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We ‘ll recruit more teachers – Makinde
Oyo state governor, Engr Oluseyi Makinde on Saturday said his administration would soon be hiring trained teachers to strengthen quality education in public schools.
Governor Makinde who vowed to reclaim the lost glory of the education sector in Oyo State by collaborating with different stakeholders to uplift the sector, also promised to make the Government College Ibadan (GCI) the poster school in Nigeria.
The Governor, who stated this while speaking at the grand finale of events marking 90th anniversary of GCI, said that his government is intent on restoring the lost glory of education in Oyo State.
A statement by the chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted the Governor as saying that the State would soon advertise for the recruitment of teachers.
He stated that his administration would continue to place great importance on the future of the children of Oyo State.
In attendance at the event were the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who is an old student of the school; the president of the Government College Ibadan Old Boys Association (GCIOBA), Dr. Wale Babalakin, SAN; Chief Lekan Are; former Governor Omololu Olunloyo; the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Bisi Ilaka, who is also an old student and other government functionaries.
Governor Makinde commended the Government College Ibadan Old Boys Association (GCIOBA) for their contributions towards reclaiming the glory of the historic school, especially the renovation of the old hostels of the school, among others, promising to partner with them to make GCI the poster school of Nigeria.
The Governor also expressed his readiness to collaborate with stakeholders in the education sector to deliver qualitative education, noting that everyone has to come to the table on the policies put in place by the State Government, because the government and the Governor could not do it alone.
Governor Makinde maintained that it had been a challenge for Government to drive its free qualitative education policy because there were corrupt elements trying to frustrate Government.
He insisted, however, that he would not relent in delivering free qualitative education to all students in the State.
The Governor explained that he had sent out fact-finding emissaries to some schools in the State, which discovered that the free textbooks provided by the State were not being distributed to students in some schools, noting that he had already given a directive that the books must reach every student.
“Actually, this brings it down to where we are in the area of education in Oyo State. During my electioneering campaign, I promised the good people of Oyo State free and qualitative education but I knew that the government cannot do it alone. I am happy with the latest developments in GCI and want to promise that the government of Oyo State will partner with you.
“We will soon advertise vacancy to recruit teachers. If the PTA teachers are good enough and have the prerequisite qualifications, they will be employed. But the bottom-line is that the future of our children is at stake here. If we are saying that government is providing certain things and we cannot have value for those things, then it is a big problem and that is what we are faced with right now.
“I am saying boldly here that education is one of the pillars on which this administration is resting on. It is only when we give knowledge to our people; that is when they can take themselves out of poverty,” Governor Makinde said.
“It is a big challenge and I have to come out to say this. When we came in, we scrapped the N3,000 education levy but we have been challenged by those corrupt elements within the education sector. I have heard cases where I was told certain schools were burgled because we scrapped N3,000 but did not provide grants to schools. They said they could not employ guards to secure the school environment. If I look at that school and also look at GCI, where do you think I will put further investment?
“I have also heard about situations where they came back to us and said some certain schools had only five instead of 25 teachers out of which 20 were PTA teachers. They also said they could not pay the PTA teachers because the government stopped them from collecting N3,000 education levy. They never declared to anybody that the levy was the same as PTA levy. So, I said to the Permanent Secretary that we will give Grants to schools but there must be accountability.
“I care about this mandate the people of Oyo State have given to me and I care about the promises I made to the people during my electioneering campaign. So, the challenge is out there and I want to ask that the good people within our midst have to come to the table for the educational policies we are putting in place to succeed.
“If you don’t come to the table, God forbid, Seyi Makinde alone can’t do it. Government alone cannot do it. We need people that can tell us what is going on.
“I have heard some reports, even from this school, that the notebooks and textbooks we sent out were not distributed. I asked them the reason why they were keeping the materials almost mid-way into the first term but they gave excuse of not being able to get the logistics to move those materials from Local Inspectors of Education to the school. And I said to them that I approved money for those materials around the first week of September.
“But there was good news after that encounter. They started the distribution immediately and I think if some of the students are here, they can confirm they have those instructional materials now. So, we need things like that to happen in all the schools in Oyo State.
“What will make the difference for us are not those giant steps but the little ones we take. So, I will partner with the GCIOBA to achieve that objective. I will encourage this school. I am with you all the way and we will together bring back the lost glory in our education sector in Oyo State,” the Governor said.
Also speaking at the occasion, Chairman of GCIOBA, Dr. Wale Babalakin said that the Old Boys Association of GCI have committed over N500 million to the development of the school.
He said that the association would partner with the state government to return boarding system to the school.
According to him, the idea of a GCI as a day school without boarding system was an antithesis.
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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