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Ondo 2024: Citizens head to poll to pick new gov today
The die is cast as political heavyweights enter the ring to do battle in the Ondo State governorship election.
Residents of the state will file out in their numbers on Saturday, November 16th as they elect their leader for the next four years.
Ahead of the exercise, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it cleared 18 candidates for the poll.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is vying for his first election after he replaced the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu who died last year. His major opponent is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Agboola Ajayi who was also deputised Akeredolu.
INEC Assures Readiness
The INEC collation centre for the Edo State governorship election. Photo by Channels TV’s Sodiq Adelakun
While election logistics has been an issue in past elections in the oil-producing state, the INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu assured that the commission has made arrangements for a smooth poll.
“Over the last four days,” Yakubu said during the signing of a peace accord for the poll. “I have engaged with our own officials, security agencies, and transport service providers here in Ondo State to assess our readiness and perfect our arrangements for the movement of over 17,000 ad hoc and regular officials as well as large quantities of materials to 4,154 voting and collation locations (3,933 polling units, 203 Ward and 18 LGA collation centres).”
INEC said it will deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for voter accreditation at the polling units and upload of results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
Police Tighten Security
Security personnel have been deployed for the exercise.
Days after this, INEC began the distribution of materials for the election and also said it was working with security agencies to ensure a free and fair exercise.
“In preparation for the elections, the IGP has deployed DIG Sylvester Abiodun Alabi as the coordinating DIG for the Elections, tasked with overseeing the implementation of the Police security strategies to maintain law and order throughout the electoral period, while AIG Bennett Igweh, mni, and CP Tunji Disu are deployed as AIG and CP Elections respectively,” the Force spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said.
“As part of the security framework, there will be a restriction of all vehicular movements on roads, waterways, and other means of transportation from 6 am to 6 pm on Election Day, with the exception of those on essential services, such as ambulances, media officials, fire services, and other accredited media.”
Tinubu Sues For Peace
On the eve of the election, President Bola Tinubu called for peace and commended INEC for its readiness for the election.
“As Ondo State prepares for its off-cycle governorship election, President Bola Tinubu urges all political stakeholders and the electorate to uphold peace and decorum and fulfil their civic responsibilities without fear before or after the elections,” presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said in a Friday statement.
“President Tinubu anticipates a democratic process in the state that will genuinely reflect the people’s will and power to freely choose their leaders.”
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Just in: Tinubu exposes those behind deadly stampedes
President Bola Tinubu has accused organisers for the deadly stampedes that occurred during the distribution of relief materials in three states.
Recall in the past week, chaotic scenes in Ibadan, Anambra and Abuja led to the deaths of over 60 people, including children, as crowds scrambled for food items.
During a Presidential Media Chat on Monday, Tinubu described the events as a critical failure in planning and execution.
Condolences to those who lost a family member, but it is good to give. I have been giving out food stuff, commodities, etc. in Bourdillon.
“I am an organized person and that’s why I have been giving people food for the past 25 years and no incident has happened.
“Let this tragedy not affect us”, the Nigerian leader said.
The president also said he has no plans to reduce his cabinet or sack more ministers.
For the controversial tax reform bills, he said it has come to stay.
He also revealed he has no regrets removing fuel subsidy.
He declared utmost confidence in his security chiefs saying over the past decades, wanton killings has reduced drastically.
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Tinubu To Hold Maiden Presidential Media Chat Tonight
President Bola Tinubu will hold first presidential chat since assuming office on Monday night.
Accoding to a statement released by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the chat will be broadcast at 9 p.m. on the stations of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
All television and radio stations are requested to hook up to the broadcast.
“The first Presidential Media Chat with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be broadcast at 9 p.m. on Monday, December 23, on the Nigerian Television Authority and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria.
“All television and radio stations are requested to hook up to the broadcast,” the statement.
News
‘Putin waiting to meet me as soon as possible’ to end Ukraine war – Trump
The US President-elect took to the stage AmFest in Phoenix to talk about his contact with the Russian leader.
He told the crowd: “President Putin has said he want to meet with me as soon as possible.”
Trump went on to brand the war “horrible” and stated it needed to end. It is not known whether or not this meeting will take place in person. His comments at the event in the US come as Putin met with another world leader.
Putin held talks in the Kremlin today (December 22) with Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, in a rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader since Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Fico arrived in Russia on a “working visit” and met with Putin one-on-one. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s RIA agency that the talks would focus on “the international situation” and Russian natural gas deliveries.
Visits and phone calls from European leaders to Putin have been rare since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine, although Hungary’s PM Viktor Orban visited Russia in July. Orban’s visit drew condemnation from Kyiv and European leaders.Fico’s views on Russia’s war on Ukraine differ sharply from most other European leaders. The Slovakian PM returned to power last year after his leftist party Smer (Direction) won parliamentary elections on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform. Since then, he has ended his country’s military aid for Ukraine, hit out at EU sanctions on Russia, and vowed to block Ukraine from joining NATO.
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