1. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Wednesday began the distribution of sensitive materials for Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections. Also on Wednesday, political parties warned the electoral body against a repeat of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System glitches and other hitches that characterised the February 25 presidential and National Assembly polls.
2. Barely three days after the Central Bank of Nigeria declared old N1,000, N500 and N200 notes as legal tender, Deposit Money Banks say they are beginning to run out of the old currencies. The development led to severe hardship and pains for several bank customers seeking to withdraw funds on Wednesday.
3. The Federal Government, on Wednesday, said it is yet to harmonise efforts with states to set up palliative measures ahead of the June 2023 deadline for the discontinuation of petrol subsidy. It, however, said concerned committees would soon conclude discussions with key stakeholders as the administration winds down.
4. The Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, have withdrawn an application they filed to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission to allow their agents to participate in the process of sorting out ballot papers that were used for the February 25 presidential election.
5. The New Nigeria Peoples Party in Kano State has accused the Department of State Services of working in collaboration with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje to undermine the forthcoming governorship election in the state. A chieftain of the party and senatorial candidate, Dr Bappa Bichi, made the allegation while addressing a news conference on Wednesday night.
6. The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has been ranked as the 10th deadliest terror group in the world. IPOB, a separatist group, was proscribed and declared a terrorist organisation by the federal government in 2017. According to the 2023 Global Terrorism Index (GTI), with 40 attacks and 57 deaths, 2022 is considered the group’s deadliest year.
7. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has opened up on its support for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the president-elect, in the February 25 elections. Chairman of PDP in Rivers, Ambassador Desmond Akawo, who disclosed this at a meeting yesterday, said the move was to ensure that power is shifted to the South.
8. The Federal Government has confirmed that the 2023 population and housing census earlier scheduled for March 29 will now hold in May 2023. While briefing State House reporters after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information, confirmed that the postponement had been ratified.
9. Against the backdrop of sustained cash crises in the economy, Nigeria’s February 2023 inflation rate recorded a decline on Month-on-Month, MoM, while showing a marginal rise to 21.91 per cent Year-on-Year, YoY. Analysts said the inflationary pressure was still much higher during the period, but was tempered by the acute scarcity of cash in the economy.
10. The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, says 66 patients involved in the train-bus collision accident have been treated and discharged from five state public health facilities. Abayomi disclosed this in a situation update about the accident on Wednesday in Lagos.
