Ondo Scholars Group Hails Dr. Aduro As New NIS Office Nears Commissioning In Okitipupa

The Ondo State Scholars Arena has commended Dr. Aduro for what it described as an outstanding demonstration of patriotism and visionary leadership with the completion of a brand-new Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Office Complex in Okitipupa.

In a statement signed by Comrade Odofin and made available to journalists on Sunday, the group disclosed that the ultra-modern facility, constructed through the Aduro Foundation, is scheduled for official handover and commissioning on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, by 1:00 p.m.

According to the statement, the intervention became necessary following the deplorable condition of the former Immigration office in Okitipupa, which was said to fall far below the standard expected of a critical federal institution saddled with responsibilities bordering on national security and migration management.

“The previous structure neither reflected the dignity of public service nor provided a conducive working environment for officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service,” the group noted, adding that the situation negatively impacted public perception and service delivery.

The Ondo State Scholars Arena stated that Dr. Aduro, driven by a strong commitment to national development and institutional strengthening, undertook the project to change the narrative and support government efforts at improving public infrastructure.

Describing the new complex as befitting, well-structured and functional, the group said the edifice is worthy of a federal government agency and represents more than just physical infrastructure.

“Beyond bricks and mortar, the project signifies respect for public servants, improved service delivery and renewed public confidence in government institutions,” the statement read.

The group further described the project as a clear reflection of Dr. Aduro’s belief that leadership is defined by impact rather than titles, stressing that the Aduro Foundation has continued to intervene meaningfully in areas of need.

It added that the Okitipupa Immigration Office Complex now stands as a lasting symbol of responsible philanthropy, patriotic duty and transformational leadership, while urging other well-meaning individuals and organisations to emulate the gesture in support of national development.

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PDP Accuses Aiyedatiwa Of Avoiding Accountability, Says Ondo Govt Run On ‘Edited Projects’

 

The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has launched a scathing attack on Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, accusing his administration of evading accountability, neglecting citizens’ welfare and prioritising political optics over genuine governance.

In a press statement issued on Friday and signed by the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Barrister Jolade Aladetan, the opposition party described the Aiyedatiwa administration as one that governs “by omission, revision and convenience,” alleging that two years of governance have produced more propaganda than tangible development.

The PDP claimed that governance in Ondo State under the current administration has been reduced to what it described as an “editorial exercise,” where abandoned or half-completed projects are hastily touched up, renamed and presented as new achievements.

According to the party, development in Akure and other parts of the state has been replaced with cosmetic adjustments, noting that “paint became progress and signboards became substance,” while core infrastructure projects remain unfinished.

The party also raised concerns over fiscal transparency, faulting Governor Aiyedatiwa for presenting and signing into law a new state budget without first providing a comprehensive performance report of the previous year’s budget.

The PDP alleged that the absence of a clear account of how public funds were spent reflects a broader culture of financial evasion, where budgets no longer follow performance but are instead sustained by press statements and political applause.

“Accountability has been officially declared a distraction,” the statement alleged, adding that scrutiny is treated as sabotage by the current administration.

On security and empathy, the opposition party criticised the governor’s response to the attack on Ipele community, where it claimed he failed to physically visit residents affected by the incident.

The PDP contrasted this with what it described as the governor’s willingness to travel outside the state to commiserate with political allies, accusing him of practising selective sympathy and placing political convenience above the welfare of Ondo citizens.

The party further accused the governor of abandoning civil servants after allegedly failing to fulfil his promise to pay a 13th-month salary bonus in 2025, despite similar payments being made in other states across the country.

The PDP also described the December 2025 “Thank You Tour” embarked upon by the governor as unpopular, claiming it turned into a silent protest by residents who, according to the party, were unconvinced by the administration’s record.

Describing the tour as a “public audit,” the party said the indifference of residents across communities reflected widespread dissatisfaction with the government’s performance.

The opposition further alleged that the administration has now shifted fully into election mode, accusing it of diverting public resources to sponsor political loyalists and defend what it called “two years of waste and detachment.”

While stating that it does not expect the governor to suddenly embrace transparency or empathy, the PDP said it was placing the issues before the public in the interest of truth and democratic accountability.

“Governance is not about edited projects, unexplained budgets or selective sympathy,” the statement read, adding that the people of Ondo State would ultimately “submit the final draft” through their collective memory and judgment.

The party urged residents to remain vigilant as 2026 unfolds, warning against what it described as attempts to rewrite history through propaganda and political theatrics.

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Civil Society Group Accuses Olusola Oke Of Weaponising Police, Threatens Petition To LPDC, NBA

A leading civil society organisation, the Coalition for Rule of Law and Civic Accountability (CRoLCA), has accused senior lawyer and former governorship candidate, Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, of abusing his status as a legal practitioner by allegedly deploying the machinery of the state to harass, intimidate, and persecute a private citizen over what it described as a purely civil dispute.

In a strongly worded statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, the leader of the group and legal practitioner, Dr. Abdullahi Idirisu, Esq., said CRoLCA was condemning what it described as a “deeply troubling misuse of police power” in the ongoing controversy involving Mr. Adedamola Adetayo, an Abeokuta-based citizen and known critic of Chief Oke.

The group said it was alarmed that a lawyer of Chief Oke’s standing, who "ought to be a custodian of the law and a defender of constitutional liberties," is now being linked through court filings and formal correspondence to actions that allegedly undermine the very foundations of the rule of law.

"It is both ironic and disturbing that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who has benefited immensely from the legal system, is now accused of weaponising that same system against a common citizen. Defamation, assuming without conceding that it exists, is a civil matter. It is not a licence for intimidation, surveillance, or coercive police tactics." The statement said.

CRoLCA noted that documents before the Federal High Court indicate that despite a formal police invitation and a lawful response from Adetayo’s lawyers, backed by medical reports confirming that he is hypertensive and asthmatic, police pressure allegedly persisted, including repeated calls and threats insisting that he travel from Abeokuta to Abuja under conditions said to endanger his health and safety.

The group described the insistence on dragging a civilian across states, despite clear medical, security, and logistical constraints, as oppressive, vindictive, and wholly inconsistent with democratic policing.

"The Nigeria Police Force is one, constitutionally and operationally. There is no law that compels a citizen, especially one with documented medical vulnerabilities, to embark on a perilous journey when lawful alternatives exist." The group added.

The civil society body warned that the matter has now transcended a private dispute and entered the realm of professional misconduct and abuse of influence. It announced its intention to formally petition the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), urging both bodies to investigate Chief Oke’s alleged role in what it termed the criminalisation of civil disagreement.

"No lawyer, regardless of rank or political pedigree, is above ethical scrutiny. If members of the Bar are permitted to use the coercive powers of the state to settle personal scores, especially when there is a subsisting court process, the legal profession itself becomes complicit in tyranny." The group said.

The organisation further cautioned that continued silence from professional and regulatory bodies would embolden impunity and erode public confidence in both the justice system and the legal profession. Calling for restraint and a return to lawful conduct, the group urged all parties involved to respect due process and allow the courts to determine the issues without fear, intimidation, or abuse of power.

"Nigeria cannot claim to be governed by law while influential individuals allegedly deploy the police as private enforcers, more so when one of such individuals is a legal practitioner. This case must serve as a test of our collective commitment to justice, equality before the law, and the ethical standards of the legal profession." The statement concluded.

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