NEWS
I represent the interest of more Igbos than most Igbo senators says Adeola
By John Danjuma
Senator Solomon Adeola representing Lagos West has boasted that he represents the interest of more Igbos than most Igbo Senators in the Senate and probably more Igbos than one or two South East states.
He spoke while reacting to what he described as a fake news item on social media platforms that he (Adeola) made a derogatory statement that Igbos are the problem of Nigeria.
A statement issued on Friday by his Media Adviser Chief Kayode Odunaro said areas of his district like Amuwo-Odofin, Oshodi Isolo, Ojo, Ifako-Ijaiye, Alimosho, Mushin, Ikeja, Badagry LGAs, and elsewhere are heavily populated by the Igbos
“For the records, Senator Solomon Adeola in his largest senatorial district of Lagos West can boast of some 12 million Nigerians of all tribes,
“There is no way I would deride a substantial part of my Igbo constituents that had elected me twice as their senator and bestowed on me the prestigious title of “Dike Di Ora Nma 1” (translated to “The Beloved Powerful Man of the Society”) of Lagos State through all their traditional rulers a represented by Eze Uchechukwu Nwanchukwu, the Eze Ndigbo of Lagos state and other Igbo traditional rulers from Lagos West”, the senator stated
The statement pointed out that there would have been no need to respond to the false fabrication that originated from a fake Facebook account of one suspected ‘Obedient’ “Ifeanyi Darlington Mcipm” but that the shenanigan of an ungrounded activist trying to gain undue mileage for their principal from social media manipulation.
“However, when the derogatory, unattributed, and false quotation was lifted by a suspicious blog and presented as news, the senator thought it wise to debunk the entire statement and story as a blatant and unmitigated falsehood that can only be conjectured by a very sick and demented soul.
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“For the records, Senator Adeola has been away on his annual vacation for the last three weeks and has not made any statement anywhere during this period.
“As can be seen from the original source of the statement, it was not linked to any event or place and could only have been fabricated from the sick mind of the author with the motive to de-market one of the strong loyalist and supporters of APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
The senator stated that the fake news of the so-called ‘Obidients’ against him, will not make him deride any patriotic Ndigbo in Lagos or anywhere in Nigeria as the ‘Obidients’ are merely misguided social media activists without roots even among Ndigbo of South East.
He said it is part of a program intended to attack all notable APC Presidential candidate supporters and loyalists as noted by the Tinubu Campaign Organisation only yesterday,
“Our presidential candidate in APC, Tinubu, is a cosmopolitan “city boy” with a record of engaging and bringing up many Ndigbos based on competence in Lagos and elsewhere with Mr. Ben Akabueze, the Director General of Budget Office of Nigeria as an example from his commissionership in Lagos State to national limelight.
“I am following his footsteps to the letter. I have among my personal staff in Abuja and Lagos responsible Igbos that can vouch that I am not an ethnic bigot based on their many year’s associations with me.
“They are competent and unlike the ‘Obidients’ who want to win the Presidency from social media. I will never say or see Igbos as the problem of Nigeria” he stated.
The senator restates his commitment to continue to represent all his constituents including millions of Ndigbos residents in Lagos West Senatorial District adding that in all his empowerment programs so far benefits cuts across all ethnic groups as can be seen with published names and telephone numbers of Igbos among beneficiaries.
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has inaugurated three new governing councils for Institutions and Agencies in the state.
The establishments with newly governing councils are Persons with Disabilities, Edo University, Iyamho and Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) Service Commission.
After inaugurating the three groups in the new Festival Hall in Government House, Benin City, Okpebholo charged the new appointees to discharge their duties effectively and efficiently.
The Governor said the task for the newly-inaugurated bodies is enormous and charged them to discharge their duties and responsibilities according to the law governing the State.
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“We are all here because of this event today as my administration has carefully selected those we are inaugurating today to collaborate with us to pilot the affairs of the State and contribute to its development.
“We have carefully selected great minds to run the affairs of Edo State House of Assembly Service Commission believing they will bring the needed change required to develop Edo State,” he said.
To the members of the Governing Council Edo State Commission for Persons with Disabilities, led by the chairman, Theophilus Egbodion, the Governor said that despite their challenges, his administration would not discriminate against anybody.
“There is no discrimination in this administration. We are all one working to achieve our common goal, which is to develop Edo State. The situation you find yourselves is not made by you but caused by circumstances and with you in our Government, we will relate with others very well. You are not disabled in mind as I promise to work with you as all your requests will be looked into.”
For the governing council of Edo State University Iyamho, led by Prof. Olusegun Akinyinka, the Governor, said the members chosen by his administration were a well-calculated move to bring credible people with proven characters to govern and move the school forward.
“Your choice is deliberate as we believe that with your experience, the school will do very well. As we inaugurate you today, the university will experience a new dawn such that the school will assume an enviable height,” he stated.
Okpebholo said the task ahead of the newly-inaugurated members is enormous and “I charge you to discharge your duties and responsibilities according to the law governing the State. I want to thank and welcome you to the fold.”
Responding, the chairmen, Edo State House of Assembly Service Commission, Hon. Ezehi Igbas; chairman Governing Council Edo State commission for persons with disabilities, Egbodion; and Chairman Governing Council of Edo University, Iyamho, Prof. Olusegun Akinyinka thanked the Governor for finding them and their team worthy of the appointments and promised to support and collaborate with the administration to succeed.
The Heads of Local Government Administration (HLGAs) in Rivers State have been thrown into a state of anxiety following a directive from the Sole Administrator of the state, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), ordering them to submit reports detailing the activities of their councils over the past two years.
The directive, issued through a letter from Dame Dr. Itong Awani, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government Affairs, mandates that the reports be submitted by Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
The sudden call for accountability has unsettled many LGA heads, particularly given the political backdrop in Rivers State.
Following the Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the 2024 local government elections, suspended Governor Siminialayi Fubara had directed the HLGAs to take over local government administration.
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Now, the administrator’s demand for a comprehensive report has sparked speculation about potential changes in the councils’ leadership.
The letter, which only became public on Wednesday, outlined specific areas the reports must cover. According to the directive, HLGAs must provide: Introduction/Preamble, Functions of the Council, Number of Staff on Nominal Roll (categorized by cadre), Sources of Revenue Generation, Activities, Ongoing, and Completed Projects in the Past Two Years, Achievements of the Council, Challenges and Recommendations.
The letter emphasized the urgency of compliance, stating: “His Excellency, the Sole Administrator of Rivers State has directed that all Heads of Local Government Administration should submit the report of their councils to the office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government Affairs.
“I am also to inform you that all submissions using the format listed below should reach the office of the undersigned on or before Wednesday, 26th March, 2025, for onward transmission to the office of the Sole Administrator, Government House, Port Harcourt for further necessary action.”
Additionally, the directive instructs LGA heads to highlight the challenges faced by their councils and provide recommendations on how to address them.
A fire outbreak on Tuesday night severely damaged a two-storey commercial building on Iweka Road, near Ochanja Main Market in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Confirming the incident on Wednesday, the Anambra State Fire Service said it received a distress call at around 9:35 p.m. and immediately dispatched firefighters to the location.
Fire Chief Chukwudi Chiketa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the cause of the fire was yet to be determined.
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“We don’t know the exact cause of the fire, but we were called to respond, and we did,” he said.
He further disclosed that four shops, mainly dealing in furniture materials such as leather and foam, were affected.
“These shops contained furniture materials such as leather, foam, and other items,” he added.
The firefighting team worked tirelessly through the night, eventually withdrawing from the scene around 3:05 a.m.
In the aftermath, residents and traders gathered at the site, attempting to salvage whatever remained of their goods.
Okpebholo Inaugurates Three Governing Councils
Kunle Remi, Wife Welcome First Child After Challenging Journey
Rivers Sole Administrator Orders LGAs To Submit Two-Year Reports
Fire Ravages Two-Storey Commercial Building In Anambra
State Of Emergency Resonates In Edo State
