Politics
Joy in Oyo as Senator Sunmonu empower constituents.
•Ajimobi, constituents hail lawmaker.
ON Friday 6th January, 2017, both governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and constituents hailed the Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu representing Oyo Central Senatorial District at the red chamber during empowerment of members of her constituency.
She was lauded for her contributions to the socio-political landscape of her community, senatorial district, state and how her ilk was said to have constitutes great blessings to Oyo state.
According to some constituents, Senator Sunmonu with the desire to right societal wrongs, her performance don’t only goes beyond law making but sharing and bringing dividends and goodies of democracy to the door steps of her constituents by given them a new lease of life with various masses –oriented programmes.
Noting the alarming rate of poverty and unemployment in our nation, the former speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Senator Sunmonu said she was able to bring succor to the plights of her constituents by distributing empowerment tools, which goes beyond political party lines as beneficiaries cut across the senatorial district.
As a result, the penultimate Friday was a moment of joy as the highly jubilant beneficiaries find it hard to hide their feelings by expressing vociferous gratitude to their benefactor, Senator Sunmonu.
Motorcycles donated by Senator Sunmonu to her constituents.
Among the several millions worth of empowerment items donated to the people were Sewing machines, Hair Dryers, Generation Sets, Hand Sprayers, Gas Cookers, Fertilizers and Motorcycles.
The event which was held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, had in attendance members of the state executive council, some members of the National Assembly from the state, State Party Executives among others.
Empowerment tools distributed by Senator Monsurat Sunmonu.
Speaking at the empowerment programme, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, lauded the lawmaker’s rhythmic progress for quality representations.
The governor stressed that Senator Sunmonu has proved to be a worthy representative of the district and the state at large, considering the tremendous achievements she has recorded.
While recalling her outstanding performance as the speaker of the State Assembly, Ajimobi said she facilitated projects and contributed actively at the National Assembly.
The governor’s statement reads , “Sunmonu has been doing very well. She is active and very intelligent. She is a worthy representative, who has exhibited Integrity, Godliness, patriotism and selflessness”.
Governor Ajimobi urged other lawmakers to emulate Senator Sunmonu, adding that every responsible and responsive representative must make the welfare of their people paramount on their minds.
Also, in their separate remarks, Prince Kunle Sanda, S.M Akindele and Mr Sunday Adewale who spoke on behalf of Ibadan, Oyo and Ogbomoso zones of the senatorial district respectively paid a glowing tribute to the lawmaker for her unprecedented achievements and strong commitments to the welfare of her constituents.
They further appreciated her for being a better example of good representative.
In a related development , Olufunmilayo Philips, a beneficiary of Sunmonu’s scholarship appreciated the lawmaker for her support, which covered his education and all other external examinations.
Philips, who is currently undergoing a Masters Degree in Mathematics at WUHAN University of Technology, China disclosed that the lawmaker also facilitated international scholarship for him.
He was the best performing student at a Mathematics Competition organised by National Association of Oyo Students (NAOS).
Beneficiaries.
Earlier in her address at the epoch making event, Senator Sunmonu explained that the work of a legislator exceeded dishing out cash gifts to constituents but involved facilitation of projects and ensure the executive does their jobs.
Enumerating her achievements, Senator Sunmonu said she had primarily sponsored four bills (4), co-sponsored ten (10) bills, primary sponsor of seven (7) motions, co-sponsored/supported many motions and have efficiently and effectively carried out several oversight functions.
Her sponsored bills are: Ammendment of the Electoral Act, Ammendment of Arbitration and Conciliation Act, Ammendment of Federal Road Safety Act and Ammendment of Criminal Code Act.
Speaking further, the lawmaker said that she had executed several community projects among which was the provision of twenty five (25) transformers across the senatorial district, which would be inaugurated in February.
She stressed, ”apart from the empowerment materials distributed today, I have provided exercise books to students, revolving loans to market women and empowered people living with disabilities.
“I have facilitated both national and international scholarships/ bursaries for no fewer than 30 students from the district and have presented over 300 JAMB forms to indigent students”
“I have provided ICT centres across the district and market facilities at Egbeda market.”
Continuing, the lawmaker said she facilitated resumption of work at the new Oyo-Ogbomoso expressway, repair of Adegbayi axis of Ibadan-Ife expressway, repairs of Sawmill-Owode Oyo road and Akobo bridge in Ibadan.
The former speaker added that she has maintained regular interactions with her constituents through town hall meetings.
While commending the governor for his continual support towards her success at the National Assembly, she equally appreciated the royal fathers across the state, who have always offered foresight and advice on dealing with wide-ranging issues.
Senator Sunmonu, however promised to do more towards satisfying the yearnings of her constituents.
By Idowu AYODELE.
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday held a high-level strategic meeting with the Oyo State chapter of the party as part of efforts to reposition the APC for victory and prevent internal crisis ahead of the polls.
The development was first scooped by OYOINSIGHT.COM which quoted multiple party sources familiar with the closed-door deliberations.
Sources disclosed that the meeting, held in Abuja, focused largely on a consensus arrangement being considered by stakeholders of the party in Oyo State, in line with political templates reportedly being adopted in Lagos and Ogun states ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Party insiders said the move was aimed at strengthening unity within the fold of the opposition party in the state, minimising rancour during the primaries and presenting a formidable front against rival parties in 2027.
It was further gathered that some members of the state executive committee may have been subtly informed about preferred consensus candidates being considered for elective positions across the state.
Though details of the deliberations were still sketchy as of press time, sources hinted that the national leadership stressed the need for cohesion, discipline and strategic alignment among stakeholders to improve the party’s electoral fortunes in Oyo.
Those at the meeting included the Oyo APC Chairman, Moses Alake Adeyemo; the state secretary, Fatai Adesina Adeniyi; the Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare; the Organising Secretary, Aderemi Adepoju; and the Legal Adviser, Sunday Aborisade.
Others were the Women Leader, Adekemi Opatunde; the Youth Leader, Olalekan Oladejo; Joshua Oyebamiji; Tunde Oloyede; Sunday Babalola; Joseph Omoniyi; and Mojeed Adebayo.
As of the time of filing this report, the party had yet to issue an official statement on the outcome of the meeting.
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, on Monday assured aspirants and party members that the party would conduct transparent, peaceful and credible direct primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Adeyemo declared that no aspirant would be victimised or denied a level playing field, stressing that the party leadership remained committed to internal democracy and progressive ideals.
The former deputy governor spoke while receiving members of the APC Screening and Appeal Committees deployed from the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja at the APC Secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan.
He disclosed that although the party initially explored consensus arrangements across elective positions, prevailing realities indicated that direct primaries would be conducted in some areas, including the governorship contest.
Adeyemo said the party had already put necessary structures in place to ensure a hitch-free exercise capable of strengthening unity within the APC.
He said: “We set machineries in motion for us to achieve the aim of consensus across board but reports available to me indicate that we would have to go by the second option which is direct primary in certain cases including the governorship ticket.
“To this end, we shall work towards organising free, fair and credible exercise in all the affected areas even as we cannot rule out the possibility of some aspirants having a rethink and supporting the consensus arrangement as necessary.
“Where we have more than an aspirant, Abuja would send people to conduct primaries and we at the state level would provide the required support to make everything work out in the interest of our great party.”
The APC chairman explained that all registered party members would participate fully in the exercise at their respective wards on dates to be announced by the National Secretariat.
According to him, affirmation would be adopted in areas where consensus candidates emerge, while voting would be conducted wherever direct primaries become necessary.
“For consensus, members will lend their voices for affirmation while voting will be done in the cases of direct primary,” he added.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Screening Committee and former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Taofiq AbdusSalam, assured party faithful that the committee would carry out a thorough, transparent and unbiased screening process.
He said only eligible aspirants would be cleared to participate in the primaries and eventually fly the APC flag in the forthcoming elections.
Other members of the Screening Committee are Kamal Sanusi (Secretary), Smart Oluwole, Tunde Kolade and Olabamiji Agunloye.
Members of the Screening Appeal Committee are Jibola Oduwole (Chairman), Abimbola Jack (Secretary) and Jelil Jimoh.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress on Saturday zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria, declaring that the party’s candidate would serve a single four-year term if elected.
The decision was reached during the party’s national convention held in Abuja amid growing momentum within the opposition platform following a wave of high-profile defections from other political parties.
Announcing the development on its official social media handle, the party stated, “NDC presidential ticket is zoned to the South!!”
The party also resolved that its 2031 presidential ticket would be ceded to Northern Nigeria as part of efforts to maintain regional balance and internal equity.
The convention comes as key opposition figures, including former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former New Nigeria People’s Party presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, joined party leaders and delegates at the Abuja gathering.
Saturday’s convention is expected to ratify several recent decisions taken by the party’s National Executive Committee, including zoning arrangements, amendments to the party constitution, and the election of new national executives.
According to the convention agenda obtained by journalists, discussions centred on zoning, ratification of the amended constitution, and leadership restructuring ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The NDC has in recent weeks witnessed a surge in defections from rival opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
On Tuesday, no fewer than 17 members of the House of Representatives defected from the ADC to the NDC.
Their defections were formally announced during plenary at the House of Representatives.
The lawmakers include Yusuf Datti, Uchenna Okonkwo, Adamu Wakili, Thaddeus Attah, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, Peter Aniekwe, Mukhtar Zakari, George Oluwande and Munachim Umezuruike.
Others are Emeka Idu, Jesse Onuakalusi, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, Afam Ogene, Murphy Omoruyi and Abdulhakeem Ado.
The defections came barely two days after Obi and Kwankwaso formally joined the NDC from the ADC.
The duo were presented with the party’s membership cards last Sunday shortly after a closed-door meeting with party leaders.
A former Governor of Bayelsa State and NDC national leader, Seriake Dickson, officially welcomed the opposition figures into the party.
Obi had attributed his exit from the ADC to worsening internal crises, external interference and what he described as increasing hostility within party structures.
The former Anambra State governor said Nigeria’s political environment had become increasingly toxic, marked by intimidation, insecurity and sustained scrutiny of opposition figures.
He also lamented that institutions meant to protect citizens were now often deployed against them, while individuals committed to genuine public service faced mounting pressure both publicly and privately.
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