24022020

Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2020 — 43
:Vanguard
News
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
AWARDS: From left—Assistant Director, Media Management Unit, Public Affairs Dept, Sonny Aragba-
Akpore; Principal Manager, Media, Public Affairs, Truddy Tony-Awusaku; Head, Information
Technology, Engr. Abraham Oshadami, all of Nigerian Communications Commission, and the
Convener, Gage Awards, Johnson Anorh; during the maiden Edition of the award, in lagos,
yesterday. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.
IWO ROYAL RUMBLE: Police AIG lied, Oluwo
punched me, Agbowu insists
By Shina
Abubakar, with
agency report
O SOGBO—DESPITE
denial by the Oluwo
of Iwoland, Oba
Abdulrosheed Akanbi that
he did not punch him, the
Agbowu of Ogbaagbaa,
Oba Dhikurulahi Akinropo,
yesterday, insisted that he
was punched by Oluwo.
He, however, stated that
the Assistant Inspector
General of Police, Zone XI,
Bashir Balkama lied before
Osun State Traditional
Rulers Council that Oluwo
did not assault me in his
presence.
Speaking
with
PREMIUM TIMES in his
palace, Oba Akinropo
berated the AIG for
concealing the true event
that occurred in his office
on Friday, February 14,
2020.
The monarch said: “The
Officer in charge of legal,
AIG, the commissioner for
chieftaincy affairs, the
commissioner for lands
and all other kings
petitioned were present.
AIG opened the discussion
that some kings are having
a dispute over land. But the
Commissioner for
Chieftaincy Affairs, Taju
Lawal, quickly waded in,
saying, land matters are
best resolved among the
kings. He argued that it is
not a criminal matter, so,
police should stay away. He
told us all that aggrieved
parties should go to court.
At that point, Oluwo stood
up saying he’s not
interested in court.
“I was seated on the same
row where he seated. Next
to Oluwo was Alhaji
Kamal, chairman Iwo Local
Government and I
followed. I told him to take
it easy but the reaction I got
from him was different
punches to the extent that
I fainted. He questioned
why I should be talking
while he’s talking. Perhaps,
I would be dead by now if
not for AIG that forcefully
ONDO 2020: I’m not threatened by
any gang-up —AKEREDOLU
By Dayo Johnson
A
K U R E —
GOVERNOR
Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo
State, yesterday, said he
was not threatened by any
gang-up against his reelection
bid.
In a statement, his Chief
Press Secretary, Segun
Ajiboye in Akure, said the
gang-up will crumble like
a pack of cards.
No fewer than seven
chieftains of the All
Progressives Congress,
APC, in the Unity Forum
have shown interest in the
governorship position.
While the party’s primary
election had been fixed for
July this year, the
governorship election will
hold on October 10
according to the
Independent National
Electoral Commission,
INEC.
Akeredolu was reacting to
the lawmaker representing
....Says, 'I’m not desperate'
Ondo North Senatorial
districts, Senator Ajayi
Boroffice, who said the APC
chieftains are united
against his re-election.
Boroffice had said the
APC Unity Forum, which
comprises aggrieved
members would present
the standard-bearer of the
party in the forthcoming
governorship poll.
But the governor’s CPS,
in a swift reaction, said:
“Governor Akeredolu is not
a desperate politician.”
The statement reads: “He
is not threatened by any
gang-up in respect of the
2020 governorship race.
“His belief in the sanctity
of the people’s backing
remains unshaken.
“Just as Government of
Ondo State led by
Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,
SAN, believes in the right
of all qualified persons to
aspire to be Governor, it is
perhaps, untoward on the
part of supposed leaders to
be unrestrained in the
pursuit of their ambitions.
“Our initial perception of
the pernicious outburst of
the senator was to ignore
him because such was
misguided.
“At best, empathy was
most desirable for a man
whose lust for excessive
mischief has severally
spurred him to paths of
perfidy against his
Southwest kinsmen.
“However, the public,
especially all lovers of our
dear party, the APC
deserve to know that the
vituperations of Senator
Boroffice are fallouts of
deflated hopes.
“This is more so that his
huge investment to destroy
the party and stem the pace
of development in Ondo
State appears to have
yielded no positive results.”
dragged him away. I
sustained injury. I told AIG
that I felt very bad I could
be assaulted in his
presence. OC legal, Mr.
James then asked that we
should write a statement
before going to the hospital
at Asubiaro.
“The most painful thing
is the report police AIG
submitted to the council of
obas that we never fought
in his presence. We need
to be careful about this
country. Police are one of the
major problems we have.
Oluwo himself claimed it
was self-defense but AIG
told the council of obas last
Friday that he did not
witness any fight. I feel
betrayed by the police. The
AIG is a liar.
“I was surprised that the
Commissioner for Local
Government and
Chieftaincy and the
Commissioner for Lands
also boycotted the meeting.
They both claimed to have
travelled including Iwo
Local Government
chairman. I want the two
commissioners to swear
with ogun that I was
never beaten.”
By Dayo Johnson &
James Ogunnaike
AKURE—A
public
hearing is expected to
hold today across the six
south west states to draw
contributions from members
of the public and notable
stakeholders on the
operations of the security
network codenamed
Amotekun.
The Chairman,
Conference of Speakers in
the zone, Mr. Bamidele
Oloyelogun, said this in
Akure over the weekend.
Oloyelogun who is the
speaker of the Ondo State
Oyo LG crisis: Sacked ALGON
members reject financial
compensation
By Dapo
Akinrefon & Ola
Ajayi
I BADAN—THE
Association of Local
government of Nigeria,
ALGON, in Oyo State,
yesterday, condemned the
suggestion by Governor
Seyi Makinde to pay them
off describing the idea as
antithetical to the war
against corruption.
In a letter written to the
Counsel to the State
Government, Mr. Akin
Onigbinde by ALGON
through its lawyer, Kunle
Sobaloju said the
suggestion is a disservice
to the people of their local
government and Oyo State
to collect financial
compensation in lieu of
their constitutionally
guaranteed tenure.
The association also
expressed appreciation to
the government for
recognizing and
acknowledging their
mandate as the
democratically elected
officials of the 33 Local
Council and 35 local
development areas
respectively by offering to
pay them their salaries.
The letter reads: “We refer
to your letter dated 20th
February 2020 and have
brought the contents of the
said letter to the notice of
our client which they have
considered, and by this
letter, we wish to
communicate their
response to you.
“We have our clients’
instruction to express their
appreciation to his
Excellency for recognizing
and acknowledging our
clients’ mandate as the
democratically elected
Chairmen and Councilors
of the 33 Local Government
Councils and 35 LCDAs in
Oyo State by offering to pay
them their salaries and
allowances due.
“However, our clients
consider it a disservice to
the people of their
respective Local
Government Areas and the
entire people of Oyo State
to collect financial
compensation as proposed
by you in lieu of their
constitutionally guaranteed
election tenure.
“Our Clients are equally
of the view that accepting
financial compensation by
way of your calculated
salary and severance
allowance would amount to
aiding the breach of the
constitution and may also
lead to violation of anticorruption
laws by
collecting salaries and
allowances for futuristic job
tenure yet to be lived out."
We’re ready to pursue
case against
ALGON —Makinde
But in his reaction,
Governor Makinde said
that the state government
is ready to pursue its case
in court against ALGON
despite the grandstanding
of the association.
In a statement by
his Chief Press Secretary,
Mr. Taiwo Adisa said the
government was ready to
the case through in court.
The statement reads: “Our
attention has been drawn
to the statement credited to
the Association of Local
Governments of Nigeria,
ALGON, on the state of the
suit between that
association and the
government of Oyo State.
“The said statement by
ALGON insinuated that its
rejection of the peace terms
by the counsel to Oyo State
was based on the belief in
anti-corruption war.
“Let it be accordingly
stated that the government
of Oyo State is ready to
pursue its case in court
against ALGON.
“The decision by the state
to pursue the path of peace
on the council issue is well
thought out, especially
following credible
information that some
forces are seeking to use
misguided politicians to
trouble the peace of the
state."
AMOTEKUN: Public hearing holds today across
S-West —Oloyelogun
House of Assembly said
that the speakers in the
region have agreed to
give expeditious
consideration to the
Amotekun bill without
abandoning all necessary
legislative rules and
procedure.
He said: “Our region
which was once admired
for peace and safety is
gradually being eroded by
bandits who wasted
innocent lives and property
daily.”
Meanwhile, the public
hearing on the security
outfit is scheduled to hold
today by 10 am at
Babafunke Ajasin auditorium,
Ministry of Women
Affairs, Igbatoro road,
Akure, the state capital.
Ogun Assembly holds
stakeholders' forum
Similarly, the Ogun State
House of Assembly will, on
Monday (today), hold a
Stakeholders’ Forum on a
Bill titled: “H.B. No. 035/
OG/2020- the Ogun State
Security Network Agency
Law, 2020- A Bill for a Law
to Establish the Ogun State
Security Network Agency
and Amotekun Corps to
Assist in Maintaining Law
and Order in the State and
for Connected Purposes.”