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2023 Elections

2023: PRP Denies Collapsing Structure For Tinubu

The Peoples Redemption Party has denied collapsing its structure in support of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu.
The clarification was given by the Ogun State chairman of the party, Samson Okusanya while briefing newsmen in Abeokuta.
He stressed that the party is still in the race to win, adding that its presidential candidate remains Abdulateef Kolawale Abiola.
Okusanya noted that it became important to address the rumour owing to the delicate nature of the matter.
He noted that the reputation, integrity and hard work of the party over the years are about to be undermined by the indiscretions of some people.
He further said, “For the first time since 1983, the PRP is participating in presidential elections and the visibility of the party across various levels is both encouraging as it is threatening to the antagonists of the common people who have continued to seize and remain in power for self-enrichment and for the oppression of the masses.
 
“With a promise to bring liberation to the people of Nigeria, the PRP has fielded Gubernatorial candidates, Senatorial Candidates, House of Representatives candidates and House of Assembly candidates.”
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Tragedy As Eight Family Members Perish In Kaduna Fire

Eight family members perished in a fire that razed their house in Zaria, Kaduna State.

According to a report by Rariya, the incident happened on Wednesday night, February 22, 2023, in Hayin Ojo area of Sabon Gari, Zaria.

Details of the incident are still sketchy at the time of filing this report, however, it was gathered that the victims include a man, his wife and their six children.

The deceased were buried on Thursday according to Islamic rites.

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2023 Elections

2023 Polls: Nobody Can Give 100% Assurance INEC Database Can’t Be Hacked – Jega

Professor Attahiru Jega, the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),  has said that there is a possibility that the commission’s database can be hacked.

Commenting on issues surrounding INEC’s preparation ahead of the Saturday polls, Jega commended the level of preparedness by the electoral body, adding that he can’t guarantee that the commission’s database can’t be hacked.

He said;

“You see, in this modern age, nobody can give you 100 per cent assurance that a database cannot be hacked, unless the database is not online.

“In 2015, when we did the elections, our database wasn’t online. But now, particularly because there’s the issue of electronic transmission of results, it has to be online.

“But all over the world, databases are used and they are relatively safe to be used because people now deploy effective cyber-security systems.”

Jega disclosed that INEC had confirmed employing an excellent cyber security for their databases. He added;

“And INEC had said consistently, that knowing the political terrain, they have also got the best cyber security for the databases that they have. And we have to believe that they’ve done their best.

“It doesn’t mean it will be 100 per cent secure, but I know that whoever uses a database, also uses a security alternative which virtually nobody knows.”

Jega also said that the ongoing Naira notes scarcity in the country is a poor decision by the government as it is ill-timed. He said;

“From my experience, cash is required because at the time I did the election in 2015, we deployed 750,000 ad-hoc staff. And this category of staff are required to spend the night at where’s called RAC, that’s Registration Area Centre.

“They will also be there at their various polling units, maybe from 6:00am until hopefully 7:00pm or even longer. So they need to have something to eat. All these people will need cash, because there are most likely no ATM or POS machine to withdraw.

“So cash is a necessary requirement for the operational readiness of INEC on election day. So the cashless policy is ill-timed.”

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2023 Elections

INEC Chairman Confirms Receiving Cash From CBN For 2023 Polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed it it received a  “substantial part” of the cash it requested of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) amid the naira scarcity in the country.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed it received a  “substantial part” of the cash it requested from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) amid the naira scarcity in the country.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, confirmed receipt of the funds on Thursday, February 23, during a press conference in Abuja on the commission’s activities before the presidential and National Assembly polls.

Yakubu said;

“The bulk of the small amount of cash that we have requested from the Central Bank of Nigeria is right now being released to the commission’s offices nationwide.

“In fact, a substantial part of it has already been received by our offices nationwide and this has greatly facilitated the movement of sensitive materials yesterday from the branches of the Central Bank to our local government areas.

“By tomorrow, we’ll batch them and then move them on Friday to the registration area centres. And then on Saturday early morning, they’ll be moved to the polling units for voting.”

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2023 Elections

2023: Peter Obi Pledges 40% Affirmative Action For Women

The presidential flagbearer of the Labour Party,  Peter Obi, has pledged to pursue 40% affirmative action for women in political appointments if he emerges victorious in the February 25th polls.

Obi also said he would encourage the same for women in the corporate sector.

The former Anambra State governor, who disclosed this in a post via his verified Twitter handle on Thursday, also said he would strive to ensure that Nigerian youths are adequately represented in governance.

He wrote: “One of my major policy planks is inclusivity: accordingly striving for gender parity remains a priority. We are presently committed to 40% affirmative action for women in political appointments and will encourage same in the corporate space.

“We will strive for the same percentage for Nigerian youths.”

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2023 Elections

Appeal Court Clears Ishaku Abbo For Saturday Senatorial Poll

Senator Elisha Ishaku Abbo has been cleared by the Yola Division of the Court of Appeal to participate in the National Assembly election scheduled for Saturday, February 25, as the Adamawa North senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Abbo’s fate had been in the balance after a lower court upheld his expulsion from the APC as earlier effected by the leadership of the party in his home town of Mubi North Local Government Area.

The lower court had ruled that since Abbo had been expelled, he ceased to have the privilege of membership, including flying the party’s ticket for the February 25 election.

The Court of Appeal on Thursday, however, set aside the judgement of the High Court which affirmed the expulsion of Senator Ishaku Abbo from the APC.

In his judgement, Justice Isaiah Olufemi Akeju of the Court of Appeal invalidated the lower court’s verdict and vacated all its orders against Senator Ishaku Abbo.

The court declared that the trial court has no jurisdiction to entertain the matter, affirming that Senator Abbo is a card-carrying member of the APC and is entitled to seek re-election into the Senate via the APC ticket.

The court awarded the cost of N500,000 to the senator against the respondents.

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2023 Elections

BREAKING: Buhari Arrives Katsina For Saturday’s Presidential Polls

Ahead of the Presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday, February 25, President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived Katsina State from where he will proceed to his home town in Daura, to exercise his franchise.

Buhari’s aircraft landed at the Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua Airport, Katsina at exactly 4:40 pm.

He is expected to cast his vote for his preferred candidates in Daura later on Saturday.

Prior to leaving Abuja for Katsina, on Thursday, Buhari had summoned a Security Council Meeting, where he met with heads of security agencies to intimate them on the need to protect electorates and ensure the elections are hitch-free.

Buhari had also met with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Mahmood Yakubu in Abuja, where he had admonished him to ensure the elections are free, fair and credible.

He was also present at the International Conference Centre Abuja, on Wednesday, where he witnessed candidates participating in the 2023 presidential election signing a peace accord.

At the event, Buhari had charged all the candidates contesting in the elections to accept the outcome of the elections as the choice of the electorates.

In the build up to the elections, Buhari, who is serving out his last term as President, had repeatedly said he would bequeath an electoral process that would be adjudged credible and transparent.

The President had in February 2022 signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law.

Buhari became President in 2015 after defeating his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan in a keenly contested election.

He rode to power on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC), a party that got its formation in February 2013, from a merger involving the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) along with a breakaway faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Buhari is expected to hand over the baton of leadership to his successor on May 29, 2023.

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2023 Elections

Naira Scarcity: El-Rufai Using Free Food, Transport To Buy Votes – PDP Cries Out

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has been called out by the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused El-Rufai of using free food and transport incentives to buy votes.
The claim comes after the Kaduna state government had announced the provision of free food, free transport, and medical services as part of measures to cushion the effect of the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
In a statement on Wednesday, the PDP State Secretary, Ibrahim Wusono, said such a gesture by the El-Rufai government is a tactic for vote-buying ahead of the 2023 general election.
Wusono added that the move was part of the deceit employed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government for the past seven years, urging the residents to resist the gesture.
He said, “They brought a plan by transporting people from Kaduna to Zaria metropolitan free of charge. I want to draw the attention of Kaduna citizens that it’s part of the deceit which has always been part of the APC government for the past seven years.
 
“People should understand or remember that it’s the APC government that sacked more than 62,000 workers including teachers in the state.
 
“It’s the APC government that demolished houses, and market stalls and it is under the APC administration that people are not secure in Kaduna State; look at what is happening in Birnin-Gwari, Giwa, Chikun, and Kajuru? The entire is not secured. What causes this? It’s because of the poor leadership of the APC government.
 
“We are appealing to the people of Kaduna to resist the tactics that is being currently introduced by the APC government by distributing food items to them just because they have failed.
 
“It’s a deception. They govern the state for more than sevens year, have they provided free transport to citizens of the state? They didn’t. It’s because of the election. It’s also vote-buying.”
 
Wusono said there was no rift in the party in the state, as according to him, all the party stalwarts were now united to unseat the APC government.
He added: “There is no crisis in PDP in the state. Is there a crisis? Look when we conducted our rally yesterday, all the party top-notch were there; former Vice President Namadi Sambo was there; former governors Ahmed Makarfi, amongst others party stalwarts were there.”
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2023 Elections

Gov’t Closes Schools For Election In Bauchi

The Government of Bauchi State, has closed down schools for the elections.

The government, on Thursday, declared a two-day break for all public schools ahead of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.

This was disclosed by the state Commissioner for Education, Hajiya Jamila Dahiru, during a news conference in Bauchi.

The commissioner further informed that there would also be a two-day break for all public schools in the state for the March 11 gubernatorial and the state House of Assembly elections.

According to Hajiya Dahiru, public schools in Bauchi State will be closed on Friday, 24th February and Monday, 27th February 2023, while academic activities resume on Tuesday, 28th February.

Similarly, the schools would not open on Friday, 10th March and Monday, 13th March 2023.

She, however, said the closure only affected day students, while boarding students would remain in their respective schools during closures.

“Students of day schools should remain at home on Friday, 24th, and Monday, 27th, February 2023, for the presidential elections, and school activities are to resume on Tuesday, 28th February 2023.

“For the gubernatorial elections, day students are to remain at home on Friday, 10th and Monday, 13th March 2023.

“School activities are to resume on Tuesday, 14th March, 2023 while all boarding school students are to remain in their respective schools during the break,” the commissioner informed.

According to her, the school closure was to enable public school teachers and parents actively participate in the general elections.

The commissioner added that the state government is aware that some public school students may travel with their parents to their respective local government areas to vote in the elections.

“We are also conscious of the fact that some of our teachers do participate in the electioneering and so we want to give them the opportunity to prepare ahead,” Dahiru added.

She, however, reiterated the state government’s commitment to not only the quality of education in the state but also to students’ welfare for the betterment of all.

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2023 Elections

Presidential Election: Nigerians Deserve To Choose Their Future – Biden

Joe Biden, the President of the United States of America, has called for peaceful and credible elections in Nigeria on Saturday February 25.

More than 93 million registered voters are going the polls to queue up behind their favourite candidates in the Presidential and National Assembly Elections.

President Biden, in a statement on Thursday, commended the accord by the presidential candidates and political parties on Wednesday.

The frontrunner are Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Atiku Abubakar, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; Rabiu Kwankwaso, New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, favoured by most of the polls.

Biden said by signing the pledge, the parties and candidates have committed to accept the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and to support a peaceful transition of power.

“Elections are a fundamental part of a functioning democracy, and all Nigerians deserve this chance to choose their future — freely and fairly”, Biden said.

“While the United States does not support any single candidate or party, we strongly support a peaceful and transparent process that reflects the will of the people of Nigeria.

“On election day, I encourage all Nigerians — no matter their religion, region, or ethnicity —to exercise this fundamental freedom and make their voices heard — including young voters, many of whom may be heading to the ballot box for the first time.”

Biden stressed that America stands with the Nigerian people as they chart a path toward a more democratic, prosperous, and secure future.

“I appreciate President Buhari’s firm commitment that the will of the people will be respected,” the U.S. leader added.

President Biden encouraged voters to remain peaceful and patient as their ballots are tallied, and urged the political parties and candidates to live up to their pledge.

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