VOL. 10. NO.05 N50saturday, jaNuary 31, 2015

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Front Page Comment“Look at what we did in Osun State. In Osun, we had the best election conducted so far; the best election we have conducted so far as a commission since 2011.”

Quote

• Quote from Professor Attahiru Jega’s interview in tHE GuardIaN of Wed. Oct. 29 (2nd part of a series that started on the 28th).

•Jega

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•(L-R) Col. Francis Uwabujo; the Sector Commandant of the Federal Road Safety Corps in the State of Osun, Muhammed Husaini; State Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Osun Chapter, Tajudeen Balogun; State Director Department of State Service (DSS), Lorkyar andrew and Residential electoral Commission Chairman in the State of Osun, Dr adekunle, Ogunmola, during the Stakeholders’ meeting on 2015 general election organised by State Of Osun INeC in Osogbo last Wednesday. Photo: gBeNga aDeNIYI.

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Osun INEC Receives 3,638 Card Readers, 6,806 Ballot Boxes

Threat To life, Assault: Commission To Visit Crime Scene On Adeleke’s CaseElections: Physically-challenged People Want Preference From INEC Only Women Can Solve Nigeria’s Problems - Kowa FlagbearerMrs Aregbesola Offers Surgical Operation, Treatment To Over 200

Election 2015: Electorate Commend CandidatesAs the presidential election campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and the All Progressive Con-gress (APC) can

didates kicked off in Port-Harcourt and Lagos respectively, Nigerians have started to reactto the the level of expectations

from both candi-dates.Apart from that, reactions have also trailed the near disaster

Continue on pg5

2 OSUN DeFeNDeR saturday, january

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

•Chief Rotimi akeredolu answering questions from newsmen at the Osun governorship election petition tribunal in the election petition between State of Osun governor, Ogbeni Rauf aregbesola and PDP governorship candidate in the state, Senator Iyiola Omisore, at High Court, Osogbo, recently. Photo: gBeNga aDeNIYI.

Osun INEC Receives 3,638 Card Readers, 6,806 Ballot BoxesBy kazEEM MOHaMMEd

tHE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state of Osun has stated that it has received all the card reader machines and plastic

ballot boxes to be used for February 2015 general elections in the state.

The S ta te Res iden t Electoral Commissioner, Dr Adekunle Ogunmola, stated this at a stakeholders’ meeting held in Osogbo, ahead of the polls.

He said 3,638 card reader

machines and 6,806 plastic ballot boxes have been received for the conduct of the elections.

N o t i n g t h a t t h e commission was doing everything required to

ensure free, fair and credible elections, he said the focus was to achieve more than the success it recorded in the August 9, 2014 governoship election in the state.

W h i l e a d v o c a t i n g cooperation of politicians, youths and market women towards ensuring successful elections, Ogunmola said the commission had met with traditional rulers, religious leaders, market

men and women, people with disabilities and other s t akeho lde r s t owards ensuring the success of the polls.

He also urged politicians to stick to the rules and regulations guiding the elections, so that INEC could conduct election that everyone would be proud of.

T h e S t a t e P o l i c e C o m m i s s i o n e r , M r Abubakar Marafa; Director

of DSS, Mr Andrew Iorkyar and the State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mr Tajudeen Balogun, expressed their readiness for conduct of free, fair and credible poll.

They said all the security a g e n c i e s h a v e b e e n mandated to work together to ensure the success of the election.

The State Director of the National Orientation A g e n c y, D r M a r t i n s Lawrence, stressed the need for people to call their relatives from neighbouring

countries to come and collect their Permanent Voter Cards before the expiration of the period.

The APC House o f Representatives candidate for Odo-otin/Ifelodun/Boripe Federal Constituency, Mr Yinka Ajayi, described the forum as timely and charged the INEC to walk its talk to ensure free and fair elections.

The stakeholders’ meeting featured lecture presentation on election procedure and experimentation on the use of card reader machines.

Elections: Physically-challenged Peo-ple Want Preference From INEC

By IsMaEEL utHMaN

PHysICaLLy-challenged people in the state of Osun have appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to give them preference in the

forthcoming general elections. The less-privileged people

called on INEC and other relevant agencies in Nigeria to make sure that some of them, who are eligible voters, cast their votes with ease on election day.

Chairman of the state Chapter of Association of People with Disabilities, Mr Dele Onitiju, made the call on Wednesday at an election awareness p rogramme o rg a n i z e d b y a N o n -Governmental Organization, t h e H o p e f o r F a m i l y Development Initiative (HFDI) in collaboration with INEC.

Specif ical ly, Onit i ju appealed to INEC to make provision for the blind and lame persons to exercise thei r f ranchise dur ing the elections, saying that none of them should be disenfranchised during the election period.

The physically-challenged p e o p l e a t t e n d e d t h e programme held in Ile-Ife for the people of Ife Central, Ife South, Ife North and Ife South Local Government Council Areas of the state massively.

Onitiju lamented that many of the physically-

challenged people had been denied the right to vote during previous elections through frustration by politicians and victimization by the security agents at the polling centres.

He urged INEC officials and security agents to first attend to the physically-chal lenged people on election day in order for them not to suffer at polling centres.

Onitiju also appealed to security agents to treat disabled people with passion during elections.

“Previous experience has shown that our security personnel have no respect for our people. It is important that we are treated with care because our people are suffering from different disabilities,” he said.

Director of the HFDI, M r S t e p h e n A r e m u , commended the physically-challenged people for their concern on election matters, saying that they have proven to be good citizens of the country.

Aremu called on the disabled people not to be deterred by their challenges, saying there is need for them

to troop out and in their large number to vote for candidates of their choice during the forthcoming elections.

He also urged them to collect their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) before the deadline given by INEC, just as he warned them not to sell their voters’ cards.

He stated that the next general elections would determine the future on Niger ia , and therefore

enjoined INEC to ensure that the votes of the people count.

Aremu a lso advised the less-previleged not to allow representatives of any political party to guide them while exercising their franchise, adding that INEC has made necessary provisions for the disabled people during the elections.

Threat To life, Assault: Commission To Visit Crime Scene On Adeleke’s Casea case of assault and threat to life instituted against

senator Iyiola Omisore of the Peoples democratic Party (PdP) by senator Isiaka adeleke at the

Commission of Inquiry on disturbance of Public Peace in Osogbo is gradually making a headway.

The case, which came up on Tuesday, was filed by Adeleke, who accused Omisore of threatening to kill him and also slapped him at a meeting of chieftains of the PDP held at a popular hotel in Osogbo two days to the governorship primaries of the party.

At the hearing of the case, Justice Moshood Adeigbe, who led the commission, said the panel was set to inspect the venue of the alleged assault on the first executive

governor of the state.Counsel to the petitioner,

Mr Lekan Olayiwola, who was to continue with the prosecution with a witness accoun t , had to ld the commission that his last witness was absent at the hearing.

Olayiwola promised the court he would produce the witness on the next adjourned date.

Neither Omisore nor his counsel was present at the commission’s sitting.

Justice Adeigbe, who is the chairman of the panel, said the commission would like to visit the venue of the alleged crime for fact-finding mission.

Adeigbe said Adeleke, who is the petitioner, would have to take the panelists to the venue of the incident, to enable the panel write a comprehensive report on the matter to the state government.

The commission also demanded that Adeleke be present at the next adjournment date to close his case.

The commission therefore, adjourned till February 3, 2015.

By IsMaEEL utHMaN

Justice Falola Heads Osun Commission On Ipetumodu/Ashipa Communal Cri-

By kEHINdE ayaNtuNjI

GOVErNOr of the state of Osun, Ogbeni rauf aregbesola, on tuesday, inaugurated a six-man judicial Commission of Inquiry

headed by justice Olajide Falola to look into the communal clash between Ipetumodu and ashipa communities in Ife North Local Government Council area of the state.

Other members of the commission are Adelowo A d e w u m i , M u f u t a u Oluwadare and Arch. Elijah Ojo, Mr. Charles Chioma will represent the Osun Command of the Nigeria Police, while Mr.Taofeek Komolafe will serve as the panel’s secretary.

The governor, in a speech titled: “Never Again,” while inaugurating the panel, charged it to inquire into all the circumstances that occasioned the disturbance of public peace, which occurred on 13th January, 2015 and in subsequent days.

The communities of Ipetumodu and Ashipa had engaged in an orgy of violence and were on the path of mutually-assured destruction before the intervention of law-enforcement agencies, the state government and other

leaders.Aregbesola also urged

the commission to include as its terms of reference, the investigation and determinat ion of the identity of the perpetrators and sponsors o f the communal c lash and disturbance in the two communities.

The governor also asked the panel to recommend appropriate administrative, civil or criminal action to be taken against person(s) or group(s) found to be involved in the destruction of properties and attacks on persons.

He noted that human beings will lose their claim to being civilised, if at this age, they still prefer raw and sadistic actions to dialogue in the settlement of disputes among themselves.

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e governor, the commission of inquiry is expected to make appropr ia t e recommendations and suggestions to the state gove rnmen t t ow ar ds the prevention of future occurrence.

It will also recommend appropriate monetary sum as compensation for any damage or injuries that might have been suffered as a result of the communal clash or disturbance.

Aregbesola pointed out that disputes are bound to happen in every human community, noting that it is the logical fallout of human civilisation that institutions of government are created for people not to take laws into their hands.

News

3 News OSUN DeFeNDeR saturday, january

•Former Vice President of Nigeria, alhaji atiku abubakar (2nd left); all Progressives Congress (aPC) Presidential candidate in Nigeria, general Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) and his running mate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo during the aPC Presidential rally in Jalingo, Taraba State, last Wednesday.

2015 General Elections: MuRIC Warns Political Actors, Military, Security Agencies

Only Women Can Solve Nigeria’s Problems - Kowa FlagbearerBy sOLa jaCOBs

NIGErIaNs have been urged to vote a woman as the next president of the country, if the nation will truly witness change and

transformation in its polity.This call was made

by Professor Oluremi S o n a i y a , t h e o n l y woman candidate for the forthcoming presidential election.

P r o f e s s o r S o n a i y a of Kowa Party, while speaking with OsuN dEFENdEr through telephone conversation, said it was time for Nigeria to elect woman to lead the nation, as men had ruled the nation unsuccessfully for over five decades.

She postulated that it is only a woman that could successfully tackle the issue of corruption and other vices that have been plaguing the country.

The presidential hopeful explained that her call for a woman president in the nation was not based on sentiment, but rather the need of the nation at this crucial and critical moment.

She cont inued that

Nigeria should take cue f rom deve loped and developing nations of the world where women had taken to the helms of affair and the positive results that they had hitherto witnessed.

P r o f e s s o r S o n a i y a corroborated her statement with the fact that Nigeria as a country is blessed wi th h ighly cerebra l women, who had excelled in va r ious f i e lds o f endeavours, who could bring their experience to bear on the political terrain of the nation to effect the necessary change and transformation and as well stabillize the whole polity.

Using Liberia as a case study, Professor Sonaiya said after prolonged civil war in the country and tribal sentiment, the first female President in the black continent had been able to build the nation

back into virile and solid one and as well, handle various challenges facing the nation.

She said the current situation in Nigeria could be likened to situations in Argentina, Brazil, Kosovo, Lithuania, Central African Republic, Chile, Denmark and Germany, as women at the helms of affairs of these countries have been

able to effect the necessary growth and transformation.

Answering questions on whether the multi-ethnicity nature and the religious beliefs of the people in the country would not be one of the factors that would rob her chances of becoming the next President of the country, she retorted that it could not as Nigeria is of age, as no one could use

religious sentiment to win election in the country.

She therefore, called on Nigerians to vote for her massively in the forthcoming election, as only a woman can successfully tackle the issue of corruption in the nation and bring about necessary change.

Cleric Calls On Public To Support Visiona Non-Governmental Organization, God in all

Evangelical Ministry (GIaEM), has reiterated its commitment to providing social support for

the less-privileged in the society.

The founder of the m i n i s t r y, R e v e r e n d A d e b i s i O k u n a d e , gave the commitment in Osogbo, the State of Osun capital, on Tuesday while addressing a press conference to roll out the programme of activities for the official launching of the organization.

Noting that the NGO has been in existence since 1999, sequel to a

vision by God and with the help of his experience as an orphan, he said since its establishment, the organization has provided several services to various communities in the state.

According to him, the ministry was established purposely to assist the less-privileged in the provision of materials, education, propagation of

gospel and provision of social amenities, which include bore holes and electricity.

He said though, the ministry has not been officially launched since it was established for the general public to see the effect of its interventions, it has executed some projects in the State of Osun on its own, without any external assistance.

By aBOsEdE akINPELu

By FraNCIs EzEdIuNO

POLItICaL dramatis personae have been cautioned on the need to observe decorum, adopt civilized behaviour, respect the rule

of law and strictly adhere to the principles of democracy, ascribing it as the only way to avoid throwing Nigeria into chaos before, during and after the 2015 general elections.

This warning was issued by a civil rights society; the Muslim Rights C o n c e r n ( M U R I C ) , in a statement it made available to newsmen recently.

In it, MURIC revealed that in the last week of 2014, the Nigerian

political arena became t e n s e d a s b o t h t h e Nigerian Police and Army issued terse warnings to politicians to watch their utterances.

A l s o , P r e s i d e n t Goodluck Jonathan also flashed the yellow card, threatening to deal with

trouble makers in 2015.Subsequently, Alhaji

Lai Mohammed, a key opposition figure and spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) raised the alarm that security agents were making moves to arrest him.

I t r e m i n d e d t h e Nigerian Police that it belonged to the Nigerian people and not to any political party.

“We frown upon the ugly incidents in the past in which the police stood

akimbo, as hooligans attacked members of the opposition or acts of connivance, in which pol icemen protected members of the ruling party, as they committed acts of impunity.

“The only way the Nigerian Police can build confidence in the people is not only by remaining neutral but by being seen to be transparently impartial.”

The civil rights group warned the Nigerian Police and other security agencies not to toy with

the idea of arresting or detaining members of the opposition on flimsy excuses and trumped-up charges, citing the arrest of Alhaji Lai M o h a m m e d d u r i n g the Osun gubernatorial election as being in bad taste and an assault on free speech.

“The arrest implies the gagging of the opposition. That is the road to perdition, dictatorship and totalitarianism. It must never happen again. Nigerians are restless at the moment and it

will be recalled that it was the intimidation of the opposition members by law enforcement agencies which brought down the First and Second Republics.

“The Nigerian Army should also stay out of politics. This is the only way to retain its integrity. Politicking is unprofessional for any military institution and the Nigerian Army should not be portrayed as the militray wing of the ruling party.

“ I n a d d i t i o n , i n v o l v e m e n t o f t h e Niger ian Army wi l l be an unnecessary and debelitating distraction in the war against insurgents.

In the same ve in , members of the opposition were also cautioned to remember that Nigeria was what mattered and there was no other country beside her.

While emphasizing that efforts made at securing change of leadership and control must therefore be made with due regard for maintaining peaceful co-existence, law and order, it maintained that Nigerians cannot be fooled by those who built castles in the air and stressed that the opposition would be held accountable for promises made to Nigerians.

MURIC frowned at the President’s warning to deal with trouble makers in 2015, adding that to tie 2015 as a specific date to his warning, the President had turned on the red signal regarding the general elections.

I t desc r ibed i t a s unnecessary tens ion rousing statement and it has already started creating tension in the country.

“We advise President Jonathan to develop the stomach for opposing ideas and criticisms, as these constitute the mirror through which a true leader can see himself, assess and improve upon his own performance.

“Mr. President must bravely face the truth and start seeing his critics as his best friends amd stay away from sycophants and praise singers because such people are faulty barometres for feeling the pulse of society.”

Opposi t ion par t ies were charged not to be intimidated by the threat to deal with trouble makers, adding that they must not relent in their resolve to strengthen democracy in the country, promote free speech and to liberate the poor masses.

OSUN DeFeNDeR saturday, january 4 News

•(L-R) Deputy governor, State of Osun, Otunba (Mrs) grace Titi Laoye-Tomori; NSe President, engr. ademola Isaac Olorunfemi and other dignitaries on the hightable during the eRM inspectorates inauguration in Osogbo, recently.

PuBLIC NOtICECHrIst aLtar ruMBLEs assEMBLyThe above named church has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 2004. tHE BOard OF trustEEs arE 1. Philip Omotayo Ajibola (Apstl) 2. Mrs. Morenike Ajibola (Past) 3. Michael Abiodun Olaniran (Past) 4. Stephen TaiwoOgundipe (Past) 5. KayodeWemimo Ojesola (Eldr) 6. Faleye Olaposi Olayemi (Bro) 7. Adedipe Temitope Michael (Bro) aIMs aNd OBjECtIVEs A. To propagate the gospel of Jesus Christ in the world. B. To preach Jesus Christ as light to those in spiritual darkness. C. To preach freedom through Christ to the captives and the oppressed. Any objection to the registration of the above named church should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja within 28days of this publication.

sIGNEd: tHE trustEEs

2015 Election: FIWON Calls For Serious Economic Road MapBy kEHINdE ayaNtuNjI

the Federation of Informal Workers’ Organizations of Nigeria (FIWON) has challenged the major political parties participating in the February general elections to roll out serious economic roadmap that will address the current economic and political challenges in the country.

The organisation emphasised that the challenges before

Nigeria is beyond “hollowness and utter irrelevance of on-going political campaigns, especially, by the major political parties, towards the

2015 elections” and demanded a more robust development plans that will allow Nigerians to make a clear choice.

It said the current political campaigns by major political parties have ignored the critical issues that have to do with the survival of Nigeria.

This was contained in a statement by the National Secretary of FIWON, Gbenga Komolafe, on the 2015 elections and made available to journalists in Osogbo, State of Osun capital.

According to him: “It is

noteworthy that the 2015 elections would be coming on the heels of drastic reduction in the country’s foreign exchange earnings, due to the fall in the international prices of crude oil, from a peak $140 per barrel in 2008 to the current low of about $46 per barrel.”

“It is no wonder that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced an

official devaluation of the Naira from an average of N155 to $1 to the current N176 to the dollar, while interest rates have been increased by 100 percentage point to 13%.

“Yet the campaigns are being carried on without reference to these economic fundamentals and what type of reforms would be carried out to address Nigeria’s perennial dependence on crude oil.”

Komolafe said FIWON is a l so concerned tha t none of the presidential candidates is addressing the critical structural problems characterizing the Nigerian social landscape, which inc lude mass ive you th unemployment , par lous infrastructures, absence of sustainable social protection programmes, decimating armed banditry precipitating unprecedented s ta te of insecurity, especially in the North Eastern parts of the country and unacceptable level of graft and corruption that characterized public expenditure management.

K o m l a f e a d d e d t h a t FIWON expects a policy articulation on structural deformities governing the Nigerian economic system, particularly the management of the oil and gas sectors of the economy.

“Nigeria continues to depend on imported refined petroleum products with

the present contradiction of having to reduce domestic prices at a time when foreign exchange earnings are also plummeting downwards; whereas a regime of locally-produced petroleum products, through massive investments in building local refineries and revamping existing ones, would have helped to provide quality jobs and buffer the vagaries of the volatile crude oil exportation economy.”

“ F I W O N f i n d s i t worrisome that none of the political parties is addressing the challenge of fashioning out new approaches in the management of the oil and gas sector at a time, when all the indications show that the downwards trend in pricing would continue in the foreseeable future, as the US and other major importers of Nigeria’s crude, now depend on their own shale oil.

“Even China and other Asian countries currently importing Nigeria’s crude are also furiously developing their own technologies for producing shale oil.”

F I W O N h o w e v e r demanded a realistic action plans from current political contenders on their policy responses to the obviously terribly-governed oil sector, unemployment, electricity, security and infrastructural development.

Infrastructural Development: COREN, NSE Rate Osun High By FraNCIs EzEdIuNO

tHE state of Osun governor, Ogbeni rauf aregbesola, has been described as a man who believes in attaining the best of standards, which is why he has

been able to achieve tremendous feats in the area of infrastructural developments.

This was made known by the s ta te’s deputy governor; Otunba (Mrs.) Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori during the inauguration of the Engineering Regulation M o n i t o r i n g ( E R M ) Inspectorates in the State of Osun, which was held at the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) branch secretariat in Osogbo, the state capital.

The deputy governor, who represented Ogbeni Aregbesola , remarked that the inauguration was outstanding and would be of benefit to the nation and also improve the state’s internally generated revenue drive.

Laoye-Tomori noted that the ERM inauguratiom in the count ry would strengthen engineering practice, elimnate quacks and enhance the dignity of the association and career of its members.

She used the occasion t o o u t l i n e t h e m a n y achievements of the state government, which included rehabilitation of intra-city roads and the construction of 1000 kilometres of roads within 3 years, construction of 10 kilometres of roads in each local government council area, construction of state-of-the-art schools, 17 ki lometres of r ing road within Osogbo, 45

kilometres Osogbo- Ikirun road , Osogbo-Akoda-Gbongan road, dredging of 7 streams and rivers thus preventing flooding disaster in the state.

She also described the inauguartion as a reflection of the good works the state government had been embarking on.

In h i s address , the President, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Engineer Kashim Ali, revealed that the purpose of inagurating the ERM was to eliminate sharp practices among professional engineers and eliminate quackery in the profession.

H e e x p l a i n e d t h a t with the inauguration, all engineering firms are now required to obtain COREN certificates for them to practice, adding that ERM has now beenempowered to bite and not just to bark.

Meanwhile, the President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Engineer Ademola Olorunfemi, had earlier hinted that the aim of inaugurating the ERM was to sanitise the practice of engineering in the country, which had not been effective earlier.

H e s t a t e d t h a t t h e rebranded ERM would henceforth be branch-based.

“The inspectorates are

now branch-based and increased from 59 to 60, with Ogbomoso branch being the newest inspectorate.

“The aim is to make the teaching and practice of engineering get to the grassroots.”

The NSE p res iden t solicited the support of the state governnemt on the area of logistics, disclosing that that was part of the reasons, why the inauguration was brought to a state, where the governor is a practising engineer.

O l o r u n f e m i a l s o disclosed that COREN had also signed a Memoranda of Understanding with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Pract ices Commission (ICPC) and implored the inspectors to be up and doing and square up to the challenges as they are the engineerng watchdog to discourage sharp practices.

The Chairman of the NSE, Osogbo branch, E n g i n e e r A d e n i r a n Ibitoye, aka Kilomodemo, established that the state was lucky to have three branches of the engineering society in Osogbo, Ile-Ife and Ilesa and also because the state was the first to be inaugurated among the 60 NSE branches in the 36 states of the federation.

He noted that the state was selected to be a role model of good governance due to the infrastructural d e v e l o p m e n t s i t h a d recorded in the past four years.

The Osogbo branch chairman also stated that the team from the NSE and COREN, upon arrival in the state, had undertaken a

Mrs Aregbesola Offers Surgical Op-eration, Treatment To Over 200suCCOur has come the way of over 200 residents of

the state of Osun, who are suffering from various ailments, as the shericare Foundation provided them

with free medical diagnosis and surgical operations.

courtesy visit to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Osogbo and Osun State Broadcasting Corporation ( O S B C ) , O k e - B a a l e , Osogbo.

K i l o m o d e m o , w h o

The Shericare Foundation is a pet project of the Wife of the Governor of the State of Osun, Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola.

The three-day medical outreach of the foundation, which was flagged off on Wednesday, according to Mrs Aregbesola, was designed to provide medical diagnosis and surgical operat ions for the people with lumps, hernias, glaucoma, hydrocele and ganglion among other diseases.

According to her, the gesture was borne out of the reality that there is a lot of indigent people who live with one ailment or the other and cannot afford the cost of medical treatment.

She said the programme was initially focused exclusively on treatment of breast lumps and some other diseases in order to assist women and create awareness on how to combat breast cancer, adding that it was resolved that the programme should be extended to the men suffering from other diseases different from breast lump.

“This is the second in

the series of the medical programme of this foundation. Our maiden health programme was to the benefit of our elderly and we hope that very soon, we would bring up the same opportunity,” she said.

The wife of the governor however, expressed the commitment of Shericare Foundat ion to ensur ing

that the people live healthy lifestyle, irrespective of their economic situations and social status.

S h e u r g e d o t h e r stakeholders in the state to complement the efforts of the state government in putting in place functional and efficient primary healthcare system.

Speaking, the head of the medical team, Dr Oladokun Samson, commended the wife of the governor for her magnanimity, saying the programme would go

By kazEEM MOHaMMEd

5OSUN DeFeNDeR saturday, january 31, 2015

Election 2015: Electorate Commend Candidates-Call For Free, Fair Election By Francis Ezediuno

that preceding the Akure ‘Walk for Change’ organised by the APC to galvanise peoples support to-wards the February 14, 2015 presidentialelection. Contend-ing, respondents, who spoke with this medi-um, explained that itwas time for politics and putting into cog-nisance that the cali-ber ofpeople that were to attend the exercise, Nigerian Police had no legalbasis to tear-gas par-ticipants.They noted that the commotion was un-necessary as a previ-ous exercisehad been conducted in Osun, which went

peacefully.They praised party members in Ondo for not engaging the op-eratives ofthe Nigerian Police but instead went about the process peacefully.Describing the Nigeri-an Police as the ‘politi-cal thugs’, theyreiterated that they were only dancing to the tune their master wasblowing.They called on the two major contenders to the highest office in thecountry to play ma-tured politics and al-low the electorate to choosewhomever they wanted to rule them for the next four years.Politicians were further advised to base their campaigns on issues,

C a r -

rather than name call-ing, antagonisms, verbal attacks and employmentof the social media to cast unnecessary asper-sions where it was not inexistence as was ob-served during the week.The peaceful nature of the campaign kick-off was rated high anddescribed as a departure from the practise as in previous electioncampaigns.They also affirmed that the general election was not a do-or-dieaffair and that the resort to thuggery, which was reported in theNorth relating to the burning of campaign buses of one of thepolitical parties’ candi-date, was uncalled for.“The incident should

not be swept under the carpet. It should bethoroughly investi-gated and those found guilty should ad-equatelypunished, because if it’s left to fester, a repeat of the 2011 debacleis imminent and such should not repeat itself in 2015.”Relating to the powers to prosecute election offenders, therespondents wanted the powers of the In-dependent National ElectoralCommission (INEC) to be increased.The argument is based on the premise that it is INEC that wouldprosecute and not the Nigerian Police.

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Computer Operator – Saheed AfolabiComputer Operator – Mary AkintolaAssistant Computer Operator – Lukman Oseni OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarantee Trust Bank GTB, Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun.All correspondence to the above mail address.ISSN: 0794-8050Telephone: 0803-392-7286, 08033880205Website: www.osundefender.com/index.phpe-mail: osundefender@yahoo.com

Continued from pg1

OSUN DeFeNDeR saturday, january 6

The Spirit Of Abuja Peace Accord (I) feature

In a country well governed, poverty is ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is ashamed of…….CONFUCIUS

I watched Niger ia ’s 2015 e l e c t i o n s s t a k e h o l d e r s ’ workshop sponsored by the

United Nations Development P r o g r a m m e ( U N D P ) i n conjunction with Inter-party Advisory Council and the office of President Jonathan’s National Security Adviser with keen interest and critically view the event as an embarrassment on African continent. It is rather disheartening that after over fifty years of corporate existence as a nation, the snoring Giant of Africa is assembling the world in Abuja, not to discuss about how Nigeria will share knowledge of technological innovations or to celebrate other meaningful events that could benefit the entire black race and the world, but to assuage the global fear about organizing non-violent general elections; a pure internal affairs matter. The current doldrums need special scrutiny on how and why we find ourselves in this clutter.

The assembly of eminent persons across the world had converged on Abuja to sound note of warning to our political leaders on the need to ensure free and fair elections that could usher in an acceptable government that will lead Nigeria, nay Africa out of the present conundrum. It is like exposing the shame of a continent, Nigeria in particular that this colonial outpost has refused to lead black race in this critical period of human existence, even with our current membership of the UN’s Security Council.

The non-violence workshop as it were, sought to ensure a hitch-free election, thereby eschewing attendant violence that usually characterizes post-election periods in our nation’s history since independence. The workshop saw the presidential candidates of participating parties in the February 2015 elections signing an undertaking, otherwise referred to as the Abuja Accord, not to incite their members to violence or intimidation pre, during and post election periods.

But we must realize that people will ask questions if the results of any elections do not reflect popular venture. We all witnessed the 1993 debacle that nearly disintegrated the most populous black nation in the world. Abuja pact is just begging the question, if the myriad of challenges militating against credible elections are not unraveled. One hopes we will one day stop this circulus improbando and act right in this nation. The pact will never be a panacea to

election problems in Nigeria since several factors usually account for hitch-free elections among which are voters’ registrations, impartial electoral body as umpire, enfranchisement of all eligible voter population, adequate and impartial security, among others.

Palpable quietude enveloped the hall, when General Muhammadu Buhari, a veteran presidential candidate in Nigeria’s elections, mounted the rostrum for remarks, as the taciturn general left every mouth agape, when he narrated the manipulations orchestrated by the electoral body saddled with the task of conducting free and fair elections in Nigeria. Unfortunately, according to Buhari’s revelations, INEC tilted its scale to favour the ruling party through electronic manipulations of the elections results.

Buhari’s narration left some inside Ladi Kwali Hall moved to tears, when he recounted his ordeals at the Supreme Court, when he challenged the results of the previous elections. In 2003, Buhari elucidated the tortuous thirty months trial in the courts before the final judgment. The frustration of watching a defendant luxuriating in an office in dispute over half of the tenure during the trial period is better imagined than real. But alas, this can only

happen in Nigeria, where the eighth wonder of the world is bound to happen someday.

The same happened in 2007 for another eighteen months before getting a very controversial judgment, where even the winner of the election, late General Umaru Musa Yar’Adua admitted that the election that brought him to office as president was flawed but promised to review electoral act to avoid such occurrence in future. Nigerians are yet to see that meaningful review till date. How then can an Abuja Accord or London Accord prevent post-election violence when the aggrieved is left helpless with complicity from the highest court of the land? Where then is the hope of the common man?

Presidential candidates of other political parties also narrated their ordeals since the advent of democratic regimes in 1999, but all pledged their commitments to free, fair, credible and peaceful elections as enshrined in the tenets of the Abuja Accord. But this to me is just a promise. The pact is likened to a code of conduct signed by the students on assumption, but which can be broken once the students feel short-changed by the authorities.

President Jonathan also took turn and spoke on a number of issues, which he felt usually militate against credible elections and therefore orchestrate post-

election violence in the country. Mr. President tried to douse apprehension with his promise to avoid manipulations, be impartial and ensure that state institutions are not unjustly deployed to favour his party including strengthening security and his resolve to strictly adhere to Abuja Accord. Mr. President also denounced winner-takes-all syndrome that characterizes our national polity, which he said usually accounts for the reason why the politicians are always desperate to win elections. He therefore canvassed for inclusive government, whereby the opposition is given a fair share of political offices.

Many see this as a welcome development, but this will take time to materialize. This is not a new idea, as many Nigerians have advocated for this in the past. The incumbent governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, had drummed up support for this system of governance since his assumption of office. He once reiterated his resolve to make sacrifice by vacating his office to allow parliamentary system to run in the country. To show his commitment to this ideal, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has taken a bill to the state legislature since 2013 to run parliamentary administration in the local governments in the state as a pilot to showcase the beauty of this system of government to Nigerians once again.

President Jonathan’s idea seeks to dump the present presidential arrangement. But, Nigeria can adopt some of the practices in the United States, where we copied the presidential arrangement. For instance, in some states in the US, the offices of the deputy governor, commissioners for justice and finance are allotted to the opposition to ensure good governance and checks and finances. These offices are contested by opposition candidates. We can have this at the state level in Nigeria too. Also, President Barack Obama retained the Republican Defence Secretary in his first term in office.

One interesting part of the president’s contribution to this workshop was his assertion that some politicians and their followers tend to be very desperate to win elections, when the opponent threatens to jail incumbents, if he wins the election and assumes office. This apparently accounts for why the ruling party in Nigeria has held onto power at the expense of this nation, such that Vincent Ogbulafor, a former chairman of PDP, once boasted that his party will rule for fifteen consecutive terms totaling sixty years before any opposition party could smell the Presidential Villa in Aso Rock.

By adEBayO OGuNtayO

•JONaTHaN

OSUN DeFeNDeR sunday, january 31, 2015 7phototalkInauguration Of Commission Of Inquiry On Ipetumodu/ashipa towns Communal Clash By the state Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni rauf aregbesola, Last tuesday.

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf aregbesola, congratulating the Chairman, Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Ipetumodu and ashipa Towns Communal Clash/Disturbances, Justice Olajide Falola. With them are, his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) Titi Laoye-Tomori and Chief of Staff to the governor, Mr. gboyega Oyetola, during the Com-mission’s Inauguration at governor’s Office, Osogbo, State of Osun, last Tuesday.

•Deputy governor, State of Osun, Otunba (Mrs) Titi Laoye-Tomori (right), receiving an award of Icon of Christian Faith from the Chairman, Osun Christian association of Nigeria (OSCaN), Rev. elijah Ogundiya and the presiding Bishop, Victory Chapel International, Bishop Mike Bamidele, at the OSCaN Secretariat, Owode-ede, State of Osun, recently.

Osun Christian association of Nigeria (OsCaN) Honoured the state Of Osun deputy Governor With Icon award Of Christian Faith, Held at the OsCaN secretariat, Owode-Ede, state Of Osun, recently.

8 OSUN DeFeNDeR saturday, january phototalk

•(L-R) Wife of the State of Osun governor and President, SCaRF Organisation, Mrs Sherifat aregbesola; Honourable Isiaka Faramade and Wife of the Chief of Staff to State of Osun governor, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola.

•Honourable Leke Ogun sola (right) and other dignitaries during the programme.

•a cross section of dignitaries at the event.

Flag-off Ceremony Of sheri Care Foundation (sCarF) Medical Outreach at Health Centre, Osogbo Local Government, In Osogbo, state Of Osun, Last Wednesday. Photo: GBENGa adENIyI.

•Some of the beneficiaries at the programme.

9 OSUN DeFeNDeR saturday, january 31, phototalk

•a cross section of lawyers during the walk for change.

•Mammoth crowd during the rally.

•(L-R) Mr adesoji Omirin; Pastor adegbuyi Samuel and gIaeM Founder, Reverend adebisi Okunade during the press conference in Osogbo.

Walk For Change In Nigeria Organised By Lawyers In the state Of Osun Last Wednesday. Photo: GBENGa adENIyI.

Press Conference Organised By God In all Evangelical Ministry (GIaEM) On the Launching Of GIaEM In the state Of Osun, In Osogbo Last tuesday. Photo: GBENGa

all Progressives Congress (aPC) Presidential rally In jalingo, taraba state Last Wednesday.

OSUN DeFeNDeR sunday, january 10

•aRegBeSOLa

Verified And Certified For Victory, Aregbesola Scores Another Goal On Twitter Social MediaOGBENI Rauf

Aregbesola, the unusual governor

of Nigeria’s most-politically-conscious State of Osun, has scored another brilliant goal with Twitter Verified Status which occurred recently. This digital milestone makes him among the elite 37,000 Twitter “Influencers” globally out of about 600 million Twitter users worldwide.

Aregbesola capped the 2014 social media metrics by being “the last man standing” among the 2014 Top 100 Social Media Influencers from Nigeria with 70,000 followers, thereby occupying the 100th position. He has since inched up to the 96th position due to the momentum-generating electioneering season which has thrown up opposition challenger General Muhammadu Buhari (GMB), presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) whose Twitter followership has also risen phenomenally to over 94,000 followers in two months!

It is no wonder, he was recently chosen by his party (APC) to spearhead the Presidential Campaign of Muhammadu Buhari (GMB) as Coordinator for the six South West states of Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states, and also to replicate his resounding victory across Yorubaland.

Aregbesola is one enigmatic politician who has effectively deployed social media and web optimisation strategies to

win political battles from as far back as 2008 when he was rigged out of the 2007 governorship election of Osun State, Nigeria. His deft deployment of the informative power of the web exposed the crude rigging of the governorship election by those he called “VOTE-ROBBERS”. He did well and successfully brought victory and reclaimed his stolen mandate.

Read Also: How The Top 100 Twitter ‘Influencers’ Finished 2014, Two Governors – Fashola, Aregbesola Made It

Aregbesola is top fifth politician from Nigeria to be verified by Twitter coming after Babatunde Fashola, Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki and latest

entrant, Muhammadu Buhari, as at January 28, 2015.

Outside of Senator Bukola Saraki, a former governor of Kwara State, and Governor Babatunde Fashola, Aregbesola is the second Governor with great social media influence in Nigeria in the Top 100 bracket. He deployed his social media team effectively to out-paced federal might during his re-election battles in August of last year, 2014 and, used the expository power of the internet to nip in the bud all the attempts by the opposition to massively rig that election by timely and instant exposition of verified collated results from the polling units which he

incidentally has digitally mapped and marked with his party APC agents who digitally transmitted all verified and collated results. This singular move thwarted efforts to delay and announce manipulated results because the estimated results from all units were already in the public domain and would have been herculean for the vote-robber to announce the altered result without consequences.

Our correspondent interviewed the governor and this is what he has to say: “Verified Status with global social media platform like twitter is good but the greatest verification this year would be to put food three times daily on the table of millions of hapless Nigerians, and, creating jobs for the tens of millions of unemployed youths of our nation. I pray the February elections would usher our party the APC and candidates starting from General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) to the lowest House of Assembly candidates as verified and certified victors to bring good tidings and good governance to our troubled nation in the throes of economic mismanagement by the buccaneer party PDP that has destroyed Nigeria in the last 16 years of their brigandage!”

All Hail the social Media Governor of the year 2015: OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA!

for the records

11 OSUN DeFeNDeR saturday, january rejoiNder

Re: The Ife Agenda And Osun Guber ElectionBy FOLOruNsO BaMIsayEMI

My attention has been drawn to an article in the OSUN DEFENDER of Tuesday 30th December, 2014 titled ‘THE IFE AGENDA AND THE OSUN GUBER ELECTION” by Mr. Isaac Olusesi who is the Deputy Director Of Publicity and Strategy of the APC in the State of Osun. For a man who is in charge of strategy and publicity designed to ensure the unity and cohesion of the party as well as its indomitability in every contest for power, the article is not only in bad taste, it is a complete misrepresentation and distortion of events before, during and after the gubernatorial election of 9 August, 2014. My first reaction to the said article was to ignore it and see it as the work of political detractors, arm chair critics and attention-seekers whose only stock in trade is to whip Ife sons and daughters in the APC to curry political favours and patronage from Mr Governor. However, coming from no less a person than one of the people saddled with the policy, strategy and publicity of our great party, I decided the article deserves a rejoinder which will set the record straight and clear the mind of unsuspecting members of our party who might have fallen prey to the gross misrepresentation.

In case any reader is wondering why the rejoinder should be written by me and not any other Ife man, I will quickly remind you that I was the Chairman of the Governor’s Re-election Campaign Committee in Ife Federal Constituency and in addition to that, I was singled out for commendation and encomium by Mr Olusesi in his article hence my objectivity on this matter is not in doubt

The summary of Mr Olusesi’s insinuation-laced article is that Ife lawmakers betrayed Governor Rauf Aregbesola and our party and instead worked for Iyiola Omisore and the opposition party under the guise of Ife Agenda. Arrant nonsense as nothing can be far from the truth than this.

By Ife lawmakers, Mr Olusesi was referring to the senator representing Ife-Ijesha senatorial constituency, the member representing Ife Federal constituency in the House of Representatives and the four honourable members in the state house of assembly from Ife zone. The original campaign committee set up by the Governor for Ife Federal constituency was made up by six members namely - Hon. Folorunso Bamisayemi (Chairman); Hon Biyi Odunlade (secretary); Hon Sikiru Ayedun; Hon Bisi Odewumi; Mr Tayo Kehinde and Alhaja Fausa Aderinlewo as members.

At our inaugural meeting, we decided in our wisdom to expand the committee to include all elected and appointed people serving in the Federal, State as well as Local Government level in Ifeland. With this decision, we brought in the other lawmakers and local government executrive secretaries who were not originally members of the committee to participate in the steering and the directing of the campaign.

It was this expansive and all inclusive committee that set the agenda for the campaign. We agreed that we were going to run an issue-based campaign premised on Governor Aregbesola’s giant strides and superlative performance which was unprecedented in the state in general and Ife-land in particular. We printed leaflets highlighting Ogbeni’s achievements in the state and in Ife-land; we bought airtime on Orisun Radio (30 minutes twice a week) where each member of the committee and other leaders from Ife zone featured to campaign for the governor, stressing his achievement in Ife-land and debunking the lies and rumours peddled by the opposition party propaganda machinery.

We organized street rallies in each of the local governments that made up the zone; we campaigned hard and long into the very eve of the election. More importantly, we set up good intelligence gathering machinery that made it clear to us that the opposition’s plan was to use Ife federal constituency, being the homeland of their candidate, to build an unassailable lead which votes from other parts of the state might not be able to erase. In fact, our agents among them revealed that in one of their meeting, the opposition party boasted that Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State used the same strategy by receiving the maximum returnable votes from the four local governments in and around Ondo land in the last election

between Mimiko and Akeredolu.This was the opposition’s plan that set the stage for their

resolve to kill any APC member who might stand in their way of delivering maximum returnable votes to Iyiola Omisore and the PDP. They threw everything at us. They played on the sentiments that no Ife person has been governor since the 1960 when Sir Adesoji Aderemi last occupied the seat. They exaggerated the rivalry between Ilesa and Ife and more significantly, between the two prominent traditional rulers of the area.

A radio station- Crown Fm- was set up for false propaganda and rumours and for painting anybody in the APC as anti-Ife. Inspite of all these, we were all committed to the re-election of Aregbesola and to the APC. We stood our ground like valiant men that we all are. Our support and commitment to Ogbeni’s victory was unflinching. As we were moving closer to the election, the opposition lied that the traditional establishment in Ife-land had endorsed its candidate. The committee met and decided that we would not allow the opposition to soil the image of our highly referred Kabiesi by dragging him into partisan politics. Hence, we decided to release the tape of moments and instances where the Kabiesi prayed for Governor Aregbesola to make it clear to the whole state that it was both candidates that Kabiesi prayed for and not the opposition candidate alone as claimed by the PDP. I must emphasize here that the decision to air the tapes was arrived at by all members of the expansive committee and not by me only as written by Mr Olusesi in his article. Therefore, if there is any credit at all for such decision, it must go to all of us. We gave our all under the circumstances in which we campaigned. We were determined to win Ifeland for Aregbesola by all lawful and necessary means.

We also resolved that if the opposition candidate employed unlawful means to perpetrate electoral malfeasance, we would strongly resist him to foil his efforts or at worst, limit the damage and ensure that Ife votes would not be used to hijack the governorship seat in a manner similar to that in which Modakeke votes was used to fraudulently chase Chief Bola Ige out of the Oyo State Government House.

I thank God that to a large extent we achieved this and Aregbesola was re-elected through the legitimate and genuine votes of the people from the other parts of the state and the little we could garner from Ifeland. Like I wrote before, all of us without exception gave our all. Is it our children who fought in the classroom with the children of the PDP parents that you want to talk about or our wives who argued and almost engage in fistcuffs in the market places that you want to mention. All of us put our life on the line in a land full of hatred and hostility, where because of our political leanings, we were regarded as bastards and anti-Ife elements.

I want to remind Mr Olusesi that it is easy to recriminate and condemn others. We are not traitors like you want readers of your article to believe. Rather, we are dependable allies of the governor who dared the opposition’s onslaught where lesser people would roll over easily. People like Mr Olusesi will want our blood to be spilled before they can confirm our loyalty and commitment to Ogbeni. While we thank God that nobody lost his life among us, the fact that we were not murdered by fake DSS operatives in Balaclava (face masks) did not mean we were less committed and are as such, traitors.

While thanking Mr Olusesi for praising my efforts during the gubernatorial election, singling me out for commendation is unfair to others who worked tiredlessly and equally risked their lives in Ifeland. Above all, this is not a time for divisive recriminations that may jeopardise the unity and cohesion of our great party. The next election should be uppermost in our mind and the least Ife people need is encouragement rather than recriminations.

•Hon Bamisayemi is the lawmaker representing Ife-South State Constituency in the State of Osun House of Assembly.

OSUN DeFeNDeR saturday, january 12 feature

T h e N i g e r i a n S t a t eTHE international political system is

currently in a state of confusion. Issues ranging from ethnic and racial

sentimentality, religious bigotry, extremism of ideology, and fundamentalism in perspectives keeps dividing and heating up the global political system, while only few areas in the current global system can boast of relative peace, with Scandinavian counties such as Norway and Sweden belonging to the club of this privileged nations. Apart from providence which many may want to attribute as the root cause of this exemption, many other reasons are being advanced such as their gentle approach to international relations. These nations, despite their economic prowess, do not follow the United States blindly to act as world police, neither do they follow eurocentric policies that intervene in other nations’ domestic affairs risking reprisal attack. Also, they do not allow every Tom, Dick and Harry into their countries under the guise of democracy and freedom. Africa continues to be bedeviled by poor leadership, complemented by sick economic policies and the shackle of colonial rule that refuse to break. Europe is currently being attacked by waves of terror act orchestrated by disgruntled, psycho, homegrown terrorists, who have taken it upon themselves to fight the cause of God through the external sponsorship of terror networks that sees this as a way of getting back at Europe for their perceived foreign policy that intervened in their own country’s internal policies in the name of democratic expansion and capitalist growth. It is indeed an irony that this terror group, while they denounce all the values of democracy and freedom, still hide under its auspices to carry out their attacks, claiming human rights and fair treatment when caught or even using the internet and press to propagate their crazy justifications. All the above, coupled with economic imbalances and atrocities carried out by greedy business men and politicians, who keeps making deals with the devil and mortgaging the future of unborn generations, constitute global problems that are indeed countless and in-exhaustive.

However as a Nigerian, concerned and passionate, trying hard not to lose hope in the system, but also conscious of the realities based on history and current political events filled with confusion, apathy, religious sentiment, indecisiveness and all what not. I dare to speak from the heart. In a group discussion forum, which I was privileged to attend, the topic bothered on the subject of “REFUGEE”, the moderator; an amiable woman posed a question to the group, asking us to define the term in our own words. The answer she got must have startled her, the majority of the group agreed that “we are all refugees in Nigeria” My group discussion forum seems to be paraphrasing the line of thought of that famous poem “The Casualty”. After a whole lot of cogent reasons based on realities of political and environmental phenomena such as the Boko Haram crises, serious pandemic diseases like EBOLA that recently threatened the whole populace, the recent killing in one of the states where robbers allegedly killed more than 20 people while engaging in act of robbery for 30 minutes without any police intervention, youth unemployment rate that defies statistical calculation, and constant loss of large sum of money that are never accounted for by our government. After all the comments and discussion about Nigeria’s peculiar scenario, which seem hopeless, and insurmountable, my amiable moderator was overwhelmed with emotion, she bowed her head on the podium, as her eyes became heavy with tears, which made her voice shake. That real cry struck me to write this piece and to start asking some questions; Is Nigeria’s case indeed hopeless? Has democracy indeed failed us? Do we need something more than freedom? Those Scandinavian countries that are averagely doing well, what are they doing differently? Is it because of their homogeneity of culture and religion as some argued? Do they have more moral standard, less greedy or perfect in habit and behavior? I’m sure you are wondering if all these are not JAMB questions? I agree with you, but they must be answered.

Today, Nigeria is faced with terrorism, a global phenomenon, which is not limited to Nigeria alone. Several definitions and perspective exist on the subject of terrorism. For instance, “One person’s terrorist might be another man’s freedom fighter”. Religious terrorism is a global misfortune, which came about as a result of intolerance and extremism of faith and belief. It is indeed sad that some people do not understand the simple truth that religious doctrine they claim as theirs was merely determined by the location of birth. As a Jew born in Israel, naturally, one will believe in Judaism or be a Christian, while a baby born in Saudi Arabia doesn’t have a choice than to be a Muslim. Even in a secular state where the choice of religion can be made, one’s choice is personal and sacred, while other’s choices must as well

By BaMIdurO tOsIN

•BUHaRI •JONaTHaN

be respected.Position of leadership is that of exceptional

courage and will. It is powerful and divine. The recent terror attack in France created a brain wave in my thought, The President of France; Francois Hollande, few weeks to the recent attack ,enjoyed a mere 15% approval ratings by the French people, but the approval ratings have increased not because Hollande created more jobs or smiled more. No! But he merely responded to the terrorist attack, which took the lives of 12 French citizens in cold blood with required sagacity and courage expected of a national leader. The response was massive, united and coordinated. Francois Hollande proved that he is indeed in-charge, world leaders saw his response and stood up in support of their colleague, the terrorists were haunted by countless security agents and quickly apprehended, while some of them were shot and killed. Justice is served and leadership is fulfilled.

Goodluck Jonathan’s choice as President notwithstanding, some political permutation or calculation was made possible due to “sympathy” vote and fairy tale story of possibilities, which made the average Nigerians, whose mistrust for politician is well-grounded to put all this aside, some trekking miles to vote, convincing friends and families to vote a certain Ph.D holder, who claimed not to have had shoes back in his early days. They held high hopes that may be this time will indeed be different, maybe their president will put them first, since it was glaring that he enjoyed popular support. Although, President Jonathan has tried, especially in the agricultural sector and other good intentioned programmes such as building of more tertiary institutions, but he seems to have betrayed a lot of people’s trust to the extent that most are now against him outrightly, while others vowed to rather not vote at all than vote him again.

As a student of politics, I understand from theory taught in class and practical realities in global political system that politics is not 1+1=2 or beans as we say but I dare say neither is it rocket science in term of complexity. A true and sincere politician needs to show action beyond good intentions and also be willing to communicate with the people. The people must be sure of who is in-charge at all times whether in peril or buoyancy. Politics involves diplomatic, astute and strong character, which makes every other challenges surmountable. However, nothing must tamper with the good intention matched with actions and spoken word that exhume courage and focus in time of challenges. In fact, credibility demands that if you cannot fulfill some of these intentions due to obvious political realities, it is expedient to rather bow out with some level of trust, than to be pushed out, having lost all trust and political capital for any future political endeavor. (Other viewpoints might rather fight till finish) but I believe courage sometimes require knowing when to retreat and when to fight.

President Jonathan’s failure is not about lack of good intentions, but an obvious lack of political will, effective communication and

accountability to the electorate that massively voted him in. Most of these folks wonder why their Commander-In-Chief exhumes the leadership will and strength of someone who is not only scared to challenge his perceived enemies but also tongue-tied as to the real identity of those he claimed he knew that promised to make his government ungovernable. He seems to have found his voice of recent, challenging and responding directly to insult being hauled at him, but the approach is wrong and highly pointless. His silence, while allowing his aides to talk to Nigerians as if they were less important all this while, constitute an outright betrayal and his number one sin that might oust him next month. There is no sane explanation as to why the President will refuse to visit Chibok or the North East insurgency-ridden zone at least to boost the soldiers’ morale and create the impression of capability and strength (Bearing in mind that George W Bush and President Obama visited war-torn Afghanistan and Iraq to boost morale even when it was highly risky). I understand that Jonathan is a man like us and a father of his children as some people have argued, but the truth is that he sought and got a higher calling. France responded massively when 12 people were killed; USA will go to any length to rescue a stranded soldier, but our country Nigeria will deny media report of killings by arguing that it wasn’t 2000, but 150 people that were killed. I wonder what is sound or logical in this argument, whether 150 people are better than 2000 when it comes to unwarranted and avoidable killings. The response shown by Hollande that united France was not to blame the opposition or challenge the figures or statistic of those killed. He did not blame any religion, neither did the opposition see it also as a means to score cheap political point as we often do in this political clime. The State of France is united as ONE, while Nigeria’s case is the direct opposite.

Most people cannot imagine having the past four years in the next four years, and one must be objective. It was during this period that young Nigerian graduates were stampeded to death only because they “committed the crime” of struggling through university, some graduating with best results that can compete anywhere in the world, buying job application form with borrowed money and trooping in to write aptitude test in an open uncoordinated stadium. (The minister responsible was not punished, neither was the President willing to accept the colossal waste as one of his failures as the chief executive officer of the Nigerian state). More than 200 girls are still missing, and the world who knew how unserious we are have moved on from the initial shock and solidarity campaign of #Bring back our girls. (Well, the President now know the way to Maiduguri for campaign purpose) This is an outright betrayal of trust and responsibility.

Most importantly, I want to appeal to Nigerians to leave religion, ethnic sentiment or tribal affiliation out of this election. Do not vote for fear, and do not vote blindly either. Do not let it be because you were told that the other guy is an extremist, with a pastor as running mate. These are mere political propaganda and from experience, Nigerian politicians have a

meeting point beyond what the common masses know. For them, it is beyond culture, religion or tribal association. It is mostly about power and money. Most of them are not even real Christians, neither are they real Muslims. They just use the name to sway and swindle people into voting myopically. Ask them to quote or sing a Christian/Muslim chorus and watch as they muddle things up; they have refused to help us even for “God sake” and they must be left to carry their own personal cross. Also, it is important to note that change in itself is not a mere rhetoric, word, or propaganda to win election. There is always a price and according to contract theory of state, this must be clearly stated in terms of policy and debates before the election even by the opposition. We must not forget that Jonathan was meant to be a change too. We must demand the master plan for any coming change, and have a say in its formulation. It is not about demanding change but how well the change can be managed. (The gaffe of Buhari muddling up his running mate surname is a bad sign, but a forgivable human mistake which should not be repeated). However we must not be scared of the unknown, by voting continuity due to fear of change and fear of the unknown, we must not be tongue tied. Nigeria has survived worst of times and heaven did not fall yet, therefore let this vote be our individual collective decision. Do not vote to keep a southerner for fear of having Niger delta militancy back, neither vote to have a Northerner for the fear of continued Boko Haram insurgency. This election is simply more than those factors and should be handled as such. No one region can hold Nigeria hostage when there is indeed a leader with strong political will. Yar’Adua’s short tenure handled Niger-delta crises well. And we should note that if a change is voted and it is underperforming, it will by God’s grace be voted out again until the change Nigeria truly deserved can be achieved.

I encourage Nigerians to vote prayerfully. It is time to twist fate to make belief, and remember that God can use anyone. He can discard anyone, and He can continue with anyone as He chooses.

VOTE, PROTECT YOUR VOTE, AND ENSURE YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY.

MAY GOD BLESS OUR FATHERLAND.

•Tosin is a student of Politics at the University of Ibadan and also a political analyst from the State of Osun.

13 OSUN DeFeNDeR saturday, january 31,

Osun Parliamentary Elections: The Need For ContinuityopiNioN

COME February 14, the people of the State of Osun will join the rest of Nigerians

to cast their votes for the candidates of their choice in the National Assembly and Pres iden t ia l elections, while February 28, the state Houses of Assembly and governorship elections would be held.

In Osun, the elections will be unique because there will be no gubernatorial election. This is because election into the office of the Governor took place in August 9, 2014 with the action Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola re-elected for a second term. Thus, the battle shifts to House of Assembly, as well as the National Assembly elections.

We must note also that in Osun, just like in all other states of the federation, we now have two major political parties; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in addition to the other smaller political parties, thereby making the elections more competitive.

Before we go to the parliamentary polls in Osun, we need to ask ourselves the question: Do we want continuity of the harmonious relationship that has existed in the last four years between the State Executive arm of government and the State Legislature? Do we want continuity of the massive infrastructural development that is taking place in the state as a result

of this harmonious relationship? If your answers to these questions are in the affirmative, then you must vote for all the candidates of the ruling-APC in the State of Osun. We should note that Governor Aregbesola wouldn’t have succeeded in his first term, if he did not receive the support of the State House of Assembly members. Also, the wonderful support he got from the House of Representatives members and Senators from the state cannot be underestimated. This unflinching support is hinged on one major fact: the State House of Assembly members and those of the National Assembly are from the same party (APC) with the governor.

I am not saying that cordial relationship does not exist in states where the governor and members of the State House of Assembly come from different political parties, but the experience in the South-West

politics has shown that such party differences between the head of the Executive and the majority members of the Legislative arm gives room for frictions. The ugly incident playing out in Ekiti State since the election of Ayodele Fayose of the PDP as governor is a pointer to what I am trying to explain.

When an opposit ion party gains majority in a State House of Assembly, the threa t of impeachment is usually high. It is either the governor will be busy wooing some members of the House, who are in the opposing party to decamp to the ruling party or the House members will be pre-occupied with how to frustrate the governor through the threat of impeachment and non-passage of executive bills. And of course, the end result of this scenario is the collapse of governance. This is the least of what we expect in Osun and that is why I plead with all Omoluabis to continue with the progressive politics that we have

enjoyed in the last four years in the state.

With the co-operation of the State House of Assembly, Governor Aregbeso la has pe r fo rmed excellently, given the limited resources that come to the state. We have witnessed massive infrastructural development, peaceful co-existence and security of lives and properties, as well as over 40,000 jobs created for our youths, just to mention a few. We need more of these developmental strides in our beloved state and these can only be guaranteed if all hands are on deck to support the present government of Aregbesola by electing all APC candidates into the Osun Assembly and also at the National Assembly.

Don’t forget also to effect a change at the centre by voting for the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket on the platform of the APC for the February 14 presidential election because Nigeria needs a change of government to take us out of shackles of under-development. Next month is FE-BUHARI. Let us make it happen.

•Olatunbosun, a former aPC aspirant, wrote in from Ile-Ife.

“Don’t forget also to effect a change at the centre by voting for the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket on the platform of the aPC for the February 14 presidential election because Nigeria needs a change of government to take us out of shackles of under-development. Next month is Fe-BUHaRI. Let us make it happen.”

By yINka OLatuNBOsuN

Ekiti State: Our Governor Has Gone Mad Again

By tuNdE EsaN

THE Yoruba people have a saying that, it is he that gave birth to a bad child that has the responsibility

of taming him, provided the bad child takes to correction.

Correction is essential for growth. It gives you insight into how you are perceived by others and helps you to curb negative traits that you may not even know you have developed. The correction that hurts the most may be the correction that you need the most. A person who dismisses correction is like a pilot who ignores direction from the control tower.

The poultry governor of 2006-2007 who escaped arrest through bar-wire and jumped over the fence of Channels Television after an interview is at it again. The governor is Ayodele Fayose who served as Ekiti State government under the regime of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

He has been boxing everybody left, right and centre with reckless abandon. He has boxed Ebora Owu Obasanjo, boxed Mohammadu Buhari, boxed Asiwaju Bola Ahmmed Tinubu and funnily chased away all APC lawmakers out of Ado-Ekiti, not to talk of the terror he unleashed to the Judiciary where a judge was dragged out of office and beaten to stupor. The question is: Is Fayose insane?

Responsible people show up when they are expected. But highly competent ones take it a step further. They don’t show up in body only. Is Fayose one of the responsible people? No, because

he showed up when least expected and with army of irresponsible urchins. Is he one of the highly competent people? No, because he showed up in body only.

You are character of your thoughts, therefore, manager your mind to produce excellence. For Ayodele Fayose, he needs to be examined properly because it seems common sense has taken cleave of him and funny enough, none of the

Ekiti State elders seems to ask him questions or talk to him to read softly.

A diligent man, a governor for that matter will not descend so low to be going out to functions or opposition’s functions with thugs. If you study the lives of successful men and women all around the globe, no matter in which field, you discover one common factor in their lives-diligence. Governor Ayodele Fayose is acting God by his activities and words. He wants to be the one yesterday, today and tomorrow not

knowing that he has but a short time to rule the people of Ekiti State.

The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going as Ralph Waldo Emerson once said. Fayose doesn’t know where he is going because his heart is filled with hatred, and a heart filled with hatred means a mind ruled by error. As I wrote in one features story about the king of Babylon called Nebuchadnezzar who was the most powerful ruler in the ancient world as Fayose thinks of himself in Ekiti State now. The King equate himself with God, and because of this, God caused him to suffer a humiliating mental illness, Governor Fayose needs your prayer and that of his family not to suffer the same fate.

It says so much for Fayose that with his HND certificate, he is still displaying this kind of banality and lack of decorum as well as complete lack of morality. Talking rudely to elders who are of his father’s equal, coupled with rascality are not part of factors to greatness.

Samuel Johnson once said,: Almost every man wastes part of his life in attempts to display qualities which he does not possess, and gain applause which he cannot keep”. When God visits him this time around, there will not be barb-wire or fence to escape but a deep well or soldiers to capture him alive.

“British place, with its environment could and often does serve as one of the major areas of influence in the history

•FaYOSe

14 OSUN DeFeNDeR saturday, january

To Make Nigeria Safe For DemocracyRECENTLY, the Nobel

Laureate , Professor Wole Soyinka, called

on Nigerians to rise up to the defence of the sacred institutions of democracy, which he claimed are regularly being desecrated by the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. He particularly flayed the lockout of legislators from the National Assembly and the disruption of academic activities during the recent visit of President Jonathan to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. According to him, the administration had pushed Nigerians to a point, where they must decide either to submit to impunity or resist it. He thus praised the members of the National Assembly, who scaled the fence to reach their point of duty, saying that was their finest hour.

E a r l i e r , p u n d i t s h a v e averred that what Nigeria was witnessing was a ‘‘motor park democracy’’ and that something urgently needs to be done to make the nation safe for democracy. They particularly detested the activities of the Inspector General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba- activities, which they claimed put the nation’s democracy in danger.

Recent developments in the polity, particularly the seemingly endless and escalating levels of insecurity, culminating in the declaration of a state of emergency in some states, leave much to be desired. Pundits have been inclined to aver that history is repeating itself by alluding to the 1965 state of emergency in the former Western Region and the resultant consequences for the politics of First Republic. We can and should make efforts to avert a repeat of the frightening and unedifying scenario. In our present circumstances, all hands must be on deck to make this nation safe for democracy.

For democracy to prosper and flourish necessary structures and facilities must be provided for all tiers of government, facilities akin to modernity, not to premitivity. A tripartite p r o v i s i o n o f s t r u c t u r e s and facilities conducive to democracy is essential to sustain our present experiment.

Our leaders must eschew bitterness and violence, learn to realise that no particular individual or section has a monopoly of violence and that

one action of violence evokes greater and more destructive violent reaction, the magnitude of which can never by imagined in advance. In the end, the law of retributive justice catches up with the perpetrators of bitterness, violence and destruction.

Let every Nigeria tell his neighbour that killings and counte r-k i l l ings a re no t the solutions to ethnic and religious disputes, strife and conflict in our country. Let us cultivate a new culture of understanding, tolerance, forbearance, forgiveness and accommodation.

We must restore Nigeria as a haven of peace. Peace does not mean merely the absence of war or conflict between organized states or communities. But also, as friendly cooperation and collaboration of peoples towards common goals. Security, as the absence of threat and fear of

domination, destruction and want must exist side by side with peace. It is on the foundation of peace and fairly assured security that development and prosperity can survive, as they are also co-requisites and at the same time, their end results. The apparent rapid and real violent changes in most countries are the results of the neglect of the mutually supportive relationship between peace with security and development with prosperity. Once we have peace based on security, we can pursue the goal of development and sustainable growth.

It is unfortunate that as various actions of some so-called religious leaders in this country have become diametrically opposed to their pious and open declaration of support for the progress and stability of our nation religious history and zealotism have not helped to provide answers to the failures of the past. Instead, they have weakened our national will.

The challenge is to remove this

pretence to holiness, religious bigotry and taking undue advantage of the ignorance of the masses of the people to perpetrate violence in the name of religious advocacy. Religious disturbances do not augur well for any community.

I concede that even in advanced democracies, the search for true democracy continues. More so for developing democracies such as Nigeria, where the understanding and practice of democracy is still superficial or better still, just taking root, in countries that have practised democracy for a century and still refining the processes redefinitions and institutions.

I further concede that there are indeed no perfect systems of government anywhere in the world, but the practise of democracy comes close enough for Nigerians, hence our subscription to it. However, how well a democracy works or survives is a function of the strength of the institutions, the honesty and allegiance of its operators. Where the institutions of democracy are violated, weak or non-existent or the operators are pseudo-democrats, the system falters and overheats.

The demands and dividends e x p e c t e d o f d e m o c r a c y are the same world over; a system that is equitable and just. One that rewards and never discriminates; one that empowers and helps to unleash the potentials of its people and operates a value system that is non-exploitative. Our search for workable democracy remains a continuum.

The future of democracy will be bright only when our people possess national character, consciousness and responsibility. Intellectuals should come forward and create better society with a true democratic spirit prepared to march further in a democratic way. It is still in the childhood, yet the hope for the future is bright.

•JONaTHaN

By PrOF. a.s. asaju

feature

OSUN DeFeNDeR saturday, january feature15

By ErasMus IkHIdE

•JaNOTHaN

Jonathan’s Triumphs And ErrorsPRESIDENT Goodluck

Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan can now see clearly his

triumphs and errors as the 2015 general elections firmly stare him in the face. Now, he is striving militantly with a burning sense of mission anew; for himself and for Nigeria; from which all doubts are not excluded. His new campaign strategies seem to have exerted a strong appeal on the sentimentally-induced nation.

In his exalted spirit, he is pointing the way towards a glorious Nigeria destinys where there would be power stability, elimination of Boko Haram, job creation, zero tolerance for corruption and the likes.

Will Mr Jonathan be able to achieve these, even if he tarries on to 2019? To think of it, is it actually useless to speak guilt of a man, who in the bottom of his heart, is devoted to his nation with studious love, and who only missed or failed to understand the common road to her destination?

There is no doubt that the President has done some good, his best. Is his best enough for Nigerians? He has fixed Ore-Benin Expressway, and has continued to fix the Lagos-Ibadan axis of the same road. He has minimally upgraded some major airports, even though they are not amongst the best 10 airports in Africa and are still leaking each time it rains.

He is rehabi l i ta t ing the locomotive rail system, and he is at the verge of releasing N9.2 billion to Nigerians to buy cooking stoves as his re-election approaches. He had also built a number of destitute (Almajiri) schools in parts of the North, and had promised to build the Second Niger Bridge in the South East, even though it was his 2011 electoral promise.

But Nigerians are asking questions. They will continue to ask questions as their feeble nation totters down to the making and breaking day of February 14th. They will be asking President Goodluck how well he tackled bare-faced corruption in the last six years of his government. They would want to know what happened to the $3 million Farouk Lawal bribery scandal, the $6.8 billion petroleum subsidy scam, the N60 billion Police Pension Scam, the Oduah N225 million Car Scandal, the N10 billion Allison Madueke’s jet scandal, N10 billion laundered by Lamido, Jigawa State Governor, the missing $20 billion from the

federation account.They wi l l cer ta inly ask

questions about the abducted Chibok school gir ls , who remained missing till date, the NNPC Scam, the $9 million and $5 million arms deals, the petroleum pump price hike, the devaluation of Naira, the oil theft, the power outages, the skyrocketed PHCN bills, the National Assembly tragedy, the cold-blooded killings by Boko Haram insurgents in the North, the N75 billion Abuja CCTV that was stolen, the suppression of personal freedom, the depravities of civil rights, the massacre and slaughtering of school children in the North.

The questions would continue about the Haliru Mohammed £1 million bribe, the $1.1 billion Malabu bribe scandal, the $180 million Halliburton scandal, the $32 billion ill-equipped defence, the $713 billion Nigerian Port Authority fraud, the Bart Nnaji PHCN scandal, Dame Patience Jonathan dollar laundry scandal, the former President Olusegun Obasanjo latest allegation of $55

billion mismanaged, the youth employments fiasco and more.

Unfortunately, for President, his discipline, zoology offers a definite judgment on morality. To situate corruption properly, it must be replaced by two concepts borrowed from zoology: the taming of a beast and the breeding of a specific species. But he didn’t apply his studies to tame corruption!

Though inherited, Mr Jonathan has been mushrooming on the country’s misfortunes, after inspiring the hope of brightening a nation under tension, turmoil and depression in 2011. Things had grown worst from what they were as at the time he picked up the threads of the withering country’s life from the edge of precipice. He couldn’t tackle the misfortunes of the immediate past, the eclipse of the present crises and the strengthening of the future he ambitiously promised to secure.

One of the most annoying episodes is the job scam, where 19 Nigerian youths, including pregnant women were trampled to death at the nation’s stadia across the 36 states of the

federation, Federal Capital Territory inclusive. The President deadened his feelings and acted like a monster; filled with joy; after returning from a fearful season of murder; arson, rape, and torture with the same joy in his heart, the same contentment in his soul as if he has won a trophy! No one hears anything about the Commission of Enquiries the president set up on the matter till now.

I raised some pertinent questions at that time in March 2014, when the horrific incident occurred thus: “Shall we expect President Goodluck Jonathan to “get to the root of the present stage-managed killings” by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and its allies? If he does, shall we ever know the purpose the killing serves in his government?

Could the government findings assuage the feelings of many Nigerians, who linked the deaths of the job-seeking youths to serving ritualistic purposes? Would the enquiries truly reveal the administration’s intension that was attended with showmanship? How many more Nigerians will pay the ultimate price, if the aim of the brutal stampedes is to elongate certain person hold onto power beyond 2015?

Isn’t it shameful that over 6 million youths paid N1, 000 to chase less than 5,000 jobs in a single department across the country? The same blood-soaked racket raked over N6 billion for the Nigeria Immigration Service, which they claimed was meant for the consulting firm. Ironically, the Interior Minister, Alba Moro, who supervised the tragic trampling underfoot of the Nigerian youths is stilling holding on tenaciously to his ministerial position.

It’s hoped that Nigerians will be approaching the polling units across the country with the mind set of righting the wrongs visited on their beloved country by a gang of politically ill-equipped leaders, who are providentially thrusted on the nation by dint of luck.

In the last sixteen years, the PDP has laid waste Nigerians’ heritage in the guise of political patronage. It’s time to change all that with our votes on February 14th.

•erasmus wrote in from Lagos, Nigeria.

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unnecessary Distractions

AuDACIOuS ExPlOIT

with MurtaLa aGBOOLa

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

saturday jaNuary 31, 2015

IT is no longer news that the political atmosphere of Nigeria is now tensed with the forthcoming general

election. The election would be keenly contested between two major parties, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the major opposition, All Progressives Congress (APC).

For the first time since 1999, the entrenched position of the PDP Presidency is threatened. The party was so comfortable in the recent past that it boasted that it was going to rule the country for 50 years.

It is doubtful whether PDP can repeat that boast this time around. The party at the national level has done very little to curry the confidence of voters. Rather than dissipate energy on how life can be better for the masses, the PDP has continued to be dogged by controversies and lack of performance.

In spite of the fanfare that went with the privatization of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), many Nigerians live in darkness. The power sector is yet to make any meaningful impact in the lives of the people. Refineries are not working; hence we continue to depend on importation for our refined products. So many reasons have been adduced by the PDP led federal government to rationalize why the government cannot support the building of refineries locally. Because we import fuel, we lack the jobs that would have been created.

Not only that, the ancillary products that would have been created is also denied. For the past sixteen years, it has been rhetorics and rationalization.

President Goodluck Jonathan cannot be trusted with another four years of our life. Promises he made in 2011 to Nigerians were not kept, hence we cannot afford him another four.

At first, the strategists of the PDP had asked Nigerians to forget about the formation of a strong opposition party like we have now because it had not worked in the past. Their analysis was that the parties that came together to form a united party had different interests which could not be harmonized together. Later, when it became a reality, the tune of the music changed. They cannot work together to produce a common presidential candidate.

The PDP went to town that the APC is toying with a muslim-muslim presidential ticket knowing full well that it is a highly sensitive and volatile issue.

Again, it fell like a pack of cards and they started the General

M u h a m m e d B u h a r i ( r e t d ) certificate saga. Ordinarily, the APC presidential candidate is not new to contesting presidential elections. The forthcoming would be his fourth attempt. He contested in 2003, 2007, 2011 under All Peoples Congress, All Nigeria Peoples Congress and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) respectively. With the release of Buhari’s certificate for public consumption, one would have thought that the matter would have been laid to rest. However, this is not to be, because for the first time, the PDP saw Buhari as a major threat who could sway the President away from his cozy office in Abuja.

All propaganda has failed but the PDP is not done yet. The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Peter Ayodele Fayose in an advertorial in two national newspapers recently impugn on the integrity of Buhari.

Fayose inferred by the advert

that since two Heads of State from North-West zone of the country died in office, Buhari would also suffer the same fate should be win the February election. How wicked can a person’s wish for his fellow human being be in the name of politics?

The interesting twist to the whole saga is that the advertorials were placed in the newspaper after the signing of the Abuja Accord under the supervision of Mr Emeka Anyaoku, the erstwhile Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations.

It is unfortunate that a person of the stature of a Governor from the president’s party initiated the truncation of the Abuja Accord. That also reminds Nigerians of the Aburi (Ghana) Accord between Gen Yakubu Gowon, then Nigeria’s Head of State and Colonel Odimegwu Ojukwu, the Governor of the then Eastern Region.

Attempt was made to have the

two leaders meet at Aburi in Ghana to prevent the looming war which unfortunately it could not prevent. The Aburi Accord signed under the watchful eyes of the Ghanaian Head of State; Lt General John Ankra could not be implemented because of the different interpretations given by each group. According to Ojukwu, the Aburi agreement meant a confederation which allowed each region to exist on its own only to collaborate and co-operate with the central government in areas of common interest.

Gowon’s interpretation meant that the accord should retain the federal structure with the centre being able to control certain activities of the region. The breakdown ultimately led to the 30-month civil war in Nigeria. Above all the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col Sambo Dasuki (retd) recently flew a while in abroad that the February election should be shifted forward. Although, he claim to be speaking in his personal capacity, discernible Nigerians know that he was indirectly speaking the minds of the topshots of the Abuja federal power. The President however, reiterated the fact that the February elections remain sacrosanct. The genuiness of the president’s assertion cannot be truly ascertained given that the NSA is a top member of the federal government. Many Nigerians have concluded that the spokesperson of President Jonathan campaign organization, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has deliberately decided to take Nigerians on a journey of non-issues like the certificate saga to distract them from the main issues. The certificate issue also exposed some of our so-called brilliant lawyers, some of who concluded that Buhari perjured before the school released his result.

In 2011, the president avoided the presidential debate organized by the media. In 2015, his spokesmen is distraction us from the main issues that ought to bother Nigerians.

President Jonathan should explain to Nigerians why the kidnapped Chibok school girls did not see him move to Maiduguri under the nebulous concept of insecurity but the atmosphere in the Borno State capital was conducive for his campaign rally.

It is my considered view that what smooth-talking Fani-Kayode has embarked upon is to distract us from the main issues. Nigerians should not allow themselves to be bogged down by his theatrics. In any case, the antecedent of the presidential

•BUHaRI