Category: Politics

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Atiku Abubakar has demanded the resignation of the Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola over a statement allegedly made by him while attending a political function organized by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

The statement requesting his resignation was released today through the Presidential Candidate’s Spokesman, Sen. Dino Melaye as read in part:

“Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who has just demonstrated his familiarity with the workings of G5 Governors has by seeking to recruit members into that group turned himself into a suspect, who only can not be trusted with fair dispensation of justice in Nigeria, but a Chief Judicial Officer who has become tainted and unfit to superintend over the administration of Justice in Nigeria.

“Graver still, the descent of the Chief Justice of the Federation into the political arena is a gross and indefensible violation of the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, section 5 of which states as follows:

Right to freedom of expression

5. A Judge, like any other citizen, is entitled to freedom of expression, belief, association and assembly; but in exercising such rights, a Judge shall always conduct himself in such manner as to preserve the dignity of the judicial office and the impartiality and independence of the judiciary. Accordingly, a Judge shall act with such restraint as is necessary to:

a. maintain public confidence in the impartiality and independence of the judiciary;

b. avoid involvement in public discussion or discourse if his or her involvement could reasonably undermine confidence in his or her impartiality;

c. avoid such occasions and circumstances where such involvement may unnecessarily expose the Judge to political attacks or be inconsistent with the dignity of a Judicial officer; and/or

d. adhere strictly to political silence.

“Flowing from the above, the fisrt thing that jumps out in 5(d) is the indiscretion of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola to fail to adhere to political silence. Rather he chose to be a recruiting agent for a distinct and unmistakable political group.

“Furthermore, the Chief Justice of Nigeria has by his pronouncement desecrated the dignity of the Judiciary, demonstrated partiality, eroded public confidence, exposed the Judiciary to political attacks and acted in a manner that is inconsistent with the character, colour and calling of his exalted office. In fact he broke all the rules in this section. This represents a sad irony. It is a case of the gatekeeper carting away the goods in his custody.

“We are worried by this development, as this has confirmed the suspicion in certain circles that the Judiciary has compromised its independence and is now dependent on certain interests, particularly in the Executive Branch. One can imagine a scenario in which the group the Chief Justice of Nigeria has patronised so openly appears before him with another party in a dispute. Where he presides bias can not be ruled out and where he does not preside his influence on other Judges can not be discounted.

“With the scandalous conduct of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, it has become expedient and a matter of honour that he resigns from the exalted office that he has demonstrably abused. If he chooses to prolong his stay in office, to continue to serve the interest of his political friends, he may choose to recuse himself as Chairman of the National Judicial Council, turn himself in as a suspect, proceed on leave and allow for a thorough evaluation of his conduct in line with the provisions of Section 5 of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.

“Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has a duty to save the Judiciary, himself and Nigeria’s democracy”.

The immediate past Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, has denied claims that he employed 12,000 into the State Civil Service.
Naija News reports that the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Monday, ordered the reversal of appointments made by the past administration into the civil service.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor said the reversal of the appointments is in line with the executive order signed on Monday.

It was gathered that about 3,000 new teachers were recruited into various public primary schools in the state between mid-July and November. Also, 1,500 teachers were said to have been recruited to secondary schools across the state.

Over 1,000 workers were also reportedly employed through the State Hospital Management Development Board between July and November.

Also, about 61 freelance staff that have worked with Osun State Broadcasting Corporation for many years were also reportedly absorbed into full-time service of the station.

However, the reversal of the appointments may affect thousands of the workers recruited into the civil service by Oyetola.

Reacting to the development in a chat with The Punch, media aide to Oyetola, Ismail Omipidan, dismissed as false the reports that his principal employed 12,000 into the civil service.

He challenged the government to publish the list of the purported workers, stating that the entire workforce of the state is not even up to the said number.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has blamed the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the state of poverty in the country.
According to the party’s Publicity Director, Bala Ibrahim, the PDP should be held responsible for plunging over 133 million Nigerians into poverty

Lagos Reporters that the APC chieftain noted that the surging poverty levels bedevilling Nigerians resulted from the PDP’s misrule of 16 years.

Ibrahim, made this assertion on Monday while featuring on the Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme.

The APC publicity director’s comments follow a revelation by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) last week in one of its reports that 63% of Nigerians, which is equivalent to 133 million people are multidimensionally poor.

The NBS report indicated that 65% of the poor live in the north, while 35% live in the south.

He, however, advanced that what the APC government under President Muhammadu Buhari has done since its assumption of power is to provide succour to Nigerians

Ibrahim said the President Buhari-led administration is also doing everything in its power to uplift the standard of living in the country, as well as enable people to get to their places of ambition.

The APC chieftain further observed that the administration of President Buhari had produced many millionaire rice farmers since its inception in May 2015.

Ibrahim said, “I am happy the NBS did not say it is the APC that impoverished Nigerians.

“This poverty that has taken control of Nigeria is a result of the misrule of the PDP for 16 years. The APC, since it came into power, has been doing everything to uplift the standard of living, to take people to the place of their ambitions, and it promised to provide succour, and it is doing so.”

The Court of Appeal in Ibadan has reinstated Ladi Adebutu as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State.

The court also reinstated all other candidates of the PDP in Ogun by setting aside the judgment of an Abeokuta Federal High Court, which nullified all the primary elections conducted by the PDP.

Justice O. Oguntoyinbo had nullified the candidacy of Adebutu and others, following a suit filed by Segun Seriki and others.

Ruling on Monday, Justice Folasade Ojo said it is only the National Working Committee of the party that has the power to nominate and conduct a primary election.

The appellate court maintained that any primary conducted without the approval of the party’s NWC is null and void.

The lower court’s judgment was set aside for lack of jurisdiction.

Ojo directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to reinstate all PDP candidates.

The Oyo State People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has raised the alarm over what it called unwarranted deliberate provocation by the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The ruling party in the state alleged that Oyo state APC has removed the party’s banners billboard at Owode/Akesan road in front of Oyo Central Mosque, Oyo.

Akeem Olatunji, the Oyo state PDP Publicity Secretary, who made this known today alleged the opposition’s governorship candidate in the 2023 elections, Senator Teslim Folarin and Honourable Akeem Adeyemi as the brain behind the illegality.

The Oyo PDP Spokesperson maintained that the ruling party had secured the billboard space for a period of six months which is to remain valid between 27th October, 2022 to 27th April, 2023.

Olatunji stated that the contractor who owns the billboard space, Edge Plus Media, confirmed to the party when contacted that the matter is being reported already at Durbar Police Station, Oyo.

The ruling party however, called on the State Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Williams, to immediately wade into the matter before the ruling party is forced to redeem its legitimate billboard space by personal means.

While stating that APC in the state does not have monopoly of violence thinking it has federal backings, Oyo State PDP warned the opposition party not to confuse its civil and decorous disposition to politics as being entrenched by Governor Seyi Makinde who is the overall leader of the party in the state and South Western Nigeria, to mean weakness.

“We are very much aware of the grand plan by the Oyo state chapter of the APC to not only instigate unwarranted violence to further advance its campaign of calumny and political blackmail against our government, we are also fully aware of their plan to provoke PDP into retaliation against their dastardly acts of illegality in the state as 2023 fast approaches.

“Senator Teslim Folarin and his fellow national assembly colleague from Oyo zone, Honourable Akeem Adeyemi otherwise called Skimeh are both the brains behind this illegality and they should be arrested and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.

“As a political party, we know exactly how to adequately respond to such unwarranted provocation but we will not allow them force our hands into such face-off which is exactly what their grand plan is, in order to be able to advance their failed governorship campaign project.

“Every single person who has lived or stayed in Oyo state within the last three and half years or those who have intermittently visited the state can attest to the unprecedented transformation in every nooks and crannies of the state under the leadership of Governor Makinde.

“We’re aware that they’ve have concluded in their camps that based on the sterling performance of our government as duly and acknowledged and attested to by some of APC governors who have visited the state, it is impossible to campaign against Governor Makinde on account of performance and have therefore, resorted to campaign of calumny and political blackmail.

“While we await the outcome of the report made by the billboard space owner, Edge Plus Media, at Durbar Police Station, Oyo, as well as the prompt intervention of the State Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Williams to address this illegality and brazen show of lawlessness capable of creating public disturbance by people expected to be lawmakers, we warn these agents of distabilization to desist forthwith from the path of political perdition. However, we call upon the Oyo State Commissioner of Police to immediately order for the arrest and prosecution of Senator Folarin and Hon Akeem Adeyemi Skimeh as this allegation is not different from the one leveled against Alh Mukaila Auxiliary without any verifiable fact.

“We want to make it abundantly clear that APC in Oyo state and its agents of violence as led by its arrowhead himself, Senator Folarin must desist from the path it is taking ahead of the political campaign season if truly the opposition party and its guber candidate have no ulterior motive to burn down the state in violence to enable the opposition succeed in its fictitious, wicked, and demonic campaign against the mandate of the good people of the state.” Olatunji stated.

Osun Governor Senator Ademola Adeleke has sacked 12,000 workers and ordered the dethronement of three monarchs barely 24 hours after his inauguration.

The Governor also nullified the appointment of 30 Permanent Secretaries and suspended the chairman and members of
Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC).

The affected monarchs include Akinrun of Ikinrun Oba Yinusa Akadiri; Aree of Ire Oba Ademola Oluponle and Owa of Igbajo, Oba Gboyega Famodun. He ordered the monarch to vacate the palace, asking security operatives to take over.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Adeleke, Olawale Rasheed on Monday stated that the new Governor signed the Executives orders which covered chieftaincy matters, appointments issues, setting up of review panel, staff audit and employment matters.”

The release reads: “All employments in the service of Osun State Government made in any capacity into any capacity in all the Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Commissions, Boards and Parastatals after July 17th, 2022 be and are hereby nullified.

“Executive Order number five on Chieftaincy Affairs and appointment of traditional rulers. All appointments of traditional rulers made by Osun State Government after 17th July, 2022, are hereby ordered to be reviewed to ensure there was strict compliance with due process of chieftaincy declarations and native law, custom and tradition relating to such chieftaincies. In the case of Ikirun, Iree and Igbajo, to avoid further breakdown of law and order, the appointments of Akinrun of Ikinrun, Aree of Ire and Owa of Igbajo are hereby put on hold pending review. Subsequently, the palaces of Akinrun of Ikirun, Aree of Iree and Owa of Igbajo should remain unoccupied, while security agencies are hereby ordered to take charge.”

Osun immediate past Governor Adegboyega Oyetola employed over 12,000 workers and appointed 30 permanent secretaries.

A statement by the Secretary to Osun State Government, Tesleem Igbalaye, also announced the suspension of the chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC), Mr. Segun Oladitan and its members.

Others are: Yusuf Oyeniran, Suibat Adubi, Prince Yinka Ajiboye, Abosede Omibeku, Dosu Gidigbi, and Wahab Adewoyin.

He noted that the suspension was a sequel to several petitions bothering on financial impropriety, dereliction of duty, absenteeism and abuse of office against the said Chairman and members of the Commission.

Hoodlums armed with guns and other dangerous weapons have attacked motor parks in Osogbo, capital of Osun State, creating tension barely 24 hours after Governor Ademola Adeleke was sworn in.

ODUDUWA NEWS gathered that the hoodlums, claiming to be supporters of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) launched attacks on four motor parks in Oke-Baale, Old-Garage, Ilesa Garage and Aregbe Garage simultaneously.
The hoodlums claimed the union leaders were loyal to the All Progressives Congress(APC) and must give way to loyalists of the new administration.

Ten members and executives of the National Union of Road Transport Workers(NURTW) sustained injuries while two policemen sustained bullet injuries when the parks were attacked on Sunday.

The attacks continued on Monday with sporadic gunfires at the parks as the hoodlums attempted to take control of the union’s secretariat.
At Old Garage, hoodlums chased union members from the park towards Ayetoro area with guns and cutlasses leading to business owners closing their shops. School gates were hurriedly closed too with a car razed.

Adeleke, in a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, directed union leaders to maintain peace across parks, warning against violence. “All union leaders and their supporters are hereby directed to remain calm and bring any grievances to the State Government for resolution. Security agencies are consequently directed to maintain law and order,” the Governor stated.

Senator Ademola Adeleke has been sworn in as the governor of Osun State on Sunday.

The deputy governor, Prince Kola Adewusi, was sworn in moments before Adeleke took the oath of office at the Osogbo City Stadium.

Details later.

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, his running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, are en route Osun State for the inauguration of Ademola Adeleke as the next governor of the state.

Others accompanying the duo were the PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and others.

Atiku shared photos of him and his entourage at Ibadan, on their way to Osun.

Details later.

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun on Saturday disclosed that his administration is leaving behind for the incoming government a total sum of N14billion cash in the State’s coffers.

Oyetola also revealed that his government had successfully paid N97billion from the total debt inherited in 2018 when he assumed office.

He disclosed that his administration didn’t borrow a dime anywhere in the world to finance the economy of the State, saying he successfully kept faith and maintained fidelity with his electoral promises since the assumption of office.

Governor Oyetola made the disclosures in his farewell statement to the people of the State, indicating the expiration of his first term in office.

Governor Oyetola was sworn in on 27th November, 2018 taking over from his predecessor, former Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

The results of the last governorship election as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) favoured Senator Ademola Adeleke, a decision that is already being challenged by Oyetola and his party — the All Progressives Congress, APC — at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Osogbo.

Oyetola in his address, averred that his administration has put Osun’s economy on a surer footing through the myriad people-centred and masses-focused projects timely and promptly implemented to make life worthwhile for the people of the State.

According to him, Osun under his watch has been stable economically as manifested in the astronomical increment in the GDP of the State since he assumed office.

Governor Oyetola affirmed that Osun is more stable economically than he met it in 2018, saying despite all the visible socio-economic challenges confronting the State with its attendant effects, he was able to take care of the fears and evil of fiscal indiscipline and lack of implementation, which hamper projects and services in the nation’s public service.

“As I step aside today following the conclusion of the four-year tenure you freely gave me, I thank God and I thank you for your support, cooperation and prayers over the years.

“I recall how the journey began four years ago; how by your belief in me and your conviction in the plans and programmes of our Party, you exercised your right to vote for me.

“As we draw the curtains on this first tenure, we are convinced that we neither reneged on our promise nor disappointed you. We kept faith with you and maintained fidelity with our electoral promises. It was our wish to continue to serve you but we are constrained by the outcomes of the July 16 Governorship election which we are already challenging in court.

“As a law-abiding citizen and government, we are stepping aside to allow the law take its course.

“However, we look forward to continue to serve you in no distant future. We have absolute trust in God that we shall be back soon, as we have implicit trust and confidence in the Judiciary to do justice in the case before it.

“We are confident that this period of temporary political eclipse shall pass. The sun shall shine again, brighter and warmer and the sustainable development and participatory governance that we enthroned, which have been applauded by local and international organizations, shall be restored and put on a surer and better footing.

“There can be no substitute to people-oriented and development-savvy governance in a democracy. The tap roots of the unprecedented good governance, inclusive and participatory governance that we introduced, which delivered massive equitable projects and programmes are too strong to be uprooted.

“As we end our first term, rest assured that Osun is more stable economically than we met it in 2018 and it remained the most peaceful state in the country under our leadership.

“For four years, we did not take any bank loan facility. But we benefitted from the N3billion monthly intervention from the federal Government to all the States for six months to cushion the effect of deductions of budget support facility and salary bailout accessed by the previous administration, just as we have paid N97 billion from the total debt we inherited in 2018.

“We are leaving behind cash of over N14 billion. In addition to the N14 billion cash, another N8 billion is being expected between December and January from our performance in SFTAS and the IGR. Also, another Seventy-Two million Dollars will come to the State soon from RAMP 3, NG-CARES, Nigeria for Women Project and Ease of Doing Business. These are earned, based on performance. And we have indeed performed to earn them. It was part of the same performance that earned us the award of Best Governor on Efficiency of Public Expenditure and TOP Performer on Domestic Revenue Mobilisation by the World Bank’s States’ Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability, SFTAS, recently.

“We have gone this length to let you know that Osun under our leadership was sustainable. It was done through fiscal discipline and personal sacrifices.

“On behalf of our team, I appeal to you all to continue to be law abiding and to work assiduously to build the Osun of our dream. Together, we shall continue to mend the broken walls of our dear State and restore her glory for our collective good and that of posterity. Thank you all and may God continue to bless Osun,” Oyetola added.