Olayide Owolabi Adelami, the nominee for the position of deputy governor of Ondo State, is scheduled to undergo screening before the Ondo State House of Assembly on Thursday, January 26.

The speaker of the Ondo Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, announced this during Wednesday’s plenary after reading a letter from Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Oladiji said the governor acted in line with Section 191(3) b&c of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

Here are 11 things to know about the new Ondo deputy Gov nominee

1. Chief Adelami who hails from Owo, Owo local government area

2. He was born over six decades ago to the family of Oluka Oribokun by Pa and Mrs Amos Adelami.

3. Adelami was an APC governorship aspirant in 2020 but stepped down for the late Akeredolu.

4. He was first enlisted into the Federal Civil Service as an Accountant II in December 1983

5. Adelami retired as Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly l in April 2018.

6. He graduated from the prestigious Imade College in Owo before proceeding to The Polytechnic, Ibadan for his GCE A level

7. He later went to the University of Lagos for his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He further got an MBA degree from Ogun State University.

8. In 1988 he was later posted to the National Assembly Provisional Office, Abuja as one of the pioneer staff of the Constituent Assembly which metamorphosed into the present-day National Assembly.

9. In 1996, he was invited to help in setting up the Accounts Department of the Petroleum Special Trust Fund.

10. In 2014, he was promoted to the position of Secretary (Permanent Secretary) at the Directorate of Procurement, Estate and Works. A position he held until he was appointed as the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly.

11. He also served at the Family Support Trust Fund as head of the Finance and Accounts Department between 1996 and 2000.

[TheNation]

A Nigerian man, Saheed Wahab, reportedly died a day after relocating to the United Kingdom for his master’s degree.

Wahab, who arrived at Teesside University, UK, as a student on January 15, 2024, to start his programme reportedly died on Tuesday, January 16, 2024.

The death was confirmed in a statement released by the Nigerians in the UK Community and posted on the group’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle.

The statement partly read, “Following the sad news we received regarding the death of Mr Saheed Wahab, a student at Teesside University who died a day after arriving in the United Kingdom from Nigeria.

“He was here to start an MSc qualification, but unfortunately he died on Tuesday (16th January) afternoon in Teesside.

“May Almighty Allah forgive his sins and accept his return.”

The community noted that it has reached out to the family of the deceased for burial arrangements.

The statement noted, “We have reached out to his wife and family members in Nigeria, and they’ve given us permission to act on their behalf and arrange a funeral service for him here in the United Kingdom.

“We’ve also been able to contact the coroner where his remains is.”

Following his death, his Janazah (funeral) arrangement has been scheduled to be held on Thursday, January 25, 2024, at Jamia Masjid Al Madina, 133a Waterloo Rd, Middlesbrough TS1 3JB.

[Punch]

A former Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, Olayide Owolabi Adelami, has been nominated as the new Deputy Governor of Ondo State.

Adelami’s nomination came shortly after Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa announced the dissolution of members of the State Executive Council in the cabinet, who worked under the late governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.

An alumnus of Imade College, Adelami obtained his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Lagos before proceeding to get his MBA from Ogun State University.

He was a deputy clerk at the National Assembly before retiring in April 2018.

Chief Press Secretary to Aiyedatiwa, Ebenezer Adeniyan, confirmed the nomination of Adelami in a statement on Wednesday.

Adelami’s nomination is believed to have laid to rest agitations for the appointment of a new deputy governor for the state following the emergence of Aiyedatiwa.

Aiyedatiwa became the substantive governor of the state after the demise of Akeredolu, who passed on after battling protracted prostrate cancer.

Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, said the President has no plans to move the Federal Capital to Lagos.

Onanuga said those peddling rumour are dishonest, ethnic and regional champions, trying to draw attention to themselves.

He claimed that those pushing the campaign of falsehood know they are playing politics, albeit dangerous politics to pitch the North against the South.

According to him, Abuja has come to stay as it is backed by law.

His statement followed the recent relocation of FAAN, a department of the Aviation Ministry, to Lagos.

Onanuga said there are many parastatals that are not based in Abuja depending on their mandate, insisting that Administrative decisions should not be politicized.

“President Tinubu has no plan whatsoever to move the Federal Capital to Lagos. The rumour first surfaced during the campaign last year by opponents looking for all manners of weapons to stop him. We trashed it.

“Those peddling it anew are dishonest, ethnic and regional champions, trying to draw attention to themselves. Abuja has come to stay. It is backed by law.

“The movement of FAAN, a department of the Aviation Ministry to Lagos, where it was based before former minister Hadi Sirika moved it to Abuja during the last administration, does not amount to moving the FCT to Lagos. The administrative move should have attracted scant attention, as Lagos is the commercial capital and the hub of aviation business in Nigeria. FAAN should be nowhere else but near the industry it regulates. FAAN will still maintain some presence in Abuja, as it is not a wholesale movement.

“Similarly, the movement of some departments of the CBN to Lagos should not trigger any hoopla. The departments concerned, including the bank supervision department, are those dealing with commercial banks, all with headquarters in Lagos. A regulator ought to be close to the businesses it regulates.

“All those pushing this campaign of falsehood know they are playing politics, albeit a dangerous politics to pit the North against the South.

“There are many parastatals that are not based in Abuja depending on their mandate. NIMASA is in Lagos. So is NPA. The National Inland Waterways Authority( NIWA) is in Lokoja, not Abuja. Will the people opposing the movement of FAAN and some CBN departments want those agencies to be in Abuja, where there is no single port and no maritime activity?

“Administrative decisions should not be politicized. Let it not look like whenever we are temporarily not at the helm of affairs, we create all manners of dangerous rumours to distract from the bigger picture and emasculate an administration led by a Southerner.

“Let’s stop the dirty politics. We can’t be playing politics with everything.”

Jean-Louis Gasset has been sacked as coach of 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) hosts Ivory Coast.

The country’s football federation said in a statement on Wednesday that it had “terminated the contracts” of Gasset and his assistant Ghislain Printant “due to insufficient results.”

Gasset’s sacking is coming two days after their AFCON 4-0 defeat against Equatorial Guinea.

The result was the heaviest home defeat in Ivory Coast history.

The Elephants are the first AFCON host to lose two group games since they did so in 1984.

However, Ivory Coast still has faint hopes of progressing to the last 16 as one of the best third-placed teams.

They will be led by Emerse Fae, one of Gasset’s coaches, on an interim basis.

The Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, has sworn-in Customary Court President (Legal), Mr. Idowu Folami Sodimu and 32 members, in order to enhance prompt dispensation of justice in the state.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony at the Ceremonial Court Hall, Judiciary Complex, Kobape Road, Abeokuta, Justice Dipeolu implored them to resist the temptation of abusing judicial powers in the course of dispensation of justice.

She said the appointment was based on trust and confidence reposed in them, while administering the oath of office to the newly appointed members, they were urged not to be carried away with enormous powers which various laws have conferred on them and in the discharge of their duties.

She stated that the appointees had special roles to play towards ensuring that justice was delivered at all times, to further improve the standard of the Judiciary, pointing out that government would not tolerate misconduct or indiscipline of any form.

According to the Chief Judge, "As members of Customary Court that have been administered under oath, you have to be good ambassadors of each jurisdiction you represent because you are closer to the grassroots. Do not collect bribes and fair God in all your dealings’’.

In her remarks, the Acting President, Customary Court of Appeal, Justice Adebisi Femi-Segun, said the appointees had been screened and appointed, in line with laid down procedure which was in accordance with the provisions of section 197(1)(c), 202 and 204 of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999), the Customary Courts Law of Ogun State 2006 (as amended), as well as Ogun State Judicial Service Commission Guidelines.

Justice Femi-Segun, who charged the appointees to bring their experiences to bear in the discharge of duties, said ethics, decorum and comportment should be observed in their new office, urging them to be faithful to the Oath of Office and impartial in the delivery of justice in their jurisdictions.

"Indeed, you are expected to observe the ethics, decorum and comportment of your new office. It is also expected that you will be faithful to your Oath of Office and dispense justice without fear or favour, as you adjudicate cases assigned to you, please same will not be tolerated in any form or guise.

Responding, one of the appointees, Mrs. Aderonke Jacobs appreciated the state government for allowing them to serve the state, promising to discharge their duties in accordance with the rule of laws and dispense justice without fear or favour.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Willie Obiano, the immediate past governor of Anambra state, over allegations of money laundering.

On Wednesday, the former governor appeared before Inyang Ekwo, judge of a federal high court in Abuja.

Obiano pleaded not guilty to the nine-count charge preferred against him by the anti-graft agency.

Upon arraignment, Sylvanus Tahir, EFCC counsel, prayed the court to remand the defendant in custody pending the commencement of trial.

But Onyinyechi Ikpeazu, Obiano’s counsel, asked the court to grant bail to his client.

Ruling on the applications, Ekwo held that the defendant should enjoy bail on the administrative terms granted earlier by the EFCC.

He added that the defendant’s international passport should be transmitted to the court within 10 days.

The judge also directed the court registrar to inform the immigration service about the passport when it is transferred.

The case was subsequently adjourned to March 4 for the commencement of trial.

In September 2021, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra had asked the anti-graft agency to probe the state’s finances to unearth “monumental deception”.

Basil Ejidike, Anambra APC chairman, had alleged that Obiano was “fraudulently” using the state’s security vote.

The Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has dissolved the State Executive Council, with immediate effect.

All members of the Cabinet are to immediately hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most senior administrative officers in their respective offices.

Also, all Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and Special Assistants (SAs) are relieved of their duties, with immediate effect.

All the affected officials are directed to hand over all government properties in their possession.

The Governor thanks the affected officials for their services and contributions to the development of the State. 

Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan,
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Ondo State.