Wale Adedayo, the impeached chairman of the Ijebu East Local Government (LGA), has been arraigned by the Ogun State Police Command on a two-count charge for allegedly publishing an alleged false story about local government funds diversion by the state government.

This follows a petition filed by the state government over the alleged zero allocation and diversion of local government funds by the state government, an allegation which has been denied by the government.

Adedayo, who was arrested by the police on Monday, has since been arraigned at the Customary Court 2 in the Isabo area of Abeokuta, the state capital.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge proffered against him.

The counsel to the defendant, Kayode Akinsola, prayed for the court to grant his client bail, promising that the defendant would not jump bail if granted and would honour all conditions attached to the bail application to which the prosecuting counsel, Olaide Rolly, did not object.

Delivering her judgement for the bail application, the presiding judge, A K Araba, admitted the defendant to bail of N2 million and two sureties with landed properties, among others within the jurisdiction of the court.

The case has however been adjourned till October 20 for the next hearing while the defendant has been remanded at the Ibara Correctional Centre in Abeokuta.

The  Senate will today (Tuesday) screen the acting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Olayemi Cardoso, for confirmation into a substantive capacity alongside four nominees for the positions of CBN Deputy Governors, to steer affairs of the apex bank in the next five years.

The Red Chamber, which is returning from its two-month annual vacation, has also scheduled the screening of two additional ministerial nominees by  President Bola Tinubu for Tuesday, October 3, 2023.

The Media Office of the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, disclosed this in a statement on Monday evening.

While the National Assembly was on break, the President appointed the duo of Dr. Jamila Ibrahim and Ayodele Olawande as Minister of Youths and Minister of State for Youths respectively.

Tinubu also approved the nomination of  Cardoso as the new Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria pending his confirmation by the Senate.

Last week, Cardoso resumed as the CBN governor in an acting capacity pending his screening and expected confirmation by the Senate.

The statement by the Senate Leader office said, “Dr. Cardoso will be screened alongside four deputy governors: namely Mrs. Emem Nnana Usoro, Mr. Muhammad Sani Abdullahi Dattijo, Mr. Philip Ikeazor, and Dr. Bala M. Bello.

“Besides, the Senate has scheduled to screen the ministerial nominees – Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim and Mr. Ayodele Olawande, respectively designated as Minister of Youth and Minister of State for Youth on October 3.”

Meanwhile, the Senate also pledged not to disappoint Nigerians as regards the appropriation of the 2024 budget.

Speaking on the agenda of the Red Chamber ahead of its resumption, the Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu,  emphasised that the revitalisation of the economy was top of its priorities.

Adaramodu said, “Soon after the resumption, the appropriation process will commence.

“The 10th Senate will not disappoint Nigerians; we’d ensure that we do what is expected of us because we are in a peculiar time when all hands must be on deck and Nigerians are eagerly waiting to see us do the needful to save Nigeria from the economic troubles we are currently experiencing and that permanent solutions are proffered.

“We’d ensure that appropriations are targeted at deliverables that can enhance a good life and good living of Nigerians and we are going to ensure that those that are approved are delivered to the latter and that quality services are given to Nigerians so that we can realise the goals of the Nigerian project so that we can ensure that life is more abundant to everyone to Nigerians.”

Adaramodu said the Senate expected the President to send the budget soon.

Credit: The Punch

The executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has hailed the judgement of the Lagos Election Petition Tribunal, which came in favour of the All Progressives Congress.

This was contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, On Monday.

The tribunal, which sat for about 10 hours, and led by lead Judge, Justice Arum Ashom, dismissed two petitions filed against Sanwo-Olu’s victory in the March 18, 2023 election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The petitions were filed by the Sanwo-Olu’s main challengers – Dr. Olajide Adediran of the People’s Democratic Party and Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party.

In his reaction, Sanwo-Olu described the tribunal’s verdict as “Well thought-out and detailed.”

According to him, the judgement further affirms that his election was the people’s choice.

He further stated that the court’s decision further affirmed the judiciary’s commitment to principles of fairness and justice.

He said: “I am glad to announce the information I have just received that Lagos Election Petition Tribunal judgements have been given in our favour. I commend the judiciary and the judges that delivered the well-thought-out and detailed judgments. They took their time to explain to everyone the reasons that led them to the views and conclusions they gave today. We thank the judges for their firm commitment to the principle of fairness and justice.

“As it is, Mr. Deputy and I feel very privileged to have been elected to serve at this important moment in the history of our State. We thank all Lagosians for standing by us all through this journey. For us, this judgement is a victory for all. We are not coming out here to say somebody won or lost. For all of us on this political trajectory, there are no winners or losers.

He added that the judgement has re-energised his administration to ensure the fulfilment of all his campaign promises to the people of Lagos State.

“For us, our aim in governance is about service and ensuring that we are not distracted from all the promises we made to Lagosians. This judgement has allowed us to double up our interventions to ensure that we continue to deliver quality dividends of democracy to our citizens.”

Speaking further, Sanwo-Olu pleaded with Olajide Adediran of the People’s Democratic Party and Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party, to accept the verdict of the tribunal in good faith, urging them to display the spirit of sportsmanship.

“I still want to allow opposition parties’ candidates that contested against us to join hands with us if they share the same passion and commitment that we have to serve. We are ready to sit with them and have a conversation about what ways they can channel their ideas in the development of the State. Lagos is big and its challenges are real, while its opportunities are boundless. There is always room for everybody to contribute,” Sanwo-Olu said.

However, the Governor noted the State Government would not be marking the tribunal judgement with any form of celebration. Instead, he stressed that he would rather divert his energy towards the responsibility of governance.

The party, Sanwo-Olu said, is free to organise events for Lagosians in marking the victory at the court.