The New Nigeria Peoples Party has dismissed reports that its Presidential Candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, will contest the 2023 Presidential elections as running mate to his counterpart in the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi. According to the NNPP, there was never a time such a discussion or negotiation was held. National Publicity Secretary of the party, Dr Agbo Major, said this in Abuja, on Sunday. He said, “NNPP has never at any time said its esteemed Presidential Candidate, His Excellency, Engr. Dr. Rabiu Musa kwankwaso could accept to be Labour Party, Peter Obi’s deputy. “The report is misleading and embarrassing to our great party, its Presidential Candidate, Kwankwaso and millions of supporters in Nigeria and in the diaspora, and urges journalists to crosscheck their reports before publishing them to avoid national disaffection ahead of the crucial 2023 general election. “As a mass movement, NNPP acknowledged alliance talks with Labour Party that would consolidate and boost the nation’s frail democracy as we collectively strive for a new Nigeria which the party champions.“ He noted that the NNPP has high regard for journalists as the watchdog of society and major stakeholders in the Nigeria democratic process and urges them to always crosscheck their reports before publishing them in tandem with the ethics of their profession. Major expressed confidence that together with the media, the NNPP “shall build a strong, virile, progressive and egalitarian democratic society.“

  YIAGA Africa, a civil society organisation (CSO), says the official results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the Ekiti governorship election, reflect the votes cast at the polling units. The organisation said this in a process and results verification report released on Sunday. The report was signed by Samson Itodo and Ezenwa Nwagwu, executive director, and board member of the CSO, respectively. Oyebanji, former secretary to the state government (SSG), was declared winner of the Ekiti governorship election at 3:05am on Sunday after winning 15 out of the 16 LGAs in the state. Oyebanji secured 187,057 votes, defeating his two closest challengers — Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) who polled 82,211 votes, and Bisi Kolawole of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who got 67,457 votes In its report, YIAGA Africa said INEC’s results for the Ekiti state governorship election are consistent with its estimates. “Had the official results been changed at the ward, LGA or state collation centres, the official results would not have fallen within the Yiaga Africa WTV estimated ranges. Because the official results fall within the estimated ranges, candidates, parties, and voters should have confidence the official results for the Ekiti 2022 gubernatorial election reflect the ballots cast at polling units on Saturday, June 18,” the report reads. “It is important to highlight that the counting process at polling units was transparent and included representatives from the four political parties that received the most votes.” YIAGA Africa also said INEC’s turnout result and rejected ballots for the 16 LGAs released are consistent with its estimates. “Yiaga Africa is able to estimate that turnout is between 35.7% and 38.7% (37.2% ± 1.5%), while INEC’s official result is 36.47%. Similarly, Yiaga Africa estimates rejected ballots are between 1.8%and 2.6% (2.2% ± 0.4%) while INEC’s official result is 2.46%,” the report reads. “Yiaga Africa encourages INEC to uphold the principles of transparency by publishing the total number of PVCs collected in Ekiti on its website. In addition, Yiaga Africa calls on INEC to audit the newly created polling units and ensure equitable distribution of voters to the polling units.   “Yiaga Africa commends the professionalism of the security agents who worked to maintain peace on Election Day. We commend the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the arrest of mercenaries deployed by political parties to buy votes. We urge the EFCC and security agencies to investigate and prosecute all citizens involved in electoral fraud, especially those involved in vote trading.”

  Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state would have no competitors or rivals in the coming 2023 general elections. He stated that the failure of the main opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress, APC, to submit the Vandeikya Local Government Area, LGA, membership register, which is where its governorship candidate hails from, to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as stipulated by the Electoral Act had already knocked the party out of the race. The Governor spoke Sunday at the reception organised by the PDP after a Thanksgiving Service at the St. John the Baptist Catholic Cathedral Gboko, for candidates of the party in the coming general elections. He said while the APC governorship aspirants had approached the courts to nullify the alleged skewed primary election that produced the governorship candidate of the party, the PDP was consolidating on the success of its rancour free primaries and providing purposeful leadership in the state. He said: “It is obvious that we have no competitors or rivals in the state because as a government we are doing well and as a party we have produced credible and acceptable candidates ahead of the general elections while the APC are still fighting over a shambolic primaries that didn’t hold in the first place.” He reiterated that the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state, Titus Uba and his running mate, Sir John Ngbede were vastly experienced personalities whose wealth of experience stood them out as a team that would build on his achievements and take the state to greater height. While lamenting the socio-economic and security crisis the ruling APC had plunged the country into, Governor Ortom urged Nigerians to register in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, and obtain their Permanent Voters Card, PVC, “so that we can all vote out this APC led Federal Government that has brought us nothing but pain, tears and suffering after taking us from the top to the bottom.” Earlier, the governorship candidate, Mr. Uba assured that his administration would build on the achievements of the Ortom government promising that his administration would also sustain the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law to ensure the security of the people and the farming populace who are eager to ensure massive food production for the state and country at large. Also, Senator Abba Moro who spoke for the Federal lawmakers in the state declared that the people of Benue South Senatorial District who had earlier canvassed the ceding of the governorship seat to the district, had declared their unflinching support for the Uba/Ngbede ticket saying the PDP remains the only political platform that avails the people limitless and equal opportunities for all. Member of the PDP Board of Trustees, BOT, and former Speaker of the State Assembly, Mrs. Margaret Ichen who urged Nigerians to use their PVCs to put an end to the nightmare Nigerians are currently going through due to the bad governance of the APC said “it is time to end this APC government becaue we have gone through hell in this country since they took over in 2015.” The Executive Chairman of Benue Internal Revenue Service, BIRS, Mrs. Mimi Adzape-Orubibi urged Nigerian women to stand up for their children by ensuring that the APC-induced pains and sufferings in Nigeria was brought to an end by ensuring that they registered and obtained the PVCs which should be used to vote in the PDP from the state to the federal levels. Mrs. Adzape-Orubibi said it was only by so doing that the glory days of the country under the leadership of the PDP would be restored and all mothers and Nigerians in general would be happier for it.

  President Muhammadu Buhari is of the opinion that the victory of Biodun Oyebanji at the just concluded governorship race in Ekiti State, is a signal that Nigerians accept the All Progressives Congress (APC). Oyebanji was declared winner of the election within the early hours of Sunday, having polled a total of 187,057 votes to defeat his two closest challengers – Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Bisi Kolawole of the People’s Democratic Party. Reacting to the win, President Buhari congratulated the governor-elect via a statement, noting that the victory is well deserved considering Oyebanji’s contributions to the development of the State and the party, before his nomination as the standard bearer.   Buhari further urged him, however, to be magnanimous in victory in the interest of the people of the State. The president also rejoiced with the APC chairman, Abdulahi Adamu, and the National Working Committee for the victory, which is the first under the tenure of the newly elected executives of the party. “This is a good beginning for you and your team. The APC is getting stronger and more united. The victory of our party in Ekiti is an indication of the confidence of Nigerians in the ability of our great party to deliver quality governance to all,” said the President. He charged all APC members across and outside the country to see this as a good omen for the 2023 general elections and work assiduously to ensure the party’s victory, continuing the trend with Osun State next month July. President Buhari also felicitated with the people of Ekiti State for the smooth conduct of the election, affirming that they are the real victors as they have been able to freely choose their leader for the next four years. He lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission and the law enforcement agencies for the preparations put in place, urging them to keep the momentum for upcoming elections.

  The Catholic Bishop of Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, yesterday, said that toxic politics has poisoned religion in Nigeria, while charging Christians to walk towards the barking dog. He said this while delivering an anniversary lecture at the flag off ceremony of the 70th Anniversary, Logo and Mascot launch of the order of the Knights of Saint Mulumba, KSM Nigeria. Kukah said Nigeria now ranked as 9th worst country for Christians to live in the world. His words: “Now Nigeria is being ranked as 9th worst country for Christians to live in. We are number nine and Iran is number eight, everywhere I go, people keep asking me what is happening to Christians and Muslims in Nigeria. Toxic politics has now poisoned our religion. “Though I am not a Vetinarian, but I was told that when a dog is barking, you walk towards it because if you turn back, it would attack. My point is that we Christians must walk towards the barking dog. “As I speak, for past three weeks my Priest, a young man and a sister are still in captivity even though the Nigerian state wishes to pretend that we are not negotiating with the kidnappers but as I am talking we are negotiating with the kidnappers because I don’t know how else to get back my priest. “It is a very painful experience, my own blood relations have been kidnapped, I lost a Priest last year to kidnappers, I have lost a Seminarian to kidnappers and somehow we like to pretend we have a government, of course we have the apparatus of government, we have the scaffolding, but this scaffolding is important because people are able see access and appropriate resources of state. “As to what the state needs to do, they are still far away from that reality. It is a very painful and sad reality that as at the last conversation with the kidnappers we have negotiated up to N20 million which I do not have. “And the kidnappers think this is chicken fee. And I am supposed to pay money to people who are murderers, who would murder anybody, I am supposed to pay money to people who are buying aeroplane and killing people as you hear about Southern Kaduna last week, I was supposed to pay money to people who are prepared to destroy our country and there seems to be no sign to end this madness,” he said The Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins represented by Vicar General, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Monsignor John Aniagwu, advised Nigerian electorates to get their PVCs and avoid being manipulated in the 2023 elections. Aniagwu said: “There is a way forward if we allow through democracy to prevail and elect the right people. Nigeria is endowed with so many right people who can who can lead us to the right direction to overcome the challenges we are facing.” Chief host and Worthy Supreme Knight, Charles Mbelede, alongside Chief hostess, Ladies of Saint Mulumba, Lady Meg Anozia, appreciated God for the landmark event while assuring that the group will do more to impact the society positively.

  The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has been declared the winner of Saturday’s Ekiti governorship election. Declaring the winner, Prof. Oyebode Adebowale, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) returning officer, said Oyebanji polled a total of 187,057 votes to win the election. He said Oyebanji had certified the requirement of the law and was, therefore, declared the winner. “That I, Prof. Oyebode Adebowale, hereby certified that I am the returning officer of the Ekiti 2022 Governorship Election held on June 18. “That Biodun Oyebanji, the candidate of APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and returned,” Adebowale declared. Here are fiv things to know about the governor-elect. Birth Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, fondly called BAO, is a politician and member of the All Progressives Congress, who was born on December 21, 1967 in Ikogosi-Ekiti, Ekiti State. He is 54. Education He earned a Bachelor of Science (BSc.) degree in Political Science from the Ondo State University (now Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti) in 1989 and continued his quest for honours at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State in 1992 where he bagged a Masters Degree (M.Sc) in Political Science (International Relations & Strategic Studies). Former lecturer Oyebanji started his professional career as a lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of Ado Ekiti, where he worked for four years (1993 –1997) and later proceeded to work as the manager, Treasury, and Financial Services at the defunct Omega Bank Plc (now Heritage Bank) till May 1999. Ex-Ekiti SSG Until his decision to run as Governor of Ekiti, Oyebanji was the Secretary to the Ekiti State Government under incumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi. Family He is married to Mrs Oyebanji, a princess in Ado Ekiti and associate professor at the University of Ibadan.