Category: Politics

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State yesterday conducted local government elections in the state amid very low voter turnout, despite the warnings by the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and the Inspector General of Police (IG), Kayode Egbetokun.

This is just as Adeleke commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting the rule of law and allowing the elections, which were boycotted by the All Progressives Congress (APC), to hold.

The Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), Hashim Abioye, has claimed that operatives of the Nigeria Police Force sealed the headquarters of the commission and arrested staff who were on election duty across the state.

Abioye, who made the claim in a statement issued via the commission’s official X page explained that the development led to the commission’s inability to provide accreditation materials for journalists.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has clinched all the 30 chairmanship and 332 councillorship seats in the state.

The state has been engulfed in a political crisis between the ruling PDP and the opposition APC over the local government seats in the state. The crisis escalated on Monday, leading to the killing of six persons, including an APC chieftain.

The state government had blamed the crisis on the APC and former governor Gboyega Oyetola, now Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
Adeleke had vowed that nothing would stop yesterday’s election from holding and urged the people to turn out en masse.

Fagbemi had on Thursday called on Adeleke, to direct the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) to call off yesterday’s local government election in the state.

The AGF, in a statement he signed in Abuja, had warned that conducting a new local government council elections would not only be invalid but would also amount to a breach of the Constitution since the tenure of the purportedly sacked council chairmen was still running according to a recent decision of the Court of Appeal, Akure Division.

Governor Adeleke cast his vote at Unit 9, Sagba Abogunde Ward 2, Ede North LGA at about 7:56 a.m.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the governor arrived at the polling unit in the company of his supporters and some members of the PDP.

He commended OSSIEC for the peaceful process in the conduct of the elections.
Adeleke advised residents to go out and cast their vote without any fear of intimidation, urging political stakeholders and the electorate to shun violence during and after the elections. He expressed confidence that all PDP candidates would emerge victorious in the elections.

“I want to urge everyone to come out and cast their votes. The election will be peaceful”, the governor assured.

Adeleke also commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting the rule of law in the conduct of the local government elections in the state.

The governor, however, denied making any negative comments against the president.

“I did not at any point utter any negative remarks about Mr President.

“All the news articles suggesting that I made negative remarks against the president are fake.

“I have been very supportive and collaborative with the federal government.

“In my two broadcasts, I did not in any way attack the president.

“I urge the public and stakeholders to ignore the fake news, as I did not attack President Tinubu in any way before and during the ongoing local government election,” he added.

PDP Sweeps 30 Chairmanship, 332 Councillorship Seats

Meanwhile, the Chairman of OSSIEC, Mr Hashim Abioye yesterday night announced that PDP candidates cleared all the 30 local government chairmanship and 332 councillorship seats across the state.

According to him, “To this effect, by the power conferred on me as the chief returning officer of OSSIEC, I hereby declare them as duly elected chairman of their respective LGA.”

The OSSIEC chairman noted that the LGA election has been successfully concluded in compliance with constitutional provisions, extant laws, regulations and guidelines.

He said: “From the available result as obtained from the field, the candidates of the PDP in 332 wards emerged as winners, and I as the chief returning officer of the commission hereby return every one of them as duly elected councillors of their wards.

“The election was conducted to fill the existing vacancies in 332 wards in the state and 30 LGAs of the state.”
He affirmed that the elections were contested by 18 political parties and the result has been submitted to the commission.

Election was Boycotted, Say APC, APM

 However, the APC and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) have stated that no election took place in the state.

The state chapter of the APC last night commended the people of the state for boycotting the illegal local government council elections conducted by the “partisan” OSSIEC.

The party expressed excitement with the massive boycott of the elections across the 30 local government areas and Modakeke Area Office, stating the reaction of the residents to the charade promoted by the government is a testimony that the people of the state are law-abiding, democratic and decent for standing with the rule of law.

Similarly, the Osun State Chairman of the APC, Adewale Adebayo, berated the OSSIEC, claiming that there was no election anywhere in the state except in Ede, the hometown of Governor Adeleke.
He said that OSIEC’s insistence on conducting the poll was to justify allocated money, describing the action as fraud.

Adebayo said his members in various towns confirmed that elections were not held in their areas. Thisday

Speaking at the launch of Babangida’s autobiography, ‘A Journey in Service’, in Abuja on Thursday, Tinubu praised the former leader for his progressive vision and impact on Nigeria’s political landscape.

“Without you, people like me, I wouldn’t be in politics. Your progressive revolution, you said that you wanted young, brilliant people in politics. We were with you in Dodan Barracks, and you inspired some of us,” Tinubu said.

Reflecting on Babangida’s legacy, Tinubu recounted how the former military ruler’s policies and decisions shaped Nigeria’s economic and political environment.

He highlighted Babangida’s role in licensing new-generation banks, which transformed the country’s financial sector.

“Thereafter, you announced licenses for new-generation banks. Nigeria has never been the same since then. You’ve made your marks,” he noted.

Tinubu also recalled a personal encounter with Babangida during the transition to civilian rule, when elected officials, including himself, were awaiting inauguration.

He described how he confronted Babangida over repeated delays in the process, fearing it would not happen.

“I confronted you, saying that you had an opportunity to make history that day, and you think you did. Why not inaugurate us? Why are you calling us back and postponing the inauguration day? They thought I would end up in jail. But you came out, shook my hand, and I can’t forget that speech. You are courageous,” Tinubu recounted.

The President emphasized that Babangida’s leadership and decision-making, despite controversies, were driven by a vision for national progress.

He acknowledged Babangida’s role in shaping Nigeria’s political structure and expressed gratitude for his contributions.

“I’m not here to read a speech; I’m here to pay homage and to say thank you for everything, for who you are, what you are, and what you have contributed to the history of this great country,” Tinubu said.

He concluded by pledging to uphold the legacy of decisive leadership, promising to take bold decisions in the nation’s interest.

“As President, all I can promise is to strive to do the best, put the best forward, and take decisions, no matter how difficult, in the interest of the country. You have done so, you have laid the example. Thank you very much.”

In an exclusive interview with Saturday Tribune, Anyanwu claimed that the calls for the inauguration of Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary, following his affirmation by the Court of Appeal, are part of a “proxy war” led by governors and the BoT against him.

The PDP has been grappling with internal strife, driven by factions loyal to Wike and those resisting his influence within the party. Anyanwu, who aligned with Wike, has been perceived as a key ally of the former Rivers State governor, who was instrumental in his unsuccessful bid for the Imo State governorship. Anyanwu insisted that his detractors are solely motivated by his association with Wike.

“The truth of the matter is that these people are fighting a proxy war. They know my relationship with Wike. That’s all. I don’t have any issue with any of them,” he asserted.

He dismissed the legitimacy of the governors’ and BoT’s actions, arguing that neither holds constitutional authority within the PDP.

“The governors’ forum is a voluntary organization. Any governor can decide to be a member. It’s not a compulsory thing. It’s a social gathering,” he explained.

Anyanwu emphasized that he has held his position as National Secretary since before most of the current governors took office. “I know these people. The party gave them tickets to become governors. I was National Secretary before most of them became governors,” he stated.

Anyanwu alleged that the state governors are manufacturing crises within the PDP as a precursor to defecting and establishing their own political parties. “There is no issue in the party. They are just creating tension, causing unnecessary problems for them to go to the respective parties they want to form,” he claimed.

The controversy intensified after the PDP Governors Forum, during a meeting in Asaba, Delta State, endorsed Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary. This endorsement came on the heels of a Court of Appeal ruling in Enugu that recognized Udeh-Okoye as the legitimate officeholder.

Udeh-Okoye’s appointment follows Anyanwu’s temporary resignation to contest the 2024 Imo State governorship election. After his electoral defeat, Anyanwu sought to reclaim the National Secretary position, despite the South-East Zone’s nomination of Udeh-Okoye in line with party protocols.

The BoT reinforced the governors’ decision by adopting the report of a committee led by Barr. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), which supported the court’s ruling in favour of Udeh-Okoye. Tribune