14082018 - Saraki: Showdown on hold as NASS fails to reconvene

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2018 — 39
I will probe Aregbesola’s govt — Kehinde,
AGA candidate
Stories by Gbenga Olarinoye
THE All Grassroots Alliance, AGA,
Governorship Candidate, Barrister
Femi Kehinde, has declared that, if
elected governor, he would look into the
financial records of the state under
Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
He said it would be necessary to
properly scrutinise financial records of
the state because of “poor distribution
of resources” by the current
administration, to ascertain the actual
debt portfolio of the state, after which
measures to raise government earnings
would be introduced.
Kehinde, who disclosed this after he
was presented with AGA flag, noted that
Osun should not have been among poor
states going by the large deposits of
gold and other mineral resources in the
state.
He said that a survey has shown that
Osun has gold deposits estimated at
over $52 million and lamented that
rather than past leaders leveraging on
that to improve the state’s earnings,
they embraced the option of excessive
borrowing to finance nearly all their
OSUN State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf
Aregbesola, has asked corps
members serving in the state to shun
violence, corruption and not allow
themselves to be used by politicians to
perpetrate rigging during the
September 22 election. Aregbesola
made this call, yesterday, at the closing
ceremony of the orientation course and
passing in parade of the 2018 Batch B
corps members, at the NYSC permanent
orientation camp in Ede.
The governor said corps members
would be engaged for the governorship
election and admonished them not to
let the people’s trust in them as neutral
agents come to naught. “You all have
been rightly informed during the
swearing-in ceremony of your role in
the forthcoming election in the state.
“Ensure to abide by the advice, which
came to you through seasoned officers
of the scheme and its collaborating
agencies when you are called upon for
participation in the election process in
the course of your service year.
“Shun violence and corruption, ensure
projects. His words: “If people of Osun
make me their governor by voting for
me on September 22, I will definitely
look into Aregbesola’s accounts. We
must determine how much the state
owes. I won’t distract myself with
needless probe, but we must look at
Aregbesola’s financial records as
governor.
“I will definitely renegotiate all the
loans taken. Even when we are not
going into full probe, we must ascertain
some things about our finances as a
state. Osun has been poorly managed.
How can a state that sits on over $52
million worth deposit of gold remain
poor? “We have gold in Atakumosa
East and West up to Ife Central.
The entire belt of Itakunmodi,
Iperindo, Ijana, have gold in
abundance. Our gold is about 100
meters deep, unlike in South Africa
where you have to go deep to about 500
meters or Ghana which is 200 meters.
“I am going to revamp Osun’s
economy with massive investment in
agriculture. Our natural resources will
also be explored to generate revenue.
Resist being used for rigging — Aregbesola
asks corps members
AHEAD of the September 22
governorship election in Osun
State, a group in the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, in the state, called
‘‘Concerned Citizens of Osun State” has
given the National Working Committee,
NWC, of the party, under the leadership
of Prince Uche Secondus seven days
ultimatum to recount the result of the
primary to ensure peace.
The result of the primary showed that
Senator Ademola Adeleke defeated Dr
Akin Ogunbiyi by seven votes.
In a statement by its President,
Olayiwola Raphael Adesoji, the group
alleged that the process that produced
Adeleke was not transparent and the
result announced by the Balyesa State
Governor, Seriake Dickson in favour
of Senator Adeleke was a day light
robbery. The statement declared that the
winner of the primary did not meet the
requirement of Section 177 (d) of the
•Aregbesola
that the votes of every citizen at the
polling units count and do not allow
yourselves to be used by anyone to
perpetuate rigging during the process.
Remember your family, the scheme and
the nation at large are looking up to you
and so, do not let the trust reposed in
you by these people come to at naught,”
he said. Mr Emmanuel Attah, the
Coordinator of Osun NYSC, in his
speech, highlighted the training given
the corps members during their 21- day
orientation course, saying the training
was designed to prepare them
physically, mentally and emotionally for
the challenging tasks of nation-building.
PDP group gives NWC seven day ultimatum to
recount primary results
1999 Constitution (as amended).
While faulting how delegates were
accredited on the fateful day. It said that
contrary to Section 30, Subsection E of
the Electoral Guidelines for Primary
Elections 2018, the total number of
delegates accredited for the primary
elections was not announced before the
commencement of voting. “At the end
of the whole exercise, the Chairman of
the panel (Dickson) announced 3,246
as total accredited delegates, which is
contrary to figures subsequently entered
on the result sheet as 3,242. Apart from
reports that fake delegates were
allowed to vote during the primary and
other anti-democratic practices, which
characterized the exercise that took
place at GMT Hotel in Osogbo, one
major item we wish to point out was
Governor Dickson’s blatant refusal to
allow a recount of Senator Adeleke’s
votes,” it said.
Kwali potentials and Shazin's
invest drive
By Chukwudi
Enekwechi
AS chairman of
Kwali area
council Federal Capital
Territory, Honourable
Joseph Shazin is firing
on all fronts in terms of
showcasing the
numerous potentials of
Kwali area council and
by extension Abuja to
all parts of the world.
This was made manifest
during his recent official
trip to South Africa.
His mission in South
Africa was at the
instance of the national
secretariat of the
Association of Local
Governments of Nigeria
ALGON. As the federal
capital territory
chairman of the
association Hon. Shazin
was invited to
participate at the
African Economic
Development Summit
which held at
Emperor’s Palace
Kempton Park
Johannesburg, South
Africa.
The summit was
aimed at strengthening
the economic
development of African
municipalities and local
governments with a
view to realising the
m i l l e n n i u m
development goals at
the third tier of
government. Before
now, it seemed as the
implementation of the
m i l l e n n i u m
development goals was
majorly focussed on the
urban centres, states
and federal levels.
The summit also
delved into finding
workable ways and
means of ensuring that
the people at the third
tier of government are
not excluded in the
realisation and delivery
of the objectives of the
m i l l e n n i u m
development goals in
African countries.
The summit also
sought to expose and
equip the participants
which included the
Kwali area council boss
with the necessary tools
and information on how
to achieve the goals and
objectives. Such tools
will aid them in the
economic development
of their area councils as
well as avail them of
new innovations in
service delivery.
Principally the African
Economic Summit was
focussed
on
strengthening Pan
African partnerships
among
the
municipalities and
enhance the exchange
of good practices among
the peoples and the
leaders.
Hon. Shazin also used
the opportunity of the
South African trip to
woo potential investors
to Kwali area council
bearing in mind the
availability of arable
land for agricultural
activities, huge
opportunities in
pottery- making which
has already being made
famous with the legend
of pottery-making, Dr.
Ladi Kwali of blessed
memory.
Lest we forget, the
achievements of this
woman and his name
still reverberate
gloriously across the
globe. The Kwali area
council boss no doubt
showcased Kwali to the
gathering of the
distinguished audience
of municipalities’
leaders
in
Johannesburg, South
Africa.
There is no doubt that
there is a growing
yearning among the
electorate in the
municipalities and local
governments for better
In South Africa,
he gave a good
account of his
constituency by
promoting the
numerous
investments,
economic and
agricultural
potentials in the
area council
service delivery, and
the realisation of their
hopes and aspirations
as encapsulated in the
mandate they had
entrusted on the
shoulders of leaders
like Hon. Joseph
Shazin of Kwali area
council. In South Africa,
he gave a good account
of his constituency by
promoting the
numerous investments,
economic and
agricultural potentials
in the area council. He
was also able to
establish linkages with
other chairmen of
municipalities across
Africa.
Since his assumption
of office, Hon. Joseph
Shazin and his team
have been delivering on
his promises to the
people of Kwali area
council. In simple
parlance he has been
delivering democracy
dividends to the
residents of the area
council with prompt
payment of salaries,
rehabilitation of
d i l a p i d a t e d
infrastructure;
provision of health
facilities; empowerment
of the indigenes through
education and award of
scholarships to indigent
students.
He has also continued
to enhance the security
of the area council by
working closely with
the traditional rulers
and other community
leaders, and this has
helped to improve
security of lives and
properties in the area.
Going by his visible
achievements, Hon.
Joseph Shazin has
emerged as one of the
best municipal
chairmen in Africa. His
inclination towards the
well-being of his
constituents is not only
remarkable but
unsurpassable.
As things stand today
the people of Kwali area
council, Gwagwalada,
Kuje and other
s u r r o u n d i n g
communities are
desirous to support him
in his aspiration to
contest for the position
of member Federal
House
of
Representatives. He
continues to enjoy the
goodwill and mammoth
support of the
constituents of FCT
Abuja South federal
constituency and the
upcoming 2019
elections will afford
them the opportunity to
once again provide him
an opportunity to serve
his people at a higher
level.
At the end of the day,
the major determinant
of victory for
Honourable Shazin in
the coming election will
be how he has been able
to deliver many projects
to his people with the
limited resources at his
disposal, and this can
be attributed to the
prudence and
accountability he has
brought to bear in the
running of government
affairs in Kwali area
council.
*Mr. Enekwechi, a
public
affairs
commentator, wrote from
Lagos.