Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez Announce Their Engagement

J-Rod is taking it to the next level — superstar Jennifer Lopez and retired baseball star Alex Rodriguez are engaged.

The couple posted an Instagram photo of their hands with a massive engagement ring on Lopez’s ring finger. The former Yankees shortstop captioned his photo with “she said yes” and a heart emoji. The photo was also posted on Twitter.

View image on Twitter

Alex Rodriguez

✔@AROD

She said yes

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The couple has been dating since early 2017 and later that year landed on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine with their celebrity couple nickname, J-Rod.

In January, Rodriguez told The Associated Press that he and Lopez had similar backgrounds and now “are in our 40s and trying to live the best lives possible.” He said Lopez throughout her career had “destroyed the word ‘no’ ” and how much he related to her recent film “Second Act.”

Source: The New York Times

Senate President for the 9th Assembly

With the majority seats in the nation’s upper legislative chamber, the Senate, safely tucked in the political pouch of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), there is no better time to begin to map out the shape of the leadership structure of the incoming ninth Red Chamber and this is being mindful of the benefit of hindsight.

A major criticism of the APC in its first term as the ruling party borders on lethargy. This was most pronounced in how long it took the party to constitute its federal cabinet leading many to conclude that the party was ill-prepared for the business of governance, in addition to the thinking that the long delay robbed it of the opportunity to hit the ground running from day one.

Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and a former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, re-echoed this perspective in a recent interview with THISDAY during which he argued that “Nigerians voted them (PDP) out for a party that was not ready for leadership. I mean, after six months without a cabinet it became evident that the party was not ready for leadership. They were just interested in grabbing power.”

The perceived ill-preparedness of the APC also reared its head in the National Assembly as the party could not agree on the configuration of the leadership structure in both chambers of the parliament even with the fact that it controlled majority seats.

Many analysts of different persuasions had adduced different reasons for the challenge at the time but none of those reasons will be permissible this time around which is why the party and its leadership hierarchy must immediately put on its thinking cap and arrive at a leadership structure that will appropriately take care of all interests and divides in the party, mindful of all the legacy parties that came together to form the party in February 2013.

It is against this background that analysts expect that the APC leadership and its various stakeholders to have a tentative zoning arrangement in place to be activated ahead of the inauguration of the next Senate. Such an approach will eliminate tension and afford the party the needed time to manage whatever the fallouts from the exercise in good time. The party has agreed to this thinking anyway.

Forming the leadership structure of both chambers of the National Assembly particularly, the Senate, according to political observers, will typify the progressive and democratic credentials of the ruling party. Many commentators argued that the leadership of the lower house is given considering certain permutations especially, regarding the fact that the current Speaker of the House will be returning to the house albeit on a minority platform.

Investigations by THISDAY revealed subtle jostling and underground scheming have commenced in earnest among ranking returning senators with eyes on the seat of the President of the ninth Senate. It was further gathered that though the push at the moment was for the position to be zoned to the North-east, where the party had zoned it in 2015 before Dr. Bukola Saraki upturned the apple cart.

Analysts, however, insisted that whoever emerges must not be a function of zoning and reiterated the importance of competence, capacity, and experience alongside other political considerations and expediency for the purpose of strengthening the legislature and delivering on good governance.

Observers are also waiting to test the democratic inclination of the APC given that nothing has changed in the set up in the presidency with the return of Presidential Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Indeed, political watchers are waiting to see if the party would again zone the Senate presidency to the North-east geo-political zone as it did in 2015.

Interestingly, three ranking senators from the North-east zone are currently at the forefront of consideration for the Senate presidency position. They are Ahmed Lawan, Danjuma Goje, and Ali Ndume – all from North-east.

Pundits insisted that Senator Ahmed Lawan, representing Yobe North Senatorial district should ordinarily get the nod of the party strategists and leadership on account of the fact that his choice passes all the critical criteria of who leads the ninth chamber.

Ordinarily, his choice should have been a stroll in the park but given the scheming and intrigues characteristic of the nation’s party politics, it could be wishful thinking given that other ranking senators have already started eyeing the plum post.

Some observers and analysts opined that Lawan comes to the table with both intellectual capacity and legislative competence to lead the ninth Senate. As a former Senate president, Iyorchia Ayu, Lawan, he is a former university don, having lectured at the University of Maiduguri.

The 60-0year-old seasoned legislator holds a doctoral degree in remote sensing/GIS from the Cranfield University, United Kingdom. This was after he bagged a first degree in Geography at the University of Maiduguri and MSc from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria.

Those familiar with him averred that it is a mark of his legendary humility that he does not flaunt his academic qualifications unnecessarily, thus, his preference for being addressed simply as Ahmed Lawan. What more, he is from the North-east.

A number of reporters covering the National Assembly credit him with laudable legislative contributions to the work of the National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Constitution Review in 2009. As the chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, he initiated and sponsored the Desertification Control Commission Bill.

And in 2009, he spoke against the proposed Kafin Zaki Dam. He had argued at the time that among other dislocations in the polity if constructed, the dam would cause intense poverty, increase desert encroachment, migration and conflicts between arable farmers and herdsmen.

A Wikipedia entry corroborated Lawan’s expert opinion. The post read in part thus: “A study funded by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) study estimated that if implemented, even with a regulated flooding regime to reduce downstream impact, the Kafin Zaki dam project would have a negative value of around $15 million.”

Being the highest ranking senator in APC, when the ninth Senate is inaugurated is also considered by many as a huge advantage that makes him head and shoulder above other aspirants for the position. This is besides that he is the most ranking member of the third legacy party, the All Nigerian Peoples’ Party (ANPP), that formed the APC and the least favoured of the lot when positions were shared in the National Assembly, until he became Senate Majority Leader midway into the life of the eighth Senate.

Lawan first got into the National Assembly in 1999 as a member of the House of Representatives on the platform of ANPP and served two terms. In 2007, he contested for his current seat and defeated the candidate of the ruling (at the federal level) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He repeated the feat again in 2011 and 2015 before his latest election, thus making him a four-time senator when the ninth Senate is inaugurated.

Besides, he is an uncommon party man. He stuck to the ANPP even when the trending practice was for politicians to defect to the PDP. He has also shown the same loyalty to the APC even when the party failed to deploy its might to make him emerge as the president of the eighth Senate. What more, he stoutly supported and rallied many senators and House members behind the party’s positions in the National Assembly during the tumultuous moments that characterised the better life in the current Senate.

On his part, Ndume, representing Borno South senatorial district also boasts a robust academic and legislative resume. Like Lawan, his maiden entry into the nation’s parliament was through the House of Representatives in 2003 as a member of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He later dumped the ANPP for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a dramatic manner after he fell out with former Borno State governor, Alli Modu Sherriff. His spat with Sherrif was to later haunt his political career.

A recipient of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Post-Graduate Scholarship to study Business and Computer Education at the University of Toledo Ohio, United States of America, where he graduated with a B.Ed and M.Ed in 1990 and was awarded Magna Cum Laude academic honour. He was also admitted into the Phi Kappa Phi academic society for outstanding performance. On graduation, Ndume returned to Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri for a second stint as a lecturer, having taught in the institution before he proceeded to the University of Toledo until 2003 when he entered politics.

Knowledgeable source at the National Assembly insisted two factors may prove his Achilles heel. “Senator Ndume is perceived combative and a hardliner” a journalist who covered the Senate spoke about what might count against him when the chips are down, adding that “his alleged links to Boko Haram is another factor that his opponents may resuscitate to knock the wind off his sail to becoming the Senate president.”

Investigations revealed that in November 2011, Senator Ndume was controversially linked to Boko Haram. This charge came about following the arrest and interrogation of the Boko Haram Spokesperson at the time, Mallam Ali Konduga. It, however, turned out that the allegation was spurious as he had been mandated to liaise with the group in a bid by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration to seek a political solution to the Boko Haram security challenge.

According to Wikipedia, it was later discovered that a former governor of Borno State, Sheriff, with whom he earlier had political disagreements had a hand in his ordeal.

Analysts insisted that even though the charges had since been dropped, the unfortunate incident could form bias decision against him on who becomes the next Senate president when the time comes just as his perceived hard line and combative posturing may not sit well with the APC apparatchik.

Senator Danjuma Goje, a former two-time governor of Gombe State is another returning ranking senator of the APC fold being touted as a possible president of the incoming ninth Senate. He is reputed to be vastly experienced in both executive and parliamentary duties on account of having held positions that cut across the two divides.

He was a member of the Bauchi State House of Assembly from 1979-1983 on the platform of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN). Thereafter, he was appointed the Secretary of the National Institute for Medical Research Yaba, Lagos State in 1984, a position he held until 1989 before he went into private business.

He served as Minister of State, Power, and Steel from 1999-2001 under President Olusegun Obasanjo. He has served in several committees in the Senate, the last being Chair of the very strategic and plum Senate Committee on Appropriation. He was a member of the Bauchi State House of Assembly.

A graduate of the political science of department of the Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU Zaria) and made his entry into the red chamber in April of 2011, when he was elected Senator for Gombe Central on the PDP ticket. With a number of former governors retiring to the Senate, Goje will rally the support of a good number of them, particularly the former PDP members in his push to clinch the position.

A couple of factors and issues considered vital will count against him. One is his ongoing prosecution for graft by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Another and even more daunting is his role in the delay in the passage of the 2018 appropriation bill.

At the height of the budget passage imbroglio, Goje had claimed that the work of the Senate appropriation committee stalled because the EFCC carted away vital documents relating to the committee work in his possession when the anti-graft body raided his Abuja home even though the claim was taken by many with a pinch of salt.

Given the expected scheming, alignment of forces and horse-trading characteristic of such jostles it is pertinent that the APC apparatchik is wary of political antecedents of all the aspirants and would choose right at the end of the day. Of paramount importance is the need to be armed with the lessons learnt from the 2015 experience in order to avoid another round of rancorous term in the Senate for the good of the nation.

Police warn Kano residents over celebration of unofficial results

The Kano Police Command has warned residents of the state against celebrating unofficial results of the Guovernorship and State House of Assembly elections.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abdullahi Haruna, gave the warning in a statement issued to newsmen in Kano on Sunday.

He said the command has observed with concern how some political gladiators in the state have commenced celebration of victory in some places.

Haruna said the warning is to maintain peace, harmony and do away with any accident and breach of peace in the state.

“The command is categorically putting it clear to all and sundry that the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) should be allowed to finish collating the results and declare authentic winners before any celebrations,” he said.

According to him, any person found engaging in such celebrations leading to breach of peace will be arrested and prosecuted as provided by law.

NAN recalls that supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Candidate, Mr Abba Yusuf, engaged in celebration of victory on major roads of Kano metropolis on March 9. (NAN)

Court threatens to jail Saraki, NASS clerk over Kogi Senator

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday threatened to commit the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Mohammed Sani-Omolori to prison if they further fail to obey its order of June 13, 2018.

The court had ordered Saraki and Sani-Omolori to swear-in Air vice Marshal Isaac Mohammed Alfa (rtd) as the Senator representing Kogi east, just as it ordered Senator Attai Aidoko (PDP, Kogi east) to vacate the seat because he was not validly elected.

The presiding judge then, Justice Gabriel Kolawole (now Justice of the Court of Appeal) in addition ordered Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to re-issue certificate of return in favour of Alfa.

Despite the validation of the Federal High Court judgement by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, Aidoko had through his lawyer, Patrick Ikwueto (SAN) on January 28, 2019, filed another suit before the same Federal High Court, asking it to set aside its order of June 13, 2018.

The Federal High Court on February 21, 2019, struck out the suit on the grounds that its order of June 13, 2018, is still valid and subsisting.

But Alfa’s lawyer, Reuben Egwuaba, applied for ‘’Form 48’’ which is a ’’notice of consequences of disobedience to order of the Federal High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court’’.

However, the Court yesterday granted Alfa’s application to warn Saraki and Sani-Omolori against further delay to inaugurate him As Senator.

Justice Inyang Ekwo held that Saraki and Sani-Omolori should, ‘’take notice that unless you obey the order contained in this order you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison’’.

Senator Aidoko’s appeal against Justice Kolawole’s judgement at the Court of Appeal was dismissed on October 24, 2018, thereby affirming the Federal High Court judgement.

He further appealed against the Court of Appeal Judgement before the Supreme Court which was struck out on January 23, 2019 on the ground that it was caught by the amendment to Section 285 of the constitution, which took effect from June 7 last year.

Court Orders Arrest Of APC Governorship Candidate In Akwa Ibom

A Rivers State Chief Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt has issued an arrest warrant against Nsima Ekere, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State.

S.D. Andrew-Jaja, the chief magistrate of the court, said Ekere and one Katungo Moljengo should be arrested “in compliance with Section 138 of the Rivers State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2015.”

The court's order, bearing the seal and signature of S.T. Dappa, Principal Registrar of the court, said the arrest warrant against  Ekere and Moljengo was issued “in Port Harcourt under the seal of the court and hand of the presiding chief magistrate, this 5th day of March 2019".

The magistrate said the warrant for the arrest of Ekeme and Moljengo was issued because of the listed complaints and a suit marked PMC/MISC/15/2019 by one Multi-intelligence Development Limited.

Source: Sahara Reporters

Buhari Makes U-Turn, Says Second Term will Be Peaceful, Prosperous

Barely a week after President Muhammadu Buhari said his next tenure would be tough, the president yesterday toned down his language, saying his next four years would rather be peaceful and prosperous.

Buhari, who made this promise while hosting leaders of the organised labour in the State House, Abuja, added that his next tenure of four-year would also be corruption free.

The president also said the next administration would remain focused on his campaign promises to fight corruption, grow economy and fight insecurity.

He said he looked forward to receiving proposals from the labour leaders on how they could jointly build synergy that would assist in achieving the common goals of the federal government.

Buhari said: “By the grace of God, majority of Nigerians have given me another four years of continuity. We will remain focused on our promises, which remain security, economy and fighting corruption.

“I want to assure you that the next four years will be peaceful, prosperous and corruption free. I, therefore, look forward to receiving your proposals so that together, we can achieve these goals.”

Buhari also thanked the labour leaders for their support and cooperation towards the conduct of the presidential election, saying their cooperation helped many to exercise their civic rights.

He also thanked them for the roles they played in voter education and prayed for the conduct of violence-free governorship poll tomorrow.

The president, who said he understood the plights of the labour leaders and pointed out how they were under pressure to meet the expectations of their followers, said he looked forward to further engagements with them in the nearest future.

The president said: “We cannot succeed without your cooperation. I appreciate the pressure you are under from your respective constituencies, most especially if you have to submit yourself for elections.

“You have to prove to your members that you are with them rather than with the government and we understand.

“Let me start by thanking you for the support and patriotism that you have shown during the presidential elections.
“You and many Nigerians stepped in to help many Nigerians exercise their rights to vote. You intervened as patriots not for political, religious and tribal reasons. You stood in during a very difficult period for all of us.

“On behalf of all Nigerians who benefited from your kind support, I want to say thank you. As a result of what you did, many citizens were able to travel and vote.

“I am also aware that many of your members were very active in voters’ education and promotion of peaceful elections in your various communities. Thankfully, the presidential elections were conducted peacefully in most parts of the country.

“As we go to the polls this weekend, my prayer is that we also conduct elections in a non-violent manner.
“I very much look forward to your continued support and engagement to ensure creative ways. We cannot afford to go back to the days of violence,” he added.

PDP Still Has Questions to Answer on ‘Squandered Wealth’

Buhari also told the labour leaders that the PDP owes Nigerians explanations on how it expended the resources that accrued to the country from oil sales between 1999 and 2014.

He described the 16 years of rule of the PDP as an era of “unprecedented, irresponsible expenditure”.

According to the president, the PDP has not been able to successfully explain to Nigerians what they did with the funds during the period they led the nation “as no tangible infrastructure was built.”

Buhari said during the negotiations that led to the approval of the N30,000 minimum wage, he had to ask the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, to remind the workers what his administration met on ground and what it had been able to achieve with minimal resources.

“During your negotiation with the minister of labour and when he briefed us in council on N30,000 minimum wage, I gave an analogy of a mad woman, who went to fetch firewood but then she realised it was too heavy for her to carry, instead of reducing it, she added more,” he said.

According to the president, “we are struggling to survive as a nation. You (workers) knew what this country was earning between 2009 and 2015, you knew the state of infrastructure when we came in. God gave them (PDP) 16 years of unprecedented earnings. Multiply 2.1 million (barrels) by $100 by 16 years. I don’t think the PDP has been able to successfully explain to Nigerians what they did with that money.”

Buhari said the opposition party spent $16 billion on power and Nigerians are asking: “where is the power?”
“Oil production from 2.1 million barrels per day went down to half a million. The militants were unleashed on this administration, and yet as confirmed by your leader, we had to ensure pensioners who were dying collected their entitlements. So, really, there was terrible management of this country in last 16 years and we are just trying to make up.”

Buhari said he was looking forward to labour’s continued support.
“As we go to the polls this weekend, my prayer is that we also conduct elections in a non-violent manner,” he said.
Buhari said the government would remain focused on its promises, which remains security, economy and fighting corruption.

”I want to assure you that the next four years will be peaceful, prosperous and corruption free. I therefore look forward to receiving your proposals so that together we can achieve these goals,” he said.

Wabba, in his remarks earlier assured Buhari that the workers were partners in progress.
”Government and labour are primarily partners in progress. The success of government is linked to its workers. And the success of workers is linked to government,” he said.

The NLC president said one of the finest hours of labour with any president of the country was when Buhari pressed states to pay salaries and pension.

“We all remember the special bailout, Paris club refund and budget support package you introduced to support state governments during the recession. Your directive during this intervention was state governments must offset accumulated arrears of salaries and pension liabilities. I remember you publicly and openly asked state governors, “how do you manage to sleep at night when the salaries of workers in your state are not paid?

“For us, that was one of the finest moments we have had with any President in this country…I can stand here today and say your intervention was the difference between life and death for many workers.”

Wabba urged Buhari to inaugurate the Boards of National Pension Commission (PENCOM), National Insurance Fund Trust, the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies and National Labour Advisory Council.

“These institutes are key pillars in labour-government relations. The activation of the boards will surely ensure our successes to date are taken to the Next Level. Please be rest assured we are ready to do our bit,” he said.

Election: Air Force Fighter Jets, Attack Helicopters on Standby against Election Violence

 

Kingsley Nwezeh, Onyebuchi Ezigbo, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja, Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt and David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

Ahead of Saturday’s governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections, the Nigerian Air Force has deployed fighter planes and attack helicopters in some potential flashpoints across the country.

The air wing of the Nigerian military also said it has concluded airlifting of electoral materials to 31 locations in the country for onward distribution to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) locations and polling stations.

In a chat with THISDAY in Abuja, NAF spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said attack helicopters, fighter planes and intelligence gathering platforms have been put on standby for potentially violence-prone areas.

He said: “We have other aircraft, the ISR platforms, attack platforms, and helicopters; they have been deployed in different locations across the country.

“Depending on where they are, they provide surveillance, reconnaissance in a show of force. They give feedback to operations or situation room.”

On the airlifting of election materials, he said NAF had concluded delivery and was looking forward to a successful election.

According to him, “In terms of delivery of electoral materials to all the 31 locations that has been done because that is where they have airfields and we used the transport aircraft.

“From those locations, the materials are moved to the various CBN locations and local government areas that cover INEC logistics responsibilities. We are good to go.”

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, had at a meeting with Air Force commanders, said contingency plans were put in place in case of any breakdown of law and order.

He said NAF hospitals and medical centres were put on the alert to assist in attending to any medical emergencies.

On election materials, Abubakar said eight aircraft were deployed in the airlift operations flying a total of about 340 hours in 257 sorties with about 120 crew members comprising pilots, technicians and other specialists operating on a round-the-clock basis.

INEC Declares Readiness for Elections

Also briefing on the elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared its readiness, adding that all materials for the elections have been delivered to all states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
There would be governorship elections in 29 states and assembly polls in 36 states, with FCT holding its area councils contests.

The commission also warned that it would not tolerate the act of holding its officials hostage and forcing them to declare winners under duress, saying that if such occurs, it would not issue Certificates of Return to any culpable politician.

The Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this Thursday during the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting held at INEC Headquarters, Abuja, where he equally decried loss of its electoral materials to hooliganism and violence.

He added that all materials and relevant personnel would arrive at the Registration Area Centres (RACs) today, noting that with this arrangement the commission is confident that all polling units will open at 8a.m. nationwide.
Yakubu stated: “On Saturday, 9th March, 2019, Nigerians are once again going to the polls to elect governors in 29 States, 991 members of Houses of Assembly in all the states of the federation, 6 chairmen as well as 62 councilors for the Area Councils in the FCT.

“A total of 1,082 candidates will be elected by citizens across the country. Learning from the experience of the presidential and National Assembly elections held two weeks ago, the commission has effectively tackled the challenge of logistics. Materials for the election have been delivered to all states and the FCT. Movement to the Local Government Areas will be completed Thursday .

“In addition to elections into 1,082 constituencies nationwide, the commission will conduct supplementary elections in 14 states of the federation covering seven senatorial districts and 24 federal constituencies.”

The chairman said that elections in the affected areas were disrupted mainly by acts of violence involving ballot box snatching, abduction of INEC officials, over voting and the failure to adhere to regulations and guidelines.
Yakubu said the number of registered voters in the polling units involved in each constituency was more than the votes received by the candidate with the highest number of votes.

According to him, “Supplementary elections must, therefore, be conducted to determine the winners. Consequently, the commission decided to conduct the supplementary National Assembly polls on Saturday alongside the governorship and state assemblies’ elections. Full details of the constituencies involved have been communicated to stakeholders in the affected states and will also be available on our website for public information later Thursday .”

The INEC boss stressed that the list of candidates that emerged winners in the senatorial and House of Representatives’ elections held on Saturday 23rd February, 2019 would be available on its website later Thursday.

He noted: “For senatorial districts and federal constituencies in which winners have already emerged, the commission will issue their certificates of return next week. Preparations for the elections holding this weekend into 1,082 constituencies require the full attention of the entire commission.

“We reckoned that the elected candidates are also busy campaigning in their constituencies for the remaining elections. The certificates of return shall be presented at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.”
Yakubu said that on Thursday, March 14, 2019, senators-elect would receive their certificates of return at 10a.m., while members of the House of Representatives-elect would receive theirs by 2p.m. the same day.

He revealed that certificates of return for governors and deputy-governors-elect, members of state Houses of Assembly-elect and Chairmen and Councilors for the FCT shall be presented in each state of the federation by the Supervising National Commissioners and the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on a date to be announced next week.

Yakubu stressed that in the course of securing the elections, security agencies, electoral officials and innocent Nigerians have suffered needless attacks resulting in casualties, including deaths and the loss of personal and official properties.

He said the commission was glad that the Police have made several arrests and investigation is ongoing, while also assuring Nigerians that the commission would work closely with the Police to ensure diligent prosecution of all violators of the electoral law.

The chairman stated that citizens are asking for effective but non-intrusive protection before, during and immediately after the elections in which their rights are respected and their choices safeguarded.

Yakubu added: “While we look forward to the same cooperation with the security agencies, I am confident that lessons learnt from the presidential and National Assembly elections will help us to more effectively secure the environment for the elections this weekend.

“The commission is concerned that many of our materials, including ballot boxes, voting cubicles, voters’ registers and Smart Card Readers were lost to acts of hooliganism and thuggery in the elections held two weeks ago. Most worrisome is the attack on electoral officials.

“Some of our staff were abducted and taken hostage in an attempt to disrupt elections or influence the outcome. In fact, some of the supplementary elections I referred to earlier were caused by such acts of thuggery.

“I am confident that working together with the security agencies, we will consolidate on the largely peaceful conduct of the presidential and National Assembly elections while also taking decisive steps to deal with the minority of violators intent on disrupting the conduct of peaceful elections.

“However, the Commission will not tolerate the act of holding our officials hostage and forcing them to declare winners under duress. Where such occurs, the commission will not reward bad behaviour by issuing them certificates of return.”

“We have once again reconfigured the Smart Card Readers for the elections on Saturday. The use of the card readers is mandatory and there will be no exemption to their deployment for accreditation of voters.

“Under our Regulations and Guidelines, there are clear penalties for the deliberate failure to deploy them on the part of our staff. Where such happens with the connivance of communities, the result of election in the polling unit(s) will be cancelled and zero vote recorded.”

The chairman noted that while the commission would still maintain its Situation Room at the International Conference Centre (ICC) to monitor the elections nationwide and respond to issues that may arise, no election results would be collated and no declaration of winners would be done at the ICC.

He said that all collation and declaration of results would be done at the various constituency and state declaration centres.

Situation Room Calls for Non-interference by Security Agencies

Meanwhile, the Nigeria civil society group, the Situation Room, has asked INEC to ensure that the interference of security agents in the electoral process does not occur again during the elections on Saturday.

As a result of complaints and grievances trailing the presidential and National Assembly elections, the observer group said that INEC has a duty to immediately publish the election results on its website.

The Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre and Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Mr. Clement Nwankwo, who read out the group’s statement to journalists at a press conference in Abuja yesterday, said there is a worrying trend of increased and excessive involvement of the military and security officials in elections in Nigeria.

He said the concerns were raised following the incidents that occurred during the presidential and National Assembly election where security agents were alleged to have overstepped their bounds.

The Situation Room urged the electoral body not to allow security agents to become active participants in the voting and collation of results process tomorrow.

“Situation Room will like to restate the provisions of section 29 (3) of Electoral Act, which states that the deployment of Nigeria Armed Forces for elections shall be at the request of INEC and only for the purpose of distribution and delivery of election materials and protection of election officials,” it said.

Situation Room urged the military to restrict themselves to those responsibilities as defined by INEC and the electoral law.

It said the security agencies should ensure that they provide adequate security for the elections and in a manner that does not allow or encourage violence to be used as a tool for vote suppression.

It further urged political parties to avoid perpetrating violence and vote buying or other electoral malpractices.
In view of complaints and mixed reactions that followed the presidential and National Assembly elections, the Situation Room asked INEC to release publicly the data captured by the card readers to ensure utmost transparency in the election.

It said the data should be the number of partial and full accreditation across the 36 states, including the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT).

The group added that the electoral umpire should keep to its promise of publishing the statistics, on the state by state basis, number of voters and polling units.

Anxiety Mounts in South-south Over Troops Deployment as Army Raid Ateke Tom’s Home, Hotel

In the meantime there is palpable anxiety in the South-south over deployment of troops to keep watch over tomorrow’s elections in the region, with leaders of the opposition parties, fearing that the soldiers might have been sent in to suppress their supporters.

Also claiming that bands of thugs had been deployed in the region to cause mayhem while the police and the army would look the other way, the leaders were anxious that the elections might be marred by state induced violence.
Their fears became real Thursday when in Rivers State, soldiers from 6 Division of the Nigerian Army reportedly raided an estate belonging to former agitator and Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, King Ateke Tom.

THISDAY gathered that the soldiers stormed the estate at Okochiri Community in Okrika where Ateke houses his guests at about 4pm, shooting sporadically and searching the rooms in the estate.

At the end of the search, unconfirmed reports said one person was killed, while scores of people were arrested and taken away by the soldiers. One dog was also said to have been shot dead by the soldiers.

Ateke is believed to be a strong supporter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state since the days of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The army also reportedly stormed a popular hotel, Bougainvillea Hotels in GRA II, Port Harcourt at about 4pm yesterday where some chieftains of the PDP were having a meeting.

The soldiers were said to have invaded the hotel in a commando style; scattering everything in sight, breaking doors and seized the phones of people, ostensibly to stop people from recording the scene.

A source said the soldiers were looking for chieftains of the PDP from the Rivers West Senatorial District, who were having a strategy meeting in preparation for tomorrow’s governorship and state assembly elections.
One of the trapped chieftains was said to have sent an SOS to Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, who quickly went to the scene.

However, before the governor got to the scene about 5pm, the soldiers had left the hotel but were still in the vicinity.

When contacted for his reaction, state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Emma Okah, said he heard about the invasion of Ateke’s residence but that he was yet to have details.

Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, confirmed the incident at Bougainvillea Hotels.

He, however, said it was not clear if the soldiers went away with any of the PDP stalwarts.

The state government had earlier raised the alarm that the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi; and the GOC 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major Gen. Jamil Sharhem, had planned mass arrest of innocent Nigerians and prominent PDP members in the state ahead of the elections.

A statement issued by Okah, said: “The essence of the arrests is to precipitate crisis and cause the INEC to postpone the elections in Rivers State. Failing this, the minister will use the vacuum created by the absence of arrested leaders and rig the governorship election and force a candidate of his choice against the will of the people.”

He said the arrest of the state Commissioner for Education, Dr. Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja, and his family by soldiers yesterday evening in Port Harcourt confirmed the fears.

Abdulsalami, Kukah, Achebe Call for Peace

Sensing possible violence, former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd); the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah; and the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, have called for peace as Nigerians prepare to elect state governors and state Houses of Assembly members tomorrow.

The trio spoke Thursday in Awka, the Anambra State capital, during a stakeholders’ meeting organised by National Peace Committee entitled: ‘High-Level Dialogue on Peaceful Gubernatorial and House of Assembly Elections.’

Deputy Director, Administration of The Kukah Centre, Mr. Duke Anoemuah, read the joint address of Kukah and Abdulsalami during the meeting, while that of Igwe Achebe was read by Chief Okey Ononye, who represented him at the function.

They asked politicians, monarchs, security services, civil society organisations, the media and government to be committed to the peaceful conduct of the elections.

Part of their address read: “We are here in Anambra State to extend to the good people of the state an appeal made by the NPC for a peaceful conduct of election into the state House of Assembly scheduled for next Saturday

“Our distinguished candidates contesting elections into the state House of Assembly are urged to eschew violence and hate speeches and strive to adhere to the peace accord which leaders of the various political parties willingly assented to in Abuja in December 2018 and February 2019 before the presidential and National Assembly elections.

“The goal of this forum is to sensitise and mobilise stakeholders towards peaceful elections. It is expected to build initiatives, and take measures to strengthen mutual confidence among stakeholders and political actors as well as to encourage peaceful resolution of any election-related disputes with utmost regard to the rule of law and due process.

“The chairman (Abdulsalami) also asked me to convey his appreciation to the leadership of all political parties in Anambra State, especially candidates contesting for the legislative positions who have so far demonstrated their commitment to peaceful elections in the state.”

They reminded the contestants in the election to educate their followers/supporters to conduct themselves peacefully during the exercise, stressing that it is only in a peaceful environment that elections could hold.