Author: Lekan Adeyeye

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,…

THREE inmates have escaped from the Ijebu Ode Correctional Centre in Ijebu Ode Local Government Area of Ogun State. The inmates scaled the fence and bolted away in the early hours of Saturday. The spokesman of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Ogun State Command, Victor Oyeleke, confirmed the incident on Tuesday. The inmates are Hammed Adeboyejo convicted of armed robbery and murder, Fatai Taiwo Akande from Ijebu-Igbo also said to have been convicted for murder as well as Aliu Oguntona sentenced for sexual offences allegedly escaped from the centre. “Yes, it is confirmed. It happened early hours of Saturday morning around…

POPULAR Nigerian actor and movie director cum producer, Azeez Ololade Ijaduade has reportedly been shot by a trigger-happy policeman in Iperu, Ogun State. He is currently battling for his life at the Babcock University Teaching Hospital. This was according to a midnight Instagram story from Ijaduade’s colleague, Abiodun Adebanjo, with the handle @iamabiodunadebanjo, seen by our correspondent. It was captioned: “Please we need help in Iperu. My director, Azeez Ijaduade, @kingzeez1, was shot by a Nigeria Police personnel. “He is presently at Babcock University Teaching Hospital. “Anybody with the contacts of the Police IG or Commissioner should reach out.” More…

TWO women have been reportedly killed during a fire outbreak at the Ogbomoso residence of a former governor of Oyo State, the late Adebayo Alao-Akala. The fire which occurred around 7am on Monday was said to have razed one of the old buildings within the compound of the former governor. A resident of the area, who spoke to News Point Nigeria on the telephone, said the fire service station in Ogbomoso came to the rescue to put the fire out but not before it claimed two. The resident also said that one person was taken to the hospital for treatment…

A HIGH Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja has issued an order freezing the accounts of the Oyo State Government in 10 commercial banks in the country. The order was issued by Justice Anitte Ebong in a ruling on a garnishee proceeding initiated by ex-council chiefs in Oyo State, sacked on May 29, 2019, by Governor Seyi Makinde, and who in 2021 got a N4.9bn judgement against Makinde and other officials and agencies of the state. The garnishee proceeding is intended by the ex-council chiefs, led by Bashorun Majeed Ajuwon, to recover the balance of N3.5bn which is outstanding…

ONDO State Acting Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has frozen the accounts of the 18 local government areas and 33 local council development areas, LCDAs. Reports also state that the acting governor told the newly created LCDA not to open new accounts. A letter to the local councils reads: “Distinguished HOLGAs, Your Excellency the Acting Governor of Ondo State had directed that all spending/ expenditure from local government account should be suspended. No signing of cheques, no change of signatories, no withdrawal of any sort until further directive. “Please adhere strictly to instruction and be guided.” One of the caretaker chairman told…

NO fewer than three persons were feared dead in a bloody bank robbery on Wednesday in Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State. The robbers, who attacked Wema Bank and Access Bank in different locations in the community, were said to have operated freely. They were also said to have used dynamite to pull down the entrance doors of the two banks. It was gathered that some of the robbers, armed with guns, moved freely using motorcycles and a black vehicle in broad daylight while the attack lasted. It was also gathered that the robbers dropped some dynamites around the town and shot aimlessly…

THE Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, on Wednesday, said he has received the letter from Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on transmitting power to the Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to become acting governor. He, however, said it takes a constitutional process in which he will instruct the Clerk of the House to convey his approval to the Secretary to the State Government. Oladiji added that he had informed the members of the House on the meeting with President Bola Tinubu and that they have approved the letter of the governor. According to the Speaker, there won’t be any…