Author: Gbenga Olaleye

Tensions flared in Osun State on Saturday as the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) exchanged accusations over violent clashes that reportedly left several people injured in Boluwaduro Local Government Area. The Osun State chapter of the APC claimed that five of its members were attacked and seriously wounded by hoodlums allegedly linked to the ruling PDP. The party said the incident occurred shortly after the Supreme Court delivered its judgment in the suit filed by the state’s Attorney General, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, against the Federal Government over withheld local government allocations. The apex court had struck…

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has praised the Supreme Court’s decision to strike out a suit filed by the Osun State Government over the release of allocations to sacked local government chairmen. The minister described the ruling as a significant affirmation of constitutional order, democratic principles, and the autonomy of local government authorities. In a statement issued in Lagos on Saturday through his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Bolaji Akinola, Oyetola commended the country’s apex court for what he termed a “victory for democracy and the rule of law”. The Supreme Court, in a 6–1…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Screening Committee has disqualified former APC National Secretary and ex-Osun State Deputy Governor, Iyiola Omisore, along with six other aspirants, from contesting in the party’s governorship primary scheduled for 13 December, citing gaps and irregularities in their nomination processes. The committee’s report, obtained by our correspondent on Friday, emphasised the need for stakeholders to prioritise reconciliation to ensure party unity ahead of the election, noting that resolving internal disputes is essential for a credible primary. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier scheduled the Osun State governorship election for 8 August 2026. The Screening…

The Osun State House of Assembly has passed the Osun State Local Government Accounts Administration Bill, 2025, a development aimed at tightening financial governance and promoting transparency across the state’s 30 local government areas and area councils. According to a statement issued in Osogbo on Friday by Olamide Tiamiyu, Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, the legislation provides a clear framework for the opening, management, and operation of local government accounts. It is anchored on Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers state legislatures to make laws guiding local government finances. The Assembly said the bill was…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said the 16 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) are “free to leave,” insisting that his political camp will continue to collaborate with the lawmakers who have remained loyal to the PDP. Wike made the remarks on Friday while speaking to journalists after inspecting the ongoing construction of an interchange bridge linking Maitama, Gishiri, Jahi, and Gwarimpa in Abuja. His comments followed a dramatic turn of events earlier in the day, when 16 lawmakers—among…

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a suit filed by the Osun State Government seeking to compel the Federal Government to release allegedly withheld allocations due to the state’s local government councils. In a split decision of six to one, the seven-member panel held that the legal action instituted by the Attorney General of Osun State was incompetent. According to Vanguard, the lead judgment delivered by Justice Mohammed Idris found that the state lacked the locus standi to invoke the Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction on behalf of its 30 local government areas. Justice Idris clarified that the Constitution empowers the…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Thursday delivered an optimistic outlook for the country’s economy in the second half of 2025 during a statutory briefing to the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance, and Other Financial Institutions. The committee, chaired by Senator Adetokunbo Abiru (Lagos East), commended the apex bank for what it described as a clear upward trajectory since the beginning of the year but urged its leadership to sustain the momentum as the nation moves towards 2026. CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso reported steady improvements in output, noting that real GDP grew by 3.98 per cent in the third…

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced that the Federal Government is set to strengthen existing policies and introduce new frameworks aimed at boosting growth in Nigeria’s aviation sector. Keyamo made the remarks on Thursday during the closing ceremony of the maiden Nigeria International Airshow, held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. He stated that the government would intensify efforts to align regulatory standards with international benchmarks while investing in critical infrastructure upgrades across major airports. According to the minister, priority will be placed on enhancing safety and security protocols to ensure a more…

Nigeria’s newly appointed Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), has issued a direct and uncompromising order to military personnel: engage armed bandits immediately and “shoot on sight” when confronted, without waiting for further authorisation. Speaking during his Senate screening on Wednesday, the former Theatre Commander said the instruction was necessary to ensure the safety of troops on the frontline and to demonstrate a decisive shift in Nigeria’s security posture. The directive came as lawmakers raised concerns about delays in relaying commands during insurgent and banditry-related confrontations. Musa emphasised that troops deployed to conflict zones already carry the mandate to…

In a dramatic escalation of the internal crisis within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), rival factions led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki and Nyesom Wike have issued contradictory public disclaimers, each declaring different sets of high-profile politicians as no longer members of the Party. The Turaki-led faction released a statement to the public asserting that Nyesom Wike and several others had been formally expelled at the 2025 Elective National Convention held in Ibadan. According to the faction, the individuals listed no longer hold membership or authority within the PDP and should not be recognised as representing the Party in any capacity.…