6 BD SUNDAY C002D5556 Sunday <strong>22</strong> <strong>Oct</strong>ober <strong>2017</strong> News 2019: APC now jittery of reunited PDP in Oyo - Makinde Akinremi Feyisipo, Ibadan A Chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in Oyo State, Seyi Makinde has said that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is now jittery and afraid of stalwarts in the state who rejoined the party recently. A good number of the bigwigs who left for Accord Party, Labour Party and Social Democratic Party before or in 2015 are now back to the PDP. Makinde, who was governorship candidate of SDP in 2015, but now back in PDP, said that media campaign against the umbrella party in the state by the APC has shown that the broom party is truly afraid of the imminent defeat it would suffer in the state in 2019. Addressing journalists after the PDP caretaker committee members’ meeting in Ibadan, the state capital, Makinde advised the APC to look for other ways of clearing the mess it brought to the state six years ago, adding that the Makinde recent condemnation allegedly being sponsored against PDP by APC will not hamper the chances of the party in winning the state in 2019. The meeting was called to fine-tune ways of ensuring smooth Ward, Local and State congresses of the party which began yesterday. While saying that the APC should look for other ways of appealing to the people instead of looking at the faults of the opposition, Makinde said: “They should look for ways of appealing to the people instead of blackmail; they are afraid of our coming together, and if I were them, they have spent six years in the state, they should start and put forward how they utilised people’s money and tell us whether Oyo State is far better than when they came in”. “What the APC is saying is that they will soon be fighting but we are not fighting and more united than ever before, reconciliation has been done and still on going to bring all our members back to the fold,” he added. Speaking on the forthcoming congresses, Makinde said: “We are prepared and not something that is new. PDP has been in existence since 1998, we did it in 1999; this is something they do every now and then. Preparation is ongoing.” On the chairmanship position of the party which is being contested by two indigenes of the state, Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja and Tahoeed Adedoja , Makinde said it was a good omen for the party and the state in particular. “There would not be any clash of interest; I think the constitution of the party and also constitution of the country allows people to go forward and vote for candidates of their choice. “I think is good for Oyo State, we have eminently qualified sons of the state that can go and fight it at the national level; it is something good for us. Present at the meeting include, Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Tunde Akogun; Secretary, Kola Ademujimi; Jumoke Akinjide; Senator Ayoade Adeseun; Sarafadeen Abiodun Alli and Senator Hosea Agboola. Others are Yemi Aderibigbe, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, Muraina Ajibola, Fatai Aborode, Mulikat Adeola Akande and Isiaka Adeola. On his part, Chairman, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Caretaker Committee in Oyo State, Tunde Akogun has declared that the position of National Chairman of the party is yet to be zoned to South West as being speculated in some quarters. Akogun, while clearing the air on the rumour that the slot was supposed to be occupied by South West, noted that the position was meant to be occupied by anybody from the Southern part of the country and not specifically for South West. While speaking with reporters, he however, assured that adequate arrangements have been made to ensure that the party recorded success in the forthcoming congresses. Some leaders of the party in the zone after their meeting held in Ibadan recently resolved that the only thing that can make the party relaunch itself fully ahead of 2019 elections was to uphold the Port Harcourt zoning decision which conceded National Chairmanship of the party to the South West. But, Akogun while speaking on the request noted that anyone from the South either from South West or South-South is free to contest and occupy the position. According to him, “I know that at the end of the day, they are going to confirm at the party’s headquarters level whether is really zoned to South West or South-South. “Really, the prayer was that we are going to appeal to the headquarters to specifically zone it to South West but is it still in the South. “We have made all the adequate arrangement to conduct a free and fair election in terms of procedures, totally acceptable and flawless.” Ondo moves to end bitumen importation into Nigeria YOMI AYELESO, Akure The Ondo State government has said bitumen importation into the country would soon become a thing of the past with the establishment of the State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA) to woo investors to tap into its huge deposit in the state. The Special Adviser to state Governor on Development and Investment, who also doubles as Chief Executive Officer, Ondo State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA), Boye Oyewumi, disclosed this in Akure, the Ondo state capital. The state governor had earlier launched Ondo State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA) with a promise to provide necessary assistance and enact enabling laws to Bitumen importation remove bureaucratic bottlenecks that may hinder rapid development in every sector of the state. At the International Culture and Event Centre (The Dome), venue of the event, the Governor said the state would be the next investment hub, calling on genuine investors to seize the opportunity. According to him, the State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, was providing an enabling environment which has been making serious investors to partner with the government and ensure that bitumen importation into the country becomes history. He particularly said one of the cardinal goals of ONDIPA was to end importation of bitumen into Nigeria as soon as possible. “I don’t think it is the business of any government to run a business. What they are meant to do and which this government is doing is to provide an enabling environment, so we have serious investors partnering with the state to make sure that bitumen importation in the country becomes a thing of the past. “This government is not in the habit of conducting business on the pages of newspaper, take it from me. The Akeredolu’s government with the support of the Federal Government be sure that importation of bitumen will soon be a thing of the past in Nigeria,” he emphasised. Report has it that Nigerian government spends over N300billion annually on bitumen importation when Ondo State has the largest deposit of bitumen in Africa. Oyewumi noted that Akeredolu-led administration in the state was opening opportunities to new investors and also ensuring access of different infrastructural development to investors. He said presently, investors have access by air to come to the state from Lagos in 35 minutes through Air Peace daily business flight to do their business and go back. He noted that the mandate of the new agency was to tell the business world who we are, how we have fared and what we intend to do to make life worth living for our people. Group boosts entrepreneurship capacity of 1000 Edo indigenes IDRIS UMAR MOMOH, Benin As part of its deliberate policy to fight poverty among Nigerians, the management of Inspirextra Empowerment Initiative (I-Extra) has organised a one-day workshop to build the human capacity development of over 1000 citizens in Edo State. The workshop with the theme, ‘Greatness Possibility’ saw participants mentored on leadership and entrepreneurship, film production, communication and entertainment, agribusiness and creativity and innovation. In his welcome remarks, the President of the organisation, Blessing Obehi Ayemehre said the programme was geared towards adding value to lives, teaching people how to be outstanding and maximise opportunities that abound in their neighbourhood. Ayemhere explained that the capacity building workshop would bestow on the participants spirit of self-independence and self-sustenance that will make life better and accommodative of new Entrepreneurship training innovation, “where man articulates his vision in a society devoid of acrimony but positively engaged persons.” He said the Inspirextra Empowerment Initiarive is an organisation set up to bridge information gap, help people discover their potentials and maximise their potentials and also unleash the greatness inherent in them. Ayemehre, a business strategist, consultant and trainer, was strategically organised to open up the minds of people living in Edo state to their hidden abilities to create jobs for themselves and impact society positively. Ayemehre, a business strategist, consultant and trainer added that about 600 persons benefitted from the first edition of the programme held last year in Benin-City while over 1000 persons benefitted from this year edition. He noted that the access to adequate information was vital to empowerment and fight against poverty, pointing out that with flow of information people would be well informed, educated and knowledgeable to deal with economic and unemployment challenges confronting them. Speaking on the topic, ‘Untapped Agribusiness Opportunities’, African Farmer Mogaji, noted that agriculture is the most potent weapon against poverty and unemployment. He urged the participants to key into the ongoing various government’s agriculture initiatives by forming functioning cooperative societies to boost agribusinesses in their various locality.
Sunday <strong>22</strong> <strong>Oct</strong>ober <strong>2017</strong> BD SUNDAY 7