Contrary to the allegations that Governor Rauf Aregbesola and All Progressive Congress (APC) were dragging the hearing of the petition before the Osun State Election Petition Tribunal, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore have sought the adjournment of the hearing to Monday, 10th November, 2014 as they were not ready for the process.
It would be recalled that Omisore and the PDP, who are challenging the re-election of Aregbesola and APC have accused the respondents of using delay tactics for the hearing of the petition.
At the sitting of the tribunal on Thursday, 6th November, 2014 when the panel was set to start hearing and the respondents have also indicated to move on, the petitioners’ counsel, Mr Nathaniel Oke (SAN) applied that the matter should be adjourned.
As if he was truly ready, Oke said: “My Lords, we are ready to open our case, since the pre-hearing has been closed by your Lordship”.
Subsequently, the tribunal chairman, Justice Elizabethe Ikpejime responded, “we are ready now to begin hearing you can call your witnesses now”.
The petitioners’ counsel quickly made a u-turn and applied for the adjournment till Monday, 10th November, 2014, saying, “we don’t want to open our case now and after calling two or three witnesses we will be asking for adjournment. We want adjournment till Monday”.
This application was opposed by counsel to Aregbesola, Mr Kunle Adegoke who argued that the application was purely in conflict with the allegation of the PDP that the respondents in the matter are trying to delay the hearing of the matter.
He said: “We have been harrased so much in the media by the petitioners that we are trying to delay the proceeding, but you can see now that they are the one dragging us back.
“The tribunal is ready, we are also ready, but it is the petitioners that are not ready. In fact we are here with our own witnesses and the documents we want to tender”.
Counsel to the APC, Mr Aderemi Abimbola also associated with the objection of Aregbesola counsel, requesting for a N500,000 cost against the petitioners.
Subsequently, the tribunal granted the application for adjournment till Monday, November 10.
Earlier, the panel had read the scheduling order to be followed during hearing, directing that 20 minutes would be alloted for cross-examination of each witness, while Certified True Copies (CTC) document would be tendered by consent.
Objections on uncertified document, according to the tribunal, would be taken in the course of hearing, but rulings on them would be delivered in the final judgment.
Meanwhile, three issues that have been formulated by the tribunal out of the issues raised by the parties are whether the tribunal has jurisdiction to entertain the matter and whether the election was vitiated by reason of corrupt practices, irregularity and substantial non-compliance with the provision of the Electoral Act and manual for the conduct of the election.
Other issue is whether the first respondent was validly returned as a candidate who polled the majority of lawful votes at the election.
In line with Paragraph 41(10) of the First Schedule of the Electoral Act, the tribunal said the petitioners have 14 days to present their case, while the repondents have 10 days each to defend.
The tribunal then directed that its attention should be drawn to the preliminary objections of the respondents and profer arguments in the final addresses, saying, decision would be taken firstly on the competence and jurisdictional matter at the final judgement before determining the merit of the case.
GAZELLE NEWS

Photos of the Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola;  the acting Chairman, Osun  Internal Revenue Service, Mr Dayo Oyebamiji and Director Medium, Tax Department of Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mr Peter Olayemi, during the launch of Electronic Tax Clearance Certificate (E-TCT), at Leisure Spring Hotel, Osogbo, State of Osun on Thursday 06-11-2014

From right, Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Acting Chairman, Osun Internal Revenue Service, Mr Dayo Oyebamiji and Director Medium, Tax Department of Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mr Peter Olayemi, during the launching of Electronic Tax Clearance Certificate (E-TCT), at Leisure Spring Hotel, Osogbo, State of Osun on Thursday 06-11-2014

From right, Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Acting Chairman, Osun Internal Revenue Service, Mr Dayo Oyebamiji and Director Medium, Tax Department of Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mr Peter Olayemi, during the launching of Electronic Tax Clearance Certificate (E-TCT), at Lesure Spring Hotel, Osogbo, State of Osun on Thursday 06-11-2014

From left Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Head of Service Mr Sunday Owoeye; Special Assistant to Governor on Budget, Mr Bade Adesina and Deputy Managing Director, Infinity System Enterprises, Mr Bode Oluyemi, during the launching of Electronic Tax Clearance Certificate (E-TCT), at Leisure Spring Hotel, Osogbo, State of Osun on Thursday 06-11-2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro;; Acting Chairman, Osun Internal Revenue Service, Mr Dayo Oyebamiji; Special Assistant to Governor on Budget, Mr Bade Adesina (In red tie) and others, during the launching of Electronic Tax Clearance Certificate (E-TCT), at Leisure Spring Hotel, Osogbo, State of Osun on Thursday 06-11-2014

From right, President General, Market Women Association, State of Osun, Alhaja Awawu Asindemade; Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro and others, during the launching of Electronic Tax Clearance Certificate (E-TCT), at Leisure Spring Hotel, Osogbo, State of Osun on Thursday 06-11-2014

The Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has charged the people of the state, the need for them to rise in support of the government by paying their tax to assist the government in fulfilling its obligation now that the country is sinking economically with the dwindling revenue from the Federal Government.
The Governor made the charge on Thursday November 6, 2014 during the Launching of Electronic Tax Clearance Certificate (E-TCC) facilitated by the State Internal Revenue Services at Leisure Spring Hotel in Osogbo.
Aregbesola who said Nigeria is wrecked economically charged all the citizens of the state to rise in support of the state government by paying their tax as at when due, saying it is their civic responsibility.
The governor said “I am urging good people of Osun to pay their tax because refusal of any citizen to pay tax is a disservice to any society”.
According to the governor, the low income earners will be paying N4.17 per day making N1500 per month saying those in that category will pay N4,500 for Three months to get the new electronic tax clearance card.
While speaking on the current economic challenges of the country, the Governor Aregebesola who appeared in a sober reflection said “the terrible situation of our country call for sober reflection, the crude oil as at today in international market is $76 contrary to $117 early this year.
“Since last year June, our allocation has reduced with 40 % and I have been making noise since then.
We have been battling with this critical situation and we don’t know where we are heading to because the situation is becoming more and more terrible.
“A friend from United State of America recently wrote me on the impending falling of crude oil price, and alerted me that by next year, crude oil price may not beyond $50 per barrel, that is why we must find alternative means to run government, for those who understand, the nation is in serious trouble.” Aregbesola said.
The Guest Lecturer, Mr Peter Olayemi, Director, Medium Tax Department, Federal Inland Revenue Service while delivering his lecture on “Tax Regime as a Tool of Standardization of Revenue From Informal Sector” said the best resources alternative to development is taxation.
Temitope explained that taxation is about the profit on businesses and according to the law; everybody must pay tax from their business.
He urged the investors especially the informal workers must be keeping transaction record to assist the tax managers, saying absence of record may lead to imposition of Best of Judgment (BOJ) which may not be in the interest of an investor.
He said” in law, it is presumed that absence of transaction records is an attempt to evade tax which will compel the tax managers to estimate the value of business and imposed assume due tax, this may not be in the interest of any business man but it is the position of law.”
He advised the people of the state to take the advantage of the electronic tax clearance certificate to improve their business and make life abundant in the society.
Commissioner for Finance, Dr Wale Bolorundare said tax clearance has become a very important document in Nigeria as every transactions and business revolves around tax clearance and urged the people to take the advantage of the new electronic card.

Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has assured members of the National Youth Service Corps posted to the state of safety.
He said this in Ede on Thursday  at the opening of the swearing-in ceremony of the 2014 batch “B” corps members deployed in the state.
The governor, who was represented at the ceremony, Commissioner for Youths and Special  Needs, Mr. Stephen Kola-Balogun, urged corps members to be responsible citizens while assuring them that the people of the state were ready to assist them.
He said, ” There is no doubt that any society were peace reigns will experience a lot of development. We have not taken the issues of security with levity. That is why we have been able to carry on with a lot of development projects so as to give our people a new lease of life.
” I want to assure you that our people are peace loving, warm and accommodating. So also want to assure you that the welfare and safety of corps members will be given priority.”
The NYSC coordinator in Osun State, Mr. Abada  Okpiroro, explained that orientation of the 2014 Batch “B” corps members ought to have taken place since August but was postponed to September because of the governorship election held in the state on August 9.
He, however, said that the orientation course could not hold again in September due to the Ebola virus disease which was brought into the country.
Okpiroro added that the affected corps members were  just registered and posted to their places of primary assignment.
According to him, the NYSC will adhere strictly to the three week orientation course for the corps members to ensure that they do not miss  out of the programmes lined up for them.
He said, ” At this juncture, I want to enjoin the course participants to conduct themselves in a disciplined manner and abide by the camp rules and regulations and above all, anticipate fully in all the activities in order to have a fulfilling service year.
” The skill acquisition programme will be organised for you and I want to charge  you  to take good advantage of it. The fact remains that white collar jobs are scarce but if you acquire a skill now, it will assists you to take off smoothly after service.”
PUNCH

The State of Osun Election Tribunal has granted the petitioner’s prayer to open his case on Monday, November 10.
The adjournment was at the instance of petitioner’s Counsel, Nathaniel Oke (SAN), who urged the tribunal to allow him open his case on Monday.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidate in the August 9 governorship election in the state, Senator Iyiola Omisore and his party are the petitioners, while Governor Rauf Aregbesola, All Progressive Congress (APC) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are respondents in the suit.
Although, Counsels to the 1st and 2nd respondents, Kunle Adegoke and Aderemi Abimbola, opposed the adjournment, insisting that the petitioner must open his case immediately.
Adegoke who argued that the application was purely in conflict with the allegation of the PDP that the respondents in the matter are trying to delay the hearing of the matter.
Adegoke said “We have been harassed so much in the media by the petitioners that we are trying to delay the proceeding, but you can see now that they are the one dragging us back.?
“The tribunal is ready, we are also ready, but it is the petitioners that are not ready. In fact we are here with our own witnesses and the document we want to tender”, he added.
Counsel to the APC, Mr Aderemi Abimbola also associated with the objection of Aregbesola counsel, requesting for a N500,000 cost against the petitioners.
Subsequently, the tribunal granted the application for adjournment till Monday, November 10.
However, the Justice Elizabeth Ikpejime led tribunal, ruled that the petitioner is entitled to open his case as he deems fit.
Citing paragraph 41(10) of the first schedule of Electoral act, the panel held that each of the respondents shall use 10 days, while the petitioner has 14 days to call their witnesses.
The panel further held that any objection to the admissibility of evidence during the hearing should be filed in the submission of the counsels and would be decided on the day judgement will be delivered.
It would be recalled that Omisore and the PDP, who are challenging the re-election of Aregbesola and APC have accused the respondents of using delay tactics for the hearing of the petition.
The panel also adopted minutes for cross examination of each of the witness that will testify before the panel as proposed by the respondents during the last sitting.
BIOREPORTS

The Speaker of Osun House of Assembly, Najeem Salaam, on Thursday said the current drop in the price of crude at the international market posed a threat to the nation`s economy.
Salaam, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo, said government, as a matter of urgency, should diversify the economy for it to survive the looming economy crisis.
The Speaker said the fall in the price of crude oil had contributed to reduction in federal allocations, causing many states to find it difficult to pay their workers.
Salaam said government must intensify investment efforts in agriculture and other non-oil sectors to prevent the economy from crashing.
He said that agriculture, which supposed to be one of the main sources of income for government, had been neglected due to the discovery of oil.
Salaam said government, at all levels, must intensify efforts in agriculture, especially by making necessary inputs available to farmers and creating markets for their produce.
“I don’t know how we can survive this because relying on oil as the only source of income is abnormal.
“It is sad that our economy is largely dependent on oil and due to the fall in price, our economy is being threatened.
“This problem has been in existence for a very long time and nobody cares about it; and now, the reality is about to be dawn on us.
“It is not too late for us to diversify the economy and government can start doing that now before the situation is beyond control.
“The groundnut pyramid in the north, cocoa plantation in the west and the palm oil in the east and other farm products can be revived to sustain our economy in the face of crisis,” Salaam said.
NAN

Universities and polytechnics in the country have been challenged to come out with an innovative breakthrough in technology that will spearhead development in the country.
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State said this while delivering a lecture titled: ‘Education as a Panacea for National Security and Developmental Challenges,’ at the 6th Prince Bola Ajibola annual lecture, hosted by the Magna Curia Chambers of the Faculty of Law, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, recently.
Speaking at the event which took place at the Oduduwa Hall of the university, the guest lecturer, Governor Aregbesola, said: “Since our colonial masters left this country, our institutions are yet to come out with any innovative breakthrough in technology, which is a sign of decay and bad omen for the country that wants to develop.”
He continued by saying that through lack of investment in education, successive administrations in national and state governments have crippled the educational system that what seems to matter now is the acquisition of certificate.
He also emphasised that the Nigerian state today is assailed by manifold layers of insecurity, and its progress is hampered by a myriad of developmental challenges all because of the continual erosion in the quality and standard of its educational system.
“For a country to realise its sustainability, education must be a priority of its leaders by investing huge amount of money as Osun State is doing at the moment,” he emphasised.
Governor Aregbesola noted that education must prepare a man to advance himself, community and nation. He, however, gave kudos to the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Bamitale Omole, for the doggedness he showed as an electoral officer during the recent governorship election in the state.
The Chairman of the occasion, Professor Nurudeen Adedipe, Pro Chancellor, Fountain University, said Governor Aregbesola was the right man to speak on the issue of education following his giant stride in education.
Professor Omole, who was represented by Professor Ajayi Adebisi, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, stressed that the topic of the lecture was most appropriate at the time the nation is facing security challenges.
Professor Adebisi said that the chambers were right in choosing the governor.
Also at the event were the Deputy Governor of the stae, Titi Laoye Tomori; Dr Olusanya Adegboyega and Prince Bola Ajibola, among others. The honourees, Prince Bola Ajibola and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, were presented with awards of excellence.
TRIBUNE

TO quite many that are already counting days to the end of the year, it is time they started counting their blessings-by rolling out the drums. But to some, notably Ladi Thompson, a humanist pastor cum activist, this is no moment for any drum to even “whisper!”
“Why must we dance –to celebrate the thousands that have been mowed down by the dreaded insurgents … to celebrate the inexplicable abduction of those 219 innocent girls – the future of our beleaguered nation?
Pastor Thompson’s emotion crumbled pitiably at his Ilupeju, Lagos office, where the encounter with this reporter took place earlier in the week.
“God, please take control,” Thompson, the Special Adviser to the President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Conflict Resolution and Security Matters, pleaded.
But we have cause to heave a sigh of relief, pastor. We heard that our soldiers are rising to the task of containing them (the insurgents)” the reporter cut in, apparently to soothe his frayed nerves.
“We must refuse to be deceived at this point. Our soldiers are getting discouraged. While we were counselling some of them, we found out that Nigerian Air Force men were “shelling” our soldiers. Guns supplied to the Nigerian Army were mysteriously found in the hands of the enemies. And sadly, some of our soldiers shoot into the air instead of shooting at the enemies …where are we heading for?
“Many of our men don’t live to collect their first pay. It is obvious that there is infiltration in high levels and it is a clear fact that a house divided against itself would not stand. Our government must know that there is no global definition for terrorism. Each country defines and tackles insurgency in its own peculiar way to propagate its own existence,” he said.
On the way forward, Pastor Thompson said: “There is the need for us to put together experts that will define terrorism from the Nigerian and African perspectives. We must realise that one man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist.
“President Goodluck Jonathan needs to recognise that we are in a state of war. We must know that the military is not the main solution to the war. We are dealing with moles in high places and they must be fished out. There must be an empowered bi-partisan body of critical thinkers to weed them out. All political activities must be put on hold for now.
“In the interim, President Jonathan should inaugurate an all-inclusive body for governance, while we sort out the issue of Nigeria’s future and the stability of its territorial integrity.
“We need, for instance, a platform where somebody such as President Jonathan and the patriotic few such as the Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola would sit on a roundtable to discuss the nation’s future. I mentioned Aregbesola because of the Omoluabi ethos of his government, which is the key thing needed to turn things around in this country.
“It is about patriotism, integrity, unconditional love, Godliness, fear of God and fellow-feeling. Since it is working wonderfully in Osun State, it can work for the entire country. We must not throw away the golden goose because of tribal sentiments.
On what Aregbesola’s style of governance has to do with the war against insurgency, Pastor Thompson said: “What is happening requires the kind of rare fundamental re-orientation that is happening in Osun State. It is beyond cosmetics.
“We can no longer avoid the issues that should have been handled fundamentally, which were not. Many of us thought the recent national conference would engender the desired solution, but unfortunately, the no-go areas are the issues causing problems in the country. So, we are back to square one.
“Sadly, the constitution of the conference was badly skewed because 95 per cent of those that were out to carve a future for the country belong to the typewriter generation that is still hooked on tribal, ethnic and religious rivalry oiled by corruption.
“So, their results are predictable and totally useless when it comes to forging a way for a digital generation.”
Using findings from various researches as premise for his argument, Pastor Thompson advised that “we must waste no further time in putting in place a regional defence mechanism.”
Continuing, he said: “In the event that we fail to hearken to the voice of wisdom, by refusing to implement all these things because some of us are still blinded by our political ambitions, it is going to be a matter of weeks before we realise that our leaders have slept for too long.”
Noting that the failure of Nigerian leadership has “made us a bitter disappointment to the rest of Africa,” he added that “it will be very unfair to the younger generation because in the event of a meltdown, African youths are not going to find any cushion anywhere in Africa because there is a lot of resentment against Nigeria.”
Pastor Thompson warned that it would be too late for the country if, in the next three months, the Jonathan-led administration fails to declare a state of war against all the secret agents in government as the insurgents continue to advance.
“When history books are written, it will be noted that there were some who belonged to a typewriter generation; people who were so self-centred, greedy and so myopic to the extent that all they planned to do was to steal the tomorrow of the youth to create comfort throughout their own lifetime.
“However, their names will go down in history as belonging to the worst generation in Africa’s history,” the cleric said.
THE NATION

Osun chapter of the Nigeria Cassava Growers Association on Wednesday said it had received 1,000 packs of herbicide to boost production of cassava in the state.
The Chairman of the Association, Mr David Ogunsade, said on Wednesday in Osogbo that the release of the herbicide by the government was to facilitate cassava revolution in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that each herbicide pack contains 12 bottles of 4 litres of the chemical.
According to Ogunsade, cassava farmers in Osun are already cultivating 3,000 hectares of cassava farmland out of the expected 29,000 hectares to be cultivated nationwide.
“The Federal Government through the ministry of agriculture has made the cassava farming attractive through the release of loans, grants and critical input to the states.
“Each farmer is expected to cultivate not less than two hectares of farmland to encourage mass production of improvised cassava tubers,’’ Ogunsade said.
He said that the target was for the country to have enough cassava for the production of cassava bread across the country in 2015.
“We have also been assured of 4,000 bags of fertilisers to  cassava farmers in Osun in no distant time.
“This time, the government is investing in our farms as processors are also being empowered to buy the tubers from the farmers,” Ogunsade said.
A cassava farmer, Mr Salimon Ibrahim, from Iwo Farms commended the commitment of the Federal Government to the project.
Ibrahim implored the government to equip the processors so that cassava tubers would not go bad in the farms.
Another farmer, Mr Hezekiah Esan, of Oke-Osun Farm Settlement in Osogbo also tasked the government to execute the project to a logical conclusion by creating a ready market for the cassava harvest.
(NAN)

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) yesterday listed the first company on the on Alternative Security Market (ASeM) since its restructuring in 2013. The ASem   segment  is for the listing of small and medium enterprises(SMEs) companies. A total of  five billion shares  of Omoluabi Savings and Loans Plc were listed at 55 kobo per share to become  the first firm to list its shares in the sector of the market.
Speaking after the listing, Chairman of  the company , Dr. Wale Bolorunduro said  he was appointed as the board chairman to oversee the privatisation of the bank by the Osun State government.
According to him, the bank came out in 2013 to raise N1.65 billion, issuing   three billion shares at 55 kobo each saying that this is in line with its vision to broaden its shareholder-base and get listed on NSE.
He said  the funds raised  were  used for business expand  branch network and  enhance information technology infrastructure.
He disclosed that the Omoluabi  Savings and Loans was  one of  the 33 mortgage banks that scaled the recapitalisation deadline of December 31, 2013.
“The mortgage industry is expected to experience a major boost in activity as a result of the on-going reforms of the federal government in mortage delivery services and monetisation of major personal costs. The bank is expected to witness a turnaround in its activities in the light of the prevailing environment of its catchment area of the Osun State,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of Morgan Capital Limited, the issuing house/ stockbroker to the  Omoluabi Savings issue and listing,  Mr. Ayoleke Adu, said  he was happy that his company pioneered the listing of new firms on the ASem.
He called on other market operators to support the NSE’s efforts   aimed at encouraging listing of SMEs, which are considered the engine room of any economy.
“We are happy to have achieved this listing and we will continue to encourage  the listing of SMEs so that they have access to funding and run on better corporate governance,” Adu said.
THISDAY LIVE