The governor who stated this at the APC West Senatorial District (Zone II) rally held in Ijaniki, Badagry Division said the APC-led government, in the last three and half years, had accorded priority to Babagry Division in infrastructural renewal and physical development, given the proximity of the area to international trade border.
The governor said the ongoing construction work of Lagos-Badagry Expressway had progressed steadily without delay, noting that the project had moved beyond difficult terrain, especially in Okokomaiko where vehicular flyovers were being completed.
Sanwo-Olu said the design of the Lagos-Badagry road project had been reviewed to accommodate the proposed rail network along the axis.
He assured residents that work would soon begin on the construction of Badagry Deep Seaport, which, the Governor said, would further catalyse economic growth on the axis.
He said: “Today, we have returned to Awori settlement in the Lagos West Senatorial District to render account of development activities we have brought to this area and use the opportunity to seek your support for APC in the coming presidential election and State Governorship election. Our party is fulfilling its promises and we’re ready to do more for our people on this corridor. We have visible evidence to support our achievements.
“In the last three and half years, we have delivered many projects in the Badagry Division, including a Mother and Child Hospital (MCC) and inner road projects in Badagry The General Hospital we are currently building in Ojo has progressed and we will be completing the project soon. Before we came in, there was only one university in this area. Now, residents can boast of two well-funded universities, which resulted from the upgrade the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education to a full-fledged University of Education.
“We have also delivered housing schemes in Badagry, just as we have accorded priority to the completion of Lagos-Badagry Expressway. This project is at the heart of our efforts to lessen the pain of transiting along the corridor. All bridges required for seamless traffic flow are being built on the corridor. We will be flagging off the second phase of the Blue Line from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, which will be on a dedicated alignment already marked along the highway. We are set to energise a new economic hub in Badagry, with the securing of an approval for the construction of a new Deep Seaport.”
Sanwo-Olu assured the residents of his government’s commitment to rehabilitate more arterial highways in the area.
He disclosed that contracts for the construction of Ilufo-Mosafejo Road and Osideru-Adaleko-Era Road were on the verge of being awarded, adding that work had already started on Ijagemo axis, with some of the adjoining roads being comprehensively rehabilitated.
The Press Secretary to the Governor of Ondo State, Prince Richard Olatunde has dispelled rumour that Gov Akeredolu is facing life threatening ailment capable of hindering him from State affairs.
This was contained in a statement made available to the newsmen by the Press Secretary as read in part:
“We have observed the growing anxiety about the State of Health of the Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON. The good people of the State and, by extension, other friends and well-wishers continued to express concern over the wellness of the Governor, especially since yesterday.
“We are constrained to respond to these concerns and assure our people that by the grace of God, there is no cause for alarm on the Governor’s state of health.
“Governor Akeredolu, just like every other mere mortals has had some health challenge for which he has since received treatment and recuperating speedily. Since the Governor is not a super human and the immunity his office enjoys does not extend to physical wellness or otherwise, the health issue is therefore not an unusual one.
“However, contrary to speculations and insinuations making the round, the Governor though frail, is discharging his official functions.
“Mr. Governor is not faced with any life-threatening illness that would have encouraged any alleged conspiracy in his administration. He, in fact, held Executive Council meeting with the Exco members till 4pm on Wednesday, 11th January, 2023 after the Security Council meeting where far reaching decisions were taken on the escalated clashes in Ikare-Akoko.
“On January 7, 2023 Governor Akeredolu led his brother Governors in the Southwest and other party bigwigs to receive the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akure for the State Presidential Campaign Rally. On January 8, 2023, he was at The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Jesus House Cathedral, Region 22 Headquarters, Oke-Ijebu, Akure for the Holy Service commemorating the 2023 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration”.
“For emphasis, the Governor, who participated in rigorous campaign activities on the 7th of January, couldn’t have been bedridden as widely speculated. Moreso, last Friday, Governor Akeredolu still inaugurated a new Refrigerated Van for the use of Meat Dealers in the State. He also received the Melvin Jones Award of the Lions Club International same day.
“While we appreciate the growing concerns about his wellbeing and indeed, appreciate the outpour of prayers even beyond partisan lines, we urge all persons of goodwill to ignore unfounded insinuations capable of creating any false sense of needless anxiety.
“The Governor will continue to discharge his official duties to the good people of Ondo State in line with the REDEEMED Agenda of his administration while he finds quality time to rest for renewed vigour and strength just like any man in his situation”.
A forty-seven-year-old woman, Grace Moses today appeared at the Delta State High Court 2 sitting in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of the State urging the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to come and collect his child from her.
Grace Moses spoke with newsmen shortly after the Court adjourned the case involving the governor and her son, Emmanuel Sanwo-Olu.
“My message to Sanwo-Olu is that he should come and collect his child. The baby is grown up. He is troubling me. If not for God, I would have been dead by now.”
Grace Moses said because of the pregnancy she couldn’t go to school due to pressure from her mother who chased her out of the house because they had waited for Sanwo-Olu to no avail.
She said, in her bid to also abort the baby, she drank “lime” saying, “E nor dey commot.”
Grace Moses said she sold pigs for people and she was paid one hundred and fifty naira which she used as upkeep for herself and the child.
“The baby is now grown and he’s threatening to kill me if I do not show him his father”.
The woman claimed she met the governor in 1995 when she was 19 years old.
She said Governor Sanwo-Olu was working with a construction firm at Ubogo Community in Udu Local Government Area at the time.
Grace Moses said they began a relationship which resulted in pregnancy pointing out that the governor took her to a hospital in Agbarho Community, Ughelli North Local Government Area where he terminated the pregnancy.
The woman who spoke in pidgin English said after a few days Governor Sanwo-Olu also had sex with her which resulted in another pregnancy.
According to the woman, since then Mr. Sanwo-Olu abandoned her and travelled out of the State on the grounds that he was transferred to work in Maiduguri, Borno State.
She said she was left to carry the pregnancy and delivery of the baby all alone without the assistance of Sanwo-Olu and any member of his family.
Grace Moses told her son, Emanuel Sanwo-Olu that his father is not a cripple. “Your papa nor be cripple. Sanwo-Olu nai be him name. He uses his left hand for anything. He nor dey carry Afro. He always dey barb low cut. Your papa na Yoruba man. He always dey put hand for pocket.”
Grace Moses noted that up till now, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has refused to grant her and the son, Emmanuel Sanwo-Olu audience to see him.
Also in a chat with newsmen, Emmanuel Sanwo-Olu who was at the Court on December 6, 2022, said Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has not reached out to him since that time. He said attempts for him to meet has been unsuccessful.
While noting that it is people that own a child, Emmanuel Sanwo-Olu said he is not after his father because he has money or he is now the governor of Lagos State. He, however, said, “I just want to know that this is my father.”
He said his mother told him how she met his father, Babajide Sanwo-Olu many years ago. “I am not seeing anybody as my father’s relatives. I am bothered about it because my friends are mocking me.”
Meanwhile, the Delta State High Court 2 Sitting in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area have adjourned the matter in Suit Number: EHC/148/2022 to February 13, 2023, for hearing of the application before it.
Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins, Counsel to Emmanuel Sanwo-Olu and his mother, Grace Moses disclosed this to newsmen at the Court’s premises.
He said Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu had filed for preliminary objections that he is immune in the matter as a governor
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Tuesday snubbed the presidential campaign rally of his long term political associate, Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Mohammed was Tinubu’s Director General of campaign in 1999 leading him to victory in the governorship election of that year.
He emerged as Chief of Staff to Tinubu before becoming the spokesman of the Action Congress of Nigeria, which emerged from Alliance for Democracy.
Mohammed and Tinubu formed a strong political association that led to his emergence as the spokesman of the newly formed APC due to Tinubu’s recommendation.
Tinubu was also alleged to have recommended Mohammed for appointment as Minister in the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
However, the pair reportedly fell out following failure by Mohammed’s candidates to clinch party positions in the state and Tinubu’s tacit support for the governor.
The minister was consequently overlooked as a member of the APC candidate’s presidential campaign council.
The minister and his associates since the beginning of the campaign have not been seen campaigning or endorsing Tinubu’s candidature.
At the campaign which took place at the Metropolitan Square, Ilorin, the minister and his associates called ‘APC Loyal’ boycotted the rally.
Some of the members of the faction opposed to the Governor have been defecting to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Social Democratic Party, SDP, where some have emerged as candidates.
Speaking during the rally however, Tinubu noted that, “Our freedom in a democracy” is sacrosanct, adding that there is no other choice than him.
Flanked by the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu and Abdulrazaq, Tinubu said freedom is democracy and can only be guaranteed if he’s voted in as president.
“No other choice, you don’t vote anybody else, you vote for me,” he implored the people.
Dancing to the blaring song eulogising him, the former Lagos State Governor enjoined the people to “Vote president, APC, Senator, APC” and “House of Representatives, APC” on the 25 February elections.
He also implored the people to vote on “March 11, governor, apc, House of Assembly, APC,” pointing out that, “You will have agric processing, vote for me.”
He also promised the people that, “You will get commodity exchange, vote prosperity.”
Bolanle Raheem, the female lawyer who was shot dead in an incident involving a police officer, has been laid to rest.
The funeral service for Raheem took place at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Olive branch parish, Banana Island, Lagos.
Family members, lawyers, and friends graced the funeral service.
Delivering a sermon at the service, Okechukwu Enelamah, a former minister of industry, trade and investment, said Raheem’s “relatively short life” was full of great impact.
Enelamah said the circumstances that led to the death of the lawyer have elicited widespread reactions that will bring about reforms in the society.
The lawyer was buried at the Vaults and Gardens (Mayfair) cemetery.
A High Court sitting in Ibadan presided by Hon. Justice Owolabi has awarded the sum of N27million in favour of two lawyers, namely Stanley A. Nnabuo and Sanya Bolu(the chairman Young Lawyers Forum, Ibadan branch) who were assaulted by NSCDC officials.
According to a report, the lawyers went to NSCDC office in Ibadan to represent their client who is a husband to one of their staff.
The husband and the wife had lived separately and agreed that their daughter continues to live with the mother and come to spend holidays with the husband.
When the daughter went for holiday at her father’s place, the father failed to return the daughter to her mother.
The husband’ was invited for his failure to return the child on time and the two lawyers accompanied him to their office, on sighting them, they were beating blue black. All entreaties to them that they were lawyers fell on deaf ears.
The presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has been turned down by the Ogun State Ministry of Youth and Sports in a request letter by the Peoples Democratic Party to make use of MKO Abiola stadium for rally.
The request in a letter by The PDP to the state Commissioner for Youth and Sports on January 3, 2023, ahead of the rally slated for January 19.
In a letter signed by the state secretary, Sunday Solarin, PDP recalled how an earlier request for the use of the stadium was not obliged by the state government.
The letter read in part, “It is pertinent to mention that the use of this state asset was sought in April 2022 vide a letter dated 5th April 2022 requesting for the use of the facility for the conduct of our party primary.
Our request was kept in suspension to date which translated to tactical denial. We will like to put this unwarranted denial behind us, we wish to vehemently emphasise that the use of state assets should be to the benefit of the general citizenry irrespective of any leaning.
“We, therefore, once again formally write to seek the usage of this facility for the purpose, and on the date indicated above.”
In response to the party’s latest request, the Ministry of Youths and Sports, in a letter dated January 10, 2023, said the stadium could not be available for use.
According to the Director, Administration and Supplies For Permanent Secretary, I.A Kuforiji, the stadium was undergoing a major renovation.
The letter read, “Further to your letter of 3rd January 2023, in respect to the above subject, I have the directive to inform you that the MKO Abiola International Stadium is undergoing a major renovation of the spectators’ seats and other important areas within the premises.
“As we are all aware that people of high profile in the society are expected to be in attendance and the facility is not yet in good condition to accommodate events until it is completed and ready for use.
“In this regard, the ministry would not be able to accede to your request for the above-stated reason.”
A report comes that the same stadium hosted a football match in the Iseya Cup Competition on Sunday.
Oyo State governor, Engr. Oluseyi Makinde, on Monday, announced that the next five years will bring about a huge transformation in the fortunes of Akinyele Local Government Area in the state. The governor stated that his claim would come to pass because of the various landmark projects and infrastructure being put up in the area.
The governor, who stated this while campaigning across the council, maintained that ongoing projects such as the Inland Dry Port, the African Development Bank’s Agroprocessing Zone, the Oyo State government-initiated Ilutuntun City as well as the multifarious infrastructure projects put in place by his administration, will make Akinyele the richest local government in the state within the next five to 10 years. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, on behalf of the Seyi Makinde 2023 Campaign Media Team, quoted the governor as noting that lands will become gold in Akinyele Local Government, warning traditional rulers to avoid indiscriminate sale of lands. The governor, who met with the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) at the First Baptist Church, Alade, Moniya; the League of Imams, Akinyele Local Government at the Central Mosque Moniya and the traditional worshippers at the Isese Temple, Moniya, urged the religious leaders to support the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidates in National Assembly, state Assembly and governorship elections. Also speaking at the Kara Market and the Moniya Junction venue of the campaign, Governor Makinde said his administration has been able to deliver on its campaign promises, including free qualitative education, expansion of the state’s economy through quality roads, security of lives and property through the creation of Amotekun and support for the federal security agencies, among others.
The governor, who stated that everything his administration has been able to achieve under Omituntun 1.0 will be consolidated under Omituntun 2.0, warned residents not to allow opposition political parties who have nothing to campaign with to deceive them ahead of the coming elections.
Speaking with traditional rulers in the council, during a meeting held at the Award Hall, Akinyele Local Government Secretariat, Moniya, the governor declared that he will be ready to approve any internal reform on chieftaincy issues so far such reforms emanated from the Olubadan-in-Council. He equally promised to review the 5 per cent allocation to traditional rulers in the state, saying that he will never work against the interest of the traditional institution. He said: “We had a meeting like this in 2019 and I never minced words on what my government would represent then. And one thing I promised you was that I may not be right all the time, but that I will be honest all the time with the people of Oyo State.
“The major issue you have raised today is about the beaded crown. When the problem started then with Olubadan-in-Council, I said it where CCII gave me a chieftaincy title that I will always be on the side of the Olubadan, even against the sitting government then. There are a few mix-ups and I will explain it to you today. “I greet you the Kabiyesi of Ijaiye. You have commended us for fixing the road that leads to your environment and it is the same location we have the Pacesetter Quarry. We did it and handed it over.
“You may be concerned that the operations of the Quarry is not enough but I have not asked OYSIPPA about the proceeds coming out of the site as long as it is boosting the commerce of Ijaiye in terms of production of asphalt, creation of jobs for the indigenes. So, that is enough for me because, since 2011, nothing has been happening at the site.
“On the issue of the crown, when the last Olubadan joined his ancestors, nobody could say anything and we would not have been able to install the new Olubadan if we had not withdrawn the case from court. I know that you mounted pressure on them. I am before you today and I can say that there is no hidden agenda. The progress of Ibadan and our environments is all I desire.
“So, I asked them to withdraw the case to clear the path for us to install the new Olubadan, which they did. And I said to them that it is not the right traditional practice for the governor to be installing a monarch. We have an Imperial Majesty in Ibadan, which is the Olubadan of Ibadanland. Whatever reform you are making, do it and bring it to me, I gwill approve it.
“So, today, I want to appeal that the council of Obas and Olubadan-in-Council sit together and come up with an internal reform, because you know everything that is happening internally. “Any reform that comes from you is the one that is sustainable. You don’t have to come and lobby me. Once you are done and the Olubadan-in-Council brings it to me, I give you the assurance that I will sign it.”
The governor also promised that the issue of complaints over lands acquired for the Dry Port and Ilutuntun Business District would be looked into, noting that compensation will be paid to those whose lands were acquired for the Dry Port within the next few weeks.
He, however, urged that residents of Akinyele should also be prepared for land swap deals in a way that will bring greater benefits to the community, saying: “The monarchs should be prepared for such land swap deals in Akinyele too. They should hold those they are in charge of, because the land is our gold here, and Akinyele Local Government is one of the major beneficiaries of the deal.
“Other local governments, such as Iseyin and even Ajia in Ona-Ara, where I am from, because of the Circular Road, will benefit from the prosperity of Akinyele.
“If you are going from Moniya to Iseyin, you would have seen a lot of estates springing up, and even the special agro-processing zone is also here. So, Akinyele, in the next five years, will be the richest local government area in Oyo State.”
Speaking during his meeting with the Muslim community of Akinyele Local Government, the governor also pledged to fix that Ojo-Ayegun Road before the end of the present administration in the state.
He also hinted that the state has sought the approval of the Federal Government to dualise the 9.78km Ojo-Moniya Road.
On the entourage of the governor were his deputy, Barr. Abdulroheem Bayo Lawal and other top government functionaries; wife of the governor, Engr. Tamunominini Makinde; wife of the former governor of Oyo State, Mrs. Mutiat Ladoja; chairman of the Oyo State Advisory Council, Senator Hosea Agboola; members of the Advisory Council, Senators Monsura Sunmonu and Gbenga Babalola.
Others were top PDP chieftains including the Deputy National Chairman (South), Amb. Taofeek Arapaja; Dr. Saka Balogun; Chief Jacob Adetoro; Chief Sunday Ogunlade, among others.
The Oyo State Governor, Engr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde on Monday, 16th January 2023 sworn in Hon Justice Iyabo Yerima as the Acting Chief Judge of Oyo State, following the retirement of the former Chief Justice, Justice Mukhar Abimbola Rtd. According to the Governor, the swearing-in accordance with Section 271(4) of the Constitution of the FRN 1999 (as amended). The Governor also stated that preparations are ongoing to appoint a substantive Chief Judge.
