₦airaland Forum

[b]MAKURDI—Three adhoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Benue State were reported to have died, in the course of election duties in the state. The Resident Commissioner of INEC in the state, Prof. Istfanus Dafwang, made this known yesterday while briefing reporters at the state headquarters of INEC in Makurdi.
Prof. Dafwang said the commission also recorded the destruction of its materials at an unnamed location in Guma local government area of the state. He said amongst the dead was a female ad-hoc staff who died on Saturday morning in an accident at Oju local government area, while on her way to her duty post.
“She was being taken by a motorcycle rider to her unit and he was probably over-speeding when the front of the bike apparently pulled off leading to the gahstly accident that claimed her life.
“The other two died Sunday morning in an accident on their way back to Makurdi from Vandeikya where they took part in the conduct of the elections,” he said. Prof. Dafwang, who acknowledged that the exercise went on peacefully across the state, however, called for prayers to ensure that the coming governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections went without hitches.
At the time of this report, collation of results were still ongoing at Makurdi INEC office.[/b]
source: http://africansgist.com/politics/three-inec-staff-killed-in-benue/

The Independent National Electoral Commission has suspended election in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State after the police said they could not guarantee security in the area.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Anidi Ikowak, said in Agbor that some stakeholders in the area did not allow electoral officers to move voting materials to polling units.

He said the initial complaint was that they wanted to see the constituency collation form.

He said, “But even when the form was brought, they did not still want the materials moved.

“So the police had to advise that for security reasons, the election should be suspended.”




source: http://www.punchng.com/news/inec-suspends-election-in-delta-community-over-insecurity/

Less than an hour that a bomb exploded at a polling unit in Enugu, a similar incident has occurred in Awka, Anambra State.

The Anambra explosion took place at Atom a polling unit at Umuokpara Primary School, Awka ward one.
Details later…
source: http://africansgist.com/politics/explosion-rocks-anambra-polling-unit/

One person was murdered in Ikirun, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Osun state in the early hours of Saturday by an unknown gunmen.

It was gathered that some hoodlums invaded the area killing a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Yomi Ademola.

It was further learnt that residents of the area were woken up with the sounds of gunshots at around 4:45am by the hoodlums before carrying out the dastardly act.

The victim, it was learnt had recently defected to the PDP from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
http://africansgist.com/politics/one-killed-as-violence-erupts-in-osun/

[img]http://africansgist.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=196.0;attach=130;image[/img]
Wow what an invention from google, its absolutely awesome.

Google unveiled its first "fully functional" self-driving car on Monday, the company said.

"Today we're unwrapping the best holiday gift we could've imagined: The first real build of our self-driving vehicle prototype," the statement on the company's Google Plus social media site said.

Google announced in May it would develop its own self-driving vehicles, which would use an array of sensors and computers to navigate streets without a driver at the controls.

"Since then, we've been working on different prototypes-of-prototypes, each designed to test different systems of a self-driving car," the company said.

Those specialised prototypes included models to test steering and braking, as well as computers and sensors.

"We've now put all those systems together in this fully functional vehicle - our first complete prototype for fully autonomous driving," Google said.

Test drivers will, however, continue to use manual controls "as needed" as they develop the vehicles, the company said.

Google teased real-world testing of the car in the near future: "We hope to see you on the streets of Northern California in the new year."

but i wonder how it will be on our Nigerian roads, with static traffic jam lol
http://africansgist.com/car-talk/wow!!!-google-unveils-first-self-driving-car/

Another bomb blast has rocked the commercial city of Kano,as State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso attends the national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) where he is vying for the party’s presidential ticket.

The blast occurred at Kantin Kwari textile market in the city,according to AFP. The market is regarded as the largest in northern Nigeria.

Although details are still sketchy at the moment,sources say the military have cordoned off the area.

The blast occurred barely two weeks after almost 200 people were killed in multiple explosions that rocked the Kano Central Mosque.
http://africansgist.com/politics/another-bomb-blast-rocks-kano-market/

Adele earns £80 000 a day despite not releasing an album in almost four years.

The Sky fall singer - whose last record 21 came out in 2011 - has earned £54m in the last 22 months up to 31 December 2013 through her two companies, according to accounts released on Sunday.

The Sun on Sunday newspaper reports Melted Stone made £30m over 14 months up to April 2013, with a further £8m coming in over the rest of the year.

Meanwhile, the 26-year-old star paid herself a £5.2m dividend in the second half of 2013, and she drew a salary of £2.86m in the latest accounting period, as opposed to £5.6m for the previous 14 months.

Furthermore, her other company Melted Stone Publishing had sales of £14.4m over the 22 months, and between them her two firms have £13.1m profits.

The star is said to be working on her highly-anticipated third studio album - set to be released in 2015 - and she has undergone "photo-healing therapy" to cure her fear of being pictured ahead of her return to the limelight.

A source previously said: "Adele has always been camera shy but with her big comeback imminent her fear of being thrust back into the limelight is growing.

"She knows she will have paps following her every move when her album is released and wants to be better prepared.

"A close friend recommended Adele got in touch with a photographer in the US known as 'the photo healer' for some Skype therapy sessions."
source: http://africansgist.com

By 2019, the national government won't be building its own particular streets; it will turn into the obligation of the private segment.

Minister of Information, Labaran Maku made this known in Abuja amid a Ministerial press instructions composed by his service for the Works Ministry.

"All over on the planet now, or significant nations that are solid financial forces like Nigeria, individuals are not searching for Federal cash or government cash for street development. Individuals are coming back to the private segment. India, Malaysia – a few of those nations – draw in billions of dollars for street development from the private division," said Maku,, who noted that the Federal Government has used N1.765 trillion on 184 continuous undertakings over the six geo-political zones of Nigeria.

Notwithstanding the immense total being used on base, an enormous crevice still exists, henceforth the requirement for the private segment to assume control.

"There is no cash that you will get today from the Federal plan that will convey on these base," Maku clarified.

He hence said that by 2019, the development and support of streets will primarily be taken care of by the private division.

"… in the following three, four, five years, I accept that the cash that will go into the procurement of streets won't originate from the legislature. It will be originating from the private segment," the Minister said.

Maku communicated lament that unforeseen emergencies like Boko Haram revolt in Nigeria's North-East have hampered infrastructural improvement motel the nation. "Envision what would have happened if the majority of the cash (said to be trillions of naira) used in arraigning the war on Boko Haram had been used in giving streets all through the length and expansiveness of Nigeria," he said.

Talking further, Maku proposed that the fitting powers ought to guarantee the high rate of infringement on the right of path by Nigerians is definitely decreased.

He said this was extremely fundamental in light of the fact that once somebody had raised a structure on such spaces, it is always hard for government to claim back the right of route without needing to manage open objection.

It is thusly better to guarantee nothing is based on the right of path in any case.

He thusly instructed prevailing voices in control regarding this to stay alarm to prevent such unlawful structures from springing up.

Maku noted that once a change is placed set up to guarantee development of government streets is passed on to the private area, the Federal Highway Authority will be made.

He admired the Minnister of Works, Mike Onolememen, who gave the scorecard of his service at the instructions, for the achievements recorded by his Ministry, including the banner off of the second Niger connect, the progressing recreation of Apapa-Oshodi road and the complete redesign of the Third Mainland connect in Lagos.

Onolememen said the present organization in the state was focused on street development and recovery, with 25,000km of the 35,000km of government streets now in great and motorable condition.
Source: http://www.africansgist.com/general-discussion/private-sector-to-take-over-federal-roads-by-2019-laraban-maku/