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You are sick, hand over to your deputy, SDP tells Akeredolu

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The Social Democratic Party, SDP, has urged Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state to hand over his office to his deputy because of his ill health.

Governor Akeredolu had been indisposed for many months due to an undisclosed ailment.

The SDP said the Governor should formally hand over to his deputy in an acting capacity until he is fit and capable of handling state matters.

The SDP had recently described the silence from the governor’s camp and the party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State as concerning and alarming.

The party’s state chairman, Stephen Adewale, in a statement issued in Akure, the state capital, implored the governor “to safeguard his hard-earned reputation by handing over to his deputy, saying- ” This is a duty and responsibility that Governor Akeredolu owes to himself, his party members, his family, and the good people of Ondo State.

The statement reads that ” Ondo State and Ondo State friends must speak out on the increased level of uncertainty that hovered around the governance of our dear Sunshine State before it is too late.

“What began as a candlelight blaze is quickly snowballing into a sizable forest fire.

“And if we do not act quickly, history will not be kind to all of us who knew the incredible power of voice but chose silence.

“The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ondo State understands Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s health condition, for which we have been praying for a speedy recovery.

“However, the state should not and cannot be left without a constitutional head in an acting capacity while he is away attending to his health.

“As we write this, our dear governor has refused to hand over to his deputy in an acting capacity while his whereabouts remain unknown.

” In the past seven days, President Tinubu has met with the APC Governors’ Forum twice.

” During each of those meetings, matters of national importance were discussed.

“Nearly all the governors were in attendance, and those who could not make it had their deputies fill in for them.

” The only state that was conspicuously missing in terms of representation at the two meetings is our dear Ondo State.

” While he recuperates, therefore, we call on Governor Akeredolu to immediately hand over to constitutionally delegate power to the deputy in an Acting capacity so as to keep the state running effectively.

“And if he is strong enough to preside over the affairs of the state as his people claimed, then it is well past time for Governor Akeredolu to show up and prove the doubting Thomases wrong.

“We also call on every relevant stakeholder and patriot in the state to ensure that unnecessary and avoidable constitutional crisis in the management and functioning of the State Government did not ensue.

“This is not the time for them to hide in their cocoon of imperturbability.

” This is not the time for the “Governor is getting better and everything is going on smoothly in the Ondo State” nonsense spewed by APC apologists and many politicians who are abetting the governor to shirk his constitutional responsibility.

“Unknown to these praise singers and those who have chosen silence over talking, no one suffers adversity alone and misery often seeks new neighbourhoods to occupy.

“No matter how these silent stakeholders in Ondo might feel, we will all be touched in varying degrees should this issue be allowed to deteriorate.

“A prolonged uncertainty over the administration of Ondo State will cost the state untoward setback.

“There is no doubt about this. And that is why silence is dangerous now.

” Ondo State is in a rare moment in time when only genuine, exhaustive, and wide-ranging conversations can save the impending storm.

“This is the time to start the constitutional conversations.

Adewale added that ” It is disturbing that a man who once sat atop the highest chair at the Nigeria Bar Association, who actively participated in denouncing an ailing head of state when the latter refused to hand over to his deputy, and who has devoted his entire life to defending the constitution of the land would blatantly and deliberately flout that very constitution.”

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Turaki-led PDP wins as Court of Appeal affirms Wole Oluyede as duly nominated candidate for Ekiti

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Dr. Wole Oluyede has been affirmed as the duly nominated candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the Ekiti State governorship election.

The Court of Appeal, Akure Division, made the affirmation in a landmark judgment, thereby giving validity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election for the same.

In a unanimous decision, the three-man appellate panel led by Hon. Justice Peter Chudi Obiorah, alongside Hon. Justice Jane Esienanwan Inyang and Hon. Justice Peter O. Affen, set aside the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti.

The justices held that the primary election conducted by the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) was valid, transparent, and complied with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.

On the 13th of January, 2026, the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti nullified the Ekiti State Governorship primary election conducted on the 8th and 9th November, 2025.

Dissatisfied with the judgment, the Party appealed to the Court of Appeal and today, the Court of Appeal allowed the appeal and set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court..

The Court further held that the primary election was duly conducted.

This judgment effectively puts to rest the leadership and candidacy disputes that have shadowed the party’s preparations for the 2026 Ekiti State Governorship Election. By upholding the Turaki-led process, the Court has provided the necessary legal finality to ensure the PDP enters the general election as a unified front.

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India slaps Nigeria, rejects Tinubu’s ambassador-designate

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India and some other countries have reportedly  declined to accept some of President Bola Tinubu’s recently posted ambassadors-designate due to diplomatic policies that discourage receiving envoys from administrations with less than two years remaining in office.

According to reports in the media, India, where career diplomat Ambassador Muhammad Dahiru has been designated to serve, maintains a standing policy against accepting ambassadors from governments with tenures of less than two years remaining.

India is exercising its discretionary powers to turn down the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ request to accept Dahiru’s posting.

According to sources quoted by the report, the Federal Government was already receiving signals from New Delhi and possibly other capitals about their reluctance to grant agrément.

Agrément is the formal approval given by a receiving country to accept a diplomat designated by the sending country, and it is a prerequisite before an ambassador can assume duty.

“They don’t accept an ambassador from an administration that has less than two years in office. So they are giving us that body language already,” a Presidency official was quoted to have said

The source continued, “Some countries are reluctant to accept some people, not because of the individuals but because of time. They are already seeing the Tinubu government as an outgoing government.

“So their concern is that he has just one year left, so what if he doesn’t win the election? Another government may come and remove them. We also understand that some countries have this policy. Any ambassador from an administration that has less than a year or two in office will not get accepted. And one of such countries is India.”

 

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Belonging to two political parties to attract imprisonment

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The House of Representatives on Wednesday amended Section 77 of the recently assented Electoral Act 2026 to prescribe two-year jail term or N10 million fines or both, for anyone who knowingly maintains membership of two political parties at the same time.

Lawmakers during the committee of the whole presided by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu, made amendment to section 77 of the 2026 Act by inserting three new clauses 8, 9 and 10 which were considered and approved by lawmakers after a heated session of back and forth debates.

According to the new clauses approved by lawmakers, any party member found to be registered as member of more than one political party at the same time will have his or membership of the said parties voided.

Clause (8) of the approved amendment stipulates that “A person shall not be registered as a member of more than one political party at the same time.”

Clause (9) stipulates that “Where it is established that a person is registered as a member of more than one political at the same time, such dual membership shall be void, and the person shall cease to be recognised as a valid member of any political party pending regularisation in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the constitution of the political party concerned.

Clause (10) stipulates that “A person who knowingly registers or maintains membership in more than one political party at the same time commits an offence is liable on conviction to a fine of N10,000,000 or to imprisonment for a term of two years, or both.”

 

 

 

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