Politics
Face-off between Niger Gov, Senator disrupts pro-Tinubu rally in Borgu
Dozens of security operatives on Tuesday disrupted a campaign rally organised for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
The “Grand Lockdown Rally” billed to hold at the New Bussa Township stadium in Borgu, is organised by Project 774, a political group under the leadership of Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger North).
Senator Abdullahi, who is the Deputy Whip of the Senate, had invited the Niger state Working Committee of the APC to the campaign rally.
The invitation letter signed by his Special Assistant (operations), Hon. Mohammed Garba Danladi, was addressed to the state Party Chairman, Hon. Haliru Zakari Jikantoro.
“I am directed to invite you and your exco to the Grand Lockdown Rally in honour of Jagaban Borgu and Kashim Shettima, our party Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates, Hon. Mohammed Bago, with Comrade Yakubu Garba as Gubernatorial and Deputy Governorship Candidates for Niger state in the 2023 General Elections.
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“In view of the need to galvanize support and positively enhance the chances of our party in the forthcoming elections, we wish to solicit and count on your unflinching support towards the success of the rally,” the letter read.
But the party’s state executive disassociated itself from the rally, asking all party faithful not to attend.
A statement by the state publicity secretary, Mallam Musa Dan Sarkindaji, said the planned rally contravene the unified campaign structure as designed by the party.
The party instead urged its executives, stakeholders, and supporters to attend the grand zonal rally which is scheduled for Wednesday in Bida, the headquarters of the Bida local government.
When our correspondent visited the New Bussa township stadium, dozens of personnel from the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and Federal Road Safety Corps blocked the entrance, preventing APC supporters from accessing the campaign venue.
When approached, some security agents, who preferred not to be named because they were not authorised to speak, said they were mobilized to the venue to prevent access on “directive from the above.”
The Police spokesman in Niger, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, said security operatives were mobilised to the campaign venue to prevent a breakdown of law and order having got intel of a likely breach of security.
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In a terse statement, Abiodun said, “The Police had to take over the venue of the planned rally as a proactive measure due to intelligence received of likely breach of security at the venue.
“Hence, we have to do the needful to avert any possible attack or hijack by suspected miscreants to cause mayhem and breach of peace in the community.
“The Command will not fold its alms and allow an act of political violence, avoidable loss of life, destruction of properties, and lawlessness.”
The dissociation of the APC state working Committee from the rally laid bare the cold war between Governor Bello, who is in control of the party’s structure in the state Senator Sabi Abdullahi, the organiser of the rally.
The senator, who currently occupies the Niger North senatorial seat, contested the APC ticket to retain the seat despite pressure to step down for the governor, a development that pitched him against the state executive.
The governor won the primary and since then, both of them have not been in good terms.
The poster of the governor, who is the APC senatorial candidate, is conspicuously missing at the venue of the planned campaign organized by the senator.
Daily Trust
Politics
Senator Adeola to INEC: Adopt NIN, driving licence as voter’s card like Ogun
Senator Adeola to INEC: Adopt NIN, driving licence as voter’s card like Ogun
Senator representing Ogun West, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi), has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to consider alternative means of identification during voting.
Adeola, who’s the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation,
pointed out that accepting multiple forms of ID for voting will make the electoral process more inclusive and transparent.
He praised the use of National Identity Numbers and Driving Licences as voter identification at the ongoing Ogun State local government election, local government election, calling it a strategy to prevent voter disenfranchisement and ensure everyone can participate.
The Senator, who voted at the U.A.M.C. Polling Unit in Pahayi, Ilaro, noted that INEC can address challenges associated with the Permanent Voter’s Card and promote a smoother voting experience for Nigerians by exploring alternative identification methods.
He said, “I want to strongly believe that if we mitigate against this idea of disenfranchising people from casting their vote for one reason or the other, I will believe that it is not a bad idea to use other means of identification.
“The only thing is that there should be a lot of processes into this that will make it more legal, and that can show to the whole world the level of using it transparent. As far as that process is concerned, this will convince Nigerians that going forward into the future, aside from the PVCs, we can also use other legal means of identification, like a passport or the NIN card.”
Politics
Ondo gov: Aiyedatiwa leads in 13 LGAs, result collation resumes 5am
Ondo gov: Aiyedatiwa leads in 13 LGAs, result collation resumes 5am
Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the candidate of the All Progressive Congress in Saturday’s governorship election Ondo State is leading in all the 13 local governments so far declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Aiyedatiwa is also the incumbent governor of the state.
The collation of the remaining five council areas would resume by 5am today (Sunday), the collation officer, Prof Olayemi Akinwunmi, said Saturday night.
Akinwunmi, who announced the recess, said it was to allow for the arrival of results from the remaining local governments.
He said, “We have five more local governments but we are going to take our recess now until 5am to receive from Akure North, Okitipupa and Odigbo, then Ilaje and Eseodo. We resume at 5am for these local governments.”
Politics
INEC replaces LP candidate hours to Ondo gov election
INEC replaces LP candidate hours to Ondo gov election
In less than 24 hours to the Ondo governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission announced that Olusola Ebiseni would be replaced with Olorunfemi Festus as the Labour Party candidate.
INEC stated on X on Friday that the replacement of Mr Ebiseni with Mr Festus followed a judgment of the Court of Appeal.
The appellate court ordered INEC to restore the name of Festus as the Labour Party candidate in the Saturday election.
INEC was served with the certified true copy of the judgment on Thursday, which set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division.
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“The FHC, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1105/2024, had on Sept. 27 ordered the commission to accept Ebiseni as the candidate of the LP for the 2024 Ondo state governorship election.
“However, in the appeal with reference number CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024 filed by the LP, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, struck out the judgment of the FHC for lack of jurisdiction.
“In obedience to the court order, the commission has restored Festus, whose name was first published as the LP candidate for the 2024 Ondo Governorship election and uploaded the same to our website for public information,” INEC said.
INEC replaces LP candidate hours to Ondo gov election
(NAN)
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