Politics
Oyo: Council boss allegedly attack PDP chieftain in Ogbomoso
A CHIEFTAIN of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state, Mr. Oladosu Akanbi has claimed that the Caretaker Chairman of Ogo Oluwa Local Government Area, Hon. Seun Ojo assaulted him at his Ilu Iwata residence, Ogo Oluwa West Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Ogbomoso.
The financial secretary of the party in the council, Oladosu , who also claimed that he was beaten to a pulp, while his wife and son were inflicted with various degree of injuries on the 29th December, 2020, informed that Hon. Ojo has been arrested by the police.
According to him, Hon. Ojo was arrested by the police at Zone 11, Osogbo, Osun State on the 3rd of January, 2021 following the failure of the Police at Opete police station in Ogo Oluwa West LCDA where the incident had initially been reported to take proactive steps to arrest him and his accomplices for the crime they committed.
Narrating his ordeal to our reporter, the complainant alleged that on that fateful day, the Council Chief, Ojo invaded his house at about 8:24pm with no fewer than eight thugs displaying dangerous weapons like gun, axe and cutlass
He said that on their arrival, the council gaffer, Ojo flashed a touch in his eyes and asked him whether he recognized him or not but before he could utter a word, they had descended on him, dragged him on the floor and beaten him mercilessly with his wife and 30-year-old son, Amos Akanbi who was with him at the time of the incident.
The PDP chieftain further explained that when they were satisfied with beaten him, they took him inside the official vehicle that they brought and drove him to an unknown destination for some minutes before they brought him back to his house that same night.
He added that when they got to his house, Hon. Ojo asked him where he kept bags of rice in his possession and he told him that they were inside his rooms, stressing that he thereafter ordered his ‘boys’ to pack them inside their vehicle and took them away.
He explained that out of the five bags that they carted away, two bags were from Governor Seyi Makinde for party members in his ward, another two from Caretaker Chairman of Ogo Oluwa West LCDA, Hon. Onaolapo Ajala for party members as well while the remaining one bag was giving to be shared by four leaders in each ward among themselves with a Turkey and one gallon of vegetable oil.
“Seun Ojo packed all the rice and while he was leaving, he told me that he had come to show me the power of government and if I dare reporting him to the police, he will still come back and use the full power of government to deal with me again.
“Immediately they left, we went to Opete police station to lodge complaint but the police having seen my condition, suggested that I go to General hospital for treatment first before they could take my statement. However, I could not be admitted that night because the hospital officials complaint that there was no bed where I could be admitted for treatment and asked me to come back the following morning.
“The following morning, I was treated and went back to the Opete police station to write my statement alongside my wife and son. The police invited him for interrogation but he declined to honour their invitation. When I observed that no step was being taken to effect his arrest following his refusal to honour the invitation till 31st December, 2020, I sought the transfer of my case to zone 11, Osogbo”, he narrated further.
Oladosu continued, “He showed up at Zone 11, Osogbo on the 3rd of January, 2021 and the police took him to my house to inspect and took pictures of all items that were vandalized by him during the attack on my house”.
While asked what could have led to the invasion of his house by the council boss, the PDP chieftain explained that he could not fathom the reason for the attack on him because he has never had any misunderstanding or quarrel with the chairman before since they were not in the same council area.
“Seun Ojo is in the main local government, Ogo Oluwa local government while I am in the Ogo Oluwa West local council development area, Odo Oba where Hon. Ajala Onaolapo is the Chairman. So I don’t have any reason to be at loggerhead with him whatsoever”, he submitted.
Seun Ojo, Council boss, Ogo Oluwa LG
But, when contacted through his cell phone, the Caretaker Chairman of Ogo Oluwa Local Government, Hon. Seun Ojo denied the allegation, describing it as unfounded, as there was nothing like that.
Speaking with Mega Icon Magazine on Saturday, the council boss stressed that it was a mischievous attempt targeted at destroying his name and that of the state governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde.
He also alleged that Oladosu was sponsored by the opposition APC in the state to carry out the hatchet job.
He said, “There is no matter between me and Mr. Oladosu .
“I don’t have a quarrel with anybody. As the Chief Security officer of my local government, I don’t have a quarrel with him. He’s one of the PDP members and presently romancing with the opposition. I have known him for over 20 years ago, I was once a councilor in that local government, I know all the impacts, what that man caused between me and my chairman then.
“They are planning to leave the party, but before he leaves, he wanted to destroy the party. For somebody to be saying the governor was distributing poisoned rice and palliatives, he has a motive. He was collecting money from me for the Christmas and the new year. When I gave him the money , he said the money was not enough and I gave him another cheque .
“The APC are using them. The opposition gave him N300,000 and that after he successfully destroy the governor’s name, they promised to give him a balance of N200,000.
“The man is just trying to spoil the governor’s name and my name”, the council boss alleged.
When asked if he was arrested by the police, Ojo questioned, “How will a chairman of a local government be arrested on a fake information?”.
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.
