Politics
Osun Clarifies Iragbiji Chieftaincy Declaration
The Osun State government has responded to the allegations of bias and illegality levelled against it by the Aragbiji of Iragbiji.
The position of the state government was contained in a statement on Saturday, in Osogbo, by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon Dosu Babatunde.
Babatunde accused the monarch of twisting facts and playing politics with a matter of justice and equity in the Iragbiji kingship system.
He went on to absolve Governor Ademola Adeleke of any partisan interest in the matter as reprehensibly alleged by the Aragbiji.
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He noted that the administration has all the legal rights and powers to act on State matters including revision of previous decisions if situation calls for it.
The state government posited that the decision of the State Executive Council only reversed a previous state action which apparently denied a ruling house the due rights to be included in the chieftaincy declaration, rebuking the Aragbiji for wilfully and disrespectfully violating protocols by leveling baseless allegations and insults on the state Governor.
The statement which debunked the Monarch’s accusations that the Governor did not like Iragbiji sons and daughters listed several road projects ongoing in the town, the directive of the Governor for upgrade of tourists sites in the town and a recent personal presence of the Governor at Iragbiji for an SDG event.
According to the statement, the Aragbiji is guilty of willful incitement of the public against the State Governor even as it provides the following facts and details on the decision of the State Executive Council:
“The administration of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola in 2010 set up a One Man Judicial Panel of Inquiry into the Aragbiji of Iragbiji Chieftaincy Declaration to include Lagbua Family as a Ruling House. The Panel was headed by a serving Judge of the Osun State High Court of Justice, Osogbo; Hon Justice Dr A.A Aderibigbe and its setting up was as a result of sustained agitation by the Lagbua Family of Iragbiji to the Government.
“The Panel sat between March 8 and 31, 2010 at the High Court Hall, Osogbo and all relevant stakeholders in the Aragbiji of Iragbiji Chieftaincy testified before the Panel. It submitted its report to the Government on 28th July, 2010 but the report was not considered by the State Executive Council until April 3, 2013 when in its wisdom, the then Executive Council rejected the Panel’s recommendation on the basis that the request of the Lagbua Family was in the remote past. The decision was then published in the Government Official Gazette.
“It should be noted that as at the time when the State Executive Council met in 2013, an Iragbiji son was the Chief of Staff to former Governor Aregbesola. Reports then indicated that the Council was largely influenced to ignore the merit of the panel’s report by simply throwing it out.
“However, the Lagbua Family continued its agitation and appealed to the present administration for redress. His Excellency, the Executive Governor later approved the constitution of a Committee to come up with a White Paper on the Report of the One Man Judicial Panel composed of senior technocrats in Government.
“The new Committee recommended that the Government should set aside the decision of the then State Executive Council which rejected the recommendation of the One Man Judicial Panel of Inquiry and implement its recommendations on the basis that:
“The reason for the rejection of the Panel’s recommendation had ab initio been addressed and resolved by the Panel of Inquiry which took judicial evidence from all the parties. The Panel of Inquiry in one of its findings agreed that the claim of the Lagbua Family is not remote because they have consistently been agitating for their inclusion in the Chieftaincy Declaration of Aragbiji of Iragbiji, having written series of letters and petitions to the Governments of Western Region, Western State, Oyo State and Osun State.
“The Panel found that Lagbua Family was included in the draft Aragbiji Chieftaincy Declarations of 1951 and 1956 but was excluded when the Declaration was to be registered in 1958.
“Furthermore, in arriving at its recommendation for the inclusion of the Lagbua Family in the Aragbiji of Iragbiji Chieftaincy Declaration, the Panel found that as recent as 1942, one Oyekanmi, a member of the Lagbua Family was an Elemo, Head of all the Princes in Iragbiji, a position recognized in the present Chieftaincy Declaration.
“Based on these already established facts, the State Executive Council at its meeting of Wednesday 29th January, 2025 vacated the earlier decision of the State Executive Council of April 3, 2013 and approved the recommendation of the One Man Judicial Panel of Inquiry that the Lagbua Family be included in the Aragbiji of Iragbiji Chieftaincy Declaration.
“To ensure that the rights and privileges of the existing four ruling Houses are not jeopardized, the Government further directed that in the new order of rotation, Lagbua should be the fifth and last Ruling House.
“These are the facts of the matter and they are laid bare to the public to show that this present administration does not operate on sentiments but on well laid out facts and in the spirit of justice and fair play”, the statement noted.
The state government reassures the public that its decision on the Iragbiji Chieftaincy Declaration is not targeted at anybody and is not meant to disrupt public peace. The intention as can be seen from above is to enforce equity and fairness, the Commissioner assured.
Thousands of residents and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party trooped into the streets of Ogun Central Senatorial District on Wednesday as the party officially commenced its campaign for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections.
The campaign train moved through the three federal constituencies in Ogun Central, with residents and party supporters gathering in large numbers to welcome the party’s candidates and leaders.
The campaign began at Agbado Station in Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency, where supporters welcomed the PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu; his running mate, Alhaja Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo; the party’s Ogun Central senatorial candidate, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo; and other party leaders.
In Abeokuta North Federal Constituency, where Dele Olaleye is the party’s House of Representatives candidate, a large crowd gathered at NTA Junction, Totoro, to receive the campaign team.
Residents and supporters chanted solidarity songs as the candidates promised purposeful representation at the senatorial and federal constituency levels.
The campaign train later moved to Abeokuta South Federal Constituency, where thousands of supporters received the team and followed the convoy to Ake Pavilion, venue of the Ogun Central flag-off rally.
Speaking at the rally, Adebutu urged residents to support Obasanjo, describing her as a tested and trusted candidate whose track record while representing the district had not been matched.
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He urged the people of Ogun Central to reject what he described as non-performance and vote for the PDP in the 2027 election.
Adebutu said, “I want to remind you that the best times of Nigeria have largely emerged under the leadership of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), exemplified by what Baba Obasanjo did as a cornerstone for his successors. Happy days are coming again, very, very soon. In January, a new dawn will break for the betterment of our people.”
He also urged voters to reject the All Progressives Congress government, saying, “I therefore urge you all to make up your mind to reject this oppressive APC government with your vote. You must chart a better tomorrow for yourself and your children. You must all turn out in your large numbers to vote for the PDP in the coming 2027 elections.”
Adebutu further called on supporters to protect their votes and resist intimidation during the election.
“Be ready to stand by your votes, resist intimidation and use the power of the ballot to say enough is enough to misgovernance and maladministration,” he said.
The PDP governorship candidate added that the party would restore what he described as the country’s best times if returned to power.
On her part, Obasanjo said she was encouraged by the fact that residents continued to remember her contributions during her time in office.
She represented the district from 2007 to 2011 and served as Ogun State Commissioner for Health from 2003 to 2007.
The daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo promised to do more to ensure that the people benefited from the dividends of democracy.
She also appealed to residents to support the PDP’s return to power, saying the party would work towards making life more comfortable and rewarding for people across the state.
Residents and supporters who spoke during the campaign pledged their loyalty to the PDP candidates and assured them of their votes in the January 2027 elections.
The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over his proposal to restore petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027.
Adebayo made the criticism on Wednesday during an interview with News Central, accusing Atiku of changing his position on petrol subsidy ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has said he would introduce measures to reduce the burden of petrol prices on Nigerians if elected president.
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He has argued that Nigeria has sufficient resources to provide relief for citizens, while explaining that his proposal would involve using the country’s crude oil resources to support domestic refining and reduce the cost of petroleum products.
However, Adebayo said Atiku’s current position was inconsistent with his stance during the 2023 presidential election.
“My colleagues are changing parties, changing manifesto. For example, Vice President Atiku Abubakar said four years ago he will remove subsidy on day one and he will sell NNPC. Now four years later, he is in another party saying no, I am going to restore subsidy,” Adebayo said.
The SDP candidate questioned the rationale behind the change, noting that Atiku had previously described the subsidy regime as economically unsustainable.
“Something that was in place, you said you will remove it. Now your colleague removed it. Now you say you want to put it back. Inconsistency,” Adebayo said.
President Bola Tinubu removed the petrol subsidy shortly after assuming office in May 2023. The decision resulted in a significant increase in petrol prices and placed additional economic pressure on households and businesses.
Atiku has, however, maintained that his proposed intervention would not simply mean a return to the previous subsidy regime.
His position is that Nigeria’s crude oil resources could be used to support domestic refining and help lower the cost of petroleum products.
Beyond the subsidy debate, Adebayo also criticised the movement of politicians between political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He argued that frequent defections had weakened ideological consistency in Nigerian politics, with politicians changing parties and, in some cases, changing their policy positions.
“Everybody who ran against me last time, apart from AAC candidate (Omoyele Sowore), has gone to another political party,” Adebayo said.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied reports that it has withdrawn the list of its 2027 Presidential Campaign Council, describing the reports as rumours.
The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, made the clarification on Tuesday following reports that the ruling party had withdrawn the campaign council list recently released as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
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Morka, while speaking with TheCable, said there was no basis for the reports, stressing that the party would formally announce any changes to the campaign council list.
“It’s rumour. If there is any change to the list, it will be formally announced,” he said.
The controversy followed reactions to the composition of the campaign council, with some APC members and stakeholders expressing concerns over the inclusion or exclusion of certain party figures.
The development subsequently fuelled speculation that the party could alter the composition of its campaign structure ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
However, Morka’s latest statement indicates that the APC has not officially withdrawn the list.
He further maintained that any adjustment to the campaign council would be communicated through the appropriate channels of the party.
President Bola Tinubu is seeking re-election in the 2027 presidential election, with the APC already putting structures in place ahead of the polls.
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