Politics
Go and start as councillor – Shittu, Sowore in verbal war
There were verbal exchanges of hard words on Saturday between the Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu and the Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Mr. Omoyele Sowore over the 2019 general elections and the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari.
They clashed during a public affairs radio programme, tagged “Political Circuit” on Fresh FM in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
DAILY POST correspondent who monitored the program learnt that Sowore, a Presidential aspirant, was in Ibadan in continuation of his campaign movement.
Shittu, who was the first to arrive the Felele studio of the private radio station owned by popular juju musician, Mr. Yinka Ayefele suddenly became uncomfortable when the young Presidential aspirant arrived.
Sowore who was the first to greet the Minister said, “Minister, it is great to see you. This is the minister of an outgoing regime; the Buhari regime will be kicked off power by 2019″.
He had barely concluded his introductory statement when the Minister fired back, saying “You are a dreamer. By your wish or by God’s wish? You are just dreaming. You are a day dreamer”.
Sowore in his reply said “By the wish of the people of Nigeria, Sir. It is not a dream. It is the realisation you’d wake up to on February 15.”
Shittu in his own response then mocked Sowore, saying he does not have any electoral value.
He said “Sowore, what is your electoral worth? Whether in your Ife, home or any part of this country.”
Sowore who said he have enough electoral value to chase out the Buhari administration said, “My electoral worth brought you to power in 2015. Nobody even heard about many of you in 2014.”
The minister thereafter said the Sahara Reporters publisher didn’t know about him because he was inconsequential in politics.
The Minister said, “You are inconsequential.
“That’s rubbish. I have been in politics since you were born. For forty years, I have been in politics and I was already a lawyer before I joined politics forty years ago. You can’t be here and talk rubbish.
“This is rubbish! You want to become president? You are a day dreamer. Who will make you president? You will be president of your Ife… not Nigeria. Go and be president in Ife. You think it is cheap as that? We will see.
In defence, Mr Sowore said he was consequential because Shittu and others came to power by the efforts of young Nigerians like him.
“I am consequential because you came to power on my back, on our back… on the back of young people who invested a lot of hope.”
In response, the minister described the publisher as a mere noise-maker.
He said “What did you invest? Did you invest more than me, No? I will not sit here and allow someone make noise…You are just a noisemaker. You are just a noisemaker.”
Sowore then warned that the minster’s conduct was typical of the same way handlers of former President Goodluck Jonathan treated Nigerians before they were defeated at the polls in 2015.
He said, “This was the same way Jonathan people were sounding in 2014… you are gonna be shocked in 2019, the Nigeria of the future is for dreamers like me.”
The angry Minister then maintained that,“You think the presidency is for people like you? Go and start from being a councillor. I have been a member of the House of Assembly, I was a commissioner twice, I was already a lawyer… you wouldn’t know, you were too small.
“How old are you? How old are you? This is not a platform for minions like you to come… you think the presidency is something you can just buy in a market place? You are a giant in university politics (and) by the grace of God you will be put to shame.”
Shittu accused the publisher of publishing falsehood against him without contacting him to verify the fact, an accusation to which Mr. Sowore replied by saying the minister barely picked his calls nor replied his messages.
It took the anchor of the program, Mr. Isaac Brown and other analysts on the program more than five minutes to bring the situation under control.
When asked to explain the rationale for vying for the presidency, the 47-year-old publisher said he had been around for thirty years fighting for the betterment of the country. He also said he had built a media platform whose reportage help bring the present government into power.
On the NotTooYoungToRun initiative, Mr Sowore said it was not enough for the youth to simply contest on the basis of their being young.
“You have to take power because we are responsible and should be responsible for it. That’s why we are having a heated argument here. I have been doing this for thirty years; by next year, it will be thirty years. We are the ones that fought for the democracy they are enjoying today.
“We do (contact affected parties in a story for reaction) but they don’t react until they get into trouble. I have your (Mr. Shittu) telephone number, I called you. I had sent you text messages even before now but because you think I am inconsequential, you ignored me,” he said.
Shittu, who said Sowore needs ‘mentoring’, thereafter threatened to sue the Sahara Reporters publisher over the said publication.
https://iso.keq.mybluehost.me/adebanjo-tears-obasanjo-says-his-administration-was-a-calamity/
Former Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Professor Adeolu Akande, has made a fervent appeal to factions within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State to reconcile and unite ahead of the forthcoming local council election.
Addressing party chairmen and chairmanship candidates from the 10 local government areas of Oke Ogun zone, Akande emphasised the critical need for solidarity within the party ranks to secure victory in the elections scheduled for this month.
Highlighting the significance of unity within the party, the former Governor Ajimobi’s aide underscored that Oyo State is inherently an APC stronghold, but internal conflicts hampered the party’s performance in the previous election.
He urged members to set aside their differences and focus on the common goal of delivering a progressive government to the people of the state.
Speaking during the gathering in Otu, headquarters of Itesiwaju Local Government area, Akande stressed the imperative of forgiveness and reconciliation, emphasising that the party’s success hinges on unity. He lauded the efforts of the national leadership in fostering reconciliation, urging members to embrace the spirit of unity.
As a gesture of support, the ex-NCC gaffer provided financial assistance amounting to N500,000 to each of the 10 local government areas to bolster their preparations for the upcoming April 27 election.
The event was attended by APC Chairmen and Chairmanship candidates from the Oke Ogun Zone, alongside 21 former local government chairmen, demonstrating a collective commitment to the party’s success in the forthcoming election.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state was in Ido town, headquarters of the Ido Local Government to campaign for himself on Monday.
Local Government Election have been slated for April 27 of this year and the Governor is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that he is declared winner by OYSIEC.
Do I sound confusing? Definitely not.
Governor Makinde is the contestant for the position of Local Government Chairman in the 33 Local Governments in Oyo state.
Reason? The Governor doubles as the State’s Chief Executive as well as the de facto Chairman of the 33 Local Governments while the 33 clowns parading themselves as the Councils’helmsmen are just Chairmen de jure.
What the Yorubas call “Esin inu iwe”.
I will use two incidents that happened simultaneously today to prove what is already known and accepted by the general public, albeit, arguably.
While Governor Makinde was dancing to some Fuji music in Ido town during the campaign rally, the chairman of Ibadan South West Local Government, one Hon. Kehinde Akande was in a live debate at Fresh FM with the APC candidate, Dr. Abogun and his statements were quite revealing.
A direct question regarding his view about autonomy and independence of Local Governments was put to him by the moderator, Isaac Brown and his response leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
The fellow, sadly and slavishly said that he has no problems with the decision of the Governor (Seyi Makinde) to directly monitor the expenditures of the Local Governments, since, according to him, it was for the purpose of probity and accountability!
This was coming from the Chairman of one of the most populous if not the most populous in Oyo state.
Like his peers who have one time or the other appeared on Radio, he could not point to any tangible project done by him and why would he?
The Governor calls the shots.
This is just on a lighter note, Hon. Kehinde Akande can not correctly identify the collation centre for ward 12 in a Local Government where he had been chairman for almost four years.
That underline the level of redundancy of this fellows parading themselves as Council Chairmen and on whose sake Governor Makinde incurred billions of Naira as judgment debts.
Now, to Governor Makinde’s campaign in Ido.
Is it not interesting that the Governor was in Ido and he didn’t Commission any project done by the Local Government?
In the times of his predecessors, such occasions were used to Commission projects done by the Local Government Chairmen but what will Governor Makinde Commission?
Nothing.
Nothing, because all the projects he mentioned during the campaign rally like the Omi Adio – Ido Road and others were attached to the state Government, even though, the funds were that of the Local Government.
Similarly, all the projects he promised to embark upon in the coming months within the Local Government like the modernisation of the Omi Adio market are projects he will usurp as usual, using the Councils’funds.
If not for the fact that Governor Makinde requires some pliant individuals who will sign out the Councils’funds for him to expend, I bet, there won’t be Local Government Chairmen during his tenure.
A lot of examples abound to confirm Governor Makinde’s illegal usurpation of the functions of the Local Government Chairmen.
Akesan Market is another typical example.
The April 27 Local Government Election is between Governor Makinde as grand Chairman of the 33 Local Governments and the opposition political parties.
The 33 gentlemen flying the tickets for the PDP are just necessary proxies.
I will not dissipate energy on the Governor’s uncharitable boasts that the opposition should wait for another three years, when he would still be the Governor to conduct another election.
I will rather call on the people of the state to be united in removing the “Ajeles” he has foisted on the Local Governments.
Oyo state can not afford another three years of Governor Makinde’s mismanagement of the Local Government resources.
He has bled the state enough through over bloated contracts and debts.
All residents of the state should consider the April 27 Local Government Election as an opportunity to at least salvage the 33 Local Governments from the suffocating hold of the Governor.
Like I said earlier, Oyo state can not afford another three years of continual looting of the Local Governments through the proxies of the Governor.
One would wonder what business the Governor has in the ” modernisation” of Omi Adio market.
Maintenance of the market is purely the responsibility of the Local Government Chairman but under Governor Makinde, even the Parks and abattoirs are directly run by the Governor.
That is the reason why the Local Governments have become comatose.
They have no means of generating IGR as all avenues have been taken away from them by the Governor.
Now, you tell me, Isn’t Governor Makinde not the one contesting on April 27?
Sola Abegunde writes from Oyo State
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, faces a tumultuous time as members of his ward, the Ganduje Ward in the Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State, have suspended him.
It was announced by the Executive Council of Ganduje Ward, led by Haruna Gwanjo, during a press briefing in Kano on Monday.
The suspension comes amidst lingering corruption allegations, notably surrounding a viral video from 2017 depicting Ganduje allegedly receiving bundles of dollar notes as a bribe and stuffing them into his garments.
Despite Ganduje’s initial denial and maintenance of innocence, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) administration, under Governor Abba Yusuf, has reopened the case.
The Kano High Court is set to arraign Ganduje on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, on charges including bribery, diversion, and misappropriation of funds.
Mega Icon Magazine gathered that the allegations involve the purported acceptance of $413,000 and N1.38 billion in bribes. The State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Haruna Dederi, confirmed that Ganduje, along with his wife and six others, will face trial.
The Yusuf administration has vowed to present 15 witnesses to testify before Justice Usman Na’aba of the State High Court, indicating the seriousness with which the case is being pursued.
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