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Oyo Council of Obas Inauguration: Real Reason Alaafin Was Absent
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Fresh details have emerged on why the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Engineer Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, was absent at the inauguration of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, amid growing controversy over the rotational chairmanship of the council.
The Alaafin’s Palace, in a press release issued on Thursday, January 15, 2026, faulted claims by Governor Seyi Makinde that he consulted the Alaafin, the Olubadan of Ibadanland and the Soun of Ogbomoso before announcing the rotational leadership arrangement.
In the statement signed by the Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Mr. Bode Durojaiye, the Palace said at no time did the Alaafin meet with the governor or hold discussions with the Olubadan and the Soun on the issue.
“The Palace hereby wants to state clearly that there was no time that His Imperial Majesty, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Engineer Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, held any meeting with either the State Governor or any of the two traditional rulers mentioned above,” the statement read.
It further stressed that the Alaafin neither endorsed nor made any categorical statement supporting the rotational chairmanship of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs among the three monarchs.
According to the Palace, the official position of the Alaafin and the entire Oyo community on the matter had already been formally communicated to the governor through a memorandum submitted by the Oyo Council of Elders.
The controversy has also generated reactions on social media, with comments attributed to the Press Secretary to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Mr. Adeola Oloko, suggesting that the legal framework for a rotational chairmanship of the council had existed since 2011, during the administration of the late Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala.
However, some commentators disagreed sharply with the arrangement. In a strongly worded social media post, Mr. Folaranmi Adewuyi Adegbite described the development as “absurdity of the highest order,” alleging a sustained attempt by political actors to diminish the historical status and influence of the Alaafin institution.
He argued that the structure and composition of the council undermined ancient Yoruba royal hierarchies, questioning the ranking of some traditional rulers over others with deeper historical roots.
The Palace’s statement concluded by making it clear that the Alaafin’s absence from the inauguration was deliberate, hinging on his rejection of claims of consultation and endorsement, as well as the broader concerns of the Oyo community over the process that led to the reconstitution and leadership arrangement of the Council.
The development adds a new layer to the unfolding debate over traditional authority, political influence and the future operations of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ekiti State Office, on Thursday announced the extension of the ongoing collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) has been extended from Friday, 12th June to Sunday, 14th June 2026.
The was contained in a statement by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Bunmi Omoseyindemi in Ado Ekiti
The statement read: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ekiti State Office, wishes to inform all registered voters in the State that the ongoing collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) has been extended from Friday, 12th June to Sunday, 14th June 2026
“The extension is intended to provide an additional opportunity for eligible voters who are yet to collect their PVCs to do so before the Governorship Election scheduled for Saturday, 20th June 2026.
“Collection of PVCs will continue at the designated Local Government Area Offices of the Commission during official hours. Voters are advised to collect their PVCs personally, as collection by proxy will not be permitted.
INEC urges all registered voters who have not collected their PVCs to take advantage of this extension, as the PVC remains the only means of identification for voting on Election Day.
“The Commission remains committed to ensuring that every eligible voter is given the opportunity to participate in the electoral process.”
US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was calling off strikes on Iran and flagged the signing of a possible deal with Tehran after top-level talks.
“Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have… cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening,” Trump said on his Truth Social network.
“Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly,” he added.
Iran Warns Of ‘Endless Quagmire’
Iran had warned Washington on Thursday that it risked wading into an “endless quagmire” of war and soaring energy prices, after Trump vowed to launch a new round of airstrikes and to seize an island oil terminal.
Iran’s chief negotiator in talks with the Americans, parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, issued his stark warning after the two sides exchanged overnight fire and Trump threatened that US forces would hit “VERY HARD TONIGHT”.
“Wrong strategies and impulsive decisions will reset the entire board for the worse, explode energy infrastructure and markets and create an endless quagmire that you will be stuck in for years,” Ghalibaf said.
The war, which began on February 28 with a wave of US-Israeli strikes on Iran, was paused under an April truce, but efforts to hammer out a permanent end to the fighting have since stalled.
US forces have also, since the ceasefire, hit radar arrays and disabled Iranian ships, and Tehran has maintained a chokehold on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
“At some point in the not too distant future, we will be taking Kharg Island, and other oil infrastructure points, and assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets, much like we have with Venezuela,” Trump said, in a post on his own social media platform, referring to a Gulf island that hosts Iran’s biggest oil export terminal.
General Ali Abdollahi, head of the Iranian military’s central headquarters, warned that “if the United States once again seeks to carry out attacks against heroic Iran, it would receive a harsher response than before, and the flames of war, in addition to creating insecurity in the region, will become more widespread and far-reaching”.
The conflict has destabilised oil and gas prices, fuelling inflation and fears of recession in many economies.
On Thursday, the World Bank lowered its global growth forecast to its lowest level since the coronavirus pandemic, predicting it would drop to 2.5 percent in 2026, from 2.9 percent last year.
Channels
Hon. Dr. Olotu Akpodiete JP, who’s vying for the Ughelli North, South and Udu Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives, has sent his congratulations to Rt. Hon. Frederick Agbedi. Agbedi’s new role as Minority Leader was announced today during plenary by Speaker Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas.
Dr. Akpodiete said Agbedi’s emergence shows the trust and confidence his colleagues have in him. He described the new Minority Leader as dependable, strong-willed, and a politician of principle who acts on conviction rather than convenience.
Rt. Hon. Agbedi represents Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency in Bayelsa State. Before this appointment, he led the PDP Caucus in the House and also served as Bayelsa PDP chairman. He remains a committed PDP member and believes the party has a vital role as a strong opposition.
Akpodiete said he’s confident Agbedi will use his experience, competence and character to serve the House, the legislature, and Nigerians well.
Signed:
Hon. Dr. Olotu Akpodiete JP
House of Representatives Candidate Hopeful
Ughelli North, South and Udu Federal Constituency
INEC extends PVCs collection in Ekiti for 72hours
Trump Stops Scheduled Bombings Against Iran
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