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Tag: Oyo

  • Why Accord party supported Makinde’s re-election – Shina Peller

    Why Accord party supported Makinde’s re-election – Shina Peller

    Mr. Shina Peller, Accord Party member, House of Representatives from Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa federal constituency, Oyo State, says his party’s support for Gov. Seyi Makinde’s re-election during the last general election is in the interest of the people.

    Peller disclosed this on Saturday at the Accord stakeholders’ meeting held in Ibadan.

    Peller, the Accord Senatorial Candidate for Oyo North Senatorial District, had supported Makinde, the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    He said the party had to review its performance after the 2023 general election, which saw the need for a coalition with the PDP governorship candidate in the interest of the people.

    “We came out of an election without winning any of the three Senatorial seat and 14 Rep seats. We are a third force party, a new party for that matter..

    “We compete with APC and PDP, so the only thing we had to do then was to look for the best candidate out of the APC and PDP, and find a way of forming a coalition.

    “All the technicalities that have been put in front of our governorship candidate are facts, even our candidate did not win in his polling unit, these are very important facts that we must pay attention to,” he said.

    The lawmaker expressed happiness that his party were not blinded by political party ideology or religious sentiment, but putting into consideration the interest of the people.

    “We are happy that we are not blinded by our political party ideology, our religious interest, but putting into consideration the interest of the people.

    “I believe this is the most paramount interest that should be protected in the politics,” Peller said.

    Peller said that Makinde had done well for the people of Oke Ogun, by bringing developmental projects to the zone

    Also, Mrs Adebukola Ajaja, the National Secretary of the party, said that they have seen the future of the party, hence Makinde was supported for the re-election.

    ”We saw the future of Accord and felt we don’t want our people to suffer. There was a kind of coalition between executives and candidates at the just-concluded general election,” she said.

    Ajaja said that the meeting was attended by party leaders from each local government.

  • I’ve broken glass ceiling for youngsters – Oyo gov, Makinde

    I’ve broken glass ceiling for youngsters – Oyo gov, Makinde

    Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State says he has broken the glass ceiling preventing youngsters in the state from attaining whatever heights they desire with his re-election.

    Makinde said this on Tuesday in his address during a re-election victory celebration at Ilaji Hotels and Sports Resourt, Akanran in Ibadan.

    Makinde was declared the winner of the March 18 governorship election in Oyo State by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC).

    The victory celebration was organised by the billionaire businessman, Chief Dotun Sanusi, at the mini stadium of his expansive Ilaji Hotels and Sport Resort.

    The governor said that his re-election was aided by certain circumstances, coupled with his sterling performance in office.

    Makinde assured the people of the state that his administration would not discriminate on the basis of religious, ethnicity and political affiliations in the distribution of democratic dividends to them.

    The governor, who thanked Sanusi for organising the mega party, appreciated other critical stakeholders that ensured his electoral victory in 31 of the 33 local government areas of the state.

    Makinde said that the level of political education of the electorate was high and the people did not allow godfathers to dictate to them.

    According to him, the campaign is now over, and It is time to forge ahead.

    “The task ahead is to continue the the good work and take our people from poverty to prosperity.

    ‘We will not discriminate against those who did not support us This will be a government for the people of Oyo State and the progress of Oyo State.”

    They governor said that they were building a state where everyone would have opportunities, irrespective of the son of whom they are.

    He said that young ones could now attain whatever position they desired.

    “I want our youngsters to take notice of this. There is no more glass ceiling in Oyo State. Seyi Makinde has broken all glass ceiling.

    “I have broken the glass ceiling for the youngsters in the state. Our young ones can now attain whatever position they desire,” he said

    Sanusi, in an interview with journalists, narrated how he turned down offers to support Atiku Abubakar against the President-Elect, Bola Tinubu and Makinde as governor of the state.

    “I was called to support Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate during the presidential election, but I insisted on supporting Sen. Bola Tinubu of APC who is now the President-Elect.

    “I also stood my ground that I would support Makinde’s re-election. They said Makinde will not win because he refused to support Atiku.

    “But I was sure he would emerge because his performance was unprecedented during his first term as the governor of the state,” he said.

    The event featured prayer sessions for Oyo State and Nigeria by the various religious groups present as well as acrobatics performance by some students on Makinde’s personal scholarship.

    Among those in attendance were leadership of the various religious groups, traditional rulers, traders, artisans, people living with disabilities, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) leaders, trado-medical practitioners and ace entertainers.

  • BREAKING: G-5 Gov, Makinde wins a second term

    BREAKING: G-5 Gov, Makinde wins a second term

    The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 18 poll in Oyo State, Seyi Makinde has been declared the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The incumbent governor defeated his challengers including Labour Party (LP)’s Akinwale Tayo as well as a serving senator, Teslim Folarin of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Makinde polled 563,756 votes to defeat his closest rival who scored 256,685.

    Makinde is the last of the PDP G5 or Integrity Group with an election. Already, Governors Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Samuel Ortom (Benue), who have been in office for eight years each, all lost their senatorial bid while Nyesom Wike (Rivers) who is also completing his second term as Governor didn’t run for any elective post.

    With the defeat of three of his comrades, all eyes were on Makinde in the March 18 poll. With his declaration as the winner by INEC, Makinde survived the defeat suffered by other G5 members.

    Governorship elections were held in 28 of Nigeria’s 36 states on Saturday. The governorship and state assembly elections were held a week later than initially scheduled after a court case forced INEC to move them forward.

    Eight of the 36 states — Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Osun, and Ondo — have governorship elections “off-season” due to litigations and court judgements.

    In alphabetical order, the 28 states where governorship elections were on March 18 are Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara.

    Of the 28 states, 11 serving governors including Makinde sought reelection while 17 outgoing governors are in the final weeks of their constitutional two-term limits of eight years, having been sworn in on May 29, 2015.

  • Labour Party adopts Makinde as Oyo guber candidate

    Labour Party adopts Makinde as Oyo guber candidate

    Labour Party (LP) in Oyo State on Sunday in Ibadan adopted Gov. Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as its candidate for the March 11 governorship election.

    LP chairman, Mr. Sadiq Atayese, told a news conference that the state’s Working Committee of the party believed in the emergence of Makinde, a candidate with character, competence, and capacity in the interest of the citizens.

    He said, however, that the electorate should vote for LP candidates at the state assembly elections.

    “Going by the results of the Feb. 25 presidential election and political realities in our state, it is obvious that no individual party can win the coming gubernatorial election single-handedly.

    “The main priority should be to ensure that citizens win through the election of a candidate that best serves their collective interests.

    “Against this backdrop, the right thing now is for parties and their candidates to form alliances with candidates of like ideology,’’ he said.

    According to Atayese, LP in Oyo State has decided to work with the candidate whose ideology tallies with its own in terms of security of lives and property, infrastructural development, food security, education, and human capital development.

    “It is of note that the present PDP administration under Gov. Makinde has presented its scorecard from the health sector with the provisions of Primary Healthcare Centres in every ward to security and others.

    “There is no doubt that his governance ideas in the establishment of Park Management System which other state now emulate has made him to be a leader with uncommon innovation.

    “From our evaluation as a party, Makinde has done well and we know that continuous development of a state is a function of stability in governance,’’ he said.

    Atayese stressed that there had been meaningful development in Oyo State in the last four years; hence, it was only logical that the good work should continue.

    “We have the responsibility to maintain the nobility of our heritage and we the citizens have to stand by it.

    “We took a thorough assessment of the various governorship candidates for the March 11 election in terms of character, competence, capacity and compassion for the people.

    “Gov. Makinde excelled the others; therefore, LP in Oyo state has decided to use its structure throughout the 33 local government areas to support his re-election for another four years of giant development,’’ Atayese stressed.

  • Stop claiming endorsement from Tinubu, APC warns Makinde

    Stop claiming endorsement from Tinubu, APC warns Makinde

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has advised Gov. Seyi Makinde and his supporters to stop claiming endorsement from the President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu, ahead of March 11 governorship election.

    This is contained in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, on Thursday in Ibadan.

    According to reports, there have been insinuations from the Government House that Makinde played key role in the victory recorded by Tinubu in the state on Feb. 25.

    The APC spokesperson described the claims by Makinde that he had been endorsed by Tinubu as “an height of desperation and insincerity”.

    Sadare queried the rationale behind the insinuations about Makinde being responsible for the delivery of all the three Senatorial and eight House of Representatives seats to the APC with two pending.

    “Those behind the wicked rumour are some unscrupulous elements whose motive is to mislead the public and attract undue sympathy from certain quarters outside the state.

    “To set the record straight, Oyo PDP did its best to secure victory for all its candidates at the Feb. 25 election.

    “But, they failed simply because Oyo APC was far ahead of them in terms of preparedness, human resources and strategy.

    “We, therefore, challenge Makinde or any of his agents to present any evidence of the purported agreement or deal between them and Tinubu, if they are truthful,” he said.

    Sadare said the only thing they harmed with was the courtesy visit which the APC presidential candidate paid to the Agodi Government Secretariat on the day of the presidential rally.

    He said that such courtesy visit happened because a statesman like Tinubu could not pay an official visit to any state without paying a courtesy visit to the sitting governor.

    “The truth of the matter is that the five aggrieved PDP Governors were naive and lacking in political strategies.

    “Gov. Wike was the only one among them who was courageous enough to assist Tinubu’s cause.

    “Wike did not do at the expense of his PDP as all the National Assembly candidates of the APC failed in his state.

    “In the case of Oyo, there was no report of any serving political office holder or appointee of the PDP who mobilised for Tinubu or any other APC candidate at the poll,” he said.

    Sadare said that the PDP candidates were able to win in about four federal constituencies and such indicated that they approached the election with all seriousness.

    He said, “the lies about a deal with Tinubu can’t fly because the president-elect is a core progressive and democrat who can never engage in a
    anti-party activities.”

    According to Sadare, Folarin, if elected governor, would ensure prompt and full payment of salaries and other entitlements due to the public servants and pensioners. He will make life easier for all and sundry.

    “If Gov. Makinde had done well in the last four years, he would not have to be paranoid to face the electorate again as he seeks re-election,” Oyo APC said.

  • Late Alao-Akala’s son wins Ogbomoso Federal Constituency

    Late Alao-Akala’s son wins Ogbomoso Federal Constituency

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Olamijuwonlo Akala, son of the late former Governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala, as the winner of Ogbomoso Federal Constituency election.

    Olamijuwonlo, a former Chairman of Ogbomoso North Local Government polled 33, 268 votes to beat his close rival, Olufemi Onireti of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 27,126.

    Prof. Hakeem Salami, Returning Officer for Ogbomoso North/Ogbomoso South/Orire Federal Constituency, announced that the APC candidate scored 33,268 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Olufemi Onireti, scored 27,126 votes.

    Salami said, “I declare Olamijuwonlo Akala winner of Ogbomoso/North/South/Oriire Federal Constituency, having polled the total number of 33, 268 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates Olufemi Onireti, polled 27,126 votes.

    In his reactions, shortly after he was declared winner said, Olamijuwonlo said: “I’m so excited.

    “I will not disappoint the people of Ogbomoso and my constituents who voted for me. I’m so grateful to them all.”

    Recalled that Olamijuwonlo’s father governed Oyo State from 2007 to 2011 under PDP.

    Also, Najeem Oyedeji, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has won the Federal Constituency seat election for Iseyin/ Itesiwaju/Iwajowa/Kajola.

    Announcing the winner, the Returning Officer, Prof. Adeolu Adeleke, said that Oyedeji scored total votes of 30, 372, while Dr Soliu Gbadamosi, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), scored 28,821 votes.

  • Makinde, Deputy deliver polling unit to Tinubu in Oyo

    Makinde, Deputy deliver polling unit to Tinubu in Oyo

    Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Saturday delivered his polling unit to Sen. Bola Tinubu, the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Makinde had voted at the Polling Unit 01, Ward 11, Abayomi area, Iwo Road, in Ibadan North-East Local Government area.

    According to Mr Emmanuel Oduyela, Presiding Officer of the Polling Unit, APC polled 104 to defeat Labour Party and PDP which scored 82 and 27 votes respectively.

    Oduyela, while announcing the election results for the Senate and House of Representatives, at the polling unit, said that PDP scored 82 and 79 votes respectively to defeat APC and Labour Party.

    According to him, APC scored 57 and 59 votes respectively in the Senate and House of Representatives elections at the polling unit.

    “Labour Party polled 50 votes in the Senate election and 55 votes in the House of Representatives election.

    Also, APC won the presidential election at the Polling Unit 04, Ward 06, Kishi, where the Deputy Governor, Chief Adebayo Lawal, voted.

    According to the result released at the polling unit, APC scored 236 votes to defeat PDP which polled 114.

    However, in the Senatorial election, PDP defeated APC with 127 votes as against 123 votes, while PDP also won the House of Representatives election with 170 votes, while APC scored 148.

  • I’m satisfied with election conduct – Oyo gov, Makinde

    I’m satisfied with election conduct – Oyo gov, Makinde

    Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Saturday, expressed satisfaction with the electoral process so far, imploring electorate to exercise patience with those in charge of the exercise.

    Makinde, who voted at exactly 10.10 a.m. at unit 1, ward 21, Abayomi-Iwo Road in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area, urged voters to exercise their civic duties responsibly.

    Similarly, wife of a former governor of Oyo State, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, described the elections as very peaceful, saying that she was impressed with the exercise.

    “I am very impressed that people have turned out and are patient, because we have issues with the BVAS machine.

    “I want to commend the good people in this polling unit, because they have been very patient,” Ajimobi said.

    She, however, said she was emotional being the first time she would be voting after the demise of her husband.

    “It’s a bit emotional for me, but God remains unquestionable. I am here voting and there is nothing else I can do,” she said.

    A former Sports Minister, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, also lauded voters’ turn-out, describing the general conduct of the elections as impressive.

    Adedoja, after casting his vote at Popoyemoja ward 4 of Ibadan South-West Local Government Area, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that BVAS was excellent in its use and that voters were happy with its performance.

    “I thank God that everything went peacefully, as people came out as early as 7.00 a.m. and officials of INEC also came out in good time at ward 4 of Ibadan South-West Local Government at Popoyemoja to conduct the election,” he said.

    Also, Chief Rotimi Ajanaku, the Accord House of Representatives candidate for Ibadan South-West/North-West Federal Constituency, also cast his vote at exactly 11.00 a.m. at ward 12, unit 32 of Ibadan South-West Local Government.

    Ajanaku described the elections as the most peaceful and impressive that had ever been conducted.

    He said he was satisfied that the election was going on peacefully, in spite of the fear of possible crises and violence already instilled in the electorate.

    “This election has been peaceful and I think INEC has done well. There can never be violence in Nigeria; we can never be divided; we will forever remain one and indivisible country.

    “The decision of the electorate will be declared and their will shall prevail. This means that the people have elected the candidates of their choice,” he said.

    In Ibarapaland, a police officer, who preferred to be anonymous, said he felt that restricting people from going about their normal businesses on the day might cause serious problem, considering the tension already generated by the cashless policy.

    “But I was wrong,” he said.

  • Court orders immediate reinstatement of sacked Oyo Water Corporation workers

    Court orders immediate reinstatement of sacked Oyo Water Corporation workers

    The National Industrial Court, Ibadan, has ordered the immediate reinstatement of three workers of Water Corporation of Oyo State, who were unlawfully dismissed.

    The affected workers are Mr. Lasis Adekunle, Mrs Oluwaseyi Sanni, and Mr Sikiru Abodurin.

    Justice John Peters ordered the immediate reinstatement of Adekunle, Sanni, and Abodurin, while delivering judgment on Thursday, in a suit filed by the trio.

    NAN reports that the defendants to the suit are Oyo State Water Corporation, Oyo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, and Oyo State Government.

    The Claimants’ Counsel, Mr Ranti Ajeleti had informed the court that his clients were unlawfully dismissed and proper procedures were not followed before their dismissal.

    Ajeleti urged the court to set aside the dismissal, order their reinstatement and payment of all outstanding emoluments from the time of dismissal till date.

    NAN reports that Adekunle was dismissed by the corporation on June 16, 2017, over alleged fraud and disappearance of 17,364 units of water metre, valued at N159 million while he was a store keeper at the Corporation’s Central Chemical Store, Eleyele, Ibadan.

    Sanni was suspended on June 16, 2017, and dismissed on Sept.16, 2018, for allegedly looting 2,189 units of water metre, valued at N54 million when he was the Assistant Chief Store Keeper at the Corporation’s Central Store, Eleyele, Ibadan.

    While Abodurin was suspended and dismissed on June 16, 2017 and Sept. 16, 2018 respectively, for alleged disappearance of 12,446 units of water metre valued at N156 million.

    Delivering his judgment, Justice John Peters set aside the suspension and dismissal of the claimants, for breach of fair hearing and failing to comply with the Oyo State Civil Service Rules.

    Peters said that the investigative committee set up by the corporation to investigate the allegations against the claimants did not find them guilty of the allegations of which they were dismissed.

    He said that the claimants could be queried over one allegation and then dismissed for a completely different allegation.

    The judge said that since the defendants failed to comply with the Oyo State Civil Service Rules, it meant that all the steps taken against the claimants could not stand and would be null and avoid.

    He set aside the purported dismissal and ordered the immediate reinstatement of the claimants without any loss of promotion.

    The judge further ordered the payment of all salaries, allowances and other emoluments of the claimants, effective from June 16, 2017.

    Ajeleti commended the judge for a well considered judgment, claiming that his clients were used as sacrificial lambs.

    The defendants’ Counsel, Mrs F. Omoremi, also commended the judge for the judgment, and promised to pass the message of the judge to the concerned authority.

  • Fuel scarcity: Makinde deploys free commuter buses in Oyo

    Fuel scarcity: Makinde deploys free commuter buses in Oyo

    Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has deployed Omituntun buses free to ease movement of residents of the state following the twin crisis of new naira notes and fuel scarcity.

    This is contained in a statement by Mr Taiwo Adisa, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, on Saturday in Ibadan.

    According to him, the Omituntun Mass Transit Buses would be deployed to more routes within the state for free, in order to ameliorate the sufferings of people.

    The governor said that his administration was ready to do whatever it could to alleviate the sufferings of the masses.

    Makinde, however, frowned at the resort to violent protests by some residents of Ibadan on Friday.

    He said while citizens were free to express their feelings peacefully, government would not condone any resort to violence, adding that resort to violence would breed other problems.

    The governor also put all the security agencies operating in the state on high alert to avert any breakdown of law and order.

    He urged the people to ensure that they use their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to usher in a responsible government in the forthcoming general elections.

    The governor also said that the state was also working with the local government chairmen in the state to provide immediate palliatives for vulnerable people.

    According to him, this is to alleviate the hardships that the twin scarcity of new naira-notes and fuel have brought upon them.

    He urged all law-abiding citizens and residents of the state to go about their lawful activities peacefully.

    “Violence cannot and will not solve our problems, it will only create new ones.

    “We have another opportunity in a few weeks to move this country in a new direction. Use your PVC, not violence.

    “We must not allow elements within us, who have other motives, to take advantage of peaceful protests to perpetrate evil or push their agendas.

    “I urge all law-abiding citizens and residents of the state to go about their lawful activities.

    “All our security agencies are on high alert and so, peaceful residents of the state have no cause to fear.

    “Once again, we have another opportunity to put an end to oppressive system and that is through the ballot.

    “For now, I urge everyone to remain calm, as we are doing our best to mitigate the hardships,” Makinde said.