The Osun State Government has placed the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, under close monitoring over what it described as inflammatory remarks capable of threatening communal and religious harmony.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The government disclosed its decision in a letter issued by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Office of the Permanent Secretary. The letter, with reference number CD.17/1/VOL.VIII/377, was dated November 2026 and signed by Wale Alliyu on behalf of the Permanent Secretary.

In the correspondence, the government directed the monarch to stop making remarks targeting people of other religious beliefs and fellow traditional rulers.

A copy of the letter was also forwarded to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, in his capacity as Chairman of the Osun State Council of Obas.

The government warned that the Oluwo’s alleged conduct was heightening communal tension, encouraging religious and communal division, and undermining the traditional values of his people and the Yoruba race.

In the letter, addressed to the monarch and received by his secretary on Tuesday, the government said it had taken note of several widely publicised statements and pronouncements attributed to Oba Akanbi, which it believed could trigger religious confrontation, conflicts between communities and a breakdown of public peace.

It added that the continued pattern of what it described as crisis-inducing remarks and disruptive behaviour had reached a point that the administration could no longer overlook.

The letter read:

“You cannot, and you must not, conduct yourself in any way that can foment religious crisis through serial attacks on people of other faiths. Your Royal Majesty is also invited to note that just as the traditional stool should not be used to incite religious war, its occupants should also be mindful not to erode the traditional values, culture and tradition of the society over which they preside.

“The government notes with shock and disbelief several statements and public utterances credited to Your Royal Majesty without denial.

“Your activities are raising communal tension, sowing seeds of communal and religious discord and increasingly discrediting the traditional values of your people and Yoruba society, of which your domain is a major part.

“These developments constitute serious threats to the peace, unity and stability of Osun State and your immediate domain.”

The government subsequently outlined a series of cautionary measures aimed at preventing a possible outbreak of religious or inter-community conflict.

It directed the Oluwo to:

1. Immediately stop making further attacks against people of other faiths, stressing that every citizen has the right to freedom of religion.
2. Refrain from attacking fellow traditional rulers to prevent possible conflicts between communities.
3. Protect and promote the culture and traditions represented by the traditional institution he occupies.
4. Conduct himself in accordance with the standards and regulations contained in the Chieftaincy Laws and resolutions of the State Council of Obas.
5. Comply with the ministry’s cautionary directives, with the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs tasked with monitoring his conduct.
6. Take note that the State Council of Obas had also been directed to monitor and respond to recent developments in Iwo land.

Fresh court documents from the Federal High Court in Kano have provided an explanation for the absence of Aminu Gwarzo, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, from the updated list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Certified true copies of the court processes indicate that INEC was restrained by a court order from publishing the name of any NDC governorship candidate in the state.

The suit was filed by three party members, Garba Isa, Yau Nasiru and Atiku Abubakar, who listed INEC and the NDC as defendants.

The plaintiffs are challenging the emergence of Gwarzo as the party’s governorship candidate and Mustapha Kwankwaso, son of NDC vice-presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso, as his running mate. They accused the Kwankwasiyya leader of imposing the candidates on the party.

Through their lawyer, S.A. Abdullahi, the plaintiffs filed an ex parte application on October 17, 2026.

In a ruling delivered on October 27, Justice Amobeda restrained INEC and anyone acting on its behalf from publishing the name of any NDC governorship candidate in Kano State until the court hears the motion on notice.

The judge also ordered the commission not to alter the final list it released on October 10. He directed that the court processes be served on the defendants and scheduled an accelerated hearing for November 2.

The documents appear to support INEC’s position that Gwarzo had been cleared but could not be listed because of the subsisting court order.

However, the hearing scheduled for Monday could not proceed after Gwarzo’s lawyer applied to join the case as a party.

The court subseq

The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement has criticised Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over her distribution of cash gifts to constituents during an empowerment programme, describing the exercise as an alleged attempt at vote-buying.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District faced backlash after photographs and videos showing her handing out cash at an event commemorating her third anniversary in the 10th National Assembly emerged on social media.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, however, explained that the decision to give beneficiaries cash instead of other forms of assistance was informed by their preference for direct financial support.

Reacting to the development, the OK Movement, in a statement issued in Abuja by its Director-General, John Ughulu, called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the exercise over allegations of vote-buying.

The group also threatened to deploy its political resources to campaign against the senator’s return to the National Assembly, accusing her of undermining democratic principles by publicly distributing millions of naira to constituents.

The statement read:

“The OK Movement strongly condemns the reported cash empowerment exercise by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The action is an apparent case of open vote-buying and a serious affront to democratic principles.

“We call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to urgently investigate the circumstances surrounding this exercise and, where evidence of wrongdoing is established, prosecute those responsible in accordance with the law.”

The movement described the exercise as a disgrace to the Senate, arguing that elected officials should not use financial incentives to influence the electoral decisions of citizens.

“This development is a total disgrace to the Nigerian Senate as an institution. Elected public officials must understand that public office is a position of responsibility, not an opportunity to compromise the electoral choices of citizens through financial inducements.

“The OK Movement will not remain silent in the face of practices that undermine our democracy. We condemn this conduct and declare our intention to mobilise every legitimate political resource within our reach to campaign against Senator Natasha’s return to the Senate.

“Nigeria deserves leaders who respect democratic values, uphold accountability and earn the confidence of the people through competence, integrity and service, not financial inducements,” Ughulu added.