TheNewsGuru

Tag: ondo

  • Barely one month of appointment, Aiyedatiwa fires aide over alleged N30m bribe

    Barely one month of appointment, Aiyedatiwa fires aide over alleged N30m bribe

    Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has sacked his aide, Adeboye Ewenla, the Special Assistant on Forestry for the Central Senatorial District.

    This was followed allegations that he asked timber merchants in the state to pay N30 million as bribe.

    The aide was only appointed barely a month ago.

    Mr Ewenla was reportedly caught on tape demanding the money before the merchants would be allowed to operate.

    The Nation reports that sources in the state government said the telephone conversation was sent to Aiyedatiwa after the merchants opted for a showdown.

    The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said in a statement on Wednesday that Aiyedatiwa also ordered a probe into the activities of those saddled with the responsibility of managing forest reserves in the state.

    “A replacement for Mr. Ewenla will be announced in due course,” the statement said.

    “The Governor urged all political appointees to conduct themselves in line with the provisions of the law and rules guiding their duties.”

    Ewenla was among 316 special assistants appointed on the 6th of September to support the governor’s vision in running the state.

     

     

  • NEMA confirms 1 dead in Ondo flood

    NEMA confirms 1 dead in Ondo flood

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed the death of one person in the Friday’s flood incident in Ondo town, Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    The Director-General of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar, stated this on Tuesday while assessing the level of damage in the ancient city.

    NAN reports that torrential rainfall in Ondo town on Friday led to flash flood, with houses and vehicles submerged.

    “This is a big one; we have seen it and this is telling us that we need to do much more in terms of clearing waterways and also avoiding building on the waterways.

    “We have seen it and we have done rapid assessment and we will see how we can collaborate with other agencies to see how we can assist further.

    “It is very unfortunate that we lost one person. My advice is that people of Ondo should clear their waterways and support the government,” she said.

    Umar said that it was worrisome that despite earlier forecasts by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), there could still be victims of flooding.

    According to her, there is need to clear waterways and stop hindering free movement of water.

    The NEMA DG added that the flood situation was expected to persist until the end of November, asking state and local governments to allocate resources and provide support to communities.

    She promised that NEMA would provide necessary assistance and would continue to collaborate with the state government and other stakeholders in restoring normalcy and ensure that people recover from the devastating incident.

    The DG earlier paid a courtesy visit to the Deputy Gov. Olayide Adelami and Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Victor Kiladejo.

  • Guber poll: APC has failed Ondo people, must be rejected – PDP’s Ajayi

    Guber poll: APC has failed Ondo people, must be rejected – PDP’s Ajayi

    The Ondo State PDP Governorship Candidate, Mr Agboola Ajayi, says  the state and its people have  not fared well under the  ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last eight years.

    The PDP candidate  said this  at a media parley on Friday in Lagos.

    He said  that Gov. Lucky Ayedatiwa and APC governorship candidate for Nov. 16 gubernatorial election had not delivered on promises.

    Ajayi, a former deputy governor in the state, said: “The primary objective of governance is the safety and welfare of the people.

    “Any political party that deviates from this avowed principle of governance will definitely get it wrong and become a liability on the people.  I have a clear vision on how to make it works.”

    He said late Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu left many problems behind ,and that those problems had worsened  under Ayedatiwa, the former late governor’s deputy,who took over after his demise.

    “The Nov. 16 governorship election in the State therefore calls for serious consideration as this will determine, shapen or mar the fortune of the State in the next four years,” he said.

    Expressing disappointment in the conduct and outcome of the Sept. 21 governorship election in Edo, Ajayi said that democracy would not thrive where a simple exercise of election turned to imposition.

    According to him, those who are constitutionally empowered to protect Nigerians and ensure that the right things are done during election at every given time must not disappoint voters.

    He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to allow vote of the people to count in the forthcoming election in Ondo.

    Highlighting his agenda if elected, Ajayi said his vision was to transform Ondo State into a beacon of sustainable economic development.

    Ajayi said that his intervention would cover modern infrastructure, efficient transportation, vibrant marine and blue economy, striving agriculture, robust industrialisation, quality education and affordable health care.

    Ajayi said that his vision would capture comprehensive human development, adequate security, and other components of fundamental objectives and direct principles of state policy as captured in the 1999 Constitution  of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

    “It is therefore, my mission to harness the state human and material resources to actualise this vision and thereby rescue and redeem the people of the Sunshine State.

    “We will rescue the state from the shackles of poverty, oppression, deprivation and insecurity and set them on the path of sustainable development so that the sun will shine again in the State,” he said.

    Ajayi listed his agenda  for the state would focus on  Security, Agriculture, Education, Health, Infrastructure, Industry and Marine Economic Development,rural Development and Environment,  Youth, Sports, Social, Women Development and Civil Service.

    On education, Ajayi said that primary and secondary education would be fully free and tuition in tertiary institution would be reduced by 30 per cent.

    “We will ensure quality education for economic development, social equity, technological advancement and cultural preservation for sustainable development.

    “We shall address this ugly trend in health sector by providing, at least, one primary health centre in each of the 203 wards in the state which will be staffed with trained and dedicated medical personnel.

    “The huge infrastructural deficit and poor industrial output in the state is a call for concern.

    “We will pay attention to rehabilitation of roads, construction of waterways, provision of rural and urban electrification, enhancement and improvement in clean and pipe borne water delivery for the benefit of our people.

    “There will be improvement of rural road network. We will also embark on Rural Housing Scheme. My government will improve tourism development in the state,” he said.

    Ajayi ,who is a former council boss, said that his administration would grant full autonomy to local government areas both in finance and governance.

    Ajayi said that the new PDP administration in the state would prioritise programmes that would ensure the accelerated development of youths and women.

    “What is sacrosanct in developing a state like Ondo is the political will of the sitting governor.

    “On my own part, the required political will to develop Ondo State is inherent in me and it is already activated.

    “We will ensure our people live a better life. We enjoyed it. We must build a system that can give our people a future that they deserve.

    “I can assure you, our four year government would be like  12 years,” he said.

    Speaking, Dr Eddy Olafeso, Director General of Agboola Ajayi Governorship Campaign Organisation, described the PDP candidate as general in the battle against poverty, denial and hopelessness.

    The PDP Chairman in Ondo State, Mr Bakita Bello said that the party had bounced back  and had received many defectors from ruling APC, to win the election.

  • 16 burnt to death, 5 injured in Ondo road crash

    16 burnt to death, 5 injured in Ondo road crash

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ondo State Command, says 16 people were burned to death and five  injured in a road accident on Tuesday night.

    Ondo State Sector Commander of FRSC, Samuel Ibitoye, confirmed the incident to NAN on Wednesday.

    Ibitoye said that the incident happened at Ajue village, between Ondo and Ore, in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

    According to him, two vehicles, a commercial Toyota Hiace bus and a Man Diesel truck, were involved in the incident that happened at about 8 pm on Tuesday.

    The FRSC boss said that the fully loaded bus was coming from Lagos and heading to the northern part of the country.

    He said that it took the FRSC about four hours to clear the road.

    Ibitoye attributed the causes of the accident to excessive speeding and wrongful overtaking, adding that one of the vehicles might have been carrying fuel.

    “Three male adults were seriously injured, two had minor injuries and 16 people were burnt beyond recognition.

    “Though investigation on the cause of the accident has not been concluded,  preliminary investigation indicated high speeding, wrongful overtake and, possibly, one of them carried fuel inside the vehicle.

    “Meanwhile, the injured ones have been taken to Ore General Hospital for treatment, while the corpses have been released to the Hausa Community in the area for possible burial this morning,’’ he said.

    He appealed to motorists to shun speeding and observe all rules and regulations of the road.

    “And they should not carry fuel inside their vehicles, because when there is a crash the fuel explodes and burn everybody badly ,” he said.

  • Just in: Guber candidate, others nabbed in Ondo over nationwide protests

    Just in: Guber candidate, others nabbed in Ondo over nationwide protests

    In a disturbing development, the Nigeria Police Force has arrested Kunle Wizeman Ajayi, the African Action Congress (AAC) governorship candidate for Ondo State, and Patrick Owolabi, a member of the Take It Back (TIB) Movement.

    The arrests occurred in Akure, the Ondo State capital, during the 10th day of a nationwide protest against hunger, hardship, and what protesters describe as bad governance under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

    Ajayi and Owolabi were participating in the ongoing #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest, which has seen Nigerians across the country expressing their dissatisfaction with the current economic conditions and governance through peaceful demonstrations.

    The protest, which started as a nationwide hunger protest, has entered its 10th day, with citizens demanding urgent reforms. The TIB leadership has condemned the arrests, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of both Ajayi and Owolabi. In a statement on social media platform X, the group criticized the police’s actions, calling them “unfortunate and shameful.”

    The TIB’s post read, “It’s unfortunate that the @PoliceNG is yet to learn. The continued clampdown on peaceful #EndBadGovernceInNigeria protesters is a total shame. We condemn the unlawful arrest of Ajayi Wizeman & Patrick Owolabi in Ondo State and we demand their immediate and unconditional release!” Earlier reports indicated that Ondo State residents took to the streets on Saturday for a one-million-man march, marking the 10th day of the protests. The demonstrators carried banners and placards with messages such as “#We are hungry. End Bad Governance in Nigeria,” reflecting the deepening frustration among citizens. . The protest, initially peaceful, has turned violent in various parts of the country, including the Nigerian capital, due to the heavy-handed response from police and other security agencies. Journalists and media professionals covering the events have also been targeted in the crackdown. As tensions continue to rise, the demand for accountability and better governance remains at the forefront of the protests.

  • INSECURITY! Gunmen k!LL driver, female passenger, abduct 5 others in Ondo

    INSECURITY! Gunmen k!LL driver, female passenger, abduct 5 others in Ondo

    Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have k!lled a commercial bus driver, female passenger and abducted five other travellers along the Ifon-Owo Highway in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    It was gathered that the kidnappers, numbering about fifteen and armed with AK-47 rifles, ambushed the vehicle at about 11pm on Friday, July 19, 2024, at Omi-Alafa village in Ifon.

    A source revealed that five other passengers, including a corps member, were taken away by the gunmen.

    However, two of the victims managed to escape, with varying degrees of wounds.

    One of the locals revealed that the fully loaded commercial vehicle was coming from Anambra State heading for Owo and Akure in Ondo State when the gunmen struck.

    The spokesperson of the State Police Command, Fumilayo Odunlami-Omisanyan, who confirmed the incident stated that a team of policemen had been deployed to the area, and are currently combing the nearby forest to apprehend the kidnappers and rescue the victims.

  • Bandits kill 2, abduct Corps members In Ondo

    Bandits kill 2, abduct Corps members In Ondo

    Bandits have killed two people and abducted some members of the National Youth Services Corps (NYSC), travelling on the Ifon/Owo road in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo state.

    It was learnt that the bandits attacked the passengers transiting en route to the state, on Friday night.

    Sources revealed that the bandits, who were over 20, ambushed the passenger vehicle – a Sienna space bus.

    One of the sources, who spoke to Daily Trust, Oluwaseun Ogunmola, said some of the passengers were heading for Owo from Anambra state when they were waylaid.

    Mr Ogunmola revealed that one of the corps members, identified as Adewole Paul Oluwaseun, who was returning from the camp was among the kidnap victims.

    “He was returning from NYSC camp in Enugu when he was kidnapped with others by the bandits. The incident has created tension in the family,” he said.

    He further revealed that the bandits had contacted the family of a corps member, demanding a ransom of N30 million.

    It was gathered that the driver of the vehicle and a young lady sitting at the front were both hit by bullets while attempting to escape the kidnappers.
    However, the corpses of the deceased have been deposited in the morgue of a private hospital in Ifon town.

    Confirming the incident in a telephone chat, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, Police Public Relations Officer in Ondo, said security agencies had swung into action to rescue the victims.

    Mrs Odunlami-Omisanya, who also confirmed the death of the driver and a passenger in the vehicle, could not immediately ascertain the number of kidnapped victims.

    “We’ve after them. I can assure you that those kidnapped would be rescued them unhurt,” the police spokeswoman told Daily Trust.

     

  • Ondo guber: LP candidate promises N120,000 minimum wage

    Ondo guber: LP candidate promises N120,000 minimum wage

    Dr Ayodele Olorunfemi, the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the Nov. 16 election  in Ondo State, says he will implement N120,000 minimum wage for workers, if voted for.

    Olorunfemi, in an interview with NAN on Tuesday in Lagos, said that well-paid workers tended to be more productive than poorly paid ones

    “As at 2023 when we were campaigning, we assured our people that LP would be paying a minimum of N80,000 minimum wage in Ondo, that was before the economy got to where it is today.

    “With the situation in the market now , looking at the cost of living, if this state is put under our control, we shall not pay anything less than N120,000 as minimum wage.

    “That is the minimum we can pay and we believe we will be able to  afford it,” he said.

    The candidate said that the party would engage more workers in the state and motivate them to be productive and improve the state’s Internally Generated Revenue.

    “The fact that I know is that what we have now can pay the minimum wage.

    “We want our workers to be productive so that more wealth can come to the state,” he said.

    Olorunfemi said that if elected, his administration would rigorously pursue construction of a dry port to stop inflow of traffic into Lagos from the state and its environs.

    “When we take over as LP, the first agenda is to make sure there is a port in Ondo State, to boost business and the economy.

    “We are working with Alaba International Market Association in Lagos. We are going to work on how to have our own dry port to decongest Alaba International Market in Lagos.

    “We are getting a dry port at Ore and a very big international market that will reduce traffic inflow to Lagos,” he said.

  • Ondo: ODIEC postpones LG elections indefinitely

    Ondo: ODIEC postpones LG elections indefinitely

    The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) announced on Monday that the local government election scheduled for this year has been postponed indefinitely.

     

    At a press briefing held at the commission’s headquarters in Akure, the state capital, ODIEC Chairman Dr. Joseph Aremo explained that the postponement was due to political parties’ noncompliance with the Electoral Act.

     

    Initially set for February 2024, the election was postponed after the passing of the late former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. The tenure of the council chairmen expired in August 2023, leading to the appointment of caretaker committees. However, these appointments were short-lived as Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa suspended the committees following a court case challenging their inauguration. Subsequently, directors of Local Government Administration were directed to manage the councils.

     

    Dr. Aremo criticized the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in the state, labeling their actions as sabotage, noting that no political party had submitted any candidate names. IPAC state chairman Olaoluwa Adesanya revealed that registered political parties deliberately boycotted the electoral process. Adesanya accused Governor Aiyedatiwa of refusing to meet with IPAC leadership, despite numerous letters sent requesting a meeting.

     

    Adesanya asserted that political parties would not participate in the election until after a meeting with the governor to confirm the state government’s preparedness to conduct the council poll.

  • Ondo electoral commission postpones LG election indefinitely

    Ondo electoral commission postpones LG election indefinitely

    The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) has  postponed the local government election in the state indefinitely.

    The Chairman of ODIEC, Dr Joseph Aremo, stated this in a stakeholders’ meeting on Monday in Akure.

    The election into the 18 local government areas and 33 local council development areas in the state was earlier rescheduled to to be conducted on July 13.

    However, a state High Court in June declared that the 33 LCDAs created by the late Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu was unconstitutional.

    The court held that the law passed by the House of Assembly creating the LCDAs was signed by the late Gov. Akeredolu in Ibadan, outside the state.

    Aremo, however, said that non-compliance of political parties in line with electoral process caused the postponement of the conduct of the election.

    “The political parties did not submit their nomination forms neither did they comply with the adjusted timetable from the last meeting.

    “As a precursor to the conduct of the election, between June 26 and June 28, political parties were expected to submit the lists of their agents.

    “In the last meeting with the leaders of political parties, the commission informed them that the July 13 date set for the election was sacrosanct.

    “We also stated that we would not be changing the date,” he said.

    Aremo said that if only two parties were prepared for the election, the poll would still have been conducted.

    “At the meeting, they all agreed to comply with the guidelines and timetable.

    “However, as I speak, not a single party has complied. No valid nomination form was submitted,” he stated.

    The ODSIEC Chairman, said that consequently it was incumbent upon the commission to review the entire process and decide on the next step.

    He said that the commission was committed to conduct of an acceptable election.

    “Our concern is to conduct free and fair elections at the grassroots level that will lead  to the emergence of local leadership.

    “But we realised that there is non-compliance with the rules and regulations. This led us to the decision to postpone the election,” he stated.
    Reacting to the postponement,  the state  Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Mr Olaoluwa Adesanya, said the decision of the council members not to participate in the election was reached during a meeting of all political parties in the state.

    “We agreed among ourselves that no political party should submit nomination forms because we want to meet with the state governor  to discuss with him and understand some happenings in the government.

    “We knew that the commission will have nothing to work with without the submission of nomination forms.

    “ODIEC is an independent body and in this aspect, it is a matter between the government  and the political parties,” he stated.

    NAN