NEWS
Osun Cooperative Movement Endorses Adeleke’s Re-election
The Osun State cooperative movement numbering over 130,000 has pledged total support for the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke as a reward for his massive contribution to the growth of the cooperative movement since 2022.
According to a government house statement in Osogbo, on Thursday, the cooperative leaders numbering about 40 who came to represent the Federation of Osun State Cooperative Movement declared that since the administration of late Obafemi Awolowo, no administration has done as much as Gov Adeleke for the cooperative sector.
Through its Executive Secretary, Alhaji Tiamiyu Adeoye, the movement noted that during late Awolowo’s premiership, the western cooperative movement was giving a seed capital of One Million pounds but lamented that since then, only Gov Adeleke has revived the tradition for grassroots economic financing.
The Executive Secretary spoke further: “Under the previous APC governments, we were invited and publicly given a cheque as cooperative seed capital. A day after, we were recalled to bring the cheque for correction. Till date, that cheque was never returned to the cooperative movement. We were deceived.
“However, Mr Governor, you surprised us because when you pledged almost N4billion naira as revolving loan, seed capital for the cooperative movement; we thought you were playing politics like others did with us. But you have disbursed over N1.6billion so far.
“We are really glad; we are here to show our appreciation. We have never had any state government giving us seed money since the creation of Osun state. You came in and from the beginning, you addressed that critical question of grassroots economic financing. Mr Governor, you are doing a lot across sectors in Osun.
“But for us cooperatives, where roads and bridges cannot reach, your seed capital has reached. The billions of naira flowing from the Government is reaching our people at the local level. You have strengthened us. The seed capital is a form of human capital development. Across Osun state and among our over 130, 000 cooperative members, grassroots economic financing is thriving.
“Aside from the seed capital, we expressed thankfulness for the release of withheld cooperative deductions of our members. The withholding of the cooperative deductions by the previous government displaced and inflicted a lot of hardship on our members. As of today, all the check ups and deductions are paid up to date. Mr Governor you restored hope and empowerment among the cooperative movement in Osun state.
“If under your first term, you did so much for the cooperative movement, we strongly believe continuity is in the best interest of the cooperative movement in Osun state. In pursuance of that determination, February 10, 2026 has been scheduled for an endorsement rally for Mr Governor”, the Executive Secretary told the governor.
Responding to the cooperative leadership, Gov Adeleke, flanked by the Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi; Head of Service, Ayanleye Aina; and Cooperative Commissioner, Bayo Ogungbangbe, expressed appreciation to the cooperative movement in Osun State for their acknowledgment of his contribution to the empowerment and strengthening of the cooperative movement.
“The Governor spoke further: “From the very beginning, we made a deliberate decision to place cooperatives at the centre of our economic empowerment strategy. This conviction led to the establishment of the Ministry of Cooperatives and Empowerment in July 2023, an initiative that has since earned national recognition. It also guided our decision to convene the first Osun State Cooperative Summit and Awards. This was to strengthen dialogue, coordination and shared responsibility among stakeholders.
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“We have equally invested in long-term capacity building through the total rehabilitation and upgrade of the Cooperative College at Ode-Omu, now renamed Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke Cooperative College. This reflects our belief that sustainable cooperative growth must be driven by education, skills and strong institutions.
“At the grassroots, we expanded ward-based cooperatives across the State. We also provide them with interest-free revolving loans. We have also extended significant funding to conventional cooperative unions under FOSCOOP. Our administration empowered thousands of individual cooperators, supported our people in the diaspora and ensured inclusive access. This also includes targeted support for persons living with disabilities. Altogether, over 1.5 billion naira has been disbursed to strengthen cooperative activities under this administration.
“These efforts are driven by one clear objective: to put economic power directly in the hands of the people. Cooperatives remain one of the most effective tools for inclusive growth, shared prosperity and community stability”, the governor posited.
In response to the recent security alerts, the Osun State Government has approved the establishment of a Joint Security Taskforce to strengthen security response and alert to threats to lives and properties in the state.
According to a government house statement on Thursday, to ensure smooth take off of the JTF, the state government declared its readiness to provide all necessary logistics that will strengthen the protection of lives and property of the people throughout Osun State .
The decision was adopted at the State Security Council (SSC) meeting convened yesterday by Governor Ademola Adeleke and presided over by the Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi with the new Commissioner of Police personally in attendance alongside other security top brass.
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The Deputy Governor while opening the meeting conveyed the best wishes of the state Governor to the service commanders and lauded their steadfastness during recent security challenges and tasked them not to relent in the face of fresh security threats.
Accompanied by the Attorney General of the state, Hon Wole Jimi-Bada; the Head of Service, Elder Ayanleye Aina; and the Governor’s Special Adviser on Security, Mr Samuel Ojo, the Deputy Governor told the commanders that the governor is committed to further empowering the security agencies to secure the state while calling on the traditional rulers to sustain their local security oversight.
The Council during its deliberations also used the opportunity of the meeting which lasted several hours to further allay the fears of the residents on their security and protection, noting that Osun state remains safe and secured.
The Council further tasks residents to be extra vigilant particularly in churches, mosques and schools, tasking stakeholders to put extra security measures around their premises.
While assuring the public of their safety, the Council further requested timely intelligence sharing to security agencies by members of the public to forestall attacks by suspected terrorists and bandits.
The Nigeria Police in conjunction with other security agencies were also directed to be on a 24 hour red alert to curtail the threats of the said bandits and terrorists.
At the meeting, an agreement was also reached between the Ministry of Justice, the Nigeria Police, and the DSS, to collaborate with a view to ensuring that all the suspects are properly investigated and prosecuted accordingly without delay.
The meeting ended with a commendation of the new Commissioner of Police, Mr Ibrahim Zungura for instituting policing reforms since his assumption of office and for attending the security meeting in person.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Yola, Adamawa State, to lead a Federal Government delegation on a condolence visit to the family of the late elder statesman, Alhaji Bamanga Muhammad Tukur.
Shettima’s visit is at the instance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, following the death of the former Governor of the old Gongola State and former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Vice President was received in Yola by Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, alongside members of the state executive council.
Tukur, who died on September 12, 2026, was a prominent businessman, politician and elder statesman whose career in public service and business spanned several decades.
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He served as Governor of the defunct Gongola State and later became National Chairman of the PDP. He was also recognised for his contributions to Nigeria’s political development and Africa’s business community.
The presidential delegation accompanying Shettima includes the APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori; former Minister of Transportation, Senator Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali; Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia; and Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Abdullahi Abubakar Gumel.
Others on the delegation are Hon. Abdulrazaq Sa’ad Namdas; Sarkin Gabas Adamawa, Dr Mahmood Halilu Ahmed (Modi); and APC National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, among others.
The condolence visit comes as political leaders, government officials and other Nigerians continue to mourn the death of the former governor and PDP national chairman.
Peter Obi has condemned the reported killing of some Nigerians abducted in Borgu, Niger State, saying the country must never normalise the killing of its citizens.
Obi made this known in a statement released via X on Wednesday, where he described the reports emerging from Borgu as increasingly difficult to comprehend and deeply painful.
He recalled that on August 27, he had expressed his anguish over the reported abduction of about 600 Nigerians, including women, children and elderly people, alongside the killing of others.
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According to him, his anguish has deepened following continuing reports of the gruesome killing of some of those abducted, while many others remain unaccounted for.
Obi also referred to another disturbing incident in which a bandit group reportedly beheaded a Nigerian and sent his severed head to a community leader over a ₦50 million levy.
“If the reported killing was intended to increase pressure on the community and extract more money for those still being held, then we must recognise the terrible reality before us: human life is being deliberately turned into a bargaining instrument,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor said one person being killed to terrorise an entire community while others are kept alive as hostages for more ransom amounts to the systematic devaluation of human life.
“These are not statistics. They are Nigerians. They are mothers, fathers, children, brothers, sisters and elderly people,” Obi said.
He questioned how long the country would continue to accept the kidnapping of hundreds of citizens, killings, criminal levies, displacement and ransom payments as unavoidable features of Nigerian life.
Obi said insecurity also affects families, farms, businesses, education and public confidence in government.
He called for intelligence-led operations, stronger community security, rapid response, better coordination and equipment for security forces, effective border protection and sustained action against criminal networks.
“The primary responsibility of government is the security and welfare of its citizens,” he said.
“While politicians prepare for elections, Nigerians are asking for something more fundamental: the right to live.”
Obi urged the government to match prayers with action, insisting that no criminal group should determine who lives or dies anywhere in Nigeria.
“Every Nigerian life matters. Every victim deserves justice. Every community deserves protection. Nigeria must restore security, justice, and the dignity of human life,” he added
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