Politics
2023: ‘Lafi’ has been vindicated – Group reacts to alleged ‘sponsored story’ to malign ex-Oyo lawmaker
A group, Lagelu/Akinyele Non-Aligned Movement on Wednesday bemoaned an online news medium, Sahara Reporters for turning itself into an instrument being used by politicians to malign their opponents to pursue their selfish ambition.
The group made this assertion while reacting to a story published yesterday 13th April, 2022 with the headline: “Oyo Group Kicks As Alleged Killer of House of Representatives Member, Sugar, Declares To Run in 2023″ which it said was sponsored by political opponents purposely to malign and impugn the personality of Hon. Olafisoye Akinmoyede ahead of the 2023 general elections.
It also noted that the former council boss and lawmaker, Olafisoye has been vindicated in the murder allegation levelled against him as he was discharged and acquitted by the Oyo State High Court .
According to the group, Sahara Reporters went ahead to state that Olafisoye was arrested as the prime suspect in the murder of Olatoye Sugar in 2019.
But, in a statement issued and signed by its Chairman and Secretary of Lagelu/Akinyele Non-Aligned Movement group, Comrade Kolawole Ishola and Adedeji Adewale, the group expressed its utmost disappointment that an online platform like Sahara Reporters could descend so low to the extent of allowing a faceless group under the spurious name of Lagelu Legacy Youth Movement to publish such a misleading report aimed at blackmailing the former Chief Whip of the Oyo State House of Assembly, an indigene of Lagelu Local Government for their mendacious frustrating agenda.
The group added that it was surprised that Sahara Reporters who wrote in its report that “Olafisoye was arrested as the prime suspect in the murder of Olatoye Sugar in 2019 but discharged and acquitted by the Oyo State High Court for lack of merit in the suit”, could allowed itself to be used to publish such spurious story knowing fully well that it is against the ethics of journalism to publish such defamatory story after the court had delivered its judgment.
“We wish to state unequivocally that the publication in its entirety is false and baseless. It was published in the tradition of Sahara Reporters known for publishing sponsored stories to blackmail and impugn the credibility of notable people especially politicians in the country.
“While being conscious of the need not to react to such frivolous story as contained in the report and leave Sahara Reporters to its conscience, we considered it expedient to put the record straight for it, its sponsors and well meaning people of Oyo State.
“We want to place it on record that Hon. Olafisoye was never arrested by the police as reported by Sahara Reporters. Hon. Olafisoye rather submitted himself to the police for investigation in March, 2019 after the police mentioned his name for allegedly having a hand in the death of Hon. Sugar. The police commenced investigation and charged him and three others to court after completing their investigation.
“On Thursday 23rd January, 2020, Hon. Justice Mufutau Adegbola of High Court No. 7, Ring Road, Ibadan discharged and acquitted Hon Olafisoye Akinmoyede, Alhaji Rafiu Alimi, Alhaji Rasheed Oladele and Kazeem Ayinde who stood for trial in suit No. I/70C/2019 over an alleged involvement in the murder of Hon. Temitope Olatoye Sugar”, the statement said.
It continued, “Hon. Justice Mufutau Adegbola while delivering the judgment said the prosecution counsel had not provided any of the ingredients of murder to connect the accused with the murder of the deceased.
“His acquittal was widely reported in some national newspapers, broadcast media and of course many online platforms. We now wonder whether the Sahara Reporters and its sponsors were not in Nigeria to be aware of the court’s decision as delivered on 23rd January, 2020.
“We thank God that with the said verdict that vindicated him, truth finally prevailed over the allegation he knew nothing about to the admiration of we his lovers, well meaning indigenes of Lalupon, his hometown and indeed his entire political family in Lagelu and Akinyele local government areas.
“We can authoritatively confirm that a member of staff with Sahara Reporters is working secretely as a media aide to one of the aspirants for the Lagelu Akinyele federal constituency and that is the reason why the online platform published the story in an apparent attempt to blackmail and impugn the credibility of Hon. Olafisoye Akinmoyede having seen him as a threat to his own political aspiration because Hon. Lafisoye is known as a strong grassroot political mobilizer with track records of performances in all elective positions he has held so far.
“While we enjoin members of the public especially the good people of Lagelu/Akinyele federal constituency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) family in Oyo State to discountenance the content of the publication in its entirety, we want to warn Sahara Reporters to toe the path of honour by stopping further publishing such defamatory, libellous and spurious story against the personality of Hon. Olafisoye Akinmoyede. We shall otherwise, instruct our legal team to commence legal action against it, its agents, privies or whoever involving in such defamatory story in future”, the statement concluded.
Politics
From ‘Books to Shops’: Oyo APC Slams Makinde Over ‘Shameful’ Library Conversion
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has criticized the alleged forceful conversion of public reading and learning facilities in Dugbe, Ibadan, into shopping malls and lock-up shops by the state government, describing the development as shameful, ill-conceived, and unacceptable.
In a statement released over the weekend by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the APC also raised concerns about the alleged sale of the modern motor park facility at Wema Area on New Ife Road, Ibadan, built during the administration of the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
According to the party, the motor park has been sold to a pastor who presides over a popular church near the facility.
Residents of Ibadan, the state capital, were reportedly stunned when they noticed the sudden erection of massive private business complexes within the premises of the Oyo State Library Board.
The facilities, built by the defunct Western Region government, had served as public libraries and archives for decades, benefitting students, researchers, and tourists until recently.
“It is a sad reality that the buildings which used to serve as public libraries and archives in Dugbe axis of Ibadan have now paved the way for the development of commercial and business structures,” Sadare said.
“The implication is that education and research development have been relegated to the background in the state by an administration that has done little to address the poor reading culture among young students.”
The APC expressed alarm over what it termed the erosion of public heritage under Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration, alleging that public properties are being sold or leased to private individuals and groups under questionable circumstances.
“How can a government wake up one day and convert public reading facilities and archives into lock-up shops in the name of making money, thereby subjecting society to the dangers of illiteracy and ignorance?” the statement queried.
The party also cited other instances of alleged mismanagement of public assets, including the concession of OYSADEP Guest House in Saki and Agbowo Shopping Complex in Ibadan, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to the state’s socio-economic development.
“Sad enough, the ignoble activities of the governor and a few other characters around him as they involve mismanagement of land and other resources belonging to the state have paved the way for a surge in land grabbing cases in most parts of the state capital. There are many cases involving appointees of the governor, PDP lawmakers, local government officials, and party chieftains,” the statement added.
The APC called on well-meaning individuals and stakeholders in the state to demand accountability from the Makinde administration and halt what it described as the systematic erosion of public resources and heritage.
Politics
Relief as Rep ‘Lafi’ Empowers 300 Constituents Through Skill Acquisition Programme
Over 300 constituents of Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency in Oyo State benefitted from a skill acquisition and empowerment programme organized by their representative in the National Assembly, Hon. Akinmoyede Olafisoye.
The event, held at Faith Joe Event Centre, Alegongo, Akobo, Ibadan, aimed to address the challenges of unemployment and economic hardship by equipping participants with practical skills and financial support.
The programme focused on empowering youths, students, and unemployed graduates to become self-reliant. Each participant was provided with a certificate, a Point of Sale (POS) terminal, an umbrella, and ₦100,000 as a startup grant to kickstart their businesses.
The tools and financial aid were designed to enable beneficiaries to establish sustainable sources of income.
Participants received comprehensive training, gaining hands-on experience to ensure they could effectively utilize the tools provided. The POS machines were configured with the personal details of the recipients, ensuring proper use and discouraging unauthorized transfers.
Addressing the participants, Akinmoyede who is the Chairman House Committee on Nigeria/ Mexico Parliamentary Friendship enjoined the beneficiaries to explore the opportunity for their benefit by ensuring that they use the machines for the purpose it was meant for.
He added that all the machines have been configured with the documents of individual beneficiaries which will make it very difficult to transfer to another person.
In his goodwill message, the Oyo Central Senatorial chairman of APC, Hon. Joshua Oyebamiji said comparing what the lawmaker has been doing in the area of dishing out empowerment and palliatives to his constituents, it is difficult to tag him a first-timer at the national assembly.
While appreciating Akinmoyede for his gesture at the event, former APC Deputy State Chairman, Alhaji Isiaka Alimi, Hon. Fatai Awoyoola, and Hon. Akinbode Emmanuel said they were yet to discover the magic wand being used by the lawmaker for his constant and habitual empowerment programmes.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke at the end of the training, Afolabi Kuburat, Akinropo Akindotun, Ajala Abisade Iyabo, and Grace Anuoluwapo Ayinde lauded the lawmaker for giving them the opportunity to be self-reliant at this time when Nigerians are facing economic hardship.
Politics
Oyo: Olafisoye Facilitates Capacity-Building Training for 300 Constituents
The House of Representatives member representing Akinyele/Lagelu federal constituency Oyo State, Hon. Prince Akinmoyede Olafisoye Wasiu has initiated another skill acquisition and capacity-building training for no fewer than 300 members of his constituency.
The initiative which is being organized in partnership with Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan is part of a strategic effort by the lawmaker to foster rural development of cooperative for their economic emancipation and break the shackles of poverty so as to alleviate the impact of the high cost of living among the people in Akinyele/Lagelu federal constituency he represents.
The training programme is coming up on Monday 18th November, 2024 at Faith Joe Event Centre hall. Alegongo, Ibadan by 8.00am.
A statement issued by the Special Assistant on Media to the lawmaker, Alimi Abdullahi stated that the capacity-building is designed to equip participants with essential entrepreneurial skills with a view to building sustainable livelihoods and improve the quality of lives of the people of Akinyele/Lagelu federal constituency.
All the participants for the training are expected to be at the venue by 8am so as not to miss any part of the training.
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