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Kingmakers Reject Candidate Imposition; Vow To Protect Customary Selection For Awujale Stool

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1 month ago

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The Awujale Kingmakers’ Council officially declared their determination to resist any form of candidate imposition for the vacant throne of the Awujale of Ijebuland.

 

This stance follows the vacancy left by the death of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona in July 2025 after a 65-year reign.

 

The Regent of the Awujale of Ijebuland and Ogbeni Oja, Chief Sunny Kuku, made this known while responding to questions from reporters in the presence of other kingmakers at his private residence in Igbeba GRA, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

 

Kuku, who is the head of the kingmakers and chairman of the Awujale interregnum, said members of the council had endured sleepless nights carefully scrutinising documents submitted by the nominees before receiving notification from the Ogun State Government halting the process.

 

He said consultations with relevant authorities had commenced to ensure the resumption of the exercise, stressing that not only the Ijebu people but the general public were eagerly awaiting the emergence of a new Awujale.

 

Describing the responsibility before the kingmakers as delicate and demanding, Kuku said the process was being handled with utmost caution, noting that their decision would have far-reaching implications for the people of Ijebuland for generations to come.

 

He said, “As you know, the process has already started, and the families have submitted names—between 86 and 95 in total. However, not all the applications are complete, so only about 86 are valid. The kingmakers have begun their work, and once they do, everything happens within that enclave. We are careful not to say anything that could bias the situation.

 

“Today, we received a message from the government indicating that the process has been temporarily halted. At the moment, we do not know the reason for this, but we are in contact with them to understand the situation. We will do our best to ensure that the process resumes because the general public is waiting.

 

“The kingmakers cannot say much at this time because we have a very onerous task. We are confident that the government is also interested in ensuring a peaceful outcome. We are consulting with them, and we believe that something will happen soon.

 

“Regarding reports from the grapevine suggesting government interference, we are unable to comment on that. The government does not sit with the kingmakers during deliberations. We do not work with them directly, and as you know, in situations like this, there are always many rumours. We try to separate fact from speculation. If any form of imposition occurs, we will certainly let the public know, because we will not tolerate that. However, that has not happened.”

 

The Ogbeni Oja who is a co-founder of the EKO Hospital Ikeja, one of the nation’s early generation elite private health facility, allayed public’s concerns over the barricade to the palace by dozens of armed security operatives on Wednesday, saying it was not an attempt to influence the selection process but to let the people know that the state government had suspended the process again.

 

He noted that the reasons – such as written petitions and security concerns – given by the state government for halting the Awujale selection process were only known to the government, not the kingmakers, advising that if such petitions existed, they should be forwarded to the kingmakers.

 

Chief Kuku said, “The barricade at the Palace is not an attempt to influence the process. The process has been halted, which is why we are meeting with the government to understand why and how the issue can be resolved quickly. The palace is a symbol of the people, and by barricading it, the authorities are making it clear that the process is temporarily in abeyance. There is no physical or emotional conflict taking place. We hope the palace will be reopened very soon because we want to avoid any anxiety among the people. Our goal is peace.

 

“If petitions exist, they should be forwarded to us, but we have not received any. That is why we are consulting with them. Once discussions are concluded, we will make a statement as quickly as possible. There is nothing to worry about.

 

“As kingmakers, we are handling a very delicate responsibility. Our decisions can affect the lives of people for centuries to come, so we are being extremely careful about what we do and say. We assure you that we will ensure peace and that the best person emerges as the Awujale.

 

“When situations like this arise, there are allegations that the kingmakers have been compromised or are favouring a particular candidate. Let me be clear: we have not slept for five days. We are dealing with about 95 applications and over 1,200 documents, scrutinizing them meticulously. We are working diligently to ensure we select the best possible candidate. If we were biased, we would not be spending sleepless nights reviewing documents so thoroughly.

 

“We had planned to continue this process for several more days, and we are prepared for more sleepless nights. The criteria we have developed are meant to produce a leader who truly represents the people and will bring progress to the community.

 

“We still expect a few more sleepless nights, but for now, we may be able to rest briefly before the process resumes.”

 

 

 

 

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Police Clear Interior Minister Tunji-Ojo In NYSC Certificate Probe

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11 hours ago

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March 6, 2026

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The Nigerian Police Force has dismissed allegations of certificate forgery against the Minister of Interior, Tunji Ojo, describing them as baseless following an extensive investigation.

The Police, through its spokesperson, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that no evidence was found of forgery, alteration, falsification, or unlawful production of the minister’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate.

According to him, the investigation established that there was no proof of forgery, alteration, falsification, or unlawful production of the minister’s NYSC certificate.

“After an exhaustive investigation into the allegations, it has been established that there is no evidence whatsoever of forgery, alteration, falsification or unlawful production of the minister’s NYSC certificate,” Hundeyin said.

He explained that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was contacted during the investigation and confirmed that the certificate in question was duly issued to the minister.

“The NYSC was contacted and it was verified that the certificate was duly issued by the corps to the minister. The allegations are therefore unfounded,” he added.

The development comes a day after youth and civil society groups staged a protest in Abuja over the alleged certificate forgery involving the minister.

The demonstrators accused Tunji-Ojo of providing conflicting information regarding his NYSC records, which they said raised concerns about integrity in public office.

Addressing journalists during the protest, one of the demonstrators said the minister had yet to publicly respond to the allegations.

“We have not heard from him. He has not come out to clarify to the public whether what is being said is right or wrong,” the protester said.

The protesters also argued that in similar circumstances, some public officials had resigned from office when faced with such allegations, insisting that accountability should apply equally to all public office holders.

“We want accountability, and we want everyone to be treated equally. What is good for one person should be good for all. If other ministers could resign over similar issues, we do not see why he should still remain in office,” the protester added.

They warned that failure to properly address such allegations could erode public trust in government institutions, particularly among young Nigerians, and undermine the credibility of public offices at the federal level.

 

 

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After Long Wait, Tinubu Assigns Portfolios To 65 Ambassadors-Designate

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12 hours ago

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March 6, 2026

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the posting of 65 ambassadors-designate to various Nigerian missions and international organizations worldwide.

The list comprises 31 career diplomats and 34 non-career ambassadors, whose nominations were earlier confirmed by the Senate in December 2025.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the postings assign the envoys to various countries and international missions.

Among the non-career ambassadors, former presidential aide Reno Omokri was posted to Mexico, while former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode was assigned to Germany.

Former Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole will serve in Canada, while former Minister of Interior Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau was posted to China.

Other notable appointments include Senator Ita Enang to South Africa, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Olufemi Pedro to Australia, and Lateef Kayode Are to the United States.

The President also approved the posting of several career diplomats to key missions.

These include Ambassador Abdussalam Habu Zayyad to Senegal, Ambassador Haidara Mohammed Idris to The Hague, Netherlands, Ambassador Ayeni Adebayo Emmanuel to Belgium, and Ambassador Ibrahim Danlami to Kenya, among others.

The Presidency disclosed that some countries have already issued diplomatic clearance, known as agrément, for Nigeria’s envoys.

The United Kingdom has approved Ambassador Aminu Dalhatu as Nigeria’s High Commissioner, while France has granted agrément for Ambassador Ayo Oke.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also formally notified other host countries of the appointments and requested their agrément in line with diplomatic procedures.

Tinubu has directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to immediately begin the induction programme for the ambassadors-designate and high commissioners ahead of their deployment to their respective missions.

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Kidnappers Kill Ex-Ebonyi Deputy Governor’s Father, Nine Suspects Arrested

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15 hours ago

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March 6, 2026

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The Ebonyi State Police Command has confirmed that Ezeogo Francis Igwe, the traditional ruler of Ndufu-Alike and father of former Deputy Governor Kelechi Igwe, has been killed by his abductors.

The victim, Francis Igwe, was the traditional ruler of Ndufu-Alike in Ikwo Local Government Area of the state before his death.

According to the police, the monarch was abducted on Sunday, March 1, 2026, while on his way to church.

Confirming the incident in a statement issued on Friday, the spokesperson of the Ebonyi State Police Command, Joshua Ukandu, said operatives launched intensive operations immediately after the abduction was reported.

Ukandu explained that deploying technical and intelligence assets led to the arrest of two suspects believed to be members of the kidnapping syndicate.

During interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed that the monarch had been killed on March 2.

“They further volunteered to lead operatives to their hideout and assist in recovering the monarch’s remains,” the statement said.

However, while approaching the hideout, other gang members allegedly opened fire on the police team.

Ukandu said the operatives responded with superior firepower, overpowering the criminals during the gun battle.

“In the course of the confrontation, one of the hoodlums was neutralised, while others fled the scene,” he said.

The police spokesman added that seven additional suspects were later arrested, bringing the total number of suspects in custody to nine.

He also confirmed that one locally made pistol was recovered during the operation.

Ukandu said the remains of the slain traditional ruler had been recovered and deposited in a morgue for autopsy.

The suspects are currently in police custody, while efforts are ongoing to arrest other fleeing gang members.

He added that the suspects would be charged to court after the investigations conclude.

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