The Federal Government has declared Monday 10th October, 2022 as Public Holiday to mark this year’s Eid-ul-Mawlid Celebration in commemoration of the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who made this declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, congratulates all Muslims both at home and in the Diaspora for witnessing this year’s occasion.
He admonishes all Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of love, patience, tolerance and perseverance which are deep spiritual virtues and which the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) exemplified, adding that doing so would guarantee peace, security and harmony in the country.
Ogbeni Aregbesola enjoins Nigerians, particularly Muslims, to refrain from violence, lawlessness and other acts of criminality. “As the indisputable leader of our race, we must demonstrate responsible leadership in Africa”, the Minister stated.
While calling for a stop to all divisive tendencies across the country, the Minister urges all Nigerians, and the youth in particular, to embrace the virtues of hard work and peaceful disposition to fellow humans, irrespective of faith, ideology, social class and ethnicity and join hands with the President Muhammadu Buhari led-Administration in its effort to build a progressive and enviable nation that all citizens would be proud of.
The Minister urges Nigerians to be security conscious, asking them to report any suspicious persons or activities to the nearest security agency and through the N-Alert application on Android and IOS, saying “when you see something do N-Alert, as this would elicit prompt response from security agents”.
ODUDUWA NEWS reports that the Minister Aregbesola wishes all Muslims a happy celebration and Nigerians a happy holiday.
ODUDUWA NEWS has gathered that thousands of APC supporters trooped out today to embark on rally in support of presidential aspiration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
The mega march which was kickstarted at the party house in Oke-Ado, Ibadan had supporters of APC marching across the city of Ibadan.
Recall, the APC women wing also had its solidarity March in Lagos yesterday in support of Asiwaju’s presidential candidate.
Many observers have been querying the growing trend of political rallies across Nigeria. This could be seen as a new dimension in the political dispensation of Nigeria.
The crisis rocking the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over recent corruption-related accusations has escalated as National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, and Deputy National Chairman (North) Umar Damagum have been given a 48-hour ultimatum to resign at the risk of legal action.
The threat followed took a resolution by the Forum of PDP candidates and aspirants, which passed a vote of no confidence on the three officers.
They’ve also petitioned the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party on the unanimous demand of candidates for the resignation of the above-mentioned officers.
The candidates, who gathered and held their brainstorming session in Abuja, also alleged that the leadership of the party extorted several aspirants during the congresses, primaries and national convention of the party after primaries swapped the names of candidates with the names of persons who did not win.
They pointed out that these “underhand actions of the leadership of the Party are largely responsible for the nullification by the courts of the Governorship primaries in Zamfara State and all primaries held in Ogun State while noting that many more are still pending in Court.” Chris Ogbu, who presided over the session as the Forum Coordinator and House of Assembly Candidate, also read the communiqué. He was flanked by Dauda Yusuf, the Forum’s Secretary and former governorship aspirant as well as several other members. He demanded Ayu, Anyanwu and Damagum step down immediately or be sacked by the party within 48 hours or face legal action to force them from the office which will commence on Wednesday.
The candidates/aspirants said that Ayu allegedly sharing money paid as nomination form instead of utilising it for the prosecution of the historic 2023 election of the party, was very provocative and indicting on the image of the party. “Voters now see them as a come and chop or share the money party and that removing Ayu and his gang of party treasury looters will go a long way in showing that PDP is now a party that is intolerant of corruption,” the resolution read.
The former majority leader of the House of Representatives and the Oyo North Senatorial candidate under the platform of Social Democratic Party SDP in the forthcoming general elections, Rt. Hon. Mulikat-Akande Adeola has dispelled insinuation from certain quarters that she was instrumental to the nomination of the erstwhile Commissioner for Works and Transport, Prof. Raphael Afonja.
Mulikat-Adeola made this disclosure while featuring in a radio programme on Fresh FM.
She attributed the fallout between her and the Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde to the inability to fulfill certain parts of the agreement she had with him prior to his emergence as the governor.
Adeola said part of the agreement was that she should nominate two commissioners from her senatorial zone and that the two nominees she nominated from Ogbomosho and Oke-Ogun were rejected by the governor.
She further explained that the need to protect the interest of his people necessitated her defection from PDP to SDP.
“Makinde deliberately frustrated my efforts and it was a calculated attempt to scheme me out of the political calculation of PDP. The issue of me nominating Professor Rapheal Afonja as Commissioner was a premeditated attempt by the governor and he took a sole decision as against the person I nominated for him.
“I have chosen not to talk about PDP again because I have left the party but if not for the sake of clarification, I won’t delve into it”, said Mulikat-Adeola.
No rally will be tolerated at the Lekki Toll Gate on Oct. 1, the Lagos Police Command has said.
A statement issued on Friday by the command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin warned that it would enforce a court judgment barring protesters from converging at the facility.
Hundeyin said, “It has become imperative to reemphasise that no form of rally whatsoever will be allowed at the Lekki Toll gate tomorrow.
“This emphasis has become necessary to enlighten Nigerians that might be misled into converging at the toll gate.
He noted that a court of competent jurisdiction had recently ruled that no person is allowed to converge at the Lekki Toll gate for whatever reason.
He said that the Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi has warned that anyone who disobeyed the court order would be prosecuted.
He added: “While the Command is not averse to the peoples’ right to freedom of assembly and association; and expression, the Command will equally live up to its mandate of ensuring that no person or group of persons is allowed to infringe on the fundamental human rights of others, especially rights to freedom of movement and right to dignity of human persons.
“The warning, therefore, goes that anyone found flouting the court order or infringing on the rights of other Nigerians will be dealt with in accordance with the law.”
The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to misrepresenting reports in a section of the media alluding strange and unfounded motives to the Housing Allowance duly approved and paid to NWC members and staff of the Party
The NWC has noted that this misleading report stemmed from an unfounded publication by a particular media outlet which suggested that the Housing Allowance, an entitlement duly approved and paid to national officials and staff of the Party amounted to bribery.
For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP states in an unequivocal term that no funds were paid into the account of any member of the NWC as bribe for any purpose whatsoever for that matter.
To set the record straight, the Housing Allowance being referred to went through the Due Process of the Party in line with the Conditions of Service and Entitlement of the Staff and Principal Officers of the Party.
If any individual, for any reason decides to return money duly approved and paid, such does not in any way suggest that the money was paid as bribe or indicate that it was illegitimate or unlawfully paid.
A bribe is defined as “money or any other valuable consideration given or promised with a view to corrupting the behavior of a person especially in that person’s performance as a public official…”. This is not the case in the payment of Housing Allowance duly approved for officials and staff of the Party.
The PDP therefore urges all members, teeming supporters and the general public to disregard the report and misleading insinuation which are clearly designed to malign the PDP, cause disaffection and distract our Party from our mission to Rescue, Rebuild and Redirect our nation from the misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC have arrested two siblings: Lateef Afeez Abiodun and Lateef Abdullahi Olalekan alongside twenty-four others, for suspected internet- related fraudulent activities in Ibadan, Oyo State.
They were arrested Tuesday, September 27, 2022 at Apete area of Ibadan based on actionable intelligence worked upon by the Commission.
The other suspects are: Awotunde Joseph Sunday, Ojekunle Ifakorede Apesinola, Oladepo Kayode Samuel, Emmanuel Michael Blessing, Shittu Hassan Taiwo, Olubanji Michael Remilekan, Bakari Ibrahim Oluwatosin, Nafiu Hassan Ayomide, Shittu Toheeb Ife, Kehinde Abiodun, Ibikunle Lolade Tanimola, Ahmad Sodiq Adekola, Joshua Sowemimo, Adeleke Adegoke Yusuf and Ahmad Ridwan Adeniyi.
Others are Lawal Ayomide Alani, Olayiwola David Olateju, Quincy Okonma, Omotayo Bright Happiness, Okunlaja Joshua Opeyemi, Olasantan Adewola Seyifunmi, John Uroko Amuta, Olaoye Ifasola Ifasegun and Ayomide Adeleke Olamilekan.
Items recovered from the suspects include a car, laptops, and exotic phones.
Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi on Wednesday presided over the valedictory session of the state Executive Council.
The session, which was attended by members of the Council as well as members who served between 2010 and 2014, took place at the state executive council chamber, Governor’s Office, Ado- Ekiti. Some former members also participated virtually via Zoom.
Governor Fayemi thanked all past and current members of the Council for their sacrifices, patriotism, diligence and committment to the development of the state. He said Ekiti State made appreciable improvement in all aspects of development, through the collective contributions of members of the Council.
“Let me thank all of us, this is a historic day and we must start by thanking God Almighty for making this day possible. We’ve worked hard for the success of our state, for the development and growth of our people over the past few years and all of us have contributed immensely in the various capacities we have served Ekiti and I am glad that everybody was able to honour the invitation extended by the cabinet secretariat to this valedictory Executive Council meeting.
“ I thank all of you, yes, the Governor takes all the credits and also takes all the blames, but the reality is that there is nothing we were able to do in government that I have done alone. You have all contributed your quota to the development of our dear state.
“This certainly is not the Ekiti we met when we came in October 2010. Things have improved, the GDP per capital in our state has gone up to about $3Billion, population has also gone up, we see some evidence of significant progress on maternal mortality, child mortality, school enrolment, school performance record and on a whole range of indices that clearly depict that we have made significant progress.
“I must thank you for your service, your sacrifice to Ekiti State and to our people, some of them may not be recognized now but in future they will be recognized. We also have to thank Ekiti people for giving us the opportunity to serve and for also rendering the services to the best of our ability. Resources are not always unlimited and as a matter of fact we have to struggle over the years to maintain all of what we have done. Be that as it may, we’ve delivered on our own task, posterity would judge us one way or the other.” He said.
Each of the EXCO members spoke glowingly about their experiences as members of the highest decision making body in the state and saluted Fayemi’s visionaryand exemplary leadership.
The Governor later adjourned the council meeting sine die after a motion to that effect was moved, thus marking the end of the weekly meetings of the state executive council for the tenure which ends on October 15th.
Ekiti State Governor-elect, Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, who was the immediate past Secretary to the State Government and Cabinet Secretary was in attendance at the valedictory session. He also lauded the visionary leadership of Governor Fayemi as well as his commitment to the development of the State. ” I will follow in JKF footstep”, he said.
Former Deputy Governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu, who led members of the 2010- 2014 EXCO to the meeting, also praised Governor Fayemi for the giant strides recorded in the last four years, which she said dwarfed the achievements of of the JKF1 administration.
Meanwhile, while Wednesday’s valedictory session marked the end of executive Council meetings for the administration, which winds down on October 15th, commissioners and cabinet members would continue with government activities till the very last day of the administration.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria, on Thursday, declared Ademola Adeleke as the authentic candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the just concluded Osun Guber Elections.
The court dismissed an appeal filed by Prince Oyedotun Babayemi seeking to be declared as the candidate for the now-rested July 16 Governorship election.
The apex Court in Suit No: SC/CV/914/2022: (Prince Oyedotun Babayemi V PDP, INEC & Ademola Adeleke), affirmed Senator Ademola Adeleke as the validly elected PDP candidate for the said election.
Babayemi had filed his Notice of Appeal in time but but filed the second one on Day 15, contrary to Section 285. He abandoned the first and based his Brief on the second ‘incompetent’ one. The Justices noted that the Notice of Appeal was incompetent and dismissed same with no cost.
The panel led by Justice Amina Augie ruled that the case was statute-barred having been filed outside the 14 days Constitutional period set out for Appeal. Prince Babayemi and Senator Adeleke had locked horns in a legal battle over who was validly elected after parallel primaries were conducted in different locations of the State Capital, Osogbo.
On March 8, Babayemi was declared winner of the primary election held at the Women and Children Development Initiative Foundation (WOCDIF) in Osogbo. However, on the same day, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitored and recognised the NWC-backed Primary held at the Osogbo City Stadium, under the supervision of Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, as Chairman with Senator Adeleke announced winner.
In a list of candidates later released by INEC, Adeleke was recognised as duly elected, a decision which set a template for a flurry of litigations.
Babayemi has prior to this, approached a federal high court and his case was dismissed before heading to the Apex court.
