VOL. 10. NO.027 N100Saturday, March 28, 2015

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

Front Page Comment

- See Story On Page 2

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Continued on page 6

•(L-R) All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; APC Vice Presidential Candidate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; APC Presidential Candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd); Chief Bisi Akande; the Celebrant, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; his wife, Senator Oluremi; Lagos State governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and wife of Ogun State governor, Mrs Funsho Amosun, at the Seventh Bola Tinubu Colloqium In Lagos State last Wednesday.

FG Threatens APC Leaders In Osun With Arrest

Today’s Presidential Election:

Jonathan’s Men Out To Demonize Ex-military

- Pg 3

Jonathan’s ‘Dollars’ Embarrass Osun Monarchs

Election: IPAC Alerts On Mobile Network ShutdownOndo Deputy Governor Defects To APC

3 Days To Election: Strange Consignment Arrives Omisore’s Ile-Ife Home - Pg 2

Buhari,Tinubu And The New National MajorityWith the last dying gasp of the old order, a n e w s o c i e t y i s been midwifed. the presidential election on the 28th of this month will be pivotal alright but what else does it portend? In a way, it makes us to recall a famous quip by the legendary manager of

Liverpool Football c lub B i l l Shank ly. Pressed as to the real essence of footbal l , Shankly memorably stated,” football is not a matter of life and death, actually, it’s much more important than that”.

Paraphrasing Shankly, this is not just an electoral cycle and its not just another election, actually it’s much more important than that. the highly respected awujale of Ijebuland alluded to this recently. Out of

p r e s u m a b l y exasperation, he was to state that in over a fifty-year electoral cycle, he had never seen an election of this intensity. the awujale was being characteristically polite. In this election, the

agents and privees of the outgoing regime have thrown the kitchen sink not just at Muhammadu Buhari but also at the social cohesion of the Nigerian state.

religion, ethnic divide, everything has been used

to contrive a divide based on destroying the social solidarity of the Nigerian state.

the intensity says it all, that there is more than an election at play. In essence and there are echoes of 1993 here. What is in construction here is a

2OSuN DeFeNDeR Saturday, March 28, 2015

By ShINa aBuBakar

By daMILOLa OyekuNLe

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (3rd right), presenting gifts to wife of former governor of the state, Princess Omolola Oyin-lola (2nd left). With them are the state deputy governor, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori (2nd right); Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola (right) and former governor of the state, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola (left) during the 63rd birthday anniversary celebration of his wife, Omolola and presentation of gifts to the celebrant by Aregbesola recently.

FG Threatens APC Leaders In Osun With Ar-aS the presidential election holds today,

there was a grand plan last thursday by the PdP leadership for security operatives

to be on the trail of selected all Progressives congress (aPc) leaders in the State of Osun with a view to arresting and preventing them from voting.

According to report that reached OSuN deFeNder , police arres t warrant were ready and taken around by the special security team mandated to effect the arrest of the listed politicians in the state.

Findings revealed that some of the politicians listed for arrest included the immed ia t e -pas t C o m m i s s i o n e r f o r Information and Strategy in the state, Honourable Sunday Akere, APC senatorial candidate for Osun West, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke, Alhaji Fatai Oyedele and Honourable Femi Fafowora among others.

It was gathered that the arrangement to arrest and harass the APC leaders in the state was reached at a meeting among the First Lady, Patience Jonathan, M i n i s t e r o f P o l i c e Affairs, Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan, Senator Iyiola Omisore and Engineer Jide Adeniji.

Impeccable sources r e v e a l e d t h a t t h e personali t ies agreed that with the mentioned people in circulation during the election, the PDP would not have any chance of winning the poll, hence, the decision to arrest them and hound them into detention.

Part of the plans to effect their arrest is to plant some deviced in

their respective houses, such as card reader machines and weapons

and then turn around t o a c c u s e t h e m o f attempting to undermine the electoral process.

As at the time of filing this report, a special police team went to the house of a former Senator for Osun Central, Adebayo Salami, and the building was thoroughly

searched before leaving for Akere’s quarters.

It was gathered that Akere was marked out for embarrassment, as the team was instructed to drop weapons in his house and later parade him before the media.

F i n d i n g s f u r t h e r

revealed that the PDP intended to repeat what it did during the August 9, 2014 governorship election in the state, when APC leaders were arrested, harassed and detained during the election.

The security team, according to findings,

has been going round the state capital to arrest any of the listed politicians, with a bid to preventing them from coordinating the activities of their supporters and followers during the poll.

By Our rePOrter

APC Alerts On ‘Fake Police’ In Osunthe all Progressives congress in the

State of Osun has alerted citizens of the State that there are fake police positioned

to harass and mo lest supporters and officials of the party in order to prevent as many people as possible from voting today.

The party then asked the citizens to stand firm and peacefully, while insisting on their right

to vote.According to the

party: “Nigeria will never be the same again

after today’s election.“This is the defining

moment of the nation’s destiny for good or ill”, the APC said, adding that all true patriots must participate in this crucial hour of decision without fear or favour.”

In a statement from the party’s secretariat,

signed by its Director of Publicity, Barr. Kunle Oyatomi, the APC said that the fake police have been sighted in Osun in the last couple of days and were part of the Federal Government’s recruits by SURE-P that will sworm the cities and towns in Osun on the eve of the election to do what terrorist-looking security men did during Ekiti and Osun elections last year.

The party therefore urged Osun citizens that to make assurances doubly sure, every voter should wash his/her fingers thoroughly before going to the polling units, so that the card readers will have no problem with the accreditation exercise.

T h e A P C a l s o r e m i n d e d a l l i t s supporters to behave v i r tuously, as t rue ‘Omoluabi’ - peaceful, disciplined and well behaved , so that the security men will have no excuse, to ask them to leave the venue after voting.

3 Days To Election: Strange Consignment Arrives Omisore’s Ile-Ife Home•Adesiyan Plans Invasion Of 4 S.West Govt Houses

WILL the defeated Peoples democratic P a r t y ’ s ( P d P ) g o v e r n o r s h i p c a n d i d a t e ,

in the State of Osun, Senator Iyiola Omisore explain the contents of some strange consignment he took delivery of at his eleyele, Ile-Ife residence in the early hours of thursday?

Our investigation s h o w e d t h a t t h e consignment which looked like cache of arms or money was sent from Abuja via Lagos through Airforce Base in Ikaje, Lagos

T o n g u e s a r e wagging across the state as to what could be the content of the consignment.

A school of thought believes that since the consignment arrived three days to the presidential election, it could not be an understatement that

the content might be for the prosecution of the election.

A resident living on the same street with Omisore who did not want his name in print said categorically that

the content would either be arms or money to fight the election.

Futher information also indicated that the controversial Minister of Pol ice Affai rs , Mr Jelili Adesiyan, has conc luded an arrangement to invade Government Houses in Osun, Ogun, Oyo and Lagos states shortly before the presidential election of today.

I t was ga the red

that the police affairs minister held a meeting with commissioners of police in the slated four states in his Ibadan, Oyo State residence, on Wednesday where he gave the directive to the CPs.

It was learnt that the idea is to cause confusion during the election in order to work towards declaration of emergency in the affected states.

Another reason why the organized invasion of state houses is being schemed is to ensure that the votes of the four APC-controlled states do not count if the election is bedeviled with the sponsored crisis.

It was also gathered that the police are to work in tandem with some f ake po l i ce off icers the PDP-government has been training under the guise of SURE-P around Ikoyi axis of the state.

T h e s e f a k e

3 News OSuN DeFeNDeR Saturday, March

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, during inspection visit to National Assembly Constituency Project at Ilobu-Laarosin Middle School in the State of Osun recently.

Jonathan’s Men Out To Demonize Ex-military Leaders – IBBFOrMer Military President, General

Ibrahim Babangida, has described as callous and wicked the attempt by promoters

of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid to undermine the military institution by embarking on mudslinging campaigns against former presidents and leaders of military background.

General Babangida, who spoke while referring to an alleged one-hour documentary aired by Silverbird Television on Tuesday night; March 24, 2015 in a statement issued by his media office in Minna, the Niger State capital, said President

Jonathan’s campaign handlers were out to demonize and stigmatize former military leaders and cast aspersions on them in order to malign their reputation.

He said, the documentary “deliberately impugned the integrity of Generals Olusegun Obasanjo , Muhammadu Buhari, my humble self; Ibrahim Babangida, the late Sani Abacha, Abdulsalami A b u b a k a r, a n d T. Y Danjuma; all of whom have had the privilege of presiding over the affairs of this great country at various levels. It is either that those promoting the hate documentary are intellectually delinquent

or they suffer memory loss; or a combination of both.

“Apart from promoting hate campaign, which clearly undermines the modest contributions of these former presidents, the commentaries in the documentary against the former presidents leave a sour taste in the mouth,” he said.

Acco rd ing t o t he statement: “In clear attempts to whip up support for President

Goodluck Jonathan, certain persons, groups and individuals have embarked on several campaigns of calumny against former military Heads of S ta te and presidents, who have had the opportunity to govern this country.

“ O f p a r t i c u l a r reference is a one-hour documentary aired on Silverbird television o n Tu e s d a y n i g h t ; 24th March, 2015 that deliberately impugned

the integrity of Generals Olusegun Obasanjo, Muhammadu Buhari, my humble self; Ibrahim Babangida, the late Sani Abacha, Abdulsalami Abubaka r, and T.Y Danjuma; all of whom have had the privilege of presiding over the affairs of this great country at various levels. It is either that those promoting the hate documentary are intellectually deliquent or they suffer memory loss; or a combination of both.

“ I h a v e m y v e r y s t rong r e se rva t ions about the contents and thematic focus of the said documentary. Apart from promoting hate campaign, which clearly undermines the modest contributions of these former presidents, the commentaries in the documentary against the former presidents leave a sour taste in the mouth.

“Nobody is stopping anyone from campaigning f o r t h e i r p r e f e r r e d candidates contesting various positions in the elections, but to do that at the expense of the reputation, contributions, patriotism, loyalty and sac r i f i ce o f fo rmer presidents to the Nigerian state is, to say the least, immature.

“For record purposes, and without sounding immodest, the idea of a PDP that has now become the “largest party in Africa” started in my home, here in Minna. With the support of my fellow colleagues, we prepared the way for this democratic process that has now led us to where we are presently. We built the democratic infrastructure.

“ T h o s e w h o a r e parading themselves as democrats today, all participated in military g o v e r n m e n t s . A s a de l ibera te pr inc ip le of remaining unsung, or blowing my own trumpet, I have elected over the years to maintain dignified silence on so many issues concerning Nigeria, while I cultivate my access to each sitting President to pass across my advice in whatever form.

“It is on record and this is incontrovertible that the government I ran paraded some of the best brains this country can be proud of. I still remain eternally grateful to those wonderful brains who participated in our government to fashion a new roadmap for re-engineering the country.”

By eNIade JOSePh

NACOMYO Celebrates AGM In Style By MurtaLa aGBOOLa

MuSLIMS have been called upon to e m b r a c e p o l i t i c s b u t m u s t b e trustworthy and keep to promises when

they are elected.T h e M u f a s i r o f

Osogbo, Alhaji Moruf Ishola, gave the advice at the 12th Annual General Meeting of the National Counc i l o f Mus l im Youth Organizations ( N A C O M Y O ) Cooperative Society held at NACOMYO School, Igbona, Osogbo, State of Osun capital, last Sunday.

In his lecture tittled: Ethics in Politics; Islamic Perspective, Alhaji Ishola said it is erroneous to believe that Muslims should shun politics on the basis that it is ungodly.

He referred to Prophet Muhammed’s (PBUH) time and said that the prophet practiced politics but according to the tenets of Islam.

The Islamic cleric reiterated the fact that if the Muslim Ummah reject politics, they would have no basis to complain

if anti-Islamic policies are foisted on them.

In an answer to a question, he said it is morally wrong for the government to spend public funds to sponsor people on pilgrimage to Mecca and Jerusalem.

The chairman of the occasion, the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdul Rasheed Olabomi, who is also a member of the co-operative society, e n j o i n e d m e m b e r s to keep the trust with which the society is known for. He promised to provide an office at Iragbiji whenever Islamic banking starts in the State of Osun.

E a r l i e r o n , t h e President of NACOMYO Mother Union, Alhaji Abdulateef Olayanju, tasked members to live up to their responsibilities by paying their dues as and when due. He informed the gathering that what

started off of as a unit, later divided into four, is now eight.

Alhaji Mustafa Olaniyi, a leader of the co-operative society, while speaking, tasked the President of the Federation of Islamic

Co-opera t ive Union (FICU) to initiate the establishment of a micro finance bank in the State of Osun.

New executive council members of the co-operative society divided

into the eight units was inaugurated, while the f inancia l repor ts of the outgoing year for the existing four were approved.

Election: Women Rush To Stock Homes With Food Items

By SOLa JacOBS

aS part of preparation for the general elections, women at various markets in Osogbo, capital of the State of Osun, were

seen purchasing mainly food items for their families in preparation for the exercise.

A visit to Orisunmbare and Igbonna markets in the state capital on Wednesday revealed that women were patronizing food sellers, while staple foods such as gaari, rice, beans, dry pepper, dry fish and onions were on the high demand, as buyers stocked their homes in preparation for the election.

Some of the women i n t e r v i e w e d a t t h e markets said the last-

minute shopping became necessary as their families would need to feed during and after the elections.

Mrs Ademiju Ojuolape at Igbonna Market said the civic responsibility of women is not only to go out to vote but as well take care of the family, as most of them would be at home for the election, so there must be enough food for all the family.

A food seller at Owode

Marke t , Mrs Ad i j a t Rahman, said it was true that there was increase in the patronage of food item, but there was no corresponding increase in the prices of the food items, as a measure of gaari at the local market still remained at N80 per measure, while a tin costs N800.

It was also observed that there is high patronage of provision items such as milk sachet and beverage.

Mos t o f the ru ra l dwellers, who patronized urban market, said they came to buy provisions and kerosine mainly to be used in their respective villages.

4 OSuN DeFeNDeR Saturday, March 28, 2015News

By reBecca adeLaNI

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

By kazeeM MOhaMMed

•South-West Coordinator, Buhari/Osinbajo Presidential Campaign, Governor Rauf Aregbesola (left); Osun Central Senatorial candidate, Pro-fessor Sola Adeyeye (right) and the Akesin of Ora-Igbomima, Oba Idowu Samuel, during the grassroots/door to door electioneering Campaign for Presidential, National and State House of Assemblies Campaign, at Ora Igbomina in Ifedayo Constituency Area, State of Osun few days ago.

Hausa Beggars Desert Osun To Vote In Northern StatesBy ISMaeeL uthMaN

hauSa beggars in the State of Osun have left the state for their various towns of origin in the northern part of the

country to participate in today’s presidential and National assembly elections.

OSuN deFeNder obse rved tha t t he Hausa beggars were no longer seen in their large number at some spots and areas where they collected alms in Osogbo, Ile-Ife, Ikirun and Iwo, few days to the election.

Areas like Ayetoro, O j a - O b a , O l a i y a and Sabo in Osogbo had a few number of beggars when visited on Wednesday, likewise Oja-Oba in Ikirun and Oja-Oba and Sabo at Iwo Roundabout and other places in Ilesa.

When the medium made enquiry into the whereabouts of the Hausa beggars from the remaining few ones, they were said to have travelled to the northern states to vote in the election.

T h e r e m a i n i n g beggars disclosed to OSuN deFeNder that they did not have Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), and as a result, they could not go to their states to vote in the election.

It would be recalled that the Hausa beggars had, during the last

voters’ registration exercise, disserted the state to go for registration in their northern states.

The medium was

specifically told that the Hausa beggars, whose affection for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives C o n g r e s s ( A P C ) , General Muhamodu Buhari, was inspiring, were only interested in the presidential election.

It was noted that some trucks heading

to the northern part of Nigeria from Osogbo had sizeable passengers with some of them sitting on the goods being transported to the northern states.

M a n y o f t h e pas senge r s , wh i l e passing through Ola-Iya and Ayetoro roads in Osogbo, were heard

chanting “Sai Buhari, Buhari Baba, Buhari Mukeso” and other political statements to show their love and support for the APC presidential candidate.

Nigerians are very enthusiastic, sensitive a n d p o l i t i c a l l y conscious of the general elections with desire to

actively participate in the election with their vote.

Unlike the previous presidential elections, the 2015 has generated serious attention, both international and local, wh i l e Buha r i and President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples

Jonathan’s ‘Dollars’ Embarrass Osun Monarchsthe rain of dollars on some traditional

rulers in the State of Osun by President Goodluck Jonathan has begun to embarrass

the traditional rulers, as their subjects were said to have been demanding explanation and their share of the goodies.

President Jonathan had recently met some monarchs at the palaces of the Ooni of Ife and the Owa-Obokun of Ijesaland, as part of his consultations and search for supports, where he allegedly gave large sums of money in foreign currency to the monarchs.

Some t r ad i t iona l rulers, who were not part of the deal, have however described as embarrassing, the rate at which their subjects have been demanding for their shares of the money.

After a meeting at the palace of the Akirun of Ikirun, the Obas stated in their communiqué that all efforts to explain to their subjects that it was not all Obas that

were part of the meeting with Jonathan have not yielded any result.

A p a r t f r o m t h e Akinrun, other Obas who were present to dissociate themselves from the alleged dollar largesse were Olokuku

of Okuku, Oba Abioye Oluronke; Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Rasheed O l a b o m i ; O l u n i s a of Inisa, Oba Joseph Fadikun; Elende of Eko-Ende, Oba Rauf Olaniyan; Oloyan of Oyan , Oba Ke lan i Oyedare; Onirun of Oke Irun, Oba Adetoyi Adetunlurese; and the Elerin of Erin Osun, Oba Yusuf Omoloye.

The communiqué stated: “Of recent, the

press is awash with the report of endorsement of a particular presidential candidate by some traditional rulers in Osun State and the use of their beaded walking sticks to pray for him.

“It was also alleged that in the process, huge amount of hard currency was doled out. This has become the general talk in the public domain.

“ T h e g e n e r a l impress ion i s tha t

all traditional rulers in the State of Osun, without exception, were involved. Consequently, our subjects have been accosting us, demanding our explanation for engaging in such act. Some of our subjects have also demanded for their own share of money we collected.

“No doubt, this is an embarrassing situation to us. For this reason, we have decided to make it clear to the public that

Election: IPAC Alerts On Mobile Network Shutdownthe Federal Government has been alleged

to have collaborated with mobile telephone network providers to frustrate

any attempt for party stakeholders to reach one another during today’s election across the country.

This was disclosed by the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), Prince Adesoji Masilo, while speaking with OSuN deFeNder

in Osogbo during the week.

According to him, the Federal Government

had directed network service providers to make it impossible for some opposition leaders and their followers to communicate while the election is going on, with a view to paving way for the PDP to manipulate the process.

He said the task to give Nigerians a platform

to vote fa i r ly and creditably is everyone’s responsibility, adding that any attempt to subvert the will of Nigerians at the poll would be resisted.

According to him, the PDP-led Federal Government is hell-bent on imposing its will on Nigerians and this is a country, where the masses are more enlightened and ready to elect a leader of their choice.

Speaking on INEC’s position on the use of Card Readers and Permanent Voter Cards (PVC), he commended the electoral body for insisting on the use of the PVCs, saying it is the only way to guarantee credible polls.

A l s o , h e u r g e d Nigerian politicians to have the spirit of spor t smanship for this general elections, because in this type of competition, only one person would emerge winner and the nation must remain united.

He said, IPAC is confident that Nigerians are willing to accept the outcome of the election, provided that it is credible, free and fair, devoid of any

5555 News OSuN DeFeNDeR Saturday, March 28,

•South-West Coordinator, Buhari/Osinbajo Presidential Campaign, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, addressing APC supporters, during the grassroots/door to door electioneering Campaign for Presidential, Federal and State House of Assemblies Campaign, at Oke-Ila area, State of Osun.

Jonathan Has Assured Us Of Fair Elections - Abdusalamia f o r m e r h e a d o f S t a t e , G e n e r a l

a b u b a k a r a b d u s a l a m i (rtd), on Wednesday said he had extracted a

commitment from President Goodluck Jonathan that the general elections will be free, fair and credible.

Abdusalami said this while speaking with State

House correspondents sho r t l y a f t e r l e ad ing members of the National Peace Committee for the

2015 general elections to a closed-door meeting with President Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

As a military leader, Abdusalami voluntarily h a n d e d o v e r t o a democratically-elected

government of former P r e s i d e n t O l u s e g u n Obasanjo on May 29, 1999.

Other members of the former military leader’s group that attended the meeting with Jonathan included the Sultan of

Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammad S a ’ a d A b u b a k a r I I I ; C a t h o l i c A r c h b i s h o p of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan; Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh; Catholic

Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah; and Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe.

Abdusalami recalled that both Jonathan and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), signed a peace accord in order to ensure there is peace during, before and after the general elections.

The former mili tary leader said as a result of that accord, a peace committee was set up to ensure free, fair and violence-free elections.

He said all members of that committee decided to meet the President and to tell him what they have discussed with all the stakeholders and the role he as the Commander-in-Chief has to play.

He added that their message to Jonathan also included what the committee expected from him as a contestant in the presidential race.

H e s a i d : “ We ( t h e committee members) have briefed him (the President) and he has given us his assurance of conducting free, fair and violence-free elections. And this is what this committee is all about.

“Tonight or tomorrow morning, we will meet with Gen. Buhari for the same purpose. We will get commitment to ensure that the followers, the politicians and indeed all Nigerians make sure that there is free, fair and peaceful election.”

When asked if he is comfortable with the current political environment ahead of the elections, Abdusalami said: “From what we have seen, this campaign has been filled with campaign of calumny and we have talked with all the contestants, party leaders to try to get their supporters and campaign committee to please try to ensure for God’s sake let us not make these elections personal.

“There shouldn’t be any insult. Let us not play politics of bitterness and I do hope they have listened to us and they are working as much as they can, so they told us.”

By FraNcIS ezedIuNO

Community Embarks On Self-help Projects

aS part of their commitment to support the government of the State of Osun in its developmental programmes, residents of areja

Odomu Ifesowapo community in Owode, ede-North Local Government council area of the state, have embarked on self-help projects by grading the roads in the community.

This was made known by the Chairman of the communi ty, Engineer Akinola Abayomi, during a c h a t w i t h O S u N deFeNder team during the weekend.

He said the road was initially inaccessible due to its bad condition and the government has not been able to touch the area for its reconstruction.

Accord ing to h im, several calls have also been made to the Ede North Local Government Council Authority, but the effort has not yielded any positive result.

He said the community then took it upon itself to grade the road until the time the government would have enough resources to yield to the call of the community.

C o m m e n d i n g t h e

government for listening to the yearnings of residents in the area for electricity through the Osun State Community and Social Development Project, he said there are still more to be done.

He recalled that though t h e g o v e r n m e n t h a s executed electrification project in the area, there are other challenges being faced by the community in the area of security, health and disturbance by cattle rearers.

Akinola then commended the government under Governor Rauf Aregbesola for the development that the state has witnessed since his assumption of office despite its meagre a l l o c a t i o n f r o m t h e federation accounts.

This, he noted, has encouraged the residents of the community to be alive

to their responsibilities and embark on self-help projects to assis t the government.

He added that the projects that have been embarked on by the community included the opening up of about 90 per cent of the roads in the community, erecting concrete electricity poles

and ensuring security among others, while urging the government to build on these for the benefit of the people of the area.

Ondo Deputy Governor Defects To APC

thIS may not be the best time for the Peoples democratic Party (PdP) and Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, as the deputy governor of

the state, alhaji alli Olanusi, has defected from the PdP to the all Progressives congress (aPc).

Olanus i ’s defec t ion f o l l o w e d t h e m a s s decampment of Mr. Femi Agagu, the former Chief of Staff and younger brother to the late Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Agagu, a longs ide the former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Victor Olabimtan to the APC.

The deputy governor announced his defection Thursday morning in Akure with thousands of supporters from the PDP and Labour Party.

OSuN deFeNder

gathered that Olanusi had earlier in the day refused to attend a state executive meeting called by Governor Mimiko.

It would be recalled that the 71-year-old Olanusi and Mimiko defected to the PDP from the Labour Party in October 2014 with some members of the state cabinet.

Ever since the defection t o t h e P D P, M i m i k o and Olanusi had been at loggerheads, with the latter accusing the former of deceit

and self-centeredness.While announcing his

defection, Olanusi did not state any reason for leaving the PDP for APC.

Olanusi was reportedly going to Lagos to make official declaration, where he would state his reasons.

The deputy governor had scaled through a planned impeachment move by Mimiko and PDP lawmakers in the state in June last year.

Olanusi, who has been described as contented and loyal politician by Ondo State residents, was said to be uncomfortable with the treacherous character of Governor Mimiko, hence his resolved to pitch a tent with the progressive party.

By taIWO OJO

By ISMaeeL uthMaN

Election Observer Group Assures Of Free, Fair ElectioneVeN as the much-anticipated presidential

election will hold today, Nigerians have continued to have high hopes that peace will

prevail and a duly-elected leader will emerge at the end of the exercise.

Despite the prevailing atmosphere of fear that had expectedly surrounded the elections, Nigerians have come out to say that there was no cause for alarm as the elections would be held in an atmosphere devoid of violence.

A member of Transition Monitoring Group and INEC accredited observer, Taiwo Odugbesan, in an interview with OSuN deFeNder had dispelled the rumour that there was planned violence in some parts of the country.

Acco rd ing t o h im , contrary to what people are thinking, all machinery have been put in place by the relevant authorities to forestall any eventualities.

“I just want all Nigerians to display the spirit of love and patriotism for the country, which we have been known for and come out to vote for our leaders in a peaceful and orderly manner.

“Anybody who wishes t o h a n g a r o u n d t h e polling units till after the declaration of the election results or who wishes to go back home after casting their votes should do so in an orderly and peaceful manner.”

On the deployment of soldiers by the Federal Government, contrary to a ruling by a Federal High Court, Odugbesan

explained that the move by the government was predictable and expected.

“I will rather call on Nigerians to be law-abiding cit izens and go about exercising their voting rights.”

He advised the electorate not to show any sign of weakness, as the presence of the troops was not for

intimidation but rather for security reasons.

On the order given by the Nigeria Police barring members of the Man O’ War and private security and paramilitary organisations from the polling units, Odugbesan commended

the move, adding that it was a proven fact that some unaccredited officials were being used to manipulate the outcomes of the polls.

6 OSuN DeFeNDeR Saturday, March

Buhari,Tinubu And The New National Majority

OSUN DEFENDERPublisher – Moremi Publishing House Ltd.

Managing Editor – Kola Olabisi (0803-392-7286)

Editor – Kayode Agbaje (0803-388-0205)

Lagos Editor – Kola Odepeju (08023191891) Production Editor – Pet-Kola Taiwo Ibitowa Senior Reporter – Sola JacobsSenior Reporter – Kazeem Mohammed

Magazine Editor – Niyi Olasinde

Reporter – Kehinde AyantunjiReporter – Francis Chukwuma

Photographer – Oluwagbemiga AdeniyiPhotographer – Olushola Aderinto

Admin. Manager – Murtala Agboola

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

Cartoon

Contiuned from page 1new national majority. a victory for the all

Progressives congress (aPc) will, in effect, set a new template different in large measures from what we have seen since the ‘restoration` of democracy in 1999.

It is understandable that the old post-1999 order has run its course. this is not surprising. For in spite of record earnings from crude oil sales, the much anticipated ‘dividends of democracy’ has turned out to be a mirage. In many ways the new national majority being put into play is actually a way of slaying the beast of the often cited ‘Nigeria Paradox’. The conventional wisdom defines this paradox as the puzzling inability to translate record oil earnings into, at least, a marginal increase in living standards. On the part of the Nigerian people, expectations have been quite minimal. this is why the disappointment has been so very, painfully pronounced.

kudos have to be given to those who have, against the odds, put together what is transmitting from a conventional ‘opposition’ to a government-in-waiting. It is quite an achievement as well as a saving grace for our somewhat fragile democracy. the alternative to this would have been a response at variance with democracy. In a multi- ethnic, multi-religious society, this sort of reaction would have been disastrous. those who provided an alternative deserve all the kudos.

For the valiant efforts of Buhari, tinubu,

Okorocha, amaechi, atiku and co, two choices now face the republic. It is either we continue on the path of under-achievement and disappointed expectations or we change course. changing course means a decisive and irreversible break with a dismal past. there is no middle path.

the shift also comes at a time of declining oil income.For this reason, a new national majority will

be required to unite the progressive, national and democratic forces and tendencies behind a banner of national reconstruction and re- generation in order to save the republic. this is imperative because the economic outlook is unfavourable.

the outgoing PdP has not only mounted the most divisive election in Nigeria’s political history, it is also at the tail end carrying out a scourged earth policy. In the process, we have gone from wholesale to retail looting. the outlook is dire!

Facing the future means the construction of a new unifying national ethos to effect the re-adjustment that must be done. capital has to be redirected from consumption into production. Luckily, or is it providentially, we have in GMB the man with the fiscal rectitude to do so.

GMB terrifies the outgoing ancient administration precisely because of this. the days of financial lawlessness will be put behind us. Frankly, in our present situation, there is no other alternative. a new national majority will also ensure that the country develops a real market-propelled economy.

On the contrary, what the out-going administration promotes is croynism. this sort of system was denounced by the great afrobeat exponent, the late Fela anikulapo-kuti as ‘paddy, paddy’ government. the system has worked hand in glove with corruption to stifle the nation’s economy.

By promoting sweetheart deals and preferential treatment to a favoured few in the corridors of power, costs have been skewed against the consumer and competition stifled. Anticipated new pro-competition and anti-trust laws and a strong regulatory body will soon put an end to this debilitation. For example, no competition authority no matter how incompetent, can conceivably tolerate the corruption-induced use of import duty waivers. Since these waivers have been depriving the country of tax revenues and stifling competition, this will be a real gain.

the dying gasp of the old order is predictably vicious. It has to be for it signals the end of unearned privileges fuelled by a sense of entitlement. this has denied the majority of their economic rights and led to increasing mass poverty.

a new opportunity for national rebirth beckons it presents an opportunity to build through what is in essence an historic compromise a new society. We should seize this opportunity with both hands and not once again snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

5557 OSuN DeFeNDeR Saturday, March 28, Feature

Nigeria’s Day Of DecisionBy tuNde eSaNTODAY, an accused thief

will proceed to the market square to flaunt a goat

earlier declared missing. This very day, it will not be enough to have potential, but to maximize it to actualize it. So, the much-talked potential will not automatically equal to manifestation.

M a r t i n L u t h e r K i n g ’s assertion that non-violence is a powerful and just weapon, a sword that heals will be tested. Today, which will go down as a special day in the history of this nation, will also prove that nobody can terminate a full pregnancy without the gravest danger to both mother and baby.

March 28, 2015 will confirm to all Nigerians and the world at large that, success usually comes to those who are too busy looking for it. And things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out. Although, every child of God is ordained a star, but today, will justify how much we engage the covenant that determines when our star will shine.

T h e m u c h - a w a i t e d presidential election comes up

today and it will show us two principal boxers in the ring, the bold, brave, witty and sarcastic will slug it out with the famously polemical, abusive, unreliable and almost wholly without leadership character. History will be made or destroyed today because, as a nation, we have arrived at the limbo between death and resurrection. Death if the status quo remains and resurrection if hope becomes reality. No doubt, a change is imminent.

Today will also prove rightly or wrongly an assertion that the more patient we are, the better our chances of getting the very best out of life and discovering the treasures most people may never find in their lifetime. Patience itself has the power to turn the tables round and give us great victory in spite of the seeming odds, and the longer it takes to arrive, the greater the victory.

G e n e r a l M o h a m m a d u Buhari’s delay has shown the world that it isn’t total denial. The vision tarried for him, but he waited for it. He knocked

the Presidency door four times but the door refused to open for him. That is delay, not total denial. If the Pharaohs of Nigeria refused to open the door, then Holy Michael will be forced to wield his sword, for something good must come out of our Nazareth. The Jews had written off Nazareth that nothing good could come out of the city, and whoa!, Jesus came from the blues.

Every great season of reward is preceded by a great season of sacrifice. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won many souls through their rigorous and energy-sapping campaigns with even less cash to move round. They have toiled day and night to catch fishes in the ocean like Peter, yet they did not give up, hence, today is their great day of reward. The change has come, all else has given way, for nothing can stand in the way of progress.

The Lord and large majority of people in this country have spoken, and when the Lord says they should untie you and bring you to Him, the clock starts ticking and His plan for your life starts falling into place. The

expected change has been too slow but gradual, it has required more hard work, a bit of luck, a fair amount of self-sacrifice, and a lot of patience. But don’t fault God, He knows what He is doing.

Today, the Agboworins (money carrier) will flood everywhere, collect it, it is our looted money, then bring your conscience into picture. Let your conscience tell you that, what is offered for free is dangerous. It usually involves either a trick or a hidden obligation. Under this unfortunate regime, the devil has put a penalty on all things we enjoy in life. Either we suffer in health, or finance or we suffer in soul. But the Lord has spoken and commanded the most beautiful dawn to arise in the life of this once great country.

“Write the vision and make it plain upon tables, for the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end, it shall speak and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry”. Habakkuk 2:2-3.

•JONATHAN: Incumbent •BuHARI: Challenger

8 OSuN DeFeNDeR Saturday, March 28,

Seventh Bola tinubu colloqium In Lagos State Last Wednesday.

•Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora (2nd left) in a handshake with All Progressives Congress (APC) Vice Presidential Candidate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (right), and other dignitaries.

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, delivering his speech during the programme.

•Dignitaries at the programme.

•Professor Osinbajo and his mother, Madam Bisi, at the event.

phototalk

5559 OSuN DeFeNDeR Saturday, March

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (on the podium) addressing mammoth crowd of APC supporters during the rally.

•A cross section of APC supporters at the event.

•INSeT: Governor Aregbesola (middle), addressing his supporters; Senator Sola Adeyeye (left) and Honourable Lasun Yusuf (right).

all Progressives congress (aPc) rally at Iba In Ifelodun Local Government area Of the State Of Osun.

phototalk

aPc rally at Ora, Ifedayo Local Government area Of the State Of Osun.

10 OSuN DeFeNDeR Saturday, March

OLuSeSI ISaac writes that the Department of Security Services (DSS) stands the risk of having its image dented, if the department would not briskly, swiftly move against the impostors in the garb of Federal Task Force, bent on causing general havoc during the general elections, the culmination of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) brigandage to impose President Goodluck Jonathan on Nigerians.

Of PDP’s Fake Security Operatives“HEH! What you are holding is not a single-action pistol. So you don’t have to manually cock the hammer before firing. Rather, what is in your hand is a double-action revolver for offensive operations, already loaded with a magazine containing rounds of ammunition which you can fire by simply pulling the trigger, and the lock that holds the cylinder in place is released, revolving the cylinder and cocking the hammer that fires its cartridges rapidly”.

That was the commander, barking out training instructions to the able-bodied men and women enlisted into what is dubbed Federal Task Force in Ikoyi, Irewole Local Government Council Area of the State of Osun. The recruited clad in dark T-shirts, dark trousers, dark jungle boots, dark belts, dark fez caps that deliberately bear the insignia of the operatives of the Department of Security Service, DSS, are getting trained to co-mix them with the rank and file of the DSS on election duty, to the detriment of the image of DSS.

The fictitious Federal Task Force recruits are each issued a gun and robust bulletproof, the kind that is used in bomb disposal operation, which covers their torso and is worn under their uniform to protect them against gun projectiles and all types of knives. Their commander however wears two of such bulletproof vests, that can withstand riffle fire and a belt of rounds of ammunition . And he has four well armed men, hovered around him.

The task force commander and his recruits are not going to war, neither were they on the trail of fleeing armed robbers. They are a private army of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), mapped to let loose mayhem on Nigeria’s South-West electorate, to instigate crisis, hijack electoral ballot boxes filled with votes and fire teargas and other explosives at polling units, to wreck general havoc during the general elections.

The fear that the South-West, the stronghold of opposition to the ruling PDP at the centre may become a battle ground is not misplaced after all. The scenario is already playing out with the PDP’s armed-to-the-teeth task force that plans a season of blood and tears for the South-West electorate in order to grab or retain power. Fears are rife that violence and politically motivated assassination may not only mar the polls but lead to a major crisis in the old Western region, to spring the declaration of state of emergency and have administrators appointed in the affected States.

Meaning that politics in Nigeria has become increasingly deadly. Political gladiators are not leaving anything to chances. Politicians now attend political meetings or move around with the full compliments of mobile policemen, while others use private security men and bouncers, thugs and people of questionable characters, heavily built men with rippling muscles for sinister jobs, always in a hurry to engage in fisticuffs, with or without provocation, to protect the source of their income. The so-called federal task force is the culmination of the PDP brigandage to impose President Goodluck Jonathan on Nigerians, that has further raised the stakes.

The task force enlists not less than

eight hundred men and women on weekly basis from across Osun, Oyo, Ondo Ekiti, Edo and Lagos states and to be dispatched to states, not states of their origin, on illegal election duty. The recruits who said they paid N1,000 for registration, N2,000 for training, and N3,000 for kits, but are promised automatic employment should Jonathan be re-elected as President.

Some of the enlisted who spoke on the condition of anonymity, revealed that they are charged to hold electorate and election officials hostage on election days and behave as if law and order has completely broken down. The gun-trotting men and women of the task force have mastered the art of running and meandering, and are also told to make good their escape with ballot boxes in the event of pursuit after them. Somehow interesting, as though regrettable, the recruits speak impeccable English and are highly intelligent, suggestive of their high level of education. They have been trained to understand violence and bloodletting as the only language.

The task force scared the daylight out of the reporter. His venture almost turned out to be his epitaph as the frightening incidents in the camp starred one in the face. A trainee, in apparent fit of anger landed a blow on the chest of another who let out a long yell and landed on the ground. And with the agility of a fox, he got up, pushed off his uniform and ran zig-zag into the bush, like Robbin Hood, a legendary English desperado who presided over his band of brigands in Sherwood Forest in Medieval, England.

No one knows why PDP has chosen

the State of Osun to foment trouble in the name of elections. The Osun security system has been profoundly active and profoundly rewarding in the last four years, especially in the areas of enforcement of laws and order, prevention of crimes, protection of lives and property and regulations of public behaviour. Osun under Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as governor has efficient large-scale security services against crime, fire, accidents, sabotage, subversion, attack, espionage, burglary, robbery and shoplifting that have increased security consciousness among the citizenry. Aregbesola does all of that by his effective counter efforts against crimes.

The motorization of the patrol teams of Nigeria Police, Military Police, and Civil Defence Corps is largely accomplished. Aregbesola purchased a considerable number of HILUX pick-up vans for the security patrol teams that enable them move randomly and quickly through urban and less urban streets, parks, housing complexes, school campuses, markets and location where there are multiple large walkways, not easily accessible from the streets, creating a feeling of security omnipresence that deters criminals and reassure citizens of their safety. The motorisation of Osun security patrol teams allows the teams expand beats and reduce time required for responding to crimes .

The Aregbesola security patrol vehicles are routinely fitted with heavy duty alternators that power the array of electronic devices and are equipped with light controls, cellular telephones, radar

units and mobile digital terminals. Osun also procured a few military adapted patrol vehicles, the Buffel, derived from a military armoured personnel carrier to assist in high risk operations. Osun also has an aircraft for security patrol, equipped with a high intensity spotlight that provides overhead illumination for patrol units on ground and the aircraft is also equipped with forward-looking forward (FLIR) that provides right vision, enabling patrol unit on ground to be directed to a particular location.

Aregbesola knows that the security vehicles would be nothing more than efficient conveyance, if the security patrol teams are unable to communicate instantly with each other and the public. He has therefore, equipped the security patrol officers with portable radio transceiver for individuals on security patrol teams that allows uninterrupted radio contacts between the dispatch centre and patrol men out there; computers that make possible quick retrieval of information on stolen vehicles, wanted persons and misdemeanor and a wide variety cellular phones.

Where a crime is committed, the security teams on patrol question the crime by screening, vetting and use of teargas sparingly to flush out armed suspects without the use of deadly force. In Osun, security patrol teams have reduced citizens’ fear of crimes, increased publics satisfaction with the State of security in Osun, eliminated opportunities for crime, or made crime more difficult to commit.

Osun security system has been successful because the system works closely with the people of the state. The system is careful not to overreach when handling crowd, and it has developed skillful methods of crowd control.

And since the targets of the federal task force in Ikoyi in Osun are the South-West polling units and crowded electorate on the days of elections, genuine security operatives on election duty could subject voters, baggage and carry –on items to multiple scrutiny, while detailed images of the enlisted in the task force should be produced.

•JeGA •ABBA

“They are a private army of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), mapped to let loose mayhem on Nigeria’s Southwest electorate, to instigate crisis, hijack electoral ballot boxes filled with votes and fire teargas and other explosives at polling units, to wreck general havoc during the general elections, due this week Saturday.

The fear that the Southwest, the stronghold of opposition to the ruling PDP at the centre may become a battle ground is not misplaced after all.”

Feature

55511 OSuN DeFeNDeR Saturday, March 28, Feature

Lee Kuan Yew, ‘A True Giant Of History’LEE Kuan Yew was born into

a wealthy Chinese family that had resided in Singapore

since the 19th century. After World War II, Lee studied law at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge in United Kingdom. In 1950, he was admitted to the English Bar, but instead of practicing law there, Lee returned to Singapore to do so.

Born in Singapore on September 16, 1923, Lee Kuan Yew became the longest-serving Prime Minister in world history. Lee rose through the ranks of his country’s political system before becoming the first Prime Minister of Singapore on June 5, 1959. In 1962, Lee led Singapore into a merger with Malaysia, but three years later, Singapore left the union for good.

At the time, Singapore was a British colony and held Britain’s main Naval Base in the Far East. The country was ruled by a governor and a legislative council, mostly comprising wealthy Chinese businessmen, who were appointed rather than elected by the people. In the early 1950s, Singapore buzzed with talk of constitutional reform and independence, and Lee banded with other like minds to challenge the governing structure of the country. Soon breaking from this group and taking a more radical stance, in 1954, Lee became Secretary-General of his own party, the People’s Action Party.

In 1955, a new Singapore Constitution was introduced. It increased the number of elected seats on the council to 25 out of a total of 32, thereby allowing only 7 seats to be filled by appointment. In the elections that followed, the party founded by Lee’s former colleagues, the Labour Front won 13 seats, while Lee’s PAP won merely 3.

But with his party represented on the council, in 1956, Lee headed to London as part of the delegation seeking self-rule for Singapore. After the negotiations failed, Singapore experienced a year of civil unrest, but in 1957, Lee returned to London, yet again as talks resumed.

The next year, Lee helped negotiate what Singapore’s status would be as a self-governing state, and a new Constitution was formed.

Under the new Constitution, national elections were held in June 1959. Lee campaigned on an anti-colonialist, anticommunist platform and called for sweeping social reforms and an eventual federation with neighboring

countries.Lee’s party won a decisive

victory, taking 43 of the 51 seats in the assembly, and Singapore gained self-governing status (except in matters of defense and foreign affairs). Lee was sworn-in as Prime Minister on June 5, 1959, becoming the first Prime Minister of an independent Singapore.

Once in office, Lee Kuan Yew introduced a five-year plan calling for urban renewal and construction of new public housing, greater rights for women, educational reform and industrialization.

His plan also called for a merger of Singapore with Malaysia, and after Malayan Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman proposed the formation of a federation that would include Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak, Lee began to campaign in favour of the effort and to end British colonial rule for good.

To show that the people of Singapore were supportive, Lee used the results of a referendum held in September 1962, in which

70 percent of the votes were cast in favor of the proposal. So in 1963, Singapore joined the newly created Federation of Malaysia. In elections held shortly after, the PAP retained its control of Singapore’s Parliament, and Lee held onto his post as prime minister.

Growing tension between Chinese and Malays in the Federation, however, resulted i n r i o t i n g i n S i n g a p o r e , notably marked by the Prophet Muhammad Birthday Riots, or Sino-Malay riots, of the summer of 1964. A year later, with racial strife continuing, Lee was told by his Malaysian colleagues that Singapore must leave the federation.

Lee was passionate about working out a compromise, but his efforts proved fruitless, and he signed a separation agreement on August 7, 1965. The failure of the merger was a serious blow to Lee, who believed that unity was crucial for Singapore’s survival. In a televised press conference, he was emotionally drained, as he announced the formal separation and Singapore’s

full independence:“For me, it is a moment of

anguish,” he said. “All my life ... I believed in Malaysian merger and unity of the two territories. You know that we, as a people, are connected by geography, economics, by ties of kinship ... It literally broke everything that we stood for ... now Singapore shall be forever a sovereign democratic and independent nation, founded upon the principles of liberty and justice and ever seeking the welfare and happiness of the people in a most and just equal society.”

With the broken union came problems beyond Lee’s personal grief: Singapore’s lack of natural resources and a limited defensive capability were major challenges.

Singapore needed a strong economy to survive as an independent country, and Lee quickly spearheaded a programme to transform it into a major exporter of finished goods. He also encouraged foreign investment and made moves to ensure a rising standard of living for workers.

When the opposition party decided to boycott Parliament from 1966 onward, the PAP won every seat in Parliament in the elections of 1968, 1972, 1976 and 1980.

Lee resigned as Prime Minister in November 1990 but remained the leader of the PAP until 1992. After 14 years away, Lee’s family took its place at the head of the Singapore government once again in the summer of 2004, when Lee’s son, Lee Hsien Loong, took power.

In early 2015, Lee Kuan Yew was hospitalized with pneumonia. By early March, he was on a ventilator, in critical condition, and he died soon after, on March 23.

Lee has left behind a legacy of an efficiently-run country and as a leader who brought prosperity unheard of before his tenure, at the cost of a mildly authoritarian style of government. By the 1980s, Singapore, under Lee’s guidance, had a per capita income second only to Japan’s in East Asia, and the country had become a chief financial center of Southeast Asia.

May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.

As Nigeria is going to the poll to elect the new leaders, our leaders that will be elected in different capacities must learn from this great man, who transformed his country.

By JOhN tOSIN aJIBOye

•Lee KuAN YeW

12 OSuN DeFeNDeR Saturday, March 28, Feature

Ilesa – Osogbo Road: Forlorn Stretch Of Deathtraps?Having transversed the stretch of federal road linking Osogbo with Ilesa over time; coupled with shout-

outs of complaints from residents, motorists, commuters and other stakeholders, NIyI OLaSINde brings the issues at stake to focus with, the view of salvaging the sad trend for the benefit of all; even as a former federal legislator from Ijesaland is being fingered as handler of the abandoned project.

TIME and time again, save-our-soul shouts have been raised by motorists plying Ilesa-Osogbo

road and residents of communities that line up the road over various degrees of menace; all of ever-increasing magnitude, that the road has been constituting in recent times. The uproar and the discomfort that nurtured it would have been avoided; had the appropriate authorities for the construction and maintenance of the stretch of road risen up to the challenge of doing the needful and the rightful towards guaranteeing overall abundant life for the people of the state. Unfortunately, successive administrations at the federal level had shut their eye to the derelict state of the road and the emerging need to fix it right.

Information from dig-deep findings revealed that save for persistent efforts by certain administrations of state governments under the old Oyo State and the present-day State of Osun at patching and maintaining the road; the road would have today become utterly impassable. Further findings revealed that all efforts mounted so far by the real owner of the road, the Federal Government of Nigeria, have proven spurious and pretentious. Fallouts from this persistent lackadaisical attitude of the successive administrations of the government at the centre is the fact that the road has degenerated into deathtraps of sorts and, save for the time-tested security intervention of the incumbent administration at the state level, a den of robbers.

The present degeneration status of the road and other federal roads in the state becomes disheartening, pathetic and lamentable because there are so many of this category of roads criss-crossing the terrains of the State of Osun. As a matter of fact, it was confirmed in Year 2010 by the Chairman of the time for Federal Roads Management Agency (FERMA), Alhaji Abdulkadir Kure, during his tour of the state that no single state within the federation has near the same length of federal roads as does the State of Osun.

Added to the afore-mentioned supposed advantage are lots of other endowments with which the state is blessed. Most relevant of these numerous endowments is the vantage position the state occupies as it shares physical boundaries with not less than five states round-about. To the North, the State of Osun is bounded by Kwara State; to the East, by Ekiti and Ondo States; to the West, by Oyo State; and to the South, by Ogun State. As land transportation via the road network is the most prevalent means of transportation, what would have most aptly converted the advantage mentioned above into source of profound prosperity is adequate link of the adjoining states with good network of motorable roads.

The Osogbo-Ilesa road is particularly of spectacular importance as it provides veritable link between Osogbo, the state capital and a vibrant segment (Ijesa Axis) of one of the three senatorial districts, which the state is delineated into i.e. the Osun East (Ife/Ijesa)

Senatorial District. In addition to this, the stretch of road under consideration provides an alternative between the State capital, Osun Central and the eastern / northern parts of the country. Exit could be made into the state from Ibadan/Ilesa/Akure Expressway at IIe-Ife/Yakooyo Junction; just as it could be conveniently done through Ilesa end of the road. Because of this, the Ilesa-Osogbo road deserves not only reconstruction but also dualization.

Cons ide r ing the recogn ized importance of the Osogbo-Ilesa road to the entire economy of the state and that of the nation; how and why it suffers abandonment and neglect that plagues it today is confounding and worrying. The spate of auto accidents on the road is already causing great concern and worry for all stakeholders. These accidents, though couldn’t oftentimes be classified as fatal, due to the fact that they are not life-claiming; they remain life-threatening and throw debilitating fear down the spines of motorists, commuters and residents of adjoining communities.

Last Friday, a vehicle, in apparent bid to avoid potholes at a bad portion of the road, plunged itself into the River Osun bridge, overlooking Osunjela Village at the crossover precincts into Ijesa axis of the road. That accident caused traffic hiccups, leading to gridlock and paralysis of economic and commercial activities along the area. Such incidents have become a recurring decimal in the area, owing to the dilapidated nature of

road infrastructure.Sometimes late last year, an auto

crash occurred at Oke Ijetu end of the same road, precisely at the part directly in front of St. Charles School. Information at the disposal of this medium, as regards the accident, does not portray the victims as too lucky. Another accident, involving a tipper, occurred at a bend at the approach of Owode Village early in 2014. News of the death-toll of the accident was not at all palatable. We can go on and on; but the bottom line remains that the Osogbo-Ilesa road has completely degenerated into a death trap that has a long line-up of deadly entanglements along its stretch. What actually contributed to this spate of degeneration; especially when we consider the list of importance traced for the road above?

Authoritative and impeccable sources at our disposal revealed that the Ilesa-Osogbo road, together with its users and residents of adjoining communities are all victims of the antics of winner-takes-all. Findings revealed that the contract for the reconstruction and dualization of the almost 45-kilometre stretch road had been awarded to gladiators of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on several occasions since 1999. In other words, the monies already allocated and duly-appropriated for the road alone could have sufficed in fixing all federal roads within the state in a fell swoop.

The latest of such wasteful and

frivolous awards was the one won during the Yar’Adua/Jonathan administration by the fo rmer r ep resen ta t ive representing the Obokun /Oriade Federal Constituency of the state at the Federal House of Representatives of the National Assembly, Honourable Gbenga Onigbogi. Confirmed sources have it that the contract was awarded to Onigbogi at several hundreds of millions of naira; upon which the work has not moved anywhere close to take-off.

At the initial stage, it was confirmed that Onigbogi made a spurious attempt, facading a make-believe that construction work had started. Today, the signal sent to the appropriate authorities at the top is that work on the road has reached advanced stage of completion; whereas is has long been abandoned!

Part of the findings has indicted the officials of the Federal Ministry of Works of complicity in the diversion that befell the fund for the project. The ministry officials, it was gathered had been giving coverage to the atrocious plot surrounding the subversion of the contract sum. It was further proven that if the complicity theory had not been in force, officials of the federal ministry would have acted proactively on the numerous complaints officially lodged with them by motorists, community residents and other stakeholders from time to time.

A related revelation came in handy for similar road project in nearby Ekiti State. It was gathered that during the administration of Obasanjo/Yar’Adua between 2007 and 2010, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State of Osun in last year’s gubernatorial election, Senator Iyiola Omisore, capitalized on a combination of his senatorial status, his being the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, and his being a son-in-law of Ekiti State to win a major road contract consisting the dualization and construction of Ado-Ekiti/Ifaki/Oye/Kogi State Boundary road. The project eventually ended up being abandoned.

The res iden t s o f concerned communities along Ilesa-Osogbo road, who spoke to our reporters on condition of anonymity, confided that some Ijesa chiefs intended to bare the challenge before President Goodluck Jonathan during his recent political campaign visit to the palace of Owa-Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran. Asked on what prevented them from embracing that option, the concerned residents smelt betrayal, as they expressed suspicion that the principal culprit in the diversion, former Honourable Onogbogi, must have silenced the chiefs through some form of financial settlement.

The summary of the entire scenario is that the motorists on the road, as well as commuters and residents of adjoining communities are crying loud to appropriate authorities at federal level of governance to rise up and provide succour to them by reconstructing the road. In the alternative, the stakeholders wish the Federal Government could mobilize the State Government of Osun up-front to carry out the execution of

•JONATHAN

55513 OSuN DeFeNDeR Saturday, March

World Bank Report On NigeriaPRESIDENT Goodluck

Jonathan recently faulted the World Bank Report which

placed Nigeria among the five poorest countries in the world, saying the country is not poor. According to the President, Nigeria’s problem is not lack of money, but equitable distribution. It is conceded, however, that management of funds has been the bane of Nigeria.

Pundits have averred that Nigeria is a country of millions of poor people, suffering amidst plenty. Despite the taunted rebased gross domestic product, which revealed Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa, poverty haunts a very large segment of the citizenry. There is hunger, starvation, deprivation, disease, high level of unemployment and general despondency among the citizenry.

It has been argued that the mono-cultural nature of our economy is partly responsible for our economic predicament. Elimination of poverty requires a systematic effort geared at fully exploiting our agricultural resources and shoring up the utilization of the installed capacity in our industries. Governments must strive to totally liberate the creative energies of the people. One of the most important means of doing this is for government to concentrate on the provision of highly-improved infrastructural f a c i l i t i e s , e s p e c i a l l y o f transportation, communication and energy and ensure that these are constantly maintained. It should then withdraw from direct involvement in all manners of productive activities although its policies and programmes must be supportive of private initiative in these areas. Of more fundamental importance is the need for government to ensure stability and consistency of policy over a sufficiently long period. This will inculcate a strong sense of operational discipline and promote a high level of financial accountability. Regardless of change in personnel, a culture of transparency in governance must be developed while great attention must be paid to resource mobilization and financial prudence. It is particularly important that there must be consensus on the minimum welfare package that is compatible with the investment needs of the economy, if the development effort is to be sustained at a high

level of performance on a long term basis.

Above all, governments must avoid haphazard strategy for the elimination of poverty. It should focus sharply on and regard as its primary responsibility, the challenge of seeing country as essentially a human development. Even when the emphasis is on promoting the role of the private sector in stimulating the growth of the economy, government still has an enormous role to play to ensure that all this takes place in the context of greater equity and less inequality in the productive rewards to individuals.

There is the need for the government to address the problem of the wage issue. This should be preceded by a survey of cost of living of an average wage earner, the findings of which should be used to implement hike in workers’ pay. However, a review of the national wage policy is not the total solution to the plight of the common man. More still needs to be done in the area of price control that would ensure that prices of food items

are not arbitrarily hiked as the wages are received. Even if there is 1000 percent wage increase, it will not translate into concrete benefit unless prices are kept at a reasonable level. For example, there was a time the government tinkered with the wages but the upward review was eventually reduced to nought by the influence of inflation. Moreover, given the fact that out of a population figure of over 150 million people, about 80 per cent of Nigerians are not in paid employment and for that single reason wages can only be addressed in respect of just 20 per cent of the total population.

So, from the economic point of view, it is the total income of the household that should be looked into because the total income of the household is higher than individual salary. Even then, one has to make allowance for the work done outside the normal jobs and the income generated by members of the household before determining the standard of living.

Any government policy of staff rationalization will work in opposition to the above suggestions as this depletes the

number of income earners in the households and thus thrust the burden of family upkeep unexpectedly on other shoulders. Poverty dehumanizes and when poverty engulfs a whole nation, it is a colossal calamity. All aspects of life will before long suffer. Even the spiritual side of life itself is in no doubt that something is wrong. Particularly when it is needless poverty or redeemable deprivation, the pain will be deep. A country that has found it fine cannot manage poverty, as well as another country that is naturally impoverished from time immemorial. As observed by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, as long as Africa remains a continent of competing beggar nations, so long will poverty, ignorance and disease, with their concomitant phenomena prevail in Africa.

The reduction of poverty will be impossible without generating jobs and incomes in urban areas. This applies to absolute poverty; decrease of incomes and salaries below acceptable thresholds, as well as relative poverty and increasing inequality.

To overcome the situation of poverty, the masses have to join popular organizations and use such organizations to educate their members on the critical issues of public affairs, which affect their interests. They should stand for elections to ensure that the government pursues policies that will serve their interests. The masses should not adopt an “I don’t care” attitude towards polices because if they do, they will suffer from selfish politicians. The masses should realize that their direct participation in government through contesting elections or saying their mind is their best guarantee against being cheated. If people don’t get involved in taking their own decisions, some selfish people will take decisions for them.

The most important way for the people to control their own affairs is to form their own political party they can democratically use to choose their leaders, develop their policies, promote their welfare, reduce their poverty and build a string, prosperous and united nation. Nigeria should have no business with poverty. Poverty is a permanent state of violence, inequality and inequity. And until policy strategies can be designed to overcome it national and global development will be impaired and growth cannot be sustained.

By PrOF. a.S. aSaJu

•JONATHAN

14 OSuN DeFeNDeR Saturday, March

Job Vacancies In Nigeria

You can subscribe to Job Vacancies in Nigeria, Jobs in Nigeria via your e-mail: www.jobszilla.ng

the african centre for Innovation and Leadership development (acILd) Jobs in abuja, March 2015The African Centre for Innovation and Leadership Development (ACILD) is a development non-governmental organization headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria with offices in Toronto, Canada and Nairobi, Kenya. It was created in response to the dearth of resources available to African scientists to maximize their potential in terms of professional and leadership development.ACILD is recruiting to fill the position of:Job Title: Part Time Graduate AccountantLocation: Abujaresponsibilities Prepare, examine, or analyze accounting records, financial statements, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards.Develop, implement, modify, and document record keeping and accounting systems, making use of current computer technology.Prepare quarterly financial reports for our board members and donors.Participate in grant development; write reports on grants and other project activities.Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, PowerPoint, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.Carry out procurement and develop contracts for stakeholders.Project management and Research operations.QualificationKnowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.At least 1 year experience managing finance and financial records.HND/OND/B.Sc in Accounting or similar discipline.Ability to use computer hardware and internet.Knowledge of accounting software such as QuickBooks, Peachtree.Applicant must be resident in Abuja.Job title: Executive AssistantLocation: Abuja

Job descriptions Coordinate the calendar, travel, meetings, and schedule arrangements for management.To coordinate operations of the Nigeria office including, reception, document preparation, control of internal communications, filing and general office maintenance.Coordinate meetings as required, including, preparing agenda, circulating papers and taking minutes.Assist with the planning and coordination of company events, seminars and workshop.Arrange & maintain records and confidential filesAnswer and filter telephone calls.Assist with the development/production of communication materials and presentationsMaintain social media platforms such as the company’s website and Linked-in pages.Attend events and meetings on behalf of senior executives where required.Staying current with local and other relevant news and prioritizing news items for review of the senior executives.Any other such duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by any of the executives which shall not be considered inconsistent with a position of this nature.Desired Skills and ExperienceExcellent Administrative skills at management level.Minimum of 1 year post qualification experience in will be preferable.Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills.Highly motivated and dynamic Executive Assistant.Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure.Accuracy and attention to detail.Good interpersonal skills.Respect for confidential information.Proficient in the use of Microsoft packages such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook.Relevant professional qualification will be an advantage.Self-motivated individual.Team player with a flexible and reliable attitude.Excellent written and oral communication skills.

how to applyInterested and qualified candidates should submit cover letter and resume in one PDF (Word documents would not be accepted) to: info@acild.org and careers@acild.org Indicate the appropriate subject title. Also, cover letter and resume should not be more than 2 pages. Note: All applicants that do not meet this criteria would be automatically disqualified. This position is available on part-time basis only.

Application Deadline 3rd April, 2015——————————————————————————————————————HiiT Plc Jobs in Abuja for Graduate Field Marketing & Sales OfficersHiiT Plc is an experienced Company in the ICT Industry with major focus on IT training/Education, Publishing, IT Solutions Development & Services, e-Learning Solution Development and Implementation among other businesses.We seek to recruit passionate, competent, committed and result-oriented person to fill the position below:Job title: Graduate Field Marketing & Sales OfficerLocation: AbujaQualifications and Experience At least 1 year post-NYSC experience in Sales and Marketing of FMCGs.Candidate must hold B.Sc/HND in Marketing or any other Social Science discipline.Must be resident in Abuja Metropolis.Must possess HiiT ICT Proficiency License.Excellent Communication skills and Capacity for meeting Sales targets.Proven track record of performance.

Method of applicationInterested and qualified candidates should submit their application letters and CV’s to:

the Business Manager,hiit abuja centre,27, addis ababa crescent,Wuse zone 4, abuja.

Application Deadline 2nd April, 2015.—————————————————————————————————————Jobs in Warri in a Microfinance Bank for Marketing & Business Development OfficersA reputable Microfinance Bank situated in Delta State, is recruiting to fill the position of:

Job title: Marketing & Business Development OfficerLocation: Warri, Delta StateQualification Degree/HND/OND in Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, Marketing and any other Social/Humanitarian disciplines.Experience in Microfinance operations is an added advantage.Skills required:Ability for product development and marketing;Sound analytical skill; Amiable and passionate personality;Flair for customer relationship management and Ability to mobilize savings.In-depth knowledge of the workings of micro, small and medium enterprises;Leadership and tactical management skill;RemunerationAttractive & competitive in line with industry standard.

how to applyInterested and qualified candidates should send their letter and CV to:

head, Finance and administrationCorporate Head Office,Iye Plaza, Km 4,324 Refinery Road, effurun.

P.O. Box 1519 Warri, delta State.Or e-mail: latestbankrecruitment@gmail.com

Application Deadline 20th April, 2015—————————————————————————————————————Jobs in Port harcourt at Padoserve Limited for Marketing executivesPadoserve Limited is recruiting for an ICT company to fill the position below:Job title: Marketing ExecutiveLocation: Riversrequirements

Interested applicant must have full IT knowledge, and must be a HND/B.Sc holder in Computer Science or any Social Science related course.He/she must be a goal getter, ready to exceed set target with little or no supervisionInterested applicants must have at least 3 years experience of Marketing ICT products such as Laptops, Desktop, Tablets, accessories, PABX, CCTV equipment and Smartphones.He/she must have full knowledge of Port Harcourt market and it’s environ.Successful applicant must be ready to resume immediately.

how to applyInterested and qualified candidates should send their applications to: consulting@padoserve.com using “Marketing” as subject of the mail.

Application Deadline 14th April, 2015.-——————————————————————————————————————Stanbic IBTC Bank recruitment for Internal Control Officers, March 2015Stanbic IBTC Bank is a leading African banking group focused on emerging markets globally. It has been a mainstay of South Africa’s financial system for 150 years, and now spans 16 countries across the African continent.

Work with Standard Bank and join a dynamic team of professionals proud to be voted the Best Bank in Africa for three years running. Our core values of service and innovation are at the heart of our business, and our global workforce benefits from our unique culture of empowerment and independence, enabling us to maintain competitive advantage in the world’s premier financial marketsWe are recruiting to fill the position below:Job title: Internal Control OfficerJob Id: 12808Location: Kano and Kadunadivision Group: OperationsPosition category Group: Operations Controlemployment type: Full Time - Permanent

Position description Build a strong compliance environment to ensure zero level of policy, procedures and regulatory infractions.Ensure prompt and effective call over of branch transactions.Build strong awareness in branch staff on all policy and procedures issues; zero tolerance for open GL Items, unreviewed transactions and income leakagesKey ResponsibilitiesCall over of Transactions as per the approved threshold.Review of expense and cash advances and ensure conformity with laid-down policies.Carrying out security sweep at least once in a month.Daily review of accounts closure and transfers.Ensure complete and accurate recognition of all fees and charges on every relevant account.Review of Fixed Asset RegisterReview of Finacle users’ profileReview KYC compliance.Carrying out spot checks and review of activities in the branches under coverage, cash count and vault administration, funds transfer, Clearing processes and returned cheques, etc, ensuring adherence to policies and proceduresReview of system exception override message report.Review of GL/P&L Movement Report.Conduct Seriality checks /test on Managers Cheque/Bank draft in the branches under coverage.Review of Suspense/Transit/Proxy Accounts.Key Performance Measures:Control Adequacy rating from Internal Audit.Promptness and effectiveness of call over of transactions.Integrity of the GL accounts in the Business offices of the region.Promptness, Accuracy and Validity of Exception Reporting/Rendition of all Control Activity ReportsEffectiveness at follow up to ensure that Internal Audit recommendations are implementedQuantum of undetected regulatory/statutory infractions from External Auditor and Regulators reports.Quality and Timeliness of losses and loss events reporting in processing areasUndetected Income leakage/P&L reversal arising from undetected processing errorsQualificationsMust possess a minimum of second class lower in a numerate 1st Degree and professional qualifications in Accountancy or AuditExperience:Work experience of between 4 and 6 years in banking operationsRequired CompetenciesInternal relationships:The need to maintain a wide network with key stakeholders in the Bank such as Operational Risk, Risk Assurance, Group Internal Audit, and other appropriate divisions and associate companies to ensure operational effectiveness and enhanced customer service.Technical Competencies:Report writing/Investigation skillBanking operations experienceInterpretation of ML (P) Act 2004 & CBN KYC Manual 2003Ability to use Finacle, Microsoft packages & AML SoftwarePersonal competencies:Excellent interpersonal skillsAttention to details

Method of applicationInterested and qualified candidates should:https://careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/client_standardbank/external/jobDetails.do?functionName=getJobDetail&jobPostId=26117&localeCode=en-us

Application Deadline 1st April, 2015——————————————————————————————————————entry Level administrative assistant Jobs in Lagos, March 26th 2015Retrogidi is one of the foremost Information Technology Solutions Companies in Nigeria. Since our inception over two decades ago, we have evolved from a small organization pushing boxes to customers to a company providing enterprise ICT services to mid range and large scale companies across Nigeria. We offer broad Electronic, security and technology products, services & solutions.We are recruiting to fill the position below:Job title: Administrative Assistant (Entry Level)Location: Lagosresponsibilities Assist in Foreign Operations and Fund TransfersVendor performance Assessment/Evaluation and Document CompilationOrganise Meetings, Take Minutes, Write company letters, Staff and Public noticeHandle relationship management of customers with continuous improvement in mindMaintain complete and accurate filling systems for forms, records and general correspondenceReceives, opens, sorts and distribute incoming mails to appropriate departmentDeal with letters and attends to incoming telephone callsTreat Salary payments and Payroll of staff on behalf of customer organisations and companiesOversee company stock; stock movement and stock level controlCompile and organize invoice filesReceive goods, verify against purchase orders for accuracy and issue acknowledgement in respect to goods received.Create new vendors/suppliers with profile in the company’s databaseAudit inventory on routine basis in order to identify shortages, erroneous and defective goodsDetermine costs/valuation of inventory, and generate price for stock item using appropriate mark-upShelve stock in proper place in stock room, and update selling prices of goodsLiaise and follow up with courier service providers to ensure quick delivery of incoming/outgoing mailQualifications, Experience and CapabilitiesA Minimum of OND in any DisciplineDemonstrated ability to respond to unexpected and challenging circumstancesDemonstrated ability to build and maintain strong relationshipsA forward-thinking attitude - get excited by trying new thingsExcellent communication skills (written and verbal)Strong negotiation skills, target oriented, excellent interpersonal skills, planning and analysis capabilities.Resident in/willing to reside in Lagos.Ability to effectively interact with all levels of ManagementDemonstrated ability to take initiative to work to a clear mandate and work-plan and to maintain a highly organized work environment

how to applyInterested and qualified candidates should send their CV’s to: careers@retrogidigroup.com or retrogidijobs@gmail.com

Note: Only short listed candidates will be contactedApplication Deadline 4th May, 2015.

55515 OSuN DeFeNDeR Saturday, March

State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni rauf aregbesola, Moved Grassroots campaign to Ora-Igbomina and Oke-Ila, recently.

•South-West Coordinator, Buhari/Osinbajo Presidential Campaign, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, addressing supporters, during the grassroots/d-or-to-door electioneering Campaign for Presidential, National and State House of Assemblies Campaign, at Ora-Igbomina in Ifedayo Constituency area, State of Osun.

•Governor Aregbesola (left); the Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin (right), during the grassroots/door-to-door electioneering Campaign for Presidential, National and State House of Assemblies Campaign, at Ole-Ila area, State of Osun.

all Progressives congress (aPc) rally In Ife-South Local Government council area council area Of the State Of Osun, held at Olode, Organsied By hon. Julius ajibodu, recently.

•A cross section of men at the event. •A cross section of women on the occasion.

phototalk

Saturday, March 28, 2015

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

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

Lessons From 2015 Electioneering Campaigns

AUDACIOUS ExPLOIT

with MurtaLa aGBOOLa

teL: 0806-119-7897e-mail: murtalamuag@yahoo.com

THERE is no denying the fact that the 2015 electioneering campaign in Nigeria has been the most

robust. The print, the broadcast and the social media were effectively deployed to serve their intended purposes.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan would forever remember this year’s electioneering campaign because of the total involvement and resources deployed to it.

In his first attempt in 2011, he had a smooth sail with sentiments tilted in his favour. He refused to attend the presidential debate organized by the media. He never worked hard like he has done now, yet providence and sentiment worked in his favour.

This time around, he has traversed the length and breadth of the country, yet he cannot be sure that victory is there for him to pick. Jonathan was compelled to visit the dreaded North-East geo-political zone of the country, where the terrorists hold sway. In fact, since the Chibok school girls were kidnapped, the Commander-In-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces never deemed it fit to visit the distraught parents. But because he needed their votes and to pretend to care for them, Jonathan went visiting.

He has made promises which if providence is kind to him, may be redeemed.

The President also made a strident visit to the south-West to appease them. In the political scheme of things in Nigeria today, the Yoruba, one of the dominant ethnic groups, has fallen down the pecking order.

The two top posts held by the South-West are the Chief of Staff to the President and the Accountant General of the federation.

President Jonathan needed to organize shuttle meetings between some Yoruba traditional rulers and top leaders from the zone if they could do the bidding of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to vote for him. Contracts to protect pipelines from vandalism were allegedly awarded to some Yoruba leaders to make them vote for the President. The Odua People’s Congress (OPC) last Monday openly marched through the streets of Lagos armed to the teeth and guided by the security officials to denounce Professor Attahiru Jega of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for being incompetent.

In the South-West, some Muslims are being courted to do the President’s billing. The President is doing everything within his power to ensure that he wins his re-election bid.

Before the emergence of General Muhammadu Buhari on the ticket of the All Progressive Congress (APC), the PDP must have assumed that Buhari cannot muster enough votes to seriously challenge its candidate. They now know better. This election is similar to the national election held after independence in Nigeria.

The then Sadauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, who doubled as the leader of the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) and the Premier of the North, felt he knew his people enough not to embark on extensive campaigns. However, when the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo

infiltrated the North, especially the Middle-Belt, Bello was compelled to come out and campaign seriously. It was widely reported that after one of these campaigns and having stressed himself to go through the untarred roads, Bello retired to his house and used a white handkerchief to wipe the dirt on his face, which turned brown and there and then placed a curse on Awolowo, saying but for him, he would not have ventured to go out to campaign.

This time around, the presidency and the PDP have attributed the breakthrough of Buhari to the phenomenal support given by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. To them, the erstwhile Lagos State Governor should be properly dealt with. A private broadcast outfit, Africa Independent Television (AIT) was tasked with the responsibility of running a hate campaign and a damage documentary on the Asiwaju of Lagos. Beyond that, attempts are being made to frame up some of the National leaders

of the major opposition party and get them arrested.

Indeed, the social media is awash with both positive and negative aspects of the electioneering campaigns. The campaign truly showed the ingenuity of Nigerians. Many Nigerians, who are proficient in the use of the smart phones, showed their dexterity in their use for the electioneering campaigns.

In the print media, Governor Ayodele Fayose stood out as a leader that constantly sustained a hate-campaign against the person of Buhari. He even said there was no need to vote for him because he may die in office. The positive lesson of the campaign however, was that it exposed the past of the leaders. This was an indication that in future, any leader with a skeleton in his cupboard need not aspire to hold a public office. The intense nature of the campaign forced contestants to move out of their cozy offices to campaign for votes, which ordinarily they would not have done.

INEC has done well with the preparation for this year’s election. However, like in every human situation, there are rooms for improvement. For example, INEC need not wait till the eleventh hour to bring out the permanent voter’s card. The fault may not be entirely theirs, because the National Assembly committees which have oversight functions on INEC did not do their work properly. If they had, Nigerians would have realized early enough that all the needed PVCs for elections were not ready in the country. Political education by INEC was not sufficient enough. Voters with the PVC ought to be educated that because of the chip in it, it should not be placed near a magnetic object. The PVC has a universal use like in banks and other statutory places in the country hence it ought to be properly handled.

The Inspector-General of Police, (IGP) Mr Suleimon Abba, was high-handed in the way he asked voters to vote and go home, only to reverse himself later. As the ultimate police authority, he should allow his subordinates to talk most times, so that he can remedy the situation if need be. He exhibited the same attitude when he withdrew the police details attached to the office of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt (Hon) Aminu Tambuwwal.

The Speaker was matured enough not to go into argument with the IGP until he chose to return security his details recently. Though, the case is in court, Tambuwal’s maturity helped to douse tension, as Abba elected to make himself a court of law, interpreting the constitution to suit himself and his masters.

All public office holders should bear in mind that the post they hold are transient, hence they should be cautious. The immediate past IGP distinguished himself creditably and it is hoped that the current one would do same.

There is always the temptation to misuse power. All said and done, it is hoped that everybody will play its role well. Citizens armed with their PVCs should go to the polling booths today and co-operate with the INEC officials to enable them vote. INEC should provide adequate smart card readers and polling materials to make election smooth.

The security chiefs should ensure adequate security, which is a requisite for a peaceful, free and fair election. The government should not detain any opposition leader nor should they be intimidated. Security operatives should not be deployed in such a way that ordinarily citizen would be scared to go out and vote.

Above all, the INEC officials should be supported by the government to do the right thing. We should however, as a nation set a target for ourselves as to when we shall be able to print our voters’ cards, ballot papers and other necessary materials within the country.

Money spent to do all these outside our borders could be done locally to help keep some of our idle youths in employment. It is my fervent wish that by next week, this column would be congratulating millions of Nigerians for an election well-conducted. Until then,

•JeGA