Osun State

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Immediate past Nigeria Interior Minister and two-term governor of Osun State, Abdulrauf Aregbesola, has disclosed that he is back to restructure the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Osun State.

On Wednesday, Aregbesola made his intention public while addressing party faithfuls at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo.

The former governor sought forgiveness of the party party members and stated that it is time for restructuring and reconciliation in the party.

He noted that he did not offend anybody, but said, “whoever feels that we offend him or she should forgive us.

“We seek forgiveness from those who thought we offended and those who sought our downfall.”

“We were here in 2019 after the Supreme Court affirmed the mandate of the former governor, Gboyega Oyetola. I called for unity in the party. I warned that disunity will not produce any good result. But devil didn’t allow them (those who handled the party affairs) to listen.

“We seek forgiveness from those who are smearing our image, though we never offended them.

“We supported them with all I have to see to their success. I didn’t ask for anything from them. I need to emphasize that I didn’t ask for anything from them. But they chose to repay evil for good.

“However, we are here for the restructuring of the party. That is why we are begging anybody that feels that we offended him or her to forgive us.”

By Muhammadu Sabiu

The manager of the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) branch in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, was detained on suspicion of interfering with the dispensing of cash to customers through Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

According to a statement made on Friday by Azuka Ogugua, the ICPC’s spokeswoman, the cash bundles were deposited into the ATMs while still wrapped, and as a result, they could not be disbursed through the machines.

She said, “The ICPC Compliance Team in Osogbo has busted an FCMB in Osogbo, Osun State, where some ATMs were loaded with cash with their wrappers un-removed, thus preventing the cash from being dispensed.

“The Team therefore directed that the wrappers be removed, and the cash loaded properly.

“However, when a follow-up visit was undertaken the following day to ascertain the level of compliance, the Team discovered that one of the ATMs was still loaded with the wrappers un-removed. The Operation Manager of the Bank was arrested and taken in for questioning.”

The ICPC added that the individuals who were detained are providing the Commission with information to aid investigations and dismantle any organised crime groups engaged in the hoarding or sale of the altered notes.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Osun Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Osogbo, Osun State capital has in a judgement delivered in the early hours of Friday ordered that Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke be removed from office and the certificate of returns given to him be withdrawn with immediate effect.

The Presiding Judge of the panel, Justice Tertsea Kume, while reading the judgement of the tribunal said that the conduct of the election flagrantly violates the electoral act.

Justice Kume explained that the election was rigged in six polling units to the detriment of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He further stated that, after the deduction of valid votes vast from the over-voting at these polling units, Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 314,941 and therefore the rightful winner of the election while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ademola Adeleke polled 290, 266.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), has vowed that the come 2023 general election will be the best ever in Nigeria’s history.

Yakubu said this Tuesday, July 19th 2022, in Abuja, when he received delegations of the International Republican Institute (IRI) and that of the National Democratic Institute (NDI).

He also assured that INEC would improve on its successes in subsequent elections to come.

The Daily Reality gathered that the meeting was the first that INEC was hosting after Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.

Yakubu was quoted as saying, “We assure you that we will continue to work not only hard but even harder to deliver the 2023 general elections.

“As for the preparation for the 2023 general elections, I want to assure you that we promised Nigerians that Ekiti was going to be good, and Ekiti was a good election.

“We promised that Osun was going to be better; Osun was a better election. We are promising that the 2023 general elections will be our best election ever, and we are committed to delivering the best election ever,’’ Yakubu said.

Speaking earlier, Secretary of State for Ohio, United States and leader of the delegations, Mr Frank LaRose, had commended INEC over on its successes.

He, however, commended INEC for its various efforts to improve the conduct of elections in Nigeria.

He states, “we took the opportunity to visit Osun because that was only the second time election has been conducted under the new Electoral Law. 

“We met with the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Osun, and we observed many different polling locations on Election Day,” he stated. 

By Muhammad Sabiu

Oyenike Oladele, an upset housewife, has accused her husband, Olowolagba, 45, of assault in an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court.

Oyenike is believed to have filed a complaint with the Dugbe Police Station in Osogbo alleging that her husband had beaten her.

The alleged crime was committed on January 7, 2022, around 10:30 a.m. in the Aregbe area of Osogbo.

Inspector Adeoye Kayode, the Police Prosecutor, informed the court that the accused slapped his wife in the face.

According to the prosecutor, the offence was done in violation of Section 351 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II, Laws of Osun, 2002, and is punished.

On the other hand, the accused has pleaded not guilty to a single count of assault.

Najite Okobe, the defence attorney, asked the court to grant his client bail in the broadest terms possible, citing the constitution’s presumption of innocence until proven guilty in court.

Magistrate Asimiyu Adebayo gave the accused person bail in the amount of N50,000, with one surety in the same amount, in his ruling.

The magistrate determined that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and have a verified address, as the matter was rescheduled for mention on March 16.

By Muhammad Sabiu

A man from Igege in Osun State was apprehended with mutilated human body parts on Wednesday. His identity, however, could not be confirmed immediately.

Some residents were said to have notified security agents after becoming suspicious of the man’s movements.

The suspect was forced to bring out mangled human body parts from a bag while several bystanders beat him with sticks and screamed profanity at him, according to video footage captured at the scene of the crime.

The suspect could also be heard in the video denying his involvement in ritual killings and criticising persons he claims to have set him up.

Residents attempted to lynch the man, and members of the Hunters Group of Nigeria and the Amotekun Corps were brought to the scene.

Sunday Olaifa, Chairman of the OlaOluwa South East Local Council Development Authority, informed our correspondent that once the man was apprehended, villagers attempted to lynch him, but he was saved by security personnel.

Olaifa, who said he had to rush to Igege to appeal to the villagers, sought a thorough probe into the situation to guarantee that justice was delivered.