The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has disclosed that, a total of N7bn would be expended to conduct governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States. Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Commission, during the budget defence before the joint Committee of Senate and House of Representatives on INEC, on Friday, explained that the sum of N2.6bn would be required for Ekiti election, which has 16 local government areas, while Osun State with 30 local government areas would be needing N4.6bn. The electoral body, had in June this year, announced that governorship elections would hold in Ekiti State on the 18th…
Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso
Amid ongoing tensions with Beijing over Taipei, the US lawmakers on Friday introduced a resolution to support Lithuania’s efforts to strengthen its ties with Taiwan. “Two ranking US senators introduced a resolution to support Lithuania’s efforts to strengthen its ties with Taiwan at a time when China has stepped up pressure against the Baltic state for treating Taipei in a way that offends Beijing,” Focus Taiwan reported. US Republican Senator Jim Risch, also a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, chair of the Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, jointly proposed the…
The National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu, has said Imo State, South East and Nigeria in general will be witnessing another political tsunami that will mark the end of All Progressives Congress, APC, reign in few days from now. Anyanwu, who represented Imo East in the 8th Assembly, said the PDP in Imo State is set to receive over 30,000 APC members into the party in the offing. He said that the decampees are made up of elected, and appointed political office holders in the state and beyond with their supporters. The erstwhile Senate…
Governor Willie Obiano has requested registered voters in Anambra State to turn out not only in large numbers for the Saturday gubernatorial election in the state, but do so early. In a statement on behalf of Governor Obiano this evening, the Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr C. Don Adinuba, quoted Governor Obiano as explaining that an early turnout has become necessary because voting will close at 2.30pm. Governor Obiano assured the people that the voting will be peaceful, free and fair. Governor Obiano reminded the people that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has not only…
Chidozie Nwankwo, candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in Anambra State governorship election has stepped down for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flagbearer, Valentine Ozigbo. The endorsement was announced Friday night by Ozigbo’s media team barely 24 hours before the election. “It is significant for being the only one of such endorsements in this campaign season”, the statement read. Nwankwo pledged the support of his campaign organisation and associates to Ozigbo and prayed for his success on Saturday. Nwankwo urged his structures and supporters to offer the same support he received to Ozigbo. “After due consultations with top aides, friends…
Nepal will sell its surplus electricity to India at a competitive rate after New Delhi allowed the neighbouring country to trade its power in the Indian power exchange market, according to media reports on Wednesday. The Energy Exchange under India’s Power Ministry on Monday granted permission to Nepal after persistent lobbying from Kathmandu, as Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is now in a position to sell its surplus energy, according to a report in The Kathmandu Post. In the first phase, 39MW power, including 24MW produced by NEA-owned Trishuli hydropower and 15MW Devighat power house, has been permitted for trading in…
Following the cancellation of the one-week sit-at-home exercise of the November 6 gubernatorial election in Anambra State, by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), some stakeholders have applauded the leadership of the youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, for her critical interventions and engagements credited to the call off of the one-week sit-at-home by the pro-Biafra group. InfoStride News gathered that the highest youth socio-cultural organization in Igboland had embarked on intensive engagement with agitators over the last week, which culminated in the setting up the Anambra Election Security Monitoring Committee, that made the far-reaching inroads…
Civil society groups monitoring the Anambra governorship election have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Police Force to ensure that the election is not tampered with. The groups, including; Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Yiaga Africa and Access Nigeria Campaign stated this in separate press conferences as part of their preparation for the election and also for the unveiling of their situation rooms. The groups also called for early deployment of voting materials to the polling units. Speaking to journalists, Convener of Civil Society Situation Room, Mrs Ene Obi said the group has received assurances…
Bianca, the widow of late Biafra warlord, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, has described the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, as a secret cult. Bianca further expressed concerns over the Anambra ruling party’s dwindling political fortune. She made the remarks in a statement she released to mark the posthumous birthday of her husband on November 4. “APGA is now like a secret cult, and this has reduced our once vibrant party to a shadow of its former self,” she lamented. Bianca lamented the recent movement of members of the Anambra ruling political party to other parties. She blamed the current situation…
Ahead of the Anambra governorship election on Saturday, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has advised residents to take their destiny into their hands and come out to cast their votes. In a thread on his Twitter page, Atiku said the Anambra election for the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, ushers the commencement of the process of rescuing Nigeria from socio-economic and political chaos. According to him, the Anambra governorship election of tomorrow will be a litmus test for deepening Nigeria’s democracy. His tweets read: “The Anambra governorship election of tomorrow will be a litmus test for deepening our nation’s democracy via…
Millions of dollars vanished in a matter of minutes after investors piled into a new cryptocurrency inspired by “Squid Game,” the popular Netflix survival series, only to watch its value plunge to nearly zero in a few short hours. The cryptocurrency, called Squid, began trading early last week at a price of just one penny per token. In the following days, it drew attention from a number of mainstream media outlets. By early Monday, it was trading at $38 a token on a cryptocurrency exchange called Pancakeswap. Then Squid went on a roller-coaster ride. In a 10-minute span later on…
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ondo State chapter has accused Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of playing politics with the lives of the people of the state. According to the party, the lackadaisical attitude of the governor in securing the state led to the withdrawal of the soldiers from checkpoints across the highways in the state. InfoStride News had reported that insecurity looms in the State following the withdrawal of soldiers from various checkpoints across the state. Also, PDP on Wednesday had alleged that the failure of Akeredolu to pay the soldiers their allowances was the reason for the withdrawal from the…
Deji Adeyanju, an Abuja-based activist, has urged the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in Anambra State, Valentine Ozigbo to step down. Adeyanju advised Ozigbo to step down for the candidates of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, or YPP. The Convener of Concerned Nigerians gave the advice barely 48 hours before the governorship election. In a tweet, Adeyanju said Ozigbo should not waste his money and the time of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Adeyanju said Ozigbo is not qualified to run for the governorship election of Anambra State. “The PDP candidate in the Anambra election should step…
The Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Mathew Kukah has urged the good people of Anambra to remember ‘Cain and Abel’ in the holy bible and avoid bloodshed during Saturday’s governorship election. Kukah disclosed this while speaking in Awka during the ceremony of the signing of the peace accord by candidates for Saturday’s Anambra governorship election. He said, “First of all, I want to thank the Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood. His tenacity and commitment. He has made the credibility of the institution he represents quite easy for many of us. Let me use the word follow him and support him.…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday, said it has constituted a screening committee. The committee according to a statement by Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary of the party will screen aspirants for the June 18, 2022, Ekiti State governorship election. The statement which was issued on Thursday named members of the screening committee to include, Sen. Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, Chairman, Amb. Mrs. Fidelia A. Njeze, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, Arch. Rev. Benson Ezem and Chief Rahman Owokoniran (PDP South-West Zonal Secretary) as member/secretary. He said the screening exercise has been scheduled for Monday, November 8, 2021, at the NWC Hall…
China conducts influence operations, which target cultural institutions, media organisations, business, academic, and policy communities in the US, other countries, and international institutions, to achieve outcomes favourable to its strategic objectives, Pentagon said in its recent report on Wednesday. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seeks to condition domestic, foreign, and multilateral political establishments and public opinion to accept Beijing’s narratives and remove obstaclespreventing the attainment of goals, stated the Pentagon 2021 Report on Military and Security Developments Involving the PRC. CCP leaders probably consider open democracies, including the US, as more susceptible to influence operations than other types of governments,…
Candidates for Saturday’s Anambra governorship election on Thursday signed a peace accord in Awka, the state capital. Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was present at the ceremony, which was facilitated by the National Peace Committee. The National Peace Committee, under the Chairmanship of former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd) and the Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Bishop Mathew Kukah, was also present at the ceremony. Anambra and other southeast states have witnessed several ‘gunmen’ attacks recently, casting doubts on the safety of the elections. The proscribed Independent People of Biafra (IPOB)…
Following the emergence of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the just-concluded 2021 National Convention, over 170,000 Nigerians in Benue State have applied for the ongoing e-registration of the party. InfoStride News recalls that Ayu, after emerging as chairman at the convention held in Abuja, immediately called on Nigerians to join the party to help rescue the country from “APC misrule”. A few days after, there has been massive defection into the party as Nigerians of all classes rush to acquire membership of the opposition party across the country. The development was disclosed…
Ahead of Saturday’s Anambra governorship election, a Special Adviser to Gov. Willie Obiano, Chief Tommy Okoli, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Okoli, a former governorship aspirant under the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), announced his defection at a rally on Thursday in Ukpor, Nnewi South Local Government Area of the state. He said he was supporting the candidature of Mr. Valentine Ozigbo and his running mate, Mrs. Azuka Enemo of the PDP, in the election. According to him, he is throwing his weight behind Ozigbo, having x-rayed all the candidates and finding PDP most qualified for…
More than a thousand people blocked several streets in the center of the Ukrainian capital Wednesday, protesting against COVID-19 vaccine certificates and state-imposed restrictions aimed at halting the spread of the coronavirus. The protesters, mostly women and young people, didn’t wear masks and held up signs reading Say No to COVID Passports, Say No to COVID Genocide in front of the Ukrainian parliament building in Kyiv. The rally comes in response to restrictions that require teachers, government employees and other workers to get fully vaccinated by November 8 or have their salaries suspended. Last week, Ukrainian authorities also started requiring…