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Obi In Ibadan, Says Doubting Thomases Will Be Shocked

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The Source
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Peter Obi in Ibadan

The Labour Party Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi has brushed aside the initial hitch of grounding  his campaign airplane and arrived the ancient city, daring doubting Thomas’s who still don’t believe that taking back Nigeria is possible.

Announcing his arrival into the historic city of Ibadan via a tweet, Obi said “ the non- believers will come to believe, we are taking back Naija”

At the rally, a mammoth crowd at the Adamasimgba stadium, Ibadan, Obi paid glowing tributes to past heroes of Yorubaland who made great contributions to the growth of this country and mentioned in particular the iconic leaders, Chiefs Obafemi Awolowo and Akintola.

Obi eulogized the leader of Pan Yoruba Nationality 94 year old Pa Ayo Adebanjo who was physically present at the rally ground to identify with the candidate whom they had earlier endorsed.

Obi told the crowd that the positive results of what Pa Adebanjo and Afenifere are doing will show in future when Nigerians take back their country. He said that Pa Adebanjo and Afenifere are fighting for justice and equity, noting that it’s the only way to take our country back.

“The foundation of future Nigeria will be laid on justice and equity which is what  Pa Adebanjo and Afenifere are fighting for.”

He assured the jubilant crowd who shouted Obi endlessly that when, “we take back Nigeria from consumption to production, the great city of Ibadan will be restored again”

Obi also reiterated that when  Nigeria returns to production instead consumption, there will be jobs and Ibadan will be great again as he and his Vice are great wealth creators.

The LP candidate also assured that under his watch and Datti, Nigeria will be secured because jobs will be created and people will be pulled out of poverty. “When you pull people out of poverty, you reduce crimes and criminality”, he said.

Obi noted that their dream which is realizable is to make Nigerians to be proud of their country so that instead of brain drain, those outside will come back home and everybody will be proud to be a Nigerian.

The LP flag bearer finally thrilled the lively audience with the question whether they will allow a driver who knocked a vehicle to continue driving after fixing the car, to which they shouted ‘No’ in unison.

The Labour Party National chairman, Bar Julius Abure told the crowd to resist the lure of money and vote their conscience to save Nigeria and make it better for all citizens. “Don’t sell your vote, reject their money and save this country by voting Labour Party’s Obi and Datti.

Muslim/Muslim Ticket: Only 2 Christian Vice Chancellors in The North- Lawal

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Babachir Lawal

There are only two christian vice chancellors in all the federal government universities in the north. The rest are Muslims, according to Babachir Lawal, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The former SGF made the revelation while justifying the decision of christian leaders in the north not to support the same faith ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in the 2023 presidential election.
Lawal and other christian leaders including Yakubu Dogara, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives have kicked against the ruling APC Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.
Bola Tinubu and Kassim Shetima are the presidential and vice presidential candidates of the party. Both are Muslims.
Speaking in a BBC interview on Tuesday, Lawal said the APC Muslim-Muslim ticket will further lead to marginalisation of christians in the north, noting that only few Government positions are occupied by Christians in the region.
For instance, out of 27 universities and Polytechnics in the north there are only
two vice chancellors and two rectors, he said.
According to him, christians have decided not to vote for APC because of fear of marginalisation.
He said the christian community have chosen to vote for the opposition People’s Democratic party, PDP.
The former federal government scribe, a former ally of the APC presidential candidate, Tinubu, said the former Lagos governor made a big mistake by going for a Muslim running mate.
He said the APC will lose the presidential election next year because of the Muslims-muslim ticket.

Lawal said, “I am not for Bola Tinubu now. I am not for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“It is Bola who did not want to go with us, he chose where he wants to go, and we told him that we will not vote for him if he did a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) discussed with us and they agreed to do what we want if we support them and we agreed to support them.
“You see the problem of the northerners, if you say you are a Christian, it is difficult for us to get a job. You see, of the 27 universities in the north, there are only two Christian VCs and of 27 polytechnics; there are only two Christian rectors, that’s federal, but not to talk of state-owned.”
Babachir complained that the “discrimination” shown to Christians in the North was too much for them, “and you still went ahead to do Muslim-Muslim ticket; that is double blows on us.”

Uzodimma Approves Immediate Promotion Of Imo Civil Servants; No More Sit-at-home In State

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The Source
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Hope Uzodimma

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has approved the immediate promotion of civil servants who have suffered stagnation for years in the hands of previous administrations.

The Governor gave the directive on Wednesday at the  Imo State Executive Council Meeting of November 23, 2022,  which he presided.

At a recent meeting the Governor had with civil servants in Imo State the workers had complained bitterly that they have not been promoted for years now.

Governor Uzodimma had assured them that he was ready to rectify the situation as a way of encouraging them to put in their best in the interest of the State as his government does not joke with reward system.

Briefing newsmen at the end of the Exco Meeting, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Mbadiwe Emelumba said that “in line with the Governor’s promise to look into the promotion arrears of Civil and Public Servants in Imo State when he announced the Health Insurance Policy for Imo workers, he has graciously approved immediate promotions of the Civil and Public Servants to clear the arrears/backlog that have existed since 8-10 years.”

He added that the promotions are with immediate effect.

“Again, the Exco noted that in fulfilling the promises to Imo people that construction works on Imo roads will speed up at the commencement of dry seasons, the contractors handling these projects have moved in as promised and currently the MCC/Uratta – Toronto junction road is being asphalted and the same thing is going on in the rural areas in addition to other roads  under construction in the State.”

Furthermore,  Emelumba explained that Government has approved and paid counterpart funding for Livestock production and other resilience support programmes which is a World Bank Programme aimed at empowering rural dwellers who are engaged in different livestock activities.

“What this implies, is that Imo rural livestock farmers will no longer have cause to complain in leveraging such opportunities as their counterparts in other States of the federation.”

Emelumba who was joined at the briefing by the Commissioner for Livestock, Anthony Mgbeahuruike, Commissioner for Niger Delta Affairs, Prince Henry Okafor, the Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser,  Oguwike Nwachuku and the Chief Political Adviser/Head Bureau for Political Affairs, Enyinna Onuegbu,  said that “His Excellency’s resilience and dexterity as Governor of Imo State has been recognized by the World Bank and he is to receive ‘Award of Excellence’ on SEFTAS because of the Imo State Openness and Transparency in Budget Implementation.”

He added: ” The Award of Excellence is because the Imo State Budget in the last three years has been open and even translated into local language for the people to participate and access. Besides, the Governor is the first Governor to have gotten the World Bank Award and this has gone a long way in showing that the Governor is running a government that is accountable and responsive to the needs of the people.”

The commissioner equally said that “His Excellency has also been recognized by the United Nation for ‘Peace Award’ given to 10 prominent Nigerians for their contributions at ensuring peace and peaceful coexistence in the country.  The recognition is also based on his efforts at ensuring inter-ethnic and inter-religious coexistence in Nigeria and  this award will be given in Geneva on a date to be announced soon.”

Apparently noting that Imo State under Governor Uzodimma has become a destination point for critical national engagements, Emelumba said the Council also observed that the Best of Nollywood Award will be taking place in Imo State on December 3, 2022 in Owerri “and this shows that Imo is gradually returning to the Tourist Destination of the Nation.”

It was on that score that Government has directed that all courts in the State must resume sitting on Mondays and any other day, and that “all Government establishments should ensure they open their offices to workers and for services.”

“There is nothing again like sit-at-home on Mondays in Imo State.”

Emelumba equally recalled that before the commencement of the Executive Council meeting Governor Uzodimma sworn-in two new Commissioners who were also assigned portfolios.

The newly sworn in commissioners are: Prof. Johncliff Chike Nwadike (Ministry of Education) and Dr. Martins Eke (Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals).

The Governor reminded them that ‘’to whom much is given much is expected.’’

“Imo is at a cross roads and needs to be saved from the hands of evil men before they do what we may not understand,” the governor told them.

He urged them to deploy the best of their strength, talent and competences to serve the Government and people of Imo State and thanked them for making themselves available to be part of the Shared Prosperity Government.

He enjoined them to synergize with their colleagues to develop Imo State and congratulated all the Commissioners who have been assigned to Ministries before now, reminding them that he considered their capacity and antecedents in their fields of endeavour in assigning them portfolios.

“I have no reason to doubt your ability to deliver,” he said and urged the Commissioners not to relent in their assigned duties  as “the success or failure of the Executive Council is measured by Imo people’s perception and how they see you.”

In his acceptance speech on behalf of his colleague, Prof. Nwadike who is also the  Commissioner for Education thanked the Governor for finding them worthy to be part of the Executive Council and promised that they will put in their best in the service of the State.

He also pledged their loyalty to the Governor.

Wike Pays Atiku In Kind, Gives Him The Jonathan Treatment; Reminds Nigerians How Atiku Treated Jonathan In 2015

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Atiku Abubakar and Nyesom Wike

By Adesina Soyooye

Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday, reminded Nigerians how shabbily the Presidential candidate of his Party, the Peoples Democratic Candidate, Atiku Abubakar treated a sitting President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

Wike reminded Nigerians of the humiliation Atiku put Jonathan through at the Dorchester Hotel, London.

In an emotional speech which confirmed, almost, that Wike is paying Atiku in same coin the Presidential candidate used to pay Jonathan, Wike said Nigerians forget history easily.

The Governor spoke at the commissioning of the Akpabu-Itu-Umudiogha road in the Emohua Local Government Area of the State by the Governor of Ebonyi State who he invited to commission it.

He narrated that in 2015, Jonathan, a sitting President, had secured the ticket for a second term. Before then, Atiku and former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi, had led a revolution, with some other Governors, including Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, against Jonathan. Led by the two men and formerSenate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, they walked out on Jonathan at a PDP meeting. They were six PDP Governors, all in all, plus Atiku and others. They formed what they called the New PDP – NPDP.

When Jonathan eventually secured the ticket of his Party to run for a second term in office, he went to the Dorchester Hotel, London to see Atiku, and to appeal to him to support him in the Presidential race.

But disclosed Wike, Atiku not only refused, he asked Jonathan to relinquish his ticket, obviously, to him, and not to run for the office.

Jonathan did not do that. So, Atiku and his NPDP members dumped PDP and defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC. That move cost  Jonathan a second term, and the PDP the Presidency till date.

Wike: “In 2015, when Jonathan, as a sitting President, Jonathan as a sitting President, I am not talking as a Presidential candidate, I’m saying as a sitting President, when he had won his Primaries, people forget history, Jonathan went to London, in Dorchester Hotel, he went to plead with this our Presidential Candidate today, Atiku Abubakar. He said my brother, come back to the Party, and support me.

“You know the condition he gave to Jonathan? That he should relinquish his ticket, not to run  as the President of Nigeria. That was a sitting President, and a Presidential candidate of  the ruling Party. They gave him condition, telling him to relinquish that ticket for him not to run.

“So, when I see some people, running around, talking rubbish, they forget history.

“Today, we are not saying the Presidential candidate should relinquish his ticket. We are not being selfish.

“We are only saying since you are now the Presidential candidate, let our people take Chairmanship and they say they will kill me. Is it possible?

“When you see some rent seekers from here going around saying they will give me Minister of Finance, they will give me Governor of Central Bank, you haven’t killed an animal, and you are saying women don’t eat it. Kill the animal first to know whether women will eat or not.

“I don’t want that kind of promise. Give my people this one we are talking now. Give us the Chairman so that things can move freely. They come and tell you stories.”

The Governors with Wike are: Samuel Ortom, Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu and Seyi Makinde, Oyo. Along with a number of stakeholders who include a couple of former Governors, they now call themselves, the Integrity Group.

One Dead, Firemen Attacked, As Mob Set Ablaze Monarch’s Palace In Osun

By
Ayodele Oni
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Akinrun of Ikirun Place

By Ayodele Oni

Crisis rocking installation of new monarch for Ikirun, in Osun state escalated on Wednesday as one Lukman Olatunji was reportedly shot dead near the Palace of the Akinrun of Ikirun, Oba Olalekan Akadiri, during a fight.

The palace building was not spared as a section of it was set on fire by some suspected arsonists during the incident.

An elder brother of the deceased, Tajudeen Gboleru, who spoke to newsmen, alleged that his brother was shot dead when some security men attempted to enter the Akinrun’s palace.

The palace had been under lock since Oba Akadiri was installed as the Akinrun, with dissenting voices in the town calling for a reversal of his appointment and installation.

It was further gathered that Wednesday’s incident was triggerred  when an attempt was made to unlock the palace.

Speaking further on the circumstances surrounding the incident, Gboleru said, “A person trying to enter the palace had come to the area with a lot of policemen and soldiers. One of the security men must have fired the shot.”

Since the announcement of Akadiri as the new monarch, the community has been engulfed in crisis as his appointment did not receive the blessing of kingmakers.

There was an attempt earlier by the new monarch to enter the palace but was chased away by angry mob.

Some firemen from the Osun State Fire Service were injured on their way to put out a fight at the Palace of Akinrun after an attack on the premises by suspected arsonists.

The Public Relations Officer of the service, Ibrahim Adekunle, said those injured were rushed to hospital for treatment, adding that the firemen who responded to a distress call from the palace, had to abandon their truck after they were attacked.

Ekiti Gov Election: Tribunal Set To Deliver Judgement

By
Ayodele Oni
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Ekiti State Election Petition Tribunal

By Ayodele Oni

The Election Petition Tribunal hearing complaints arising from June governorship election in Ekiti state is set to deliver judgement.

This followed adoption of written addresses by parties in the petition on Wednesday.

Segun Oni, candidate of the Social Democratic Party, (SDP) had filed the petition, challenging the victory of Biodun Abayomi, candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the election.

At the sitting of the tribunal in Ado Ekiti, chairman of the three member tribunal, Wilfred Kpochi announced that the date of judgement will be communicated to the parties.

At the adoption of written addresses, Governor Oyebanji, his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) urged the Election Petition Tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate, Chief Segun Oni.

Prof. Kayode Olatoke (SAN), Counsel to Oyebanji, told the Tribunal that their written address was dated 29th October and filed on 30th October and adopted same before the Tribunal as evidence that the election of his clients be affirmed.

Oyebanji maintained that Oni and his party, the SDP, have failed woefully to sufficiently discharge the burden of proof on them to convince the Tribunal that the election did not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

Counsel to the Petitioners, Mr. Owoseni Ajayi, told the Tribunal that he had received written addresses of all the Respondents in the petition adopting the written address of his client and relying on same as evidence as he responded  to the Respondents one after the other.

Ajayi told the Tribunal that the written address of the Petitioners was dated 5th November and filed same day seeking leave of the Tribunal to grant all the reliefs contained therein.

The Petitioners’ counsel made an oral application to amend a typographical error in response to the 2nd Respondent’s address as contained in Point 2.09 on Page 4 in which the relied on Grounds 1,2 and 4 urging the Tribunal to strike out the paragraphs with errors

Ajayi countered Olujinmi by saying he had not withdrawn Ground 1 in the petition as claimed by the 2nd Respondent’s counsel.

Counsel to all Respondents opposed Ajayi’s oral application citing different grounds for their opposition.

Counsel to the APC, Olujinmi opposed the application to orally amend the written address after the Respondents had filed replies on points of law before the day of adoption of written addresses.

How Wike Chased Peter Obi, Umahi And Other Governors Out Of PDP –  Bwala; Says Obi Could Have Been PDP Candidate

By
The Source
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By Gideon Njoku

But for Wike’s alleged sabotage of the Peoples Democratic Party’s zoning arrangement, two things would have happened. One, Peter Obi would have been the Presidential candidate of the Party. Two: Atiku Abubakar could not have ran for the Presidential office.

This was revealed Wednesday by Barr. Daniel Bwala, one of the Spokespersons for the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, in an interview with Channels Television.

Bwala also revealed that a couple of other Governors, including Engr David Umahi, Ebonyi State and Professor Ben Ayade, Cross Rivers State, were chased out of the PDP by Wike.

Bwala did not quite say why or how, but this medium recalls that  both Ayade and the Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, who also dumped the PDP for the All Progressives Congress, APC, had complained about Wike’s alleged over- bearing attitude before they dumped PDP for the APC.

On Obi, Bwala said that Wike truncated Obi’s chances because of his selfish ambition. According to him, the PDP had talked about zoning, and Atiku said that only the South-east and the North-east should benefit from it. He also disclosed that during a discussion, Atiku had said he would not contest if it goes to the South-east.

But said Bwala, having shot himself on the foot by denying being Igbo, Wike knew he was out of the calculation, and so, sabotaged the zoning arrangement.

Bwala: “At a time, there was an agitation from some elders in the South that power should be zoned to the region. And, I recall that Atiku Abubakar even had a conversation where he said if you are talking about zoning, then the two zones that should benefit is either the South-east or the North- east. And that if it was zoned to the South-east he was never going to run.

“Wike has always been saying he is not an Igbo. So, because of that, if it was zoned to the South-east, he is shut out, he can’t run for President. And, therefore, this idea of Peter Obi who had participated in 2019, as Vice Presidential candidate,  if it was zoned, he is going to emerge.”

Recall that the Governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom, a close Wike ally, was the Chairman of the PDP Zoning Committee, which threw open the PDP ticket to all Zones. Ortom is now one of the aggrieved Governors at loggerheads with the Party since Wike lost both the Presidential and Vice Presidential tickets.

NDDC: Ondo, Edo Lose Out As Buhari Recommends Lauretta Onochie, To Senate As Chairman

By
Ayodele Oni
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Laureta Onochie

By Ayodele Oni and Akinwale Kasali

Lobby for the Chairmanship of the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC) has ended. President Mohammadu Buhari has requested the Senate to approve of one of his Aides as Helmsman of the Commission.

Ondo and Edo States were front runners in the lobby, with each of them laying claim to the highest office at the intervention agency.

President Buhari, Wednesday, asked the Senate to confirm the appointment of one of his media aides, Lauretta Onochie, as Chairman for Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Board.

Onochie is from Delta State.

Her name, alongside other board nominees were sent to the Senate for confirmation.

The letter, as sent by the President, was read by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday.

The letter read in part “Pursuant to Paragraph 14 of Part I(F) of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, I hereby forward for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of the following persons to constitute the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Board.”

Onochie’s name had previously been forwarded to the green chamber to be appointed as a commissioner at Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) but did not scale through due to protests by opposition that she is a card carrying member of the ruling party.

If confirmed, she will be the second woman to hold a top position in the Commission. The first, was Mrs Ibim Semenitari a former Acting Managing Director of the commission, who last week joined the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, after she resigned from the APC a couple of months earlier. She is from Rivers State.

Oyo: Obi Proceeds With Ibadan Rally Despite ‘Seized’ Aircraft

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Peter Obi visits Benue Flood Victims

The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi will proceed with his campaign in Ibadan, Oyo state capital, the party has said.

The party in a statement by Diran Onifade one of it’s spokespersons, said it will not cancel the rally despite the decision of federal authority to ground the aircraft that was supposed to fly Obi to Ibadan.

The party had accused the powers -that-be in Abuja for grounding the aircraft, in spite of the logistic problem that this has created the party said the campaign will still proceed as planned.

Onifade said the aircraft that was supposed to convey the party leade s to the state was grounded for “regulatory reasons”, adding that the plane had not been grounded contrary to speculations.

According to him, “The Obidient plane was grounded today by the powers that be “for regulatory reasons” only. Please ignore any mischievous rumour. Our massive rally in Ibadan is going on as planned.”

The presidential candidate of the party is one of the leading candidates in the 2023 presidential election, described by political pundits as a three horse race between Obi, Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and, Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP

Two Ekiti Monarchs In War Of Words Over Supremacy

By
Ayodele Oni
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Oba Ajibade Alabi

By Ayodele Oni

Supremacy tussle among royal fathers in Ekiti state is yet to abate as two prominent traditional rulers exchange words over seniority.

The Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Ajibade Alabi and Olojudo of Ido Ekiti, Oba Ayorinde Faboro are at each other’s throat over the issue of recognition and qualification for the chairmanship of the state Obas Council.

Oba Faboro was first to have made a statement in an interview granted a tabloid to denigrate the office of Alawe, especially his regime as chairman of the state Council of Obas.

Former Governor Kayode Fayemi had appointed Oba Alabi as chairman of the traditional rulers Council against the wish of some first class monarchs in the state.

During his two year reign, some first class Obas boycotted the weekly meeting of the council and took Dr Fayemi to Court on the appointment of Alawe which they saw as a slight on them.

Intervention by prominent indigenes and elders in the state led to amicable resolution and withdrawal of the case from court.

In the latest war of words, Alawe kicked against comments of Olojudo in the interview, especially the aspect regarding his tenure as chairman of Obas Council.

In a statement, Oba Alabi stated that “This is to clearly describe the Olojudo’s statement as a gratuitous  that smacks his ignorance of history, unbefitting of a person of his status.

“Olojudo needs to be educated  that the ALAWE HAS NEVER BEEN SUBSERVIENT TO ANY OBA IN EKITI even during the colonial days when colonial masters  created administrative areas for easy  administration and tax collections.

“For Oba Faboro’s information, Governor Fayemi, in his wisdom, looked into the books and the history and the grade of Obas in Ekiti before making Alawe the Chairman of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers in year 2019.

“No wonder, few of you who did not properly understand the detailed history of Pelupelu went to court on the issue but failed woefully.

“Alawe attained membership of the Pelupelu in 1946 under colonial rulership. How can Olojudo accuse Governor Fayemi of promoting Alawe to that class?

“It clearly shows that the monarch needs some lessons in history.  The reference of Olojudo to class disparity between Alawe and Ewi of Ado is unsolicited and a deliberate ploy to fan embers of discord between Alawe and Ewi.

“I wish to state that the two towns, Ilawe and Ado are living together in peace and harmony as neighbours.  The relationship between Alawe and Ewi is based on mutual respect and understanding.

“What therefore is the business of Olojudo in all of these ? The people of Ido should advise their monarch to  keep to his domain and stop being a purveyor of messages of division and doom among Obas in Ekiti.

“Finally, Olojudo should stop provoking discord among Ekiti monarchs through reckless and inflammatory utterances as the one under reference.

“Alawe as a former Chairman of Ekiti Traditional Council, a status which Olojudo is still struggling to attain,  will continue to show respect to the Traditional institution in Ekiti and throughout the country.”

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