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APC’s Oyebanji wins Ekiti gov election in landslide victory

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… thrashes SDP, PDP

Supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State trooped into the streets to celebrate a resounding victory in the early hours of today (Sunday) when the results of Saturday’s governorship election showed that the candidate of the party, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, trounced the 15 other candidates of other parties that took part in the exercise.

Oyebanji, who is the immediate past Secretary to the State Government, won in 15 out of the 16 Local Government Areas of the state. He polled 187,057 votes.

However, his closest challenger, Segun Oni, of the Social Democratic Party, scored 82,211 votes while the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bisi Kolawole, scored 67,457 votes. Kolawole won his LGA, Efon, where he scored 6,303 to beat APC’s 4,012 and SDP’s 339 votes.

At the Government House in the Oke Ayoba area of Ado Ekiti, other APC governors, led by the state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, monitored the exercise.

Similarly, in Ikogosi-Ekiti, Ekiti West Local Government Area, where Oyebanji hails from, residents also began celebrating the victory of their kinsman at the poll.

Also in Ikere-Ekiti, where Oyebanji’s running mate, Mrs Monitade Afuye, hails from, residents also began celebration as the results were announced by the respective local government Returning Officers.

In different parts of the state also, some members of the ruling party celebrated the victory, describing it as well-deserved.

Prior to the announcement of the results at the collation centre, all the results from the 16 local government areas had been uploaded on the Result Viewing Portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission, known as IReV.

The electoral commission had promised to adopt the electronic transmission of results, even though it would be complemented by manual transmission.

There were, however, isolated cases of violence in some polling units. For example, in Ekiti South-West Local Government Area, the APC scored 9,679 votes ahead of SDP’s 4,577 and PDP’s 4,474 votes. The Returning Officer for the LGA, Prof Gbolagade Jonathan, reported that there was violence in Units 5 and 7, where he said some hoodlums from nowhere carted away the ballot boxes, after firing gunshots.

Also, in Ikere LGA, the APC also won with 12,086 votes against the PDP and SDP, which scored 3,789 and 1943 respectively. The Returning Officer, Prof Emmanuel Ajava, announced that votes in Unit 2 of the LGA were cancelled due to violence.

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Although the governorship election held across the 16 Local Government Areas and was relatively peaceful, incidents of vote-buying characterised the poll.

Candidates and agents of some political parties also alleged inducement of voters to deprive them of the opportunity of making their free choices.

It was gathered that some party agents were arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged vote-buying at a polling station at Ola Oluwa Grammar School, Ado Ekiti during the election.

A source, who spoke on the development, said the suspects were apprehended with a bag of cash allegedly being used to induce voters.

“One of the suspects, who claimed to be a party agent, was arrested and has been taken into custody,” the source said.

The Social Democratic Party’s governorship candidate, Chief Segun Oni, who voted at Ward 2, Unit 6 in Ifaki-Ekiti his home town, complained of vote-buying in Ado Ekiti and Oye Ekiti.

Oni, who described vote-buying as a violation of the Electoral Act, said, “I have been told that selling and buying of votes are going on in Ado and Oye. This is not allowed by the law. I want security agents to move in and stop those doing that.”

Also, the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Dr Wole Oluyede, who voted at Igele Arokun Ward 3, Unit 6, Ikere Ekiti, said there was brazen vote-buying in the community allegedly perpetrated by agents of the All Progressives Congress.

Oluyede said, “The election today (Saturday) shows that we are not ready for democracy. The unfortunate thing is that those who took money do not want people to exercise their right to choose.

“Whatever is the outcome of the election does not reflect good governance and the wishes of the people. It does not reflect a good election. I wish Nigeria will be a better place for all of us.”

Similarly, the candidate of Action Democratic Party, Mrs Kemi Elebute-Halle, who voted at Unit 8, Ward 10, Odo Ayedun in Ikole LGA, lamented vote inducement, which she said did not make the election credible.

Elebute-Halle alleged, “In my polling unit, the APC gave N10, 000, the PDP gave N5, 000 while SDP gave N3, 000 per vote as inducement. The world is watching.”

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The candidate, however, urged people to vote for a credible candidate, saying, “I want to rely on the commitment of our people to democracy. Irrespective of vote-buying, they would vote for me as their choice.”

Also, agents of the ADC and SDP at Ward 2 Unit 8, Iworoko, Ifelofun/Irepodun LGA of the state, alleged that a particular political party engaged in vote-buying.

The SDP agent, Bukunmi Oluwafemi, said the exercise was peaceful, observing that a party was involved in ‘see and buy,’ saying, “The voting went on well. People came out to vote. There is a party that is trying to do ‘see and buy’ but we have cautioned them.”

The ADC candidate, Yusuf Kehinde, who corroborated him, alleged that some people asked voters to reveal the party they voted for and collect money, saying, “They (voters) are showing their ballot papers to agents of a party and we said that shouldn’t be. A particular party is buying votes.”

But an APC agent, Muyideen Fatayo, who countered SDP and ADC agents, said, “There was no problem. Everything went well.”

His claim was also corroborated by the PDP agent in the ward, Matthew Fapohunda, who said the election was held without any hitch.

However, it was drama at Ward 10 Unit 9, Ilupeju along Ikere–Ado Expressway in Ikere Ekiti, Ikere LGA, as some officers of the state command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps allegedly stormed the polling unit and took away huge sum of money from some politicians.

A voter in the unit, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the undisclosed amount of money hijacked by the security men was meant for vote-buying in the area.

“They (NSCDC officers) stormed this unit and harassed the person holding the money. They collected the money from him and took it away. We who voted for APC and waited to collect our money could not get the money. It is disappointing. We were told that the money is over N2m,” the source said.

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Funminiyi Afuye, who voted at Are/Araromi/Ayetoro Ward, Unit 009 Ikere Ekiti, said the vote-buying money allegedly seized by security agents was not from his party, APC, saying, “I am not aware of that. And if they seized money, it was not seized from my party.”

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The APC candidate, Oyebanji, also denied reports that he wooed voters with money in his hometown.

Oyebanji, in a statement by his media aide, Raheem Akingbolu, titled, ‘Oyebanji didn’t give money to any voter,’ said, “Contrary to the malicious report, neither Oyebanji, nor any of his supporters gave money to anybody at any polling unit in Ikogosi. Aside from being Oyebanji’s town, the candidate enjoys overwhelming support in the community with optimism of recording a 100 per cent result.”

Also, the ADC candidate, Oluyede, who alleged that there was no election in Ekiti on Saturday, said there was not anything fair or good about it.

He said, “In my polling booth, they didn’t start elections until 10am. It was after that the polling officer said that they didn’t have a stamp to complete the process. They brought out of a bag by 10am and it was evident that they were trying to make people get into fracas with one another. We maintained decorum. We didn’t fight but I don’t think anybody trusted anything after. About the security in town, everybody that was arrested today as far as I know was my person.’’

However, the PDP candidate, Bisi Kolawole, who voted at Ward 08, Unit 01, said, “The process has been peaceful. We just hope there won’t be manipulation.’’

Also, the APC candidate who voted at Okelele Ward 06, Unit 003, Ikogosi Ekiti, in Ekiti West LGA, lauded the process, saying, “This is an improvement. I am happy that there was no case of apathy. The security build up has also been impressive. The process has been good and fine.”

Both Oyebanji and Kolawole lauded the INEC and the Bimodal Voter Authentication System technology used, saying it was a great improvement.

In the same vein, a PDP chieftain and former deputy governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola-Eleka, who voted at Ward 2,Unit 7, Okeruku, Ikere Ekiti, hailed the process, saying, “There was no hitch and the process was without any form of harassment in any part of the town.’’

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Delta monarch declared wanted over murder of 17 soldiers turns himself in

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Clement Ikolo Oghenerukevwe, monarch of Ewu-Urhobo kingdom in Delta, has reported to the police, hours after the military named him as one of the wanted persons for the murder of 17 army personnel in Okuama.

Bright Edafe, Delta state police spokesperson, confirmed Oghenerukevwe’s surrender.

Edafe said the monarch turned himself in on Thursday.

“We have already handed him over to the military, they were the ones that declared him wanted,” the spokesperson said.

The Defence Headquarters had on Thursday declared Oghenerukevwe among eight persons wanted in connection to the murder of the army personnel.

Among those declared wanted are Ekpekpo Arthur, a professor of physics at the Delta State University; Akeywiru Omotegbono, Andaowei Bakrikri, Igoli Ebi, a lady; Akata David, Sinclear Oliki, and Reuben Baru.

Before turning himself in, the monarch released a statement to plead his innocence.

 

“I am very surprised that my name as the monarch of the kingdom will appear in the list of wanted persons. I have no hand in the killings, I have no hand in encouraging anybody to kill anybody, it is against my philosophy as a human being and my faith as a Catholic,” he said.

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“It is a serious crime against humanity and they need to look at the appropriate places and do thorough investigation to know all those who have committed this and bring them to book and let justice prevail.

 

“I am not a party to this and like I have said earlier, the state government is aware of the turbulence I have been going through and as I speak, an arrangement was made by the government to invite the opponents recently just before this happenings.”

After the killing of the army personnel, President Bola Tinubu and the military high command promised that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.

 

Speaking during the burial ceremony of the late personnel, Taoreed Lagbaja, chief of army staff (COAS), said it was “highly demoralising” that the soldiers were killed by those they were equipped to protect.

 

The army chief added that it took over 72 hours of search to recover the vital organs of some of the deceased soldiers.

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Good morning! Here Are Some Major News Headlines In The Newspapers Today: Nationwide blackout as national grid collapses again

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1.Nationwide darkness hit Nigeria as the National Grid collapsed for the fourth time in 2024 amid the Easter Holidays. According to sources from electricity Distribution companies in Nigeria, the grid collapsed around 4:30 pm on Thursday.

 

2. Hoodlums numbering about 30 on Thursday burnt a part of the Anaocha Local Government Headquarters in Neni, Anambra State.The hoodlums, who were said to be heavily armed, also set ablaze the Neni Police Station.

 

3. The price of cement decreased between 22 per cent and 26 per cent for a 50kg bag in the Federal Capital Territory within the last five weeks. A market survey conducted on Thursday by DAILY POST in Jabi, Area 10, Kubwa, Lugbe, Utako, Lifecamp and Gwarinpa showed that the price of Dangote and BUA cement dropped to N7,800 and N11,000 per 50kg bag from 10,000 and N15,000 on February 16, 2024.

 

4. Ikolo Clement, King of Ewu kingdom and one of the suspects declared wanted by the Nigerian military, has surrendered himself to the authorities. Clement, a newly installed traditional ruler of Ewu Kingdom in Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, was among the eight persons declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters.

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5. A former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus and members of the Presidential Campaign Council of the party for the 2023 general elections in Rivers State have declared support for President Bola Tinubu and the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara. A former Minister of Transportation and the Director-General, PDP-PCC Rivers State, Dr Abiye Sekibo, made the declaration at a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

 

6. The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, has shut down the KFC outlet in Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos over discriminatory treatment meted out to a passenger with Reduced Mobility. The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of FAAN, Mrs Obiageli Orah, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

 

7. Detained Binance executive, Tigran Gambaryan, has sued the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over the alleged violation of his fundamental rights. Gambaryan, in a motion dated and filed 18 March by his lawyer, Olujoke Aliyu, sought five reliefs before Justice Inyang Ekwo.

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8. A Federal High Court in Borno State has ordered the military to release 313 suspected terrorists, for lack of evidence to nail the suspects after investigations. The Director, Defence Media Operations, Gen. Buba Edward, on Thursday, disclosed this during a briefing on military operations across the country in Abuja.

 

9.The Defence Headquarters has said troops neutralized 121 terrorists, apprehended 253 and rescued 244 kidnapped victims in different operations across the country in one week. The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen. Edward Buba disclosed this while giving an update on military operations on Thursday in Abuja.

 

10. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, on Thursday, said it has uncovered fraudulent methods used by syndicates to sell rice below the claimed weight at the Garki Modern Market, Abuja. The commission in a statement signed by its acting Executive Vice Chairman, Adamu Abdullahi, said the fraudulent practice was discovered after a targeted enforcement operation at the modern market.

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Kaduna Gov Sani offers free education to rescued Kuriga students

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Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has offered free education to the rescued Kuriga school students under his foundation. 

 

The governor also promised to rebuild the LEA primary and government secondary school in Kuriga, in addition to providing other basic infrastructure in the community.

 

Addressing the children at the state house before their departure to Kuriga on Thursday, Governor Sani assured them that the kidnapping incident, would not in any way affect their education, stating that adequate security has been provided to the Kuriga community, to ensure that the residents go about their daily lives without fear.

 

He also announced an N10m donation to the family of the head teacher, Abubakar Isah who died in captivity, as well as offered scholarships to his children up to university level.

 

“Yesterday, the parents came here, met the children and everyone was happy. I would like to give credit to the children who have since been handed over to the Kaduna State government. They were very patient with us. They also understand the situation they found themselves in. When they came back, we realised that some of their situations were serious mentally. That was why we decided to engage the services of psychologists, and they went through a lot of sessions with doctors and nurses, counselling and therapy. I am happy that all the children here are extremely happy and in high spirits.

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“When we met two days ago, they told me they did not want to go back home, and that they wanted to stay with me for the next two weeks. But I told them it was not possible, and that they had to go home. Their parents are missing them after about 17 days since they last saw them.

 

“They will go home by the grace of God today. And I want to say here today, that all the 137, like I promised them; will be my students by the grace of God. I have already directed the Uba Sani Foundation which has been in existence for the past 16 years delivering free education and healthcare, to look after them.

 

“I have also directed, that a lot of renovation be put in place in the community and the schools because to me, Kuriga community is one of the most peaceful communities in Kaduna State.

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“All the children are back safely, but we lost only one teacher, and may his soul rest in peace. Mallam Abubakar was a good man, and his children have missed him. We all miss him. He was one of the most resourceful teachers in the school, but we lost him.

 

“The Kaduna State government will be supporting the children of Mallam Abubakar through school. We will also be supporting the family with N10m because of what they went through. Mallam Abubakar died due to some medical conditions he had. May his would rest in peace,” he said.

 

The fresh move comes after the governor was said to have allegedly employed the services of a private negotiator, a move which had led to the release of the students from captivity.

 

The news of the children’s release met with further questioning from the public, who demanded an explanation of how the governor was able to secure their freedom.

 

However, while speaking on Channel Television’s Sunday Politics, the governor argued that it was irrelevant whether or not a ransom was paid to free the abducted Kuriga students.

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According to him, what was important was the fact that the government had been able to rescue all of them unhurt.

 

He said: “What is more important today is that our children are back home. Most of those permutations are not necessary. If your child is kidnapped, will you be sitting down and talking about how he was released?

“For me, what is more important is that those children are back home. Their parents are extremely happy and what is important to them is to reunite with their children.

 

“But some people who have no business with the situation are the ones coming out with some irresponsible permutations about whether ransom is being paid, whether someone had gone into the kinetic or non-kinetic approach. What is important to us in Kaduna is that the children are back home.”

 

The schoolchildren were abducted from LEA Primary School and Government Secondary School, Kuriga, about four weeks ago, however, the Defence Headquarters, on Saturday, said they had been rescued.

 

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