News

Aide Confirms Akeredolu’s Health Challenges, Says Governor Recovering

Published

9 months ago

January 18, 2023

Eric

Mr Richard Olatunde, the Chief Press Secretary to Ondo State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, has allayed the fear of the people of the state over the health condition of the governor.

Olatunde, in a statement issued on Tuesday, confirmed that the governor had some health challenges like any other human being and he had been receiving treatment to recover quickly.

He however kept mum on the viral voice note by the governor’s wife, Betty, who called out one of the governor’s female aides who she warned to stay away from her husband and stop supplying him with concoctions.

The statement read, “We have observed the growing anxiety about the state of health of the Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu( SAN). The good people of the state and, by extension, other friends and well-wishers continued to express concern over the wellness of the governor, especially since yesterday.

“We are constrained to respond to these concerns and assure our people that, by the grace of God, there is no cause for alarm on the governor’s state of health.

“Governor Akeredolu, just like every other mere mortal, had some health challenges for which he had since received treatment and is recuperating speedily.”

Olatunde said since the governor is not a superhuman and the immunity his office enjoys does not extend to physical wellness or otherwise, the health issue is not an unusual one.

He added that though frail, the governor is discharging his official functions.

He added, “Mr Governor is not faced with any life-threatening illness that would have encouraged any alleged conspiracy in his administration. He held an Executive Council meeting with the members till 4pm on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, after the Security Council meeting where far-reaching decisions were taken on the escalated clashes in Ikare-Akoko and other big events earlier.

“While we appreciate the growing concerns about his wellbeing and, indeed, the outpouring of prayers even beyond partisan lines, we urge all persons of goodwill to ignore unfounded insinuations capable of creating any false sense of needless anxiety.”

News

Adeleke Cancels Independence Day Celebration in Osun

Published

22 hours ago

September 29, 2023

Eric

Osun State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has cancelled celebration of Independence Day slated for Sunday, October 1 in the state.

His spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, announced on Friday in Osogbo that the governor urged residents of the State to pray for the peace and prosperity of the country.

“Let us use the Independence Day to meditate and pray on the state of our nation.

“Our people are passing through tough times. It is time to take stock and seek divine intervention and guidance in the affairs of our nation.

“I greet Osun people and Nigerians in general as the Independence Day knocks at our doors.

“Here in Osun, we will celebrate with meditation and prayers,” he said.

News

Mohbad: Sam Larry Now in Our Custody, Police Confirm

Published

2 days ago

September 29, 2023

Eric

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested controversial Lagos socialite, Balogun Eletu, aka Sam Larry, over an ongoing investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of the singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad.

The Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the development to The Punch in a late Thursday night telephone interview.

“Yes, Balogun Eletu aka Sam Larry is now in our custody. He is currently assisting with the ongoing investigation,” Hundeyin said.

The police had earlier invited Sam Larry and singer, Azeez Fashola aka Naira Marley, for questioning over Mohbad’s demise.

The police, last week, also confirmed that pathologists had concluded the autopsy conducted on Mohbad, while they await the result.

He said, “Autopsy has been concluded. Awaiting results.” This development followed the exhumation of Mohbad by a combined team of the Nigeria Police Force and health officials.

The police had also arrested the nurse who reportedly injected the deceased singer before his demise on Tuesday, September 12.

The Punch

News

Kaduna: Tribunal Affirms Sani’s Election, Dismisses PDP’s Petition

Published

2 days ago

September 28, 2023

Eric

The Kaduna State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Kaduna has dismissed petition brought by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the 2023 election, Isah Ashiru, against the victory of Governor Uba Sani of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

However, in a dissenting judgment of two against one, delivered on Thursday, a three-member panel headed by Justice Victor Oviawie dismissed the petition on the ground that the pre-hearing notice was filed out of time, and therefore deemed to be abandoned.

The tribunal chairman and another member held that the appeal brought by PDP and Ashiru against the dismissal of their petition at the preliminary stage by the first and second defendants was not meritorious because the filing of the pre-hearing notice was abandoned and out of time, and therefore had dealt the entire petition a fatal blow.

The tribunal, however, noted that if the petition had not been dismissed for lack of merit, it would have ordered a supplementary election in 22 polling units within 90 days in the substantive judgment.

Senator Sani, during the election polled a total of 730,001 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ashiru of the PDP, who scored 719, 196 votes.

The Labour Party (LP) candidate, Jonathan Asake, came third with 58,283 votes, while Suleiman Hunkuyi of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) scored 21,405 votes.

While the Labour Party and NNPP accepted the outcome of the election, the PDP and its candidate rejected the results, alleging that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the wrong candidate winner of the election.

Besides, the PDP and Ashiru alleged that there were massive irregularities and manipulation of results in favour of Governor Ubah in some local governments by INEC. According to them, the APC candidate did not score the highest number of valid votes cast in the election and ought not to have been returned winner of the election by INEC.

In June 2023, PDP and Ashiru, however, filed a petition at the election petition tribunal to challenge the election of Governor Uba.

At the last sitting of the court on September 3rd, all parties presented their final written addresses before the tribunal, with APC’s legal team led by a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bayo Ojo (SAN), arguing that the petitioners had helped in proving he won the election free and fair, pointing in particular to the admission of a star witness for the petitioner, Bonett Gwazah, a senior system analyst in the VR/ICT department of INEC in Kaduna State.