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Tag: Ogun

  • Ogun guber poll: PDP, Adebutu drag INEC, APC, Gov. Abiodun before tribunal

    Ogun guber poll: PDP, Adebutu drag INEC, APC, Gov. Abiodun before tribunal

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun and its governorship candidate at the March 18 election, Mr Ladi Adebutu filed a petition against the outcome of the election on Friday in Abeokuta.

    Announcing the result of the election on March 19, INEC declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gov. Dapo Abiodun as winner having polled 276,298 votes against Adebutu’s 262,383 votes.

    In the petition filed on Friday, the PDP and Adebutu listed INEC, APC and Gov. Abiodun as the first, second and third respondents, respectively.

    They asked the tribunal to direct INEC to conduct fresh election in 99 polling units in 41 wards and 16 of the 20 local government areas of the state.

    They alleged that elections were either not held and or cancelled in the polling units listed because of disruption of the exercise and over-voting.

    They asked the tribunal to order the fresh election to the exclusion of APC and Gov. Abiodun.

    Petitioners’ lead counsel, Mr Goddy Uche (SAN) expressed confidence that the outcome of the petition would favour the PDP and Adebutu.

    He said the petition stood on four pillars that would knock out the result announced by INEC and expressed confidence that the tribunal will do the needful and do its best.

    “We have about three senior advocates in our team and a host of other lawyers.

    “We have up to four grounds, very solid ones. Our prayers are just that the right thing is done and the man who won is given the mantle of office,’’ he said.

    “We want the tribunal to declare that Adebutu won the highest number of valid votes cast at the election and satisfied the requirements of the Constitution.

    “We want the tribunal to declare that Adebutu ought to have been returned and is returned as the winner of the governorship election,’’ Uche said.

    Also addressing newsmen, Adebutu said: “we are here today in continuation of our pursuit of our democratic rights because we have had an election that we truly believe we have represented the people fairly.

    “The people have responded by voting fairly for us in an election we believe we won and we will continue to seek our mandate within the ambit of the law.’’

  • Diya: Gov. Abiodun takes over burial arrangements

    Diya: Gov. Abiodun takes over burial arrangements

    The Governor of Ogun State, Mr Dapo Abiodun, on Monday said that the state would take over the burial of Lt.-Gen. Oladipo Diya, to give him a befitting farewell.

    Abiodun said this during his condolence visit to the family at the late Diya’s residence in 31 Adekunle Fajuyi St., GRA, Ikeja, Lagos State.

    Recalled that Lt.-Gen. Diya died on March 26 at the age of 79.

    The governor said that Diya was a former governor of Ogun State in 1984 and was an illustrious son of the state, in whom they were specially very pleased.

    “His contribution to the state will be remembered for many years to come.

    “The least we can do to honour him and support the family is to take over and give him a befitting farewell and that is what we are going to do.

    “A committee will be set up that will comprise members of our cabinet and members of the family, to ensure that we give our departed son a befitting burial,” he said.

    Abiodun said that one of the lessons that could be learnt from the life and times of Diya was to absolutely put your trust and faith in God.

    “I learnt that when God is with you, and when your trust and faith is in God, man can sentence you but God will uphold you.

    “A sentence was pronounced on Diya’s life but God upheld him and he lived for many more years after that sentence.

    “So, for me, that is one of the take aways that I will remember from the life and times of Lt.-Gen. Diya, who we are going to immensely miss,” he said.

    The governor said that Diya was a soldier, a lawyer and a gentleman, who rose to the peak of his career by becoming the Chief of Staff at the Supreme Headquarters.

    “He aslo became the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Div, he was the Commandant of the Nigerian War College, after which he became the defacto vice president of Nigeria.

    “His philanthropic intelligence and community involvement is such that we can not write the history of Ogun State without remembering him particularly or  where he comes from , which is Odogbolu LGA.

    “All of us in Ogun State will forever be grateful to the impactful life that he has lived,” Abiodun said.

    He offered his deep condolences to Diya’s family on behalf of the entire people and government of Ogun State.

    “Our prayer to the almighty God is to forgive his sins and grant recourse of his soul.

    “We pray that the Almighty God will give his wife, Mrs Josephine Diya, the children and entire members of the family the heart to bear the loss,” Abiodun said.

  • Man impregnates 19-year-old daughter in Ogun

    Man impregnates 19-year-old daughter in Ogun

    The police command in Ogun says it has arrested a 43-year-old man, Abiodun Oladapo, for allegedly impregnating his 19-year-old daughter (name withheld).

    SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), disclosed this in a statement issued in Abeokuta on Saturday.

    Oyeyemi noted that the suspect was arrested on Friday following a complain lodged at Mowe divisional headquarters by one Oluwatoyin Idowu.

    According to Oyeyemi, Idowu who reported that her son, Michael Idowu, was wrongly accused of impregnating the victim, and that she has properly interrogated her son and discovered that the victim was not saying the truth.

    Oyeyemi explained that the victim, already five months pregnant, was invited, saying she confided in the police that though Michael Idowu slept with her in December 2022, it was her father who was responsible for her pregnancy.

    “She stated further that her father had been sleeping with her since February 2022 with threat to kill her if she informed anybody about it.

    “According to the victim, when it was discovered that she was pregnant, her father asked her to lie against Michael Idowu of being responsible for the pregnancy.

    “Upon her confession, the DPO Mowe Division, SP Folake Afeniforo, detailed detectives to go after the randy father, and he was subsequently arrested.

    “On interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime but blamed it on the devil,” he said.

    Oyeyemi added that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect who had long been separated with the victim’s mother, took custody of the girl when her mother remarried and they had been living together since then.

    Meanwhile, the Ogun Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba, had directed that the suspect be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and possible prosecution.

  • APC planning to rig election with thugs in Ogun – Adebutu

    APC planning to rig election with thugs in Ogun – Adebutu

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun, Ladi Adebutu, has accused All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state of planning to rig Saturday’s governorship and house of assembly elections with thugs.

    Adebutu made the allegation while addressing hundreds of PDP supporters at a mega rally in Abeokuta on Wednesday.

    Adebutu had earlier marched round Abeokuta, accompanied by Segun Showunmi and other chieftains of the party.

    He said that PDP had uncovered the plan by APC and Gov. Dapo Abiodun to import thugs into the state to intimidate, harass and prevent voters from performing their civic duties.

    Adebutu said that Abiodun and APC were afraid of PDP’s growing popularity, stressing that his party would not allow them unleash their thugs on the state.

    He called on the people of the state to remain calm and ensure that they come out en masse on Saturday to vote according to their conscience and report activities of any hoodlum to security agencies.

    “Do not be scared. We are aware of their (APC) plan to bring thugs into the state to intimidate people from voting.

    “I want to assure you that security operatives are already arresting some of their thugs. Yesterday, eight of them were arrested from where they were hiding in the roof of a hotel in Iperu.

    “Be assured that all of them will be arrested; just inform me when you notice any suspicious movement of thugs or people of questionable character and we will ensure that they do not unleash their thugs on the people of Ogun State.

    “If you notice any strange movement of thugs in your area, please let me know; send me the address and we shall report to the appropriate authority.

    The PDP governorship candidate noted that the government at the centre was against thuggery and election manipulation, adding that everyone must be allowed to vote according to his/her conscience.

    “We will call them in Abuja and report their violent acts to the appropriate authority. Go all out and vote without fear. Stay and protect your votes; let them count your votes and ensure that the results are uploaded.

    “Once your votes are counted and uploaded, I can assure you that your vote will count and we will have good governance in Ogun State.

    “We have worked hard; our party has worked hard and we shall take you back to good governance.

    “All is well with us. What we want you to do on Saturday is to open your arms and receive all the new entrants and we vote in unison to save Ogun State from total chaos, destruction and bad governance.

    “Where they cheated us with BVAS in the last election, we have taken note of them and we have moved to make sure that such does not happen again,” he said.

    Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Kunle Somorin, however, described the allegation as baseless and presumptuous.

    “It is a baseless and presumptuous lamentation of a banal, reckless and rejected candidate.

    “He (Adebutu) is already bemoaning his impending defeat and looking for who to blame for his anticipated landslide loss,” he Somorin said.

  • Police rescue kidnapped Ogun journalist after 45-minute gun battle

    Police rescue kidnapped Ogun journalist after 45-minute gun battle

    The police in Ogun rescued a journalist, Oluseun Oduneye, from his kidnappers after a gun battle which lasted for 45 minutes.

    Oduneye, who’s the publisher of Issues Magazine, was kidnapped at Mobalufon area of Ijebu Ode on Thursday.

    This is contained in a statement issued by SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, the State Police Public Relations Officer in Abeokuta on Monday.

    ”The journalist was riding in his Toyota Camry car when he was attacked at about 7.50 pm on his way to Ijebu-Ode from Abeokuta,” he said.

    The police said the abductors later called his wife using the victim’s phone the following morning and demanded for N30 million as ransom.

    Upon the report, Oyeyemi said that the Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba directed the Divisional Police Officer, Obalende Divisional Headquarters, Murphy Salami, whose jurisdiction the incident happened to ensure the safe rescue of the victim.

    “In compliance with the CP’s directive, the DPO mobilised his detectives and embarked on technical and intelligence based investigation of the incident.

    “Their efforts paid off when the Toyota Camry of the victim was traced to Idimu area of Lagos, where the kidnappers were hibernating waiting for the ransom.

    “On sighting the policemen, the hoodlums engaged them in a shootout which lasted for about 45 minutes before they abandoned the car and took to their heels after sustaining varying degrees of gunshot injuries.

    “Having realised that the game is over, the kidnappers were left with no alternative but to abandon the victim, and he was rescued unhurt,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Mba, who commended his men for their gallantry and professional conduct appealed to members of the public especially hospitals and traditional healers to inform the police if anybody with gunshot injury was seen in their area.

    The CP also warned criminals to steer clear off the state, saying that the command was battle ready to take the fight to their door step.

  • PDP’s Adebutu remains our governorship candidate, says Ogun Accord Party

    PDP’s Adebutu remains our governorship candidate, says Ogun Accord Party

    Accord Party in Ogun says there is no going back in the adoption of Mr Ladi Adebutu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as its candidate for the March 18 governorship election.

    Alhaji Tajudeen Olayokun, the state Chairman of Accord Party, said this at a news conference held at the party’s secretariat, on Saturday in Abeokuta.

    Olayokun dispelled reports of the party joining forces with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state ahead of the governorship election.

    The Accord Party chairman explained that the party and its supporters remain cordial with Adebutu of PDP on his candidacy.

    “I am here this morning to address the issue of some miscreants and misguided elements flying news of calumny about our party in Ogun State toward supporting a political party and others.

    “I will like to bring it to the notice of the good people of Ogun state, that Ogun state Accord Party remains cordial with Ladi Adebutu of PDP on his candidacy come March 18 as our governorship candidate.

    “The news of Accord Party in the state pitching tent with APC should be thrashed and we hereby distance ourselves from such lies,” he said.

    Olayokun noted that the decision to support the PDP governorship candidate was because his ideology tallied with that of Accord Party in terms of capacity building, rural and infrastructure development, agriculture and security.

    “The party decided to throw its weight behind a reliable candidate with competence, character and goodwill in the interest of the people of the state.

    “Our members should disregard anything contrary. We don’t have anything to do with APC. We are happy that Adebutu, the governorship candidate of the PDP is trusted and share the same ideology with us,’’ he said.

  • BVAS failed to recognise, accredit ex-Ogun gov, Osoba

    BVAS failed to recognise, accredit ex-Ogun gov, Osoba

    A former Governor of Ogun, Chief Olusegun Osoba, has expressed disappointment over his inability to vote on Saturday during the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

    Osoba’s inability to vote followed the repeated failures of the BVAS machine to recognise and accredit him for voting.

    He spoke with journalists at Ward 14, Polling Unit 15, Ibara Government Reserved Area(GRA) in Abeokuta South Local Government Area.

    “I have been here twice today and the BVAS failed to recognise my face and finger marks in spite of the fact that my name and picture are on the voter register of this polling centre.

    “It is the same card that I used to vote in 2019 in this same polling centre that I presented now; yet, it is unsuccessful.

    “I don’t want to vote unaccredited because I don’t want my vote to cause cancellation of other votes in this centre,” Osoba said.

    The former governor said he was, however, encouraged by the large turnout of voters, including the aged who came out to exercise their civic responsibilities.

    “I feel very sad, but I was encouraged with the huge turnout, particularly, many elders in their 70s and 80s, who turned out out for the exercise.

    “I have confidence in INEC. It was just a technological failure. Only two or three of us could not vote in this unit.

    “Definitely, we will do everything possible to make sure that the technical team of INEC address the situation,” he said.

    Osoba, commending the security arrangement across the state, appealed to INEC to extend voting in areas where voting started late.

    “In terms of peaceful conduct of the election and security, one is encouraged.

    “I want to thank our people and congratulate them for their peaceful and orderly manner in which they have conducted themselves, irrespective of whichever political party they are voting for,” he said.

  • Suicide victim in Ogun state was not our customer – LAPO MfB

    Suicide victim in Ogun state was not our customer – LAPO MfB

    Contrary to the allegation in a trending video on social media and reported in some newspapers, the

    woman in Ogun State who reportedly took her life over her inability to pay back a loan was not a
    customer of LAPO Microfinance Bank Limited (LAPO MFB).

    From our preliminary findings, which we are confident will be confirmed by an official independent
    investigation, she was a customer of a different financial institution, which the unsuspecting public misinterpreted as ‘LAPO’.

    While extending our condolences to the deceased woman’s family on the tragic incident, we condemn this current effort to tarnish the record and corporate reputation of LAPO Microfinance Bank Limited through unverified and malicious allegations.

    In recent years, there has been an increase in similar false allegations against LAPO MFB by persons
    who are pursuing an agenda.
    Notably, one of the false stories was peddled by the same individual in the latest video making the
    rounds. LAPO MFB is exploring legal options against such purveyors of fake news, demarketing and
    other unethical practices.

    We are confident that this smear campaign will fail like the previous ones because LAPO MfB’s track
    record of professionalism and the impact of our work at individual, business and community levels
    across the country over many decades is solid and well-known.

    Our customer base of over six million, our status as one of the nation’s top five employers and our track record of transformative initiatives speak for us.
    It is important to note that while we encourage beneficiaries of LAPO MfB loans to comply with the
    terms of their agreement with us by making prompt payments to ensure that others benefit, we pay
    attention to customers facing legitimate financial difficulties.

    Even at the clients’ level, our renowned group lending methodology for micro clients provides a rallying
    point for group members to cater for themselves, instilling a supportive disposition of “one for all and all
    for one.”

    We urge the media and the public to disregard these false reports. For information and clarifications on
    news reports on LAPO MfB, our services and other useful information, please email info@laponigeria.org or call 08139040230.
    Abel Ovenseri
    Ag. Head, Communications and Branding
    February 20, 2023

  • 2023: I‘ll unseat Abiodun with Amosun’s support, says Otegbeye

    2023: I‘ll unseat Abiodun with Amosun’s support, says Otegbeye

    Mr. Biyi Otegbeye, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Governorship candidate in Ogun, says with the support of former Gov. Ibikunle Amosun, he will defeat incumbent Gov. Dapo Abiodun in the forthcoming governorship election.

    Otegbeye, who claimed that he was enjoying the backing of Amosun for his candidacy, made the assertions on Tuesday while addressing newsmen in Abeokuta after securing a court judgment, which reinstated him as the ADC Governorship candidate.

    Recalled that Amosun, a serving Senator on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had openly declared his support for Otegbeye and the ADC, insisting that Abiodun must not return as governor.

    Otegbeye, condemning the alleged endorsement of Abiodun by traditional rulers in the state, said that Amosun’s endorsement of his candidacy overrides the “procured endorsements” by the governor.

    According to him, he has been procuring endorsement everywhere and two weeks after, I visited my paramount ruler, he received me warmly and prayed for me.

    “In truth, blood they say is thicker than water; there is no father that will disown his son.

    “I have seen the traditional institutions being bullied and so when he went around on the jamboree, getting the endorsements, we congratulated him.

    “But let’s see whether the endorsements he has been gathering will count. INEC will not count it; BVAS will not count it.

    “Let’s compare all those endorsements and put it side by side with Amosun’s endorsement, where he pointedly said he is supporting Biyi Otegbeye and ADC.

    “Amosun is a man of tremendous goodwill; this present administration is doing everything within its power to erase some of his (Amosun) accomplishments.

    “But that is not possible, because everywhere you go, you are going to see the footprints of Sen. Ibikunle Amosun when he was the governor of the state,” Otebejeye said.

    The Yewa-born lawyer admitted that the court processes had distracted the party and also cost them a lot of money.

    He, however, pledged that if elected, his administration would fix and repair all the “broken systems” in the state.

    According to him, let us now prepare for the 2023 elections by collecting our PVCs and be ready to exercise our democratic franchise by voting for ADC,” he said.

  • Go after killers of Ogun couple, Gov. Abiodun directs police

    Go after killers of Ogun couple, Gov. Abiodun directs police

    Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun has given a marching order to Ogun Police Command to go after the killers of a couple, Kehinde and Bukola Fatinoye.

    Abiodun stated this in a statement issued in Abeokuta on Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kunle Somorin.

    The couple was killed and their house at GRA, Ibara in Abeokuta set ablaze on Jan. 1, by yet-to-be-identified assassins.

    The governor declared that the killers, who also kidnapped the couple’s son and threw him inside the river, would not go unpunished, saying the police must go after them and apprehend them.

    He described the incident as unfortunate and heart-breaking, vowing that his administration would not hesitate to deploy resources with the view of unmasking persons behind the dastard act.

    The governor noted that the incident shocked him, particularly when efforts had been geared by his administration towards strengthening the security architecture within the state.

    He stressed that no effort would be spared in bringing the perpetrators of the heinous crime to book.

    While expressing his sympathy to the families of the deceased, Abiodun assured them that the murder would be unravelled and persons responsible would be brought to justice.

    He stated that further logistic support would be rendered to the police to ensure that the crime did not go down as one of the unresolved murder incidents in history.

    While assuring the people of the state that his administration would continue to do everything to provide adequate security of both lives and property, the governor reiterated that Ogun would not be a safe haven for criminals.

    He said: “My heart goes out to the families of Kehinde and Bukola Fatinoye.

    “The incident indeed shocked me; it was unfortunate and tragic. I can imagine the pains the families would be going through at this period when everyone is still basking in euphoria of the New Year.

    “This is a grievous crime, no doubt. I have directed the Commissioner of Police to ensure that everything is done in order to arrest the people behind the dastard act.

    “I assure you that the perpetrators will not go unpunished. Such an heinous crime should not go without making the people responsible face the full wrath of the law.

    “Though, our administration had since strengthened the security architecture in the state, we shall continue to provide logistics to the security agencies in order to make our state the safest to live, work and play.”