Police Stray Bullet Kills Boy Watching Liverpool FC Match

Tragedy struck on Sunday on Olu Aboderin Street, Onipetesi, Lagos State, as one of the bullets unleashed by some Anti-cultism Squad of the Nigerian Police operatives struck a boy watching the Liverpool vs Totteham match.
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According to an eye witness account, the officers had come to the area to arrest a guy on dreadlocks. He alleged that they started shooting sporadically after the arrest, only for one of the bullets to hit the boy.

The victim was subsequently rushed to the General Hospital in Ikeja, where he was confirmed dead.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana, said the situation was under control.

He said: “We received the report and have mobilised our teams to arrest the situation. The state Commissioner of Police has ordered an investigation into the incident.”

Nnamdi Kanu Vows To Challenge His Arrest Order In UK Court

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has stated that he will challenge the court order directing his arrest in the United Kingdom.

Kanu, who is facing trial alongside other Biafran activists for alleged treason, had gone into hiding months after his bail only to reappear in Israel after one year. He then moved to the UK.

The Federal High Court in Abuja had revoked the bail granted Kanu in 2017, after his continued absence in court.

Binta Nyako, justice of the court, also issued an arrest warrant against the IPOB leader, citing the continued absence of the IPOB leader in court.

Reacting, the IPOB leader tackled the federal government over his prosecution, insisting he is innocent of the accusations against him.

Speaking during a broadcast on Radio Biafra, Kanu said he has instructed his lawyers to challenge the arrest warrant in a UK court.

“The revocation of my bail will never ever hold; they can never convict us because we have done nothing wrong,” he said.

“Every move they make, every decision they take, I will challenge. I have instructed my lawyers, we will challenge in a competent court of law here in Britain where law actually works. I am waiting for them.

“Any day you instruct INTERPOL, that day I will take it up in court and they must answer because here is a civilised country.

“First, I am not a Nigerian citizen. Your bail revocation will never ever work. Anybody interested in revoking my bail would have asked the army what they were doing in my place.

“They have not even defined the crime they said I have committed. There is no crime in Nigeria called secession; secession is not a crime in Nigeria or anywhere in the world. Only armed rebellion is a crime, not self determination.

“If you are out to demoralise us, you will never ever succeed. We will continue to agitate; we continue to move forward because we are IPOB; we don’t relent and can never ever relent.

“Which crime did Nnamdi Kanu and his co-defendants commit? Somebody should name it. Secession is not a crime.”

Defence Minister Blames Insurgency for Nigeria's Declining Participation in Peace-keeping Operations ...MNJTF kills Boko Haram commander 15 others in Lake Chad

The Minister of Defence, Brigadier-General Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd) at the weekend attributed Nigeria's declining participation in global peace-keeping operations to the country's concentration of military assets on the war against insurgency in the North-east.

The minister's position came as the Multinational Joint Taskforce (MNJTF) decimated a notorious Boko Haram commander and 15 others in ongoing clearance operations in the Lake Chad Basin.

Speaking at the United Nations Peace-keeping Ministerial Meeting on Uniformed Capabilities Performance and Protection of Civilians at UN Headquarters in New York, the minister said Nigeria's participation in peacekeeping operations had declined as a result of the country's commitment to the war against insurgency.

"Nigeria’s participation in UN Peacekeeping has declined significantly of recent, mainly due to her commitment to the war on insurgency in the North-eastern part of the country and   sub-regional peacekeeping commitments. I am pleased to inform Your Excellences that a lot of successes have been achieved in the fight against terrorism and we are in the process of demining affected areas and rebuilding communities.

"These successes have no doubt been made possible with the collaboration from international community and countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission", he said in a statement issued in Abuja. 

Mansur Dan-Ali stated that "despite the above mentioned challenges, Nigeria has continued to play its role in supporting the United Nations and other stakeholders to achieve international peace and security. One of such areas is through the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre, Jaji in Kaduna State.

"The center which is aimed at delivering realistic training packages on peace support operations to potential United Nations and regional peacekeepers received recognition from the United Nations Integrated Training Service in August 2018.

"The renewal of the recognition has been requested by the center to meet up with international standards. This was after the curriculum was reviewed and updated in line with the present-day peacekeeping contemporary challenges.

"When approved, the center would serve as an additional training hub to the Regional Service Centre Entebbe, Uganda, thereby reducing its burden."

Meanwhile, as part of its ongoing operations, the Multinational Joint Task Force weekend eliminated a Boko Haram Commander and 15 other terrorists in Lake Chad Basin.

A war update by the Spokesman of the MNJTF, Col. Timothy Antigha, stated that "in the continuing escalation of offensive operations aimed at making islands and other settlements in Lake Chad untenable for Boko Haram terrorists, troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) over the weekend embarked on clearance operation in Kerenoa and adjourning areas.

Troops "made contact with Boko Haram terrorists at Andakar Camp. In the ensuing fire-fight, Malloum Moussa, Boko Haram Commander and 15 of his men were neutralised. Five gun trucks were also destroyed. A woman whose relationship with the terrorists is yet to be determined was apprehended.

Gbajabiamila Declares Amidst Protests *PDP members vow to replay 2015 scenario

*Gets North-west's backing, North-central kicks

At last, after a long time of widespread speculations, the Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila representing Surulere I federal constituency, Lagos State on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform, has declared interest in contesting the speakership of the 9th assembly, but there are indications that he would still need to contest against the incumbent Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, who defeated him in the 2015 race.

There are however indications that just as in 2015, his 2019 ambition is still faced with antagonism from various camps among lawmakers in the assembly, particularly lawmakers from the North-Central who are protesting that they are better positioned to take the Speaker seat.

Gbajabiamila, in an elaborate event held at the Lagos-Osun Hall, Transcop Hilton Hotel, Abuja, on Sunday joined the leagues of the Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; Hon. Yusuf and Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon Abdulrazak Namdas , who have all openly stated their ambitions to become the next Speaker. 

Though fifth term Lagos lawmaker (Gbajabiamila), who attracted 170 old and newly elected members to his official declaration is most favoured for the position, as he enjoys the backing of the party leadership, which hopes to zone the speakership to the South-west where he comes from, but THISDAY can authoritatively confirm that his ambition will face yet another litmus test as some members are prepared to square up with him.

Addressing the gathering yesterday, Gbajabiamila said he is seeking the office of the Speaker to bring tendencies together and unite Nigeria as a country, stating that “I seek the office of the Speaker to bring governance even closer to the people, to mentor the next generation and galvanise Honourable members to make life more abundant for every Nigerian.”

According to him, “I seek this office with a rich legislative background and pedigree and having just won a historic fifth term mandate to the House. I have in the last 16 years dedicated my life to the service of my constituents and Nigeria. I have studied and understood the intricate workings of the legislature, a critical arm of government and I have come to understand the imperative of striking a delicate balance in the relationship between the Executive and Legislative arms of government without compromising the latter's independence. Indeed there is an essential need for a symbiotic relationship between all arms and all tiers of government if we are to make progress in nation building.

“In these 16 years I have been a principal officer for 12 years. I have occupied the office of leader of the opposition and successfully my party from opposition to majority in the House and thereafter assumed the position of house leader, placing me in a uniquely advantageous position of understanding the nuances and intricacies of this very critical arm of government and the need to for its independence and at the same time interdependence with the executive

Even though members drawn from across party lines, including the ruling APC, opposition Poeples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), African Action Congress (AAC), the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) and other parties such as Wole Oke of and Jerry Alagbaoso of the PDP declared support for Gbajabiamila candidacy, some aggrieved lawmakers and interest groups said if proper considerations are not taken, the Gbajabiamila agenda may not see the light of the day.

For instance, APC member, Hon. Olusegun Odebunmi representing Ogo-Oluwa federal constituency, Oyo State, who is also eyeing the speakership seat, said his party will be making a major mistake if the national leadership of APC does not give all aspirants a level-playing field to vie for the position.

Stating that Gbajabiamila has not been named as the party candidate, he said: “These rumours are everywhere. I am a member of the APC and up till now, nobody has ever given a public announcement officially, that there is a micro zoning of the leadership of the House. There is none. Even rumours have it that they may likely zone it to the South-west, which means every qualified member from the zone can express their intention to contest.

"So, up till today, unless you can give me the fact, I have never got the information. I was at the meeting called by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party and nothing of such was mentioned.

“If the party zones the positions, there are loose cannons - the new members who are coming in, who are susceptible to being influenced by other members to go against the party's wish. What is the party doing about them?”

He said: “There is a way to achieving it, even if the party has interests. It is just a matter of inviting the leadership of the APC caucus in the House and we will give them the way to go about it. Nobody has said anything about lobbying. Influencing members is part of the politics of the National Assembly. Lobbying is a major activity in the National Assembly. So, any new member that is coming in must also be aware that he would lobby and they would lobby him.”

While several other lawmakers have confided in some journalists that their displeasure about the way and manner the APC is going about the emergence of the leadership of the 9th Assembly, a PDP lawmaker, Hon. Timothy representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanm of Plateau State, said the ruling party is on the verge of making similar mistake it made in 2015.

Referring to the APC National Chairman who said his party’s lawmakers should go ahead to dominate the 9th assembly, Golu said: “He is talking rubbish, I am telling you. He is just talking rubbish. None of them is a member of parliament and when the election will take place, none of them will be there. They are only talking to impress so that the president will say this man is loyal. They are just playing to the gallery. As far as I am concerned, Oshiomhole is playing to the gallery. He doesn’t know what happens in here. They don’t feel forms to do this election.

Detractors Plotting My Arrest, Ikeja Oba-elect Cries Out

The Oba-elect of Ikeja community in Lagos State, Alhaji Samsondeen Adeleye, has raised the alarm over a plot by his detractors to get him arrested and detained under a trumped-up charge so as to prevent his installation by the outgoing administration of Governor Akinwumi Ambode.

The monarch-in-waiting, in a chat with journalists at the weekend, accused one of his siblings of contriving an allegation bothering on land grabbing against him, noting that apart from lands jointly sold by their royal family, he had never single-handedly sold any land to anyone.

“My detractor in the family had connived with some powerful people in the police circles to get me arrested for illegally selling a land which I know nothing.

“I gathered that they will at any moment invite me to the Police Criminal Investigation Department at Alagbon, Lagos, from where I will be transferred to Abuja to prevent me from becoming the Oba of Ikeja.

“They said they would arrest me in respect of a land sold whereas I did not sell any land to anybody. Apart from lands sold jointly by the royal family, count me out of selling a family land behind other members,” he explained.

Adeleye said he had contacted his lawyer to reach out to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, “to help me prevent this act of injustice from taking place.

“I know they are doing this to prevent my imminent installation by the state government.”

Ikeja has been without a monarch since October 2014, following the passage of its traditional ruler, Oba Rauf Matemi, Amore 1.

In December 2014, the Ikeja Body of Kingmakers, headed by the late former Deputy Governor of the state, Chief Rafiu Jafojo, picked Adeleye as Oba-elect and forwarded his name to the Ikeja local council but the state government has yet to install himever since.

Political Class in Nigeria are 'Serial Rapists,' Says Don

A professor of Social Psychology at the University of Ibadan, Peter Olapegba, has said Nigeria and Nigerians have been victims of 'serial rape' by the political class since independence.

Olapegba, who is the Secretary of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the university, said the consequences of the serial rape has been mindless looting which has created abject poverty, massive unemployment, chronic under-funding of education, insurgency and terrorism.

He stated this while delivering the 447th inaugural lecture of the university titled: ‘That I May Know’.

The lecturer noted that the worrisome dimension of the rape of the country by the political class is the rape of the mind, stating that 'rape of minds' of Nigerians by the political class has made the victims of economic rape to be fighting one another defending their oppressors, including university professors.

Olapegba then blamed Nigerians for voting based on sentiments rather than objective facts which is partly responsible for the state of affairs.

He said: “Nigeria as a country has introduced a new dimension into the rape literature with a sustained and shameless rape of the nation by the political class since independence. The political class has turned itself into a serial rapist taking turns to rape a helpless nation through mindless looting and ‘fantastic’ corruption, the nation is bleeding yet the depraved rapist does not stop. The consequences of this rape are staring us in the face through abject poverty, decayed infrastructure, abysmal underdevelopment, massive unemployment, chronic under funding of education at all levels, insurgency, terrorism among others

"But particularly worrisome is the new dimension of the rape in our polity, the political class not yet done with economic rape of the nation has started raping our minds and they are succeeding in doing this. Those who bear the brunt of the rape have also turned into supporters of the rapist fighting one another in support of their oppressors.”

Nigeria Ranks Sixth Most Miserable Country in the world ·..Report shows Nigeria is sinking under Buhari, Says PDP

 

A report by Steve Hanke, an economist from John Hopkins University in Baltimore, United States, has listed Nigeria, Venezuela, Iran, Brazil and others among the first 10 miserable countries in the world with Nigeria assuming the sixth position.

According to the report, Venezuela was listed as the most miserable country in the world, saying: “Venezuela holds the inglorious title of the most miserable country in the world in 2018, as it did in 2017, 2016, and 2015.”

Reacting to the recent report, the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday described Steve Hanke’s report as a vindication of its position all this while, adding that the country has sunk into a new low since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed power in 2015.

Iran took third in the ranking while Brazil made it to the fourth position. Turkey took fifth position as the giant of Africa, Nigeria, emerged sixth.

The Misery Index was calculated using economic indices, including unemployment, inflation and bank lending rates.

For Nigeria, unemployment rate was the major contributing factor to its miserable state.

The report added: “The first Misery Index was constructed by an economist, Art Okun, in the 1960s as a way to provide President Lyndon Johnson of US with an easily digestible snapshot of the economy. That original Misery Index was just a simple sum of a nation’s annual inflation rate and its unemployment rate.

‘’The index has been modified several times, first by Robert Barro of Harvard University and then by myself. My modified Misery Index is the sum of the unemployment, inflation and bank lending rates, minus the percentage change in real GDP per capita.

“Higher readings on the first three elements are bad and make people more miserable. These are offset by a good (GDP per capita growth), which is subtracted from the sum of the ‘bads’. A higher Misery Index score reflects a higher level of misery, and it’s a simple enough metric that a busy president, without time for extensive economic briefings, can understand at a glance.

 “The accompanying table contains Misery Index rankings for the 95 nations that report relevant data on a timely basis. For consistency and comparability, and with few exceptions, data were retrieved from the Economist Intelligence Unit.”

Reacting to the report in a statement by PDP’s spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party tasked the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to perish the thought of the planned increment in Value Added Tax (VAT),  saying such would only make life more difficult for the ‘already traumatised Nigerians’.

“That report is a vindication of the position of the PDP all these while. The economy has virtually collapsed under President Buhari, and the man is even mooting the idea of piling more pressure on Nigerians.

“Nigerians have never suffered like they are suffering today because those charged with the responsibility of managing the economy have failed completely. They have no idea of what it takes to manage an economy like ours.

“As an opposition party, we call on the presidency to take urgent steps to fine-tune the economy, create jobs for our teeming youths if only to justify that a government is in place.

“In the interim, we advise them to stop their plan to increase VAT as that would only fetch millions of Nigerians additional pain and discomfort,” PDP added.

While noting that democracy is essentially about the people, Ologbindiyan added that rather than improving on the living conditions of Nigerians, the APC-led administration of President Buhari appears to be deriving pleasure from inflicting pains and misery on the people.

Theologians Disown CAN’s Congratulatory Visit to Buhari

The Association of Christian Theologians (ACTS) on Sunday condemned the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) over its claim that its last week visit to Aso Rock Villa to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election, was done on behalf of Nigerian Christians.

The ACTS in a statement issued by its National President, Prof. Olakunle Macaulay, declared that those who visited Aso Rock on the platform of CAN “were church leaders and not Christian leaders.”

The theologians’ body stated: “CAN does not in any way represent the interest of Christianity in Nigeria. The presence of some Christian religious leaders in Aso Rock to congratulate President Buhari on his re-election at the last presidential election, on behalf of all Christians in Nigeria, was a misrepresentation.

“Christianity is more than ‘churchism’. Christianity includes the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which can be found in the Bible as preaching, teaching, and help ministries.

“Those present in Aso Rock Villa were church leaders and not Christian leaders. Christianity is more than building auditorium, clapping of hands, paying tithes and dancing. It has a lot to do with the message of Jesus Christ and the morals of people and of the nation.”

Stressing that Christianity is life and not a religion, ACTS also pilloried the idea of setting up the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC)-a joint body of the CAN and the National Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs-saying the NIREC had failed in its mission.

“The idea of the NIREC should have been rejected in the first instance, because its goal to broker peaceful co-existence between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria has actually failed, when we assess the achievement of this body after three years of its existence.

“Today, Christians and Nigerians are killed, slaughtered all over country, therefore, we do not need NIREC to live together in love and peace. We only need Christian leaders (not church leaders) and other religious clerics to teach what the Holy Books instruct,” the ACTS argued.

The theologians’ body, however, stressed that Nigerians must understand what Christianity stands for, noting that it is not an assemblage of a small group, but of all people, and that as a faith, Christianity stands for the elimination of evil forces, which include armed robbery, kidnapping, corruption, stealing, covetousness, assassination, war, intolerance, and envy.

Kano Supplementary Poll: PDP Faults BMO’s Claim on Violence

The Kano State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) over the reported violence that marred the recently-held supplementary governorship election in the state.

Kano State PDP Chairman, Alhaji Rabiu Sulaiman Bichi, distanced the PDP, Kwankwaso and its governorship candidate, Abba Yusuf, from any form of violence and act that compromised the electoral process in the state.

The party scribe was on Thursday  reacting to a statement credited to BMO accusing the PDP and Kwankwaso as being the perpetrators of  the violence during the highly contentious governorship poll in which Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje was declared winner.

Bichi said it was unfortunate that BMO took sides with Ganduje and his cohorts whose sponsored thugs perpetrated massive votes buying, ballot stuffing and vote-rigging in the 279 voting points with the total number of 128,324 registered voters spread across 28 local government areas in Kano State.

He maintained that the gory pictures of violence in Kano publicised in both the social and traditional media during the re-run election were a true reflection of what actually transpired in Kano State during the supplementary election.

Bichi described BMO’s claim on the violence as a figment of the imagination of their sponsors who conveyed the impression that those pictures were shot at a bar in Ghana and from the Plateau

ethno-religious violence in recent years.

He wondered why BMO chose to align with retrogressive forces to

undermine the interest of Kano State which contributed immensely to

the successes recorded by President Muhammadu Buhari since he joined

partisan politics in 2003.

He noted: "By such posture, BMO and its sponsors have clearly shown

that violence pays under the APC-led government since those who

perpetrate were being rewarded handsomely by INEC as we have witnessed

in kano state."

"The APC benefitted from thuggery orchestrated by the deputy governor

and some of the commissioners. We feel saddened the Nation Newspapers

which is the mouthpiece of the APC national leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu

has taken sides and is biased in its reportage of the election in

Kano. We expect nothing less from them.

"We make bold to say that nothing could be further from the truth as

there are verifiable evidence at the disposal of our agents, election

monitors and well-meaning citizens of Kano State to prove how the APC

and their hired thugs, under the watchful eyes of security agents

assaulted and disenfranchised our supporters in the desperate bid to

keep Ganduje in power at all cost.

" It is on record that the state Deputy Governor, Nasiru Gawuna and

the State Commissioner for Local Government, Alhaji Sule Garo were

taken into custody for taking the laws into their hands by disrupting

the final collation of results at the Nasarawa Local Government area

collation centre when defeat stared Ganduje in the face.

“The Gama Ward incidence in Nasarawa Local Government replete with

voter intimidation , vote-buying and ballot box stuffing, as witnessed

in all other local governments, provide an ample evidence of Ganduje's

hypocrisy on the issue.

Tinubu Warns FG: VAT Increase Will Lead To More Hardship

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor of Lagos State, Chief Bola Tinubu, has called on the federal government not to increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) as such action might increase hardship already ravaging the country.

While speaking on Thursday during the 11th Bola Tinubu Colloquium marking his 67th birthday, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, he said an increase in VAT will reduce the spending capacity of the people and might increase hardship.

The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma, and the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler, had said the Federal Government was considering an upward review of VAT by 50 per cent following the approval of N30,000 as minimum wage by the National Assembly.

Udoma and Fowler who stated this on Tuesday when they appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance, said the increment was to, among others, enable the Federal Government to fund the new national minimum wage.

Fowler said the proposed payable VAT by Nigerians based on the increment would actually be between 35 per cent (6.75%) and 50 per cent (7.25%).

Man, 21, Bags 10 Years Imprisonment for Killing Brother in Ilorin

 

An Ilorin High Court in Kwara State on Thursday sentenced a 21-year-old man, Shefiu Abubakar, to 10 years imprisonment for killing his brother, Babuga Abubakar, with burning wood.

The incident happened in Dona Dogo, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.

Abubakar committed the crime on suspicion that Babuga was having illicit affairs with his wife.

In his judgment, Justice Durosinlohun Kawu stated that sometimes in 2015, the convict went to his elder brother's house after reporting at the police that he was dating his wife.

The trial judge added that Abubakar called his brother out from his house and hit him on the head with a wood which resulted in his death on the spot.

The court quoted the convict to have said: "I did not intend to use the stick to kill him but to defend myself."

The court said the prosecutor has justified section 221 by proving his case beyond every reasonable doubt and established the case of culpable homicide against the convict.

He said Abubakar used the stick to hit his brother on the head, not considering the consequence of his action, hence killed Babuga.

Justice Kawu said the argument that the convict killed the deceased to save his life is not justified.

After making an interlocutory appeal through his counsel, Mr. Yusuf Gbajumo, the convict pleaded with the judge to temper judgment with mercy.

Gbajumo submitted further that the convict is the bread winner of his house, pleading that the court should be lenient in the judgment.

According to him, the convict has not gotten any successor, saying sentencing him to death will mark end of his generation.

Kawu therefore sentenced Abubakar to 10 years in imprisonment with four years already spent in prison custody included.

INEC: Inconclusive Elections Improve Integrity of Electoral System

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kaduna State on Thursday issued certificates of return to the re-elected Governor of the state, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai; the Deputy Governor-elect, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, and  34 members-elect of the state House of Assembly.

Speaking at the occasion which was held at the state INEC headquarters, the National Commissioner supervising Niger, Kaduna and Kaduna States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Prof. Antonia Okoosi-Simbine, attributed the growing phenomenon of inconclusive elections in the country to deepening democracy and improving the integrity of the electoral system.

She, however, decried the attitude of some political parties and candidates who engaged in violent behaviour, including the manhandling of election officials, intimidation of voters as well as Collation and Returning Officers during the 2019 elections.

According to her, “Nigerian democracy was deepening incrementally having conducted sixth successive elections without an interregnum, so there is improved integrity in the electoral system.

“Elections in Nigeria are becoming more competitive, and the margin between winners and runners-up are decreasing to the extent that in many instances, elections into the executive and legislature are increasingly becoming inconclusive.

”This explains why the phenomenon of inconclusive elections appears to have increased.

“To be sure, this existed prior to the existence of the present commission. We cannot expect less when a few big parties are contesting for power at every level.”

She said the situation was further compounded by lack of internal democracy and the desperate quest for power by politicians and their supporters.

”The pathetic crisis of lack of internal democracy in the parties and the desperation of the candidates and their supporters, driven by the fear of losing all, tend to compound the problem.

”Let me particularly mention the negative role of violence in our elections. Democratic elections are rule-based and those parties, candidates and supporters who resort to self-help by taking the path of violence undermine the virtues of democratic elections which include choice in absolute freedom and peace.

“Unfortunately, the 2019 elections marked a new trend in which some parties and candidates engaged in violent behaviour, including manhandling election duty officials and intimidation of voters, collation and returning officers,” the INEC National commissioner said.

Okoosi-Simbine said the commission viewed the trend with grave concerns and would continue to work on greater voter enlightenment for mandate protection as well as with the security agencies to curtail the ugly trend.

She advised individuals and political parties not satisfied with the outcome of the elections to seek judicial remedy where they believe they have genuine case(s) to pursue.

According to National Commissioner, “Indeed, seeking judicial remedy is not only a part and parcel of the electoral process in Nigeria, it is consistent with the culture of democracy as opposed to resorting to self-help.”

She congratulated the people of Kaduna State and stakeholders for their conduct during the elections and commended security agencies for their  “extraordinary” performance.

While congratulating el-Rufai for his re-election, Okoosi-Simbine said: “I believe that your re-election is a referendum in which the people of Kaduna State have passed a vote of confidence.

“I encourage you to deliver more material benefits to the diversity of the people in the state in order to meet their governance expectations.

“I also congratulate the elected state assembly members, including those who are returning. I hope that you will provide the necessary oversight for the executive and put the state in a good stead to deliver the benefits of democracy.”

Ekiti: Appeal Court Affirms Fayemi’s Victory

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the victory of Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last governorship election held in the state.

In a judgment on Thursday night, a three-man panel of the court dismissed the appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Kolapo Olusola, for lacking in merit.

The court upheld the January 28, 2019 judgment of the Ekiti State election tribunal, which also sat in Abuja.

Details later

CUPP Disowns Alleged Endorsement of Ganduje

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) on Thursday dissociated itself from a group that called itself the Kano State chapter of the coalition, which on Wednesday reportedly endorsed the re-election of the state Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.

The group, led by one Isah Nuhu Isah, during  a solidarity visit to Ganduje, claimed that the parties that made up the coalition in the state had dropped their plan to challenge the governor's victory at
the just-concluded supplementary election, at the tribunal.

The CUPP National Spokesperson, Ikenga Ugochinyere, in a statement on Thursday, said the coalition was not meant for any state jamboree as being witnessed in Kano.

Ugochinyere noted that the CUPP is a national coalition formed to work for the emergence of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and the protection of
national interest.

He stressed that the position of the CUPP remains that Ganduje is parading a stolen mandate that will be retrieved from him.

According to him, "The recruitment of APC agents from Ganduje Village to come under the name of CUPP to support the stolen mandate he is parading is laughable and a show of the political inexperience of
Ganduje which led to his disgraceful outing at the ballot in the first
place."

"The coalition therefore has not, and will never endorse him because
we will not be part of the illegality that foisted him on the people
of Kano State who roundly rejected him as seen during the election."

Indictment, Allegations Against Army on Rivers Poll Unnecessary, Says CSOs

A group, the Amalgamation of Civil Society Organisations, has said the indictment of the Nigerian Army by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and allegations of professional misconducts against the force over its alleged role during the suspended polls in Rivers State were unnecessary and ill-fated.

The groups also apologised on behalf of people of the state to the army over the unguided statements against it by some politicians in the state. 

The Chancellor of International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights (ISSJHR), Dr. Jackson Omenazu, stated this in Port Harcourt on Thursday when the coalition helda solidarity walk to the 6 Division Headquarters with placards.

Speaking, Omenazu said: “We are here today to console, condole and commend the 6 Division, Nigerian Army for being professional in your conduct during the polls and for the loss of your officers.

“Without your presence and intervention, the election would have been characterised by killings, just like what we had in 2015 when the state was described as a theatre of war. 

“We are standing by the General Officer Commanding the 6 Division for providing adequate security during the election in the state. This institution shouldn’t have been disparaged by desperate politicians because they provided security for the election.

“We will continue to support the Army as long as they remain professional and we will not allow anybody to insult the army." 

He regretted that the INEC failed to acknowledge the reports given to it by the army, adding that it was wrong for the electoral umpire to indict an agency it engaged on security.

“We expected that the INEC would condole with the army for losing their officers who were on duty, but we only heard allegations that the army meddled into a democratic process. We saw the military escorting sensitive material and they did not divert it.

He, however, expressed apologies to the army for the allegations against them, adding that the indictment was a disservice to the military.

“On behalf the good people of Rivers State, we say sorry for the unguided statements against you the army. Those statements are absolutely unnecessary.

“When you tell a man to in the service of providing security to the people that he has not done well it is a great disservice,” he added.

Receiving the solidarity letter on behalf of the GOC, 6 Division, Col. AD Abubakar, said the document would be forwarded to the appropriate office.