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Ondo: 15 APC lawmakers back Aiyedatiwa for Governorship

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Fifteen members of the Ondo state House of Assembly have thrown their weights behind the aspiration of the governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to pick the ticket of the All Progressives Congress APC ahead of the party’s primary election slated for April 25.

Speaker of the State Assembly, Hon. Olamide Oladiji disclosed this on Monday in Abuja when he led 12 of his colleagues on a courtesy call to the National Chairman of the party, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Speaking after the meeting with Dr Ganduje, the speaker said; “We are here to appreciate our leader, the National Chairman of the largest party in Africa, Alhaji Umar Ganduje. We are here to appreciate him for his quick intervention in the political crisis that erupted in Ondo State a few months ago, and that quick intervention and that of Mr. President, led to a peaceful resolution and also to appreciate him for making himself physically present in the burial ceremony of our late governor, Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu.

“We are here also to tell him that as far as we are concerned, those of us around, among our members, and those who are on their way, that we are fully in support of the continuity of APC-led government. We are in support of continuity. We want APC to continue with the government of Ondo State. We believe it will work out and we are giving them 100% assurance that the primary elections will be peaceful.

“In respect of the letter that some few members of the House of Representatives wrote to Mr. President, we disagree with the letter. And because we are honourable members representing our various constituencies and we have almost 15 of us here present. You know what it means, we have 22 APC members in the House of Assembly. We have 13 here now and another two are on their way coming. So that is about 15, and if we are telling you that the state under the leadership of Mr. Governor is at peace, you know, we mean what we are saying and then apart from that also, for now, the appointment he has done is just for six commissioners, and he did it you know senatorial district by senatorial district, two per senatorial district, of which it is still very okay.

“Like those people who are complaining I want to believe that they have not been coming to Ondo State to witness what is going on there. They are permanently in Abuja here. We are the ones who are closer to the grassroots. We know what is going on in Ondo State.

“And then concerning the last question.
Maybe I should put the question to my members. Do we have anyone of you that want to contest against Aiyedatiwa?

“They said they believe in continuity and let me use this opportunity to put the records straight. Ad far as we are concerned, we are not here to come and deceive the people of Nigeria. His achievements, the achievements of the incumbent governor are out there. Presently, he has started the recruitment of 2000 workers in the academic sector, and the most important thing is that he did not stop the legacy started by the late governor. He directed all the contractors to go back to the site of which everybody in the state applauded. So what I am trying to say in essence is that as I am talking to you now, all the contractors are now on sites working and other projects too are ongoing in Ondo State. And there iss a synergy now between the executive, the judiciary, and the legislature. There is peace in Ondo State and we are all working together. We are praying together and I can give you 100% assurance that our primary elections come April is going to be very peaceful”.

The speaker also dismissed allegations that the governor may have betrayed his late boss, saying the constitution is clear on who should succeed the dead in the circumstance.

“As far as I am concerned, I don’t want to join issues with all the aspirants. I am not an aspirant. I am a legislator but as far as I am concerned, the issue of betrayal does not come in. We lost the late governor to death. The constitution is very clear that when a sitting governor dies, you know, the deputy governor will have to take over. So, I do believe that the issue of betrayal does not come into this issue. It is just the issue of nature. None of us can predict when God will take our lives.

“As far as the aspirants are concerned, my own advice as Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly is that we should not heat the polity. We should try as much as possible to play the politics with all decorum in such a way that we don’t have any other state to go to. We should try as much as possible to maintain decency while we are campaigning. It is within our party. We must not allow another political party to snatch this power from us”, he counselled.

On his part, Dr Ganduje said the party has prepared a well-articulated programme for the primary election, promising a free and fair exercise.

“I want to call upon you, very soon you know your government is an off-season as far as election is concerned. This year, there will be election for governorship in Ondo State and there are many things that must happen according to the programme.

“We started with verification of party membership, then it will lead to screening of aspirants and of course there will be primaries among the aspirants so that we can come up with a candidate for our party.

“Ondo state is an APC state and we will continue to maintain it as an APC state. We need your cooperation so that we can have a free and transparent primary in the state so that we can shore up our opportunity and we believe our members are equal to the task with good synergy between the party and your institution as members of the State House of Assembly.

“We thank you for coming and we assure you that we have prepared a well articulated programme for the primaries in Ondo state in order to produce a candidate.

“Also, I have noted your request that we should extend your greetings and happiness to the Governor of Ondo state because he has succeeded in working with the legislature, judiciary and different segments. I will do that”, he promised.

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BREAKING: Tinubu swears in Amupitan as new INEC Chair

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President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in Professor Joash Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The ceremony followed the Senate’s confirmation of Amupitan’s appointment last week after a rigorous screening session on October 16.

At the swearing-in, President Tinubu tasked Amupitan with safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s elections and strengthening INEC’s institutional capacity.

“As the chairman of INEC, your nomination and confirmation reflect the confidence reposed in you by both the executive and legislative arms of government. This marks the start of a challenging yet rewarding journey, and I trust you will approach your duties with integrity, dedication, and patriotism,” Tinubu said.

Highlighting Nigeria’s democratic progress over 25 years, the President emphasized the need for continuous innovation and reform to maintain free, fair, and credible elections. He urged Amupitan to ensure transparency and public trust throughout the entire electoral process—from voter registration and campaigning to voting and counting.

Amupitan, a professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), arrived at the State House on Thursday dressed in traditional white agbada and gold cap ahead of the formal ceremony. He was accompanied by presidential aides.

During his Senate screening, the 58-year-old nominee pledged to restore credibility to Nigeria’s electoral process by prioritizing reforms, including strengthening the Electoral Act to resolve inconsistencies in election timelines and enhance transparency.

“We must conduct elections where even the loser congratulates the winner fairly,” Amupitan told senators, emphasizing the need to rebuild voter confidence.

He also clarified his neutrality by denying any involvement in President Tinubu’s legal team during the 2023 Presidential Election Petitions Court, stating, “I never appeared before the Presidential Election Tribunal or the Supreme Court for any party.”

Amupitan succeeds Professor Mahmood Yakubu as the sixth substantive INEC chairman since the commission’s establishment. He is expected to immediately begin the transition process at INEC headquarters in Abuja following his swearing-in.

Profile

Born on April 25, 1967, the 58-year-old Amupitan hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Plateau State. He is also an alumnus of the university.

He specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance and Privatisation Law. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2014.

After completing primary and secondary education, he attended Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, from 1982 to 1984, and the University of Jos from 1984 to 1987. He was called to the bar in 1988.

Amupitan earned an LLM at UNIJOS in 1993 and a PhD in 2007, amid an academic career that began in 1989, following his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation in Bauchi from 1988 to 1989.

He currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, a position he holds in conjunction with being the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.

Among the academic positions he has held at UNIJOS are: Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012-2014); Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008-2014); and Head of Public Law (2006-2008).

Outside of academics, Amupitan serves as a board member of Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and a member of the Council of Legal Education (2008-2014), among other roles. He was a board member of Riss Oil Limited, Abuja(1996-2004).

Amupitan is the author of many books on law, such as Corporate Governance: Models and Principles(2008); Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008); Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria(2013), Principles of Company Law(2013)  and an Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).

He is married and has four children.

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Dangote denies owning truck that killed eight in Ondo accident

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Dangote Group has denied owning the truck that crushed a pregnant woman, a child, and six others to death in an accident in Akungba-Akoko, Akoko South-West Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The company issued the clarification in a statement on its X account on Wednesday.

The statement followed reports that a cement-laden truck suffered brake failure and rammed into traders and other road users.

Reacting, Dangote Group said the truck involved in the tragic incident does not belong to the group or any of its subsidiaries.

It added that vehicle registration records confirm the truck is owned and operated by an independent logistics company with no affiliation to Dangote Group.

“Dangote Group has refuted reports circulating on social media and in some online platforms linking it to a truck involved in a road accident in Akungba-Akoko, Akoko South-West Local Government Area of Ondo State.

“The company wishes to make it categorically clear that the truck involved in the unfortunate incident does not belong to Dangote Group or any of its subsidiaries.

“Verified vehicle registration details confirm that the truck with Plate No. JJJ 365 XB is owned and operated by an independent logistics company with no affiliation to Dangote Group,” the statement reads.

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VIDEO: Sowore Arrested at Federal High Court Premises, Abuja, After Meeting Nnamdi Kanu.

“The commissioner of police said we should bring you to the office,” the policeman said.

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Police operatives have arrested former presidential candidate and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Sowore was forcibly taken away by armed police officers from the Federal High Court premises in Abuja on Thursday, October 23, 2025, shortly after attending the court session of detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.

Sowore, who has been leading campaigns for Kanu’s release, was confronted by security operatives who insisted he accompany them to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command.

Eyewitnesses disclosed that the officers surrounded him moments after he exited the courtroom, refusing to disclose specific details about his alleged offence.

When questioned by onlookers, one of the policemen stated that they were acting on the directive of the FCT Commissioner of Police.

“The commissioner of police said we should bring you to the office,” the policeman said.

As of the time of filing this report, the reason for Sowore’s arrest and his current whereabouts remain unclear.

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Credit: Punch

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