DOES THIS OUR PRESIDENT KNOW WHAT HE IS DOING?

Its Night Thoughts today again with your amiable friend, Dayo Oderinu. Let's take this ride together tonight and reason together!

Two days ago, President Muhammadu Buhari became five months old as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. These five months being crucial takeoff periods is undoubtedly a time that should have been utilized for setting clear roadmaps for governance, formulating and making known key government policies that will shape the actions of this government for the remainder of its four years.

The most important question is, do we have any roadmap so far? Because he just clocked five months, I will examine his government using five key issues that affect our collective future. These are areas where I believe he has completely lacked knowledge.

1. WHY SHOULD WE KEEP DEFENDING THE NAIRA WITH OUR FOREIGN RESERVE?

I like to simplify complex government statements such that a layman can easily understand how these big vocabularies affect his life.

In recent times, the CBN has been defending the value of the Naira with our Foreign Reserves. What does this mean?

It is a known fact that crude oil remains the largest foreign exchange earner for Nigeria. Nigeria import activities on the other hand relies on the nation's foreign exchange to transact business. What this simply means is, the value of the dollars available to importers to transact their business is a function of how much forex the nation earns per time. Because the Nigerian system is such that encourages import at the expense of local production, that import forex requirement is quite huge.

In the days when crude sold competitively in the market, importers had access to huge foreign exchange as the country was earning wonderful figures in this regard. Then prices of crude crashed and the crisis began. Two things became evident in the face of the crisis that followed: it became difficult for importers to access foreign exchange, as little was coming in, so the forces of demand and supply settled in, and the dollar began selling at outrageous rates. The second thing that became evident is, Nigeria no longer earns enough from crude sales to fund its import requirements.

Instead of allowing marketplace determine the value of the Naira however, Baba's administration in his bid to force up the value of the naira, due to his uninformed campaign promises, is allowing the CBN to continue defending the naira with our foreign reserve.

The problem with this arrangement is, the FG through the CBN will keep depleting the Reserve towards defending the naira; unfortunately, if crude oil prices do not go up soon, we might end up emptying the reserve and the problem will still be left unsolved.

The common sense solution was, discourage importation as much as possible, stimulate local production at all cost and drastically reduce the nation's requirement for the dollar. But pending that time, allow the market forces dictate the value of the naira. Yes, commodity prices will go up, but it will soon spread around and once local production is promoted, the temporal hardships will disappear.

That was why I asked the question, why did Col. Hamid Ali (Rtd) lift the ban on rice importation? The answer that I got from pro-Buhari politicians was that the nation was losing much to smugglers, so it became better to lift the ban and receive appropriate duty payments. This argument is deficient. Even in the US, consumer products are daily smuggled from Mexico into the US....I am saying every nation loses a sizeable amount to smugglers in duty payments. Which risk was costlier? Attempting to increase duty collectibles or the fact that forex requirements will skyrocket in the process of legalizing rice import? I prefer we make our borders as secure as possible and continue to disallow the importation of rice so we can encourage local production.

Baba Buhari has ignorantly been pursuing a monetary policy that does not in any way contribute to the long term value of the naira and yet is draining our foreign reserves. He has not performed at all in this regard!

4. WILL BOKO HARAM TRULY END IN DECEMBER? AND WHERE ARE THE CHIBOK GIRLS?

It is saddening to note that in the last five months of President Buhari's administration, the mindless killings going on in the North East seem to have taken an even more worrisome dimension. People are now being killed like lizards.

What is baffling about the whole scenario is, Buhari boasted before the elections that Boko Haram would become history before he clocks one month on the seat. He won public sympathy with his many talks about Jonathan's incapacitation to end Boko Haram and his bad disposition towards the rescue of the Chibok Girls.

Today however, we are seeing more killings, the army is saying they do not even know the location of the girls again while Baba has continued feeding us with December deadline. Is this still possible? Why are we not seeing Madam Ezekwesili and her followers run campaigns for the chibok girls as they did in Jonathan's time? Do we assume that the Chibok drama was a fraud after all?

The big assertion here is, from all reports and indications, Baba has done no better than GEJ in the fight against insurgency. All we have right now, is the same worrisome situation still pending in our society.

5. WILL WE DRIVE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION?

So far, a number of projects that were already ongoing before GEJ left office have been abandoned.

Of notable importance is the Lagos-Ibadan expressway that was supposed to ease the vehicular movements that has long become worrisome on this route. The big question here is, if projects are being suspended because Baba is busy fighting corruption, shall we then drive on anti-corruption highway now?

The fight against corruption is commendable if sincere, but while we fight corruption, we must as well allow for the full functionality of government institutions.

We do not necessarily have to cripple the system because we must catch thieves!

I ask that we all join hands and pray for Buhari though, for in the success of his administration lies also peace and prosperity for us, lest we have a failed government at the end of these four years!

Have a blissful night!

THE POLITICS OF APC AND THE PEOPLE WHO JONATHAN'S EXIT FAVOURED

Before I introduce you to my thoughts for the night, I must clearly tell you this. The facts as stated herein are verifiable facts that I came in contact with in the course of my experiences. People who have divergent opinions are allowed to bring them forward with facts.

JONATHAN HAD MORE ENEMIES THAN WE KNEW
In the year 2012, I had a personal encounter with an Uncle of Chief Godswill Akpabio. In fact, the man in question is today the one he refers to as his father, having lost his biological father at a tender age.
I must say, the senior Akpabio is as outspoken as Obot. In the course of our deliberations, he made certain shocking revelations that I still consider very highly till date. Most important of these revelations was the fact that Goodluck Jonathan was a stumbling block to Godswill's ambition. As you will expect, we got curious and asked for explanations.

He explained, that assuming Yar'adua had completed his two-term regime, Akpabio was being well positioned to run for Presidency in 2015. When Yar'adua died, many of the people who belonged to this school of thought believed Jonathan should not have sought reelection in 2011. According to the old man, Jonathan knowing that he is fry in the politics of the South-South should have bowed out and allow Northerners complete their tenure, then would Akpabio have had his chance.

Unfortunately, Jonathan came up for reelection and he won, putting the ambitions of the likes of Akpabio in real jeopardy. I can say categorically at this point, that the clamour for Jonathan's step-down in 2011 was largely sponsored by elements within the South-South, it was indeed the hand of Esau but the voice of Jacob. Key among these sponsors was Rotimi Amaechi and Godswill Akpabio.

When Jonathan eventually got elected, Akpabio had to quickly resolve the rift between them so he could be free of FG intimidation. Amaechi on his end did not do this. To even completely pacify Jonathan, Akpabio named the flyover entering UYO town after Jonathan. That was when the rift was settled and he promptly became one of Jonathan's backroom men. I must quickly point out that Akpabio did not get into GEJ's backroom because he trusted him completely, he got there because GEJ knowing how weak he was had to stuff up his backroom with tough politicians who had the clout he lacked. That was Mimiko and Akpabio's opportunity.

In the rundown to 2015 therefore, it was not only Rotimi Amaechi that did not wish GEJ well, a good number of his backroom people wanted him gone. I believe till today that Akpabio still nurses that Presidential ambition and he was one of those who didn't wish him well at all.

APC IS A COALITION OF NON-IDENTICAL BEDMATES
The politics of the US is such that each party is known for a certain manifesto as well as a particular set of ideologies. For example, the Republicans are known to be pro-rich while the Democrats seem to be more pro-masses. This explains why many Republicans kicked against the Obama healthcare bill.

In Nigeria here, many analysts and watchers make the mistake of thinking political parties in Nigeria do not have peculiar ideologies. They do. It must be said that the three notable parties in the country before the 2011 elections may not have clearcut manifestos, but the unifying factor of the members was an agreement of ideologies.

The PDP was a party of conservatives; the ACN was a party of progressives while the CPC were more of fundamentalists. Members of the PDP were not really joined by desire for power only, but they were joined by similarities in their governance ideas and political views. The ACN were joined by their belief in progressive ideologies, radical changes to the social structures and all that, while the CPC were joined together by their similar saintly beliefs and non-corruptive dispositions.

In the buildup to 2015 however, a new political party was born, the APC. This was not a party born of an agreement of ideologies of the founders, it was indeed born of similarities of goals, that allowed all parties set their ideologies aside for the time being. APC was formed, leading to the first conglomeration of politicians of varied ideas upon the same platform. The conservatives (new PDP) had to agree with Progressives (ACN) and the Fundamentalists (CPC) to achieve just one goal....send Jonathan packing.

As the first part of this post made clear, there were many elements within the PDP who wanted Jonathan gone. A good number of these elements went into the APC while the rest stayed back and ensured that they misled GEJ until he lost at the polls. They all served the same purpose.

What we have today therefore, is an in-house disagreement within the APC that is a product of the glaring differences the constituent parties had in their ideologies. A political party runs by just one ideology and not an amalgamation of ideologies.

There will always be a tussle in this party.

PDP WILL REGROUP AND ITS ALREADY STARTING
One worrisome trait about the person of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is the fact that he is driven by desire only. He is never involved in a sincere struggle for the soul of the masses...baba always have a personal desire at the end of every struggle.

If we rewind and look into the genesis of the crisis between Baba and GEJ, we will notice the attempt by Jonathan to completely wrest control of the party from OBJ. This would have meant that he was going to lose the power to anoint anybody he wanted at anytime he desired. That meant Jonathan's head must go. The APC became the perfect opportunity for this vendetta.

Now that GEJ is gone and PDP has been humbled, the deserters from the party know very well that sojourning for long in the APC will be near impossible due to the domineering status of Tinubu.

In the power calculations however, the CPC ideologists own the President, ACN ideologists own the Vice President while the PDP ideologists own the Senate President and Speaker House of Representatives.
As power calculations continue, to attain higher power in preparation for the politics of 2019, the PDP ideologists are fully aware that they must amass as much power as possible to be able to produce the President come 2019, hence they must have maximum representation in the FEC. That then is where the Ministerial battles and Rotimi Amaechi comes in.

AMAECHI IS A CONSERVATIVE AND HIS PDP TIES ARE STILL VERY INTACT
A lot of unobservant analysts believe that Rotimi Amaechi has suddenly become the champion of the South-South because he 'single-handedly' championed the ouster of Jonathan. No, Amaechi had allies within the PDP who were supportive of his cause. As I showed in Part 1, Akpabio is one of these people, I am very certain.

Amaechi's travails in the Senate were stage-managed events only presented to Nigerians to give us the belief that the PDP deserters and their counterparts who stayed back are no longer in league. They are.

HOW IS AMAECHI'S CONFIRMATION A PLUS FOR THE PDP?
For the PDP to keep its 2019 hopes alive, Bukola Saraki must retain the seat of Senate President while Ekweremadu must as well remain on his seat. This will mean the PDP is still in complete control of the nation, albeit through the backdoor.

Amaechi was a stone that was used to kill two birds. It looked to everybody that one of the preconditions for Saraki to have at least temporal peace is to dance to the tune of the President on Amaechi's case. Refusing to dance to this tune would mean efforts at sending him packing will intensify and he will then have real problems.

Clearing Amaechi on one hand meant the President will presently leave Saraki alone as Senate President. The PDP can continue having their control.

On the other hand, clearing Amaechi meant one of the very people in the PDP fold who orchestrated the exit of GEJ has been established in this present government. The meaning of this is, the moment the PDP decides to regroup, their persons are well positioned to promote whatever agenda they decide to float come 2019.
Of all these drama, one thing is certain. Amaechi belongs to the camp of the conservatives and he will return to that camp openly or secretly as things continue to unravel.

The plus for the PDP here is, one of theirs get to remain President of Senate, they keep Nigerians guessing as much as possible, and they get to acquire as much Federal might as possible while staging a dramatic walkout.

I fully expect that by 2019, one of Amaechi, Saraki and Akpabio will be contesting President and these three overly ambitious men, will by then be in the same party!

It might as well be PDP, or wherever Baba leads....do I have to tell you who Baba is?

Namaste!

08158402483

WHAT REALLY IS THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE?

On today's session of night thoughts, we will attempt to answer together, a fundamental question that begs answers if our democracy will ever grow.

What is the will of the people (electorates)?

On April 11, 2015, I witnessed all manner of despicable undemocratic practices at the various polling units that I was privileged to visit. The memory of that fateful day, coupled with recent happenings at the tribunals, has prompted me to ask this very important question. What is the will of the people? Is it a PDP-led government? Or APC-led? Or LP-led? Or what?

In one of the polling units I visited, I witnessed firsthand the attempt by one sycophant to intimidate members of an opposition party. He had a field day shooting sporadically in the air, while the police officers looked without concern. As the opponents mobilized to retaliate, the police began their own round of shooting and this festival of gunshots went on for almost two hours. In this scenario, the police obviously helped the troublemaker to oppress his opponents. This troublemaker was APC, the opponents were AP.

The night before the elections however, I witnessed the attempt by one of the political parties to rubbish one electoral officer based on devilish accusations. She was manhandled, embarrassed and handed over to the police for an offence she did not commit. Her release took the combined efforts of members of another party. The liars in this case were AP while the rescuers were APC.

On the day of the election again, I witnessed the unruly behaviour of one party agent. He was so unlawful that he attempted to confiscate the card reader from the APO II for his unit. His reason was, the officials refused to show him the card reader after every scan. It took the combined efforts of several elders to calm the situation. The troublemaker in this case was LP while the peacemakers were APC and PDP.

In another polling unit, I witnessed the trouble-ready disposition of one of the party agents. He was so badly mannered that he picked fights with every person whose opinion differed from his at the unit. We were able to control his troubles eventually though. He was PDP.

The irony of this illustration is, all of the parties involved acted illegally at one point or the other. Their actions were tailored at every instance, towards intimidating voters and creating undue advantages for their parties. Yet, these same parties will go on air today and claim to be fighting for the mandate of the people. Which mandate?

During the Presidential elections, Prof Attahiru Jega did the unexpected. Around midday, he instructed that all poll officials revert to manual verification of voters since the card readers were malfunctioning in many places. Factually speaking, this instruction gave the APC undue advantage in a State like Kano and the PDP undue advantage in a State like Rivers. Both parties exploited the situation and committed grave electoral offences. These actions were repeated in the Gubernatorial election.

You ask me, why are all these facts necessary? To answer two other important questions I'll tell you.

1. As majority of the judgement delivered at the tribunals have favored APC so far, majority of their supporters have been describing the situation as 'victory for democracy', 'victory for the rule of law' and in some cases, 'victory for the will of the people'. Do we call it true victory for the rule of law or political manipulations?

2. Most politicians of PDP extraction are claiming the APC has been victimizing their party at the tribunals thereby jeopardizing the free will of the people. Do we call it jeopardizing free will of the people or we call it survival of the fittest?

Clear instances have seen all of the political parties involved in electoral malpractices. We can therefore not adjudge any of them to be running on the free will of the Nigerian people. They all hijacked the will of the people at locations where they were stronger than their opposition. Would that still qualify as the people's will?

If the will of the people is being hijacked at the polls, it means the will of the people is still unknown. This is not good enough for our democracy.

What this should also mean to any right-thinking Nigerian is, we must brag moderately about the acceptability of any of these political parties. They all are hijackers of political will!

What then, is the will of the people?

Sleep good!

NIGERIAN YOUTHS: SHALL WE NOW TAKE POWER WITH IGNORANCE?

Tonight on our series of Night Thoughts, I feel compelled to address a fundamental issue that has bedeviled our society for a long time.

In one of our radio sessions, a young person called in to 'market' himself as is the practice on our programme. In the course of marketing himself he said, 'I am looking for a company that will ACQUIRE me...' At that point, the word 'acquire' began to sound to me like something I never heard before. How on earth can any job seeker be looking for a company that will 'acquire' him? How else can one describe a pathetic use of English?

On social media, youths have started apportioning to themselves, self-acclaimed roles of media warriors and uncommissioned image makers. Unfortunately, when you read through majority of these presentations, you find ignorance screaming therein. An example is the simplistic analysis of legal processes without even the faintest knowledge of the provisions of the constitution.

A young person who should likely be about my age called me yesterday to discuss an official issue. I responded by asking him to call me during working hours as I was not equipped at that moment to give effective responses. The next question he asked me was, 'when'? I replied, 'working hours' and he asked again, 'Thursday or Friday?' For me, that was the height of frustration, so I asked him, 'since when did they change working hours from Monday to Friday, 8am - 4pm?'

I brought these examples not because I want to ridicule anyone, but because I want us as youths to correct an anomaly. I want us as youths to immediately deal with the disgraceful ignorance that we display in many situations that could have given us lifetime opportunities.

We have made so much noise in recent times about the elders not willing to hand over governance to us. How do you feel safe handing over governance to an ignorant generation? How do we expect these elders who laboured with their lives to build our nation to now feel safe handing over their sweats to youths who do not know the difference between the ECA and the SWF? How do you hand over an economy you laboured to build to a young person who cannot simply define foreign exchange?

Social media is today not helping our situation at all. I see too many young persons fighting for Amaechi, Saraki, Wike and the others on Facebook while forgetting to develop their own lives. The 'roforofo' analysis that Facebook has afforded everyone is now making a mess of the lives of our youths. Why meddle in the fight of Amaechi and Wike when you are not in anyway building yourself to one day become better than them?

We make so much noise about politicians sending their wards abroad. I am sure they are doing so to separate their children from the ignorant pack. Politicians are everyday distancing their children from the corruptive tendencies of today's youths, yet, the youths are not doing anything to better their lives by improving on the contents of their brains.

In Soyinka's era only, a lot of scholars developed. We could begin to talk of Achebe, Fagunwa et al. How many has my generation produced? Are we just here to become yahoo boys and political criminals? Are we even trying to grow?

While the young men are busy wasting away trying to dupe white people, their lady counterparts are busy opening their laps to any monkey who can afford a nice hotel room. What have we turned our society into with this pitiable ignorance?

Those who ruled as young people got the chance because they were loaded with wisdom acquired from dedication to study and information acquisition, not by perpetual clubbing, addiction to sex and drugs amidst other social vices. Murtala Mohammed would not be President at 28 he was a junkie or a dullard.

Yes, we are leaders of tomorrow. Literally, that tomorrow would have been now, but our tomorrow will only come when our brains are filled to capacity!

Until then, shall we take over power with ignorant minds and empty heads?

MBA!

IS THE CHANGE FINALLY HERE?

And before you sleep, lemme quickly give you this to ponder on overnight...

As was the case in the Primary election of Oyinlola vs Isiaka Adeleke in 2002, the Primary election that produced Iyiola Omisore as the candidate of the PDP in the 2014 gubernatorial election was an aberration...it was everything short of internal democracy.

In 2002, the Governorship Primary elections of the PDP between Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Isiaka Adeleke was decided in Abuja because everything on home soil pointed to the fact that Adeleke was going to emerge as the winner of that election.

In Abuja however, many authentic delegates discovered to their chagrin that the PDP had manufactured another person to bear their names. So, the moment you get to the door, attempt to get accredited, they just tell you the person bearing the name is already inside. Plain simple democratic coup... The reason given was, every spiritual consultation had it that Adeleke could not defeat Akande. Let's leave that...

In 2014 as well, Iyiola Omisore was produced on the platform of PDP through almost the same kind of democratic coup that took place at GMT events centre in Osogbo.

The difference between 2003 and 2014 as I see it is, if the PDP had allowed a free and fair primary, Omisore would still have won because he had adequate control of the party structure and he had the money for good effect.

Unfortunately, it was not a matter of winning or not winning. It was a matter of a fundamental defect in the very foundation of our democracy. We seem to believe in forceful acquisition of power without allowing the freewill of the people to prevail.

This is evident in the APC too, one party that is notably notorious for never conducting primaries. While the PDP does forceful acquisition through stage-managed primaries, the APC does forceful acquisition through anointing of desired candidates by privileged godfathers. They as well utilized the stage management method in some cases.

Today, the APC is the other side of the PDP coin, so I do not see our democracy progressing. All I see is a continued celebration of democratic unrighteousness.

Between the PDP and the APC as they are presently constituted, Nigeria is in between the devil and the deep blue sea.

Until a fundamental redefinition of our political values is undertaken, our #change has not come...we are only marching on the same spot!

THE DEATH OF THE PDP & THE COMING DEATH OF THE APC!!

I missed my session of goodnight thoughts yesterday due to circumstances beyond my control. My apologies.

Here is your midnight thoughts for today. Ponder on these issues while you go to bed and come up with whatever decision suits your life!

In 2003 when Oyinlola was elected the Governor of OSUN State, his intention was not the Gubernatorial election. He was actually preparing to run for Senate. The then executives of the PDP decided to convince him to run because of the negative image already imprinted in the hearts of the people concerning Isiaka Adeleke as being a wasteful spender and a bad manager of resources. This coupled with 'spiritual consultations' meant Adeleke was not sellable.

Oyinlola being a neutral candidate acceptable to all parties was wooed and he consequently contested. The politicking that led to his emergence is not my focus on this session.

When he finally became Governor, Oyinlola showed signs of being a good administrator, promptly fixing the errors of the immediate past administration. Of significant importance was his reabsorption of retrenched workers.

Few years down the line however, his political activities began showing a worrisome pattern. It is said that absolute power corrupts absolutely, this played out in Lagun's case. All of a sudden, he became a dictatorial politician who would singlehandedly pick candidates without primary elections or coerce opponents into stepping down. His second term ambition against Kola Ogunwale, Jumoke Etteh vs Wale Ajanaku scenarios and a host of others are valid examples.

Eventually, it became clearer to every keen observer that he was politically loyal to Obasanjo. Of course, a son must run the DNA of his father. OBJ in his dictatorial nature, had manifestations in Lagun's life. He became a dictator too.

Jonathan came in and he began trying to flush out the old dictators and establish a new set of politicians. That was when OBJ, Oyinlola and others began having problems with GEJ.

Today however, that set of dictatorial fathers and sons are now in the APC. More worrisome is the fact that the APC is a conglomeration of dictators. ACN dictators who in themselves have no regard for internal democracy, APGA dictators led by another OBJ son looking for South-East dominance, PDP dictators in the mix of Saraki, the Kwara born-to-rule dynasty and a host of others. Oyinlola is one of these people now.

Their clashes of interest came so fast because the new PDP that took Oyinlola into APC consists of real dictators who wants power, yet wants to determine who gets the leftover. The ACN, CPC and APGA they went to meet are just in this category as well. How then can four he-goats mount one she?

The PDP ran into crisis in OSUN because under Oyinlola, the rules of internal democracy were thrown into the dustbin. The PDP ran into crisis in Nigeria because an old set of dictators clashed with a new, upcoming set....fire!

APC is now edging very close to that dilemma. The party is now essentially made up of egoistic politicians who all want power for the sake of power.

The party's implosion is nearer than we think!

OSUN STATE: HOW WE GOT INTO DEBT

I must state clearly that the facts contained in this piece are verifiable and all feedback will be well appreciated. Comments and feedback can be directed to the author on ibuckresources@gmail.com or on 08067361945.

1.       Aregbesola recently claimed his government amassed a total of just 204 billion income in the last four years. Ironically, this same government made a total budget of 655 billion within the same period i.e. 88 billion in 2011, 150 billion in 2012, 183 billion in 2013 and 234 billion in 2014. One is constrained to ask, that while Federal Allocations steadily took a dip over the years, why did Osun State budgets maintain a steady but very rapid rise? How did he plan to fund 655 billion proposed expenditure with 204 billion? Or was his government just making phantom budgets and embezzling as much as they can?

2.       Aregbesola awarded the construction of 18km Osogbo-Ikirun-Ilaodo dual carriage way at 17.1 billion to Sammya Nigeria Limited on Contractor financing (debt) basis. This figure stands at 950 million per kilometre. This very expensive cost of construction does not apply anywhere else in the world. It is to be noted that the Oyinlola administration awarded the first phase of the project (17km) at 3.5 billion. How Ogbeni and his cohorts came about this phantom cost remains unknown.

3.       This administration sold the land upon which Fakunle Comprehensive High School stood (a six acre expanse of land) to an unknown buyer without due process for 111 million, a ridiculous amount for a parcel of land located in such a competitive area of Osogbo. He yet went ahead to use State funds to help the buyer demolish the structures that belonged to Fakunle High School.

4.       Ogbeni Aregbesola through the Ministry of Environment embarked on the roadside fencing of the Okefia - Orita Olaiya dual carriage way. Nowhere in the world does a government decide to fence a public environment especially a road way. This was another wasted fund.

5.       Spent huge State funds on the demolition of the Old Governor’s office to make way for the construction of Ayegbaju International market. Funds spent on both demolition and construction remains unjustified as the high rate of rent has repelled market people from taking up the shops. It is to be noted that Ayegbaju International Market was constructed under a loan agreement with Unity Bank Plc.

6.       Aregbesola purchased a unit of Opon Imo for 35000 at a time gadgets possessing same specifications were selling for between 9000 and 15000 on the very accessible online marketplace; needless to say that the gadgets would have been sold for far cheaper due to the bulk purchase condition. How his government arrived at this cost remains a wonder.

7.       Expended several millions of naira on the construction of the giant Ori-Olokun statue at Mayfair junction in Ile-Ife. It is to be noted that the Lagere road leading to this junction is ironically filled with ditch-sized potholes.

8.       Ogbeni purchased a helicopter for 500 million purportedly for security surveillance. Aside the fact that this same helicopter is being used for his personal transportation, the cost of the aircraft equals 1/7 of the total wage bill of the Osun State Government in a month. It is sad to say then that Aregbesola happily gallivants around with an aircraft capable of paying the salaries of 1/7 the population of Osun workers.

9.       This government constructed 11.1km block-wall fencing of the Ido-Osun aerodrome. This wasteful contract running close to a billion in State funds stands against the globally accepted style of demarcating very large expanses of land with just wire fencing. He ignored the more prudent solution for the very expensive and wasteful one.

10.   Ogbeni phased out all the official vehicles the immediate past administration used. Aside being a waste of government resources to abandon functional vehicles just for the purpose of luxury, it is also pitiable that these vehicles are now in the possession of cronies of Aregbesola in Lagos and Ibadan. Yet, at no time was it recorded that the State Government leased its vehicles to the public.

11.   It still stands to huge questions why Aregbesola dedicated around 4 billion in Osun State funds to the election of Chief Rotimi Akeredolu in Ondo State.

12.   In a show of hypocritical magnanimity, Aregbesola’s government has been paying a monthly stipend of 10,000 to some elders in Osun State in the name of social welfare. This would be good if his priorities were placed right but in a situation where pensioners are deprived of the rewards for their long years of service and their rights sacrificed for political gains, this is irresponsible.

13.   Aregbesola in a bid to establish a firm hold on the minds of the state people either by force or by devilish political manipulations convened a group of young men (touts as a better description) and called them State Boys. In recent times, this group of terror agents have been sighted maiming and severely injuring innocent persons in many areas of Osogbo. The monies being spent on this group alone is a major contributor to our financial mess.

14.   Aregbesola again contracted the collection of revenue to unknown consultants when there is an existing and very functional revenue board in place. The consultancy charges of these revenue collection companies and the general secrecy in which their activities are covered shows that the entire revenue collection contract is a major direction in which Osun State loses billions monthly.

15.   This government took a loan of around 4 billion from Guaranty Trust Bank to fund the Igi-Iye project. This project is dead presently and the borrowed billions remains a huge burden for our State.

16.   Rauf’s government expended almost 1 billion on the construction of the Hassan Olajokun Civic centre in Gbongan. This project remains an unnecessary expenditure and a total waste of the billions committed to it. It remains clear that the centre is not generating any meaningful revenue to justify such wild investment.

17.   Aje International Market for which the Osun State Trade Fair complex was demolished has remained a major sink hole for government revenue as the project remains uncompleted for three years running while it is yet to generate a dime in revenue.

18.   Expended 1.5 billion on the O’Callisthenics programme in 2011. It remains a huge question why a prudent and progress-minded government will expend such huge funds on a project that had nothing to contribute to the development of the State.

19.   Aregbesola personally donated millions of naira to the re-election of Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State. This includes a donation of 1 million naira each to all serving members of the House of Assembly at the time. Why a struggling State will donate to the re-election bid of a person in another State remains a question sensible Osun indigenes should ask Aregbesola.

20.   Earns a total of 500 million in security votes monthly. Deducting such huge amounts from a total monthly allocation of something a little less than 2.9 billion makes one think the Governor is deliberately pushing the State into huge indebtedness.

21.   All the billions in state funds expended on the O’REAP Agricultural Project; O’CLEAN Cooking Gas waste recycling project and the O’CLEAN plus project remain wasteful spending as they have generated no revenue for the State Government. Successes achieved from these programmes remain unknown while these projects are beginning to look like huge financial scams.

22.   All billions expended on the OSUNWON OMOLUABI project remain unseen. The scales are not in the market neither are the expended funds accounted for.

23.   Aregbesola scrapped the School of Medicine in Osun State University and opted to sponsor the almost 200 students of the faculty to Ukraine to complete their study. The funds expended on this scholarship would have successfully been utilized to standardize the College of Medicine while government would at the same time have generated revenue from the fees these students would have had to pay.

24.   Ogbeni frustrated many potential tax-paying SMEs out of business with huge taxes and mindless demands through the revenue collection consultants. This move has deprived the state of huge revenue these SMEs would have paid in the near future.

25.   The 1 billion Agricultural loan he took from First Bank Plc remains unjustified, unaccounted for and has generated no returns. Yet, the State has to pay back.

26.   Though the State sank deeper into debt in 2013 via the 10 billion Sukuk bond, the ends to which the funds was utilized remain unknown.

Aregbesola has indeed exhausted his manipulative ideas. We must keep speaking out and raising social awareness as this alone is the means through which we can liberate our State from his stranglehold and yet make better electoral decisions in the rapidly-approaching future.

ODERINU ADEDAYO

ibuckresources@gmail.com

08067361945

OSUN STATE AND THE GOVERNOR WHO RAN IT AGROUND!

Please note that the facts stated herein are verifiable and the author will welcome all manner of feedbacks, while being ready to defend the facts and figures as stated. By the enlightenment I am hoping to achieve, I believe Osun people will become capable of making more informed electoral decisions in the future.

FINANCES

1.      Aregbesola upon assumption of office increased the Security Vote being paid monthly to the Office of the governor from 250m naira to 500m naira. In the face of obvious financial hardship in the country, he has continued earning the same amount without recourse to the state of the economy.

2.      Ogbeni received around 3.14bn naira from the SURE-P allocations within 2011 and 2015. This allocation was paid to facilitate special projects as stipulated by the SURE-P guiding principles. These funds were neither utilized for any special projects nor were they properly accounted for.

3.      Ogbeni Aregbesola has from the inception of his administration refused to allow Local Governments manage their own allocations. The State Government has been doing the sharing and dividing.

4.      He claimed he raised Osun IGR to 1bn naira monthly sometimes in 2012. It means Osun has made at least 36bn naira in IGR between that time and now. The ends to which these funds were utilized are yet unknown.

5.      This administration abandoned the Free Trade Zone Project of the immediate past administration thereby failing to complete a project that held enormous growth potentials for our dear state.

6.      Osun is currently owing $67million foreign debt one of the highest in the country.

7.      Osun currently has a domestic debt profile of 41.4bn Naira being money owed banks and other financial institutions.

8.      Osun State under Ogbeni Aregbesola took a 30bn Naira bond (a long-term loan) from the Security and Exchange Commission in 2013. This will mature for repayment in 2019.

9.      Osun also took a 10bn naira Sukuk bond in 2014 with a 16.75% interest.

10.  The Osun State Government also owes a number of contractors due to its various contractor financing agreements. Major in this category is the 17.1bn naira owed to Sammya Nigeria Limited, the company handling the Osogbo-Ikirun-Ilaodo dualization project.

11.  The figures above suggest that Osun now has a total debt profile of something around 111.2bn Naira. This is in light of the fact that Ogbeni himself publicly declared that his government earned 204bn Naira in the last four years. This implies that his government has a debt profile significantly more than his total earnings in four years.

12.  The above explains why no bank is ready to loan him money again. His earnings against liabilities does not give much hope for lenders.

EDUCATION

1.      Fakunle Comprehensive High School, the pride of Secondary School Education in Osun State has been demolished and the land sold to unknown investors for the purpose of constructing a shopping centre. Sacrificing education for monetary gains!

2.      Opon Imo has been withdrawn from the possession of the sparse population of Osun Students who got the gadgets in the first place due to deficiencies unknown to the public.

3.      As against his noisy claims, it was not his administration that commenced feeding of school pupils. O’Meal was named Home Grown School Feeding and Health Programme under Oyinlola, with secretariat in Abere Osun State.

4.      He unified School uniforms to create a large market for Sam & Sara Nigeria Limited, owners of Omoluabi Garment factory. The unified uniforms has led to degeneration in school discipline while parents are being made to buy sub-standard single pair uniforms at 1,750 and above! Where on earth does all schools wear the same uniform?

5.      As against the United Nations’ stipulation of thirty (30) students to a teacher, Aregbesola merged Osun State schools, fusing a school Fakunle Comprehensive High School Osogbo (with a population of up to 3000) into Osogbo Grammar School.

6.      Unity Schools Ejigbo which stood out as a model government school in the country and even beyond has been reduced to a terrible shadow itself. The school now runs on day and boarding, wears the same uniform with all other secondary schools in town and a reign of truancy has been established in that school.

7.      Aregbesola created the TEPO offices in the three Senatorial District to oversee Schools under their district. The heads of these offices are at Permanent Secretary Ranks and as such often constantly have a clash of authority with Permanent Secretaries of the Ministry of Education, TESCOM and SUBEB.

8.      Subventions to these schools are so heavily defaulted that teachers resort to writing examination questions on the board and are forced to issue results on plain sheets of paper as against the use of report cards. Funny it is, that at the end of every session, you always have more than ten first-position students per class since there will be no physical evidence to confirm such claims.

9.      There is an extreme shortage of workforce in the Teaching Service Commission; this forced the Permanent Secretary to withdraw all TESCOM teachers in Ministry Schools back to TESCOM schools. As it stands, up to at least 14 subjects are without teachers in most Ministry-owned schools. Example is Unity School Ejigbo.

10.  Under Aregbesola, Osun disconnected from the National Education standard and the state thereby runs a 3:6:3 method. (Elementary School – Pry 1-3; Middle School – Pry 4,5 & JS 1-3; High School – SS 1-3). This is applicable in no other Nigerian State.

11.  Students who sat for external examinations this year can only hope for a miracle as they have had close–to-zero academic engagement this session.

12.  The UNIOSUN vision has been so bastardized due to the failure of the State Government to effectively manage the crisis situation in the school. This has led to the sack of certain principal officers including the Vice Chancellor and the instability of the management and administration of the school system.

13.  The State Government took over the responsibility of deducting monthly re-payments for staff cooperative societies that it recognizes some years back. For close to two years however, the deductions made on behalf of the societies have not been remitted.

14.  For the past two years, the State Government has not remitted a single kobo of its own 5% contribution to the Pension Fund Managers of workers under the contributory pension arrangement.

15.  Worse still, for more than a year now, the State Government has refused to remit the 5% contributions of the workers themselves which the State Government deducted from their salaries on behalf of the Pension Managers.

16.  The mega schools built in all the Local Government headquarters has not been put to use since the commencement of this botched project. This means that the financial commitments made towards these needless projects are lying in waste!

ADMINISTRATION

1.      The Aregbesola administration has abandoned the principle of hierarchy in the appointment of Permanent Secretaries and Head of Service. The administration has resorted to the use of some ‘kangaroo’ aptitude test for Senior Civil Servants which has allowed favouritism and unwholesome practices where Junior Officers loyal to Ogbeni’s administration are now being lorded over their superiors.

2.      The Aregbesola administration has so rubbished the Local Government Administrative System by running this very vital arm of government with Executive Secretaries, a term alien to the Nigerian Constitution. The set of Executive Secretaries enthroned in 2011 have had their six-month tenures renewed five times.

3.      Osun has completely abandoned the principle of Due Process in the Award of Contracts. The processes of pre-qualification, tender and competitive bidding has been completely disposed. Ogbeni virtually awards contracts to cronies majority of whom are from outside Osun State.

4.      This administration demolished a strategic administrative complex; the Old Governor’s office to build a modern market whereas there is land available in locations around the said area.

5.      Ogbeni renamed Osun State and began addressing a federating unit under the Federal Government as ‘State of Osun’. This has led to ambiguity as external relations with Osun State bear the constitutionally allowed Osun State and not his local State of Osun nomenclature.

6.      Osun State Government now pays majority of its contractors in cash, completely against the principle of due process.

7.      This government has refused to pay the severance gratuities of political office holders that served under the previous dispensation despite knowing it is their constitutional rights.

8.      The Osun State Governor goes about in the helicopter his administration purchased which he claimed was meant for security surveillance. This helicopter instead is being used for his personal transport.

9.      Taxes are being collected by unknown consultants whereas the State has a Revenue Board in place which is constitutionally saddled with the responsibility of revenue collection.

10.  Bola Ahmed Tinubu publicly declared at the unveiling of the ‘Opon Imo’ that Kabir, the first son of Aregbesola should be commended for helping the State procure the multi-billion naira gadgets. It means the Aregbesola government deliberately ran the affairs of the State as a nuclear family affair, completely disregarding the principles of due process and the laws guiding Government Procurement.

11.  Osun State Government embarrassed the collective reasoning of Osun people by indiscriminately using copyrighted intellectual material on the Opon Imo gadgets without prior permission from the copyright owners. This led to a number of embarrassing lawsuits.

INFRASTRUCTURE

1.      Ogbeni’s administration awarded the re-construction of Ejigbo-Ede via Ara; Ejigbo-Ede via Awo, Ejigbo-Oguro and Ejigbo-Iwo roads to Perfect Structures Nigeria Limited, also on a contractor financing agreement at 3.5bn Naira. The award was done without due process but was given as a reward to Remi Olowude for his support towards his election bid in 2007. The project died upon the death of the awardee since proper organizational structures were not in place in the first place. God rest his soul.

2.      The use of such Lagos-imported contractors such as WestMidlands Construction Company without the normal due process of pre-qualification, tender and bidding has also successfully killed the Local Content approach that was used by the immediate past administration.

3.      The Akoda-Gbongan dualization project terminating at the Gbongan trumpet interchange has been ongoing for three years now. It is sad to note that no reasonable amount of work has been done on this project to justify the billions that has gone into this phantom project.

4.      The O’RAMP programme is an initiative of the Federal Ministry Ministry of Works tagged ‘Rural Access and Mobility Project’ aimed at opening up the rural areas and providing access. The allocations for the programme being paid to Osun State culminated into Aregbesola’s O’RAMP. The programme is today dead.

5.      The Dagbolu Industrial Project is a fake, a huge scam and an insult to the consciousness of Osun people. Bushes on that site were not cleared let alone construction work beginning. This is against the claims of Aregbe’s government that work is ongoing on that site.

6.      This administration has woefully failed to maintain major access roads. Examples are Ejigbo-Iwo, Osogbo-Iwo, Osogbo-Ede, Iwo-Oluponna, Iwo-Ikire, Osogbo-Ilobu-Ifon and many others left in deplorable states.

7.      All major projects awarded within the last four years have remained uncompleted till date. Examples are: Akoda-Gbongan interchange, Osogbo-ikirun-Ilaodo dualization, Aje International Market, Osogbo West Bypass and a host of others.

8.      Aregbesola further decided to fool our collective reasoning when he embarked upon the block-wall fencing of the 11.1km expanse of land upon which the Ido-Osun aerodrome is situated. Today, nothing is being heard of the Airport project, just the fence which signifies our wasted billions.

AGRICULTURE AND COMMERCE

1.      We may want to ask ourselves today, Where is O’Beef? Remember that programme that was supposed to raise enough cattle for Osun people to feed on? What are the successes achieved so far?

2.      Where are the farm settlements? What gains were made from the settlements one of which was situated in Ifeodan, Ejigbo Local Government?

3.      What interventions has the Osun State Government given to farmers in the State in the last three years?

4.      How far has this government gone in its promise that it will revive the Cocoa Industry?

5.      Where is the widely publicized O’Clean Cooking Gas that was to be made from wastes?

6.      Where is Osuwon Omoluabi today? Remember that widely publicized scale that was to be introduced to markets?

7.      Where is our Osun State Trade Fair Complex? Yes, demolished to give way for Aje International Market….when will Aje International Market begin to generate income for the state?

8.      What has happened to the promises by Ogbeni Aregbesola to generate income for the state via the abundant presence of mineral resources in the State?

9.      Who are the miners currently working in Ilesa? Were they licensed by the State Government? Are they paying tax at all?

MANPOWER

1.      Osun State Government claimed it employs 20,000 youths in the O’YES scheme for each batch. Unfortunately, this is a huge lie from the pit of hell. Participants in the O’YES scheme has not at any point in time exceeded 10,000. A quick analysis of the number of participants present in each Local Government will give quick insight to this.

2.      All Ministry Schools in the State are so understaffed that they have to rely on the use of PTA teachers whose salaries are being sourced from parents. TESCOM and SUBEB are not spared but they have survived better because they have more hands than their Ministry of Education counterparts.

ODERINU ADEDAYO

Ibuckresources@gmail.com

OGBENI AREGBESOLA NEEDS URGENT SOCIAL SURGERY - OGUNTOLA ADELOWO

"In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act"- George Orwell

Your Excellency, Sir, You have not paid the seven (7) months salaries of Civil servants in Osun state. Teachers, Public administrators et al are languishing in pain, suffering from predicament and deprivation of salaries, facing recurrent disappointment and daily feeling distraught and sad! Yet, you prefer to still blab and unleash various malicious insinuations and innuendos in your well-oiled political arsenal.

Have you forgotten the remission of two-years pension deductions made from workers accounts and not remitted to their pension accounts since the last two years? Pensioners in the state have now resorted to menial jobs. The hoax you created just three months after your first term swearing-in ceremony with nomenclature, Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) which you turned Graduates to laborers and sweepers have now rendered most of them useless with your gargantuan lies and fabricated gossips! 96 per cent of them are now impecunious and financially bankrupt.

The road construction of Osogbo-Ikirun-Ila Odo Dualization project, Gbongan Trumpet intersection/ dualization project was from the beginning a scam just to deceive indigenes of the state. All what your administration is notably known for is mere propaganda, deceit and lies. What of your so-called Mega schools? It has now turned to abode for destitute and beggars.

My Distinguished State Governor, I wish to state categorically and unequivocally that you are someone well-known for elevation of corruption, celebration of mediocrity, incompetence, reinforcement of failures, condoning of heinous crimes, tormenting violence and being influenced by enemies of the state in the Nigerian political firmament. That's just the truth because I prefer to say the truth no matter whose ox is gored or whose sacred cow is touched rather than joining the cacophony of Hallelujah boys to adore and praise you.

With undue sufferings, you and your sycophants and apologists "Osun State House of Assembly Lawmakers" yesterday (May 27th, 2015) have approved the creation of thirty-six (36) additional Local Council Development Authorities [LCDAs]. Mr Speaker, whom I expect to have been imbue with political savvy and legislative dexterity still didn't understand the rudimentary knowledge of LCDAs when states are facing debts and owing workers' salaries without no index of development in 'Ipinle Omoluabi'. Local Governments now at the figure of sixty-six (66)! It seems the lawmakers didn't understand the demerits of LGAs being 66 in state like Osun. They have once again displayed that political foolishness and bureaucratic immaturity.

I PRAY that your administration further brings smile and happiness on the face of indigent, poor and downtrodden people in the state. Remember, the state is on the brink of economic collapse and political destruction.

Peter, not Peter the Apostle, but Peter the hero of Hugh in Walpole's novel entitled 'Fortitude', said; "It isn't life that matters but the courage you bring into it'. After life had done terrible things to Peter he heard a voice that said to him, among other things: 'Blessed be all sorrow, hardships and endurances that demand courage. Blessed be those things: for of these things cometh the making of a man'.

In the words of Peter, therefore, you people that you want to do harm (not that I heard a voice): Blessed be your action; and I say unequivocally that you should be weary of your actions.

It is, therefore, with a brave heart, with confident hope, and with faith in my unalterable destiny, that I go from this twilight into the darkness, unshaken in my trust in the providence of God that a glorious dawn will come on the morrow.

Ire o!

OGUNTOLA ADELOWO
08106006057