Headline

We’ll Prosecute Bello for Double Registration, Says INEC

Published

8 years ago

March 2, 2018

Eric

The Independent National Electoral Commission says its allegation of double registration against Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State still stands.

“The allegation of double registration has not been swept under the carpet; we cannot prosecute Bello now because he enjoys immunity as a sitting governor.

“He has committed an offence and we shall prosecute him when he is out office,” INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kogi, Prof. James Apam, said in Lokoja on Thursday.

He said that the recent issuance of a temporary voter card to the governor did not mean that the issue of double registration had been swept under the carpet.

The News Agency of Nigeria, reports that INEC had, on February 26, issued a temporary voter card to the governor after applying for the transfer of his permanent card from Abuja to Okene.

INEC last year declared the second registration done by Bello, on May 23 at the Government House, Lokoja as illegal and contrary to the Electoral Act.

The electoral body, through one of its National Electoral Commissioners, Mr. Emmanuel Shoyebi, said that the registration, which was done outside the designated registration centre, also amounted to double registration which is a criminal offence.

Shoyebi said that Bello did his first registration at Wuse Zone 11 in Abuja, on January 30, 2011.

For their involvement in the double registration saga, a senior official of INEC was compulsorily retired from service while two others were summarily dismissed last month.

Apam, however, explained that a temporary voter card was issued to the governor based on legal advice, saying that the governor would surely face the consequences of his crime at the appropriate time.

He said that INEC’s legal advisers had advised the electoral body not to deny Bello his right to vote and be voted for since he could not be tried at the moment.

On the ongoing Continued Voters Registration, Apam said that INEC had registered 176,866 new voters in Kogi between April 2017 and February, 2018.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner said that the new registrants comprised of 90,553 male voters and 86,313 female voters.

During the period, he said that the organisation had transferred 7,169 permanent voter cards and replaced 9,400 lost or defaced cards.

Similarly, INEC said it distributed 57,148 permanent cards to their owners within the same period, while 202,289 voter cards were still uncollected.

Apam restated INEC’s readiness to conduct free and acceptable elections in 2019, urging all stakeholders to help in achieving that.

Meanwhile, INEC has said it has received 108 applications from associations seeking to register as political parties and participate in the 2019 general elections.

Out of these applications, only nine had successfully gone through to the final stage, the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said on Thursday at the Social Media Week 2018 in Lagos.

“The windows will soon close for associations to register as political parties,” Yakubu said.

The INEC chairman, who addressed the theme, ‘Citizens, government and technology,’ via teleconferencing, stated that parties that registered six months to the elections would not be eligible to participate in the general elections.

To discourage vote buying, Yakubu said the commission would increase sensitisation, enforcement and improve polling unit administration by restructuring the ballot boxes in a way that would not allow voters to reveal the identities of the candidates they voted for.

The Punch

Headline

Gunmen Abduct Ex-Power Minister Adelabu’s Sister, Her Two Sons in Ibadan

Published

3 days ago

June 3, 2026

Eric

Suspected gunmen have abducted the sister of a former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The family of former minister and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) confirmed the abduction, disclosing that Mrs. Olaide John-Paul and her 12-year-old twin sons were kidnapped by the gunmen on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.

According to a statement issued by Adelabu’s media aide, Femi Awogboro, the victims were kidnapped at about 7:30am while Mrs. John-Paul was taking her children to school.

Mrs. John-Paul, the youngest of five children of Mrs. Olufunmilayo Aduke Adegoke Adelabu, reportedly retired voluntarily from her career at First Bank Pension Custodian in 2025 before relocating to Ibadan with her children.

She was said to be making arrangements to join her husband, who had earlier relocated to the US.

The family expressed deep concern over the development but stated that security agencies had already commenced efforts to rescue the victims and apprehend those responsible.

“We are pleased to confirm that security operatives have swung into action and preliminary investigations have commenced in earnest,” the statement partly read.

While appealing for calm, the family urged members of the public to refrain from spreading unverified information that could undermine ongoing rescue operations.

“We are deeply distressed by this unfortunate incident, but remain hopeful that the victims will be rescued safely. We appeal to the public to remain calm, avoid speculation and support ongoing efforts with prayers,” the statement added.

The family also called on anyone with useful information that could aid the rescue operation to promptly share such intelligence with security agencies through the appropriate channels.

It assured that it would continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement authorities and provide updates as investigations and rescue efforts progress.

Headline

Adeboye Proposes 90 Days Ultimatum for Security Chiefs to Eradicate Terrorism or Resign

Published

3 days ago

June 3, 2026

Eric

The General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has called on the Federal government to issue a 90-day ultimatum to security chiefs to end terrorism in Nigeria or step aside.

Adeboye made the appeal in a video shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, expressing deep concern over the country’s deteriorating security situation.

He emphasized the need for urgent and decisive action, stressing that security chiefs must be held accountable for tangible results in the fight against terrorism.

According to him, while citizens can only advise the Commander-in-Chief, it is within the government’s power to set clear expectations and timelines for security leaders.

“If I were to make a suggestion, I would say the government should act swiftly and direct the service chiefs to eradicate terrorists within 90 days or resign,” he said.

The cleric also urged authorities to go beyond targeting terrorists alone, insisting that their sponsors must equally be identified and dealt with, regardless of their social or political influence.

“When issuing directives, it should be made clear that both terrorists and their sponsors must be eliminated, no matter how powerful they are,” he added.

Adeboye recalled that a former Nigerian president had once issued a similar three-month directive to security chiefs to end the Boko Haram insurgency but failed to enforce the order after the deadline expired.

Reflecting on his interaction with the late president, Adeboye noted that although initial efforts were made, the lack of follow-through undermined the directive’s effectiveness.

He maintained that his current recommendation is informed by that experience, urging the government to ensure strict enforcement if such a timeline is adopted.

His comments come amid renewed concerns over persistent terrorist attacks, banditry, and kidnappings across the country, with increasing public pressure on authorities to take stronger action against insecurity.

Headline

TAS Pushes Sustainability Training Drive to Bridge Africa’s ESG Implementation Gap

Published

3 days ago

June 3, 2026

Admin

As global conversations around sustainability, governance and responsible development continue to intensify, attention is increasingly turning to Africa’s need for practical capacity building to translate environmental, social and governance (ESG) awareness into measurable action.

This was the central focus of Train Africans on Sustainability (TAS), an initiative founded by Dr. Orlando Odejide, which is working to equip Africans with the knowledge, skills and tools required to actively participate in the global sustainability agenda.

According to sustainability professionals involved in the programme, TAS was created in response to a growing gap across the continent between awareness and implementation of sustainability principles. While understanding of ESG frameworks and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has expanded in recent years, many individuals and organisations still face challenges in applying these concepts due to limited access to structured, practical training.

The initiative is designed to close that gap by shifting participants from awareness to action through hands-on, context-driven sustainability education. At the core of the programme is Odejide’s vision of training 50,000 Africans, aimed at building a new generation of sustainability-focused leaders and professionals capable of driving long-term change across the continent.

TAS operates as a capacity-building platform focused on sustainability, ESG principles and SDG implementation. It targets a wide audience, including young professionals, corporate organisations, public sector institutions and individuals seeking to strengthen their understanding of sustainability and its real-world application.

A defining feature of the programme is its emphasis on practical implementation. Participants are exposed to how sustainability functions within organisations, how ESG frameworks can be integrated into business operations and how sustainability performance can be measured and reported. The training is also tailored to African contexts, ensuring that global sustainability concepts are adapted to local economic, environmental and institutional realities.

The importance of such education has become increasingly evident as Africa faces mounting environmental, social and economic pressures alongside rapid population growth and development demands. Decisions made today, stakeholders note, will have long-term implications for future generations.

Sustainability education, therefore, is seen as a critical tool for balancing economic growth with environmental protection and social inclusion. It helps translate broad global frameworks into practical approaches for decision-making, innovation and long-term planning. Industry practitioners associated with TAS say one of the key barriers to sustainability adoption is not lack of interest, but uncertainty about implementation, a gap the programme aims to address through structured learning and practical guidance.

Since its launch, TAS has recorded steady participation, with 548 registered participants and 212 individuals certified as 2030 Agenda for SDGs and ESG (IWA48) Champions. Beyond certification, many participants are applying their learning within their workplaces and communities.

Some graduates are now leading sustainability-focused discussions within organisations, while others are aligning projects and initiatives with the SDGs. This shift from passive awareness to active engagement is viewed as a key indicator of the programme’s growing influence. Reports of participant-led initiatives and awareness campaigns are increasingly visible across professional platforms, particularly LinkedIn.

Looking ahead, TAS is focused on expanding its reach across more African countries, strengthening partnerships and improving the quality and depth of its training programmes. The long-term ambition is to establish the initiative as a leading sustainability capacity-building platform across the continent through collaboration with private sector organisations, government institutions and development partners.

The programme also provides multiple avenues for participation. Individuals can enrol to build sustainability competencies and join a growing professional network focused on sustainable development, while organisations can partner to train employees, sponsor access programmes or collaborate on ESG-related projects.

Through this collaborative approach, TAS aims to bring together stakeholders across sectors in support of a shared goal: advancing sustainable development across Africa. By prioritising education, capacity building and practical implementation, the initiative is positioning itself as a driver of sustainability transformation on the continent.