Politics
Osun Retrieves Vehicle From Ex-Amotekun Commander; Reiterates Commitment To Asset Recovery
The Osun State’s Asset Recovery Committee has swung into action, retrieving state’s assets illegally being held by top officials of previous administrations.
This was revealed in a government statement in Osogbo on Tuesday, obtained by Biztellers.
The Committee, under the Secretary to the State Government, Hon Teslim Igbalaye started field operations on Monday, after compliance with required due process as required by law and in keeping with its mandate.
Recall that on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, the Osun State government inaugurated a special Asset Recovery Task Force to reclaim government project vehicles and other assets still in the custody of officials of previous administrations.
The initiative followed the release of a white paper from the Asset Recovery Committee, which was established by Governor Ademola Adeleke through an executive order on November 27, 2022, the day of his inauguration.
The task force was mandated to “ensure immediate recovery” of the assets.
During the inauguration, Head of Service, Ayanleye Aina who represented Go Adeleke emphasised the committee’s role in implementing the asset recovery report and retrieving the assets taken by officials of the previous administration.
Consequently, on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, Hon. Teslim Igbalaye held a press conference in Osogbo where he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to recovering properties believed to have been misappropriated by political appointees of the former Adegboyega Oyetola administration.
Igbalaye stressed that the Asset Recovery Task Force was not intended to target individuals but to recover all misappropriated assets.
He explained that the Task Force was scrutinizing which vehicles and assets were lawfully taken and which were not.
According to Igbalaye, under the previous administration, political appointees could retain their official vehicles if they had served at least two years, paid a specified amount to the government, and if the vehicle was less than four years old, paid 10% of its residual value.
However, the Task Force determined that while the previous Executive Governor’s approvals for vehicle releases followed due process, a letter from the former Head of Service allowing political appointees to keep their vehicles was deemed illegal.
Igbalaye dismissed claims from the Osun All Progressives Congress (APC) that the asset recovery efforts were vindictive, asserting that all government assets and vehicles not legally retained by the previous administration’s officials must be recovered.
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In an effort to carry out its mandate, the task force paid a visit to the residence of the immediate past Osun Amotekun Field Commander, Comrade Amitolu Shittu in the early hours of Monday, 29th July, 2024, recovering one out of three vehicles illegally possessed by him.
The statement asserted that “the operation conducted at Amitolu’s residence was a lawful and necessary measure to retrieve vehicles and assets unlawfully retained by him from his tenure as the Osun Amotekun Field Commander.”
During his term, Amitolu was known to have illegally possessed several vehicles that belonged to the government, which had not been returned despite repeated requests.
It was gathered that “the operation was conducted in accordance with legal protocols and was intended to recover these assets for the benefit of the state. The involvement of the Osun Security Joint Task Force (JTF) and Amotekun Corps was part of a coordinated effort to ensure the recovery process was handled efficiently and securely”.
It described Amitolu’s claim of the exercise being a violation of privacy and an act of political persecution as a smokescreen to divert attention from his own legal and ethical breaches.
His assertions that the operation was a premeditated attempt to silence him are baseless and reflect his attempt to politicise a straightforward asset recovery process, it added.
The statement also pointed out that “the vehicles in question were clearly documented as state property, and there is substantial evidence to support their recovery. Amitolu’s challenge to provide documents and his threat to seek legal redress are attempts to obfuscate the clear facts and delay justice.”
The government’s actions were fully justified, and the call for scrutiny by security agencies should be directed towards ensuring transparency in all operations, including those involving Amitolu’s activities.
This recovery effort is part of a broader commitment to accountability and good governance, which the state administration remains dedicated to upholding.
The lingering intra-party crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has forced senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Tambuwal to dump the party for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Tambuwal, a former governor of Sokoto State, disclosed this in a resignation letter dated March 11, 2026, addressed to the PDP ward chairman in Tambuwal/Shinfiri Ward of Tambuwal Local Government Area.
The letter, which was made available to journalists on Thursday, said the decision followed consultations with his political associates and supporters.
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“After deep reflection and extensive consultations with my political associates and supporters, I have decided to resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party with immediate effect,” Tambuwal stated.
According to the former Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria, lingering disputes and leadership disagreements in the PDP made it increasingly difficult for him to remain in the party.
“The persistent internal crises, leadership disagreements and growing divisions within the party have made it increasingly difficult for me to continue my membership,” he added.
Despite leaving the party, the senator expressed appreciation to the PDP for the opportunities it gave him to serve in different capacities.
“I remain grateful to the party for the platform it provided me to serve Nigeria as Speaker of the House of Representatives and later as Governor of Sokoto State,” he said.
Tambuwal confirmed that he had joined the ADC alongside his political associates and supporters, describing the move as part of efforts to strengthen democratic values and provide a credible political alternative.
“My decision is guided by the conviction that Nigeria requires a stronger political platform built on integrity, accountability, inclusiveness and a clear commitment to national development,” he added.
Tambuwal served as Speaker of the House of Representatives between 2011 and 2015 before emerging governor of Sokoto State in 2015 under the All Progressives Congress (APC). He later defected to the PDP the same year and was re-elected governor in 2019.
After completing his second term in 2023, he was elected to the Nigerian Senate to represent Sokoto South.
His defection to the ADC is expected to alter the political dynamics in Sokoto State, where he remains one of the state’s most influential political figures.
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has explained that the persistent crisis and legal disputes within the Peoples Democratic Party compelled him to defect to the All Progressives Congress.
The governor’s defection was formally announced on Monday by his deputy, Mani Mummuni, after a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Government House in Gusau.
In a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the move was described as a necessary step taken in the interest of the state and supported by political stakeholders across Zamfara.
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According to the statement, Governor Lawal had remained committed to the PDP despite the ongoing leadership crisis and had made several efforts to reconcile factions within the party.
However, attempts to achieve peace and unity reportedly failed, leading to prolonged legal battles.
The development followed a judgment by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which dismissed an appeal filed by the PDP challenging an earlier ruling of the Federal High Court.
The earlier judgment had restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the outcome of the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The governor was said to have informed political stakeholders during a series of meetings that he would make a final decision about his political future after the appellate court delivered its ruling.
Following the judgment, Lawal concluded that joining the APC would better position him to continue what he described as the “Zamfara Rescue and Rebuild Mission.”
His defection marks a significant shift in the political landscape of Zamfara State and could influence political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has handed a significant setback to Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, dismissing his appeal challenging a Federal High Court ruling that questioned his eligibility to contest the upcoming governorship election.
A three-member panel delivered a unanimous judgment on Monday, affirming that the trial court acted correctly when it allowed Dr Akindele Egbuwalo, the plaintiff, to amend his originating summons.
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Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, who read the lead judgment, said the governor failed to show that the High Court’s decision caused any miscarriage of justice or denied him a fair hearing.
The appeal was therefore dismissed for lacking merit, and the court awarded ₦2 million in costs against Aiyedatiwa.
The ruling reinforces the November 24, 2025, Federal High Court decision in Akure, which granted Egbuwalo permission to challenge Aiyedatiwa’s eligibility for re-election.
Earlier, the Court of Appeal also rejected an application by Aiyedatiwa to set aside a January 27, 2026, order staying proceedings in the case before the Federal High Court.
The appellate court clarified that the stay was a lawful exercise of its jurisdiction aimed at protecting the integrity of the proceedings.
The panel further emphasized that attempting to overturn its own order would be akin to sitting on appeal over its own decision.
The governor’s remaining option, the court noted, is to challenge the ruling at the Supreme Court. Another ₦2 million in costs was awarded against Aiyedatiwa.
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