A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship campaign council in Edo State, Regina Oviaesu, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of deliberately hindering their legal attempts to challenge the outcome of the recent governorship election. INEC declared Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the election. Okpebholo secured victory in 11 local government areas, while PDP candidate Asue Ighodalo won in seven, with Labour Party candidate Olumide Akpata failing to win in any local government area. The official results, announced by INEC’s Returning Officer, Prof. Faruk Adamu Kuta, Vice-Chancellor of the…
Author: Ifeanyi N.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the office of the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Edo State have refuted claims suggesting that some political parties were blocked from accessing and inspecting the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices and other materials used in recent elections. Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Edo State, responded to the allegations in a statement, describing them as baseless, misleading, and entirely false. He reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to transparency, fairness, and integrity in all electoral processes under his leadership. “The inspection of election materials is a fundamental right of all parties involved in…
The 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has passed a bill for the establishment of the Federal University of Technology, Ilaro, Ogun State, marking a significant step toward fulfilling the educational aspirations of the Ogun West Senatorial District. The bill, titled Federal University of Technology, Ilaro, Ogun State (SB 345, 2024) was sponsored by Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola Yayi, representing Ogun West. It aims to upgrade the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro into a full-fledged University of Technology. This is the second time the Senate has passed this bill. It was initially approved by the 9th Senate but did not…
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a commercial sex worker, Joy Kelvin, for allegedly stabbing a 48-year-old client, identified as Okafor, to death. The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident on Monday. The stabbing reportedly took place at 5:32 a.m. at Jakande Housing Estate in the Lekki area of Lagos State. According to Hundeyin, the case was reported to the Ilasan Division by a friend of the deceased. “A complainant reported that he received a call from one of his friends that Okafor had been stabbed in his house by Joy Kelvin, a prostitute he…
The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested a 37-year-old woman, Fatima Abubakar, in Yola South Local Government Area for allegedly torturing two toddlers under her care. Fatima was taken into custody after it was revealed that she had physically assaulted a 2-year-old girl and a young boy. According to police reports, the abuse occurred after the children urinated and defecated inside the house. The spokesperson for the Adamawa State Police Command, Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje, confirmed the arrest on Monday, stating that investigations uncovered a pattern of mistreatment by Fatima. “Neighbours reported that Fatima, who is childless, had a history of…
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has blamed Governor Siminalayi Fubara for the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State. Wike made these accusations during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, stating that Governor Fubara’s actions have contributed to the current unrest in the state. The minister criticized Fubara’s decision to proceed with local government elections, suggesting that it was a violation of the rule of law. “No person who believes in peace and stability of any nation will say they support violence, destruction, or disharmony. But when there is violence and instability, the…
The leader of the Labour Party (LP) in Imo State, Senator Athan Achonu, has refuted claims that the party’s state chairman, Callistus Ihejiagwa, has been removed from his position following a stakeholders’ meeting. Achonu clarified that no congress has been held in Imo State, and therefore, Ihejiagwa remains the duly recognized chairman of the Labour Party in the state. In a statement signed by the Director General of the Senator Athan Achonu Campaign Organisation, Chime Nzeribe, the senator addressed what he called “unnecessary speculations” that followed the stakeholders’ meeting in Umuahia, Abia State. Achonu emphasized that the party remains united…
More than two weeks after the Edo State off-cycle governorship election, the women’s wing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday, demanding the declaration of the party’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo, as the winner. InfoStride News reports that the women, dressed in black, alleged that the mandate freely given to Ighodalo was stolen by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and handed to the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo. The women vowed to continue protesting until what they described as their “stolen mandate” was restored. Carrying placards with inscriptions like “INEC sack Edo…
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has predicted that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, will face disgrace in Abuja. The cleric issued this warning on Tuesday in light of Wike’s ongoing conflict with Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara. In a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Primate Ayodele described Wike’s battle with Governor Fubara as an attempt to challenge God, cautioning the FCT Minister to end the political crisis or risk being forgotten in Nigeria’s political landscape. This warning comes amid an escalating power tussle in Rivers State, where…
Labour Party Chairman, Julius Abure, has reacted to the Federal High Court’s ruling affirming his leadership of the party. On Tuesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja declared Abure as the substantive Chairman of the Labour Party and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize him as the legitimate leader of the party. This ruling overturns INEC’s previous stance, which had rejected Abure’s leadership. In his response, Abure expressed gratitude for the court’s decision, calling it “a triumph for justice and democracy.” In a statement issued on Tuesday, Abure said, “This victory is not just mine, but a…
The Abia State Government has approved the provision of funds and running costs for the offices of school heads across the state, a move aimed at addressing issues of illegal fee collections and easing pressure on educational administrators. The decision comes in response to allegations of illegal fees being collected in some primary and secondary schools. The announcement was made by the Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, during a media briefing at Government House Umuahia, following this week’s State Executive Council (SEC) meeting, presided over by Governor Alex Otti. Kanu stated that the move aligns with the ongoing reforms in…
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, has announced that two out of the three Bus and Taxi Terminals under construction by the FCT Administration will be ready by January 2025. Wike made this known during an inspection of the ongoing projects in Abuja on Tuesday. He emphasized that upon completion, all buses and taxis would be required to operate from designated terminals, ensuring better traffic management across the FCT. Expressing satisfaction with the progress made since the project’s commencement in July, Wike noted that the contractor was initially given 15 months to deliver the terminals…
The Federal Government has assured that the first 47 kilometres of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, currently under construction, will be completed by May 2025. Minister of Works, David Umahi, gave this assurance while inspecting a section of the road that had been evacuated and refilled after being used as a dump site. Umahi expressed confidence in the construction company’s reliability, stating that it would achieve one kilometre of concrete pavement per day, ensuring that the project remains on track. He also mentioned that squatters along the site corridors would soon be removed for failing to relocate voluntarily. “I am very…
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested 33-year-old Olayemi Olawale Shedrack, a suspected rapist and armed robber, in Ijagun, Odogbolu Local Government Area. Shedrack is accused of being involved in a series of armed robberies and sexual assaults targeting female students at Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun. The arrest follows an incident in July when female students at the Royal Villa accommodation were robbed of their laptops, cash, and other belongings, and some were raped. Confirming the arrest, Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, told Journalists on Monday that Shedrack had been on the police wanted list. He was…
Gunmen suspected to be bandits have abducted Isah Daya, the district head of Kanya in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State. The incident occurred on Saturday when the attackers stormed the village, leaving one person dead, three injured, and eight others kidnapped. Kebbi State Police Public Relations Officer, Nafiu Abubakar, confirmed the attack and identified the deceased as Sheriff Alhaji Almu. He stated that a combined security team, led by the police, has launched a manhunt for the abductors in an effort to rescue the kidnapped individuals. Abubakar also mentioned that the Kebbi State Government has provided necessary logistical…
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has urged newly sworn-in local government chairmen and their deputies not to misconstrue their autonomy as an invitation to operate independently from the state government. The governor made the remarks during the swearing-in ceremony on Monday at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Uyo. Governor Eno emphasized that no arm of government can function in isolation and encouraged the council executives to foster synergy with the state government, while assuring them that their financial autonomy would be respected. The swearing-in followed the local government elections held on Saturday, October 5, 2024. According to…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has congratulated its candidates on their victories in the local government elections conducted by the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) on Saturday. In a statement released on Sunday by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Daniel Ihomun, the Chairman of the Benue chapter, Comrade Austin Agada, praised the party’s candidates for their resounding success in the polls. Agada said the results demonstrate the widespread acceptance and popularity of the APC in Benue State. “The party congratulates all members in the state and dedicates this victory to God and the people of Benue State, irrespective of their…
The Action Alliance candidate, Hon. Uzordinma Nwafor, has been declared the winner of the Etche Local Government Area election in Rivers State, following the conclusion of results collation. The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) had earlier announced that the Action Peoples Party (APP) won 22 out of the 23 local government areas during the election held on Saturday. However, the results for Etche LGA were delayed as collation was still ongoing. RSIEC’s Chief Election Officer, Justice Adolphus Enebeli, who made the declaration in Port Harcourt, clarified that the results for Etche LGA and the 319 councillorship positions were pending…
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has revealed that 84 of its members died between May and August 2024, attributing the deaths to economic hardship and unpaid salaries. ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, made this disclosure during an appearance on Channels Television’s socio-political program, Inside Sources with Laolu Akande. “In the past three months, from May to August 2024, Nigerian universities lost 84 academics to death, largely due to the harsh conditions our members are enduring,” Osodeke said. “Despite this crisis, the government is withholding three-and-a-half or more months of salaries under the no-work, no-pay policy. Our members are…
The Simon Ekpa-led Biafra Republic Government In-Exile (BRGIE) has announced that discussions have commenced with members of the United States government over the self-determination and liberation of Biafra. Ekpa made this known in a statement shared via his official X handle on Monday, citing historical grievances, economic disparities, and socio-political marginalization by the Nigerian government as the driving forces behind Biafra’s push for independence. According to Ekpa, over 50 million Igbos have participated in a self-referendum for Biafra’s secession, reflecting the overwhelming desire for self-rule. He stressed that the recent consultations with U.S. congressmen are part of efforts to craft…