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Senegal heads for wide open presidential poll Sunday

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By Francesca Hangeior

Seven million Senegalese are due to head to the polls on Sunday to vote in a wide open presidential election following weeks of chaos and uncertainty.

Whoever comes out on top will be tasked with steering the traditionally stable West African nation out of years of turmoil, and managing revenues from recently discovered oil and gas reserves.

The 18 men and one woman have until Friday to finish a raucous two-week campaigning period, which was dramatically shortened after a last-minute change to the election date.

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The election race was also fired up by a rapidly-passed amnesty law that led last week to the release from prison of Bassirou Diomaye Faye and the charismatic Ousmane Sonko, figureheads of the anti-establishment opposition.

Although Faye is Sonko’s deputy, the former is on the ballot because the latter has been barred from standing.

They plan “to share resources fairly. What belongs to Senegal should be left to Senegal, that’s patriotism,” said 38-year-old teacher Gnima Mane in the southern city of Ziguinchor.

For the first time in Senegal, the incumbent will not feature on the ballot, with the candidate selected by outgoing President Macky Sall’s governing coalition up against 18 rivals.

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In the central town of Diourbel, many people have faith in Sall’s candidate, Amadou Ba.

“We have new streetlights, roads and a grass stadium,” said high school student Ousseynou Diene during a rally for Ba.

But Sall’s last-minute decision in February to delay the presidential vote due later that month sparked unrest that left four people dead.

Sall, who had won praise abroad by renouncing a possible third term bid in 2023, said he called off the vote over fears the ballot would not go well.

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After weeks of political crisis, the country’s top constitutional body stepped in and forced him to reset the date to March 24.

Ba and Faye, who has pitched himself as the “candidate for system change” and “left-wing pan-Africanism”, both claim they will be able to win in the first round.

Khalifa Sall, the former mayor of the capital Dakar, has also been mentioned as an outsider.

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First Lady denies leading national prayer

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The First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, on Saturday, refuted reports that she will be leading a seven-day national prayer for Nigeria.

This followed a report last week that Mrs Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Mrs Nuhu Ribadu, will spearhead a national prayer session to tackle the country’s numerous challenges.

The reports quoted the Director-General of the National Prayer Forum, Segun Afolorunikan, announcing the event in Abuja.

Afolorunikan had said the initiative, coordinated with Christian and Muslim religious leaders, intends to seek divine intervention for the country’s socio-economic and security issues, under the theme ‘Seeking the Intervention of God in Nigeria’s Affairs.’

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“Christians will meet at the National Ecumenical Centre for a week of intense prayer, with prayer warriors from various denominations focusing their efforts on the nation’s adversities,” said the convener.

However, the First Lady has denied knowing any such arrangement saying a call for prayer must be done “willingly, conscientiously and correctly.”

Mrs Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs Busola Kukoyi, conveyed this in a statement she signed Saturday titled ‘First Lady of Nigeria Oluremi Tinubu, CON refutes organising national prayer.’

It read, “This is to clarify and inform the general public that the First Lady of Nigeria is not organising a national prayer.

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“The news making rounds in some conventional and social media platforms is unfounded and misleading.

“Consequently, anyone who might have come across the purported news of the joint National Prayer for Nigeria should disregard it as false.”

Kukoyi said the First Lady, a Christian and strong advocate of prayer and praying for Nigeria, believes that prayer is an act that must be done willingly, conscientiously and correctly.

“She also believes that praying for Nigeria is the responsibility of every Nigerian, irrespective of religious belief, political affiliation, tribe or tongue.

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“Members of the public are advised to verify the authenticity of any news or event involving the First Lady of Nigeria or her office through official channels,” the statement concluded.

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25 Shops destroyed as fire guts building in Ilorin

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A building of 25 shops has been gutted by fire in the early hours of Saturday in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.

According to the state fire service, the incident occurred at Adeta roundabout at about 02.39 hours.

A statement in Ilorin on Saturday by the spokesman of the service, Hassan Adekunle, said the firefighters, upon arrival, found a block of about 25 shops engulfed in flames.

“Thanks to the swift action and bravery of the Kwara State fire service officers, only three shops suffered damage, including a soft drinks and alcohol shop.

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“Preliminary investigations indicated that the fire was caused by a power surge,” the statement disclosed.

The Director of the State Fire Service, Prince John Falade Olumuyiwa, expressed sympathy for the affected shop owners, offering prayers for the restoration of their losses.

He also urged the public to prioritize safety and ensure all electrical appliances are unplugged when not in use.

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New terror group Lakurawa offers N1m incentives to recruit Sokoto youths + Video

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The newly emerged terror group known as Lakurawa, is reportedly offering as much as one million naira to young men in exchange for their allegiance.

This was made known on Saturday by Zagazola Makama, a Lake Chad Basin counterterrorism and insurgency expert, in a post on his X handle.

Makama disclosed that an impeccable source informed him that Lakurawa, allegedly composed of individuals from Mali, Chad, Libya, Niger, and Burkina Faso, was actively recruiting local youths in Sokoto through substantial financial incentives.

He stated that according to witnesses’ accounts, the financial lure is part of an aggressive recruitment campaign aimed at attracting followers to their cause.

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The security expert said that Lakurawa, unlike traditional criminal gangs, reportedly adhere to extremist ideologies linked to the Khawarij sect, similar to the beliefs of Boko Haram.

Makama added: “Local sources suggest that they employ a combination of financial incentives and ideological influence to gain support among vulnerable communities.

“Beyond the recruitment, the Lakurawa reportedly confront and expel bandits and confiscate their cattle in areas under their control.

Watch video below:

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https://twitter.com/ZagazOlaMakama/status/1855319733282758848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

 

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