Deji Adeleke, a businessman and the father of afrobeats singer, Davido, has alleged that the All Progressives Congress, APC, spent around N60 billion on vote-buying during the Osun State governorship election.


Adeleke also claimed that the APC used N50,000 to buy votes in some areas during the governorship election.

Speaking in Osogbo, the state capital, the businessman revealed that his prayers helped Governor Ademola Adeleke to win the election.

He disclosed that he prayed that voters would take APC’s money but vote for his brother.

Last Saturday, Governor Adeleke won the governorship election after polling 511,067 votes to defeat APC’s Bola Oyebamiji who had 444, 815 votes.

However, Deji Adeleke said: “On the day of the election, when I heard about the kind of money they were spending, I went back to my little corner in my room and I knelt down and I prayed to God Almighty.

“I said, ‘God Almighty, let people collect their money but still vote for Ademola Adeleke.

“They spent N60 billion as we heard. Some places they bought votes for as high as 50,000, for one single vote.”

President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to bomb Oman if it “gets in the way” of a US deal with Iran on the Strait of Hormuz and called for Iran to surrender.

“If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump told Fox News journalist Trey Yingst, referring to ongoing talks between Oman and Iran on control of the strait, while Washington is also pursuing its own talks.

Iranian and Omani officials have been talking for weeks on future maritime navigation arrangements through the shipping route, and the foreign ministry in Tehran said earlier Monday that the two sides were working on a joint declaration.

However, Trump has repeatedly insisted that the Strait — which Tehran effectively closed at the start of the Middle East war on February 28 — is under US control despite traffic remaining throttled.


On Friday, Trump claimed that he would even declare the Strait of Hormuz part of US territory, while Iran retorted that the crucial energy waterway it has blockaded “will remain Iranian.”

Prior to the launch of the US-Israeli war against Iran, the Hormuz Strait was considered an open, international waterway. It carries significant portions of global energy shipments, as well as other commodities.

Tehran has used its effective seizing of control over the strait as leverage against the US-led attempts to destroy its military and force it to abandon a controversial nuclear power program.

Iran’s coast flanks the north side of Hormuz, and Oman lies on the south.

Trump also said that Iran should “put up the white flag of surrender,” according to Yingst’s post on X on his interview with the president.

Trump insisted that he was in no hurry to reach a deal despite the deep unpopularity of the war among Americans ahead of November midterm elections in the United States, with opposition Democrats seeking to take control of Congress from Trump’s Republicans.

Trump told Yingst that there is a direct back-channel between his administration and officials of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. “They’re good poker players, but they’re dying,” he was quoted as saying.







AFP

The immediate past Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, has said he resigned from the position for personal reasons and in the interest of peace, Edo State and his constituency.

Agbebaku disclosed this in a statement shared by his media aide, Ivy Ebojele, on Facebook on Monday.

His resignation came amid moves by some lawmakers to remove him from office.

Agbebaku, however, said his decision was not as a result of any breakdown in his relationship with members of the House, saying he maintained a cordial relationship with the other 23 lawmakers throughout his tenure.


“Differences will naturally arise because we all have our individual identities and beliefs. However, that did not stop us from passing people-oriented Bills and Resolutions in the last three years of my leadership,” he stated.

He said his decision to resign was taken after considering the broader interests of the state and his constituents.

“My decision to resign was taken in the interest of peace, the state, and my immediate constituency, Owan West,” Agbebaku said.

The former Speaker expressed appreciation to Governor Monday Okpebholo for the support and cooperation he received during his tenure.

“I appreciate the Governor, Distinguished Senator Monday Okpebholo, for his support and cooperation during my tenure,” he said.

Agbebaku also reaffirmed his loyalty to the All Progressives Congress and Edo State.

“I reaffirm my loyalty to the party and to the state,” he stated.

He appealed to his supporters to remain calm following his resignation and the subsequent change in leadership of the Assembly.

“I urge all my supporters to remain calm and to continue to believe in the greater good and the development of democracy in the state,” he said.

Agbebaku also congratulated his successor, Yekini Idaiye, and the other principal officers of the Assembly.

“I congratulate the new Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yekini Idaiye, and other principal officers of the House,” he said.

He urged the lawmakers to work together and maintain peace within the Assembly.

“I call for peaceful coexistence among all lawmakers,” Agbebaku added.

Meanwhile, Idaiye, who represents Akoko-Edo Constituency I, emerged as the new Speaker following Agbebaku’s resignation.

The third-term lawmaker later accused Agbebaku of corruption and poor leadership, alleging that the Assembly had suffered prolonged adjournments and other challenges under his leadership.

Yekini said, “The House was inaugurated on the 16th of June, 2023 under the leadership of Agbebaku, and since then we have been passing through a lot of challenges, corruption here and there, adjournment here and there, sometimes for 30 days without a cause.”

“We are not happy with his leadership style. His leadership is poor and it has been drawing the work of the government backwards,” he added.