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Osun Guber: Over 20,000 Osun students endorse Oyetola for second term
Osun Guber: Over 20,000 Osun students endorse Oyetola for second term
…say they can’t be neutral in the face of physical realities
By Olorunfemi Adejuyigbe
Students under the umbrella of National Association of Nigeria Students/Joint Campus Committee, (NANS/JCC), Osun Axis, and the National Association of Osun State Students (NAOSS) on Thursday passed vote of confidence in the administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, saying he deserves to be re-elected for a second term.
The obviously ecstatic students who had earlier embarked on a solidarity walk of few kilometers, said their endorsement was informed by the outstanding performance of the Governor in the past three and a half years.
The students said they can no longer be neutral in the face of physical realities of competence, capacity and experience of Governor Oyetola.
Speaking, the National President, National Association of Osun State Students (NAOSS), Comrade Yusuf Moshood Agboola, said the Governor had distinguished himself as a committed and transparent leader whose modest achievements was unprecedented in the history of Osun.
“We are not here for a political jamboree. We are formidable, resilient and highly-principled students of the State who believe strongly in good governance and responsible leadership.
“We are here on a strong conviction of good governance and quality leadership as being demonstrated and provided by Governor Oyetola to redefine the socioeconomic fortune of our dear State.
“Our endorsement of the Governor is not in anyway being induced by anything other than empirical facts and figures we have gathered and attested to since his emergence in the past three and a half years.
“We have no choice but to support this government and ensure that the governor is returned for a second term because he has done excellently well in all ramifications, particularly in the areas of education.
“We are convinced by many of your achievements, most importantly your prompt intervention in the education sector. You have proved to us that you are a leader with listening ears as manifested in the approval of many of our demands.
“I recall that all our nine demands put before you were approved and this had led to the improved welfare of students across the State, particularly your gracious approval of our bursary, mobility vehicles, prompt payment of lecturers and non-teaching staffers across the tertiary institutions as well as your positive disposition to non-increment of the tuition fees.
“We are indeed solidly behind you and your government and we are ready to mobilise massively to ensure your return. We have over 20,000 students as at last count that have been captured on our data and they are all ready to vote and canvass for you come July 16 governorship election in the State”, he added.
Also, National President, NANS/JCC, Comrade Oyelayo Afeez Oyewole, lauded the Governor for running a student-friendly administration, saying his outstanding performance had endeared them to him.
“Just few months ago, the students union leadership was able to meet Mr. Governor where we laid down some of the challenges confronting us and to the glory of God, today, all the challenges have been resolved.
“We laid down nine problems and they have solved them and that is what prompted us to deem it necessary to reciprocate the gesture by ensuring that he is returned. He has successfully provided vehicles for us across campuses. He has heeded our call not to increase tuition fees and he has been paying salaries and allowances of our lecturers regularly. That is why we have not for one day gone on strike.
“He has also fulfilled his promise to ensure prompt payment of our bursary in all the 30 local government areas, including Ife-East area office, and our request to ensure that some of the roads leading to our campuses are tarred has also been fulfilled to a large extent”, he added.
In his response, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola thanked the students for their continued support and cooperation since the inception of his administration, noting that their high level of maturity and understanding had culminated in the success recorded in the tertiary education sector.
Oyetola who promised better days ahead extolled the students for the appreciation of the modest achievements that God had helped him to accomplish within the three and a half years of his administration, saying they have just seen a tip of the iceberg of what he has in stock for them.
“I must commend you for your maturity and high sense of understanding, which had earned us the smooth running of academic sessions all through without a single moment of strike. I can claim today that no lecturer can say he is not receiving his or her salary in full as and when due.
“We have equally done so many things to ensure an improved welfare of workers in all our tertiary institutions and I can assure that the second term will be better than the first term as we are committed to take our state to enviable heights.
“I want to reassure you that your welfare will continue to be my priority. We had approved and disbursed the payment of bursary to our students 100 per local government but I want to assure you that this will be increased to 200 per local government.
“You are an enlightened segment of the population and there is no doubt in the fact that you understand what education means. You can’t afford to entrust your lives in the hands of someone that can not be trusted. I am fully prepared for the job and I am highly educated. I have spent over 30 years of my life in the private sector and I have received several awards from reputable institutions. We can’t afford to experiment with our lives. Your vote is to ensure continuity of what we are doing. Your vote is for progress. We have improved your campuses than what we met.
“Please get your PVCs and don’t be deceived by the penchant for little money. Face your future and your career and together we shall coast to victory”, Oyetola added.
Addressing journalists, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Students Affairs and Social Mobilisation, Comrade Kehinde Ayantunji, commended the students for being resolute and for standing by the truth in the face of physical realities.
“As you can see, they are members of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Osun State Chapter, Joint Campus Committee Osun axis and National Association of Osun State Students, NAOSS, all chapters’ presidents, indigenous students association who have come out in large number to declare their support for the Governor.
“You can see that the entire students structures in Osun came out massively to endorse Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for a second term, having critically and painstakingly assessed his remarkable performance in the last three and a half years. They have confirmed that they endorsed the Governor based on his outstanding performance. You can see that they were convinced by the responsible leadership provided by the Governor in education, workers’ welfare, security and his love for the students.
“One of the strong points they made was that at this crucial moment, they cannot be neutral as they need to align with a government that has prospect for their welfare. That is why they have been out in large number since morning to reciprocate the good gesture of Mr Governor.
“The amazing part of this is that majority of them, if not all, have their PVCs because they are enlightened population and they know the importance of PVCs and power to elect good leadership.
“Out of 1,955,657 registered voters in the State, youths between the age of 18 and 50 constitute 70 percent, and out of this 70 percent, 32 percent are students. The implication of this is that Mr. Governor stands to have block votes from the students”, Ayantunji said.
Energy experts in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector have defended the pricing structure of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, accusing some fuel markers of attempting to blackmail the refinery and mislead the public over the recent increase in petrol prices.
The experts said reports suggesting that the refinery’s latest adjustment is solely responsible for the recent hike in fuel prices were misleading, noting that importers are also bringing in petrol at almost a N1,000 per litre, while the refinery’s coastal price is N948 and the gantry or ex-depot price stands at N995 per litre.
They stressed that public comparisons fail to consider the differences in pricing structures and supply channels.
According to the experts, N948 per litre represents the coastal delivery price, which refers to petroleum products transported by marine vessels or barges from the refinery to depots along the coastline. On the other hand, N995 per litre represents the gantry or ex-depot price, which is the rate paid by marketers who load petrol directly from the refinery into tanker trucks at the loading gantry for onward distribution across the country.
The experts explained that the two figures should not be interpreted as conflicting prices but rather as different logistics arrangements within the petroleum distribution chain.
Speaking with our correspondent on Sunday, energy expert David Okon said the pricing adjustments were inevitable given prevailing market conditions.
According to him, Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals operates in a deregulated market and procures crude at international prices, which have risen sharply due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
“The refinery is already absorbing part of the cost to cushion the impact of the crisis on Nigerians. We can see what is happening in other parts of the world where shortages and scarcity are being reported despite higher prices, yet the Dangote Refinery has continued to guarantee domestic supply,” he said.
Okon explained that when the refinery previously sold petrol at N774 per litre, crude oil was landing at about $68 per barrel. However, with crude now arriving at roughly $95 per barrel, the cost difference of about $27 per barrel translates to nearly N40,000 per barrel when converted to Naira.
“You cannot expect a refinery to continue selling at the old rate under those circumstances,” he added.
“If imported products were truly cheaper, importers would still be selling at the previous prices.”
He warned that without local refining capacity, Nigeria could have faced severe fuel shortages, long queues at filling stations and a resurgence of black market sales.
“Without the Dangote Refinery, many filling stations would likely shut down, queues would return across the country and black market traders would exploit the situation, hawking four litres keg at N20,000 or more. The refinery has effectively prevented that scenario,” he said.
Another analyst, Mohammed Ibrahim, also faulted narratives circulating in some quarters suggesting that the refinery’s pricing adjustment was responsible for worsening economic hardship in the country.
Accusing some importers of attempting to manipulate public perception, he said, “What we are seeing is nothing but deliberate blackmail by some fuel importers who feel threatened by local refining.
“They are twisting the pricing structure to mislead Nigerians and create unnecessary panic in the market.
“By exaggerating the refinery’s gantry price and ignoring the comparable costs of imported fuel, they are trying to make it appear as though Dangote Refinery is the cause of rising prices and economic hardship. This is a calculated attempt to protect their import businesses and undermine local refining, which is meant to reduce our dependence on imported petrol.”
Ibrahim added that such narratives were aimed at portraying the refinery as the reason Nigerians were struggling with higher petrol prices.
He stressed that petrol pricing in Nigeria is largely influenced by global crude oil prices, exchange rate fluctuations, and distribution logistics, noting that these factors affect both locally refined and imported fuel in the country’s deregulated market.
Afolabi Olowookere, Managing Director and Chief Economist at Analysts’ Data Services and Resources (ADSR) Limited, explained that although Nigerians expect refined products from the refinery to be significantly cheaper, prevailing market realities such as global crude oil prices, the cost of crude supply and refining margins make substantial price reductions unlikely in the short term.
“Therefore, improving domestic crude allocation to the refinery would strengthen supply stability and enhance the long term benefits of local refining for the economy,” Olowookere noted.
Recent conflicts in the Middle East and disruptions along key shipping lanes have tightened global oil supply, pushing crude prices past $90 per barrel, a development that directly raises the cost of both imported and locally refined petrol in Nigeria.
The unrest has pushed up fuel costs and transportation in several countries, including Ghana, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, India, Canada, Brazil, Germany, France, and Japan, as rising crude prices increase the cost of refining, distribution, and logistics globally.
CHETACHI NWOGA-ECTON EMPOWERS 300 WIDOWS IN IMO
A renowned humanitarian and proud daughter of Mbaise in Imo State, High Chief (Dr.) Princess Chetachi Nwoga-Ecton, has empowered over 300 widows and vulnerable women across the Owerri Zone, in a remarkable demonstration of compassion and service to humanity.
The empowerment programme, which took place at the Palace of the Eze of Ngor Okpala, HRH Eze Engr. Fredrick Nwachukwu, brought together community leaders, traditional rulers, women groups and beneficiaries from different communities within the zone.
During the event, the widows received food materials and cash support, aimed at helping them meet basic needs and strengthen their small-scale businesses.
The initiative was widely applauded as a timely intervention to support women who often face severe economic hardship after losing their spouses.
Many of the beneficiaries expressed heartfelt appreciation to High Chief (Dr.) Nwoga-Ecton, describing the empowerment as a lifeline that would help them take better care of their families.
Some widows, while offering prayers for the philanthropist, noted that the gesture had restored hope and dignity in their lives.
Fondly known as Ada Imo and Adaure, High Chief (Dr.) Princess Chetachi Nwoga-Ecton has earned widespread admiration for her consistent humanitarian efforts both within Nigeria and internationally.
Through her philanthropic activities and foundations, she has continued to support widows, children, and vulnerable communities with interventions in healthcare, welfare and economic empowerment.
Community stakeholders who attended the programme commended the Mbaise-born philanthropist for her generosity and dedication to uplifting the less privileged, noting that her actions reflect true leadership and compassion.
Observers say the initiative further reinforces her growing reputation as one of the most impactful humanitarians of this generation, whose commitment to humanity continues to inspire hope across Imo State and beyond.
UNITED KINGDOM OF ATLANTIS ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF ACTING ADMIN KING OF THE UKA THRONE
March 6, 2026 – In a landmark royal decree, the Office of the Minister of Information & Culture of the United Kingdom of Atlantis (UKA) has announced the appointment of His Imperial Royal Eminence, King Sir Benny Terry Danson, as the Acting Admin King of the UKA Throne. The nomination was issued through an official directive from the UKA Throne and is intended to pave the way for King Sir Benny Terry Danson’s eventual ascension to the title of Official Emperor Admin of the Throne, subject to the completion of necessary formal and constitutional processes.
The UKA Throne emphasized that the appointment underscores its unwavering commitment to competence, dedication, and integrity as the guiding principles for all administrative functions within the government structure. Officials stated that the decision is a strategic move to reinforce national leadership and accelerate the kingdom’s vision of becoming a more efficient, progressive, and unified nation.
The new Acting Admin King will oversee initiatives aimed at fostering sustainable growth, improving public service delivery, and promoting collective national development among citizens and followers of the UKA. The government expressed deep appreciation for the continuous love, loyalty, and support shown by the populace, noting that public engagement is essential for the kingdom’s shared prosperity and advancement.
Further details regarding the formalization of the appointment, including ceremonial schedules and administrative timelines, will be released to the public in due course through official communication channels.
Report Highlights:
– Nominee: King Sir Benny Terry Danson, Acting Admin King.
– Objective: Transition toward becoming Official Emperor Admin of the UKA Throne.
– Focus: Strengthening governance through competence, dedication, and integrity.
– Impact: Expected to drive national efficiency, progress, and unity.
– Next Steps: Official ceremonies and constitutional procedures to follow.
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