As Nigeria approaches 2023 general election, Wale Olaleye writes that the choice the country makes is critical to her future How do you write about Nigeria’s political trajectory especially, her contemporary history and not devote generous pages to both Senator Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, who is one of the most noted leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president and presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 general election? Misgivings notwithstanding, these two men have not only paid their dues, they have also…
Author: Editor-in-chief
Oga, mek we kill am!, the gangling police constable had told my father. This was sometime in the early 1980s and the scene was the ever-busy Ilesa-Akure expressway, in the old Oyo, now Osun State. My father, an Inspector in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), headed the Ilesa Signals Corps of the police. However, short of officers to lead police patrols, in the light of the ever-bludgeoning criminal activities in the Ife-Ijesa zone of the time, the Divisional Police Officer authoritatively yanked the Inspector from his signals unit office drudgery. He then drafted him to the road. On this particular…
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has reignited his penalty row with Manchester United’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash at Old Trafford by saying United are given a “quite exceptional” number of spot-kicks by referees. Klopp claimed last January, following the failure of the referee to award a penalty during a defeat at Southampton, that United “had more penalties in two years than I had in five-and-a-half years.” Last season alone, United were awarded 11 Premier League penalties compared to Liverpool’s six, but since the start of this 2021-22 campaign in August, both teams have been awarded one…
Muslim convert and Manchester United football star Paul Pogba has revealed the reason why he holds the late boxer Muhammad Ali up as one of his heroes — and it was not because of his legendary record in the ring. The Arab News reports that the French national team star was responding to a question from Sky Sports asking who his hero was as a child. The 28-year-old midfielder said: “Muhammad Ali. He was someone that I think kind of saved lives. A hero is somebody that saves lives, that helps people, and I think that is what he did.”…
APC The Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has constituted a State Congress Appeal Committees on Thursday, vowing to win upcoming elections in Anambra, Osun and Ekiti States. The Committees, according to a statement issued by APC National Secretary, Senator John Akpan Udoedehe, is part of the internal mechanisms, so that those who may feel dissatisfied with the States Congresses can approach the Committee and ventilate their grievances through this avenue. The statement emphasised that it is elementary law that he who alleges must prove, so instead of taking issues to the media space, all…
The United Front (TUF), a group within Oyo State APC, has called on the Nigerian Police Force and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to arrest leaders of Unity Forum over alleged forgery of results of ward and local congresses in the state. Leaders of the Unity Forum and their allies are currently in Abuja to meet with Chairman Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of APC, Governor Mai Mala Buni. This newspaper reliably gathered Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare; Senator Ayo Adeseun, Adebayo Adelabu, Adebayo Shittu, Sharafadeen Alli, Hon. Wale Murphy, Hon. Abass Alesinloye,…
In her bid to thwart Hon. Isaac Ajiboye Omodewu’s chairmanship aspiration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, former first lady of Oyo State, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi met with former governors Rashidi Ladoja and Adebayo Alao-Akala on Wednesday. Inside sources revealed that the purpose of Mrs. Ajimobi’s meeting with her husband’s predecessors was to sell the candidature of Engr. Yekeen Abolade as next State Chairman of the party. Abolade, a protégé of Hon. Wasiu Dauda Azuzu, was immediate past executive chairman of Iseyin LGA. According to a former aide to late Ajimobi who spoke to our correspondent on…
The outgoing chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Chief Akin Oke has reacted to an allegation that former Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun is behind the crisis rocking the progressive family in the state, saying he didn’t have facts. Oke, in a chat with The Guardian newspaper, said, “At my level and age, to comment on allegation that I don’t have facts relating to it is difficult. I am aware that in the last election he (Amosun) didn’t support us, but for me to now accuse him where I don’t have the facts, would be…
National Vice Chairman (Southwest) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja has joined race for Deputy Chairmanship seat of the party in the October 31st National convention of the party. According to his media aide, Mr. Ibrahim Bamitale, the former deputy governor joined the race in order to bring normalcy back to PDP. “After due consultation with party faithfuls, members, leaders and stakeholders, today, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja participated in the screening of all Aspirants for the forthcoming National Convention at Legacy house Abuja”. “While Ambassador Arapaja would be aspiring for the post of the Deputy National Chairman of…
The United Front (TUF) has called for sanction of leaders of the Unity Forum in Oyo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over alleged release of fake delegate lists for the party’s state congress rescheduled for Saturday, 23rd October 2023. Recall, Governor Mai Mala Buni-led APC Caretaker Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) abruptly suspended October 16th State Congress of the party in Oyo state due to alleged forging of documents meant for the exercise and other irregularities. TUF, a group within Oyo State APC, stated that thorough investigations by the National Secretariat of the party would reveal that…