News
I will keep making appointments on merit – Makinde
The Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, declared on Tuesday that he would keep ensuring that his appointments are made based on merit rather than ethnic and religious biases.
The governor, who stated this while performing the swearing-in ceremony of the former State Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Bayo Titilola-Sodo, as a Permanent Secretary, said that those seeking to always x-ray his appointments through religious and ethnic binoculars were wasting their time.
The governor also swore in the governing councils of six state-owned tertiary institutions at the Government House on Tuesday.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the governor, at the two events held at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, stated that merit and competence would continue to be parameters for appointments into positions.
He enjoined those working to divide the state through the manipulation of religion, to turn a new leaf, because, according to him, their efforts will always be an exercise in futility, as the people of the state will not yield to their deceit.
“To the folks that always look for loopholes; whatever we do they are quick to jump out there and carry placards, I make bold to say that they are completely useless to our people, because if they are not, they won’t just criticize us; they can bring alternatives to the table. But they cannot divide this state on religious grounds,” he said.
The governor added: “What we have done today is to demonstrate to the whole world that even if you operate on a different side of the divide, our focus is the same. When I came in as the governor of Oyo State, I called the chairman of NLC, Comrade Bayo Titilola-Sodo, and explained to him that the objective is the same. One may be on the side of government and the other may be on the side of labour, but the objective is to develop our state, to make life more meaningful to our people.
“We had an agreement that there will be a relationship of harmony between the Oyo State Government and labour union, that is exactly what we are witnessing now. So, I use this opportunity to implore people, whether you are PDP or APC, we don’t have to destroy ourselves and our state because positions and political players will come and go. Some of the players of yesterday are not here anymore, but our state remains.
“I want to commend Comrade Titilola-Sodo for managing the labour union well; we are partners in the development of our state. This was why it was not difficult for me to sign when they brought the recommendation for me to sign that you should become a permanent secretary.
“I don’t have any doubt that you have the capacity and ability to deliver. Hope you will do the job to the best of your capability as it is expected.”
In another vein, the governor urged the new chairmen of governing councils of state-owned tertiary institutions to see their appointment as a call to service, adding that they should use their experiences to uplift the education system of the state.
He said: “We are here to swear in the chairmen and governing councils of tertiary institutions in Oyo State. We have the chairmen here but the members are also being sworn in in absentia just to observe the COVID-19 protocol. We cannot have all the people here.
“Presently, Oyo State has 10 tertiary institutions. We are swearing in six today. Out of the 10, we have the Tech-U. We are currently carrying out sustainability study on Tech-U just to be sure that it is a sustainable venture. We also have the school of nursing and midwifery and Oyo State College of Hygiene and Health Technology. We do have one tertiary institution jointly owned by the government of Oyo State and Osun State, that is the LAUTECH.
“When we released the names of the chairmen of the governing councils, some people were upset that there were more Christians than Muslims. Well, we would not have noticed because, apart from one or two of you that I have met one on one before, I don’t think I have sat with the rest before. You were nominated by your constituency. If we have to make any progress, we have to listen to the people who have been in that sector over the years and they know the challenges that the sector has been facing over the years. We called them, we sat down and they nominated some of you.
“I believe we will continue to make progress in our society when we stop looking at people through the lens of ethnicity, tribe or religion and start paying attention to competence. I checked you out even though they nominated you. And I am glad to say that every one of you seated here is competent to occupy that position. I know things will balance out. As an individual, I am blind to religion, and the people trying to divide us through religion seriously need to look for something else to do.”
The governor maintained that the new chairmen of the governing councils will be responsible for institutional change in their respective institutions, promising that as the state expands its economy, most of the tertiary institutions would benefit and become more stable.
He added that even though the immediate past administration which, hitherto, paid 25 percent subvention to the institutions, jerked it up to 100 percent immediately after his March 9, 2019, victory, he has continued to pay the 100 percent subventions because that was what he intended to do on assumption of office.
According to him, despite the challenges imposed on the state’s finances by the COVID-19 pandemic, he has kept faith with the 100 percent subvention payment.
He expressed the confidence that the councils would be able to address the issues of quality assurance, effective teaching methods and efficiency in running the system, which he noted, are some of the challenges facing the tertiary education system in the state.
He charged the new chairmen and members of the councils to think outside the box, declaring that the government would give them maximum support to succeed in the new task.
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.
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.
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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