Oduduwa News

Earlier yesterday, the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde has visited the Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola.

The visitation was made known yesterday by Governor via his Facebook handle as read in part:

“This afternoon, we met with the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola. We discussed the Oyo-Iseyin Road being reconstructed by our administration. Though the contractor has mobilised to site, the federal government needs to supervise the commencement of work, as it is a Federal road.

“We also used the opportunity to follow up on our request that the Federal Government should transfer the Ojoo-Moniya Old Road to Oyo State to be integrated into our proposed new business district in Ibadan”.

The Ogun State Coordinate of All Progressives Congress Youth League has charged the newly elected 20 Local government chairmen in the state to ensure adequate youth representation in their administration.

The league urged the local council bosses to emulate Governor Dapo Abiodun’s style of leadership by making the youth Constituency a topmost priority as they begin to form their cabinet.

A release jointly signed by the league’s coordinator, Comrade Olamide Lawal and Publicity Secretary, Adewale Adeleye, pointed out that the youths in the Gateway State are tools that could be used to fast-track the desired grassroots development due to their resilience and energy.

According to the release, ” The youths in Ogun State are very hardworking. Their firmness and strength cannot be underestimated, especially as exhibited in the last Pre-Election and Electioneering exercise just concluded.”

“We believe the youths deserve above 60% inclusion in the local government administration”

The release furthered, “There is no better time for Youths to be compensated for their steadfastness than now. Their resourcefulness and dedication to the party is immeasurable”

“Many of them vied for Councillorship and Chairmanship seats but were denied by the party, yet remained and worked tirelessly for their co-aspirants. There is no better name to call this action than Partyman-ship.”

The league commended the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun for his “Building our future together” ideology which was exemplified during his Campaign tour of all Local government areas in the state.

“Indeed, Royalty and Leadership flow in his blood. He has shown genuine leadership by example and had earned more honour for himself by personally visiting all Local government areas , to see things by himself, feel people’s pulses and solicit further support in order to deliver democratic dividends appropriately” it concludes.

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has inaugurated the recently elected Local Government chairmen and councilors.

This was contained in a statement signed and released today to newsmen by the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu as read in part:

“Today, we swore-in elected Council Chairmen that will lead our Local Government and Local Council Development Areas in Lagos State with a charge to them to get down to work immediately to justify the confidence of the electorates and not to dissipate any energy fighting opponents.

“I reiterated that the administrative and financial autonomy our LGAs and LCDAs have enjoyed for the past two decade should be a catalyst to achieve bottom-up development across the State and it should not be taken for granted.

“In Lagos, we are witnessing the dawn of a new era in Local Government administration. With this election, a resounding statement has been made, once again, that our state remains firmly an APC state and that our people continue to regard our party as the most viable and most credible political choice for the most populous State and biggest subnational economy in the country.

“We consider this overwhelming support as a vote of confidence in our administration and our great party, and it will never be taken for granted.

“While I congratulate the newly elected chairmen and vice chairmen, I want to remind them that their victory is an affirmation of trust in their competence, capacity and capability to discharge the responsibility of the Office they are stepping into.

“Being the closest tier of government to the people, any gap or shortcoming in administration will be keenly felt by the people. As a result, policies and programmes must be people-oriented, focusing on how to improve the lives and livelihood of the people at the grassroots.

“I must also commend our great leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for his unflinching dedication to the party and also our State Chairman and party leadership for leading the party to victory again.

“My commendation also goes to all our people, the civic-minded people of Lagos State, who conducted themselves peacefully and responsibly, before, during and after the elections. I want to particularly thank you all for keeping faith with our great party.

“It is equally important to praise the State Independent Electoral Commission ably led by Justice Ayotunde Philips (rtd) for conducting a very credible election.

“Our administration will continue to provide the right environment for LASIEC to fulfill its constitutional mandate”.

The special offences court unit of the Lagos state high court has admitted another evidence submitted by Comedian Princess against Baba Ijesha, Nollywood actor.

Baba Ijesha is being tried on a six-count charge which includes sexual assault by penetration, indecent treatment of a child, and sexual assault.

On Monday, Princess appeared as one of the witnesses against the 48-year-old actor.

During the cross-examination of her account by Babatunde Ogala, counsel to Baba Ijesha, on Tuesday, the actress submitted a copy of her written statement at the police station when she reported the matter.

Oluwatoyin Taiwo, the judge, thereafter admitted the statement as another piece of evidence in the trial.

The court had earlier admitted footage of closed-circuit television (CCTV) submitted by Princess as evidence against Baba Ijesha on Monday.

The development comes as the court also directed Princess to produce an original version of the CCTV footage she submitted to the defence counsel.

During the trial, Ogala had argued that the copy of the footage made available to his team was not the original one.

According to him, the copy submitted by Princess was the one she recorded from the original version of the CCTV footage.

But Olayinka Adeyemi, the state director of public prosecution (DPP), had opposed the gesture, adding that there was no need for such a request.

Reacting, Oluwatoyin Taiwo, the judge, asked the prosecution team to present the original CCTV hard drive to the defence team for examination.

The three-day trial started on Monday and will continue till Wednesday.

Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit (Taskforce) on Monday issued a 3 -Day Removal Notice to all owners of makeshift structures, shanties, kiosks and vehicles at Maroko and Lekki Coastal Road, Lekki, Lagos.

The Chairman of Taskforce, CSP Shola Jejeloye, who led his team to the points of the issuance of the removal notices, noted that the order became necessary to facilitate the road construction along the coastal road which serves as an alternative route to the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

The road, which leads to Lekki Free Zone, has been dotted by illegal structures, shanties, abandoned vehicles, containers and trading activities.

According to Jejeloye, “the stretch of road has been taken over by mechanics, block makers, bamboo and wood sellers, shanties and other illegal occupiers, which are going to hamper road construction work in the area.”

He stated that on expiration of the Removal Notice on Thursday, officials of the agency would remove all structures, shanties, abandoned vehicles and materials in the area.

He noted that the removal of shanties and criminal hideout in Marwa Waterside area would help reduce traffic robberies and criminal activities on Lekki/Ajah Corridor, particularly around Jakande Roundabout.

The Chairman, while addressing the occupants of the area in clusters before pasting the notices, implored them to heed the State Government’s Removal Order as anyone found on the road at the expiration of the notice would be made to face justice.

It would be recalled that Lagos State Government in December, 2019 removed all illegal structures on the Lekki Coastal Road to pave way for its construction.

The Benin Republic government has slammed fresh charges against the wanted Yoruba nation agitator, Mr Sunday Igboho.

Ibrahim Salami, one of Sunday Igboho’s Lawyer told BBC Yoruba that the legal team was expecting extradition charges from the Nigerian government against the activist.

Salami said Igboho was further remanded to allow police to conduct a thorough investigation into the charges, which included illegal migration, dubious connivance with immigration officers and an attempt to cause civil unrest.

“First, the judge wanted to know how Sunday Igboho entered into the Benin Republic through an illegal means. They also want to investigate how Sunday Igboho conspired with others to enter Benin Republic through wrong means.

“They also want to know how long he has been in Benin Republic and his plans in the country. They also raised a charge on whether he wants to come and cause unrest or social disturbance in Benin Republic,” the lawyer said in an interview with BBC Yoruba.

The Magistrate Court sitting in Yaba, Lagos has granted bail to 47 Yoruba Nation Protesters except Tajudeen Bakare whose bail was revoked on allegation of murder of a sachet water hawker, Jumoke Oyeleke, who allegedly killed by a stray bullet during the protest.

Maxwell Adeleye, Communications Manager, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide disclosed it in a release issued on Monday, July 26.

He said, “The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, has charged the 48 Yoruba Nation Protesters arrested on Saturday 3rd July, 2021 in Ojota, Lagos before a Magistrate Court sitting in Yaba.

They were charged for Unlawful Assembly, Unlawful Society and Conducts likely to cause breach of Public Peace.

However, one of the arrested protesters, Tajudeen Bakare (the popular Ogboni Chief) was charged by the Police for the murder of a Satchet Water Hawker, Jumoke Oyeleke, killed by a stray bullet during the protest.

The bail granted to all the Protesters was upheld by the Court but that of Bakare was revoked. The Court refers Bakare’s case to the Director of Public Prosecutor (DPP) for further advise.