Category: South West

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State yesterday urged the police to investigate the killing recorded during the party’s delegates’ ward congress.

A statement by the Publicity Secretary of the party, Oladeji Areola, appealed to the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the unfortunate death of a man killed at Ward 14, Agberire village, via Iwo, on Wednesday.

He said: “We make this appeal not just as a concerned party, but also to stem the brewing reprisal, as friends of the deceased are reportedly regrouping against the other gang, which is capable of causing further bloodshed. Good enough, the police reportedly have one of the suspects in their custody. This, we believe, should assist them in their investigation.”

The Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Funke Egbemode, described the incident as unfortunate and distasteful, saying politics of violence in any form was unwelcome in Osun State.

The Oba of Benin, Omo ‘N’ Oba N’edo, Ewuare 11, said yesterday that the Benin people were writing their history by themselves for proper presentation of issues and events.

He said many accounts of the history and people of ancient Benin kingdom were written by others, who chronicled things from outsiders’ perspective.

The monarch said it was time they wrote their history by themselves for posterity.

He spoke at the palace of Alake of Egbaland in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, after presenting a -7kg book – an anthropology containing short history of Benin, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo.

The traditional ruler, accompanied by palace chiefs and officials, said he was at the Ake palace on a royal visit.

He hailed Oba Gbadebo for giving the Benin throne a warm reception.

Oba Gbadebo, who was joined by the Nigeria Ambassador to United Kingdom, Alhaji Tunji Sarafa Ishola and former military administrator of Sokoto and Bauchi states, Alhaji Rasheed Raji, to receive his royal guests, prayed for the Benin throne, saying his people would not only lead his Edo people, but would also have a turn to lead Nigeria.

He later presented a gift to the Oba of Benin.

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the nomination of former governor Ayodele Fayose’s ally, Mrs. Funmi Ogun, as the party’s deputy governor candidate in the June 18 governorship election in Ekiti State, The Nation learnt yesterday.

It was gathered that the Senator Iyorcha Ayu-led National Working Committee (NWC) rejected the nomination of the ex- commissioner for Works because her nomination was not in tandem with the agreement the party reached with Fayose and Sen. Biodun Olujimi.

The Nation learnt that the PDP NWC had reached a compromise with the two factions before the PDP January 26 primary that the camp that produced the governorship candidate would concede the deputy governorship slot to the other faction.

But ex-governor Fayose’s faction, which emerged victorious in the primaries that produced Otunba Bisi Kolawole, reneged on the agreement and nominated deputy governor, which was later rejected.

A source at the PDP Wadata Plaza, the party’s national secretariat, who did not want his name in print because he was not authorised to speak, confirmed the development.

The source said Ogun’s nomination irked the PDP NWC because it contravened the agreement brokered by the party’s hierarchy between Fayose and Olujimi during the build up to the just concluded governorship shadow poll.

When called on the phone yesterday, Ogun confirmed the development, saying the party hierarchy in Ekiti had endorsed her as deputy governorship candidate to the party’s candidate, Kolawole, and forwarded same to the NWC, whom she alleged refused to act appropriately.

“All the stakeholders in Ekiti politics had endorsed me and forwarded my name to our national leadership, but they didn’t act on it.  So, I have decided to reject my nomination for me not to be on collision course with our national leaders.”

Youths of Arimogija, Ijagba, Imoru, Ute and Okeluse communities in Ose Local Government of Ondo State have staged a peaceful protest over incessant attacks by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.

The youth, who stormed the local government secretariat, said the continued invasion of their communities by the gunmen had stopped them from going to farms.

They said the protest was also to call attention to the killing of six persons in their communities in the last three months.

The protesters blocked entrance to the Ose Local Government secretariat, saying efforts made by the state government to curb activities of the gunmen had not yielded the desired result.

For hours, they blocked the entrance to the secretariat, demanding to see the council boss.

Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun yesterday broke 28-year-old Obaship jinx in Ijebu-Igbo, with the presentation of certificate and staff of office to the newly crowned Prince and Orimolusi of the ancient town, Oba Lawrence Jaiyeoba Adebajo.

He advised him to make himself accessible, receptive and responsive to the yearnings of his subjects.

For a people that had endured almost three decades of Obaship interregnum that left Ijebu-Igbo with stunted growth, there was a tumultuous excitement, which erupted from the indigenes, who converged on Abusi Edumare School playground, venue of the ceremony, to witness the historical moment, as Governor Abiodun presented the instrument of office to Oba Adebajo.

He succeeded the late Oba Samuel Adetayo, Ikupakude IV, the Orimolusi, who joined his ancestors in May 1994.

Abiodun, who noted that Ijebu- Igbo would begin to witness upward swing with the installation of the new Orimolusi, said he was always traumatised beyond words each time he heard of Ogun youths’ involvement in killings and dismembering of human beings for rituals.

He solicited the support of traditional rulers to stop the scourge through preaching and acting as good moral compass and mentors to children and youths.

Noting that money should not be the sole determinant of success, the governor urged the monarch to continue to champion efforts that would enhance peaceful co-existence with other royal fathers in Ijebu-Igbo and its environs, to justify the mandate and trust reposed in him by the state government.

He congratulated Ijebu-Igbo indigenes, who had waited for almost three decades for the new monarch, and the entire people of Ijebuland on the coronation, which, according to him, had opened a new phase in the traditional lives of Ijebu-Igbo people.

Abiodun also hailed the Prof. Ademola Adedeji-led 11-member kingmakers/warrant chiefs, for carrying out a process that was open, transparent and credible.

The governor recalled that “this is the third interregnum the stool of Orimolusi has witnessed.”

He said: “The first one was between 1887and1889, the second happened from 1905 to 1928, while this one lasted from 1994 to 2021.”

Abiodun added:  “All of us must have learnt one or two things in the intervening period and realised that together we can achieve more.”

Scores of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in Efon Alaaye, the home town of the party’s governorship candidate in the June 18 election in Ekiti State, Bisi Kolawole, have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The defectors said they decided to move to APC because  things were no longer working in PDP, adding that they had lost faith in the party’s leadership and had no option but to join the ruling APC.

They announced their defection during a “Thank You visit” to the ancient town yesterday by the APC governorship candidate, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Mr. Ajayi Busuyi declared support for Oyebanji and expressed readiness to work for APC victory in the coming election.

He said: “Our decision to dump PDP is as a result of our conviction that the governing APC is well positioned to provide quality and effective leadership for Ekiti people.”

Receiving the defectors, the former chairman of APC in Ekiti, Chief Jide Awe, praised the defectors for their decision, saying the party’s doors were still open for more defectors.

“This is heartwarming and we sincerely welcome our brothers and sisters from the other side for crossing to the progressive camp. While welcoming them on behalf of the leadership of the party, we assure them of fair treatment and cooperation.”

Oyebanji thanked the defectors for their decision, promising to work with them in the quest to retain and take Ekiti to the next level.

“I feel at home being in Efon because of my early days’ upbringing in Efon and the fact that my father was once a principal in the community. In particular, I congratulate the teachers here today because my parents were teachers and I’m going to be a teacher-governor.

“Another issue that impresses me here today is the defection of many people from the PDP. To me, this is symbolic and a signal that Efon people are prepared for the task ahead. I assure those coming in of a level playing field in the APC and I promise to always be there for our people,” he said.

The delegates’ congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State to choose those that will participate in the March 7 primary election across the 332 wards, turned bloody yesterday, as two people were confirmed dead.

A Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) was also torched by armed political thugs in front of the PDP secretariat in Ipetumodu, while scores of members sustained injuries.

The Nation gathered that around 1:30pm when the exercise was going on at Ward 14, Oke-Oba, Agberire village in Iwo Local Government, armed thugs stormed the venue to disrupt the exercise.

An eyewitness said the thugs attacked members of the party with cutlasses and bottles.

“One of the members died, while another sustained machete injuries during the attack. Policemen have arrested some suspects,” the source said.

Violence equally erupted in front of the party secretariat at Ipetumodu in Ife North Local Government when armed thugs arrived on the scene and shot Aremu Olamide in the leg. The hoodlums later torched a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) belonging to a member.

It was gathered that Olamide later died in hospital.

Loyalists of one of the governorship aspirants attempted to disrupt the exercise at Okuku, the headquarters of Odo-Otin Local Government, but they were prevented by members loyal to the former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

Similarly, disruptions were recorded at Osogbo Ward 4, Olorunda, Ede and Ikirun in Ifelodun Local Government.

Osun State PDP Director of Media and Publicity, Oladele Oluwabamiji, said: “We started the process together. The Congress Committee led by Adamawa State Governor Umaru Fintiri met all the aspirants with party stakeholders and it was agreed that each aspirant should have observer/monitors in each of the wards across the state.

“We left the collation centre at WOCDIF for the wards. Those shouting that the congress was disrupted were only saying so after their expectation was not met.

“There were pockets of crisis here and there, but the process was largely peaceful.”

Police command spokesperson Yemisi Opalola confirmed that two people were killed, while some members were injured.

The Diocese of Ijesa North Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), St. Stephen Church, Ere-Ijesa, Osun State, will on Sunday install Mrs. Foluke Dada (nee Lawanson), a lawyer, as ‘Iya Egbe Odo.’

The ceremony, which will witness the grand installation of  Dr. Dada as the ‘Iya Egbe Odo’, will be performed by the Rt. Rev’d (Dr.) Iwabiolorun I. Oluyamo, Bishop, Diocese of Ijesa North, at 10am prompt.

The event, which will witness crème de la crème in attendance, is coming up barely three weeks after another illustrious son of Ere-Ijesa, Olaniyi Adeleke Agbola (SAN), was installed as the Chancellor, Diocese of

Ijesa North of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), St. Stephen Church, Ere- Ijesa.

Speaking about the ceremony, Mrs. Dada said the event would be a three-in-one thing.

She said: “The ceremony is coinciding with the one year anniversary of my late father, Chief Popoola Atanda Lawanson, the late Aro of Ere-Ijesa.

“Also, we are using the ceremony to mark the thanksgiving service of my mother, Chief (Mrs.) Elizabeth Lawanson, who is celebrating her 83rd birthday.”