Oyo: And Ajimobi broke the jinx

Before my assumption of office, there had never been an Ajimobi. I am the first one that bears the name and I will be the first Ajimobi to break the jinx of second term – Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

Given Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s well known speaking abilities, his assertion had been taken as another of his jokes.

But, as the Chief Collation Officer for the election, Prof. Ayobami Salami, declared the results of the governorship election yesterday, Ajimobi’s “prophecy” to the consternation of his political foes turned into a stunning reality.

Since the inception of the Pacesetter State, it had almost become a spell that no governor would govern the state for two consecutive terms. Except him, all previous governors had tried and failed to cross the hurdles.

The casualties of that political curse were indeed on parade last weekend in their desperate effort to overturn it. Ajimobi was locked in combat with two former governors Rasheed Ladoja and Adebayo Alao-Akala who had fallen after a single term each.

As with other governors before him, the Ibadan people, irrespective of the governor’s performances in office, believe you are asking too much to be eyeing the second term where you have several qualified people on the queue.

Gov Ajimobi

The intrigues that came to play before he broke the jinx were remarkable. Ajimobi was said to have reserved a senatorial ticket for Akala just to ease him out of the way. He left it open for a long time and when Akala seemed not be interested, the governor gave it to Fatai Buhari who is also a force to reckon with in Ogbomoso axis.

Still poised to ensure Ajimobi did not win, the opposition parties came together when they noticed that Ajimobi might be too hard to beat. But, the conspiracy soon vanished as neither Alao-Akala nor Ladoja agreed to step down.

There was no gainsaying the fact that the crisis that finally nailed the PDP to the coffin paved the way for Ajimobi and made the race much easier for him. There was jubilation among the APC members when PDP settled for Senator Teslim Folarin as the party’s governorship candidate.

Just few weeks to the election, there were so many subtle moves to use an Ibadan indigene so that Ibadan people could vote for the candidate chosen. But, Akala, who is from Ogbomoso did not buy the idea and refused to be part of the plot and hence decided to contest on the platform of the Labour Party.

It was on the wake of this that rumours of a speculated alignment between Accord and President Jonathan emerged. One of the opposition parties was said to have broadcast the secret alliance that Senator Ladoja allegedly had with President Goodluck Jonathan. Ladoja, however, denied it but his attempts to wash himself off the ‘stigma’, was unsuccessful.

Pockets of violence

When all these known moves failed, there was a plan to cause pockets of violence in some parts of the city so that the election could be postponed.

Another factor that probably helped Ajimobi to change the history of the state was the alleged betrayal by some party agents who reportedly compromised and sold out their loyalty for money.

When it was clear that Ajimobi would win the election, his Commissioner for Works, Bimbo Kolade who was moving on the election day was attacked by hoodlums who inflicted injuries on him.

All these failed to change the history which was about to be written. The results were announced and Governor Ajimobi clinched the victory.

International observers call for cancellation of Rivers result

International election observers on Sunday called for the cancellation of the Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Rivers.

The leader of African Centre for Leadership Strategies and Development, Mr Humphrey Bekaren, who spoke on behalf of the observers, made the call in Port Harcourt.

He said the observers were shocked that INEC disregarded the widely reported violent irregularities to begin the process of declaring results in the state.

“We request all lovers of democracy to join us in calling for the outright cancellation of the phony election.

“Unless this is done, we would have sown the seed that could eventually grow into providing a shade of fear and death over us,” he said.

According to Bekaren, what happened in Rivers was a far cry from what election should be.

“What we saw did not meet international standard of electioneering, not even the ones set by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC,’’ he said.

He said there were reported incidents like deliberate delays and diversion of electoral materials, attacks on electoral officers, widespread arson and voter intimidation.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Rivers, Mrs Gesila Khan, said INEC cancelled election in centres with reported electoral malpractices.

She said re-run elections took place in six local government areas in the state where electoral malpractices were reported.

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Kidnapper Nanny Demands N15m Ransom For Abducted Lagos Kids

anny, Mary Akinloye, who allegedly kidnapped three kids in the Surulere area of Lagos State has demanded N15m from the victim’s parents, PUNCH Metro has learnt.Missing Lagos kids

Our correspondent learnt that the family was contacted on Thursday by the suspect and others, who were suspected to be members of her group. They were said to have demanded the N15m as ransom.

PUNCH Metro had reported on Wednesday that the Orekoya family had posted information on OLX, an online sales portal, seeking the service of a nanny.

Our correspondent reported that Akinloye indicated interest and gave the Orekoyas the contacts of two people who she said were her relatives.

It was reported that the family agreed to formalilse documentation with the purported relatives before the week ran out.

After the 23-year-old resumed for work on Tuesday, she was said to have taken the three children ─ Aderomola (11 months old), Adedamola (4 years old), Demola (6 years old) ─ out, while their parents were away.

She had since not returned.

A family friend, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the kidnappers contacted the family and demanded N15m on Thursday.

The information was confirmed by another friend who put up the post on a social medium, Facebook.

He said, “Is it a crime to employ a house help? The kidnappers have demanded N15m.”

Efforts to reach the family were abortive as they continued to reject calls made to their lines.

They also did not reply to three text messages sent to them on the matter.

The Police Public Relations, Kenneth Nwosu, said investigations were on.

He said, “Investigations are on and that is all I can say for now.

“There are things you do that can jeopardise investigation.

“What is important in a case like this is to ensure that the children are returned hale and hearty. There are information you may have and if you disclose it, you could break the line of communication. So, we are still on the matter to ensure the safe return of the kids.”

PDP National Secretariat stinks, as cleaners down tools

ABUJA — BARELY two weeks after it lost grip on power after sixteen years, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP was already going through the agony of losing an election and being in the opposition, as workers and cleaners engaged in cleaning the National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza have down tooled over non payment of salaries for three months.

As a complete contrast to the shining and glittery National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress, APC,  National Secretariat of PDP has been over taken by filth.

Following the refusal to pay the cleaners their salaries and them not ready to work, the entire premises of the imposing building, all the offices,toilets,board room and its National Executive Committee,NEC, hall among others have remained unkept  for days.

The PDP National Secretariat has now become a ghost of its self as it has been deserted by visitors and party members since President Goodluck Jonathan lost to the APC Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, retd.

It was gathered that a private company, Sabobak Kleen & Associates, engaged for the  cleaning of the secretariat was being owed arrears of unpaid services rendered to the PDP and against this backdrop, it  could not meet its financial obligations to the staff which prompted them to down tools immediately the PDP lost out the Presidency to the APC.

Following this development  the premises was now stinking and a few senior staff who turned  up for duty have to clean their offices while the members of the NWC and others have reportedly travelled to their respective states for the Saturday’s elections thus compounding the problem.