VOL. 9. NO.093 NNNNN5050505050TUESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2014

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

Front Page Comment Who KilledChief Bola Ige,former Attorney-

General andMinister of

Justice? IGE

Saturday’s Governorship Election In Osun:

- Pg 4

- Pg 9

- Pg 2

•Call Centre of Security Emergency Show Room. INSET: State of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right), (cutting the tapeof the centre). With him are: Chief of Policy and Plans, Airforce Headquarters, Air Vice-Marshal JM Gum, representing Chief of Air Staff(right); State of Osun Commissioner of Police, Mr Ibrahim Maishanu (left); Special Adviser to the State Governor on Security, BarristerAdekunle Amos during the commissioning of the Osun Emergency and Citizens’ Enquiry/Contact Centre by Governor Aregbesola inOsogbo last Thursday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

- See StoryOn Page 2

More Revelations On How PDP PlansTo Rig Osun Governorship Election

- See StoryOn Page

3

US ExposesPDP’s Lie– APC

Jonathan’sPresidency Is APolitical ArmedRobber- AkandePDP Mega-rally:Omisore’s RentedCrowd Fails ToShow Voters’Cards

PDP’s Fresh Plot To Rig InSelected LGAs Uncovered – APC

- Pg 2

As August 9draws closer by theday we must con-tinue to remind theelectorate in ourdear state of theirresponsibiliies; theneed to vote rightand to jealouslyguard their votes. Touse the power of our

Compatriots, JealouslyGuard Your Votes!

thumb to vote forcontinuity - as thestate cannot affordto do away with thelevel of unprec-edented develop-ment

going on in thestate since the incep-tion of OgbeniAregbesola's adminis-tration - is our firstmajor responsi bility as re

sponsible citi-zens of our state.Of course we arenot in doubt thatthe votes of ourpeople will be forO g b e n iAregbesola whohas done the statemuch good.

Continue on pg5

2OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 5, 2014 News

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right), presenting a credit card to one of the beneficiaries, MrSikiru Muibi (middle) while the Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal (left), watches during the officiallaunching of the farmers; input and credit support programme at the Central Distribution Centre, Aisu, Ede, State ofOsun, last Wednesday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

US ExposesPDP’s Lie – APC

THE United States AID agency (USAID) hascontradicted the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP)lies that the body conducted a poll on Osun August

9 election in which the PDP was favoured to win.

Jonathan’s Presidency Is A Political ArmedRobber - Akande

By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

THE immediate-past Interim National Chairman of theAll Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande,has lashed out at the President Goodluck Jonathan-

led administration, describing the Presidency as a bunch ofpolitical armed robbers.

Nigeria, according toAkande, has never had it so badlike the President Jonathan-ledFederal Government, addingthat there is serious set back inthe lives of ordinary Nigeriansunder the Jonathan’sadministration.

Chief Akande spoke at hiscountry home in Ila-Orangunwhile delivering a lecture titled:“Political Armed Robbers areat our Gate,” at a welcomereception organised for him bythe Ila-Ifedayo-BoluwaduroFederal Constituency tocommend his political activitiesso far.

He said: “This presentregime is the worst. No peace,no infrastructures, noelectricity, no employment, noindustry, no prosperity, noorderliness and no peace ofmind. Instead, there is paniceverywhere.”

“Today, Nigeria, which isone of the wealthiest and mostnaturally-endowed places onearth, because of deliberateincidence of corruption andconsequent misrule by themilitary administrations and thePDP over the years, is breedingthe poorest and most-deprivedcitizens within its jurisdiction.”

The former governorcondemned the militarisation ofthe State of Osun with the menof the Department of the StateSecurity, soldiers andpolicemen.

He said the militarisationwith sporadic shootings by theDSS officers everywhere in thestate was aimed to scare awayvoters and intimidatesupporters of the APC.

“In the recently-heldgovernorship election in EkitiState, hundreds of APCsupporters and leaders were

hounded into detention on theeve of the election, only for theFederal Government to hood-wink the global community tobelieve that the election wasfree and fair, when in truth, theprocess had been skewed infavour of the PDP in the pre-election processes.

“The same scenario isplaying out again in Osun withthe militarisation of the stateby men of the State SecurityServices, who are shootingsporadically everywhere inorder to scare away the votersand intimidate our peoplebefore election.”

Akande said the military hasno business in civil activitieslike election and the electorate,lamenting that the set back ofNigeria was as a result of themisrule of the military regime.

According to the APCleader, the PDP and thepresidency have begun movesto destroy opposition partiesout of intolerance in their bidsto hold-on to power andcontinuing enrichingthemselves against the wish ofthe electorate.

“Hunting for powers andnot accountable to theelectorate, PDP and itspresidency have begun todestroy opposition all overNigeria by using massivefederal powers to impeachgovernors and fully arming thepolice and soldiers to protectand cover up their corruptleaders, while fraudulentlymanipulating the wishes ofNigerians at the polls withabsolute impunity.

“History does not change.It is the people who fail tolearn the lessons of history. Itwas this type of actions by thethen ruling parties that led to

the collapse of the first andsecond republics of Nigeria dueto the reckless use of brutalforce by the ruling partiesagainst the opposition.

“The present ruling PDP isalready toeing this line at therisk of our hard-earneddemocracy for which some ofour compatriots paid thesupreme sacrifice.

“With PDP in power, votesdo not count and, therefore, theelectorate are not important inPDP’s culture. That is whyNigeria has been sinking andfailing under PDP governments.

“This present regime is theworst. Surely, this Jonathan’spresidency is a political armedrobber,” Akande stressed.

Former Speaker of the stateHouse of Assembly, ProfessorMojeed Alabi, advised theelectorate on the need toappreciate development againstmaterial and immediate gains

known as ‘stomachinfrastructure.’

According to Alabi, Nigeriawould remain underdeveloped,should the electorate sell theirvotes to those who offer thempetty cash, saying that such setof politicians do not care forgood governance.

In his remarks, the Orangunof Oke-Ila, Oba WahabOyedotun, Bibire I, extolledthe virtue of Akande, who isthe Asiwaju of Ila, describinghim as a man that meant wellfor his town, state and Nigeriaat large.

Oba Oyedotunacknowledged Akande’scontributions to thedevelopment of the Ila-Orangun community, statingthat generations unborn wouldcontinue to appreciateAkande’s efforts on thedevelpment of the ancienttown.

I Don’t Need Ijesa Votes To Win – OmisoreBy OUR REPORTER

THE governorship candidate of the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) in the August 9, 2014governorship election in the State of Osun, Senator

Iyiola Omisore, has dismissed Ijesa voters asinconsequential in his bid to rule the state.

The Garage-Olode-borncontroversial politicianrecently told his aides, whohad expressedapprehension at hisunpopularity in Ijesaland,that he did not need thevotes of the Ijesas beforewinning the governorshipelection.

One of the aides confidedin OSUN DEFENDER thatthey told Senator Omisorethat their survey showedthat he (Omisore) wouldreceive less than 20 per centof the votes in Osogbo,Ijesaland and seven othermajor cities of Ede, Ila, Iwo,Ikirun, Ejigbo, Gbongan and

Ikire.They also told him that he

would lose in Ile-Ife and thathis strength is in only onelocal government councilarea. He then asked themwhich of the places is theworst, to which they toldhim Ijesaland.

Omisore, at this state,reportedly lost his cool andflew in a rage barking out:‘To hell with Ijesaland, Idon’t need their votes.’

It would be recalled thatviolence had heralded hiscampaign in Ilesa recently ashis thugs killed one AllProgressives Congress(APC) supporter at Irojo,

area of the town.This angered had

however his few supportersin Ijesaland and many ofthem have shifted theirsupport for his rival,Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

They have vowed not tovote for him but would keepcollecting his gifts and latervote for Aregbesola, in linewith their conscience, onAugust 9.

The Ijesas are stillseething with anger over thedeath of their iconic scion,the late Chief Bola Ige, firstcivilian governor of the oldOyo State and the nation’sAttorney General, at the timeof his brutal murder in hisBodija Ibadan home.

Senator Omisore wascharged with his murder asthe prime suspect.

A few days before Ige’smurder, Omisore had led a

group of thugs androughnecks to attack him atthe palace of the Ooni of Ifeand had boasted of this in anewspaper.

Though the then PDPgovernment in Oyo Statehad entered nolle prosequiand discontinued the trial,the court neither dischargednor acquitted the suspect,who for long was remandedat the Agodi Prison inIbadan.

Meanwhile, SenatorOmisore’s electoral fortunescontinue to dwindle as arecently opinion pollconducted by TSN-RMSrevealed that Omisore willcorner only a paltry 19 percent of the total votes, whileAregbesola will scoop ahuge 69 per cent and FataiAkinbade of Labour Partywill make no appreciableshowing at the poll.

The PDP had, in adesperate bid to create theimpression that itscandidate, Senator IyiolaOmisore, is popular, it told aterrible lie that the UnitedStates agency had tipped itscandidate to win theelection in a poll conductedby the country’sinternational agency.

However, the PDP’s liehas been refuted by theActing Public AffairsOfficer of the US ConsulateGeneral, Lagos, RhondaWatson, who said: “NoUSAID poll was taken inOsun.”

Quoting a one paragraphresponse from USAID,Democracy andGovernance Team, Abuja,the United States Agencycategorically said: “None ofUSAID Peace andDemocracy GovernanceImplementing Partners (P/DG IPs) support or plan tosupport any election-related opinion polls inOsun.”

In swift reaction to thedevelopment, the ruling AllProgressives Congress(APC) in the state thenwondered from where didthe PDP scoop its falsestory?

The party’s reaction was

contained in a statementissued and signed by theparty’s Director of Researchand Publicity, BarristerKunle Oyatomi.

According to the APC:“They are shameless liars,who will implicate anybodyat all costs through theirlying addiction,”

The APC had contactedthe USAID to provide itwith a copy of the findingsof the PDP alleged poll forverification, to which theagency responded that nosuch poll was conducted.

The APC thereforedescribed the PDP in Osunas a band of liars, whocannot be trusted with thefinances of the state.

According to the APC:“The greatest weapon of athief is an incredible abilityto lie without scruples. Ifsuch people as PDP liarshave access to the statetreasury, they will loot itempty.

The party further statedthat liars and thieves cannotreplace Rauf Aregbesola,adding that the good peopleof Osun know that the PDPcannot win on August 9,because liars and lootersform its core leadership.

PDP’s Fresh Plot To Rig In Selected LGAs Uncovered – APCTHE All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged

that the PDP plans to massively rig the Aug. 9thgovernorship election in 10 identified local

governments in State of Osun, in addition to seeking apliable person as a returning officer. In a statement issuedin Lagos on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary,Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also said PresidentGoodluck Jonathan has reportedly told the securityagencies that he wants victory for his party at all costs, an

admonition that willdefinitely shape theirperception of the election asa do-or-die affair.

“Nigerians from all walksof life, desirous of a free andfair election on Saturday, arereaching out to us with

useful information on theplan by the desperate PDPto rig the forthcomingelection, and we are takingthe information veryseriously. For example, welearnt that the PDP hasidentified Ife Central, Ife

East, Ife North, Ife South,Olurunda, Iwo, Ifelodun,Osogbo, Odo Otin andAiyedade as places wherethey plan to perpetratemassive rigging.

Two different resultshave allegedly been writtenahead of the elections whilethree Vice Chancellors, onefrom the North Central andtwo from the South West,have been pencilled downto serve as a returningofficer. The incentive for thereturning officer who canannounce the doctoredresults is 1 billion Naira,” it

said. The party said whenthese plans are put togetherwith the massivedeployment of securityagencies to Osun to harassand intimidate theopposition, the hugeamounts of cash beingmoved into the state viaarmoured personnel carriers,and the electoralmalfeasance specialist-ministers who have landedin Osun, it is clear that thePDP is working hard toensure that the forthcomingelection is anything but free,fair and credible.

3 News OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 5, 2014

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, acknowledging cheers from residence of Osogbo, last Friday

More Revelations On How PDP Plans To Rig Osun Governorship Election

INFORMATION is filtering through on how the PDPmay have secured access to INEC’s database andpractically alter information of originally-registered

voters with those of mercenaries, who have been contractedfrom Lagos, Oyo and Ondo states.

This was contained in astatement issued andsigned last weekend by theAll Progressives Congress(APC) Director of Publicityand Research in the State ofOsun, Barrister Kunle

Oyatomi.According to him,

already, according toinformation from APC’sfield intelligence report, thepermanent voters’ cardsproduced from access to

INEC’s database are beingdistributed to young menand women contracted fromthe neighbouring states.

“Information reaching usis that 62 young men andwomen, equipped withlaptops, have been campedin two main hotels on IbadanRoad in Ile-Ife to effect thestealing of the data andalteration of personalinformation of registered

voters for the purpose ofproducing fake electoralmaterials that the PDPintends to use for theirrigging purpose.”

The source further said:“Actual work on this projectis taking place at a radiostation believed to beowned by a PDP chieftain.Our source confirmed thatthe car, which brought thematerials on which the boys

were working, was a deepblack Toyota Land Cruiserwith an Abuja registrationnumber.

Computer experts fromsome universities in theSouth-West geo-politicalzone have stated that ifactually INEC’s databasehas been hacked into, thena high number of originally-registered voters, who hadfoolishly allowed the PDP to

collect the VIN number oftheir voters’ cards cannotvote on August 9 becausetheir data and photographswould have been altered.

Reliable reports from fieldintelligence and insidersources of the PDP havealso revealed that the VINnumbers of the PVCsproduced fraudulently byhacking into INEC’sdatabase will be listed,polling unit by polling unit,and handed over tomembers of the NationalYouth Service Corps onduty to secretly tick ashaving been accredited tovote even when they werenot present foraccreditation.

It is during theaccreditation process thatthe original voter willdiscover that his/her dataand photograph hasvanished from the computerrecords and so will bedisqualified from voting.

However, the computerexperts said that it isimpossible to break intoINEC’s database without aninsider’s collaboration.

According to the experts,“only INEC’s databaseadministrator can, duringediting, effect suchcomprehensive alterationthat can totally erase datafrom a PVC of an originally-registered voter and replacethem with those of amercenary.

In another developmentavailable from varioussources have it that theterrorist-like maskedgunmen, who will be usedto effect this fraud, surfacedabout last Saturday eveningaround Oke-fia area ofOsogbo, shooting into theair sporadically in companyof other security forces.

However, to their uttersurprise, rather than runaway in fright, Osogboresidents in the area, burstinto singing APC songs,dancing and telling theterrorists that no matter whatthey were in Osogbo to do,Aregbesola is the man theywill vote for.

Incidentally, GovernorRauf Aregbesola was at thatperiod in time talking tomini-bus owners anddrivers, including Okadariders at the NelsonMandela Freedom Park,when the masked men,reportedly coming from DSSoffice along Gbongan-Ibadan road, began theiracts of terror.

Go To Polling Centre With Your Camera– De Raufs Boss

THE Director-General of De Raufs Volunteer GroupInternational, Comrade Amitolu Shittu, has advisedthe voters to go to the polling centres during the

fast-approaching August 9 gubernatorial election in theState of Osun with their cameras.

He disclosed this at aninteractive session withthousands of Osun voters,who recently visited thesecretariat of the group inOsogbo, the state capital.

De Raufs Volunteer GroupInternational is a leadingvolunteer groupcampaigning for re-electionof Governor RaufAregbesola with members

across all local governmentcouncil areas in Osun.

According to De Raufsvolunteer boss, only thepeople can protect andmonitor the electoralprocess, and Osun peoplemust be extra-vigilant, aselectoral space is heating upby those that are supposedto be responsible for thefairness of the election.

“Our people must be veryvigilant. They must go tothe polling centres with theircameras. They must captureevery moment. They mustequally take pictures of theirthumb-printed ballotpapers. Those with nocamera must record theirballot forms number. It is aduty that we owe thecontinuity of development.Security may becompromised, electoralofficer may becompromised, but nevermust our peoplecompromise in pursuit ofgood governance, eternalvigilance is the price offreedom,” Amitolu advised.

Osun Govt Launches Farm Inputs Credit Support For FarmersBy KEHINDE AYANTUNJI

GOVERNMENT of the State of Osun has revealedthat it has finalised plans to help each farmer inthe state with farm inputs for farming to the tune

of N150,000 annually.The state governor,

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola,stated this in Ede onWednesday at the officiallaunch of the Farmers Input

and Credit SupportProgramme.

He stated that theprocess started withidentification of farmers and

evaluation of the farmlandthrough the GeographicInformation System (GIS),adding that the wholeprocess was a willing oneand not compulsory.

According to thegovernor, after theidentification, evaluationand registration processes,each of the farmers would be

given a Wema Bank DebitCard, which would enablethem go to any Farmers’Input Supply and ServiceCompany (FISCO) centre,which are available at everyfarm settlement in the state.

He charged the farmers tobe prudent in themanagement of farm inputscollected, as they will not beable to collect more thantheir farmland size, addingthat at the end of eachfarming year, the farmerswould either return farmproduce or cash to theappropriate quarters.

Speaking earlier, Director,Office of the EconomicPlanning and Partnership,Dr Charles Akinola, said theprogramme is an indicationthat the presentadministration in the state is

conscious of every sectorof the economy.

In their separate goodwillmessages, Chairman,Farmers Association in thestate, Chief Raimi Adeniji,represented by Dr.Sangolade and DrArigbede, appreciated thegovernment for the gesture,saying it was an indicationthat the governmentappreciates the farmers andpledged their unalloyedsupport for the presentadministration in the state.

The governor, at theceremony, distributed someready debit cards toregistered farmers, amongwhom were: Mr AdediranAbiodun, Mrs LimotaShittu, Mr EmmanuelAdewumi and Mr AlagbeKareem at the event.

INEC Accredits 29 Observer GroupsFor Osun Governorship Election

THE Independent National ElectoralCommission, (INEC) has cleared 29 domesticand international organizations to observe

the August 9 gubernatorial election in the State ofOsun.

By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO

This was contained inthe information kit for theelection released by theCommission during theweek.

The domestic observergroups approved by theelectoral body are 19,while 10 are foreigngroups.

The figure is the samewith that of the Ekiti Stategubernatorial election,which was held last June21.

Among the observergroups accredited for theOsun gubernatorial poll areTransition MonitoringGroup, (TMG), NigeriaBar Association Election

Working Group, Centrefor Democracy andDevelopment, NigerianCivil Society SituationRoom (Policy and LegalAdvocacy Centre),CLEEN Foundation, TheForum of StateIndependent ElectoralCommission of Nigeria(FOSIECON), NEPADNigeria, IndependentElection MonitoringGroup, and ResearchInitiative for SustainableDevelopment and GenderAwareness (RISDGA).

The internationalobservers include theUNDP/DGD, InternationalFoundation for Electoral

System (IFES), EUDelegation, British HighCommission, United StatesMission to Nigeria,Canadian HighCommission, Embassies ofNetherlands, Switzerland,Germany and France.

Twenty parties arepresenting candidates inthe election in which a totalof 1,407,222 voters areexpected to vote.

Some of the parties arethe All ProgressivesCongress (APC), PeoplesDemocratic Party, (PDP),All Progressives GrandAlliance (APGA), LabourParty (LP), and the Alliancefor Democracy, (AD).

The incumbent governor,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, isrunning on the platform ofthe APC, while a formerdeputy governor andsenator, Iyiola Omisore, isthe flag-bearer of the PDP.

4 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 5, 2014News

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in a discussion with Iyalode of Osogbo, Chief (Mrs) AlakeKolade, during the endoursement of the governor for second term by the widows in Osogbo recently.

Akande: An Epitome Of Quality Leadership – Prof Alabi

THE former Interim National Chairman of the AllProgressive Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, has

been described as an epitome of quality leadership for theyounger generation to emulate in a bid to make the countrygreat.

By SHINA ABUBAKAR

This was disclosed byformer Speaker, Osun StateHouse of Assembly, ProfessorMojeed Alabi, while deliveringa lecture titled; “Leadership,Service and the Politics of“Stomach Infrastructure”:Akande and Rekindle ofHope”, during a welcome homereception held for the politicianin Ila-Orangun at the weekend.

According to the don,Akande is an embodiment ofhumility, trust, transparentand discipline in public life and,even during the heist ofcorruption in the country,Akande stood out among hispeers in the country.

The Speaker of theAssembly during Akande’sadministration disclosed thathe had the opportunity to learn

a lot about public office lifefrom the former governor andthe lesson he drew from himwas his view on the ephemeralnature of life, hence, hiscommitment to servinghumanity.

He said Akande’sadministration first put thestate on the path ofdevelopment through his(Akande) vision and strictadherence to principles oftransparent governance, which,according to him, is responsiblefor the edifice that standstoday as the governmentsecretariat in the state.

He disclosed that the ousterof Akande from office in 2003was made possible by thePDP’s determination tocapture South-West in

connivance with someunscrupulous elements ingovernment that werespreading false news to thegullible public.

This group, according toProfessor Alabi, wasdissatisfied with Akande’sprudent nature and stopped theusual way of siphoning publicfunds, hence, the group easilycollaborated with the PDP torig the administration out ofoffice.

He, however, added that thepeople realised their mistakesearly enough that within twoyears of the then PDPadministration, it welcomedMr Rauf Aregbesola to thestate to rescue it from theshackles of oppression andaggrandisement of the PDP-ledadministration in the state.

Speaking on the new politicsof ‘Stomach Infrastructure’,the don said doom, not just forthe region, but for the entirecountry, if it jettisoned goodgovernance for mere materialgift from political office

seekers.He said the Ekiti State

experience is a bitter pill toswallow, particularly, as theYoruba people are not knownto live ignoble live but withtheir integrity intact in the face

Democracy Vanguard Raises Alarm Over Osun Security Siege

A pro-democracy organisation, Democracy Vanguard, theState of Osun chapter, has raised alarm over the activities

of the State Security Services deployed for the forthcominggovernorship election in the state.

The organisation in astatement signed by itscoordinator, Comrade OlowuEmmanuel, and made available tojournalists in Osogbo, the statecapital on Sunday condemned whatit described as the flagrantharassment and intimidation ofthe peace-loving people of Osunby men of the Directorate ofSecurity Service (DSS).

Democracy Vanguard saidOsun has been one of the mostpeaceful states in Nigeria anddespite the governorship electionthat is only few days away, thepeople have remained peacefuland are living in harmony.

The statement read in part:“Men of the Directorate ofSecurity Services (DSS), arrivedOsun few days ago, we inDemocracy Vanguard, like everyother right-thinking Nigerian, hadthought they were deployed tomaintain the peace alreadyexisting in the state as is the normin a democracy.

“Rather than go round the stateto maintain the peace and assurethe people of their safety before,during and after the election, themen of the DSS chose to paradethe state in an apparent show ofstrength, harassing andintimidating members of thepublic.”

“On Wednesday, July 30,2014, especially, the men of theDSS went round, shootingsporadically into the air on majorstreets in Osogbo and environs ina clear attempt at intimidating thepublic. An ugly scenario played outat Capital Hotel junction, DadaEstate Area, when people

attempted taking photograph ofthe barbaric behaviour of the DSS,the men of the DSS, some of themin masks, alighted from theirvehicles and attacked the people,snatching their phones andsmashing them on the ground.”

“This undemocratic, barbaricand lawless behaviour of men ofthe DSS reminds us of the darkdays of military rule in Nigeria,which democratic forces havebeen working and praying shouldbe confined to the dustbin ofhistory,” Olowu said.

The group also called onPresident Goodluck Jonathan toquickly call the DSS to order if his

recent promise of a free and fear2015 general elections will betaken seriously, as the Osunelection is a manifest dressrehearsal.

Osun 2014: Residents Ignore Security Intimidation•Display High Commitment To Aregbesola’s Re-election Project

THE security siege imposed on Osun in recent days hasintroduced a new fillip to Osun gubernatorial politics.

Hundreds of Osogbo residents trooped out last Friday on hearingthat Governor Rauf Aregbesolawas observing jumat at QuareebMosque located at Oke-Baalearea of Osogbo, the state capital.

The situation outside themosque had already becomeanother mega rally beforeOgbeni finished the Jumatprayers.

The mammoth crowdbrought brooms from theirvarious homes. The broom-wielding crowd, whichconsisted largely of elderlywomen and commercialmotorcyclists were saying:

“Aregbe, No Shaking!”, “No toDemocracy at Gunpoint”, “TellThem to go to Chibok”,“Oranmiyan Leekansi” amongstothers.

Addressing the congregation,the governor commended thepeople for their support, whileassuring them that the DSS menare not their enemies.

A market woman, who wasscreaming on the top of hervoice in the crowd outside onthe road leading to the mosque,insisted: “we have resolved tobe waiving broom to the DSS to

show where we stand in a verypeaceful manner.

A commercial motorcyclist,who simply identified himselfas Taju said: “I’m not apolitician but why should theycome here and be intimidatingus. If they are yet to get topower and they are brandishingguns like this, then Osun willbe in deep problem if PDP everreturns to power here.”

The crowd turned to anunscheduled procession and itbecame a carnival of broomsbefore the governor got to OjaOba Area.

The ecstatic crowd trekkedseveral kilometres in companyof the governor in validation oftheir ever increasing resolve to

APC Group In Irewole Prays ForAregbesola’s Victory

By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

A two-term lawmaker in the old Oyo State and leader ofthe All Progressives Congress (APC) in IrewoleLocal Government Council Area of the State of Osun,

Chief Rufai Oyebamiji, has said the developmental stridesof Governor Rauf Aregbesola in all sectors of governancewould speak for him in the August 9 governorship election.

Raji Omowale engaged insupplications by recitingvarious Quranic verses forvictory in the election.

Speaking at the session,Chief Oyebamiji said thegathering was aimed at seekingviolence-free election thatwould see Aregbesola emergingvictorious.

He noted that theachievements that Aregbesolahas made in the area ofeconomic developmentthrough agriculturaldevelopment and provision ofmodern markets, youthempowerment, massive roadconstruction and rehabilitation,development in the educationsector, poverty alleviationamong others are enough forhis re-election.

According to him, whatAregbesola has achieved withinthe last three and half yearshave not been achieved by anygovernment since the creationof the state.

“This prayer is speciallyorganised to pray to God tomake Aregbesola’s re-electiona successful one, so that all hisdevelopmental programmes

aimed at rebuilding the statewould be completed.

“Revitalisation of the poorcondition of our educationsector, job creation for ouryouths, massive roadconstruction, development ofeducation and various iniativesthat have been introduced togovernance by Aregbesola haveplaced Osun ahead of otherstates.

“It is our belief that whenhe is re-elected, he will do moreand Osun will be better for it,”urging the electorate to votemassively for Aregbesola andstand by their votes.

Also speaking, the group’swomen leaders, Mrs KemiOladele, was optimistic thatAregbesola would emergevictorious, as all the plans torig the poll would be resistedby the people of the state.

He said Aregbesola hasjustified why he should be re-elected and people are readyto re-elect him, with a view tocomplementing what he hasdone in his first term and takeOsun to higher place.

Present at the prayer sessionwere community heads, amongwho were Chief LateefAmusan (Alayetoro), ChiefMukaila Ayoade (Onisagba),Chief Saidu Adelakin(Oloowa), Chief NurudeenAgbaje (Arinkinkin), ChiefAsifatu Agunbiade (Onikan),and Chief Basaru Akinleye(Olugun).

Others were Balogun ofAyetoro, Chief GaniyuOlanrewaju; BalogunArinkinkin, Chief HassanAdebayo; Iyaloja of Ayetoro,Mrs Falilatu Ajoke; IyalojaOloowa, Mrs Raliatu Adekunleand the Baara Apinni ofIkireland, Chief Caleb Fadiranamong others.

By OUR REPORTER

By OUR REPORTER

of any challenge, calling on theentire Yoruba nation to revertto the era of placing priorityon merit and excellence thanmediocrity.

The professor of PoliticalScience warned electorate not

to jettison the interest of futuregenerations because of theirimmediate needs, sayingeveryone should strive to votefor people that would leavelasting legacy for all to benefitfrom during elections.

He spoke in Ikire onSaturday during a marathonprayer session organised by hisgroup for the victory ofAregbesola in the election.

Islamic clerics invited for theprayer session and led byAlhaji Jamiu Okin and Mallam

stand by Governor Aregbesola.It would be recalled that men

and officers of DSS had twodays earlier driven around townin Osogbo and were shootingsporadically into the aireverywhere in an apparentshow of strength.

The interesting thing wasthat rather than people runninghelter-skelter at the sight of theheavily-armed DSS men, theresidents in Okefia area ofOsogbo responded with theshout of ‘Up APC!!! Aregbe nio’, to the sound of each gunshotfired by the DSS.

The headship of the DSSlater denied knowledge of thesporadic shooting in aninterview with The PunchNewspaper.

PDP Mega-rally: Omisore’s Rented Crowd FailsTo Show Voters’ CardsTHE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the

August 9 governorship election in the State of Osun,Iyiola Omisore, exposed himself again on Saturday,

as his supporters failed to show their voters’ cards at thePDP rally, held at Osogbo Township Stadium, Osogbo, thestate capital on his directive.

President and the PDP leadersfor allowing him to fly “theticket of the party”.

Omisore was reported tohave, before the rally, directedthe party leaders to informPDP members and the rentedcrowd to come to the campaignground with their voters’ cards.

The show of cards patternby Omisore was fashioned afterMr Ayodele Fayose, thegovernor-elect of Ekiti State,who used the same method atthe last mega rally of his partythat secured controversialvictory for him.

Omisore has been copyingFayose on several occasions,thinking that that would alsosecure victory for him at theSaturday’s governorshipelection.

The PDP governorshipcandidate had ridden on amotorcycle, but rather thanadding to his popularity, thereverse has been the case.

Omisore had eaten two cobsof corn along the street toimpress the electorate, still, nodice.

He dressed shabily todisguise as one of thedowntrodding masses, but hewas rebuffed.

Anywhere Omisore wentduring the cause of hiscampaign, he was meeting withdisgrace from the electoratewho refused to identify withhim.

They also called on the law-abiding people of Osun to remainsteadfast, and unshaken in theirquest to come out and vote forthe candidate of their choice

come Saturday August 9, 2014,adding that no amount ofintimidation or harassment mustdeter them from choosing theirleaders by themselves.

Omisore had, during thePDP grand finale in Osogbo,shouted on top his voice, askinghis rented crowd to show theirvoters’ cards, but he wasdissapointed as only few of the

crowd could show the cards.President Goodluck

Jonathan, his vice, NamadiSambo and other PDP leaderswho had waited patiently,expecting the crowd to show

their voters’ cards weredissapointed, as repeatedefforts of Omisore to ensurethat the crowd show their cardsfailed.

When Omisore discoveredthat his repeated efforts hadfailed, he quickly changed tuneand started saying, “thank you,thank you, thank you ....”repeatedly.

Throughout the period hehad to address the crowd,Omisore made no promise,other than thanking the

Compatriots, Jealously Guard Your Votes! Continued from pg1

But to guard our votes jealouslycould even be said to be more importantthan casting our votes. This is in viewof the desperation of the far from beingdemocratic Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and its gubernatorial 'wannabe' inthe state, Iyiola Omisore Mr. 'Moneymiss road', to coast home victory in thecoming election. Thus while it'simportant to give our votes to Ogbeni,it's even more important to jealouslyguard our votes. This is what we needto do to ensure that the PDP doesn'tsucceed in its evil machinations.

Already there are threats of violencefrom the party on members of the rulingparty, APC as they (PDP) are threaten-ing fire against APC members. Going bytheir antecedent violence and rigging aretheir stock-in-trade. And since there isno hope for them of winning the comingelection through 'One man One vote'then their hope lies in repeating whatthey know how to do best.

Another way through which the PDPis hoping to claim victory is by throw-ing money and other valuable gifts out

to entice voters to sell their votes. In thisregard the handwriting had for long ap-peared on the wall. With the distributionof kerosene to their members and somemembers of the public which started lastyear their journey to entice voters withthe aim of buying their votes started.

This stratagem rather than strategy,being viciously employed by the PDP inthe state of Osun, is what we see as 'jeuns'iku' should citizens get swayed by it.'Jeun s'iku' literally means 'eat and die' or'eat the food that will lead you to yourgrave'. The money and other forms of giftwhich the PDP and Iyiola Omisore rely onto buy citizens' votes are nothing but'Greek gift' and 'blood money' and collect-ing them to do their biding means doingso at one's peril. It simply means sendingour state back to the pre-Aregbesola era;backwater of development. May God for-bid!

But it's not enough to pray to God toforbid evil things. We the citizens mustalso not use our own hands to bring evilthings on our heads. To collect PDP'sblood money to sell our conscience in thecoming election will be tantamount to 'jeuns'iku' the consequence of which will bedire for our state. Of course the citizenscan collect the gift of money and other

gifts the PDP is ready to offer them but theymust not do so to do their bidding. The votesin the coming election are for OgbeniAregbesola who has raised the bar of goodand responsible governance in the state andshould never go to any other party let alonethe PDP.

The PDP and Iyiola Omisore are free togo about to throw carrot to the people intheir desperation to capture the conscienceof voters but never should the voters allowtheir conscience to be captured by theseunscrupulous elements who have nothingto offer our state. The PDP has been in powerfor close to eight years here without anypositive thing to show for it. All it had toshow for its eight years of misrule are purelynegative; violence, hunger, unemployment,collapsed school system, bad roads andgeneral under-development across the state.

And on the part of the party's candidate,'Mr. Money miss road' himself, he too hadnothing positive to show for representingthe state at the highest legislative body ofthis country even as he held a juicy positionin the Senate, being Chairman Appropria-tion Committee for four years. Rather thanserving the people and made positive im-pact in their lives he was only there to servehis own pocket. So in what way are they -

both the PDP and Omisore - going to ef-fect any meaningful change in the life ofthe state as they are shouting around?

We know that the virtuous and respon-sible citizens of our state who have en-joyed dividends of democracy in unprec-edented term under the able and vision-ary leadership of Ogbeni Aregbesola willnot waste their votes. We are sure theyare not going to sell their conscience. Webelieve fervently that their votes will befor Aregbesola as they are not ready to'jeun s'iku'. However,as we said above it'sone thing to vote, the next important taskbefore them come election day after vot-ing is for them to protect their votes.

Our people must guard their votes jeal-ously so that these visionless elementswho rely on vote stealing like they did in2007 and who have nothing to offer thestate and its people don't succeed in theirfraudulent and evil plans. For them not tosucceed the ball is in the court of thepeople. Our responsibilities are clear; tovote and to protect our votes. These arewhat we must do to ensure the return ofthe Aregbesola-led progressive govern-ment that has done so well for our state.

Osun And The Education Initiative

AS the first fouryears of OgbeniRauf Aregbesola

slowly winds to aconclusion and with thecertainty of his securing asecond term ticket at theAugust 9 poll, there is needto praise the schooltransformation agenda ofOgbeni Rauf Aregbesola’sadministration.

The weapon throughwhich Aregbesola was ableto successfully andeffectively achieve thiswas through the OsunSchool TransformationCommittee (O’School)under the Chairmanship ofOtunba Lai Oyeduntan.

It was a massive projectwhich was so dear to hisheart and he has achieved95 per cent success at itwith the introduction ofsame uniform across allthe different levels ofclasses from theelementary, middle andhigh schools and the

construction of modelschools across the ninefederal constituencies inthe state.

No part of the State ofOsun has not benefittedfrom this. Even, the townsof the candidates in therival political parties couldboast of this modernschool edifice.

For the information ofthe reader, model schoolsconstruction and buildingis the rave of the momentnow in the educationsector and if Osunembraces it, there is nooffence in it.

So, in that wise, everyopponent of this policyshould just go and rest

because if Osun doesn’ttoe this line, it would be agreat disservice to thepeople of the state by thegovernment in power butthank God Aregbesola waswise in doing this. So alldissenting mouths shouldkeep shut.

What else do you wantto hear? It’s all been said

and with Ogbeni RaufAregbesola still in thesaddle for another four-year term, it would bedone.

It behoves all peace andprogressive-minded Osunpeople to allow fortransformation andchange.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo

OSUN DEFENDERPublisher – Moremi Publishing

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of blessed memory did itand he introduced a freeeducation policy into thewhole of Western Nigeriaand funny enough, it wasthe same people whobenefitted from that policythat finally rubbishededucation and made it theexclusive preserve of therich, powerful and mighty.

Thank God, anunknown person with avision and mission in themould of Aregbesola cameinto the scene and provedthat it could be done again;education could be free andavailable for everybodyacross the board.

He has done his own bitand played his part, the restis left for us.

Let’s do the one thingwhich is also the wisething and vote him in asgovernor for a secondterm come Saturday.

Osun A Dara O!

•SIKIRU OLAWALE,Osogbo, State of Osun.

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 5, 2014

6

PoliticsOSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Ejigbo Mega Rally: Unanimous Attestation To Divine WillGlad revelations continue to open up to the camp of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the August 9 date of

Osun Gubernatorial Elections approach. As the election campaigns intensify, the extended mega rally held inEjigbo penultimate Tuesday is yet another bundle of surprises in the annals of political gatherings. It was a proofthat response to call to a rally at such short notice could be so impressive and encouraging. This is more so, whenthe same federal constituency had previously played host to another scintillating crowd barely two weeks earlier!The mammoth crowd that graced the Ejigbo Mega Rally elicited a unanimous attestation to the fact that whoever issent of God is irrepressible. This assessment came as a conclusion from NIYI OLASINDE’s coverage of the historicrally.

Aregbesola On The March Again

Continued on page 11

FOLLOWING the mega rally under coverage in this report,lots have been happening to portray the incumbent administration at the federal level under the leadership of President

Goodluck Jonathan as high-handed and anti-democratic. Since thecommencement of rounds of campaign rallies lined up to grace thiselection season, all manners of actions and inactions which consti-tute gross electoral misconduct have been reported to have becomeorder of the day among the rank and file of the State of OsunChapter of the conservative Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Jonathan’s political platform. We have reported the party as hav-ing embarked on a state-wide pursuance of the nefarious missionof purchase of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). The purchase ofsuch cards has one clear motive behind it. That is that such devilishpurchase has automatically dispossessed the original and legiti-mate carriers the cards; as well as robbing them the right and powerto exercise their vital civic responsibility – that of casting theirvotes on the Election Day.

We have also borne reports that another approach devised bythe leading opposition party to secure undeserved victory is tocollect the numbers on the cards of unsuspecting victims of theirinordinate schemes and use that, via the connivance of some badeggs in the machinery of the Independent National Electoral Com-mission (INEC) to nullify the registration of such voters and in-validate the power and use of their voter cards for voting. Bothapproaches, it has been confirmed were employed for use in areasadjudged to be the territories of relative strength for the ruling AllProgressives Congress (APC), and the ultimate motive is that of

reducing the numerical strength of potential voters so as to giveupper hand to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

For both approaches, lots of material and financial inducementshave been use as baits and decoy for voters to part with their vitalmaterials or the details they contain. Aside the use of cash up tothe tune of between N5,000 and N10,000; other materials beingcirculated to entice the victims to catch the hook include measuresof raw rice, crash helmets for riders of motorcycles and householdkerosene.

The approximation of our findings on the targeted effect of allthese nefarious acts boils down to the fact that the leading opposi-tion in the state is afraid of going into any clean contest with theruling All Progressives Congress (APC); knowing full well that itcannot emerge victorious over the latter. The same reason is attrib-utable to the evasive attitude demonstrated by the Peoples Demo-cratic Party’s (PDP) candidate in the election, Iyiola Omisore to-wards any programme or event organized by any group of stake-holders in the direction of getting the populace adequately ac-quainted with the manifestos and programmes of all parties andcandidates in the contest. This lethargic attitude on the part ofOmisore has become so worrisome and disturbing that people arecompelled to believe that it is either the candidate is a sub-standardproduct; or the party is not well articulated with programmes andmanifestos to sell itself to legitimate voters in an election. How-ever, both misfortunes enumerated above could be true for theparty and its candidate.

However, fresh facts emerging within the past one week indi-

cate that it is not the focus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)in the state to get people to vote for it in the coming election.Rather, it relies on the Federal Government which is controlled bythe party, and which it considers as “almighty”. One proof thatmay well substantiate this theory or line of reasoning is the mas-sive purchase of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) which it has em-barked on over some time. The theory views it that if legitimatevictory in an election is the target of the opposition, it would notembark on that dastardly massive disenfranchisement mission,realizing that doing so could jeopardize its own chances of emerg-ing victorious as well.

The second indication which may serve as proof to the theoryis that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has notthrown enough zest and zeal behind its election campaign. It hasbeen observed that rather than organizing truly democratic politi-cal campaigns or rallies, all that the party had succeeded in doing sofar is a shameless show of power and the rabid support of theFederal Might. It is part of the findings of OSUN DEFENDERMagazine that even at the scenes of its make-believe rallies, whatthe party did off-camera was massive exchange of voter cards formoney, rice or kerosene. Also, for reasons not unconnected withdearth of ideology early identified with the conservative party, theflag bearer, Iyiola Omisore and his cohorts never had any meaning-ful electoral promises to roll out other than death sentences andcurses issued on their political adversaries, who they consider as

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his Oyo counterpart, Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi (on top of a bus), acknowledging cheers from the mammothcrowd, during a campaign rally for Aregbesola’s re-election at Unity School, Ejigbo, State of Osun, recently.

7 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 5, 2014

8 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 5, 2014 PHOTOTALKCommissioning Of Osun Emergency And Citizens’ Enquiry/Contact Centre By TheGovernor, State Of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, In Osogbo, Last Thursday.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

•

•A cross section of dignitaries at the event.

•(L-R) Commandant, Engineering Construction Regiment (ECR), Ede, BrigadierGbenga Adeyemi and State of Osun Commissioner of Police, Mr Ibrahim Maishanu.

•(L-R) Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Chief of Policy and Plans, Airforce Headquarters, Air Vice-Marshal JM Gum, representing Chief of Air Staff; Chief of Logistics andCommunication Airforce, Air Vice-Marshal UC Oche and Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Aeronautical Engineering and Technical Service Limited, Air ViceMarshal Andy Tsakar.

•(L-R) Senator Babafemi Ojudu; Mr Segun Babatope and Special Adviser to State ofOsun Governor on Security, Barrister Adekunle Amos.

9 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 5, 2014PHOTOTALKChief Rufai Oyebamiji Group Of The All Progressives Congress (APC) Organised APrayer Session For Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s Victory In August 9 GovernorshipElection Recently.

•

•A cross section of APC members in a group photograph shortly after the prayer session.

•Islamic clerics at the prayer session.

•A two-term lawmaker in the old Oyo State, Chief Rufai Oyebamiji (4th right) and some of the community heads at the prayer session.

•A cross section of women members of APC at the programme in a group photographshortly after the prayer session.

10 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 5, 2014

11 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 5, 2014 MAGAZINE

Ejigbo Mega Rally: Unanimous Attestation To Divine Will

Contiuned from page 6

Contiuned on page 12

eternal foes in their rabid inordinate bid to clinch power by allmeans and at all costs.

Just of recent, the atmosphere of peace and tranquility whichhad hitherto reigned supreme in the State of Osun got suddenlybroken with the arrival of the machinery of the governorship seatcontestant for the Peoples Democratic Party in the elections hold-ing later this week, Senator Iyiola Omisore. Since that arrival, thingshad refused to remain the same for the state and its residents. Thiscomplete reversal of peaceful habitation and guaranteed securitywas replaced with security breaches, unruly attitude and grosslawlessness, perpetrated by Omisore and his cohorts. Apart frompockets of isolated cases of violence and vandalism recorded insome parts of the state over the past few weeks, two significantevents happened of recent which betrayed the ignoble intents anungodly schemes of the party for the state.

First event came alive when the entire parts of the state capitalwere held to ransom for days on end; simply because the party andits scanty rascally loyalists were said to be expecting the governor-elect of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose. The tension that mounted thecity, which ensued from the social disturbance created caused dis-cerning minds to ask that if dusts of confusion could be so raisedover expectations of an awaiting governor, what then would be thefate of the state and its residents when it would be the turn of thePresident, who doubles as the National Leader of their party tovisit the state?

The stark reality of answer to the last question raised abovecame with the occurrence of the second event. This last week,President Goodluck Jonathan was being expected in Osogbo, thestate capital for the grand finale of Omisore’s pre-election exer-tions. As a result of that, strange presence of security apparatusesbecame prominently noticed in Osogbo, the state capital. Tension,fear and apprehension gripped residents arising from the unneces-sary, brazen show of shame as these security personnel paraded allmajor roads in the city, sporadically firing gunshots into the air,with the clear motive of scaring residents, obviously to repel themfrom getting interested in trooping out to cast their votes mas-sively on the Election Day. This interpretation of the events whichthese supposed protectors of lives and property acted out repre-sents the widespread opinions among residents who reacted toevents unfolding since Wednesday, as build-up to Jonathan’s visit.This event occurred to drive home the point that there is more to itthan meets the eye in the Federal Government’s plot for the forth-coming State of Osun Gubernatorial Election. Much has alreadybeen written on this and related issues. OSUN DEFENDERMagazine shall here rest its case on the matter for more pressingissues of greater relevance to the topic of this edition.

THE ninth in the series of mega rallies held for the re-electionbid of the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC)in the forthcoming Governorship Elections in the State of Osun,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was held in Ejigbo, penultimate Monday.The rally held undeterred as an extended event; being the second ofits kind to be held for the Ede Federal Constituency. There was nonote of disharmony in the music. It was not a duet; neither was ita quartet piece. The people of the ancient yet famous Ejigbo com-munity in the present-day State of Osun simply trooped out lastTuesday and sang in unison: that Aregbesola must continue inoffice as governor of the State of the Virtuous for a second tenure offour-year duration, starting from November 27, 2014. Someonemay ask if the people under reference are musicians or choristers.Well, they are not, in name-calling; yet they elicited the attributesin the rousing welcome and demonstrated response to the call for arally, issued out on short notice by the State of Osun Chapter ofAll Progressives Congress (APC) to the effect that another in theseries of mega rallies was to be held in Ejigbo, a powerful arsenal inthe political territory of the Ede Federal Constituency of the state.This extension, apparently viewed in some quarters as unneces-sary, eventually proved itself out not only as necessary, but alsoapposite, deserving and worthwhile.

The turn of events at the colourful rally was such that thrillsthe heart and fascinates one to politics, the commitment to the loveof one’s people and devotion to their well-being and betterment. Itis a combination of all these attributes, people confessed at theevent that worked wonders for Aregbesola and his party, the AllProgressives Congress (APC). The selfsame fact was confessed tobe true for the Chief Host of the rally, who doubles as the Speakerof the fifth session of the State of Osun House of Assembly, Right

Honourable Najeem Salaam. Much the same was reflected in thecase made for the Asiwaju of Ede, first Civilian Governor of thestate and former senator of the Federal Republic, Otunba IsiakaAdeleke, whose homestead of Ede constitute two of the four localgovernment council areas which comprise the Ede Federal Con-stituency. In a nutshell, no venture is as rewarding as impacting thelives of one’s own people positively, at least, with every slightestopportunity that comes one’s way in life.

The ancient Ejigbo community was thrown into frenzy ecstaticmood on that day, as people abandoned much of their daily rou-tines for an event packaged into the canvassing of votes for the re-election bid of Governor Rauf Aregbesola as helmsman of the Stateof Osun. To most of the people, the event of that day was onewhich they had heard and watched to have been held in other partsof the state. It was a similar event they had trooped out massivelyto co-host with their fellow constituents in Ede a fortnight earlier.Yet, they never relented, as they appeared to be unbending in theirresolve and determination that there is only one man qualified andfit for the task in question – that of steering the ship of their statefor the next four years, and doing so most effectively. To them, asfar as the Bola Ige (White House) Government Office at Abere isconcerned; and as far as the Oke Fia Government House is con-cerned, there is no vacancy yet.

The streets of Ejigbo had come alive with activities of sortssince the early hours of the day. All manners of people, whosecallings cut across diverse fields of endeavour trooped out in drovesin preparation for the occasion they were billed to host later in theday. The occasion was such that called for people who had earlierheld divergent views, and who may have been in the camp of theopposition to start having a rethink. Never, since the process ofthe ongoing contest began, had it been heard that a contestant ofany other party came and shook the ground as did the flag bearer ofthe All Progressives Congress (APC) that day. Not even the factthat Ede is the indigenous home of Barrister Adejare Bello could dothe magic of pulling so robust a crowd for his boss and theirpolitical front, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the ancienttown!

Ejigbo was agog for Aregbesola. The streets became a beehive ofactivities as early as the day began. The trend went on unabated tilllate in the evening. The ongoing Ramadan fasting was not a deter-ring factor for Moslems, as men and women of all faiths came outto contribute in one way or the other to the overall success of theevent. At last, the faith they exercised was not betrayed; neitherdid it prove to be misplaced. The product they sacrificed all oftheir time and ventures to market is good and marketable. Thegospel of Aregbesola for second term is already yielding gooddividends. The stage is appearing to be set for a beautiful outing,come August 9.

The venue of the mega rally had become filled up since around10:00 a.m. The expansive premises rocked under the weight of theunprecedented crowd it played host to. It had already been a factwell accepted that never in the history of holding political rallieshad such huge turnout as being currently witnessed been experi-enced. When OSUN DEFENDER reporter arrived at the venuemuch later in the day, all was set for an event which the entireEjigbo and its adjoining communities will find unbeatable for sometime to come.

The events had kick-started before the long-awaited arrival.Entertainment was on by the accomplished Fuji maestro, KingWasiu Ayinde Marshal (K1). The Fuji superstar sang beautifulnumbers eulogizing the valiant works of the Aregbesola adminis-tration, even as he urged the people not to look elsewhere for abetter option. To him, the bird they had in hand was already worththan tens of others parading themselves for consideration to beentrusted with the serious work involved in governance. Ayindecautioned the people not to lose their votes by polling for selfishdestroyers of the collective destinies of a people. Clearly, Aregbesolahad proven his mettle by his impact made in less than four years inall spheres of life. It was a beautiful piece of music loaded withthought-provoking messages.

When the preliminary events started, speaker after speakermounted the podium to address the waiting audience. The ap-proximation of the thrust of their words is the praise of the candi-date and the caution to vote wisely on the d-day. Further in theirspeeches, speakers at the event cautioned the people not to selltheir voting instruments, that is, their Permanent Voters’ Cards(PVCs) or exchange them or the Personal Identification Numbers(PIN) they bear for any Greek gifts. It was observed that the

number of items in the assortment of those Greek gifts had beenincreasing in recent times; ranging from financial peanuts, thoughexpired rice to adulterated household kerosene.

It was also brought under mentioning the nefarious activities ofdestiny mortgagors who engage in trading of voters’ cards. Therepresentative of Iwo Federal Constituency at the Federal Houseof Representatives, Honourable Gafar Amere spoke at length onthis issue and recommended that the treatment meted out to themat his federal constituency be introduced in the host constituency.According to him, perpetrators who are apprehended are thor-oughly beaten before being handed over to the police for necessaryprosecution. Speakers who spoke prior to this and thereafter di-rected the people to troop out en masse and cast their votes fear-lessly on the Election Day. They were cautioned not to be intimi-dated by the huge presence of security personnel, as the apparatusis put in place to forestall security breaches and breakdown of lawand order. All the same, voters were charged to stand by at theirpolling units after observing their civic responsibilities and ob-serve the events unfolding till the moment of vote-counting. Thisvigilance duty of protecting votes is crucial in Nigeria where any-thing negative that could be thought of is possible.

After this session of speeches, King Wasiu Ayinde took thecentral stage for a long time to entertain, enlighten and educate thewaiting crowd. This round of interlude lasted for slightly overtwenty minutes when it was interrupted with the arrival of theDeputy Governor, State of Osun, Otunba Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori. At the instance of her arrival, the young artiste, who is astudent of Ataoja School of Science, Osogbo, Kazeem Olatunji,a.k.a. Kazzy Roll was brought on stage to contribute his ownquota to the entertainment. Kazzy Rolled thrilled the audience tothe rhythm of his popular track, “Aregbesola you are the Cham-pion…” Thereafter, King Wasiu Ayinde resumed the entertain-ment till the arrival time of governor Aregbesola.

For some time prior to the arrival of the governor, news hadgone round that the governor and his train had arrived the town andhad proceeded straight to the palace of the monarch of the town,the Ogiyan of Ejigbo, His Royal Highness, Oba OmowonuolaOyeyode Oyesosin II for traditional homage and royal blessings.Close on hand for that portion of the assignment was the governorof the sister-state, Oyo State, Senator Ishiaq Abiola Ajimobi. Alsoon the entourage were the first civilian governor, State of Osun,Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, selected members of the StateExecutive Council, members of the hierarchy of the ruling party inthe state and other eminent personalities.

At the palace, the monarch, joined by other monarchs in the areaeulogized the good works of Ogbeni and his administration, whichthey attested had impacted people in the entire length and breadthof the state, with particular reference to the area. They thereafterpoured prayers on him for success at the polls. With that done, allwas set for his departure from the palace for the venue where themammoth crowd had stayed converged, waiting for the events-proper to kick off.

From the palace of Ogiyan of Ejigbo, it was a traffic gridlockthat characterized the roads down to the Unity School venue of thecampaign programme. Earlier, it had been a similar experience thatdominated the scene. All the way from Osogbo, the state capital,people of the communities along the access road to Ejigbo hadtrooped out overwhelmingly to accord Governor Aregbesola a rous-ing welcome to the area. In Ara community in particular, the turn-out was reported to have been so thick that the governor’s entou-rage was force to come to a standstill. All the way from Osogbo,commercial motorcycle operators, popularly called okada riderswere said to have lined up in beautiful array ahead of the governor’sprocession as their own way of showing their love and apprecia-tion for him.

At Ejigbo, the scenery was easily likened to a pilgrimage centre,as people lined the streets to cheer the entourage. Each group andindividual struggled to outdo one another as they scampered tocatch a glimpse of the wonderful achiever and to bid him welcomeand give assent to his success on the tour and in his re-election bid.Left and right of the major road leading to the town, people had laidin wait to accord the governor and his train a befitting welcome.

After his departure from the palace, it proved an uphill task forvehicular traffic to make it to the venue of the big meet. The surgingcrowd upon his entry into town had redoubled, since news hadcirculated round announcing his arrival. The broom anniversarywas so colourful that one could easily find himself at cross as towhether he had seem that large volume of brooms all at once in hisentire lifetime. Candidly, if all those brooms were engaged to sweepthe floor of a community, it is doubtful whether it would not beswept bare of sand!

From the ancient palace, through places like Iwo Road, OkeMoyo Junction, Royal Hotel Junction and Moyepe Road downto Unity School, the final destination, the constriction was sodense. At the venue, the crowd that had already converged wasastonishing. This was coupled with the fact that the crowd met intown followed still till the arrival at the venue. It was wonder inaction!

Upon his arrival, the governor was seen atop his characteristicmini luxury bus, brandishing his enormous broom vehemently inacknowledgement of cheers from the crowd. The first pointer to itthat the governor was with one outstandingly powerful co-travel-ler was that he was seem beckoning to someone to come up the busand join him in the task of acknowledging the crowd. It was withsurprise that the expectant crowd sighted the Oyo State Governor,Senator Abiola Ajimobi mounting the bus and waving his the crowdwith the governor. The uproar was terrific.

Upon alighting from the vehicle, the governor exchanged pleas-antries with dignitaries already waiting before heading for his seat.The time of arrival was 4:44 p.m. The big arrival culminated in thecommencement of the programme-proper. The National Anthemand State of Osun Anthem were sung back-to-back. By 5:05 p.m.,the programme had kick-started in full swing with the introductionof guests and dignitaries.

The first speech after the official commencement of events wasdelivered by the Chairman of the Aregbesola Second Term Cam-paign Committee for the federal constituency, an indigene of thetown, who also is the Speaker of the State of Osun House ofAssembly, Right Honourable Najeem Salaam. Salaam mounted thesoapbox on the note of music, as he raised the song “Kele gbe e tabi

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his Oyo counterpart, Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi (ontop of a bus), acknowledging cheers from the mammoth crowd, during a campaign rally for Aregbesola’s re-electionat Unity School, Ejigbo, State of Osun, recently.

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 5, 2014 MAGAZINE 12

Ejigbo Mega Rally: Unanimous Attestation To Divine WillContiuned from page 11

Contiuned on page 13

o gbe o ee…” In his protocols, he acknowledged the presence ofall dignitaries and then greeted and thanked the attendees forhonouring the clarion call, and for exercising such time-tested pa-tience as to wait since morning. Honourable Salaam then prayedfor god outcome at the polls, come August 9. He drew attention toit that all attempts by the swindlers of the opposition PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) to bribe the people with all manners ofGreek gifts had failed. He assured the governor that as far as thefederal constituency is concerned, the people would not beoverswayed with such demeaning gifts. According to him, it is aninsult on our persons and traditions in Yorubaland for our con-science to be bought, how much more with pittance! He cited thegift items to include coffin cash, expired rice, ritual crash helmetand latest, adulterated kerosene. He cautioned the people not tohonour any such gifts, as the end-result could be catastrophic.

Salaam went further to urge the people to troop out on theElection Date to poll massively for Aregbesola. He charged themnot to succumb to threat or intimidation, which could be the solemotive behind the boasting of the opposition-led Federal Govern-ment to fortify the state with series of battalions of security per-sonnel. Lastly, the Speaker cautioned prospective voters not togive out their voters’ cards or release the PIN on them in exchangefor any consideration – financial or material. He broke into songsintermittently as he spoke, singing “Erin l’enu wa…”; Ibi o ba lol’a nlo…”; B’o wu yin e pin ‘resi…” The crowd burst out inenthusiastic refrain of these songs, adding to the impact and im-port of the speech.

It was the turn of the senator representing the Osun West Sena-torial District at the Senate of the Federal Republic, SenatorMudasiru Hussein Oyetunde. Also an indigene of Ejigbo, Husseintreated the people to a round of songs as he sang “E e r’egbe e wabi…? He then spoke at length in the second lingua franca of Ejigboindigenes, that is, the French Language. Indigenes of Ejigbo aretraditionally reputed for their massive engagement in farming andtrading, both engagements which have taken them to transverse theshores of far away Cote d’Ivoire, thereby making the cocoa-richcountry their second home till date. Having spoken in French,Oyetunde sang a political death song for the Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP). He then said prayers in Arabic, according to Islamicinjunctions.

Next to come on stage was one of the senators representingEkiti State in the National Assembly, Senator Babafemi Ojudu.Senator Ojudu simply led the people to sing a number: “Mo gbo’rokan, won nle’ri won l’a won fee gba ‘joba…” The song is loadedwith meanings as it conveyed the impossibility of impostors andinterlopers taking over the reins of governance in the state everagain.

Next, Senator Isiaka Adeleke mounted the rostrum. He gave theassurance as a bona fide citizen and a political arrow-head of thearea that Aregbesola and the All Progressives Congress (APC)would poll an overwhelming 95 per cent votes cast on the ElectionDay. He acknowledged the crowd and urged them to translate theirturnout to votes. Adeleke sent the people of adjoining communi-ties to elders and chiefs of the area to announce to them that thecoast was clear: that he was now in the fold of the APC, and assuch, he would no longer work against their collective wishes. Theareas he mentioned include Afake, Ola, Masifa, Agurodo, Songbe,Olorin, Isundunrin and others. He then promised that followinghis cross-over, a day would henceforth be set aside to visit theareas.

Adeleke cautioned the people not to tolerate fraud on the day ofelection. He announced the plan by the Federal Government toarrest and detain him on the Election Day. He cautioned securitypersonnel against honouring such unlawful order as the aftermathcould spell disaster for such personnel.

It was then the turn of the Oyo State helmsman, Senator AbiolaAjimobi to speak to the audience. Ajimobi conveyed the compli-ments of the people of his state and their goodwill message to thepeople of the state. He congratulated the Osun people in advance,as he expressed confidence that victory shall tune the songs ofprogressives on the dawn of August 10. He concluded by raisingthree traditional songs: “E ku ewu omo…”; “Ina Ran… “ (HarunaIshola version); and “Kinihun d’eru jeje f’eran ni’gbo…” All thethree were given enthusiastic refrain by the crowd.

The long-awaited moment was heralded at that juncture. It wastime for the people’s governor to address the crowd. It was indeedbroom revolution moment. D J Bazzman was on hand to tune in

the old School track of “Stand up for the Champion!”. Aregbesolacame on stage, flanked by Governor Ajimobi and Senator IsiakaAdeleke. Governor Aregbesola’s first remark after the long list ofacknowledgement was the crowd, which he commended. He tookthe people down the memory lane that as that was the ninth in theseries of mega rallies, it was still well attended. He then appreci-ated all the people for always heeding the clarion call and forwaiting for the train with patience since morning.

Governor Aregbesola cast the people’s mind on the good worksso far which he tagged as fore-taste, compared to what he still hasin stock. He compared the ongoing process to that of igniting a carengine. According to him, the car of progress had been kick-started,and that it shall be on progress movement till 2018. He enumeratedthe woes and affliction with which the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) is known – Poor school, poor people, poor road, dearth ofpotable water and retrogression in all that is good. He then re-minded the people of how the incumbent administration had cometo set new records. All the achievements recorded so far weredescribed by the governor as “foundation”, which he is now seek-ing re-election to build upon.

He gave reasons for the relevance of his intervention efforts andwhy the people should not allow a sad recourse to those long-goneeras of captivity. He charged all and sundry to break away fromany affinity with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He citedtheir candidate who prides himself as Eni Iyi as afar-cry from thatappellation, since his entire conducts violate the etiquette of ahonourable person – for instance, his disorderly conduct, champi-oning the cause of thuggery, disrespect to elders, assault to eldersby removing cap off their head, promising to convert school struc-tures to poultry farms and demolition of reconstructed schoolstructures.

Aregbesola tongue-lashed the opposition’s Greek gifts and coun-seled the people to keep them always at an arm’s length. He spokeon non-edible kerosene that it could be consumed if properly testedand certified safe for use, after all it was provided with the moneystolen from the people. The largesse could after all be a way ofreturning to the people what had earlier been stolen from them. Asfor the edible things like rice, the governor counseled the peoplenot to eat them at all.

Aegbesola hammered the importance of early collection of Per-manent Voters’ Cards (PVC) and announced the July 26 / 27 dateof collection of cards for new registrants. He also announced thatthe display of voters’ register is on and that people should ap-proach their polling units henceforth for verification, so as to lodgetimely complaints as necessary. Anyone whose name is missing orhas any complaints was directed to intimate party elders and chief-tains in his ward. Also, the cards to be distributed on the said datesare to be conveyed to voters’ respective wards.

The governor announced that the Osun Micro Credit Scheme heannounced had taken off with a huge sum of N4 billion, and di-rected interested people with genuine business interests to ap-proach the offices for an interest-free loan. He cautioned peoplenot to doubt the sincerity of his projects, promising that all out-standing projects shall be completed before the current year runsout. The school projects in Ejigbo too shall be completed soon,regardless of sabotage efforts of detractors. He cautioned the peopleto desist from all acts that could return the state back to slavery;including voting wrongly.

Aregbesola rounded off his speech on a prophetic note. Heprescribed portions of scriptural references for Christians and Mos-lems to pray with. For Christians, he prescribed I Samuel 17:45-46; while for Moslems Samf ‘Il Fati 1-9 was cited.

Finally the governor raised two departing songs: “A o pade niAbere…” and “O ya yo ‘gbale re…” With these dismissal songs,the crowd dispersed.

So far, the ninth mega rally held at Ejigbo last Tuesday recordedan outstanding success. By the outcome of these rallies, we canrest assured with s safe conclusion that all is beautifully set for theastounding success of the progressives at the polls, come August 9this year.

AT this juncture, OSUN DEFENDER Magazine shall drawexcerpts from the pact given to the people of the state upon rollingout of the Oranmiyan campaign team of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesolaeight years ago; for the purposes of reference and setting the recordsstraight:

My mission and ambition are to restore to the people, a state ofpeace, opportunity, for progress and room for the pursuit of pros-perity in our time under a people friendly government.

I give you Six-Point Integral Action Plan, to the intent thatthey constitute my actions of faith concerning which I want to beheld accountable at any time during my stewardship.

SIX POINT INTEGRAL ACTION PLAN· Banish Poverty· Banish Hunger· Banish Unemployment (Create Work/Wealth)· Restore Healthy Living· Promote Functional Education· Enhance Communal Peace and ProgressBANISH POVERTYCOMMERCEVision: To make Osogbo the second hub in international trade

in goods and commodities in the Southwest.Osun people’s natural affinity for commerce has been damp-

ened over the years by unfriendly and unfocused economic poli-cies of government thereby popularizing poverty among a people,who are naturally hardworking, industrious and adventurous.

Our purposeful government of ACN shall revitalize commerceand restore wealth back to the land through:

·Market friendly policies that will revive the customary com-mercial activities in Osogbo and other towns in Osun.

·Promotion and support of activities focused on wealth promo-tion for our people.

·Transformation of Osogbo into an International market wheregoods will be procured at prices comparable to any other part ofWest Africa.

FINANCE& ECONOMIC PLANNINGI shall increase the internally generated revenue of the state and

also improve in mileage on every kobo accruing to the state by:·Ensuring real time online access to actual position of the state

finances to prevent misuse and other forms of abuse by receivingagencies.

·Reducing leakages in the tax collection and administration pro-cess.

·Running a transparent and accountable government.·Ensuring prudent management of the state’s resources.·Ensuring that the funds of the state are used for developmental

purposes.·Create viable Public/Private sector partnerships to jump start

the economy.·Our overall goal is to reduce dependence on federal allocation

as a means of funding the government.BANISH HUNGERFOOD& AGRICULTUREVision: Our government shall banish hunger in Osun and

enhance wealth through massive increase in food productionand agriculture.

Every farmer shall sell his products and be prosperous. Thelabour of the farmer shall no longer be in vain because we shallprovide assistance and support to farmers in finding and exploitingprofitable market for their goods.

We do not presently grow enough food in Osun to feed us roundthe year and this should concern a government that cares for itspeople.

Our government shall support farmers to attain increase in foodproduction, better storage and delivery. We shall provide assis-tance to farmers in exploiting profitable markets and market op-portunities for their products.

To maximize the benefit of resultant massive increase in foodproduction, we shall improve:

·Access roads and general transportation to even the most re-mote areas of the state.

·Storage process and capacity.·Processing of agricultural produce.·Rural electricity and water supply.CASH CROPS·Encourage production of cash crops which can enhance farmer’s

income and provide basis for an effective agro-industrial society inthe state of Osun.

·Specified to vigorously develop extensive farming in palm treesto create a fully integrated oil palm processing industry.

·To target and capture minimum of 10% of the multibillionnaira- per day food market of the neighbouring states.

·Support cooperative efforts by farmers·Be a catalyst to the development and promotion of micro,

small and medium enterprises that will exploit available raw mate-rials.

·Set up price support scheme for farmers through commodityexchange board.

BANISH UNEMPLOYMENT (CREATE WORK&WEALTH)

No job loss, more jobs.Osun people are peaceful, dignified and hardworking people

who desire and deserve gainful employment for their children andthemselves. Rather than policies that will create employment andwealth for the people, the policies of the PDP government in placeserve to enrich few at the expense of majority of our people.

As part of our GOVERNMENT UNUSUAL programme, IRauf Adesoji Aregbesola make a pact with you good people of theState of Osun, in the presence and by the grace of God Almightythat our government shall create immediate employment for 20,000people within our 100 days in office.

5,000 of these places shall be reserved for those who wereretrenched and are still willing and able to work.

As a people-friendly government, our policies shall help to:·Create economic environment that ensures availability of jobs

for all Osun indigenes.·Establish one LIFE ACADEMY in each of the three Senatorial

constituencies for the building of life- long skills in out of schools,youngsters as well as adults seeking alternative competencies.

·Promote labour exchange centres to facilitate employment ofgraduates from our Life Academies.

CIVIL SERVICE REFORMSThere is the need for a civil service reform that will not lead to

any loss of jobs as I Rauf Aregbesola do not believe in layingpeople off in the name of reforms.

Our reform will make the work environment more conductive,stimulating and development oriented.

•(L-R) The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; the Ogiyan of Ejigbo, Oba Omowonuola Oyeyode; firstcivilian governor in the State of Osun, Senator Isiaka Adeleke and Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, atthe Ogiyan’s Palace.

13 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 5, 2014MAGAZINE

Ejigbo Mega Rally: Unanimous Attestation To Divine Will

Continued from page 12Bonuses, incentives and regular awards shall be instituted to promote a culture of excellence in the civil service along

with the prompt payment of salaries, allowances, leave bonuses and year-end performance bonuses.

Promotions and comprehensive salary reviews and increases shall be regular.

Internal and external training, work exchange programmes and overseas training shall be actively reinstituted forcomprehensive human development in the civil service.

New Tutor General/Permanent Secretary Cadre shall be created for Teachers in new education districts for betterschool administration.

We shall institute Home Ownership Scheme for public servants and also support and encourage their backyard foodproduction business ventures.

We shall do a comprehensive review of civil service names and conventions as part of our efforts to create a people-friendly civil service.

Appropriate nomenclature will enhance accountability and promote public access to the services of the ministry. Acitizen with a complaint of blockage of drainage will find a Ministry of Roads and Drainages easier to identify with thanMinistry of Works, a Ministry of Human Resources and Development will more appropriately communicate its services thana Ministry of Establishment.

TOURISM

Vision: Tourist’s cradle in Africa

The State of Osun is the cradle of Yoruba people and our rich culture. The opportunities for wealth creation in Osunstate through tourism have been underexploited. We shall:

·Develop State of Osun tourism potentials to its fullest to promote employment and wealth among people of the Stateof Osun.

·Encourage development of Yoruba museum and world heritage centre at Ile-Ife.

·Encourage programmes that nurture and promote arts and talent.

·Enhance the image of traditional rulers and institutions.

·Mobilize our traditional rulers to showcase the state’s tourism potentials to Yorubas in the diaspora (e.g. Brazil, Cubaand West Indies).

ROADS

Vision: Roads to and in all towns and villages in Osun. Road construction and maintenance shall be used to generateemployment for the indigenes of the State of Osun.

·Community based road maintenance units will be established to ensure timely repairs and deduce overall maintenancecosts.

·Development and regular maintenance of urban and rural roads to get top priority.

·Access roads to evacuate agricultural produce shall be constantly improved and expanded.

·Create partnerships with the private sector on road development and provision of infrastructure.

TRANSPORTATION

We shall produce a transport master plan to provide direction for development of the sector.

The safety of the lives of the indigenes of the State of Osun is of great concern to us. We shall:

·Reduce to the barest minimum, road traffic accident within 6 months on all roads starting with Federal roads.

·Create a motorized division of the Osun troopers to patrol roads to prevent accidents on the highways and organizerescue and recovery operations.

INNOVATION

Europe, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and now China have made life for their people permanently comfortable throughinnovation, research and development, thrift and hardwork.

We Africans especially the people of the State of Osun are thrifty (a ki se oni nakuna) and hardworking (ati agbe atonise owo lo ka imele si aida nile Yoruba) but we have been backward in looking forward.

We have not been innovative enough, we have not invested enough in research and we have not developed the fruitsof innovation and research. In other words we remain backward, poor, unscientific and losers (eni igbehin) among the familyof nations.

It is a matter of concern that our leaders do not car or worry enough about these issues.

I care and I’m deeply concerned. As your Governor I will do everything possible to:

·Create awareness and dissatisfaction among all in the State of Osun about our position among the world’s people andthe need to move up the ladder of human ascent and development away from permanent and persistent poverty.

·Ensure that ideas with original creativity are tapped for the enrichment of all.

·Give real importance to education with skills development so that we can make what we need and become morecompetitive in the world as a people by creating more skills development centres in the State of Osun.

·In these centres we shall teach Men and Women to think with their hands, sharpen our already proven entrepreneurialskills and stop Nigeria from importing:

TOOTH PICK (IGI OPARUN FUN ITAYIN) FROM CHINA, ORANGE JUICE (OROMBO) FROM KOREA, SHOES (BATA)FROM SPAIN/ ITALY, FAN BELT/ CAR TYRES (RUBBER) FROM JAPAN AND FRANCE.

When I know that these can be easily manufactured here.

I shall turn the State of Osun into a creative agro-industrial zone God willing.

INDUSTRIALISATION

Key to banishing unemployment permanently anywhere is promoting conducive atmosphere for manufacturing andproduction. Our Government shall:

·Develop integrated industrial estates for mini, micro and large manufacturing enterprises in the three senatorial zonesof the State of Osun.

·Provide the estates with infrastructural facilities that reduce the cost of setting up industries (roads, electricity, waterand telecommunications).

·Provide incentives targeted at attracting manufacturers/ investors.

·Develop skilled personnel through our Life Academies, Universities and colleges to service specialized industrial andmanufacturing needs.

RESTORE HEALTHY LIVING

Vision: To work to save our people from all avoidable deaths due to accidents, emergencies, poverty and inadequatehealth facilities.

To achieve this for all and particularly our children and senior citizens, we shall:

·Provide effective and available healthcare for all.

·Provide efficient accident and emergency ambulance service.

·Provide primary health clinics within 10 kilometre radius of every Osun town, with special attention to the needs ofchildren, women and the elderly.

·Provide functional General hospitals within 20 kilometre radius of human habitation.

·Provide referral hospitals within 30 kilometre radius of human settlement.

·Establish free blood pressure checks in conjunction with private organizations at every local government office.

·Undertake special programmes for the upgrading, retraining and working comforts of all health personnel.

·Encourage and nurture alternative medical therapy.

·Free treatment for malaria to children below age 18 and senior citizens (60+).

ENVIRONMENT

Vision: To embrace current scientific methods in controlling the generation of waste and the conversion of waste towealth.

The state of the environment, especially waste generation, management and the embarrassing filth in our communitiesdemand special attention. The CAN government shall:

·Encourage all houses in the State of Osun to have a modern and affordable toilet facility through a special scheme.

·Provide private sector driven waste management and beautification schemes to rid our communities of filth whichthreaten public health.

·Beautification of town centres as a starting point of general urban renewal.

·Work with the private sector to establish appropriate waste-to-wealth projects under a composite waste managementpolicy.

WATER

Vision: Water for all in the state of the living spring.

It is a painful regret that most cities in Osun do not have potable water running at any time and Osun is the state ofthe living spring!!!

Our Government will do everything possible to bring potable water to all parts of the State of Osun and correct thisanomaly.

All abandoned water schemes shall be reactivated and speedily completed.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Our ACN Government shall:

·Help Osun indigenes realize their dreams of house ownership or rehabilitation of failing structures through deliberateprogrammes that improve their income earning capacity.

·Support mortgage schemes that make house ownership pocket friendly.

·Actively support research and development on the use of local materials to force down building costs.

ELECTRICITY

Electricity for all shall be the creed of ACN Government in Osun. We shall:

·Ensure that electric energy is available in the state for domestic, commercial and industrial activities.

·We shall endeavour to provide electricity to all villages, hamlets and farm settlements in the state.

·Private sector-led power agencies shall be encouraged to set up energy stations in the state.

SECURITY

Security of lives and properties are of paramount importance to us. Our Government shall:

·Have special programmes for the police and neighbourhood security outfits.

·Provide special allowance to all security agents deployed to Osun State and enhance their operational facilities forefficiency.

·Respond to the operational needs of security agents through provision of mobility, communication gadgets, protectivegears and conducive working environment.

FIRE SERVICES

We shall improve capacity of fire services to respond to emergencies.

PHYSICAL WELL-BEING

Our Government will promote physical exercises as a deliberate policy which will form a crucial aspect of our healthy-living programme. This is in keeping with the adage that a sound mind only resides in a sound body.

PROMOTE FUNCTIONAL EDUCATION

Vision: Eradicate the frustration of youths caused by education that does not lead to employment.

To achieve this, the government of AC under Rauf Aregbesola shall:

·Provide free education at all levels in Osun State. Focus on functional education. Education that makes one usefulto himself and society.

·Improve incentives to teachers and work with the NUT to restore the dignity of the teaching profession.

·Restructure administration of school management and create Tutors-General (Permanent Secretary Cadre) from amongHead Teachers in three Educational Districts which we will establish.\

·Fix all collapsed educational infrastructures in all the schools.

·Support with modern teaching aids and well-stocked libraries.

·Ensure cooperation with parents and teachers to improve discipline and morality.

·Introduce non-partisan community-based governing boards for all schools.

·Reduce number of students per classroom immediately.

·Introduce home development plans for teachers who wish to build houses in their home towns, through access to specialmortgage packages.

·Promote mass adult literacy and numeracy programmes.

·Promote and support Special programmes that give special attention to education of girls and women.

·Establish institutions that impart life-long skills for all, in and out of formal schooling.

ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND UNIVERSITY

·I am committed to ensuring that an Osun State University takes off on a sound footing and becomes a first-classinstitution with linkages to renowned universities in the developed world.

·I will make every tertiary institution in Osun State an independent degree-awarding one.

·Encourage use of services of retired, but not tired dons and administrators, from reputable institutions.

ENHANCE COMMUNAL PEACE AND PROGRESS

Vision: To restore the bond of trust between the Governor and the governed.

Over time, people have disconnected from government because those in authority have not shown enough concern abouttheir welfare or actively engaged them in formulating policies that affect them.

Our Government shall restore partnership between government and people through:

SAGES COUNCILS (EGBE AGBA)

Our state is blessed with a large pool of elderly folks who are invariably well educated, have enjoyed successful careers,travelled widely in the world, but are currently reduced to irrelevance in the society.

Our Government will support the formation of non partisan community based sages councils, capable of providingguidance in management, moral and ethical development in our society.

Our Government will seek elderly guidance and advice as inputs to our policy formation and implementation.

Government will support the senior citizens and help in their management of socio-economic problems peculiar to thegroup (pension, health and education).

YOUTHS COUNCIL (EGBE ODO)

People age 30 and below constitute the majority of our population but unfortunately are often frustrated and unfulfilledas a consequence of intolerable social and economic policies.

Our ACN Government shall support the creation of non partisan community based youth councils to provide a platformfor them to articulate and work out solutions to various problems confronting them.

Our Government will encourage cross fertilization of ideas between the Sages and Youth Councils through which publicpolicies would be influenced.

Government will promote sporting activities and creation of physical facilities for sporting and related activities.

We shall reinstate the abandoned ‘boys’ and girls’ clubs’ and name them Omoluabi Boys’ and Girls’ club to performthe roles similar to boys’ and girls’ scouts, boys brigade and more.

JUSTICE SECTOR REFORMS

An attribute of good governance is to promote justice, equity and fair play amongst citizens of the state.

Government of ACN will e3nsure speedy access ti justice try all individuals in Osun State, by reforming the courts systemand procedural rules, introducing alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms and fee legal services.

To complement these, ACN government shall improve welfare packages of Judicial Officers and upgrade courts withmodern IT and communications facilities.

COMMUNICATION

Our Government will restructure OSBC to:

Ensure its professional are motivated and continuously trained for competency

Provide digital equipment and infrastructure upgrade to conform to international best practices in broadcasting.

Exploit its tourism promotional capacity and capability.

CONSUMER PROTECTION

Consumers deserve to have the best goods and services at the best price and not have to pay more for goods and servi9cesthan their counterparts in other parts of the world.

Our government shall support the establishment of a consumer watch agency and also cooperate with organizations thathave similar objective of protecting our people from unfair business practices.

In all the above and above all these I intend to run a people-friendly government – a Government of the people, bythe people, FOR THE PEOPLE. A GOVERNMENT UNUSUAL in this land.

Infrastructures and facilities for reaching, advising, guiding, warning me will be given constant nurture.

Outside these I have no rigging machinery and will strongly appeal to you all Osun voters to fight and defend your votes.

Do not sell your vote and our future to a moneybag or vote people who do not care enough about our future as I passionatelydo.

I am entering into a pact with each and all of you as you read this that I and my colleagues shall work in all honesty,tirelessly to bring marked improvements to your life.

Apart of this pact you will be able to see that your children are better educated and have jobs; farmers, artisan, tradersare more prosperous, general quality of health has improved and you are no longer afraid to go to the hospital.

Osun will again be producing food enough for its people.

Through my Government Unusual, I shall work with and for you to create wealth through our toil as our fathers andmothers did to make us prosperous until 1962.

Concluded.

•Governnor Rauf Aregbesola acknowledging cheers from the crowd.

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 5, 2014 14INTERVIEW

I Am Sure Of Aregbesola ’ll Win - SalamiAdebayo Ayoade Salami was elected Senator for Osun Central Constituency of Osun at the start

of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, running on the Alliance for Democracy (AD) platform. He tookoffice on May29, 1999. After taking his seat in the Senate in June 1999, he was appointed into theCommittee on Public Accounts, Labour as Vice-Chairman. In a May 2001 debate over importingbeans from Burkina Faso, Bayo Salami was in the minority, when he argued that whatever couldbe done to feed Nigerians and make food affordable to the people should be done. The Senator inthis interview bares his mind on the administration of Aregbesola in Osun among other sundryissues. Excerpts:-OSDF: Sir, you have been around

for a while in Osun politics, andpeople here know that you are a

progressive, what will you say qualifiesyou as a progressive?

SALAMI: The first thing I will like to sayis that you said I have been around for awhile, but I will tell you that I have beenaround all the time since Osun State wascreated. Before the creation of Osun State, Iwas a local government council chairman inthe then Oyo State. It was after that thatOsun was created and I have been part ofpolitics since then. I also make significantimpact in the creation of the state and Icontested the governorship of the newly-created state in 1991with Isiaka Adeleke. Soit is not that I have been around for a whilebut I have been around all the while. Youare also asking what the impetuses of aprogressive are. I have seen all thegovernments that ran through the state, youwill see that when a progressive mind comesinto governance, they believe the essenceof government is doing good for themasses. Nobody has exhibited this trait inthe history of Osun than Rauf Aregbesola.

OSDF: So you believe Aregbesola haslived up to the impetuses of a progressivewith the way he is governing the state?

SALAMI: He has done a lot for the stateand has been able to lift the state higher interms of development among the commityof states in Nigeria. His programmes havetouched the lives of the people of the statein so many areas. Though, the firstprogramme he embarked upon may looksmall to some people, but to me, that is thegreatest achievement of this administration.The programme was changing the conceptof our state to that of “Omoluabi”. This isno physical but germane to the mind andbeing. There is a great difference betweenbeing a virtuous person and a bastard.That’s one core value that every humanbeing should have; attribute of beingresponsible. Good is what that concept hasbrought to Osun. It may look minute butgreat in the concept of growth. Let’s go onfrom there. It is very bad for a human beingto wake up in the morning and finds nothingto do. That will change him from a completehuman being. So what he did in his first 100days in office was to create an engagementfor twenty thousand youths. If you wakeup in the morning and sit down withouthaving anywhere to go, you are no more abeing, you will hate yourself. Twentythousand youths had been saved from suchsituation, I have seen some nation in a bidto try to engage youth, absorbed them; putthem on a job that they don’t even need,after they finish that job line, they destroyit. I am not saying we should do the samething. What we have here is justifiable. Inour own case, the streets were not clean,which is alien to our culture. These peoplewere taught for three weeks on the dignityof labour. The N10,000 they get may looksmall, but you will see that with that, aboutN200 million is monthly pumped into theeconomy of the state. It is not an amountthat can go to other state. If somebody isgetting an allowance of N10,000, all he doeswith such money is to take care of hisimmediate needs, not one that he can travelout of the state with. Parents, for the firsttime, were relieved of the burden of seeingthe child they have trained over a period oftime sitting at home doing nothing

productive. This is an achievement on itsown part.

He also came up with Osun RuralEntrepreneurial Agricultural Programmes.Let’s clear the land and give it to people,who are interested in farming. That is anarea, where we have comparativeadvantage, so that we can also be the foodbasket for this part of the country.

We have reform in the education sector.Honestly, I Bayo Salami, am looking at mybackground as a capitalist, I was wonderinghow a government can continue to feedchildren in public schools everyday withoutbeing a burden on government, but he feltdifferently on it, saying most of thesechildren are from the have-nots and theyalso have a role to play in the developmentof the state. He held that they needed thefood at that particular age to aid theirassimilation. So they now eat balanced dieta day in the school. He also decided to givethem free uniform and he transformed theeducation sector at the higher level by giving them the tablet of knowledge “OponImo”, and for the first time in the history ofthe state, infrastructural development is atthe highest, the kind of road that we neverimagined came up, roads that can last fifteento thirty years and that is the practice worldover, if you want to borrow money frombanks it must show how lasting such projectmust be, it must be able to stand the test oftime, they don’t expect you to be spendingmoney on maintenance.

OSDF: So you are in agreement with

people who believe the state is in debt tothe tune of N350 billion?

SALAMI: Look, people who said he hasborrowed N350 billion do not know whatN350 billion amounts to. One thing is clear,no single entity can borrow more than N150billion; no single individual, state,corporation or what have you can get morethan N150 billion. When you borrow N350billion and if they give you an interest ratethat is at barest minimum, it will be 12 percent,which means you will be paying 3.5 billionin a month, when the allocation to your stateis less than N3 billion and yet you have topay salaries and running cost. People stillcapitalize on our ignorance; we can besubsumed by just rumour. You will wonderthat do these people know what they aretalking about? I have just told you if youborrow such money and the interest youare going to pay, that shows you as amischief. You want to make it in life and youdon’t want to borrow? Let me tell yousomething, America is the most-indebtedcountry in the world. There is no placepeople of the world want to get to more thanAmerica. How many people are strugglingto get a visa to come to our country andhow many people want to get to America?They raise their debt ceiling year after year,so long they can produce that hugeinfrastructure in the US, and everything isokay with them. Most of our leaders do nothave what it takes to govern a nation. Inthis century we are and the one coming, it isnot the mineral resources inside the soil thatmakes the difference, but the brain that Godhas endowed us with that will make the

difference. Not your oil but how you useyour intellect to better the lot of the people.

OSDF: You, as a seasoned politician inthis state, are you in tandem with theinsinuation that the governor of the stateabandoned the local politicians in theconstitution of his cabinet and that thecabinet is made up of people from Lagos?

SALAMI: The question you just raised,somebody raised it here last night. Thepeople he has brought are Osun indigenes.Some of them may not necessarily bedomiciled in Osun as at that time, but forwhoever cares to listen to me, the standardswe have reached in the last three and a halfyear needs sharp minds. I am not defendinghim. You need sharp minds for sound ideas.I can tell you now that politicians that arebased here know the level we have reached,and I believe that by the second term ofAregbesola’s administration, politicians athome would have moved to the next level.Things are no more the same in the state;our teachers are different nowadays; theremode of dressing and work environmenthave changed. That is the level we havegotten to. We are no more doing things as itused to be.

OSDF: If you were to be the governor ofthe state, will you have constituted cabinetlike Aregbesola did?

SALAMI: Maybe I will not even be thatexposed to have those tall dreams that hehas. My dreams may still be the dreams thatwe used to have about doing things, but Ihave seen the practical solutions toproblems through him. Look at the kind ofroads he is constructing round the state.We use to construct roads too before, buthardly will you go there after six monthsand you will not blame yourself. He hasdone all that is humanly possible in the lastthree and a half years at the expense of hisown health. The good he has done is morethan my expectation that is why I havedecided that whatever it takes, he has myendorsement and come August 9, we aregoing to win, no amount of N50 billion Nairathat PDP may bring to Omisore campaignaccount, money will not buy the conscienceof an Osun person with what they have seenin the last three and a half years.

OSDF: What are your fears about thecoming governorship election in the state?

SALAMI: I, Bayo Salami, do not haveany fear about the election. I am very surethat come August 9, we will win the electionwith a wide margin. Take it from me, we havea state that is heterogeneous not anhomogenous one like that of Ekiti. I am notunaware that President Jonathan spoke withall the Obas in Ekiti on one on one basisbefore the day of the election. I am notunaware that he will do the same thing inOsun, but I am aware of the situation inOsun. Our Obas are not illiterates. They areof sound mind and conviction that theyknow what is right. At the appropriate time,Osun people will take their so-called N10,000they have penned down for every voter andwill still do the right thing. This not a placethat you to come and preach religiousdifferences. we have been living togetheras brothers, so I am certain that APC willwin the election.

•AKNADE

15OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Widows In The State Of Osun Endorsed The Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola,For Second Term In Office Held At All Progressive Congress (APC) Secretariat,Osogbo, Penultimate Thursday.

•(R-L) President, O’Widows, State of Osun, Mrs Funmilayo Olapeju; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; State Coordinator, O’Widows, Mrs Olanike Owolabi; Deputy President,O’Widows, Mrs Elzabeth Odetayo and other members of the group, during a special prayer and endorsement of Aregbesola for second term in office at All Progressives Congress(APC) State Secretariat, Osogbo last Thursday.

•(R-L) Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Iyalode of Osogboland, Chief Alake Kolade and President O’Widows, Mrs Funmilayo Olapeju, during the special prayer and endorsementof Aregbesola for second term in Osogbo, State of Osun, on Thursday

•Some of the widows in Osun (O’Widows) showing their support for Aregbesola, during a special prayer and endorsement of Aregbesola for second term in office.

PHOTOTALK

TUESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2014

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

By TUNJI ADEGBOYEGAOnly the uninitiated will

attempt to compare thestate of affairs in Ekiti

with that of Osun State,particularly with regard to theJune 21 governorship electionin the former, and the fastapproaching August 9gubernatorial election in thelatter. One undeniable factabout Governor RaufAregbesola of Osun State isthat he is a grassroots man to the core.Indeed, the impressive crowds that havebeen attending his rallies since hiscampaign for reelection started have beenconfounding the opposition, particularlythe Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)whose members have been alleging thatthe crowds are rented. But they knowdeep down their hearts that they are lying.Such is the allure of the man, RaufAregbesola: downright factual; nopretence.

Aregbe, as he is fondly called,understands the language of thegrassroots as he knows the lines on hispalms. He knows his people just as hispeople know him. This is one major hurdlethat those who might want to repeat whatthey see as the ‘Ekiti feat’ in Osun Statehave to contend with, come August 9.

Aregbesola’s mission statement isencapsulated in the six-point integralaction plan of his administration. One is‘Promotion of functional education’,under which the decayed educationalinfrastructure in the state is beinggradually replaced while at the same timeensuring quality control. His governmenthas reclassified schools into elementaryschool (five years); middle school (fouryears) and high school (three years),against the national policy of 6-3-3. Thisradical departure was informed by thegovernment’s belief that pupils need moretime at the middle school so as to preparethem for maturity into high school. Thestate has had to build 25 mega schools inorder to bring children from diversebackgrounds together to learn in aconducive atmosphere. However, politicaljobbers have criticised this policy on thealleged ground that it constitutes anerasure of religious lines, especially inschools with bias for religion. Mercifully,the tension that initially attended thispolicy has since given way, with thegovernment’s explanation of how it cameabout, i.e. that it was the idea of ProfWole Soyinka’s team, designed as a wayout of the education decay that the statewas in when Aregbe took over.

Of course, other aspects of theAregbesola government’s educationalprogramme include the one nutritiousmeal given free to 254,000 primary schoolkids daily under the state’s O-MEALProgramme. This is to help develop theirbrains as well as serve as incentive forthem to go to school. In addition, it is away of getting ready markets for farmersin the state to sell their farm produce thatis used in preparing the meals. Then theOpon Imo or ‘tablets of knowledge’ thathave been distributed to about 150,000secondary school pupils in the state. Thetablet has 56 e-books, 10 years of pastWest African Examinations Council(WAEC), National Examinations Council(NECO) and the Joint Admissions and

Matriculation Board (JAMB) questions,as well as the Holy Bible, Holy Quran andtraditional religion content. This is savingthe government huge sums of moneyunder its free education programme.

The other legs of Aregbesola’s actionplan are banishment of hunger/unemployment, enhanced security/welfare, restoration of healthy living andpromotion of communal peace, etc.

Aregbesola knows the importance ofthe agricultural sector and has done somuch in so short a time that farmerswould not forget him in a hurry. He hasliberalised access by farmers to soft loansto improve their yield and lessen theirburden; he has also complemented thiswith good roads to enable the farmerstransport their produce with ease to themarket. Indeed, it is in the area of roadnetwork that the governor, an engineer,has brought professionalism and ingenuityto bear. All over the state, theadministration is building durable roadsand rehabilitating dilapidated ones. And,in order to ensure that the state gets valuefor its money from the contractors, someof whom are notorious for disappearingafter collecting mobilisation fees, theAregbesola administration insists ondelivery of the roads before paying thecontractors. The benefit here is that roadsare constructed to specification since thecontractors know that they would not bepaid if they deviated from the terms of

the contract.

In like manner, new hospitals are beingbuilt all over the state even as old onesare being renovated and all equipped toenhance the free health treatment for asection of the people. The governmenthas also taken away from the streets alot of youths who otherwise would havebeen jobless and thus constitute socialmenace to law-abiding citizens. Althoughthere is still work to be done in this regardas it is impossible to mop up the hugenumber of jobless youths that thegovernment inherited, the fact is thatthrough its O-YES Scheme, thegovernment has reduced their numberssignificantly by about 40,000.

The security agencies could not havehad it better as the Aregbesola governmenthas done a lot for them by way ofempowerment, to ensure peace andreduce criminality in the state. Thegovernment has assisted the securityagencies with some 125 patrol vans,among other things.

Of course, like most other performersand change agents, Aregbesola has hadhis own unfair share of criticisms. Likethe typical woman who, for lack of whatto say, says it is in her husband’s housethat she would sleep tonight! Where elsecould she have slept? Even if she wouldsleep in a place where she is not supposedto, could she have made that a public

service announcement? For lack ofwhat to say, the few but vocalcritics of the Aregbesolaadministration say he is a religiousbigot. One would ordinarily haveignored such idle criticism but forthe fact that those who want tosucceed the governor are sodesperate that they can cook upanything. In a situation where

people celebrate the replacement of anadministration, not for non-performance,but on the flimsiest of excuses, it is goodto put all the cards on the table to enablethe electorate, who should be the ultimatedeciders in the August 9 governorshipelection in the state sift the wheat fromthe chaff. The truth is, the compositionof Aregbesola’s cabinet does not supportthis claim. In the 34-member cabinet, only12 are Muslims just as we have only 12Muslim permanent secretaries of the 32in the state. With regard to the state houseof assembly with 26 members, only nineare Muslims.

Through his robust management of theeconomy, the state internally generatedrevenue (IGR) has grown fromN300million that the administrationinherited in 2010 to about N1.5 billionmonthly. Thus, the government has beenable to steer the economy from its near-bankruptcy in 2010 and is still doing the‘balancing act’ in a predominantly civilservant state despite the drop of itsrevenue from the federation accountfrom N5billion to about N2.5billionmonthly. The oversubscription of theSukuk Bond from its envisaged N10billionto N11billion is a measure of investors’confidence in the state economy; so isthe other N60billion bond out of whichN30billion had been drawn.

This is only a fraction of what the man,Rauf Aregbesola, has done in Osun in lessthan four years. He has literally breathedlife into virtually all sectors of the statethat were dead when he took over thereins of government after a protractedlegal battle to reclaim his mandate fromthe PDP usurpers. What makes theseachievements particularly praiseworthy isthe fact that Osun is not a rich state. It isa predominantly civil servant state, onein which few resources are being chasedby overwhelming demands. Yet, Aregbehas been making sense in spite of thefinancial limitations. Positivedevelopments that hitherto were thoughtto be unimaginable have become possiblein the state.

So, “a good turn”, as they say,“deserves another”. It is time for Osunpeople to tell those who have nothing tooffer to steer clear of governance in thestate. What the state deserves now is thecontinuation of the streak of successesthat it has been witnessing since Aregbe’sadministration took over. It is onlyunfortunate that people who should be injail in decent climes are some of thosenow seeking to rule a progressive andpace-setter region like Nigeria’s south-west. That tells us something about thedepth to which the country has sunk,especially under the PDP.

•Culled from THE NATIONOSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guaranty Trust Bank GTB, Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun. All correspondenceto 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.

Let Aregbe Do It Again

•AREGBESOLA