News

Diri To Cabinet Members: Prepare Your Handover Notes

Published

2 years ago

January 24, 2024

Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has directed members of his cabinet to begin to prepare their handover notes as his first term in office winds down.

He gave them the directive during the 126th state executive council meeting inside the Executive Council Chambers in Government House, Yenagoa, on Wednesday.

Diri will be sworn in for another term on February 14, 2024, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

He was declared the winner of the November 11, 2023, off-cycle governorship election, polling a total of 175,196 votes to defeat his major opponent, Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress, who scored 110,108 votes.

The governor asked the political appointees to tidy up their handover reports to achieve a smooth transition to his second term, a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, said.

He commended his cabinet members for adding value to the state through their performance and thanked them for the selfless service they rendered in the last four years, noting that the achievements recorded by his administration in its first term were collective and were not an exclusive preserve of himself or his deputy.

While urging them to continue to contribute their best till the end of the term, Diri said, “As you are aware, our administration is winding down its first tenure and I know you will not wait for me to tell you to start preparing your handover notes. I believe some of you have started from last year. At the end of the day, everybody will see what you have done.

“I want to commend you for the selfless service you have rendered in the last four years and as you prepare your notes, dot the i’s and cross the t’s. So, for future purposes, those who will take over or even if you are continuing, you will be guided.

“I commend you for the spirit of oneness, unity and love we all saw in this executive council. That is why we have achieved so much under this four years. That is why the people said this government must come back for the next four years.

“It was not an exclusive preserve of myself as governor or my deputy governor. Yes, we led the pack but all of you contributed very well to the successes we have recorded in infrastructure, education, health, sports, security and even in the judiciary. So on behalf of the deputy governor, I say a big thank you to this state executive council. We have not dissolved the cabinet yet and today is not the last day.”

Earlier, the council held a valedictory session for the late former Commissioner for Finance, Steven Ogullah.

Diri said it was the policy of his administration to honour Exco members who served meritoriously, adding that he would propose an amendment to the policy to ensure that only those who served the state without blemish would be honoured.

He described the late Finance Commissioner as a dedicated man who gave his all to the service of the state and that he would be greatly missed.

The governor said even out of office, Ogullah remained committed to service to the state, as he was very supportive of his administration until his last days.

He also stated that Ogullah formed an organisation to galvanise support for his re-election and expressed gratitude to the departed commissioner for his abiding loyalty and support.

Diri urged members of his family to be comforted by his footprints in the development of the state, which he said will remain indelible.

News

Court Dissolves Petitioner’s Marriage Over Lack Of Love, Care

Published

10 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

An Area Court sitting at Centre-Igboro, Ilorin in Kwara State, on Thursday, dissolved the four-year-old marriage between Aminat Mustapha and Wahab Adeshina, following the petitioner’s insistence.

The petitioner told the court that she was no longer interested in her marriage to her husband following claims of lack of love and care.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), while delivering ruling, the presiding judge, Mr Toyin Aluko, held that the respondent had written to the court, accepting the divorce application made by his wife.

Aluko, consequently, dissolved the marriage between the parties, and ordered the woman to observe one month iddah (waiting period) before she could remarry.

Meanwhile, the court granted custody of the two children in the marriage, ages one and three, to their mother.

He ordered the father to pay a monthly sum of N20,000 for the children’s feeding and maintenance.

The court also held that the respondent will be responsible for their education and healthcare.

Again, the court held that the father has unrestricted access to his children, but at reasonable time adding that he should be notified before any decision is taken on his children.

The judge ordered the petitioner to get a copy of the judgment and send same to the respondent.

News

Tinubu Embarks On Three-state Visit

Published

11 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Saturday on a working visit to Borno, Bauchi and Lagos.

This is contained in a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Friday in Abuja.

While in Borno, the President will commission projects executed by the Borno State Government under Gov. Babagana Zulum, in collaboration with the Federal Government.

He will also attend the wedding ceremony of Sadeeq Sheriff, son of former Borno Governor, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, and his bride, Hadiza Kam Salem.

From Maiduguri, Tinubu will proceed to Bauchi State to condole with the state government and the family of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, the renowned Islamic cleric and leader of the Tijjaniyya Muslim Brotherhood.

Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi died on Nov. 27.

After the condolence visit, the President will travel to Lagos, where he will spend the end-of-year holidays.

During his stay in Lagos, Tinubu is expected to attend several engagements, including the Eyo Festival scheduled for Dec. 27.

The festival, to be held at Tafawa Balewa Square, will honour notable personalities, including the President’s late mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, former Lagos State governors Alhaji Lateef Jakande and Chief Michael Otedola.

News

My Wife Dented My Image, Took Our Marital Crises To Radio Stations — Husband

Published

12 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

…He ran away from home after I was delivered of twins —Wife

Grade A Customary Court sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has ruled that a couple, Folaji and Ifedayo should go their different ways after it pronounced their marriage dissolved.

The court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo, who gave the judgment, stated that this was imperative to dissolve the marriage for peace to reign.

The plaintiff, Folaji, who dragged his wife to court, accused her of not loving him, always fighting him, and sometimes displaying violence.

Folaji explained that the root of their differences was Ifedayo’s bias for his mode of worship.

According to the plaintiff, he attends a white garment church, which mode of worship the defendant abhors and therefore refused to attend services with him.

Folaji also said that Ifedayo concealed from him the fact that she was suffering from a particular ailment, which he became aware of after she was advised at the hospital to carry out series of tests.

Folaji stated that the differences between him and his wife degenerated to the level that he became a regular face at the police station and also at radio stations, where his wife took their matters to.

The plaintiff told the court that the defendant had done a lot of damage to his image, and thus prayed the court to put an end to their relationship so that he could pick up the pieces of his life.

The plaintiff sought easy access to their children and promised to give them feeding allowance weekly.

He further requested an order restraining his wife from threatening him and from interfering with his private life.

Ifedayo, in her response, agreed that their union be dissolved.

She stated that her husband was inhumane and that he packed out of their house before she was discharged from the hospital after she put to bed a set of twins.

The defendant further said that the plaintiff had never visited her and their children since he walked out of their marriage.

According to her, her husband sent her N20,000 through his counsel after he dragged her to court, but that she declined it because it was a ridiculous amount to feed a set of twins.

Folaji, in his testimony, said: “My lord, my wife, and I had a proper wedding, and I paid her bride price.

“I expected my wife to be submissive to me and do my binding, but the reverse is the case.

“My wife is stubborn and troublesome.

“She swore never to attend my church because it’s a white garment church and that she loathes our way of worship.

“The more I encouraged her to attend, the more she kept her distance.

“She later reluctantly agreed to attend service once a month.

“My wife is secretive. She hid from me for years the fact that she was nursing an ailment. I only became aware of this when the doctor confirmed it after she went through a series of tests when she took ill.

“My wife, rather than being remorseful, decided to make life tough for me.

“She became troublesome and never ceased to fight me.

“She is violent and always hit and harmed me with any dangerous objects within her reach.

“We always dragged ourselves to the police station where we became a regular face.

“My wife, determined to dent my image, took our issues to radio stations where I was invited and our differences were aired.

“I walked out of our marriage when I could no longer tolerate my wife’s misbehaviour.

“She reported me again at the welfare office and, after mediating in our differences, I was asked to provide her with foodstuff and not money, which I did on a regular basis.

“But she has insisted that I would not have rest of mind.

“I pray this court to dissolve our marriage and grant me free access to our children. I promise to make provision for their upkeep on a weekly basis.

“I further request an order restraining my wife from threatening and interfering with my private life.”

Ifedayo, in her response, said: “I agree that our marriage be dissolved. My husband is inhumane and has no conscience, which were the causes of the crisis we experienced in our marriage.

“I was admitted in the hospital to be delivered of our set of twins, but I returned to meet an empty house. My husband deserted me and our newborn children.

“He never checked on them nor gave anything for their upkeep. He only gave them N20,000 of recent through his counsel after he came to court.

“I rejected the money because such an amount can not feed sufficiently two children of their age, not to mention other needs.

“I plead that the court grant me custody of our children and make my husband responsible for their upkeep.

“I want him to give attention to their feeding and pay their school fees as and when due.

“He should likewise be available any time they need medical attention.”

Giving her judgment, Mrs Akintayo said although both had a valid customary marriage and bride price was paid, the court had no choice than to grant their prayers of divorce since they now express their disinterest in it.

Akintayo ruled that they were no longer husband and wife.

She granted custody of their children to the defendant, stating that they were still minors in need of motherly care.

The defendant was granted access to their children on a weekly basis while he was ordered to be responsible for their welfare.