EKITI LABOUR PARTY HOLDS MEGA RALLY IN ADO EKITI
In continuation of its campaigns across towns, villages and settlements, the Labour Party, Ekiti State shall, tomorrow, Tuesday, April 29, 2014, hold a mega rally in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State Capital.
Barr. Akin Omole, the party chairman in Ekiti is the chief host at this rally holding on Ajitadidun grounds in Opopogbooro Adebayo area of Ado Ekiti. The event which starts at9am and promises to be grand shall have in attendance dignitaries from all over the country including the National Chairman of Labour Party, Barr. Dan Nwanyanwu OFR, members of the national working committee of the party, chieftains of the party in the South West including Governor Rahman Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Ondo State House of Assembly members, Commissioners and Special Advisers, Afenifere chieftains as well as other stakeholders.
All hands are on deck to make this mother of all rallies a grand occasion. The Labour Party standard flag bearer in Ekiti State, Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele will also meet with party stakeholders and present his manifesto to them.
Signed
Bolanle Olatunde-Bruce
Media & Publicity Secretary,
Labour Party,
Ekiti State
Monday, April 28, 2014
DIVIDEND OF GODFATHERISM (DOG)
The political landscape of the Nigeria's South-West has further been proven to have left the grip of any godfather in the region. Before the 2011 general elections, we are having three (3) political parties occupying the government houses of the six (6) states region; Lagos- ACN; Ekiti- ACN; Osun- ACN; Ogun- PDP; Oyo- PDP and Ondo- LP.
In 2011, Ogun and Oyo states under the platform of the PDP have their share of Dividend Of Godfatherism (DOG) as the party lost to the ACN. This happened not necessarily because the party have not been able to deliver but their loss was more of that "house divided against itself " due to the pocketing of the party activities by FEW advantaged party chieftains which was characterised with mass decamping of the PDP members to alternative political platforms to achieve their political ambitions.
In Ogun state, a sizeable number of the then ruling PDP decamped to various rivalry political parties: ACN; PPN; LP and other political parties on ground.
To Be Continued....
In 2011, Ogun and Oyo states under the platform of the PDP have their share of Dividend Of Godfatherism (DOG) as the party lost to the ACN. This happened not necessarily because the party have not been able to deliver but their loss was more of that "house divided against itself " due to the pocketing of the party activities by FEW advantaged party chieftains which was characterised with mass decamping of the PDP members to alternative political platforms to achieve their political ambitions.
In Ogun state, a sizeable number of the then ruling PDP decamped to various rivalry political parties: ACN; PPN; LP and other political parties on ground.
To Be Continued....
Friday, April 11, 2014
HOW HONOURABLE ABIODUN AKINLADE CELEBRATED HIS 47th BIRTHDAY.
For a man that has benefitted immensely from the society, sharing his time and resources on his 47th birthday with prisoners and the less privileged in the society was the least he could do.
Abiodun Akinlade, representing Yewa South/Ipokia federal constituency at the House of Representatives s re-ignited the hope of inmates of the Ilaro Prison, after presenting vocational materials worth several millions of naira to them, for the acquisition of skills and trades ahead of their re-integration into the society.
The House Committee chairman on Science and Technology said: “I have been celebrating my birthday with friends and relatives in the comfort of my home in the past, but my family and I resolved to put smiles on the faces of prisoners and the less privileged in the orphanages, this time around.
“We discovered that this set of people are detached from the society and most of them are mere victims of circumstance. They needed to be given the hope that they would be reintegrated into the society after their jail terms. Our prisons should be reformative and not punitive, and this is why we have chosen to celebrate my birthday with the presentation of these vocational items to the inmates.”
SOURCE:http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=59494
Abiodun Akinlade, representing Yewa South/Ipokia federal constituency at the House of Representatives s re-ignited the hope of inmates of the Ilaro Prison, after presenting vocational materials worth several millions of naira to them, for the acquisition of skills and trades ahead of their re-integration into the society.
The House Committee chairman on Science and Technology said: “I have been celebrating my birthday with friends and relatives in the comfort of my home in the past, but my family and I resolved to put smiles on the faces of prisoners and the less privileged in the orphanages, this time around.
“We discovered that this set of people are detached from the society and most of them are mere victims of circumstance. They needed to be given the hope that they would be reintegrated into the society after their jail terms. Our prisons should be reformative and not punitive, and this is why we have chosen to celebrate my birthday with the presentation of these vocational items to the inmates.”
SOURCE:http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=59494
Thursday, April 10, 2014
OGUN STATE APC CONGRESSS; A CHARADE -LABOUR PARTY
Our attention has been drawn to the pandemonium that followed the recently held. Ward Congresses of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Ogun State Chapter on Saturday, 5th April, 2014.
The violence and civil disturbance that erupted during and after the congress with a lot of party members sustaining different degree of injuries has further exposed the APC to be a conglomieration of greedy politicians who are hell bent in acquiring power at all means without being prepared for the responsibility of leadership.
If at ordinary ward congress blood-letting and maiming could be the order of the day one wonders what we are to expect in the remaining party congresses not to talk of the general elections. it is amusing that a Political party that claims to be the symbol of democracy and pacesetter could disintegrate and demonstrate the height of undemocratic acts. From the above, it is evident that All Progressive Congress in Ogun State will employ all means to retain itself in government at all cost which could jeopardize the peaceful conduct of the 2015 general election.
It must be recalled that the Labour Party in Ogun State recently held its congresses in the State which could be regarded by every standard as one of the best organized Party Congresses as it was devoid of any crisis. The Labour Party is however using this medium to appeal to the good people of Ogun State to embrace the social democratic ideals of the Labour Party by joining it and vote out the All Progressive Congress in the next general election in order to save our people from the bondage the APC will put the people into if voted into power by Year 2015.
Conclusively, it is our considered opinion that the APC leadership in the state will appease its members ahead of the coming Local Government congress to avoid another audacious outing.
As usual, it is expected that the APC lying machinery will attempt to cover up this insolence. But they must be reminded that the truth is constant, hence the veracity of any claim resides with the people.
'Deji Kalejaiye
Publicity Secretary
Ogun State Labour Party
The violence and civil disturbance that erupted during and after the congress with a lot of party members sustaining different degree of injuries has further exposed the APC to be a conglomieration of greedy politicians who are hell bent in acquiring power at all means without being prepared for the responsibility of leadership.
If at ordinary ward congress blood-letting and maiming could be the order of the day one wonders what we are to expect in the remaining party congresses not to talk of the general elections. it is amusing that a Political party that claims to be the symbol of democracy and pacesetter could disintegrate and demonstrate the height of undemocratic acts. From the above, it is evident that All Progressive Congress in Ogun State will employ all means to retain itself in government at all cost which could jeopardize the peaceful conduct of the 2015 general election.
It must be recalled that the Labour Party in Ogun State recently held its congresses in the State which could be regarded by every standard as one of the best organized Party Congresses as it was devoid of any crisis. The Labour Party is however using this medium to appeal to the good people of Ogun State to embrace the social democratic ideals of the Labour Party by joining it and vote out the All Progressive Congress in the next general election in order to save our people from the bondage the APC will put the people into if voted into power by Year 2015.
Conclusively, it is our considered opinion that the APC leadership in the state will appease its members ahead of the coming Local Government congress to avoid another audacious outing.
As usual, it is expected that the APC lying machinery will attempt to cover up this insolence. But they must be reminded that the truth is constant, hence the veracity of any claim resides with the people.
'Deji Kalejaiye
Publicity Secretary
Ogun State Labour Party
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
NATIONAL CONFAB: Cleric Calls for Religious Tolerance
As a delegate, and as a people representing people of faith in God from the Islamic perspective, one thing we believe is that God will protect the community that stands for justice even if they are not Muslims and God will not protect the community that goes contrary to justice even if they call themselves Muslims.
God is not a religious bigot. He is not a male chauvinist. He is not an ethnocentric tribalist. God is not the oppressor of anyone. God is with those who care; those who want for others those things they want for themselves.
One tendency for people who claim to follow a religion is to slide into the position of believing that we are better than the others. We overestimate our virtues and underestimate the goodness in others. The tendency is for us to become spiritually arrogant; to forget that others are people like us.
There is always a tension between representing our religious communities or our ethnic communities and our loyalty to the virtues and values and teachings of our religion even those lofty ideals of our ethnic groups.
It is our prayer that delegates will try and ensure that the spiritual strength we have in us will keep us from not getting angry and not allowing our bitterness from others to make us sail from justice. It is in this vein and as a delegate from the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, we condemn the murder of all Christians, we condemn the murder of all Muslims. Not because they are Christians or Muslims, but because they are human beings – creatures of God.
There is no compulsion in religion. We all own Nigeria. We all belong here. And we all have the right to self-determination. We should respect that right and do unto others what we will do unto ourselves.
There are many other countries that have ethnic and religious diversity far greater than what we have here in Nigeria. But something that distinguishes us from them, be it Singapore, United States, they have been able to respect the rule of law so that any bigot, any nepotic individual who tramples on the right of anyone especially that of the minority, the rule of law will catch up. Satan will only find a hole if there is a crack in that rule of law.
Ever ethnic group is an oppressed minority somewhere. Every group is a religious and ethnic minority somewhere. Every majority or settler is an indigene somewhere. In one way, we are all settlers; we just don’t remember where we came from or why we came.
But ultimately, we are all visitors to this planet, from God we come and to Him we return. As Muslim delegates, we come in brotherhood, as brothers and friends to solve our common problems and not as adversaries.
We come against the exploitation of religion and religious sentiments. We come against stereotyping, stigmatizing and dehumanizing of each other. We come against the use of religion as a political decoy and as a distraction from the critical things that bedevil our nation.
I pray that at the end of this conference, we will all grow in our humanity and respect for each other.
Alh. Nurudeen Lemu, a delegate from the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs
God is not a religious bigot. He is not a male chauvinist. He is not an ethnocentric tribalist. God is not the oppressor of anyone. God is with those who care; those who want for others those things they want for themselves.
One tendency for people who claim to follow a religion is to slide into the position of believing that we are better than the others. We overestimate our virtues and underestimate the goodness in others. The tendency is for us to become spiritually arrogant; to forget that others are people like us.
There is always a tension between representing our religious communities or our ethnic communities and our loyalty to the virtues and values and teachings of our religion even those lofty ideals of our ethnic groups.
It is our prayer that delegates will try and ensure that the spiritual strength we have in us will keep us from not getting angry and not allowing our bitterness from others to make us sail from justice. It is in this vein and as a delegate from the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, we condemn the murder of all Christians, we condemn the murder of all Muslims. Not because they are Christians or Muslims, but because they are human beings – creatures of God.
There is no compulsion in religion. We all own Nigeria. We all belong here. And we all have the right to self-determination. We should respect that right and do unto others what we will do unto ourselves.
There are many other countries that have ethnic and religious diversity far greater than what we have here in Nigeria. But something that distinguishes us from them, be it Singapore, United States, they have been able to respect the rule of law so that any bigot, any nepotic individual who tramples on the right of anyone especially that of the minority, the rule of law will catch up. Satan will only find a hole if there is a crack in that rule of law.
Ever ethnic group is an oppressed minority somewhere. Every group is a religious and ethnic minority somewhere. Every majority or settler is an indigene somewhere. In one way, we are all settlers; we just don’t remember where we came from or why we came.
But ultimately, we are all visitors to this planet, from God we come and to Him we return. As Muslim delegates, we come in brotherhood, as brothers and friends to solve our common problems and not as adversaries.
We come against the exploitation of religion and religious sentiments. We come against stereotyping, stigmatizing and dehumanizing of each other. We come against the use of religion as a political decoy and as a distraction from the critical things that bedevil our nation.
I pray that at the end of this conference, we will all grow in our humanity and respect for each other.
Alh. Nurudeen Lemu, a delegate from the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
CONFUSION IN OSUN STATE AS "Pupils Wear Religious Regalia To School In Osun …Sing Different Religious Songs In Assembly "
There was confusion at Baptist High School, Iwo, Osun State on Tuesday as some pupils shunned their uniforms and wore choir gowns, white garments, Islamic apparel and other unconventional dresses to the school.
Although no group or individual could be identified as the mastermind of the bizarre dress code by the pupils, there were, however, conflicting reasons for the behaviour. While some people said the unconventional dresses were a way of registering dislike for the same uniform introduced by the government for all schools in the state, others said some Christians who were opposed to wearing of hijab in schools founded by Christian missionaries orchestrated the drama.
The suit instituted on the issue of hijab wearing to school is still pending before an Osun State High Court. But Tuesday confusion reportedly became more pronounced at the assembly ground as the pupils could not listen to their teachers because they were busy lining up themselves along religious lines.
A female pupil, who was dressed in a purple gown usually worn by the choir in the Baptist church, was said to have led Christian students in gospel praises, while her Muslim counterpart dressed in hijab was seen hollering “Allau Akbar” and singing praises to Allah from the same platform simultaneously.
It was learnt that although many other pupils appeared in the government-approved uniform, a few ones who are neither Christians nor Muslims wore clothes with the insignia of their religious beliefs, making the atmosphere in the school chaotic.
The confusion was said to have continued in the classrooms as pupils sang discordant tunes. The confusion, it was gathered, started on Monday and continued on Tuesday morning. The teachers were said to be helpless in controlling the pupils due to the sensitivity of the issue.
The Principal of the school, identified simply as Mr. Arowolo, told PUNCH Metro that that the issue had been reported to the appropriate authorities for action.
The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Sunday Akere, said the government had been informed of the development and had sent officials of the Ministry of Education to the school on a fact-finding mission.
The Christian Association of Nigeria in the state had protested against the wearing of hijab to schools founded by Christians, describing it as an attempt to wipe away the heritage bequeathed to them by the early missionaries. But the Joint Muslim Action Forum, which is an umbrella body of all Islamic groups in the state, issued a statement, condemning the protest.
The statement was issued by the JOMAF Coordinator, Alhaji Kola Uzamat and Secretary, Mr. Qaasim Odedeji. The group described the prevention of hijab-wearing students from Christian schools as an act of religious intolerance which would not be allowed in the state. The group accused Christians of attempting to sabotage Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s policy which it said was introduced to address the decay in the education sector in the state.
SOURCE: The Punch.
Although no group or individual could be identified as the mastermind of the bizarre dress code by the pupils, there were, however, conflicting reasons for the behaviour. While some people said the unconventional dresses were a way of registering dislike for the same uniform introduced by the government for all schools in the state, others said some Christians who were opposed to wearing of hijab in schools founded by Christian missionaries orchestrated the drama.
The suit instituted on the issue of hijab wearing to school is still pending before an Osun State High Court. But Tuesday confusion reportedly became more pronounced at the assembly ground as the pupils could not listen to their teachers because they were busy lining up themselves along religious lines.
A female pupil, who was dressed in a purple gown usually worn by the choir in the Baptist church, was said to have led Christian students in gospel praises, while her Muslim counterpart dressed in hijab was seen hollering “Allau Akbar” and singing praises to Allah from the same platform simultaneously.
It was learnt that although many other pupils appeared in the government-approved uniform, a few ones who are neither Christians nor Muslims wore clothes with the insignia of their religious beliefs, making the atmosphere in the school chaotic.
The confusion was said to have continued in the classrooms as pupils sang discordant tunes. The confusion, it was gathered, started on Monday and continued on Tuesday morning. The teachers were said to be helpless in controlling the pupils due to the sensitivity of the issue.
The Principal of the school, identified simply as Mr. Arowolo, told PUNCH Metro that that the issue had been reported to the appropriate authorities for action.
The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Sunday Akere, said the government had been informed of the development and had sent officials of the Ministry of Education to the school on a fact-finding mission.
The Christian Association of Nigeria in the state had protested against the wearing of hijab to schools founded by Christians, describing it as an attempt to wipe away the heritage bequeathed to them by the early missionaries. But the Joint Muslim Action Forum, which is an umbrella body of all Islamic groups in the state, issued a statement, condemning the protest.
The statement was issued by the JOMAF Coordinator, Alhaji Kola Uzamat and Secretary, Mr. Qaasim Odedeji. The group described the prevention of hijab-wearing students from Christian schools as an act of religious intolerance which would not be allowed in the state. The group accused Christians of attempting to sabotage Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s policy which it said was introduced to address the decay in the education sector in the state.
SOURCE: The Punch.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
FORMER LAGOS STATE DEPUTY GOVERNOR ARRESTED OVER LAND FRAUD
The Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police on
Tuesday arrested a former Deputy Governor of
Lagos State, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu.
The 67-year-old, who was declared wanted by the
SFU on June 19, 2013, for allegedly obtaining
N130m from one Cajethan Okekearu, under the
guise of selling a plot of land at Admiralty Way,
Lekki, Lagos, was arrested at her Lagos Island
residence.
In a statement by the SFU Commissioner of Police,
Mr.Tunde Ogunsakin, Ojikutu was said to have
allegedly connived with her son, Samson Ojikutu
Jnr, currently in the United States, to commit the
fraud.
The statement reads in part, “The suspect and
her son were parties to the sale of the land and
both signed the agreement given to Okekerau and
obtained the sum of N130m from him.
“She admitted the crime, but claimed that it was
a genuine mistake of plot identification. After
refunding N50m to Okekearu, she promised to
refund the balance as soon as she disposed her
two properties she put up for sale.
“She equally made an undertaking and payment
plan which was drawn from September, 2012 and
was to terminate by November 2012, but she
defaulted.”
It was learnt that Okekearu became aware of the
fraud after he commenced development on the
land. He was said to be on the verge of
completing the building when the bonafide owner
of the land surfaced.
It was later discovered that the land which the ex-
deputy governor sold did not belong to her. She
actually sold Plot 23 Block 4, said to belong to one
Mr. Afolabi, while her plot, 24 Block 4, already had
a property on it.
It was also discovered that the plot belonged to
late Samson Ojikutu Snr, the suspect’s husband
who died in 2008. The plot was sold by him in
1995, while the suspect appended her signature to
the sale of the land.
The statement added, “It will be recalled that the
suspect sued the Inspector-General of Police, the
Commissioner of Police, SFU and the complainants
in the State High Court at Igbosere, Lagos, with
Suit No. M/581/2013, praying the court to restrain
the police from further investigation into the
matter and violation of fundamental human right.
“The ruling by Justice Obadina on December 17,
2013, dismissed the suit for lack of merit, saying
the Nigeria Police has the power to prosecute the
applicants, Sinatu and her son, Samson, since the
police investigation revealed that there is prima-
facie case of obtaining by false pretences against
them and added that the court would not interfere
or restrain the police from carrying out their
statutory function.”
SOURCE: The Punch.
Tuesday arrested a former Deputy Governor of
Lagos State, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu.
The 67-year-old, who was declared wanted by the
SFU on June 19, 2013, for allegedly obtaining
N130m from one Cajethan Okekearu, under the
guise of selling a plot of land at Admiralty Way,
Lekki, Lagos, was arrested at her Lagos Island
residence.
In a statement by the SFU Commissioner of Police,
Mr.Tunde Ogunsakin, Ojikutu was said to have
allegedly connived with her son, Samson Ojikutu
Jnr, currently in the United States, to commit the
fraud.
The statement reads in part, “The suspect and
her son were parties to the sale of the land and
both signed the agreement given to Okekerau and
obtained the sum of N130m from him.
“She admitted the crime, but claimed that it was
a genuine mistake of plot identification. After
refunding N50m to Okekearu, she promised to
refund the balance as soon as she disposed her
two properties she put up for sale.
“She equally made an undertaking and payment
plan which was drawn from September, 2012 and
was to terminate by November 2012, but she
defaulted.”
It was learnt that Okekearu became aware of the
fraud after he commenced development on the
land. He was said to be on the verge of
completing the building when the bonafide owner
of the land surfaced.
It was later discovered that the land which the ex-
deputy governor sold did not belong to her. She
actually sold Plot 23 Block 4, said to belong to one
Mr. Afolabi, while her plot, 24 Block 4, already had
a property on it.
It was also discovered that the plot belonged to
late Samson Ojikutu Snr, the suspect’s husband
who died in 2008. The plot was sold by him in
1995, while the suspect appended her signature to
the sale of the land.
The statement added, “It will be recalled that the
suspect sued the Inspector-General of Police, the
Commissioner of Police, SFU and the complainants
in the State High Court at Igbosere, Lagos, with
Suit No. M/581/2013, praying the court to restrain
the police from further investigation into the
matter and violation of fundamental human right.
“The ruling by Justice Obadina on December 17,
2013, dismissed the suit for lack of merit, saying
the Nigeria Police has the power to prosecute the
applicants, Sinatu and her son, Samson, since the
police investigation revealed that there is prima-
facie case of obtaining by false pretences against
them and added that the court would not interfere
or restrain the police from carrying out their
statutory function.”
SOURCE: The Punch.
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