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Alleged political assassination: ZLP candidate, Ajanaku’s account contradicts Fijabi’s narrative

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THE Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) national assembly candidate for Ibadan Northwest/ Southwest federal constituency, Otunba Rotimi Ajanaku on Tuesday presented a new version of events related to the alleged political assassination of Hon. Saheed Fijabi, the present occupant and the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

With this development, Otunba Ajanaku has contradicted the allegation of assassination leveled against him which was earlier circulated on the internet.

The Chairman Committee on Telecommunication, Hon. Fijabi had earlier raised the alarm that his life was under a threat of political assassination.

Addressing a press conference at Fijabi House, Dugbe, Ibadan, yesterday, the APC candidate who is seeking third term re-election informed that he narrowly escaped political assassination three days ago at Sabo area of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.

While requesting for protection from the police and Department of State Security (DSS), as he insisted that the case should be taken to court, Fijabi specifically alleged that his contender in the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Rotimi Ajanaku, was purportedly behind the alleged assassination attempt.

According to him, “Precisely, in the early hours of January 6, 2019, I had a meeting and after the meeting, I was driving home. Unfortunately, on getting to Sabo area of Ibadan, I was crossed by two branded vehicles of a party, precisely ZLP. The picture of a candidate was on the bus, and one Honda Accord car, belonging to one Rotimi Ajanaku, contesting also for Ibadan South West/North West Federal Constituency.

“I was crossed at Sabo between 12:30a.m and 1a.m. I was with one of my personal assistants, Yemi. We came down and on coming down, we noticed that like 10 of them came down from the bus and brandished guns and cutlasses. They asked me to lie down in the gutter, which obviously for one reason or the other, and because of my life, I lied down in the gutter.

“It was while lied down in the gutter that I summoned courage to call my father because we were in the same meeting together at Davies Hotel, Bodija. The next person I was able to call is officer in charge of Skynet, and I called the Oyo State Control Room.

“Fortunately, within 10 to 15 minutes, while the argument  was on, my father drove in. As he came down from the vehicle, one of the drivers of the bus came down and was fighting with my dad.

“From nowhere, Operation Burst came in, and the Commander of Operation Burst was even the one that led the team to the place that very morning. When he came down, all of them ran away, including Rotimi Ajanaku himself. But we were able to apprehend one of them. Ajanaku was arrested in the evening of that day and the bus was impounded.

“In searching the bus before we left that place, we could notice they still have a well-loaded and ready-to-use gun in their vehicle. In searching it, we noticed that cutlasses were wrapped in the posters in the bus, which they wanted to use against us”, Fijabi submitted.

But, in a press statement issued by Oladapo Tobiloba, Head of Media Team, Rotimi Ajanaku Campaign Organization, a copy which was made available to Mega Icon Magazine gave differing accounts of what transpired.

Contained in the press statement, Oladapo explained that on Saturday, Ajanaku’s team had gone to paste posters at Sabo axis of Adamasingba when the APC candidate, Fijabi attacked them.

He narrated further, “During this exercise around 12:,45 am on Sunday morning January 6, 2019 the team decided to get some refreshments at Sabo area. As members of this team alighted at Roundabout junction, through to Sabo , we just noticed a Toyota Hilux car and a Toyota Camry car with a tinted glass crossed our vehicle.

“Hon. Saheed Fijabi’s father, Chief Akinade Fijabi alighted from the white Hilux car and attacked one of the members of the team.

“While this ongoing, Hon. Saheed Fijabi also attacked another member of Ajanaku’s team who was attempting to record the scenario. In fact we have a 28seconds video recording of the incident as an evidence of the true story.

“Thereafter, there were struggles among our team to escape the onslaught just as Hon. Fijabi put a call through to ‘Operation Burst’. At no point was Saheed Fijabi was attacked or pushed to the ground. In fact, he pushed and rough- handled one of our members who was recording with his phone and smashed the phone. We have video evidence to backup this claim.

“We were surprised that Hon. Saheed Fijabi, judging by his exalted office could descend to the extent of lying that our team attacked him”, he added.

Ajanaku’s mouthpiece, who described the incident as political and battle of the titans, also tagged it as ‘Hon. Rotimi Ajanaku and the powers- that- be behind Fijabi’.

Continuing, he said, “If truly our team attacked Hon. Saheed Fijabi as he alleged, how come that up till this moment, there have been no report of injury on Hon. Saheed Fijabi. If he was pushed to the ground as he claimed, did he got treatment in any hospital because we do not believe he sustained any form of injury as peddled”, he questioned.

Oladapo  also added,  ” none of his followers at that scene has reported of having wounds”.

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Oyo Rep, Oseni Pays APC Secretariat Staff Salaries, Donates N10m to Boost Party Operations

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File photo of Hon. Aderemi Oseni

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.

 

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Oseni Salutes Senator Folarin’s Decades of Service at 61

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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.

 

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Ugandan Court Hands Ex-LRA Commander 40-Year Sentence

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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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