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PDP Women Group Calls For Review of Nasarawa Guber Polls
Solomon Attah,Lafia
The concern women group of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), protesting the declaration of Governor Abdullahi Sule as the winner of the March 18th governorship election has given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seven days to review the discrepancies in the governorship election results.
The leader of the protesting group, Stella Okposhi stated this when speaking to newsmen, after presenting their letter of protest to the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Uthman Adejigba in his office in Lafia.
Okposhi, who is the State PDP women leader, said, they are planning to take an action and to push further for justice and equity, should the REC fail to respond to their request at the end of the seventh day as required by the electoral act.
She said, their protest, Wich has entered day-3 was normal in a democratic setting, as there was no violent, destruction or thread issued to anyone.
“We went peacefully from our party office to the INEC office to ask the INEC REC to tell us and to announce the governorship election
“The reason we went to the REC is that, two wards of Gayam and Ciroma cannot determined the election of 13 local governments, because these two wards are under Lafia as a local government.
“And it is in this two wards that the election of the governorship and House of Assembly was conducted simultaneously.
“But at the end, that of the governorship, the INEC officer claimed that they have announced it, which to us, is a fraudulent act .
“Since they did not announce that of the House of Assembly, which is just a constituency election, but announced the governorship, which consist of 13 local governments, within the shortest period.
“While the house of Assembly election is still pending for two to three days now, they are saying the election for the Lafia central is inclusive.
“If the election of Lafia central, which consist of Gayam and Ciroma wards is inclusive, then automatically that of the governorship is been rigged.
“Because, if they cannot get exact number to announce the house of Assembly election, and Gayam and Ciroma are part of Lafia government, which the election was conducted from the pollings with the same BVAS and accreditation, with that of the governorship, the only difference was the result sheets, then they cannot announce the right thing, then there is problem.
“Where did they get the figure to announce that of the governorship and they cannot get the correct figure to announce that of the House of Assembly, which they are saying is inclusive.
“That is the reason we are protesting. To us as women in Nasarawa State. We believe that the so-called announcement of the governorship election is fraudulent.
“They have rigged the election, if not, the figure that did not determine the House of Assembly election, should equally apply to the figure that should not be annouced the governorship election.
“That is why we feel, the INEC has not play their part. They have taken side.
“When we went to the INEC office the first day, we only saw the INEC PRO, we told him we want to see the INEC Commissioner. On the second day, we repeated the same protest to INEC and luckily we met him (REC). We explained our feeling to him and we told him that, if Justice is not prevail, then he should know that, they want to put Nasarawa into a situation that is only God that will take control of it.
She said, as peace makers, we are asking for justice in the March 18th governorship election.
“We also told him that, whoever try to deny what God has destine for someone, that person’s destiny can never be fulfilled. God will also purnish and tarnish that person’s image.
“We also told him that, we are waiting for him to know that, whatever they gathered, whatever is the plan or sentiments, they should know that Nasarawa State is greater than the INEC o an individual.
She said, their protest was not to fight anybody, but to enable INEC justify the true mandate of the people.
“If they did not, we will still go back in protest. As women of Nasarawa State, we ask the INEC to recheck the discrepancies in the election result of the governorship within 7 days so that the reality and the truth will prevail.
“And the seven days start from the date of the election was conducted and if he did not response positively to us, we will still go back to him for justice and equity, because as an Independent National Electoral Commission, it is their duty and we want them to be independent and never to allow themslves to be bought up or dance to tune of anybody.
“We don’t want any favour from them, we want a level playing ground so that everybody will test his popularity, and the people of Nasarawa State have done so
“Where we protest, and justice is not prevail and the right thing is not done, that is where we will further push for justice.
But for now, we are waiting for the seventh day for the REC to response to our letter and demand, and if he did not respond, that is where he will see the response of the women and the action that will be taken,” Stella Okposhi said.
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
The Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Muahammad Sa’ad Abubakar 111 has commended the developmental strides of Sokoto state governor, Ahmed Aliyu, just as he assured of the support of traditional institutions in the state.
Sultan who admonished other governor’s to also borrow a leaf from governor Ahmed Aliyu who ensures that resident communities enjoys equal benefit from everybody, added that, Nigerians should project what unites us moe than that which divides us.
“In Sokoto, we appreciate what the Governor is doing and we’d like to assure him of the support of the traditional institution so that he can continue the good work he’s doing of transforming our State.
“The Governor and our security agencies are doing their best and this has made the state to record tremendous improvement in the fight against banditry,” the Sultan averred.
While adding that governor Ahmed Aliyu deserves special commendation for the massive distribution of food items during the just-concluded Ramadan fast, Sultan urged Nigerians to always be law-abiding and desist from any act that may jeopardise the long lasting peace the country is enjoying.
Registering his displeasure over how the social media is been used negatively to promote and sow seed o discord, the Sultan said, some unpatriotic citizens use social media to spread falsehood, misinformation and provocative statements that can destroy the peaceful atmosphere the country is enjoying.
He, therefore, called on the security agencies in the country to be watchful of the unpatriotic citizens trying to create chaos in the land.
Speaking during his
Sallah homage on governor Ahmed Aliyu at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Lodge, Sokoto, Sultan
said, “”In Sokoto all Nigerians are treated as indigenes, an act that gives Nigerians residing in the State a sense of belonging.
Sultan equally stressed the need for for state governors to give much emphasis in protecting the lives and property of their subjects, describing security as the basis upon which all societies could progress.
Responding, governor Ahmed Aliyu reassured his administration’s determination to do everything humanly possible to make the state safe and secured.
He blamed unemployment especially among the youths as responsible for the insecurity being recorded in many parts of the country.
According to Aliyu, many youths have joined informants’ groups so as to be getting stipends to make ends meet.
“This administration has so far trained and graduated thousands of youths and women in different trades so as to make them productive members in the society.
” I want to assure you that we would soon embark on another massive skills acquisition programme to engage more unemployed youths in our modest attempt to reduce restiveness among our youths,” he vowed
Gov. Aliyu further reassured the people of the state that his administration would continue to prioritize Islamic affairs, adding that more Mosques and Islamiyya schools would continue to receive the desired attention from the state government.
He thanked the people of the state for their fervent prayers and support to his administration and called for it’s sustainance.
Sterling Bank has made a groundbreaking move by eliminating transfer charges on local transactions, aiming to create a more equitable banking experience for Nigerians. The question now arises: will other financial institutions follow this lead?
On April 1, Sterling Bank announced the removal of transfer fees for all local digital transactions, positioning itself as the first major bank in Nigeria to implement such a policy. Initially, the announcement faced skepticism, with many believing it to be an April Fools’ Day joke. However, Sterling has since reaffirmed the policy’s legitimacy and immediate implementation, signaling a significant evolution in the industry’s customer service approach.
Obinna Ukachukwu, the Growth Executive overseeing the Consumer and Business Banking Directorate, stated, “We believe that accessing your own funds should not incur a penalty. This decision transcends financial implications; it reflects our core values.”
With this new policy, Sterling customers can now make free transfers for all local transactions via the bank’s mobile app. This initiative is anticipated to yield considerable savings for individuals and small business owners who frequently engage in transfers.
“We may not be the largest bank in Nigeria, but we are certainly the most audacious,” Ukachukwu declared. “Sterling Bank is committed to the future of Nigeria, and we are backing our fellow citizens with more than just words.”
Sterling Bank has a history of prioritizing customer welfare, having previously offered financial assistance to healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This latest initiative has garnered widespread public support, igniting conversations on social media and prompting calls for other banks to adopt similar practices.
“We take pride in leading this transformative change,” Ukachukwu concluded. “We hope to inspire others to rethink what customers truly require from their banks, not only in terms of services but also in values.”
On Wednesday, the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, convened in Abuja, dismissed the Action Alliance’s (AA) petition aimed at overturning the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The tribunal, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi and comprising a three-member panel, determined that the petition, filed by AA and its National Chairman, Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, was without merit.
The tribunal concluded that the issues raised in the petition were pre-election matters, falling outside its jurisdiction to adjudicate.
The petitioners claimed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had excluded their legitimate candidate from the governorship election held on September 21, 2024. They argued that, in contradiction to several court rulings, INEC recognized a candidate who had not been validly nominated by the party.
Furthermore, the petitioners contended that INEC’s failure to publish the name of their party’s rightful candidate constituted a significant violation of Section 134(1)(b) of the Electoral Act.
In addition to these claims, they asserted that Governor Okpebholo, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC), did not receive the majority of legitimate votes and that the election was tainted by corrupt practices.
As a result, they sought the annulment of the election; however, the tribunal panel denied their request on Wednesday.
The panel upheld all preliminary objections raised against the petition. The respondents, including INEC and Governor Okpebholo, argued that the National Chairman of the AA lacked the standing to file the action, as he did not participate in the gubernatorial election.
They also asserted that the petition was barred by statute, as it involved pre-election issues that exceeded the tribunal’s jurisdiction.
It is noteworthy that AA’s candidate, Mr. Tom Iseghhi-Okojie, withdrew from the race in favor of Governor Okpebholo just days before the election.