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APC, Adeleke govt trade words over Osun Osogbo festival incident

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun State has berated Governor Ademola Adeleke over his silence to the news of deaths recorded during this year’s Osun-Osogbo festival.
The Osun APC alleged that the State government had not deemed it fit to issue an official statement on the savoury development.
The party made this known in a statement signed by its chairman, Tajudeen Lawal on Saturday in Osogbo.
It was reported that three persons died and several others injured in a violent clash that erupted during the grand finale of the festival in Osogbo on Friday.
The party also condemned the militarisation of the festival by non-state actors which resulted in the casualties.
According to the statement, “A fact-check on the situation that led to the killing of the three persons who were suspected cultists loyal to the State Governor Ademola Adeleke-led administration indicated that it was a supremacy battle between two rival cultist groups on the entourage of the governor that brewed the ghastly violent attack.
“It was also discovered by a credible source close to the centre of the event that two other persons drowned during the celebration of the grand finale of the annual Osun Osogbo festival at the Osun River yesterday.
“It was, however, strange that 24 hours after the killing of the suspected cultists and the drowning of two other devotees in the Osun River, the Governor Adeleke-led administration has not deemed it fit to issue an official statement on the unsavoury development.
“I am not surprised that the Adeleke administration is sanguinary and violence-laden as the governor himself relishes in moving with armed notorious thugs across the State, mainly those who are on the Wanted List of the police.
“Adeleke could not condemn the brutal activities of the thugs as they were those who rigged the last series of elections for him and the other candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where no fewer than 30 members of the APC were mowed down through the bullets of the PDP political hoodlums.”
While asking the police and other security agencies in the State to investigate the killings, the Osun APC chairman maintained that the Adeleke administration owed the people of the State an explanation on why the government had refused to make any pronouncement on the development.
Reacting, the state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Bankole Ojo advised the APC to shun petty politics while trying to warm themselves out of idleness.
Ojo also warned that playing politics with human life is the height of cruelty anyone could exhibit under whatever guise.
While asking the APC to get their facts right and stop playing politics with human life, he condemned what he described as a classless attempt by the opposition party to link pockets of confrontation among some cultural groups at the event to the Governor Ademola Adeleke-led PDP government.
“While His Excellency, Governor Ademola Adeleke did everything as acknowledged by several stakeholders in culture and tourism sector in the country and beyond, to make the annual festival exceptionally memorable, the tumultuous crowd that thronged this year’s event ensured a difficult time for security agencies to curtail the age long rivalry between some traditional groups resulting in some open confrontations.
“Preliminary reports available to the ministry which in turn will be forwarded to the His Excellency, the State Governor suggested that some groups of hunters and the Oodua Peoples Congress, most of whom are not residents in the State, took their traditional rivalry out of control just after successful completion of cultural rites at the festival groove. Both groups we would recall, usually form a significant number of devotees at the annual event.
“While the State government and security agencies are spreading proper nets of investigation into the matter, the blood spilling opposition elements are already in town with insane figures of casualties. This is instructive for all discerning minds as to what their intentions are and what they might have done to infiltrate the colourful festival which they stopped at nothing to destroy during their inglorious reign in the State,” he said.
The commissioner assured that the State government would continue to support and preserve the World Heritage Site as designated by UNESCO due to frantic effort put into the groove by the PDP government in 2005.
“This is a legacy the current government is committed to preserve, not just as a cultural heritage of the good people of Osogbo as an ancient city, but also as an enviable tourist site amongst its peers in Nigeria and across the globe,” he noted.
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PDP Internal Wranglings: Wike Pulls Out Of Peace Agreement

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory , Nyesom Wike, has confirmed his decision to pull out of all agreements previously reached to resolve the crisis in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
In a statement on Sunday, singned personally by the Minister, he vowed to continue to fight on until justice is served.
Wike pointed out that the party’s problems stem from dishonesty and lack of trust among its key stakeholders, citing non-adherence to agreements reached as the bane of the party.
He specifically mentioned Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, accusing him of being the chief culprit of recent developments in the party that seem to undermine the recoliation efforts
The Minister cited several instances where agreements were breached, including the summoning of a meeting of South-East leaders to recommend the adoption of Ude Okoye as Secretary, and the attempt to have the Deputy National Secretary act as National Secretary.
Wike also mentioned the recent zonal elective congress in Jos, which was aborted due to a dispute over the signatory to the invitation notice.
He expressed disappointment that despite efforts to resolve the crisis, Makinde and others continued to violate agreements.
The Minister noted that he has worked tirelessly for the survival of the party and has contributed substantially to the election victory of some of the governors, but has not had reasons to make any personal demands from them.
He added that he had hoped that there would be trust among major political actors in the party but observed that since they have refused to stop playing games, he has decided to opt out of the peace agreement.
The PDP crisis has taken a new turn with the Minister’s decision to pull out of all agreements, leaving the party’s future uncertain.
News
BREAKING: JAMB releases UTME resit results

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has released the results of its resit examination conducted for candidates affected by the technical error during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
In a statement released on Sunday morning by its Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, the board announced the results, revealing that out of the 336,845 candidates rescheduled for the examination, 21,082 were absent.
No explanation was provided for the high number of absentees, but JAMB announced a mop-up exam for candidates who missed the initial UTME, including those whose absence had no specified reason.
The Board in the statement raised concerns about widespread exam malpractice involving candidates, school proprietors, and CBT.
It was gathered that a meeting of Chief External Examiners, chaired by Prof. Olufemi Peters, endorsed the resit results based on psychometric analysis by Prof. Boniface Nworgu.
JAMB approved the release of results for under-aged candidates, though these do not qualify them for admission unless litigation is involved.
“As part of the healing process, the meeting resolved that the withheld results of under-age candidates (except where litigation is involved), who performed below the established standards, be released.
“Such result does not, however, qualify them for admission, as they had previously signed an undertaking during the registration process acknowledging that only those who meet the prescribed standards would be considered for under-age special admission,” it reads.
The Board also granted a one-time waiver for candidates involved in online malpractice.
“Release of Result of Candidates involved in ‘WhatsApp Runs’ and other Misdemeanours. This category of candidates were found to have been involved in illicit solicitation of assistance.
“The meeting emphasised that its decision is not an endorsement of candidates’ unacceptable acts, but rather a once and for all waiver.
“Candidates were thus advised to refrain from joining questionable ‘WhatsApp and other anti-social groups”, JAMB said.
According to the board, CBT centres implicated in malpractice will be blacklisted and their owners prosecuted.
Those involved in biometric or identity fraud will also face legal action.
“The meeting condemned the involvement of some CBT centres in perpetrating serious registration and examination malpractices and resolved that all the implicated CBT centres should be blacklisted, while complicit owners should be prosecuted.
“In addition, the identified individuals, who directly registered the candidates with modified pictures and biometrics be apprehended and prosecuted.
”The Board criticised unregulated tutorial centres aiding malpractice and urged government regulation.It further reaffirmed its support for CBT and plans to bring in consultants to enhance the registration process.
Efforts to politicise technical issues along tribal lines, were condemned in the meeting, as they urge unity and caution against the divisive narrative.
“The meeting expressed with regret the attempts by some groups to exploit the unfortunate incident to disseminate tribal and sectional narratives.
“The unfortunate incident is not targeted at any section of the country, neither was it caused by any particular section of the country.
“It was emphasised that such narratives risk exacerbating existing divisions within society and even the JAMB workforce.
“The meeting commended the Registrar and the Management of JAMB for the competent and sincere handling of the unfortunate accident and urged them to remain steadfast and courageous,” the statement stated.
JAMB also dismissed claims of high scorers in cancelled sessions, stating 99% scored below 200, with only a few reaching 217.
The Board also condemned attempts to exploit the situation, citing the case of Olisa Gabriel Chukwuemeka, who falsely claimed to have scored 326 in the 2025 UTME.
JAMB confirmed he had altered his 2024 result of 203 and had actually scored 180 in the 2025 exam before his result was withdrawn. He later deactivated his social media account following public backlash.
Recall that the results of the 2025 UTME were originally released on 9 May.
News
President Tinubu’s reforms push customs revenue to ₦1.3 Trillion in Q1 2025 — CG Adeniyi

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded an unprecedented revenue of ₦1.3 trillion in the first quarter of 2025, more than double the ₦600 billion collected during the same period in 2023.
In a statement released on Saturday, May 24, 2025, by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, the Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi attributed this remarkable growth to transformative reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, as revealed in an upcoming State House documentary marking the President’s second anniversary.
Adeniyi highlighted that the revenue surge emanated from improved technological deployment, enhanced port operations, tightened enforcement on revenue leakages, and a renewed culture of accountability across Customs commands.
“We collected ₦1.3 trillion in Q1 2025 alone. This is not due to higher import volumes. Imports have dropped due to foreign exchange constraints.
“What has changed is efficiency, transparency, and enforcement,” the Comptroller-General said.
He disclosed that the Service is preparing to launch the E-Customs Modernisation Project.
This $3.2 billion initiative will digitise cargo processing, surveillance, and payment systems across Nigeria’s ports and borders.
“We’re laying the foundation to move from a manual, paper-based system to a fully digital service. The E-Customs Project is central to our future. Once fully deployed, we project it will add $250 billion in cumulative revenue over 20 years,” he said.
Adeniyi added that the newly launched Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme is now onboarding pre-vetted importers, allowing compliant businesses faster processing and reducing port congestion.
“It’s about trust and efficiency. If you’re compliant, you get green-lane treatment. This is how modern customs systems work globally,” he said.
The Customs CG confirmed that the Service has intensified its anti-smuggling operations and closed long-standing revenue leakages.
He said over ₦64 billion was recovered from previously under-assessed or undervalued imports in the last nine months, and major smuggling rings at the Seme, Idiroko, Katsina, and Sokoto borders have been dismantled.
He said the new joint border patrol task forces established in coordination with the Nigerian Army, DSS, and Police have also yielded positive results.
“We’re no longer just chasing smugglers in the bush. We’re using data, surveillance drones, and port intelligence to act in real-time. Once systemic leakages are now being plugged,” ” Adeniyi said.
To ease trade and reduce business costs, Adeniyi disclosed that NCS is fast-tracking the roll-out of the National Single Window.
This digital portal will integrate all government agencies involved in cargo clearance.
“Right now, you deal with up to 15 agencies manually. With the Single Window, you’ll do it all online, in one place. This will slash clearance time and costs,” the CG explained, adding that clearance timelines at Apapa and Tin Can Ports have already dropped from 21 days to 7–10 days for compliant importers.
The Comptroller-General said the agency has introduced fast-track lanes for agro-exports and is working with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) to streamline outbound cargo processes in line with the government’s push for non-oil exports.
“We’re promoting exports aggressively. Last year, Nigeria exported over ₦340 billion worth of solid minerals and agro commodities through formal channels, up by 38%. We’re targeting even more in 2025,” he said.
He stated that the Customs Service is also undergoing internal transformation, with over 1,800 officers trained in advanced data analytics, risk profiling, and artificial intelligence.
“Customs is no longer just about physical inspection. We are becoming an intelligence-led organisation, and our officers are being retrained to match global standards,” Adeniyi said.
“The President gave us a clear directive: block leakages, facilitate trade, and raise revenue without burdening Nigerians. That is what we are doing. And the results are beginning to speak for themselves.”
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