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An Independent Observer Group, Coalition for Transparent Elections in Africa (CTEAN) says the just concluded Kogi governorship election was free, fair and credible as it substantially conformed with the electoral laws. Convener of the group, Mr Nelson Ogbu said this at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday. “We note with sense of satisfaction that the election in Kogi was relatively peaceful and the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were alive to their duty. “This is as the election was adjudged free and fair even by the teeming Kogi electorate. “We commend the great people of Kogi, various security agencies and other observer groups for their matured conducts during and after the said governorship elections in Kogi. “We also commend Ni...

Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has urged its customers to use the company’s approved e-payment channels due to the closure of all its business offices. The company said it temporarily closed all its business offices due to the ongoing industrial strike action by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC). Mr Babatunde Lasaki, General Manager, Corporate Communication and Strategy, confirmed this in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos. He said that cash services would operate on a reduced scale during the period, while encouraging customers to use approved e-payment channels to pay their utility bills to continue to stay connected. He emphasised that customer complaints should be addressed to the company’s official channels, including customers care lines. According to Lasak...

By Justina Auta Some Islamic religious groups have called on Nigerians to foster orphans and vulnerable children to reduce number of street children, insecurity and enable them harness their potentials. They made the appeal during the 2023 awareness walk, themed “Fostering…Reviving Sunnah”, organised by Halal Children’s Home in Abuja. Hajiya Ramatu Abubakar, the President, Halal Children’s Home, emphasised the benefits of fostering less privileged children and reintegrating them into homes. Abubakar said fostering these children would enable them feel loved and guide them towards harnessing potentials, adding that the organisation had so far found several families and homes for some of the orphaned and vulnerable children. “The increasing cases of orphans, we can do better. ...

By Justina Auta The Gender and Election Watch Room (GEW) of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), has tasked political parties to ensure increased women’s participation in politics. Ms Brenda Anugwom, the Chief Executive Officer, GEW of the NWTF, said this in a post election statement in Abuja, after off-cycle governorship election Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi. Anugwom said that the organisation deployed 50 accredited observers across the eight Local Government Areas of Bayelsa to observe the election from a gender perspective. She said that the poll was peaceful, timely, but witnessed low turnout of both male and female voters. “Most voters stayed away from the polling units for lack of trust in the system and fear for their safety,” she said. The Chief Executive Officer urged ...

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says the old naira notes will remain legal tender beyond December 31, 2023 — and no longer have a deadline. CBN said this in a statement signed by Isa AbdulMumin, director, corporate communications, on Tuesday. In March 2023, the supreme court had extended the deadline to phase out the old naira notes to December 31, 2023. Prior to the CBN lifting the deadline, on November 8, the apex bank had issued a statement informing Nigerians that the old naira notes remain legal after reports of anxiety over its legality. The apex bank on Tuesday said without prejudice, it has extended “the legal tender status deadline of the old design of N200, N500 and N1,000 denominations, ad infinitum”. CBN said: “This is in line with international best practices ...

Workers in the Federal Capital Territory observed partial compliance with the directive by the organised labour union to its members to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike on Tuesday. The Trade Union Congress and the Nigeria Labour Congress on November 13 directed all affiliates to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike. The strike was called to press home their demands, especially the “non-comment by the Federal Government over the brutalising of the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, by security agents and hoodlums in Imo State.” Recall that the NLC had declared a protest in Imo State, led by Mr Ajaero, on November 1 over alleged anti-worker policies of the state government. Mr Ajaero was attacked and brutalised by security agents and hoodlums allegedly sent by the state gov...

A democracy group, Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement, Africa, has called on the National Assembly to accelerate the process of electoral reform, especially the establishment of the Electoral Offences Commission to promptly prosecute electoral offenders. The Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Mr Samson Itodo, made the call in the group’s final report on the Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states’ governorship polls in Abuja. Mr Itodo said the process should include fundamentally reforming the electoral management body, the Independent National Electoral Commission and attitude of politicians to elections. He said that Yiaga Africa also called on INEC to urgently review and conduct a comprehensive audit of the Imo Syate governorship election results to inspire confidence ...

The trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, the suspect who allegedly murdered the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga, was stalled on Tuesday by the ongoing organised labour strike. Miss Ojukwu is standing trial before a Lagos High Court at Tafawa Balewa Square on a nine-count charge bordering on murder, theft and forgery. She is charged alongside her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, and one Adedapo Quadri. At the resumed trial on Tuesday, only the third defendant, Egbuchu, was present while Ojukwu and Quadri were not brought to court from the correctional facility. The defendants were not brought to court due to a strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress. Justice Yetunde Adesanya said the correctional facility officials had informed the court that the defendants would not be brought t...

The 1 Division of the Nigerian Army on Monday said its troops killed two bandits and recovered arms and ammunition in Kaduna State. The Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of the Division, Lt.-Col. Musa Yahaya, confirmed the development in a statement in Kaduna. Mr Yayaha said the feat followed the continuation of the sustained operation against terrorists, bandits and other criminals in the North-West. It stated, “Troops of 1 Division, Nigerian Army, and Operation Whirl Punch carried out a clearance operation in the general area of Juji and Telele-Kaso in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State on November 13. “The bandits who opened fire on sighting the troops approaching their location were, however, overpowered with superior and overwhelming firepower of ...

The Diabetes Association of Nigeria says no about 11.2 million Nigerians are presently living with the disease. President of the association, Dr Alkali Mohammed, made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja at an event to commemorate the 2023 World Diabetes Day. The WDD is a day set aside by the United Nations to draw public attention to the need for action to fight the menace of diabetes. It is a day also designed to raise awareness about the disease as a global public health issue and what should be done collectively and individually to manage of the condition or prevent it The 2023 commemoration has as its theme, “Access to diabetes care.” Mr Mohammed explained that out of the 11.2 million Nigerians living with diabetes, 90 per cent of them had type 2, adding that the disease c...

President Political Groups, ODODO Ambassadors for unity, Hon. Ramatu Abdulhammed, has congratulated Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his deputy, Joel Salifu Oyibo on their victory in the last Saturday governorship election in Kogi State. Hon. Ramatu, who made the commendation in a press statement issued in Abuja, described the victory as a victory for entire Kogi People. According to her, his emergence is a major pointer that politics in Kogi today is tilting towards meritocracy and not tribalism as it is evident in what we referred to as aggressive votes from across various parts of the state, West for example.and bulky vote from the central The statement said that, "On behalf of the good Members of the ODODO Ambassadors for unity Political Groups...

All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship hopeful in Ondo State, Prince Jimi Odimayo, has lauded concerned stakeholders in the recently conducted off-cycle governorship elections in three states, describing the polls' success as affirmation of the growing profile of Nigeria's democratic experience. Odimayo, a member of the House of Representatives representing Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency of Ondo State, made the remarks in a statement in Akure, on Tuesday. The lawmaker, who is Chairman, House Committee on National Population Commission, stated, " For the avoidance of doubt, the peaceful conduct of the off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states has just demonstrated that Nigeria, the largest black population in the world, is growing in its democratic e...

President Political Groups, ODODO Ambassadors for unity, Hon. Ramatu Abdulhammed, has congratulated Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his deputy, Joel Salifu Oyibo on their victory in the last Saturday governorship election in Kogi State. Hon. Ramatu, who made the commendation in a press statement issued in Abuja, described the victory as a victory for entire Kogi People. According to her, his emergence is a major pointer that politics in Kogi today is tilting towards meritocracy and not tribalism as it is evident in what we referred to as aggressive votes from across various parts of the state, West for example.and bulky vote from the central The statement said that, "On behalf of the good Members of the ODODO Ambassadors for unity  Polit...

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer The Open Africa Foundation, a non-governmental organisation has called for strict adherence to the Rule of Law to stimulate growth of a crime and corrupt free Nigeria. Its Chairman, Mr Tunji Aworinde made the call at the 8th Annual conference on Financial Crime, Cross Border Crime and Governance Integrity on Tuesday in Abuja. The event was supported by Corporate Integrity, Summit Leadership Institute and Forensic Insight International Limited. According to Aworinde, the call is impreative towards building a nation characterised by good governance and integrity. He said there are great institutions in Nigeria, but wondered why lawlessness and disregard to rule of law is still on the rise. He said that If we want to lead in this new Nigeria, we must a...

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer The National Gallery of Art (NGA) has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the private sector using arts and technology to create employment and boost the economy. The Director General of NGA, Mr Ebeten William Ivara stated this at the Maiden edition of the Creative Arts and Visual Imagery Centre’s (CAVIC) Festival of Art and Technology in Abuja. Ivara lauded the centre for coming up with a programme of such nature, adding that it is encouraging and a good platform for young artists to showcase their potentials. According to him, “this is what is expected of the private sector to move the sector forward. “The private sector is supposed to be in the forefront while the government create the enabling environment and help them. My joy is that the...

Duoye Diri, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has been declared as the winner of the governorship election in Bayelsa state. Diri, who contested for the second term in office, won the poll after scoring 175, 196 votes, to defeat close challenger, Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 110, 108 votes.

Usman Ododo, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been declared the winner of the Kogi state governorship election. Ododo polled 446, 237 votes to defeat Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who came second with 259,052 votes. Dino Melaye, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), scored 46,362 votes. Johnson Urama, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) returning officer for Kogi, announced Ododo as the winner at 10:23 p.m. on Sunday. Ododo, a former auditor general of local government in Kogi under Yahaya Bello, was anointed by the governor who is finishing his two-term of eight years. Before the final results were announced, the APC said its candidate was “coasting to spectacular victory”. In a statement, Felix Morka, A...

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has congratulated Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo on his victory at the November 11 gubernatorial election in the state. In his congratulatory message on Sunday in Abuja, Mr Akpabio commended Mr Uzodinma for his resilience and commitment to genuine democratic practices, saying good governance had triumphed over propaganda. “This victory is an affirmation by Ndi Imo of your sterling leadership qualities and confirmation of your outstanding performance and delivery of the dividends of democracy to the people. It is also an indication that our great party, the APC, is firmly established in the South-East and accepted by the good people of the region. “This explains why despite threats, attempted strikes, and manipulated blackmail from enemies of you...

Vice President Kashim Shettima has commended Access Bank for offering N30 billion discounted loans to 700,000 Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country. Mr Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice-President, in statement on Saturday, said Shettima made the commendation during a meeting with MSMEs stakeholders. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the loans was part of effort of the access bank to support President Bola Tinubu administration’s agenda for job creation and the growth of the MSMEs space. Shettima, while interacting with MSMEs stakeholders comprising key actors from the public and private sectors, at the Presidential Villa, disclosed that the access bank loan scheme would commenc...

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says some of its officials have been held hostage in Brass LGA of Bayelsa state. The electoral umpire, in a statement, said it is is closely monitoring the situation, adding that the development is detrimental to credible elections. The commission also called on security agencies to immediately facilitate the release of the officials. “The Commission is closely watching the situation in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State where our officials are held hostage,” the statement reads. This is detrimental to credible elections. We call on the security agencies to immediately facilitate their release.” Alongside Kogi and Imo, Bayelsa held its off-cycle gubernatorial election on Saturday, November 11.