News
Ekiti Polls: Police Uncover Illegal Printing Of Election Materials …Fayose Alerts On Influx Of Thugs …As Senate’s Dep Leader Blasts Buhari …Over 30,000 Policemen For Polls
The Lagos State Police Command, last Monday, uncovered a printing press where election materials meant for the election holding in Ekiti State were being printed.
According to sources, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal led some detectives to the printing press located at 13A and 13B, Oguntona Street, Gbagada area of the state, last Monday.
The police said it learnt from intelligence information that ballot papers meant for Saturday’s governorship poll in Ekiti State were being printed at the printing press.
Two persons were arrested when the police stormed the company.
Among the items the police said were discovered at the printing press include a booklet of form belonging to Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission (EKSIEC), as well as a copy of the state’s voter card register.
Briefing journalists after the raid, Edgal said: “On July 8, an intelligence report from a credible source was received by the command that ballot papers meant for the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Ekiti were being printed in a company, O’Naphtali Limited, located at 13B Oguntona Crescent, Gbagada, Lagos.
“The company is owned by one Eniola Fayose. The report further revealed that some of the printed ballot papers were moved to Ekiti in three Hilux vans on Friday, July 6, while the artworks were still in the company’s graphic computers.
“Based on the report, I led a contingent of policemen to the location, to verify the information.
“At the scene, it was also discovered that the buildings are being used for general printing/art work,” Edgal said.
The commissioner said a search warrant was executed on the premises and the following items were recovered: “One HP laptop, one Acer laptop, one booklet of form EC/ EK 8B Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission (EKSIEC); three EKEC 50 A envelops for miscellaneous materials, two pieces of Ekiti SEC, eight A (1) statement of result, and one copy of form Ekiti SEC eight A(1).”
Others are “one income tax clearance certificate of Ekiti state, seven pieces of Ekiti state Internal revenue motor receipts, one piece of form EC 8A of Ekiti SEC, one piece of Ekiti State voter’s card register, log book cover for Ado local government”, among others.
He added that preliminary investigations by the detectives showed the company is said to be in a contractual agreement with the Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission “to print the elections materials found during the search.”
Edgal said the recovered laptops are being scrutinised by police ICT experts.
A check on the company’s website shows that it describes itself as “a printing solutions company.”
Meanwhile,the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, last Monday evening alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has brought hundreds of thugs to saturate all hotels in Ekiti with an alleged plan to cause problems at both the polling units and collation centres during the July 14 poll.
Fayose alleged further that the thugs were allegedly hired by APC governors from neighbouring states and they would be given cover to cause problems during the July 14 poll in polling units and collation centres with a view to give APC room to manipulate the poll.
The governor also alleged that the APC in cohorts with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), have written results for the July 14 poll, particularly in Ado Ekiti, the state capital with highest votes, Ikere, second largest city with votes and some rural areas.
He quoted the figures allegedly written by APC and INEC, saying: APC and INEC have already apportioned figures as predetermined results they would declare after the poll.
In Ado Ekiti for example, the apportioned 237,27 for APC, and 14,853 for PDP, and did the same for Ikere and many other local government areas,” he said.
Alleging further, governor Fayose said: “It is with great concern that I want to update the nation and international community that Ekiti is already saturated by thugs of APC which we believe the security agents would provide cover for during polls.
“Our hotels in Ekiti are jam packed with various thugs who are coming to cause problems at the polling and collation centres. They are going to get police cover and will cause mayhem during polls. Because APC had already written results in nine local government areas of Ekiti State.
“We urge the security agents to do everything it can to ensure peaceful election, shooting and intimidating people at collating and voting centres will not augur well with us in this state.
“I want ask and plead with the security agencies to allow Ekiti people to make their choice of next governor in peace. The level of desperation by the APC in Ekiti is second to none. We will not look away and allow our rights to be taken way. I call on Ekiti people to remain resolute and strong, we must follow them bumper to bumper and not allow them to rig the election. The power of the people is greater those of us in power. I call on the Federal Government to disallow any act that can set this state on fire.
“l want to call on the police to check the activities of the thugs before the poll is either canceled or be marred by thugs and violence. In most of the rural areas they intend to strike.
“I want to tell them that this is going to be an uphill task. I urge you Ekiti to remain firm, 99 percent of others coming as security or INEC officials and thugs for the election are not Ekiti people, the next governor is going to govern Ekiti, so leave us alone. Don’t bring mayhem to Ekiti.
“The thugs are sponsored by neighbouring governors to win the July 14 poll by all cost. You can only know beginning of war not its ending. We urge all parties that the only thing we want is peace and not violence, we don’t want INEC to rig for APC or PDP, we want transparent election for people to elect governor of their choice” he said.
However, the Deputy Senate Leader, Ibn Na’allah, yesterday, lampooned the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government over the drafting of 30,000 police personnel to Ekiti State for governorship election, leaving other parts of the country under the grip of insecurity without adequate police protection.
Speaking on the floor of the Senate while contributing to the debate on a bill to repeal the Police Act, he said it was quite unfortunate that the Nigeria Police have conditioned their minds to do what he called “korokoro eye service”.
Na’allah queried the executive for rushing to over-police an election exercise allegedly because of its interest while killings go on in other places without prompt action.
He said, “You recall that over 30,000 police was drafted to Ekiti while there were killings in Zamfara and we cannot see 3,000 to maintain peace.
“APC is our party and I represent my senatorial district on the party, but it is not in our character to draft such a huge number of policemen for elections.
“Unfortunately, the Nigeria Police have made up their minds to carry out such eye service”, the lawmaker maintained.
Meanwhile, Senator Francis Alimekhena, in his contribution to the debate, harped on the lack of skill among policemen in handling of guns.
He explained that policemen cannot handle AK-47 due to obsolete Act which was promulgated in 1949 by the colonial masters.
He insisted that the Act should be revealed to pave way for the training of police personnel to combat contemporary crimes of kidnappings and other forms of vices.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a security outreach to the hotbeds of recent killings in Plateau, Benue and Borno States, to restore peace to areas wracked by mass killings and bomb attacks.
National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, disclosed this to State House correspondents after a four-hour security briefing with the President at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja on Wednesday.
“We listened and we took instructions from him. We got new directives…to go meet with the political authorities there,” Ribadu told reporters, adding that Tinubu directed them to engage state-level authorities in the worst-hit regions.
Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed; Chief Defence Intelligence of the Nigerian Army, Gen. Emmanuel Undianeye; Director-General, Department of State Services, Oluwatosin Ajayi and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, appeared for the briefing.
The Tide’s source reports that in Plateau State, inter-communal violence between predominantly Christian farmers and nomadic herders spiralled into gory slaughter when gunmen stormed Zikke village in Bassa Local Government early on April 14, killing at least 51 people and razing homes in a single night.
In Benue, at least 56 people were killed in Logo and Gbagir after twin assaults blamed on armed herders.
Meanwhile, in Borno State, eight passengers perished and scores were injured when an improvised explosive device ripped through a bus on the Damboa–Maiduguri highway on April 12.
Ribadu explained that after an extensive briefing, intelligence chiefs received fresh instructions to restore peace, security and stability across Nigeria.
“In particular, Tinubu had ordered immediate outreach to the political authorities in Plateau, Benue and Borno States, and the defence team had gone round those States to carry out his directives and report back.
“We gave him an update on what has been the case and what is going on, and even when he was out there, before coming back, he was constantly in touch. He was giving directives. He was following developments, and we, in charge of the security, got the opportunity today to come and brief him properly for hours. And it was exhaustive.
“We listened and we took instructions from him. We got new directives. The fact is, Mr. President is insisting and working so hard to ensure that we have peace, security and stability in our country. We gave him an update on what is going on, and we also assured him that work is ongoing and continues.
“We also carried out his instructions. We went round, the chiefs were all out where we had these incidents of insecurity in Plateau State, Benue State, even Borno, these particular three states, and we gave him feedback, because he directed us to go meet with the political authorities there,” the NSA explained.
Ribadu described Tinubu as “worried and concerned,” and said he directed that all security arms be deployed around the clock.
The government, he added, believes these steps have already produced measurable improvements, even if the situation is not yet 100 per cent safe and secure.
“He’s so worried and concerned, he insisted that enough is enough, and we are working and to ensure that we restore peace and security and all of us are there. The armed forces are there, the Civil Police, intelligence communities, they are there.
“They are working there 24 hours, and we feel that we have done enough to believe that we are on the right course, and we’ll be able to be on top of things,” Ribadu stated.
The NSA emphasised that combating insecurity was not solely a Federal Government responsibility.
He stated, “The issue of insecurity often is not just for the government. It involves the subunits. They are the ones who are directly with the people, especially if some of the challenges are more or less bordering on community problems.
“Not entirely everything is that, but of course it also plays a significant role. You need to work with the communities, the local governments, and the governors, especially the governors.
“The President will continue to direct that. We should be doing that, and that’s what we are able to. We are very happy and very satisfied with the instructions and directives given by Mr. President this evening.”
In Borno State, the NSA noted that while violence had surged in recent months, the insurgents refused to accept defeat.
He warned that most recent casualties there resulted from improvised explosive devices—”cowardly” IED attacks targeting civilians—and from opportunistic raids that follow any lull in fighting.
“We are getting the cooperation of the leadership at the state level, and everybody. It’s not 100 per cent…but we are going there.
“When you are having peace and you are beginning to get used to it, if one bad incident happens, you forget the periods that you enjoyed peacefully,” he added.
He paid tribute to the “many who do not sleep, who walk throughout, who do not go for any break or holiday”—the soldiers, police and intelligence officers whose sacrifices have created the fragile calm Nigerians now experience.
“They will continue to be there,” he said, adding, “Things have changed in this country…we are on the right track and we will not relent. We will not sit down; we will not stop until we are able to achieve results.”
A Federal Government agency – the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, has decried the low patronage of Nigerian-made products by Nigerians.
The agency identified some challenges leading to the low patronage of the local products as affordability and public perception, among others.
Speaking during a stakeholders meeting organised by the agency in Akure, Ondo State capital, yesterday, the Deputy Director of Engineering at NASENI, Mr Joseph Alasoluyi, said Nigerians preferred buying foreign goods compared to local goods.
Alasoluyi, however disclosed that the agency had trained over 50 participants in the production of hand-made products, in a bid to ensure Nigeria-made products are patronised.
He explained that NASENI was set up to promote science, technology, and engineering as a foundation for Nigeria’s development and currently operates 12 institutes nationwide to achieve its objectives.
According to him, the aim of President Bola Tinubu, who is also the overall chairman of NASENI, was to ensure high production and patronage of “our local products thereby creating employment opportunities for many.”
He said, “The idea of this programme is to interface to ensure we produce products using our indigenous technology. This is what NASENI is out for, to ensure that homegrown technologies are encouraged.
“We are out there to ensure we integrate efforts to ensure that local technology is used to develop products within the resources we have.
“ The NASENI’s ‘3 Cs’ – Creation, Collaboration, and Commercialisation – that define NASENI’s strategic mandate: Creating innovations through research, Collaborating with partners to develop and refine products, and Commercialising these solutions to benefit the economy.
“Our achievements include the development of solar irrigation systems, CNG conversion centres, building machines capable of producing up to 1,000 blocks per hour, 10-inch tablets, locally made laptops, and electric tricycles (Keke Napep) set for market launch.”
In his remarks, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof. Samuel Oluyamo, blamed the Federal Government for not properly funding research in the varsities, also noting that many research outputs were left halfway due to lack of funding and weak linkages between research institutions and industry.
Oluyamo also queried the Federal Government’s commitment to funding research and development, saying many academic innovations remained on the shelve due to a lack of support for commercialisation and poor infrastructure.
“Until we upscale research into mass production, technological growth will remain elusive. The government is not funding research in the universities enough. Thank God for TETfund that is trying in this regime. The major interest in beefing up research in universities and research institutions is really not there,” he said.
The Director-General of the Debt Management Office, Patience Oniha, has said that Nigeria is in advanced discussions with JP Morgan to re-enter the Government Bond Index and renew investors’ confidence.
Oniha disclosed this on Wednesday at a Nigerian Investors’ Forum on the sidelines of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C.
The DMO boss explained that Nigeria has enjoyed favourable credit assessment among rating agencies in recent times on the back of the sweeping reforms initiated by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Fitch Ratings recently upgraded the Long-Term Issuer Default Ratings of seven Nigerian banks and two bank holding companies to ‘B’ from ‘B-‘, noting that the outlooks are Stable.
The affected issuers are Access Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Limited, Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, First HoldCo Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Ltd, Fidelity Bank Plc and Bank of Industry Limited.
The upgrades of the Long-Term IDRs of the banks followed the recent sovereign upgrade and reflect Fitch’s view that Nigeria’s sovereign credit profile has become less of a constraint on the issuers’ standalone creditworthiness, the rating agency said.
Fitch also upgraded Nigeria’s Long-Term IDRs to ‘B’ from ‘B-‘ on 11 April, a decision that reflected increased confidence in the government’s broad commitment to policy reforms implemented since its move to orthodox economic policies in June 2023, including exchange rate liberalisation, monetary policy tightening and steps to end deficit monetisation and remove fuel subsidies.
“These have improved policy coherence and credibility and reduced economic distortions and near-term risks to macroeconomic stability, enhancing resilience in the context of persistent domestic challenges and heightened external risks,” Fitch said.
Nigeria was removed from the JP Morgan index in 2015 ostensibly due to its deviation from orthodox monetary policies and influence of capital control in its management of foreign exchange.
Principally due to reduction in oil revenues at the time, Nigeria introduced currency restrictions to defend the naira after it failed to halt a dangerous slide with burning of dollar reserves. The bank had earlier warned Nigeria to restore liquidity to its currency market in a way that allowed foreign investors tracking the index to conduct transactions with minimal hurdles.
“Foreign investors who track the GBI-EM series continue to face challenges and uncertainty while transacting in the naira due to the lack of a fully functional two-way FX market and limited transparency,” the bank said in a 2015 note.
Nigeria was listed in JP Morgan’s emerging government bond index in October 2012, after the Central Bank removed a requirement that foreign investors hold government bonds for a minimum of one year before exiting.
The JP Morgan Government Bond Index reflects investor confidence and opens doors to billions of investment flows, making Nigeria’s proposed re-entry a positive signal to the market and investors.
Oniha explained that talks with JP Morgan were ongoing and had gained momentum in recent times due to the stability created by the FX market reforms.
“With all the reforms that have taken place, particularly around FX, we have started engaging JP Morgan again to get back into the index. We think we are eligible now,” the DMO DG said.