Ondo Deputy Speaker, Majority Leader Resign

The Deputy Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Abayomi Akinruntan has resigned his position, citing the need to align with the conventional arrangement of elective position in the state. The resignation letter of the former deputy speaker – representing Ilaje Constituency 1, – who is the son of the Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom, Oba Fredrick Akinruntan, was read at the floor of the Assembly by the Clerk, Benjamin Jayeiola. Akinruntan, who was absent during the plenary, was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly in June 2023, a position he occupied until his resignation. The resignation letter read: “I hereby tender my resignation from the office of the Deputy Speaker effective from today, 2nd June, 2025. Recall the House was inaugurated June, 2023 and I was unanimously elected as Deputy Speaker by members as stipulated in our standing order. “My resignation is borne out of the need to align with the conventional arrangement in power sharing of elective positions in the state. I want to appreciate all members and staff for their contributions and support.” Following Akinruntan’s resignation, the lawmaker representing Okitipupa Constituency 2, Ololade Gbegude was subsequently nominated by Oluwatoyin Japheth (Akoko North East Constituency) and seconded by Chris Ayebusiwa (Okitipupa Constituency 1) as the new Deputy Speaker. Following the nomination of Gbegudu, which was not contested, he was subsequently sworn in as the Deputy Speaker with the pledge that he will serve in his new role with due diligence. Similarly, the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, also stepped down from his position, with the lawmaker representing Ose Constituency, Olatunji Oshati, announced as the new Majority Leader. Also, Muritala Sulaiman, representing Akoko South East, was announced as the new Chief Whip, while Fabiyi Olatunji, Odigbo Constituency 1, becomes the Whip of the Assembly. The Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, commended the former deputy speaker and the erstwhile majority leader for their maturity. He said: “He (Akinruntan) has been a peaceful ally. He has support the house. I want to appreciate him for the maturity displayed for ensuring a peaceful transition. “The same thing goes to the former majority leader. He has been a stabilizer in the House and also a good and dependable ally.” It was gathered that the change of the positions of the principal officers became imperative in order to balance the unwritten elective political arrangements in the state. Akinruntan and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa hail from the same Ilaje Local Council Area of the state, while the erstwhile Majority Leader, Ogunmolasuyi is from Owo Local Council, where the Deputy Governor, Olayide Adelami hails from.

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Tinubu didn’t order Cardoso’s sack- Presidency

Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Bayo Onanuga has refuted media claims that President Bola Tinubu has ordered Olayemi Cardoso to resign his appointment as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).  Onanuga, who was reacting to a media report on his X handle stated that the report is fake news as there is no iota of truth in it.   According to him,”It’s all lies. President Tinubu has not asked Yemi Cardoso to resign.” The report, Onanuga reacted to had earlier claimed the CBN Governor was fired due to his inability to stop the poor performance of the economy, most especially, the free fall of Nigeria’s currency, the Naira. The report also claimed that the President gave the marching order to Cardoso before he left Nigeria for China, rebuffing the pleas and pressure from the acclaimed Yoruba Elders who had risen to Cardoso’s support to save his job.  Cardoso, who reportedly secured the nomination for the plum job through the Yoruba Elders, allegedly lacks the knack to turn around the troubled institution and the poor economy he inherited. Cardoso’s undoing, according to insiders, is his inability to live up to the promise he made to President Tinubu in January to salvage the Naira and return it to between N700 and N900 to $1 before May 29, 2024, and also, save the economy from the ruins it currently lays. The naira began a historic fall against the dollar, droppingfrom the N950/$1 rate observed at the close of the week that Cardoso was appointed to N960/$1 by Monday of the week following his appointment as Nigeria’s upcoming central bank governor. It slipped further to N970/$1 in the early hours of Tuesday, the following day. This decline, which started immediately after his nomination, has seen the local currency dip, plummeting by 117.41 per cent to N1645.626/$1 as of September 12, 2024, nearly one year after he took over from Folashodun Shonubi. The continuous crash of the Naira and the poor economy prevented the usual celebration of the return to democratic rule on May 29.

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Randy Waldrum resigns as Super Falcons coach

Randy Waldrum has resigned as the coach of the Super Falcons. In a letter dated September 12th, Waldrum cited health issues with his wife as the reason for his resignation from the job. “It’s been a very difficult few weeks following the Olympics, with my wife’s health issues, and the worries that obviously come with that.  “After much thought and consideration, I am hereby resigning my position as Head Coach of the Super Falcons.  “This will allow the NFF ample time to find the next manager to take over this incredible squad,” Waldrum stated.  Waldrum was appointed the head coach of Nigeria women’s national team on October 5, 2020, barely three years after turning down the role.

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