Category: Politics

The Deji of Akure Kingdom and Chairman, Ondo State Council of Obas, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, has intervened in the crisis between the Ooni of lfe, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; and his estranged wife, Olori Naomi.

Olori Naomi recently announced her separation from her husband on her social media accounts following certain differences between them.

But the Akure monarch was said to have visited both parties in a bid to end the rift between the couple.

According to an impeccable source, the meeting was successful as both parties reportedly responded positively to the intervention of the Deji of Akure land.

The source said, “lt is true that the Chairman of the Ondo State Council of Obas and the Paramount traditional ruler of Akureland, Oba Aladetoyinbo, took it upon himself to wade into the conflict between his fellow Oba and the Olori.

“It will interest you that the matter would soon be resolved as both parties have agreed to sheathe their swords. Differences are normal in marriage, it is nothing unusual, it is a teething problem and within a couple of days, the Olori will move back to the palace and life will continue.”

The Chief Press Secretary to the Deji of Akureland, Michael Adeyeye, confirmed the development , saying the Deji had meetings with the Ooni and his estranged wife.

When contacted, Adeyeye said, “Yes, the Chairman Council of Obas in the state, the Deji of Akureland personally paid a private visit to both parties and the matter was discussed and being ironed out. The process is ongoing and all the tension has gone down.”

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has been advised to dropped his presidential ambition by the Director-General, Voice of Nigeria, Mr Osita Okechukwu.

He advised Tinubu to jettison his presidential 2023 ambition by backing a younger candidate from the South.

According to his statement, “If one is consulted by our national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on whether he should run or not for the exalted office of the President of Nigeria in 2023, my candid advice will be that he should use his abundant Almighty God’s endowment to unite the APC, and unite the South and by extension our beloved country, by backing a candidate from the southeast,” he said.

Mr Bamidele Faparusi, Ekiti Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities, has resigned his appointment to contest the state’s 2022 governorship election.

Faparusi conveyed his resignation to Gov. Kayode Fayemi in a letter dated Dec. 14 and was reportedly acknowledged on Dec. 17.

Copies of the letter were disseminated to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday.

Faparusi had been a strong proponent of power shift to the Ekiti South Senatorial District.

The letter reads in part: “It is with great pleasure that I thank you for the vote of confidence reposed in me to represent Ayekire Local Council Development Area in the state’s Executive Council.

“It enabled me to serve as the political head of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Utilities, which is pivotal to the development agenda of this administration.

“Under your proactive leadership, I had the rare opportunity to consolidate on my cognate experience, broaden my perspective and build capacities in the service to the people.

“These are the bases of my decision to vie for the governorship seat following extensive consultations with the people and critical stakeholders.

“I wish to convey my decision to resign from the government to enable me to focus on the intense work required to make our party walk to victory at the poll.

“Your Excellency, I am most grateful to you and particularly take this opportunity to thank you for the assurances of your unalloyed support.

“I once again reaffirm my loyalty to you and my commitment to the progress of our great party and Ekiti State.

“Please, accept the assurances of my highest regards.’’

Faparusi was elected member of the House of Representatives in 2011, where he represented Ekiti East/Gbonyin/Emure Federal Constituency for four years.

He has been at the vanguard in the agitation for the zoning of All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket to the South Senatorial district.

Others in the same vanguard argue that this was required in the spirit of equity, justice and fair play since that part of the state had never produced a governor since its creation in 1996.

Faparusi is an engineer and former member of the House of Representatives.

He becomes the second top appointee of Gov. Fayemi to resign so as to contest the APC’s governorship primary election scheduled for Jan. 22, 2022.

Secretary to the State Government, Biodun Oyebanji, left the cabinet two weeks ago following a directive by Gov. Fayemi that cabinet members eyeing the governorship seat should resign on or before Dec. 18.

The number of politicians that have so far shown interest in the governorship position across board has risen to about 30.

The Emir of Daura, Alhaji Dr Umar Farouk Umar, on Saturday, said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, was his favourite person.

Umar disclosed this while speaking at the turbaning ceremony of Alhaji Yusuf Buhari, the son of President Muhammadu Buhari, as the Talban Daura – a District Head title, in Daura, Katsina State.

He described Osinbajo, who witnessed the turbaning ceremony of Yusuf Buhari, as a very nice and honest man.

This was disclosed in a statement by Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President.

Regarding the Vice President, the Emir of Daura said, “We extend our appreciation to His Excellency, the representative of the President.

“He – the VP – is a noble man who keeps his promises and a trustworthy person who has so much patience and knows what to do at any given time.”

Nigeria News: Customs intercept container-load of guns, ammunition at Lagos port
Continuing, the Emir said the VP “is a very good man; he is my favourite person. He is a very nice and honest man.”

Besides Vice President Osinbajo, other dignitaries at the event included the Governors of Katsina, Bello Masari; Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje; the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan; Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege; and several other members of the National Assembly, such as Senator Kabiru Gaya and Member of the House of Representatives, Hafiz Ibrahim.

There were also the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; and members of the Federal Executive Council, including the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika; Minister of State, Budget & National Planning, Clem Agba; and the Presidential Adviser on Politics, Senator Babafemi Ojudu

The governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has felicitated President Muhammad Buhari on ocassion of his 79 birthday.

In a statement released via his official Facebook account as read in part:

“I rejoice with H.E President Muhammadu Buhari on the occasion of his 79th birthday today.

“As the leader of our great country, President Buhari has shown remarkable courage, passion and greater commitment to the growth and development of our country.

“President Buhari’s life has been one of service to Nigeria right from his youthful days till date, having served in different capacities as Minister of Petroleum Resources, Head of State and currently President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander -in- Chief of the Armed Forces.

“On behalf of my family, the government and people of Lagos State, I join family, friends, associates, leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in celebrating President Buhari. I wish our President more prosperous years in good health and wisdom as he continues to serve our dear nation”.

Bode George, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has asked Bisi Akande, a former governor of Osun state, to withdraw his recently released autobiography, ‘My Participations’.

The book has elicited reactions from political stakeholders, including Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former governor of Osun, and Ayo Adebanjo, acting leader of Afenifere, who have denied claims made by Akande.

George, in a statement on Thursday, described the book as “shameful” and said the author needs to apologise to Yoruba elders.

The former deputy national chairman of the PDP also warned Akande against “setting his house on fire” because of Bola Tinubu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Akande must apologise openly to Yoruba elders. The attitude that he displayed is not acceptable in a civilised society. Is it his legacy to dishonour Yoruba elders?” the statement reads.

“At his age, Akande should not set his house on fire because of Tinubu’s ambition. I felt very bad as a Yoruba man and as a Nigerian. He has maligned Yoruba elders and highly respectable people in the country.

“He was busy giving kudos to Bola Tinubu. Baba Akande is from Osun State and Tinubu is the only man that he could single out to praise.

“From the reaction to his book, you must have heard what Baba Adebanjo said. How are we going to be regarded by others? Is that the right thing to do?

“Baba Akande should withdraw the book that he has authored. It is very shameful. He is older than me and I don’t expect an elderly person to behave in that manner. He must apologise to those he has offended.”

The Oyo State House of Assembly on Thursday passed three bills into law.

The bills are the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Response Team and Referral Centre Bill, 2020, Hotel Occupancy and Restaurant Consumption Tax Bill, 2021 and the Oyo State Audit Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

This is just as the House adjourned for the end of the year break to resume on January 18, 2022.

The bills were passed following the presentations of reports of the committees that considered them.

In her report, the Chairman House Committee on Women Affairs, Hon Olawumi Oladeji (Ogbomoso North) said the Oyo State Gender-Based Violence Response Team and Referral Centre Bill, 2020 just passed into law was another milestone in the effort to put an end to all forms of violence against girls, women and all categories of humans.

According to Hon Oladeji, the response team and the referral center will help to coordinate all the activities and programs aimed at addressing gender-based violence in the State.

Reading the Committee report on the Hotel Occupancy and Restaurant Consumption Tax Bill, Hon. Isiaka Kazeem (Oyo East/West) noted that the bill would help in; increasing the internally generated revenue of the State, and commended the House of Assembly for the passage of the bill.

In his own report on the Oyo State Audit Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2021, the Chairman House Committee on Public Account, Finance and Appropriation, Hon Hakeem Mustapha said the bill wa in line with the plan by the State Government to make the Oyo State Audit Commission more functional.

Hon Mustapha explained that the law was amended to ensure that offices of the Auditors-General at both the State and Local Government levels are competitive and tenured.

Addressing the plenary, the Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Adebo Ogundoyin said the three bills just passed had joined the growing list of bills passed by the 9th Oyo Assembly.

” We have surpassed past Assemblies in terms of passage of bills, motions and resolutions. We have over 70 bills and we are still counting. To God be the glory.”

He commended the Committees that worked on the three bills, adding that the reports were thorough and painstaking.

The Speaker used the medium to appreciate all the lawmakers for their commitment in the outgoing year , and urged them to make the new year better in terms of commitment, dedication and achievements.

The House thereafter adjourned plenary till 18th of January, 2022.

Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,SAN, has allocated portfolios to commissioners and special advisers that were sworn-in on Monday.

The Governor announced the portfolios during the state executive council meeting held today.

The portfolios are as follows:

The House of Representatives Speaker, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has today signed 10 bills to be transferred to the Senate for concurrence.

Gbajabiamila made the disclosure known today via a State he revealed on his official Facebook account as read in part:

“Today, I signed 10 bills passed by the House for transmission to the Senate for concurrence.

“One of the bills is the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Bill, 2021 passed by the House on November 16, 2021. It seeks to raise the retirement age of Nigerian teachers from 60 to 65 years. It also seeks to extend their years of service from 35 to 40 years.

“Another bill the speaker signed for transmission to the Senate is the Prohibition of Discrimination Between First Degree and Higher National Diploma Bill, 2021. It seeks to abolish the discrimination that exists between degree and HND holders for the purpose of employment.

“The other bills for transmission to the Senate for concurrence include the Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Chartered Institute of Professional Secretarial Staff of Nigeria Bill, 2021; and the Federal College of Education, Illo, Kebbi State, 2021.

“On the list also were the Federal University of Agriculture Jalingo Bill, 2021; Federal College of Education, Bende (Establishment) Bill, 2021; Federal College of Education (Technical) Agboro, Bayelsa State Bill, 2021; Federal University of Agriculture and Technology Aboh, Bill, 2021; and South-South Development Commission Bill, 2021”.

The Oyo State House of Assembly has directed its Committee on Transportation to commence investigation into allegations of violent attacks on officers of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority, OYRTMA by personnel of the Nigerian Army.

The Speaker, OYHA , Hon Adebo Ogundoyin gave the directive after a Save Our Soul letter from the Executive Chairman of OYRTMA, Mogaji Akin Fagbemi was read at the plenary.

According to the letter, series of unprovoked attacks on officers of OYRTMA by Army personnel reached crescendo lately with the destruction of five operational vehicles of the Road Traffic Management Authority and the injuring of some of the officers of the Authority.

The letter read in part ” The frequency at which our officers are being seriously attacked has really come to a stage for the authority to raise alarm. We have earlier written letters of complaints to those concerned especially the Nigerian Army on the atrocities being committed by its personnel which resulted in the vandalisation of our five operational vehicles beyond repair. The photographs of our injured personnel and the Army officer that led the assaults are here with attached as evidence. “

The latest incident was said to have happened at Saki in the Okeogun area of Oyo State.

The Speaker urged the House Committee on Transportation to investigate the allegation and report to the house as soon as possible.