The spokesperson for the Ademola Adeleke Governorship Campaign Council, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has withdrawn remarks he made against Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, over the governor’s conduct during the Osun State governorship election campaign.

Olajengbesi, in a statement on Thursday, said he was withdrawing comments that may have appeared disrespectful to Okpebholo, who was in Osun State campaigning for the All Progressives Congress during the August 15 governorship election.

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“I personally withdraw my earlier remarks that may have appeared disrespectful to the Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo,” he said.

The withdrawal followed a series of exchanges involving Okpebholo and supporters of Adeleke during and after the election.

The controversy followed comments by Okpebholo mocking Adeleke’s dancing during an APC campaign rally in Osun.

The Edo governor had questioned whether voters were tired of Adeleke’s dancing, saying the governor danced before signing documents, before breakfast and before drinking tea.

Reacting to the development, Olajengbesi said although he considered Okpebholo’s conduct during the campaign uncharitable, the election was over and political disagreements should not undermine respect for public institutions.

“Governor Monday Okpebholo was in Osun State for the election and, in my view, conducted himself in a very uncharitable manner. But the election is now over,” he said.

Olajengbesi also advised the Edo governor to communicate more through his media aides and reduce the activities of what he described as “two overzealous cheerleaders” around him.

He noted that several prominent Nigerians and APC members participated in the Osun election campaign without publicly disrespecting Adeleke or diminishing the dignity of his office.

“I therefore withdraw any statement that may have appeared unduly insulting or disrespectful. Political disagreements should never prevent us from respecting public institutions and the offices people occupy,” he said.

The development comes amid continued political exchanges following the Osun governorship election, which Adeleke won to secure a second term in office.

Olajengbesi, however, urged residents of Edo State to continue holding Okpebholo accountable, saying such scrutiny remained part of citizens’ responsibility in a democracy.

“I equally encourage the good people of Edo State to continue to hold their Governor accountable. That is the responsibility of citizens in every democracy,” he added.

The statement came days after singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, rejected calls for him to apologise to Okpebholo over an Instagram post concerning the governor’s academic credentials.

The Federal Government has commenced a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicle retrofitting training programme for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the South-East zone.

The programme, organised under the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) initiative in collaboration with the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), was flagged off in Enugu on Tuesday.

Earlier, similar training had taken place last week in Abuja and in Lagos on Monday, where corps members were empowered through the training programme.

The training is designed to equip corps members with practical skills in CNG vehicle conversion and create opportunities for them to become self-reliant after their service year.

Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Youth Initiatives, Dr Titi Gbadamosi making her speech in Enugu during the training.

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Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Youth Initiatives, Dr Titi Gbadamosi, said the initiative was part of the Federal Government’s efforts to prepare young Nigerians for the opportunities emerging from the country’s transition to alternative energy.

Gbadamosi described the NYSC programme as a critical transition between formal education and the wider world, stressing that the government had a responsibility to ensure that corps members were equipped with relevant skills before completing their service.

“It gives me pleasure to be among you today. The Enugu State camp is one of the most coordinated camps I have visited.

“The NYSC is a transition phase between school and the real world. It is our duty to make sure that the transition is not just smooth but perfect. That is why we keep improving on the SAED programme,” she said.

She urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously, saying the CNG sector offered significant employment opportunities for young Nigerians.

According to her, following the removal of the fuel subsidy, President Tinubu decided to encourage the use of Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources as an alternative fuel source.

She said the Federal Government had set a target of converting 100,000 vehicles to CNG annually, adding that the target would create opportunities for trained technicians and entrepreneurs in the sector.

Representative of the Director-General of NADDC, Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin and Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, NADDC, Ikechukwu Okoha making a speech during the training in Enugu on Tuesday.

“That is why we thought that we should also introduce CNG conversion into the SAED programme. These young Nigerians were selected from different fields of engineering.

“If you take this seriously, you are the future of the energy space in Nigeria. Your training will continue all year long so that, as you end your service, you will be a certified CNG converter,” Gbadamosi said.

She added that the initiative reflected the President’s commitment to empowering young Nigerians with practical skills that could translate into sustainable livelihoods.

Representing the Director-General of the NADDC, Otunba Oluwemimo Joseph Osanipin, at the event, Ikechukwu Okoha, Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, said the Council was fully committed to the success of the programme.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, has visited some projects being executed by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) across Bayelsa West District, reaffirming the Board’s commitment to the development and well-being of host communities.

The Minister, who is also the Chairman of the NCDMB Governing Council, was in Bayelsa on a personal engagement and took the opportunity to visit some of the NCDMB’s projects in Ekeremor Local Government Area, including the 1.24km Link Road 2 in Ekeremor Town, the 1.250km Link Road in Ekeremor Town, and a 378kWp Mini Solar Grid, among others.

The projects are part of the NCDMB’s corporate social responsibility initiatives aimed at providing critical infrastructure and making life more meaningful for people in its host communities.

’The NCDMB has continued to demonstrate its commitment to its established responsibilities, including its corporate social responsibility to host communities. These projects are targeted at improving the quality of life of our people and supporting sustainable development.”

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Lokpobiri expressed optimism that the projects would be completed and put to use in due course.

“I believe that, in due time, these projects shall be completed to offer the intended services to the public and deliver lasting benefits to the benefiting communities,” he stated.

The Minister commended the NCDMB for its interventions in the district and expressed confidence that the completed projects would contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of Bayelsa West.