Makinde's Victory, Bola Ige's Failure-The Backbone & 'Frontbone'! | By 'Wole Oladapo

Chief Bola Ige, former governor of old Oyo state, despite his tremendous achievements and popularity, could not be reelected in 1983, as a result of the negative impact of the 'frontbone' activities. But, many have alluded the victory of the present Governor Seyi Makinde to his good service delivery!

All that Bola Ige and Seyi Makinde went through, at different  times, few months, weeks or days to their reelection bids, and  the failure or success, thereafter, despite their pragmatic approaches to good governance, were reflections of the duality of the natural/residual powers of the people, as the backbone and 'frontbone' of human successes and failures in this tumultuous world!

Anything that happens to human being, in life, is neither negative nor a curse- to the discerning minds- its always either a blessing or a lesson for the future. Hence, Governor Makinde's electoral victory was a blessing to the people of Oyo state, and a lesson to Governor Makinde on the need to be a little bit circumspect, often not to take his immediate political family/associates for granted, in terms  of their feelings, demands, advices, political expression and apprehension- in order to avoid...."Eni ti a ni kose to....to ni oun ko lee se to....to pada wa se tototooo, nigbagba" - ability to manage the human elements in humans.

While, at the national level, there is the need not to always be nonconformist to party's internal rules and collective decisions/interests- no matter the divergent views of one or few- so as not to rock the boat, in order to avoid the disastrous consequences, which many innocent PDP candidates were victims of, during the last 2023 general elections.

"Eniyan laso....Eniyan naa tun lee bo aso lara eniyan"- people can be one's backbones, and at another time can act as one's 'frontbone'- dissidents/albatrosses, despite one's goodwill, impact, and landmark, but manifestation  of the underground    circumstantial events- 'Fear people many times, before God' is the injunction,  and wise saying!

Unlike Chief Bola Ige, (1983), who, on the state radio/television, (BCOS), had asked the people; why the Gubernatorial electoral results turned so sour! Governor Makinde, in his case, was not immediately caught/consumed, in a jiffy, by the cobwebs of the human elements of his own undoing/actions. But the one week postponement of the Gubernatorial election, gave him the Special Grace and ample opportunities to run around, and make contacts for necessary interventions- physically, spiritually, politically, and financial wise- so as not to be consumed by  the 'frontbone' activities, occasioned by political intrigues/intricacies- using both the traditional and social media, which Makinde equally used to his best advantage, in order to win back, the support of his people - the backbone against the 'frontbone'- till the Thursday night of the electioneering campaigns deadline, indeed. 

The two case studies of Chief Bola Ige and  Governor Seyi Makinde, in the contemporary Oyo State politics  of achievements, have really shown the constant denomination of the people, in different dynamics changes, as the most important pillars in the leadership support chain .

A GREAT LESSON TO  ALL, INDEED!

E-signed 

'Wole OLADIPO 

oladipooluwole21@gmail.com. 08033598528.

Man Arrested Over Attempt To Propose To Pop Star, Rihanna

A yet-to-be identified man who travelled to Los Angeles from South Carolina  and showed up at Pop star Rihanna's Beverly Hills home to propose to the singer was detained by Los Angeles police on Thursday.

According to DailyMail,  the man arrived at the singer's house and informed her security he was there to ask for her hand in marriage.

Rihanna's security team alerted the police, who arrived, handcuffed the man, put him in a car, and had a serious talk with him about his intentions.

It is unknown whether the singer, who is expecting her second child with rapper A$AP Rocky, was at home at the time, but the man was eventually released and told never to return.

Source: punch

Appeal Court Sets Aside Tribunal Verdict, Upholds Adeleke's Electoral Victory

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on Friday, set aside the judgement of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal delivered on January 27, 2023, which had sacked Governor Ademola Adeleke from office.

The appeallate court gave the judgement in a 31-grounds of appeal filed by Adeleke.

Senator Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party had won the said election held on 16 July, 2022, but the result was nullified by the tribunal on the grounds of over-voting.

Consequently, a 3-man panel of the tribunal ordered Adeleke’s sack, and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to withdraw the certificate of return issued to him and issue a fresh one to Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress as the duly elected governor of Osun.

The tribunal held that Adeleke did not score the majority of lawful votes during the July 16 governorship election in the state.

Adeleke was declared the winner of the governorship poll held on July 16.

But not satisfied with the outcome of the poll, in August 2022, Oyetola, the former Osun governor and his party, the APC petitioned the tribunal to challenge the victory of Adeleke on the grounds that he did not qualify to contest the election and that there was over voting in 749 polling units across 10 local government areas of the state.

In the judgement, two out of the three-member panel of the tribunal held that Oyetola proved substantially that there was indeed over-voting in some of the polling units.

Delivering judgment, the appellate panel led by Justice Mohamed Lawal Shuaibu held that the tribunal erred on the side of the petitioner by not addressing the issue raised by Adeleke in his preliminary objection to Oyetola’s petition.

“On the whole, the appeal is meritorious and thereby allowed.

“The 1st and 2nd respondents shall pay cost of N500,000 each to the appellant, the panel held.

Convicted Nigerian Fugitive Extradited To U.S Over Offer, Payment of Illegal Remuneration

A Convicted Nigerian fugitive, Florence Enwerim Onyegbu, was on Thursday, March 23, 2023, extradited to the United States of America, USA, where she is wanted to answer to criminal charges bordering on violation of the U.S. Law involving the offer and payment of illegal remuneration in a health care matter.

Her extradition was coordinated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, following a request by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI,  seeking assistance for her apprehension. 

Investigations by the EFCC revealed that she had changed her name from Florence E. Onyegbu to Janet Boi in an attempt to remain hidden.

She, however, ran out of luck when operatives of the EFCC swooped on her at her residence in the Ojodu area of Lagos on February 21, 2022.

Upon her arrest, a national identity card with the name Janet Boi as well as a Texas driver’s license with the name Florence Enwerim Onyegbu were found on her.

The Commission, on March 22, 2023, handed over Onyegbu to the FBI, following an extradition order granted by Justice Z.B. Abubakar of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on December 2, 2022.

Onyegbu’s travails began after she was arrested on February 12, 2011 in the U.S. and subsequently sentenced to 46 months imprisonment, following a guilty plea , over the violation of the U.S. Law bordering on the offer and payment of illegal remuneration in a health care matter.

Although she was ordered to report for service of her sentence on April 4, 2011, she failed to surrender on that date.

Consequently, she was further charged with failure to surrender for service of sentence in violation of U.S. Law on March 4, 2013.