Politics
Osun 2022: ‘Your re-election is our collective project, non-negotiable – Oluwo
Olu of Ile-Ogbo, Olowu Kuta, others reassure Oyetola
…say gov is a perfect example of good governance
…as campaign trail moves to Iwo Federal Constituency
As the re-election campaign train of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola moved to Aiyedire, Iwo, and Ola-Oluwa Local Government Areas of Iwo Federal Constituency, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi; Olu of Ile-Ogbo, Oba Abeeb Adetoyese Agbajelola; and Olowu of Kuta, Oba Adekunle Oyelude Makama have reassured their commitments to ensure the return of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for the second term.
The monarchs said the re-election of Oyetola remains their collective project and is non-negotiable, hence the need to vote massively to ensure his re-election.
The revered traditional rulers said Governor Oyetola has performed creditably well and that his return for a second term will be a payback for his good governance in all sectors.
Speaking in his palace, Oluwo of Iwo Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, said the performance of the Governor within three and a half years was enough reason to get him re-elected.
Oba Akanbi who described Iwo as the home of progressive politics in Yorubaland said the town has never been disappointed for being loyal to a progressive government.
“In Iwo, we are known for progressive politics. Historically, here is the home of progressive politics. It is the home of the progressives and nothing can change it. Since the progressive party has been favoring us, we have no reason to do a volte-face. We shall continue to remain progressive.
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“The President we have been yearning for is coming to us soon in the Progressives, so also the Governor of our choice. So, we remain resolute in this cause. I want to appeal to other traditional rulers in Iwo Federal Constituency to continue to remain resolute and support the progressive government. It is time to speak with our votes.
“Let’s work in unison to retain Oyetola and ensure the victory of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the next year’s general elections. As you can see, the results of the last governorship election were not too good. But I can assure you that now, it will be much better, particularly from Iwo land. We have 30 kings with 48 ruling houses with numerous chiefs. We can’t find it difficult to speak to them. I want to assure you that by the grace of God that enthroned us, you will emerge.”
Also speaking in his palace, Olowu of Kuta, Oba Adekunle Oyelude Makama, said the Governor has worked for a second term in view of his modest achievements in the last three and a half years.
He said: “I see your visit as a formality because you have done excellently well to earn the second term. Your re-election is our collective project. We don’t need a campaign because your good works have campaigned for you already.
“You are a perfect example of the saying, ‘one good turn deserves another.’ We don’t have any doubt that you will be returned and this can be attested to by the visible indices. You have used your managerial skills to take us to where we are today. All the awards you earned, you deserved them. We will do all possible to support you.
“We have no other reason than to vote for you. Your administration has brought development, peace, stability, unity and progress. It is only an enemy of progress that will not vote for you. You have rekindled our hopes as traditional rulers. That is why we have traditional rulers across my domain here. They’re for you.
“I want to assure you of our utmost support. Your first term has been very smooth, peaceful and successful. You can count on our support, your second term is non-negotiable.”
On his part, the Olu of Ile-Ogbo, Oba Abeeb Adetoyese Agbajelola, said the monarchs were resolute to return the Governor for a second term, saying he has done excellently well to merit it.
“We have done the necessary things to ensure that you are returned. We have carried out necessary rites and by the grace of God, you will be re-elected. I can assure you that in my domain, we don’t know any other political parties apart from APC. We will continue to support you and we will not renege on our promise to continue to support you.
“We will not back out. It is your time and by the grace of God, nobody will change it. It is only a self-seeking individual that will look for an alternative, because to us, there is no reason in changing a winning team, particularly one that has performed creditably well. If anyone is still going round to become this or that outside this that we know, he is either wasting his time or ready to waste his resources because your project is done deal”, the monarch added.
Addressing the mammoth crowd at the venues of the campaign, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola urged members of the party to come out in large numbers on July 16 to vote for him.
Oyetola who spoke briefly on some of the achievements of his administration in the last three and a half years said in spite of the pocket of challenges being faced shortly after he came on board, yet he was able to surmount them and record great things.
He urged those who have not collected their Permanent Voter’s Cards to do so as it remains the only power to vote for continuity and consolidation of good governance.
Politics
Nigeria’s Debt Service Ratio Falls To 65% As Tinubu Tackles Economic Woes
In an effort to reduce Nigeria’s debt burden and stabilize the economy, President Bola Tinubu announced on Monday that the country’s debt service-to-revenue ratio has fallen from 97 to 65 percent over the 17 months since he took office.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony for seven new ministers at the State House, Abuja, Tinubu emphasized the government’s progress in stabilizing the economy despite challenging conditions.
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“For us, it was a challenge when the nation was servicing its debt with 97 percent of its revenue. It was nothing but the edge of the cliff,” Tinubu said.
“But today, I can report to you that we have brought that down to 65 percent, and we have never defaulted in meeting all obligations, both foreign and domestic.”
His remarks follow Afreximbank’s recent projection that Nigeria’s debt service-to-revenue ratio could reach 110.4 percent by 2024.
Afreximbank’s 2024 Nigeria Country Brief warned of a troubling upward trend in debt servicing, which could see the ratio surge from 33.8 percent in 2017 to a projected 110.4 percent next year.
However, with continued reforms, the report suggested the ratio might decline to 62.6 percent by 2025.
In the first nine months of 2023, debt servicing consumed 66.9 percent (₦5.79 trillion) of Nigeria’s total revenue, a slight improvement from 99.3 percent (₦4.23 trillion) during the same period in 2022.
Tinubu, while optimistic about economic recovery, acknowledged the ongoing struggles faced by Nigerians due to a sharp increase in the cost of living triggered by recent economic reforms.
“We have taken the bull by the horns,” the President asserted. “We have stopped the scavengers. We will fully put an end to the profiteers and smugglers of our resources across the country. We are not shirking our responsibility; we are confronting it head-on.”
He further expressed confidence that Nigeria was on a “good path” toward recovery, emphasizing that the government remains committed to re-engineering the economy.
He cited the introduction of a new minimum wage as one measure aimed at mitigating rising living costs.
Monday’s ceremony also saw the swearing-in of seven new ministers, part of a recent cabinet reshuffle.
In two batches, ministers including Idi Maiha (Livestock Development) and Dr Jumoke Oduwole (Industry, Trade, and Investment) took their oaths.
The reshuffle, which saw 10 ministers reassigned, five discharged, and seven new appointments confirmed by the Senate, reflects Tinubu’s stated commitment to reshaping his cabinet to meet Nigeria’s evolving challenges.
As the administration continues to implement reforms, President Tinubu emphasized a long-term vision for economic sustainability, not only for the current generation but also for future ones.
“Despite the challenges, we must undertake the job of re-engineering and retooling this country’s economic path,” he said.
Politics
Edo Deputy Gov, Omobayo Ordered To Court Over Refusal To Vacate Office
A Federal High Court in Abuja has mandated that Godwins Omobayo, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, appear in person on November 26, 2024, following allegations of contempt of court stemming from his failure to comply with a previous ruling.
Justice James Omotosho issued the order on Monday, asserting that Omobayo, described as the alleged contemnor, must be afforded a fair hearing in accordance with Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
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The court action was initiated by Philip Shaibu, who was reinstated as Deputy Governor after the court invalidated his impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly on July 17.
Justice Omotosho ruled that the impeachment proceedings lacked due process and that the grounds for Shaibu’s removal did not constitute gross misconduct.
Shaibu’s suit targets several parties, including the Inspector-General of Police and the Edo State House of Assembly, seeking enforcement of the court’s judgment and demanding that Omobayo vacate the deputy governorship position.
Omobayo assumed office on April 8, following Shaibu’s impeachment.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Omobayo was served legal documents but failed to appear.
In response, Shaibu’s attorney, Ayotunde Ogunleye, SAN, urged the court to compel Omobayo’s attendance, citing the need to uphold judicial authority.
In delivering his ruling, Justice Omotosho adjourned the case until November 26 for further proceedings.
He directed that hearing notices be served to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th defendants involved in the charge.
“In the interest of justice and to provide the alleged contemnor with an opportunity to defend himself and receive a fair hearing, in accordance with Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), I hereby order that the alleged contemnor appear in court in person on November 26, 2024,” the judge stated.
It is noteworthy that the current tenure of the state government is set to conclude on November 12.
Politics
Presidency Fires Back At Atiku
On the heels of the salvo fired by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria’s 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, signalling what might be a long-drawn hot exchange of words, the Presidency has made what it called ‘our initial response to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’.
This was contained in a statement put out on micro-blogging site, X, Sunday by the Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy), Bayo Onanuga.
The former vice president had detailed the shortcomings of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, making efforts to detail what he would have done differently, that would have better results for Nigeria.
In a swift response, the Presidency countered that Atiku and his ideas “were rejected by Nigerians in the 2023 poll”, based on his antecedents.
The statement reads, “OUR INITIAL RESPONSE TO ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR
“We have just read a statement credited to former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in which he tried to discredit President Bola Tinubu’s economic reform programmes while pushing his untested agenda as a better alternative.
“First, Alhaji Atiku’s ideas, which lacked details, were rejected by Nigerians in the 2023 poll.
“If he had won the election, we believe he would have plunged Nigeria into a worse situation or run a regime of cronyism.
“Abubakar lost the election partly because he vowed to sell the NNPC and other assets to his friends. Nigerians have not forgotten this, nor would they be comforted by Atiku’s antecedents when he ran the economy in the first term of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government between 1999 and 2003.
“As vice president, Atiku supervised a questionable privatisation programme. He and his boss demonstrated a lack of faith in our educational system, and both went to establish their universities while they allowed ours to flounder.
“Talk is cheap. It is easy to pontificate and deride a rival’s programmes even when there are irrefutable indices that the economic reforms yield positives despite the temporary difficulties.
“Despite the futile attempt to hoodwink Nigerians again in his statement, it is gratifying that the former Vice President could not repudiate the economic reforms pursued by the Tinubu administration because they are the right things to do.
“His advocacy for a gradualist approach only showed that he was not in tune with the enormity of problems inherited by President Tinubu.
“It is so easy to paint a flowery to-do list. It is expected of an election loser.
“President Tinubu met a country facing several grave challenges. Fuel subsidies were siphoning away enormous resources we could ill afford, and there was criminal arbitrage in the forex market.
“No leader worth his name will allow these two economic disorders to persist without moving to end them surgically.
“While advocating for gradual reforms may sound appealing, Tinubu took measures that should have been taken decades ago by Alhaji Abubakar and his boss when they had the opportunity.
“Alhaji Abubakar calls for empathy and a human face to reforms. We have no problem with this as it resonates well with our administration’s focus. President Tinubu has consistently emphasised the need for compassion and protection of the most vulnerable.
“The administration has prioritised social safety nets and targeted support for those affected by recent economic transitions.”