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‘What will be your legacy?’ — Group accuses Aiyedatiwa over alleged N240bn ‘Secret’ Ondo Bond

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A leading civil society organisation, the Ondo Redemption Front, ORF, has accused the Ondo State Government of lacking transparency and accountability, particularly over its controversial N240 billion bond.

According to the group, there is no public visibility of the bond in terms of its conditions, utilisation, and current status, stressing that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration is cloaked in alleged financial secrecy.

While speaking with the media in Akure, the state capital, ORF disclosed that it is in possession of documents and evidence indicating that some individuals within the government have been receiving monthly N12 billion kickbacks from the “secret” bond.

According to the chairman of the group, Ayodeji Ologun, who was flanked by the co-chairman, Kayode Mogbojuri, and secretary, Adedotun Ajulo, Aiyedatiwa and his Commissioner for Finance should come out clean over the controversial bond.

Ologun, emphasising that the integrity of the state is at stake, called on the Ondo State House of Assembly to promptly initiate a transparent investigation, warning that continued “silence will only confirm suspicion.”

“The matter of the N240 billion bond issuance and the allegations of N12 billion monthly kickbacks. These are not ordinary whispers in the marketplace.

“The credibility of the issuance of a bond is its visibility. We have it on a very strong note that there have been monthly kickbacks of N12 billion being generated from this bond going to private pockets of one or two persons,” he said.

However, the Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Idowu Ajanakun, has debunked the claims, describing the group as faceless.

Also, the Ondo Good Governance Alliance maintained that all financial records of the state are open, audited, and verifiable, stressing that the allegations are baseless.

Text of the address:

STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS BY THE ONDO REDEMPTION FRONT ON AUGUST 22,2025

Civil Society Stakeholders here present,
Gentlemen and Ladies of the Press,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Ondo Redemption Fronts, a frontline civic-minded organization, convenes once again for this State of the State Address, a platform for reflection, truth-telling, and constructive counsel to the Ondo State Government and its partners.

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We remain indebted to members of the press for your tireless effort in amplifying our voice and ensuring that the people of Ondo State remain well-informed.

You are formidable allies in our shared commitment to accountability, transparency, and good governance in this Sunshine State.

For this edition, our theme is “Accountability in the Sunshine State.” This draws directly from the recent directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who emphatically stated that state governors must be held accountable for development, given the enormous resources already placed at their disposal. We strongly echo that call.

FEDERAL FUNDING AND ACCOUNTABILITY
We commend President Tinubu for his boldness in redirecting national discourse to where responsibility truly lies. The governors, not the federal government, now hold the purse and the platform to transform lives at the grassroots.

With resources flowing from the federation account, governors can no longer hide behind excuses. The funnel of opportunities is wide open.

To the Ondo State Government, led by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, we ask:
What exactly will be your legacy?

REVIEW OF GOVERNOR AIYEDATIWA’S FIRST 18 MONTHS: A DIRECTIONLESS START

Eighteen months into his stewardship, Governor Aiyedatiwa’s performance can, at best, be described as below par. Despite receiving a fresh and overwhelming mandate in November 2024, when the people of Ondo State handed him more than 72% of the votes, the government of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has stumbled rather than soared.
Instead of consolidating on that goodwill, the administration has sunk into lethargy and mediocrity. Infrastructure renewal is stalled, the healthcare system is deteriorating, policy-making is inconsistent, and implementation is weak.
The much-publicized pledge of “inclusive welfare, infrastructure, and economic expansion” made during his swearing-in remains largely empty rhetoric.

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Governor Aiyedatiwa has shown neither urgency nor vision. He behaves more like an accidental governor, propelled into office by circumstance rather than deliberate preparation, than a leader with a clear mission to transform the state. His government lurches from one controversy to another, lacking coherence, sustainability, or continuity in policy direction.

The people of Ondo did not vote for excuses. They expected transformative leadership. What they have received so far is stagnation dressed up in propaganda.

HOT ISSUES: ALLEGATIONS, FAILED PROJECTS, AND DISTRACTIONS

Take, for instance, the matter of the ₦240 billion bond issuance and the allegations of ₦12 billion monthly kickbacks. These are not ordinary whispers in the marketplace; these are damning claims that go to the heart of probity in public office. Though the government continues to wave them aside as mere allegations, what remain undebatable is the fact that public visibility into its current price or yield is blurry. Out of respect for the sanctity of state institutions, we withhold documents and information in this regard, we however issue a stern ultimatum to the Governor and his Commissioner for Finance, who is complicit in these dealings: come clean or face full exposure. The Ondo State House of Assembly must rise above partisanship and open an urgent, transparent investigation into this matter. Silence will only confirm suspicion.
On infrastructure, the Sagari Village Bridge and similar projects expose the government’s lack of planning. Some were embarked upon without proper feasibility studies, others are stalled, and many of those delivered are substandard. Under Aiyedatiwa, Ondo’s infrastructure programme has become political theatre, designed for ribbon-cutting ceremonies and photo opportunities, not genuine impact on the lives of the people.
Worse still, instead of focusing on governance, Governor Aiyedatiwa busies himself with political shadowboxing, manufacturing enmity with other top political office holders, jettisoning governance for political rivalry even within his pollical home or party. This unnecessary rivalry is an insult to the people who voted for progress, not palace drama. More denigrating is the purported plan to use the State resources that should ordinarily be used for the State development to recruit some youths with a miser payment to launch social media attacks against political rivals or opposition of the government while roads remain impassable, hospitals remain under-equipped, youth unemployment deepens but the Governor fritters away his time in political gamesmanship.

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OUR COUNSEL TO STAKEHOLDERS
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa must urgently wake up from his slumber, release audited accounts of all bond proceeds, resume critical infrastructure projects, and refocus governance on the welfare of the people, not personal politics.

The Ondo State House of Assembly must, within the shortest possible time, launch a credible investigation into the financial allegations that have tainted the administration. The people cannot wait in the dark while their commonwealth is plundered.
Civil Society Organisations and the Press must continue to serve as watchdogs, demanding transparency, monitoring projects, and speaking truth to power.
The people of Ondo State themselves must embrace civic responsibility, refusing to be lulled into complacency, and holding their governor accountable at every turn.
CONCLUSION
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa must be reminded that leadership is not an inheritance nor an accident, it is a sacred trust. The people of Ondo did not grant him a comfortable win to preside over stagnation. They entrusted him with their hopes for transformation.
President Tinubu’s call for accountability is not a reprimand; it is a lifeline. If Aiyedatiwa refuses to seize it, history will record him not as a leader, but as an interlude, a man who inherited power by accident and squandered opportunity by choice.
It is time for direction, vision, and seriousness. Ondo State deserves better than this rudderless experiment.
May God bless Ondo State and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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Relief as suspected Ebola cases in Adamawa tested negative

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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said that there are currently no laboratory-confirmed cases of Ebola  in Adamawa.

The NCDC had on Saturday said that there were two suspected cases of Ebola in the north-east state, adding that the individuals had been isolated while contact identification was ongoing.

But in a statement on Sunday, the director-general of NCDC, Jide Idris,
said samples collected from the two individuals, who had symptoms suggestive of Ebola, tested negative after two rounds of testing.

“The report was received by the Adamawa State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) in the early hours of 30 October 2026, following the identification of two individuals presenting with symptoms suggestive of Ebola, requiring further investigation,” the statement reads.

“Hence the alert that was released early this evening. The individuals have been isolated, and appropriate public health measures have been initiated.

“Samples were collected for laboratory testing to establish the cause of the illness. Fortunately, the samples turned out negative for EBV after two rounds of testing.”

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Idris commended the Adamawa health commissioner and his team for their “proactive approach”, adding that the NCDC was working closely with the state government to investigate the report of suspected Ebola cases.

“Currently, there is no laboratory-confirmed Ebola case in Adamawa state,” he said.

“The index case previously confirmed in the Federal Capital Territory remains the only confirmed case reported in Nigeria to date.”

He urged the public to remain calm and avoid sharing unverified information or speculating about the situation.

“The public is encouraged to obtain information from official government and public health communication channels,” he said.

Idris described Ebola as a serious infectious disease that requires prompt identification, appropriate clinical management and effective infection prevention and control measures.

“Anyone experiencing symptoms such as fever, severe weakness, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding, particularly following relevant exposure, should seek immediate medical attention and inform healthcare workers of any relevant travel or contact history,” he said.

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“Individuals should avoid self-medication and follow the advice of healthcare professionals.”

Nigeriaconfirmed its first Ebola case in more than a decade on October 20, after a 42-year-old Swiss woman tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain in Abuja.

The patient, who had travelled from Uganda to Nigeria, was subsequently isolated and treated by Nigerian health workers.

On Monday, the federal governmentevacuated the patient to Switzerland aboard a medical plane.

Her husband, who was identified as a close contact, was also evacuated to Switzerland.

Ali Pate, coordinating minister of health and social welfare, said the patient was clinically much improved, stable, conscious and communicating, with her laboratory test results approaching baseline levels.

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Good morning! Nigerian Newspapers Headlines: 2027: S’West ADC leaders revolt against Atiku

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1. Many leaders of the African Democratic Congress in the South-West have expressed dissatisfaction with what they described as the marginalisation of the party’s structure in the region by the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The ADC leaders, including some state chairmen and governorship candidates, alleged that Atiku had been conducting his political activities in the region through his friends and allies, while leaving the party structure sidelined as presidential campaign activities prepared to gather momentum.

2. A United States federal court has rejected an attempt to obtain discovery from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and DCI Group in an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). 

3. The Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammad Bello, has confirmed the “rescue of three of the six Islamic clerics kidnapped on September 12 while travelling to Talata Mafara, Zamfara State.” Bello gave the confirmation in an interview with select reporters in Gusau. He said the rescue followed a multi-agency collaboration and seamless synergy between the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, the Department of State Services, DSS, and police operatives.

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4. The Grand Patron of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, have set a target of at least 1.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. According to a statement, the target was announced on Saturday in Osogbo during the inauguration of the movement’s state and local government structures.

5. Nigerians lose no less than N75bn annually to visa application expenses across foreign missions, with rejected Schengen visa applications alone accounting for an estimated €11.5m, equivalent to about N19bn in 2025.
This is according to a visa-cost analysis report obtained by Sunday PUNCH from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

6. With one accord, the governors of Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, and Anambra States yesterday urged the people of the Southeast to avoid political distractions, and vote massively for President Bola Tinubu in next year’s presidential election. Governors Peter Mbah, Hope Uzodimma, Francis Nwifuru and Charles Soludo, said it was necessary for the zone to support Tinubu’s re-election bid to enable him consolidate the gains of his administration’s economic reforms

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7. Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has said Nigeria’s security challenges predate the administration of President Bola Tinubu, noting that terrorism, insurgency and banditry had been entrenched in the country before 2023 when Tinubu assumed office. He said the country’s security problems were rooted in years of porous borders, illegal arms proliferation, youth unemployment and the spread of extremist ideologies.

8. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike has directed supporters of President Bola Tinubu to deliver their polling unit in the forthcoming 2027 general elections. Addressing the supporters, Wike framed the upcoming general elections as a critical opportunity for residents of the nation’s capital to rectify past electoral missteps and unite under a strategic development banner.

9. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has removed the name of the Kano State governorship candidate of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, from its updated list of candidates for the 2027 general elections. A check on the commission’s website shows that the names of Gwarzo and his deputy were conspicuously missing from the updated list.

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10. Four young men have been arrested by the Bauchi State Police Command for allegedly abducting and gang-raping a 12-year-old girl in Sakwa District, Zaki Local Government Area of the state. The suspects were arrested following a complaint by the victim’s 50-year-old father, who reported the incident at the Sakwa Divisional Police Headquarters on Thursday.

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Wale Tinubu, Rabiu, others Join President Tinubu in Makkah for Umrah

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The Group Chief Executive Oando Plc, Jubril Adewale Tinubu; Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, and several other Nigerian business mogul have joined President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, for the performance of Umrah, the lesser Islamic pilgrimage.

The presence of the prominent Nigerian business leaders alongside the President in the holy city has drawn attention, bringing together three influential figures from Nigeria’s political and business communities in a moment of religious observance.

Tinubu and Rabiu, both prominent names in Nigeria’s corporate landscape, were seen alongside the President dressed in the traditional white Ihram garments worn by Muslim pilgrims performing Umrah.

Umrah, unlike the obligatory Hajj pilgrimage, can be undertaken at any time of the year. It involves a series of religious rites in Makkah and holds profound spiritual significance for Muslims across the world.

For the Nigerian business community, the appearance of the corporate leaders alongside the President also offers a glimpse into the intersection of faith, business and public life, particularly when influential figures come together outside the usual settings of boardrooms, corporate engagements and official functions.

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The development comes as President Tinubu undertook the pilgrimage to seek divine guidance and offer prayers for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability and progress.

According to the Presidency, the President performed the Umrah rites early Friday, October 30, at the Grand Mosque, Masjid al-Haram, where he circumambulated the Holy Ka’abah.

Speaking after completing the spiritual exercise, Tinubu described the pilgrimage as significant, linking it to his commitment to Nigeria and its people. He also expressed gratitude to Allah for the opportunity to pray for the country.

The President’s prayers reportedly centre on national harmony, security, economic prosperity and the need for Nigerians to live together peacefully.

Rabiu also used the occasion to express his hopes for the country, describing it as an honour to accompany the President on the spiritual journey. He prayed for lasting peace, unity and prosperity in Nigeria.

For Tinubu, whose Oando Group occupies a prominent position in Nigeria’s energy industry, the journey offered a departure from the familiar world of corporate leadership and business engagements. Rabiu, similarly, is a major player in the country’s industrial sector, with interests spanning manufacturing, cement and food production.

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Their appearance in Makkah alongside the President underscores the presence of leading figures from Nigeria’s private sector at an important spiritual moment for the country’s leader.

Umrah, often described as the lesser pilgrimage, is a significant act of worship in Islam. Unlike Hajj, which takes place during a specific period in the Islamic calendar, Umrah can be performed throughout the year.

President Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria next week after completing his spiritual engagements in Saudi Arabia.

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