… Respondents list bridge building ability, community development as his staying power

An opinion poll conducted by Sagios Communication has placed the All Progressives Congress Flagbearer For Ajaokuta Federal Constituency, Barr. Sanni Egidi Abdulraheem ahead of other contestants in the forthcoming February General Election.

Speaking with Newsmen after the poll, Senusi Valo, Chief Executive Officer, Sagios, said the poll sampled opinion across the federal Constituency.

He said 5000 opinion across the Wards of the Federal Constituency showed there preference for Barr. Sanni.

As to why he is preferred, the respondents listed his bridge building ability as his greatest selling point.

They all note that what Ajaokuta Federal Constituency needs moving forward is a representative who can build bridges and unite the people together.

Ajaokuta Federal Constituency according to the respondents is a miniature nigeria with the next dispensation expected to produce one who can make the people see themselves as one again irrespective of tribe, religion and district, said emphatically that Barr. Sanni has proven to have such qualities.

Respondents observed that Barr. Sanni has over time proven to be passionate about the development of Ajaokuta Federal Constituency, pointing out that all that is needed was to cross his path, said he does not descriminate.

Similarly, his philanthropic gestures even before joining politics as a gladiator, speaks volumes, with all the respondents pointing to one area he has individually and has impacted there communities collectively over the last two decades.

The demography showed that the women and Youths group are more, irrespective of political and tribal affiliation placing Barr. Sanni ahead other contestants.

According to the Chief Executive, the poll results represent the views of the people, said it intends to cover more respondents in the December and January poll before the February and March General election.

The Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare has identified ways to deepen the democratic process and drive sustainable development in Nigeria.

Dare, who was the keynote speaker at the Senator Abiola Ajimobi Foundation roundtable held on Friday at the University of Ibadan, highlighted the reviving of the culture of public debate of ideologies and policies, investment in education and enlightenment and continuous improvement of our electoral laws among others, as practical steps that must taken to strengthen democracy and the rule of law in the country.

His words: “Apart from having roundtable discussions and open fora on the subject matter such as this, there is the need to take very practical steps in growing our democracy in Nigeria.

“There must be the reviving of the culture of public debate of ideologies and policies in our country and eliminating toxicity, abuse and vulgarity especially at this time that the social media is helping the spread of negativity and increasingly making more people anti-Intellectual even in the universities.

“We have a challenge to find great minds of the past like Professors Aboyade Cole, Sam Aluko, Moses Akin-Makinde and Chief Obafemi Awolowo who wrote and formulated policies for the country.”

The Minister also tasked the Government, “to continue to invest in education and public enlightenment so that the mass of the people can know their roles, rights, duties and obligations in the democratic process.”

Dare said there must be the continuous improvement of the electoral laws in Nigeria to protect the ballot and make votes count during elections, praising President Muhammadu Buhari for the Electoral Law 2022, which he says has instilled more confidence of Nigerians in the electoral process while strengthening the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) as an institution.

He further called for an effective criminal justice system to deal with all electoral offenders.

“Our criminal justice system needs to be more alive to its responsibilities. Our judiciary and law enforcement agencies, especially the Police, must be able to stamp out violence and intimidation from our political space.

“There should be punishment for electoral offenders. The Election Offences Tribunals must be able to prosecute these offenders.

“We also need strong and viable political parties, who apart from being vehicles for political participations must play critical roles in deepening the democratic system and sustainable development through the propagation of their manifestos and public education of their programmes and government policies. Political parties must remain a public trust and be properly organised as such.”

The Youth and Sports Development Minister Sunday Dare then eulogised the late former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, describing him as a leader who loved his people and served them with honesty of purpose and with the determination to make positive impact on their lives.

“Some of the enduring legacies Senator Abiola Ajimobi has left us are the reforms in education, security and urban renewal.

“Without a doubt, we miss him greatly. If he was still here with us, our party, the All Peoples Congress(APC) would have been more vibrant, cohesive and viable,” Dare concluded.

It is a known fact that sports is a unifying factor in nation building. When its time for sports, people forget difference in class, age, ethnic or religion.

Messages are well received and actions are quickly taken when sports is used as a vessel for its dissemination.

As Nigeria prepares for important moments of her political life, politicians have begin quest to drum support for themselves and there followers are doing same, using sports as means of campaign.

Some are are also doing same as sensitization to obtain and protect their Permanent Voters Card, PVC ahead of the general elections.

One body that is not left out of such is one of the most recognized football teams in Nigeria, 36 Lion of Lagos.

Their President, Hajj Liameed Gaffar has come up with a plan to organize a football tourney tagged Jagaban Cup in a bid to mobilize support for All Progressive Congress, APC Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Hajj Liameed told onwardnews24.com that arrangements have been made to set up a GIANT banner at the Badagry roundabout in Lagos that will be visible to 300,000 people of Badagry and for millions of travelers along the ECOWAS axis.

According to the Football technocrat, “This is just the beginning of many grassroots awareness we shall be doing for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

“My trade is football. My party is APC. My Governor is Sanwoolu. MY PRESIDENT IS ASIWAJU THE JAGABAN BORGU.

“Please be on the look out also for the Jagaban Cup coming to a stadium near you.

“The awareness is a driving parade at the Badagry axis,” he added.

The ‘Jagaban Cup’ kick-off November 15th.

Mr. Abu Michael, Editor in Chief and Publisher, The Nigerian Post Newspaper, gave the charge at a presentation at the 2022 Projector Newspaper Annual Lecture and Award, described the 2023 as one that would be made or mar by media reporting if the media did not bring in professionalism to bear.

Speaking on the topic: ” Media Role in the 2023 general election” said the media should employ the conduct her activities with a deep sense of responsibility, commitment and tact while reporting the 2023 general election.

Mr. Abu described the media as a powerful tool for good, as well as in protecting the rights of citizens to information, said the flip side of the benefits of what the media can offer where lack of professionalism, objectivity and impartiality is not applied, can plunge the nations into turmoil as the experienced in Rwanda (1994) and Kenya (2007).

Mr. Abu described the media as the mirror of society, a reflection of truth and despondence of the masses, to whom its objectivity and loyalty should serve, urged the media to report only public interest without subjecting it to any form of proprietorship.

While pointing out that the media in Nigeria has surely come a long way and has played massive economic, social and political roles in the life of Nigerians, thereby laying the grounds for the emergence of a united, stable, prosperous and strong nation, Mr. Abu urged media practitioners to continue to serve as the cornerstone of democracy, by playing indispensable role and as watchdog of the 2023 democratic process before, during and after the elections.

While pointing out that without the media, safeguarding the credibility and transparency of the electoral process would be a difficult task, added that a free and objective media can foster transparency by disseminating important electoral information, cautioned that a stifled or compromised media is capable of undermining the electoral process, ultimately weakening democracy.

The Editor in Chief specifically saddled the media with the responsibility of Educating voters on how to exercise their democratic rights; Reporting on election campaigns; Providing a platform for political parties and candidates to communicate their messages to the electorates.

He equally tasked the media on providing a platform for public feedback, concerns, opinions and to allow political parties and candidates to debate with each other;

He further tasked the media to report results and monitor vote counting; scrutinize the electoral process itself, including electoral management, in order to evaluate the fairness of the process, its efficiency and its probity;

He charged the media in providing information in manner devoid of inflammatory language, and helping to prevent election-related violence, disclosed that elections are not just about the right to vote, knowledge of the voting process, information about political parties, candidates and their programmes are also crucial.

He urged the media to avail voters with adequate information about the electoral process and informed analyses on policies, political parties and their candidates, to enable the citizens make informed choices, stating that the media have the duty to subject the electoral process to scrutiny and to provide public education on the activities of the EMB and other electoral stakeholders, in order to hold them to account.

The task of the media, especially national media outlets Mr Abu explained is not and should not be to function as a mouthpiece for any government body or particular candidate, said it basic role is to enlighten and educate the public and act as a neutral, objective platform for free debate of all points of view.

While noting that it is possible that the 2023 General Elections would be one of the most intense media-focused events in our political history, with stakeholders likely to rely heavily on media, as well as on the New Social Media, combating hate speech, fake news and other forms of reporting likely to inflame passion and trigger crisis will be of critical importance to the peaceful conduct of the elections.

Mr. Abu described objectivity as the core principle of journalism practice, urged the media to detach themselves from the information so as to maintain a high level of fairness and balance in giving an accurate account of happenings. 

A Voluntary and Non Profitable youth group in Kogi State, Kogi Youths Alliance for Good Governance has called on a former national Legal adviser of the People’s Democratic party (PDP) and former Chairman Governing Council of The Federal Polytechnic Idah Barrister Kabir Usman to save the Confluence State from Maladministration, Nepotism and Underdevelopment by contesting the 2023 Kogi State Gubernatorial election.

The group made the call on Friday 2nd October 2023 in Lokoja the Kogi State Capital through it’s Chairman Comrade Audu Musa while interacting with Newsmen after the group’s meeting

Comrade Musa stated that after witnessing the way and manner the state has been governed in the last 7 years,there is the need for someone with an unblemished record to come and salvage the sinking ship of State so as to bring the 31 year old state out of the doldrums of political obscurity.

Coordinator of the group,Comrade Musa said the person that fits into that description is the Ankpa born politician Barrister Kabir Usman because of his track record, Philantropic nature and excellent record of discharging his official duties in the various Organizations he has served in the past.

” Barrister Kabir Usman has left footprint of achievements and indelible ink of transformations and development in the sectors he has served and as such we are calling on him to come and save Kogi State from it’s current pathetic state”

Barrister Kabir Usman hails from Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The Director General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General, Mohammed Fadah, advised corps members against engaging in partisan politics during their service year, saying, ”it is an offence”.

Fadah gave the advice on Tuesday at the Swearing-in ceremony of the 2022 Batch ‘B’ Stream l Corps members at NYSC Orientation camp in Asaya in Kabba Local Government Area of Kogi.

Represented by NYSC Coordinator for Kogi, Pastor Mrs Mofoluwasho Williams, the director general said it is an offence for corps members to engage in partisan politics especially in this election period.

He stressed that the federal government and the people of Nigeria have so much trust and confidence in corps members, hence their engagement as ad hoc staff during election.

”For Nigerians to continue to trust us, my corps members must remain non partisan at all times,” he said.

He urged the corps members to be security conscious at all times and report any suspicious characters or activities to the appropriate authorities.

The director general further enjoined them to continue to distance themselves from cultism, drug abuse and other social vices.

Fadah implored them to avoid using social media for spreading fake news, fuelling hatred and other negative purposes.

He advised the corps members to deploy their energy and time for the promotion of national unity and development, and sustain high level of discipline and enthusiasm.

He further encouraged the corps members to avail themselves of the opportunities for self-employment offered through the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Programme.

He urged Corps Employers and other stakeholders, to continue to support NYSC especially in areas of security and general welfare of Corps Members.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Richard Olorunfemi, represented by Justice Samuel Obayomi, administered the oath of allegiance to the Corps members.

End

A frontline candidate for the Kogi West Senate seat on the platform of ACCORD (A), Bashorun Moses Deola (MD) Eseyin, FPOP, has solicited for the support and royal blessings of some paramount traditional rulers in the zone towards the 2023 general elections.

Eseyin, a former Special Adviser to the Kogi State Governor, in a consultation visit to the traditional rulers, said he was at their palaces to seek their royal blessings, support and establish a firm rapport with the royal fathers.

The first port of call by the ACCORD Kogi West flag bearer and his entourage, was the Palace of the Obaro of Kabba and Chiarman of Okun Traditional Council, His Royal Majesty, Oba Dele Owoniyi, where the monarch gave them a resounding reception.

Oba Owoniyi described Eseyin as a quintessential youth leader who has always avail himself to be part of human and societal development.

The monarch prayed for the success of his ambition and assured him of his support, saying, ”I have no doubts in your capacity and ability to represent the zone well”.

Eseyin further paid courtesy visit to the palaces of HRM, Oba Julius Joledo the Elulu of Mopa; HRM Oba Alfred Ayedogbon, the Alamuro of Amuro; and the Ajugbonjagun of Orokere. HRH Oba Michael Arogbonlo and their Chiefs in Council respectively.

Eseyin in all the Royal Palaces visited, said his visit was to seek royal blessings, endorsement and prayers for his senatorial ambition, saying his sterling qualities and past experiences in governance and service to humanity would be deployed to get Kogi west working.

”I am youthful and energetic, vibrant and experienced, purposeful, passionate and well equipped with necessary qualities and antecedents to represent the zone to drag down the deserved development,” he said.

The royal fathers in their separate responses, welcome the candidate and his entourage, and offered prayers for him to emerge victorious in the 2023 general elections to represent the zone at the Red Chambers of the National Assembly.

The Elulu of Mopa land, Oba Julius Joledo, commended Eseyin for his courage to embrace the youth audacity to run for Senate in the zone,

The monarch called on the people especially the youth to rally round Eseyin, describing him as an Ambassador of Mopamuro Land, and offered prayers of blessings for him and his entourage.

On his part, the Alamuro of Amuro, Oba Alfred Ayedogbon, also praised and commended Eseyin’s bravery and audacity to jostle for the Senate seat.

According to him, it is a thing of joy to the entire Amuro land being the first person in Amuro land to aspire for the position

He added that Eseyin’s ambition would strengthen the unity in Amuro Land, while encouraging his Chiefs and the people of Amuro to rally round him.

He emphasised that Eseyin’s triumph in the 2023 general elections should be a collective project for Amuro Land.

The Ajugbonjagun of Orokere, HRH Oba Michael Arogbonlo, eulogised the ACCORD flag bearer for his courage and his positive impacts in the Orokere land.

According to him, being the son of the soil and with his quality virtues and impacts in the community over the years, the council will stand solidly behind him and give him all the needed encouragement and support.

”We appreciate your humanitarian attributes and commitments to the development of Kogi State and especially Orokere Community.

”I will not call you a Honorable but Chief who has demonstrated quality leadership exemplifying your chieftaincy title as “The Oluomo of Orokere Kingdom”.

Speaking to journalists at the end of the consultation visit, Eseyin expressed gratitude to all the royal fathers for their warm receptions and encouragements.

He promised to make the people of Kogi west proud, with quality legislative representations if given the opportunity to represent them at the Upper chambers of the National Assembly.

”I am a youth and I have done it before while I was the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Sports, and Students’ Affairs, and we promise to do better.

”I believe by the time I am elected by the grace of God come 2023, I will ensure a better legislative representation for the betterment of the people of Kogi west”, Eseyin said.

End

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Kogi State, Hon. Kingsley Fanwo has urged the people of Kogi West to “make a big statement” with their votes by massively supporting Hon. Sunday Karimi, saying his candidature signifies “justice, fairness and equity”.

Fanwo stated this in a statement released in Lokoja, Tuesday, insisting that with the expected Karimi victory, the Yagba people will be “eternally grateful to the All Progressives Congress”.

“Since 1999, the people of Yagba has never produced a Senator to represent Kogi West. Since 2015, we have agitated for this and we want to thank Governor Yahaya Bello for giving us a chance to prove we really want one of us to speak for Kogi West in the Red Chambers.

“In 1999, the people of Yagba supported Senator Tunde Ogbeha. In 2003 we did the same for the Senator and since 2007 till now, Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu has continued to produce the Senator representing our District.

“Governor Yahaya Bello has made history by overseeing a system that has given the people of Yagba a chance to make history with Hon. Sunday Karimi, who had proven his mettle as a friend of the grassroots. He will set a new standard in the National Assembly”.

He called on all party stalwarts to rally round Hon. Sunday Karimi to ensure victory for the party.

“APC is known for justice and fairness. And the person of Hon. Karimi is trusted as a man who would never trample on the rights of others. If you look at one of our challengers, he has been in the National Assembly for 11 years. In 2019, Hon. Karimi turned down the chance to go back to the House of Representatives because he felt it will be unfair to the Yagba East people. But his opponent today jumped at a similar opportunity, regardless the need for fairness.

“We are not just on this project for sympathy, but our candidate, Hon. Sunday Karimi has sterling achievements to showcase. Among those contesting, he towers higher and has a track record that is speaking for him today in terms of infrastructure and quality representation. His footprints are in all the Wards of the Constituency he once represented. Our people believe in his capacity to deliver.

“We know that the people of Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu will support our party and support what is fair by reciprocating what we did for them for 16 years. The Senatorial primary of our party was a clear indication of the unity between all the Federal Constituencies of Kogi West. We will make APC proud. Karimi’s candidature will unite the entire Kogi West District”, he said.

Fanwo expressed the readiness of the party to work hard and campaign throughout the District to “deserve a resounding victory”, assuring the people that Hon. Sunday Karimi has a clear manifesto to give Kogi West excellent representation”.

We note with deep concern the increasing drop in the standard of living and the harsh conditions it foisted on Nigerians. It is heart-wrenching to watch families go through excruciating pains orchestrated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) misgovernance and sheer incompetence in the last seven years of manning the affairs of the country.

Many Nigerians, particularly in the South-West, have seen the huge potential that defines the zone over the years overturned or torn apart by a brutish APC government who has shown to have only a policy– policy.

It is hard to remember any time in history when those who are supposed to bring comfort to the people are the same people fueling their pains.

Contrary to expectations in the South West, the APC continues to ignore its sacred responsibility to the people, and this has made life difficult for those who trust them with votes.

When it is not unnecessarily withholding earned entitlement of workers and putting them in a difficult situation, the APC will deny pensioners their dues, hence, leaving them helpless or sending them to their early graves.

Education is gradually being taken away from the reach of the downtrodden as a result of out-of-pocket charges as fees, while the APC, unlike before, is turning the South West into a mockery going by the damage it has done to it.

Therefore, it is important now, more than ever, to alert our people to the antics of APC to drag us down a path we never want just to feed a selfish agenda.

We pledge today to work side-by-side with our people to free the South West states from the clutches of ruinous elements that long take our people for granted.

As we approach a new election circle, it is imperative to emphasize that we have an incredible opportunity to change the narrative and that begins with having our PVC to vote out APC at the poll.

Bello Muyideen Kolawole
PDP New Generation
Southwest coordinator

The venue of the APC House of Representatives Primary Election, Alamuwa Grammar School, Ado-Odo witnessed high presence of security officials on Sunday, 29th of May, 2022. Their objective is to ensure the process of electing the APC flag bearer for Ado-Odo/Ota Federal Constituency was conducted without any form of breakdown of law and order.

The process kick started with accreditation of delegates while the leaders of the Party delivered goodwill message through a former House of Representatives member, Hon. Kazeem Salako. Hon. Salako reiterated the resolution of the leadership of the party to the delegates. He charged the delegates to cast their vote and exit the hall as soon as they are done. Other leaders who joined Hon. Salako include, Hon. Lai Taiwo, Chairman, House of Assembly Service Commission, Hon. Sheriff Musa, Local Government Chairman, Alh. Azeez Muhammed (Ekweme), APC Ogun West Senatorial Chairman, Chief Yomi Olojeloju, Member, APC State Excos and Agent for Hon. Jimoh Ojugbele, Chief Sesan Fagbayi, Commissioner in the Local Government Service Commission and Agent for Engr. Tunji Akinosi, Chief J.J Akeran, APC LG Party Chairman.

With a clear and unambiguous understanding of the direction of the party as to who to present as flagbearer for the Federal Constituency, the election Proper started. The voting went on seamlessly and peacefully. At a point, Chief Yomi Olojeloju who is the Agent for Hon. Jimoh Ojugbele left the designated area for Agents and started approaching delegates on their seat. The security men present inside the hall upon seeing this trespassing and violation, cautioned Hon. Ojugbele’s Agent. While Chief Yomi Olojeloju, who is also a Senior Legislative Aide to Hon. Ojugbele was resisting the directive of the security men, some thugs sympathetic to him invaded the hall and stirred up chaos. As at the time this happened, about 15 wards out of 16 had voted. In a bid to protect the ballot box from being taken away, the Presiding officer held on to it. When the chaos seem uncontrollable, the Presiding officer with the aid of Security men tried to move the ballot box into a security vehicle. Chief Yomi Olojeloju and his boys prevented this from happening and created a chaotic scene.

No leader of the party especially those mentioned above was close to the scene of the pandemonium. It is rather unbelievable to see that some leaders’ names were mentioned on social media as promoters of the violence. The Local Government Chairman, Hon. Sheriff Musa was emphatic about his role as the Chief Security Officer of the Local Government Area while advising the Security men to ensure lives and properties are well secured.

Clearly, Engr. Tunji Akinosi was leading in the polls before the venue was disrupted by unscrupulous elements sponsored by Chief Yomi Olojeloju and his principal, Hon. Jimoh Ojugbele.