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INEC Removes Plateau Returning Officer over Dereliction of Duty, Drunkenness

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has removed Prof. Musa Izam, the Collation Officer it assigned to Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

Izam, a physics lecturer at the University of Jos, had earlier attempted to abscond without declaring the results of Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections, but was apprehended by youths in the area, who forced him back to the collation centre.

“We had to remove him because he was drunk and could not perform the assignment,” Mr Osaretin Imahiyereobo, Head, Voter Education, of INEC in Plateau, told NAN in a telephone interview on Sunday in Jos.

He said that INEC had to act fast to avoid delay in the collation exercise.

“We are waiting for him to come to Jos and explain why he behaved the way he did,” the INEC official told NAN.

NAN reports that Izam, who started the collation of the results brought from the local government’s Wards on Sunday, told party agents, INEC officials and observers that he needed a little time to ease himself.

The official, however, disappeared from the centre, and took off to Jos.

According to Mr Michael Abi, PDP chairman in Bokkos Local Government, some youths, who saw Izam leaving the centre, quickly mobilised themselves and chase him.

“The youths chased him and caught up with him at Maikatako near Kuba, about 40 kilometres away from Bokkos.

“When he was brought back to the collation centre, he quickly apologised and promised to continue with his work.

“His attitude is shocking, considering the crucial nature of this assignment. He has refused to work and this has delayed the collation and declaration of the outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the local government,’’ he said.

NAN reports that Mr Jonathan Mawuyau, former Plateau justice commissioner, who was at the centre, apologised to the angry party agents, INEC officials and observers, urging them to be patient with the official.

Mawuyau, an APC stalwart, who agreed that the Professor’s attitude was “shocking and uncalled for’’, urged the anxious election officials to forgive Izam.

But Izam, in an interview with NAN, denied ever absconding.

“I only went to visit a friend in town but the people misconstrued the whole thing.

“I only stepped out to go and see a friend along with the Special Adviser to Governor Simon Lalong on Security matters, but the people thought I had left my duty post, which is not true.

“I did apologise to them since they were not happy with the action I took, but INEC felt otherwise,” Izam stated.

Also speaking on the issue, Mr Aliyu Musa, Electoral Officer in Bokkos, who has taken over Izam’s assignment, described the Professor’s action as “shocking and unfortunate”.

“I have been ordered to take over the collation. But, even before he finally showed up today, we were doing his work and when he came, instead of doing the work, he was just fighting everybody around.

“Anyway, there is no cause for alarm as I am equal to the task. By God’s grace, we shall conclude collation this evening and announce the results,” Musa said.

(NAN)

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Army Buries 17 Personnel Killed in Okuama Community

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The 17 military personnel killed in Okuama community in Delta on March 14 have been laid to rest.

The corpses of the soldiers, which arrived at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja at about 2:26 pm on Wednesday, were committed to mother death after burial rites were observed.

President Bola Tinubu, Service Chiefs and other dignitaries were in attendance at the burial ceremony.

DAILY POST recalls that the troops of 181 Amphibious Batallion, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, while on a peace mission to Okuoma Community were ambushed and killed by some irate youths.

The incident occurred when the troops responded to a distress call following a communal crisis between Okuoma and Okoloba communities in Delta State.

The personnel comprised one Lieutenant Colonel, two Majors, one Captain and 13 soldiers.

The officers are Commanding Officer 181 Amphibious Battalion, Lt. Col. A.H Ali; Maj S.D Shafa (N/13976); Maj D.E Obi (N/14395) and Capt U Zakari (N/16348).

The soldiers are SSgt Yahaya Saidu (#3NA/36/2974); Cpl Yahaya Danbaba (1ONA/65/7274); Cpl Kabiru Bashir (11NA/66/9853); LCpl Bulus Haruna (16NA/TS/5844); LCpl Sola Opeyemi (17NA/760719); and LCpl Bello Anas (17NA/76/290).

They also include LCpl Hamman Peter (NA/T82653); LCpl Ibrahim Abdullahi (18NA/77/1191); Pte Alhaji Isah (17NA/76/6079); Pte Clement Francis (19NA/78/0911); Pte Abubakar Ali (19NA/78/2162); Pte Ibrahim Adamu (19NA/78/6079) and Pte Adamu Ibrahim (21NA/80/4795).

DailyPost

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Thomas Yormah Emerges As New WAEC Chairman

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By Eric Elezuo

The West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) has a new Chairman, he is Prof. Thomas Brima Rick Yormah, a former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Fourah Bay College and former Pro ViceChancellor, University of Sierra Leone as the 21st Chairman of Council.

According to a statement signed by Demianus G. Ojijeogu, the Head, Public Affairs, WAEC Headquarters, Accra, Ghana, Yormah was elected during the just concluded 72nd Annual Council Meeting of the body, held in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He succeeds Prof. Ato Essuman from the Republic of Ghana.

The highpoint of the week-long Council meeting was the recognition and honoring of three Ghanaian candidates with the WAEC International Excellence Award for their outstanding performance in the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2023. They were Master Amo-Kodieh Leonard Kofi, (1st Prize), Master Dzandu Selorm, (2nd Prize), and Master Asenso-Gyambibi Daniel (3rd Prize). The three candidates were selected from 2,327,342 who sat the examination in The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.

In the same vein, the Augustus Bandele Oyediran Award for the Best Candidate in West Africa, 2023 also went to Master Amo-Kodieh Leonard Kofi. In addition, two candidates from the Republic of Sierra Leone were honoured with the National Distinction, while one candidate received the National Merit Award. They were Miss. Mammah E. A. Raymonda, (1st Prize), Master Bangura Joshua, (2nd Prize), and Master Fillie Sahr Edward (Merit Award).

While the 71st edition of the Council meeting was hosted by Gambia, the next edition, which will be the 73rd in the series, will be hosted by Liberia.

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Kidnapped Edo PDP Chairman Regains Freedom

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The kidnapped chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, has been released.

Dr. Aziegbemi, who was set free by his abductors in the early hours of Tuesday, March 26, 2024. Report has it that he got to his Benin City residence at about 3am to the waiting arms of family and close friends.

“I am back home with my family. I am fine. I am just trying to rest and will talk to you later,” he was quoted as saying.

Dr. Aziegbemi, a former member of the House of Representatives, who represented Esan North-East/Esan South-East federal constituency of Edo State, was kidnapped on Friday, March 15, 2024 when his abductors who rode in two Toyota Corolla cars, trailed him after he left a meeting.

The gunmen overtook Aziegbemi’s sports utility vehicle (SUV) at a speed break as it slowed down along Osaro Street, off Country Home Road, close to his house at about 11pm on Friday night before seizing him.

It is not clear yet if a ransom was paid for his release as the abductors had reportedly demanded a sum of N50 million before setting him free.

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