Deji Adeyanju Begged Me For PDP Job” – Wike

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November 15, 2024

By Gideon Njoku

The Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed Deji Adeyanju, a Lawyer and activist as a jobless man.

The Minister, also, revealed that Adeyanju, who he referred to as a boy, approached him to beg to be made the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party. But, according to Wike, he refused to grant Adeyanju’s request. Noted the Minister decisively: “That is the person who now calls himself am activist.”

Adeyanju, in company with Martins Otse, popular as VeryDarkMan, had, a few days ago, led a protest over the Minister’s demolition of Ruga, a settlement along Airport Road.

Tackling Wike, Adeyanju had noted: “There is no justification for this demolition”. He urged President Bola Tinubu to weigh in and save the people from Wike. The protesters had also asked the President to remove Wike from office as Minister.

But Wike, who hardly allows such comments pass without a response laughed at the idea that Adeyanju is an activist. He called him a jobless man just looking for attention while speaking to some Journalists in Abuja.

He told a story of how Adeyanju begged him for a chance to work for the PDP.

Wike: “I saw one young man, they call him Adeyanju. He is from Kogi State. This young boy came to me that he wants to be the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP and I said no.

“I said he won’t be, and he was not. I have no regret about it. He has suddenly become a civil society activist.

“He has no job and that’s why he decided to turn to a civil society activist”.

Adeyanju was yet to respond at the time of filing this story.

Wike Suspends FCDA Executive Secretary, Ahmad

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Adesina Soyooye

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November 15, 2024

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By Adesina Soyooye

Shehu Hadi Ahmad, an Engineer, and the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, has been suspended from office indefinitely.

Ahmad was suspended on the orders of the Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.

Engr. Ahmad’s suspension, which takes immediate effect, was announced by Wike’s newly appointed Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka.

The reason for the suspension is not public yet, and it is not known if the suspended top officer was issued with a query before his suspension, but the FCT has been engulfed in protests by hundreds of residents over the demolition of houses which has destabilized families and made hundreds of people homeless.

Ahmad was ordered to hand over to the Director of Engineering Services, FCDA.

“No, It is Abuse Of Power To Hold Both Majority And Minority Positions” – PDP To Gov Otti

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Suleiman Anyalewechi

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November 14, 2024

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By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Abia State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has expressed strong reservations over the refusal of the State authorities to accord commensurate recognition to the status and strength of the party in the State House of Assembly.

The Source reports that although the PDP lost the race for the Abia state Gubernatorial race in the 2023 general elections, it still managed to maintain the majority status at the legislative arm of the Government with 12 members.

The ruling Labour, LP, until the defection of two Young Progressive Party YPP, Lawmakers into its fold, was having nine state legislators with the All Progressive Congress APC, holding one.

Curiously, the LP appropriated the Speakership, the Majority leadership position ,as well as other Principal Officers of the State legislative body.

The PDP, even with its majority status, was not allowed to produce the position of the Majority Leader of the House in line with its numerical strength .

But in an open letter addressed to the State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, on Thursday November 14, 2024, and made available to this Magazine, Comrade Abraham Amah, the PDP Chairman called for the immediate reversal of the leadership positions at the legislative branch of the Government to reflect the true status of the composite parties.

According to the PDP Chairman, it is widely recognized that the PDP holds majority seats in the House and, therefore, will want to be accorded its rightful status in the scheme of things.

“I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the current state of democratic governance in Abia State under your administration.

“As a citizen committed to the principles of democracy ,I’m alarmed by the apparent abuse of democratic ideals that that has been observed, particularly, concerning the representation and treatment of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in the Abia state House of Assembly.

“It is widely recognized that the PDP holds 12 seats in the House, constituting a significant proportion of the Assembly, .

“The exclusion of the PDP from positions that rightfully belong to the majority party not only undermines the democratic process, but also sets a troubling precedent for governance in our state.

“It is essential that all parties are given equal opportunities and representation within the Assembly, especially, when considering the composition of the legislature.

“While it is understood that coalitions and alliances may be formed within the Assembly, it is crucial that such arrangements do not result in the complete disregard for the established norms of democratic representation .

“If Labour Party with its 11 members, has entered into a coalition with the APC which has one seat, it would be utterly inappropriate for Labour Party to claim all positions designated for both the majority and the minority parties.

“This kind of maneuvering threatens the foundation of our democracy and erodes public thrust in elected officials” part of the letter reads .

The PDP, therefore, has called for an immediate action to rectify the unusual situation. According to Amah, restoring fairness and sanity to the political landscape is essential in preventing further escalation and maintain peace within the state.

” It is vital that we demonstrate our commitment to democratic values, not only for the sake of our current governance, but, also, to set a positive example for future generations who are observing our action and decisions”, PDP noted

Ondo Gov Election: INEC Distributes Materials To 18 Local Councils

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Ayodele Oni

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November 14, 2024

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INEC Distributes Materials for Ondo Gov Election

By Ayodele Oni

Ahead of the Saturday Governorship election in Ondo State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday commenced the distribution of the sensitive materials to the 18 Local Governments in the State.

Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC) in the state, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, supervised the distribution exercise at the premises of the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) in Akure.

“The exercise is going on smoothly, this distribution exercise is going on very smoothly. The farthest local governments have started moving to their local governments.

“All the other local governments have received their materials, they are checking them, and they are loading the vehicles and if I’m sure in another one and a half hours we should be out of it.

“Most vehicles have loaded the materials and they have started moving to their destination with the security personnel assigned to each vehicle that would pilot the material to their destination.

“The vehicles are already moving. Ilaje has left, Ese- Odo has left, they are loading, they will soon leave. Then we move to the next set, Akoko, North East, North East, North West, South East, South West, Owo and Ose.

“They have collected all their materials and they will leave any moment from now. Then Odigbo, Ondo East, Ondo West, Idanre, Axis, they are leaving. We are on course, we are doing it and we are moving.

“The movement is not local government by local government. We are doing it simultaneously. It’s not only Ilaje and Ese-Odo, On the land, We have difficult terrains.

“We have on land and we have on water. The difficult terrain on water, they are in Ilaje and Ese-Odo and we have identified those areas and we are going to have boats that will transport men and materials.

”We also have the support of the Navy. They are giving us gunboats to secure the movement. For the land where we have difficult terrain, we will move out to the place where vehicle can reach and we’ll continue the rest with suitable means of transportation.”

Tinubu To Present N47.9 Trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill To National Assembly

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Ayodele Oni

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November 14, 2024

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By Ayodele Oni

The presentation of the 2025 budget by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly, may come up any moment as the Federal Executive Council(FEC) ratified N47.9 trillion for the fiscal year 2025.

This exceeds the 2024 budget with N12.9trillion, as the 2024 estimates were put at N35 trillion.

This was the outcome of the meeting of the council presided over by President Bola Tinubu on Thursday.

According to the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, the council also approved the 2025-2027 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).

According to him, the government has set the crude oil benchmark at $75 per barrel and oil production at 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd).

Bagudu explained that the exchange rate was pegged at N1,400 per dollar, noting that the government is targeting a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.4 per cent.

Sack Of Public Servants: PDP Lashes Gov Okpobholo

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Suleiman Anyalewechi

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November 14, 2024

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By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has strongly condemned the spate of retrenchment that characterized the first two days in office of Governor Monday Okpobholo.

The Source reports that the newly inaugurated All Progressive Congress, APC-led adminstration, on Wednesday, sacked many people public servants.

The Government alleged that they were illegally recruited at the last minute by the out gone administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki.

A few days to its inauguration, the new administration had raised an alarm concerning last minute recruitments, particularly political aides being converted to full civil servants by the immediate past Government.

But reacting to the retrenchment exercise, the PDP spokesperson Chris Osa Nehikhare, in statement on Thursday, November 14, 2024, described Governor Okpobholo’s action as callous, reckless and unjust.

The PDP noted that the unfortunate development has plunged many households in the State into a state of uncertainty and despondency.

According to the Party, the retrenchment exercise is a stark reminder of the impending troubling times that await the people under the new APC-led adminstration in the State.

The PDP spokesman expressed regret that such inhuman action from an APC Governor is coming on the heels of the excruciating hardship already visited on the people by a central Government equally led by the APC.

” This is totally condemnable and unacceptable. How can a Governor begin to sack workers in the State barely 24 hours after he was sworn in ?

“This callous and rash action of the Governor is a direct assault on workers and the people of the State and we condemn it in its entirety.

“It is reminiscent of the dark days of the military when after they illegally took over power, they began to sack and dismiss civil and public servants, using such words as: ‘with immediate effect’

“Could this just be the beginning of the harsh and inhuman policies and decisions we are to see under the new administration of Monday Okpopholo ?.

“Is this a sad tale sign of what the Government portends for the people of Edo state? If this is how the Governor began his first day in office, what hope do we have for the months ahead?

“How can a Governor kick off his administration by throwing families into hardship? This is the height of wickedness and insensitive and does not bode well for our state” the PDP noted .

According to the statement, the PDP is however not all that surprised at the actions of Governor Okpobholo as it is in tandem with the wider suffocating policies of the APC led Federal Government.

Ondo 2024: Three Candidates Step Down For Aiyedatiwa, Endorse Him

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Ayodele Oni

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November 14, 2024

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Three Candidates Step Down For Aiyedatiwa

By Ayodele Oni

Less than 48 hours to the governorship election in Ondo State, three gubernatorial candidates have withdrawn from the election, endorsing Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Governor Aiyedatiwa’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, in a statement revealed that the candidates are of the Accord Party, (AP) the National Rescue Movement (NRM) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The endorsement came during a solidarity visit to the governor, where Dr. Ajibola Falaye, candidate of the Accord party, speaking on behalf of the three parties, praised Governor Aiyedatiwa’s dedication to the progress of Ondo State and cited his achievements in office.

The other two are the governorship candidate of the NRM, Jenyo Ataunoko and the deputy governorship candidate of the ADC, Mr Olaide Rasheed Ibrahim. The governorship candidate of the ADC had earlier declared support for Governor Aiyedatiwa.

Dr. Falaye stated that their decision to back the governor for Saturday’s election was based on observations of his longstanding commitment to public service, tracing back to his time as the deputy governor.

“We have been watching him, and his doors are always open to all,” Falaye stated, commending the governor for his inclusive approach to governance and for prioritising the welfare of residents.

He pointed to the governor’s record on security, stating, “The state has been experiencing relative peace under his watch, which reflects his commitment to safeguarding the lives of our people.”

The Accord candidate also noted the shared values of progressive politics and goals that NRM, ADC, and Accord find in alignment with the Aiyedatiwa’s administration.

“We see the infrastructural development that has taken place even within this short period. It is clear that the governor is actively working for the people. This Saturday, we will turn our commitment into votes. We will vote for continuity in Ondo State.”

In his response, Governor Aiyedatiwa expressed deep gratitude for the endorsement, calling it a quality decision made out of goodwill by the candidates and their parties.

“I didn’t call for this, but I am grateful that my colleagues in the race have voluntarily identified with my mandate and are ready to mobilise their supporters to vote for the APC.

Governor Aiyedatiwa warmly welcomed the candidates’ decision to unite behind him, describing it as an act of statesmanship.

Acknowledging the short time remaining before election, the Governor said: “There’s no time left. I appeal to you all to encourage your members to come out in full force on Saturday and cast their votes for the APC.”

The Governor of Benue State, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia and the Director General of the campaign, Abiola Makinde, among others, joined Governor Aiyedatiwa to receive the three candidates.

Veteran Nollywood Filmmaker, Actor, Moses Korede Are Is Dead

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Akinwale Kasali

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November 14, 2024

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By Akinwale Kasali

The Nigeria Movie Industry has been dealt a big blow once again, as one of its Veteran Actors, Filmmaker and Gospel Movie Producer, Moses Korede Are, popularly known as Baba Gbenro dies.

The famous Actor was known for his role as Baba Gbenro in Abattoir Series, that was shown on Television in the early Year 2000.

His demise was announced by a co-Gospel actor and producer, Oluwaseun Adejumobi on his verified Instagram page on Thursday afternoon.

He wrote, “Heavens’ Gain Again. A General Has Gone to rest”.

It should be recalled that Baba Gbenro, as fondly called by his fans, is one of the main actors in the popular Mount Zion series titled “Abbatoir”. He was the founder and International President of Calvary Movies Drama Ministry based in Ogbomoso, Osun State, Nigeria.

He was also the Chief Executive Officer of Calvary Movies Television.

The cause of his death remains sketchy as at the time of filing this report, as no official statement has been made by his family.

PDP Campaign Council Urges Electorate In Ondo To Protect Their Votes

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Ayodele Oni

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November 14, 2024

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By Ayodele Oni

The National Campaign Council of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) in Saturday’s Governorship Election in Ondo State on Thursday held its final rally with a call to Ondo State voters to be vigilant during the election.

Speaking at the rally which was held in Akure, the Ondo State capital, the Chairman of the National Campaign Council and Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, urged voters to do all to protect their votes to avoid manipulation by the All Progressive Congress, (APC).

Adeleke promised that the Governorship Candidate of the PDP, Agboola Ajayi will bring development to the state if elected as governor on Saturday.

According to Adeleke, the people of Ondo State are the only ones that can liberate themselves from the shackles of the APC-led administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Acting National Chairman of the PDP Damagun assured voters that Ajayi will not fail them when sworn-in as governor of Ondo State.

Also speaking, the Governor of Oyo State and leader of the PDP in the Southwest, Seyi Makinde urged voters to believe that the party has plans to develop the state, urging them to vote massively for Agboola Ajayi during the election.

He advised voters to monitor their votes and ballot boxes during the election and then leave the rest for the National Campaign Council to handle.

According to him, the APC is making luciferian scheme to rig the election by creating violence at Polling Units, but he urged voters to be very watchful and calm. He advised them not to engage in such violence but vote for Agboola Ajayi.

Also speaking, the governors of Bauchi and Adamawa states, Mohamed Bala and Umaru Fintiri said that the state will be blessed with the emergence of Agboola Ajayi as governor.

Both Bala and Fintiri added that they were in Ondo state to give supports to the party so as to ensure that votes count.

In his speech, a former Governorship Candidate of the PDP, Eyitayo Jegede, SAN berated the APC for making the people of Ondo State to go through hardship.

He recalled how previous PDP administrations in the state were constructing roads, building and equipping hospitals, building schools, seeing to the welfare of workers and making life bearable for their subjects.

Jegede, noted that Ajayi is an experienced administrator who will give succour to the people by returning to the old and good governance of the PDP.

Jegede urged men, women, youths and market traders to use their votes to send the APC packing, saying that the present administration has inflicted so much pains on the people.

In his brief remarks, the Governorship Candidate of the party, Ajayi who was flanked by his running mate, Festus Akingbaso promised that he will return all the lost glory of the state if elected.

Edo: Okpebholo’s Appointments Compensation For Godfathers, One Sided – Group

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Ayodele Oni

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November 14, 2024

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By Ayodele Oni

A socio cultural Group in Edo State has punctured appointments announced so far by Governor Monday Okpebholo. The Group said the are intended to pay back godfathers.

The Group, based in Benin City, the Aigbedo Progressive Alliance (APA), raised concerns over the appointments made so far by Governor Monday Okpebholo and called for more representation for the Edo South Senatorial District.

Governor Okpebholo, who assumed office on Tuesday, announced several key appointments, including Barrister Musa Ikhilor as Secretary to the State Government (SGG), Dr. Samson Osagie as Attorney-General, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole as Health Commissioner-designate, and Fred Itua as Chief Press Secretary.

However, the APA, led by its President, Engr. Uyiosa Otokiti, in a statement, expressed disappointment over the distribution of these appointments, arguing that Edo South, the most populous and resource-rich district, has been unfairly sidelined.

The Group noted that “Apart from slighting Edo South politicians as the only commissioner-designate is Adams Oshiomhole’s biological son, it speaks volume of political patronage to a man you hailed during your inauguration as ‘the godfather’, more than an altruistic desire to serve the larger interest of Edo people. This is most unfortunate.

“Despite your campaign promise to populate your administration with Edo based tacticians, of the four appointees, only Samson Osagie is Edo based, the remaining three were completely silent to the torrents of your gubernatorial campaign trails. This is another deviation from what you promised Edo people.

“We are constrained to remind you, as you are undoubtedly aware that, your administration started on the note of vendetta against Edo South political stakeholders in the manner you shared four political appointments and reduced Edo South, the most populated senatorial district with the most critical natural resources – at par with Edo North senatorial district in allocation of a ministerial slot to each district.”

“For context, four appointments were made on your first day, they are Chief Press Secretary, Secretary to the State Government, Commissioners for Heath, and Commissioner for Justice.

“The first two appointments were given to your Edo Central senatorial district which is the least populated and without natural resources; while the last two slots were shared between Edo North and Edo South districts, respectively.”

Engr. Otokiti reminded Governor Okpebholo of his campaign pledge to ensure the inclusion of more Edo-based politicians in his administration, urging him to uphold that promise by ensuring fair representation for all senatorial districts.