Osun Defender Online Version of October 21, 2022

News

Osun LG Poll: How APC Compromised Other Parties, Prevented Them From Nominating Candidates

Ali Ibrahim Adedolapo Bamisedun

SIXTEEN poli cal pares who had shown readiness in par cipating in the October 15 local government elec on in the State of Osun deliberately refused to nominate chairmanship and councillorship candidates for the poll, inves ga on has revealed.

None of the 16 polical par es fielded candidate for either chairman or councillor in the 69 local governments, Local Council Development Areas, Area Offices and the 332 wards across the state.

It would be recalled that the local government elecon was held for only APC chairmanship candidates, a development that necessitated the ‘Yes or No’ vote.

However, inves gaon by OSUN DEFENDER revealed that some of the poli cal par es had a deal with top government officials who asked them not to nominate candidates for the elec on.

According to sources among the affected pares, the government officials promised to allocate five councillorship posions to each of the polical par es if they did not field candidates.

But the deal, it was gathered, was struck out by the Chairman of the APC, Prince Gboyega Famodun, when he was informed.

Famodun, according to the sources, argued that allowing councillors from other poli cal par es in local government administra on could be dangerous, saying they could be used against the council chairman and the APC.

The APC chairman’s rejec on came a er the closure of nomina on and subs tu on of candidates, it was learnt.

However, Famodun reportedly agreed to alloca ng two Supervisory Councillors to each of the poli cal par es to compensate them for agreeing not to nominate candidates for the elec on.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and Allied Peoples Movement (APM), were not part of the deal.

The Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) and the Ac on Peoples Party (APP) had dragged the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission to court over the poll.

Chairman of one of the

poli cal par es told OSUN DEFENDER that: “We were called by some poli cal office holders in Governor Oyetola’s cabinet somemes in August. We were told to corporate with the governor and support the local government elec on.

“They promised each of us (poli cal par es) would be given five coun-

cillorship slot, and that we should not bother to nominate candidate for the elec on. We all agreed to that.

“About two weeks to the elec on, we were informed that the Chairman of the APC, Prince Famodun, has rejected the deal on the ground that he did not trust us – the opposi-

2023: Osun PDP Vows To Deliver State For Atiku

Yusuf Oketola

THE Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) in the State of Osun has vowed to deliver the state for the candidate of the party, Alhaji A ku Abubakar in the February 23, 2023 presiden al elec on.

Caretaker Chairman of the PDP in Osun, Dr. Adekunle Akindele, stated that over 1million votes would be delivered for A ku in the state.

Adekunle stated this during the launch of the A ku/Okowa Presidenal Campaign Council held at Imole House, Osogbo on Wednesday.

He stressed that the party has been instructed by the Governor-elect, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, to deliver over a million votes for A ku/ Okowa, no ng that they are set to achieve that.

The Chairman said: “We have the instrucons of his Excellently, the Chairman of the Campaign Council, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, to deliver over a million votes for the PDP presiden al candidate of our party. It is doable and we are

set to deliver.

“Our task is well spelt-out – deliver your unit at all cost. We are to take the campaign to the grassroots and ensure we turn out the votes for Alhaji A ku Abubakar. We have the full mandate of our Governor-elect who will be leading us from the front as the Chairman of the campaign council.”

Speaking at the event, the Governorelect, Adeleke, listed several reasons why

Nigeria needs an A ku presidency, just as he charged the council to deliver Osun for the PDP in the presiden al, Na onal and State Assembly elec ons.

Adeleke said: “Our victory at the governorship elec on will be incomplete unless we deliver at the federal level. As your Governor in Osun State, I need a President of our party at the federal level to support me to deliver our five-point agenda to the good people of Osun.

“An A ku presidency will strengthen our state and assist us to surmount the many challenges facing state governance.

“Nigeria needs an A ku presidency because he has the most updated, relevant and responsive manifesto among all presiden al contenders. His plan for Nigeria fits into the aspira ons of Osun people for restructuring of the federa on, for local government autonomy, for an -corrup on, for be er infrastructure, for na onal unity in diversity and for good governance.

“Our votes must go for A ku Abubakar because he is the most tested and trusted with sterling records of performance in and out of government. A combina on of A ku Abubakar and Dr Okowa at the presidency will take Nigeria to a prosperous level locally and interna onally.

“Let us march out as we did during the governorship elec on to again win Osun with even bigger margins for PDP.”

on par es. The meline for the nomina on of candidate has closed then.

“We were told that instead of the five councillorship slot, we will be given two Super (supervisory councillors) each a er the inaugura on of the chairmen. That is the stage we are.”

But the Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in the State, Mr Simeon Adebayo, said he was not aware of any deal with either the APC or the government. According to Adebayo, his party, Allied Peoples Movement (APM) could not nominate candidate for the local government elec on because of the ‘exorbitant fee’ for the nomina on form.

Adebayo noted that the APM and some other poli cal par es agreed to par cipate in the elecon based on the promise by the OSIEC Chairman, Mr Segun Oladitan, that the poll would be free, fair and credible.

of the huge amount to be paid for nomina on form. I even spoke with the OSIEC Chairman to reduce the amount but he refused.

“I am hearing for the first me, that some poli cal par es had deal with APC. I don’t know anything about that.”

When contacted, Mr. Kola Olabisi, the Spokesperson of the Osun APC Chairman, also denied any deal with the opposi-

•Atiku.

He said: “I am not aware of any deal with the government or APC. What I know is that my party was unable to nominate candidate because

on par es as regard the local government elecon.

Olabisi said the poli cal par es should be asked why they did not nominate candidates for the elec on, saying that the report of compromise is just an insinuaon that does not have effect.

He said: “APC did not enter into any alliance with other par es. For what? It is just an insinua on without substance. I am hearing that for the first me.”

•Some legal practitioners in a keep fit exercise, as part of activities marking the 2022 Legal Year of the Osun State Judiciary, at the High Court premises, Osogbo, on Wednesday.

Photo Shola Aderinto

Out Of Osun Something New!

WE are taking liber es here with the o en cited observa on of the Roman Emperor Pliny who said that “out of Africa there is always something new”. The chequered history of the State of Osun has seen many twists and turns; they include electoral sleights of hand, never ending elec on pe ons tribunals and the bizarrely termed “ inconclusive elecon”.

Last Saturday, there was yet another innova on, the design of a ballot paper for a hurriedly put together local government elec on which looked more like the Yes or No op ons used in a referendum than what is associated with an elec on. The few amount of voters who took part in this incursion into the theatre of the absurd must have been befuddled. This is certainly a first in Nigeria, sadly, it is reminiscent of the show piece “elec ons” associated with totalitarianism.

The exercise is a setback for anyone’s concep on of a democracy and must never happen again. Furthermore, the costs-benefits analysis of this exercise does not add up. It certainly does not favour economic development and fiscal prudence. The amount spent on the exercise will have created some agro industrial co age industries and the mul plier effect in terms of direct and indirect employment as well as revenue genera on will have been immense. This is the way to achieve the goals of sustainable development.

Fundamentally, our democracy is not developing. And it was not always like

“The amount spent on the exercise will have created some agro industrial cottage industries and the multiplier effect in terms of direct and indirect employment as well as revenue generation will have been immense”

OPINION

B Y BY K A N M I KANMI A D E M I L U Y I ADEMILUYI

Nigeria’s Awful Innovation Index

THE latest Global Innova on Index 2022, a highly rated review published a few days ago, brings predictably awful news. Nigeria did not rank among the top 10 in Africa and was ranked 114 globally! Observing the report, Arise Television’s cerebral economic analyst, Chika Mbonu responded that “ the chickens have come home to roost”.

His exaspera on is widely shared and reflects the conven onal wisdom. It has been a long me coming. The irony is not lost that the publica on of the report coincides with the “suspension” of the eight months strike embarked upon by the union of public sector university teachers. Obviously, the African countries placed above Nigeria do not shut down their universies for months on end.

“Our development finance institutions must set up special desks to fund start-ups and the tech sector. Apart from “angel funding” as well as venture capital, they are in a position to provide the long-term capital and equity funds (the cheapest form of capital) very much needed even indispensable”

this. In the nineteen-fifes, the regional governments lost seats and control of local governments, even though they and not the central authority had cons tuted the electoral bodies.

In addi on, in a func oning federalism, the state electoral commissions and not an ubiquitous central electoral commission in our case, the Independent Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC) could be conduc ng na onal elecons and sending the results to INEC for colla on. Once again, the pro - federalist argument has been obstructed.

We will have to grin and bear it. Nevertheless, the verdict of history will be harsh on all those complicit in the heist last Saturday.

In this manner, the disaster was foretold. What is disturbing is that a poli cal elite fixated on elec ons and weaned on rent-seeking will not ask the problem-solving ques on which is, “what is to be done?” There is not yet an indica on from any of the contestants for the presidency that innovaon and compe veness are high on their list of priori es, this is ridiculous for a country that has signed the Africa Free Trade Agreement and is hobbled by frighteningly high youth unemployment and underemployment.

Other African countries are powering on! A few weeks ago, the outgoing government of President Uhuru Kenya a admirably ini ated a policy thrust making introduc on into Coding mandatory from the age of four. Countries like Rwanda have for long blazed the trail with a determined gait.

It ma ers of course for the compe veness of any economy in twenty years is a reflec on of today’s educaon. No wonder Arise TV’s Chika Mbonu was petrified. Nigeria must play catch up. This will start from the bottom up. Coding must be taught from primary school. A determined effort must be made to train a special corps of teachers to do this. There must be a comprehensive curriculum revamp. The private sector should be giving tax credits to assist the government to fund the ini a ve.

Efforts have to be intensified on the ease-of-doing-business front, a lot s ll has to be done. Furthermore, our development finance ins tu ons must set up special desks to fund start-ups and the tech sector. Apart from “angel funding” as well as venture capital, they are in a posi on to provide the long-term capital and equity funds (the cheapest form of capital) very much needed even indispensable.

OSUN DEFENDER

So far, the usually garrulous spokespersons have not responded to this review. This says a lot. The issue is far too important to be le to the establishment alone. During the an cipated debates ahead among the presiden al candidates, special focus must be beamed on this area and thorough responses must be insisted upon.

Right now, we are not prepared for the future and this is unfair to genera on next as well as to the quest for social cohesion and the desire for peaceful coexistence in one na on.

Ipetu-Ijesa Residents Alert Govt On Dilapidated Omi-Elede Road

RESIDENTS of Ipetu-Ijesa in Oriade local government area of the State of Osun have appealed to both Federal and State governments to rehabilitate Omi-Elede road along Ondo-Osun expressway.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the road has become a death trap to motorists and commuters plying it in the last three years.

It was noted that potholes and craters have taken over the road, when visited on Wednesday.

Our reporter also sighted four faulty vehicles, at different spots on the road.

The medium also gathered that there was a kidnapping incident on the road on October 12, 2022, a development that threw the community in panic.

A resident of IpetuIjesa, Mr. Muhideen Adisa, in an interview with the medium, said the road has been neglected by the government for the past three years, no ng that people have resulted to self-help in fixing it.

He said: “This road

has been abandoned for the past three years and its condi on has made it to be a hideout for criminals who perpetrate all forms of evil acts here. Travellers plying this route are not safe anymore.

“We appeal to the Federal and State Government to wake up to their responsibility by fixing this road on me.

We have resulted into self-help by ge ng laterite to fill some of the bad por ons but it doesn’t last. The government s ll need to intervene”.

The Chairman of Naonal Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the local government, Comrade Idris Olaniyan, stated that the deplorable

condi on of the road has caused a lot of accidents.

Olaniyan noted that the poor condi on of the road has become a nightmare for the residents, especially farmers and other business owners in the area.

He said a lot of businesses have shutdown because of fear of kidnappers that have made

CUPP Cautions Osun APC On Threat To Impeach Adeleke

THE Coali on of United Poli cal Par es (CUPP) has cau oned the All Progressives Congress (APC) on what it described as threat to impeach the State of Osun Governorelect, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, over purported move to dissolve the elected local government officials in the State.

In a statement by its Spokesman in the State of Osun, Ikenga Ugochinyere, CUPP described the threat of impeachment against Adeleke as a provoca ve joke.

Describing Oyetola as a worst loser who is busy se ng traps here and there for the incoming Governor, CUPP said the governor is figh ng a lost and imaginary battle, charging him to focus on vaca ng office next month.

The statement reads in part: “Oyetola and the APC are figh ng a lost ba le, Oyetola stole Adeleke’s mandate in 2018, four years later, he

wants to repeat same.

“Oyetola and his APC led administra on should gear up to vacate office gracefully on November 26, rather than disgrac-

ing himself. The Osun gubernatorial elec on held in July was free and fair. The people voted for who they want, Adeleke.

“When Adeleke is sworn in as Governor, he has the right to do what he wants. A er all

the conduct of the local government poll was marred with illegality. The threats of impeachment cannot validate the recently concluded Osun local government poll that held in Oyetola’s bedroom.”

the route a hideout.

Olaniyan said: “This road is what fetch us money. All our members ply this route on daily basis. But the road is not good at all to the extent that kidnappers and human traffickers always perpetuate their evil acts every night. Some travellers were kidnapped last night.

“We appeal to both federal and state government of Osun to come to our aid by fixing this road. The road links to many other towns. It also leads to Ondo State, Ore and those going to Port Harcourt and Benin from Ipetu-ijesa.

“Many vehicles and travellers do spend days on this spot because of the condi on of the

road. Any me a vehicle is moving out of our motor park, we do seek for the cover of security agencies to monitor them through this route.

“A lot of heavy duty vehicles have stuck on this road. Some of our members are always here to assist vehicles that stuck on daily basis and to do some li le fixing on the road”

Also, some of drivers plying the road appealed to governments at all level to re-construct the road, no ng that their lives and proper es are in danger.

One of the drivers, Mr. Rafiu Adewale, said: “The road was repaired some years ago when we called the a en on of Osun and Ondo government to it. But now, it is worse than before to the extent that armed robbers and kidnappers have been taking advantage of the condi on of the road to perpetrate their evil acts.

“We don’t have another road. It is this road that we are using to take care of ourselves and family. The government should please help us to fix it. We have recorded more than four accidents on this road.”

A trader, Mrs Funke Johnson, stated that some of them selling food items on the road are living in fear and cannot stay beyond 6pm.

According to Johnson, traders do stay ll 7:30pm on the road before it became a spot where criminal elements perpetrate their crimes because of its condi on.

Ife Residents Seek Govt. Attention On Deplorable Road

Kazeem Badmus

RESIDENTS of Kajola in Ife Central Local Government Area of the State of Osun have called on the State Government to come to their aid over the deplorable condi on networking roads in the area.

This is just as they lamented the hardship motorists and other road users have been facing since the bridge on one of the roads collapsed.

According to the residents, the bad roads had become death traps to their users.

They claimed that no fewer than two road users had died a er their vehicle and motorcycle fell inside a ditch.

In an interview with newsmen, the tradi onal ruler of the area, Oba

Olusegun Taiwo Makinde, Olu of Kajola, Akile Eleweran, disclosed that a driver and a commercial motorcycle rider fell inside the ditch and died in March, this year.

Oba Makinde said armed robbers have been taking advantage of the poor roads to rob motorists and passengers, saying it was high me the state government rose to their rescue.

The monarch said the road between Ooni Layout and Eleweran area is in a deplorable condi on with craters that have been causing accidents.

According to him, “some suspected Fulani men have been robbing people using the road. This Ede road has become a death trap for all of us living in the area.

“There is no road for us

to pass again. It is affec ng our journey in this area. Most commercial drivers refuse to enter our community because of bad roads. They prefer taking Ibadan road and we have to spend extra money to get home.

“The state government should come to our aid. This bridge is old and it has collapsed. We have to show danger signs by tying a rope around it. Notwithstanding, motorists, who are new in the area, have been falling into the ditch

there.

“At least, two persons died in March this year on the collapsed bridge. Some people now take advantage of the bad road to rob motorists and commuters. Government should come to our aid.”

Yusuf Oketola

Ismaeel Uthman

I Was Being Used By Spirit, Says 23-Yr-Old Who Stabbed Apprentice To Death In Iwo

Ismaeel Uthman

IT is a major prayer among the Yorubas that “May we not have encounter with a person that is cursed or under spell”. The prayer is frequently said by old and young Yorubas to the extent that so many of them do not even know its deep meaning, un l event unfolds.

The importance of such prayer resonated in Iwo, State of Osun, when a 23-year old barber, Abdulafeez Shorinmade, stabbed a tailoring appren ce, Rasaq Rofiyat, to death. The incident happened at Kajola area, Iwo, on Wednesday, October 12, 2022.

Shorinmade who was not in a bloody fight with anybody, stabbed Rofiyat in the neck and fled the scene.

The deceased, a 17year-old was returning home from the shop where she was learning tailoring around 8:30pm when Shorinmade saw and a acked her with a pair of scissors.

Rofiyat was not the only vic m of Shorinmade. A er stabbing the deceased, the suspect fled and went ahead to stab 18-year-old Sawiyu Nasrup at Soba area of Iwo. Nasrup was stabbed on her chin. Shorinmade was arrested by police a er attacking his second vic m. He was paraded at the police headquarters, Osogbo on Tuesday.

In an interview with OSUN DEFENDER, the suspect confessed to commitng the crime.

He said: “I am a barber. On the day of the incident, I was in shop when I heard a strange voice telling me to do evil. I le the shop and went to mosque to pray.

“A er praying, I le for my shop and on my way, the strange spirit started direc ng me. The spirit first led me to where I picked some broken bottles. A er that, I saw a scissors on the road and I also picked it. I saw a lady and I stabbed her with the scissors, I ran away a er stabbing her.

“I got back to my shop and decide to go home but the spirit was s ll directing me. On my way to my house, I saw another lady in front of me, I followed her to a secluded place and I stabbed her.

“I had taken Indian hemp before carrying out the evil act. I do hear the strange voice whenever I took Indian hemp.”

However, the family of the deceased has called on the police to ensure that jus ce is done on the ma er.

A member of the family, Kamoru Adeleke, who claimed to be an elder brother to the deceased, said the family is devastated on Rofiat’s death.

He said: “I am Rofiyat’s elder brother. She was the last born of the family. She was learning tailoring and coming from her shop when the incident happened.

“On that Wednesday, she went to work and did not return home on me; she always arrived home early. But she was not home at about 8:30pm on that day. That kept the people worried.

“Her mother le the house to trace her to her shop but when she got

out, she met some people who were talking about someone who was just killed around that area.

“She decided to go to the place and on ge ng there, the person turned out to be her daughter.

People at the scene told her that it was one Afeez who stabbed her to death. I was called on phone and when I got to the scene, the police came with a bus and we took the dead body to the mortuary.

“At the mortuary, we were told the doctor was not around and that the emergency vehicle to go and bring him back was faulty. We had to take the corpse back to the police sta on that night.

“The following day, we went back to the mortuary but they rejected us again, telling us they don’t have the chemical to embalm the body.

“I asked them how much we were to pay to buy the chemical and they said N35,000. I told them that I didn’t have the money with me, and I promised to give them later, so they

Osun Visually Impaired Association Demands Jobs, Support From Govt.

THE Nigeria Associa on of the Blind in the State of Osun has appealed to the State Governor, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, to consider them on the ongoing recruitment processes in the State.

Members of the associa on made this known in a request

le er while marking the 2022 Interna onal White Cane Day, on Wednesday, in Osogbo.

While tasking the state government on the need to ensure domes ca on of Discrimina on Against Persons With Disabilies Prohibi on Act in Nigeria, the visuallyimpaired ci zens also urged the Governor

to grant them scholarships.

They maintained that they could not be relegated to begging for alms.

Chairman of the associa on in the State, Mr. Akinola Adekunle, while speaking during a lecture on the theme: “The Visually Impaired and the Safety Cane,” commended the state government for the support they have received.

Adekunle also urged the government to accelerate efforts on the domes ca on of the disability act.

He said: “We thank Governor Oyetola for what he has been doing, but we need more support. The Na onal Discriminaon Against Persons with Disabili es (Prohibi on) Act has provided solu ons to our challenges and that’s why we are calling on our governor to write his name in gold in the few days he has in office by ensuring that this bill is passed into law in Osun.

“We also want Nigerians to support the blind by offering them assistance in the public places. We want them to know that we are part of the society and we have a lot to offer. There is ability in our disability and we want the government to provide job opportuni es for blind people that are qualified.”

accepted the corpse.”

Speaking further, Adeleke said: “That same Thursday, we went back to the police sta on; the police in charge of the case asked us to pay N5,000 for the statement paper. I was wondering why we have to pay and we started dragging it and it got to a point where we got annoyed and le the sta on.

“We headed to the palace of Oluwo to inform the king about the development and it was at the palace they called the DPO. The DPO said he wasn’t aware the police demanded money from us. He asked us to come back to the sta on. At the sta on, the DPO apologised and a ended to us.

“The case was transferred to State Criminal Inves ga on Department, Osogbo. When we got there, Afeez was interviewed and confessed to killing Rofiyat with scissors.

“The police asked why he killed her and he said it was a spirit that asked him to kill her.

“We want the government to ensure that jusce is done on the case. We don’t want to be cheated.”

Oyetola Appoints Odetayo As OSPOLY Substantive Rector

Kazeem Badmus

D R. Tajudeen Odetayo has been appointed the sixth substan ve Rector of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree.

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola approved Odetayo’s appointment on Wednesday, according to a press statement signed by the State Head of Service, Dr. Festus Olowogboyega Oyebade.

THE bill for the establishment of a Federal College of Agriculture in Ijebu-Ijesa, State of Osun, has passed third reading during the plenary session of the House of Representa ves in Abuja, on Wednesday.

The bill was sponsored by the lawmaker represen ng Oriade/Obokun

Federal Cons tuency, Hon. Wole Oke, tled: “A Bill for An Act to Provide for Establishment of Federal College of Agriculture, Ijebu-Ijesha, and for related ma ers”.

The bill is now set to get the Senate concurrence to see it through to the President for his assent.

Oke, who is elated that the bill has passed third reading, stressed the need

for knowledge acquision in the agriculture sector, sta ng that Osun was known for its agricultural exploits.

He said there is urgent need to establish the College of Agriculture to ensure the teeming and future agriculturalists have a suitable place to acquire needed knowledge in industrial agriculture pracce and related ma ers.

Adekunle maintained that there are a lot of educated people among them.

“We have lawyers, journalists and other professionals among us and all they need is encouragement and support. In Osun, we don’t have blind schools, we need one,” Adekunle added.

Odetayo, a former Deputy Rector, was first appointed the Ac ng. Rector of the ins tu on following the expira on of the tenure and subsequent re rement of Dr. Woye Olaniran, the former Rector.

He was born on June 22, 1962. He is a na ve of Ode-Omu in Ayedaade Local Government area of the State.

Odetayo holds a Doctorate Degree in Educa onal Planning and Policy from the University of Ibadan, and another Ph.D in Management Science from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso.

Federal College Of Agriculture, Ijebu-Ijesa Bill Passes Third Reading

•An accident scene at Technical area, Osogbo.

Photo Shola Aderinto

Yusuf Oketola

Yusuf Oketola

•Rofiyat, victim.•Abdulafeez, suspect.

Reformation

Aregbesola’s Jail Decongestion Move Deserves Swift ActionI

T is an open secret that Nigeria’s notoriously overcrowded prisons — rechristened as correc onal centres in 2019 — need a comprehensive deconges on strategy. In a fresh acknowledgement of this open sore, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has just enunciated a programme that aims to facilitate the quick release of 30 per cent of the detainees. According to him, the ministry will collaborate with the 36 states to achieve the goal. This is a welcome ini a ve deserving of total stakeholder support. The major challenge for Aregbesola is to ensure a quick and efficient implementa on.

Given successive Nigerian governments’ dreadful record in seeing through desirable policies, the minister and the state governors should strongly resolve to make a difference with this ini a ve.

Evidence abounds that many Nigerians are wrongly incarcerated. From those arrested by callous police officers on flimsy grounds, o en on legally undefined offences, to the sluggish jus ce system, a high percentage of inmates have no business behind bars. Aregbesola should do all within his power to get such detainees out quickly.

At 46.6 per cent, stealing is reportedly the leading crime in Nigeria, followed by assault, at 19.9 per cent. These are cases that the judiciary should dispense with quickly. Rather, it allows these suspects to overburden the correc onal centres and the taxpayer.

The sta s cs are grim. Many detainees languish in jail for years without the benefit of a trial. As of October 10, there were 76,031 persons behind bars in the 253 custodial centres na onwide, out of which 74,432 are males and 1,599 females, says the Nigerian Correc onal Service. This data does not explain the prevailing unjustness at the custodial centres.

Bizarrely, 53,063 persons, represen ng 70 per cent of the detainees, are awai ng trial. This leaves 22,968 persons or just 30 per cent as the convicts. This is excessively dispropor onate; prisons are primarily meant to keep out convicts from harming society, not to punish innocent persons accused of crime. The law presumes everyone is innocent unless otherwise pronounced by a competent court; keeping suspects in jail interminably, therefore, is an egregious human rights viola on. To worsen the laxity, those condemned to death are usually not executed or pardoned.

Over me, this has aggravated the social condi ons

•Being an editorial of PUNCH Newspaper, Tuesday, October 18, 2022 edition

in the prisons. Dangerously, minor offenders and pe y thieves are locked up together with hardened criminals, in some cases, even with bloodthirsty terrorists. In the July 5 a ack on the Kuje Correc onal Centre in the FCT, terrorists freed over 800 persons, including 69 Boko Haram detainees.

Lumping diehard terrorists with those arrested for minor infrac ons has consequences. At other centres, non-violent offenders and minors are incarcerated with violent kidnappers, militants, and armed robbers. Giving a first-hand experience, Joshua Dariye, a former governor of Plateau State, who was recently granted state pardon, recalled, “If you take people to a correc onal centre, you are supposed to come out reformed, not hardened. Most of the young men there come out worse than when they went in, and I don’t think that’s the essence of taking people to prison.”

Therefore, pe y offenders not only end up crowding the prisons, but they also graduate to become more hardened. It is a primary reason for escala ng recidivism in the country. While South Africa has a re-offending rate of 87-90 per cent, a 2019 report by the European Journal of Scien fic Research said the rate of recidivism for singles was 58.4 per cent. With no visible programmes, either at the centre or at the sub-na onal level to reintegrate them into the community, they become a potent threat to society.

The success of Aregbesola’s proposal depends on other ins tu ons coopera ng – the state governors, the judiciary, and the police. According to him, 90 per cent of the awai ng trial persons commi ed state offences. “I have wri en to the Nigerian Governors Forum to allow me to come and address them on how they can support the process of deconges on,” the minister said. In the li le me he has le in office, he should pursue the project with vigour.

Simultaneously, Nigeria needs to implement wideranging custodial reforms, the goal of the rebranding by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.). Among other things, the Nigerian Correc onal Service Act

Crime

Osun NSCDC Parades Petrol Attendant Over N120,000 Theft

THE State of Osun Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Tuesday, paraded a 46-year-old petrol attendant, Odejide Oluwole, for allegedly stealing a sum of N120,000 belonging to his employer.

Oluwole, according to NSCDC State Commandant, Sunday Agboola, absconded with the money being the proceed of petrol sold on October 9, 2022.

The NSCDC boss said: “He absconded from the sta on under pretence that he wanted to buy food but was later arrested on Monday, October 10, 2022 at CMS junc on area, Osogbo.”

Another suspect, 33year-old Bamidele Kayode, was also paraded a er being arrested by officers of the command in Ila-Orangun on October 12, 2022, in possession of stolen items.

The items included one Sony DVD player, one zealot MP3, one Luxer Plasma TV with stand, two remote control and 1 to 1 cable.

The suspect, according to Agboola, “confessed to have gone into the house of one Dada (principal sus-

pect and currently at large) in Ila-Orangun based on his instruc on to help him pack those items from his room for safe-keeping because of the leaking roof of his house to avoid being damaged by excessive rainfall”.

Also, a 32-year-old man, Olajide Samuel, was paraded for burgling the house of one Mrs. Eunice Olamide, on September 18, 2022 at Iloko-Ijesa.

The suspect who was ar-

rested through mobile tracking allegedly stole a Techno F1 phone and some money.

The NSCDC boss de-

clared that the suspects will be charged to court upon comple on of their invesga ons.

PUBLICATION

OLAWUYI ABIODUN ISAIAH ABANISE OYINDAMOLA SULIYAT

That JOSEPH ABIODUN BOLUWATIFE AND OLAWUYI ABIODUN ISAIAH are the same person but now wish to be known and addressed as OLAWUYI ABIODUN ISAIAH. All former documents remainvalid.General public should take note.

That I was formerlyknown and addressed as ABANISE OYINDAMOLA. With former Date of Birth 01/10/1995. Now wish to be known and addressed as ABANISE OYINDAMOLA SULIYAT. With correct Date of Birth 01/10/1998. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

2019 empowers a state controller of the NCoS to reject intakes if a correc onal centre is filled up. This is a pragma c provision that if strictly implemented, will dissuade the police, who recklessly arrest people or do the bidding of egos cal VIPs filing flippant complaints against innocents.

Ul mately, Nigeria should carry out a cons tu on amendment. Illogically, the 1999 Cons tu on puts prisons on the Exclusive Legisla ve List, an anomaly in a federa on. The prisons should be devolved such that there will be federal, state and/or local correc on centres.

Undoubtedly, Nigeria’s custodial centres are horrible pigs es. Avoiding this, many countries priori se prison reform. The World Popula on Review recommends the Norwegian reform model, a system it describes as the best globally. There, the prisons resemble country homes with no iron bars. In Norway, recidivism is reckoned to be the lowest in the world. Prisoners can cook their own food, wear their own clothes (no prison uniforms), use computers, TVs, undertake academic ac vi es and entertain conjugal visits.

Likewise, in Germany, inmates are given me to go home at weekends. China, reputed for a low incarceraon figure, promotes the wri ng of reflexive autobiographies to re-orientate the minds of inmates to decent causes.

In a devolved system, these are ideals that the federal and state governments should pursue. States especially should design and implement programmes to reduce recidivism, mount campaigns against s gma sa on of ex-convicts and help them with a means of livelihood. Governments should build more correc onal centres to aid deconges on; minors should never be herded into prisons but placed in hospitable remand homes.

The police hierarchy should clamp down on its officers who arrest persons thoughtlessly; magistrates should inves gate cases in detail before sending suspects to prison. State chief judges and governors should exercise their mandates to regularly visit prisons and police deten on cells to release those deserving of early release.

Commercial Motorcyclist Murdered, Bury In Thick Forest

Yusuf Oketola

Acommercial motorcyclist from Ile-Ife, State of Osun, Yakubu Zakariyau, has been murdered by two suspected armed robbers.

Zakariyau was buried inside a thick forest with his mobile phone in Ibadan, Oyo State, a er been killed by the armed robbery suspects.

The deceased, according to the police, was declared missing on July 4, 2022 through a pe on by his father who said his son le Ile-Ife to Oyo State at about 09:30am on the same date after he received an urgent call from an unknown number (08100079001).

Parading one of the suspects on Tuesday, at the police headquarters, Osogbo, the Police Public Rela ons Officer, Osun Command, Mrs. Yemisi Opalola, said Zakariyau’s father said somebody called his son on phone to come and pick him and he never returned home since then.

Opalola said: “On July 4, 2022, the complaint reported through a pe on that his son, one Yakubu Zakariyau, now deceased; who was a commercial motorcyclist in Ile- Ife, Osun State and

Ibadan, Oyo State le home on the same date at 09:30 hrs a er receiving an urgent call from an unknown number (08100079001) to come and pick him.

“Since then, he has never returned home and sweats made to detect him proved unproduc ve.

“Immediately the report was received, Police detecve from An -Kidnapping sec on swung into ac on and through diligently and scien fically anatomized intelligence led inves ga on, the Police opera ve was able to arrest one of the suspects, one Akinola Michael in Ibadan.

“He confessed to have concertedly killed the departed with one Alekuso Ro mi now at large at Ogundipe Zone II area, Egbeda L.G.A, Ibadan with hammer and buried him with his phone in a thick forest while his Bajaj motorcycle was taken down by the suspects.

“Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to arrest other conspirators”.

The arrested suspect, Akinola disclosed to journalists during the parade that the deceased was killed with hammer.

Kazeem Badmus

•The suspects.

Xavi Admits He would Understand Barcelona Sacking

BARCELONA

Manager, Xavi Hernandez, has admi ed he would understand if Barcelona sacked him amidst their inconsistent run, but has pledged to give everything to fix the situa on.

Barcelona are going through a rough patch of form and have suffered heavy setbacks in the last couple of weeks which has put Xavi under pressure.

They are a step away from Champions League elimina on after failing to beat Inter on two occasions and now trail Real Madrid in La Liga, a er losing

the first El - Clasico of the season.

The former Barcelona midfielder is aware of the poten al consequences, especially after a summer spending spree that was given the green light, a er Barca sold off financial assets, but remains determined to transform the team into a formidable force once again.

When asked if he would understand if Barca decided to relieve him of his du es, Xavi told a press conference: “Of course. It’s football. People on the street raise their fists at me as a sign of en-

couragement. Now we have to con nue and face reality, but I’m always posi ve. With the effort made by the club & the squad we have, we have to compete for trophies.

“And if we don’t win, as the president [Joan Laporta] said, there will be consequences, star ng with me.

If we don’t win, another coach will come in. But I am going to give everything so that this works.’’

Ballon D’Or: Super Falcons Striker, Oshoala Ranked 16th Best In the World

The ceremony was held in the French capital of Paris on Monday night, October 17. The 28-year-old Super Falcons striker arrived at the Theatre du Chatelet in the company of some of her Barcelona Femeni teammates - including Alexia Putellas, who took home the award.

Oshoala was the only African that made the top 20, as she has been impressive for her Spanish club in recent mes.

The former Arsenal Ladies’ forward was all smiles throughout the night, suppor ng her teammate who scooped the award for a sec-

Ronaldo Returning To Man United, A Great Mistake - Fans React

SUPPORTERS of Manchester United are divided over the behaviour of Chris ano Ronaldo a er failing to be involved when the Red Devils silenced Spurs.

Manchester United’s 2-0 win over To enham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Wednesday night was overshadowed by Crisano Ronaldo’s behaviour with four minutes to play.

Goals from Fred and Bruno Fernandes had all but confirmed a Premier League win at home, but this wasn’t enough to keep the 37-year-old Por-

tugal interna onal happy.

Having been le on the bench up to that point, he stormed down the tunnel in the 90th minute.

His ac ons sparked a heated debate on social media; while some felt Ronaldo was right in his measure a er being ‘disrespected’ by the Red Devils manager, Erik ten Hag, others slammed him.

This season, the veteran forward has featured for Manchester United eight mes in the Premier League and scored just once.

Our

ond consecu ve year.

However, the Ikoroduborn forward has won a record five of CAF Player of the Year awards.

Qatar FIFA World Cup: 2.9m Tickets Sold Less Than A month To kick Off

NEARLY 2.9 million ckets have been sold for the World Cup, leaving about 7% of seats s ll available, a month before the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

People living in the United States, Saudi Arabia and England topped the list of interna onal cket buyers, while Mexico was the biggest market outside Qatar for corporate hospitality sales.

More ckets will become available before the tournament starts on Nov. 20, FIFA’s tournament Director, Colin Smith, said at a news conference in Doha held with Qatari organizers.

Tickets can typically become available late because stakeholders such as sponsors and FIFA member federa ons return them from their quotas.

About 1.2 million interna-

onal visitors are expected in Qatar for the 29-day tournament with extra accommoda on s ll being added to avoid a shortage of rooms in the ny emirate.

Qatari officials said 2million separate room nights have already been sold to fans — in hotels, apartments, cruise ships, and some camping sites — with 30,000 room op ons now added to the capacity.

Those new rooms added a total capacity of about 1million room nights, said Yasir Al Jamal, Director General of the Qatari organizing commi ee.

Organizers said an innovaon for this World Cup will be a central base for consular services with 45 countries represented by their embassy staff, in an exhibi on hall in the downtown West Bay area.

Academic Calendar Attracting Admission Seekers - UNIOSUN VC

THE Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Prof Clement Adebooye, has said that about 23,400 prospec ve students have applied to the University for an admission quota of over 6,000 for 2022/2023 academic session.

Adebooye stated this just as he noted that the sudden rise in the number of students seeking admission into the university is not unconnected with the seamless academic calendar of the ins tu on.

The VC stated this while addressing journalists at the main campus of the university in Osogbo, on Tuesday.

Unveiling some of the recent successes recorded by the university, Adebooye said UNIOSUN has secured the Na onal Universi es Commission’s accredita on of 18 new undergraduates and 11 post-graduate pro-

grammes.

He said: “The number of prospec ve students on our portal is over 23,400. Those who have done and processed our post- UTME stand at 12, 084, so the patronage is huge.”

The VC also men oned the success recorded by Obayomi Suliat Adeola, a 400 Level student and Mojoro Faith Afolakemi, a 300 Level student from the Department of Food Science and Technology, who emerged the overall winner of the 2022 edi on of the Grand Na onal Academic Compe on organized by the Na onal Ins tute of Food Science and Technology, defea ng other 49 terary ins tu ons that parcipated.

He commended the staff of the university for their commitment, assuring that the tempo of development would be sustained in a bid to improve on the successes already recorded.

NIGERIAN internaonal, Asisat Oshoala, was ranked 16th best at the 2022 Women’s Ballon d’Or.

•Xavi

Yusuf Oketola

• Pastor (Prof.) Emmanuel Ogolo, his wife, Pastor Clement Ademoluti and his wife, during their send-off programme at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Christ Life Zonal Headquarters, Neubertosh area, Ofatedo, in Egbedore Local Government of the State of Osun, recently.

PHOTO Shola Aderinto

•Oshoala

•Ronaldo

THE ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State and Osun Independent Electoral Commission have defended the council elec ons they conducted on Saturday, 15th October, 2022 by ci ng Sec on 106 (1) of the 2022 Electoral Act which states, “A candidate for an elec on to the office of the Chairman shall be deemed to have been duly elected to the office where being the only candidate nominated for the elec on he or she has – (a) a majority of YES votes over NO votes cast at the elec on; and (b) not less than one-third votes cast at the elec on in each of at least two-thirds of all the wards in the Area Council: Provided that where the only candidate fails to be elected in accordance with this subsec on, then, there shall be fresh nomina on.”

Yes, they are very correct but this is half truth. The whole truth is that one cannot start building construc on from the roof; it must begin from a solid founda on. Secons 28 and 29 of same Electoral Act that have to do with no ce of elec on state: (Sec on 28) “The Commission shall, not later than 360 days before the appointed for holding of an elec on under this Act, publish a no ce in each State of the Federa on and the Federal Capital Territory –(a) sta ng the date of the elec on; and (b) appoin ng the place at which nomina on papers are to be delivered.” And in Sec on 29(1), “Every poli cal party shall, not later than 180 days before the date appointed for a general elec on under this Act, submit to the Commission, in the prescribed Forms, the list of the candidates the party proposes to sponsor at the elec ons, who must have emerged from valid primaries conducted by the poli cal party.”

In prepara on for last council elec ons in the state, OSIEC had on Wednesday, 18th October, 2017 at a mee ng with representa ves of all poli cal par es, observed by the OSIEC Chairman, the same Chief Segun Oladitan, called for sugges ons of possible date to fix for council elec ons so as to give room for the mandatory 90 days period as required by 2010 Electoral Act to be used for the elec on then. Hence, 27th January, 2018 was jointly considered and adopted by OSIEC and all poli cal par es present.

The 2010 Electoral Act as amended in 2015 used to conduct the elec ons states in Sec on 30(1) “The Commission shall, not later than 90 days before the day appointed for holding elec on under this Act, publish a no ce in each State of the Federa on and the Federal Capital Territory.”

The 3-year tenure of those elected to the councils on 27th January, 2018 was to expire by 5th February, 2021. Instead of organising another elec on back-to-back to the councils as s pulated by 1999 Cons tuon as amended and with OSIEC readiness to conduct elec ons, Governor Gboyega Oyetola rather looked away. In fact, if there was someone who didn’t want democra c elec on conduct in council, it is the outgo-

“A politician can have his/ her breakfast in APC, lunch in PDP and dinner in ADP in a single day. Anyway, November 27 is fast approaching; we shall see how events will unfold.”

Osun Council Elections: Issues Involved

ing Governor Oyetola. He preferred handpicking his cronies as LG Caretaker Commi ees which he had con nued to renew every six-month. As a ma er of fact, Mr. Oyetola s ll wrote the State Assembly in June 2022 for another six months extension of his council caretaker commi ees tenure which was to expire on 12th July, 2022 – 4 days to July 16 governorship elec on. The sudden change of mind and despera on of Mr. Oyetola to conduct council elec ons at all cost, legally or illegally, is understandable. Having been defeated in the July 16 governorship elec on by Senator Ademola Adeleke of the PDP, there was a need to put some structures on ground, especially at the grassrootsso as to be formidable in the forthcoming 2023 general elec ons. But you cannot have your cake and eat it (too). Oyetola and his OSIEC should have followed due process and 2022 Electoral Act to conduct the elec ons which would have been impossible, anyway, as Oyetola would have vacated Government House by the s pulated me frame in the Act.

Inves ga ons revealed that the outgoing governor Oyetola had series of meetings with the leadership of other poli cal par es apart from the PDP in Okefia Government House with the agenda to carry them along by making them partake in the council elec ons via conceding to them some councillorship posi ons. However, the parley hit a brick wall as Oyetola/Famodun APC fac on was too greedy and not ready to cede any posi on. Hence, only the APC contested the October 15 council elec ons. Even within its household - Famodun/Oyetola APC- where more than one person bought nomina on forms, no primaries were conducted but candidates were imposed on the members which led to series of protests ll the so-called Elecon Day.

Every discerning mind knows that one can’t build something on nothing. From the foregoing, s pulated no ce for elecon as stated in 2022 Electoral Act was not followed. The incoming PDP administra on will certainly not fold its hands.

It had already threatened to dissolve the council chiefs next month when it assumes power - 27th November, 2022. APC had also reacted that its members in the House of Assembly would impeach the PDP Governor should he a empt dissolu on. It is instruc ve to note that APC will s ll enjoy majority in the State House of Assembly ll 2023 general elec ons. Hence, the threat of impeachment could not be taken with levity. These days, however, no Governor would fold his/ her hands and allow legislators impeach him/her especially on poli cally movated ma er like this; he has sufficient execu ve powers to make sure it never happens, irrespec ve of the chaos it may occasion. It is the improperly conducted elec on that will be blamed. In Nigeria history, there were only seven Governor Impeachment cases, which mainly happened in 2006 (Fi h Republic), with the last one, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa in July, 2014. For the records, the following is the list: Balarabe Musa of Kaduna - 23/6/1981; Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Balyelsa - 9/12/2005; Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo - 12/1/2006; Ayo Fayose of Eki -16/10/2006; Peter Obi of Anambra2/11/2006; and Joshua Dariye of Plateau -13/11/2006.

With the enormous power vested in the hands of the execu ves – President and Governors – their impeachments will take a yeoman job, sacrifice and determina on from the legislators. But gone were the days. Nowadays, principles, commitments and dedica ons to the party no longer exist. A poli cian can have his/her breakfast in APC, lunch in PDP and dinner in ADP in a single day. Anyway, November 27 is fast approaching; we shall see how events will unfold.

THE catch phrase in the tle is credited to the unforge able Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (Lenin), leader of the Great October Bolshevik revolu on of 1917 in Russia. A er the February Revolu on in 1917, social and poli cal chaos characterised the Russian society increasingly. At the First All-Russia Congress of Soviets in June-July dominated by delegates of the Socialist Revolu onaries (285 seats), Mensheviks (248 seats) and Bolsheviks (105 seats), the Chairman of the Petrograds Soviets, Irakli Tsereteli, posed the historical challenge of Russian poli cs in the ques on: can any delegate name a party that would risk taking power and accep ng full responsibility for everything happening in Russia? On the second day of Congress when it was Lenin’s turn to speak, he started boldly by saying “There Is!” There was only loud applause from the Bolsheviks and laughter from the rest of the hall. However, by October, the Bolshevik revolu on and total takeover of power happened.

Fast forwards to Nigeria in 2022, the historical challenge to the social, economic and poli cal crises of Nigeria would likely be posed today in the queson: can any party confidently come out to say it will return Nigeria to a Genuine Federal Republic if given power at the centre?

Expecta on of a firm posi ve answer from the All Progressives Congress

“There Is Such A Party”

(APC) was what made Nigerians, against all odds, voted out an incumbent government and party at the centre in 2015. More than seven years a er, Nigeria is as far away from a genuine federal republic as it ever was and mired in unprecedented security challenges, sec onal and sectarian extremisms and economic woes. Having escaped from a party with a “stealing is not corrupon” philosophy to where we are now, the ques on remains “which party can come out boldly to commit to the return of Nigeria to a true Federal Republic if given power at the centre?” If APC of all par es can renege and fail on that promise, is there then such a party today? If not, what is to be done, considering that the ul mate solu on to Nigeria’s mul faceted problems, without doubt, is a return to its original self – A Federal Republic?

This is the key ques on young people must ask themselves to arrive at “what is to be done” then organise around their resolu ons. They must realise and accept that a hundred more general elecons in 800 years would never deliver anything good so long as we remain a fake and self-deceiving Federal Republic centrally hooked by the lazy, unpatrio c elites on control, sharing and misman-

agement of “free” oil-rent money, without any sense of social responsibility. In the specific context of an almighty unitary, presiden al system, what we need is a president, and as many governors and na onal/state assembly members to commit to the restructuring deal!

Accordingly, in the upcoming general elec ons of 2023, young people especially and progressive popular organisa ons at large should look beyond party, ethnic and religious divides to mobilise and vote for individuals with track records of genuine commitment to true federalism, among candidates for the state houses of assembly all the way to the President. Once all elec ons are done with, their task is to organise the mass pressure movement to ensure cons tu onal return to genuine federalism, “by all means necessary.”

On the basis of the current virusridden and wrong cons tu onal operating system, no quantum of good intenon or “integrity” by any Governor or President can make him or her deliver sustainable democra c or development dividends.

Once accepted, next is organisa on and ac on! Everything else is deceit and exercise in fu lity and a delay of the “judgement day” for Nigeria.

STRIKER Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above