Author: David Great

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended elections in nine wards of Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of Kogi State. In a statement released by INEC commissioner and member of voter education committee, Mohammed Haruna, the Commission took the decision following report incidences of electoral malpractices, particularly in of result sheets completed before voting. Reports according Commission indicate that the incidents occurred in Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi and Okene Local Government Areas. The most serious incidents occurred in Ogori/Magongo, affecting nine of 10 Registration Areas. “This is entirely unacceptable. Any result not emanating from the Commission’s process in the Polling…

Police in Colombia have detained four people suspected in the kidnapping of the father of Liverpool footballer Luis Diaz, who was held hostage for nearly two weeks by members of the ELN guerilla group, officials said Saturday. Luis Manuel Diaz was freed Thursday. He had been abducted by armed men on motorcycles at a gas station in the town of Barrancas near the Venezuelan border. The ELN, which is in peace negotiations with the government and is party to a six-month ceasefire that took effect in August, described the kidnapping by one of its units as a “mistake.” “We have…

Timipre Sylva, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Saturday’s off-cycle governorship election in Bayelsa State, decried the non-uploading of voter registrations from three units of his ward in Okpoama, Brass LGA of the state. Sylva revealed this while taking questions from media shortly after voting in his polling unit 4, ward 4, naming the impacted units as 3, 5, and 9, blaming INEC for the error, which he termed “a careless mistake.” He stated that his group had reported the issue to INEC’s national leadership, and the commission pledged to rectify it and extend voting hours in the affected…

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has debunked reports of electoral violence in his state, claiming they are the creation of the media. Bello who was speaking shortly after casting his ballot at his Agaza country home in Okene on Saturday, also awarded pass marks to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Security agencies, and the residents of Kogi state for ensuring peaceful conduct at the election. “You have seen for yourself how peaceful we have been conducting ourselves since voting started; that shows that the adverse Security image being peddled by the outside world is a creation of the…

Mr Muritala Ajaka, the Social Democratic Party candidate in the present governorship election in Kogi State, has claimed that the results sheets in collation centres in the state’s Ogori Magongo region are missing. Muritala stated in a statement issued through his media assistant, Mr Faruk Adejoh-Audu, said the occurrence was evidence of electoral misconduct in the current election. He said that his agents in various sections of the state alerted him of suspected electoral malpractices throughout the election. Ajaka said, “Our agents who went to a few ward collation centres in the early hours of this morning to inspect materials…

Inter Miami saluted Argentine star Lionel Messi’s eighth Ballon d’Or on Friday, but their friendly match to mark the achievement ended in a 2-1 loss to MLS rivals New York City FC. The defeat, in a match between two teams long out of the MLS championship running, was just a footnote on a celebratory night that began with Messi offering his thanks to fans for the welcome he’d received in Florida. Fans, many of them shouting “Messi! Messi!” in unison, nearly filled the DRV PNK stadium — despite the fact that the club’s MLS season ended last month. “Thank you…

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and its affiliates have been barred from engaging in any kind of strike or industrial action by the National Industrial Court (NIC). On Friday evening, the two major labour unions (NLC and TUC) were instructed to halt their statewide strike action, which was planned to begin on November 14. The restraining order was granted by the Court’s President, Justice Benedict Kanyip, in response to an ex-parte application filed before the Court by the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Minister of Justice. To impose…

Mikel Arteta has warned Aaron Ramsdale not to rush any decision over his future after the goalkeeper was told he could not be promised a place at Euro 2024 if he remains on the bench at Arsenal. Ramsdale was this week called up by England manager Gareth Southgate for the final two qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia and will be aiming to add to his four senior caps. However, the 25-year-old has been ousted as Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper since the arrival of David Raya from Brentford and has played just twice since the September international break. Speaking after naming…

The Court of Appeal in Lagos has upheld Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah’s win in the March 18 gubernatorial election. The court dismissed the appeal filed by Labour Party gubernatorial candidate Chijioke Edeoga as without merit and maintained the September decision of the Enugu gubernatorial Election Petitions Tribunal. The three-member panel, chaired by Justice Tijani Yusuf Hassan, ruled that the appellant failed to demonstrate that Mbah faked his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate and was thus unable to run in the election. Court confirms originality of Enugu governor’s NYSC certificate The decision comes only days after a Federal High…

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, says the Federal Government will start charging owners of completed unoccupied houses triple ground rents instead of the single rate normally charged three months after completion. Dangiwa, said this in an interview with journalists during site visits of housing projects constructed by the federal government and its agencies on Friday in Abuja. The Suleja (Dikko) Prototype, Public-Private Partnerships Cooperative, Gwagwalada National Housing Programme and Guzape Federal Housing Authority (FHA) are also under the PPP arrangement. Mr Dangiwa affirmed that the issue of completed unoccupied properties was prevalent in the FCT and…