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Osun Records Political Killings Ahead Saturday’s LG poll

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has directed all Osun residents, including politicians across all political divides, to stay away from the local government secretariats to protect public properties and avoid further bloodshed.

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No fewer than two persons have been killed after suspected political thugs wielding machetes and other dangerous weapons invaded Local Government Secretariats in Osun State.

The incident occurred on Monday, February 17, 2025.

This is coming barely a few days to Saturday’s local government election in Osun State.

It was gathered that the incident was not unconnected with the violence that trailed an attempt by members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to take over the secretariat.

The move was, however, resisted. Confirming the incident, the Osun State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Yemisi Opalola, said police operatives had been deployed to local government secretariats across the state to maintain law and order.  

Meanwhile, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has directed all Osun residents, including politicians across all political divides, to stay away from the local government secretariats to protect public properties and avoid further bloodshed.

Adeleke gave the directive via a statement on Monday.

The governor stated: “This has become necessary, especially as the council secretariats are expected to be under lock and key, due to the withdrawal of service, announced by workers of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) across the state. “I equally condole families of victims of the APC illegal takeover bid and chaos unleashed across the state by the APC and their hired thugs.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), lost five members with several others wounded. Two of those members are from Iragbiji, Boripe local government.

Another two were killed at Ola Oluwa Local government. Another one was lost at Ikire. We must stop further bloodshed.

“I have directed security agencies to take charge of all local government secretariats and I hereby assure residents of Osun of their safety and protection of lives and properties.”

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Rivers Assembly: 13 Lawmakers Resume Sitting at Complex in Port Harcourt

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Thirteen members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have resumed legislative activities at a temporary complex in GRA, Port Harcourt, marking the end of a political pause following the expiration of the State of Emergency declared earlier in March.

The lawmakers arrived at the venue exchanging pleasantries and greetings, setting a cordial tone for the day’s proceedings.

Those in attendance include the Clerk of the House, Dr. Emeka Amadi; Chief Whip, Franklin Nwabochi; Deputy Leader, Linda Koroma Somiari-Stewart; as well as members Justina Emeji, Ignatius Obenachi Onwuka, Queen Uwuma Tony-Williams, Arnold Davids Okobiriari, Chimezie Christian Nwankwo, Solomon Nwami, Nwakoh Barile, Prince Lemchi Nyeche, Bernard Baridamue Ngbar, Nkemjika Ezekwe, and Emilia Lucky Amadi.

The lawmakers are meeting at an improvised chamber after the original Assembly complex on Moscow Road was gutted by fire.

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JUST IN: President Tinubu lifts state of emergency in Rivers, as Fubara prepares to resume duty

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has lifted the state of emergency imposed on Rivers State, restoring full democratic governance six months after suspending the Governor, Deputy Governor and State House of Assembly members.

In a statement on Tuesday, President Tinubu said the emergency, declared on 18 March 2025, had become “painfully inevitable” after a constitutional crisis paralysed governance in the state. He recalled that disputes between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the State House of Assembly had left critical economic assets vulnerable and halted budget approvals.

Tinubu said his intervention under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution was to “arrest the drift towards anarchy” after mediation attempts failed. “Considered objectively, we had reached that situation of total breakdown of public order and public safety in Rivers State … it would have been a colossal failure on my part as President not to have made that proclamation,” he said.

The President thanked the National Assembly, traditional rulers and the people of Rivers State for their support throughout the emergency. He also acknowledged dissenters who challenged the declaration in court, saying such actions were “the way it should be in a democratic setting.”

Tinubu noted a “groundswell of a new spirit of understanding” among stakeholders in Rivers State and said the conditions that necessitated the emergency no longer existed.

“With effect from midnight today, the emergency in Rivers State shall end,” he announced. “Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, including Speaker Martins Amaewhule, will resume work in their offices from 18 September 2025.”

He urged governors and state legislatures nationwide to prioritise harmony and peaceful governance. “It is only in an atmosphere of peace, order and good government that we can deliver the dividends of democracy to our people,” he said.

STATEMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY, BOLA AHMED TINUBU, PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, ON THE CESSATION OF THE STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE

My Fellow countrymen and, in particular, the good people of Rivers State.

I am happy to address you today on the state of emergency declaration in Rivers State. You will recall that on 18th March, 2025, I proclaimed a state of emergency in the state. In my proclamation address, I highlighted the reasons for the declaration.

The summary of it for context is that there was a total paralysis of governance in Rivers State, which had led to the Governor of Rivers State and the House of Assembly being unable to work together.

Critical economic assets of the State, including oil pipelines, were being vandalised. The State House of Assembly was crisis-ridden, such that members of the House were divided into two groups. Four members worked with the Governor, while 27 members opposed the Governor.

The latter group supported the Speaker. As a result, the Governor could not present any Appropriation Bill to the House, to enable him to access funds to run Rivers State’s affairs. That serious constitutional impasse brought governance in the State to a standstill.

Even the Supreme Court, in one of its judgments in a series of cases filed by the Executive and the Legislative arms of Rivers State against each other, held that there was no government in Rivers State.

My intervention and that of other well-meaning Nigerians to resolve the conflict proved abortive as both sides stuck rigidly to their positions to the detriment of peace and development of the State.

It therefore became painfully inevitable that to arrest the drift towards anarchy in Rivers State, I was obligated to invoke the powers conferred on me by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to proclaim the state of emergency.

The Offices of the Governor, Deputy Governor, and elected members of the State House of Assembly were suspended for six months in the first instance. The six months expire today, September 17th, 2025.

I thank the National Assembly, which, after critically evaluating the justification for the proclamation, took steps immediately, as required by the Constitution, to approve the declaration in the interest of peace and order in Rivers State.

I also thank our traditional rulers and the good people of Rivers State for their support from the date of the declaration of the state of emergency until now.

I am not unaware that there were a few voices of dissent against the proclamation, which led to their instituting over 40 cases in the courts in Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Yenagoa, to invalidate the declaration.

That is the way it should be in a democratic setting. Some cases are still pending in the courts as of today. But what needs to be said is that the power to declare a state of emergency is an inbuilt constitutional tool to address situations of actual or threatened breakdown of public order and public safety, which require extraordinary measures to return the State to peace, order and security.

Considered objectively, we had reached that situation of total breakdown of public order and public safety in Rivers State, as shown in the judgment of the Supreme Court on the disputes between the Executive and the Legislative arm of Rivers State. It would have been a colossal failure on my part as President not to have made that proclamation.

As a stakeholder in democratic governance, I believe that the need for a harmonious existence and relationship between the executive and the legislature is key to a successful government, whether at the state or national level.

The people who voted us into power expect to reap the fruits of democracy. However, that expectation will remain unrealizable in an atmosphere of violence, anarchy, and insecurity borne by misguided political activism and Machiavellian manipulations among the stakeholders.

I am happy today that, from the intelligence available to me, there is a groundswell of a new spirit of understanding, a robust readiness, and potent enthusiasm on the part of all the stakeholders in Rivers State for an immediate return to democratic governance.

This is undoubtedly a welcome development for me and a remarkable achievement for us. I therefore do not see why the state of emergency should exist a day longer than the six months I had pronounced at the beginning of it.

It therefore gives me great pleasure to declare that the emergency in Rivers State of Nigeria shall end with effect from midnight today. The Governor, His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara, the deputy governor, Her Excellency Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and the speaker, Martins Amaewhule, will resume work in their offices from 18 September 2025.

I take this opportunity to remind the Governors and the Houses of Assembly of all the States of our country to continue to appreciate that it is only in an atmosphere of peace, order, and good government that we can deliver the dividends of democracy to our people. I implore all of you to let this realisation drive your actions at all times.

I thank you all.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR
President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
Federal Republic of Nigeria
State House, Abuja
September 17, 2025

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JUST IN: Beware of Fake Recruitment Scams – INEC Warns

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a stern warning to the public to disregard a fraudulent recruitment advertisement making the rounds on social media platforms.

In a statement released on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Wednesday, INEC clarified that the circulating advert, which claims the commission is recruiting for multiple positions, is fake. The scam directs unsuspecting applicants to a bogus website—inecrecruitment.com.com—where they are urged to submit personal information.

“Our attention has been drawn to a fake advertorial currently circulating on social media, giving the impression that the Independent National Electoral Commission is recruiting for various positions,” the statement read.

The commission emphasized that the website promoted by the impostors does not belong to INEC, adding, “INEC does not have any such portal.”

INEC reiterated that it is not conducting any recruitment exercise at this time and urged the public to remain vigilant and avoid falling victim to the scam.

“The commission hereby calls on the public to disregard this fraudulent call for applications. The commission IS NOT recruiting. Do not fall victim to the antics of criminal elements,” the statement concluded.

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