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Rivers State: INEC Breaks Silence, Opens Up On Status Of Rivers Assembly Members

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has finally broke its silence on the controversy trailing the status of the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly that crossed from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Commission’s chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, who formally reacted to it in his remarks at the second quarterly consultative meeting with media organisations held in Abuja on Wednesday, stated that the commission is waiting for the law courts to make pronouncement on their positions before taking an appropriate steps.

Yakubu further explained that there are 32 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly elected during the 2023 general election, emphasising that the commission has no business with the resignation of the Assembly members.

While urging those resigning to address their letters to the Clerk of the Assembly not INEC, Yakubu said: “32 members were elected in the last general election into Rivers State House of Assembly. We have been bombarded with letters from those emerging as Speakers and even the PDP urging us to declare their seats vacant.

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“INEC has no business with anybody resigning from the State House of Assembly. He should direct his letter of resignation to the Clerk of the House of Assembly. In one day, I received three letters but it is not our duty,” he said.

The electoral umpire boss further admitted that the commission is aware that the matters are in courts and will wait for the pronouncement of the courts to act accordingly.

“Our position remains that where matters are in Courts, we wait for judgments before taking steps. We are not the Courts so it’s not our responsibility to interprete cases. It is when Courts have given judgments that we now do what we as the electoral body should do, but untill such happens, we will not take any step that is not our constitutional responsibility.

“The National Assembly make laws, the judiciary interprets the laws so, it is not our duty to do that. It is within the Courts pronouncement we act,” he emphasised.

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Commenting on the preparations for the forthcoming Edo and Ondo states off-cycle governorship elections, Yakubu reassured that the commission is ready.

“Taking into consideration the limited time to the governorship elections, the commission has decided to conduct the registration at Ward level and our State headquarters instead of our Local Government offices and a few designated centers as was the case in the past. This means that there will be 192 Ward registration centres in Edo State and 203 centres in Ondo State in addition to our State offices in Benin City and Akure, making a total of 397 walk-in registration centres in the two States.

“There will be no online pre-registration option in the two States because of time constraint. Each centre will be managed by two officials drawn from our regular staff and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). In the next few days, the Commission will commence the training of at least 794 officials for the exercise.

The locations of the registration centres as well as other relevant information have been compiled in a detailed 28-page document included in your folders for this meeting. The same information has already been uploaded to our website and social media platforms for public information.”

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Yakubu urged the media to join the commission in mobilising prospective registrants for the exercise, particularly on the need to register early and not wait until the deadline approaches when the registration centres will be inundated by eleventh hour registrants.

“In addition to the registration of voters, the commission will also make available the uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) for collection during the CVR. In the coming days, the list of uncollected PVCs will be published in our offices in the two States and simultaneously uploaded to our website.

“We believe that doing so will make it easier for voters to know the availability of the cards and identify the locations to collect them. However, no PVCs will be collected by proxy. Registered voters should come in person to collect their cards. Again, we seek for the support of the media in encouraging voters to locate and pick up thier PVCs as was done in the past.

“Still on our preparations for the two Governorship elections, the Commission has published the final list of candidates for Edo following the conclusion of party primaries and the end of the period for withdrawal and substitution of candidates as provided in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election,” he said.

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PHOTOS Of Prisoners Who Escaped Borno Prison And Those Recaptured

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By Mario Deepromoter

Nigerian Correctional Service on Sunday disclosed that about 281 inmates escaped from Maiduguri Medium Security Custodial Centre following severe flooding in the capital city.

NCoS spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, said the agency had alerted the Nigerian Immigration Service, and Nigeria Police Force among other security agencies to help recapture the fleeing inmates.

“Every security agency in the country has been notified and they are on alert to help track down the fleeing inmates wherever they may be. With their help, we will capture them and return them to our custodial centre,” Umar said.

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In a statement on Sunday, he said of the 281 fleeing inmates, seven had already been recaptured and returned to the facility.

“The Nigerian Correctional Service has observed the flooding currently being experienced in Maiduguri, Borno State, and its environment.

The unfortunate incident has left scars, bringing down the walls of the correctional facilities, including the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Maiduguri as well as the staff quarters in the city.

“Upon the evacuation of inmates by officers of the service, with support from sister security agencies to a safe and secure facility, 281 inmates were observed to be missing.

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Presently, a total of seven inmates have been recaptured and returned to custody, while efforts are on the ground to track down the rest and bring them back to safe custody,” the statement read in part.

Abubakar further stated that details of the fleeing inmates had been made available to the public while noting that efforts were underway to track them.

“However, it is important to note that the service is in the custody of their details, including their biometrics, which are being made available to the public. The service is working in synergy with other security agencies as both covert and overt deployments have been activated to locate them. While this effort is ongoing, the public is assured that the incident does not impede or affect public safety,” the statement added.

Recall that the flood affected many parts of Maiduguri, leading to the displacement of over 300,000 residents and the deaths of over 30 people, including children.

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Meanwhile, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, on Saturday said he was “seriously worried” that jailed Boko Haram terrorists might have escaped from the prison facility.

See Pictures Below;

Prisoners

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SEE new price of petrol across all 36 states

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By Mario Deepromoter

Despite the counter accusations by both Dangote Refinery and NNPCL over prices, the price list of petrol has emerged online.

According to reports, this is because NNPCL bought petrol at a higher price from Dangote Refinery on Sunday.

NNPCL also mentioned that Dangote Refinery sold the petrol in US Dollars, not naira, against the federal government’s directive.

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However, Dangote Refinery will sell its petrol in naira starting in October.

According to a breakdown from NNPCL, Dangote Refinery sold petrol to NNPCL at N898.78 per litre.

NNPCL paid Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) fee of N8.99, inspection fee of N0.97, a distribution cost in Lagos of N15, margin N26.48.

NNPCL’s statement added that the estimated pump price in:
Lagos will be N950.22
Sokoto State N999.22
Kano State N999.22
Borno State N1,019.22
Kaduna N999.22
FCT N992.22
Oyo State N960.22
Lagos State N950.22
Rivers State N980.00
Imo State N980.22

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An analysis of the chart showed that except from Lagos State, other states of the federation will be paying higher because of distribution costs.

The distance from Dangote Refinery and NNPCL‘s depot in Lagos State to other states of the country majorly would determine the price differences.

The report also showed that the six geo-political zones would be paying differently.

The North East states would be paying the highest per liter from N1,019.22, followed by North West states from N999.22, followed by North Central states from N992.22, followed by South East states from N980.22, South South states from N980.22 and South West states paying the least from N960.22, except Lagos State paying from N950.22.

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At the time of filing this report, the presidency is yet to speak on the latest development.

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Rivers 2027: Ogoni powerful men snub Fubara, throw weight behind Wike

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By Mario Deepromoter

Political heavyweights from the Ogoni and Oyigbo zones have formally withdrawn their support for Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The leaders have dumped Fubara and lace their boots with the action packed Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

The leaders gathered on Saturday in Nonwa, Tai Local Government Area, at an event tagged “Ogoni, Oyigbo People’s Assembly.”

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The assembly, which focused on fostering unity between the two ethnic zones, was heavily attended by politicians loyal to Wike, who remains locked in a bitter political feud with Fubara, his estranged protégé.

Prominent personalities, including Senators Barinada Mpigi and Magnus Abe, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, and Chief Victor Giadom, attended the meeting.

The group emphasized that after years of marginalization, it was time for Ogoni and Oyigbo to produce the next governor of Rivers State.

Speaking on behalf of the assembly, Senator Mpigi declared, “The Ogoni and Oyigbo Peoples Assembly, a multi-political convergence of five Local Government Areas within the Rivers South-East Senatorial District, met today to reaffirm their support for the President Bola Tinubu-led administration and pledged total loyalty to the former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of FCT, Chief Nyesom Wike.

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“We also reiterate the obvious fact that the senatorial district’s upland is due for a governor and should produce the next governor of Rivers State come 2027.”

Tensions between Wike and Governor Fubara have been mounting, with Wike publicly withdrawing his support for his former ally.

Wike, who was instrumental in Fubara’s rise to power, has accused the governor of straying from their shared vision for the state.

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