BREAKING: Gallant troops of 195 Battalion in conjunction with members of CJTF on a clearance operation neutralized several ISWAP/BokoHaram at Kasha Kasha In Borno State today 26 April 2022. Weapons & ammunition amongst others were also recovered.
Heavily armed policemen, on Monday, invaded the Imo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and manhandled the state commandant and allegedly killed his orderly.
The NSCDC commandant was dragged out in his boxers and beat him several civil defeders were injured.
The show of shame happened at the Imo State Command Headquarters, located at the very busy Okigwe Road, along Works Layout in Owerri, the state capital.
LEADERSHIP gathered from a very reliable source that the heavily armed men of the Squadron-18 Mobile Police, Owerri, who attacked the personnel of the NSCDC, shot sporadically in the air, forcing residents of the area to scamper for their safety.
Further investigation by our orrespondent revealed that trouble started after a heated argument had ensued between the driver of the NSCDC boss and a police officer in mufti, who blocked the exit way of the commandan’ts entourage, which was returning from Abacheke, the oil bunkering site where scores were burnt to death in Egbema.
A Civil Defence officer, who gave his name only as Ikechukwu, explained that “when asked by the commandant’s security escorts to move aside, the police officer who was not on uniform vehemently refused without even disclosing his identity. He was, however, ignored on the commandant’s directive.
“However, rather than go his way, the police officer, unknown to the the men of the Corps, put a call through to his colleagues, who mobilised to the command’s headquarters, while he followed the entourage to Owerri.
“On reaching the Corps office, while the commandant made to enter the command, the man blocked the NSCDC boss, brought out a pistol and announced that he was a police officer. On sighting that, he was immediately rounded up and arrested by NSCDC officers who also seized the pistol to avert danger.”
Another officer, who did not want his name in print, said, “After he was released, he returned with heavily armed enraged MOPOL men who went into beating, shooting and attacking both officers and their facilities at the premises.”
LEADERSHIP further learnt that in the process ensuing chaos, the commandant, Mr Ogar, who was already in his office, rushed out to address the situation on hearing the gunshots, but the enraged policemen attacked and beat him up with his uniform torn, after which he was stripped down to his boxers before being whisked away.
It was also gathered that the enraged MOPOL officers who threatened to shoot at the state commandant allegedly boasted that nothing will happen.
The civil defence source who spoke to LEADERSHIP said the policemen subsequently released their colleague who was arrested and detained for invading its premises.
As at the time of filing this report, efforts to get spokespersons of both security agencies to react to the show of shame proved abortive as they did not respond to calls put across to their phone lines.
Elder statesman and four-time federal minister, Chief Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas is dead.
Sources close to the family said, he died on Monday, April 25, 2022 in a private hospital in Abuja, from an undisclosed ailment. He was 82..
Born May 8, 1939 in Abonnema in the Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, Chief Graham-Douglas was the son of a native court judge in Abonema. His brother, Napo Graham-Douglas, was the first indigenous Attorney-General of Nigeria,
The four-time federal minister attended secondary schools in Lagos and Port Harcourt. He studied at Acton Technical School, London (1963 - 1965) and then at the University of Lagos (1965 - 1969). He earned a BSc. in Botany and Zoology.
Chief Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas had worked with the Nigerian Petroleum Refinery Company, Port Harcourt (1969 - 1977). He became managing director of Togiscani Nigeria, a construction company (1978 - 1985) and CEO of Road Haulage Company and Magroad Enterprises. He was also chairman of the Binterteco Nigeria, Pabod Finance and Investment and Waterglass Boat Yard. In 2000, Graham-Douglas was appointed Provincial Grand Master of the Freemason's Lodge in Calabar.
In 1986, Graham-Douglas was appointed Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Culture by the Rivers State government. In this role, he completed the Alfred Diete-Spiff Civic Centre, founded the Sports Institute of Isaka and initiated construction of the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt. He also gained approval to establish the Rivers State College of Science and Technology. He created, produced and directed the first Rivers Carnival, Carnival '88 with the theme of Unity in Cultural Diversity.
In 1989 the military government of Ibrahim Babangida appointed him Federal Minister for Social Development, Youths and Sports. During his tenure, the separate Ministry of Women Affairs was established. He was moved to the Ministry of Aviation where he oversaw the deregulation of the aviation industry.
Chief Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas was also a member of the Special Tenders Board, which developed the Abuja FCT. .
In 1992, Graham-Douglas became chairman of the Southern Minorities Movement, one of the groups that eventually merged into the People's Democratic Party (PDP). He was a candidate in the PDP primaries for the presidential nomination in 1998, losing to Olusegun Obasanjo.
President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Graham-Douglas Minister of Employment, Labour and Productivity in June 1999. In July 2000, Graham-Douglas was re-deployed to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
In November 2000 he headed a delegation that visited China, where he signed the 2000-2002 Executive Plan of Cultural and Educational Exchange between China and Nigeria. In December 2000, he hosted the Africa Travel Association's Fourth Ecotourism Symposium in Abuja.
Until his death, he was married to Muriel, and blessed with children and many grandchildren.
A suspect paraded by the NDLEA in Kaduna on Saturday for being in possession of Indian hemp seeds says they were for the consumption of his poultry birds.
“I have a poultry farm and was told that if I feed the chickens with Indian hemp seeds, they would grow fast and strong, and would not fall sick.
“So, I do mix the weed seeds with their food when feeding the chickens.
“I fed the chickens with the Indian hemp seeds only once before I was arrested, he told the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Kaduna.
He said NDLEA operatives seized the Indian hemp seeds from his house and arrested him, admitting, however, that he used to smoke Indian hemp.
The suspect also told NAN that he observed that the seeds made his chickens to look healthier and stronger.
“The situation I have put myself is shameful. I promise not to repeat it in my life,’’ he said.
Commander of the NDLEA in Kaduna State, Mr Umar Adoro, told NAN on Sunday that the suspect was arrested on April 17 with 3kg of Indian hemp.
Adoro said the suspect, arrested at Makarfi Road in Rigasa Area of Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, had been on NDLEA’s wanted list for a long time.
“He is one of the notorious drug dealers in the state. We have been searching for him for long. What helped us is the Ramadan fasting period when drug dealers operate only at night.
“When they are done peddling drugs in the night and are not expecting any patron in the morning, they oversleep and we take that as an advantage to arrest them.
“We have arrested about two of them in such manner,’’ Adoro told NAN.
He noted that feeding the chickens with the drugs as the suspect claimed had its own dangers. The side effects on the chicken would be determined by veterinary experts.
The NDLEA commander advised those drugging animals in the belief that it could enhance their health status to put humanity and the community into consideration.
Adoro assured that all suspects arrested would be arraigned upon the completion if investigation.
Barely a month after the National Assembly transmitted to the 36 states Houses of Assembly the harmonised amendments to the 1999 Constitution, most states have yet to begin deliberations on the documents, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.
In the fifth alteration to the constitution by the ninth Assembly, the two chambers, Senate and the House of Representatives, passed 44 bills.
Our correspondents reported that most of the states have yet to constitute committees to study the report while the few that have set up committees have not made much progress on the amendment.
Part 2, Section 9 (1)&(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) states that any alteration to the constitution shall not be passed if the proposal is not approved by a minimum of 24 states Houses of Assembly, representing two-thirds of the 36 states.
The Section reads, “The National Assembly may, subject to the provision of this section, alter any of the provisions of this Constitution.
“An Act of the National Assembly for the alteration of this Constitution, not being an Act to which section 8 of this Constitution applies, shall not be passed in either House of the National Assembly unless the proposal is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of all the members of that House and approved by resolution of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the states.”
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr Ojo Olatunde Amos, had while transmitting the documents to the clerks to the state Assemblies on March 29, 2022, said, “With the transmission of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bills, 2022, it must be made clear and unambiguous that the 9th National Assembly has started the process of restructuring within the polity.”
The Chairperson, Forum of Clerks, Lyna Aliya Ocholor, said at the event, “The fifth alteration is novel. And we will work hard to ensure that the states give concurrent approval that it deserves,” she added.
However, about a month after, most state Assemblies have yet to work on the document.
In Osun State, the Speaker of the 26-member House, Mr Timothy Owoeye, said work would soon begin on it.
Owoeye, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Alabi, told one of our correspondents in an interview, “It is true that the constitutional amendment bill has been transmitted to the state Assembly through the Clerk of the House. The documents have been studied by the State of Osun House of Assembly. If not for the paucity of funds, there would have been a retreat on it. Since members are the representatives of the people, they may also have engagements with their constituents and at the end of the day the people’s wish will carry the day. It will be put to a vote.”
In Bayelsa State, the Speaker of the 24-member Assembly, Mr Abraham Ingobere, said plenaries would be scheduled for members to make their inputs.
When asked when the House would start work on the amendment, Ingobere declined giving a specific date, saying everyone would know when the exercise starts. “The transmission (of the amendments) has got to the Assembly, the clerk will communicate that to the House, we will look at it and members will take their decisions. That is the legislative procedure.”
In Cross River State, when asked if work had started on the exercise, the Speaker of the 25-member Assembly, Eteng Williams, in a terse text message to one of our correspondents, said, “Not yet, because the court ruled against us and we just filed an appeal.”
An Abuja High Court had last month sacked 18 members of the Assembly and two members of the House of Representatives for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress in May last year. They defected along with the state governor, Prof Ben Ayade, and his deputy, Ivara Esu. Soon after the judgment, security operatives took over the Assembly complex and prevented the lawmakers from entering.
In Gombe State, attempts made to reach the Speaker of the 24-member Assembly, Abubakar Luggerewo, proved abortive, but sources in the Assembly said an eight-member committee had been set up, with the deputy speaker, Sidi Buba, as the chairman.
One of the sources said, “Initially, the committee had three weeks but work on it would now commence after the Sallah break because of the Ramadan. On the projected duration of the exercise, another source noted, “The House won’t do much aside from voting for or against; the deliberations have been done by the National Assembly.”
In Ondo State, the Assembly has yet to commence work on the bills. One of the principal officers told one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, “We have not started work on the constitution amendment. Maybe now that Easter is over, we will start.”
Efforts to speak with the Speaker of the 26-member Assembly, Mr Bamidele Oloyeloogun, were unsuccessful. His mobile line was switched off and the text message sent to him was not replied.
In Enugu State, the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Jeff Mba, told one of our correspondents that the House was yet to start working on the bills. There are 24 members of the Assembly.
On when the House would submit its resolutions to the National Assembly, Mba said, “Until we officially receive it, I wouldn’t be able to say anything on the timeline.”
In Oyo State, there are indications that the House may not work on the bills until after party primaries scheduled for May.
The Deputy Speaker of the 32-member Assembly, Mr Abiodun Fadeyi, told one of our correspondents, “We are going on a retreat on it so that we can enlighten ourselves, after which we will begin deliberations on the floor of the House. We will resume after all the primary elections so that we can deliberate on it holistically. We will do what the people want, like the issue of local government autonomy and state police.”
In Katsina State, efforts to speak with the Speaker of the 34-member Assembly, Tasiu Magarin, or his deputy, Dalhatu Tafoki, were abortive as their phones rang out. Sunday PUNCH learnt from sources in the Assembly that work had yet to begin on the bills.
A source in the Assembly said the members could not work on the bills earlier because the House only resumed from its recess on April 9. He noted that only the Speaker or his deputy could speak on the issue. Both principal officers had yet to reply to the messages sent to them.
In Delta State, one of our correspondents learnt that the bill was introduced by the Speaker of the 29-member Assembly, Mr Sheriff Oborevwori, at plenary two weeks ago. Efforts made to reach the Speaker or his media aide failed as calls and text messages put across to their phones were not responded to.
However, a source in the Assembly said not much had been done on the bills after they were introduced at plenary, saying this could be due to the political engagements of the Speaker, who has joined the governorship race.
In Zamfara State, the Director-General, Media and Press Relations of the House, Mustafa Jafaru Kaura, said members of the House were on recess and would not resume until after the Ramadan.
He said the Speaker of the 24-member Assembly, Nasiru Muazu Magarya, attended a meeting of the Conference of Speakers in Oyo State, where the issue was also discussed. “The House will sit and deliberate on the document immediately after the recess,” he added.
In Kwara State, the Assembly, with 24 members, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Ayokunle Awolola, told one of our correspondents in an interview, “The Assembly has set up a committee to work on the proposed amendments and the committee has started deliberating on them.”
In Akwa Ibom State, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Mr Aniefiok Denis, said a committee would soon be set up to look into the amendments already received by the Speaker and the Clerk. “There would even be a public hearing on it,” he added.
In Edo State, the Speaker of the Assembly, Marcus Onobum, said the House had yet to begin deliberations on the amendments, noting that the people of the state would be consulted before positions are taken on the bills. He said the House would start deliberations when members resume in May.
He added, “We have up till June to come up with our resolutions after which we will transmit it to the National Assembly.
In Anambra State, a member of the 30-member Assembly, Mr Uzoma Eli, said the House was working to speed up the process of the amendment, having been busy with the activities that accompanied the change of leadership in the state.
Eli said, “We will expedite actions on it and revert to the National Assembly. Our mindset is not to work with the deadline, our mindset is to come up with our resolutions and transmit the same to them.”
GOVERNOR UMAHI TIPS SPEAKER OF EBONYI STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY FOR GOVERNOR 2023.
Governor David Umahi has endorsed the Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Right Honourable Francis Nwifuru to succeed him in 2023.
Governor Umahi stated this during the internment of the Father to the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Barrister Chioma Nweze in Okposi on Saturday.
He expressed hope that the Speaker would consolidate on the Divine Mandate leadership in the State.
Governor Umahi appealed to the people of Ebonyi South and all Ebonyians to support the Candidature of the Speaker for the sake of equity, justice, and fairness.
"To Okposi people and people of Ebonyi State, I present to you the choice of the people in the person of the Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru and I want Ebonyi South people to know that when it was the turn of Ebonyi South, an Abakaliki man was contesting and the Abakaliki people said no, so it is the time to pay them back.
"I want to assure you that this Divine Mandate we came with would continue and when this man comes onboard we would not turn left and right from Divine Mandate, so fear not, there is nobody that is thrown up by God that the people would not criticize.
"If people do not accept the sacrifices you are making, God will not disregard it, you can see that his children are very successful, some are Doctors, some are Lawyers, etc.
"2023 has to be ticking of the box, it will not be about promises, if you say you will do B, we have to ask you to prove how you will do A.
"In all honesty, it is my performance and that of others that APC will use to do their campaign.
"I ask you to continue to support our Government, we have only one Party and this party we are in now will continue with the development of Ebonyi State from wherever we would stop.
"Let the next President come from South for equity, justice, and fairness, if the Presidency is not zoned to the southeast by PDP and APC, they should tell the people why.
Governor Umahi responded to the claims by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike that he would not win elections without PDP, describing him as a Lawyer that does not know the Law.
"I am calling him to debate, he wants to be President, I want to be President, let us do a debate so that the world would see how intellectual property would be deployed."
Governor Umahi extolled the late father of the Commissioner for Trade and Investment for living a life worthy of emulation.
He appreciated the Daughter of the deceased who is the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Barrister Chioma Nweze for being a dependable asset to his administration and announced naming of a popular road in Okposi after the deceased.
"I am directing the Local Government Chairman whose duty it is to name rural roads to immediately name that road leading to Nkwo the Dandy Igweomoke road.
"We are celebrating a man who has lived a worthy life, he was a man of few words, he was not a fair-weather friend and he was determined.
Late Onyiba Igweomoke died at the age of 82 years.
Francis Nwaze, FIPMD Special Assistant to the Governor (Media and Publicity) April 23, 2022.
Reports reaching Vanguard have it that Architect Tonye Cole has been adopted by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State to be the party’s standard-bearer in the 2023 governorship election in the state.
The party leadership and stalwarts, according to a source took this decision in a well-attended meeting, late Friday night in Abuja.
It was gathered that the Minister of Transportation, who is also a frontline presidential aspirant of the party, Chibuike Amaechi, was in attendance.
A well-respected member of the party, who was privy to the development, disclosed that the meeting was held in Abuja and that all those aspiring for the governorship ticket of the party from the riverine extraction were present, including Dr Dakuku Peterside.
It is worthy to mention that Amaechi and other key stakeholders of the party had placed preference on a riverine governorship candidate.
They insist that it amounts to equity and fairness for a riverine Ijaw to be given the opportunity for the job, a decision that runs contrary to the aspiration of Sen. Magnus Abe, on the APC platform.
The source who did not want his name mentioned in the media said the party arrived at the decision following the reports submitted to it by a nine-man committee set up by the party to look into who the party fields for the poll.
However, it was gathered in good authority that some of the aspirants who were not in tandem with the decision took up a mild protest against the decision, although no negative action has been taken.
Meanwhile, penultimate Monday, all the 11 aspirants and some stalwarts of the party had submitted to support anyone who the leaders of the party led by the Minister of Transportation settles for either by consensus or primaries for the flag.
Following an agreement among four northern Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants to reach a consensus among themselves, the number of aspirants has been pruned to two. These are Gov Bala Mohammed from the North East and former Senate President Bukola Saraki from the North Central.
The four aspirants who made the initial agreement are Gov Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto, Gov Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and Mohammed Hayatu-deen.
The number of two was reached after the four aspirants began the process to reach a consensus by visiting former military president, Gen Ibrahim Babangida and giving him the mandate to lead the process for a consensus. They agreed to abide by the outcome of the decision.
The former president encouraged the aspirants to have a resolution within themselves and come up with one candidate, which they reported back to him after some days and asked him to go ahead and pick one out of the four.
General Babangida on his part opted for inclusion, through wider consultation with elders and leaders across the three geopolitical zones of the North. The process was conducted in three stages that included assessing the aspirants, their geopolitical zones and previous experiences of the PDP.
In a statement signed by Prof. Ango Abdullahi, “While thanking the aspirants and President Ibrahim Babangida for entrusting us with the conduct of this exercise and in the hope that all parties involved would continue with mutual consultations aimed at the overall success of the party, we hereby present the following conclusion as presented to and endorsed by Gen Babangida.
“For the purpose of this exercise, it is hereby resolved that Gov Bala Mohammad from the North East and former Senate President Bukola Saraki from the North Central be presented as the northern Consensus Candidates for the moment.”
REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN, INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC), PROF. MAHMOOD YAKUBU, AT THE SECOND REGULAR QUARTERLY CONSULTATIVE MEETING WITH RESIDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSIONERS (RECs), HELD AT THE CONFERENCE ROOM, INEC HEADQUARTERS, ABUJA, ON FRIDAY 22ND APRIL 2022
National Commissioners Our Resident Electoral Commissioners The Secretary to the Commission Directors Members of the INEC Press Corps Ok Ladies and Gentlemen
1. I warmly welcome the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to this meeting. This is our second regular quarterly meeting for the year 2022. You may recall that at our last meeting held on 15th February 2002, we focused our attention mainly on the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), particularly the creation of additional centres to devolve the exercise beyond our State and Local Government offices nationwide. A total of 2,673 centres were activated nationwide. In doing so, more personnel were trained, additional machines deployed and voter education intensified. The aim is to enable more Nigerians to register as voters.
2. Since the CVR exercise resumed on 11th April 2002 for the fourth and final quarter, there is a noticeable increase in the number of new registrants. In the last one week of the exercise, 405,587 eligible Nigerians completed the registration at the various centres which is about 31% increase on the average figure of 125,000 weekly registrations since the exercise commenced in June last year. We expect a surge in new registrations as we approach the deadline of 30th June 2022 and we are prepared for it.
3. However, we are concerned about the safety of our personnel and Nigerians who come out to register at the various registration centres. We are also concerned about the security of our equipment and materials, including the printed Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) made available for collection by registered voters. Recent incidents involving our staff and facilities are worrisome. You may recall that after a series of consultations with stakeholders (political parties, civil society organisations, the media and security agencies) before the resumption of the exercise in June last year, we agreed on a roll-out and roll-back approach to the CVR exercise depending on the security situation in specific areas.
4. Consequently, following the unfortunate incident in Imo State last week, the Commission suspended the CVR exercise in all the 54 additional centres in the State. The exercise is now restricted to our State and Local Government offices except Ihitte Uboma, Njaba and Osu where the exercise has been suspended for the time being. Similarly, based on the urgency of the situation in Anambra State, the CVR has been suspended in all the 42 additional centres and confined to our State and Local Government offices except Nnewi South and Ogbaru LGAs where the exercise has also been temporarily suspended. Furthermore, in Kaduna State, the exercise has been suspended in Jema’a and Kaura as well large areas of Birnin Gwari and Giwa on account of insecurity in the four LGAs. In addition, two of our staff were abducted by bandits but later released in Isa LGA of Sokoto State while on voter registration duty. The Commission will keep monitoring and reviewing the situation nationwide, always bearing in mind the imperative of protecting the safety and security of our staff and registrants.
5. Despite the security challenges, we must remain resolute in our determination to conduct the 2023 General Election as scheduled. In doing so, every eligible Nigerian must be given the opportunity to vote, including citizens in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp. Happily, the Commission has a standing policy on IDP voting which has been periodically reviewed. In the light of the security challenges around the country and guided by the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, the Commission will immediately review the policy to ensure that no internally displaced Nigerian in any part of the country is disenfranchised. The issue of IDPs is one of the issues to be discussed at this meeting.
6. The Commission is confident that our security agencies have the capacity to deal with the security challenges ahead 2023 General Election. Fortunately, we have started the preparations for the election early. There is therefore ample time to deal with the current situation to enable the Commission and all stakeholders to deploy nationwide for the election. We will continue to work with the security agencies for a peaceful electioneering and conduct of elections. To this end, the Commission will hold high-level meetings with the security agencies and consultations with stakeholders immediately after the forthcoming national holidays.
7. This is our first meeting since the coming into force of the Electoral Act 2022. I urge you to thoroughly study the new law. A credible election is anchored on the law. As you are aware, the Electoral Act, together with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and our Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, constitute the electoral legal framework for elections. As election managers, it is incumbent upon us to familiarise ourselves with the legal framework.
8. As you are all aware, the Commission released the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election a day after the Electoral Act 2022 was signed into law. The next activity under the Timetable is the conduct of party primaries by political parties. So far, 14 parties have submitted their notices and schedule of primaries to the Commission. As required by law, the Commission shall monitor the primaries in the constituencies where the parties intend to field candidates. This means that the State offices will be heavily involved in the exercise. I urge you to exercise our monitoring responsibility with absolute neutrality. There are sanctions for violation of the law and you should know this and warn our staff accordingly.
9. Let me also seize this opportunity to remind political parties that by the provision of Sec. 77 of the Electoral Act 2022, each party is required to maintain a membership register in hard and soft copy and to make such register available to the Commission not later than 30 days before the date fixed for primaries, congresses and conventions. So far, only one political party has complied. It is a mandatory requirement of the law and all parties are required to comply. Doing otherwise is like going into an election without the register of voters. There can be no credible primary or general election without a credible register of voters.
10. Once again, you are welcome to this meeting. I thank you for your attention.
The Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu has debunked claims that Permanent voters card (PVCs) has an expiry date.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, Yakubu assure all registered voters that PVCs issued by INEC remain valid for all elections.
He also reassured those who registered between January and March 2022 as well as those who are doing so until the end of the exercise that their PVCs will be ready for collection long before the 2023 elections.
He said, “We have encouraged those who lost their voters cards or whose cards are damaged to approach any of the registration centres to apply for a replacement. Similarly, voters who had issues with their accreditation in previous elections have been encouraged to revalidate and update their information.
“In addition, those who wish to transfer their registration from one location to another within a particular state or to relocate entirely to another state of the Federation can do so at any of the registration centres nationwide.
“These steps are in compliance with the law in order to serve Nigerians better. The claim that PVCs expire is misleading. Citizens are therefore advised not to register more than once as multiple registrations is an offence under the Electoral Act.”
He warned that anyone who engaged in the act of double or multiple registrations is liable to prosecution, adding that no citizen should engage in it or encourage others to violate the law.
In continuation with Operation Lake Sanity, MNJTF troops (Nigeria and Niger Republics troops) at Forward Operations Base Arege conducted clearance operations in close coordination with the Air Task Force (ATF). The ATF identified intelligence driven targets which they engaged using multiple sorties in the vicinity of Tumbun Fulani and Tumbun Rago, where about twenty terrorists were neutralised. Ground forces then advanced and reached Tunbun Fulani but could not access Tunbun Rago due to marshy terrain. The criminals on sighting the advancing troops fled and abandoned their check point, pulled off their uniforms and left their rifles and other equipment behind. Tunbun Rago was found deserted with Boko haram corpses and a shallow grave containing Boko haram corpses discovered, as the criminals beat a hasty retreat. Relatedly, the MNJTF Nigerien troops of Sector 4 while on patrol in the general area of Ngagam – Kabalewa and N’guigmi engaged a group of fleeing terrorists, neutralised five BHT/ISWAP insurgents, destroyed two Gun trucks and large stock of arms and ammunitions were recovered. Sadly, one soldier paid supreme sacrifice and few others were wounded in action, currently receiving treatment at a military hospital.
2. In another encounter with Boko Haram Terrorists/ISWAP insurgents in the course of further clearance operations by MNJTF troops of Sector 1 (Cameroon) in the vicinity of Toumbuma, Kerenua, and Chikingudu neutralized 2 Boko haram criminals and maintained dominance in the area. At the end of the earlier battle engagement around Tunbun Fulani and Tunbun Rago, six (6) traumatized female BHTs hostages managed to escape and were found by own troops who then assisted them and brought them to own troop’s location. They were professionally handled and given medical care in the bush. The rescued women have been moved to Maiduguri for further processing and handover to the civil authorities before they rejoin their families. Preliminary investigation revealed that the escapees who hailed from Adamawa, Borno, Gombe and Yobe states were kidnapped at different places and times by the evil and criminally minded BHTs/ISWAP ranging from October 2020 to April 2021. Details of each escapee is as follows:
a. Grace Daniel age 38 years kidnapped at Mainok along Maiduguri Road On 18 December 2020. b. Susan Lazarus aged 28 years kidnapped at Kupre Hong LGA Adamawa on 9 April 2021. c. Jumai Inuwa aged 42 years kidnapped along Damaturu – Maiduguri highway on 19 October 2020. d. Maria Adamu aged 27 years kidnapped at Gulak Adamawa state on 6 December 2020. e. Martha Malu aged 25 years kidnapped at Damboa road on 1 December 2020. f. Malakalya Dambade aged 37 years kidnapped at Mainok along Maiduguri highway on 25 February 2021.
3. The ongoing aggressive clearance patrol into the terrorists’ enclaves, continue to degrade the will and fighting spirit of the insurgents. The offensive operation characterized by raids, deliberate attacks, ambushes and air operations is exacting serious pressures on the insurgents, forcing them to continue retreating and enabling hostages to escape. This momentum would be sustained.
Signed,
Colonel Muhammad Dole Chief of Military Public Information HQ MNJTF NDJAMENA CHAD 20 April 2022
If we don’t come together and use our collective power to save this country from strangulation of the moneybags, we are doing a great disservice to our generation and that of the future.
We cannot continue to buy political offices in Nigeria, we need competent leaders come 2023
National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu has accused some current and past governors of working at cross purposes to tear the party apart.
Adamu disclosed this in his opening address at the 11th National Executive Committee NEC meeting of the APC holding at the Transcorp Hotel in Abuja.
The meeting is being attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and other critical stakeholders who are members of the NEC.
While he declared that state governors are leaders of the party in their states, Adamu said the APC constitution does but have provision for dual leadership in the states.
He however conceded that former governors are leaders in their own rights, urging serving governors to accord them all the necessary respect.
Politics › Troops Neutralise Boko Haram/iswap Members At Kasha, Recover Weapons by Kwanza(op): 4:16pm On Apr 26, 2022
