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Labour Party Rejects Electoral Robbery in Rivers, Calls For Outright Cancellation  The leadership of the Labour Party is shocked by the revelations emanating from Rivers state after the presidential and national assembly elections which held on Saturday; where thugs believed to be agents of the state government invaded various polling units and collation centres, took away election materials including the results sheets, manipulated the BVAS machines and  uploaded fake results in to the Central portal. We took particular note of incidences in places like Obio/Akpor, Khana, Eleme, Obigbo, Rumukoro and several other areas where Labour Party was clearly leading in virtually all the polling units with very wide margins. Governor Nyesom Wike, faced with stark reality of defeat even in the polling units in his compound in Worji, where LP scored 323 votes against APC and PDP's 5 and 2 votes respectively, he used the soldiers and police to intimidate, harassed and snatched ballot papers. N

Peter Obi wins Ikeja Local government area #INECresults: Ikeja Local Government Area Total no. of registered voters: 322, 600 Total no. of accredited voters: 57, 530 A- 109 AA- 019 AAC-063 ADC- 204 ADP- 062 APC- 21, 276 APGA- 069 APM- 027 APP- 012 BP- 087 LP- 30, 004 NNPP- 337 NRM- 020 PDP- 2280 PRP- 014 SDP- 035 YPP- 029 ZLP- 415 Total valid votes: 55, 062 Rejected votes: 2468 Total votes cast: 57, 530  

MAIDUGURI MARKET FIRE: PRESIDENT BUHARI CALLS FOR STRICT VIGIL Following an outbreak of a major fire incident which has razed the popular Maiduguri Monday Market, President Muhammadu Buhari has called for vigilance as winds and rising temperatures increase the risks of fires in forests, homes, public buildings and markets.  The President, who expressed grief over the destruction caused by the early morning fire on Sunday, said the nation’s prayers and condolences are with the hardworking traders and their families who have reportedly saved very little or nothing from the fire.  President Buhari commended the immediate response of the Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum’s government to the incident and directed effective coordination and collaboration between federal and state agencies to bring needed relief to those who are affected.  The President urged the state and federal agencies responsible for fire management to strive towards higher levels of preparedness, mitigation efforts and

Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador posted the photo of an Aluxe that became a social media moment in the North American country this weekend. Mexico CityEdited By: Mukul SharmaUpdated: Feb 26, 2023, 04:24 PM IST Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador posted a photo on social media of what he said was a mythological woodland spirit similar to an elf. The Mexican President's social media post claiming to be reminiscent of the ancient Mayan civilisation, became quite a social media moment this weekend in Mexico. The president posted the photo of an "Aluxe", which is basically a woodland spirit in Mayan folklore. López Obrador said that the photo "was taken three days ago by an engineer, it appears to be an aluxe," adding "everything is mystical." The photo, which appears to have been captured during night, shows a tree with a branch forming what looks like a halo of hair. This has been interpreted on social media as what seems

LP Candidate Wins Kaura Federal Constituency Seat In Kaduna State   Donatus Mathew of the Labour Party has won the Kaura Federal Constituency seat in Kaura local government Area of Kaduna state.  The Returning Officer, Prof. Elijah Ella, who declared the result on Sunday, February 26, said Mathew polled 10,508 votes to defeat his closest opponent, the incumbent, Gideon Gwani of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 10,221 votes.  The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the defeated PDP lawmaker is taking a shot at the seat for the fifth time.  The Returning Officer said Prof. Benjamin Gugong of the All Progressive Congress (APC) came third with 9,919 votes, while Simon Na’Allah of the New Nigeria Peoples Party came fourth with 5,354 votes. He explained that a total of 36,983 voters were accredited, out of the 101,624 registered voters in the LGA.   He added that of the 36,983 accredited voters, 36,133 cast their votes.  “Mr Donatus Mathew of the Labour Party, having satisfie

February 26, 2023 Press Statement Presidential Polls: PDP Thanks Nigerians, Asserts Atiku is Coasting to Victory …Tasks INEC on Transparent Results Collation  The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) asserts that from preliminary reports on the results coming from the February 25, 2023 Presidential election, it is confident that its Presidential Candidate, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar is already coasting to victory. The PDP notes that Atiku Abubakar is securing the highest number of valid votes cast as well as the statutory 25% in at least two third of the States of the Federation to ultimately breast the tape on the first ballot. Our Party appreciates Nigerians from across the country for putting their avowed solidarity and support for Atiku Abubakar into action by coming out enmasse to give their votes to the PDP, irrespective of ethnicity, creed, age and even political affiliations. From preliminary results, it is clear that Atiku Abubakar’s message of hope, unity, security and rebuildi

KDSG Security Update: Sunday 26th February 2023.  Protests of any kind remain prohibited.  - Announcement of results the preserve of INEC As the collation of election results progresses, the Kaduna State Government hereby reminds citizens that protests of any sort remain strictly prohibited across the State.  The State Government has noted with satisfaction the largely peaceful conduct of elections across the state, and commends residents for exercising their franchise in an orderly manner.  Citizens must therefore avoid street protests over election results - or of any other kind - in order to preserve the atmosphere of calm so far experienced. Actions which may disrupt public peace will be handled decisively by security agencies.  It must be stressed that the announcement of election results is the exclusive duty of the Independent National Electoral Commission. Individuals and groups involved in unofficial publication of results should be aware that they constitute serious threats t

 NUJ regrets attacks on Journalists Nigeria Union of Journalists regrets that some  Nigerian Security Personnel and Politicians have learned little about good conduct during elections, as attacks on voters and journalists  during yesterday's general election across the country still persist.  Specifically, the Union expresses serious concern by the conduct of Policemen in Port Harcourt who assaulted a journalist and political thugs in Ibadan, Oyo State who attacked voters,  including Journalists.  It was recorded by the NUJ Election Situation Room at the Union's National Secretariat, Abuja that a reporter with The PUNCH, Gbenga Oloniniran, was on Saturday afternoon arrested by policemen near the residence of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State in Rumuiprikon, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state. He was  brutalised by the policemen for attempting  to take their pictures when they were assaulting a male voter at a polling unit close to Governor Wike’s polling unit at W

3 Grandpas, Nigerien, arrested over 52kgs cocaine, skunk seized in Lagos, Kwara, Plateau . As NDLEA intercepts Europe-bound opioids, meth concealed in picture frames, soap packs at MMIA, courier firms Three sexagenarian grandfathers and a Nigerien top the list of suspects arrested in connection with the seizure of over 52.252 kilograms of Cocaine, Methamphetamine, and Skunk as well as 32, 590 pills of opioids in Lagos, Kwara, Plateau, Sokoto and two courier companies by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in the past week. A suspect, Onyebi Benjamin Chimaobi who frequents Cameroun, Ethiopia, Uganda and has been on NDLEAs watchlist was on Saturday 18th February arrested at Victory estate, Iba, Ojo area of Lagos in connection with the seizure of a 19.70kgs cocaine abandoned on an Ethiopian airline flight that arrived Lagos airport on Thursday 9th February. Chimaobi had travelled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to pick the consignment, which he claimed was handed over

ADDRESS BY THE CHAIRMAN, INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC), PROFESSOR MAHMOOD YAKUBU, ON THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE PRESIDENTIAL COLLATION CENTRE FOR THE 2023 GENERAL ELECTION HELD AT THE AFRICA HALL, INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE, ABUJA, SUNDAY 26TH FEBRUARY 2023 The Inspector General of Police, The agents representing the Political Parties  National and International observers Members of the Diplomatic Corps My colleagues the Chairmen of Electoral Commissions from all parts of the world Representatives of various security agencies The media – national and international Distinguished ladies and gentlemen 1. On behalf of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I welcome you all to the formal opening of the 2023 Presidential Election Results Collation Centre.  2. As some of you are aware, collation of presidential election result in Nigeria is done at four levels after the conclusion of voting, counting and recording of results at Polling Unit level. The

INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION  PRESS RELEASE  CHALLENGES EXPERIENCED WITH THE INEC RESULTS VIEWING PORTAL (IReV) The Commission is aware of challenges with the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV). Unlike in off-season elections where the portal was used, it has been relatively slow and unsteady. The Commission regrets this setback, especially because of the importance of IReV in our results management process. The problem is totally due to technical hitches related to scaling up the IReV from a platform for managing off-season, State elections, to one for managing nationwide general elections. It is indeed not unusual for glitches to occur and be corrected in such situations.  Consequently, the Commission wishes to assure Nigerians that the challenges are not due to any intrusion or sabotage of our systems, and that the IReV remains well-secured. Our technical team is working assiduously to solve all the outstanding problems, and users of the IReV would have noticed improvem

MAIDUGURI MARKET FIRE: PRESIDENT BUHARI CALLS FOR STRICT VIGIL Following an outbreak of a major fire incident which has razed the popular Maiduguri Monday Market, President Muhammadu Buhari has called for vigilance as winds and rising temperatures increase the risks of fires in forests, homes, public buildings and markets.  The President, who expressed grief over the destruction caused by the early morning fire on Sunday, said the nation’s prayers and condolences are with the hardworking traders and their families who have reportedly saved very little or nothing from the fire.  President Buhari commended the immediate response of the Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum’s government to the incident and directed effective coordination and collaboration between federal and state agencies to bring needed relief to those who are affected.  The President urged the state and federal agencies responsible for fire management to strive towards higher levels of preparedness, mitigation efforts and

Gov. Buni sympathises with Govt. And People of Borno State Over Monday Market Fire lnferno Yobe state Governor,  Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON,  has sympathised with the government and people of Borno state, over the Monday Market fire inferno which razed the market. Governor Buni described as sad, regrettable and unfortunate the fire inferno on the market, a business hub that provides means of livelihood to many people. "It is sad that this incident happened at a time when the people are recovering their economic lives from the protracted security challenge that crippled the economic sector in the Northeast region. "The government and people of Yobe state are with you at this trying moment and pray to Almighty Allah (SWT) to replenish your loss in His best ways. "We feel the pain of this sad loss, we are with you and pray to Allah for His infinite intervention "As people of faith we have a strong believe that God almighty has power over everything and would see the victim

NIGERIA SECURITY AND CIVIL DEFENCE CORPS. LAGOS STATE COMMAND. PRESS RELEASE. 26TH FEBRUARY, 2023. CC ALFADARAI ASSURES GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MEDIA, EMBARKS ON ELECTION MONITORING, DEPLOYS TACTICAL PATROL TEAMS TO DEESCALATE RUMOURS OF VIOLENCE.   He charged personnel to protect the rights of voters, cooperate with all stakeholders involved in the conduct of the electioneering process in order to achieve greater peace in the state during and after elections.   The State Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ), Lagos State Command, Commandant of Corps Usman Ishaq Alfadarai, fdc, mnim, mpa, fisn, has once again assured the respected and well revered members of the fourth estate of the realm, of his cooperation and the continuous enhancement of the good working relationship already established between the Corps and the media in Lagos State as well as across the federation.  The State Commandant, further said that a continuous good working relationship,

20 thugs arrested for election violence in Lagos The spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, says over 20 political thugs have been arrested in connection with cases of electoral violence and ballot box snatching recorded in parts of the state during Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections. Hundeyin disclosed this in an interview with Channels TV. He mentioned that the police responded to hundreds of distressed calls across the 13,325 polling units in Lagos. He described the incidents at Okota, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Elegushi, and other areas of the state as “a clear case of political thuggery”. Hundeyin confirmed that “political thugs came in and disrupted the process, in a particular instance, set the ballot box and the ballot papers on fire”. “We had issues in Surulere, we had issues in Oshodi, we also had issues in Oke-Afa. We are still collating. So far, we have over 20 political thugs arrested and we also have over 10 polling units where t

IHIALA KILLINGS: LATE INSPECTOR JUDE OBUH BURIED AMIDST TEARS By Nicholas Ebegboni One of the three Police Inspectors that were killed by gunmen at Ihiala, on their way to Abia State for a People’s Democratic Party rally, Inspector Jude Obuh has been buried.  The late Inspector Jude Obuh was buried in his hometown, Oki community, Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, while the burial mass was held for him at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Agbor.  Recall that on February 10, 2023, residents of Ika were struck by the news of the brutal murder of the 3 policemen, Inspectors Lucky Aleh, Celestine Nwadiokwu, and Jude Obuh who before their death were attached to Explosives Ordinances Disposal Unit at the Government House, Asaba.  Homilist, during the burial mass, Rev. Fr Joseph Ebegbunaa bosom friend of the deceased, consoled the family of late inspector Jude Obuh as he pointed out that man cannot question the Almighty God for he knows the best.  C