TheNewsGuru

Tag: ADEYEMI

  • APC guber primary was rigged to favour Ododo – Smart Adeyemi

    APC guber primary was rigged to favour Ododo – Smart Adeyemi

    One of the aspirants of the  All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Kogi state, Senator Smart Adeyemi has explained that the guber primary election conducted by the party was a charade.

    Adeyemi said that the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello influenced the primary election in favour of Ahmed Usman Ododo, a former Auditor General for Local Governments in the state.

    Adeyemi made these claims while Speaking on Arise Television on Monday morning, claiming that electoral materials were shared to local government chairmen in the state who privately rigged the election to favour Ododo.

    According to Adeyemi: “There was no voting, we were at our unit and there was no voting. They took materials from Abuja and went to their closet to thump print. INEC and its officials were not present.

    “We were at our various wards talking to each other only to hear the announcement of results at about 2pm.

    “Ododo is the cousin brother of Yahaya Bello, there was no election. In my district, three of us bought the form and 24 hours to the election, two others were asked to step them.

    “When the result was announced, Bello was seated there with no other aspirant other than Ododo. This is the worst form of rigging, I never believed this kind of thing can happen in the Nigeria of 2023.

    “APC will have to decide if they want a candidate for the next election.

    “The governor of a state is the leader of a party in that state, so he can’t run away from this.”

  • My late dad’s choice of 10 wives distracted him-Kunle Afolayan

    My late dad’s choice of 10 wives distracted him-Kunle Afolayan

    Award winning filmmaker and actor, Kunle Afolayan has stated that his late father’s choice of 10 wives took a toll on him.

    Afolayan made this known during a chat with BBC Pidgin on Wednesday where he opened up on growing up in a polygamous family and foray into filmmaking.

     

    The ‘Citation’ producer said Adeyemi Afolayan, his late father, got “distracted” by his desire for polygamy.

    In his words: “I would not want to marry many wives because my father had 10 wives and I knew what happened throughout that period. I knew that really distracted my father. In this age, nobody needs to tell you before you know what’s right,” he said.

    He also recounted how he battled poverty and other challenges in his early days in the movie landscape before he rode into the spotlight.

    “I was born in Ebute-Metta and have lived in one-room apartment before that we even have to grapple with flood sometimes. It’s not shame to say have been poor before. But if you see how l made it, it’s a matter of consistency. My father was a very popular filmmaker and ordinarily, people would expect me to life the kind of live akin to Hollywood stars,” he said.

    “But that wasn’t the case. How would one live such life when you’re living in a room with ten women. That doesn’t mean there was no love among us.”

     

  • #EndSARS: Court orders probe of Sam Adeyemi, Tuface, Davido others

    #EndSARS: Court orders probe of Sam Adeyemi, Tuface, Davido others

    A Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja has ordered the Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory to start an investigation into 50 notable persons who promoted the #EndSARS movement.

    The order was given by a Magistrate, Omolola Akindele, following the criminal complaint filed by an activist, Kenechukwu Okeke.

    Okeke claimed that during the demonstration, his properties were destroyed and the defendants who promoted the #EndSARS protests must be brought to justice.

    The magistrate gave the police two weeks to investigate the matter and send a report for proper resolution.

    A letter written by the court registrar which was addressed to the CP read in part, “I am directed by the Presiding Chief Magistrate II, his worship, Hon. Omolola Tolulope Akindele, sitting at Chief Magistrate Court 2, Wuse Zone 6, FCT Abuja, to write to your office to investigate the above-mentioned case and report back within two weeks for proper adjudication of the case.”

    Those listed as defendants include the Senior Pastor, Daystar Christian Centre, Sam Adeyemi; Musician Damini Ogulu aka Burna Boy, David Adeleke otherwise known as Davido, Folarin Falana popularly known as Falz; and social media comedians, Debo Adebayo aka Mr Macaroni and Maryam Apaokagi aka Taoma

    Other musicians sued include Peter and Paul Okoye, Innocent Idibia aka Tuface, Bankole Wellington popularly known as Banky W, Tiwa Savage, Michael Ajereh aka Don Jazzy; Ayo Balogun aka Wizkid; and Yemi Alade.

    Apart from musicians, others listed as defendants include- Activist, Aisha Yesufu; ex-Super Eagles star, Kanu Nwankwo; a former Director-General, Bureau for Public Sector Reform, Dr. Joe Abah; journalist, Kiki Mordi, and actors, Yul Edochie and Uche Jombo

    Social media influencers – Feyikemi Abudu, Olorunrinu Oduala, Pamilerin Adegoke, Japhet Omojuwa, Ayo Sogunro and Deji Adeyanju were also joined in the suit as well as activist, Tope Akinyode.

    TheNewsGuru recalls that the case was instituted on Monday pursuant to sections 88, 109(a), 110(1)(c) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

    In his supporting affidavit, Okeke said the defendants played active roles in the #EndSARS protest which later became violent.

    It read in part, “That the 1st to 50th accused persons between the 3rd day of October 2020 and the 28th day of October 2020, using Twitter, an Internet web source with URL https://www.twitter.com within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did conspire amongst themselves to commit misdemeanour, to wit, promoting and acting in such a manner, with intent to assist in the promotion of #EndSARS and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97(2) of the Penal Code Act, C53 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004

    “Properties belonging to the complaint were egregiously destroyed by some riotous and tumultuous persons instigated and incited by the 1st to 50th accused persons.”

  • I won’t be born If you didn’t marry many wives-Kunle Afolayan pays tribute to dad

    I won’t be born If you didn’t marry many wives-Kunle Afolayan pays tribute to dad

    Kunle Afolayan, a popular Nigerian filmmaker, has penned a tribute to Adeyemi Josiah Akano Afolayan, his late dad, who passed away in 1996.

     

    The filmmaker took to his Instagram page on Monday to share a side by side photo of himself and his late dad wherein he praised Adeyemi with gratitude for marrying many wives, which he said brought about the “privilege to be called your son”.

     

    Afolayan wrote:”I miss you, Baba mi, but thank you for marrying many wives because I would not have been privileged to be called your Son. I know he was finer so…dont rub it in ADEYEMI JOSIAH AKANO AFOLAYAN (1940-1996),” he wrote.

     

    TheNewsGuru recalls that back in May, Kunle had said he could have become a rebel or even choose a completely different career if his father was alive.

     

    “My children asked me a few days ago if I missed and feel sad that my father passed long ago and he’s not here to witness how I have turned out. My response to them was that, yes, I miss my father so much but the honest truth is I wouldn’t have turned out the way I did if he was alive,” he had said.

     

    “They asked why and I said because he would have influenced my journey and I would have done and handled things differently. I could have turned out better or worst, I could have become a rebel or even choose a completely different career.”

  • People might shun church services after COVID-19 pandemic – Sam Adeyemi

    People might shun church services after COVID-19 pandemic – Sam Adeyemi

    The senior pastor of the Daystar Christian Centre in Lagos, Sam Adeyemi, has said gathering members together for physical church services might prove difficult after the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The clegyman noted that over the couple of weeks members have adopted and embraced the online mode of worship from wherever they are.

    Adeyemi, who spoke during a monitored Instagram live interview, tagged: “Iforowero” with BBC News Yoruba said: “That’s an issue I have pondered upon severally because the church may not be the same again after this COVID-19 experience. As you can see, many people have been receiving messages via online broadcast from their homes. It’s no longer like before that they have to be physically present in churches,” he said.

    “Now that many have been used to worshiping God from the comfort of their rooms, will they go to church when COVID-19 is finally over? Many Christians may also feel relaxed on Sundays when they usually go to church.”

    Adeyemi also said the COVID-19 outbreak has afforded many Christians the opportunity to evaluate the extent to which their churches actually care about them.

    “Also, many Christians have start questioning the genuineness of their churches for them with little or no help coming their way during the pandemic period when hunger is holding sway,” he said.

    The cleric said the pandemic should teach church leaders and those occupying political offices that there is need to show humanity to one another if truly Nigeria hopes to grow.

    He also expressed displeasure over the devastating effect of the pandemic, saying he was pained that churches were closed.

    The cleric noted that everyone must bear with the situation and hold on for a while.

    Alluding to how a church in South Korea got affected by the outbreak of the virus, he said: “The church members were badly hit by this infectious disease and the pastor had to go about seeking for forgiveness.

    “Even if there is going to be social distancing in our churches, how many services are we going to hold? Looking at the differences between churches with big number of members, we have to be careful and remain calm because there is no vaccine yet… As a preacher, I travel all around. But I have remained indoor with my family.”

  • Congratulating Adeyemi will amount to congratulating an armed robber after operation- Melaye

    Congratulating Adeyemi will amount to congratulating an armed robber after operation- Melaye

    Embattled Senator Dino Melaye has refused to congratulate his conqueror, Senator Smart Adeyemi, saying doing so amounted to congratulating an armed robber.

    Melaye lost the Kogi West Senatorial District election to Adeyemi of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

    INEC’s Returning Officer of the election, Professor Olajide Lawal, had said Adeyemi, who represented Kogi West Senatorial District from 2007-2015, polled 88,373 votes to beat Senator Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 62,133 votes.

    Melaye has rejected the result and vowed to challenge the outcome in court.
    In series of tweets on Sunday night, Melaye said “Congratulating Smart Adeyemi will amount to congratulating an armed robber after successful operation.”
    He said no lover of democracy would “celebrate the shameful and temporary removal of the ‘Voice of the Voiceless,’ Senator Dino Melaye from the Nigerian Senate by the APC ‘gun-ment.’ Dino will never die!”

    Melaye also tweeted that Adeyemi just lied on national TV that 10 of his bills was signed into law.

    “I challenge him to name 6 bills he sponsored talk less of being assented to. How many bills did President Jonathan signed into law that he alone got 10. Egbami ooo he lied about FOI too,” he said.

  • Too late for Atiku to resolve Kogi PDP crisis -Adeyemi

    Too late for Atiku to resolve Kogi PDP crisis -Adeyemi

    Senator Smart Adeyemi has said that it is too late for Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar to resolve the crisis in the Kogi State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP

    Major PDP stakeholders in the state, including some contenders in the September 3 governorship primaries, have continued to quarrel over the outcome of the exercise, which saw Mr Musa Wada emerge as winner.

    Some of the pained aspirants have gone to court to challenge the outcome of the primaries, with one of the defeated aspirants, Senator Dino Melaye turning down an offer to lead the PDP campaign ahead of the November 16 governorship election.

    Worried by the development, Atiku had been meeting with interested parties in the Kogi PDP crisis, with the view to uniting the party for victory at the poll.

    But speaking with reporters in Abuja yesterday, Senator Adeyemi called on Atiku not to waste his time trying to resolve the crisis, saying that the situation in the Kogi PDP has gone beyond redemption.

    Adeyemi said: “My advice to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is that he should not waste his time and money. It is too late. I wish he did that six months ago.

    “The crisis rocking the Kogi PDP are fundamental. They are without planning, they are without focus and people have made up their minds in Kogi State.

    “How can you present the son in-law of a former governor who is also the younger brother of another former governor. Even if you are picking someone from the same zone, are there not other very competent persons from the zone?”

    Adeyemi said the PDP was already dying in Kogi as a result of attempts by just interrelated families to dominate political power in the state, stressing that a former governor, his son and his in-laws were seeking to convert the state to their private fiefdom.

    The campaign DG dismissed the widely held belief that the incumbent governor might lose the election to poor performance, saying that Governor Bello had performed better than his predecessors who were elected on the platform of the PDP.

    Adeyemi said he accepted to lead the governor’s re-election campaign on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the conviction that the governor had recorded concrete achievements in terms of project execution and security in the state.