News

‘Why victory is sure in next elections’

Published

3 months ago

March 19, 2026

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Engr Remi Omowaye has said that the party will win both the governorship election coming up later in the year and the presidential election slated for next year.

Omowaye, who currently serves as the Executive Director, Project Implementation, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), speaking in an interview, disclosed that every optic is currently working in favour of the party.

He assured that the president would get one million votes from Osun.

“It is feasible because Osun is one of the most underrated states in Nigeria. Do you know that apart from Lagos and Oyo State, no state in Southern Nigeria has had that volume of votes for the presidential election as we had in 2023? Osun had 700,000, both parties; Lagos had 1.1 million, Oyo had 750,000, even the almighty Rivers had less than 500,000; Delta, and Akwa Ibom had less than 600,000. Osun did 700,000, even the almighty Borno did less than 500,000; most of these states in the north that they say have huge votes did less than 500,000.

“What that means is that Osun is politically conscious.

“Osun is politically savvy, and with the situation brewing up towards the 2026 governorship election in Osun, I can predict that we will have close to that. I won’t be surprised because the consciousness is high in Osun. I won’t be surprised if we produce 1 million votes for the president.

“If we could do 700,000 in 2023, and the consciousness was not this much, I won’t be surprised if we do one million in Osun now. Osun is a politically savvy state, and the president has done so much for us in Osun. I’m sure people will want to reciprocate by ensuring that they vote for the president,” the APC chieftain said.

Speaking on the governorship race in Osun, he disclosed that all the variables that made Governor Jackson Adeleke win the last election in the state were no longer present.

Omowaye, a two-term commissioner, said Adeleke had lost a lot of his strong political associates to the APC.

“Out of the three Senators, two of the Senators are with us; we have three House of Reps members with us. One of them is Oluwole Oke, who has won election for a record five times. We are prepared.

“The leader of the party is doing a lot. We will go to the battlefield and win. The Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, is doing a lot. I can say that we are fully prepared, and I know victory will be ours,” Omowaye said.

He dismissed the insinuations, in certain quarters, that many of the party’s gubernatorial aspirants were aggrieved.

“Don’t forget that 90 per cent of them went to the president. Out of nine of them, eight of the aspirants went to the President, and they gave their commitment to work for the emergence of our candidate.

“The majority of them are fully with the party. They have collapsed their structure into the party structure. Yes, we might have one of them that has not fully come to our candidate; I know the leadership of the party is doing a lot to bring him on board, and to also reconcile anybody that is aggrieved.

“You know, it is a contest; you should expect that some people will be aggrieved, but the leadership of the party, led by Adegboyega Oyetola, and our revered father, Chief Adebisi Akande, are doing a lot to make sure we ensure that we have a strong, formidable team,” he concluded.

News

Edo cracks down on cultists, kidnappers

Published

3 days ago

June 27, 2026

The Exclusives

Monday Okpebholo

Edo State Government has established a Special Criminal Court to expedite the prosecution of cultists, kidnappers and other criminal offenders as part of efforts to tackle rising insecurity in the state.

The Chief Registrar of the Edo State Judiciary, Benson Osawaru, disclosed on Friday that the court was established at the request of Governor Monday Okpebholo.

According to Osawaru, the Special Criminal Court will handle cases relating to cultism, kidnapping and other matters that may be assigned by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Daniel Okungbowa.

He said the initiative was aimed at ensuring speedy dispensation of justice and curbing the growing wave of cult-related violence and abductions across the state.

“The move is expected to address the rising cases of cult-related violence and kidnappings by ensuring quick prosecution of offenders and serving as a deterrent to criminal elements,” Osawaru stated.

Edo State has in recent months witnessed a surge in violent crimes, particularly incidents of kidnapping and cult clashes in several communities.
Meanwhile, Governor Okpebholo has reiterated his administration’s commitment to eliminating kidnapping, banditry and other forms of criminality from the state.

Speaking at the flag-off of the All Progressives Congress (APC) local government election campaign for the Edo Central Senatorial District at the Uromi Town Hall in the Esan North-East Local Government Area, the governor assured residents that decisive measures were being taken to restore security and public confidence.

He said efforts were underway to create a safe environment that would enable farmers displaced by insecurity to return to their farmlands without fear.

The governor stressed that criminal elements terrorising communities would be made to face the full weight of the law.
“Governors are ready to fight insecurity across the nation. The perpetrators will be exposed, and they will run away from the country. In Edo State, there will be security, and our farmers will be able to return to their farms,” he said.
Okpebholo added that his administration would not allow kidnappers and bandits to find refuge in the state.

“I am determined to ensure that kidnappers and bandits do not find a haven in Edo State. Our decisive action against criminals will serve as a deterrent to others,” he said.

The governor further declared that tough measures against convicted criminals would discourage others from engaging in crime.

“I am serious about the fight against insecurity. By the time we execute one, two, three and more of these criminals, others will run away from Edo State,” he stated.

News

Why insecurity persists in the north, by Nasarawa governor

Published

3 days ago

June 26, 2026

The Exclusives

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has identified some of the reasons for the incidences of insecurity and out-of-school crisis in the northern part of Nigeria.

Speaking at a Summit on enhancing human capital development in Northern Nigeria in Abuja, Sule said the Almajiri system is “the single largest structural contributor” to Nigeria’s education emergency.

The Almajiri is a traditional system of Islamic education prevalent in northern Nigeria, where young boys leave their families to study the Quran under the guidance of religious teachers (Mallams). Originally a respected scholarship tradition, it has devolved into a socio-economic crisis, leaving millions of out-of-school children vulnerable to destitution and exploitation.

The country has an estimated 18.3 million out-of-school children, and recent data shows Almajiri children make up roughly 72% to 81% of that total, concentrated in the North.

He, therefore, urged the National Assembly to permanently outlaw the Almajiri system.
“Many minors recruited into banditry graduated from the Almajiri system,” Sule said.

Nasarawa accounts for about 430,000 out-of-school children.

At the event, the governor recalled the 2020 mass repatriation of Almajiri children by Nasarawa and Kaduna states but said enforcement alone isn’t enough without alternatives.

He is proposing a total ban on the Almajiri system, replaced with mandatory formal education and skills acquisition.
Sule is seeking total collaboration of the Northern intelligentsia, the political class, and the traditional system.

He urged Northern leaders to turn summit discussions into actionable draft bills, arguing that “policy changes are the only way to defeat regional poverty.”