primaries for the State and Na onal Assemblies went. There are lots of members who have decamped to PDP in Ijesaland”.

In his analysis, a poli cal science student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Moshood Olabisi, said Ife will be a ba le ground for both APC and PDP, no ng that either of the party will win with minimal margin.

He said: “The Na onal secretary of the APC, Sen. Iyiola Omisore is fully on ground to ensure victory for his party.

However, the performance of the Senator represen ng Osun East, Sen. Francis Fadahunsi coupled with the fact that the deputy governorship candidate of PDP is coming from that side will make it a real one”.

He however predicted that “violence and vote buying will be on the high side in the area”.

FRIDAY, JULY 08 - THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

Interview

5

I will Run An Inclusive Unity Govt – Adeleke Senator Ademola Adeleke is the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the State of Osun in the forthcoming governorship election. He appears to be the nightmare of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its flagbearer, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola. In this interview with OSUN DEFENDER, the Ede born politician speaks on his optimism and as well clears grey areas on the controversies surrounding his education, religion and name. excerpt:

H

ow has the campaigns been?

at Iwo. For the health sector, our plans include a review of ongoing support programmes for the primary healthcare centres, immediate provisions of water and basic drugs in our general hospitals; immediate upgrade of facili es at our general hospitals and proper a en on to the welfare and needs of medical workers. I am also a great sport lover, so I believe Osun needs a befi ng integrated interna onal stadium. There should be good stadium for each of the senatorial district. I will personally ensure that Osun is well placed in at least 10 spor ng games.

It has been awesome. I have reached every corners of Osun state and the recep on has been overwhelming. The enthusiasm for our candidature is great. I mean every towns we visited, we were accepted as the best man for the job. The tour also affords me another opportunity to review the state of governance from 2018 ll date. My findings are quite shocking. Poverty level has increased. Insecurity is a new normal.

Our schools are in shambles. Health ins tu ons are incapacitated. State workers are under bondage. The state of infrastructure is simply worst than expected. But I told our people that help is on the way.

Some members of the APC have been defec ng to your party, PDP. What did you promise the defectors and how true is the insinua on that the Adeleke dynasty is in alliance with the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola?

This is the second me you would be contes ng for the governorship of Osun State. How confident are you and what are your strategies to win the elecon this me around?

By the grace of God and people of Osun state, I am winning this governorship elec on on July 16. Governor Oyetola will issue a congratulatory message before 10pm on July 16. My op mism derives from several factors. First, the poli cal situa on in Osun has changed in our favour. The Governor severally bites the finger that fed him and so he must surely be punished for such immoral act. Secondly, the Governor’s performance is abysmally below expecta on. Across all ra ng indices, he scored below 20 per cent.

Thirdly, I represent a rainbow coali on of several interests who have resolved to salvage Osun from bondage. Fourth, my fivepoint agenda was quite innova ve star ng with workers welfare among others. God and Osun people are my strategies and we are sure of victory.

•Adeleke. of our dear state.

How are you planning to improve the economy of the state when you emerge as the governor, do you have a blueprint on the state’s economy? What are Your party is enmeshed in crisis; do you think such you going to do differently? party is formidable to wrestle power from a ruling I have a five-point agenda widely circula ng. They include party? the following: First line charge for workers’ welfare, salaries, gra-

Let me correct you on that. PDP is not enmeshed in any crisis.

We have since overcome our post-primary controversies. Prince Dotun Babayemi has been very busy campaigning for me. Hon. Soji Adagunodo was with me few days ago at Ede. I am in very good term with our elders within the party from Prince Oyinlola to Dr Olu Alabi and others. The presiden al campaign council just hosted an enlarged caucus for party leaders from Osun. PDP is united from top to bo om. We have also resolved issues arising from our legisla ve primaries. All our leaders are united to secure victory this July.

There are lots of controversies on your name, educa on background and religion. Would you like clearing the grey areas to make members of the public understand be er who you are?

Thanks so much for this opportunity to speak about myself. I am a Nigerian poli cian and businessman of the popular Adeleke family of Ede North Local Government of Osun State. I am an innova ve entrepreneur and a grassroots poli cal force in Osun state poli cs. I had my secondary educa on at Ede Muslim Grammar School before I relocated to the United States to connue my studies at Jacksonville State University, Alabama in the United States where I majored in criminal jus ce with a minor in poli cal science. Because of my business interests and the need to tap into entrepreneurship opportuni es, I joined Quicksilver Courier Company in Atlanta, Georgia, US, as a service contractor between 1985–1989. I progressed to Origin Interna onal LLC, Atlanta, Georgia, US, a flavours and fragrance manufacturing company where I served as Vice President from 1990 to 1994. I was to later served as a Director of Guinness Nigeria Limited between 1992- 1999 where I contributed immensely to the expansion of the mul na onal company. I was subsequently appointed Group Execu ve Director of Pacific Holdings Limited from 2001 to 2016.

To complete my educa onal sojourn which I suspended because of business, poli cs and entrepreneurial preoccupa ons, I went back to school in the United States in 2019 where I re-enrolled at Atlanta Metropolitan State College in the United States and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Jus ce in 2021.

Today, I am a university degree holder. I have no issues with my names which remain Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke and all my qualifica ons are cer fied by relevant authori es. Of course, I was elected with a landslide victory as a Senator for Osun West Senatorial District in 2017, a er the demise of my late brother. I contested the 2018 governorship elec on and lost under controversial circumstances. Today, I am seeking to be elected Governor

tui es and pensions; boos ng state economy through business loans to market women, youth and ar sans; Osun money serving Osun people through home grown infrastructure policy; Peoplefocussed social policy through skill-based educa on, affordable health care, state security and social security support; and Agrobased industrialisa on for wealth and job crea on for youths and women. Agriculture is to be the main focus of our administra on for the crea on of employment and eradica on of poverty. We will create an agripreneurs programme. Here, we will train and financially empower at least 200,000 agric entrepreneurs on quarterly basis. We will reform agric mechanisa on programme to expand access and affordability for farmers. I plan to capitalise on my experience as a businessman to facilitate export market for our farmers. Osun farmers will earn dollars through our agriculture export agenda. We plan to use agriculture as a major means of job and wealth crea on. Another area I am passionate about is making Osun an ICT digital economy hub. We plan to provide the environment to generate jobs and wealth and fight poverty.

Osun youth are talented. I will convert their energy to ICT innovaons and digital economy. Let me also share this with you and readers. Osun economy is dry. I mean dry as there is no money circula ng within the economy. I plan to boost the state economy by injec ng state fund into the local economy. Our administraon will empower the coopera ve socie es to channel so business loans to ar sans, Iyalojas and Babalojas. I will upgrade the coopera ves and link them with standard financial ins tu ons. I will work with Chambers of Commerce in Osun to empower businesses in Osun state. I will equally discourage capital flight from Osun. Osun money will service Osun through local patronage of local contractors. As a lover of youth, another plan for job creaon is to expand direct labour policy. Our infrastructure projects will have more than 75 per cent labour intensive ac vi es. Let me assure you that I have a detailed manifesto. We are conscious of the need of our people. For the educa on sector, our plan includes emergency repair and upgrade of school facili es to commence within 100 days in office; emergency provision of school learning materials to enhance students performance; strengthening of PTAs to address crisis of cul sm and lawlessness across the educa on system; encouragement of public private partnership in the management of our schools; this is to bring in private sector support for the educa on sector; reform and expansion of a robust scholarship and bursary policy for Osun students; new state partnership with owners of private schools to expand educa on access and affordability; and crea on of private sector supported College of Digital Economy for Osun state University to be located

The PDP is the rainbow coali on for this elec on. We all have a common problem; a Governor who has run the state aground on all fronts. We all have a common duty to sent this failed Governor packing. So, the project is beyond the Adeleke family. It is a pan-Osun agenda to reset the state on the path of progress and advancement. So, we have nothing to promise those joining the coali on than our good faith, our manifesto and our resolve to uphold good governance. This explain why so many leaders of APC have joined and are s ll joining our ranks. As for one of our leaders, former Governor Aregbesola, records show he is s ll an APC member and I would not want to speak on internal affairs of the APC. Our doors are however open to all those who share this vision of a new Osun state. And we are daily receiving APC Members. I am glad to announce that Hon Kolapo Alimi is now our deputy director general for Imole campaign. That is to tell you we have no other agenda than to rescue Osun and we are ready to work with those who shared this vision with us. Let me however note that I will run an inclusive unity government once elected. I will ensure all interests are represented to salvage our state.

Osun is known to be rich in culture and tourist attrac ons, what will you do to maximise the economic poten als of these two key sectors?

My agenda for the tourism sector is quite innova ve. I plan to have a commissioner for tourism and cultural industry that is more empowered than the state has ever witnessed. Osun hosts the most important cultural symbols for the Yoruba race from Osogbo to our cradle Ile Ife. I plan to create tourism partnership with the South American na ons who share strong cultural and tribal affinity with the Yorubas. From Brazil to Argen na to Cuba, Osun is a very potent tourism des na on. I intend to opera onalise a tourism agenda that will see Osun raking in millions in dollars on biannual basis.

Some people have this impression that you will be a governor by proxy – that your administra on will be teleguided by the ‘country home’ because they either wrongly or correctly assume that you do not have the capacity to govern Osun. How would you react to this?

Those are false narra ves about me. Those holding those thinking don’t know who I am. I am a strong-willed person within our family and I am a truly independent minded person. Let me assure you I won’t be a governor by proxy. I will govern in the best interest of Osun and her people. I will be open to ideas and proposals from all people of goodwill including my family but that does not mean I won’t act as the Chief Execu ve. So, there is no truth in those insinua ons.

What will you do differently to improve the economy, security, social welfare and wellbeing of the people of the state?

Adeleke: Like I have stated in my agenda above, wellbeing of the people will be my priority. We must accept that government is for the people, not people for government. Government exists to serve the people not the other way round. The plan is to engage the people through boos ng of businesses, labour intensive infrastructure policy and extensive patronage of local contractors, consultants and small businesses. On security from, I will rebuild and strengthen Amotekun to be er serve the state. The original goal is to be reemphasised as the ou it should not be a weapon for poli cal witch hunt.

Read full interview on www.osundefender.com

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LL praise is due to Allah the Lord of the universe, the Sustainer and Cherisher of our lives. He whom Allah guides is rightly guided, but he whom He sends astray for him he would find no one guiding friend (waliyy) to lead him (to the right part). I testify that there is no diet worthy of worship except Him and I also testify that Prophet Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger. May the peace and mercy of Allah be upon His soul, member of His

Religion lect one with a slit ear, unless it is only slit a little; the same holds for one part of the ear cut off. An animal with a broken horn is not permitted if it is bleeding but if it is not, it is permitted. It is recommended that any Muslim that wants to do this important rite should do it by himself instead of using a proxy. When he is about to slaughter it in the case of sheep or pierce at in the case of Camel, he should say “Bismillah Allahu Akbar, Allahuma haadha minka walaka” “in the Name of Allah, the greatest. O! Allah this is from you and for you”.

JUMAT SERMON By Sheik Musa Oladapo Raji

household, His companions and those who follow him till the day of accountability.

There is no doubt that ‘idul-adha and hajj exercise are interwoven because (wuquf on Arafat) stand on Arafat could be described as a harbinger of ‘idul-adha. Arafat is on the 9th day of Dulhijjah while ‘idul-adha is on the 10th day.

A scholar once said that: “Indeed Allah has three different tens: i.e the first 10 days of Muharam (the first lunar month), the last ten day of Ramadan (the ninth lunar month) and the first ten day of Dhul-Hijjah (the twelfth lunar month) those periods are full of various degree of meritorious acts of worship. Muslims are enjoined to grasp the advantages of each whenever it is around. Ibn Abbas (RAA) relates that the Holy Prophet (SAW) said: There is no other days during which virtuous action is so pleasing to Allah as the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. The companions submitted: “O Messenger of Allah, not even fighting in the cause of Allah? He (SAW) answered: yes!

Not even Jihad in the cause of Allah except in the case of a person who goes on Jihad along with his life and property and does not come back with either. (i.e he is martyred in Jihad). Having understood the importance of these 10 days, it is pertinent to state here that the hajj exercises actually kick-start on the eight day of the said month, otherwise known as Yaomu Tarwiyya. Because all the pilgrims would leave the city of Makkah for Mina (about three miles east of Makkah) where the Pilgrims will remain for five to six days to perform some rites of Hajj. The tenth day is the day when the Pilgrims will throw the pebbles at the designated place, known as jamratul kubrah, with slaughtering of the rams to atone sins they might have committed during the exercise. Those that are not there

Hajj And (Ileya) ‘Idul-Adha on the other hands are also slaughtering their rams across the Globe. known as Ileya to us. Eleventh to thirteenth days are also used to throw pebbles at designated places and slaughtering of sacrificial lambs by the Muslims across the world.

When the injunction was first mentioned by the Prophet, His companions inquired to know what would be their gains and he said, it was the reawakening of the Sunnah of their forefather Ibrahim (AS). It is also enjoined that throughout the period, Allah’s name should be magnified and glorified after obligatory prayers. The period is known as “Ayyamu tashreeq”.

It is enjoined by the Prophet that anyone who intends to offer a sacrificial lamb for the sake of Allah should not cut his/her hair or clip his/her nails between the first and 10th days of the month.

What Type Of Animal Can Be Sacrificed And What Is The Position Of Shari’ah On It? To start with it, it is an established Sunnah, binding on anyone who can do so irrespective of age and status.

For the feast day, immolation of a ram is preferred to a sheep. He goat is also preferred to the she one. Same rule applies to both the cow and camel. However, it is not permitted to select a one-eye or sick animal, nor a lame one whose ribs show, nor an emaciated one with no fat, nor one with any kind of defect. Neither is it permitted to se-

When they asked the Prophet of what benefit would be for them (the immolation), He responded that for every hair of the slaughtered animal is goodness for them.

They asked further how about the wool? Then he said: for every wool of the slaughtered animal is goodness for them. It must be noted here that one should cut both the larynx and jugular veins properly. Any cut less than is not enough. Care must be taken that one should not remove his hand/knife until he is convinced that he cuts it properly, for if he removes his hand and returns it back to continue the cutting such animal should not be eaten.

Abu Ya’ala bin Anas (RAA) reported that the Prophet (SAW) said; “Undoubtedly, Allah has ordered good behaviour with regard to everything, if you will kill, kill it nicely. If you slaughter, slaughter it nicely. Let each one of you sharpens the edge of knife properly and make the slaughtered die quickly.” Muslim related it.

It must also be noted that time of slaughtering should be after one is sure of the slaughtering of Imam for anybody does his before that of Imam is not regarded as Ileya slaughtering.

Muslims are enjoined to fear Allah in everything they do, because He Allah accepts only from the pious (Muttaqin). Allah says: “It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is piety from you that reaches Him”. Quran 22:37.

Allah has equally given us the direction on how to dis-

Read full article on www.osundefender.com •Imaam Musa Oladapo Raji The Chief Imaam of Telemu Land Ola Oluwa LGA, Osun State.

News

Again, Yiaga Africa Raises Concern Over Possible Violence On July 16 Sodiq Yusuf popular civil society organisa on, Yiaga Africa, has again raised concern over possible breakdown of law and other before and during the July 16 governorship elec on in the State of Osun.

According to Yiaga, there are indica ons that violence might characterise the elecon based on the pre-elecon signs.

Addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Osogbo, a board member and Director of Programme, Ezenwa Nwagwu and Cynthia Mbamalu, warned that despera on of poli cal par es and pre-elec on violence may hinder the integrity of the poll.

A text of the press conference addressed by the organisa on reads in part: “With barely 10 days to the Osun governorship elec on, the poli cal and security atmosphere has remained tensely unpredictable with the security agency describing every Local Government Area as a poten al flashpoint.

“Yiaga Africa’s pre-elecon reports have revealed the ac vi es of cul sts and poli cal thugs in some local government areas are capable of threatening the peaceful and credible conduct of the elec on, if not

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contained.

“In addi on to this threat, there are also a empts by some poli cal mercenaries to manipulate the process right from the pre-elec on stage.

“Yiaga Africa is also concerned about the uncouth and unguarded u erances by some poli cal actors in the state in their efforts to woo voters. There is no doubt that these desperate

u erances by major actors going into the elec on demonstrate a lack of cau on and sportsmanship.

“This is capable of not just in mida ng prospec ve voters but also inflaming the poli cal environment, if not checked. We call on these actors especially the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) to exercise restraint and advise their supporters

to play by the rules.”

Speaking on the preparaon for the elec on, Yiaga Africa commended the Independent Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC) on its readiness to conduct the poll, saying the prepara on for the elec on has seen a religious implementa on of the electoral meline by INEC. The group called on INEC to provide be er oversight

over the ac vi es ongoing at the local government areas and come up with a seamless and stress-free PVC collecon strategy across the LGAs to boost ci zens’ confidence and encourage par cipa on.

On security, Yiaga Africa urged the security agencies to ensure that all personnel deployed are adequately trained and operate with all sense of responsibility, professionalism and neutrality.

My Statement Misconstrued, I Remain Father To All, Says Ataoja Kazeem Badmus

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HE Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun, has cleared air over the insinua on that he is throwing his support behind the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democra c Party (PDP), Senator Ademola Adeleke.

The monarch while addressing journalists in his palace on Wednesday said he did not in anyway pledge his support for the PDP candidate, saying he remains father to all the contestants.

According to the monarch, some members of the public misinterpreted his statement during the visit of the PDP gubernatorial candidate to his palace.

The monarch had during the visit laid curse on poli cal

•Oba Olanipekun thugs who a acked members of the PDP during the visit, claiming it was the PDP who install him as a king.

Ataoja said: “It has come to my a en on that some secons of my domain in Osogboland have deliberately misinterpreted and misconstrued my statement during the PDP

gubernatorial candidate, Senator Jackson Adeleke’s visit to my Palace in Osogbo.

“My asser on that nobody should do anything to disturb the peace and tranquility of Osogboland under the guise of poli cal ac vism, more so that various poli cal par es had paid visit without any outward incident ought not to be misinterpreted, to that I am using my posi on as the Ataoja of Osogboland to support the PDP in par cular against all the other poli cal par es, including the party in power the APC. “I want to state that more poli cal par es will s ll pay visit to my royal palace ahead of the July 16 gubernatorial elec on and I will not condone any act of violence from any poli cal party against one another.

“I hereby assert here in par cular that the people of Osogbo appreciate the good work of the present party in government in the State of Osun and will not do anything to truncate the peace and tranquility of the state in general and Osogbo in parcular”.

The monarch however appealed to the sons and daughters of Osogbo to go out peacefully on the 16th of July to vote for the candidate of their choice without any act of violence.

He said: “Your vote will count and don’t let any poli cal party place a price tag on you. “I want to thank Governor Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola for being a lover of peace and I pledge my unalloyed loyalty to him and his government.

“Security agencies should ensure the arrest and prosecu on of all involved in any form of violence and voter inducement in the days leading to the elec on.

Security agencies, especially the police, should publicise hotlines for ci zens to make complaints, report incidents, or access informa on on the elec on” it said.

The group also called on all poli cal par es to engage in issue-based campaigns and shun luring voters with unsustainable gi s that would not lead to the economic development of the State.

PUBLICATION MRS. OLADELE ANGEL BLESSING That I was formerly known and addressed as MISS OYEKPEN ANGEL BLESSING now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OLADELE ANGEL BLESSING. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CORRIGENDUM In a news story titled “Family Accuses Monarch Of Forceful Takeover Of Farmland, Petitions IGP” published in our last edition dated Friday July 01, 2022.

We said the name of the family is Olabomi Salami instead of Olasoji Salami.

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News

Vote Buying: Osun Traditionalists Kuje Prison Attack: Be Calm, VigiTo Administer Oath On Members lant, Aregbesola Tells Nigerians Yusuf Oketola

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HE Tradi onal Religion Worshippers Associa on of the State of Osun has said it might administer oath on its members to prevent them from selling their votes in the forthcoming governorship elec on in the state.

This was contained in a statement signed by the TRAWSO President, Oluseyi Atanda, a copy of which was obtained

by OSUN DEFENDER in Osogbo on Wednesday.

Atanda said it would have been a historic feat, if such oath could be administered on all inhabitants of Osun to stop the ugly trend of vote-buying.

He consequently challenged the leadership of both Chris anity and Islam in Osun to also prevail on their members not to sell their votes during the poll.

Atanda added that the associa on remained apoli cal, even as he said “candidates of various par es and their foot soldiers, seeking support and prayers, have been coming to see TRAWSO members at their mee ng place.”

He stated: “Specifi-

cally, we have instructed our members not to sell their votes or buy votes.

Our beliefs and prac ce forbid mortgaging your conscience before performing your civic dues.

“We have control and means to ensure that our members comply with our direc ve not to sell or buy votes. If need be, we may go to the extent of administering oath on them to ensure total compliance.

“It would have been a historic feat, if such oath could be administered on all inhabitants

of Osun to forestall this ugly trend rearing its head and spreading like wild fire.

“We urge leaders and adherents of Islam and Chris anity to follow our noble example and impress it on their people not to sell or buy votes. They should also go the extra length to chas se their members selling and buying votes.

“So far, we have not seen a single tradi onalist being held for selling or buying votes and that should be emulated by other religions.”

Yusuf Oketola

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IGERIA’S Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has called on Nigerians to be calm and vigilant, saying the Federal Government is commi ed to their safety and wellbeing.

Aregbesola made the call while reac ng to the Tuesday a ack on prison in Kuja where some inmates escaped.

The minister, in a press release by his Media Adviser, Sola Fasure, yesterday said efforts are in place to arrest the fleeing convicts, urging members of the public to report movement of strange

•President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, paid a visit to Kuje prison after the Tuesday attack.

persons to nearest police sta on.

He stated that the Nigeria Correc onal Service had earlier been directed to urgently work with other security agencies to for fy all correconal centres in the country and insulate them against future a acks a er an a ack on the Correc onal facility in Abolongo, Oyo state in October 2021.

Aregbesola added that the NCoS system is primed to prevent and foil internal disturbance and riot, not external a acks/invasion, since the facili es were built around police and military forma on.

The statement reads: “The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has been briefed on the full scale armed invasion of the medium security correconal facility in Kuje, Abuja, by gunmen late Tuesday, in which some of the inmates escaped.

“The security officers on duty fiercely engaged them and inflicted a heavy casualty on them. Regre ably, given their unprecedented number, they overpowered the officers on duty. One of the security personnel that engaged the a ackers was unfortunately killed. May his soul rest in peace.

“Calm and normalcy have since been returned to

Group Vows To Trek Tracking Nigerian Immigration Office In Osogbo From Osogbo To Lagos Over Rising Suicide Cases Ismaeel Uthman HE Nigerian Immigraon Office in Osogbo, State of Osun, has been playing host to many Nigerians seeking to obtain the country’s Interna onal Passport. Applicants, some of who are from other states in the South-West (Lagos State inclusive) have individually been applauding or knocking the NIS on its service delivery, especially, the opera ons of its personnel in Osogbo. OSUN DEFENDER was at the Osogbo Immigraon office on Monday and Tuesday to observe the daily ac vi es of the NIS and noted that there is remarkable improvement in the service delivery to the passport applicants and collectors.

It was no ced that there is now orderliness and due process in the call for capturing of applicants. Unlike before 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’. It was observed that elderly people (65 years and above) and children were also being given priority for capturing with the permission of other applicants.

On Monday morning, OSUN DEFENDER noted that

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David Osundeyi

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mul media group, DAART-CHAS Integrated Media Services has sought for collabora on from wellmeaning Nigerians to tackle the increasing cases of suicide in Nigeria.

This is as it said it will embark on a trek from Osogbo to Lagos to create awareness and raise funds to help those battling mental health issues.

Project Coordinator of the group, Innocent Kwantagora, stated this during a press briefing in Osogbo, capital of the State of Osun.

The group also disclosed that it is planning to auc on 30-year old master art piece worth millions of naira with half of the fund going to be used to help people with mental health issues.

According to Kwantagora, the rate at which people are commi ng suicide is alarming, saying the root cause is depression which needed

to be tackled in all possible ways.

He added that people who ought to be encouraging those ba ling with mental issues some mes mocked them.

He said: “It is very clear to all that the issues of suicides and a empt suicide is alarmingly on the increase, and today we know also that it is not only the very poor that fall vic m of this mental health problems. We have also in the recent weeks received news of very successful persons commi ng suicide.

“Now the root causes of the increasing cases are mental health issues; depression and the likes.

Unfortunately, these have not been tackled as need be. As there is s ll lots of shame surrounding mental health issues.

Members of the public do mock people who commit suicide or are ba ling mental health issues. We hope to bring light and educa on to these.”

a senior NIS officer, said to be the Passport Control Officer (PCO) addressed the passport applicants to be orderly, paent and a en ve. The officer whose voice was aided with a Public Address System, assured the applicants of quick service delivery devoid of any form of manipula on or delay.

Maximum of six passport applicants were called in for capturing at a me. The called applicants were first made to sit on a seat provided outside the capturing room from where they are called for capturing.

OSUN DEFENDER noted that the NIS personnel did not cluster around the capturing sec on unlike before (as of February this year to be specific) when they usually surround the capturing officers and compel them to call in their clients ahead of other applicants who have been seated for long.

Ask why the sudden posive change, an Immigra on Officer told the medium that the new PCO has installed a CCTV which he uses to monitor the ac vi es of his men and call them to order when they a empt to compromise due process. “The capturing process is now fast and transparent”.

However, OSUN DEFENDER noted that there were only

two capturing cameras and computer systems in the office. The office is also small to accommodate the NIS personnel, equipment and passport applicants. There is need to get a bigger office with a minimum of five capturing cameras to fast-tract the process.

As it is for applicants waiting for capturing, so it is for those wai ng to collect their passports. The six weeks meline for the collec on of passports a er capturing is s ll much on course. OSUN DEFENDER noted that the NIS officers were no longer allowed to circumvent due process again. The process for the collec on of passports is now fast and transparent.

Beside the passport applica on and collec on, the medium reliably gathered that the Osogbo Immigra on Office does not have a server of its own, making it to rely on the Ibadan office of the NIS. According to some of the NIS officers who spoke to OSUN DEFENDER under condi on of anonymity, some of them work as late as 10pm to a end to wai ng applicants whenever there is problem with the server in Ibadan.

They stated that the Osogbo NIS office deserves to have its own server, considering the number of applicants that show up for capturing daily.

the Centre.

“Preliminary inves ga on indicates that the Boko Haram sect may have been responsible for the a ack. The Nigerian Correc onal Service (NCoS), in conjunc on with other security agencies, are working to bring back in the escaped inmates.

“A er the Abolongo, Oyo State, a ack on a correc onal facility, in October last year, it became apparent that a new form of a ack for which our system was not prepared for had emerged. Our system was primed to prevent and foil internal disturbance and riots, not external a acks/ invasion, since the facili es were usually built around police and military forma ons.

“The minister then directed that the NCoS urgently work with other security agencies to for fy all correconal centres in the country and insulate them against future a acks, among other measures introduced.

“This was carried out, as well armed soldiers, police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officers were dra ed to our facili es na onwide, to secure them against further a acks.

Several but unsuccessful attempts were made to a ack our facili es since then, as the armed guards repelled them on each occasion.

“We are working with the Ministry of Defence and the Office of the Na onal Security Adviser as well as other intelligence and security agencies to ensure that the a ackers and the escaped inmates are captured and returned to custody. As we speak, security personnel are combing the whole area, up to a distance of 100 kilometres radius, looking for them.

“All checkpoints na onwide have been put on alert.

More than 400 of them have been brought in and more are s ll coming.

“We appeal to all residents to be calm but vigilant.

Security is a collec ve work between government and the ci zens. Kindly therefore report all suspicious individuals and ac vi es to the nearest security agency around you. We appeal also to doctors and medical workers to treat and then immediately report anyone with gunshot wounds to the law enforcement agency.

“The Minister has directed that all correc onal facili es in the country be for fied; that all personnel be vigilant and alert, to avoid recurrence”.

“Aregbesola has directed that full inves ga on into the incident be carried out and he should be briefed as soon as possible and If any complicity is established, he promised that appropriate ac ons would be taken.”

ISSN : 0794 - 8050

FRIDAY, JULY 08 - THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022 VOL. 17 NO 26 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com

News My Statement Misconstrued, I Remain Father To All, Says Ataoja

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VERY man/woman on the street knows the defini on of democracy as the government of the majority. All over the world, democracy is the most popularly acceptable system of government, as it allows the majority of the people in the society to determine, via their votes, who governs them with the expecta on of reaping democracy dividends from the cons tuted government. These dividends like good road networks, employment and enabling environment for businesses, affordable portable water and electricity, quality educa on, housing and health care among others are what will make life be er for the majority. Simply put, democracy is embraced as the best system of government because it is built on the majority and beneficial to the majority in the society. In a democracy, wishes of the majority of the populace are the material factors.

However, the beauty of democracy is its weakness. If the majority who are to elect the leaders are fools, those who will emerge as leaders in government should be very clear to discerning minds. Hence, the general saying, “in a democracy, people deserve the type of government they have”.

Since return to an uninterrupted civil rule in 1999, ordinarily, one would have expected poli cal growth especially from the electorate whose votes determine who rules. On the contrary, they have con nued to degenerate. Instead of using their vo ng power to bargain for be er living condi ons from the poli cians who seek their votes, they sell their bargaining power for s pends on elec ons day. Pre-elec ons day, the poli cians who have been messing up and holding us to ransom will distribute handout in form of food items (Rice, Beans, Noodles, Garri) to induce the poor voters which will culminate to actual votes buying on elec on day.

This is the exact scenario playing out in Osun as we move closer to the governorship elec on, which is exactly in a week. Intelligence gathered shows that the leading poli cal par es are poised to spend between N10,000 and N15,000 to buying a single vote at polling unit. Majority of the voters

“If abject poverty makes it difficult for you to bluntly refuse money at the polling unit, collect it but vote for better candidate based on credibility, good programmes and principle”

Citizens Determine Their Democracy who find it difficult to survive are prepared to sell their votes and collect the money. As far as they are concerned, they expect nothing from the poli cians vis-a-vis improvement in their lives. The bribe and inducement at the polling unit is interpreted as their own share of our collec ve stolen wealth by these poli cians. According to them, whether the poli cians buy their votes or not, they will always manipulate their way to win and they have always demonstrated irresponsibility in doing nothing to improve their lives. Refusal to collect the bribe in terms of selling their votes does not, therefore, make sense to them. This is the bo om line.

But vote sellers are threat to Nigeria’s democracy and good governance.

One, selling their votes makes an unpopular candidate emerge as the most

STRIKER

popular against the spirit and le ers of democracy. Two, having invested on votes buying and inducement, the rogue poli cian will recoup his/her money with massive interest. Hence, for the dura on of four years term in office, he/she does not owe ci zens and society genuine developmental programmes and policies. Any project he does is targeted at making money for himself/herself at the expense of ci zen welfare and societal development. In any society where this comes to play, development will elude it; poverty will overwhelm mass majority of the people; misery and penury will be the por on of majority.

There is no solu on to mass poverty in prayer centres, Jerusalem or Mecca. It is in the hands of the disciplined ci zens who could call the bluff of the

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rogue poli cians and vote for credibility, good programmes and principle. If abject poverty makes it difficult for you to bluntly refuse money at the polling unit, collect it but vote for be er candidate based on credibility, good programmes and principle. However, that is not encouraged at all. If you allow money to determine who you vote for, and people like you are in majority, poverty, misery and penury will con nue to swell in our land while the rogue poli cians with their thugs will con nue to live in prosperity and abundance.

Although vote buying is illegal, the stakeholders – poli cians, police, electorate, INEC – have refused to do the needful to criminalise it and make scapegoat of its perpetrators. If the truth must be said, poli cians will always engage in any ac vi es, legal and illegal, to subvert electoral processes to win elec on at all cost. Interes ngly, there is no fundamental ideological difference between the ruling and opposi on par es. That informs why one can be PDP stalwart in the morning and crisscross to APC in the a ernoon and back to PDP in the evening. It is that bad. Only the voters in their collec ve can stamp out vote buying and other subversions of electoral processes. It is when the voters are conscious of this and are prepared to sacrifice for genuine democracy that prosperity and development can come our way.

Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above

Once Again On Security And Elections

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HE biggest and most troubling breaking news at dawn of Wednesday, July 6, 2022, is the a ack on the advance team of no less a personage than the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces by bandits, terrorist, unknown gunmen - call them what you may! Casual es recorded. In same breath, the Kuje Correc onal Facility was a acked with devasta ng force, and despite the heroic resistance of the facility’s security forces, and called-on reinforcement, many inmates escaped, reportedly among which are Boko Haram members in custody, who are perhaps the main targets to be freed by their accomplishes at large. Also, casual es recorded.

There has been no shortage of riot-act reading, tough talks, marching orders, from the Presidency and the President himself, directed at ending, or at least minimising, the spate of insecurity - all to no avail.

A situa on where senseless mass killings and kidnapping become the daily news, now capped by an a ack on the advance security team of the President and Commander-in-Chief does not inspire confidence in a hitch-free na onal elec on just 7 months away. Not only innocent ci zens by the hundreds but personnel of the police and security forces, and their infrastructure, are daily targets of a acks and killings!

Worrisome is the feeling that the Commanders of the Armed Forces and their Commander-in-Chief seem helpless to

bring the horrifying state of insecurity under control; more worrisome is the feeling that those sworn to responsibility to secure Nigerian lives and proper es and those ambi ous to be so sworn are simply not furious, in mourning, or even concerned but simply carrying on with rou ne “business” of officialdom and ambi on; and much more worrisome is the allega on, unattended by those who should a end to it, that there are sponsors, known sponsors, who have made insecurity a material and poli cal business, and that there are many compromised agents within the security forma ons!

Recent elec ons (intra and inter-party) have come under the assault of heavy mone sa on and vote-buying. Joining violence and insecurity to voters’ corrup on and inducement is next to the murder of a democracy that already has all the characteris cs of demonstra on of craze.

Gubernatorial elec on in Osun is a week and a day away. The step taken by the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali, in redeploying the State Commissioner of Police, Adewale Olokode, and bring in a new temporary Commissioner, Julius Okoro, to supervise the elec on is commendable, given the several protesta ons and allega ons of par sanship and incompetence against Mr. Olokode. However, guaranteeing security of lives and proper es, freedom of choice, and a fair and credible elecon goes beyond token gestures. We are where we are today in a dreadful insecurity

situa on simply because many persons responsible for ensuring that it is not so are not doing their jobs, commanders and the commanded alike. More alarming is the fact that the security architecture seems infiltrated, inept, laid-back and corrupted almost beyond immediate redemp on.

The call by the Zamfara State Governor for ci zens to arm themselves and take their des nies into their hands is symptoma c of the frustra on, despera on and helplessness of those who should be the helpers. They need be reminded that selfhelp in securing ci zen lives and proper es is no way to go, is a testament to a failed state and a recipe for anarchy.

Nevertheless, when government and the state show all the signs that are this boldly highlighted, the people have a responsibility to be up and doing for their own deliverance. Rather than agonise incessantly, it is me to me culously organise. The sorry state of popular organisa ons irrespec ve, it is me for patriots - and Nigeria s ll has many - to show leadership and direc on, with demonstrated bravery and sacrifices.

A visionary appraisal of the State of the Na on shows clearly that the more complicated and awful the situa on looks, the more it is possible to clearly resolve with great leadership and a determined and organised people. The opportunity for the emergence of such leadership is not only a ma er of prayers but interac ons, mobilisa ons and concerted struggle by patrio c followers and ci zens.

OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarnaty Trust Bank (GTB), Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun.

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