The swearing in of the Acting Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as the substantive governor of the Sunshine State is underway in Akure, the state capital.

The Chief Judge of the State, Justice Olusegun Odusola, is currently administering the oath of allegiance on Aiyedatiwa.

Present at the event are the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, Secretary to the State Government, Oladunni Odu, some state executive council members, former deputy governors, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in the state, party supporters among others.

As of 5:15pm, the time of filing this report, Aiyedatiwa was taking the oath of allegiance.

Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), died on Wednesday after months of battling illness reported to be leukemia.

Family and top government sources confirmed the death of the former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president, who died at 67.

With his death, Akeredolu became the third Nigerian governor to die while in office after the former Kaduna State Governor, Patrick Yakowa and ex-Governor Mamman Ali of Yobe State.

ROTIMI AKEREDOLU

On November 27, 2016, the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) announced Akeredolu as the winner of the Ondo State governorship election having polled 244,842 votes to defeat his closest rivals, Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 150,380 votes and Olusola Oke of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) who got 126,889 votes. He was sworn in as governor on February 24, 2017.

He won the battle to re-contest for the 2020 Ondo State governorship election after beating Olusola Oke, D.I. Kekemeke, Jimi Odimayo, Segun Abraham and others in the APC primaries.

On Saturday, October 10, 2020, Akeredolu was re-elected after polling 292,830 votes against his major opponents from PDP and the Zenith Labour Party, Eyitayo Jegede and Agboola Ajayi respectively. He was sworn in for a second term in office on February 24, 2021 alongside his new deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Akeredolu had been out of office at least since June 2023 when he officially transferred power to Aiyedatiwa and proceeded on a 21-day medical leave in Germany.

The leave, which was supposed to end on July 6, 2023, was later extended indefinitely as the governor continued to receive treatment in Germany.

He later returned to Nigeria on September 6 and resumed at his private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State, to recuperate amid lingering crisis bordering on governance faraway in Ondo.

From Aiyedatiwa’s running battle with the state Assembly members who moved to impeach him, to the sacking of his media aides by the governor, the political crisis in the Sunshine State has headlined the dailies on a regular basis. It took the intervention of President Bola Tinubu to prevail on the lawmakers.

There were repeated calls from different quarters, asking Akeredolu to either resign or resume office, but his handlers continued to give an impression that things were under control.

It became abundantly clear that all was not well when Kayode Ajulo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, raised the alarm in November that some commissioners forged Akeredolu’s signature to approve documents. The claim was confirmed a few days later by the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Rasaq Obe.

On December 11, Akeredolu wrote to the state Assembly that he was proceeding on another medical leave. Although he handed over to his deputy, many have argued he should have resigned instead of transmitting power to Aiyedatiwa in acting capacity.

PATRICK YAKOWA

Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa served as governor of Kaduna State from 2010 to 2012 when he died in a helicopter crash. He was appointed deputy governor in July 2005, and returned as Kaduna number two citizen in the April 2007 election. He was sworn in as governor on 20 May 2010, succeeding former Governor Namadi Sambo who had been sworn in as vice president the day before.

Yakowa, 64, successfully ran for election as Kaduna Governor in the April 2011 poll and won. On December 15, 2012, Yakowa died in a helicopter crash along with the former National Security Adviser, General Owoye Andrew Azazi (rtd), while flying from Bayelsa State to Port Harcourt. They were returning from the funeral of Oronto Douglas’ father in Beyelsa when the incident occurred.

Others in the ill-fated helicopter crash were Dauda Tsoho and Mohammed Kamal, both aides, as well as the two pilots: Muritala Mohammed Daba and Adeyemi Sowole.

Yakowa’s deputy, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, was consequently sworn-in the following day as the state’s new governor by the state Chief Judge, Justice Rahila Cudjoe.

MAMMAN BELLO ALI

Mamman Bello Ali represented Yobe South Senatorial District between 1999 and 2007 and was the chairman senate committee on public account. He contested and won the governorship election in Yobe in 2007 under the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and was in office until his death in 2009. He died of leukemia while receiving treatment at a hospital in Florida, United States.

Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele yesterday said the Federal Government will, as from next year, go after economic saboteurs who have made life difficult and unbearable for Nigerians.

Bamidele who expressed concern about the high level of economic sabotage, said those involved are doing everything to keep the exchange rates high against the naira or trying to make the nation’s currency unavailable to bank customers.

He added: “The Federal Government will charge, prosecute and punish them for their acts of economic sabotage. All these will take place next year.

“In the long run, those who mopped up the naira and dollars from the markets will face the consequences of their actions. Those who mopped up the dollars to keep commodity prices high will definitely not escape justice.

“Those who are speculating are also on the watch list of the Federal Government. At some points, the Federal Government will have to go after them.”

Bamidele assured Nigerians that despite the efforts of saboteurs to stifle the economy, the nation would witness a true era of Renewed Hope in the coming year.

The Senate Leader said there would be development, progress and prosperity, citing diverse plans by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to transform the economy.

He noted that the Federal Government was plannig “to invest heavily in agriculture and agro-allied industries”.

“We are equally doing all we can to harness our solid minerals potential as much as what we derive from the sale of crude oil. We are determined to sustain the daily production of 1.7 million barrels.”

Enugu State chairman of the Young Progressives Party, YPP, Engr. Tony Udeani has felicitated with Christian faithful and all Nigerians as they celebrate Christmas and New Year festivities.

Engr. Udeani who lauded Nigerians for their resilience in the face of the challenges facing the nation, urged them to embrace love and unity.

“Christmas reminds us of the reason for the season. It’s a time to inspire hope and spread the message of love.

“On this auspicious occasion, I wish all Nigerians a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

“I want to call on Christians in particular and Nigerians in general to emulate the virtues of Christ, who through self-sacrifice brought salvation to humanity. We must embrace love, peace and unity even as He first loved us by giving Himself for us.

“As we celebrate, may the good times and treasures of the present become the golden memories of tomorrow,” he said.

Ebonyi state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has zoned its senatorial ticket to Onicha local government area ahead of the Ebonyi South senatorial zone re-run slated for February 6th.

The party, in a communiqué signed by state chairman, Stanley Okoro-Emegha and 17 state working committees, disclosed this on Tuesday following the resignation of Senator David Umahi from the 10th Senate for an appointment as the current Minister of Works.

According to the party, the zoning was in the interest of justice, equity, and fairness, as Onicha local government remains the only council area without any political position.

The statement reads, “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), pursuant to the relevant provisions of our laws, and the President of the Senate declared the seat of Sen. David Nweze Umahi vacant, owing to his resignation from the 10th Senate for an appointment as the current Minister of Works.

“The said position resigned by Sen. David Nweze Umahi belongs to the All Progressives Congress, Ebonyi South Senatorial District.”

“Nature abhors a vacuum; hence, the need to replace the vacant position by the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ebonyi South Senatorial District.”

“The leader of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ebonyi State, is His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Bldr. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru.

“The leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Ebonyi State, having exemplified himself in leadership embodied in equity, justice, and fairness, and such leadership prowess worth’s following and emulation.

“Going by the current distribution of political positions in Ebonyi South Zone, it is only Onicha LGA that has no exalted or juicy political position of honour, unlike the other LGAs of the Zone, which have the following positions:
I) Afikpo North LGA—Deputy Governor and House of Representatives.
II) Edda LGA— APC State Party Chairman
III) Ivo LGA—House of Representatives.
IV) Ohaozara LGA—Minister, INEC REC, and SSA to Mr. President.
V) Onicha LGA—none.

“It is in the interest of justice, equity, and fairness, as envisaged by the leader of our great party, that the vacant seat of Ebonyi South Senatorial District be zoned to Onicha LGA of Ebonyi State.

“The State Working Committee (SWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ebonyi State, is in total alignment with the decisions of the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Rt. Hon. Bldr. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, in ensuring that equity, justice, and fairness are the cornerstones of these administrative principles.

“The State Working Committee (SWC) of APC, Ebonyi State, is in tandem with the leader’s philosophy in ensuring peace and peaceful coexistence in all nooks and crannies in Ebonyi State.”.

The SWC also aligns its support with Governor Francis Nwifuru’s decision to zone the position in the Onicha local government area.

“That in the interest of justice, equity, and fairness characterised by Rt Hon. Bldr. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru’s APC-led government, the vacant Ebonyi South Senatorial position be zoned to Onicha LGA of Ebonyi State.

“That the State Working Committee of All Progressives Congress (APC), Ebonyi State, is in unalloyed support and solidarity with the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State in all his people-oriented decisions in ensuring equity and justice prevail in all spheres of Ebonyi.”

However, younger brother to the Minister for Works, Austin Umahi, yesterday vowed to contest the position.

According to him, he is the most qualifed and challenged other aspirants to present themselves for people to make their choice.

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’Abba, is dead.

Born on September 27, 1958, the 8th Speaker of the House of Representatives died in Abuja on Wednesday morning.

According to family sources, late Na’Abba battled with ailment for a long time before passing away.

He was once flown abroad for medical treatment and stayed there for some months before he recovered and returned to Nigeria.

According to the sources, the remains of the former Speaker would be buried in Abuja today according to Islamic rites.

Late Na’Abba joined the Peoples Democratic Party, and became the party’s candidate for Kano Municipal Federal Constituency, a position he won during the April 1999 general elections.

He subsequently emerged Speaker of the House of Representatives after the political crisis that led to exit of the first Speaker of the Fourth Republic, Salisu Buhari.

He attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he studied political science and graduated in 1979.