OsunDefender Online Version of March 29th, 2019.

Celebrating Asiwaju Tinubu At 67 •See Editorial on page 4

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•Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (2nd left); his wife, Dolapo Osinbajo (left); Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (2nd right) and his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu during the Tinubu's 67th Birthday Anniversary Colloquium in Abuja on Thursday.

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VOL. 014. NO.6

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N100

Osun Tribunal Judgement:

The Prons And Cons •Lawyers Speak On Split Decisions •Say ,Upper Courts May Upturn Verdict •Justice Muhammad Sirajo, Chairman, Osun Tribunal

•See Page 2

Fear In LAUTECH Teaching Hospital As Sacrifice Placed In NASU Sec.

•Page 2

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NEWS

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Osun Tribunal Verdict: Lawyers Differ •Say Supreme Court Has Final Decision

By Solomon Odeniyi Legal practitioners in the State of Osun have differed in their opinion on the recently-delivered judgement of the election petition tribunal which determined by looking at gave its majority verdict in favour of the Peoples the minority and majority Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Senator, judgements, saying, going by the contents of court has ever nullified the two judgements, the Ademola Adeleke. election on the basis that The tribunal gave two respondents have better different judgements; the Presiding Officers failed chance of having the majority judgement to record the information majority judgement favours the PDP and its on the form properly”, upturned. that no “To me, I hold on to candidate, a situation adding that has aroused responsible judge would Section 140 as cited by the reactions from different allow the verdict to minority judgment and I align myself with it. quarters including legal stand.

He then stated his This, with Section 139 of practitioners, while the assurance that the dissenting verdict the electoral act, the APC tribunal judgment would stands a better chance at dismissed the petition.

Barrister Kolapo Alimi, be upturned by the the Court of Appeal. the immediate past higher court and urged “The same thing that Commissioner for Local the APC supporters to happened in Osun was government in the state remain calm as Oyetola the same that happened told this medium that the remains the governor in Kogi between Faleke majority judgement was pending the decision of and PDP where it was based on two factors, the Appellate court and considered that the INEC which include the Supreme court. has the right to use their To Barrister Yomi manual alongside the inappropriate filling of relevant information on Obaditan, the chances of constitution and Electoral form EC8A, as well as the the two parties at the Act. Since the power of the returning appeal court will be constitution gives it the officer to declare the power to conduct, supervise and organise election inconclusive. elections whatever it’s He disclosed that the using is in order. lead judgement and the “I don’t see the APC dissenting judgment both agreed that the electoral not winning at the end of commission have the the day, else the rerun right to declare an elections held in various election inconclusive but state of the federation last they both disagreed on Saturday will also fail. the manner upon which However, the position of Barrister Bukola the process was declared.

Onifade differs as he According to him, the claimed that the decision issue of non-recording of of the tribunal is in information on the form in the 17 polling unit in consonance with the question is not expectation of a section of substantial enough to •Obaditan the populace who warrant the cancellation of the result because it does not affect the result of the polls in the affected units.

By Sikiru Obarayese He added that the witnesses of the The Presidential and legislative elections have come petitioners who testified and gone, but the overwhelming support received by before the court did not the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the state state that the action House of Assembly election has further drained the affected result or the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state of Osun. process of the poll.

As against 12 local APC had 399,714, leaving “In the real sense, no

claimed that the APC tried to manipulate the process.

He stated that the supplementary election of September 27 was a fraud and the tribunal has so upheld.

The legal practitioner however disclosed that Governor Oyetola remains the sitting governor until the respondent and his party exhaust the available legal avenue, which is the Appeal Court and the Supreme court.

He added that no one would pre-empt the court on what their decision is likely to be, as that would amount to reading the mind of the judges before they had the chance to seat on the matter.

In the view of Barrister

•Onifade

Richard Martin, the tribunal acted within the provision of the constitution in its judgement on the issues before it based on the fact presented by the parties in the matter to have nullify the rerun or supplementary election but added that rather than declaring a winner based on the outcome of the first election, it ought to have ordered for another rerun election to determine the rightfully elected governor of the state.

Also, Barrister Bukola Atobatele is of the view that the judgement does not mean that the Appellate or Supreme court cannot upturned the verdict because there are similar situations where the Apex court had to upturn majority decisions.

However, according to him, the fact showed that the petitioner has clearly established a case of result discrepancies by proving before the court that what is contained in the white and pink copies are different.

Barrister Daud Ajetunmobi described the judgment as one that cannot stand the test of judicial scrutiny at the Appellate court considering the provision

•Atobatele of the Electoral Act as amended, adding that the availability of minority judgement attested to the fact that the verdict could easily be upturned.

•Ajetunmobi

Presidential To Assembly Polls: How APC Drained PDP

•Alimi

governments won by the PDP during the February 23 Presidential election, while the APC won 18 local governments, the opposition party was drained further to win only three, while the APC won 27.

During the presidential poll, the PDP had total votes of 337,377 as against the APC’s 347,634, giving the APC a margin of 10,257, but the opposition party’s score dropped drastically during the House of Assembly poll with 193,775, while the

a margin of 205,939 votes in favour of APC. Analysts have said that the successes recorded by the APC at the House of Assembly election in the state would further demoralise PDP members who had thought that they would have a sizeable number of members in the state parliament to make impact, regardless of the recently-delivered judgement of election tribunal on Osun governorship election.

Ayodele Olanrewaju, a public affairs analyst said

it would take a long time for the PDP to regain consciousness, moreso that the party lost the Presidential election.

According to him, “No doubt, the PDP is demoralised and drained by the result of the House of Assembly election. That the PDP was able to tackle the APC which resulted to the ruling party maintaining a small margin of about 10,000 votes during the Presidential and National Assembly elections, one would have thought that they would come back stronger and the same trend would be followed.

“We must not deceive ourselves, the PDP has lost its consciousness by the result of the state parliamentary election and

it would take time to regain its strength, if at all it will”, he said.

However, the leadership of the APC in the state has said, the APC victory was “a clear, emphatic statement of the people that they want good governance to continue in the state.”

In a congratulatory message to the people of the state, signed by the party’s Director of Publicity, Barr Kunle Oyatomi, the APC described its success at the polls as “a clear victory for the people”, saying, what the majority have indicated is that, “it makes sense to continue with what had been happening in the state since 2010”.

“This is more so because the successor of Ogbeni

National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on Thursday advised the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government to consider widening the country's tax net, rather than increasing the Value Added Tax. The former Governor of the people and might Lagos State gave the advice increase hardship. during the 11th Bola According to him, Tinubu Colloquium government should widen marking his 67th birthday, the tax NWT and ensure all at the International those Nigerians who have Conference Centre, Abuja. refused to pay their tax are He argued that an made to do so as a way of increase in VAT will reduce raising revenue for the spending capacity of government.

He said increasing VAT at this stage will not help the ordinary man in the country, adding that those in charge of generating revenue for the country must begin to think of other sources of revenue.

It would be recalled that, sequel to the approval of N30,000 as minimum wage by the National Assembly, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma and the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mr. Babatunde Fowler, had

said the Federal Government was considering an upward review of the Value Added Tax by 50 per cent.

Udoma and Fowler when they appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance, said the increment was to, among others, enable the Federal Government to fund the new national minimum wage.

Fowler said the proposed payable VAT by Nigerians based on the increment would actually

•Continued on page 6 OMIDIJI AYOMIDE TOMIWA

be between 35 per cent (6.75%) and 50 per cent (7.25%).

That I was formerly known and addressed as OMIDIJI TOMIWA TUNMISE, but now wish to be known and addressed as OMIDIJI AYOMIDE TOMIWA. All former documents remain valid. Diamond Bank, GT Bank and General public should take note.

AKINPELU FUNMILADE IBIDUN

AKANBI BOLANLE OMOWUMI

That I was formerly known as LADE AKINPELU with date of birth 14/8/1962, now wish to be known and addressed as AKINPELU FUNMILADE IBIDUN with date of birth 14/8/1973.

All former documents remain valid. First Bank, GT Bank and General public should take note.

That I AKANBI BOLANLE JANET is the same person as AKANBI BOLANLE OMOWUMI. I now wish to be known and addressed as AKANBI BOLANLE OMOWUMI. All former documents remain valid. Wema Bank and General public should take note.

Don't Increase VAT, Widen Tax Net - Tinubu Tells FG

By Israel Afolabi

Rauf Aregbesola, (Governor Gboyega Oyetola), was himself at the core of implementation of APC development agenda right from the beginning.

“Oyetola’s first moves since he took over three months ago as Governor, has been positively symbolic of what to expect, so, continuity is secured, further progress is guaranteed and the future promises to be brighter with such a seamless transfer of power from one to the other administration

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Many Happy Returns To The Jagaban The staff and management of Osun Defender a medium which puts the people first is delighted to wish the Jagaban Borgu Asiwaju Bola Tinubu a very happy birthday. Today's celebration is taking place at a critical juncture in the life of a nation that Jagaban has contributed immeasurably to. His contributions will stand the test of time when those of others will be merely footnotes.

The Jagaban has been key in engineering the critical mass which is now taking the country to the "Next Level ". His persona as a modern renaissance man has been important. Asiwaju is an acknowledged savvy manager, has intellectual curiosity and is able to source, develop and keep talents. Crucially in constructing a critical mass he has sacrificed personal ambition which is the hallmark of leadership. Another hallmark of leadership is the capacity to dictate the territory of the discourse and of the orientation and implementation of policies. By developing a Lagos model in which fiscal stability is the foundational building block in the attainment of social justice, he has irreversibly dictated the

“The Jagaban will be central to the future, for Nigeria at this critical juncture needs his political sagacity and transformative skills ...”

roadmap for the future template to be used to reinvigorate the republic.

The Jagaban will be central to the future. For

Solid Support For Oyetola With a steady gait the self effacing often We are in full agreement with the statement understated Governor of the State of Osun Mr issued by the always pro - active Chief Press Gboyega Oyetola is imparting the State in a very Secretary, Mr Adeniyi Adesina, which quoted the positive way. A key reflection of this is the result governor as saying : “ I believe that the judicial be of the recently concluded elections into the Osun allowed to take its course. I have hope that we shall State House of Assembly. In the elections, the All be vindicated and our mandate, which the people Progressives Congress won twenty three out of the freely gave us, will be reaffirmed “. We are in twenty six legislative seats on offer, by any whole hearted agreement. We urge Governor standard this is a fantastic achievement which is Oyetola to be unfazed as he continues with his a reflection of Oyetola ‘s calming, steadying positive impact on the fortunes of Osun State. impact on the well-being of the people of the state.

This is why the people of the state are indifferent to what the immediate past governor of the state Rauf Aregbesola has described as an election petition tribunal judgement which is “ very strange and unknown to law”. They are not just indifferent though, they are supportive of the government of Gboyega Oyetola, confirmation for this is reflected in the massive support giving to Oyetola in a peaceful good humoured demonstration organised by civil society in •Spontaneous expression of public support for a performing governor on Oshogbo a few days ago.

Wednesday.

Violence Against Women Must Stop Now Violence against women

k by political thugs is a phenomenon that is

common around us.

Violence means any action that involves shouting, fighting, killing and all sort of difficult things around us.

Violence against women in politics is also another trend that is becoming order of the day. Women are used as a means to an end by their male counterpart only to be denied access to political power through the use of political thuggery thereby discouraging women from wanting to participate in political process.

The rate of violence against women is becoming alarming especially girls and young women both at the home front and work places.

At home, some husbands have thrown caution into the wind and believe that a woman is second hand

citizen to be treated anyhow without consequences, hence increase in the rate of domestic violence in various communities in the country and even among elites.

This violence against

women has different categories, but the most prevalent around us is beating of wives, tearing their cloth making them feel ashamed of themselves.

Women needs a lot of attention, they are worth more than a gold, they are not just a commodity a man

can use and dump into a dustbin.

There are many issues that ordinarily should not lead to argument or disagreement among couples that these days truncate marriages and

sometimes death among couples.

In some countries now women are used as a commodity to satisfy the need of men, especially where there is war and crisis. Women do not deserve such treatment, instead they should be giving a lot of care and

acceptance from anybody.

Violence has become something that is common among teenage boys, they gather themselves and rape ladies, beat them up and makes them feel as if they are not human.

Violence against women has to stop and it has to be put to an end. Women are been treated as slaves and this is not supposed to be.

In some aspect, they will say a woman does not worth some public post, is this a taboo or what in the twenty first century? Woman deserves more than what a man deserve, there is nothing too much for women as long as they want it, they can work towards it and it will be theirs.

Violence against women is a bad behaviour and it has to stop and it has to be now.

•KHADIJAH ABDULLAH Kaduna.

Nigeria at this critical juncture needs his political sagacity and transformative skills, for we are at a decisive juncture, in the words of the Italian political philosopher Antonio Gramsci, "The crisis is in the reality of an old order that is fading away and a new one that is struggling to be born, in the Interregnum all manner of morbid symptoms reveal themselves ". The nation will certainly require the multi - dimensional skills of Asiwaju as it puts the "morbid symptoms " inevitable in any transition at bay and help to slay the retrogressive demons of the old order.

For history beckons him to be decisive as we navigate the next level. On one hand the country's processes and institutions have to be modernised and reinvigorated; on the other hand, the present governing apparatus has to be transformed into the natural party of government. Nigeria has been debilitated because of the absence of such a critical trajectory. Other countries such as India, Malaysia, South Africa, have used a natural party of government as a transformative mechanism for transformative development. Asiwaju will bring his interpersonal skills for what is the most critical of tasks. This is because a natural party of government constructed on an emerging new national majority will provide the continuous framework of the type that has been of such immense benefits in Lagos State since 1999.

It is in appreciation of the positive and endearing contributions has made and will be called upon to make that we wish a heartfelt many happy returns as well as great decades in continuous good health.

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All correspondence to the above mail address.

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MAGAZINE THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019

Appraising APC's Dominance In Osun Assembly The ruling All Progressives Congress in Osun swept 23 of the available 26 seats in the state House of Assembly to once again show its dominance, leaving the opposition PDP with a paltry 3 seats. SOLOMON ODENIYI takes a look at the effect of this on the state.

When the state House of Assembly in Osun will be inaugurated, the ruling All Progressives Congress will once again be having the majority with the party scooping 23 legislative seats out of the state’s 26-member legislative arm of government . The opposition Peoples Democratic Party clinched the three remaining seats to emerge the minority in the house in an election that was said to be a departure from what played out in the gubernatorial, presidential and national assembly polls.

As announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, the PDP won in Ede North, Ede south and Obokun. In Obokun Constituency, Adeyemi Adewumi of the PDP polled 10, 257 votes to defeat Bosun Oyintiloye of the APC, who secured 9,692 .

In Ede North Constituency, Kofoworola Babajide of the PDP got 12,993 votes to defeat the APC ’s Akinloye Abiodun , who got 12,643 votes. Stephen Akanfe of the PDP polled 12,025 votes to clinch Ede South Constituency seat. He defeated the APC’s Nurein Adebisi who garnered 8, 854 votes, while Popoola Olufemi of the ruling All progressives congress candidate was elected for Boripe and Boluwaduro Constituency, after polling 19 ,161 votes to defeat the PDP ’ s Yomi Aina , who got 6 ,754 votes.

In Ifelodun Constituency, the APC ’s Mulikat Adeola with 18,191 votes was elected after defeating the PDP’s Abidoye Asimiyu, who got 5 ,462 votes. In Ila Constituency, Adebisi Adelani of the APC got 12 ,103 votes to defeat the PDP ’s Lasisi Jimoh , who got 6 ,334 votes.

Others are; Ifedayo Constituency where the APC’s candidate, Abioye Elizabeth got 5, 096 votes to beat Funmilayo Olasehinde of the PDP , who got 2,818 votes . Irepodun /Orolu Constituency seat was won

by Nasiru Olateju of the APC who got 28, 998 votes to beat PDP’s Wole Quadri that secured 7, 968 votes.

Yinka Michael of the APC won Odo -Otin Constituency with 13, 619 votes to beat the PDP candidate , Wale Egbedun, who polled 8,304 . In Olorunda State Constituency, Akande Kunle of the APC got 20,271 votes to defeat PDP candidate , Kunle Olaniyan, who got 5 ,998 .

Osogbo Constituency seat was won by Badamasi Olatunde of the APC who got 31,193 votes to defeat Dele Lawal of the PDP, who got 7,644 . In Atakumosa East/West Constituency, Komolafe Festus of the APC got 16 ,912 votes to defeat James Ayodeji of the PDP who got 7 ,610 votes .

Going by how fiercely contested the Presidential and National Assembly elections were in the state, many had expected that the house of assembly election should not be a stroll in the park for the APC whose dominance had been predicted to be thwarted.

However, the APC resounding victory at March 9 election was a revalidation of the party’s dominance in the state.

Political analysts agreed that the victory at the just concluded election does not only showed dominance

•Governor Gboyega Oyetola (middle); his deputy, Gboyega Alabi (3rd right); former APC National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande (3rd left); former deputy governor Titi Laoye-Tomori (2nd left); APC state chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun and newly elected lawmakers from Osun when they were hosted by Chief Akande in Ila-Orangun recently

Going by how fiercely contested the Presidential and National Assembly elections were in the state, many had expected that the house of assembly election should not be a stroll in the park for the APC whose dominance had been predicted to be thwarted. However, the APC resounding victory at March 9 election was a revalidation of the party’s dominance in the state. but the acceptability of the party at the grassroot level.

Similarly, the state chapter of the party saw the overwhelming majority it secured in the House of Assembly as an emphatic statement of the people in

the state to ensure that good governance continues in the state.

According to the Director of Publicity, Barr Kunle Oyatomi, the APC described its success at the polls as “a clear victory for the people.”

“According to the party, what the majority of our people have indicated is that, “it makes sense to continue with what had been happening in the state since 2010.

“So, continuity is secured, further progress is guaranteed and the future promises to be even brighter with such a seamless transfer of power from one to the other administration in the State of Osun”, the APC said.

A political commentator, Segun Odunayo noted that having a political party totally dominate the legislative arm anywhere in the world was unhealthy for democracy, adding that the legislative arm would have no option than to act as a rubber stamp.

“The house is comprised of legislators who all have a broad range of interests. As such, a house in a democratic settings needs to be able to accommodate these interests when making political decisions as well as policies, this allows the legislative arm of •Continued on page 10

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Legislature Is Fundamental To Development - Aregbesola •Leads 'Thank You' Rally In Ijesa South

By Aminat Ahmed Immediate past Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has described the legislative arm of government as the wheel that spun development in any society, hence, the strive to control its majority by political parties.

According to the former governor, the legislature serves as check and balance on the executive and a forum where the

actions and activities of the executive are scrutinised and development endeared to the people.

He added that the Assembly is a premise where power is given to the executive to rule, adding that even in advance democracy parties struggle to control the majority of the parliament because it is a factor to get approval for who become judges of the Supreme Court in the

USA. In a chat with OSUN DEFENDER team, Aregbesola added that the APC led government in the state emphasised its desire to control the parliament to further consolidate on the developmental strides it has achieved in the last eight years and this is only

•Former Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle) with Members of 'I Believe In Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (IBORA)' group cutting a celebration cake for the victory of all newly elected APC House of Assembly members at his residence in GRA, Lagos recently.

possible when it has an Assembly it can relate with devoid of conflict.

He added “It is only natural that all responsible, people oriented political parties must struggle to have a dominant influence and control of the House of Assembly and that is what has happened in Osun”.

“Democracy is all about ensuring adequate representation in all forms of government and it only has a meaning when a ruling party seeks and control the majority of the parliament” Speaking on the conduct of the Assembly election in the state, the former governor commended INEC and the electorates for the show of maturity throughout the election process.

Aregbesola expressed implicit confidence in his successor to perform beyond the expectation of the people, but seeks the peoples’ understanding for the administration within the short time it has spent in office, assuring that he would succeed in his administration.

He added that the masses should not expect an Aregbesola type of administration because Oyetola is completely

PDP, APC Exchange Words Over ‘Plans To Blackmail Judiciary’

By Sikiru Obarayese

against the well thought out judgement of the tribunal.

In reaction, the APC in a statement by the Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy Barrister Kunle Oyatomi said, the allegation was another fabrication by the PDP. According to the party, the PDP is known for telling lies to the public whenever it is planning to carry out any evil act,

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have exchanged words over the plans to sponsor rallies and demonstrations to discredit the judgment of the Osun State election petition tribunal which favoured Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke.

Opposition PDP has plans by the APC and the accused the Governor of government of Mr the state, Gboyega Gboyega Oyetola to Oyetola and the APC of orchestrate a series of plans to sponsor rallies. phantom protests and The party also alleged demonstrations in parts that a sum of N500 of Osun and Abuja million has been earmarked by the APC and top functionaries of the State government to

By Sikiru Obarayese mobilise demonstrators from Osun, Lagos and A socio-political group in the State of Osun, Osun some neighbouring states Concerned Citizens has declared the verdict of the for the exercise. state Election Petition Tribunal delivered last week While addressing the as unacceptable.

Press in Osogbo on The General Secretary which is a split decision Tuesday, Osun State chairman of the party, of the group, Yaya by which a majority of 2 Ademola, while speaking of the 3 members Panel, Hon. Soji Adagunodo said top officials of the with newsmen during a purportedly declared Mr. peaceful protest held in Ademola Adeleke of the state government held on Wednesday People Democratic Party several meetings with Osogbo that the verdict as the winner of the Students Union leaders declared was against the wish of September, 22 and 29, and pseudo activists who the people.

2018 Governorship will hold rallies in The protest started Osogbo and Abuja to from Ayetoro at about Election is clearly unacceptable to us and express displeasure at the 9AM, moved through overwhelming judgement and blackmail Igbona to Old-Garage, the majority of the people of the judiciary.

Oke-Fia, and terminated Osun in general”, he The chairman said: at Ola-Iya, Osogbo. stressed “The verdict of the Despite that the case Yaya disclosed that the tribunal was therefore a has been entered at the restoration of hope in the Court of Appeal, the group concern in the was not just the sanctity of the ballot box group noted that the matter of a and the rule of law over Governor of the state of partisanship judgment that is the whims and caprices Osun, Gboyega Oyetola unfavourable to the of desperate power of the All Progressive APC’s candidate but seekers.

Party (APC) was the claimed that the majority “It is however governoir the people judgement made was disheartening to inform voted for. strange and baseless. the whole world about “The said verdict, He claimed: “In the

with a view to diverting attention of the public.

It said, it is on record that 95 per cent of the time the PDP speaks, it is all fabrication, saying, this current one was even fatuous among several others it has brought into the political arena in the state since January 2019.

The APC said: “The APC does not want to engage with the PDP in Osun with useless and toothless conversation,

especially so, because, 95 per cent of the time that they speak, it is all fabrication and this one is even fatuous.

“The good people of Osun and our knowledgeable security agencies should c o m p l e t e l y discountenance those allegations because they have no foundation in facts and figure.

“The PDP is looking for ‘roforofo’ fight, but we in APC don’t belong in the gutters

different from him, but added that he is a silent performer and would bring a different dimension to governance in the state.

Aregbesola, who was flanked by his wife disclosed that he is duty bound to continue to offer guidance to the government in the state and contribute to good governance generally in the region and the country as a whole.

“It is irresponsible for a father to completely abandon his fatherly care to his child simply because the child has come of age.

The father would always be there to ensure that the child does not miss his footing.

“I owed the people of the state, Yoruba nation, and the nation generally an unrelenting commitment to participate in all process of governance”.

“We have built a foundation for the development of the state and I am sure that Mr Oyetola would built an amazing edifice and perform wonderfully well; the people only need to be patient with him, he added.

Meanwhile, the former governor led members of the party on a ‘Thank You’ rally in Ijesha South Federal Constituency of the state recently.

Addressing the gathering at Isokun Roundabout in Ilesa, Aregbesola expressed gratitude to the people for their outstanding support at the just-concluded Presidential, National Assembly and House of Assembly elections in the state.

He also used the opportunity to congratulate all APC members elected under the platform of the party.

Osun Tribunal Verdict: Residents Reject Judgement first instance, the claim of the majority judgement to declare that the 29/09/ 2018 rerun was illegal, on the basis that only PO and not RO could cancel result in the 7 Polling Units across 3 Local Governments in the rerun does not arise.

Neither the PO nor RO cancelled elections in the affected areas. Elections didn’t take place. Where it did, it was disrupted with ballot boxes snatched and carted away with no returns.

“In Orolu, Ife South and Ife North, elections were disrupted with no returns. In Unit 017, Ward 5 , Osogbo LG, election did not hold at all and no returns. Under this circumstance, it is a settled case at the Supreme Court in James Faleke vs INEC (2016), that where the difference between the two leading

candidates will be determined by the votes of places where elections didn’t hold or disrupted, there will be rerun”.

It gave the instances of 2011 Anambra Senatorial Election between leading APGA and ACN with a margin of 697 against the cancelled 7,930 votes, and also, 2013 Anambra Guber Election between leading APGA and PDP with a margin of 79,754 against 113,113 cancelled votes.

However, Yaya disclosed that the Petitioner did not prove that election took place or there were returns in the affected areas.

“When has Court become a father Christmas who give what was not prayed for to declare the rerun illegal?”

“We are concerned and indeed alarmed that

rather than adjudicate in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Electoral Act that emphasises Substantial Compliance or lack of it or want of it as the basis for proving the validity or otherwise of the election of a candidate, the majority decision of the Tribunal arbitrarily pitched its tent with the irregularity of the failure of INEC to fill certain columns of the Result Sheets even when they do not affect the number of votes scored by candidates! This amounts to a disingenuous working to a predetermined answer.

“Under Civil Rule, votes determine who governs the State and it is by simple majority.

Election Tribunal cannot substitute itself for the electorate role – vis-a-vis voting”, he added.

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A Cocktail Of Political Happenings NACOMYO Holds Inter-house Competition Ex-Governor Rauf Aregbesola Honoured in Okiti-pupa, Ondo State

Ola Adua Faidat Tijaniyat Ibrahimiyat, Erin-Osun Holds Maolud Nabiy

•Chairman of the Occasion, Mr Murtala Agboola (standing) with other dignitaries during the programme.

National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO) School, Igbona, Osogbo, State of Osun held its biennial inter-house athletics competition at Fakunle Unity School, Powerline, Osogbo recently.

The chairman of the occasion, Murtala Agboola enjoined the students to be active in sports because it aids mental development. He made reference to the humongous amount received by professional footballers around the world on weekly basis, identifying talents like Ronaldo, Messi and others. In tennis, names

like Rafael Nadal, Nova Djokovic, and Roger Federer were also mentioned.

Agboola equally tasked the elderly people to endeavour to trek for at least 30 minutes in a day either in the morning or in the evening to guarantee healthy living.

The competition was keenly contested with invited schools exhibiting quality stuff.

Yellow House (Dr. Makinde) came first.

•Sheik Abdul-Wasih Kolawole Asole (left) and other Islamic cleric at the event.

•Former Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right) receiving Distinguished Award of Old Students from father of the day, General Oluyemi Bajowa (rtd) (left).

Former Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has been honoured with Distinguished Award of Old Students of the Manuwa Memorial Grammar School, IjuOdo Okitipupa, Ondo State.

The award was presented to him at the 65th Anniversary and

Reunion of Old Students Association held in the school premises in Okiti-Pupa on Saturday, March 23, 2019.

The award was presented to the former Governor by General Oluyemi Bajowa (Rtd), just as some projects were commissioned at the programme.

Aregbesola, while reacting said he was delighted to be so honoured and appreciated by the old students of the school for counting him worthy of the award, promising that he would do everything within his power to contribute to the development of the school.

Ola Adua Faidat Tijaniyat Ibrahimiyat of Nigeria, ErinOsun recently held its annual Maolud Nabiy.

The programme was held at the headquarters of the society at Ori-Apata, Odo-Awesin, Ede Road, Erin Osun.

The founder of the society, Sheik Abdul-Wasih Kolawole Asole said the gathering was meant to praise God and Prophet Muhammed.

According to him, Prophet Muhammad played significant

•A cross section of NACOMYO Students.

OUR SOCIAL REGISTER IS OPEN FOR YOUR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES TO BE MADE PUBLIC Spaces are available for your anniversaries such as weddings, house-warming and chieftaincy title ceremonies among others for your take. To take advantage of this, you can reach out to Murtala, 08023280935, Kazeem 08062207954 and Nike on 07032594744 Let the public know what you are doing.

•Aregbesola (2nd right), General Bajowa (2nd left) and others at the event.

•Dignitaries at the event.

role in the life of every mankind, saying, Islam is a religion that has exposed Muslims to what they should always do in line with Allah’s wishes.

In his sermon, Sheik Hakeem Tabatiyada said, part of the preachings of Prophet Muhammed is to be tolerant and follow the laid down regulations of Allah.

He charged Muslims to always be tolerant, have the fear of God and be guided by the words of Allah.

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MAGAZINE

FRIDAY, MARCH 29 - THURSDAY APRIL 4, 2019

Appraising APC's Dominance In Osun Assembly •Continued from page 6 government everywhere to receive continued support from the governed.

“However where you have a party having total dominance in a house, this may be subverted. This is not so healthy for democracy. What this simply means is that the legislative arm of government would serve as a rubber stamp to the executive arm of government. Some policies which deserve to go through a lot of scrutiny before being adopted may not be subjected to a tedious process. Many of the deals would have been concluded in closed door meetings before bringing it to the level of the house. Politics will not be played at the utmost level.

He enjoined the people of the state to act as checks on the various leaders representing them at the state assembly in a bid to hold them accountable.

“There is a need to act as checks on their representatives if all they desire is results. One of the ways this can be done is to consistently write letters to their constituency offices to get feedback on activities going on in the house. They can approach them one on one on issue of interest to them. They can carry out an advert in the newspapers making certain demands.

Lastly they can recall or wait till the next elections to vote out underperforming legislators. “ On his part, Barrister Yomi Obaditan stressed that the overwhelming dominance of the APC would allow for a cordial relationship between the legislators and the executives. This, he argued would also help in harmonising the workings of the government.

He added that, “If the opposition had had the majority, if the governor forwards the list of commissioners, they may decide to reject or delay but with the APC dominance, it is going to be easier. In a situation where some governors made them a rubber stamp and it’s only the political elites that benefit from such rubber stamping then it’s dangerous to the political process.

Our legislators must be aware that each of them has the day of accountability, that is why some of them cannot be

•Chief (Mrs) Elizabeth Abioye, House of Assembly member-elect, •Dr (Mrs Mulikat Abiola, House of Assembly member-elect, Ifelodun Constituency IfedayoConstituency

Our legislators must be aware that each of them has the day of accountability, that is why some of them cannot be given another mandate of returning because they failed in the discharge of their duties.” given another mandate of returning because they failed in the discharge of their duties.”

He said he hopes that the yet to be convened legislative arm comes with fresh ideas, corporate with the governor and not necessarily be a rubber stamp.

He warned that the legislators could only work hand-in-hand with the executive if the party is united, saying

the moment the party is in disarray and leaders are against one another, it would become a clog in the wheel of progress of the state.

He assured everyone that the dominance will be to the benefits of everyone in the state as he described the governor as “an introvert, a goal getter, working machine, and lover of results”.

Dousing the fear that the governor

NEWS ANALYSIS

APC Drained PDP List Of Osun House Of Assembly Lawmakers-elect •Continued from page 5 in the state”, the APC said.

The party said that the present governor stands a better chance of improving on the quality of policy making and implementation, arguing that “If the PDP had won the elections, they would have, as a matter of adversarial policy, dismantled all the progress made in the state by Ogbeni Aregbesola.

“Fortunately, providence disallowed that to happen but instead answered the prayers and longings of Osun people to continue with the state’s pace-setting content and delivery of progressive governance.

“Therefore, it must be said in acknowledgement that it is the people of Osun who have also made it happen with their total support at the polls and no effort can hijack the mandate of the people.

“That is the reason the APC’s victory actually belongs to the people themselves”, the APC admitted.

“We are consequently urging the people of the state to brace up for greater achievements, regardless of their party affiliations, and to unite in contributing their share of responsibility in making Osun one of the best states in Nigeria”, the APC concluded.

Ayedire Ola Oluwa Iwo Ede North Ede South Egbedore Ejigbo Irewole/Isokan Ayedaade

OSUN WEST SENATORIAL DISTRICT – Hon. Gbenga Ogunkanmi, APC (Winner) – Hon. Hadirullai Adegbile, APC (Winner) – Hon Halil Uzamot, APC (Winner) – Hon Babajide Kofoworola, PDP (Winner) – Hon. Niran Atidade, PDP (Winner) – Hon. Babatunde Ibirogba, APC (Winner) – Hon. Adekunle Oyekunle, APC (Winner) – Hon. Marouf Olanrewaju, APC (Winner) – Hon. Taiwo Adebayo, APC (Winner)

OSUN CENTRAL SENATORIAL DISTRICT Osogbo – Hon. Taofeek Badamosi, APC (Winner) Olorunda – Hon. Kunle Akande, APC (Winner) Irepodun/Orolu – Hon. Nasir Olateju, APC (Winner) Ifelodun – Hon. Mulikat Abiola, APC (Winner) Odo Otin – Hon. Michael Adetoyi, APC (Winner) Boripe/Boluwaduro – Hon. Femi Popoola, APC (Winner) Ila – Hon. Adebisi Jayeola, APC (WInner) Ifedayo – Hon. Elizabeth Abioye, APC (Winner) OSUN EAST SENATORIAL DISTRICT Ilesha West – Hon. Wale Adedoyin, APC (Winner) Ilesha East – Hon. Timothy Owoeye, APC (Winner) Atakumosa East/West – Hon. Babatunde Komolafe, APC (Winner) Oriade – Hon. Desmond Ojo, APC (Winner) Obokun – Hon. Adewumi Adeyemi, PDP (Winner) Ife East – Hon. Olajide Adeyeye, APC (Winner) Ife Central – Hon. Taiwo Adebusola, APC (Winner) Ife North – Hon. Tunde Olatunji, APC (Winner) Ife South – Hon. Benjamin Ogundipe, APC (Winner)

may not be cautioned if found wanting, Obaditan said, “ if you look at Lagos there’s a check and balance. It is a matter of if the party is united but where there is a division in the party the legislators would be divided. It is not until when the legislators are fighting and every day it’s from one trouble to another that they can check the excesses of the governor.

Ghasali Dawud said, there was nothing wrong having same people sharing common ideology and belief steering the affairs of a state or country, saying, it would to a large extent help fast track the development of such state or country.

He said having opposition dominating the house would not guarantee effectiveness as insinuated in some quarters, adding that in a country like Nigeria where anything goes, the executive arm of government could buy over the legislators.

He maintained that as long as the legislators understood their functions and are conscious of feeding members of their various constituencies back, they would not allow themselves to be use by the executives.

“The legislators themselves are accountable to their people. They must tell their people what they are doing at the house. They are expected to tell them how what they are doing is affecting them. They are expected to tell them how they are checkmating the activities of the executive arm of government. As long as they can be held accountable I don’t see any of them becoming a rubber stamp”.

He blamed the present member of the parliament from the opposition party for not doing enough to earn the people’s trust to elect more of their members to the house.

He said, “The current set up, has two members from the opposition party what have they done to convince the people that if they were more than that things would have been done differently. They needed to show the people of the state that there is a need to have more opposition. It is not until they have much numbers that they can show the people what they have got.”

He enjoined the few that are there to be transparent and accountable, act in accordance with the constitution and ensure that the democratic tenets are followed to the letters in the state.

FRIDAY, MARCH 29 - THURSDAY APRIL 4, 2019

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Fear In LAUTECH Teaching Hospital As Propitiation Placed In NASU Sec.

By Sikiru Obarayese

There was a palpable fear at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH), Osogbo on Monday morning as Propitiation (Ebo) was placed at the Non-Academic Staff Union Secretariat.

A source from the teaching hospital who Oloyede who contested pleaded anonymity for chairperson and hinted our secretary respectively.

A source told our correspondent that people were reporter that, the Chairperson, Adejobi abandoning the route as who is the sacrifice, containing Sabaina, three solid paps with contesting for the second emerged black substance was term scaring them away, unopposed and the new were recalling that salt was executives spread around the reportedly attacked with sachets water during the secretariat by an unknown person last swear-in by some aggrieved members of week.

Findings show that the union.

The aggrieved union crisis began among union members prior to member said, the was March 14, 2019, when process the LAUTECH Chapter manipulated to favour of NASU was to elect some candidates at the new executive election.

Upon contacting committee to run its affairs and some of the Alhaja Rasheedat, she knowing contestants were denied disqualified four days to anything about the sacrifice, while the Chief the election.

Among those who Security Officer, Mr were disqualified were Onisaade said he could Alhaja Akinwumi not speak on the issue.

As at the time of filling Rasheedat, Akinlaja

this report, when this medium called the chairperson on her phone, she did not pick her phone calls.

The hospital

management said it will issue a press release soon, saying it will not comment on the matter until it has all the facts on the matter.

OSPOLY Commences First Semester Exams For ND II Students

By Joshua Afolabi

Management of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree has commenced the first semester examination for the National Diploma II students last Monday.

It would be recalled that the students of the

institution have earlier been lamenting what they described as uncertainty that greeted the commencement of the examination.

However, some of the students who spoke with Osun Defender Campus Reporter after their first sitting on Monday explained that most of the students were in doubt as to the commencement of the examination until the management released the time table and sitting arrangement last week.

Gold Adeniji, one of the students explained that the invigilator delayed some students who were not with their examination clearance due to non-payment of tuition fees, departmental and faculty fees.

“The claim of the invigilators for delaying some of the students was that the management ordered them to delay any student without clearance”, she said.

Gold said that the invigilators later allowed the students without clearance to sit for the examination, 15 minutes after the commencement of examination.

One of the ‘re-runners’ who claimed anonymity explained that the invigilators were strict with supervision, particularly on the graduated students who had carry-over in some courses.

According to her, “Some students were caught engaging in examination malpractice and they were given malpractice form to fill immediately”.

Next Level Asiwaju Truth Of The Matter

Exactly this time in 2018, this column made an appraisal of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a piece titled “Enigmatic Akanbi”. The columnist is today, glad that the only change to what was written then was even more achievements by him in a clime where most people of such stature would decline in rating with time. No one says it more succinctingly yesterday than President Muhammadu Buhari when he referred to Asiwaju as the, not a, pillar of Democracy in Nigeria. He went on to describe him as the father of modern Lagos. He went on again to tell the whole nation that this man he was referring to, the Asiwaju, has an uncompromising posture in the face of injustice and has a refusal to follow the path of least resistance for personal gains which stands him out today as a rare breed and one of the cornerstones of Nigeria’s democracy…

In that piece which was published this time last year, this column said that modern democratic Nigeria, could be safely said to be as a result of the sagacity of this leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. As we celebrate his birthday today, this column cannot but agree more.

The best of volumes of books may not do enough justice to his stellar achievements but one thing his life has taught us all through him is that no worthy achievement is possible without some form of hiccup. He had it in torrents and still having it.

Akanbi, Bolanle, Ahmed Tinubu, Omo olodo ide, (the West constituency in the short-lived Nigerian Third prodigy with a mortar made of bronze). He has defined Republic.

In 1993, after the results of the presidential elections what leadership really ought to be, even if you have read volumes on the subject. It may be safe to conclude that were annulled, Tinubu became a founding member of the pro-democracy group called National Democratic Bola is the major issue in contemporary Nigeria’s political landscape because when it comes to the politics of Tinubu, Coalition (NADECO). In 1998, after the death of military dictator Sani Abacha, he returned to Nigeria to heed a call you cannot be on the fence: you either love or hate him. As governor of metropolitan Lagos, he bestrode the landscape for all Nigerians to join in the National Reconciliation and Development.

During the 1999 elections, Bola Tinubu was of western Nigeria’s politics such that he became a a protégé of Alliance for Democracy (AD) leaders kingmaker of sorts, even long after leaving Abraham Adesanya and office.

Ayo Adebanjo. He won the Bola Tinubu was born on 29 March 1952 Whenever I think about AD primaries for the Lagos in Lagos to the illustrious Tinubu family.

State gubernatorial He attended St. John’s Primary School, the octopus hands of this elections and later was Aroloya, Lagos and Children’s Home elected Executive Governor enigma, the Asiwaju, I School in Ibadan. In 1975, Bola left Nigeria of Lagos State. During his for the United States of America in search always have it in my eight-year period in office, of the proverbial Golden Fleece with a heart made large investments mind that, take or leave it, he brimming with unrelenting determination in education as well as new to achieve his visions. There he studied first road construction, required at any point in the history at Richard J. Daley College in Chicago, meet the needs of the fastIllinois and then at Chicago State of any nation, fate or God to growing population of the University. He graduated in 1979 with a state. has always thrown up a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.

Tinubu received several Tinubu worked for American companies natural leader who awards: Best Governor in Arthur Andersen, Deloitte, Haskins, & Sells, Nigeria for Y2000 by the and GTE Services Corporation. When he inevitably becomes the Nigerian-Belgian Chamber returned to Nigeria in 1983, he joined Mobil of Commerce; Y2002 Best rallying point for political Oil Nigeria, becoming an executive of the Practices Prize in improving company. In 1992, he was elected to the choices. the living environment, Nigerian Senate representing the Lagos awarded by the Federal

with

AYEKOOTO ayoakinola444@gmail.com

Ministry of Works and the UN Habitat Group; Y2000 Best Computerized Government in Nigeria Award by the Computer Association of Nigeria. Tinubu is married to Oluremi Tinubu, the current Senator of central Lagos State.

His youngest daughter, Abibat Tinubu, graduated from a Music college in Boston, Massachusetts, US in 2013.

Describing him as the leader of modern progressivism in Nigeria may not be far from being correct (as President Buhari has alluded to today). His political sagacity, coupled with his natural ability to assemble egg-heads in whatever he does and wherever he found himself made his path to cross with those who would steer the ship of statehood, even till date: Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Information Minister Lai Mohammed, Works, Housing and Power Minister Tunde Fashola, Joint Tax Board Chairman and Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Tunde Fowler, among others too numerous to list passed through Tinubu.

A popular fable surrounds him, which reads that no one goes to Tinubu in tears comes out of his home without a dint of smile on his or her face.

Neglect him to your peril. Ask former deputy governors Femi Pedro, Chief Mrs Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, and Adebisi Sosan as well as political juggernauts of yesteryears Musiliu Obanikoro, Chief Bode George, late Ganiyu Daodu, late Funso Williams, former Works Minister Adeseye Ogunlewe, and former Ondo Governor Olusegun Mimiko and a few others. Even the Ebora Owu, former President Obasanjo received lashes from him at the courts when the former withheld Lagos funds on accounts of new LCDAs. As a mortal, he has his own faults but the good in him has eclipsed those faults. Controversies surround him like ants on sugar: his birthplace, his wealth, his businesses, his support or lack of it for aspiring candidates, his immediate family, etc. But who would ever attain such a feat in life without equal or more controversies? Didn’t Jesus Christ, Prophet Mohammed, Buddha, Murtala Mohammed, Obafemi Awolowo etc?

Whenever I think about the octopus hands of this enigma, the Asiwaju, I always have it in my mind that, take or leave it, at any point in the history of any nation, fate or God has always thrown up a natural leader who inevitably becomes the rallying point for political choices.

God will not come down to direct our affair but will always empower few in resources and in Wisdom to perfect His wills. That He has done for us in Tinubu. May God protect him and continue to guide him in this democratic journey.

As Asiwaju marks another milestone, we wish him a very long life and prosperity.

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FRIDAY, MARCH 29 - THURSDAY APRIL 4, 2019

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NEWS

FRIDAY, MARCH 29 - THURSDAY APRIL 4, 2019

My Acquittance of Murder Shows I Was Wrongly Accused - Jafariya

By Solomon Odeniyi Alhaji Yusuf Iyanda popularly known as Jafaria has said that his acquittance of involvement in the murder of Timilehin Sonibare, a student of Osun State University for money ritual reaffirmed that he was wrongly accused.

Jafariya, an Islamic He said: “I was in a 21 cleric was on February 4 discharged and acquitted days seclusion when the deceased, Timilehin of any involvement in the murder of Timilehin by Sonibare was killed. He an Osun High Court wasn’t killed in my house sitting in Osogbo, after neither was his corpse being tried along four found in my premises. He was killed in the cuplrits others.

The oldest among those house and the dead body tried, AbdulKareem was found in a bush Adeoti was sentenced to behind the culprits’ two years imprisonment. house.

AbdulRafiu Zakariyah, “ N o t h i n g Yusuf Kareem and Ayuba incriminating was found Ibrahim were sentenced in my compound. The to death. clothes, underwears, Timilehin, a 400 Level uniforms among others, student of Microbiology found in my house were at UNIOSUN was killed that of my wives, on the 26th June, 2017 at children and students of Oke Baale area in Osogbo my Arabic school by the convicts while his numbering about 32 head and arms were cut living with me. off and roasted for money “The confessed culprits rituals. and the one at large are Narrating his ordeal, not my biological Jafariya said the charge ought not to have children. They are my concerned him, as he students. I never taught knew nothing about it them method leading to and no evidence murder. Since my practice connected him to the in Osogbo, many students have passed through my crime.

tutelage and have been doing well in all facets of life, not one has been accused of being a ritualist.

“On the 11th July, 2017, we were arraigned and the Magistrate court ordered that we should be remanded at Ilesa prison.

I spent two months before

I was granted bail by a vacation judge and my bail was perfected 30th August, 2017. My bail was recalled by Justice Kudirat Akano on November 28, 2017 and I remained in the prison custody till the day of judgement when I was

discharged and acquitted”, he narrated.

Jafariya described the situation as the work of the enemies of God’s progress who wanted him down at all cost and framed him up for reasons best known to them.

He wondered why he was being wished bad by anyone, saying that his mosque, which was being touted as the biggest in the area was built through direct labour for 18 years and the two cars he owed were gifts from his brother and client.

Osun Assembly Passes High Court Amendment, Other Bills

By Johua Afolabi State of Osun House of Assembly has passed State of Osun High Court Law Amendment bill 2019 and Local Government Area Creation and Administration Amendment no.2 bill 2019 into law.

The two bills were passed after the motion moved by the leader of the House, Hon. Timothy Owoeye and seconded by Hon. Waseeu Adebayo representing Olorunda State Constituency respectively at the floor of the State Assembly Complex Osogbo.

However, after thorough scrutiny, debate and adjustment on policy thrust of the bill by members of the parliament, the Clerk read it for the third time and consequently passed into law.

The Speaker, Dr.

Najeem Salaam in his remarks said that Magistrate court law and High court of Justice law of Osun was adjusted last twenty years ago which is not in conformity with present time realities.

He noted that Osun has lower numbers of judges in the whole of South-West of Nigeria and when compared with other regions of the country.

According to him, “For 20 judges to be handling local governments things will be tedious for the judiciary in our state. So there is need to increase judges in the state for

effectiveness in the judiciary. This will create avenue for efficient, free and fair, balance trial in our courts across the state” he added.

Meanwhile the House increased the number of judges from twenty [20] at present to forty [40] for effective justice delivery in the state.

In their separate remarks, the lawmakers noted that the bill will benefit the state in several ways.

They urged the state Governor, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola to give assent to the bill for the benefit of judiciary and the entire state in general.

In another development, the house unanimous passed the creation of additional Ifedayo Area council from present Ifedayo Local Government with its headquarter at IdiOdan town, state of Osun after the motion moved by the leader of the house, Hon. Timothy Owoeye was seconded by Chairman House Committee on Local Government and

Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Adebayo Waseeu.

Earlier, the Chairman House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and its member had paid visit to the proposed headquarter of the area council to see what is on ground for its takeoff.

They said that Ifedayo Local Government area deserve another council since last years for its growth and development.

However, in his comment, Hon Musibaudeen Olarenwaju Azzez appreciated the speaker and his colleagues for considering his request that would facilitate development of his constituency.

Earlier, the Speaker of the parliament, Dr. Salaam has commended the people of the state for the maturity displayed on the outcome of the tribunal ruling against the party.

He urged the security agencies in the state to be in charge of the situation to calm down unwarranted break down of law and orders.

Osun Govt Begins Distribution of Furniture To Schools

By Johua Afolabi

•Protesters against the majority judgement of the Osun Election Petition Tribunal during their demonstration in Osogbo on Wednesday.

Osun Assembly Member-elect Hails Constituents Over His Election

By Israel Afolabi Osun House of Assembly member-elect under the platform of All Progressives Congress in Boluwaduro/Boripe State Constituency, Hon Femi Popoola has appreciated the people of his Constituency for their unalloyed support and contribution in making his victory possible in the last state legislative election.

This appreciation was in the state Assembly. contained in a Press According to Popoola, Statement personally “I dedicate my victory to issued by Hon Femi the Almighty God first, Popoola and made the Chieftain of our available to journalists, party, Chief Adebisi saying he would do Akande, Governor everything within his Gboyega Oyetola of the reach to deliver all his state, the immediate past electioneering campaign governor of the state, promises.

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Popoola said, he has and our party Chairman dedicated his victory to in the state, Prince God just as he Gboyega Famodun. commended the people “I also want to of his constituency for appreciate all the having confidence in his traditional rulers in my ability to represent them constituency, Prof Olu

Aina, as well as our ever peace loving and resilient people of Boluwaduro and Boripe state Constituency who defied all odds to make me their representative in the state House of Assembly.

“I am humbled and honoured for reposing your confidence and support in me. Electing me as your lawmaker to represent you at the State House of Assembly is a great privilege that is highly welcomed and appreciated by me with a great sense of responsibility.

“Boluwaduro/Boripe state Constituency will always be at the forefront of championing the cause of good governance, and I shall pursue my legislative plan as contained in my blue

print.

“You are assured of m e a n i n g f u l representation, delivery of dividends of democracy and sincere service to humanity”, Popoola stated.

The newly elected lawmaker in the state who also thanked traditional rulers, religious leaders, Iyalojas and Babalojas and Artisans in his constituency, lauded the efforts of both the INEC and Security personnel for allowing the choice of the people to prevail.

Popoola, further, enjoined his teeming supporters to continue to demonstrate their unflinching support to him, the state government and the state governor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola.

Government of the State of Osun has begun massive distribution of newly procured set of furniture to all Middle schools in the State tagged “Governor Gboyega Millennium Furniture” through the State Universal Basic Education Board. to deliver The school to school capacity distribution of the newly excellently well in their acquired set of the furniture various fields.

According to him, the which was monitored by this medium started on exercise marked the take off Tuesday 27th of March, of the first batch of about 2018 with L.A. Adenle 4000 pairs out of projected Government Middle figure of 20,000, saying, these sets of furniture are School, Ayetoro, Osogbo.

The distribution exercise being given to middle which is being supervised schools while government by top management of has also taken that of the SUBEB led by the elementary schools into Permanent Secretary, Alhaji consideration.

He said, “Under the first Fatai Adesina Kolawole, the board’s directors, officials phase, the 4000 pairs of furniture will comfortably of L.A Adenle Government Middle School and other sits 8000 students and free stakeholders were on on- their former furnitures to be ground to witness the used by same numbers distribution of the newly making 16000. In all, the acquired state of the art 20000 under this cycle will provide about 50000 furniture.

While interacting with students with multiplier newsmen at the venue of effect on another 50000.

The SUBEB PS however the distribution exercise, facility the Osun SUBEB PS commended commended Governor managers attached to the Oyetola for his resolve to model schools in the state continually ensure that for their care and deep Osun schools are well interests in maintenance equipped with state of the culture just as he charged the officials of the school art infrastructure.

He stressed the and other stakeholders government readiness to including the pupils to put high premium on make good use of the newly millennium teachers welfare and acquired trainings to build their furniture.

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CRIME

FRIDAY, MARCH 29 - THURSDAY APRIL 4, 2019

Suspect In Court For Smashing Car Windscreen

By Tolani Adeyemo

For allegedly damaging the Windscreen of a Toyota Camry, a 68 year-old man, Kajogbola Adigun has been arraigned before an Osogbo magistrate court.

According to the charge sheet, the further revealed that the disturbed suspect also assaulted suspect two other persons, public peace with his Adeyemo Alaba and conduct contrary to Akorede Adeoti by section 249(d) of the hitting them on the penal code.

According to it, the head with wood thereby inflicting suspect committed the alleged offences on injuries on them.

The offences are March 10, 2019 at contrary and Olaiya area of Osogbo.

The accused person punishable under sections 451 and 355, of pleaded not guilty to the five count charges the state criminal law.

The charge sheet leveled against him.

Defence counsel, Mr Olamiposi Egbekini prayed the court to grant the accused person bail in the most

liberal terms.

The presiding magistrate granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 with two

By Adesewa Adekunle

verified by the police.

He then adjourned the case to April 25, 2019 for mention.

Court Fines Driver Over Reckless Driving

By Tolani Adeyemo

For constituting danger to road users and driving without valid documents, Jimoh Adekunle,36,has been found guilty and fined with the sum of N30,000 by an Osogbo Magistrate court.

The charge further The charge sheet revealed that, the culprit disclosed that the drove a Honda Civic car offender drove without a with registration number valid driving license, an AGC119 DR in manner expired road worthiness which was dangerous to document and non-valid insurance certificate at the public plot 4, Kayode Olukanmi line, Dada Estate Area Osogbo, Osun State, an offence punishable criminal code cap 34 vol under section 7(1), 17(2), ii laws of Osun state.

21(B) of Osun State penal He (suspect) code. committed the offence He pleaded guilty to on 28th January, 2019 at the six count charges about 10:00am at preferred against him number 12,Ibokun Defence counsel, Mr. road, Oja-Oba Area, T. B Ayodele prayed the Osogbo.

The Presiding court to have mercy on Magistrate, R. A. his client, saying he is a Olayemi in her ruling first time offender and said the accused is would not repeat same if found guilty in count given a second chance.

The Presiding one and convicted for Magistrate, Mrs. A. O. entering and stealing.

Magistrate Olayemi Ajanaku counseled the sentenced the suspect culprit and other road to six years users to always respect imprisonment. road traffic law and

Teenager Jailed Over Pants Theft A 19-year-old boy, Olasunkanmi Yekini has been sentenced to six years Imprisonment by an Osogbo Magistrate Court for admitting stealing pants.

According to the section 411(1) and (2) of charge sheet, the the state penal code.

The charge sheet accused person, broke and entered the room of disclosed that the one Ganiyu Folasade accused person caused and stole three pants breach of peace by and a Tecno handset all damaging a police valued at N6,050 patrol vehicle in the properties of one course of rescuing him Ganiyu Ikmot and from angry mob who and Ganiyu Isaka and lynched him thereby commited an thereby committed an offence contrary to and offence contrary to punishable under Section 249 [d] of the

sureties in the same sum, adding that the sureties must provide tax clearance certificate and their addresses

avoid putting people’s life at risk She then fined him

N5000 for each of the six offences preferred against him.

Three Docked For Assaulting IBEDC Staffers In Ilesa

By Julius Ibikunle Three persons have been arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrate Court for allegedly assaulting officials of the Ibadan District Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) and setting the company’s office at Ilesa ablaze.

They are Bidemi Adebisi, 39, Philip Sunday, 17, and Adeyemi Sunday, 19.

According to the charge sheet, they conspired among themselves to commit felony to wit; Arson, malicious damage assault occasioning harm, unlawful assembly and rioting, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap34 vol.11 laws of Osun state of Nigeria 2002.

The charge sheet also stated that, the suspect willfully and unlawfully set ablaze IBEDC office and damaged windows, doors, gate and thereby committed an offence

contrary to and punishable under Section 443 and 451 of Osun state penal code.

It stated further, that the suspects, unlawfully assaulted IBEDC staffers names yet unknown by hitting them with sticks and stones which caused them injuries and also engaged themselves in riot, an offence punishable under Section 355 and 76 of Osun state penal code.

Defence counsel, Barr.

Allo Emmanuel prayed the court to grant the suspect bail in most liberal terms.

The presiding magistrate, Olusegun Ayilara granted bail to the accused persons in the sum of N500, 000 with one surety each.

INTERVIEW

I’ll Not Take My People’s Mandate For Granted - Oriolowo Adelere Oriolowo is the senator-elect for the Osun west senatorial district. He speaks on what he has in stock for his people and other issues when our reporter, Solomon Odeniyi met him at his started from a point, those who residence recently.

OSDF: Some people defied a lot of started it were not returning senators

odds and voted for you at the poll, how do you want to repay their trust reposed in you?

I am humbled and naturally I feel elated. I am grateful to the people of Osun West for voting me to represent them at the National Assembly, not minding the fact that I am a first timer. I want to assure the good people of Osun, in particular my senatorial district and Nigeria as a whole that they are going to reap the benefits of the trust reposed in me. I am not going to take their votes for granted. I am going to put in my best to see that my party APC moves the country to the next level of both economy and social development.

Of course, there are plans and focus on the welfare and capacity building of the people. We will facilitate and create employments for our people, especially the women and youth in the senatorial district. We will come up with enabling bills to provide necessary jobs for the people in the country in general and the west in particular. We want to focus on oversight functions that will make our people to earn their living with ease and we want to improve on the economy of the senatorial district and Osun state in general so that people will be able to afford decent living

•Oriolowo

and be able to pay their taxes which will enable government to perform its responsibility to the people of the state.

OSDF: The job of legislature is primarily to make laws, what should the people of your district as well as Nigerians expect from your end?

The primary function of the legislative arm is to make laws and you will discover that these laws are the enabling environment that guarantees economic and human development. My focus is to sponsor and support bills that will reform our

“My focus is to sponsor and support bills that will reform our education, enhance our workforce capacity and the ones that will allow our economy to grow industrially rather than depending on investment in public institutions alone.” education, enhance our workforce capacity and the ones that will allow our economy to grow industrially rather than depending on investment in public institutions alone.

OSDF: Some have raised fears that you and the two other senator-elects from the state are greenhorns and as a result you may not be able to wield any influence or facilitate any project to your constituencies?

There should not be any fear about it. Each of the people going has his own innate potentials and capacity.

We must understand that the senate

then. If you look at the senators-elect generally, you will see that there are invariably more first timers than those returning. This lay credence to the fact that we have to make do with the first timers some of who have the pre-requisite knowledge of legislative processes. Also, their technical expertise in their relevant fields would be found useful moving the nation forward.

OSDF: A lot of drama characterised the 8th National Assembly which pitched the legislative arm of government against the executive, how do you think this can be averted in the 9th senate?

The yet-to-be convened house is made up of APC senators which means we have the simple majority.

This and other requirements will make passing of bills and lending supports to developmental policies of the government become less cumbersome. The mixture of those who defected and the existing opposition then made the whole thing to be complex. The problem started at the point at which the 8th senate was inaugurated. There was confusion and crisis right from the beginning which will last until the end of the 8th senate.

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Teenager Jailed Over Pants Theft PAGE 15

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FRIDAY, MARCH 29 - THURSDAY APRIL 4, 2019

Osun Guber Tussle: A Post-Mortem Analysis OBSERVATION The 223 pages Majority Judgement of Peter Obiora J. and Adegboye Gbolagunte J. on the Osun Election Petition Tribunal was thorough and I commend the efforts and brilliance of their Lordships. Simply, the majority judgment returned Adeleke of PDP as Osun Governor-elect on two or three essential grounds namely: 1) That the rerun of 27/09/2018 was unlawful or invalid as the RO had no power to cancel results in 7units across 3 Local; Government where the rerun took place. In other words, they believed the Petitioners’ pleadings that there was no ground for that rerun.

2) They deducted votes for both APC and PDP in other 23-50 Units across some LGs in the state on the ground that there were non-compliance with Electoral Act in those affected units and that the noncompliance affected the outcome. What non-compliance? Failure of INEC official to fill Form EC8A and some alleged alterations or forgery on the form.

What is Form EC8A? The INEC Form which documents accreditation and ballot accounting. There is a column in the Form where INEC is required to enter those figures.

3) However, the majority judgment also concluded that even if the rerun of 27/09/2018 was not discounted or invalidated by them or was allowed to stay, Adeleke would still have won after those deductions in the other 23-50 units in other part of the state.

But was the majority judgment right to have cancelled the rerun of 27/09/2018 and deducted votes of both parties in other 23-50 polling units? That’s the fulcrum of the minority judgment and the only two issues where the minority judgment disagreed with the majority’s.

Now, in the 26 pages minority judgment, Muhammad Sirajo J. actually agreed with the two Supreme Court (SC) cases of Doma v. INEC (2012) & Ikpeazu v. Otti (2016)) which affirmed that Returning Officer (RO) has no power whatsoever to cancel elections of units and that only the Presiding Officer (PO) has such powers under the law. So, there is no issue on whether the minority judgment did agree that RO has no powers to cancel unit results. But did the RO actually cancel results in those 7 units across 3 LGs in Osun? No! Sirajo J. went further to distinguish these 2 Supreme Court precedents/cases from the present Osun case. In those two SC cases cited above, according to Sirajo J., the RO actually cancelled elections of units and the Petitioners also pleaded and tendered results of those units. In the present Osun case however, the Petitioners only pleaded that RO cancelled elections in those 7 units without showing/proving, according to Sirajo J., what the exact results were in those units and who cancelled them. He concluded that the Petitioner was unable to prove such results because there were actually no elections or declarations of results in those 7 units across 3 LGs where rerun was ordered by the RO. I don’t think it’s necessary to stress here that the RO has the power to order a rerun. That has been settled by the SC in James Faleke v. INEC (2016).

Let me emphasise for clarity, the minority judgment clinically analysed the 7 units where rerun took place and found as follows: 1) In Unit 017, Ward 5, Osogbo LG, there was no any election in the first place

MISBAU ALAMU LATEEF

•OYETOLA

•ADELEKE

“I seriously think the majority judgment was wrong on all fronts. They ought not to have deducted votes as the alleged non-compliance was not substantial and was not proved to be substantial by the Petitioner in line with Section 139 (2) of the Electoral Act noted above.

They also ought not to have cancelled the rerun on the erroneous ground that the RO cancelled elections in those 7 units across 3 LGs, when there was no such categorical prove before them.” and the issue of RO cancelling them did not arise at all. At any rate, the Petitioner did not prove any results for that unit.

So, the RO was right to order a rerun in that unit.

2) In the affected Units across Orolu, Ife South and Ife North, elections were disrupted and no return whatsoever was made by the PO in those units. So, if elections were never concluded and no returns or announcement of results was made in those units and the Petitioner did not even prove that elections held there or were announced by PO and later cancelled by RO, how can anyone say the RO cancelled what never happened? The minority judgment then concluded that ordering a rerun as the RO rightly did cannot amount to cancellation of results in those units unless results were in facts announced by PO and then cancelled by RO as alleged by the Petitioner. Sadly, the Petitioner did not discharge that burden of proof and it never shifted to INEC or Respondents. I need not stress that the first burden of proof rest with the Petitioner. See Adeyeye v. Oduoye (2010) amongst several others.

Now, another area of serious fault on the part of the majority judgment are the votes they deducted in arrears (50 units although Petitioner gave evidence in respect of only 23 or 27 units) where they agreed with the pleadings of the Petitioner (not evidence oh) that there were non-compliance. According to the majority judgment, the singular fact that INEC failed to enter certain columns for accreditation and ballot accounting on FORM EC8A was a form of noncompliance. Mind you, all the Petitioner Witnesses (PWs) who came to court agreed that accreditation, elections, sorting, counting, announcements of results and issuance of duplicate pink forms to their own agents took place in those units, only that INEC did not fill Form EC8A. In fact, all the PWs also agreed with the results and affirmed them as declared but only insisted that INEC ought to have filled those columns on Form EC8A. Now, the minority judgment also agreed that non-filling of the Form EC8A

by INEC was non-compliance but proceeded to ask whether it was substantial enough to invalidate other processes noted above and acknowledged by the Petitioners through their PWs? He concluded that the Petitioner did not also establish how the non-compliance was substantial or affected their own results or that of the Respondents. He therefore held that since the non-compliance was not substantial and the Petitioner didn’t even prove that it was substantial and how it affected them, it was wrong to deduct votes the way the majority judgment did in those 23 or 50 Units. In the exact words of Sirajo J.: “I am satisfied that there is non-compliance by way of omission to record columns for accreditation and ballot accounting in 23 units out of 3,010 polling units in Osun State. What then is the degree of the noncompliance? Has it attained the degree of substantial non-compliance?” See page 20 of the minority judgment.

Well, he answered his own queries in the negative by relying on Section 139 (1) of the Electoral Act which provides that, non-compliance will not hold water if it appears to the Tribunal that it was insubstantial and that it didn’t affect the results of the election. In my view, how did failure to fill Form EC8A by INEC affect results of the elections even when

it was the evidence of the PWs that accreditation, election, sorting, counting, announcements and issuance of duplicate pink copy of results sheets to agents took place in those units? I await the take of the appeal courts on this.

The minority judgment then went further, in an alternative thought, that supposing the non-compliance was substantial and even proved, the Tribunal had no power to cancel but may only order a fresh rerun under Section 42 (2) of the Electoral Act. As you can see, his reference to Section 42 (2) was just an alternative thought and not the plank of his judgment. If that section has truly been struck down by a Federal High Court as now claimed in many quarters, the fulcrum of the judgment of the minority would still stand. Why? He did not agree that mere failure to fill Form EC8A by INEC was a substantial noncompliance. He also held that the Petitioner didn’t even prove the noncompliance and how it affected the results.

The minority judgment also concluded that even an order for a fresh rerun cannot be ordered by the tribunal unless it was specifically prayed for by the Petitioner since, according to him, the Court is not a charity.

In my own personal analogy, this is how I treated that error of Majority in deducting votes merely because INEC did not fill certain columns or even altered certain columns of FORM EC8A, an act regarded by the majority as noncompliance. According to me, pleadings of the Petitioner which swayed the majority judgment to deduct votes for both APC and PDP in some 23-50 units is like someone contesting the legitimacy of the birth or birthday of a child simply because certain important columns in the birth register in the hospital were not filled by the hospital officials, although the official gave a duplicate copy of birth certificate to the parents which contained all details. So, if the doctor who took delivery, the matron who nursed the mother and baby, the mother of the child, the father and others present at birth are unanimous on the fact of birth and the date of birth, will failure of the hospital official to enter certain important columns - even if its date of birth - in the register of birth in the hospital amount to a substantial non-compliance with registration of birth such that it can defeat the above unanimous evidence of everyone concerning the birth and date of birth of the child? NO!!!!

Finally, I seriously think the majority judgment was wrong on all fronts. They ought not to have deducted votes as the alleged non-compliance was not substantial and was not proved to be substantial by the Petitioner in line with Section 139 (2) of the Electoral Act noted above. They also ought not to have cancelled the rerun on the erroneous ground that the RO cancelled elections in those 7 units across 3 LGs, when there was no such categorical prove before them. I mean, they (both Majority and Minority) agreed that Petitioner did not prove the results in those 7 units.

I cannot wait for the outcome of the impending appeals. Whichever way, it will definitely enrich our electoral Jurisprudence.

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

All correspondence to the Editor, KAZEEM MOHAMMED, Telephone: 0806-220-7954, kazeemayofe26@yahoo.com. ISSN: 0794-8050.Website: www.osundefender.org., Email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com,