Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle

The Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, has approved the appointment of additional 169 top government officials and aides in the state.

 

This is contained in a nine-page official document issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Kabiru Balarabe, on Saturday in Gusau.

Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle

According to the document, Alhaji Isha Umar has been appointed Chairman, Zamfara Independent Electoral Commission, while Alhaji Usman Magami and Alhaji Bashir Abdullahi were appointed as Special Advisers.

 

Others are 103 Senior Special Assistants (SSAs), 28 Directors General, and 13 Special Assistants to the governor.

 

The list also included 10 new Permanent Commissioners and part-time members of various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), including the Hajj Commission and Law Reform Commission.

 

The SSG said the appointments are with immediate effect.

 

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the development comes barely two months after the three, hitherto, All Progressives Congress' camps led by Matawalle, former governor, Abdulaziz Yari and former Senator Kabiru Marafa, agreed to work together for the success of the party in the 2023 general elections.

 

Sequel to the reconciliation, Yari and Marafa clinched APC tickets for Zamfara West and Central senatorial districts respectively.

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Vote-buying has always taken the forefront in every election in Nigeria, and the 2022 governorship election in Ekiti State was no different. Interestingly, it was taken a notch higher in the just concluded Ekiti State governorship election.

 

The election was contested among 16 candidates, however, it was a three-horse race among Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Bisi Kolawole of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Before the election, Civil Society Organisations, police and anti-graft agencies issued a stern warning to electorates and political parties to shun vote-buying or risk arrest and prosecution. Rather than heed the warning to rid the electoral system of money-politics, candidates and party agents devised new means to carry out transactional voting.

 

Also, to ensure a smooth transaction, party agents at different polling units bribed security personnel dispatched to various polling units to look the other way while the transaction is going on.

 

APC Allegedly Outspends PDP, SDP

Election monitoring done in different polling units across the state revealed widespread vote-buying carried out by the top three contenders in the election.

 

In areas like Efon, Iyin and Ifaki, party members and some voters were paid a day before the election to reduce suspicion by security operatives, election observers and the media.

 

Also, designated locations for money sharing were strategically located away from the polling units, while party agents were placed in different polling units to monitor who electorates voted for.

 

At Ward 6, Ikogosi, the hometown of Oyebanji, some party agents designated to monitor votes were seen interfering with the voting process by guiding voters on where to vote. The APC subsequently won the ward with a landslide victory.

At Polling Unit 009, Ward 02 of Ikere Local Government Area, voters were seen going into an apartment located behind Oisa Alada Hall. It was later discovered that APC agents were stationed in the house, sharing N7,000 to voters who were required to present their Permanent Voter Cards and evidence showing they voted for the party.

 

At Polling Unit 002, Ward 2, Sabo area in Ijero Local Government Area of the state, two women raised the alarm about not being paid despite voting for the APC candidate. The women said they were left out of the money sharing by the party agent.

 

They accused the APC of deception and corruption by not fulfilling their agreement of paying for votes cast for the party. 

 

The outcry prompted an APC agent at the unit to send a man, identified as Lapo, to attend to them and pay them.

 

In Ipoti Ward A, party agents from PDP and SDP were also seen bribing voters in the presence of security personnel.

 

Similarly, at C.A.C Grammar School, Ola Oluwa II with PU code 014 in Ado-Ekiti, APC and PDP party agents were giving N5,000 to voters who confirmed they had voted for the party.

 

Corroborating the claim, Kemi Elebute-Halle, governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in the election claimed that the APC gave voters N10,000 while the

 

PDP and the SDP induced voters with N5,000, and N3,000 respectively.

 

The candidate of the SDP, Oni, also confirmed that voters were being induced by the PDP and APC. He said, “I have been told that selling and buying of votes are going on in Ado and Oye. This is not allowed by the law.”

 

He urged security operatives to ensure the arrest and prosecution of those indicted in the act.

 

On his part, Kolawole denied his party engaged in vote-buying. He said, as an opposition, his party does not have the resources to engage in vote-buying.

 

 

 

 

 

Few Arrests Made

 

In a bid to curb vote-buying in the Ekiti, security operatives were able to arrest some party agents involved in buying votes. No fewer than three arrests were made during the election.

 

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested a party agent as the governorship election commenced.

 

He was arrested with a bag of cash as he was sharing the money to voters.

 

In another operation, EFCC operatives stormed a building where money was being shared to voters.

 

The suspects were caught with nylon bags containing money and a list of names of people who had allegedly voted.

 

Those arrested were paraded at the Oke Ori Omi Area Division of the Nigerian Police Force.

 

Also, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) seized a huge parcel of money which was meant to buy votes at Polling Unit 09, Ward 10, Ikere LGA.

 

 

 

CSOs React

 

CSOs have reacted to the rampant cases of vote-buying in the Ekiti governorship election.

 

The CSOs hailed security operatives for the arrests made and demanded that those arrested should be prosecuted.

 

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, a coalition of over 70 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) led the call for the police authority to prosecute those it arrested

 

Also, the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, called on the officials of EFCC deployed to ensure full prosecution of individuals caught in the act of vote-buying.

 

“We commend the EFCC for the arrests made of people buying votes. We call on the officials of EFCC deployed to ensure full prosecution of individuals caught in the act of vote-buying/voter inducement,” Itodo said.

Elections Politics News Reports AddThis :  Original Author :  Oyetunde Tobi Disable advertisements : 

The All Progressives Congress won in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State in Saturday's governorship election. 
The party's candidate, Biodun Oyebanji won with a large margin after securing 13,399 votes.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olabisi Kolawole had 4,122 while the Social Democratic Party whose candidate is Segun Oni got 5,391 votes.

APC also won in the Ikere Local Government Area with 12,086 votes, while PDP secured 3,789 votes. 
The ADC followed closely with 3,764 votes while the SDP secured 1,943 votes. 
However, the PDP won in Efon Local Government Area with 6,303 votes. The APC came second with 4,012 votes while the SDP garnered 339 votes. 
The Action Democratic Party had 77 votes while the People's Redemption Party had 20 votes.
Sixteen candidates were on the ballot at 2,445 polling units. They included Oluwole Oluyede of the African Democratic Congress (ADC); Kemi Elebute Halle of the Action Democratic Party (ADP); Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Kolawole of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); former Governor Oni, Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Ranti Ajayi from the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
 

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Lere Olayinka, the Peoples Democratic Party House of Representatives candidate for Ekiti federal constituency 2 lost his polling unit at Okemesi-Ekiti to the All Progressives Congress in Saturday's governorship election in Ekiti. 
Olayinka was the Special Assistant to former Governor of the state, Ayo Fayose, on Public Communications and New Media. 

At the polling unit, the APC candidate, Biodun Oyebanji had 44 votes while the PDP candidate, Bisi Kolawole had 20 votes. 
The candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Segun Oni had 21 votes. 
Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that Kolawole won in his polling unit. 
Results from polling unit 1, Ward 8 in Efon local government area showed that Kolawole had 98 votes out of the 116 votes recorded there. 
The APC secured 13 votes and the SDP had 2 votes. 

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The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, has defended the vote-buying practice allegedly embarked on by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and other political parties in the ongoing governorship election in Ekiti State.
Keyamo made the statement on his verified Twitter page, @fkeyamo, while reacting to reports that his political party, the APC, was involved in mass vote-buying.

He argued that vote-buying was not common with only the ruling party.
According to the minister, the reports are mere subtle messages being circulated by opposition parties just to discredit the ruling party and make it lose the election.
He wrote, “Incidences of vote-buying can’t be synonymous only with the ruling party, but the subtle message the other parties try to pass to the gullible is that only the ruling party engages in illegalities & that the only way an election can be deemed credible is if the ruling party loses.”
Whereas the ongoing Ekiti State gubernatorial election has been reported to be peaceful, there have been massive reports of vote-buying and selling and bribing of security officers mostly by the APC and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
There have also been some reports of violence, harassment of election observers by security personnel and party agents and a few cases of ballot snatching.
Also, it was reported that some APC agents were arrested by the operatives of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for alleged vote-buying.
SaharaReporters reported that some of the arrested party agents were paraded at the Oke Ori Omi Area Police Division.
The agents were agents reportedly caught with monies allegedly used to give voters in exchange for their votes.
It was also reported that the EFCC operatives also bursted a residence where some persons were caught with a book containing details of voters of some polling units and wards.

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The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brig Gen Muhammad Fadah, has advised corps members in Ekiti State to avoid actions that can implicate them, even as they serve as ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission in the ongoing gubernatorial election.
He noted this during his visit to Emure-Ekiti.

He urged the corps members participating in the election to abide by the electoral laws and avoid any action that could tarnish their image and that of the scheme.
"Play by the rules and remember that you are serving as good ambassadors of your institutions, families and the Scheme,” he said, in a statement by Eddy Megwa, the NYSC Director, Press and Public Relations.
While addressing those at the orientation camp, Fadah urged the corps members to be security conscious warning them against embarking on unauthorised journeys.
He urged them to shun vices adding that violators of NYSC laws would be sanctioned.
Fadah called on the corps members to embrace the dignity of labour through hard work, selfless service and strong determination.
General Fadah also appealed to them to apply the lessons of the three weeks Orientation Course to cultivate a long-lasting relationship that will enhance nation-building.

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Rev Father Ejike Mbaka

The Enugu Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka has obeyed the order of the Bishop of the Diocese compelling him to shut down his Adoration Ministry over his comments against Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The cleric published a statement to his followers, notifying them that programmes would no longer hold in the Ministry via the official Facebook page of the Ministry.

Rev Father Ejike Mbaka
The statement reads: “Dear Adorers, there will be no programme starting from tomorrow being 19th June 2022 at Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria Amen, Umuchigbo Emene, Enugu State.
"Sunday Mass, Wednesday (E No Dey) And Night Programs will not hold till further notice.
“God bless Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria Amen and God Bless Our Spiritual Director, Rev Fr, Ejike Mbaka. Keep praying for Our Daddy and may God bless you.”
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Bishop Calistus Onaga, banned the Catholic faithful from attending Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka’s Adoration Ministry.
This comes following Mbaka’s recent comments against the Labour Party's Presidential candidate, Obi, whom he called a “stingy man.” 

 

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A media organisation, the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), has said it will on Wednesday, June 22, hold a conference on media sustainability. 
The conference, according to a press release by the ICIR’s Managing Editor, Ajibola Hamzat, is part of the Centre’s 10th anniversary celebration.

Hanzat noted that the issue of financial viability and sustainability has become a major concern for media organisations around the world.
According to him, “This challenge is exacerbated by the erosion of advertising revenues through the rise of technology platforms such as Facebook, Google, Twitter, and several others, leaving the media business in a fragile condition.”
This, he said, has been worsened in the last two years by the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.
 He noted that whereas the Western Media could to a large extent be said to have found winning formulae to do media business profitably, the case is different with the media in the Global South, particularly Africa countries, which are still struggling to stay afloat.
“It is in view of these multiple challenges that the ICIR is inviting media practitioners and other stakeholders to a conference on media sustainability in Nigeria,” he stated.
Similarly, the Executive Director and Founder of the Centre, Dayo Aiyetan, emphasised that “The time is now to have a conversation on the future of the media in Africa, particularly its viability and profitability.
“Many news organisations are not profitable because of dwindling sales and ad revenue, many media companies cannot pay salaries and are laying off staff. The media in Nigeria is hemorrhaging.”
The Executive Director added that “Industry leaders must discuss how to find profitable ways of running media businesses.”
Expected at the conference which will be held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, include Tshepo Mahloele, Chairperson of Arena Holdings, one of Africa’s largest English newspaper publishers in South Africa, who will deliver a keynote address on Sustainability Imperatives for African Media.
Others who will be discussants during panel discussion are; Chairman of Thisday Newspapers,  Chief Nduka Obaigbena; Chief Executive Officer of Hot FM, Ms Chris Anyanwu; Chief Executive Officer of Daily Trust Newspapers, Mallam Kabir Yusuf; Chief Executive Officer of RadioNow, Ms Kadaria Ahmed and the Ndisika of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Abigail Ogwezzy.
While the Managing Director of Guardian Newspaper Limited, Martins Oloja, will moderate the conversation a high profile TV personality, Euginia Abu, would compère the event.

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President Joe Biden is “fine” after falling off his bike Saturday during a ride in a state park near his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, a White House official has said.
No medical attention is needed, the official added in a statement released to reporters travelling with the President.

"As the President said, his foot got caught on the pedal while dismounting and he is fine. No medical attention is needed. The President looks forward to spending the rest of the day with his family," the official said.
Biden took a tumble when he was finishing a bike ride alongside first lady, Jill Biden. The President deviated from the group as he biked over to a crowd that had gathered nearby.
Biden came to a stop and appeared to get his foot caught on the pedal while trying to dismount.
"I got my foot caught" on the toe cage, Biden told reporters travelling with him later. "I'm good."
US Secret Service agents quickly helped the President up after his fall.
The crowd clapped when the President, who turns 80 in November, got back on his feet. Biden then chatted with the crowd for several minutes, bringing one onlooker over to meet his dog commander.
Asked by a child in the crowd what it was like to run the country, Biden joked, "Oh, it's like any other job."
"Some parts are easy, some parts are hard," he added.
The Bidens are spending the long weekend at their home in Rehoboth Beach, in part to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary.

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A student of Command Secondary School, Enugu has been reportedly flogged to death by a soldier whose identity is yet to be revealed.
The student who was in senior secondary one (SS 1) was beaten repeatedly on the head for allegedly having bushy hair and not having a haircut before school day. 

The mother broke the news in a Facebook post on the Nkanu People of Enugu State Nigeria platform with pictures of the deceased showing a swollen eye and head before his demise.
Sources told SaharaReporters that the boy's head started swelling, causing the parents to move him from one hospital to another until his untimely death.
The mother of the deceased, Adaeze Chibuzo, on her Facebook page, wrote; “It is still very hard to believe that you are gone my son but one thing I know is that God will surely fight for us, rest in peace my son.
"Army man flogged my son in school to death in command sec, sch enugu. Rip my first fruit in life." 
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0K277sssocoXoL2eS6aawsQjLuAYE5pXrPp2soDabgboyrbkC2DAwZDCSky7uSnAil&id=190548090980691
Meanwhile, Facebook users have reacted to the incident, describing it as cruel as they called for justice.
A Facebook user, Mrs Eneh Nididiamaka wrote, "It is indeed a sad story what on earth did this boy commit to warrant such beating from a heartless soldier.
RIP son."
Nnaji Miriam Izuogu wrote, “This is exactly what happened to my kid brother last year November 2021, in the same skool (school) and now this story, today Paschal my brother is no more  Rip to this soul, it’s so painful, Paschal is supposed to be writing his WAEC exams by now, let the anger of God descend on the army killer of Paschal and this son of Ndidiamaka."
Another user, Oge Ezeji wrote, “Madam, is very painful you have to lose your son yesterday I was very bitter when my son came back and was narrating the story to me. A boy who is supposed to start his inter command exam today. Soldier it will not be well with you.”
Meanwhile, efforts to get the reaction of the Army were unsuccessful as the Deputy Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Col Abubakar Abdullahi, didn't pick up his phone when SaharaReporters called him on his mobile line. 
Also the Nigerian Army Public Relations Officer, Brig-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu did not also answer his calls nor reply to messages sent to him.
 

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Rotimi Joseph Olanbiwonnu, aka Mentilo, the former Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), in Ekiti State, has been accused of ballot snatching in the ongoing governorship election. 
He was said to have arrived at polling unit 2, ward 7 in the Ado-Ekiti local government area of the state alongside others in a bus.

Eyewitnesses said Mentilo who is the driver of the bus, allegedly got down from the vehicle, snatched the ballot box and sped off. 
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reportedly fled to safety as officers at the scene could not control the situation.
A resident told The Cable: "They came in a bus and Mentilo was the driver, they snatched the ballot box and sped away. The policemen couldn’t control the situation and the INEC officials had to flee for their lives." 
Meanwhile, security operatives have now taken over the area. 

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The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwanso has announced Barrister Ladipo Johnson from Lagos State as his running mate for the 2023 general elections.
The announcement was made by the party on the Twitter page, @nnpphqabuja1 Friday night.

According to the post seen by SaharaReporters, NNPP wrote, “Road to 2023: Barr Ladipo Johnson is the Vice Presidential candidate of our great party.”
Meanwhile, LEADERSHIP earlier reported that three candidates from the Southern region of Nigeria were screened as possible running mates to the former Kano State Governor.
Johnson who had earlier contested for governorship in Lagos State but failed is the President of the African Institute of Enterprise Development and Management.
The convener of ‘The Johnson Initiative for Positive Impact,’ has previously condemned the Nigerian Government’s economic policies, saying the government enslaves Nigerians with the policies.
According to him, the increased rate of the Value Added Tax (VAT) to 7.5% and other taxes on consumer goods and services, including the 6% stamp duty on rental and lease agreements, have made Nigerians poorer.
He, therefore, called on Nigerians to rise and take the right actions towards rescuing the country’s economy and liberating the people from a further slide into extreme poverty.
 

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Former Lagos State Governor and presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, has written an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, describing the latter as a true democrat.
Tinubu says he appreciates the maturity and neutrality of the President consequent upon the manner with which he handled pressures mounted on him to declare his preferred candidate months to the Special Convention of the party.

In the letter signed personally by the APC national leader, he expressed gratitude for the President’s congratulatory letter to him, adding that Buhari had proved he belonged to everybody and no one in particular.
The letter reads, “I bring you sincere fraternal greetings and congratulations on the successful conclusion of the special Presidential Convention of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
"On behalf of my wife, Oluremi, and my entire family, I want to express my sincere gratitude for the very special and personal congratulatory letter you sent to me. I am deeply honoured. Your words in that letter were reassuring, reenergizing, and reinvigorating.
"Your Excellency, one must admire the sense of purpose, composure, and maturity you demonstrated in the weeks and months preceding the primary elections of our great party. As aspirants and party leaders, we all pleaded with you to “choose” your successor.
"Naturally, this is expected especially in African democracy. Up until the 6th of June, 2022, the day of the APC Presidential primaries, the whole of Nigeria, including myself, was waiting for you to announce your preferred candidate. All of us thought and believed this was a very simple matter.
"However, it was only as the primary went into the night and as the candidates walked up to the podium and spoke that I fully and truly appreciated your position and stance to be neutral and non-aligned to any of us. As the first person to speak, I also had the special vantage point to carefully hear, without any distraction, what the other candidates had to say.
"As the hours rolled by that evening, it became clear to me that all of us were your preferred candidates. As you captured it aptly in your letter to me, the “spirit” of 2013 and 2014 when we created and built APC was there for all to see.
"In your letter and in our many meetings over the years, you fondly reminisced on fraternal attitude in the days and months before and after the formation of the APC, when we all worked day and night to create, sustain and nurture our nascent movements into a credible opposition party and ultimately, become the ruling party. 
"That time, no one spoke about tribe; no one spoke about religion. That was not what drove us. We were driven by a common desire to save and transform Nigeria.
"One by one, I saw my colleagues and partners stand on the podium, full of the same passion and patriotic zeal they had in 2013/2014, presenting their ideas on how to build on your successful legacy. Back then, as it is now, we were from all parts of the country, all tribes, and all religions. We all had deep personal and strong bonds with you. We were together back then and our bonds remained strong up till now.
"Mr. President, as the night of 6 June turned to morning of 7 June, I fully understood and appreciated your stance. 'You belonged to everybody in the party and you belonged to none of the individual candidates of the party.' A true leader, brother and friend.
"Mr. President, the delegates from all over the country nominated my humble self to be their candidate. I must acknowledge that my nomination would not have become a reality without your support and that of the party leaders across the country.
"Indeed, as I reflect on my political journey, most of the 2022 APC presidential aspirants, members of the Progressive Governors Forum and National Assembly leaders and members all had a role to play in my successes and achievements thus far.
"I will forever be grateful to them for shaping my political journey over the decades. I want to assure you that I will continue to work with them going forward. My emergence as a candidate is also a victory for them.
"I have met most of them in the past few days and will continue these engagements as we plan for the general elections. Mr. President, APC is united and will remain united as we move towards the general elections.
"I have taken note of the message you sent to all Presidential Candidates in your Democracy Day speech to the nation on the 12th June, 2022. Our country is going through a very sensitive period and no one should put their personal desires above and beyond the nation’s peace and prosperity. As you said, the “message we set at the top will be replicated in our followers.” 
"At this point, I will take this opportunity to assure Your Excellency of my commitment to running an issue-focused campaign as we move into the general elections. I will personally engage the candidates from other political parties to urge them to do same. Voters should elect us based on our policies, programmes,  and projects. By the grace of God, we as candidates will avoid having divisive, destructive and disruptive campaigns. 
"I will conclude by once again thanking you for being there for all of us. By the grace of God and with your leadership, guidance and support, I am confident that we will lead our great party, the APC,  to victory in the February 2023 general elections. We will ride on the back of your successes. We will build on the foundations of transparency and integrity which you have laid.
"Mr President, together, side by side, in the spirit of 2014, we will win and Nigeria will move forward to a progressive, peaceful and prosperous future."

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Members of the Emene Neighbourhood Watch in Enugu East Council Area of Enugu State have reportedly killed a hawker at Orie Emene junction for allegedly obstructing traffic.
The incident, SaharaReporters gathered happened on Friday.
Sources told our correspondent that save for the intervention of the Air Force personnel at Airport Corner, two of the security men allegedly involved would have been killed by a mob.

Although nobody seems to know exactly what led one of the security men to shoot the victim, when SaharaReporters visited the scene on Saturday, Air Force personnel were seen patrolling the junction as tensions were still high.
An eyewitness who spoke with our correspondent said he saw five security men beating the victim before one of them shot him three times.
The eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, "I don't really know what transpired because I was sitting here. But what I can say that I saw is that five members of Neighbourhood Watch were beating the victim in front of their office. Suddenly, one of them took a gun and shot him in the leg. As if that was not enough, he shot him again and the guy fell to the ground. 
"The guy was crying and bleeding excessively by the roadside and they left him and went inside their office. Soon, people gathered to know what happened that warranted such a cruel action when there is police area command nearby where they could report whatever offence he (victim) might have committed."
The eyewitness said the security men rebuffed the people who were trying to know what offence the man had committed.
"So when entreaties to take the person to the hospital failed, a mob started attacking them. They burnt one motorcycle parked in their office and beat two of them to a pulp while three others including the one who shot the guy ran away.
"If not for the intervention of the Air Force personnel that came with several police detachments, the mob would have killed the two security men. So they took them away with the victim," the eyewitness said. 
Another eyewitness told SaharaReporters that trouble started when the Neighbourhood Watch security operatives asked the hawker to pay N5,500 as a fine after allegedly seizing his wares.
"The guy, however, refused and asked what offence he had committed. He was exchanging words with them in their office, insisting they must give him back his properties.
"It is that argument that led one of the security men to shoot him while accusing him of showing a knife hidden inside his attire. Although, none of us saw the said knife."
The source, however, said that when the police came, they took the victim and the two local security men who were mobbed to the hospital. 
He said, "Unfortunately, this morning we heard that the guy they shot died yesterday (Saturday) while the two security men were still in a coma. One of the security men is Chijioke, aka 'Owo.'" 
Meanwhile, efforts to get the reaction of the Enugu State Police Command were unsuccessful.
The Command's spokesman, Daniel Ndukwe, did not answer when SaharaReporters called his mobile phone.  

 

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The United States Government has explained that it has a special interest in Nigeria because it (Nigeria) is the major determinant of the African continent's growth and development. 
The US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland, made this known within the week at the US Ambassador to Nigeria’s residence, Maitama, Abuja, during a press briefing with selected journalists, adding that the country is also strategically interested in Nigeria because it practises democracy. 

According to Nuland, the African continent moves in any direction Nigeria moves, hence, if Nigeria becomes increasingly stable and secure, empowers its population, diversifies its economy and empowers the next generation, it will be a powerful engine not only for itself but for the African continent and all democracies across the world. 
“The way Nigeria goes is the way the continent goes. Concerning our strategic interest in the country, there’s always a war between authoritarianism and democracy, and considering the fact that Nigeria is the largest democracy in Africa, if Nigeria can become increasingly stable and secure, empower its population, diversify its economy and empower the next generation, it will be a powerful engine not only for itself but for the African continent and all democracies across the world,” The PUNCH quoted Nuland as saying. 
Nuland also told the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, that her visit also centred around the security challenges in Nigeria and the issues around free, fair, credible and peaceful elections.
The US Under Secretary said, “We have been focusing on the issues of security, free, fair, credible, and peaceful elections. We also talked more broadly about our security relationship, but at the high end in terms of the holistic approach to security, earlier we delivered some Tucano jets, and we are about to have a new delivery of helicopters as well.
“Concerning our cooperation, we talked about the fact that security needs to be about countering terrorism at the high end, however, it also needs to be about what comes behind it – such as better governance, employment, and better opportunity, which would drive out the ability of terrorists and terrorism to return to communities.
“The way terrorists get into communities and destroy the fabric of the nation is ‘an evil thing.’ We think that Nigeria, with our support, needs to address this in a holistic way. However, what we are trying to do now in our collaboration with the government is to integrate the air and ground approach to security.”
Addressing issues surrounding Nigeria's Electoral Act 2022, Nuland said, “We are very pleased with the new Electoral Act and also the longer period for campaigns towards the elections. The United States will support the Independent National Electoral Commission, and the police, to provide security because we know there is quite a bit of anxiety about that.”
Nuland further stated that Nigeria plays a huge role not only for its own security but also for the security of the region, through the ECOWAS.
“We need a regional approach to this problem because these terrorists are running across borders, and we all need to work together. Nigeria plays a huge role not only for its own security but also for the security of the region, through the ECOWAS,” she said.
 

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File Photo

Police officers on Saturday arrested a Premium Times election observer, Abasi-ibiangake Udoka, while carrying out his lawful duties.
The officers were attached to Polling Units 1, 2, 5 and 6 at St Mary's Primary School, Illawe 2 in the Ekiti South West Local Government Area of Ekiti State. 
File Photo
Udoka told SaharaReporters that the heavily armed officers on their arrival at the venue approached him and immediately seized his mobile phone before asking him to provide the licence permitting him to use a private phone for official media coverage.
The police officers also seized his glasses and then took him to their boss who asked him some questions before allowing him to go.
Udoka said, “Heavily armed men just arrived. They seized my phone, took my glasses, and asked for a licence to use a private phone for official media coverage. 
“They took me to their lead, who asked me a few questions and then instructed them to leave me alone before I go and write that his unit harassed a journalist, that he doesn't want issues with Premium Times.
“They returned my phone and said I should do a good job. They left me not too long ago.”
 

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The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the ongoing Ekiti election, Bisi Kolawole, has won in his polling unit. 
This is as the results of the election are gradually being compiled by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Results from polling unit 1, Ward 8 in Efon local government area showed that Kolawole of the PDP polled 98 votes out of the 116 votes recorded there. 
The APC secured 13 votes and the SDP had 2 votes. 
From Polling Unit 1, ward 5, Omuo-Ekiti in Ekiti-East local government area, the APC secured 144 votes, followed by the PDP which got 61 votes, the SDP, 32 and the ADP, 2.
From Polling Unit 9, ward 5 in Ado local government area, the APC got 108 votes; PDP, 30 and the SDP, 27.

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The Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, on Saturday secured victory in his polling unit for the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Biodun Oyebanji.
Governor Fayemi voted at Polling Unit 009 in front of Apata’s house, Ogilolo in the Isan/Ilafon/Ilemso area of Oye local council.

The governor led the ruling party to victory for its candidate in the PU with 154 votes against the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which scored four votes. 
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) had three votes while the ADP candidate scored one. Six votes were voided. 
 
APC -154
PDP -4
SDP -3
ADP -1
 

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has started compiling results of the Ekiti governorship election. 
The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Segun Oni, has won his polling unit in Ward 2, Ido-Osi local government area. 

The former Ekiti governor polled 218 votes while the candidate of the All Progressives Congress secured 15 votes and Peoples Democratic Party, 2 votes.
From polling unit 8 ward Ogbonuro/Ori Olode, in Ifaki Ekiti LGA, the SDP secured another 218 votes, APC 15 and PDP 2.
Results from Polling Unit1, Ward 2, in the same Ido Osi LGA showed that the APC secured 117, the SDP got 100 votes and the PDP: 63.
The APC took the lead in polling unit 13, Oye II in Oye local government area with 44 votes, followed closely by the SDP with 41 votes while the PDP polled 27 votes. 
Also, in polling unit 003, Ward 04, Ikole North LGA, the APC polled 119 votes, the PDP secured 21 votes and SDP had 3 votes.
 

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File photo used to illustrate story.

Amid allegations of vote-buying and inducement by agents of political parties in the ongoing Ekiti governorship election, SaharaReporters has gathered that party agents are also bribing security agents dispatched to various polling units. 
The essence of bribing security operatives is to buy them so that they will look the other way when the party agents openly induce voters financially to vote for their candidates. 

File photo used to illustrate story.
Major political parties including the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Social Democratic Party have been found to be involved in vote-buying. 
Security officials were sighted at polling unit 001, Ward 4, Ado-Ekiti local government area, surrounding a party agent believed to have been given money for security agents. 
He, however, refuted the claim saying, ”They said they gave me money for policemen and security, it's a lie, I wasn't given any amount to give you.”
Meanwhile, another party agent appeared assuring the security operatives that is a 'special package' at polling unit 001, Ward 4, Ado LGA.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), arrested some persons in connection with allegations of vote-buying.
Upon their arrest, the EFCC paraded them at the Oke Ori Omi Area Division of the Nigerian Police Force.
The anti-graft agency said some of the suspects were caught with monies allegedly used to induce voters. 

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