News
Aiyedatiwa, 15 Others Jostle For Ondo APC Gov Ticket Today
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
All is set for the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State to pick its governorship candidate today.
The ruling party had announced that 171, 922 members drawn from the 203 wards of the 18 local government areas of the state will take part in today’s primary election.
Sixteen aspirants will be jostling to clinch the ticket to become the APC governorship candidate in the state.
They are Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa; the Senator representing Ondo South, Jimoh Ibrahim; Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olusola Oke; former President of Nigerian Medical Association, Prof. Francis Faduyile; Dr Funmi Waheed-Adekojo and the APC National Vice Chairman (South-West), Isaacs Kekemeke.
Others are Dr Soji Ehinlanwo, Akinfolarin Samuel, Okunjimi Odimayo, Adewale Akinterinwa, Olugbenga Edema, Gen. Ohunyeye Olamide, Morayo Lebi, Garvey Oladiran Iyanjan, and Ifeoluwa Oyedele.
Aiyedatiwa, who is riding into the fray on the back of incumbency and strings of endorsements from traditional rulers and the majority of state lawmakers, holds the ace.
In an interview the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said, “We are not under any pressure. The primary is just in 24 hours. I am sure by then, everybody will know where they belong.”
On the mood in the governor’s camp, he described it as normal.
“This is not about mood. The reality will be on the field tomorrow. He is the governor. There is nothing to worry about,” he stated.
Aiyedatiwa, who concluded his campaign tour in three council areas of Akoko North West, Akoko North East, and Akoko South on Friday, had told newsmen that he still enjoys the support of the people.
He said: “Throughout this campaign journey, the immense support I’ve garnered stresses the resounding desire of the people of Ondo State for continuity. This affirmation is rooted in the remarkable progress achieved during the short period we have spent in office. The people of Ondo state yearn for the continuation of this positive trajectory and it is evident that they believe I am the right candidate to lead this charge.
“Therefore, I urge everyone to identify with me in their various wards on Saturday, so that the developmental phase we have embarked on can continue. Let us ensure that our collective voices are heard loud and clear.”
But another contestant, Ibrahim, who spoke at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja few days ago, warned that an endorsement does not win anybody an election.
The senator also said the governor and other aspirants know he is the most qualified, as he has been in the race as far back as 2003 when he contested with the likes of the late former governors, Olusegun Agagu and Adebayo Adefarati.
Another contestant, Akinterinwa, also ended his campaign tour at his Ile-Oluji hometown where he promised to be true to his campaign promises ahead of Saturday’s party primary.
Addressing journalists on Friday, Akinterinwa exuded confidence, saying he expected nothing short of victory at the poll.
He said, “Ondo people want somebody knowledgeable, who has the capacity, somebody who has been around long enough, whom they know and who has been in government that they can fraternise with.
“When we go out, we don’t take crowds from one local government to the other. So, our crowd is organic; it is within that environment. I expect that on Saturday, we will come out as winners of the primaries. By the grace of God, I won’t be surprised if other aspirants start stepping down for me. Some of them (aspirants) are already reaching out to me.”
A female contestant, Funmi Waheed-Adekojo, has announced that she is willing to step down if the APC calls for it.
She disclosed this to journalists at a media parley in Akure, the state capital on Friday.
She said, “I will step down for my loyalty to the party. If the party asked me, I would do so. Wherever the party goes, I will go. I came out based on the passion I have for people. No one asked me to contest. I am not going to bribe anybody.
“Without mincing words, this concept of rotation has regrettably become a hindrance to progress. One of its errors is that it prioritises political permutation over meritocracy and competence.”
Another governorship aspirant, who seems to be defying the odds in the last few weeks, is Oke.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria is coming into the contest on the back of a string of endorsements from some traditional chiefs and the popular Omoluabi Indigene group.
Two days ago, the campaign organisation of the late Dr Paul Akintelure, who was also a governorship contender until he died on March 24 after a brief illness, collapsed its structure to join forces with Oke’s camp
The move was confirmed in a statement jointly signed by the Director General and General Secretary of the group, Dr. Bello Adeluse Obe and Mrs Usor Eteng, respectively.
The group, which directed all its members across the 18 local government areas of the state to vote for Oke, said the development became necessary to ensure his victory in Saturday’s governorship election.
PUNCH
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) says it has sealed off the Idera market in the Oshodi metropolis.
In a statement on Thursday, Ajayi Lukman, LAGESC spokesperson, said the agency sealed the market due to unhygienic practices and indiscriminate dumping of refuse, which contravened the environmental law of the state.
He said the measure was taken to enforce adherence to environmental cleanliness across registered markets in the state.
‘‘Our operatives stationed across the Oshodi division during routine market monitoring identified the filth, unhygienic practices, and indiscriminate dumping of refuse around the Idera Market area, which prompted us to seal off the market until further notice,” the statement reads.
Lukman quoted Olaniyi Cole, the corps marshal of the agency, as decrying the level of hygiene at the market, which could lead to an outbreak of diseases.
He said Cole frowned at the inability of the market leadership to provide a valid waste collection contract, which resulted in the heaps of refuse in the facility.
He added that the display of wares for sale on road setbacks, lay-bys, medians, verges, kerbs, street trading, and hawking remained banned in the metropolis.
The LAGESC corps marshal reiterated the ban on the sales, distribution, and usage of styrofoam in the state, noting that anyone found culpable would be punished decisively.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Hours to the Edo State governorship election, the guber candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP)Amb Osalumese Areloegbe on Thursday morning collapsed the structure for the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie Esq.
Addressing journalists at the party secretariat in Benin City, Areloegbe said his decision to collapse the structure for the PDP candidate was because he believed that Ighodalo had all it would take to govern the state to greater heights.
According to him, I urged all my followers and supporters to disregard any information that I have aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo.
“I am supporting Asue Ighodalo because he is competent, not that I am not competent but I believe Asue is on the forefront. That is my reason for supporting his candidacy.
“My party is aware because they have been having a series of negotiations for us to align with the APC, and I told them categorically that I am supporting PDP. My eighteen local government followers are in full support of my decision, I mean 100 per cent supporting the PDP candidate, Barr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie in this election.
“My choice for Asue Ighodalo is because, apart from myself, I see him as the next better candidate that I can support and I can put my weight on because he has the capacity, mentally, physically and otherwise to pilot the affairs of Edo State to greater heights.
“The national secretariat of my party, APP – they are in Abuja and I am in the state, and know much more of what is happening in Edo State. They are not here and don’t know what is going on here in Edo. And I am in a position to tell them what will be better for the Edo people.
“There is a parable that says, ‘You cannot shave a man’s head when he is not present’. I am here in Edo State and I know who to support and why I am supporting him. The national leadership might have taken a different tone, but this is what I and my followers have chosen.
“We had a series of other politicians who had made such decisions before. That is why I agreed with the support of my supporters to collapse my structure for the governorship candidate of the PDP Barr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie.”
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A resident of Ifetedo in Osun State, simply identified as Idowu, had reportedly died in an incident of collapse building that occurred in the town.
The collapsed structure was said to be a dilapidated building that suddenly caved in and killed the woman.
A resident of Ifetedo, simply identified as Ogunyemi, while speaking to The PUNCH on Thursday, said operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, responding to a distress call, were at the scene of the incident.
Some NSCDC operatives rushed to the scene after they were informed of the incident. They were joined by some other people in the community.
Idowu was the only person in the building when the incident happened. She was brought out dead from the rubble.
“The incident caused panic in Omiloode Area, where the building is located. The building that collapsed is a dilapidated structure,” Ogunyemi said.
Osun NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Kehind Adeleke, when contacted confirmed the incident, adding that the scene was immediately cordoned off by security men.
“An abandoned dilapidated building located along Omiloode Street, Ifetedo collapsed and killed one Mrs Idowu, who was said to be around the structure when the incident happened.
“The tragic incident occurred at about 17:30 hours on Tuesday.
“Officers and men of NSCDC Ife South Division, upon getting information rushed to the scene of the incident for rescue operation. But unfortunately, the woman had passed on. She was brought out of the rubble dead. The site was immediately cordoned off,” Adeleke said.
LASG shuts down Idera market over ‘environmental pollution
Hours to Edo guber polls, major opposition candidate crumbles structure for Ighodalo
SAD! Woman reportedly d!3s in Osun building c0llapse
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