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2023 Presidency: Tinubu, Olufunmilade lead other Yoruba aspirants to declare interest

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The race for 2023 general elections has began in earnest.

In the next six months, the presidential candidates of all political parties must have emerged.

The INEC, among other schedule, had fixed February 2023 for the presidential contest. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, every political parties is expected to field a southern candidate, but politics being a game of intrigue and unpredictable, this calculation may change.

Since the current president comes from the North, many are expecting that Buhari’s successor ought to come from the southern part.

Considering the Yoruba extraction of the southern presidency, two aspirants seem to have shown serious interest to contest. Even though, it is being rumored everyday that the vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Ekiti state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi are interested in the contest, they have not publicly declared their intentions

It is however no longer  news that the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, after his visit to President Mohammadu Buhari last week, had opened up on his aspiration. Now it is no longer vague that the former governor of Lagos will contest 2023 presidential election.

Tinubu, one of the founding fathers of APC is considered a serious contenders. As at today, he is the only Yoruba man to publicly declare his intention on the platform of the party.

He was the governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007 and his tenure is considered as golden era.

Another notable figure, an academic and political scientist, Prof. Femi Olufunmilade has also declared his intention to gun fur presidency.

Olufunmilade is not new in the terrain, he was as well a presidential aspirant in 2019 general elections under the platform of Social Democratic Party (SDP).

“I will be vying for the highest office in Nigeria at the next general elections. I want to rise beyond being sad over the mess this country has become with no hope in sight, to offering our people an alternative path to a government that will do them proud in their lifetime,” Olufunmilade declared.

Olufunmilade, a vocal and ardent supporter of “restructuring” of  Nigeria, was also member of the APC presidential campaign council in 2015 and 2019.

To underline the seriousness of his presidential quest, he has produced a presidential policy book, detailing his programmes for the people of Nigeria in 18 chapters.

The policy book discusses and furnishes remedies to diverse perennial challenges presently confronting Nigeria in diverse sectors.

Another Yoruba aspirant that wants to become president in 2023 is Dr. Adebayo.

The Ondo State born lawyer, recently declared his intention, saying Nigerians will have another opportunity to choose a new leader.

According to him, “we should learn not only the bitter lessons of what the government is doing or failing to do, we should also learn the positive lessons of our ability to make the corrections.

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Oyo Rep, Oseni Pays APC Secretariat Staff Salaries, Donates N10m to Boost Party Operations

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File photo of Hon. Aderemi Oseni

House of Representatives member and Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has fulfilled his pledge to support the welfare of the All Progressives Congress (APC) staff in Oyo State.

In a gesture highlighting his commitment, the lawmaker personally funded the salaries of staff at the APC’s Oke Ado Secretariat in Ibadan, reinforcing his dedication to the smooth operation of the party’s activities in the state.

Representing the Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency, Oseni recently visited the secretariat, where he expressed gratitude to party leaders and members for their contributions.

As a further commitment to the smooth operation of the party’s activities, the lawmaker generously donated ten million naira (N10,000,000) as an allowance to enhance the secretariat’s functions.

In a statement released Wednesday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the lawmaker extended appreciation to the secretariat staff, whom he described as the backbone of the party’s daily functions.

He lauded their dedication, noting their essential role in advancing the party’s goals.

“Leadership is about service, and service begins with supporting those who make the party function from within,” Oseni remarked.

“I am proud to honour this commitment to our staff, as they play a crucial role in making our political structures work effectively. This is my way of showing appreciation for their unwavering dedication”, he added.

 

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Oseni Salutes Senator Folarin’s Decades of Service at 61

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Engr. Aderemi Oseni, representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency of Oyo State in the House of Representatives, has paid tribute to former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, on his 61st birthday, celebrating his decades of dedicated service and contributions to Oyo State and Nigeria at large.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, in Ibadan, Oseni, who also serves as Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), lauded Folarin’s unwavering commitment to leadership and the well-being of the people.

Highlighting the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial nominee in the 2023 elections for three terms in the Senate, the lawmaker noted that Folarin’s legacy of service continues to be a guiding light for emerging leaders and a source of inspiration for countless individuals across the state.

“Senator Folarin has built an admirable legacy through years of selfless public service, consistently advocating for progress and unity,” remarked Oseni.

Reflecting on Folarin’s role as the Ikolaba Olubadan of Ibadanland, the lawmaker commended his leadership approach, which has bridged divides, fostered coalitions, and promoted initiatives aimed at stabilising democracy.

“Senator Folarin’s career is an example of visionary leadership,” he added, “and his commitment to public service will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.”

As Senator Folarin marks this milestone, Oseni extended warm wishes for his continued health and success, expressing hope that his exemplary life of service will keep inspiring positive change across the nation.

 

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Ugandan Court Hands Ex-LRA Commander 40-Year Sentence

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In a historic ruling, a Ugandan court on Friday sentenced former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo to 40 years in prison.

This landmark decision, marking the first time a member of the notorious LRA has faced trial for war crimes in a Ugandan court, follows the group’s brutal two-decade insurgency against the Ugandan government.

Kwoyelo, who was convicted in August on 44 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, faced charges including murder, rape, torture, pillaging, abduction, and the destruction of settlements for internally displaced people.

(FILES) Thomas Kwoyelo a commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army rebellion blamed for brutal civilian murders during a 20-year war in the north of the country is brought into a courthouse in the northern Ugandan town of Gulu on July 25, 2011. – A Ugandan court on October 25, 2024 sentenced former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo to 40 years in prison after a landmark war crimes trial over his role in the group’s two-decade reign of terror. The sentence against Kwoyelo, who was convicted on 44 counts of crimes against humanity in August, was announced by Michael Elubu, the lead judge in the case at the court in the northern city of Gulu. (Photo by MICHELE SIBOLINI / AFP)

Michael Elubu, lead judge of the case at the International Crimes Division (ICD) of Uganda’s High Court, delivered the sentence in the northern city of Gulu, underscoring a rare moment of accountability in the decades-long history of the LRA’s violence.

Judge Elubu stated that Kwoyelo retains the right to appeal both his conviction and sentence within 14 days.

Kwoyelo, who was abducted by the LRA at the age of 12 and later rose to a low-level command position within the organization, denied all charges brought against him.

(FILES) Suspected LRA (Lords Resistance Army) member Thomas Kwoyelo is pictured during a pre-trial session at the High Court in Kampala on Februay 1, 2017. – A Ugandan court on October 25, 2024 sentenced former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo to 40 years in prison after a landmark war crimes trial over his role in the group’s two-decade reign of terror. The sentence against Kwoyelo, who was convicted on 44 counts of crimes against humanity in August, was announced by Michael Elubu, the lead judge in the case at the court in the northern city of Gulu. (Photo by GAEL GRILHOT / AFP)

The Lord’s Resistance Army, founded by Joseph Kony in the 1980s, sought to establish a regime based on the Ten Commandments. Under Kony’s leadership, the group unleashed widespread terror across Uganda and neighboring regions, resulting in over 100,000 deaths and the abduction of 60,000 children.

The violence eventually spread to Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the Central African Republic.

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