NEWS
Osun Debt: Oyetola’s Aide Challenges Adeleke To Publish Procurement Dates
Media aide to the immediate past Osun Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, Ismail Omipidan, has disclosed for the umpteenth time that his principal never took any bank facility for the four years he served as Governor.
He noted that the debt in question was incurred by the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s administration.
Omipidan further described the claim by the new governor that Oyetola took an N18billion loan facility as not only outlandish but unfounded, insisting that the claim was made out of sheer ignorance and mischief.
He then challenged Governor Adeleke to publish details of the outstanding loan facilities he claimed his administration inherited and the years they were procured.
Omipidan said the Government is out to smear and blackmail Oyetola’s personality but that Osun citizens and Nigerians from far and near know the truth.
“When talking about loans, you cannot talk of maturity date without talking about the dates they were procured.
“It is either that those who prepared the speech for the Governor to read did not understand the implications of their position or they did it out of sheer mischief to expose their Principal or both. Otherwise, if they had read and understood my Principal’s Farewell Speech very well, they would not have alleged that he took N18 billion loan.
“Again, even in the table they released by themselves, they contradicted themselves. Take a look at item 7 on their list, they captured the N3 billion monthly as having commenced from December 2021 and that it came for six months. Yet, they claim the same N18 billion was accessed after the July election. You see why I said they are either confused or are out for mischief or even both.
“In the third paragraph of the speech from the rear, my Principal had said ‘for four years, we did not take any bank loan facility. But we benefitted from the N3billion monthly intervention from the federal Government for six months to cushion the effect of deductions of budget support facility and salary bailout accessed by the previous administration, just as we have paid N97 billion from the total debt we inherited in 2018.’ I want to believe that is what they have now twisted to call loan. This intervention was extended to all the 36 states of the Federation.And the monthly N3 billion for six months came before the July 16 governorship election. This is a fact that can be verified.
“Let me restate here that we never took any bank facility, and we challenge the Government to publish balances of all bank accounts belonging to the State as at November 26, 2022. When the Oyetola administration took over in 2018, we inherited humongous debt but we never complained or made excuses. What we did was to get to work and find means of making things work for the four years we have governed Osun and we reduced the debts we inherited by N97Billion.
“By the way, Governor Adeleke announced the freezing of all government accounts on November 27 when he took over. Till date, he is yet to announce that he has unfrozen the accounts. Yet, they have been spending from State Government coffers since then. So, where is the money coming from? This is where you will know that those around the Governor are a bunch of liars who are not prepared for governance but preparing grounds for excuses and non-performance,” Omipidan added.
Oil marketers have warned that Nigerians may soon pay as much as ₦1,500 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, as global oil prices surge following the escalating conflict involving Iran in the Middle East.
The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, issued the warning on Tuesday while speaking on a television programme on the impact of the global crisis on fuel prices.
According to him, the current volatility in the international oil market has already pushed petrol prices above ₦1,000 per litre at the depot level, with the ex-depot price from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery now standing at about ₦1,175 per litre.
He explained that once logistics, transportation, and other operational costs are added, the final pump price could rise significantly, possibly reaching ₦1,500 per litre in the near future.
Despite concerns about the rising cost of fuel, Gillis-Harry noted that steady availability of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery remains a major relief for Nigeria, stressing that consistent supply is better than a nationwide fuel scarcity.
He added that the refinery’s production capacity is helping to stabilize supply across the country at a time when global markets remain highly unstable.
The latest price adjustment by the Dangote Refinery marks the fourth review within two weeks. Petrol prices increased from ₦995 per litre to ₦1,175 per litre, while diesel rose from ₦1,430 to about ₦1,620 per litre.
The development comes amid a sharp spike in international crude oil prices triggered by fears of supply disruptions due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Brent crude recently climbed above $102 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose to around $101 per barrel.
Industry analysts say the rising oil prices are already having a ripple effect on Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, forcing depot operators and fuel marketers to adjust their prices in response to the global market trend.
Meanwhile, the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stated that although Nigeria introduced a crude-for-naira arrangement to support local refineries, the facility still purchases crude oil at international market prices, leaving it exposed to global price fluctuations.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
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