An Osun State High Court sitting in Ilesa has sentenced a septuagenarian, Chief Moses Adeniyi, to seven years imprisonment for raping two teenage pupils.
The judgment is contained in a statement issued by the Information Officer of the Osun State Ministry of Justice, Mr. Opeyemi Bello, in Osogbo on Thursday.
Adeniyi, who is the Loja, Araromi Otokobo was arraigned in court on Mach 28 2011 was charged with rape and indecent assault.
The prosecution team from the Ministry of Justice: Tijani Adekilekun, who appeared along with Folasade Adekomi told the court that the convict offered a free ride to the girls, who were coming back from school and he drove them to his hotel where he raped the two teenagers one after the other.
They told the court that the two offences were contrary to the provisions of Sections 358 and 360 Criminal Code Cap 34 vol.11 Laws of Osun State.
Justice Kudirat Akano held that the prosecution counsels proved beyond reasonable doubt that Adeniyi unlawfully had carnal knowledge of the two girls and thereafter sentenced him to seven years imprisonment.
The statement explained further that Adeniyi, who was a former neighbour of the victims raped the two girls aged 13 and 14 who are pupils of St.Margaret Girls School Ilesa in May 2010.
Instead of taking them to their destination, Adeniyi was said to have taken them to his hotel and took them inside one of the hotel rooms where he raoed them and warned them not to shout or tell anybody about it.
After defiling them, he was said to have wiped their private parts with a piece of white cloth and warned them against telling anyone what happened to them. He was said to have threatened them that anyone who disclosed his action would die.
But one of the parents of the victims was sad to have been told that her daughter was given a free ride by a man and she went to inquire from the school who the man was.
The girls were said to be afraid but refused to disclose what Adeniyi did to them for fear of death.
They were said to be given an assurance by their teachers that nothing would happen to them if they told them what happened before they narrated their ordeal.
Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun Community was thrown into panic and fear on Monday as the anti-graft agency, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other related offences Commission(ICPC) sent an invitation letter to the concerned authority of the College on alleged sharing of N.3billion meant for the execution of some projects in the College.
Aregbesola
The source from the College Community, maintained that the letter from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other related offences Commission(ICPC) to the College authority was as a result of Petition Letter dated Monday 4th of April, 2016 which was forwarded to the anti-graft agency by the Osun State based Civil Society Organization (CSO), the Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS) and signed by its Chairman,Comrade Adeniyi, Alimi Sulaiman.
It was also learnt on Monday that the Acting Provost of the College, who is the brother to Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of the Court of Appeal, Professor Isaac Olayinka Oyewole held the emergency meeting with the staff of the College Bursary department ,alleging them of releasing the documents relating to the fraud to the Civil Society Organization(CSO) in the State.
In a statement issued by the group’s Directorate of Media and Strategy on Tuesday, recalled that the allegation of N300million financial impropriety leveled against the younger brother of former Osun State Governor and a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, Mr. Niyi Akande who is currently, the Part-time Chairman of the Governing Council of the College since 2013, has been in the public domain for a while now over alleged diversion of public funds meant for certain projects in the College community.
Those also fingered in the corrupt allegations include the College former Acting Provost, Dr. Basiru Gbadamosi, the Registrar and Secretary to the Governing Council, Mr. Aderinola Adeoti, former College Bursar, now Bursar College of Education, Ilesa, Mr. Akin Latilo, and Mr. David Olayinka Olojede, a member of the Governing Council. Others involved in the alleged scam and diversion of Project funds were; Mr. Oyegbade Reuben Abayo, Mr. Amobi Yinusa Akinlola, Mr. Ayoola Peter Olajiola, Mr. Moses Oyewole Otitoola, and Mr. Kujeunbola Oluwafemi.
Similarly, a Petition Letter dated Monday 21st of March, 2016,had earlier been sent to the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for credible and proper investigation on the subject matter, adding that the branch Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) had forwarded a Letter to the state House of Assembly early this year on the same issue which has been placed under the carpet, apparently because of the involvement of the younger brother of former APC Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande in the matter.
The alleged financial misappropriation was as a result of the sharing and diversion of public funds meant and approved for the execution of some projects in the College Community as it affects the Constructions of Tetfund Amphitheatre, the Ila Technical College, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department and Binding Service Building.
Besides, the massive corruption according to verified documents showed that the scam also spread to fees for Certificates collection, College Transport account and College History book among others.
According to the Petition, “The sum of One Hundred and Seven Million naira (N107m) out of (N125m) as part of fund released by the Tetfund as Special Intervention Project funds to the College for building of a Lecture Theatre (Amphitheatre) remains unaccounted for as the foundation of the project has not been completed after two (2) years
which the project has been awarded. At one of the Council meetings where the failed contract was extensively discussed, Council noted that though the sum of N107million had been released to the Contractor, and evaluators which the Council brought from the Ministry of Works, Osogbo valued the work done at the site at just N13million.
“Surprisingly, Mr. Oyeniyi Akande promised to handle the issue with ‘maturity’. His position to use ‘maturity’ rather than litigation and sanction is at variance with Mr. Akande’s make-belief anti-corruption posture. But the Contractor, Otunba John Ojemuyiwa, the M.D. /CEO, Digitpro Engineering Technology Limited confessed that the larger
percentage of the project funds were given to Mr. Yinka Olojede, the Governing Council member to share with other Council members where Mr. Oyeniyi Akande collected the sum of N40million out of it”.
It added that: “Mr. Niyi Akande connived with one of his cronies who floated a consultancy Company named JAC Diran Limited, through which he fraudulently collected about N12million from the Amphitheatre project and also unilaterally increased his own monthly allowances from N110, 000 as approved to N150, 000 and those of other members of Governing Council from N68, 750 each to N100, 000 in November 2014 with retrospective effect in defiance to the Osun State government Circular with Ref.No. S/PRI/23/187 (composition of Boards and the Remuneration of members),due process and College Edict”.
A Civil Society Organization (CSO) in Osun State under the auspices of Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS) has dragged the younger brother to the former Interim National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, Mr. Oyeniyi Akande who is currently the Part-time Chairman of the
Governing Council of Osun State College of Education ,Ila-Orangun since 2013 and other nine(9) members of the top management of the College over illegal diversion of the approved N.3billion College funds for one projects or the other in the College Community.
Chief Bisi Akande
It was learnt that the members of the top management of the College that were named in the corrupt allegation included the College former Acting Provost, Dr. Basiru Gbadamosi, the Registrar and Secretary to the Governing Council, Mr. Aderinola Adeoti, former College Bursar, now Bursar College of Education, Ilesa, Mr. Akin Latilo, and Mr. David Olayinka Olojede, a member of the Governing Council.
Others involved in the alleged scam and diversion of Project funds were; Mr. Oyegbade Reuben Abayo, Mr. Amobi Yinusa Akinlola, Mr. Ayoola Peter Olajiola, Mr. Moses Oyewole Otitoola, and Mr. Kujeunbola Oluwafemi.
This was contained in a Petition Letter dated Monday 21st of March, 2016 with the titled “Request for investigation and prosecution of Mr. Oyeniyi Akande, the Part-Time Chairman, Governing Council, Osun State College of Education(OSSCE), Ila-Orangun, Osun state and nine (9) others for the offence of fraudulent conversion and diversion of N.3billion public funds approved for the Tetfund project i.e. the construction of Amphil-theatre and other sundry projects for the growth and development of the college community since 2014. Why Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS) is demanding for investigation, arrest and possible prosecution of the culprits”, which was signed by the CSCEOS’ Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi, Alimi Sulaiman and the copy was made available to newsmen on Tuesday, called for the thorough and credible investigation of the allegation
by the anti-graft body without minding whose ox was gored.
The Petition Letter which was received by the Abuja National Head office of the anti-graft Commission(EFCC) on Tuesday 22nd of March, 2016 and also forwarded to the Visitor of the College and Osun State governor, Mr. Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Mr. Najeem Salaam, Federal Minister of Education, Alhaji Adamu Adamu, Osun State Director, State Security Service (SSS) ,past leaders in Osun State including Governor, Deputy-Governors, Secretary to the State Government(SSG) and Head of Service(HoS) and the College
Provost, among others, for their notification and necessary action.
Comrade Sulaiman maintained that the massive corruption according to the available verified documents showed that the scam spread to fees for Certificates collection, College Transport account and College History among others, alleging that the authority of the College had purportedly spent closed to three hundred million naira (N300m) on the aforementioned projects since 2014 and the projects did not see the light of the day till this present moment, while all the funds released for the Projects have been diverted by Akande and his crime –in- aides, requesting that the anti-graft Commission should probe all the Banks’ Account used to siphon the College funds in question by the
aforementioned people.
The group alleged that sum of One hundred and seven Million naira (N107m) out of One hundred and twenty-five million (N125m) were released by the Federal Government through Tetfund as a Special Intervention fund to the College for building of a Lecture Theatre (Amphittheatre) which remained unaccounted for as the foundation of
the project has not been completed after two (2) years the project was awarded to the Contractor, Digitpro Engineering Technology Limited, Ibadan, adding that in January 2015, the sum of Five million One hundred and Thirty six Thousand, seven hundred and sixteen naira, Thirty Kobo were released to the contractor-Digitpro Engineering Technology Limited, Ibadan as part of fund approved for the construction of Amphitheatre
According to the Petition Letter: “To our dismay, at the one meeting of the College Governing Council where the failed Tetfund Amphitheatre Lecture contract was extensively discussed, the Council noted that though the sum of One Hundred and Seven Million naira (N107m) had been released to the contractor-Digitpro Engineering Technology Limited, Ibadan, the evaluators which the Governing Council brought from the Osun State Ministry of Works and Transport, Abeere, Osogbo valued the work done at the site of the project at Thirteen Million naira (N13m).
Surprisingly at the said meeting, Mr. Akande promised to handle the issue with “maturity”. His position to “maturity” rather than sanction and possible arrest is at variance with Mr. Akande’s make-belief anti-corruption posture. This position of Mr. Akande further confirmed our believe that Akande’s hand has been soiled with the project funds.
“Meanwhile, one of the members of the Governing Council, Mr. Yinka Olojede had earlier confessed that they shared the funds meant for the project in question (Amphitheatre) with maturity as being directed by Mr. Akande and Mr. Niyi Akande as well connive with one of his cronies who floated a Consultancy firm named JAC DIRAN LIMITED, through which he fraudulently collected about Twelve million Naira (N12m) from the amphitheatre project apart from N107million earlier approved to the Contractor which One Hundred and Two million (N102m) released to the
contractor.
“Furthermore, Mr. Oyeniyi Akande engages at will various Consultants, who are mostly his associates and cronies, to handle and or oversee the College’s projects and activities, even, where there were staffs of the college so designated to do the job. He unilaterally decides whooping amounts of funds to be paid these Consultants and many of them do not deliver the contracts to the specification. One of such was the College’s website (Internet facility) and several millions of naira was committed to the project and the Consultant/Contractor failed to deliver the job since three (3) years ago. Akande’s numerous consultants are the drain-pipes through which the College’s Internally Generated Revenues (IGRs) are being siphoned”.
The Petition further stated that, “under the chairmanship of Mr. Oyeniyi Akande, the Governing council threw decorum into wind by increasing the stipulate fees for collection of Certificates by the Students from five thousand naira (N5, 000) to twelve thousand naira (N12, 000) and Ten Thousand naira (N10, 000) to Twenty-two thousand
naira (N22, 000) for NCE and Degree graduates respectively. And, substantial part of the proceeds realized was siphoned by the Council Chairman.
“Also, the College engages in commercial transportation for convenience of the Staff and Students where two Coaster buses were procured for daily shuttle and hire and as at today, over Ten million naira (N10m) have been realized and squandered by the Governing Council Chairman, Mr. Oyeniyi Akande. It will interest you to hear that Mr. Oyeniyi Akande as Chairman of the Governing Council of the College, hides under the guise of being the younger brother to the former Interim National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, to use the hard- earned funds of the institution to run his Private owned Ila Technical College which had just only fourteen students for the Period of two session”.
It added that, “It is also on record that Mr. Oyeniyi Akande unilaterally increased his own monthly allowances from One Hundred and Ten Thousand naira (N110,000) to one Hundred and Fifty naira(N150,000) and those of other members of the Governing Council from sixty eight Thousand seven Hundred and fifty naira(N68,750) to One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100,000) since 2014 which contrary to the Osun State Government Circular with Ref No: S/PRI/23/187 (composition of Boards and the Remuneration of Members), due Process and College Edict.
The group therefore urged at the anti-graft Commission to request for all the flight tickets of all the travel allowance from Abuja to Ila-Orangun,Osun State, being claimed by the Part-Time Chairman of Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Governing Council, Mr. Oyeniyi Akande for the period of 2013 to March 2016.
…….Says Osun still owes Six (6) months salaries, Pension due arrears
An Osun State based Civil Society Organization (CSO), the Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS) has cautioned the State governor, Mr. Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola to stop misleading the general public over the payment of half salaries and pension due to the workers and retirees alike in the State, declaring that the State Government were still owing the workers and retirees for period of six(6) months now.
Aregbesola
The group insisted that Mr. Aregbesola led-State government was economical with the truth over its recent claimed that he has been met with its financial obligation despite the low income earning of the state as a result of gargantuan debt obtained by the present administration in the State, insisting that the State Government was
unable to meet its financial obligation to workers and retires in the State for the period of six months now, as a result of irresponsible debt which Mr. Aregbesola plunged the State into presently.
Rising from the emergency meeting of the group in Osogbo on Sunday (yesterday) to review the State of the affairs of Osun State in the last one month, the CSCEOS in a statement signed by its Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi, Alimi Sulaiman, which was made available to newsmen, condemned all the anti-worker policies of the Aregbesola led present administration in the State, regretting the emergency of Mr. Aregbesola as the State governor in the last five and half (51/2) years.
The Statement analyzed that since July 2015, Mr. Aregbesola has been paying the workers and retirees alike the half salaries and pension due with discrepancies in the payment, advising Aregbesola and his co-travelers to imbibe the spirit of this Easter season by speaking the truth on the governance of this State, saying that only financial truth could save the state from brick of financial collapse.
It maintained that there was no iota of truth in the claim of the State government that it has fulfilled its financial obligations to workers despite the low allocations to the State from Federation Allocation as result of irresponsive debt, adding that since 2012, the State government were yet to pay the gratitude of retirees till date insisting that Aregbesola should stop deceiving the public on the subject matter as ongoing propaganda could not help the State
government from out of the present financial mess.
The CSCEOS therefore advised the good people, particularly, the entire workforce and retirees in the State to stand up and fight for their labour rights as stipulated in the labour law of the land, by sending a signal to Mr. Aregbesola to stop half salaries and pension due payment and balance of their six months salaries arrears should be paid, alleging that some workers’ name have been removed from the salaries payment voucher on the directive of Aregbesola to his Financial Consultant firm popularly called “Charms” .
Rights activist who urged the good people of the State at home and abroad to unite against the present administration of Aregbesola which he described as source of sorrow, tear and hunger for the people of the State, urging the people of the State to use the period of this death and resurrection of the Jesus Christ to pray fervently to the Almighty God to rescue the State from the hands of present tormentors led by Mr. Aregbesola.
According to the group, “Osun State governor, Mr. Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola has been economical with the truth on the payment of salaries and pension due to workers and retirees alike in the State and as well as state of finance of the State which result we are experiencing today. Lets open the can of worm to the public through this medium and put the records straight, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola are still owing workers and retirees alike in the State for period of
six(6) months respectively with a lot of short payment in the salaries in question. This development is contrary to Mr. Rauf Aregbesola’s claimed before the public that the State under his watch has been meet with its obligation to the workers and retirees despite the present financial challenges. People should ask Aregbesola why he is nicked
name ’Baba Afusa means father of half salaries’. Mr. Aregbesola should not hesitate to explain to the whole world why Osun State is where we are today?. People should also ask Aregbesola why he directed his financial consultant firm ‘Charms’ from removing some workers’ names from the payment voucher.
”We will also like to put this before the public because this is common sense calculation. Mr. Rauf Aregbesola has commenced the payment of half salaries to workers and retirees in the State from July 2015 to December 2015 and we are now in March ending of 2016 where Aregbesola just announced the payment of January half payment
salaries and retirees have not been paid half pension due of January as being claimed by Aregbesola in the section of the media recently. Rauf Aregbesola and his co-travelers should imbibe the spirit of the Easter season by saying the truth as only truth can save Osun State from the present financial mess”.
The governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, has announced the creation of 31 new Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, by his administration.
Aregbesola
Mr. Aregbesola stated this Tuesday in a state broadcast to the people of the state. He said additional 31 Local Council development Areas, 3 area councils and two administrative offices were created.
The governor said his administration would make judicious use of its revenues in a way that increasing the number of councils will least constitute any financial burden.
Mr. Aregbesola also announced the dissolution of the management committees of the existing 30 Local Councils and Area Office, their executive secretaries, deputy executive secretaries, members, special advisers and other functionaries.
The government had sent a request for additional local councils to the state House of Assembly, which later passed the bill.
Speaking on why the state was creating more councils at a time of financial challenges, Mr. Aregbesola said his administration had given the decision sufficient consideration, and had put in place measures to cut cost.
He added that the responsibilities of the new councils include bringing development to the people, managing the markets, generating more revenue, amongst others.
The governor said the state would be saving huge cost with the new councils. He said no new appointment would be made as the same number of staff will still run all the councils.
He said the entire local government system would be managed by Council Managers for three months. The managers are to be appointed and deployed by Local Government Service Commission from among the substantive grade level 14 officers in the local governments.
”Many would be wondering and asking: why create more councils at this special time of financial challenges? We have also given sufficient consideration to this. With this new parliamentary system, it will cost less to run the new councils and save a lot of money for the government than in the past.
“The primary responsibilities of our new local government system are sanitation, market management and revenue mobilisation and generation. This is consistent with local government administration worldwide.
“The beauty of this new system is its parliamentary nature, which requires the chairman and the vice chairman to be elected by the councillors from among their own ranks, thereby saving cost,” the governor said.
Osogbo—Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti and his Osun State counterpart, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, yesterday, set aside their political differences during a meeting in Osogbo.
Aregbesola
While Aregbesola advised his Ekiti counterpart to face reality that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has gone into extinction, Governor Fayose said his visit to Osun State was to pursue Yoruba unity.
Aregbesola said while he was not asking the governor to abandon the opposition PDP against his wish, he would only advise him to join hands with a political party that will give hope to the people of Nigeria.
He also charged the Ekiti State governor to direct his energy towards bringing human and physical development to western region and Nigeria as a whole.
The Governor stated this when his Ekiti counterpart paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Osogbo.
Governor Fayose, during the visit, had said that he is in Osun not for any political reason and that he is not ready to abandon the PDP for the All Progressives Congress (APC) but for his belief in the Yoruba race and her development and unity.
Aregbesola described the visit of Governor Fayose to Osun as demonstration of maturity, saying it takes a very matured human being to know that at the end of every public office, he will be left with humanity.
He said, “Osoko has said that he is not going to leave his party, but the reality today is that PDP has served its term in Nigeria. When a horse is dead, it is either you abandon it or you bury it.
“I want my good friend and brother to know that PDP has exhausted it’s stay in Nigeria, it can no longer be revived, let us look at a political party that will give hope to our people. Opposition must be for a purpose, I stand by you on the unity of Yoruba land and that our leaders not put down in the country.
“The war is over, we are in a season of mobilising our people to agriculture and produce such that we will economically have the strength to give leadership to the Nation and Africa. Our energy must be directed at bringing human and physical development, we have enough in this region to give leadership”. Aregbesola stressed.
He assured Fayose that he will stand by him in his effort to galvanise the people of South-west for accelerated development.
The Governor who lamented the present economic situation of the country noted that there is an invasion on the economy of Nigeria to the extent that the country is loosing 75 percent of her income due to oil glut.
“The country is facing a very serious crises with the rate at which the crude oil price is falling. There is an invasion on the economy to the level that we are loosing 75 percent of our income which is not good.
“At this point, wise people must have an alternative to oil which part of it is your visit. We must use our culture and affinity to form a bond that can make our people live a normal life, it is a duty that we owe our people, States and Nigeria as a whole”.
My visit for Yoruba unity — Fayose
Speaking earlier, Governor Fayose stated that against all speculations that he was coming to Osogbo to ask Aregbesola help him beg President Muhammadu Buhari, he was in Osun for the unity of Yoruba race.
He added that the Yoruba race is greater than any political office hence his belief in the development of the race.
The governor averred that the visit of the Ooni of Ife to the 45th coronation of the Alaafin of Oyo is instructive hence the need for every Yoruba sons and daughters to see to the unity and progress of the race.
He said, “This is my first official visit to any APC state. I am not in Osogbo to ask Aregbesola to help me beg as being speculated in some quarters. We are all Yoruba, politics is like water, it can flow anywhere.”
The military has come down hard on its officers who were unprofessional during the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states in 2014 and in last year’s general elections.
Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai said the military will be returned to its full professional status when he received the report of the Army Board of Inquiry (BoI) set up to probe allegetions of misconduct against its personnel during the elections.
The panel, which was set up on October 23, last year, was headed by the General Officer Commading (GOC) I Division, Maj.-General Adeniyi Oyebade. The panel sat in Kaduna.
There were protests over how soldiers intimidated the opposition in the governorship elections. The then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is b
PDP also tried the same trick in the August 9, 2014 Osun governorship election, but this was resisted by the Rauf Aregbesola-led APC administration.
But many leaders, including Senator Isiaka Adeleke, were prevented from leaving their homes to vote.
Yesterday, Gen. Oyebade announced that two officers had been recommended for compulsory retirement for their roles in the fiasco.
Other recommendations include:
*Three officers to lose their command and one recommended for prosecution for collecting financial gratification.
*15 officers are to be placed on the watch list;
*Nine officers to be further investigated by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) for allegations levelled against them;
*Six officers to face an audit committee and
*62 officers (mostly of the rank of Major and below) to be given Letters of Displeasure and to appear before their General Officers Commanding (GOCs) for counselling.
Explaining how the panel operated, Gen. Oyebade said the Board placed advertorials in the media, requesting for memoranda from the public before the commencement of sitting.
He said 23 officers and over 100 soldiers and 62 civilians appeared before the panel.
Gen. Oyebade described the recommendations as “far-reaching to assist the Nigerian Army and the nation in the future”.
He thanked the Army for the opportunity to serve and acknowledged the support and cooperation the panel received from the Police and other security agencies and the public.
Gen. Buratai thanked the Board for a “thorough” and “dispassionate” job devoid of influence from any quarters.
He expressed delight that the Board, knowing the gravity and implication of its report on the careers of officers and impact on the Nigerian Army, discharged its assignment diligently and professionally. He promised that the report will be reviewed – in line with Nigerian Army’s legal and administrative procedures.
The Chief of Army Staff also enjoined members of the Board to share the knowledge acquired in the course of their assignment with their colleagues for the benefit of the Army and the nation.
During the Osun State governorship election, security was deployed mainly against the opposition party. Some of the security men wore hoods and arrested members of the opposition, including the then APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who was held for “wandering.”
In Ekiti, APC governors were prevented from entering the state to campaign for the party’s candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, as part of the security clampdown.
Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole was stopped from flying out of Benin to campaign for Fayemi. Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi was stopped at the boundary between Ekiti and Ondo states and prevented from driving into the state by securitymen who threatened to shoot at his convoy.
Captain Sagir Koli, an Intelligence officer of the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, released a secretly recorded tape of discussions between a general and some PDP leaders plotting how to influence the election.
The audio tape detailed how some (then) top Federal Government officials and the PDP, including then Minister of State for Defence Musiliu Obanikoro, Police Affairs Minister Jelili Adesiyan, PDP chieftain Iyiola Omisore, then PDP governorship candidate Ayo Fayose and Brigade Commander, 32 Artillery Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Aliyu Momoh, among others, used the Army and other security agencies to rig the election.
Capt. Koli said 1,006 military officers and men were deployed in Ekiti, as part of a “Special Task Force” for the election.
The APC alleged that “soldiers were deployed in each of the 16 local governments with the express instruction to “work” with the PDP contacts in the local governments.
“Special stickers were given to select PDP officials so that their vehicles could be granted unfettered access to any part of the state, despite the traditional Election Day restriction of movement.”
elieved to have used soldiers to aid its victory in the June 21, 2014 Ekiti poll that brought Governor Ayo Fayose into office. Soldiers were allegedly used to intimidate All Progressives Congress (APC) members and sympathisers.
Army Captain Sagir Koli later revealed details of how the military was used to rig the election.
OSOGBO – The Governor of Osun state, Mr Rauf Aregbesola has said that states of the federation must look inward for their survival as funds coming to them from the federation account can no longer support their development projects.
Aregbesola
Aregbesola said with Osun’s receipt of N55 million for the month of September, the message was clear that all avenues hitherto untapped must now be examined in order to sustain development initiatives.
The Governor stated this at the commencement of the reconstruction of Orita-Olaiya-Ita-Olokan Road at Olaiya Junction to commemorate the 5th year of the Aregbesola-led government in Osun.
The project is part of the designs to ensure smooth transportation within the state capital, Osogbo.
He pointed out that money coming from the Federation Account has dipped badly hence the need for people of the state to look inward in advancing the course of the state by returning to Agriculture.
He said, “We must at this point tell ourselves the truth, there is no money coming from the federation account, 34 million barrels of Nigeria’s crude oil are on the sea without buyers.
“Money coming from the Federation Account has dipped seriously and our hope for survival is in our hands, what our forefathers lived on was agriculture.
“We must now go back to the farms and work. We also need to pay our taxes so that government can meet its responsibilities. For September, our state got N55.8 million. The money we received cannot pay for the power supply by IBEDC that we use at the state Secretariat monthly”. The governor told people at the programme.
Advising people to adhere to town planning rules, Aregbesola also added that the issue of separating houses during road constructions and expansions could have been avoided if there had been strict adherence to town planning rules in the past.
He emphasised that his government regret and offer sincere sympathy to those that will be affected with the construction of the road which his administration is embarking on.
The Governor admonished those affected to see this as their own sacrifice of the present administration’s effort to enhance the status of our cities for better living conditions of the generality of the people.
Aregbesola stated that Mess rs RATCON Construction Company Limited will be undertaking the reconstruction of the road at the cost of N985,115,410.78 million.
He said, “The expansion of the road and the need to have a reasonable setback unfortunately meant that some buildings are already standing in the way and has to be separated. This could have been avoided if there had been strict adherence to town planning rules in the past.
“We regret this and offer sincere sympathy to those affected. They should see this as their own sacrifice in our efforts to beautify our city and develop a decent human environment. Nevertheless, we have set aside the sum of N392 million to the 127 people whose buildings were affected”.
The Governor appealed to people of the state to bear with government on the pains and discomforts associated with the road construction projects embarked upon, especially Gbongan-Akoda Road, noting that the delay was due to the unexpected financial challenges that befell the nation.
He assured that all the projects embarked on by his government will be completed before the end of the present administration.
The Managing Director, Messrs RATCON Construction, Engr. Fouad Howayek held that Aregbesola deserves commendation for the massive on-going road construction works in the state.
He noted that RATCON has been partner with Osun since the first term of Aregbesola’s administration in the area of rehabilitation and construction of road projects.
According to him, “This kind of unprecedented achievement recorded in the last four years is an attestation to the fact that Mr. Governor’s passion for the rapid development of the state is undisputed,” The RATCOM boss stated
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Engr. Nurudeen Adeagbo, stressed that the dual carriage way of Olaiya-Asubiaro-Ita Olokan spanning 2.8km forms the second phase of of on-going rehabilitation of selected roads in Osogbo township.
He stated that the road could have been executed along with others in the first phase if not for the paucity of funds in the state, adding that a total of N392 million will be required to pay compensation to people whose property will be affected by the reconstruction.
Adeagbo said, “This road project is to be executed by Messrs RATCON Construction Company Ltd. The company that handled the completion of 21 selected Osogbo township roads totaling 26.69km and the on-going Bisi Akande trumpet road awarded at N29.22 billion”
Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, on Monday frowned on the situation where pupils wear uniforms depicting their religious affiliations to schools across the country.
Soyinka spoke during the inauguration of a N750m school built by the Osun State Government in Ejigbo. The school was named after him.
Though Soyinka expressed happiness at the honour done him by Governor Rauf Aregesola, he warned against diving the pupils along religious lines by allowing them to wear uniforms that typified their religious affiliations.
Soyinka said there should be nothing to divide pupils along religious lines, adding that the feeling of holier than thou was one of the factors that brought about the abduction of the Chibok girls by Boko Haram insurgents.
He said, “One of the ways we can reduce this fatalistic sense of holiness is to reduce the element of difference. I wish to implore that we do not distinguish our children by their religions.”
Soyinka, however, commended the governor for what he had done to improve the standard of education in the state.
Aregbesola inaugurated the school established by his administration in Ejigbo.
The governor described Soyinka as the greatest scholar in Africa.
The Wole Soyinka Government High School, Ejigbo is a 3,000-capacity complex with 72 classrooms of 49 square-metres, each capable of sitting 49 students and has six offices for study groups.
Speaking on the occasion, the governor said no amount of money spent on education was too much, saying it deserved the utmost attention.
He said that in the first quarter of next year, his government would also inaugurate another set of schools in the same category.
Aregbesola said, “We can construct a good road that will last for 50 years and we are doing that, but this can never compare to the enlightenment an educated person receives in terms of its value to the society and humanity.
“The state of education prior to our coming was appalling and frighteningly so. Zoos were better than the places where the pupils were receiving education. Many of them were dilapidated and falling down.
“These schools were, therefore, not encouraging any serious learning or character building. The result was that the pupils themselves were behaving like animals. They were forming cult groups, fighting regularly with dangerous weapons and engaged in all immoral acts.
“These are children, aged seven and above. My heart bleeds to see the public education system disintegrate and become dysfunctional.”
KADUNA – The Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Gen. Tukur Buratai, has constituted a five-man board of generals to investigate alleged partisanship of members of the Nigeria Army during the 2015 general election.
General Officer Commanding, GOC, 1 Division of the Nigeria Army, Maj. Gen. Adeniyi Oyebade, said he was made the Chairman of the board by Gen Buratai.
Other members of the board are Brig. Gen. Sunday Araoye, Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Kabuk, Brig. Gen. Baba Ibrahim and Col. Danladi Salihu who will serve as its secretary.
Addressing newsmen in Kaduna, yesterday, Gen Oyebade said: “There are allegations made by the general public on the gubernatorial elections conducted in some states such as Ekiti, Osun, Rivers and Akwa Ibom among others.
“These allegations are weighty and Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Buratai is determined to get to the root of the matter. The COAS insists on maintaining a professionally responsive Nigerian Army determined on discharging its constitutional roles, and as such instituted this Board of Inquiry.
“The panel is to investigate these allegations and recommend appropriate measures to prevent a re-occurrence in the future. The military as a noble profession must remain apolitical in our democratic dispensation.
“Politics, we strongly believe should be left entirely to politicians. The role of the military must strictly be in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
“I must hasten to add, however, that despite these worrisome allegations, the military has to a large extent performed creditably as the foremost guardian of the nation’s democracy.”
“All petitions/memorandum are to be forwarded not later than Fri 20 Nov 2015. The panel shall commence its sitting from 9am – 5pm daily except Sundays starting from today Monday 9, 2015,”
OSOGBO—Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused Governor Rauf Aregbesola of inflicting hardship on the people of the state, especially civil servants, by withholding the bailout funds rather than using it to pay salaries.
The party, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Prince Diran Odeyemi in Osogbo yesterday, said the piecemeal mode adopted by state government in paying salaries was a further confirmation that the money had been fixed.
It added that workers in the state were last paid half of their July salaries, with all allowances being hitherto enjoyed by them removed, stressing that the retirees were also being treated in same manner, with many of them still being owed up to six months despite release of bailout funds to the state in August.
‘PDP seeking relevance’
However, the consultant on information to the state government, Mr. Sunday Akere, debunked PDP claims.
He said: “PDP wants to use our reaction to gain relevance. I am sure they have a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, the state government signed with the workers.
“The bailout covered to June and we have paid June salaries, we have paid July and August.
“We signed an MoU with the workers and we have kept to the terms of the document religiously.”
Lecturers in tertiary institutions owned by the Osun State Government have defied Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s directive asking them to return to classes on Monday.
The lecturers, under the aegis of the Council of Academic Staff Unions of Osun State-Owned Tertiary Institutions, said in a statement in Osogbo on Friday that they would not allow the state government to coerce them to resume without addressing the issues which caused their indefinite strike.
The statement was jointly issued by the CASUOSTI Chairman, Lasisi Jimoh; secretary, Olusegun Lana; Chairman Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, Iree, Dotun Omisore; ASUP chairman, Esa Oke, Adesola Akande; COEASU Ila-Orangun Chairman, Segun Onifade and COEASU Ilesa Chairman, Oladele Ojo.
The secretary of the CASUOSTO said Aregbesola had only paid the lecturers one month out of the nine months’ salaries owed them despite the release of N34.988bn to the state for that purpose. They said the government had paid three months’ salaries to other categories of workers but left them out.
The lecturers said the directive was violent, ridiculous, malicious, lawless and ill-advised.
According to them, it is the most unexpected response to the peaceful and lawful demand for their legitimate rights from a democratic government.
The Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has declared war on ThePUNCH Newspapers and Tribune Newspaper for reporting the views of opposition parties on happenings in the state.
The governor, in a video clip watched by our correspondent in Osogbo on Tuesday, made the public declaration of war against The PUNCH Newspapers and Tribune Newspapers on September 8, during the commencement of the distribution of plastic chairs and desks to schools in the state.
The ceremony was held on the premises of Adenle Middle School, Osogbo.
Making an allusion to the media reports on the unpaid salary crisis in the state, the governor said The PUNCH and other newspapers supported his adversaries to lie against his government.
He said, “They didn’t spare us on any platform. Even today, they lied against us and some shameless organs of mass communication supported them.
“Say shame on them, shame! All of them and those who are supporting them. Some newspapers knew they were lying, yet they supported them. PUNCH reported last week Thursday that they had just released the money, the same PUNCH published today that we have kept the money for two months. Shame on all of them, shame!
“Newspapers are meant to educate the people; they are not meant to incite the public against the government. Shame on PUNCH, shame on Tribune. I say it openly; let them challenge me.
“The PUNCH Newspaper, Tribune Newspapers have declared war on our state and we shall not spare them. We shall not spare them; it’s war!
“You can’t be attacking us and expect us to be quiet; we shall fight back. The time has come for us to fight back; we will fight back.”
The Osun State All Progressives Congress says the Peoples Democratic Party has continued to criticise the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola because the party is envious of the governor’s achievements.
The APC was responding to a statement by the PDP in which the party insisted that the financial crisis in the state was due to financial recklessness on the part of Aregbesola.
In a statement issued by its state Publicity Secretary, Kunle Oyatomi, the APC maintained that the condemnation of the Aregbesola government “centres on hatred and envy over his achievements before the financial crisis set in.”
While describing the PDP’s salvos against Aregbesola as mischievous, the APC said in view of the dwindling oil prices and reduction in revenues, the state government has been doing its best to survive the crisis.
The statement partly read, “The PDP is grossly ignorant and mischievous. Even a fool will know that if he has lost 60 per cent of his earnings, he cannot go on doing the things he used to do. Nigeria is dependent on oil revenues which, some two years ago, sold for $110 dollars per barrel.
“This has now dropped to $40 dollars per barrel. And since that drop, Nigeria has not recouped its earnings because we are still dependent on oil money.
“The PDP failed to tell us why there is financial crisis in the other states. Did the other states, which also owe workers’ salaries, spend recklessly too? The PDP appears not to have recovered from the loss it suffered in August 2014 during the governorship election.
“The party’s pain is reflected in its statements against the person and government of Aregbesola since then. The PDP’s criticisms of Aregbesola are pure fabrication and outright lies.”
It explained that in April 2015, Osun received N466m as allocation from the Federal Government whereas it got about N4.8bn per month three years ago.
“The scale of decline is monumental and it is a direct result of the PDP’s reckless attitude in the previous Federal Government. They went crazy with stealing the nation’s money and criticising victims of their own kleptomania,” the party added.
Lecturers under the aegis of Council of Academic Staff Unions of Osun State-Owned Tertiary Institutions have described the nonpayment of their eight months salaries despite the release of bailout as the zenith of insensitivity.
The lecturers, who are members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Iree and Esa Oke and the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, Ilesa and Ila Orangun in a statement made available to our correspondent on Sunday dissociated themselves from the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Osun State Government.
The statement was signed by the CASUOSTI Chairman, Lasisi Jimoh; secerayry, Olusegun Lana; Chairman Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, Iree, Dotun Omisore; ASUP chairman, Esa Oke, Adesola Akande; COEASU Ila-Orangun Chairman, Segun Onifade and COEASU Ilesa Chairman, Oladele Ojo.
The council accused the state government of not remitting contributory pension deductions from their salaries for many months.
The lecturers said rather than addressing the factors which forced them to embarked on a strike running to four months, the state government was wasting money to blackmail them and to coerce them to resume work.
But they vowed not to succumb to the tactics, saying the strike was a fight for their rights and they would not give up no matter the intimidation unless the issues were addressed.
The statement read, “Non-payment of salaries for the past eight months and leave bonuses for two years even after collecting bailout fund from the Federal Government for that purpose.
The All Progressives Congress has advised the people of Osun State to brace up for austerity measures which became the only way out of the economic crisis the state is facing.
Aregbesola
The Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy of the APC in Osun State, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, gave this advice in a statement made available to our correspondent in Osogbo on Saturday while congratulating the labour unions and state government for finally resolving the salary impasse.
The APC attributed the economic crisis in the country to the alleged misrule of Peoples Democratic Party-led Federal Government.
He said, “This will take a lot of sacrifice and belt tightening to fix. Every citizen must be prepared to experience one form of austerity or the other in the mean time, if we are to expeditiously overcome the damage done by the PDP to the nation’s economy. Something has to give way for better things to happen.
“It is not the government that will bear the brunt alone, the people should be prepared to share in making sacrifices, so that we can build a future for our children.”
The ruling party blamed the PDP for the criticisms which have trailed the inability of the state to pay its workers for many months, saying the opposition party orchestrated the attacks against the government to discredit it.
He said, “Of the number of states in the country where this same crisis persisted, it was only in Osun that a satanic twist was orchestrated by the PDP to magnify the sad event. This is because desperate politicians murderously seeking power will stop at nothing to exploit people’s misfortune for their selfish political ambition.”
But the opposition party has said they would not stop criticising the alleged maladministration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration.
The Director of Media, Publicity and Strategy of the PDP in Osun State, Mr. Diran Odeyemi, when contacted by our correspondent said the criticisms against Aregbesola was more severe than in other states because the governor was the only one involved in reckless spending with impunity.
The PDP said the ruling party’s advice was a confirmation that Aregbesola was planning to retrench workers and to impose heavy taxes on the people.
He said, “Rather than prove us wrong, the APC has just corroborated our position that it has lost focus and can not bring smiles to the faces of the people but hardship.
“It is sad that a government that promised workers good welfare packages during campaign would withhold their salaries for nine months, and when given bailout by the FG, would fix it in a bank and embark on series of delay tactics to delay payment.
“APC in other South West states do not purchase helicopter for the pleasure of their governor like we have in Osun, neither do they travel to Cuba forthrightly like Aregbesola does. If Osun APC expects us to keep quiet in the face of oppression, embezzlement, fraud, maladministration and other vices, they got it wrong.”
Osun workers can finally smile as the state government on Wednesday made the decision to commence the payment of six months arrears and payment of monies deducted from workers salaries.
Aregbesola
The Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC and Osun government signed a fresh Memorandum of Understanding to disturse the money for the purpose it was requested which reduced the tension and speculation generated by the planned diversion of the N34.988 bailout fund received from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The Chairman of Osun Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Jacob Adekomi commended Governor Rauf Aregbesola for putting the bailout loan for the backlog of workers salaries.
He said this while addressing journalists after a meeting with representative of government on the disbursement at the Government House in Osogbo.
Adekomi denied having problem or doubt about whether the government will spend the money on its right purpose as speculated in some quarters.
He said that NLC was aware that the money was untouched but was meeting with the government on the modalities of how it will be disbursed based on the MoU signed in July, 2015 between both parties.
According to Adekomi, “In order to ensure sustainability of payment of salaries in the state of Osun, the first disbursement from the bailout loan should cover the payment of outstanding September and December 2014 deductions, balance of January and February salaries and full payment of March, April and May 2015 salaries for state government workers.
“That workers in the employment of Local government and Primary school teachers be paid their first installment out of the bailout loan to cover the payment of balance of March and April, 2015 salaries as well as full payment of May and June, 2015 salaries.
“That state pensioners be paid balance of December, 2014 as well as January, February and March 2015 pensions while their counterparts in the Local Government and primary schools be paid up to June 2015.”
The Peoples Democratic Parties in the state had raised alarm that Aregbesola had paid N20m to a contractor out of the N34.988m bailout fund with the balance deposited in a fixed account.
They also accused Aregbesola of giving conditions for workers before paying their salaries, adding that the idea is to use the screening to delay payment so that the money deposited in the account can reach maturity.
The Nigeria Union of Pensioners in Osun State has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria to lay an embargo on the N34.988bn bailout fund released to the state for payment of workers salaries and pensions.
Aregbesola
The Chairman of the NUP in the state, Tunde Ogunniyi, who said this at a press conference in Osogbo on Tuesday, said this call became necessary because Governor Rauf Aregbesola had allegedly refused to use the fund for what it was meant.
Ogunniyi also called on President Muhammdu Buhari and the National Assembly to declare emergency rule in the state because the state was gravitating towards anarchy because of nonpayment of salaries and pensions.
The pensioners said while many states which took the bailout had started paying backlog of salaries to their workers, Aregbesola had refused to pay workers and pensioners their entitlements.
The NUP chairman said pensioners in the state were being owed backlog of unpaid pensions ranging from 10 to 15 months. He stated that some of the pensioners were paid half of December 2014 pension and none had been paid a dime in 2015.
He said, ” Pensioners have complied with the conditions laid down by the government for them to access their entitlements, which is screening of all pensioners in the state.
“We expect the state government to have commenced payment after the screening about three weeks ago but the government has refused to do so.
” This action of Osun State Government led by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola amount to deliberate display of callousness, greediness, wickedness, flagrant disobedience to the rule of law, maladministration and fraud.
” We hereby resolved that the Central Bank of Nigeria should immediately take over the direct payment of the money to each pensioner or in the alternative, place embargo on the state government from accessing the loan which the governor is planning to divert to fund white elephant projects.”
Ogunniyi said Eco Bank took similar action when it lent Osun State some money to offset pension arrears in 2014. He explained that the step was taken by the bank to ensure that the loan was not diverted for other use.
The pensioner stated that many members if the NUP had died prematurely because of lack of money to feed and to buy drugs to treat diseases some of them were managing.
The union however called on the anti-graft agencies to investigate Aregbesola on how he had been managing the finances of the state, saying “he should be punished in accordance with the anti-graft law of the land.
“We also want to warn these Lagos contractors to immediately pack all their equipment and leave Osun state within one week because their safety can no longer be guaranteed by the hungry Pensioners, workers and citizen of Osun state.”
There has been allegation from the Peoples Democratic Party in the state that the governor paid a contractor N20bn from the bailout fund, but the governor had since denied it.
Aregbesola had on Monday in a statement assured workers and pensioners that the bailout fund would be used for the purpose which it was meant.
The Peoples Democratic Party has accused Governor Rauf Aregbesola of paying N20billion to Slava Yediteppe, a contractor handling one of the road projects in the state, from the N34.988 bailout received from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Aregbesola
The Director of Media and Strategy of the PDP in Osun State, Mr. Diran Odeyemi, who made this allegation in a statement made available to journalists in Osogbo on Sunday, said it was wrong for the governor to pay the contractor from the fund purposely meant to pay backlog of workers’ salaries and pensions.
The opposition party said the governor had clearly proved to everybody that he did not care about the suffering of the workers who had not been paid for nine months.
The PDP claimed the N35 billion was fixed in two banks and one of the transactions was recalled and the fund was used to effect the payment made to the contractor last Thursday, while the other transaction was still intact.
Odeyemi claimed that the stringent conditions the governor gave the workers to meet before paying their salary arrears further proved the party’s allegation that Aregbesola had fixed the bailout fund for profit.
The statement read, “We have it on good authority that the payment was effected last week Thursday and we have noticed that the contractor has returned to site with its men and equipment within 24 hours as requested by the governor.
“Much as we believe the road project is ideal, we wonder why an inflated road contract awarded at N1 billion per kilometre has suddenly become the priority of Governor Aregbesola at this particular period of nine months unpaid salary if not because of some under current deals to siphon funds and shortchange the people of Osun state.
“This perhaps is the reason why the governor said he would only pay half of March salary for workers at a meeting he held with them last week.”
The PDP called on President Mohammadu Buhari to prevail on the governor to pay the workers and pensioners, which, they said, were the motive behind granting the state the loan.
Odeyemi said the fresh screening exercise the state government ordered was a time wasting tactic to buy time for the transaction to become mature in the bank.
“Having spent over N500 million for biometric screening of the state workforce in 2013 which led to a monthly payment of N50 million to a Lagos based consultant to undertake direct payment of workers salaries since then, we wonder why another screening is being done in 2015 by another Lagos-based consultant. All these are the reasons why Osun State is in debt and could not perform.”
The media aide to the governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, did not pick calls put across to him by our correspondent and was yet to reply the text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.
Okanlawon, while reacting to a similar allegation last week, described the PDP’s claim as a fabrication aimed at inciting workers and people of the state against the governor.
He said, “Besides, the verification exercise which the party claims is the subterfuge for this alleged lodgement in a fixed deposit account for personal gains is being handled with active involvement of civil servants. Does the PDP expect the workers themselves to delay the verification for its imagined interests on the funds to materialise?
“Its claim that bailout was paid two weeks ago further confirms its dubious intention because even the Central Bank of Nigeria still confirmed list of states that first received their shares while the same CBN said other states would get theirs on or before the end of last week.
“The PDP would do well to tell the world where it got its own information on the date of the bailout release to Osun as well as provide evidence of the alleged lodgement.”
The Nigeria Labour Congress in Osun State on Thursday staged an anti-corruption rally in Osogbo, the state capital, asking for support for President Muhammadu Buhari in his war against corruption.
Deputy President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Issa Aremu (NLC)
The chairman of the NLC in the state, Mr. Jacob Adekomi, who led the protest, which started at the House of Assembly, said non payment of salaries of workers by some governors was a corrupt act.
He said, “Non-payment of workers’ salaries has been attributed to corrupt practices of state governors, who have gone into heavy borrowing from the banks to carry out huge projects they clearly have no capacity for and use them as conduit pipes to siphon public funds into personal pockets.”
He said the unrealistic minimum wage and non-payment of the salaries had made life unbearable for many workers.
The NLC boss urged Buhari to ensure the recovery of funds looted by office holders, saying this would give him an opportunity to jump-start the nation’s economy.
Adekomi stated that it was unfortunate that some political office holders were far richer than their constituencies and states while the masses were languishing in penury.
The labour leader added that virtually all infrastructure in the country were in deplorable condition, adding that Nigerian refineries must work to stop importation of refined products.
According to him, Nigeria must put an end to corruption in public places to put the nation on the path of development and progress which its founding fathers charted for it at independence.
Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai said the military will be returned to its full professional status when he received the report of the Army Board of Inquiry (BoI) set up to probe allegetions of misconduct against its personnel during the elections.
