Politics
N3.5b Debt: Nigerians won’t allow you to become a full despot; Oyo APC tells Makinde to pay sacked LG officials
The Oyo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has berated Governor Seyi Makinde over his refusal to accept the verdict of the Supreme Court regarding the payment of entitlements of all the local government council officials who were illegally sacked from office in 2019 warning that Nigerians would not watch him (Makinde) become a full despot in the nation’s democratic space.
Mega Icon Magazine recalled that Governor Makinde, on his first day in office in May 2019, sacked all the local government council officials elected during the tenure of his predecessor, late Senator Abiola Ajimobi, and this resulted in litigation up till the Apex Court where the governor was indicted and mandated to pay his victims all their entitlement for the remaining two years they were denied out of their three-year tenure.
In a statement issued on Monday and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC frowned at the decision of Governor Makinde to resort to intimidation and blackmail of the deprived Chairmen and councilors rather than comply with the judgment of the courts describing the development as disturbing, embarrassing and unbecoming of any leader in a democratic setting.
“It beats the imagination of many pundits and political watchers across the globe that a governor who swore to an oath to defend the nation’s constitution but now turned out to be the one desecrating the sacred document. Gov. Makinde left no one in doubt of his mission to rule with an iron hand and total disregard for the rule of law when he ordered the sack of elected council officials on his first day in office without any recourse to the law of the land.
“But rather than employ confrontation and violence, his victims took their case to the lower court where their prayers for reinstatement were expressly granted. The judgment of the Federal High Court was appealed by the state government up to the Apex Court and at every stage, Gov. Makinde lost out since the law is so apt on the administration of all the three tiers of government without one being allowed to swallow or strangulate the other.
“In the history of the nation’s democracy, there has been a time that a governor would discountenance the verdict of the Supreme Court and this call the bluff of the judiciary brazenly as Gov. Makinde is doing at the moment. The governor has not only defied the court, he has also made it a habit to throw tantrums and jibes at the court in public over a verdict that went against him. Reports have it that about 27 of the sacked officials died recently as they could not get money to treat one ailment or the other.
“To save the society from dire consequences of Gov. Makinde’s recklessness and abuse of power, the onus now lies on President Bola Tinubu, the National Assembly, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, and other relevant authorities to stop Gov. Makinde from making a mockery of the judiciary as his current attitude poses a grave danger to the nation’s democracy. When a governor displays brazen disregard for the Supreme Court and disrespect for the entire judiciary, he is laying a bad precedent and this has to be checked without further delay as the issue goes beyond APC versus PDP.” Oyo APC stated.
House of Representatives member and Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has fulfilled his pledge to support the welfare of the All Progressives Congress (APC) staff in Oyo State.
In a gesture highlighting his commitment, the lawmaker personally funded the salaries of staff at the APC’s Oke Ado Secretariat in Ibadan, reinforcing his dedication to the smooth operation of the party’s activities in the state.
Representing the Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency, Oseni recently visited the secretariat, where he expressed gratitude to party leaders and members for their contributions.
As a further commitment to the smooth operation of the party’s activities, the lawmaker generously donated ten million naira (N10,000,000) as an allowance to enhance the secretariat’s functions.
In a statement released Wednesday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the lawmaker extended appreciation to the secretariat staff, whom he described as the backbone of the party’s daily functions.
He lauded their dedication, noting their essential role in advancing the party’s goals.
“Leadership is about service, and service begins with supporting those who make the party function from within,” Oseni remarked.
“I am proud to honour this commitment to our staff, as they play a crucial role in making our political structures work effectively. This is my way of showing appreciation for their unwavering dedication”, he added.
Engr. Aderemi Oseni, representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency of Oyo State in the House of Representatives, has paid tribute to former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, on his 61st birthday, celebrating his decades of dedicated service and contributions to Oyo State and Nigeria at large.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, in Ibadan, Oseni, who also serves as Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), lauded Folarin’s unwavering commitment to leadership and the well-being of the people.
Highlighting the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial nominee in the 2023 elections for three terms in the Senate, the lawmaker noted that Folarin’s legacy of service continues to be a guiding light for emerging leaders and a source of inspiration for countless individuals across the state.
“Senator Folarin has built an admirable legacy through years of selfless public service, consistently advocating for progress and unity,” remarked Oseni.
Reflecting on Folarin’s role as the Ikolaba Olubadan of Ibadanland, the lawmaker commended his leadership approach, which has bridged divides, fostered coalitions, and promoted initiatives aimed at stabilising democracy.
“Senator Folarin’s career is an example of visionary leadership,” he added, “and his commitment to public service will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.”
As Senator Folarin marks this milestone, Oseni extended warm wishes for his continued health and success, expressing hope that his exemplary life of service will keep inspiring positive change across the nation.
In a historic ruling, a Ugandan court on Friday sentenced former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo to 40 years in prison.
This landmark decision, marking the first time a member of the notorious LRA has faced trial for war crimes in a Ugandan court, follows the group’s brutal two-decade insurgency against the Ugandan government.
Kwoyelo, who was convicted in August on 44 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, faced charges including murder, rape, torture, pillaging, abduction, and the destruction of settlements for internally displaced people.
(FILES) Thomas Kwoyelo a commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army rebellion blamed for brutal civilian murders during a 20-year war in the north of the country is brought into a courthouse in the northern Ugandan town of Gulu on July 25, 2011. – A Ugandan court on October 25, 2024 sentenced former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo to 40 years in prison after a landmark war crimes trial over his role in the group’s two-decade reign of terror. The sentence against Kwoyelo, who was convicted on 44 counts of crimes against humanity in August, was announced by Michael Elubu, the lead judge in the case at the court in the northern city of Gulu. (Photo by MICHELE SIBOLINI / AFP)
Michael Elubu, lead judge of the case at the International Crimes Division (ICD) of Uganda’s High Court, delivered the sentence in the northern city of Gulu, underscoring a rare moment of accountability in the decades-long history of the LRA’s violence.
Judge Elubu stated that Kwoyelo retains the right to appeal both his conviction and sentence within 14 days.
Kwoyelo, who was abducted by the LRA at the age of 12 and later rose to a low-level command position within the organization, denied all charges brought against him.
(FILES) Suspected LRA (Lords Resistance Army) member Thomas Kwoyelo is pictured during a pre-trial session at the High Court in Kampala on Februay 1, 2017. – A Ugandan court on October 25, 2024 sentenced former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo to 40 years in prison after a landmark war crimes trial over his role in the group’s two-decade reign of terror. The sentence against Kwoyelo, who was convicted on 44 counts of crimes against humanity in August, was announced by Michael Elubu, the lead judge in the case at the court in the northern city of Gulu. (Photo by GAEL GRILHOT / AFP)
The Lord’s Resistance Army, founded by Joseph Kony in the 1980s, sought to establish a regime based on the Ten Commandments. Under Kony’s leadership, the group unleashed widespread terror across Uganda and neighboring regions, resulting in over 100,000 deaths and the abduction of 60,000 children.
The violence eventually spread to Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the Central African Republic.
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