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Liberia’s Elections Commission honours INEC Chairman
The Liberia’s National Elections Commission (NEC) has honoured Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for his contributions to the development of the country’s electoral processes.
Madam Davidetta Lansanah, the Chairperson, NEC, presented Yakubu with the award at an event to mark the commission’s dedication of a workspace for its staff in Liberia.
The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi said this in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.
Lansanah acknowledged the technical support rendered by Yakubu in establishing the workspace and bolstering the electoral process in Liberia.
She expressed the country’s gratitude for what she described as the indispensable contributions made by Yakubu and INEC Nigeria in sustaining Liberia’s democratic journey.
Recalling Yakubu’s role as President of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC), Lansanah highlighted his advocacy for resource-sharing among regional Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs).
She commended his influential efforts, resulting in Liberia’s election as the First Vice-President of ECONEC in 2021.
She thanked Yakubu for his steadfast backing of NEC-Liberia in various regional endeavours.
In his response, Yakubu expressed appreciation for the honour bestowed upon him in dedicating the workspace to staff.
Yakubu emphasised the value of the resource in enhancing the operational capabilities of staff, particularly through Information and Technology (IT) facilities.
Reflecting on past collaborations, Yakubu recalled INEC Nigeria’s assistance during Liberia’s 2017 Presidential election, highlighting the joint efforts of IT experts from INEC and NEC-Liberia in addressing stakeholders’ concerns regarding the voters’ register.
He also acknowledged INEC’s technical support ahead of subsequent special elections, the 2020 referendum facilitated by ECOWAS, and the implementation of the biometric register in the recent general election.
Emphasising the significance of inter-EMB collaboration, Yakubu underscored the complexity of election management and urged prioritising peer support amid limited resources and escalating election costs.
Some personalities at the occasion included the United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in Liberia, Christine Umutoni; Charge d’ Affaires of the Nigerian Embassy in Liberia, Mr Manir Ibrahim and the Representative of the Liberian Bar Association.(NAN
The Supreme Court has overturned the Court of Appeal’s decision that recognised Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP). In a decisive ruling, a five-member panel declared that the Court of Appeal lacked the legal authority to determine the party’s leadership matters.
In a unanimous verdict, the highest court in the land stated that the Court of Appeal had no jurisdiction over the matter. The panel observed that since the case revolved around the internal leadership structure of the Labour Party, it fell outside the jurisdiction of the courts.
The ruling reinforced the long-standing principle that leadership disputes within political parties should be resolved internally, rather than through judicial intervention.
The Supreme Court stressed that leadership struggles within political parties are purely internal matters. According to legal principles, courts should not interfere in such issues, as they fall under the party’s constitution and governance framework. By upholding this legal doctrine, the apex court reaffirmed that political parties must settle their leadership crises independently.
The Supreme Court upheld the appeal lodged by Senator Nenadi Usman and a fellow appellant, ruling that their claims were valid. Their appeal challenged the earlier judgment, arguing that it was flawed due to jurisdictional overreach. After thorough legal scrutiny, the Supreme Court found merit in their argument and ruled in their favour.
The legal battle also involved a cross-appeal filed by supporters of Julius Abure, who sought to challenge the decision against their leader. However, the Supreme Court dismissed this cross-appeal, declaring it unsubstantiated and lacking merit. The ruling effectively ended the legal contest over the Labour Party’s chairmanship, cementing the judiciary’s stance on non-interference in party leadership disputes.
Bitcoin experienced sharp fluctuations following President Donald Trump’s April 2 tariff announcement, initially surging to $88,000 before dropping to $82,000.
By April 3, it stabilized around $83,000, with the broader crypto market down over 4%. Major altcoins like Ethereum and Solana also declined over 6%, hitting multi-month lows.
Analysts see the tariff news as reducing market uncertainty, potentially attracting institutional investors.
Despite higher-than-expected rates, experts believe the clarity could help Bitcoin regain momentum toward $90,000. Bitcoin ETFs, led by BlackRock, recorded $218 million in inflows on April 2, reversing prior outflows.
Kraken’s Thomas Perfumo challenged the idea that institutional interest stabilizes crypto, emphasizing that volatility signals demand for a scarce asset.
Some analysts viewed the sell-off as an overreaction to trade policy concerns, highlighting Bitcoin’s resilience as a store of value.
With ETFs showing strong demand, Bitcoin’s price may stabilize and rise, though market participants remain cautious, monitoring trade policies and economic conditions.
Violent clashes between pastoralist groups and settled farming communities have long been a challenge in South Sudan.
However, the recent outbreak of violence in the northern Ruweng Administrative Area has further heightened concerns over the nation’s fragile peace. At least 30 people lost their lives after an armed youth group launched a brutal attack on a northern South Sudanese town, according to local officials.
The incident, linked to an escalating cattle raid, saw the town briefly fall under the control of the attackers before security forces regained control.
The violence began when a group of armed youth stole lambs earlier in the week. Security forces quickly intervened, forcing the raiders to retreat. However, instead of dispersing, the group reorganised and launched a more aggressive attack on Abiemnom the following day.
Local Minister of Information, Simon Chol Mialith, confirmed that despite resistance from local youth and security personnel, the town was overrun by the Mayom armed youth. The attack led to significant casualties and destruction before security forces were able to reclaim the town.
On Wednesday, the South Sudan People’s Defence Force (SSPDF) successfully pushed the attackers out, restoring a semblance of calm. However, the scale of the destruction was already severe, with over 40 individuals injured in addition to the fatalities.
Although reports suggest that some of the deceased were members of the armed groups, official confirmation remains pending.
The attack comes at a time of growing instability in South Sudan, with tensions between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar intensifying. This political rivalry threatens to unravel the delicate 2018 peace agreement that ended the nation’s five-year civil war.
Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has struggled with continuous unrest. Despite its vast oil resources, the country remains impoverished, with conflicts like these exacerbating economic and social difficulties.