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Ekiti Poll: Oni Defects To SDP

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Former Governor of Ekiti State, Chief Segun Oni, has defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to contest the June 18 governorship election in the state.
This new development put to rest the rumour makings the rounds in the state that he had joined the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).
Oni who was governor between 2007 and 2010 in the state was defeated in the January 26 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary by former Chairman of the party, Bisi Kolawole, but subsequently dumped the party over alleged electoral malfeasance and irregularities during the primary.
Oni, while speaking on a private radio in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday revealed that the necessary paper work by the national leadership of the SDP for him to be the party’s candidate and his running mate would soon be concluded with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He noted that his decision to move to the SDP was as a result of the continued call by the people for him to contest the June 18 poll as a third force, saying that aggrieved politicians in the two dominant political parties are supporting him in the new political party.
The Ifaki-born politician disclosed that no fewer than four aggrieved governorship aspirants in the All Progressives Congress (APC), members of a factional group in Ekiti APC, the South West Agenda for Asiwaju 2023 (SWAGA); members of the repositioning group in the PDP and others are forming what he described as a grand collation to win the election.
“I have chosen to advance my ambition in the Social Democratic Party(SDP) because we are looking at the future not the present. The party has been around for years and won elections in this country, it is a well known party, that is the reason I chose SDP to contest the June 18, 2022 governorship election in Ekiti State. We have seen the potential in SDP because we believe it is easier to sell as a third force for Nigerians. The process to make me candidate is on going and will soon be completed,” he said.
When asked how the SDP would win without a known structure less than four months to the election, the former governor maintained that the will and aspirations of the people were the most important structure needed to defeat the APC and PDP in the state.
He expressed optimism that his achievements when he was governor coupled with the alleged impunity and injustice in the two dominant parties would sway the votes in his favour
According to him, “I want to say without any forms of contradictions, that we politicians are coming together for this project couple with the opinions of people in the streets. We are looking at a familiar terrain and a party with a potentials and also we are getting supports from people that are well known in Ekiti’s political terrain.
“Let me say that for those who are in APC, four aggrieved aspirants are working with us. In PDP, the people called repositioning group , majority of them are working with us. Also, we are working with SWAGA members, SWAGA is a strong force in APC with strong membership base.
“It is going to be a grand collation that will definitely benefit the people of Ekiti. I believe the goodwill of repositioning group,  SWAGA and Segun Oni is almost enough to win election in Ekiti”.
Speaking further, Oni said,  “We must come to reality of how a party is properly managed, if it is not properly managed, it won’t attract good people, that is the fact. I believe whatever is right is right . I have been around for sometime, my antecedents is there for us to see, I am not looking for what to eat but service to the people, that is how I see politics.
“It is the people that will challenge the parties, the people are superior than the APC, PDP. It is what Ekiti people want not the political parties, we are listening to what the people are saying in the streets. I worked for the people with everything I had between 2007 and 2010 when I was governor and the citizens can testify to my achievements.”
Oni who advised the people of the state to reject vote buying and other forms of inducement ahead of the poll, stated that everything possible would be done to discourage voters from trading their future on the altar of peanuts.
“We are ready for Ekiti election. We will campaign against vote-buying because it is illegal. We are not going to fold our arms and allow it work here. This condemnable act is against the people and our people must learn from what happened in the past. We must support those who can help our society to develop.
“Will the people still be eating what they got on election day for four years ? It is bad and we will campaign against it because the people are not better now in the last four years in the state, “ he said.
On what transpired during the PDP primaries, Oni reiterated that the party’s guidelines on the secret ballot system were violated, adding that he reacted to the injustice by leaving the party.
“The PDP primary election was manipulated and devoid of known guidelines in any democracy in the world. What is bad is bad, and we must not be afraid to say the truth at all times.
“The guidelines say it is a secret ballot but the ballot is being shown to the former Governor Ayodele Fayose by the delegates.
“Let me say, If a party cannot manage their processes, it is the party that should be blamed, not the people reacting to injustice. We are only reacting to the obvious injustice.”

Reacting to Oni’s claim, the Ekiti SWAGA Coordinator, Bamigboye Adegoroye, described the former Governor’s statement as untrue
According to Adegoroye, “That is not true. Members of SWAGA cannot form a coalition with Segun Oni to win any election”
“The Chairman of SWAGA in Ekiti State is Senator Tony Adeniyi, I am the coordinator of SWAGA in Ekiti State, So, nobody else could have moved SWAGA in Ekiti to anywhere. Nobody has that capacity. Segun Oni was in the PDP, Segun Oni has no capacity to talk about SWAGA at all.
“He can’t talk about SWAGA at all, he left PDP. You can see the act of desperation. Last week, he (Segun Oni) was talking about APGA, this week, he is talking about SDP, maybe he will be talking about Labour Party next week.
“That is the act of desperation of Segun Oni that we are talking about which people have to guard against. He should not be taken seriously. He sounds a little confused and so you don’t take him seriously”.

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Makinde Renames Polytechnic After Late Ex-Gov

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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.

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10 NWC Members Oppose Damagum Over National Secretary’s Reinstatement

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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.”

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Presidency Slams El-Rufai Over Tinubu Criticism …Says He Suffers From Small Man Syndrome

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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.

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