A former governor of Oyo State, Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo, has debunked rumours about his death.

While speaking with Punch at his Molete residence in Ibadan on Friday, he said he was hale and hearty.

Recall that some news platforms (not Osun Defender) had earlier reported the rumour of the death of the elder statesman.

However, Olunloyo, while speaking, said, “I’m still here, not yet gone.”

He said, “Those breaking death news and the person presumed dead will all die one day.

“I’ve been lucky. My father died at 42, while my mother died at 102. I’m 89. I’ve crossed the expected life age.”

The elder statesman also illustrated how the rumour of his death hit several news platforms on June 7, 2022.

He noted that the rumour mongers claimed that he died at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

A few days later, the family issued a statement, declaring that he was not dead but suffering from old age ailment and asking Nigerians to pray for him to survive the health complications.

Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has placed Yahaya Bello, the wanted former governor of Kogi State on its watchlist to prevent him leaving the country.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on Thursday declared Bello wanted over alleged N80.2bn fraud, after he failed to show up for trial.

This as the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, has also withdrawn all police officers attached to the embattled former Governor of Kogi State.

In a circular dated April 18, 2024 and signed by Assistant Comptroller of Immigration DS Umar, for the Comptroller-General, Kemi Nandap, the NIS alerted the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to effect the former governor’s arrest.

After a failed attempt to arrest the former governor on Wednesday, the EFCC declared him wanted on its official Facebook page.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) has also described as “insufferably disquieting”, the obstruction to the arrest of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, by his successor, Usman Ododo.

The circular, copies of which were sent to the DSS and the police, contained the name, nationality and passport number of the former Governor (B50083321).

Nanadap stated, “I am directed to inform you that the above-named person has been placed on the watch list.

“Suffice to mention that the subject is being prosecuted before the Federal High Court Abuja for Conspiracy, Breach of Trust and Money Laundering vide letter Ref; CR; 3000/EFCC/LS/EGCS.1/ TE/Vide/1/279 dated April 18, 2024.

“If seen at any entry or exit point, he should be arrested and referred to the Director of Investigation or contact 08036226329/07039617304 for further action.”

The IGP’s order for the withdrawal is contained in a police wireless document with reference number: “CB:4001/DOPS/PMF/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.48/ 34, which reads in part, “IG has ordered the withdrawal of all policemen attached to His Excellency and former Executive Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

“Acknowledge compliance and treat with utmost importance. Please, above, for your information and strict compliance.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, has asserted that the current travail of the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, is different from the political intrigues that led to the removal of the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee from the party secretariat.

Naija News reports that Morka made this known on Thursday while responding to questions surrounding Ganduje’s suspension on Arise TV.

It would be recalled that Oshiomhole, a former national chairman of the party, and members of the then NWC were elected into office for four years (2018 – 2022) at a national convention in Abuja.

However, the leadership of the party was dissolved two years into their tenure, an action that a former acting chairman of the APC, Ntufam Eta, claimed was taken to derail the presidential ambition of Bola Tinubu (now president).

In March 2020, a Federal High Court in the Federal Capital Territory asked Oshiomhole to step aside following an application for an interlocutory injunction seeking his removal as APC national chairman.

Justice Danlami Senchi stated that the former Edo governor should remain suspended pending the determination of the suit.

Senchi also said it was wrong of the ruling party to keep Oshiomhole as chairman after his state APC chapter suspended him in November 2019.

Reacting to Gaduje’s ordeal, Morka stated that the situation was different because those pushing for Ganduje’s suspension are not recognised members of the party.

He said, “No, it is not familiar if you understand the facts of what happened to Oshiomhole. They are incomparable. They are two different things altogether. In the case of Oshiomhole when he was the national chairman, the individuals who were involved in that effort to suspend him and take all the actions within the party were officials of the party.

“I know no one could have come out at that time to say these individuals are not legitimate officers of the party. So whether they were persuaded to do that or compromised, whether they were acting on their free will and volition, is a different conversation. And I am not going to speak to that. But they were members of the party.

“In this particular case in Kano, we’re seeing people that we know are not officials of the party. The man who purportedly read the suspension was physically at the party secretary on Wednesday to say he did not participate nor authorise any lawyer to go to court to bring this action against the national chairman. So when the person that is fully disclosed by identity is the same individual saying he did not, then who the heck was the individual who went to court? That is the question.

“The difference here is that we have pure imposters announcing the suspension of our national chairman and they had gone to court to attempt to affirm that same illegal and criminal act. So I just want to make sure that that is clear that these individuals are not authorized and not acting foreign on behalf of the ward. They need to stop because when the dust settles; there will be consequences for this sort of behaviour.”

&copy 2024 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc.

 No fewer than 100 children cyclists have registered to participate in the 2024 Ibadan Cycling Competition on Saturday.

The Chief Executive Officer of Lapet Feats, Olawale Samson, said in a statement that the event was being organised in collaboration with Oyo State Sports Council and Oyo State Cycling Association.

“This year’s “catch them young” tournament will feature only three children’s categories – Under 6 years, ages 7 years to 9 years and ages 10 years to 13 years.

“The cycling competition, with the theme: “Sustainability of Health & Wellbeing”, will hold from 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at the New Airport road, Alakia Ibadan,” the organiser said.

Samson said that the Police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other law enforcement agencies have assured of adequate protection during the competition.

According to him, participants are children with passion for cycling drawn from Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Osun and Kwara States.

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He said that this year’s event is taking place few weeks ahead of the 2024 World Cycling Day on June 3.

First observed in 2018, the World Bicycle Day celebrates the bicycle as a simple, affordable, reliable, clean, environmentally-fit and sustainable means of transportation that can serve as a means of transportation and access to education, healthcare and sports.

Walking and cycling can also provide a form of transportation for the urban poor, while reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, certain types of cancer, diabetes and even death.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State, Mr Gbenga Omotosho, said on Thursday that the Red Line Rail would soon be test run for two months.

Omotosho said this at a news conference held at Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, where he reiterated the government’s commitment toward making life better for  residents of the state.

Residents have awaited the commencement of commercial operations on the red line since its inauguration by President Bola Tinubu on Feb. 29.

It is envisaged to convey 500,000 passengers daily initially, when operational.

The 37 km rail line integrating key bus terminals at Oyingbo, Yaba, Oshodi, Ikeja, and Iju. extends to Agbado in Ogun State.

The state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had said that Lagos aimed to unlock over N4trn annually in lost work hours that its productive manpower loses in traffic.

He said that the state was set to revolutionise commuter experiences while tackling challenges like traffic congestion and road safety.

Omotosho, while giving the update on the red line rail, said the Sanwo-Olu administration would shed more light on its development projects during its annual ministerial briefings beginning on April 23.

“With various ongoing projects across the state, it is evident enough that Mr governor has consistently delivered on his commitment towards the socio-economic development of residents.

“In the health sector, the construction of the Pediatric Hospital at Adeniji Adele has been rapid, also the Badagry General hospital is gradually taking shape.

“The Red Line Rail will soon be test run for two months.

“Our annual ministerial briefing will kickoff from April 23, to May 28; all ministries will give account of their stewardship in the last one year since our administration’s second term in office first year anniversary,” he said.

On the proposed intervention for teachers and health care workers who can’t work remotely, the commissioner said adequate compensation had been made for them.

“Yes, they are compensated; we understand the peculiarity of the job they do, nobody is left out of Gov. Sanwo-Olu’s welfare programme,” Omotosho said.

Recall that the government had given its workers some days to work from home, to reduce their financial burdens in the face of rising cost of living.

The arrangement could, however, not include some workers like teachers who had to be in school physically on every working day.

Obi stated that his primary concern in and out of public office has always been to pursue the welfare of the underprivileged in the society.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has responded to the communique issued by the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) after its 98th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Thursday.

The PDP’s NEC had accused the APC of trying to “foist a one-party state on our nation.” 

In response to the allegation, the APC, in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Felix Morka, described the PDP as a ‘shambolic party.’

He said: “The PDP’s communique issued at the end of its 98th National Executive Committee meeting of today, April 18, 2024, is nothing short of the hoax wailing of a shambolic party. 

“Unsurprisingly, the PDP failed to seize the opportunity of its NEC meeting to conduct a thorough examination of institutional and operational maladies that have crippled and turned the party into an unrecognizable shadow of its old self. 

“Instead, the party voted to devote 8 of 15 paragraphs of its communique to spewing gibberish and casting unbefitting aspersions on the All Progressives Congress (APC). 

”The PDP’s persistent infantilism, more than anything else, is the clear and present threat to our democracy. Its NEC meeting was no more than an inglorious press conference with no iota of purpose. 

”Nigerians clearly understand who is working hard on their behalf and will stand fast with President Tinubu as he continues to win massive progress for all Nigerians. He remains indistractable by the noise pollution of PDP’s tattered drums.”