The pioneer Commander of Osun Amotekun corps Comrade Amitolu Shittu has tendered his resignation letter to the Governor of Osun State Senator Demola Adekele this morning.
Amitolu, in a farewell message made available on his Facebook page, thanked relevant stakeholders who supported him while in office.
Read details below:
“Still relevant taken from the immortal word of the late sage Obafemi Awolowo when he resigned from the General Yakubu Gowon Administration he said “if we are related we shall meet again”end of quote.
“I thank the people of Osun, I thank my friends, my wife, my family. I thank the entire Corps members importantly I will forever be grateful to Governor Gboyega Oyetola for the confidence repose in me to contribute my own quota to the development of Osun State.
“I am stepping aside from Amotekun for good, thank you all.
Campaign Council (APC-PCC) has insisted on its demand that the presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar, , should be immediately arrested and prosecuted for allegedly fleecing the nation’s fund using “Special Purpose Vehicles” (SPVs) between 1999 and 2007.
The demand was made at a world press conference by the joint media directories of the campaign council in Abuja.
Addressing newsmen, the Chief spokesperson and Director of Public Affairs, Festus Keyamo (SAN), alleged Atiku committed many infractions of the law and should be invited for possible prosecution.
Since the past few weeks, there have been accusations and count-claim by the two major leading political parties as the general elections draw closer.
A former two-term House of Representatives member, Egbeda/Ona-Ara Federal Constituency, Hon. Festus Adewale Adegoke on Thursday, 20th of January 2023 attended the Oyo State PDP Presidential rally in Ibadan.
Hon Festus Adewale Adegoke, In a statement posted on his Facebook page appreciated everyone for their commitment and efforts towards the February 25 General Election.
It reads;
“Earlier today, I joined other members of our party, The Peoples Democratic Party PDP in Oyo State to receive our God-chosen and anointed Presidential candidate, H.E Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to the Pace Setter state.
I thank everyone for the display of love and commitment to party values, especially as elections are drawing nearer.
May God grant our wishes and heart desires in the coming 2023 elections, and our desire to have a more united and buoyant Nigeria”
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Southwest zone on Thursday, 19th January, 2023 met at the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign office in Akure, Ondo State and deliberated extensively on the forthcoming General Election, particularly, the Presidential election coming up on the 25th February 2022.
The meeting was at the behest of the Governor of Ondo State and Coordinator of the APC PCC, Southwest zone. It was attended by members of the PCC in the six States of the Southwest zone.
The meeting addressed myriad of issues and noted the need for the Southwest to return massive votes for the Presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in order to ensure victory for the APC.
The meeting deliberated on issues that will further boost the chances of the APC in the Southwest and resolved as follows:
Council praises its Chairman, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, CON for his leadership and candour. It notes with satisfaction his improved state of health and prayed for his speedy recovery and continued service to Ondo state and Nigeria as a nation.
2.Council approves the request of the Coordinator of the PCC in the Southwest zone, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, CON to appoint His Excellency, Dr John Kayode Fayemi, CON to assist and support him in coordinating the Southwest campaign activities.
Council decries the low rate of collection of Permanent Voter Card (PVC) and announces the immediate launch of “Operation collect Your PVC” across all the states in the Southwest.
In furtherance to the foregoing, Council enjoins Governors of all APC controlled states to declare Tuesday, 24th January, 2023 as work-free day to aid collection of PVC.
Council directs the setting up of polling units mobilization committees across all the Southwest States and also decides that all Party leaders and government functionaries at the Federal and State levels should return immediately to their respective local governments, wards and units to lead the campaigns and voter mobilization activities.
Council urges Governors of APC controlled states in the Southwest to deploy all state owned mass media machineries towards mobilisation, voter education and PVC collection.
Council appeals to PCC to urgently release funds to all campaign directorates, most especially, the youth directorate in order to enhance the campaign and mobilisation activities.
Council frowns at reported cases of anti-party activities of some leaders and appointees and therefore calls on the National Working Committee (NWC) to deal decisively with any party member engaging in anti-party activities.
ODUDUWA NEWS has obtained a video where some primary school pupils in Oyo State were seen chanting political songs at the assembly ground
Meanwhile, people have begun reacting to the viral video circulating online where some teachers of one of the primary schools in Ibadan, Oyo State had turned assembly ground to a PDP campaign rally.
One of the leading teachers who wore a face cap with inscription of ‘Governor Seyi Makinde for second term’ (GSM 4+4) was seen telling the pupils to be chanting PDP solidarity songs and to deliver such message to their respective parents and guardians.
Meanwhile, as at the time of reporting, Oyo State Government has not released a statement on it.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State was no where to be found at the recently held presidential campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in Ibadan
Atiku was in the state to campaign for Oyo electorates’ support as parts of effort to actualise his quest to become the next Nigeria’s president.
Seyi Makinde was among the five, aggrieved governors of the PDP, who vowed not to support the party’s presidential candidate unless the national chairman of the party, Senator Iyiochia Ayu resigns the position.
The five governors led by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike are Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue).
Governor Makinde was not present at the campaign rally held at the state capital.
It was also reported that the National Assembly candidates of the party in the state were all around at the event.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state has expressed its dismay over alleged calculated attempts by a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide-Pategi, to discredit and run down the APC presidential candidate in the next month election, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with a view to winning the electorate over for her choice candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Oloye Jumoke Akinjide-Pategi, a former minister of state for the Federal Capital Territory, had appeared on some local radio stations in the last one week to mobilize support for Atiku Abubakar and in the course of her submission and assertion, she reportedly made Senator Bola Tinubu an object of verbal attacks and blackmail.
In a statement issued on Thursday and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC condemned the the former minister who it accused of promoting campaign of calumny against an established political figure whose time has come to rule the country and move it forward as desired by patriots and we’ll meaning citizens of the country.
“We have been inundated with unpleasant feedbacks from members of the public who had listened to all the sponsored interviews granted by Mrs. Akinjide-Pategi in the last few days wherein she made futile attempts to tell barefaced lies against the person of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is the presidential candidate of our great Party in the next month election. This is nothing but unacceptable malfeasance coming from a fry with a shameful political background.
“It is a height of insensitivity for somebody who has neither won any election in her life nor has someone in her family with any electoral victory now trying to pull down an accomplished personality who has never lost any election anywhere. It would have been better for her (Akinjide-Pategi) to find a better ploy with which she could earn patronage from Atiku than seeking attention using Tinubu’s name because no amount of smear campaigns and character assassination from unscrupulous elements would make voters turn against Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
“With this development, it is easy for Nigeria to conclude that history is repeating itself because the unfortunate role played by the father of the person, in question, in 1979 and 1983 when Chief Obafemi Awolowo was denied the chance to emerge as the nation’s President has a big space in the book of history. Also, another eminent Yoruba son (Chief M.K.O Abiola) had his popular mandate annulled in 1993 and the whole world knows the culpability of the same family the one waging war against Sen. Bola Tinubu now.
“If money and political patronage is what matters to Ms Akinjide, we urge her to remember the fate which befell her and others in 2015 when they travelled similar route with former President Good luck Jonathan and got humiliated at the poll. It is on record that a huge sum of money regarded as campaign funds which she collected from Abuja was mismanaged and this caused her to be arrested and prosecuted by the EFCC and we have not seen the end of that case up till even after she had pleased for plea bargain in apparent admission of corruption and stealing of public funds.
“If what most citizens across the country demonstrate as show of support and endorsement for the Tinubu/Shettima 2023 Project on account of competence, track record and promise does not appeal to the likes of Mrs Akinjide-Pategi, we would encourage them to thread softly and stop fighting dirty in the political space over a lost cause. Nigerians want Tinubu as their next president and there is nothing which the enemies of the country can do about it this time.” Oyo APC stated.
Meanwhile, Oyo APC has applauded former deputy governor of the state, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, for “his recent heroic activities aimed at achieving all round victory for the APC at this year general election. It is worthy of note that His Excellency, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, is doing a wonderful job at the moment to mobilize support for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Sen. Teslim Folarin as well as all other candidates of of the APC and we shall not take this for granted.” The statement concluded.
There was an intense confrontation this morning between two Nigerian security operatives when soldiers attempted to disarm police taskforce at ijaya, Apongbo, in Lagos State.
The policemen manage to free themselves after releasing several Tears Gas.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State police command spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, has revealed that the soldier seen fighting a policeman on Wednesday was a passenger on a bus driving against traffic.
A video of a policeman and soldier fighting on a Lagos road had gone viral on Wednesday.
Giving an update on the incident on Wednesday, Hundeyin said the soldier had been angry that the bus moving against traffic had been stopped and got into a scuffle with an armed policeman.
Hundeyin said, “The soldier, who was a passenger, directed the driver to drive against traffic. The policemen stopped the vehicle and the soldier took offence that the vehicle he boarded was stopped.
“He, therefore, decided to attack the armed policeman. The Army have been informed.”
Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele’s ex-husband and award-winning Nigerian songwriter and filmmaker, Abdulrasheed Bello popularly known as JJC Skillz, has reverted to Islam.
The rapper and producer made the declaration in a series of videos and pictures posted on his verified Instagram page on Friday, January 13, 2023.
In the video showing him at the national mosque, Abuja, the “We are Africans” crooner, said that he was lost but now, he has found his way. He wrote: “I was lost but now I’m found 🙏🏽 O Allah, I ask You for Your pardon and well-being in this life and the next. O Allah, I ask You for well-being in my religious and worldly affairs, and my family and my wealth.
“O Allah, veil my weaknesses and set at ease my dismay, and preserve me from the front and behind and on my right and my left and from above, and I take refuge with You lest I be swallowed up by the earth🙏🏽”.
In an exclusive interview with Muslim News on Monday, January 16, the popular songwriter and filmmaker explained that though he was born a Muslim, he never practiced Islam.
JJC Skillz said returning to Islam has given him peace and he expresses joy and happiness over it.
The celebrity meanwhile, narrated his journey back to Islam, recalling he practiced Christianity because his mother was a Christian.
“It’s God’s design that I will return to Islam. I thank Allah for sparing my life. I am so happy I found Islam again because it has given me peace. It has given me direction and focus. I was truly lost but now, I am found,” he said.
Speaking further, he said, “I was born a Muslim – AbdurRasheed by name. My dad, Bello is a Muslim but my mum is a Christian. Back then I used to go Islamiyah but all I remembered about it was getting beaten. They used to scare us with hellfire so, I never practised.
“When I was 14, I moved to England and I didn’t have anyone to direct me or teach me Islam. Around that time, I got into music. I was just floating in the world. I was just living my life without recognising God.
“Because my mum is a Christian, I got acquainted with Christianity. It was during that period, Christianity was preached to me. I saw it as the religion of peace that Islam actually is.”
JJC Skillz said he made a research about Islam and found out it is the best religion for him.
“Growing up, I started making research about Islam and I discovered that Jesus, Prophet Isa (AS) was a Muslim. He bowed and prayed to Allah. Moses bowed to worship Allah. Abraham bowed and prayed to Allah and these are our forefathers in religion.
“During my research, I found out that the best for me is Islam. My big brother, who is a devout Muslim with great knowledge in Islam, taught me a little more about Islam and I realized that Allah is not scary, He is Merciful. I took the shahadah and proclaimed Islam.”
AbdurRasheed Bello was also the husband of popular Yoruba actress, Funke Akindele, who is currently a running mate for the PDP governorship candidate in Lagos State.
They dissolved their marriage which produced a set of twins, following their announcement of a divorce in June, 2022.
When asked if he chose to go back to Islam because he is no more with his wife, who is also a Christian, JJC Skillz said the decision has nothing to do with her.
“No! It has nothing to do with her. It is more like a personal journey. Allah called me at the right time. I am lucky I was called. It was only by the grace of God I found Islam. I am grateful to have the opportunity to worship Allah now. I am happy to be a true servant of Allah,” he noted.
If half of Nigerians in their productive age are mobilized for productivity, the scourge of underdevelopment will be a thing of the past. Former Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, stated this on Tuesday at a one-day dialogue with the theme, “2023 and Beyond: Tracking Campaign Promises for Good Governance” organized by NPO Reports in Abuja.
The Minister commended the publisher of NPOReports, Alhaji Semiu Okanlawon, for his professionalism and industry, urging him to continue to stand for the best tradition of responsible journalism.
“I’m here in my capacity as Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, not Minister of Interior, and I will expect to be quoted as that. I came here because of my personal relationship with Semiu. The topic he has chosen to celebrate at this One-Day Dialogue on the 12th anniversary of his publication, is very apt. All the erudite scholars who spoke have done adequate academic justice to the topic.
“When I was governor in Osun, I created a government department called the Bureau of Social Services with the acronym BOSS, to track government programmes, projects and interventions. Also, I had a Policy and Economic Team (PET) to track projects and initiatives of my office. I also engaged private social, political and economic consultants to do the performance monitoring and perception review. However, beyond the tracking of these project, what we should be doing is tracking of productivity.
“Before we can track productivity, we must mobilize Nigerians for productivity. I heard some speakers talking about tracking the productivity of all tiers of government, particularly, the local government and I ask myself, is local council a tier of government in a federation? Examples abound world over of countries that practice federal system like ours. In Australia, Germany, the United States and many others, there are only two tiers in a federal system which is usually the central and the regional governments. The local government is not one of them. Unfortunately, here, local governments, though closest to the people, but are dependent on the federation account for funding. But they should really have no business waiting from handouts every month from the central government.
“The Local Councils must generate revenue to drive development at that level. No local government will be accountable with handouts. Charity doesn’t make people responsible. The people of a locality must fund their local government. When this is done, they will be apt to exact responsibility and accountability from that government. People can hardly hold a government accountable, whose funding they are not responsible for. This applies to state governments too.
“That is why the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is investing rightly in infrastructure so Nigerians can be mobilized for productivity. With his promise to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty, if half of that number can be mobilized for productivity through the different initiatives the government is championing, Nigeria will in no time be competing with the first world nations,” the Minister stated.
Speaking earlier, former governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, revealed that whilst in office, he had a very efficient Monitoring and Evaluating Unit that tracked all government projects, but stated that according to the topic of the day’s dialogue, sometimes politicians cannot fulfil their campaign promises due to factors totally out of their control.
Also at the event were, Former Governor of Kwara State, Maigida Abdulfatah Ahmed; Former National Commissioner, Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Lai Olurode, who was also the guest speaker; Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, represented by his Chief Press Secretary, Reverend Kingsley Fanwo; CEO Connected Development, Mr. Hamzat Lawal; Former Executive Secretary, NEITI, Mr. Waziri Adio; Former Editor, OPEC News, Ms. Angela Agoawike, Yomi Odunuga, Special Adviser to the Deputy Senate President, Gbenga Aruleba, an executive at Daar Communications PLC amongst many others.
