VOL. 9. NO.083 NNNNN5050505050SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

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

Front Page Comment Who KilledChief Bola Ige,former Attorney-

General andMinister of

Justice? IGE

•A cross section of the newly-commissioned Armoured Personnel Carriers distributed to the state security officers by the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola. Insert:Governor Aregbesola (middle in white); his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) Titi Laoye-Tomori; Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salam (left); Assistant Inspector-Generalof Police (AIG), Zone 11, Mr David Omojola (2nd left); Osun Commissioner of Police, Mr.Maishanu Ibrahim (5th left); Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters,Barrister Amos Adekunle (6th left) and other dignitaries during the commissioning in Osogbo, State of Osun, last Thursday.

FG ‘ll Flood Osun With Hausa SoldiersA Week To Election • Omisore Boasts

- See StoryOn Page 2

Osun 2014 Governorship Election:

Compatriots, JealouslyGuard Your Votes!

As August 9draws closer bythe day we mustcontinue to remindthe electorate inour dear state oft h e i rresponsibi l i ies;the need to voteright and to jeal-ously guard theirvotes.

To use the powerof our thumb to votefor continuity - as thestate cannot affordto do away with thelevel of unprece

dented develop-ment going on in thestate since the in-ception of OgbeniAregbesola's admin-istration - is our first

major responsibil-ity as responsible citi-zens of our state. Ofcourse we are not indoubt that the votesof our people will befor OgbeniAregbesola who hasdone the state muchgood.

Continue on pg5

2 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014News

Osun Govt Establishes Micro-Credit Agency•Gives Out N4 Bn Interest-free Loan •Fashola Lashes PDP

By KEHINDE AYANTUNJI

AS part of the efforts of the government of the State tobanish poverty and empower the informal sector, it haslaunched and commissioned a Micro Credit Agency in

the state, to improve small scale businesses.

The state governor, OgbeniRauf Aregbesola, onWednesday launched theagency with N4 billioninterest-free loan.

The launching which alsofeatured the distribution ofmini-buses to operators ofmini-buses popularly knownas (Korope) was held at NelsonMandela Freedom Park inOsogbo, the state capital.

The Micro-Credit agency isexpected to be interest-freeloans to farmers, artisans, smallscale business owners and

others for the purpose of creatingand sustaining their business andexpand the economy of the state.

Speaking at thecommissioning, GovernorAregbesola said that the presentadministration is determined tobanish poverty, hunger andunemployment in the state.

According the governor, hisgovernment is determined tomake every Osun indigenesuccessful and independent,arguing that individual percapital is what determines thesuccess of any government.

Aregbesola added that it isonly a wicked government thatwill refuse to see to the basicneeds of the people as they arethe main reason why anygovernment is in place.

He explained that the sum of4 billion naira is alreadyavailable to be given out asinterest-free loan and called onall those who have legitimatebusinesses to go and obtain theloan facility and expand theirvarious businesses.

The governor also announcedthat motor cycles will soon bedistributed to commercialmotorcycle riders and assuredthem that his administration hasno intention of banning Okadaand urged them to ignore therumour.

He said: “Our government isdetermined to make every Osunindigene successful because it isthe success of the people thatdetermines the success of thegovernment.

“A total amount of FourBillion Naira is already availablefor you to borrow from. I callon everybody that has legitimatebusiness to come forward andtake the opportunity.

“We don’t have any plan tobanish okada riders, we aregoing to give motorcycles to yousoon. I appeal to you not toallow your members to be usedto commit crimes in oursociety,” Aregbesola said

Aregbesola said the interest

rate of the loan according to theagreement with Sterling Bank isnine per cent and announced thatthe state government will beresponsible for the interest andencourage the beneficiaries touse the loan judiciously.

Also speaking, Lagos StateGovernor Babatunde RajiFashola also blamed the PDPfor underdevloping Nigeria,saying the government at thecentre is confused on how toaddress the nation’s challenges.

He said, there is no presenceof PDP-led federal governmentin any part of Nigeria, adding,it is the APC government in theSouth-West that is taking thewelfare of the people serious.

Fashola lauded the efforts ofthe governor in giving out theinterest-free loans and urgedthem to support the second termambition of the governor.

He said, giving an assistanceto small scale business ownersis one of the means of boostingan economy for the benefit ofall and sundry.

In an address, stateCommissioner for Commerce,Industry, Cooperatives andEmpowerment, Mr IsmailaAlagbada, said that the visionof the present administration isto make every resident of thestate to be gainfully employedand contribute to the socio-economic development of thestate.

He said the commissioning of

the micro-credit agency is partof an elaborate approach of thestate government to theempowerment of the people fortheir total emancipation.

The commissioner said:“This administration has set outa pragmatic action plan topromote the commercial andindustrial development of thestate through the empowermentof the people on the platformof cooperatives as well asformal and informal businessoutfits.”

The Commissioner forFinance, Dr Wale Bolorunduro,explained that one of the majorkeys to develop an economyapart from buildinginfrastructure is to empower thepeople economically which isthe major reason the presentadministration is working hardto ensure that every citizen ofthe state is empowered torevive the economy.

President of the CooperativeTransporters Association,Alhaji Asimiyu Oladejo,expressed appreciation to thegovernor for giving his membersbuses to aid their trade, sayingno government has done so inthe history of the state.

He said that the presentadministration has done whatwill make their vehicles lastlonger by putting the state roadsin good condition.

FG ‘ll Flood Osun With Hausa Soldiers A Week To Election • Omisore BoastsTHE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship

candidate, Iyiola Omisore, has boasted that theFederal Government plans to flood Osun with Hausa

soldiers one week before the August 9 election in a decisiveshow of force to secure PDP victory.

The PDP candidate wasthreatening to deal with APCleaders in their homes in a bidto paralyze the partyoperatives and take control ofthe electoral process and fakevictory at the polls.

But to divert publicattention from its evil plot, thePDP has rushed to the pressshortly after Omisore’soutrageous revelation during arally in Ifetedo in Ife-SouthLocal Government CouncilArea of Osun to accuse the APCof being behind terrorism andviolence in the state in the run-up to the election.

Besides, the PDP has addedthe allegation of gun-runningagainst APC fingering thepolitical support group named“State Boys” as those causingmayhem in Osun at a pressparley in Osogbo onWednesday.

“PDP is Nigeria’s numberone enemy and their brutalityagainst their perceived politicalopponents who are fellowNigerians has become anational calamity. Thatcalamity is what the PDP hasbrought into Osun, which hasbeen universally acknowledgedas peaceful since 2010.

“It was when they startedto set up in Osun for theAugust 9 election that thepeaceful atmosphere in theState became disturbed.

The current allegationagainst the APC by the PDPis an attempt to take the windoff the sails of the dangerousrevelation by Omisore thatHausa soldiers are beingprepared to storm Osun a weekbefore the election to brutalizeleaders of the APC, cow theelectorate and manipulateINEC to rig victory for thePDP”., the Osun APC said.

The APC challenges the PDPto produce credible evidence ongun-running or terrorism againstthe APC.

Nigerians should be alertedthat the Jonathan presidencycould well be the harbinger ofthe worst crisis Nigeria has everhad if its satanic desperation todestabilize the West goes aheadin Osun as Omisore hasrevealed.

“The APC will like to makeit abundantly clear to the PDPthat Osun cannot be taken byviolence. The consequences willbe too devastating to

contemplate.“Let democracy prevail. To

import soldiers from Hausaland to cow Yoruba people inOsun will backfirecatastrophically. Let Nigeriansof goodwill and theinternational committee prevailon the PDP, for it is treading avery very dangerous andcatastrophic path.”

Omisore who made thereckless statement at hisparty's rally at Ifewara inAtakumosa-West LocalGovernment Council Area ofthe State of Osun few days agothreatened to deal with APC

Group Accuses Omisore OfFlouting Ban On Siren In Osun

By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

CANDIDATE of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)in the August 9, 2014 governorship election in theState of Osun, Senator Iyiola Omisore, has been

accused of flouting an order of the state government banningthe use of siren in any part of the state.

A group under the aegis ofPeoples Welfare League (PWL)called on Omisore to obey thestanding law of the state hewished to govern, charging himto drop the toga of what ittagged pomposity andembraces that of humility.

Coordinator of the group,Comrade Biodun Agboola, inan interview with OSUNDEFENDER on Thursday,stated that Omisore was fondof arbitrary use of sirenwhenever he and members ofhis entourage are drivingthrough Osogbo, the statecapital.

Agboola therefore, called onthe police and the leadershipof the PDP to caution Omisoreand advise him to obey the lawand play politics according tothe rules and regulations of thestate.

He averred that anybodyaspiring to govern a place must

respect the people, the law andmorality of such place, sayingthat politics is different fromgovernance of a state.

The group coordinator alsourged Omisore not to mixpolitics with governance in thestate, explaining that it was notthe All Progressives Congress(APC) that made the law, butthe State of Osun House ofAssembly.

The state parliament had,few months ago, enacted a lawbanning the use of siren byanybody in the state exceptambulance and police onemergency cases.

None of the political officeholders in the state, includingGovernor Rauf Aregbesola andhis deputy, Otunba (Mrs)Titilayo Laoye-Tomori and theSpeaker of the House ofAssembly, Honourable NajeemSalaam, uses siren ever beforethe enactment of the siren law.

Agboola said: “Omisore isflouting the law of the state,and by that, he is disrespectingthe people of the state, whoare abiding by the law. TheHouse of Assembly had somemonths ago passed a lawforbidding the use of siren byindividuals except ambulancesand the police on emergencycases. Omisore is aware of thislaw. Even, if he is not aware,we are telling him now.

“Omisore is aspiring togovern the state; he should, atleast, respect what the statestands for. A law is a law, nomatter how it comes and whoand who drafted it. The Houseof Assembly is the law-makingbody of the state, so youcannot say because it is so-so-so party that is there andviolate the law.

“What people are saying isthat Omisore is feeling too bigto respect the law because heis contesting governorshipelection with the partydominating the stateparliament. If that is true, thenhe needs to rethink. He needsto submit himself to the rulesand regulations of the state. Heneeds to drop his current togaof arrogance and obey the law.”

leaders in the town.The PDP governorship

candidate informed hissupporters that he would runout of town all his politicalopponents of the APCextraction with the aid ofsoldiers who are under thecontrol of Mr MusiliuObanikoro, the junior ministerof defence and Mr JeliliAdesiyan, the Minister ofPolice Affairs.

His words: "I will deal withGala (Gala is an APC leader inIfewara) and the House ofAssembly member

representing Atakumosa-West.Don't worry, I will ask somepeople to go and sack his houseafter this rally.

"I will deal with anybodywho stands on my way inrealising my governorshipambition. I am up to the task.The soldiers are at my bell andcall. I will use them to thefullest.

"Any member of theopposition who stands on myway will see the wrath of thesoldiers. If they are capable, letthem come out on the electionday".

3 News OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

If you have a story or advert for us, contact 08033927286, 08033880205, 08061197897, 08023191891.

•Former Governor of Ekiti State and All Progressives Congress (APC) Deputy National Chairman, South-West, MrSegun Oni, addressing journalists after a meeting of some APC governors/leaders in Nigeria at State of OsunGovernment House, Osogbo, on Thursday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI

APC Advises Osun Christians ToVote Their ChoiceCHRISTIANS in the State of Osun have been asked to

disregard the false information being circulated by PDPagents in some churches that the Christian Association

of Nigeria (CAN) has instructed Christians in the state to votefor a Christian candidate in next month’s governorship election.

The All ProgressivesCongress (APC) in a statementin Osogbo on Thursday said thatit is not impossible that someofficials and members of thechurches involved may havereceived gratification from theopposition PDP to introducereligious sentiment into a purelypolitical matter.

According to the APC, theOsun State branch of CANleadership has categoricallydissociated itself from suchsentiment.

In a statement made availableto the APC Secretariat, the CANleadership signed by itsChairman, Rev Ogundiya said:

“Our attention has been drawnto a political statement goinground some churches. OS-CANleadership hereby dissociatesitself from such as we arespiritual fathers to all irrespectiveof political affiliation. By thisannouncement, we herebyimplore all to exercise theirfranchise according to convictiondevoid of coercion.”

Christians therefore, are beingadvised by both CAN and theAPC to vote according to theirconscience, and not because onecandidate is a Moslem or theother a Christian.

“The religion of a leader hasnothing to do with the choicebefore citizens of Osun onAugust 9. What is important isthe quality of service whicheither of them has rendered tothe people of Osun.

“The vital question beforeour people is, betweenAregbesola and Omisore whowould you rely on to make lifein Osun State better for thepeople?

“Omisore and his party, thePDP, had been in the politics ofOsun for nearly eight yearsbetween 2003 and 2010. Theirmost outstanding achievementwas the creation of Osun StateUniversity which was madebeyond the reach of the poor.But for the most part, the duo ofthe PDP and Omisore practicallyruined the State.

“It took Aregbesola’sintervention to make that stateuniversity accessible toeverybody rich or poor alike.And within 47 months of beingin office, the APC governmentunder Aregbesola has soimpacted the lives of the peoplethat no leader since Osun wascreated has been as popular asAregbesola.

“There is no discriminationwhatsoever between Christiansand Moslems in hisadministration. When Aregbesoladecided to feed 300,000 primaryschool children- he did notdiscriminate between Christianand Muslim children.

“Our balance, when you lookat Christian-Christiangovernorship of PDPadministration between 2003 and2010 in comparison with theMuslim-Christian ticket thathas ruled Osun since 2010,responsible and reasonableChristians know the wide marginof difference between both. Thelatter outclasses the former.”

The Osun APC said,Christians don’t need any churchor pastor or bishop to tell whatis best for them. Christians areamong the most rational peoplein Osun and they know thatOmisore, the Christian candidateof the PDP is a notorious fellow.

“They cannot prefer him tothe Moslem Aregbesola of theAPC who has so transformedOsun from amongst the worstgoverned to one of the bestadministered states in thecountry today. His Muslimreligion may have influenced hisattitude to governance.

“However, his popularity andsuccess in governance today inOsun is purely on the basis of

his performance. He has touchedthe lives of the people, and madetheir environment better than itever was irrespective of whetherthey are Muslims or Christians.

“Thank goodness that CANleadership has dissociated itselffrom the unchristian attitude ofsome pastors and churches inOsun that are trying to deceivetheir followers in the name ofCAN to vote for a notorious so-called Christian politician of thePDP”, the APC declared.

The ruling party therefore,called for unity amongst citizensof Osun to go to the polls onAugust 9 to vote for the bettercandidate who they know willbring further progress to thestate, not somebody who hastold all of us that he is coming todestroy everything Aregbesolahas done.

Osun 2014: Islamic Group Writes Jonathan OverPlanned Arrest Of Aregbesola’s Supporters•Condemns Thuggery And Violence In Nigerian Politics

BARELY a month to the conduct of the governorshippoll in the State of Osun, an Islamic group ofinternational repute, the Jama’atu Ta’awunil

Muslimeen Society of Nigeria, has raised alarm over aplan of the main opposition party, the Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) in the State through the assistance of Federalsecurity agencies, to effect unlawful arrest and detentionof some leaders and leading supporters of Governor RaufAregbesola ahead of the poll slated for August 9, 2014 bythe Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC).

The Islamic group alsocondemned the allegedpolitical threat to the life ofits National President,Sheikh Daood Imran

Molasan, ahead of theforthcoming gubernatorialelection in the state, sayingthat the politicalassassination, violence and

thuggery in the nation’selectioneering processahead of 2015 generalelections is barbaric, evil,uncivilized and anti-democratic.

This was contained in apress statement issued bySheikh Molasan titled:“Letter to PresidentGoodluck Ebele Jonathanon Osun Guber poll andState of the Nation” andalso copied both leadershipof the Chambers of the

National Assembly, theUnited Nations, Americanand United KingdomEmbassies, Inspector-General of Police, Director-General of the Department ofState Security Service(DSSS) and a host of others,while a copy was madeavailable to newsmen inOsogbo, on Thursday. Thegroup maintained that thealleged planned intimidationof the members andsupporters of Governor

Aregbesola and his partyleaders before and duringthe governorship poll aswas experienced in the just-concluded Ekiti guber pollby the agents of the Federalgovernment was anaberration of the highestorder in a democraticsetting.

The Islamic organizationhowever, called on theauthorities in the countryand internationalcommunity to assist Nigeriain eliminating politicalthuggery facing ourelectoral process throughpolitical re-orientation,political activism, legal/legislative mechanism andsincere and people-orientedempowerment programmes.

On the issue of violencein the country, Molasaansaid: “It is our belief thatBoko Haram has thestrength it has becausesome powers that be (be itlocal or foreign, private orinstitutionalized) are givingthem support, and that inthe same vein, if politicalthuggery goes unchecked,it may grow wing to theextent that if Boko Haramdies, political thuggery maysucceed it.

“We heard rumours thatsome selected personalities,especially, Sheikh DaoodImran Molasan, theNational President ofJama’at Ta’awunilMuslimeen are to bearrested/assassinated on orbefore the gubernatorialelection in the State of Osuncome August 9, 2014. It isour belief that unlawfularrest or politicalassassination is not onlyun-constitutional but alsoundemocratic, not only inNigeria, but also in all thecivilized societies. It is alsoour belief that same pushespeople to the wall andforces them to reactviolently (and the cases ofTunis, Egypt, Syria andLibya as well as the UnitedStates of America as acolony under the UnitedKingdom are livingwitnesses).We, as citizensof the Federal Republic ofNigeria who believe in itsUNITY AND PROGRESS,call on the above mentionedauthorities to assist ourcountry in eliminating thetraces and elements of

unlawful political arrest orassassination”.

According to the group:“As if the arbitrary, unlawfuland silent assassination ofChief Bola Ige (the thenAttorney-General of theFederation) is not enough,the agent of intimidationadded salt to the sore, aswitnessed in Ekiti Staterecently (where and whenprivate citizens, leaders ofcommunities, elite in thesociety and politicalstalwarts were unlawfullyarrested and detained, andnothing was done to fish outand punish theperpetrators). And thismakes average Nigeriancitizens to ask that who isnow safe in Nigeria?”.

“It is our observation thatthough the demographicstatistics of Syria is just 23-30 million, the effect of Syrianwar on Turkey cannot beoverlooked, the populationof Libya is less than 7million, the effect of Libyanwar on the neighbouringcountries and Internationalmarket is monumental, andthe greatness of Egypt inAfrica does not surpass thatof Nigerian, (yet) the effectof Egypt crisis on the Arabworld is a history to be toldand re-told in future. IfNigeria, with her over 170million population, shouldburst (Allah forbid!), theeffect it will have on theneighbouring countries,International market andeconomy, Internationalcommunity and the globalstability will be toodisastrous for all.”

The group later enjoinedthe President Jonathan-ledFederal Government to standup in finding a lastingsolution to the socio-political and economicproblems facing the peacefulco-existence of the nation asbeing rightly submitted intheir last letter to thepresident.

“To stand up and arrestthe problems of insecurity,political violence, decayinfrastructure and so on aswe rightly submitted in ourlast letter to Mr. President asthese problems have beenthe thorn in the flesh of thiscountry which is capable ofpitching Christians againstthe Muslims, South againstthe North and Nigeriansagainst Nigerians. It is totallycondemned by us and allwell-meaning Nigerians.”

Debt May Collapse Power System - SenateBy KAZEEM MOHAMMED

THE Senate Committee on Privatisation has said thatif the debt crisis in the power sector is not addressed,it would collapse the power generation and

transmission system in the country.

Chairman of thecommittee, Senator GbengaObadara, made theobservation during thecommittee’s oversight visitto the National ControlCentre (NCC) of the NigeriaElectric Power Grid inOsogbo, Osun State.

He said the present statusof power generation is solow that it cannot take thecountry to anywhere,

saying, “do we think we cangrow with the presentsituation?”

According to him, thesenate is not happy with thepresent state of electricityin the country and would tryits best to address it.

He charged stakeholdersin the power generation andtransmission system to becontentious and dedicatedas the senate would do all

that is necessary to addressall the issues involved.

Responding, theExecutive Director,Transmission Company ofNigeria (TCN), EngineerSahid Mohammed, said thecompany is capable ofevacuating 7,000 MegaWatts of electricity.

He said that by 2017, thecompany would have beenable to evacuate 10,000Mega Watts of electricity.

Engineer Mohammedidentified poor funding, gaspipeline vandalism and gridgeneration inadequacyamong others as part of thechallenging facing powersupply.

RamadanLectureTHE Pen College,

Fiwasaye, Street,Kola Balogun,

Osogbo, will today July 12,2014 hold its annual SpecialRamadan Lecture at EventHall, Iya Ariya, Idi Seke,Osogbo.

A statement by theCoordinator of the Programme,Barrister Badmus Kazim, saidSheik Tajudeen Arikalamu, willdeliver a lecture on ‘The Gateto Aljanat’ at exactly 11.00am.

Religious scholars, publicoffice holders and otherpeople from all walks of lifeare expected at the event.

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 20144 News Feature

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, addressing the crowd during the commissioning of Osun Micro-CreditAgency and distribution of mini-buses to co-operative transporters and Road Transport Employers’ Association ofNigeria by Governor Rauf Aregbesola at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, State of Osun, last Wednesday.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO

Osun Economy: Aregbesola Releases N4bn Loan To InformalWorkers, Mini-buses For Transporters By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

THE administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in theState of Osun has again taken another positive steptowards alleviating poverty, hunger and creation of

employment opportunity for informal workers section in thestate.

Aregbesola, whose SixIntegral Action Plan includes:Banish Poverty, Banish Hungerand Creating EmploymentOpportunity, has never ceasedin striving hard to developeconomy of the state throughwealth creation for all andsundry.

As part of his programmesto develop the economy of thestate, Aregbesola’sadministration on Wednesdaylaunched Osun Micro CreditAgency and also distributedmini buses known as korope.

The distribution of the busesdismissed the false informationbeing spread by oppositionparties, particularly the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) thatAregbesola was planning to banthe Korope operators and thecommercial motorcyclists alsoknown as Okada.

Appreciating thedistribution of the mini-buses,the Chairman, KoropeCooperative Association, Stateof Osun, Alhaji A. Asimiyu, saidAregbesola is the first governorto give recognition to theinformal workers, especially thetransporters.

According to Asimiyu, thewellbeing of the people of thestate was paramount toAregbesola’s administration,saying that the governor wasdoing his best to eradicatepoverty, hunger andunemployment in the state.

He said: “I have never seen agovernor like Aregbesola. He isthe first governor to relate withand give attention to us thetransporters. He is the firstgovernor to buy 70 hummerbuses for the transporters. Heis the first governor to buykorope for us too. Weacknowledge his achievementsand efforts to eradicate poverty,hunger and unemployment inthe state.

“Aregbesola has built roadsthat will enable the buses to lastlonger. There are good roads inevery nook and cranny of thestate. Bad roads contribute 90per cent to mechanical fault inour vehicles, but in Osun today,we have good roads and we arespending less on mechanicalfault.

“Aregbesola has made usproud and we shall continue tosupport his administration. Wewant to tell you sir, MrGovernor, that you have wonthe August 9 election already.Do not doubt your victorybecause you are already a

victor.”The Road Transport

Employee Association ofNigeria (RTEAN) in the statealso commended Aregbesola forwhat the union described astremendous developmentalprojects geared towards wealthcreation and employmentopportunity.

The RTEAN recalled the badstate of the roads in the statebefore the emergence ofAregbesola’s administration,saying that there is totaldeparture from the dark era ofunderdevelopment sinceAregbesola came into power.

Commissioner for Finance,Budget and Economic Planningof the State, Dr WaleBolorunduro, disclosed that theCentral Bank of Nigeria (CBN)has released a sum of N2 billionto the State Government ofOsun as loan facilities to bedisbursed to various interestedgroups.

According to Bolorunduro,the CBN placed nine per centinterest rate on the loan whichis supposed to be paid bybeneficiaries of the loan.

The commissioner however,said Governor Aregbesola in hismagnanimity directed that thestate government should paythe nine per cent interest on thefund and released the loanwithout any interest to thebeneficiaries.

Bolorunduro furtherdisclosed that out of the South-West states, Osun is the onlyone that qualified for the CBNN2 billion loan, due to the effortsand achievements of Aregbesolaon job creation and povertyeradication.

He stated that the loanwould be disbursed to informalworkers sector of the society,saying that farmers, self-helpgroups, cooperative societies,small scale businesses, cottageindustries, hotels, hair dressers,artisans and others would be themajor beneficiaries of the loan.

The commissioner statedthat the beneficiaries wouldundergo capacity buildingtraining from the CBN onentrepreneurship and economicmanagement to enable them haveadequate knowledge andunderstanding of what theywant to venture into.

Bolorunduro maintained thatthe loan is basically to createwealth and employmentopportunity for the people ofthe state.

Addressing the gathering,

Governor Rauf Aregbesola saidgovernment’s duty is to protectlife and property of the people,provide enabling environmentfor their daily endeavour andimprove their wellbeing.Aregbesola said any governmentthat failed to provide the basicneed of the people is a failureand satanic.

Aregbesola said:“Government is not done byblaring siren. Government is notspending lavishly. Governmentis not the struggle for power.Government is not theenjoyment of immunity, andcertainly not impunity. Peoplewant power for differentpurposes. Some people as wehave seen want power just tobe blaring siren all around thestate. Some people want powerto inflict pains and sufferingson the people. Some peoplewant power simply to bespending lavishly and commitatrocities with impunity.

“Power is a hugeresponsibility. government is tomake provision for the wellbeingand progress of the people, toprovide security and peacefulenvironment for them, to assistthe people in their dailyendeavour and to improve theeconomy of the state. Anygovernment that does not planfor these is a satanicgovernment; it is a wickedgovernment that does notconsider the plight of thepeople.

“The umbrella party hasnever provided a peaceful andresponsive government for thepeople. The umbrella party isnothing but a disaster to thecountry. Government is meantto improve the wellbeing of thepeople let me reiterate that.Since 43 months, we have beenimproving the wellbeing of thepeople, create wealth andemployment opportunity. Iwant everybody to check thestate where our party is ruling,that is what we are doing. Ourparty is the Awolowo party. Itis the Awolowo party fromUPN to SDP to AD to AC toACN and to APC.

“In 2006 and 2007, wepromised Six Integral ActionPlan and we thank God todaythat we have been doing that.We have achieved in those areas.A party had governed this state;the party spent seven-and-a-half years and the state wasunder spell. Things were toughand nobody could work freelythen.

“How is the state now sinceour 43 years? Things are nowin order and Osun is peacefuland developing. Between the2003 and the 2010, the state was

underdeveloped. We aredifferent from them. Weprovide free launch for theelementary school pupils; weprovide free school uniform andcomputer tablet-Opon Imo forour pupils. Our governmentdoes not use siren and we waitfor traffic light on the road asresponsive and responsiblegovernment. We are responsiblegovernment and people.

“We launch the Osun MicroCredit Agency to give loan topeople of the state and assistthem on their businesses. Wehave put N4 billion loan in place.There is no discrimination in theloan. Everybody can go thereand take loan; what you need todo is to explain yourself and theloan will be released to you. Itis a free interest loan.

“We have N4billion loan foreverybody; groups, association,cooperative and anybody thatneeds money for theimprovement of theirbusinesses. Succour has cometo every cooperative in Osun.The empowerment programmeand loan of the PDP isfraudulent and satanic. The formthey are distributing is part ofthe strategy they used to winEkiti. How do you explain anempowerment programme thatyou need to take oath beforeyou benefit from it?

“Anybody that has falleninto the trap of the PDP shouldretrace his or her step. If youhave taken oath with them, goto your alfas and pastors fordeliverance on that. You will bedelivered. Our own loan has nointerest, nor oath taking. It ispurely loan to develop theeconomy of the state.

“For those that want tobenefit from the Korope, youonly need to deposit N10, 000and the mini-bus will be givento you. Aside that; you will bepaying N1,200 everyday tocomplete the payment. Very

soon, precisely from Octoberthis year, the korope would beassembled at the Free tradeZone in Ede.”

Dismissing the rumour thathe was planning to ban theoperation of the commercialm o t o r c y c l i s t s - O k a d a ,Aregbesola said: “We cannotban okada; we have no reasonto do that. Osun is not likeLagos; just like Osun is notEkiti. Lagos is an economicdeveloped state, but Osun isjust coming up economically. Ifwe ban okada, there will behunger and unemployment inthe state. There is no highwayin Osun that poses seriousthreat to the use of okada. It is alie and falsehood from those thatdo not want the developmentof the state.”

Speaking on the August 9,2014 governorship election inthe state, Aregbesola chargedthe electorate to vote wisely andsupport the development of thestate. He said: “Don’t be scaredof the security personnel theyare bringing to Osun during theelection. Let us come out withthe faith and belief that nothingwill happen to us. Let us votepeacefully. Governorship postis not a chieftaincy title. It isthe people that elect. Youcannot force yourself onanybody. I am sure that thecharlatans will lose. They willcry after the election.”

Lagos State GovernorBabtunde Fasola who graced theevent explained the rationalebehind the ban of okada on somehighways in Lagos State,accusing the PDP ofmisinforming the people onpolicies of the government.Fashola said: “When I wasyoung and it was raining, peopleused to give me umbrella to useinside the rain but my motherwas found of rejecting theumbrella. My mother wouldinsist that I would rather useraincoat instead of the umbrella.

I do not know that my motherhad foreseen that an umbrellaparty would be the problem ofNigeria.

“PDP government is adisaster, it is satanic andcriminal. PDP government lies,it is mischievous, corrupt andunprogressive. Let me ask you;which party is ruling Abuja-thecentral government? Whichparty is ruling Delta and AkwaIbom states? Are Okadaworking in Abuja and in thosestates? In Lagos State, we haveover 10, 000 expressways andwe told the Okada not to operateon the Ikorodu highway andother few highways. We do notban Okada in Lagos State. Wetold them not to ride onhighways because of accident.And ever since then, there is notincident of Okada accident.Before, 15 people died of okadaaccident every month before theban. The police confessed thatcriminals used okada to rob, andever since the ban, crime hasreduced.

“The PDP government is afailure. They make law but theydo not follow it. Some years ago,what they brought was Vision2020, followed by seven pointagenda and now transformation.Vision 2020 has failed; sevenpoint agenda has crumbled andtransformation is nottransforming. PDP governmentis the one improvising poverty,hunger and unemployment inthis country.”

The Oologi of Oogi Oba A.Adeleke, popularly called Obatio Kere, gave an award of “TheMoon” to Governor Aregbesolain recognition of hisunprecedented achievements inthe state. The traditional rulerexplained that the Moon Awardwas drawn from the naturalsuperiority of moon over thestars, saying that Aregbesola isincomparable to othergovernors.

Take Keen Interest In Osun’s Pre-electionProcess - APC Urges International Community

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) has called onthe international community to take very keeninterest in the campaign process leading to the

August 9 governorship election, because it will criticallyimpact the election itself.

From all indications whilethe APC and Governor RaufAregbesola are hyper-activeon the campaign trail incarnival-like campaignrallies that get bigger by theday with tumultuous

crowds, the opposition PDPis lackluster with scantycrowds on the campaigntrail.

However, the PDPpropaganda machine isloudest in letting Nigeriansknow that plans have beenconcluded to remove APCand its governor fromoffice, against the popularwill of the people.

Expression of the people’spopular preference isalready being registereddaily since the campaignsstarted. From Ile-Ife to thelatest Mega Rally in Ede, thecrowd has swollen soexponentially that the latestexperience in Ede onTuesday wasunprecedented.

Both Ile-Ife and Ede aresignificant, because theyare the hometowns of PDP’sgovernorship candidate andhis deputy respectively. Butneither of them is capable ofpulling the kind of crowdand support that the APCcandidate and incumbentgovernor Aregbesola hasattracted in both towns.

We are looking at a

scenario here that givesirreversible indication of thepopularity of the governorwhich should be replicatedat the polls hopefully. So itshould interest the worldwhat kind of plan the PDPhas in place beside theverdict of the ballot box thatis capable of reversingvictory for the incumbentgovernor.

We are not unaware of thedesperation of the PDP toretain the presidency at allcosts, and that winning inthe West is a key factor inthat desperation which hasalready produced a strangeupset that is being explainedaway in a silly concept of“stomach- infrastructure” inEkiti State.

We are also aware of whatrole the military and policeplayed in Ekiti election thatseriously compromised theprocess. In the run-up toOsun election, so far so fair,yet so sinister that theopposition PDP, which is sounpopular on the ground, isbragging about somestrange plan that will beeffected to give it victory onAugust 9.

This is why the world andall stakeholders should beon the alert to forestall anyundemocratic method thePDP may have the intensionof using to cause anothermysterious upset that couldgo terribly wrong.

5OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

Compatriots, Jealously Guard Your Votes!

But to guard our votesjealously could even be said to bemore important than casting ourvotes. This is in view of thedesperation of the far from beingdemocratic Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) and its gubernatorial'wannabe' in the state, IyiolaOmisore Mr. 'Money miss road',to coast home victory in thecoming election. Thus while it'simportant to give our votes toOgbeni, it's even more importantto jealously guard our votes. Thisis what we need to do to ensurethat the PDP doesn't succeed in itsevil machinations.

Already there are threats of vio-lence from the party on membersof the ruling party, APC as they(PDP) are threatening fire againstAPC members. Going by their an-tecedent violence and rigging aretheir stock-in-trade. And since thereis no hope for them of winning thecoming election through 'One manOne vote' then their hope lies in re-peating what they know how to dobest.

Another way through which thePDP is hoping to claim victory is bythrowing money and other valuablegifts out to entice voters to sell theirvotes. In this regard the handwrit-

ing had for long appeared on thewall. With the distribution of kero-sene to their members and somemembers of the public whichstarted last year their journey toentice voters with the aim of buy-ing their votes started.

This stratagem rather than strat-egy, being viciously employed bythe PDP in the state of Osun, iswhat we see as 'jeun s'iku' shouldcitizens get swayed by it. 'Jeuns'iku' literally means 'eat and die'or 'eat the food that will lead youto your grave'. The money andother forms of gift which the PDPand Iyiola Omisore rely on to buycitizens' votes are nothing but'Greek gift' and 'blood money' andcollecting them to do their bidingmeans doing so at one's peril. It sim-ply means sending our state backto the pre-Aregbesola era; back-water of development. May Godforbid!

But it's not enough to pray toGod to forbid evil things. We thecitizens must also not use our ownhands to bring evil things on ourheads. To collect PDP's bloodmoney to sell our conscience in thecoming election will be tantamountto 'jeun s'iku' the consequence ofwhich will be dire for our state. Ofcourse the citizens can collect thegift of money and other gifts thePDP is ready to offer them but theymust not do so to do their bidding.

The votes in the coming election arefor Ogbeni Aregbesola who hasraised the bar of good and respon-sible governance in the state andshould never go to any other partylet alone the PDP.

The PDP and Iyiola Omisore arefree to go about to throw carrot tothe people in their desperation to cap-ture the conscience of voters butnever should the voters allow theirconscience to be captured by theseunscrupulous elements who havenothing to offer our state. The PDPhas been in power for close to eightyears here without any positive thingto show for it. All it had to show forits eight years of misrule are purelynegative; violence, hunger, unem-ployment, collapsed school system,bad roads and general under-devel-opment across the state.

And on the part of the party's can-didate, 'Mr. Money miss road' him-self, he too had nothing positive toshow for representing the state at thehighest legislative body of this coun-try even as he held a juicy position inthe Senate, being Chairman Appro-priation Committee for four years.Rather than serving the people andmade positive impact in their lives hewas only there to serve his ownpocket. So in what way are they -both the PDP and Omisore - goingto effect any meaningful change in thelife of the state as they are shoutingaround?

We know that the virtuous andresponsible citizens of our statewho have enjoyed dividends of de-mocracy in unprecedented termunder the able and visionary lead-ership of Ogbeni Aregbesola willnot waste their votes. We are surethey are not going to sell their con-science. We believe fervently thattheir votes will be for Aregbesolaas they are not ready to 'jeun s'iku'.However,as we said above it's onething to vote, the next importanttask before them come electionday after voting is for them to pro-tect their votes.

Our people must guard theirvotes jealously so that these vision-less elements who rely on votestealing like they did in 2007 andwho have nothing to offer the stateand its people don't succeed intheir fraudulent and evil plans. Forthem not to succeed the ball is inthe court of the people. Our re-sponsibilities are clear; to vote andto protect our votes. These arewhat we must do to ensure the re-turn of the Aregbesola-led pro-gressive government that has doneso well for our state.

OSUN DEFENDERPublisher – Moremi Publishing

House Ltd.

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

Continued from pg1

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 20146

Demonstrating That OneGood Term Deserves Another

The seventh in the series of mega rallies put together by the State of Osun Chapter of the All ProgressivesCongress (APC) to drum up support for the re-election into office of the incumbent governor, Ogbeni RaufAregbesola, in the forthcoming Gubernatorial Election recorded huge success. NIYI OLASINDE bringsout the unique features that stood the rally out as truly representative of the yearnings and aspiration of thepeople of the Ede Federal Constituency and of the State of Osun by extension.THE pendulum of the series of mega

rallies packaged into this electionseason swung in the direction of

the Ede Federal Constituency of the statelast Tuesday. The ruling All ProgressivesCongress (APC) in the state hadembarked in an all-embracing, broad-based grassroots mobilization, involvingcampaign rallies at constituency, localgovernment as well as the basest ofgrassroots levels to educate enlightenand create awareness to residents, votersin particular, on the larger-than-life neednot to allow the accelerated rate ofprogress being currently witnessed in thestate crash into retrogression by acareless slip of its baton of leadership intothe hands of a bunch of self-seekingavaricious hijackers. This process ofmobilization has continued since lateMay. This time around it became the turnof Ede Federal Constituency, comprisingfour local government council areas toreceive the election campaign team ofOgbeni. The local government councilareas involved are Ede North, Ede South,Egbedore and Ejigbo – all of which arecomponents of the Osun West SenatorialDistrict. As the campaign efforts usheringin the elections come to an end, thislatest rally held in Ede marked the last ofits kind to be held in that senatorialdistrict. Two earlier ones had been held inIkire and Iwo.

In similar reports on the duo of Ikireand Iwo rallies, the importance andgravity of the entire areas underconsideration had been underscored. Thesame points are here advanced for Ede,being a sub-set of the same area. Part ofthe added significance of thisconstituency to the coverage and spreadof campaign messages in particular is thefact that it is one of the few federalconstituencies in the state with a total offour local governments. There are otheruniqueness with the area and its Continued on page 13

component councils which may be toovoluminous for the purview and space ofthis discourse. This is not to preclude theequal importance of all other areas andcouncil areas in the state. It is just anattempt at bringing out the uniqueness ofeach of the areas and local councils as theturn of campaign rallies swing on them.

The Ede mega rally unfolded a promisefulfilled. In similar reports carried onearlier-held rallies, it had been disclosedcontinually how the political arrow-headof the area, one-time senator of theFederal Republic and the first civiliangovernor of the state, Otunba SenatorIsiaka Adeleke had coveted thetumultuous crowd that greeted theoccasions and how he assured thesurging crowd that the Ede event wouldoutweigh in its crowd-pulling effect andeventual votes cast for the Symbol of theliberation of Osun. As far as we haveseen, the crowd at Ede did not disappoint;neither did it betray the trust of thepolitical enigma. It was a crowd that wasso impressive that it became the talk ofeveryone that mattered; by that I mean,everyone who spoke at the occasion.

Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo had seenlonger days than all speakers at the event.Also, his political experience that hadspanned several decades outstrippedwhat most of the other attendees couldclaim to have garnered. The formeruniversity don was the Second Republiccivilian governor of the old Oyo Statebetween October 1, 1983 and December 31same year. His hoary hairs spoke volumesof his advanced age and vast view on life.The time he last governed old Oyo Stateis now put at about thirty-two years ago!That length of time alone surpassed theentire years of experience of some puttogether.

In spite of these rich antecedents, BabaOlunloyo spoke at length on theimpressive size and prolific quality of the

crowd. He used the crowd at that singleconvergence as affirmative confirmationof all he had heard and read about thegiant strides of Aregbesola. He wentfurther in his assessment that Aregbesolais today rated as one of the mostimpactful administrators among politicaloffice holders of this time – the kindwhich elders of his calibre pray to havespread all over the landscape so that thegood work could continue. Baba’s speechat that occasion meant a lot to thecredibility of our collective advocacy. Itadded credence to it that we have onhand a noble cause. Thank God for the lifeof Chief Dr. Olunloyo.

The Ede Mega Rally demonstrated theprofound love the people of that areahave for; and the great respect they wieldtoward Aregbesola and his team. It alsoshowed their profound appreciation forthe good gestures of Ogbeni to thepeople in less than four years.Everywhere in the ancient town wasreplete with positive things to show forthe administration’s magnanimity. Thisincluded the venue of the big event –Seventh Day Adventist High School –which new magnificent edifice is underconstruction.

The gathering also put into silence thetongue-wagging of some politicians in thecamp of the conservatives who are alsoindigenes of the town; and who had beenseen bragging about that they had weightmore than Senator Adeleke. It nowbecomes unreasonable to doubt the factthat Ede has massive support for Adelekeand any cause he stands for. One goodlesson from Adeleke and Aregbesola isthat one should play his part well if giventhe rare privilege to serve. Adeleke heldthe surging crowd in spell-bound silenceas he rolled out his past and presentachievements in the community. This isnot to talk of what he did in the positive inhis days as governor of the state.

Also, the local organizing committee,the Aregbesola Second Term CampaignCommittee for the federal constituencydid an excellent job. Anyway, nothing lessshould be expected when the chairman ofthe committee is none less than aseasoned politician, grassroots mobilizerand the current Speaker of the State ofOsun legislative arm of government, RightHonourable Najeem Salaam. The turnoutat the event spoke loudly of theprofessional touch that went into themobilization. The people of the four localgovernments were largely represented atthe event. Their admiration for thegovernor was rapturous. Their responsesto slogans and questions were roaringlyoverwhelming. No hired crowd could beso relevant, apt and practicallyresponsive.

The earlier stop-over by the governorand his train at the palace of the monarchof the town, the Timi of Ede spoke of realacceptance by the people of the area. Theroyal fathers, traditional rulers, chiefs andcommunity leaders in the entire area hadconverged on the ancient palace of theTimi of Ede to bid the governor adeserving welcome. The royal host, HisRoyal Highness, Oba MunirudeenAdesola Lawal, Laminisa I was on thethrone to receive all. It was acommendation galore for the campaigntrain as they gave appreciation to thegovernor for how wondrously he hadimpacted the lives of the people of thearea in particular and the state in general.The Obas took turns to praise the virtuesof the governor; just as they wished himwell and prayed for utmost success in hisbid to return as governor for second termin office.

Speaking at the palace, Aregbesola asusual intimated the royal fathers with thepurpose behind the visit. He formallyintimated them with his desire to recontest

•

FEATURE

•ALL FOR GOVERNOR AREGBESOLA: A mammoth crowd of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s admirers, welcoming the governor (on top of a bus), during his re-election megarally in Ede North/Ede South/Egbedore/Ejigbo Federal Constituency, held at the Seventh Day Adventist Grammar School, Ede, State of Osun, last Tuesday.

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014 7

8 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014PHOTOTALK

•(L-R) State of Osun Commissioner for Commerce, Mr Jayeoba Alagbada; Special Adviser to State of Osun Governor on Commerce, Dr Olalekan Yunisa; State Commissioner forFinance, Dr Wale Bolorunduro and State Head of Service, Mr Sunday Owoeye.

Commissioning Of Osun Micro-credit Agency And Distribution Of Mini-Buses ToCo-operative Transporters And Road Transport Employers Association Of NigeriaBy The Governor, State Of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, At Nelson Mandela FreedomPark, Osogbo, State Of Osun, Last Wednesday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

•Governor Aregbesola and his counterpart from Lagos, Barr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), during the programme.

•Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (arrowed) acknowledging cheers from the crowd.

9OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014 PHOTOTALK

•Aregbesola cutting the tape to commission the mini-buses.

Commissioning Of Osun Micro-credit Agency And Distribution Of Mini-Buses ToCo-operative Transporters And Road Transport Employers Association Of NigeriaBy The Governor, State Of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, At Nelson Mandela FreedomPark, Osogbo, State Of Osun, Last Wednesday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

•

•(L-R) Deputy Governor, State of Osun, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori; Governor Aregbesola; his wife, Sherifat, and Honourable Ayo Omidiran.

•

•(L-R) Comrade Amitolu Shittu; Mr Tijani Oladosu; representative of Sterling Bank, Mr Biodun Jegede; Honourable Kamorudeen Akanbi and the Deputy Speaker, State ofOsun House of Assembly, Honourable Akintunde Adegboye.

10 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

•

Official Commissioning Of Ayegbaju International Modern Market By GovernorRauf Aregbesola, In Osogbo, Last Tuesday. Photo: GBENGA

ADENIYI

•A crowd at the event.

•(L-R) Honourable Femi Fafiyebi; Honourable Leke Ogunsola and HonourableOlanrewaju Ajibola.

PHOTOTALK

•Governor Rauf Aregbesola (with mic), his wife, Sherifat (3rd left); the deputy governor, Mrs Grace Laoye-Tomori (2nd left); the Ataoja of Osogboland, Oba Jimoh OyetunjiOlanipekun (4th right); developer of the market and Managing Director, Edward Property Konsult, Engineer Femi Oshoniyi (2nd right); the Iyaloja-General in Osun, MrsAwawu Asindemade (right); Deputy Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Akintunde Adegboye (left) and other dignitaries during the programme.

•(L-R) State of Osun Head of Service, Mr Sunday Owoeye; Secretary to the StateGovernment of Osun, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti and State of Osun Commissioner forRegional Integration and Special Duties, Barrister Ajibola Bashir.

11 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014FEATURE

Continued from page 12

Demonstrating That OneGood Term Deserves Another

the governorship seat in theapproaching elections, promising not tofail them, as his performances in the nextdispensation would be superlative,compared to established grounds in hisfirst tenure. Governor Aregbesola thankedthe people for their massive supportwhich had made his mandate a reality.

The governor used the opportunity ofthe visit to the palace of Timi of Ede todebunk the rumour making the roundsthat he had disdain for the people andmatters pertaining to them. The governorthen started to cite the laudable projectsand programmes which his administrationhad put in place in Ede and the entire area.As a matter of fact, no one could someaningfully impact on the lives of thepeople he loathes or hates. Theachievements ranged from roadinfrastructure, through airport project, toeducation, health, agriculturalrejuvenation and all other sub-sectors.

At the palace of the monarch, anintimidating crowd awaited the arrival ofthe governor. This did not include themammoth crowd that greeted him all theway to the ancient town. Upon enteringEde, it appeared that the crowd multiplieditself in the semblance of the power ofmultiplication demonstrated by JesusChrist in one of His miracles. The crowdsimply settled on Ede and dotted all itsaccess roads and streets to welcome theirman, Aregbesola into their midst. Theatmosphere was charging all along.

From Oja Timi to the Seventh DayAdventist High School venue of the bigmeet, it was a rapturous crowd thatregrouped to greet and accompanyGovernor Aregbesola to the venue. As themuch slowed-down journey progressed,the crowd increased in leap and bounds.It was as if the multitude of all nations hada deal to strike in Ede on that day. Allroads narrowed down under the impact.The experience was electrifying.

The spacious and auspicious premisesof Seventh Day Adventist High Schoolshrank more and more under the pressureof the crowd. In spite of its pressingnature, the people were still much jubilant,as they attempted to outdo one another inhailing the man of the people. The long

wait mattered nothing to them. Theboredom and drudgery were flungoverboard. Weather uncertainties weredefied. All sorts of groups usuallyidentified with campaign rallies of suchcrescendo and gravity made appearance.

I imagined taking an aerial view of theevents of the day, probably, just landingfrom another planet. Then, what I wouldhave figured out was that I was landingon a planet of brooms. People brandishedbrooms of many giant sizes. GovernorAregbesola was not left out. Hebrandished his broom as if the effectreshuffled the crowd with renewedstrength. On the people’s part, theresponse was vehement. It is wonderfulthat someone could attract that largecrowd at just one occasion. AsAregbesola aptly reasoned it out, it takesGod to gather such number of people andkeep them waiting for an indefinite period.

The programme of events had alreadykicked-off at the venue. It was the turn ofthe State of Osun Acting Chairman of AllProgressives Congress (APC) to addressthe crowd when the governor arrived. Thetime of day was about 3:06 p.m. Thearrival caused another round of festivity,as brooms were wielded in exchange withsame gesture from the governor. Prior tothe great arrival, speaker after speaker hadtaken turns to address the people.Dignitaries including members of the Stateof Osun Executive Council, members ofthe State House of Assembly, federallegislators from the state, party hierarchy,supporters, friends and admirers of theparty and the state had been on ground atthe venue. The great Fuji entertainmentmaestro had been on ground to addcolour and glamour to the occasion. Thatis talking of King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall(K1). He sang beautiful numberseulogizing the good qualities ofAregbesola and his administration.

After exchange of pleasantries, it wastime for the events proper to kick-off.After the singing of the National andState of Osun anthems back-to-back,events were started. Introduction ofdignitaries and guests took the centralstage. Thereafter, speeches began to bemade.

The first to speak was the Speaker ofthe State House of Assembly, who

doubled as the Chief Host at the event,Honourable Najeem Salaam. He welcomedall and sundry to the occasion. He thenassured the governor and dignitaries ofthe rallying support of the constituentsfor the second term bid; which would betranslated to massive votes on the d-daythat is August 9.

Salaam then went ahead to tongue-lashthe antics of lies and deceits embarkedupon by the opposition. He took therumours of lies and deceit one after theother, debunking them with all strength oflogicality. He cautioned the people on thedecoy of all opposition parties of baitingthe constituency with second fiddle,stressing that the real mandate that canbring immense benefit their way is theAregbesola mandate.

In the words of the State of OsunInterim Chairman of the party, ElderAdelowo Adebiyi, he thanked all groupsand sectors for their support. He thencautioned the people against beingthreatened on the election day by thestrong presence of security operatives,saying that it was only for the purpose ofmaintaining law and order. He concludedby suing them to poll their votesmassively for the man of the moment,assuring them that victory is certain.

The former governor of the old OyoState spoke next. He commendedGovernor Aregbesola for being obviouslythe last man standing with the undilutedethos and philosophy of the late sage,Chief Obafemi Awolowo. He appreciatedthe support accorded the administrationby the people of the state, charging themnot to allow their mandate to be swindledas the case was few weeks back in nearbyEkiti State.

Former governor of the state, OtunbaIsiaka Adeleke gave detailed erudition onantecedents of democratic growth anddevelopment of the state and the area, hisimprints on development during his briefperiod of administering the state anddebunked all deceits and deceptionpropagated by pathological liars about hisrole in recent times. It was an attestationof consummate approval that greeted hislist of achievements as he read them oneafter another. He then announcedongoing efforts by the incumbentadministration at revamping the Ede

Cocoa Industry, under the reconstitutedheadship of an Ede indigene, Mr. WaleAdeeyo, who is currently on a trip toChina to acquire equipment for operationsat the industry. According to Adeleke, theresolve of the administration in taking thisbold step was to generate moreemployment opportunities for indigenesof the state as a means of empowerment.He sounded a note of caution on themembers of the National Youth ServiceCorps (NYSC) to be deployed by theIndependent National ElectoralCommission (INEC) as ad hoc staff forelectoral duties, on why they should notcompromise to distort election facts andfigures. Lastly, as an experienced securityoperative in the United States, hecautioned other conventional securityoperatives to refuse unlawful orders asmay be issued to them by their superiors.

Finally, it was a highly elated GovernorAregbesola who mounted the podium tospeak. He appreciated all attendees forgracing the event. He went ahead to listhis achievements in three-and-a-half yearswhich had outstripped what hiscontemporaries usually parade in twoterms of eight years. He challenged theopposition on the woeful state of thefederation. He cited specific states of thefederation where youth crimes, kidnap,armed robbery and other forms ofbrigandage are order of the day. That sadtrend does not spare the home front of thesitting President Jonathan, who hailedfrom Bayelsa State. He also challengedOmisore, the candidate of the leadingopposition party in the state to point tohis concrete achievements in hisSenatorial District while his eight-yearperiod at the Senate lasted.

Further, the governor cautioned thepeople on the need for extra vigilance. Hewarned against the danger of selling theirvoters’ cards for ephemeral gains andurged those who were yet to collect theirPermanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to collectthem in order to be eligible to vote. Hethen unraveled his double-doublepackage for the constituency after beingsworn in for second term on November 27.However, he promised that all ongoingprojects would be completed before thecurrent year runs out.

•A sea of heads of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s supporters at the Ede APC mega rally.

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 201412 FEATURE

‘President Jonathan Should Separate Governance From Politics’Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, incumbent governor and candidate of the August 9, 2014 gubernatorial

election in Osun State, says his popularity, street credibility and impact in the state over the pastthree and a half years will guarantee his re-election. He spoke to a group of journalists in Osogboon salient issues in the polity. SEYE OLUMIDE was at the interactive session.

HOW prepared are you for thecoming poll, to avoid a repeat ofthe Ekiti experience for the APC?

Firstly, I want you to know that I don’teven think about it and that is the interestingpart of it. I set about this being cautious ofdemocratic norm.

In the statement I made after the Ekitielection, I reflected that a genuine democratmust be willing and ready to embrace defeat ashe or she will embrace victory provided theelection is transparent, credible, free and fair.

The real issue is not about you, as acandidate, but the quality of the electoralprocess. Once the quality is good and high,whatever the people say (holds) because theyare the ultimate decider of who represents orgoverns them.

Democratic choice is expected to be correct,good and right but it is not always that thechoice is good, correct and right.

To answer the question, I don’t even thinkabout it (Ekiti poll). As a loyal APC member, Iwas disturbed, but as head of a governmentthat has worked so well with the people, Idon’t even see the effect.

I look at my engagement with the people,the products of my government, which hasnot left any home unaffected positively, and Isaid if election is about acceptance, popularityand impact you have made on the people, weare waiting for what the dictate of democracywould be.

In a credible, transparent, free and fairelection, Rauf Aregbesola does not have anyworry at all about what people will say abouthis administration.

Long before I assumed this office, Iprepared so well in a way that going by thenormal run, I should not be working as hard asI am working now for re-election.

I started my campaign from day I enteredthis office. How many governors walk thestreets with their citizens? I have been doingthat since the first month in office. How manygovernors create interactive forum in Nigeriabefore me? There is none.

I was the first governor that devote close to10 hours of continuous engagement on aquarterly basis with the citizens. The peopleask any question in a no hold-barredatmosphere.

‘The Ogbeni Till Daybreak’ is a worldwideengagement because we take feedbacks fromthe social media. The Gbangba Dekun is amonthly community interactive forum wherethe governor sits with all stakeholders in thecommunity to ask or make inquiries on anyissue.

This is the picture of direct engagementsthat we are doing with the people that nogovernment in Nigeria has ever attempted todo.

We also have a carnival-like procession in‘Walk To Live’ where we just walk round thecommunities and it is too engaging andpopular because everybody wants to be withthe governor.

Hardly is there any community in this statethat I have not touched personally. In terms ofphysical and social services, this is the firstgovernment that will say that there is nohousehold, be it PDP, be it APC and othersthat our programme has not reached. There isnone.

I feed 300,000 pupils every school day atthe cost of N3.6 billion a year. I have beendoing it since 2012 and I have spent N7.2billion on that. You can go to the schools byyourself and access what the children areeating to be sure whether it’s worth what weare saying or not. I can tell you that nobodytouches the money except those in charge.

Long before we commenced the feedingarrangement, we empowered poultry farmersto produce poultry products so that thechicken and eggs the children consume are allsourced from them and that is the way theypay back to us because we are not going buyfrom them.

The students consume 15,000 whole-chicken every week and it is served twice.They consume 300,000 eggs every week, one

egg a week. They consume 400 tons of fishevery week. They consume 35 herds of cattleevery week.

We gave close to N600 million to thepoultry farmers and also the fish farmers. Theonly people we buy from now are the cattlerearers.

We had challenge with eggs supply becausethe totality of the eggs produced in Osuncannot cope with our demands; so, we go toKwara and Oyo States to make it up and wepick the real foods in the markets.

The women, 3,007 of them, who cook themeals to serve the students take money fromthe bank. We gave the women a seed capital toset up themselves and start. The bank paysthem for the numbers of pupils they feed andthe bank comes to us for settlement. Withthat, we have been getting a value to a largeextent for the money we spend.

Also, 1,000 new farmers, who we raised toproduce cocoyam, are in this. Close to 500 ‘O’YES’ exited cadets are equally empoweredto outtake the cocoyam and give to thevendors.

We are tied with the farmers, and there isno farmer that does not benefit one thing orthe other from the government of Osun State.

We are almost concluding a process inwhich all farmers in the state — we haveenumerated them — would have credit cardswith which they buy their farm inputs bytheir doorsteps. They will buy on guaranteedcredit and will pay back with either theircommodity or they sell and pay back.

Tens of thousands are equally engagedproviding different items. From this alone,close to one million people are directlyimpacted from just one programme,‘O’MEAL’. We have the second batch of‘O’YES’ cadets. The first batch of 20,000 hadgone; the second batch of 20,000 is on andthey are from homes.

They work two or three days a week andthey have the entire days of the week left forthem to see what they can do with their handsand earn a living because they are taughtentrepreneurial training but they earn N10,000monthly as cadets. On this scheme alone, thisadministration has spent N9 billion.

I tell people what this type of schememeans for national government. You can’t sayI don’t have 18 friends who I can give half abillion naira contract to; whether they do it ornot, I would have still given it.

But the maximum amount of thatinvestment that will stay here will be less than50 per cent. Yes, you will have the projecthere but there would still be capital flightbecause we are talking about direct impact onthe economy.

We are one of the few governments thatdevelop a meaningful programme for elderlycitizens’ care. We are not into a blanket socialwelfare scheme for the elderly; we have apackage that did an extensive survey ofcitizens that are 65 years and above, and wehave them in our database. We now identifiedthose among them that are without anysupport, that is the first time any governmentwill so do in Nigeria.

We engaged a consultant, ProfessorOgunbameru, who is a Professor ofGerontology in OAU, Ife. He developed theprogramme they used and without sentimentor parochialism, they got elderly citizens thatlack support.

We called them critically-vulnerable people,who are aged but have nobody to care forthem. If we did not discover them, nobodywould know such people existed in Nigeriabecause they were waiting to die because theylacked everything.

We identified 1,800 of such peoplestatewide. The selection was purely based ontheir conditions, no primordial sentiment. Wehave been giving them N10,000 monthly since2012.

For politics, Jonathan didn’tacknowledge my letters, approve ourrequest

ARE you prepared for a possible lockdownof the state few days to the election?

You see, I came here from the street and itis easy for me to go back to the street. Myreal home is on the street; whoever will holdme on the street will try.

I laugh when they talk about me because

they don’t know I am from the street.What is your perception about the term,

‘stomach infrastructure’?To those people who are elite and are

therefore separated from the people, this termmay make a new meaning to them. I am aproduct of the popular forces — the people— and I am part and parcel of them. Iemanated from them and a product of theirstruggles.

What is now known as stomachinfrastructure is what we know as interaction,engagement, living with the people andmeeting their aspirations and needs. That iswhat we have been doing from the verybeginning of this administration. I feed theirchildren every day with quality meal. Theakara seller knows that I fed her child everyday.

I identify with them on a daily basis intheir struggle to live and they understand thateverything we do is to make life easy forthem.

My administration does not sufferalienation from the people; it is one and samewith the people and that is the basis of ourconfidence in their ever-ready support at alltimes.

Is there any aspect of the state that youthink you have not touched?

There is no trade, commercial or socialgroup in the state of Osun that we have notimpacted. There is no aspect. Apart fromLagos, we are the only state government thathas an emergency call centre, but has beenmade dysfunctional because the FederalGovernment just refused to give us a shortcode to make it work. It has been ready for thepast 13 to 18 months.

If that centre had been activated — weacquired a helicopter that will get to thefarthest place of this state in 15 minutes toattend to emergency issues. It won’t cost theFederal Government a dime but to just directthe NCC to allow us use their 122 line.

I wrote to the President, telling him thatemergency does not know political parties.What we don’t want is needless deathsbecause of the absence of emergency services.The state-of-the-art facilities are still lyingthere fallow. They did not even acknowledgethe letter talk less of giving us approval.

That is the effect of all these things whenpeople reduce everything to politics. I toldFemi Adesina (President of the Nigeria Guildof Editors), when he came here, to tell thisman (President Goodluck Jonathan) toseparate governance from politics. Is itbecause of election that I want to getemergency code?

You are seizing money meant for the peopleon the altar of politics because there is nojustification for these crumbs.

By the sixth month of being in power, I gota deal from a Chinese company to give me fivelocomotives, five rolling stocks withoutpaying a dime.

I have this programme of transportinggoods — farm products from here to Lagosand finished products from Lagos to this placebecause since we remove the cost oftransportation, goods would sell here at theprice in Lagos.

I took a letter and stayed in the front ofPresident Jonathan’s office for close to threehours in the night. By 3.00am, he came outand said, ‘Osun, you are here.’ I gave him theletter; he didn’t even acknowledge it. I wentback, wrote another one.

What we are requesting for is that theyallow us the use of their tracks because I can’tbring stocks in if I can’t use the rail line. I amtelling you how totally insensitive some of usare to the critical issues of our people.Whether you are APC or PDP, is yourcommitment not to improve the lot of yourpeople?

And when you get to these offices, youmust shun partisanship because you havesworn to an oath of allegiance to theConstitution and service to the people.

Continued on page 13

•AREGBESOLA

13 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014FEATURE

I challenge anybody to say that myprogrammes are discriminatory? Whyshould it be anyway; are they not ourcitizens? We have a nation to build and apeople to serve.

My motivation: To eliminate poverty,elevate the blacks man

Is your administration in good termswith four critical sectors, namely,Teachers, Civil Servants, Okada Ridersand Students who can swing votes?

From the newspapers (account), there arenot less than 20 parties seeking power,democratically. If you have 60 per cent, thatdoesn’t mean you don’t have opposition.The 40 per cent, who doesn’t want to seeyou and may cut your head if you arecareless, will vote against you.

If you have 60 per cent, you are homeand dry. In a struggle with otherstakeholders, six is a good number.

So, what we are doing is to ensure thateach of these critical sectors don’t haveany basis at all to be opposed to us.

Students:Let us start with the students. We met a

condition when we came in that studentswere given a bursary of N3,000 and theywon’t even get the bursary on time and itwas full of scam. They brought it to me tosign and I said why do I have to sign N3,000for anybody? It’s best if we don’t give thisbursary or we give it meaningfully.

We raised the bursary to N10,000 flat. Formedical and law students, N20,000 while ourindigenes in the Law School get N100,000.The school authorities give the money tostudents in their system.

I don’t see how such students will hateus in the majority; I can’t see it. Whoevernow hates us has something else againstus not for the fact that we have not donethe needful. The increase wasn’t solicited;we did it out of our own understanding ofthe reality of what the students were goingthrough.

There was clamour for reduction of fees;we reduced the fees from a huge amount tosomething that is comparably affordable.

Also, we have been investing indeveloping the institutions much more thanany administration had done in the historyof this state.

Yes, we are having some challenges withthe lecturers but it’s not peculiar to us butyou just have to bear it.

Okada Riders:

For Okada riders, they have no problemwith us. They may want us to do things forthem, as we have done to some othergroups, but it’s not as if they said comparedto others, these are the problems.

Even those who trek appreciate the roadshere. Has any government succeeded inconstructing 200 kilometres of road in allnooks and crannies of the state? There isno part of this state that we have notconstructed a new road and it’s not justany road but roads with concrete drainage,with stone base and thick asphaltic cover.

Above all, when I get to campaigngrounds, I say our roads have tribal marks.In all general roads, we have roads withmarks. We now have special roads: whenwe complete some of them, they will betourism attraction and centres on their own.

The road we are building in Gbongan;people will be coming to look at it, mark mywords. That road, Gbongan to Akoda, willbe a tourism attraction because it’s a roadthat took me time to conceive and designand we are taking our time to develop it.

So, when people talk about the cost ofour roads, I just laugh because it’s not goodto be talking to people who don’t knowwhat they are saying.

We are changing the landscape andmaking the State of Osun a hub ofeverything that is good. We also want totell the world that the black man is a humanbeing.

I have two major objectives on earth. Oneis to help in the process of eliminatingpoverty because I hate poverty. I wasn’tborn poor but I feel bad to see people indestitution.

Two, I don’t like how blacks are in theworld today. As long as I live, I must be partof the process that will give the black man agood reckoning where they are becausesadly, we are in the lowest part of non-civilisation.

These are the two issues that motivateme.

Civil Servants:

Before our advent, the civil servantsnever knew that salary could be paid beforethe end of the month. For seven and halfyears, salaries were never paid here beforethe end of the month. But from when Iassumed office, we changed that.

Before the year ended when I assumedoffice, I paid 10 per cent of their basic as13th month salary and paid the Decembersalary before the end of the year. The civilservants were dazed.

Since that day up until December 2013, Ipaid salaries on or before the 25th of everymonth. But as from January 2014, we raninto trouble, which we explained toeverybody six months before then.

In July 2013, the Federal Governmentbegan a squeeze that they themselves knewnobody believed them. They said 400,000barrels of crude oil was being stoleneveryday.

We didn’t know the problem was coming.Instead of collecting N4.6 billion, they gavethis government N2.6 billion, 40 per centslashed. We thought it would be temporarybecause after that month, they said thestolen crude had reduced to 200,000 barrelsper day. When the oil being lost reduced,would you still expect a 40 per cent cut?

From that July to now, the maximumallocation this state has ever received isN3.2 billion, which was in November 2013. Iam not making up anything; I am simplysaying the truth.

Now, how was I able to pay up untilDecember 2013? My people are calledOsomalo — they are very deft in themanagement of money and I took this fromthem.

I had been saving through the OmoluwabiConservation Fund in which 10 per cent ofall allocation must go and rest. So, I hadmoney in reserve, which was a build-up formy refusal to form a cabinet for 10 months.

Whereas my income fell to N2.6 billion atthe lowest and N3.4 billion at the highestfor a month, my statutory expenditures,which are expenditures that I have nocontrol on once we have agreed on, forinstance, salary, pension and others areN3.6 billion every month. I can’t say no, Iam not paying.

Between July and December, I augmentedmy income with N5.4 billion, all in the hopethat this thing would go; it didn’t go. It hasnot gone as we speak; it is even worse.

Previously, when you got yourallocation, you would cash it by the 15th of

every month; that was why they werepaying salaries on the 15th of the monthbefore we came in.

But now, because you (FederalGovernment) want to squeeze theopposition governments, they evensqueeze themselves. Nobody gets thereduced allocation earlier than the 26th ofthe following month. But before now, Iwasn’t waiting for their money; I just payon or before the 25th.

If for whatever reason — because whenwe wanted to introduce the digitalautomation, it was difficult to do cross-over— it will get to the 1st or 2nd of the followingmonth, not that the money is not there. Wehave arranged; banks just pay; we havemoney with them.

To make up the deficit in what I receivedand what I must pay, I spent extra N5.4billion. However, I told you that I gave 10per cent of basic salary for 13th monthsalary; the second year, I gave 25 per cent;the third year, I gave 50 per cent; the fourthyear, I gave 100 per cent.

So, December of 2013, I gave everyworker in the employment of Osun 100 percent of their basic salary as extra income,which I paid before the end of the year.

Ordinarily, why should any worker say Iam not friendly with them? Before, workershere were given their leave allowances enbloc at the end of the year. I told them thiswas unreasonable because we don’t go toleave at the same time.

So, choose when you want your leaveallowance to be paid. Is it at your birthdayor the anniversary of your employment intothe service? So, whenever you summit yourbirthday, your leave allowance will becredited to you. I don’t know if any othergovernment in Nigeria does that.

Two, go and visit the secretariat and seewhat we have made of their workenvironment. So, if these are things thatshould motivate workers, I stand tall andproud because I have done my best. Nomatter what anybody tells me, majority ofthem will appreciate these things.

However, since January, because I haveexhausted my reserve, it is when we getmoney that we now go and look for moneyto add to it and pay. That began in January.

The difference between others and me isthat I don’t hide anything; I tell whosoevercares to listen. I am the most loquaciousgovernor in Nigeria.

I went to the retreat of lawmakers and Isaid what’s happening in Nigeria today wasequivalent to the declaration of economicwar on the states. If it is just mere shortageand it comes early, of course, we will pay. Itdoesn’t come early. As we speak, we have

not collected June allocation. I said at a rally recently that from what I

have heard from the grapevine — becausethey (Federal Government) had a meetingwhere they said that, ‘squeeze them(opposition); if they can’t pay salaries, youwill create problem for them’ — mark mywords; they might not give us Juneallocation until the end of August. But wewill pay our workers. Already, we have paidJune.

I am happy to tell you that majority ofour civil servants see and appreciate whatwe are doing. You can go to the secretariatand see what we are doing. We increasedthe car loans by 400 per cent; we increasedhousing loans by 100 per cent.

For 36 out of 43 months we have beenpaying regularly. Let’s even assume thatthere is a problem of delayed paymentsnow; I cannot believe all the workers will beagainst us because I have done my best. Ifthe demonstration of interest of workers intheir remuneration and allowances counts,and with what we have done, I don’t thinkthey will be against us.

I read the advert they published and Ilaughed because it indicted them. Theywrote that my income was N2.8 billion andthis is what I have to pay, N3.4 billion andpegged it with the state and localgovernments.

There is no way I can touch localgovernment account because it’s separateand distinct. I don’t know where theiraccount is. I can only give policy statementson that.

Teachers:

Our teachers in the state are very wellmotivated such that you cannot distinguishbetween them and bank workers. Before,when you saw a teacher in Osun, you wouldknow. They were so depressed,unmotivated and there’s absence offacilities.

Our teachers now appear corporate andwell-motivated. It is not that there won’t besome of them who, for whatever reason,don’t like us but they are in the minority.

Don’t buy the talk you hear that teachersdon’t like him (Aregbesola); I don’t believethat. We do independent, scientific opinionpoll, and it does not support all these talks.

You need to see how people respond tous everywhere; people just swarm aroundme. I have never been in a place where mypresence does not generate euphoria. Youdon’t get such reception if people haveproblem with you.

I don’t really believe I have any problemwith any critical sector. There is nothingthat they have done to deride us. There isno household in this state that does notfeel our impact.

We are talking about how to makeeducation the central focus of ouradministration because I am no longerthinking of now but we want to create anew set of Nigerians on which a newsociety would be born and we can’t do iton what is there now.

(We are) the first government in Nigeriato give free uniforms to all students; thefirst government that will say you do notneed to buy textbooks for your children inthe high school.

Opon Imo, and it’s targeted at 150,000students. One of the attractions is that itreduces the cost of book. With that number,and with what it costs us to procure the e-Book — N200 million for 53 textbooks; ifyou divide N200 million by 53, you will getthe cost per book on that basis.

All should celebrate Opon Imo becauseit reduces the capital outlay on books. Tellme any government anywhere in the worldthat can provide eight textbooks free ofcharge to students? How many parents canbuy all books required by their children?But we have changed this by putting intothe hands of all our students in high schoola library of 53 textbooks.

Our students here keep it with them, gohome with them, and sleep with them for aslong as they are in school. That was why Isaid that we have saved our state N8 billionto procure these books for the students.

Immediately they heard that I said we hadsave the state of N8 billion, they saidAregbesola has stolen N8 billion. That wasthe genesis of the money they said my sontook from Opon Imo. Let’s ask them wherethe N8 billion is.

•Culled from THE GUARDIANNewspaper

‘President Jonathan Should Separate Governance From Politics’Continued from page 12

•AREGBESOLA

14 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

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15 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, July 12, 2014

State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Commissioned And DistributedArmoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) To Police Officers In The State, Last Thursday.

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle in white); his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) Titi Laoye-Tomori; Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salam(left); Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 11, Mr David Omojola (2nd left); Osun Commissioner of Police, Mr.Maishanu Ibrahim (5th left); Special Adviser to theGovernor on Security Matters, Barrister Amos Adekunle (6th left) and others, during the commissioning of Amoured Personnel Carriers (APC) in Osogbo, State of Osun, lastThursday.

•Governor Aregbesola after test driving one of the newly-commissioned Amoured Personnel Carriers (APC) his Administration distributed to the state security personnel, duringthe commissioning in Osogbo, the State of Osun, last Thursday.

PHOTOTALK

SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2014

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

Any Better Alternative?

•AREGBESOLA

AUDACIOUSEXPLOIT

withMURTALA AGBOOLA

TEL: 0806-119-7897E-mail: murtalamuag@yahoo.com

LAST week, I wrote about thepopular cliché in town now,the stomach infrastructure. I

did ask whether we have descendedso low as to make stomachinfrastructure the basis of ourassessment of political parties.

Are we really advancing indevelopment or we areretrogressing? This question ismore pertinent now, because weare laying a basis for somethingdangerous in the future.

In previous elections, there werefora where candidates engaged oneanother on their manifestoes andprogrammes for the masses in anopen debate. In the case of the lastpresidential election debate,President Goodluck Jonathantactically refused to partake in thegeneral one except the oneorganised for him by the NigeriaTelevision Authority (NTA).

In the widely-publicized one, thenew Minister for Education,Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, then theflag bearer of the All NigerianPeoples Party (ANPP) wasadjudged the best candidate in thedebate. He was able to marshal hispoints and programme and cameout as a person who had a grasp ofwhat problems there were and hadthe capacity and capability totackle them. He had the elocutionto pass his plans across to theelectorate. Simply put, he wasconvincing. Mallam Nuhu Ribaduof the then Action Congress ofNigeria (ACN) was equallyconvincing. His pedigree stoodhim out as somebody who hasfocus and knows the majorcankerworm which has brought thecountry to its knee.

As a former anti-corruption czar,Nigerians had confidence in himand believed if given the job, hecould do it well. President,Jonathan who had been ingovernment by default, as a resultof the death of President Musa Yar’Adua ought to have seized theopportunity to tell Nigerians that,if given a full tenure, he would dobetter.

Even though, Jonathan coastedhome to victory, opportunity wasnot given to Nigerians to criticallyassess him. Shekarau is now aMiniser under Jonathan. May bethe lofty ideas he had then couldbe tapped by his current boss.

In the same vein, gubernatorialelection debates took place in Edoand Ondo states where thecandidates exhibited the stuff theywere made of.

Debates by contestants inelections are done to enable votersmake their choice which isessential in a democracy. Surveyor opinion poll is also conductedto enable respondents give theirviews on the election at hand. Thepublic opinion poll in a way helpsto predict what the outcome of theelection would be. However, in thecase of the Ekiti election, it wasone and only one majordeterminant factor - stomachinfrastructure.

While I am not positing that onlyone party is guilty of it, it behoveson the system to ensure that inmodern age, our programmesshould be issues-based. Whateverwe do today had implication forthe future. The governor, State ofOsun, has thrown up a challengeto the candidates of other partiesin the contest for the August 9election in the state.

The open debate challenge wasmade at the commissioning ofAyegbaju Market, last Monday inOsogbo.

In a response to the challenge, theDirector of Media of OmisoreCampaign Organisation, Mr, DiranOdeyemi, said the only conditionwhich would make his boss toaccept the challenge is thetendering of a current certificate ofmental fitness of the governor.

According to Odeyemi “this hasbecome necessary, because a non-governmental organisation,Egalitarian Mission for Africa hada running battle with GovernorAregbesola, concerning issues ofhis health status”.

While individuals have the rightunder the constitution to act theway they like, any aspiring publicofficial should be seen and be heard.Voters should be able to know andappreciate the manifestoes of

individual parties and candidates tobe able to determine how to vote.

Election must be representativesand responsive to have meaning. Itcan only be so if we know ourcandidates and we can assess thembased on their presentation.

As a country, we need to identifyour goals and chart a course toachieve them. The world isadvancing in technology, yet we arehere bogged down by mundane andpristine sentiments. Every eligibleNigerian has the right to vote andbe voted for, however, in spite ofthis inalienable right, we shouldentrust people with mission andvision with our votes.

Governance is now a seriousbusiness which should be sohandled. This country is resource-endowed, yet majority of thepeople live in penury. We can dobetter than the present situation wefind ourselves. Nobody wouldchange it for us except we do it byourselves. If we get it right withgovernance, other things would fallin place.

Between 1999 and now, a largechunk of revenue has been receivedby the country with nothingsubstantial to show for it. Nigeriashould lead the way for otherAfrican countries to follow. If wefail to do so, other less-endowedcountries may lead while wefollow.

The election coming up onAugust 9 in the State of Osunshould be free, fair and credible.Voters should be free to performtheir civic responsibility with lessmilitarization. It should be a normalobligation where voters stroll in tocast their ballot paper in favour oftheir preferred candidates.

The incumbent governor shouldpresent his score-card while theother contestants should be able tofault him, if need be. They shouldin turn proffer alternatives to hisprogrammes.

For now, what the voters areavailed with are perceived seemingloopholes in the currentgovernment’s programmes andnothing new about what the overten other political parties intend todo. If issues are raised, it wouldafford the populace the chance tovote rightly.

It is my sincere hope and prayerthat nothing would negativelyaffect the voters the opportunity tofreely cast their votes on August 9to elect their governor. It is thenthat we can beat our chest and saywe have arrived.