Hijab crisis: PDP wants Interpol, others to monitor Aregbesola

THE Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday urged all security agencies, Interpol, the Presidency and United Nations to dispassionately monitor activities of Governor Rauf Aregbesola which the party alleged can cause religious crisis in the country.

Aregbosola
The party, in a statement issued in Osogbo by its spokesperson, Prince Diran Odeyemi, premised its call on what it tagged: “embarrassment and the insincerity of Governor Aregbesola over the hijab issue which is a diversionary tactic to cover up his mismanagement of the state human and material resources”

The main opposition party in the state said even at the peak of Boko Haram activities when churches and mosques were under severe attack by the insurgents, Christians and Muslims in the country were not divided and still cohabit in all the states of the federation.

“But since hijab became an issue under Aregbesola’s administration in Osun, Christian Association of Nigeria CAN and Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs SCIA, have taken different positions and this portend great danger for the harmonious co-existence of people of different faith and denominations in the country.

“PDP is particularly happy that the issue of hijab has exposed to the entire country the character of Osun State governor and his divide and rule system of diverting people’s attention against his inadequate knowledge of governance and total mismanagement of the state” the party said.

It then warned all the stakeholders in the affairs of the country not to allow petty politics dominate common sense in handling the festering issue of hijab in Osun public schools, adding that; “If the issue is not well managed, Aregbesola’s confusion may spread to other states just like the payment of half salary to workers which has now spread to other states.

“Is the Federal Government aware that Osun no longer uses 6-3-3-4 system of education nor sing the National Anthem which are the first misstep of Aregbesola’s administration. Schools were lumped together under the guise of reclassification, several strange initiatives such as same uniform for all schools in the state, obnoxious and double taxation and other policies that confused rather than enhanced governance were introduced just to benefit few Lagos based individuals and sponsors,’’ the statement added.

No order by CJ to provide information
Meantime, the state government has refuted reports that the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Oyebola Adepele Ojo, had granted an Order of Mandamus compelling the governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, to provide information about the debt profile of the State and its payment modality.

A statement by Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, Secretary to the State Government in Osogbo yesterday stated that the report was patently false and misleading.

The statement read in part: “The applicant in the case is a well-known member of Peoples Democratic Party PDP from Ikeji Arakeji, who served in the last PDP administration in the state.

The Order of Court granted him is the right to put the other party on notice, in this instance, the Governor of the State of Osun.