Author: The Hope Newspaper

By Fisayo Akinduro The Akure South Local Government Chairman and Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Ondo State chapter, Hon. Gbenga Fasua, has flagged off the free Asiwaju Fuel Initiative to cushion the impact of rising fuel costs on commercial transport operators. The initiative, which commenced on Wednesday, provides free fuel to 2,500 commercial motorcycle operators and 1,200 tricycle operators across Akure South Local Government. The programme was organised in commemoration of the efforts of Ondo State Governor, Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, in promoting the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the state. The distribution…

Initiative targets grassroots women of Nigeria’s 774 LGs Aiyedatiwa, Idele seek stronger female participation in leadership By Sade Adewale & Oluwadamilola Akinduro The All Progressives Congress (APC) has launched a fresh drive to deepen women’s participation in governance through the Project 774 Explode Initiative, aimed at sensitising and empowering women across the country’s 774 local government areas. The initiative was unveiled in Ondo State during a sensitisation and empowerment programme on gender equality and adequate representation of women in governance held at the International Events Centre (The Dome), Akure. The APC National Women Leader, Dr Mary Idele, said the project…

…ratifies 21 infrastructure projects …approves counterpart funding for Owena water scheme, confirms two traditional rulers By Fisayo Akinduro & Precious Oluwole The Ondo State Executive Council (EXCO) has approved a $1.6 million United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Small Hydropower Project at the Owena Dam and a 7.5-megawatt gas-fired turbine to power government facilities across the state. The approvals were among far-reaching decisions taken at the Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa. The council also approved the conversion of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, to Rufus Giwa University of Agriculture, Science and Technology, ratified 21 infrastructure projects,…

Attorney General Ajulo says gov’s interaction with opposition person in church is no anti-party Accusation a ploy to manufacture controversy –CPS By Fisayo Akinduro The Ondo State Government on Monday, dismissed claims that Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa is involved in anti-party activities ahead of the 2027 general elections. It insisted that the governor remained fully committed to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidates. The government also defended the governor’s interaction with former Senator and African Democratic Congress (ADC) Ondo Central Senatorial candidate, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, during a church service at the Government House Chapel on Sunday. It described…

…says budgetary dependence undermines electoral credibility …advocates stronger institutions for free, fair elections As the 2027 general elections approach, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has declared that the commission cannot be truly independent without financial autonomy. He, as such, warned that its continued dependence on the normal budgetary process could weaken its operational independence and undermine the credibility of polls. His remarks shifted attention from the familiar debate over electoral reforms to a more fundamental question: whether an election management body expected to inspire public confidence can effectively do so while relying on…

By Bukola Olamona A former South-West Publicity Secretary for now betroubled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Ayo Fadaka, has said he dumped the opposition party because it had lost its original ideals and become “a mere carcass”, after being weakened by the actions of some of its leading members. Speaking on the reasons for his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in an exclusive interview with WEEKEND HOPE, Fadaka said he was a foundation member of the PDP and witnessed its transformation from a strong political platform into a party driven by personal interests. According to him, the party’s…

…says faith and public leadership can coexist, cites Aiyedatiwa, Ajasin, Akeredolu as exemplary models of Christian statesmanship The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Ondo State, Dr. Olukayode Abraham Ajulo, SAN, OON, has called on Christians to actively influence society through integrity, justice, and faithful service, stressing that the Christian calling extends beyond the walls of the Church into every sphere of human endeavour, including governance, law, business, education and public administration. Ajulo made the call while delivering the Synod Lecture at the Second Session of the Fifteenth Synod of the Diocese of Owo, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), held…

By Tola Gbadamosi The Nigerian Army has declared one of its personnel, Private Mohammed Yusuf Amutu, wanted over allegations of unlawfully selling and supplying military uniforms to terrorists and other criminal elements. The Army made the announcement in a statement issued on Thursday by the Headquarters Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps (NAOC), revealing that the soldier, who was attached to the Nigerian Army Ordnance Kits Factory, allegedly absconded from his unit on June 3, 2026. The statement, signed by the Assistant Director of Army Public Relations at the NAOC Headquarters, Major Oluwatope Dorcas Aluko, said preliminary investigations linked Amutu to the…

For nearly a decade, the Premier League title race operated under a predictable, almost tyrannical rhythm, you either out-thought Pep Guardiola over 38 grueling matches, or you watched Manchester City parade another trophy through the streets. Even as Arsenal chipped away at that mountain until Mikel Arteta finally broke through to claim the 2025/26 crown, the league’s reference point remained clear and uncompromising. As we stand on the precipice of the 2026/27 campaign, however, that reference point has vanished entirely, leaving English football in a rare and fascinating state of total tactical democracy. With Guardiola stepping aside after ten historic years, Arne Slot departing Anfield, and half of the traditional heavyweights undergoing high-stakes managerial resets, the division finds itself stripped of its old power dynamics. Look across the dugouts of the top six entering August, and the standard metric of title-winning pedigree has been practically wiped clean. Arteta stands entirely alone as the only active manager in the Premier League to have lifted the trophy, leaving a landscape defined not by perennial winners, but by ambitious tacticians trying to navigate an unmapped landscape. That void created by departing dynasties has set up what could easily become the most wide-open title race in a generation. At Manchester City, Enzo Maresca faces the monumental task of succeeding Guardiola, attempting to inject his own ideas into a machine built for a master. Across London at Stamford Bridge, Xabi Alonso arrives bearing the prestige of his unbeaten Bundesliga title with Bayer Leverkusen, yet he inherits a bloated, talented Chelsea squad still searching for structural cohesion. Meanwhile, Andoni Iraola’s move to Liverpool introduces a chaotic, high-intensity pressing system that promises thrilling attacking output alongside inevitable defensive growing pains. When so many elite clubs undergo simultaneous structural overhauls, the predictable patterns of top flight football dissolve into uncertainty. Swapping a manager rewires a team’s tactical muscle memory, and getting world-class players to internalize intricate new mechanisms takes months, inevitably leading to early-season points dropped across the board. Add in Michael Carrick embarking on his first full season at Manchester United and Roberto De Zerbi seeking consistency at Tottenham Hotspur, and the traditional margin for error expands significantly. In an environment where no single team is equipped to run away with a 95-point campaign, every mid-table slip-up becomes survivable. This fluid dynamic presents both an opportunity and a unique psychological trap for the defending champions. Arsenal and Arteta no longer enjoy the quiet focus of the hunter chasing an established benchmark; they enter the campaign as the benchmark itself, forced to handle the heavy crown of expectation. Yet while Arsenal possess the priceless advantage of tactical continuity, the chaotic pack behind them will be far less predictable than in years past. We are embarking on an era where past resumes no longer guarantee control, and for the first time in over a decade, almost every heavy-hitter enters August with a legitimate reason to believe the title is theirs for the taking. With the odds stacked so evenly and the narrative shifting with every passing…

Ondo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Olukayode Ajulo (SAN), OON, has welcomed the reappointment of Dr Taiwo Fasoranti as Secretary to the State Government (SSG) by Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, describing it as a well-deserved vote of confidence in an accomplished public servant whose dedication and professionalism have contributed significantly to the smooth administration of the state. Ajulo, in a statement issued in Akure on Tuesday following the announcement of the reappointment, said Governor Aiyedatiwa’s decision reflected the administration’s commitment to competence, continuity and effective governance. He described Fasoranti as a fine gentleman and an administrator par…