In a statement issued by his Media Office and signed by Mr Paul lbe, in Abuja on Sunday, Abubakar said that the envisaged comprehensive overhaul of the police should take into consideration the needs of regional, state and council components.

He, however, observed that redeploying the bad eggs from the disbanded SARS to other units of the Police may not augur well as they are capable of polluting those units.

Abubakar said that the affected officers need to be properly screened and retrained to ensure that they do not come into their new assignments with the same mindset for which the disbanded unit was notorious for.

He proposed an independent judicial inquiry into the activities of SARS that would ensure “justice for victims of extrajudicial killings and punishment for officers involved in such dastardly acts.”

The former vice president also suggested the opening of the dreaded SARS cells for scrutiny and stock taking of detainees.

Abubakar paid tribute to the Nigerian youths for their resilience in exerting pressure on the police authorities to disband the FSARS in response to public agitations to end abuses by the anti-robbery squad.

“This was the right thing to do. A system that brutally eliminates our youths is not one to hold on to, and neither can we be proud of it.

“Now we can start on a clean sheet to envision an elite police unit similar to the SWAT team in America and a comprehensive overhaul of the police and policing system that is peoples-focused,” he said.

Abubakar added that “the will of the people is the bulwark of the democratic system and those in authority cannot ignore the will of the people without undermining democracy itself.”

Abubakar congratulated Nigerian youths on achieving their resolve, reminding them that if they stand united they could achieve much more.
He enjoined the youths to be steadfast in ensuring good governance in an egalitarian society.

He commended the courage and patriotism of Nigerian youths that took to the streets and the social media to call for an end to the brutal abuses by SARS operatives.

“Citizens who engaged in peaceful protests without molesting innocent people are heroes of our democracy.

“I must commend the courage and tenacity of these youths for holding rogue elements in the police force accountable.

“Apathy in the face of abuses promotes impunity, and therefore these young men and women deserve our respect for championing the disbandment of SARS,” Abubakar said.

He paid tribute to Jimoh Isiaq who was killed in Ogbomoso in the course of the #EndSARS protests and all allegedly extra judicially killed over the years, saying “I hope that their sacrifices would not be in vain.”

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Abubakar expressed the displeasure in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Mr Paul Ibe, on Tuesday in Abuja, while reacting to the rejection of the bill by the House on Monday.

He said that he was disappointed by the fact that the lawmakers had thrown away the baby with the bath water at the expense of the larger interest of the country.

Abubakar said that in view of the challenges facing Nigeria current democratic order, especially the culture of rigging that subverts the will of the people, six-year single term would have ended such untoward practices in its electoral process.

“The desperation for second term by the incumbents is the main reason why they go for broke and set the rule book on fire, thereby making free and fair elections impossible by legitimising rigging at the expense of their challengers that have no access to public funds.

“A situation where the incumbents deploy more public resources to their second term projects than using the funds for people’s welfare encourages massive rigging that undermines electoral integrity.

“Six-year single term would remove such desperation and enable the incumbents to concentrate on the job for which they were elected in the first place.”

Abubakar regretted that eight-year term of office rewards incompetence because even incumbents that have failed would use their access to public funds to return to power by fair or foul means.

“I don’t agree with the logic that eight years would give elected leaders better opportunity to fulfill their campaign promises.

“An inherently incompetent incumbent will perform below average even if you give him/her 20 years in office or give him or her $20 billion dollars,” Abubakar stressed.

According to him, it is not how long a man spends in office, but how well he is adequately prepared for the job.

He argued that the desperation for second term was not necessarily driven by patriotism or the passion for service, but by the obsession with the greed for power for its own sake.

“Second term obsession rewards incompetence by allowing failed incumbents to be reelected regardless of their performance record.

“It also denies political parties the opportunity to replace failed incumbents with better candidates within the parties in the name of right of first refusal.”

The former vice president said that the rejection of the six-year single term was a mistake because little attention was paid to its merits.

Abubakar said that eight years tenure of four years each sacrificed merit because the incumbents were automatically entitled to re-election regardless of their performance records.

He was, however, of the view that current holders of the offices under the proposed constitutional review should not be entitled to a six-year term at the expiration of their second term.

The post Rejection of 6-year single tenure, missed opportunity — Atiku appeared first on NEWSVERGE.

Atiku stated this in reaction to the Supreme Court judgment which affirmed the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The former vice-president said that as a democrat, he fought a good fight for the Nigerian people and would keep on fighting for Nigeria, democracy and justice.

“I am too focused on Nigeria to think about myself. I gave up that luxury 20 years ago. The question is not if I am broken. The question is if Nigeria is whole?’

“This is not a time for too many words. It will suffice for me to remind Nigeria of this – we are an independent nation and we are the architects of our fate.

“If we do not build a free Nigeria, we may end up destroying her, and God forbid that that should be the case.

“I was a democrat, I am a democrat, and I will always continue to be a democrat. May God bless Nigeria.’’

He, however, said that he must accept that the judicial route he chose to take, as a democrat, had come to an end.

He said that while he believed that only God was infallible everywhere, only Nigerians were infallible in the country’s democracy.

Atiku said that whether justice was done it was was left to the Nigerian people to decide.

He, however, said that the judgment was part of democratic challenges Nigeria must face as a nation.

Atiku alleged that the Nigerian judiciary had been sabotaged and undermined by overreaching forces who had undone the democratic progress the PDP and its administrations nurtured for 16 years.

“In a democracy, you need a strong judiciary, a free press and an impartial electoral umpire. Nigeria has none of those three elements as at today.

“One man, one woman, one youth, one vote, should be the only way to make gains in a democracy. And when that is thwarted, the clock starts to tick.

“Two and a half millennia ago, Sophocles said “If we are to keep our democracy, there must be one commandment: ‘Thou shalt not ration justice.’ Nigeria will do well to observe this warning.’’

He appreciated all Nigerians who had stayed the course since the commencement of trial in the petition on the Feb. 23 presidential election.

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APC filed a cross-appeal against admission of the report and evidence of the three data analysts who testified for the petitioners at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal and whose evidence was admitted by the tribunal in the interest of natural justice.

The party in the cross appeal filed by its lead counsel, Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi SAN, wants the Supreme Court to expunge the evidence of the three Information Communication and Technology (ICT) experts who testified on the existence of server allegedly used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to store results of the February 23 presidential election.

The three key witnesses are Segun Sowunmi, a Media Aide to Atiku, David Njoga, a Kenyan and Joseph Gbenga who are famous data analysts and employed by Atiku to carry out forensic analysis of the presidential election results.

They had in their testimony informed the tribunal that they analyzed presidential election results state by state and found discrepancies in the results credited to Atiku and President Muhammadu Buhari.

Specifically the three data analysts alleged that in the results sheets they analyzed the votes of Atiku were deliberately depleted while that of Buhari and APC were inflated.

The Kenyan expert in his evidence specifically insisted that INEC used the server which he claimed to have penetrated to obtain the alleged authentic results of the February 23 presidential election which ran counter to the one declared by the electoral body.

But Fagbemi in the cross appeal pleaded with the Supreme Court for an order setting aside the evidence of the three witnesses and the documents including video clips tendered through them from the bar.

Fagbemi also wants the apex court to out rightly expunge their testimonies and documents from the record of the court for being inadmissible in law.

The APC argued that the tribunal erred in law when it held that the evidence and the documents of the three witnesses were considered in the interest of natural justice.

Fagbemi submitted that the decision of the tribunal on the point was untenable on the grounds that the issue of admissibility or otherwise of a document is a point of law and not natural justice as erroneously held by the tribunal.

Besides, the senior counsel also sought order of the apex court to strike out Atiku’s allegations of electoral malpractices in 10 states of the federation on the grounds that the allegations of the electoral fraud were vague and not specific as required by law.

The counsel said that the petitioners did not state the specific polling units were the alleged fraud were committed, hence they must be expunged for lacking in merit that can warrant the tribunal to look into them.

Atiku had on September 23 filed a 66 grounds of appeal upon which he predicated his prayers for setting aside the whole decision of the presidential election petition tribunal which upheld the declaration of Buhari as winner of the February 23 presidential election.

The PDP candidate specifically faulted the decision of the Justice Mohammed Garba led panel which held that Buhari did not need to attach his academic certificates to the INEC’s form CF 001 before he can stand for the presidential election.

Meanwhile no date has been fixed for the hearing of the appeals.

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Oshiohmole made this known when he responded to questions from State House correspondents in Abuja on Thursday.

The PDP had on Wednesday vowed to appeal the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal which upheld the election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

However, the APC Chairman maintained that the same facts that gave President Buhari victory at the election tribunal would suffice at the Supreme Court.

He said: “We as a party, we are confident, if it is within the Nigerian law, for PDP to go even to the World Court, we will meet them there. The Supreme Court is Supreme Court of Nigeria not Supreme Court of APC or PDP.

“We are ready to meet them, President Buhari is ready to meet defeated Atiku Abubakar at the Supreme Court and the All Progressives Congress is ready to meet PDP at that court,” he said.

The APC chairman urged Atiku Abubakar and the entire members of the opposition party to forget about what happened at the polls and support Buhari to move Nigeria forward.

According to him, the matter has been resolved and it is time to queue behind the winner and move on.

“Afterall, our winner is the best example that losing one election is not tantamount to the end of your political life. He lost three and today he is president,’’ he added.

The APC chairman thanked the judiciary for doing its job diligently, within the confines of the nation’s electoral act and the laws of the land.

Oshiomhole allegedly accused the opposition PDP of blackmailing every institution in the country in its bid to take over power.

The post Another defeat awaits you at Apex Court – Oshiohmole tells Atiku, PDP appeared first on NEWSVERGE.

Kyari, who was led through his deposition by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, Counsel for the president, insisted that Jada, hometown of the former vice president was in Adamawa Province, an enclave that belonged to Northern Cameroon in 1946 when he (Atiku) was born.

He explained that Atiku was already born in 1946 before the plebiscite was conducted in 1961 to balkernize Nigeria and Cameroon where Jada which was part of Northern Cameroon voted to become Nigerian territory.

Kyari further said that the plebiscite also resulted in the Southern part of Cameroon officially aligning to becoming Cameroonian territory.

The witness therefore, said the French system of assimilation had compelled people of Jada, including Abubakar’s father and grandfather to be full Cameroonians in “flesh and blood’’.

On the status of Buhari Certificate, Kyari said he had personally gone to collect the Cambridge University West Africa Examination Certificate of the president on July 18 for further proof.

“I can confirm that I was the one that collected and signed the Cambridge University West Africa Examination Certificate on behalf of the president on July 18, 2019,’’ he said.

It was reported that Buhari and his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) had urged the tribunal to dismiss PDP’s petition for fielding a non-Nigerian to contest the presidential election.

They submitted that the Constitution had foreclosed the participation of non-Nigerians in the County’s election.

They further argued that it did not matter if the provision was not tested when Atiku was selected to be the country’s vice president.

The president and APC had therefore invited the tribunal to do the needful by dismissing all the allegations made by the petitioners against Buhari’s victory.

The respondents further submitted that it was inappropriate for a non-Nigerian to contest or challenge outcome of the Feb.23 presidential election.

Also testifying was Retired Gen. Paul Tarfa, who said Buhari was he enlisted with Buhari into the Officer Cadre of the Nigerian Army on April 16, 1962.

Tarfa explained that English Language was the medium of instruction, adding that Buhari had achieved an enviable record during the military training.

He listed some of their colleagues to include Brigadier Ola Oni, Maj:-Gen. Durojaye, Col. J.C Ojukwu, Late Brigadier Shelleng as well as Late Maj:-Gen Musa Yar-Adua.

He said the conduct of the promotional examination in the military was always done in the merit, adding that Buhari had always come out in flying colour.

On his part, Malam Suleman Mai-adua, Buhari’s classmate in Katsina Provincial Secondary School in his evidence in chief, said, they graduated from the school with Cambridge University West African Examination Certificate in 1961.

The witness, who came to court with a group photograph of the class six of 1961 set and their principal, was able to spot himself and Buhari in the picture.

Earlier, the tribunal admitted a total of 26 documentary evidence from the president through his counsel, Olanipekun.

Our correspondent listed the sum of the exhibits to be 19 Certified True Copies of Newspaper publications.

The respondent also tendered the APC Roadmap to a new Nigeria as evidence.

The others are: Cambridge Assessment International Education Certificate for Muhammadu Buhari obtained in 1961 and Receipt of the above document.

The tribunal also admitted as evidence, a Certified-True-Copy of Confidential Result sheet of the University of Cambridge West Africa School Certificate 1961 for Katsina Provincial Secondary School showing names of candidate who attended sat for the examination.

Another set of evidence included the class six group photograph of Katsina Provincial Secondary School taken in 1961 and news publication of June 22, 2015 of the above photograph.

Also tendered and admitted was the Curriculum Vitae of the second respondent (Buhari) which was duly signed by him.

Furthermore, the tribunal admitted a commendation letter on Buhari signed by the Commandant of the U.S. Army War College delivered to Lt:- Gen. Alani Akinrinade (Rtd) in June 1980.

However, Dr Livy Uzoukwu, SAN, Counsel for the Petitioners objected to the admissibility of the all the materials but had reserved reasons to the address stage.

Justice Mohammed Garba, Chairman of the tribunal, thereafter adjourned proceedings until July 31 for continuation.

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The results as announced so far by the Abia office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), shows that PDP won in 12 out of 17 local government areas in the state.

On the hand, the All Progressives Congress, (APC) which has President Muhammadu Buhari as its standard bearer, won in two local government areas, and remaining three being awaited.

A break down by our correspondent showed that PDP got 32,156 votes while APC scored 3,303 in Obingwa. The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) got 363 votes.

PDP also scored 7,418 votes to win in Ohafia as against APC’s 6,487 votes while APGA 1,380 votes.

In Ikwuano, PDP got 7,345 votes as against 3,311 by APC, while APGA got 524 votes out of the total of 11,669 valid votes.

The PDP scored 9,539 votes in Umuahia South, as against APC’s 5,831, while APGA scored 959.

In Osisioma, PDP got 9,454 votes out of the 1,2608 accredited voters to emerge winner, followed by APC with 1,342, while APGA got 364 votes.

The results announced by Prof. Nnennaya Ibiam, the Collation Officer in Bende showed that APC got 9,233 to win while PDP got 6,649. APGA scored 824 votes.

PDP scored 1,2467 out of the 17,124 valid votes cast in Isiala Ngwa South, while APC got 3,161 votes, APGA got 823 votes.

In Isiala Ngwa North, the result announced by the Collation Officer, Prof. Joy Chima showed that PDP scored 13,500 of the 19,634 accredited voters.

APC also won in Isuikwato with 7,694 votes as against PDP’s 5,748 votes, while APGA had 565 votes.

In Umunneochi, the result announced by the Collation Officer, Prof Tochukw Nwabueze, showed that PDP won with 8,307 votes while APC got 4,324 votes. APGA had 689 votes.

The result in Arochukwu showed a keen contest between PDP, which had 2,144 votes and APC which got 2,112, while APGA had 226.

In Ukwa East, PDP also won, having got 4,029 votes while APC got 1,454, and APGA got 434 votes.

According to the results from Ugwunabo, PDP clinched 9,626 votes, while APC got 810 votes, whereas, APGA had 216 votes.

In Aba North, PDP won with 22,957 votes, while APC got 11, 720 votes. APGA got 413 votes.

Our correspondent reports that the result of Umuahia North, Ukwa West and South were being awaited as at 12: 10 am.

The post Atiku leading in Abia appeared first on NEWSVERGE.

The former vice-president told VOA Hausa when he featured on a magazine program there Tuesday that Nigerians will know when he eventually takes the bold move.

“For now I have not made up my mind,” Atiku said. “When I decide, I will let the world know.”

Atiku’s statement is capable of demoralising his supporters, some of whom have already commenced groundwork for his 2019 bid, said Azibola Omekwe, the national coordinator of The Atiku Rennaisance, a political group.

Mr. Azibola said the 2019 ambition of Mr. Atiku has gained considerable momentum in recent weeks, a ‘moving train’ he said would be difficult to reverse.

“Just recently, some people came out to say that they will sue the former vice-president if he fails to join the race,” Mr. Azibola said. “That’s how serious some of his supporters have now taken his ambition.”

Meanwhile, Atiku’s spokesperson, Paul Ibe, said the politician’s fans should not be demoralised by the comments.

“He spoke in the context of his ongoing consultations, but he’ll eventually make up his mind to run,” Mr. Ibe said. “Those who have started politicking on his behalf should continue.”

Azibola acknowledged that the final decision on Mr. Atiku’s political choice in 2019 would be the former vice-president’s to make.

“But I’m sure he will ultimately decide to run because he’s the best option to beat President Buhari,” said Mr. Azibola, a former state legislator in Bayelsa. “We expect him to do this within the first quarter of 2018.”

The last one month had seen Mr. Abubakar resign from the ruling All Progressives Congress to return to the Peoples Democratic Party, under which he served eight years as VP between 1999-2007.

After using his resignation letter to convey his misgivings about President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Atiku granted a media interview in which he accused the president of incompetence.

He also accused Mr. Buhari of stoking ethnic and tribal divisions in the country, saying he will handily ‘defeat’ the president in 2019.

Mr. Buhari has not openly exchanged words with Mr. Abubakar, but the presidency warned the former vice president to stop disparaging the president.

The reprimand followed allegations that Mr. Buhari was banned from travelling to the United States for 15 years as a consequence of his religious views.

Mr. Abubakar used the purported ban to ward off allegations that he is wanted in the U.S. for fraud.

Mr. Abubakar said he had applied for visa to the U.S. but was denied on administrative grounds.

He, however, failed to present evidence of his claim that Mr. Buhari was also banned from the U.S. despite being challenged by the State House to do so.

Mr. Ibe said Mr. Abubakar will continue sparring with the Buhari administration ahead of his formal announcement.

“What has been happening in recent weeks is sparring,” Mr. Ibe said. “We expect this to continue, but it’s not the same as a formal declaration of a presidential run.”

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Late Olubadan was a courageous monarch – Saraki

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday, expressed sadness over the news of the passing on of the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade I.

Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, said the late Olubadan was a great and courageous monarch who fought valiantly to preserve the dignity of the Ibadan traditional stool and by extension the nation’s traditional institution.

He described the late traditional ruler as a highly accomplished parliamentarian, frontline politician and a statesman who was a member of the Federal House of Representatives in the First Republic and remained till his death a role model for current members of the parliament at state and federal levels.

The late Olubadan, the Senate President stated, was a personality who became an inspiration to the entire Yoruba nation in particular and the country in general.

Saraki said: “Looking at the life and times of the late Olubadan, I cannot but hold my breath considering his achievements. This was a man who started as a clerk, became a teacher, soldier, politician, educationist, parliamentarian, philanthropist and first class traditional ruler in a span of about 100 years. I will simply say he lived a worthy and exemplary life. His was a true life story of grass to grace. This I believe would remain a great source of inspiration to all of us and the upcoming generation.”

He commiserated with the immediate family of the deceased, the nation’s traditional institutions, the government and people of Oyo State and the entire Yorubaland; and prayed God to grant the soul of the late monarch sweet repose.

He urged the family of the late monarch and all those in grief over the death to take solace in the fact that the late Olubadan lived life to the full and made positive impact on all those who met or were close to him during his life time.

Dogara, Lasun mourn Olubadan of Ibadanland

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and his deputy, Lasun Yussuff have expressed their sadness over the death of the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade 1.

Dogara, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Turaki Hassan, extended his condolence to the family of the deceased monarch, the people of Ibadan and Oyo state as a whole.

He said that though the late revered monarch can be said to have lived to a ripe old age, his death is a loss to Ibadan, Oyo state, and Nigeria ‎in general as his wise counsel can no longer be sought in matters relating to moving the nation forward.

The Speaker prayed God to grant the late monarch eternal rest and his family the fortitude to bear the big loss.

Lasun, in the condolence message released by his Chief Press Secretary, Wole Oladimeji, described the late traditional ruler as a peace lover whose reign witnessed ‎unprecedented peace and development in his domain.

He said that Ibadan people‎ would forever miss the peace loving monarch for his contributions to the development of Ibadan and environs.

The deputy Speaker however, urged the family of the late Olubadan‎, Ibadan people, and government of Oyo state as a whole to take solace in the Lord that giveth and taketh.

He said that the late monarch died at a ripe old age and hopes that Ibadan people would make use of his legacy in order to transform the ancient city, just as he commended the Ibadan Traditional Council ‎for a good succession plan which has always made it easy to crown the next Olubadan.

Ambode mourns Oba Odugade

Lagos state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, on Wednesday, extended heartfelt commiserations to the people of Ibadan and Oyo state government over the death of the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade 1.

Oba Odulana, who was born on April 14, 1914 and became the Olubadan in July 2007, passed on at the ripe age of 101, on Tuesday evening, in his palace, at the Monatan area of Ibadan.

The governor, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, described the late monarch as a well accomplished Nigerian, who cut his teeth in various positions of office he occupied during his hay days.

“Oba Odulana was an accomplished Nigerian in the true sense of the word. He gave his all to serve the country in various capacities. He was a seasoned civil servant and a thoroughbred politician which eventually saw him becoming a Minister in the First Republic.

“His contributions towards the establishment of both primary and secondary schools in various parts of the old Western Region of Nigeria cannot be forgotten in a hurry”, Governor Ambode said.

While commiserating with the family of the late traditional ruler and the people of the state, Ambode urged them to take solace in the fact that the deceased was a devout Christian, humanist, and respected traditional ruler who gave his life to the service of God and to humanity.

“He lived a fulfilled life and will be remembered as a peace loving monarch who served his people selflessly until his glorious exit. He will be sorely missed for his wise counsel and his passion for unity.

“On behalf of the good people of Lagos state, I wish to express our heartfelt condolence to the people of Oyo state, especially the people of Ibadan over the death of this highly respected monarch. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace,” the Governor said.

Oba Odugade left indelible footprints, says Atiku

Former Vice President and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar has described the late Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade, as a towering character whose footprints in Nigeria’s politics and traditional rulership will remain indelible.

The Turaki Adamawa recalled that the late Olubadan’s wisdom and counsel, which he rendered to those who encountered him during his reign were invaluable.

“On several occasions during the reign of Oba Odulana, each time I visited Ibadan, I will always pay homage to him at his palace, and at each time I am particularly delighted by his fatherly advice and prayers for me.

“I share in the grief of the people of Ibadan over the demise of this outstanding monarch, but I am more delighted about the fact that Oba Odulana led an impactful lifetime” Atiku said.

Atiku Abubakar, however, condoled with indigenes and residents of the ancient city of Ibadan over the demise of its paramount ruler, and particularly urged family and associates of the late king to take solace in the fact that Oba Odulana lived a rich and impactful life.

Ooni mourns Olubadan

Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, on Wednesday, said the late Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana, Odugade I, left the world when the entire Yoruba race needed him the most.

He said the monarch left at the moment that the long overdue unification of the Yoruba traditional rulers, and the race in general, is gradually gaining momentum.

The monarch, in a statement issued by Moses Olafare, the Director, Media and Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, said the departed Olubadan has indeed secured God’s heart while on earth because he lived substantial part of his life serving the good people of Ibadan, Yoruba land, Oodua race, Nigeria and humanity in general.

The statement reads: “As a public servant, Ibadan traditional chief, Yoruba leader of thought and finally as the revered king of Ibadan which remains a pride of House of Oduduwa, Oba Odulana was exemplary and he distinctly raised the bar of good leadership among his subjects.

“I will personally miss him and he would have played host to Ooni and his entourage; during my unity tour to all Yoruba Obas and leaders of thought which I commenced a couple of days go with the visit to Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.”

Ooni averred that Ile Ife will miss the late monarch for his love, respect and support he always demonstrated for the town, adding that “Yoruba race will miss him for his unquantifiable contributions while serving as a senior public servant of the then Western Region and he will surely be greatly missed as a thorough bred descendant of Oduduwa. May his departed soul rest with the King of kings.”

Olubadan was a father to all -Kogi Gov-Elect

Kogi state governor-elect, Alh. Yahaya Adoza Bello, has commiserated with Oyo state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the people of Ibadan and the generality of Nigerians over the demise of the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba (Dr.) Samuel Odulana.

Bello described the late traditional ruler who joined his ancestors on Tuesday, as a unifying factor who used his good leadership to transform the economy and cultural awareness of the Ibadan people.

In a message of condolence through his Media Officer, Prince Abdulkareem Onyekehi, Bello described the late Olubadan as “a great Nigerian who will be greatly missed for his unifying aura and undying commitment to the transformation of Ibadan and Oyo state as a whole”, saying the nation has lost a gem and cultural Ambassador of African history.

“The late Oba was a father to all Nigerians and through his actions he greatly showed the receptive spirit of the Ibadan people by accommodating Nigerians from different parts of the country. By conferring chieftaincy titles on various Nigerians, he succeeded in making Ibadan a home for all.

“During his reign, the departed Oba attracted development to the ancient city of Ibadan and promoted the city as a blend of traditional power and modernisation. I wish to commiserate with Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state and the people of Ibadan over this painful loss”.

The governor-elect called on Nigerians to imbibe the good virtues of the late Oba Odulana and see Nigeria as a united nation, capable of helping citizens achieve their pursuits.

He also described the late Oba as a humble leader who gave his all to his people through commitment to development and the prosperity of Ibadanland.

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