PRESS STATEMENT
Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,SAN, has described Otunba Dele Ajayi as the right candidate for the position of the first Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Governor Akeredolu said Otunba Dele Ajayi, who is from the sunshine state, is competent, experienced and very passionate about football development in the country.
“Dele Ajayi has the pre-requisite experience to emerge as the first Vice President of the NFF. As the current Chairman of Ondo State Football Association, he has inspired youths and players in football development.
“As a former Executive Member of NFF, he understands the workings of the football federation. He had served as a Chairman, NFF Committee on Finance and Audit. He’s rich in experience and very passionate about football.
“Under his coordination, we have witnessed grassroots football development through Statewide league. We are confident of his commitment to the development of football in the country and success of our national team.” Governor Akeredolu said.
The Governor enjoined all stakeholders to join hands and support Ajayi for the position of the NFF first Vice President, adding that he is the best candidate for the job.
Signed:
Richard Olatunde
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Ondo State.
September 10, 2022.
GOV AKEREDOLU: ALLOW AMOTEKUN CARRY SOPHISTICATED WEAPONS TO DEFEND OUR PEOPLE
- Clarifies His Position On Oil Pipeline Surveillance
- Commissions Newly Reconstructed OSOPADEC Office Complex
Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, on Wednesday asked the Federal Government to allow Amotekun and other State Security Outfits bear sophisticated arms to protect the people.
The Governor also clarified his position on the Oil Pipeline Surveillance contract awarded to private individuals and organisations.
Governor Akeredolu said his position was to allow Amotekun bear heavy arms like the non-state actors who were engaged to protect the oil pipelines.
Governor Akeredolu spoke at the commissioning of the newly reconstructed office complex at the Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC) in Oba-Ile, Akure North Local Government Area.
The Commission under the leadership of the Chairman, Sam Erejuwa, presented two patrol vehicles and three motorcycles to Ilaje and Ese-Odo local government chairmen to strengthen security architecture in the OSOPADEC mandate areas.
Decrying the precarious security situation in the country, Governor Akeredolu vowed that he will continue to take the bull by the horn to protect the people of the state.
He said: “Most of the people and even some of my colleagues didn’t really understand my position on the oil pipeline surveillance contract. I have no issue with the Federal Government awarding surveillance contract to anybody. It is Federal Government’s money. They can use it anyhow they want.
“Here, we are spending our money on Amotekun. And what I said in my statement titled “Who Actually Needs Weapon” was that the Federal Government should allow Amotekun carry sophisticated weapon like those whom they awarded pipelines surveillance contract.
“If you can allow individuals to carry heavy arms to protect pipelines, why won’t you allow Amotekun to carry sophisticated weapon to protect the people. The oil facilities are not important than the lives of the people,” He said.
Governor Akeredolu, who disclosed that some arrests have been made in connection to the abduction of some burial guests in Ifon over the weekend, said the victims who have been released are scared to come and identify their abductors.
The Governor appreciated all security agencies in the state including Amotekun for the great work they did in securing the victims’ release.
Commissioning the office complex, Governor Akeredolu reeled out the projects already awarded and ongoing by OSOPADEC under his administration.
They include the 28.5 Km Aboto-Atijere Road awarded for N8.804billion naira; Rehabilitation and Asphalt Overlay from Akintubuwa Junction to Alape awarded for N5.49 billion; 1 Km Igbotu Road Construction awarded for N221.1m; Mini Water Supply Scheme and Water Treatment Plant awarded at N82,78m; Ugbonla-Erunna awarded for 4.7 billion naira and Araromi-Lekki Road awarded in two lots at N33 billion naira.
Earlier, OSOPADEC chairman, Sam Erejuwa, appreciated Governor Akeredolu for making funds available for the renovation of the office complex and the purchase of patrol vehicles as well as motorcycles.
Erejuwa added that within seven months, over 30 housing units have been completed while another 30 are also ongoing, promising to continue to support the Governor as he is determined to develop and transform the OSOPADEC mandate areas.
In their separate goodwill messages, a Board member of OSOPADEC, Prince Adegboye Raphael, and the immediate past Chairman of OSOPADEC, Gbenga Edema, lauded Governor Akeredolu for his uncommon commitment to security and infrastructure development of the state, especially OSOPADEC mandate areas.
Edema also thanked Erejuwa for embracing the spirit of continuity in the Commission.
Richard Olatunde
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Ondo State.
September 7, 2022.
SANWO-OLU ASSIGNS PORTFOLIOS, REDEPLOYS PERMANENT SECRETARIES
The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved the deployment of the nine newly appointed Permanent Secretaries and the re-deployment of five others.
A statement signed by the Lagos State Head of Service, Mr.
Hakeem Muri-Okunola listed the deployment as follows: Oyegbola, Olasunkanmi Mopileola, Public Service Office; Dawodu, Kikelomo Arinola, Office of Central Internal Audit; Toriola, Abdulhafiz Gbolahan, Ministry of Transportation; Abidakun, Olubusola Ajibola, Teaching Service Commission and Aina, Ololade Olasupo, Ministry of Home Affairs.
Others are Kasunmu, Ibilola Olufolake, Ministry of Science & Technology; Sogunle, Michael Olumide, Ministry of Information & Strategy; Sotire, Oluwole Olumide, Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development; and Obajomo, Ibrahim Amodu, Ministry of Economic Planning & Budget.
The HoS added that Mr. Governor also approved the re-deployment of serving Permanent Secretaries as follows: Dr. Aina, Olugbemiga Ayoola, Ministry of Youth & Social Development to Parastatals Monitoring Office; Mr. Olowoshago, Kamar Owodiran was transferred from the Ministry of Transportation to Housing; Ms. Fashola, Simone Olayinka, Ministry of Science & Technology to Ministry of Wealth Creation & Employment; Mrs. Oke-Osanyintolu Zeinab Oluwatoyin, Parastatals Monitoring Office to Ministry of Youth & Social Development and Mrs. Ososanya, Adetutu Oluremi, Office of Central Internal Audit to Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Co-operatives.
While noting that the deployment/redeployment is with immediate effect, Muri-Okunola implored the affected officers are to ensure proper handing-over.
2023: God Forbid BAT-hings (Part 3)
By Erasmus Ikhide
ANOTHER Problem Coming called (APC) and those who are still denuding
themselves that Bola Amhed Tinubu (BAT) built mega Lagos recently had their
arguments punctured and perforated, their lies exposed with the report that
Lagos is the second worst city for human’s habitation, a few weeks ago. The
report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has placed Nigeria’s
commercial capital, Lagos, as the second-worst city to live in. The EIU
2022 ranking of the world’s most liveable cities placed Lagos as the 171st
of the 172 countries it ranked.
The report that Lagos State is one of the very worst city for human
habitation sound a death knell for the beneficiaries of the fast fading
godfatherism and fascist government of Bola Tinubu that has brought Nigeria
to her knees. This is no good news for those waiting to benefit from the
outlandish propaganda, at the expense of the masses. The Nigerian youths,
the general public and the global community are too informed for this
bunkum and crap being spewing out by the APC/Tinubu’s political jobbers.
Nigerians are well aware that it’s a deliberate attempt to launder the
image of a notorious criminal and anti-democratic con-man.
Now, the catch phrase “Go to lagos”. This is the only oxygen left for
Tinubu and his ignorant supporters. Many, including youths and the so
called political elites who don’t even know that the reference, “go to
Lagos” is a scam and cheap propaganda by Tinubu and his ignorant followers
who know nothing about Tinubu and Lagos state. Until political enthusiasts
in Nigeria interterogate or probe this phrase, “go to Lagos” which has
become a common phrase that tend to suggest, that Tinubu built Lagos or
that Tinubu is a great achiever and performer seeks to obliterate his
ground corruption, maladministration in Lagos and his anti-democratic
tendencies.
The younger generation have a duty in 2023 to make open shame of such
politicians who have held Lagos, and by extension Nigeria, down for so
long. Its high time we understood that “Go to lagos”, being bandied around
especially when supporters of the various Presidential candidates are
trying to reference past performance records of their preferred candidates
is a fraudulent propaganda. Curiously, many of those who find such phrase
or blanket reference very convenient maybe to score a non existent
political point had neither been to Lagos themselves nor read a single
literature about the history and development of Lagos.
For better understanding of “go to Lagos”, it’s actually the nemesis of
Tinubu that he and his blind followers are yet to know. Otherwise, they
won’t reference Lagos, not even his direct eight years let alone, and the
so called people they alleged he empowered as achievements. We are
gradually getting to where those who say “go to lagos”, must have to answer
trailer-load of questions about the actual performance and disservice of
Tinubu in Lagos, when and how Lagos became the sole baby-project and
achievement of Tinubu to now earn him office of the President of Nigeria.
Now, let’s “go to Lagos”, properly because history never dies. Its a fact
that right from the colonial era, Lagos has always been a territory
(colony) of special status on its own. And in the post colonial era, Lagos
was the Federal Capital and seat of power in the Federal Republic of
Nigeria. That alone, accounted for over 60% of the present infrastructural
assets of Lagos which were built by the Federal Government of Nigeria. Such
infrastructures include the most critical third mainland bridge linking the
mainland and the Island, the Seaport, International/local Airports, Festac
town, National stadium, National Museum and many other national monuments
and assets that keep giving value to Lagos.
It should rather be surprising that Lagos has no Airport of its own like
Delta, Anambra and many other states of the federation that have built
airports for themselves. As at today, Edo state has more and quality
educational institutions than Lagos. Lagos has no rail system, no good
drainages etc, despite the humongous resources available to it, especially
from 1999 to date. Those who leave in Lagos know it. This is actually the
right time for Nigerians to hold Tinubu to account for what he has done
with Lagos resources from 1999 till date. This is because he has
effectively been in charge of lagos in the last 23 years, which is while
nobody remembers Fashola and Ambode as former governors, let alone
ascribing to them any achievement in Lagos.
Lagos State had eleven governors (though mostly military) before Tinubu,
the 12th Governor of Lagos. It also had three governors after Tinubu.
Therefore, are those ascribing or arrogating the growth of Lagos to
Tinubu’s alleged performance not saying, that the fourteen governors before
and after him did nothing. Are Nigerians not aware that about 40% of the
low cost housing Estates in Lagos till date were built by the father of
modern Lagos, Governor Lateef Jakande who also designed the Lagos Plan of
Action for Economic Development of Africa,1980-2000, otherwise known as the
modern master plan for Lagos, which subsequent Lagos State governments
including Tinubu continue to leverage on to evolve the Lagos of today and
even tomorrow.
Did Governor Buba Marwa who handed over to Tinubu in 1999 not also
contributed greatly to the modern ambiance of Lagos. Why did the “go to
Lagos” proponents not considering the fact that in 1999 when Tinubu took
over from Marwa, Lagos IGR was already N14.6Billion cumulatively? That as
at 2007 when Tinubu’s tenure ought to have ended, Lagos IGR only rose to
N83.06Billion, cumulatively. And that Fashola took it from there to a
whooping N276.6Billion by 2015 and as at 2020, Lagos IGR officially stood
at N418.99 Billion, cumulatively. Why did the Tinubu’s minders not deeming
it necessary at least, to tell Nigerians what and where Tinubu put all
these monies in Lagos, having been in charge of the State since 1999 till
date?
That unlike other former governors before and after him, Tinubu did his
part within his terms and that the obvious difference between him and other
former leaders of Lagos or other states is that, Tinubu fradulently refused
to move on after his supposed tenure like other governors, ie; Jakande,
Fashola, Ambode, Peter Obi and others because, he couldn’t survive without
state/public resources. Hence he corruptly held on to the throat of Lagos
since 1999 like Mammur Gaddafi of Libya. He made himself the life
governor-general of Lagos by replacing democracy with a mixture of facism,
autocracy and godfatherism, rigging election after election to multiply and
protect his proceeds of corruption.
Why are Tinubu’s hatchet writers failing to mention that since 1999, Tinubu
alone determines who holds what office from Governor to Counsellor in Lagos
to enable him appropriate more resources of the State? He ensured that
elections in Lagos became mere rituals just to fulfil all righteousness.
His best achievement was the institute of touts (Agberos) he created and
fully empowered to repress democracy, press and citizens freedom, civil
liberty and argitation against dictatorship or fascism. Why are the
Tinubu’s supporters not mentioning that the abnormalities above are the new
normal in Lagos? Or are the BATists and his Agbado People’s Congress (APC)
trying to make Nigerians, particularly, Lagosians lost memories of the
ideal and the damage Tinubu has done to Lagos over two decades?
These are what Tinubu’s ignorant and desperate supporters should reflect
- Nigeria is on the ballot in 2023 and all lovers of Nigeria and
democracy would stop at nothing to ensure that Nigeria wins in 2023. They
would ensure that all those selfish criminals and evil men, parading
themselves as democrats, politicians or leaders are defeated. When they are
campaigning for Tinubu and they say “go to Lagos” ask them to where, what,
when and how it relates to Tinubu in view of democracy, intergrity,
fairness, equity, social justice, good governance that Nigerians earnestly
yearn for? He was only to be governor for 8 years, ask them when is Tinubu
going to finish his tenure as governor of Lagos State? Ask them if the
other 14 governors acted on his behalf to warrant them arrogating and
appropriating a whole Lagos State as Tinubu’s achievements.
Ask them the source of his wealth and while Lagos is still at the level of
development it is despite the humongous revenue and other resources. Ask
them why Lagos is the highest indebted state after Nigeria and more
indebted than some west African countries today? Tinubu and his men
shouldn’t just be left with a free option of expounding their criminal
voyage beyond Lagos by allowing them paint him the wrong picture of a
performer and the father of Modern Lagos State. It is an abomination to
allow Nigeria full into Lagos situation because democracy would be replaced
with fascism, autocracy, godfatherism and totalitarianism.
Tinubu and those ignorantly following him, arrogantly and fraudulently
arrogating so called achievements in Lagos to him do not mean well for
Nigeria. Ask those who live in Lagos. “Go to Lagos” catchment is nothing
but the most fraudulent, deceptive and corrupt way to engage in image
laundering with stolen public funds and collective effort of others. That
Nigerians are still tolerating the likes of Tinubu and his promoters who
make blanket and veiled reference to Lagos as Tinubu’s project and report
of public service performance, leaves reasonable Nigerians in bewilderment.
No doubt that the more they launder Tinubu with Lagos, the more they would
expose his corrupt and fraudulent activities in Lagos. Especially now that
a sitting governor of the State has abandoned his duties before, during and
after the APC primary, only to be following one leader like a house-boy,
expending public resources on a private ambition of an individual at the
expense of the state. Save for Tinubu’s godfatherism/fascism, Lagos would
have been ten times better than what it is today. Because many countries
who are far better than Nigeria do not have the resources available to
Lagos State. So, where is the borrowed robe of Democrat, Progressive,
Performer etc that Tinubu is being addressed or glorified by his followers
who are mostly blinded by temporary stomach infrastructure? Do we all think
that professor Osibanjo, Aregbesola, Prof. Adeyeye etc are just being
ingrates, disloyal or don’t all know what they are doing by attempting to
stop Tinubu.
Great loyalty is not loyalty to individual but ideas, principles and
content of character that profit the generality of the people and society.
Ask yourself, how many two-term former governors or even past Presidents of
Nigeria can boldly be able to privately distribute money in bullion vans as
Tinubu has been doing over the years? Where did he get those monies if not
ours? Not even Dangote, the richest man in Africa could do that. That is
the impunity and tyranny many of us want to elevate to national scale. Its
only in Nigeria such would be promoted. He boasts of having not lost a
single election when in actual sense he has never allowed a free and fair
elections in Lagos State. The only two elections thuggery was denied in Edo
and recently his home state of Osun, he lost woefully, despite his bullion
vans.
Is it not curious, that Nigeria has witnessed change of government from one
political party to another, yet Lagos State still remain in the hands of
one single individual, who appoints everyone from Governor to Counsellor.
It’s seriously bewildering to know that many Nigerians are not only
ignorant and idiotic, even educated and civilised people keep pouring
accolades and encomiums on those who have enslaved them just to survive
momentary hunger. Its annoying and frustrating that with the relentless
effort of even elders like Pa. Adebanjo, EK Clark etc to reset Nigeria,
there are still young people who prefer the status quo. There aren’t
bothered about the present state of hopelessness in Nigeria. They are still
promoting Tinubu and APC. Lagos State is not a gift to Tinubu, neither
would anyone compensate him with Nigeria for whatever reason.
Where is our conscience? How do you promote or defend those who have
wrecked socio-economic havoc on Nigeria? One must look stupid and idiotic
trying to extricate any key player from the disaster APC has brought upon
Lagos and Nigeria at large.
Ask those campaigning, why are they not proud of APC seven years of Buhari
and Tinubu leadership as President and APC National leader, respectively?
Did he, Tinubu not contribute to the drafting of APC manifesto and its
execution by the Buhari’s regime. Did he not campaign for APC/Buhari using
the said manifesto while marketing both to Nigerians. Has Tinubu not been
in Nigeria in the last 7 years. Was there anytime we read in any of the
national dailies that Tinubu, the national leader of APC disagreed with the
Buhari led APC government for abandoning their party manifesto. Did he ever
attempt to resign eventhough he only occupies an informal position of
national leader due to the failure of APC government. If NO, how can anyone
extricate him from the APC disaster in Nigeria?
As it stands, no wise and well-meaning Nigerian would find APC and Tinubu
electable in 2023 Presidential Election. Their disastrous outing, pillaging
of the economic, decimation of the nation’s security architecture by
Buhari’s Fulani terrorists brothers is enough to reject APC/BAT, wholesale.
Nigerians are ardently saying affliction shouldn’t repeat itself for a
second time. That’s why they’re avoiding Another Problem Coming (APC)
because those who shouted hollow “chengi” between 2015/2019 on the mountain
top are viciously hauling themselves up again for a terminal pillage.
Erasmus Ikhide can be reached via: ikhideerasmus@gmail.com