The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • BREAKING: INEC resumes collation of Adamawa Gov results

    BREAKING: INEC resumes collation of Adamawa Gov results

    Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have reconvened and resumed the collation of results for Saturday’s supplementary governorship election, The Nation can confirm.

    The Nation reports INEC on Sunday suspended collation for Saturday’s supplementary governorship election after the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Hudu Ari announced Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner.

    INEC invalidated the announcement, suspended Ari indefinitely and summoned him to its Abuja headquarters for interrogation.

    The Nation also learnt INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye is at the collation centre.

    Adamawa Returning Officer, Mohammed Mele, is also at the collation centre.

    Details shortly…

  • 84,000 candidates write rescheduled mock – UTME

    84,000 candidates write rescheduled mock – UTME

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Tuesday conducted the rescheduled mock-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (Mock-UTME) for 84, 000 candidates across the country.

    Registrar of JAMB, Prof Is-haq Oloyede, who announced this after monitoring the exam in Abuja, expressed delight over the hitch-free exercise.

    While commending candidates for showing understanding over the board’s decision to reschedule the examination for Tuesday (today), Oloyede said the glitches earlier experienced in the mock-UTME in some computer based test centres (CBT) prompted the board to reschedule the examination.

    He also said the board used the rescheduled mock-UTME to deploy some innovations ahead of the main UTME.

    The JAMB registrar said: “We should also thank the students for bearing with us when we were trial-testing. You know we gave notice that we were moving to a new level and I think by God’s grace, we are now arriving at the next level. Those things we wanted to test, we have seen what they were and we went back and made sure everything works and it is working.

    “We will still be focused on issues relating to cable- that you called network in the centre, there may be few centres that we may have one problem or the other but we are going to get over that.

    “For example, we have decided that all those with zero clients (computers that have no CPU identity but relied on a central server and shared the same IP address) will have to change if they must continue on our network.”

    Speaking further, the JAMB boss said the Mock-UTME held in 387 CBT centres across the country, with 16 of the centres having two sessions, adding that the results of the exam would be out today.

    “They will get their results today, of course the results will be out today, and how many of them? 84,000,” Oloyede said.

    JAMB Director of Information Technology Services (ITS), Fabian Okoro, who was on ground at the control room domiciled in the exam body’s headquarters in Bwari, Abuja, said real time information from all CBT centres revealed that the exam was conducted smoothly.

    “When we did the first exam, we were testing new features and we observed lapses, we have to go back to the drawing board and make sure they were corrected.

    “You can see from the control room here, there are less calls coming in, that shows the exam is moving smoothly and peacefully in all the centres across the country,” Okoro said.

    JAMB’s ICT consultant, Damilola Bamiro, who was also in the control/call room to ensure any possible technical issue regarding the mock exam was immediately resolved, corroborated Okoro’s views.

    During a visit to some of the CBT centres in Abuja, which included Total Child Model College, Dutse, JAMB CBT Centre, Kogo, among others, candidates were seen taking part in the exam in an orderly manner.

    One of the candidates, Luka Mercy, commended JAMB for ensuring that the mock exam went on as planned without any issue.

    “The JAMB (exam) was actually a good and successful one, no problem at all, no worries. The computer did not go off and I finished successfully and I really enjoyed the questions that were set,” she said.

    Recall that the mock exam was designed for the purpose of testing JAMB’s preparedness and that of its partners for UTME as well as give prospective candidates the opportunity to have hands-on experience of the CBT test environment.

  • I’ll be on ballot for Kogi polls, Ajaka assures

    I’ll be on ballot for Kogi polls, Ajaka assures

    Despite the submission of Ahmed Usman Ododo as the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag bearer in the November 1 Kogi Governorship Election, a gubernatorial aspirant, Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, has expressed confidence his name will be on the ballot paper for the party during the election.

    Ajaka, Deputy National Publicity Secretary and a member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, with seven others are challenging the emergence of Ododo as the party’s standard bearer.

    APC leadership on Monday forwarded Ododo’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with Chief Timipre Sylva and Governor Hope Uzordimma as the party’s governorship candidates for Kogi, Bayelsa States for the November 11 elections.

    But in a statement titled: “Kogi guber primary: Justice quest continues,” Ajaka appealed to his supporters to be calm, stating he has initiated the necessary mechanisms to ensure justice is served.

    The statement reads: “I bring you the latest update on our quest for justice. While the battle may not be over, we have initiated all necessary mechanisms to ensure that our voices are heard, and justice is served.

    “I implore you to remain patient, stay steadfast in prayers, and maintain absolute trust in our principal. This journey to freedom may be a long and arduous one, but with your unwavering support and commitment, we will emerge victorious.

    “Let us all fasten our seat belts and embark on this journey together, with no retreat or surrender in sight. I am confident that with your continued support, I will be on the ballot come November 11, 2023.”

    Kogi High Court disqualified Ajaka from the April 14 Kogi APC Governorship primary.

  • Air Peace resumes operations in Makurdi

    Air Peace resumes operations in Makurdi

    Nigerian Carrier, Air Peace, has resumed flight operations to Makurdi from Lagos and Abuja domestic airports.

    The airline’s Ground Operations Manager, Mr Ayodeji Adeyemi, made this lnown in a statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday.

    The airlime said the flight is scheduled to operate the Lagos, Abuja to Makurdi route three times a week.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the relaunch flight, which departed Lagos, connecting through Abuja, was welcomed at the Makurdi Airport with a ceremonial water salute.

    The ceremony marked a comeback of the airline to Benue State after suspending the route in 2021.

    Adeyemi said flight would be operated from Lagos and Abuja on the Embraer 145 aircraft.

    “We are delighted to be back in Makurdi, providing connectivity between the city and Lagos/Abuja.

    “We thank all the key aviation players and the Benue State Government for their support in ensuring this comeback,” he said.

    NAN reports that the resumption of the flight operations was a result of a tripartite agreement between the Benue Government, Air Peace Nigeria and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    (NAN) (http://www.nannews.ng)

  • Railway corporation generates N715.09m from passengers in Q3 2022 – NBS

    Railway corporation generates N715.09m from passengers in Q3 2022 – NBS

    The Nigerian Railway Corporation generated N715.09 million in revenue from passengers in Q3 of 2022, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says.

    This is contained in the NBS Rail Transportation Data for Q3 and Q4 2022 released in Abuja on Tuesday.

    The report showed that the figure dropped by 60.52 per cent compared to the N1.81 billion received in Q3 of 2021.

    Similarly, it showed that N101.84 million was collected in Q3 2022 as revenue from goods/ cargos, this dropped by 7.04 per cent from N109.56 million received in Q3 2021.

    “Also, other receipts grew by 707.31 per cent in Q3 2022 from the N14.61 million recorded in Q3 2021.”

    The report further showed that the number of rail transport passengers in Q3 2022 dropped by 500,348.

    “This is lower than the 696,841 recorded in Q3 2021, representing a growth rate of -28.20 per cent. ”

    In addition, the report showed that 33,312 tonnes of goods were transported in Q3 2022, compared to 51,726 tons reported in Q3 2021.

    The report said the corporation generated revenue of N1.15 billion from passengers in Q4 2022, which indicated a decrease of 39.54 per cent in Q4 2021 which recorded N1.91 billion.

    Also, it said revenue generated from goods in Q4 2022 was N157.23 million, which was higher by 63.56 per cent compared to the N96.13 million reported in Q4 2021.

    It said other income receipts stood at N382.17 million, an increase of 3,316.18 per cent from the N11.19 million recorded in Q4 2021.

    The report said in Q4 2022, the number of passengers increased by 30.10 per cent from 1.03 million persons recorded in Q4 2021 to 1.34 million persons in Q4 2022.

    It said the volume of goods transported decreased by 1.50 per cent in Q4 2022.

    “However, on an annual basis, the number of passengers increased by 18.36 per cent.”

    (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

  • Adamawa guber: INEC may take decision Tuesday

    Adamawa guber: INEC may take decision Tuesday

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is likely to meet on Tuesday, April 17, 2023 to take a decision on the supplementary election in Adamawa State.

    The Commission on Sunday suspended the collation of results from the exercise in the state after the state Resident Electoral Commissioner announced the APC candidate as the winner of the governorship election in the state while collation was still ongoing.

    The Commission described the action as illegal and a usurpation of duties and summoned all those involved to Abuja.

    National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, Barrister Festus Okoye said all National Commissioners who are currently out to supervise the supplementary elections in the various states need to get back to Abuja as soon as possible for the commission to meet.

    He said “You can see that most of the National Commissioners are out. Some are in Kebbi, Zamfara, Rivers and Adamawa states. We need to get them back to base.

    “Hopefully, they will be back to base by tomorrow (Monday). There is the possibility that the commission will meet on Tuesday to take a decision that will be befitting of our electoral process, our democracy and everything we stand for.

    “The situation on ground is that we have suspended further collation of results in Adamawa State and we have summoned the Resident Electoral Commissioner, who illegally went and made a declaration, to Abuja.

    “He knows that part of his function has nothing to do with making declarations and making returns.

    “The Resident Electoral Commissioner is a representative of the Commission in the state and exercises the powers delegated to him. He is supposed to perform only those functions that are delegated to him by the commission and is answerable to the commission.

    Read Also : No governor-elect yet in Adamawa, says INEC

    “Being a collation and returning officer was not part of the functions he was supposed to perform. So, he has to come and explain to our commission.

    “The Returning Officer appointed by the commission for Adamawa State has also been summoned to Abuja and he is already in Abuja. The collation of results is suspended pending when the commission will meet to deliberate on what has happened”.

  • Disaster averted as fire razes building at Queen’s College 

    Disaster averted as fire razes building at Queen’s College 

    Disaster was Sunday morning averted after fire gutted a guest house inside Queen’s College, Yaba.

    The Nation reports that the inferno which broke out at dawn was said to have engulfed a two-roomed guest house behind the school’s Block A Staff Quarters.

    The affected building was said to be used as a lodge and storehouse.

    Although the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained, The Nation gathered that it took the combined efforts of the Police, federal and state fire services to bring the situation under control.

    Read Also : Queen’s College alumni pushes girl-child cause

    It was learnt that hoodlums had attempted to take advantage of the chaos caused by the inferno to enter the premises but were prevented by police operatives from Sabo Division who cordoned the entire perimeter.

    Contacted, spokesman for the command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed the incident but added that there was no death or injury.

    He said investigation into the cause of fire had commenced, adding that the police were not aware of the estimated worth of damaged properties.

  • Supplementary polls: PDP wins Southern Ijaw, APC picks Ogbia in Bayelsa

    Supplementary polls: PDP wins Southern Ijaw, APC picks Ogbia in Bayelsa

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Rodney Ambaiowei of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency supplementary election in Bayelsa State.

    According to the result declared by the Returning Officer, Prof. Christopher Onyema, the PDP candidate, Ambaiowei, polled a total of 13,992 votes to defeat the incumbent member of the House of Representatives, Preye Oseke, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who scored 12,992 votes.

    Also, INEC has declared the APC candidate, Obein Godknows, as winner of the Ogbia Constituency 2 supplementary election into the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.

    Read Also : INEC releases results of supplementary elections in Bayelsa

    The result declared by the returning officer, Prof. Johnson Ohakwe, indicated that the APC’s Godknows got 5,291 votes to defeat incumbent legislator, Munalayefa Gibson of the PDP who had 4,342 votes.

    With the outcome, the PDP will be having 17 seats in the 7th Bayelsa State House of Assembly while the APC will be having five and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has two.

  • APC wins House of Assembly supplementary elections in Niger

    APC wins House of Assembly supplementary elections in Niger

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates emerged winners in the re-run House of Assembly elections held in four local government areas (LGAs) of Niger State.

    The elections were held in Agaie, Agwara, Rafi, and Rijau LGAs.

    Read Also : Katsina: INEC declares APC winner of Kankia constituency poll

    In Agwara, APC got 9242 votes while the PDP got 8416 votes; in Agaie, the APC got 1195 votes while the PDP got 1112 votes; in Rijau, the APC got 566 votes while the PDP got 260 votes in the three polling units where the elections were held.

    Results from Rafi local government area were yet to be accessed as at the time of filing this report.

  • Court removes Ondo Monarch

    Court removes Ondo Monarch

    The traditional ruler of Oke-Igbo in Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo Local Government Area (LGA), Oba Babajide Lawrence Oluwole, the Olu-Oke, has been deposed by an Ondo State High Court.

    Oba Babajide was removed in a judgment delivered at the weekend by Justice Ademola Enikuemehin, in a suit filed by Princes Rufus Adekanye and Temitope Adeoye on behalf of the Aare Kugbaigbe Ruling House of Oke-Igbo.p

    The Claimants, through their Counsel, Chief Sola Ebiseni, faulted the 2018 appointment of Oba Oluwole, claiming he was not a member of the Aare Kugbaigbe whose turn it is to present a candidate to the throne.

    Justice Enikuemehin, in his ruling, held that eligibility to the Oke-Igbo throne was restricted to the descendants of Odo Eleyowo, Are Kugbaigbe, Kuole Oloje, Aderin Ologbenla and Ajibike Adedimeji of the male lineage.

    The court ruled that only members of the said Are Kugbaigbe Ruling House of the male lineage were qualified to be proposed as candidate(s) and be made an Oba at the turn of the Ruling House.

    It held that Oba Babajide, not being a descendant of the Are Kugbaigbe was not a member of the Are Kugbaigbe Ruling House and therefore not qualified under the Declaration to be proposed as a candidate for the vacant stool of or be made the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo.

    Read Also : UK authorities keep mum on Peter Obi’s London arrest, detention saga

    Justice Enikuemehin, who granted the declaration that the appointment of Oba Babjide was illegal, arbitrary, irregular, null and void, ordered the Defendants to set in motion the proper processes of selection and appointment by inviting the Claimants to present candidate(s) to fill the vacant stool of the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo chieftaincy in accordance with the Declaration and the Chiefs Law of Ondo State.

    He restrained Oba Babajide from further parading himself or allowing himself to be paraded as or accorded the rights and privileges pertaining to the person, title and office of the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo.