After Jumping From Church To Church, Peter Obi Couldn’t Get National Spread To Win – Omokri

March 5, 2023

Former presidential aide and social media influencer, Reno Omokri has said that after Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP) patronage in the Nigerian Christendom, he could not get the national spread needed to win the just concluded presidential election.

Omokri, a known supporter of Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made this known via his official Twitter handle today, March 5.

He was reacting to the fallout of the presidential election where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declared Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Party (APC), the winner and returned elected president.

“Despite jumping from church to church, Obi could get neither the numbers nor the spread needed to win. It is even with three strong Muslims dividing the Muslim vote on the same ballot. Obi just demystified the Christian bloc vote. Oya, insult me”, he tweeted.

Source: Daily Post.

Keyamo To Peter Obi: You Cannot Challenge Tinubu’s Victory Because You Came Third

Editorial staff

March 5, 2023

The spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, has made it clear that the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi cannot come to court to demand that he should be declared winner of the February 25 presidential election in Nigeria because he did not even come second.

Keyamo said that Peter Obi must fight the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar for the second position before he would challenge Tinubu..

In a tweet, Keyamo said that after proving that he came second, then he can wrest the position of the presidency with the President-Elect, Bola Tinubu.

He wrote: “Peter Obi & Labour Party cannot even come to court & ask to be declared winner straightaway.

“They have to first fight PDP in order to prove they came second, before they can have the temerity to face @officialABAT. So, there is no room for cooperation b/w Labour & PDP in court.”

Obi came third in last Saturday’s presidential election after PDP’s Atiku Abubakar and Tinubu, who was declared winner of the poll.

You’re Giving Us Medicine After Death, Atiku Tells INEC Boss

Editorial staff

March 5, 2023

The Presidential Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has described the promise by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu to deliver credible governorship elections next Saturday, March 11, as a medicine given after death
Professor Yakubu, had in a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), promised to ensure the strict use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), saying: “all staff found to be negligent, whether they are regular or ad hoc officials, including collation and returning officers, must not be involved in the forthcoming elections. RECs must also immediately initiate disciplinary action where prima facie evidence of wrongdoing has been established.”

In a statement today, March 5, Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, described Professor Yakubu’s assurances as worthless and unconvincing.
He said that INEC chairman was only trying to save face after conducting the worst elections Nigeria had ever witnessed since independence, asking him not to try to deceive Nigerians again after the shambolic performance of INEC in the 25 February poll.
“The INEC chairman is nothing but a hypocrite. After promising to upload the results from polling units in real time, he allowed himself to be used, or he used himself in subverting the will of Nigerians. It will shock you to note that seven days since the election ended, the full results have still not been uploaded on INEC’s result viewing portal.
“The election was so bad that it failed to meet the expectations of Nigerians as restated by several foreign media outlets and observers as well as Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard of the US. Rather than apologise, the INEC chairman is trying to shift blame.
“After INEC’s abysmal performance at the scam election of February 25, he is now trying to save face, insisting that errant staff would be punished and would not be deployed in the March 11 governorship poll. This is arrant nonsense. Is INEC planning on training new staff within five days that will replace the so-called errant ones? Is he going to recruit new staff or deploy some from outer space?
“Prof. Yakubu should be man enough to own up to his failure. A fish rots from the head down, and that is what has happened at INEC. Rather than suspend any staff, the INEC chairman is the one that needs to step aside as his first act of contrition. Already, over 300,000 Nigerians have signed a petition on Change.Org to demand that the US, UK, and Europe place a visa ban on the INEC chairman. This shows you the general feeling of Nigerians. Prof Yakubu should hide his face in shame.”

INEC Declares Winners Of Senatorial Elections: APC 57, PDP 29, LP 6, Others

Editorial staff

March 5, 2023

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC0 has announced most of the results of the Senatorial and House representative election held along with the Presidential election last Saturday, February 25.

The chairman of the Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who made the announcement at a meeting with state Resident Electoral Commissioners in preparation to the governorship and House of Assembly elections, said that results from 98 Senatorial districts and 325 House of Representatives seats have so far been released.

“In last Saturday’s elections, winners have also been declared for 423 national legislative seats while supplementary elections will be held in 46 constituencies. In the Senate, 98 out of 109 seats have been declared.

“So far, seven political parties have won senatorial seats while in the House of Representatives, 325 out of 360 seats have been won by eight political parties.”

“Parties that have won seats in the Senate are APC (57), APGA (1), LP (6), NNPP (2), PDP (29), SDP (2) and YPP (1) while those that have won seats in the House of Representatives are ADC (2), APC (162), APGA (4), LP (34), NNPP (18), PDP (102), SDP (2),YPP (1).”

Professor Yakubu said that Certificates of Return will be presented to Senators-elect on Tuesday, March 7 at the National Collation Centre (the International Conference Centre, Abuja) while Representatives-elect will receive on Wednesday by 11.00am at the same venue.

Presidential Election: NBA Gives INEC “Excellence” Mark

Editorial staff

March 5, 2023

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has said that the Independent National Electoral Commission has “delivered and performed well” during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections held across Nigeria last Saturday, February 25..

The President of the Association, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), on Channels TV programme today, March 5, insisted that the elections went well with people coming out to express their franchise.

“I will say that the elections went well. Those who came out were happy to express their franchise.

“There were challenges, definitely. There were some infractions, some of them actually constituted electoral offences but on the whole, I will score INEC as having performed maybe about 78, 80 percent in the delivery of these elections.

“That will be an A for every exam. Notwithstanding, all the things that happened we are not ignoring.”

The NBA President advised the electoral body to identify the lapses in the elections to avoid a recurring experience in the March 11 state governorship State Houses of Assembly elections.

“That is why we are admonishing and advising INEC and recommending to INEC that in those areas where we saw lapses in the election held on the 25th February 2023, deliberate efforts must be taken to make sure that those lapses did not occur again in the elections that are coming up on the 11th March.

“Because when these lapses happened, it impacted on the confidence of the public in the process.”

Source: Persecondnews.

Institute On Security Studies Partners NCC To Improve National Security

Editorial staff

March 5, 2023

National Institute of Security Studies (NISS) has engaged in partnership with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to advance strategic collaboration that would enhance the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) towards improving national security.

The Institute’s Director of Research Estimates and Library Services, Dr. Adegboyega Karim, who spoke when he a visited the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta in Abuja, said he was on wht he called “a fact-finding mission” to enrich ongoing research that focuses on globalization and regional integration for sustainable development in Africa.

Dr. Karim, who led a team of Executive Intelligence Management Course Sixteen Participants (EIM16), a study group with representations from various security agencies under the auspices of NISS, said that the Commission has made giant strides advancing the course of digital economy development in Nigeria

He said that the Commission’s regulatory processes provide a good opportunity for the collaboration to enable the group to research further into matters regarding telecommunications and national security.

Director of Special Duties in the Commission, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, who received the team on behalf of Professor Danbatta, affirmed the readiness of the Commission to collaborate with the Institute, and, indeed, any private and public institution that is focused on national development.

He reiterated the advancements made in ICTs, adding that it is within this context that the Commission continued to promote the deployment of robust digital infrastructure capable of supporting and improving the security of lives and property.

“As a way of consolidating on the tremendous successes that had been recorded in the telecoms industry through effective regulatory regime emplaced by the Commission, the Federal Government has formulated a number of policies such as the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) and the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), among others, which serve as a compass for our efforts at building a resilient digital economy that supports security.”

Dr. Adinde enumerated NCC’s efforts towards ensuring adequate protection for telecoms facilities, across the nooks and crannies of the country where it is treated as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), the building of Emergency Communications Centres (ECCs) across states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as well as series of collaborations with relevant agencies to ensure effective connectivity to individuals and institutions.

The NCC Director of Public Affairs of the NCC, Reuben Muoka, said that senior officers in security agencies, including the military, police, intelligence services, and other relevant agencies made up the entourage of the Institute’s visitors.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide Congratulates Tinubu, Confident He Will Unify Nigerians

Editorial staff

March 5, 2023

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has congratulated the President-elect on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu over his electoral victory.

The Director General, Implementation and Strategic Planning, Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly Worldwide, Ambassador Tony Chiemelu Obizoba, in a statement today, March 5, expressed confident that Tinubu unify Nigerians for a focused development plan that will follow

The statement reads in part: “The group visualises the success of the APC flagbearer in the election contest as one that will lead to unifying Nigerians for a focused development plan that will follow.

“Tinubu is capable, and we have no doubt in his capacity to ensure the continuity of the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari, which are apparent, indisputably correct and will continue to stand as good legacies for generations of leaders to come.

“The Ohanaeze Ndigbo congratulates Peter Obi for creating an unprecedented commitment to changing the status quo with a hitherto unpopular political party, making great sweeps of votes across all regions but North West of Nigeria to finish an “unputdownable” third position.

“This Igbo umbrella body will continue to remember Obi, former Governor of Anambra State, as one who, despite all odds, laboured hard to actualise a Nigerian President from the Igboland. However, God has not destined it to happen in 2023. It may happen later. God spares the life of everybody.

“The group also congratulated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ‘s presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on his effort that ended in second position.

“They called on some elements in Lagos State, who see the vote for Labour Party’s Peter Obi as hate by Igbo people and who are, therefore, now threatening the lives of Igbo, saying that it should not be so.

“Those who are circulating videos, threatening and drumming the sounds of war over the coming governorship and House of Assembly elections of March 11, 2023, in Lagos State because of Igbo people, should stop it in the national interest of Nigeria and the collective good of the masses of the Nigerian people.”

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo called on President Muhammadu Buhari, the security forces and security/intelligence agencies to improve on the performances of the last election to make the governorship and national assembly elections of 11 March more commendable.

With Tinubu Declared President-elect, I’m Considering Going On Exile – Bode George

Editorial staff

March 5, 2023

Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has indicated his intention to go on exile soon in fulfilment of his earlier threat to leave the country if Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), wins the 2023 election.

Speaking in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Chief George said that he has not changed his position.

The former Military Administrator of Ondo State said: “That is still on my plan.

“If I decide on what to do, I wish you well.

“I’m not looking for a job, I have everything I want and how much can I eat.

“I also have my children and they are no longer kids.

“They are all mature so what am I looking for?

“My wife is there.

“She will take good care of me.

“I will stay in Nigeria depending on the outcome of this because I know there might be a hell of a problem.”

On the country he plans to relocating, George, sand: “You know I am a military lord so I can go anywhere in any part of the world and I will be looking at you, people.

“I have even decided that having put 25 years each in the military and politics which is 50 years of my life in the public domain, I need rest so whatever I see at the end of this thing.

“I’m retiring from partisan politics and will be enjoying the rest of my life.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on March 1 declared Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu winner of the Saturday, February 25 Presidential election.

Afenifere Leader, Pa Fasoranti, Marvels At Tinubu’s Doggedness, God’s Grace On Him

Editorial staff

March 4, 2023

The leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, has marveled at the doggednesss and determination of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, that had seen him through to his long-drawn ambition of ruling Nigeria, advising him to avoid the mistakes of the “forebears” by ensuring that every ethnic group is united under his leadership.

Congratulating the President-elect on his victory in the just concluded presidential election in the country, Fasoranti commended Tinubu said, “I did marvel at your doggedness, self-determination, self-assuredness, strong belief in self, ability to overcome daunting and ever surging challenges.

“I was, also amazed at God’s grace on you, that gave you the strength of character and such abundance of energy, that enabled you to navigate through all the ever emerging intricate problems and made it possible for you to, against the wishes of some people, traverse successfully all the States of the Federation, during the energy sapping marathon Presidential campaigns.

“I am, indeed, glad to know that your hard earned victory had a very good national spread. Amongst about 18 presidential candidates, you came 2nd in South South; 2nd in South East; 1st in South West; 1st in North Central; 2nd in North East; and 1st in North West. What a brilliant performance! You now have the opportunity. Now is time for you to prove me right. I pray God to be with you (amen).”

The Afenifere leader called on other presidential candidates who lost out in the exercise to seek redress in the court and allow Tinubu to settle down to plan his government.

“I now appeal to all concerned Nigerians and the International Community, who might be aggrieved, one way or the other, not to do anything that will set Nigeria on fire.

“We should all go peaceful, take lawful means, and thread legitimate and legal paths to rectify anything that might have, from their own point of view, gone wrong, and let Tinubu and all concerned settle down immediately to tackle the enormous Nigerian project of tackling insecurity, solving our economic downturn, restructuring the country, and rebuilding a nation never so badly divided on ethnic, religious and corrupt lines.”

Source: Daily Trust.

OPC Identifies With Tinubu’s Victory: Gives Him Shopping List

Editorial staff

March 4, 2023

The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has shown solidarity to the President-elect under the umbrella of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who emerged after the February 25 Presidential election in the country.

The Pan Yoruba group, in a statement today, March 4, by its President, Otunba Wasiu Afolabi, asked the President-elect to justify the confidence Nigerians reposed on him by delivering the dividends of democracy to all the people.

The group said that Tinubu’s victory would bring some measure of pride to those who made sacrifices in the struggle for the June 12, and recalled that Tinubu was in the trenches with its Late Founder and President, Dr. Frederick Fasehun.

“OPC congratulates Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for this historical achievement of being declared winner of the February 25, 2023 presidential elections.

“Leading a 200 million-strong nation like Nigeria will not be a small task. “So much hope and expectations are pinned on Asiwaju and he cannot afford to fail.

“As OPC, our prayer is that God will grant the President-Elect greater ability to record greater achievements than he did in his eight years as the Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007.

“May God grant this country peace, progress and prosperity, as it has never experienced, under this coming regime of Bola Tinubu. May God grant him the wisdom and the health to carry out this great task of nation building.

“However, because Nigerians have never been this divided and insecure since the end of the Nigerian Civil War, the first task that Bola Tinubu must undertake, when he is sworn in on May 29, is that of reuniting this severely divided, disunited and insecure nation.

“Tinubu must heed to the yearnings of pro-democracy organisations like NADECO and even our late Founder Dr. Fasehun, by laying the foundation of a Nigeria founded on the enthronement of true Federalism. We advise Tinubu to embark on the immediate restructuring of this country.

“Taming poverty and inflation remains an urgent task. The country’s four refineries must work before any move to tamper with the fuel subsidy. Other governments failed in giving Nigeria home-refined domestic fuel, Asiwaju must take this as an immediate challenge.

“Tinubu is a product of the struggle. He came from the trenches. He was forced to go into exile by the General Sani Abacha killer-squad, and he remained steadfast to the cause. He deployed his influence, connections and resources to advance the struggle of NADECO-Abroad.

“OPC is proud to have been established in 1994 in the furnace of the fire for the struggle of June 12, just like other groups under NADECO. Our Late Founder and President, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, led our group to the forefront and trenches of that struggle. And we shall be happy to play a role to see to the success of the incoming government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

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