The Peoples Democratic Party in Kaduna State has elected a former Commissioner of Water Resources, Edward Masha, as its new Chairman
Masha polled 2,123 votes to defeat Comrade Danjuma Bello Sarki, who secured 250 votes, in the state congress held at the Kaduna Trade and Investment Centre on Saturday.
The election, monitored by Independent National Electoral Commission officials, national PDP officers, and the media, was conducted amidst tight security.
Other elected officials include Saidu Adamu as Secretary, Godiya Ayuba Lolo as State Woman Leader, and Mariya Dogo as State Publicity Secretary.
Lolo was voted the State PDP Woman Leader and scored 2,102 votes to defeat Angel Amadu, while Dogo, a former member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, polled 1,359 votes to emerge the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP to defeat her opponent Nuhu Dogo Makama who polled 525 votes.
Bronco won the Assistant Treasurer position with 1,544 votes, while Isman Ahmad Garba Garkuwa is the Vice Chairman Central with 2299 votes.
The immediate past Youth Leader, Aliyu Bello returned as Financial Secretary, while Barrister Khalid Khalid emerged as the new Legal Adviser among other positions.
The Total number of delegates accredited was 2,268.
In his acceptance speech, Masha promised inclusive leadership and an open-door policy. “We will reach out to our members, reconcile everybody, and create an atmosphere where everybody is carried along,” he said.
Outgoing Chairman Felix Hassan-Hyat urged party members to support the new leadership to reclaim the party’s former glory and consolidate previous victories.
Hyat, a former Minister of Aviation, also said the party must return to the victory path while emphasizing that all must work together towards consolidating the previous victory in the last elections of 2023, where the party grabbed the three senatorial seats, 10 House of Representatives seats as well as 13 House of Assembly members.
He added that the PDP’s focus now must shift to the upcoming Local Government elections, scheduled for October 19.
“With this new leadership, we are poised to return to winning ways,” Hyat added.
An 80-year-old grandfather, Aremu Shojobi, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency with 14 kilogrammes of cannabis.
According to the agency, Shojobi confessed to selling illicit drugs for the past 25 years.
Credit: #ndlea_nigeria
A statement on Sunday from the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, stated that the suspect obtained the drugs from Benin Republic.
Credit: #ndlea_nigeria
Babafemi said, “Operatives of the Lagos State Strategic Command of the agency arrested an 80-year-old grandfather, Pa Aremu Shojobi, with 14 kilograms of cannabis at his home in the Iyana Ipaja area of the state on Friday, 20th September. In his statement, the octogenarian claimed he had been in the business of selling illicit drugs for 25 years. He further claimed he sourced his supplies from Benin Republic and sold to his customers from his residence between 7 am and 10 pm every day.”
Babafemi also reported that a total of 25 million pills of tapentadol, an opioid three times stronger than tramadol, and 350,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup were recovered at the Tincan port complex in Lagos.
Credit: #ndlea_nigeria
He added that the seizures were made on 17th and 20th September 2024, from three containers that had been on the agency’s watchlist following processed intelligence.
“As a result, the NDLEA requested a 100% joint examination of the shipments with officers from the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies. The 25 million pills of tapentadol have an estimated street value of N13,725,000,000, while the codeine consignment has an estimated street value of N2,450,000,000, bringing the total value of the seizures to N14,950,000,000.
“The tapentadol consignment, packed in 500 cartons, was discovered in one of the containers on Tuesday, 17th September, while another container examined the same day contained 175,000 bottles of Barcadin cough syrup with codeine packed in 875 cartons. The third container, containing 175,000 bottles of CSC cough syrup with codeine, was examined on Friday, 20th September,” the statement added.
Credit: #ndlea_nigeria
Similarly, Babafemi reported that NDLEA operatives in Lagos, on 18th September, raided the homes of community leader and Sarkin Yamma of Badagry West LCDA, Alhaji Bashir Mohammed Talba, where a total of 226 kg of cannabis was recovered from his two wives and son.
He noted that although Alhaji Talba is currently at large, a search of his house in the Ashipa area of Seme Badagry led to the recovery of 93 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 57.6 kg from his first wife, Asma’u Bashiru, aged 35, and son, Sadat Bashiru, aged 22. Another search of his house in the Aketegbo area of Seme Badagry resulted in the seizure of 302 compressed blocks of cannabis weighing 168.6 kg from his second wife, Hauwa Bashir, aged 42.
“No less than 720 blocks of Arizona, a strain of cannabis weighing 390 kg, were also recovered from a Mitsubishi delivery van marked MUS 720 XH in the Ojo area of Lagos on Monday, 16th September,” he added.
Credit: #ndlea_nigeria
At Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, Babafemi stated that NDLEA operatives arrested a 38-year-old drug mule, Okafor Ifeanyi Anthony, on 15th September while attempting to board a Qatar Airlines flight to Iran via Doha with 76 wraps of cocaine in his stomach.
“After three days of observation, Okafor excreted the 76 pellets of ingested cocaine, weighing 1.267 kg. In Kogi State, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway on Tuesday, 17th September, recovered 700,000 pills of exol-5 coming from Lagos for distribution in Kano and Kaduna. A suspect, Udemefuna Chibuike, aged 23, was arrested by operatives on Friday, 20th September, along Mokwa-Jebba road, Niger State, in possession of 49,000 tablets of tramadol, 20,000 tablets of diazepam, 100 ampoules of tramadol injection, and 50 bottles of cough syrup with codeine,” Babafemi added.
The statement continued, “A total of 451 blocks of cannabis weighing 213 kg were intercepted along Azikiwe Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday, 18th September, by NDLEA officers who apprehended a suspect, Ogochukwu Paul, aged 33, conveying the consignment to a notorious drug haven in Borikiri.
“Meanwhile, operatives in Plateau State on Friday, 20th September, arrested a wanted suspect, Jonathan Ali Abuttur, aged 46, on Agingi-Rukuba Road, Bassa LGA, in possession of 808 kg of cannabis sativa concealed in 68 bags of sugar and fertiliser. Their counterparts in Kwara also nabbed Shaibu Musa with 28 kg of the same psychoactive substance.”
The Abia State Independent Electoral Commission unveiled its electoral calendar for the local government chairmanship and councillorship elections on Saturday.
This announcement comes as the chairpersons of various parties express concerns about meeting the timetable deadlines, scheduled for November 2, 2024, to usher in elected council chairpersons and 184 councillors across the 17 local government areas of Abia State.
During a meeting involving the 19 political parties in the state, along with security personnel, State House of Assembly members, and other observers, the Chairman of ABSIEC, Prof. George N. Chima, outlined the timetable as follows: Notice of Election (Saturday, September 21, 2024), Political Party Primaries (Wednesday, September 25, 2024 – Friday, October 4, 2024), Submission of List of Candidates by Political Parties (Saturday, October 5, 2024 – Monday, October 7, 2024), Screening of Candidates by ABSIEC (Tuesday, October 8, 2024 – Thursday, October 10, 2024). Hearing of Appeals/Complaints by the Appeals Screening Committee (Friday, October 11, 2024 – Saturday, October 12, 2024), Substitution and Screening of Substituted Candidates (Monday, October 14, 2024 – Tuesday, October 15, 2024), Final Publication of List of Candidates (Wednesday, October 16, 2024), Electioneering Campaigns (Friday, October 18, 2024 – Thursday, October 31, 2024), Notice of Polls (Friday, October 18, 2024), and Local Government Election Date (Saturday, November 2, 2024).
Addressing the parties, the ABSIEC Chairman stated, “We all understand the importance of a democratic system of governance in local government, as it is where the greater number of the governed reside. Proper attention should be paid to ensuring a credible system of electing its operators.”
“The essence of this meeting is to assure you of the commission’s true desire and determination to ensure that the right things are done rightly. In the past, there has been apprehension regarding the impartiality of the umpires in this onerous responsibility, but our commitment to ushering in true democratic principles remains pivotal.”
“The present commission comprises men and women of integrity and outstanding pedigree, committed to changing the narrative. Our assurance to you is that the elections for our various local government councils in 2024 will no longer be business as usual. The commission is highly determined to ensure the elections are free, fair, and credible.”
He called on all stakeholders to ensure that contestants and political parties adhere to the rules, as this will complement the commission’s efforts to achieve the common goal of effective and credible governance.
However, political parties present at the meeting raised concerns about the credibility of council members, the lack of information regarding the cost of forms, and the inability to involve parties, including the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), in planning the timetable, as well as the lateness of the timetable’s announcement.
When questioned afterward, Chima did not provide a budgetary estimate for the election, stating that all “conventional and unconventional security apparatuses” would be employed to conduct the elections, and further guidelines regarding the cost of election forms would be forthcoming.
The ruling All Progressives Congress on Saturday warned Nigerians to ignore pockets of Edo governorship election figures making the round on social media, saying they are not a reflection of the current results being collated by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja.
In the statement, Morka alleged that the fake figures are being peddled around online to create panic among the people.
The APC spokesman added that the electoral umpire is currently collating all the figures at the ward level.
He said, “The attention of the All Progressives Congress has been drawn to some reports circulating in sections of social media by certain political parties peddling bogus figures of vote tallies in the ongoing Edo State Gubernatorial Election. We urge the Edo state electorate and the general public to disregard these bogus and highly speculative reports.
“Our great party wishes to clarify that collation at the Ward level is still ongoing and has yet to be concluded. Certainly, Local Government level collation has yet to begin in most of the LGAs in the state let alone conclude. Consistent with the Electoral Act, INEC is the sole authorized body empowered to collate results at the Ward, Local Government, and State levels, and to officially declare the result of the Election.
“Our great Party is comfortably in an early lead, however, as a responsible Party, we will not attempt to preempt INEC’s conclusion of the election process and official declaration of final results. We urge members of the public to disregard this attempted misrepresentation and await INEC’s final verdict on the election.”
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The Peoples Democratic Party chairmanship candidate in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, Salahudeen Lukman, has sated that council election didn’t take place in the area.
In a statement on Saturday, Lukman said election fixed for today, Saturday didn’t hold in the local government due to severe logistical failures and irregularities.
The PDP candidate also berated the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission for failing to deploy election materials early to various piling units in the council.
The statement read, “The good people of Offa Local Government experience another great disappointment in the unworthy act of kwara state Independent Electoral Commission kwasiec today, the People’s Democratic Party and concerned stakeholders in Offa Local Government Area wish to notify the general public and relevant authorities that no election took place today, September 21st, 2024, in Offa LG due to severe logistical failures and irregularities.
“Despite the election being scheduled to commence at 8:00 am, as at 1:00 pm, voting materials had yet to arrive at 95% of the polling units across the 173 polling units in Offa Local Government Area.
“The few Where materials were delivered, critical components such as ballot papers were incomplete, and result sheets were entirely unavailable in all units.
“This unfortunate situation has left voters frustrated and unable to exercise their democratic rights. The delays and lack of essential materials call into question the credibility and preparedness of the electoral process in Offa LG.
“We call on the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC) to urgently address these issues and reschedule the election in a transparent and timely manner to ensure that the people of Offa can participate in a free, fair, and credible election.
“We urge all citizens to remain calm and await further updates from the relevant authorities.”
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The Anambra State Police Command says it has raided a criminal hide out in Lilu, Mbosi in Isseke, Ihiala Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement on Saturday, the spokesman for the state police, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the raid was following security intelligence gathered over time, adding it’s joint security forces carried out the operation.
Ikenga said three unexploded improvised explosives, two abandoned vehicles, some explosives materials like copper wires, fuel and other dangerous materials were recovered during the raid.
The statement read, “Following the security intelligence gathered over time, the Joint Security Forces in a planned and coordinated operation busted a criminal camp in Lilu, Mbosi and Isseke areas of Ihiala LGA, recovered three unexploded improvised explosives, two abandoned vehicles, some explosives materials like copper wires, fuel and other dangerous materials.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Itam, while charging the operatives to sustain the tempo of the operations assured the good people of the state, the commitment of the Police and other security agencies to continue to dominate and deny the criminal elements the space they enjoy to commit havoc in the State.
“The joint operations are still ongoing and further development shall be communicated.”
Some yet-to-be-identified assailants on Monday attacked the Umunze Police Station in Orumba South Local Government Area of the state.
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The Peoples Democratic Party has encouraged its supporters in Edo State to closely monitor the governorship election results to prevent manipulation.
In a statement released on Saturday, the PDP, through its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure that all results announced at polling units are transparently uploaded to the INEC server.
The party also called for the proper declaration of these results at the collation centres in accordance with the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC guidelines for the Edo State governorship election.
The statement read in part: “The Peoples Democratic Party directs its members and supporters in Edo State to follow the results of the Edo State governorship election from the polling units to the ward, local government, and state collation centres to prevent any manipulation or alteration by the All Progressives Congress.
“Our party demands that INEC ensures that all results, as announced at the polling units, are transparently uploaded to the INEC server and duly declared at the collation centres in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC guidelines for the Edo State governorship election.
“The PDP counsels the APC to respect the will of the people of Edo State as expressed at the polling units. The PDP commends the people of Edo State for their resilience in enforcing their will at the polling units despite the schemes of the APC, and charges them to remain alert, ready to firmly defend their votes as they await the final result declaration heralding our victory.”
In a related matter, the PDP has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of INEC Presiding Officer, Obozuwa Josephine, for allegedly assigning non-existent votes to the APC.
The party claims that the election result sheet for the Osholo Primary School Polling Unit in Weppa, Etsako East Local Government Area, indicates that while 213 voters were accredited, Obozuwa Josephine unlawfully allocated 352 votes to the APC, 52 to the PDP, and one to the Labour Party, totalling 406 votes cast.
Ologunagba’s statement continued: “It is highly provocative that INEC’s Presiding Officer, Obozuwa Josephine, could be so compromised by the APC as to audaciously and feloniously allocate 352 votes to the APC, above the 213 voters officially accredited in that polling unit.
“This reckless act by Obozuwa Josephine is reminiscent of the criminal conduct of the former Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Hudu Ari, during the 2023 governorship election in that state, which provoked violent protests and nearly led to the loss of lives of INEC officials.
“Obozuwa Josephine should note that this criminal action could provoke similar consequences.”
The PDP contends that Obozuwa Josephine’s action is just one of many cases of electoral fraud, ballot manipulation, betrayal of public trust, and crimes against the state allegedly perpetrated in this election by the APC and unscrupulous INEC officials, which must not go unpunished.
The party reiterated its previous warnings that the APC had compromised the INEC system by placing its members in roles as polling officers to manipulate the electoral process and alter results in favour of the APC.
It continued: “The PDP demands that INEC effect the immediate arrest and prosecution of the indicted presiding officer, Obozuwa Josephine, cancel the election in Osholo Primary School Polling Unit, and take steps to address other such infractions in this election.
“Our party again commends the people of Edo State for their vigilance and urges them to remain resilient until the end.”
A landlord and his tenant in the Modugari area of Maiduguri in Boron State on Saturday had a verbal face-off over whose responsibility it is to reconstruct the parts of the apartment that were damaged by the recent flooding which ravaged the state capital and environs.
According to Online reported that the recent flooding which is currently receding, displaced millions of residents and destroyed houses and properties worth millions of Naira.
During the argument which led to verbal abuse the Landlord of the apartment, Moses Tegwolo, told our correspondent that the flood was a natural disaster while noting that tenants can not pin the damage on the landlord.
“I was affected by the flood, I am even yet to repair my side. Am I the cause of the damage?, how will he be telling me that if he repairs it, he will remove the money when next he wants to pay rentage”, the Landlord said.
He continued, “If he can’t stay, he is free to leave. Besides, I told him, let me bring a bricklayer, let them do the estimate. At most, we will just share the loss on a certain percentage. He is insisting.”
Explaining his side of the story, the tenant, Ahmed Isah, said when he rented the apartment, it was not in good shape and had spent a lot of money trying to put it together.
“When I came here a few months ago, I painted this room, fixed some broken parts on the floor, and even the window when it broke. Nothing was taken out of my rent, and now the flood has destroyed the cemented floor, walls and the house doors. I should still fix everything.
“Since he has said that he will agree to let us share the loss by percentage, no problem, they should come for the estimate. I just hope the percentage division will favour me because things are difficult now.”
According to Online, however, gathered that after occupants from neighbouring apartments intervened, both parties (Landlord and tenant) later agreed on a percentage division of the total amount spent on the repairs.
The ruling All Progressives Congress, on Saturday, congratulated the First Lady and wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on the occasion of her 64th birthday anniversary.
The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, disclosed this in a congratulatory message issued in Abuja.
In the statement, Morka described her as a philanthropist and exemplary spouse who stood by President Bola Tinubu throughout his political career.
He said, “Our great party celebrates Senator Tinubu who has been a solid pillar of support to her husband through his sojourn as a pro-democracy activist, senator, governor, and now President, entrusted with the mandate to reposition our dear country for greatness and prosperity.
“A true mother of the nation and long-standing philanthropist, she has continued to empower millions of youth, women, senior citizens and vulnerable groups to live better lives under the banner of flagship platforms, including the Renewed Hope Initiative and New Era Foundation. Senator Tinubu has extended scholarships to Nigerian students, financial support for women in various economic endeavours, and medical assistance to many citizens, among other interventions.
“On behalf of the National Chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, members of the National Working Committee and members of the party, we join the first family, friends, and well-wishers to celebrate our dear First Lady’s 64th anniversary of a life of immeasurable impact. We pray God, in His infinite mercies, to grant you many more years in excellent health to continue your service to our dear nation, and humanity.”
No fewer than nine suspects have been arrested by personnel of the Nigeria Police Force during the ongoing Edo State governorship election.
While eight were arrested for suspected vote buying, the ninth suspect posed as a fake journalist, claiming to be a staff member of a leading television station in the country.
In a statement on Saturday, the Force Spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said two suspects, Emotingham Godspower and Farawei Isaac, are key members of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Adejobi added that the two PDP members are connected to two kingpins identified as “Atiku” and “The Boss.” He said, “In yet another comprehensive operation, police operatives conducted synchronized raids on identified black spots on September 20, 2024, at approximately 1900 hours.
The well-coordinated effort led to the arrest of two key suspects, Emotingham Godspower (25) and Farawei Isaac (27), both from the Ufunama community, Ovia South West LGA, Edo State.
“The suspects, connected to a larger network involving one ‘Atiku’ and a kingpin known as ‘The Boss,’ were apprehended at So Cash Guest House in Ekpoma, where a substantial amount of cash and incriminating items were recovered.
These items included a list of voters’ names with corresponding monetary values, a collection of pre-filled ballot papers, and a set of fake identification cards.”
He also stated that six other suspects were arrested with a large sum of money, weapons, and other items.
Adejobi added, “Furthermore, six suspects, namely Suleiman Abdurahim, Fatima Yakubu, Yusuf Aminat (52 years), Salihu Lukman (54 years), and Safianu Saratu (32 years), were all arrested at Aibotse Secondary School, beside Meremu Hotel, Auchi, for engaging in vote buying.
This group was found with a large sum of money, a cache of weapons, and a detailed plan outlining strategies for voter intimidation.
“A fake journalist, who claimed to be a staff member of one of Nigeria’s leading television stations, was also apprehended, further highlighting the extent of the criminal network.
“Our team’s meticulous planning and swift action have dealt a significant blow to those seeking to undermine and discredit the electoral process. We remain vigilant and committed to ensuring a free, fair, and peaceful election. Investigations are ongoing, and updates will be provided as events unfold.”
