Author: Editor

Abia may burn if you declare wrong candidate winner of guber poll, group warns INEC By Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has been advised to thread with caution and strictly abide by its ethos in handling the collation of Abia governorship election results as declaring the wrong candidate winner of the contest might set the state ablaze. Executive Director, Initiative For Ideal Development And Emancipatory Leadership In Nigeria (IDEAL-NIGERIA), Pastor Innocent Nwokocha, gave the caution in a press statement over the logjam in collation of the gubernatorial election results. “We charge the electoral umpire to…

So, the dead voted for PDP in Obingwa, returned to their graves during assembly poll? – Abia patriots By Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia A coalition of Abia Patriots and Youth Leaders, teased the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over its claims that its governorship candidate, Okey Ahiwe, polled over 100,000 votes from Obingwa in the March 18 poll. The coalition which addressed a press conference Tuesday in Umuahia, argued that it could only be imaginary for Obingwa that recorded only 26,998 accredited voters during the election to turn around and give PDP over 100,000 votes. The Patriots and Youth Leaders…

Don’t set Abia on fire, declare guber poll result now, rights groups tell INEC By Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Abia State human rights and pro- democracy groups have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to save the state from avoidable crisis by resolving the logjam over the March 18 governorship election. The groups in a press statement, noted with dismay that INEC State Returning Officer, Resident Electoral Commissioner and other actors in the commission “are being pressured to admit the bloated results from Obingwa LGA of Abia state”. The statement was jointly signed by the State Coordinator Congress of…

It’s my turn to be senate president – Orji Kalu By Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Senate Chief Whip and Senator representing Abia North, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has declared that it is his turn to become the Senate President. The Abia former Governor who stated this at a press conference in Abuja, argued that he is the most ranking senator from the South East, and a chieftain of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, hence, he is eminently qualified to hold the office. Senator Kalu urged his party to zone the number three position to be South East, expressing confidence…

How strange fire gutted Onitsha main market By Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Mystery fire, Tuesday morning, razed a section of the popular Onitsha Main Market. The fire completely burnt down two-storey building housing the Onitsha main market Police Station and shops selling lace fabrics. Firefighters battled for hours to contain the inferno as some of the traders salvaged their goods while others watched in tears as the fire consumed their shops. Spokesman of Anambra Command of the Police, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said firefighters and policemen were on ground to control the fire and prevent looting. Efforts to get the reaction of…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), has called for the arrest and prosecution of the Deputy Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Amarachi Iwuanyanwu alongside others. The group said the arrest had become necessary following their alleged involvement in voter suppression, intimidation, and harassment during the State House of Assembly election held in the state on Saturday. A statement by the coalition said the elections were largely marred by voter intimidation and harassment by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) across the state in its desperation to sweep the polls.…

Abia guber poll: Stop audit of BVAS until our ICT expert from UK arrives, PDP tells INEC By Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The ruling Peoples Democratic Party in Abia State, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to halt further audit of the Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, machines used during the governorship election at Obingwa Local Government Area. PDP which accused the electoral umpire of bias, claimed that its agents were not allowed to observe the audit. The ruling party in a statement by its Acting Publicity Secretary, and Vice Chairman Abia North, Elder Abraham Amah, reminded INEC…

Nonsochukwu Uwa, Owerri The Imo State leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has described last Saturday’s Houses of Assembly poll where the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, won the entire twenty-seven Local Government Areas of the state as an electoral fraud that would not stand. PDP State Publicity Secretary, Collins Opurozor, disclosed this to newsmen in Owerri on Monday, while speaking on the outcome of the last Houses of Assembly elections in the state. PDP said the right thing to be done should be to review the last Saturday’s election results and the PDP candidates who won the elections…

Abia guber poll: APGA candidate congratulates Otti ahead of final declaration of result By Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Pending the resolution of the impasse arising from the collation of results of the Abia State governorship election, candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Professor Greg Ibe, has congratulated the Labour Party flag bearer, Dr Alex Otti who is already coasting to victory according to the results of 16 out of 17 Local Government Areas in the state. Otti is leading in 10 out of the 16 LGAs so far declared. The Labour Party candidate polled 171,747 votes while candidate of…

Assembly poll: Anambra govt denies spending N3.5b on vote buying, says allegations untrue Lawrence Nwimo, Awka Anambra State government has denied reports making rounds that it spent the sum of N3.5 billion on vote buying during the just concluded Assembly elections in the state. According to a release signed by the Press Secretary to Gov. Charles Soludo, Mr Christian Aburime those allegations are not only baseless but unfounded adding that the general public should disregard them. “The attention of the Government of Anambra State has been drawn to a false publication being peddled in some sections of the media bordering…