News

INEC Ends BVAS Reconfiguration Today, Promises Results Transmission

Published

2 years ago

March 13, 2023

Eric

The ongoing reconfiguration of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines used during the presidential and National Assembly elections on 25 February will end on Monday, according to The Punch report.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had postponed the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections scheduled to hold on March 11 to March 18 in order to be able to reconfigure the BVAS.

Consequently, all activities pertaining to the polls were rescheduled, including inspection of sensitive materials at the Central Bank of Nigeria by the political parties.

INEC took the decision at its management meeting, which was convened on Wednesday after the Court of Appeal gave it the go-ahead to reconfigure the BVAS machines.

The commission said it could not go ahead with the governorship poll as earlier scheduled because it needed time to reconfigure the BVAS machines, which were used for the presidential election on February 25.

The Court of Appeal had dismissed an application by Labour Party challenging the reconfiguration of the BVAS used for the presidential poll, whose outcome LP had rejected.

The appellate court panel held that allowing the objections of the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, would amount to “tying the hands of the respondent (INEC).”

Speaking with our correspondent on Sunday, an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the issue, explained that BVAS reconfiguration had been completed for some states while others would be concluded on Monday

“Most states have finished the reconfiguration and the remaining ones will all finish on Monday,” the source told our correspondent.

The source also gave the assurance that the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections election results would be transmitted on INEC’s result-viewing portal, noting that the glitches that delayed the uploading of presidential poll results had been rectified.

He said “The Polling Unit results will be transmitted on the IReV portal. Indeed, the ones for the February 25 election have almost all been downloaded after we fixed the hitch that had made it difficult to do so.”

On materials distribution ahead of the governorship poll, the official said the sensitive materials would be re-distributed on Wednesday.

“We had completed the distribution of non-sensitive materials before we had to shift the March 11 date for the state elections by a week. Some states had started moving the sensitive materials before the change of date. We have had to return them to the Central Bank of Nigeria for safe keeping in consultation with all stakeholders, including party officials and the police.

“We will move them back to the local governments beginning from Wednesday.”

The Punch

News

Pensioners’ Welfare: Govenor Adeleke Approves N3.3bn for Retirees

Published

10 hours ago

October 4, 2024

Eric

The Governor of Osun State, His Excellency, Senator Dr Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, has again approved a whopping sum of Three billion, Three hundred naira only (#3,300,000,000.00) for the payment of accrued rights (bond certificates) of a number of workers who retired under the Contributory Pension Scheme across the State, according to a statement esigned by the Head of Service, Elder Ayanleye Aina.

Of the said amount amount, N1.5 billion is for retirees at the State level comprising Ministries, Departments, Agencies, secondary schools and tertiary institutions while the sum of #1.8bn is for those who retired in the local government service, junior and primary schools across the State.

The statement noted that the approved fund is presently undergoing due process at the Bureau of Public Service Pension and the Local Government Staff Pension Board.

The approval, the statement further disclosed, is apart from the regular monthly payment of pension and gratuities to retired public servants under the old pension scheme across the whole gamut of the public service.

It will be recalled that workers and pensioners welfare top the 5- point Action Plan of Governor Ademola Adeleke-led administration in the State.

Stakeholders admit that Governor Adeleke been keeping his promise since he came on board in November, 2022 going by his unhindered love for public servants and the entire citizens of the State.

News

We’re Winning War Against Bandits, Terrorists, Says Tinubu’s Minister

Published

11 hours ago

October 4, 2024

Eric

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; said on Thursday that Nigeria is winning the war against terror and banditry.

Idris made the claim during the opening ceremony of the 1st Annual International Lecture of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja

He said: “Our target is to eliminate all the threats of Boko Haram, banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and the scourge of all forms of violent extremism.

“Within one year, our government has eliminated Boko Haram and bandit commanders faster than ever.

“As of the last count, over 300 Boko Haram and bandit commanders have been eliminated by our gallant troops in the Northeast, Northwest, and some other parts of the country.

“Indeed, this quote from President Bola Tonibu has amplified the resolve and determination of this administration to address the security challenges confronting us.

“By understanding the root causes, evaluating the impact on our territorial integrity, and implementing strategic policy measures, we can effectively address the challenges posed by this crisis.”

The minister pointed out that the Federal government through intelligence gathering and other grassroots measures is tackling insecurity.

News

Court Releases Ex-Taraba Governor, Darius Ishaku on N150m Bail

Published

1 day ago

October 3, 2024

Eric

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama has granted a N150 million bail to a former governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku.

Ishaku was arraigned on Monday alongside Bello Yero, former permanent secretary, bureau for local government and chieftaincy affairs.

Both men are being prosecuted on a 15-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and conversion of public funds.

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” when all the charges were read to them.

At the court session on Thursday, the defendants’ respective counsels moved their bail applications.

Rotimi Jacobs, prosecution counsel, said he would not object since the defendants have been granted administrative bail.

Sylvanus Oriji, presiding judge, granted the bail application.

He held that the defendants must produce two sureties each in like sum. The two sureties must be responsible citizens of Nigeria and must be residents within the FCT, with verifiable office and residential addresses.

One of the sureties produced by each defendant must be a director in the civil service.

The defendants must not travel outside the country without the court’s permission and must deposit their travel documents to the court.

Ishaku, 70, was governor of Taraba from 2015 to 2023.

In July 2023, the EFCC invited the former governor over some financial transactions conducted during his spell in office. He was later released on bail.

On September 27, 2024, Ishaku and Yero were arrested and detained by the commission.