Politicians Offered Us N14m To Compromise Osun Elections – DSS

The spokesperson, Department of State Security, Marilyn Ogar, has said that some politicians in Osun State offered operatives of the service N14 million bribe to compromise the just concluded governorship election.

Marilyn Ogar, Spokesperson, DSS

Ogar who did not name the politicians, explained that the service rejected the bribe which she said was offered to the DSS Director, who supervised the August 9,2014 election.

She made the allegation at the National Information Centre, on Tuesday in Abuja while responding to a question on why the All Progressives Congress was at logger-heads with the service.

She said, “I am saying to you that the director in charge of election duty as it pertains to DSS was asked to come and collect N4 million for himself, and N10 million for the hooded men.

“Because the money was declined, that is the offence the DSS has committed. People should stop using money to entice security forces; the Federal Government has the capability to take care of us, when the time comes, we will talk.

“We are well paid, I will say it categorically, our operations are well funded.”

The DSS Deputy Director explained that the service was given N200 million by the government to provide security for the election.

According to her, before the DSS deployed its personnel and material for any operations, they are given money upfront, stressing that the agency’s personnel could not be induced with money.

“The rejection of the money brought a lot of misunderstanding between political parties and the DSS and we hold our heads up.

“The APC has won the election in Osun, we thank God that there is no bomb blast anywhere, and there will not be because there was enough security.

“I want to tell you there is a big man occupying a very sensitive position in Osun, the man should thank his God that it is not the DSS who arrested him with huge sum of money that he was found with,” she said.

Ogar expressed satisfaction that operatives of the service and other security agencies made it possible for voters in the state to exercise their franchise.

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Politicians Offered Us N14m To Compromise Osun Elections – DSS

Omisore blames INEC for defeat, heads for tribunal

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, has said that his loss at the Saturday election is due to the malpractices perpetrated by a former Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state.

Omisore

Omisore, who said this in a statement on Monday, claimed that although the REC was replaced shortly before the election, he had done enough damage to ensure victory for Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the All Progressives Congress.

He expressed gratitude to the people of the state who supported him and who showed him love before, during and after the election.

Aregbesola was declared the winner of the poll with a total votes of 394, 684 while Omisore came second with 292,747 votes.

The PDP candidate in a statement he entitled “We lost a battle…but the war for the soul of Osun is still on,” said he was aware of the odds against him even before he joined the Osun State governorship election race.

He said, “It was not a race we came into unmindful of some of the odds stacked against us. For instance, we had a situation where a clearly partisan Resident Electoral Commissioner had opened the entire electoral system to our opponent from registration stage through data storage to personnel loading.

“Though the leadership of INEC eventually took him out of the state weeks to the elections, he already did a lot of harm in the system that would take years to rectify.

“In spite of this and the fact that all democratic structures in the state are in the hands of our opponent, our supporters despite harassment from my opponent, still fought gallantly in every polling unit in the state to achieve the result we posted in this election.”

He said he saw a people who were traumatised and brutalised psychologically by the current administration but added that he would continue to be at the forefront to fight to ensure that the people of the state had the dividends of democracy.

Omisore said, “Let it be known that our people would no longer be taken for granted as we have opened the floodgate of democratic challenge which no force on earth can stop.

“I shall be at the forefront as our people keep to press for the real dividends of democracy and the expansion of the democratic space in our dear state.

“In the meantime, the party situation office is presently analysing the results of the elections against field reports and we shall be making public our findings and take appropriate steps accordingly. I, however, appeal to all our supporters to remain calm, law-abiding and peace-loving.”

Meanwhile, the Osun State chapter of the PDP has said the party will take its complaints to the election petition tribunal.

This was part of the resolution reached after an “extraordinary” meeting of the party in Osogbo, on Monday.

A leader of the party, Chief Ojo Williams, moved a motion that the Osun governorship election was marred with fraud and irregularities and that the Osun PDP should reject it in totality. The motion was seconded by Alhaji Halidu Tiamiyu.

The communique which was signed by the PDP chairman in the state, Mr. Gani Olaoluwa, described the election as “robbery of the electorate.”

The communique said the PDP would contest the result until the peoples’ mandate was restored.

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Omisore blames INEC for defeat, heads for tribunal

Jonathan congratulates Aregbesola, INEC

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Sunday congratulated Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State on his victory in Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

The president made this known in a statement signed by Reuben Abati Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) read thus

“President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan congratulates Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State on his victory in Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

The President commends the Independent National Electoral Commission and national security agencies for ensuring that the elections were free, fair, credible and peaceful in keeping with the avowed commitment of his Administration.

President Jonathan also applauds the people of Osun State who came out en masse yesterday in all the local government areas of the state to peacefully and freely exercise their democratic right, trusting in his assurance that all necessary measures would be taken to ensure their safety and the sanctity of their votes.

The President believes that the free, fair and peaceful conduct of the elections have fully reaffirmed his administration’s determination to positively reform Nigeria’s electoral processes.

The outcome of the election has also given the lie to the false, unfair and uncharitable allegations that measures put in place by the federal government for the Ekiti and Osun State elections were partisan and designed to achieve a favourable outcome for his party.

As Governor Aregbesola prepares to begin a second term in office, President Jonathan looks forward to continuing to work with him and other state governors to further improve the living conditions of Nigerians in Osun and other states of the country.

He wishes Governor Aregbesola continued good health and a successful second term in office.”

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Jonathan congratulates Aregbesola, INEC

Why our party Will Win Osun Governorship Election - PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said its candidate in the August 9 Osun governorship election, Senator Iyiola Omisore is already coasting to victory citing his massive acceptance by the voting population, wide-spread political structure, and a track-record of abiding affinity and loyalty to Osun people as factors.

Olisah Metuh

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh in a statement on Sunday said the fact that the PDP allowed a free and fair primary which threw up the people’s choice as candidate also gave it an early mileage ahead of the APC as was the case in Ekiti State.

Basking in the euphoria of a successful grand rally in Osogbo, the Osun State capital on Saturday, the PDP said, “we have a very popular and hard working candidate with very strong bond with the people of Osun State; a candidate with the most extensive political structure in all the nooks and crannies of the state with an unrivaled track-record of loyalty to the people who have now queued behind him ahead of August 9.

“Nigerians are witness to the fact that based on his popularity, Omisore would have become governor in 1999 and 2003 respectively but sacrificed his personal ambition to accept the position of deputy governor out of humility and commitment to the stability of the state. On these two occasions, he obeyed his people and made reference to God’s appointed time.

“With the prevailing reality on ground in Osun state, it is clear that the humility and statesmanship displayed by Omisore in the last 16 years have paid off as the people themselves have at last settled for him”, the PDP said.

Stating that its too late for the APC to catch up, the PDP said while the APC neglected the people and devoted its time and energy on chasing shadows using media propaganda and bogus opinion polls, the PDP candidate used his existing structures to vigorously engage in all-inclusive campaign with very strong message which resulted in the current overwhelming followership in Osun state.

The PDP thanked the people of Osun State for their “iron-cast support and solidarity” and urged them not to relent but push through their resolve to entrench an accountable and people-oriented government by coming out enmasse to vote for Senator Omisore.

It also charged the people to remain calm and vigilant and ensure that no room is created for the APC which it said had plotted to disrupt the polls in the face of defeat.

“Nigerians know the APC for who they are. Instead of campaigning, they have been busy trying to overheat the system, using lies, blackmail and threats with plots to disrupt the exercise having realized that their time is up. However, as a party committed to peace, unity and welfare of the people, we charge our supporters to remain calm as the people end bad governance in Osun state through a free, fair and credible election”, the PDP said.

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Why our party Will Win Osun Governorship Election - PDP

Osun Election: Don’t use OYES cadets for election, PDP warns INEC

The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, on Sunday warned the Independent National Electoral Commission against recruiting members of the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme, as ad hoc staff for the August 9

governorship election in the state.

PDP

The party said it had been informed that some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, have infiltrated INEC and were fraudulently enlisting OYES cadets for recruitment as ad hoc staff for the election.

In a statement issued by the Director of Media and Strategy of Osun PDP, Prince Diran Odeyemi, the party specifically accused Senator Isiaka Adeleke of forcing INEC officials to recruit OYES cadets for election duties in his constituency.

The statement reads, “Many APC chieftains were alleged to be involved in this desperate move to avert defeat and commit fraud through OYES cadets that are being recruited in place of the National Youth Service Corps members to work on the day of Osun governorship polls, but we can only confirm Adeleke’s involvement.

“What they have been doing is to substitute the NYSC members with OYES cadets and get uniforms of the corps for them. Adeleke is deeply involved in this and we have strong evidences against him.”

The party advised members of OYES to be wary of antics of the APC leaders by declining to be fraudulently enlisted for election duties, saying “any OYES cadet caught by the security operatives will face the consequences alone, because we know those behind this illegal move will go underground immediately they are caught.”

It added that: “These cadets are citizens of Osun that are being misused by Aregbesola and his men and we won’t like any calamity to befall them. They should learn from what happened to members of APC criminal group called ‘State Boys’ that were caught in Ilesa and ferried to Abuja by security personnel.

“Till this moment, leaders of APC that armed and had hitherto used them to destabilise the peace of Osun State and territorise its people could not rescue them. Even Aregbesola, their commander-in-chief has disowned them.

Members of OYES cadets should learn from this and not fall victim of the desperation by Aregbesola, Adeleke and other APC leaders.”

Reacting to the allegation the spokesperson of the APC in Osun, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, urged the PDP to report to INEC if they have evidence to back their claim and described the allegation as illogical.

He said, “The illogical content of their allegation shows how empty they are. If they were thinking properly they won’t say the APC is enlisting OYES cadets for election, when the conduct of the election is squarely on the doorstep of INEC. They really don’t know what to say. They have perfected their plan to rig the August 9 election and they are looking for excuses.”

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Osun Election: Don’t use OYES cadets for election, PDP warns INEC

PDP’s desperation biggest danger to Saturday’s Osun election – APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged that the PDP plans to massively rig the Aug. 9th governorship election in 10 identified local governments in Osun state, in addition to seeking a pliable person as a returning officer.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also said President Goodluck Jonathan has reportedly told the security agencies that he wants victory for his party at all costs, an admonition that will definitely shape their perception of the election as a do-or-die affair.

”Nigerians from all walks of life, desirous of a free and fair election on Saturday, are reaching out to us with useful information on the plan by the desperate PDP to rig the forthcoming election, and we are taking the information very seriously.

”For example, we learnt that the PDP has identified Ife Central, Ife East, Ife North, Ife South, Olurunda, Iwo, Ifelodun, Osogbo, Odo Otin and Aiyedade as places where they plan to perpetrate massive rigging. Two different results have allegedly been written ahead of the elections while three Vice Chancellors, one from the North Central and two from the South West, have been pencilled down to serve as a returning officer. The incentive for the returning officer who can announce the doctored results is 1 billion Naira,” it said.

The party said when these plans are put together with the massive deployment of security agencies to Osun to harass and intimidate the opposition, the huge amounts of cash being moved into the state via armoured personnel carriers, and the electoral malfeasance specialist-ministers who have landed in Osun, it is clear that the PDP is working hard to ensure that the forthcoming election is anything but free, fair and credible.

It therefore called on INEC not to allow any unscrupulous person to serve as a returning officer for the election, and to pay a special attention to voting in the identified local governments, where the PDP plans to influence the outcome of the election.

”No one will accept the result of an election in which the returning officer is compromised with filthy lucre. This is why were are calling on INEC to ensure that only a person of integrity can serve in that important post,” APC said, warning that its agents will not sign any false results of the Aug. 9th election.

The party also called on the international community to pay attention to the issues that could affect the outcome of the election, instead of waiting until the deed has been done.

”The biggest danger to Saturday’s election in Osun is the unbridled desperation of the PDP to win at all costs. This explains why the party’s candidate, Mr. Iyiola Omisore, has lied so shamelessly about a purported USAID survey that puts him ahead of Gov. Aregbesola. But for USAID which quickly put a lie to the peddled story, Mr. Omisore would have continued to use it as a campaign tool,” it said.

PDP’s desperation biggest danger to Saturday’s Osun election – APC

Jonathan warns miscreants to steer clear of Osun polls

Osogbo – President Goodluck Jonathan has warned miscreants to steer clear of the Aug. 9 Osun governorship election or face the wrath of the law.

The president gave the warning at the campaign grand finale of Sen. Iyiola Omisore, the state’s governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osogbo on Saturday.

Jonathan, who presented Omisore with the party’s flag, restated the determination of his administration to deploy massive security personnel to the state during the election in order to ensure that the exercise was properly policed.

“We will ensure that the election is violence-free. There must be one man one vote, one woman one vote and one youth one vote. You should all say no to violence and ensure that the votes count,” he said

.

The president explained that the Federal Government would deploy enough security personnel to ensure the safety of lives and property, as well as a credible, transparent, free and fair election.

The president, therefore, urged the people to vote the PDP candidate to further facilitate Federal Government’s presence in the state.

In attendance at the rally were Vice President Namadi Sambo, PDP National Chairman Adamu Mu’azu, PDP Board of Trustee Chairman Tony Anenih and Governor-elect of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose.

Earlier, the president had visited the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade at his palace in Ile-Ife to pay homage. (NAN)

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Jonathan warns miscreants to steer clear of Osun polls

Security beefed up in Osogbo for Jonathan’s visit

Security has been beefed up in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, ahead of Saturday’s scheduled visit of President Goodluck Jonathan for the mega rally of the Peoples Democratic Party to drum up support for its candidate in the August 9 governorship election, Iyiola Omisore. 

Besides hundreds of armed operatives of the Directorate of State Security that have continued patrolling Osogbo and its environs in dozens of vans, an unusual number of mobile policemen were seen in different parts of the state capital on Friday.

Our correspondent also saw several riot policemen stationed in and around the Osogbo City Stadium, the venue of the rally, while the organisers were getting it ready for the event.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Folashade Odoro, told The PUNCH that the police had beefed up security across the state, especially in Osogbo.

She said the police had made all necessary arrangements for a “water-tight security in the state to prevent any breakdown of law and order during and after the President’s visit.”

Jonathan is expected to lead a delegation of PDP stalwarts including Vice-President Namadi Sambo, Senate President, David Mark, and the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu to the state.

Others, who are expected to be in the President’s entourage, include the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih; Chairman, Mobilisation Committee of the party in the South West, Mr. Buruji Kasamu; and Governor-elect of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose. 

The Publicity Secretary of Osun PDP, Mr. Bola Ajao, who announced the President scheduled visit, said security operatives had already been deployed in the state in preparation for the visit.

“It is normal that security operatives are deployed ahead of time in any state where the President wants to visit,” he said.

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Security beefed up in Osogbo for Jonathan’s visit