Guidelines

By Ibrahim Kado

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has charged political parties to strictly abide by the guidelines of 2022 Electoral Act for successful conduct of their primary elections.

Mr Kassim Gaidam, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Adamawa, made the call at the stakeholders meeting on ongoing voter registration exercise and other activities on Thursday in Yola.

He said that the commission would not tolerate acts by political parties that fail to comply with the provision of electoral act in the conduct of their primaries.

We remind political parties that by the provision of section 84 (13) of Electoral Act 2022.

Any political party that fails to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act in the conduct of its primaries shall not have a candidate for the office in respect to which there was non-compliance with the Act in the conduct of its primaries.

This reminder is necessary to avoid unhappy consequences of any breach of the commissions Timetable or the Electoral Act, he said.

Gaidam appealed to all voters who registered between June and December 2021 to collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).

According to him, the commission printed and delivered to the state 39,770 PVCs of genuine new registration and have been distributed to LGAs since April 19.

He added that so far, only 3,641 cards had been collected by their owners.

In his remarks, Bello Magaji, Chairman Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC), expressed the readiness of political parties to abide by rules.

He assured that all political parties would do their best to create awareness on the need for registered voters collect their cards.

The State Commissioner of Police (CP), Sikiru Akande, commended all political parties in the state for conducting themselves peacefully and urged them to maintain as primaries and electioneering campaigns approach.

According to him, all security agencies are united and they would provide security for successful political activities in the state (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Florence Onuegbu

The Lagos State Government has directed security operatives to enforce ban on commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, as it imposes fresh ban to curtail the unruly activities of motorcyclists in the state.

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu gave the directive on Wednesday, during a meeting with the state Commissioner of Police, Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) at the State House, Ikeja.

Sanwo-Olu said that the total ban on Okada riders was on all highways across the six Local Government Areas (LGAs) and nine Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of the state.

He said that with effective from June 1, security operatives should enforce the proscription order across the listed councils.

The affected councils are Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, and Apapa, and the total ban order extends to all LCDAs under the listed councils.

According to him, the fresh Okada ban followed the Feb. 2020 restriction placed on the activities of the commercial motorcycles.

Sanwo-Olu said that the government took the decision in line with the States Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018, to immediately address the chaos and menace created by operations of commercial motorcyclists in the listed areas.

He urged the Police to enforce the order without compromise, warning that the state government would not condone any security formation that relax the new ban in its jurisdiction.

After critical review of our restriction on Okada activities in the first six Local Government Areas, where we restricted them on Feb. 1, 2020, we have seen that the menace has not abated.

We are now directing a total ban on Okada activities across the highways and bridges within these six Local Government and their Local Council Development Areas, effective from June 1, 2022.

This is a phased ban we are embarking on this period, and we expect that within the short while when this ban will be enforced, Okada riders in other places where their activities are yet to be banned can find something else to do.

We have given the notice now and we expect all commercial motorcycles plying the routes in the listed councils and areas to vacate the highways before enforcement begins. The enforcement will be total, the governor said.

He urged residents patronising Okada riders on highways to embrace the alternative transport schemes already provided by the government to plan their journey.

Sanwo-Olu said that the government had provided Last Mile Buses, medium-capacity and high-capacity buses in the affected areas for the convenience of commuters.

He said that Okada riding on the highways remained unsafe and would no longer be tolerated.

The governor said that the state government had been ramping up construction work on its two rail line projects to further increase the choices of commuting for residents.

We have provided Last Mile buses in the affected areas; they are working and effective. We also have medium-capacity buses and high-capacity buses working in these areas.

Before the end of the year, we are also bringing the rail along these corridors with their terminals. We have provided jetties as well to provide alternatives.

We will not sit back and watch criminally-minded people use that mode of transportation (motorcycles) to perpetrate crimes and criminality in Lagos.

Lives are being lost on a daily basis, preventable accidents are happening every day and the riders are not respecting any of our traffic laws.

The situation has led to a complete breakdown of law and order. This ban has come to stay and we will not tolerate any weakness in enforcement, he said.

The Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, directed his men to ensure complete enforcement of the Governors order in the listed councils and areas. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by AbdulFatai Beki/Maureen Atuonwu

Source: NAN News

By Georgina Adegbie

Anambra Queens Volleyball Club have recorded their first victory in three games at the ongoing National Division One Volleyball League

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the game played at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium saw Anambra Queens beating Bayonet Spikers of Kaduna 25-20 in the first set.

They then won 25-22 in the second set and the final beat, thus going on to two points difference in the third at 25-23.

Speaking after the match, Uche Okafor who is the head coach of Anambra Queens said they played to instructions and would continue to have favourable results.

This is our first appearance in the Division One League. This is the first time they are playing indoor games.

Its the will of God, I am happy. Its not that we are fully prepared but we are determined.

We are happy for this victory because we lost our previous matches.

Speaking on the teams players, he said: Some of them are still in secondary schools and some are in higher institutions.

I decided to select them to come and expose them for this type of tournament.

This is the first time of playing indoor games and some have been traveling to the FCT before.

I just decided to choose the set of players that are still young and full of discipline and ready to play according to the instructions given to them.

Now we have learnt from our mistakes and we will win all our subsequent matches, he said.

NAN reports that Anambra Queens lost 0-3 to Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Spikers in their first match, and then lost 1-3 to Life Camp Volleyball Club of Abuja.

Bayonet Spikers also lost their two previous games, losing 0-3 to CNS Spikers in their first match, and 0-3 to Life Camp Volleyball Club of Abuja.

NAN reports that 12 teams are participating in the first phase of the championship.

The male teams are Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), UCEM Spikers, Wikki Spikers of Bauchi, Spartan Spikers of Yola, ABM of Katsina and Caliphate Spikers of Sokoto

The female teams on the other hand are: CNS Spikers, Bayonet Spikers of Kaduna, Life Camp VC of Abuja, Yelwa Spikers of Bauchi, Olalomi Royal Spikers of Ilorin and Anambra Queens.

NAN reports that the 2022 National Division One Volleyball League which started on Friday is expected to end on Sunday.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Olawale Alabi

Source: NAN News

By Georgina Adegbie

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Male Volleyball Club on Wednesday recorded its fourth victory in the ongoing 2022 National Division One Volleyball League in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the match, played at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, saw NIS narrowly defeating their counterparts JVC of Bauchi 3-2.

They won the first set 26-24, lost the second set by 19-25 and fought hard to win the third set 31-29, but lost the fourth set by 14-25 and finally won the last set with a two-point difference of 16-14.

After the match, Kayode Ajilore, the coach of Nigeria Immigration Service, commended his boys for their winning spirit.

He said their target was to go to the premier league.

I feel great to win the fourth match, we worked hard to record this success. We will work on our lapses before the next game in Yola on Thursday.

We are determined to go the premier league, the secret of this victory is due to dedication, motivation and hard work, he said.

NAN reports that in the other match played: the Caliphate Spikers of Sokoto defeated UCEM of Enugu 2-1

In the female category, Life Camp VC of Abuja defeated Olalomi Royal Spikers of Offa 3-0 while Anambra Queens beat Yelwa Spikers of Bauchi 3-0.

NAN reports that 12 teams are participating in the first phase of the championship.

The male teams are Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), UCEM Spikers, Wikki Spikers of Bauchi, Spartan Spikers of Yola, ABM of Katsina and Caliphate Spikers of Sokoto.

The female teams are Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Spikers, Bayonet Spikers of Kaduna, Life Camp VC of FCT, Yelwa Spikers of Bauchi, Olalomi Royal Spikers of Kwara and Anambra Queens.

The competition, which started on May 13 and was supposed to end on Saturday, has been shifted to Thursday. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Remi Koleoso/Idris Abdulrahman

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Mogbede

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rescheduled its governorship and House of Representatives primary elections to Thursday May 26.

Mr Felix Morka, the partys National Publicity Secretary announced this on Wednesday in Abuja while briefing newsmen at the end of the partys National Working Committee (NWC) meeting.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC governorship primaries was earlier scheduled for May 20.

The APC scribe said the partys Senate and House of Assembly primaries had also been rescheduled to hold on Friday May 27.

The NWC of the APC has made an approval for a revised timetable schedule of activities for house of assembly, national assembly, governorship primaries and appeals that may arise.

Our governorship and house of representatives primary election will now take place on Thursday, May 26, while the senate and house of assembly primaries will take place on Friday May 27.

The election appeals for governorship and house of representatives will take place on Friday May 27, he said, adding that appeals for senate and house of assembly primaries will hold on Saturday May 28.

Morka said following the partys approved revised timetable schedule of activities, its special convention and presidential primaries earlier slated for May 30 and June 1, would now take place between May 29 and 30.

He added that the mode of primary election would be contained in the guidelines that would be issued later.

On reports making that the party had zoned its presidential ticket to the North-East, Morka said: there is no such decision made by the NWC.

NAN further reports that the APC various screening committees would screen no fewer than 25 presidential aspirants,145 governorship aspirants, 351 senatorial aspirants and 1,197 house of representatives aspirants ahead of its primaries.

The cleared aspirants would contest for the partys ticket for the 2023 general elections. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Chioma Ugboma

Source: NAN News

By Cecilia Ologunagba

The University of Abuja Alumni Association, USA Inc., has partnered a U.S.-based independent organisation, King Baudouin Foundation, to mobilise support for its Alma Mater.

The North America Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some executives of the association met with the officials of the foundation in New York to discuss areas of support.

The Vice Chancellor of University of Abuja, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed NaAllah, also attended the meeting.

The President and Founder of the association, Mrs Ekeleoma Chuku, said the motive of establishing the organisation in the U.S. was to galvanise support and to give back to its Alma Mater.

Chuku said the alumni had discussed ways of providing infrastructure and to support the learning environment of the university.

We are happy to partner with the King Baudouin Foundation to proffer solutions to all these needs and to bridge the gap, so we want the foundation to support our Alma Mater and the good policies of the Vice Chancellor, Prof NaAllah she said.

In his remarks, NaAllah thanked the association and its partner for their willingness to support the university.

We are working to upgrade the ranking of the University of Abuja to a world class university, this cannot be done without strengthen the academic, the infrastructure and strengthen the lives of the students.

As a public university, the Federal Government cannot fund it alone. We need to mobilise funds and there are no better people to come to than the alumni, he said.

The vice chancellor told the alumni and its partner to consider supporting students activities centre, provide books to the library and give scholarships to some students.

According to him, the university is upgrading itself in so many areas as it has developed virtual class system in response to COVID-19 pandemic.

Our Centre for Distance Learning is among the best in Nigeria. Also, we have launched drug free clubs and the counselling services working around the clock to help and rehabilitate the affected students.

The University of Abuja is a tertiary institution in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, established in January 1988, as a dual-mode university with the mandate to run conventional and distance learning programmes. (NAN)

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

Source: NAN News

By Funmilola Gboteku

The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), SLOT Foundation and Botosoft Technologies say they have agreed to jointly train Nigerian youths on mobile phone repair and electronic gadget maintenance.

The Technical Advisor of GIZ, Mr Oluwatosin Ilawole, during a facility tour on Tuesday of Botosoft Technologies Ltd., Ikeja, said the project was aimed at engaging the teeming youths in economic activities that would lead to sustainable income for them.

He said that the market for the repairs of mobile gadgets was very huge, with the potential for engaging a large number of Nigerian youths.

Ilawole said, When we saw the potential in the mobile tech market for youths, we went into partnership with both SLOT Foundation and the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB).

The partnership is aimed at looking at how to pilot an innovative model like the version of the German dual vocation system, where they have classroom training, practical and the third component which is compulsory internship.

The programme started last year for a period of nine months and the classroom training was held at LASTVEB for three months. Then, SLOT Foundation taught the trainees the practical aspect of mobile phone repairs and computer software among others for six-months, Ilawole said.

He said that after training the beneficiaries, the agreement was to get them into organisations that were willing to give voluntary internship.

Ilawole said that one of the places they got voluntary internship for the trainees was at Botosoft Technologies Ltd.

He said that apart from the internship which allowed them to gain more experience in fixing gadgets, they also gained permanent employment at Botosoft.

Also speaking, Dr Babatope Agbeyo, the Chairman of Botosoft Technologies Ltd., said that the project was aimed at taking unemployed youths off the streets and making them useful to the society and also for such youths to have sustainable income.

Agbeyo said that the purpose of bringing the beneficiaries to their company was for them to put what they had learnt practically into real life use.

He said that it was also to encourage them and let them realise that it was possible to get employed if they learn well.

He said that Botosoft would be willing to retain 90 per cent of the trainees as well as enrol those who would be considered outstanding in universities in order to acquire advanced knowledge in the skill.

He noted that the companys vision was to empower as many youths as possible, particularly, the ones that would be willing to learn.

Agbeyo stressed the need for more intiatives that would help reduce the number of unemployed youths in the country.

If every company in Nigeria decides to employ five youths per year, the number of unemployed people in the country will reduce.

On our own part, every year we employ about 100 youths for three months to work with us, Agbeyo said.

He lauded the German dual vocation system noting that such model was worth emulating .

The head of training at SLOT Foundation, Mr Collins Uwadia, said SLOT partnered GIZ, a body of German Government doing a lot of projects in Nigeria, to build youth capacity, and also to give back to the society.

He said that the programme was an all-round training comprising: theory, practical and internship.

Uwadia said that the training which includes: how to repair phones, laptops and electronics would give them an opportunity to garner hands on skills and be useful to the society.

NAN reports that GIZ is an international enterprise owned by the German Federal Government operating in many fields in no less than 130 countries.

SLOT Foundation is primarily built to help budding entrepreneurs and promote made-in-Nigeria products that would create jobs and promote local content.

Botosoft Technologies specialises in identity management, brand protection and document security services.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

FOG/PAD

Edited by Peter Dada

Source: NAN News

By Ruth Oketunde

Prof. Muhammed Isah, Chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), says compliance with assets declaration and code of conduct for public officers is compulsory not optional.

He said this at a two-day workshop organised for staff of the Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission (NIWRMC), on Wednesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop is on strict compliance with assets declaration and code of conduct for public officers.

Isah, who was represented by Mr Zephaniah Bulus, Director, Education and Advocacy Services at the Bureau, said it was important for public officers to abide with a high standard of morality as they carry out their responsibilities.

The essence of this workshop is to keep public officers abreast of their responsibilities and to show them practical guide on how to fill their assets declaration forms.

We are taking them on ethics and prosecution and it is important for public officers to conform to the ethics and laws of the land.

The codes, which are set of moral principles helps to regulate the conducts of public officers, from the President to the lowest officer in the public service.

There are so many things public officers take for granted without them knowing that they are breaking the law.

So we are using this avenue to educate them on what is expected of them, he said.

On his part, Mr Umar Magashi, Executive Director, NIWRMC, urged the participants to abide by the code of conducts for public officers in order not to face the consequences of breaching the law.

According to him, it has been observed that many public officers do not comply with the provisions of the law.

He, however, urged them to ensure they declare their assets when due.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru/Sadiya Hamza

Source: NAN News

By George Odok

Dr Janet Ekpenyong, Director-General, Cross River State Primary Healthcare Care Agency, has confirmed the death of seven children from cholera in the state.

Ekpenyong, who confirmed the deaths in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Calabar, said the agency recorded more than 600 suspected cases in the state between March and April.

Over 600 suspected cases were detected and we had a Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) conducted on them. We also did a microscopic test and culture to have a true confirmation of the cases.

We confirmed that most of the cases were not cholera related, though we had three active cases of the disease in Ogoja Local Government Area (LGA).

Whenever we go for medical outreach and detect suspected cases of cholera with symptoms such as diarrhoea, we take samples immediately.

Thereafter, the rapid diagnostic test is carried out and treatment initiated immediately.

Over the past two months, we have actually had seven deaths occurring as a result of cholera, she said.

Ekpenyong said that treatment was initiated after samples were collected for microscopic test, but sadly however, some of the children died before the results were out.

According to the DG, the children are the most vulnerable to diarrhoea, because they play mostly with dirt and still use their hands to eat without washing them.

On sensitisation, Ekpenyong told NAN that her goal was working with the National Orientation Agency and other partners to sensitise mothers on the importance of maintaining hygienic habits and drinking clean water.

She noted that most of the cases were as a result of drinking unclean water that had been contaminated by faeces from open defacation, especially in rural areas without toilets.

She said that since most rural dwellers depended on water from the streams, it was important for people from such communities to boil such water before drinking.

The DG also told NAN that the agency was partnering with relevant agencies for the sinking of boreholes in some communities, with a view to providing portable drinking water for them. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chidi Opara/Nyisom Fiyigon Dore

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

Fusion 774, a political support and socio-economic advocacy group, has declared support for the aspiration of the former Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, to become the president of Nigeria in 2023.

Amaechi is a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The National Coordinator of the group, Mr Sadiq Jikta, said this while briefing newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.

The group has recently called on the former Chief of Army Staff and Nigerian Ambassador to Benin Republic, Amb. Tukur Buratai, to run for the office of the president in 2023.

Jikta said that Buratai declined their call and urged them to support any candidate that shared their vision.

He said the choice of Amaechi was borne out of their conviction that his vision for Nigeria aligned with that of the group, couple with his experience in governance and passion for Nigeria.

Jikta said the concern of the group was to choose leaders with the requisite experience and track records, which according to him endeared Amaechi to the group as the right person to support.

He said the decision was in response to the resolve of Nigerians to advocate for leadership that would be responsive, trusted and deliberate in meeting the peoples yearning and aspiration.

We are using this opportunity to announce our support to the candidacy of Rotimi Amaechi, as we believe he has the capacity to salvage the country, both in security and economy as a whole.

We urge members of fusion 774 all over the country to lay their support to him.

At this stage, all members who are APC delegates to the presidential primaries to give him the full support and cooperation he may desire.

We at Fusion 774 will use all available resources within our means to ensure he comes out successful in the coming APC primary elections, he said.

The National Patron of the group, Dr Abubakar Sani, said the group looked out for aspirants from all political parties and evaluated their capacity and acceptability before declaring support for Amaechi.

Sani said the group would not only support anyone to become president but would set up machinery to hold him accountable to the people.

He said that Fusion 774 would form opposition against anyone that failed to align their vision, saying the group would not accept funding from any politician.

According to him, the group consulted with some eminent personalities in the country, like traditional rulers to be able to narrow their choice down to Amaechi as an alternative since Buratai rejected the call.

He said it was time for citizens to be actively involved in choosing a better president in 2023. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News