Election
INEC approves creation of 4,861 additional polling units in Lagos
Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Lagos State, has concluded plans to create additional 4,861 polling units in the state. The Commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos State, Sam Olumekun, who announced this at the Election Stakeholders’ forum on Monday, held in Ikeja, explained that the move became necessary to tackle the usual voter apathy and boost voter access to polling units in exercising their fundamental rights to vote. The forum was part of sensitization and public enlightenment of Stakeholders by the commission towards engendering active participation in future election exercises. He stated: “Polling Units are central to the electoral process and therefore democracy at large. Voter access to Polling Units is at the very heart of representative democracy...
Anambra: JUSUN strike a national issue, not state-driven
The Anambra State Government on Monday said the ongoing strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), was a national issue and not state-driven. Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, Secretary to the State Government, made the assertion, while addressing members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Anambra branch, at a peaceful protest to the Government House in Awka. Newsmen report that the protest followed a directive issued on April 18 by the President of the NBA, Mr Olumide Akpata, to all branches of the association. Chukwulobelu said the executive was aware of the need to ensure that all aspects of the three arms of government function properly. “Your demands on independent judiciary are very important, but it is a national issue. “The fact that the courts are not sitting is not becaus...
PDP hails suspension of three council chairmen by Lagos Assembly
File Photo The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended Lagos House of Assembly (LAHA) over the suspension of three council chairmen in the state. The PDP Publicity Secretary in the state, Taofik Gani, gave the commendation in a statement issued on Sunday in Lagos. The suspended chairmen are: Ogidan Mukandasi of Lekki LCDA, Suleiman Jelili (Alimosho) and Tajudeen Ajide (Surulere). He said that the assembly’s resolution to suspend the three council chairmen over alleged mismanagement and under-performance was commendable. According to him, many local government areas and local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state have remained underdeveloped since the assumption of office by the chairmen in 2017. Newsmen recall that the assembly had, on Tuesday, suspended the council chairmen ...
Taraba governor: Senator Alhassan’s demise a personal loss
Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku has described the death of former minister of Women Affairs Senator Aisha Jumai Alhassan as a personal loss to him. In a statement issued in Jalingo on Friday night and signed br Bala Dan Abu Special Adviser to the governor on Media, Ishaku said that he received the news with rude shock and is still trying to come to terms with it. He described Alhassan as a woman of courage and rare asset who have contributed immensely to the political emancipation of wen and her death would leave a gapping hole on the political landscape of the nation. “Governor of Taraba State, Arc Darius Dickson Ishaku, has received with deep shock news of the death of Senator Aisha Jumai Alhassan, a former governorship candidate in the state and frontline member of the People’s Demo...
Supreme Court upholds INEC’s deregistration of 74 political parties
The Supreme Court on Friday upheld an earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal which okayed the deregistration of National Unity Party and 73 others. Newsmen had earlier reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission last year deregistered the political parties over their inability to win any election during the 2019 general elections. In the judgment delivered by Justice Adamu Jauro, the Supreme Court, on Friday, said the deregistration of NUP, one of the 74 parties, was done in line with the laws and compliance with the extant provisions of the Constitution and Electoral Act. Get more stories like this on Twitter You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Bea...
House asks federal government to suspend upcoming census exercise
Following the ravaging insecurity in the country, the House of Representatives yesterday called on the federal government to suspend the upcoming census exercise until security improved. The House also said it will be counter-productive and a waste of scarce financial resources to conduct such exercise amidst the economic recession. The call was made on the heel of a motion under matters of urgent public importance titled “Call on the federal government of Nigeria to Suspend the Proposed 2021 Population and Housing Census to be conducted by the National Population Commission” sponsored by Shelia Barwa Bell. Moving the motion, Bell said that the state of insecurity would not guarantee accuracy if the census was conducted now, arguing that many Nigerians have fled their homes and villages. H...
Anambra election: PDP female aspirant urges electorate to shun inducement
A female aspirant in the Nov. 6 governorship in Anambra, Mrs Chidi Onyemelukwe, has urged the electorate to guard against monetary inducement in making their choice of candidates. Onyemelukwe who is aspiring for the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the race, made the call at a news conference in Awka on Monday. She said voting for the right candidate without inducement would make them demand the full dividends of from the people they had voted into power and hold them accountable. According to her, she is not intimidated by the number of aspirants and “money bags” in the race. The aspirant said that she had what it took to get the PDP ticket, win the and put Anambra on the part of economic prosperity and ensure higher degree of welfare for the citizens. Onyemelukwe, however...
NCP: North-Central doesn’t need chairmanship, but Presidency
The North Central Patriot (NCP) on Monday said that the region doesn’t need the position of chairmanship but presidency. The group said that the zone has occupied that position severally in the time past, adding that their agitation is for the position of presidency, which has eluded them since the nation transmuted in democracy. NCP specifically said that the former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki is not looking for the position of chairmanship, adding that he’s eminently qualified to be President of this country. The group, in a statement by its President, Bitrus Paul, commended the governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, for taking the initiative to tell the world that he’s interested in the position of presidency. NCP reinstated that North Central doesn’t lack quality leaders, who...
Nigeria’s president under fire over surging violence
With his country ensnared in mounting jihadist violence, bandit attacks and kidnappings, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is under fire from allies and enemies alike for appearing incapable of tackling the security crisis. April saw an almost daily toll of bloody assaults and abductions in Africa’s most populous nation. In the past week alone, at least 240 people have been killed and more than four dozen kidnapped, according to tallies by local media. The fatalities included 19 Fulani herders gunned down in southeastern Anambra state; five students in the northwest who were shot to death days after gunmen snatched them from their campus; 31 troops, slain in a jihadist ambush in the Lake Chad region; and nine police killed by cattle thieves in northwestern Kebbi state. Senators, local go...
Senator Tinubu: Nigeria must remain united to surmount current challenges
The myriad of challenges facing Nigeria as a nation has received the attention of a former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who submitted that the nation must remain united for the problems to be tackled. The National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), while canvassing for people’s support for President Muhammadu Buhari as he address the nation’s challenges, also stressed that his personal relationship with the president remains very cordial. Speaking on Monday night after an hour closed-door meeting with President Buhari, Tinubu, who was in company with the former Interim National Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, emphasised that a concerted and united response was what is needed presently to address the various crises facing Nigeria. According to him, ...
Ekiti election: Lere Olayinka names Bisi Kolawole campaign spokesperson
File Photo Otunba Bisi Kolawole, one of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirants in Ekiti State, has appointed Lere Olayinka as Spokesperson and Director of Media and Publicity of his campaign organization. Kolawole, who is the current PDP Chairman in the state was endorsed by former Governor of the state, Ayodele Fayose, as his preferred candidate for next year’s guber race. Olayinka, a seasoned journalist, political communicator, public affairs analyst and one-time Southwest PDP and former Governor of Ekiti, Ayo Fayose’s spokesperson is from Okemesi Ekiti, Ekiti West Local Government Area of the state. Kolawole, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Bola Agboola, said Olayinka will coordinate media and publicity activities of the governors...
Chad rebels ready for ceasefire; opposition presses for civilian rule
Rebels in northern Chad are ready to observe a ceasefire and to discuss a political settlement after the battlefield death of President Idriss Deby last week, a rebel spokesman said on Sunday. The rebels, known as the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), came over the northern border from Libya on April 11 calling for an end to Deby’s 30-year rule. They came as close as 200-300 km (125-185 miles) from the capital N’Djamena before being pushed back by the army. Deby was killed on Monday while visiting troops at the front, just after he won an election. His death shocked the Central African country, which has long been a Western ally against Islamist militants. The air force has since bombarded rebel positions, the military and rebels said. The military said on Saturday it had “annih...
