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Oyo guber hopeful, Akande promises to create ministry of Ibadan Capital Development
A gubernatorial aspirant in Oyo State, Professor Adeolu Akande, has promised to create a ministry of Ibadan Capital Development, (ICD) when he is sworn in as the governor of the state next year.
Prof Akande explained that the ministry will be at no additional cost to the state but will ensure that government activities for the development of Ibadan and welfare of its residents are better coordinated for optimal service delivery and accelerated development.
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He said the system that is in place now is “sectorally disjointed” and cannot develop the capital city at the rate he wants for Ibadan which he says is the pride of all indigenes of Oyo State.
Professor Akande said all government ministries, departments and agencies take actions that impact on the welfare of residents and development of the city without anyone having a helicopter view that will guarantee accelerated and optimal growth.
Akande stressed that the ministry of education is executing projects different from the ministry of health which is also doing something different from every other ministry. The ministries, he said, work in silos as regards the development of Ibadan, whereas a ministry of Ibadan Capital Development will coordinate all these silos to deliver accelerated development.
The guber aspirant alsk informed that the initiative would not be to the detriment of other parts of the state, because apart from the fact that there is hardly any community of Oyo State that does not have full representation in the 4 million population of Ibadan, Ibadan is the epicentre of the development of Oyo State and the development of Ibadan will yield benefits to all parts of the state. He said the ministry will also work on the integration of other towns to the delivery of goods and services that will take advantage of the population of Ibadan for the creation of wealth for people who live in those towns and communities.
Prof Akande said he will also set up a project known as “Friends of Ibadan” through which the government will collaborate with eminent personalities who had lived in Ibadan, for the development of the city.
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He said thousands of eminent personalities across the world had enjoyed the hospitality of Ibadan when they were students or lecturers and workers at the University of Ibadan and the Polytechnic of Ibadan and other institutions and secondary schools and now occupy prominent positions across the world.
“We are going to seek such people out and collaborate with them to use their extensive networks to develop Ibadan.”
He said people like Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Prof Wole Soyinka,Chief Mike Adenuga of Glo fame, Oba Otudeko, Chief and Prof. Akinkugbe, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion and the scores of Southern African government officials and veterans who studied at the University during the fight against apartheid, Prof Jibril Aminu, Prof Richard Joseph, and others too numerous to mention who enjoyed the hospitality of Ibadan and could use their networks to facilitate projects that will accelerate the development of Ibadan.
” My vision is a functional city where children can go to good schools within a few kilometers of their homes. A city where health care is at the doorstep of residents or is a phone call away. A city that develops the enormous ICT skills of the youths on street corners and a city that will reclaim its glory of providing half of the nation’s teams in football and other sports.
Prof Akande said there are over 90 countries and territories in the world who have less than the estimated 4 million population of Ibadan and which are doing well, making it imperative to take advantage of the population of Ibadan for development.
He said his government will also adopt the “City Twinning” strategy through which Ibadan will share experiences and facilities and support with other big cities around the world to fast-track its development.
“There are enormous resources out there that we can mobilise to development Ibadan for the benefit of all. We can access this through a vibrant twinning programme that will see Ibadan sharing knowledge, strategies, and resources with similar cities around the world for development”, he concluded.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, rose to N1,532.93 per litre in April 2026, representing a 23.69 per cent increase compared to the N1,239.33 recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, findings by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown.
The sharp rise in petrol prices came amid mounting inflationary pressure and worsening living costs, with Nigerians grappling with soaring transportation and food expenses that have continued to shrink household purchasing power.
The NBS disclosed this in its Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for April 2026, released on Friday.
The report further showed that on a month-on-month basis, petrol prices rose by 18.97 per cent from N1,288.54 recorded in March 2026, underscoring persistent volatility in the downstream petroleum market.
A breakdown of prices across states revealed that Yobe recorded the highest average retail price for petrol at N1,599.05 per litre during the review period.
Edo and Bauchi followed closely with average prices of N1,595.74 and N1,589.07, respectively.
However, Niger residents paid the least for petrol at an average of N1,403.89 per litre, while Sokoto and Katsina recorded N1,404.16 and N1,406.28 respectively.
At the zonal level, the South-South recorded the highest average retail price at N1,566.76 per litre, while the North-West posted the lowest at N1,508.81.
The latest petrol price increase comes as millions of Nigerians continue to battle the ripple effects of rising inflation, with higher energy costs worsening transportation fares and the prices of essential commodities.
Similarly, the NBS said the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, rose by 13.73 per cent month-on-month to N8,706.93 in April 2026 from N7,655.73 recorded in March.
On a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 10.42 per cent from N7,885.60 recorded in April 2025.
Lagos recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,745.10, followed by Nasarawa at N9,451.70 and Bayelsa at N9,422.74.
In contrast, Anambra recorded the lowest average price at N7,204.76, while Ondo and Ogun followed with N7,239.49 and N7,825.75, respectively.
At the regional level, the North-West recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,025.07, followed by the North-East at N8,847.16, while the South-East posted the lowest average price at N8,224.37.
Also, the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased by 13.89 per cent month-on-month to N22,382.20 in April 2026 from N19,652.83 in March.
Compared to April 2025, the price rose by 10.43 per cent from N20,268.06.
According to the NBS LPG Price Watch for April, Katsina recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N25,596.71, followed by Kogi at N24,558.25 and Gombe at N24,438.97.
Ogun recorded the lowest average price at N19,564.36, while Bauchi and Anambra followed at N20,178.87 and N20,511.90 respectively.
The North-West recorded the highest zonal average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N23,276.95, followed by the North-Central at N22,865.29, while the South-East posted the lowest average at N21,060.92.
The latest figures signal growing pressure on household energy costs, raising concerns over the implications for inflation and the cost of living in the coming months.
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