Osun Defender Online Version of July 15, 2022

FRIDAY, JULY 15 - THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2022 VOL 17 NO 27

D-DAY TOMORROW!

•Alphabetical order of their parties: (L-R) Ogunbiyi, Accord Party; Oyetola, All Progressives Congress; Adeleke, Peoples Democratic Party; Lasun, Labour Party and Omigbodun, Social Democratic Party.

July 16: Intimidation,

Violence, Inducement, Vote Buying May Mar Poll •Parties Plan Large Scale Vote Buying Pg. 2 •Fear Grips Osun Residents NEWS

POLITICS

Osun APC Guber. Ticket: Adeoti Heads For Appeal As Court Ar Dismisses Suit

Page 5

Aregbesola Orders NCoS To Improve On Intelligence

NEWS

Page 4

Tomorrow’s Governorship Election Result Will Shock Many People- Lasun Yussuff

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FRIDAY, JULY 15 - THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2022

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News

July 16: Intimidation, Violence, Inducement, Vote Buying May Mar Poll Ismaeel Uthman

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HERE are indica ons that tommorrow’s governorship elecon in the State of Osun might be marred with harassment, in mida on and inducement of voters by poli cal par es and their agents.

OSUN DEFENDER noted that the electorate have also been nursing fear over possible violence that may greet the pole as a result of envisaged rigging and manipula on of the elec on results.

Inves ga ons by the medium revealed that both the All Progressives Congress and Peoples Democra c Party are desperate to win the governorship elec on and were ready to ‘give what it takes’ to be declared winner.

Also, the two dominant par es would engage in vote buying and inducement of voters on the elecon day, according to findings.

The two par es, it was learnt, have earmarked between N10,000 and 15,000 per voter, and the amount may increase to N20,000 in the stronghold of opponents.

It was gathered that the funds to prosecute the vote buying by both APC and PDP have already been deployed and would be disbursed to voters by the pares’ agents around 12pm on the elec on day.

Findings also revealed that the two par es have go en the Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) of some of the electorate to be paid on elec on day.

Impeccable sources in the Government House told OSUN DEFENDER yesterday that some government and party officials in each ward and local government of the state will be paying money to the voters who show evidence that he/she voted for Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.

The sources said: “There is no denying the fact that both APC and PDP will buy votes on Saturday.

That cannot be prevented; it happened in Eki , it will also happen here. I can tell you for a fact that each voter will not get less than N10,000. The money is already with the people that will disburse it.

“However, before you can be paid, you will have to show the people in charge that you truly voted for Governor Oyetola. PDP cannot win this elec on.

We are ready to match them in cash.”

For the PDP, OSUN DEFENDER learnt that the party had about a week ago disbursed the funds needed to prosecute the vote buying.

The party, according to sources, has two agents in each of the polling units to induce the voters and buy votes.

“PDP is prepared for this elec on. We know APC wants to rig and buy votes like they did in Eki State.

We will also buy votes.”

An elec on observer, Yiaga Africa, had last week said the rate of voter inducement across the state was increasing.

The group said: “Indica ng that money may be a defining factor in the elec on on Saturday, July 16th, 2022. Yiaga Africa is therefore concerned that this prac ce of vote merchandising if not curbed will consistently delegi mize poli cal mandate and undermine the electoral process.”

Possible Violence: Poli cal Thugs, Cult- •Men of the Nigerian Army deployed for tommorrow’s election in the State of Osun on patrol yesterday.

Photo: Olushola Aderinto ists On The Prowl In Akindele Adekunle, said: the seat of government at Osun findings, began on Sunday, stronghold of opponents.

Aside vote buying, another worry of residents of the state is violence that might greet the elec on.

The worry was borne out of the u erances and despera ons of some political actors in both the APC and PDP, a development that has been raising concern on the peaceful conduct of the elec on.

OSUN DEFENDER noted the strange influx of unknown people, who are suspected to be poli cal thugs and cul sts in Osogbo, capital of the state.

The influx, according to

the second day of the Muslim’s eid el adha.

Aside Osogbo, the medium was reliably informed that some poli cians in Ede, Ilesa, Ife and Iree have enlisted the service of some cul sts for the elec on.

The medium is aware of heavy presence of poli cal thugs and hoodlums in each of the poli cal campaigns trains of the PDP and APC across the state.

According to reports, the hoodlums and cul sts were engaged by the policians for the purpose of in mida ng voters in the

The strategy, it was learnt, was to be shoo ng sporadically on the eve of the elec on in the targeted areas to scare people away from coming out to vote.

It would be recalled that the PDP had on Monday raised the alarm over alleged influx of armed men and women into the state.

According to the PDP, the sole goal of the thugs is to disrupt peaceful conduct of tommorrow’s gubernatorial elec on.

The PDP in a statement signed by its Caretaker Commi ee Chairman, Dr.

“We are in possession of reliable reports of poli cal thugs mobilised by the All Progressive Congress (APC) now arriving various parts of Osun state.

“In a countdown to the elec on day on Saturday, Osun state is witnessing influx of armed men and women whose sole goal is to violently disrupt the peaceful conduct of the elec on.

“It is already in public domain that thugs imported from Lagos are already lodged at various hotels in Osun state very close to

Osun Election Result Will Be Announced Within 12 Hours – INEC Yusuf Oketola

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HE Independent Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that the results of tomorrow’s governorship elec on in the State of Osun will be announced within 12 hours.

Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC in the State, Professor Abdulganiy Raji, stated this at INEC’s stakeholders mee ng on the governorship elec on on Tuesday in Osogbo.

Raji, while unveiling steps taken by the commission to ensure free, fair, inclusive and conclusive elec on on Saturday, added that measures put in place include ensuring adequate security, distribu on of non-sensi ve materials in readiness for the poll, provision of electronic and hard copy maps to ease movementzz and training of security per-

sonnel and other stakeholders.

He said: “Polling units have been moved away from contested areas to public buildings and we have taken steps to distribute all non-sensi ve materials to the polling unit level and are ready to be distributed to registra on areas on elecon day.

“Maps of polling

•Prof. Raji

units with electronic and hard copy have been produced to ease movements and security and other stakeholders have been trained.”

He also stated that the recently concluded mock registra on conducted by the commission was to access the workability of the Bimodal Voter Accredita on System (BVAS) in prepa-

ra on for the poll.

The INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, while reitera ng that the commission has taken steps to ensure a successful elec on added that five Na onal Commissioners and 12 Resident Electoral Commissioners have been deployed to Osun.

Yakubu revealed that out of 1,955,657 Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) made available to Osun, 1,463,047 have been received while 492,610 were uncollected.

He noted that the figure represented 70 per cent of PVC’s collecon, even as he urged the electorate to collect their PVC in order for them to vote.

Yakubu disclosed that the commission had taken into considera on people with disabili es and pregnant and nursing mothers and made available provisions to enable them to vote on elec on day.

Abere.

“We have reports that such daredevil hands have been deployed to various zones including Iwo zone where a PDP party agent was shot at and Osogbo axis where the residence of the governorship candidate of Labour Party was a acked.

“The increasing number of a acks and the unchecked ac vi es of thugs across the state pose serious danger to the peaceful conduct of Saturday’s elecon.

“We par cularly charge the newly deployed Police Commissioner and the Deputy Inspector General of Police posted to Osun state to take judicious note and urgently act to arrest the situa on.

“The security agencies should not wait un l ci zens resort to self help before the menace of party thugs is nipped in the bud.”

Reac ng, the Spokesperson of the Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s Campaign Council, Sunday Akere, described the allega on as laughable and a sign of a party that an cipates failure.

Akere stated that APC is not known for violence, rather it is renowned for organising proper elecon and wooing residents to come out en-masse to votes for its candidate and does not engage in frivolies like engaging in thuggery.

He said: “We are focused on the goal, which is winning Saturday’s poll by mobilising residents to throng vo ng units and cast their votes consciously for Governor Oyetola. We can’t engage the PDP in a

•Continued on Page 6

PEOPLE FIRST

FRIDAY, JULY 15 - THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2022

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Review & Outlook

BY ERIC TENIOLA When Tomorrow Comes The Blunder In Not Having State Police

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OMORROW is the day when all those who have shown a commitment to par cipatory democracy by registering to vote and obtained their Permanent Voter Card will go out to elect a governor for the State of Osun.

Vo ng is a cri cal ingredient in the democra c process and vital to the Social Contract binding civil with poli cal society. This is why vo ng is compulsory in countries such as Australia, Argen na, Brazil, and Seychelles. In addi on, many countries now very sensibly have given their ci zens in the diaspora the right to vote.

We are s ll a long way off, however, we must con nue to build upon the low base we have started from. The governorship campaign has in reality being disappointing. The fundamental issues have certainly not been extensively discussed and the analy cal zeal, as well the presenta on of solu ons to a myriad of cri cal issues have not been giving. This is unfortunate. For the years ahead with the intractable Ukraine - Russia and the resurgence of Covid - 19 will be difficult for the na on’s sub - na onals and indeed for the country and most other countries as a whole.

The fear of the real campaign being se led tomorrow through the hideous ‘stomach infrastructure ‘ route is real. To counteract this, the Independent Na onal Electoral Commission, the security services, observers as well as civil society, must be observant and

“The voters must come out in record numbers, reject inducement and exercise their franchise wisely.

If they choose wrongly based on the immediate they will have only themselves to blame” proac ve. Offenders must be apprehended and swi ly prosecuted as a deterrence with next year’s pivotal general elec ons in view.

On the eve of the elec on the scene in the state is that of an authoritarian set up. State security apparatus dominates the space.

How this will affect voter turnout remains to be seen. It can not however aid the cause of the desired higher voter turn out and par cipatory democracy for people to be expected to feel comfortable in a mili rised atmosphere. No wonder The Economist newspaper churlishly described as a ‘semi-democracy ‘. That was over a decade ago, things ought to have improved by now, many countries in Africa hold elec ons without locking down the economy.

The voters must come out in record numbers, reject inducement and exercise their franchise wisely. If they choose wrongly based on the immediate, they will have only themselves to blame.

Need For A Constitutional Court?

Y

ESTERDAY’S dismissal of the suit by Alh. Moshood Adeo , a leading member of the APC seeking to disqualify fellow party member, Governor Oyetola from tomorrow’s governorship contest does not end the ma er. On the contrary, it might become the beginning of a 90-day saga through the appellate courts which terminates at the Supreme Court. Adeo , a chie ain of the APC, is an aspirant of the February 19, 2022 APC governorship primary fin the state. But he lost the cket to Governor Oyetola.

There is a lot at stake. We also

have different interpreta ons of the landmark decision in the Ro mi Amechi case. It brings up to the fore, once again, the issue of whether or not Nigeria should have a Cons tu onal Court with origina ng and termina ng status as is the case in so many countries, so as to speedily resolve kno y cons tu onal issues.

Cons tu onal courts in places such as South Africa have admirably acted as a fulcrum for the consolida on, extension and deepening of the democra c process.

T

HE non inclusion of State Police in the Cons tu on was an error. It was a grave omission. The lapse occurred in 1976, forty-six years ago.

No one could have imagined forty-six years ago that our security challenges would become so grave to this level, that we now live in perpetual fear at the mercy of terrorists, kidnappers, Boko Haram, ISWAP, poli cal thugs, armed robbers and the rest.

Who could have imagined that our country will be so mismanaged like this, to the extent that we are experiencing depression and bewilderment of crippling fear like a nagging hound of hell pursuing our every footstep, certainly no one.

Instead of emo onal lamenta on, bewailing or grieving, if we really wanted State Police, we could have had it. No need crying over spilled milk. There is no use stressing out over things that have already happened.

But if we have really wanted State Police, that blunder should have been corrected by now. And perhaps our security apparatus would have improved. For some of us who grew up in this country before independence and even during the first Republic, we experienced the services of regional police and local government na ve police called AKODA. If you look at Sec on 106(4) of the 1963 Cons tu on, the establishment of regional police was recognized. The Sec on states that “Subject to the provisions of subsec on (3) of this sec on, the Commissioner of Police of a Region shall comply with the direcons of the Premier of the Region or such other Minister of the Government of the Region as may be authorized in that behalf by the Premier with respect to the maintaining and securing of public safety and public order within the Region or cause them to be complied with:” When we have issues like the crea on of State Police, we have no choice than to trace how the Presiden al Cons tu on was made with par cular reference to the founding fathers no ma er how o en we make that reference. They are the framers of our cons tu on. Moreso, when our Presiden al

“The question now is, do we need State Police and is it desirable. Of course we do and it is urgently desirable”

Cons tu on did not pass through a referendum, plebiscite, ini a ve or mandate.

General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi MVO, MBE (3 March 1924 – 29 July 1966), the first Military Head of State of Nigeria, on assuming power on January 1, 1966, suspended the 1963 Cons tu on and with it, the Regional Police. General Ironsi promulgated the Cons tu on (Suspension and Modifica on Decree 1966) , Decree 1 dated January 17, 1966 but not published in the official gaze e un l March 4, 1966. The decree pronounced the death of Regional Police.

Even in his speech at the Lugard Hall in Kaduna on April 19, 1967, at a mee ng with Emirs and Chiefs, the then Military Governor of the Northern Region, Lt-Colonel Hassan Usman Katsina (31 March 1933 – 24 July 1995) emphasized that Regional Police and na ve authority had become a thing of the past. He said on that day that “one of the main features of the Panel’s recommenda ons was a closer control of the na ve courts of the Government. The taking over of the na ve courts by the Government was in fact accepted in principle by the civilian Government and judging from some of the legisla on it had passed since 1958 there is no doubt that it was working towards the goal” he declared. Throughout the tenure of General Yakubu Gowon (87) GCFR from 1966-1975, there was no men on on the need to create State Police.

It was against this background that the Cons tu onal Dra ing Commi ee was announced by the then Head of State in 1975, General Ramat Murtala Mohammed (8 November 1938 – 13 February 1976) on October 1, 1975 in his broadcast. The commi ee was headed by Chief Frederick Ro mi Alade Williams, QC, SAN (16 December 1920 – 26 March 2005). The commi ee then established seven sub commi ees. The subcommi ee on Public Services including the Armed forces Publisher – Moremi Publishing and the Police was headed House Ltd.

by Dr. Obi Wali (February 27, Deputy Editor – Ismaeel Uthman 1932-26 April, 1993). Other Produc on Editor – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa members of the subcommitReporter – Yusuf Oketola tee were Alhaji Ahmed Talib, Reporter – Kazeem Badmus Colonel M. Pedro Mar ns, Photo Journalist – Olushola Aderinto Dr. O. Idris, Mr. A. Makele, Computer Graphics – Zainab Olalere Alhaji Mamman Daura and OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing Chief Ekanem Ita. Alhaji Ahmed Talib was House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), Gbogan Road Osogbo, the Chairman of New Nigerian Development Bank and State of Osun the former deputy governor ISSN : 0794-8050 of Central Bank of Nigeria.

Telephone : 0809-301-9152 Website : www.osundefender.com/index.php •Read full interview on e-mail : osundefender@yahoo.com www.osundefender.com osundefenderbank@gmail.com •Eric Teniola, A Former All correspondence to the above email addresses.

Director At The Presidency, Wrote From Lagos.

OSUN DEFENDER

FRIDAY, JULY 15 - THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2022

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News

Stop Paying Lip Service To Clean Up River Osun, CSO Urban Alert Tells Govt Ismaeel Uthman

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HE State Government of Osun has been accused of paying lip service to the clean up of the polluted Osun river.

Urban Alert, a civil society organisa on in the state, called on the government to be pragma c in its ‘reported’ commitment to clean up Osun river.

According to the Cordinator of the group, Anthony Adejuwon, the state government was yet to take ac on on illegal and unregulated mining in Ijesaland which is responsible for the pollu on of the river.

Adejuwon said: “Ninety days a er the Osun state government through a press statement threatened illegal gold miners that are degrading the environment and pollu ng water bodies in Osun state especially the Osun river, ac vi es of illegal and unregulated gold miners s ll con nue.

“Water bodies especially the Osun river is s ll

•National and State Assembly Aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC), from the State of Osun in a group photograph with the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, after a meeting, recently. polluted; contaminated despite the tough talk from the Osun state government.

You will recall that the day a er the Osun government issued that statement, ur-

ban alert also released a statement urging the state government to walk the

talk.

“That shows that the Osun government has only said they are going to

threaten the people but they have refused to work the talk and this is unacceptable for a government elected by the people to protect them.

“New discoveries of more deadly elements in Osun river should awaken the slumbering government and ensure that something urgent is done. The government should know that the people solely rely on them. They are elected and is expected that the Governor of the state protect the lives and property of the people, not just about insecurity that come from weapons but also on the issues of environmental degrada on and water poisoning that is life threatening like this.

“It is unacceptable that a er 90 days, nothing significant has been seen to be done by the Osun state government and this is heartless. The government needs to rise up and work the talk, not paying lip service to the cleaning up of Osun river.”

Osun 2022: IPAC Warns Political Parties, Electorates Tomorrow’s Governorship Election Against Vote Trading Result Will Shock Many- Lasun Yussuff Yusuf Oketola

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HE Na onal Chairman of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Engr. Yabagi Yusuf Sani, has warned poli cal par es and electorate in the State of Osun, against inducement and in mida on of voters at tomorrow’s governorship elec on.

Sani gave the warning during a Sensi sa on Forum on Peaceful Conduct of 2022 governorship elec on in the state held in Osogbo, on Wednesday.

He called on the Independent Na onal Electoral Commission to be fair and avoid compromise on its standard at the poll, just as he asked voters to resist the tempta on of selling their votes in any form.

The Chairman said: “All hands must be on deck to ensure that, the 16th of July, 2022 governorship elec on in Osun State is carried out in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility without the ugly incidents of all forms of violence that include, molesta on, in mida on and harassment of people of opposi on poli cal par es, voters or electoral officials.

“The poli cal party leaders and candidates in the elec on must resist the tempta on, out of desperaon, to resort to the deployment of thugs or material and financial inducement of security agents and INEC officials to compromise any stage in the vo ng process.

“We are also very stri-

dently appealing to the security agencies and their opera ves engaged to provide security during the elec on to embark on their assignment with maximum professional and ethical standards.

“Very per nently, officials of the Independent Naonal Electoral Commission (INEC), must give hope to the people of Osun, the rest of the na on and the world at large, that, the era of daylight robbery of the people’s right to choose their representa ves is over in Nigeria.

“To us in IPAC, Osun 2022 is another litmus test to INEC a er similar elecon last month on the 18th of June, 2022 in Eki on the veracity and integrity of the otherwise, commendable administra ve reforms and technological innova ons introduced recently by the commission with the lo y goals of delivering credible and transparently free and fair elec ons.

“There is no gainsaying the fact that, INEC cannot afford and must not, fail in the a ainment of the noble goals.

“To the people of Osun State, the message from IPAC, is that, they must resist all a empts to deceive, in midate or induce them into compromising their fundamental, inalienable right to freely elect the poli cal leaders of their choice.

“In other words, for whatever reasons, the electorate in the 16th July, 2022 governorship elec on must

be guided by their conscience, their obliga ons to the advancement of their welfare, their security, the happiness and prosperity of the future genera ons “Twenty-three years down the line, Nigeria has come a long way and waxing very strongly on the path of democracy. It is the historic responsibility of the genera on of the country today, to strive to keep the torch of democracy alo and burning.

“As I have severally pointed out at various fora:

humanity has yet to create a be er approach to a sustainable and genuine democracy more than the right of ci zens to freely elect their leaders through the ballot box.

“This is because, a compromised, twisted and corrupted electoral system is tantamount to any other system but democracy. In Osun state on the 16th of July, 2022, we should all endeavour to prove to the rest of the world that Nigeria has come of age as a democra c na on”.

N165 Petrol Pump Price No Longer Visible — MOMAN Sodiq Yusuf

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HE Major Oil Marketers Associa on of Nigeria, (MOMAN), has said that the regulated N165 pump price for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, is no longer realis c.

Chairman of the Associaon, Mr. Olumide Adeosun, stated this during a virtual consumer protec on workshop for oil marketers by the Federal Compe on and Consumer Protec on Commission, FCCPC, in Lagos on Wednesday.

Adeosun while reac ng to the lingering fuel scarcity across the country, blamed the situa on on the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which had disrupted global energy supply distribu on.

He maintained that it

would be difficult to enforce any kind of price control mechanism on marketers who had to slightly adjust their prices based on how much they bought products from the depots.

The MOMAN chairman said the way forward was a phased deregula on of PMS by the Federal Government to reduce the shock on consumers.

He maintained that the gradual price deregula on should be followed with targeted pallia ves in the areas of transporta on and agricultural subsidies to the public to ease implementaon.

Adeosun further disclosed that the huge amount spent on petrol subsidy over the years would have been deployed to other cri cal areas that could have reduced the impact of the current energy crisis on Nigerians.

Yusuf Oketola

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HE candidate of the Labour party in tomorrow’s governorship elecon in the State of Osun, Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff has said that the outcome of the elecon will shock many people.

This is as the former deputy speaker of the House of Representa ves said he is be er equipped to govern Osun, no ng that he has what it takes to govern the state successfully.

Yussuff who spoke at the LP’s mega rally on Wednesday, a ributed his choice of Labour Party to his belief in the dignity of labour that liberated him from the shackles of lack and poverty as an investor.

Reac ng to a statement credited to the presiden al candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu during the party’s mega rally where he taunted labour, Yussuff said such a statement is unbecoming of someone who wants to become the President of Nigeria.

Yussuff, while bera ng the statement of a presiden al candidate of a party, who said ‘labourers will die in vain,’ disclosed that such person is not fit to govern Nigeria and he is not a true son of Oduduwa.

He boasted that LP will spring up surprise by winning the governorship elec on in the State.

The Ilobu born poli cian promised to provide be er health facili es, create jobs and give loans to women for empowerment.

He called on the people of Osun to come out and vote for him, saying their future lies in the hands of Labour Party for a be er Nigeria.

Speaking at the rally, the presiden al candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, also canvassed for votes for the party’s governorship candidate in the tomorrow’s elec on.

Obi charged the electorate to vote massively for Hon Lasun Yussuff in the elec on for produc vity and dividends of democracy.

Addressing party supporters at the rally where he handed over the party’s flag to Yussuff, Obi described him as a thorough bred poli cian with in mida ng creden als that would deliver on the aspira ons of the people of the state.

He lamented what he described as the precarious situa on Nigerians have been subjected to by the dominant poli cal par es in Nigeria, adding that it was the right me for Nigerians to set themselves free and vote for a be er alterna ve that can be found in LP. Obi expressed the need for Nigerians to be shown love and compassion which he said the dominant par es lacked as manifested in the way they treat the youths, the workers and the en re ci zens of Nigeria.

On vote-buying, Obi told the electorate to take any money offered to them but vote for the candidates of their choice, adding that the money offered was stolen from government covers and

FRIDAY, JULY 15 - THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2022

5

News

Osun APC Guber. Ticket: Adeoti Heads For Appeal As Court Dismisses Suit Ismaeel Uthman Yusuf Oketola

A

LHAJI Moshood Adeo , a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State of Osun, has rejected the judgement of an Abuja Federal High Court which dismissed the suit he filed to challenge the eligibility of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola to partake in the February 19, 2022 governorship primary of the party.

Adeo , had gone to court to seek Oyetola’s disqualifica on as the APC flagbearer in tomorrow’s gubernatorial elec on on the ground that the governor did not resign his membership of the party’s Na onal Caretaker and Extra Ordinary Convenon Planning Committee as at the me he was contes ng the gubernatorial cket of the party.

In the originating summons, Adeo prayed the court to nullify Oyetola’s candidacy on the grounds that the

•Adeoti. governor contested in the poll as a member of the party’s CECPC. The plain ff said the act contravened the provisions of Sec on 222 of the Cons tu on of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Ar cle

•Justice Ekwo.

31(iii) of the APC, October 2014 (as amended).

Ar cle 31, Subsecon iii of the APC Cons tu on reads: “Any Party office holder interested in contes ng for an elec ve office (whether party office or office in a general elec-

•Oyetola. on) shall resign and leave office 30 days prior to the date of nomina on or Party primary for the Office he or she is seeking to contest.”

According to Adeo , Oyetola ought to have resigned his membership of the APC’s CECPC and leave office as an

July 16: YIAGA Africa Seeks Adequate Information For Voters On Relocated Polling Units Sodiq Yusuf

A

HEAD of tomorrow’s governorship elec on in the State of Osun, an elec on monitoring group, YIAGA Africa has urged the Independent Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC), to provide adequate informaon for voters whose vo ng areas have been moved.

The civil society organisa on also called for the arrest and state ac on on would-be vote buyers and sellers in the much an cipated elecon.

It expressed worry that if vote buying is not curbed, it will result to imbalance and voter apathy, as well as negligence of the electoral process.

Addressing a press conference in Osogbo yesterday, the group said the imbalance has nosedived into the alloca on of voters per unit, calling on the electoral body to provide massive educa on and materials for the people

of Osun.

The group also charged INEC to publish the names of disaggregated registered voters and make it available to voters who are not eligible to exercise their franchise on Saturday.

It said: “Yiaga Africa commends INEC’s effort to relocate polling units from palaces, private residents and other controversial loca ons.

However, there are two major issues of concern for stakeholders. First, the inadequate informa on in the public about the reloca on of some voters’ new polling units’ can poten ally disenfranchise voters who may be unable to locate their polling unit on elec on day.

“This was recently observed in the Eki elec on where some voters’ names were not found on the Bimodal Voter Accredita on System (BVAS) despite their Permanent Voters Card being for that polling unit.

“Secondly, the imbalance in the distribu-

on of voters to polling units. Despite the creaon of addi onal polling, there are oversized units with registered voters above the threshold of 750 registered voters per polling unit.

Osun State has 246 polling units with over 1000 registered voters, eight (8) polling units with over 2000 registered voters and one (1) polling unit with over 3,000 registered voters.

“Oversized polling units may pose a logiscal challenge on elecon day. It is imperave for INEC to revisit the expansion of voter access to polling units in order to achieve the desired outcome of the crea on of new polling units.”

The group further stressed that, “Vote buying in no small way reduces the quality of leadership and, by extension, affects ci zens’ par cipa on in the electoral process due to li le or no dividends of democracy.

“Recent experience in Eki state reveals

that Nigerian Police have con nuously shied away from arres ng poli cal party agents that induce voters on elec on day. It is of immense concern that the leading agency for elecon security has made no arrests despite the incidence of rampant vote-buying and selling on elec on day.

“This seeming laxity by the Nigerian Police may embolden party agents to brazenly connue to violate electoral laws as regards voter inducement, especially on elec on day.”

Yiaga Africa urged INEC to ensure more consistent and harmonious coordina on within the Inter-Agency Consulta ve Commi ee on Elec on Security (ICCES) to ensure proper security of polling officials deployed in the Registra on Area Centers ahead of the elecon day deployment.

It also charged INEC to ensure proper coordina on with the security agencies to forestall incidences of violence and ensure the safety of voters and poll officials on elec on day.

officer of APC at least 30 days prior to the date of the Osun State primary elec on, to qualify for par cipa on in the said party primary elec on.

But the court in its verdict yesterday said the case brought before it is a party affair, saying “the case is a ma er within the internal affairs of a poli cal party and therefore not jus fiable.”

Delivering his judgement, Jus ce Inyang Ekwo, stated that Adeo failed to support the process with relevant laws, and as such, showed no cause of acon in the suit.

The court subsequently dismissed the case on the ground that it was an abuse of court process.

Reac ng to the judgment, one of the counsels to Adeo on the case, Barr. Gbenga Awosode said there are ‘many loopholes in the verdict’, no ng that the judgement cannot stand the test of me.

According to Awosode, “There are so many loopholes in that judgment. The judge, in his judgement, said the cons tu on does not recognise the Na onal Caretaker and Extra Ordinary Conven on Planning Commi ee and as a result of that, Oyetola cannot be said to be an official of the party.

“Secondly, the judge said we did not exhaust internal mechanism in the party, and that the suit is an abuse of court process. Those are the grounds on which the judge based his judg-

ment. But the judge did not read the whole judgment. He told us that he could not read the whole judgement.

“One area of concern is where the judge said the cons tu on does not recognise the Na onal Caretaker and Extra Ordinary Convenon Planning Committee. What is the implica on of that? We will analyse the judgment when we receive the judgment in full.

“But definitely, we are going to appeal the judgment because it cannot stand the test of me.

Commen ng on the issue, another lawyer who spoke to OSUN DEFENDER on condi on of anonymity yesterday said: “When a ma er goes to court like this, the judges are usually silent and in the silence of his lordship, the lordship will carefully listen to the case of the plainff and also that of the defendant.

“When the plain ff is making his case, the judge listens to the merit and demerit. When the defendant opens his or her defends, the judge will also look at the merit and demerit of the case. And a er the case has been closed, the judge will re re to chambers to look at the case of the par es that holds up the marginal scale of jus ce.

“And you know the scale has two sides, one side for the plainff and the other side for the defendant. And the emergence of the plain ff will be put at one side, while the evidence of the defendant will be put on the other side of the scale.

“There’s something we call proba ve value of evidence. Where the evidence of a side in a case outweighs the other side, the judge is likely to decide in support of a side with heavier proba ve value of the evidence.

“An appeal must be filed within 90 days.

The ma er can go from court of appeal and terminate at the supreme court.

“If the supreme court rules in favour of Adeo , that’s the apex court. The case must be concluded from the High Court to the Supreme Court before the swearing-in ceremony.”

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Religion

LL praise is due to Allaah, and may His peace and blessings be upon the final Messenger, His pure family, noble companions, and all those who follow them with righteousness un l the Day of Judgment.

Tawakkul in Arabic language is an Islamic concept of reliance on Allah Almighty or “trustBy By ing in Allah’s plan”. It is seen as “perfect trust in Sheik Muhammad Muhammad Sheik Allaah and reliance on Him alone.” It can also be referred to as Allah-consciousness.

Makanjuola Makanjuola Tawakkul is basically the “trust and reliance on Allah”, that is, accep ng the results that He decides regardless of how they may turn out to be.

Reliance on Allaah the Exalted is a lo y sta on that has a great effect. It is one of the most important obliga ons of faith. A Muslim considers reliance on Allah as mandatory my rela onship with Him? for all his affairs, whether religious or worldly. Therefore, To know Allah is to place your trust in Him: the religion of Islam comprises seeking the support of AlTo know Allah is to know and acknowledge His names lah and worshipping him: The support element is to rely on and a ributes. Pause and reflect when reci ng them and Him alone. Indeed, this is the essence of at-Tawheed and call upon Him by these names. Only then can one develop al-Islaam. a meaningful connec on to Allah —one that will inculcate The concept of reliance on Allah is a familiar one, given complete reliance on Him. He is Eternal (al-Ḥayy) and the its frequent men on in the Qur’an and Sunnah. We recite Sustainer of all that exists (al-Qayyuum). His knowledge is these verses and supplica ons ardently, yet we may not All-Encompassing (al-ʿAleem). He is the Most Powerful (alcomprehend the scope of tawakkul, such that we are yet to Qadeer), the One who is Self-Sufficient (al-Ghanee), the One connect our hearts fully to these consoling and empower- who provides abundantly (al-Razzaaq), and the One who is ing words from Allah. most Noble and Generous (al-Kareem). Allah is our GuardThe ques on is, “How do I live tawakkul? How do I im- ian (al-Wakeel): “To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens plement it in my daily life to achieve its benefits”? Tawakkul and earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.” The involves placing complete trust in Allah, above and beyond greater our awareness of Allah, the greater our certainty in all others, including oneself. As Ibn Rajab stated, “Complete Him and our love for Him—and the stronger our tawakkul. reliance on Allah is the sincere dependence of the heart on THE FRUITS OF TAWAKKUL: Allah in the servant’s endeavors in pursuing his interests and Just as supplica on (duʿaa) is a means to the desired safeguarding himself against anything that may be harmful outcome, so it is with Tawakkul. Allah answers the call of to his well-being both in this life and in the Aakhirah.” those who place their trust in Him. He repeatedly comHowever, when one’s inner voice resonates loudly and mands us in the Qur’an to place our trust and reliance on becomes further emboldened by Shaytan’s whispers, one Him. Hence, tawakkul is also an act of submission to the may erroneously place one’s emo ons, logic, and that Master. It is the founda on and perfec on of our belief and which seems immediately tangible ahead of reliance on Al- worship in the Oneness of Allah (Tawheed) by not relying lah, on what is o en beyond one’s percep on and knowl- on anyone else: “But if they turn away, (O Muhammad), say, edge of divine wisdom and His decree. Tawakkul is a leap ‘Sufficient for me is Allah; there is no deity except Him. On of faith into that very unknown. Hence, the answer to this Him I have relied, and He is the Lord of the Great Throne.” ques on lies in the two key aspects this trust hinges on. Ask Quran 9:129. By submi ng one’s heart and giving complete yourself: First, how well do I know Allah? Second, what is authority to Allah, the believer gains the love of Allah: “In-

JUMAT SERMON

Tawakkul

deed, Allah loves those who rely (on Him).” Thus, tawakkul brings calmness to the heart, it is no longer perturbed by the tremors of life.

Tawakkul is the source of contentment, ease, and protec on Allah grants to the believers, relieving them from fear and doubt. It is a means to come closer to Allah and to raise one’s level of faith (imaan) and certainty (yaqeen).

No disaster strikes except by permission of Allah. “And whoever believes in Allah, He will guide his heart. And Allah is Knowing of all things. And obey Allah and obey the Messenger; but if you turn away, then upon Our Messenger is only (the duty of) clear no fica on. Alaah —there is no deity except Him. And upon Allah let the believers rely.” Quran 5:92.

Thus, if one is tested with hardship, should worldly provision be taken away, or if one does not see the desired or immediate outcome of a par cular duʿaa, one remains op mis c that Allah’s treasures are boundless and He will remove that hardship and replace any loss with something be er. Abuu Saheed al-Khudrii RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported that the Prophet (SAW) said: “No Muslim makes supplicaon—unless he is someone who has cut off his rela ves— but that he is given one of three things: either his supplicaon is answered quickly, or it is stored up for him in the next world, or an evil equal to it is averted from him.” It was said: “Then many supplica ons will be made.” He replied, “Allah has more s ll to give.” Hence, perhaps the greatest fruit of tawakkul is that one is sa sfied with the outcome, regardless of its specifics, knowing that it comes from the One who loves His servants and knows what is best for them.

As elec on is coming in Nigeria, rely and put your trust in Allah Almighty alone, don’t depend on any candidate in state or federal. Only Almight Allah can make things happen, no one else can do. May we by Allah grace always have peaceful elec ons in Nigeria.

May Allah Almighty make this sermon a beneficial one for me, the writer, the readers, and the en re Muslims. And our last prayer, is praise be to Allah Almighty, Lord of the worlds.

•Shaykh Muhammad Makanjuola (Director : MA’ADU DA’AWAH WAL-IRSHAD, Oba-Agun, Osun State).

News

Aregbesola Orders NCoS To Improve On Intelligence Yusuf Oketola HE Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has directed the Nigerian Correc onal Service to improve its efforts in intelligence gathering.

Aregbesola said any intelligence gathered must be acted upon, describing it as the panacea to solving the problem of incessant custodial a acks.

The former governor of the State of Osun stated this on Tuesday during a visit to the maximum and medium security custodial centres in Kirikiri, Apapa, Lagos, according to a statement by his Media Adviser, Mr Sola Fasure.

Aregbesola was also quoted to have boasted that no jailbreak a empt by inmates had succeeded.

The statement reads in part: “So far, no jailbreak by inmates has been successful, we have successfully quelled all of them.

What we have reoccurring since the #EndSARS protests of October 2020, has been a mass of people attacking our facili es from outside and se ng the inmates free.

“However, I have now directed the Controller General of the NCoS to double his efforts on intelligence gathering to for fy

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and prevent breaches to the Custodial Centres beyond the use of arms and force.”

The minister further stated that the country was on the path to totally defea ng Boko Haram terrorists and other criminals ravaging the country, stating that over 61,000 were in custody in the NorthEast.

“Today, a core of the criminal elements and insurgents across the coun-

try are on a path to defeat, they have been heavily degraded. Over 61,000 of them are in our custody in the North-East.

“Our assurance to Nigerians is that we shall rise above these challenges and emerge stronger and more resilient.”

He, however, directed personnel of the service to ensure that the Custodial Centers are defended against any form of a acks, warning that never again

should a ack on facili es happen.

Aregbesola said: “I have also informed our officers and men here that they must fight to defend our ins tu ons, territory and cons tu on. It also applies to all others wherever they are posted in Nigeria.

“The ragtag groups of opportunists must not be allowed to a ack our ins tu ons and get away. They must not live to tell the story.”

July 16: Intimidation, Violence, Inducement, ...

•Continued from Page 2 mud fight.”

NGOs Express Worry

Yiaga Africa and a research based non-governmental organisa on, Posive Agenda Nigeria (PAN) have differently iden fied ac vi es of poli cal thugs and cul sts as threat to the peaceful conduct of the elec on.

According to Yiaga Africa in its pre-elec on observa on statement made available to OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, “the recent escala on in the ac vi es of poli cal thugs and cultists in Osun State remains a poten al threat to the peaceful conduct of the elec on.

“Ac vi es of thugs and

cul st groups range from disrup on of PVC Collec on in LGAs and violent clashes which have threatened the peace in the loca ons affected. While Yiaga Africa commends the recent arrest of some poli cal thugs by the police, there is an urgent need for more intelligence to be deployed in addressing these rising threats to ensure more arrests and prosecu on of culprits.

“The cri cal job of effec vely securing ci zens, electoral materials and stakeholders without any bias should remain a priority for the security agencies ahead of the July 16 Governorship elec on.”

Also, the Posi ve Agen-

da Nigeria, in its ‘analysis of direct statements of poli cal actors’ on the governorship elec on said it iden fied ‘rigging through collusion with the electoral umpire, poli cal thugs and security agencies as dominant threats to the elecon.

The research lead of the group, Dr. Rasheed Adebiyi, said: “From June 30 to July 6, we analysed direct statements of poli cal actors in Osun State ahead of the July 16 elec on with a view to iden fying some threats to the credibility of the elec on (as communicated by the poli cal actors).

“At the end of our analysis, we found out that newspapers and Twi er were

Oyetola’s Supporters Behind Attack On My Residence – LP Guber Candidate Sodiq Yusuf

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HE governorship candidate of Labour Party in tomorrow’s governorship elecon in the State of Osun, Hon. Lasun Yussuff, has claimed that supporters of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola were behind the a ack on his residence on Monday morning.

It would be recalled that some gunmen at the wee hour of Monday a acked Yussuff ’s house located at Oke Ima area of Ilobu. The gunmen fired several gunshots at the house, but no casualty was recorded.

Narra ng how the incident occurred, the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representa ves explained that the assailants invaded his house very early in the morning and began to shoot sporadically.

He said the a ackers who stormed his residence at about 2am came with the inten on of harming him.

According to him, a team of police opera ves has been dra ed to his house and has since inspected the scene and taken custody of evidence from the house.

Reac ng to the incident, the State Government of Osun called on the police to inves gate the a ack on Yussuff ’s residence.

Addressing a news conference in Osogbo, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Gboyega Oyetola, Ismail Omipidan, said it was necessary for the a ack to be inves gated to unmask those behind it.

Omipidan said it was funny

for the governorship candidate to have alleged that his residence was a acked by the supporters of the governor.

He said: “On behalf of the government, we are calling on the security opera ves to please kindly inves gate the allega on

by Yussuff.

“I am tempted to believe that he is the one planning to unleash violence on the innocent people of Irepodun local government on the day of elecon.

“If indeed we are to be violent, if indeed we were to be what Lasun Yusuf is painting us to be, I am sure we will probably have been a er PDP. If we are not a er PDP, why on earth should we be a er Hon. Lasun Yusuf?”

The Police spokesperson in the state, Yemisi Opalola confirmed the a ack on Yussuff ’s residence.

Opalola said the police have begun inves ga ons into the ma er, stressing that those culpable will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

PUBLICATION MRS. OGUNDIPE IBUKUNOLUWA ADEOLA That I was formerly known and addressed as MISS. ADEGBITE IBUKUNOLUWA ADEOLA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OGUNDIPE IBUKUNOLUWA ADEOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

FRIDAY, JULY 15 - THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2022

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News

Osun PDP Warns Police, APC Over Alleged Plot To Arrest, Kidnap PDP Leaders Kazeem Badmus

•Accuses APC of Flooding Osun with Fake Policemen

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HE Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) in the state of Osun has raised the alarm over alleged plan to arrest its prominent leaders, few hours to the governorship elec on.

PDP also accused APC of flooding the state with thugs and fake policemen with a plan to arrest, attack and in midate its leaders.

In a statement signed by its Caretaker Committee Chairman, Dr. Akindele Adekunle, on Wednesday, the party said APC was planning mass arrest of the PDP leaders to dissuade members of the party from coming out to vote.

“Notable leaders of the PDP were already penciled down for arrest by security opera ves with many others also tabled for wanton kidnap by poli cal thugs purposely imported into Osun by the ji ery APC”, said Adekunle.

The party men oned Hon. Sunday Bisi, Akogun Lere Oyewumi, Hon. Clement Akanni, Hon. Sanya Omirin, Barrister Kolapo Alimi, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye, Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Ayobami Olaoluwa amongst several others as the PDP leaders to be arrested or kidnapped on the direc ve of the APC. The statement reads in part: “Osun PDP wishes to advise the Nigerian Police and other security agen-

•Deputy Chairman, National Peace Committee, Bisohp Mathew Kukah, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, DIG Johnson Kokumo and candidates of the 15 political parties contesting tommorrow’s governorship election, during the signing of Peace Accord on Wednesday. cies in the state to resist the evil offer from the APC no ma er how en cing it is.

“Arres ng these noble

men at gunpoint for poli cal convenience of the APC is tantamount to stepping on the tail of a vigilant cobra who is encircled by its

largely used to express those threats, though Facebook was equally used to communicate the perceived threats.

“From the graphical evidence, rigging through collusion with the electoral umpire, poli cal thugs and security agencies were the dominant threats that rented the poli cal space during the week. Vote buying was also a thematic point raised by poli cal par es.

“At Posi ve Agenda Nigeria (PAN), we strongly advise poli cal actors in the state to place na onal peace and objec ve over their personal poli cal goals and interests.

“Also, security agencies, corrupt prac ces and financial crimes control and management commissions should consider preparing strategic intelligence from researchbased results like this towards addressing vote buying and selling effecvely before and during

sional pi all.

“Without doubt therefore, it will be a careless negligence of history and professional failure on the

Corps Member Renovates Public School Toilet In Osun Sodiq Yusuf

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STABLISHED in 1973 by the administra on of former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, the Na onal Youth Service Corps NYSC has been at the helm of engendering na onal unity, with corps members serving in different parts of the country, promo ng the oneness and strength of the country, after the na on’s civil war.

Despite the challenges and repeated calls for the scrap of the scheme, it has con nued to exhibit a lot of posi ves, as these fresh graduates are contributing their quota in no small measure to the growth and development of the country, through self-sustained efforts in their areas of primary assignment.

One of such posi ves which form why many s ll believe in the NYSC is the

Osun Election Result Will Be ...

•Continued from Page 6

grown siblings. The State may not have good stories to tell a erwards but we believe the police have a choice to avoid the profes-

part of the police who are expected to take adequate profiling of the state and its cons tuents, before embarking on such suicidal mission.”

The party also accused APC of flooding the state with fake policemen, calling on the Nigeria Police Force and Department of State Security Service to inves gate the ma er.

According to the party in the same statement, APC has sta oned hundreds of fake policemen in hotels located at strategic communi es in the state.

The party alleged that some individuals were being measured at a sec on of Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s Iragbiji home with a ploy to sewing perfect match of police uniforms for them.

OSUN DEFENDER contacted the spokesperson of the Osun APC campaign council, Mr. Sunday Akere for a reac on but he did not pick his calls or respond to text messages.

the poll.

“Finally, we admonish voters not to sell the future of their children for meagre financial and material inducements; they should cast their votes for the candidate they believe will bring true and peopleoriented development to the state.

Heavy presence of Security There has been influx of security personnel into the State of Osun.

OSUN DEFENDER noted that officers of the Nigerian army, Nigeria Police Force and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps have been heavily deployed to the state ahead of the elecon.

The medium noted the movement of soldiers conveyed in about 40 trucks into the state via Gbongan/ Osogbo and Iwo/Osogbo roads on Sunday.

The soldiers went to the army barrack in Ede, it was learnt.

Also, large number of soldiers, mobile and regular policemen were sighted

in Ilesa, Ife, Iwo and Ede Osogbo on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Inspector General of Police, Mr Usman Alkali Baba, has disclosed that a total of 21,000 police officers have been deployed to maintain law and order for tomorrow’s governorship elec on.

Alkali Baba made this known at INEC stakeholders’ mee ng in Osogbo, on Tuesday.

The police boss said: “We are deploying these officers to ensure that there’s no breakdown of law and order before, during and a er the elec on.

“My men are not here to either in midate or cause tension within the state. They are here to provide necessary security support.”

He warned poli cal pares and electorates in the state to shun violence and any act capable of jeopardizing the peaceful conduct of the elec on, saying any act of disturbances during the elec on shall be vehemently rejected by secu-

interven on of a corps member, Helen Sunday, who recently bowed out of service, at the Ofatedo Grammar School, Egbedore Local Government area of the State of Osun.

Sunday, a graduate of Mass Communica on from Rivers State, renovated a block of four toilets at the school, which has been moribund for years.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, the ex-corps member stated that the project was borne out of her love for humanity.

She also noted that the need to ensure personal hygiene and a disease-free environment prompted her decision to embark on the project.

Sunday said: “I was posted to Olofa Grammar School, Ofatedo community, Egbedore local government, Osun State. I observed that

students and staff relief themselves unhygienically in a nearby bush as a result of the deplorable state of the school’s toilet facility.

“One day, I was really in need to relive myself too, the moment I got to the usual place, I was frightened by an insect. So, I was inspired to embark on the toilet rehabilita on project.

“I chose to be a problem solver because I want to be remembered for my impact to humanity. When I got to the school, I was disappointed because I was expec ng to see a big structure. I was praying in my heart for the principal to reject me but deep down, I knew God sent me there for a reason and I can’t change the will of God.” She said she was able to execute the project from dona ons and support from well-meaning individuals

•The commissioning of the project.

and the host community.

Sunday, however, was full of gra tude to the management of Ofatedo Grammar School for giving her the opportunity to undertake such ini a ve.

“I feel so excited and fulfilled. I’m grateful to God Almighty for the successful comple on of the project,” she said.

She told OSUN DEFENDER that she intends to setup a non-governmental organisa on in the future to further her humanitarian efforts.

While speaking at the commissioning of the facility, the Principal, Ofatedo Grammar School, Mrs Popoola Rachael, appreciated Sunday for the project.

Mrs Popoola said the school will forever remember her as one of those who impacted it posi vely.

ISSN : 0794 - 8050

FRIDAY, JULY 15 - THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2022 VOL. 17 NO 27 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com

News Corps Member Renovates Public School Toilet In Osun Pg. 7

PERSPECTIVE

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EBATES by candidates vying for poli cal offices in Nigeria are gradually gaining momentum. It is not new in developed na ons. It has been adopted here in Nigeria and we are growing by the day.

Poli cal debates ordinarily are expected to provide the electorate with informa on on which candidate to vote for. This is so because it provides the candidates the opportunity to present their manifestos, relate directly with most voters, and show their quali es.

It also provides an avenue for candidates to throw jabs at each other, raise allega ons on governance, leadership, party structure, and assessment of the governing party and in some cases, si ng office holders who are contes ng for another term in office.

Poli cal debates are important to our democracy in marked ways. It allows the electorates to state their inten on and enables ci zens to access comprehensive informa on that will help them in analysing and deciding who to vote for. It is also helpful in presen ng candidates to the electorate and allows some exposure to their backgrounds, plans, possible strengths, and weaknesses.

The recent debates in Anambra, Eki , and Osun states lived up to these expecta ons.

Debates have become part of our elec on calendar. It usually marks an end to the campaign period. They are usually organised, moderated, and broadcast by different news media o en, private broadcast media.

In recent mes, Channels TV, Arise TV, BBC Yoruba and others have been very effec ve in organising poli cal debates in Nigeria.

The Bri sh Broadcas ng Corpora on (BBC) Yoruba organised a poli cal debate for the governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress, Gboyega Oyetola, the Peoples Democra c Party, Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, Accord Party, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, Social Democra c Party, Architect Goke Omigbodun and Labour Party, Rt. Hon. Lasun Yusuf. Arise Television, Crown FM, Ife, and the popular news television, Channels followed suit.

It was a classical debate on Channels TV where all invited five candidates out of the 15 candidates in the elec on were present. Issues on governance, security, educa on, infrastructure, jobs, youth, and women empowerment among others were raised.

While some in-house par cipants were cheering some candidates, others were shouting some candidates down. One of such moments was when the si ng governor and the APC governorship candidate, Gboyega Oyetola was responding to the issue of the state-owned

“For instance, on the debt status of the state, Oyetola claimed that he has not obtained a loan since he assumed office rather, his government has been repaying the loans obtained by previous governments. According to the Gross Domestic (GDP) data report released by the National Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2020, Osun state had a total debt of N192.82 billion; an increase of N89.02% from the 102.01 billion in 2016. According to Dataphyte reports, under the Gboyega Oyetola-led administration, the state’s debt increased by 11.41% between 2019-2020, making Osun the 7th most indebted state in Nigeria”

BY JIDE AFOLABI

Osun Guber Debate: Bringing The Truth Out Of Lies helicopter bought by his predecessor and ‘former boss’, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. Perhaps, the audience knew what his response would be.

Their response forced the governor to state the loca on of the helicopter.

In all honesty, I did not envy the governor.

He received punches from all other candidates.

At some point, he capitulated, forcing him to raise his ny voice forcing him to reveal what was hitherto secret.

By all standards, Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff was adjudged to have performed be er than other candidates but, the focus was on the two major candidates, Gboyega Oyetola of the APC and Ademola Adeleke of the PDP. Realis cally, the winner of tomorrow’s governorship elec o is between these two candidates. There have been arguments on whether debates determine the eventual outcome of an elec on. In 2015, the then President, Goodluck Jonathan, and

STRIKER

others a ended the Presiden al Debate. Then General Muhammadu Buhari emerged winner of the elec on. In 2018, Oyetola a ended the Osun governorship debate and later won the elec on. This shows that poli cal debate may not necessarily determine the outcome of the elec on but in most cases, it helps the elec on fortune of eventual winners.

Three major issues were prominent during the debate. They were security, debt/loans, and employment. In all these, the governor capitulated. It also calls to ques on, his integrity.

For instance, on the debt status of the state, Oyetola claimed that he has not obtained a loan since he assumed office rather, his government has been repaying the loans obtained by previous governments. According to the Gross Domes c (GDP) data report released by the Na onal Bureau of Sta s cs, at the end of 2020, Osun state had a total debt of N192.82

billion; an increase of N89.02% from the 102.01 billion in 2016. According to Dataphyte reports, under the Gboyega Oyetola-led administra on, the state’s debt increased by 11.41% between 2019-2020, making Osun the 7th most indebted state in Nigeria.

On security, the governor failed to come clean on the status of its helicopter. At first, he dismissed the allega on that the helicopter had been sold and that it was with the manufacturers for repairs in Port Harcourt. The governor later lamented that 300,000 USD was needed to fix the helicopter, saying that it was high and was not economically viable. This deflated the earlier posi on of the governor that the helicopter was being repaired.

On jobs, the governor was hit badly by the PDP candidate who accused the Oyetola-led government of extor ng applicants by asking them to pay for forms. Official sta s cs indicate that the unemployment rate has increased since Oyetola assumed office in 2018.

According to the Na onal Bureau of Sta scs (NBS) data report, as of 2017, the unemployment rate in Osun was 19%. In 2018, the figures increased to 24.7%, then the current 37.3%. This shows an upward trend in the unemployment rate. In the last three years, the unemployment rate in the state has increased by 96.47%.

There have been analyses of how Osun electorates would possibly vote by different social and poli cal commentators. The debates may not determine the eventual winner however, they would help electorates in forming opinions on the major candidates in the elecon.

Jide Afolabi writes from Jos, Plateau State.

Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above

Making The Votes Count

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NCH by inch, step by step, our ever “young” democracy is moving forward. Much remains to be done in every aspect: poli cal party forma on; party principles, manifestoes and internal party democracy; elec on laws, regula on, security, supervision, monitoring and results announcement processes; elecon crime punishment; popular par cipa on in governance; et cetera.

In the slow-mo on democra c forward march, alot has been achieved over the years of hard struggle by the people, civil society, the electoral umpires and some of its most innova ve leaders. A few must-men on personali es are the Late President Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Jus ce Mohammed Lawal Uwais and his Electoral Reform Panel Report, Professor A ahiru Muhammadu Jega, and Former President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan who conceded defeat to an opposi on party candidate as an incumbent President. On the villain side, the list equally has as many notable men ons, not the least infamous being former “Military President” Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Elder Peter Godsday Orubebe.

The process of sani sing the vote and making it count began with the cleanup of the voters register decades ago and con nuously ll date. There was a me when any vote-fraud could register in a dozen polling units and end up vo ng in all! In our Nigerian Voters Register, Michael Jackson and Muhammad Ali were once there as voters, complete with their portrait pictures, and they did vote!

All those were done away with on account of

the Permanent Voters Cards replacing Voters Slips that were printable at hundreds per penny. Today, we have voters register, accredita on and vo ng, and result announcement system that is not yet foolproof but has minimised ballot snatching, rigging and electoral violence. However, unscrupulous poli cians, and they are the majority, are forever hellbent finding ways to cut corners rather than follow the rules. Their stock in trade today remains harassment, crea ng climate of fear, in mida ons, violent assaults and basically vote-buying.

Today, all-round electronic vo ng system is possible, where there is no need for restricon of movement, expensive ballot papers and boxes, gargantuan manpower and security deployment, etc. A two- or three-days vo ng window is announced and every voter simply finds me, in those days, to go to Voting Centres to vote at any Vo ng Machines much like ATMs. You can vote anywhere you are in the country. Once you insert your Voter Card and put your face and fingers where designated, it recognises and accredits all your par culars and poling unit of choice, then the machine brings up your ballots, turn by turn, for all elec ve contests from President to Sate House of assembly, including allowed independent candidates. You click on your party/ person of choice for each elec ve posi on and when done, you simply press okay. No voided votes, no over-vo ng - no nega vi es; all correct, as they say.

But trust the majority of our poli cians; they will always have a problem for every so-

lu on! Network problem, rural areas, etc, will come up as excuses! It is the people that will eventually struggle to get us to that not far future of complete electronic vo ng – a day when the vote will significantly count, as no human system can be perfect, and devious poli cians will forever keep at their sabotaging hustles.

Between that future and today, it is clearly in the hands of the voters to make their votes count. The pi alls to avoid are clear: never sell your vote for any amount, be it N20,000 or much more or less. If you must collect money, collect and go and thumb print for your candidate of choice. Be courageous and refuse to be in midated with violence and threats of violence. Stand together and conduct yourselves with confidence, and peacefully so.

Wait at an allowed distance with clear view of the vote count and result announcement – which will be done loudly to everyone’s hearing, and the appropriate result sheets filled, photographed, and immediately transmi ed electronically to colla on portals.

Elec on is the people’s fes val of democracy. It is their judgement day for people holding their sovereign power in trust, and those seeking. The un-federal structure of Nigeria, its stunted economy and underdevelopment, mass poverty, ignorance, ethnic and religious divides - all manipulated and exploited by moneybags and reac onary poli cians - discolours its present democracy. However, when the people stand resolute, they take democracy one step further into a cleaner future. May the votes count.

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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