Osun Judiciary Crisis: Parliament Wades In

By Goke Butika

Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam has urged the state branch of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to allow industrial peace in the state judiciary to prevail now that the parliament has resolved to interface among the stakeholders including bar and bench.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Goke Butika, Speaker Salaam acknowledged the issues raised in the letter addressed to the parliament by the leaders of the bar were matter for consideration,  pledging the readiness of the Assembly to mediate  among  other branches of government in the state with a view to finding a lasting solution to the crisis.

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that Scattered My Relationship For 2years.. Click HERE for Details

Speaker salaam  asserted that the parliament under his watch could not look away, while the state judiciary is grounded to a halt, pleading with association of lawyers to allow state courts open for work, while the procedural interface is in progress.

He stressed that, "it is imperative to have a functional judiciary in a democratic system, because democracy rests on the rule of law, and it is a travesty of democratic principles to have judiciary under lock;  legislature would be shirking responsibility if we look other side, while the officers of the court are raising issues against the court".

Speaker Salaam then assured that all stakeholders-NBA, Chief Judge and Judicial Service Commission would be consulted in the enquiry that would be constituted to mediate on the administrative issues which led to the protestation of lawyers.

Signed:

Goke Butika

Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker

State of Osun House of Assembly

Sen. Omisore ARRESTED By EFCC

Former deputy governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The erstwhile gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was picked up earlier this morning in Abuja and has since been in the custodys of the anti-graft agencies facing interrogation for his role in the Ekiti election funding fraud that brought Ayodele Fayose into office.

EFCC sources disclosed to Daily Trust that Omisore is being quizzed at the Abuja head office of the anti-graft commission to explain allegations of financial crimes leveled against him.

It was also learnt that the Abuja resident of the former Deputy Governor was raided by EFCC agents Sunday morning before his arrest was effected.

The EFCC had around 24th May 2016 obtained a court warrant to arrest Omisore, who had failed to honour an EFCC invitation. The EFCC consequently declared Omisore wanted shortly after obtaining the court warrant.

The spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren had stated that Omisore was wanted in connection with a case of receiving and misappropriating the sum of over N700 million from the Office of the National Security Adviser, between June and November, 2014.

He stated that Omisore was being elusive and refused to report to the Commission after invitation was extended to him on April 7, 2016 requesting him “to come and make clarification on the ongoing investigation”.

Instead of responding to the Commission’s investigation Omisore had approached the Federal Capital Territory High Court for the enforcement of his fundamental human rights, Uwujaren stated.

However Justice Husseini Baba Yusuf consequently ordered that Omisore should only be arrested through a due and legal process, Uwujaren said.

According to a report by Sahara Reporters, the Senator received over N1.3billion from funds pilfered from the office of the National Security Adviser to fund and rig Governor Ayodele Fayose into office in 2014.

See The 'Suit On Throne' Photo Of Osun Monarch That Has Set The Internet 'Ablaze'

The Yoruba King Rasheed Adewale Akanbi the Oluwo of Iwo, Osun State -who spent many years abroad before being crowned, has been dragged online for wearing suit on the throne... 

The king is being criticized for not upholding his culture because he wore a suit on his throne.

Before becoming the king last year, he had spent about 20 years abroad and even his new wife is a foreigner.

Source: National Helms

Osun Is A Victim Of His History, Says Speaker

State appears to be contending with different challenges of which national cash crunch seems to be the catalyst for the bitten feud among the contending parties in the state. No sooner the lecturers of the state tertiary institutions dropped their gauntlets than the tension between the doctors and the government reached a feverish pitch.
However, one institution which has been midwiving industrial peace is the State House of Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam. Our reporter tracked the Speaker and interrogated  issues raging on in the state with him. Except:

Q: State of Osun appears to be in mess with huge debt which has eaten deep into the federal allocation of the state, making it to go empty handed every month, what is your take on this?

Salaam: In the first place, the state is not in mess, but a victim of dialectics of production and history and I will explain: when the country was operating a loose federation,  agriculture and taxation were the mainstay of the economy of all the regions then with comparative advantage, and I read that Chief Obafemi Awolowo as the Premier of Western region was able to develop the region with sophisticated infrastructure and technology ahead of many countries.
 I learnt that the western region got its television before France and many countries called developed nations now. So, each region had its fate in its hand, but now we are practising unitary system couched in federalism, suffice to say that we are practising feeding bottle federalism, which dictates that the centre would be spoon-feeding the states from a common wallet, and if the same centre crashes, the states crashes.
So, the federal has crashed now in terms of fiscal responsibility, monetary policy and imbalance of trade. Meanwhile, the military interregnum had not helped the matter, because they got the oil boom, quick cash and negated taxation and agro-economy.
Unfortunately,  the long neglect of agriculture has made our relations with land tedious, except few who have seen the future, and the previous governments failed to re-institutionalize agriculture and the culture of taxation. So, now that the government is making conscious effort to rejig the two fundamentals of revenue generation, something appears strange to us.
So, the state is only bearing the brunt of our collective infractions, because we would be guilty of verdict of posterity if we continue to cling with the past which I describe as micro-managing poverty. Yes, some people are complaining about the debt profile of the state of Osun, some even thought we found ourselves in this difficult financial meltdown because of debt, but it takes anyone with deep mind to see the trickle-down effect of infrastructural renewal, and its link with assured future.
Yet, the debt has its bitting effect now, but the denial in of limited liquid cash we are subjected today in the state would leverage for promising tomorrow.

Q: But workers claim they were getting half salaries, marketers are crying of low patronage, and this financial difficulty seems to have lowered the morale of the citizens who supported Governor Aregbesola at the last governorship election, and here we are, you are talking about the promising tomorrow, how?

Salaam: Look, I am the Speaker of the state parliament, as the effect of hard time hits the people, it touches me double, because it has a multiplier effects on personal and collective demands from our constituencies, it rubs on our political clout as leaders and it is not good for our rating in the public, but one fact stands, governance is not about public opinion, it is about taking hard decisions. To the best of my knowledge, this government borrowed for capital projects, and we have seen some completed, some are still work-in-progress. So, what we owe now would be smaller if compare to the value obtainable from the projects tomorrow.
Yes, our workers are enduring, and it is hurtful that our financial power has weakened terribly, but i still have to commend the workers and identify with them on their rare sacrifices and love for this state; for showing understanding about the matrix of our productive topsy-turvy and economic meltdown. However, let it sink that we are right now experiencing national economic crisis, and no arm or tier of government is spared.
As we speak, I read that judges of federal courts have not been paid; I read that 26 states have not paid state stipends to their allocated youth corp members; salaries are not regularly paid in almost 29 states. Even, an oil state with 13 percent derivative with just eight local governments is rolling policies that would cut of a lot of incentives for workers. So, it is a national experience.
Speaking to your emotional outburst on how, I would tell you that the present situation has no deduction with the last governorship election won by Gov. Aregbesola, though we can infer that people yearn for more development and incentives like free meal for their children in public schools, stipends for the aged, support for widows, micro credit facilities for their small scale trade and so on. All those incentives cost huge money, and the cash is no longer forthcoming due to catastrophe in oil market which is our sole economic mainstay. Therefore, it is a case of temporal  truncated dream.
Let's formulated so questions for the cynics: should a governor be elected to manage poverty? Should a government be instituted to service the interest of the few with our collective resources? Should we encourage the government to borrow for consumption or life changing projects? Should we encourage utilitarian rule, or mob rule? All these questions are many tough choices a governor must contend with. But, we should not blame anyone until we are able to understand his or her state of mind.

Q: What can be done to remedy Osun situation now?

Salaam: Osun as a state is not faring bad as projected by the critics and perceived by some elements. So, I think the question we should ponder our mind on are some fundamentals before we crosses examine the superstructure. The fundamentals here start from causes of our challenges. Let's begin from the architecture of our nationhood. Do we still need this compromised federal structure or we should reconfigure it. Are we ready to surrender measured independence to the federating units, for each state to source its  revenue and negotiate with its workers, and design its own security architecture or do we retool to the regional government laced with parliamentary democracy of Pre and post independence? These are the fundamental questions that could have compelled some people to insist on the the outcome of the last Jonathan conference. Good as it sounds, the conference was  midwifed by compromised representation, and has no legal status. So, it was more or less a "committee of finding something for the leaders." That rubbed on the deliberations of the conference.
 However, I am glad President Buhari has subscribed to the calls for economic conference, I am confident that credible people, experts, budget historians, economists, and policy makers and policy executors would be assembled, and who knows, some of the fundamental issues may come out there.
Having settled that, then we can now talk of what will become of individual state. As touching Osun, I can assure you that we are brainstorming on the way out of the wood. In the first place, we have agreed that our challenges could not be removed through oil money. So, we are working on agriculture as an alternative, but Gov. Aregbesola disposes more to intellectual commodity, and it will soon pay off. Do not bother about it, because I would not expatiate on it. Certainly, Osun will soon be out of the wood.

Q: We learnt that the government has sacked hundred of workers in the polytechnics and colleges of education, it was also said that the House of Assembly intervened, what is the situation now?

Salaam: Aside from making laws and oversight functions, resolution of conflict has been added to our schedule ever since I have taken the mantle of leadership in the state parliament. Yes, there was conflict between some staff of these institutions and their governing boards plus managements, and some of the staff were right-sized, according to information available to us, but because existence was attached to the struggle; we elected to mediate and files are being screened to know who did what, and by the time the committee ends its investigation, all parties would consider our position on the matter a fair deal.

Q: What about the issue of striking doctors?

Salaam: we are intervening on it as well, and we are talking to the doctors to place the interest of the state above interest of the few. Yes, it is their inalienable right to demand for appropriate wage and other incentives to work, but all conflicts need a compromise. Our doctors are expected to reconsider their hard line stance, while we are ready to support them on their struggle based on reality on ground.
It pains me that the situation is turning out like this, but I think it would be encouraging if they resume and come to the table according the demand of their employer. If that is done, we shall ready to check the two extremes: doctors' interest and the position of the employer with a view to placing the justifications on the resources available. I trust our doctors, I have many of them as friends, and I can understand their plight, but they are part of us, the larger society. Therefore, they would certainly bear with us. Our mission now is to prevail on both sides to come to the table with justifiable points, not closed mindset.

Q: How come the governor has not constitute his cabinet for close to 16 months now?

Salaam: Governor is the Chief executive, by constitution who has the power to hire and fire. Unfortunately, the constitution does not stipulate when a governor could constitute cabinet. Besides, he knows when and why his cabinet must be constituted; the core if it is that the business of the governance has not stopped, but I would not dabble into the issue, because I am the head of legislature, mine is to receive governor's correspondences on how he is faring on his job, not to speak on his job description.

Q: If the business of governance is progressing as you rightly stated, how are the decisions concerning Governor in council taken? Would it not amount to illegality to be approving projects and other demanding decisions with cabinet.

Salaam: Let it be known that we have Secretary to the State Government and Chief of Staff, Head of Service and Permanent Secretaries in place.  Call it the defect of constitution, I have not read while the hiring or not  of Commissioners would make any decision illegal, but I am confident the governor would soon make the list of his Commissioners available to me. More so, the delay could be  as result of restructuring of ministries, reduced to cut cost. On a compassionate ground, this man (Aregbesola) should not be vilified on some things, because he understands what it takes to maintain a Commissioner, and he knows clearly he does not have the luxury now. People should know that Aregbesola is compassionate and very rational on the way he does his things.
Look, I am not defending the governor, because he is capable of doing that himself, but we must not be fault finder, the state of mind must tally with the state of affairs. So, I urge the cynics and critics to use their heads and dissect the material condition before formulating opinion on anyone.

Q: Why the local governments in the state have not been democratically constituted in the last five years?

Salaam: litigation and fund. Litigation in the sense that for years, the state electoral body constituted by Gov. Oyinlola's government were thrown out for not properly constituted, and they went to court to test the validity of the claim, and the matter was dragged up to supreme court. By the time the governor constituted another OSSIEC, we had run into the economic bad weather, and election cost huge money. Can a state that owes salaries of workers prioritize election? So, it could not have been deliberate, it is extenuating circumstance.

Q: Some critics believe that, the councils  were not democratically constituted because the Governor was using their funds for his projects, and that House of Assembly has been compromised by the selected councils' officials?

Salaam: trust me, I don't play the critics' ball, because it is convenient to criticize anyone in power. I had been in opposition and I know that there is no way people in opposition could get the matrix of governance right. However, not to evade your question, I know for sure that nothing could be done with state and council funds without the knowledge of the parliament, and I have not found the governor wanting, but anyone has a piece of evidence as touching the allegation, let the fellow present it, and I promise you we will investigate. As for the compromise of the House of Assembly, those who think or had conceived that I could be compromised do not know me. In the place, I must have been the poorest Speaker among the 36 state Houses of Assembly, not because I do not need money, but because I have conquered my greed. Besides, I have a background that provides me the two sides of life. I was raised as an orphan from a humble background by God's unmerited favour on me, I am comfortable now without swindling people or government, without abusing my office or deploy my influence for wealth acquisition, and I could say without equivocation that I am micro-distributing the little resources at my disposal. So, I don't have acquiring wealth through dubious mean, there is no integrity in that, and by my faith, I know that an individual would account for his action before his Lord. From those premises, you can conclude that I would be difficult to compromise at the expense of the people, and I don't compromise who will compromise my colleagues? After all, the buck stops on my table at the parliament.

Q: So, what is the agenda of the sixth assembly under you?

Salaam: We have set our agenda already and we have hit the grounding now. Let me avail you our agenda, one we have set in motion, machinery that is deliberating on how our state would be rescued from the jaw of economic downturn, and this machinery would soon unfold feasibility study that would be forwarded to the executive for perusal. Two, we have stepped up our oversight functions which keep an eagle eye on all projects. Three, we are embarking on the overhauling of criminal codes of the state, because the one in place is deficient if compare to the hi tech crime the non-conformists are committing. Four, we are working on democratizing lawmaking, a process that would tap the opinions of the majority stakeholders, and we have elected to pick third party role in any conflict that could truncate the prevailing peace in the state.

Osun Not A Failed State, By Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam

Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam, Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly

The news headlines these days were frighteningly disturbing: LASSA FEVER BREAKS OUT IN EKITI; HAUSA FULANI CLASH IN LAGOS; ESE ORURU KIDNAPPED IN BAYELSA; DOCTORS ON STRIKE IN OSUN; FUEL SCARCITY HITS LAGOS; PRESIDENCY FUMES AT BUDGET PADDING and so on, and what all these suggest is that we are in a peculiar situation, suffice to say we are in a dare strait in this country.

As a member of political class, I must appreciate that all stratified classes from politically exposed persons, academia, business moguls, financial experts, policy executors to security operatives, unemployed youth and the vulnerable ones are in state of confusion, because everything in our country appears to be in a perpetual flux, apologies to Heraclitus, the ancient Greek thinker. But one thing seems to be real, our country had been badly looted to an extent that its life blood which connotes economy has been contaminated and corrosive.

So, I must say that President Muhammadu Buhari was apt to have traced the root of our challenges to corruption. No wonder, he says, "if Nigeria fails to kill corruption, corruption would kill Nigeria." For a fact, all Nigerians at face value have agreed that corruption must be defeated before we get the other things in the state of affairs right. Invariably, the breakdown of our health institution that could not support outbreak of epidemics; lack of refineries to refine our crude for domestic consumption; industrial disputes that spare no essential labour force; states that could not pay salaries and adulterated national budget must be traced to corruption.

However, because of the hydra-headed challenges facing the country and different opinions that would trail each indicator pointed out for the cause(s) of the mess we find ourselves today, i have elected to descend from national ladder for the purpose of clarity and indubitable facts. Being a major player  in decision-making in the State of Osun, I have chosen  to critically examine some salient issues with a view to proffering pragmatic solutions as I see them from my own prism.

In appreciating the peculiar situation of Osun as it obtains in not less than 30 states among the 36 federating units, I need to highlight some of the challenges and the street positions of the critics, before I explain the reality behind them as an insider, and the custodian of shrine of democracy (legislature) with a caveat: that some people may embark on spirited effort to fault my explanation based on speculation or politicking, but I shall stand to be faulted all the same on the point of undisputed fact.

At a glance,  our state reeks under a debt profile of not less than N100 billion in aggregate; our state services the debt facility with N2.4 billion monthly; some of the projects like Gbongan to Akoda road, Old Garage to Ese Odo dual carriage way, airport are temporarily abandoned. Besides, workers' pay is subjected to available resources; doctors are on strike and there is a low patronage on daily transactions in our markets. These are the catalogue of accusations and statements of facts used by the opposition to vilify Governor Rauf Aregbesola, and are also used by the government to explain our challenges arising from paucity of funds, depending on which side of the divides one stands to look at the issues.

In the first premise, the executive arm of the government has defended itself on how the debt was incurred, what it used the bank facility obtained for, and it is not my call to start repeating what had been done severally like a broken record, but I know for a fact that nothing was done as touching the funds for projects that did not pass through my gavel. That projects were abandoned? This may not be completely true, for you and I know that it is irresponsible for a father to embark on building construction on existing site, while the households are starving.

Quite painful that we have workers who are compelled to endure rational scale for their pay. As a matter of fact, I consider it our low moment in the history of this government, but I am consoled by the fact that we are not contemplating sacking our workers, and I pray it would not get there, because if a worker is relieved of his duty, he becomes a burden unto himself, and his family will suffer, while dependents would equally suffer.

So, I suggest our workers should continue to show understanding by ignoring the "politrickicians" who are not only jobless, because they have no other means of livelihood except politics of looting but also desperately eager to return to the Government House, because it makes sense to hearken the axiom which says, "half loaf of bread is better than none" at the material time. And I promise to seek remedy for all workers immediately our state of economy improves.

Let me quickly express my view as touching the debt portfolio of my state. I know for a fact that United States of America has population of 350 million with a debt ceiling of $17 trillion, and if we should choose a round figure to divide the portfolio, it suffices to say that an average individual has no less than $45,000 on his or her head as debt burden. Despite this, USA is still the the world superpower, and all nations, except pariah states want to befriend it. In that sense, debt is not problem, but non-judicious use of it for the development of the society is the mega problem.

I think we are in order with the infrastructural drive of Aregbesola's government, because it is obvious that whatever we leverage on infrastructure today would not be of the same quality tomorrow. Yes, we have to eat, drink and enjoy ourselves, but whoever or a state that desires to rise, must grow through self denial. In our own case, our workers and political class who are enduring staccato pay must be commended for their sacrifice.

As touching the doctors' strike and other issues, I shall explain our take at the state parliament, and effort to break the impasse in another piece.

To be continued...

Salaam is the Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly

BREAKING: Osun Creates Additional 31 LCDAs, Dissolves LG Caretaker C'ttee

The Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola this morning announced the creation of 31 local council development area in additional to the existing 31 Local Government in the state.

Aregbesola in a state-wide broadcast this morning also announced the dissolution of all caretaker committee members with immediate effect.

BELOW IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE BROADCAST:

My good people of Osun,

I am very happy to announce to you certain changes we are making at the local government system, in answer to the legitimate demands you have placed before us.

The importance of the local government cannot be overstated. It is where the government is designed to be closest to the people. While you need to follow some protocols for reasons of security and tight schedule before having an audience with a minister, a state governor or the president, you can walk in on your local government chairman or other officials of council.

Also, because the geographical space of the local government makes it the smallest unit of administration, it is easier to get things done at this level.

The local government is also the ideal training ground for political leadership. A presidential candidate has to travel round the country’s 36 states and Abuja while a governorship aspirant must tour all the local governments in his state. However, a chairmanship candidate only needs to cover his local government and the councillor just his ward.

In a democratic society, a citizen should be able to contribute to the administration of his or her local government in a meaningful way more than is possible at higher levels. A voice can be easily heard and a little gesture can be easily felt at the local government, than at the state or national levels.

In the advanced western democracies, the local government controls the police and provides municipal services like housing and physical planning, environmental sanitation, water, markets, healthcare and education. Some of these services are already being provided by the councils. Though we are not fully there yet but we are on the path and if we keep at it, we will get there.

Our communities also recognise the importance of the local government in development. This is why their various traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth leaders, market leaders and women leaders never cease to ask us to expand the platform of the local government in order to enhance their participation.

We carefully considered their request and set in motion the process for acceding to their demands. On June 18, 2012 we inaugurated a committee headed by Prof Mojeed Alabi, a former speaker of the State House of Assembly, to look into the modalities for creating more councils in accordance with the wishes of the people. That committee received 71 memoranda requesting new councils. It wrapped up its assignment and submitted its report on October 26, 2012. In April 2013, we set up a review committee headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, to look into the Alabi committee’s report. After this, we sent the request to the state House of Assembly in form of an executive bill. The House also looked into the bill, set up a committee on it and subsequently, a referendum was held on February 19, 2015 in which the people of the state overwhelmingly gave a yes vote on the bill. After this, the house passed a bill creating 31 new Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), three Area Councils and two Administrative Offices. I have since signed this bill into law. The requests for new councils have been granted; all constitutional requirements have been met and the prescribed procedure followed to the letter.

My good people, I am pleased to inform you therefore that in place of the old order of only 30 local governments and an Area Office, we now have additional 31 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), three Area Councils and two Administrative Offices in accordance with the requests which you democratically placed before us. The list of the new LCDAs, Area Councils and Administrative Offices, their territories and headquarters will be published soon and is also available at the State House of Assembly, Ministry of Local Governments, Chieftaincy, Water Resources, Rural and Community Affairs and Local Government Service Commission.

The management committees made up of the executive secretaries, deputy executive secretaries, scribes, members and special advisers have acted excellently, astutely managed scarce resources and faithfully served their communities. However, financial and other considerations have forced us to adopt a new parliamentary system which is compact, efficient and better, in the present circumstance. The management committees of the 30 Local Councils and Area Office are hereby dissolved and their Executive Secretaries, deputy executive secretaries, members, Special Advisers and other functionaries removed.

In the interim, the entire local government system will be managed by Council Managers for three months. These managers shall be appointed and deployed by Local Government Service Commission from among the substantive grade level 14 officers in the local governments. Grade level 15 officers and above at the local governments should consequently report to the Local Government Service Commission for further briefing.

GOV. RAUF AREGBESOLA OF OSUN STATE

Many would be wondering and asking: why create more councils at this special time of financial challenges? We have also given sufficient consideration to this. With this new parliamentary system, it will cost less to run the new councils and save a lot of money for the government than in the past.

The primary responsibilities of our new local government system are sanitation, market management and revenue mobilisation and generation. This is consistent with local government administration worldwide.

The beauty of this new system is its parliamentary nature, which requires the chairman and the vice chairman to be elected by the councillors from among their own ranks, thereby saving cost. We shall therefore be saving a huge cost with this new system.

In addition, the same number of staff will still run all the councils, as no new appointments will be made to existing ones. We shall make the most judicious use of our revenues in such a way that increasing the number of councils will least constitute any financial burden.

I will like to thank the executive secretaries of the 30 councils and area office that have just dropped the baton, for service well rendered to their communities, our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and humanity at large. They have been part of our development efforts and I am proud of them all.

I will also like to thank the honourable members of the state House of Assembly, especially the Speaker, Rt. Honourable Najeemdeen Folasayo Salaam, for meticulously and favourably looking at our proposal for a more enhanced council system.

I will like to thank you all, especially at the grassroots. These are my people, the farmers, women and women groups, market women and men, civil servants, teachers, senior citizens, traders, artisans, workers, students, transporters, drivers, commercial motorcyclists, traditional rulers, community leaders and religious leaders; for your support at all times, for your faith in us and your unyielding desire for increased participation at the local government. We are a great people and we shall not cease to do great things.

Let me remind you once again of the need to support the government maximally by paying your taxes, levies and dues.

I thank you all for your kind attention.

Osun a dara!