Tag: Accountant General of ondo state

Appeal Court Nullifies Impeachment Of Former Ondo Deputy Governor

Appeal Court Nullifies Impeachment Of Former Ondo Deputy GovernorThe Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital has nullified the impeachment of a former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Ali Olanusi.

The court held that Honourable Olanusi’s impeachment in 2015 by the Ondo State House of Assembly was not done in accordance with the provisions of the law.

In his ruling, Justice Muhammed Danjuma, said Olanusi was wrongfully impeached, and that he was not accorded fair hearing before he was impeached by the State Assembly.

Justice Danjuma ordered the restoration of all the rights and benefits due to the former Deputy Governor from the time of his impeachment from office to the period his tenure ended.

Speaking to reporters on the ruling, Olanusi’s Counsel, Richard Alade, said the releases sought by his client from the lower court have been granted by the Appellate Court.

He commended the industry and effort put into the judgement which he said resulted in a sound idea.

Mr Alade described the judgment as a fantastic one and a victory for the Nigerian people and the constitutional system of the country.

“The Appellate Court has given judgment and the judgment is sound enough and it’s touching on all aspects of law that bother on constitutionality and means to uphold the tenets of justice and legality. This is what has been in place as the justice system must not be brutalised by the powers that be.

“By the grace of God, all the releases being sought by the appellant from the lower court have been granted. Anybody that has the reason to listen to that judgment will be appreciative of the industry and efforts put into it for it to become a sound idea. I will best refer to it as fantastic and a victory for the Nigerian people and the constitutional system of Nigeria,” he said.

The former Deputy Governor, on his part, thanked God and the judiciary, as well as the people of Ondo State who stood by him during the legal battle.

He noted that despite all the charges brought against him, there was no impeachable offence traceable to him.

“We have cause to thank God and we have to thank the judiciary too, judiciary is improving in Nigeria. In a civilised country, such a thing can never happen. They did not see any file where I committed an impeachable offence.

“At last, the truth has prevailed and I’m happy. I have to thank God, the judiciary and the people of Ondo State, they stood by me,” Olanusi said.

He defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress shortly before the 2015 general elections.

Consequently, Mr Olanusi was impeached as deputy to former Governor Olusegun Mimiko by the Ondo State House of Assembly on allegations of corruption and abuse of office.

I Won’t Probe Past Government In Ondo, Akeredolu Says

I Won't Probe Past Ondo Government, Rotimi Akeredolu SaysOndo state governor-elect, Rotimi Akeredolu says his Ondo election victory was a manifestation of God’s power and he would like to focus on this mandate rather than probe the past government.

Reacting to the conduct and outcome of the election in Akure on Monday, the APC candidate said that he was surprised by the margin of votes between him and his closest rivals.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Sunday, declared the APC candidate, winner of the 2016 Ondo state governorship election.

He polled 244, 842 votes to beat his closest rival, Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 150, 380 votes, while Mr Olusola Oke of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) followed with 126, 889 votes.

“What has happened in this election is quite beyond my personal expectations but then it is a case of saying we cannot limit God – I want to believe it is God-given victory to the people of Ondo state.

“What was beyond my imagination was the magnitude – the number of votes we scored vis-a-vis what two other contestants scored. I never believed that the margin would be that wide,” Akeredolu said.

Therefore, on the issue of probing the state’s accounts, the Governor-elect said that this is a venture he would not embark upon.

“I don’t believe in probes. What I believe in is that I’ve been given a mandate to govern the state and when I come into office I will face the task.

“The past is the past and I am one person who believes that government is a continuum,” he said.

Party Support

Mr Akeredolu went into the election without the support of some key members of the his party and this further made his victory a surprise for many.

He, however, maintained that the support of the party is more important than individuals’ in an election.

“I believe that the party included everybody. So, the party gave us support and whether we like it or not, that will be larger than what an individual can give.

“If you have a national party behind you, it is larger than what any individual can give. So I believe that whatever individuals have done, they must have done through the party.”

Industrialization

Mr Rotimi Akeredolu promised during his campaign to bring back the industries in the states and he provided an explanation of how he intends to achieve this.

“I used the word revamp when I was talking about the educational infrastructures and co, but when it comes to the issue of industries, I have argued during my campaign that people use the word wrongly.

“They say to us some industries are moribund (but) most of these industries are dead. So, its not easy to wake up a dead person and just like an industry, you cannot wake them up.

“The important thing is that industrialization is important to us and we are going to have to get as many people as are interested.

“We have the sand for glass industry in the south. It is not necessary we have to go back to Oluwa Industry, the furnace there is already old and the technology there is no longer in use.

“So all we need is to have people come. We will provide the enabling environment for them and they can start another one. It might be in the same premises.

“We have industry on ceramics in Ifon. We are thinking about what we have on cement and I know that in the next few weeks, many more will come.”

He said that foreign investors have been approaching him to invest in the state even before the election and he was sure that with an enabling environment a lot of development would be achieved in Ondo state.

AD Candidate, Olusola Oke Decries Monetization Of Ondo Election

AD Candidate, Olusola Oke Decries Monetization Of Ondo ElectionThe governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Ondo State, Mr Olusola Oke has decried the heavy monetization of the election process which produced Mr Rotimi Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as governor-elect.

Oke who addressed the Press in Akure on Monday, congratulated Mr Rotimi Akeredolu on his victory and commended both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agents deployed to the state for being fair in the handling of their duties.

He, however, regretted that the open and free use of money to purchase votes during the election by the ruling party remains a sad commentary on the nation’s electoral process.

This development, according to him, required the urgent intervention by government if the much publicized anti-corruption agenda of the Federal Government must have meaning to Nigerians.

He said: “In the last seven years, the policy direction of the government of the day (in Ondo State) has resulted in the growth and circulation of poverty to our people.

“The resultant effect is the debilitating poverty that had made the people so vulnerable. Therefore, trading away dignity in the face of excruciating hunger during electioneering process requires little or no considerations for morals and values that defined us as a people.

“The open and free use of money to purchase votes, during the election by the ruling parties remains a sad commentary on our electoral process. This requires urgent intervention by government if the much publicized anti-corruption agenda of the Federal Government must have meaning to Nigerians.

“Offer of money for votes is worse than looting the government treasury. Apart from compromising the dignity of the people, it provides a fertile training ground for future looters of government treasury.

“The consequence of it is to render the anti-corruption fight a farce. There may be no economic matter more urgent, difficult to unravel and more sensitive to the pursuit of the average person in Ondo State than the current indignity foisted on the people by poverty, orchestrated by maladministration and priority misplacement by the current administration.

“We hope the incoming administration will address the problem of poverty so that the integrity of our electoral process will be restored.”

He noted that from the observation of the people of Ondo State, they appear confused and unsure of what would follow the immediate satisfaction from the naira handout received in consideration of the votes cast.

“They appear wondering whether the votes they delivered yesterday would restore light, revive dead industries, complete the uncompleted ones, give hundreds of thousands of unemployed graduates employment, pay arrears of salary to workers and guarantee regular payment of salary; whether their votes will make water to flow again in their unused and rusted water pipes, reduce dust on our roads, revive our education and health sectors and so on,” he stated.

Big Challenge

Oke, who recalled the event leading to his and his followers’ movement to the AD, said that the movement was necessitated by the need for “us as democrats and conscience of the people to shun the in-built perfidy and organized deception in APC as revealed during its primary election.

“We moved to AD less than six weeks before the gubernatorial election. We knew it was a big challenge and the greatest challenge was time. But we were determined in the pursuit of our dream.

“We know how bad the situation is and we are aware that the art of governance is difficult and complex, especially during trying times. The steep reduction in global oil prices from over 120 dollars per barrel to roughly 30 dollars and the huge debt profile of Ondo State present a hard challenge that requires a prepared mind and experienced hands in the saddle. We are convinced that we can no longer afford past practices.

“That was the compelling re-occurring issue that defined our struggle. We thank the people of Ondo State who believed in the struggle of Alliance for Democracy and its candidate, Chief Olusola Oke.”

He went on to give recommendations to the incoming administration: “Ondo State requires economic re-engineering, creative reform, materially changing the substance of its economic policy as well as the objectives of that policy in a way that the economic well-being of the people will be restored again.

“Therein lies the essence of progressive democratic governance and that is what our party, the Alliance for Democracy stands for.

“The incoming government therefore must urgently address the issue of ravaging poverty in the state through: Industrialization; Job/Wealth Creation; Rural Integration; Infrastructural Development; Security.”

He gave the assurance that as members of the opposition, the AD shall continue to contribute to the process of governance and would not hesitate to point, in a civilized manner, the attention of the incoming government to any area where the masses seem not to have been considered in the policy framework of governance.

“We shall voice our opinion whenever we believe any member of the incoming government strayed from the progressive calling required of the administration,” he posited.

He congratulated the governor-elect, Rotimi Akeredolu, and wished him success, praying to God to guide him as he directs the affairs of Ondo state.

Mimiko Promises To Facilitate A Smooth Transition To Akeredolu

Mimiko Meets Buhari, Says Jegede Remains PDP's Lawful Candidate,The Governor of Ondo State Olusegun Mimiko, of Ondo State has promised to facilitate a smooth transition from his administration to that of the Governor-elect, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

Mr Mimiko in a statement on Monday by his spokesman, Eni Akinsola, congratulated Mr Akeredolu, saying it behoves of him as the Governor of Ondo State to congratulate the Governor-elect and wish him success in the challenging task of governing the State.

The Ondo Governor said: “It is incumbent upon me as Governor to facilitate a smooth transition between my government and the incoming one. I will, to this end, provide the ambience for a smooth and seamless transition process”.

While promising to continue to provide leadership to the State till the takeover date, Mimiko expressed his appreciation to the people of the State.

“I use this medium to express my sincere appreciation to all our citizens for the very peaceful manner in which they conducted themselves throughout the election period. I will not waiver in providing needed leadership to our dear State till the last day of my term,” he promised.

Mr Mimiko further enjoined residents to strive to sustain the peace enjoyed in the State for the past seven years, promising to speak with them as occasion demands as his “eight year tenure inches to an end”.

Governor Mimiko of the Peoples Democratic Party will be handing over to Mr Akeredolu who is a member of the All Progressives Congress.

Mr Mimiko’s party has called for a cancelation of the election result, insisting that the election was fraught with irregularities and manipulated to favour the APC.

Police Investigate Murder Of Niyi Pirisola In Ondo

Niyi Pirisola, Murder, Ondo, PoliceaThe Ondo State Police Command has commenced investigations into the murder of a former Chairman of the Okitipupa Local Government Area in Ondo State, Evangelist Niyi Pirisola.

He was killed in the early hours of Friday.

Spokesman for the police in the state, Femi Joseph, confirmed the murder of the politician to Channels Television.

He said the incident occurred in front of his house in Ilutitun, a town in the local government, while returning from a church programme.

Mr Joseph assured his family that the police would unravel the evil act and bring the criminals to book.

According to him, detailed investigation into the murder had started.

He also assured the residents of the town and the entire State of the safety of their lives and property.

Joseph further said there had not been any evidence that the killing was political and would not want to speculate that.

Ondo Workers Protest Non-Payment Of Outstanding Salaries

ondo workersWorkers of Ondo State Government have staged a peaceful protest demanding for the payment of their two months outstanding salaries and deductions.

The workers, on Tuesday morning, commenced the protest at the office of the Accountant-General of the State, Frederick Ajibokun.

They trekked to the Governor’s Office chanting solidarity songs and demanding for the release of the bailout package to pay their salaries.
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Addressing the aggrieved workers at the entrance of the Governor’s Office, the Head of Ondo State Civil Service, Toyin Akinkuotu, pleaded with them to exercise patience with the government.

Mr Akinkuotu informed them that Governor Mimiko had given the directive that as soon as the mop up exercise of the verification is concluded in all the ministries, departments and agencies, the salary deductions would be paid.