Low turnout marred the Ondo State House of Assembly poll in Ondo and Ekiti states unlike the presidential and national assembly elections.
From Okitipupa to Owo in Ondo state, and Ado to Otun in Ekiti, the story is the same as people go about their daily duties like ordinary days.
Except some polling units where there as are candidates for the election, voters were coming out scantily and returned after casting their votes.
As at 11am on Saturday, polling units visited were scanty and Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), officials stayed idle at polling units.
Despite restriction of movement, commercial activities were ongoing as motorists and motorcyclists were seen plying the metropolis.
Also noticed in areas visited is absence of security personnel at the voting centres.
Some of the voters said there is little or no stake in the election like that of the last one during which people took interest in who would emerge as president.
A former Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, is dead.
Egbeyemi died at the early hours of Saturday at the popular Multisystem Hospital in Ado-Ekiti, the State capital at 79.
Egbeyemi, who was born on 8th of May 1944 was a Nigerian lawyer and politician.
He served as deputy to immediate past Governor Kayode Fayemi from 2018 to 2022.
He had earlier served as Chairman, Ado local government, a Commissioner before Fayemi picked him as his running mate in 2018.
For his performance while serving as a council boss, a market was named after him in the state capital.
Although, the news of his sudden demise has not been confirmed by the appropriate authorities, but a closed Ally who worked with him as one of his principal officers when he was the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, who spoke on condition of anonymity explained that the former Deputy Governor died at a private hospital in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday morning.
Musiliu Akinsaya aka MC Oluomo’s threat to voters in Lagos state to stay back at home unless they want to vote for the All Progressives Congress, APC, appears to be working.
Voters’ turn-out for the ongoing governorship and state houses of Assembly election on Saturday morning is unexpectedly low in the state, as many voters stayed away from polling units on Saturday morning.
The election according to INEC Independent National Electoral Commission, guidelines is expected to end by 3pm.
The magazine observed that the voter turnout in places such as Oshodi, Ikeja and Ogba, among others was very low.
Those who spoke to the magazine said they were afraid for their lives after Oluomo and others working for the ruling party threatened to deal with those opposed to the APC.
“We are being intimidated by these none state actors who have taken over the state. We had expected the state government to protect the peoples, but apparently, this is not happening, so the best thing to do is to stay back at home to stay alive,” a resident in Ikeja said.
“I voted at the Moshood Abiola crescent during the presidential election. Though voter turnout at the time was not very high, today is even worse due to the security scare among residents that they will be attacked. During the election three weeks ago, barely 300 of us cast our votes even though there are close to 1000 registered voters in that polling unit. Today is even worse,” a voter who refused to be named said.
The attempt by the ruling party to stop the opposition, not a few said, is a desperate means to hold on to the aquatic state after the APC was routed during the presidential election.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, now president-elect lost the votes in the state to the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, an event, many say shocked Tinubu, the godfather of the state’s politics, and his associates who have held power since the country returned to democratic rule in 1999.
Akinsanya, Chairman, Lagos State Parks Management Committee, LSPMC, had at a meeting of supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC), threatened Igbos and other supporters of the opposition parties to avoid the polling centres on Saturday.
“We have begged them. If they don’t want to vote for us, it is not a fight. Tell them, Mama Chukwudi, if you don’t want to vote for us, sit down at home. Sit down at home,” MC Oluomo said.
His comments drew angry reactions from not a few people, for instance, a former Governor of Ekiti state who described the former NURTW boss in the state as an illiterate.
Surprisingly, the Governor Babajide Sanwoolu government did not issue a rebuttal against Akinsanya, a close ally of APC National Leader and President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu who has a record of intimidating supporters of the opposition parties in the state.
Governor Sanwoolu’s action, according to those who spoke on the matter, may have emboldened more none state actors APC supporters to harass those they believe are against the party, forcing them not to come out to vote.
Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina state is mourning following the death of his nephew in a car crash this morning.
The magazine has yet to find out the name of the victim, but it was learned that he died, alongside two policemen on his way to the governor’s hometown where he was planning to vote during the governorship and State House of Assembly elections taking place today
The governor is among northern governors who are desperate to win their states for their party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, after they lost the presidential election to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Three governors in the southwest are testing their popularity today with the voters in their respective states, in what political watchers say is a titanic battle among major political parties.
Governors Dapo Abiodun, Seyi Makinde and Babajide Sanwo Olu of Ogun, Oyo, and Lagos states are up against formidable candidates who are bent on truncating their quest to get reelected.
The three states are the only places where the governorship and state house of Assembly elections are being held. In Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti, the other three states in the region only house of assembly election will be held because those states have already elected their governors.
For these three governors, the election seems to be a do-or-die affair considering that they have been doing everything to ensure that their dream to return to power is not truncated by the opponents who are also doing all that it takes to get to power.
For instance, in Lagos, the known Centre of Excellence, Governor Sanwoolu is up against two candidates, Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour and Olajide Adediran of the Labour Party and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
They are formidable candidates considering their pedigree in the state’s political space. Of the two opponents now trying to take Sanwoolu’s job the LP candidate is seen to be in the best position to dislodge the incumbent considering the support he has been receiving among voters in the state recently.
In Oyo state, Governor Makinde was until three weeks ago sure of getting returned by his people. But the dynamic changed after his party was roundly defeated by the APC, which cleared the three senatorial seats and the House of Representatives.
The situation is not so bright for the governors who rode on the people’s anger against former Governor Isiaka Ajimobi administration, to power in 2019.
But not few also insist that the governor has performed well in terms of delivering the dividends to his people, his decision to work against the PDP in the presidential election by joining the G5 Governors, is the key factor currently hunting his bid to return.
Makinde is majorly up against Senator Teslim Folarin, the APC candidate whom people say is trying to ride on the victory his party got on February 25 to the government house.
Ahead of the election, Abiodun of Ogun state has boasted to some of his aides that he will win, promising them that ‘they will go and drink’ to celebrate after he has been declared the winner.
His confidence is not misplaced. His party, the APC won the three senatorial elections apart from winning many seats in the House of Reps.
The governor is running against two frontline candidates, Ladi Adebutu and Biyi Otegbeye, of the PDP and African Democratic Congress, ADC, respectively.
The latter is being backed by a former governor of the state, Ibikunle Amosun, who has vowed to ensure his victory.
Instructively, Governor Abiodun, according to those monitoring the politics of the state, informed the magazine that the incumbent stands a better chance to win the election, except the unexpected happened at the last minute.
Governors Babajide Sanwoolu of Lagos state will know in the next few hours whether he will return to the Alausa Government House.
The incumbent is up against Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour and Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran aka Jandor, of the Labour Party, LP, and People’s Democratic Party, PDP, respectively.
The last few days have not been so easy for the governor due to the recent reality that the governor is not as popular as he used to be with voters.
Sanwoolu, the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC has been moving around the state in his quest to get voters’ support for his reelection bid, even as close watchers of the state politics insist that the governor will struggle to return to power.
His predicament started three weeks ago after the APC was defeated in the presidential election by the Labour Party, a new entrant into the state’s politics. The state has been a one party state since 1999 when the nation return to democratic rule.
But the victory of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate against the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, the known godfather of the state’s politics, who is now the president-elect, has remained a shock to not a few residents in the state.
Close watchers of the ruling party said the unexpected defeat shocked the party leaders, so much so that fear has gripped them on how the governorship election will turn out.
But the magazine learned that the governor and his party have taken definite steps to change the tide of things in his and the party’s favour.
It was learned that all political and government appointees in the state have been mobilized financially and logistically, to go to their constituencies to ensure that the party secure the necessary victory in the governorship and House of Assembly elections.
“Commissioners were mobilized with as much as N30 million, while permanent Secretaries were given huge money too to mobilize the ‘party’s canvassers’, to ensure that everything goes as planned,” a top civil servant informed the magazine this morning.
Apart from this, the governor was also said to have reached out to civils servants in his quest to ensure victory for the party.
According to those close to the Sanwo-ol’su administration, many civil servants, particularly those in the middle and low levels are said to be unhappy with the governor, and his style of administration which they complained don’t favour them.
“Governor Sanwo-olu is very distant from the civil servants. We learned that he gives money to our ‘ogas’, but the money does not trickle down to us. In fact, the governor has been begging us to forgive him, so that he will return,” another civil servant told the magazine on Saturday.
If he wins, it will be by sheer lock as many things are currently not in his favour, analysts said.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has just donated the sum of N100m to the victims of the fire incident at the Akere Spare Parts Market in Ajegunle.
The market, which shops are mainly owned by traders of Igbo extraction, was deliberately set on fire by thugs in the aftermath of the victory of Peter Obi, Nigerian, an Igboman, and Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, over Bola Tinubu, a Nigerian, and Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos in the Presidential Election of February 25, 2023. So, the Igbo bore the brunt of that defeat of Tinubu, a Yoruba.
Let me say here that I like Sanwo-Olu. I have met him, officially, only twice since he became the Governor of Lagos State. I like his unassuming appearance. I, also, like his calm disposition. And I like his carriage.
Until he sacked former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode from the office of Lagos State Governor in an unprecedented palace coup, in 2019, I never heard his name before. But I took to him because of the way he handled the dirty darts thrown at him in the run-up to the Primary where he floored Ambode. He was dressed in all kinds of robes, including that of a mad man. He was called a psychiatric patient. They said he was taking treatment at the Gbagada General Hospital. I wondered why Gbagada when Lagos boasts of one of the best psychiatrist hospitals in Nigeria – the Federal Government-owned Yaba Psychiatrist Hospital – until I found out his wife was, at the time, the Chief Medical Director at Gbagada. Sanwo-Olu took that garb in his stride. He simply dismissed it as nonsense, and laughed it off.
It was one of the reasons why I was one of the first who stood on the line in the 2019 Governorship Election to vote for him at my polling unit.
In addition to all that, I had always seen Sanwo-Olu as non tribalistic. For, I am. In all my adult life, almost every help extended to me, most of my break- throughs, have been, mostly, from non-Igbo.
So, I was not surprised that the Governor visited the Akere market to sympathize with the victims, and donated the sum of N100m to them. I have been told he did so because he is facing a battle in his quest for a second term in office. I have been told he did so because for the first time, a serious candidate in facing the ruling Party in Lagos thanks to the Obi effect. I have been told that he did so because Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Lagos LP Candidate, had earlier visited the traders and donated the sum of N15m to them. But what do those matter? If Sanwo-Olu wanted, he could have ignored that visit, kept back (his) N100m, and have his Press Secretary issue a message of sympathy. That’s what most Governors and Politicians do. Or, are you not having fun by their recent “fake cares?” Don’t be deceived. They don’t care. They are looking for votes. Thereafter, their “niceness” is gone. Their gates are double-locked. With the number of thugs in Lagos rooting for Sanwo-Olu, it won’t have mattered whether he went to Akere or not. They will muscle him in.
N100m is a huge sum of money, though. And, I join the victims to thank the Governor. But it is time to ask Sanwo-Olu how much the money he donated is worth.
Is it worth the life of anybody? Is it worth the life of the Security Guard who was callously killed? Is it worth the trauma, the heartache, the heartbreak, the sense of helplessness, the sense of hopelessness, the sense of rejection, the sense of stigmatisation, and just suddenly finding out that one is living in the midst of one’s enemies?
Akere Spare Parts Market in Ajegunle
Given that I sincerely like Governor Sanwo-Olu, it is difficult for me to say this. But no time is more appropriate than now to tell him that he has not done well in the protection of the Igbo and their properties in Lagos. Especially, Igbo traders. He seems to have sold them to politics. He has donated them to politics. Under his watch, the lives of the Igbo, especially those who live in less “fanciful” environment have been recklessly and brazenly threatened. Under his watch, they have been treated as sub- human beings, like nobodies, their rights trampled upon!
I have lived in Lagos for about 20 years, and I have never witnessed this kind of dreadful and scary situation where the Igbo are being shown this level of hatred. It is unprecedented.
In the past three weeks, the Igbo in Lagos have been through hell and back. The hatred, the animosity towards them cry to high heavens. And why? Just because one of them is vying to occupy the highest office in the land – an office which, since 1999, has been occupied by every other Zone in Nigeria.
In these past weeks, in Lagos, the Igbo have been so scared they are afraid of even their own shadows. A number of them have stopped going to the market for fear of their lives – the women in particular. Many have locked up their shops and stalls, But even then, the locked up shops and stalls are not safe. They are identified and looted or set on fire. Nobody cares. Or asks questions. Where are Joe Igbokwe and Co? Why are they not condemning this scary situation?
Parents have stopped their children from going to school, for now, for fear of being humiliated, as exemplified by the accursed Headmistress of one school who suspended a pupil because she used a poster of the LP which had Obi’s photograph, to wrap her exercise book. In fairness to Sanwo-Olu, the Headmistress has been suspended, and is under investigation. But, the public would like to know the outcome.
During the Presidential election, the Igbo, or anybody who look like an Igbo, were openly stopped from voting. They were humiliated. They were called names. Their ballot papers were torn before them. Gates to polling units were shut against them. They were visited with violence. Igbo blood was the order of the day. Why? What particular crime did they commit?
For the records, the Igbo are no parasites in Lagos. The mega city, city of excellence, that Lagos answers today, couldn’t have been possible without the huge contribution of the Igbo. Yet…
The precarious situation of the Igbo in Lagos has just worsened, days and hours to the Governorship/ State Assembly elections.
To stop them from voting, a Traditional Ruler deliberately fixed the traditional Oro Festival to coincide with the elections, just to stop them from coming out to vote. The areas affected are heavily populated by the Igbo. Mum is the word from the Lagos State Government.
The notoriously popular Musiliu MC Oluomo, who threatened the Igbo openly on February 25, the day of the Presidential election, hasdone so again. This time, more brazenly, on the eve of the Governorship/ House of Assembly Elections. His hate speech forced the wife of the LP Governorship Candidate, Dr. Ifeyinwa Rhodes-Vivour, to raise an alarm. She called for his arrest over such hate speech.
Oluomo, in a viral video on Twitter warned those who will not vote for APC to stay home on Saturday, and not come out. He said: “We have begged them. If they don’t want to vote for us, it is not a fight. Tell them, Mama Chukwudi, if you don’t want to vote for us, sit down at home. Sit down at home.” This is a serious threat. It is an intimidation. It is a veiled warning to the Igbo, ( having mentioned Mama Chukwudi) to stay home or be killed. The question to ask Oluomo is: who told him there are no Igbo in Lagos voting APC? Are Joe Igbokwe and clan, for example, not Igbo? Are they not voting for APC. And there are hundreds like him. I had earlier, proudly, admitted to voting for Sanwo-Olu in 2019. I vote capable individuals, not Political Parties.
This brazen threat is why Mrs Rhodes-Vivour asked for his arrest. In a tweet, in response, through her Twitter handle @ifyAniebo she also called on Governor Sanwo-Olu to call “his thugs” to order. She said “This man can confidently threaten voters because he is state backed. This isn’t the first video of him threatening voters but somehow he still has not been arrested.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu
“@jidesanwolu call your thugs to order. This is a democracy not a dictatorship.”
She is spot on. In more civilized climes, a number of arrests of those openly threatened lives of people could have been arrested.
Which is where Sanwo-Olu and the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, have failed.
Since Oluomo’s threat, what has been the reaction of the Lagos State Police Commissioner? Did he call Oluomo to order by inviting him for an advice, a warning, if nothing else? Not that it would matter. The Police would shockingly watch as the thugs run riot, most times.
What has been Sanwo-Olu’s reaction? Oluomo is his staff. He is the Chairman of the Lagos State Parks Management Committee. So, his staff, in charge of a money-spinning Board. What has stopped the Governor from calling him to order? Doesn’t the Governor know that a large population of his subjects in Lagos are afraid of what tomorrow, and the days following it will bring? What has stopped the Governor from making a broadcast to call to order those threatening the lives of his subjects? Is MC Oluomo stronger and more influential than the Governor? Or is he? Do the thugs who, a couple of days ago, wreaked havoc on the Igbo and their properties in Surulere have more powers than the Governor?
Or do they have official support from somewhere? What about those who set fire in Akere Spare Parts Market? How many of them have been arrested?
So, I ask again: What is Sanwo-Olu’s money worth in the face of the violence and destruction visited on the Igbo in his domain? Or is he waiting for another arson, another gruesome murder, as was the fate of the Security Guard at Akere Spare Parts Market so he can donate more money? Why is he incapable of arresting the situation? The money is worth nothing, really.
Elections will come and go. But the wound, injustice, the pain, inflicted on people will not be easily forgotten. They will be a constant reminder of a weak leader, and an uncaring and lawless society. And, it’s such a big shame.
Saturday’s election in Ondo state is being contested by 208 candidates who are seeking to represent their constituencies at the House of Assembly.
Ondo is one of the states where the governorship election will not take place since Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu is yet to serve out his second term.
Details from the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), show that the candidates are jostling to fill the 26 state constituency seats at the Ondo State House of Assembly.
Fourteen political parties are fielding 208 candidates for the 26 seats at the Ondo state House of Assembly election.
The 14 political parties are the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) African Democratic Congress,(ADC), Labour Party,(LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party,(NNPP), all with 26 candidates representing each constituency, while the Action Democratic Party, (ADP)18, Action Alliance, (AA), Social Democratic Party, (SDP), 19.
Others are National Rescue Movement,(NRM), five , Peoples Redemption Party, (PRP), nine, All Peoples Party, (APP), three, AAC, three, Young Progressive Party,(YPP), one, and Zenith Labour Party one.
Out of the 208 candidates, seven are seeking reelection for second term, while one is vying for the third term.
The outgoing assembly is dominated by the ruling APC with the PDP having two members.
The Ohworode of Olomu Kingdom in Delta State, His Royal Majesty, Ovie Richard Layieguen Ogbon, Ogoni Oghoro 1, has died.
The acclaimed World’s Oldest Monarch joined his forebears at the age of 106.
The Late Monarch ascended the throne 35 years ago and was the Chairman of Urhobo Traditional Rulers Council, otherwise known as Ukoko R’ Ivie R’ Urhobo.
The entire people of Urhobo and the Delta State Government are both, at once, mourning and celebrating his death.
Announcing the demise of the Monarch, Olorogun Macaulay Ovbagbedia, Otota of Olomu Kingdom said, “We can confirm today that our Ohworode has gone back to God. He lived a great life, he served the Government well and his people.
“We are mourning and celebrating, because he was old but it’s painful though.”
On his part, Olorogun Albert Akpomudje, SAN, Akpile of Olomu Kingdom said due to the happening, there shall be 21 days of mourning in the kingdom, no celebration of burial and marriage.
He added that Chiefs should not adorn themselves in the traditional red cap and should add black armband to any dressing during the time.
Burial plans shall be announced shortly.
The departed Ohworode of Olomu had celebrated his birthday on 20th January with a thanksgiving after a bout of health challenges over a period of two months.
The Oghoro 1 as he was fondly called was the 12th Ohworode of Olomu.
Olomu is one of the ancient kingdoms in Nigeria.
According to history, the Olomu was the only Royal Canon of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion.
The late Urhobo king was the father of the first Nigerian female ambassador, late Ambassador Princess Ogbon-Day.
Princess Ogbon-Day was Nigerian Consul-General to Hamburg, defunct West Germany and the Philippines under the regime of former President Shehu Shagari.
The departed Ohworode’s last public event was his 106 birthday celebration tagged ‘longevity king’ where he sang songs of praises to God and stated that a man only dies when God approves it.
The posture that day was clearly that of someone who was preparing for the last journey as his message was more of a farewell.
According to him, “God I thank you for your grace, please open your ears to give me long life so I can do that which pleases you all the time.
“Many people came here today for various reasons because I have been away, but I am here today to thank God. Fear God and do his will. In whatever you do, call on God daily.
“Do your best to follow God’s directive in your life. Have clean hands, avoid stealing, avoid embezzlement of public and individual funds.
“Avoid sexual relationship with other people’s wives and your relatives. Learn to love, forgive and be free of hatred, avoid jealousy and be contented, avoid alcohol and drugs abuse.” the Monarch added.
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has rejected the bail request by a suspended Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sunday Ubua.
Ubua is an associate of the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari. Both and others are being prosecuted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for unlawful drug dealings and other charges.
In a ruling on Friday, a three-member panel of the Appellate Court held that the appeal by Ubua was without merit and affirmed the ruling by Justice Nwite, delivered on March 28, 2022.
The March 28 ruling rejected Ubua’s application for bail on the grounds that the prosecution placed sufficient materials before the Court to warrant its rejection of the bail application.
Justice Stephen Adah, in the lead judgment, held that the appellant did not present any new materials before the Court to warrant the Court’s departure from the earlier decision on the issue by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Ubua is standing trial with Kyari and three other former members of the Intelligence Response Team, Force Investigation and Intelligence Department of the Nigeria Police Force on charges bordering on unlawful dealing in drugs and attempting to tamper with evidence.
