News
Ondo guber: APC spent billions to buy votes, PDP agent alleges
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) State Collation Agent, Olaniyi Ogungbuji, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of inducing voters in the just concluded governorship election in Ondo State to the tune of over N35 billion.
He spoke shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
declared the APC candidate, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, winner of the Saturday’s governorship election at the INEC headquarters in Akure.
The Returning Officer, Prof Olayemi Akinwunmi, declared Aiyedatiwa winner at exactly 2:29pm.
Aiyedatiwa polled 366,781 votes to defeat his major rival and the PDP candidate, Agboola Ajayi, who came distant second with 117,845 votes, while African Democratic Party’s Adeyemi Nejo came third with 4,138.
Speaking to newsmen after the declaration, Ogungbuji alleged that the ruling party won because it deployed over N35bn to induce voters.
“This is the end result of the election but I can tell you that APC as a party deployed over N35bn into inducing the electorate. And if this is the future of this nation, I think we are doomed for it,” he said.
He also expressed worry that the election didn’t take place at some polling units at Idanre LG but his position was discarded at the collation centre.
Ogungbuji hinted that the party’s candidate, Agboola Ajayi and the party would decide on the next line of action in the coming days.
“I will report back to him (Ajayi) and the party as well, they will take the next appropriate action in the next few days,” he said.
But the APC state agent, Ade Adeogun, dismissed the allegation of vote buying, describing it as flippant excuses.
“You need to understand that throughout this electioneering period, we even complained that Ondo State was over policed.
So, if they had any genuine evidence, which is why I mentioned cogent and verifiable reasons, they would have reported to the security agencies and those persons involved in votes buying or any inducement would have been arrested.
“Without evidence, you can’t just go around and make flippant excuses. They lost an election. They lost woefully and they’re looking for a straw to hold onto.”
He said the opposition party should be allowed to ‘weep’ over the defeat, saying the party has a right to do so.
Adeogun said, “It’s an allegation and when you go to court, he who alleges must prove. For you to prove, you must present cogent and verifiable reasons.
“If you have 10 political parties contesting and only one is complaining, you would understand that it’s a pain of loss that they’re still experiencing and we must give them that right to weep.
“If a child has failed an examination, he is allowed to weep. Let’s give them time to absorb the defeat and then probably accept the fact that they lost because they didn’t deserve to win.”
News
Tinubu fires DG names replacement (photos)
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
President Bola Tinubu has fired Nura Sani Kangiwa as Director-General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR).
Recall that Sani Kangiwa was appointed NIHOTOUR DG in September 2020 by former president, Muhammadu Buhari.
Though no official reason was provided for the dismissal, it is possible that his tenure had come to an end.
However, in his place, President Tinubu on Thursday last week appointed Abisoye Fagade as the new Director-General of NIHOTOUR.
Dr. Abisoye Fagade is a marketing communication professional.
He is the founder and managing director of Sodium Brand Solutions.
President Tinubu urged the newly appointed officer to discharge his duties with dedication, patriotism, and excellence.
News
Banditry! Police Officer feared K!lled As Gunmen Attack Lawmaker’s Convoy in Abia State
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A policeman attached to the member representing Isialangwa North and South Federal Constituency of Abia State, Hon. Ginger Onwusibe has been feared dead.
The incident happened around 9pm at Ubakala Umuahia South.
According to a police source, gunmen dressed in black and wearing police-style armor jackets had blocked the convoy of the House of Representatives member with a Toyota Corolla.
The lawmaker was not in the vehicle when the incident happened but at least two police officers and a driver were in the vehicle.
The gunmen opened fire on the escorts after they identified themselves as police officers.
In the process, a police officer was killed, while another officer was injured. The attackers fled the scene, and the police station at Ubakala responded with gunfire.
Attempts to contact the Abia State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO) was unsuccessful. Police sources said officers of the command are on the trail of the suspects it believes are kidnappers.
News
Kwankwaso cries out, says there are plots to colonise north
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 election and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has alleged plans from Lagos to colonise the northern region.
Kwankwaso, who made the allegation while delivering a speech during the convocation ceremony of Skyline University, Kano, also claimed that Lagos has been on the way to the issue of emirates tussle in Kano State.
Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, also lamented the avalanche of challenges bedeviling the North, including economic crisis, insecurity, poverty, hunger and different kinds of diseases, saying the situation is not good for the country.
Kwankwaso said, “Let me note our situation here in Kano and indeed northern Nigeria. The emir is just being a stooge at this very difficult time, especially in this part of the country (northern Nigeria).
“Today, we can see very clearly that there is a lot of efforts from the Lagos axis to colonize this part of the country. Today, Lagos wouldn’t allow us to choose an emir, Lagos has to come to the centre of Kano to put their own emir.”
Kwankwaso also spoke on tax collection, saying, “Today, we are aware that the Lagos young men are working so hard to impose taxes and take away our taxes from Kano and this part of the country to Lagos.
“Today, as we have seen, even the telephones that we make or register here in Kano, efforts are there to take all the taxes to Lagos.
“Even our sons and daughters who have brought factories many of them here in Kano and northern Nigeria and even banks, somehow, they are forced to take their headquarters to Lagos because taxes will now have to go to Lagos.”
The former Kano governor also spoke on the disparity between the rich and the poor saying, “We have seen the efforts of some people to make the poor poorer and the rich richer and I believe this is more dangerous.”
Kwankwaso therefore called on the lawmakers from the northern part of the country to wake up and make sure the region is not cheated in any way.
“At this moment, I would like to call all our National Assembly members to keep their eyes open so that they don’t do anything that would cheat the people of northern Nigeria, especially here, Kano.
“We are witnesses to what happened during the first term, 1999 to 2000, where our members of the National Assembly were bribed, were treated into collecting huge sums of money to support offshore in this country. That law put a huge blow into our economy not only here in northern Nigeria but all other states.”
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