In a startling revelation of intelligence input, the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Burns claimed that Beijing is still determining whether its potential invasion of Taiwan would be successful. He said that US intelligence shows that Chinese President Xi Jinping has instructed his nation’s military to “be ready by 2027” to invade Taiwan. However, he might be harbouring doubts about his ability to do so, given Russia’s experience in its invasion of Ukraine – it is likely to intensify doubts among Chinese leader Xi Jinping and top military officials about the success of the Chinese military invading Taiwan.…
Author: Ifeanyi N.
A group, under the auspices of Youth Alliance for Tinubu (YAT) has described the Presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) as bad losers, going by their recent actions. The group while reacting to a recent protest staged by the PDP over the outcome of the presidential election, said the candidate who emerged victorious worked hard to earn the votes of the people, not by intimidation and protest. At a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the National Coordinator of the group, Bello Bala Shagari noted that no political…
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF), has called on the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, to honourably resign his position before the next election for frittering away billions of Naira on a technology that he did not intend to use in the 2023 general elections. The MBF National President, Dr. Pogu Bitrus, in a statement, advised Judges to remain on the side of justice and ensure the wheel of justice is not compromised as political parties and candidates head to the Election Petition Tribunal. He said, “We call on the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu to toe the honourable path by…
Edo North Senator-elect Adams Oshiomhole said the 10th Senate would not be a runner stamp for President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu after its inauguration. The former Edo governor gave the assurance on Tuesday in Abuja at the presentation of certificates of return to Senators-elect. Oshiomhole noted that Tinubu looks forward to a senate that would contribute to the country’s development. The former Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, said he would not be part of a “legislature for the powerful but for the countrymen”. He promised that the Senate would legislate in a way that ensures Nigerians get value for money. “We are…
Communities, where members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have been reported to be harassed, have been warned to desist from such. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun State, Dr Mutiu Agboke, added that security agencies had been briefed, saying such harassment would be branded as hate speech. Agboke issued the warning during a monitored radio programme in Osogbo, the state capital, on Wednesday. He was responding to alleged attacks on INEC ad-hoc staff, and members of the NYSC deployed during the February 25, 2023, presidential and National Assembly elections. He said, “In Osun…
Ahead of the March 11 governorship and House of Assembly elections, the Young Progressives Party, YPP, Akwa Ibom State chapter, has urged the state Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, Cyril Omoregbe, to win back the confidence of the public after the experience of February 25 presidential elections. Addressing a press conference in Uyo on Tuesday, the YPP chairman in the state, Apostle Nyeneime Andy observed that the presidential election was marred by a lot of irregularities, thuggery, operational failures and violations of the Electoral Act and urged the REC to ensure the same cases would not be repeated at the…
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Tuesday accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of trying to destroy and erase evidence of alleged rigging of last Saturday’s presidential election. PDP accused INEC of trying to destroy evidence in a bid to prevent it from obtaining proof that the BVAS machines were reconfigured. Debo Ologunagba, the spokesman of the former ruling party, said INEC’s action was to frustrate the desire of Nigerians to get redress through the court. Addressing a press conference, Ologunaba said: “We have called you to alert Nigerians and the International Community of the atrocious move by the…
Dino Melaye, a former Kogi West Senator, has described the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike-led G-5 group, as irrelevant in the just-concluded presidential election. Melaye said the Wike-led group can’t claim glory for the loss of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Recall that Wike, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Seyi Makinde of Oyo and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Oyo State, all withdrew their support from PDP at a national level following the outcome of the Presidential primary in May 2022. Wike, who had vowed to support whoever emerged from the primary election, did…
The campaign team of the governorship candidate of the Labor Party in Rivers State has revealed that the former state chairman of the party, Deniye Pepple has always been working as a mole for the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Siminialayi Fubara. Obidinma Obidinma, the Director Media and Publicity Directorate Campaign Council for the LP governorship candidate in the state, Beatrice Itubo, said Pepple’s endorsement did not come as a surprise to them. Obidinma, in a statement said since the emergence of Fubara as the PDP candidate in the state, Pepple, who is his brother…
The New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, has given reasons why its presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, did not congratulate the president-elect, Bola Tinubu. NNPP said Kwankwaso didn’t congratulate Tinubu because the presidential election was flawed. A statement by NNPP’s National Publicity Secretary, Agbo Major, said reports circulating that Kwankwaso congratulated Tinubu was a figment of the fertile imagination of anti-democrats, political hirelings and fifth columnists. Major said the party rejected the outcome of the election because it did not reflect the wish and mandate of Nigerians who trooped out to vote. According to Major: “The New Nigeria Peoples Party presidential candidate,…
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday launched a new framework through his newly created ministry the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology as part of a vision to cement the UK’s place as a science and technology superpower by 2030. The British Indian leader said the new Science and Technology Framework is designed to challenge every part of government to better put the UK at the forefront of global science and technology this decade through 10 key actions, creating a coordinated cross-government approach. Downing Street said that the framework will work alongside a raft of new measures backed by…
Mr Jonathan Asake, the Kaduna State gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party in Saturday’s election, says he will not step down or form any alliance with any political party. Speaking during a press conference in Kaduna, Asake called on all supporters of the party to disregard any form of rumours making the rounds, continue supporting the Labour Party and vote it into power in the state. He re-affirmed his party’s commitment to winning the gubernatorial election, assuring that all the necessary machinery has been put in place to protect the party’s mandate by insisting that every vote counts, is protected…
The Labour Party has dissolved the party’s State Executive Council in Rivers State. The National Chairman of LP, Julius Abure said the decision followed alleged anti-party activities and corruption in the management of party funds in the state. Abure disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying the dissolution is with immediate effect. He said he has lost confidence in the ability of the “compromised State Executive Council” led by Deinye Pepple to lead the campaign for the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections come March 11. According to him, they were at the helm of affairs in Rivers…
With barely four days to the governorship election across the country, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State on Tuesday boasted that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state will retain power in the state. “By afternoon on Sunday, APC will be declared winner of the governorship election,” he boasted. Lalong stated this while speaking with journalists at the NUJ Secretariat in Jos, the state capital, after inspecting the remodelled NUJ Council Secretariat. He said: “My candidate (Nentawe Yilwatda) will emerge victorious in the governorship election come Saturday. “Even the presidential polls, I had said everywhere I go, that…
The Independent National Electoral Commission and the Police in Kebbi State have dismissed alleged plans to connive with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to rig the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state. NAN recalls that the PDP gubernatorial candidate in the state, Gen. Aminu Bande, made the allegation at a news conference in Birnin Kebbi. NAN reports that the candidate had alleged that the INEC, in collaboration with the police, was conniving with the ruling party to conduct the forthcoming elections without using Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). He also insinuated that ballot papers would be…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended Dr. Nura Ali, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Sokoto State, with immediate effect. InfoStride News reports that the suspension is coming just days before the governorship and House of Assembly elections. Ali’s suspension was announced in a letter by INEC’s Secretary, Rose Orlaran-Anthony, on Monday. Ali was instructed to stay away from the Commission’s office in Sokoto until further notice. The letter reads: “This is to inform you of the Commission’s decision for you [Dr Nura Ali], Resident Electoral Commissioner, Sokoto State, to stay away from the Commission’s office in Sokoto…
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday reaffirmed its judgment compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to put up the names of candidates submitted to it by the national chairman of the Action Alliance (AA), Dr Adekunle Rufai Omoaje. On November 4, 2023, Justice Z. B. Abubakar in a ruling ordered INEC to recognize the candidates submitted to it for the presidency, National Assembly, governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections by Omoaje. The court on Monday directed INEC to recognize the candidates and paste their names at its headquarters and all its state offices. It also…
The Labour Party, LP, has denied it will align with any political party ahead of this weekend’s governorship and State Assembly elections. The National Chairman of LP, Julius Abure, noted this in a statement on Tuesday. Abure said the party didn’t instruct any state chapter to liaise with or support candidates of other parties. He called on supporters to vote for LP candidates in the forthcoming polls. “This call becomes necessary given reports from some political opportunists from other political platforms, claiming that they have reached an agreement with Obidients and LP supporters to cast their ballots for them in…
Eight political parties have withdrawn from the forthcoming governorship election in Kaduna State and are now supporting the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Isa Ashiru. The move is aimed at ensuring that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC is defeated in the governorship election in the state and the main opposition party, PDP takes over the affairs of the state. Amb. Sanin Yaya, the chairman of the Rescue and Rebuild Gubernatorial Candidates Forum, speaking on behalf of all the candidates while addressing newsmen in Kaduna on Monday, said: “Today, we wish to announce our support and loyalty…
Ahead of Saturday’s governorship election, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Femi Fani-Kayode, has said the party will not allow the Labour Party, LP, governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, hand over the state to Igbos. Fani-Kayode noted that Yorubas and Igbos were subjected to torture in the Southeast during the presidential election. In a series of tweets, the politician said some Igbos were killed in the Southeast for voting for the President-elect. According to Fani-Kayode: “How can such a well brought up & distinguished young man be one of those that joined the mob to burn…