[sup]Aregbesola Has Done Well, It Would Be Hard For PDP To Take Over From Him – Babatope

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Chief Ebenezer Babatope has lauded Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s achievements in the State of Osun saying it will be hard for the PDP to take over from him in November, 2018.

Babatope stated this on Thursday while featuring on a programme on Rave 91.7fm in Osogbo.

He said the Governor has done well so far; a development that might make it tough for the PDP in Osun to reclaim the state from the APC.

His words “Aregbesola has done well. In everything he has done, he has done it well. It will be very hard for the PDP to take-over from him.”

“As far as am I concerned, Rauf Aregbesola is a performer. The young man has done very well. Anything he touches, he does well. Aregbesola plans well. Go round the state, Osogbo and all other places, kudos to him. Even if I am opposed to the APC and what Buhari’s federal government has done, I can never discredit Aregbesola and his government, he has done well.”

On the current crisis in Osun PDP, Chief Babatope who is a member of the Board of Trustees of the nation’s opposition party is of the opinion that the party will be reconciled to give other parties a good fight at the polls.

Osun gets Federal Government’s $1.5m contract
Home Osun gets Federal Government’s $1.5m contract
April 11, 2018

R-Connect News
Osun State government has won $1.5 million contract from the Federal Government to produce cables and assemble decoders for digitalisatijnon of television.

Finance Commissioner Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, who spoke at the training of the second batch of 5,000 youths on ICT, organised by RLG-Adulawo Company Ltd in Ilesa, said the Federal Government had announced September as the deadline for the digitalisation of television.

He said the government won the contract when representatives of the Federal Government came to RLG-Adulawo Company, established by the Governor Rauf Aregbesola administration, to assemble electronic devises, and saw its capacity and competence to produce cables and assemble decoders.

Oyebamiji said the government would spend N100 million in training youths in ICT despite paucity of fund.

He advised the beneficiaries to make the best of the training.

The commissioner said N320 million was spent on training youths in the first batch of the programme, adding that the training cost was higher than that of the second batch because the beneficiaries were sent to Ghana for internship after their classroom training and because RLG-Adulawo Company had not been established at that time.

Nigerian Government speaks on PDP looters now in APC
on Wednesday, April 04, 2018



The Federal Government has revealed what will happen to looters who joined the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, from other political parties.

Speaking through the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the government pointed out that not all the members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who joined the APC were looters.

The Minister said this when he was asked during an interview with Daily Sun if the government will release list of looters in APC. He said all looters whether in APC or any other party will be investigated and punished accordingly.

Mohammed also said some members of the opposition party challenged them to release the list of looters in the PDP, adding that the move has not in any way affected cases in court.

Mohammed said, “There is a difference between allegations and established cases. All the cases I have mentioned (alleged PDP looters) are already in court.

“You see, how many times have people written that Lai Mohammed has billions of dollars. But these are allegations that are just ridiculous.

“I can assure you that if there is any allegation against any member of this government, this government will investigate it.

“It would be unfair to say that everybody that joined APC from PDP is a looter, it would be unfair.

“I am saying that whether you are of ACN stock or PDP stock or CPC stock and you are found to be corrupt, you will be investigated.

“They have said name the looters and we said these people took money.

“I am saying that on the 24th of February, Secondus took N100 million in cash. The then National Financial Secretary took N700 million.

“These are facts! They said name, and I said these are the people that were reported to have stolen money. So, what is prejudicial about it?

“Let them go and solve their matters in court, but if you challenge us to name names, we will name names!”

Thought of The Day...

The safety of The People shall be the HIGHEST LAW...

- Marcus Tullius Cicero....

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PHOTO: Patrol Vans Provided by the State Government of Osun

- To enhance the security of lives and properties, the State Government provided about 125 patrol vehicles to security agencies such as the Army, Police, FRSC, NDLEA and the Civil Defence.

- Over 30 armored personnel carrier, the first in the history of the state have been provided to fight incessant robbery attacks.

- It is also noteworthy that the state has acquired one helicopter for area surveillance and ‘’quick emergency response’’ in the state. Since this noble initiative, crime, especially bank robberies has reduced significantly to the barest minimum in Osun.

The Federal Government has on Sunday released more names of people who have allegedly looted the nation’s treasury.

The Federal Government said the list of alleged looters which was released earlier was based on verifiable facts, including the amount involved, the date the amount in question was collected and from where it was taken.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed released the list in a statement made available to Channels Television. He said those complaining that the initial list was too short did not understand that it was strategically released as a teaser.

He referred to his earlier statement that the list was just ‘a tip of the iceberg’ and slammed the PDP for challenging the Federal Government to name the looters.

”At the press conference where the list was released, I did say it was a tip of the iceberg. Apparently, this does not mean anything to people whose style is to comment on issues they barely understand, or just to shoot down anything coming from the government.

“The Federal Government has a large number of alleged looters on its list. What was the PDP expecting when it challenged the FG to name the looters of the public treasury under the party’s watch? Did the PDP actually believe that the massive looting under its watch was a joke?, he queried.

This second list of alleged looters released by the Federal Government contains 24 names of alleged looters.

Alhaji Mohammed said the Federal Government will neither be intimidated nor blackmailed into silence, adding that it will also not rest until all those who looted the public treasury have been brought to justice.



See the second list of alleged looters released by the Federal Government below…

Former NSA Sambo Dasuki: Based on EFCC investigations and findings (this is beside the ongoing $2.1 billion military equipment scandal), a total of N126 billion, over $1.5 billion and 5.5million British Pounds was allegedly embezzled through his office.

Former Petroleum Resources Minister Dieziani Alison-Madukwe: In one of the cases the EFCC is investigating involving her, about N23 billion is alleged to have been embezzled.

Rtd. Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah: N13.9 billion. N4.8 billion recovered by EFCC in cash and property

Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika: N4.5 billion. N29million recovered by the EFCC so far.
Alex Barde, former Chief of Defence Staff: N8 billion, and EFCC recovered almost N4 billion in cash and property already.

Inde Dikko, former CG Customs: N40 billion, and N1.1 billion in cash recovered in cash and choice properties.

Air Marshal Adesola Amosun: N21.4 billion. N2.8 billion recovered in cash. 28 properties and 3 vehicles also recovered.

Senator Bala Abdulkadir, former FCT Minister: N5 billion. Interim forfeiture order on some property secured.

Senator Stella Oduah: N9.8 billion. Interim forfeiture order on some property secured.
Former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu: N1.6 billion – from NSA

Senator Jonah Jang, former Plateau State Governor: N12.5 billion.

Bashir Yuguda, former Minister of State for Finance: N1.5 billion. $829,800 recovered.
Senator Peter Nwaboshi: N1.5 billion

Aliyu Usman, Former NSA Dasuki’s aide: N512 million

Ahmad Idris, Former NSA Dasuki’s PA: N1.5 billion

Rasheed Ladoja, Former Oyo Governor: N500 million

Tom Ikimi: N300 million

Femi Fani-Kayode: N866 million

Hassan Tukur, former PPS to President Goodluck: $1.7 million

Nenadi Usman: N1.5 billion

Benedicta Iroha: N1.7 billion

Aliyu Usman Jawaz: Close ally of former NSA Dasuki: N882 million

Jonah Jang, former Plateau State Governor: N12.5 billion

Godknows Igali: Over N7 billion

The Federal Government had on Friday released names of six persons alleged to have looted the nation’s treasury. The list contained names of PDP Chairman, Uche Secondus who is alleged to have taken N200 million only from the office of the NSA.

The first list of alleged looters had generated reactions from many of those named, including Secondus who demanded an apology and the sum of N1.5billion as compensation. A former National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Olisa Metuh whose name was also on the first list had accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government of intimidating him.

Happy Easter folks...

As Christians rounding up this year's Easter celebration, The State Government of Osun have provided FREE TRAIN SERVICE to ease transportation for holidaymakers.

Return Trip: Nelson Mandela Freedom Park
Osogbo, State of OSUN - Ido Terminus, LAGOS

DATE: MONDAY, APRIL 2ND 2018

#BBNaija
#HappyEaster

Federal Government Releases Names Of Looters

The Federal Government has released a list of some of those who have allegedly looted the nation’s treasury.

The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammad, released the list during a press conference in Lagos on Friday.

Mohammad said the individuals include officials in the past government.

The names in the list revealed by the Federal Government include PDP chieftains who are currently being tried for corruption and financial crimes.

“The PDP has challenged us to name the looters under their watch. They said they did not loot the treasury. Well, I am sure they know that the treasury was looted dry under their watch. Yet they decided to grandstand. This shows the hollowness of their apology,” Mohammed said as he released the names.

Find the list below and the allegations against them by the Federal Government…

1 PDP Chairman Uche Secondus
Allegation: On the 19th of Feb 2015, he took N200 million only from the office of the NSA.

2. Then PDP Financial Secretary

Allegation: On the 24th of Oct 2014, he took N600 million only from the office of then NSA.

3. Then National Publicity Secretary Olisah Metuh

On trial for allegedly collecting N1.4bn from the office of then NSA.

4. Dr Raymond Dokpesi, Chairman of DAAR Communications

On trial for allegedly taking N2.1 billion from the office of then NSA.

5. Former SSA to President Jonathan, Dudafa Waripamo-Owei

On trial, over N830 million allegedly kept in accounts of four different companies.

6. Former President Jonathan’s Cousin Robert Azibaola

On Thursday, a Federal High Court ruled that he has a case to answer for allegedly collecting $40 million from the office of then NSA.

The decision by the APC government to reveal the names of the alleged looters and the funds stolen is in response to the opposition party, PDP’s, challenge to the government to name those alleged to have looted the country and destroyed the economy.

Mohammed said this list is just a tip of the iceberg, and the APC did not make these cases up as some of them currently have cases in court.

“They are in court and the records are available. Some of the people on this list are seeking to plea bargain, and that is a fact.

“We insist that Nigeria was looted blind under the watch of the PDP and that the starting point in tendering an apology is for them to return the loot,” he said.

Source : ChannelsTV

Most of us had worked with the then Governor of Lagos State, Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for several years, some for four years, some for eight years. And we decided that every year, on the occasion of his birthday, we would take time to discuss matters of national importance. Part of the reason why we did so was because Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was an unusual governor in Lagos State.

Let me say why it was unusual. The reason why it was unusual was because it was a government where there was a great deal of argument and he, as the leader of that government, allowed so much argument and so many different shades of ideas.

I recall a particular occasion, when we started talking about the land use charge. I know that there are issues around the land use charge today. But when the old concept developed around the land use charge, there were so many arguments. One group felt that we shouldn’t even introduce the charge, another group felt that we should do so. I remember that in Ikeja, where this argument was taking place, we were in a small room; Lai Mohammed was there, Wale Edun, Yemi Cardoso, I think Dele Alake, and a few others. We were all there arguing on both sides. At some point, when Asiwaju was losing the argument, he said, “Ah, were you the people who were voted for?” Then he stormed out of the room and left. Then, we all waited. Nobody left. He came back a few minutes later and said, “ah, are you people still here? Then he continued the argument. Now he came back with more facts and figures. So we suspected that when he stormed out of the room, he actually went to bring some more facts.

In the end, we instituted the charge and so many other different ways by which the foundation for what we see in Lagos State today were developed. And I want to just commend Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu again, for ensuring that, not only did he develop a whole generation of persons who have become, in various respects leaders, but also that he allowed that group of people to develop ideas to contradict him many times, to controvert his own ideas many times, and many times, he gave in to those ideas, and we’ve seen the results of it.

REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI
AT THE 10TH BOLA AHMED TINUBU COLLOQUIUM
29TH MARCH, 2018

INVESTING IN PEOPLE

I am happy to be here with you to celebrate the birthday of my friend and political partner, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I call on all Nigerians to join me in celebrating this man. Asiwaju Tinubu is widely known as a political strategist. But strategy is barren unless wedded to a higher purpose than just itself.

2. Here, Asiwaju also sets himself apart. I have come to see him as a man who cares about people and who is a fountain of ideas for economic development and improving the situation of the common man and woman. He is a true humanitarian and we appreciate his contributions to Nigeria’s and Africa’s progress.

3. I salute the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and other members, for initiating this colloquium a full decade ago. Over the course of that ten years, we have traveled far in one sense, yet have moved but a few steps in another.

4. We as a people and a nation are in the midst of a grand endeavor. We seek to change the ways and means of our collective existence, we seek to construct a nation where leaders no longer rule by whim but govern according to law and for the betterment of the people.

5. We seek to replace corruption with correctness, insecurity with safety and poverty with prosperity.

6. The road we tread is rough and hard in spots. The search for progress and reform has its rough patches. Many will fight you and connive to deter the march toward a better land.


7. But that march is inevitable. There is no mortal hand that can keep us from our best destiny unless that hand be our own.

8. Thus, we invest in people, we invest in ourselves because we are enlivened by God given faith that tomorrow can be better than today and that good will triumph over evil.

9. Forums such as this present ideas and spark important discussions that enliven our national discourse and enrich our policy options.

10. We seek to rebuild what has been wrongfully constructed and to plant a firm foundation for progress where nothing now exists.

11. Our goal is to bring together every section of the nation and every Nigerian of every creed, every region and ethnic group in mutually beneficial, productive, social, economic and political relationships.

12. To accomplish our historic mission we must invest in people.



13. Here, I can say that the expenditures made by this government constitute investment in and for the people. We depend on the people to govern. This government recognizes this, hence our investment in critical areas that touch the lives of people directly.

14. Social investment program. The school feeding program. Massive investments in agriculture, a sector that employs over 65 per cent of our people. We strive to set Nigeria on an irreversible path of growth and development. This is the objective that guides our investments and expenditures as a government.

15. We join hands to build a better country. We are resolute in our commitment to uplift our people and to make Nigeria a better place.

16. I think my friend Asiwaju would be happy with such a birthday gift.

17. Happy birthday Asiwaju. May God grant you many more years of good health and service to Nigeria.

TInubu Media Office:

THE PRESIDENT HAS SPOKEN: THE APC STANDS FOR INTERNAL DEMOCRACY

In the clear, straightforward manner that is his mode of expression and that befits the moment, President Buhari affirmed our party remains faithful to the principles of internal democracy and the rule of law.

In his address to the March 27 NEC meeting, President Buhari stated that talk of extension or elongation of the tenures of national and state party executive officers was improper.

The President declared that any such moves would contravene both the national and party constitutions. Additionally, he stated that the designation of existing officers as caretaker committees also violated constitutional requirements.

President Buhari’s action saves the party from serious legal turmoil. If the elongations were deemed illegal then all subsequent party actions, including the nomination of all of our candidates for elective offices, might also be of questionable legality. Such a predicament would constitute an unnecessary and mortal blow to the party and its role in promoting progressive governance to Nigeria.

Moreover, President Buhari has affirmed for all to see that our party is one based on the rule of law coupled with a firm adherence to internal democracy. While it would have been easy to allow the ill-conceived motion of 27 February to stand, President Buhari showed principle and courage by steering the party back to its original and correct path.

The President has spoken. Today is a good day for those who cherish democracy and legality. His action will also serve to strengthen the party by allowing party members, including present incumbents, to seek to contribute to the party by vying for executive offices as they see fit.

His action will go far in advancing the process of internal reconciliation that is now underway. It is a time for the party to move forward and begin to plan and organize the needed congresses according to the existing timetables.

After all, a party bearing the name All Progressives Congress should be the last party to resist holding congresses in which all its people have a fair say and fair chance to aspire to any position in the party for which they are qualified to hold.

Again, this is a good day for the APC and democratic political practice in Nigeria. We shun the politics of old to move toward a new and better way of governing ourselves and this nation.

Signed
Asiwaju Bola TInubu

REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE APC
TUESDAY, 27TH MARCH, 2018

I am delighted to once again welcome you to this National Executive Committee Meeting of our great party. As we usually do, I hope we will take the opportunity of this gathering to resolve outstanding issues and consolidate our plans towards making APC the strongest defender of the interests of our people.

2.​In particular, I think it is important for me to speak quickly on the contentious issue of the tenure of our National and State Executive Officers. As we all know, a motion was moved at the last National Executive Committee meeting of February 27, 2018, to the effect that when the tenure of the current executives expire in June this year, they should be allowed to continue for one year.

3.​This motion was duly carried by a majority of members present at the last NEC Meeting, even though some of our party members have since spoken up very vehemently against it. Others have even taken the matter to court.

4.​On my own part, I have taken some time to review and seek advise on the resolution. And what I found is that it contravenes both our party Constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

5.​While the APC Constitution, in Article 17(1) and 13.2(B), limits the tenure of elected officers to four years, renewable once by another election, the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), in section 223, also prescribes periodic elections for party executives at regular intervals, which must not exceed four years.

6.​Furthermore, Article 31 of our Party Constitution provides that any principal officer wishing to re-contest or contest for another post, must resign from his current post at least one month before the election

7.​In this circumstance, what is expected of us is to conduct fresh elections, once the tenure of the current executives approaches its end. A Caretaker Committee cannot remedy this situation, and cannot validly act in place of elected officers.

8.​Furthermore, I think if we deviate from the constitutional provisions, we might be endangering the fortunes of our party. If the tenure of our party executives can be legally faulted, then it means that any nominations and primary elections that they may conduct, can also be faulted.

9.​This is not to talk of divisions that would arise, and is already arising within the party, when some of our members feel that they are being denied the right to aspire to executive positions, or that internal democracy is not at play within the party.

10.​I am therefore of the firm view that it is better to follow strictly the dictates of our party and national constitutions, rather than put APC and its activities at grave risk.

11.​Fortunately, we have already approved a timetable for the holding of congresses and elections. I think these should be allowed to go forward and all efforts should now be geared towards making them a great success.

12.​Once again, I welcome you all to this meeting with the hope that we will promote, always, the highest interest of the party and of our people.

Thank you.

Osun offers free train for Easter holidaymakers

AS Christians celebrate this year’s Easter, Osun State government on Monday announced free train service to ease transportation for holidaymakers.
Describing it as the 34th edition of free train service from Lagos to Osogbo, the state capital, the government maintained that the development was part of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration welfare programmes aimed at assisting the masses.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Osun State Commissioner for Industries, Commerce and Cooperatives, Hon. Ismail Adekunle Jayeoba Alagbada

The commissioner explained that the government was happy to have come this far in the provision of the service that makes life more comfortable for the citizens of Osun and other states.

According to the statement, “we are happy as we again this year 2018, organise to give our people free train service for the 2018 Easter celebration. This is the 34th edition and it is gratifying to note that several millions of people have benefitted from this gesture.”

It reads, “the train would move from the usual Iddo Train Terminus in Lagos at 10.00am on Friday, March 29, 2018, and arrive Osogbo, the Osun state capital at 6.00pm same day. The train’s return journey would take off from the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park Train Station, Osogbo at 10.00am on Monday, April 2, 2018, and arrive Lagos Iddo Terminus at 6.00pm.

While urging Easter holidaymakers to make maximum use of the opportunity, Alagbada said passengers along the Lagos-Ogun-Oyo to Osun routes would have opportunities to join the train at designated train stations.

Flood Control And Aregbesola’s Proactive Steps in Osun.

Over the years, flood in Nigeria has pushed rivers over their banks and submerged hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland. In just over five years, floods had forced 1.3 million people from their homes and claimed 431 lives, according to Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency.

The river Niger and Benue used to be thin rivers flowing through braided channels, with isolated water bodies dotting the floodplains. Years later, both rivers had burst their banks, engulfing the small lakes and ponds, the Niger River had ballooned into a sprawling temporary lake. The reasons for that included carelessness and negligence by government.

Flash floods are common in Nigeria in the rainy season (May-September), some parts of Nigeria have witnessed the fair share in the hazards caused by flood over the years.

The Nigerian Red Cross reported that about 120,000 people had been left homeless.

Thousands of displaced residents had to flee temporary shelters as the floods also overwhelmed fire brigade efforts of governments in affected states.

Besides destroying buildings and lives, floods have the devastating ability to ravage crops and destroy transportation routes of any community that are unlucky to have the unwanted visit of flood.

Residents of Osogbo, especially people around Rasco area of Oke-fia cannot easily forget the devastating 2015 flood.

The flood which was caused by over 12 hours heavy rainfall, wrecked havoc on the state capital.

Buildings were submerged; precious lives were lost, while properties worth millions of naira were also washed away by the devastating flood of that particular year. The Rasco area of Oke-fia is an area in Osogbo which has always been prone to flooding over the years, due to construction of houses on erosion path, on streams, blockage of drainages and total disregard to the environmental laws.

This is the case in some parts of Osogbo.

The rasco bridge which was built many years ago has over the time become too small and not large enough to contain the volume of water following during the raining season. The annual flood occurrence in the area has resulted to loss of properties; it is a commercial area where complex, shops and containers are located.

However, relief came to the people of the area when the present administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who has demonstrated his commitment to prevention of flood and erosion control in his first term by embarking on dredging of streams and rivers across the state, made move to address the Rasco flood.

The Rasco flood control project started with separation of buildings and shops that were built on waterways and those that were very close to the river. The separation cost the government millions of naira.

During the exercise, it was discovered that the cause of flood in the area was because the original path for the water had become too narrow to contain the water whose volume has risen over the years. There was need to expand the waterways, the rasco river was subsequently dredged to clear the debris preventing the free flow of water. A reinforced retainer and concrete chanelisation of about 12meters wide and 2.5meters high was made to have a smooth control and flow of the river.

Significantly, a much bigger bridge which corresponds with the wider range of the water path to control the huge volume of water, a triple cell bus Culvert with each of the cell constructed to a specification of 2.5 meters wide and 3 meters high was put in place to guide against a situation where the flood overflows to the road.

The bridge which has been under construction for about four months has now been completed and opened for use.

While the bridge was majorly reconstructed to be able to accommodate the now high volume of water that pass under it, the state government also thought it wise to construct the bridge to meet world standard as the road over the bridge has now been reconstructed with pave stones to add beauty to the area.

Residents of Rasco area around Oke-fia in Osogbo are full of praises to Aregbesola for coming to their rescue as they can now sleep with their two eyes closed without the fear of their properties being swept away by flood.

When Aregbesola’s administration came into existence in 2010, one of its first areas of intervention after the recruitment of 20,000 youths through the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (O’YES) was flood and erosion control.

Osun had witnessed terrible devastating flood before Aregbesola’s emergence.

The havoc wrecked on the citizens of Osun in 2009 and 2010 by floods is such that cannot be forgotten in a hurry because it left a lot of homes and families in pains and sorrows which many of them are yet to recover from.

There has been persistent flooding in the state during the rainy seasons, with instances of loss of life and houses being submerged.

But Aregbesola’s administration took the bull by the horn and the state summoned the flood phenomenon.

The Aregbesola administration immediately took it as point of duty to do everything possible to protect the people from flooding as millions of naira was released between 2011 and 2012 for the dredging of streams and notorious rivers which had over the years caused flooding in the state.

For the past seven years, the Aregbesola administration has not looked back in the determination to avoid flooding in Osun as rivers and streams such as the Okookoo and Ogbagba streams in Osogbo has never been left untouched on a yearly basis.

Streams and rivers in other towns such as Ikire, Ikirun, Iwo, Ile-Ife, Ode-Omu, Ilesa and other towns in the state are also not left out in the scheme of things.

There is virtually no stream or river in the state which the dredging machine of Aregbesola has not touched in the bid to ensure that the state does not have to start spending billions of naira into the provision of make shift shelters, buying of relief materials and the ugly situation of having to coping with a food crisis.

For a state that is prone to flooding because of the many rivers and streams that it has, it will not be out of place for the state government to always put the issue of dredging the water ways on the front burner, just as the Aregbesola administration is doing and it is gratifying to know that the efforts of the state government is paying off.

Running into about 75 kilometers, the water ways which the Aregbesola dredging machines work on annually include; Esimirin, Agbara, Opa, Gbalefefe, Ogboku, Osun streams in Ile-Ife and Modakeke-Ife axis.

We also have the Opopo, Ogbun, Amino, Akeri in Ila-Orangun. In Ilesa axis there is the Omiru, Olutokun and the Adeti streams.

The Mogimogi and Aiba rivers in Apomu and Iwo respectively are also not left out.

A number of stream and rivers of not less than 30 kilometers in towns like Ipetu-Ijesa, Ejigbo, Yakooyo, Ipetumodu, Asipa, Ikirun, Iragbiji, Ede and Igbajo are also being dredged on an annual basis to avoid flooding.

At the beginning of every year, meteorologists have always done their job of predicting and at the same time warning the people and government of the amount of rainfall that will be witnessed in any particular area.

But it is so unfortunate that most state governors in the country always resort to the fire brigade approach of doing things.

The floods would have already wrecked its harvock and ravaged homes and farmlands before the government begin to act.

Many state governments in the country believe in spending huge amount of money on relief materials instead of spending lesser amount of money preventing flood.

The United Nations Integrated Regional Information Networks reported that farmers lose a lot during floods, and it is common knowledge that inadequacy of food is a crisis on its own.

Nigeria as country is going through the most difficult time in history as a result of fall in the prices of crude oil in the global market.

The country and all state governors are trying to look inwards for a way out, the only viable way out is to diversify into agriculture.

Going by that, Aregbesola’s administration needs to be commended given a huge path on the back for spending billions of naira into dredging of water ways to avoiding flooding whose devastating effect among others is the sacking of farmers from their farmlands and destroying valuable crops in its wake.

When flooding occurs, farmlands are washed away, fish ponds are swept off and people count their losses in millions of naira.

The effect of this is shortage of food which leads to hunger and insecurity.

A trader in one of the shops close to the “Rasco bridge” in Osogbo, Mr Orim Nwachukwu while recounting his experiences about the past flooding incidents of the area said it used to be difficult and horrible for the people in the area during the rainy seasons as they always had to leave their houses to other places for fear of being swept away by flood.

He said, “Where do I start from? It used to be a very terrible experience. Once the rain starts around May/June and it begins to come thick and fast, we don’t have a choice than to pack out of our shops or else our properties will be swept off by flood”.

It is now the responsibilities of citizens to ensure that water ways are kept clean and free by not dumping refuse on streams and rivers.

By doing this, they would have gone a long way in complementing government’s efforts in ensuring that the state of the virtuous is flood free.

Osun 2018: Why Aregbesola should hand over to me —Ezekiel Oyemomi, APC governorship aspirant

March 21, 2018
You are a seasoned civil servant, why the interest in politics, after a very long spell in service?



I am happy that you described me as a civil servant. After my retirement from the public service in 2015, I registered as a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to continue serving the people. But before then, even within the space of time that I was in service, there were a lot of things that I was able to do for my community.

Politics, for me, is a continuation of service to the people. So, I don’t think I am out of line to want to continue serving through politics even when I was a civil servant, all we were doing was delivering the benefits or what you called dividends of democracy to the people. As a civil servant, I served nine administrations, including military and civilian governments. I will say that it is a big different thing serving under a civilian rule as compared to the military government.

Aside from that, I discovered that all my life, I always feel bad when I don’t see things happening the way they should, especially when you see people in need and in lack and we are still living amongst plenty. I have tried one way or the other to help the downtrodden and people who should not be in lack but are in lack. I believe that after my service at the federal level where our first level of interaction would be the state because we don’t go directly to the local government except when we are doing the monitoring of our projects, like Rural Access and Mobility Programme (RAMP) that happens essentially at the federal level, I believe that my interest in politics is a continuation of my service to the people.





You see politics as service to the people, but there is this scepticism among Nigerians that politicians are just there for their selfish ends. How do you hope to address these conflicting realities?

I like that, but realism points it to me that people should be in politics to serve the people who elected them and I will still want to live within that realm of reality. It is true that a lot of people go there and instead of serving the people, they serve themselves. Let me bring in the motto of my school, Wesley College. Jesus Christ was relating with his disciples and they asked him, ‘who is the master?’ He replied, ‘it is he who serves’. So, our motto is ‘Bi eni tin se iranse’ (‘As one who serves’). If you say you are the boss, you are not the boss until you serve because you are brought in to serve the interest of the people.

With what Governor Raufu Aregbesola has done, I can see that I have a lot of space to really satisfy the yearnings of the people and I believe that going in for the position would really help me because, at the Federal Government level, we see what has been happening; we relate with the politicians all along. Don’t forget that as a permanent secretary, I was reporting directly to some of them. Most of the visions they say they have, we bring them to reality by writing for them and we see them through in the execution of programmes, monitoring, evaluating and reviewing them. So, practically you can really say the person who is the chief executive is the civil servant because if we don’t do things correctly there is no way there can be correct delivery. If we don’t monitor, there is no way you can make these objectives to be realized. So, I will still say service, through politics, is a continuum for me.







What informed your choice of APC as the platform to realise your governorship ambition?

Yes, we used to visit one of our revered elder statesmen and during one of times we went to him, he said, ‘look, what are you going to do in retirement’ and one of my uncles whom I went with said it is politics, whereas, I have not discussed anything with him. And the elder statesmen said why not, but he added, ‘I know that you are a gentleman. For you to be a politician you must have ‘skonskon’ and you need to have money. Since it is APC that is ruling in my state, the way to apply yourself to your state is to relate with those people who are there [the people in power]. Go and register with the government of the day’. That was how I became a member of APC. Since then, we hav been relating with the people, at the local level especially.



In the state today, the issue is where the next governor is coming from and coincidentally all eyes seemed to be on your own zone, Osun West. How are you sure that you will emerge the acceptable governorship candidate from there?



Let me say this: You have the Gbagi Market in Ibadan where the line of shops sells the same type of items. Shop A is not going to be afraid of Shop B or Shop C; all you need to do is to make sure that you get your items from sources that are reasonable in prices. You make sure you are selling qualitative materials. You make sure that your shop attendants are very welcoming, warm and attract customers. Those are the things to do because you know you have competitors. All I will do will just be like that.

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Secondly, I know within me that I have had a lot of experiences which I want to use to prosecute whatever I am going to bring in. another thing is that it is not going to be a desperate thing. If, at the end of the day, with all I have got in me that I want to sell to them, the party says, why not? I told you, I want to serve. I will still continue to serve in whatever capacity I find myself.

2019: I know I’m coming back as gov ―Okowa
The question was borne out of an insinuation that the incumbent governor has an interest in another person from outside the state as his successor. In the light of this, do you see yourself as favourite of the governor?

Yes. The reason is this: I am aware of the likelihood of that grapevine talk, but the truth is that by the time you put all the aspirants there, the first thing is for you to look at all of them to determine who can really deliver and who can uphold and build on the governor’s legacies and make the people better. With all sense of humility, I don’t think a reasonable person will want to drop a person like me and go for go for someone else. That is talking about merit.



There are other possible considerations which we may not know, but which may be known to Mr Governor and some other people. if those things come into play, well, I may not be able to help it and the people may not be able to help it. But I just believe that they will want to do the most reasonable thing to bring in someone who can build up upon what is on ground and they will be proud that yes, they handed over to someone who is going to make things better.



While names are being bandied around as the possible successor, what do you think will give you an edge over the other aspirants, even from the other political parties?

I am a technocrat. Look at the examples of what is happening in Lagos and Gombe states. Look at that gentleman in Anambra State. Today, give it to the technocrats and you will not regret it. Secondly, look at the problems that we have in the state. Being a teacher myself, I will have teachers on my side. Being a technocrat, the current civil servants in the state will see a friend in me. I happen to be a pensioner: the pensioners who have been complaining here and there will say, ‘look, this is one of us. He should be able to do it and make things better for us’. I have worked in places where those experiences will matter in governance.



How do you hope to tackle the huge debt profile of the state, if you become the governor?

I am happy that I am an accountant. You see, the debts were taken to prosecute capital projects that will be productive now and in the future and that means that they had been taken correctly. Whichever of the debts was not taken with the correct duration, like some loans that should have a term of, say, 20 years, but which they took for a term of say, 10 years, we will review such a loan. Some that are near completion in payment and which we know have really given us benefits, we will quickly pay them off. Some that we feel that some of the conditions are not beneficial to us, we will also review them.

Don’t forget that it is not one individual that has taken these loans. Those people that have given us the loans will also be ready to review them all. So, it is not going to be so much of a burden to us in any way. What I am happy is that the loans have been taken and used in the execution of projects that can be seen and can still be used for the benefit of the people.



Who is your godfather?

I say this: I have only one Godfather who is God, the father. Surely, as time goes on, we will relate with people who will hear us and who will be so impressed and take us on. Then, they will be the earthly godfathers because they believe in us.

#PROMISEKEPT

HON. BEILE PROVIDES BRAND NEW 500KVA TRANSFORMER TO THE PEOPLE AWERE COMMUNITY, OWODE EDE.

Less than 3 days after the Executive Secretary of Ede North Area Council promised the people of Awere Community, Owode Ede the executive Secretary has fulfilled his promise by giving the people of Awere Community, Owode Ede a 500KVA transformer today.

It's a dream that comes true for the People of Awere community after many years of darkness. Emergence of Hon. Mukaila Uthman as the Executive Secretary of Ede North Area Council brings back the hope of the masses on dividend of democracy to Owode Ede Community.

Appreciating the Executive Seretary, Mrs. Fatimah Akingbolu of Awere Community acknowledged Hon. Beile for bringing back light to them after two years of darkness. She said they've been battling with the issue of no light which resulted to having light once a in week for years back. In her remarks, she pray that God will continue to bless the chairman and guide and guard the governor of the state for giving them Beile as the chairman of the Ede North Area Council.

Also filled with joy while appreciating the good work of the Executive Secretary, Mr. Sunday Odebunmi who is an upholstery said he has been in the community for the past three years and has not for a day enjoy electricity in the community. Mr. Odebunmi lamented that a lot of people has left the community because of instability of light in the area and even when there is light, they can not use it to do anything just because of the low current they always witness in the community, he added.

One of the community executive has this to say, the chairman has really surprised us for giving us this transformer. A lot of people has promised us times without number but always failed in so many attempts. All we have to say is to thank the people's governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for giving our chairman the required support to do this great job.

While addressing the crowed, the Executive Secretary himself, Hon. Uthman Beile said we were able to achieve this historical achievement only because we have the required support from the man of the people and the architect of new Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola. He also buttress on the point that the task given to him by the governor is to bring the dividends of democracy to the people of Owode and its environs that belongs to Ede North Area Council.

With Aregbesola in power and Beile for us in Ede North Area Council, our well being is sacrosanct.

O’Ambulance Achieves 13,000 Rescue Cases Feat In 5 Years

The Osun Ambulance Service has handled more than 13, 000 cases of accident rescue for victims since inception in 2013.

This means the service has promptly responded to distress calls with standard first aid for patients before taking them to the nearest hospital in all parts of the state.

The figure is a big break, one that is unprecedented and unequalled in the history of the state as no government provided ambulance for the citizenry talk of having a service that would rescue such a high figure within 5 years of existence.

The Ambulance service launched by Governor Rauf Aregbesola in 2013 has its operations coordinated across Osun with 5 stationed ambulances in strategic locations; 50 in local governments across the state.

In Osogbo the state capital, the ambulance service has a station along Iwo/Ibadan road where issues affecting the rapid response vehicles are administered.

Unlike the past where accident victims are helped by good Samaritans and men of the FRSC if its near to their station, the 24-hours service has since engaged 404 paramedics who have been trained and equipped with designated phone calls to respond to distress calls from members of the public.

A major feat achieved for the past half a decade is that for every call received, officials of the Ambulance Service move into the scene within 10 minutes.

Good Road make a crucial contribution to the economic growth and development of a Community especially Rural Community, as well as providing important social benefits. A reliable and well maintained road system offers access to businesses, health, employment and education, all of which stimulate the economy and social development in an area.

That's why Ede North people thanks Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Watch this short video
#PromiseKept

Cocoa Production Industry situated in Ede was established in Ede in the year 1980's and after some years of operation, it stopped working due to one reason or the other. Meanwhile, a lot of administration had come and gone trying to revamp the company but failed in so many attempts.

The inception of this administration brought about drastic development to this world class cocoa production Industry. With the economic diversification ideology of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, this administration was able to revamp the rotten industry and get it back up and running.

Within the availability of meagre fund, Ogbeni was able to revive Cocoa Production Industry in Ede to an establishment producing 120 turns of cocoa cake, cocoa butter and cocoa powder per day which amounted to six hundred turns of each per week respectively.

Current administration accomplish this great achievement because of the effort of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola which has resulted to giving job to thousands of people and this has reduce the rate of unemployment drastically.

The Internal Revenue Generation of the state has also been boosted with the payment coming in from these establishments. Investors were able to come and establish in the state due to adequate security provided for them by this administration led by Aregbesola and conducive environment is also a motivating factor for the investors to put up these types of investment in the state.

Without an atom of doubt, Aregbesola has proved to be a man of economic diversification with required economic generation ideology.

PHOTO NEWS: Youths Honours Vice President of Institute of Information Management Ambassador Soyebi Abiodun With “World Epitome of Humanity” Award
Category : NIGERIAN NEWS

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Vice President of the Institute of Information Management Africa, Ambassador Soyebi Oluwakemi Abiodun (FIIM) yesterday honored with an award of “World Epitome of Humanity” at the International Youth Alliance for Empowerment, 2018, held at Adeyemi College of Education Ondo, Ondo State…

While receiving the award, Amb. Soyebi congratulates the organizers for the honor bestowed on her. She dedicates the award to the widows, students and women generation also promise to continue her service to humanity.

We Borrowed Money to Rescue Osun From Infrastructure Deficit, Poverty – Aregbesola

The Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Tuesday said that he resorted to borrowing developmental projects due to the terrible infrastructure deficit and level of poverty he met when he assumed office in 2010.

According to Aregbesola, borrowing to finance projects in the state was a child of necessity for the development of the state, recalling that there was huge dearth of infrastructure in the state before his emergence as the governor.

Aregbesola stated this while addressing the people during the commissioning of Primary Healthcare Centre through the Sustainable Development Goal situated in Ijebu-IJesa, Oriade Local Government Area of the state.

The governor noted that his government would not have borrowed had the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) whose government ruled the state for seven and half years, done the needful by providing required infrastructure development which his government later championed.

He lamented what he described as poor management of the state’s resources by the PDP government, stating that the state would not have become noticeable among its peers had his administration failed ‎to do the needful to stimulate her economy.

‎Aregbesola maintained that his administration has been very prudent in the management of the state resources, adding that the financial prudence assisted him to successfully scale through the toughest economic period that tormented the whole nation.

The governor said: “Our administration did not go for borrowing for any other thing than to rescue the state and her people from poverty they were plunged to when we assumed office.

“On assumption of office in 2010, coupled with the status of the state’s treasury, propelled us to go for borrowing to bring to our people the required infrastructural facilities which they had suffered from in the previous administration.

“Today, Osun would not have become a cynosure of all eyes as it, is if we did not take the bold steps we took to stimulate her economy through financial re-engineering.

“Our state can boast of so many developmental projects cross sectors which were not in place prior to our emergence.”

Speaking on the successes his administration has recorded through the partnership with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Aregbesola said the scheme had helped to complement the good governance which his administration has exhibited in the state.

Aregbesola said his administration has never failed in contributing its counterpart fund of 50% in each of the projects executed through the partnership.

‎Earlier, the Commissioner for health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu stated that the essence of the commissioning is part of government efforts at achieving essentially the 3rd goal of sustainable development which is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages. ‎

Isamotu stressed that most other goals of the Sustainable Development have their relationship with health directly or indirectly.

Osun Distributes N149m Science Equipment To Schools ：- Mr Kola Omotunde-Young

R-Connect News

In a bid to further boost then teaching and learning of science subjects in Osun public schools, the state government has distributed science equipment worth about N149 million to high schools across the state.

Equipment distributed include skeletons, stethoscopes, Jam Jars, conical feeders, spades, mattocks, sickles, indicator bottles, meter rules, filter papers, De-ionizers, glass rods and drawing boards and many others.

Delivering the equipment, the Commissioner for Education, Mr Kola Omotunde-Young advised students to make judicious use of the equipment so as to achieve the purpose for which they were bought.

To the teachers and students, the Commissioner admonished them to handle the various materials with care to allow other students to enjoy them in future.

Omotunde-Young, who urged parents and guardians to support the government by paying their taxes and education development levies, said the administration of Rauf Aregbesola is bent on improving on the standard of education in the state.

In their separate remarks, the Osun State ANCOPPS chairman who is also the Principal of Adventist Government High School, Ede, Mr Dahunsi Osundina and the principal ,Osogbo Government High School, Mrs Folorunsho Ladapo, praised the Aregbesola government on its strides in the sector and promised to at all times support the government to move the sector forward.

PRESS RELEASE

Omisore should Apologise to Osun Govt, People For Lying on Road Funding

-He is not competent to Rule Osun People

The former Deputy Governor of the State of Osun, Senator Iyiola Omisore should apologise to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, the state government of Osun and the good people of the state for lying on the funding of the recently commissioned Workers Drive in Osogbo.

The Government wishes to remind the people that the embattled Omisore and his cohorts, including some sponsored professionals obviously serving pecuniary interest had last week, lied that UNESCO committed 70 per cent to the funding of the Workers Drive, wrongly claiming that the crisis riddled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had role in the reconstruction of the road.

However, the UNESCO has denied committing any fund to the reconstruction of the former Olaiya-Odi-Olowo-Ita-Olokan Road, which connects the road that leads to Osun Groove in Osogbo, the state capital.

UNESCO’s Communication Consultant (Regional Office) Mr Olusola Macaulay has said UNESCO is not currently funding any project in the state, and that the state government at no time approached the organization to fund the Workers Drive.

“There was no time the Osun State government or its agencies approached UNESCO to support the project or contribute anything to it. We didn’t pay 70 per cent or any other fraction to the project, as being peddled”, Macaulay said.

The UNESCO statement has confirmed the position of the government on the reconstruction of the road, and reinstated our claim that it was done 100 per cent from the Omoluabi Infrastructure Conservation Fund.

Omisore should eat the humble pie and toe the responsible line with the UNESCO puncturing his blatant lies. He should be bold enough to apologise to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, the state government and the people of the state. Taking this step will help him in redeeming his battered and hogwash image in this matter.

The former deputy governor has demonstrated, by engaging in rumour peddling and spreading falsehood, gross incompetence and lack of understanding to run government. He has exposed his intellectual laziness to think or conduct simple research on how a renowned organization like UNESCO run its affair before embarking on his white lies.

It is crystal clear that Omisore has nothing to offer the people of the state of Osun and it is bad enough that he is a leading governorship aspirant of the opposition PDP which has shown that they lacked requisite person to hold the exalted position of the governor of Osun. This apparent failure is indicative of the fact that Omisore is a failed aspirant whose rabid desire to rule pushes to tell lies with a view to gain relevance, even when that hurts and dis-orients the people.

The government advises Omisore to quickly look around for institution where he could take a course on how government and organisations run as his conduct so far has shown that he might have been impeached as a deputy governor because of his incompetence and misconduct.

Let Omisore and his co-travelers in the journey of tomfoolery know that getting mischievous is not a good trait that endears an aspirant to the electorate, while lying so blatantly makes one to be a reject by God.

The former deputy governor should desist from deliberate efforts at misinforming the people of the state and face his disgraceful and ignoble charges with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

We urged the good people of the state to once again disregard the lies and leave Omisore, and his co-mischief makers to their irresponsibility.

Signed

Adelani Baderinwa

Commissioner for Information and Strategy

State of Osun

Dr Ezekiel Oyebola Oyemomi was born on 9th May, 1959 in Ibadan to late Elder James Adigun Oyemomi from Olugbon Compound, Orile-Owu in Ayedaade South Local Council Development Area, carved from the bigger Ayedaade Local Government and Late Mrs. Christiana Mopelola Atole Oyemomi nee Adekanmbi who hailed from Akinyele Local Government Area in Ibadan North, Oyo state.

He started his primary school education at the St. Peter’s primary school, Aremo, Ibadan in 1967 where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1972. He then proceeded to the CAC Secondary Modern School, Anlugbua, Bashorun, Ibadan between 1973 and 1975 after which he continued at the Wesley College, Elekuro, Ibadan and obtained his Teacher’s Grade II Certificate in July 1978. With an enviable performance and result at Wesley College in Ibadan, he moved on to study Business Administration and Management at the prestigious Yaba College of Technology popularly known as YABATECH where he obtained his OND and HND in Business Administration and Management in June 1981 and June 1983 respectively. Amidst work and other commitments, he did not stop there but worked at many professional qualifications and memberships, to mention a few Fellow (FCA) Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Fellow (FCIT) Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Doctoral Member (DPFM) Institute of Professional Financial Managers (London) Fellow (FIPAN) Institute of Public Administration of Nigeria (IPAN) etc. as well as a Master In Business Administration (MBA) from the then Ogun State University Ago Iwoye now Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye in year 2000. He also proceeded to obtain a PHD in Management at St. Clements University, South Australia betweewhere he wrote his dissertation on Poverty Eradication efforts in Nigeria.

Dr. Ezekiel Oyemomi started his career as a teacher after training to be a Grade II teacher at Wesley College and after further education at YABATECH, he was employed as a Higher Statistical Officer at the Federal Ministry of National Planning to serve under the then Federal Office of Statistics from where he was eventually posted to the Federal Ministry of Education. He went through the system and rose to become a Permanent Secretary in October 2008 and served in that capacity at the Ministry of Police Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Ministry of Lands and Housing and Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development where he retired on the 10th of November 2015. It is worth mentioning that some are good at absorbing knowledge and theories just as a sponge absorbs water but cannot apply it to practical issues in the society. This is not the case with Dr Ezekiel Oyemomi. His ability to put knowledge, observations and theories into practical use in the offices he has found himself at every point in time and has also been testified to by the various calibre of people that have derived pleasure in working with him at one time or the other.

His dedication to duty, high productivity, human development, innovation, doggedness and determination at work earned him a National Honour in 2012, National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM), which is given to people who are diligent and are found to have contributed to their chosen line of call. Dr. Oyemomi was also overwhelmingly voted as the best public servant in an opinion poll by a Research Human Resources Institute in 2012. Other awards credited to him include but not limited to 2 times RMRDC Commendation of Selfless Efforts and Commitment to Duty in 1994, Africa Meritorious Service Award for Good Conduct, Africa International Achiever’s Merit Award for Excellence – both in 2003, African Achievers International Gold Award of Leadership and Good Governance in recognition of exemplary Leadership and Style on Public Service in 2007, Dr Kwame Nkrumah Outstanding Merit Award in recognition of contribution and achievements in field of endeavour in 2010, Sardauna Leadership Award of Excellence and Patriotism in Recognition of immense contribution to Nation building also in 2010, 2010 Kwame Nkrumah Leadership Award Induction into the All-Africa Students Union (AASU) Hall of Fame for the Commitment towards the development of the Nigerian Military and the Nigerian Civil Service in 2011, and many more awards.

After working and excelling in many capacities in the public service sector on various governance issues and programmes under nine (9) Adminiatrations , he is so excited about the opportunities to continue to serve in his home state of Osun now, The over 31 years experience to invest in the Osun people, the workforce, youth, women and other stakeholders make it another stretch of exciting and fulfilling experience to look forward to. The foundation laid by the present administration, with our innovative mandate thrusts shall galvanise him and his focused team to turn the various opportunities to actualising the great potentials of the state of Osun as the industrial giant it is supposed to be. . He has the dexterity and insight to assemble people of like minds to work at identifying and solving problems. Things are broken and need to be fixed. Notwithatanding the fact that he and his team have identified some areas of concentration, all sectors within the state will be touched and worked upon; none will be neglected.
His personal conviction that he can make a difference is the pivot upon which the zeal to contest for the position of governor of the state is.

The focus areas of his Administration are Agriculture, Youth Re-orientation, Engagement and Empowerment, Functional Education, Women Empowerment and Re-positioning, Rural Infrastructure Development and Rehabilitation, Staff Development and Re-orientation, Rehabilitation and Re-positioning of the Health Sector and Exploitation and Development of the Tourism and Solid Minerals Industry in the State and Industrialization of the state.

Dr Oyemomi is an astute visionary leader, a patriot, an advocate of good governance, a policy expert and a tested and trusted public administrator of high integrity, focus, humility and diligence. He is a widely travelled man, an avid sportsman, he plays keyboard, and saxophone and he coordinates voluntary organisation. activities as a hobby. His record of social, civic and extra curriculum activities is both commendable and enduring. He is definitely a politician to watch out for in Nigeria as a whole and Osun as a State.

No Governor Has Surpassed Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola In The Area of Youth Empowerment In The current political Dispensation in Nigeria - Dr Ajibola Bashir

R-Connect

The Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the State of Osun, Dr. Ajibola Bashir has lauded Governor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola initiatives on different youth empowerment and employment programmes Aregbesola's administration has provided for the teeming youth of the State of Osun.

Barrister Ajibola dropped this hint while addressing mammoths of APC faithfuls and members of the party today at the All Progressives Youth Forum Town Hall Meeting held at Olonkoro Hall, Osogbo.

The Attorney General of the State enumerated some of the programmes among which were the 40, 000 OYES cadets, mass employment through Osun State Universal Basic Education, O'Meal which chunk of women benefitted, O'BORPS, among many other programmes.

He enjoined the youth to continue to have faith in the leadership of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and assured them of more dividends from programmes of APC government.

"Aregbesola's Persecutors Are Pathological Liars" LCDA Boss
R-Connect

The Executive Chairman of Osogbo South Local Council Development Area of the State of Osun, Hon. Olaoye Hakeem has enjoined All Progressives Congress members and party faithfuls across Osogboland to be vigilant and stay away from implacable enemies of Governor Rauf Aregbesola who had benefitted in no small measures from Ogbeni Aregbesola's gesture yet spewing lies against the person of Mr Governor.

"Those people are pathological liars, they benefited from the large heart of Mr Governor but turn around to tell lies against the governor and cause disaffections among our party members"

Honourable Olaoye Hakeem made this known today while addressing party members at the expansive Osogbo City Hall situated at Olonkoro, the venue of Osogbo's segment of Osun All Progressives Youth Forum Town Hall meeting.

You will recall that some youths within the APC launched Osun APC Youth Town Hall Meeting with the sole mandate of reconciling party members across the State of Osun and also to address the place of APC youth within the party and government.

Winning 2018 Election for APC is The Beginning of Wisdom, Kameel Charges Party Members
R-Connect


The train of Osun All Progressives Congress Youth Forum landed in Irepodun State constituency of the State of Osun on Friday 2nd of March, 2018. The town hall meeting was well attended by several leaders of the party and government officials including mammoths of party faithfuls who came in their large numbers across the local governments of Irepodun-Orolu State Constituency.

The well attended programme has in attendance the ever resourceful party leader, Barrister Kolapo Alimi who is the Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs in the State and Hon. Kameel Tope Oyedele, the Honourable Representing Orolu-Irepodun State constituency in the State of Osun House of Assembly.

Among others are Hon. Jare Adebisi, youth leaders across all wards, their women counterparts, and many other respected party leaders who graced the event.

While addressing members of the party at the gathering, Barrister Kolapo Alimi appraised the leaders and members of the party in all the local governments for their steadfastness, hard work and commitment towards making APC a more formidable force. The commissioner further appreciated the members for their Innocent candour in handling party. In his message to the youths,
Barrister Kolapo Alimi enjoined Osun APC Youths to always seek for clarifications and explanations on any issue that seems complex or tedious for their understanding.

The Honourable Commissioner believes a quick and proactive moves from the youths at the earliest possible time will not only reduce tensions in the party but will also put an end to usual animosity between the party elders and the youths.

In the same view, the Honourable Representing Orolu-Irepodun in the State of Osun House of Assembly, Hon. Kameel Tope Oyedele also told party members and leaders of APC that the only way dividends of democracy could reach all the party faithfuls is to ensure that APC emerge victorious in the September, 2018 Governorship election in the State.

Honourable Kameel made this known today while speaking at the Orolu-Irepodun All Progressives Congress Youth Town Hall meeting held at Ilobu area of the State of Osun.

You will recall that this statement further corroborated that of one of the governorship candidates, Ismail Layonu, SAN, who emphasized the need for continuity so as to ensure the sustainability of Aregbesola's developmental projects in the State at the edition of Edeland APC Youth Town Meeting held yesterday at the expansive hall of Ede South Local Government Headquarters.

Summarily, the town hall meeting was not only a success but it has given party members across boards a new hope for better future ahead.

Those Asking Widow For Stipend Before Registration Are Not APC members- APC Women Leader
R-Connect

The leader of APC women in Egbedore South LCDA, Mrs Anike Samuel has debunked the rumour circulating around the council area that some registration officials were sent from APC to collect data from widow with specific fee as administrative charges.

Mrs Samuel while responding to one of the participants of APC Town Hall Meeting of Ede Federal Constituency in Ede town explained the party didn't assign officials to collect data of widows for a fee.

She sympathized with those who were caught by the web of manipulators and advised them to be vigilant to avoid falling victims in the future.

She reveals party's effort to ensure APC women are not deny their benefits henceforth.

She said, "the leadership of All Progressives Congress has chosen women leader in the state and those in all local government areas as custodians to ferry benefits and opportunities from the party to the women without cheating or sentiment henceforth.

She assures victims of the O. Widow impostors of 'justice' as State government is hunting to make perpetrators of the said fraud accountable.

Mrs Samuel also advised members to always report any 'trace of abnormality or complain' within the party in their localities to the leaders of the party on time.

Osun Gubernatorial Aspirant Speaks, Advocates for Elders to Embrace the Youths

One of the gubernatorial aspirants under the platform of All Progressive Congress, Dr. Layonu Ismail SAN who is an indigene of Edeland admonished the need for leaders of All Progressive Congress to embrace the youths in the party because youths are important in order for APC to sustain her continuity in Osun.

Dr. Layonu gave this hint while speaking at EDE segment of APC Youth Town Hall Meeting organised by All Progressives Youth Forum. The event which was held today at the main hall of Ede South Local Government Headquarters.

Dr. Layonu, SAN enjoined party members to cohesively work for the emergence of APC in the forthcoming Gubernatorial election in State of Osun.

According to Dr Layonu, "change may sound better but continuity is the best for sustainability of established development and growth." He concluded.

Osun Govt Allocates Farm Settlement To 500 Small Holding Farmers

The state Government of Osun has commenced allocation of farmland in the New Ago-Owu Farm Settlement to 500 small holdings farmers in the state.

Head, Corporate and Commercial Services, Osun Agricultural land Holding and Development Authority, Mr Wole Ajewole, in a press release on Tuesday, explained that the list of the successful beneficiaries of the farmland has been released.

Ajewole maintained that the provision of farmland to the farmers and agric entrepreneurs in the state is in fulfillment of government efforts at promoting food security and wealth creation.

He added that the project is in tandem with the determination of the government to use agriculture as catalyst to grow the economy of the state.

The release reads in part: “The Osun Agricultural Land Holding and Development Authority has released the list of the successful beneficiaries of farmland allocation of 500 small holdings located within the precinct of the IITA Research and Training Farm at New Ago-Owu Farm Settlement.”

According to Ajewole, the allocation of farmland would be done on first come first serve bases, urging the farmers that applied for the farmland to check their names at the agency’s office at government secretariat, Abere.

This is coming against the insinuation by members of the opposition party that the state government had mortgaged farm settlements in the state for loans.

"Posterity Will Be Kind To Aregbesola."- Osun Council Boss.
R-Connect News


The newly elected parliamentarian and Ilesa West Executive Chairman, Hon Giwa Nurudeen has purged his mind and added his voice that posterity will be kind to Ogbeni Rauf Aregbeaola considering his effort on betterment of the State and wellbeing of the people.

While addressing R-Connect correspondent in Ilesa shortly after the All Progressives Youth Forum Town Hall Meeting for the people of Ilesa/Atakumosa Federal Constituency, the Council Chief commends Gov. Rauf Aregbesola for his commitment to service and his love for the people of Osun and particularly the Ilesa people.

He pointed to the water project as a perfect example of his genuine love to residents and people of Ilesa town and its environs.

"Nobody believes it's possible for state government to do anything about the project, we were made to believe only federal government has the capacity. So we were abandoned until our messiah after ceaseless efforts and genuine commitment was able to squeeze water out of a hard rock."

"Governor Rauf Aregbesola has started the multi billion naira water project and by the grace of God he will finish it and deliver it."

"We will continue to support Mr Governor with our prayers because he is a leader that wants the best for his people and I can assure you that posterity will be kind to him." He concluded.