6 INEC commissioners deployed to oversee fresh polls

6 INEC commissioners deployed to oversee fresh polls


The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has deployed three national commissioners and three resident electoral commissioners to oversee the Abia state governorship and state assembly re-run elections which holds on Saturday, April 25, 2015.


The elections will take place in nine local government areas of the state.


INEC Head of Voter Education and Publicity Department, Edwin Enabor, told the NAN on Friday, April 24, that the commission is set for the re-run.


Enabor said that the materials for the polls have been distributed to the INEC offices in the affected local government areas. He expressed optimism that the exercise would be peaceful and hitch-free.


INEC had declared the governorship election in the state inconclusive, following the cancellation of results from some polling units in nine local government areas of the state.


The  Returning Officer, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba, said that no winner was declared because “the margin of lead was not in excess of the total number of registered voters in polling units where elections were cancelled or not held

They're threatening to kill me' - INEC Commissioner cries out

They're threatening to kill me' - INEC Commissioner cries out



The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Abia state, Professor Selina Oko, decried that she has been receiving death threats since the April 11 gubernatorial election held in the state, which was ruled inconclusive.


Speaking to Punch in an interview, Oko said she has reported the threats to the security agencies in the state.


"Yes, I have been getting calls threatening my life. I have been getting text messages about how they will shoot me through the window of my car,” the commissioner told the newspaper.


Oko had been alleged to be working in favour of Alex Otti, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate in the state, and the allegation also includes that she an aunt to the aspirant.


Reacting to the allegations, the Professor dismissed the claims, noting she didn’t know Otti until she got to Abia.


I did not know Otti until I came to Abia. I think Otti is from Abia. I am from Afikpo in Ebonyi State. He should go to Afikpo and trace my linage and see whether there is any link at all between me and Otti. I have never known Otti until this time. They are cooking up stories just to whip up sentiments. Besides if I am Otti’s aunt why should I then collect N300 million from him? One of such people whose allegation I read in black and white is the so-called National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Olisa Metuh. He said I am related to Otti. How can somebody at his level get information and not bother to verify it? All he did was to rush to the media and put it in black and white. There is something wrong with him. He is not fit to be a leader" Oko said.


However, the Independent Electoral Commission has deployed six commissioners to the state to oversee the governorship election re-run scheduled for Saturday, April 25, 2015.



Nigerian woman remanded for killing husband in the US

Nigerian woman remanded for killing husband in the US



Temitope Adebamiro, 35, has been arrested by the Police for the stabbing to death of her husband inside a New Castle County, Delaware home early Thursday morning.

She was charged with murder in the first degree and other related charges following the death of Adeyinka Adebamiro, 37.

The incident occurred just after 12:30 a.m. on the 1300 block of Healy Court.


Police say the couple were arguing when it became physical.

Adebamiro was found unconscious in a bedroom on the second floor with a chest wound.

Medics pronounced him dead at the scene.

The victim's wife was arraigned and committed to the Delores J. Baylor Women's Correctional Institution where she is being held without bail.



Jonathan addresses Buhari as 'President'

Jonathan addresses Buhari as 'President'



Incumbent President, Goodluck Jonathan and President-elect General Muhammadu Buhari look like a good 'team' in these photos taken after their closed-door meeting today, April 24, 2015.


The two leaders have kicked off the handing over process, with both parties' inauguration teams already working to together to ensure a smooth transition of government on May 29, 2015.


Jonathan was quoted to have referred to Buhari after the meeting as 'President.'


"We will take a date when the president will come and I will show him round the State House but today is not for that. Today is to continue with our conversation. We don’t need to worry the President,” Jonathan reportedly told State House correspondents.



Man meets Buhari after trekking from Lagos to Abuja

Man meets Buhari after trekking from Lagos to Abuja



The man, who vowed to trek from Lagos to Abuja if General Muhammadu Buhari wins the March 28 Presidential election to celebrate his victory, has finally met the President-elect.


The Ibadan-based man, Suleiman Hashimu, met Buhari in Abuja on Friday, April 24, 2015.


Hashimu spent 18 days trekking from Lagos to Abuja.


He narrates his experience; "I made a promise because of the love I have for Mr. President that if Buhari should win the 2015 elections, I will trek from Lagos to Abuja which I have done. I thank God that I made a promise and I fulfilled the promise. I passed through Kwara and Niger states to Abuja. I was trekking from 6.00am to 6.00pm and anywhere I find myself when it is 6.00pm, I pass the night there.I spent 18 days from Lagos to Abuja.


Once I found myself inside the bush by 6.00pm and I managed to continue the trek till 9.00pm to a nearby village. I made this promise two years ago. I am based in Ibadan and I started my journey from Lagos because Lagos is the most popular city in Nigeria and I started from Berger junction in Lagos. I am not bothered about what people think. It is a promise between me and my God. I don’t want anybody to believe me. I left Lagos because I made a promise. Right from Kwara state, I never walked alone for five kilometres. People always walk with me to the next village. I work with a construction company based in Ibadan.” he said.



Nigerian drug kingpins busted in Malaysia

Nigerian drug kingpins busted in Malaysia



The Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID), in Malaysia has revealed that nine Nigerian drug kingpins who used foreigners as drug mules were arrested in a major drug bust, resulting in RM2.5mil (S$933,000) worth of contraband substance seized, reports Asian One.


The multiple raids conducted in several parts of the country like Seri Kembangan, Cyberjaya, Bandar Sri Damansara and Shah Alam, show that the Nigerians had a well organized syndicate that uses other foreigners to bring in the drugs in canvass shoes from China.


The director of the NCID, Datuk Haris Wong Abdullah, said the drug lords ran separate syndicates which received their drug supplies via courier.


"The Nigerians are no longer depending on smuggled drugs from their home country. They are now getting their supply from China.


It is definitely a worrying trend as their source of supply is closer now. They were using Caucasians from South Africa and Australia as their mules.


They assumed the police would be less suspicious of Caucasians as drug mules compared to Asians, including Malaysians and Vietnamese they previously used.


However, we discovered that they recently smuggled drugs to Australia and even Israel.


They are becoming more brazen and were planning to expand their operations but we managed to put a stop to that."



Terrorists regrouping in Sambisa Forest

Terrorists regrouping in Sambisa Forest



Members of the Boko Haram sect are regrouping in Sambisa Forest, according to reports.


The terrorists have gathered in large numbers in the notorious stronghold forcing Nigerian soldiers to retreat, AFP reports.


“Boko Haram are in large numbers in Sambisa. All their fighters who were pushed out of Bama, Dikwa, Gwoza and Damboa (in Borno state) all moved to Boko Haram camps in Sambisa,” a member of the local vigilante, who chose to remain anonymous, said.


“Boko Haram have buried landmines all over the routes leading to their camps in the forest, which is no doubt a huge obstacle retarding the military offensive against them,” he added.


A major military operation to secure the forest started this week but was stalled by the deaths of one soldier and three vigilante members from landmine explosions.


National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki had earlier said that the troops would recapture the forest before May 29, 2015, when the government of President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari will be sworn in.