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Afenifere tackles Bisi Akande, says group can never die

Published

1 year ago

February 6, 2025

Chief Bisi Akande

Afenifere tackles Bisi Akande, says group can never die

THE pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, yesterday, tackled former Osun State governor, Bisi Akande who said the Yoruba group is dead.

Reacting to Akande’s comments, Afenifere’s National Publicity, Prince Justice Faloye, the Yoruba group is not dead but evolving across generations.

Recall that Akande, in a recent interview with Edmund Obilo, said that former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, late Bola Ige, created Afenifere, noting that the assassination of Ige in 2002 saw the death of the Yoruba group.

Akande had said: “That was the beginning of the crack ( in Afenifere) but the end came with the death of Bola Ige. The death of Bola Ige was the death of Afenifere. He found it and he took it away.”

When the interviewer said, “But Afenifere is not dead,” Akande said, “I don’t know, but it is not the Afenifere we formed.”

However, Faloye, in a statement titled ‘Afenifere can never die’, dismissed Akande’s comments insisting that the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, departed from Afenifere’s ideological position.

The statement reads: “Afenifere is not a human being with limited lifecycles, but a universal philosophical essence of Justice and egalitarianism that must undergo rebirth, to address current generational issues.

“The concept and political space of Afenifere of ‘Abundance for All’ will always be relevant, especially in democratic dispositions. What we are currently seeing is the ideological shifting of chaff from wheat.

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“Afenifere started 71 years ago but following the coup and military rule, it temporarily became a socio-cultural group since all political agencies are banned under military rule. But once Nigeria returned to democracy in 1979 and 1999, those with social democratic and welfare ideals created political parties to get power in order to fulfil those egalitarian ideals.

“In 1979, Afenifere created the Unity Party of Nigeria, and in this current disposition, it was instrumental in creating the Alliance for Democratic, AD, Social Democratic Party, SDP.

“What has been happening in this current disposition can be traced back to Afenifere rebirth in the ‘90s agitation for democracy, when due to political expediencies under General Ibrahim Babaginda (retd), Afenifere was forced to align with various people to avoid banning.

“Unfortunately, some of the new entrants like Tinubu never shared the Afenifere ideology but joined the ranks in their quest for power, pretending to be progressive welfarists and social democrats. Upon getting to power in 1999, these pseudo-Afenifere began to show their true character and departed from Afenifere ideological position.

“By 2003, Tinubu as Lagos Governor officially broke ranks with the real Afenifere, which involved some people moving away to form factions that were Afenifere in name but not character. In every election cycle ever since then, those with prebendalistic ambitions join Tinubu which is practising dictatorial neo-liberal economics, instead of social democratic welfare economics according to the name of Afenifere.

“They deceitfully replaced Afenifere political ideology and identity with a socio-cultural tag of ethnic irredentism to explain away their selfish prebendalism of Awalokan. It is about them and their families converting and sharing our commonwealth, not about empowering and uplifting the common man.

“However, as some leave, more informed knowledgeable and pro-people younger people are rising to push Afenifere egalitarian ideals as dictated and empowered by Ayo Adebanjo and Oba Oladipo Olaitan.

“So when the likes of Bisi Akande say Afenifere is dead, he is talking about the passion for the people of some in his Prebendalist generation dying, not Afenifere, the ideology and political space. Afenifere is currently evolving and being purified to take control of our manifest destiny to uplift the greatest amount of people ever.

“Afenifere like the world and universe can’t die but will continue evolving in generational cycles to higher levels of political evolution and existence.

“Afenifere is by no means dead but evolving across generations. We have the tutelage of elders like Prof Onigbinde, Shonibare and other notable personalities that grew under the tutelage of the likes of Awolowo, Bola Ige and Baba Adesanya. Afenifere lives on.”

Afenifere tackles Bisi Akande, says group can never die

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Arise News Yet to Confirm Reported Suspension of Rufai Oseni

Published

9 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Trends Admin

Rufai Oseni

Arise News Yet to Confirm Reported Suspension of Rufai Oseni

Reports circulating online suggest that Rufai Oseni, a prominent anchor with Arise News, has been suspended by the station, but the development remains unverified as of press time.

The claim, which began trending on social media platforms and was later amplified by various online posts, has not been officially confirmed by Arise News management or by Oseni himself.

As of now, there is no statement from Arise News, no internal memo made public, and no confirmation from credible mainstream media outlets regarding the alleged suspension.

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The lack of official confirmation means the story remains at the level of a developing report, with details still unclear, including the reason for the alleged suspension, its duration, or whether any disciplinary action has indeed been taken.

Rufai Oseni is one of Arise News’ most recognisable broadcasters, known for his hard-hitting interviews and political analysis programmes, which has contributed to the wide attention the report is currently generating online.

Media observers note that in situations like this, verification from official sources is necessary before the claim can be treated as confirmed news.

For now, the alleged suspension remains unconfirmed, and further updates are expected once Arise News or the broadcaster issues an official statement.

Arise News Yet to Confirm Reported Suspension of Rufai Oseni

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Court Grants Bail to El-Rufai in ICPC Corruption Case

Published

10 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Trends Admin

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai

Court Grants Bail to El-Rufai in ICPC Corruption Case

The Federal High Court has granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who is facing multiple corruption-related charges filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The ruling marks a major development in the high-profile trial, although full details of the bail conditions were not immediately disclosed at the time of filing this report. The court’s decision comes amid intensified legal proceedings involving several corruption allegations linked to his time in office.

El-Rufai’s bail was granted shortly after he appeared before a Kaduna State High Court under heavy security for a related proceeding concerning a separate bail application in another ICPC-linked case. The back-to-back court appearances reflect the complexity and multi-layered nature of the cases against the former governor.

Court proceedings were reportedly conducted under tight security, with journalists initially restricted from accessing the courtroom, further heightening public interest in the matter.

During earlier sittings, the prosecution was said to have amended the charge sheet, restructuring the case from an initial joint trial involving El-Rufai and a co-defendant, Amadu Sule, to a sole-defendant arrangement after Sule was dropped from the case.

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The defence counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Ubong Akpan, reportedly expressed surprise over the amended charges, stating that the new documents were served in court without prior notice, which contributed to delays in the proceedings.

The case was subsequently adjourned to April 14, 2026, for hearing of the bail application, which has now resulted in the Federal High Court granting bail.

The ICPC alleges that the former governor was involved in several financial infractions during his tenure, including the alleged release of about ₦11 billion to an unregistered entity for a light rail project that was never executed.

He is also accused of approving and receiving approximately ₦289.8 million as severance allowance beyond legally permitted limits, alongside allegations of financial misconduct involving a World Bank-linked loan reportedly valued at over $1.08 million.

Other allegations include the controversial award of a ₦4.6 billion CCTV surveillance contract in Kaduna State allegedly in violation of procurement laws, as well as claims of conspiracy to obstruct or influence federal investigators.

In a separate case before the Federal High Court, El-Rufai is also facing additional charges bordering on money laundering, conversion, and alleged unlawful possession of public assets.

He has consistently denied all allegations, insisting that his administration followed due process in all financial and contractual decisions.

The ICPC has not yet issued an updated statement following the bail ruling, while further proceedings are expected to continue in the coming weeks as the court determines the substantive issues in the case.

The development adds to growing national attention on anti-corruption enforcement and the prosecution of high-profile political figures in Nigeria, particularly amid renewed debates over governance accountability and public financial management.

Court Grants Bail to El-Rufai in ICPC Corruption Case

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Bauchi Governor Presents Over 114 Vehicles to Emirs, District Heads

Published

10 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Trends Admin

Bauchi Governor Presents Over 114 Vehicles to Emirs, District Heads

Governor Bala Mohammed has presented more than 114 official vehicles to newly appointed emirs and district heads across Bauchi State, in a move aimed at strengthening traditional institutions in Nigeria and improving grassroots governance.

The presentation took place on Monday, April 13, 2026, and was officially announced by the governor via his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle. He described the initiative as part of a broader strategy to deepen community engagement, enhance local administration, and promote closer collaboration between government and traditional rulers.

According to the governor, the distribution of vehicles is designed to support traditional leaders in performing their duties more effectively, particularly in areas of peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and community mobilisation.

He stated that his administration remains committed to ensuring that both existing and newly created emirates, chiefdoms, and districts are adequately supported to make governance more inclusive and responsive at the grassroots level.

Bauchi Governor Presents Over 114 Vehicles to Emirs, District Heads

The governor also emphasized the importance of peace and stability in Bauchi State, urging traditional rulers to remain non-partisan and uphold the highest standards of integrity in the discharge of their responsibilities.

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He noted that traditional institutions remain critical partners in maintaining security and promoting development across communities, adding that their role in mobilising citizens cannot be overstated.

The Bauchi State Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, led by Commissioner Isa Babayo Tilde, also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working closely with traditional rulers, describing them as essential stakeholders in maintaining order and ensuring effective governance.

The Emir of Bauchi, Rilwanu Adamu, who spoke on behalf of other traditional leaders, expressed appreciation to the state government and assured that the vehicles would be used responsibly for official duties and the benefit of the people.

The fleet of vehicles reportedly includes 14 GMC saloon cars, Toyota buses, Toyota Hilux vans, and over 100 Toyota Camry cars allocated to district heads across the state.

Governor Mohammed, who was first elected in 2019 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and re-elected in 2023, has continued to pursue reforms aimed at strengthening local governance structures. His tenure is expected to end in 2027.

This is not the first time the administration has supported traditional institutions. In April 2022, the Bauchi State Government also distributed vehicles to district heads and local government chairpersons as part of similar empowerment initiatives.

While supporters describe the latest gesture as a boost to governance efficiency, critics often raise concerns about public spending priorities amid economic challenges in the country.