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We’ll Win Kogi Governorship Election in Nov, Says PDP
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, on Wednesday, said the party would oust the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, of the All Progressives Congress during the November 2 governorship election in the state.
He said the party would salvage the state by enthroning a people-oriented government.
Secondus, who was represented by the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, spoke during a meeting of the Kogi PDP caucus in Abuja.
According to him, the PDP’s winning streak in recent governorship elections in Bauchi, Imo, Rivers and Adamawa, among other states, will be re-enacted in the forthcoming Kogi governorship election.
He called for a united party to reclaim the state.
He said, “Our people have gone through pains, pangs, acute poverty, hunger, dehumanisation, brutalisation, job losses, untimely deaths, suicide and all sorts of anguish as a result of the misrule of the incumbent government.
“The people of Kogi State are, therefore, looking up to the PDP to rescue them. We cannot afford to fail them.
“We must, therefore, not allow anything to demoralise us, as the winning streak which our party displayed in Imo, Adamawa and Bauchi, among others, will be repeated in Kogi State by the grace of Almighty God.
“In this race, we must also bear in mind that we have the support of the people. Kogi State has always been home to the PDP, notwithstanding the temporary setback of the APC.
“We must, therefore, prepare ourselves, stand with the people and salvage our dear state from the pangs of misrule. Our people yearn to move forward and we must give them that leverage which they earnestly seek.”
A PDP chieftain in the state, Dr Halima Alfa, later in an interview with journalists, said the meeting was meant to address some of the challenges of the party in the state and unite the stakeholders.
She said a committee would be set up, under the leadership of Secondus, to address the issues.
Alfa said, “We took a holistic review of the last elections; what happened in the state in terms of logistics, thuggery, betrayal, the current leadership we have in the party and the tenure of the state executive.
“All these were reviewed and we gave ourselves a task that a committee should be set up so that we can address all the issues.
“In terms of our leadership crisis, especially as regards Kogi East, the crisis affected our elections.”
The Punch
The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital has upheld the death sentence of Ramon Adedoyin, a prominent businessman and hotelier, for his involvement in the murder of one Timothy Adegoke, a former postgraduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, the court affirmed the earlier verdict of the Osun State High Court, which had sentenced Adedoyin to death.
“The judgment of the High Court of Osun State stands. Adedoyin’s appeal is dismissed in part,” the court declared in part.
The Court of Appeal, however, set aside some aspects of the lower court’s orders, including the forfeiture of the Hilton Hotel and the order for Adedoyin to pay for the education of Adegoke’s children.
Furthermore, the court ruled that it had no jurisdiction to impose penalties outside the statutory provisions
Adegoke’s death was reported in November 2021 after his corpse was found at the Hilton Honours Hotel in Ile-Ife, Osun State, where he had lodged.
The hotelier had travelled from Abuja for an examination at a distance learning centre in Moro, Osun State on November 5 of that year.
He had checked into the hotel but was reported missing after two days. However, Adegoke’s body was found days later, leading to a probe that linked his death to Adedoyin and others.
In May 2023, Adedoyin and others were sentenced to death after they were found guilty of murder and conspiracy to murder.
But dissatisfied with the judgement, Adedoyin approached the Appeal court to dismiss the sentence and conviction.
The court of appeal, on Thursday, however, upheld the conviction and death sentence of the hotelier.
The Nigeria Police have announced that their operatives have rescued Mrs Folasade Odumosu, the wife of a former Assistant Inspector General, Hakeem Odumosu, who was last Thursday, kidnapped at the entrance of her home in Arepo, Ogun State.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, noting that two of the kidnappers were killed while four others escaped without their weapons.
Adejobi said with the support of the Force Headquarters technical intelligence platforms, the Ogun State police operatives engaged Odumosu’s abductors in a gun duel and neutralized the criminals in the swampy area of Ikorodu on Wednesday.
The police spokesman added that Mrs Odumosu is currently undergoing a medical evaluation and has since been reunited with her family.
The statement read, “In a commendable display of teamwork and swift action, police operatives attached to the Ogun State Command have successfully neutralized the kidnappers of Mrs. Odumosu, wife of Retired Assistant-Inspector General, AIG Hakeem Odumosu, and rescued her unharmed.
“On January 16, 2025, at approximately 9:45 PM, four masked gunmen forcibly abducted Mrs. Odumosu from her Lexus Jeep outside her residence in Arepo, Ogun State. The abduction sparked an immediate response from the anti-kidnapping unit of the Ogun State Police Command, who commenced a thorough investigation and targeted pursuit of the kidnappers.
“With the support of the Force Headquarters technical intelligence platforms, the Ogun State police operatives engaged in extensive surveillance of the creeks surrounding Arepo, gathering crucial information to track down the assailants. Their efforts culminated in a raid on January 23, 2025, at around 06:45 AM. The intelligence-led operation took the police to a creek in the swampy area of Ikorodu, where the kidnappers were reportedly planning their next attack.
“Upon arrival, the operatives encountered the kidnappers, who opened fire. In the ensuing confrontation, two of the gunmen were neutralized, while four others fled the scene, abandoning their operational weapons.”
Adejobi said the police operatives recovered N10m initially paid to the kidnappers, four Ak-47 rifles, three locally made single barrel rifles, and ammunition of various calibres.
He added, “The victim, Mrs Odumosu was rescued within the swampy creeks during the operation, unharmed. She is currently undergoing medical evaluation as a precautionary measure and has since been reunited with her family. The police also recovered 4 Ak-47 rifles, 3 locally made single barrel rifles, ammunition of various calibres, and the sum of N10,000,000 ransom previously demanded by the kidnappers, further ensuring that justice is served.”
Adejobi said the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, commended the police operatives and the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, for the rescue operation.
He asserted that the Police Force is committed to safeguarding the citizens and combat kidnapping and other violent crimes.
“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM., has commended the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Ogunlowo, and his operatives for their displayed gallantry in this successful operation.
“This operation exemplifies the dedication and resilience of our Police officers. The Nigeria Police Force remains steadfast in its mission to combat kidnapping and other violent crimes, providing safety and security to all citizens,” he added.
Mrs Beatrice Ekweremadu, wife of former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu is back in Nigeria.
Mrs Ekweremadu returned to Nigeria on Tuesday.
Senator Ekweremadu, his wife and one Dr Obinna Obeta, were sentenced to prison by a UK court for their involvement in organ harvesting.
The former deputy senate president was sentenced to 10 years, while his wife was sentenced to six years.
While the return of Mrs Ekweremadu is being celebrated across Enugu State, many are praying to have the Deputy Senate President back in the shortest possible time.
Source: DAILY Post
