Adamawa

Stakeholders in Mubi, Adamawa, on Monday urged INEC to ensure prompt and adequate distribution of election materials for the April 9 National Assembly elections.

The elections could not hold last Saturday due to the non-delivery of election materials, forcing the electoral commission to shift the polls to April 9.

The stakeholders, including voters, political parties and their candidates, called for effective measures to ensure early distribution of election materials across the country.

A cross-section of the stakeholders told the newsmen in separate interviews that the need for adequate preparation was imperative to forestall any recurrence.

Bauchi

Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi on Monday expressed confidence in the ability of the Prof. Attahiru Jega-led INEC to conduct credible elections in spite of the initial hitches that led to the rescheduling of the polls.

 In a statement in Bauchi  signed by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the governor, Malam Sanusi Muhammad, said the postponement would give INEC enough time to perfect its ‘’strategies’’.

“INEC was faced with some teething problems, which forced it to readjust the various dates for the elections to enable it, strategise and restore the confidence of the international community in the country’s electoral process.

“The postponement of the elections should be seen as part of the strategy by INEC to give Nigerians a credible election,” it said.

FCT

 The police in Gwagwalada on Monday said 34 persons were arrested in Dobi, Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT, over a clash between PDP and ANPP supporters in the area.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area, CSP Charles Mozie, who confirmed the arrest to newsmen in Gwagwalada, expressed dismay over the persistent political violence in the community.

Mozie said dangerous weapons like machetes, axes, daggers as well as bows and arrows were recovered.

The dangerous weapons, he said, were recovered from five of the suspects whose cases would be referred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.

He warned residents against involvement in political violence, noting that the police would no longer tolerate lawlessness in the community..

Gombe

Mr Godfrey Miri, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Gombe, has debunked speculations that a prominent personality in the state was caught with ballot papers during the botched National Assembly election.

Miri told newsmen on Monday in Gombe that the unfounded rumour had circulated widely within and outside the state.

He said, “There is no way a politician will tamper with the ballot papers because they have serial numbers.

“I am appealing to people to please ignore such rumours because the same people tomorrow will say there was rigging during the election.

“INEC of today is different from the one you knew in 1991, 2003 and 2007. This time around it is a different game.”

The commissioner also said that during the botched election, some people refused to be accredited before the exercise because they believed that it was a waste of time.

Kaduna

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kaduna State says it has retrieved the electoral materials that were distributed for the botched National Assembly polls.

The INEC Administrative Secretary in the state, Alhaji Musa Adamu, said in Kaduna on Monday that all the sensitive and non-sensitive materials had been recovered from the local government areas.

Adamu told mewsmen that INEC was taking stock “to ascertain what had either been used or lost” during the aborted poll and to get them replenished.

He said that the commission and its staff were on top of the situation, and gave the assurance that “a credible poll will be conducted with the cooperation of the political parties, candidates, supporters and observers’’.

Adamu said that it was untrue that the commission’s office at Anchau in Kubau Local Government Area was burnt down because of the postponed election.

Kebbi

The CPC governorship candidate in Kebbi, Alhaji Abubakar Mallam, has welcomed the shift in election dates, saying the party would consolidate on its strength.

Alhaji Addullahi Zuru, who spoke on behalf of the candidate, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Monday that the CPC had mobliised its voters for the elections.

The candidate said the party was fully prepared for the governorship election as it had conducted adequate campaign.

He called on voters not to be discouraged by the change in election as it had conucted adequate campaign.

He called on voters not to be discouraged by the change in relection dates, adding: “We have shown the people in the state that what is required for rapdid development is a change in leadership.

Nasarawa

Mr Baba Ayiwulu, the President, Nasarawa State Law Students, Nigerian Law School 2009/2010 set, on Monday in Lafia, urged beneficiaries of the bursary and Law School allowances to be prudent.

Ayiwulu, who gave the advice in an interview with newsmen, said that the advice became necessary to enable the students to enhance their academic pursuit and for the over all development of the state.

He expressed delight that the financial assistance would enable the students to service their debts especially those who borrowed to pay their Law School fees..

The president said that the students had passed a vote of confidence on the Commissioner for Education in the state, Mr Suleiman Ubam, and the Chairman, Nasarawa State Scholarship Board, Mr Joseph Umaru.

Niger

Ustaz Mustapha Umaru-Edota, former Chairman of Bida Local Government Council of Niger, has described the call for INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega to step down as misplaced.

Reacting to INEC’s postponement of the April general elections in an interview with the newsmen in Bida on Monday, Umaru-Edota said Jega should be given time to fine-tune his programme.

“The decision is a step in the right direction as long as it will give him time to conduct credible, peaceful, free and fair elections that Nigerians have been yearning for,” he said.

He further observed that because of his desire to carry everyone along, the INEC chairman had consulted with all the stakeholders before taking the decision.

“They all agreed and were on a common ground, unlike what we use to witness in the past,” the former chairman said.

Umaru-Edota said that rather than criticise Jega, Nigerians should commend him for the arrangement he was making for the elections.

He observed that with Jega in charge at INEC, Nigerians should be confident that they would get the best.

Umaru-Edota, however, advised the INEC chairman to rise to the challenge of holding credible elections and deliver acceptable results at the end of the exercise.

Oyo

A 26-year-old driver/mechanic, Saheed Raji, on Monday in Ibadan, committed suicide by hanging himself in his one room apartment at Oke-Sapati, Beere.

The father of the deceased, Mr Lasisi Raji, told our correspondent that the late driver was last seen at 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Raji  that his son, until his death, had four children and a wife who left him two years ago.

He described the deceased as a gentle man who never fought with anybody, but quickly added that his son was fond of taking beer after the day’s work.

He confirmed that policemen from Mapo Police Station had visited the scene and removed the lifeless body from the ceiling of the room.

Raji told the police that he did not suspect any foul play but expressed surprise that his son commit suicide.

An officer at the Mapo Police Station who did not want his name mentioned confirmed the incident.

Plateau

Plateau Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board says it has commenced the collection of Hajj deposits people prospective to perform the 2011 Hajj exercise.

Its Executive Secretary, Alhaji Salisu Musa, told newsmen in Jos on Monday that the board was receiving N350, 000 each from intending pilgrimsas initial deposit pending the final announcement of the fare by the National Commission.

“What we doing is to receive the monies gradually to give intending pilgrims ample time to pay up.

“The early payment of the deposits will assist the board to make adequate arrangement for the pilgrim at home and in the Holy land,’’ he declared, stressing that the step would guard against any fire brigade approach as was done in the past.

 Yobe

Yobe  State Deputy Governor Abubakar Ali says the free drugs programme for pregnant women and children initiated two years ago has reduced the rate of maternal and infant mortality in the state.

Ali, who is also Commissioner for Health, stated this in an interview with the newsmen in Damaturu on Monday.

“There has been gross increase in women patronising hospitals for ante and post natal check-ups, which has tremendously reduced complications in childbirth.

“The Federal Government intervention of posting 124 midwives to the state under the National Midwifery Service Scheme (MSS) has tremendously boosted our strength in health personnel to tackle maternal and child related issues,” the Deputy Governor said.

He explained that government procured drugs and consumables worth N20 million monthly for the free drug programme.

According to him, the free drugs are available in all government hospitals and clinics across the state.

“To ensure sustainability and availability of the free drugs, government is constructing a store for the programme within the Ministry of Health in the state.