VOL. 10. NO.04 N50tuesday, jaNuary 27, 2015

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

Front Page Comment

- See Story On Page

3

- See Story On Page 2

- Pg 2

PDP, Presidency’s Plan To Use Osun Tribunal To Scuttle February Polls Exposed

We are informing our esteemed numerous readers of our resolve to increase the cover price of OsuN deFeNder Newspaper from N50 to N100 with effect from next month.

The new price regime is neces-sitated by increase in the cost of production.

However, we are also assuring you of improved content of our publication both in quantity and quality.

regards

Hike In Cover Price Of OsuN deFeNder

Uneasy Calm In Ila PDP Over Candidate’s Emergence

Osun Tribunal Reserves Judgment •The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (holding a broom atop a bus), acknowledging cheers from the broom-wielding supporters of the All Progressives Congress APC, during the Presidential Campaign for General Muhammadu Buhari at the Pavilion Central, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, last Saturday.

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

Port-Harcourt and Lagos respectively, Nigerians have started to reactto the the level of

As the presidential election campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and the All Progressive Con-gress (APC) candi-dates kicked off in

expectations from both candidates.Apart from that, reactions have also trailed the near disaster

to galvanise peo-ples support to-wards the February 14, 2015 presiden-tialelection.

thatpreceding the Akure ‘Walk for Change’ organ-ised by the APC

Contending, respondents, who spoke with this medium, ex-plained that itwas

Continue on pg5

2OSun DEfEnDER tuesday, january 27, 2015

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

•(L-R) Managing Director, Agronet Limited, Mr Ayokunle fatokun; Coordinator, Osun Rural Enterprise and Agricultural Programmes (O-REAP), Dr Charles Akinola and Deputy Director-General, Partnerships and Capacity Development, Dr Kenton Dashiell during the State Government of Osun signing of the Memorandum of understanding (MOu) by the State of Osun Government on seed multplication with International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and Agronet Limited at IITA, Ibadan, Oyo State, recently. Photo: GBEnGA ADEnIYI

PDP, Presidency’s Plan To Use Osun Tribunal To Scuttle February Polls ExposedBy sHINa aBuBakar

tHe Peoples democratic Party (PdP), in connivance with the Presidency, has concluded plans to use the Osun election Petition tribunal to scuttle the next

month general elections in the country.It was gathered that the

party, with the collaboration o f the Pres idency, i s desperate in installing Senator Iyiola Omisore as governor of the state before the February 14 polls in the country.

OsuN deFeNder’s invest igat ion revealed

that the desperation of the Presidency is such that it would do anything to remove Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who, the presidency has identified as a stumbling block to its ambition in the South-West.

It was gathered that the presidency is hell-bent on forcing the tribunal to

declare Omisore as winner of the August 9, 2014 governorship poll in the state to destabilise the APC and cause upheaval in the geo-political zone, which may spread across the country and eventually lead to the eventual postponement of the general elections and allow the PDP to re-strategise for the polls.

The medium further gathered that the party has felt defeated with the outcome of the governorship

poll in the state, considering its importance to the general e l e c t i o n s a n d w o u l d do anything to undo its perceived mistake.

According to a source, the Presidency is desperate about the February 14 poll and has seen Governor Aregbesola as a problem in the South-West and getting him out of the way by hook or crook means would serve its purpose, especially as the courts are currently on strike and the governor would not be able to proceed to

the appellate court, while Omisore would have been sworn in as governor during the poll, believing it could help the PDP’s chance in the zone.

“As you know that the chances of the president returning to office fades everyday and would do anything to get back to the office, including tramping on the judiciary.

“The Presidency does not give a damn about the facts before the tribunal, but is ready to force a decision on the members of the panel to favour the PDP and presidency.

“You should know that no judge can overlook the chances of becoming a Chief Judge of a state and the party is ready to lure the chairperson of the panel with the chance of becoming a CJ in her state.”

Findings showed that the recent celebration galore embarked upon by

members of the PDP in Osogbo, the state capital, after the adoption of written addresses by both parties, was part of the script by the party to hoodwink the public into believing they succeeded in proving their case before the court ahead of the final script of the party.

Meanwhile, the APC in the state is said to be aware of the plan by the PDP and is taking steps towards ensuring justice is done in the matter, irrespective of interest from high quarters.

Some loyalists of the party are said to be threatening to make the state ungovernable should the tribunal be lured into declaring Omisore, as they are living witnesses to the election and there was no unit the result was manipulated.

Uneasy Calm In Ila PDP Over Candidate’s Emergence

tHe emergence of Mr. Nasiru adebisi jayeola as the Peoples democratic Party (PdP) candidate for Ila state Constituency has continued to generate

bad blood among members of the party in Ila Local Government Council area of the state of Osun at the weekend.

The members , who p r o t e s t e d J a y e o l a ’s emergence as the party’s candidate, alleged that he (Jayeola) forged his statutory declaration of age to contest for the position.

They however, petitioned the Independent National

Electoral Commissioner ( INEC) and the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abubakar Marafa, through their counsel, Edmund Biriomoni, to reverse his emergence as PDP candidate for the constituency.

Their counsel argued that “Jayeola had procured two different declarations of age, bearing same receipt no CR. 022135 respectively, but different signatures of the declarants and Commissioner for Oaths.

The petition reads in part: “It is clear that the said statutory declarations of age dated 22nd September, 2014 are both forged documents with criminal intentions of Mr. Nasiru Adebisi Jayeola to perpetrate fraud and perjury.

“Sir (CP), we urge you to direct an immediate invest igat ion into our p e t i t i o n i n v i e w o f prosecuting the culprits in a court of law.”

Also, in the two-page petition directed to the INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, and dated 4th January, 2015, the commission was charged to invoke the necessary provisions of the relevant laws, especially sections 32 and 87 of the Electoral Act and provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

The petitioners therefore, charged the concerned authorities to investigate Jayeola on the allegation and charge him to court to right all wrongs concerning the matter.

Osun Tribunal: Govt Accuses PDP Of Sponsoring ConfusionBy keHINde ayaNtuNjI

tHe Government of the state of Osun on Friday accused the Peoples democratic Party (PdP) of executing its plot to create confusion

around the premises of the court, where the Osun Governorship election Petition tribunal has been sitting.

The government alleged that large population of hoodlums, loyal to the PDP, stormed the premises of the court on Friday and created confusion around the Government House premises.

Media aide to Governor R a u f A r e g b e s o l a , Semiu Okanlawon, in a statement said an earlier false accusation had been levelled against Governor Aregbesola by the PDP few days ago over a purported plot to bring hoodlums to pose as members of the judiciary workers union and prevent lawyers and members of the tribunal to gain access into the premises.

H e s a i d t h a t t h e government had called on the security agencies in the state to view PDP’s false accusation against Aregbesola as indication of their own plot to unleash violence on innocent

people of Osun and the need to arrest anybody who breaches the peace of the state under whatever guise.

Okanlawon said after the failure of the PDP’s hoodlums to unleash violence on innocent people, they resorted to baseless and wild jubilations, claiming that the tribunal had declared their candidate winner of the August 9, 2014 governorship poll.

“It is startling how PDP leaders, their members and sponsored hoodlums could go to town, jubilating over a non-existent verdict. The parties to the petition only made final submissions to the tribunal.

“ E x p e c t e d l y , t h e tribunal adjourned sine die (indefinitely) in order to return at a later date to announce its judgment date,” the statement noted.

The statement therefore

advised members of the public to dismiss PDP’s claims and view it as just another in the litany of the party’s lies and manipulations.

On Friday, during the tr ibunal proceedings, security were beefed up around the court premises, a s a rmed po l i cemen and operatives of State Security Service (SSS) were deployed in the area to ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order.

Members of the PDP after the tribunal sitting had gone to town singing that the tribunal had declared their candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore winner.

The news spread like a wildfire around the town, as residents of state were making calls to government officials and journalists to find out the true story concerning the sitting at the tribunal.

The party’s National Secretary, Professor Wale Oladipupo, Police Affai rs Minis ter, Mr Jelili Adesiyan, Professor Oludaisi Aina, a senatorial candidate in the party, were among the leaders who led

the party members to be jubilating around the major streets of the state capital.

They later gathered at the secretariat of the party along Gbongan/Ibadan road and blocked the main road, dancing.

Also dismissing the PDP claim, APC State Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi, said; “it is not true that the PDP has won at the Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo.

“The PDP members had gone beserk. Nothing of sort has happened anywhere in any court of law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The APC therefore, admonished the residents of the state to shun the rumour, describing it as wicked and cynical jubilation by PDP members around some centres in Osogbo that they have won at the tribunal.

“It is not only false, it is intended to create confusion in the state capital and other cities. W h a t h a p p e n e d a t the tribunal was not a judgment. The tribunal simply had addresses by

all counsel representing their clients on the case. After that, the tribunal chairman adjourned sitting indefinitely.

“No date has been fixed for judgment. Only a terrible mischief-maker and political vagabond will go about town, declaring victory and rejoicing in a case of this nature, which the court has not made final pronouncement on.

“The people of Osun should disregard PDP’s ant ics . That party is already losing its mind and its leadership in the State of Osun needs spiritual and medical help.

“ G o v e r n o r R a u f Aregbesola is in charge and All Progressives Congress is the party in power in the State of Osun.

“Nothing has changed that fact. Osun people should go about their lawful businesses and treat the PDP people, who were jubilating over nothing with pity for something has seriously gone wrong with them,” the APC said.

3 News OSun DEfEnDER tuesday, january 27,

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, laying the wreath during the 2015 Armed forces Remembrance Day in Osogbo recently. Photo: GBEnGA ADEnIYI

Change Of NameI, formerly known and

addressed as BusarI rOFIyat OLaBIsI, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs a B d u L r a s a q rOFIyat OLaBIsI. All former documents remain valid. Ede-South Local Government and general public should take note.

Fayose: It Is Silly To Mock The Dead, Have Death Wish For BuhariBy IsMaeeL utHMaN

CONtrOVersIaL governor of ekiti state, ayodele Fayose, is currently in the news for what people described as offensive and inciting advert in

national newspapers, where he paraded past northerners, who were former heads of state that died in office, with the picture of the presidential candidate of the all Progressives Congress (aPC), General Muhammodu Buhari.

Fayose, who was not ready to apologize for the advert, maintained that Buhari is too old and might also die in office like General Murtala Mohammed, Sanni Abacha and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

The advert generated knocks and criticisms from politicians, professionals in media profession and civil societies, who decried the level at which Fayose was going about politics and campaigns for President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election.

The Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Organization in the State of Osun has cautioned Fayose against what it described as ‘campaign of calumny, irresponsibility and uncultured language contained in his advertorial published in some of the national newspapers.

According to the campaign organization, the content of the advertorial was capable

of undermining the unity of Nigeria and truncating the peace of the country.

The group condemned in totality the advert in which Fayose paraded former northern heads of state that died in office with a question mark on Buhari’s picture, apparently doubting the

longevity of Buhari, if he emerges as the President of the country.

Chairman of the campaign group in the state, Senator Mudasiru Husein, said that the advert portrayed Fayose as not only a silly politician, but also a governor lacking in morality and common sense.

Husein in an interview with OsuN deFeNder on Monday stated that it was irresponsible, barbaric and ungodly for Fayose to be mocking the dead, who were military presidents from the northern part of the country, in the name of politics.

He added that it was sinful and foolhardy for Fayose to wish Buhari an untimely death because of politics, just as he condemned President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for supporting such provocative advert messages.

“The advert is a big slap on the northerners, the Muslims and Nigerians in general. I believe that a sane person would not be mocking the dead and wishing his fellow human being untimely death because of politics. Fayose needs to apologize

to Nigerians and specifically, the families of the former heads of state he paraded in the offensive adverts.

“Fayose and the PDP are poking the northerners in the eye deliberately with the advert. Has he forgotten that Aguyi Ironsi, a southerner and a Christian, died as the Head of State. I must say that the advert is capable of generating both religious and ethnical crisis across the country. It is only a fool that will play politics with the sensitivity of religions and ethnicity at the present time

in Nigeria.“It is necessary to conduct

a psychiatric examination for Fayose because of his misbehaviour and unguided statements. PDP is a sinking ship and its passengers should not sink Nigeria with it.”

February 2015: Call For Postponement In Bad Faith - CDRP

a leading civil society organization in Nigeria, Committee for democracy and rights of the People (CdrP) has strongly condemned the call for the

postponement of the February 2015 Nigeria’s general elections by sambo dasuki, Presidential adviser on National security, maintaining that the call was in bad faith.

By keHINde ayaNtuNjI

This was conta ined in a s ta tement s igned

by the Acting National Coordinator of the group, Comrade Saka Waheed and made available to newsmen in Osogbo, the State of Osun capital.

According to the group, the call by the National Security Adviser to the President was not only in bad faith but also an attempt to create new tension in the nation’s body polity.

The group described the call for postponement as provocative, totally unfathomable and grossly

unintelligible from a high-ranking off icer of the government.

“At a time like this, when we need to support, encourage and empower INEC to fulfil its constitutional duty by ensuring that the necessary materials are provided well in time before the elections, the call for postponement by the NSA was nothing but an institutional discouragement o f t h e h a r d w o r k i n g Chairman of INEC and his men and women,” Saka said.

Prof. Jega has always re-affirmed the commitment of his commission to conduct the elections as scheduled, even in the troubled areas of the North East of Nigeria, while he also admitted that there are few challenges here and there regarding permanent voters’ cards and

other logistics, however, the commission never gave any reason whatsoever that may warrant postponement.

Saka further stated that, the NSA must focus on how the country will be secured before, during and after the February general elections and not dabble into an electoral process, where he has little or no knowledge.

The group therefore called on Nigerians to visit INEC designated collection centres and collect their permanent voters’ cards, and prepare to cast their votes for candidates of their choice in the upcoming general elections as scheduled by INEC.

Osun Tribunal Reserves Judgment By kazeeM MOHaMMed

tHe state of Osun Governorship election Petition tribunal hearing the petition of the Peoples democratic Party (PdP) and its governorship

candidate, Iyiola Omisore, against the re-election of Governor rauf aregbesola has reserved judgement in the matter.

The tribunal reserved judgement on Friday after counsel to the petitioners and respondents; Aregbesola, All Progressives Congress (APC) and Independent N a t i o n a l E l e c t o r a l Commiss ion ( INEC) , adopted their final addresses

before the court.A d o p t i n g h i s f i n a l

a d d r e s s , c o u n s e l t o Aregbesola, Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), submitted that the petition was not competent in the first place because it was filed out of the time stipulated by law.

He also argued that the petitioners did not adduce any reasonable evidence to justify their allegations of irregularities at the election, saying, the duplicate copies of Form EC8A (result forms) tendered by one of the witnesses of the petitioners were inadmissible because the witness was neither the maker nor signatory to the documents.

The counsel also argued that “the purported CTC of form EC8A were not properly certified. Also, the

ballot papers they brought before the court were just dumped and up till now, nobody knows what they want to use it for.

“The Supreme Court in the case of Buhari vs Obasanjo has said the document tendered by the petitioner are inadmissible and the Court of Appeal said even if they are admitted, they have no weight.

“Apart from that, there are total of 3,010 polling units in Osun, the petitioners are challenging 939 polling units in 142 wards, and they did not call any evidence in 709 units in 116 wards, even when the Supreme Court has said you must call evidence in all the units you are challening. It means they have abandoned their case in those wards and units.

“Assuming wi thou t conceding that evidence were called in all the polling units being challenged and results of those units were deducted, the petitioners would still lose and the first respondents would still win convincingly.

“The so-called expert witnesses of the petitioners admitted that there are errors in his report and none of the witnesses of the petition advanced the cause of the petition,” he argued.

He said the petitioners have no evidence to rely on before the tribunal and “the petition must fail and I urged your lordships to dismiss it.”

In his argument, counsel to the APC, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), adopted the argument of the first respondent’s counsel, and added that the failure of the petitioners to link their evidence to the case was fatal to the petition.

“The evidence of their witnesses are of no value. They listed over 1,000 witnesses, they reduced it to 500 and they ended up calling 43 witnesses.

“Their allegation was that voters were induced, but none of the petitioners’ witnesses told the court that he was induced. Also their so-called expert did not give any expert evidence.

“If there has been any petition that has been a waste of judicial time, it is this petition,” urging the tribunal to dismiss it.

Also, the INEC counsel,

Mr Ayotunde Ogunleye, sa id the pet i t ion was incompetent because it was filed out of time, urging the court to dismiss same.

H e a l s o s a i d t h e petitioners failed to shift the burden of proof place on them by law, saying, in all the Forms EC8A tendered by the petitioners, none of their witnesses established discrepancies in them as alleged by the petitioners.

The counsel added that part of the case of the petitioners was that people were disenfranchised, saying, none of the witnesses of the petitioner said he was not allowed to vote.

Urging the court to dismiss the petition, he said the Osun election was an election that INEC should be commended for its credibility.

While adopting his own address, the petitioners’ counsel, Dr Alex Izinyon (SAN) said the evidence before the court has shown that his client had majority of lawful votes and he should be declared the winner of the election.

I n l o o k i n g a t preponderance of evidence before the tribunal, he said his client has more evidence on the scale, while the respondents have none.

Meanwhile, the tribunal conduct its sitting for the day amidst tight security.

Reacting to the rumour that Aregbesola’s counsel admit ted tha t he was allocated votes more than what he won, Olujinmi said it was part of the antics of the petitioner to confuse the people when it failed to convince the tribunal.

“What we are saying is that assuming without conceding that those votes being chellenged were deducted, the petitioners will still lose the case. I am surprised that the counsel for the petitioner is claiming not to know what he knows it is elementary.

“Our position is that the petition is hopeless, but they are now coming up with another theory of election litigation of random proof, which is strange. So, the petition has failed and we are confident of victory,” he said.

4 OSun DEfEnDER tuesday, january News

Nigerians, Osun Civil Societies Rejects N10 Fuel Pump Price ReductionBy IsMaeeL utHMaN

reaCtIONs have continued to trail the reduction of the pump price of petroleum by the Federal Government from N97 to N87.

Many Nigerians saw the N10 reduction as political, as it was meant to canvass support for the re-election

of President Goodluck Jonathan, saying that it was not done with genuine

intensions.Nigerians argued that

if the reduction was done with the aim of objectively reducing petroleum pump price in line with the crash of crude oil prices in the international markets, the Federal Government would

have put the price at N45.They added that President

Jonathan would not wait till election period before reducing the petrol pump price.

Similarly, a coalition of civil society groups in the State of Osun has rejected the N10 reduction in the petroleum pump price, describing it as ridiculous and meagre.

The Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC) stated that the N10 reduction does not reflect the fallen price of crude oil in the global market, adding the new N87 pump price was still arbitrary and fraudulent.

According to the OCSC, the President Jonathan-led Federal Government was being insensitive to Nigerians’ plight and taking

the people for granted if it could “ridiculously” take away just N10 from the pump price of petrol.

Chairman of the OCSC, Comrade Biodun Agboola, in a press statement made available to the medium on Sunday in Osogbo, said N10 reduction was politically-motivated, as it is not commensurate with the fallen crude oil prices in the global market.

Agboola said; “When c r u d e o i l w a s $ 11 9 per barrel, the Federal Government increased the petroleum pump price to N110. However, it was reduced to N97 following massive protest against the unjust and arbitrary hike in the pump price of petrol in 2012.

“Now that crude oil is $49 per barrel in the international market, the expected pump price reduction should have been between N35 to N40.

“We however, wondered why the Federal Government delayed the reduction in the petroleum pump price till the election period, when the crude oil price had crashed for almost five months in the global market.”

Agboola maintained that the Federal Government was still defrauding Nigerians with the N87 fuel pump price, adding that the new price further pronounced the brazen corruption and bad governance in the country.

Osun 2015 Budget Is Implementable - GOVerNMeNt of the state of Osun has said despite

the dwindling resources of the state, its 2015 budget is implementable, as all the machinery

have been put in place to ensure its implementation.The Permanent Secretary,

Budget and Economic P l a n n i n g , M r S e g u n Olorunsogo stated this on Tuesday while giving an overview of the 2015 budget estimates before the joint House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation and Public Accounts.

The budget estimate for the year stands at N 1 9 7 , 0 8 2 , 1 9 1 , 5 6 0 , with N110,424,299,010 represent ing 56.03 as c a p i t a l e x p e n d i t u r e , and N86 ,657 ,892 ,550 representing 43.97 per cent as recurrent expenditure.

Olorunsogo said the government would focus on the generation of Internally

Generated Revenue (IGR) from the informal sector, which has not been tapped before apart from revenue from the formal sector, to drive the budget.

He sa id : “ In o rde r to ensure high level of i m p l e m e n t a t i o n a n d performance of the proposed 2015 budget, the actions that would be taken would include non-reliance on the revenue from the federation account due to the vagaries in the international oil

market and the consistent drop in the price of crude oil.

“Renewed aggressiveness in the collection of IGR, especially the revenue collectable from the MDAs of government, as well as informal sector of the economy would also be driven.

“With de-emphasizing of the use of cashiers for revenue collection, while embracing the use of e-payment in all revenue points, it will go a long way in blocking revenue leakages, thus, improving r e v e n u e g e n e r a t i o n potentials of the state.

“We will ensure effective collection of existing taxes and rates without necessarily introducing new rates that would bring hardship on the people of the state,” he said.

Also, the Officer-in-Charge, Osun Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Mr Dayo Oyebanji, said the service is deploying Point of Sales (POS) machines to collect revenue, with a view to blocking leakages in revenue collection in the state.

The Speaker, Honourable Najeem Salaam who urged the officials of government to be aggressive in generating revenue, cautioned that unnecessa ry ha rdsh ip should not be brought on the people in the name of looking for IGR.

He urged officials to work hard in ensuring that what is put on paper becomes a reality, with a view to renewing the hope of the people of the state.

Also, the Chairman, House Commi t t ee on Finance and Appropriation, K a m i l O y e d e l e , w h o described the 2015 budget estimates as peculiar, said the House would ensure effective monitoring of the performance of MDAs.

Part of the plan, he said, would be to call each of the MDAs to a public hearing to address the people of the state on their performance, especially in the area of revenue generation.

INEC Distributes 993, 459 PVCs In tHe headquarters of the Independent National

electoral Commission (INeC) in the staten of Osun has said it has distributed 993,459 (70.65 per cent)

out of 1,406,147 permanent voters cards in the state.

stories By kazeeM MOHaMMed

The S ta te Res iden t Electoral Commissioner, Dr Adekunle Ogunmola, who was just deployed to the state, spoke on Friday at his maiden press briefing, saying, 412,688 (29.35 per cent) of the cards were yet to be distributed.

H e a d d e d t h a t t h e distribution of the PVC would stop at the end of January, noting that the commission has extended the distribution of the cards to ward level to ensure that more people get it.

Ogunmola also stressed that Saturdays have now been included in the days for the distribution of PVCs, while the closing times have been extended.

The INEC boss also said the state office of the commission has so far received 2,133 Voter Card

Readers, while the rest are yet to be deployed, saying, the commission would use the available ones to start training of officials that would work with them.

He said, 3,960 Plastic Ballot Boxes have so far been deployed to the state and were in the store of the commission.

Ogunmola added that the commission has started voters’ enlightment, while workshop would also be organised for all categories of people.

On allegation of bias against his predecessor, Ambassador Rufus Akeju, the REC described his predecessor as a man of integrity, but a victim of bad politics on the side of those castigating him.

W o n d e r i n g w h y po l i t i c i ans wou ld go

extra mile to blame “such thorough bred diplomat” when they could not achieve their aims, he said, “it is unfortunate that the kind of politics we play in this country is quite dirty.

“He is a man of integrity, but he was misunderstood,” he said.

Osun’ ll Be Aggressive On IGR - GOVerNMeNt of the state of Osun has said it has

no other option than to ensure that the issues of Internally Generated revenue (IGr) is

aggressively driven by all revenue generating agencies of government to cater for the dwindling federal allocation to the state.Chief of Staff to Governor Rauf Aregbeso la , Mr Gboyega Oyetola, stated this while appearing before the House of Assembly

Committee on Finance and Appropriation to defend the 2015 budget estimate for the Governor’s Office.

He said the Office of the Governor has proposed to

raise N3,025,000,000 as revenue through tender fees, registration of contractors, capital receipts and from other sources within the year.

Oyetola presented a budget of N18,645,514,610 as expenditure for the year with N6,925,000,000 as recurrent expenditure

and N11 ,720 ,514 ,610 a s p r o p o s e d c a p i t a l expenditure.

He said N1,159,000,000 is expected to be expended on salaries, allowances and other remunerations of career officers and political office holders in the Office of the Governor.

“The budget size for the

year represents a 36.13 percent reduction in the size of the budget for year 2014,” he explained.

C o m m e n d i n g t h e state parliament for its understanding over the financial position of the state and its effects on the funding of all arms of government, he said the state and the entire country have never had it so bad.

He then noted that the need to scale down the size of the budget to “a realistic level” had been dictated by the reality of the current financial situation of the state.

According to him, the situation at which the country is, requires all true lover of democracy to join hands in ensuring the emergence of the much-desired era of development and growth of the country after years of stagnation in all facets of life.

He however urged the Assembly to give usual accelerated consideration and passage to the budget to lay the required foundation for the accomplishment of all the plans and programmes of the present administration in the state.

The Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Honourable Kamil Oyedele, promised that the House would give the budget critical and accelerated consideration and passage.

OsuN dFeNder Is BaCkIn its drive to improve on the quality of your darling newspaper, OsuN deFeNder, the management of the medium decided to stay off the news stand for a while. This became necessary on the need to serve the readers better and make the medium worth your time and money expended on it.We therefore, express our unreserved apology to our esteemed numerous readers, who have always been there since the medium made its debut about eight years ago. Words alone cannot express our sincere appreciation for your patronage.With our coming back on the news stand, we promise you better coverage of events and reportage of news-worthy events as they unfold in the State of Osun and beyond.Many Thanks For Being There For Us.

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

time for politics and putting into cognisance that the cali-ber ofpeople that were to attend the exercise, Nigerian Police had no legalbasis to tear-gas participants.They noted that the commo-tion was unnecessary as a previous exercisehad been conducted in Osun, which went peacefully.They praised party members in Ondo for not engaging the operatives ofthe Nigerian Police but instead went about the process peace-fully.

Describing the Nigerian Police as the ‘political thugs’, theyreiterated that they were only dancing to the tune their master wasblowing.They called on the two major contenders to the highest office in thecountry to play matured poli-tics and allow the electorate to choosewhomever they wanted to rule them for the next four years.Politicians were further advised to base their campaigns on is-sues,rather than name calling, an-tagonisms, verbal attacks and employmentof the social media to cast un-

necessary aspersions where it was not inexistence as was observed during the week.The peaceful nature of the cam-paign kick-off was rated high anddescribed as a departure from the practise as in previous electioncampaigns.They also affirmed that the gener-al election was not a do-or-dieaffair and that the resort to thug-gery, which was reported in theNorth relating to the burning of campaign buses of one of thepolitical parties’ candidate, was uncalled for.“The incident should not be swept under the carpet. It should bethoroughly investigated and those found guilty should adequately

punished, because if it’s left to fester, a repeat of the 2011 debacleis imminent and such should not repeat itself in 2015.”Relating to the powers to pros-ecute election offenders, therespondents wanted the pow-ers of the Independent National ElectoralCommission (INEC) to be in-creased.The argument is based on the premise that it is INEC that wouldprosecute and not the Nigerian Police.

The Need For Yoruba To RethinkTHE events that have

militated against good governance

and progress of corporate Nigeria has usually been triggered by my people, the Yoruba.

When you flash back to the events since 1979, when we were poised to have a good president in Nigeria, Chief Awolowo, i t was Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) that came up with 12 2/3 formula.

After the accord of non-violence signed on 14th January, 2015 by all presidential candidates, events unfolding have set the Yoruba against the candidate of change, General Muhammodu Buhari, under the close w a t c h o f P r e s i d e n t Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, when one Col. Olaleye claimed that Buhari’s certificates are not with the military, after earlier confirmation they have the documents.

Is he saying that all

the courses attended and certificates obtained since 1961 until Buhari retired are not in the files or records of the military, which are higher than WASC?

To crown it all, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State placed an advert in the Punch and the sun newspapers wishing Buhari dead and still remains unrepentant

about it, while President Jonathan could not call him to order.

The underlying factors in all these developments are avarice and love of money. In all the cases cited above, except Abiola’s denial by Obasanjo, the Yoruba are presented as mischief makers of Nigeria, always used when Nigeria is about

to choose a good leader of our dream, at times jeopardizing the corporate existence of the nation.

I hate the idea of Yoruba being used to do senseless things. Who can vouch for Fayose clocking 60 years before he dies?

Let us be reminded that Buhari and Idiagbon fixed Nigeria when it

was in a disastrous state between 1983 and 1985 before Babangida brought darkness again, which has not been corrected till date. The duo of Buhari and Osinbajo will do it again because we need them now more than ever.

The press conference addressed by General Buhari on 21st January,

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

5555

2015 has exposed both the military and the PDP as liars, who cannot be trusted with the governance of this country. Both are birds of a feather, who have been lying to us about Boko Haram and the nation’s affairs.

Let the genuine leaders o f Yo r u b a a n d o u r monarchs rise up to the occasion and condemn the actions of Femi Fani-Kayode, Fayose, Olaleye and others like them, who have been behaving like bastards in our midst for a pot of porridge.

If Buhari contested in 2003, 2007, 2011 for this same position and the issue of certificate did not arise then, why now when he is set to win the Presidency like Abraham Lincoln of USA?

•sOjI OyeGBade, Osogbo, state of Osun.

Continued from pg1

6 OSun DEfEnDER tuesday, january 27,

G o o d G o v e r -Fresh Tenure Well Deserved! (IV)The series is moving on and on with consideration of other crucial issues associated with gained grounds and anticipation and hope of brighter prospects as the years of the second tenure of the Governor Rauf Aregbesola administration unfold.

Aregbesola’s Second Coming:OSun DEfEnDER tuesday, january 27, 2015

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his wife, Sherifat, acknowledging cheers from his admirers after taking his oath of office for second term at City Stadium, Osogbo, State of Osun, recently.

7 OSun DEfEnDER tuesday, january 727 2015 magaziNe

· Continued from last week.

LAST edition closed at the point at which we were giving attention to other sectors and sub-sectors of the state’s economy as to the trendy events witnessed

in them during the first tenure of Ogbeni Aregbesola in office. We must sound the note of reminder that our focus in the entire attempt is to bring out the numerous achievements of the Government Unusual; with a view to infer expectations or bring out perceived areas of next focus for the administration during its second tenure in office. The last edition, after giving graphical narrative of events which formed build-up to and fall-out from the August 9, 2014 Gubernatorial Election in the state, printed succinct pictures of events, activities, projects and programmes which formed the milestone achievements in sectors and sub-sectors like Home Affairs, Culture and Tourism and Information and Strategy. Starting with the remaining parts of truth concerning the Information and Strategy Sub-sector, we now turn to give consideration to other sectors and sub-sectors:

A whole world of difference exists between the two administrations. The introduction of another public forum aimed at bringing the governor in close contact with the people has served tremendously to demystify myths, lies and falsehood peddled around by the opposition in the state. More than this, it has provided the governor and his team with the ample opportunity of getting accurate feel of the needs, desires, wishes, yearnings and aspiration of the people; even to the basest grassroots. We saw Gbangba D’ekun actively at work as build-up to the last Governorship Election in the state.

The quarterly-held Ministerial Press Briefing held at the instance of the State of Osun Ministry of Information and Strategy is another effective tool wielded to bridge likely communication gap that could arise between the government and the governed. One of the latest held editions of the press conference, which featured the commissioners of all ministries, some general managers of parastatals and senior special assistants to the governor has done well to demystify the activities of government and guided right the perception and mindset of the generality of the people. Apart from this, the State Executive meetings are no longer as far-between as they used to be during the Oyinlola years. The total number of State Executive meetings held during the entire Oyinlola years is put between fifty and seventy; whereas the administration of the day makes it a point of duty to meet weekly in order to discuss and pool ideas together to move the wheel of development and progress of the state forward in an accelerated fashion. On occasions when those meetings are not held, there must be some other important businesses of government preoccupying the governor and his cabinet. For example, sometime during the just-concluded year (2014), the governor and his cabinet took time off during the period slated for the normal State Executive meeting to pay an unscheduled visit to the sites of some completed/ongoing projects in the state, especially,

within Osogbo, the state capital. There is no time when the former State Commissioner for Information, Honourable Sunday Akere would not brief the people on the outcome of the deliberations of the State Executive Meeting

Concerning the state-owned media houses, there has been huge investment by the State Government of Osun to the media houses to boost their effectiveness, sufficiency and productivity in terms of education, public enlightenment and information dissemination concerning happenings globally and the various activities of government. The Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC) Radio and Television, Oke Baale, Osogbo has witnessed massive overhaul and rehabilitation which has brought about lots of improvement on their scope of operation, news contents and telecast. The New Dawn Television (NDTV), Ibokun has also been improved in similar vein. The same is true of the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation, Orisun FM, Ile Ife. These media houses have been lifted up to the level of standards obtainable elsewhere in the world. We intend to add in passing that the incumbent administration has the plan in the pipeline to commence another media station; a radio station named Omoluabi FM. According to the former Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Honourable Sunday Akere, the station, which shall be totally committed to transmitting in the Yoruba language and its various dialect s shall soon commence transmission, say, during this year (2015).

The first transformation witnessed by the Reality Television Service (RTS), Iwo was that of change in nomenclature and broadening in its scope of operation. Immediately on assumption of office, the Aregbesola administration changed the name of this outfit to Reality Radiovision, Iwo. The implication of this is that the station’s activities are no longer to be confined to television telecast, but there is going to be a sort of broadening to include radio broadcast. In pursuance of this, the station has been reinvigorated tor the two purposes with huge capital outlay. The reconstruction of parts of the station which were devastated by the inferno of the Oyinlola years earlier mentioned above has been carried out. Also, gadgets and equipment that were missing have been replaced. Other materials and equipment which procurement contract works had been awarded but which were abandoned have been supplied. Other materials and equipment which had not been awarded or provided for have been supplied; while shipment of a great deal of materials and equipment for the smooth operation of the station is being currently awaited. During the course of the year 2013,, the test-broadcast of the Reality Radiovision, Iwo’s Radio segment, branded Odidere FM 96.3 Frequency commenced. This hint was first dropped no less person than the political head of the ministry at the time, Honourable Sunday Akere.

Before drawing the curtains on the activities of this sector and its performances in the past forty-eight months viz-a-vis the previous seven-and-a-half years, we need to mention the plan in the offing to make some of the stations

specialized stations. These stations include the New Dawn Television, Ibokun; which is intended to telecast issues purely in the field of Education; while the OSBC Orisun FM, Ile Ife is intended to broadcast issues relating purely to Culture and Agriculture. These giant strides present the summary of events and activities in the Information and Strategy segment of life of the state in the last forty-eight months or thereabouts. Further details shall be bared in later segments of the report.

THE series so far has been out to document the many good sides of the government of the day, typified as “Government Unusual”. In earlier editions, we have

considered how the administration was exemplified as people-friendly t through the numerous people-oriented services it had continued to render to the indigenes and residents of the state since its coming on board on Saturday, November 27, 2010, following the verdict of the Federal Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State. In the space of time under review, spanning forty-eight months or thereabouts, the state has witnessed unprecedented radical growth, development, progress and enhancement in practically all facets of life. So far so good, the lease of life witnessed has been accelerated to the extent that it is quite safe to conclude that the state has never in her annals had it so good. We on the team of OSun DEfEnDER Magazine like other progress-loving people around look back proudly with nostalgia at the glorious era of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo as the Premier of the defunct Western Region; and at a later date, that of late Chief Bola Ige as the Governor of the old Oyo State during the Second Republic; and with the astounding performances of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola and his indefatigable team, we have come to the conclusion that all is not lost for our state and the entire nation of Nigeria. With the score sheet he has in four years into his first tenure in office, we are reassured that with the depth of depravity in the society of today, we are still blessed with men who are not self-seeking but who have the interest and love of our teeming populace at heart and who, in the true spirit and traditions for which our culture and forebears were long reputed, can hold their own to champion the cause of humanity for the good of the generality of our people and that of the generations yet unborn. With Aregbesola and his team at the saddle of governance in our state, we have been blessed beyond measure.

THE Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development is our next port of call. This sub-sector witnessed utter debasement and degradation

during the period of the fiery siege unleashed on the state by the erstwhile administration in the state.

Continued on page 7

Fresh Tenure Well Deserved!

•(L-R) Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode fayemi; wife of the governor, State of Osun, Mrs Sherifat Aregbesola; Kwara State Governor Abdul-fatai Hammed; State of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his counterpart from Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, at the inau-guration venue.

8 OSun DEfEnDER tuesday, january 27, 2015 phototalk

•(L-R) Kola Awodehin (SAn); Chief Akin Olujimi (SAn) and Chief f.O fagboungbe (SAn) all for Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

•PDP lawyers in a discussion.

•A cross section of lawyers at the court room.

•

at the Osun Governorship election Petition tribunal Over august 9, 2014 election Between Governor rauf aregbesola and the defeated PdP Governorship Candidate, senator Iyiola Omisore, at the state High Court, Osogbo, Last Friday. Photo: GBeNGa

•Charles Edosonwan (SAn) (left); Chief Rotimi Akeredolu (SAn) (3rd left) and other lawyers.

9 OSun DEfEnDER tuesday, january 27, phototalk

•InEC lawyers, Ayotunde Ogunleye, answering questions from journalists.

•Another cross section of lawyers at the tribunal.

•A cross section of politicians at the court premises.

•Barrister Ajibola Bashiru answering questions from newsmen.

at the Osun Governorship election Petition tribunal Over august 9, 2014 election Between Governor rauf aregbesola and the defeated PdP Governorship Candidate, senator Iyiola Omisore, at the state High Court, Osogbo, Last Friday. Photo: GBeNGa

10 OSun DEfEnDER tuesday, january 27, phototalk

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd); the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi and former governor, Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode fayemi, during the APC Presidential Campaign Rally in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State at Pavilion Central Ado-Ekiti on Saturday.

•Governor Aregbesola (4th right); presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) (right); Vice Presidential candidate, All Progres-sives Congress (APC), Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (2nd right); former governor, Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu (3rd right); former governor, Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode fayemi(left) and a member representing Ikorodu federal Constituency, Lagos State, in the House of Representatives, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, during the APC Presidential Campaign Rally in Ado-Ekiti, at Pavilion Central, Ado-Ekikiti on Saturday.

all Progressives Congress (aPC) Presidential Campaign rally In ado-ekiti, Pavilion Central, ado-ekiti, ekiti state Last saturday.

11 OSun DEfEnDER tuesday, january 27, 2015 magaziNe

Continued on page 12

Fresh Tenure Well Deserved! (IV)

•Another calisthenics display of ‘GOV BY GOD’S POWER’ during the Governor Aregbesola’s second term inuaguration.

First and foremost, we have, in earlier parts of this series of this edition, seen how countless number of illegal deductions was indiscriminately made from the monthly statutory allocation of the thirty local government councils and the Ife East Area Office during that inglorious reign.

We also mentioned how local government councils were relegated to a position of mere existence since they could not function in the true context within the statutory provisions laid out for them as the third tier of government in Nigeria. During the days of that administration and its umbrella party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), it became forbidden for local government councils in the state to tar roads or to execute other tangible projects that are vital and that we all know could impact the lives of people at the grassroots meaningfully. By this sad trend, the monthly statutory allocation accruing to government at the third tier in the state from the Federation Accounts became target for randy politicians in the name of executing a number of projects centrally at the state level. At the end of the day, no particular project which the administration claimed to have committed the monies so deducted to was carried to a logical conclusion. We shall now take a look at some few of such phantom projects and programmes.

It was the practice during those past years for dependants, cronies, sycophants, bootlickers and party faithful of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to adorn the premises of local government council secretariats all over the state at month-ends; especially on pay-days to collect salaries for services not rendered. These unearned salaries caused the payroll of council areas in the state to overbloat; thus leaving the councils practically unable to execute meaningful capital projects for the ultimate benefit of the generality of the people in their domains. So the local government councils merely existed as money machines to satisfy the lustful desires of the categories of people highlighted above.

At the inception of the multi-campus Osun State University (UNIOSUN) in 2005/2006, it was too glaring even to the Oyinlola administration that his administration could scarcely afford the means to finance and sustain a citadel of that grandeur; more so, simultaneously with the burden of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, which it had to co-fund with its partner Oyo State. The next available option for that administration was to turn to local governments for compulsory imposition of levies which were deductible from source upon the arrival of the monthly statutory allocation from the Federation Accounts at the centre. At the beginning, the fraction deducted was 10 per cent. Later it was reduced to 5 per cent monthly. Such were local government councils in the state plundered, in defiance of voices of dissent raised by patriots and diplomats against the unconventional practice. The ruling party of the time, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) itself could not intervene; obviously because the practice had become stock-in-trade for it anywhere it held sway. Clearly, the practice was seen as the easiest way of making cheap money to dole out to its numerous cronies and hangers-on.

Another area where local government councils in the state became victims of compulsory deductions from their monthly statutory allocation from the Federation Accounts was the compulsory N1 Million deduction from the monthly statutory allocation coming to each o the thirty local government councils and the Ife East Area Office in connection with the Songhai Programme. These deductions were made for a period of time more than a year. The implication, as OSun DEfEnDER Magazine pointed out continuously in those days is that in every month, the administration made from this particular heading of deductions alone a cool sum of N31 Million! Readers are left to sum the deductions up for a year and a half in order to actually determine the huge plunder made out of the local government accounts in the state during the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)-led Oyinlola administration.

One measure employed by the ousted administration in order to get through with its heinous agenda with the local government councils in its days in power was that the party (People’s Democratic Party-PDP) manipulated that the administration succeeded in getting a bunch of scarcely educated nominees to clinch tickets into the councils as chairmen and councilors. This ploy was ensured to ascertain that whoever emerged would not be able to hold his own or raise questions concerning any order or directive issued out to him while in office. That explains why the local government political functionaries in those dark days were all prefects and mostly puppets.

Here we are. In today’s State of Osun, the local government councils are functioning with full capacity; even so, more than at any point of time since their establishment. The first thing Aregbesola did upon his assumption of office was to abolish all forms of deductions from their monthly statutory allocation accruing from the Federation Accounts. This was done to enable the government at the grassroots dispense good democratic governance to the people at that level; and to do so to full capacity. Evidences to this abound all around us today; and they subsist in forms of good motorable roads, potable water provision, environmental sanitation, agriculture, employment generation and youth empowerment, good medical/health delivery services, distribution of free insecticide treated mosquito nets, to mention just a few.

So far in the State of Osun, elections could not be held into local government councils. This is no fault of the government of the day; but attributable to continuous suits filed by the opposition against government. First, it was against the composition of Caretaker Committees at that level. We are all living witnesses to the way that case ended. Today, the case filed by the opposition to challenge the constitution of the State of Osun Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) has been botched. We now have a fully constituted OSSIEC in place. There are high prospects to holding free, fair and credible local government polls anytime during the New Year; especially with the coast clear over the re-election of the Rauf Aregbesola administration. What we intend to bring out is that these continuous litigations have caused elections into local government councils not to be held in the state.

Upon the assumption of office of Ogbeni Aregbesola for his first term in office, he embraced the illegitimate chairmen and local councils he met on ground; in spite of their illegitimacy! This was even against the backdrop that the preceding administration had earlier defied a court injunction ordering those council chairmen and members to quit office. Aregbesola stayed in with those illegal office holders till their ouster came most naturally. Aregbesola assumed office on Saturday, November 27, 2010; the illegitimate council “prefects” of Oyinlola years were ousted on Friday, December 17, 2010, via the justice dispensed through the judgment delivered by the apex court of the land, the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

It has become as clear as the dawning day today that fundamentally, peace and tranquility came to have foothold in the State of Osun as soon as the Aregbesola administration came on board. Prior to the emergence of the administration, tension was high. The state was hot. Insecurity and uncertainty filled the air. Like the Biblical House which divides against itself that will not stand; the ruling party of the day was the cause of the whole tension. The contention for governorship ticket within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the proposed 2011 Gubernatorial Elections was enough to snuff life out of the state and bring its entire people into extinction. Thank goodness, that election never saw the light of day. It became most unnecessary as the earlier-held one (2007 Polls) got upheld for the right candidate in a sudden twist of miracle. Those developments marked the genesis of the trend of progress which we enjoy; relish and savour; and celebrate today.

Lastly, there is all likelihood to suggest that before the horizons darken for the next year 2015, there shall have been created for the State of Osun not less than additional twenty-seven (27) local government council areas; thereby hastening the pace of progress and development and bringing the government closer to the people.

ANOTHER vital sub-sector of the Social Services Sector in the life of our state is Health Services. Services in this sector are also rendered free by the

incumbent administration. During the 2011 fiscal year, the government of the State of Osun recorded remarkable achievements in the health sub-sector, particularly, in the provision of infrastructure, procurement of drugs and medical consumables, capacity building of the medical and health workers, free screening of people with eye defects and provision of free eye glasses and drugs, free surgical operation to remove hernia, lumps in the breast and keloid, etcetera. The Free Qualitative Health Programme of the Aregbesola administration was pursued with all doggedness and determination in the year 2011. As a mark of the administration’s commitment to Free Qualitative Health Programme, a total sum of N191.7 Million was expended by the Government of the State during the year on purchase of drugs and medical consumables alone. This

Continued from page 7

OSun DEfEnDER tuesday, january 27, 2015 magaziNe 12

Contiuned on page 13

Continued from page 11

Fresh Tenure Well Deserved! (IV)

•Calisthenics displaying of ‘WELCOME’ at the event.

giant stride was carried on unabated in the year 2012 and subsequent years till date.

According to Governor Aregbesola, in pursuance of the administration’s vision to save our people from all avoidable diseases and deaths; government would continue to increase accessibility to quality health care services in all the nooks and crannies of the state by ensuring the completion of all ongoing hospital projects down the lifespan of his administration; as well as the upgrading of the comprehensive health centres and general hospitals in selected towns in the state. The School of Health Technology, Ilesa and the schools of Nursing and Midwifery, Osogbo have also begun to receive adequate attention and care. Particularly, they have started to receive adequate funding and supply of equipment in the 2012 fiscal year. This kind gesture has continued into year 2013 and subsists till date. The tempo is still rotund.

The governor drew attention to the significant improvement that had been made in the reduction in neo-natal, infant and maternal mortality. Also, he drew attention to how increased immunization coverage and other relevant indicators of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) had taken place. He commented that the fight against the scourge of Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus / Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV / AIDS) would continue to be pressed with renewed vigour in order to ensure that the prevalence rate is reduced to the barest minimum. He also made it known that the State Action Committee on the Control of AIDS (SACA) would metamorphose into a full-fledge agency in 2012. This promise has also seen the light of day. Also, rapid response teams in the Health sub-sector comprising surgeons and experts have been set up during subsequent years to attend aptly to the health needs of the people.

Ogbeni Aregbesola made his words his bound in 2012, when he, in conjunction with his Oyo State counterpart devoted quality attention to the development of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH-TH),Osogbo. In order to truly restore healthy living to the people of the State of Osun, the incumbent administration allocated a total sum of N1.8 Billion in the draft 2012 Budget for the execution of its programmes in the sub-sector. As was pointed out by the governor, the government’s spending on health was not limited to the sectoral allocation alone. Spending on environment, job creation and poverty alleviation and other programmes of government that promote the welfare and happiness of the people would definitely impact positively on health. On account of the Osun State Agency for the control of AIDS (OSACA) – a brainchild of the Aregbesola administration; and the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH-TH), the budget size for the sub-sector was eventually reviewed upwardly in the last year’s Appropriation Act.

It is highly commendable how great improvement and remarkable facelift have been brought to bear on the public

health facilities in the state. During all the held series of Ogbeni Till Daybreak and Gbangba De’kun; two versions of the public enlightenment (sensitization)/ audience participation programme organized by the incumbent administration, it instilled all progressive-minded members of the audience with pride how the various functionaries of governments recounted their achievement in the general overhaul of public hospitals.

Worthy of great commendation is the introduction of Osun Ambulance Service, nicknamed O’AMBULANCE. This rapid response mechanism to accident and emergencies has been of auspicious and invaluable assistance in saving lives of citizens who would have been sent into their untimely grave.

We count it most unnecessary to go back to recounting the sad experience of the past dark years when the emergency health services in the state were close to nothing. We only wish to raise our hearts of thanksgiving to God who has blessed the state and its residents with responsible and responsive government. Today, health services and drugs and consumables are qualitative, comprehensive and accessible and all are rendered / provided free of charge in all public hospitals across the state.

We also need to commend the intervention efforts of the Aregbesola administration in stemming and containing the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) during the just-concluded year (2014). We do not need to dwell much

on this as the frantic effort of the administration in the mentioned regard remains fresh in memory.

IN the area of Finance, Commerce, Industry and Industrialization, the ongoing Rauf Revolution has so overwhelmingly impacted on the socio-economic lives of the people of Osun that the state is currently being transformed into a land of full prosperity and bright full opportunity for all citizens. Before his assumption of office, the state had nearly been run into insolvency by the impostors who held her and her people captive. Aside the fact that there were no meaningful projects on ground to justify the presence of a government in the state during that dark era; the flimsy excuse on the tongue of the executive of the time is that there was shortage of funds to execute projects that would have impacted positively on the lives of the people. As if to add salt to injury, the handlers of the state at the time always lamented that they were financing the salaries and allowances of civil/public servants in the state through bank loans and overdrafts. Not only that, they rushed to obtain a loan from a commercial bank to the tune of N18.3 Billion

VaCaNCyA newspaper publishing firm is interested in urgent recruitment of a result-oriented, resourceful, articulate, young, mobile and purpose-driven Market deVeLOPMeNt OFFICer. Interested candidates who must possess B.Sc in Marketing with substantial working experience should apply on-line through digixsoft@gmail.com within two weeks from the date of this publication.

Signed: Management

13 OSun DEfEnDER tuesday, january 27, 2015magaziNe

Continued from page 12

Continued on page 14

Fresh Tenure Well Deserved! (IV)

•Governor Rauf Aregbesola (right), taking the oath of office. With him are his wife, Sherifat (2nd right); Barrister Wale Afolabi (2nd left); the Chief Judge of the State of Osun, Justice Adepele Ojo (left) and one of the governor’s sons during the inauguration recently.

(first installment of about N36 Billion) about three or four months to their ouster from office. He did this in utter defiance to and total disregard of the voice of reason by members of opposition and all other stakeholders who meant well for the state. At the end of it, nothing tangible could be found on ground as evidence to having sunk such enormous sum into the economy of the state.

Upon his assumption of office, one of the first most terribly threatening challenges the incoming administration met on ground; and which it must find urgently surmountable was huge repayment and servicing of huge debts of which the just afore-mentioned loan is a component. Upon all, the Oyinlola administration was always indebted to workers a backlog of salaries and allowances; while substantial amounts of pension and gratuity were owed to senior citizens (retirees). We once mentioned the high school fees regime that characterized the education sector in the state in those days. On top of it, authorities of state-owned institutions of higher learning were compelled to provide counterpart funding for the payment of salaries and allowances of their workers. Other arbitrary fees were charged on pupils/students at all levels of public schools in the state just as it pleased the inordinate desires of those at the helm of affairs. This is not to talk of illegal, indiscriminate deductions from local government monthly statutory allocation, just as it was deemed necessary! Upon all, tongues of all top functionaries of that government wagged for shortage of funds.

This sad trend was reversed by the Aregbesola administration. The loans and debts were immediately totted up and rescheduled; while all avenues through which substantial amounts in revenue that would have accrued into the coffers of the state were leaking out were blocked. Ever since, all forms payments of revenue into the coffers of the state have been made through e-banking. Through this latter measure, the monthly revenues of the state have been raised by an upward of N20 Million! The spate of ghost worker has been successfully combated. Also the school fees regime at the tertiary level was instantly reviewed backward, while education at primary and secondary levels became free in all ramifications.

The practice of making illegal deductions from the local government statutory allocations ceased with immediate effect. All contractors who had hitherto defaulted/abandoned contract works assigned to them were mobilized back to site. The entire backlog of salaries, allowances and retirement benefits met on ground unpaid was settled. Also, an instant end came to the imprudent practice of having to approach commercial banks for loans and overdrafts over any expenses of the state. In short, accountability, probity, prudence; transparency and integrity which had been debased as core values and virtues of the Yoruba race were restored. Today, we are all better for it. More details have come to fore in subsequent

editions of this series.

During the period of the fiery siege, which lasted for complete seven-and-a-half years; Osogbo the state capital had completely lost its hard-won status as a commercial city. Earlier efforts by the Alliance for Democracy (AD)-led administration of Chief Bisi Akande to regain these lost grounds were not accorded continuity. The Orisunmbare Ultra Modern Market constructed by that administration was not put to use; instead, it became refuse dumping ground. In the event of time, it became overgrown with weeds and bushes, hence an abode for rodents and reptiles. That was under an administration which self-styled itself as Ore Ara Ilu i.e. People-Friendly Government.

Today, under a more capable government administered by Ogbeni Aregbesola, the Orisunmbare Ultra Modern Market has found its full use; likewise other shopping spaces privately developed at various legitimate locations within the state capital and all other locations throughout the entire state. If the non usage of the facilities all this while had been a result of people’s resistance to change, the massive development projects being embarked upon, involving demolition of illegal structure had made them to take recourse to normalcy and abide by rules of civility and decency. Today, Osogbo metropolis is a better place to behold.

Apart from the Orisunmbare Ultramodern Market in Osogbo, other efforts at reconnecting Osogbo and the entire state to their rightful place in commerce are ongoing. The reconstruction work at MDS and Station Road of the city shall soon be commenced. Already, the Railway Station and Old Garage area of the city are already a bee-hive of activities, even as the railway services in the state are being resuscitated in collaboration with the hitherto moribund Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC); a feat that the Federal Government could not have recorded! It is also placed on record that the Aregbesola administration has since inception been providing free conveyance for indigenes of the state who intend to travel home during festivities like Id-el-Kabir, Id-el-Fitri, Christmas/New Year and Easter. According to the former State of Osun Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Co-operatives, Alhaji Jayeoba Alagbada, at a Quarterly Press Briefing organized at the instance of the State Ministry of Information and Strategy sometime during year 2013, the free railway transport services facilitated by the Government of the State of Osun through his Ministry had by May 2013 transported up to 20,000 travellers during festivities to Osun. This figure has consistently moved upward, as more and more travellers patronized the free rail transport which they have found to be cheap, economical, safe, secure, timely and responsive. Even travellers from neighbouring states have benefitted immensely from the scheme.

Another major step being currently taken in the direction of commerce in the state is the world-class Ayegbaju

International Market fully constructed, commissioned and delivered at the site of Old Government Secretariat in Ogo-Oluwa Area of Osogbo, the state capital, The intention behind the creation of this market is to provide a spacious avenue for selling finished products carted in from Lagos via the railway; while agricultural produce are carted back through the same means. For this purpose, the Osogbo Railway Terminus has been given facelift, including in spaces, pedestrian bridge, warehouses and other facilities to upgrade it to the new status. With the emergence of the New Ayegbaju Market, traders would be saved the risks, rigors, time and cost of going to Lagos for replenishing their stock. In effect, consumers too will be offered quality products at the same moderate prices obtainable in Lagos. This shall contribute in no small measure to the economic welfare of the people of the state. It is expected that the first phase of shops at the Ayegbaju International Market will be delivered for official commissioning any moment from now.

Similarly, another market has sprung up through the dynamic leadership of Ogbeni Aregbesola. That is the Aje International Market at the Ido Osun outskirts of Osogbo, the state capital. The site of this market is the Trade Fair Complex which the Oyinlola administration claimed falsefully to have developed to international standard. Amply located close to the proposed Ido Osun International Airport, named as Moshood Abiola Airport, the market shall upon completion tower prominently to aid and promote international trade as well as boost the commerce of the State of Osun.

Another in the list of markets being constructed in the state is the Dagbolu International Market, at Dagbolu Village, Oba Junction, along Ikirun/Ofa Road of Osogbo, the state capital. This market is clearly the largest of the three projects with full facilities to fit the status of an international market. Proximity of the railway system to the location of this market is a big plus. The location of the three markets shall serve the purpose of feeding other towns in the state based on their nearness to specific axis.

OSun DEfEnDER tuesday, january 27, 2015 14

Fresh Tenure Well Deserved! (IV)Continued from page 13Other efforts of the Aregbesola administration in the area

of commerce include the construction and development of the Ido Osun Aerodrome to the full status of an international airport named M.K/O. Abiola Airport; development of industrial estates in the State of Osun; and development of Ajagba Fair complex at Ilesa and Olufi Complex at Gbongan, with similar ones in Osogbo, Ikirun, Ede, Iwo, Ile Ife and Ila Orangun. Concerning the M.K.O. Abiola Airport, Ido Osun, it is an International Airport, the contract for which is to the tune of N4.6 Billion, to be completed and delivered before the end of the current year.

We should not fail to mention the upgrade and full utilization of the Free Trade Zone; a spacious land mass acquired by the State Government since the time of the immediate past administration. The effort of the incumbent administration has yielded the dividend of securing the land for the state for use as assemblage plant for mini buses, popularly called korope. When the activities of the plant fully kick off, the plant would be the hub of supply of the specific brand of China-made mini bus for all states of the federation.

We also wish to document the siting of the Bola Ige Mechatronics Centre in Esa-Oke. The purpose of this, aside provision of means of livelihood to more and more of our citizens, is to entrench maintenance culture in our citizens. Through the activities of the centre, care and maintenance would be provided for automobile, with a view to lengthening their lifespan and ensure their smooth use by motorists and commuters alike.

One memorable feat recorded in the area of commerce is the participation of the state at the Niger State Trade Fair held in Minna around July, 2012. It would be remembered that the state had topmost ranking at that trade fair. In addition, in further pursuance of the concept of Omoluabi, arrangement is in top gear by the Government of the State of Osun to introduce standard measures and scales to the state to avoid cheating and inordinate wealth-making; so as to attract and endear more of patronage to Osun market.

The industrial thrust of the Aregbesola administration does not end with the foregoing. Aside the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES); several empowerment programmes have been organized, particularly, for women and other classes of people in the state. Also as an offshoot of the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme, several training programmes have taken participants to different parts of the world, like OYES-Tech and the agricultural training which has taken participants to Germany. The Aregbesola administration has also invested hugely in the electricity supply situation of the state with the view of boosting the industrial and commercial drive of the state thereby. Today, electricity supply has so improved that Osun is ranked as one of the states in the federation with the most constant and regular supply of electricity. The massive investment of government in improvement of electricity supply includes distribution of electricity transformers and

planned installation of three more feeders to connect the state to the main grid if the Power Holding of Nigeria; as well as the planned integrative efforts with other states of the South West to provide alternative source of energy via the abundance of natural gas in oil-rich Ondo State. Internally, the recently launched O’Clean Plus is a waste management drive of making wealth from waste and producing alternative source of household energy consumption through biogas. It is hoped that this venture, when commercialized, shall impact boost on the economy of the state.

The most recent stride in the direction of Trade, Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives is the provision of credit and loans for traders and investors in the state. The State Government of Osun, under the aegis of the State of Osun Micro Credit Agency has committed a sum of N40 billion to this scheme, which is intended to lift the bar of enterprise, self-dependence and poverty reduction among the people, indigenes and residents of the state. Already, beneficiaries who emerged through transparent and unbiased scrutiny system are smiling home with robust sums of credit with which to solidify the bases of their businesses. In addition, motorcycles, mini-buses (popularly known as korope) and luxury buses are provided for commercial transport operators in the state through their various trade unions with convenient yet expedient terms of pay-up.

NEXT point of considera t ion is environment , sanitation and hygiene. This vital sub-sector is of high essence if lasting health and well-being are desirable anywhere. This is because a healthy mind resides in a healthy body, which is in turn domiciled in a clean, healthy environment. In the past, Osun was a victim of a grossly degraded environment; with incidents of pollution and indiscriminate refuse disposal being very rampant. We cast our minds back to the ugly sights of the past, the perennial flooding and erosion that threatened the residents of the state with extinction and the undulating terrains which our roads had been turned into. We remember in particular the flood of July7, 2010; which inflicted serious damages of incalculable value on people in Osogbo and other parts of the state; and in which many lives and inestimable property perished. We remember similar incidents which occurred in earlier years during the time of the immediate past administration. We remember those terrible stenches occasioned by huge refuse heaps which dotted our streets; even within the metropolis of Osogbo, the state capital. We remember the pollution that continuously characterized the adjoining communities to the State Hospital, Asubiaro; where mortuary pollution nearly made the people prone to attendant dangers of epidemics. We remember how carcasses of animals and even corpses of lunatics simply littered the streets and were watched to complete processes of decomposition there without proper disposal or burial, thereby threatening the health and good living of the people. The list is long indeed!

Today, the Aregbesola administration has made all these ugly sights and smells a banished outcast that no

one dare harbor in our midst. Right from the inception of his administration, Aregbesola took the bull by the horns when he declared a 90-day emergency on environmental sanitation. He took the decisive step of introducing bi-monthly and weekly environmental sanitation exercises as the case may be to execute rapid transformation of our towns and cities into decent places of abode for healthy individuals, and to sustain the culture of cleanliness, which, according to sages, is next to Godliness. Today, sanitation and safe health practices have so much become internalized in the lives of our people that clean environment has become their creed. What this implies is that people now troop out en masse to observe sanitation willingly without being coerced or instigated. People now abide by simple laws of decent refuse disposal, a feat hitherto considered unrealizable by pessimists!

To corroborate these gestures, the Government Unusual has invested massively in the sanitation drive of the state through certain initiatives like the inauguration of the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES), the O’CLEAN programme and recently, the O’CLEAN Plus. Also, there has been massive investment in the purchase and provision trucks and equipment for collection, disposal and processing of wastes and their conversion into wealth.

With the State of Osun Waste Management Agency (OWMA) properly in place, the waste disposal efforts of the incumbent administration is availing much to arrest problems hitherto associated with environmental degradation and pollution. This is done quite effectively with all hands on deck; even with the active collaboration of the private sector.

Any moment from now, the first step shall be taken toward ensuring that our streets, roads and communities are rid of indiscriminate waste disposal; even as waste disposal baskets shall be distributed to all commercial bus / mini-bus operators so that passengers do not just drop waste papers, nylon and other materials through window panes to the roads. This intervention effort, according to OWMA sources shall soon be extended to other stakeholders so that the measures shall be broad-based and all-encompassing. Readers shall bear with us that these mentioned activities are just a tip of the iceberg in the list of activities so far embarked upon by the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in reversing the ugly trend of dirty environment in the State of the Virtuous.

This New Year promises higher grounds to be reached in this sector; even as residents show promise of greater cooperation and participation in activities bordering on the conservation and preservation of the environment.

To be continued.

•(L-R) The deputy governor, State of Osun, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori, taking the oath of office as Deputy Governor of the state. With her are Barrister Wale Afolabi and Chief Judge of the State, Justice (Mrs) Adepele Ojo during the swearing-in ceremony of Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his deputy for second term in office at Osogbo City Stadium, Osogbo, State of Osun, recently.

magaziNe

15OSun DEfEnDER tuesday, january 27, 2015 for the recordds

Before Oil Runs Dry: Options For The Development Of The South-West Of Nigeria

Being an address delivered by the former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr J. ’Kayode Fayemi, at the public lecture organised by Afenifere Renewal Group (Ogun State Chapter), Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, Thursday, January 22, 2015.

Protocols

FOR several decades, policy makers, experts and observers have warned that Nigeria’s continued dependence

on oil as its main economic resource was bound to jeopardize her long term economic growth and development. International financial institutions, development partners and knowledgeable experts at home were all in agreement that our overreliance on crude oil was an unsustainable strategic weakness.

Between 1973 and 1978, during the oil boom, oil revenue rose quickly to more than 90 percent of Nigeria’s revenue. This increase was matched by an increase in public expenditure which quadrupled between 1973 and 1975.1 Prior to the war, regions had run tax-based economies and enabled growth by leveraging comparative advantage largely in agriculture. The new centrality of oil wealth altered everything. The verdict of history is that Nigeria remorselessly squandered her oil boom turning an opportunity to become an economic superpower into an age of extravagant waste almost unparalleled in the annals of developing countries. By the early 1980s, Nigeria was gravely indebted, having borrowed against future oil revenues. The government was effectively bankrupt.

Subsequent oil booms were rendered inconsequential by the scale of official corruption for which Nigeria had by then become legendary. In the field of development studies, Nigeria is one of the archetypal poster children for what has been called the Dutch disease or the resource curse. It has been proven that resource- rich economies tend to grow more slowly than other poor countries. This phenomenon is called the ‘Dutch disease’, is the name scholars gave to the difficulties that befell the Netherlands after its discovery of gas in the North Sea. It is also known as ‘the curse of oil’. When a nation discovers oil reserves in her territory, the sudden avalanche of petrodollars causes the neglect of sectors like agriculture and manufacturing thus leaving oil to dominate the economy. With so much money being made without exertion, the urge to create wealth and value diminishes as everyone focuses their attention on how to get a piece of the national cake. Oil wealth brings along with it the illusion of an infinitely abundant resource and with this also comes a culture of fiscal irresponsibility, official extravagance and outright theft.

In 2006, the World Bank disclosed that Nigerian officials had stolen more than $300 billion of the country’s wealth over the past 40 years.2 This amounts to a sum equivalent to 300 years of British aid for the entire continent of Africa.3 It also amounts to six times the American help given to rebuild post-war Europe under the Marshall Plan.4 The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) estimates that over $2.5 billion or N300 billion is embezzled annually from public coffers.5 In 2008, the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) announced that they had recovered over N600 billion of stolen public funds since their creation by President Olusegun Obasanjo.6 These figures, while astonishing, also now lack shock value. They are symbolic of the routinization of graft in a context in which

public funds are perceived both to be infinite and to belong to no one because they cannot be related to any tangible productive endeavour.

Corruption as we know it is the logical outcome of a system designed to distribute oil rents as patronage and which defines public office in terms of access nearly unregulated access to these rents. According to conservative estimates, between $4 billion and $8 billion is stolen from public coffers annually.7

the day of reckoning is hereWe are no longer facing a future in which

crude oil either ceases to be a strategic resource or one in which our status as a producer becomes irrelevant to our prospects for economic advancement within the international economic environment. That Day of Judgment long predicted by observers has already come upon us. Already, we are no longer Sub-Saharan Africa’s sole energy power house. New players like Ghana, Kenya and Liberia have emerged to add to the competition in the market. The most significant megatrend that is radically shaping the dynamics of the global energy economy is taking beyond the shores in Africa in the United States.

In the US, recent revolutionary breakthroughs in drilling technology have opened access to enough new oil and gas reserves and have dramatically decreased American dependence on foreign oil. Oil production in the US has recovered from its more than three decade-long decline and imports from OPEC countries have fallen by more than 20 percent since 2010. American natural gas reserves and production have significantly increased

and have triggered a 75 percent fall in prices since 2008. The International Energy Agency forecasts that the United States could become the world’s largest oil producer by 2020 and may be energy self-sufficient by 2035.8 The US Energy Information Agency forecasts that by 2014, US oil imports will drop to 6 million barrels per day from what it currently consumes. By 2013, he US, a major importer of Nigerian crude, had already reduced the importation of Nigerian oil to 300, 000 barrels from 1.1 million.9 In 2014 that figure declined to zero. In August 2014, the US achieved its highest level of monthly oil production since 1986. It has overtaken Saudi Arabia and Russia to become the world’s main oil-producing nation.

American energy self-sufficiency has serious implications for oil-rich African suppliers like Nigeria. A world in which new technologies unleash a dynamic of resource abundance rather than resource scarcity will result in less power concentrated in the hands of a few suppliers. Advances in unconventional gas extraction technology will enable an energy importer like China to exploit the significant deposits of shale gas in its interior provinces. Should these deposits prove even more plentiful than expected, China could conceivably lose interest in the low-end, high-risk clients that are currently its energy suppliers. The biggest consumers for our oil are the resource-hungry giants of Asia – China and India. Slowing growth in these emerging markets is expected to continue to impact their demand for oil.

The changing realities of the global energy environment are already evident. In the summer of 2014, oil prices plunged to their lowest level in a year. Remarkably, this drastic decrease occurred in a time

of severe international crisis – wars in the Middle East and Ukraine and severe sanctions on Russia, Europe’s major energy producer. Ordinarily, crude oil prices should have been surging upwards but this was not the case.10 As a major oil exporter, Nigeria has traditionally benefitted from periods of international geopolitical upheaval. It was the 1973 Yom Kippur War that triggered Nigeria’s first oil boom. The 1970s were characterized worldwide by high oil prices, double-digit rates of inflation, economic recession and political instability.

What this means is that the energy revolution in the US is now beginning to alter how the global energy market responds to international instability. At the same time, a stagnating global economy is not generating as much demand for energy as was the case in the years that preceded the 2008 global financial crisis. This emergent trend has been described as “a clear manifestation of an incipient and potentially transformative energy order.”11

the season of austerity

The naira is suffering its sharpest decline in three years. This decline is a consequence of the decrease in our external reserves and the sharpest drop in crude oil prices since 2008 in response to which foreign investors are divesting from the country. Oil prices are dipped below the 2014 budgetary benchmark ($77.50) and have subsequently fallen below the proposed 2015 benchmark of $78, placing our revenue projections in jeopardy. Even allowing for whatever buffers can be provided by the Excess Crude Account and the Sovereign Wealth Fund, there is turbulence ahead. Already, the 2015 budget is out of sync. Since the oil benchmark price of $65 has further declined to average of $45.00. Aftermath market price Nigeria’s projected oil revenue in 2015 will be down to USD 40bn compared with USD82bn in 2014.

The Federal Government has been defaulting on its statutory fiscal obligations to states for over a year prompting talk of a fiscal crisis which the government denied. In any case, states have had to cover the shortfall in federal allocations by borrowing from banks thus raising the debt profiles of their states. At the moment, at least 22 states have been unable to pay their civil servants with some owing their staff for several months. The increase in the debt profile and in recurrent expenditure has placed several of these states in highly vulnerable and unsustainable fiscal situations. With the obvious exception of Lagos, no state has the capacity to withstand the shock of decreased federal allocations. This leaves the economy extremely vulnerable and makes the case for increase in non-oil revenue imperative.

To be continued

•fAYEMI

tuesday, jaNuary 27, 2015

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

By yOMI OBadItaNTHE former British Prime M i n i s t e r, H a r o l d Macmillan, delivered

a historical speech in the parliament in South Africa on February 3, 1960 in Cape Town that is still relevant till date that “The wind of change is blowing through this continent. Whether we like it or not, this growth of national consciousness is a political fact”. That change declared by Macmillan brought political independence to several African nations under the colonial government including Nigeria. Unfortunately, since our political independence but economic dependency, we have been ruled by reluctant leaders. Those who genuinely aspire for leadership never emerge or succeed. The first Prime Minister of Nigeria, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, wanted to be a parliamentarian, but the Sadauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, persuaded him to take up the mantle of leadership at independence. His records are there for historians to analyse.

The military putsh that terminated the First Republic was led by Major Kaduna Nzeogwu, but the leadership was eventually given to Major General Aguyi Ironsi, who never aspired or prepared for it and six months later, power changed hands and a young Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon got the power unprepared and unaspired for. Gowon failed and the records are there for us to read. Coups and counter-coups took place, but all other military leaders were reluctant ones. In 1978, the military rolled out programmes to disengage from government and allowed the politicians to come back. At the end of the election, Alhaji Shehu Aliyu Shagari became the President. Shagari failed and the military struck again because the president was incompetent and for the fact that he did not aspire for that office nor prepared himself for it . Shagari only aspired to become a senator but was forced to become president. In 1999, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was in prison only to be wooed by the militicians, to become the President. He got there and wasted the whole 8 years, chasing perceived and imaginary political adversaries, the remains are history.

In 2007, late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was contended with the gubernatorial seat, but in Obasanjo’s wisdom, he was forced on the nation. He died in office, and another reluctant Vice President stepped in. For the past six years now, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been in the saddle but in the in the midst of oil-boom, the man cannot point to any transformation achievements. Our excess crude oil funds got depleted and from the $45 billion he met in the Excess Crude Oil Accounts (ECA), it has declined to $3.1billion today. Nigerians are panicking today as we never prepared for the rainy days, because a reluctant president was foisted on us by a godfather.

The Arab Spring that began in Algeria three years ago, passed through Libya into Egypt, Syria and still on in that part of the world, is gradually coming our way. Only fools will not be set, for it is inevitable. Just as Balarabe Musa stated when he was impeached in the 1980s that “We are today living interms of great changes. The old order is crumbling fast. New system of life and activities are emerging. Our task here is to understand these changes

and turn them toward human progress.” General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had tried to offer himself thrice to serve the nation as a civilian president, but had failed. But this time, the man like a moving train has once again canvassing for the top political job in the land. The incumbent President, though has constitutional right to re-contest for second term, but does his performance in the last six years deserves to be considered for reflection? He himself admitted that his generation has failed.

Jonathan has directly told the nation that stealing is not corruption. He further campaigned that jailing corrupt people will not change the nation. That if we would allow him a second term in office, he will use modern technology to block the thieves from stealing. That sounds strange! A man who knows how to do good and did not, the Bible says, is a sinner. Is it when all Nigerians have been left with empty treasuries and pauperised that Jonathan will do something? Most of those in the first front of his campaign are suspects before the court and under the EFCC prosecution in court. Will this group of people support him in chasing out thieves from our commonwealth? It is not possible.

The $20 billion NNPC money’s report that

was to be made public has not seen the light of the day. The Jonathan’s administration has become another Abacha government. Just few days ago, the former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, compared his own government with that of the present and declared his as administration of the saints. Yet, the Babaginda’s $21 billion oil windfall was a big stain on that regime.

Muhammadu Buhari represents the new order and we must allow the man to get to the seat through the votes. Jonathan’s administration is similar to former American President Warren G. Harding, whose administration was packed with corrupt officials until it was voted out by the people. The Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola has continued to warn that the “the present government is bereaved of ideas. They represent the old order that has always hunger after power from independence till date. They represent darkness and the only way out is to vote them out come February 14, 2015 and vote-in General Muhammadu Buhari.” Speaking further, Aregbesola alleged that the proceeds from fraudulent sales of kerosene have been used by the PDP to fund President Jonathan’s campaign team and the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and that the Federal Government deliberately sells a litre of kerosene to their members at N40.90k,

while their agents sell to marketers at N95 per litre.

Nigeria’s economy that has been falsely described as the best in Africa is today is down and out. It has turned into a nightmare, due to rampant waste, with the Excess Crude Account being plundered. The presidency acquired ten aircrafts within a year. While major oil-rich countries succeeded

in building up reserves and save from the high oil prices and developed their nations, Nigeria could not point to any infrastructure or significant development the oil wealth was used for. Take for instance, Saudi Arabia last year put down $400 billion for infrastructure building plan. Algeria invested $55 billion in road infrastructure in 2015 to 2019, while Angola has just launched $1.6 billion tourism infrastructure plan. Unfortunately for Nigeria, while these oil producing nations were saving their crude oil excesses, we were spending ours and at the same time borrowing from various countries of the world. Our domestic debt is on the increase, due to bad leadership and corruption in high places.

The question for President Jonathan is: How did we get to this mess? How did other countries build their reserves, savings and infrastructure, but under your administration, we only succeeded in acquiring more debts and ruining our fragile economy. Former Central Bank Governor, Lamido Sanudi was disgraced out of office for raising his voice over the missing $20 billion of oil money that was not remitted. The government that called for austerity measure at the same time proposing to spend N517.9million on meals and refreshments for the presidency, which is 42.9% higher than last year budget, as well as for the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation will spend N142.47 million. Yet this government wants to continue in office till all of us become refugees in our own country.

Those who are peddling falsehood against Buhari, an astute, firm and a man of integrity are merely wasting their time. Buhari, who was supposed to be collecting N23 million monthly like all other former Nigerian Heads of State, declined but for conscience sake opted to be collecting N2.3 million monthly, which was ten percent of the rejected monthly allowance. They should be reminded that the old order changeth, yielding place to new, and God fulfills Himself in many ways, lest one good custom should corrupt the world. We as a nation have become a laughing stock, even in the eyes of other nations that we midwifed to freedom; which include South Africa and Zimbabwe. Our people seeking greener pastures elsewhere are brutally murdered without retaliatory steps, either diplomatically or politically, simply because we are under a clueless leadership. Enough is enough, it is now that the wind of change must blow, and blow Jonathan and his cohorts away in order to usher-in a refreshing era.

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.

Nigeria: Getting Set For The Wind Of Change

•BuHARI