Arase, in a statement issued on Friday by the Head Press and Public Relations, PSC, Ikechukwu Ani said one his major achievements was that he has been able to institute a harmonious working relationship between the Commission and the Nigeria Police Force.

According to him, he has succeeded in creating a cordial working relationship between the Commission and the Nigeria Police Force where both parties now work not to compete but complement each other.

“There is now respect for the clearly defined responsibilities of the two institutions and they now operate with mutual respect and shared vision, he noted”.

In addition, Arase also revealed that he has made a success of his stakeholders’ conversations immediately on resumption of duty at the PSC. He added that as a result, he has been able to rally Civil Society Organisations in support of the Commission and the NPF.

He added that he has continue to engage international donor agencies and other stakeholders in the Police Sector to assist build the capacity of the Commission as an oversight body and that of the Police as the lead Agency in internal security.

Tinubu, Makinde, Wike, Ibori Meet Behind Closed Doors.

President Bola Tinubu has met with the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, Rivers and Delta States former governors, Nyesom Wike, and James Ibori, behind closed doors.

Former Governors Wike, Ibori, and Makinde arrived at the State House around 4:20 pm. The essence of the meeting, it was learnt, was to celebrate with him after his swearing in and to discuss how they could benefit from the administration.

Aside from Makinde, Wike and Ibori have left public offices and would be aiming to at least secure appointments for their loyalists even if they do not want to serve under Tinubu’s government.

Wike and Makinde are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They are part of a group known as the G-5, which opposed their party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, during the February 25 elections. Meanwhile, Wike recently completed his eight-year term as governor. Ibori and President Tinubu have previously served as governors from 1999 to 2007.

It is worth noting that Ibori reportedly supported the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last general elections, as his preferred candidate for the PDP governorship election lost to former governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s candidate.

The meeting came hours after the President announced the appointment of Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, as his Chief of Staff and Benue State former Governor, George Akume as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), ending speculation over his choice on aides.

President Bola Tinubu has confirmed the appointment of Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, as Chief of Staff.

Aside from that, the president also approved the appointment of Benue State former Governor, and immediate past Minister of Special Duties, George Akume, as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

The appointments were confirmed through a statement released on Friday by Director, Information for the Villa, Abiodun Oladunjoye, and made available to newsmen.

In the statement, Tinubu picked a former Deputy Governor of Jigawa State, Ibrahim Hadejia, as his Deputy Chief of Staff.

According to the statement, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Friday in Abuja announced the appointment of Speaker of House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff, and Sen. Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, a former Deputy Governor of Jigawa State, as Deputy Chief of Staff.

“In a meeting with Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), the President also named former Governor of Benue State and immediate past Minister of Special Duties, George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF)”.

The announcement came hours after the president had picked Gbajabiamila as his preferred candidate to serve as his Chief of Staff after evaluating all former governors, lawmakers and party executives jostling to occupy the seat.

Ondo State Assembly Gets New Speaker.

Olamide Oladiji, the lawmaker representing Ondo east state constituency has emerged as the new Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly.

Ondo Assembly new Speaker,Olamide Oladiji.

The second term lawmaker emerged Speaker at the inauguration of the 10th assembly on Saturday.

His nomination was supported by all the lawmakers present on the floor of the assembly. Abayomi Akinruntan from Ilaje1 state constituency was also unanimously voted deputy Speaker of the house.

Fuel Subsidy: APC Governors Declare  Position on Subsidy Removal.

Governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have declared support for the fuel subsidy removal initiative being implemented by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

The Governors on Friday, under the auspices of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) called on Nigerians to rally behind the government’s decision to remove fuel subsidy.

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues after their meeting with President Tinubu, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma who is the PGF Chairman, however, raised concerns about the sudden increase in the price of petrol after Tinubu’s inaugural speech on Monday.

He observed that the marketers were still selling old stock but at a new price and they are the ones responsible for the scarcity and price increase.

According to Uzodinma, the decision to do away with fuel subsidy was approved by the Muhammadu Buhari administration, under the National Economic Council led by former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, when they realized that it was no longer possible to fund subsidy.

The Governor however expressed optimism that the situation will become more bearable when market forces come into play and Dangote’s refinery comes on stream by June.

Present at the meeting includes Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos); Hope Uzodinma (Imo); Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa); Umar Namadi (Jigawa); Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe); Yahaya Bello (Kogi); Babagana Zulum (Borno) and Mai Mala Buni (Yobe).

Others are Uba Sani (Kaduna); Dikko Radda (Katsina); Father Hyacinth Alia (Benue); Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara); Dapo Abiodun (Ogun); Umar Bago (Niger); Aliyu Ahmed (Sokoto); Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi) and Bassey Otu (Cross River).

INEC Rejects Documents Presented By Peter Obi, Labour Party At Presidential Election Tribunal.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday rejected some documents tendered before the election Petition Court by Peter Obi and the Labour Party (LP), in their suit challenging the victory of President Bola Tinubu.
This news platform reports Obi and the Labour Party presented certified true copies of election results contained in Forms EC 8As from six states of the federation, in support of their petition.

In their joint petition marked CA/PEPC/03/2023, Obi and his Labour Party are contending that President Tinubu was not the valid winner of the February 25 presidential election in Nigeria.

They are debating the eligibility of Tinubu to participate in the presidential contest.
When proceedings resumed on Friday, the petitioners tendered further election results in six other states including Adamawa Bayelsa, Oyo, Edo, Lagos and Akwa Ibom apart from the ones presented on Thursday.

However, the counsel to INEC, Kemi Pinhero (SAN), opposed the admissibility of the additional results from Rivers State, which it said were “strange.”

Ohanaeze Tables 13 Demands Before Bola Tinubu.

Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has tabled 13 demands before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as he assumes office.

The group’s demand was disclosed by Ohanaeze’s Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro.

Speaking to Daily Post, Isiguzoro said Tinubu should allow Igbos to benefit from his economic policies, urging the president to ensure the railway line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri works.
He said: “The free market trade and postulations show that Igbos who are majorly traders will benefit from his economic policies.

“What Ndigbos expect at this moment is in the area of transport, he should look at the rail lines that go from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri.
“He should look at the seaports and ensure no economic leakages.
“Tinubu should go for well-tested technocrats not corrupt politicians, and he must ensure that those who will form the next government are not those who put Nigeria into this mess.“Tinubu should not recycle old politicians based on party affiliation.

Step Down Your Quest To Overturn Tinubu’s Victory – LP Faction Fires Peter Obi, Warns NLC, TUC.

The dismissed former National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Abayomi Arabambi, has asked the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to stop his quest to overturn the outcome of the February 25 presidential election at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.
Arabambi, a member of the Lamidi Apapa-led faction, noted that Peter Obi is wasting the court’s time.

Addressing journalists on Friday, the factional spokesperson said the call became necessary following the event that happened in the Tribunal on Thursday, where the court stepped down hearing the petition filed by Obi and the Labour Party against the election of President Bola Tinubu.
He stated: “We have followed with keen interest the shameful developments and approach by the so-called legal team assembled by Peter Obi challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and we have, like many Nigerians, come to the conclusion that Obi is not only taking Nigerians for a ride but would continue to waste the hard-earned resources donated by Nigerians for this purpose to even enrich himself the more.
“Obi attempt to cage the sense of thinking of Nigerians by trickily obtaining money from them to fund the court process, making them believe that there is something for him at the end of the day must stop now.
“All of you here who have been following this case can recall that the day we had an altercation in court with Abure’s group, INEC announced that Peter Obi could not pay for CTC form EC08 and other documents for the election. That now compelled them to only present only thirty percent of the materials they would need for the hearing at the Election Petition Tribunal.”

Senate Reduces ICPC Chair Powers, Lenient Punishment For Bribery.

The outgoing 9th Senate on Tuesday passed a bill to amend the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Act.
This news platform reports that the Senate amended section 25 of the law establishing the anti-graft commission to imprison writers of false petitions for two years without an option of fine.
Presenting his report, Abdu Kwari, chairman of the Senate anti-corruption committee, said there was a need to make the punishment for writing false petitions stringent to deter people from misleading the commission.
Contributing to the debate, senator representing Kebbi Central, Adamu Aliero, said people, including senators, suffer at the hands of the commission due to false petitions.
But according to The Cable, details revealed that the senators whittled down the chairman’s powers, making him a figurehead who would be susceptible to contestations within the commission.

Court Upholds Ayu’s Removal As PDP Chairman

A Benue State High Court has upheld the suspension of former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu.

Recall that Ayu was in March suspended by his Nyorov council ward exco over failure to pay dues, abruptly ending his reign as the PDP National Chairman.

The ward exco had also accused Ayu of anti-party activities after which they passed a vote of no confidence on him.
While reading their resolution at the time, the secretary of the party in Igyorov ward, Vanger Dooyum, said Ayu’s anti-party activities – alongside his allies – contributed to PDP’s loss in his ward and local government in the governorship election.

They also alleged that the PDP chieftain did not vote during the governorship and state assembly elections held on the 18th of March, 2023.

Police Arrested Suspected Notorious Cultist & Drug Baron, Agbara.

Police operatives from the Ogun State Command have arrested a suspected notorious cultist and drug baron, Owolabi Ayanbadejo, popularly known as Ogbara, over his alleged involvement in criminal activities in the State.

 The suspect, Ogbara, was arrested while he led about 40 armed men to attack and forcefully took over popular Lagos Garage at Ijebu-ode area of the State by attempting  to unleash terror on the people at the early hours of 29th May, 2023.

However, the alleged attack meant to be bloody was averted by the authorized people, legally approved to operate the garages, who contacted the Police and he was arrested.

According to Police sources, the suspect, Owolabi Ayanbadejo (Ogbara), who has been described as invincible in the criminal  world,  moved into the garages as early as 5am with deadly armed men numbering about 40 in order to take possession of the garages while passengers, traders and other members of the public flew for their safety.

The suspect, Ogbara, now in the Police custody, was alleged to have  been notorious in assembling ex-convicts, hardened criminals and dreadful cultists into Ijebu-ode with the intention to strengthen his cartel of drugs distribution.

The people of Ijebu-Ode had been enjoying reasonable peace since criminal elements were flushed in the area. But the suspect, Ayanbadejo, was said to be recruiting them back for the expansion of his drugs business.

His alleged activities put the community into fear because he was said to have boasted that he has bought all the Police Divisions in Ijebu-ode and also has scared other security agencies and therefore, he cannot be arrested.

According to one of the residents in the community:

“Owolabi, is a well known clever individual, who has foiled several attempts of arrest before now. Recently, he was involved in suspicious ritual activities and drugs overdosing of two young people that led to lost of lives during his birthday”.

“Several attempts by combined efforts of Nigeria Police and Anti Drugs agencies to arrest him failed until it was rumoured today that he is in Police custody. But concerned members of the public in the area said he will buy his way out again.”

Another resident stated:

“Owolabi is a drug dealer, operating the most dreadful group in Ijebu-ode, undermining security agencies, hence his confidence to embark on intended bloody move on 29th May, 2023. He usually claims that he has made enough money from drugs dealing, make him bigger than the law”.

When our correspondent contacted the Police at Obalande Division in Ijebu-ode, where he was detained, Police sources confirmed his arrest and stated that the DPO has been directed to transfer him to State Police Command Headquarters for further investigation over his alleged criminal activities in the State.