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It is settled law that the question of who is a candidate of any political party for any election remains the exclusive preserve of the political party. This time tested principle is recognition of the fact that a Political Party is supreme over its membership. This is the clearest indication of the concept of the supremacy of a Political Party at play. It is well settled that a political party is a voluntary association and any member that joins a political party agrees to subscribe to the ideology of that political party, its ethos, rules, regulations and constitution. If you join a political party you have invariably or unwittingly agreed to subsume your rights under that political party and such you are bound to obey its rules, regulations and constitution. So if at any time a member of a political party thinks that he or she is not obligated or is not willing to obey any rule or regulation or directive or any provision in that party’s Constitution laid down by

Sanate President Bukola Saraki, who stoned yesterday with rocks and water sachets by an irate mob at the Eid Prayer Grounds in Ilorin, Kwara State, has accused Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of leaving him vulnerable and open to attack, an aide of the governor has told SaharaReporters. Our source added that Governor Ahmed confided in aides and the traditional ruler of Ilorin that the Senate President made himself the target of furious crowd because he failed to listen to security reports and advice urging him to stay away from Ilorin during the Sallah holiday. A security source corroborated the governor’s sentiment. According to him, security agencies in the state had been aware of public anger against the governor and Mr. Saraki, especially as information circulated among residents about the size of the senator’s assets and personal wealth. He added that many people in the state, among them unemployed youth and workers who are owed arrears of salaries, felt that the Sar

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Olu Falae, who was freed after spending four days in captivity, yesterday recounted his ordeal. Falae, who reunited with his family in Akure and was welcomed home by a crowd, said he slept on the bare floor for four days. The septuagenarian added that he trekked more than 30 kilometres from his Ilado farm in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, where he was abducted, to a place in Owo Local Government Area where he was kept during his captivity. The former SGF was kidnapped on Monday by suspected Fulani herdsmen who stormed his farm in Ilado. But yesterday, Falae returned to his home in Akure, the state capital, in company with the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, who led the rescue team. Arase and the family said no ransom was paid to the kidnappers before Falae was released. However, Falae, who was visibly worried, said he did not sleep in one location during the four day

I was alarmed this morning when I received a message from whatsapp from one my numerous contacts suggesting that the current travails of the Senate President, Dr Abubukar Bukola Saraki is being masterminded by President Muhammadu Buhari because his father, late Dr. Olusola Saraki as Senate Leader in the 1980s headed a Committee that allegedly indicted the then General Muhammadu Buhari! Nothing can be farther from the truth. I know I am not the Spokesman of President Buhari but as a conscientious citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I am duty bound to refute with all my mighty such  devilish efforts to peddle falsehood and plain lies against the person of  President Buhari by some faceless hirelings on the pay roll of some corrupt mandarins who have deservedly found themselves at the wrong side of the law to ?pull wood over the eyes of gullible Nigerians who were not born in the 1980s. At least I was in Secondary School when the brohaha over the alleged miss

Today, the Muslim Ummah celebrated. Today, in Ilorin, the Eid organisers disappointed and displayed colossal incompetence. Today, Mr. Saraki was humiliated. All around the world, Muslims celebrated and gathered at several Eid grounds to worship. It was no different in Ilorin, home to great Islamic scholars. What was different however, was that for the first time in recent history, the organisation was so bad that many people left without praying. People far off from the Imam could not link up to him as a result of bad/insufficient speakers. The disappointment I felt is the same the man beside me must have felt when shortly before the prayers he was lamenting: “First, they said, we were uneducated, so we went to school. Now that we’ve gone to school, there are no jobs for us. The few that have jobs have not been paid for monthsShortly after the prayers, I noticed commotion. There were water sachets and stones flying in the air – all directed at the direction whe

THE Islamic calendar turns another leaf with today’s celebration of the festival of Rams, also known as Eid-el-Kabir or Eid-el-Adha. It is a bit discomforting that most Nigerians, even Muslims who should know better, tend to perceive Eid-el-kabir as an occasion mainly for merriment and feasting, more so as the rams slaughtered are to be consumed with friends and neighbours. Nothing can be farther from the truth, as a reflection of the history of the festival reveals. Firstly, this occasion had its origin in the days of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) who, as both the Holy Quran and the Holy Bible record was called upon by God to sacrifice Ishmael, his only son at the time, for the Almighty. The request came in frequent visions and dreams, and Ibrahim (may Allah’s peace be upon him), being God-fearing, decided to fulfill the demand. Surely, that decision, along with the surrounding circumstances, is anything but cheery. And the apprehension was further underlined by the fact

On Thursday, October 2, 2014, I was in the ancient town of Ile-Ife to attend the wake keep of Olori Beatrice Omosigho Adedapo Aderemi, the wife of late Prince Adedapo Morounfolu Aderemi, the first son of the late Ooni of Ife, the revered Sir Adesoji Aderemi. Prince Adedapo died in October 1963 at the young age of 39. After the wake keep which held at the Aderemi’s family house,  popularly known as Glass House  in Ile-Ife, I drove to Oja Ife (Ife Market or Oba Market) located some walking distance from the palace of the Ooni of Ife. I went there just to fraternise with Bunmi Adegoke, my childhood friend and old school mate, who retired from Union Bank as a Manager some years back and now into a distribution business. Few years ago, he bagged the traditional title of Sooko, which literally stands for the head of a branch of a ruling house in Ife. Sooko Bunmi Adegoke is from the Lafogido Ruling House in Ife. Altogether, there are more than 40 Sookos in Ife.

As the economy continues to face challenges which demand innovative and radical policies, the stakes are high on President Muhammadu Buhari. He is expected to provide inspiring leadership and deliver on key mandates, ensuring security of lives and property, galvanise state resources to engender prosperity, keep a watchful eye and maintain rigorous stewardship over federal treasury, tax collection, public service recruitment and development and deliver services that are responsive to citizens’ need, be accountable and ensure public trust in government. Nigeria is expected to be among the top 20 economies in the world with a minimum GDP of N144tn (US$900bn) and a GDP per capita income of no less than N640,000 (US$4,000) per annum by 2020 and the priority areas to achieve this target include physical infrastructure, real sector development, human capital development and governance. The current stock of core infrastructure in Nigeria is estimated to be about 30-40 per cen

If anyone needed a good hint on President Muhammadu Buhari’s likely economic policy direction, he has given one by declaring that there will be “no more devaluation of the naira”. It is the clearest signal yet that the exchange rate policy may not be formulated by the monetary policy committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). It is going to be determined, effectively,from Aso Rock. Thus, the exchange rate may have no direct connection to the interplay of demand and supply in the currency market. Is this good or bad? Actually, every policy has its good and bad sides, but I honestly don’t know how well Buhari’s pronouncement will work out. Things could even get messier. Listen carefully to Buhari: “The naira has been devalued.It used to be around 160, and now it is hovering around 200 and above and I don’t think it is healthy for us to have the naira devalued further. That’s why we are getting the central bank to make modifications in terms of making foreign excha

False accusations are of particular interest to sceptics and the media houses because scepticism has often been at the forefront of lending voice to the wrongly accused. In climes like ours, it is important as  concerned citizens to take a critical look at the allegations made by the Code of Conduct Bureau against the Senate President Bukola Saraki, and the increasingly refined methods adopted by those in support of seeking facts. I hereby  state the reasons why the charges against Dr. Bukola Saraki by the Code of Conduct Bureau/Tribunal (CCB/CCT) are on a baseless ground: 1. Going by the available evidence, Bukola Saraki, has clearly declared his assets since 2003, when he ran for governor of Kwara State. With countless assets declared, and no other inconsistency found, Nigerians must ask: “Why did the CCB suddenly find this particular asset declaration from 2003 worthy of note?” Given that the declaration in question was for a different office than the office that

A tweet purportedly made by Senate president Bukola Saraki, published by eagle online have further exposed the narrow mind of the senate president who failed whooply to address the basic issue generating serious concern. He started the tweet with the following quoted statement which only exposed his myopic shortsightness, avoiding and refusing to address the real issue that have generated serious brouhaha within the Nigerian political landscapeBukola Saraki said “My appearance in court today once again demonstrates my belief in the rule of law and respect for the judiciary of our country.” While Saraki is free to verbally vomit whatever he felt could be helpful to confuse those that are yet to grasp the ordeal Saraki went through at the code of conduct tribunal, what we rather saw was entirely the opposite of what Saraki was broadcasting to the public. We only saw Saraki running away from the law, showing up at the tribunal only when he realised that all possible optio

THE office of the president of any country is not a post people get at easily, especially a country like Nigeria, the giant of Africa, little wonder many do all sorts of things in order to be there. But what becomes the fate of a person who was freely elected by the entire country to be there and all of a sudden , somebody who felt that he was powerful came up and declared the election annulled. This was the case of late business mogul, Bashorun MKO Abiola, acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election, declared by international observers as the fairest and freest election ever conducted on the Nigerian soil. And of course, he did not give up, though his struggle to reclaim his mandate eventually claimed his life and that of one of his wives, Kudirat Abiola.

The Nation -President Muhamadu Buhari has approved a tendering process for the 2015/2016 Crude Oil Term Contract and the evacuation of Nigeria’s crude oil equity from the various crude and condensate production arrangements. The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which announced the presidential approval, said it will begin with the advertisement of the Crude Oil Term contract in both National and International print media for one month. The new arrangement has been “carefully structured to weed out briefcase companies and rent seekers,” a statement by the Corporation last night said.

The Nation -Former Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has condemned the attacks on his successor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola. He remains proud of Fashola and will never be part of any part of any process to bring him down, he said yesterday. Tinubu, in a statement by his media office yesterday, said Fashola would be victorious in the end. He said the immediate past governor contributed immensely to the development of Lagos. The statement reads: “The past elections were an epic confrontation between two opposing political camps. Those who believed in the progressive governance of the people gathered under the banner of the APC. Those who hearkened to the conservative elitism that had cast this nation downward for so many years.

"Obviously, the continued decline in the oil revenue will make the current government to diversify the economy and make it buoyant," Yusuf said. Pulse -An economist, Mr Tosin Yusuf , on Monday said diversification was the only way to get out of the current economic problem in Nigeria . Yusuf told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo that the economic situation of the country required diversification of the monoculture oil economy.

The Nation -The Publicity Secretary of the People Democratic Party in Osun State, Alhaji Bola Ajao, in this interview with Adesoji Adeniyi, speaks about the petition written by Justice Folaranmi Oloyede calling for the impeachment of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.  The All Progressives Congress is accusing the Peoples Democratic Party of raising false alarm on the financial situation of the state? Is it false alarm that workers in the service of Osun State government are being owed unprecedented eight months salaries? Is it false alarm that many grandiose projects in the state are in the state of abandonment? And the reason is not far from financial insolvency. Is it false alarm that Osun State government under the watch of Ogbeni Aregbesola cannot meet sundry financial obligations? It is sad that our school system has gone comatose as school children could not write first, second and third term as well as their annual promotion examinations.

Daily Times -The Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEO), has described the National Judicial Commission (NJC) involvement in the marital matter of Justice Folahanmi Oloyede as unfortunate and shocking. It would be recalled that Mrs. Emily Richard-Obire had sent a petition to NJC, claiming that Justice Oloyede snatched her husband.

Daily Post -The Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEO) has chided the National Judicial Commission (NJC) for meddling in Justice Folahanmi Oloyede’s marital squabbles. The group expressed shock that the chairman of the commission, Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN), Mahmud Mohammed, gave attention to a petition sent to the NJC by one Mrs. Emily Richard-Obire claiming that Oloyede snatched her husband. CSCEO in a statement in Osogbo, Osun State, signed by its chairman and its director of mobilisation, Comrade Adeniyi Sulaiman and Rev. Theophilus Ayodeji respectively, accused the CJN and the NJC of dancing to the tune of politicians.

Premium Time -The Osun State Government has said that it will not interfere in the selection process of the next Ooni of Ife in the face of rising controversies over who ascends the throne. The Adetipe family within the Ogboru ruling house, which is contending for the stool, had on Monday called on the Osun State Government to assist the traditional institution in the state to ensure that the right person and ruling house produced the 51st Ooni of Ife. The call stemmed from a brewing controversy on whose turn it is to produce a nominee for the Ooni stool.

Nigeria new president and the Commander-In-Chief of the Arm Force of Federal Republic of Nigeria. Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the relocation of Defence Headquarter from Abuja to Maduguri the State headquarter of Borno State in his quest to reposition the military and to combat the insurgent in the North East. The president made this known while delivering his inaugural speech immediately after he was sworn-in as the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria. Detail later

A Nigerian minister, Segun Aganga, PDP chieftain, Tony Anenih and the Governor of Benue state, Gabriel Suswam today departed Nigeria on a British Airways flight out of the Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport apparently to avoid getting caught. The three were last seen boarding the BA flight scheduled for an 8:00am departure to London. SaharaReporters learnt that more party officials and President Goodluck Jonathan’s aides, ministers and several appointees have either fled or planning to flee the country afraid that incoming President Muhammad Buhari will probe the administration of Mr. Jonathan and jail those found guilty of corruption. Last week, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-madueke traveled on the same flight with Buhari to London, while on the six hour trip she made several attempt to start a conversation with Mr. Buhari, but the 72-old winner of Nigeria’s presidential election known for his no-nonsense stance on corruption rebuffed

President Muhammadu Buhari just sworn in by Chief justice of Nigeria, Mahmud Mohammed. The president and his Vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo took oath of Office and Allegiance Prof. Osinbajo was first to take his oaths, followed by the President, Muhammadu Buhari At exactly 10:45 A.M. Friday, May 29, Muhammadu Buhari mounted the podium to take his oath of office and that of allegiance, effectively becoming President of Nigeria, Africa’s largest democracy. That moment also ended the reign of Goodluck Jonathan as leader of the most populous black nation on earth. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was the first to be sworn in in a ceremony conducted by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, assisted by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court. Shortly after Mr. Buhari was sworn in, the outgoing president congratulated him and presented to him copies of the Nigerian Constitution, and the National and Armed Forces Flag. Messrs Buhari and Osinbajo of the All Progressives Congress were el

AS part of measures to reduce the cost of governance, the incoming administration of Muhammadu Buhari may retain only 19 ministries from the present 31. Consequently, most of the candidates being considered for the federal executive council (FEC) will end up as ministers of state, after all. Besides, the president-elect is said to be considering the feasibility of announcing his Chief of Staff, Principal Secretary and a handful of Special Advisers before Friday so that there can be some semi-official interface between the outgoing government and the incoming one in the context of handing over of tangible assets in the State House. The Guardian was told last night that there is one mind in all policy advisory committee members that the number of the ministries should be pruned to about twenty as part of over-all strategy to reduce high cost of governance in Abuja. It was learned that the cost-of-governance-reduction strategy is not by intuition or a flash in the pan as variou

The supreme court today affirmed governor Rauf Aregbesola as the duly elected governor of the in the last August 9, 2014 governorship election held in the state of Osun. The court dismisses the appeal brought before it by the candidate of People Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Iyiola Omisore challenging the election result that returned the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. Justice John Fabiyi who led the seven man panel while delivering his judgement upheld the judgment of the Appeal Court in Akure and the Osun State governorship election tribunal. The Appeal court and the election tribunal had both affirmed Aregbesola’s victory. According to Daily Post, in the lead judgment read by Justice C.C. Nweze, six of the seven issues brought before the court were resolved in favour of the Osun governor while one was against him. He said all the justices thereafter unanimously decided that the appeal lacked merit and was bound to be dismissed. 

 That Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is yet to appoint his commissioners and other members of the state Executive Council expected to assist him in office for the next four years should not spring surprise to many especially the citizens of the state.  Governor Aregbesola, sworn-in last November for a second term in office after defeating his major opponent from the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Otunba Iyiola Omisore had in his first regime introduced an unusual style of governance as he governed the state for almost a year without constituting the executive council.  At the expiration of Aregbesola’s first tenure on November 26, 2014, he had dissolved the executive council to pave way for his assumption of office for the second term, as the constitution provided. But the question on the lips of many is whether Governor Aregbesola would adopt his first tenure style of delaying the composition of members of his cabinet for a very long time or not.  The governor h

Osogbo and Ede communities have appeared before the Justice Falola Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Ipetumodu and Asipa Towns communal dispute. Barrister JA Adesina lead other counsels to represent Osogbo Community while Chief Adeniran Adetoye and other Counsel put in their appearances for Ede Community,with Barrister. W.O Wemimo representing Olojudo of Ido-Osun. Barrister Adesina appealed to the Commission to make certified true copy of its terms of reference available to the Counsel to enable them comply with the requirements also applied for adjournment to put his house in order because of the intervainer memorandum from Ido-Osun.Chief Adeniran Adetoye also aligned with his application. Justice Jide Falola later ruled that adjournment will not be granted again since one was granted on Tuesday, rather he gave thirty minutes stand down of the hearing of the memoranda of the two communities. Dissatisfied with the ruling, the Counsel to Osogbo and Ede Communities sort for wi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state of Osun has assured all the people of the state of its preparedness to conduct a hitch-free elections come March 28 and April 11, 2015. The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola gave this assurance in an interactive interview with the press. According to Dr. Ogunmola, the August 9, 2014 Governorship Election in the state has enabled a lot of the residents to collect their Permanent Voter Card thereby leaving just a few left uncollected. This, he described as a booster towards achieving a successful elections since 73% rate of collection had been achieved. On the transfer of voter card from one place to the other, the Resident-Electoral Commissioner said it would not be possible for now because the register containing the names of all voters had been given to all the registered political parties and altering the names now could hamper the effectiveness of a successful election. Dr. Ogunmola

The Balogun Kujenyo, Balogun Agoro and Balogun Fagbemi also known as Balogun Biro in Osogbo, have prayed the Commission of Enquiry on Disturbance of Public Peace in the State of Osun to declare them as the only three families having exclusive right to the Balogun of Osogbo Chieftaincy title. The Balogun families had filed a petition before the Commission, joining the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ataoja of  Osogbo and 3 others as respondents. They want the Commission to declare them as the exclusive family that is entitled to the Balogun and Otun Balogun of Osogbo chieftaincy title. When the case came up for hearing on Wednesday, a representative of the Balogun families, Alhaji Sulaimon Adetunji told the Commission that the Balogun and Otun Balogun title was exclusive  to the three families and that no other family has ever produced a Balogun of Osogbo. Adetunji stated that, the situation however, change