Crime Facts

We’ll Track Corps Members Handling BVAS On Election Day – INEC Chairman

  The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has said that only the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) members are authorised election officers to handle the Bimodal Voter Authentication System (BVAS) during the February 25 and March 11 general elections. He said this on Saturday in Abuja, after a tour of the training centre for INEC’s ad-hoc staff or presiding officers, and inspection of facilities of the national collation centre at the International Conference Centre (ICC). According to him, the commission cannot rely only on its workforce for the conduct of a credible and peaceful election, hence, the need for mobilisation of the NYSC members. The INEC Chairman who tasked the trainee corps members to be loyal to Nigeria, Nigerians and not political parties, also told them that on no account should they leave the BVAS in the custody of another. He warned that the corps members are going to be tracked to ensure accountability. “Nigeria is fortunate to have young citizens like you. There is no way INEC can conduct elections without the NYSC. You are simply indispensable in the conduct of elections in Nigeria. We cannot conduct elections with our workforce alone. “So we have to rely on you and other categories of staff. But you are going to operate at the most important level of the electoral system; at the polling unit levels because that is where citizens go and vote. All of you will swear an oath of neutrality. “Your loyalty is to Nigeria and Nigerians and not to any political party or any candidate. You will be the INEC Chairman at your polling unit. You are the king at the polling units. “You are the only ones that will handle the BVAS at polling units on election day. Take this job seriously. We are tracking you as well so that we can know who is holding which BVAS. Do not give this BVAS to someone else,” Yakubu said. After visiting the training centre, Yakubu, INEC officials and journalists proceeded to the International Conference Centre (ICC) for inspection. The INEC boss said that they will perform basically three activities in this ICC which has been serving as the national collation centre for the collation, announcement of winners and presentations of the Certificate of Returns (CoR) to president and vice president elect; as well as the senators and house of representatives members elect. He said, “There is the Taraba hall that will serve as a media centre for national, and international observers and media organisations. We will also have our own briefing with observers on Tuesday. “The African hall will serve as the Collation Centre for the presidential election and then beside the hall, it will be our Situation Room where we deploy our platforms; INEC Citizens Contact Centre.” He added that there would be another portion for people to take a break to drink water. He said that the entire ICC has been taken over by INEC till the end of the elections and the announcement of winners and presentations of CoR to them.

Wike: Rivers won’t vote presidential candidate who will kill me when 

  Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, says the state will not vote a presidential candidate that will jail or kill him when elected into office.elected Speaking on Saturday at the Obio-Akpor LGA campaign rally organised by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign council, Wike said Rivers will only vote for a presidential candidate that has the unity of Nigeria at heart. Wike also commended the governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for their stance on power shift to the south. He said the APC governors’ position is proof that they understand the essence of Nigeria’s unity, and that every section should have the feeling of equal stake.   “We are going to vote for the unity of Nigeria. We are going to vote for equity, fairness and justice. And that is why I salute the APC governorship who came out to say, for this country to be united, for this country to move on as one, that there is the need for power to shift,” Wike said. “We are going to vote for people who have the interest of our state. Time has passed when you will tell me that Rivers state only produces so and so number of votes. I have no problem about that. In return, what have we gotten? “So, you must tell Rivers people now, if we vote for you, this is what you’ll have. Politics is you do for me, I’ll do for you. You fall for me, I’ll fall for you. If you push me, I’ll push you. If you love me, I’ll love you. “From ward to ward in our local governments, they will tell you what we have decided. If you want me to survive politically, follow the way we are going. “We will not support those who say when they come to power, they will kill me. We will not support those who say when they come to power, they will jail me. Will you allow them to kill me? Will you vote for those who do not want us to exist? Are you sure?” Wike, however, did not categorically state the candidate he was referring to. He and his G5 allies — including Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu — have excluded themselves from the party’s presidential campaign over calls for Iyorchia Ayu to step down as the party’s national chairperson.

Akeredolu Knocks Emefiele, Asks Buhari To End ‘Needless Drift Into Chaos’

  Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to end the “endless drift into the abyss of chaos” created amid the naira crunch in the country. Akeredolu also criticised the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele for the “mischievous implementation” of the naira redesign policy of the apex bank.   Akeredolu, in a statement on Saturday, faulted Buhari’s ban on old N500 and N1,000 notes which he said represent 82% of total currency in circulation. He also said the ban on N500 and N1,000 notes by the President on Thursday and the extension of the validity of old N200 notes for 60 days was “decreed by presidential fiat”. Read full statement: MR PRESIDENT SHOULD HALT THIS SEAMLESS DRIFT The crises engendered by the policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria to redesign some currency notes, threaten to disrupt, not only the forthcoming general elections. The events of the past days, culminating in the intervention of the apex court in the land, and the increasing gale of violence sweeping through the country, portend serious danger to the current democratic governance. Consequently, this period invites all patriots to speak out with a view to proffering practicable solutions and not project cheap partisan interests. I seize this opportunity to appeal to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, to play the role of a Statesman at this crucial moment. It is apparent that the crises, which the current policy on currency swap has created, continue to spiral menacingly. There is incontrovertible evidence bordering on miscalculation, error of judgement and/or disinformation on the part of the policy makers, especially the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele, on the failed implementation of the policy, the effect of which compels the whole country to groan, immeasurably, at present. There is hardly anyone who contends with either the statutory functions of the Central Bank of Nigeria or the occupier of the office of its Governor, one of which is the monetary policy. It is also not debatable that the President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria is empowered, under our law, to exercise certain executive power. It can, however, not be the original intendment of the drafters of the relevant statutes that the implementation of any policy should occasion widespread hardship and pervasive agony in the land. The safety of the people is the supreme law. Any measure, purportedly designed to ameliorate their conditions, must not reduce the entire populace to a beggarly existence. There is pervasive discontent in the land. A policy, presented as currency swap, must not be construed by both the reasonable members and people of average intelligence in the society to convey the deplorable impression of contrived subterfuge manifest in the official confiscation of legitimate deposits of the people in banks, as a counter measure against electoral malfeasance, terrorism and banditry. Desirable as the policy appears to be, its implementation excites curiosity as regards the real motive of its drivers, especially at this time when the conduct of general elections is almost here. The mere knowledge that the N1000 and N500 notes represented 82% of the currency in circulation and that the N200 note, whose validity has been extended, by fiat, for another 60 days, represented 7%, expose the mendacious slant in the advice given to Mr President. This counsel clearly misrepresented, deliberately, the facts as they existed before the commencement of the implementation of the policy. The implementation of this policy has been woeful despite claims to the contrary. The suffering of the masses, occasioned by the non-availability of new notes to replace the old ones, equally decreed out of existence by presidential fiat in contravention of the CBN Act, 2007, could have been averted if the strategy of a gradual and systematic withdrawal of the old currency notes had been adopted. I make bold to assert that the unfolding events across the country show that the policy has failed significantly. It is, therefore, expected that the President will halt this needless drift into the abyss of chaos, more so, when the ruling of highest court still subsists. I call on the President to allow both the old and new notes co-exist until such a time when normalcy returns to the country. It will be a fitting parting gift for the people of this country, especially the downtrodden, who feel the negative impact of the poorly implemented policy. While the reasons adduced for the policy appear legitimate, there can be no justification for the confiscation of the lawful earnings of Nigerians. The negative impact which the mediocre and, I dare say, mischievous implementation of the policy by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria is having on the poor people and small business owners defeats all the good programmes of the Federal Government designed to elevate as many people as possible out of the morass of poverty. There is no shame in rescinding a decision adjudged not only unpopular and counter-productive, but which also bears the insidious seeds of potential conflagration in the land, one of the ostensible reasons for this ill-conceived policy. ARAKUNRIN OLUWAROTIMI O. AKEREDOLU, SAN, CON GOVERNOR, ONDO STATE

Five parties adopt Atiku for presidency

  Barely a week to the 2023 general election, five out of the 18 political parties in Nigeria have adopted the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar. The five parties announced this at the grand finale of the PDP’s presidential rally holding at the Mahmud Ribadu Square, in Yola, the Adamawa State capital on Saturday. The parties are the Allied Peoples Movement, African Democratic Congress, National Rescue Movement, Action Alliance and Action Peoples Party. The National Chairman of the APM, Yusuf Dantalle, who spoke on behalf of the parties, made the declaration. The APM’s National Chairman had on Friday adopted Atiku’s candidacy in place of the only female presidential candidate of the APM, in the 2023 presidential race, Chichi Ojei. Speaking at the rally, Atiku said, “Let me promise Nigerians that we shall never disappoint you. If you give us your mandate, we promise to live by our promises that we have a united country; that we have a peaceful country; that we have a buoyant economy for our country, have the best education for our children and also, we will devolve powers to states and local governments with corresponding resources. Atiku Also appealed to Nigerians, saying, “I want to appeal to you to vote for the PDP from top to bottom. Don’t be misled by any propaganda by anybody. This is where the future of our state and country resides in the hands of the PDP. I want to appeal to you to vote for the PDP because I know you have never failed us. “Today is the final day of our rally all over the country, I want to use this opportunity not only to address the people of Adamawa State but the entire country. I want to thank Nigerians in the 36 states of the federation who have come out in the last six months, to show solidarity and to show support to our party and myself.” He reiterated the commitment of his five policy agenda of his campaign saying, “I want to reiterate to the commitment of those key points. Adamawa State; you know this is an abundant opportunity for you if you elect the PDP to the presidency; if you elect the PDP to continue to govern the state. I don’t have to tell you what I can do for Adamawa, you know this and Nigeria in general. You know me I live by my words and commitment.”

Kaduna community begs insurgents to allow election hold

  Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the people of troubled Birnin-Gwari in Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State said they have started reaching out to various terrorist groups for the successful conduct of the poll in the area. The Chairman of the Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressive Union, Ishaq Kasai, in a statement on Saturday, said the development became necessary in view of the prevailing security challenges where about 100 communities were sacked while no fewer than 50,000 were internally displaced by terrorists in the LG. The statement was titled, ‘2023 general elections: only reaching out to terrorist groups will allow successful elections in Birnin-Gwari.’ According to him, reaching out to the various terror groups in the area for a truce will enable the locals in 10 out of the 11 political wards in the area to exercise their franchise to elect their leaders in next week’s elections. The BEPU boss noted that only local arrangements with the terrorists could facilitate the locals to participate and vote in the forthcoming election in the LGA that had over the years been ravaged by the activities of the hoodlums. Kasai also hailed the Independent National Electoral Commission for relocating some of the polling units from the sacked communities to various points where the respective eligible voters relocated and were residing as Internally Displaced Persons. He said, “As we are approaching 2023 general elections, our major concern is for our people, including the internally displaced persons, to be given the opportunity to exercise their franchise at their respective secondary locations by voting their choices in the election without any fear or intimidation. “At this point, we wish to commend the effort made in this regard by the Independent National Electoral Commission in relocating some of the Poling Units from the sacked communities to various points where the respective eligible voters relocated and are residing as IDPs. This will, indeed, go a long way in providing them with an opportunity to exercise their franchise. “The second issue is on facilitating movements of the election officials and materials on the election day to various units in the local government, especially to areas where security problems are high, such as the Eastern and Western parts of the local government. “There are 11 political wards in Birnin-Gwari and 10 of these wards are facing security challenges that if measures are not proactively taken will hinder the election processes.” He added, “However, we are aware of the arrangements being made locally to address these challenges, especially by possibly establishing contact with the respective terrorist groups in the most hostile areas in order to allow successful conduct of the 2023 Elections in the area. “It is noted that this same approach was adopted successfully during the Census Enumeration Area Demarcation that took place recently where, with the permission of the bandits, all the areas were visited by the Census functionaries and demarcated. “We, therefore, observe that, based on experience, only local arrangements through diplomatic means in form of reaching to these terrorist groups for negotiation diplomatically could allow the 2023 Elections to hold successfully in about 10 political Wards with hundreds of Poling Units in Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area. “For now, due to security problems, INEC has already cancelled one PU in Gayam Ward of the LG. This cancelled PU is among the 240 PUs recently cancelled by INEC in Nigeria due to high-security threats. “We are therefore advising the Authorities to engage relevant stakeholders, especially community leaders in all arrangements for success of carrying out 2023 general Elections in Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area.”

Peter Obi’s presidential ambition dead on arrival — Tambuwal

  The Director General of the Atiku/Okowa campaign and Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal has described the Presidential ambition of the Labour Party Candidate, Mr Peter Obi as dead on arrival Tambuwal said this at the grand finale of the PDP’s presidential campaign rally held in Yola, Adamawa.   The Sokoto Governor said, “ I commend all our party leaders and members for all the efforts, when the campaign started, we had 18 contestants and the leading candidate is Atiku and the leading ticket is Atiku/Okowa. We are not ethnic bigots. We presented candidates that are ready for the election and serve Nigerians. Other candidates don’t have the experiences of Atiku and Okowa. “As a former Speaker, I know the difference and it is only Atiku/Okowa that can move the country forward. The ticket reflects pan Nigeria. We won’t vote for APC, again. Tambuwal criticized Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi saying his presidential ambition is dead and buried. The Sokoto governor said, “When Peter Obi was governor of Anambra he didn’t conduct one local govt election. “How could he attempt to be president when he couldn’t conduct local govt elections? He is not Democratic enough. As far as I am concerned Peter Obi’s candidature is dead on arrival.” Peter Obi had attended a function in Adamawa where he was greeted by a mammoth crowd, a development many believed would have rattled the PDP in Adamawa.

10 states drag Buhari to S’Court over ban on N500, N1000

  Ten State Governments in Nigeria have asked the Supreme Court to set aside the pronouncement of President Muhammadu Buhari’s banning of the old N500 and N1,000 currency notes. The governors, in Suit No SC/CV/162/2023, filed on Friday by their counsel, A.J. Owonikoko (SAN), want the apex court to declare the President’s directives in his Thursday’s broadcast as unconstitutional. The plaintiffs in the suit are the Attorneys General (AGs) of Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara, Ondo, Ekiti, Katsina, Ogun, Cross River, Sokoto, and Lagos states while the respondent are the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), as well as the AGs of Bayelsa and Edo states. The plaintiffs, in a 12 grounds of application, argued that Buhari’s directive extending the validity of old N200 notes for 60 days and his ban on old N500 and N1,000 notes are an “unconstitutional overreach and usurpation of the judicial power” of the Supreme Court being that the case is already before the court. usurpation of the judicial power” of the Supreme Court being that the case is already before the court. The counsel for the applicants cited Section 232(1), Section 6(6)(b) and Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, which includes the protection of the Supreme Court’s dignity and which ensure compliance with its orders by all persons and authorities.   The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had extended the deadline for the swap of old N200, N500, and N1,000 from January 31 to February 10 following complaints by many Nigerians but the Supreme Court held that the Federal Government, the CBN, commercial banks must not continue with the deadline pending the determination of a notice in respect of the issue on February 22. However, the President, in a national broadcast on Thursday, directed the apex bank to release old N200 notes into circulation to co-exist with new N200, N500 and N1,000 banknotes for 60 days. He said old N500 and N1,000 banknotes are no longer legal tender in Nigeria. However, there have been a flurry of reactions and stark criticisms against the President’s directive including from governors of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). Governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and many top stalwarts of the ruling APC have openly censured and faulted the President’s directive, arguing that it has not grounds because the case is before the apex court.

2023: Wike Begs Rivers Electorates To Save His Political Career

  Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has called on the people of Rivers State to save his political career by voting for the presidential candidate of his choice. Wike, who made the call on Saturday, during the last campaign rally of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, reiterated that he has directed leaders of the PDP in the state, to tell the people the candidate to vote for in the presidential election. Though Governor Wike did not come out plainly to name his preferred presidential candidate, he said the fight for equity, fairness and justice, will guide the people on who they will vote in as president. “We have instructed the leaders ward by ward. In our local government, the leaders will tell you what we have decided. If you want me to survive politically, follow the way we are going,” he said. He, however, commended the Governors elected under the platform of the All Progressive Congress, APC, for rotating power to the South. He said, “We are going to vote for the unity of Nigeria. We are going to vote for equity fairness and justice. And that is why, I salute the APC Governors who came out to say look, for this country to be united, for this country to move together as a country, as one united country, there is need for power to shift. “They were not greedy; they know that Nigeria is such a country that requires unity. Those who are greedy about power, you can get power and you will not have peace”.

Three Killed In Anambra Police Station Attack

  The police in Anambra have confirmed that some members of the ‘Unknown Gunmen’ criminal group attacked the state Police Command in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area (LGA), and killed three of its personnel. The latest attack occurred just one day after the assailants attacked a training programme for Adhoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in respect of the forthcoming 2023 general elections at Ukpor High School, Nnewi South LGA. According to the state police spokesman, Tochukwu Ikenga, the situation in Ogidi following the early morning attack on Saturday, has been brought under control. His statement partly reads: “The Anambra State Police Command has reinforced security in the Idemili North area of the state, following the attack on the Ogidi area command in the early hours of Saturday, February 18, 2023, where three policemen paid the supreme price. “The hoodlums started shooting sporadically on approaching the area command and threw IEDs and petrol bombs, gaining entrance. Unfortunately, the buildings in the police facility were affected. “However, the command observes with grave concern the loss of lives and valuables as a result of this attack and calls for calm. “The police are resolute in depriving these criminal elements of the space which they desire to perpetrate their evil acts.”

Datti: Extension of validity of N200 notes portrays Buhari as weak president

  Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the vice-presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), has criticised President Muhammadu Buhari’s handling of the naira redesign. On Thursday, TheCable reported that Buhari in a televised nationwide address announced the extension of the validity of old N200 notes till April 10. The extension followed concerns and protests over the deadline for the old naira notes, which has been followed by scarcity of cash. Datti, who spoke on Thursday during a courtesy visit to Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, said it seems the president is becoming a “weakling”. He argued that for Buhari to have shifted ground twice on the policy, showed that he was not firm. “It is mixed feelings because when you see a president budge once, however small, those mighty (people) that prevailed on him to budge will see a gleam of hope to press further,” he said. “Maybe this president is becoming a weakling, as they would say a lame duck president, and if you cede one inch, you are likely to cede another inch. “So, it is a lot of concern for us for the president to change position literally nine days to the election. “However, we have recognised the fact. Currency is a sovereign matter and no state governor, especially those who don’t respect court judgment, has any right to interfere with the federal government in issues about currency. “It has been done and it stays and it was poorly implemented and everything about government is poorly done, including our economy, security, as well as the level of corruption, and we have come to live with it. “We pray that the election would go well so that as his majesty said, if election is well done, it can open the space for good governance.” Meanwhile, the recent cash crunch has led to an outbreak of protests across states in Nigeria.