Former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has filed suit against a former senatorial aspirant in the state, Mr. Kayode Otitoju and Arise Television for defamation of character and malicious airing of offending broadcast against him. In the suit filed before an Ekiti State High Court, Fayemi is demanding a sum of N250 million from Otitoju and another N250 million Arise TV for alleged libelous statements made by the politician as an analyst on the television station. According to the Writ of Summons of the suit made available to journalists on Sunday, Fayemi through his lawyer, Mr. Babatunde Oke, is demanding a retraction of the defamatory statements aired against him by the 1st Defendant (Otitoju) while appearing as an analyst on NEWSDAY, a programme of the 2nd Defendant (Arise TV). Apart from the total sum of N500 million as exemplary and aggravated damages from the two Defendants, the former Governor is also demanding a public apology to himself which must be published in at ...

Anybody following the Osun tribunal proceedings in real time must have had a feeling that something was wrong somewhere, and that many polling units would eventually be cancelled. Adeleke being  from Ede, we were being regaled with admitted systemic problems in that Ede axis during and after the elections, and virtually all the 744 polling units with problems eventually cancelled for all candidates involved, not just Oyetola and Adeleke, were in that axis. Leading up to the judgment, what was not clear was that: 1.  Enough cancelled votes  would lead to the  up-turning of  the present winner.  I suspected this to be so ahead of time. 2.  The  Judges would be split in their decision.  This may be the real howler, at the end of the day. But it gives  Adeleke hope that he may yet dance in final victory, since  the last fat person  - the Supreme Court - has not sung yet, since a split decision  at lower court  can split t...

• Organizes training for data collectors,  mobilizers   Ekiti State government, through the Widows and Orphans Hope Project", the pet project of the first lady of the state, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji has commenced the process for collation of data of widows and orphans in the state.    The data collation effort is in preparation for poverty alleviation targeted at vulnerable groups in Ekiti State.    Speaking at the opening ceremony, the wife of Ekiti State Governor, said that the project was borne out of the desire to make meaningful impact in the lives of widows and orphans across the length and breath of the state, regardless of political affiliations, status and creed.   She explained that the project was designed to contribute to the overall advancement of widows and orphans,as well as assist them to achieve self reliant, sustain livelihood, promote gender equality, and strengthen the socio-economic indices in the community they live. The governor's wif...

The immediate past Governor of Ekiti State and President of the Forum of Regions of Africa, FORAF, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has congratulated the former Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola on his victory at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which declared him as the validly elected governor of the State. The Tribunal in a split decision annulled the purported victory of Governor Ademola Adeleke, stating that Governor Oyetola had the most valid votes in the gubernatorial election, which was held on June 16, 2022. Fayemi in statement signed by the head of his Media Office in Abuja, Mallam Ahmad Sajoh congratulated Oyetola on his hard-fought victory.  “I am happy with the tribunal’s decision and sure that it reflected the will and preference of the majority of the people of Osun State. I commend Governor Oyetola for using peaceful legal means to reclaim his mandate,’ he stated.

"I promise I will hear you, I will listen to you, and I see you. I was asked to speak to you on the radio, I said no. This is because when we were seeking your votes I came to you directly. This is why I have invited you all here to hear directly from me what we have done in the past 100 days. I want to promise you again that this government is for Ekiti people. Every kobo that comes to the state shall be judiciously used for every spectrum of the people." "Every promise I made to you during the electioneering campaigns will be fulfilled. I will not owe our civil servants their salaries and their deductions will promptly be remitted. Pensions and gratuity will be attended to accordingly. I promised to prioritize the welfare of our pensioners and workers." "I know that whatever I do as your governor will be well accounted for before men and the Almighty God. As a result, we don't have any alternative than to serve our people with all the resources available ...

The Election Petitions Tribunal hearing the All Progressives Congress’ Adegboyega Oyetola’s petition against the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Ademola Adeleke on Friday annulled the result of the July 16 Osun governorship poll. Justice Tetsea Kume, while delivering a majority decision, declared that the Independent National Electoral Commission did not comply substantially with the constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act. He subsequently deducted the over-voting observed from the votes scored by the candidates and declared that Oyetola won the election, having polled 314, 921, while Adeleke’s score came down to 290, 266. He directed INEC to withdraw Adeleke’s certificate of return and issue another one to Oyetola who won a majority of the lawful votes. Meanwhile, a minority decision by one of the judges is being read as of the time of filing this report.

The management of the  Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State, is to confer a honourary doctorate degree on  the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, for his outstanding leadership mien and  impressive performance as a public servant . A letter addressed to Senator Bamidele by the Registrar of the fastest- growing faith-based University, Mr. Dapo Adeniyi, and dated 11th October, 2023, said the the federal lawmaker will be garlanded with the prestigious title at the JABU's 13th Convocation Ceremonies slated for 27th January, 2023. The University added that the honour stemmed from in-depth studies conducted into Senator Bamidele's political trajectory since 1999 and found him exemplary as well as  outstanding in all positions he had occupied in the  public service.  The letter reads inter alia;  "As part of the plans towards the 13th Convocation Ceremonies of our university,...