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74 prominent Yoruba elders have given the federal government an ultimatum for restructuring the country, stressing that the 1999 constitution is flawed and designed to give undue advantage to the northern regions of the country.

Acting under the aegis of Voice of Reason (VOR), a socio-cultural group, the elders made this known in an advertorial in The Punch newspaper.

Some of the elders that signed the advertorial include former Chief of Army Staff, General Alani Akinrinade; former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe; co-founder, EKO Hospitals, Olorogun Sonny Kuku; and spokesperson, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin.

The elders called for the restructuring of Nigeria before the 2019 general election, adding that is the country was not restructured, Yorubas may break out of Nigeria

The group also stated that restructuring cannot and should not be carried out through the National Assembly as presently constituted using the current 1999 Nigerian Constitution.

“This is because the current constitution not only does NOT represent the will or wishes of “we the people,” it is a flawed document conceived and hatched under a ‘Northern’ Military Government with fraudulent and unwarranted structural advantages given to Northern Nigeria, and foisted on the rest of us,” the group added.

VOR also called on Yoruba states to carry out genuine census of how many Yorubas are, using Lagos state example which uses 23 million people for planning as against 9 million used by the Federal Government in the sharing of revenue and resources.

The elders stated that: “State Assemblies, in Yoruba land should make laws against Open Grazing. We believe it is NOT the business of the Federal Government to canvass or arm-twist the state governors for cattle colonies, if need be our people would be encouraged to boycott beef from their diet to drive home the point. If we don’t eat beef, there is no need bringing cattle to our farmlands or doorsteps.”

The group also called for concerted efforts in developing and strengthening the youth, adding that youth discontent and despondency must be avoided at all costs.

They called for Yoruba Obas to withdraw from the national council of traditional rulers if the chairmanship is not made rotational between the North and the South.

“As it is, they are perceived to be subordinate to the Sultan of Sokoto. The religion of Islam should not be used as an excuse. “History tells us that Islam came to Yoruba land long before the Jihadists were stopped in Oshogbo,” VOR stated.

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BREAKING: Obasa’s Son Becomes Agege LG Boss After Chairman’s Resignation

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Abdul-Ganiyu Obasa, son of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa, has been confirmed as the new Chairman of Agege Local Government. His emergence follows the resignation of the former council chairman, Tunde Azeez, who had been on medical leave since the inauguration of the current administration.

In a letter presented by the Leader of the House, Adeshina Haruna, Azeez formally resigned from his position, citing ongoing health issues that had hindered his ability to effectively perform his duties since taking office.

Following the reading and approval of the resignation letter during a council session on Wednesday, lawmakers unanimously voted Abdul-Ganiyu into office as the new Local Government Chairman.

According to the council lawmakers, the unanimous vote in his favour was based on his notable contributions to the development of Agege and the need to prevent a leadership vacuum within the local government.

 

More to come…

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Obi Exploiting US Designation Of Nigeria For Cheap Politics — Lagos APC

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The Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, over his remarks on the recent decision by the United States to designate Nigeria as a “country of particular concern”.

On Monday, Obi said the US declaration, which signalled the possibility of military action, highlighted the severity of Nigeria’s escalating security crisis.

The former Anambra governor also faulted the APC-led federal government, accusing it of “lacking the competence and moral will” to lead the country towards peace and justice.

Reacting on Tuesday, Seye Oladejo, spokesperson of the Lagos APC, accused Obi of “turning a sensitive national matter into political theatre” instead of showing leadership.

Oladejo stated that Obi’s reaction was “too late and too shallow”, alleging that public criticism forced him to comment rather than patriotic concern.

“For a man always chasing microphones and hashtags, his sudden silence was deafening until Nigerians began to question it,” he said in a statement.

“It is clear that Obi did not speak out of national concern but out of fear of being exposed for his double standards. His reaction lacked sincerity, urgency, and any semblance of unifying spirit.”

The APC argued that true leaders stand with their country in difficult times, saying Obi’s conduct reflected “melodrama, not maturity”.

“A man who claims to seek national leadership should not need public reminders before defending his country,” Oladejo said.

“Leadership is proactive, not reactive — and certainly not driven by online agitation.”

He accused Obi of taking advantage of Nigeria’s challenges for political gain, saying the former governor “appears happy only when the country faces difficulties”.

“Real leaders balance criticism with dignity and patriotism. But Obi thrives politically when Nigeria struggles,” he said.

“That is not patriotism; it’s politics of bitterness born from electoral heartbreak.”

Oladejo defended President Bola Tinubu’s efforts on security, saying the current administration inherited the problems but is acting decisively to address them.

“President Tinubu is confronting insecurity with courage and strategy — strengthening the military, deploying modern technology, and rebuilding regional alliances,” he said.

“While serious leaders are working, Obi and his online choir are stuck in 2023, feeding off foreign commentary for political oxygen.”

The APC challenged Obi to “choose between standing with Nigeria or clinging to resentment”.

“No serious nation is built on sulking and sensationalism,” Oladejo said.

“Obi’s behaviour shows why Nigerians rejected him. Leadership demands maturity, not melodrama and delayed outrage.”

He added that Nigeria’s progress would not be determined by “those praying for its failure”.

“Nigeria will rise, with or without the naysayers,” he said.

“We urge citizens to stay focused on the Renewed Hope agenda and ignore those who profit politically from national difficulty.”

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BREAKING: Immigration Officers Seize Senator Natasha’s Passport At Airport

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Immigration officers at a Nigerian airport have seized the international passport of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central in the National Assembly.

The senator made the allegation during a live Facebook broadcast on Tuesday morning, claiming the action was carried out on the orders of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Akpoti-Uduaghan explained that she had planned to embark on a short break after marking her second year in office but was prevented from travelling when officials reportedly withheld her passport.

“Having completed the celebration of my second year, I decided to take a week off, and my passport is being withheld again. The same thing happened before,” she said.

She stressed that she had not committed any offence and insisted that there was no court order authorising the seizure of her travel document.

“I have committed no offence, and there is no order from any court to seize my passport or deny me from travelling,” she said.

The senator further claimed that during a similar encounter in the past, an airport official disclosed that the directive to hold her passport originated from the Senate President.

“The last time it happened, the officer in charge told us that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, instructed them to withhold my passport and prevent me from travelling,” she claimed.

As of press time, neither the Nigeria Immigration Service nor the Office of the Senate President had issued a response to the allegation.

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