A potential crisis that could have disrupted the electoral process in Edo State was narrowly averted in the early hours of Sunday at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Benin, the state capital. The incident occurred as final collation activities for Saturday’s governorship election were set to commence. InfoStride News reports that the crisis began shortly after midnight when Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, led a protest to the INEC office, alleging irregularities in the ongoing collation of results. The governor arrived at the office around 12:47 a.m., accompanied by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo,…
Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso
In a statement issued by the commission, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, informed the public, political stakeholders, and election observers of the scheduled resumption of the collation process. “This is to inform the general public, political stakeholders, and observers that the collation of results for the ongoing Edo State Governorship Election will resume today (Sunday), 22nd September 2024, at 10:00 a.m.,” Onuoha said. The collation will take place at INEC’s head office in Benin, the Edo State capital. This announcement comes amid growing tension in the state over the delay in the official release of results. The commencement…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are currently locked in a close contest in the ongoing governorship election in Edo State. As of Sunday morning, a check by Press men revealed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had uploaded approximately 97% of the results from the 4,519 polling units onto its Result Viewing (IReV) portal. The early results indicate a neck-and-neck race between the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, and his APC counterpart, Senator Monday Okpebholo. According to the data available on INEC’s IReV portal, Ighodalo is leading in the Edo South Senatorial District, while…
The outgoing Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, was escorted out of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) premises early Sunday morning during the ongoing collation of results from Saturday’s governorship election in the state. Reports indicate that Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Frank Mbah, facilitated Obaseki’s exit around 4:10 a.m., following protests from members of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Governor Obaseki reportedly arrived unannounced at the INEC office in Benin around 2 a.m., allegedly to protest perceived irregularities in the collation of results from several local government areas, including his constituency, Oredo. INEC officials had informed the…
On Thursday, September 19, the Federal Government of Nigeria expressed deep concern over the increasing rate of suicides in the country, revealing that the suicide rate has surged to 12.9%. The figure, which the government described as alarming, was discussed during an event to mark the 2024 World Suicide Prevention Day. The event was themed “Changing the Narrative on Suicide.” The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, voiced the government’s concern. He noted that many suicide cases in Nigeria go under-reported…
Five dissatisfied members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State have secured an ex parte order from the Federal High Court in Abuja, effectively halting the state congress and elections initially scheduled for Saturday, September 21. The court’s ruling restrains both the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from proceeding with the congress until a motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction is resolved. The legal move was initiated by M. A. Mahmud (SAN), counsel for the aggrieved PDP members, who filed the ex parte motion in court. The plaintiffs — Nura Waziri, Mutari Shuiabu, Yusuf…
Felix Morka, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has refuted claims that the ruling party is behind the internal crises plaguing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Responding to allegations made by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, Morka stated that the APC is far too occupied with governing the country to involve itself in the internal affairs of the opposition. In a statement issued on Friday, Morka described Governor Mohammed’s accusations as baseless, urging him to focus on resolving the issues within his party rather than blaming external forces. “Rather than pointing fingers at APC for its endless woes,…
The Labour Party (LP) candidate, Olumide Akpata, has categorically denied rumours circulating on social media suggesting his withdrawal from the governorship race. Speaking on the issue, Akpata dismissed the allegations as false and labelled them a fraudulent attempt by political opponents to mislead the public. In a statement reported by Newsmen, Akpata made it clear that he remains fully committed to the race, describing the claims as part of a broader scheme to undermine his candidacy. “The allegation of my withdrawal is not only a falsehood but also a fraud whose perpetrators must be uncovered,” Akpata stated. Delivering a prepared…
The National Leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has reiterated his ambition to run for President, emphasising that his primary goal is to steer Nigeria out of its current economic crisis. Kwankwaso made this declaration during a visit to the Osun State Party Secretariat over the weekend. He underscored the need to revitalise the state chapters of the party to ensure smooth and efficient administration. According to him, strengthening these chapters will be crucial in the party’s bid to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections. This was disclosed in a statement…
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, announced that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has received 12 new aircraft over the past year, a significant boost in its operational capacity. He made this disclosure on Friday during the graduation ceremony of Air War Course 10/2024 at the Air Force War College in Makurdi. According to Air Marshal Abubakar, the newly acquired aircraft were delivered between September 2023 and September 2024 and are already being deployed for operations. He said, “In line with the Federal Government’s resolve to adequately equip the Nigerian Air Force for the safe…
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has lauded the conduct of the Enugu Local Government Council election, describing it as a demonstration of democracy in action. The governor made this statement after casting his vote at Owo Ward in Nkanu East Local Government Area during the local government elections held on Saturday. Speaking to journalists, Governor Mbah expressed satisfaction with both the electoral process and the massive voter turnout across the state. He highlighted that this marked a significant milestone, as it was the first local government election under his administration. “This is a major milestone for us, conducting…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has successfully uploaded over 73.67% of the results from the Edo State governorship election to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV). According to reports, 3,329 results out of the 4,519 polling units where elections were held in the state have already been transmitted. This follows earlier assurances by Anugbum Onuoha, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo State, that results from the governorship election would be transmitted electronically. Speaking in an interview on Arise Television on Saturday, Onuoha emphasised that only technical issues, such as poor network coverage, could delay the transmission of results to…
Election materials arrived late at several polling units during Saturday’s local government elections in Kwara State, causing delays across various polling stations. Despite the setback, residents turned out in large numbers to elect chairmen and councillors in the 16 local government areas of the state. Voters arrived at polling units as early as 8:00 a.m. for accreditation and subsequent voting across the 193 wards in the state. However, many polling units experienced delays in the distribution of election materials. Speaking to journalists about the situation, Basambo Oladimeji, the Supervising Officer for Danialu Collation and Distribution Centre in Akanbi Ward 3,…
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has reiterated his stance that the upcoming September 21 governorship election in the state is a “do-or-die” affair. This statement has drawn significant criticism, particularly from the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television, on Thursday, Obaseki defended his comments, stating that the stakes in the election are high, as the people of Edo would suffer dire consequences if the APC were to take control of the state. According to Obaseki, the APC has allegedly perfected plans to rig the election in their favour, and he warned that…
An Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, has remanded 11 men in a correctional facility for their alleged involvement in an armed robbery. The accused individuals include Musa Abdulahi (23), Abdulahi Sodiq (26), Umaru Dama (27), Usman Sule (23), Sule Abubakar (21), Muhammadu Abdulahi (30), Muhammed Bello (25), Musa Amu (22), Muhammed Abdulahi (23), Abu Abdulahi (30), and Muhammadu Abubakar (28). The defendants are facing charges of armed robbery, a serious offence under Nigerian law. Presiding Magistrate Gladys Oladele, however, did not take the pleas of the accused due to the court’s lack of jurisdiction over the case. She…
The Benue State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested and paraded a 17-year-old woman, Nguemo Ikyowe, for allegedly killing her three-year-old stepson, Vanen Ikyowe, in Ginde village, Guma Local Government Area. The State Commandant, Larai Bitrus, disclosed the arrest while addressing the media at the NSCDC headquarters in Makurdi on Thursday. According to Bitrus, the suspect was apprehended on 12th September following a distress call reporting the murder. “On receiving a distress call from the public, our officers stationed in Ginde village swiftly responded and apprehended the suspect. During interrogation, she confessed to the…
The Wadata Media and Advocacy Centre (WAMAC) has called for the introduction of the death penalty for corrupt officials in Nigeria as a deterrent to the rising levels of corruption in the country. Speaking at a town hall meeting in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Saturday, the Executive Director of WAMAC, Zubair Abdurra’uf, highlighted the urgent need for stricter penalties for those found guilty of corruption. The event, themed “Good Governance: A Product of Transparency and Accountability for Societal Development,” aimed to strengthen investigative data journalism in the fight against corruption, particularly through the use of Nigerian local languages. Abdurra’uf lamented…
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has firmly denied rumours of his alleged defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), reiterating his unwavering loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The rumours, which circulated widely on social media, included an electronic banner featuring the governor’s image, suggesting his defection to the APC. In response, the governor’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, issued a statement on Friday, dismissing the reports as false and misleading. Bere emphasised that Governor Mutfwang remains fully committed to the PDP and the people of Plateau State, who entrusted him with the mandate during the…
The Kwara State Police Command has announced its readiness to enforce restrictions on the movement of people and vehicles ahead of the local council elections scheduled for Saturday, 21st September 2024. In a statement issued on Friday by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Ejire Adeyemi Toun, it was revealed that the movement restrictions would be effective from 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on the day of the elections. According to the statement, the curfew is aimed at ensuring the smooth conduct of the elections and safeguarding public peace. “This measure has been put in place to ensure the security and smooth…
Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has made bold claims that certain individuals currently serving in government should be behind bars due to past misdemeanours and criminal misconduct. Obasanjo made this assertion on Thursday during a virtual address at the memorial lecture for Denis Joseph Slattery in Lagos. In his speech, titled “The Imperative for Moral Rectitude in Governance,” Obasanjo expressed concerns about the integrity of many government officials, stating that individuals with questionable backgrounds cannot be expected to make decisions in the best interests of Nigerians. He stressed that accountability is the most crucial requirement for anyone involved in governance…