Twenty-five years after the current Polling Units were created in 1996, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has created new 56,872 Polling Units, bringing the number to a total number of 176,846 from the existing 119,974 Polling Units. These will come into effect starting from the Anambra State Governorship election holding on November 6.
The last elections to be conducted using the previous number of polling units are the four pending bye-elections in Kaduna, Jigawa and Plateau states. “Two of these elections,” according to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu will hold this weekend, “in Sabon Gari State Constituency in Kaduna State and Gwaram Federal Constituency in Jigawa State, while the Commission awaits the formal declaration of vacancies by the Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives in respect of Lere Federal Constituency of Kaduna State and Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency of Plateau State.”
The Commission has also approved that the Ekiti State Governorship election will hold on Saturday, June 18, 2022 while the Osun State Governorship election will hold one month later on Saturday, July 16, 2022.
Under the newly announced Polling Units, Lagos has the highest number of 13,325 Polling Units, followed by Kano State with 11, 222 Polling Units. Bayelsa State recorded the least number of Polling Units with 2,244 Polling Units followed by Ekiti State with 2,415 Polling Units.
Yakubu disclosed this at a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) at the INEC headquarters in Abuja Wednesday. He said the additional 56,872 Voting Points and Voting Point Settlements were converted to fully developed Polling Units following wide ranging consultations with stakeholders and fieldwork by its officials.
Despite increased number of voters, previous attempts to increase the number of Polling Units nationwide, which is one of the reasons identified for voter apathy, were unsuccessful. In response to the pressure, INEC established Voting Points and Voting Point Settlements across the States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as a pragmatic response to necessity.
Yakubu also intimated the RECs that “the Commission has successfully removed 749 Polling Units from inappropriate locations to appropriate public facilities or open spaces in line with our policy to guarantee unencumbered access to Polling Units for all voters. Of this figure, 232 were removed from private properties, 145 royal palaces, six Mosques, 21 Churches and nine Shrines. The remaining 336 Polling Units were relocated for various reasons which include distance, difficult terrain, congestion, communal conflict, new settlements and general insecurity.”
Embattled promising gospel minister, Adeyinka Alaseyori, has finally responded to the crisis that rocked social media over the criticism over her hit song entitled “Oniduro Mi” by a popular gospel artiste, Tope Alabi.
Alaseyori during her birthday praise concert, on Tuesday night, appealed to fans to allow peace reign, just as she described the senior gospel musician, Tope Alabi as a mother in the industry.
“I am delighted to worship and praise God. I want everyone all over the world to join me and I will like to say this. Please, let peace reign. Mummy Tope Alabi is our mother. Let us embrace peace and be happy in God,” she added.
The duo has been in the news since Saturday following the public criticism of Tope Alabi at a music ministration condemning the hit track of Adeyinka Alaseyori, saying it lacks spirituality.
The statement eventually became the talk of the town as Tope Alabi was widely condemned by many over her position on the song.
However, the tension, especially in social media could be dowsed as Alaseyori had eventually displayed maturity to calm her fans, admonishing them to embrace peace and show love to Tope Alabi.
The Federal Government has approved automatic employment in the Federal Civil Service of one graduate each from the families of the 10 corp members killed in 2011 post-election violence in Bauchi State.
Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare disclosed this on Tuesday during the inauguration of the National Governing Board of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
He added that President Buhari also approved scholarships to the four children of Mr Adowei Elliot, a Delta State indigene killed during the post-election violence.
“It has become an integral part of our national development and unity architecture. Nigerian youth continue to benefit from this scheme.
“As a sign of the Federal Government’s unflinching commitment to the NYSC, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the automatic employment of 10 direct siblings of the diseased NYSC members, who lost their lives during the 2011 post-election violence in Bauchi State.
“Mr. President also approved appropriate scholarships to the four children of Mr Adowei Elliot,” the Sports Minister said.
The 10 corps members were reported killed in Bauchi State following the 2011 election won by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The Minister called on the board members to come up with initiatives that will make the NYSC more impactful and increasingly endearing to all Nigerians.
He added that the inauguration of the Board is taking place at a time when all hands must be on deck to further strengthen the NYSC Scheme and charged both the returning and new members to continue to get acquainted with the provisions of the NYSC Act.
He assured that President Buhari and the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development are committed to the continued success of the Scheme.
See the full statement below…
ADDRESS BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF YOUTH AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT, MR SUNDAY DARE, AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE NYSC NATIONAL GOVERNING BOARD ON TUESDAY, 15TH JUNE, 2021
PROTOCOL
It is my pleasure to address you on this occasion of the formal inauguration of the new National Governing Board of the National Youth Service Corps. Let me begin by congratulating the Chairman and Board Members on this unique opportunity to make further contributions to the progress and development of our dear country. I am also delighted at the re-appointment of the Chairman of the immediate past Board, Ambassador Fatima Balla Abubakar, along with most of its members into the new Board in the same capacities. Indeed, this is an eloquent testimony to the confidence of His Excellency, Mr. President in your performance.
2. Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I wish to reaffirm the full commitment of the Federal Government to the success of NYSC’s mandate. There is no gainsaying the fact that the Scheme has made enormous contributions to the promotion of national unity and integration as well as the acceleration of development in various spheres, including education, health, infrastructural development, sports and social services, amongst others. NYSC, therefore, remains a great source of pride to the Government and the entire people of our dear country. Without doubt, all well-meaning Nigerians strongly recognize the continued relevance of the Scheme, especially at this critical period of our national life.
3. The inauguration of this Board is taking place at a time when all hands must be on deck to further strengthen the Scheme. This underscores the enormity of the task before you. It is pleasing to note that the Chairman and members, who were in the immediate past Board, are adequately informed about the objectives, programmes, achievements and challenges of the Scheme. It is my ardent hope that you will work collectively to build on the successes made by the former Board. In particular, I charge both the returning and new members to continue to get acquainted with the provisions of the NYSC Act, especially as they relate to the roles and responsibilities of major stakeholders, including the Board.
4. Distinguished Chairman and Board Members, I wish to use this unique occasion to once again affirm the satisfaction of the Federal Government with the achievements of the present Management of NYSC, which has enhanced the visibility of the Scheme. Accordingly, I commend the Director-General, the Management team, Staff and Corps members, whose collective efforts resulted in the successes recorded. I expect that members of the Board will deploy the political influence at their disposal to strengthen all levels of engagements aimed at sustaining the legacies of the scheme through continuous engagement with policy makers at various levels.
5. I also commend the excellent synergy between the immediate past Board and the Management, which contributed to the remarkable achievements recently made by the Scheme. I wish to stress the need for the new Board to sustain the harmonious working relationship in line with the expectation of Mr. President. For emphasis, all your actions must be guided by extant regulations. At all times, your major pre-occupation should be the success of NYSC and, by extension, the success of this Administration.
6. I am confident that you will work together to come up with initiatives that will make the Scheme even more impactful and increasingly endearing to all Nigerians. However, it is important to highlight the following guidelines as they affect roles, responsibilities and privileges of Members of the Governing Board as follows:
i. The Board shall set up operational and administrative policies in accordance with Government policy directives and supervise the implementation of such policies;
ii. The Board shall not be involved directly in the day-to-day management of the Scheme;
iii. The Board must only operate on part-time basis in accordance with extant rules that forbids allocation of official quarters to Members on a permanent basis and use of official vehicles by Members on a permanent basis;
iv. Estacode allowances are only for overseas travels approved by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Supervising Ministry;
v. No Member of the Board shall be allowed to retain official vehicle for use on a permanent basis;
vi. On the other hand, the core functions of the Chief Executive Officer include the day-to-day administration of the NYSC.
Furthermore, the Board shall perform the following oversight responsibilities:
i. Ensure that long-term interest of the Federal Government of Nigeria is served;
ii. Work with the Management to determine the Scheme’s mission and long term strategy;
iii. Promote sustainable and cost-efficient activities of the NYSC;
iv. Establish and promote the objectives and integrity of the Scheme;
v. Monitor the performance of the Management in achieving set objectives of the Scheme; and
vi. Request appropriate reports from Management.
7. I consider it appropriate to use this forum to once again endorse the proposal made by stakeholders for the establishment of the National Youth Service Corps Trust Fund. I am confident that such an initiative will go a long way in strengthening the Scheme and deepen its impact. Among other benefits, the Fund will make the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme more functional. It will, especially, serve as a sustainable source of providing start-up capital for the trained Corps members to actualize their business plans and in turn employ more Nigerians. Therefore, I appeal to all and sundry to support the actualization of the proposal. The NYSC Scheme will be sustained. It has become an integral part of our national development and unity architecture. Nigerian youth continue to benefit from this scheme. As a sign of the Federal Government’s unflinching commitment to the NYSC, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the automatic employment of 10 direct siblings of the diseased NYSC members, who lost their lives during the 2011 post-election violence in Bauchi State.
Mr. President also approved appropriate scholarships to the four children of Mr. Adowei Elliot.
8. In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm the unflinching support of His Excellency, Mr. President, and the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development for both the National Governing Board and Management of the NYSC towards the continued success of the Scheme.
9. I now have the pleasure to formally inaugurate the NYSC National Governing Board. Once again, I congratulate you and, as you set out to discharge this important national assignment, I pray the Almighty God to guide you at all times.
10. Thank you and God bless
Leicester City hitman Jamie Vardy has joined the league of football club owners after investing in US-based team Rochester Rhinos according to the club.
The 34-year old striker purchased a minority stake in the New York-based club, which has not played a competitive game for four years.
The club statement said: “The Rochester Rhinos are delighted to announce that Premier League star Jamie Vardy has become a co-owner of the club.
“The Leicester City striker has bought a minority stake and is excited by the prospect of being part of a journey that puts the Rhinos and Rochester back on the map after a four-year hiatus.
“This is a huge coup for Rochester and the Rhinos. Jamie is known throughout the soccer world and we are delighted that he has chosen to join us as a co-owner.
“Hopefully this fantastic news will give everyone connected with the club the belief that there are good times ahead.”
Rhinos, the only non-Major League Soccer club to have won the US Open Cup, announced in November 2017 they would go on hiatus as they sought extra funding.
Rochester Rhinos in 2017 announced the club will go into hiatus as they sought extra funding. The New York-based club plans to resume competing in the USL League One in 2022, the third tier competition on the American football pyramid.
The Rochester Rhinos hold the enviable record of being the only non-Major League Soccer club to win the US Open.
Vardy also joins a select few active footballers with stakes in football clubs around the world, alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic who owns a 23.5% in Swedish club Hammarby IF, Thomas Partey with CD Paracuellos Antamira in Spain, Demba Ba, Eden Hazard, Yohan Cabaye, Moussa Sow co-own US-based San Diego 1904 FC and Gerard Pique who owns third-tier Andorra FC based in Spain.
President Muhammadu Buhari has continued to come under attack since his statement that state governors should take responsibility of security in their states.
Responding to the president’s statement, governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, said it is unconstitutional for President Buhari to shift the power of securing lives and property of Nigerians to state governors.
According to Governor Wike, president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and cannot declare that governors are in charge of security in their respective states.
Governor Wike, while speaking at the commissioning of the 21 kilometers Odufor-Akpoku-Umuoye Road in Etche Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday, said such position suggests that the APC led Federal Government has lost grip of strategy on how to tackle the troubling security issues, and make the country safe for Nigerians.
“Mr. President, you’re the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. You appoint Inspector-General of Police, you appoint the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, the Commissioner of Police (CP), Director of Department of State Services (DSS) and other heads of security. Which one do we appoint? How can people appointed by Mr. President be under me?” Wike queried.
He said: “It is not only to borrow money for Nigeria that you’re in charge. You must, also, be in charge in other things including security. Who signed Order 10? Is it the governors? It is not when things are going bad concerning security, and you say you’re not in charge, and it becomes governors’ responsibility.”
Governor Wike admonished the Federal Government to own up that it can no longer fulfil promises made to Nigerians, and also lead the country out of its present predicament.
According to Governor Wike, when there is a failure, what makes leadership respectable is that such leader is able to accept his weakness publicly.
The governor pointed out that it was time Nigerians began to compare the performances of PDP and APC governors in office.
He said Mr. President was short of calling names of those governors who run to Aso Rock when they are supposed to stay in their states to see the needs of their states and people.
“Mr. President should have come out openly and said, my APC governors, stop worrying me. Go back to your states and do your work. On that, I support him.
“Thank God, Mr. President knows that I am not one of those that go to visit him over one problem or the other. I, as the governor of Rivers under PDP, you’ll never find me there.”
Former Senate President David Mark, who performed the commissioning of the 21 kilometers Odufor-Akpoku-Umuoye Road, noted the excitement expressed on the faces of the locals who are directly impacted by the project.
He noted that even those in opposition in the state have become so weak to have anything more to say against Governor Wike who is not only performing, but has remained as a strong pillar of the PDP.
“I told him I’ll be here because he loves his people. Politics and democracy is not about enriching one or two persons within a community. The Odufor-Akpoku-Umuoye Road is project that will outlive everybody in this place. The legacy you’re leaving behind, Rivers people will not forget you. They will defend you, they’ll protect you and they will stand by you always.
“That is why you can walk tall. That is why you can jump into your car and go anywhere because you’ve shown them love. You’ve brought democracy to the people. PDP as a party is happy to have you. You’re one of the pillars of our great party”, he said.
The Federal Government has said that Twitter rejected its demand to delete the account of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.
Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, made this known on “Politics Nationwide,’’ a Radio Nigeria call-in programme.
He said it was unfair to conclude that Twitter was suspended in the country because President Muhammadu Buhari’s message was deleted.
He accused Twitter of consistently offering its platform to promote agenda that were inimical to the corporate existence of Nigeria, adding that the government was unambiguous that the action was taken because the platform was being used to promote the views of those who wanted to destabilise the clime.
“Twitter has become a platform of choice for a particular separatist promoter.
“The promoter consistently used the platform to direct his loyalists to kill Nigerian soldiers and policemen, run-down INEC offices and destroy all symbols of Nigeria’s sovereignty.
“Every attempt to persuade Twitter to deny its platform to this separatist leader was not taken serious,’’ he said.
Recall that Twitter had last week deleted a tweet by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
Nnamdi Kanu had vowed that any soldier sent to the Southeast by the Nigerian Government will die.
Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, has said no president would tolerate what Nigerians are throwing at President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ngige said Nigerians see Buhari as a “willing horse” to be ridden to death.
Speaking on Channels Television, the Minister claimed that former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan would not tolerate some of the criticisms thrown at Buhari.
Buhari tolerating rubbish from Nigerians, hasn’t failed – Gov Masari
He also dismissed claims that Buhari was fond of flouting the rule of law.
Ngige said the President was afraid of breaching any of Nigeria’s laws.
He said: “If a government has done well; if a president has done well, give him accolades there. Areas he has not done well, point them out and discuss.
“Buhari is a democrat and is so afraid of a breach of the constitution or any law. I am even stronger than him in terms of that.
Biafra agitation: Shehu Sani hails Ngige over support for united Nigeria
”Even President Obasanjo, can he give you people this latitude? He will not. I know him. Even ex-President Goodluck Jonathan will not allow such.
“They will not grant you people that. So, Buhari is a willing horse and Nigerians want to ride him to death.”
The Oyo State Government on Tuesday said it has commenced evacuation of beggars in some parts of Ibadan, the state capital.
The government noted that the evacuation of the beggars from the Jemibewon area to a resettlement facility in Akinyele started on Tuesday.
Our correspondent learnt that beggars had over the years been living around shanties on Jemibewon Road in the Sabo area of Ibadan.
The government, however, on Tuesday said that it has commenced evacuation of the beggars to the newly built Akinyele Resettlement Centre.
Our correspondent gathered on Tuesday that the evacuation process commenced at 7 a.m. on Tuesday.
The evacuation followed a tour of the site by Arewa community leaders and representatives of the beggars on Saturday.
Commissioner for Environment, Barrister Idowu Oyeleke, who led the first set of evacuees to Akinyele, said that the new site is fitted with social amenities.
Other ministries involved in the exercise according to him include Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Information, Culture and Tourism, Local and Chieftaincy Matters.
Popular Nigerian playwright and renowned nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has warned President Muhammadu Buhari that Nigeria may not celebrates another Democracy Day, if the system of government is not decentralised by providing leadership that addresses the agitations and grievances of various groups of Nigerians.
Soyinka who stated this while speaking on Arise Television Programme on Monday lamented that the country is on a suicide slide, adding that Buhari should listen and take action against the challenges which are causing people to demonstrate.
Speaking while featuring on the programme, Soyinka described the recent interviews and press statements by Buhari as tantamount to threatening, bullying and intimidating the people.
He, however called on the president to address the nation like a leader awake to the realities of the situation while being seen to be taking actions.
He said, “And that is what’s happening to people in the streets. That’s why they are moving, that’s why they are demonstrating; that’s why they are defying even threats from the police and the government.
“If you demonstrate, we will do this, if you do this, we will deal with you, we will talk to you in language which you understand – it does not wash with anybody any longer.
“Because if a nation is on a suicide slide, the people who feel that they do not deserve that kind of suicidal plunge have a right to say they are getting off this plane before it nosedives,” he said.
When asked if Nigeria can continue as one, Soyinka said, “Not if it continues this way. Not if it fails to decentralise. If Nigeria fails to decentralise, and I mean to decentralise as fast as possible, manifestly and not as rhetoric, then Nigeria cannot stay together.
“Again, it is not Wole Soyinka saying this. Everybody has said it: ex-heads of state have said it; politicians have said it; analysts have said it; economists have said it, and sometimes we get tired.
“I am saying this whole nation is about to self-destruct and I am not the only one saying it, except Buhari and his government listen and take action, we would not celebrate another Democracy Day come next year.
“Take for instance the position of the Southern governors on open grazing, at least 50 per cent of a nation are saying that within this democratic dispensation we are operating, we are saying on behalf of our people, we do not want open grazing anymore and then somebody sits in Aso Rock and says to them, I am instructing my Attorney-General to dig up some kind of colonial law, which arbitrated between farmers and herders.
“This means that he is not listening to what the people are saying, he is not listening to what the government representing them is saying. When I listen to things like that, I really despair. His last interview was instructive, not that there was anything new in it, one was just hoping that this government has transcended that kind of partisan thinking.”
During the commissioning of the 157 kilometers Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge railway for commercial operations at the Mobolaji Johnson Station in Ebute Metta and the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure in Nigeria (also called the Deep Blue Project) at the ENL Terminal, Apapa Port, the National Leader of the All Progressive Congress and the Jagaban of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was notably absent at the event.
Sahara Reporters gathered that before the event, the Presidency did not send an official invitation to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which sent a signal of a proposed misunderstanding between the two Party Leaders.
During an interview with Arise TV hours before the President went for the commissioning, President Muhammadu Buhari made a statement that indirectly shades Bola Tinubu. According to Mr. President, he said: “You cannot seat in Lagos and decide the zoning of APC.”
Although, the spokesman to the President, Garba Shehu cleared that the statement was not directed to Bola Tinubu but the fact remains that something is going on between Tinubu and Buhari.
Since Tinubu was not officially invited to the event, he had to avoid public humiliation by jetting out to an undisclosed destination.
Why are the two Party Leaders playing hide and seek? You can take to the comment section to share your thoughts about this. Also, share this article so others can contribute as well.
