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.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun the nationwide display of the preliminary register of voters and the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) today, Friday, October 9, 2026, as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The seven-day exercise, which runs until October 15, will take place simultaneously across registration areas and wards in all states. It allows registered voters to verify their details on the register, raise claims or objections, and collect PVCs from the first phase of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) conducted between August and December 2025. Collection hours are from 9am to 3pm daily, including weekends.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, confirmed that Nigeria’s National Register of Voters now stands at over 103 million following the completion of the three-phase CVR exercise and a final Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) cleanup. The exercise recorded 10,772,421 new registrations.
Phase 1 PVCs have already been processed and distributed to local government collection centres. After the seven-day ward-level exercise, further collection will continue at INEC Local Government Area offices. The commission stressed that PVCs cannot be collected by proxy, in line with the Electoral Act.
The display of the preliminary register is required under Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which mandates INEC to exhibit the voter register not less than 90 days before the general elections.
Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State House of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
INEC has urged eligible voters to check their status online via its voter verification portal and to collect their cards promptly to avoid disenfranchisement.
The Igueben Local Government Chairman allegedly led a team of gun-toting assailants in an attack on the entourage of Kenneth Imasuangbon and Edo Central ADC Senatorial candidate Hon. Herbeta Okonofua on Tuesday.
According to a statement by ADC State Publicity Secretary Chris Ojeikere, the attackers opened fire at the premises of the Enogie of Igueben, fatally shooting Jerry Oliha, a young man from ADC Ward 6. Oliha was rushed to Irrua Specialist Hospital, where doctors are fighting to save his life.
Jerry Oliha ward six Ebelle I given local government area. He’s a widower with five children
The shooting marks the third attack on the same entourage in a single day. Earlier incidents were reported at Ward 4 and Ward 5 of the local government area.
Ojeikere described the assault as the climax of a series of violent attacks on ADC members and infrastructure, linking them to threats allegedly made by Jarrett Tenebe.
Similar coordinated attacks, he said, had earlier been reported in Etsako East, Owan West, and Owan East, each purportedly directed by the respective local government chairmen.
Bullet casings recovered from the scene have been handed over to the police and the Enogie. Canopies, chairs, and musical instruments valued at millions of naira were destroyed at the palace premises.
The Divisional Police Officer of Igueben Local Government Area has been informed and is involved in the investigation. ADC said it would release a comprehensive report on the incidents shortly.
The minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike,says that he thinks about President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in January 2027 every time he sleeps.
Wike shared his emotions during a town hall meetings with the Rumueme and Apara kingdoms in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Monday.
“Each day I sleep, I am thinking about the president’s re-election. When I am eating, I think about the president’s re-election. Everything I am doing now is about the president’s re-election,” Wike said.
The former Rivers State governor said he was committed to ensuring Tinubu secured a second term in office and urged residents of the state to vote massively for the president in the 2027 election.
“Let us forget sentiment and vote for the person who has recognised the people of Rivers State with dividends of democracy and with several appointments.
“I know the re-election of Tinubu in 2027 will be easier than that of 2023. We should appreciate Tinubu and ensure he gets a massive number of votes. We can do it.” Said Wike.
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