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Tag: Oyo State

  • Era of manipulating election results over in Nigeria – REC

    Mr Mutiu Agboke, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Oyo state, says the era of manipulating results of elections in favour of any of the political party was over in the Nigerian democracy.

    Agboke, who stated this on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan, said that votes of the electorate would always count in determining who won elections.

    He described the last general elections in Oyo state as successful exercise.

    According to him, the outcome of the Saturday polls has proved that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) means its words and would continue to improve on its existing achievements.

    He said the use of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) remained the only power of the electorate had to choose their leaders as witnessed in the recent general elections.

    The REC urged the Nigerians to continue to have trust and to believe in the activities of INEC, saying that the commission had no sympathy for any of the political parties in the country.

    The REC commended the people of Oyo state for the relative peace that characterised the conduct of the general elections.

    He expressed satisfaction over the supports the commission received from Inter-Party Advisory Commission (IPAC), Security agents, National Orientation Agency (NOA) and media organisations that contributed to success of the elections.

    Agboke implored owners of the unclaimed PVCs to come forward and collect them; saying 2,023 PVCs were yet to be collected.

    He further called on political parties not to relax but start preparing for the 2023 general elections in easiest.

  • Two dead, several injured at APC rally in Oyo State

    Two dead, several injured at APC rally in Oyo State

    No fewer than two people died in a bloody clash between suspected political hoodlums at an All Progressives’ Congress (APC) campaign rally in Igboora area of Oyo State.

    The incident occurred immediately after the rally held at the old motor park in Igboora on Saturday evening.

    The campaign train, led by Gov. Abiola Ajimobi, had commenced with a road show from Lanlate through Igboora, Idere, Ayete, Tapa and Igangan before the ralies at Igboora, Eruwa and Omi-Adio.

    It was a peaceful rally which saw the governor and the party’s governorship candidate, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, acknowledging cheers from supporters who had thronged the streets to show solidarity for the party.

    Trouble, however, started immediately after the rally in Igboora as suspected political hoodlums engaged in a bloody clash which left one dead.

    Another innocent resident, identified to be a younger brother to an APC leader in the community, was hit by a stray bullet and eventually gave up the ghost.

    Eyewitnesses told NAN that some suspected hoodlums had accosted the APC governorship candidate to demand for money but were blocked by another group of hoodlums.

    This, witnesses said, resulted in heated arguments which later led to the free for all.

    The incident had since resulted in counter allegations and reactions from political parties and residents.

    While the APC accused opposition parties of being behind the mayhem, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) asked APC to look inwards for the perpetrators.

    “Guns were freely displayed by thugs alleged to have been arranged and sponsored by the PDP and some other parties to carry out the dastardly act.

    “The mayhem eventually cost two lives. One of which is a younger brother to the leader of our party, Alhaji Olayide Abas. We hereby charge security agencies to investigate and unravel the killers of the deceased.

    “It is important to note that the PDP has continually incited the people to cause trouble, having realised that the game is over. The PDP is among the parties that masterminded the mayhem,” APC Communication team said in a statement.

    Some opposition party members, who spoke to NAN, described the incident as very pathetic, saying the APC should investigate themselves on the mayhem.

    They said that several other opposition parties in the state had visited the community to campaign without violence or bloodshed.

    Also, some residents of the community frowned at the sorrowful incident, describing it as a return of thuggery and brigandage to the state.

    They told NAN that the people of the community were not desperate people and have always lived peacefully with each other, irrespective of political affiliations.

    Spokesman for Oyo State Police Command, SP Adekunle Ajisebutu, did not respond to NAN calls and text messages at the time of filing this report.

     

  • [Exclusive] Ayefele opens up on rifts with Ajimobi, demolition of N800m Music House

    Embattled Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Yinka Ayefele Music House, Yinka Ayefele has explained why his Music House was demolished by the Governor Abiola Ajimobi led Oyo State Government.

    The ace musician speaking on Monday in an exclusive interview with TNG through his manager, David Ajiboye said the demolished building did not contravene any building plan/law as made to believe.

    Ajiboye insisted that the demolition was an act of witch hunt for not supporting the government.

    Recall that the demolished building houses Ayefele’s Fresh FM, Studio and other business outfits. It is valued at N800m. It was partially bulldozed on Sunday morning.

     

    Nothing has changed, we are still broadcasting

    Asked how the demolition has affected operations of the station, Ajiboye said the station was still broadcasting though from a different location.

    “Fresh FM is on air. They demolished the building and we relocated our studio to another place.

    This radio station is sophisticated and all our presenters can present from anywhere in the world. During the US elections, we were live in the US and we broadcast live from the US. We can broadcast anywhere without necessarily converging in a particular place.”

     

     

    Ayefele unruffled by demolition

    Ajiboye further clarified that the chairman of the station, Yinka Ayefele was taking the demolition easy. He said the demolition was strictly political and not because of ignoring warnings or breaking any law as government made people to believe.

    “He is taking it very easy. He is not bothered about it because we know the state government is only witch-hunting us. It is political; we know if we had committed any offence, the NBC would have sanctioned us. We have not committed any offence.

    They want us to change some of our programmes and some of our analysts. We told the commissioner that this is an independent radio station and you can’t do that. If we run afoul of the broadcasting code, the NBC would have sanctioned us. They can only control a state government owned station, not Fresh FM”.

     

     

    Recounting the losses

    Ajiboye explained that a recently purchased N28million broadcasting equipment and other important materials were destroyed in the demolition. He also reiterated that the building was valued at over N800million. He said the station had over 200 staff on its payroll and the livelihood of some them might be threatened as a result of the demolition.

    “That building that was demolished is valued at over N800million. We just purchased 28million broadcast equipment destroyed yesterday during the demolition. This is a company that has provided jobs more than 200 people.

    We thank Nigerians for their support and they should see this as political witch-hunting. The governor said in 2016 when he visited the station that some politicians want him to demolish the building because Ayefele is not in their support. All what they are saying is just cooked up stories. We have all legal documents backing the land, we have not contravened any building plan or building law,” Ajibade explained.

     

    Overwhelming show of love for Ayefele

    It was an emotional scene on Sunday as fans of Ayefele and lovers of the radio station besieged the site of the demolition. Ajibade insisted that the sympathy shown the station during the crisis showed the people were against the tyrannical traits of Gov Ajimobi.

    “You needed to be there yesterday to come and see a lot of people. The road linking from Lagos to Ibadan up to Guru Maraji’s side was on lock down. There was no vehicular movement for almost eight hours. People were angry, wanting to destroy government property. It took Yinka Ayefele going on air to pacify the people. All APC posters, billboards were destroyed. He had to go on air to calm frayed nerves.

     

    Next line of action

    Some few days before the demolition exercise, the station sued the government with the hope obtaining a court injunction to stop the case but the case was postponed.

    Asked what the station is doing next, Ajiboye said: “We are in court already, we went to the court today and their counsel denied that the government doesn’t know anything about it, the government and the governor are not aware of it. When in actual fact that the commissioner of information said the bulldozer has been in front of our office for the past three days. They have contracted themselves so it’s good for us. We are not losing sleep over this.

    They brought a letter on Monday, a demolition notice. They gave us three days and If tey are so sure of themselves that what they are doing is right, why did they have to come and demolish at 4:am in the morning”.

     

     

    Oyo Govt denies knowledge of demolition

    Meanwhile, the Oyo State Government in a reaction to the incident on Monday said it was not aware of the demolition.

    The state government, through its counsel, Mr Yomi Alliyu, made the denial when he appeared before Justice Iyabo Yerima of the State High Court, Ring Road, Ibadan, on Monday.

    Alliyu appeared for the first and second defendants, Gov. Abiola Ajimobi and Mr Bola Abimbola (State Attorney-General), in a case instituted by Ayefele against the defendants.

    The counsel said his clients were shocked to read about the reported demolition on Sunday morning.

    According to him, the state government is planning to set up a panel of enquiry to find out those responsible for the demolition.

    ”My clients are men of honour that respect rule of law and constituted authority and will have no reason to demolish the said property,” he told the court.

    Alliyu, who had earlier denied that his clients were served with court processes, quickly reversed himself when the judge showed him evidence of actual service on the first and second respondents.

     

    The defence counsel, however, urged the court to adjourn the case pending the time the claimant would be able to file and serve his clients with notice of the ex-parte motion since the court was on vacation.

    He said that filing of motion on notice and letter of urgency alone by the claimant was not enough.

    But the claimant’s counsel, Mr Olayinka Bolanle, had informed the court that the respondents had gone ahead to demolish the structure in spite of a court’s restraining order

    “Even after the defendants had become aware of this proceedings, it is sad and unbelievable my Lord that the defendants in the wee hours of Sunday, Aug 19, went to the property in dispute and demolished it,” he told the court.

    The claimant’s counsel urged the court to reiterate its earlier order restraining the defendants from further demolition of the rest of the structure pending the determination of the suit.

    Justice Yerima adjourned the case until Sept. 12 for hearing of applications and urged parties to file necessary processes before the adjourned date.

     

  • NUJ condemns demolition of Ayefele’s Fresh FM station

    The Oyo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Sunday condemned the demolition of Yinka Ayefele’s Music House which houses his Fresh FM 105.9 radio station.

    A statement jointly signed by the council’s Chairman, Mr Adewunmi Faniran, and the Secretary, Mr Bola Ogunlayi, said it was highly disturbed that the building was demolished when the matter was before a court of competent jurisdiction.

    The building belonging to the popular musician was demolished at about 4.30 am on Sunday by the state government for allegedly contravening its town planning laws.

    The council expressed concern about the fate of the journalists and other media workers in the establishment as well as the loss suffered by the owner of the broadcast outfit.

    “As the fourth estate of the realm and believer in the rule of law, the Oyo State NUJ expects that the court would have been left to take a definite decision on the issue of demolition before it was carried out,” it said.

    The council called on the state government to ensure that “ it comes to the aid of Fresh FM which has been a pride of Ibadan in particular and Oyo State.’’

    It urged the government to relocate the station to another site and ensure the smooth take-off of its operations.

     

  • Ibadan residents lament demolition of Ayefele’s Music House

    Residents of Ibadan on Sunday lamented Sunday’s demolition of the Music House owned by popular musician, Yinka Ayefele, by the Oyo State Government.

    The structure located on the Challenge-Toll Gate dual carriageway in Ibadan houses the popular Fresh FM radio station owned by the musician.

    A NAN correspondent reports that hundreds of residents had thronged the scene wielding placards with various inscriptions criticising the state government over the exercise.

    Ayefele, on his Facebook page after the demolition, said: “Oyo State Government did at last…..my pains, my sweat…So help me God.”

    Some of the early callers at the scene of the demolished building were Mr Seyi Makinde, a PDP governorship aspirant and Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, the Secretary of Unity Forum, a splinter group in the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress.

    Also present at the scene was Hon. Olusegun Olaleye representing Ibadan North State Constituency in the State House of Assembly.

    Makinde, Olatunbosun and Olaleye, however, appealed to the irate residents at the scene of the demolished structure to remain calm, urging them not to resort to self-help.

    Calls made to the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Toye Arulogun, were unsuccessful as his two cell phone lines were switched off.

    NAN recalls that the state government had marked the structure for demolition, insisting that it contravened the state ’s planning laws.

    But Ayefele had approached an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan seeking to stop the planned demolition.

    Ayefele’s counsel, Mr Olayinka Bolanle, in an exparte motion filed before the court, sought for an order of the court restraining the state government from demolishing the property pending the determination of the suit.

    Bolanle also stated that due process was followed in the construction of the structure while relevant approvals were obtained from the state’s departments and agencies associated with land and housing.

    Justice I. Yerima ordered the claimant to ensure service of the court process on the respondent and adjourned the case till Monday for the hearing of the exparte motion.

     

  • ASUU decries neglect of LAUTECH

    ASUU decries neglect of LAUTECH

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday decried the neglect of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, by the owner states of Osun and Oyo.

    Dr Ade Adejumon, Ibadan Zonal Coordinator of the union, spoke at a news conference in Osogbo.

    Adejumon said that the institution was at the brink of total collapse due to inadequate funding, irregular payment of staff salaries and dearth of personnel.

    He said that the institution’s lecturers were already on two weeks warning strike.

    “We are currently on two weeks warning strike. We are calling attention to the fact that LAUTECH is on the brink of final disintegration.

    “We are not so much concerned about non-payment of our 10 months salary arrears, promotion arrears, but rather our concern is the poor funding of the university.

    “If nothing is done after the two weeks warning strike, then, we will proceed on an indefinite strike,’’ Adejumon said.

    He noted that the Memorandum of Action, signed with the union before its last strike was called off had not been fulfilled by the owner state governments.

    According him, many lecturers have left the university, while many have retired; there has not been recruitment of new hands for several years, and the university is understaffed.

    Adejumon called on Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and his Oyo counterpart, Gov. Abiola Ajimobi, to let the general public know if they could no longer fund the university.

    The ASUU coordinator said the actions of the two state governments had shown that they were no longer interested in the running of the university.

    He said that it was not possible for the institution to continue to rely only on its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to run the institution.

     

  • Establish mobile courts for sanitation offenders, residents urge Oyo govt.

    Establish mobile courts for sanitation offenders, residents urge Oyo govt.

    Residents of Iseyin have called on Oyo State Government to establish mobile courts for sanitation offenders and increase funding and environmental personnel to achieve a safe and hygenic environment.

    The call was part of resolutions made by the community at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by Chronicler Newspaper in Iseyin Town Hall on Sunday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the forum was attended by traditional rulers, community leaders, sanitation officials, law enforcement agents, youth groups and students.

    The stakeholders also called on residents to have attitudinal change, be law abiding and cooperate with relevant authorities by rendering assistance to sanitation agencies when necessary.

    They called for training of health and sanitation agencies on how to convert refuse and sewage to other means of human benefit as it was done in other climes of the world.

    The stakeholders urged law enforcement agencies such as the police and the Directorate of State Service to partner with sanitation agency towards effective prosecution of offenders.

    They called on landlord associations as well as individuals to provide basic necessities such as bathrooms, kitchens and toilets in their buildings.

    The stakeholders condemned the burning of wastes in the public, saying such engendered air pollution and hindered public health.

    They identified inadequate waste disposal facilities, funding of health and sanitation agencies as well as insufficient sanitary personnel as among problems facing public hygiene.

    Other problems identified were lack of self-discipline among resodents, ignorance and poor mental orientation, lack of awareness on waste management control and unwarranted threats to sanitation officials.

    Earlier, Alhaji Olaiya Taiwo, Assistant Director, Oyo State Waste Management Agency, urged sanitation officials to make use of ad hoc staff when necessary.

    The traditional ruler of Iseyin, Oba AbdulGaniyu Adekunle, bemoaned the attitude of the people toward environmental sanitation, urging them to imbibe self-discipline.

    The monarch, who was represented by Mr Femi Olalere, called on the concerned agencies to liaise with traditional council and community leaders on measures to enhance public hygiene.

    Mr Adeniyi Adekunle, Vice-Chairman, Iseyin Local Government, described the meeting as educative and eye-opening, saying the local government would support the recommendations.

    “I have noted all the requests during the meeting, particularly those that concerned the local government. I promise to convey this to my boss and I am very sure we will definitely support,” he said

  • APC holds parallel LG congresses in Oyo

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State on Sunday joined the list of states which held parallel local government congresses.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the National Congress Committee for Oyo State led by Mr Musa Halilu-Ahmed had on Friday shifted the congress to Sunday due to Saturday’s local government election in the state.

    NAN also reports that the APC in the state is presently divided into two factions, with one loyal to Gov. Abiola Ajimobi while the other tagged, “ Unity Forum, ‘’ has the Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, and some federal and state lawmakers as members.

    The polarisation of the party led to the different congresses, with the two groups holding the exercise at the APC secretariats and local government secretariats across the 33 local governments in the state.

    A NAN correspondent, who monitored the congresses, reports that the Unity Forum held the congress for Akinyele, Ibadan North West and Oluyole Local Government Areas at the APC secretariat.

    The Forum, however, held that of Ibadan North East Local Government at St. Imperial Primary School, Oluyoro, said to be the meeting venue of the party.

    The exercise was also conducted in the party’s secretariat across the state.

    The governor’s faction of the party held the exercise at the local government secretariat in Ibadan North East Local Government, Ibadan South West Local Government and Oluyole Local Government as well as council areas in the state.

    NAN, however, reports that APC congress committee members and INEC officials were sighted at the congress held by the group loyal to the governor.

    Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, the Secretary of the Unity Forum, told NAN that the congress was peaceful.

    He said that the committee sold forms to members of both factions, adding that his group held its congress at the APC secretariats in the 33 local government areas across the state.

    Olatunbosun also stated that the congress was successful and in accordance with the regulations of the party.

    But Mr Mojeed Olaoya, the State Secretary of the party in Oyo State, said that there was no parallel congress in the state.

    Olaoya, who also said the congress was held at only the local government secretariats in the 33 local governments across the state, added that he was unaware of any parallel exercise in the state.

    He said any congress held at places different from the local government secretariats in the 33 local government areas contravened the guidelines of the party.

     

  • South West Governors formally admit Lagos into O’dua Investment Group

    The six Governors of south west region under the auspices of the Western Nigerian Governors Forum on Wednesdayformally admitted Lagos State into the O’dua Investment Group with a total of 115million shares thus growing the share equity of the company to 690million.

    The Governors – Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), in a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day quarterly meeting held at Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja, also ratified a document allowing Lagos to acquire land in their respective states for massive rice cultivation and production.

    Specifically, all the Governors resolved to embark on a Rice Accelerated Program for Integrated Development (Western RAPID) to further consolidate actions on food security and job creation in the region, while a Regional Agriculture Summit to be sponsored by Lagos State, was agreed to be held in Ibadan in May 2018.

    The forum, which is being coordinated through the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, also signified interest in the concession of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

    Reading the communiqué to journalists, Director General of DAWN Commission, Mr Oluseye Oyeleye said: “The States of the Region as a bloc will be monitoring the process for the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Concession into a world class infrastructure.”

    He said the Governors also resolved that DAWN Commission, Focal Representatives and Agriculture Commissioners of the region would hold a technical session with Nigeria Incentive-based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) and develop a state by state roadmap in four weeks before the Regional Agriculture Summit scheduled for May 2018.

    It was also agreed that DAWN Commission should work on reviving Regional Inter-School Football Competition, and as well conduct a study on the successes in Education in Ekiti State for peer learning/adoption among the Western Nigeria states.

    Also, the Governors directed the DAWN Commission and the Focal representatives to structure a programme on the Omoluabi Ethos of the Yoruba people.

    However, Ogun State Deputy Governor, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga, who represented Governor Amosu, raised some reservations about the land deal, saying that the State Government on account of previous issues with Lagos on the similar subject matter would be refraining from releasing land to the State until the said issues were resolved.

    Nonetheless, Onanuga said: “We will be prepared to sign this memorandum later when some of these issues are straightened out.”

    When asked by journalists on way out of the issues raised by Ogun State, Governor Ambode said he was optimistic that all the States would join in the effort to ensure food security and create jobs for the people.

    He said: “What has happened is that we wanted to expand the agric output of our rice mill and in doing so, we decided that all the south west States should be able to cultivate rice and supply paddy to the proposed rice mill that is coming up in Imota in Lagos.

    “So, what we have done is that four other States have agreed to sign the Memorandum of Understanding which they have actually done today and so what is happening between Lagos and Ogun is that there were some minor issues that were outstanding before and based on that they could not sign today but you could also hear that they are committed to signing when those issues are resolved.

    “We are having a 32-ton per hour rice mill in Imota and we are going to require 32,000 hectares of paddy cultivation which even the whole of the south west cannot even provide but because we are interested in integration and also independence, it is important that beyond going to Kebbi or Kano, all the south western states should also benefit from it and the idea is that we are trying to procure land there but we will also use the people and the farmers in the respective states to cultivate the land and by so doing we have created employment in those States and we will be off-takers to the paddies that they are producing and so I am able to buy it and also use it for my own rice mill and then sell it in Lagos and so I create employment across the region and at the same time put money into the pocket of our people,” Governor Ambode said.

    Earlier, Governor Aregbesola described the incorporation of Lagos State into the economic framework of the south west region as historic and long coming since 1948, adding that the development would strengthen the O’dua Investment Group and drive the development of the region.

     

  • Board fixes April 30 deadline for payment of 2018 hajj fare

    Board fixes April 30 deadline for payment of 2018 hajj fare

    The Oyo State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board has fixed April 30 as deadline for payment of the 2018 hajj fare for all intending pilgrims in the state.

    The Chairman of the board, Alhaji Taofeek Akewugbagold, said this on Sunday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan.

    Akewugbagold said that the state collected N1.1 million from intending pilgrims pending the final fare to be announced by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria.

    The Oyo State board chairman said that all registration relating to 2018 hajj must be completed by May 31 unless Saudi Arabia extends the date.

    The chairman said that the centres for orientation, material distribution and inoculation for intending pilgrims had been decentralized.

    “Orientation, distribution of hajj materials and inoculation now takes place in Saki, Igboho, Ogbomoso, Kishi, this is to make the centres closer to the pilgrims and reduce travel stress,’’ Akewugbagold said.

    He advised pilgrims to fear Allah in their deeds as they gather money for the journey.

    Akewugbagold said that adequate security had been put in place with relevant security agencies to ensure that no pilgrim carry any contraband to Saudi Arabia.

    “The turnout for this year’s hajj in the state is very impressive because of the past record of the board. Close to 500 pilgrims has so far paid.

    “We have special packages for the aged and we are proud that for the past four years, Oyo State has been trying to maintain that we get accommodation closest to the Haram.

    “ A lot of sacrifice was made to ensure that we secure accommodation for the state pilgrims within the vicinity of Haram,’’ Akewugbagold said.