Tag: Aiyedatiwa

The Ondo State High Court sitting in Okitipupa has issued an interim injunction restraining Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa from appointing or installing any monarch in Alagbon Community, located within the oil-rich Ugbo Kingdom in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.

Justice Temitope Adedipe granted the order on Friday, barring all defendants from taking further steps that could prejudice the outcome of an ongoing legal dispute over the traditional leadership of the community.

The court’s decision came shortly after the Ondo State Executive Council (SEC), during a Wednesday meeting presided over by Governor Aiyedatiwa, confirmed Prince Olusola Joseph Ajaka as the pioneer Gbogunron of Idi-Ogba Alagbon.

Announcing the appointment, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Amidu Takuro, stated that the process followed due procedure and was based on recommendations from recognised traditional institutions.

However, leaders of the Alagbon community swiftly challenged the appointment, filing a motion through D.J. Ayenowo of Sola Ebiseni and Associates, in Suit No. HOK/76/2022. The plaintiffs—High Chief Isaiah Adewole Demehin, a former Commissioner for Information and the Asogbon of Ugboland, and Chief Mallon Ogede, Baale of Alagbon—argued that the Gbogunron family lacks ancestral ties to Alagbon and is not part of its recognised chieftaincy lineage.

Read Also: Aiyedatiwa hails Appeal Court victory as affirmation of people’s mandate

They also accused a sitting commissioner from the Gbogunron family of unduly influencing the process.

Justice Adedipe’s ruling restrains the state government, its agents, and the Olugbo of Ugbo, Oba Enitiolorunda Obateru Akinruntan, among other defendants, from taking further steps toward the installation of any Oba in Alagbon, pending the hearing of the substantive suit.

The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that the Gbogunron family has no lawful claim to the Obaship of Alagbon, and that the government’s reliance on a White Paper from the Justice Ajama Commission of Inquiry contradicts the community’s customary laws.

The court also nullified and vacated all previous actions or decisions—whether by document, notice, instrument of office, or otherwise—taken by the government in relation to the disputed appointment.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Joint Campus Council (JCC), Ondo State Axis, has appealed to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to intervene in regulating student accommodation rents and support hostel development across the state.

In a statement signed by the NANS JCC Chairman, Comrade Adekanye Adeboye, the student body decried the growing burden of exorbitant rents imposed on students every academic session.

Adeboye noted that many students are being forced to pay rates that are far beyond their means, despite not being income earners.

“High rents are being demanded from students, even though we are not salary earners, entrepreneurs, or civil servants. We are children of market women, farmers, teachers, artisans, and civil servants,” he stated.

While acknowledging landlords’ right to earn from their property, he questioned the morality of profiting at the expense of students’ well-being.

“I am not saying landlords should not earn from their property, but must that profit come at the expense of students’ survival?” he asked.

The student leader urged the Ondo State Government and House of Assembly to introduce a Student Rent Control Policy in communities with a high student population to ease the burden and ensure access to affordable housing.

“This can be done by capping rent increases yearly within a controlled bracket, prohibiting demands for more than one year’s rent upfront, just as it is done in Lagos State under the Tenancy Law of 2011 and making it effective, establishment of a tenancy tribunal or mediation body to resolve disputes between students and landlords amicably, and mandating landlords to register their student properties to meet a basic minimum standard.

“Such policies are not new or radical. They are happening in places like Lagos, Enugu, and other states, where the governments understand that protecting students is part of protecting the state’s future.

“Beyond rent control, we strongly recommend that the Ondo State Government invests in constructing student hostels directly on or near campuses. A Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model can also be explored, with the government providing land and investors handling construction, under strict supervision and student-friendly pricing.

Read Also: Appeal Court upholds Aiyedatiwa’s victory

“Imagine if each state-owned campus in Ondo had at least 500 new hostel beds annually built with security, water, electricity, and affordability in mind.”

According to him, such a step will significantly reduce pressure on off-campus rentals, provide safer alternatives for students, empower more female students and vulnerable students who are currently exposed to harassment or exploitation, and boost academic concentration because no student would have to stress about shelter.

“Your Excellency, many brilliant, smart and intelligent students have deferred their education or dropped out because they couldn’t afford accommodation. Many parents have cried silently after selling all they had to put their child in a school where accommodation costs more than tuition.

“That is why this call is urgent and sacred. Sir, the students of Ondo State are not asking for too much. We are only asking to be treated fairly. We are asking for protection from the wave of greed and the illusion that education must come with suffering.

“As the Governor of the Sunshine State, you have consistently demonstrated a commitment to education. However, this presents another golden opportunity to show leadership and compassion by leading the first state-wide rent reform and hostel development plan for students in Nigeria’s South West.

“We trust in your listening heart. We believe in your political will, and we pray that history will remember you for not just building roads but for protecting young people who carry the burden of tomorrow.

“We are ready to engage constructively. We are willing to collaborate with the Ministry of Housing, the Ministry of Education, the House Committee on Youth and Education, and landlord associations to get this done. Together, we can pioneer what other states will one day adopt as a model.”

The Akure Division of the Court of Appeal in Ondo State has upheld the election of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the winner of the November 16, 2024 governorship election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The three-member panel of the court led by Justice Yargata Nimpar unanimously ruled in Aiyedatiwa’s favour.

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It affirmed the decision of the lower Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which earlier validated the governor’s victory. 

The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Agboola Ajayi, to affirm Governor Aiyedatiwa’s election.

The Justice Nimpar-led panel of the appellate court dismissed Agboola’s appeal, describing it as devoid of merit.

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has described his victory at the Court of Appeal as a reaffirmation of the mandate freely given to him by the people during the November 16, 2024, governorship election.

On Thursday, the Akure Division of the Court of Appeal upheld the earlier decision of the Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, affirming Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, Olaide Adelami, as the duly elected candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The three-member panel, comprising Justices Nimpar Yargata, K.I. Amadi and I.M. Sani unanimously dismissed appeals filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Agboola Ajayi, alongside others from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied People’s Movement (APM), and the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The appellants had sought the nullification of the election, alleging widespread irregularities. However, the court ruled that the petitions were without merit, noting that the parties failed to provide credible evidence or witnesses to back their claims of electoral malpractice.

Read Also: BREAKING: Appeal Court upholds Aiyedatiwa’s victory in Ondo guber poll

Speaking after the judgment, Governor Aiyedatiwa thanked the judiciary and described the ruling as a victory for democracy and the rule of law.

“I give glory to Almighty God, who orchestrated this journey from the beginning and used the good people of Ondo State. Over 366,000 residents gave us their mandate on November 16 last year to continue governing this state as the seventh democratically elected governor.

“That mandate was validated by the tribunal and has now been reaffirmed by the Appeal Court. While some political parties tried to overturn the people’s decision through the back door, the judiciary has fulfilled its role by upholding the choice made by the majority of voters across the 18 local government areas of the state,” the governor said.

He also commended his deputy, the legal team, and the leaders of the APC for their unwavering support throughout the legal process.

“This victory is not just mine. It belongs to every son and daughter of Ondo State who stood firm for democracy,” the governor added.

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, Ondo Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has called on opposition figures to drop their ambitions and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election.

Aiyedatiwa, who spoke at a political rally on Monday in Ado Ekiti, to drum support for his counterpart in Ekiti State, Abiodun Oyebanji, said Tinubu will win convincingly and get re-elected.

He disclosed all the 23 Governors in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are solidly behind the President, saying the project for the continuation of the Renewed Hope agenda administration beyond 2027 has begun in the South West.

The Ondo Governor described Oyebanji, fondly called BAO, as a visionary leader whose impactful projects and policies are evident across Ekiti state.

Read Also: Aiyedatiwa: I’m not opposed to local government autonomy

He noted that Ekiti people are fortunate to have such a committed governor and urged them to give him another term to consolidate on his achievements.

“Ekiti is lucky to have someone like BAO as governor. The developmental strides across the state are visible and commendable. He deserves a second term,” Aiyedatiwa said in a statement to journalists in Akure after the rally.

He also charged party members and stakeholders to work tirelessly to ensure a landslide victory for the APC across all 16 local government areas in Ekiti state, drawing a comparison with the 2024 gubernatorial elections in Ondo State, where the APC won all 18 local councils.

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Monday, clarified that his administration has never opposed the “full autonomy” of local governments in the state.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a four-day training programme for top management staff of local governments and political office holders in the state, Governor Aiyedatiwa reaffirmed that local government autonomy remains critical to grassroots development—but must be implemented within the boundaries of the law.

The training, themed “Economic and Financial Administration of Local Councils in Nigeria,” was organized by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in collaboration with anti-graft agencies.

Governor Aiyedatiwa noted that local governments, as the closest tier of government to the people, play a vital role in community development and service delivery.

“Let me make it clear: at no point has this administration kicked against local government autonomy,” the governor stated.

“However, the implementation must be within legal frameworks, with clearly defined responsibilities and proper guidance to create an enabling environment for success.”

He described the training programme as a strategic intervention to rebuild public trust and eliminate factors that have hindered developmental aspirations at the grassroots.

According to him, the training would strengthen participants’ leadership and management capacities while also enhancing their understanding of good governance principles.

“The programme is designed to promote synergy between political appointees and career civil servants at the local government level. Political office is not for personal gain or political vendetta—it is a sacred duty to serve the people,” Aiyedatiwa emphasized.

He restated his administration’s commitment to accountability, transparency, fiscal discipline, and result-driven governance across all levels of government.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Amidu Takuro, said the programme was crafted to address critical governance issues at the grassroots.

“As the closest tier to the people, local governments have the primary responsibility to deliver essential services and promote development. This training will equip our leaders with contemporary tools for efficient administration,” Takuro said.

He added that the initiative would also reinforce accountability through a renewed focus on transparency and prudent financial management.

Delivering his remarks, Mr. Gbenga Fasua urged participants to uphold the values of integrity and accountability in their leadership roles.

Read Also: Aiyedatiwa urges Ondo traditional rulers to embrace peace, unity for grassroots development

Earlier, EFCC Benin Zonal Director, Mr. Effa Okim lauded the Ondo State Government for its collaboration with the anti-graft agency and its dedication to curbing corruption.

Okim stressed that sustainable development depends on the fair distribution of resources and a firm stand against corruption.

“It is concerning that some individuals without verifiable sources of income appear wealthier than society itself. All levels of government must be held accountable,” he stated.

In a separate remark, Secretary of the State Public Complaints, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption Commission (SPFACC), Prof. Adewole Adeyeye, commended the governor’s commitment to transparency, which has fostered collaboration among anti-corruption agencies in the state.

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has expressed confidence that the emergence of Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, as the national chairman of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), would pave the way for President Bola Tinubu’s overwhelming victory in the 2027 general elections.

Prof. Yilwatda was nominated and unanimously endorsed as National Chairman by members of the National Executive Council of the party on Thursday in Abuja.

In a congratulatory message on Friday, Aiyedatiwa described Prof. Yilwatda’s emergence as the new national chairman as a signal to re-engineer and reposition the party for greater success.

The governor, in the message released by his spokesman, Mr Ebenezer Adeniyan, said the “brand new” National Chairman possesses the leadership capacity, vision, and courage needed to expand the party’s base and attract new members across the nation.

“The All Progressives Congress (APC) under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, got a brand new National Chairman in the just concluded National Executive Council meeting held in Abuja.

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“That remains a beautiful turning point for our great party. This has set us in motion for overwhelming victories in the forthcoming elections at all levels in the country,” he said.

He commended the party leadership for the peaceful and rancour-free process that led to Yilwatda’s selection, describing it as a testament to the internal unity and maturity of the APC.

The governor also praised President Tinubu for his knack for identifying competent leaders, stating that the President has consistently demonstrated ingenuity in leadership recruitment.

He, however, added that the President Tinubu had over the years showed the traits of ingenuity, which had become his trademark

“On behalf of the APC faithful in Ondo state, I salute the gallantry of Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, while pledging to support his blueprints for the progress of our party.

“The future is green for our party, and we have made a great choice that will rub off positively on the people of Nigeria,” the governor added.