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JUST IN: Tension in Osun as controversial LG election holds amid security threats
There is tension in Osun State following Governor Ademola Adeleke’s insistence to conduct the controversial Local Government election despite security threats and stiff resistance from opposition parties.
Stakeholders, particularly opposition parties and security agencies, have raised concerns over the security situation in the state, predicting unrest.
The concerns followed previous events where members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, clashed, resulting in the death of at least six party members on Monday.
The crisis escalated when the previously sacked local government chairmen and councillors moved to return to council offices after a court judgement.
The APC members had moved to enforce the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Akure Division, delivered on February 10, 2025, which overturned their sack by the verdict of the Osogbo Federal High Court on November 25, 2022.
Recall that a judgment by Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of an Osogbo Federal High Court, delivered on November 25, 2022, had sacked the chairmen and councillors elected in the poll conducted by the immediate past Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola.
However, the Court of Appeal nullified the judgment on February 10 this year, leading to chaos across all the Local Government Areas in the state.
Despite resistance from the PDP members, the reinstated Chairmen insisted that the planned election must be cancelled until their tenure elapsed in October 2025.
AGF warns Governor Adeleke against disobeying Appeal Court ruling
Wading into the crisis on Thursday, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi urged Governor Adeleke to respect the Appeal Court judgement, stating that the tenure of the chairmen and the councillors has been restored.
The AGF accused Governor Adeleke of attempting to override the judiciary and warned that proceeding with the election would constitute a serious violation of the Nigerian constitution.
According to him, such elections will “not only be invalid since the term of office of the elected officials just restored by the judgment of the Court of Appeal will still be running until October 2025, but it will also amount to an egregious breach of the Constitution which Governor Adeleke has sworn to uphold”.
Court orders conduct of polls SaturdayDespite the legal advice from the AGF, an Osun State High Court in Ilesa on Friday ordered the State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC, to conduct elections for the LG chairmen and councillors in all the 30 council areas on Saturday (today).
Justice A. Aderigbigbe, who gave the judgement, stated that there is vacancy in the 30 local government areas of the state as earlier held in a judgement by the Federal High Court.
The court also directed and compelled all the security agencies, including the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services, DSS, Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, among others, to provide adequate security, during and after the election.
News
President Tinubu Designates Joseph Tegbe New Minister of Power
Mr Tegbe’s experience includes significant engagements within the power sector, particularly in regulatory and institutional reform involving agencies such as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET).
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated Mr Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as Minister of Power, subject to confirmation by the Senate.
The nomination has been transmitted to the Senate for screening and confirmation in accordance with the Constitution.
The nomination follows the resignation of the former Minister, Adebayo Adelabu, who stepped down from office to pursue elective office.
Mr Tegbe, from Oyo State, is a fiscal and economic reform expert with over 35 years of experience spanning the public and private sectors.
He is a former Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa, where he led wide-ranging initiatives in fiscal policy reform, institutional transformation, and governance.
He has also advised key government institutions and private sector organisations on strategic reforms, regulatory frameworks, and investment structuring.
He is at present the Director General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), where he is responsible for strengthening bilateral development cooperation between Nigeria and the People’s Republic of China.
The NCSP also coordinates engagements with public sector stakeholders to advance economic and social development in line with FOCAC objectives.
Mr Tegbe’s experience includes significant engagements within the power sector, particularly in regulatory and institutional reform involving agencies such as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET).
His nomination is expected to strengthen further ongoing efforts to reform the power sector, enhance grid stability, and attract sustainable investment in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The President expects the Minister-Designate, upon confirmation, to bring his extensive expertise to bear to advance critical reforms and deliver improved outcomes for Nigerians in the power sector.
News
Egbin Shutdown Throws Lagos Into Darkness, says NISO
Egbin Power Station, which is the largest electricity-generating plant on the national grid and a major contributor to daily power supply in Nigeria, experienced a major operational disturbance.
The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) said on Thursday power supply to the Lagos region is currently restricted due to a sudden shutdown of the Egbin Power Station and the forced outage of the Osogbo–Ikeja West 330kV transmission line, thereby limiting the evacuation of available generation into the Lagos load centre.
NISO said that the dual disruptions has created a significant supply gap, forcing authorities to ration electricity to prevent a total system collapse.
NISO explained that at approximately 8:21 p.m. on April 28, 2026, Egbin Power Station recorded a total loss of generation, dropping from about 641MW to zero output.
This incident was caused by the failure of the plant’s central compressor, in addition to a malfunction of the circulating water pump system, which necessitated an immediate shutdown of all generating units to safeguard the facility.
Egbin Power Station, which is the largest electricity-generating plant on the national grid and a major contributor to daily power supply in Nigeria, experienced a major operational disturbance.
News
Tinubu designates Rabiu Umar new CEO of NMDPRA
Umar is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience across the energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors, and a proven track record in strategic leadership, operational transformation, and large-scale project delivery..
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the removal of Mr Saidu Mohammed as the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
In a State House statement issued on Wednesday signed by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President also approved the nomination of Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as the new Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, with the appointment subject to Senate confirmation.
The decision, according to the statement, was made pursuant to the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and is aimed at strengthening regulatory effectiveness in the midstream and downstream petroleum sector in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Umar is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience across the energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors, and a proven track record in strategic leadership, operational transformation, and large-scale project delivery.
He is a graduate of Accounting from Bayero University and an alumnus of Harvard Business School.
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