The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given an update on some of the items destroyed after its office in an Ogun state local government was set ablaze by hoodlums.
Festus Okoye, INEC’s commission for information and voter education, said over 65,000 uncollected PVCs were destroyed in the fire.
He said in a statement;
“The resident electoral commissioner (REC) for Ogun state, Dr. Niyi Ijalaiye, reported that our office in Abeokuta South local government area was attacked and set ablaze.
“The incident occurred around 1.15am when some unidentified persons overpowered the security personnel on duty and set the entire building ablaze.
“The main building and all the commission’s movable assets in the office were destroyed.
They include 904 ballot boxes, 29 voting cubicles, 30 megaphones, 57 election bags, 8 electric power generators and 65,699 uncollected permanent voters cards (PVCs).”
An office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at Iyana Mortuary, Abeokuta, Ogun State, has been set ablaze by suspected hoodlums.
Daily Trust reported that the hoodlums numbering about eight, had jumped over the fence into the premises and set fire to the INEC building.
They reportedly soaked loaves of bread with petrol and threw them into the building.
The security guard at the facility, Azeez Hamzat, reportedly made a distress call to the police around 1a.m. on Thursday, November 10, over the incident.
Policemen from Ibara division were mobilized to the scene, while firefighters put out the fire.
The Registration Area Officer’s office and the conference room were affected by the inferno. It was also learnt that non-sensitive materials were also affected.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Niyi Ijalaye, said;
“It is correct that our office was set on fire. The police are investigating. I do not know what to say. I’m in shock myself. We called the police and other security agencies at night. The fire brigade put the situation under control. The level of damage is still being assessed.
“It is very shocking and untoward. The security agencies are doing their very best. We are meeting again later today to come up with other strategies (toward securing our facilities).”
The Nigerian Army said its troops conducted a search and rescue operation to extricate a soldier from captivity and never invaded Amangu community in Abia State, as reported on social media.
Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, said the soldier, Bassey Ikunugwan, a staff sergeant, was abducted in Ohafia on November 2.
Nwachukwu said during the search and rescue operations for the missing soldier in Amangu forest, troops clashed with gunmen.
Nwachukwu said weapons and materials belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were recovered from hideouts during the operations.
According to the army spokesperson, a soldier died during the gun battle while one of the criminals was neuralized.
“The attention of the Nigerian Army (NA) has been drawn to some publications making the rounds on social media and some mainstream media alleging that troops of Headquarters 82 Division NA invaded Amangu community in Abia state.
Considering the weighty nature of the allegation, the Nigerian Army deems it necessary to clear the air on this atrocious incident,” the statement read.
“On 2 November 2022, a soldier named Staff Sergeant Bassey Ikunugwan, who was officially on leave pass, was abducted along Road Okwu-Ebem Ohafia in Abia State.
Consequently, on Thursday 3 November 2022, acting on credible intelligence report, troops embarked on a Search and Rescue Operation at Amangu Village/Forest, having confirmed same as an Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) enclave, where the soldier was reportedly held hostage.
During the search and rescue operations, contact was made with members of the proscribed armed groups resulting in exchange of fire.
“In continuation of the search and rescue operations, on 4 November 2022, troops deployed at Okon Aku in Abia State came in contact with members of the armed groups, during which troops neutralized one of the criminals and recovered one AK 47 rifle with a magazine loaded with 7 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) and one mobile phone.
“In a follow up operation on 5 November 2022, troops raided another enclave of the groups around Amangu Village in Abia State.
During the operation, troops neutralized two of the criminals, while some fled with gunshot wounds.
Troops recovered two locally fabricated AK 47 rifles, four Pump Action guns, one locally made Pistol, one Sniper rifle, six magazines, 13 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) and one Motorcycle.
“Other items recovered from the dissidents are 2 CCTV cameras, one solar panel, flags, one walkie-talkie, 2 mobile phones, two pamphlets of Biafran anthem, one INEC box, 12 face caps, machetes, pairs of combat boots, pairs of rain boot, camouflage uniforms, one transistor radio, two jungle hats, two knee guards, one power bank, one INEC image capturing machine and a PVC. Sadly, during these engagements, one soldier paid the supreme sacrifice.
“The NA will leave no stone unturned in the search of the abducted soldier. The NA assures the general public that all operations will be conducted within the ambit of the law and in line with global best practices, Rules of Engagement and Code of Conducts guiding NA operations.
“It should be clear to all that criminal acts of attack on and abduction of service personnel is an act against the State which will not go without consequences.
The recourse to employment of propaganda by these criminal elements will not deter the Army from carrying out its constitutional mandate.
“Law abiding citizens of Amangu community are also advised to go about their legitimate businesses without panic, as the military is always on ground to protect lives and properties.”
Chief Spokesperson for the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo has claimed that the alleged drug money the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate forfeited in the United States was tax.
Keyamo made the claim following the controversy surrounding a document recently released by the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, after Tinubu’s alleged involvement in narcotics and money laundering about 30 years ago was investigated.
Appearing on a Channels Television program last night, Keyamo who insisted that Tinubu was an employee of Mobil Oil and not a treasurer of a drug cartel, also said that he (Tinubu) deposited some funds in bank accounts in the US as investments and got returns on those investments.
He claimed that 10 accounts were linked to Tinubu by United States authorities in the early 90s, and $460,000 were deducted from one of the accounts as tax on investments domiciled in US banks.
The Minister of state for Labour also said Tinubu took responsibility for all the 10 accounts because they were also traced to his mother and “relatives”.
He added that the banks were supposed to deduct taxes from the investments but they did not and this was not a “deliberate act” on the part of Tinubu.
Keyamo said;
“He, Asiwaju, went to open an account, the address by which he opened the account was already used by these people…investigated for narcotics.
“The deposits he made there (in banks) are what bankers called investments; he kept the money there and he was getting interests. They (US government) said he had not paid tax on those interests. That is all and guess what? The banks are supposed to deduct the tax from source.
“Out of the 10 accounts, it was only one account – the one in Heritage Bank – that they took $460,000 as tax on interest that he benefited on the investment he made in those accounts.
“In fact, all the money in Heritage Bank was not taken; they took only $460,000 as tax.”
Keyamo insisted that there’s no criminal indictment or conviction against Tinubu, alleging that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was behind the reincarnation of the controversial court document.
He added;
“His (Tinubu’s) detractors kept bringing up these issues over and over when his political profile is rising, when he wants to run for office or any political turn in his life, they will bring up these issues.
“The date on the papers flying up and down, the date of certification is 2022, so they are using this to confuse people that these are fresh papers. If documents are 40 years old or 100 years old, once you go to court, and apply for certified true copies of those documents, they will give you those documents but they will stamp the day they are giving you those documents.
“This is what our detractors, the PDP, perhaps that is what they went to the US for when they pretended that they went for high-level engagement. This is part of the high-level engagement they went for.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reassured Nigerians that data on the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System will not be compromised.
Appearing on a Channels Television program on Wednesday, November 9, INEC’s Deputy Head of ICT Lawrence Bayode said they’ve loose end towards ensuring that the BVAS is safe tightened every loose end towards ensuring that the BVAS is safe.
He said;
“I want to say again that we have done everything to ensure that the BVAS is not compromised. The data on the BVAS will be secured.
“After the poll, when the data is transmitted to our backend server, the data in transit will be secured. By the time the data gets to our backend server, the data will also be secured there.
“We have looked at the machine, and we looked at a lot of things. As I said earlier, you cannot build such a system and would not fortify the system to solidify it.
“Whether we like it or not, people will try a lot to beat this system. But the more they try, the more they meet a brick wall.
“I can say categorically that we have taken care of every surface attack vulnerability on this system, and we have also tried our best to ensure that the system cannot be hacked into on election day and I can say again that BVAS cannot be compromised.”
The convoy of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was attacked in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Wednesday, November 9.
The presidential campaign trail of the opposition party landed in Borno, an All Progressives Congress (APC) controlled state, on Wednesday.
The hoodlums vandalised vehicles in the convoy of Atiku at Ramat Square in Maiduguri, the state capital.
Confirming the attack, the spokesperson of the Atiku Campaign, Dino Malaye, blamed the attack on the ruling party in Borno. He was quoted as saying over 70 people have been hospitalized due to the attack.
“They wanted to prevent us from holding the campaign, as we speak, 74 people were injured and hospitalized. Several vehicles were vandalised by APC thugs.”he said
The governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which produced Dauda Lawal-Dare as its flagbearer was on Tuesday, November 8, was nullified again by a Federal High Court sitting in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital.
Justice Aminu Bappa also ruled that PDP will not field any candidate for the 2023 governorship election in the state.
This is coming two months after a court nullified the previous primary that elected Lawal-Dare following a suit filed by Ibrahim Shehu and two other aspirants challenging the credibility of the primary.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, House of Representative candidate for Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency, Pharm. Ejikeme Omeje is dead.
Omeje who was a top party candidate in Enugu North Senatorial Zone, died on Tuesday morning, November 8.
He was reported to have been involved in a car crash along Eden Ani/Nsukka road, near El-Rina hotel Nsukka on Monday, November 7.
He was said to be driving alone along the Erina-Edem Ani road in Nsukka, when he suddenly lost control, and his car veered into the bush, hitting a tree in the process.
Eyewitnesses immediately rushed him to a nearby hospital but he later died on Tuesday morning, as a result of serious injuries sustained in the accident.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa has accused the federal government of using uncompleted projects as bait for next year’s elections.
Appearing as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily to discuss issues related to INEC and the elections on Tuesday, November 8, Adegboruwa asked why the federal government is taking so much time to complete certain projects.
He said;
“The federal government is using projects as bait to tie the hands of Nigerians so they can get continuity which is wrong.
“They promised to complete the Second Niger Bridge in 2022, we are already in December and it’s still there. How long will it take to complete a Lagos-Ibadan expressway that is about 200 km?
“I’ve been on that road and nearly lost my life. You see people sandwiched between trucks and inhaling fumes. I know people who have died and have various degrees of health challenges from using that road.
“This is the longest project anyone has embarked on in the world. Being probably the busiest road in Sub-Saharan Africa, it shouldn’t take up to the time it has taken now. Anyone who has suffered a health challenge should take the FG to court because they are liable.”
Governor Nasir El-Rufai has again lashed out at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited for not remitting any revenue into the federation’s account since the beginning of this year.
El-Rufai who spoke at the 2022 Tax Dialogue organised by the Kaduna State Revenue Service in the state capital on Monday, November 7, said NNPC’s failure to remit revenue into the federation’s account has plunged some states into distress.
The Kaduna state Governor noted that federal and state governments now rely on revenues and taxes generated by the Federal Inland Revenue Service and Nigerian Customs Service for survival.
He also disclosed that some states can no longer pay salaries and fulfil their social contract to citizens.
Director General of the Obi-Datti Campaign Organisation, Doyin Okupe has said that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, will no longer attend debates where ”surrogates of leading presidential candidates represent them.”
This is coming after the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, failed to show up for the presidential town hall meeting organized by Arise TV.
Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party was also represented at the event by his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, November 7, Okupe said Obi will no longer debate with surrogates of running mates and will back out of any debate even at the last minute should other presidential candidates fail to show up.
Femi Fani-Kayode took to Instagram on Monday morning, November 7, to mock PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and PDP’s spokesperson, Dino Melaye.
The former Aviation Minister, who is backing the APC presidential candidate, shared photos of what he claimed were Atiku and Melaye’s legs.
He also included a photo of a lightening cream. “Bleacher’s united,” FFK wrote in the caption
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state has increased the number of his Special Assistants on Political Unit Affairs from 100,000 to 200,000.
Wike announced the increase while inaugurating the second and last batch of the initial 100,000 assistants from the Rivers East Senatorial District on Friday, November 4.
Recall that the first batch of about 45,000 assistants from Rivers South-East and Rivers West Senatorial Districts were sworn-in by the Governor on Thursday, November 3.
The job of the Special Assistants is to send in honest feedbacks from the people at the grassroots to the state government
They are to communicate the feelings of the people towards the Wike administration through the 319 Liaison Officers at the Ward levels, who will then report to the 32 State Constituency Liaison Officers for transmission to the office of the Governor.
The 319 Wards Liaison Officers and 32 State Constituency Liaison Officers were sworn in earlier this week.
The Department of State Services ( DSS) has alerted Nigerians that politicians are likely going to use thugs during the campaign for the 2023 elections.
This was disclosed by DSS Director in Kaduna, Mr Abdul Enachie, during a presentation of a report of security situation for 2nd and 3rd Quarter in the state.
Daily Trust reported that Enachie said there is need for government to take the situation seriously by taking steps to sensitize the youths against allowing themselves to be used as thugs in the state and other part of the country.
Also outlining the need for residents to pass information to security agencies, the DSS Director also urged the military to sustains their operations against the terrorists in areas like Birnin Gwari and other flashpoints.
He also appealed to the Federal Government to complete the Kaduna-Abuja highway and Birnin Gwari highway as this would help improve the security situation on the roads.
The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, has said that the Federal government is looking at securing multi-billion dollar loans from financial institutions in China, Portugal and Turkey to fund the completion of the ongoing rail projects across the country.
Sambo stated this when he appeared before the joint National Assembly Committee on Land and Marine Transport, chaired by Senator Danjuma Goje.
He explained that the ministry was committed to the implementation of the Nigeria Railway Modernisation project.
According to him, the railway network was being progressively expanded through yearly budgetary appropriations since the federal government was facing challenges in securing counterpart funding through loans.
“Currently, the implementation of the Kaduna-Kano, Port Harcourt to Maiduguri and Kano – Maradi Segments of the Railway Modernisation is ongoing with the federal government counterpart funding in the 2022 appropriation.
The ministry hopes that the Federal Ministry of Finance concludes negotiation of the loans with infrastructure development finance institutions of the Chinese, Portuguese and Turkish origin to implement the projects.
To ensure finalising and signing of the loan agreements, evidence of source of funding of the balance of the advance payment and other aspects of work to be financed directly by the federal government has to be made available to these financial institutions through adequate budgetary provisions in the year 2023 budget and subsequent budgets.”
He also said the Lagos – Ibadan segment of the Lagos – Kano and Itakpe to Warri railway projects were fully operational and receiving patronage from the general public.
To reach practical completion on the projects, the minister said some aspects of works, including construction of overpass bridges, connection to the national grid and other ancillary provisions had to be completed.
The minister lamented the sad occurrence on the Abuja – Kaduna Rail incident earlier in the year and said plans were ongoing to resume service there. “With the release of those abducted, the Ministry plans to commence operation on the line, but not without taking proper precaution.”
He explained that necessary security gadgets would be installed to monitor the line and forestall a reoccurrence.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq has reacted to claims made by elder statesman and leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, on flooding in South-South states.
Clark had implored the Federal Government to act quickly and save flood victims in the Niger Delta.
Reacting to the plea, Sadiya said an assessment carried out by the ministry, showed that Bayelsa State is not among the top ten most affected states by the recent floods.
She also revealed that the criteria used to arrive at the conclusion are based on the following indices: the number of deaths recorded and displaced persons per state, number of injuries, partially damaged, houses totally damaged, farmlands partially and totally damaged.
Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu has appealed to the Supreme Court to set aside the ruling of the Court of Appeal staying the execution of the court’s judgment discharging him.
Kanu’s lawyers in a statement released, said the ruling has no foundation in law or facts placed before the court.
The statement read;
“We have appealed to the Supreme Court to set aside the ruling of the Court of Appeal staying the execution of the court’s judgment discharging and placing further bar to any further detention and prosecution of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on any charge/indictment before any court in Nigeria.
“Recall that on October 28, 2022, a three-man panel of Learned Justices of the Court of Appeal (Abuja Judicial Division) granted an application for the stay of execution of the judgment of the Court of Appeal, pending the determination of the Appeal filed before the Supreme Court by the Federal Government.
“After a thorough review of the said ruling by our defence team eminently led by foremost leading Senior Advocate of Nigeria – Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), an informed decision was taken by the erudite Senior Advocate and the entire team that the said ruling, which has no foundation in law or facts, placed before the court, should be immediately appealed against, for it to be set aside by the Apex Court.
“Our well-informed position was given a final nod by our indefatigable client, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, during my last visit to him.
“We are, therefore, by this medium, informing the general public, and Umuchineke in particular, that we have filed an appeal against the said Ruling of the Court of Appeal delivered October 28, 2022, and will proactively follow up on the administrative process to ensure that both appeals are given [an] accelerated hearing in line with the extant fast track rules of the Supreme Court.
“We shall keep everyone abreast of the development in the appeals as we progress. We respectfully urge you all to still remain peaceful and law-abiding, as always, and rest assured that the ruling of the Court of Appeal now appealed against will be reviewed on merit by learned Justices of the Supreme Court.
“Let us reiterate, for the avoidance of any doubt, that the said ruling did not interfere in any way with the status of the judgment of the Court of Appeal discharging Onyendu.
“The judgment of the Court of Appeal discharging Onyendu and striking out the seven-count charge still subsists; it has not been set aside. Thank you all, and remain blessed, Umuchineke.”
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara State, Alhaji Ahmad Sani Kaura is dead.
Kaura ,62, slumped and died during a peace meeting organised by the Nigeria Council of Ulamah, Zamfara state chapter on Wednesday, November 2, 2022 in Gusau.
The Nigeria Council of Ulamah is organizing a sensitisation meeting with all the political parties in the state on how to ensure peaceful conduct of 2023 general elections.
The Secretary of the party, Faruku Ahmed Gusau, confirmed the development, stating that the chairman who was invited along with PDP stakeholders for the meeting, had developed sickness immediately after he delivered a speech at the occasion.
Gusau said he was immediately rushed to a nearby private hospital where he was confirmed dead by doctors.
A chieftain of the party in the state, Aminu Umar, said Kaura was sick and had not fully recovered before attending meetings.
Preparations are in top gear to bury his remains according to Islamic rites in his home town of Kaura Namoda.
The late chairman is survived by two wives and six children. Late Kaura emerged as the state party chairman on 23 September 23, 2022, following the resignation of the elected party chairman Col. Bala Mande to contest for the Northern senatorial seat of the state.
Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party has said that the Federal Government has not shown compassion for the plight of flood victims across Nigeria.
Speaking during a visit to Governor Samuel Ortom in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, Obi noted that leadership comes with compassion, listening and understanding.
He said;
“We want a Nigeria that we will show patriotism by caring for the people on everything. Look at the flooding that has happened all over Nigeria. As far as I am concerned, the Government of Nigeria has not responded adequately, they’ve not shown compassion.
“Leadership comes with compassion, it comes with listening, it comes with understanding. Even those people in (Internally Displaced Persons) IDP (camps) how many people has the Federal Government come to visit. That is what you do, that is what shows you are committed.”
Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Toby Okechukwu, has asked the federal government to allow Nigerians carry arms if insecurity in the country persists.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, the lawmaker representing Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency, lamented that even after some members of the National Assembly issued an ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari over insecurity few months ago, the situation has deteriorated rather than improved.
Okechukwu said;
“The idea of you being a citizen is that you will give up your right to carry arms in so doing you give it to the and the state is to protect you.
When they are not able to do that it is a serious situation and the only thing that can avert it is for us to have good leadership. If we continue this way, Nigerians should be allowed to defend themselves.”
When asked if Nigerians defending themselves means they should be allowed to carry arm, he said; “Why not? You want to leave yourself to be killed? By so doing such a call is meant for the state to wake up.
“Security situation has not improved until I am able to go from Abuja to Kaduna the way I used to. In my state the other day they kidnapped a former SSG and some students going back to the university, how can I say it has improved?”
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