Politics
Osun: APC, PDP In War Of Words Over SURE-P Funds, Rice Distribution

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has asked the State House of Assembly to inquire why the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, decided to withhold the November 2022 salaries of all the political appointees of the immediate past Governor, Gboyega Oyetola.
The affected former public officers, according to the party, are the Governor, Deputy Governor, Secretary to the State Government, Chief of Staff, Assistant Chief of Staff, Commissioners, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants, Personal Assistants, drivers and others.
Also, the Osun APC Chairman revealed that the Ademola Adeleke administration had spent N941,850,000 to buy rice for the members and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
READ ALSO: Osun Gov Poll: INEC Admits Overvoting In Polling Units
The Osun APC alleged that the money for the rice was part of the local government SURE-P fund meant to provide social infrastructure across the council areas in the state.
In a statement by the Osun APC Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, and made available by Kola Bisi, the Director of the party, the party revealed that Adeleke has both refused to pay the November salaries of all the legally-appointed political appointees of Oyetola even though the latter had appropriated the fund for same before he left the office.
Lawal also disclosed that the party had stumbled on a letter where Adeleke, through the State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, directed the diversion of the money meant for the generality of the people of the state towards the purchase of the commodity.
According to the statement obtained on Wednesday, “It was observed that Governor Adeleke deliberately and grudgingly refused to pay the November salaries of all the public officers who validly worked for Oyetola till the end of his tenure last month.
“There could be no justifiable reason under the sun why Governor Adeleke should be owing the salaries of the public workers who were validly employed by his predecessor”.
“Adeleke to shed his toga of politics of hatred, vindictiveness, oppression, victimisation as there is no any justifiable reason for him to withhold the workers’ salaries other than wickedness, insensitivity, lack of empathy and reconsideration.”
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Oyetola Took Loan In Billions After Losing Election – Adeleke
He queried the basis for the seizure of the public workers’ salaries when there were records that they were validly employed and worked diligently till November 27, 2022, when there was a change of government.
He said, “I can’t understand how we came to this level. Why is Governor Adeleke punishing a cross-section of Osun State workers whose salaries he is sitting on?
“Thank God that we are operating in a democratic society where there are expected statutory checks and balances by all arms of any government.
“It is on this basis that it is expedient for the Osun State House of Assembly to wade into the issue and ask questions why Governor Adeleke is working a bleak Christmas for some people in the state through non-payment of salaries.”
While wondering on whose authority the state governor approved the withdrawal of the funds from the local government allowance without any recourse to the state House of Assembly, Lawal concluded that “It is obvious that the Osun State people have boarded a metaphorical one-chance vehicle with Governor Adeleke in the driver’s seat of governance in the state.
Reacting, the Osun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), through its caretaker chairman, Adekunle Akindele, stated that despite clear clarifications that the funding for the purchase did not emanate from the SURE-P fund, which is still intact, the Osun APC is obsessed with fake news simply because Governor Adeleke stopped the former government from looting the fund.
Akindele stated that the governor has continued to receive accolades from the public for his handling of the rice distribution project.
He thanked Governor Adeleke for breaking new grounds and for setting Osun on the path of sustainable development and good governance.
READ ALSO:Osun Govt, Adeleke Trade Words Over Alleged Looting
The problem started when the Osun State Governor, in a press statement on Wednesday, approved a committee on the distribution of rice.
The state governor, through a statement signed by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, also stated that the SURE-P fund is intact in the account of the local governments.
Politics
Agege LG Chairman Resigns

Agege Local Government
Mr. Tunde Azeez Disco has stepped down as the Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government, citing persistent health challenges as the reason for his resignation.
The former chairman submitted his resignation letter to the Agege Local Government Legislative Arm.
He noted that his health status had significantly impacted his ability to effectively discharge his official duties.
The legislative house, while acknowledging Azeez Disco’s dedication to public service, quickly accepted the decision. Following a thorough deliberation, a unanimous resolution was passed, accepting the resignation with immediate effect.
READ ALSO:JUST IN: Tinubu’s Minister Resigns Amid Allegations
The council wished the outgoing chairman well in his future endeavours, with the event underlining the necessity for public officials to prioritise personal health and well-being.
Ganiyu Obasa, son of the Speaker, Lagos State Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, is the Vice chairman of Agege Local Government.
In May, residents of Agege, under the banner of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the local government election in Agege.
They claimed that Obasa allegedly plans to foist his surrogates as candidates in the local government and councillorship elections.
READ ALSO:APC Disowns Members Calling For State Secretary’s Resignation
In a meeting held in response to the announcement of candidates for the chairmanship and vice-chairmanship of the Agege Local Government and Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA), the aggrieved residents alleged that those shortlisted as candidates to represent the area were handpicked by Obasa.
They said the process was void of internal democracy and collective participation.
Addressing the media, Kamardeen Sabitu, chairman of the PCC for Agege and Orile-Agege, alleged that Obasa did everything possible to manipulate the political structure in the area for personal gain.
During the protest, demonstrators carried placards reading “Red Card, Obasa O to ge, (it is enough). They also chanted songs such as “Enough is Enough, this suffering is enough, Tinubu, rescue us.”
READ ALSO:Elon Musk’s X CEO Resigns
Sabitu added that the people have endured years of political marginalisation under Obasa’s influence. He recalled that the movement against imposed candidates began in 2018, during which one of the protesters died and 11 others were jailed.
“There is no true democracy in Agege. Since 2018, we’ve been resisting Obasa’s control. We salute everyone standing up to this political imposition. One person cannot dominate Agege politics,” Sabitu said.
He emphasised that while the group remains loyal to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and is also appreciative of the party’s leadership, they will not accept candidates imposed on them without proper consultation.
Politics
JUST IN: Reps In Rowdy Session, Reject Key Motions

The plenary session of the House of Representatives on Tuesday turned rowdy after members voted against some motions of urgent public importance, which bordered on the protection of lives and key government assets.
With the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, presiding, the session became rowdy, as members dissolved into a closed-door session to restore order.
It all started when the member representing Somolu Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Ademorin Kuye, drew the attention of his colleagues to what he called the illegal allocation of lands within the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex and prayed the House to refer the matter to the Committee on Public Assets for investigation.
Kuye, a member of the All Progressives Congress is the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Assets.
READ ALSO:JUST IN: All Enugu Reps Defect To APC
Proposing an amendment to the prayers, Delta lawmaker and Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, argued that though the matter brought before the Green Chamber is urgent enough, the Committee on Commerce, not Public Assets, should be in charge of the investigation.
Waive was supported by Akwa Ibom lawmaker, Mark Esset, who argued that “It is the Committee on Commerce that should take responsibility on this matter.”
On the other hand, Yusuf Gagdi representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, Plateau State, supported Kuye, stating that the Public Assets Committee should be allowed to take charge of investigating the allegation of illegal land sale and submit a report to the House.
With no end to the back-and-forth argument in sight, Gbefwi Gaza (SDP, Nasarawa) on the advice of Kalu, proposed the constitution of an Ad-hoc Committee comprising members of both Committees (Public Assets and Commerce) to conduct the probe.
READ ALSO:Reps Move To Regulate Cryptocurrency, POS Operations
When subjected to a voice vote, almost an equal number of lawmakers voted in support and against the motion.
Not sure whose voices were louder, Kalu gave it to the nays, sparking unrest in the chamber.
Next on the order of urgent motions was Mohammed Bio representing Baruten/Kaima Federal Constituency, Kwara State.
Bio who lamented the worsening security situation in his constituency, prayed the House to urge the military to establish a base in the crisis-prone areas to stem the tides of attacks.
READ ALSO:List Of 46 Proposed New States Submitted To House Of Reps
This time, more lawmakers voted against the motion, to the surprise of Kalu and the Kwara lawmaker.
It became clear to Kalu that members had resolved to frustrate the day’s session owing to the rejection of Kuye’s motion.
So, when again voices thundered against Ayodeji Alao-Akala’s motion which drew members’ attention to the need to address Nigeria’s description as a “Country of Particular Concern” by the United States President, Mr Donald Trump; Kalu allowed the motion to pass, forcing members to openly oppose the decision.
Voices of dissent rent the chambers and the plenary was suspended for a closed-door session.
…Details later
Politics
Obaseki’s Media Aide Tackles Edo Information Commissioner Over Alleged ₦600bn Debt

A former Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has denied leaving a debt of N600bn, urging the Monday Okpehbolo-led administration to crosscheck from the Debt Management Office (DMO) before “spewing lies.”
The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, had on Monday in Benin claimed that the immediate past administration in the state left a whooping ₦600bn debt.
Reacting to Afegbua’s claim via video call on Tuesday, Obaseki’s Media Adviser, Crusoe Osagie, challenged the current administration in the state to visit the DMO to see whether Edo drew such debt.
Crusoe, who said no government at whatever level has capacity to draw loans or enter into any debt arrangement without the knowledge and approval of the DMO, said lies being spewed by the Okpebholo’s administration is giving the country a bad image.
READ ALSO:PDP Crisis Worsens As Party Suspends BoT Chairman, Adolphus Wabara
He said information of such gives the impression that the state is being governed by people who don’t understand what it means to run a government.
Crusoe described the claim as false and outrightly out of place.
On the planned probe of Mosium of West Africa Arts (MOWA), Crusoe noted that MOWA remained an international brand that entered into a business agreement with Edo State with all T’s crossed and all I’s dotted.
He insisted that every record about the transaction between Radisson Hotel and the Edo State government was contained in the transition report.
READ ALSO:Obaseki: Leader, I Know How Pained You Are,’ Wike Apologises To Oshiomhole
He said: “MOWA is an international investment drawing funds from the German government, the United Kingdom’s government, and the French government for its development. You think such an investment will be put on a land that was not ceded to that organization by the state.
“These people just come out there and toss all kinds of irresponsible information out there. At the end of the day what happens is that all of these turn around to form the intelligence that gathered out of Nigeria by the international community.
“It makes these countries think that the country is a failed state and the place is not being governed.”
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