Mark

Mark in a fix as pressure grows over 11 senators

Senate President David Mark did not read on the floor the letter written by the 11 senators who dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) for six tactical reasons, The Nation learnt last night.

Mark, who is said to be in a fix, plans to meet with the Senators on Monday to weigh some options on managing the situation . The reason, it was said, is to avoid a crisis in the Senate.

Mark is under pressure from majority of the Senators and the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to invoke Section 68(1) (g) and (h) of the 1999 Constitution to declare vacant the seats of the senators, until a court decides otherwise.

According to the PDP camp’s plot, which The Nation reported exclusively yesterday, the 11 vacancies would be declared as soon as the letter is read at the plenary.

There are also plans to engage the police and other security agencies to prevent the senators from either entering the premises of the National Assembly or participating in the Senate’s activities.

But there were fears last night that such a drastic action could lead to a serious crisis, which could ground the Senate.

According to sources, Mark offered to stay action on the letter for six reasons. The reasons are:

•the yet-to-be considered report of the Ayo Akinyelure’s Senate Ad Hoc Committee on the defection of Senator Ajayi Robert Boroffice from Labour Party (LP) to APC;

•likely ethnic backlash from the North, which is mostly affected by the defection;

•pressure from PDP, which would make him (Mark) a partisan leader;

•attendant disunity in the Senate;

•the long-standing relationship between him ( Mark) and the affected Senators; and

•the international implication of wielding the big stick on 11 Senators on democracy.

Mark is said to have been consulting on available options beyond the brief from the PDP.

It was learnt that the need to explore all options informed the “tactical method” adopted in managing the letter and in fixing a meeting for Monday with the 11 senators.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Mark is in a fix because he does not want to invoke to invoke Section 68(1) (g) and (h) of the 1999 Constitution to declare the seats of the 11 affected Senators vacant and create a crisis in the Senate.

“Yet, he is under pressure from PDP and most PDP senators, who are desirous of staving off the heat from the opposition coalition, the APC.

“What has created a dilemma was the report of the Ayo Akinyelure Ad Hoc Committee on the defection of Senator Ajayi Boroffice from the Labour Party to APC. Some of the defecting Senators condemned Boroffice and agreed in principle that his seat should be declared vacant by Mark.

“The report, which has been submitted to the Senate is still awaiting consideration by the Committee of the Whole.

“So, there is agitation from PDP senators to consider the report and adopt the same sanction for the 11 senators. By implication, 12 seats of APC senators would be declared vacant in one day.

“There is no way APC will take this from Mark and it might lead to different court injunctions which could ground the Senate.”

Another senator said: “Mark is being careful because if he declares the seats of the 11 senators vacant, it will reawaken North-South conflict in the Senate. Out of the 11 Senators, nine are from the North, including the Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, Senator Umaru Dahiru.

“Being from a minority state in the North, Mark might be seen as pursuing anti-Hausa/Fulani agenda or anti-Muslim agenda.

“Declaring the seats of the Senators vacant would also confirm that Mark is acting President Goodluck Jonathan’s script. With the 2015 polls already assuming the colour of religion, the Senate will be the worst for it.”

Another Senator expressed fears that a crisis in the Senate might have “fatal consequences” on the nation’s democracy.

“Once there is commotion in the Senate, which is the livewire of our democracy, the prediction that Nigeria might be a failed state in 2015 will manifest,” he said, pleading not to be named.

“Those whose seats have been declared vacant would not lie low and anarchy might set in. It will get to a stage that the Senate will now choose which order of the court it will obey.

“And a crisis in the Senate will go viral internationally. Mark and a few of us are looking at the issue beyond the PDP-APC bitter politics. We are considering the bigger picture,” he added.

A PDP Senator said: “If Mark declares the seats of the 11 senators, some of whom he respects or relates with at interpersonal level, he will be regarded as partisan and might lose his rating as a national figure.

“Some of us in PDP do not mind whatever toga Mark is robed because there is a constitutional provision to support his action. A court has pronounced that there is no crisis in PDP; therefore, there is no basis for defection by any senator from the ruling party to APC.”

An APC senator, however, criticised the arguments to support the declaration of the 11 senators’s seats vacant.

He said: “It will be subjudice to declare the seat of any defecting senator vacant because there is a case in court. And the Senate has a tradition of respecting the Judiciary by staying action on any matter before the court.

“To avoid anarchy, Mark should leave the court to determine the fate of the senators. Some people in PDP are deceiving him that heaven will not fall, if the seats are declared vacant, but he should think of posterity.

“If there is no crisis in PDP, why did the party change its National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur? Why did five governors defect to APC? Even President Goodluck Jonathan admitted in his speech at the PDP NEC meeting that the party was in crisis.

“The judgment of the court which made a pronouncement that there was no crisis in PDP is also being challenged at the appellate court.”

It was learnt that the options available to Mark at the Monday meeting with the 11 senators are:

• read the letter and declare 12 seats (including Boroffice’s) vacant;

• allow Committee of the Whole to take a decision on Akinyelure Committee’s report before declaring the seats vacant;

• raise a fresh committee on the defection of the 11 senators to bid time and avoid anarchy;

• review the status of existing cases on defection in court and defer to the ongoing processes;

• keep the Senate united by leaving constituents of the affected 11 senators or aggrieved Nigerians to go to court and abide by any judgment; and

• give a waiver to the APC senators with a commitment to avoid any blockade of Executive Bills or any shutdown of the government.

One of the 11 Senators said: “We will meet with Mark on Monday and see the options he will table. They have forgotten that the APC is a struggle for change in the country, not a pursuit of personal aggrandisement.

“If our seats are declared vacant, we will regain them through judicial process, no matter how tortuous. Were governors not impeached under the administration of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo without due process? Didn’t the court reinstate governors like Joshua Dariye and Rashidi Ladoja?

“It is left to Mark to rise above partisan interest and stand up to be counted at the right moment. If we leave the Senate in February 2014, Mark and others’ tenure will end in May or June 2015. Is there no life outside the Senate? Now that PDP is under heat, it has found solace in Section 68(1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution. There is certainly a battle ahead.”

Section 68(1) (g) and (h) reads in part: “A member of the Senate or of the House of Representatives shall vacate his seat in the House of which he is a member if… “Being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected;

“Provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored; or

“The President of the Senate or as the case may be, the Speaker of the House of Representatives receives a certificate under the hand of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission stating that the provisions of Section 69 of this constitution have been complied with in respect of the recall of that member.”

Osun to spend N800m on compensation for acquired land

OSOGBO – The Osun State government said on Thursday in Osogbo that it had budgeted N800 million as compensation for land acquisition from its citizenry.
Mr Muyiwa Ige, the Commissioner for Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Development, said this in Osogbo during the 2014 budget defence before the House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation.
Ige said the budgeted sum would be used to clear the backlog of compensations to land owners as well as new land that might be acquired by government for developmental purposes.
“The provision made for compensation in the budget is targeted towards new land acquisition as well as the existing ones within the limit of the budget.”.
The commissioner said that government paid more than N670 million as compensation for land acquisition in 2012.
He added that the sum of N200 million was expended for the same purpose in 2013.
Ige said that in addition to payment of compensation, the government had also provided some palliative measures to affected land owners.
He said that the government would continue to work towards creating opportunities that would alleviate the suffering of the people.
The commissioner explained that land acquisition by government was for overriding public interest.
“Once government identifies a place for development, the next step is to engage the land owners in discussion.
“If there is a structure or livestock on such land, we enumerate it and through proper documentation, will ensure the money gets to the direct beneficiaries.”
Ige said that the government had been fast tracking the process of compensation to ensure the affected land owners were adequately compensated. (NAN)

Federal allocation to Osun declines by 40% –Aregbesola

Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola yesterday said that the federal allocation to the state for the past six months has fallen by 40 per cent.
The development, he said, had almost made it impossible for the state to perform its statutory responsibilities. Governor Aregbesola made this known during a visit to him at the Government House in Osogbo by the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.
He, however, appealed to the Federal Government to turn a new leaf so as not to cripple the economy of the state. The governor said: “Fifty percent of our Six Integral Action Plans centred on agriculture and food security so as to banish hunger, poverty and unemployment.
We recognised agriculture as a means to survive as a state.
“Through our school feeding programme, pupils are eating 300,000 eggs, 400 tonnes of cat fish, 35 heads of cattle, 15, 000 chickens and we are committed to building the state capacity to produce the food items and be supplying other states so as to create wealth for our people.”
Aregbesola said in as much as Osun is willing to help the Institute on the compensation and administrative structure, the government is constrained financially at the moment.
In his own speech, Chairman, Governing Board of the Institute, Dr. Oluwole Aina, said NRCRI and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture are set to establish the first sub-station of the Institute for the South-West in Osun State.
Dr. Aina said the establishment of the sub-station would commence in the first quarter of this year, adding that the development would go a long way in assisting the government on agriculture programmes and strategy.
He indentified the benefits derivable from establishing the sub-station as direct youth employment, development of beneficial linkages between the state government agricultural programmes and the institute’s research work
Aina added that the Institute would be assisting in regular access to new varieties of root and tuber crops and increase agricultural production, economic growth and wealth creation.

Adesiyan’s nomination’ll ensure PDP’s guber victory –Chieftain

Some chieftains of the Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have commended President Goodluck Jonathan for nominating the former Commissioner for Education in the state, Jelili Oyewale Adesiyan, for ministerial position.
They expressed the view that the nomination of Adesiyan for the ministerial position will lead the PDP to victory in the forthcoming governorship election scheduled to hold in the state later this year.
Speaking with newsmen in Lagos on Thursday, Chairman, National Population Commission (NPC) in the state, Akogun Lere Oyewunmi, described the choice as a welcome development and a boost for the party, especially as the gubernatorial election is fast approaching.
Describing the choice as a round peg in a round hole, Oyewunmi added that Adesiyan’s nomination would strengthen the PDP in the state as he expressed hope that the ministerial nominee would serve the country diligently to enable the party to have a landslide victory during the gubernatorial election slated to hold in the state later this year.
According to him, “I want to commend President Goodluck Jonathan for nominating Adesiyan as one of the ministerial nominees whose names were sent to the National Assembly for screening last week. I want to equally say without mincing words that Mr. President has chosen a right man for the job because Adesiyan’s achievements as commissioner in the state still remain unbeatable and the facts are still there for anybody to cross check.
“Besides, Adesiyan is a grassroots politician whose political tentacles spread across the state and he is a party loyalist who believes that the achievements recorded by the party at the federal level can be replicated in the state. I want to assure that his nomination will bring together all the aggrieved members in the state and bring victory to the party in the next governorship election,” Oyewunmi said.

Osun REC can’t be trusted, say opposition parties

INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega
 

Some opposition political parties in Osun State have rejected the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Ambassador Rufus Akeju, saying he is not suitable for the conduct of the state’s governorship poll in August.

The Peoples Democratic Party and the Unity Party of Nigeria in Osun State called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Atahiru Jega, to replace the REC.

The PDP Chairman, Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa, in an interview with our correspondent in Osogbo on Thursday said the party did not trust the  REC to conduct a credible poll, adding that he should be replaced with an unbiased commissioner.

A governorship aspirant of the UPN, Mr. Segun Akinwusi, while addressing journalists, also called for Akeju’s removal saying he could not be trusted.

But the Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Mr. Adelowo Adebiyi, said that the party had confidence in the REC to conduct a free and fair election.

The PDP chairman said, “ We are okay with the timetable released by the INEC for governorship election in the state. But we are appealing to Prof. Atahiru Jega to replace Akeju as the REC in Osun State.

“ There is a court judgment that the REC should be replaced, we want Jega to implement this. There can’t be a free and fair election in Osun State with Akeju in charge as the REC.”

Olaoluwa called on the security agencies in the state not to allow hoodlums to take over the state.

He said some youths were currently being trained by some politicians and they should be checked to avoid a breakdown of law and order.

The UPN governorship aspirant also said that Akeju must be removed early in order not to rubbish the efforts of the INEC.

Akinwusi said, “Prof. Jega is a gentleman but there are some of his lieutenants who are not honest. We must not allow what happened in Anambra to repeat itself here.

However, the APC chairman  in the state disagreed with the call for Akeju’s removal saying “The REC is capable of conducting a transparent election based on his antecedents. He conducted the 2011 elections and did very well. The opposition did not challenge the result of the elections in tribunal. They would have gone to court if the election was not credible.

The opposition parties know they cannot win and they have to blame their failure on something.”

Why It Will Be Easy To Dislodge Aregbesola – Hon Oke

Why It Will Be Easy To Dislodge Aregbesola – Hon Oke

Hon Oluwole Oke, a former member of the House of Representatives and a governorship aspirant in the August 9, Osun State gubernatorial elections speaks of his mission and vision for the state. He says to dislodge Osun governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is not a difficult task. He spoke with Stanley Nkwocha.
Having obtained your expression of interest form from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State to contest for the governorship election, how would you feel if your party decides to impose a candidate for the election?
Let me assure that the Electoral Act 2010 as amended specifically states how a political party should elect its candidates for elections and that is the Quran and Bible of the process of picking a candidate for elections. It must be democratic, free and fair. There is no room for imposition. If there is agreed consensus among the candidates, so be it. But the party which I belong to, the PDP does not as a matter of habit impose candidates. I have contested several elections under this party, including the one into the Parliament and there has never been imposition and where there is consensus, you will find out that it is a true consensus arrangement. Let me also state clearly that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not permit independent candidacy. A candidate must at all times be sponsored by a political party. A candidate can only contest through a political party and that party is also expected to conduct a credible primary for its aspirants.

So how prepared are you for this process?
I am fully prepared for the primary election. This is the second time I would be touring all the 30 local governments including the area councils in Osun State. I am the only candidate that is busy meeting all the stakeholders, potential delegates and party leaders. They have had opportunities to hear me and I have heard them. I am doing my public declaration on February 4. It is a date with history.

How would you accommodate the two other gubernatorial aspirants if you eventually emerge as the candidate of the PDP at the end of the primary election?
The two other aspirants are my elder brothers. Senator Iyiola Omisore is my elder brother so also is Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi. We are members of the same family in the PDP. I know that within the heart of Senator Omisore, he wouldn’t mind to be a father figure in the politics of Osun State. We need the two of them to be counselors to younger generation of Nigerians. We are in the same boat to rescue our dear state from precipice.

What are your selling points to the people of Osun State?
My greatest asset is my antecedents of service. The people have tried me and have found me trustworthy of their trust. I have been elected into positions and I performed creditably and it is on record. Let me give you an instance. The joy of any parliamentarian during  his or her tenure is to sponsor bills and for the bills to see the light of the day. The three of us remaining in this race are parliamentarians and I challenge them to mention the bills they have been able to sponsor on the floor of the Senate. I sponsored 10 bills and 4 of it received the assent of Mr President to become laws. One of the bills is PENCOM amendment bill which exited the armed forces and paramilitary institutions from the regular and international standard of pensions. Another bill that I sponsored which also received the assent of Mr President is State Security Services and National Intelligence Agency pension board. Let anybody tell me any bill or show us any bill they sponsored. Another achievement I recorded are the institutions that I facilitated to Osun State when I was in the House of Reps. It was during my tenure as chairman House Committee on Defence that an indigene of Osun State became the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Petinrin and he subsequently became the Chief of Defence Staff. We both facilitated the location of Air Force Base in Ipetu Ijesa. I also brought Armed Force Games village to Esa Oke and ditto for the Armed Forces Physical and Health Institute in Ijegun. I was working on Federal College of Education for Ibokun with Professor Ajeyalemi, who was the PA to the then Minister for Education. I represented my people successively and I am happy about it and I can tell you that my people were also excited about my sterling performance. This goes further to say that I am fully prepared sufficiently and efficiently to lead Osun State and manage their assets and resources. I am a young man with a passion for service and I also understand the challenges of governance within the context of contemporary politics.

If you eventually emerge as the candidate of the PDP, there are fears that Osun State is neck deep in heavy debt incurred by the present administration. How do you intend to address this challenge?
I am an analyst, accountant and tax lawyer. Globally, public finance remains the bedrock of governance. With my pedigree, I would exit Osun out of her heavy debt profile. I know the entire window; I have the tools and skills. With the collaboration of the lawmakers that I would be working with, Osun will wriggle out of its current debt burden.

 Regardless of the amount being owed?
I am a realist. I don’t tell lies. Right now, I don’t know the exact figure of debt Osun State owes. I am currently conducting an investigation through the Debt Management Office (DMO) and I have also written a letter to the state governor to demand an account of the state. He is currently the governor and I am one of his citizens, who has the right to ask for the finances of the state and I also expect him to publish the same in the newspapers or pamphlets and circulate among the people to know how much we owe as a state.

Has the governor replied your letter and when did you send the letter to him?
He has not replied the letter. I sent the letter last week when the noise and hullabaloo were going about that he has borrowed N670billion. As a financial expert, I think the financial institution would definitely have some basics before granting loan facility to the government. I have a team of experts working with documents, facts and data and possibly a certified audited account of the state government. Let’s see how it goes from there.

Some say your coming from the same Senatorial District with the incumbent Governor Aregbesola may work against your interest in this race. How do you react to that?
That is in fact the biggest asset that I have, that is coming from the same zone with the incumbent governor. We have six local governments in that zone, with highly sophisticated electorate and large number of votes. If we give Aregbesola the laxity, he would take all the votes in that zone and don’t forget, he has his men in various local governments holding one political office or the other and they would fight to keep their jobs. I can tell you that if the PDP gives me the ticket, I would dislodge Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola out of the Government House  through the ballot. I have the wherewithal to take on the governor. Humility is not a crime. That I am humble is not a sign of cowardice. I am prepared to send Aregbesola back to Lagos.

If you are declared winner of the governorship election, would you review some of the policies and programmes of Aregbesola’s administration?
Certainly Yes!  I will reverse a number of his programmes because they are anti-people. They are also not sustainable. One of the problems of Aregbesola’s government is that he does not think through before embarking on these programmes. For example, how do you promise to provide free school uniforms to pupils only to turn round and compel them to buy uniforms from specific vendors? What is the rational for substituting text books with tablets, which he called Opon imo, in a highly rural state like Osun? If a student loses a tablet, he has lost all his books! Where then do these poor parents have the money to replace them? How has the Aregbesola government keyed into the Agric. transformation programmes of the Federal Government? These are questions for discerning minds. This governor has endangered the local economy by most of his policies and programmes. He simply does not understand the system well. I know him too well. He was my senior at The Polytechnic, Ibadan. Unfortunately, he does not understand Osun State. He has needlessly divided the state along primordial interests and this is unfortunate for a man who claimed to be a socialist. We have to rebuild the fabrics of this state as from November this year when a new government will by the grace of God be inaugurated.

You are a two term member of the House of Representatives. Some people believe that by now, you should rest and not seek elective office again. Is this submission far-fetched?
I did not go into politics in penury. I am a very successful management consultant and strong member of the organized private sector. I have a workforce of over 1,000 people. I went into politics for service and my constituency invested heavily by giving me their mandate to represent them in the parliament. While in the parliament, the government used the tax payers’ money to train and expose me to the process of governance and lawmaking. In advanced democracies, it is such people you allow to hold public office. It would be of total disservice to the people of Osun State if I should quit politics now. My people need me to render quality service to them. Osun people have been disconnected from their resources and I have to bridge the gap. Osun State is endowed with resources and human capacity. But, we have a total dislocation in the art of governance and management of resources.

Akinlabi: Enough of Aregbesola’s Nonsense

Akinlabi: Enough of Aregbesola’s Nonsense

 Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi

Personality Interview

A former minister in the President Goodluck Jonathan administration and governorship hopeful in Osun State, Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi, speaks with Yinka Kolawole on various issues of interests, particularly the politics of the state. Excerpts:

Senator Omisore is the only aspirant who secretly obtained his nomination form; don't you think such an action could undermine the chances of other candidates?

Honesty speaking I try as much as possible not to make any comment about the actions and in-actions of my colleagues in PDP because at the end of the day, we must work together with whoever emerges as the candidate of the party. Be it as it may, I know very well that, our party at state level will leave up to expectation as they have assured us of level playing ground for all the aspirants. So, I have no cause at all to doubt what our state party chairman said. I don't think we should start reading meanings to what manner aspirants obtained intention forms.

I think what matters most is the transparency of our party leaders. Like our party Chairman said, three aspirants obtained an intention form to contest for the governorship election this year, I think that is what matter most. And so far we have three aspirants that have signified their intention to slog it out at the primaries level. I know that there would be equal opportunities for all the aspirants; I'm sure they will not impose any candidate on Osun people or PDP because our goal is the same.

It is to drive Aregbesola out of government house in 2014. That is our common goal as far as Osun PDP is concerned. And party will do everything possible to make sure that Aregbesola is out of that government house this year.

How qualified are you?
I have said it several times that I believe I'm the most qualified, having  served at both highest law making body in the country as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and served at the highest
executive level in this country. Don't forget that I am a member of the national executive council from the inception of Yar'Adua/Jonathan administration. So, to that extent, I think I'm the most qualified of the three aspirants.

It is on record that I served as a minister of the federal republic of Nigerian for years, without blemish. It is significant to note that when you are appointed in any capacity, you know you are serving at the pleasure of the person that appointed you and so if you are found wanting for whatever reason, you would not last on the job. This is why I said that I have served without a blemish because I was never found wanting in my job either at official level or personal level.
But some people have tried to misinterpret that. You ask me about my qualification for the job and I'm trying to tell you why I am the most qualified out of the three aspirants. Reasons are because of my level of qualification, and my legislative and executive experiences, which none of my co-aspirants possess.

From the time you obtained the intention form and now, what has changed?

As far as I am concerned, nothing; my campaign is on course because I
believe that at the end of the day and like our party said that we are
going for primaries and I intend to slog it out with the other two
aspirants at the primaries. Am working on our party members to
convince them that I'm the most qualified aspirant, and I should be
the person to be elected at the primary level to confront Aregbesola
in the final gubernatorial election.

What does the resignation of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, portend for your party?
Well, I almost believe that PDP as the biggest party in Africa, and
having ruled this country since inception of democracy in 1999, we
always have an internal mechanism to resolve our differences. And I'm
glad that at the end of the day reason prevailed.
There are some things that we must learn; even the opposition should take a cue from what is happening at PDP national level and know that once you're no longer popular or once you know you are controversial, we should know well to throw in the towel in the largest interest of whichever organization you represent and quit when the ovation is loudest.
I commend our former chairman for taking an honourable way out because at the end of the day his interest cannot supersede the larger interest of the party. I have to commend him; it is a lesson other parties should emulate.

In what sectors do you think the current administration in the state
is not doing well and which you may want to correct if elected governor?

I don't see any sector where he has excelled really; I can't see any
sector. I have always given series of examples; let us look at it. In
term of road, tell me how he has excelled? He has projects that he
cannot complete within the next two or three years in the road sector.
Also, he has not excelled in the education sector; even he has messed
it up. Take for instance the issue of school uniform where he said that all students should put on the same uniform. I don't know where that is done in Nigeria. Or is it through the education re-classification schools that you want to say he has excelled? Can Osun be different from other states of the Federation? Osun cannot be different from other states. Or is it through mega nonsense that is called mega schools that you want to say he has excelled? How many of that mega schools has he built? Do we really need that in Osun state?

More so, the school feeding programme. Oyinlola actually started it, go and find out. But is it the area of Opon-Imo something that he has listed as his achievement for past three years. Go and find out how many of that Opon-Imo he has distributed to our students up till date? Is that an achievement? Is it in the health sector you want to say he has achieved? I cannot see any sector he has excelled except his achievements on the pages of newspapers.

As governor, would you have discontinued most of the projects the administration is doing?

Let me say this that so many unpopular programmes of Aregbesola will be re-visited by our administration. We are going to re-visit many of his programme policy by the grace of God, if the good people of Osun state vote me in as their governor this year. We are going to re-visit so many of his unpopular programmes. Let me give one example. The issue of religion has never be a problem in the state before, but as at the time Aregbesola came in, all these crises started. We have seen riot in Osun state as far as the issue of religion is concerned.
For the first time we have seen students protesting heavily around the
state. I can assure you that we are going to re-visit his programmes,
after thorough consultations with all stakeholders in the state. We are not going to govern as if we are in military era. Our administration is going to be truly civilian. Like I always say, I'm from Osun, schooled in Osun, and now I live here. What am saying in essence is that I am familiar with the needs of our people here in Osun and we shall do extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders before we introduce any new policy.

Let me go back to the issue of education, the merger of school. Can you tell me that Aregbesola actually consulted stakeholders? I have seen some teachers complaining that the policy was imposed on them, complaining that Aregbsola did not consult anybody before he took the step. Let me give you another example. When Aregbesola came in for the first two years, we were battling with the issue of Osun state or state of Osun. How has that affected or improved the life of the people in the state? So, all these unpopular policies will be re-visited.

Would you like to shed more light on how you intend to rule the state, especially in the areas of infrastructure development?

My major focus in my first year is going to be education or what I
will call human capital development, infrastructure development and employment generation. The first priority is human capital development. Before you can have a sustainable employment generation and infrastructural development, people must be well educated. Education is number one. When you've solved the employment problem of a state I think 70 per cent of the problem of that state is solved because if a graduate is employed it is going to have multiplier effect on not only their immediate family but extended family.
That is our system in Nigeria and that is why I'm going to focus on education development and scheme acquisition. I have done it at the federal level by establishing national youth development centres in all geo-political zones of this country because I believe in how to teach people to earn a living. So I will address that in my first year by establishing the Osun State Youth Development Centres in the three senatorial districts. I am talking of world class youth development
centre where we are going to develop skills, entrepreneurs and agriculture will be a cornerstone of that. That is what I want to do in Osun state to enhance economy development.

NRCRI to establish first substation for South-West Crops Research Institute in Osun

NRCRI to establish first substation for South-West Crops Research Institute in Osun

The National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture is set to establish the first substation of the institute for the South West in Osun. Chairman Governing Board of the Institute, Dr Oluwole Aina disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in Osogbo.

According to him, the establishment of the substation will commence in the first quarter of 2014 which will go a long way in assisting the government agriculture programmes and strategy.
He said the benefit of the station to the state includes direct youth employment, development of beneficial linkages between the state government agricultural programmes and the institute's research work Dr Oluwole added that the institute will be assisting in regular access to new varieties of root and tuber crops and increase agricultural production, economic growth and wealth creation. He also said that the farmers and government officials will have access to training in shot courses and degree programmes including the extension service to the farmers.

He said, "the benefit of the Institute for hosting the station include but not limited to direct youth employment; development of a beneficial linkages between the state governments agricultural programmes and the institutes research work.

"It will also increase agricultural production, economic empowerment for wealth creation as well as direct asses to training in short courses and degree programmes for staff of the station that will mostly be indigenes of Osun." Dr. Oluwole stressed.

The institute however demanded from the state government the provision of land to site the substation, payment of compensation to the landowners, and provision of access road to the station as part of the partnership.

Responding, Governor Aregbesola commended decision of the institute to site the substation in Osun. He noted that his administration is serious and committed to agricultural development and food security.
Aregbesola assured the institute of cooperation of his administration since agriculture is one of the six Integral Action Plans.

Bola Ige

12th Bola Ige Memorial Anniversary holds

The 12th Bola Ige Memorial Anniversary will hold on Monday and Tuesday at the University of Ibadan (UI).

It will begin at 6pm on Monday, with the showing of the film, Ofin-Ga, by Prof. Akinwumi Isola, at the Arts Theatre.

It will be followed by a symposium on Tuesday at the institution’s Conference Centre at 11am.

Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega will speak on “Impact of unresolved political assassinations on future elections and on Nigeria’s security.”

Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi will speak on “National Conference according to Bola Ige’s dream.”

Other discussants are Ekiti State Deputy Governor Prof. Dupe Adelabu; Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji; his Oyo State counterpart, Mrs. Monsurat Sunmonu; and the Southwest Chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Prince Olusoji Ajayi.

Isola will chair the occasion. The Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, will be the father of the day.

APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu will be the chief guest of honour.

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola will be the special guest of honour

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi is the chief host.

Boost for cassava production in Osun

The Federal Government last year supplied farmers in Osun State with 26,556 bundles of improved cassava to boost production.
The Poject Manager, Osun State Agriculture Development Project (OSADEP), Mr Mukaila Omisore, said in Osogbo that 1,300 farmers benefited from the hybrid cassava called “TMS 419”.
He said the variety was tagged “TMS 419” because of its deceptive nature, explaining that it has lean stems but very big tubers.
“Everyone gets surprised when big and unexpected tubers are uprooted during harvest; its appearance on the farm is deceitful and that is why it is christened 419.’’
He said OSADEP conducted 26 trainings every forthnight for farmers to expose them to how they could improve on crop production and protect the farm from pests and other attacks during the period.