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Kwara Gov gives National Pilot 24 hours to retract ‘fake news’

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• Insists he bought no bulletproof car
• Says era of reckless spending over in Kwara

By Steve Oni, Ilorin

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Friday denied purchasing any bulletproof cars for himself or his wife as alleged by a report in a newspaper — National Pilot — linked to a top opposition leader in the state.

In a strongly-worded letter written to the Editor of the paper and copied to newsmen in Ilorin, AbdulRazaq also gave the medium 24 hours to retract and take down the story from all its platforms, apologise to him, or face legal consequences for the libellous report.

“The said report is entirely false, malicious, and was clearly intended to malign the good image of the Governor who has taken public service to a level never seen in this clime before by keeping a profile that is reflective of the state of Kwara and its long-deprived people. We insist that the story was a fake news and reckless journalism at its worst!” AbdulRazaq said in the letter signed by his Chief Press Secretary Rafiu Ajakaye.

“For lack of any facts to smear him, the reporter committed a libel in the guise of quoting a faceless (anonymous) source when he wrote that: “Why the secret delivery in Lagos and why were they not delivered in Ilorin for all to see? This is someone who pretends by driving himself around in Hilux Van to hoodwink unsuspecting citizens….Before the delivery of the new set of vehicles, Mallam AbdulRazaq had given the impression of a frugal Governor who deprived himself of the luxury lifestyle associated with the office in order to cut cost of governance as he seldom drives himself in Hilux pickup to functions.” This is apart from the fact that the entire story was built around downright falsehood!

“As I said in the terse response to the editor and Mumini AbdulKareem, the writer of the story, the Governor has taken no delivery of any bulletproof vehicles, Lexus Jeep or otherwise. The photographs published as proof of such delivery are a figment of the imagination of the reporter. Anybody could take any shot of any vehicle anywhere and tag it anything. But we insist that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has taken delivery of no such vehicle. The Governor, as a mark of his modesty, still drives in his personal Lexus Jeep and other vehicles owned by him.

“We therefore challenge your newspaper to provide unassailable proofs of your claims to show that the Governor has truly taken delivery of such vehicle. In the absence of such proofs, as we are definitely sure there is none, we demand the following:

“Immediate retraction of the story on all platforms or media. This retraction should have the same prominence as the fake news; a public apology disavowing the said story. This again should be given the same prominence as the copy complained about; a letter of apology to the Governor for the reckless copy; and an assurance that the National Pilot will desist from publishing fake news against the Governor.”

The letter said AbdulRazaq has no reason to feign modesty as alleged in the report, adding: “His decision to be prudent with public funds is deliberate and is a pointer to his philosophy of selfless service to the people. His administration is a clear departure from the rapacious regimes Kwarans have recently rejected. The National Pilot is gravely mistaken to think that Governor AbdulRazaq belongs in that horrible past. This Governor, being a true son of the soil, fully appreciates the need to conserve scarce public funds to serve the best interest of the suffering people of Kwara State. He will therefore never engage in reckless spending of public funds. Omo onilu oni je o tu!

“Going forward, we’ll like to state that the Governor is a citizen and a public official who reserves the right to keep his good name and that of his family. The Governor also reserves the right to seek legal redress in the event that the demands above are not met within 24 hours from 25 October, 2019.”

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DSS Moves Against Agbo, over Alleged impersonation as Benue PDP Guber candidate

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The operatives of the Department of State Security Services, DSS has laid a manhunt on embattled former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Benue State, over Alleged impersonation.

A highly placed Security source on Thursday, confirmed to our correspondent that the service is currently looking for Dr. Emmanuel Agbo for impersonating himself as the Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in Benue state.

The source said that Dr. Agbo, must be interrogated to enable the service have an idea were his candidature was decided as well as venue it took place.

He further added that from preliminary findings Agbo, is playing a role of a ” useful idiot ” been sponsored by political bigwigs in the state that must be unravel by the service.

He queried that all the primary election that took place across the 36 states of the Federation including the Federal Capital Territory was monitored by the DSS and reports were filed including that of Benue State which officially in the PDP, the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN emerged.

Already, a political pressure group has petitioed, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo who they Alleged he is now parading a “fake” Certificate of Return as the party’s candidate is just an “impostor” who didn’t participate in the party’s primaries in May, 2026.

“The Certificate of Return which the disbanded Turaki-led Interim National Executive Council presented to Dr. Agbo yesterday is fake and will not be recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission during the uploading of party candidates on their portal” the group noted.

The group however challenged Agbo to present evidence that he partook in the said primaries, and also make available proofs that representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission, officials of the party from Abuja as well as representatives of Nigeria’s security agencies were present in his own selection process if there is any.

The group stated further that there are proofs that Dr. Emmanuel Agbo is being sponsored by some “disgruntled” elements to ruin the chances of the People’s Democratic Party in the forthcoming governorship election in Benue state.

The statement reads in parts:”Emmanuel Agbo has been warned to desist from this act of impersonation before it’s too late, and if he fails to stop this act, we shall drag him before a competent court to face criminal charges.

“That he is being sponsored to ruin the chances of the party is no longer a secret but, we will make sure that we stop him and his co-travellers who are hell bent on destroying the party”

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EUYI Alleges Secret Recruitment, Job Racketeering in JAMB Ahead of Oloyede’s Exit

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The Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative (EUYI) has raised concerns over an alleged recruitment exercise conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), claiming that more than 100 employment letters were issued in June 2026, barely six weeks before the expiration of the tenure of JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede.

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Danesi Momoh Prince, and Secretary, Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta, the group described the alleged recruitment exercise as secretive and called on relevant government agencies to investigate the matter.

According to EUYI, the recruitment process was allegedly carried out without public advertisement and may have violated established procedures governing employment into federal public institutions.

The organisation argued that the timing of the recruitment raises questions, particularly following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s appointment of Professor Segun Aina as the incoming Registrar of JAMB, effective July 30, 2026.

“There is no apparent urgency that would justify a major recruitment exercise by an administration that has only a few weeks remaining in office,” the statement said.

EUYI further alleged that previous recruitment exercises conducted during Professor Oloyede’s tenure had attracted public controversy and scrutiny from the National Assembly, although the JAMB management had maintained that it obtained the necessary approvals from the Federal Character Commission (FCC).

The group contended that if the latest allegations are confirmed, the exercise could amount to violations of constitutional and statutory provisions governing public sector recruitment. It cited Section 14(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and relevant provisions of the Federal Character Commission Establishment Act, which emphasize equitable representation, transparency, and compliance with federal character principles in public service appointments.

The advocacy group also called on the Federal Character Commission to clarify whether it approved the alleged recruitment exercise and, if so, whether all legal requirements were met before employment letters were issued.

In addition, EUYI urged anti-corruption agencies, including the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to investigate possible cases of nepotism, abuse of office, or other irregularities should evidence emerge to support such claims.

The organization stated that illegal recruitment practices and job racketeering have contributed significantly to the frustrations of millions of unemployed Nigerians, arguing that employment opportunities in public institutions should be transparent, merit-based, and accessible to all qualified citizens.

EUYI gave JAMB a three-day ultimatum to respond to the allegations and provide clarification regarding the reported recruitment exercise.

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THE GENETICS OF BETRAYAL: WHY ALIA WAS BORN TO FIGHT AKUME

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By Aondoakaa Tersugh Daniel | 22/06/2026

The moment Chief Hyacinth Iormen Alia took his oath of office, he turned his guns on Senator George Akume without any visible provocation, and the confusion that followed has lingered ever since. Akume himself could not hide his bewilderment. He has been quoted saying that people should pray for Father, because the man fighting him is not the Father he used to know. Yet a closer look into Alia’s family history reveals that this hostility is not new at all. It is simply genetics finding its way back to the surface.

Decades ago, when Senator Joseph Sarwuan Tarka championed the United Middle Belt Congress and became the face of that movement, Thomas Kastina Alia rose as his fiercest opponent within Benue. The elder Alia went as far as planting the headquarters of Nnamdi Azikiwe’s NCNC, the opposition party of that era, right inside Aliade, the very heartland of Tarka’s Masev support base. The rivalry between the two men was bitter and beyond repair.

As though that chapter of hostility was not enough, another figure emerged to continue the assignment. While Tarka served as a Minister, Godwin Dabo raised allegations of corruption against him, a move that eventually forced Tarka to resign from his position. That blow is widely remembered as one of the most damaging episodes of Tarka’s political career.

This raises a question the Kunav elite of today owe the younger generation an answer to. What truly happened between the Kunav and Jemgbagh people that birthed this chain of political vendetta? Thomas Alia, a Kunav son, frustrated Tarka of Jemgbagh first. Then it was as if a baton had been quietly passed to Godwin Dabo to finish the job. Both men were not only of Kunav extraction but shared the same Kyan constituency, a detail too specific to ignore.

It becomes difficult to understand why Akume, who descends directly from Tarka’s lineage, did not study this history closely enough to avoid walking into the same trap that Alia represents. There is an old saying that a blind man does not allow his roasted groundnuts to burn twice. If the first batch is ruined, he learns to manage the fire better on the second attempt, ensuring it comes out either half done or perfectly roasted. Akume has now looked history squarely in the face and still ended up handing power to the son of Tarka’s oldest political enemy.

So when people call this current war between Akume and Alia madness, they are not entirely wrong, but it is madness with deep roots. It is nothing more than a genetic expression of rivalry that has existed for generations, simply resurfacing in a new political season. Akume owes the memory of Tarka a final reckoning. The score can only be balanced if Akume does to Hyacinth Iormen Alia exactly what Godwin Dabo once did to Tarka.

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