Politics
FESTAC Residents Bemoan PDP Member’s Defeat
Some residents of FESTAC Town, Lagos State, have expressed disappointment over the defeat of Mr Dipo Olorunrinu, representing Amuwo-Odofin Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The Tide’s source recalls that Olorunrin, the only Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member in the Lagos Assembly, lost his re-election bid in the March 9 House of Assembly election to Mrs Mojisola Alli-Macaulay of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Olorunrinu, who was among the eight PDP lawmakers elected into the Lagos Assembly in 2015 general elections, did not defect to the ruling APC when seven of his colleagues did in 2017.
A survey by The Tide’s source on the constituents’ assessment of the first term of the young lawmaker at the weekend, revealed that he was admired by the constituents and close to the people.
The residents, who spoke in separate interviews with the source across different avenues and roads in FECTAC, described Olorunrinu as a man of the people, who had touched their lives.
A resident on 204 Road, Mrs Josephine Kanu, described Olorunrinu’s loss at the polls as painful.
“I feel so bad that Hon. Dipo Olorunrinu lost the election. He won in many polling stations in FESTAC Town, but I don’t know what happened in Mile 2. Only God will judge.
“He did well for us, he bought cylinders and gas for women on the streets. He paid school fees, bought cows for people. I will miss him, when he leaves office. I wish they can repeat the election,” Kanu said.
Also speaking, Pastor Adekanmbi Aderemi, a cleric on same road, corroborated Kanu, saying that he had not been voting in the past, but that he had to vote in the last election because of Olorunrinu.
He added that the lawmaker was very close to the people, and that “if you go round, you will see what he has done. It is a great loss for us. He tried a lot, we have never experienced what he did for us in the past.”
“Keke Marwa and Okada riders were talking about him. He used to go to mosques and churches and gave people gifts,” the cleric said.
In his view, Umar Malam Umar, a Chief Security Officer of one of the roads in FESTAC Town, said that he was not happy about what happened to the lawmaker.
Umar said: “Olorunrinu used to give food to the residents to break their fast during Ramadan since he got to the assembly. We don’t know what will happen now as another Ramadan is approaching.
“We will continue to pray for him as we also do during the Ramadan. Olorunrinu used to give cows and rams to the residents during Sallah.
” He gave me a ram for Sallah last year and he is not tribalistic. He is good to the Hausas, Yorubas and Igbos,” he said.
A panel beater at 3rd Ave, FESTAC Town, Mr Kehinde Yisa, commended the lawmaker for providing free buses to convey students to and from schools.
“He discusses with us a lot and shares his experiences with us. He gave us rice, cows and a lots of things.
“We are not happy that he lost. He used to attend our meetings. He used to invite us to events and gave us food during Ramadan,” he said.
All these were corroborated by a herb seller, who simply gave her name as Mary as well as some commercial motorcycle (Okada) riders who gave their names as Mr Dennis Gadama, Samuel Peter, David Dandi, among others.
According to Dandi, Olorunrinu’s electoral loss is painful to most of them saying Olorunrinu has helped a lot of people including old men and women.
“He has helped to stop people from seizing our okadas. It is painful that Olorunrinu lost the election. Okada people love him because he has done a lot for them,” he said.
A trader, who gave her name as Mama Blessing, eulogised the lawmaker saying: ” Olorunrinu deserves to win the election.”
“He is “talk and do” just like his nickname. He lost because people were discouraged, they did not come out for the election. It is so painful. We will never forget him.
“He didn’t deserve to lose. I have seen others before, but this man worked. He campaigned vigoroursly and most people are annoyed that he lost the election,” she said.
Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has renamed The Polytechnic, Ibadan as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan, in honour of a late former governor of the State, Dr Omololu Olunloyo.
Dr Olunloyo, who died on April 6, 2025, was the pioneer Principal of the Polytechnic, Ibadan, while he also served as Governor of Oyo State between October 1 and December 31, 1983.
Governor Makinde made the announcement at the state interdenominational funeral service held yesterday in honour of the late former governor at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Liberty Road, Ibadan.
Governor Makinde said Dr Olunloyo lived an eventful life, adding that his attainment and personality could not be summarised in one sentence.
“He was not a man we could summarise in one sentence. He was a scholar, a statesman, a technocrat, a lover of culture and, above all, a man of deep conviction.
“While giving the exhortation, I was listening to Baba Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu and he said in 1983, Baba became Governor of Oyo State. Though his time in office was brief, his election victory over a popular incumbent remains a powerful testament to the trust people gave him.
“I talked about preserving and digitising his library yesterday [Wednesday] as a mark of honour to Baba Olunloyo.
“Today, we will be giving Baba another honour to immortalise him. He was the first Principal of The Polytechnic, Ibadan; that institution will now be named Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan.”
Earlier in his sermon, a retired Methodist Archbishop of Ilesa and Ibadan, Ayo Ladigbolu, described the late Olunloyo as a role model with intellectual inspiration and unassailable integrity.
The cleric said the deceased also demonstrated leadership in most superior quality during his lifetime.
In attendance were the state Deputy Governor, Chief Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal; wife of a former Military Governor of the old Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Dupe Jemibewon; wife of a former Governor of Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Mutiat Ladoja; former Deputy Governor and PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; and former Deputy Governor, Hazeem Gbolarumi.
Others were the member representing Ibadan North-East/South-East Federal Constituency, Hon Abass Adigun Agboworin; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; Oyo State Exco members; Chairman of Oyo State Elders’ Council, Dr Saka Balogun; Chairman of All Local Government Chairmen in Oyo State, Hon Sikiru Sanda; President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Adeniyi Ajewole; religious leaders and family members, among other dignitaries.
Ten members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) have countered the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, on the reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
The dissenting members, led by the Deputy National Chairman ( South), Taofeek Arapaja, in a joint statement, said no organ of the opposition party could overturn the decision of the 99th meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
The dissenting NWC members include Arapaja; Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary; Okechukwu Obiechina-Daniel, National Auditor; Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary; Ologunagba; Woyengikuro Daniel, National Financial Secretary and Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, National Treasurer.
Others are Chief Ali Odefa, National Vice Chairman (South East); Emmanuel Ogidi, Caretaker Committee Chairman (South South); Mrs. Amina Darasimi D. Bryhm, National Woman Leader and Ajisafe Kamoru Toyese, National Vice Chairman (South West).
The group also insisted that contrary to the position of the acting National Chairman, the 100th NEC meeting of the party would be held on June 30 as earlier scheduled.
The statement read: “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a press briefing by the acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, today Wednesday, June 25, wherein he attempted to overturn the resolution of the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which scheduled the 100th NEC meeting for Monday, June 30.
“The acting National Chairman in the said press briefing also reportedly announced that Senator Samuel Anyanwu has been asked to resume as National Secretary of the party contrary to the resolution of the 99th NEC meeting, which referred all matters relating to the office of the National Secretary to the 100th NEC meeting.
“The pronouncements by the acting National Chairman have no foundation as no organ of the party (including the NWC), individual or group has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC) under the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party, second only to the National Convention. By virtue of Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution, the resolution of the NEC to hold its 100th meeting on Monday June 30, is binding on all organs, officers, chapters and members of the party and no organ, group or individual can vary or veto this resolution of NEC.
“Furthermore, the claim by Damagum that Sen Anyanwu has been asked to resume office as the National Secretary of the party is, therefore, misleading being contrary to the resolution of NEC.
“In the light of the foregoing, the 100th NEC meeting as scheduled for Monday, June 30, has not been canceled or postponed.”
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has fired back at former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following the latter’s scathing criticism of President Tinubu’s administration and his 2027 re-election prospects.
In an interview on live television, Mallam El-Rufai said it would take a “miracle” for President Tinubu to be re-elected in 2027, citing an internal poll that purportedly shows a 91 percent disapproval rating for the president across key regions in the country, including the South-East and the North. He also claimed that President Tinubu’s disapproval rating in Lagos stood at 78 percent.
Reacting on Wednesday via a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Onanuga took a swipe at the ex-governor, quoting a harsh assessment of Mallam El-Rufai’s character from former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s memoir, My Watch.
“Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological,” Mr Onanuga wrote, citing Chief Obasanjo’s words. “Why does he do it? Very early in my interaction with him, I appreciated his talent. At the same time, I recognised his weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir El-Rufai.”
The presidential adviser emphasised Chief Obasanjo’s remarks that Mallam El-Rufai often tries to elevate himself by diminishing others. “He lied brazenly, which he did to me, against his colleagues and so-called friends,” Mr Onanuga continued, quoting the former President. “I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged the reputation of his uncle, a man who, in an African setting, was like a foster father to him.”
Chief Obasanjo, who appointed Mallam El-Rufai as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory between 2003 and 2007, did not mince words in the memoir, describing Mallam El-Rufai as suffering from “small man syndrome.”
Mr Onanuga’s post is seen as a direct rebuttal to Mallam El-Rufai’s recent criticism and growing opposition role. The former governor is reportedly playing a central role in forming a new coalition to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
In March 2025, El-Rufai officially dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), intensifying speculations about his 2027 political ambitions.
As the political rift deepens, Mallam El-Rufai remains one of the most vocal critics of the Tinubu administration, while Mr Onanuga and other presidential allies continue to push back against what they describe as “reckless” opposition rhetoric.