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Former Lawmaker Onadeko Appeals Conviction After Acquittal on 10 of 11 Charges

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Onadeko

Former Lawmaker Onadeko Appeals Conviction After Acquittal on 10 of 11 Charges

Former lawmaker, Onamusi Onadeko, has appealed his conviction for making inconsistent statements to investigators after an FCT High Court in Abuja discharged and acquitted him on 10 of the 11 counts bordering on alleged corruption and diversion of public funds.
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The appeal follows the July 30 judgment of Justice Chizoba Oji, who found Onadeko guilty on one count of making inconsistent statements during an ICPC investigation and sentenced him to nine months’ imprisonment with an option of a N50,000 fine.

Onadeko’s legal team, in a statement signed by his lead counsel, Wahab Olatoye, on Monday, said it had filed an appeal against the lone conviction, insisting that the verdict would be challenged.

The statement read, “Our legal team is currently studying the full judgment and the ratio decidendi on the conviction.

“Consequently, we have received instructions to immediately file an appeal against the conviction on the count of making inconsistent statements.”

The judgment was delivered on July 30 by Justice Chizoba Oji in Charge No. FCT/HC/CR/311/17 between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Onadeko, bringing to an end an eight-year trial instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.

On Saturday, the ICPC’s spokesman, John Odey, had in a statement said the judge, Justice Chizoba Oji, found Onadeko guilty on Count 11 for making inconsistent statements and acquitted him on counts 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

He also said the court held that Onadeko’s letter of appointment, together with the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Federal Government of Nigeria v. Farouk Lawan, established that legislative aides are public officers within the meaning of the ICPC Act.

According to Olatoye, the court discharged and acquitted the former lawmaker on 10 counts of corruption and diversion of public funds after finding that the prosecution failed to establish the allegations.

“In delivering judgment, the court relied heavily on the evidence of PW1, PW2, PW3 and PW4. All the prosecution witnesses testified that the contracts in question were awarded in strict compliance with the Public Procurement Act.”

However, he said the court convicted him on the 11th count, which related to making inconsistent statements during the ICPC investigation, with an option of a N50,000 fine.

Olatoye said the team respected the judgment and urged the media and the public to report the outcome accurately while allowing due process to take its course.

“However, the court convicted him with an option of a fine of 50,000 on count 11 relating to alleged inconsistent statements made during investigation by the ICPC. We respect the judgment of the Court. Our legal team is currently studying the full judgment and the ratio decidendi on the conviction, “he said.

The former lawmaker, who represented Ogun East Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003, was arraigned by the ICPC in 2017 over alleged irregularities in the execution of N68.7m constituency projects while serving as Senior Legislative Aide to the late Senator Buruji Kashamu between 2015 and 2019.

Onadeko

Onadeko

The anti-graft agency had alleged that Onadeko used two private companies, Stanton Engineering Limited and Haines and Baines Limited, to execute constituency projects involving the procurement of ambulance vehicles, supply of hospital equipment and drugs to primary healthcare centres, and construction of classrooms in six communities in Ogun East Senatorial District.

The ICPC further accused him of making conflicting statements about his relationship with Haines and Baines Limited, alleging that he claimed in a 2016 affidavit to be a director of the company but later told investigators in 2017 that he was neither a shareholder nor a director.
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Davido: I’m a Die-Hard Cristiano Ronaldo Fan, we Chat Regularly

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Cristiano Ronaldo

Davido: I’m a Die-Hard Cristiano Ronaldo Fan, we Chat Regularly

Afrobeats star, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has declared himself a dedicated Cristiano Ronaldo fan and claimed that he regularly communicates with the football legend.
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Davido disclosed this during a livestream with content creator and streamer, Carter Efe.

The ‘If’ singer said he supported Portugal to win the recently concluded 2026 FIFA World Cup because of his connections with players in the national team.

“Because I have a lot of friends in the Portuguese team. I want Portugal to win,” Davido said.

When Efe suggested it was because of Ronaldo, the singer replied, “I love Ronaldo, I’m a CR7 fan.”

Davido further claimed that he has ongoing conversations with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, saying in Pidgin English that he talks to the “legend back to back.”

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo, Davido

Efe reacted with visible excitement, repeatedly exclaiming:

“God, I don mad! I don mad! I don mad! I don mad!”

The clip has since circulated widely on social media.

Davido has previously expressed his interest in football and has been seen with several international football stars.

The authenticity of the apparent chat shown during the livestream could not be independently verified.
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President Tinubu Approves Pay Rise for 250,000 Armed Forces Personnel

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President Tinubu Orders Review Of Revenue Deductions By Federal Agencies

President Tinubu Approves Pay Rise for 250,000 Armed Forces Personnel

President Bola Tinubu has approved salary increases of between 30 and 80 per cent for Nigeria’s armed forces personnel.
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The pay package that will benefit approximately 250,000 personnel and take effect from September 1, 2026, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed in a statement signed Tuesday.

Onanuga said the graduated structure of the increase scales inversely with rank, with the highest percentage increases going to the most junior personnel.

Under the new arrangement, he said officers above the rank of colonel, Brigadier-Generals, Major-Generals, Lieutenant Generals and Generals, will receive a 30 per cent salary increase.

Personnel ranking from colonel down to warrant officer will receive a 50 per cent increase, while those from private to staff sergeant will receive an 80 per cent increase.

The pay package will raise the annual salary bill for the armed forces from N660 billion to N924 billion, an increase of N264 billion.

The President linked the pay rise directly to the sacrifices personnel continue to make in the fight against banditry, kidnapping and terrorism across parts of the country.

Tinubu said troop welfare and military modernisation would remain a standing priority of his administration.

“Our administration will continue to prioritise troop welfare and modernise the armed forces by providing the weapons and technological tools needed to discharge their duties,” he said.

Tinubu tied the salary increase to his broader philosophy on national security saying, “Our administration believes that no nation can achieve greatness without security. We therefore remain resolute in mobilising all military and law enforcement assets to eliminate security threats and protect the lives and property of all Nigerians,” he said.

President Tinubu Orders Review Of Revenue Deductions By Federal Agencies

President Tinubu

“I urge our servicemen to take our gesture as a sign of our deep appreciation of the services they render to our fatherland.

“Together we shall prevail over the enemies intent on destroying the fabric of our nation,” the President said.
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Awori Renaissance Forum Urges ADC to Relist Lagos Reps Candidate

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ADC Will Kick Tinubu Out Even If He Appoints Seyi As INEC Chair

Awori Renaissance Forum Urges ADC to Relist Lagos Reps Candidate

The Awori Renaissance Forum has urged the leadership of the African Democratic Congress to relist Mr. Olalekan Anjolaiya as the party’s candidate for Alimosho Federal Constituency, saying the move would address the alleged marginalisation of the indigenous Awori people.
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The call was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Coordinator of the Forum, Mr Muraina Ajala.

Ajala said the forum was making the appeal following reports that Anjolaiya, who was initially presented as the party’s candidate, had been disqualified over alleged multiple party registration.

He argued that replacing him with a non-indigene would amount to “a miscarriage of justice” when qualified Awori sons and daughters were available to represent the constituency in the National Assembly.

According to him, relisting Anjolaiya would give the indigenous Awori-speaking people of Alimosho the opportunity to produce a representative and end what he described as years of political marginalisation.

“We are using this opportunity to call on the leadership of the ADC to right the wrong being meted to our son and standard bearer, Hon. Olalekan Anjolaiya, who is the only hope of the indigenous Awori people of Alimosho.

“Our appeal is to the national leadership of the party, particularly the National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, whom we believe has the power to do the needful in this instance.

The forum alleged that Awori-speaking people had consistently been sidelined in the choice of candidates for the constituency despite having qualified sons and daughters capable of representing the area.

It also described Anjolaiya as “a son of the soil,” noting that his contributions to community development had earned him the traditional title of Bobakeye of Igandoland.

“The affected member is known to us and he has contributed so much to the development of Aworiland, particularly his native Igandoland. This has prompted the traditional ruler of Igando, Oba Lasisi Gbadamosi, to recently bestow on him the title of Bobakeye of Igandoland,” the statement said.

ADC Will Kick Tinubu Out Even If He Appoints Seyi As INEC Chair

ADC

The group further argued that allowing a non-indigene to emerge as the constituency’s representative would amount to “double jeopardy” for the Awori people.

“We are even more concerned that the only time we have been represented by one of us is now by our incumbent representative, Hon. Ganiyu Adele Ayuba, who has been denied a return ticket by the ruling All Progressives Congress. We don’t want our son, Olalekan Anjolaiya, to suffer the same fate, and this is why we are making the clarion call,” Ajala added.
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