Politics

Makinde Is Our Father, Leader In S/West PDP – Fayose

Published

4 years ago

April 12, 2021

NewTimes

Makinde Is Our Father, Leader In S/West PDP - Fayose

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde (right) and former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose during the 2021 PDP South West Congress held in Osogbo. PHOTO: Oyo State Government.

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has declared that the governor of Oyo State and only governor of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the region, ‘Seyi Makinde, is the father and leader of the party in the zone.”

This comes after months of supremacy tussle over the leadership of the PDP in the South-West.

Fayose had, while addressing the delegates at the WOCDIF Centre, Osogbo venue of the South-West PDP Zonal Congress, added that supporters should not be allowed to drive a wedge between the leaders, adding that he would readily accept the leadership of Amb. Taofeek Arapaja if he wins the election.

A statement by the Special Assistant (Print Media) to Governor Makinde, Moses Alao, indicated that the governor, while also addressing delegates at the venue of the congress declared that there would be no victor or vanquished in the election.

He further declared the process a family affair of the PDP.

Governor Makinde added that whatever the outcome of congress was, it would be accepted in the spirit of a family contest.

He maintained that the congress was an attempt to reposition the South-West PDP, though it had ramifications for the party nationally.

“This is an attempt to reposition our party in the South-West. But it has ramifications for our party nationally. So, whatever the outcome is, we will take it in the spirit of a family contest.

“We don’t want to defeat ourselves but we want to defeat the APC. So, at the end of this exercise, I promise you that there will be no victor and no vanquished.

“As your only governor in this zone, whoever emerges belongs to me and I will work with the team to reposition our party in the South-West.

“So, let me thank you ahead for a peaceful and orderly conduct,” Governor Makinde said.

In his speech, shortly before the commencement, Fayose publicly accepted Makinde’s leadership of the PDP in the zone, adding that the governor had been making impact in Oyo State and that he would not fail.

He said: “Thank you for the endurance and tolerance we have all gone through. The issue of this congress is a circumstantial one, which is still in the public domain. Who is the leader? Governor Seyi Makinde is our leader.

“Therefore, we should not allow, particularly those who are our supporters and lovers, continue to put a wedge in between us. Our leaders; Governors Oyinlola, Oni and former Deputy Senate Majority Whip and all serving senators, I want to assure you that we will make exploits together because this must not divide us.

“I stand here to tell you today that either way it goes, I will accept it. Therefore, if Arapaja becomes chairman, I will be the first to visit him in Ibadan because there is nothing that will last forever.

“Nobody has offended me and if I have offended anybody, I sincerely apologise.

“Don’t let them give us the name we do not bear in Yorubaland.

“I want to say again that Governor Seyi Makinde has made impact in Oyo State and he won’t fail. Seyi Makinde and I are one. No matter what, he is our father and may God continue to do wonders through Him.”

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Politics

BREAKING: Fresh Tension In Rivers As Fubara Is Locked Out Of Assembly Complex

Published

56 minutes ago

March 12, 2025

NewTimes

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara

Signalling worsening relations between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the state lawmakers, the former was locked out on Wednesday as he arrived at the State House of Assembly Complex .

Security personnel at the complex locked the gates when the governor’s convoy arrived at the complex.

The action of the security personnel was hinged on the position that there was no official communication between the governor and the Assembly.

However, Fubara said he communicated his coming to Speaker Martins Amaewhule through a letter and tried to call him on the phone since Tuesday.

Fubara had said he would fully implement the February 28, 2025 judgment of the apex court and directed the Rivers State Independent Electoral Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to come up with modalities for the fresh election.

The electoral commission fixed August 9, 2025, to conduct a fresh local government poll in the state.

Also, the Secretary to the State Government, Tammy Danagogo, in a letter dated March 7, 2025, sought a meeting with the lawmakers for March 10, 2025, to discuss the re-presentation of the 2025 budget and a peace talk.

However, the Assembly had asked the governor to channel his invitation properly.

Politics

BREAKING: PDP Wins, Clears All 30 Councils In Osun Poll

Published

3 weeks ago

February 22, 2025

NewTimes

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday emerged the winner for the election for all the chairmanship and councillorship seats in all the 30 local government areas of Osun State.

The election was held on Saturday.

The Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, Hashim Abioye, announced the results at a press conference in Osogbo, the state capital on Saturday evening.

Politics

Bisi Akande Drags Obasanjo Into Bola Ige’s Murder

Published

1 month ago

February 1, 2025

NewTimes

By John Michael Ojo

Bisi Akande, a former governor of Osun State, has alleged that the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo was responsible for the brutal killing of erstwhile Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige.

Akande stated this while appearing on Edmund Obilo’s podcast, State Affairs, where he also claimed that a friend Oluwole Rotimi, had given a hint on the impending danger if the deceased resigned from President Obasanjo’s government.

When asked to speak on the incident, the former interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said: “One evening, he (Ige) called me and said he was going to resign from this government tomorrow. It was sudden, and I said, ‘Please sir, I will come back to you.’ I called Oluwole Rotimi, and said this is what your friend told me: that he was going to resign from Obasanjo’s government tomorrow.

READ ALSO: South-West Governors, Tinubu, Akande, Akinrinade, Others To Meet Over State Of The Nation

“He asked me to advise him not to resign because if he does, he is likely going to die—he said that to me on the phone. I called Uncle (Ige) and begged him not to resign.

“He said he had talked to Wole Soyinka and Bola Tinubu, and both of them said he should resign. But I said, ‘Don’t. You can go to Obasanjo, tell him what you are angry about, and if he doesn’t want you anymore, here is your letter.’”

Akande who also claimed that Ige, a Second Republic Governor of Oyo State had issues bordering on trust with the then President said “Since he was resigning from his government, I think he stopped trusting him.”

However, Akande who was the governor of a neighbouring state when Ige was assassinated in Oyo State on the 23rd of December 2001, failed to provide names of those he felt were directly involved in the murder case.

“I don’t know. He was killed in Oyo State while I was ruling in Osun State. The government killed him (Bola Ige). It was a state murder.

“Lam Adesina, who was the Chief Security Officer of Oyo State then, went to court, and Ladoja withdrew the case from court. He might know more and be able to tell you.