TheNewsGuru

Tag: Ekiti State

  • Guinness World Record: Ekiti chef hits 85 hrs cooking

    Guinness World Record: Ekiti chef hits 85 hrs cooking

    An Ekiti-born chef, Miss Damilola Adeparusi, on Monday hit 85 hours in her determination to set a new record of 120 hours cooking marathon and emerge a holder of Guinness World Records.

    The house where Adeparusi is currently undergoing the cooking marathon in Ilupeju-Ekiti is being powered by a generator set since she started on Friday.

    Residents of Ilupeju-Ekiti, in Oye Local Government Area have been experiencing epileptic electricity supply for many months before Adeparusi embarked on her quest.

    Adeparusi’s friends and colleagues daily storm the house to watch and give her moral support to break the record unofficially set by another chef, Hilda Baci few weeks ago.

    Some of her colleagues who are students also sleep over at the location while others come to visit and return after enjoying music and various delicacies she is cooking.

    It was observed that Adeparusi is not looking weary or tired in her disposition, body language and not distracted by some negative comments about her quest by certain social media users.

    It was also observed that three heavily armed military officers have been deployed to the house to safeguard her and her supporters from invasion of unwanted persons.

    Also, cadets officers were deployed to the entrance of the building to ensure that orderliness is maintained as her cooking marathon progresses.

    It was also observed the presence of some journalists and social media practitioners covering every detail of the marathon.

    As at the time of filing in this report, she has been able to cook several meals such as: Eba, beans with corn, Amala, Iyan, rice among other delicious meals.

  • Lagos Assembly re-elects Speaker for 3rd term, Ekiti, Osun get new Speakers

    Lagos Assembly re-elects Speaker for 3rd term, Ekiti, Osun get new Speakers

    Mr Mudashiru Obasa has been re-elected unanimously by the 39 lawmakers in the Lagos State House of Assembly to become the next Speaker of the state’s 10th Assembly.

    Obasa (APC-Agege I) was re-elected by his colleagues to lead the Lagos State House of Assembly as Speaker for the third consecutive time.

    Obasa was unanimously re-elected after a proclamation of the Lagos 10th Assembly by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat and other top government officials at the chamber of the House.

    The lawmakers also elected Mr Mojisola Meranda as the Deputy Speaker of the 10th Assembly.

    Obasa, the most ranking member of the House, was nominated by Mr Temitope Adewale, member representing Ifako-Ijaiye Constituency, and was seconded by Mr Sylvester Ogunkelu, member representing Epe II  Constituency.

    Also, Mr Noheem Adams, the Deputy Majority Leader in the Ninth Assembly, was elected as the new Majority Leader while Mr Adedamola Kasunmu, member representing Ikeja Constituency II,  was elected the Deputy Majority Leader.

    Mr Mojeed Fatai, member representing Ibeju Lekki I Constituency, was elected as the Chief Whip while Mr David Setonji , member representing Badagry II Constituency, was elected the Deputy Chief Whip.

    8th Osun Assembly: Adewale Egbedun emerges Speaker

    Mr Adewale Egbedun, the lawmaker representing Odo-Otin State Constituency,  on Tuesday, emerged the Speaker of the 8th Osun State House of Assembly.

    Egbedun, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member and a first time lawmaker, was nominated by Abiola Ibrahim representing Irewole/Isokan Constituency while Areoye Ebenezer representing Atakumosa East/West Constituency seconded the motion.

    Mr Akinyode Oyewusi, the lawmaker representing Ife North State Constituency was equally elected as Deputy Speaker.

    Oyewusi was nominated by Elisha Oderinwale, lawmaker representing Ayedire State Constituency, and which was seconded by Kashope Abolarinwa, lawmaker representing Ifedayo State Constituency.

    Mr Simeon Amusan, the Clerk of the assembly, thereafter, administered the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office on the nominated Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

    Egbedun, in turn administered the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office on the remaining 24 members of the assembly.

    In his acceptance speech, the new speaker called on his colleagues “to join hands with him to run a true and new age Osun House of Assembly”.

    He said the 8th assembly, under his leadership, would focus on legislature that would improve workers’ welfare, infrastructural development, improve peoples lives and also work with the executive to develop the state.

    Egbedun, however, said that the assembly would revisit the laws passed by the 7th  assembly at the twilight of its tenure, especially between August and November 2022, to correct obnoxious bills/laws passed.

    In his proclamation address , Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun, sought the support of the legislature to achieve his five-goal development agenda of good governance for the state.

    Adeleke said that since the executive and overwhelming members of the legislature belonged to the same political party, the two arms should work towards the same goal of good governance and providing the people with the dividends of democracy.

    Egbedun took over from Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker, who piloted the affairs of the 7th Osun House of Assembly from 2019 to 2023.

    Other principal officers elected afterwards include: Babajide Kofoworola (Ede North) as Majority Leader; Adekunle Oladimeji (Irepodun/Orolu) as Deputy Majority Leader.

    Also, Olawale Akerele (Ilesa West) was elected as Chief Whip, while Afeez Ibrahim (Olaoluwa) was elected as the Deputy Chief Whip.

    Eminent personality at the inauguration include former Osun governor and PDP chieftain, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and former Osun House of Assembly Speakers Adejare Bello and Najeem Salaam.

    Others are Osun Chief Judge, Mrs Adepele Ojo, and former Osun assembly lawmakers, among others.

    Aribasoye emerges as speaker of Ekiti 7th Assembly

    Mr Adeoye Aribasoyo (APC- Ikole 2), has been elected as the speaker of the 7th assembly of the Ekiti State House of Assembly.

    Aribasoyo was elected shortly after the proclamation of the 7th assembly by the clerk of the house, Mr Tola Esan in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday.

    The speaker was unanimously elected after he was nominated by Mr Femi Akindele (APC-Irepodun Ifelodun Constituency 1).

    Mrs Bolaji Olagbaju (APC- Ado 2) was also elected as the deputy speaker.

    Olagbaju was the daughter of the immediate past Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, late Bisi Egbeyemi.

    Speaking with newsmen, the speaker said the 7th Assembly would ensure that the people of the state enjoyed dividends of democracy.

    Aribasoyo said the assembly was ready to work for the betterment of the people of the state.

    “We will be futuristic in our approach and worked tirelessly, performing our major roles for the betterment of our people.

    “We are ready to offer selfless service to our dear state, we are fully prepared. I am using we because it is not going to be a one man’s show, we are going to work collectively with my colleagues.

    “I see the light shining in Ekiti State because  the 7th assembly will bring about meaningful impacts to the lives of the people of our dear state.

    “The 7th assembly will join hands with all stakeholders  to take the state to the height that we desired,” Aribasoyo said.

  • EFCC quizzes ex-Gov Fayemi over alleged N4bn fraud

    EFCC quizzes ex-Gov Fayemi over alleged N4bn fraud

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has quizzed former Governor of Ekiti, Dr Kayode Fayemi, over alleged money laundering and misappropriation of N4 billion.

    A source close to the anti-graft agency said that  Fayemi arrived at the EFCC facility at about 10.am on Thursday and was drilled by the its operatives.

    The source said that the ex-governor was at the zonal command of the anti-graft agency located on Oko Close, Off Station Road, Ilorin in Kwara for interrogation over an alleged fraud.

    According to the source, EFCC is interrogating the former governor over allegations of misappropriation of N4 billion and money laundering.

    The probe is said to be connected to the handling of funds during his tenure as governor of Ekiti.

    Fayemi was governor of the state from 2018 to 2022 and handed over to Gov. Biodun Oyebanji in June 2022.

    The Anti-graft agency had in a letter dated May 12 invited the former governor to appear in its Kwara office on May 18 over allegations bothering on money laundering and misappropriation of public fund.

    The commission in a letter by ACE 1 Michael Nzekwe stated “the commission is investigating a case of money laundering in which there is need to seek certain clarification from you has become imperative.

    “In view of this, you are kindly requested to come for an interview with the undersigned through the head, Economic Governance Section. Thursday, May 18, 2023. No. 10 Oko close, off Station Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara. Time: 10: 00 hours.”

    The former governor had, however, written the commission seeking to delay his invitation over the allegation.

    Responding through his lawyer, Adeola Omotunde, in a letter dated May 15, Fayemi said he was one of the organisers and a reviewer of one of the books published in President Buhari’s honour.

    “Our client is in receipt of your letter of invitation dated 12th May 2023 for an appointment on Thursday, 18th of May, 2023.

    “Our client is one of the organisers of the programme and will review one of the books,” the letter read in part.

    It is believed that the anti-graft agency gave heed to the request of the former governor but immediately went into action after the presidential swearing-in.

  • Man in police net for defiling 7-year-old step daughter in Ekiti

    Man in police net for defiling 7-year-old step daughter in Ekiti

    The operatives of the Ekiti State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, (NSCDC) have arrested a man identified as Onilearo Sogo, for defiling his 7-year-old stepdaughter.

    Sogo was paraded on Saturday alongside two persons, Iliya Surajudeen, 24; Femi Musa, 20, for alleged conspiracy, assault, housebreaking and stealing.

    The command Public Relations Officer, PRO, Afolabi Tolulope, said Surajudeen and Musa were arrested by the operatives of the Counter Terrorism Unit, CTU, in various locations within the capital of Ekiti State, Ado-Ekiti, following a series of complaints from members of the public.

    Speaking further on the arrest, the PPRO said Sogo had carnal knowledge of his 7-year-old stepdaughter in Aisegba-Ekiti, Gbonyin local government area of the State and caused injury to her genitals.

    “Femi Musa was arrested with some kilograms of hard drugs and a substance suspected to be cannabis sativa around the Oshodi axis of Ado-Ekiti.

    “While Iliya Surajudeen was arrested in a poultry farm located at Adebayo in Ado-Ekiti for stealing the poultry wire gauge and other properties in the farm.”

    He disclosed that the suspects, who are currently in detention at the command headquarters and are still helping the police investigate the alleged crimes before charging them to court.

  • Police apprehend notorious kidnappers in Ekiti

    Police apprehend notorious kidnappers in Ekiti

    The Police in Ekiti State have arrested two notorious kidnappers terrorising communities in the state and neighbouring Kogi.

    The state Commissioner of Police, CP Ogundare Dare made the announcement on Friday in Ado-Ekiti while briefing newsmen on the activities of the command.

    He said that the two suspects were arrested in partnership with Kogi Police Command.

    The CP said the suspects, Abu Hassan, AKA Danger, and Abubakar Sodiq, have been terrorising innocent citizens around Iyemero/Oke-Ako/Irele/Ipao-Ekiti Axis.

    Dare said one of their victims whom they kidnapped at a farm in Iyemero-Ekiti, identified them.

    He added another victim said the suspects were part of the gang that intercepted his vehicle on Dec. 26, 2022 at about 14:00hrs along Oke-Ako Road and shot his two legs but was able to escape.

    The CP said that the suspects were also allegedly involved in the abduction of another victim and his two brothers on Sept. 3, 2022.

    “The victim also said they shot and killed his elder brother,  Ayebulu Joseph, a Civil Defence Officer,” he added.

    The suspects according to police commissioner were involved in the kidnapping of one Afolayan Samson and Adewole Ige at Igede farm settlement in Iyemero-Ekiti on Aprl 15, 2023.

    He said that the two kidnapped victims were released by the suspects after collecting ransom on April 17, 2023.

    The CP said a locally made single barrel gun and two live cartridges were recovered from the suspects.

    Meanwhile, the Command’s Rapid Response Squad (RRS) has arrested a notorious member of Black Axe ‘Aiye’ secret cult, Quadri Ajibola, AKA Omoolope.

    He said that the suspect was arrested while planning to unleash terror on rival cult members in Ado-Ekiti and environs.

    “Further investigation showed that the group was responsible for the killing of eight suspected members of black Axe ‘Aiye’ and the Supreme Eiye Confraternities in Ikere on April 18, 2021.”
    Other suspects arrested in connection with armed robbery, vandalism, kidnapping and cultism are Agboola Kayode, AKA KAY, Olumodi Tunde, AKA Kebe, and Saliu Kazeem, also known as Baba Ruka.

    The three allegedly conspired and robbed one Mayowa Olaofe at her residence in Ijadu community, Ado Ekiti on May 9, 2023, at about 20:00hrs.

    He added that the victim was robbed of her Infinix Hot 20 phone value N75,000 and N10,000 cash at gun point.

    The Commissioner of Police assured that efforts are ongoing to arrest others still at large, for prosecution.

  • How I spent every kobo of my salaries as House of Reps member on my constituents – Sen Bamidele

    How I spent every kobo of my salaries as House of Reps member on my constituents – Sen Bamidele

    Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly (NASS), has disclosed how he spent the salary he earned as a member of the House of Representatives on his constituents.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Senator Bamidele, who was re-elected to the 10th NASS, made the disclosure in an exclusive interview with Echoes of Grace magazine, a publication of the Anglican Youth Fellowship (AYF) of Basilica of Grace (BOG), Abuja.

    Speaking in the interview, Bamidele, who represented Ekiti Central Federal Constituency I in the 7th NASS, disclosed that the salaries he received as a member of the House of Representatives were dedicated to the less privileged in his constituency.

    He said an escrow account was opened into which the salaries were paid into by the NASS and that a fund management committee, which comprised some traditional rulers, community leaders, youth leaders and women leaders, was set up by him.

    “Every 6 months, the committee would meet to determine what to do with the funds that had accrued in the last 6 months,” Senator Bamidele said.

    Speaking in the interview with Echoes of Grace magazine, which was launched on Sunday as part of activities to mark BOG AYF youth week, Bamidele further disclosed how President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu made him leave his job in the United States to serve in his cabinet when he was Governor of Lagos State.

    The Ekiti Senator narrated how though he was not an indigene of Lagos State, he found favour in the State.

    Bamidele narrates: “I was born in Ekiti State, not Lagos State but I served in the cabinet of Lagos State for 11 and half years as Commissioner under two Governors.

    “I served 7 and half years under His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is the President-elect and 4 years under His Excellency, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, as Commissioner for Information and Strategy.

    “When His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed me as Commissioner in Lagos State, he did not know who my parents were. All he knew was that he had an idea of the kind of people he wanted in his cabinet, the kind of team he wanted to put together and while people were lobbying to be appointed commissioners, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was putting pressure on me to resign from my job in the United States to come and serve with him in Lagos.

    “At that time, I was working at the Harvard University law school immigration clinic where we were providing legal services to low-income immigrants and refugees and people who could not afford to hire private attorneys. It was a dream job for me as a young man, newly licenced as a New York attorney and working with Harvard professors and some of the best brains in the world and 7 immigrant communities.

    “It was not anything I was going to leave in a hurry but Asiwaju, having been elected Governor of Lagos State said: “I need you to come and work with me in Lagos, to contribute to my youth development programme”.

    “So, eventually I left that job to come to Lagos. Not being a Lagos native and having the opportunity to serve at the highest level as a cabinet member for 11 and half years under two Governors, was something that could only happen if people found integrity in you, especially when you are not a native of that community”.

    The Ekiti Senator went further to say: “I was in the 7th Assembly and in the 9th Assembly. I was not in the 8th Assembly because I ran for Governorship in Ekiti State. So, I did not contest to come back to the House of Representatives.

    “I ran for Governorship in 2014 and it did not quite work because out of 18 candidates, I came third. So, four years later, I contested election to come to the Senate, which was the 9th Senate and I have now been re-elected to the 10th Senate.

    “When I was in the House of Representatives my salaries were actually dedicated to the less privileged in my constituency. I opened an escrow account into which my salary was being paid by the National Assembly and I set up a fund management committee which was comprised of some of the traditional rulers, community leaders, youth leaders and women leaders; every 6 months the committee would meet to determine what to do with the funds that had accrued in the last 6 months”.

  • JAMB conducts hitch-free UTME in Ekiti

    JAMB conducts hitch-free UTME in Ekiti

    The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it recorded a hitch-free Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in the State.

    The board’s Acting State Coordinator, Mr Ebenezer Owolafe, said this in an interview in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday.

    Owolafe said the board had put  necessary measures in place to ensure that the exercise was smooth and without system malfunction or other difficulties.

    He also said that the introduction of technology and other innovations by the board had made the examination much easier for candidates.

    He said that in all the 12 centres he  monitored, there was no issue of examination malpractice.

    “The server and system were in good form for the candidates to write their examination,” the state JAMB chief told NAN.

    He said that the board initially planned three sessions but later made it four this year in order to accommodate candidates that had problems to enable them to sit for the examination.

    Some of the candidates interviewed commended JAMB for a hitch-free exercise, saying the examination commenced early as planned and without any system malfunctioning.

    A candidate, Miss Bidemi Adebayo, said that the invigilator had to explain to some candidates how to handle the mouse and keyboard before the examination commenced.

    A cross-section of parents, who spoke with NAN on their impression, thanked JAMB for putting adequate arrangements in place to ensure that the examination went on smoothly.

    One of them, Mrs Kemi Adigun, expressed delight over the smooth and peaceful conduct of the examination.

    Adigun, however, berated some female candidates for their alleged indecent dressing.

    According to her, it got to a point that security men at a centre sent the affected candidates home to dress properly and come back for the examination.

    She advised parents to always  monitor their children, especially their mode of dressing, before they leave the home.

    Contributing, the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in the state, Mr John Fayemi, expressed happiness that some of the past shortcomings had been corrected by the board.

    Fayemi said his officers and men were deployed in all the centres to ensure a hitch-free exercise.

  • Former Ekiti governor, Fayose reacts to PDP’s suspension

    Former Ekiti governor, Fayose reacts to PDP’s suspension

    Former Ekiti state Governor, Ayodele Fayose has reacted to the issue of his suspension from the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) on Thursday.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the PDP had through a statement announced the suspension of Fayose, Pius Anyim and other members from the party for alleged anti-party activities .

    In his reaction, Fayose described the move by the party’s National Working Committee, NWC as the ‘last kick of a dead horse’

    According to the former governor, the National Chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu would end in matter of days.

    Fayose’s reaction was made public through his spokesperson, Lere Olayinka on Thursday.

    “Ayu and his cohorts are only entertaining themselves with the purported suspension as their latest comedy skit.”

    He said in a matter of days, the inglorious tenure of Ayu as the party’s chairman would become history, stating that PDP and it’s members will enjoy a new lease of life.

    According to Fayose, himself and other party members who stood with the PDP when Ayu and his cohorts left it to die will rescue it again and give life back in due course.

    Recall that since the emergence of the All Progressive Congress (APC)’s candidate Bola Tinubu as President-elect, Fayose has been appearing on TV stations castigating the PDP and stating reasons why they lost.

  • Ekiti Governor, Oyebanji lauds the people of the state for voting APC

    Ekiti Governor, Oyebanji lauds the people of the state for voting APC

    The Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has lauded the people of the state for their peaceful conduct during Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections and for voting en masse for the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and all APC National Assembly candidates.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday has  declared Tinubu the winner of the presidential election in Ekiti State, after polling d 201,484 votes in all the local government areas of the state in the February 25th poll held across the country.

    The governor made this known via a statement by his special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode

    The Statement reads in part “Presidential Election: Oyebanji thanks Ekiti people for peaceful conduct, APC victory,” described the victory as “a reflection of the love the generality of the people have for the party as well as a reaffirmation of the mandate given to me and the party during the June 18, 2022 governorship election”.

    He said, “Special thanks to Ekiti kete for their peaceful conduct during Saturday’s election and for supporting and ensuring victory for our Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Tinubu and all our senatorial and House of Representatives candidates.

    “The Ekiti electorate have continued to conduct themselves in a very peaceful and honourable manner and Saturday was another remarkably peaceful outing. I thank you all for voting massively for Asiwaju Tinubu and all our candidates as promised, even as we look forward to witnessing greater levels of development and prosperity in our state

    “We also thank INEC for the remarkable improvement in the conduct of the election. The security agencies were also superb in their conduct and deserve our commendation.

    “Special thanks to all our traditional rulers, religious leaders, political leaders, union leaders, leaders of associations, leaders of professional groups, market leaders, artisan and all political party leaders for ensuring that our state remains peaceful during and after the election. You are the real winners,” the governor said.

  • Ekiti joins states suing FG, CBN over Naira crisis

    Ekiti joins states suing FG, CBN over Naira crisis

    Ekiti Government has applied to be joined as a co-plaintiff in a suit against the Federal Government at the Supreme Court on the Naira redesign policy and the deadline by the CBN for the swapping of old notes for new ones.

    Mr Yinka Oyebode, the Special Adviser to Gov. Biodun Oyebanji on Media, announced this in a statement made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday.

    According to him, the application for joinder was filed on Friday at the Supreme Court by the Ekiti Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Dayo Apata, SAN, seeking three reliefs.

    The statement said the suit, with the number SC/CV/162/2023, had Attorneys General of Kaduna State, Kogi State and Zamfara State as Plaintiffs, while the Attorney General of the Federation as the defendant.

    The reliefs being sought by the Attorney General of Ekiti included leave of the court to join the applicants as a co-plaintiff.

    Some of the grounds of the application included acute shortage in the supply of Naira notes in the state since the announcement of the policy by the Federal Government through the CBN.

    The applicant, Ekiti Government, declared that the directive of the Federal Government had affected the livelihood and inflicted excruciating pain and hardship on all Nigerians, including citizens of the state.

    The state government equally averred that the directive of the Federal Government had adversely affected the revenue, levies and taxes acruable to the coffers of Ekiti Government as economic activities in the state were now paralysed.

    He further averred that the directive of the Federal Government on the Naira redesign had also created palpable anxiety among the citizens of Ekiti.

    Another ground was that Ekiti, as a federating state of Nigeria, therefore, had interest in the determination of the Originating Summons in the suit, earlier filed by the three states in the federation.

    Ekiti Government said having common interest as other plaintiffs, and also in the outcome of the suit, sought the leave of the court to be joined as a co-plaintiff in order to be bound by the outcome of the suit.

    It stated that no injustice or embarrassment would be occasioned to any of the parties on record, if joined, as a co-plaintiff to ventilate the grievances of Ekiti.

    ”The sole issue formulated for determination is whether the applicant has made a case for the court to favourably consider the application.”

    ”This was supported by an argument that the court had always been of position that anyone whose presence is crucial and fundamental to a suit must be made a party to the proceedings.”