EKITI HOUSE ADJOURNS TILL AFTER FAYOSE TENURE
Tuesday, 17 July 2018 17:41
The Ekiti State House of Assembly has adjourned sitting until 8th of October, which is more than two months from now.
The adjournment was announced in a statement released by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information. Samuel Omotoso.
Before the adjournment, the State Assembly considered the conduct of the governorship election last Saturday and resolved that the result declared in favour of the candidate of the APC, Kayode Fayemi, as daylight robbery.
The development in Ekiti State comes after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, revealed that outgoing Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, will face criminal charges once his tenure comes to an end on 16th of October.
EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, gave this indication to newsmen in reaction to a message on the twitter handle of the anti-graft agency over the weekend that appeared to gloat over the defeat of the PDP candidate and Governor Fayose’s deputy in the governorship election on Saturday.
The twitter post which was promptly deleted made reference to revisiting a fraudulent scandal involving a poultry investment by the Ekiti State Government during Governor Fayose’s first term in office.
But in statement released by Wilson Uwujaren, he reportedly played down on the controversial twitter post, stressing that only the court could clear Governor Fayose of his criminal trial after leaving office.
Uwujaren maintained that there was a subsisting criminal charge against Governor Fayose before the Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti, which would be determined at the end of his tenure.
SAMUEL ORTOM TO DUMP THE APC
Tuesday, 17 July 2018 09:27Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has dumped the All Progressives Congress.
The governor made the disclosure at the Government House in Makurdi, the state capital, while swearing in his Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Jerome Torshimbe.
Explaining the reasons behind his action, the governor said he has been sent out of APC and is currently exploring a new option to actualize his future ambition.
The governor has not, however, announced the party he will be joining, saying only that he is consulting with relevant stakeholders and will soon announce his next move.
Speaking on the challenges confronting the state, the governor expressed the belief that it will soon come to an end.
EKITI ELECTION: Reactions Continues to spill out
Monday, 16 July 2018 11:49
Reactions continue to trail the conduct of governorship election in Ekiti State on Saturday, which produced Doctor Kayode Fayemi of the APC as Governor-elect.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said with the victory of the All Progressives Congress, Nigerian spoke loudly about their perception of the Buhari Administration.
Lai Mohammed said the Ekiti election was more than one state's gubernatorial poll, adding that it was a referendum on the performance of the Buhari Administration.
The position of the Information and Culture Minister was contained in a text of a new conference he addressed in Lagos, which was obtained by our correspondent.
In a related development; the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has expressed utmost satisfaction with the conduct of police personnel deployed for election duty in Ekiti State over the weekend.
IGP Idris also commended the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations for what he called high level commitment of the police and other security and safety agencies in ensuring adequate security for the election.
A statement released by Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, noted that the Nigeria Police Force equally appreciates the law abiding attitude and peaceful conduct of the people of Ekiti State during the election.
Meanwhile; the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has rejected the result of the governorship election in Ekiti State.
The PDP described the result announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in favour of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as a daylight robbery.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, disclosed during a media briefing held in Abuja that the PDP would challenge the outcome of the election in court.
Similarly, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike says what transpired during the Ekiti governorship election is the worst political robbery in the nation's democratic history.
However; Governor Wike boasted that the APC-led Federal Government would not be able to replicate what he considered wrong in the Ekiti State election in Rivers State, stressing that Rivers people are fully prepared.
Governor Wike, who spoke during a thanksgiving church service to mark the end of Third anniversary celebration of his administration, did not mentioned specifically what he considered wrong with the Ekiti State election.
EKITI DECIDED: Fayemi Wins Polls, INEC Commissioner Issues Fayose Ultimatum (AUDIO)
Sunday, 15 July 2018 18:10President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Kayode Fayemi, on winning the Ekiti State governorship election.
President BuharI in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, commended the All Progressives Congress’ candidate and all party supporters for what he described as his hard-fought victory after a dignified campaign.
Candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the Ekiti State governorship election, Kayode Fayemi, was declared winner of the keenly contested election.
According to the declaration of result by the Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan, Professor Abel Olayinka, the APC Candidate, Fayemi polled one hundred and ninety-seven thousand, four hundred and fifty-nine while Olusola scored one hundred and seventy eight thousand, one hundred and fourteen votes.
Reacting to the victory, President Buhari said the people of Ekiti State have spoken loud and clear, and democracy has won again.
President Buhari urged the governor-elect and APC members to be magnanimous in victory as the incoming administration prepares to unfold a new lease of life for the people of the state through purposeful and responsible governance.
He commended the people of the state for their matured and peaceful conduct as they made their choice using the power of the ballot.
The President also lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission for adequate preparations and for displaying impartiality throughout the process.
He applauded security agencies for creating the right atmosphere for the relatively peaceful conduct of the polls and urged them to sustain the peace.
In the meantime, National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission in charge of Election Operations and Logistics, Aminat Zakari, has issued a forty-eight hour ultimatum to the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, to apologize to her.
Zakari said she wants public apology from Governor Fayose for accusing her of working with the All Progressives Congress candidate, Kayode Fayemi, to rig the governorship election.
This is contained in a suit filed by lawyers to Amina ZakarI who are charging Fayose for scurrilous falsehood which had negatively impacted on her health, career and family life.
Zakari is demanding a written apology by the governor to be published in all national newspapers within forty-eight hours.
The suit further demanded from the governor, public retraction of all the allegations contained in all the said publications in the same manner and format, in which the allegations were made.
Governor Fayose had, on July 2, 2018, accused the police and the Department of State Services of reposting Fayemi’s security aides to the state to coordinate the rigging of the election with the supervision of Amina Zakari.
PMB COMMISSIONS RAIL FACILITY IN ABUJA (AUDIO)
Friday, 13 July 2018 11:05The Abuja Light Rail mass transit has been activated following the completion of the first phase of the project after ten years.
President Muhammadu Buhari led other senior government officials to commission the rail facility at the Abuja Metro Control Centre.
President Buhari and his entourage were also given the maiden ride from the Abuja Cenral Area to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, which covers a distance of about forty-four thousand kilometres.
(voice of Pr. Buhari)
However; some members of the opposition PDP have faulted the claim by President Buhari that the Abuja Light Rail was delivered based on the promises of his APC Administration.
Among the critics is Senator Ben Murray-Bruce who took to his twitter handle to describe the claim by the President as factually incorrect, stressing that the Abuja Light Rail should be credited to the previous government under the PDP.
EKITI: NPF denies claims of assault, PDP calls on FG to investigate (AUDIO)
Friday, 13 July 2018 10:34The Police High Command has assured the people of Ekiti State of adequate security and unbiased policing during the governorship election tomorrow.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, have the assurance in an interview on a television programme monitored from Port Harcourt.
Moshood also used the opportunity to make further clarifications on the fracas on Wednesday between security operatives and PDP members in Ado Ekiti, where Governor Ayodele Fashola was allegedly manhandled by the police.
The Force spokesman said the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, had ordered an investigation into the incident and information gathered from Governor Fayose’s security details showed that he was not attacked as alleged.
(voice of Jimoh Moshood)
Meanwhile; the PDP Caucus in the Senate has demanded a judicial commission to investigate allegations of attack on Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, by security operatives.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, made the demand on behalf of his colleagues after a closed-door session by the Senate.
The former Governor of Akwa Ibom State wants the Federal Government to investigate the incident and punish anyone found culpable.
(voice of Godswill Akpabio)
Our correspondent reports that the PDP Caucus in the Senate also charged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the security agencies not to be partial as they go about their duties during the election in Ekiti State on Saturday.
The Senate took the decision as the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus, led members of the party’s National Working Committee on a protest to the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
Prince Secondus and his party members appealed to the National Assembly and the international community to intervene in the governorship election in Ekiti State on Saturday.
Our correspondent reports that other PDP leaders who were seen at the protest include former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara and a former Minister of Health, Professor ABC Nwosu.
Former PDP National Woman Leader, Josephine Anenih was also present, as well as a former Majority Leader of the Senate, Mulikat Akande-Adeola.
{soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/radio-desk/pdp-nwc-protest{/soundcloud}
In his response, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, assured the PDP leaders that their complaints would be addressed.
EXECUTIVE ORDER: Senate summons AG, as they Suspend Order (AUDIO)
Thursday, 12 July 2018 08:45The Nigerian Senate has summoned the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
The Justice Minister is expected to appear before the Senate to explain the constitutional basis for the President Muhammadu Buhari’s Executive Order Number Six.
The lawmakers are contending that the issuance of Executive Orders are in violation of the principles of separation of powers and a usurpation of legislative functions of the National Assembly.
The position of the Senate was reached based on a motion sponsored by Senator DAVID UMORU from Niger State, who argued that the enforcement of the Executive Order Six would result in human rights violations.
(that's the voice of Senator Umoru)
Our correspondent James Igah reports that the Senate was sharply in the debate on the motion by Senator Umoru.
Among those who spoke were Senator Yahaya Abdullahi of Kebbi North; Senator Shehu Sani of Kaduna Central, and Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe of Abia South.
However; the Senate went ahead to adopt the motion with additional recommendation for a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate all cases of human rights violations with the view to prosecuting offenders.
You will recall that the motion by Senator Umoru was stood down from the Senate’s Order Paper for Tuesday because of the Senator was absent from plenary.
In a related development; the House of Representatives has demanded the suspension of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Executive Order number 6.
The order seeks to restrain owners of assets under investigation from carrying out any further transaction on such assets.
During debate on the issue in plenary yesterday, the lawmakers called for an investigation into the constitutional compliance of all subsidiary legislation and executive orders issued by the executive.
The motion sponsored by Nicholas Ossai and supported by twenty seven other lawmakers, says the Executive Order appears to hijack and usurp legislative and judicial powers.
However Mojeed Alabi who represents Osun West federal constituency argued that the Executive Order was issued in good faith and does not infringe on the legitimate right of a citizen.
I AM BEING BLACKMAILED – PRESIDENT BUHARI
Wednesday, 11 July 2018 13:48
President Muhammadu Buhari has visited Ekiti State to attend what the All Progressives Congress, APC, calls a mega rally, ahead of the governorship election on Saturday.
President Buhari was joined by APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, among several others, for the rally at state capital, Ado-Ekiti.
Buhari and the APC leaders attended the event to lend support to the governorship candidate of the APC, Doctor Kayode Fayemi.
President Buhari also used the opportunity to once again address the security crisis involving herdsmen in farming communities in parts of the country.
The President maintained that he was being blackmailed by those who claim he was not doing enough to stem the tide of violence.
(Buhari at the APC rally)
In the meantime; the People’s Democratic Party and its supporters have been feasting on a slip by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Doctor Chris Ngige, during the APC rally in Ado-Ekiti.
Doctor Ngige was caught in a mix-up of the names of APC governorship candidate, Kayode Fayemi and incumbent Governor Ayo Fayose of the PDP, when he addressed the crowd of APC supporters at the rally.
The PDP has extracted part of the video recording containing the mistake in which Ngige appeared to be praising Fayose, and has circulated same on its official social media handles to drive its campaign ahead of the election on Saturday.
EKITI ELECTION: Police Service Commission Warns Against Misconduct
Wednesday, 11 July 2018 13:25The Police Service Commission has warned police personnel deployed for election duty to obey the rules and restrict themselves to their areas of assignment.
The warning was contained in a statement confirming the deployment of officials of the Police Service Commission to monitor the conduct of policemen during the election in Ekiti on Saturday.
According to the statement released by the Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, the team from the commission will be led by the Permanent Secretary, Musa Istifanus.
Ani disclosed that the PSC team would arrive in Ekiti tomorrow, and would be spread across the three senatorial districts of the state.
He said the Commission has also released three dedicated telephone lines for the electorate to reach its monitors to report any act of misconduct by police personnel during the election.
The statement noted that Police Officers on election duties in Ekiti are expected to wear their prescribed uniform with name tag.
It further noted that police personnel deployed to polling units are not allowed to carry firearms, cudgel and horsewhip.
It said involvement of the police at political gatherings shall also be limited to the maintenance of peace and order and enforcement of extant laws.