Politics
Aiyedatiwa denies involvement in Ondo APC party fracas
Aiyedatiwa said that “APC is a family, and l could not have authorised the beating or injury of family members who were gathered for a meeting.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has denied sponsoring the attack and beating of the state chairman of the All Progressive Congress , Engineer Ade Adetimehin and other party leaders during a meeting at the party’s Secretariat.
Aiyedatiwa who denied involvement in the attack fingered aspirants jostling for various party positions of importing hoodlums who disrupted the stakeholders’ meeting and injured several party leaders.
Armed political thugs suspected to be members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) had on tuesday invaded the party’s secretariat in Akure, attacked and injured the state chairman of the party and other party leaders.
Others injured during the attack include the member representing the state on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Hon Otito Atikase, former Deputy Speaker, Hon Abayomi Akinruntan, driver of the chairman, Friday Ogbaide, former chairman of Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo local government, Hon Dayo Akinsuroju, former Commissioner, Hon Saka-Yusuf Ogunleye, Hon Demola ljabiyi, Chief Bode Sunmonu and Barrister Sola Ajisafe.
The leaders including Atikase and former Commissioners , Mrs Yetunde Adeyanju and Yusuf-Ogunleye, alleged that the thugs led by the Chairman of NURTW, Mr Ademola Odudu, were sponsored by the state governor, Dr Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Speaking after the reconvened stakeholders’ meeting at the same party’s Secretariat, the governor stated that he had no involvement in the earlier crisis that erupted during the meeting, which was disrupted by thugs allegedly sponsored by aspirants vying for positions.
Aiyedatiwa said that “APC is a family, and l could not have authorised the beating or injury of family members who were gathered for a meeting.
“I got a call from the party chairman, who is Ade Adetimehin, that there is going to be a stakeholders’ meeting, which I also approved, but I told them it should be fixed for 2 p.m. because I was attending the 50th birthday of one of the stakeholders, who is a cabinet member of our party. I said the meeting should be fixed for about 2 p.m.
Normally, we have stakeholders’ meetings, and as the governor, I am always in attendance, alongside the Speaker and the Deputy Governor. All of us are always present at every stakeholders’ meeting.
In the first quarter of this year, we had one in January, before the state’s anniversary.
“We had 60 people per local government. But this one was an impromptu stakeholders’ meeting because of the congresses at the ward and local government levels.
“As I said, the meeting was shifted to 2 p.m. because it was initially fixed for 10 a.m., and I said I would not be able to make it at that time.
“Later on, I got a call from one of them saying there were some problems around, or some miscreants around the party secretariat. I asked him to call the Commissioner of Police, and I also called the Commissioner of Police myself to ensure the place was protected, as I was going to attend the meeting. I asked that security operatives be deployed to protect the place.
Politics
Jonathan challenges suit seeking his disqualification from 2027 race
The senior lawyer said that it was unfortunate that such a suit is filed by a lawyer who should know more that this same matter had been decided by the Federal High Court up to Court of Appeal.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday challenged a suit filed by a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, seeking to restrain him from contesting 2027 presidential election.
Jonathan, through his lawyer, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, told Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja shortly after the matter was called for hearing.
Uche informed the court that a letter of conditional appearance, a notice of preliminary objection, a counter affidavit and a written address had been filed on May 5 ,praying the court to dismiss the case.
He said that they got information about the case through the media and hence, the need to file their processes urgently going by the importance of the matter which boiled down on the eligibility of the forner president to contest in the next election.
The senior lawyer said that it was unfortunate that such a suit is filed by a lawyer who should know more that this same matter had been decided by the Federal High Court up to Court of Appeal.
Earlier, counsel to the plaintiff, Ndubuisi Ukpai, informed the court that the matter was for mention but he was just being served with Jonathan’s processes.
He said that he would need more time to respond
Politics
JUST IN: Federal High Court adjourns ADC leadership suit indefinitely
Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the matter sine die after the plaintiff informed the court that he had applied to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for the transfer of the case to another judge.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday adjourned indefinitely a suit filed by an African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Nafiu Bala Gombe, challenging the party’s leadership under former Senate President David Mark.
Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the matter sine die after the plaintiff informed the court that he had applied to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for the transfer of the case to another judge.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, has triggered fresh leadership tensions within the ADC following the emergence of Mark and former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, in the party’s leadership structure.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna, told the court that the Supreme Court had on April 30 dismissed an interlocutory appeal earlier filed by Mark against the proceedings.
He added that the apex court also set aside the Court of Appeal’s order staying proceedings in the substantive suit.
“The interlocutory appeal of the second defendant has travelled to the Supreme Court. My Lord, we are glad to inform this honourable court that on the 30th day of April 2026, the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on the interlocutory appeal dismissing the said appeal for lacking in merit,” he said.
Haruna, however, disclosed that the plaintiff had written a letter dated May 4, 2026, to the Chief Judge seeking reassignment of the case to another judge, urging the court to await an administrative decision on the request.
“At this juncture, we must humbly pray to your Lordship, to wait for the administrative decision of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court,” he said.
The request was opposed by defence lawyers, who accused the plaintiff of attempting to frustrate the accelerated hearing earlier ordered by the Court of Appeal and upheld by the Supreme Court
In a dramatic political shake-up, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has been removed as Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF).
The decision was taken at an extraordinary meeting of approximately 20 Progressive Governors held in Abuja on Thursday. The governors, who include those of Ogun, Bayelsa, Enugu States and 17 others, convened shortly after the submission of President Bola Tinubu’s presidential nomination form.
Sources at the meeting described the move as a strategic realignment within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) structure. Governor Uzodinma’s removal marks the end of his tenure as PGF Chairman, a position he had held for several years.
A new chairman is expected to be announced soon as the forum seeks to consolidate its position and strengthen coordination among progressive governors ahead of key national political developments.
This development comes at a critical time for the APC, with intra-party dynamics and preparations for future elections taking center stage.
More details are awaited as the Progressive Governors Forum is yet to issue an official statement on the outcome of the extraordinary meeting.
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