Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration has recorded another wave of resignations, with three more appointees stepping down from their positions on Monday.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The latest exits involve the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Ayobami Ojo; the Special Adviser on Budget and Economic Planning, Adegbola Oyeleke; and Sunday Falana, a member of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC).

In his resignation letter, submitted through the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Musibau Babatunde, Ojo, who hails from Ago-Are in Atisbo Local Government Area, said his resignation would take immediate effect.

Ojo, who was appointed on June 22, 2026, did not disclose the reason for his decision but expressed gratitude to Makinde for the confidence reposed in him and the opportunity to serve.

Oyeleke, a former two-term lawmaker and council chairman, was more explicit about his reasons for leaving.

In a letter dated November 2 and addressed to the governor, he said the working environment had become uncomfortable, making it difficult for him to effectively represent the interests of his constituents.

He nevertheless appreciated Makinde for his leadership and support.

“I remain grateful for the opportunity to have been part of this administration and to have contributed to its laudable achievements,” Oyeleke wrote.

Falana, who hails from Ogbomoso, also resigned from OYSIEC with immediate effect. He described his time on the electoral body as worthwhile but did not give a reason for his departure.

Reacting to the development, Yinka Oladoyinbo, Director-General of Media and Publicity of the Bimbo Adekanmbi Campaign Council, told The Punch that the resignations would not affect the Allied Peoples Movement’s chances in the forthcoming elections.

Oladoyinbo compared politics to football, where players leave and others join during transfer windows.

“Some people would come, some people would go. But the ultimate power resides with the people. It is the people in the majority who will decide who becomes the governor of Oyo State, and we have the majority on our side,” he said.

The latest resignations add to a growing list of departures from Makinde’s administration in recent weeks.

The governor’s Chief of Staff, Segun Ogunwuyi, resigned in October after serving in the position for more than five years. He was followed by the Director-General of the Due Process Office, Tara Adefope. Akinwole Akinwole and Aderonke Adedayo have since been appointed as their replacements.

Other former appointees who have left the administration include the governor’s former Special Adviser on Security, Fatai Owoseni; Babatunde Oduyoye of the state Advisory Council; Funmi Arulogun, Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters; Damilare Amusan, Chairman of the College of Agriculture, Igboora; and former lawmaker Peter Oyetunji.

Four other appointees — Joshua Afolabi, Rebecca Agbejimi, Noah Adeyanju and Suleiman Adegbola — also resigned on October 19.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Ogbomoso North Local Government, Jimoh Idowu, announced his resignation from the APM on Monday, pledging to hand over the party’s records and property.

The wave of departures comes ahead of the December 29, 2026, local government elections across Oyo State’s 33 local government areas. OYSIEC released the final list of candidates for the polls on October 27.

The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, Ademola Oshodi, has dismissed suggestions that the President’s Umrah pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia was aimed at securing support from northern voters ahead of the 2027 general elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Oshodi made the clarification during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, arguing that the trip should be viewed from a religious and national perspective rather than through political considerations.

The presidential aide said Tinubu’s access to the Holy Kaaba was a significant development for Muslims across Nigeria and should not be regarded as an event involving only one region.

He said:

“You know public opinion is far from being monolithic. One section of the population cannot come and say, ‘This is for votes from the North’.

“I believe we should look at it from a different aspect. This is a huge significance for Nigeria. This is the first South-West leader to have been given that honour. How do the South-West Nigerians see that?

“So, it is not just a Northern or Southern thing. It is a Muslim thing. And the Muslims have cherished this opportunity.”

Oshodi also noted that Tinubu had performed both Umrah and Hajj several times in his lifetime, insisting that his latest pilgrimage was not politically motivated.

According to him, the President was granted the rare privilege because he leads Africa’s largest Muslim country.

“He was given this rare privilege because he is the leader of the largest Muslim country in Africa. It is just a great opportunity. I don’t think we should really get carried away with the timing,” he said.

The presidential aide added that Tinubu was seeking divine guidance to govern Nigeria and secure victory in the forthcoming election.

“We can’t continue to politicise everything,” he said.

Oshodi also urged other presidential candidates to seek divine assistance, suggesting that they could travel to religious destinations such as Jerusalem or Mecca.

“I suggest other presidential candidates should also go out to seek God. Whether they have to go to Jerusalem or to Mecca themselves. We should not overemphasise somebody seeking God,” he said.

Tinubu had announced the conclusion of his Saudi Arabian visit in a post on X on Monday. He disclosed that he and members of his delegation were granted access to the Holy Kaaba, where they offered prayers and performed the Umrah pilgrimage.

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has directed his supporters to vote for candidates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) across all levels in the 2027 general elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The directive was disclosed by the party’s North-West Vice Chairman, Hafsat Baba, during a coalition meeting of support groups loyal to the former governor in Kaduna State.

Baba said El-Rufai’s instruction covered the presidential, governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections across Kaduna State’s 23 local government areas.

She explained that the meeting was organised to bring the various support groups together and coordinate their activities ahead of the general elections.

The ADC zonal vice chairman also revealed that the coalition planned to create a database of El-Rufai’s supporters across the state and maintain regular engagements to strengthen its political mobilisation efforts.

According to her, ADC supporters were committed to preserving the former governor’s legacy, particularly in the areas of education, healthcare and empowerment.

Baba also raised concerns about insecurity in parts of Kaduna State, specifically mentioning Birnin Gwari, Giwa and Millennium City.

She called on security agencies to intensify efforts to protect the lives and property of residents across the state.

The party official further alleged that security operatives had arrested more than 30 of El-Rufai’s supporters about two weeks before the meeting under questionable circumstances.

She urged security agencies to remain impartial and carry out their duties in accordance with the Constitution.