Headline

Ekiti 2018: Why We Stopped Fayose, PDP from Holding Rally – Police

Published

7 years ago

July 12, 2018

Eric

The Ekiti State Police Command has said that it prevented a rally called by the state governor, Ayodele Faose, from holding on Wednesday to forestall the outbreak of violence between the two leading political parties.

It also claimed that it was not true that its personnel invaded the government house or blocked the entrance to the complex.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Caleb Okechukwu, in a statement he signed on behalf of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Operations, Habila Joshak, on Wednesday, said the public should discountenance the allegations that it attacked the governor and invaded his office.

The statement described the allegation as “misleading and aimed at causing anxiety in the minds of the public.”

“In furtherance to the presence of police officers around the Prof. Olusola Eleka Pavilion at Fajuyi today, two political parties intend to have their rallies at the same date and in Ado-Ekiti metropolis,” the statement said.

“But the Commissioner of Police advised the political parties in writing on the need to have their political activities at different time and because of its security implication.

“The police will, at all times, continue to maintain law and order and also rise up to their responsibility to perform their mandatory and statutory duty of protection of lives and property of innocent citizens before, during and after the election.

“The police would also want to use this medium to alert the general public that they should expect more of this misleading information from person(s) who do not mean well for the good people of Ekiti State.

“The police enjoin the general public to confirm the source of their information before circulating same to their friends or loved ones.”

However, when Premium Times reached the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Taiwo Olatunbosun, he denied knowledge of any plan by his party to use the pavilion on Wednesday for a rally given that the party held its grand rally on Tuesday.

“I am not aware of any planned rally,” he said. “Nothing of such has been brought to my notice.”

Premium Times reported how hundreds of police officers barricaded the venue of the PDP rally, close to the Ekiti government house on Wednesday morning. In videos of the incident that have since gone viral, the police used tear gas to disperse the PDP supporters, many of whom were putting on while based on the request by Governor Ayodele Fayose, who was also affected by the police action.

Although Mr Fayose is not a candidate in the election, his deputy, Olusola Eleka, is. Mr Eleka is the candidate of the governing PDP in the state. His major opponent is Kayode Fayemi, who was until a few weeks ago, the minister of solid minerals.

Headline

Mike Adenuga, Emmanuel Macron Hold High-Powered Meeting in Paris

Published

22 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Eric

Accomplished billionaire businessman and Commander of the French Légion d’Honneur, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., GCON, CdrLH, has held a private meeting with the French President, Emmanuel Macron.

The two powerful citizens of the world held the meeting on Wednesday at the historic Élysée Palace in Paris.

The high-level engagement underscores the longstanding relationship between Dr. Adenuga and the French Republic, as well as his continued relevance in global business and diplomatic circles.

A respected industrialist and philanthropist, Adenuga has been widely acknowledged for his contributions to economic development, telecommunications, energy, and humanitarian causes across Africa and beyond.

The meeting adds to Dr. Adenuga’s growing profile as a bridge between African enterprise and international leadership.

Headline

Free at Last: Burkina Faso Releases 11 Nigerian Soldiers, Aircraft

Published

23 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Eric

Burkina Faso has released Nigerian soldiers who were detained after their aircraft made a forced landing in the Sahelian country earlier this month, Nigerian officials said.

The release followed a diplomatic intervention by President Bola Tinubu, who dispatched a high-level delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, to meet Burkina Faso’s Military Leader, Ibrahim Traoré, on Wednesday.

In a statement, Alkasim Abdulkadir, Tuggar’s spokesperson, said both sides resolved the matter amicably and secured the release of the Nigerian Air Force pilots and crew.

The soldiers had been held for nearly two weeks after the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) described the aircraft’s landing as an “unfriendly act” carried out in defiance of international law.

The Nigerian Air Force, however, said the crew encountered a technical issue that required a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, the nearest available airfield. It said the landing complied with standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols.

Headline

Corruption Allegations: NMDPRA Boss Farouk Ahmed Meets Tinubu, Resigns

Published

1 day ago

December 17, 2025

Eric

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, has resigned following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu amid corruption allegations.

Tinubu, on Wednesday, summoned Ahmed to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, following allegations of economic sabotage and corruption.

Also caught in the web of resignation was the CEO of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, according to a statement on Wednesday by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy.

Tinubu was said to have nominated successors to the senate for approval.

“Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve the nominations of two new chief executives for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC),” the statement reads.

“The requests followed the resignation of Engineer Farouk Ahmed of the NMDPRA and Gbenga Komolafe of the NUPRC.

“Both officials were appointed in 2021 by former President Buhari to lead the two regulatory agencies created by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

“To fill these positions, President Tinubu has written to the Senate, requesting expedited confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as CEO of NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of NMDPRA.”

Onanuga said the two nominees are seasoned professionals in the oil and gas industry.