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What You Must Know About Ayodele Oke

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

President Tinubu made some ambassadorial appointments yesterday.

The appointment which was for three persons, sparked controversial takes on the social media; making many questioning the credibility of Ayodele Oke, one of the three appointed, for such position.

Who Is Ayodele Oke And What Is His Past?

Ayodele Oke was born in Oyo state. He was previously the Director (Regions) at the headquarters of the NIA, and before that, he served as Nigeria’s ambassador to the Commonwealth Secretariat in London. Oke succeeded Ezekiel Olaniyi Oladeji as director general of Nigeria’s National Intelligence Agency in November 2013, when he was appointed by the then President Goodluck Jonathan.

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“On February 7, the Federal High Court in Lagos issued a warrant for the arrest of Ayodele Oke, former director general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and his wife Folasade following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Just before they were due to appear in court, they apparently left the country for “medical treatment,” and the Nigeria media is not reporting where they are now. The EFCC has declared the couple wanted after their failure to respond to a court summons,” Council On Foreign Relations reported.

In April 2017, Oke was suspended by president Muhammadu Buhari after anti-corruption officers from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission found more than US$43 million (£34m) in an apartment connected to him at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos. Another charge related to $160 million that the couple allegedly diverted from the Nigerian federal government for their own use was recorded. On 30 October, Oke was finally dismissed by the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari after consideration of the report of the investigative committee headed by the Vice President.

In June 2023, Premium Times citing unnamed “inside sources” reported that the NIA DG Ahmed Abubakar and the chairman of the EFCC Abdul Rasheed Bawa met and resolved to terminate the legal proceeding against Oke in the “interest of national security”.The resolution was then presented to President Muhammadu Buhari who approved it and ordered the termination of the case before the expiration of his tenure. On 9 June 2023, the case was struck out by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos following prosecutor’s (EFCC) motion to withdraw the case.

Holding Oke to his past deeds, Nigerians frowned at his appointment by the President and hence demand a review.

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APC Kano appoints Bichi, Baffa Babba Dan Agundi to lead E-Registration drive across 44 LGAs

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The APC in Kano State has appointed Baffa Babba Dan Agundi and Rabi’u Sulaiman Bichi as the Chairman and Co-Chairman of the E-Registration Membership Committee.

Inaugurating the 14-member committee headed by Engineer Rabiu Sulaiman Bichi, the Kano State APC Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, said other members of the committee include Abdul Adamu Fagge and Musa Ali Kachako.

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The others are Shafi’u Abdullahi Darma, Ahmad Aruwa, Sanusi Sa’idu Kiru Majidadi, Khalid Ishaq Diso, Auwalu Ubale Minjibir, Fa’iz Alfindiki, Binta Rabi’u Spikin, Umar Muhd ​​Rabiu, Muhd ​​Tudun Wada Tweeter and Aminu Umar Dawakin Kudu as the Secretary.

Alhaji Abbas explained how the committee would function and urged the members of the committee to work hard to ensure the success of the project. He said the project would cover all the wards in the 44 Local Government Areas of the state.

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Turaki-Led PDP Leadership Visits Namadi Sambo in Push to Rebuild Party

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Tanimu Turaki, undertook a consultative visit to former Vice President Namadi Sambo at his Abuja residence on Tuesday. The move is part of broader efforts to reposition the party.

Following a closed-door meeting, Turaki informed journalists that the visit served to introduce the newly elected NWC members to Sambo and to brief him on the party’s current prospects and challenges in the wake of its recent National Convention in Ibadan.

He described the engagement as a critical step in restoring the PDP to its former stature as Africa’s largest political party and returning it to its “winning days.”

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Turaki noted that the former Vice President offered substantial advice and guidance on rebuilding the party into a formidable platform. He highlighted Sambo’s continued commitment as a particularly significant outcome of the meeting.

“The most important assurance from His Excellency is that he is, and will remain, a dedicated member of the PDP,” Turaki stated. “He has promised to become more active in party affairs and has assured us of his availability whenever his attention is required.”

“We are encouraged that the leaders instrumental in the PDP’s past successes are firmly behind us,” he added.

Expressing confidence in the party’s revival, Turaki said that with the support of its founding figures, the PDP is poised to succeed in forthcoming elections, including the FCT Area Council polls and the off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States.

When questioned about the possibility of former President Goodluck Jonathan contesting on the party’s ticket, Turaki reaffirmed the party’s decision to zone its presidential candidacy to Southern Nigeria.

He clarified that while the specific candidate is yet to be determined, the selection process will be “open, transparent, fair, and equitable.”

“Should anyone express interest in contesting, we assure Nigerians that they will be the ultimate deciders of who becomes the candidate,” Turaki said.

 

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INEC Lifts Campaign Ban for Ekiti Governorship Election, Urges Peaceful Conduct

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the official commencement of the campaign period for the Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026.

The state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Bunmi Omoseyindemi, declared that the ban on public campaigns will be lifted on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. The campaign window will remain open until midnight on June 18, 2026.

Dr. Omoseyindemi made the announcement on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ meeting in Ado Ekiti, attended by INEC officials and leaders of participating political parties. He called on all parties to engage in decorous and peaceful campaigns in the build-up to the election.

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“With the publication of the final list of candidates, the campaign period now enters a critical phase that demands maturity, restraint, and strict adherence to the law by all political actors,” he stated.

The REC emphasized that peaceful campaigns are fundamental to ensuring a credible election and the overall stability of the state. He reiterated INEC’s commitment to conducting a transparent and peaceful poll and urged parties to comply fully with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Campaigns.

This development follows the commission’s publication, barely 24 hours earlier, of the final list of governorship candidates and their running mates for the 12 parties cleared to contest the election.

It will be recalled that the Peoples Democratic Party and the Social Democratic Party, whose candidates were omitted from the list, have previously indicated they are seeking legal redress to participate in the election.

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