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Tag: Osun State

  • Osun Governor, Oyetola opens up after surviving attack

    Osun Governor, Oyetola opens up after surviving attack

    Gov. Gboyega Oyetola of Osun on Sunday said the attempt on his life by assailants during Saturday’s protest against the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squard(SARS) in the state was pre-planned.

    Oyetola, in a state broadcast on Sunday in Osogbo, said preliminary investigation revealed that the commando style in which the assailants carried out their attack justified his claim that the act was pre-planned

    According to him, the attempt on his life could not have been planned by the youths who constitute over 60 per cent of the voters who elected him into office.

    Oyetola, who noted that he was properly evacuted to safety during the incident ,said no life was lost at the scene as no live bullet or cannister of teargas was fired at the “rampaging political thugs.”

    ” Yesterday evening, political thugs and hoodlums made failed attempts on my life and those of my aides while identifying with our beloved youths who were engaging in legitimate protest against the alleged brutality of the now disbanded SARS.

    “My entourage and I joined protesters from Alekuwodo area to Olaiya Junction chanting solidarity songs with them and encouraging them along the way.

    “During the course of my address to the protesters to reiterate our cooperation and support, political thugs hijacked the exercise and hurled stones and dangerous weapons at us and vandalised several cars in my convoy,” Oyetola said.

    The governor also said the two lives reportedly lost was not during the attack on him.

    According to him, one of the said deaths caused by a lone motorcycle accident occurred at about 12noon, long before he got to the protest ground.

    He added that the second death was said to have occurred around Ayepe, about five kilometers away from Olaiya where the protest was held.

    ” We sympathise with the families of the diseased and pray to God to grant them the fortitude to bear the great losses.

    “I have directed that the incidents be properly investigated with a view to ascertaining the causes of the deaths,” the governor said.

    Oyetola also said that government would be setting up a Judicial Panel of Enquiry in line with the directive of the National Economic Council to investigate all related cases of abuse and brutality by the disbanded SARS and the attack on him.

    ” What happened on Saturday is objectionable, unacceptable and a blight to the Omoluabi ethos that the state of Osun stands for.

    “Osun youths who are the original #EndSARS protesters have travelled the long road of building a better Osun with us and we have been on the lane of delivering a better and prosperous Osun together.

    “This assassination attempt could not have come from them.

    “The protesters have engaged in peaceful demonstration for the first two days before it was later hijacked in the last five days.

    “In fact, we had cause to raise the alarm last Wednesday to the effect that the protest had been hijacked,” Oyetola said.

    The governor, however, enjoined all citizens to be peaceful and be law abiding, adding that all efforts would be made to protect them and their property.

    Oyetola , who noted that government was on top of the situation, said that the perpetrators of the dastardly act would be brought to justice.

    “We commit to the cause of our youths and the #EndSARS protesters and shall do everything to ensure that their demands are met.

    “We shall not condone any act that will compromise the lives of our people and the hard-won ranking of our state as the most peaceful state in Nigeria.

    “As a responsible government, we will do everything in our powers to protect the lives and property of our people,” the governor said.

  • Ooni opens up on why Osun festival was celebrated amidst COVID-19

    Ooni opens up on why Osun festival was celebrated amidst COVID-19

    The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi has said Nigeria will overcome the dreadful Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

    The monarch stated this while playing host to Osun devotees in his palace as the ancient city celebrated the Osun festival on Saturday.

    Ogunwusi, who admitted that the pandemic was still ravaging the country, urged Nigerians to always observe laid down precautionary measures and avoid circulation of fake news.

    “Unlike the way we used to have it in Ife, we were forced to restrict this celebration which is a major festival in Ife.

    “Our restriction made us to ensure that we don’t create more problems while trying to solve the one at hand.

    “Osun festival as the world knows is the celebration of water and we all know that water is life.

    “We’re using this instance to reconnect with our Creator through nature to cleanse the world, and especially to end the pandemic.

    “We are remembering our ancestors and it is unfair to call us idol worshipers,” he said.

    The Osun Government was represented at the event by Mrs Sola Duro-Ladipo, Director of Field Research, Festival and Documentation, Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

    Other dignitaries also graced the occasion which was held in adherence to COVID-19 precautionary measures.

  • Lockdown: Osun relaxes curfew, orders civil servants to resume

    Gov. Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, has announced the relaxation of the curfew imposed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state.

    Oyetola in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ismail Omipidan, on Friday in Osogbo, also ordered civil servants on grade level Seven and above to resume work within normal office hours.

    He directed departmental heads to work out alternate working hours for staff on grade levels One to Six.

    Oyetola further said that the curfew which was earlier 6. p.m to 6. a.m would now be from 9.p.m to 5.a.m daily.

    The governor, however, said that the curfew would be relaxed for 14 days in the first instance.

    Oyetola also said that the total lockdown earlier imposed on the state from Friday to Sunday had been eased for 14 days in the first instance.

    The governor said the ban on political, public, religious and any kind of gatherings under whatever guise remained in force.

    He also said all major markets in the state would remain shut, while smaller markets would be opened .

    The governor said that traders in smaller markets must ensure physical distancing, the use of face masks and obsere all other precautionary measures in accordance with the established protocols of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

    Oyetola thanked the people of the state for their cooperation during the period of the lockdown and enjoined them to ensure the new measures on the gradual reopening of the economy were strictly adhered to.

    The governor also urged religious leaders to constantly remind their followers on the need for all hands to be on deck as the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic was not over.

    “As you are all aware, the Federal Government, few days ago lifted the ban on religious activities in the country.

    “We have, therefore, lifted ours too after our meeting with religious leaders on Wednesday with specific guidelines.

    “In furtherance to that, we have also further relaxed our curfew, as part of measures for the gradual reopening of our economy,” the governor said.

  • Lawyers lock horns with Sen. Ajibola over LG parliamentary system in Osun

    Two legal practitioners have reacted to Senator Basir Ajibola, Representing Osun Central Senatorial District, of Osun State on the position of the member representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun, Hon Busayo Wole Oke over the parliamentary system being practiced in Osun, describing it as baseless

    Hon Oke, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had at the weekend faulted the subsisting parliamentary system of government being practiced in the administration of the local governments across the state and called for adjustment in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as Amended.

    Reacting to the development, Senator Ajibola, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, said that the statement of Hon. Oke depicted ignorance of the subject matter.

    He claimed that the motive of the lawmaker in raising this issue now was suspect, because the local government law had been operational more than two years ago, adding that one wonders how he suddenly woke up to dream of unconstionality.

    However, in different statements made available to newsmen in Abuja by two Legal Practitioners, Kanmi Ajibola Esq, former Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Chairman, Ilesha Branch and an Ibadan based legal luminary, Barrister Yemi Giwa condemned what they described as uncivil language used by Senator Ajibola against Oke.

    While defending Hon Oke, Kanmi Ajibola said that the parliamentary system in the administration of local government in Osun State was a constitutional abberation and oddity which must be addressed immediately in the interest of the People of the state.

    According to him, “during the tenure of office of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the governor of Osun State, among others, two ignominious onslaughts were uncorked against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the advice of the then Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, now a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Ajibola Bashiru. For the reasons best known to him, he has made Osun state a subject of constitutional controversy to date

    “The two blitzkriegs against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are changing the name of Osun state to ‘State of Osun’ and introducing Parliamentary System of Government into the administration of Local Government in Osun State. Interestingly, Osun state is the only state in Nigeria where this revolting rebellion exists against the Nigerian constitution and unchecked by the Federal Government.”

    The lawyer said that the position of Hon Oke was on the legality or otherwise of the parliamentary system in the administration of Local Government in Osun state, adding that Hon. Oke, a federal lawmaker in the National Assembly from Osun state expressed his views on parliamentary system of government in the Local Government administration in Osun state and described it as illegal and unconstitutional.

    Kanmi Ajibola said the question that should be asked is, whether parliamentary system being employed in the administration of Local Governments in Osun state is legal and constitutional.

    According to him, “by the provision of Section 2 (2) of the 1999 constitution (as amended), it provides that: ‘Nigeria shall be Federation consisting of States and a Federal Capital Territory.’

    “Section 3 (1) contains all the names of the thirty-six states that make up the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “Section 3 (2) directs us to the first column of part 1 of the first schedule where all the names of the Local Government Areas that make up each states are listed.

    “The import and linkage of this is that, without Local Government Areas there cannot be a state and where there are no states there cannot be the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    On his part, Barrister Giwa described Senator Basiru’s crictism of Honourable Oke’s condemnation of operations of Parliamentary System of Government at the Local Government Levels of Government as amusing, “It is amusingly displeasing and odious.”

    Barr. Giwa who is an indigene of Osun said “it is displeasing to read the opposing views of two Federal lawmakers from Osun State, over the (un)constitutionality of the parliamentary system adopted by Osun State at its local government level.

    “It’s not the topic that is disturbing but the way and manner the two high ranking politicians are vituperating over the issue. It is nauseating and to say the least unparliamentarian.

    “Honourable Oluwole Oke,representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Osun State and Distinguished Senator Ajibola Basiru representing Osun Central Senatorial Constituency comments on the matter are trending in the social media. It is unwarranted brickbats”

    Mr. Giwa who lamented the misinterpretation of potency of the law on operations of Parliamentary and Presidential system of Government, added that such system of government is alien to Nigeria construction.

    “As long as our system of government remains presidential such system cannot fly because it is alien and an affront to the constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999(as amended).”

    He condemned the use of language of Senator Ajibola as “raw and uncourteous,” adding, “I am a bit disappointed in the Senator. I am by God’s grace a lawyer who has had about two decades consolidated fruitful practice. I cannot situate Bashiru’s postulation anywhere in our mother law– constitution.

    “I sufficiently know the intellectual and oratorical prowess of the two legislators, but I can conviniently say that the Distinguished Senator has prevaricated and turned the law upside down.

    “What Osun State is practicing at the local level dubbed parliamentary system is execrable and despicable in civilized clime”, Giwa said.

    He however opined that “the whole excercise will soon crumble like the way the ‘state of Osun’ crumbled and the obnoxious educational policies died in the state.”

    Meanwhile, the Osun State House of Assembly has commenced the amendment of the State Local Government Administration Act 2015.

    As the time of filing the report, it was not known whether the lawmaker fts would amend the lacuna by removing State of Osun and switch to Presidential System in compliance with the Constitution.

  • Rep Oke faults parliamentary govt in Osun LGAs

    Rep Oke faults parliamentary govt in Osun LGAs

    ..says it’s obnoxious and retrogressive

    … insists is an invitation to anarchy

    A member of the House of Representatives representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun State, Hon Oluwole Oke, on Sunday faulted the subsisting parliamentary system of government being in practice in the administration of the local governments across the state.

    Oke who made this remark in Osogbo at the weekend disclosed that the current system of government at the local government council level in the state was an aberration which should be discarded immediately.

    The Osun born Lawmaker disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday stating that it was not gainsaying that the parliamentary system of government under the country’s presidential system of government is a misnornal which had been brewing crises upon crises across the length and breadth of the state.

    He explained that the system was a flagrant rape on the constitution of the nation which clearly spelt out the mode of administering all the levels of government.

    The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP lawmaker observed that the contextual provision of the constitution was not in agreement with the law of the land which makes it a mere criminal approach to governance with impunity.

    “Osun State is a common patrimony of both the living and the next generations. This is the reason why it’s important for us not to create an avenue for the future generations of the indigenes of our dear state to issue us a query we won’t be able to answer with the deserved patriotism

    “The system is an affront to the Federal Government. There should be uniformity of purpose in the system of government

    “As it is the case in Osun State today, governance at the local government level is a bundle of confusion which is not doing the citizenry any good. If the Federal Government has favoured paliamentary system of government, such would have been the grundnorm of our constitution”.

    The lawmaker vowed that he would do everything legally possible to ensure that the local government administration in the state is not run outside the provision of the nation’s constitution.

    Oke queried that if the lopsided system of government was so popular and beneficial, why was it that none of the other states making up the nation hasn’t deemed it fit to copy it.

    He said that the continuous sustainability of the parliamentary system of government at the local government level was chaotic and an express invitation to anarchy with subsequent arrest of development at the grassroots.

    He enjoined the state House of Assembly in conjunction with the state Executive to ensure a speedy reverse of the obnoxious and anti-developmental system of government in order not to bungle the spread of dividends of democracy statewide.

    He stated further that the position of the nation’s Constitution is clear on this issue as it is enshrined in Section 1(3) that: “If any other law is inconsistent with the provisions of this constitution, the constitution shall prevail and other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void”.

  • COVID-19: Osun Assembly bars workers, visitors without facemask

    The Osun House of Assembly has made the use of facemask compulsory for the state assembly workers and visitors, saying that those without facemasks would be denied entry into the complex.

    Mr Timothy Owoeye, the Speaker of the Assembly gave the warning in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Kunle Alabi on Tuesday in Oshogbo.

    The speaker said the decision was sequel to the relaxation of the lockdown in the state.

    Owoeye said the decision was reached after an executive session of the Assembly.

    He added that putting on of face masks among other precautionary measures in and around the assembly was sacrosanct to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    He said that the use of simple cloth face coverings would slow the spread of Coronavirus and help people, who may have the virus and did not know it, from transmitting to others.

    He said that the major criteria for accessing the state assembly complex henceforth would be the facemask, saying the step taken by the state parliamentarians would assuage the fear of contracting the virus, as the assembly resumed full legislative activities.

    “As we are all aware that the assembly has resumed fully for legislative activities with very few senior cadre of workers in spite of the ravaging Coronavirus.

    “This was borne out of the need to support government in the fight against the pandemic.

    “The lead agenda of the 7th Assembly is quality legislation that will impact the lives of Osun people, in order to assuage the fear of people contracting the virus while we resumed.

    “It has become imperative that everyone coming to the assembly must wear face mask. It is going to be, no face mask, no entry.

    “It is the resolution of the assembly that if everybody wears a face mask, we will be mutually protecting each other.

    “Wearing a face covering is just one additional step that we can take to stop the spread of the virus, but it is not a replacement for other important protective measures, such as washing hands and social distancing,” he said.

    The speaker charged residents of the state not to trivialise matters associated with the containment of community transmission of the virus and that all hands must be on deck to ensure that COVID-19 pandemic was brought to an end.

  • Osun State Govt. confirms 2 new COVID-19 cases

    Osun State Government says it has recorded two new cases of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the State.

    The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Rafiu Isamotu, in a statement on Sunday in Osogbo, said that the new cases were confirmed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Saturday night.

    Isamotu said that the cases were those of the wife and son of a Coronavirus patient in Ile-ife, who died last week.

    “Last night, we received results of 53 samples we sent to the NCDC-accredited testing centre for evaluation, out of which two tested positive and 51 returned negative.

    “The two positive cases are wife and son of a previously confirmed case in Ife, who died last week. They are currently receiving treatment at our isolation centre,” he said.

    With the development, Isamotu said the State now had 36 confirmed cases.

    Out of the 36 cases of COVID-19 in the State, 22 had been treated and discharged, while three had died.

  • COVID-19: Osun awaits results of 30 samples

    The Osun Government says it is awaiting the results of 30 samples of suspected coronavirus patients from the contact tracing it embarked on.

    Dr Rafiu Isamotu,the state’s Commissioner for Health disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Osogbo.

    He said that the samples were sent to the African Centre of Excellence in Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Ede, which was accredited by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

    He said the contact tracing was carried out in Ejigbo, Osu, Ife East, Ilesa and Ede.

    Isamotu , while explaining the reason for the contact tracing in those areas, said the wife of a confirmed case in Ife was said to have travelled to Osu after she left Ife and returned to Ilesa.

    He said 24 contacts were located by the state COVID-19 Taskforce Committee and their samples taken for evaluation.

    “Six other samples were later collected after some residents of the state called the attention of the team to suspected cases which made the total samples to be 30,” he said.

    The commissioner said that all the 14 suspected cases that were subjected to test on Sunday were returned negative on Monday.

    Isamotu also revealed that the three health workers who initially tested positive for coronavirus, had tested negative but were still being subjected to another round of test, in line with NCDC protocol.

    The State has so far recorded 34 cases of COVID-19 as confirmed by NCDC, 18 were treated and discharged, while two died.

  • Just in: Osun records two COVID-19 deaths

    Osun State has recorded two Covid-19 death –Two of the 12 new coronavirus patients admitted at the Osun State Isolation Centre are dead.

    Governor Adegboyega Oyetola made this known while addressing newsmen on Sunday in Osogbo, the state capital.

    He said the two Covid-19 deaths occurred in Ile-Ife and Ede areas of the state.

    According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control as of Saturday night, 32 of the total 1182 cases of the virus in the country were confirmed in Osun State.

    The state has also recorded about 20 recoveries.

    The governor appealed to residents of the state to comply with the government’s directive on mandatory use of face masks and observe social distancing as part of efforts to curb the community transmission of the lethal virus.

    He also urged security operatives in the state particularly those manning the land borders not to compromise on the restriction of movement of persons from outside the state.

  • Osun Gov signs Amotekun Bill into law

    Osun Gov signs Amotekun Bill into law

    Osun State Governor, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola on Friday signed the Amotekun Corps Establishment Bill into law.

    The bill was transmitted to the governor by the Speaker of the State Assembly, Mr Timothy Owoeye on Thursday evening.

    The House had on March 3, 2020 passed the bill into law after a public hearing to seek stakeholders’ contributions and suggestions on the bill.

    Oyetola while signing the Bill at the Executive Council Lounge, Government Secretariat in Osogbo, the state capital disclosed that the law signifies a declaration of war on criminals in the state and its environs, adding that the State “is prepared to go to any legitimate length to ensure that criminals in the state have no breathing space.”

    The Governor who noted that the Law shall complement the Constitution and other laws setting up the various security agencies in guaranteeing the safety and security of the people and their property, expressed confidence that the law would further enhance the profile of Osun as the most peaceful state and preferred investment destination in the country.

    Earlier while presenting the Bill to the Governor, Speaker Owoeye appreciated the Governor for the opportunity given to them to legislate on the bill.

    “I believe that with your assent on this Bill, it will reduce drastically the security challenges facing our region and our State. On our part as legislature, we have done the necessity in considering the bill letter to letter,” Owoeye added.