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REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN, INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC), PROF. MAHMOOD YAKUBU, AT THE SECOND REGULAR QUARTERLY CONSULTATIVE MEETING WITH POLITICAL PARTIES FOR 2024 HELD AT THE INEC CONFERENCE ROOM, ABUJA, ON MONDAY 13TH MAY 2024

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Chairmen and other Leaders of Political Parties
National Commissioners
The Secretary to the Commission
Other Senior Officials of the Commission
Members of the INEC Press Corps
Ladies and Gentlemen

1.​ It is my pleasure to welcome you to our second regular quarterly consultative meeting for this year following our first meeting held two months ago on Tuesday 19th March 2024. You may recall that the meeting focused mainly on two issues. The first was 9 bye-elections and 38 re-run elections in 26 States of the Federation held on 3rd February 2024. With the exception of two State Assembly constituencies in Enugu and Kano States disrupted by violence and thuggery, winners have emerged from 45 out of 47 constituencies. The Commission is remobilising to conclude the outstanding re-run elections following the recent conclusion of consultations with stakeholders in the two States. The second, is the forthcoming off-cycle Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States.

2.​ Today’s meeting will update party leaders on preparations for the Edo and Ondo State Governorship elections. As you are aware, the Edo State Governorship election is holding in the next four months on Saturday 21st September 2024 while the Ondo Governorship election holds in the next six months on Saturday 16th November 2024.

3.​ The Commission has already published the final list of candidates for the Edo State Governorship election following the conclusion of party primaries and the end of the period for withdrawal and substitution of candidates as provided in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election. Campaign in public by political parties commenced on Wednesday 24th April 2024 and will end at midnight on Thursday 19th September 2024 i.e. 24 hours before the date fixed for the election as provided by law. Let me therefore seize this opportunity to once again reiterate to party leaders the need to continue to maintain law and order during the electioneering process and beyond. As we inch closer to Election Day in Edo State, it is also imperative to remind political parties of the need to adhere strictly to the timeline for the upload of the list of polling and collation agents to the dedicated portal. Doing so will enable the Commission to produce and deliver the identity cards in good time for the expected 76,823 Polling Unit agents and 3,587 Ward, Local Government and State collation agents for the 17 political parties participating in the election.

4.​ Turning to Ondo State, political parties have just concluded their primaries. Eighteen (18) political parties conducted primaries monitored by the Commission. I wish to remind you that parties have one week to the deadline for the nomination of candidates which is 6.00pm on Monday 20th May 2024 when the portal automatically shuts down. I urge you to adhere strictly to the deadline. Political parties have been given 23 days (over three weeks) from the end of primaries to prepare and submit the list of only two candidates (Governorship candidate and running mate) to the Commission. There will be no extension of time.

5.​ As the elections in the two States approach, the Commission has decided to resume the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in the two States to enable eligible citizens who are not registered voters to do so. Similarly, those who are registered voters also have the opportunity to transfer their registration from other States of the federation to Edo and Ondo States or from one location to another within the two States. Let me reiterate that the CVR is only open to new registrants and those who seek to transfer their registration. Persons who are registered as voters should not attempt to register again as double or multiple registration is illegal. Lost or damaged voters’ cards will be replaced during the exercise but this does require fresh registration. The CVR in Edo and Ondo States will take place simultaneously from Monday 27th May 2024 to Wednesday 5th June 2024 from 9.00am to 3.00pm daily including the weekend.

6.​ Taking into consideration the limited time to the Governorship elections, the Commission has decided to conduct the registration at Ward level and our State headquarters instead of our Local Government offices and a few designated centers as was case in the past. This means that there will be 192 Ward registration centres in Edo State and 203 centres in Ondo State, in addition to our State offices in Benin City and Akure, making a total of 397 walk-in registration centres in the two States. There will be no online pre-registration option in the two States because of time constraint. Each centre will be managed by two officials drawn from our regular staff and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). In the next few days, the Commission will commence the training of at least 794 officials for the exercise. The locations of the registration centres as well as other relevant information have been compiled in a detailed 28-page document included in your folders for this meeting. The same information will be uploaded to our website and social media platforms for public information shortly.

7.​ The Commission therefore appeals to political parties and other stakeholders to join us in mobilising prospective registrants for the exercise, particularly on the need to register early and not wait until the deadline approaches when the registration centres are inundated by eleventh hour registrants.

8.​ In addition to the registration of voters, the Commission will also make available the uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) for collection during the CVR. In the coming days, the list of uncollected PVCs will be published in our offices in the two States and simultaneously uploaded to our website. Again, we encourage those who have not collected their PVCs in the two States to seize the opportunity to do so.

9.​ Before I conclude, I would also like to inform party leaders about the existence of vacancies in National and State Assemblies caused by either death or resignation of Honourable Members in three States and one Federal constituencies across the country. As soon as preparations are concluded, the Commission will announce the dates for bye-elections in Khana 2 State Constituency of Rivers State, the Bagwai/Shanono State constituency of Kano State, the Zaria Kewaye State Constituency of Kaduna State and the Garki/Babura Federal Constituency of Jigawa State.

10.​ Once again welcome you to this meeting. I thank you and God bless.

 

 

EVENTS

Three Airtel Staffs Confirmed Dead in Terrorist Attack

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Tragedy struck in Gumki village, Arewa Local Government Area of Kebbi State, when suspected Lakurawa terrorists launched a brutal attack, killing three Airtel staff and one local resident.

The peaceful border community, nestled between Nigeria and Niger Republic, became a scene of horror as the attackers targeted a telecommunication project in the area.

The terrorists reportedly stormed the village upon discovering that Airtel Communication Nigeria Ltd was installing a surveillance mast in partnership with the Nigeria Immigration Service.

Their deadly raid, which occurred late on January 10th, left a trail of grief and shattered lives.

The Kebbi State Police Command, through its Public Relations Officer, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, confirmed the harrowing incident, stating that four lives were lost in the assault.

In response to the attack, the Commissioner of Police, Kebbi State Command, CP Bello M. Sani, swiftly led a security team to the site.

The corpses of the victims were evacuated to Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Birnin Kebbi, while additional tactical units were deployed to bolster security in the region.

CP Sani, in collaboration with the Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kebbi State Command, CIS Muhammad Bashir Lawali, also met with key stakeholders, urging them to provide timely intelligence to aid security operations.

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Major shake-up in Army as new GOCs, PSOs, MNJTF Commander appointed

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By: Kingsley Omonobi

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Olufemi Oluyede has appointed new General Officers Commanding (GOCs), new Principal Staff Officers (PSOs), new Corps Commanders and a new Commander, Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in a strategic move to enhance operational effectiveness and administrative efficiency.

The newly appointed GOCs are Major General OT Olatoye from Nigerian Army School of Infantry to Headquarters 82 Division/Joint Task Force (JTF) South East Operation Udoka (OPUK) as GOC 82 Division/Commander JTF OPUK and Maj Gen EF Oyinlola from Department of Military Secretary to Headquarters 3 Division as GOC 3 Division/ Commander Operation Safe Haven (OPSH).

Other GOCs whose acting appointments were confirmed are Maj Gen AGL Haruna as GOC 7 Division/Commander Sector 1 JTF North East Operation Hadin Kai and Maj Gen IA Ajose as GOC 8 Division/Commander Sector 2 JTF North West Operation Fasan Yanma.

Maj Gen GM Mutkut is posted from Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre to Headquarters Multi-National Joint Task Force Njamena as the Force Commander while Maj Gen GO Adeshina is redeployed from Headquarters Nigerian Army Signals to Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre and appointed Director General.

Some of the senior officers appointed as PSOs at the Army Headquarters include Maj Gen LA Fejokwu, from National Defence College to Department of Army Administration and appointed Chief of Administration (Army), Maj Gen GU Chibuisi, from Nigerian Army Resource Centre to Department of Civil Military Affairs and appointed Chief of Civil Military Affairs and Maj Gen AS Ndalolo, also from the Nigerian Army Resource Centre to Department of Army Training and appointed Chief of Training (Army).

Others include Maj Gen OS Abai, from the Department of Army Training to the Department of Army Transformation and Innovation, appointed Chief of Transformation and Innovation and Maj Gen JH Abdussalam from Headquarters 6 Division to the Department of Special Services and Programmes and appointed Chief of Special Services and Programmes.

Maj Gen EI Okoro has been redeployed from the Department of Army Logistics to the Department of Military Secretary and appointed Military Secretary (Army).

The redeployment also featured Maj Gen MC Kangye from Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery to Defence Headquarters as the Director of Media Operations.

Senior officers appointed as Corps Commanders include Maj Gen OC Ajunwa from Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre to Headquarters Nigerian Army Armour Corps and appointed Commander, Maj Gen HT Wesley from the Department of Special Services and Programmes to Headquarters Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps, appointed Commander

Maj Gen TT Numbere from Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre to Headquarters Nigerian Army Engineers and appointed Commander.

Maj Gen NC Ugbo moves from Department of Civil Military Affairs to Headquarters Nigerian Army Signals and appointed Commander, Maj Gen ZL Abubakar from Department of Army Transformation and Innovation to Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery and appointed Commander.

Maj Gen AP Oguntola from Nigerian Army College of Education Science and Technology to Headquarters Nigerian Army Education Corps and appointed Corps Commander.

Other senior officers also affected by the redeployment are Maj Gen JO Sokoya, appointed Commandant Nigerian Army Training Centre, Maj Gen UM Alkali appointed Commandant Army War College Nigeria, while Maj Gen FS Etim from the Department of Army Transformation and Innovation is redeployed to Nigerian Army School of Infantry, appointed Commandant.

Maj Gen AB Mohammed has been redeployed from the Department of Army Operations to Depot Nigerian Army and appointed commandant.

Other newly appointed senior officers are Maj Gen IE Ekpenyong now Commandant of Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering and Maj Gen AO Adegbite appointed Commandant of Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport, while Brig Gen AM Umar is redeployed from Army War College Nigeria to Warrant Officers Academy and appointed Commandant, among others.

A statement by the Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu said, “The Chief of Army Staff has directed all newly appointed senior officers to bring renewed vigour, dedication and commitment to their duties, particularly while ensuring the sustenance of the ongoing onslaught against terrorism, insurgency and other threats to national security.

“He equally charged them to ensure that the welfare of troops remained paramount as they assumed their new appointments.

“The reshuffling underscores Nigerian Army’s commitment to ensuring robust and dynamic leadership structure capable of addressing emerging security challenges.”

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EVENTS

National grid collapses first time in 2025

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Nigeria’s national power grid collapsed on January 11, plunging the country into darkness.

The failure occurred around 3 pm, reducing power generation from 2,111 MW earlier in the day to just 390 MW.

This blackout marks the first grid collapse of the year and the 13th in the past 13 months, affecting millions nationwide.

Reports indicate partial restoration efforts, with generation climbing to 302 MW as of late afternoon.

Authorities have yet to disclose the cause of the outage, but investigations are expected to follow.

More to come…

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