Oriontimes

 The Muslim Political Awareness Front (MUPAF) has taken a firm stance on the importance of Muslims in politics and governance, emphasizing that electoral decisions must prioritize tangible development for the Muslim community. Speaking at a constituency orientation programme on Sunday in Ogbaagba , Olaoluwa local government area of Osun state , MUPAF national Coordinator , Alh Lukman Obembe highlighted the need for transparency and accountability from political candidates especially in the forthcoming Osun State governorship election .  “What we’ve seen is that many political parties have fielded Muslim candidates in the August 8 governorship election. It is now crucial for us to examine their programs, what they intend to do for Islam and the broader community, because Islam demands community development,” a MUPAF spokesperson said. The group explained that it will meet and assess candidates’ manifestos and policies to determine who has the best blueprint for advancing d...

  Won at San Siro , Slipped at Home: A Costly Seasoned Gaffe By Oriontimes | Football Analysis Arsenal’s season has become a study in contradiction. On one hand, Mikel Arteta ’s side delivered a commanding performance at the San Siro, dismantling Inter Milan on Europe’s biggest stage. On the other, the same team has failed to overcome Nottingham Forest and a struggling Manchester United in the Premier League , results that expose a worrying lack of consistency. In the last 270 minutes of league action, Arsenal have not recorded a single victory, settling for draws in their last three Premier League outings, including a stalemate against Liverpool. For a team that openly speaks about winning multiple trophies, such returns are simply not good enough. This trend raises a critical question: is Arteta subconsciously prioritising the UEFA Champions League over domestic competition? While European nights bring glamour and prestige, the Premier League is a marathon that demands relent...

  Abba Atiku , son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar , has formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) and declared that no political party or individual can defeat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election . Abba made the declaration shortly after aligning with the ruling party, describing President Tinubu as a political force whose leadership and structure within the APC make him unbeatable ahead of the next general election. According to him, the current political realities in the country favour the APC, stressing that the party’s nationwide structure, internal cohesion, and Tinubu’s political experience place him far ahead of any potential challenger. He noted that opposition parties lack the strength, unity, and strategic depth required to mount a serious challenge against the incumbent president in 2027. Abba Atiku’s defection has continued to generate reactions across political circles, particularly given his father’s long-standing affiliat...

  _ osun accord carpets apc over blueprint u-turn_ The attention of the Accord in Osun State has been drawn to yet another confused, and self-contradictory press statement issued by the Osun APC , in which they accuse Governor Ademola Adeleke of attacking an “imaginary” economic blueprint credited to their governorship candidate.  For the avoidance of doubt, their so-called Economic Blueprint was not imagined by Governor Adeleke, the Accord as a Party, or anyone in government. It was publicly released, circulated, and aggressively pushed by AMBO ’s own media team across multiple platforms. The document contained direct quotations attributed to the APC candidate. It was therefore legitimate, responsible, and expected for stakeholders to interrogate it. After a swift, detailed, and substantive response by the Adeleke administration exposed the emptiness, contradictions, and recycled nature of the document, the APC hurriedly went into reverse gear. In an unprecedented show of ...

  Accuses Police of Acting on Unlawful Orders from Oyetola Governor of Osun State , Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke , has demanded the immediate release of over ₦130 billion in statutory allocations allegedly withheld from the state’s local governments , warning that the continued blockade is crippling grassroots governance and inflicting hardship on workers and residents. In a statewide broadcast on Monday on the illegal occupation of local government secretariats and the defence of democratic order, Adeleke said court-sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmen and councillors had unlawfully occupied council offices across the state for nearly a year, despite judgments of the Federal High Court, Osogbo , in November 2022 and affirmations by the Court of Appeal in February and June 2025 nullifying their elections. “The court removed them, not my administration,” the governor said, stressing that fresh local government elections were conducted in compliance with subsisting ...

  Yoruba nation activist , Chief Sunday Adeyemo , popularly known as Sunday Igboho , has reportedly been removed from the Federal Government’s wanted list , paving the way for his return to Nigeria. According to a spokesperson close to the activist, the development followed the intervention of prominent Yoruba monarchs , who appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his behalf. The traditional rulers were said to have engaged the Presidency in dialogue, urging reconciliation and peace in the interest of unity and stability in the South-West . The spokesperson disclosed that President Tinubu, after considering the appeals and ongoing consultations, approved Igboho’s removal from the wanted list, effectively clearing him of restrictions that had prevented his return to the country. Sunday Igboho, a key figure in the Yoruba self-determination movement , fled Nigeria in 2021 after he was declared wanted by security agencies over alleged links to agitation and unrest. His subsequent ...

  _...Says, the dividends of democracy will fully return to the grassroots_ The Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Osun State , Hon. Samuel Idowu Abiodun , has defended the recently presented local government budgets across the state, insisting that the process fully complies with constitutional provisions and the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government financial autonomy . Speaking on a popular podcast LERO TEMI with Mukhtar Ajelogbon in Osogbo amid controversy over the budget presentation process, Abiodun who also doubles as Ifedayo local government Chairman dismissed claims that the budgets ought to be routed through the Osun State House of Assembly . He maintained that the Supreme Court has unequivocally affirmed local governments as the third tier of government, with powers to operate independently of both federal and state authorities. “We did not breach any law. The Supreme Court has given clear guidelines and passed judgment affir...

  In every election cycle, there are forces that operate beyond party logos and campaign billboards.They move quietly, mobilize organically, and often determine outcomes before the first ballot is cast. In August 8th Osun's approaching gubernatorial contest, one such force is the Aaraj's movement   Just as no serious political calculation in Oyo State can ignore the grassroots influence of popular broadcaster Oriyomi Hamzat , it would be a grave mistake for political actors in Osun to underestimate the crooner of Kejebu , Raji Kehinde Aaraj and the growing movement around him. Oriyomi Hamzat may be flying the flag of the Accord Party , but his real power lies elsewhere in his reach, his following, and the persistent speculation about where his political weight might eventually align.  That uncertainty alone is enough to unsettle major parties and shape strategies. A similar scenario is quietly unfolding in Osun. Aaraj is not a conventional politician but a businessman, ...

  Brufut, Gambia | 24 January, 2026 African writer, youth leader, and final-year biology student Abdou Komma is set to launch his highly anticipated second book, The Dribbles and Drools of Africa , on Friday, 30th January 2026, at 2:00 p.m., at Motherland, Senegambia . The launch promises an unforgettable gathering, bringing together acclaimed international authors, government officials, comedians, and students to celebrate Africa, reflect on its future, and engage in meaningful dialogue. The Dribbles and Drools of Africa is both a lament and a manifesto, urging Africans to confront uncomfortable truths while taking responsibility for shaping the continent’s future. The event is free and open to all, and copies of the book will be available for D1000 . For more information, contact 333 8631 or 668 6826 .

  By Abioye Tosin Lawrence Bobi Wine did not pick up arms. He did not incite violence. He did not murder anyone. His only “crime” was daring to challenge a four-decade reign of power in Uganda . Yet, for that singular act of courage, he has been hounded, humiliated, brutalised, and politically suffocated, while Africa largely looks away. That silence is not accidental. It is the loudest confession of our collective moral bankruptcy. Across the continent, Africans passionately dissect elections in Europe and America, debate democracy on television panels, and flood social media with outrage when injustice happens elsewhere. But when oppression unfolds before our own eyes in Kampala , in Yaoundé, in Conakry , we retreat into apathy, excuses, and tribal detachment. We call it “their problem.” It is not. What Bobi Wine is facing is the fate reserved for anyone who challenges entrenched power in Africa without the protection of guns, foreign backing, or elite consensus. His ordeal is ...