Politics
Shittu Belongs to The Past In APC, Youth Leader Fires Ex-Minister
Oyo North senatorial district youth leader of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, Mr. Dauda Ajana, has stated that no individual would lose sleep over alleged persistent attacks against the APC and its leaders from Barrister Adebayo Shittu “because the former minister of communications exists only in the history of the party”.
The ex-minister has always been at loggerheads with the leadership of the Oyo APC as this climaxed in May 2018 when he joined forces with other aggrieved members to float a factional group named Unity Forum with a view to dislodging the then Governor Abiola Ajimobi as the leader of the APC in the state.
Speaking with our correspondent on a phone conversation at the weekend, Ajana said the ex-minister has ceased to be a member of Oyo APC since his faction broke away in 2018 while he (Shittu) also went ahead to work against all the candidates fielded by the party in the 2019 general election.
His words; “It does not bother us in Oyo APC if former minister Shittu now struggles to outdo media experts hired by the PDP government to launder the image of Gov. Seyi Makinde. Apart from the fact he (Shittu) and few other gladiators failed in their bid to hijack the party in 2018 for selfish reasons, the Saki-born lawyer had always been everything but blessing to our party in the state.
“He claimed to have stayed put in the party when his co-travelers in Unity Forum defected to other parties only to play a cog in the wheel of progress. He never worked for the reelection of President Buhari and this, coupled with his disgraceful performance as a minister for over three years, was largely responsible for his failure to be reappointed. Mr. President has all the facts and he chose not to reward emptiness and hypocrisy with any appointment again.
“How can a reasonable person claim to be a member of a particular party and he would have nothing doing with members and leadership of the same party in his Ward, Local Government Area and state levels for over two years? The only time he identified with Oyo APC was in 2016 when he donated two rickety buses and the same buses have since been abandoned because they were unserviceable vehicles.
“It is on record that Shittu was involved in virtually all the meetings of the coalition groups which worked in favour of Engr. Seyi Makinde of the PDP to win the last gubernatorial election in the state. Having been mobilized with some goodies, he now feels he deserves more patronage and this may be responsible for his renewed efforts to fight the cause of the governor to the detriment of our party but all of them have failed.
“With a member like him (Shittu) playing major role in any political party, such party cannot make a headway and I’m aware that some stakeholders within the APC in his Ward 02, Saki West local government are meeting to address the issue of false claim of membership of Oyo APC coming from him. As far as we are concerned in Oke-Ogun axis of the state, former minister Shittu is not a member of the APC and we stand by this assertion.” Ajana stated.
Politics
From ‘Books to Shops’: Oyo APC Slams Makinde Over ‘Shameful’ Library Conversion
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.
Politics
Relief as Rep ‘Lafi’ Empowers 300 Constituents Through Skill Acquisition Programme
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.
Politics
Oyo: Olafisoye Facilitates Capacity-Building Training for 300 Constituents
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.
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