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The sobriquet of Small Alhaji, is undoubtedly a very popular one and it means different things to different people. Although the man with the appellation was named Tajudeen Adeyemi Adefisoye ; but he is widely and better known everywhere he goes as Small Alhaji.   To some people, Small Alhaji is a politician while others see him as a philanthropist. Several others know him to be shrewd businessman, just as some other group of persons see him as a trail blazing democrat. Interestingly, he was and still known amongst members of the 9th National Assembly as the poster boy of the House of Representatives.   Adefisoye is evidently a man of many parts as he had set new records, carved niche for himself and also impacted several lives in his almost 39-years of existence. It is no longer news that Small Alhaji, against all odds won election at the age of 34, on the platform of a relatively unknown Social Democratic Party (SDP) to represent Idanre/Ifedore federal constituency...

The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Friday, refused the applications for bail of suspected criminals allegedly associated with the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party in Kogi State, Muritala Yakubu.  The Appellants/applicants' motion for bail had earlier been refused by Hon. Justice Jamil Isah of the Kogi State High Court, sitting in Lokoja.  The Court of Appeal, presided by Hon. Justice Mohammed Mustapha JCA, in a well considered judgement delivered on Friday, in the appeals marked "CA/ABJ/PRE/CR/544MI/2023", also refused their bail applications.  Ojonimi Apeh, Esq appeared for the Appellants/Applicants, while Badama Kadiri, Esq (DPP) appeared for the Respondent.  The Appellants - Kabiri Echi Iyalo, Adama Kerim, Kabir Abdullahi and Salisu Isah Umar - were intercepted during a joint operation of security agencies on their way to Abuja on March 26, 2023, according to a statement signed by the spokesperson for the Department of State Services, Peter Afun...

By Ojochide Samuel Now, one needs to question the credentials this man called Muritala Ajaka has to qualify him to contest for the governorship of a state in Nigeria beyond his reliance on fruitless propaganda since the beginning of this election season.  If he is not shouting that they want to assassinate him, he is defending well established criminals in a state that has produced world acclaimed professionals across all fields. He and his managers have not, for once, tried to market what they have to offer the people of the state other than this ignoble dance around ethnic jingoism and character assassination without substance.  I was one of those that bought the wide misinformation in the past about Yahaya Bello, the Governor of the state, until I saw proof without being told, that he had actually achieved far more in the state, in terms of development, than had been achieved in over a decade before him.  For a long time too, Kogi State has not been at the centre of po...

 Gov. Yahaya Bello has no time for Ajaka, a political Lilliputian with questionable character - Govt The Kogi State Government has berated the Social Democratic Party (SDP) gubernatorial candidate in the State, Muritala Ajaka, for allegedly spreading “falsehood with reckless abandon so as to put himself a garment of importance”  In a statement signed by Kingsley Fanwo, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, on Tuesday, warned those spreading falsehood to prepare to face the law.  The statement read, “we wouldn't have bothered to respond to the watery, evasive and sympathy seeking sinking candidate of the Social Democratic Party, who is dipping himself in the messy mud and and having an ignominious macabre dance on the sensibilities of Kogites and Nigerians as a whole.  “It is important to tell Nigerians and the world that Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, the said Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, is on a blisteringly shameful agenda of whippin...

Govt polls: harassment, ethnic and religious profiling, other criminal acts 'll meet strong resistance, Kogi Govt speaks The Kogi State Government has reiterated its endorsement of the recent joint operation carried out by security agencies in the state, in which a notorious gang leader was neutralised, saying that the operation has reduced crime in the area by over 40 per cent.  The Commissioner for Information in the state, Kingsley Fanwo, who said this at the quarterly press briefing of the ministry on Monday in Lokoja, stressed that no amount of blackmail by desperate enemies of the state would stop the government from protecting lives and property of Kogites and cooperating totally with law enforcement agencies to rid the state of crime.  He said the Kogi State Government would not submit its authority to criminals, while calling on security agencies to invite those tagging the operation an extrajudicial killing and inciting violence for thorough investigation.  "The...

Call on DSS, others to fish out, arrest politicians behind anti-security propaganda  Lawyers, leaders of Civil Society Organisations and professionals across all sectors of the economy have called on Kogi State indigenes at home and in the Diaspora to help security agencies to make the state uninhabitable for criminals masquerading as politicians in the state, especially as the November 11 governorship election draws closer.  They called on the good people of Kogi State to resist those they described as criminal political merchants trying to blackmail security agencies in the interest of their "unpopular ambitions."  Representatives of more than 50 CSOs and scores of lawyers, under the broad platform of Lawyers and Activists for Good Governance, made this position known at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.  Barr. Mohammed Abdulrazaq Sani, a lawyer from Igalamela LGA, Kogi State, and Co-Convener, Lawyers and Activists for Good Governance, who addressed the pre...

The Kogi State Government has called on security agencies to invite politicians expressing “sadness over the death of a criminal for questioning”. Kingsley Fanwo, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, stated this in a statement on Tuesday. He noted that residents of the state have thrown their weights behind actions being taken by security agencies to rid the state of crimes. Fanwo, therefore, stressed that no extra Judicial killings in the state, noting that “some naysayers and purveyors of violence who were hard-hit by recent onslaught on criminals in the state want people to believe” The statement read, “the Kogi State Government wishes to state clearly and unequivocally that the good people of the state are totally in support of actions being taken by the security agencies to rid the state of crime and allow the peace that has been enjoyed over the years endure”  “If there is anyone on the streets protesting against the peace and security of the state, that person...

Longstanding members of the Arewa Consultative Forum have warned the new Chairman of the forum, Gabriel Aduku, to desist from dragging the ACF into his personal political warfare in Kogi State or risk being removed as Chairman.  According to the members, representing the different Arewa states, the idea behind the formation of the ACF is, among others, to promote the development, unity, peace and prosperity of the Arewa North as an entity, while having a healthy relationship with other areas of the country.  In a statement on Tuesday, titled, "Stop Using ACF For Your Political Fights in Kogi State", jointly signed by  Dr. Asha Manga, who was the Governorship Candidate for Action Alliance in the just concluded elections; and Alhaji Sadiq Bulama, member, Borno State/ Secretary to the immediate past chairman of ACF, among others, the Arewa leaders said the ACF was never meant to be a divisive political tool in the hands of an individual or a few to use for their local politi...

A group of Abuja based youthful professionals from Ondo south senatorial district, under the aegis of Ondo South Youthful Professionals (OSYP), have advised Hon. Tajudeen Adefisoye to drop his gubernatorial ambition and pursue ministerial appointment instead.  The group appealed to the immediate past legislator who represented Idanre/Ifedore federal constituency of Ondo State at the 9th National Assembly to give-up his gubernatorial ambition in the interest of unwritten rotational agreement which exists amongst the three senatorial districts of the Sunshine State.  This position was made known on Friday during a strategic political discussion titled 'Ondo 2024 Governorship Election : Roles of Youthful Professionals'. The event was held at the Ritman Hotels in the Asokoro area of the Federal Capital Territory. The group's Coordinator, Engr. Kingsley Maggie remarked that it had become a general and acceptable consensus that the next governor of Ondo State should come from ...

By: Adeboye Ado  Adeyemi of SUN Newspapers wins N2m star prize As NUJ commends Gov Bello's 'unwavering commitment to empowering journalists' Two journalists in Kogi State became millionnaires on Tuesday at the presentation of prizes to the different categories of winners in the maiden edition of the GYB Essay Competition for journalists in the state.  The Correspondent of The Sun Newspaper in Kogi State, Emmanuel Adeyemi, won the competition with a total score of 75.8 per cent. He was followed closely by Richard Elesho of The News, who scored 72.6 per cent.  The Correspondent of Independent Newspapers in the state, Julius Atabor, was the second runner-up, with a total of 70.6 per cent, while Adeiza Momohjimoh of Nigerian Link and Bashir Muhammad of New Telegraph were tied for the Fourth Place, each scoring 70.4 per cent.  At the prize presentation ceremony in Lokoja, which was well attended by top government officials, including journalists in the state and across th...

Former Presidential candidate and Restructuring campaigner,Rev Chris Okotie has broken his silence since the Presidential inauguration. In an explosive statement released in Lagos early today by his media adviser,Ladi Ayodeji, the Reverend expressed concern on a range of burning national issues and capped them up with his vision for Nigeria. Below is the full statement, issued to mark the Reverend 's 64th birthday: " It is hubristic naivety to envisage the emergence of a new Nigeria from a moribund political cocoon corrupted by duplicity, political criminality and the travesty of the electoral-social etiquette. "The current presidential system of governance has again manifested itself as a hydra-headed monstrousity. "No matter the outcome of the adjudications of the cases brought before the Nigeria assizes, by opposing political parties, nothing tangible will be achieved under this debilitating system. "We must be willing and courageous enough to abandon this ci...

There was jubilation in Lagos on Thursday as leaders of over 150 Anti-Corruption Civil Society Organisations gathered with their supporters to celebrate what they termed the first step in the cleaning process for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.  They hailed the President Bola Tinubu administration for showing a bold will to fix the wrongs in critical areas of the Nigerian system and doing the right things in seemingly complex circumstances.  They noted that the suspension of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, was long overdue.  According to them, genuine Anti-Corruption CSOs are indeed happy that their struggle against "politicisation of the EFCC, disobedience to lawful court orders and infringement on the human rights of Nigerians with impunity" has yielded a positive result at last.  The anti-graft crusaders, led by popular human rights acti...

 By  olabayo Oladipupo The Staff Of Ondo State owned Polytechnic,Owo, under the aegis of academic Staff Union Of Polytechnic (ASUP),has made decision to avoid upcoming examinations in the institution inorder to pursue demands for payment of 13months of unpaid wages. This was contained in a communique signed by the chairman of Union Comr. Arikawe and the Secretary of the union, Comr.Fapetu after the union congress held on yesterday Thursday. According to the communique, ASUP members have also vowed not to partake in the examination which scheduled to commerces on June13th, 2023. The communique partly read “ After much emphasis and extensive deliberation, the Congress unanimously agreed to withdraw the services of members from participating in the scheduled First Semester Examination Exercise which is proposed to commence on 13th June, 2023, until the condition below is met. “We want the payment in full of all outstanding (13 Months) salary arrears owned the staff of the insti...

Many stakeholders and former Executive members of the People’s Democratic Party in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State have, again, officially joined the All Progressives Congress in the state.  They were warmly received by Governor Yahaya Bello at the Banquet Hall of the Governor's office on Monday.  Governor Bello, in his welcome address, emphasised that the APC provides equal opportunities for both old and new members.  He encouraged opposition politicians to join the party to contribute their quota to his administration's efforts at enhancing the socio-economic well-being of the people of Kogi State.  The governor also announced that the state university in Okunland, initiated under his administration, would enroll its first students before the end of his tenure.  Furthermore, Governor Bello urged the people not only to unite for political participation but also to foster stronger bonds that could attract socio-economic development to the state, n...

The convoy of Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, was attacked on Saturday by some people believed to be supporters of Alh. Muritala Yakubu, the Kogi State Government has said. According to a statement by the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, the attack occurred near Naval Base in Lokoja, Kogi State Capital. The statement read “The Convoy of the Executive Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency Alh Yahaya Bello was blocked and attacked by people believed to be supporters of Alh. Muritala Yakubu Ajaka at about 12.30 hours today.  “The attack took place near the Naval Base, few kilometres from Lokoja where the convoy of Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, having sighted that of the Governor, blocked the road and some of his armed thugs started shooting sporadically at the convoy of the Governor. A Tundra branded with the logo of the SDP and with SDP flags also blocked the Governor's vehicle and occupants of the SDP branded Tundra were armed with Rifles and short ...

  EFCC lacks constitutional powers to probe Zamfara State's accounts, court declares A Federal High Court, sitting in Gusau, Zamfara State has declared that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission does not have the powers to invite (by letters, telephone calls or any other means of communication) serving and past officials of the Zamfara State Government for the purpose of explaining how the state's funds are utilised.  The Court held that the power to audit the public accounts of Zamfara State is not vested in the 1st Defendant (EFCC) or any other authority, person, body or organisation other than in the Auditor General of Zamfara State.  Justice Aminu Bappa Aliyu made this known on Wednesday while delivering judgment on a suit instituted by the Government of Zamfara State and Attorney General of Zamfara State against the EFCC and the Attorney of the Federation.  The Court also set aside EFCC's letter of invitation to the past and serving officials of Zamfara S...

 By; OREOFEOLUWATOFUNMI “It is the duty of every wise person to seek out people with potential and freely guide them on the path of wisdom”. By doing so, the wise leaders of the world will have a chance to mend itself.  However, the nation is retrogressing in producing future leaders’ sequel to the negligence of some parents. Going down the memory lane, the young lads and lasses chant this song  "Pa rents listens to your children, we are the leaders of tomorrow, try to pay our school fees and give us sound education”. It is pathetic that purported parents are not paying attention to the future leaders, UNICEF statistics shows that 70% of children are out of school across the nation.  With the prevailing situation, how do we produce topnotch leaders that would pilot the affairs of the nation?  Our very own country is on the brink of collapse as the anachronistic leaders are misplacing priorities in governance while 30% of children who have the opportunity to acc...