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‘Desist from deliberate campaign of calumny’, Ajimobi’s aides advise Makinde

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Former aides of the immediate past Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state on Friday advised the present administration in the state led by Engr. Seyi Makinde to desist from  deliberate campaign of calumny “as this could lead to the breakdown of law and order which the state had hitherto enjoyed in the last eight years”.

They also advised Governor Makinde to squarely face the serious task of governance instead of embarking on the mundane attempt to malign  his predecessor in office and paint him and his aides in bad light, among the populace.

The governor’s aides, led by former Commissioner for Education, Prof. Adeniyi Olowofela, gave this advice at a press conference which was held at the premises of the Oyo State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Iyaganku, Ibadan.

Speaking at the press conference, Prof. Olowofela said “It has come to our notice and our investigation has also revealed that there is deliberate smear campaign against the immediate past administration. This is in order to destroy the legacies of the immediate past administration and to individually and collectively malign us.

“These orchestrated propaganda started a few weeks ago when the former administration was accused of awarding the Iseyin-Oyo road to a faceless contractor at a cost of N2billion  per kilometer which had be debunked.

“Not only that, the present administration had also revealed that the state has a debt profile of N150b which has been found to be incorrect according to report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).  Going further, a bulk of the debt is tied to the $200m (N72b) loan from the World Bank which makes up the so -called debt  profile.

“Before its tenure ended on May 29, the Ajimobi administration had not taken up to 30% of that loan. It is a draw down loan whereby payment is released is released for and as projects are executed “, the ex – commissioner explained.

While reacting to the alleged recovered vehicles from some Ajimobi’s aides and political office holders by Governor Makinde, he said, ” these are orchestrated campaigns of calumny and cheap propaganda aimed at rubbishing the well-known giant achievements of the Ajimobi administration which we were part of. We have always challenged the current administration to come up with names of people alleged to have taken vehicles away illegally or without justification. Till date, they have not been able to do so”.

Olowofela, however posed four questions to challenge the present administration as follows:
1) Which mechanic workshop the vehicles were recovered from?
2) Who took such vehicles to mechanic workshop?
3) Were there no documentation given to the mechanic when the vehicles were received? If there were documentations, then they should tell the whole world the circumstances that led to the vehicles being in the workshop?
4) When were the vehicles taken to the workshops?

He specifically alleged one  Olopoeniyan  as one of the prominent government apologists behind the present smear   campaign, adding  that they have been going around mechanic workshops, waylaying and picking up vehicles alleged to have been illegally taken away. “Some of these vehicles have either been boarded or officially taken to mechanic workshops for repairs”.

Continuing, the aides further alleged that Makinde has embarked on the recruitment of social media personnel to step up this smear campaign, counselling that propaganda and outright falsehood will not benefit his  administration and the generality of the people of  Oyo state.

” Empowering touts into taking pictures from mechanic workshops, car snatching on the street under the guise of retrieving government vehicles could lead to a situation of anarchy where men of the underworld would capitalise on this untoward behaviour, to snatch people’s  vehicles on the road, encouraging brigandage, breakdown of law and order, which had been ceased to exist in the state under the stewardship of Senator Abiola Ajimobi”, the University Don advised.

 

 

 •Idowu Ayodele, Ibadan

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Iran War Disrupts Oil Supply, Global Loss Hits $50bn

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The global oil market has recorded losses exceeding $50bn following massive supply disruptions triggered by the ongoing Iran war, which has now stretched to nearly 50 days.

Data from energy analytics firm Kpler showed that more than 500 million barrels of crude oil and condensate have been wiped off the global market since the crisis began in late February, making it the largest energy supply disruption in modern history.

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, on Friday said the Strait of Hormuz had been reopened after a ceasefire agreement reached in Lebanon.

However, tensions escalated again on Saturday as Tehran warned it could shut the strategic waterway if the United States sustains its blockade of Iranian ports.

Also, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism that a deal to end the conflict could be reached “soon,” although he did not provide a definite timeline.

Analysts warned that the scale of disruption could have prolonged effects on global energy stability, with shocks expected to linger for months or even years.

Providing context, Principal Analyst at Wood Mackenzie, Iain Mowat, said the 500 million barrels lost is equivalent to grounding global aviation demand for 10 weeks, halting all road transport worldwide for 11 days, or shutting down the entire global oil supply for five days.

Further estimates showed that the lost volume is nearly equal to one month of oil demand in the United States or more than a month’s supply for Europe. It also represents about six years of fuel consumption by the U.S. military and could power global shipping activities for approximately four months.

The crisis has significantly affected oil-producing nations in the Gulf, with output losses reaching about eight million barrels per day in March—roughly equivalent to the combined production of two of the world’s largest oil companies.

Jet fuel exports from major producers, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman, dropped sharply from 19.6 million barrels in February to just 4.1 million barrels recorded across March and April combined. Analysts said the shortfall could have powered about 20,000 round-trip international flights.

With crude prices averaging around $100 per barrel since the onset of the conflict, the lost volumes translate to an estimated $50bn in revenue. Experts noted that this figure is equivalent to about one per cent of Germany’s annual Gross Domestic Product, or roughly the size of the economies of smaller European countries.

Meanwhile, global onshore crude inventories have declined by about 45 million barrels in April alone, while total production outages have risen to approximately 12 million barrels per day since late March.

Industry experts cautioned that unless a lasting resolution is reached, the disruption could intensify volatility in global oil markets, worsen inflationary pressures, and further strain fragile economies worldwide.

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Oseni Secures Prestigious City People Political Award Nomination

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A member of the House of Representatives representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, Aderemi Oseni, has been nominated for a Special Award in Politics at the 2026 City People Political Awards.

The nomination was conveyed in a letter dated April 13, 2026, signed by the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of City People Magazine, Seye Kehinde.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued by Oseni’s media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan on Thursday.

According to the statement, the lawmaker earned the nomination in recognition of his “outstanding contributions to politics in Oyo State, particularly in Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency.”

The organisers noted that Oseni emerged as a nominee following a comprehensive review of performances across sectors by the award’s selection committee.

Part of the letter read, “Having performed creditably well in your sector last year, the Organising Committee presented you as a nominee in your sector.”

The award ceremony is scheduled to hold on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at Etal Hall, Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, at 4pm.

The City People Awards is an annual event that recognises individuals who have distinguished themselves in governance, public service and other sectors of national development.

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Kaduna Electric to prosecute, expose attackers of staff

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The Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company has announced a crackdown on individuals who assault its staff, warning that offenders will face prosecution and public exposure.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the company expressed concern over what it described as a “disturbing surge” in attacks on its field workers and third-party partners.

It noted that the affected personnel were mainly engaged in meter installation, revenue collection and maintenance of electricity infrastructure.

According to the firm, the increasing cases of harassment, physical assault and unlawful detention of its workers pose a serious threat to employee safety and the stability of electricity service delivery across its franchise areas.

The Deputy Managing Director, Abubakar Mohammed, said the company would no longer tolerate any form of aggression against its workforce.

“Let this serve as a clear warning to anyone who engages in the assault of our staff. Kaduna Electric will pursue every case to its logical conclusion,” he said.

“We will work closely with security agencies to ensure offenders are brought to justice and face the full weight of the law,” Mohammed added.

He further disclosed that the company would publicly reveal the identities of individuals found culpable.

According to him, names, photographs and other details of offenders would be published on the company’s official platforms as well as in national and local media.

“This measure is intended to ensure accountability and serve as a strong deterrent. Anyone who chooses to attack our personnel should be prepared not only to face prosecution but also public exposure,” he added.

The company stressed that assaults on utility workers attract serious legal and financial consequences, noting that offenders risk criminal charges that may lead to fines or imprisonment.

It added that perpetrators could also face civil liabilities, including compensation for medical treatment, psychological trauma and loss of work hours.
While condemning the attacks, Kaduna Electric urged customers to adopt peaceful and lawful means of resolving disputes.

It advised aggrieved customers to channel complaints through its customer service units or appropriate regulatory bodies.

The management reaffirmed its commitment to protecting its workforce and partners, stressing that a safe working environment is essential for delivering reliable and efficient electricity services.

Although disputes between electricity providers and consumers are often linked to billing issues, metering challenges and service delivery concerns, the company maintained that such matters must be resolved through dialogue, insisting that violence against its staff will no longer be tolerated.

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