Executives and members of All Progressives Congress (APC) Igbotako Ward II in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State have passed a vote of confidence on Senator Jimoh Ibrahim.

The executives and members of the party, which held an emergency meeting on Thursday and declared their support for the senator currently representing Ondo Southern Senatorial District who has dragged the party to court over the shoddy manner the governorship primary of the party was conducted on April 20 in the state.

At the meeting, executives and members of the party reviewed the party’s governorship primary election which they described as fraudulent, saying no election took place in the ward and in Okitipupa Local Government Area of the state on April 20, 2024.

They expressed shock at how the Governor Usman Ododo-led Committee came about the figures it allotted to contestants in the election.

No fewer than 55 members of the party including the Local Government and Ward Executives signed that resolution of the party at the meeting, passing a vote of confidence in Senator Jimoh Ibrahim.

They declared their unflinching support for the senator in his pursuit of justice in court concerning the governorship primary of the party in which several wards and all aspirants were deprived of voting.

The local government party executives who signed the resolutions are Otekaye Alana Sunday and Olowole Musa, Secretary and Assistant Public Relations Officer of the party respectively.

The statement issued at the end of the meeting reads in parts: “At the general meeting of Igbotako Ward 2 held today, Thursday 9th May, 2024 at 4pm, we reviewed the fraudulent election of Saturday 20th April, 2024 and resolved as follows:”

“That no election took place at Igbotako Ward 2 and indeed all the other wards in Okitipupa Local Government Area; That we are surprised to see votes allotted to contestants by the Ododo-led Committee.”

“We hereby pass a vote of absolute ‘Confidence’ on our leader Senator Jimoh Ibrahim PhD, CFR.”

By Omobolaji Adekunle, Abeokuta

In a bid to strengthen access to justice dispensation for the people of the State,  Ogun State House of Assembly has passed the State Magistrates’ Court (Amendment) Law, 2023.

The passage of the bill followed the presentation of the report of the House Committee on Justice, ethics and Public Petitions by its Chairman, Hon. Oluseun Adesanya, who also moved the motion for its adoption, seconded by Adegoke Adeyanju at a plenary presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

The Bill was later read and adopted clause-by-clause before the Committee of the Whole, after which the motion for the third reading of the bill was moved by the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sherif, seconded by Adeniran Ademola and supported by other lawmakers through a voiced vote.

Consequently, the Deputy Clerk of the House, Barr (Mrs.) Funmilayo Adeyemi, took the third reading of the bill before the lawmakers, thereafter, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide directed that the clean copies of the bill be transmitted to the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun for his assent.

In another development, the Local Government (Amendment) Law, 2024, scaled second reading on the floor of the House with members submitting that the amendment was aimed at creating a full-fledged Department of Audit Investigation and Control from the existing Department of Finance and Accounts in the Local Government Administration, with a view to ensuring transparency, accountability and effective service delivery at the third tier of Government.

Members who spoke in favour of the bill including the Vice Chairman of the Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Dickson Awolaja, Honourables Oluseun Adesanya, Folawewo Salami and Yusuf Sherif stated that the amendment poised to ensure improved value for scarce resources of government, ensuring career progression of the Local Government staff, while ensuring a strong check and balance for the Local Government Councils’ accounting system.

In his remarks, the Speaker said the bill, when operational, was aimed at enhancing the principles of separation of powers and would bring about a more vibrant local government administration that would be more responsible in its finances.

The Speaker thereafter committed the bill to the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for further legislative action.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State has accused the state government, led by Governor Hyacinth Alia, of masterminding the violent disruption of a Thanksgiving Mass organized by a House of Representatives member, Sesoo Gboko, in Konshisha Local Government Area of the state.

This incident occurred at Annunciation Catholic Rectory, in Tsuwe Daka, Shangev Tiev of Konsisha Local Government Area of Benue State, on Sunday.

The APC alleged that the thugs who disrupted the mass were sponsored by the Caretaker Chairman of Konshisha Local Government Council, Philip Achua and the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Aondowase Kunde.

Reacting to the development in a statement on Tuesday, the Benue Publicity Secretary of the APC, Daniel Ihomun, said: “This is one attack too many. The APC in Benue State views this as a clear deviation from the current desire for peace by communities in Benue State and an open invitation to anarchy and chaos by the Alia led administration in the state.

“The party clearly can no longer tolerate such acts of violence on its members which has now been extended to the body of Christ.

“The brazen and mindless attack on the House of God, and the House of Representatives member clearly confirms the re-introduction of thuggery and other social vices by the government of the day in Benue State.

“This is a clear violation of the freedom of association of the people enshrined as a fundamental human right that must be guaranteed by any responsible government.

“The party invites well-meaning Benue Citizens, Nigerians and all lovers of democracy to rise in condemnation of this dangerous phenomenon which is slowly but steadily taking root in Benue State under the Alia Administration.

“These unpleasant developments clearly demonstrate that the comments and declarations already made by the Governor, Fr. Hyacinth Alia that anyone who dare criticise his government or points a finger at him will have them chopped off and destroyed were beyond verbal threats.

“The party commends the maturity and the ever-peaceful disposition of Hon. Sesoo Ikpagher and the Parish Priest of the Annunciation Catholic Rectory, Tsuwe Daka even in the face of this unwarranted attacks by thugs appointed into government by Gov. Alia.

“We call on security agencies to up their game by ensuring fair play in the politics of the state as the wish and rights of the people to freely associate can never be suppressed by any force.”