PDP lambasts Islamic cleric, Muhydeen Bello, for criticising Makinde - Newstrends
Connect with us

metro

PDP lambasts Islamic cleric, Muhydeen Bello, for criticising Makinde

Published

on

The Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has lashed out at a popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Muhydeen Bello, for condemning the Governor Seyi Makinde-led government.

The party, which described the cleric’s comments as ‘uncharitable and unfair’, said his criticism of Makinde was inspired by the Tafsir’s royalty he reportedly received from organisers of the event, adding that everything the cleric said against the present administration was against the true teachings of Islam, the spirit of Ramadan.

PDP in a statement on Thursday by the party’s spokesperson in the state, Akeem Olatunji, said the rapid infrastructural developments being undertaken by Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration are very visible, even for the blind to see.

The Islamic preacher, while delivering a sermon at the first annual Abiola Ajimobi Ramadan lecture, stated that there had been no visible development in the state since the new government took over power.

Oyo PDP said despite the absence of COVID-19, EndSARS protest, Fulani herdsmen crisis and other security health and security challenges during the last administration era, the APC government still owed not only workers but also the aged and retired workers.

The PDP statement read in part, “Our attention as a party has been drawn to some very uncharitable, unsubstantiated, unfair, and financially inspired sermon credited to Sheikh Muhydeen Ajani Bello at the annual Abiola Ajimobi memorial Ramadan lecture which held on Wednesday 14th April in Ibadan.

“We ordinarily would not have given a reply a thought out of respect for the spirit of the holy month of Ramadan but we chose to put records in proper perspective by reacting to the commercial sermon so as to avoid the cleric creating wrong impressions in the minds of our beloved Muslim brothers based on the sensitiveness of the commercial sermon and its consumption.

“First of all, considering the Holy month of Ramadan in which Muslims all over the world are humbly observing fasting, any true cleric is charged with the duty of spreading the gospel of love, peace, and the truth will intensify sermons on lifting the already down spirits of Nigerians who have already gone through a lot under the present APC led federal government, so much that the call to divide Nigeria by some sections of the country reached its record peak.

“The good people of Oyo State who had perhaps expected to hear a soul-lifting sermon from the cleric would by now be left in serious disappointment because the present government which the Sheikh Bello tried fruitlessly to discredit was enthroned by the people who rejected APC in its entirety by not only throwing out their government and with the various heart-rending activities of herdsmen on farmers and bandits on the Nigeria people, it’s preposterous that Sheikh Muhydeen Bello has failed to call out the non-performing President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government but condemning instead of praising a super performer like Governor Seyi Makinde.

“Government is indeed continuum and as much as we are constrained to abstain from speaking at all about the dead we are compelled to make certain clarifications for the purpose of education and a better understanding of how other western countries develop.

“The present PDP government under Governor Makinde believes strongly in purposeful leadership which is why it is strategically making necessary corrections on rehabilitation and reconstruction of critical infrastructures where the last administration failed to deliver on quality and durable ones instead of abandoning them and starting up new ones to gain cheap political scores like APC would do.

“For the sake of records and emphasis, our dear Governor has attained a high level of public acceptance and street credibility as Seyi Makinde who in the midst of the youth restiveness and ravaging EndSARS protest walked confidently and boldly among the angry youths to cart way forward.

“On the issue of legacy, what tangible legacy and positive developments is he ascribing to an Ajimobi administration which left the state in unprecedented debts without tangible projects to show for it?’ Also, right in the city of Ibadan, the state capital, the evidence of decay, abandoned projects and lack of foresight by the administration the sheikh was praising are more than evident.

“Which development is he talking about when the Ajimobi regime abandoned the Moniya-Iseyin road, leaving farmers and farm produce from the food basket of the nation prostrate?” On top of that, the Ajimobi led APC government awarded a failed project that wasted N2bn of Oyo’s hard-earned money.

“What positive development is in a government that abandoned Agbowo to rot away and was on the verge of converting the edifice to private use but for the providence that brought GSM?

“Despite the daily suffering of our people on that axis, did the Sheik travel on Iseyin road before making that statement? What about the abandoned onipepeye/Alaska Airport road that was abandoned in the eight years of Ajimobi? Will the Sheik say he didn’t see anything about junction improvement around Challenge, the bus terminals in Iwo Road and, challenge and Ojoo? Is he blind to the light-up projects phase one and 2; the massive rehabilitation of the 299 primary health care centres and the unique initiative being displayed in the management of state finances leading to a 26 per cent increase in IGR?

“Since Sheikh has suddenly found his voice to justify the money received from the organizers of the memorial lecture to deliver a sermon during this holy month, we advise the commercial cleric to channel his energy to join his voice with other Nigerians clamouring for good governance from the APC-led Federal Government before the divisive elements calling to divide Nigeria have their way because Seyi Makinde is already leading the way by exemplary leadership.”

Loading

metro

Why I Accept My Daughters’ Same-Sex Relationships — Charly Boy

Published

on

Why I Accept My Daughters’ Same-Sex Relationships — Charly Boy
Charly Boy

Why I Accept My Daughters’ Same-Sex Relationships — Charly Boy

Veteran Nigerian entertainer Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, has said his adult daughters do not need his approval to identify as lesbians, explaining that his role as a father is to support them while allowing them to make decisions about their own lives.

Charly Boy made the remarks while discussing the sexual orientation of his daughters and the recent engagement of his daughter, Adaeze Oputa, to a woman.

The entertainer said his two daughters identify as lesbians and explained that he had initially found it difficult to process the development before eventually accepting their choices.

According to him, becoming a parent does not give him control over every decision made by his adult children.

Charly Boy said his priority was for his daughters to be happy and able to live their lives without their relationship with him being damaged by disagreements over their personal choices.

His comments came shortly after he publicly celebrated Adaeze’s engagement to her female partner.

Charly Boy shared a video from the engagement on Instagram and described the couple as his “beautiful Princess and her Husband”, while asking his followers to wish them well. Adaeze also announced the engagement on Instagram, writing that they were engaged and expressing excitement about their future together.

The public celebration attracted mixed reactions on social media, with some users congratulating the couple and others criticising the relationship and Charly Boy’s response.

READ ALSO:

Charly Boy has previously spoken publicly about his younger daughter, Dominique “Dewy” Oputa, and her relationship with a woman. In earlier interviews, he discussed the difficulty he initially experienced after learning about her sexuality before explaining how he came to accept her.

His latest remarks suggest that his approach has evolved from trying to understand his daughters’ choices to accepting that they are adults capable of making decisions for themselves.

The entertainer also acknowledged that parents can have personal expectations for their children. However, he maintained that such expectations do not necessarily give parents the right to dictate the lives of their adult children.

The development has attracted particular attention because same-sex relationships remain a highly sensitive issue in Nigeria, both socially and legally.

Nigeria’s Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, 2013 prohibits same-sex marriage and civil unions and provides penalties for conduct covered by the legislation. Same-sex marriages or civil unions are also not legally recognised as marriages under Nigerian law.

The distinction is important in reporting Adaeze’s announcement: available reports confirm an engagement, not a legally recognised same-sex marriage in Nigeria.

Adaeze’s engagement has also renewed interest in her personal history. She was previously married to a man in 2018, according to reports, but that relationship later ended in divorce. Current reports focus on her engagement to her female partner.

Charly Boy’s public response has consequently placed his family at the centre of a wider conversation about parental acceptance, sexuality, family relationships and personal autonomy.

For the veteran entertainer, however, the issue is primarily a family matter. His comments indicate that while he may have had personal expectations for his children, he does not believe those expectations should determine the choices made by his adult daughters.

The latest development also reflects Charly Boy’s longstanding willingness to discuss controversial personal and social issues publicly, often generating strong reactions from Nigerians with differing cultural, religious and personal perspectives.

For Adaeze, the engagement represents a personal milestone that she chose to announce publicly. For Charly Boy, his response has reinforced his stated position that his relationship with his daughters should not depend on whether he agrees with every decision they make.

 

Why I Accept My Daughters’ Same-Sex Relationships — Charly Boy

Loading

Continue Reading

metro

Katsina: Troops Rescue 14 Kidnap Victims, Arrest Three Terrorist Couriers With N2.7m

Published

on

Katsina: Troops Rescue 14 Kidnap Victims, Arrest Three Terrorist Couriers With N2.7m

Katsina: Troops Rescue 14 Kidnap Victims, Arrest Three Terrorist Couriers With N2.7m

Troops of the Joint Task Force North-West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have rescued 14 kidnapped victims and arrested three suspected terrorist logistics couriers during separate operations in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The operations, conducted on September 24 and 25, also led to the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, 30 rounds of ammunition, a motorcycle, three mobile phones and N2.7 million suspected to be ransom money.

The Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North-West, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, disclosed the operations in a statement.

Danja said troops of Sector 2 intercepted the three suspected logistics couriers on September 24 while they were travelling on a motorcycle within Faskari.

According to the military, preliminary interrogation indicated that the suspects were allegedly transporting N2.7 million suspected to be ransom money, alongside three mobile phones, for onward delivery to a suspected terrorist kingpin through intermediaries.

The suspects and the recovered items were taken into custody for further investigation.

In a separate operation on September 25, troops acted on intelligence about the movement of suspected terrorists in Faskari and established an ambush.

The troops engaged the suspected terrorists, who reportedly fled into the surrounding area. A subsequent search resulted in the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, 30 rounds of ammunition and a motorcycle.

Later the same day, troops conducting a routine patrol rescued 14 kidnapped victims in the local government area.

READ ALSO:

The rescued persons comprised 12 males and two females and were reportedly among civilians abducted from Anguwan Miko and Tafoki communities in Faskari.

The military said the victims were abandoned by their captors after the terrorists sighted the advancing troops.

The rescued victims were subsequently handed over to the Faskari Local Government authorities for further necessary action.

The Katsina operations formed part of a wider Operation FANSAN YAMMA offensive conducted across Katsina and Kaduna states between September 23 and 25.

In Kaduna State, troops of Sector 1 acted on intelligence about suspected terrorists moving through bushes around Rijana in Kachia Local Government Area on September 23.

The troops reportedly laid an ambush and engaged the suspected terrorists, forcing them to flee. A subsequent search led to the recovery of another AK-47 rifle, a magazine containing 13 rounds of ammunition, a magazine carrier and a military jungle hat.

In another operation at Awom village in Kachia, troops arrested a suspect identified by the military as Jacob. He was allegedly found with a locally fabricated pistol and seven rounds of ammunition.

The Kaduna arrest brought the total number of suspects arrested during the wider three-day operation to four, including the three suspected logistics couriers apprehended in Katsina.

The latest operation is part of continuing military efforts to disrupt kidnapping and terrorist networks in the North-West.

Earlier in September, troops under Operation FANSAN YAMMA rescued 31 kidnapped victims during separate operations in Katsina and Kebbi states. The operations also resulted in the reported neutralisation of two suspected terrorists and the arrest of two others.

In one of those operations, 10 victims, including an infant, were rescued in Katsina after troops responded to reports of abductions from Unguwan Daudu and Unguwan Chibauna communities in Funtua Local Government Area. Another 21 victims were rescued in Kebbi State.

The Joint Task Force has continued to urge residents to remain vigilant and provide security agencies with credible information about suspicious movements and activities.

The latest Faskari operations underline the continued focus of Operation FANSAN YAMMA on rescuing people held in captivity, disrupting terrorist logistics and restricting the movement of armed groups operating across the North-West.

Katsina: Troops Rescue 14 Kidnap Victims, Arrest Three Terrorist Couriers With N2.7m

Loading

Continue Reading

metro

Mohbad: Court Dismisses Fresh Bid to Reopen Investigation Into Singer’s Death

Published

on

Late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad

Mohbad: Court Dismisses Fresh Bid to Reopen Investigation Into Singer’s Death

The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking to compel the Nigeria Police Force to reopen its investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.

Justice James Omotosho, in a judgment delivered on Thursday, September 24, 2026, dismissed the case filed by the Registered Trustees of Break the Silence Foundation, holding that the organisation lacked the legal standing to institute the action and had failed to provide credible evidence to establish that the earlier police investigation was inadequate.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/363/2026, was filed against the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force and the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command.

The foundation had approached the court through an application for judicial review, seeking an order of mandamus compelling the police authorities to conduct a fresh investigation into Mohbad’s death.

The organisation argued that the earlier police investigation had not sufficiently examined important aspects of the case and that some people connected to the singer, including individuals reportedly among those who last saw him, had not been adequately investigated.

The foundation particularly questioned whether some of Mohbad’s relatives had been properly investigated and argued that the circumstances surrounding his death warranted a fresh probe.

The court had earlier granted the foundation leave to commence the judicial-review proceedings. The matter was later heard after the organisation presented its case and urged the court to compel the police to reopen the investigation.

However, Justice Omotosho found that the foundation had not provided the evidence required to support its central claim.

A major issue was the original police investigation report.

The judge noted that the foundation alleged that the earlier police investigation was inadequate and that certain people, including Mohbad’s wife and father, had not been investigated. But the organisation did not attach the report from that earlier investigation to demonstrate what the police had actually done.

According to the court, without the original investigation report, there was no evidence establishing whether the people identified by the foundation had been investigated or excluded from the probe.

READ ALSO:

Justice Omotosho therefore held that the claims were speculative and based on conjecture, rather than supported by evidence. He stressed that an applicant seeking judicial relief could not succeed merely through assertions without proof.

The court consequently found that the foundation’s case failed on its evidentiary basis and was without merit.

The second major legal ground was locus standi.

In legal terms, locus standi concerns whether a person or organisation has the necessary legal standing or sufficient interest to bring a particular action before the court. Justice Omotosho held that the foundation had not established the legal basis required to sustain the suit.

The court therefore dismissed the case on both grounds — lack of locus standi and lack of merit.

The ruling is important because the court was not deciding, in this particular suit, whether every question surrounding Mohbad’s death had been conclusively answered. Rather, it was determining whether the foundation had established the legal and evidentiary basis for an order compelling the police to reopen the investigation.

The judge also criticised lawyers involved in the case for discussing pending proceedings through media interviews and social media.

Justice Omotosho warned legal practitioners against using the media to air grievances or discuss matters that were still before the court, stressing that lawyers should present their arguments through the judicial process. He further warned that the court could invoke its contempt powers if its orders were breached through such conduct.

The judgment came after the court had earlier fixed September 29, 2026, for judgment following final arguments in June. Justice Omotosho ultimately delivered the judgment five days earlier, on September 24.

The foundation had filed the case after expressing dissatisfaction with the outcome of the earlier investigation. Its counsel, Chief Tunde Falola, had argued that critical aspects of the case and possible leads were not adequately explored and that individuals reportedly among the last people to see Mohbad required further scrutiny.

Mohbad died in Lagos on September 12, 2023, at the age of 27, triggering widespread public concern and calls for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

He was buried shortly after his death, but his remains were later exhumed for an autopsy amid public pressure for answers. The controversy surrounding the circumstances of his death has continued through investigations, court proceedings and public debate.

The latest ruling does not amount to a judicial declaration that all factual questions surrounding Mohbad’s death have been resolved. It means that the Break the Silence Foundation failed in this particular legal action to establish the standing and evidentiary basis required to obtain an order compelling the police to conduct a fresh investigation.

The Federal High Court has therefore declined to grant the foundation’s request for a fresh police probe, leaving the organisation without the judicial order it sought in the case.

Mohbad: Court Dismisses Fresh Bid to Reopen Investigation Into Singer’s Death

Loading

Continue Reading

Trending