₦airaland Forum

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/14/our-politicians-too-desperate-power-akintoye/

Elder statesman and Second Republic senator, Prof Banji Akintoye has berated Nigerian politicians for their desperation for power.

He said such desperation has nothing to do with people’s welfare but for self-interest.

Akintoye appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to plead with the country’s politicians and pressurize them to slow things down and ease their desperation and excessive determination to win at all cost.

Akintoye who stated this in an interview with the Next Edition on the state of the nation, lamented that different motives other than service to the nation were responsible for the inordinate ambition of some of the nation’s politicians.

“It is no longer a question of seeking political power to serve the people. What is happening is that the politicians are seeking power to accomplish the agenda that is not necessarily to do with the interest of Nigeria. Some are personal agenda. Some are extremist agenda. Some are extreme religious agenda but all together the signs, the omens don’t look good for this nation,” he said.

The elder statesman also reiterated his call for the restructuring of Nigeria, saying that the country won’t progress as a nation with its current structure.

He argued that Nigeria has come to the point where it must be restructured or it will explode.

“We stand today at a point in the history of Nigeria when Nigeria has to be restructured or it will blow up. If Nigeria is not restructured the way we now stand, not many sections of Nigeria are prepared for what is going to unfold, “he said.

According to him, many Nigerians have realized the importance of restructuring the country.

“I think more and more Nigerians now understand the need to restructure the country. It used to be a few voices crying for restructuring but more and more people understand the need for restructuring now. The basic fact is this, when you have a large country like Nigeria that is made up of hundreds of different ethnic groups, you cannot make the terrible mistake of managing the affairs of that country by one single government at the centre.

“You cannot do it in Nigeria, our country and our people have suffered tremendously over the years; compare the 1950s and today, we didn’t have oil then but our three regional governments were working in partnership to produce considerable amount of prosperity for our land.

“In the north, the Northern Regional Government partnered with the groundnut farmers to make Nigeria one of the greatest exporters of groundnut in the world. The Western Regional Government partnered with our cocoa farmers. We gave them assistance and the cocoa farmers became a great deal of support for the development of the western region, so the regions were the largest producers of foreign exchange in the federation.

“In the eastern region, the same thing was obtainable; the region majored in the production of palm oil and palm kernel. So on the basis of development, leaders of each region was developing at its pace and we were growing into a comfortable country.”

“Each section of Nigeria can develop its own section of entrepreneur. Each section of Nigeria can develop its own programmes for its own youths and that’s what we need. We need the freedom of the various sections of Nigeria to develop according to their own culture and circumstances and at their own pace; that is what restructuring means,” he said.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/14/buhari-yakubu-buratai-clandestine-meeting-plot-rig-march-23-polls-frank/

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Timi Frank has alleged another midnight meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chief of Army Staff, and the acting Inspector General of Police among others.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Frank alleged that the meeting was called at the instance of the Presidency on how to ensure victory for the ruling All Progressives Party, APC, in the six states where the governorship and states house of assembly elections were declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Supplementary elections have already been fixed for March 23 by INEC.

Recall that the President had earlier on Tuesday met behind closed door with some Northern govermors, which the purpose was not made known to the public.

According to the statement issued by Frank, the recent meeting would be the third time that the INEC chairman and others were secretly meeting the president at midnight.

The political activist raised an alarm that the way APC allegedly stole the mandate freely given to Atiku Abubakar in the Presidential election, “the electoral empire is out to repeat the same plot in the rescheduled rerun governorship elections in six states.”

According to him, the latest meeting, which started at about 1:30am and lasted for about an hour took place at the Glass House of the Presidential Villa.

Frank claimed that the INEC boss arrived the Presidential Villa in the same Armoured BMW 7 series vehicle with the Chief of Army Staff, Buratai and they were later joined by other APC leaders.

“Our Eagle eye in the presidential Villa has exposed another secret meeting against Nigeria by the people we trusted with power. The latest meeting is meant to finalise strategies on how to rig the six states declared inconclusive for the ruling APC. These are states already won by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, by later declared inconclusive.

“I challenge the INEC chairman to deny and swear with the Holy Qur’an that he has not been meeting with the President. History will always remember the 2019 general elections and the role played by Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, will never be forgotten in a hurry,” Frank stated.

The Bayelsa-born activist, however, called on all the serving and elected governors, National Assembly leaders and other stakeholders of the PDP not to celebrate any victory yet untill the six states of Rivers, Sokoto, Bauchi, Kano, Adamawa and Plateau are declared for the party.”

The game plan is to adopt Osun template for the rerun elections. PDP leaders must speak out loudly against militarisation of these elections, the evil plot of the latest meeting should not be allowed to materialise because the APC government will do everything possible to rig these rerun elections.

“I also called on the Sultan of Sokoto, the Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar-led Peace Committee – who have been keeping quiet in the face of injustice -and other leaders of thoughts to call the Buhari-led APC’s government to order,” Frank said.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/14/cor-okorocha-inec-cant-seize-certificate-others-receive-today-march-14/


The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, will today, March, 14, present Certificates of Return, CoR, to winners of the February 23 National Assembly Elections.

Meanwhile, Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and Senator-elect, Imo West Senatorial District, has challenged INEC for striking out his name from the list of NASS members and withholding his certificate.

Recall that INEC had warned that any candidate declared winner under duress would not be given certificate of Return.

Recall also that the Returning officer for the Imo West Senatorial District had said he declared the results under duress.

Addressing some of his supporters who were at the government house on Wednesday to protest the conduct of the just concluded elections, Okorocha maintained that anyone who went against him would lose.

“I wonder why INEC will withhold my certificate for a frivolous reason, without hearing from me. I am not a violent person and those who know me know that.

“This is why we have peace in Imo state. The Returning Officer could not have done that under duress under the watchful eyes of the Police, DSS and party agents. I am not unmindful of the fact that those who are fighting me from Abuja are anxious to see me removed as a senator. I urge INEC to do the right thing immediately by releasing my certificate.

“Let me tell every Nigerian that I fought no one and no one should fight me. If anyone fights me, he will be the loser at the end of it all. My INEC Certificate cannot be touched or seized; doing so is belittling democracy in Nigeria. It is only the tribunal that has the right to say otherwise once a result is declared. INEC cannot seize my certificate by mere petition written by somebody in a case I was not given the opportunity to present my own side of the story,” he said.

Meanwhile, INEC is set to present certificates to 102 senators-elect and 338 incoming members of the House of Representatives.

Members of the upper chamber will get their certificates by 10am while those of the lower chamber will receive theirs by 2pm.

According to INEC’s list of candidates, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has 63 senators while the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the YoungProgressives Party, YPP, have 38 and one respectively.

Seven seats were declared inconclusive for which supplementary elections would hold on March 23.For the House of Reps., APC has 211 members while PDP has 111 members.

The remaining 16 seats are shared thus: the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, six; African Democratic Congress, ADC, three; Action Alliance,AA, two and Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, two; African Democratic Party, ADP, Allied Peoples Movement , APM, and Social Democratic Party,SDP, have one each.

Elections for twenty-two seats (excluding Rivers) which were declared inconclusive will hold also on March 23.

Elections in Rivers State remain suspended following the violence that attended the governorship and state house of assembly polls.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/12/troops-kill-55-bandits-rescue-760-abductees-zamfara/


Troops of Operation Sharan Daji have killed 55 bandits and rescued 760 persons abducted from villages in Zamfara state.

This was contained in a statement signed by Acting Force Information Officer, Maj. Clement Abiade in Gusau on Tuesday.

He said, the troops also recovered weapons, ammunition and rustled cows as they blocked all entry points to the bushes to deny the 55 bandits free movement while building confidence of the locals.

“A total of 24 suspected bandits informants, rustlers, kidnappers and logistics suppliers were arrested and handed over to the police for further investigation.

“The Air Component of the operation carried out several air strikes around Kagara, Gando, Fankama, Fete and Dumburum forest during which successes were recorded.

“Items recovered include four AK 47 rifles, one Rocket Propelled Gun Tube, 12 Dane guns, 27 AK 47 Magazines, 168 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, one Pump Action Gun, 47 Motorcycles, a Golf wagon car and 61 rustled cattle,” he said.

He added: “The troops’ sustained operation led to the return of over 1000 Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs from Maru to Bini village on Feb.17.

“The Emir of Maru, Alhaji Abubakar Chika and the Chairman of Maru Local Government Area (LGA) Alhaji Salisu Dangulbi witnessed their departure at the LGA headquarters.

“Unfortunately, this feat was not achieved without supreme sacrifice being paid by one officer, two soldiers and a vigilante who paid the supreme prize during the encounter with bandits in Kagara forest.”

He said the Force Commander, Maj.Gen. Olabanji Stevenson sympathised with the families of those who lost their lives or got wounded assuring that their pains would not be in vain.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/12/buhari-meets-apc-governors-aso-rock/

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met behind closed doors with some governors of the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Seven in number, six of the APC governors are from the north with the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi completing them seven.

The meeting took place shortly after the President returned to Abuja after spending five days in Daura, Katsina State, where he had gone to vote in the just held governorship and state house of assembly elections.

The northern governors at the meeting were Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state, Yahaya Bello of Kogi state, Nasir el-Rufai, of Kaduna state, Abdulaziz Yari, Zamfara state, Abubakar Badaru, Jigawa state, and Kassim Shetima of Borno state.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/12/unknown-gunmen-abduct-ayade-chief-security-adviser/

The Chief Security Adviser to Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State, Mr. Ani Esin has been kidnapped.

He was abducted in his house on Tuesday by 3am and beaten to a pulp by suspected Kidnappers who carried assorted guns.

DAILY POST quoted an eyewitness who gave his name as Etim as alleging that the action may not be unconnected with recent political events in the State.

“Though the action is regrettable, it may not be unconnected with recent developments in the State,” he stated.

DAILY POST gathered that Mr. Esin was one-time Chairman of Bakassi LGA in the State

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ms. Irene Ugbo confirmed the kidnap.

She said the incident occurred in his house in Calabar by 3am on Tuesday. He has been rescued and he is receiving treatment at an undisclosed health institution.

“When the Police was informed about the incident, the Commissioner of Police and other Police officers went into action and rescued the victim.

“The driver that was driving the victim had an accident on the way and died on the spot. we have rescued the victim.

“The Police under the present administration is working hard to protect citizens and property” she stated.

The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and sitting governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, has been returned as governor of the state.

The state returning officer Prof. Shehu Iya, declared the PDP candidate winner early Tuesday morning at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, office in Jalingo.

According to him, the PDP candidate polled a total of 520,433 votes, while his closest rival, Sani Danladi, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, scored 362,735 votes.

He also announced that Ishaku won in 11 LGAs; Takum, Zing, Yorro, Kai, Bali, Donga, Wukari, Bali, Gashaka, Kurmi and Ussa LGAs, while Danladi won in four; Jalingo, Gassol, Ibbi and Karim Lami.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/319686-breaking-inec-declares-pdps-governor-ishaku-winner-of-taraba-governorship-election.html

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/11/find-love-amidst-hustle-bustle-lagos/

Do you ever wonder where the so called “good guys” are in Lagos? Or where exactly one can meet them? It is not easy finding love or even keeping the love when you find it in Lagos.

Sometimes you read love stories on how couples met each other at some place in Lagos, but where exactly? Having stayed in Lagos for more than six months now, I feel like I have been going to the wrong places because I’m just not finding the right, cool guys.

This brings me back to when BankyW sang his “Gidi Love” song about looking for true love in Lagos before he got married. Is it that scarce?

Well, it doesn’t seem like I’m the only one complaining about this, some people around me ask these same questions.

The hustle and bustle in Lagos doesn’t give you enough time to actually get to meet new people, one moment you are rushing for work and the next moment you are inside traffic for hours!

How about the weekends? You just want to really rest and rejuvenate for the coming week or perhaps laundry and groceries shopping. At this point, you might just remain single for a very long time!!!

Now let’s talk about some of the ideal places you can meet your love interest in Lagos.

Attend Weddings and parties : If you have lived in Lagos for some time now, you can attest to the fact that they don’t joke with ceremonies like weddings, birthdays and the rest. These places are top on the list of places to meet single men/women. Most people actually attend weddings to look out for people they could interact and hook up with. Try and accept wedding/party invitations from friends, especially when it is from people of good reputation. Be sure to look great and approachable, interact with people and keep a good smile on.

Go the Gym!

Most people in Lagos are now very fitness conscious and spend quality time at the gym. If you have a gym centre around you, try and register now...

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/11/ex-governor-fayose-congratulates-gov-amosun/

Former Governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose has congratulated Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun for losing the election in his state for his "Godson," Adekunle Akinlade.

Amosun, a member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, sponsored Akinlade

who ran on the platform of the Allied People’s Movement in the just concluded governorship election in Ogun State.

Fayose made his comments on his verified Twitter handle.

Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Crashes with No Survivors


Details:>> https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/10/slug-ethiopian-airlines-boeing-737-crashes-no-survivors/

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/10/breaking-inec-office-fire-imo/

The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Ngor Okpuala local government area of Imo state has been set ablaze.

Persons suspected to be political thugs reportedly invaded the premises while collation of results of the governorship and state assembly elections was going.

According to an INEC official, who does not want to be named, the suspected thugs broke into the place around 2pm and overpowered the local security guard there before setting the place on fire.

Policemen, however quickly moved in and guarded the electoral materials while the officials where taken to the INEC head office in Imo, where they are currently collating the results.

Francis Ezeonu, Imo resident electoral commissioner, told TheCable that the election was compromised in the area.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/10/breaking-two-die-boko-haram-launches-bomb-attacks-adamawa/

A bomb blast in Shuwa in Adamawa State on Sunday morning has killed two persons.

The bomb blast attack suspected to have been launched by Boko Haram using a rocket-propelled launcher occurred while Christians were preparing for Sunday mass a day after the governorship elections were held.

Mohammed Sanusi, the District Head of Duhu, told PUNCH that one of the two female suicide bombers planning an attack on churchgoers failed in her tracks as the bomb went up with her before she could reach her target.

He said, “There’s a bomb blast in Shuwa. Two female suicide bombers carried out the attacks. A little girl affected by the blast has been taken to Shuwa Missionary Health Centre. The female bombers had planned to launch the attacks on churchgoers but the bomb detonated prematurely killing the female bombers.”

He added that there’s a probability of an unexploded bomb lurking around.

“There’s a probability of another unexploded bomb in the area which the security forces are trying to unearth,” he said.

According to him one of the suicide bombers died in the attacks while a little girl was also injured in the attacks had been rushed to Shuwa Missionary Health Centre.

The Punch however quoted some resident in Shuwa as that the insurgents who launched the attacks fired bombs into Shuwa.

Security forces are said to have launched a manhunt for the insurgents suspected of launching the attacks.

However, the two female suicide bombers alleged to have been the masterminds of the reported bomb blasts were said to have crept into the town behind the Catholic Missionary Health Centre unnoticed.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/10/apc-wins-two-house-assembly-seats-lagos-island/

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Sunday declared candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, winners of Lagos Island House of Assembly Constituencies 1 and 2 in Lagos State.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the results were declared at the INEC office in Lagos Island at about 3.40 a.m.

Prof. Olaniyi Okedele of the University of Lagos, the Returning Officer for the Lagos Island House of Assembly Constituency 1, said that a total number of 21,237 votes were cast in the election, with 914 void votes and 20, 323 valid votes.

Okedele said that 10 political parties were registered for the Lagos State House of Assembly by the INEC for constituency 1.

He said that Wasiu Sanni of the All Progressives Congress, APC, polled 18,305 votes to beat his closest rival, Oluwaseun Dosunmu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who scored 1,821 votes.

“Wasiu Olatunji Sanni of the APC having satisfied the requirements of law and scoring the highest number of votes, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected having polled 18,305 votes,” he said.

Also, Prof Solomon Akinboye, of University of Lagos and the Returning Officer of Lagos Island House of Assembly Constituency 2 declared Olarenwaju Afinni of APC the winner.

Akinboye said that a total of 19,121 votes were cast with 868 votes rejected and 18,253 votes valid.

He said that Olarenwaju Afinni polled 16,010 votes, followed by Sanni Ismail of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 2,096 votes.

He said that nine political parties were recognised for the Lagos State House of Assembly by the INEC for constituency 2.

The returning officer said AAP scored 12 votes, AD scored 29, ADC scored 95, DA scored 2, MAJA scored 1, MPN scored 1, while SDP polled 7 votes.

Akinboye declared Mr Olarenwaju Sulaimon Afinni of the APC winner, having satisfied the requirements of law and having scored the highest number of votes. He returned Afinni elected.

“Olarenwaju Sulaimon Afinni of the APC having satisfied the requirements of law and scoring the highest number of votes, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected having polled 16,010 votes,” Akinboye said.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/10/guber-poll-policeman-nscdc-officer-killed-3-inec-adhoc-staff-abducted-katsina/

Katsina State Police Command has confirmed the killing of a policeman and abduction of three INEC adhoc staff during the governorship and state assembly election in the state on Saturday, March 9.

It also announced the killing of a civil defence officer in a separate attack while on election duty.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Gambo Isa, disclosed these in two separate statements obtained by the Next Edition.

He said the policeman, Cpl Mannir Usman and his team were ambushed by gunmen who shot Usman in the head and abducted three INEC adhoc staff on election duty.

The police team had been on election patrol at Gobirawa Falale, Danmusa Local Government area of the state.

Isa also said that a civil defence officer was shot on the chest at Santar Amadi village polling unit in Kankara Local Government area, in a separate attack on Saturday.

He said the gunmen attacked the village, shooting sporadically and hitting the officer on the chest where he died instantly.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/09/13-killed-bar-shooting-violent-mexico-state/

At least 13 people were killed and another seven wounded in a shooting at a bar on Saturday in Mexico’s violence-wracked Guanajuato state, Local Media reported.

It was not immediately clear who committed the crime.

Before sunrise, a group of armed men pulled up in three vans at the La Playa Men’s Club in the city of Salamanca, burst into the premises and opened fire, local media reported.

Powerful oil theft gangs have stolen vast quantities of fuel from Salamanca’s oil refinery.

President Andres Obrador launched a major offensive to capture local gang leader Jose Antonio Yepez, known as “El Marro.’’

A video taken after the shooting from the street near the bar showed a line of police vehicles.

A woman wailed uncontrollably in the background as an ambulance drove into the area.

Salamanca lies in Guanajuato state, part of the country’s industrial heartland that was a magnet for carmakers such as Volkswagen AG, General Motors Co and Toyota Motor Corp.

However, it suffered a doubling of murders in 2018, making it one of Mexico’s most violent regions, official data shows.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/07/yahoo-boy-cuts-lover-tongue-fleecing-n2m/

The police in Lagos have arrested a self-confessed Yahoo boy, fraudster, for cutting his supposed lover’s tongue in an attempt to kill her after hypnotising and defrauding her of over N2 million.

Recounting her ordeal to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Wednesday in Lagos, the victim said she became hypnotised after she was forced to wear the suspect’s underpants not knowing he had used same for rituals.

According to her, the suspect conspired with her neighbour and others at large to perpetrate the evil act against her.

The victim, a 32-year-old physiotherapist with National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, said she met the suspect in January 2018 inside a Bus Rapid Transport, BRT, from Ikorodu to Lagos.

“On that day, he gave me directions how to get to the state Police Headquarters and we exchanged contacts. We kept in touch for a while and he later told me he had an infection, Gonorrhea, which I treated him.

“We became close and then lovers. I guess he must have hypnotised me such that I really didn’t know what I was doing then. I gave him my entire savings. He even lodged in a hotel for four months and I paid a bill of N185, 000 at Ketu, Kosofe.

“He later took me to his father at Ikosi. They live in an unhealthy environment which I pitied them and offered to help. I rented a house for myself in November 2018 and he visited me in the house that same month.

“On Dec. 12, when he visited me, he said he wanted to buy a Toyota Venza, I asked him how much and when he googled it, he said it was N11.8 million. I asked him how he expected me to raise such money and he said we should open joint account.

“I agreed and took my house document to get a loan and even promised to gather all I had from my cooperative account.

Even the money I was saving for my Masters in Canada, I gave it to him because he said he knows an agent who can get genuine visas for us,” she explained.

Trouble, however, started on December 14, when the suspect brought his pant and asked her to wear it.

“Initially I told him I didn’t want to wear the pant because I was not comfortable in it. But he went and called my neighbour, Hellen, and they both forced the pant on me.

“After wearing the pant, I was no longer myself. I was acting abnormally and was taken to my mother’s house. They took me to Ibadan for treatment and I became better. I did not suspect him then.

“I kept relating with him. On Dec. 31, I went to a church for thanksgiving and was given some prayers to do every midnight. He came back to me and was still living with me.

“While I was praying this January, he started shouting, stop praying they have wired the money, it is only $2000 from Alaska in USA. That was how I knew he was into Yahoo Yahoo,” she further explained.

The victim said when the suspect discovered she had found out his illicit trade, he cut her tongue so that she would not be able to tell anyone all that had happened to her.

NAN reports that the victim had difficulty talking as her speech was impaired due to damaged tongue.

The suspect, in his confessional statement to the police, admitted being a fraudster, adding that he gave one Helen, victim’s neighbour, N300,000.

Spokesman for the police in Lagos, CSP Chike Oti, confirmed the development, stressing that two people had been arrested in connection with the crime.

Oti said the police was investigating the case, stressing that they were on the trail of others involved with a view to bringing them to justice.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/06/waec-plans-introduce-cbt-ssce-releases-private-candidates-result/

The West African Examination Council, WAEC, said it would soon convert the senior secondary certificate exam, SSCE to a computer-based exam.

The council’s Head of Nigeria National Office, Olu Adenipekun, said this while speaking at a news conference on Tuesday.

He also announced the release of the January/February First Series WASSCE result for private candidates.

According to him, the CBT test would start with objective questions.

Adenipekun disclosed that in about two weeks, the council would be concluding installation of all the necessary software and backups in its new CBT centre with a 600-seat capacity.

“In fact, we want other stakeholders – corporate individuals and organisations – to join hands with us in establishing CBT centres nationwide, in schools and other places, but I want to say WAEC is at the forefront for this project,” he added.

However, according to the council’s Head of Nigeria National Office, the CBT would be introduced in phases to allow students to get familiar with using computers for exams.

He said further; “However, where any schools feel they have been training their students on how to apply the computers very well and therefore want us to come and administer such a test using the computers, why not? We will do it.

“That is why I say, for us to be able to introduce the CBT test for our examinations; it will take combined efforts of all of us – schools, WAEC and other keys stakeholders,” he added.

Giving a breakdown of the result of the January/February First Series WASSCE for private candidates released, Adenipekun said 12,202 candidates registered for the examination as against the 11,721 candidates that registered in 2018.

Of this figure, he said only 3,102 candidates had credits and above in a minimum of five subjects including English Language and Mathematics.

“There are 376 results, representing 3.16 per cent of the total candidature for the examination, being withheld in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice.

“The cases are being investigated and reports of the investigations will be presented to the appropriate committee of the council in due course for consideration. The committee’s decisions will be communicated to the affected candidates,” Adenipekun said.

He said candidates can check their results on the council’s website.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/05/police-find-2-missing-children-5-years-arrest-suspected-abductor/

The Lagos State Police Command have found two children who were declared missing in 2014.

They have also arrested a suspected woman-abductor, Christiana Onuchukwu, for investigation.

The Command’s Spokesman, CSP Chike Oti, who made the disclosure in a statement on Tuesday said the Lagos State Police Command on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019, apprehended one Christiana Onuchukwu for stealing and keeping in her custody two children of different parents who were declared missing in 2014.

He said that luck ran out on the suspected abductor when one of the abducted children, named Ikimot, 12, came to Denton Police Station and reported that she was taken away from her parents some years ago.

According to Oti, the child claimed she was handed over to a woman she now called mum, she also mentioned her abductor’s address and asked the police to reunite her with her parents.

The statement said further, “Based on her complaint, the DPO in charge of Denton Police Station, CSP Saheed Quadri, led a team of detectives to No.1 Ogati Street, Fadeyi, Lagos, where the suspect was apprehended.

“When the suspect and her victim were debriefed, the child stated that she was seven years old when she started living with the suspect and that her present age is 12.

“She mentioned another little boy called Okashetu Musa as another victim of the suspect. Thus, the DPO dispatched a team of detectives to rescue the boy who was abducted when he was six, but now eleven years old.

“In his own account, the boy who could still speak Hausa, said he once lived in the Ebute Meta area of the state with his mother.”

Oti said that the leader of the Hausa community in Ebute Meta was invited to the station to help link the child with his parents.

According him, the leader, after consultation with his subjects, claimed that the mother of the boy, a blind woman, had relocated to Katsina State having lost hope on the possibility of finding her child.

“Meanwhile, the children have been reunited with their parents, while the suspect was on March 5, 2019, charged to Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court 5 with conspiracy, abduction and child stealing.

“The CP has directed the Divisional Police Officer to intensify efforts in ensuring that all the persons connected with the crime are arrested and prosecuted,” the statement said.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/05/stop-attacking-buhari-take-rest-82-alake-advises-obasanjo/

The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Aremu Gbadebo, on Tuesday advised former President Olusegun Obasanjo to desist from his ceaseless attacks on President Muhammadu Buhari.

Alake gave the advice in his goodwill message to mark the 82nd birthday anniversary of Obasanjo at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta.

Gbadebo, who noted that Obasanjo had been ‘‘a warrior’’ all his life, urged him to rest, fight less and rather take a position of a consultant at his new age.

‘‘At 82 years, I think you should keep your sword more rather than use it always,’’ he said.

The Alake, who served as a military officer during the military administration of Muhammadu Buhari between 1984 and 1985, said he had always told Obasanjo to leave his boss (Buhari) alone.

Obasanjo, who responded to goodwill messages from friends, family members and well wishers at the programme, responded by saying that the issues between him and Buhari were not personal.

According to the elder statesman, governance is not a family affair, adding that democracy involves criticisms and consideration of all sides to an issue.

‘‘There is nothing personal between President Buhari and I.

‘‘In a democracy, you can criticise a policy, a government or a leader because democracy is not a family affair.

‘‘If it is my brother that is occupying the leadership role and he is not doing what I believe he should do, he must be criticised and that is what democracy is all about.

‘‘I have been in that position longer than any Nigerian will ever be there.

‘‘So if I say anybody in government in Nigeria is not doing well, let that government prove that it is doing well,’’ he said.

Earlier, former Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of South Africa, Mr. Mangosuthu Buthelezi, delivered a lecture entitled: ‘‘Colonialism, Apartheid, Freedom and South Africa Rising.’’

Buthelezi, in the lecture, identified corruption as the biggest challenge facing the African continent.

He expressed concern that South Africa currently ranked so poorly on the Corruption Perceptions Index of the Transparency International.

The former South-African Minister attributed the development to ‘‘the mistakes we have made, allowing resources to be consumed by greed and abuse.’’

Buthelezi, who noted that only six countries in the African Union had ranked above 50 on the corruption index, stressed that ‘‘corruption is pervasive throughout the region.

‘‘This is difficult to hear and perhaps, it stirs our anger. We must, however, accept the facts and fix them.

‘‘When we consider countries like Seychelles and Botswana who have become paragons of excellence, we need to ask what they did to achieve this.

‘‘We know that Botswana, for instance, reinforced its legal and institutional frameworks and made resources available specifically to fight corruption.

‘‘There are measures we can take and we must take them.

“If we can overcome these challenges in Africa, we will open the possibilities for growth, development and social justice that were the dreams of my generation,’’ he said.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/05/kylie-jenner-world-youngest-billionaire-forbes/

Kylie Jenner is officially the youngest self-made billionaire of all time, snatching the title from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Jenner, 21, was finally given the title after months of speculation on Tuesday by Forbes as it unveiled its annual billionaires list.
At 21, she is both the youngest self-made billionaire and the youngest billionaire on Forbes’ ‘young billionaires’ list.

Jenner has amassed a personal net worth of $1billion through her wildly successful range of make-up, Kylie Cosmetics.

She overtakes Zuckerberg, who was 23 when he made his first billion 11 years ago in 2008.
Now, he is the eighth richest person in the world with a fortune of $62.3billion.

Jenner is the youngest in her famous, reality TV family, the Kardashians and the first to hit the billion dollar landmark.

She was surprised by the success of her cosmetics company which was only founded in 2015 but is now worth an estimated $900million.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/05/special-interview-came-count-ballots-not-money/

As the gubernatorial and house of assembly elections approaches, there have been calls for the removal of the Akwa Ibom Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, by a section of the political class in the state. In this interview with our Managing Editor,IBANGA ISINE, the REC opens up on his ordeal and challenges his detractors; he wasn’t posted to Akwa Ibom to count money but ballots. Have a pleasant read…

 

There are speculations that pressure is being mounted to get you removed from Akwa Ibom State. Can you speak to that?

I don’t want to start an interview with that. I don’t even want to talk about that. We are preparing for an election and you should know that politicians will always do all kinds of things.

I am focused on the job at hand. My advice is for political players to use the next few days ahead to mobilise as much as possible to have people to be at the polling units for the election.

What I have promised here is to give a fair and equal opportunity to all the political parties and their candidates in the state.

I have assured the people of Akwa Ibom State that elections will be credible and for the first time after 1999, election materials are now being delivered in all the polling units and clearly audited by party agents before the commencement of polls. That is a record we have set and we intend to build on it next Saturday.

It is now for all the political parties to use the available opportunity to carry out mobilization. I have no vote to give to anybody here and in any case, in the entire 2, 900 polling units where the election will take place, I will not be in any of those places.

But as people can see, we have put our strategy and machinery for the implementation of a very strong and robust framework that will ensure that the will and intent of the people are reflected through the ballot to be cast in the 2, 900 polling units across the state.

What is your message to the people of the state?

My assurance to everybody is that the next election will be free and fair and credible. People should disregard all the inaccuracies and innuendoes and insinuations going on because they are all lies.

Are you saying that the speculations that you are going to be removed are a lie?

That’s what I am saying. It is a common thing you will be hearing and they have been talking about that always. But the question is, why do you want to remove me? Why is it that in our country today, when a man says he wants to do the right thing, a man who has embraced certain pristine values to do the right thing is the one having problems? Why do we find that kind of thing in our country?  That people want to do the right things, they are putting all kinds of hindrances on his way. Why is it so?

My friend, if I had compromised, I wouldn’t have any problem today. I can now confirm to you that in my experience in the Nigerian public, integrity is very difficult to maintain. You are endangered if you are talking about integrity. What kind of country are we? We are supposed to be going for a civil exercise and that is about an election. Why is it as if we are going to war? Look at the number of people that were killed in other parts of the country during last Saturday’s election? Have we lost our sense of humanity? We are grateful to God that nobody died here in Akwa Ibom but the fact that people were killed in other places is worrisome.

People have criticised the show of force carried out by the security forces. What is your take on that?

 

I don’t want to sound like a politician. I am not a politician. I am an umpire. You as a journalist don’t need to ask me that question. As a media person, you can form your opinion about that. You are also a stakeholder in the process and so what is your opinion today? Let me tell you that since 2011, I have been a part of changing the narrative of the electoral process in our country.  Usually, the combined security agencies known as the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (IACCES) will normally do what is called a show of force. We normally do that.  I am the alternate chairman of IACCES in Akwa Ibom just like my colleagues in other states. It is intended to warn people who would try to do funny things on Election Day that they don’t try that. That is what we are known to be doing over time. For now, what you have just referred to was the show of force that is intended to show those who may want to prevent people from voting or those who want to disrupt the process to keep away. Of course, it is within the time-honoured practice since 2010 when we came on board. But it is on the election day that we will see something different from what is intended.

But during the last election, the military was visibly present and some of the operatives were acting against their rules of engagement?

Ironically, we have our peculiarities. I can tell you what I do, like yesterday when I was doing an appraisal, I was talking about selective commendation and also selective condemnation. The military, for instance, has been very helpful to me here in Akwa Ibom. I am talking about those working with me. But I also got reports about some military personnel also helping politicians to do some other things that were wrong. Whether they are genuine military men or those ones they normally sow uniforms for and or personnel of other security agencies, I cannot confirm. What all Nigerians and I knew before the election was the fact that the Nigerian Customs Service (NIS) impounded several fake military uniforms and gears. That’s what we knew before the election and that was reported in the media. In my experience here in Akwa Ibom, the security personnel that work with me are doing very well. The same goes for the police who are working with me. And so I cannot put all of them in the same bloc. However, the report I got from other places were contrary to my direct experience. At the same time, we had a situation where the NYSC members had very terrible experiences. But it was the police, for instance, that helped us rescue the corps members. If you look at the whole thing, it is a mix but my message to all stakeholders is that this election will come and go, and after the election, every institution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and all the personnel that worked must remember that there is a history book. There is a book that the history of this election will be written and the role that each of the security agencies played will be recorded and so shall they be remembered. I must also say that in the final analysis, there is a High Court of history that will sit in judgment on these people over the roles each and every one of us played either in the advancement of our democracy or the retrogression of our democracy.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/03/president-buhari-visits-akwa-ibom-tomorrow-march-4/


President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to visit Akwa Ibom State on Monday, March 4, 2019.

A statement by the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, Ini Okopido, on Sunday, invited party members as well as the public to come out to receive the President.

The brief statement read: “On behalf of the Akwa Ibom State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), I cordially invite the party faithful and the general public to the visit of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, to Akwa Ibom State.”

The President would be received at the APC Campaign Grounds, Edet Akpan Avenue (Four Lane), Uyo, by 8.30am prompt, according to the statement.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/03/buhari-refusal-sign-electoral-act-amendment-bill-responsible-election-flaws/

Wisdom Durueke, a lawyer and human rights campaigner, has attributed the ills associated with the recently held Presidential and National Assembly elections to the refusal of the President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law.

Durueke stated that if Buhari had listened to voices of reason and gave his assent to the bill, the issue of alleged tampering with the results of the election would have been drastically reduced to the barest minimum.

He said: “When you transmit the result electronically, it will reduce the possibility of doctoring or manipulation and the result will be the same all over the place.”

Durueke argued that if the bill had been signed into law, it would have made collation of election results faster.

He said: “Collation of election results in this country is like a Nigerian home video, where you have Part I, Part 2, Part 3 and so on, which increases tension and casts doubts in the system.”

Durueke expressed fears that the forth-coming Governorship and State House Assembly elections might go the same way as the Presidential and National Assembly elections with more disturbing challenges.

According to him, for free, fair and credible elections in the country to become reality, Nigerians should not relax in discharging their public duties, adding that party primaries and litigations should be conducted five months to the elections.

This, he argued, would give INEC enough time to prepare adequately for the polls, with the parties involved getting robust campaigns and touring different parts of the country.

He said presidential election result should not be delayed beyond 48 hours, noting that non-adherence to this would breed endemic corruption, adding that plans by Atiku Abubukar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate to challenge Buhari’s victory in court was part of the electoral evolution, which would contribute to the development of jurisprudence and electoral documentation.

“Atiku should not be seen as a bad loser by going to court to challenge the victory of President Buhari, and people should not mock him, because, it is one’s right to seek redress if one feels aggrieved.

“Going to court helps in peace building and it brings legitimacy. If Atiku loses in court, it increases the legitimacy of the Presidency, and if he wins, it strengthens our democracy and rule of law,” he added.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/02/buhari-re-election-well-deserved-victory-body-professors-academicians/

Progressives in Academics, Pro-Acad, body of professors and academicians in Nigerian tertiary institutions, has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his victory in the just concluded general elections.

The association extended its felicitations in a statement signed by its convener, Prof. Bolarinwa Bolaji, and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Saturday.

Bolaji said he was optimistic that the president and his vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, would continue the fight against corruption thereby making the country a place of abode for everyone.

He urged Pro-Acad to work with the president to achieve better Nigeria in the areas of education, economy, social, health care delivery and massive infrastructural development.

“This victory is for the anti corruption struggle of the Buhari administration which is yielding positive results, it is a victory for massive infrastructural development currently ongoing across the country.

“It is a victory for dignity for our country.

“We congratulate the Nigerian masses, most especially because the victory is a testimony that power belongs and resides with the masses. We are indeed very happy that the victory was handed over to PMB, an individual who is strongly committed to protect the interest of the masses against the greed and avariciousness of the Nigerian elites.

“To us, the victory does not come as a surprise for it is a well- deserved one. It only came as a result of the unprecedented achievements recorded, acknowledged by Nigerians and other sister countries who are friends of our dear country.

“We are indeed confident that the achievements in the first term in office shall be a child’s play when compared to what will be achieved in the second term.’’

Bolaji also called on the president to rise to call of duty to serve the country as never before while calling on Nigerians to learn from advanced countries in order to develop Nigeria.

“It is also time for all Nigerians, regardless of beliefs, religion, ethnicity, creed or class, to be genuinely committed, dedicated and strive hard toward rendering selfless services to our dear country.

“Since we have no other country we can call ours, now is the time to join hand with President Muhammadu Buhari in taking Nigeria to the next level in the provision of good governance that will engender realisation of much-needed dividends of democracy.

“Let us learn lesson from the Americans and other advanced democracies of the world, the moment general elections is over, they stop playing politics, all and sundry join hands with the winner in the provision of qualitative services to their country.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/02/noun-matriculates-17000-students-for-2019-academic-session/

The National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, on Saturday matriculated no fewer than 17,000 new students for the 2019 Academic Session.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Abdalla Adamu, disclosed this during the matriculation ceremony at the institution’s headquarters in Abuja.

Adamu who was represented by the Center Director, National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Special Study Center, Prof. Ibikunle Tijani, urged the students to conduct themselves properly throughout their studies.

He said the exercise was part of the 18th matriculation ceremony which took place at the 78 study centres of NOUN across the country.

“NOUN is not a regular university; as a result, desist from all the anomalies, like cultism, sexual harassment by lecturers that exist in conventional universities.

“I want to meet you in the next four years, during your graduation, full of knowledge and ready to take on the world as a result of your studentship in NOUN.

“We have established a Directorate of Learning Content Management System charged with bridging the Gap between you and your lecturers wherever they may be.

“Initially what was missing is negotiation, we have made contact and with the amended act, negotiation with NYSC and Council on Legal Education will start soon,’’ he said.

He explained that since the last matriculation in 2018, the institution had put in place, a number of adequate measures that will ease learning in NOUN.

Adamu equally said that the institution had strengthened the students entrepreneurship training aimed at empowering students’ creativity and capabilities.

Speaking on behalf of other matriculated students, Miss Sintiki Mathey of Political Science Department, promised that they would work hard and obey the rules of the institution throughout their studies.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/02/just-first-bank-branch-agege-burns/

The First Bank branch at Oko Oba Road, Agege, Lagos, has been engulfed by fire, which was still raging as at time of filing this report.

An eyewitness said the affected branch is located directly opposite the Maplewood Estate in the Oko Oba area of Agege.

Cause of the fire outbreak is yet to be ascertained even as the fire services were yet to arrive at the scene as at the time of reporting.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/02/presidential-nass-elections-50-persons-died-pdp/


Chinwe Maduagwu

Contrary to earlier reports that 25 persons were killed during the February 23, Presidential and National Assembly elections in Nigeria, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has claimed that over 50 persons actually lost their lives on the election day.

National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus made the claim on Friday while addressing the press in Abuja.

Describing the election as 'body bag election,' he claimed that most of the over 50 Nigerians who died during last Saturday’s elections were from the South South, blaming the deaths on the division of the Nigerian army stationed there.

“When All Progressives Congress, APC, leaders were threatening foreign election monitors with returning to their country on body bags we didn't know that they had designed the same thing for Nigerians. As at the last count over 50 Nigerians have lost their lives (sic) last Saturday most of them from the South South region where a division of the army with their commander were turned on the people on the Election Day.”

“For a regime that appears comfortable with blood, the deaths they recorded during their campaigns were not enough as after their contrived ballot box victory and stolen mandate, they still hired some hoodlums and sent them to the streets to go and kill themselves and further inconvenience the grieving Nigerians while celebrating their electoral robbery,” he said.

Secondus accused President Muhammadu Buhari, whom he addressed by his former Military title, General Muhammadu Buhari of dragging down the nation’s democracy by using the military to rob Nigerians of their right to choose leaders of their choice after being a beneficiary of a flawless election and seamless transition to an opposition party.

Dwelling more on the militarisation of the last elections, the PDP Chairman noted that besides using the army to kill innocent electorates, they were also on hand to suppress voters.

“The clear effect of militarizing the election particularly in the South South and South East in addition to the killing of innocent electorates was the obvious suppression of voters who were either scared out or chased away,” said.

He noted that even by INEC own record; voter turnout in last Saturday's election fell to about 36% from 44% it was in 2015.

“The military were dragged into the election to suppress and scare away voters and facilitate rigging. That is how you hear ridiculously that war torn Borno and Yobe states recorded higher percentage in voter torn out than some states in the South South geo- political zone.

“While the military was suppressing voters in PDP strong hold areas in the South, a different abracadabra was going on in some northern states particularly in Kano, Yobe, Borno and Zamfara states where numbers refuse to add up.

“In Borno, Yobe and Zamfara states confirmed report shows that there was non compliance in the use of Smart card reader as approved by INEC rules.

“In these states as in others, the data is inconsistent with the accreditation of registered voters in the local Government Areas and voting patterns witnessed in 2015.

“The same applies to cancelled votes, in Nasarawa states over 115,000 votes cancelled, Kogi 79,000 votes, Plateau 30,000 votes indicating that these high incidence of vote cancellation were designed to suppress the margin of victory in PDP strong holds.”

Secondus claimed that the ruling All Progressives Party, APC, was doing all within its power to strangulate the opposition.

“As part of their strategy to ensure that PDP is distracted from pursuing its stolen mandate, General Buhari's regime has decided to intensify their intimidation and strangulation of the opposition. Some prominent members of the opposition have been put on surveillance and their names listed to be stopped from travelling out of the country.

“You can all see that we have arrived at the place we never bargained for, full blown dictatorship and this is where I urge you members of the press to stand up as you have always done against this emerging despotism in our land before we become a laughing stock in the global democracy family again.”

He however, called on members and supporters of the party not to despair, but to remain steadfast and focused reiterating the assurances of the party’s Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, that they “shall triumph at the end because democracy has come to stay in this country and is staying by the grace of God.”

To the security agencies, he said: “I also wish to reiterate to our security agencies particularly the Army that they are not at war with any section of her citizens and they must try to be professional in their duties by staying away from election matters as directed by the Supreme Court of the land.”

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/01/next-four-years-will-tough-buhari-tells-nigerians/

President Muhammadu Buhari has told Nigerians that the next four years and his last term in office would be tough.

The President stated this at a special meeting with his cabinet ministers, who were in the State House, Abuja, on Friday to congratulate him on his re-election.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission had, on Wednesday, February 27, declared President Buhari, candidate of the All Progressives Congress, winner of the 2019 presidential election held on February 23.

The President said: “My last lap of four years I think is going to be tough because people are very forgetful – that was why wherever I went I reminded them of the campaign by our party of the three fundamental issues – security because you have to secure a country or an institution to manage it properly.

“If you don’t secure it you can’t manage it no matter how much propaganda you put in place.

“Secondly the economy, the unemployed able bodies is the problem of this country as a whole – more than 60 per cent are youths – that meant 35 years and below – they need to be kept busy.

“I realised that and I think God heard our prayers that the two previous rainy seasons were good and we had the foresight to get the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Central Bank to try and give soft loans to farmers so that able bodies that have land can go back to land.’’

The President, who also spoke on his campaign tour, stated that the successful completion of the tour had proven the opposition wrong that he was unfit to govern the nation.

He said the campaign tour did not only prove that he was medically fit but a clear indication that he was ready to continue in leading Nigeria for the next four years.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the highlight of the event was the presentation of congratulatory cards to the president by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winfred Oyo-Ita.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/01/just-inec-conduct-supplementary-presidential-election-march-9/

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,has said it would conduct supplementary presidential election in areas where the poll was cancelled last Saturday, on March 9.

INEC’s national commissioner for information and voter education, Festus Okoye, in a statement on Friday, said the supplementary polls will be conducted alongside the governorship and state houses of assembly elections.

Okoye said the decision to have the supplementary Presidential election on March 9 was reached during the commission’s meeting with resident electoral commissioners, RECs on Thursday in Abuja.

INEC had cancelled the presidential elections in some areas as a result of violence, which prevented the commission from deploying personnel and materials for the exercise.

They include two local government areas in River state as well as other parts of Lagos and Anambra states.

https://nextedition.com.ng/2019/03/01/25-people-killed-2019-national-elections-observers/

Nigeria is said to have lost no fewer than 25 lives during last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

This was part of the report made public by Foreign and Domestic Observers, who monitored the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections, who briefed newsmen in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital on Thursday.

At the joint press conference by the Director-General, Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness, the Publicity Secretary, Pan African Women Project, Republic of South Africa, Mrs Mphoentle Keitseng and Prince Stafford J Bisong of International Leadership Initiative, the observers expressed disappointment that the number was more than the 12 who died in the all the elections of 2015.

“This we consider as saddening and alarming in a context supposedly civil and democratic. It seems to us that Nigeria is transiting backwards to the dark ages of a near anarchy situation,” Keitseng said.

The observers, who described the election as a rape on democracy tenets by desperate power mongers, said they were totally unanimous that the election was dramatic and marred in some areas due to late arrival of election materials, ballot box snatching, absence of materials, insufficient security personnel at polling units.

They decried that the near or complete absence of armed law enforcement agents few poles from the polling units gave room for thugs and hoodlums to snatch ballot boxes, intimidate and molest electorates and unleash mayhem on law abiding citizens as policemen at polling units were often overwhelmed by large number of thugs.

“The role of the military in election and consequent rule of engagement in elections were clearly and consistently violated.

“We observed the military in states like Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Cross River, etc, order electorates, observers and some party agents out of collation centres for the sole aim of falsification of results in favour of a preferred candidate.

“In some instances in Akwa Ibom State, Rivers, Imo, Cross River, the law enforcement agent were observed fire sporadically into the air and snatching ballot boxes away themselves.

“The Smart Card Reader was not used in several polling units across the country. This was as a result of threat to life by thugs and hoodlums engaged by some desperate politicians.

“Sadly, most of the results which emanated from a process in clear violation of the provision of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as Amended) were collated, declared and a winner emerged,” the stated

They, however, lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the significant improvement in logistics and the overall conduct of the 2019 general elections.