Category: Politics

Legislative council members have impeached Hon. Olasunkanmi Alabi, the leader of Ogbomoso North Local Government Parliament in Oyo state.

Hon. Niyi Oyeniran and Hon. Olutade Gabriel moved the motion to impeach Hon. Alabi during the council’s plenary session.

The leader who was impeached was charged with gross misconduct, abuse of office, embezzlement, breach of trust, and perpetual late coming to House sitting.

The impeached leader was also charged with assaulting and disturbing people in public.

Hon. Olakunle Popoola of the Sabo Taraa ward was however chosen to take over from the impeached House leader.

The Ogbomoso North legislative council members also adjourned their meeting until next Thursday, according to information obtained by ODUDUWA NEWS.

Details later.

Following the recent statement by Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, the apex Socio-cultural youth organization of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ohanaeze Youth Council OYC has cautioned Gov Akeredolu over his recent comment as it regards 2023 presidential election.

It could be recalled that Governor Akeredolu has been a frontline advocate for the presidency return to Southern Nigeria in 2023.

Speaking to Journalists in Owerri, Imo State capital, the National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council OYC, Comrd. Igboayaka O. Igboayaka charged Gov. Akeredolu to be a noble man of justice in his time.

This is following Gov. Akeredolu’s recent comment wherein he reiterated his desire to have either of Bola Tinubu or Mr. Peter Obi emerge as the next President of Nigeria come 2023.

Reacting to the statement, Igboayaka described Gov. Akeredolu as a political chameleon who swings at every political interval, urging him to particularize the Zone that should produce president from Southern Nigeria.

Igboayaka stressed that the clarion call for the Southern Nigeria Presidency 2023 must be done with fairness, justice, and equity, adding: “therefore Gov. Akeredolu saying that he will be comfortable if Bola Tinubu wins shows that he lacks sense of sound judgement, fairness, justice and equity.

“Gov. Akeredolu should purge himself from socio-political evil, and come out open to support presidential candidate from South-east; it’s a moral burden and question for Gov. Akeredolu to subscribe that president should return to Southwest after 8 years of President Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007) and 8 years of Vice president of Prof. Yemi Osibanjo(2015-2023).

Continuing, the famous youth leader queried the why for Gov. Akeredolu’s sudden swift and advocacy for a president of Southwest, as he lamented thus: “If Gov. Akeredolu objects that president shouldn’t remain in the Northern Nigeria after their 8 years in power from Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (2015-2023), why should power return to Southwest after their 16 years of presidency?

He lampooned Gov. Akeredolu over his insensitivity to the cry for Equity, Fairness and Justice as it regards the Nigeria’s policy, describing him as a man devoid of nobility.

“For noble men, any Yoruba person supporting Bola Tinubu after eight years of reign as the President of Nigeria, and another eight years of Vice presidency in Southwest, is not a human being, but a desperate wicked entity and shouldn’t live on earth where Justice, Equity and Fairness are practiced.

“This is 57 years yet South-east has not produced a president or ahead of State of Nigeria, Ndigbo are not slaves and wouldn’t want other tribes to be slave in power sharing in Nigeria.

“Gov. Akeredolu should be aware that Federal Character and Quota system was founded on equity, and that should be respected in political sharing. Therefore, South-east producing the next president of Nigeria is a FACE of Federal character and Quota system”, Igboayaka thundered.

The leadership of Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) has said the planned boycott of local government election by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not stop the exercise.

PDP had vowed to boycott the process, saying the conduct of council poll was illegal and would amount to wastage of state resources.

The Chairman of the commission, Segun Oladitan, speaking with The Nation yesterday, said: “We have not received official message from PDP to boycott the process. Even at that, they shouldn’t have boycotted the election because the sections of the Electoral Act the party is laying claims on that we do not have right to conduct the election, we are aware of those sections.

“Instead of boycotting the election, they should have participated and let us go and try that in the court of law. Before we fix date for the conduct of local government election, all political parties were involved and PDP representative was present.

“We are not deterred by the action of PDP, we are going ahead with the conduct of the election. Boycotting the election will not stop the process.”

The Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Prince Gboyega Famodun, has cautioned the state chapter of the PDP to stop its threat to plunge the state into crisis over the conduct of the local government election.

Famodun in a statement issued by his media adviser, Kola Olabisi, in Osogbo, decried the threats by the PDP at a news conference addressed by the Caretaker Chairman of the party, Dr. Akindele Adekunle, yesterday in Osogbo, where he threatened the readiness of his party to promote chaos.

Mammoth crowd seen welcoming the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday during a visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

It was the first time Tinubu would be meeting the ex -President since he picked the presidential ticket on June 8.

He arrived Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) around 1.14pm and proceeded to the elder statesman’s penthouse within the sprawling facility to hold a closed door meeting with the ex-President.

A massive crowd of supporters and enthusiasts besieged OOPL hours before his arrival chanting his name.

They gave security operatives hectic time when Tinubu arrived.

The operatives after much efforts created pathway for the presidential hopeful to navigate his way out of the Coaster bus that brought him to the entrance door leading to Obasanjo penthouse.

The APC National leader was accompanied by former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Senator Andy Uba and other political bigwigs in APC.

Ogun Governor Dapo Abiodun; former Governor Segun Osoba; his successor Otunba Gbenga Daniel, ex – Deputy Governor Gbenga Kaka; Senator Gbenga Obadara, Chief Femi Majekodunmi and Ogun APC Publicity Secretary, Tunde Oladunjoye arrived the OOPL to join Obasanjo to receive Tinubu and his entourage.

The meeting is still on going as of the time of filing the report.

The ruling All Progressives Congress APC has tackled its former Governorship Candidate in Oyo state, Chief Adebayo Adelabu to desist from dripping the name of its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the sole reason why he lost out of the recent governorship primary.

“For a man who lost his bid for the gubernatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress APC in Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Adelabu’s recent emotive outburst is understandable, but totally misled”, said Felix Morka, APC National Publicity Secretary.

While featuring on “Political Circuit”, a radio programme, Chief Adelabu had alleged that he was robbed of the party’s ticket because of his relationship with the Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

According to the former Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, five Senators, including the President of the Senate, Sen. Ahmed Lawan; the National Chairman of APC, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu; the National Secretary, Sen. Iyiola Omisore; the Chairman of Oyo Chapter of APC, Sen. Tokunbo Afikuyomi, and the APC standard bearer for Oyo State, Sen. Teslim Folarin, were involved in his imagined conspiracy to deny him the APC gubernatorial ticket in the state.

However, APC recalled Chief Adelabu who was the flag bearer of the party in 2019 general election, participated in the May 2022 primary election of the party and lost to Sen. Teslim Folarin, adding that his fate was decided by delegates of the party and by no one else.

“As a former flag bearer of the party, we expected him to explore and exhaust internal remedial mechanisms of the party or seek legal redress regarding any dissatisfaction he may have had with the primary election.

“Having decamped to another political party, rather than concentrate on his lackluster gubernatorial project, Chief Adelabu has busied himself with making wild and baseless allegations against some national leaders and chieftains of the APC.

“While wishing Adelabu well in his new political voyage, we advise that he desists from vilifying and maligning respected chieftains and national officers of our great party”, the party stated.

The Peoples Democratic Party PDP has kicked against purported plan of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission OSSIEC to conduct Local Government election.

This was contained in a statement made available today by the Chairman Transitioning Committee, Dr. Akindele Adekunle to ODUDUWA NEWS as read in part:

The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party, Osun State Chapter, has been called to the announcement made by the Chairman of Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) on the plan to conduct Local Government elections in Osun State on 15th October, 2022, a period of about 60 (sixty) days from today, and a period of about 3 months to the take off of administration of the Governor-Elect, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke.

Recall that about two weeks ago, the PDP raised an alarm about the plan to conduct illegal Local government elections in Osun State but the OSIEC Chairman, Otunba Segun Oladitan dismissed same as a rumour. Barely 5 days after however, the OSIEC chairman invited political parties for a briefing which they tagged “a PARLEY “

At the said meeting held on Friday 12th August, 2022, the PDP was ably represented at the meeting and a warning letter was openly presented and spoken to before the Commission. The illegality of the purported election is not only what is at play but also the attendant criminality being perpetrated by OSIEC and the financial injury such wasteful calisthenics will foist on Osun people. The content of the said letter is available in the public domain.

Apparently, the OSIEC Chairman seems adamant in going ahead with the illegal election and as such, we in the PDP will not fold our arms iand watch the Apc turn our dear state into lawless entity. We will ensure that the sinister and dangerous plan of OSIEC that has become an appendage of the APC does not see the light of the day.

Already, we have adequately invited the attention of the ilInspector-General of Police to the imminent criminality and we are by this release further inviting the police authority to the looming breakdown of peace and order in Osun State in the event OSIEC proves to be above the laws of the land regarding the conduct of the election.

We will engage in all lawful means including mobilising the masses of Osun State, who have entrusted us with the mandate to protect their interest, day-in, day-out, in peaceful protests against the illegal and atrocious plans of OSIEC against the state.

The Pdp assures the good people of Osun State that we will do everything under the precinct of the law in making sure that Osun State is not further dragged into dungeons of economic retardation through the kangaroo election being proposed by the defeated governor and his conduits in OSSIEC.

The illegal election as we have stated recently, is targeted mainly at wasting resources of the state and to cover for some financial infractions by the outgoing Apc government.

For sake of emphasis however, matters concerning conduct of the election are already before competent courts of law and as a law abiding political party, we will rely on the processes enabled by our laws to strengthen the nation’s democracy and enlighten the outgoing Apc government to make them come to terms that government activities must not always be premised on crude arrogance and wanton illegality

Members of the public especially the suffering masses of Osun are hereby called upon to join the PDP in its efforts towards putting out the fire of crisis the defeated APC Administration through OSIEC is trying to plant in the state.

The Osun Independent Electoral Commission, Osiec has assured the Political Parties in the State that the Commission will not be involved in any act of illegality as it Prepares for the Forth coming Local Government Election in October.

Chairman of Osiec, Otunba Segun Oladitan who gave the assurance at Meeting with Representatives of Political Parties ahead of the poll, reiterated the Commitment of the Commission towards the Conduct of Free, Fair Transparent and Credible Election.

The Meeting organized by the Osun Independent National Electoral Commission Osiec, which, had in attendance representatives of the 18 registered Political Parties in Osun State, provided an opportunity for the stakeholders to rub minds together in respect of the forth coming Local Government Election in Osun State.

Addressing the gathering, Chairman of Osiec, Otunba Segun Oladitan, Flanked by other Members of the Commission, explained that forthcoming Poll, Slated for October, will be Conducted based on Presidential System of government, and in accordance with the Constitution as amended by the State House of Assembly as against the Parliamentary system carried out in 2018.

In their Various Submissions, Representatives of the Various Political Parties raised issues Concerning the legality of the Forth coming Poll in regard to the Electoral Act which stipulates that a notice of 360 days should be given to Political Parties before the conduct of election, the Use of Biometric Voter Accreditation System, BVAS as well the Employment of Electronic Transfer of results among others

In His Response, The Osiec Chairman, Otunba Oladitan, Who is also a legal Practitioner, assured that the Commission will not run foul of the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
The Commission added that Date of the local government Election slated for October, this will be announced in due course.

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State under the aegis Ekiti PDP Stakeholders have expressed concerns over the party’s dismal performance in the June 18 governorship election, and canvassed a new leadership style to move it forward.

Stakeholders at the meeting co-convened by a former deputy governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola-Eleka, and former PDP National Treasurer, Adewale Aribisala, called on party members ‘to go back to their units and wards and begin serious mobilisation for the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Project.’

According to a communiqué made available on Sunday by the state PDP Publicity Secretary, Raphael Adeyanju, the stakeholders including former deputy governors, former party chairmen, former national working committee members, former local government chairmen and former national and state lawmakers at the meeting on Thursday said, “There is urgent need to rẹ-strengthen the party in order to win subsequent elections in the state.

“The current style of one-man-show leadership of Mr Ayo Fayose is ineffective, totally primitive, outdated, bizarre and utterly rejected.

“There is an urgent need for the party to fashion out a new leadership style that will engender unity among PDP members, and ensure victory for the party in subsequent elections. Henceforth the party in the state adopts a collegiate leadership style for the collective rescue mission of the party losses and liabilities.”

They also resolved to make efforts to reach out to a former governor and governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Chief Segun Oni, to return to the party which he left earlier in the year over his dissatisfaction with the PDP governorship primary.

The stakeholders urged members “to continue to engage others still outside the party, with a view to securing their cooperation towards the success of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the 2023 general elections

The Osun State Governor-Elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke has said he will defend and retain his electoral victory before the Election Petition Tribunal.

Adeleke gave the assurance while receiving over 500 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Obokun Local Government Areas of state.

He maintained that his emergence was entrenched in total compliance with the law and the will of the people of Osun State.

The defectors led by a former Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, were received by the governor-elect alongside other party chieftains.

“The whole world knows that his election was a free and fair election. They have the right to go to court,” Adeleke said.

“I can tell you that it is dead on arrival. I can tell all our teeming supporters, all the Osun supporters who have voted massively for us that they should keep calm and not worry.

“This time around, the people of Osun have spoken. They don’t have anything to worry about. It is a waste of time.”

Adeleke assured the people of Osun State that his administration will prioritise education, healthcare, and security as well as provide other basic amenities to the people.

The dancing senator as he is fondly called defeated incumbent governor, Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the July 16 governorship election in the state.

Having run under the PDP, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeleke the winner after polling 403,371 against Oyetola’s 375,027 votes.

But Governor Oyetola and his party have vowed to challenge the outcome of the election. He filed a petition before an election tribunal.

The State House of Assembly in Oyo State has ordered all 33 Council bosses in the State to submit reports of their activities within the next two weeks in response to petitions and allegations of abuse of office, non-performance, gross misconduct, and financial irresponsibility against some Local Government Chairmen in the State.

This includes funds allocation, internally generated revenue (IGR), programs, and projects carried out between January and July 2022. The report must also include detailed information on the income and expenditure of all LG councils and their Local Council Development Areas, or LCDAs.

The motion, sponsored by Hon. Babajide Gabriel (Ib North2) and Hon. Akeem Mustapha, was part of the House’s resolutions on Thursday (Kajola) and Hon. Abdullah AbdulRasaq (Ibadan South East 1).

“The evaluation of these Chairmen by stakeholders, politicians, community leaders, and others in their various domains revealed that some of them have performed up to expectations in tandem with His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde’s development policy while some have performed below expectations, impeding grass-roots development.

Some members of the local government have voiced complaints about complete negligence in terms of meeting necessities like repairing neighborhood roads, bridges, schools, and primary health facilities.

As the elected representatives of the local populace, we must constantly improve our oversight functions over the local government and other governmental agencies in accordance with the Constitution’s provisions in order to attain a real representation of our people.”

The directive also became imperative following three petitions read at the floor of the house accusing the Chairmen of Olorunsogo (Mrs Oluwakemi Juliana Akanni Ika), Iwajowa (Hon. Adebare ) and Ido (Hon. Sherrif Adeojo) of gross abuse of office. The House in its unanimous resolution suspended Olorunsogo Chairperson over gross abuse of office and directed that the Leader of the Local Government Parliament ascends the throne with immediate effect.

The House urged the Chairmen to be more responsive and proactive to the needs and yearnings of the local people in their domains by providing basic amenities.