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Tag: election

  • Why I will vote for Diri – Bayelsa resident, Happiness

    Why I will vote for Diri – Bayelsa resident, Happiness

    Mrs Happiness Godsent, a business woman, on Friday said she would vote for Gov. Douye Diri in the Nov. 11 election “because when he became governor, with His Church heart, he brought peace to Bayelsa”.

    Godsent told NAN on Friday in Yenagoa that “the governor has been there for the people of Bayelsa and has ensured peaceful coexistence among citizens”.

    “This governor is someone that has time for the people. Since he became governor, we have been having peace in the state.

    “Before he came on board, we used to run up and down. Since he came in, we can move around without fear.

    “Now, I can do my business till 11 p.m. with my mind at peace. Before he came, the latest we could stay was 9 p.m. with fear and the street shaking.

    “He has really made things easy for us. As you can see, tomorrow is election day and we are all prepared for it as we move around freely.

    “The people can now move with confidence without being molested.”

    She said that the governor also ensured they had good roads, adding that in the past, one usually found it difficult to walk on the streets as the roads were not tarred.

    “This Azikoro road is a route that vehicles could not move on, but now it is motorable. Cars are plying it. Everywhere looks good.

    “The roads are now tarred with street lights. He really tried. That is why I am going to vote for him.

    “I came to Bayelsa since 2002 and I know how these boys were behaving. We used to run up and down but things have changed now. The running around has stopped.

    “A lot of things were happening in other places, but in Bayelsa, he calmed a lot of things.

    “Even if the boys want to create a scene, he tells them that he is the governor and they usually listen,” she said.

    She also credited Diri with paying salaries regularly.

    “He pays salaries regularly. That makes business to move very fast.

  • Guber Polls: DSS cautions parties, supporters to play by rules in Kogi, Imo, Bayelsa

    Guber Polls: DSS cautions parties, supporters to play by rules in Kogi, Imo, Bayelsa

    The Department of State Services (DSS) has cautioned key political actors and their supporters in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa States to conform to the rules of engagement and specifically the electoral law during the conduct of Saturday’s gubernatorial elections.

    Director, Public Relations and Strategy, of the DSS, Dr Peter Afunanya, gave the advice in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja. Afunanya explained the warning had become necessary in order to avert situations likely to undermine the electoral processes.

    He disclosed that so far, the Service had substantially liaised with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), sister security agencies and relevant civil society organisations to ensure a hitch free exercises in the three states.

    “The Service, therefore, implores all stakeholders, irrespective of their political affiliations or grievances, to engage in respectful and constructive conversations that promote collective understanding.

    “It has thus become imperative that public commentaries should shift towards unity and peace necessary for national development and security. This should be our shared responsibility and indeed the priority of everyone.

    “Those on election duties, including the media and civil society, are encouraged to avoid things that will inflame sentiments and cause a breakdown of law and order. Broadcast and monitoring activities should be devoid of manipulations. Stakeholders are enjoined to note that politics should not be used to destroy the country or any part of it.

    “However, individuals or groups that may decide to engage in illegitimate acts or inimical conducts to public order will be decisively dealt with as dictated by the law.

    “Consequently, citizens are encouraged to be patriotic as well as recognise that our loyalty and love to the nation should transcend individual or parochial interests.

    “Everyone is called upon to eschew bitterness and promote dialogue that contributes to the progress of the nation. Together, we can build a stronger and more secure future for our beloved country,” he said.

    Afunanya expressed concern over what he described as rising trends of incendiary comments by some personalities and groups since the end of the general elections. He noted that with the elections and the attendant contentions legally over, it is expected that everyone should forge ahead in nation building without rancour or acrimony.

    The DSS, he said, would deal decisively with those involved in making inflammatory remarks capable of destroying the country. The Service also, warned Nigerian citizens whether at home or abroad, whose intentions are to demarket or subvert Nigeria through misleading and false narratives to desist from such acts.

    “The Department of State Services, DSS, has observed rising trends and patterns of incendiary comments by some personalities of influence and representatives of non-governmental entities within and outside the country. Such statements run against public peace and harmony.

    “It is strongly believed that a resort to acerbic pronouncements by certain persons will not only heat-up the polity but set the ground for deep-seated animosities and divisions among the populace,” the statement read.
    END

  • Edo 2024: Eromosele seeks support of Edo indigenes in Lagos

    Edo 2024: Eromosele seeks support of Edo indigenes in Lagos

    The governorship aspiration of Chief Executive Officer of Mudiame International Limited (MIL) and Founder of Mudiame University, Irrua (MUI), Edo State, Prof. Sunny Eboh Eromosele, received a major boost at the weekend in Lagos.

    This comes as members of Idumabi Development Association (IDA), Lagos branch, set up a “Contact and Mobilisation sub-Committee,” to rally supports of Edo State indigenes resident in Lagos State, towards Mr Eromosele’s bid to be Governor of Edo State in 2024.

    Specifically, the five-member sub-committee is to identify, and liaise with contactpersons among officials of associations, unions, clubs and allied bodies of Edo indigenes in Lagos, with the aim of forming an all-inclusive Contact and Mobilisation Committee of “Edo Indigenes in Lagos for ‘Eromosele For Edo Governor 2024.’”

    This encompassing committee will then be the nucleus of interactions with Mr Eromosele whenever he comes to Lagos, to seek supports of Edo indigenes in the state.

    Thereafter, Mr Eromosele, running on the platform of Labour Party (LP), will meet and address a “full house” of Edo indigenes in Lagos, to inform them about his ambition, vision and mission for Edo State if he becomes Governor.

    Mr Eromosele, who hails from Idumabi community in Irrua, Esan Central L.G.A of Edo State, is a “man of many firsts.” His new university is the first privately-owned institution of higher education, and a major employer of labour in Irrua Kingdom in Esan Central.

    The technical, mechanical, technological and innovative skills-acquitition-oriented school matured from the Mudiame Welding Institute (MWI) – a subsidiary of Mudiame International Limited (MIL) – which offers international welding training certification diploma courses, in alignment with the International Institute of Welding (IIW) guidelines and requirements.

    The MWI produces proficient Welding Engineers and Welders in West Africa, with the graduates actively participating in major projects, including the prestigious Egina Project in Nigeria.

    Mr Eromosele, who boasts substantial experience in entrepreneurship and management, has Oil & Gas as core business, with special focus on promoting Local Content Capacity Building in West Africa, which led to the establishment of Mudiame International Limited.

    The company, capable of conducting nearly all necessary Testing activities for the Oil and Gas sectors in Nigeria, functions as a comprehensive laboratory, offering testing and calibration services to both upstream and downstream sectors of the Oil and Gas industries and allied companies – testing and calibration previously done overseas.

    The 2010 volcanic eruption that disrupted the practice of sending test specimens abroad for mechanical testing for the Oil and Gas industries in West Africa, prompted Mr Eromosele to establish a Mechanical Test Laboratory.

    This enables these companies to successfully conduct mechanical tests locally, thus earning the laboratory accreditation and certification to ISO IEC 17025 accreditation (IAS) and ISO 9001:2015 certification (UXAS).

    Mr Eromosele has also established the only internationally-accredited Civil Construction Laboratory in Nigeria, responsible for construction industries and failure investigation on collapsed structures.

    Similarly, Mr Eromosele, dubbed variously as, “The Pathfinder,” “The Innovator,” and “The Skills Man,” has forayed into the aviation sector – to solve hazardous problems and minimise the fatality rate in the sector – with the establishment of the only calibration centre, providing support for the aviation industry in Nigeria, and offering support to the Nigerian Air Force to achieve local capacity.

    Expectedly, Mr Eromosele’s steadfast dedication to the Oil and Gas Industries has earned his companies several prestigious awards from global organisations.

    They include, among others, the International Diamond Price Award for Excellence in Quality Research (ESQR) in 2015; the Golden Award for Quality and Business Prestige issued by the Association Other Ways Management and Consulting in 2015; the African Leadership Industry Achievement Award from the African Business and Investment Forum; and the International Arch of Europe (IAE) Award by the Business Initiative Directions (BID) in 2015.

    These are the kinds of expertise, skills and experience that Mr Eromosele states he wants to bring to bear in the governance of Edo State, which, he envisions will be the “technical, mechanical, technological and innovative industrial hub of Nigeria.”

    Hence, he cherishes and seeks the supports of Edo indigenes, both in and outside the state, which’s christened, “The Heart Beat of The Nation.”

    With his catchphrase of “Edo will ‘Rise and Walk’ again,” Mr Eromosele says he wants to make Edo State “truly the Heart Beat of Nigeria.”

    Canvassing his cause at the weekend, Mr Randy Aileonoator, Eromosele’s relation and point-man in Lagos, formally briefed members of the IDA, Lagos branch – during their monthly meeting hosted by Mr Sunday Idiake at Agbara Estate in Ogun State – on Mr Eromosele’s aspiration, and why they should bless and support him.

    Mr Aileonoator stressed Mr Eromosele’s desire to work with Edo indigenes in Lagos, to mobilise for his interest to govern Edo State.

    Welcoming Eromosele’s bid, which they declared as a collective responsibility, members of the IDA decided to empanel a five-member sub-committee, to liaise with officials of associations, unions, clubs and other bodies of Edo indigenes in Lagos.

    Members of the sub-committee are Dr Godfrey I. Adudu, National President of IDA; Mr Patrick Iyoha, Chairman, IDA, Lagos branch; Mr Idiake, Vice Chairman, IDA, Lagos; Mr Ehichioya Ezomon, ex-Vice Chairman, IDA, Lagos; and Mr Ehimen Ogbeni, Youth President, IDA, Lagos.

  • Imo,Kogi, Bayelsa polls: We’re deploying 46,084 regular and adhoc staff

    Imo,Kogi, Bayelsa polls: We’re deploying 46,084 regular and adhoc staff

    The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has said that the commission would be deploying about 46,084 regular and ad hoc staff for the November 11 off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states.

    Speaking at a meeting with state Resident Electoral Commissioners in Abuja, the INEC chairman also said that the 18 political parties participating in the election would be deploying 137,934 agents made up of 130,093 polling and 7,841 collation Officers.

    In addition, Prof Yakubu said the commission has already accredited about 126 national and international organisations collectively deploying 11,000 observers for the election.

    He also disclosed that the commission is finalising reports of both the 2023 General Election and the outcome of its review of the same election.

    Last week, we conducted a mock accreditation involving actual voters in designated polling units in the three States. We had two objectives for the exercise. First, to test the efficacy of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for especially biometric authentication of voters.

    “Secondly, to upload the result to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). Both tests were successful. We look forward to improved performance of the BVAS in voter accreditation and result upload in the forthcoming elections.

    While we are leaving no stone unturned in other areas of preparations for the elections, the Commission plans to deploy a total of 46,084 regular and ad hoc staff for the election.

    “We have so far accredited 126 national and international organisations collectively deploying 11,000 observers for the election.

    “Although the portal for media accreditation closes on Tuesday 24th October 2023, we have received applications from 80 media organisations seeking to deploy 1,203 personnel made up of journalists and technical/support staff to report on the elections.

    The 18 political parties participating in the elections are deploying 137,934 agents made up of 130,093 polling and 7,841 collation agents. We are also finalizing arrangements for vehicles and boats for land and maritime movement of personnel and materials.

     

    “Such massive deployment requires a secure environment which is beyond our immediate responsibilities. As we said repeatedly, we are concerned about the prevailing insecurity and election-related violence in the three States.

     

    ‘We have been reassured of adequate deployment by the security agencies. On our part, we will continue to deepen our engagement with the security agencies, and more meetings are planned in the next few days.

    “Similarly, the Commission will hold a series of meetings with stakeholders at the national level in addition to ongoing engagements at the state level.”

  • Liberians vote as George Weah seeks second term

    Liberians vote as George Weah seeks second term

    No fewer than 2.4 million voters in Liberia are eligible to cast their ballots on Tuesday in a general election in which President George Weah is seeking a second term after the first six years.

    Weah, 57, who turned to politics after a successful soccer career, said he needs more time to fulfil his promise to rebuild the West African nation’s broken economy, institutions and infrastructure, pledging to pave more roads if reelected.

    Elected in 2017 in the country’s first democratic change of power in over 70 years, Weah is running against 19 other presidential candidates. To avoid a runoff, the winner must secure 50 per cent of votes cast, plus at least one more vote.

    Wrapping up his campaign after a parade across the capital Monrovia on Sunday evening, Weah cast his first term as a success despite significant challenges.

    The iron-ore-rich West African nation is still struggling to emerge from two devastating civil wars between 1989 and 2003, which killed over 250,000 people, and a 2013-16 Ebola epidemic that killed thousands.

    “I’m proud of the record of achievement in a very difficult period. We were able to do much with fewer resources and solve many structural problems,” Weah told cheering supporters.

    He has faced criticism from the opposition and Liberia’s international partners for not doing enough to tackle corruption during his first term in office.

    In 2022, he fired his chief of staff and two other senior officials after the United States sanctioned them for corruption.

    In his final speech, he highlighted other steps taken to address graft including the appointment of independent members to the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission.

    “In our second term, we plan to increase efforts on our war on corruption,’’ he said.

    Weah’s main challenger is former Vice-President Joseph Boakai, 78, whom he defeated in a runoff in 2017.

    Boakai has campaigned on what he calls the need to rescue Liberia from alleged mismanagement by Weah’s administration.

    Voters will also select members of the 73-seat lower house and half of the 30-member senate.

    Although campaigning for the vote has been mostly peaceful, sporadic clashes have broken out between supporters of rival parties, prompting the United Nation’s rights office to express concern about election-related violence after two people were killed in September.

    On Sunday as campaigns closed in the capital, several people were wounded when fighting broke out between rival supporters.

  • After disputed election: Zimbabwe President appoints son as Deputy Finance Minister

    After disputed election: Zimbabwe President appoints son as Deputy Finance Minister

    Despite the dispute in his election, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Monday appointed his son as the deputy finance minister and retained Mthuli Ncube as the finance minister as he battles to rescue the country’s ailing economy.

    The 80-year-old leader is under pressure to rebuild an economy hit by lack of foreign investment, unemployment, high inflation and a local dollar which has plunged 80% this year.

    Mnangagwa won a second term in a disputed vote last month, which the opposition described as a “gigantic fraud” amid criticism from election observers who say the election failed to meet regional and international standards.

    An ex-banker, Ncube himself has not been spared criticism after his economic policies failed to generate growth, amid failure to repay foreign debt in excess of $17 billion.

    Mnangagwa appointed his son David Mnangagwa to be Ncube’s deputy as part of the parliament’s youth quota, while also announcing Soda Zhemu to head the mining ministry.

    Zhemu replaced Winston Chitando as the Mines Minister, who headed the ministry since November 2017. He was the Minister of Energy and Power Development since 2020.

    Mining generates more than half of Zimbabwe’s foreign export earnings and Mnangagwa has said the sector, which is attracting investors in lithium mining, will anchor future economic growth.

    The ruling ZANU-PF party’s national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri was re-appointed as the Defence Minister.

    “I have a huge majority and I think the opposition would enjoy to be in actual opposition rather than in government,” Mnangagwa told reporters after announcing the cabinet list, which had no opposition officials in it.

  • Tsunami In Edo! PDP clinches all 18 LGAs election

    Tsunami In Edo! PDP clinches all 18 LGAs election

    It was Tsunami the heartbeat of the nation as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clinched all 18 Local Government Areas in the Edo State local government election held on Saturday, according to results released by the state independent electoral commission.

    The election was held in all the 18 local government areas of the state covering Edo North, Edo Central and Edo South senatorial districts.

    Apart from the PDP, other major political parties that participated in the election for Chairmanship and Councillorship of all the wards include the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP).

    See full results below:

    PDP: 16077
    APC: 2519
    LP: 2536

    Ovia South West

    APC: 5361
    LP: 3216
    PDP: 10,721

    Total Registered: 89,897
    Accredited: 21,442
    Invalid: 429

    Uhunmwode Local Government

    Adodo O. Kenneth of PDP Declared

    APC: 2317
    LP: 1436
    PDP: 15,615

    Total Registered: 68,474
    Accredited: 19,461
    Valid; 19,431
    Invalid: 27

    Owan West Local Government

    Ahonsi Dickson Idojemu of PDP Declared Winner

    APC: 3825
    LP: 2365
    PDP: 13, 171

    Total Registered:
    Accredited: 19
    Valid:
    Invalid: 63

    Akoko Edo Local Government

    Tajudeen Alade Suleiman of PDP Declared Winner

    APC: 5369
    LP: 2083
    PDP: 21,417

    Total Registered: 95,711
    Accredited: 28,957
    Valid: 28, 957
    Invalid: 10

    Etsako East Local Government

    Ato Benedicta of PDP Declared Winner

    APC: 4076
    LP: 1711
    PDP: 16, 428

    Total Registered:
    Accredited:
    Valid: 22, 269
    Invalid:

    Etsako Central Local Government

    Obomigie Imokhae Solomon of PDP Declared Winner

    APC: 7, 896
    LP: 4, 606
    PDP: 30, 594

    Etsako West Local Government

    Zimbiril Marvelous of PDP is Declared Winner

    APC: 29, 445
    LP: 23, 832
    PDP: 98, 046

    Total Registered:
    Accredited:
    Valid:
    Invalid:

    Ikpoba-Okha Local Government

    DR. ERIC IYOBA OSAYANDE of PDP Declared Winner

    APC: 3, 085
    LP: 3, 857
    PDP: 27, 768

    Total Registered: 166,035
    Accredited: 38,566
    Valid: 37, 795
    Invalid: 771

    Ovia North East Local Government

    Collins Osamede Ogbewe of PDP Declared Winner

    APC: 636
    LP: 617
    PDP: 4, 869

    Total Registered: 50, 554
    Accredited: 6, 176
    Valid: 6, 165
    Invalid: 11

    Igueben Local Government

    Asueleme Clement of PDP Declared Winner

    APC: 557
    LP: 660
    PDP: 5, 262

    Total Registered: 63, 473
    Accredited: 6, 551
    Valid: 6, 540
    Invalid: 11

    Esan Central Local Government

    Iyoha Paul of PDP Declared Winner

    APC: 23, 885
    LP: 14, 331
    PDP: 47, 771

    Total Registered: 129, 850
    Accredited: 97, 299
    Valid: 95, 942
    Invalid: 1911

    Orhionmwon Local Government

    Ugiagbe Newman Oghomwen of PDP Declared Winner

    APC: 1616
    LP: 1737
    PDP: 14, 904

    Total Registered:
    Accredited:
    Valid: 18, 317
    Invalid: 21

    Esan West Local Government

    Aigbogun O. Collins of PDP Declared Winner

    APC: 1, 665
    LP: 2, 183
    PDP: 11, 963

    Total Registered: 83, 811
    Accredited: 15, 875
    Valid: 15, 866
    Invalid: 9

    Esan South East Local Government

    Imadegbeho Luis of PDP Declared Winner

    APC: 1344
    LP: 791
    PDP: 16072

    Total Registered:
    Accredited:
    Valid: 15, 866
    Invalid:

    Esan North East Local Government

    Inegbe Paul of PDP Declared Winner

    APC: 5550
    LP: 3298
    PDP: 20, 702

    Total Registered: 101,006
    Accredited: 29,680
    Valid:
    Invalid: 16

    Owan East Local Government

    Prince Aminu Kadiri of PDP Declared Winner

    APC: 12, 203
    LP: 7695
    PDP: 35, 380

    Total Registered:
    Accredited:
    Valid:
    Invalid:

    Egor Local Government

    Hon. Eghe Ogbemudia of PDP Declared Winner

    APC: 8, 308
    LP: 10, 188
    PDP: 70, 293

    Oredo Local Government

    Dr. Obaseki Tom Osazee of PDP Declared Winner

  • JUST IN: Presidential Election Petition Tribunal fixes date to deliver judgement on September 16

    JUST IN: Presidential Election Petition Tribunal fixes date to deliver judgement on September 16

    Four weeks after it adjourned for judgement, the Presidential Election Tribunal has finally fixed a date to make public its judgment.

    A competent source disclosed on Sunday, that the five-member tribunal which sat at the Court of Appeal complex in Abuja from May 8 to August 1, has agreed on September 16 as the judgment date.

    Incidentally, that date is the deadline for the tribunal to deliver its judgment and the Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Details shortly…

  • Tribunal fires Lagos LP HoR member, replaces him with APC candidate

    Tribunal fires Lagos LP HoR member, replaces him with APC candidate

    The National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Lagos has nullified the election of the member representing Ojo Federal Constituency, Seyi Sowunmi of the Labour Party.

    The court on Thursday, August 24, 2023, declared former Secretary of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Honourable Lanre Ogunyemi as the winner of the consistuency.
    Ogunyemi had challenged Oluwaseyi Ayopo Sowunim of the Labour Party who was declared the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).!
    Delivering the judgement on Thursday, the three-man panel, Panel 3 sitting at the old National Assembly complex, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, declared Ogunyemi as the winner.
    Members of the panel are: Justice Ashu A. Ewah, Chairman; Justice Abdullahi A Ozegya; and Justice M A Sambo.

  • Tribunal fixes date for Kaduna gov, Sani to defend his election

    Tribunal fixes date for Kaduna gov, Sani to defend his election

    The Kaduna State Governorship Election Tribunal has fixed Saturday, Aug. 5, for Gov. Uba Sani, INEC and the All Progressive Congress (APC) to open their defence in a petition filed against the governor’s election.

    Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate at the March 18 governorship election in the state, Mr Muhammad Isah-Ashiru are challenging Sani’s victory and demanding for its nullification.

    The petitioners closed their case on Thursday following which the Justice Victor Oviawe-led tribunal ordered defence to open its case on Saturday.

    It ordered that the respondents must open and close their defence within the 10 days stipulated by the law.

    Earlier, Isah-Ashiru’s lead counsel, Mr Oluwole Iyamu (SAN) stood down his last witness, an INEC official.

    He told the tribunal that the witness lacked the competence to represent INEC in matters such as the petition before it.