AMILOADED MEDIA HUB NEWS UPDATE
A group, The Osun Masterminds, says there was a sinister plan by some “enemies of the people of Nigeria”, to throw the country into serious crisis over the scarcity of fuel and naira notes, AMILOADED reports.
The Osun Masterminds said some persons have been playing on the emotions of Nigerians, using fuel and naira notes as whip.
The group said this at a press conference addressed by its Executive Director, Prof. Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, in Osogbo, Osun State on Wednesday
It also condemned the alleged attempt to blackmail the group by Rasheed Olawale spokesperson of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, saying, “It is distasteful and in bad spirit for any person or group of persons to attempt to take stifle the exercise of our rights of association and rights to speak loud and freely about issues that concern us and our families resident here in Osun and Nigeria. The Osun Masterminds is a coalition of like-mind groups committed to the promotion of democratic ideals and transparent governance in Nigeria.
“Our group is not a nongovernmental organization; we are not a business concern; we do not solicit nor receive donations from anywhere or anyone; we totally self-fund and are doing this out of our deep desire to see a better Osun and Nigeria in our own time. Anyone trying to paint a different picture of this group or our members is a cheap blackmailer and a coward who instead of engaging us based on our position on trending issues, is deciding to sling mud on us.
“Attempts by anyone to sponsor malicious write-ups against us or any such group as ours, is thus an attempt to stifle the voice of criticism and drag our State down to the deep, dark and endless abyss of autocracy, a style totally alien to democratic ideals. We will not be bullied into silence by a mob that has no more stake in the Osun project than our members do.”
Speaking on the scarcity of fuel and naira notes, The Osun Masterminds said, “We must say about the scarcity of fuel and Naira notes, that there appears to be a grand and very sinister plan by certain enemies of the people of Nigeria, to throw our society into serious crisis.
“If this were not so, the baseless scarcity would not have been allowed to tarry for this long. There indeed appears like some persons are playing on the emotions of the totality of Nigerians, using fuel and Naira notes as whip.
“The hardship is unbearable and it is messing up the already fragile productivity of Nigerians, who now have to suffer untold difficulties to go about their daily activities. This is totally unfair and we condemn very strongly, the lackadaisical disposition of every person concerned, to finding lasting solutions to these problems.
“We call for speedy resolution of this crisis before it snowballs into a National disaster that may not only affect the conduct of the coming elections, but may also throw the country into unprecedented chaos.
“We must also condemn in strong terms, the irresponsibility of men of certain security agencies in dealing with protests that broke out in some areas of the country. Government cannot fold its arms and watch Nigerians languish in hardship, and security agents will again maim and kill them for venting their anger. All organs of government must immediately take on a more responsible posture in dealing with the present crisis and attendant reactions to it by Nigerians.”
The group further commended Governor Adeleke for the recent approval of the payment of salary arrears owed civil servants in state.
“We particularly commend him for the willingness he has displayed in righting the wrongs that may have been done in the far and near past.
“We want to reiterate that the decision by the Aregbesola government to modulate salaries in such manner was in the first place not pro-people and it was a direct consequence of the administration’s well known penchant for profligacy, which the innocent workers should not have been made to pay for.
“We sincerely commend Mr. Governor for righting this wrong and we anticipate that he will set up a policy framework that will ensure the implementation of payment according to the schedule outlined in the circular that we sighted so that the payment instruction does not end up in the dustbin.
“The recent Google mapping of the State also stands commended as a progressive step that will further urbanize the State and make it able to attain critical geographical relevance,” it added.
The Osun Masterminds also condemned the protests that followed the judgement of the Osun State Election Petition Tribunal, saying, “A judgment against which the Governor and his Party has the rights to appeal, should not be reason for anyone or group of people to go about intimidating people and inciting violence against persons who are perceived to be in support of the opposition.
“Osun State does not belong to a single person or group of persons or political party. Osun is our common patrimony and we all are equal stakeholders in the Osun project. No one should thus be harassed because of a judgment that can still reach the Supreme Court.”
The group urged Adeleke to quickly tighten the state’s security architecture to stem the rising tide of insecurity in Osun State “which is unprecedented”.
The Osun Masterminds, therefore, called on the people of Osun State and Nigeria at large to kindly ensure that while they troop out to vote for their preferred candidates, they should avoid acts that may incite violence.
“Only through a peaceful electioneering process can we ever have the chance to elect responsible government that will lead our country and State aright. Let us all endeavor to do the right thing in this election season and vote only persons we are sure can deliver the dividends of democracy,” it added.
Leave a Reply