Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticized the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) for its recent invitation to tour the Port Harcourt Refinery and verify its operational status. The invitation followed Obasanjo’s remarks during an interview with Channels Television, where he questioned the efficiency of the refinery, citing advice from Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC). According to Obasanjo, SPDC’s concerns about corruption at the refinery raised doubts about its functionality.
In a statement, NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, defended the organization’s efforts, emphasizing its commitment to transparency and accountability. Soneye invited the former president to inspect the progress made at the refinery since its rehabilitation, highlighting the comprehensive overhaul undertaken to align the facility with international standards. He noted that similar projects were ongoing at the Warri, old Port Harcourt, and Kaduna refineries.
Soneye also underlined NNPCL’s transition from a government corporation to a private entity, stating that the shift had reoriented the company’s focus towards profitability and global competitiveness.
However, Obasanjo, through his media aide Kehinde Akinyemi, dismissed the invitation as disrespectful. Speaking to Punch, Akinyemi revealed that no formal invitation had been sent to the former president as of January 2, 2024. Obasanjo described the public announcement of the invitation as an “absolute insult,” criticizing NNPCL for failing to follow proper protocols.
“Is that the right way to invite a former president of the country? Who says Baba has even seen the statement or read the news? It is a total disrespect for the office of the former president,” Akinyemi said. “Ask the NNPCL that as of January 2, have they written to him? Is there any official letter addressed to him, inviting him to the refinery? It is an absolute insult, and the former president cannot dignify such with a response.”
The controversy has sparked debates over NNPCL’s approach and the broader issues surrounding Nigeria’s refinery rehabilitation projects. Critics argue that addressing corruption and operational inefficiencies is essential for achieving meaningful progress in the oil and gas sector.
The newly installed Ajeniju of Halleluyah, Oba Jelili Olaiya in Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State has been repeatedly beaten to a pulp by youths from Ido Osun community for installing a Chief Imam, conducting Jumat service on their land.
Oduduwa News reports controversy trailed the installation of Oba Olaiya after he was promoted from a community head to Part II king without the consent of Ido-Osun community.
It was gathered when Oba Olaiya was made king, the people of Ido-Osun were not pleased claiming he is under the community.
He was said to have built his palace on Ido Osun land which further angered the youths.
“Last week, he turbaned one Ahmad Tijani as Chief Imam while we still have Chief Imam in Ido-Osun. Today they were gathering at the palace for Jumat service which the new Imam will preside over, the youths from Ido Osun revolted, he was beaten and injured when the matter escalated.” a security source confided.
Another security source said: “Police later rescued the monarch from the scene and he has been taken to hospital because he was badly injured.”
When contacted, the Special Adviser to Govennor on Security, Samuel Ojo said: “I can’t make any comment about it now, I will make my findings and get back.”
Effort to speak with Osun Police Command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola were abortive. She did not respond when her phone rang out as at the time of filing this report.
The Government of Ondo State has announced the passage of Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Tayo Oluwatuyi.
The State Government made the disclosure today in statement made available to newsmen as read in part:
“It is with profound sadness that the Government of Ondo State announces the passing of Hon. Temitayo Oluwatuyi, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), on January 4, 2025.
“He was involved in a ghastly car accident on Sunday, 15th December, 2024, while traveling to Ibadan and was subsequently hospitalised. Hon. Oluwatuyi was a dedicated public servant whose unwavering commitment to administrative coordination, policy advisory, and implementation had a significant impact on Ondo State.
“He served with distinction and played a crucial role in the state government, working closely with the Governor and other top officials of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
“Having served government in various capacities, including as Chairman of Akure South local government, Commissioner and twice as SSG, Hon. Oluwatuyi will forever be remembered for his invaluable contributions to the development of Ondo State. The Government of Ondo State extends its deepest condolences to the Oluwatuyi family of Akure, friends, and associates during this difficult time.
“The Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, approved the appointment of Tayo Oluwatuyi as the SSG on January 24 , 2024.
“He also served as SSG under the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu”.
The Presiding Bishop of Rapture Empowerment International, Dr Sina Olaribigbe, has been stabbed to death over suspicion of sleeping with a married woman.
It was gathered the incident occurred on Thursday at BCGA area behind Olorunda local government Secretariat, Osogbo, Osun State. A source confided the couple had been having misunderstanding leading them to live separately.
However Bishop Olaribigbe was said to have been involved in ensuring that peace reigned in the union before they started living separately. It was gathered the Bishop was on the bed of the wife, making the aggrieved husband stab him to death in the compromising position. When contacted, Public Relations Officer of Osun State Police Command, Yemisi Opalola confirmed the incident.
She said: “Olaribigbe used to settle fight between the couple. We were told the pastor was at the wife’s place today when the estranged husband got there.
“He stabbed the Pastor, he was on the wife’s bed when the incident happened. The husband stabbed him severally and he died. It was learnt the husband acted on the suspicion that the pastor was sleeping with the woman.“
As 2027 general elections draw closer, a lot of permutations and scenarios are being conceived by aspirants and political associates from the ruling party in Oyo State. These scenarios are not limited to only the ruling party but also the opposition party, other political lightweights are equally plotting their own schemes with the ambition to take over Agodi seat in the next political dispensation.
The intrigues and political manouvering that usually trail every political circle have already started with political associates and loyalists already pitching their tents with their preferred aspirants.
In corroboration to the above assertion, a group of political associates has begun drumming support for the former Senator of Oyo North Senatorial District, Senator Hosea Agboola popularly known as Halleluyah. The group in a show of solidarity displayed their banner hanged with the inscriptions of “Tested & Trusted, Halleluyah 2027, Asesile Ni Abowaba”.
According to a member of the group who spoke to Oduduwa News and did not want his name in the print said, they decided to use the ocassion of the recently held Christmas party at the residence of the party chieftain in Igbojaye, Itesiwaju Local Government to launch the solidarity movement.
The members of the group hinged their decision on the antecedents of Senator Halleluyah who according to them is renowned for his philanthropic activities and the wealth of political knowledge that have helped a lot of politicians in the State.
Though, the party chieftain has neither confirmed nor denounced his intention to run for the governorship position publicly but his fans and his loyalists have been drumming support for him.
Recall, the relationship between the PDP Chieftain, Senator Hosea Halleluyah and the Executive Governor of the State, Engr. Seyi Makinde has gone sour and this was in connection to their political interest in the last 2023 general elections. Makinde and three other PDP governors pitched their tent with the former Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike who failed to clinch the Party’s presidential ticket while Halleluyah and his loyalists declared support for Atiku Abubakar, who eventually won the Party’s presidential ticket.
In the twist of events, Oyo State Governor, Makinde and three other governors teamed up with the then Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike to form a parralel group called G-5 as a rebel against their Party’s presidential flagbearer and declared their support for the incumbent President Bola Tinubu who was the presidential flagbearer of APC and eventually became the Landlord of Aso Rock.
The Oyo State Government has said that the distribution of letters of appointment to 5,600 newly recruited basic school teachers in the state will begin on Monday, January 6, 2025.
The distribution exercise will take place at Local government Universal Basic Education Authorities, LGUBEAs situated in all local government areas across Oyo state.
The Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Nureni Aderemi Adeniran stated this today during a meeting with Education Secretaries in Ibadan.
Dr. Adeniran charged the new teachers to be innovative and embrace modern techniques and approach in imparting knowledge.
Adeniran, who restated the Board’s zero tolerance for examination malpractices, said the new teachers’ appointments take effect from January 1st, 2025.
He, however, noted that about 12 local governments are overbloated with teachers, while some local governments are understaffed, saying a redistribution will be done to ensure equity and justice.
Dr. Adeniran urged the newly recruited teachers to display patriotic commitment, high level of integrity, and professional diligence to your duties.
“As young teachers, you are expected to be creative, adaptive, talented, and progressive. We urge you to be innovative, I therefore urge you to be the teacher for this age and the game-changing teacher for the future,” he said.
“You will be expected to be part of our dream for the revolutionalize the basic education sub-sector”, the Chairman added.
Speaking further, he said, “This is yet another testimony in our quest to reposition basic education in Oyo State in line with Governor Seyi Makinde’s campaign promises to our people, especially in the rural areas, many of which, have shortage of teachers as a result of retirements and other issues.”
“The first batch of 5,600 newly recruited teachers out of 7,000 who were successful after the rigorous recruitment processes will receive their letters from Monday.”
Adeniran also disclosed that the Seyi Makinde government has paid N2.5 Billion as counterpart fund for the 2022 & 2023 UBEC/SUBEB intervention projects, to enable basic schools and junior secondary schools to continue enjoying unhindered infrastructural development.
While congratulating the new teachers, the Chairman advised them to demonstrate the highest level of professional ethics, urging them not to fail in their professional code of conduct as teachers.
The Chairman commended Governor Seyi Makinde for approving the appointment to fill vacant position in the education industry, stating that his intervention in the sub-sector has placed Oyo in the forefront among its peers.
He listed the LGUBEA offices in the 33 Local government areas as follows:
Ido LGUBEA- SDP office, Iyana, Akufo.
Ibadan South-West LGUBEA- Opp. Magara Police Post, Iyaganku Quarters.
Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, was unable to perform overnight at the musical concert of popular Fuji musician, Alhaji Taye Currency, over safety reasons.
Reports gathered by from various sources said Portable, who had last year, in a viral video, revealed certain details about his love-gone-sour escapades with a lady, dragged residents of Ibadan, Oyo State, stressing that they lacked basic housing roofing accessories, Plaster-Of-Paris, known as POP, which, in his claim, was widely used in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria.
This diss didn’t augur well with many, especially in Oyo State who took to his social media platforms to vent their displeasure.
Even after he apologised and announced his invitation to perform at the just held Taye Currency concert, many fans advised him not to come.
Portable was visibly absent at the show till the end of the concert, and investigation proved that he arrived at Ibadan and was lodged in a hotel close to the Palms Mall venue, but couldn’t perform at his scheduled time due to security concerns.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) asserts that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2025 New Year Day address further confirms its position and that of most Nigerians that there is no hope in sight for the nation under his administration.
The Party describes the speech as a self-satisfying posturing which further validates the notorious fact that the Tinubu-led APC administration is completely disconnected and unconcerned with the hardship Nigerians are going through as a result of the ill-implemented policies and gross mismanagement of resources under the President’s watch.
Nigerians were appalled that despite the prodding by the PDP and well-meaning citizens, President Tinubu’s New Year speech did not articulate any specific direction for the nation or proffer solution to the myriad of problems caused by APC’s misrule.
President Tinubu’s speech again underlines APC’s insensitivity to the anguish of Nigerians by failing to present any definite policy roadmap towards reducing the price of petroleum products, addressing the widespread hunger in the land and revamping our ailing productive sector.
The speech did not articulate any solution-based direction for the critical sectors of electricity, oil and gas, road infrastructure, food production among other areas that are fundamental to the wellbeing of citizens. It was also pathetically devoid of a precise plan to address unemployment through strategic investment to stimulate multisectoral Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in the country.
If indeed the APC administration has the interest of Nigerians at heart, the New Year address would have made definite pronouncements on the price of fuel especially given that with a deft, transparent and innovative management of resources, economic potentials, comparative advantage, national refining capacity and effective policing of our borders, Nigerians should not pay more than N350 per liter for petrol within the country.
In any case, from the speech, it is clear that the Tinubu-led APC administration lacks the expected patriotic commitment as well as required capacity, competence and skills to effectively harness and manage the resources of the nation for the good of the citizens.
Moreover, President Tinubu’s claim in the speech that Nigerians placed their confidence in him as their President is ludicrous and shows that he is disconnected from the reality of his abysmal perception among Nigerians.
Mr. President must realize that Nigerians have lost faith in his administration, they have since moved on and are eagerly waiting for the next round of election that will mark the end of the nightmare which the APC represents to our nation.
Our Party however counsels President Tinubu to redeem his image by ending the insensitivity of his administration, listen to Nigerians and get more committed and focused on the purpose of governance which is the welfare and security of the people.
A devastating fire broke out on New Year’s Eve in a building located behind Shepherd International College in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.
The inferno, which occurred on December 31, left the building in ruins, but fortunately, no lives were lost.
The Ekiti State Fire Service responded promptly to the distress call, but unfortunately, the fire had already caused significant damage by the time they arrived.
Despite the destruction, the fact that no one was hurt is a welcome relief.
The foremost market leader in Oyo State, Alhaja Saratu Aduke Konibaje has urged Nigerians to pray for political leaders as the nation matches into 2025.
In her new year message to Nigerians, “it is a good thing to praise the Lord who has been faithful to us through the hard times in the past year. The year 2024 was full of ups and downs, but the Lord has been gracious, we owe our leaders prayers and we must all join hands to pray for them so that they can continue to lead us right.
She said Nigerians would see light at the end of the tunnel over the nation’s politics, economy, unity and development.
“I wish you a happy and bountiful new year and pray for God’s peace on you and your family”. She concluded.
