Politics
Close ranks to reclaim Oyo, PDP chair, Secondus tasks new executive
THE National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Uche Secondus, on Monday tasked leaders and members of the party in Oyo state to close ranks and return power to the party in 2019.
Secondus, who spoke through the party’s National Legal Adviser, Mr Emmanuel Enoidem, gave the charge in Abuja during the inauguration of the Executive Committee of the party in the state.
He noted that the inauguration was one of the unification processes of PDP in Oyo state, adding that all hitherto factions of the party in the state were present.
“This exercise today is to enable you, the new executive of our party, to go back home and begin to heal whatever needs to be healed in our party.
“You need to bring every party member and stakeholders together. This exercise will give you the necessary official capacity to go back to Oyo state and make sure you bring all the leaders of our party together under one roof”, he advised.
Secondus further enjoined the party officials to ensure that they complied with the party’s Constitution in carrying out their responsibilities in the state.
“You are expected to ensure that from every ward and local government in Oyo, whenever you are taking decision, you must make sure that majority of our people are carried along in that process.
“When you take the party back to the people of Oyo, we know that the power in the state will come back to PDP.
“The PDP is poised to take over power in Oyo and Nigeria in 2019, and the process begins now.
“PDP is a mass movement anytime and anywhere and Oyo cannot be an exception.
“You are very much aware that PDP is in every home in Oyo, so, we expect the new leadership to make sure that you go to every home and bring out our members to make PDP thicker than you met it today”.
The chairman also lauded Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, who contested the national chairmanship of the party in the December, 2017 National Convention, for withdrawing his suit against the party.
“What he has done is putting the party and democracy in Nigeria above his personal interest. I want to tell you that he has shown enormous goodwill to this party at this critical time.’’
Remarking, National Vice-Chairman (South-West) of the party, Dr Eddy Olafeso, said that the party needed reconciliation and unity to move forward.
Olafeso urged the new leadership of PDP in Oyo state to provide the direction that the state chapter required, and called on the new executive committee to reach out to aggrieved former leaders and members.
Olafeso assured that the party would give the necessary support for the development of PDP in Oyo and South-West.
Also, the Chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha, observed that a lot needed to be done to reach aggrieved members and bring them together, insisting that “if we say nothing is happening, we are deceiving ourselves’’.
Mustapha said he was grateful for the trust that the party bestowed on the new executive, assuring that they would commence work on the task given to them immediately.
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.
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.
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.
-
Metro1 day agoGrim Friday: Man, Wife, Grandson Perish in Ibadan Fire
-
News3 days ago
Bank Robberies Now History in Lagos Since 2014 – IGP
-
Crime & Court3 days ago
Human Rights Lawyer, Dele Farotimi, Granted ₦30m Bail
-
News1 day ago
NNPCL Refutes Shutdown Claims: Port Harcourt Refinery Fully Operational
