Lai Mohammed Arrested On Election Day

Lai Mohammed Arrested On Election Day

As the people of Osun State throng the various polling units to cast their votes today, a premonition of what will happen in the 2015 general polls between President Goodluck Jonathan-led federal government and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) is in the offing.

But despite the order of the Osun High Court restraining security operatives from arresting APC leaders, the spokesperson of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, was arrested early this morning.

The spokesman to former Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Mr Sunday Dare was also arrested.

A statement by Lai Mohammed’s personal assistant, Mr Williams Adeleye, said he was on the phone with his boss when he heard voices saying “you are under arrest, enter this vehicle.” Adeleye added that repeated calls to his lines went unanswered.

Several attempts by FIRSTCLASSNEWSLINE Weekend to get Mohammed on his GSM numbers were also not answered at press time. It was further gathered that Mohammed and Dare was arrested in front of the Osun State Governor’s Lodge.

It is an indisputable fact that the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have given their all in terms of political muscle flexing to retain and claim the state. This was evident in their respective rallies held in the state recently.

The level of interest shown so far by the two major political parties in today’s election suggests that it is going to be a fierce electoral battle between incumbent Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the APC and Senator Iyiola Omisore governorship candidate of the PDP. Besides, the governorship poll will certainly determine who dominates the 2015 elections.

It also tends to be so because Osun State was the only South-West state where APC won landslide in the 2011 presidential poll. According to the results of the said poll, former Chairman of the Economic andFinancial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who was the presidential candidate of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN now APC) ), defeated President Goodluck Jonathan with 299,711 votes (58.46% of the total votes cast) as against PDP’s 188,409 votes (36.5%).

The ACN further crippled PDP in the 2011 polls by sweeping all the federal legislative seats, both at the red and green chambers of the National Assembly. The major opposition party then swept all the

Senatorial and House of Representatives seats in the state. Senator Babajide Omoworare of the ACN defeated the current PDP governorship candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore with a very wide margin in Ife/ Ijesa senatorial district.

Out of 1,407,222 registered voters in Osun State, a total of 986,117 eligible voters are expected to vote today to elect a new governor for the State.

The 986,117 figure represents the electorate who collected their permanent voter’s card ahead of the expiration of collection of the cards on Monday.

The voting will take place at 3,379 polling points drawn from the 3,010 polling units across the 30 local government councils of the state and Ife East Area office.

No fewer than 65,000 security operatives comprising about 15,000 soldiers, 30,000 policemen, 8,000 operatives of Department of State Security Service and 20,000 members of Civil Defence Corps will provide security during the election.

Already, the state is tensed up due to the high number of security operatives in town.

Aregbesola is of the APC while Omisore belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while the next candidate to the duo is former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade of the Labour Party.

The outcome of last month his governorship poll in the neighbouring Ekiti State, which the incumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi of APC lost, to Ayo Fayose of PDP has forced the two parties to go into the bunker strategizing over how to win.

The Ekiti result emboldened the PDP to see it as an opportunity to reclaim the zone it lost in 2007 while the APC abandoned the overconfidence it used to have over the zone to become desperate in its bid to retain the state.

Since its grand rally in Osogbo, the state capital during the week, all APC chieftains including the state chairmen nationwide, all members of the National Working Committee and all political office-holders of the party from the councillors to its members in the National Assembly have remained in Osogbo strategizing over how to win today’s election.

From all indications, the battle is dicey for both APC and PDP because of the calibre of their candidates who are both articulate, and down-to-earth politicians. While Aregbesola could boast of his performance in the last four years, especially, the beautification of the urban centres and rehabilitation of some roads, Omisore is a grassroots politician whose political structure throughout the state is as old as the Abacha political dispensation when he almost became the UNCP Candidate.

Both Omisore and Aregbesola hail from the same Osun East senatorial district, Omisore is from Ife while Aregbesola is an Ijesa man.

It is instructive to note that some issues could work in favour of Aregbesola such as the incumbency factor with some landmark achievements especially the road networks and the reform he brought to the education sector in the state which included the free laptop called Opon Imo for the final year students in all secondary schools in the State. The O-YES programme where he provided jobs for many youths is another factor he is banking on to retain the seat.

The defection of some aggrieved chieftains of the PDP like, the first civilian governor of the State, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, former Chief of Staff to Oyinlola, Mr Peter Babalola and Oyinlola could help him in winning more votes.

But his opponents are using those factors against him. For example, they accuse him of developing the cities at the expense of the rural areas, they also alleged that he had failed to pay salaries of the civil servants and the pensioners, including the beneficiaries of the job creation, as and when due until of recent when the election was coming closer and his government was able to rise up to the challenge.

As for Omisore, his assets include his political structure which has survived all administrations in the state right from the Abacha era to date. The structure was said to have been used by Chief Bisi Akande when he was asked to step down by the late Chief Bola Ige. The same was reportedly used by Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola who has just defected to the APC.

Omisore is a wealthy politician and coupled with the fact that he is of the ruling PDP at the centre, funding of the poll would not be any problem especially having been a senator twice in the recent past aside from his business connection.

But his main problem is the albatross of the alleged murder of Bola Ige which his opponents always used against him. Oyinlola made use of this during the final campaign rally of the APC in Osogbo. Although the court has discharged and acquitted him yet his cynics would not let him be. No sooner he threw his hat into the ring than the poster asking WHO KILLED BOLA IGE resurrected in the state.

The defection of Adeleke, Oyinlola and Akinbade who were in the PDP during the last general election could deny him of some bloc voting where these chieftains of APC are calling the shots.

Both APC and PDP are desperate to win today’s poll and in the process, they have been trading accusation and counter-accusation about rigging but both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security operatives have assured the populace that today’s poll will be the best election so far. Whatever happens, the election monitoring agents, local and international, journalists and other stakeholders are around to ensure the poll is indeed free and fair.

Court stops police, DSS, PDP from arresting Osun APC chieftains

An Osun State High Court in Ile-Ife has restrained security operatives in the country from arresting and witch-hunting leaders of the All Progressive Congress in the state.

In his ruling on the application of the leadership of the APC in suit number HIF/M.32/2014 against the Inspector General of Police, Assistant Inspector General Zone XI, Director General of DSS, the Commissioner of Police Osun State Command and the People’s Democratic Party in the state, Justice A. Abdulkareem held that there is urgent need to grant the prayer of the applicants, having carefully examined the evidence attached to the application.

According to the judge, any delay in granting the said application would amount to injustice or defeat the end of justice.

The judge further restricted the respondents from arresting, threatening or intimidating the following persons; Senator Isiaka Adeleke, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, Mr Gbenga Adebusuyi, Barrister Wale Afolabi, Mr Sunday Akere, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro and Senator Bayo Salami.

Among those restricted from being arrested including the Federal lawmakers from the state among whom are: Senator Babajide Omoworare, Senator (Professor) Olusola Adeyeye, Senator Mudasiru Hussein, Honourables Rotimi Makinde, Adetunji Ajagbe, Lasun Yusuf, Kayode Salami, Barrister Waliu Salimoni, Dr. Joel Olasunkanmi Anwo and Senator Felix Ogunwale.

Similarly on the list are Mr. Kunle Ige, Barrister Ajibola Basiru, Barrister Kolapo Alimi, Alhaji Fatai Diekola, Mr. Adekunle Amos, Mr. Layiwola Oyeduntan, Mr. Bisi Odewumi, Engineer Oladepo Amudah, Mr. Muyiwa Ige, Prince Gboyega Famodun, Barrister Jimoh Akano, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi and the APC state chairman, Elder Adelowo Adebiyi.

Others are: Mr. Sikiru Ayedun, Mr. Mudashiru Toogun, Comrade Biyi Odunlade, Mr. Segun Omoworare, Mr Festus Agunbiade, Mr. Bosun Oyintiloye, Otunba Jumoke Ogunkeyede, Alhaji Tijani Oladosu, Mrs Tawa Williams, Mr. Sola Oladepo and Barrister T.S. Adegboyega.

We’ll deal with impersonators of security operatives – DHQ

The Defence Headquarters has said that it will deal with anyone who tries to impersonate or fake troops assigned for security duties in support of today’s governorship poll in Osun State.

The Defence Headquarters made this known while reacting to the allegation of fake soldiers and security operatives in the state.

Speaking exclusively to FIRSTCLASSNEWSLINE  Weekend, the DHQ’s Director of Information, Major-General Chris Olukolade, disclosed that soldiers deployed to the state have code and signs that could expose fake ones.

He said, “Anyone who tries to impersonate or fake troops assigned for security duties in support of the elections in Osun State will be detected and promptly apprehended as tight identity codes are in place to mark those on duty during the exercise.

“Commanders on ground will enforce this and can be approached if there is any suspicious dressing.”

“All our soldiers and officer are thorough professionals who are also apolitical. They are there to enforce the law and order. We appeal to politicians to stop raising false alarm against them. They are not politicians.”

State police command imposes 24-hour restriction

To ensure a hitch-free governorship poll in Osun State today, the State Police Command yesterday imposed a 24-hour restriction of vehicular movement on the people of the state.

The Police Commissioner in charge of Osun governorship poll, Mr Augustine Evbakhabokun who announced the clampdown while addressing the press in Osogbo yesterday said only persons on essential duties would be allowed to move in their vehicles.

He also disclosed that no politician – no matter his or her political status would be allowed to come to their polling point with police orderly during the election.

The Commissioner of Police said that the essence of this was to guide against intruders, thugs and other electoral violators to hijack the election for their own interest.

Evbakhabokun who warned miscreants to stay away from Osun, said nobody would be allowed to carry weapons or charms to the polling booths, stressing that violators of the electoral law would not be spared during the election.

While expressing the commitment of police to a free and fair election, Evbakhabokun urged politicians to play the game according to the rules and regulations guiding the electoral law.

He warned all trouble-makers to relocate out of the state in their own interest, saying those caught violating the law would face the music.

He urged the people to come out enmasse to vote for candidate of their choice and ensure that they stayed 300 metres away from the polling point as stipulated by the electoral act.

On the people allegedly arrested in Obokun for carrying electoral materials, the police boss said as at yesterday evening, nobody had been arrested over any electoral offence.

According to him, INEC had claimed responsibility for the mistake made by the driver of the vehicle, saying the consignment that was meant for Egbedore local government was mistakenly taken to Ibokun.

NSCDC imports 15 IED – detecting dogs from USA

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), said Thursday, that it had imported 15 dogs trained in detecting Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), composed with certain chemicals from the United States to boost security at today’s Osun gubernatorial election.

The Deputy Commandant General, Operation, Mr Evans Ewurum who disclosed this while addressing newsmen at the Osun state Command of the Civil Defence Corps, gave a marching order to political touts hired to disrupt the exercise to vacate the environment before 6pm, yesterday to avoid being disgraced.

Ewurum, who passed the warning signal however promised that the corps, in carrying out the threat, would do so with the highest level of discipline.

While reiterating that his agency had deployed no fewer than 20,000 armed and unarmed personnel drawn from neighbouring states and from its national headquarters to ensure maximum security during and after the election warned the personnel against collecting gratification of any sort from politicians, adding that anyone who took such risk would be out rightly dismissed.

INEC official, driver arrested with voting materials

An official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and his driver were yesterday arrested by the vigilant community members in Otan, Obokun local government of Osun state for distributing ballot papers and boxes round some communities in the local government without police escort.

The men were arrested in Otan Ile after an alarm was raised by Esa Oke community over suspicious distribution by INEC officials at the mid night on Thursday.

A top official of the local government who spoke to our reporter in a telephone conversation said some youths in Esa Oke noticed the arrival of the men, dropped the boxes and papers without anybody in sight to receive them and zoomed off towards Imesi Ile.

This allegedly prompted some youths and residents of various communities to begin serious search for the INEC official and the driver and they were finally arrested at about 1.50am on Friday.

The local government official said upon being apprehended, the suspects were taken to Ibokun police station where youths insisted that the truck must be opened. When it was eventually opened, it was discovered that it contained loads of ballot papers and boxes.

The INEC official was said to have confessed that he had distributed the materials to about seven wards in the council area.

The state commissioner of police was said to have arrived the Obokun police station at around 3.a.m where the INEC official was asked to lead them to those wards where the ballot boxes and voters’ cards had been distributed.

Both the official and driver were later handed over to the officials of the Directorate of State Security (DSS) who were reported to have transferred the suspects to the state headquarters in Osogbo.

Reacting to the development, INEC spokesman, Adenike Tadese admitted that the official and the drivers were the commission’s staff but that the materials involved were not sensitive ones.

“It was a mistake on our part and it was not deliberate. Those materials are non-sensitive ones and the people that were taking them to locations are INEC officials.

As a matter of fact, the staff involved are INEC assistant officer”, she said.

Meanwhile, the APC has warned against the illegal release of the two INEC staff arrested

The Situation Room of the APC report that there were allegations that the Police Minister, Jelili Adesiyan had instructed the police high command to release the vehicle and the officials.

Osun women apprehensive of militarisation of election

Osun State women yesterday expressed apprehension over the massive deployment of security operatives to the State for today’s governorship election in the state.

Speaking yesterday at a meeting with UN Country Representative and Women Groups for Osun election organized by the Women Advocates’ Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), the women posited that women were more vulnerable to violence and more fearful of security agents.

Speaking, the UN Envoy, Dr. Grace Ongile who spoke against violence in election noted that when there was bloodshed, women were more at the receiving end.

Earlier, the Executive Director of WARDC, Dr Abiola Akiode Afolabi identified cash inducement and violence as bane of quality democracy.

According to her, inducement and violence during election and campaigns not only damaged the quality of democracy but undermined democratic norms of political liberty and political equality.

Dr Akiode Afolabi said: “The effect of vote buying and violence are numerous, it allows for the wrong person to get into power, produces criminals and people who are unfit for public service”.

Election boosts Osun economy

As Osun people file out today to elect their governor, the political event is recording positive impact on business activities, with the local economy receiving a boost.

Since Monday, Osogbo the state capital and its neighbouring towns have been witnessing unprecedented influx of people from across the country.

The people include politicians, security operatives, INEC officials, local and international observers, local as well as foreign journalists.

The presence of these people kept increasing every day from what obtained on Monday when INEC officials and Security operatives started arriving.

Their arrival was already having positive impact on the largely civil servant state, as transportation, eateries and restaurants operators are making brisk businesses.

Unlike other major cities and towns in Nigeria where cars were used as taxis, the mini bus which took nine passengers including the drivers and the commercial motorcycle popularly known as Okada, was the dominant mode of transportation.

It was also instructive to note that despite the increase of visitors in the ancient town, transport operators like the mini-bus drivers and motorcycle operators had not increased their fare which in the range of fifty naira depending on the distance.

The hospitality business, particularly the Hotel operators, seemed to be the sector benefiting most from the influx of more people into the state.

As at Monday most of the hotels, guest houses and suites had been fully booked in advance by visitors.

The manager of Homeland Hotel and Suites along Ilobu road in Osogbo, Mr. Gabriel Oginni, told our reporter that they had never had it so good like now, in terms of patronage.

“In recent time the hospitality sector has never had it so good as we are having now. Take for example my own hotel, guests have booked ahead for all the rooms, as I am speaking with you, anybody that arrives on Friday might find it difficult to get a decent hotel. From my interactions with my colleagues the hotels will remain fully booked until after the election”, Mr Oginni added.

There was free movement of vehicles yesterday as a result of the public holiday announced by government to enable workers travel to their respective places where they registered to vote.

In the main time the distribution of sensitive materials was underway yesterday at the INEC headquarters in Osogbo.

Our correspondent at the venue observed trucks being loaded with electoral materials heading towards the 30 local government areas.

Local and foreign observers accredited for the election, were also seen collecting branded bags that contained apron wears, tags and other materials.

One of the domestic observers, Mr. Jim Daniel, said the electoral body had improved in the distribution of materials.

He said the early distribution of materials would make it possible to reach the nooks and crannies of the state particularly, difficult and disadvantaged areas in the rural community.

Leave Osun now, APC tells Obanikoro, Uba

The Osun Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the Minister of Defence (State) Musiliu Obanikoro and former Domestic aide to President Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Chris Uba, to leave the state forthwith.

The party, in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi, alleged that the two PDP chieftains had been involved in fraudulent plans to upturn people’s will.

The party said that the people of the state would not condone the shenanigans of the PDP all in an attempt to allegedly subvert the election or rig it in their favour.

The statement also alleged that Obanikoro had been going round distributing money and collecting cards from unsuspected voters, which they would clone and distributed to their own party men.

The party noted the order of the Acting Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, to the effect that any individual, who had no business in the election of the state should leave the state’s territory immediately.

APC accuses police boss of giving cash to security agents

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the new Police Commissioner in Osun State, of distributing cash to police personnel and soldiers so they can work to give the PDP victory in Saturday’s governorship election in the State.

In a statement issued in Osogbo on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the new police boss, Augustine Evbakhabokun distributed the money after addressing the police personnel and soldiers at the NYSC camp in Ede on Friday, during which he told them point-blank that his mission was to ensure PDP’s victory at the elections.

It said the new police boss gave every police officer present 50,000Naira; other ranks 30,000 Naira each and every non-commissioned soldier 45,000 Naira.

‘’We salute the courage and patriotism of some security agents who gave us this valuable information, and who have vowed never to do anything to subvert the country’s constitution and its democracy, whether or not they are being lured to do so with filthy lucre.

‘’The fact that there are still good men and women even in the security agencies that have become highly-partisan gives us hope that our country’s democracy will survive this unprecedented assault from those who swore an oath to uphold the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,’’ APC said. The party wondered where the Police Commissioner got the huge amounts of cash he gave away so casually in order to use security agencies to thwart the will of the people. It said even as the police boss was sharing out the money in Ede, Chris Uba, a hireling of the PDP, was settling down in Osogbo with the 50 troops he was given from Enugu with the mission to use the result sheets already given to him to manipulate the results of the election, as well as to harass and brutalize any APC member who would not let the PDP carry out its rigging plan, earlier exposed by the APC, during Saturday’s election. “Where else in the world will the government give a man who is not in the military 50 troops to command, for the purpose of rigging an election? It is now very clear that the PDP’s desperation to win at all cost in Osun is right from the top! Now, neither the Chief of Army Staff nor the Inspector General of Police can exonerate themselves from the PDP’s rigging manual. “And of course the man behind all this is President GoodluckJonathan, who keeps assuring the international community of his commitment to free and fair elections even as he continues to lead the process of subverting credible polls. After all, the President is responsible for the conduct of all public officials appointed by him.

The party said those who are colluding with the desperate PDP to subvert democracy today must realize that power is transient, and that in the fullness of time, everyone will account for his or her actions.

Heavy security cordon, lull in business activities ahead of Osun polls

There was noticeable lull in commercial activities in Osogbo, Osun State capital.

This is coming just the numerous security outfits drafted to maintain peace and order displayed might ahead of the governorship polls scheduled to hold on Saturday.

Osogbo was a shadow of itself when FIRSTCLASSNEWSLINE arrived at about 2pm as most of the usually busy spots were devoid of their usual bustling activities.

Most commercial centres only offered skeletal services to their customers as they hurriedly close shop very early to beat the deadline for security cordon set for between 6pm Friday and 6pm Saturday.

The numerous banks located at the busy Osogbo-Ede Road had stopped attending to customers at about 2:30 pm, saying the decision was communicated to them and that staff members present were only tidying up their books.