Eminent Indigenes Write Gov Abiodun For Ola Olufunmilayo To Be Consensus Candidate For Odogbolu LG In Ogun Assembly

17th May 2026.

OPEN LETTER TO GOVERNOR DAPO ABIODUN .

FORGIVE US OUR SINS IN OKUN – OWA, ODOLOWU, IJESA IJEBU ETC COMMUNITIES, ALLOW OLA OLUFUNMILAYO TO BE THE CONSENSUS CANDIDATE FOR ODOGBOLU LOCAL GOVERNMENT, OGUN STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY.

Your Excellency,

We the people of Okun-Owa, Odolowu. Ijesa Ijebu, Araromi Ake, Erigbin communities in Ward 3, Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State crave your indulgence to reach you through this open letter due to the importance and urgency of the subject matter.

Since the advent of democracy in Nigeria, the Okun – Owa, Odolowu, Ijesa – Ijebu communities have always toed the line of the Progressives, starting with overwhelming votes for our late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo in defunct Western Region, up to the present Governor Dapo Abiodun administration in Ogun State.

At every election we ensure that it is not only people resident in these our communities that participate but encourage our people in other cities outside Ogun State to come home and vote, having registered with INEC.

We also do the needful to cooperate with the Government and boost its internal revenue generation through about 40 Chinese Companies domiciled in our environment.

Since the return of democratic Government in 1999, our citizens have always participated in running for elective offices for the Chairmanship of Odogbolu Local Government and the Ogun State House of Assembly seat but have not been able to occupy the seat for once, not because they lost at the election but because they have always been asked by the powers that be, to step down for the party’s decision to field candidates from other communities.

If we have chosen to identify with opposition parties, we could have been given the opportunity but we chose to be progressives for life.

We have chosen to bring this matter to you and not the APC party hierachy because we are speaking as communities and not as politicians.

In the last eight years, one of our illustrious sons, Olamide Olufunmilayo has contested for Chairmanship or House of Assembly seat for four good times .

He has been a popular candidate with large followership, including all the leaders and party men and women of APC in Odogbolu Local Government.

Your Excellency, you will recall the collective leadership of APC in Odogbolu Local Government has recommended the name of Ola Olufunmilayo as the candidate topping the list of contestants to you in the past but you have chosen to utilise other aspirants from other communities and we as loyal communities have always bowed to your wish because we believe one day it will be our turn.

However it appears we are now being taken for granted and that Ola Olufunmilayo is just being regarded as one of the aspirants.

With due respect Your Excellency, the ticket we are requesting for Ola Olufunmilayo is not personal to him, it is for our entire communities.

There are other eminent personalities that are members of your party and other political parties in our communities who indicated their interest to contest for the House of Assembly seat and even the House of Representatives seat.

We held series of meetings and prevailed on them to step down their ambition for us to present only one and formidable personality, Ola Olufunmilayo for the House of Assembly seat.

We believe he is well known to you and you know his activities.

We appreciate your giving him an appointment as a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Finance very recently but what we want is that elective office.

For the records, all our neighbouring major communities in Odogbolu Local Government have either produced a Honourable Member of the House of Assembly or Chairmanship of the Odogbolu Local Government in the past.

Some have even had this opportunity twice or thrice.

We are not inferior to any of those communities in terms of size, population, investment and absolute loyalty to the Governor and Government of Ogun State.

Why are we being so marginalised in what is due to us politically and in terms of infrastructures too ?

Okun – Owa through Ikangba to Ijebu – Ode road remains one of the most deplorable major roads in Ogun State.

It is the alternative to the Sagamu to Benin expressway and the last attention it received was during the Chief Obafemi Awolowo era.

The Ijebu – Ode to Ikangba end had been fixed, yet the Okun – Owa to Agoro end remains the same horrible road.

Ditto for Okun – Owa to Ijesa Ijebu road which has been neglected after Awolowo era too.

We were wondering what sins we may have committed in these communities where Ogun State Government generate huge revenue on daily basis.

Whatever is our sin, we are passionately pleading that our dear Governor pardon us .

We love you so much and we believe you stand for fairness and justice .

Give that directive that Ola Olufunmilayo who had lent so much credibility to your administration with provision of massive empowerment to the ordinary people, be made the consensus candidate for House of Assembly seat of Odogbolu Local Government or allow a direct primary to produce the House of Assembly seat.

Your Excellency, you hold the yam and you hold the knife, please etch your name in gold by allowing democracy to prevail in this special case of House of Assembly.

GIVE OKUN – OWA, ODOLOWU, IJESA – IJEBU, ARAROMI AKE, ERIGBIN COMMUNITIES (WARD 3) OLA OLUFUNMILAYO AS THE CONSENSUS CANDIDATE FOR HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OR ALLOW DIRECT PRIMARY.

Yours Sincerely,

E – signed

Otunba Olumade Olusanya

Balogun Muyiwa Oduwole

Professor Jimi Ogunnaike

Honourable Abdul Adenuga

Asiwaju Sina Ogunbambo

Alhaji Atiku Disu

Mr Femi Adebukonla

Hon Rukayat Aderibigbe

Hon Segun Olukoya

Hon Tunde Ogunade

Mrs Fadeji Omosanya

Prince Segun Adekoya (Deputy)

Elder George Ayansoga

Mrs V. I. Oloko

Engr Abiodun Salami

Dr Adeniran Talabi

Prince Rasaki Adebajo

Comrade Adeleke Adebajo

Chief Mrs Christianah Ogunsanya (Iya Sala)

Barrister Biodun Odusanya

Otunba Adewunmi Adebanjo

Otunba Moji Afolabi

Otunba Modupe Hughes

Erelu Moyebo Ogunbowale

Mr Biodun Oladeinbo

Mr Ayo Onabanjo

For the entire Okun-Owa, Odolowu, Ijesa-Ijebu, Araromi Ake, Eringbin communities.

 

Sixteen-year-old Owoeye Jesudunsin from Ekiti state, who sat for 2026 unified tertiary matriculation examination (UTME) organised by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Ogun state, has emerged as the highest-scoring candidate with 372 out of the 400 marks.

Speaking in Abuja on Monday at the 2026 admission policy meeting, Ishaq Oloyede, JAMB registrar, said the candidate wrote the examination in Ogun state and chose the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as her first choice to study medicine and surgery.

According to the JAMB registrar, the mark is three points lower than the 2025 top score of 375 recorded by Chinedu Okeke from Anambra state.

NAN reports that Ikenna Enwere from Imo state, who sat for the UTME in Lagos, came second with 370 marks.

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He chose Nile University, Abuja, as his first choice to study computer science.

In third place was Ayomide Bamisile from Ondo with 369 marks. Bamisile selected the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) as his first choice to study software engineering.

Meanwhile, Oloyede said the board would begin an option of “Bring your own device” for UTME in 2027.

He said candidates would be allowed to use their personal devices for the examination, noting that a flash drive would be inserted to prevent malpractice.

He explained that the option would be cheaper and easier to manage and would also address complaints from candidates who often report that their computer went off during the examination.

According to him, the measure is designed to make the process more convenient while maintaining the integrity of the test.

He, however, added that other innovations would also be introduced by 2027 for seamless examination.

‎Stakeholders at the meeting fixed deadlines for the completion of the 2026 admission exercise across tertiary institutions in the country.

‎They unanimously agreed that public universities should conclude admissions on or before October 31, 2026, while private universities are expected to complete admissions by November 30, 2026.

Also, polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education were advised to complete their admission processes by December 31, 2026.

Oloyede directed all institutions to carry out their admission exercises strictly within the approved timelines.

‎He warned that once the deadline for each category expires, any institution that failed to conclude its admission exercise would no longer have access to candidates for that session.

‎He also approved that successful candidates must accept their admission offers within four weeks, noting that failure to accept admission within the stipulated period would lead to withdrawal of such offers.

He noted that affected candidates may become ineligible for further admission consideration in that session.

‎The registrar added that the policy was aimed at ensuring fairness, transparency and timely completion of admissions across all tertiary institutions in the country.

Below is full list of the top candidates based on verified ranking.   

Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin
State of Exam: Ogun
State of Origin: Ekiti
UTME Score: 372
Institution: UNILAG
Course: MBSS

Enwere Kingsley Ikenna
State of Exam: Lagos
State of Origin: Imo
UTME Score: 370
Institution: NILE
Course: Computer Science

Bamisile Ayomide Emmanuel
State of Exam: Ogun
State of Origin: Ondo
UTME Score: 369
Institution: FUTA
Course: Software Engineering

Olabiyisi Olanrewaju Oluwatimileyin
State of Exam: Not clear
State of Origin: Oyo
UTME Score: 368
Institution: Pan-Atlantic
Course: Mechatronics Engineering

Victor-Onyeka Daniel Ifeanyi
State of Exam: Rivers
State of Origin:Imo
UTME Score: 368
Institution: UNIPORT
Course: Electrical/Electronic Engineering

Osagiobare Daniel Osahenrumwen
State of Exam: Edo
State of Origin: Edo
UTME Score: 368
Institution: UNIBEN
Course: Mechanical Engineering

Ademiluyi Adebowale Anthony
State of Exam: Osun
State of Origin: Osun
UTME Score: 368
Institution: OAU
Course: Computer Engineering

Azuike Kenechukwu Anthony
State of Exam: Lagos
State of Origin: Anambra
UTME Score: 368
Institution: ABUAD
Course: Software Engineering

Offorkile Michael Okechukwu
Gender: Male
State of Exam: Anambra
State of Origin: Abia
Score: 367
Programme: Computer Science

Adebisi Eniola Sonari
Gender: Male
State of Exam: Osun
State of Origin: Ogun
Institution: Covenant University
Programme: Computer Science
Score: 367

Umukoro Gift Orhenevovwero
Gender: Male
State of Exam: Edo
State of Origin: Delta
Institution: University of Lagos (UNILAG)
Programme: Electrical/Electronics Engineering
Score: 367

1. The APC screening exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections recorded the absence of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, even as the party assessed 14 governors seeking re-election and other elective positions.

Also, President Bola Tinubu’s sole challenger, Stanley Osifo, was screened. Sunday PUNCH reports that the APC began the sale of its expression of interest and nomination forms on April 28, with the exercise closing at midnight on May 6.

2. The Redeemed Christian Church of God has said it is awaiting the outcome of an ongoing investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against one of its pastors in Ogbomoso, Oyo State. The Publicity Secretary of the RCCG, Lanre Oyegbola, who stated this on Saturday, also confirmed that the church was aware of the matter.

3. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt.Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, on Saturday launched his fifth-term bid at a grand ceremony in Zaria, Kaduna State. Declaring his intention to contest for the seat of House of Representatives at the Mallawa Eid Ground, Zaria, Abbas used the occasion to list the many democratic dividends his representation has attracted to the people of Zaria.

4. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, wanted over alleged abuse of office and diversion of public funds. In a notice published on its website on Saturday, the agency called on members of the public with useful information about the former minister’s whereabouts to contact any of its offices nationwide.

5. Six governorship aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in Yobe State, on Saturday met with Vice President Kashim Shettima over the controversy surrounding the party’s succession arrangement ahead of the 2027 governorship election. The group comprises Hon. Muhammad Ibrahim Bomai, Yobe South Senator, Lawan Kolo Geidam, former DG NEMA: Engr. Mustapha Maihaja.

6. Former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has backed the decision of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South. Speaking at the party’s convention on Saturday in Abuja, Kwankwaso said the move aligned with the party’s established power-sharing arrangement.

7. The United States spent $578.78m on crude oil imports from Nigeria in the first quarter of 2026, down from $681.40m in the corresponding period of 2025, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The latest figures, contained in the agencies’ March 2026 international trade report, show that the value of U.S. imports of Nigerian crude oil on a Cost, Insurance and Freight basis stood at $578.78m year-to-date, down by $102.62m or 15.06 per cent from the $681.40m recorded in the same period of 2025

8. The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the 12 Chibok girls who graduated from the American University of Nigeria. The government said the graduates would continue receiving support to help them succeed in spite of the traumatic experiences they endured.

9. The 12th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, AMVCA concluded Saturday at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos, recognising outstanding work in African film, television, and digital storytelling. The ceremony started at 7 p.m. and brought together actors, filmmakers, and content creators from across the continent. Winners were honoured across multiple categories that highlighted achievements in acting, directing, production, and digital content.  

10. In a major strategic political realignment, members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Yobe state, alongside the Arewa Strategic Implementation Group for Atiku (ASIGA) passed a resolution calling on Prof. Muhammad Ibrahim Jawa to lead their massive defection to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC). The two political groups, led by Abubakar Garzali, made the announcements of defections on Saturday in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital