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Tag: Ekiti STATE

  • INEC distributes sensitive materials to councils in Ekiti

    THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ekiti State has distributed sensitive materials across the 16 local government areas for the conduct of House of Assembly election scheduled for Saturday.

    The distribution, according to the state’s Acting Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Muslim Omoleke, was done in the presence of security operatives and various parties’ representatives.

    The governorship election was held in the state on July 14, 2018, which produced Dr. Kayode Fayemi, leaving the state with only Assembly election.

    Speaking with reporters in Ado Ekiti yesterday, Omoleke assured that the commission won’t disappoint Ekiti voters with the conduct of the election.

    He advised the commission’s regular and ad hoc staff not to be partisan by displaying high level of neutrality and shunning any  corrupt tendencies that could cast a pall on the electoral process.

    “The sensitive and non-sensitive materials have been distributed to all the council areas under heavy security cover.

    “We are not taking anything for granted. We tracked all the vehicles to ensure that those materials were not diverted but delivered at the appropriate place.

    “We did not only distribute the materials, but we partnered the security agencies to ensure that they are on ground in all the LGs to protect them till Saturday.

    “Early on Saturday, the materials will be distributed to the wards for onward distribution to the units.

    “Our projection is that the elections must start at 8am simultaneously in all the 2,195 polling units on Saturday,” Omoleke said.

     

  • Man gets three months for possessing cocaine

    A Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has sentenced Dipo Taiwo, 36, to three months imprisonment for alleged possession of illicit drugs.

    The judge, Justice Uche Agomoh, said this would deter others.

    The defence counsel had pleaded guilty and begged for leniency, saying the defendant didn’t waste the time of the court by pleading guilty.

    The prosecutor, Mr. Charles Nwagua, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on January 10, at Atikankan, Ado-Ekiti.

    He alleged that the defendant, without lawful authority, possessed 500 grammes of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic drug similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD.

    He said the offence contravened Section 19 of the NDLEA, Act.Cap N30, Laws of Federation of Nigeria. 2004.

    Delivering judgement, Justice Agomoh said: “The defendant appeared very remorseful on every of his appearance in court during his trial.

    “The court, therefore, found you guilty and convict you accordingly.

    “You are hereby sentenced to three months imprisonment with hard labour,” she said.

  • Fayemi rallies support for female candidates in Ekiti

    The wife of the Ekiti State governor, Mrs Bisi Fayemi, has canvassed support for female candidates vying for House of Assembly seats, urging the electorate to vote for them on Saturday.

    Fayemi made the call on Tuesday when she visited Gbonyin Local Government Area of  the state where she described women as the strong pillar of every home.

    Read Also: Fayemi’s wife drums up support for Buhari’s re-election bid

    The governor’s wife  stressed the need for the people to encourage participation of women in legislative activities.

    She also formally presented  as candidates Teju Okuyigba for Gbonyin Constituency, Kemi Balogun for Ado Constituency II, Yemisi Ayokunle for Ekiti South-West Constituency I  and Bunmi Adelugba, for Emure Constituency.

    The governor’s wife commended voters for their conduct during the presidential and National Assembly elections.

    She urged residents of the state to come out en masse to vote for the All Progressives Congress  on Saturday  to enable the party fill all the 26 seats in the state assembly.

    NAN

  • Ekiti APC congratulates Buhari, urges opposition to accept God’s project

    Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election for another four years to be at helm of affairs.

    The State Chairman, Barr. Paul Omotosho described the victory as an act of God which was beyond human comprehension, urging the opposition party to accept god’s project in good faith.

    Omotosho disclosed that the victory was a litmus test on the President’s integrity, and performance in the last four years.

    He made this disclosure during a victory rally in Ado Ekiti to felicitate with the president on his resounding victory at the polls, stressing that it was a victory for democracy and Nigerians as a whole.

    The chairman described Buhari, as a man of peace and integrity who conducted the most peaceful, transparency, credible and fair elections ever in Nigeria.

    Read Also: APC chieftain congratulates Buhari

    Omotosho further ascribed the victory to the performance recorded by the President in his four years administration, saying his scorecard was exceptional on the scale of merit.

    While commending President Buhari for his commitment and hard work towards eradicating insurgency, resuscitation of the economy and corruption in Nigeria, he lauded governor Fayemi for his doggedness and commitment to ensuring that the state recorded victory at the polls.

    He commended the international communities, election observers and the Ekiti people for their peaceful conduct before, during and after the election.

     

  • Buhari’s victory, end for old breed politicians

    Ekiti State chapter of the Yoruba socio cultural and political organization, Egbe Afenifere Ilosiwaju Yoruba, under the national leadership of Senator Ayo Fasanmi , has declared the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari as the end of discussion for old breed politicians.

    Egbe Afenifere said those parading themselves as ‘deciders of human fate’ and holding Nigerians to ransom have been rendered useless politically.

    The group disclosed that the election was a departure from the old nuances oligarchs, who had always believed they held the ace in through politics of the nation.

    It added that the people have taken over power in a bloodless and democratic manner to institute their will

    A statement signed by its publicity secretary, Chief Biodun Akin Fasae in Ado Ekiti described the victory of the president as a referendum for good governance, integrity, honesty, patriotism and love of the masses.

    The group further said the victory was attestation to the fact that Nigerians were appreciative of the giant strides recorded by Buhari-led federal government in all sectors of the economy.

    “On behalf of Egbe Afenifere Ilosiwaju yoruba in Ekiti State, I heartily congratulate our President Buhari for this historic re-election to pilot the affairs of our great nation for the next four years.

    Read Also: The Buhari revolution

    “Our interpretation of the historic victory is that the power of darkness is limited to the extent of availability of light and since Nigerians have chosen to hold on to light, then darkness has perished.

    “It is crystal clear that the power blockers who always believed that they held the ace and holding Nigerians by the jugular had now been rendered useless in the nation’s political circuit”, the group said.

    The group also congratulated the governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi who within four months has changed the Ekiti political narrative from that of backwaters to a front liner.

    Afenifere said: “He did not only come up with a winning strategy, he also led Ekiti people to Aso Rock by the result of over 60% coming out as the best in the Southwest for APC.

    “This is apart from scoring a full mark as all members of both Senate and House of Representatives were elected on the platform of the party”.

    The group, however, urged winners to be magnanimous in victory and advised losers not to be hopeless as the future is still there for them.

     

     

  • 52-year-old arrested for impregnating niece

    Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Thursday arrested Dennis Agya Kiyeye, 52, for impregnating and attempting to murder his niece.

    The suspect allegedly defiled and impregnated the 15-year-old niece at Ilupeju village in Gbonyin Local Government area of Ekiti state.

    The suspect, according to the NSCDC Commandant, Solomon Iyamu confessed his niece had been living with him since 2013 after the demise of her mother in Benue state.

    Iyamu said: “He had been having carnal knowledge of the girl since three years ago and the act has become normal of two of us.”

    “The incest resulted into pregnancy in 2016 but was kept secret with the help of a quack midwife who assisted us to terminate the pregnancy.”

    But Kiyeye claimed the pregnancy was jointly owned by him and one Kunle, who happened to be the girl’s school mate in the village.

    He added that the girl later became pregnant for him again, forcing him to conspire to terminate her life in a nearby bush around the village to cover up for his shameful act.

    Read Also: Alfa rapes wife’s nine-year-old niece

    The poor girl was rescued by a good Samaritan who reported the dastard act to the head of the village, it was learnt.

    The village head, Chief Adebisi Olaoye, explained the suspect is a man of questionable character, who after the sinful act became open to the villagers starting moving suspiciously.

    Adebisi added villagers have been watching the suspect to determine the veracity of the information they heard.

    The community leader confirmed the claim that Dennis was arrested by the people while attempting to kill the girl in the village.

    He promised to provide useful information in the course of investigation when the need arises to unravel the mystery.

    The victim, who stated her inabilities to reject the sexual advances of her uncle who she claimed deflowered her, said since he is responsible for her feedings and upkeep, any refusal may land her into hunger and suffering.

    “He catered for my needs and any attempt to refuse may result into hunger punishment and deprived school fees,” she said.

     

  • ‘Victory ends dominance of few’

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Dr Olusegun Osinkolu, has said the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in last Saturday’s poll has ended the tyrannical tendencies and dominance of few cabals in the country.

    Osinkolu said the few politicians who had been dictating the pace and holding Nigerians by the jugular had been politically retired to their ‘family fortress’

    He noted that that the President’s re-election victory testified to the fact that Nigerians were appreciative of the monumental achievements of the Federal Government under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The party chieftain said Nigerians had spoken through their votes that the present government is people-oriented.

    The Director General of Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Organisation congratulated members of his council in Ekiti State for delivering the state to the President.

    He hailed Nigerians for showing their desire for a more prudent, decent and masses-oriented party, like the APC, to lead the people for another four years and rid the nation of corrupt tendencies.

    In a congratulatory message yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, especially to the APC political family, Osinkolu praised the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, for allowing the votes of Nigerians to count in a transparent electoral process.

    “On behalf of the campaign council in Ekiti, I congratulate President Buhari for this resounding victory. It signposts the end of tyranny and political dominance of a few cabals in our dear nation, especially those who have been dictating the pace and holding Nigerians by the jugular.

    “With this well amplified appreciation shown by the masses to President Buhari’s presidency, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) must have swallowed its pride and much-touted mantra that the present government under Buhari’s watch was incompetent and not intellectually-inclined to drive Nigeria to success.

    “We felicitate with Nigerians at this auspicious time that they have decided to revalidate the government they put in place in 2015.”

  • APC won’t buy votes to win, says Fayemi

    Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi has stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will never buy votes to win any election.

    He spoke after voting with his wife Erelu Bisi at Ogilolo ward 11, Unit 009 Oye Local Government Area of the state.

    Fayemi arrived the polling booth around 11am and voted after receiving voting rules and regulations from the election officials. .

    Speaking with journalists shortly after casting the ballot, he expressed absolute confidence the APC will coast to victory without engaging in any anti-democratic means.

    The governor stated that there was nowhere in Ekiti where cases of vote buying were reported, describing his party as law- abiding.

    “Just check round, there was no place where votes were being bought. APC is a law abiding one and that we shall maintain.

    “Whoever says we are doing that here must be believing in hearsay”.

    He applauded the security arrangements, pointing out that democracy had come to stay with people allowed to make their choice of leaders without any fear or threat.

    The governor praised the voters for their massive turnout despite postponement by INEC, saying this has shown that electoral process is maturing in Nigeria.

    Read Also: APC chieftain, elder brother shot dead in Rivers

    “With the feelers I am getting, the postponement doesn’t affect us negatively here in Ekiti.

    “People trooped out massively to exercise their franchise, I am happy about that.

    “INEC staff arrived at the polling units early, this also added more credibility to these elections”.

    Senator Ayo Arise after voting in his country home at Oye Ekiti, said the threat issued by President Muhammadu Buhari helped in putting electoral robbers at check.

    “We are really grateful to President Buhari for that we threat. It has helped in bringing sanity to the system,” he said.

  • 21 parties in Ekiti adopt Buhari for Saturday’s poll

    The re-election bid of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, got a boost yesterday as 21 political parties in Ekiti State adopted his candidature for Saturday’s poll.

    The parties said it would be expedient for President Buhari to continue, having weighed the options left for Nigeria and resolved that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, was not a credible alternative in the present circumstance.

    Read also: Titans face tough National Assembly battle in Oyo

    Addressing reporters in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, the parties, which operated under the aegis of Association of Political Parties (APP), said they took cognisance of the President’s monumental achievements in infrastructural development, economic diversification, fight against corruption and giant strides in other critical sectors of the economy.

    Some of the parties are: Alliance for Democracy (AD), Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Advanced Congress of Democrat (ACD), KOWA, Green Party of Nigeria (GPN) and National Conscience Party (NCP).

    In an address presented by a chieftain of ACPN, Mrs Bummi Falana, they said: “As political players, we knew that the issue of corruption has been identified as the bane hampering development in Nigeria with public funds hiding under the cover of Presidency being siphoned by selfish politicians.

     

     

     

     

  • Buhari’s order against ballot box snatchers patriotic, says Ekiti ex-Speaker

    •APC youth leader: President’s ‘ruthless’ call for peaceful polls

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Femi Bamisile, has said the comment attributed to President Muhammadu Buhari that security agencies deal “ruthlessly” with ballot snatchers during elections was patriotic and not defective.

    Bamisile said the comment showed that the APC-led Federal Government has no plan to rig the February 23 rescheduled presidential and National Assembly polls.

    He said the President remained committed to credible electoral process, being allergic to any act that can undermine the nation’s nascent democracy.

    The former Ekiti State House of Assembly Speaker, who is also APC’s House of Representatives candidate for Ekiti South Federal Constituency II, predicted that President Buhari and other APC candidates would win in the state by 80 per cent.

    On Monday, at the APC Caucus meeting in Abuja, President Buhari said he had ordered security agencies to “deal ruthlessly with anyone who may attempt to snatch ballot boxes and undermine electoral system on Saturday”.

    But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, described the presidential order as a call to lawlessness and a leeway for jungle justice.

    Bamisile, who addressed reporters in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, said: “The President didn’t give a shooting order the way former President Olusegun Obasanjo gave a ‘shoot on sight order’ against the Odu’a Peoples Congress (OPC).

    “President Buhari only said those who snatch ballots would have themselves to blame. So, I stand 100 per cent by him on this order. We are not in the 19th century when things were absurd. It is a barbaric act for anyone to snatch ballot boxes.

    “If anyone loses his life while snatching ballot boxes, he should have himself to blame. Nigerians should see elections as a process that will come and go and the nation will remain.

    “Why is the PDP afraid if they are not thieves? And they say if you steal, you go to jail. Why are you bothered, if you are not a thief?”

    Also, an APC youth leader in Delta State, Comrade Edafe Onokpite, has said President Muhammadu Buhari’s call for “ruthless” dealing with ballot box snatchers would ensure free, fair and credible polls.

    Onokpite, who is the party’s youth leader in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State, told reporters in Warri that the President’s directive was meant to have a shift from the usual violent ways, which usually gave room for rigging.

    The youth leader said it was surprising that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faulted the President’s statement directing security agents to deal with anyone caught in the act.

    Stressing that President Buhari’s statement was in the interest of Nigerians to cast their votes and make the votes count, Onokpite said there was nothing wrong with the statement.

    Recalling that Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose made “death-threat” statements during elections in their states, he wondered why the matter was being twisted out of context.

    Onokpite urged Nigerians to re-elect President Buhari on Saturday, adding that his antecedents show he is the President for the masses.

    “The Delta Steel Company (DSC) and the other companies former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former President Olusegun Obasanjo sold without paying the workers are now working. Is it not President Buhari who is paying the same people Atiku and Obasanjo refused to pay? The choice is left for Nigerians to choose between light and darkness.

    “The PDP people want things to be done in the usual way of rigging elections. The President only insisted that the best way Nigerians can be allowed to cast their votes is for security agents to do their job thoroughly. What is wrong with that? I know PDP will oppose it because they are good at rigging elections. That is why they are opposing the President.

    “But Nigerians are wiser now; we are not fools. Anybody who wants to disrupt the elections should be dealt with.”

    To eligible voters, the APC youth leader said: “Go and cast your votes peacefully and canvass votes for your party. But if you want to cause trouble, whatever happens to you is your headache.”