Politics
Revealed! Real Reasons Why Oyo CP Detains Ido Lg Party Chieftains.
THERE was a palpable tension in Ido town, Ido local government headquarters, on Wednesday as tens of Mobile policemen were seen marauding the ancient town of Ido, Oyo state, Nigeria.
A quick check by our correspondent revealed that the presence of several policemen in the town was a proactive move by the police authority in the council to prevent the flame of political violence which would have resulted had the former chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Pastor Samuel Akintokun, was allowed to carry out his wish of
organising his faction’s general meeting in Ido Car Park, the usual venue for the party’s general meeting in the council, from burning.
Our investigations further revealed that trouble began when the leadership of the APC announced the removal of Pastor Akintokun,the erstwhile party chairman, during the party’s last general meeting which was attended by all the party’s stakeholders in the council held recently at Ido Car Park, Ido town.
His removal was as a result of a motion moved by the council’s party youth leader and one of the seventeen local executive members present, Comrade Yusuff Akeem, calling for the removal of Pastor Akintokun due to what he regarded as the erstwhile party chairman’s refusal to organise the party’s general meetings as at when due where key decisions that bother on the party’s development are taken, his failure to attend the party’s key events as well as gross abuse of office.
The motion which was seconded by another local executive members nicknamed ‘Ogun’ was adopted by the council’s party executive members and thereafter unanimously chose Alhaji Dauda Akanji as the acting chairman.
This removal, however, did not augur well with Pastor Akintokun faction, saying that the process for his removal was illegal and contrary to the party’s constitution and vowed to resist
it, stressing, that he still remains the party’s chairman in the council.
Similarly, our checks unearthed that efforts were made by the APC party leadership at the state’s level to resolve the issue amicably but the council’s party executive members stood their ground
saying that the decision to remove Pastor Akintokun as Ido LG APC chairman was irreversible.
But, in a bid to show his popularity among the party faithful in the local government and proved that he still remains the council’s party chairman, Pastor Akintokun, approached the police authority in the local government informing them of his decision to organise his party’s general meeting, but the police authority declined his request citing a document in their possession signed by the party’s relevant stakeholders which states that he has been removed.
Undaunted by this decline, the ex-party chairman tendered another request on Wednesday to the police authority but when it was declined again based on the same document, Pastor Akintokun was said to have reported the matter to some powerful forces in the party which our check revealed to be two federal lawmakers who called the council’s Divisional Police Officer, to allow him carry out his wish.
Our correspondent learned that it was at this point that the council’s Divisional Police Officer, DPO informed the state’s Commissioner of Police of his dilemma, he was, however, told to bring Pastor Akintokun and Alhaji Dauda Akanji, the party’s acting chairman to the force’s state headquarter at Eleyele for discussion where the duo were detained.
Mega Icon Magazine also gathered that had it not been for the prompt invitation of police to Ido town by the council’s care-taker chairman, Hon. Wahab Oladejo, with a view to maintaining law and orderliness, political violence would have erupted as party faithful who were part of the process that saw to the removal of Pastor Akintokun as the council’s party chairman had vowed to prevent the general meeting had the erstwhile party chairman allowed to organise it saying that Pastor Akintokun had ceased to be the council’s party chairman.
But according to a source within Pastor Akintokun’s camp, the purported removal of the erstwhile party chairman was due to what the camp of the present care-taker chairman perceived as the roles played by him during the December 2014 primary elections which saw to the failure of Hon. Oladejo to cling Ido/Ibarapa – East Federal Constituency ticket won by the then incumbent, Hon. Sunday Adepoju, who is from Eruwa in Ibarapa- East Local Government and who went ahead to win the constituency during the general elections for the second time running after succeeding Hon. Yemi Taiwo from the same council in 2011.
Another source claims that the ‘sin’ of the erstwhile party chairman was his refusal to bow for the powerful party chieftains in the council who are followers and loyalists to the state governor’s quest to produce his successor.
“Besides the reasons cited by council’s executive members for the removal of Pastor Akintokun as the party chairman, the real reason for his removal is the man’s penchant to see himself as LAMIST, a group who are steadfast allies of the former Oyo State governor, Late Alhaji Lam Adesina, first before seeing himself as APC member. The LAMISTS believe they are the founding members of the party, thus, seeing other members, especially, the SENACO, a group who are loyal and followers of the the state’s governor, Abiola Ajimobi’s political ideology, as their ‘junior’.
“Thus, Pastor Akintokun’s activities in the party are geared towards the realisation of the objectives of the LAMIST group first before the general interests of the party he chaired.
“This was what made him to support Hon. Adepoju, a staunch member of LAMIST, during the 2014 primary of Ido/Ibarapa-East federal Constituency at the expense of other aspirants from his own local government, faulting the aged norms and agreement between Ido and Ibarapa East Local Governments”, the source who doesn’t want his name published told Mega Icon Magazine.
But in a swift reaction, when contacted, the care-taker chairman, Ido Local government, Hon. Wahab Oladejo, has debunked the allegation that he had a hand in the erstwhile party chairman’s removal, saying that his removal is purely and strictly a party affairs and not his business.
“That accusation that I had a hand in Pastor Akintokun’s removal as party chairman is baseless and unfounded. What happened was a democracy in action. All the leaders we have in Ido LG namely; Alhaji Kamorudeen Ajisafe, Pa
Oladejo Lankodoro and Alhaji Bashiru Babalola backed the decision made by our council’s executive members which saw to the removal of Pastor Akintokun as our party Chairman, so who am I to say no to the decision made by our council’s highest decision making body”? Oladejo asked rhetorically.
He continued, “those who know me very well know that I am an advocate of party supremacy, the party executive organ and the party leadership have made a decision and they submitted the
document which have their signatures appended on it regarding that decision to the relevant authority, so what is my business in that? My job as the Chief Security Officer in the council is to prevent and nip, any form of violence noticed in any part of the council, in the bud and that’s exactly what the police had done.
“I want to commend the police authority both at the local and the state for doing a good job, they really had the situation under control.
“Meanwhile, I want to say this that, our executive governor had said that APC under his leadership is one, hence, there is nothing like LAMIST or SENACO. Anyone who is at the vanguard of this spurious claim, is just looking for something to eat”, he concluded.
Meanwhile, another source claimed that, with the general elections seem to be getting nearer, more of these developments would be coming
into fore, adding that all these moves by these political gladiators are geared towards having a total control of the party not only in Ido LG but also throughout the state and country.
Mega Icon Magazine further probes revealed that the two detained party chieftains had since been released on Thursday after inviting all the relevant stakeholders in the council to give statements regarding the incidence.
The police has, however, warns the people that it would not tolerate breakdown of law and order from anyone.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the Governor of Ekiti State and candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Biodun Oyebanji, winner of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
The Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, announced the result at about 3:13 a.m. on Sunday in Ado-Ekiti, saying Oyebanji polled 319,224 votes to defeat his closest rivals and secure a second term in office.
According to Oladiji, who is the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Oluwole Oluyede, garnered 40,543 votes, while the African Democratic Congress candidate, Dare Bejide, secured 12,872 votes.
She said 384,940 voters were accredited for the election, while 375,777 valid votes were recorded. The electoral umpire also announced that 6,332 votes were rejected, bringing the total number of votes cast to 382,109.
The declaration capped a governorship poll largely adjudged peaceful by observers and security agencies, despite complaints of malfunctioning Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines, delayed commencement of voting in some polling units and allegations of voter intimidation by opposition parties.
INEC said voting was conducted in all the 2,445 polling units across the state’s 16 local government areas, noting that 2,257 units, representing 92.31 per cent, opened before 8.30 a.m., while 188 polling units commenced accreditation and voting before 10.30 a.m. after experiencing minor delays.
The commission also commenced uploading polling unit results to its Results Viewing Portal shortly after the completion of voting and counting in several centres.
The PDP candidate, Oluyede, had expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the exercise at Ugele/Arokun Ward in Ikere Local Government Area, alleging that many prospective voters were disenfranchised due to BVAS-related challenges.
Speaking with journalists after voting at Polling Unit 006, he further alleged cases of harassment and intimidation of voters in the area.
Some elderly voters at the polling unit also lamented difficulties encountered during accreditation and urged INEC to urgently rectify the technical glitches.
The ADC candidate, Bejide, similarly alleged irregularities during the exercise.
However, Oyebanji dismissed the claims, insisting that those making allegations of electoral misconduct should provide credible evidence to support them.
The governor, who voted at Polling Unit 003, Okelele, Ikogosi-Ekiti, in Ekiti West Local Government Area, described the election as satisfactory and urged eligible voters yet to cast their ballots to do so peacefully.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of election security, Abayomi Shogunle, said no case of vote-buying was reported to security agencies throughout the exercise.
Election observers commended the peaceful atmosphere that characterised the poll but raised concerns over procedural inconsistencies.
The First Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Sebastian Anyia, described the process as orderly and peaceful, saying voter turnout was encouraging.
Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Brenda Anugwom, lauded the resilience of female voters, many of whom remained at polling units for several hours with their children to exercise their franchise.
Yiaga Africa, however, expressed concern over discrepancies involving ballot papers, result sheets and INEC’s published list of candidates, warning that such inconsistencies could create challenges during collation and reconciliation of results.
The election observer group urged INEC to provide further clarification on the final list of participating parties and candidates and issue clear guidance to electoral officials handling result documentation.
Ahead of the poll, INEC and security agencies had repeatedly assured residents of their preparedness to deliver a peaceful, credible and transparent election, deploying personnel and restricting vehicular movement to forestall electoral violence and other offences.
The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has rejected plans by the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde to conduct another local government election on December 26, 2026, describing the proposed exercise as illegal, premature and a calculated move to retain political influence at the grassroots beyond the governor’s tenure.
The party declared that it would neither participate in the election nor remain silent over what it termed an attempt to squander public resources on a process allegedly designed to install loyalists in the 33 local government councils and 351 wards across the state.
The controversy followed the decision of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) to shift the date earlier fixed for January 2027 to December 26, 2026, after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the timetable for the 2027 general elections.
The move has continued to generate debate among political observers, many of whom have questioned the urgency of conducting another council poll barely six months before the expiration of the tenure of the incumbent chairmen and councillors elected in the 2024 local government elections.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, the APC said it would not stop at boycotting the election but would also collaborate with “patriots and rational minds” to resist what it called an unnecessary expenditure of taxpayers’ money.
The party accused Governor Makinde of lacking commitment to local government autonomy, alleging that the administration had exercised undue control over council resources for more than seven years.
“The whole world knows that Governor Makinde does not believe in local government autonomy and, when it comes to democracy at the grassroots, he cannot be trusted for anything,” the statement said.
The APC alleged that the proposed poll was aimed at positioning individuals loyal to the governor in local councils before his exit from office on May 29, 2027, arguing that such a move would enable him to sustain political influence after leaving the Agodi Government House.
According to the opposition party, expectations among many residents are centred on ongoing efforts by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to strengthen local government autonomy and ensure that councils enjoy direct access to their statutory allocations without interference from state governments.
The APC also linked what it described as poor development outcomes in some rural communities to the operation of the state-local government joint account system. It cited communities such as Ahoro Esiele and Yawota in Oriire Local Government Area, which have reportedly faced security challenges, as examples of areas where local government resources should have translated into visible improvements.
“It is sad that Governor Makinde appears determined to sustain a system that has left many rural communities vulnerable despite huge allocations accruing to local governments monthly,” the party said.
The opposition further dismissed the local government elections conducted in 2020 and 2024 as lacking credibility, alleging that winners emerged through predetermined outcomes rather than a transparent electoral process.
“The fraud called local government polls in 2020 and 2024 should be the last the people of Oyo State would witness. Governor Makinde and his supporters should bury any thought of staging another charade in which results are announced without genuine voting and public offices become tools for the diversion of public funds,” the statement added.
The APC consequently urged officials of OYSIEC to halt preparations for the proposed December election, warning against actions capable of undermining democratic values and public confidence in the electoral process.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Oyo State Government nor OYSIEC had issued an official response to the allegations raised by the opposition party.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Aderemi Oseni, on Saturday mobilised thousands of artisans and traders across Oyo State in support of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
Oseni said the support base of the Remi Oseni Committee of Friends (ROCOF), in collaboration with other stakeholders, was intensifying efforts to deliver one million votes for the President in the state.
Oseni, Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), said artisans and traders must see themselves as critical stakeholders in President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that the success of the administration depends largely on grassroots participation.
The federal lawmaker spoke in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, during a stakeholders’ engagement with members of the ROCOF Progressive Workers and Traders’ Associations.
In a symbolic show of political readiness, scores of traders and artisans displayed their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), while Oseni urged eligible Nigerians yet to register to obtain their voter cards ahead of the next general election.
He cautioned against vote-buying and vote-selling, warning that such practices threaten the future of democracy and mortgage the destiny of younger generations.
The meeting, according to Oseni, was also convened to deepen economic support for members through empowerment programmes targeted at strengthening businesses and improving livelihoods.
He announced that requests for a N250 million interest-free loan scheme for artisans and traders, construction of an artisans’ village with stable electricity supply, and health insurance support had received approval.
According to him, the loan facility will be administered through a microfinance bank under the Remi Oseni Foundation to ensure transparency, accessibility and sustainability.
He added that road and infrastructure projects across communities would remain a major priority.
Oseni, who is seeking to represent Oyo South Senatorial District in the next election cycle, also used the meeting to explain his decision to pursue a Senate seat instead of his earlier governorship ambition.
He said the move followed consultations with party leaders and supporters.
According to him, supporters deserved clarity on the political direction of the movement.
He said: “We convened this stakeholders’ meeting to review our present position. Before now, our focus was on leading Oyo State through the governorship. That was our clear objective as a movement, but today, it has become evident that God is directing us towards the Senate.
“Our people needed to understand the reasons for this decision, the position of the party and what we have accepted in the overall interest of our political future. It is not enough for leaders to take decisions. We owe our supporters explanations and must carry them along.
“We have encouraged them to embrace this opportunity in good faith and believe that greater opportunities still lie ahead.
“Many of them felt our governorship ambition would have delivered greater benefits, but we have reassured them that the government remains supportive and the future is bright.
“We have equally assured the President that our decision to pursue the Oyo South Senate seat will not affect the one million votes earlier promised him, because ROCOF structures across the 33 local government areas are fully mobilised and committed to his re-election.”
On the crisis within the All Progressives Congress (APC), Oseni said efforts were ongoing to reconcile aggrieved members, expressing confidence that outstanding differences would soon be resolved.
He described competing interests within the party as a reflection of the APC’s growing strength and political attractiveness.
Earlier, the Oyo State Coordinator of ROCOF Progressive Workers and Traders’ Associations, Alhaji Munirudeen Adegoke, described Oseni’s empowerment drive as a strategic investment capable of reducing unemployment, youth restiveness and poverty.
Adegoke said meaningful empowerment for artisans and traders must go beyond temporary palliatives.
According to him, sustainable support requires deliberate policies that guarantee access to capital, improved infrastructure and social protection.
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