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Thump-Printing Of Ballot Papers Still Going On In Rivers -Abe

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2 years ago

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Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, has alleged that there is still ongoing thump-printing of ballot papers of the just concluded governorship election in the state.

The allegation is coming more than 48 hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) concluded the collation and announcement of the result of the governorship election in the state.

Abe, who spoke yesterday while addressing journalists in Port Harcourt, the state capital, said the continued thump-printing was to match figures that had already been declared.

He said: “Ogoni people were clearly disenfranchised in this election; they were not allowed to vote. All their votes they voted, as soon as people finished accreditation, particularly in Tai local government area, all the materials were carted away.

“In a lot of places, thumb-printing is still going on even as we speak to match figures that have already been declared. Nigeria can do better.”

The SDP governorship candidate declared that over 100 members of the party were arrested before the March 18, 2023 election and were still being detained by the Police.

Abe said: “Over 100 SDP members were arrested even before the election. Every other person arrested before and during the election have been released, it is only SDP members that are being transferred to SCID for electoral offences.”

He denied congratulating the Siminalaye Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on his emergence as governor-elect, pointing out that the congratulatory letter was forged by the state government.

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The SDP governorship candidate said: “Let me say this, the source of that congratulatory letter is the Rivers State government because if you read the letter and you listen to the governor’s broadcast, they are one and the same thing. So, they are the source of the letter.

“The night before the election, the governor made broadcast. Out of the whole people that he declared wanted, over 70 percent of them were from Ogoni. So, I wasn’t ready for the election, why was he targeting Ogoni? Everything they did was to ensure that Ogoni people were disenfranchised.

“In you see, in Khana, all the ballot papers were missed up. Everything was done and at the end of the day, the total votes in Khana was less than 6,000 and I am not ready for the election. Every target in this whole exercise; the Police came here, their only target was to destroy the SDP.

“Our members were being specifically targeted and arrested all across the state on the instructions of the governor. So, when you finish doing all that, you say we were not ready for the election. Those who want to know when people are ready for election should allow an election to hold.

“When you allow an election to hold, then you will know those are ready for election and those who are not ready for an election. You cannot lock up the entire state by violence and say people are not ready for an election.

“What are we supposed to do if we are ready for an election? Is it not for people to come out with their PVC’s and present themselves at the polling units? Where in Rivers State could ordinary people peacefully go and present themselves at a polling unit to cast votes for candidates of their choice?”

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Politics

Obasa Presides Over Lagos Assembly With 4 Members

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14 hours ago

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February 28, 2025

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Rt Hon Mudashiru Obasa has launched a comeback into the Lagos State House of Assembly and presided over as a speaker with four members in attendance.

Obasa was impeached while on a trip to the US, but there have been controversies and insinuations about his coming back, which manifested yesterday, Thursday.

However, other Lagos State House of Assembly members have rejected Mudashiru Obasa’s claim that he remains the speaker.

This development coincided with the recent withdrawal of Meranda’s security aides, but the police said they had restored Meranda’s security details last night.

Speaking with journalists at the assembly complex, the lawmakers reaffirmed their support for Meranda’s leadership.

Stephen Ogundipe, a member representing Oshodi-Isolo constituency 1, who spoke on behalf of the lawmakers, called on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos to intervene in the leadership crisis.

“Our leaders approached us with the idea that we should remain calm and take things easy. But we are surprised to see what is happening here today,” he said.

“We won’t take laws into our hands, just as we told the staff not to do so. However, we all belong to different constituencies and have our mandate. Whatever happens, the leadership should speak with us and not this charade we are seeing.

“We are not happy; we have been law-abiding. We have not gone out of our way against the state.

“We also want to be respected, to be given our dignity. To be shown that we are elected. I’m appealing to the leadership of our party that we cannot continue this way.”

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PDP elders caution against unguarded utterances on political happenings in Benue

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1 day ago

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February 27, 2025

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Elders of the Benue chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have cautioned against unguarded utterances on the ongoing political happenings in the state.

The elders spoke on Thursday through the Chairman of G14, Dr Laha Dzever, and G9 Chief Elisha Amali during a press conference in Makurdi.

The PDP elders caution was a reaction to the APC elders press conference wherein they supported the removal of the Chief Judge and castigated all those against it.

The PDP elders urged other elders in the state to be statesmanly in their outings, especially on state issues.

Dzever said they found it disturbing that esteemed elders would choose to criticise the unassailable position of the Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Aba Moro, whose statements were firmly rooted in the rule of law.

“The primary concern of elders is to embrace, support and promote peace, which is necessary for societal stability currently desired in our dear state, Benue. It is unelderly to do otherwise.

“We therefore advise that those in positions of authority should act with decorum and responsibility to promote genuine development, progress and prosperity for the entire people of Benue.

“Democracy thrives on the rule of law, not on the whims and caprices of any arm of government,” he said.

Dzever said that they were concerned about the actions of the Benue State House of Assembly and therefore advised them to return to status quo.

He said many of the suspended members of the assembly were PDP members and should be allowed to diligently discharge their duties.

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“The judiciary, as a separate arm of government and a cornerstone of democracy, must not be diluted with politics.

“We advise the Benue State House of Assembly to act judiciously and responsibly, always ensuring that decisions concerning judicial officers are made with integrity and fairness but above all to be rooted in the rule of law and due process,” he said.

Dzever, who acknowledged the significance of good governance, urged the people to understand that blind allegiance does not amount to tangible improvements in the lives of the people.

“Our major challenge in Benue State now is insecurity.

“The APC government in the state and at the federal level should therefore concentrate largely on securing the state immediately.

“We equally emphasise the need for transparency and accountability in governance,”he added. (NAN)

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Lagos Assembly crisis: Speaker Meranda’s security aides withdrawn

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1 day ago

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February 27, 2025

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All security aides attached to Speaker Mojisola Meranda of the Lagos State House of Assembly have been withdrawn.

ELANZANEWS can report that as of Thursday morning, security details attached to the speaker including police officers have been withdrawn.

ELANZANEWS cannot immediately verify who authorised the withdrawal but a source close to the Speaker confirmed that Meranda was now vulnerable.

All the Speaker’s security aides have been withdrawn. All the security aides attached to the House of Assembly have also been withdrawn,” the source said, lamenting that the “the speaker is now vulnerable.”

ELANZANEWS reports that the development comes amid information that Meranda may resign from the position as Speaker.

The move follows intervention of the heavyweights of the All Progressives Congress including Chief Bisi Akande and Aremo Olusegun Osoba, who are former governors of Osun and Ogun states respectively.

The meditating panel led by the duo met last Sunday with key stakeholders at the House including members of the Governance Advisory Council at the Governor’s Lodge in Marina.

The panel, according to GAC members at the meeting, are recommending the resignation of Mudashiru Obasa and that Meranda should also step down for a new lawmaker from Lagos West to take the mantle of the House leadership.

Another source in the Obasa camp also said all aides attached to Obasa have now been restored.

“They have been restored all Obasa’s security aides as of this morning,” the source said.

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