Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola has been declared winner of the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship primary election held on Saturday.
Declaring the result, the Chairman of the primary election committee and Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrasak Abdulrahman, said Oyetola polled 222,169 votes to emerge winner.
He added that former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti polled 12,921 to emerge second while former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon Lasun Yusuf polled 460 votes.
He added that the total registered voters for the exercise is 408,697, those accredited for the exercise is 247, 207, while total vote cast and valid votes is 235550.
“I, Abdulrasak Abdulrahman, Chairman of Osun Direct Primary committee, hereby certify that Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola, having secured the highest number of votes in the election, is hereby declared winner”, he Said.
In his remark, Osun APC Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun commended the committee for a thorough exercise.
The Minister of Interior Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has broken his silence after losing his ward in the ongoing All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary to Governor Gboyega Oyetola.
The Nation reports Aregbesola, was absent at his Ifofin Ward 8, Ilesa East Local Government for the exercise on Saturday.
Oyetola won in Aregbesola’s ward with 309 votes against 146 recorded for Moshood Adeoti, the candidate anointed by the Minister.
In a statement by his media’s aide, Sola Fasure, Aregbesola claimed results of the governorship primary were “farcically counted in favour of the Governor.”
He said: “On behalf of the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, I will like to thank you most sincerely for heeding the call earlier this morning to participate in our party’s governorship primary and conduct yourselves most peacefully. You adopted a non-violent posture, even in the face of sore provocation.
“You have demonstrated your loyalty to the party and democratic ideals. You have comported yourselves as Omoluabi in the true essence.
“We have received and continue to receive the reports of the shenanigans of the officials who conducted the sham of an election.
“We have been inundated with reports state-wide of how your names were expunged from the party’s voters register, which was not made available until this morning, contrary to the convention of making the list available to the candidates before the election.
“We have heard of how party registration cards were being hawked this morning to the supporters of the state Governor.
We have also received reports of how accreditation was not done at all in many wards and how people without the party identification just participated and queued behind the governor in many polling units.
“We have received the report from our members and independent observers, how government officials and notable supporters of the governor officiated in the election, how votes were farcically counted in favour of the governor and how the votes recorded for him were more than the number of voters accredited ab initio in many units.
“We have heard of the absence of result sheets and other vital documents for recording results and vital data. We note also the absence of INEC officials in most wards, casting serious doubt on the credibility of the election.
“We note with shame and much regret the consternation of local and international observers on what they regard as a travesty of an election.
“I will urge you to maintain your cool and calm. Be not downcast, be not agitated. Hold your head high. We are still receiving and studying all these reports and will take a definitive position on them.
“You are urged not to take laws into your hands. Please leave the rest to the Almighty God and let us explore all peaceful and legal means for addressing the matter in order to obtain justice.
“Please remain committed to peace and the rule of law. Be unflinching in your commitment to the democratic ideals. Democracy is for the long haul.
“As you all know, we never tire and we never give up on the cause we believe in. Be rest assured that victory is ours.”
The Police Service Commission (PSC) at the weekend in Benin, revealed that, over 90 per cent of prospective police officers did not score up to 30 per cent in the police recruitment examinations across the country.
The Commissioner representing the Mass Media and the South-south Zone in the Police Service Commission (PSC), Austin Braimoh made the revelation at a one-day town hall meeting organised by the Commission and the Edo State Police Command.
He said the aim of the town hall meeting is to work on the relationship between the police and the public and also enlighten the public on the ongoing recruitment exercise.
Braimoh said, “The Commission has the responsibility of familiarizing the public with the current recruitment exercise and improving citizen relationship with the police for effective policing.
“From now, you do not need to go to the National Human Rights Commission if your right is violated by a serving police officer, you go straight to the Police Service Commission, you do not need a third party.
“One of the challenges the Commission is facing today is that for a long time those who are applying for recruitment into the force are most times academically challenged as over 90 per cent do not score up to 30 per cent in the recruitment examinations.
“So with this kind of situation you can imagine the kind of policemen that will be presented to the public”.
Also speaking, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Philip Ogbadu, bemoaned the lack of interest from Edo people, especially males, to join the police force.
He said such an ugly trend is dangerous noting that only females seem to be interested in joining the police force.
Collins Sambaya, from Chamasili village in Sabatia sub-county was injured by one Elvis Irime, who nailed both his palms to a tree on Friday, February 18.
North Izava location Chief Evans Endesha reported the matter to the police via a phone call. Upon visiting the scene, police found the young man in great pain.
“Upon seeing the police approaching the scene, the assailant suspect ran away and is still at large,” the police report reads in part.
Sambaya was rescued and rushed to Mbale County Referral Hospital where he is in stable condition.
A statement issued by the Directorate of Criminal Investigation, DCI, says police has launched manhunt for the suspect responsible for the inhuman act.
“In an incident that brought Sabatia’s, Izava village to a standstill, 19-year-old Collins Sambaya, was found secured on a tree using two roofing nails, that had been driven through each palm of his hands,” the statement read.
“The distraught villagers who couldn’t come to terms with what had befallen one of their own, watched in disbelief from a distance as officers rescued him and rushed him to hospital.
“Meanwhile, a manhunt for the suspects responsible for the inhuman act has been launched, with the area security team employing every available resource to apprehend the suspects.”
In Nigeria of today, raping has become the main menace in our country. About two days ago , I read one of my brother’s pieces, Abdulganiyu Abdulrahman Oniyere, an advocate of Peace and ambassador of Islamic Studies. When I got deep in thought in his piece, I became well inspired to write my own, too. Though it was written by him in 2020, but I comprehended a lot there to speak out. I am glad to have read your piece.
As we know that, “appearance shows the manner” – true! Whatever you want to do, make an appearance as the first choice for you to succeed in it. A lot of girls have taken modern wear as their lifestyle dress such which exposes all their secure things in their bodies, and goes a long way to destroy most girls’ lives and future.
The nature of insecurity in Nigeria, if examined, will be inexhaustible. Kidnapping, raping, armed banditry, abductions, and of course, terrorist attacks are among the main forms of insecurity that Nigerians face today. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s true colour now is totally bad and dangerous. Today, girls dress abnormally around the road and street with some unthinking of the outcome of it.
The society is the largest home for the youth, and is the most corrupt, devilish, and bad influence which children encounter that causes damage to their future.
First advice for our girls nowadays is to maintain their movement and their clothes. Because those two are the essential things to deal with for our girls. You dress out half-naked and ask why you were rape? It’s because you called for customers and that’s why they came. And any of your movement, maintain it if you want to get rid of all the nonsense happening in the country.
Moreover, parents lack training children well nowadays. In some families, male children are not well trained. Likewise, female children. And worst case scenario, most boys get on the street to succeed outside there, and out there, nobody caters for them. And when no money is forthcoming in the hustling engaged in, they find their way to join bad gangs, and later graduate to criminals in the society.
In conclusion, every social organization has a role to play here. There must be daily or weekly orientation for male and female about sex education. Because, the change should start from individual houses before every institution takes steps on it. Society of reform should be brought into the realm of reality. Not to leave out how government must take up roles to curb the society of this ill with adequate orientation given on sex and how to dress modestly.
Some students of Abia State University, ABSU, have accused their Head of Department, Professor Ezinne Enwereji, of sexual harassment.
In a letter seen by Peoples Gazette, the students of Public Health Department in the state owned institution petitioned the management, detailing their grievances against Mrs Enwereji and another lecturer, Lois Ndu Agumuo.
The students alleged that the duo were in the habit of fondling students’ -both male and female- private parts in search of explicit materials during examinations.
They also accused the HOD of deliberately conniving with Mrs Agumuo to fail them en masse in her course while failing to accord them adequate tutoring.
A student from the department who spoke to The Gazette by phone but craved anonymity for fear of retribution said she has been a victim of ill treatment from Mrs Enwereji.
“Honestly, we are suffering in that department,” the student lamented. “Can you imagine our HOD wrote on someone’s script during an exam: ‘You will never graduate till you die’?”
“She also touches our breasts and private parts, both males and females; she and one Mrs Lois Ndu Agumuo,” she added.
The students said during one of their protests, a spokesperson for the university’s vice chancellor advised them to articulate their complaints in a letter.
When reached by The Gazette, the Dean of Students Affairs in the university, Professor Livy Nwokeocha, declined comments saying it was an internal issue that would be resolved amicably.
What led to the unexpected death of the 19-months old boy and pupil of Arise and Shine Nursery and Primary School, Asaba, Delta State, Obinna Udeze who was purportedly flogged 31 strokes of the cane by his teacher may not be unconnected with the challenges of single parenthood.
The 19-months old Obinna Udeze was taken to school on Monday 7th February full of life by his mother with his lunch bag, biscuits, water and yoghurt without him or his mother knowing that may be his last day in the school.
While one wonders what the offence of a 19-months old lad could be to be flogged 31 strokes of the cane, it is a complete act of wickedness for anyone with his or her right senses to use the cane on such a tender child.
Saturday Vanguard gathered that the child was barely two weeks old in the school where he was registered by his mother in the daycare unit. After battling at the hospital, little Obinna Udeze breathed his last on Saturday at the Federal Medical Centre after being referred from a private hospital where he was first treated.
Amidst tears, the mother, Gift Ohanazoeze Uju who spoke to our Correspondent on why she sent little Obinna to school at that age, said: “I don’t work, I am a single mom, I barely feed, I had to wait for him to be a year and six months before I sent him to that school. He was in daycare, not even nursery or primary, so I would go and drop him and pick him up by 3 pm every day.
“I needed to find a means to feed both of us and to get accommodation. I am staying with my grandmother which is not convenient, that was why I had to put him in that school to enable me to look for means of livelihood. The boy’s father lives in Anambra state, we are not staying together because we had issues.
“I don’t know whether the school was approved by the government or not but from the little inquiry that I made, I learnt that the school was four years old and that they have another branch in Anambra but I didn’t even meet the proprietress of the school on the day I went there, it was the Head Mistress who registered him. My child had been in the school for a week and three days.
“On the day of the incident, immediately I came back that very day, they said when they were about to bath him, they saw cane bruises all over his body. I had to bring him close, checked his body and see it myself.
“I saw bruises all over his body but I never knew he was tied until I got to the school and heard it from other children in the school. I carried him back to the school because the owner of the school stays in the school compound.
“When I got there I saw the proprietress, because she was the one I handed over Obina to that very morning, alongside his school bag and lunch box because Obina’s teacher said she was going for screening on Monday which was that very day.
“When I got there I asked her, ‘mummy I gave you this child in the morning why would you people flog him? The woman’s response was, ‘do you know the gravity of your son’s offence?’ I now said ‘okay, what was the offence of a child of a year and seven months? I want to know who flogged him let me ask the person what his crime was’. She said I should go and come back the next day, so I left and came back the next day.
When I asked why they beat my son, the woman said, my son was just disturbing her, that he was crying, she didn’t say any other thing. So people who were there then said, if the child was crying, you could have called the mother to come and pick him up, but the woman said my son was just stubborn.
“As she was talking, pupils from the school, said Obinna brought his lunch box to the proprietress, which means he was hungry because he couldn’t talk, and the proprietress took it from him and returned it to the chair where they used to keep their lunch box and asked them to tie my son and they were now flogging Obinna like goat, that was the children’s exact statement.
“Obinna’s food was untouched. His golden morn was untouched, his yoghurt which he doesn’t joke with Obinna did not take even one out of the two I gave to him, the rice that I put in the cooler was untouched, even his drinking water was untouched. Meaning that they starved him till he came back.
“I took the food back to them, even the four digestive biscuits, I took it back to them that day I went, people, there could testify to that. I asked the woman, did you feed this child? She said no, that he refused to eat. What about biscuits? She said he refused, I said even yoghurt, even if he refused everything he would not refuse yoghurt, she said she gave him yoghurt, that maybe it was another child’s yoghurt that she gave Obinna. I said ‘you mean you took another pupil’s food and gave it to my son? What will the pupil now eat? She was silent.
So Obinna did not eat anything from the school that day which I believed made him to start crying and as a child who doesn’t talk, once he was hungry he would start crying. And I explained to that woman that very Monday, that ‘Obina does not talk and once he starts crying and brings his bag, they should know that he is hungry’. She said ‘yes, I know that is how children behave, I have had kids’, that was her response before this incident occurred”.
Uju further explained that she and her mother took the child to the hospital and that when she told the proprietress about it, she said she should go and treat her son and bring the bill to her to pay to say,
‘whatever the amount, I will give to you people’.
According to Uju, “that was her word, that was what she told me, my mum then said okay, let’s go together, she said that she is busy in the school. That we should go and treat the child, and bring the bill. She did not even show her face in my house until the day her son was arrested, being on Thursday evening, she now came to me begging that I should release the son and we should start treating Obinna. By that time the boy’s condition had deteriorated to something else”.
On whether she carried out an autopsy to find out the cause of death, she said: “I can’t do an autopsy, I don’t have much money; I spent the little I had on him at the hospital. I want to beg the government to do it to prove if I am lying, Obinna’s body is still in the mortuary. Even the hospital where he was rushed to, can testify because I remembered the doctor telling me in the presence of his colleagues and other staff that with the bruises he saw on the child’s body, if it was his own child, he would first kill the person before judgement”.
Uju also said, she had contacted Obina’s father, who said he was waiting for the Delta state government to ensure justice for his son but if nothing happens, he would then involve the Anambra state government where he hails from.
“Obinna was a child that everyone would love to know, some of his teachers described him as hyperactive, very playful. Every man is a daddy and every lady is a mummy. He was a child who would not bite, ask anybody, you can go do your own investigation. He didn’t know how to say anything outside mummy, daddy. He was just a child every parent would dream and hope for”, Uju said of her late son.
The teacher, Mr Emeka Nwogbo, who was arrested by the Police over allegations of flogging the late Obinna Udeze to death, however, denied the allegation. Nwogbo who spoke to journalists on Tuesday alleged that there must be other underlying issues that killed Udeze, claiming that the child didn’t die while he was being punished.
He said: “I did not cane the child to death, I flogged him as I’m supposed to flog a child. I flogged him as little as I can, I did not kill the child. I am not responsible for his death. They should go and check this thing very well. I flogged the child because he pushed another child and hit the other child’s head.”
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, urged Lagos lawmakers, both at the federal and state levels, to work assiduously to actualise the presidential ambition of All Progressives Congress National Leader, Chief Bola Tinubu.
Sanwo-Olu made the call in Ikeja, during the 17th Edition of the Executive/Legislative Parley, with the theme: ”Mobilizing Citizens as a Social Capital Towards 2023 General Elections”.
He said that Tinubu had selflessly given himself to the people of Lagos during his tenure as the governor, and to Nigeria as a whole, and recorded many achievements.
”This, indeed, is the time to pay him back with our unwavering support. He is, no doubt, the right and best man for the job. He knows the issues plaguing our nation like the back of his hands and he has the magic wand to fix it.
”So, because of our Apex leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it is time for us to take Lagos to Nigeria agenda. It is time for us to work assiduously and ensure that all of these successes in Lagos can be reflected in Nigeria as a whole.
”That is why I am calling on all of us to ensure that we do everything we can do politically and otherwise, to ensure that we can help to activate and actualise the next president of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
”Let us rally behind our great party, the All Progressives Congress, let us rally behind the great man, that indeed, we believe can help us take our country to the next level,” he said.
The governor commended the lawmakers for efforts made at attaining the remarkable strides his administration achieved in the last two and half years.
He said that from the onset, his government did not delude itself into thinking it had the monopoly of knowledge, with regards to finding the right solutions to the myriad challenges confronting the state.
”This explains why we have consistently thrown our doors open to diverse opinions and views from various sources, and, this forum is an integral part of our steady effort towards rubbing minds with all critical stakeholders, with a view to achieving the Greater Lagos of our collective desire,”Sanwo-Olu said.
The Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, said that the legislators were the grassroots and the life of the party, and the party the life of the legislators, without which they would not be elected.
Gbajabiamila, who was represented by leader of Lagos State Caucus in the House, Mr Dolapo Badru, said the legislators intervened and partnered with the executives to enhance activities and mobilize the people to ensure that APC succeeded.
”We are lawmakers, but we tar roads, we build hospitals, we build schools, we equip classrooms, do empowerment, just to help the government; no competition whatsoever, and it shouldn’t be seen as such,” he said.
Also, the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, said with other lawmakers representing the Federal and State levels, the parley would enable participants to bond with common vision and mission.
Obasa said that legislators would continue to collaborate with the executives to ensure the delivery of the dividends of democracy.
The participants which include members of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), Lagos Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, and other legislators and executive members attended the parley, wearing various attires representing the different ethnic groups in Nigeria, as a mark of unity and accommodating nature of Lagos State. (NAN)
Ibadan high chiefs on Friday unanimously announced the promotion of Chief Rashidi Ladoja, Osi Olubadan to Otun Olubadan.
The development followed the announcement of Senator Lekan Balogun as the next Olubadan of Ibadan by Gov. Makinde on Monday, the chief makers also announced the upward movement of some key members of the council.
Addressing journalists on new ranks of the chiefs, Otun Balogun of Ibadan land, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola, after the council’s maiden meeting held at the Alarere residence of the Olubadan-designate disclosed that the council also took note of the necessary promotion and reconstitution of the Olubadan-in-Council, occasioned by the elevation of the Otun to the position of Olubadan.
Consequently, according to him, “Is the upward movement of High Chief Rashidi Ladoja, Osi Olubadan to Otun Olubadan; High Chief Eddy Oyewole Ashipa to Osi-Olubadan; High Chief Abiodun Kola-Daisi, Ekerin to Ashipa Olubadan; High Chief Hamidu Ajibade, Ekarun to Ekerin Olubadan and the new member that will join the Council is Senior Chief Adebayo Akande from Maye to Ekarun Olubadan.”
The Olubadan-designate, Balogun, presided over the meeting with High Chiefs Owolabi Olakulehin, Ajibola, Lateef Gbadamosi Adebimpe, Kola Adegbola, Olubunmi Isioye and Dauda Agagagugu- Balogun, Otun Balogun, Osi-Balogun, Ashipa Balogun, Ekerin and Ekarun Balogun respectively- in attendance.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the council also revealed that Dr. Lekan Balogun may be enthroned as the new Olubadan of Ibadan land before middle of March.
He said the position of the council was based on consideration for both incoming Ibadan festival and Ramadan which will hold very soon.
The council during the meeting was said to have given serious consideration in choosing the date for the inauguration.
He said the meeting which had all members of the Olubadan-in-Council in attendance, except the Osi Olubadan and former governor of Oyo State, Sen. Rashidi Ladoja, and Iyalode of Ibadan land, High Chief Theresa Oladuntan Oyekanmi, was to pay courtesy call on Balogun and formally congratulate him on his elevation from the position of Otun to that of Olubadan.
“Olubadan has to make a very significant presence at the annual Ibadan Week Festival and having perfected everything necessary for Dr. Balogun’s emergence, we are working to ensure that he features at the programme as the substantive Olubadan.
“Again, we are conscious of Ramadan fast and would not want to put our guests under unnecessary pressure by holding the inauguration during the period. All these we considered at the meeting but could not make anything categorical until we meet with the governor, Engr. ‘Seyi Makinde,” Oyewole said.
He also revealed that the council resolved at the meeting that a courtesy and thank you visit be made to Governor Seyi Makinde for his interest and the speedy time allowed in the inauguration of a new Oba for Ibadan land.
“We all visited the governor and despite the fact that we didn’t meet him, were well received by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun who promised to convey our message to him,” he added.
On the absence of two of the Council members, the Otun Balogun explained that Iyalode was outside Ibadan while Sen. Ladoja sought the council’s permission to honour a medical appointment that had been fixed previously, saying, “he was happy to join our crusade to the new Olubadan and the state governor.”
No fewer than 17 persons were burnt to death on Friday, as a tanker caught fire on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State.
The Federal Road Safety Corps confirmed that the accident happened around 5 am on Friday, before Isara bridge.
The spokesperson of the FRSC in Ogun, Florence Okpe, explained that 14 of the bodies were burnt beyond recognition, adding that the FRSC operatives were able to identify one man, one woman, and a girl.
She said “the total number of people involved is not ascertained, but a total of 17 bodies ( killed) have been identified. “One male, one female, and one female child only have been identified, while others were burnt beyond recognition.”
Explaining what led to the incident, Okpe said the tanker had a head-on collision with a Mazda bus marked, ZT728 KLD. She said “the suspected causes of the fatal crash were route violation and dangerous driving, which resulted to head-on collision and fire outbreak.
Meanwhile, the Ogun FRSC Sector Commander, Ahmed Umar, has described the crash as an avoidable one, urging caution and obedience to traffic rules and regulations.
Umar commiserated with the families of the victims, enjoining them to contact the FRSC office in Ogere for more information about the crash.
