13042021 - Many feared dead, injured, 3 villages sacked in Ebonyi

10 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021
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PDP
CONGRESS—
Oyo State
Governor,
S e y i
Makinde
(right), with
f o r m e r
governor of
Ekiti State,
Ayodele
Fayose, at
the 2021
PDP South-
W e s t
congress,
held in
Osogbo.
Photos: Dare
Fasube.
Decades of misrule, bad
governance responsible for
insecurity —PAPM
By Dapo Akinrefon
LAGOS—THE Peoples
Alternative Political
Movement, PAPM, yesterday,
attributed the current security
challenges bedeviling the country
to decades of misrule and bad
governance.
A statement by an official of the
movement, Comrade Jaye
Gaskia, expressed worry over the
state of the country, calling
Nigerians to hold the government
and the ruling class accountable.
PAPM is a coalition of social
forces committed to the
emergence of a Mass Workers
Party and the Socialist
Transformation of Nigeria.
The statement reads in part:
“Nigeria, our country, is once
again at a perilous crossroads. The
deteriorating situation
concerning the conditions of living
of citizens and residents, and their
quality of life, which has been in
decline for decades, and certainly
since the inauguration of the
current 4th Republic in 1999, has
now entered a steep and
precipitous phase, threatening a
catastrophic implosion.
"We are very clear about the
root causes of our existential crisis,
the historical incompetence and
the congenital greed of the
country’s thieving and ruining
ruling class and the exploitative,
destructive and repressive
capitalist system, over which it
presides.
"We are equally not ambiguous
about what is ultimately
required to address the crisis
and salvage our country and
her peoples - the displacement
of this light-fingered
and treasury looting ruling
class from power, and the elevation
of the working class
and labouring masses of our
people to the state where they
can exercise legitimate democratic
control and management
of the political and economic
life and processes of
our country.
“The result and outcome of the
legacy of decades of misrule and
bad governance, has been the
current rampant levels of
insecurity of lives and properties.
"And while bandits in power
continue to negotiate with
bandits in the forests and on the
highways, no single inch of the
territory of our country is secure,
and not a single citizen or
resident is safe or can live a life
free from fear.
"Armed bandits, armed
insurgents, armed herders, armed
militias, armed cultists, armed
robbers, and armed kidnappers
lay siege to the country,
exercising varying degrees of
suzerainty over large swaths of
the territory of the country.
It is clear that the ruling class
and all its various factions and
fractions have run out of ideas
and are incapable of resolving the
humongous security challenges,
facing the country, and brought
Lekki Gardens Estate spreading
falsehood —Osborne residents
By Onozure Dania
L AGOS—RESIDENTS
of Osborne Foreshore Two
Estate, Lagos, have denied an
allegation that they were
planning to attack the Managing
Director/CEO of Lekki Gardens
Estate/Foreshore Waters Limited,
Richard Nyong.
Chairperson of Osborne
Foreshore Two Estate Residents
Association, Mrs. Chinwe Mbah,
who described the allegation as
false, said that such a thing was
only in the imagination of Nyong
and his company, noting that the
residents have refused to retaliate
his constant harassment and
intimidation of the residents.
Mbah, in a statement, recalled
that they woke up on April 7,
2021, to find out that a heavyduty
construction truck working
for Lekki Gardens Estate/
Foreshore Waters Limited had
blocked “our entrance and exit
gates, thereby, holding the
residents and visitors to the
estate hostage.
"This is the fourth time in six
months that such was happening
and, as a result, the management
of the estate insisted that they
comply with estate rules guiding
the commencement of any
project/works.
"All stakeholders complied with
these guidelines, with the
exception of Lekki Gardens Estate/
Foreshore Waters Limited.
“We wonder why a reputable
company as Lekki Gardens Estate
would brazenly act above the law?
Why does its MD believe it is
untouchable, in the face of its
obvious noncompliance with
Lagos State building approvals is
the question begging to be
answered?
PDP CONGRESS—From left: Newly elected PDP South-West Chairman,
Taofeek Arapaja; Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; former governor of
Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and wife of former governor of
Oyo State, Mrs. Mutiat Ladoja, rejoice after the announcement of Arapaja
as the winner, during the 2021 PDP South-West congress, in Osogbo.
PDP congress: Makinde is S-West leader
—Fayose • There'll be no victor, no vanquished, says Makinde
By Deola Badru &
Shina Abubakar
O SOGBO—FORMER
Ekiti State Governor,
Ayodele Fayose, yesterday,
conceded the leadership of
the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, in the South-
West to Governor Seyi
Makinde of Oyo State.
Addressing party
delegates before the
conduct of its zonal
congress in Osogbo, Mr.
Fayose said the issues in
the build-up to the congress
were circumstantial, which
must be addressed.
He asked: "Who is our
leader? Governor Seyi
Makinde is our leader,
therefore our supporters
and lovers should not be
putting a wedge between
us.
“Distinguished leaders, I
want to assure you that we
will make exploits together
and anyway it goes, I will
accept. In any family where
there is cause to vote, there
will be a divide, but I assure
you, wherever it goes, I will
abide.
“Arapaja was a deputy governor
and is not a small man, even if he
has abused me so much. That is
politics, if you emerge chairman, I
will be the first person to visit you
in Ibadan, because nothing lasts
forever.
“No one offends me and if I
have offended anybody, I
apologise. I and Makinde were
one since the beginning, and
politicking led to this
By Gabriel Olawale
LAGOS—-THE Legislative
Arm of Surulere local
government area of Lagos State
has sealed the office of suspended
council Chairman, Mr. Tajudeen
Ajide, over alleged
misappropriation of funds and
abuse of office.
The decision, which was
collectively made by all the nine
councillors in the council, also
witnessed the appointment of the
Vice-Chairman, Mr. Sulaimon
Yussuf, in acting capacity to
prevent a vacuum in the
• As Arapaja emerges zonal chairman
misunderstanding, but
notwithstanding, you are our
father.”
No victor, no
vanquished, says
Makinde
Meanwhile, Governor
Makinde said there would not be
a winner or a loser after the
congress, describing the election
as an attempt to reposition the
party in the region.
Makinde said: “This is a family
affair. It is an attempt to reposition
our party in the South-West. It
has ramifications for our party
nationally. Whatever the outcome
is, we will take it in the spirit of a
family contest. We don’t want to
defeat ourselves; we want to
defeat the All Progressives
Congress, APC."
Why we must
unite to defeat
Yinka Odumakin for burial April 24
LAGOS—DR.
Joe
Okei-Odumakin said,
yesterday, that the
remains of her husband,
late Afenifere spokesman,
Yinka Odumakin, would
be laid to rest on Saturday,
April 24.
Okei-Odumakin, a
rights activist, made the
announcement of the
order of funeral rites
available to the News
Agency of Nigeria, NAN.
She said: “The rites will
span three days, starting
APC, by Ortom
Earlier, the Chairman of the
Congress Committee, Governor
Samuel Ortom of Benue State,
represented by his deputy, Mr.
Johnson Abounu said that only
a united party can defeat the
APC.
He said: “We have held several
meetings, where we crossed Ts
and dotted the Is to have a
successful congress. It is a PDP
affair and no one is an enemy of
another person. We are aiming to
take control, not just of the South-
West region, but all the regions of
the country and the Presidency
in 2023."
Arapaja declared
winner
Meanwhile, Ambassador
Taofeek Arapaja has been
declared the South-West PDP
chairman after polling 343 votes,
while his opponent, Dr. Eddy
from Thursday, April 22,
Friday 23 and Saturday,
April, 24. There would be
a day of tributes and
Service of Songs at the
Police College, Ikeja,
Lagos, between 11am and
4pm, while his body lies
in state on Thursday,
April, 22.
“On Friday 23, his body
departs Lagos for Moro, his
country home, in Ife North
local government area of
Osun State.
“There will be a Christian
The Legislative Arm of Surulere
Local Government Area of Lagos
State, last Friday, 9th of April,
2021 suspended the council
Chairman, Mr. Tajudeen Ajide
over alleged misappropriation of
funds and abuse of office on
several occasions.
The decision, which was
collectively made by all the nine
Councillors in the council, was
carried out to enable them to
conclude their investigations.
The lawmakers said: “We,
hereby, pass a vote of no
confidence followed by
suspension on the Executive
Olafeso polled 330 votes.
This followed the counting of
votes casted for the duo in at the
end of the PDP southwest Zonal
congress held at WOCDIF
Centre, Osogbo.
The total votes cast are 683,
while 10 votes were voided.
Chairman of the Election
Committee, Mr. Abounu, said
accredited votes, 684, total votes
cast, 674, voided votes 10
Abounu said: “Votes scored by
the candidates are as follows:
Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, 343
Dr Olafeso Eddy, 330. Accordingly
therefore, Ambassador Taofeek
Arapaja, by the authority vested
in me as Chairman, having scored
the highest votes is, hereby,
declared winner.”
Voting was concluded around
6:30pm and the panel insisted
that delegates leave the venue
except agents of various
candidates, as sorting began
around 6:47pm.
wake-keep by 5pm at the
Origbo Anglican Grammar
School, Moro, which will be
followed by a Candlelight
Procession.”
Okei-Odumakin
disclosed that “there would
be Lying in State at Origbo
Anglican Grammar School,
Moro, by 8am on April 24.
This would be followed by
a funeral service by 10am,
after which his remains will
be committed to Mother
Earth at a private
interment.”
Misappropriation of funds: Surulere councillors seal chairman’s
office ....Appoint Yussuf in acting capacity
administration of local
government affairs.
The councillors hinted that
they have also written to the Area
C Police Command to intimate
him of their resolution.
In a statement, the Legislative
Arm said: “Further to our
resolution which suspended the
Executive Chairman, Mr.
Tajudeen Ajide. The Vice-
Chairman, Mr. Sulaimon Yussuf,
should immediately take over the
Administration of the Local
Government to prevent a
vacuum in Administration of the
Local Government.”
Chairman, Mr. Tajudeen Ajide
for his refusal to provide needed
documents/records to the
house to enable council to carry
out its oversight function.
“Our findings show that 95
percent of the contracts of the local
government were executed by two
contractors (Olupopson
Construction Limited and Serial
Touch Limited), while they later
executed 90 percent of the council
contracts.
“The Chairman also expended
the sum of N60 million, which was
not budgeted for in t 2020, on the
pretext of variation on the
construction of Primary Health
Centre at Akerele which is an
impeachable offence."