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SERAP asks FG to Publish Details of Suppliers, Sites, Budget for ‘Home Feeding Programme’

By
Peter Ayoade
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Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent a Freedom of Information (FoI) request to the Federal Government, asking “the authorities to urgently publish details of the suppliers and contractors, the procurement rules, including bidding processes, the total budget, and all designated voucher distribution and collection sites for the implementation of the school feeding programme at home.”

SERAP is also seeking “information on the number of states to be covered during the COVID-19 crisis, the projected spending per state, details of the mechanisms and logistics that have been put in place to carry out the programme, as well as the role expected to be played by the World Food Programme.”

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disasters Management and Social Development, Ms Sadia Umar-Farouk had on Wednesday announced that the government would start feeding school children in their homes during the COVID-19 crisis, starting from Ogun and Lagos states, and Abuja.

In the FoI request dated 9 May, 2020 and sent to Ms Sadia Umar-Farouk, SERAP is asking the government to: “urgently invite the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to monitor the implementation of the programme.”

The FoI request signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, read in part: “Publishing the details requested is in the public interest. This would help to address public scepticism regarding the ability of the government to satisfactorily implement the programme, promote openness, and allow Nigerians to track its implementation and to hold suppliers and contractors to account.”

“SERAP notes that the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party requires the government to set the highest standards of transparency, accountability and probity in programmes that it oversees.”

“The government has a responsibility to ensure that these requirements and other anti-corruption controls are fully implemented and monitored, and to ensure that the programme benefits the children and families who need it the most.”

“Publishing the details of suppliers and contractors and the procurement rules being implemented for executing the school feeding programme at home would also remove the risks of conflicts of interest and politicisation of the programme, as well as promote transparency and accountability.”

“We urge you to also establish online national database for all suppliers and contractors responsible for carrying out the programme to feed school children in their homes, which is expected to cover over three million households in Lagos and Ogun states, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”

“We would be grateful if the requested information is provided to us within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, the Registered Trustees of SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions under the Freedom of Information Act to compel you to comply with our request.”

“According to our information, the Federal Government through your Ministry is set to partners with states, Federal Capital Territory, and World Food Programme to implement the school feeding programme at home during the lockdown. This home feeding programme reportedly followed the directive in March, 2020 by President Muhammadu Buhari to your Ministry to identify modalities and continuation of the school feeding programme during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Procurement and contracting are high-risk areas for mismanagement and corruption. By Section 1 (1) of the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act 2011, SERAP is entitled as of right to request for or gain access to information, including information on details of suppliers and contractors that have been hired to implement the school feeding programme at home.”

“By Section 4 (a) of the FoI Act, when a person makes a request for information from a public official, institution or agency, the public official, institution or urgency to whom the application is directed is under a binding legal obligation to provide the applicant with the information requested for, except as otherwise provided by the Act, within 7 days after the application is received.”

“By Sections 2(3)(d)(V) & (4) of the FoI Act, there is a binding legal duty to ensure that documents containing information relating to including information on details of suppliers and contractors that have been hired to implement the school feeding programme at home are widely disseminated and made readily available to members of the public through various means.”

“The information being requested does not come within the purview of the types of information exempted from disclosure by the provisions of the FoI Act. The information requested for as indicated above, apart from not being exempted from disclosure under the FoI Act, bothers on an issue of national interest, public concern, interest of human rights, social justice, good governance, transparency and accountability.”

COVID-19: Oyo Records No Case, as NCDC Declares 248 New Cases

By
Peter Ayoade
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Oyo State recorded no new case of COVID-19 on Sunday as Nigeria’s tally rose to 4399 from 4151, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) disclosed this via its Twitter handle @NCDCgov.

Below is the breakdown 248 new cases of #COVID19;

81-Lagos

35-Jigawa

26-Borno

26-Kano

20-Bauchi

13-FCT

12-Edo

10-Sokoto

7-Zamfara

4-Kwara

4-Kebbi

2-Gombe

2-Taraba

2-Ogun

2-Ekiti

1-Osun

1-Bayelsa

 

4399 cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria

Discharged: 778

Deaths: 143

Meanwhile, Oyo State maintains her 14th position on the Nigeria COVID-19 log with 64 confirmed cases.

COVID-19: CACOVID, NCDC to support Oyo with N350 million

By
Peter Ayoade
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▪︎State, UI collaborate over cure for Coronavirus
▪︎As state wraps up 320-bed Isolation centres  
The Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) are set to donate the combined sum of N350 million to support Oyo State’s containment efforts against COVID-19.
The State’s Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akinola Ojo and a member of the COVID-19 Task Force, Professor Temitope Alonge, told a meeting of the Task Force presided over by Governor Seyi Makinde that while CACOVID was supporting the State  with N30 million cash for rehabilitation of Isolation Centres, it will also gave equipment worth N220 million.
The NCDC, according to the Task Force members, will also support the state with N100 million.
This development was coming on the heels of collaborations between the state government, authorities of the University of Ibadan, scientists and traditional herbal medicine practitioners in a bid to find a home-grown cure for COVID-19.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, also indicated that the state was wrapping up its Isolation Centres to 320- bed capacity.
“The government of Oyo State is receiving a donation of N250 million from the CACOVID team. The sum of N220 million is reserved for equipment and N30 million for renovation of the facilities at the isolation centres,” the statement said.
The statement also indicated that while the state had completed work on the Infectious Disease Centre, Olodo, Ibadan, which has 100-bed capacity, it is also working on a 100-bed Isolation Centre in Saki, 40-beds isolation centre in Ogbomoso, 40-bed isolation centre in Igboora, 10-bed centre in Agbami, Jericho and  another 24-bed centre in Aawe near Oyo town.
The statement read: “Excluding the IDH at Olodo (100 beds), the full capacity of the isolation centres in the State are Saki (100 beds), Aawe (24 beds), Igbo-Ora (40 beds), Agbami (8 beds), UCH (4 beds) and Ogbomoso (40 beds).”
This was as the government of Oyo State and the University of Ibadan have unveiled an effort aimed at discovering a home-grown cure for the novel Coronavirus.
The collaboration, according to the Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Administration, Rev. Idowu Ogedengbe, who represented the state government, was aimed at midwifing a town and gown approach that would lead to a sustainable cure for COVID-19.
The statement quoted Ogedengbe as telling newsmen at the second meeting of the committee, which held at the Agronomy Department, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ibadan, that effort to discover a home-grown solution to COVID-19 was in top gear.
The governor’s aide stated that Oyo State was ready to midwife a scientific validation that would be globally acceptable as solutions to novel Coronavirus.
He said: “We want to start, we already know people that have the products, samples, mixtures and solutions but we don’t just want to take it on the surface and start promoting them.
“We want to first subject the products to scientific validation, so that by the time our virologists, botanists and other professionals in the University community look at those solutions, we will come up with something that the global community would benefit from. We want to really set the pace for others to emulate.”
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, also said that the initiative was the best approach since it is an embodiment of people from different strata such as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC),, which represents the Federal Government, representative of the State Government, the Academia, private sector and the Traditional Medicine Practitioners.
 According to him, there have been lots of mistrust over the years but as a conventional institution, he expressed confidence that the partnership with UI would be able to come up with a solution.
The VC said: “We also want to thank Oyo State government for facilitating this process. This is the second meeting we have held. We know there will be a solution soon. We are even going to go beyond the progress that has been made in Madagascar. You would have heard that Madagascar is trying to collaborate with South Africa.
“In Science, if you say you have a cure to something, you have to let the whole world know the protocol you have followed and, if possible, you can publish it in a scientific journal so that people can see the steps you have taken for replication.
“So, we know our people are up to the task with support from government both at the state and federal level. I am also happy that even NAFDAC is here with us.”
A representative of NAFDAC, Mrs. Edo Priye, told the meeting that the agency was ready to collaborate with all the herbal producers to ensure that the pandemic comes to an end.
The statement also quoted the Baale of Ekotedo, Ibadan, Chief Taiye Ayorinde, who spoke on behalf of the traditional herbal practitioners, as saying that herbal medicine was the most realistic solution for the treatment of COVID-19.

Ibadan North, Egbeda, Ibadan South West LGs Top Endemic Coronavirus Areas in Oyo

By
Peter Ayoade
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With 64 confirmed coronavirus cases in Oyo State, Ibadan North local government is still leading the council areas where the dreaded virus otherwise called Covid-19 was endemic.

Egbeda with 8 cases and Ibadan South West local governments with 7 cases followed the unenviable status of Ibadan North.

The above was from the Map Representation of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Oyo State obtained by the Pacesetter News over the weekend.

Dated May 9th, other council areas with confirmed cases are Oriire (5); Ibadan South East (3); Oluyole (3); Akinyele (2); Ido (2); Surulere (2); Ibadan North West (1); Ibadan North East (1); Lagelu (1) Olorunsogo (1) Ona Ara (1) and Oyo East (1).

Gov. Makinde Commiserates with Arewa Community over Chief Imam’s Death

By
Peter Ayoade
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The Oyo State governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has expressed condolences to members of the Arewa community in Ibadan over the demise of the Chief Imam of the Central Mosque, Sabo, Alhaji Ahamed Rufai Hussain.
Makinde communicated his condolence message through a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Print Media, Moses Alao, describing the passage of Alhaji Hussain, at the weekend, as a huge loss to the community.
He described Alhaji Hussain as an amiable individual who always took interest in the development of the community and the wellbeing of others, praying Allah to grant his soul eternal rest.
The governor said: “I received the news of the passage of the revered Chief Imam of Sabo Central Mosque, Ibadan, Alhaji Ahamed Rufai Hussain with shock but we have to submit to the will of Allah.
“He was an amiable individual, who loved and worked for the interest of others and the growth of the Arewa community in Oyo State. I am sure his leadership and wisdom will be missed.
“I commiserate with the Seriki Hausawa, Alhaji Dahiru Ahmed Zungeru and the entire members of the Hausa community in the state, while also praying to Allah to grant rest to the departed Imam.”

Oyo Alaafin COVID-19: We’ve Identified Those in Contacts with the Patient – Council Boss

By
Peter Ayoade
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The Caretaker Chairman of Oyo East Local Government Area of Oyo State, Hon. Arowosaye Saheed Adeyemi, has declared that most of the people that might have had physical contacts with the COVID-19 patient in his domain have been identified and asked to self-isolate for 14 days

The council boss gave the update via his official facebook account. He said,  “following the confirmation of first COVID-19 case in Oyo East Local Government, state officials in collaboration with the Health Department of the local government have began contact tracing. Most of the contacts have been identified and has been told to self-isolate and placed under supervision while efforts are ongoing to identify everyone who may have come in contact with the patient.

“Meanwhile, I visited the designated isolation centre for Oyo zone in Awe, with, Prince Ajibola Afonja, for inspection of the facility. I thanked him for his efforts in renovating the facility and I assured him that it will be put to proper use for the good of our people.”

“Also, I spoke with Prof. Temitope Alonge of the State’s COVID-19 Taskforce and he informed me that our dear Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has graciously approved medical equipment for the isolation centre and assured me that they will soon be dispatched to the centre so as to get it up and running. Once again, I thank our Governor and his team for their prompt response” the statement concluded.

Oyo State: UCH Records 11th COVID-19 Case

By
Peter Ayoade
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The University College Hospital, Ibadan has recorded another confirmed case of coronavirus among the staff of the hospital’s surgical services.

In a press statement, UCH COVID-19 Media Team disclosed that the member of staff in question is in good health and is receiving the necessary support while the routine contact tracing and relevant infection control protocols instituted.

Part of the press statement reads, “Consequently as at 4pm, Friday, 8th May, 2020, we have one new case of COVID-19 confirmed. The total number of COVID-19 patients that the Hospital has attended to is now 11 (eleven). Out of these, 6 (six) patients were managed as in-patients in the isolation unit or other locations in the Hospital, 2 (two) of which were discharged after being declared free from the virus from results of investigations done. One patient was however transferred to Lagos for further treatment. Regrettably, 2 (two) deaths occurred”.

“Presently, there are 3 (three) active confirmed cases of COVID-19 being managed by staff of the Hospital. 1 (one) of these is on admission while the other two are being managed at home”.

The University College Hospital reiterated its commitment to continue to render excellent care and services to all their patients. The Hospital equally enjoined everyone to abide by the required infection prevention and control measures such as physical distancing, regular hand washing, use of hand sanitizers & face masks.

COVID-19: Physically Challenged Man Donates Customised School Bags to Oyo Govt

By
Peter Ayoade
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During the weekend, a physically challenged man, Olajide Jonathan supported the ongoing Oyo State Government’s ‘learning-on-air’ broadcast for primary school pupils with some customized bags.

He said the bags are giveaways, to encourage pupils in the State to pay rapt attention to the radio broadcast put together by the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, (OYO SUBEB).

Mr. Jonathan, a resident of Ifo, Ogun State commended the State Government for taking learning to the door steps of pupils in the State. He however urged Government to put into cognisance pupils with Special needs during this stay at home period.

Jonathan, who expressed hope to meet the Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board in person soon, said his support for the basic education sector was borne out of pure love for the Governor Seyi Makinde led administration in Oyo State.

Receiving the gifts, the Executive Chairman, OYOSUBEB, Dr. Nureni Adeniran said that the gifts are testimonies to the far reach of the broadcast, adding that they would go a long way to encourage Basic school pupils in the State.

He noted that, though the board initiated the idea of giveaways about two weeks ago, with cash prize for winners, complementing such with beautifully customized bags for pupils will be an added advantage for the lucky winners.

“As far as we are concerned, this is an immense contribution, coming from Mr. Olajide Jonathan. We never expected that someone who neither resides in the State nor comes from the State would pick this kind of keen interest in our on-air programme for pupils during this stay-at-home period”, he said.

Adeniran further commended the sacrifice and efforts of Olajide Jonathan who left other commitments to give to the State and its pupils such immense gifts.

Dr. Adeniran however, urged pupils and their parents to abide by precautionary advice prescribed by the State COVID-19 Task-force, so that the spread of the virus can be halted.

Oyo Alaafin Records first index case of COVID-19

By
Peter Ayoade
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The ancient town of Oyo, yesterday, recorded first index case of coronavirus. 

This was announced yesternight by the state governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, on his official facebook page. According to the infographic posted by the governor, the first index case was recorded in Oyo East local government area.

Of the 33 constitutionally recognised LGAs in Oyo State, 64 confirmed coronavirus cases have been recorded in 15 council areas. These include Ibadan North (26), Egbeda (8), Ibadan Southwest (7), Oriire (5), Ibadan Southeast (3), Oluyole (3), Akinyele (2), Ido (2), Surulere (2), Ibadan Northwest (1), Ibadan Northeast (1), Lagelu (1), Olorunsogo (1), Ona Ara (1) and Oyo East (1).

With the growing cases in the State, the Oyo State Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Ademola Babalola, has urged the people of Oyo State to play their part by observing precautions outlined by the NCDC and state governments as well as relevant health authorities.

The number one journalist in the State further appealed to residents to obey the interstate restriction order, social distancing and other directives like the night curfew aimed at curbing the dangerous global spread of the virus.

Looming Food Scarcity: Rice to be Sold at N16,000 per bag in Kano

By
Peter Ayoade
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The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission has reached an agreement with the Rice Processors Association of Nigeria to sell a 50KG bag at N16,000.

According to the Chairman of the Kano State branch of the Rice Processors Association of Nigeria; Alhaji Muhammed Abubakar, the agreement was signed on Saturday 9th, May 2020 at the Commission’s headquarters after a meeting with the leadership of their Association.

He said under this agreement, the Association would be supplying 30 trucks of rice weekly to designated stores at the rate of N15,500 per bag and to be sold at a price not more than N16,000 per bag.

The deal also made it mandatory for a customer to acquire not more than 2 bags at a time at this designated centres.

In his words, the  Chairman of the PCACC; Barr. Muhuyi Magaji Rimigado said the meeting was not to infringe on the rights of the rice processors but for a more conducive business atmosphere for buyers and sellers of rice in the State.

He further explained that the effort is also geared towards ensuring that customers get value for their money so that hoarding of essential commodities becomes a thing of the past in the State.

Reacting to the news in a chat with the PacesetterNews correspondent, Mr. Sola Kolawole who is an agriculturist from Oyo State said the move is not sustainable.

According to him, “rice millers are under pressure to increase the price due to shortage in supply of paddy. The intervention of the Kano Anti-Graft Agency is a short term measure to cushion the effect of COVID 19 on the production of local rice. The danger ahead is that, we may have to reopen our borders to importation of foreign rice to mitigate starvation. Rice remains Nigeria’s number one staple food” Mr. Kolawole concluded.

Oyo Records 5 New Cases of COVID-19 in 4 LGAs. •Total Hits 64

By
Peter Ayoade
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Oyo State on Saturday confirmed that 5 new cases of Coronavirus had been recorded in four local government areas of the state.

This was announced by Governor Seyi Makinde via his official facebook page. He said development had raised the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state to 64.

According to the governor, “the COVID-19 confirmation tests for five suspected cases came back POSITIVE. The cases are from the following Local Government Areas: Ibadan North (2), a foreigner in Surulere, Ibadan North East (1) and Ibadan South West (1). So, the total number of confirmed cases in Oyo State is sixty-four”.

He appealed to the people of Oyo State to call Oyo State COVID-19 Taskforce Emergency Operations Centre on 08095394000 | 08095863000 | 08078288999 | 08078288800, if they found travellers from other states arriving in their communities.

Oyo State is now 14th on the Nigeria COVID-19 Log while total number of confirmed cases in Nigeria stands at 4151, according to the Director General for Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Shittu Belongs to the Past in APC – Youth Leader Fires Ex-Minister

By
Peter Ayoade
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The Oyo North senatorial district youth leader of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, Mr. Dauda Ajana, has stated that no individual would lose sleep over alleged persistent attacks against the APC and its leaders from Barrister Adebayo Shittu “because the former minister of communications exists only in the history of the party”.
The ex-minister has always been at loggerheads with the leadership of the Oyo APC as this climaxed in May 2018 when he joined forces with other aggrieved members to float a factional group named Unity Forum with a view to dislodging the then Governor Abiola Ajimobi as the leader of the APC in the state.
Speaking with the PacesetterNews on a phone conversation on Saturday, Ajana said the ex-minister has ceased to be a member of Oyo APC since his faction broke away in 2018 while he (Shittu) also went ahead to work against all the candidates fielded by the party in the 2019 general election.
According to the Youth Leader, “It does not bother us in Oyo APC if former minister Shittu now struggles to outdo media experts hired by the PDP government to launder the image of Gov. Seyi Makinde. Apart from the fact he (Shittu) and few other gladiators failed in their bid to hijack the party in 2018 for selfish reasons, the Saki-born lawyer had always been everything but blessing to our party in the state.
“He claimed to have stayed put in the party when his co-travelers in Unity Forum defected to other parties only to play a cog in the wheel of progress. He never worked for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and this, coupled with his disgraceful performance as a minister for over three years, was largely responsible for his failure to be re-appointed. Mr. President has all the facts and he chose not to reward emptiness and hypocrisy with any appointment again.
“How can a reasonable person claim to be a member of a particular party and he would have nothing doing with members and leadership of the same party in his Ward, Local Government Area and State levels for over two years? The only time he identified with Oyo APC was in 2016 when he donated two rickety buses and the same buses have since been abandoned because they were unserviceable vehicles.
“It is on record that Shittu was involved in virtually all the meetings of the coalition groups which worked in favour of Engr. Seyi Makinde of the PDP to win the last gubernatorial election in the state. Having been mobilized with some goodies, he now feels he deserves more patronage and this may be responsible for his renewed efforts to fight the cause of the governor to the detriment of our party but all of them have failed.
 “With a member like him (Shittu) playing major role in any political party, such party cannot make a headway and I’m aware that some stakeholders within the APC in his Ward 02, Saki West local government are meeting to address the issue of false claim of membership of Oyo APC coming from him. As far as we are concerned in Oke-Ogun axis of the state, former minister Shittu is not a member of the APC and we stand by this assertion.” Ajana stated.

MR. SPEAKER, THIS REPORTED ACTION IS DICTATORIAL

By
Peter Ayoade
-

Dear, OYSHA Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin

As a youth and citizen of Oyo State, I am highly disappointed in your action which I consider SELF-SERVING AND DICTATORIAL!

During the House Proceedings on Tuesday, you reportedly FIRED Hon. Olamide Akinajo of Ibadan North East 1 Constituency as Chairman, House Committee on Works and Transports. And you directed Hon. Kehinde Taofeek Olatunde from Akinyele constituency II to take up the oversight duties of Mogaji Akinajo. Hon. Olatunde is now chairing House Committee on Appropriations as well as House Committee on Works and Transports.

Impeccable sources revealed that you UNILATERALLY took the decision without the knowledge of the principal officers of the house and majority of your colleagues.

Mr. Speaker, this is a democratic dispensation, not a military regime. Oyo State House of Assembly is not a private business where you have the absolute power to HIRE and FIRE. I know you don’t have much experience as a legislator. May I educate you that your action is an IMPEACHABLE OFFENCE. This is because you INTENTIONALLY didn’t involve both the House Selection Committee and the Ethics and Privileges Committee. I must emphasize that, in the face of the Nigerian Constitution, your action is undemocratic and, NULL AND VOID, according to the Oyo State House of Assembly standing rules.

This singular development is a stain on the image and political career of Mogaji Akinajo. You ought to have been properly guided by the more experienced members of the 9th Assembly but I don’t know why they’re silent.

As the Number Three citizen of Oyo State, you’re accountable to us. You were elected as the 9th Assembly Speaker to serve the people of the state, not your personal interests. Therefore, as a citizen of Oyo State, I demand to know why a House Committee Chairman would be disgraced in this manner in the Hallowed Chamber? Did he commit any crime while discharging his oversight functions or there are more to it.

Mr. Speaker, all your colleagues (31) cannot please you; learn how to accommodate dissenting people. I’ll never support injustice to be done to you. Therefore, it’s not too late to reverse your action or did you act in vengeance since the humiliated lawmaker is said to be among those challenging some excesses on your part?

Dear Hon. Debo, you can’t be the Speaker of OYSHA forever. Power is transient, and KARMA IS A BITCH.

Long Live Oyo State….

Yours,
Citizen YSO OLANIYI ELODYPER

UP NEXT: INSIDE STORIES OF 9TH OYSHA

Malami’s letter on Oyo LG’s: matter is subjudice, says Makinde’s Political Adviser

By
Peter Ayoade
-

 

The Special Adviser on Strategy and Political Matters to the Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, Honourable Babatunde Oduyoye, said on Tuesday that the letter credited to the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami on the matter of Oyo State Local Governments is sub judice.

Hon. Oduyoye stated that as far as the matter was still before the Court of Appeal, no one is expected to take extra-constitutional measures, except such a person is nursing ulterior motives.

“The matter is in court and as far as we are concerned, it is sub judice,” the Political Adviser said adding that Malami must have committed an obvious blunder by taking a step against the interest of the judiciary and the Constitution he was meant to protect.

 According to Oduyoye, the Government of Oyo State was not oblivious of the intent of some elements in the main opposition party in the State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) to plunge the State into crisis and possibly make it ungovernable.

According to the former Chief Whip of Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the House of Representatives, the purported letter from the office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), was part of the grand plot to frustrate the Makinde Government, thereby preventing him from delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Oyo State.                                                      

 In a statement he personally signed, the Political Adviser, said that the APC’s plan to fight Makinde to a standstill and create tension in Oyo State, thereby forestalling the monumental developmental objectives of his administration would come to nought because, according to him, the people of Oyo State have seen through it all.

Oduyoye maintained that intelligence reports had already indicated that leaders of the APC had marked Makinde as their public enemy number one due to his soaring public image.

“We are aware that a number of politicians are unhappy with the growing popularity of Governor Makinde and especially the recent launch of the Western Nigeria Security Network popularly known asAmotekun.

“The APC in Oyo State has, ever since it lost the March 9, 2019 governorship election, been hell-bent on retaking the seat through the illegal means. We are aware of the several underhand means and dirty tactics they have deployed and were at a stage christened “Pakute Politics.”

Oduyoye further stated that through the statement made by a serving Senator of the APC, who indicated that his party had set traps for Governor Makinde, it became clear that the desperation of APC elements knows no limits.

He warned the Federal Government and its agents to be wary of their actions especially as they affected the local government debacle in Oyo State, as the matter was still in court.

He said: “We have read a letter being circulated in the social media by elements of the APC in which the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), gave a directive to Governor Seyi Makinde to reverse the House of Assembly’s decision to suspend the 68 illegal chairmen of local governments in Oyo State.

“That directive, apart from being unconstitutional and misplaced, is part of the APC’s grand plot to cause a major crisis in Oyo State in order to destabilise the Government of Governor Makinde and ultimately make the State ungovernable.

 “We have intelligence report over series of meetings held by APC leaders, who now feel threatened by Governor Makinde’s soaring profile. They are worried at the manner in which he defeated the APC at the polls and were ashamed that the Supreme Court thwarted their organised attempt to steal his mandate.

“Makinde’s enemies in the APC have also found it repulsive that his stance on the Western Nigerian Security Network, popularly named Amotekun, was driving the security outfit to success.

“We are really not surprised by the desperation of the APC to destabilise Oyo State, ever since it failed in the Governorship election, it has been employing underhand tactics to steal Makinde’s mandate and one of its senators, Teslim Folarin, had even gone as far as saying that the APC had set two traps for the Makinde Government.

“Let us warn those elements who are pushing to destabilise Oyo State through the unholy resurrection of the sacked Council Chairmen that the people of Oyo State will not be used as a tool by unscrupulous elements.

“The Federal Government also needed to be reminded that Nigeria is a federation, with constitutionally guaranteed democratic systems. We urge the government at the centre to await the decision of the court on the matter of Local Government councils in Oyo State rather than use attempt to resort to illegality and measures that are not backed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic, 1999.”

Inter-agency security collaboration, boost to security in Oyo – Makinde

By
Peter Ayoade
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Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, has said that inter-agency collaboration among security services has greatly boosted the security situation in Oyo State.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that Governor stated this during a reception he organized for the 163 newly promoted senior officers of security agencies in Oyo State, held at the Lawn Tennis Court, Police headquarters Eleyele, Ibadan.
The statement quoted the Governor as saying that the collaboration among the Police and other security agencies in the State has helped the task of maintaining peace, security and protection of lives and property of the people in all the nooks and crannies of the State.
Governor Makinde said that the collaborative efforts of all the security agencies in State has helped to reduce crime and criminality to the barest minimum, adding that the inter-agency collaboration among the security agencies has made the objective of securing the State easy to achieve.
“I am glad to be here this evening. Few months back, I hosted the vice chancellors of Nigerian universities. They came from all over the country. Some of them who came from where there was serious security challenges told me that they did not feel like returning to their stations because they saw that Oyo State was very peaceful.
“I can tell you that the State is still very peaceful. Who do I thank for that state of affairs? I can only thank all the officers and men of the security agencies in Oyo State. So, I want to use this opportunity to thank all the officers and men of the security agencies in Oyo State.
“I want to also specially appreciate the good work of the heads of the security agencies; the CPs, the Immigration Comptroller, Commandant of the NSCDC for the collaborative effort, because I know that there is no single agency that can cover this entire state alone. And, of course, when you look at Oyo State in terms of landmass, it is bigger than all the state in the Eastern part of Nigeria put together. If you add Abia, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi and Anambra together, they are not as big as Oyo State in landmass. But because you all have been able to cover every inch of the state, I want to say thank you.”
The Governor, who described the inter-agency collaboration among security agencies in the State as top-notch, noting that there was always eagerness from one agency to assist the other in achieving the objective of securing the State, tasked the security agencies to “keep up” collaborative spirit and not relent in pursuing the goal of keeping Oyo State safe and peaceful.
He said: “When we sit at Executive Council meeting, I used
to think that the security agencies will display a sort of
inter-agency rivalry but that was not what I have seen with these set of leaders working with me. I have seen eagerness from one agency to assist the others to achieve our common objective as far as security of the State is concerned. So, I want to ask that we keep this up.”
The Governor, while congratulating the newly promoted Senior Officers, charged them to see their promotions as call to do more for the country, urging them to be good ambassadors of the Oyo State.
This was just as he charged those still expecting their promotions to work harder, praying that God will uplift them in due course.
The Governor said: “The heads of the security agencies cannot function and deliver without all of you that are seated here tonight. Those that have been promoted should know that it is a call to do more and those who are still expecting their promotion, by the grace of God, it will come but you have to work very hard.
“Some of you, according to the Commissioner of Police, because of the new rank and because there may not be vacancies in the State to accommodate you, you may be posted out of the State for now but I still look forward to us working together somehow. I look forward to our paths crossing in the very near future. It may still be as Seyi Makinde, Governor of Oyo State or as former governor of Oyo State. But we want to build relationships that will last beyond the current assignments of all of us.
“So, please, even though you may be leaving Oyo State momentarily, be good ambassadors of the State. Some of the things you have done here that have allowed all of us to sleep with our two eyes closed, when you get to your new postings, please push those ideas further. What we want is a safe and secure Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, Shina Olukolu, appreciated the Governor Makinde-led administration in the State for the huge support it has been giving to the security in the task of securing the State.
He maintained that the Makinde administration, in just seven months, has surpassed the previous administrations in the State in terms of provisions to enhance the performance of the Police in securing the State.
The CP said: “Some of the things that make officers of all the services to want to continue rendering efficient, dedicated services to the society, which will enhance their performance, are training and retraining, logistics to carry out their operations, welfare matters and appreciation.
“Tonight, the Governor has shown that he is someone who has the mindset to ensure that security agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force, carry out their responsibilities with some
elements of ease.
“I want to say also that the provision to enhance the performance of Police in Oyo State, the Governor has done it in the last couple of months and it has surpassed whatever it was in the past.”
He stated further that the Police and other security agencies in the State would continue to work together to maintain peace and
security of lives and properties across the length and breadth of the State, saying: “This effort, this forward-looking attitude is highly commendable. The members of the Police Force and other security agencies in Oyo State will continue to synergise, work together and keep urging members of the public to continue to work and collaborate with members of the security services and the Nigerian Police Force, so that we can continue to serve them better.
“I also want to let the Governor know that the Nigeria Police Force has young men and women out there; the middle cadre officers, the inspectorate cadre, the rank and file members who are always there to do their job. And if they are not there, even the Commissioner of Police won’t be able to talk. The Commissioner of Police has raised several awards within and outside Oyo State because the rank and file is out there.
“The management team is supportive because the governor has given us material to work with. So, I have the mandate of all of them to assure you that we are committed and dedicated and we will continue to carry out our responsibilities to ensure that Oyo State remain relatively peaceful.”
Speaking further, Olukolu appealed to Governor Makinde to continue giving priority to security in the State as one of the major pillars of his administration, saying the security agencies would continue to secure the State.
He added: “I want to appeal to the governor to continue to ensure that security remains top priority, even though we have read his speeches and studied his actions, and we know that security is one of the pillars of his administration and we will not let him down.
“I am sure that those officers who have been promoted and are going out of the state, by the time they leave this place tonight; they will be going with peace of mind and good recommendation for Oyo State. Wherever they find themselves, they will continue to be good ambassadors of Oyo State.”

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