Author: oduduwanews

Ahead of the 2023 general election, the two splinter groups within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Ajimobi Legacy Forum and Unity Forum have closed ranks and have agreed to work together in unity with a view to possibly ousting the incumbent Governor Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the Government House, Oke Oyinbo, Agodi, Ibadan.

The Ajimobi Legacy Forum comprises loyalists of the immediate past governor of the state, the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi, who served as governor from 2011 to 2019 and died on Thursday June 25, 2020. Also, the Unity Forum consists of members of APC that fell out with Ajimobi before, during and after the Saturday May 12, 2018 local government poll, which also include the loyalists of former governor of the state, Alhaji Lamidi Adesina.

The third splinter group is PDP Reform, comprising those who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to APC. But the third group was not invited to the meeting. But the leaders were quick to point out that the Ajimobi Legacy Forum and Unity Forum were the two groups that had misunderstanding, and it was imperative for them to come together to broker peace, adding that the all the three groups would henceforth work together as one with a united front.

Ajimobi’s wife, Chief Florence Ajimobi, reportedly initiated the peace move, which made leaders of the two splinter groups from all the 33 local government areas of the state to converge on the Banquet Hall, Premier Hotel, Ibadan, for a crucial meeting on Wednesday.

The meeting, which was co-chaired by chieftains of the party, Chief Kunle Sanda, and Alhaji Abu Gbadamosi, was graced by former Minister of Communication, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu; Senator Olufemi Lanlehin; Senator Ayoade Adeseun; former deputy governor of the state, Otunba Moses Adeyemo; Chairman, National Communication Commission (NCC), Prof Adeolu Akande; Chairman, National Lottery Regulatory Commission(NLRC), Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle.

A communique issued at the end of the meeting, and read by Alhaji Abu Gbadamosi stated: “The leaders of Ajimobi Legacy Forum and Unity Forum drawn from all the 33 local government areas of Oyo State, realising the need for peace, unity and progress of the party in the state, met on May 5, 2021, and resolved to bury their differences and henceforth work as one within the party (APC).”

The resolution stated that all members of the party should henceforth should henceforth collapse their meetings into one at all levels, and henceforth work together for the peace, unity and progress of the party. The meeting also commended Mrs Ajimobi and the leaders of the Unity Forum and Ajimobi Legacy Forum for the settlement of their differences.

The meeting that also commended the leadership of Chief Akin Oke, the Caretaker Chairman of the party in the state and pledged support for the caretaker committee, resolved “to sustain the enduring legacy of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Bola Ige, Alhaji Lam Adesina, and Senator Abiola Ajimobi.”

They, however, affirmed their continued loyalty and support for President Muhammadu Buhari and his government, adding that all Nigerians should pray for the country “in these trying times. We pledged to work assiduously for the victory of the party at all elections in 2023 general elections.”

THE Founder, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, said on Tuesday that he would convene and sponsor a national conference, christened ‘Summit of Hope’ as a way to find solution to the myriads of problems confronting Nigeria.

Babalola, who announced a donation of N50m for the confab, which he said was billed to hold soon at ABUAD hall and ABUAD Inn, said eminent Nigerians, including former Presidents and leading traditional rulers, would be attended to the confab to proffer solutions to the country’s problems.

 The ABUAD founder spoke in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, during the 10th Aare Afe Babalola Annual Public Lecture organised by the Ado Ekiti branch of the Nigerian Bar Association.

He said, “The situation in Nigeria today is gruesome and all hands must be on the deck to save it from total collapse. I am proposing ABUAD as venue of the summit because it is safe, has a Federal Ministry of Aviation-certified helipad, well equipped 400-bed multi-system hospital, among others.

Among personalities that Babalola said would be invited included the Sultan of Sokoto; Alhaji Saad Abubakar; Alaafin of Oyo; Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe and Obi Of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe; Bishop David Oyedepo; Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah; Pastor Enoch Adeboye; Gen. Theophilus Danjuma; Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Prof. Wole Soyinka; and Chief Ayo Adebanjo.

Oba Ogunwusi, who chaired the programme, hailed Babalola’s decision, describing it as a patriotic decision targeted at restoring normalcy to the polity.

The monarch added that he would, in his capacity as Co-Chaiman of National Traditional Council of Nigeria, report the development to fellow rulers to seek support.

Engr. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has hinted that the distractions created by the opposition elements in the State would not stop his administration from delivering on good governance in Oyo State.

The governor, who stated this at a Ramadan lecture, organized by Hon. Abdullah AbdulRasaq Ademola (Omo Sheu), representing Ibadan South-East 1 State constituency at Elekuro Ibadan, added that his government would not deviate from its promise of promoting the tenets of democracy and actualization of people-centered programmes.

Makinde, who was represented by the Chairman, Pacesetter Transport Company, Prince Dare Adeleke, urged the people of Oyo State to use the month of Ramadan to pray for the success of his administration and an end to insecurity in the country.

“God has blessed us with the month of Ramadan to ask for those things that are crucial to our existence, the first should be the progress of our State, while we also pray for the country to overcome insecurity.

“It is my belief that God Almighty will not desert us and our prayers are heard, let us keep the tempo of our prayer up, it shall be well in Allah’s name.

“The ranting of the opposition elements in the State however should not be seen as anything serious that can distract us, we are resolute to deliver on our campaign promises and those are the major pacts we made with the people, we will not let them down, we will not allow the noise of distractors get to us.”

The lecture was attended by leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, political appointees , members of the State House of Assembly, party supporters and hundreds of Islamic faithful, who stormed the 4th Annual Ramadan Lecture.

The programme was organized under the Jamuhiyat Allahu Rasaq Islamic Society of Nigeria, JARIS was almost turned into a political rally of sort as political leaders took turns to eulogize the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde and his sterling achievements since taking over in 2019.

While addressing the gathering, the Oyo State Deputy Speaker, Hon Muhammad Fadeyi, assured that the 9th Oyo Assembly will continue to give necessary legislative support to all the programmes and policies of Governor Seyi Makinde, which he said are geared towards enhancing the living standard of the people of the State.

Fadeyi described Hon Abdullah AbdulRasaq as a great grassroot mobilizer, who has continued to keep in touch with the people of his Constituency.

While speaking at the Ramadan Lecture, the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun condemned in strong terms, those politicizing the issue of security in Oyo State, adding that the Government at the center has failed in the area of protecting the lives and properties of the citizenry.

Other Guests including the Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Tourism and Culture, Hon Ademola Ige charged the people of Ibadan South East to remain united in order to consolidate on the gains of the party in future election.

In his Lecture, Fadilat Sheikh Ishaq Olawoye Tihamiy, said Ramadan is a period for true Muslims to renew their faith in Allah.

The Guest Speaker said the encomiums showered on Governor Seyi Makinde and Hon Abdullah AbdulRasaq Ademola (Omo Sheu) were well deserved, noting that the State lawmaker took after his late Father, Sheikh AbdulRasaq whose life impacted thousands of people spiritually in Nigeria and abroad.

In his address, Hon Abdullah AbdulRasaq Ademola said the program was meant to identify with thousands of Islamic faithfuls in his constituency, as well as to promote and showcase the laudable achievements of the PDP in Oyo State under Governor Seyi Makinde.

He prayed to Allah to ease the task of governance for the Governor, who he said has become the beautiful bride in the South West.

Members of the Oyo State House of Assembly at the event include Hon. Saminu Gbadamosi, Hon. Ademola Popoola, Hon. Akeem Obadara, Hon. Sola Owolabi, Hon. Ayo Fatokun and Hon. Akeem Adedibu as well as the Chairman, Oyo State House of Assembly Service Commission, Dr. Abdul Wasiu Musah.

The Ramadan lecture was also witnessed by the Oyo State Commissioner for Works and Transport, Prof. Daud Sangodoyin , the Executive Secretary, state primary care, Dr Muhideen Olatunji , vice chairman board of culture and tourism, Mogaji Abass Oloko and other political office holders.

The Senator representing Ekiti North in the National Assembly, Olubunmi Adetunmbi speaks during an interview on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily on May 3, 2021 mornitored by ODUDUWA NEWS.

The Senator representing Ekiti North in the National Assembly, Olubunmi Adetunmbi, has asked Nigerian politicians to forget political activities for the 2023 general elections and address the worsening security situation in the country.

Adetunmbi stated this on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, noting that without security, polls cannot hold.

“We should suspend this issue of focus on 2023 and focus on how to salvage this country so that people who have the capacity, knowledge, vision and the solution to solve this problem, that is what we should interrogate and not scoring points,” he said.

“The people who want to use security as a means electioneering and edging out those in power for them to come back there, what do they govern when there is no Nigeria?

“When there is war in Zamfara, there is a problem in Katsina. In Ogun State, there are displacements. In Oyo, Ekiti, there are killings going on. In the east, everything is happening. In that kind of context, how do you govern regardless of what party you belong to?”

Speaking further, the lawmaker called on all Nigerians to collaborate to overcome the security issues facing the country.

As measures to tackling the security issues, President Muhammadu Buhari earlier this year replaced his four top military commanders in a bid to better combat the insurgency that has also displaced more than two million people from their homes since 2009.

ISWAP split from mainstream Boko Haram in 2016 and became a dominant group, launching attacks on military bases and ambushing troops while abducting travellers at fake checkpoints.

Since 2019, the army has mostly withdrawn from villages and smaller bases into so-called “super camps”, fortified garrisons meant to give better protection against attacks.

But critics say the strategy has left jihadists with more freedom to roam untouched in rural areas and made highways vulnerable to kidnappings and assaults.