‘ Oyo State Residents live in constant Fear and Anxiety’

•  Atmosphere very tense – source
• Akala inflated contracts during 11-month stint in power - source

Ikechi Udegbunam Chukwunonye

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Residents of Oyo State live in perpetual fear and anxiety, according to a source who is an Oyo State indigene.

‘ Oyo State is the most troubled State in Nigeria , people wake up with fear and uncertainty,’ the source said. ‘We are witnessing the rape of a State by a godfather, Adedibu . The State assembly is divided into two factions.’

‘Nuhu Ribadu,EFFC Chairman, delivered a speech here at the University of Ibadan ,where he chided Adedibu for his shenanigans’ he said.

Oyo State has witnessed political turmoil .The Governor of the State, Alhaji Rasheed Ladoja, who is popular among the people of the State, was impeached by 18 members of the Oyo State House of Assembly last year, allegedly, at the instigation of Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, the godfather of the State.

Ladoja’s recent reinstatement has been met with joy by many Oyo State indigenes who see him as a man with ears to their needs. ‘Ladoja is popular with the people, civil servants,’ the source said. ‘He was impeached over cooked-up reasons because he didn’t cooperate with Adedibu.’

‘The cancer of godfatherism is ravaging the State,’ he said.

A recent clash by supporters of Alhaji Rasheed Ladoja and Deputy Governor and gubernatorial flag-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State , Otunba Christopher Alao-Akala, led to the death of three people and at least twenty injured five days ago.

Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines were found in Adedibu’s residence, sparking fears of election rigging.

Akala’s 11-month stint in power is riddled with accusations of corruption. ‘He inflated contracts deliberately,’ the source revealed. ‘The NAPO hall contract – a hall of historical importance – was blown to N200 million.’

Since the advent of democracy in Africa’s largest and one of the world’s largest democracies, four State Governors have been impeached – Joshua Dariye of Plateau , D.S.P.Alamiesigha of Bayelsa, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti , and Peter Obi of Anambra – but of all of them, only two initiated and withstood court challenges and emerged victorious.

Four State Chief Judges responsible for unconstitutional impeachments were suspended by the National Judicial Council (NJC) - Justice Chuka Jideofor Okoli (Anambra), Justice Ya’u Dakwang (Plateau), Justice Kayode Bamishile (Ekiti),  and Justice Jubril Aladejana – for the roles they played in the impeachments.

In may 2004, President Olusegun Obasanjo imposed a state of emergency in Jos and last October , Ekiti State .

There are fears that a PDP controlled State House, will impeach Ladoja again, led by Adedibu, the godfather of the State, who controls Akala, the Deputy Governor and a number of Legislators in the State.

The Governor of Adamawa State, Boni Haruna, might soon be impeached.

President Obasanjo has been criticized for his uncritical stance in the Oyo State crises and other States’ impeachments.

Jide Ayobolu writes: ‘What is noticeable is the fact that, the president is using the EFCC to undermine the governors by instigating the state legislators to impeach the state governors even through unconstitutional means, so that, he can continue to hang on to political power even beyond the time that is stipulated by the constitution.’

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Robot  Villager

# 1 ‘ ...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 07.02.2007 07:44