Author: Lekan Adeyeye

TWO traditional rulers in Ekiti State have been killed by kidnappers who abducted them along Oke-ako road in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State. One monarch luckily escaped from the scene of the killing. This newspaper gathered that while the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsakin, and the Onimojo of Imojo-Ekiti, Oba Olatunde Samuel Olushola, were ambushed and killed by the gunmen on Monday, the Alara of Ara-Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba, escaped from the scene. According to a source, the monarchs were returning from a security meeting at Irele-Ekiti when they were attacked by the kidnappers. When contacted,…

THE Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake has denied reports and insinuations in some quarters that he would be contesting the 2026 governorship election in Ekiti state under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC). The minister was reacting to the trending poster and flyers in some social media platforms where he is positioned as a gubernatorial aspirant in the state with the inscription ‘Take it Back’ and his picture. But Alake, from Ikoro-Ekiti, Ijero Local Government Area of the state, in a statement on Monday by his Special Assistant on media, Segun Tomori, described the poster as “fake”,…

A FORMER Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, alongside two other principal career officers of the assembly, Dayo Samuel and Adeyemo Adedeji, have been arraigned before a Federal High court sitting in Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, capital of the state, presided over by Justice O.O Okeke. Oluomo and the officers were dragged before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N2.5 billion. He and others are allegedly were said to have committed financial fraud while he was in office as the speaker in 2022.…

UNKNOWN Gunmen have abducted the chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, Philip Aivoji, and some other party chieftains. They were said to have been abducted at the Ogere area of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Philip was said to have been kidnapped alongside other party members who were with him while returning from party’s Stakeholders’ Zonal Caucus Meeting held in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State. Sources who craved anonymity revealed to our correspondent that the abductors are demanding for N200 million for the release of the party leaders. The state publicity secretary of the party, Hon.…

LAGOS has been ranked as the 19th best city to visit in the world, according to Time Out that publishes guides and magazines. Apart from Lagos, South Africa’s Cape Town (ranked second) and Ghana’s Accra (44th) were the only African cities that featured on the list. Time Out said it drew its conclusion from a survey of more than 20,000 city dwellers around the world, along with its network of editors. The criteria used to rate the cities include food (quality and affordability), culture, nightlife, how the city makes people feel, strong community vibes, access to green space, historic sites,…

ONDO State governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has nominated a former Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly (DCNA), Chief Olayide Owolabi Adelami, as the deputy governor of the state. News Point Nigeria reports that the nomination of Adelami is coming barely six hours after the state governor dissolved the State Executive Council (SEC) on Wednesday. Adelami’s nomination as Deputy Governor is subject to screening and confirmation by the Ondo State House of Assembly. More details shortly…

THE Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Wednesday, dissolved the State Executive Council, with immediate effect. “All members of the Cabinet (who were appointed by late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu) are to immediately hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most senior administrative officers in their respective offices,” the governor’s spokesman, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said in a statement. Aiyedatiwa also relieved all Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and Special Assistants (SAs) of their duties. “All the affected officials are directed to hand over all government properties in their possession. “The Governor thanks the affected officials for their services and contributions to…

EIGHTEEN of the 36 members of State Assembly voted for Oluomo’s impeachment at plenary session on Tuesday. News Point Nigeria reports that Oluomo was impeached for alleged embezzlement of funds, highhandedness and related offences. The Assembly immediately elected a member, Oludaisi Elemide, as the new Speaker. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on September 6, 2022, arraigned Oluomo before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos over an alleged N2.475bn money laundering. Oluomo was arraigned alongside three others: Oladapo Samuel, Adeyemo Taiwo, and Adeyanju Nimota Amoke (now at large) on 11 counts of conspiracy, forgery, stealing, and money…

THE Supreme Court has affirmed the election of the governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun. The appellants, Ladi Adebutu and the Peoples Democratic Party prayed the apex court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct fresh elections in the 99 polling units where elections were allegedly cancelled. The Appeal Court, Lagos Division, had in a split decision on November 24, 2023, affirmed Abiodun’s re-election. The majority judgment delivered by Justice Joseph Ikyegh dismissed the appeal filed by the PDP and its governorship candidate. Reading the lead judgement, Justice Tijani Abubakar dismissed the appeal.

THE Oyo State government says it has taken full control of the situation which sparked tension in the state capital on Tuesday evening. This newspaper reports that some lives were lost while properties were destroyed in the wave of explosion which rocked the ancient city, Hospitals are said to be filled with patients while some residents are currently trapped in the rubble of buildings which caved in. Reacting in a statement, Prince Dotun Oyelade, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, said the situation was under control. “Residents of Ibadan and immediate environ experienced an uncommon explosion about 8pm this evening.” “There…

THERE was panic in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Tuesday evening as loud explosion rocked the ancient city, with buildings collapsing due to terrific vibration. Residents, who spoke with News Point Nigeria, said cars and houses exploded under the impact of the vibration felt at Awolowo, Bodija, Akobo, and other areas. The number of casualties could not be confirmed as of press time. Calls to the police in the state and emergency responders rang out. In a terse statement on X (formerly Twitter), the Oyo State Government said it is aware of reports of an explosion in the state.…

STUDENTS of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Ondo State, on Monday, protested against the decision of the management of the university to increase tuition fees. The protesting students shut the main gate of the institution, preventing entry and exit and insisted that the increment be reversed. The President of FUTA Students Union Government, Olayemi Oluwasoromidayo, while speaking to journalists on the development disclosed that the students’ union body has met with the management many times on the matter but the management refused to accede to their demand, leading to the protest. He pointed out that the management had…

ONDO State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has suspended caretaker chairmen across the 18 Local Government Areas and the newly created 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of the state. The government also directed the Heads of Local Government Administration in each of the councils to take charge. The government announced the dissolution of the caretaker administrations in a memo signed by Adewale Alonge on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. The memo dated January 2, 2024, said the decision was based on the pronouncement of a court on the exercise. “It has come…

THE Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suspended the state chairman, Fatai Adams, over alleged anti-party activities. The party’s working committee in the state announced the suspension of the state chairman in a statement on Tuesday. The statement was co-signed by the state deputy Chairman, Tola Alabere; state secretary, Oluseye Olujimi; Organising Secretary, Dare Akinwale; as well as six other members of the working committee. “Pursuant to Section 58(1) (b, c, f, h, and j) of the PDP Constitution as amended in 2017, the State Working Committee has approved the suspension of the State Chairman. Mr.…

ALHAJI Abdul-Samad Rabiu, Chairman of the BUA Group, said that the company would maintain its promise of selling cement at the price of N3,500 from January 2024. He said this while speaking with State House Correspondents after a visit to President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in Lagos. He said the company would also make the product accessible and affordable to customers despite various challenges. “You know the price that we have set will be N3,500 per bag. You know x factory of course plus VAT and then delivered to customers depending on the region. “As you know, the factories that…

MR Lucky Aiyedatiwa was on Wednesday, December 27 sworn in as the new Governor of Ondo State by the Chief Judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola. This followed the death of his predecessor, Rotimi Akeredulu who died in the early hours of Wednesday. Before his Aiyedatiwa’s swearing-in at the Cocoa Conference Hall in the governor’s office in Akure, he was acting governor of the Sunshine State after Akeredolu transmitted power to him on December 13, 2023, as he embarked on a fresh medical trip overseas, the second in 2023. The new governor who took his oath of office at 5:18 pm promised…

THE Ondo State Government has declared a three-day period of mourning in honour of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu who died in the early hours of Wednesday, December 27, 2023. Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa also ordered national flags are to be flown at half-mast across the state. This was announced in a statement on Wednesday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan. “In a solemn declaration, the Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has announced a three-day period of State mourning in honour of the late Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON, former Governor of Ondo State, who…

THE Acting Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has been sworn in as the governor of the Sunshine State. The swearing-in was held at the Cocoa Conference Hall in the governor’s office in Akure, the state capital and was administered by the chief judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola at 5:18 pm. Present to witness the swearing-in are other judges and top government officials, including the secretary to the state government and members of the state cabinet, the state All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman and members of the state house of assembly. His inauguration followed the death of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu earlier…

THE candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 18, 2023 governorship election in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, on Wednesday, reported himself at the Police headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta, the state capital, over an alleged vote-buying allegation. He was accompanied by some of his aides and they were received by the state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, on the visit which lasted about an hour. Adebutu had been in the United Kingdom but returned to the country to honour a police invite over allegations by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that he bought votes with pre-loaded cards during…

ONDO State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, is dead, News Point Nigeria has learnt. The governor, aged 67, died on Wednesday morning after a prolonged health battle. A top government source confirmed the unfortunate development to this newspaper. Akeredolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), ex-president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and ex-Attorney General of Ondo State, was a second-term governor before his death. The governor had to be flown abroad for treatment for his medical condition in June. He had returned to Nigeria in September after months overseas but stayed in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. As his health worsened,…