An side: I read the state had a branding event over the weekend and launched a new State Crest (or logo as being erroneously reported in the papers). Now wouldn’t it be great to see what my state crest looks like?

How I wish the video focussed more on the faces of the bastards perpetrating the violence. I read that a Pastor was among the degenerates. I credit the journalists for maintaining their stance and pleading their cause. My heart weeps – O JO SIR DONT KILL ME…

O JO SIR, TO ALL LEADERS AND PEOPLE IN POWER – STOP OPPRESSING THE INNOCENT. STOP KILLING THE POOR PEOPLE. STOP GIVING OUR COUNTRY A BAD NAME. After doing this you then occupy best seats beaming evil smiles and carrying on a holier than thou attitude. You enter planes and fly abroad and mix with learned people, but inwardly you remain so undeucated, babaric and evil.

PLEASE MY PEOPLE EVEN IF YOU HAVE RETURNED FROM CHURCH OR MOSQUE WHEN YOU READ THIS, PLEASE GO ON YOUR KNEES AND PRAY HARD FOR NIGERIA. WE HAVE A BIG PROBLEM ON OUR HANDS. LEADERSHIP PROBLEMS. I rest assured in one belief – GOD WILL JUDGE AND JUDGE ACCORDINGLY AND EVERY EVIL PERSON WILL BE SERVED THEIR JUST DESERTS.

MY HEART WEEPS FOR NIGERIA. GOD SAVE OUR SOULS FROM HELL. But I will not weep like the ungodly that have lost hope and faith in God. There is hope for Nigeria, even if it be a revolution that would rid our country of all these problems. I keep on remembering Ghan pre and post Jerry Rawlings.

Mimiko fires finance commissioner

By Ayodeji Moradeyo

November 27, 2009 02:11AMT

The Ondo State commissioner for Finance, Wale Akinterinwa yesterday morning resigned his appointment and membership of the state executive council via a letter sent to the state governor, Olusegun Mimiko.

The state governor, Olusegun Mimiko,consequently, approved the appointment of the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget,

Mr. Akin Adaramola as the acting commissioner in the finance ministry.

Mr Akinterinwa, a former banker, hails from Ile Oluji local government area of the state.

What happened?

Though no reason was stated in the letter of resignation, NEXT, however, gathered that his decision might not be unconnected with a political disturbance that broke out at Ile Oluji where two people were seriously injured last weekend.

The clash broke out among two factions of the ruling Labour Party, who are locked in a battle to control the council area. The battle for supremacy in the council was said to be largely between the former Commissioner and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on multilateral affairs, Pius Osanyikanmi. An aide to Mr. Mimiko said the fracas embarrassed and infuriated his boss, who vowed to deal with whoever was implicated in the incident. He said the governor, who later ruled that the former finance commissioner bore the major blame for the disturbance, ordered for his sack.

He was later said to offer the ex-commissioner a soft landing by asking him to resign.

One of the media aides of the Governor, who asked not to be quoted because the official spokesman for the governor has travelled out of the country, said Akinterinwa’s resignation has no political undertone.

The aide, who spoke in a telephone interview, said: “As a leader, when there was a crisis in your community, somebody has to take responsibility. That was the price paid by the commissioner.

“He decided to quit the cabinet when he knew that it was the best thing to do at that time.

This is the first time a political office holder will consider a resignation option when he feels that something is actually wrong.”

A source close to the former commissioner said Mr Akinteriwa willingly resigned from the state cabinet due to the governor’s preference for the Senior Special Assistant.

Replacement takes office

The Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party in the state, Seyi James said the reason why the commissioner resigned was best known to him. He also said the resignation had no political undertone.

“In as much as I won’t like to comment too much on the resignation of the commissioner, all I know is that it doesn’t have political undertone and that the reason is best known to the man himself,” he said.

When NEXT called Mr Akinterinwa around 1.03pm on Thursday, he said: “The reason for my resignation has been explicitly mentioned in the news and there is nothing more to add.”

The State Commissioner for Information, Ranti Akerele said Mr Akinterinwa left the cabinet because of the hostility that crept up in his native town, following a clash between two rival groups in the town.

He said the former commissioner was responsible enough to know that such a development in his community could easily be misinterpreted.

“This is a young government that is eager to do what it preaches, we want to maintain the peaceful atmosphere in the state so that the people’s confidence in government is not eroded,” he said. “Government is clearly convinced that he (Akinterinwa) has no direct link with the perpetrators of the crisis, he is in no way responsible for the development in Ile-Oluji.”

Mr Akerele said Mr. Adaramola would replace the departed official pending the appointment of a substantive commissioner. He said the new appointment takes immediate effect.

An side: I read the state had a branding event over the weekend and launched a new State Crest (or logo as being erroneously reported in the papers). Now wouldn’t it be great to see what my state crest looks like?

On the state ID, it’s an excellent idea, but it’s just a tool and does not mean much by itself.