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Amosun keeps lying, joins ADC

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Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has debunked the claim made by his predecessor that he renovated a Model School built for N830milion with N3billion.

A statement issued in Abeokuta by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kunle Somorin, said, “Little doubt he is called Irokunle by people because he is known for dishing out putrid lies all the time.

“As a Governor he promised to do everything and did virtually nothing. He abandoned most of them after claiming to have paid 100 per cent for them. We are known as a promise-keeping administration. We promised only what we could do and did all that we promised.

“For emphasis, we didn’t spend even N300million on any model school that he built for N26billion with no one of them completed.”

The statement added that “it is not surprising that the former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

“What is surprising is that he has upped his deceit and political shenanigans by feasting on falsehood started last week by Biyi Otegbeye, his new party’s candidate.

“While Otegbeye was awe-struck by the finesse of the Gateway City Centre and put a figure of N7billion on a N350million project, Amosun at the flag off of Otegbeye campaign rally lied to have completed a Model School at Kobape and slammed a N3billion as renovation cost on the said school.

“The cost of converting that abandoned project is modest and not in billions despite the value it confers on the moribund school.

“It is a shame that the former Governor does not know the difference between converting an abandoned project to a socially desirable Tech Hub at this age and time.

“Rather than applauding the ingenuity of Gov. Abiodun for converting the moribund model school to a functional tech hub within three weeks of assuming office, Amosun is resorting to blackmail.

“It should be noted that barely 24 hours to the mark of his 100 days in office, Gov. Abiodun launched the Ogun Tech hub in Abeokuta, the State capital.

“The conversion of the model school to a Tech hub facility was in the interest of the Gateway State.

“Gov. Abiodun will want to reiterate that his administration would complete all inherited projects capable of improving the fortunes of the people.”

The statement added that: “One major interesting aspect of these Tech Hubs is that you will all recall that we have promised that any inherited projects that have bearing and will impact the development of our dear State will not be abandoned.

“Although, the facility being utilized for these Tech Hubs was initially meant for another thing, but, the fact remains that even when the facility had been largely abandoned and could not be used for initial purpose, we are converting it to the advantage of our dear State.

“Let me therefore use this opportunity to reassure the people of Ogun State that this administration will not engage in unnecessary vendetta or self-aggrandisement. Our administration will complete all inherited projects that have the potential to benefit our people. They are funded with the commonwealth of the people of Ogun State.

“Ours is an administration that is irrevocably committed to good governance based on prudent public financial management towards providing a conducive environment for individual prosperity of the people of Ogun State and the wholesome development of our dear State.”

Abiodun, however, assured that the tech hub has been training hundreds of tech savvy people to become ideas incubators and tech- prenuers that are positioning Ogun State as a key center for innovations in the country.

“The long term vision is to make Ogun State the One-Stop-Shop for Innovation in Africa, thereby making our dear State one of the most conducive places to build a start-up company on the continent.

“It is on that of the 15 Model Schools that Amosun laid, it is Akin Ogunpola College that remains the only one of the proposed model schools used for academic activities. After the summer camp, the school admitted pupils for the 2017 and 2018 academic sessions.

“But in 2019, due to dwindling enrolment and the fact that it was a fee-paying secondary school that charged higher than even most private schools in the State, government had to shut down the school that negates our free policy of the government,”the statement concluded.

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APC wins all chairmanship, councillorship seats in Ekiti council polls

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Candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) won all the 38 chairmanship and 177 councillorship seats in Saturday’s council elections in Ekiti.

The Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission (EKSIEC) made the declaration at Ado-Ekiti on Sunday.

Returning Officers in the local government areas and in the local council development areas took turns to present the results of the various council areas at the headquarters of EKSIEC.

EKSIEC Chairman, retired Justice Cornelius Akintayo, applauded the electorate in Ekiti for the peaceful conduct of the election.

He also commended parties that took part in the election for their sportsmanship; EKSIEC staff who worked on the field; security agents and the media for a job well done.

Akintayo listed political parties that participated in the election as Action Alliance (AA), Action Democratic Congress (ADC), African Democratic Party (ADP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Others, he said, were Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Zenith Labour Party ZLP.

EKSIEC commissioners and principal officers joined Akintayo at the presentation of the election results.

Prominent opposition parties like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) had earlier declared their disinterest in the council elections.

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APC chieftain commends Tinubu on 50 per cent subsidy on agric inputs

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Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, has commended President Bola Tinubu for approving a 50 per cent reduction in the cost of agricultural inputs for farmers during the dry season farming period.

Oyintiloye told newsmen on Sunday in Osogbo that the subsidy would have a positive impact on farmers and contribute to increased agricultural production and improved food availability.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, on Nov. 25 said the federal government would support 250,000 wheat farmers with a 50 per cent input subsidy to cultivate about 250,000 hectares during the dry season.

Oyintiloye, a member of defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), noted that the country’s current food inflation, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) stood at 31.5 per cent.

Oyintiloye, a former lawmaker also said that in the selected food price watch for the month of October, as released by NBS, shows that the average price of one kilogram of rice local sold rose by 68.10 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N487.47 in October 2022 to N819.42 in October 2023.

He said the NBS statistics further revealed that the average price of one kilogram of brown beans rose by 39.90 per cent on a year-on-year basis to N790.01 in October from N564.69 recorded same period 2022, among other food prices.

Oyintiloye, however, said that the approved farm input subsidy by the federal government was timely, as it would reduced the food inflation in the country.

He said that President Tinubu’s assurance to Nigerians in transforming the agricultural sector by making food security the number one priority had started yielding positive results.

“We need to commend President Tinubu for this 50 per cent subsidy on farm inputs.

“This will go along way to boost food and nutrition security, attract private sector investment, reduce post-harvest losses, and add value to local agriculture produce in the country,” he said.

Oyintiloye said the programme of National Agriculture Growth,  aimed at supporting farmers through training on good agricultural practices and provide certified inputs, would enhance food production.

The APC chieftain said that with the various agricultural interventions by the president, there would be a positive changes in the prices of food and there would be surpluses in the coming days.

He said the president’s passion for food security and his quick intervention on fertilizers, improved seeds, mechanisation and grants, in both long and short run, would yield a desirable results to ensure food production round the year.

Oyintiloye, however, appealed to the federal government to relate directly with subsistence and large scale farmers, among other stakeholders in agriculture business through their various associations.

He said this would enable them to access various government intervention programmes without any form of hindrance and make Nigeria self-sufficient in term of agriculture produce, thereby making prices of food items affordable.

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2024 Appropriation Bill scales 2nd reading in Senate

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The N27.5trillion 2024 Appropriation Bill on Friday scaled through second reading at the Senate.

The followed debates by lawmakers on the general principles of the bill at plenary.

Sen. Adams Oshiomole (APC -Edo) said there was need for appropriations to be made for the completion of the Benin-Auchi Road,saying that the road was a major link connecting Nigerians from the six zones of the country.

He said the completion of the road would help to improve economic activities in the country.

He said it was not for the Senate to be debating exchange rate, saying that determinants of exchange rate was a matter of micro economic policies.

Sen.Franchis Fadahunsi (PDP-Osun), who commended the 2024 budget, said there was need for the masses to benefit from the content of the budget on implementation.

He called for allocation of more funds to ensure completion of roads in in Osun and other parts of the country.

Sen.Enyinnaya Abaribe(APGA-Abia)said not much was allocated to power as information indicated that less than 3 per cent was allocated to power in the budget.

He said power was key to employment generation and optimal workings of other sectors and the economy in general.

He said the Senate would have to re-order the priorities of the budget for direct impact on the economy.

Sen. Aba Moro(PDP-Benue) said allocation to education should be based on UNESCO provisions, given the challenges in the education sector.

Former President of Senate, Ahmad lawan commended President Tinubu for the budget.

He said the success of any administration was based on the support the legislature, saying that the National Assembly must continue to support the President.

He called on the senate committees to be interested on what happened on the implementation of previous budgets of 2021,2022,2023 both supplementary and main budget.

Lawan said emphasis must be placed on having secured and safe environment for schools to function, and provision of enabling peace in Niger-Delta.

He called for prioritisation of security in 2024 budget, saying that security was key in attaining the required economic activities.

Deputy President of Senate, Barau Jubril, shortly after the 2024 Appropriation Bill scaled second reading refered the bill to the Committee of Appropriations.

The committee was to return it back to plenary on Dec.19 for further legislative input on the bill.

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