Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has appointed four officials to key positions covering power infrastructure, road development, airport affairs and transportation.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The appointments were announced in a statement issued in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday evening by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode.

The development came hours after Oyebanji swore in the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Habibat Adubiaro, and the Chief of Staff, Oyeniyi Adebayo, for another term in office.

Those appointed include Philip Atere, who will serve as Technical Adviser on Power Infrastructure, and Tope Fatukasi, appointed Technical Adviser on Road Infrastructure.

The governor also named retired Air Vice Marshal Sunday Makinde as Technical Adviser on Airport Matters, while Tajudeen Alingbolu was appointed Director-General of the Ekiti State Transport Agency.

According to the state government, the appointments take immediate effect and are aimed at strengthening the administration’s efforts to improve critical sectors of the state’s economy.

Meanwhile, during the swearing-in ceremony for Adubiaro and Adebayo, Oyebanji urged both officials to draw on the experience they gained during his first administration as they resume their responsibilities.

The governor stressed that his second term would demand greater commitment, discipline and accountability from public officials.

He also warned that he would not tolerate poor performance, urging members of his administration to demonstrate dedication to delivering on the government’s promises.

The immediate past chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Sheikh Abdullahi Saleh Pakistan, has warned that denying President Bola Tinubu a second term in office could plunge Nigeria into a political crisis.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Pakistan gave the warning while addressing youth groups at his residence in Kano, where he argued that Tinubu should be allowed to complete two terms to ensure a smooth transfer of political power between the North and South.

He cautioned against opposing the president based solely on his regional background, insisting that such political sentiments could have serious consequences for the country’s future.

The former NAHCON chairman also attributed the emergence of banditry and the escalation of kidnapping to the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, arguing that Tinubu inherited major security challenges.

According to him, although Buhari inherited the Boko Haram insurgency, banditry and kidnapping became major security concerns during his tenure.

“If you look at insecurity used by some politicians to campaign, up to the time Buhari became president, there were no kidnapping cases in Zamfara, Kaduna, Sokoto and Kebbi states. Kidnapping started under Buhari. Of course, Buhari inherited Boko Haram insurgency, but banditry started under him,” Pakistan said.

He added that Tinubu inherited two major security challenges: kidnapping and the Boko Haram insurgency.

Pakistan further urged Nigerians to be fair to Tinubu, warning that attempts to deny him a second term because of his regional origin could undermine the country’s political stability.

“We have to be fair to Tinubu. The type of politics we are playing, where we reject somebody because of the region he came from, is dangerous. If we sustain this, we will suffer in the future,” he said.

He recalled Tinubu’s support for Buhari’s presidential ambition and his insistence that the former president should complete two terms despite concerns about his health.

Pakistan argued that efforts to prevent Tinubu from securing a second term could create a precedent that would make it difficult for future northern presidents to serve two terms.

“The way Tinubu supported late Muhammadu Buhari and insisted that he completed his two terms, even though he was ill, and now some people are working hard to deny Tinubu a second term, we will fling the country into a political crisis in the future. Nobody will allow any northerner to take two terms,” he warned.

The former NAHCON chairman also claimed that security had improved under Tinubu, particularly on the Abuja-Kaduna road and railway corridor.

He said travelling between Abuja and Kaduna was extremely dangerous during Buhari’s second term, adding that attacks on the Abuja-Kaduna train had previously discouraged passengers from using the service.

According to Pakistan, the situation has improved to the point where travellers can now make the journey by road at midnight and arrive safely.

He also argued that food prices had dropped significantly under Tinubu compared with Buhari’s administration.

“Under Buhari, a bag of rice sold for ₦120,000, but today it is ₦57,500. It is less than half the amount under Tinubu,” he said.

Pakistan, who identified himself as a farmer, also recalled that a bag of millet sold for ₦85,000 during Buhari’s tenure but now costs about ₦30,000.

His remarks come amid growing political debate over Tinubu’s re-election bid ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Former Cross River State Governor, Liyel Imoke, has shared his experience working with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, describing the ex-president’s commitment to work as extraordinary.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking in an interview with Symfoni TV, Imoke recalled how Obasanjo would summon him several times throughout the night to discuss ideas, government policies and plans.

According to Imoke, the experience occurred during an overseas trip to China when both men stayed at the same hotel.

He explained that after a long journey, they had dinner at about 8 p.m., after which he returned to his room hoping to get some rest.

However, his plans were disrupted around 11 p.m. when he received a phone call from Obasanjo’s aide informing him that the former president wanted to see him.

Imoke said that when he went downstairs, Obasanjo immediately began discussing plans concerning electricity generation and other government matters.

The former governor disclosed that the late-night meetings continued, with another call coming around 2 a.m. after Obasanjo had written down ideas he wanted them to discuss.

He said he was summoned again at about 4 a.m. because the former president had reportedly come up with additional ideas and wanted to discuss possible solutions and assign responsibilities.

Despite the repeated interruptions, Imoke said he continued to respond to the calls, while Obasanjo remained focused on work.

Recounting the experience, he said, “Obasanjo and I were in the same hotel, so we had a long trip. We had dinner about 8 p.m. I left his room, thinking I’d catch some sleep. At 11 p.m., my phone rang. ‘Leo, where are you?’ His assistant called me. I said I’m in my room. He said, ‘Baba wants to see you.’”

He explained that the former president continued discussing government plans during the night, adding that by 7:30 a.m., Obasanjo was already up and ready for breakfast.

Imoke said the experience eventually prompted him to make a special request to the protocol team before their next trip with Obasanjo.

He asked that he be accommodated in a hotel far away from the former president’s lodging to avoid being summoned repeatedly throughout the night.

Reflecting on what it was like working with Obasanjo, Imoke described the experience as remarkable, highlighting the former president’s relentless approach to work and his constant stream of ideas.