Your defeat would be worst During Guber Poll: Kwara Youth leader tells Saraki


The President of the Kwara Youth Stakeholders Forum and the Secretary of the APC Presidential Youth Mobilisation Committee in Kwara State, Charles Olufemi Folayan has reaffirmed that the APC will defeat the PDP in Kwara State on March 9 gubernatorial election.The Youth leader said Bukola Saraki and his proteges would suffer devastating defeat greater than what they experienced during the Presidential and National Assembly Election on the 23rd of February.

Charles Olufemi folayan stated this while addressing new decampees from PDP to APC in Isin and Oke-Ero local government areas of the state.

He said the Statement credited to the Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki that the PDP will come out victorious in the Gubernatorial and State Assembly Election is a self deceit declaration, adding that most of the people pretending to be Saraki followers today are doing so to get some money from him for the election and not doing it from their heart

The President Kwara Youth Stakeholders therefore urged the decampees to show their strength by mobilizing people to increasing the votes from their local government compare to the Presidential and National Assembly Election

He however appealed to people in the two councils, especially Oke-Ero not to waste their vote but vote en masse for Abdulrasaq Abdulrahman and all APC candidates on March 9 poll.

Noting that community development would be enhanced when the community belong to the ruling party.

He also urged Kwarans to support the ruling All Progressive party in the forthcoming election and should not allow themselves to be induced with stipend currently being thrown around by the PDP.

Youth Leader charges Kwara APC Youth to mobilize, deliver polling units for APC in guber, Assembly election


The President of the Kwara Youth Stakeholders Forum and the Secretary of the APC Presidential Youth Mobilisation Committee in Kwara State Charles Olufemi Folayan has called on all the APC youth stakeholders in the State to come out en masse in the forthcoming governorship and state assembly elections to reaffirmed the state interest they have in mind that made them voted for President Buhari and all APC candidates in last election.

He charged kwara youth to make sure that APC do not only produced the next governor of the state but have full control of the state assembly to give AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq needed support to take the state to her committee of states in term of infrastructural development and policy formation.

The youth leader said this while expressing gratitude to teeming young people of the APC in the State, he thanked them for trooping out on the 23rd of February to re-elect President Muhammadu Buhari and members of the National Assembly in the State

He said the youth were the major stakeholders that made victory happened for APC in the State. He, however urged the youth not to relent in their efforts but rekindle it to see the success of the gubernatorial and state assembly’s election

“We made the Otoge revolution happened in Kwara and I am sure the party at the National and the State chapter will not let us down, we must therefore rekindle our efforts to ensure we win the gubernatorial and Assembly election with landslide

We are aware that the PDP are moving around trying to induce our people with money and material things, let’s reject them and counter their falsehood with facts and ensure that we deliver all our polling units and wards for the APC on the 9th of March.

Though we have left Egypt but not yet at the promise land and by God grace we shall get there, the youth leader said.

*Kwara Hausa Community Pledges Support For Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq*

...Says PDP Government Marginalised Them


The Hausa community in Kwara State has pledged their support for APC governorship candidate, Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq ahead of March 9 governorship poll.

The Imam of Hausa community, Alhaji Udu Usman made this known on Wednesday while addressing newsmen after prayer session and Public Lecture organised by Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq Support Group held at Abdulrasaq family House, Surulere-Ilorin.

Alhaji Usman decried the marginalisation of people from Hausa extraction living in Kwara state by outgoing PDP administration in the last 16 years.

He added that the entire Hausa community will support Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq and other APC candidates in the remaining poll.

Imam Usman noted that they delivered all polling units in their domain for APC and President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday.

Narrating their ordeal under PDP government, he explained they were abandoned by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and during days of the Senate President as Governor despite their contributions to Kwara state development.

'We only got Special Assistant appointment for two years in first term of Governor Ahmed. Bukola Saraki is aware of our stand about his self-centered leadership''. He added

In his lecture,popular Kwara based Islamic Scholar, Alhaji Aliagan stated that APC's victory in the state signifies people rejection of bad governance, retrogressive leadership and maladministration.

Alhaji Aliagan said his agitation was not targeted against any individual but genuine call for social justice and development of Kwara state.

He disclosed that he will give incoming administration to be led by Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq with support of Almighty God one year to bring meaningful development in Kwara or face similarly agitation from the masses.

While speaking on reelection of President Buhari, Aliagan urged the president to intensify development of Nigeria and avoid unnecessary political distraction.

Dignitaries at event include Dr. Alimi Abdulrasaq, DG Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq Campaign Organization, Yahaya Seriki, Comrade Musbau Esinrogunjo among others.

Thousands of APC members and supporters prayed for Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq success in the forthcoming governorship election.

*Hon Mashood Mustapha (MM) was not Arrested, Delivers Polling Unit to APC*

Our attention has been drawn to a malicious rumour that Hon. Mashood Mustapha (MM) was arrested in Ilorin. This rumour, which undoubtedly emanated from the retrogressive camp is not only laughable but a figment of the peddler's imagination.

For the records, Hon. MM arrived his family house in Isale Aluko, Alanamu ward alongside his driver and orderly at about 7:05am to exercise his civic responsibility. After casting his vote, he stayed behind to interact with friends and family and left for an important meeting at about 3:30pm.

Aside from being a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, Hon. Mashood Mustapha is a respectable politician whose popularity transcends beyond Kwara state. Thus, he will never do anything to dent a reputation he has built over the years.

The former federal lawmaker has paid his dues as far as Kwara politics is concerned and he is resolute to put an end to political godfatherism in Kwara state; a feat which has thrown the retrogressive camp in disarray.

Hon. Mashood Mustapha is known for his resilience and respect for the rule of law. He has never been caught in any form of illegality and he will never drag the name of the respectable Mustapha's family in the mud.

It gladdens our heart to inform the good people of Kwara state that not only did Hon. MM exercise his franchise today, but he also delivered his Polling Unit (Aiyebasan 024) to APC just as he has promised. This is the beginning of good things to come in Kwara state.

Earlier in the day, the Kwara state Police PRO, DSP Ajayi Okasanmi debunked the rumour of Hon. MM's purported arrest on behalf of the Kwara state police command. He advised social media users to discountenace the story in its entirety, noting that "fake news is destructive, we must avoid it like a plague, arrest and prosecution awaits writers of such news".

Arising from the foregoing, we urge naysayers to desist from spreading falsehood about an honourable man or face the wrath of the law.

Change has come to stay in Kwara and truly, enough is enough (O To Ge)!!!

*MM Group*

Kwara 2019: Presidential Aide, Other Youths, Move To Reconcile Aggrieved APC Members


As part of the effort to wrestle power from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State, and resolving the crisis emanating from the fallout of the All Progresives Congress (APC) party primaries, the Special Assistant to the President on IDPs (Social Investments), Mr. Mohammed Brimah, prominent youth of the party led by the Party State Youth leader and members representing the 16 Local Government Areas of the State have formed a 20-man committee with the aim of reconciling aggrieved party members and stakeholders in the State.

The group chaired by Mr. Brimah held its inaugural meeting on the 9th November 2018 at the state headquarters of the Kwara Alliance for Buhari/Osinbajo in Ilorin, in a bid to strategize on the best way to implement their strategy.

While addressing the members, Mr. Brimah said, “We can not pretend to be unaware of some form of injustice done to some people during and after the party primaries in the state. We must acknowledge that it can be frustrating and painful to be on the receiving end of this. Therefore, we must begin to implement a pragmatic and lasting reconciliation strategy. We must ensure all interests are accommodated at all levels to a very reasonable extent.

“The fact remains that we must see the challenges as a family affair and we can not allow the opposition to reap from it. We must not allow the imminent victory of the APC in Kwara to be truncated. We must protect the struggle to achieve the needed liberation that brought us together in the first place and work together for victory.”

Mr. Brimah further said that the younger generation has more stake in the prosperity of the State and the country at large and must see themselves as the major stakeholders in the struggle for peace and development of the State.

The Reconciliation Committee is expected, in a short time, to meet with the party executives and all the aspirants, who contested for the party’s Governorship, Senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly primaries.

KWARA GUBER RACE: PROF. OBA ABDULRAHEEM LEADS IN PUBLIC OPINION POLLS

An independent survey conducted by the Kwara Youth Stakeholders Forum (KYSF) this week has shown that former VC of the University of Ilorin Prof. Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem is the most preferred candidate by most of the respondents in Kwara State.

The survey was conducted through questionnaires distributed to the 16 Local Government Areas of the State, in order to get the opinion of the people which will also help to shape and possibly prune down the number of aspirants that will go into the race especially at this period that the state opposition party needs a strong and acceptable candidate to face Saraki's PDP

The survey questions include *Acceptability of candidate in each senatorial district
*Competence
*Integrity
*Grassroot support
*Religious Tolerance
*Party Cooperation
*Capacity to defeat Saraki's PDP
*Tendency to work for Saraki
*Records of Community Development and
*Financial Capacity

The result of the survey released by the group acting President Abdulrazak Oyan indicated that Prof. Oba Abdulraheem was favored by the response of about 70% of the respondents in most of the areas highlighted for rating except for his financial capacity which many rated low.

He said, while the organization can not determine who gets the party ticket, their survey is to bring out the interest of the people at the grassroot.

FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION (FGM);
THE MYTH AND THE SCARY REALITIES
The Myth
Just like in any socially entrenched tradition, myths surrounds the issue of female circumcision , but onewhich is major in many traditions, has it that, at a point in time, one of the ancestors of the human race “Orisa” and also a traditional deity (to some) in much of Africa and Asia, had a daughter who, at puberty, was said to be extremely wayward and promiscuous, bringing to her father, shame, as no one was willing to take her as wife. In time and after several consultations and divinations, Orisa was said to have been advised to circumcise her so as to take away the seeming “ curse”. The deed was carried out and it was said that she ceased her untoward ways. And since then, in many areas, people tend to see female circumcision as necessity in their lifes.
In many communities spanning Africa, Asia, Uganda, The Middle East and many more, the practice goes by several names in the form of initiation for instance the Samburu FGM ceremony in Kenya. It takesplace at regular intervals in various parts of such communities e.g. every three years.
In many communities, the practice is rooted in traditional Islamic ideas about sexuality, purity, modesty and beauty. And in still many more, it is seen by some(both men and especially older women as a source of honour failing which their daughters and grand daughters would not be fully integrated into their community socially and they would be exposed to social exclusion. Such parents believe that their children who do not partake in such ceremonies would be ostracised from their communities, they and their offsprings become complete outcasts from their communities, this they much fear.
The Reality
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) which some people erroneously term female circumcision (in converse to male circumcision is “The partial or total removal of the external female Instruments or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons”
(WHO, UNICEF, 1997). This practice comes in various forms classsfiable broadly into four.; The first is the partial or total removal of the clitoris and or the prepuce.
The second involves the partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora with or without excision of the labia majora.
The third (also termed infibulation) is the narrowing of the vaginal orifice with creation of a covering seal by cutting and apositioning the labia minora and or the labia majora with or without excision of the clitoris.
And the last is unclassified as it involves any and all other form harmful procedures to the female Instruments for non-medical purposes.
Just for the records, the practice has not been proved to have any known health benefits. However, the realities of the negatives of the practice are rather scary.
Among these, primary is the issue of infection to the circumcised. Often times, the medical utensils and itemsused are not sterilized properly , leading to transfer of infections like HIV from one victim to another.
Relatedly, many times, the cuts repeatedly get infected because they are often not well treated and managed. Also, there are often recorded cases of excessive and fatal bleeding of victims which are not readily treated and this may lead to deaths in some cases.
In addition, complications may occur in the process in which case, over time the circumcised may have difficulty in urination and passing of menstrual flow.
It is not unusual for the practice to cause difficulty in getting pregnant and problems too during child birth for the circumcised. And development of cysts as an offshoot of the mutilation is often a recorded case in the circumcised.
All these are not to talk of the accompanying excruciating pain through which the
circumcised go in the process of circumcision andthrough the period of the wound
healing.
The individual circumcised may have psychological trauma coming from the pain,
shock and the use of physical force by those performing the FGM. Post traumatic
stress, disorder, anxiety ,depression and even memory loss may occur which often
stays with the circumcised for life just like child abuse.
The circumcised, feel ashamed, alone and disempowered, unwilling to expose what
they had gone through. They are traumatised with sleep problems and chronic stress.
The effect on relationships cannot be overlooked. Women, who have undergone FGM are more likely (thanwomen who have not) to experience painful intercourse, reduced sexual desire basically leading to sexual phobia. They may also experience difficulty or even inability to reach orgasm. The scenario above often gives rise to avoidance of sex culminating in marital dissatisfaction and marital problems.
The society is not spared, in fact in recent times, many societies are suffering most
where the practice is still rampant. In such places, we find the communities losing their
youths to the outside world. Many of the youths prefer not to go through such practice
again, neither, are they ready to expose their daughters to same because of the dangers
involved, they prefer to be “stigmatised”, ostracised andexpelled from their
communities than go through the rigours of the practice and due to the dangers
involved.
Such youths see the act as rather archaic and unhealthy and they would prefer to
live and breed outside their communities with people from other areas where such
practice is not enforced.
Because of enlightenment and due to education, some youths also feel the
practice is not healthy due to the health risks involved.
By no other means minor in the consideration against such a practice is the
religious perspective. Many people today regard the practice as being rather barbaric, belonging to paganisticlifestyle reminiscent of initiation into devilry and the occultic among unbelievers.
Although anthropologists in explaining away the issue of the practice of Female
Genital Circumcision (FGM) have raised the issue ofcultural relativism and
universality of human rights. From the above discussion, we would see that as research
proves, the practice is of no scientific or medical benefit to the circumcised while the
latter stands to reap many disadvantages
In the light of the above, UNICEF, WHO and UNFPA are making concerted effort
to stop the practice all over the world. One takes it to bethe common wish of all and
sundry to help stamp out the practice completely for the dangers involved.

GO TO YOUR WARDS NOW: KYSF PRESIDENT TELLS KWARA YOUTH

The President of the Kwara Youth Stakeholders Forum Charles Olufemi Folayan has urged Progressive Youths in Kwara State to move to their various wards for proper involvement in politics because all serious political participation begin at Ward level.

Mr Charles Olufemi Folayan said this at Kwara Youth stakeholders Forum in Ilorin Kwara State Capital on Monday, ahead of forthcoming APC Congress to elect fresh State Executives that will direct the affairs of the party for the next four years to complied with the directives of National Working Committee Of the party.

The youth interest advocator advised the Youths to seized their large numbers and be major decider of who control what within the party structure for their better future because he who wear the shoes knows where it is pinch.

According to him  “Many of you are aware that the National Working Committee of APC has dissolved the party executives from State to Ward level and has constituted a caretaker committee led by Hon. Bashir Bolarinwa, it’s therefore important for us to prepare and contest for position in the upcoming congress to enable us use our energy, strength and skills to work for the party’s victory in the 2019 general elections and liberate our state once and for all”

He said, the recent defection of some APC members in the State has separated the chaff from the wheat and that the youth will not have the moral justification to complain about marginalization if they refuse to participate from the party level especially when there is no longer any fear of impunity and imposition in the party.

He, however urged the youth to participate in their wards, Local Government and State meetings from now on so as to be part of the decision making at the party level and for them to also make reality the change they want to see.



Sent from my iPhone

Kwara : Igbomina / Ekiti youths demands for Charles Folayan Candidacy in 2019 Election

The Concerned Youths of Kwara South stakeholders group has called on one of them Mr. Charles Olufemi Folayan to come out and show interest in representing his people at National Assembly come 2019 general election.

The call was made at the economic summit for the Youths of Kwara South Senatorial district held at Omu-Aran, Irepodun local government area of the State.

The Economic Summit which was targeted at making youths independent and creative towards betterment of their future instead of waiting for White collar job that are very few and competitive at moment.

According to the Statement released by the Youths group to journalists after the summit “ We have resolved to put more effort in development the skills of the youth in the region to prevent them to be used as political thugs by politicians from the zones and other zones in the State, to further prevent the recent incident that happened to our youth in Oro”

We have also resolved to support the candidacy of our brother who always reckons with our conditions and strive hard on how to bring outright development to our beloved communities, to come out boldly and show interest in representing the good people of his people Irepodun/Isin/Ekiti/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency Come 2019 election.

Furthermore we have agreed to intensify effort in sensitizing people most especially the youth to participate fully and positively in the democratic process that will usher in good leadership that will pay attention to human and natural resources development in the state.

Mr Charles Olufemi Folayan who hail from Ekan-Meje in Oke-Ero Local Government area was one time legislative aide at National Assembly and presently Technical Assistant to President Muhammed Buhari on Youth and Student Affairs.

The group which is also know as “Asoju Odo Igbomina and Ekiti Parapo” stated.

Kwara : Igbomina / Ekiti youths demands for Charles Folayan Candidacy in 2019 Election

The Concerned Youths of Kwara South stakeholders group has called on one of them Mr. Charles Olufemi Folayan to come out and show interest in representing his people at National Assembly come 2019 general election.

The call was made at the economic summit for the Youths of Kwara South Senatorial district held at Omu-Aran, Irepodun local government area of the State.

The Economic Summit which was targeted at making youths independent and creative towards betterment of their future instead of waiting for White collar job that are very few and competitive at moment.

According to the Statement released by the Youths group to journalists after the summit “ We have resolved to put more effort in development the skills of the youth in the region to prevent them to be used as political thugs by politicians from the zones and other zones in the State, to further prevent the recent incident that happened to our youth in Oro”

We have also resolved to support the candidacy of our brother who always reckons with our conditions and strive hard on how to bring outright development to our beloved communities, to come out boldly and show interest in representing the good people of his people Irepodun/Isin/Ekiti/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency Come 2019 election.

Furthermore we have agreed to intensify effort in sensitizing people most especially the youth to participate fully and positively in the democratic process that will usher in good leadership that will pay attention to human and natural resources development in the state.

Mr Charles Olufemi Folayan who hail from Ekan-Meje in Oke-Ero Local Government area was one time legislative aide at National Assembly and presently Technical Assistant to President Muhammed Buhari on Youth and Student Affairs.

The group which is also know as “Asoju Odo Igbomina and Ekiti Parapo” stated.

Kwara : Igbomina / Ekiti youths demands for Charles Folayan Candidacy in 2019 Election

The Concerned Youths of Kwara South stakeholders group has called on one of them Mr. Charles Olufemi Folayan to come out and show interest in representing his people at National Assembly come 2019 general election.

The call was made at the economic summit for the Youths of Kwara South Senatorial district held at Omu-Aran, Irepodun local government area of the State.

The Economic Summit which was targeted at making youths independent and creative towards betterment of their future instead of waiting for White collar job that are very few and competitive at moment.

According to the Statement released by the Youths group to journalists after the summit “ We have resolved to put more effort in development the skills of the youth in the region to prevent them to be used as political thugs by politicians from the zones and other zones in the State, to further prevent the recent incident that happened to our youth in Oro”

We have also resolved to support the candidacy of our brother who always reckons with our conditions and strive hard on how to bring outright development to our beloved communities, to come out boldly and show interest in representing the good people of his people Irepodun/Isin/Ekiti/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency Come 2019 election.

Furthermore we have agreed to intensify effort in sensitizing people most especially the youth to participate fully and positively in the democratic process that will usher in good leadership that will pay attention to human and natural resources development in the state.

Mr Charles Olufemi Folayan who hail from Ekan-Meje in Oke-Ero Local Government area was one time legislative aide at National Assembly and presently Technical Assistant to President Muhammed Buhari on Youth and Student Affairs.

The group which is also know as “Asoju Odo Igbomina and Ekiti Parapo” stated.

Mr Olufolajimi Abegunde is a Nigerian with trails of brighter future. His insatiable appetite for quality education is apparent even if such could take him off the shores of his home country . Of utmost importance to him is how to weather the storm and compete favorably with his counterparts across the globe.



In 2014, his quest for knowledge and self actualization glaringly manifested, as he obtained a study visa to pursue a masters degree in Business Administration (MBA) in the United States, which he successfully completed in 2015 at the Mays Business School of Texas A&M in Texas. Mr Abegunde decided to remain in the US after the completion of his MBA programme, and in the long run, courted and married a US National, who also serves in the US Army till date with a stellar record of service to her country.



While his goals were being accomplished as planned, though not without challenges, the Nigerian was oblivious of the trouble lurking around for him.



Mr Abegunde floated a business (money remittances) and secured the requisite licenses both in the US (in the state of Georgia, Atlanta) and also in Nigeria with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to enable him practice with no let or hindrance internationally in line with the demands of the money remittances business.

.

However, when in August of 2016 Mr Abegunde's friend, Ayomide Olumide Ojo, came visiting with his family to the US, Mr Abegunde never knew trouble was in the offing, which he may likely pay for dearly.



Mr Ojo had a cheque from the Bank of America with which he maintained an account, but same was closed arbitrarily (this is the fate of many Nigerians in the US) and he was handed a cheque with the value of the balance in the account on it. Mr Ojo's several attempts to cash the cheque over the counter proved futile and on one of several attempts, he was advised by the cashier, to open another account in a different bank to lodge the cheque into the account, in order to clear it and then get the value of the cheque in cash.



However, since Mr Ojo wasn't resident in the US and on account of his visitor's status, Mr Ojo used Olufolajimi's house address in Atlanta Georgia for the bank(Wells Fargo) requirement on the forms to be filled out by Mr Ojo.



Mr Ojo was notified by the bank (Wells Fargo) in October of 2016 when a person in California inadvertently made a transaction into his account, Mr Ojo immediately authorize the reversal of this transaction. It should be noted that this money was never withdrawn or spent by Mr Ojo, Wells Fargo reversed the transaction.



On March of 2017, two FBI Agents by names Kevin Hall and Tyson Fowler visited Mr Abegunde’s residence in search of Mr Ojo who by then had long left the US after his visit, Mr Abegunde gave these two agents full cooperation and ensured that Mr Ojo contacted the FBI within one hour after they departed. However during their visit, it seemed as though these FBI Agents had already formed an opinion of guilt about Mr Abegunde. This was evident when they asked Mr Abegunde “why do you Nigerians like defrauding us Americans?” They also asked how he could afford his living expenses, to which he told them that he had founded a startup duly licensed by the Georgia State authorities and also the Central Bank of Nigeria. Regardless of the character impugning questions posed to Mr Abegunde, he still made good on his word to assist in the FBI investigation by ensuring that Mr Ojo contacted the FBI Agents.



Available information showed that Mr Abegunde had since February 7, 2018 being held in custody on alleged charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft all of which there is no evidence to substantiate the charges especially the last one. Mr Abegunde has however continued to maintain his innocence all this while and has stated repeatedly that there must have been a mix up coupled with several inconsistencies in the investigation process.



His bail hearing was denied, and at the hearing for a review of same, his lawyer Mr William D. Massey, was able to establish that the governments case on Mr Abegunde was very weak as the evidence presented in relation to the indictment charges were unfounded and can be said not to even exist as there was no link to the said charges. It was thus clear to any objective observer at the hearing, that this is a pure case of stereotyping and racial profiling solely based on Mr. Abegunde's Nationality. In the light of the FBI agents and AUSA Debra Ireland not being able to establish a link between Mr Abegunde and the alleged crimes other than his house address which was used by Mr Ojo in opening a new account, even after Discovery has been completed. Mr Abegunde has been granted a Jury trial set for Tuesday, October 9th, 2018 at 9:30AM by the Judge, Sheryl Lipman of the Western Tennessee District Court, which is separate from the complex trail process already alleged against other Defendants in this matter.



The plight of the Defendant(who is this case is also a victim of fraud) is one out of many, and has typified the ugly scenario in the US where innocent people, who on their own volition, left their countries of birth in search of greener pastures, are being subjected to harassment, intimidation and unwarranted punishment.



It behooves on this competent court of law (Western Tennessee District Court) hearing his case and international community to ensure that justice is served and only guilty persons are punished for their crimes, not innocent persons, as this will ensure that this innocent man is not made a victim of racial stereotype and seen as a mere statistic in terms of conviction ratings by the FBI and Assistant United States Attorneys assigned to this case.

Abegunde Olufolajimi: The Mistaken Identity in US detention


Mr Olufolajimi Abegunde is a Nigerian with trails of brighter future. His insatiable appetite for quality education is apparent even if such could take him off the shores of his home country . Of utmost importance to him is how to weather the storm and compete favorably with his counterparts across the globe.



In 2014, his quest for knowledge and self actualization glaringly manifested, as he obtained a study visa to pursue a masters degree in Business Administration (MBA) in the United States, which he successfully completed in 2015 at the Mays Business School of Texas A&M in Texas. Mr Abegunde decided to remain in the US after the completion of his MBA programme, and in the long run, courted and married a US National, who also serves in the US Army till date with a stellar record of service to her country.



While his goals were being accomplished as planned, though not without challenges, the Nigerian was oblivious of the trouble lurking around for him.



Mr Abegunde floated a business (money remittances) and secured the requisite licenses both in the US (in the state of Georgia, Atlanta) and also in Nigeria with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to enable him practice with no let or hindrance internationally in line with the demands of the money remittances business.

.

However, when in August of 2016 Mr Abegunde's friend, Ayomide Olumide Ojo, came visiting with his family to the US, Mr Abegunde never knew trouble was in the offing, which he may likely pay for dearly.



Mr Ojo had a cheque from the Bank of America with which he maintained an account, but same was closed arbitrarily (this is the fate of many Nigerians in the US) and he was handed a cheque with the value of the balance in the account on it. Mr Ojo's several attempts to cash the cheque over the counter proved futile and on one of several attempts, he was advised by the cashier, to open another account in a different bank to lodge the cheque into the account, in order to clear it and then get the value of the cheque in cash.



However, since Mr Ojo wasn't resident in the US and on account of his visitor's status, Mr Ojo used Olufolajimi's house address in Atlanta Georgia for the bank(Wells Fargo) requirement on the forms to be filled out by Mr Ojo.



Mr Ojo was notified by the bank (Wells Fargo) in October of 2016 when a person in California inadvertently made a transaction into his account, Mr Ojo immediately authorize the reversal of this transaction. It should be noted that this money was never withdrawn or spent by Mr Ojo, Wells Fargo reversed the transaction.



On March of 2017, two FBI Agents by names Kevin Hall and Tyson Fowler visited Mr Abegunde’s residence in search of Mr Ojo who by then had long left the US after his visit, Mr Abegunde gave these two agents full cooperation and ensured that Mr Ojo contacted the FBI within one hour after they departed. However during their visit, it seemed as though these FBI Agents had already formed an opinion of guilt about Mr Abegunde. This was evident when they asked Mr Abegunde “why do you Nigerians like defrauding us Americans?” They also asked how he could afford his living expenses, to which he told them that he had founded a startup duly licensed by the Georgia State authorities and also the Central Bank of Nigeria. Regardless of the character impugning questions posed to Mr Abegunde, he still made good on his word to assist in the FBI investigation by ensuring that Mr Ojo contacted the FBI Agents.



Available information showed that Mr Abegunde had since February 7, 2018 being held in custody on alleged charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft all of which there is no evidence to substantiate the charges especially the last one. Mr Abegunde has however continued to maintain his innocence all this while and has stated repeatedly that there must have been a mix up coupled with several inconsistencies in the investigation process.



His bail hearing was denied, and at the hearing for a review of same, his lawyer Mr William D. Massey, was able to establish that the governments case on Mr Abegunde was very weak as the evidence presented in relation to the indictment charges were unfounded and can be said not to even exist as there was no link to the said charges. It was thus clear to any objective observer at the hearing, that this is a pure case of stereotyping and racial profiling solely based on Mr. Abegunde's Nationality. In the light of the FBI agents and AUSA Debra Ireland not being able to establish a link between Mr Abegunde and the alleged crimes other than his house address which was used by Mr Ojo in opening a new account, even after Discovery has been completed. Mr Abegunde has been granted a Jury trial set for Tuesday, October 9th, 2018 at 9:30AM by the Judge, Sheryl Lipman of the Western Tennessee District Court, which is separate from the complex trail process already alleged against other Defendants in this matter.



The plight of the Defendant(who is this case is also a victim of fraud) is one out of many, and has typified the ugly scenario in the US where innocent people, who on their own volition, left their countries of birth in search of greener pastures, are being subjected to harassment, intimidation and unwarranted punishment.



It behooves on this competent court of law (Western Tennessee District Court) hearing his case and international community to ensure that justice is served and only guilty persons are punished for their crimes, not innocent persons, as this will ensure that this innocent man is not made a victim of racial stereotype and seen as a mere statistic in terms of conviction ratings by the FBI and Assistant United States Attorneys assigned to this case.

*The Last Lap of The Drowning King.*

By - Tiamiyu Olorunisola

This is perhaps not the best season for the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki. Political analysts are aware of his inherited political dynasty. However, the dynasty which his father handed over to him is at the verge of collapse due to his pride and arrogance.

When Saraki became the Kwara state governor at age forty, Kwarans saw a young, intelligent and agile youth; they were practically unaware of the potential danger and calamity ahead.

He was dubbed 'the emerging tiger' without knowing that the young tiger will grow up to bite so hard that it will take only God's intervention to recover fully.

Bukola Saraki got to power through a banner of hope and canopy of prosperity. An average Kwaran was singing for a change in the leadership of the state. Mohammed Lawal had a sharp political disagreement with his godfather, Olusola Saraki the father of the Bukola Saraki and this eventually led to the emergence of the later as the governor of Kwara state.

The 2003 election was like a war; Saraki only became victorious due to series of propaganda deployed against Lawal. Their greatest arsenal was pitching the people against Lawal with a tale that being an Afonja man, Lawal will depose the Emir of Ilorin and install a Yoruba Oba from Afonja extraction on Ilorin. The promotion of all the Baloguns to First Class was seen as an action against the throne of the Emir.

Though the rear admiral (Lawal) fought a good fight, he eventually lost to the combination of federal might, dangerous political intrigues and treachery as supervised by the leader of the then Kwara politics, Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki.

There is no gainsaying the fact that at that time, getting the ticket from the PDP wasn't that easy but Deacon John Dara, Chief Lanre Ogundeji and other aspirants weren't too cheap for him to displace; he only emerged victorious through the help political stalwarts like Alhaji Raheem Adedoyin and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who forced other aspirants out, save for John Dara who stood his ground till the last hour when he was defeated through a manipulated primary at Odota Pacific Hotel.

Ironically, Bukola Saraki betrayed everyone who cleared the coast for his victory, especially, Atiku Abubakar and his Late father, Dr. Olusola Saraki.

The inauguration of Bukola Saraki as the 5th Civilian administrator of Kwara could be described as the golden era of Kwara politics. This was due to the active participation of many middle age politicians in their late thirties and early forties in the election. That was certainly a shift from the usual of order of having pool of retirees seeking to take active lead in politics. Some of this young men includes: Gani Cook-Olododo, Moshood Mustapha, Raheem Adedoyin, Dr.Bola Olaosebikan, Dr. Femi Ogunsola, Bibire Ajape and a host of others.

A lot of the aforementioned people later become part of Bukola Saraki's government in various capacities but Saraki had a plan to suppress everybody, thereby, paving way for himself as the Lord of Kwara politics.

Saraki is pride personified and he has no respect for the Yearnings and aspirations of others. He believes that the whole world revolves around him, and him alone. As soon as he settled down in politics in 2003, he commenced the gradual and systematic attack on his contemporaries whom he perceived could give him any form of challenge. Some of them embraced trenches while some abandoned politics.

Saraki willfully attacked the party's internal democracy & mechanisms. He became the structure and the only hierarchy in the fabrics of his party. He sits down to dole out party tickets without respect for the will of the masses. He became the Lord and his supporters dubbed him "Leader," one you have to greet kneeling with your elbow bent and fist clenched as a symbol of loyality.

To him, Kwara has become a personal property and everyone within the system must be answerable to him. The emerging tiger have suddenly turned to a sponsor of deadly killers and even the hunters that brought him home are not spared from his wrath.

His achievement in the state pushed him to national politics. He started by playing Aso-Rock politics between Umaru Yar'adua and Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the president and Vice president respectively. At the death of the former, he was already in the black book of the new president and rather than feel sober and seek repentance, he became more daring due to his natural pride and arrogance. He chose to be a rebel to the president and the PDP. He aligned with his other rebellious bandwagon and formed the nPDP, after which they jumped into the waiting progressive ship.

Those who gave them smooth passage into the APC against the warning of the Kwara progressive group later regretted their actions. That gentle dove they thought they were holding suddenly turned into a dangerous snake. Bukola Saraki insisted he will become the Senate President against the wish of the party, a feat which he later achieved by forming an alliance with the enemies of the party. He didn't achieve that alone, he also sold the position of the Deputy Senate President out to the opposition. What a calamity!

Political parties should ordinarily be powerful than the individuals within the party but Saraki doesn't believe in that. He has the personal belief that he is stronger than the party and the organs of the state. He has no respect for democracy nor the institution of governance. Saraki is the government and government is Saraki. However, this marked the beginning of his waterloo.

Take it or leave it, Saraki is a very intelligent politician with so many survival skills like the proverbial tortoise. More than any known politician in the history of this country, Saraki has been implicated in corruption scandal yet he always finds a way to dodge prosecution. He's a crafty thief with so many survival skills. He was on so many instances, mentioned at the EFCC before he cunningly got a perpetual injunction against prosecution. He was mentioned at Panama paper, SFU, CCT and so many other corruption monitoring offices but yet, he has a way of dodging conclusive investigation and prosecution. He has a record to have connived with a former CBN governor to forcefully take over a bank from the owner after obtaining a non-performing loan. But this time, he has reached the end of the road.

Saraki has been implicated in a full scale armed robbery case in his home state and the police have given the assurance that the case will not be swept under the carpet like the Previous ones. The whole world is watching and the whole nation is interested in this case.

Bukola Saraki resurrected his dead nPDP to scare and negotiate himself back to power against the APC. He assumed that threatening the party hierarchy will earn him the Senate Presidency in the next political dispensation but the party is adamant. This is because they see him as a traitor, having moved against the party arrangements and threatened the party officials.

Back in his state, he has lost his supremacy in the party structure. The duo of Lai Mohammed and Moshood Mustapha are strongly holding on to the authentic structure of the party. Although he has a group of followers who also claim to be the organs of the party, the acceptance of Gani Cook Olodo and three others into the convention committee is a pointer that Saraki is out of the game.

His inability to get the audience of president under the aegis of nPDP is a sign that Bukola Saraki is a drowning king who is only enjoying the last lap of his reign. This is probably the greatest relief to all of us in Kwara and national progressive politics.

*KAWU BARAJE'S nPDP AND ITS UNENDING NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT*

By Abiodun Lawal

Nigerians are ingenious and hardworking people but their efforts have not yielded much dividends because of greedy politicians whose main goal is to milk the country dry for personal aggrandizement. But like the saying goes "no sinner will go unpunished". And so, the enemies of Nigeria have started making mistakes which has reduced them to an object of national embarrassment and ridicule.

The beginning of their waterloo began about two weeks ago when the Kawu Baraje's faction of the APC under the aegis of nPDP, issued a 7-day ultimatum to the president to meet with them and address their grievances.

However, if the group had done their political calculations well, they wouldn't have made such a suicidal move without consultation and due consideration for the consequences of their actions.

But what do you expect from a group of people who do not have a mind of their own? Its not an hidden secret that the plan was orchestrated by their thin-god, Dr. Bukola Saraki and implemented by bunch of sycophants who are Saraki's bootlickers.

However, their plan boomeranged when a faction of the defunct nPDP who are loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari within the Kwara state chapter of the APC, disassociated themselves from the 7-day ultimatum to the president and also exposed Bukola Saraki's high handedness in Kwara state.

As if that was not enough, the Sen. Abdullahi Adamu’s group also exposed the evil intentions of the Baraje group.

Arising from the controversies which trailed Baraje's 7-day ultimatum to the President, he quickly backpedalled and stated that his group did not issue an ultimatum to the president.

As part of their face saving tactics, Baraje and his group pleaded with the Dep. National Chairman of the APC, Sen. Shuaibu Lawal to meet with them; and after the meeting, Baraje issued a press release stating that the APC leadership acknowledges the nPDP grievances as genuine.

With this kind of assertion, one will be forced to ask what grievances Baraje and his group are actually referring to because they are twice as guilty, especially in Kwara State where Kawu Baraje comes from.

I guess they deliberately forgot to mention the factors which culminated in the conduct of parallel congresses in Kwara state which was well attended by aggrieved APC stalwarts in the state. They also forgot to state that what they are accusing the President Muhammadu Buhari's administration of is actually what they are practising at home.

The Bukola Saraki led APC in Kwara state is terribly guilty of Nepotism and favouritism, and this is responsible for the division within the Kwara state chapter of the APC.

It will interest the whole world to know that the APC in Kwara state has been factionalised into Bukola Saraki faction and the Buhari/Osibanjo faction. The faction loyal to Buhari/Osinbajo have been doing everything humanly possible to project the good image of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to the world and this has earned them the contempt of the other faction who are desperate for power.

For how long will this impunity be to allowed to thrive? The APC leadership must be mindful of this political saboteurs who are hell bent on destroying the party before their exodus to another party.

They have done it before and history will repeat itself if no stringent measure in deployed to curtail the excesses of the nPDP group within the APC.

A Concerned Kwaran.

*nPDP: The Unrepentant Harlot*

By Tiamiyu Olorunisola

Any keen political analyst and follower in Nigeria will know of a certain group called nPDP who are always either here nor there politically. They are a group of inconsequential politicians with high libido for corruption and political immorality.

They came to prominence in 2013 when they held a parallel national convention against the larger PDP with a man called Abubakar Kawu Baraje, a Bukola Saraki’s stooge claiming the national chairman. Since then, the body of nPDP has become a tool of destabilization in the hands of Bukola Saraki without any reasonable agenda.

Kawu Baraje himself cannot stand alone to make any political statement; whatever comes from him is from Saraki, and the agenda is to satisfy the insatiable quest for political power by Saraki.

Don’t be deceived by any letter presented by the unrecognised organization to the national body of the APC; the letter is an idea of the senate president to negotiate his way back to political office in 2019.

It would be recalled that Saraki wasn’t the choice of the party leadership for the position of the senate president in 2015; he went into an unholy alliance with the PDP at the last minute to emerge. He knows fully well that the party will make it difficult for him in 2019, hence, the letter of threat to the party to force a negotiation.

What’s the morality of nPDP being in existence after four years merging with the APC? The definition of their existence is the highest degree of immorality like a housewife jumping from bed to bed after going into a holy matrimony with an innocent man.

Saraki is being driven by nothing but corruption with no reasonable feelings for the masses. His emergence as the senate president is the lowest point of Buhari’s administration and the reasons for the rascality in the national assembly.

It is better for the party to allow him to move into another party if he chooses. He represents a group of corrupt political prostitutes running around parties for political powers. Take a trek to Kwara and see that his political strength has been dealt a great blow by the decision of his core loyalists like Hon. Moshood Mustapha and Alhaji Gani Cook-olodo towing the line of morality and national conscience. Don’t also forget that he was stoned by the masses at the Eid praying ground in Ilorin in 2015.

People like Saraki and his co-travelers in the sinking ship of nPDP are unrepentant harlots with no sense of morality. I don’t think they should be given a table for discussion because a harlot doesn’t deserve an elaborate wedding; in a matter of four years she will soon find another sweet husband. So, please let them go!!!