Category: Politics

There has been an indication that the All Progressives Congress and Peoples’ Democratic Party in Oyo State may engage themselves in trading of words as All Progressives Congress Professionals in the state recently raised a fresh alarm over what it termed as financial recklessness and usage of state resources by the governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde to pursue his inordinate ambition.

The APC Professionals warned Governor Seyi Makinde to stop chasing shadow by desisting from wasting the state resources on the People’s Democratic Party affairs over his alleged ambition to run for vice-presidency in 2023.

The APC-P made this known in Ibadan while holding its meeting on Friday. The Party noted that rather than concentrating on governance, Makinde has endeared himself to mere political jamboree outside the state.

The APC group in the state claimed and alleged that going by information at its disposal, over N7bn had already been squandered on the fruitless political journey embarked on by the governor solely on activities within the PDP in the last six months.

The Chief Convener of the APC-P, Alhaji Adekunle Lawal, said, “Governor Makinde has completely abandoned governance in Oyo State for his quest to extend his political control to the entire South-West, South-South and some states in the North-Central.”

The group also averred that Seyi Makinde in his bid to pursue his inordinate ambition has spread its political tentacle to Niger State to annex his political structure overthere.

The erstwhile president of Nigeria, President Olusegun Obasanjo has attributed the current socioeconomic problems currently battling Nigeria as a result of inept leaders at the helms of affairs. Obasanjo says over the last few years, the country has witnessed a great disintegration under Buhari and if nothing is done to strengthen the unity of Nigeria, the country might join the league of a failed state.

He said this in Abuja on Thursday while delivering a speech titled, ‘Moving Nigeria Away From Tipping Over’ at a consultative dialogue attended by some sociocultural groups in Nigeria.

Obasanjo, who is known for his active role in the Civil War, said he had never seen Nigeria so divided, adding that many of the problems plaguing the country today were due to the recent mismanagement of Nigeria’s diversity.

The former President said, “I do appreciate that you all feel sad and embarrassed as most of us feel as Nigerians with the situation we find ourselves in. Today, Nigeria is fast drifting to a failed and badly divided state; economically our country is becoming a basket case and poverty capital of the world, and socially, we are firming up as an unwholesome and insecure country.

“And these manifestations are the products of recent mismanagement of diversity and socio-economic development of our country. Old fault lines that were disappearing have opened up in greater fissures and with drums of hatred, disintegration and separation and accompanying choruses being heard loud and clear almost everywhere.”

Obasanjo said those beating drums of war and calling for secession must remember that were Nigeria to break into several countries, the citizens would still be neighbours and would need to interact with one another.

He stated that if Nigeria was to successfully tackle its challenges, it must first address the problem of disunity because a house divided could not achieve much success.

The former President, therefore, commended all socio-cultural groups present at the meeting, describing their agreement to come together as a good sign.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said no fewer than 5000 card reader machines were destroyed in a fire that razed down its Akure office in Ondo State on Thursday evening.

This came about a month to the October 10 governorship election in the state when the commission was preparing for conduct of the poll.

The cause of the inferno was unknown as of the time of filing this report but the fire destroyed some items in the office.

When our correspondent visited the scene, men of the state police command and some INEC officials were present at the scene as security men prevented human and vehicle movement around the premises.

The INEC Commissioner in charge of Information and Voters Education, Festus Okoye, who spoke with journalists at the scene of the incident disclosed that the fire affected the Information and Communication Technology section of the commission, saying over 5100 card readers had been burnt in the inferno.

The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (KAI), today embarked on the dislodgement of recalcitrant traders along the ever-busy Ikorodu Road, Mile 12 in Kosofe Local Government Area, as part of efforts to clear the State of all environmental nuisances and other infractions, such as street trading on walkways/setbacks of major highways, which impedes free vehicular movement on the roads.

Speaking on the operation, the Corps Marshal of the Agency, CP Gbemisola Akinpelu (rtd), said the exercise was carried out by the Special Squad of the Agency to clear out street traders selling food items in the mid-section of the road in order to ensure free vehicular movement and enhance ongoing construction work in the axis.

According to her, “The Mile 12 International Market is large enough to accommodate all traders, as such, it is not only wrong for some traders to engage in street trading but it is against the law of the State and the Agency would not spare anyone in its bid to clear all environmental infractions”.

Warning motorists to desist from patronising street traders and hawkers, the Corps Marshal insisted that roads should be free of all obstructions, adding that the amended Environmental Laws of 2017 in Lagos State empowers LAGESC to prosecute anyone caught contravening the law.

Akinpelu reiterated that street trading and hawking are prohibited and the dislodgement exercise will be a continuous one in line with the directive of Mr. Governor to ensure that all nooks and crannies of the State are free of traffic gridlocks while a cleaner, hygienic and aesthetically pleasing environment is maintained.

OduduwaNews has gathered that indications have emerged that bearing any last minute change, the embattled African Democratic Congress ( ADC) governorship candidate, Senator Solagbade Lanlehin will join the All Progressive Congress.

A source privy to an information on Monday sighted Lanlehin in Abuja at a meeting summoned by the leadership of APC.

The intense leadership struggle is fast assuming a perilous dimension as the gulf within the party widened among the party’s heavyweights over the weekend thereby creating centrifugal force ripping it apart.

OduduwaNews had reported on Sunday that some chieftains of the party who are opposed to Lanlehin as the party leader dissolved the current state executive committee and consequently empanel a caretaker committee. 

The Abuja meeting, according to our source had in attendance former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, former deputy governor, Moses Alake Adeyemo, Chief Akin Oke, Dr. Yunus Akintunde, Sen. AbdulFatai Buhari, Sen. Teslim Folarin, Mr. Sunday Dare, Hon. Dokun Odebunmi, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, Sen. Ayo Adeseun, Sen. Adesoji Akanbi, Lanlehin, Barr. Adebayo Shittu and Prof. Adeolu Akande.

Oduduwa News has gathered that some members of Socialist Party of Nigeria have been arrested in Lagos while protesting against fuel and electricity hike in Lagos.

In a short message sent by one of the arrested leaders of the Party, Hassan Taiwo Soweto read apart:

“We have just been arrested alongside several other members of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) and journalists for protesting this morning against fuel price hike, electricity tariff and deregistration of SPN. Typing this message at the back of a police van taking us to Area C, police command Lagos”.

OduduwaNews reported yesterday a statement credited to the former governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose where he warned the governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde to stay away from meddling into PDP affairs in Ekiti.

In the meantime, OduduwaNews has gathered that the senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Senator Biodun Olujimi has told Seyi Makinde to continue his work of salavaging the party and that he should not listen to the ranting of Ayodele Fayose.

Olujimi who spoke in Ado Ekiti at a meeting of her faction of the PDP, described Fayose, including his collaborators as ‘political jobbers’ and asked Makinde to ignore their threats.

She said, “Makinde is the symbol of the party in the South-West. So, anything that must come from the zone must come through. Fayose and his conspirators’ visit to Uche Secondus was nothing but a recreational. I can take anybody to the National Secretariat of the party and we take pictures.

The governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu has promised the people of riverine area that his second term will ensure that more dividends of democracy are trickled down to them.

Akeredolu said this yesterday while campaigning at riverine side of Ondo State.

He was quoted as saying, “my second term will bring more prosperities to riverine communities.”

“My Father’s mother is from Apata, my mother is from Igbotu, we do not betray in Apoi and we are not part of those that talk and fail to fulfill. My re-election is your project because it is my victory that can facilitate the actualization of your yearnings for governorship position. I will personally lead the struggle “

“We do not betray our benefactors in Apoi Land, forgive Agboola Ajayi”.

The former governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose has warned the governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde to stay clear of Ekiti State as he would not allow him to hijack the structure of the party.

Fayose said he was ready to fight anyone, who wants to take over the structure of the party in the state from him.

He disclosed this on Wednesday when he led national delegates of the PDP including the chairmen of the party in Osun, Ekiti, Lagos to Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

Fayose said, “There has been a reasonable cold war of who and who becomes the executive of the zone. Governor Makinde has demanded that the zonal executive be sacked and a caretaker be fostered on the zone which the party did.

“But, since the caretaker committee came into being, he has not allowed them to function because he produced the chairman.

“Beyond that, the fact that there is a sitting governor does not say I should go to another man’s state. Nobody should come to my state; if you come to my state, I will face you squarely.

“I will continue to respect him because he is my brother, I love him so much and I was part of his emergence.”