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Tag: Ondo State

  • 17 parties to feature in Ondo governorship poll

    17 parties to feature in Ondo governorship poll

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says a total of 17 political parties have uploaded their candidates’ nomination forms for the Nov. 16 Ondo State Governorship Election.

    The commission said this in a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Sam Olumekun on Thursday in Abuja.

    Olumekun said that the figure was recorded the 6p.m., of May 24 when INEC dedicated portal dedicated to the nomination automatically shut down.

    He said that the personal particulars of the governorship candidates and their running mates would be published by INEC on May 25 in line with section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.

    He said that INEC would publish the personal particulars by displaying copies of Form EC9 along with all academic credentials and other documents submitted by each candidate.

    This according to him would be published at INEC state headquarters in Akure and the 18 Local Government Area offices across the state.

    He appealed to Nigerians to scrutinise the documents.

    “Any aspirant who participated in his/her party primaries with reasonable grounds to believe that the information provided by a candidate or running mate is false can challenge the nomination in a Federal High Court as provided in Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022,’’ he said.

  • BREAKING: Second Republic Senator, MAE Onunkun is dead

    BREAKING: Second Republic Senator, MAE Onunkun is dead

    A Second Republic Senator in the old Ondo State, Michael Onunkun, popularly known as MAE Onunkun, is dead. He was aged 98.

    Onunkun represented Ondo West Senatorial District, now Ondo South, in the old Ondo State from 1979 to 1983.

    Onunkun’s daughter, Mrs Morenike Alaka, confirmed this on Thursday in Okitipupa.

    Alaka, a former Chairman of Okitipupa Local Government, said that the elder statesman died around 11:57p.m on Wednesday at the West End Hospital, Okitipupa.

    “My dad, a distinguished Senator in the Second Republic, no doubt has his flaws but he was a great statesman, a fantastic man, lover of children and education.

    “He was a great politician who plays politics till he died because anytime we are together, he still discuss politics.

    “We are preparing for his 99th birthday on Sept. 30, but unfortunately he died last night. His death is painful, all the children, family and Ikale people will miss him greatly,” she said.

    Onunkun is blessed with two wives and 12 children – seven males and five females.

  • INEC set to resume voters’ registration in Edo, Ondo

    INEC set to resume voters’ registration in Edo, Ondo

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it plans to conduct the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Edo and Ondo States from Monday, May 27 to Wednesday, June 5.

    INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said this at the commission’s second regular quarterly consultative meeting with political parties held on Monday in Abuja.

    Yakubu said that INEC would also distribute uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the two states during the period, advising those who were yet to register or collect their PVCs to use the opportunity to do so.

    He said that the resumption of the CVR would also afford registered voters who wanted to transfer their registration from other states to Edo and Ondo.

    “Let me reiterate that the CVR is only open to new registrants and those who seek to transfer their registration.

    “Persons who are already registered voters should not attempt to register again as that will amount to double or multiple registrations and it is illegal.

    “Lost or damaged voters’ cards will be replaced during the exercise but this does not require fresh registration,” he said.

    Yakubu said that taking into consideration the limited time to the election, the CVR would take place at ward and state headquarters of INEC instead of the local government offices, and a few designated centers.

    “This means that there will be 192 Ward registration centres in Edo and 203 centres in Ondo, in addition to our state offices in Benin City and Akure, making a total of 397 walk-in registration centres in the two states.

    “There will be no online pre-registration option in the two states because of time constraint. Each centre will be managed by two officials drawn from our regular staff and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC),’’ he said.

    He added that in the next few days, INEC would commence the training of at least 794 officials for the exercise, saying that the locations for the registration centres and other relevant information had been made available to political party leaders.

    Yakubu appealed to political parties and other stakeholders to join INEC in mobilising prospective registrants for the exercise, particularly on the need to register early and not wait until the eleventh hour.

    He said that INEC plans to publish the list of uncollected PVCs in its offices in the two states and simultaneously uploaded to the commission’s website.

    Yakubu appealed to party leaders to continue to play by the rules during the electioneering process and beyond, ahead of the April 24 commencement of electioneering campaign for Edo election.

    He also urged them to adhere strictly to the timeline for the upload of the list of polling and collation agents to INEC dedicated portal.

    He said doing so would enable INEC to produce and deliver identity cards in good time for the expected 76,823 polling unit agents and 3,587 ward, local government and state collation agents for the election.

    “Turning to Ondo, political parties have just concluded their primaries. Eighteen political parties conducted primaries monitored by the Commission.

    “I wish to remind you that parties have one week to the deadline for the nomination of candidates which is 6.00pm on Monday May 20, 2024 when the portal automatically shuts down.

    “I urge you to adhere strictly to the deadline. Political parties have been given 23 days from the end of primaries to prepare and submit the list of only two candidates (governorship candidate and running mate) to the Commission,’’ Yakubu said.

    He said that the commission was remobilising to conduct the two State Assembly constituencies in Enugu and Kano States.

    Yakubu also said that INEC would soon announce date for the conduct of by-election into existence of vacancies in National and State Assemblies caused by either death or resignation of members in three states constituencies and one federal constituency.

    “The constituencies are; Khana 2 State Constituency of Rivers, the Bagwai/Shanono State constituency of Kano State, the Zaria Kewaye State Constituency of Kaduna State and the Garki/Babura Federal Constituency of Jigawa State,’’ he said.

    In his remarks, the National Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Mr Yusuf Dantalle, pledged to work with INEC to mobilise voters for Edo and Ondo governorship election.

    “Ahead of the forthcoming Edo and Ondo States governorship election, it is important that voters are massively mobilised to register and participate in the poll.

    “As the umbrella body of all registered political parties in Nigeria, IPAC will spearhead this crucial exercise in collaboration with INEC.

    “In previous elections, Council would move to various states, sensitize and mobilise the people on upcoming polls, called for non-violence and urge them to shun vote buying and selling, etc with the limited funds at its disposal,’’ Dantalle said.

  • Amotekun nabs 45 suspected criminals in Ondo

    Amotekun nabs 45 suspected criminals in Ondo

    The Ondo State Amotekun Corps says it has arrested no fewer than 45 suspected criminals at different locations across the state.

    Mr Adetunji Adeleye, State Commander of the Corps, made the disclosure while parading the suspects before newsmen on Monday in Akure.

    Adeleye, who said that the suspects were arrested during the 24/7 constant patrol of the corps, said that the offences committed ranged from breaking of shops, kidnapping, cultism, among others.

    The Amotekun commander said one of the criminals, a 17-year-old boy, was arrested for allegedly engaging in vandalisation of electricity transformers in the state.

    “Of particular note is a set of criminals which faith caught up with, while cutting the cables, when electricity was supplied and burnt half of his body.

    “We arrested him, because the moment it happened, he was rushed to three different hospitals and when they got wind that detectives from Amotekun were on their trail, they moved him out of Akure.

    “We also trailed him to the location and brought him in a very terrible state.

    “He was to be killed so that he will not reveal his sponsors.

    “We had to revive him and brought him to the health facility of the corps where we spent a lot of money to make him come back to life.

    “He was able to tell us about nine other members of the gang, including their godfather who is on the run. We are on the trail of the godfather,” Adeleye said.

    The Amotekun commander assured the people of the state that the government was resolute in guaranteeing the safety of their lives and properties.

    “We want to appeal that members of the public should give us timely and accurate information to work with because more than 70 per cent of these criminals were apprehended due to the timely information that we got,” he said.

  • Ondo Guber: INEC issues deadline for submission of names in election

    Ondo Guber: INEC issues deadline for submission of names in election

    Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), has issued May 20, 2024 as deadline for political parties contesting in the forthcoming Ondo State governorship election, to submit names of their candidates.

    The chairman of the commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this while hosting chairmen and other leaders of political parties to a meeting at the INEC headquarters in Abuja on Monday.

    According to him, parties are expected to finalise and submit the names of their candidates before the 20th of May, when the portal for candidates in the forthcoming Ondo governorship election will close.

    The meeting is the second quarterly meeting for the year 2024, happening barely four months before the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State in September. The electoral umpire has already published her final list of candidates and their running mates for the election.

    The national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, the Labour Party, Julius Abure, and of the Social Democratic Party, Shehu Gabam were some of the party chairmen in attendance.

     

  • UNIMED Deputy VC fired for fabricating lies against the institution

    UNIMED Deputy VC fired for fabricating lies against the institution

    Professor Adolphus Loto,  the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Administration and Clinical Services, University of Medical Sciences, UNIMED, Ondo State, has been relived of his duties by the institution for filing false petition filed against the university’s management.

    Findings show that Prof. Loto was dismissed by the institution’s governing council after the investigation over the allegations were discovered to be false and misleading against the university’s management.

    The deputy VC’s sack was made known by the Institution’s spokesperson, Temitope Oluwatayo via a statement. He disclosed that UNIMED upholds the highest standards of ethical conduct and accountability, stressing that any actions capable of undermining the institution’s credibility will not be tolerated.

    Oluwatayo emphasised that the Deputy Vice-Chancellor’s act was deemed a breach of trust and integrity, adding that the decisive action was made in the best interest of the university and its commitment to upholding transparency and integrity.

    “The decision of the Senate was predicated on the former DVC’s unbecoming conduct, including frivolous, spurious, and unsubstantiated allegations against the university management.

    “The Petitions Committee of Council, PCC, found the allegations untrue, baseless, embarrassing to the university community, and liable to bring the university into disrepute, given Prof. Loto’s position as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

    “UNIMED Senate, on Monday, April 29, 2024, considered the report of the PCC and recommended the removal of Prof. Loto as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor by an overwhelming majority, with 100 percent of the voters approving his removal as DVC Admin.

  • BREAKING: Gov Aiyedatiwa’s Campaign Coordinator assassinated

    BREAKING: Gov Aiyedatiwa’s Campaign Coordinator assassinated

    A campaign coordinator for the election bid of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, Alaba Excel Abbey, has been killed in his home by unknown gunmen.

    Abbey, who served as a ward coordinator for the Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot-Soldiers, was killed at his home in Supare Akoko, Akoko South West Local Government Area of the State.

    The Director-General of the Aiyedatiwa campaign organisation, David Ajobiewe, made this known while condemning the killing of Abbey.

    According to a report by Daily Trust, Ajobiewe while urging the police to unravel the death of the late campaign coordinator, stated that the deceased wasn’t a violent person.

    “Excel had been a resourceful coordinator for the Aiyedatiwa campaign organisation in Ward 10 of Supare and was never known to be violent and never had any history of a local or domestic dispute.

    “We urge the police authorities to step up investigations into his gruesome murder and bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book,” he said.

    The state Police Public Relations Officer, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, said, “The state command is aware of the incident and that investigation is ongoing to unravel all that happened”.

  • Ondo APC primary: Aiyedatiwa reacts as appeal committee receives more petitions

    Ondo APC primary: Aiyedatiwa reacts as appeal committee receives more petitions

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Appeals Committee on the governorship primary election held on Saturday in Ondo State has received two additional petitions, bringing to five the number.

    This is contained in a statement issued by the Secretary of the Committee, Mr Obiocha Isreal, made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Akure.

    It said that the fresh petitions were received from Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim and Mrs Folakemi Omogoroye.

    Messrs Wale Akinteriwa, Gbenga Edema and  Jimi Odimayo, who contested in the Saturday primary election had earlier on Monday filed petitions over the conduct and result of the  election.

    Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who became governor following the death of the late Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu, was declared winner of the election by the Gov. Usman Ododo led APC primary election committee.

    Other many of aspirants including the petitioners, however, decried the conduct of the election alleging that no elections were held in many wards in the 18 local government area of the state.

    Isreal said that the two aspirants alleged that the just concluded primary was marred with irregularities and fell short of appreciable standard.

    He said “Ibrahim and Omogoroye described the process as an anticlimax, a mockery of democracy and complete negation of every known democratic norm.”

    Isreal said further that Omogoroye asked  for the cancellation of the election and urged  the committee chairman to order for another election.

    Ibrahim, the appeals committer chairman said, asked for cancellation of the election on four grounds, which included: non-compliance with the rules, non provision of electoral materials, non accreditation of agents and gross misconduct.

    “I paid the sum of N100 million  for the validation of over 40 thousand party members and those members were not allowed to be revalidated across Ondo State.

    “This was because no voters register was made available in the wards to which members could be validated

    “On ground two -on provision of electoral materials -.No electoral materials were provided for the conduct of the election.

    “The local government electoral officials were kept in the hotel during the period of the election for several hours and only result sheets were given to them.

    “My agents were not accredited in all the wards, and they did not sign election result sheet since none was made available to them,” Ibrahim was quoted to have said in his petition.

    Ondo APC primary: We are all winners, Aiyedatiwa to 15 other aspirants

    Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, who also doubles as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC), on Tuesday said that all the aspirants under the party are all winners.

    Aiyedatiwa stated this during a thank-you visit tour to the state party secretariat in Akure.

    The governor said that the number and quality of aspirants that contested under the ruling party showed the quality of people in the party.

    He said he was at the party secretariat to also appreciate the party leadership for taking good care of those who came to conduct the election from Abuja thereby creating an enabling environment for the primary to be held.

    “The conduct of the primary election has come and gone, all 16 aspirants are all winners. We are all winners for our party, but we were able to have the flag bearer and I have been chosen to have been unanimously elected as candidate of our party.

    “We are here to thank the party because, without the party, we can’t run for office. I also thank all the state working committee for their support.

    “We must ensure that all the other 15 aspirants must come together to ensure we win the Nov. 16 election, so we can put our house in order before going to the main contest,” he said.

    Earlier, the Party Chairman in the State, Mr Ade Adetimehin, said he saw Saturday’s primary election as a family affair and ensured that the party continued to remain in power more than 2025.

    Adetimehin said the work that remained now was that of the entire APC members and leadership.

    “The load is now for the entire APC members and I can assure you this state is always a progressive state, come November 16 by the grace of God, we will win the election,” he said.

  • Why APC may lose Ondo 2024 governorship election – Former Speaker

    Why APC may lose Ondo 2024 governorship election – Former Speaker

    Mr Bamidele Oloyeloogun, a former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, says the All Progressives Congress(APC) may lose the Nov. 16 governorship election if Saturday’s primary is not cancelled.

    The former Speaker, who is a chieftain APC, stated this at a news conference in Akure on Tuesday.

    Oloyeloogun was the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly from 2017 to 2023, and represented Ifedore State Constituency from 2011 to 2023.

    Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa emerged as the candidate of APC for the Nov. 16 governorship election, having scored 48,569 votes in the poll, to defeat other 15 aspirants.

    Usman Ododo, the Chairman of the Governorship Primary Election Committee and Governor of Kogi, declared Aiyedatiwa as the winner of the primary on Monday.

    The former Speaker, however, described the conduct of the primary as “sham and fraud” against the party and its members in the state.

    He warned that if the April 20 primary was not nullified by the APC leadership, the party “will lose” the Nov. 16 governorship election in the state.

    Said he: “As a leader in APC in Ondo State, l want to warn that if the purported April 20 primary is not cancelled, APC will lose the Nov. 16 governorship election.

    “It is on record including that of the Independent National Electoral Commission, that there was no ward out of the 203 wards in the state that election was held, they just manufactured figures.

    “The evidence is that, today our members are not jubilating because the process that led to the announcement and declaration of the winner was a fraud perpetrated against them.

    “Today in Ondo State, APC members have their placard in their heart and they will display it during the Nov. 16 governorship election no matter the level of intimidation.

    “As someone who had contested election four times and won, I know the implications of the charade called primary on Saturday.

    “Those who came to Ondo State to perpetrate this evil called primary against our members should be held accountable when the chips are down and the seed germinates in November.”

    Oloyeloogun appealed to President Bola Tinubu, as the leader of the party, to salvage the party by ensuring the cancellation of the primary.

    “President Bola Tinubu is the leader of the party and should urgently weigh in on this issue to prevent the party from losing the November governorship election.

    “It was this type of fraud that was perpetrated by the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State in 2007 that emboldened Dr Segun Mimiko to join the Labour Party and the party recorded a huge success in the state,” the former lawmaker noted.

  • Ondo APC Primary: Appeals committee receives 3 petitions

    Ondo APC Primary: Appeals committee receives 3 petitions

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Appeal Committee says it has received three petitions in respect of  the just concluded governorship primary  in Ondo State.

    The Gov. Usman Ododo led committee that supervised conduct of the election declared Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa winner.

    Aiyedatiwa, who contested against 16 other aspirants, was declared the party’s candidate for the Nov. 16 governorship election.

    Addressing a news conference, on Monday in Akure, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, the head of the five-member appeal committee, said that petitions were received from Mr Olugbenga Edema, Mr  Jimi Odimayo and  Mr Wale Akinterinwa.

    Abubakar, a former governor of Bauchi state said that aspirants’ complaints were that the primary did not hold across the 203 wards in the state and the process was fraught with irregularities.

    “So far, we have received three petitions; one from Olugbenga Edema, Jimmy Odimayo and the last one from Adewale Akinterinwa.

    “The situation I met on ground was an inconclusive election that needed to be repeated in one local government.

    “They were able to repeat election in that local government and by early this morning, they were able to declare the results of the primary.

    “It is traditional in APC to set up a committee like this, in order to follow up on the fallout of the primary election.

    “It’s as a result of this that I invited the gentlemen of the press to be here today, so that I can announce to them, the presence of this committee and the readiness of this committee to receive whatever complaints, as a fallout from the primary election,” the committee head said.

    Abubakar said that the committee would be expecting more petitions from other aggrieved aspirants between Monday and Tuesday afternoon.

    According to him, the secretary of the committee, Mr Obiocha Israel, will be available at the APC secretariat in Akure for two days to receive petitions.

    “The committee will be here till on Tuesday to collect whatever complaints that may be.

    “Let me use this opportunity to assure members of our party that this committee intends to be thorough and transparent in treating any complaint that we will receive.

    “I can assure you that within a space of few days, we will consider total number of petitions we received and render a report to the national headquarters of our party, before the party takes a final decision on the issue of the primary.

    “I am calling on all the aspirants that have complaint(s) to please, feel free to forward it to us. We have since established our office at the headquarters of the party,” he said.