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Lagos to probe school over alleged sodomy

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The Lagos State Government has announced plans to investigate the alleged defilement of a 10-year-old boy by a 22-year-old teacher, Louis Prosper, at Blessed Peace School in Abule Odu in Egbeda community, Alimosho Local Government Area of the state.

The spokesperson for the state Ministry of Education, Mr Kayode Sutton, disclosed on Monday that the issue could have been addressed much earlier if they (the ministry) had been aware of the teacher’s alleged crime.

A According to Metro report on Monday detailed how the 22-year-old teacher was arrested and detained by the state police command for allegedly sodomising the minor at the school.

The suspect had allegedly told the survivor to behave like a girl and take off his trousers after luring him to a solitary spot in the school.

The report also revealed that the suspect had enticed the survivor to the location on October 18, 2024, on the pretence that he intended to take him to a spelling bee and art competition where the minor would earn money and possibly even travel abroad.

“He took the boy to a classroom and instructed him to act like a girl. He then ordered him to pull down his trousers and close his eyes.

“He assaulted the boy and threatened him not to tell anyone, assuring him that he would win the competition,” a key figure involved in the teacher’s arrest, who requested to remain anonymous, told According to Metro on Sunday.

When reached on Monday to enquire about the state government’s efforts to ensure school safety and its response to the incident, Sutton stated that the appropriate department had been notified and an investigation would begin.

“Officially, we are not aware of the incident. We are not unmindful that things like these happen in private and public schools, which of course we have to a large extent nipped in the bud. We have reprimanded a lot of teachers in this regard.

“Because it is a private school and the incident was not escalated by the management at any point in time, it would be difficult for the government to be aware of it.”

We have the office of quality assurance that handles cases like this. If the private school had escalated it, the state government would have stepped in immediately.

“Now that we know this, we have forwarded the information to the appropriate authorities. They will take immediate action, investigate, and visit the school. This will determine our next steps. We already have a monitoring team in place to handle such cases, but without such information being brought to our attention, our ability to act is limited,” Sutton stated.

Speaking with our correspondent on Monday, a woman who identified herself as the school’s proprietress but declined to disclose her name said the suspect had already been arrested by the state police.

She also told According to Metro that the suspect had been dismissed after the school became aware of his alleged crime.

“The teacher has already been detained and is no longer at the school. That’s all we know about the matter for now; he is no longer employed with us,” the proprietress said before ending the call.

According to Metro reports that in July, a 27-year-old teacher, Bright Emelogu, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Lagos for sodomising a pupil.

Police hunt killers of five in Anambra

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The Anambra State Police Command said it had begun a manhunt for the yet-to-be-identified assailants who killed five persons when they attacked two communities in the early hours of Monday.

Our correspondent gathered that the armed hoodlums, operating in unregistered Lexus 330 SUV and Honda FJ Cruiser SUV, launched the attacks at Ekeagu community in Abatete, Idemili North Local Government Area and Ukpo junction in Dunukofia LGA of the state.

During the attacks, no fewer than five persons, including three members of the vigilantes and two others were said to have been killed by the heavily armed assailants, while several others were injured.

The Anambra State police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, had launched a manhunt for the assailants and vowed to catch the perpetrators.

Ikenga said, “The Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, stated that the command should fish out the criminals who murdered four vigilante operatives and left two others seriously injured in the state.

“The armed men today, November 18, 2024, unprovoked by 8:45 am operating in an unregistered Lexus 330 SUV and Honda FJ Cruiser SUV at Ekeagu Abatete, murdered three members of the vigilantes and injured another unsuspecting member of the public.

According to Metro learnt that the gunmen stormed the Abatete community, targeting security officers attached to the town’s President-General.

Some sources in the community told our correspondent in confidence that three security men were shot and killed instantly during an exchange of gunfire, adding the PG of the community, whose identity has yet to be ascertained, was critically injured and rushed to a nearby hospital.

One of the sources said, “We are praying for his (PG) recovery. The armed hoodlums invaded the community in the early hours of today and started shooting indiscriminately. This senseless violence left our community shaken.”

Some residents who also spoke on the development said they were still in shock, with many calling for increased security presence.

In another separate incident, some gunmen attacked the Ukpo Community at the Ukpo Roundabout, in Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state, killing one vigilante operative and a motorcycle rider.

An eyewitness who refused to disclose his identity for fear of reprisal said, “It was chaos. The attackers came out of nowhere, shooting indiscriminately and shouting and claiming to be freedom fighters.

“We are still trying to process what happened. It was an unprovoked attack on security operatives.”

It was gathered that both incidents were said to have occurred within an hour interval, with the first attack happening at 8 am in Abatete and the second at 8:45 am in Ukpo.

The Anambra State Police spokesman, Ikenga, also said in the statement on Monday that at Ukpo junction, Dunkunofia LGA while escaping a hot chase by the Police Responding Team, the assailants shot and killed another member of the vigilante, injured another and set two vehicles ablaze.

“Meanwhile, the bodies of the deceased have been recovered and the injured are currently receiving treatment in the hospital.

“The CP condoles with the family, friends and community of the deceased and states that the police shall leave no stone unturned until those behind the barbaric act are arrested and justice served.

“Further development shall be communicated, please,” he concluded.

32 escape death in Lagos-Ibadan Expressway auto crash

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No fewer than 32 persons escaped death following multiple collisions of nine vehicles along the Danco axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Monday.

This was contained in a traffic update issued by the Commandant, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Seni Ogunyemi.

According to the report, the accident occurred due to excessive speeding and loss of control on the part of one of the drivers which resulted in multiple collisions with other vehicles.

A TRACE operative with some of the crashed vehicles

Oguyemi stressed that a Scania truck loaded with perishable items had fallen on the expressway after losing control due to speeding and thereby obstructing a section of the highway.

He added that another driver who was not driving with caution had rammed into the fallen truck from the rear, thereby leading to collisions with other vehicles.

He said, “Also, excessive speed and impatience by the Sino truck driver loaded with granites hit the Sienna from the rear which affected the other mentioned vehicles.”

The TRACE boss noted that 32 persons were involved in the accident, including 20 adult males and 12 adult females.

“Number of occupants: 32 (20 adult males, 12 adult females). Nil number of injured and nil number of deaths,” he added.

He identified the vehicles Involved as “a Ford jeep (KTU 980 FP), a Nissan jeep (GGE 440XP), a Sienna (AAA 609 LA), a Toyota Highlander (WDE 831AAA), and a Mazda bus (GNN 860 XB).

“Others are Toyota bus (SMK 860 FK), Sinotruck(JBD 51 XB), Scania truck (T.22058LA), and Toyota Camry (SRA 669 BL),” he said.

Ogunyemi noted that nobody was injured or killed in the crash, stating that TRACE operatives restored normalcy to the axis after vehicles were held in traffic.

“Traffic was seriously affected, and normalcy was later restored with the efforts of TRACE operatives and Shagamu Police,” Ogunyemi concluded.

Nierian Advocacy Group Slams Reno Omokri Over Double Standards

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Nierian Advocacy Group Slams Reno Omokri Over Double Standards
Born in January 1974 to Helen Bemigho and Justice Jean Omokri.
Beyond this, not much is known about the earlier days of this social nuisance and cyber bug until his sudden but disastrous ascendance to the corridors of power – only in Nigeria.
Reno is a desperado when it comes to attention-seeking, the only thing he knows how to do. Not even his post graduate degree is enough to restore the functional and productive use of his sense since he lost it on the altar of gluttony and eye-service.
Our country, Nigeria is deeply embroiled in one of her worst economic crises since her existence as a nation, and psychopaths like Reno are exploiting the situation through needless controversies.
To confirm how desperate he is in his hunt for controversy, he resorted to picking on a well-respected woman of God by digging out an undated video about tithing, done about a decade or more ago. Knowing the sensitivity of the topic, he harped on it to trend and gather traffic. Unfortunately, some bitter and malicious persons will follow suit and be mischievously swayed in the direction of his flapdoodles.
The subject of tithing has been used by mischief makers to generate flaring controversy in recent times, and Reno is obviously desperate to rekindle the flames of that controversy. He usually uses theological distortions to bamboozle the unread members of the public. Some are even seen praising him as being well-read. But what is well-read about his fallacious, specious, sophistic and misleading submissions?
He said that Malachi 3:11 was used in the agricultural context, and that tithers in those days only tithed agricultural produce. But he wasn’t wise, logical or sensible enough to know that that was an agricultural age where the predominant occupation of man was agriculture, and so, tithing was based on the predominant means of livelihood which was agriculture.
Reno queried the King James Version’s rendering of Mathew 23:23, but what about the rendering of the same Scripture in the New Living Translation as follows?
“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.” Mathew 23:23.
He said his own “Yeshua” not our Jesus, did not tell people to tithe, but what about the above Scripture?
Well, religion is a matter of belief, and so there are those who believe in tithing even if their pastors don’t preach it. No well-meaning church or pastor will force members of their congregation to pay tithe. Even in the same congregation, there are those who pay tithe and there are those who don’t pay tithe, and they still come to church, and no one harasses them. It is their private dealings with God, and not with the church or the pastor.
So, those who don’t pay tithe like Reno should leave the church, pastors and those who pay tithe alone.
Come to think of it: what does Reno represent? What are his antecedents in society? What moral standing does he have to be denigrating the church?
Is it not the same Reno who calls himself pastor, and yet wangled his way into politics when the pulpit seemed not to be paying him as expected?
Is it not the same Reno who is jumping from one political pay master to another in search of breadcrumbs to serve his gluttony?
Is it not the same Reno who served his master Goodluck Jonathan into a disastrous electoral defeat?
Is it not the same Reno who stole the identity of a teenage boy in America to do a public relation stunt in Nigeria? Such a despicable element!
Is it the same Reno who advised his master to buy phones worth N50 billion to farmers in Nigeria? Such a disastrous policy proposal!
Is it the same Reno who insulted Atiku Abubakar while working for Goodluck Jonathan and switched over to work for the same Atiku Abubakar when he led Jonathan into a disastrous defeat?
Is it the same Reno who sang the praises of PDP, claimed to be a card-carrying member of the party, insulted Tinubu and the APC, but has now turned round to sing the praises of the same Tinubu and the APC, just to gain some filthy lucre?
Is it not this Reno who sang the praises of the Hausa Fulani culture and religion and even began to dress like a typical Hausa man, just to gain political relevance?
Is it not the same Reno who speaks from the two sides of his mouth, a rabblerouser and sycophant-in-chief? Such an uncultured and shameless human being.
Is it not the same Reno who abandoned his wife and children in the US just to start another family in the UK with another woman? The most irresponsible depiction of masculinity!
Is it not the same Reno who has been fanning the flames of ethnic and tribal bigotry in Nigeria? Reno would be happier today if some ethnic groups, especially the Ibos, were wiped out. His ethnic rhetoric was flammable enough to engulf the whole country in flames, but for divine intervention.
For the records, the church and pastors are not the problems of Nigeria as Reno, and his ilk would like to have us believe. Christianity or tithing is not the reason for Nigeria’s economic and political woes. Political charlatans and moral imbeciles like Reno who wangled their ways into corridors of power by crookery were the ones who plunged us into this quagmire. Reno is a political stooge who is being used to sway the attention of the unsuspecting public from holding accountable the real culprits behind the suffering of Nigerians.
He took on the title of a pastor before now. He was also in political power. What has he been able to do with his inconsequential life to better the lot of the common man apart from rabblerousing, inciteful comments and controversy? It is never on record that he has empowered anyone to succeed in life, yet he is recklessly running his loquacious mouth in a desperate and malicious attempt to denigrate a well-respected woman of God and her husband. Those who are impacting people’s lives positively should not be the subject of attack of worthless, empty, malicious and pestilent elements in society.
Reno’s mental health is obviously concerning, but the most unfortunate thing is that he is dragging a whole generation with himself into a social, religious and moral abyss. Having lost the mental capacity for productive economic engagements, he has now honed an ignoble skill for the controversial knowing that controversy is what drives traffic in his new social media lair. Reno is on life support, and it is only by cyber tomfoolery that he can generate enough breath to stay alive.
And to the gullible who follow him, ask yourself? Is the situation of the country any better? He and his fellow politicians that he is ostensibly fighting for, have they been able to turn the economic tides of the nation? Is Reno really fighting for Nigerians or adding to their injuries by mocking their economic woes?
The church is the one bearing the economic and social burdens of the nation. When people are hungry, they run to church; they don’t run to the Aso Rock or to a politician. When they cannot pay their house rent, they run to their pastor, not to their senator. The church is closer to the people and feels their pulses, yet it is the same church and men of God that the malicious and misguided Reno is desperately seeking to undermine and denigrate.
In saner climes, and even in the days of yore when nobler men lived in more moral societies, incurable lunatics found their feet in the correction of the stocks. But human right advocacy and technology, though germane, have left our street, especially the street of social media with yelping psychopaths like Reno prowling and disrupting the peace and stability of society.
Reno should be pitied, not listened to or taken seriously.
Dachem Felix is the National President, Citizens for Progress Network

Gunmen kill motorcyclist in Rivers

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Gunmen have killed a motorcycle rider simply identified as Innocent, in Ahoada town, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The incident occurred on Sunday near the Civil Defence Junction, where the assailants, posing as passengers, approached the rider.

A source, speaking anonymously for safety reasons, disclosed that the Okada rider was suspicious of the men and resisted when he realised they intended to steal his motorcycle.

“So an argument went on and amid the resistance, the gunmen shot him and tool away his motorcycle,” the source said.

The victim’s family was alerted and he was rushed to an undisclosed hospital, but he was later confirmed dead.

The incident has since been reported to the Ahoada Police Division.

Rivers State Police Command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the killing on Monday evening.

Iringe-Koko stated, “Yes I can confirm. The victim was shot while struggling with the men that held him.

“He was immediately rushed to a clinic where the medical doctor on the ground confirmed him dead.

“But as we speak, investigation has commenced with a view to apprehending the perpetrators of this dastardly act and make them face the law.”

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President Tinubu Attends G20 Summit in Brazil | Global Governance and Sustainable Development

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President Bola Tinubu is set to depart ABUJAH for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this Sunday to attend the 19th G20 Leaders Summit, scheduled for November 18th and 19th. Hosted by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the summit gathers leaders from the world’s largest economies to tackle critical global issues.

This year’s theme, ‘Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet,’ will drive discussions on poverty, hunger, energy transition, and global governance reforms.

President Tinubu will also hold bilateral talks to advance Nigeria’s socio-economic goals in agriculture, energy, and infrastructure. Accompanying him are top ministers, including Yusuf Tuggar, Mukhtar Maiha, and Hannatu Musawa.

This is a pivotal moment for Nigeria on the global stage
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Senate to probe N105bn financial infractions by federal agencies

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The Senate on Monday, vowed to invoke parliamentary sanctions against any head of Federal Government agencies which had been indicted for financial infractions in the report submitted to the National Assembly by the Auditor General for the Federation.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance, Senator Garba Madoki, gave the warning at a one-day workshop in Abuja.

Madoki lamented the rate at which heads of the MDAs have been shunning Senate summons and warned that further disregard for the resolutions of the red chamber would no longer be tolerated.

He said, “We are going to be very strict on the report of the Auditor General for the Federation. We are taking notes of those items.

“In the very short while, measures are going to be taken against everybody who refused to comply with Senate resolutions on the matter.

“Where compliance is not done, I can guarantee you that actions will be taken against whoever is infringing on those reports.”

The AuGF had a few months ago expressed concerns over irregularities and weaknesses in financial regulations across ministries, departments and agencies of government, especially in the disbursement and utilisation of public funds.

The AuGF noted that transparency and accountability in government financial management systems could not be over-emphasised, particularly given the country’s rapidly dwindling revenues as well as its impact on an annual budget.

The Auditor General, in his latest annual report on the financial conduct of public institutions, currently before the two chambers of the National Assembly, had revealed that a total sum of N105.66bn had been expended by MDAs in breach of extant rules and regulations.

The report stated that N18.36bn had been awarded for contracts without regard to the Public Procurement Act.

The AuGF also expressed concern over the persistent inherent weaknesses in the system despite his previous recommendations to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning as well as the Accountant General of the Federation for prompt actions.

However, the Chairman of the Senate Legislative Compliance Panel said, the Senate Committee on Public Accounts is already dealing with the AuGF report.

He said, “We will take this job seriously. And where sanctions are required, we will not hesitate to sanction any MDA that violates the laws of this country, either inadvertently or willfully.”

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, in his speech read on the occasion by his deputy, Jibrin Barau, also said the 10th National Assembly would not take it easy with any head of the MDAs who flout its resolutions.

He said, “As representatives of the people, one of our core mandates is to ensure that the resolutions and laws passed by the legislature are implemented effectively.

“This task is not just about oversight; it is about ensuring that the aspirations of Nigerians, as articulated through their representatives, are translated into meaningful action and positive outcomes.

“Legislative compliance is critical to the success of governance. Without it, the effectiveness of the National Assembly is undermined, public trust in government is eroded, and the development agenda is stalled.

“Our responsibility goes beyond enacting laws—it extends to ensuring their implementation by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, and holding those who fail to comply accountable.”

The acting Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr. Kamoru Ogunlana, said legislative compliance was not merely a legal framework but the backbone of good governance.

He said, “ It ensures that our laws are not just enacted but are effectively implemented and respected throughout our society,

“Through robust legislative processes and compliance mechanisms, we can enhance citizen trust and confidence in our institutions, paving the way for sustainable development and social justice.”

Okpebholo signs revised N486bn appropriation bill into law

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Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on Monday signed the revised Appropriation Bill of N485.63 billion into law.

In a statement released by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, the budget, as approved by the Edo State House of Assembly, allocates N202.65 billion for recurrent expenditures and N282.99 billion for capital projects.

In his remarks, Okpebholo commended the lawmakers for their prompt passage of the Bill, which he believes lays the foundation for transformative governance.

He stated, “I want to thank you for your cooperation and the speedy passage of this Bill. With this momentum, Edo State is poised to experience remarkable development. I see a team of dedicated individuals ready to work for the betterment of our state.”

The signing ceremony, held at the Executive Council Chamber, was attended by the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Honourable Blessing Agbebaku, alongside other lawmakers.

Agbebaku emphasised the legislature’s commitment to supporting the administration’s vision and ensuring continuity in government.

He noted: “The 8th Assembly expedited the passage of this appropriation law to enable the new administration to commence its projects without delay. Government is a continuum, and we are committed to fostering development for the people of Edo State.”

The Bill, initially presented on 13 November 2024, underwent accelerated deliberations, highlighting the collaboration between the executive and legislative arms of government.

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Delta donates 31 vehicles to boost police, security operations

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Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has donated 31 operational vehicles to the police and other security agencies in the state to strengthen their operations.

Oborevwori, while presenting the vehicles on Monday in Asaba to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said the donation was aimed at enhancing joint security operations in the state, code-named “Operation Delta Sweep.”

He explained that the donation was prompted by the general insecurity experienced in the country and urged the security agencies to work together and share intelligence to ensure effective security in the state.

He said, “In my MORE Agenda, I promised Deltans that we would enhance peace and security. As part of this commitment, we are rebranding the operation formerly known as ‘Delta Hawk’ to ‘Operation Delta Sweep,’ and this rebranding underscores our renewed focus and strategy.

“Without security, meaningful development cannot take place. We aim to create a secure environment where investors feel confident to invest, ultimately improving the quality of life for our citizens and fostering harmony across the state.

“This joint security task force, established on December 10, 2020, as a policy response to rising violent crimes, comprises the Nigerian Army, Police Force, Air Force, Navy, DSS, and Civil Defence Corps.

“Since its inception, this initiative has recorded significant successes in combating crimes such as illegal oil bunkering, kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, and drug-related offences.

“The rebranding reflects our administration’s resolve to reduce crime to its barest minimum. To support this effort, the state government has donated 31 vehicles, including 23 pickups and eight Sienna wagons, in addition to four Hilux vehicles previously delivered. This brings the fleet to 66 vehicles, aimed at enhancing daily patrols, especially during the Ember Months.

“I trust this will boost the morale of task force members and motivate them to redouble their efforts to keep our state safe.

“We remain committed to providing the necessary support to ensure peace and security in Delta State. With these measures, I am confident that our people will enjoy a secure and peaceful season.”

Speaking earlier, during a courtesy call by the IG, Oborevwori lauded the exceptional, inspiring, and reassuring leadership of the Nigeria Police Force’s “Safe School Programme,” designed to protect schools and educational institutions from terror attacks and violent crimes.

“Thanks to this initiative, parents and guardians can now rest assured that their children are under the watchful eyes of the School Protection Squad.”

Adeleke accuses Ganduje of plotting to destabilise S’West

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Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has described the National President of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, as a threat to democracy, urging President Bola Tinubu to caution the former Kano State governor.

In a statement issued on Monday and signed by his media aide, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke responded to Dr Umar Ganduje’s pledge to seize Osun in 2026, made in reaction to the APC’s victory in last Saturday’s Ondo State governorship election.

Adeleke accused Ganduje of being discontent with the South West’s peace and unity behind President Tinubu and of attempting to stoke regional political tensions to undermine the president’s position ahead of the 2027 elections.

Describing Ganduje’s comments as anti-democratic, the Osun Governor said the APC national chairman’s stance was at odds with Tinubu’s democratic values.

“As a seasoned politician, one would have expected Dr Ganduje to understand that electoral outcomes are influenced by local factors. What applies in Edo and Ondo is not necessarily reflective of political realities in Osun State.

Voter behaviour is shaped by local grievances and interests, not by external impositions,” Adeleke said.

He pointed out that in Kano, local dynamics ensured the continued success of the Kwankwasiyya group, which outperformed Ganduje’s faction despite his eight years in office.

“If Ganduje failed in his own state due to internal resistance, why does he think the people of Osun, who endorsed Governor Adeleke, will allow their will to be disregarded in 2026?” Adeleke asked. “Osun is the heart of the Yoruba people, where political freedom is deeply valued, and resistance to electoral fraud is a tradition.”

Adeleke concluded by accusing Ganduje of being an insider threat to President Tinubu’s leadership. “If Ganduje truly supports the president, why is he trying to destabilise the president’s home zone with open threats to violate electoral law and deny citizens their rights to vote?”

He further invited Ganduje to study Osun’s political dynamics, warning that what works in Edo and Ondo would not succeed in Osun for various reasons.

Adeleke also mentioned that many opposition members had recently defected to the ruling party, strengthening the PDP’s position in Osun, and stated that Ganduje did not have the mandate from President Tinubu to ignite conflicts in the South West.