The Hood – Hearing from your neighborhood

Authoritative sources at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja, told our correspondent that members of the NEC had been informed about the meeting.

The meeting is expected to ratify December 9 as the date for the party’s national convention and also agree on the venue.

Some of the party officials are insisting that the convention, where national officers are expected to be elected, must hold in Abuja, apparently to avoid undue interference by some state governors.

It was gathered that a majority of members of NEC had vowed to be at the Tuesday meeting, where the convention planning committee members were to be named.

Apart from this, the meeting is also expected to ratify the guidelines for the election, which has attracted many aspirants, especially the office of the national chairman.

A member of the Board of Trustees of the party, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that debates and attendants at the meeting would be encouraging.

He said, “We are going to have a massive turnout of our members at the meeting. We also know that many issues would come up, especially as they relate to the convention and disciplinary measures.

“Don’t forget that our convention is slated for December 9. This NEC meeting will ratify membership of the planning committee, plans for the convention and all that.”

Meanwhile, as the race for the office of the national chairman and other national offices of the party gathers momentum, aspirants are lobbying power brokers in the party for support.

Those who have indicated interest to run for the office of the national chairman are Chief Olabode George, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, Gbenga Daniel and Prince Uche Secondus.

Crisis has broken out in the All Progressives Congress (APC), with 17 governors plotting to dump National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun.

The governors are said to be angry that Oyegun has been running the party with only seven of their colleagues.

They may table their grievances at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on October 31 and pass a vote of no confidence in Oyegun.

The governors are said to have reached out to President Muhammadu Buhari on their decision to reject Oyegun’s leadership.

But Oyegun’s supporters have fingered former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s backers as part of the plot.

They said Oshiomhole’s loyalists had been lobbying party leaders ahead of the NEC meeting to concede the slot to the ex-governor should Oyegun be forced to step aside.

APC seems set for a “make or break” meeting because of the sharp division among the governors on Oyegun.

Some of the governors are alleged to have refused to assist the party because of the national chairman.

A source, who pleaded not to be named, said: “Ahead of the NEC meeting of APC next week, there is tension in the party. About 17 of the 24 governors are unhappy with the national chairman. They are plotting to withdraw their support for him, unless he carries all of them along.”

In Oyegun’s corner are Governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna); Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano); Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi); Rochas Okorocha (Imo); Solomon Lalong (Plateau); Yahaya Bello (Kogi)  and Samuel Ortom (Benue).

“The 17 governors believe that Oyegun is romancing their seven colleagues because the APC National Chairman believes they are close to the President.

“They expressed fears that the party might split the way the National Chairman was leaving decisions on issues to the ‘anointed’ governors,” the source added.

Another source said: “Initially, the 17 governors decided to write a letter to the APC leadership but they shelved the idea because it will appear as if they are reporting their colleagues.

“They are, however, reaching out to President Buhari but through the back channels to avoid embarrassing the President during the October 31 NEC meeting.

“They want the President to call the National Chairman to order. They said if care is not taken, they might be forced to come out openly on their concern.”

But a member of NEC said: “What you are hearing is a game plan to pass a vote of no confidence on Oyegun at the NEC meeting.

“The issues the 17 governors are raising are part of the conspiracy against the National Chairman. And what you are likely to see is the direction where things will go at the NEC session.

“As regards Oyegun’s preference for some governors, I do not think it is true. If the chairman has personal relationship with some governors, I think it is by virtue of their position or performance.

“For instance, the National Chairman does not hide his likeness for El-Rufai who he describes openly as ‘very energetic and full of ideas’. He is always proud of the governor of Kebbi and he relates well with Okorocha as the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF). He is also used to the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Abdul-Aziz Yari, to get update on issues of governance.”

Another NEC source said Oyegun’s camp was already aware of “the plot”.

“In the last few days, strategists of Oshiomhole have been pushing his candidacy as successor to Oyegun ahead of the NEC meeting.

“But the pro-Oshiomhole governors will fail because by the APC constitution, only the Deputy National Chairman from the South, Chief Segun Oni, can succeed Oyegun.”

“The thinking is that Oni could resign at the NEC meeting to contest the Ekiti State governorship primaries. The APC constitution is silent on who takes over.

“So, we will be running into a deeper crisis, the source added”

National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi told our correspondent last night on telephone: “I don’t know the basis for the discontent because the party’s leaders always meet with the governors every month. And on some occasions, we had more than 70 to 80 per cent attendance.

“In fact, we met with the governors on Wednesday in Abuja as part of our monthly session with them. If there is any discontent, such a forum would have provided an opportunity for them to raise it.”

Following an order of the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State restraining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from preventing the Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe-led South West Zonal Executive Committee and other delegates from the zone to the December 9 National Convention of the party, an appeal has been made to the national leadership of the party to obey the Rule of Law and avoid any act that could contaminate the convention.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the Vice-Chairman of the party in the South West, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, he urged the National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the party to “uphold the Rule of Law as a product of the Law”.

He spoke against the backdrop of the 18th October, 2017 court order which restrained the PDP, the Chairman and Secretary of the NCC from preventing Makanjuola and other leaders of the party from the South West zone from attending the National Convention, just as it barred the party, its officers and organs from allowing the Eddy Olafeso-led group from participating in the convention or submitting any list as South West delegates.

Specifically, the court ruled that, “An order of interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the 2nd to 4thDefendants by themselves, their agents, servants and privies from preventing the Plaintiffs and other South West delegates to the PDP National Convention listed in the schedule attached to this originating summons including Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju (a former member of the PDP National Working Committee) and Senator Buruji Kashamu (a member of the National Assembly elected on the platform of the party) from participating in the PDP National Convention scheduled to hold on the 9thof December 2017 or any other date during the subsistence of tenure of office of the South West Zonal Executive Committee led by the 1st Plaintiff or taking any disciplinary step by way of expulsion, suspension, reprimand or any other disciplinary action whatsoever or howsoever described against the Plaintiffs and other delegates of the party from the South West Zone in order to prevent them from participating in the party’s National Convention pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

“An order of interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the 5th to 15th Defendants by themselves, their servants, agents and or privies from participating in the PDP National Convention scheduled to hold on the 9thof December 2017 or any other date during the subsistence of tenure of office of the South West Zonal Executive Committee led by the 1st Plaintiff as members of the South West delegates of the party pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

“An interim order is hereby granted restraining the 1st Defendant from countenancing or recognising any disciplinary action taken by the 2nd to 4th Defendants to prevent the Plaintiffs and other delegates of the party in the South West Zone including Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju (a former member of the PDP National Working Committee), Senator Buruji Kashamu (a member of the National Assembly elected on the platform of the party) and the persons listed in the schedule attached to this originating summons from participating in the PDP National Convention scheduled to hold on the 9thof December 2017 or any other date during the subsistence of tenure of office of the South West Zonal Executive Committee led by the 1st Plaintiff by any means whatsoever including by suspension and or expulsion from the party pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”

Ogundipe said the Senator Makarfi-led NCC and the national leadership of the party have a duty not to encourage impunity and lawlessness if they were desirous of building a new PDP that will appeal to Nigerians and win elections in 2019.

“I say this because Eddy Olafeso and his gang never emerged from a valid South West Zonal congress. The Federal High Court, Lagos, in a ruling delivered in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/605/2016 on the 17thof May, 2016, the court expressly nullified the sham congress. Till date, the order has neither been set aside nor upturned on appeal.

“It should be further noted that in a final judgment delivered on the 24th of June, 2016, the court categorically stated that our tenure ends in October, 2018, having been elected at a special zonal congress held on the 11th of October, 2014 in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. The implication of this is that my exco remains the only validly elected and judicially sanctioned leadership of the party in the South West.”

Ogundipe said should the party leadership act in defiance of indubitable facts and the Rule of Law, “it will contaminate the National Convention”, adding that, “Our leaders should do justice and avoid anything that can jeopardize our party’s chances in the march  towards 2019.”

He urged the party faithful and leaders in the South West to continue to work for the party and mobilize into its fold, especially now that it stands a chance to produce the National Chairman of the party.

“The position of the National Chairman has been zoned to the South and the Presidency to the North. The South has further conceded the National Chairmanship to the South West. Therefore, we cannot do otherwise. The South West should produce the National Chairman and the North should produce the President. That is what we should work towards and we are ready to do,” Ogundipe said.

Chief Tolu Odebiyi, Chief of Staff to Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, may be warming up to receive the baton of leadership from his boss. He is from Ogun West senatorial district. His father, Chief Jonathan Odebiyi was minority leader in the Second Republic senate, representing the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria. In 2015, his ambition to become a senator was truncated by his party the APC. He speaks with  Nseobong Okon-Ekong about his governorship ambition

As the Chief of Staff to Governor Ibikunle Amosun, How early do you get to office?

I get to work at 7 O’clock every morning since I became Chief of Staff to Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State. Even when I was in Lagos, I got to work at the same time. It gives me time to assimilate a lot of things that have happened the day before and to have a clear idea of what is ahead of us before people start coming or before His Excellency comes in.

By the nature of my job, before I leave the office I try to make sure that most things have wound down. I leave office leave between 6 and 7 pm.
My role as the chief of staff is to manage His Excellency – manage his itinerary, his programmes and to oversee his immediate staff and make sure that things work seamlessly and effortlessly around him and minimise any stress. You look out for your principal. If you feel that certain things are not right, you step in.

What gives you the competence to do this?
My years of working in an executive position. I had been the MD of a real estate company. I have been the MD of Agbara Industries. I have worked in the banking sector when I first came back to the country. I have worked abroad for over 15 years.  I have had global and local experience at very high level. Management, administration and oversight are definitely things that I have been able to handle effortlessly. To me, it is a matter of understanding what it is that we have to do and scheduling people in terms of priority. We have to understand the political dynamics of the environment. If you feel that granting an interview by His Excellency is not most ideal at a certain point, you find a way to pull it off.

How do you deal with politics and governance?
First of all, I was born into a political family. I am conversant with the political arena. It is also nice that you can bring in the confidence of the private sector to bear; the discipline that comes with the sector. It brings efficiency. Most important, you also have the understanding and the knowledge of the political environment. You should understand the needs and the expectations of the people to have access to you to be able to relate with you in order to reach their governor. I understand all these political dynamics very well because of my upbringing and also the nature of my job.

How old were you when your father died?
He died in 2002 in March. I am going to be 54 years in November.

Would you say you have risen to prominence in Ogun politics as a result of your political heritage?
I think it is a combination of everything. Let’s be honest with ourselves. If you have a good legacy and a good pedigree, it is bonus. Having said that, character is also important. I always tell people that you may be the smartest person but if you don’t have character, then you don’t have anything. You may be an average person, if you have exceptional character, then you have everything. For me, character is everything. I have had the opportunity to serve this government as a member of the Judiciary Service Commission for about four and a half years. I am sure the governor must have assessed my character during that time. I have also had the opportunity to run for the senate in the party. I have been an active member of this party. I have contributed enormously into the party. I am not in the party because I am seeking a position. I joined because I believe in the party. I believe there is need for transformation of this country. I think all the factors that I bring on board are responsible for my nomination as the chief of staff.

Working as a member of the Judiciary Service Commission put you among a group of people, how was it possible for him to single you out?
You will have to ask him that.  The governor is an exceptional person. He is a manager of men. He knows exactly what he is looking for in terms of character. I was among people, but he has his way of asking to find out what kind of person I am. I feel that he must have seen something or he felt the need to bring me on board based on  certain traits that he is looking for. I have had the opportunity to work with him and he is somebody I have respect for. I have admiration for him. I have learnt a lot from him. I can also say he is the one that really brought me into politics and I consider him to be my political mentor. He encouraged me to run for the senate, even though the party later asked me to step down. However, I continued to be involved because he is an inspirational person. You cannot work with Amosun and not be inspired.
There are four things that you will learn from him. He is a man that is extremely compassionate. He genuinely cares for the downtrodden. He genuinely cares for the masses. He definitely wants to make a difference in their lives. Sometimes, when you are going on the street and he sees something he should act on, he takes action immediately. The other day we were travelling somewhere and he saw a young boy with a lump on his neck. Nobody even saw it. He just called on the radio, ‘stop, stop.’ Somebody, get the details of that boy, get his phone number and get his mother. That is compassion. He is somebody who is also extremely passionate. He wants to transform Ogun State. He is passionate about his job. He wants Ogun State to shine and that is one thing we share in common. The third thing is that he is spiritual. He is a man of faith. Before he does anything, he takes it before God. He is guided by the principles of his faith. To me, that says a lot. Number four is that he is very hard-working.
He is a hands-on governor. One of the challenges of managing a person like him is that sometimes you feel that you are not doing enough for him. Before you get up to it, he is already doing it too. It is not for frivolity. He just wants to get the job done and you can see from the transformation that he has brought to Ogun State. I am not kidding. There is nothing that you are seeing here that he was not actively involved in.

Did you move with him from ANPP to CPC and now APC?
I was neither in ANPP nor in CPC. I was a registered member of AD but I was not active. We had the ACN that later became part of the APC. That is when I came in

What do you remember about your dad that you would say is serving you well now?
First and foremost, he was a man of integrity. He was an exceptional human being. He was highly disciplined. He was well schooled. He did the right things. I think we owe people of that generation a lot. These are the traits that I remember. He was incorruptible, neat and had exceptional good character. Those are the values that I grew up with. Growing up, you were not even aware that you had any status. If you misbehaved, you would be disciplined right there in public. I grew up with very strong values but most of all what I picked up from him is his integrity. I have maintained my integrity and I try to be very thorough in everything that I do. I say what I believe is right. I try to look at things and try to do things methodically and make sure that they are done.

You are the only son of the family. Were you pampered?
When you have an only son, you want him to be a spitting image of you. You want him to do the right thing. I went to a private boarding school. You had to be upright. You had to button up. Those little things. He wanted you to be a good representation of him. He didn’t want you to be a slacker. He wanted you to be very disciplined. He wanted you to be respectful to people. It is not that he was unnecessarily hard, just that he wanted you to be well behaved. I look back now and I thank God.
As a young person, I might think he was unnecessarily too difficult. I have five sisters. I might feel that they get away with a lot of things and I didn’t. The pressure was that of expectation. Even when I went to school, I couldn’t afford to do all the wild things other boys did. I was aware that there were consequences. I grew up carrying that burden with everything I do. Up till now, without him around, I feel the burden that I carry the name of the family and that I am the one upholding his legacy. People look at you with expectations.
I told the governor at one point that of all the people that are contesting (to become gubernatorial flagbearer of the APC in Ogun State) I carry more burden than everyone else, because my name comes with expectations. Many people remember my father when he was in the Senate and his eloquence and what he did in the senate. People are looking at me and already there is a benchmark of expectations from me that I have to perform. Add that to the expectations from my area. You have the expectation of His Excellency’s achievements. He has done excellently well. He is leaving a high benchmark that one has to exceed. By God’s grace, I have no doubt that I will do my best to continue from where the governor would have left off and we will get Ogun State to where we all hope it will be.

Many see the chief of staff as wielding a great influence on the governor. How do yiou see that?
We have been fortunate in Ogun State. We work as a team. It is a process-driven environment. The governor is the leader of the team. The deputy governor is the second leader of the team. If the governor is not around, I defer to the deputy governor for advice or guidance. To me, it is not about the position. It is to work together; to get the job done. Positions and titles are immaterial. What is important is: are we succeeding? You have a governor, who if he needs to move a table, he will move it himself. He will not wait for anybody. If you have a governor like that, how can you say you are anything? I just want to succeed. I want to do the best I can and present myself well.

Would you agree that there is a feeling of disenchantment or alienation in Ogun State?
There is no process of change without some kinds of distabilisation to the polity, in the first place. It will certainly affect some people. People have been so used to certain norms over the years. Another governor was there and everybody just ‘chopped’. At the end of the day, nothing got done. It is difficult when somebody comes and he is just making changes and you are still trying to see where you can fit in. He is not talking to you the way the former ones did. He just wants to get things done. It is taking a while, but right now everybody is commending him. There has been indolence over the years. People were paid for not doing anything.  If you look at people that are talking negatively about him and you do a critical analysis of these people and where they are coming from, you will see that there is nothing that is bothering them than fear. Once you are successful, you are going to have enemies. People have been there before him, these are the same roads, they did not do anything even when oil was $100 a barrel. When Amosun came in, oil was $20, then went up to $30 and he has been able to use his financial acumen to engineer the state. He has increased the IGR from N700 million to about N6 billion. It is unheard of. That is what is unsettling some people.
The truth is that for so many years his legacies will be there for people to appreciate. He did it effortlessly, and selflessly. He has been sacrificial in everything he has done for the state.

How is your wife taking your involvement in politics?
My wife is a pharmacist. She shares my vision and my interest.  I have three children – a boy and two girls. I see my son in my situation as the only boy, but times have changed. These days, your children may even point the direction you should go.

Have you kept a good relationship with the Awolowo family?
It was such an exciting moment for a young person like me to accompany my father along with Papa Awolowo, Chief Ajasin and Chief Onabanjo on campaigns. I was a teenager in the Second Republic. I remember people shouting ‘up Awo!, up Awo!’. It was exciting. When I think about it now, I did not realise it then that somehow I would be drawn to politics. You don’t realise the seed you pass to young people at an early age. Gradually, as you get older those things have to germinate. The Awolowo, the Onabanjo and the Ajasin are part of my family. When Mama Awolowo died, I was the chairman of one of the committees for the burial. When Awolowo died, my father was the chairman of the burial committee. I have a relationship with the remaining children of Papa. I am, friend of the grandchildren.

How do you relax?
I enjoy sitting down with my people in my home town or my staff to discuss whatever issue there is. I am happy when they are happy. I like to go to my hometown in Iboro. It is serene, full of trees and calm. I also like to read a good book; perhaps biographies of people that inspire me.

The Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has followed with deep reflection and consternation, the false and embarrassing reports on the social media, that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) visited his residence in Lagos and recovered huge sums of money.

The Governor, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dayo Adeneye, said the malicious allegations would have been ignored,  but for the general interest of the public and the good people of Ogun State.

 He said the allegation was nothing, but another in a series of political attacks to tarnish the image of Governor Amosun.

He stressed there had been series of false accusations against the person of Governor Amosun, all in an attempt to pull him down politically.

“Those behind the malicious attacks are doing so to heat up the polity ahead of the 2019 general elections. They are doing it on behalf of their paymasters for cheap political motives. It has become a routine of one week one accusation.

 “Neither the EFCC nor any security agency has visited the Governor’s residence”, he said.

Adeneye recalled that there had been consistent falsehood against the Governor since 2011.

These false reports should be disregarded and ignored in their entirety as they are only meant to score cheap political points.

However, the Governor would like it to be known, that he will not hesitate to take requisite legal action against any medium that allows itself to be used as the purveyor of any such manifestly false and misleading information.

 

Dayo Adeneye

Honourable Commissioner for Information & Strategy

Ogun State

October 13, 2017

 

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has gave a marching order to the Council Chairmen to embark on an hour prayer session in commiseration of their one year in office on the 13th of October, 2017 beginning from 10am.

The Governor gave the directive through the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy title, Chief Jide Ojuko instructing the prayer session to involve all political functionaries, Consultative and Advisory Council Members, Elders of the party ad other stakeholders.

“HE has directed d HC ( LG/CA)to inform all d Ex.Cmen  to organize a 1hr prayer session on Friday 13th Oct 2017 in all d LG/LCDAs by 10.00am prompt to commemorate your One year in Office. You are to involve all ur Elders in d Council,  CAC members, d elected and appointed staff  and forward d video clip of d prayer  to d Hon Com. A circular letter to this effect has been written, pls send your Mail Runner to collect it from my office.”

The Commissioner how ever directed that all video clips at the prayer session must be made available at the office of the commissioner.

Engr. Dada Kolawole Oduntan, a Chartered Engineer by profession and a native of Igbein in Abeokuta South Local Government officially launched his Non-Governmental Organisation – Dada Kolawole Oduntan Foundation.

The launching took place at the Ago Egun Community Hall Isabo, Abeokuta, OGUN State today.

In his welcome address,  Mr. Dele Adebayo-Oyetoro, appraised Engr. Dada Kolawole Oduntan as a rare gem who deemed it fit to give back to the grassroots through his foundation despite the economic recession and hardship in the land. He commended Engr. Dada Kolawole Oduntan for taking the giant step of making the interests he people paramount even in these austere times.
While speaking at the event,  the Chairman of the occasion Alhaji Monsuru Abayomi Sodunke said the gap between the rich and the poor is too much and there is a need to reduce the gap,  he also said people like Engineer Dada Kolawole Oduntan are very rare citing how the roof of Lisabi Primary School Ita Agemo, Igbein, Abeokuta was renovated by the Chartered Engineer at his cost

Engineer Dada Kolawole Oduntan thanked Almighty God for giving him the privilege of giving back to the people. He said, Dada Kolawole Oduntan Foundation is a non-governmental and non-political organisation

The Chartered Engineer said he is giving back to the people as a son of the soil. He also mentioned the areas that his Organisation will cover in terms of empowerment – Women will be empowered through a soft free-interest loan to boost their businesses. Also, youths will be empowered through different prevocational training with start-up capital after the training while free periodical medical checkup will be available for the aged.

The Official facebook page for Engineer Dada Kolawole Oduntan Foundation is https://www.facebook.com/dkofoundation/