Osun Defender Online Version of August 17, 2021

TUESDAY, AUGUST 17 - THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021 VOL 16 NO 31

•Mammoth crowd of APC members who came to submit petitions to the Ward Congress Appeal Committee on Saturday, before the disruption of the process by sponsored political thugs.

VIOLENCE CREEPS INTO OSUN APC •Thugs With ‘Oyetola 4+4 Caps’ Unleash Mayhem •As Members In 285 Wards, 28 LGs Submit Petitions Osun APC Crisis: TOP Leader, Odunlade, Escapes Assassination Page 2

Prevent Bloodshed, Killing Of Our Members, TOP Urges Security Agencies Page 6

•The thugs on rampage.

Page 2

UNIOSUN Debunks Reported Controversy On VC Appointment

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Osun APC Crisis: TOP Leader, UNIOSUN Debunks Reported Odunlade, Escapes Assassination Controversy On VC Appointment Sodiq Yusuf

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stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State of Osun, Comrade Biyi Odunlade, on Saturday evening, escaped an attempt on his life.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that some suspected gunmen stormed the IleIfe residence of Odunlade around 8pm, vandalising his house, cars and as well loo ng his wife’s shop.

Odunlade, the former Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Special Needs, told newsmen that the assailants who arrived his home about 8:15pm, maltreated his house girl and harassed his wife who immediately locked herself in her room for safety.

Odunlade said: “At about a 8.15pm on Saturday, some men in two cars, one white Jeep and another car stormed my residence, wielding dangerous weapons like guns, machetes, etc. They forced the gate open, shoo ng sporadically into the air and shou ng “where is Biyi Odunlade. I had just stepped out of my residence.

“They harassed my wife who quickly ran into her room and locked herself in. They vandalised my car, broke my windows, looted my wife’s shop and carted away valuables and cash.

They maltreated my house girl, Miracle, who was inside the shop and went away with the shop’s bunch of keys.”

Odunlade alleged that the hoodlums were sponsored by a serial governorship aspirant in the area and a newly appointed Caretaker Chairman in one of the major Local Government Councils in Ile-Ife. The APC stalwart said he has reported the case to

the police and the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.

It would be recalled that the Chairman of The Osun Progressives, (TOP), Reverend Adelowo Adebiyi, had alleged that forces in the government and IleriOluwa, a group loyal to Governor Gboyega Oyetola, had hatchet plans to assassinate some members of TOP, especially its leadership.

•Biyi Odunlade

Residents Knock Govt Over Rise In COVID-19 Cases Kazeem Badmus

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OLLOWING the announcement by the Government of the State of Osun that the State has recorded 73 fresh cases of COVID-19, with seven deaths in the last two weeks, residents of the State of Osun have accused the government of playing poli cs with their lives, safety and health.

Some residents of the State, who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday in Osogbo, the State capital, also accused the State government of being hypocri cal in preaching adherence of COVID-19 protocols to residents when it was viola ng the guidelines at the same me.

The residents said, in spite of the deadly virus ravaging the country, the government officials and some party members went ahead to hold a ‘Youth Rally’ in support of Oyetola, disregarding the safety protocols on COVID-19 care for the safety of the residents.

It would be recalled that the State government had sponsored a rally last week Thursday, to purport-

edly celebrate Interna onal Youth day.

The following day, the Commissioner for Informaon and Civic Orienta on in the State, Mrs. Funke Egbemode disclosed that the State had recorded 73 cases with seven people dead.

A resident, Mr. Olabode Ajiboye said: “It is only a government, who does not care about the well being of the ci zens that will embark on such rally in this trying period.

“I cannot believe that a governor would agree to hold a rally with thousands of people involved in total disregard to COVID-19 guidelines.

“If we are in a country that follows and obeys law, the Governor should have been sued and be punished for exposing the ci zens to danger.”

Another resident, Abdullah Omotola said it is ironical that the government came out a day a er holding a rally with thousands of people to say that the State had recorded 73 cases with seven deaths within the past two weeks.

“For the Governor to know this and s ll went

ahead with the planned rally shows that he is insensi ve to the health and safety of the good people of the State”, Omotola angrily said.

She added: “I find it very strange that a Governor who knows that the State has recorded that high number of cases and death within the past two weeks, could go ahead to display a nonchalant a tude by agreeing to a rally that involves thousands of people.

“I don’t know how someone who gathered thousands of people would come out the following day to ask ci zens to follow the COVID19 laid down protocols. The Governor and his people have shown us what kind of people they are when it comes to the lives and safety of the ci zens.”

CHANGE OF NAME MRS. OGUNWOLE VICTORIA IYABO That I was formerly known and addressed as MISS FAMUREWA V I C T O R I A Now wish IYABO. to be known and addressed as MRS. O G U N W O L E VICTORIA IYABO. All former documents remain valid. ARM Pension and General public should take note.

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HE management of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Osogbo, has dismissed the report of crisis on the selec on of next ViceChancellor of the University.

Professor Labo Popoola’s tenure as VC of the university will end in November this year, a development that has been genera ng issues in the ivory tower.

Some people have accused the University management of making rules that narrowed the ViceChancellor contest to only professors in the Pure and Applied Science, when the University is a convenonal one.

Reac ng to the report, the Public Rela ons Officer of the ins tu on, Mr. Ademola Adesoji, said there is no crisis in the process of appoin ng a Vice-Chancellor for the university.

Adesoji said: “I will like to inform the general public that there is no war or crisis in the selec on of a Vice Chancellor at Osun State University, Osogbo.

“It is important to state that the comparison of the situa on in Lagos State University, LASU, with UNIOSUN is an attempt to mislead the Nigerian public, because the two universi es are oper-

•Prof. Popoola, UNIOSUN VC. a ng under very different establishment laws.

“It is assumed that the recent adjustment on the minimum mandatory requirements for interested applicants of the post of Vice Chancellor of LASU is possible under LASU establishment law.

“The establishment law of the Osun State University, Sec on A15, Sub-sec on 3, specifically states that the person to be appointed a Vice Chancellor of the University, must be a dis nguished scholar with outstanding academic and administrave records. The person must possess a Doctorate Degree and be a Professor of not less than 10 years standing. This means if there are going to be any changes, the law has to be amended.

“It is also unfortunate that the eligibility for VC’s appointment in 2016 is being compared with the year 2021. The status of the University in 2016 is different from what it is now and if there is any organisa on that is s ll using the strategy, plans, or requirements of the past in the 21st century, definitely, such organisa on is not planning for the future. A lot has changed in the academic world between 2016 and 2021.

“It is on this note that I want to urge those who are complaining, to please join the University on its way to greatness and in solving key developmental issues in the society.

We plead with the society not to heat up the system.”

Symbol’s Quote

“People don’t just love us, they do because we represent something that’s very important to them”

PEOPLE FIRST

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Thugs With ‘Oyetola 4+4 Caps’ Unleash Mayhem On APC Members Our Reporter

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HE Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State of Osun came alive on Saturday when members of the party trooped out in their thousands to submit pe ons on the Ward Congress of the party, recently held, to the Appeal Committee, set up by the Na onal Secretariat of the party.

As early as 8am, APC members from across the state stormed the Secretariat of the party, located along Gbongan/Ibadan road, Ogo-Oluwa, Osogbo, to submit pe ons from their various wards to the appeal commi ee.

It would be recalled that the appeal Commi ee arrived Osogbo on Friday and addressed the press at the APC secretariat, where it encouraged members of the party who had grouses against the conduct of the Ward Congress held on July 31, 2021 in the state to submit their pe ons before 9am on Saturday.

Members of the commi ee are: Ambassador Obed Wadzain, Chairman; Barr. Odufowokan Femi, Secretary; Comrade Jide Fakorede; Mrs. Osamaye Seun Bose; and Dr. Nankin Bagudu.

The commi ee arrived the Secretariat to a end to the pe oners at exactly 11:01am.

Chan ng poli cal songs, the APC members welcomed the commi ee with a shout of ‘APC, APC, APC’ ll all the members entered the Secretariat building.

Osun Police Commissioner Leads Security Team

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HE Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Wale Olokode, had led a special team of security agents to the Secretariat shortly before arrival of the commi ee members.

Olokode, who was in mu i, addressed members of the APC and assured them of their security, just as he urged them to be orderly and peaceful in their conducts.

The Police boss and his team were parading the premises of the Secretariat to forestall possible breakdown of law and order for almost an hour.

Commi ee Assures Pe oners Of Fairness, Jus ce

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DDRESSING the party members, the Chairman of the Ward Congress Appeal Commi ee, Ambassador Obed Wadzain, assured the party members of fairness and jus ce on their pe ons.

Wadzain maintained

that the commi ee would entertain every pe on brought to the secretariat

by APC members, promising that the commi ee would be objec ve in its report to the Na onal Secretariat.

He said: “ We are members of the APC Ward Congress Appeal Commi ee.

We are also members of the APC. We have come from the Na onal Headquarters, Abuja, to specifically look at the appeals and pe ons from members of the APC in the State of Osun.

“We have come to assure you that we are all members of the same family. All of you have contributed to the building and consolida on and strengthening of the party. All of you are leaders of this party in your respec ve local governments, wards and units.

“We are here to assure you that we will be fair, just on the pe ons that you bring out with all the sense of responsibility that is ex-

•A sack bag containing petitions of members of APC against the Ward Congress being taken to the appeal committee on Saturday, at the Party Secretariat, Osogbo.

APC members to have conpe ons.” ered.

Asked the me line for fidence in the commi ee, But one of the persons the comple on of the ap- sta ng that all their griev- suspected to have mobilised peal, Wadzain said: “It de- ances would be looked into the hoodlums was harassed pends on what we have on with utmost sincerity and out of the party secretariat, ground. If we have a lot of responsibility.

Odufowakan said the as the APC members were Na onal Secretariat of the shou ng thief, thief’ on party is commi ed to ad- him.

Minutes later, one of the dressing all the issues on the Ward Congress, hence leaders of a group among the hoodlums sustained the need to be fair on the injury in his head, when pe ons. he was preven ng Adebiyi Thugs A ack APC from entering the building With ‘TOP Face Caps’ of the party Secretariat.

He sustained the injury OME armed poli cal thugs a acked mem- when members of the APC bers of the APC who pushed him away to allow put on face caps with the the TOP Chairman enter the inscrip on of ‘TOP’, the ac- building.

The hoodlum accidenronyms of ‘The Osun Progressives’, a caucus of the tally hit his head on the iron bar at the entrance of party in the state.

The poli cal hood- the building, causing him to lums, who arrived the par- sustain injury. ty secretariat in batches, No Appeal launched a ack on the APC members before the arrival Commi ee Member of the Appeal Commi ee, •Amb. Wadzain, Appeal Committee Chairman.

A acked Caretaker Secretary of the GAINST the deliberparty, Alhaji Rasaq Salinsile, pected of us at the na onal work to do, we will stay ll TOP Chairman, Reverend ate misinforma on level. we finish. This is what we Adelowo Adebiyi and the sold out to some “We will like to assure are here to do and we will Commissioner of Police, members of the public by a you that we will not leave do it well. The na onal body Wale Olokode. member of Governor Adegthis place without a end- did not give us par cular OSUN DEFENDER, which boyega Oyetola’s cabinet, ing to all the pe ons you days, it depends on what is was at the scene of the at- the Ward Congress Appeal have brought. That is why on ground and the number tack noted that the hood- Commi ee dismissed the the Na onal Caretaker and of appeals that we have on lums put on ‘Oyetola 4+4 false report that its memExtraordinary Conven on ground. face caps and were smokCommi ee, led by His Ex“The appeals that we ing Cannabis Sa va (a.k.a. cellency Mai Mala Buni, had from the Na onal marijuana). delegated us here.

Secretariat are 32. The agThe hoodlums asked “We want you to go grieved members should be members of the APC who back home with this sense calm. They should go back put on the TOP face caps to of assurance that this party home, assured that APC is remove them, saying that is your own, that the right one. The na onal level has the Secretariat is for ‘Oyetothing will be done. delegated us to look into la people and they did not “We are all here to make these pe ons and told want to see anybody with sure that the right thing as us to make sure that every TOP face cap. prescribed by the APC Con- member of the party is carThe thugs started to s tu on and the guidelines ried on board. unleash punch on the APC are followed.

“If there are pe ons members with the TOP face “As you are already here, we will look into caps, a development that aware that your elec on them. The only thing we caused commo on at the is coming up next year, we require is that the pe ons party secretariat. have to make sure that this be in wri ng, so that we can However, members of family remains one, so that submit them along with our the crowd resisted the atwe will be able to win the reports to the Na onal Sec- tack, as they ins lled courelec on. retariat.” age in one another to con“Go back home with this Speaking in the same front the hoodlums. message that we are here direc on, the Secretary of The thugs beat a retreat to ensure that fairness, jus- the commi ee, Barr. Femi when they observed that ce, equity is done on the Odufowokan, urged the they had been overpow- •Adebiyi, TOP Chairman.

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bers were a acked.

A commissioner in the Oyetola cabinet had reportedly lied that TOP Chairman, Adebiyi had led thugs to a ack the commi ee.

But a member of the commi ee, Mr. Jide Fakorede, denied the false report, saying that no member of the commi ee was a acked.

Fakorede, who spoke with some pressmen that came to confirm the false reported a ack, said: “Come inside and see the commi ee members, nobody a acked us. You can see everybody working. The report is not true.”

Reac ng to the report, Adebiyi, a former Chairman of the APC, said: “My a enon was drawn to a malicious statement and photograph being circulated by some unscrupulous persons serving in the administraon of Governor Gboyega Oyetola, claiming that I led some thugs to a ack members of the Appeal Committee.

“For the avoidance of doubt, thousands of very loyal and commi ed APC members on Saturday stormed the Secretariat of our party in Osogbo to register their protests over the last ward congress, which was held two weeks ago and to submit their pe ons, ward by ward, to the commi ee.

“They were also there to let the Appeal Commi ee be aware that the so-called consensus arrangement, which Governor Oyetola and Prince Famodun and others opted for, was their own arrangement and not that of the majority of our party members in the state.

“Where did the issue of leading thugs to a ack Appeal Commi ee members arise? What those spreading that propaganda wanted to hide is the fact that the thugs they sent to threaten thousands of the APC members who were at the Secretariat were promptly over

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Thugs With ‘Oyetola 4+4 Caps’ Unleash Mayhem On APC Members

•APC members at the Party Secretariat on Saturday. powered and they had to flee when they realised that the job they were sent to do was an impossible one.

“I hereby challenge those behind the misleading statement and photograph in circula on to name the par cular Appeal Commi ee member who was a acked. As for us, we are determined to ensure that this party is not allowed to sink the way those in government want.”

Adop on Of Pe ons

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HE commi ee, which sat at the conference room of the Secretariat, called in pe oners to adopt and speak to their pe ons, which were brought from the Na onal Secretariat.

The commi ee had said the Na onal Secretariat received pe ons from 32 wards of 10 local governments in the state.

According to Wadzain, the Chairman of the committee, the Na onal Secretariat had received pe ons from Wards 1, 7 and 9 of Ifedayo Local Government, Wards 3,9 and 10 of Ife Central Local Government, Wards 7, 10 and 11 of Boripe Local Government, Wards 2, 3 and 6 of Ede North Local Government.

Also, the commi ee brought pe ons from Wards 2, 7 and 12 of Odo O n Local Government, wards 3, 6 and 7 of Ejigbo Local Government, wards 1, 8 and 9 of Isokan Local Government, wards 2, 5 and 8 of Irewole Local Government, wards 1,3 and 8 of Atakunmosa Local Government and wards 1, 4 and 13 of Osogbo Local Govern-

ment.

Pe oners from the 10 local governments were first a ended to by the commi ee.

The pe oners all produced their APC membership cards, adopted and affirmed their pe ons as demanded by the committee.

Asked the solu on to the party crisis in the state, the pe oners said the APC na onal leadership should ensure jus ce and fairness on the congress, and as well wade into the fric on.

Grounds Of Appeal

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GGRIEVED members of the party brought pe ons against the Ward congress in 285 wards of 28 local governments of the State of Osun.

The grounds of appeal are that the Ward Congress conducted in the state was totally in conflict with the guidelines of the exercise and the spirit of jus ce and fairness expected of the conduct of such programme.

The pe oners argued that they all came to the party Secretariat to obtain the nomina on forms within the s pulated me frame but were told that the forms were not available.

According to the pe oners, they resorted to paying individually to the account of the party to obtain the form when it was apparent that the team sent from the Na onal Secretariat to sell the forms to aspirants in the state was nowhere to be found.

The pe oners told the appeal commi ee that they approached the Na onal Secretariat of the party

with their individual tellers to obtain the nomina on forms.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that each pe oner a ached photocopy of his or her teller to the pe on submi ed to the committee.

Speaking further, the peoners said the screening of the aspirants which the Ward Congress Commi ee led by Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, supposed to conduct between July 29 and 30 was not done.

They stated that they repeatedly visited the party State Secretariat in an cipa on of the screening but were told that there was no screening commi ee on ground.

According to them, they went to their various collaon centres for the congress on July 31, maintaining that they did not see other contestants for the party offices they were contes ng for.

They added that they held the congress by elecon, witnessed by security agents, praying the committee to adopt it.

Concluding their statements, the pe oners said they were not party to any consensus arrangement.

It would be recalled that Elegbeleye had claimed that only the APC members who purchased forms and were screened by his commi ee par cipated in the ward congress.

In a swi reac on, The Osun Progressives (TOP) rejected his claim, insis ng that screening did not take place in the state.

The group, in a press statement signed by its Chairman, Reverend Adelowo Adebiyi said Eleg-

beleye has done more damage to the fragile Osun APC, describing him as a liar and a big disappointment.

The statement reads in part: “The Osun Progressives rejects the white lie told by Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, the Chairman of the Ward Congress Commi ee sent from the APC Na onal Secretariat, in the bid to cover the scam and sacrilege against democracy that they called congress last Saturday.

“It is sad that the rep-

•The hoodlums.

resenta ves of the highly revered and reputable Naonal Caretaker and Extraordinary Conven on Planning Commi ee of the APC, will descend so low to tell a bare-faced lie in order to cover the illegality they called Ward Congress.

“Elegbeleye said that it was only those who obtained forms that were screened and had congress conducted for and we say it is a white lie which defies all logics on its head.

“May it please Elegbeleye to tell the whole world where, when and who conducted the screening for 35 persons in each of the 30 local governments and one area office?

“It will be necessary too for Elegbeleye to tell the world, how he managed to screen the number of contestants running to several thousands, when his commi ee arrived Osogbo on Friday evening with the congress commencing in the morning of Saturday, July 31, 2021. What a liar!

“Elegbeleye will do well to tell the whole world and produce the list of those who supervised the Congress in each of the 332 wards other than the Governor’s group, IleriOluwa who were harassing and in mida ng helpless party members in most wards where elec ons were held.”

Protest In Commi ee Si ng

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HERE was a mild drama at the si ng of the commi ee, when some members of the party

ques oned the presence of a former Commissioner for Informa on and Strategy in the state, Mr. Sunday Akere, at the si ng.

The APC members accused Akere, who is the Secretary of the Congress Commi ee in the state, of sending the proceedings of the commi ee to some people.

However, when it was brought to the a en on of the commi ee, it was resolved that Akere was allowed to observe the si ng of the Appeal Commi ee in his capacity as a member of the state congress committee.

Gunshots As Hoodlums Disrupt Process

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HE si ng of the appeal commi ee was abruptly brought to an end at past 4pm, when hoodlums who had gathered at the secretariat started pebbling stones at the pe oners.

The hoodlums were chorusing ‘No Pe on, No pe on” as they launched a ack on the peaceful APC members.

OSUN DEFENDER noted that the majority of the hoodlums put on ‘Oyetola 4+4’ face cap. They had sneaked into the premises of the Secretariat and settled behind a container where they were smoking Cannabis Sa va.

The hoodlums had fired a gunshot into the air before pebbling stones at the pe oners, while the

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Thugs With ‘Oyetola 4+4 Caps’ Unleash Mayhem On APC Members security opera ves at the Secretariat premises were helpless.

Some of the thugs were hooded while others brazenly showed their faces, brandishing weapons with which they unleashed mayhem on their vic ms.

Members of the Appeal Commi ee were rescued from the Secretariat amidst gunshots from the security opera ves.

The hoodlums chased away the pe oners and took over control of the Secretariat. Some of them chased the pe oners to streets around the Secretariat, crea ng tension and commo on in the area.

Traders on the roadsides hurriedly closed their shops, while some were unlucky as their goods were destroyed by the hoodlums.

Four about 15 minutes, vehicles and vehicular movements were paralysed on the Gbongan/Ibadan road, as commuters could not dare driving through the midst of the hoodlums.

The thugs walked from the State Secretariat of the party to the motor park at Ayegbaju Market, where they se led down.

My Account, By Pe oners’ Lawyer

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N his account, one of the lawyers that led the pe oners to the Appeal Commi ee, Mr. Mu au Adediran, expressed op mism of fairness in the exercise.

He said: “Barr. Abdulfatai AbdulRahman (Liberty) and myself were allowed to present the pe ons on behalf of the pe oners

•Adediran

before the Ward Congress Appeal Commi ee. And the pe oners were also invited for oral evidence and cross examina on.

“The Appeal Commi ee came with 32 pe ons in 10 local governments of the state and we were asked to submit more pe ons before 9am on Saturday. We already had pe ons in 28 local governments and were taken to the Appeal Commi ee.

“The commi ee firstly a ended to the 32 pe ons it brought from Abuja and the pe oners who are members of the APC were asked to adopt it and were also asked ques ons.

The proceeding was going on smoothly un l around 4pm when I heard gunshots within the premises of the party Secretariat.

“I was able to peep through the window because we were upstairs, and I saw hoodlums with ‘Oyetola 4+4 face caps, shou ng ‘No more pe on, no more pe on’. They started pebbling stones at the people at the upstairs, then everywhere became tensed up. The Appeal Commi ee could not con nue again.

“The Chairman of the commi ee, Ambassador Obed Wadzain, told me to pack all the remaining pe ons in a bag (Ghana-mustgo bag), which he gave me himself. We did that and put the bag inside the bus they came with. Liberty and I were also in the vehicle with them when the security opera ves rescued them amidst gunshots from the party Secretariat.

“They went to the Government House, Oke-fia, Osogbo and I handed over the bag containing the pe-

•Another view of the APC Members at the Party Secretariat. ons to the Chairman of the Appeal Commi ee inside the Banquet Hall.

The Chairman asked me to adopt the pe ons on behalf of the pe oners and I did that. That was around 4:30pm.

“I personally have pe on submi ed to the APC headquarters. I was the second person to present pe on before the Appeal Panel. The panel had attended to all the pe ons brought from Abuja before the hoodlums disrupted the process. All the pe oners did very well before the panel. They presented their cases very well.”

He added: “The pe oners were asked to produce their party membership cards and they did. They were also asked to adopt the pe ons and they did.

They were asked what their prayer was and they told the panel to validate the ward congress where they held elec ons.

“They were asked about the solu on to the crisis in the party and they all said that the party at the na onal level should wade into it and ensure fairness and jus ce on their pe ons.

“The commi ee also asked the posi on each one of the pe oners contested for and they told the panel, that was when they had the opportunity to say other things about the nomina on forms and screening issues.”

Adediran, however, said he observed some people wanted to impersonate

genuine pe oners before the panel which called for more vigilance from their leaders.

“At a point, there was uproar on the presence of Hon. Sunday Akere in the Conference Room with the Appeal Commi ee. They said Hon. Akere was sending out informa on. But the Chairman of the Commi ee said Akere is the Secretary of the Congress Commi ee in the state, that it is normal for him to be present for fair hearing”, said Adediran.

Coali on Tasks Appeal Commi ee To Right The Wrong

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group within the APC in the state, the Coali on of Osun Progressives Groups, has

tasked the Appeal Committee to right the injus ces allegedly perpetuated by the Hon. Elegbeleye-led Ward Congress Commi ee in the state.

The coali on, which is an umbrella body of 15 Progressives Groups in the state, urged Ambassador Obed Wadzain-led Appeal Commi ee to treat all pe ons before it on merit and not be compromised like the Ward Congress Commi ee.

In a communique signed

by Comrade Sunday Oriowo, on behalf of the Coali on in Osogbo on Saturday, the group said necessary things must be done to do jus ce to the pe ons against the ward congress.

The communiqué reads

in part: “You may recall that we raised the alarm on Wednesday, 28th July, 2021, a er na onal party officials who were supposed to sell forms to party members were held incommunicado by agents of the state.

“The events that took place in the next 72hours were nothing short of scenes from an ac on movie, as the Ward Congress Chairman shut out majority of the party members and only dealt with a fac on of the party loyal to the Governor of the state.

“Pe ons and evidences have been placed before you. Our request is for you to be an impar al judge. A s tch in me will save nine.”

•A distant view of APC Secretariat during the sitting of the Ward Congress Appeal Committee, on Saturday.

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We’ve Concluded Sitting, Says Appeal Committee

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N spite of the outbreak of violence at the party secretariat, the appeal commi ee said it has completed its si ng.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, the Secretary of the committee, Barr Femi Odufowokan, said: “We have concluded our si ng”, even as he did not men on the number of pe ons received.

Odufowokan acknowledged the receipt of some other pe ons which were brought to the secretariat within the s pulated me on Saturday.

He said the Na onal Secretariat of the party would make the decision of the appeal commi ee known to the public at the appropriate me.

However, the Caretaker Secretary of the APC in the State, Hon. Rasaq Salinsile, expressed worries over the purported conclusion of the appeal commi ee sitng, saying that the process was disrupted on Saturday, making the security agents to whisk members of the commi ee away.

Salinsile said: “I was sitng before the commi ee when the thugs mobilised by the government started a acking our people. They were shoo ng and throwing stones upstairs where we were. I had my pe on before the commi ee but we could not move further because of the mayhem.

“The chairman of the commi ee said we could not con nue the process and thus advised our lawyers to put all other pe ons in a bag which they did. The appeal commi ee members were rescued by security opera ves while myself and nine others locked ourselves inside my office before officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil

Defence Corps came to rescue us.

“So, the statement by the commi ee that it has completed its si ng calls for worries. However, as party men and women, we s ll believe in the commi ee. We have no doubt about the integrity of members of the appeal commi ee un l proven otherwise.

“We believe they will not want us to lose this State. Let me state here that the report on social media that the commi ee has concluded its assignments in Osun is a rumour.

There are s ll more pe ons that the commi ee has not a ended to.”

•Leaders of The Osun Progressives addressing a press conference on Sunday, in Osogbo.

Prevent Bloodshed, Killing Of Our Members, TOP Urges Security Agencies

T

HE Osun Progressives (TOP), a caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State of Osun, has called on the security agencies in Nigeria to prevent bloodshed and killing of members of the group in the face of the ongoing crisis rocking the party.

TOP had accused some ‘elements in government and the APC in the state’ of plo ng to a ack and assassinate its leaders and members of the group as well.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, TOP said the a ack on members of the APC who came to submit pe ons to the Ward Congress Appeal Commi ee on Saturday, was a confirma on of the earlier reported plan to unleashed mayhem on innocent members of the group.

The Caretaker Secretary of the APC, Hon. Rasaq Salinsile, who addressed the press on behalf of the TOP Chairman, Reverend Adelowo Adebiyi, stated that ‘thugs with Oyetola 4+4 face caps’ a acked the pe oners at the APC secretariat, thereby bringing the se ng of the appeal commi ee to an end abruptly.

He said: “We saw this coming and we had taken the right path of law and order. While the Osun Progressives was rising and ge ng popular, Governor Oyetola and his group’s popularity were nose-diving. That is the path that led to a acks on party members of the Osun Progressives who had thronged the party Secretariat to present their appeal to the commi ee.

“The sheer number

•Some of the suspected thugs sitting on the fence at the APC Secretariat, on Satuday.

of members who were there was in mida ng and would drive any rival mad. Hoodlums with Oyetola 4+4 face caps were dra ed to the secretariat to dislodge the party members, who had been calmly going before the Appeal Commi ee to present their cases.

“The resolute members resisted the invasion and walked the thugs out. The thugs yielded to awesome number and le in shame. The si ng was going on smoothly and everybody thought reason had prevailed and the worst was over.

“But then, there was this comic relief on the social media, where a Commissioner in the Oyetola’s cabinet posted a scam of a material alleging the Chairman of TOP of bringing thugs to a ack the commi ee members.

“The picture that the female commissioner put to illustrate her lies showed a person holding Governor Oyetola’s identy cap and you would wonder how possible that the person carrying the Governor’s support cap is a member of the commi ee? On enquiry, the man was in protecon of one of the senior thugs when he hits his head against the gate.

“Not quite long a er, former Commissioner for Informa on and Strategy, Sunday Akere, came into the premises claiming he had a pe on to defend.

Akere went in to sit with the panel and never le un l he was challenged a er crea ng some

scenes.

“Not quite long a er, the thugs who had returned in mul ple numbers forced their way into the premises of the party Secretariat and started massive a acks on the people. The thugs with orange colour face cap with inscrip on of ‘Oyetola 4+4’, were so entrenched in impunity.

Some of them had their faces covered with hood.

“It is necessary to note that while the a ack which was kicked off with gunshots by one of the hooded thugs was on, the security men could not do anything. While thugs had a field day shoo ng sporadically and inflic ng injuries on the party members, the best the security did was to rescue the few they could get to.

“Obviously, the thugs outnumbered the security and this called to ques on the decision of the security heads to put scanty number of men in situa on like this.

“We concede to the security chiefs the experse to do what they considered the best in any situa on, but we note that the security could have been a bit ghter than it was when we have had cause to report attempted a acks and assassina ons on the Osun Progressives leaders before now.

“We note peculiarly that once the security men were able to lead the commi ee members out of the Secretariat, every other party member was le to the mercy

of the thugs.

“It is on this note that we call on the security chiefs at all levels and of whatever category in the country, to prevent bloodshed of the innocent by the evil men who, for selfish reasons, want to a ack and assassinate our members.

“We also call on all authori es, especially the Federal Government to see to our cry to preventing bloodshed as been planned by the people in government. We are calling on the Na onal Caretaker and Extraordinary Conven on Planning Commi ee, who is supervising this exercise, to take extraordinary interest in Osun ma er, where the minority wants to lord itself over the majority, where naked power is being used to destroy APC and stop all a empts to redeem it, where an APC government is using thugs to beat up and injure its party members and carrying out many more heinous crimes against APC members.

“This ward Congress ma er must be a saving grace for the huge negave posi on the Oyetola government has put it.

The Na onal Caretaker and Extraordinary Conven on Planning Committee must toe the path of honour and be that wise Daniel, who has come to judgment in the obvious vicious impunity that the Oyetola people have commi ed and which is gradually eclipsing the Osun APC horizons. We hope to get the best out of our appeal.

PEOPLE FIRST

TUESDAY, AUGUST 17 - THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

7

Review/Outlook BY JIDE AFOLABI Addressing The A Return To Reason Self-determination “I” Question EMORABLY on the day of “The progressive

M

her historic ascension into office as the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1979, Mrs Margret Thatcher turned to the haun ng words of the prayer of St Francis: ‘Where there is discord, may we bring harmony.

Where there is error, may we bring truth. Where there is doubt, may we bring faith. And where there is despair, may we bring hope’ It was appropriate to recall the words of St Francis at a me of discord and dishevelment in the UK of 1979. We also do so in not dissimilar circumstances now in the State of Osun. Discord can only be recfied by intellectual honesty and sincere reconcilia on move. Those who are a emp ng to airbrush the achievements of the progressive thrust in the recent history of Osun can only gain temporary, Pyrrhic victory. They can never carry the day. Recent events show an unwarranted increasing despera on sadly reflec ng the poli cal thrust of retrogressive “Johnny come lately” who have brought in their an people posi on into the Osun State APC, they are bound to fail.

The APC won the last governorship elec on on an unambiguous posi on of con nuity and consolida on. It will be a betrayal of confidence to repudiate that promise now. Furthermore to pretend that

family has never been known for violence.

But the recent happenings within the party in recent times put a question mark on the direction the drivers of the APC are going in the state” a fractured party can win the next elec on is akin to adults believing in fairy tales. A united party cannot be defeated. However, unity must be based on truth and a return to the real purpose of the progressive pro - people tendency which has memorably served our people in Osun State so well. A word should be sufficient for the wise.

The progressive family has never been known for violence. But the recent happenings within the party in recent mes put a ques on mark on the direc on the drivers of the APC are going in the state. Violence and despera ons had never been part of the progressive fold. Osun should not be returned to the dark days of violence and brigandage.

Tightening Security Level In Osun Dear Editor,

I

T is obvious that poli cal ac vi es in the state of Osun are reaching the climax. The unexpected happened last Saturday during the si ng of the Ward Congress Appeal Commi ee of the All Progressives Congress (APC). I never thought such exercise would end in violence as witnessed.

The Saturday a ack on members of the APC is a fearful incident which residents of the state, par cularly business owners and commuters in the Ogo-Oluwa area of

the State Secretariat of the party, are yet to recover from the shock.

The truth needs to be told; poli cs should not be played at the expense of the security of lives and property of the innocent ci zens who are going about their lawful business. During the Saturday crisis, where poli cal thugs invaded the APC Secretariat to disrupt the appeal process, many shop owners

flee for their lives while their shops were looted.

Also, many drivers le their vehicles parked in the middle of the road and run for safety.

At this juncture, it is paramount for security agencies in the state to put all measures in place to combat any form of poli cal brigandage which could result to loss of lives and property.

All poli cal players in the state should also remember that their ambi on does not worth the blood of any ci zen of the state.

L

ATELY, the agita ons by various separa st groups and individuals have dominated discussions among both the literate, semiliterate and even the unlearned in Nigeria and beyond.

While the proponents of the ‘Biafra na on’ have been vehement in their agita on di o the ‘Yoruba na on’ agitators. On the contrary, some have seen the agitators as jokers who cannot be taken seriously.

On the other hand, state authori es especially, the Federal Government under whose purview the issue of security lies by virtue of the Cons tu on of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) have seen the agitators as “secessionists” that must be tried, incarcerated, and taken out of circula on.

Agita on by self-determina on is not unlawful within the context of interna onal laws.

The right of a people to self-determina on is legal. Na ons like USSR, Kosovo, Pakistan. etc are examples.

The principle of self-determina on is prominently embodied in Ar cle I of the Charter of the United Na ons.

The principle was incorporated into the 1941 Atlan c Charter and the Dumbarton Oaks proposals which evolved into the United Naons Charter. Its inclusion in the UN Charter marks the universal recogni on of the principle as fundamental to the maintenance of friendly rela ons and peace among states. It is recognized as a right of all peoples in the first ar cle common to the Interna onal Covenant on Civil and Poli cal Rights and the Interna onal Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which both entered into force in 1976. 1 Paragraph 1 of this Ar cle provides: All peoples have the right to self-determina on. By virtue of that right, they freely determine their poli cal status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

The right to self-determina on of peoples is recognised in many other interna onal and regional instruments, including the Declara on of Principles of Interna onal Law Concerning

Friendly Rela ons and Co-opera on Among States adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1970, the Helsinki Final Act adopted by the Conference on Security and Co-opera on in Europe (CSCE) in 1975, the African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights of 1981, the CSCE Charter of Paris for a New Europe adopted in 1990, and the Vienna Declara on and Programme of Ac on of 1993. It has been affirmed by the Interna onal Court of Jus ce in the Namibia case, the Western Sahara case and the East Timor case in which its own character was confirmed. Furthermore, the scope and content of the right to self-determina on has been elaborated upon by the UN Human Rights Commi ee and the Commi ee on the Elimina on of Racial Discrimina on and numerous leading interna onal jurists.

From the foregoing, it is clear that right to self-determina on is universal and no one should be tagged “secessionist” on the basis of this view.

However, the approach to realise this is equally impera ve. The Nanmdi Kanu led proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, have adopted unacceptable method including alleged killings, destruc on of proper es and businesses, among others as part of their campaign tools. While the alleged fugi ve, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, known as Sunday Igboho, has not deployed such strategy, the protests across the South-west Yoruba geopoli cal zone and abroad have been seen as a threat by the Federal Government.

The two key figures of the agita ons are currently being tried for various allega ons in Nigeria and Republic of Benin. However, the Buhari-led government appears to be a empting to kill ant with a sledge hammer.

While self-determina on has been recognised by interna onal laws as legal, it should also follow acceptable interna onal procedures for such agita on. It is obvious that the Biafra or Odua Na on agitators have not carried out any referendum to determine whether the Igbos and Yorubas are ready to secede from Nigeria. This is the crux of the ma er.

On the other hand, the Federal Government has adopted a more crude and Publisher – Moremi Publishing uncivilised tac cs to nip the House Ltd. issue in the board.

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News Residents Knock Govt Over Rise In COVID-19 Page 2

FRIDAY, AUGUST 17 - THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021 VOL. 16 NO 31 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com

Review/Outlook

“

The crisis lies in an older order that refuses to go away, a new one cannot be born, in the interregnum all manner of morbid symptoms reveal themselves”. - Antonio Gramsci “The Prison Notes”.

Antonio Gramsci unfairly incarcerated in a brutal environment by Benito Mussolini’s fascist government observed the stul fica on of society from the grim reali es of various prisons in one of which he eventually died.

The contrived crisis in the State of Osun All Progressives Congress brings the observa ons of Gramsci about “morbid symptoms” to the fore.

As in the avoidable crises which ripped apart the Ac on Group in 1962 with disastrous consequences which con nues to haunt us and debar our process in the South-West the conflict entrepreneurs now rule the roost.

It is currently a happy payday as in Christmas comes early.

Good for the opportunists, racketeers and supplicants milking opportuni es in the “crisis”: where does this leaves the broad mass of the people is the ques on that has to be answered. For the conflict entrepreneurs, the people are essen ally extras in someone else’s movie, they have their fi een minutes of fame as ba ering rams during elec ons a er which they can go back into obscurity un l next me.

The contrived crisis in the State of Osun APC is a deliberate repudia on of the very defini on of the ethos of the modern poli cal party as it has evolved over the past two centuries. For the unini ated the modern poli cal party is anchored on the tenor of “democra c centralism” which is the subordina on of group and individual interests to a central core of values. It is not the subjuga on of the party and its structure to the patronage system of a government and a constella on of supplicants, hustlers and opportunists latching on to a gravy train.

Many of the halleluyah chorus did not take part in the pitched ba les to dislodge the reaconaries in control a er the rigging out of Chief Bisi Akande. They do not have and are certainly not custodians of the ins tu onal memory of the epic struggle. They are carpetbaggers who will join the next gravy train when another “food - is - ready” opportunity presents itself.

This is why odious flotsam and jetsam some of them allegedly complicit in heinous acts are now held up as poster boys in a government that ought to be a con nuity of a magnificent progressive thrust started by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. This represents an unfortunate descent from “tragedy into farce”.

“It put the western region way ahead of its peers and kudos must be giving to those like the recently departed one time governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande and Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, whose swimming against the tide succeeded in reviving the progressive renaissance”

By Kanmi Ademiluyi

The Nature Of The Crisis

•Crises entrepreneurs feeding on the contrived It is a tragedy of great magnitude, for the Aregbesola interven on as governor of the State of Osun reignited the progressive

•Oyetola

STRIKER

tendency. We must put this in context. Ibrahim Babaginda’s now mercifully discredited “ Structural Adjustment Program “ was a no

•Aregbesola

- holds - barred assault on the renaissance era in Yorubalandwhich started in the 1920s and was codified with the pro - people manifesto of the Ac on Group in 1950 which stressed “life more abundant”, placing the interests of the overwhelming majority of the people and their families above the interests of a ny elite. It put the western region way ahead of its peers and kudos must be giving to those like the recently departed one me governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande and Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, whose swimming against the de succeeded in reviving the progressive renaissance. By transla ng policies based on benefits to all on the front burner, they have also revitalised the party ethos. A poli cal party is based on a pla orm of transforma on if it is based on a progressive thrust. It is not a trough to feed a collec on of jobbers which is what today’s an -Aregbesola mob represents. They believe in nothing, represent no coherent belief system and have nothing to lose if the progressive tendency in Osun State is stymied. They have to be resisted for the issue goes beyond personali es to the very core of the agreement that was enacted in the treaty that ended the Kiriji civil war in Yorubaland and which induced a remarkable renaissance of sustainable development. Con nuing it will lead to constant improvements for all and an example to the rest of the country, interrup ng it will be fraught with great dangers. The conflict entrepreneurs have nothing to lose but the next meal. They should be told in language they can understand to get lost and allow the true progressives to reclaim the party they labored so hard for in the face of existen al dangers to nurture.

Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above

Good Governance Is A Mandate

G

ood Governance has become a mantra in development discuss globally. As complex as “book people” in management studies think the phrase is, for the common man it is a simple ma er - good government.

Whereas experts say good governance has eight characteris cs, that “it is par cipatory, consensus-oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effec ve and efficient, equitable, inclusive and follows the rule of law,” Pope Francis provides a far simpler way for finding out if a government is good or not. He said “every man, every woman who has to take up the service of government must ask themselves two ques ons: ‘Do I love my people in order to serve them be er? Am I humble and do I listen to everybody, to diverse opinions, in order to choose the best path?’ If you don’t ask those ques ons, your governance will not be good.” Pope Francis, of course, implies not the mere asking of the ques ons but answering them posi vely!

Good governance is the premium dividend of democracy. Every other good thing we have penchant for lis ng follows - infrastructure, security, economic boom, e.t.c. Newton Jibunoh says “The dividends of democracy are simply the benefits enjoyed by the masses who voted for the government in power.” It is expected to be “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Good governance by government, though a cons tu onal duty, does not drop from heaven. It is the crea on of good

people. When a person goes to the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) to withdraw money, he definitely expects it to give him or her back the money he or she has there.

You do not kneel down to thank it for doing so. Only a faulty ATM machine will give you money when you don’t have a dime there. Likewise, when you see ci zens and communi es thanking government and rolling out the drums for providing them with borehole water or tarred road, there is a fault with the beneficiary and the benefactor!

The fault, in the case of Nigeria (and most of Africa) is simply understood. Government all over the world run on taxing the produc vity of their people. When government governs with tax payer’s money, the payers are emboldened to tax government to govern well. Having all but abolished genuine Federalism in Nigeria, no thanks to donkey years of military rule, governments over the decades are no longer dependent on taxes from the people to “govern” nor interested in their produc vity, relying almost en rely on rent from sales of crude oil, a naturally exis ng resource in Nigeria. They simply collect the monthly sale proceeds, allocate the biggest share to the Federal Government and share the rest to the States and Local Governments - all of them believing it is nobody’s money but their own to freely dispense as they please. The outcome is that whatever those who “govern” do for the ci zens from the money has to be fol-

lowed with deep gra tude from the ci zens.

By abandoning the explora on of all other resources (which are in abundance and the most important of which is human resource, the people themselves), producvity is at its lowest, accompany by widespread suffering, hustling and criminality.

How do you tax a ci zenry whose producve poten al and consequent earnings is at a woeful low, hardly sufficient for their survival?

Narendra Modi said “Good governance is not fire-figh ng or crisis-management.

Instead of op ng for ad-hoc solu ons, the need of the hour is to tackle the root cause of the problem.” In our case, therefore, there is no escaping the return to genuine federalism and the full produc ve engagement of the people; if any and all our problems must be solved. Modi said “People power must be combined with good governance to bring about real, deep and las ng change. This combina on can achieve almost everything from eliminating corrup on to ending malnutri on and illiteracy.”

For now that it is a NO for Good Governance in Nigeria, the duty of all genuine democrats is clearly cut for them: without restructuring back to genuine federalism and the full produc ve engagement of the populace, all ad-hoc solu ons and fire-brigade efforts are in vain - for all problems, from cost of bread to security of lives and property.

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 Deputy Editor, ISMAEEL UTHMAN, Telephone: 0805-121-2204, usmanismail001@yahoo.com. ISSN: 0794-8050.

Website: www.osundefender.com Email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com, osundefemder@yahoo.com