Connect with us

Politics

‘We rejected Makinde’s offer to avoid being corrupted’ – Oyo ALGON speaks

Published

on

 

The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), in Oyo State has given reason why it rejected Governor Seyi Makinde’s pay-off offer, but rather stuck to what would be the outcome of the legal battle.

Governor Makinde had on Monday through his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa said he would comply with the judgement of the Supreme Court that ruled that the illegally sacked council gaffers be paid their salary and allowance for the duration of their tenure that they were sacked.

In the statement, the governor also said he was not surprised at the judgement lashed out at the victorious council bosses noting that he had since fifteen months ago offered them the same option of paying them off but that the embattled ALGON members had insisted on returning to office to complete their tenure.

Speaking on behalf of the sacked council chiefs, during a ‘Thank you visit’ to legal luminary, Chief Niyi Akintola SAN at his Agodi residence, in Ibadan, the Chairman of Oyo ALGON, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, said the association deliberately took the decision so as not to be part of the government’s corruption.

He noted that the concern of the chairmen was neither the money nor the office, as wrongly claimed by the governor, but the need to deepen democracy at the grassroot.

“How can you give me money for the work I didn’t do and I have not done. Governor Makinde wanted to pay us last year when we have not done the work. And it is not legal and at the end of the day, it is all about corruption

“If we had collected the money, we were encouraging corruption. And anybody can come up later in the year or in the nearest future to challenge us that we collected money for the work we had not done.

“But, now, any proclamation from the Supreme Court is law. This is law. A judgement has been given, the money is due to us and we can collect it now. When he (Makinde) wanted to pay us, the question was, why will he pay us? Why will he even sack us in the first instance when the court said it’s wrong? Why would you do that? If you had done that and you said you want to pay us, that in itself is corruption, so we will never be part of a thing.

“For us, if we had collected the money at the time, and when people see us, will they not say it was all about the money?

“But for us, it was not about the money or the office, it is about the rule of law and I am saying it, I personally don’t ever have interest in contesting any local government elections again in my life.

“But the whole idea is for us to show that we want democracy to be entrenched at the grassroot and that is what we have done. We have laid precedence and for generations to come, the sacrifice we have made will always be enjoyed by those who will occupy the office at the local government level”, the ALGON boss added.

Meanwhile, the council bosses from the 33 local government areas (LGAs) and 35 local council development areas (LCDA) were in attendance to express their appreciation to Chief Akintola who provided them legal services pro-bono up until the Supreme Court.

According to Aleshinloye, “we are here to thank Barrister Akintola SAN. Like we did yesterday, we were in Ilorin to say the same thing to Barrister Yusuf Alli SAN and we couldn’t have done anything better, because Barrister Akintola identify with us being a member of the party; a leader for that matter. It is on record that he did not collect any money from us. Well, whichever way you look at it , we have to appreciate him for doing that.

” Like I said, we were with Yusuf Alli yesterday, he stood firm, and at the Supreme court , he did very well. Likewise, Barrister Kunle Soboloju. He started this case, he won the case at the High Court and he handled several filings on behalf of ALGON, the young gentleman needs also to be appreciated. We will make sure that we visit him as well; same with Seun Abimbola”, he continued.

Remarking, the Oyo APC gubernatorial aspirant, Chief Akintola informed that he decided to offer free legal service to the embattled council bosses as parts of his contributions to the development and progress of the party.

Akintola, however charged the party faithful and leaders in attendance on the need to be united, attributing his commitment to the progressive fold and sacrificial services to some of the things learnt from the late Chief Bola Ige.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

Politics

APC Secretariat Violence: Oyo Lawmaker Denies Assault, Alleges Smear Campaign

Published

on

The lawmaker representing Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency of Oyo State, Olafisoye Akinmoyede, has denied allegations of violence at the All Progressives Congress (APC) state secretariat, describing claims that he assaulted a party member as false and politically motivated.

An online platform, IMPARTNEWSNETWORK, had alleged that Akinmoyede assaulted one Gafar Oyebade during a meeting convened by the state chairman of the party, Alake Adeyemo, to resolve issues surrounding the executive list of the APC in Lagelu Local Government Area.

However, Akinmoyede, in a statement on Tuesday, said the meeting was peaceful and attended by key members of the state executive, including the chairman, deputy chairman, and secretary, who witnessed the proceedings.

He clarified that contrary to Oyebade’s claim of being the party secretary, the official list presented by the state leadership recognised him as the Public Relations Officer.

According to the lawmaker, following the clarification, the state executive directed the Lagelu Local Government chairman, Fatai Awoyoola, to proceed with the swearing-in of other party officials.

Akinmoyede also faulted attempts to link the incident with the 2019 killing of a former federal lawmaker, noting that a court of competent jurisdiction had already ruled on the matter.

He said, “In Suit No. I/70c/2019, delivered by Justice Mufutau Adegbola on January 23, 2020, all those accused were discharged and acquitted.”

The lawmaker expressed concern over what he described as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, alleging that Oyebade, a public school teacher under the Oyo State Government, should not be involved in partisan politics.

He described the allegation as a “recycled script” aimed at tarnishing his image ahead of political activities, urging constituents to remain calm.

Akinmoyede also called on journalists to verify information before publication and urged security agencies to take action against individuals who file false reports.

“These tactics surface every election cycle. Those behind them should learn to accept the outcomes of political processes. They failed before and will fail again. Power comes from God,” he added.

Continue Reading

Politics

Oyo Reps Member Denies Assault, Dares APC Chieftain to Prove ‘Hospitalisation’ Claim

Published

on

‎The lawmaker representing Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Olafisoye Akinmoyede, has denied allegations of assault levelled against him by a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagelu Local Government Area, Mr. Gafar Oyebade.

Akinmoyede described the allegation as “false” and “a lie taken too far,” insisting that no physical altercation occurred.

The denial was contained in a statement issued on Monday by his Legislative Aide, Dr. Isiaq Akintunde.

Oyebade had alleged that he was hospitalised following a confrontation during a meeting held at the office of the state party chairman in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, convened to resolve a leadership dispute in the local government.

‎But the federal lawmaker maintained that the meeting was peaceful and attended by top party officials.

‎“The meeting was convened to clarify Mr. Oyebade’s position within the local executive, and it was attended by the State Party Chairman, his deputy, the secretary, the publicity secretary, and other key state executives, all of whom witnessed the peaceful proceedings,” the statement read.

‎He added that contrary to Oyebade’s claim of being the party secretary, the official list presented by the Lagelu Local Government Party Chairman, Hon. Fatai Awoyoola, identified him as the Public Relations Officer.

‎According to Akinmoyede, the state executive thereafter directed Awoyoola to proceed with the swearing-in of the remaining members of the local government executive.

‎The lawmaker accused Oyebade of fabricating the allegation to advance political interests.

‎“I wonder why Mr. Gafar Oyebade, a secondary school teacher, would claim he was assaulted in the presence of the State Executive. This is an attempt to justify money allegedly collected from an aspirant to tarnish my image,” he said.

‎Akinmoyede further claimed that Oyebade was seen walking freely after the meeting and was not hospitalised as alleged.

‎He also raised concerns over Oyebade’s involvement in partisan politics, noting that civil servants are restricted from active participation in political activities.

The lawmaker called on security agencies and the media to investigate the incident at the party’s Oke-Ado office to ascertain the veracity of the claims.

‎Efforts to reach Oyebade for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.

Continue Reading

Politics

2027: Oseni kicks off Oyo South Senate bid, rallies support for one million Tinubu votes

Published

on

The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, Aderemi Oseni, has declared his intention to contest the Oyo South Senatorial seat in the 2027 general elections.

Oseni made his aspiration known during a high-level meeting with the Ibarapa APC Elders’ and Leaders’ Forum, comprising the G9 and the expanded G64 caucus, held at the party secretariat in Eruwa, Ibarapa East Local Government Area, over the weekend.

The G9 and G64 groups consist of influential stakeholders drawn from Ibarapa East, Ibarapa Central, and Ibarapa North local government areas.

In a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the lawmaker expressed appreciation to the forum for their support and confidence in his leadership and vision.

He said his ambition to represent Oyo South Senatorial District was anchored on a determination to consolidate and expand his record of performance.

Oseni said, “This aspiration is not built on mere rhetoric, but on the continuity and expansion of a proven track record of quality representation and grassroots-oriented governance.”

While soliciting the support of party leaders, he described his ambition as a divine call to serve the people with renewed dedication.

According to him, “This is not a time for self-glory but a sacred responsibility to intensify efforts towards real development, bring more relief to our people and ensure inclusive governance.”

He pledged not to betray the trust reposed in him by party elders and faithful, stressing that his aspiration is rooted in progressive ideals and a genuine commitment to the development of the district.

Oseni also urged leaders in the zone to mobilise support towards delivering one million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the forthcoming election.

Speaking at the meeting, a leader from Ibarapa East, Chief Michael Morawo, lauded the lawmaker for delivering democratic dividends and strengthening the party structure. He added that Oseni has demonstrated commendable leadership through his performance, noting that his impact in stabilising the party within the constituency is evident.

Similarly, a former council chairman in Ibarapa Central, Chief Theophilus Adenrele, commended the lawmaker for not betraying the trust reposed in him. Also, a chieftain from Ibarapa North, Chief Francis Babalola, described Oseni as a humble leader committed to progressive ideals, dismissing speculations about his possible defection if he does not secure the governorship ticket.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the forum, Chief Timothy Jolaoso, said the lawmaker enjoys widespread grassroots acceptance that cuts across political divides.

Jolaoso said, “All indicators consistently point to Oseni as a candidate with acceptance that transcends party lines. He is not only capable but a man of deep faith with proven empathy for the downtrodden.”

He added, “He possesses the goodwill, financial strength, and public trust required for leadership.”

The elder statesman further noted that Oseni’s performance in the House of Representatives, alongside his role as Chairman of the FERMA Committee, underscores his competence and commitment to development.

 

 

Continue Reading

Advertisement

Entertainment

Advertisement

MegaIcon Magazine Facebook Page

Advertisement

MEGAICON TV

Advertisement

Trending