News

Ondo 2020: ‘We Did Not Endorse Akeredolu For Second Term’ -APC Elders

Published

4 years ago

February 3, 2020

Editor

A group of elders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Ondo State, under the auspices of APC Unity Forum, Monday, denied a report that they had endorsed the state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, to go for second term.

Punch online reports that Akeredolu held a meeting with some members of the group and some governorship aspirants on Saturday where it was gathered that an advisory council was constituted to find a solution to the lingering crisis rocking the party.

However, chairman of the forum and former deputy governor of the state, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, according to Punch in a statement said the issue of endorsement never came up in the meeting.

But the Unity Forum said some of Akeredolu’s supporters in the party, Punch reports that took the meeting for the endorsement of the second term for the governor.

According to him, “We did not discuss Akeredolu’s second term ambition, we did not negotiate anything, we did not ask for anything from the governor.

“I have received several calls from people about the outcome of the meeting as wrongly reported, but I want to emphasize that the meeting has nothing to do with Akeredolu at all. I have not collected a dime from anybody, I will never collect anything and I will not sell my people.”

Similarly, the Secretary of the APC Advisory Council and an aspirant of the party, Mr Issac Kekemeke, on Monday said what transpired in the reconciliatory meeting was the inauguration of the advisory council and an ad hoc committee in a bid to resolving the crisis.

He said, “The council unanimously affirmed Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, as the leader of the party in the state and appointed Chief Pius Olu Akinyelure and Isaacs Kekemeke as the chairman and the Secretary of the council respectively.

“The council noted the appeal of Governor Akeredolu to members present to put the past behind them and urged all to work for the unity of the party. The governor’s declaration that the council was not a forum for deciding the candidacy of the party for the 2020 governorship election in the state and the assurance that he would run a more inclusive government was commended.

“The council after an extensive deliberation on the present structures of the party in the state also constituted an ad-hoc committee to consult stakeholders and party faithful across the state and come up with recommendations for its consideration within the shortest time possible.”

According to him, the committee members are Chief Olusola Oke (chairman ), Chief Bode Sumonu, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Bamidele Oloyelogun, Mr Wale Akinterinwa, and Mr Jacob Oredola.

(PUNCH)

PHOTO: File

News

‘I’ve Become An Evangelist’ – Doyin Okupe

Published

1 min ago

May 21, 2024

Editor

The former campaign director for the Labour Party during the 2023 presidential election, Doyin Okupe, has announced his new vocation as an evangelist of Jesus Christ following his recovery from cancer.

Detailing the challenges he faced with cancer, which initially appeared 16 years ago as prostate cancer and recently in the soft tissues of his right shoulder, Okupe highlighted the role of his medical treatment and divine intervention in his recovery.

“The first problem was cancer I had and the chemotherapy makes you lose appetite, you have nausea, and even as you sustain for several months, you lose weight,” he told Channels TV.

Okupe recounted how his weight dropped from 127kg to 97kg during chemotherapy and settled at 103kg after the treatment ended.

“In all these, I bear witness to God and Jesus Christ, I’m a testimony to the fact that there is nothing the Lord God Jehovah can’t do,” Okupe affirmed.

“From now on, I have become an evangelist and a witness for Christ.”

News

Court Dethrones Ondo Monarch After 29 Years Of Legal Tussle

Published

5 mins ago

May 21, 2024

Editor

Oba Micheal Adetunji Oluwole, the traditional ruler of Ute in the Ose local government area of Ondo state has been dethroned by a state High Court sitting in Owo, Owo local government area of the state after a legal tussle that lasted for 29 years.

Olule Omolaja Ruling House had challenged the retired Army Major’s right to ascend the throne.

Justice Ademola Enikuomehin who nullified the selection process that brought Oba Oluwole to the throne and ordered a fresh selection process into the stool, ordered Oluwole to stop parading himself as the traditional ruler of the town. The fresh selection process will be from the Olule Omoloja ruling house lineage.

According to Justice Enikuomehin, the dethroned monarch had no right to the throne as he’s not a member of the ruling house designated to fill the vacant throne of the town.

News

Pro-Fubara Lawmakers Confirm Eight Commissioner-nominees

Published

2 hours ago

May 21, 2024

Editor

A faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara has confirmed eight commissioner-designates as members of the State Executive Council.

Fubara earlier sent the names of the nominees to the House led by the factional Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo, for screening and confirmation.

The Assembly screened the nominees during their sitting at the temporary legislative chambers at the Administrative Block of the Government House, Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

Two former Commissioners, Dr Peter Medee and Eloka Tasie-Amadi, who served under the immediate past administration of Nyesom Wike as Energy and Works Commissioners respectively were asked by the House to take a bow and go.

The other six nominees were asked a few questions by the pro-Fubara lawmakers and were consequently confirmed as commissioner-designates.

In his remarks, the Speaker, Oko-Jumbo, charged the commissioner-designates to contribute their quota in moving the state forward and assist the governor in delivering the dividends of democracy to the people.

He advised the governor not to be distracted but to continue his good works and pledged the House’s support to make him succeed.

He stated, “Those that are supposed to bring the dividends of democracy to our people. As a legislature, what we can do is to ensure that we create an atmosphere where His Excellency will do more.

“While we commend His Excellency for his numerous achievements in office, we also use this opportunity to call on His Excellency not to be distracted. We call on him to remain focused on the mandate that Rivers State’s people have given him.

“We also call on him not to be biased. He should continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to our people.”

Speaking to newsmen after the screening, the Leader of the House, Sokari Goodboy, commended the governor on the calibre of people sent to the House for screening.

“Today, we held our sitting and in the Order Paper, we had the screening of eight commissioners and we know too well that the executive arm of the state needs to be filled and we are happy and proud of the nominees,” he said.