The Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday approved 64 million Euros facility for water supply in Kano State.
The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed briefed State House correspondents at the end of FEC meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to her, the facility from the French Development Agency will provide portable water for 1.5 million people in the state.
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Ms Mphoentle Keitseng, the Publicity Secretary of PAN project 2019 who monitored Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Akwa Ibom made the appeal during an interactive session with newsmen in Uyo on Wednesday.
According to her, the electoral bill will help to facilitate and regulate a proper conduct of subsequent elections in the country.
She noted with dismay that the just concluded governorship and house of assembly elections were marred with irregularities such as vote buying, ballot box snatching, intimidation, thuggery and disruption of voting process.
Keitseng harped on the need to review the electoral act in order to help strengthen the electoral process.
She called on federal government to create election tribunal in order to prosecute offenders of the electoral processes.
Keitseng decried heavy presence of military personnel in polling units which she observed was scaring voters.
She advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to improve on arrival of materials and election kick off at the gubernatorial and state of assembly elections.
“We commend the transparent and credibility exhibited by INEC in Akwa Ibom in conducting free, fair Presidential/National Assembly and Gubernatorial/State House of Assembly elections,” said.
Keitseng also advised INEC to recruit ad-hoc staff that were above 30 years of age for sensitive positions as polling officers because as many polling officials who were young lacked the maturity to take decisions on time, especially where violence erupted.
NAN
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met behind closed doors with six governors from the north and the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The meeting held shortly after the President returned to Abuja after spending five days in Daura, Katsina State, where he voted in the governorship and state house of assembly elections.
The governors are members of All Progressives Congress (APC).
The northern governors at the meeting included Yahaya Bello of Kogi state, Nasir el-Rufai, of Kaduna state, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state, Abdulaziz Yari, Zamfara state, Abubakar Badaru, Jigawa state, and Kassim Shetima of Borno state.
The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday returned to Abuja after he participated in the Saturday’s Gubernatorial and State House of Assembly election in his hometown, Daura, Katsina State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the presidential aircraft conveying the president, his wife Aisha Buhari and some of his aides landed the at presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 12.30p.m.
The president was received at the airport by his Chief of Staff, Malam Abba Kyari, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammed Bello and other presidential aides as well as government officials.
While in Daura, the president exercised his civic responsibility on March 9 at the polling unit 003, Kofar Baru III (A and B) Daura, Katsina State, where he voted for a governorship candidate and member of the state house of assembly that would represent his constituency, Daura.
At the end of the exercise on Saturday, President Buhari successfully delivered thepolling unit to the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the state, Aminu Masari, with 370 votes.
On March 10, President Buhari received representatives of community and development associations from Daura Emirate at his private residence in Daura, who came to congratulate him on his re-election.
The president’s old schoolmates and Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State were also among those that visited the president at his residence in Daura to congratulate him on his re-election for a second term.
Masari, who was accompanied by prominent citizens of the state including some members of his cabinet, also formally informed President Buhari of his victory at the March 9 governorship election in the state.
NAN
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says with the absolute victory of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Feb. 23 and March 9 general elections in Kwara, the party’s broom has swept the state clean of “hegemony politics”.
The Minister who stated this at a post election news briefing on Monday in Ilorin added that the long battle for the emancipation of Kwara had been attained with the outcome of the polls.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the Kwara APC had a clean sweep of the Presidential poll, as well as elections into the three senatorial and six House of Representative seats held on Feb. 23.
Also, the party defeated the incumbent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Governorship elections and won all the 24 seats in the Kwara State House of Assembly in the elections held on March 9.
The major upset was the defeat of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki of the (PDP) in his stronghold, Kwara Central Senatorial zone by the APC candidate, Dr. Ibrahim Oloriegbe.
Addressing the newsmen, the minister said that with the unprecedented victories, the people could confidently say that “the ‘Berlin Wall’ of Hegemony Politics in Kwara has finally fallen for good”.
“It is a great victory for all the good people of Kwara and we give all gratitude to God for this victory.
“It is beyond our power. Then, of course, we thank most sincerely the good people of Kwara.
“To the long-suffering people of Kwara, this is your victory. You worked hard for it. You made incredible sacrifices, and your efforts paid off.
“You said ‘O To Ge’ (Enough is Enough) and it came to pass. Thank you to all the good people of Kwara.
“Never again will anyone enslave you under the guise of dynasty or hegemony politics. Never Again!!!
The minister thanked the security agencies that provided the conducive atmosphere for the people to exercise their franchise without fear.
He also thanked the leadership of the party at both the state and national levels and expressed special gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for his unflinching support which propelled the party to victory.
“Our victory here transcends Kwara State. It is a victory for all advocates of good governance everywhere. It is the triumph of good over evil, no matter how long it takes.
“It will forever be a reference point in the political history of Nigeria, and a hard blow to those who willfully turn the public treasury into their personal piggy bank,” he said.
The minister said that with the victories, the real work had just begun for the party because the expectations of the people were very high and they could not afford to disappoint them.
“We must ride on the wave of their enthusiasm and determination to deliver to them the dividends of democracy, for which they have been yearning.
“All our leaders, both elected and otherwise, must come together to channel the energy and vibrancy of our people to positive goals,” he said.
Mohammed recalled that the long battle for the emancipation of the state started on Nov. 17 2018, when the
party won the by-election for the Ekiti/Oke-ero/Irepodun/Isin federal constituency.
He urged party members and supporters to be magnanimous in victory, shun vindictiveness or hatred while celebrating.
“There is no room for violence of any kind. We are all Kwarans. The massive victory in Kwara State came on a
peaceful note.
“We must maintain that and banish all the vestiges of violence from our state.
“It is a new day in Kwara State, and the sun is shining bright and beautiful once again! I thank you all for your kind attention,” he said. (NAN)
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed profound shock at the plane crash involving an Ethiopian Airliner bound for Nairobi, Kenya, in which all the 149 passengers and eight crew members died.
On behalf of the government and the people of Nigeria, the President extended his sincere condolences to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia, the people of Ethiopia, Kenya, Canada, China and all other nations who lost citizens in the air disaster.
The President also commiserated with the families of the victims and prayed God Almighty to grant the gentle souls of the departed eternal rest.
Reacting to the accident in Daura, Katsina State on Sunday, Buhari said: “Such large scale loss of human lives in a single incident is shocking beyond words.
“I am profoundly touched by this devastating report of air accident involving one of the world’s most successful and efficient Airlines.
“Given its remarkable safety record, this couldn’t have come at a worse time for Ethiopian Airlines.”
President Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, also said “Like every other African leader, I am proud of the fact that Ethiopian Airlines represents one of Africa’s success stories.”
The President hoped that the tragic accident will not have a negative effect on Ethiopian Airlines’ passion for excellence.
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said that he expected the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and its presidential candidate in last month’s election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to go to court to contest the outcome of the polls.
Atiku is already in court for that purpose.
Going to court, Buhari said was part of the democratic process.
The president spoke with journalists after casting his vote in the governorship and state assembly elections at the Kofar Baru 003 polling unit, Daura, Katsina State.
Asked to react to Atiku’s decision to challenge the result of the presidential election at the election tribunal, Buhari simply said: “I expect that to happen.”
On yesterday’s polls, the president said security agencies especially the police were taking care of the flashpoints in the country to ensure hitch-free voting across the country.
Asked how violence could be contained at such flashpoints, he said: “I will leave it to the law enforcement agencies especially the police because they have been meeting virtually on a 48-hour basis to make sure that they have identified the flashpoints, as you mentioned, wherever they are and make arrangements to counter it.”
The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday turned down Atiku’s request to be allowed to conduct forensic analysis and scanning of materials used during the election The tribunal said such request for forensic analysis and scanning by experts, of computers, card reader machines and server ,among others, deployed for the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was beyond the scope of the provisions of Section 151 (1) and (2) of the Electoral Act (as amended),which permits the inspection of election materials.
The governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Buruji Kahamu has cast his vote at ward 6, polling unit 26 around 11:49am in Oke – Sopen, three buildings away from his Ijebu – Igbo country home, Ogun State.
Kashamu whose arrival at his polling unit evoked thunderous applause from enthusiastic supporters, hailed the peaceful exercise and large turnout of voters, saying confidently that he would win.
The Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial district at the 8th Senate, added that he is desirous of turning the fortune of Ogun people around for better, empower the people and lift them from poverty with the help of God, hence the quest for the governorship seat.
He also hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for providing adequate security for the election, saying this explained the pervasive peace being witnessed at polling units in Ijebu – Igbo and environs.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday said that he expected the main opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and its presidential candidate at the February 23 election, Atiku Abubakar to go to court.
The opposition has been challenging the result of the election declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which declared Buhari as the winner of the presidential election.
Going to court, Buhari said was part of the democratic process.
Buhari spoke with journalists after casting his vote for the governorship and state assembly elections at the Kofar Baru 003 polling unit, Daura, Katsina State.
Asked to react to the decision by the PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to challenge the outcome of the February 23 presidential election at the election tribunal, he simply said, “I expect that to happen.”
According to him, security agencies especially the Police were taking care of the flashpoints in the country to make sure that there is hitch-free election in the country.
On what would be his advice on the flashpoints and reported cases of violence across the country, this week, President Buhari said, “I will leave it to the law enforcement agencies especially the police because they have been meeting virtually on a 48-hour basis to make sure that they have identified the flashpoints, as you mentioned, wherever they are and make arrangements to counter it.”
THOSE who think that President Muhammadu Buhari, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was the only winner in the just concluded presidential election missed the point. One or two other candidates can boast of victory in the election in their own ways.
For instance, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, may have lost the ballot, but he recorded two great victories in the sense that he and his erstwhile sworn enemy and former boss, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, are now the best of friends on account of the election and he was able to visit the United States of America after more than a decade of trying in vain to do so.
In Lagos, the candidate of Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Fela Durotoye, was wildly celebrated by the congregation at the House on the Rock Church where he had gone to worship the Sunday before the election in which he polled a paltry 16,799 votes. Buhari polled more than 15 million votes and Atiku, the runner-up, polled more than 11 million.
The church had barely settled down for service when the presiding pastor, Paul Adefarasin, who is never an admirer of Buhari, and like many pentecostal preachers wanted him to lose, noticed the presence of Durotoye. He drew the congregation’s attention to the candidate and commended him for his courage and for running a brilliant campaign. You are a candidate of the future, Adefarasin, SENTRY learnt, declared. Durotoye got a thunderous applause
The accolade Durotoye could not get from Nigerians, he certainly got from the pastor and the church members. But whether they voted for him six days after is a different kettle of fish because many members of the church were believed to be ‘Atikulated.’