News
Osun 2026: Why Osogbo should produce next governor – Oladimeji
A leader of Osogbo Progressive Union (OPU), Osogbo in Osun, Dr Yemi Oladimeji, has decried the inability of the town to produce a governor since the creation of the state 33 years ago.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that OPU is the umbrella body of all Osogbo indigenous groups.
Oladimeji, in a statement on Sunday in Osogbo, said that the attitude of “pull him down syndrome” by some indigenes of Osogbo was responsible for the inability of the town to produce a governor.
He charged the indigenes of Osogbo to work together and as a team to produce the next governor of the state in the 2026 election for the development of the town and the state.
Oladimeji noted that Osogbo parades quality, qualified, competent and very sound political leaders, urging all indigenes of Osogbo in various political parties to work for the interest of the town ahead of the next governor election.
He noted that prominent indigenes of the town had several opportunities in the past to become the governor of the state but such opportunities were deterred by some people.
“In the last 33 years that Osun State was created by the military administration of retired Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Ede in Osun West has produced the governor twice through late Sen. Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke (1992/1993), and his younger brother, who is the incumbent, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, from 2022 till date.
”Also, Osun Central has produced the governor thrice through Chief Abdulkareem Adebisi Akande from Ila-Orangun (1999-2003), Okuku through Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola (2003-2010) and Iragbiji through Alhaji Adegboyega Isiaka Oyetola, 2018-2022.
“Ilesa in Osun East produced the governor through Ogbeni Abdulrauf Adesoji Aregbesola (2010-2018).
“Our great leader and my big uncle, Sen. Olu Alabi, from Osogbo had a good chance to become the governor of Osun State when he came out to run for the exalted office in 1999 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“He fought tooth and nail to emerge the PDP governorship candidate but lost to Chief Bisi Akande of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) because some of our people in Osogbo worked against him.
“The history repeated itself in my own case too when I ran the primary for the Osun State governorship under the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 2007.
”I am bringing up this issue not because of my own interest but for us to learn from history and begin to make an amend so that we don’t fall into the same booby-trap when such an opportunity for Osogbo comes up again,” he said.
According to him, there is a lot to gain by working together to advance the course and interest of Osogbo.
Oladimeji, who is a member of the United States chapter of OPU, urged Osogbo indigenes in the diaspora to always work towards the development of the town and be willing to assist the less privileged.
“We should also love one another and support whoever God wants to use to represent Osogbo politically.
”I am now appealing to all of us to rally support for the development of Osogbo and Osun State.
”Let us show commitment to this course and make it a collective responsibility,” he said. (NAN)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared four individuals wanted over the alleged fraud perpetrated on crypto bridge exchange (CBEX), a trading platform.
The four suspects are Adefowora Olanipekun, Adefowora Oluwanisola, Emmanuel Uko, and Seyi Oloyede.
More to follow…
The Oodua Integrity Group, a Nigerian civil society organisation, has called on Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to investigate and arrest an alleged gun runner, land grabber,popularly called then insert Lucky Blessings Abuah aka bullets of Achala Ibusa village operating in Asaba and Ibuzor, Delta State, accusing him of orchestrating criminal activities with the aid of rogue police officers.
Tosin Olaoluwa, the group’s South-South coordinator, made the appeal following intelligence gathered from concerned residents.
The suspect, identified as Achala Ibusa but popularly known as “Bullet,” is accused of running a network involving illegal arms trafficking, land grabbing, and cult-related activities.
Olaoluwa claimed Bullet operates with the protection of police officers from Rivers State, in violation of regulations prohibiting officers from working outside their command without approval.
According to the group, four AK-47 rifles were recently discovered hidden in a house in Ibuzor.
Two mobile police officers guarding the property reportedly distanced themselves from the find, raising suspicions of their involvement with Bullet, who is allegedly a leader of the Viking cult.
The Oodua Integrity Group further alleged that an assistant commissioner of police is complicit in Bullet’s activities.
The group highlighted that up to 10 mobile police officers are attached to Bullet, despite IGP Egbetokun’s recent directive to withdraw such personnel from individuals not legally entitled to their services.
“We urge the IGP to take immediate action to arrest the culprit in the interest of the general public,” Olaoluwa said, describing Bullet as a miscreant exploiting government security agents to perpetrate crimes.
In a separate incident, the group claimed that security agents from an agency in Abuja, acting on intelligence, were prevented from arresting Bullet by his police escorts.
The officers, reportedly from Rivers State, allegedly used tear gas and fired shots to obstruct the operation.
The Oodua Integrity Group warned that Bullet’s activities, including stockpiling AK-47s and other weapons in Asaba and Ibuzor, pose a significant threat to public safety.
They called for a thorough investigation into the allegations and the immediate apprehension of those involved.
The Nigeria Police Force has yet to respond to the allegations. Efforts to reach a spokesperson for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
The competition and consumer protection tribunal has upheld the $220 million fine imposed on Meta Platforms Incorporated by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
In a statement on Friday by Ondaje Ijagwu, the agency’s director for corporate affairs, FCCPC said the tribunal also awarded $35,000 to the commission as the cost of investigation.
On July 19, 2024, FCCPC imposed a fine of $220 million on Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, for multiple data privacy violations.
However, Meta said it would appeal the fine.
The case stemmed from a 38-month joint investigation by the FCCPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) into the privacy practices and consumer data policies of WhatsApp and Meta.
Delivering judgment on Thursday in Abuja, the tribunal led by Thomas Okosun ruled that the FCCPC acted within its constitutional and statutory powers in investigating and sanctioning the companies for alleged anti-competitive and exploitative practices.
The tribunal dismissed the appeals filed by Meta and WhatsApp, which challenged the legal basis of the commission’s findings and orders.
Instead, it upheld the commission’s position on nearly all contested issues.
Gbolahan Elias (SAN) led WhatsApp and Meta’s legal teams, while Babatunde Irukera led the FCCPC’s legal team.
According to the statement, both teams had made their final arguments on behalf of their respective clients on January 28.
‘FCCPC ADHERED TO DUE PROCESS’
The tribunal, in its ruling, found that the FCCPC adhered to due process and acted within the law.
It resolved issues one to seven primarily in favour of the commission.
“The Tribunal resolved Issues 1 to 7 largely in favour of the FCCPC, dismissing the appellants’ objections to the Commission’s findings, orders, and legal competence,” the statement reads.
“One of the central issues (Issue 3), which alleged a breach of fair hearing, was decided in favour of the Commission, with the Tribunal affirming that the FCCPC fully discharged its quasi-judicial responsibilities by affording the appellants ample opportunity to respond.
“The Tribunal found no violation of constitutional due process.
“On Issue 4, which questioned the Commission’s powers in data protection and privacy, the Tribunal held that the FCCPC acted within its statutory mandate, reaffirming its authority under Section 104 of the FCCPA to regulate competition and consumer protection even in regulated industries.
“On Issue 5, which challenged the Commission’s findings regarding Meta’s privacy policies, the tribunal also resolved in the FCCPC’s favour.
“The Tribunal found no error in the Commission’s conclusions and held that the privacy policy in question did, in fact, offend Nigerian law.
“While issue 7 was largely resolved in favour of the commission, the tribunal set aside Order 7 of the commission’s final order, stating that it lacked sufficient legal basis.”
Commenting on the judgment, Tunji Bello, executive vice chairman (EVC) and chief executive officer (CEO) of the FCCPC, welcomed the ruling, describing it as a landmark judgment reinforcing the commission’s mandate to protect consumers and ensure fair market practices.
He commended the commission’s legal team for their diligence.
Bello reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to enforcing the provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) in line with President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.