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  • Some Bad Elements in INEC and the Ruling APC in Oyo want to Disenfranchise Voters-Otunba Alao-Akala

    Adp 1A former Governor of Oyo state, who is also the governsorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party in the state, Otunba(Dr.)Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala has expressed worry over the covert moves by some personnel of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) and the All Progressives Congress(APC) in the state to move eligible voters from their Local Governments to  different ones to facilitate a new dimension of  rigging.

    Otunba Alao-Akala made this disclosure on Tuesday,  in an address he delivered at the  Official presentation  of the ADP governorship candidate, his deputy and other candidates for the 2019 Gubernatorial Elections in Ibadan, Nigeria.

    ''May I use this occasion to inform the stakeholders in the Nigerian electoral system and the world at large that information reaching us from competent sources is that some bad elecments in the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) are conniving with the ruling APC to disenfranchise thousands of voters across the state and weakening the leading oppositiom candidates in their strongholds by engaging in state-wide illegal relocation of voters from their units/Local Government of origins to other units/LGAs''.

    The former Governor called on the INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmud Yakub and the security agencies to ''put a stop to this advanced rigging method''.

    He assured the people of the state that candidates of the ADP were passionate about delivering results that shall impact positively on them, adding ''I must say that the re-election of the present administration was an aberration that came by way of the bandwagon effect that followed the election of President Muhammadu Buhari''.

    ''Regardless of the sinister moves of other parties, our campaign shall be issue-based, violence free and intellectually stimulating, resting on the renewed 13-point agenda drawn from our party's hallmarks; all these clothed in peace and tranquility'', Otunba Alao-Akala stated.

  • Upn 1

    The Progressives : Then and Now

    Chief Obafemi Awolowo was a political leader of Yoruba extraction, who lived by example.

    His leadership impacted positively on the Yoruba people, in all spheres of life. However, it is doubtful if those who hold sway in this dispensation followed his footsteps.

    Chief Awolowo had a formidable political structure that outlived him. In his time, politcal meetings were held at his Ikenne home in Ogun state.

    After the passing on to glory of Chief Awolowo, in the days of military rule, Chief Adekunle Ajasin, took over the mantle of leadership and meetings were held at his Owo home, Ondo state.

    During this period, the National Democratic Coalition(NADECO) came into being.

    After Chief Ajasin did his beat, Pa Abraham Adesanya  took over the structure up till the end of the military era.

    In the course of Pa Adesanya's leadership, those who could best be described as pseudo-Awoists and pseudo-democrats, were accepted into the fold, sadly, the true and real progressives were barred, due to the fact that they took up apointments in the military regime of the late despot, Gen. Sani Abacha.

    Now known as Afenifere, the group restricted its membership, while maintaining a closely knit relationship with the Alliance for Democracy(AD).

    At a glance, Afenifere was composed of the first generaton Awoists, the second 11 and the unknown elements.  

    The unknown  elements eventually hijacked the structure through unconventionl means.

    Of the first generation Awoists, only  a one time Governor of Lagos state, Alhaji Lateef Jakande is still alive.

    However, Chiefs Bisi Akande and Segun Osoba belong to the second 11, while others were not yet into reckoning during the functonal period of the group

    At a point in time, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, the Director of organization of  the Unity Party of Nigeria(UPN) then, stated that in 1982, during the last convention of the UPN, Chief Awolowo expressed the hope that  a time will come, when the good elements in the  conservatives  will join the good elements in the progressives to form a synthesis.

    But present happenings in the political sphere has defied this theory, rather polarization and division are tools that have brought about the present scheme of things.

    Of note, is the fact that the progressives of the time past, embarked on laudable programes such as free education, to empower the Yoruba people.

    Sadly, capitalist inclined policies, nocturnal ideals and preferences are the working tools of today's leaders in the South-west geo-political zone of Nigeria, to the chagrin of the disillusioned and impoverished people.

    The new definition of the progresives includes, but is not limited to, the paymnt of school fees in Primary and Secondary schools, introduction of mulitple tax regime and the preference for  mediocrity and people with doubtful educational qualificatons, to carry out government duties. So sad.