Author: Friday Omosola

Osun State High Court sitting in Ilesa has ordered the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) to proceed with local government elections across the state’s 30 local government areas. The ruling follows the nullification of a previous election held on October 15, 2022. Presiding over the case, Justice A.A. Aderibigbe granted three key orders. Justice Aderibigbe said the previous election was invalidated and its officials removed by a Federal High Court ruling, later upheld by the Court of Appeal. This comes as the state governor, Ademola Adeleke has restricted movement of vehicles during the period of the exercise. The judge…

Senate spokesman, Yemi Adaramodu, has criticised Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for her actions during a heated dispute over seating arrangements in the Senate chamber. The New Daily Prime reported that there’s drama in the Senate on Thursday after Natasha and Senate President Godswill Akpabio engaged in a heated dispute. The Kogi Central lawmaker, representing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), refused to sit in her designated seat, citing Order 10 of the Senate Standing Rules, which upholds members’ privileges. The disagreement escalated to the point where Akpabio ordered security personnel to remove Senator Natasha from the chamber. READ ALSO: Drama in Senate…

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has reaffirmed that the local government election scheduled for Saturday will proceed as planned under the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC). He made this declaration while receiving a delegation from a civil society coalition in the state to monitor the election. The governor’s stance follows a statement by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, on Thursday, urging him to halt the polls. READ ALSO: Osun LG Crisis: Adeleke accuses IGP of lawlessness Fagbemi cautioned that proceeding with the election would be unconstitutional and invalid, citing the Court…

The Lagos State Government has announced the commencement of the public display and inspection of the Draft Ibeju-Lekki Model City Plan (2024–2044).  The initiative, led by the Office of Physical Planning, aims to make the plan’s proposals accessible to the public and gather feedback from residents in line with the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law (2019, as amended). The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluyinka Olumide, disclosed this yesterday. He emphasised that the public inspection aligns with the state’s commitment to citizen participation and international best practices in urban planning. READ ALSO: Tinubu hails…

President Bola Tinubu has commended former military president General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) for his admission that late M.K.O. Abiola won the historic June 12, 1993, presidential election. Speaking on Thursday at the launch of Babangida’s autobiography, A Journey in Service, and a fundraiser for the IBB Presidential Library Project in Abuja, Tinubu described the former leader’s acknowledgement as an act of courage and patriotism. The President, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the launch of Babangida’s autobiography, “A Journey in Service,” and the fundraising for the IBB Presidential Library Project, saluted the former leader’s contribution to the…

A political analyst, Professor Busuyi Mekusi has explained why removal of the former speaker of Lagos state, Mudashir Obasa was questionable. The crisis at the Lagos State House of Assembly deepened on February 17, further plunging the legislative body into turmoil. The Assembly has remained in the spotlight since January 13, following the removal of its Speaker, Obasa. In the letter, the Assembly’s management informed security agencies of credible intelligence regarding a plot to forcibly reinstate Obasa. Speaking exclusively to this newspaper, Mekusi argued that barring the impeached Speaker from accessing the House would be unjust. He said, “Well, Obasa’s…

A heated exchange broke out in the Senate on Thursday as Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan clashed with the leadership over a dispute concerning her seat allocation. The controversy arose after a reshuffle, triggered by opposition lawmakers shifting to the majority wing, led to her seat being reassigned. However, she refused to move. Chief Whip Senator Tahir Monguno defended the decision, citing Senate rules that grant the Senate President the authority to reassign seats as necessary. He further cautioned that defying the directive could result in disciplinary actions, including being barred from participating in debates. Senate President Godswill Akpabio reinforced Monguno’s stance,…

Nigeria has been designated as Africa’s Digital Trade Champion, a recognition that could drive the creation of over 10 million new jobs across the continent by the end of 2025. This development affirms Nigeria’s leadership role in shaping Africa’s digital commerce landscape under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to spearheading Africa’s digital trade agenda at the AfCFTA Digital Trade Workshop held in Abuja. Themed “Unlocking State Exports Potential,” the workshop gathered federal and state officials, trade commissioners, and private sector…

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has announced a ban on 60,000-litre fuel tankers from operating on the roads. The decision aims to mitigate the increasing number of truck-in-transit accidents and will take effect on March 1, 2025. Speaking to journalists yesterday in Abuja, Ogbugo Ukoha, NMDPRA’s Executive Director for Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure, stated that the ban resulted from extensive deliberations involving key stakeholders. Agencies involved in the decision included the Department of State Services (DSS), Federal Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO). READ ALSO:…

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has accused the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, of enforcing illegality in the state’s local government administration.  Adeleke made the allegation during a meeting with British diplomats led by the UK’s Deputy High Commissioner, Jonny Baxter. The governor condemned what he described as the IGP’s collusion with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to impose a “non-existent” court order, warning that such actions threaten democracy in Nigeria. He lamented the role of security forces in allegedly aiding violations of democratic processes rather than upholding the rule of law. READ ALSO: Osun LG crisis: Police…