The popular skit maker, Ahmed Abiola known as Cute Abiola has resigned his appointment from Nigerian Navy.
This is coming a day after his appointment by Kwara State Gov, Mallam Abdulrazaq as Special Assistant on Creative Industries.
This was contained in her resignation note he shared via his official Twitter account as read in part:
“I was overwhelmed with regards to the approval of my exit from the Navy by the Chief of Naval Staff..”
“With profound gratitude, I deeply appreciate the Nigerian Navy for giving me the uncommon opportunity to imbibe discipline through a regimented procedure in the areas of career development, moral values, work ethics, to mention but a few. I can dauntlessly say that, I have the required intelligence and human development finesse to continue to live a prosperous life.
“I urge all my fans to join me in appreciating the Chief of Naval Staff and all my senior colleagues for contributing immensely to my career development, while I used their pedestal to realize my duty of protecting and defending our dear Country. Sincerely, Nigerian Navy has become my roadmap to a sustainable career path.
“I was overwhelmed with regards to the approval of my exit from the Navy by the Chief of Naval Staff so as for me to have enough time to passionately pursue my dreams. This singular act of the Chief of Naval Staff is highly terrific and it shows how the Navy is very passionate about the dreams of their officers.
“I am still a part of the Nigerian Navy family, and I promise to continue to positively represent the Nigerian Navy either in Nigeria or abroad. I am proud to have served in Such an institution like the Nigerian Navy.
“I want to sincerely appreciate all my Senior Colleagues, colleagues and junior colleagues who were very instrumental to my success story, for my wish to you is fair winds and following seas, because I know you will remain always faithful.”
The Osun man said to have married twin sisters from the same family in Ede has come out to debunk the viral claim and tagged it ‘a figment of imagination’.
Recall, a viral video circulating online had it that the young guy tied a knot with twin sisters of the same parents in Ede.
In a short video clip made available to ODUDUWA NEWS by the bridegroom to debunk the viral video alluded to the fact that he married only to one of the twin sisters who is Kehinde and not both twin sisters.
He claimed that people misconstrued the same attires put on by both the twins as a sign of having both hands in marriage.
He made clarification on the attire, saying it has been a usual practice of the duo to be wearing the same colour of attires since their childhood and that he couldn’t prevent such since they have freedom to their mode of dressing.
He however condemned insinuation going around that he married the twin sisters and claimed that such never happened.
The speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has urged Nollywood actors, producers and entertainers not to relent in their efforts to ensure that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, comes out victorious in the forthcoming 2023 election.
This was made known in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Eromosele Ebhomele on Friday.
Obasa gave the charge at the Assembly complex, Thursday, when he received a group, Progressive Coalition of Entertainers, led by actor, Saheed Balogun.
Interior minister Rauf Aregbesola and the Controller General (C-G) of Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Haliru Nababa, have said Abdulrasheed Maina is feigning ailments to aid his escape from lawful custody.
The duo stated this in their joint counter-affidavit opposing Maina’s originating motion filed before Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja.
In the application, dated and filed October 31, the duo said: “It has become glaring from intelligence report at their disposal that the applicant (Maina) only feigns the ailments for him to be taken out of the custodial facility to aid his escape from lawful custody.”
The Chief Superintendent of Correction, Diamond Bako, who was an officer in charge of the clinic at Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, deposed to the application.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Maina, the former Chairman of defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), had, on October 17, filed a motion ex parte motion to get treatment.
Maina (the applicant) listed the minister and the C-G of NCoS as first and second respondents in the motion dated and filed on September 27.
The former PRTT chairman, who is currently serving an eight-year jail term at Kuje Prison for pension fraud to the tune of N2 billion, had told the court that he was suffering from a life-threatening disease in the prison and needed urgent medical attention.
The ex-pension reform boss prayed the court for an interim order directing the minister and the C-G, via their workers or agents, to immediately take him to a reputable and recognised hospital for treatment of his life-threatening diseases pending the hearing and determination of his originating motion.
Reacting, the respondents, in the counter-affidavit, said contrary to Maina’s claim, he was never refused access to medical services, but that Maina would not be allowed to hide under medical services to escape from lawful custody.
They described the medical reports he produced as “self-induced”.
“The exhibits attached to the affidavit in support of the applicant’s (Maina’s) originating motion only goes to shows that contrary to the claims of the applicant that he was denied access to medical facilities, the applicant had access to medical attentions at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, where he has severally been attended to; and the exhibits amply bore out these facts.
“Contrary to paragraph 13 of the affidavit in support of the applicant’s originating motion, there was no time the applicant collapsed in Kuje Medium Security Custodial facility…”
Following resumed hearing yesterday, Maina’s lawyer, Ibrahim Idris (SAN), informed that the respondents’ lawyer, Abdulmumin Muhammad, had just served him with his application.
“The applicant, on several occasions, made self-induced complaints about his health and he was taken (not rushed) to a specialised and reputable hospital for medical services.
“He was kept in the hospital for several hours without any sign of readiness on the part of the hospital management to attend to him.
“While in the hospital, he was visited by several friends and relatives who sat with him, chatted with him and he was engulfed in conversations with them, laughing occasionally, without any sign of any ailment and/or pain.
“When, after several hours of waiting and effort by the operatives of the second respondent (the NCoS C-G) to the management of the hospital to come forward and attend to him failed, it became obvious that the referral to the hospital was a mere gimmick to take the applicant out of lawful custody.
“It was at that point the operatives of the second respondent received a confidential, top secret intelligence report that the applicant must, as a matter of expediency, quickly remove from the hospital and return to the custodial centre; otherwise, armed gunmen suspected to be loyal to the applicant would strike and take the applicant away to an unknown destination,” they alleged.
“It was on the face of this high-powered spy, intelligence report bordering on possible plan to snatch the applicant away from the few operatives of the second respondent on the ground at the hospital, and in order to avoid this imminent danger, that the applicant was returned to the yard to forestall the danger of attack,” they alleged.
The duo also alleged that Maina, who was arraigned on October 25, 2019, on a 12-count charge, though pleaded not guilty, jumped bail after being granted the bail on health grounds.
They said Senator Ali Ndume, who stood surety for Maina, was remanded in Kuje Prison until Maina was rearrested.
The minister and the C-G told the court that Maina was only raising false health alarms.
Following resumed hearing yesterday, Maina’s lawyer, Ibrahim Idris (SAN), informed that the respondents’ lawyer, Abdulmumin Muhammad, had just served him with his application.
Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter till tomorrow for hearing.
The 8-day prayer session for the late Onimupin of Mupin, Ota, HRH Oba Abudu Yahyah Kelani who joined his ancestors last week Tuesday 25th of October, 2022 is currently holding today.
According to our correspondent, It was gathered that the late traditional ruler, Oba Yahyah Kelani breathed his last breath on Tuesday.
The traditional ritual rite for his burial has since commenced on Tuesday night followed by the Islamic prayer session marking the 8th day of his demise today.
Friends, relatives and the people of Awori had besieged the Palace of the late monarch to pay a last respect and express their condolences.
Eight persons employed as domestic workers at singer Davido’s Banana Island residence are being interrogated by the police over the death of his three-year-old son, Ifeanyi David Junior Adeleke.
The toddler was said to have drowned in the family’s swimming pool on Monday night while his parents, David and Chioma were on a trip to Ibadan for a family function.
The Nation gathered that he was rushed to Evercare Hospital in Lekki where he was pronounced death on arrival.
Although the circumstances surrounding Ifeanyi’s presence at the pool section at that time of the day was yet unknown, Nigerians have wondered why his minders never felt his absence as he was said to have been in the pool for a long time before drowning.
Already, public outrage has followed news of the toddler’s death especially because his parents only celebrated his third birthday few days ago.
The ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state has described the press statement by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in he state as fallacy, sheer display of political rascality in the name of politicking and demanded an immediate apology for having the audacity to further insult the people’s collective sensibility.
The party PDP said it was sad and unhealthy for democratic development in a 21st century for a party as Oyo APC that is reputable for the worst corruption in the history of the state duly rejected and sent out of office by the people, to return in the name of politicking without the slightest atom of remorse whatsoever to talk about good governance. “It is nothing short of brazen insult on our collective sense of responsibility.”
A statement by the ruling party in Oyo state, Akeem Olatunji, and made available to newsmen Monday morning (today) indicated that Governor Seyi Makinde has earned the full trust of the voting masses as evidently shown in the love and affection displayed anytime the governor appears in public to interact with the people.
The party maintained that regardless of the endless lies and unabated false propaganda against Governor Makinde and his government, APC must come to term with reality that it must wait till 2027 when Makinde would have completed his second term to try again if luck would perhaps smile on them again stressing that there is no vacancy at the Agodi Government House as far as 2023 election is concerned.
The APC in Oyo state had alleged that, “the Governor’s interview which lasted over an hour was uninspiring and disappointing as usual”, but the ruling PDP this position is too cheap and patronizing for any serious political party that thought it could do better than Governor Makinde with the available resources under the same prevailing circumstances and time frame of less than four years.
“For eight uninterrupted years, APC in Oyo state held draconic sway, failing woefully in all sector including education, economy, education, agriculture and other critical sectors. It is such a shame in a 21st century democracy that the opposition party was yet to by now admit how many innocent lives of students, pensioners, retirees, market women, artisans were either wasted or lost at different intervals due to APC’s sheer ineptitude and insensitivity to the plights of the people.
“In education alone, LAUTECH students were on a record protracted strike for over two years without any slightest sense of remorse or apology from APC even when their Lagos political Godfather was the prochancellor of the school jointly administered by both Oyo and Osun under APC. Similar situation applied in both primary and secondary sectors leaving Oyo state at a pitiable 27th position out 36 in term of ranking in Nigeria yet Makinde paid the unimaginable price and restored the lost glory returning Oyo state to top 12 states with the best secondary school education quality and standard in Nigeria in less than 4 years with LAUTECH now sitting as number one best state owned university in the country.
“How else could the APC in Oyo state further expose its folly and shameless penchant for unrestrained lies and desperation to return to power at all cost by comparing the present government under Governor Seyi Makinde who against their expectation to fail is yet to default a single month on regular payment of workers salaries from the month go! since 2019 up until date despite the pitiable condition the APC led FG has led Nigeria’s economy into? to its administration ridden with sordid experience, calamity, and repeated misfortunes between 2011 and 2023.
“In actual fact, this is like a case of the devil still hoping for a place in paradise because the only group of people in Oyo state today still suffering from acute delusionment and oblivion of current realities in the real sense are the political neophytes and unpopular political elements in Oyo state APC who’s primary focus is to milk all the candidates on the platform of the party from the largesse unremorsefully stolen before the 2023 general elections come to a close”. The ruling PDP said.
The Oyo APC in its usual cacophony of deliberate mischief had also alleged that Gov. Makinde who was actually tutoring the APC elements on the art of good governance, admitted that his administration had failed on security, education, economy amongst others but the ruling PDP said APC was merely trying to play the ostrich saying, “the era of crying more than the bereaved is long gone”, noting that the people of Oyo state have continued to show unprecented and never seen before kind of trust, confidence and love for Governor Makinde than any others in the past.
The ruling party expressed shock at the uniqueness of telling unbridled lies and propagation of sheer falsehood by the APC in the state to deceive uninformed members of the public vowing that no single lie told by the APC would be allowed to slide under the carpet insisting that, “lies and more lies remain the hallmark of APC and will therefore, not allow the opposition party breathe on account of false propaganda as far as 2023 is concerned.
“The fact is that, our response as a party to the endless lies and false propaganda by the APC in Oyo state became imperative and necessitated by our resolve to henceforth, take them on word for word since they’ve shown unremorseful, unattractive, uncivilized, and irresponsible approach to political campaigns even as 2023 beckons, believing that a lie told consistently and repeatedly may be confused to be true, we’re more than ready to drag every breathe out of their nose on that account.
“When you allow pigs drag you to the swam for a duel, you already have those pigs an advantage going into battle in their comfort zone but we as a party resolved and committed to deepening our internal democracy and good governance, we will remain focused on our path and also insist that since delivery of good governance is the basis of all government having failed woefully for eight years at the slightest chance, APC in Oyo state must continue to learn what it lacked from Governor Seyi Makinde.
“APC in Oyo state after a monumental failure after eight years still has the audacity to come to public space to make allegations against an excellently performing Governor Makinde who’s template for delivery of good governance and is being copied and replicated by many APC states including the federal government of Nigeria. This is nothing short of political rascality and reckless statements that are rather unfortunate and sad.
The presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has attributed his candidacy as the flagbearer of the party to the unity in the North and the President Buhari’s insistence on due process.
This was contained in a statement made by Bola Tinubu at the reception given to him by Pa Reuben Fasoranti led Afenifere Group in Akure as read in part:
“The North proved to me Nigeria can survive its unity. Some people want President Muhammadu Buhari to announce someone but the President said No. He insisted the process must go on democratically. The President said anyone that would mess up the APC process would see the other side of his eyes. He remained upright and saw to the process to the end.
“Northern APC Governors resolved that the Presidency must go to the South and especially South West. Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Abdullahi Ganduje and others supported me to the end. The battle was tough and at a point I was in doubt. There were many rumours and I became confused of what to believe.
“President Buhari told me I promoted his name with the way I won the primary election because the process was clean and transparent and nobody can accuse him of manipulating the process. President Buhari said I gave him credibility and I deserved to be President. When I asked him to nominate the VP candidate for me, he said I should pick whoever I want and it is the reason I chose a competent man in Kashim Shettima who never lost any election and protected Christians in time of trouble in his state.”
Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola and his Oyo State counterpart, Seyi Makinde, on Thursday, flagged off the total reconstruction of the 91km Osogbo-Iwo-Ibadan road that has been in deplorable condition for years.
The governments of Osun and Oyo had recently, jointly awarded the reconstruction of the road to put a permanent end to the untold hardship faced by motorists and other road users.
This is even as Governor Oyetola declared that by the special Grace of God he would be the one to commission the project when completed. The road project is expected to be completed within 18 months.
The road which is said to be of economic importance to both states, links Ibadan, the Oyo State capital and Osogbo, the Osun State capital via different towns and villages, including the ancient town of Iwo.
The road which commences at the rotary intersections connecting it with the Lagos-Ibadan on Ibadan-Iwo-Osogbo and Ibadan-Oyo Highways, was inherited by the two states at the creation of Osun from old Oyo State in the year 1991.
The Osogbo-Iwo section had hitherto been in a bad state, wasting man-hours and constituting huge socio-economic malaise to the two states, especially given its status as the shortest route to Ibadan.
Many observers have lauded the decision of Governors Oyetola and Makinde to work together to fix the road, notwithstanding their political affiliations, describing it as an encouraging development and a clear resolve to separate politics from governance.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Osogbo, Governor Oyetola, said his administration considered the road project as of utmost importance, noting that the award of the reconstruction of the road further demonstrates his government’s commitment to the infrastructural development of the State and wellbeing of the citizenry.
He added that the flag-off of the road project represents another fulfilment of his electioneering promise to the citizens of Osun particularly Iwo people.
Oyetola disclosed that the road contract was awarded through the e-procurement process as contractors who had shown capacity to deliver within specifications were allowed to bid for the contract.
According to him, the award of the Osun section of the road contract, measuring about 55km was done through a transparent bidding process which saw Messrs Peculiar Ultimate Concerns Limited, having polled the highest number of points, awarded the contract at the sum of N11,309,932,939.00.
He stated further that the reconstruction of the Osun section of the road will be completed within 18 months as it is equally expected to be executed under two main segments.
“The first segment, the dualisation of Osogbo (Dele Yes Sir Roundabout) to Sawmill, (Ido Osun) has a total length of about 2.8km, 7.3m width carriageway on either side of the road separated by 2.0m width median, 1.0m width hard shoulders on either side of the carriageways, and 1.5m width walkway on either side of the road, furnished with solar powered street lighting.
“The Dele Yes Sir Roundabout and the islands shall be adorned with a spectacular landscape that will bring out the beauty of Osogbo as the capital city of Osun and the home of culture.
“The second segment which shall begin from the Sawmill (Ido Osun) and end at the Oyo State Boundary, with a total length of 52.6km, shall be of Single Carriageway with a width of 7.3m and 1.5m width hard shoulder. This leg of the road shall also make provision for adequate hydraulic structures with thorough treatment of the problematic sections by the provision of filter bed, removal of unsuitable materials, and improvement of the vertical alignment of the road.
“In general, the road, which has the best alignment in the entire South-West shall be completely overlaid after all the necessary problematic sections had been treated.
“This road project will no doubt further boost the socioeconomic activities of our dear State, especially because it is an addition to the massive road networks our administration had unleashed on the State. It is our hope that the immediate benefitting towns and other parts of the State will take advantage of the road for personal economic gains”, Oyetola added.
In his remarks, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo described the project as a revolution aimed at strengthening the bond of unity and cohesion between Oyo and Osun states.
Makinde disclosed that N12.5billion will be expended to reconstruct the section of the road belonging to the State, saying that with what Osun will spend, the two states would spend a total of N24billion on the project.
He lauded the collaborative effort of Governor Oyetola in advancing the cause of the state since his assumption of office.
“Today, I am here to say a single world. This is a revolution that is happening in Southwest Nigeria as it is yet another time history is made. I believe strongly that what we are witnessing today is actually a revolution. This is because the road in question was constructed by the Western region government of late Obafemi Awolowo. We thank God that another history is made by Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and myself.
“This revolution has led us to changing the formal way of doing things. In the past, states did their things separately but now we are pursuing collaboration with our sister states.
“We started with one of the biggest collaboration that led to the establishment of Western security network codenamed Amotekun, this happened because we put our people first. Also, just recently, we celebrated another one that put us together and Oyetola was part of the history on the joint ownership of LAUTECH.
“So, I am joining Oyetola, and together today, we are making history. We will be linking our dear states with road projects. I need to acknowledge the fact that we both demonstrated the fact that politics should be put behind while governance and people’s interest must be given priority.
“The revolution we are leading is a revolution of thought, ideas and we are saying governance must top history by putting the interest of our people first.
“This is the revolution we are talking about. This latest collaboration will come with dividends of democracy that will enhance trade and commerce. With its completion, we are saving lives and times of people traveling through Osun to Oyo and indeed we are putting money into the pocket of our people,” Makinde said.
Speaking on the specifications and socioeconomic benefits of the road to the people of Osun, the State Commissioner for Works and Transport, Engr. Remi Omowaye said residents of Osun most importantly, motorists stand to gain a lot from the project.
Omowaye who commended the two state governments for their swift response and collaboration resorting in the successful flag off of the road construction, assured that Osun would do everything to meet up with the specifications by deploying necessary mechanism to achieve the set objective.
Also, Oyo State Commissioner for Public Works and Transport, Prof. Daud Sangodoyin, said the state decided to embark on the reconstruction of the road, having been convinced on the socio-economic benefits the people of the state stand to gain.
According to him, the 35.6km section of the road belonging to Oyo State when completed would go a long way to stimulate economy of the two states, enhance regional integration, strengthen security collaboration and as well boost socioeconomic activities and agribusiness.
The Contractor handling the project and Managing Director, Peculiar Ultimate Concerns, Engr. Olanrewaju Adeleke, promised to deliver quality job and in record time.
