VOL. 9. NO.108 NNNNN5050505050TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

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•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd left); National Chairman All Progressive Congress (APC), Chief Dr. JohnOdigie-Oyegun (right); Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (2nd right) and former governor of Anambra State, SenatorChris Ngige during the 75th birthday celebration of Chief John Odigie- Oyegun in Edo State last Friday.

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APC Calls For DissolutionOf Osun Tribunal

Governorship Election:

Omisore’s Loss:Five PDPChieftains Die OfShock In Ile-Ife

Osun PDP Chair In Trouble Over Mismanagement Of Party Fund•Party Leaders Collect Signatures To Remove Him

Osun 2014:Why PDPWon In IfeZoneAregbesola’sVictory:CelebrationsGalore In Osun

The War Called The OsunElections; By Segun Tomori

Weeks before theAugust 9th gubernato-rial elections which waswon by the pragmaticOgbeni RaufAregbesola of theAPC, it was obviouswe were up againstforces other than thepeople of Osun statewhich naturally shouldbe the determinant of

how the elections willswing. The Allprogressives Con-gress (APC) stillsmarting from itsshocking defeat in theprevious Ekiti elec-tions had literarilysworn it will loseOsun over its deadbody. The murderousvillain fielded by the

Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP), outrightlyunpopular with barely afew dozens of peopletrailing him at campaignshowever worethe confi-dence of a Governor-In-waiting.

He they didn’t carea hoot about thepeople’s wish, allthat matters was thefull compliment ofthe paraphernalia ofState activated by an

imperial Presidentthough utterly clueless,but desperate to addOsun to his conquest infurtherance of his still-born second term bid.So lo and behold, thedie was cast!I have notbeen emotionally at-tached to any electionsin Nigeria as I was withthe Osun elections,

maybe June 12, 1993Presidential electionspresumed to have beingwon by my President,M.K.O Abiola could bean exception.It wasn’t because I hadaffinity with anyone inOgbeni’s government orbecause I enjoyed anyform of patronage butbecause

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2OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, September 9, 2014 News

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right) and former Governor of Anambra State, Senator ChrisNgige, during the 75th birthday celebration of All Progressive Congress (APC) National Chairman, Chief JohnOdigie- Oyegun, in Edo State last Friday.

By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

By OUR REPORTER

Governorship Election: APC Calls For Dissolution Of Osun TribunalBy KAZEEM MOHAMMED

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) has called forthe immediate dissolution of the Osun StateGovernorship Election Petition Tribunal.

In a statement issued bythe National PublicitySecretary of the APC, AlhajiLai Mohammed, on Friday,the party asked that a freshone be constituted, with aview to engendering theconfidence of the public inthe work of the tribunal.

The party’s position, thestatement said, wasnecessitated by the

reported removal of theChairman of the Tribunal,Justice I.M. Bako, on thebasis of a petition written bysome people.

“According to theinformation at our disposal,the PDP used one of thecandidates in the August 9gubernatorial election in thestate to orchestrate theremoval of the tribunal

chairman, whom the party(PDP) considered notpliable enough for theachievement of its evilmachination,” APC said.

It added: “Therefore, thisremoval is unacceptable tous, because it suggests thatsome dark forces areteleguiding the proceedingsof the tribunal; adevelopment that is inimicalto the fair delivery of justice.

“When we got thisinformation about a weekago, we did not lend it muchcredence, believing that the

judiciary will not pander tothe PDP or any partywhatsoever in the executionof its constitutional duties.But when we read thepublished report on Fridaythat the Chairman of theTribunal has been removed,we were very worried.

“While our confidence inthe judiciary remainsunshaken, we believe thisimportant arm ofgovernment must beshielded from politicalinterference in the interestof justice, and in order for

the citizenry not to loseconfidence in it’’.

APC accused the PDP ofdesperately seeking tobarge into the GovernmentHouse in Osogbo throughthe back door by engagingin irresponsiblemanipulation of facts sinceit lost the election lastmonth.

“The most glaring hasbeen the attempt by thePDP to deceive the publicover the reason why INECsuspended two of itsstaffers over the Osunelection. While these menwere actually suspended fortrying to rig the election infavour of the PDP, the PDPhas put out a shameful liethat they were suspended

for manipulating theelection result from two localgovernment council areas tofavour the APC,” the partysaid.

APC said that in view ofthe clear desperation by therejected candidate of thePDP in the August 9, 2014polls, all APC members andsupporters in particular andthe entire people of Osun ingeneral must remain vigilantin order to frustrate theundisguised attempt by theenemies of progress andanti-democratic forces tothwart the will of the peopleof the state, which theyexpressed, despite all acts ofintimidation andharassment.

Those Who Hold Negative Views AgainstAregbesola ’ll Be Disappointed - Omoworare

SENATOR Babajide Omoworare, representing Osun-East Senatorial District at the National Assembly,has said that those who hold negative view against

Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s second term would bedisappointed.

Omoworare said thosewho have the impressionthat Aregbesola would notperform in his second termwould be proved wrong, asthe governor would notonly perform, but woulddeliver beyond theexpectations of the majorityin the state.

The senator stated this atthe weekend whiledistributing eighttransformers to some of thecommunities in thesenatorial district.

The transformersbrought the total number oftransformers that have beendistributed across thesenatorial district in thesecond quarters of the year2014 to 50, according toOmoworare.

“The proponents of aterm are always of theopinion that governors willnot perform in the secondterm. Anybody that holdsthat view against GovernorRauf Aregbesola would bedisappointed. The governorperformed in his first termand he will perform better inthe second term.

“I make bold to say thatAregbesola would perform

wonderfully more than whathe did in his first term.Aregbesola woulddisappoint those who thinkthat his second term willsuffer development. I havenot seen any governor thatbefore his election, workwas still going on, up till theeve of the election.

“Works were going oneverywhere in state, notminding the election.Aregbesola is not ahypocrite; he really meantwell for the state and thatshows he is a seriousgovernor that knows whatit takes to build a state.

“The governor just laidfoundation in his first term.The second term is asingular opportunity toensure that sincere andgenuine work that willtransform Osun in the areaof infrastructure andprovision social ofamenities is being done.”

Omoworare stated thathe has been complimentingAregbesola’s efforts atputting smiles on the facesof the people, by providingtheir needs of the people,cities, towns and villagesthat fell under the district he

is representing at theNational Assembly.

He ascribed thedistribution of thetransformers to the requestsmade by some communities,who needed thetransformers for betterelectricity supply.

The senator disclosedthat he has sunk boreholesin all the 10 local governmentcouncil areas that constitutethe senatorial district,adding that he has securedgainful employments forover 100 people, aside hisempowerment programmes.

Aregbesola Recalls Encounter WithDimgba Igwe, Says ‘Death Is A Tragic Loss’

GOVERNOR of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, onSunday expressed shock over the death of one ofNigeria’s most versatile journalists, Dimgba Igwe.

Igwe, Vice Chairman ofThe Sun Newspaper untilhis death, was reportedlyknocked down Saturdaymorning while goingthrough his usual morningexercise.

In a statement by theDirector, Bureau ofCommunications andStrategy, Office of theGovernor, Mr. SemiuOkanlawon, Aregbesolasaid Igwe’s death once againrobbed the nation’s mediafamily of a doyen.

He described Igwe’sdeath as a devastating blowto not only the media worldbut also to the nation as awhole.

Aregbesola, however,averred that Dimgba Igwe’sdeath has again brought tothe front burner the level ofinsecurity to lives and

property in the country.He noted that it is

unimaginable to think thatmerely engaging in aharmless venture likeregular morning exercisecould lead to a tragic deathlike that of Igwe.

“It is indeed a tragedy ofhuge proportion not only tohave lost this fine journalistand manager of men, butalso to have lost him in suchneedless tragiccircumstance.

This once again calls toquestion the level ofinsecurity of lives andproperty in this country.

“Dimgba Igwe, until hisdeath, and with his closestfriend, Mike Awoyinfa,brought journalism toanother level which broughtone of Nigeria’s highestselling newspapers, the Sun

into the consciousness ofNigerians.

“His death brought backto mind in a flurry our lastencounter. Last year I methim and his professionaltwin brother, MikeAwoyinfa. And afterlaunch, we had a profoundand robust discussionabout a new Nigeria of theirdream.

“It is rather unfortunatethat Igwe would be lost thissoon. We pray for therepose of his soul.

“On behalf of myself,government and people ofOsun, we send our heart-feltcondolences to Igwe’simmediate and extendedfamilies, management andstaff of The SunNewspaper, Nigeria Unionof Journalists (NUJ), theproprietor of the newspaper,former Governor of AbiaState, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu,”Aregbesola said

Omisore’s Loss: Five PDPChieftains Die Of Shock In Ile-Ife

NO fewer than five chieftains of the Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) and their apologists have died of shockin Ile-Ife since the loss of the party’s candidate, Iyiola

Omisore, in the August 9, 2014 governorship election in theState of Osun.

Sources close to the PDP inthe ancient town disclosed thatsome of the chieftains of theparty who had been assuredthat the presidency had alreadyconcluded an arrangement towrestle the state from the AllProgressives Congress (APC)-led government of Ogbeni RaufAregbesola, developed suddencomplications, when thereverse became the case.

It was also learnt that asizeable number of the PDP arestill convalescing in varioushospitals in the town, due tothe shock the election resultengendered.

According to furtherinvestigation, the PDPcandidate had listed out somejuicy political appointments tobe given to some of thedeceased and those who arenow recuperating in thevarious hospitals.

“The result of the electiondashed their hope. It was as ifthere was a major disaster insome homes in Ile-Ife on theday the governorship election

result was announced.“Some families were sobbing

and crying aloud, murmuringsome words, saying they hadlost so many promisedopportunities with Omisore’sloss at the poll,” the sourcesaid.

It was also gathered thatOmisore had so assured hiskinsmen and supporters thathis electoral victory was a donedeal to the extent that they hadstarted counting days that hewould occupy the OkefiaGovernment House in Osogbo.

Investigation also revealedthat the PDP supporters hadstarted celebrating the victoryof the election that was yet tobe held two weeks before theelection.

A committee saddled withthe responsibility ofdistributing already purchasedcustomised uniforms and cowsacross the state was also up anddoing.

A list of the APC chieftains,members and apologists to bedealt with, with various degreesof punishment was also said tohave been drawn.

While some members of theAPC had been slated for merebeating with canes, some wouldbe arrested while others wouldhave been run out of the state.

The list of some monarchs,who were considered not to besupportive of Omisore’spolitical goal, is also said tohave been made up forsubsequent deposition.

In some villages in IfeDistrict, cash crop farmers,who were farming on Ife land,but refused to vote forOmisore, have been slated foroutright ejection from theirfarms.

It was also gathered that thenext child to the cradle,Modakeke, would havesuffered more with Omisore asOsun governor, as he had madean arrangement to decimate thecommunity by revokingcertificates of occupancy ofsome houses in the heart of thetown under the pretence thathe would be citing governmentprojects in the community.

3 News OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, September 9, 2014

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle); National Vice Chairman (South West Zone), ChiefPius Oluwole Akinyelure (left) and an All Progressives Congress chieftain, Pa Ayo Fasanmi, during the First AllProgressives Congress South West Assembly at Premier Hotel Banquet Hall, Mokola Hill, Ibadan, Oyo State, lastThursday.

By KEHINDE AYANTUNJI

Osun PDP Chair In Trouble Over Mismanagement Of Party Fund•Party Leaders Collect Signatures To Remove Him

THE fate of the Chairman of the State of Osun chapterof the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji GaniOlaoluwa, to continue in office as the chairman of

the party remained uncertain as at last Sunday over analleged mismanagement of the party fund before and duringthe August 9 governorship election in the state.

OSUN DEFENDERgathered that the StateExecutive Council meeting ofthe party held last weekWednesday ended abruptly asa result of the inability of thechairman to explain how thefund of the party was spentduring and after the election.

A dependable source fromthe party said majority of thestate working committeemembers, including the partychairmen in the 30 local

government council areas, whowere dissatisfied with themanner Olaoluwa has beenhandling the fund, mobilised tochallenge the chairman and wasunable to provide asatisfactory explanations.

It was leant that Olaoluwa,since his assumption of office,had been side-lining membersof his executive but his attitudeto money was condoned forwhat the sources described as“time and electoral exigency”

to sustain the party unity aheadof the governorship election.

According to the source,some party leaders, who wereangry about the situation, havebeen moving around the 30 localgovernment council areas acrossthe state to collect signaturesof the party chairmen,secretaries, youths and womenleaders to remove the chairmanfrom office.

Findings indicated that theyhave appointed those who willcoordinate the removal in thethree senatorial districts but thesource refused to provide thenames of those who arespearheading the move.

However, another crediblesource within the party saidthose spearheading the move

include the council chairmen,who served with Ola-Oluwabetween 2007 to 2010, who feltbetrayed and disappointed bythe chairman “one-man-show”despite the support they gavehim when he was contesting forthe position.

He was said to have alsoignored and abandoned the2007 ALGON structure, whichis still believed to be thestrongest structure in theparty.

They had reportedly throwntheir weight behind Olaoluwa,with the intent of running theparty together as one of them,but he later abandoned them.

Former Chairman, Ilesa-West Local GovernmentCouncil Area of the state,

Ibukun Fadipe, was reportedlyspearheading the collection ofsignatures in Osun East, whileBimbo Oyedele, formerChairman of Boripe, iscoordinating Osun Central,while all efforts by the partyleaders to halt the removal,according to the source, arebeing frustrated, as the majorityof the state executivecommittee members insisted onthe removal of the chairman.

PDP governorshipcandidate in the August 9,2014 governorship election,Senator Iyiola Omisore,Chairman, State Elders’ Forum,Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, werealso reported to have declined

to intervene on the matter as aresult of the previousencounters with the chairmanon money-related matters.

Parts of the allegationagainst Olaoluwa includeddisbursement of party fund.

The fund that he was unableto account for, according to thesource, who pleadedanonymity, was above N500million.

The grouse also included hisfailure to distribute the electionfunds to members of hisexecutives and other partyleaders, whose interests werebudgeted for the election fund.

When contacted, Olaoluwadid not pick the calls putthrough his line and did notreply messages sent to seekclarifications on the allegations.

Aregbesola’s Victory: Celebrations Galore In Osun

TO prove that August 9, 2014 re-election of OgbeniRauf Aregbesola as the governor of the State of Osunwas the wish of the people, since the re-election, the

state has turned to a theatre of celebrations andthanksgivings by individuals and corporate bodies.

At the last count, not lessthan 200 of such celebrationparties had been held across thestate and some neighbouringtowns like Ekiti, Ondo, Oyo,Ogun, Lagos, Rivers andKwara states.

All the ministries andparastatals in Osun are alsoearly participants in thecelebration of the Aregbesolavictory.

Prominent among those whohave been celebrating thevictory are the various towns’unions, palaces, professionalgroups, students of tertiaryinstitutions, pupils of bothprimary and secondaryschools, political associates,different homes, privatecompanies, the widows,retirees, drivers’ unions,commercial motorcycleoperators and all other bodiesand individuals, who have beenbenefitting from the populistprogrammes of Aregbesola’sadministration.

Churches, mosques, placesof traditional religionworshippers, various politicalgroups within the AllProgressives Congress (APC)are also not left out of thecelebrations galore.

Immediately the result of theelection was released by the

Independent National ElectoralCommission (INEC) in themorning of August 10,Aregbesola’s supporters inseveral thousands, throngedOkefia Government House torejoice and solidarise with him,with a request that thegovernor must address them.

The governor, who hadhardly slept well for days,strategising on how he wouldcome out in flying colours inthe election, appealed to hiselated admirers to head forNelson Mandela FreedomPark, Osogbo, where he wouldaddress them.

His supporters however,insisted that the governorshould be in their midst, wherehe sat on top of a vehicle,waiving to his additionaladmirers, who trooped out oftheir numerous homes to catcha glimpse of their political idol,Aregbesola.

The re-elected governor,who thanked his numeroussupporters for their role beforeand during the election,promised to serve them betterduring his second term.

Aregbesola said his primarymission was to make Osogbothe Dubai of Nigeria, where somany infrastructural facilitiesthat would improve the livesof the people would be

provided.Immediately after this, so

many instant celebrationgroups, displaying Aregbesola’sposters and singing victorioussongs, emerged in Osogbo, thestate capital.

A particular group, whichwas carrying a mock coffin ofIyiola Omisore, the PDPgovernorship candidate, wholost to Omisore, was sighted atIsale-Osun area of Osogbowhere a Muslim prayer wasbeing administered unto themock body of Omisore not torest in peace.

Another group of elatedyouths were also sighted at theNelson Mandela Freedom Park,dragging a dressed he-goatnamed ‘Iyiola Omisore’ alongsome streets in the state capital.

As it was in Osogbo on thatSunday, so it was in all thetowns and villages in the state,as the people were rejoicing thattheir votes counted at lastduring the governorshipelection.

There was a case of a beerdistributor around Sabojunction in Osogbo, whowillingly rolled out a trailer-load of assorted beer for theAregbesola celebration free ofcharge.

Some food sellers on thatSunday were given out foodfree, while commercialmotorcycle riders and theirmini-bus counterparts were nottaking fares from commuters, astheir own way of contributingto the Aregbesola celebration.

Investigation however,

showed that it was anadmixture of feelings in Ile-Ife,where Omisore hails from, asAPC supporters and admirerswere rejoicing, the PDPmembers and their apologistswere weeping.

One thing however, wasunique with the celebrations,according to investigation, theyhave been without theprompting or involvement ofthe APC, the governor or thegovernment.

Osun Govt Signs ContractAgreement For Community- Based Road Maintenance

IN a bid to ensure the durability of the various rural roadprojects, which Governor Rauf Aregbesola’sadministration had embarked upon and to pave way for

new ones, the state government has constituted RoadMaintenance Gangs for the purpose of maintaining the roadsto ease transportation of farm produce to markets.

By SOLA JACOBS

The gangs are made up ofyouths of between the ages of18 and 52 and are to be stationedin their various communities toallow for easy maintenance ofthe roads.

Signing the contractagreement for the CommunityBased Road Maintenance andissuance of certificates inOsogbo, the PermanentSecretary, Ministry of WaterResources, Rural Developmentand Community Affairs,Engineer Adelere Oriolowo,explained that lack ofmaintenance culture in thesociety is a huge barrier todevelopment.

Oriolowo, who also doublesas the Project Coordinator forthe Osun Rural Access andMobility Project (O’RAMP),stated that the currentadministration in the state is oncourse to ensure that all thevarious road projects areadequately maintained.

He promised that the StateGovernment of Osun would doeverything possible toappreciate any good RoadMaintenance Gang thatperformed wonderfully apartfrom the monthly stipendsbeing received, noting thatinvolvement of ladies among theRoad Maintenance Gangs isparamount.

While charging them to becommitted to the task ahead,Oriolowo assured the gangs thatthe assignment would not in anyway affect their legitimate jobsor businesses, saying that hewanted them to emulate othermaintenance gangs at Aatoo,Okinni and Ayodeji FarmSettlements.

In his remark on the occasion,the Permanent Secretary,Ministry of Works and theChairman State ProjectsMonitoring Committee forOsun Rural Access and MobilityProject, Engineer NurudeenAdeagbo, appreciated GovernorAregbesola for his totalcommitment towards the goaltarget of RAMP in the state.

He explained that there is amutual understanding betweenthe state government and therecruited Road MaintenanceGangs before signing theagreement, while charging themto take the task as a matter ofduty, so that the money spenton the projects would notamount to a waste.

Adeagbo then thanked theRoad Maintenance Gangs forsupporting the re-election ofOgbeni Rauf Aregbesola for asecond term in the just-concluded gubernatorialelection in the state.

Osun 2014: Why PDP Won In Ife ZoneBy KAZEEM MOHAMMED

THE high number of votes recorded by the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) in Ife Zone of the State ofOsun during the August 9, 2014 governorship election

has been attributed to intimidation, harassment and generaldisenfranchisement of the people.

The PDP candidate in theelection, Senator IyiolaOmisore, hails from Ile-Ife andhis party, the PDP won in IfeSouth, Central, East and NorthLocal Government Councilareas, consisting Ife Zone.

However, the SpecialAdviser to the Governor onLocal Government andChieftaincy Affairs, Mr BisiOdewumi, said if people hadbeen allowed to exercise theirvoting right freely, the APCwould have defeated the PDPin the area.

He said people wereintimidated, especially in Ife-South, where APC agents werenot allowed to stay at theirrespective polling centres, just

as a lot of people were arrested.He said: “I will not say the

APC lost the election in IfeZone. We did what we coulddo; we stood up to their anticsand we succeeded in reducingtheir rigging plans in Ife Zone.

“We thank God that we didnot lose anyone in the areabecause they planned to killand maim and they actuallycarried out the plan, butbecause none of us, who weretargeted slept in our houses.Some were pursued into thebush, but we were lucky toescape unhurt.

“Assuming the people wereallowed to exercise their votingright freely, the APC wouldhave won fair and square in Ife

Zone, just as we havewitnessed in other parts of thestate,” he said.

He also recalled that someleaders and members of APCsuffered some levels ofharassment from the securityagents of the FederalGovernment before theelection, noting that thisinstilled fears into some peopleand debarred a certainpercentage of them to come outand vote in the area.

In spite of this intimidation,Odewumi noted that GovernorRauf Aregbesola’s performanceeventually paid off, as he had alot of achievements to show toconvince the people of thestate.

He then commended thepeople of the state for standingfirm and support Aregbesola atthe election, saying, thesupport was a great challengeto do more in terms ofdevelopment.

By ABOSEDE AKINPELU

4 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, September 9, 2014

The War Called The Osun Elections; By Segun TomoriContinued frompg1

I just couldn’t imagine my home State go back tothe disastrous “years of the locust”. I had participated actively in the campaigns,interacted with the people, felt their pulse and thestory was the same – Osun has never had it sogood, the people vowed to defend their votes by allmeans possible! From that moment I had made upmy mind to give my all and put myself at harm’sway if need be to ensure we form a bulwark ofresistance against the machinery of State to bedeployed to thwart the people’s wish.

When I was about to proceed on my journey toOsogbo, the Osun State Capital on Mondaypreceding the elections I prepared for the worst.Few associates privy to my trip advised stronglythat I removed any APC sourvenir from myluggage,any ID card that can associate me with theparty amongst other security tips. They were rightto be apprehensive, soldiers, officials of theDepartment of State Security(DSS) including thehooded ones,lorry loads of mobile policemen hadsince being deployed across the nook and cranny ofOsun State. Bearing in mind the desperation oftheir paymasters, we knew they could stop andsearch vehicles and abduct anything synonymouswith APC, so I took all the precautions. I took offon the journey which in itself was dramatic.

As we got close to Oshogbo, a discussion ensuedin the bus and I found out I was not alone in theSave-Osun initiative. Most of the passengers sharedthe same sentiments with me and were also nativesof the State. They spoke emotionally and fiercelyabout their determination to ensure Aregbesola’svictory. Speaker after speaker reeled outprogrammes and interventions of the Governor thathas brought smiles to the faces of the people. Theyconcluded he was the best thing to happen to theState since its creation. The menacing apparatus of

State then suffocating the enviroment will not deterthem, they thundered! “Ko si ohun ti soja o se, a maduro gboin gboin lati dibo Aregbe” they said inyoruba dialect meaning “there is nothing Soldiers cando, we will stand firmly to vote for Aregbe”. Ithought to myself, we are about to witness massresistance unequally in our national history ifanything go against the people’s will. Hopefully, thesoldiers we met on the various check-points didn’tstop and search, they just peeped through the buswindows and passed us on. I heaved a sigh of reliefwhen I arrived Osogbo safely late in the evening.

I have attended rallies, mega-rallies , name it, butwhat I saw on Tuesday at the grand-finale of thecampaign was frightening. A stadium whose capacitycan’t be more than 60,000 almost caved in due topressure from an unprecedented mammoth crowd.Every space on the covered stands were over-filled,the main bowl of the Stadium was virtuallyunpassable. My associates and I had to hold ourselvesto navigate our way through the crowd, it took usabout an hour from the entrance of the stadium to findsomewhere to perch! Yet thousands more extend toadjoining roads outside the stadium. It was the APCmega-rally and to say it was awesomely mega is anunderstatement! We even heard that the Lord of Aso-rock caught an instant migraine seeing the magnitudeof the rally! The effect of that was seen in the sealingoff of the freedom park that was supposed to hostworkers rally the next day by “hooded soldiers” Theygot the now familiar, albeit emergency “orders fromabove” to forcefully if need be halt the Nigeria LabourCongress (NLC) and its affiliates endorsement rallyfor the Ogbeni.

Co-incidentally, Wednesday, 6th August was mybirthday but I was in no mood for celebrations of anykind. I told my well-wishers, family and friends thatyou don’t clink glasses in a battle-front! Interestingly,one of my compatriots who was also a major ‘battle-axe” and good friend’s birthday was 8th August so Itold him we’ll do a birthday plus victory party on the10th, a day after the elections,when we triumph at the

polls. We know we had the people behind us, we nevergave defeat a thought! By Thursday, preparations hadreached feverish pitch, the towns, hamlets and villageswas now massively flowing with uniformed men of allhues and shades. Some DSS operatives came to therestaurant we were having dinner, Thursday evening,apparently on surveillance mission. We got the messageand we left in a jiffy! On our way to our location, wenoticed a car trailing us, so we had to take a decoy to abar. As we turned to the bar, the car also turned inanother direction. Their mission still remains a mystery.Thank God for little mercies!

When we arrived our abode, we swung into action toput finishing touches to our master-plan which was torun a co-ordinated and effective live broadcast of theelections on social and online media in collaborationwith the APC situation room which was to start fromFriday evening till the announcement of the results onSunday. This was necessary because leaking the plans ofour devious opponents was key to frustrate their riggingmachinery; announcing results online as we get itdirectly from our agents was also crucial to frustrate anymanipulation at the collation level. By Friday afternoon,I had to tactically separate from my friends who thenproceeded to a high security location. The curfew wasgoing to start around 5-6pm. By 4pm, I arrived at myown secure location and quickly moved to set up. Isurveyed the enviroment to assess the possible threatlevel. I saw that it was negligible so I settled down forthe task ahead.

By Friday evening we got intelligence report thatnotorius election rigger, Chris Uba was in town with aunit of 50 soldiers attached to him. We sent that out andmade sure it went viral. Later that night, informationabout the arrest of our leaders ranging from APCPublicity Secretary, lai Mohammed, the Attorney-generalOf Osun State, barr. Wale Afolabi, Tinubu’s SpecialAdviser on media, Mr Sunday are, Commissioner forAgric among others were swiftly publicised withdispatch. The far-reaching effect of the noise we madecontributed in no small measure to the release of most of

those picked up by Saturday morning. We discoveredby Saturday morning that fake soldiers and policemenhad surfaced in many locations. Their logo was a redankara tied to their left hand. Quickly we activatedour instant alert to our people,through all meanspossible. That again thwarted efforts to manipulatethe elections from the beginning.

The elections started peacefully however in mostlocations with accreditation going on smoothly. Theonly snag was the continued harassment of APCleaders across the State. The case of the 1st CivilianGovernor of Osun State, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke wasquite instructive. After failing to assasinate him over-night due to resistance by his security aides, he wastrailed from the polling unit to his mother’s residencewhere he went after accreditation. He escaped the siegeby the whisker after he was discreetly notified. Hecouldn’t come back to exercise his franchise. Theresults started trickling in by afternoon and the PDPdemolition squad sensing their rejection quicklyswitched to a plan B to disrupt the collation process.We instantly alerted the public about their norturnalmeeting and evil plot. What really helped the APCapart from the determination of the people was ouraccess to classified information. We were always astep ahead of them and that frustrated the electionriggers.

I got an anonymous call from a patroitic police officeraround 8pm who claimed he was at a location atmodakeke and that results being collated was about tobe altered. You could detect the fear in his voice as heasked me to ensure his cover. He was an igbo officerdeployed from other states, he wasn’t familiar withthe terrain but what was gratifying that there couldstill be few men of integrity in the corruption-riddenNigeria Police Force. In order to confirm theauthenticity of his Statement, I asked the ApapaLocal

Stop Worrying About The Oyakhilomes

I have cautiouslyrestrained myselftalking about Pastors

Chris and AnitaOyakhilome’s marriage.When a maritalrelationship crashes, myGod, I hurt all over. It’stoo much for me tohandle.

The truth however isthat, marriages do crash,love does fade, things dohappen. ExtremistChristians don’t liketalking about thisunchanging truth, but it iswhat it is. Those whoonce said: “I do”, do comeback and say: “I amdone”.

In the US, it is 50 percent of the time. You can“reject- that- in-Jesus-name” all you want, truthis marriages do crash. Ittakes God’s grace to keepthem standing.

I am not in theOyakhilomes’ shoes. Idon’t even like theirshoes; it’s too bling-blingfor me! But I hurt for

them; especially for thechildren, who will nowgrow up in a dividedhome. No one begins in amarriage with the hopethat it crashes the nextday. That’s whathypocritical critics of theOyakhilomes fail tounderstand.

So, Pastor Chriscommitted adultery, and

Pastor Anita is mad ashell and justifiably so.When trust is thrusted outof the window in arelationship, everybodyfinds a new tent. Butguess what? It’s theirproblem, it’s not mine, andit’s not Nigeria’s. That’swhy I am not interestedin worrying myself aboutit. I pray there will be a

détente. I pray Chris andAnita go back lovingagain, and living again,and dreaming again, andpreaching from the heartagain. That’s my hope andprayers. If they don’t? Itneither quickens nordelays the return ofJesus. If they do, we willrejoice and be glad in theday the Lord has made.

I am more concernedabout Nigeria now. I ammore concerned aboutthose young people likeAminat and millions ofthem, whose hopes aredying everyday in acountry that has what ittakes to keep everybody’shope alive. Home andabroad, money is missingin stacks and stashes.

OSUN DEFENDERPublisher – Moremi Publishing

House Ltd.

Managing Editor – Kola Olabisi(0803-392-7286)

Editor – Kayode Agbaje (0803-388-0205)

Lagos Editor – Kola Odepeju(08023191891)

Production Editor – Pet-Kola Taiwo Ibitowa

Senior Reporter – Sola JacobsSenior Reporter – Kazeem Mohammed

Magazine Editor – Niyi Olasinde

Reporter – Kehinde AyantunjiReporter – Francis Chukwuma

Photographer – Oluwagbemiga AdeniyiPhotographer – Olushola Aderinto

Admin. Manager – Murtala Agboola

Computer Operator – Saheed AfolabiComputer Operator – Mary AkintolaAssistant Computer Operator – Lukman Oseni

OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing HouseLimited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarantee Trust BankGTB, Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun.All correspondence to the above mail address.ISSN: 0794-8050Telephone: 0803-392-7286, 08033880205Website: www.osundefender.com/index.phpe-mail: osundefender@yahoo.com

Home and abroad, ourvaults are vanishing inbatches. Between Augustand September 2013,Nigeria’s externalreserves dropped by$1.33bn — from $47bn to$45.67bn.

Money is missing,projects are neithercompleted nor executed,external reserves are ona free-fall, and we are notfighting any externalwars! Dollar in the handsof dullards, and Naira inthe tight control of thenaïve. All we continue toget is a combination offoolishness andsheepishness ingovernment.

I am not going to join inworrying about theOyakhilomes. None ofthem is like the Aminatsof this world, who canonly feed themselvesonce a week. None ofthem is.

•FOLA OJO, UnitedStates of America.

5555

Giant Strides

Great Are Your Legacies!With the elections come and gone; especially with the victor's palm in our hand, it

is not too early to start a serial documentary edition on the monumental achieve-ments recorded during the first tenure of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-ledOgbeni Rauf Aregbesola administration in the State of Osun. NIYI OLASINDEdevotes the current series of editions to accomplishing that task.

Aregbesola's Mid-Term Assessment Report:

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, September 9, 2014

•The newly-commissioned ultra-modern school building of St. Stephen’s ‘B’ Middle School, Modakeke, State of Osun.

6 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Great Are Your Legacies!MAGAZINE

•Entrance of the newly-constructed L.A. Elementary School at Obada Area, Ede, State Of Osun, under the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

IT has been in the best interest of the incumbentadministration and in the ultimate pursuance of thewell-being of the citizenry of the State of Osun that

our earliest editions of OSUN DEFENDER Magazinefor the current year 2014 had beamed their searchlightson what should pre-occupy the minds of the generalityof citizenry of the state as touching on the servicedelivery and policy thrust of government in the State ofOsun; a government which had occupied the saddle ofgovernance for slightly almost four years. In the earliereditions of the Magazine segment for earlier years in thewake of the administration, we preoccupied ourselveswith what the disposition of the new administrationshould be in its entire period of time in office. As honestly,transparently, objectively and empirically as possible,our Magazine segment discharged those two separateyet inter-related mandates to the best of its ability and inan unbiased manner. One best way we found apt andappropriate to discharge that onerous mandate was tolook intently into what the focus and direction of theadministration had been within its short stay in office;and juxtaposing that with the election promises of thehelmsman in conjunction with the agenda, programmesand manifestos of the ruling party in the state, the ActionCongress of Nigeria (ACN); now metamorphosed intothe All Progressives Congress (APC). These oneroustasks were carried out with a careful analysis andconsideration of various thick and shades of sizes ofbudgetary provisions which the State of Osun hadexperienced in years past, especially in years that couldbe considered recent past.

This current year alone, several of our series havebeen devoted to chronicling and heralding the wonderfulactivities and achievements of the Government Unusual.Apparently, our exertions were devoted to promotingthe interests and prospects of the administration we holddear in the Gubernatorial Elections that were thenapproaching. If that assessment is true, it is all well andgood, as there is nothing sinister of criminal in writingto promote any sets of interests or ideology one holdsdear – so far they do not run foul of the law. But ourintents go beyond that. Now that the elections are over,we still write to documents all that we have seen andheard. If nothing else does, posterity makes it incumbenton us so to do. So we affirm that as far as the State ofOsun, Nigeria and the world at large are concerned, thelegacies of Ogbeni Aregbesola within the space of hisfirst four years in office are great indeed!

There were series of editions rolled out and devotedto the scrutiny and analysis of these all-important andmind-bugging aspects of the Aregbesola administration;especially as a majority of residents and indigenes washighly expectant of what niche or significant positivedifference the administration was set out to offer towards

the overall betterment of lives of the entire citizenry.Topmost among the series of editions in this categorywere those dwelling chiefly on projections into whatthe expectations of the people of the state were,concerning the budget estimate that had been presentedto the state Parliament late in the just-concluded year,and which approval and passage into law was pendingon the floor of the State House of Assembly as at thetime of making the projections into what was expectedto be engendered by the ensuing year’s AppropriationAct of the State of Osun. As the years rolled by,subsequent attempts were made, mostly at theoverlapping periods between the end of the first quarterand the outset of the second; after the bills had beenpassed into law by the hallowed chamber, to unraveland demystify the actual contents of the Acts; so as notto keep the people in the dark as pertains to their concreteprovisions. These mandates we have successfullypursued and achieved in these past years of theAregbesola administration; taking especial care in beingan unbiased umpire as much and as fair as it is possible.Due to reasons hinged on rumours making the roundsamong anti-government forces in particular, OSINDEFENDER Magazine had always deemed it necessarytime and time again during each respective year toconduct a graphic assessment of the performance ofthe year’s Appropriation Act / Budget, so as to presentto the whole wide world the reality; or better put, thewhole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Now, as we approach the end of the first term of theadministration. OSUN DEFENDER Magazine deemsit fit and most appropriate to run an overall appraisal ofthe performance of the economy of the state in thesepast four years. It is the constitutional right of everycitizen and resident to be entitled to his personal opinions.But whatever our opinions are, we should base them onsome criteria which form a litmus test for theiracceptability. Are our opinions based on the truth? Arethey fair to all? Are they substantiated with provenevidences? Do they promise to better the lots of thegenerality of the people? Well, here are our own findingsfrom a time-tested assessment of the Aregbesolaadministration. Whether we are right or wrong, thepeople have spoken recently by polling massively forGovernor Aregbesola and his political platform. Thesuperlative helmsman and his political party have wonthe people’s endorsement for the second term in office,thereby, we are vindicated.

Late in year 2011, precisely on Thursday, December29, the governor of the State of the Virtuous, the Stateof Osun, had approached the floor of the state House ofAssembly for the presentation of the draft budget forthe incoming year, 2012. Bearing in mind that theadministration of Ogbeni Aregbesola came on board thegovernance of the state following the judgment deliveredby the courageous judges of the appellate court sitting

at Ibadan, Oyo State, which declared Engineer RaufAregbesola of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) asthe valid and authentic winner of the GubernatorialElections held in the state on April 14 2007; then it wouldbecome equally interesting to remember that the budgetestimate for the year 2011 must have been on groundprior to the time his (Aregbesola’s) election was upheldon Friday, November 26, 2010. Also noteworthy is thefact that the same monumental judgment which broughtAregbesola to the seat of governance was the same thatput paid to the illegal People’s Democratic Party (PDP)-led administration. As a matter of fact, ouster of theimmediate past administration from office came just asits helmsman was warming up for the officialpresentation of what would have been his seventh (andhis last) budget in office as the Chief Executive of ourstate before the State House of Assembly. As luck andprovidence would have it, that arrangement was not tobe. However, we have to resist the temptation offorgetting to mention that the 2012 Annual Budget wasthe first that was fully a wholesome handiwork of theincumbent administration. By implication, the budgetestimate, which Aregbesola would be approaching theState House of Assembly with this year-end for passageinto law, would be his fourth. The ethics and ethosobserved in his budget proposals so far, as well as theirmanner o presentation, approval, passage and executionmark the administration out as truly people-oriented. Theachievements we have so far attest to our claims.

Due to this sudden change in the baton of leadership,governance and administration in the state, lack ofcongruence in focus, ideology and policy thrust of anew government under the dynamic progressiveleadership of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) andthat of the ousted conservative People’s DemocraticParty (PDP) necessitated the review of the 2011 draftbudget inherited by the new administration. Thereshaping exercise was necessary to enable the ensuingdocument reflect the vision and programmes of the newadministration in the state. Consequent to this necessityto adjust the Budget, the passage of the 2011Appropriation Bill into law could not sail through beforethe former State House of Assembly until towards theend of March 2011. It was really a commendable deedby the functionaries of the new administration, top civilservants and other stakeholders in seeing to it that aworkable document reflective of the dream, focus andaspiration of the new administration was produced; moreso, such that the signing into law of the AppropriationAct by Mr. Governor did not extend beyond April 6,2011. The maximum cooperation accorded the effortby Speaker and honourable members of the defunct StateHouse of Assembly is also highly commendable.

For the year 2012 Appropriation Bill and its passage

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7 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, September 9, 2014 MAGAZINE

Great Are Your Legacies!

•AREGBESOLA •LAOYE-TOMORI

into law however, the processes and procedures weremuch faster than they were for the previous year. Thiswas partly due to the fact that the administration ofOgbeni had been well-entrenched; and partly due to thefact that the draft document it had to work with was itshandiwork in entirety. In addition, lots of changes hadtaken place in our political and public terrains; hence inour democratic structure. The 2011 General Electionshad further solidified true democracy in our midst suchthat a new State House of Assembly truly reflective ofgenuine yearnings and aspiration of the people hademerged. The people also had begun to visualize theadministration in vogue in the state as one that was all-out to deliver dividends of democracy relevantly at theirdoorposts. Already, the long list of earliest projects andprogrammes executed by the administration was givingstrong, doubtless indications to this conviction.

By February 20, 2012, the governor of the state wasalready on hand in the hallowed chambers of the Stateof Osun House of Assembly to sign the bill presented tothe honourable lawmakers previous December into law.That timing presented a remarkable improvement overevents already traced for year 2011; which culminatedin the passing of the bill into law in late March; and theGovernor assenting it by early April. Casting aretrospective glance back at the events marking thesigning the 2012 Appropriation Bills into law,Aregbesola’s comments at the occasion would serve asreminder to the build-up to attaining the recorded feat.In his speech at the occasion, the governor thanked thelawmakers and all present, describing the events ofsigning the bill into law as about the most significantevent of the year. It was on that note that he premisedthe solemnity accorded the occasion on its all-importantnature. As if in affirmation of our earlier claim in thisreport, the governor, while recalling the events of year2011 observed that similar ceremony that year wasperformed in the month of April. He went ahead to stressthat the achievement of getting the document signed inthe month of February 2012 was not a destination; ashis ultimate desire was that by the beginning of everysubsequent year of his administration, the implementationof the year’s appropriation and the following year’sprojections must be well underway.

If for mere purpose of clarification, we need to furthercast a glance on the opening speech of the governor atthe occasion, as he recounted that Budget 2011 was puttogether by the departing administration, which made itto have little input from the incumbent administrationunder his leadership. According to him, the budgetdocument as of then was presented to a legislative housethat was anything but friendly and which leadership had

foresworn itself that over his dead body would he(Aregbesola) reclaim his mandate and assume the mantleof leadership in the state. He further clarified that it wasin the midst of that uncertainty that the year 2012appropriation was passed, while he availed the mediumto express his profound gratitude to the Almighty God.

In his comments on the year 2012 budget, thegovernor described the document as the people’s budget.He observed that since there was a presence of a fullcabinet; every item was consciously considered in thelight of the developmental goals of his team and thedemands placed on the team by the people of the statefor whom the document, its projects and programmesare meant. This feature, undoubtedly justified the budgetas the people’s budget.

As was adduced to in earlier paragraphs of this currentedition, Ogbeni Aregbesola referred to the historicoccasion of the day as clearly the most significant eventof that year. Events unfolding during the year 2012 andsubsequent years partly justified that assertion as true;while they also showed it as a statement made in moodof being modest, economical, prudent and judicious.On the one hand, it was the budget that gave directionto events and activities of government, as well asservice-delivery throughout the year. On the other, wehad a long catalogue of highly significant eventsoccurring during the year. Readers would agree withme that year 2012 was highly eventful and productivein the annals of purposeful governance in our state. Thatfact had emboldened us to say that mush events tookplace in the life of the state which outstripped one singleoccasion of budget-approval in significance and overallcontribution to the lives of the citizens.

By the time the year was ending, a good majority ofresidents was full of prayers for Governor Aregbesolaand his team over the many positive differences theyintroduced to governance of our state. In the end, wesaw and experienced a budget that was really a documentof the people; by the people and for the people.Democracy was visibly seen at work! GovernmentUnusual has been fully at work. So much that we findthe governor credible on his promises at the beginningof the year. So much that we would want to hold himcredible for the blessings he rained on the state at thecommencement of each passing year; the current yearinclusive.

If we consider the claims of the governor at theoccasion of signing the Budget 2012 into law, it wouldmake it clearer how well he has redeemed his promisesto his people. During that occasion, the governorrevealed that his administration had, in the budget,concentrated on agriculture, infrastructure andeducation. According to him, this was informed by the

consideration that these areas required criticalintervention for the immediate goals of job creation andcapital development to be realizable. Excerpts:

“This year’s budget is however the people’s budget.We have a full cabinet and every item was consciouslyconsidered in light of our developmental goals and thedemands placed on us by our people.

“We have concentrated on agriculture, infrastructureand education. This is informed by the considerationthat these areas require critical intervention for us to beable to achieve our immediate needs of job creationand human capital development.

“The immediate need of our people is job. If peopleare gainfully employed, all their other problems are easyto solve. In addition, social tension and escalation willbe reduced. Criminal activities will abate and we willneed to spend less on security and defence. Again whenpeople have jobs, more revenue will accrue togovernment in terms of taxes, rates and levies. It istherefore a win-win for government and the people”

In furtherance of his comments on the focus andpriority areas of the 2012 Budget, Aregbesola pin-pointedthe commitment accorded agriculture by hisadministration. He observed that the people of the stateare predominantly farmers. In view of this fact, heopined that if the vast resources of the state wereappropriately harnessed, the state should be on its rightpath to wealth and prosperity. Expressing thecommitment of his administration to achieving thisgigantic feat, Aregbesola vowed to ensure that the Stateof Osun became the food basket of the South-Westregion:

“Our commitment to agriculture is unwavering. Ourpeople are predominantly farmers. This, if we harnessit appropriately, is our path to wealth and prosperity.We intend to carry this out to the fullest and ensure thatwe are the food basket of our region. Agriculture isindeed primary to obtaining food security. If we cannotfeed ourselves, we are vulnerable to blackmail andmachination of our food suppliers. Secondly, it is easierto stimulate the setting up of agro-allied industries,knowing that we have comparative advantage in it.”

The foregoing may appear a historical account, bur ithere serves as link with what we have to discuss forsubsequent years. Therefore, it is on this same propheticnote that Ogbeni Aregbesola started the year 2013, whenhe rained prayers on the State of Osun and its peopleduring this year’s edition of the annual New Yearinterreligious prayers held for civil servants at thebeginning of every year. According to the governor, theyear 2013 shall be a year of abundant prosperity, wealth,sound health and bumper harvest for the state and its

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8 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, September 9, 2014 PHOTOTALK

75th Birthday Celebration Of All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman,Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, In Edo State, Last Friday.

•

•(L-R) Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasheed Ladoja.

•(R-L) The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief (Dr.) John Odigie- Oyegun and his wife Victoria.

•(R-L) Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; Governor Aregbesola and former Governor of Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige.

Final Burial Ceremony Of Mother Of Former Governor Of Oyo State, Senator RasheedLadoja, The Late Alhaja Halimat Sadia Ladoja, In Ibadan, Oyo State, Last Thursday.

9 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, September 9, 2014PHOTOTALK

•(R-L) An All Progressives Congress chieftain, Pa Ayo Fasanmi; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; National Vice Chairman (South West Zone), Chief Pius Oluwole Akinyelure andformer National Chairman (South West Zone) Alliance for Democracy (AD), Oba Olatunji Hamzat.

•(R-L) Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Chief Akinyelure; Oba Hamzat and the deputy governor, Lagos State, Adejoke Orelope Adefulire.

First All Progressives Congress South-West Assembly At Premier Hotel BanquetHall, Mokola Hill, Ibadan, Oyo State, Last Thursday.

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, September 9, 2014MAGAZINE

Great Are Your Legacies!

•Complexes and offices at the Ayegbaju Market.

people. The experience throughout that year had beenencouraging; judging by the volume of projectsexecuted; number of programmes rolled out andsignificant impact of people-oriented services embarkedupon by the Government Unusual of Ogbeni Rauf AdesojiAregbesola.

AT the wake of the year 2013, there wereaccusations and apprehension that weremisplaced and quite unnecessary from some

quarters. Hardly had year 2013 started than the membersof the opposition party in the State of Osun, the People’sDemocratic Party (PDP) started pointing accusingfingers at the State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesolaover the way in which he forwarded this year’sappropriation bill to the State House of Assembly, whichthey alleged improper in that the presentation was devoidof noise, fanfare and other formalities which in theirmyopic beliefs should accompany the presentation ofthe bill to the state parliament. But the reality is that thegovernor did eventually make appearance at the hallowedchambers of the State of Osun House of Assembly tomake presentation of the year 2013 ProposedAppropriation Bill to the honourable members of thehouse. This was quite confounding and baffling todetractors.

What the adversaries and detractors of thisadministration deliberately ignored or skipped to realizeis that the business of genuine governance outstripsmere merrymaking and frivolities that amount tonothing. These art and trade were the unprofitableengagements which occupied the entire life and timesof the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)-ledadministration in office. Like an unrepentant sinner, thesedisplaced outcasts would never learn their lessons. Whatthe people have seen of the Aregbesola administrationhas justified the resolve with which they opted and votedfor change during the 2007 gubernatorial polls in thestate. They have done it all over again this year. Incorollary, greater dividends will follow.

We make bold to assert that there still exists a segmentof the opposition who has today made a reasonablecross-over; having been convinced by the great goodworks which Ogbeni and his team have spent their littletime in office to dispense to the good life and well-beingof the generality of the people of the State of Osun.These people under reference do not comprise themammoth crowd of former die-hard supporters of thedrowned People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who havesince the time of change of baton of administrationdefected into the fold of progressives in the ActionCongress of Nigeria (ACN). This massive defection isstill in progress! The said ongoing massive defection isnot borne of crave and love for any government in power(AGIP) but borne of genuine conviction based on solidlife-transforming achievements and activities of theincumbent administration. The case of the ousted

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is likened to that ofthe proverbial thief who has stolen so much that theowner of the stolen articles took notice! For an umpteenthof eight years, the peace-loving, enduring and long-suffering people of our state had been robbed, not onlyof their financial fortunes but their peace, legitimaterights and liberties (their franchise inclusive).

This year alone, we recorded massive defection ofdignitaries hitherto considered to be big-wigs of thatGod-forsaken party. Significantly, two former governorsof the state dumped the umbrella for the broom;presumably to join the progressives in the onerous taskof sweeping the state clean of the filth and dirt of thepast as a means of charting the course for a gloriousfuture.

Today, the people have known better. In spite ofprotestations by their sworn enemies claiming to be thefriends of the people, the people are now better able toseparate friends from fiends! Calling oneself Ore AraIlu (Friend of the Masses) does not wield a magic wandof its own. The people can now separate the grainsfrom chaffs. We all know today who the genuine friendsof the people are.

In all truth and honesty, we submitted in ourcommemorative package marking the second yearanniversary of the Aregbesola administration that it is agovernment of the people which, in great unquantifiablemeasure, is favourably disposed to the good life, well-being and welfare of the people. The edition then wasthe mid-term assessment of the Aregbesolaadministration. If that administration had failed to dothe presentation of its annual budget for just one yearwithout noise, fanfare, merry-making, pomp andpageantry, only God knows what fortunes of resourcesit would be conserving for the state by so doing. Moreso, the government is working on a non-stop basis!The likes of PDP administration that we once had here;and which still subsists in less fortunate places wouldstill remain at standstill in periods when the budget forthe New Year was awaiting approval and endorsementinto Appropriation Act. Even during the year for whicha budget has been approved and passed into law, thecharacteristic lethargy of PDP administration anywherehas the bad fate of dispensing the disastrous legacies ofsorrows, woes, affliction and stagnation to its citizenswho are turned into victims thereby.

The right people in the political class have respondedaptly and accurately to the gaffe of the drowned People’sDemocratic Party (PDP) in the state. The wise counselthey offered to the idlers is that they should approachappropriate courts of competent jurisdiction with theirgrievances. Not only that, the bunch of flatulent never-do-wells has been charged to make constructivecriticisms; rather than base their criticisms of theadministration on baseless rumours and mereassumptions. They were advised to make proper findingson the activities and programmes of the government ofthe day before going ahead to criticize its laudable effortsat turning the tide of the state and its people around

positively.Commenting further on the other sectors of priority,

Aregbesola observed that infrastructural developmentis one means of kick-starting the transition of our citiesinto urban and truly urban areas. This, according tohim, would serve the triple purpose of providing jobs,laying the foundation for economic development andcreating wealth for the government and the people.

Education, according to the helmsman of the State ofOsun, is the long but steady path to greatness. Heremarked that the investment being made today is forthe future of our people. Accordingly, it takes just nineyears, if we are to start from scratch, to providequalitative basic education; but that by the same token,it takes approximately the same period to destroy it. Ona sad and sympathetic note, he lamented that theprogressive destruction of education in the State of Osunthat could guarantee three per cent pass for secondaryschool leavers was shameful. He then expressed thedetermination of his administration to put an end to thatsad trend:

“By the time we are rounding up our tenure, I am bythe grace of God looking forward to 100 per cent passin all examinations for secondary school leavers in ourstate. From this generation will arise by the grace ofGod geniuses, scientists, clergy, entrepreneurs, artists andartistes and world renowned academics. The potentialsare already here, it only requires nurturing. This is whywe are funding education massively. “

Gladly, the state has started recording that feat today.Unraveling the impetus of the incumbent

administration for a people’s budget, GovernorAregbesola reflected that his team was guided by thehighest ideal of governance, the provision of the greatestgood to the greatest number. Also, he advanced as causethe team’s determination to impact every citizen, nomatter how little – from big businesses, to civil servants,to artisans and peasants.

In addition, the Governor of the State of Osun createdthe awareness that as the 2012 budget was integrated inprinciple; so it shall be made in implementation.According to the governor, it was the directive principleof his administration to sink to the last kobo the entirebudget into the economy of the state. Except where itbecame absolutely necessary, every kobo wouldhenceforth be sunk into the economy of the state. Thegovernor made it clearly known that discussions wereon with the state’s strategic partners, contractors andsuppliers that the budget of the state must be used toreinflate the state’s economy.

It was also emphasized by the state’s helmsman thatfrom that time onward, the focus of his team would behow to implement the budget 2012 and subsequent onesto the fullest; on the basis of which he solicited 100 percent implementation, saying that anything short of thatwould be unacceptable to him. He stated further that if

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11 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, September 9, 2014 MAGAZINE

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Great Are Your Legacies!

•A recently commisssioned road in Ilesa.

any money would be returned to the treasury; let it befor reason of prudence and gain in cost and not forunder-implementing in quality and quantity.

The 2012 Appropriation Bill which was signed intolaw in February that year was a balanced budget, sizedat One-Hundred and Fifty Billion, One –Hundred andTwenty-Four Million, Seven-Hundred and ThreeThousand, Eight-hundred and Eighty Naira (N150,154,703,880.00). This budget size was against the initialsum presented by the Governor to the State of OsunHouse of Assembly on December 29, 2011. The initialbudget so presented was sized at One-Hundred andForty-Six Billion, Six-Hundred and Seventy-Four Million,Two-Hundred and Eighty-Three Thousand, One-Hundred and Forty Naira (N146, 674,283,140.00).These two figures presented a difference (an increase)of Three Billion, Four-Hundred and Fifty Million, Four-Hundred and Twenty Thousand, Seven-Hundred andForty Naira (N3, 450,420,740.00).

The rationale for the jack-up in 2012 budget whichoccasioned the N3.4 Billion that was added to theproposed figure by the State Governor before the finalpassing, as explained by the Speaker of the House ofAssembly, Honourable Najeem Salam, was therevelation, upon the close scrutiny of the initial budgetthat the revenue and the recurrent expenditure of someministries were under-budgeted. Also, the Houseincorporated some agencies’ budgets that were notincluded.

Among the agencies which had their draft estimatesadjusted by the House were Osun State BroadcastingCorporation (OSBC), the State of Osun House ofAssembly, Ministry of Environment and Sanitation,Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, LadokeAkintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital(LAUTECH-TH) and the Ministry of Health. Also addedto the list was the then newly-established agency, theState of Osun Agency for the Control of AIDS (OSACA),which budget was incorporated into the 2012Appropriation Law. This inclusion, according to Salamwas to forestall a situation where the purpose ofestablishing the agency would be defeated. Also, thejack-up was done to facilitate the funding of specificprojects like OYES Tech and Opon Imo.

Apart from the monetary aspect of the law, Salamsaid that the House had placed the Bureau of ComputerServices under the Ministry of Education, Science andTechnology, to further ensure its efficiency. He said thatthe House clearly understood the policy direction ofGovernor Aregbesola and assured the people of the statethat the budget would fast-track development and boostthe economy of the state. Today, the state and its goodpeople are better for all these innovations.

Presenting the breakdown of the discrepancies thatconstituted the increase in the final budget, as againstthe old/initial size, the N3.4 Billion difference compriseda Capital Expenditure of Seventy-Nine Billion, Forty-Seven Million, Seven-Hundred and Eighty Thousand,Five-Hundred and Twenty Naira (N79, 047,780,520.00).Total Recurrent Expenditure of Seventy-One Billion,Seventy-Six Million, Nine-Hundred and Twenty-ThreeThousand, Three-Hundred and Sixty Naira (N71,076,923,360.00), Overhead Cost of Seventeen Billion,Seven-Hundred and Eleven Million, Three-Hundred andFifty-Four Thousand, Five-Hundred and Ten Naira(N17,711,354,510.00), Personnel Cost of Twenty-EightBillion, Three-Hundred and Ninety-Five Million, Nine-Hundred and Five Thousand, Four Hundred and FiftyNaira (N28,395,905,450.00) and Consolidated RevenueFund Charge (CRFC) of Twenty-Four Billion, Nine-Hundred and Sixty-Nine Million, Five-Hundred andEighty-One Thousand, Four-Hundred Naira(N24,969,581,400.00).

THE initial size of year 2011 Budget presented to theState House of Assembly through the budget speech ofOgbeni Aregbesola, ably represented by his DeputyOtunba (Mrs.) Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori was Eighty-Eight Billion, One-Hundred and Forty-Three Million,One-Hundred and Thirty-One Thousand, Six-HundredNaira (N88,143,131,600.00). This figure was said towitness various adjustments made after the presentationof the budget speech on the floor of the State of OsunHouse of Assembly. Therefore, the size of 2011 Budgetas approved by the hallowed Parliament of yesteryears,and assented to by the Governor was One-Hundredand Two Billion, Eight-Hundred and Sixty-Four Million,Six-Hundred and Thirty-Three Thousand, Three-Hundred and Sixty Naira (N102,864,633,360.00). Aswould be expected, the main policy thrust of the 2011Budget; and that of the entire Aregbesola administrationat that; focused on the economic transformation of theState of Osun, through the effective and efficientimplementation of the Six-Point Integral Action Plan ofthe administration of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola.The tenets of the Six-Point Integral Action Plan includethe following:

(i) To Banish Poverty;(ii) To Banish Hunger;(iii) To Banish Unemployment (Create Work/

Wealth);(iv) To Ensure Healthy Living;(v) To Promote Functional Education; and(vi) To Enhance Communal Peace and Progress.The 2012 Budget of the State of Osun was a balanced

budget which was initially sized at around One-Hundredand Forty-Six Billion Naira (N146 Billion) pending theapproval of the State Parliament. After the considerationof the draft budget by the State House of Assembly, an

increment of about N3.4 Billion Naira was made to it asexplained above to make the total balanced budget ofthe size of One-Hundred and Fifty Billion, One-Hundredand Fifty-Four Million, Seven-Hundred and ThreeThousand, Eight-Hundred and Eighty Naira(N150,124,703,880.00). Precisely speaking, the exactdifference, which constitutes the jack-up in the budget,was Three Billion, Four-Hundred and Fifty-Nine Million,Four-Hundred and Twenty Thousand, Seven-Hundredand Forty Naira (N3, 459,420,740.00). It becomescrucial at this juncture to note that Budget 2010 whichpreceded it and which was tagged: “Budget ofConsolidation and Development”, sized at One-hundredand Fourteen Billion, Four-Hundred and Eighty-NineMillion, Seven-Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Three-Hundred and Twenty-Four Naira(N114,489,750,324.00); the 2009 budget, also abalanced budget, which was tagged: “Budget ofSustainable Transformational Development” was of thesize Ninety-Eight Billion, Ninety-Three Million, Nine-Hundred and Forty Thousand, Seven-Hundred andEighty Naira (N98,093,940,780.00). In our assessmentof performances of successive years’ budgets vis-à-visthe performance of the economy at the time, OSUNDEFENDER Magazine did observe on a sad note howthe budget sizes, alongside supplementary budgets didescalate without corresponding improvement in the livingconditions of the people. For instance, the 2003 budget,which the Oyinlola administration inherited from the ChiefBisi Akande-led administration, was a balanced budgetwhich size was only Fourteen Billion, Five-Hundred andThirty-Four Million, One-Hundred and Forty-FiveThousand, Two-Hundred and Fifty Naira (N14,534,145,250.00). The rate at which budget sizes forsuccessive years had escalated all through the Oyinlolayears sky-rocketed had sent waves of jitters down thespines of objective analysts in the years which thatadministration lasted. Today, we remain living testifiersto the fact that little or no meaningful achievements wererecorded by that ousted administration in spite ofincessantly hiked budgetary allocations. It was agovernment of waste, rot, subterfuge and profligacy.

The review of the 2010 Budget, which was the last inthe series of budgets planned and executed by theOyinlola administration showed that apart from thevirements carried out with the approval of the StateHouse of Assembly, there was no supplementary budgetin 2010 unlike in the previous years. Observationsfurther revealed that the various budget implementationmechanisms of government were effectively utilized inensuring the implementation of the budget. In addition,the performance of the budget was reportedly assessedon quarterly basis by the Ministry of Finance, EconomicPlanning and Budget. It was brought to the fore that the

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OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, September 9, 2014 MAGAZINE 12

Great Are Your Legacies!

•Another section of stalls within the Ayegbaju Market.

fourth and the final Progress Report on theimplementation of the 2010 Budget showed that the TotalRevenue which accrued to the Government from allsources was Sixty-Four Billion, Eight-Hundred andFifty-Nine Million, Five-Hundred and Ninety- TwoThousand, Three-Hundred and Fifty- Six Naira, Thirty-Seven Kobo (N64,859,592,356.37), while the TotalCapital Expenditure was Fifty-Seven Billion, Four-Hundred and Thirteen Million, Six-Hundred and TenThousand and Four- Hundred and Twenty Naira, Forty-Eight kobo (N57,413,610,420.48). These figures weresaid to be pre-audited figures which must have changedslightly as at the time the Final Accounts of Governmentfor that year were prepared and audited.

On the whole, OSUN DEFENDER Magazine’sposition is that in the whole of Prince Oyinlola’s sevenand a half years in office, the indices ofunderdevelopment, backwardness, poverty, sloth andsqualor on ground do not in any way justify thecommittance of such huge budget provisions to thevarious sectors of life in the State of Osun. The glaringfact is that a conservative party of the deepest dye, whichthe People’s Democratic Party (PDP) represented, hadno programmes, projects of policies which could effecta positive turnaround in the lives of the people. In otherwords instead of spending resources to better the lotsof the people, huge amounts of financial resources ofthe state were siphoned, diverted to private coffers andthe people were, in effect, left reeling and wallowing inthe abyss of hunger, starvation and poverty. Before thetake-over of the Aregbesola administration, poverty, slothand wretchedness had bitten so hard into the lives ofthe people that any possibility of rescue appeared bleak,especially to the teeming pessimists. In addition to this,poverty of the mind was mounting. The wholeatmosphere was charged with tension, morbid fear,insecurity, uncertainty and socio-economic woes. Thankgoodness that our rescue came in the fullness of time.We shall hence shift focus to aspects of the 2011 Budgetwhich offer proof to our claims. These aspects are herere-emphasized since they have all along formed basisand principles for preparation and implementation ofbudgets in the State of Osun; and are the guidingprinciples adopted by the incumbent administration inits entire fiscal operations.

The detailed analysis of the various components ofthe 2011 Budget shall now seize our attention. This shallbe done vis-à-vis the revenue profile for 2010 and theimplementation of mechanisms approved by theGovernment for the successful implementation of theapproved budget.

The total actual revenue of Government for 2010 wasSixty-Four Billion, Eight-Hundred and Forty-NineMillion, Two-Hundred and Ninety-Two Thousand,Three-Hundred and Fifty-Six Naira, Thirty-Seven kobo(N64, 849,292,356.37). The revenue projection for the2011 was, therefore, higher than the 2010 actual revenue

by a sum of Thirty-Eight Billion, Five Million, Three-Hundred and Forty-One Thousand, Three Naira, Sixty-Three kobo (N38,005,341,003.63) representing 58.59per cent increase. This shows the incumbentadministration’s awareness of the low Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) base of the state whichaccounts for undue dependence on allocations from theFederation Accounts. The new administration, given thistrend of events appears determined and ready to takethe bulls by the horns so as to ensure enhancedInternally-Generated Revenue (IGR) for the state. Itbecame glaringly revealed, therefore that as a giganticstep toward achieving this feat, the State Governmenthad approved the appointment of a Tax Consultant, byname, Messrs Infiniti Segment. Justifying this choice,it was argued that the tax consultant had proven trackrecord of efficient performance in the area of Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR). Also, it was uncovered thatas part of its strategy, the current administration wasalso determined to reposition the Internal RevenueService of the State towards greater efficiency throughthe recruitment of qualified personnel and provision ofall necessary logistics that will enhance its performance.Efforts would equally be made to reduce leakages in thetax collection and administration processes through theimplementation of electronic revenue collection system.This, it was revealed had started to be addressed by theInfiniti Segment. As revealed by the analysis, the targetof the State Government was to raise the monthlyInternally Generated Revenue (IGR) collection to at leastN1 Billion before the end of the 2011 fiscal year. Thisfeat has already been realized.

To enhance and facilitate the achievement of theabove-stated enviable and lofty feat, the followingInternally-Generated Revenue (IGR) policies wereapproved by the Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola earlyin the year. They are till date policies driving theInternally-Generated Revenue direction of theadministration:

(i) Agencies of Government are expected todouble their efforts and be aggressive in theirInternally-Generated Revenue (IGR) efforts in the 2011fiscal year so as to surpass their targets;

(ii) All agencies should be proactive in revenuegeneration by ensuring that their current revenue baseis widened

(iii) All revenue collected should be paid into theGeneral Revenue Accounts, using the appropriateHeads and Sub-Heads of revenue while the TreasuryReceipts of such payments should accompany returnsto the Office of the Accountant-General. It is illegal tokeep Government revenue in private purse orunauthorized Departmental Account;

(iv) Collection of revenues should not be left alonewith the Field Officers, the appropriate Head ofDepartments must be personally involved in revenuemobilization, collection and rendition;

(v) Returns of revenue collection must be made

monthly by all Agencies of Government to the Ministryof Finance, Economic Planning and Budget and theOffice of the Accountant-General, failure in that regardwill attract sanction;

(vi) The release of funds for the execution ofprogrammes and projects would, in relevant cases, betied to the revenue performance of Agencies ofGovernment;

(vii) All agencies of Government should involveinternal strategies to ensure greater efficiency, probityand accountability in their revenue collection andrendition;

(viii) Top career and political functionaries shallbe specifically held liable for any lapse in revenuecollection and rendition;

(ix) All agencies of Government should give greaterattention to Revenue Collection than to Expendituresince no expenditure dreams can be actualized withoutadequate revenue backing;

(x) All agencies of Government awardingcontracts must ensure that all relevant, charges, leviesand other expenses are staturtorily required to be borneby the constructors are not loaded in the cost of theproject to be paid by Government. Taxes, levies andother charges should not be included in the cost ofprojects which should have been determined bynecessary economic considerations. While Agencies ofGovernment are expected to make budgetary provisionsfor 5 per cent VAT charges on the contracts fees as inthe case for all goods and services consumed by theGovernment, withholding tax charges, developmentlevy and legal fees are to be deducted from the feespayable to the contractors;

(xi) Legal fees payable at the time of execution ofa Contract Agreement or deductible at source at thestage of payment shall continue to be paid by allcontractors/suppliers;

(xii) The payment of Water Development levy ismandatory for all taxable adults in the state, whetherin the public or private sector;

(xiii) All contractors handling projects worthN100,000.00 and above shall continue to pay 5 percent Development Levy to Government;

(xiv) Tender fees shall continue to be paid to theclient Agency in respect of all categories of contractsin accordance with the existing regulations;

(xv) Government shall give incentives to RevenueCollectors who exceed the set targets in other tomotivate them with greater performance while sanctions(e.g. withholding of running costs) will be introducedfor non-performance. The appropriate incentives willhowever be determined at the material time;

(xvi) All Revenue Collectors and Account Officersmust be conversant with the provisions contained inChapters 6-12 of the State of Osun FinancialRegulations. This is necessary in order to ensure thatthey do not run foul of any regulation.

To be continued.

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13 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, September 9, 2014FEATURE

The War Called The Osun ElectionsWEEKS before the August 9, 2014 gu

bernatorial election, which waswon by the pragmatic Ogbeni Rauf

Aregbesola of the the All Progressives Congress(APC), it was obvious we were up against forcesother than the people of the State of Osun, whichnaturally should be the determinant of how theelection would swing. The APC, still smartingfrom its shocking defeat in the previous Ekitielection, had literarily sworn it will lose Osunover its dead body. The murderous villain fieldedby the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), out-rightly unpopular with barely a few dozens ofpeople trailing him at campaigns, however worethe confidence of a Governor-in-Waiting. Hethey didn’t care a hoot about the people’s wish.All that mattered was the full compliment ofthe paraphernalia of state activated by an impe-rial President, though utterly clueless, but des-perate to add Osun to his conquest in further-ance of his still-born second term bid. So, lo andbehold, the die was cast!

I have not been emotionally attached to anyelection in Nigeria, as I was with the Osun elec-tion. Maybe June 12, 1993 presidential elec-tion, presumed to have been won by my Presi-dent, M.K.O Abiola, could be an exception. Itwasn’t because I had affinity with anyone inOgbeni Aregbesola’s government or because Ienjoyed any form of patronage, but because Ijust couldn’t imagine my home state go back tothe disastrous “years of the locust”. I had par-ticipated actively in the campaigns, interactedwith the people, felt their pulse and the storywas the same – Osun has never had it so good.The people vowed to defend their votes by allmeans possible! From that moment, I had madeup my mind to give my all and put myself atharm’s way if need be to ensure we form a bul-wark of resistance against the machinery of stateto be deployed to thwart the people’s wish.

When I was about to proceed on my journeyto Osogbo, the State of Osun capital on Mon-day preceding the election, I prepared for theworst. Few associates privy to my trip advisedstrongly that I removed any APC sourvenir frommy luggage, any ID card that can associate mewith the party amongst other security tips. Theywere right to be apprehensive; soldiers, officialsof the Department of State Security (DSS) in-cluding the hooded ones, lorry loads of mobilepolicemen had since been deployed across allthe nooks and crannies of the state. Bearing inmind the desperation of their paymasters, weknew they could stop and search vehicles andabduct anything synonymous with APC, so Itook all the precautions. I took off on the jour-ney, which in itself was dramatic.

As we got close to Osogbo, a discussion en-sued in the bus and I found out I was not alonein the Save-Osun initiative. Most of the pas-sengers shared the same sentiments with me andwere also natives of the state. They spoke emo-tionally and fiercely about their determinationto ensure Aregbesola’s victory. Speaker afterspeaker reeled out programmes and interven-tions of the governor that has brought smiles tothe faces of the people. They concluded he wasthe best thing to happen to the state since itscreation. The menacing apparatus of state thensuffocating the environment will not deter them,they thundered! “Ko si ohun ti soja o se, a maduro gboin gboin lati dibo Aregbe” they said inYoruba dialect meaning: “There is nothing sol-diers can do, we will stand firmly to vote forAregbe.” I thought to myself, we are about towitness mass resistance unequally in our na-tional history should anything go against thepeople’s will. Hopefully, the soldiers we met atthe various check-points didn’t stop and search;they just peeped through the bus windows andpassed us on. I heaved a sigh of relief when Iarrived Osogbo safely late in the evening.

I have attended rallies, mega-rallies, name it,but what I saw on Tuesday at the grand-finaleof the campaign was frightening. A stadium,which capacity can’t be more than 60,000 al-most caved in due to pressure from an unprec-edented mammoth crowd. Every space on thecovered stands were over-filled, the main bowlof the stadium was virtually unpassable. Myassociates and I had to hold ourselves to navi-gate our way through the crowd. It took us aboutan hour from the entrance of the stadium to findsomewhere to perch! Yet, thousands more ex-tend to adjoining roads outside the stadium. Itwas the APC mega-rally and to say it was awe-somely mega is an understatement! We evenheard that the Lord of Aso-rock caught an in-

stant migraine seeing the magnitude of the rally!The effect of that was seen in the sealing off ofthe freedom park that was supposed to hostworkers rally the next day by “hooded soldiers”They got the now familiar, albeit emergency “or-ders from above” to forcefully, if need be, haltthe Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its af-filiates’ endorsement rally for the Ogbeni.

Co-incidentally, Wednesday, 6th August wasmy birthday, but I was in no mood for celebra-tions of any kind. I told my well-wishers, fam-ily and friends that you don’t clink glasses in abattle-front! Interestingly, one of my compatri-ots, who was also a major ‘battle-axe” and goodfriend’s birthday was 8th August. so I told himwe’ll do a birthday plus victory party on the10th, a day after the elections, when we tri-umph at the polls. We know we had the peoplebehind us, we never gave defeat a thought! ByThursday, preparations had reached feverishpitch, the towns, hamlets and villages were nowmassively flowing with uniformed men of allhues and shades. Some DSS operatives came tothe restaurant we were having dinner, Thursdayevening, apparently on surveillance mission. Wegot the message and we left in a jiffy! On ourway to our location, we noticed a car trailing us,so we had to take a decoy to a bar. As we turnedto the bar, the car also turned in another direc-tion. Their mission still remains a mystery.Thank God for little mercies!

When we arrived our abode, we swung intoaction to put finishing touches to our master-plan, which was to run a co-ordinated and effec-tive live broadcast of the elections on social andonline media in collaboration with the APC situ-ation room, which was to start from Fridayevening till the announcement of the results onSunday. This was necessary because leaking theplans of our devious opponents was key to frus-trate their rigging machinery; announcing resultsonline as we get it directly from our agents wasalso crucial to frustrate any manipulation at thecollation level. By Friday afternoon, I had totactically separate from my friends, who thenproceeded to a high security location. The cur-few was going to start around 5-6pm. By4.00pm, I arrived at my own secure location andquickly moved to set up. I surveyed the envi-ronment to assess the possible threat level. Isaw that it was negligible, so I settled down forthe task ahead.

By Friday evening, we got intelligence reportthat notorious election rigger, Chris Uba was intown with a unit of 50 soldiers attached to him.

We sent that out and made sure it went viral.Later that night, information about the arrest ofour leaders ranging from APC Publicity Secre-tary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Attorney-gen-eral Of State of Osun, Barrister Wale Afolabi,Tinubu’s Special Adviser on media, Mr SundayAare, Commissioner for Agriculture among oth-ers were swiftly publicised with dispatch. Thefar-reaching effect of the noise we made con-tributed in no small measure to the release ofmost of those picked up by Saturday morning.We discovered by Saturday morning that fakesoldiers and policemen had surfaced in manylocations. Their logo was a red ankara tied totheir left hand. Quickly, we activated our in-stant alert to our people, through all means pos-sible. That again thwarted efforts to manipulatethe elections from the beginning.

The elections started peacefully. However inmost locations with accreditation going onsmoothly, the only snag was the continued ha-rassment of APC leaders across the state. Thecase of the first civilian governor of the state,Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke was quite instructive. Af-ter failing to assasinate him over-night due toresistance by his security aides, he was trailedfrom the polling unit to his mother’s residence,where he went after accreditation. He escapedthe siege by the whiskers after he was discreetlynotified. He couldn’t come back to exercise hisfranchise. The results started trickling in by af-ternoon and the PDP demolition squad, sensingtheir rejection, quickly switched to a Plan B todisrupt the collation process. We instantlyalerted the public about their nocturnal meetingand evil plot. What really helped the APC, apartfrom the determination of the people, was ouraccess to classified information. We were alwaysa step ahead of them and that frustrated theelection riggers.

I got an anonymous call from a patriotic po-lice officer around 8.00pm, who claimed he wasat a location in Modakeke and that results beingcollated was about to be altered. You could de-tect the fear in his voice as he asked me to en-sure his cover. He was an Igbo officer deployedfrom other states. He wasn’t familiar with theterrain but what was gratifying that there couldstill be few men of integrity in the corruption-ridden Nigeria Police Force. In order to confirmthe authenticity of his statement, I asked theApapa Local Government Council Area Chair-man, who was with me to speak to him. Hesounded credible, he concluded. So I made somecalls to the authorities and sent text message toour men to act immediately.

Before 11.00pm, we already had all the re-sults and we had won, though unofficially. What

sealed the deal for us and put paid to any ma-nipulation the PDP had in stock was the unex-pected congratulation of Aregbesola as the win-ner of the election around 9.40pm by the Ooniof Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade. Omisore, accord-ing to our sources, had already informed Aso-rock that there was fighting in his home-town ofIle-Ife because according to him, the results wewere circulating were fake and he was actuallyleading in the “original” results. The Ooni swiftlydebunked that, not only congratulated the gov-ernor-elect, but also stated that nobody wasfighting in Ife! That took the sail out of the windof Omisore and his treacherous gang.

If we thought the threats have been subdued,we were in for a shocker! The returning officer,whose task it was to announce the final resultwas under pressure to collect a whooping N1billion and announce Omisore as the winner!They were ready to damn the consequences andask us to go to court. So we had to practically goon our knees! I salute the indefatigable peopleof Osun State, they were resolute, they stoodlike a rock, stayed on the streets all through andformed a human shield around the collation cen-tre. Then, the returning officer came in around1.35pm. The results of all the local governmentswere announced before 5.00am. Then we nowwitnessed dilly-dallying of the highest order. Itgot to a point around 7.00am, anxious journal-ists and people started singing asking for theresults. Lo and Behold, at about 7.10am, OgbeniRauf Aregbesola was finally pronounced thewinner!

There was instant jubilation across all thenooks and crannies of Osogbo. Never in the his-tory of elections have I seen such spontaneousexcitement pervade the landscape because ofresults announcement. Within the twinkle of aneye, the whole town went agog with peopleclutching their brooms- symbol of the governor’sparty, congratulating themselves, okada ridersdriving menacingly in such euphoric ecstasy andfinally we could say hurray! We won! We didn’twin an election, we won a WAR with a stonelike the biblical David. Goliath came to battlewith the best arsenal at his disposal but we camewith the will of a determined people that vowedthat never again shall they go the road of perdi-tion they once trodded. Who says the voice ofthe people is not the voice of God? Becauseultimately, the hand of the Almighty saved theday and gave us victory.

Osun ti dara ooooooo.

By SEGUN TOMORI

•AREGBESOLA •OMISORE

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, September 9, 2014 14FEATURE

An Epoch Is About To Close

By ERIC TENIOLA

THE fear entertained in 1999 wasthat the military, having been inpower for the last 29 out of the 33

years, would still continue to imperiallydominate the political setting in the post-military era, which is supposed to be afull civilian government.

The dread was further reinforced andfortified with the election of GeneralMatthew Aremu Olusegun OkikioluObasanjo, a former war hero, asPresident, coupled with the imposition ofthe 1999 Constitution; a corrigenda fullof errors and imperfections, withoutplebiscite or referendum.

Now 15 years after, that fear, seem tobe vanishing and disappearing fast. As amatter of fact, gradually, the militaryseems not to be executors and projectorsof our political destiny. Civilians arepushing them to be mere onlookers andbystanders. A passage in our body politicsis about to close. It is either the militarydo not understand anything about partypolitics or the civilians have outsmartedthem.

With the impeachment of AdmiralMurtala Hamman Yero Nyako (rtd.) (72)as governor of Adamawa State on July15, as we have only five on the politicalscene. I mean elected not appointed, forwe still have former military Generalsaround, on appointment.

They are Major General MuhammaduMagoro (rtd.) (73) representing KebbiSouth Constituency in the Senate, MajorGeneral David Alachenu BonaventureMark (rtd.) (66), the current SenatePresident, an Idoma Christianrepresenting Benue South in the Senate,who incidentally was born in Zungeru inNiger State, Commodore (rtd.) DavidJonah Jang (71),Governor of PlateauState, Rear admiral (rtd.) GboribioghaJohn Jonah (60), Deputy Governor ofBayelsa State and Major General (rtd.)Muhammed Saleh (59) representingKaduna Central in the Senate.

Commodore Jang was MilitaryGovernor of Benue between1985-1986and Gongola State (now Adamawa State)between 1986-1987. He is serving asecond term as governor of Plateau State.Major General David Mark was Chairmanof Abandoned Properties ImplementationCommittee for the former Eastern Regionnow made up of nine states after the civilwar in 1969, member of the ArmedForces Ruling Council, 1986-1989,Military Governor of Niger State between1984-1986 and Minister ofCommunication from 1987-1990. He hasbeen representing Benue South Senatorialzone for the past 15 years. He waselected Senate President of June 6, 2007.Admiral Jonah, Deputy Governor ofBayelsa State, a Naval Engineer fromNembewho, was elected along withGovernor Henry Seriake Dickson onFebruary 14, 2011.

General Magoro (NA435) entered ournational consciousness in May 1985 asMinister of Internal Affairs, when heannounced the expulsion of many WestAfricans including Ghanaians from Nigeriaunder Major General Muhammadu Buhariregime. Over a million foreign nationalswere affected by the expulsion. In 1971,President Kofi Abrefu Busia (1930-78)of Ghana drove out over one millionNigerians, mostly Yorubas, from Ghana,due to the economy downturn in thatcountry. Now that the economy of Ghanais down, we should not be surprised ifPresident John Dramani Mahama (56)follows Busia’s example. General Magorohad earlier served as Minister forTransport under the military regime ofGeneral Olusegun Obasanjo in 1978 butwas not a member of the SupremeMilitary Council, then unlike hisclassmate, General Ibrahim Babamosi

Babangida (73).

After the overthrow of Major GeneralBuhari’s government on August 27, 1985by General Babangida, General Magororetired voluntarily from the Army. He waslater appointed the head of the NigerianRailways and the Nigerian PortsAuthority. He later became the Chairmanof Ocean and Oil Servicing Limited andthe Chairman of Oando Group in 2000, aPetroleum Marketing Company createdthrough Privatisation of Unipetrol NigeriaPl., in which Ocean and Oil Servicesbought a major share.

Tragedy struck him on March 24,1999, when his best friend, who was theIron Surgeon of the Major GeneralBuhari’s era and Military Governor ofBorno State in 1978, Major GeneralBabatunde Abdulbaki Idiagbon (rtd.)(1943-1999) died suddenly in Ilorin aftertravelling from Abuja. Till today, he is stillmourning that tragedy.

By calculation, he may not come backas second term senator for personalreasons.

Admiral Murtala Nyako was thepioneer governor of Niger State, when itwas created from Sokoto State byGeneral Murtala Muhammed in 1976. Heserved in that post until he handed overto Rear Admiral (rtd.) Ebitu Okoh Ukiwe(74), who is from Abriba in Imo state, inDecember 1977.

After leaving the military, he venturedinto cattle and agricultural business, justlike his father, Alhaji Hamman-Yero andhis mother Hajia Maryam Daso. He later

became the President of the HorticulturalCrops Growers Association of Nigeria,the Practicing Farmers Association ofNigeria and the Apex Farmers Associationof Nigeria. His farm, Sebore (EPZ) Farmwas the largest in the country and alsoowns the largest mango farm in thecountry transporting most of hisproducts to Europe. In short, he was asuccessful farmer. And so he was electedin April 2007 as governor of AdamawaState. He was impeached in July. AdmiralMurtalaNyako is not alone. At 72regrettably, he is in exile. He may likelyface treason charges for the satanic letterhe wrote to the President on April 16 thisyear if he returns from exile.

Military officers elected between 1999,but who have lost out include, Lt. Col.(rtd.) Joseph Iorshnghar Akaagerger (58),Military Governor of Katsina Statebetween August 1988 to May 1989. Herepresented Benue North in the Senatebetween 2003 and 2007. In the 2011election, having joined the AD, Action forDemocracy, he was defeated by ChiefBarnabas Andyar Iyorchia Germade (66)by 229,682 to 143,978 votes.

Major General Muhammed Chris Alli(rtd.) was Military Governor of PlateauState and was Chief of Staff of NigeriaArmy from 1993-1994. PresidentObasanjo appointed him Administrator ofPlateau State and served between May18 2004 and November 18 2004.

Major General Olatunji Idowu IsholaOlurin (rtd.)(69) was Military Governorof Old Oyo State between September1985 to July 1988. President Obasanjoappointed him Administrator of Ekiti Statebetween October 19, 2006 and April 27,2007.

Rear Admiral Alabi Muhhamed Lawal(rtd.) (1946-2006) was appointedMilitary Administrator of Ogun State andserved between December 1987 tillAugust 1990. He was elected governorKwara State and served from May 1999to May 2003. He died in London onNovember 6, 2006

Major General Jonathan BabatundeOgbeha (rtd.) (67) was the pioneerMilitary Governor of Akwa Ibom Statefrom September 1987 to July 30, 1988.He later became the Military Governorof old Bendel State between 1988 to1990. He was elected Senator, Kogi West,between 1999 and 2007.

Brigadier General Olagunsoye Oyinlola(rtd.) (63) was appointed the MilitaryGovernor of Lagos State betweenDecember 1993 to August 1996. He waselected governor of Osun State in 2007and served till 2010, when the Court ofAppeal nullified his election on November26, 2010.

Major General John Nanzip Shagaya(rtd.) (71) was the former Minister ofInternal Affairs. He was a member ofArmed Forces Ruling from 1985 to 1989before he became the ECOMOG FieldCommander and handed over to MajorGeneral Tunji Olurin (rtd) in September1993. He was elected Senator, PlateauNorth, in May 2007 and served till 2011.

Major General Abubakar Tanko Ayuba(rtd.) (68) Served as Minister ofCommunications between 1985 and 1987after which he became the MilitaryGovernor of Kaduna State betweenAugust 1990 and January 1992. He waselected Senator, Kebbi South, between2007 and 2011.

Squadron Leader Diepreye SolomonPeter Alamieyesigha (62) was electedgovernor of Bayelsa State in May1999and served till December 2005 before hewas impeached.

General Olusegun Obasanjo waselected President from May 1999 andserved in that post till May 2007. On April2, 2012, out of frustration, he resignedas Chairman of the Board of Trustees ofthe ruling PDP. He was gallant abroadbut in Nigeria his long years in the serviceof the nation and his party are hardlymentioned these days. General OlusegunObasanjo has been turned to a non-persona grata, unacknowledged by thegovernment that he made.

Please don’t count out the Generalsyet, as we all know Generals are fightersand a fighter knows many ways. He whofights and runs away, live to fight anotherday. We may not see the last duel of theGenerals yet in the political scene.

Past experience has taught us all neverto underestimate the power and influenceof the military and their espirit de-corps.

No doubt, a passage is unfolding in ourpolitical system. Either it is for good orbad, only time will tell.

For years now, our vocation was toblame most of our problems on themilitary. Now the civilians are graduallytaking complete control of the politicalsystem. If the adventure fails, the civilianpolitical class will have no other body toblame except of course themselves. Thenation will not forgive or forget them.We can see developments taking place inother parts of the world. Why shouldNigeria be an exception?

•Eric was a former Director at thePresidency. He stays in Lagos.

•OBASANJO

15OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, September 9, 2014

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

www.osundefender.org THE 6TH MOST-VISITED NEWSPAPER WEBSITE IN NIGERIA

By ADE OLUGBOTEMIWE have made a lot ofefforts over theyears, to ensure that

birds of the same plumageflock together in the politicalcircle; quite unfortunatelyhowever, the same story ofstrange bed fellows isrepeatedly told. It may not benew to some of us thatpolitical parties oftencategorize themselves asbelonging to either theprogressives, or the conservatives. Overthe years however, the membrane ishardly noticeable between the two. Thecase is made worse by indiscriminatecross-carpeting from the political class.It is on this basis that people are callingfor clear-cut ideological leanings that willallow for definitive privilege that will openalternatives that people can consider,before a decision to veer into politics ismade.

We can see people in political partieslike the All Progressives Congress (APC),Labour Party (LP), Action Alliance (AA),and a host of other political parties,referring to themselves as theprogressives, and those in the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) being referredto as the conservatives; although this doesnot go down well with them. Whateverthe case however, those in PDP have aclear understanding that they are a specialbreed, either by action or inclination.Evidently, we find it difficult to agree withany of the claims, because the disgruntledmembers of one bloc easily decamp tothe other without restraint. An examplewas the recent action by Ondo Stategovernor, who sought for soft landing inthe Labour Party, but is now back in PDP,where he originally felt marginalized.

With the recent defection of twochieftains of APC viz: Chief Tom Ikimiand Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, it now becomesurgently imperative than before thatserious restructuring exercise be carriedout, so that people of like minds will worktogether as political associates, with littlepropensity to defect based on personalambition. The party must be able to charta formidable course for ideological idealscapable of challenging other politicalparties with their muddled ideologicaltoga. Like it happened during the time ofAzikwe and Awolowo, nobody beingreferred to as chieftain with find any otherparty homely because their ethos willspot them out.

I once pointed out in this column whenAPC was birthed in what I captioned:‘APC And Ideological Enigma’ thus: “Itis now of utmost importance thatideological boundary becomes well-pronounced. People must be able to knowthe difference between the leftists andthe rightists. Well mapped-out agendamust separate the two. It is not enoughfor people to just come together for thesake of wrestling power from thebehemoths that have permanently plantedthemselves on our political landscape, asif it is their exclusive right to remain inpower. Incidentally, they have occupiedthe national life for a reasonable periodof time, when a meaningful assessmentcan be made. We have witnessedpromises made unfulfilled; we have seenprojects initiated, sordidly done andcommissioned without the clout to standthe test of time, and we have heard of

white elephant projects, budgeted andprovided for, that only exist uponcompletion within the purview ofexecutors’ imagination.

People cannot expect anything newagain because there is actually nothingmore to showcase by the ruling PDP.That is why Nigerians will be eager tosee the emergence of a new power bloc.Such emergence must be capable ofheralding better and more assuring waysof doing things; whereby hopes will nolonger have permanent home in oblivion;and expectation, a residence in mirage.Confidence must become kinetic in thearena of promises made, and promisesfulfilled. A situation when promises madeby leaders are equated to steal-bornchildren in the closet can no longergenerate confidence that leaders needfrom their followers.

Junketing around the world has onlyleft Nigerians worse-off. Investmentgeneration that countless trips around theglobe were meant to influence hasremained on leaders’ lips and the pagesof newspapers; because they have nottranslated to economic edifices that can

absorb millions of school leavers fromour tertiary institutions across thecountry. Such trips have only succeededin generating foreign exchange earningsfor those countries, who understand ourleaders’ crave for ostentation andprofligacy. They may be quick to taketheir guests round their heritage, but theventure ends there; because they willnever be favourably disposed to anytechnological transfer that is capable ofreducing the capital inflow to theircountries.

Any party that wants to formgovernment now, and enjoy theconfidence of the masses must beinnovative enough to generateopportunities for the teeming unemployedyouths, who are walking about inhopelessness, and with minds in squalidstate. Road map to greatness must begenerated; such that policies andprogrammes will be dispensed with in amanner that is clear to sound minds. Wecannot continue to grope in the dark aboutactivities of government, as if governmentis a deity that should not be understoodby mere mortals. This has often put ourleaders on pedestals that portray them as

supernatural breed that have a kindof discernment ability differentfrom what the rest of us have.

We need not get carried awayby the enthusiasm that thepoliticians, who are comingtogether to form All ProgressivesCongress are showing, becausesome of them may turn cosmeticat the end of the day—they may

rush out the way they are rushing in now.When people have a clear understandingof what they are getting involved in, andthey have clear convictions that it is inline with their fundamental belief, let anytempest come, they will stand like ImesiRock, because those who know theironions will be ready to stake their all inwhat they believe in.

The allies in the emerging Mega Party,who are making waves in the westernand eastern parts of the country may haveconvinced some of us about what toexpect when eventually they send theHawks in Aso Rock packing. This is notenough to repose so much confidence inthe strangers that are joining in. Termsof reference that clearly spell the basisfor the bond must be well-understood by,and acceptable to them. Nigeria of todayneeds those who are united in spirit andmind; with the clear knowledge of, andagreement with the bond contents thatexemplify their operations.

Everything that may likely causestrained relationship must be identified andnipped in the bud, now that the party isaiming to conquer the centre. Nigeriansare keenly watching to see whether thingswill be done differently or not. Theruling-PDP is known for persistentinternal wranglings that is doused onlywhen the time for electioneering is aroundthe corner. That is evidence that PDP hasnothing in the kitty for ordinary Nigerians,who are generally yoked in acutemaladministration that has become thehallmark of their strange leadership style.”

This is the time for decisive action, thatNigerians everywhere in the world willbe able to say that a party has emergedthat is readily able to give direction to thepolitical calculations that hitherto haveremained incongruous. This will giveample chance to people of highintelligence quotients to decipher andchose between the party of genuineprogressives and those that are peopledby mere jokers in political cloaks, whosestock in trade is just to manoeuvreinnocent Nigerians for mere selfishpolitical gains.

Our resilience has sustained us this far.We may become totally dismemberedhowever, unless something urgent is doneto salvage the situation. What is emergingin the horizon now to assuage our batteredpsyches is the assurance that somethingpositive will come with the birth of APC.Victory in 2015 general elections is onething; the thinking now must transcendthis, because what we have now is a partythat has ‘won’ in so many elections, buthas made the country miserable forNigerians. We now need a party that willwin at polls and make people’s joy to befull because of maximum benefits theywill derive from government.

OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guaranty Trust Bank GTB, Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun. Allcorrespondence to the Managing Editor, KOLA OLABISI, Telephone: 08033927286 (kolaolabisi@yahoo.com); Editor, KAYODE AGBAJE, Telephone: 0803-388-0205, E-mail:osundefender@yahoo.com, kayodeagbaje@yahoo.com. ISSN: 0794-8050.Website: www.osundefender.org.

Year 2015, APC’s Bur-den Of Expectations

“With the recent defection of twochieftains of APC viz: Chief Tom Ikimi andMallam Nuhu Ribadu, it now becomesurgently imperative than before thatserious restructuring exercise be carriedout, so that people of like minds will worktogether as political associates, with littlepropensity to defect based on personalambition. The party must be able to charta formidable course for ideological idealscapable of challenging other politicalparties with their muddled ideologicaltoga. Like it happened during the time ofAzikwe and Awolowo, nobody beingreferred to as chieftain with find any otherparty homely because their ethos will spotthem out.”