Blog

Governors to serve as Returning Officers for APC presidential primaries
Elections
By Emmanuel Mogbede
Abuja, Sept. 28, 2018 (NAN) The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) has appointed respective state governors to serve as Returning Officers for the Presidential Direct Primaries.
The primaries would be holding across the States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Friday, Sept. 28.
Mr Yekini Nabena, the party’s acting National Publicity Secretary made this known in a statement on Thursday night in Abuja.
He, however, said that in states where the party has no governors, Senators and Ministers in such states would serve as Returning Officers for the exercise.
He added that National and State House of Assembly members were to coordinate their various constituencies during the exercise.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC Presidential primaries is to pass affirmative vote on President Muhammadu Buhari who is the party’s sole aspirant for the 2019 presidential election.
The party is expected to hold a Presidential Convention on Oct. 6 to ratify the president as its candidate ahead of the 2019 presidential election. (NAN)
EEM/AAB/IS
==========
Edited By Adeboye Ajayi/Ismail Abdulaziz
September 28, 2018

APC reschedules its governorship primary election to Sept.30

By Emmanuel Mogbede

Election

Abuja,Sept.27,2018(NAN) The All Progressives Congress(APC) National Working Committee(NWC) has rescheduled its governorship primary election earlier fixed for Sept.29, across states of the federation to Sept. 30.

This, is according to a statement issued by Mr Yekini Nabena,the APC National Publicity Secretary on Thursday in Abuja.

He added that subsequent elections,however, remained unchanged, adding that while the Senate primary election would hold on Oct. 2,that of the House of Representatives would hold on Oct.3.

He added that the State House of Assembly primary election would hold on Oct 4,while the party’s Presidential National Convention would hold on Oct.6.

According to Nabena in a separate statement, below is a list of governorship aspirants from states of the federation that were cleared to contest the primaries by the party’s Governorship Screening Committee.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the list also contained names of aspirants that were not cleared and those that withdrew from the race.

SOUTH SOUTH
Akwa Ibom State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Mr Obong Nsima Ekere Cleared
2. Sen. John Akpan Udoedeghe, Phd Cleared
3. Dan Abia, Esq. Cleared
4. Dr Edet Okon Efretui Cleared
Delta State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Prof. Pat Utomi Cleared
2. Dr Cairo Ojugbo Cleared
3. Mr Victor Ochei, Esq. Cleared
4. Chief Great Ovdje Ogboru Cleared
5. Chief Osiobe Eric Okotie Not Cleared
Cross River State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Pastor Usani Uguru Usani Cleared
2. Sen. John Owan Enoh Cleared
3. High Chief Edem Duke Cleared
4. John Upan Odey Cleared
5. Prof. Nyong Eyo Cleared
Rivers State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Tonye Cole Cleared
2. Sen. Magnus Ngei Abe Cleared
3. Dumo Lulu Briggs Cleared
4. Dr. Dawari George Cleared
SOUTH EAST
Abia State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Dr Uche Ogah, OON Cleared
2. Chief Ikechi Emenike Cleared
3. Mr Chris Akomas Cleared
4. Mr Martins Azubuike, Esq. Cleared
5. Barr. Friday Nwosu, Esq. Cleared
6. Amb. Okey Emuchay Cleared
7. Prince Paul Ikonne Cleared
Ebonyi State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Sen. Sunny Ogbuoji Cleared
2. Dr Edward Nkweagu Cleared
3. Sen. Emmanuel Agboti Cleared
4. Obasi Ogbonnaya Obasi Cleared
5. Mr Kelechi Chima Cleared
6. Mr Paul Okorie Cleared
7. Mr Christain Cleared
8. Mr Austine Igwe Edeze Cleared
9. Prof. Benard Odoh Cleared
Enugu State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Sen. Ayogu Eze Cleared
2. Mr Ifeanyi Nwaoga, Esq. Cleared
3. Akubue Augustine Cleared
4. Ben Eche Cleared
5. Mr George Ogara, Esq. Cleared
6. Mr Ejikeme Ugwu, Not Cleared
Imo State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Sen. Hope Uzodinma Cleared
2. Mr Uche Nwosu Cleared
3. Prince Eze Madumere Cleared
4. Mr Jude Ejiogu Cleared
5. Mr Chima Anozie Cleared
6. Dr Chris Emenike Nlemoha Cleared
7. Mr Eche George Ezenna Cleared
8. Chukwudi Celestine Ololo Cleared
9. Air Commodore Peter Gbujie Cleared
SOUTH WEST
Lagos State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Mr Akinwunmi Ambode Cleared
2. Dr Kadir Obafemi Hamzat Cleared
3. Jide Sanya-Olu Cleared
Oyo State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Niyi Akintola, SAN Cleared
2. Mr Christopher Alao Akala Cleared
3. Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe Cleared
4. Dr Olusola Ayandele, PhD Cleared
5. Dr Owolabi Babalola Cleared
6. Dr Azeez Popoola Adeduntun Cleared
7. Adebayo Adekola Adelabu Cleared
8. Mr Adebayo Shittu, Esq Not Cleared (No NYSC Certificate)
Ogun State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Jimi Lawal Cleared
2. Dapo Abiodun Cleared
3. Mr Bimbo Abiodun Cleared
4. Sen. Adegbenga Kaka Cleared
5. Mr Kunle Akinlade Cleared
6. Abayomi Semako Koroto Hunye Cleared
NORTH WEST
Jigawa State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Alh. Abubakar Badaru Cleared
2. Alhaji. Hashim Ubale Cleared
Katsina State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Aminu Masari Cleared
2. Abubakar Ismaila Isa Cleared
3. Garba Sani Dankani Cleared
Kebbi State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Alhaji Atiku Bagudu Cleared
2. Ibrahim Mohammed Mera, OON Not Cleared
Sokoto State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Abbakar Abdullahi Gumbi Cleared
2. Farouk Malami Yabo Cleared
3. Ahmed Aliyu Cleared
4. Sen. Abubakar Umar Gada Cleared
Zamfara State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Dauda Lawal Cleared
2. Mukhtar Idris Shehu Cleared
3. Brig. Gen. Mansur Ali Cleared
4. Alhaji Ustaz Ibrahim Mohammed Wakala Cleared
5. Sen. Kabiru Marafa Cleared
6. Alhaji Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi Cleared
7.Aminu Sani Jaji Cleared
8. Engr. Abubakar Magaji Cleared
9. Mohammed Sagir Hamidu Cleared
NORTH CENTRAL
Benue State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Dr Hon. Emmanuel Jime Cleared
2. Titus T. Zam Cleared
3. Akange Audu Cleared
4. Mr Aema Achado Cleared
5. Benjamin Tilley Adanyi Cleared
6. Micheal Iordye, mni Cleared
Nasarawa State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Sule Audu Cleared
2. Mr Silas Agara Cleared
3. Alhaji Aliyu Wadada Cleared
4. Zakari Idde Cleared
5. Hassan M. Liman, SAN Cleared
6. Mohammed Musa Maikaya Cleared
7. Mr Shehu Tukur Cleared
8. Dauda Shuaibu Kigbu Cleared
9. Dr James Angbazo Cleared
10. Alhaji Jafar Mohammed Ibrahim Cleared
11. Danladi Envulu-Anza Halilu Not Cleared
Niger State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Alhaji Sani Bello Cleared
2. Abubakar Mamma Jiya Maaji Not Cleared
Plateau State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Mr Simon Lalong, Cleared
NORTH EAST
Adamawa State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Sen. Mohammed Jibrilla Cleared
2. Nuhu Ribadu Cleared
3. Mahmood Halilu Ahmed Cleared
Bauchi State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar Cleared
2. Dr Ali Pate Cleared
3. Captain Bala Jibrin Cleared
4. Dr Yakubu Lame Cleared
Borno State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Kashim Imam Cleared
2. Prof. Babagana Umaru Cleared
3. Gambo Lawan Cleared
4. Mustapha Baba Shehu Cleared
5. Alhaji Umaru Kumalia Cleared
6. Muhammad Aba Lima Cleared
7.. Mr Kaka Shehu Lawan, Esq. Cleared
8. Alhaji Adamu Dibal Cleared
9. Mustapha Fannarambe Cleared
10. Mohammed Jafaru Cleared
11. Sen. Baba Kaka Bashir Garba Cleared
12. Mohammed Makinta Cleared
13. Mr Babagana Tijjani Cleared
14. Adamu Alhaji Lawan Cleared
15. Mai Sherrif Cleared
16. Hon. Abba Jato Cleared
17. Attom Magira Tom Cleared
18. Umar Alkali Cleared
19. Baba Ahmed Jidda Cleared
20. Idris Mamman Gatumbwa Cleared
21. Sen. Abubakar Kyari Cleared

Gombe State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Mohammed Jibrin Barde Cleared
2. Hon. Ibrahim Dasuki Jalo Cleared
3. Mohammadu Inuwa Yahaya Cleared
4. Kamisu Ahmed Mailan Cleared
5. Umaru Kwairanga Cleared
6. Abubakar Muazu Hassan Cleared
7. Umar Farouk Musa Cleared
8. Sen. Idris Audu Umar Cleared
9. Aliyu Haidar Abubakar Cleared
Taraba State
S/N NAME DECISION
1. H.E. Sani Abubakar Danladi Cleared
2. Sen. Joel Danlami Ikenya Cleared
3. Garba Umar-UTC Cleared
4. Prof. Mohammed Sanni Yahaya Cleared
5. Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama Cleared
6.. Aliyu Omar, MON Cleared
7. Chief Ezekiel Afunkuyo Cleared
8. Chief David Sabo Kente Cleared
9. Mohammed Tumba Ibrahim Cleared
10. Barr. Kabiru Umaru, Esq. Cleared
11. Aliyu Omar, MON Cleared
12. Sen. Hajia Aisha Alhassan Not Cleared
Yobe
S/N NAME DECISION
1. Hon. Mai Mala Buni Cleared
2. Umar Ali Kromchi Cleared
3. Hon. Sidi Yakubu Cleared
4. Ali Kolomi Cleared
5. Ibrahim Mohammed Bomai Withdrew

(NAN)

EEM/AMY

Edited by Abdullahi Yusuf

September 28, 2018

Osun rerun: Adeleke rejects result as APC commends electorate
Election
By Victor Adeoti
Osogvo, Sept. 28, 2018 (NAN) Sen. Ademola Adeleke, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Osun governorship election, has rejected the result of the rerun poll.
Adeleke, in a statement in Osogbo by his campaign organisation’s spokesperson, Mr Olawale Rasheed, said he would seek legal redress.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, the APC candidate defeated Adeleke with 482 votes in the rerun poll.
Oyetola scored a total of 255,505 to defeat Adeleke who scored 255,023.
Adeleke, however, alleged that voters were deliberately refused access to polling points at gun points while those allowed to voting centres were forced to vote for APC.
He said PDP party agents were arrested, beaten up and shut out of polling centres while the roads were blocked to stop voters and observers.
“Applying all standards, today’s supplementary poll is a non-event as all norms of the electoral process are violated,” he said.
But the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun said the people of the state had spoken through the ballot
A statement by Mr Kunle Oyatomi, APC Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy in Osun, said PDP got their votes in the first election through manipulation.
Oyatomi said that nobody expected that the PDP would come second during the election, adding that most people in the state believed that it would be a straight fight between the APC and SDP.
“We have always known and have made ourselves clear before the election that the PDP had made elaborate arrangement to rig the election through the manipulation of the card readers.
” And it was this process that made them get the votes allocated to them in the first ballot.
” We like Osun people to understand that the run off votes went the way it did because the PDP was unable to manipulate the card readers this time around and fortunately the police thwarted their plot of buying and trying to use the PVCs of unsuspecting voters.
“That was why some of their leaders were arrested. So the PDP should look for other excuses.
“They attempted to win by fraud, they failed in the first round and eventually lost the rerun election,’’ Oyatomi said.
NAN reports that the election was declared inconclusive and a re-run ordered because the number of cancelled votes was higher than the margin between the two top candidates.
Adeleke led the race with 254,698 votes, 353 votes more than his closest rival, Gboyega Oyetola of the APC.
The margin was, however, less than the 3,498 votes in the polling units where voting was cancelled.
Consequently, INEC Chief Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Joseph Fuwape, declared the poll inconclusive and ordered a re-run.
“Unfortunately, as the returning officer, it is not possible to declare any party as the clear winner of this election at the first ballot,” Fuwape had said. (NAN)
VE/OJO
======
(Edited by Mufutau Ojo)
September 28, 2018
Osun supplementary election results
Osun supplementary election results
1. Osogbo LG Unit 17, ward 5
Number of registered voters: 885
Number of accredited voters: 473
APC: 299
PDP: 165
Total votes cast:473
Total valid votes: 467
Rejected votes: 6
2. Orolu LG ward A, unit 1 and 4, and ward 9, unit 3
Total number of registered voters: 947
Total number of accredited voters: 419
APC 280
PDP:122
Total valid votes: 411
Rejected votes: 8
Total number of votes cast: 419
3. Ife South LG ward 7 , unit 12 and 10
Number of registered voters: 1314
Number of accredited voters: 515
APC: 455
PDP: 36
Total valid votes: 502
Rejected votes: 13
Total votes cast: 515
4. Ife North LG ward 2, unit 2
Number of registered voters: 353
Number of accredited voters: 133
APC: 126
PDP: 02
Valid votes: 129
Rejected votes: 04
Total votes cast: 133
Total votes scored by APC and PDP in the four affected LGs:
APC: 1,160
PDP:325
APC won by 482 votes
September 28, 2018
Oyetola wins Osun governorship election
Governor
Osogbo, Sept. 28, 2018 (NAN) The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Thursday’s governorship rereun election in Osun, Gboyega Oyetola, on Thursday emerged victorious with 1,160 votes.
Oyetola had beaten the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Ademola Adeleke, who had scored 325 votes in the election.
Prof. Joseph Afuwape, the Chief Returning Officer for the governorship election, had declared Oyetola winner.
Fuwape, who is the Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), said the 1,160 votes scored by Oyetola in the rerun election in addition to his Saturday’ votes of 254 , 345 gave him a total votes of 255, 505 to defeat Adeleke .
He said that Adeleke’s result of 325 in the rerun election in addition to 254,698 he scored on Saturday , gave him a total votes of 255, 023 to come second.
Fuwape said that Oyetola won the election by 482 votes.
He said 1, 678, 985 voters were registered while 775,687 were accredited during the election.
Fuwape added that 721,621 were valid votes, while 47,874 were rejected, adding that 769,495 were the votes cast during the election.
” That Gboyega Isiaka Oyetola of APC, having satisfied the requirement of the law and scored the highest number of votes, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected, ‘’ Fuwape said.
In the supplementary election in Osogbo Local Government Council, the APC garnered 299 votes to beat PDP which had 165 while the Social Democratic Party (SDP) had one.
The APC also won in Orolu Local Government Council with 280 votes beating PDP’s 122 while SDP had one vote.
In Ife South Local Government Council, the APC triumphed with 455 votes compared with PDP’s 36 while SDP had two.
The APC also won in Ife North Local Government Council with 126 votes to triumph over PDP’s two votes.
Although Adeleke had in Saturday’s governorship election polled 254,698 votes to beat Oyetola, Fuwape declared the poll inconclusive because of cases of ballot boxes snatching in some polling units.
He cited the affected polling units to include Ife North (one polling unit), Ife South (two polling units), Orolu (three polling units) and Osogbo (one polling unit). (NAN)
VE/OJO
======
(Edited by Mufutau Ojo)
September 28, 2018
Buhari urges Africa to explore demographic opportunities for poverty eradication
Opportunity
By Isaac Aregbesola
New York, Sept. 27, 2018 (NAN) President Muhammadu Buhari has called on Africa to explore the opportunities which demographic dividend offered to promote poverty eradication and global sustainability.
The President made the call at the High-Level Event on “Investing in Youth Jobs in Africa,” which was hosted by Prime Ministers Theresa May of the United Kingdom and Justin Trudeau of Canada.
The meeting was on the sideline of the ongoing 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The President said that population dynamics had shown that more efforts were required to confront the challenges related to changing global demographic patterns.
He added that while some countries experience the reality of ageing population, Africa’s challenge remained a youth bulge.
He therefore called on Africa to continue to exploit these opportunities to create jobs that would be economically productive and absorptive of the skilled youth.
The President also called on African governments to foster peaceful democratic environments and institute conflict resolution mechanisms to prevent violent conflicts and the adverse consequences.
He said national governments and the private sector should promote gender-neutral hiring practices to benefit the growing number of female applicants seeking participation in the work force.
The President said that he had already put in place measure as part of Nigeria’s commitment to the domestication of the AU Roadmap on harnessing demographic dividend through investment in youth.
He said that a Multi-stakeholders Committee would be inaugurated soon to develop a national roadmap for harnessing the potentials of Nigeria’s youthful population.
According to him, the national roadmap is anchored on four key pillars: Employment and Entrepreneurship; Education and Skills Development; Health and Well-being; and Rights, Governance and Youth Empowerment.
He said that the event was organised at a time when the focus of Africa was on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Agenda 2063
He added that both were aimed at addressing the daunting contemporary challenges, particularly as they affect the youth. (NAN)
IAA/IS
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September 27, 2018
NAF Alpha Jet destroys Boko Haram hideout on fringes of Lake Chad
NAF
By Doris Esa
Abuja,Sept.27,2018(NAN) The Nigerian Air Force says its Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole has destroyed Boko Haram hideout at a settlement known as Bakassi near Daban Masara on the fringes of Lake Chad in the Northern part of Borno.
Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, adding that the operation was carried out on Wednesday.
Daramola stated that the attack at Bakassi followed days of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
He noted that “the attack at Bakassi was carried out on Sept.26, following days of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions that led to the identification of a group of buildings and makeshift shelters in the settlement that were being used by terrorists as Tactical Headquarters from where they launch attacks against own troops’ positions.
“Accordingly, the location was attacked by a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet aircraft leading to damage of some of the structures and neutralization of several terrorists.”
He also said that the ATF, in close coordination with troops of 145 Battalion Nigerian Army (NA), repelled a Boko Haram attack at Gashigar.
” Also, later in the evening on Sept.26, the ATF received intelligence report that a group of the insurgents in several gun trucks and on motorcycles were advancing for an attack on own troops position at Gashigar.
“Consequently, a fighter jet and helicopter gunship supported by an ISR platform, were scrambled to the location.
“The aircraft, in coordination with ground troops, intercepted and destroyed some of the gun trucks and motorcycles and neutralised some terrorists at the outskirts of the town.”
He added that helicopter gunship subsequently carried out several follow-up attack passes and continued to engage fleeing terrorists.
He said that NAF, working in concert with surface forces, would sustain the momentum of operations with a view to destroying vestiges of the insurgents in the fringes of Lake Chad and other areas in Northern Borno. (NAN)
ORD/HA
Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu
September 27, 2018
ASUU threatens strike over 2017 agreement
Strike
By Blessing Odega,
Jos, Sept. 27, 2018 (NAN) The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike if the federal government fails to implement the 2017 FGN/ASUU agreement.
Prof. Lawan Abubakar, the Bauchi Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, at a news conference on Thursday in Jos, expressed surprise that the federal government has yet to implement the various agreements aimed at revitalising public universities, as agreed in 2017.
“ASUU and the federal government signed an agreement on the revitalisation of the universities and the payment of arrears of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA). We also agreed that the EAA be captured in 2018 universities budgets.
“We also agreed on the need for adequate budgetary allocation to education in line with the UNESCO minimum standard of 26 per cent,” he said.
Abubakar regretted that only 7 per cent of the total 2018 budget was allocated to the education sector, and called for the immediate release of the N20 billion revitalisation funding.
He enjoined members of the public to put pressure on the federal government to live up to its national responsibility by honouring agreements and MoUs so as to avoid disruptions in academic activities. (NAN)
UBO/KOLE/ETS
============
Edited by Remi Koleoso and Ephraims Sheyin

September 27, 2018
IDPs willing to return to their communities – PCNI
Return
By Lizzy Okoji
Abuja, Sept. 27, 2018 (NAN) Alhaji Tijani Tumsah, Vice Chairman, Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative (PCNI) has said that Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) across the country are willing to return to their communities.
Tumsah made this known on Thursday in Abuja during the monthly coordination meeting of the PCNI with the theme “Defining an effective return strategy for the North East’’.
According to Tumsah, a good number of the displaced persons are ready to return to a more secured environment, adding that the military are making great efforts in securing the region.
“A substantial number of them want to go back and they want to go back into a secured environment.
“The military in Nigeria are doing very well. They have recovered quite a few areas and after the recovery of those areas, those areas have become stable.
“What I will encourage them to do is to continue to work with us in providing for us, safe areas for return.
“So that people who are willing to go back to their communities are able to do so as soon as possible,” Tumsah said
He said that the September edition of the coordination meeting discussed possible strategies toward returning the IDPs to their respective communities.
Tumsah said that stakeholders would also discuss matters related to safe, voluntary and dignified return of the displaced population of the Northeast.
He said that the PCNI was also making efforts in resettling IDPs and refugees toward post conflict stabilization.
The Vice Chairman said that the PCNI was also helping communities in the North East to become more resilient. (NAN)
LIZ/IS
======
September 27, 2018
‘I did not come to Jigawa for campaign’, Saraki tells PDP supporters.
Campaign.
By Abdullahi Shugaba
Dutse, Sep 27, 2018 (NAN) Senate President, Bukola Saraki told supporters of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Dutse on Thursday ahead of the Presidential Primaries that he did not come to Jigawa for any campaign.
Saraki, also a presidential aspirant under the platform of the PDP said that he came to the state to greet the people of his party to say “Thank You.”
The Senate Preident was accompanied on the visit by Sen. Dino Meleye (Kogi), Ubale Shitu (Jigawa) and many PDP chieftains across the country.
Saraki later drove on a convoy to Bamaina, country home of former Jigawa Gov., Alhaji Sule Lamido who is also a presidential aspirant for a closed door meeting.
Earlier in an address in Jigawa, PDP Chairman, Alhaji Salisu Kuit welcomed Saraki to the state and called on all the PDP Presidential aspirants to cooperate with one another to ensure the success of the party in the upcoming polls. (NAN)
AIS/AAB/MTM
Edited By Adeboye Ajayi/Tukur Muntari.
September 27, 2018

S/N	NAME	DECISION
1.	Mr Obong Nsima Ekere	Cleared
2.	Sen. John Akpan Udoedeghe, Phd	Cleared
3.	Dan Abia, Esq.	Cleared
4.	Dr Edet Okon Efretui	Cleared