Author: oduduwanews

The Presidency has firmly dismissed circulating reports on social media claiming that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has replaced his Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, with Principal Private Secretary Hakeem Muri-Okunola.

In an official statement released on Christmas Day by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency described the claim as a complete fabrication designed to sow discord within the government.

“There is absolutely no truth to this story. We advise Nigerians to disregard it entirely,” the statement read.

It emphasized that Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila continues to serve in his role as Chief of Staff, while Hakeem Muri-Okunola remains Principal Private Secretary. No replacement has taken place.

The Presidency attributed the viral falsehood to “mischievous purveyors of fake news” and urged media outlets and the public to always verify information before sharing or publishing.

The denial comes after several social media posts some dated as early as December 24 began spreading the unverified claim of a change in the Chief of Staff position, including graphics and “breaking” announcements that quickly gained traction online.

The Federation of Oyo State Students’ Union (FOSSU), National Council, has congratulated Governor Seyi Makinde on his 58th birthday, describing him as a student-friendly leader whose policies have significantly improved the welfare and academic experience of students across the state.

In a goodwill message issued on Wednesday, December 25, 2025, the student body praised the governor for prioritising education, youth empowerment and social welfare, noting that his administration has consistently demonstrated commitment to the needs and aspirations of Oyo State students.

FOSSU highlighted several recent interventions by the Makinde administration, including the approval and payment of bursaries to over 2,500 final-year students, clinical students and law school students. The union also commended the donation of brand-new buses to indigenous and tertiary students’ unions across institutions in the state, as well as the provision of stipends for students’ union leaders.
The students further applauded the governor for allocating land for the construction of the FOSSU national secretariat, describing the gesture as a strong signal of institutional support and long-term partnership with the student community.

Signed by the National President-Elect, Sen. Ahmed A. Mufutau, and the General Secretary-Elect, Comr. Olayiwola Stephen, FOSSU prayed for the governor’s continued good health, wisdom and success, while appealing for sustained commitment to policies that deliver the dividends of democracy to students and youths in Oyo State.

Bolaji Tunji, the Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations to the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, on Wednesday berated Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over what he described as an unwarranted verbal attack on his principal.

Tunji, in a statement, accused Governor Makinde of resorting to personal insults rather than engaging in constructive and issue-based discourse, stressing that such comments do not contribute to national development or healthy democratic debate. He maintained that Chief Adelabu has remained focused on his responsibilities in the power sector, working to address longstanding challenges affecting electricity supply across the country.

The minister’s aide further described Makinde’s comments as politically motivated, noting that Chief Adelabu’s performance in office speaks for itself and should be assessed based on tangible outcomes rather than rhetoric. He added that the Power Minister has continued to prioritize reforms, infrastructure improvement, and collaboration with stakeholders to stabilize the sector.

Tunji advised the Oyo State governor to channel his energy toward governance and service delivery to the people of the state, rather than engaging in public exchanges that could heighten political tension. He reaffirmed Adelabu’s commitment to his mandate and said the minister would remain undistracted by distractions or personal attacks.

A fire outbreak on Wednesday gutted parts of the Great Nigeria Insurance House, a multi-storey plaza on Martins Street in the Lagos Island area of Lagos State.

The fire reportedly started at about 5 p.m. in the building, which is mainly used as a warehouse for clothing materials, with offices and shops also operating within the complex.

The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Mr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said preliminary findings showed that the fire originated from an office on the fourth floor before spreading to other parts of the building.

He explained that the LASEMA Shark Response Team arrived to find the structure already engulfed, with the fire escalating to higher floors, while rescue and firefighting operations were still ongoing.

Also speaking, the Controller-General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs Margaret Adeseye, said the fire had affected up to the fifth floor of the building but confirmed that no casualties had been recorded.

She added that firefighters were working to contain the blaze and prevent further spread, while the cause of the fire remained unknown as of press time.

A founding member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bisi Akande, has disclosed that late former President Muhammadu Buhari informed him that he never instigated ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to contest against now President Bola Tinubu in 2022.

During the APC primary election in 2022, Tinubu emerged as the party’s flagbearer while Osinbajo came a distant third.

Osinbajo is widely believed to be a political protege of Tinubu after he served under him as Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General while the now President was governor of Lagos State.

There are speculations that Tinubu was instrumental in Osinbajo’s emergence as Vice President to Buhari.

However, Akande while featuring on Edmund Obilo’s podcast, State Affairs, said Osinbajo never stepped down for Tinubu because it was his right to contest in the primary election.

Akande said: “I wanted everybody to be free to contest the election but I don’t want bitterness, I wanted them to talk on issues and not one to destroy another because I wanted one of them to emerge in the end, I wanted a Yoruba President.”

On convincing Osinbajo to step down for Tinubu, he said, “After several meetings, I told them we want only one and I want any of you to voluntarily step down.

“On the evening of the primary, some came to me that they were going to step down and they stepped down, it wasn’t too late.

“Osinbajo did not step down and I didn’t discuss it with Tinubu thereafter. Osinbajo has every right to contest and he did and I don’t blame anybody for contesting elections.”

On if Buhari was against Tinubu, Akande said: “He (Buhari) didn’t tell me so because I put many questions to him, he wanted me to see that he was not the one who instigated Osinbajo to contest against Tinubu and he made it clear that in his own culture when your mentor is interested in one position, you don’t contest with him but when Osinbajo came he was surprised and only wished him well.”

Akande’s claim is almost the same to claims in Buhari’s biography, ‘From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammad Buhari’, authored by Dr Charles Omole, that the late former president didn’t support Osinbajo’s presidential ambition.

The book quoted Buhari as saying he never supported Osinbajo’s ambition in 2022 because he never knew him.

Buhari was said to have stated that he knew the ex-Vice President through Tinubu.

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has announced the inauguration of a 17-member Caretaker Committee for Oyo State, further deepening the party’s internal leadership crisis.

The faction said the caretaker committee would oversee party affairs in the state pending the conduct of fresh congresses, insisting the move is in line with efforts to restore order and reposition the party. It follows similar actions by the group in other states where existing party executives were dissolved.

However, the development has intensified tensions within the PDP, as rival party leaders have continued to reject the authority of the Wike-backed faction, describing its actions as unconstitutional and illegitimate. The opposing camp maintains that the party’s recognised leadership remains intact.

The members of the committee is as highlighted below:

1. Prof Abdulrahman Akinoso – Chairman
2. Mr Adio daudaTolani – member.
3. Hon Ali Hammed Okesola – Member
4. Prince Adewale Lukuman Adewale – Member
5. Mr Tunde Sikiru Adeniran – Member
6. Alhaja Risikat Kola Popoola – Member
7. Hon Kabiru Adesokan- Member
8. Hon Yekini Adebisi Toyosi – Member
9. Hon Rotimi Adewuyi – Member
10. Hon Musbau Olayowola – Member
11. Hon Oyewole Olaosebikan – Member
12. Hon Abideen Olarewaju – Member
13. Comrade Akinloye Oyeniyi- Member
14. Chief Bili Muraina – Member
15. Hon Dauda Ramon Bamibeke-Member
16. Barr Babatunde Akinola -Member
17. Dr Biola Olanipekun- Secretary

The unfolding dispute has raised concerns among political observers about the PDP’s unity and preparedness ahead of future elections, particularly as parallel party structures continue to emerge across several states.

The Oore of Otun-Ekiti and Paramount Ruler of Mobaland, His Royal Majesty Oba Adekunle Adeagbo, has firmly debunked reports alleging that the Ooni of Ife conferred the chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Yorubaland on any individual, describing the claim as false and misleading.

In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Akogun Banjo Ayinde, the Oore reacted to what he termed “media attacks” allegedly emanating from the Alaafin’s palace against the House of Odùduwà. He stressed that the influence and royal territories of the Ooni of Ife, as the Arole Odùduwà, extend beyond Yorubaland into other parts of Africa, including the Itsekiri of Delta State, the Benin Kingdom, Ga and Ashanti kingdoms in Ghana, the Luo of Uganda, and other Odùduwà-linked communities across the continent.

The statement categorically denied that the Ooni, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has ever conceived, discussed, or installed anyone as Okanlomo of Yorubaland. It challenged anyone in possession of verifiable historical or cultural evidence to present such proof publicly. According to the Oore, while the Ooni possesses unquestionable ancestral and spiritual authority to bestow territorial titles when necessary, his reign has been focused on broader objectives of unity, peace, and development among Odùduwà descendants worldwide.

Clarifying further, the Oore noted that since ascending the throne, the Ooni has carried out only three official territorial chieftaincy installations — Odole Oodua, Iyalaje Oodua, and Yeye Oodua — all rooted in deep spiritual and ancestral traditions. He added that the Ooni’s leadership philosophy prioritizes socio-economic development, citing major investments and projects across Yorubaland that have created thousands of jobs for youths.

The statement also cautioned against what it described as outdated struggles for emperorship, noting that constitutional democracy has long eroded such notions. It urged the public to seek clarity on any Supreme Court judgments being referenced in the controversy, warning against attempts to drag the sacred stool of the Ooni into disputes that do not concern it.
Reaffirming the Ooni’s position as the natural father and spiritual head of the Odùduwà race, the Oore of Moba emphasized that leadership is earned through service, wisdom, and acceptability, not through force or threats. The House of Odùduwà, he concluded, remains committed to peace, unity, and prosperity across Yorubaland and the wider African space.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has announced a major reform to Nigeria’s tax identification system, confirming that the National Identification Number (NIN) issued by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) will now automatically serve as the Tax Identification Number (Tax ID) for individual Nigerians. The service made the clarification as part of a public awareness campaign on its social media platforms, aimed at addressing public concerns over recent tax law provisions that require a Tax ID for certain financial and economic transactions.

Under the new policy framework, registered businesses and corporate entities will also no longer be required to obtain a separate Tax Identification Number from the FIRS. Instead, businesses’ Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration numbers will now act as their official Tax IDs. This change is intended to streamline the tax identification process and reduce the need for additional documentation or separate registration procedures.

FIRS explained that this shift is part of comprehensive reforms under the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA), scheduled to take effect from January 2026. The NTAA mandates the use of a Tax ID for specified transactions — including the opening and operation of bank accounts — but stressed that the concept of a Tax ID is not new. It has been in place since the Finance Act of 2019, and the current reforms serve to unify and strengthen its application across the tax system.

According to the agency, the unified Tax ID system will eliminate multiple identifiers previously issued by federal and state tax authorities, thereby simplifying the process of taxpayer identification, reducing duplication, and closing loopholes that facilitate tax evasion. Individuals will not need any physical card for the Tax ID, as the NIN is a unique number already linked to their identity in government databases. Similarly, companies will use their existing CAC registration numbers directly as their tax identifiers.

FIRS also urged Nigerians to disregard misinformation circulating about the new policy and reiterated that the reforms are designed to improve transparency, efficiency, and fairness in tax administration. By aligning tax identifiers with existing national identity systems, the government aims to make it easier for taxpayers to comply with obligations while enhancing revenue mobilization and reducing bureaucratic hurdles.

Ibadan, Oyo State – Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has made it clear that while Nyesom Wike can choose to support President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, he himself will not. Makinde disclosed this during a media chat, expressing surprise at Wike’s declaration during a recent meeting with the president and other political figures.
The governor said he was shocked when Wike reportedly told Tinubu he would “hold the PDP for him against 2027.”

Makinde emphasized that Wike’s decision is his own, but he has chosen to remain loyal to his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and will not participate in organising support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State.

Makinde stated that despite efforts to privately persuade Wike to reconsider, the minister insisted on his position. As a result, Makinde confronted Wike directly and reaffirmed that he would not align with Tinubu or the ruling party in the next election. His stance underscores a commitment to PDP principles and political independence.

Highlighting the broader implications, Makinde said his position reflects a desire to preserve democracy and party loyalty, stressing that individual political choices should not undermine the PDP. He described his refusal to support Tinubu as consistent with his duty to uphold democratic values and ensure the survival of his party.

Makinde’s remarks signal deepening divisions within the PDP, with Wike’s alignment with the APC drawing criticism from party loyalists. As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, the governor’s stance highlights ongoing debates over political alliances, party loyalty, and the independence of key PDP figures.

An Ogun State High Court sitting in Ijebu-Ode has rejected an application for interim injunction filed by Fuji musician, Otunba Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (K1 De Ultimate), seeking to halt the ongoing process for the selection of a new Awujale of Ijebuland.

The court declined to restrain the Ogun State Government, Governor Dapo Abiodun, and other respondents from continuing with steps relating to the vacant Awujale stool, ruling that the request for interim relief lacked sufficient merit.

K1 had approached the court alleging violations of chieftaincy laws and his constitutional rights in the succession process, urging the court to suspend all actions pending the determination of his substantive suit.

While refusing the interim injunction, the court ordered an accelerated hearing of the main suit, fixing a new date to ensure the matter is resolved promptly as the contest over the revered Awujale stool continues.