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Is the surge of early voting good or bad for Donald Trump?

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The US election is little more than a week away, but already, the turnout of early voters has surpassed that of the 2016 election.

It is reported that roughly 60 million people have already cast their vote, which suggests that this election could have the highest voter turnout in more than a century.

The states of Texas, Florida and California, two of which were won by Donald Trump four years ago, have witnessed the most votes thus far. However, worryingly for the President, it is predicted that the majority of those ballots have gone in Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s favour, once againcementing his place as the overwhelming favourite in the next US President odds.

Pressure has been mounting on President Trump for months now, as he continues to fall further-and-further behind Mr Biden in the polls. The president has been criticised for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests.

However, the Democratic nominee, who has appeared in public much less during his campaign trails, might not hold as big of an advantage as originally reported in the hugely decisive battleground states.

With the election just around the corner, the pair are ramping up their campaigns in the battleground states, with both candidates trying to win over the voters in the some of the most crucial part of the United States.

In Florida, which has an influential 29 electoral votes, Biden has a reported lead of 1.7%, whilst the Barack Obama’s former vice president holds a healthier advantage of 5.4% in Pennsylvania, which is the state with the second most electoral votes (20). President Trump, who is believed to be planning a whopping five rallies a day in the final straight, is returning to Pennsylvania, where he won by less than 45,000 votes in 2016, on Monday to try and turn the tides.

Mr Biden’s biggest leaders are in Michigan (7.4%) and Wisconsin (6.8%), whilst he is also in front in the polls in North Carolina (2.7%) and Arizona (3.7%). This means, in terms of the battleground states, President Trump is leading in just Ohio and Iowa, both of which are extremely slender advantages – 1.8% and 0.1% respectively.

Of course, these polls might not be a fair reflection of how the election will pan out. In 2016, the polls massively underestimated the number of Trump supporters, whilst the number of people polled that said they would vote of Mr Biden, might not actually cast their ballot.

Additionally, Hilary Clinton had a massive advantage in the polls throughout the entirety of the 2016 election. However, Trump ended up pulling it back through the electoral college.

The surge of early voters does not mean that the Democrats can get ahead of themselves and are guaranteed victory. This is because it is believed that a large majority of the early ballots are from Democrats, women, and black Americans, whilst people wanting to avoid crows on election day are also part of early voters.

The Republicans themselves believe that the majority of their supports will turn out in number on November 3rd, so whilst Biden has shot into an early, the drama of the 2020 election is far from over!

 

 

 

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Reps Urge FG To Pay ASUU, NASU’s Withheld Salaries

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The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to pay the withheld salaries of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU).
This followed the adoption of a Motion of Urgent Public Importance by Rep. Abubakar Fulata (APC-Jigawa) during plenary on Wednesday.
Presenting the motion, Fulata said that the government must accede to the unions’ demands because they were genuine.
Adopting the motion, the House urged the President to direct the relevant bodies to come up with modalities for negotiation with both ASUU and NASU.
The House said this would enable them to come up with workable, implementable and final agreement to be signed by both parties.
The House urged the president to direct the Ministry of Finance, to ensure full implementation.
The House mandated its Committees on University Education, Polytechnic Education, Federal Colleges of Education, Labour and Productivity, Finance, Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance.

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Bill To Prescribe Salaries, Allowances Of Judicial Officers Pass 2nd Reading

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The bill seeking to prescribe salaries, allowances, and fringe benefits of Judicial office holders in Nigeria has passed second reading at the Senate.
This followed the presentation of the general principles of the bill by the sponsor, Sen. Lola Ashiru (APC-Kwara) at plenary on Thursday.
Presenting the bill, Ashiru said the bill, an executive bill, was forwarded to the two Chambers of the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu, in accordance with provisions of Section 58(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.
He said the bill, in a nutshell, seeks to prescribe salaries, allowances and fringe benefits for judicial officers in order to nip in the bud, the prolonged stagnation in their remuneration.
This, he said was to reflect the contemporary socio-economic realities of the time.
Ashiru said the bill intends to unify the salary structure, allowances and fringe benefits of judicial officers holders both in the Federal and at the State levels.
“This proposed legal framework, undoubtedly, will bring about significant improvement in the welfare, capacity and independence of the Judiciary, which have been contentious issues of public discourse over the years.”
He said that the intent of the bill was in conformity with the current administration’s resolve to strengthen the country’s Judiciary and the criminal justice system .
This, he said was to ensure its independence in the performance of its constitutional role, as the arbiter of the temple of justice.
He urged the senators to support the expeditious passage of the bill in view of its importance to the socio-economic and political development of this country.
Sen. Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno), who seconded the motion said it was necessary to ensure adequate remuneration of Judicial officers was in line with the current economic reality.
He said that there was the need to provide an adequate remuneration that would prevent judicial officials from being tempted for corruption.
Sen. Orji Kalu (APC- Abia ) commended the executive for presenting the bill to prescribe a remuneration for the judicial arm of government, saying that no right thinking Nigerian would want to oppose it.
He urged the officials to ensure that justice is dispensed rightly to Nigerians.
He also urged the government to improve remuneration of other sectors given the economic reality.
Deputy President of Senate, Barau Jubrin (APC-Kano) said the President has done creditably well by presenting the bill for remuneration of the judicial officials.
He said the judicial officials had suffered in silence for as they were not disposed to speaking up on the issues, just like the labour unions.
He said it was cheery and commendable for President Tinubu to have brought the bill, which was designed to enhance the salary and welfare of the judicial officials.
President of Senate, Godswill Akpiabio said presentation of the bill was a right step in the right direction by President Tinubu.
Akpabio, referred the bill to the committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further legislative inputs and to return back to plenary in four weeks, after the bill was read for the second time.

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Court To Hear Suit Against Ganduje’s Suspension, May 28

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Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman of the Federal High Court, Kano, has fixed May 28 for hearing in the substantive application filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Dr Ganduje is challenging his suspension from the party by factional ward executives led by one Basiru Nuhu Isa.
He was first suspended by APC Ganduje Ward executives led by one Haladu Gwanjo on April 15. Another faction emerged and also announced suspension of Dr Ganduje on April 20.
The Tide source reports that the secretary of the party in Kano, Zakari Sarina, said the suspension by the faction was another case of impersonation.
Dr Ganduje is seeking a declaration that his suspension from the party without giving him opportunity to defend himself amounts to violation of his fundamental right to fair hearing.
He is also seeking a declaration that his suspension by the faction was unlawful, null and void.
Counsel for the embattled APC chairman, Hadiza Ahmad, applied for service on the respondents by substituted means which the court granted.
Justice Liman adjourned to May 28 for hearing in the matter.

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