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Guber Polls: APC Wins In 14 States, PDP In Five

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the Governor of Ogun, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun, winner of the Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Duro Oni,  who is the state returning officer for the election, made the declaration yesterday  in Abeokuta.
Amosun, who contested the election on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC), beat Mr Gboyega Isiaka of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the second position.
According to the returning officer, Amosun won in 11 out of the 20 local government areas in the state.
He said that  the governor polled a total of 306,988 votes of the total 578, 378 votes cast in the election in which 16 political parties contested., Isiaku scored 201,440 while the SDP candidate got 25,825.
Oni explained that 599, 486 voters were accredited out of the total 1,759,754 registered voters in the state, adding that 22, 948 votes were voided out of the total 578,378 votes cast.
The returning officer said  that elections were cancelled for various reasons in nine polling centres at Odeda, Sagamu and Ogun, all waterside local governments areas of the state.
Oni, however, said that the 2,343 votes from the centres where the elections were cancelled did not affect the result of the election.
In Gombe, Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State was re-elected as governor of the state.
Dankwanbo of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 285,369 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 205,132 votes.
Announcing the result in Gombe yesterday, the Returning Officer for the state, Prof. Saminu Ibrahim, said that the governor won the polls in 10 local government areas out of the 11 in the state.
He said that the APC candidate won in one local government area, adding that African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Alhaji Jafar Abubakar, came third with 848 votes.
The returning officer consequently declared Dankwambo, with the highest votes cast, winner of the election.
He said out of the 1.1 million registered voters in the state, 535,508 were accredited while 506,768 votes were cast during the polls.
In Adamawa, half way into the collation of the Governorship election results, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has conceded defeat.
Ribadu in a statement issued by his spokesman, Malam AbdulAziz Ahmad, said he had accepted the outcome of the election in good faith.
“I came into this race with lofty dreams and clear vision for our dear state, but the voice of the majority has not given me this chance. I take this in good faith.
“I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the winner and pray that at the end of it all our dear state will witness the needed progress and development it so much desires”, Ribadu said.
Ribadu lauded the support he got from President Goodluck Jonathan, party leaders and the people of Adamawa in general.
Ribadu concession statement was made shortly after the announcement of the result of 12 out of the 21 Local Government Areas of Adamawa by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The collation of the results for the remaining nine Local government areas continue.
In Kaduna, Malam Nasir El-Rufai of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has won the governorship election.
El-Rufai, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, defeated 14 other candidates, including Governor Mukhtar Yero who contested on the platform of the PDP.
The Returning Officer for the state, Prof. Jafar Kaura, said El-Rufai emerged victorious with 1, 117, 635 votes to defeat his closest rival, Yero of the PDP, who secured 485, 833 votes.
Kura said a total of 1, 710, 935 people were accredited for the election of which 1, 660, 109 voted.
According to him, 27, 116 votes were rejected while 65, 386 votes from 112 pulling units in 16 local government areas were cancelled due to various electoral offences.
The state has a total of 3, 357, 469 registered voters.
In reaction, Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State yesterday congratulated Malam Nasiru El-Rufai for winning the April 11 governorship election in the state.
Yero, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Candidate, called El-Rufai on phone at about 3:00p.m to concede defeat and congratulate the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for winning the election.
Mr Samuel Aruwan, Media Officer of the state APC Campaign Council, who stated this in Kaduna, said El-Rufai thanked the governor for his magnanimity in defeat.
“He congratulated El-Rufai and wish him success, he prayed for peace and development of Kaduna State and Nigeria at large.
“El-Rufai in his response thanked Yero and wished him all the best and hope to see him soon,” Aruwan said.
The collation of the results was still going on with just one local government out of the 23 remaining as at 4:50 p.m.
In Katsina, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Masari, has won the governorship election in Katsina State under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Returning Officer, Prof. Lawal Bilbis, said on Sunday that Masari polled 943,085 votes to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Musa Nashuni, who scored 476,768 votes in the Saturday’s elections.
Bilbis said that PDM candidate, Sen. Yakubu Lado, got 50,361 votes, while Alhaji Umar Abdullahi of APGA secured 42,302 votes.
According to the retuning officer, seven political parties took part in the election.
“Having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest the number of votes, Aminu Bello Masari of APC is declared the winner and returned elected,’’ Bilbis said.
He said that the election was free, fair and conducted in accordance with the law.
Also in Bauchi, the All Progressive Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in Bauchi State, Barr.Mohammed Abubakar, had been declared winner of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
Announcing the result of the election yesterday in Bauchi, the Returning Officer, Prof. Mohammed Faruk, said Abubakar polled 654,934 votes, to defeat nine other contestants.
His closest opponent, Mr Mohammed Jatau of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), secured 282,650 votes.
Declaring Abubakar as the winner, Prof. Faruk said that the APC candidate had satisfied Section 179(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, having garnered highest number of total votes cast, and also secured the minimum number of votes required in each of the 20 Local Government Areas of the state.
With official announcement of the result, the state now has Barr. Mohammed Abubakar as the governor-elect, with Engr. Nuhu Gidado , as his deputy.
In Oyo, the incumbent Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, made history by becoming the first governor of the state to win a second term in office.
Ajimobi swept over 20 out of the 33 local government areas in the state.
Accord Party’s Senator Rasheed Ladoja trailed behind while Adebayo Alao-Akala of the Labour Party stayed in the third position. Both are former governors of the state.
The final results announced by INEC, yesterday, show that Ajimobi of APC pooled 327,310,  Ladoja of Accord scored 254,520, while Taiwo Otegbeye of Action Alliance (AA) garnered  1,397.
Also, Alao-Akala of LP polled 184,111, Teslim Kolawole Folarin of PDP got 79,019 while
Seyi Makinde of SDP scored 54,740.
In Enugu, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi proved political watchers right by rushing aside all challengers to win the governorship election in the state.
Ugwuanyi beat his closest rival with 482,277 while the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okey Ezea, lost with 43,839 votes.
In Akwa Ibom, Udom Emmanuel of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) thrashed his closest rival, Umana Okon Umana of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to emerge as the new governor of Akwa Ibom State.
Results of Saturday’s governorship election show that Udom beat Umana with 99,071 votes against 89,865 as announced in Uyo, the state capital by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The results were released at the state INEC headquarters on Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo, under the watchful eyes of the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Barr. Austin Eni Okojie and other top officials of the commission, as well as party representatives and some journalists, shows that the closest rival party, the APC, won in only one LGA, Orue-Offong Oruko.
In Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal of APC beat Abdallah Wali of PDP with 6647,609 votes to 269,074 votes to emerge winner.
In Ebonyi, Dave Umahi of the PDP beat his closest rival Edward Nkwegu of the Labour Party with 289,867 votes to 124,817 votes to win the governorship election in the state.
In Lagos, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, beat his arch-rival, Mr. Jimi Agbaje of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to become the next governor of Lagos.
The APC candidate polled 811,994 votes while the PDP candidate scored 659,788 votes.
Ambode’s victory has served to douse ethnic tension in the country’s former capital, with some creative minds coming up with a photo of Igbos in the lagoon being implored by their Yoruba friends to come out and resume their business activities as the worst is over.
Tension had flared between both ethnic groups when Oba of Lagos, Alhaji Rilwan Akiolu, threatened that Igbos would drown in the lagoon if they sabotaged efforts to install Ambode.
In Taraba, Senator Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan made history by becoming the first Nigerian woman to be elected a state governor.
Al-Hassan, the first female governorship candidate from the entire northern part of the country, won Saturday’s election. She ran on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
She was elected Senator for the Taraba North constituency of Taraba State in the April 2011 elections. She ran on the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) platform but later defected to APC.
INEC officially announced her winner, beating Darius Ishaku of PDP to emerge victorious.

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NELFUND Warns Students Against Fake Loan Portal

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The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has alerted the public to a fraudulent message circulating online, claiming that the NELFUND Student Loan Registration Portal is open.

The message directs applicants to a third-party link (http://gvly.xyz/Nelfund-Student-Loan, which NELFUND confirms is unauthorised and fraudulent.

In a post obtained from its X handle, yesterday, NELFUND urged students and the general public not to click on the link or provide any personal information, emphasising that the official loan registration portal is only accessible through the Fund’s verified channels.

The agency reminded applicants to exercise caution online and to report any suspicious links or communications claiming to be from NELFUND.

“Applicants are encouraged to always verify official announcements via NELFUND’s official website and social media channels,” NELFUND said.

This advisory comes as part of NELFUND’s ongoing efforts to safeguard students and ensure the integrity of the student loan application process.

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Eastern Port  Police Boss Promises On Crime-Free Operations 

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The new Commissioner of Police Eastern, Ports Command, Mr Tijani Fatai has promised to ensure a crime- free ports operations in the zone.
He said effective policing will be mounted across the ports in the zone in tackling the high rate of community unrest, activities of port rats  and other social vices.
Fatai while speaking to newsmen shortly after taking over as the 17th commissioner said he wants to be remembered as a peace maker during his tenure as Commissioner of Police in the Eastern Ports Command.
According to him,’’the community policing is the sure way of addressing most conflicts and other social vices bedeviling our society today and I will explore it to its fullest” .
The Commissioner also assured officers  of the rank and file of improved welfare whoch he described as a cardinal objective of the present efforts of the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
He said,” the Inspector General of Police has sent me to assure you all of welfare, promotions as and when due,no  officers particular rank and file will be left behind in the coming months.
Fatai before his recent posting was an operational officer,who spent most of his years with the Police Mobile Force (PMF) where he served as Unit Commander (UC) and Commander, PMF.
Before his redeployment as a Commissioner of Police,(CP), he was the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, DCP, Operations, Lagos State Command.

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Kalabaris Celebrate New Year Amid Fanfare

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Thousands of Kalabari indigenes from Akuku- Toru, Asari-Toru, Degema and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas last Sunday gathered at Elem Kalabari in Degema Local Government Area to celebrate what they said is the Kalabari new year amidst pomp and pageantry
According to stakeholders, the event which started over 200 years ago normally falls on the 16th of November every year.
The of this year’s celebration which was organised by Kalabari Renaissance Foundation was “Our Heritage, Honouring Our Waters and Renewing Our Spirit.”
Stakeholders said this year’s celebration was symbolic as it was holding at Elem Kalabari which is the home of the Kalabari people.
The event also featured various masquerade displays from cultural troupes within Kalabari and beyond.
Speaking on the significance of the event, the Amanyanabo of Elem Kalabari (The Source), HRH Mujahid Asari Dokubo,  said the celebration signaled a return to the traditional values of the Kalabari people and the need for self-recreation.
“It’s not just about celebration, It’s about recreating ourselves, bringing us back from death.
“The organisation that has come to take over this celebration – Renaissance – really fits the description of what ought to happen to us as a people.
“It’s not just Kalabari; it’s about all of us and our values. We have to look at ourselves and our values,” he said.
Dokubo called on all Kalabari citizens to join hands together to revive their traditional values and heritage in order not to lose  their cultural identity and spiritual trajectory.
Also speaking, Harry Awolayeofori MacMorrison,  Chief Administrator and Chairman of Kalabari Renaissance Foundation, organizsers of the Kalabari new year festival, said the event marks  the beginning of a new calendar year for the Kalabari people, after November 15 of every year when the tide cleanses the pollution from the Sombreiro River inflows, describing it as a renewal of the Kalabari people.
“It’s the renewal of the people. Kalabari area is saline environment and at a time, the Sombreiro River comes in and pollutes the river.
“On the 15th November, across Kalabari, the tide turns and takes all the fresh water that polluted the saline river back to the Sombreiro River
. “On the 15th is the end of the year. Normally when there is an end, there is a new beginning. On the 16th (November) is the beginning of the Kalabari calendar,” he said.
Awolayeofori Mac Morrison said the Kalabari communities had been holding the new year festival separately in the past until the  Renaissance Foundation decided to champion a unified celebration to enable them forge a common front of trado-cultural and socio-economic development across the entire territory.
He said last year’s event held at Abalama while they decided to bring this year’s celebration to Elem Kalabari because of it significance to the Kalabari nation.
Also speaking, a member of the planning committee and media lead, Journalist Ibiba Don Pedro, said there was need to reawaken the consciousness of their people on the need to embrace their traditional values without reservations, noting that there was nothing fetish about the festival.
She said the celebration was to unite the Kalabaris as well as project the cultural heritage of the people.
Don Pedro said time has come for Africa to go back to their root , adding that development will continue to elude African countries until the people rediscover themselves.

 

By: John Bibor, Afini Awajiokikpom, Joseph Miabari Joan, Michael Kingdom & Mary Barugu

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