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Idinye Slams Intimidation Of PDP Leaders As Edo Prepares For Guber Poll
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A two time gubernatorial apsirant in Edo state and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) High Chief Jacob Idinye has strongly condemned the clampdown on the leaders of his party (PDP) as the state prepares for guber election on Saturday, September 21, 2024 which is less than 48 hours.
High Chief Idinye on Tuesday, September 19, 2024 made the remark at the Benin airport in a chat with some journalists, urging the security agencies to halt the indiscriminate arrest and allow peace to reign and make the election to be free, fair, transparent and credible.
He noted that no amount of intimidation, arrest, victimization and harassment would make the APC win the governorship election, stressing that the candidate of the PDP, Asue Ighodalo is the best man for the Edo State top job.
The PDP chieftain added that the unlawful arrest was the handiwork of the All Progressives Congress even as he called on the heads of the Military, NSCDC, Police and DSS to be neutral, unbiased and act within the ambit of the law.
He said, “Many PDP leaders, including the Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area, Collins Aigbogun, were being kept in dungeons on the orders of the APC. Similarly on Thursday, in Etsako East Local Government Secretariat of our State, men of the DSS invaded the facility and made arrest of high profile members of our party. As I speak to you youths from the Etsako East are on rampage over the intimidation and harramennt meted on Engr D Dee ilugbekhai and many others.
“We also have on record from the PDP situation room that APC Branch of the Nigerian Police have arrested another popular politician simply known as O3 in Okpella.
“I also heard from good authority that angry protesters besieged the Palace of the Okumagbe of Uwanno Kingdom in Estako Local Government Area of Edo State, demanding the immediate release of PDP leaders who were arrested across the council area. The Chairman of Etsako local Government Area, Princess Benedicta Attoh, who also reacted to the incident, called on the Inspector-General of Police, the Chief of Defence Staff and other security agencies to abide by their promises of remaining neutral in the Edo Governorship election. She expressed worry over the arrest of PDP leaders across the council area. This is a serious matter and we expect APC to protect our democracy not tearing it apart”
He continued, “Let the APC explain to us where our members and leaders are being taken to. They should also explain to the world why they not been charged in court since their arrest? Instead, the APC has been boasting of their plans to attack, intimidate, and harass PDP members and supporters.” Idinye demanded.
Idinye however called on the President of Nigeria to nip the ugly development in the bud to allow peace to triumph:
“It is our expectation that President Bola Tinubu will immediately order DSS personnel out of the Council headquarters to avoid the destruction of life and property in Etsako East Local Government, we dont want a situation where people will be forced to resort to self-defence by defending their fundamental human rights to vote in the Edo State Governorship election. We are known to be law abiding, therefore the government of the day must create an enabling environment to sustain that excellent virtues that our people are known for.
“Members of the APC are obviously intimated by the 8 years of excellent works of Governor Godwin Obaseki. We can all see the progress he made in infrastructure, human capital development, security, education of our children and his hands can also be felt in his technology-driven operations within the state’s civil service. Edo State public and civil service is number one in Nigeria. Obaseki has done well and I urge voters to make the right decision in the Saturday election to maintain this momentum and vote PDP.
“Electing leaders who lack experience and ideas could be disastrous for Edo state. Our candidate, Asue Ighodalo is a capable leader, who would continue Obaseki’s work, I appeal to voters to defend their votes to ensure Edo’s continued development. Asue Ighodalo is the best man for the job and by God’s grace he will record a landslide victory to the shame of opposition especially APC and LP.”
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BREAKING: Jubilation As PDP Wins All 30 LGs In Osun State(See winners)
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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC, has announced that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won all the local government and councillorship positions in the just concluded local government elections in the state.
The Chairman of the Commission, Hashim Abioye, made this announcement via a Facebook Live broadcast on Saturday evening.
Abioye stated that PDP candidates secured all the councillorship seats in all 332 wards in the state, as well as the chairmanship elections in all 30 local government council areas.
The names of the PDP chairmanship candidates and their respective local government council areas:
Babalola Wasiu Kayode – Boripe
Okunade Oluwafemi Adesanya – Egbedore
Adeyenuwo Rotimi John – Ife Central
Agboola Francis Olajire – Obokun
Azeez Lateef Adeniran – Isokan
Aina Abayomi Adesina – Boluwaduro
Sodiq Samuel Oluwapelumi – Ola Oluwa
Ajibade Oluwatoyin S. – Irepodun
Adebanjo Oladiti Tunmininu – Ilesa West
Ibironke Alade Adegboye – Atakumosa East
Aroke Muyiwa Aderemi – Ife South
Kolade Obafemi Kolawole – Olorunda
Moshood Adekunle Kabiru – Iwo
Awotunde Abiodun Sarafadeen – Ifelodun
Akande Taiwo Adekunle – Osogbo
Dada Feyisayo Ajibola – Atakumosa West
Amodu Taiwo – Ede North
Atolagbe Kayode Olayinka – Ifedayo
Akande Michael O. – Ife North
Adeyekun Taiwo Adebayo – Oriade
Adeniran Adenike Felicia – Ayedaade
Afolabi Oyekola Lukman – Ede South
Odunyemi Haruna Bukola – Ife East
Jooda Ambali Babajide – Irewole
Adewale Adeyinka Oluwaseun – Odo Otin
Ogunbiyi Solomon Akinyemi – Ayedire
Raimi Adenike Nafisat – Ejigbo
Adebisi Jayeola Nasir – Ila
Ilesanmi Taiwo Sunday – Ilesa East
Alade Aderemi Fatai – Orolu
News
DSS arrests three for assaulting operatives during LSHA crisis
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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested three persons linked to the alleged assault on its officers during the crisis that rocked the Lagos State House of Assembly, following the removal Mudashiru Obasa, as Speaker
Apparently sensing danger, some lawmakers had mobilized their supporters to the Assembly Complex, but these supporters allegedly attacked some DSS officers who were invited by the Assembly leadership to secure the facility. Security sources revealed that “after extensive analysis of CCTV footage, we were able to clearly identify three of the suspects”.
“The suspects, Ibrahim Olanrewaju Abdulkareem, a photographer and two others attached to the Assembly’s Seargent at Arms, Adetu Adekunle Samsudeen and Adetola Oluwatosin Fatimoh, a lady, were consequently tracked and arrested during the week in different parts of Lagos,” The trio have since confessed to the crime and will soon be charged to court, the source said.
It would be recalled that the Lagos Assembly had in a leaked memo dated 14th February, 2025 and addressed to the DSS Director in the State, and Heads of other Security Agencies in Lagos State, told the Security Agencies in Lagos that, there was credible information to the effect that, Obasa had planned to forcefully reinstate himself today, February 18, 2025.
Accordingly, the Assembly management, held the view that, the development posed “a potential security threat” to it and its members.
News
Police seal OSSIEC office, officials nabbed, says chairman
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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), Hashim Abioye, has claimed that the police have sealed off the headquarters in Osogbo.
In a video post on the OSSIEC X handle, Abioye accused the police of also arresting election officials and blocking journalists from covering the local government election.
According to him, several OSSIEC officials were detained while on their way to polling units on Saturday.
Attempts by our correspondent to reach Abioye for further details proved abortive as his telephone line was switched off.
The OSSIEC chair, in the post, assured voters that materials had been deployed to affected areas.
So far so good, the reports have been positive and the conduct has been very smooth and peaceful as against the false alarm raised by the police. Everywhere is calm,” Abioye said.
“The only thing is that in some of the areas in which materials are supposed to have arrived for voters to cast their votes, we had reports of police arresting our officials.
“I don’t know on whose order because there is no court order that warranted the arrest of officers of our officials.
“As it is, we have deployed materials to those units because we have enough on the ground.
For our people in the media community, I want to apologise for the inadequacy of the tags and the jackets because we have enough but the police sealed our office and that was not warranted at all.”
Abioye’s comments come after police had called for the local government election to be called off by the state government, citing a security threat.
In a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Friday, the Police said it received credible intelligence indicating a likelihood of violence and significant security threats should the planned elections proceed.
The police explained that reports gathered from joint intelligence gathering revealed that various groups, including political elements and other interested parties, are mobilising to instigate unrest, disrupt public peace and undermine the democratic order.
However, the Osun State government acknowledged the police’s advice but insisted on going on with the election.
Channels Television reports that the election eventually went on as scheduled on Saturday.
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