Politics
‘Makinde Was Wrong to Insult Appeal Court Judges’ – Oyo APC
The All Progressives Congress in Oyo State has described as unfortunate and regrettable the comments made by Governor Seyi Makinde on a live broadcast interview programme where he allegedly lampooned some judges of the Appellate Court whose verdict as delivered on November 11, 2019 in the case before them was clearly against him.
While reacting to a question about his feelings after the final judgment given by the Supreme Court which validated his election as governor of the state, Engr. Makinde was quoted to have lashed out on two Judges of the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan whose position which formed the majority judgment set aside the nullification of the petition filed by the APC’s gubernatorial candidate, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, and thus threw the PDP camp into panic until last Tuesday when the Apex Court laid everything to rest.
In a statement issued in Ibadan and made available to journalists at the weekend by its Assistant Publicity Secretary, Prince Ayobami Adejumo, Oyo APC said that it was unbecoming of a sitting governor to have made an attempt to drag a section of the Judiciary in the mud in order to express his joy over an unexpected court victory and exhibit his unbridled penchant for playing the ostrich.
“We watched and listened to the live interview programme hurriedly packaged by the Governor’s media handlers to herald the superfluous celebration of the Supreme Court verdict which came in their favour unexpectedly. The highpoint of the interview was the needless embarrassment caused the people of the state when Gov. Makinde said that the judges who ruled against him at the Appellate Court were compromised by those whose names he could not mention.
“The governor was so emphatic in his careless statement that all his followers who accompanied to the studio were caught in palpable awe and bewilderment. Apparently, Gov. Makinde was prepared to take the said judges to the cleaners while he singled out the judge who ruled in his favour as the only upright man among the panel of judges. This is on record and we demand an apology from the governor to the Honorable Justices affected as well as the nation’s Judiciary as a whole.
“We feel shortchanged with the composition of the panel of judges of the Supreme Court which sat on Oyo gubernatorial tussle last Tuesday as the wife of a PDP stalwart was made the Chairman and the same panel threw out the Appellate Court’s judgment which was in our favour but as democrats and law abiding citizens, we took everything in good faith and we have resolved to move on.
“Furthermore, Gov. Makinde continued with his usual grandstanding when he said that his predecessor received a sum of N5.2b on May 6, 2019 and left only N90, 000 in the state government’s account when handing over on May 29, 2019. But the governor did not add that Sen. Ajimobi, within the same period, paid staff salaries and offset some other bills which would have made the new government face the challenges of unnecessary debts in their first day in office.
“Funny enough, Gov. Makinde shot himself in the leg again when he unconsciously stated that on assumption of office, he was able to mop up public funds kept in about 67 different accounts belonging to the state government and this he put at about N6.2b. As if this was not enough, the exposed himself as tried to fool the public over the stupendous financial resources spent so far on light decorations in some parts of Ibadan.
“We are now asking Gov. Makinde to come clean on the amount of cash gifts from corporate organizations which he has used on the superfluous road and junction decorations in part of the state capital while we also urge him to be aware of the fact that the time for real governance is here as against the cosmetic approach which portrays him as still being in a campaign mood several months after his assumption of office.” APC concluded.
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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