The Nation Newspaper

Category: South West

  • Ogun government plans 3,000 affordable housing units for low-income earners

    Ogun government plans 3,000 affordable housing units for low-income earners

    Ogun State Government yesterday unveiled plans to build and deliver 3,000 low cost housing facilities for civil servants, with a resolve to complete the first phase comprising 579 housing units on or before June 30.

    It said the initiative formed part of a comprehensive plan to complete over 10,000 affordable homes promised by the end of the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun on May 29, 2027.

    Housing Commissioner Jamiu Omoniyi, who disclosed this while addressing a news conference in Abeokuta, said the ministry was collaborating with Housing Corporation and Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC) to deliver the project according to schedule.

    He said last year, the ministry witnessed the activities of naysayers and purveyors of misinformation, who made the housing sector the butt of their unfounded criticisms.

    Omoniyi, however, said the ministry remained undeterred, stressing that being a resilient, focused and progressive sector, it had decided to choose facts over fiction, delivery over distraction and results over rhetoric.  He said the transformation across communities and estates in the state represented the unquestionable evidence of the genuine developmental strides of Governor Abiodun’s administration.

    He said the ministry closed 2025 on a strong note with the delivery of an additional 30 units of duplexes at Ibara GRA Cluster 1 Extension and another 100 duplexes at President Muhammadu Buhari Estate, adding that the achievement reflected the consistency, planning integrity and institutional capacity of the housing sector.

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    The commissioner said: “As we step into 2026 Fiscal Year, Ministry of Housing and Housing Corporation are positioned to scale up delivery across multiple fronts. Key legacy projects slated for execution include building of an International Conference Centre (GIA) at Iperu, a modern 2,500 seater-capacity Banquet Hall/Centre, Appeal Court headquarters and residences, Ibara GRA Phase II comprising 50 duplexes, as well as Commissioners’ Quarters, Appointees’ Quarters and Assembly Quarters. These projects were conceived to align with the development blueprint of the state, ensuring growth in governance, justice delivery, hospitality and residential infrastructure progresses in a coordinated, sustainable and people-centred manner.

    “Beyond these, we will advance flagship housing developments across strategic locations, including Prince Courts Estate at Siun along Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway; ISEYA Court, Oke-Mosan; Havila Court, Ibara; and Havens Court, Igbeba, Ijebu-Ode, alongside the continued Regeneration Scheme of Ibara GRA through Phase II.

    These initiatives are aligned with the Year 2026 Budget of Sustainable Legacy, as articulated by His Excellency during the budget presentation.

    “He reaffirmed that our robust housing investment continues to meet the rising demand for affordable, quality homes, while driving slum regeneration and sustainable urban development across our state; having delivered more housing units than all previous administrations combined, our state remains on track to complete over 10,000 affordable homes by the end of this administration.”

  • Ondo magistrates, customary court presidents begin indefinite strike

    Ondo magistrates, customary court presidents begin indefinite strike

    Magistrates, Presidents of Grade ‘A’ Customary Courts and Legal Research Officers in Ondo State have announced an indefinite strike action, effective from Monday, January 5, 2026.

    The directive was issued under the aegis of the Coalition of Magistrates, Presidents of Grade ‘A’ Customary Courts and Legal Research Officers in the Ondo State Judiciary, a copy obtained by The Nation on Sunday. 

    In a notice dated January 2, 2026, and addressed to all magistrates, presidents of Grade ‘A’ customary courts and legal research officers, the coalition directed its members to withdraw their services indefinitely in pursuit of judicial autonomy and improved welfare.

    The notice was jointly signed by the Chairman of the Magistrates Association of Nigeria, Ondo State Branch; the Chairman of the Association of Presidents of Grade ‘A’ Customary Courts; and the Acting Chairman of the Association of Legal Research Officers.

    The notice stated, “We hereby direct all our members to commence a strike action indefinitely with effect from Monday, 5th January 2026.”

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    It added that during the strike, members would be barred from carrying out any official duties in any form, whether physically or remotely.

    “During the pendency of the strike, all members are strictly prohibited from performing any official function or acting in their official capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to reporting to the office, sitting in court, issuing, signing, endorsing or authorising any order, process, directive or document, whether physically or remotely, for the entire duration of the strike,” the notice read.

    The coalition said the strike would continue until its demands were fully met, stressing that the action was non-negotiable.

    “This strike action shall remain in force until our collective demands for judicial autonomy and improved welfare are fully achieved. We will not compromise on these fundamental principles,” it stated.

    The group also called on members to remain united and disciplined throughout the period of the industrial action, assuring that updates would be communicated as events unfold.

  • Osun/Ekiti 2026: Osun Anglican Bishop tasks INEC, FG to uphold people’s choice 

    Osun/Ekiti 2026: Osun Anglican Bishop tasks INEC, FG to uphold people’s choice 

    The Diocesan Bishop, Ijesa North (Anglican Communion), Rev. Isaac Oluyamo, has urged the federal government and Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) to respect the sacredness of the ballot. 

    The clergy, in his New Year message at the Cathedral Church of St. Matthew, Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State, on Sunday, also charged security operatives to eschew partisan politics. 

    According to him, “​With the Ekiti and Osun State elections on the horizon, I appeal to the federal authorities and INEC to respect the sacredness of the ballot. Let the choice of the people stand. 

    READ ALSO; Police arrest two over killing of three women in Adamawa

    “I want to also charge the police and other security agencies to strip themselves of partisanship and do their work with the professional fear of God.”

    Also, Bishop Oluyamo charged President Bola Tinubu to fight insecurity including kidnappings banditry and the shadows of fear that hang over the highways.

    He also urged Nigerians to embrace forgiveness, forget wrongdoings and focus on God in 2026.

  • Ekiti APC dismisses controversy over deputy governor’s WAEC certificate

    Ekiti APC dismisses controversy over deputy governor’s WAEC certificate

    Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressive Congress has dismissed as baseless and politically motivated the controversy trailing the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) certificate of the Deputy Governor and APC deputy governorship candidate, Mrs Monisade Afuye, ahead of the June 20 governorship election.

    The controversy followed the release of particulars of governorship candidates and their deputies by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which showed that Mrs Afuye sat for the WAEC examination in June 1978 at Amoye Grammar School, Ikere-Ekiti.

    The deputy governor obtained credits in Literature-in-English and Economics, and passed in History and Mathematics.

    The Ekiti APC Publicity Secretary, Segun Dipe, dismissed the allegations as a desperate attempt ploy by opposition parties to gain relevance ahead of the election.

    The party spokesman accused PDP and ADC of sensationalising the issue to undermine public confidence in the ruling party, insisting that Afuye met all constitutional requirements to contest as deputy governor.

    Dipe said Afuye’s academic credentials were duly screened and cleared by the party and relevant authorities, stressing that the deputy governor had served the state diligently since assuming office.

    He added that the APC would not be distracted by the antics of PDP and ADC, urging the opposition parties to focus on presenting their alternatives to Ekiti voters rather than resorting to what he termed smear campaigns and recycled allegations.

    However, the development has continued to attract criticism from the opposition parties.

    The South-West PDP Publicity Secretary, Chief Sanya Atofarati, in a statement on Sunday, described the development as embarrassing and a “slap” on Ekiti State, which he said was widely regarded as a centre of academic excellence.

    “This is a source of embarrassment for all Ekiti people. A state widely celebrated for academic excellence and intellectual prowess deserves better. It is disheartening that the APC is presenting a candidate with such a record for the sensitive office of deputy governor.

    “Imagine someone who today submits a low-level and unconvincing school certificate being expected tomorrow to represent a governor at meetings of professors and technocrats. What exactly does such a person have to offer?”

    “Ekiti is known nationwide as a state of scholars, a state with one of the highest concentrations of professors. It is often said, jokingly but truthfully, that almost every household has a professor. Is it not dehumanising for such a people to be represented by a mere school certificate holder?” he queried.

    Similarly, Ekiti State Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Gboyega Aribisogan, also faulted the O-Level result submitted by Mrs Afuye to INEC, citing what he described as unresolved doubts about its authenticity.

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    He said that Ekiti state,, regarded for its academic reputation, should not be led by people with questionable credentials and low education, recalling that similar concerns were raised in 2022 when she emerged as APC deputy governorship candidate.

    He said, “This is not the first time these questions have come up. As far back as 2022, when she was announced as a deputy governor’s candidate of the APC, even members of her own party openly discussed the doubts surrounding her qualification.

    “At one point, a group of people went to the archives to verify whether she truly sat for the GCE. What later emerged was that she did not complete her education at Amoye Grammar School, Ikere-Ekiti, which she claimed to have attended.

    “Her colleagues from school reportedly said she did not finish there. Rather, she sat for the GCE outside the school, and that is where the problem of a doubtful certificate started.

    “Many of our professionals and alumni spoke out against her nomination then, but because of the dictatorial tendencies within the APC party structure at the time, the issue was swept under the carpet, and she was imposed as deputy governor.

    “As we head into another governorship election, our people are talking again. At the appropriate time, people will do the needful, and this could lead to another round of litigation that may truncate the ambition of both the governor and the deputy governor, he added. 

  • Factional Osun council workers warn against HLA takeover amid LG crisis

    Factional Osun council workers warn against HLA takeover amid LG crisis

    A faction of council workers under the Association of Concerned Local Government Workers, Osun State, has warned against actions capable of plunging local government administration into disorder amid the lingering leadership crisis.

    The group faulted the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees for calling on Heads of Local Government Administration to take over the running of councils, describing the move as unconstitutional and potentially destabilising.

    Addressing journalists on Sunday at the NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel in Osogbo, the faction’s State Chairman, Adekunle Adedayo, accused the NULGE leadership, led by Dr Kehinde Ogungbangbe, of playing a partisan role in the control tussle between executives of the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party at the local government level.

    NULGE had embarked on a strike on February 17, 2025, but in December 2025 directed its members to resume work on January 5, 2026, while also calling on HLAs to assume control of council administration.

    Reacting, Adedayo said members of his faction had continued to work peacefully with the APC-led council executives, noting that their salaries and other entitlements had been paid promptly.

    “Our members are sincerely grateful to the APC ALGON-led executives for the prompt payment of our salaries and benefits after our names were unjustly removed from the payroll by the PDP-led state government because of our principled position,” he said.

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    Citing several Supreme Court judgments, Adedayo rejected the call for HLAs to head local governments, arguing that political authority at the local level cannot be exercised by unelected officials.

    “Any attempt by a Head of Local Government Administration to assume political powers amounts to usurpation of democratic authority and abuse of office. The call for councils to be headed by HLAs is not in line with the constitution and is therefore null and void,” he said.

    He advised NULGE members planning to resume work to act within the confines of the law, stressing that the focus should be on utilising local government autonomy to improve grassroots development and public service delivery.

    Meanwhile, the APC, through its Director of Media, Chief Kola Olabisi, commended the Nigeria Police for what it described as a proactive approach to maintaining law and order ahead of the resumption of NULGE members.

    “Our party remains grateful to the police and other security agencies for upholding the rule of law with diligence. This has ensured peace across local government areas under the APC-reinstated chairmen and councillors since February 10, 2025,” the statement said.

  • Detty December: Public commendation reflects gains from proactive traffic planning — LASTMA GM

    Detty December: Public commendation reflects gains from proactive traffic planning — LASTMA GM

    The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has attributed the widespread public commendation it received during the 2025 Detty December festivities to the gains of proactive planning, improved operations and increased traffic discipline across the state.

    LASTMA drew significant public attention during the festive period with several residents and public figures praising the agency’s effectiveness in managing traffic amid an unprecedented influx of visitors into Lagos. 

    One of the most notable endorsements came from popular singer, Timi Dakolo, whose public praise of the agency sparked conversations on social media and placed LASTMA at the centre of national discourse.

    Speaking on the development on Saturday, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Oki-Bakare Olalekan, said the commendation was encouraging and reflected the outcome of deliberate planning rather than coincidence.

    According to him, the festive season presented an opportunity to properly test the traffic management framework put in place following clear directives from the Lagos State Governor as early as September.

    “The influx of people into Lagos during the Christmas and New Year period was unprecedented in the history of the state’s festive celebrations. This allowed us to properly evaluate and dissect the traffic management framework we had prepared,” Olalekan said.

    He explained that unlike previous years, LASTMA adopted a proactive approach, rolling out a comprehensive traffic management plan covering October, November and December, instead of reacting to congestion as it occurred.

    As part of the strategy, the agency identified major traffic flashpoints across the state, particularly areas with a high concentration of hospitality and entertainment activities, including nightclubs, event centres, bars, restaurants and hotels. Personnel and logistics were deployed to these locations well ahead of the festive rush.

    A key innovation introduced during the period was the Night Gang Shift, which complemented the existing A.M. and P.M. operational structure. The new shift ensured uninterrupted, round-the-clock traffic management, especially in nightlife corridors that experience peak vehicular movement late into the night.

    “Our A.M. shift runs from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., while the P.M. shift takes over from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The Night Gang Shift resumes from 6:30 p.m., ensuring seamless overlap and a full 24-hour operation,” the GM explained.

    He noted that this operational enhancement significantly strengthened LASTMA’s traffic control capacity and accounted for the positive feedback received from road users during the period.

    For the December operations, over 1,800 officers were deployed to reinforce traffic management in high-activity areas such as Lekki, Ajah, Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Surulere. The deployment was supported by recovery and tow vehicles to ensure the prompt removal of broken-down vehicles, accident scenes and other obstructions on major roads.

    Despite the successes recorded, Olalekan acknowledged that challenges remain, particularly in the area of motorists’ behaviour. He identified lane indiscipline, reckless driving, speeding and disregard for traffic regulations as major contributors to traffic disruptions and road crashes.

    He cited a late-night accident involving a container-laden truck at Apongbon Bridge as an example, noting that it took officers nearly two hours to clear the scene and restore traffic flow.

    “As part of our EMBER Months campaign, we engaged transport unions, fleet operators and other stakeholders through sensitisation programmes on safe driving, vehicle maintenance and adherence to traffic rules,” he said.

    The LASTMA boss further highlighted the peculiar pressure on Lagos road infrastructure, noting that although the state occupies less than one per cent of Nigeria’s landmass, it accommodates over five million registered vehicles and accounts for a significant share of national cargo movement.

    He added that since his appointment in November 2023, the agency has prioritised rebranding, continuous training, discipline and technology-driven enforcement to improve service delivery and reduce human contact.

    Olalekan reaffirmed LASTMA’s commitment to ensuring the free movement of people, goods and services across Lagos, stressing that the public commendation received during Detty December serves as motivation to sustain and improve on the gains recorded.

    “Lagos is a mobile, service-driven economy. The outcomes witnessed during Detty December reflect part of the dividends of democracy promised to Lagosians, and we remain resolute in our mandate to keep the state moving,” he said.

  • Adeleke insists on Osun LG financial law compliance as NULGE resumes Jan 5

    Adeleke insists on Osun LG financial law compliance as NULGE resumes Jan 5

    Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Saturday mandated strict compliance with the Osun State Local Government Accounts Administration Law, 2025, which regulates the opening, management, and operation of local government accounts.

    Adeleke, in a statement issued by his media aide, Olawale Rasheed, also commended the Osun state chapter of the National Union of Local Government Employees over its resolution to resume work on the 5th of January, calling the decision “patriotic and people – oriented.”

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    The leadership of the NULGE had announced that its members will resume their duties after 11 months of strike action over the battle for the control of council areas between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    Adeleke said the resolve of the workers to resume work affirms the sensitivity of the labour movement to the yearnings and aspirations of the people, expressing optimism that January 5th will mark a new beginning for activated services and social deliveries to people at the grassroots.

  • Banditry, terrorism to end soon in Nigeria – Senator Adeola

    Banditry, terrorism to end soon in Nigeria – Senator Adeola

    • Says Tinubu’s policy stopped the N10trn yearly subsidy payment

    The Senate Committee Chairman on Appropriations, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, on Saturday expressed the confidence that banditry and terrorism will be a thing of the past in Nigeria because of the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu – led Federal Government to ending the scourge of insecurity.

    Adeola said that he was very much aware that President Tinubu was working around the clock in addition to the collaborative efforts from local and international partners to end banditry, kidnapping and terrorism in parts of the country, as well as ensure a secure and prosperous Nigeria.

    The Senator who represents Ogun West in the 10th Senate spoke at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Ilaro, Diocese of Yewa, during his annual thanksgiving service to express gratitude to God for His grace upon him as a public servant in the last 22 years and for the President’s support in his political career.

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    In attendance at the church thanksgiving service included the federal lawmakers representing Kwara Central, Saliu Mustapha; the Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Representatives, Hon. Isiaka Ibrahim, who is representing the Ifo – Ewekoro Federal Constituency, as well as the Hon. Minister of State for Health, Dr. Isiaq Salako, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, among others.

    He appealed to Nigerians to support President Tinubu’s economic and security initiatives aimed at making Nigeria safer,  better and prosperous, noting that he had in the last three years taken bold steps that helped turn the nation’s economy around for better, stressing that Tinubu’s singular act of removing the bogey fuel subsidy saved the country from further paying of over N10 trillion annually to finance subsidy that hitherto was only benefiting few Nigerians.

     Adeola recalled that as a Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance during the previous Senate, the Federal Government was borrowing between N6trillion and N7 trillion on an annual basis to support budgetary funding for fuel subsidy, explaining that the singular action of the President on subsidy removal ended the practice of borrowing to fund subsidy.

    He said: “The President is working around the clock to ensure that we have a secure and prosperous Nigeria, a Nigeria that is secured for everyone and a Nigeria that we can be proud of.  He (Tinubu) is doing all within to ensure that Nigeria of our dream that tomorrow when he looks back, he can thank God for what God has used to turn Nigeria. I’m a living testimony of what God has used the President to do within the few years of assumption of office.

    “I can refer to what his policies have done for the betterment of our dear nation. Within the two, he has removed that cankerworm from our economy that has eaten far deep into the fabrics of finances over the years, that is the fuel subsidy that benefits only a few Nigerians at the detriment of the overall population of this nation.

  • ADC faults NNPC debt write-off

    ADC faults NNPC debt write-off

    The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed concern over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval of the cancellation of legacy debts owed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) to the Federation Account, warning that the decision raises serious constitutional and fiscal questions with implications for states and local governments.

    In a statement on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said official documents presented to the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) indicate that approximately $1.42 billion and ₦5.57 trillion in legacy obligations accumulated up to December 31, 2024, were removed from the Federation Account following a reconciliation exercise with sector regulators.

    The debts, the party noted reportedly arose from production sharing contracts, domestic supply obligations, royalty receivables, and other outstanding balances.

    It noted with concern that about 96 percent of the dollar-denominated liabilities and 88 percent of the naira-denominated balances were written off through executive approval, without recourse to legislative authorisation.

    According to the party, this approach raises questions about compliance with Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution, which governs the operation of the Federation Account and the distribution of revenues among the three tiers of government.

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    The party argued that while reconciliation of accounts is an important administrative process, it should not result in actions that effectively reduce revenues due to States and local governments without clear constitutional or parliamentary backing.

    It maintained that revenues accruing to the Federation Account are held in trust for all tiers of government and should not be altered solely by executive directive.

    The ADC further expressed disappointment at what it described as the absence of robust oversight from the National Assembly on an issue of such fiscal and constitutional significance, urging lawmakers to exercise their responsibility to safeguard due process and intergovernmental equity.

    Reaffirming its commitment to constitutionalism and fiscal transparency, the party called for greater clarity on the legal basis for the debt cancellation and urged all arms of government to act strictly within the bounds of the Constitution in managing natural resources.

  • 2027: APC set to hold unity rally in Ogbomosho Monday

    2027: APC set to hold unity rally in Ogbomosho Monday

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogbomoso zone will on Monday, January 5, 2026, hold a unity rally aimed at fostering cohesion, reconciliation and renewed collaboration among party members ahead of the 2027 general elections.

    The rally, scheduled to be held at Ogbomoso Town Hall, Oja’gbo, is expected to attract a large turnout of past and serving political office holders, federal government appointees, party leaders, stakeholders and party members from across the zone, among others.

    According to the media committee of the event, the rally was designed to strengthen internal harmony within the party and mobilise members towards building a stronger and more united APC in Ogbomoso.

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    The rally will also serve as a platform to reaffirm the party’s commitment to inclusive leadership, grassroots mobilisation and effective grassroots engagement, while reminding members to place collective interest above personal differences, because unity remains the bedrock of electoral success and sustainable political growth.

    Organisers have assured participants of adequate security and a peaceful atmosphere throughout the event.

    The unity rally forms part of ongoing efforts by the APC leadership in the zone to reposition the party for future political engagements.