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BREAKING: Collation Of Abia Guber Poll Resumes 4pm Today

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Report has it that the suspended collation of the Abia State governorship election will resume by 4pm today (Wednesday) at the Collation Centre located inside the premises of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, headquarters Umuahia.

Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Rebecca Jim, who confirmed this to our Correspondent, said that the Presiding Officer and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO, Professor Nnenna Oti; and the State Administrative Secretary, Clement Oha, who were invited to the INEC headquarters Abuja, over the controversy from the Obingwa results, were on their way back to the state, to complete the process.

Recall that the collation of governorship election results in Abia and Enugu were, on Monday, suspended by INEC following allegations of infractions, especially over-voting in some areas.

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While fewer than 27,000 voters were accredited in Obingwa by the Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, machines, reports had it that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, polled over 100,000 votes from the council.

The main opposition Labour Party, LP, which was already leading with over 92,000 votes from the declared results of 16 out of 17 LGAs in the state, cried foul, alleging that the ‘mystery figures’ were cooked by the ruling party.

While results from 26 LGAs had been formally declared at the INEC Collation Centre, Obingwa result was yet to be presented when the directive from INEC headquarters in Abuja came for the exercise to the halted, and the action shifted to Abuja.

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Abia had been soaked with tension since the logjam started, with protests and growing calls among residents for INEC to declare the winner of the contest and not allow the will of the people subverted.

READ ALSO: Anxiety Heightens Over Enugu, Abia Gov Results

Abia Patriots, led by former Commissioner for Youths Development, Dannie Ubani; and the immediate-past Chairman, Board of Internal Revenue, Professor Udo Ogbonnaya, had at a press conference Tuesday in Umuahia, urged INEC to stop further delays in announcing the winner of the contest, which could be “clearly seen by all according to INEC statistics”.

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They warned that any error of judgment or attempt to subvert the will of the people could set the stage ablaze, and urged INEC to save Abia from avoidable political turmoil.

The patriots wondered how over 100,000 voters woke from their graves to vote in the governorship election in Obingwa and returned to their graves leaving only fewer than 27,000 to vote in the state house of assembly election held simultaneously in the state.

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Agege LG Chairman Resigns

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Agege Local Government
Mr. Tunde Azeez Disco has stepped down as the Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government, citing persistent health challenges as the reason for his resignation.

The former chairman submitted his resignation letter to the Agege Local Government Legislative Arm.

He noted that his health status had significantly impacted his ability to effectively discharge his official duties.

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The legislative house, while acknowledging Azeez Disco’s dedication to public service, quickly accepted the decision. Following a thorough deliberation, a unanimous resolution was passed, accepting the resignation with immediate effect.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: Tinubu’s Minister Resigns Amid Allegations

The council wished the outgoing chairman well in his future endeavours, with the event underlining the necessity for public officials to prioritise personal health and well-being.

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Ganiyu Obasa, son of the Speaker, Lagos State Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, is the Vice chairman of Agege Local Government.

In May, residents of Agege, under the banner of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the local government election in Agege.

They claimed that Obasa allegedly plans to foist his surrogates as candidates in the local government and councillorship elections.

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READ ALSO:APC Disowns Members Calling For State Secretary’s Resignation

In a meeting held in response to the announcement of candidates for the chairmanship and vice-chairmanship of the Agege Local Government and Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA), the aggrieved residents alleged that those shortlisted as candidates to represent the area were handpicked by Obasa.

They said the process was void of internal democracy and collective participation.

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Addressing the media, Kamardeen Sabitu, chairman of the PCC for Agege and Orile-Agege, alleged that Obasa did everything possible to manipulate the political structure in the area for personal gain.

During the protest, demonstrators carried placards reading “Red Card, Obasa O to ge, (it is enough). They also chanted songs such as “Enough is Enough, this suffering is enough, Tinubu, rescue us.”

READ ALSO:Elon Musk’s X CEO Resigns

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Sabitu added that the people have endured years of political marginalisation under Obasa’s influence. He recalled that the movement against imposed candidates began in 2018, during which one of the protesters died and 11 others were jailed.

There is no true democracy in Agege. Since 2018, we’ve been resisting Obasa’s control. We salute everyone standing up to this political imposition. One person cannot dominate Agege politics,” Sabitu said.

He emphasised that while the group remains loyal to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and is also appreciative of the party’s leadership, they will not accept candidates imposed on them without proper consultation.

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JUST IN: Reps In Rowdy Session, Reject Key Motions

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The plenary session of the House of Representatives on Tuesday turned rowdy after members voted against some motions of urgent public importance, which bordered on the protection of lives and key government assets.

With the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, presiding, the session became rowdy, as members dissolved into a closed-door session to restore order.

It all started when the member representing Somolu Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Ademorin Kuye, drew the attention of his colleagues to what he called the illegal allocation of lands within the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex and prayed the House to refer the matter to the Committee on Public Assets for investigation.

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Kuye, a member of the All Progressives Congress is the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Assets.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: All Enugu Reps Defect To APC

Proposing an amendment to the prayers, Delta lawmaker and Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, argued that though the matter brought before the Green Chamber is urgent enough, the Committee on Commerce, not Public Assets, should be in charge of the investigation.

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Waive was supported by Akwa Ibom lawmaker, Mark Esset, who argued that “It is the Committee on Commerce that should take responsibility on this matter.”

On the other hand, Yusuf Gagdi representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, Plateau State, supported Kuye, stating that the Public Assets Committee should be allowed to take charge of investigating the allegation of illegal land sale and submit a report to the House.

With no end to the back-and-forth argument in sight, Gbefwi Gaza (SDP, Nasarawa) on the advice of Kalu, proposed the constitution of an Ad-hoc Committee comprising members of both Committees (Public Assets and Commerce) to conduct the probe.

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READ ALSO:Reps Move To Regulate Cryptocurrency, POS Operations

When subjected to a voice vote, almost an equal number of lawmakers voted in support and against the motion.

Not sure whose voices were louder, Kalu gave it to the nays, sparking unrest in the chamber.

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Next on the order of urgent motions was Mohammed Bio representing Baruten/Kaima Federal Constituency, Kwara State.

Bio who lamented the worsening security situation in his constituency, prayed the House to urge the military to establish a base in the crisis-prone areas to stem the tides of attacks.

READ ALSO:List Of 46 Proposed New States Submitted To House Of Reps

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This time, more lawmakers voted against the motion, to the surprise of Kalu and the Kwara lawmaker.

It became clear to Kalu that members had resolved to frustrate the day’s session owing to the rejection of Kuye’s motion.

So, when again voices thundered against Ayodeji Alao-Akala’s motion which drew members’ attention to the need to address Nigeria’s description as a “Country of Particular Concern” by the United States President, Mr Donald Trump; Kalu allowed the motion to pass, forcing members to openly oppose the decision.

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Voices of dissent rent the chambers and the plenary was suspended for a closed-door session.

…Details later

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Obaseki’s Media Aide Tackles Edo Information Commissioner Over Alleged ₦600bn Debt

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A former Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has denied leaving a debt of N600bn, urging the Monday Okpehbolo-led administration to crosscheck from the Debt Management Office (DMO) before “spewing lies.”

The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, had on Monday in Benin claimed that the immediate past administration in the state left a whooping ₦600bn debt.

Reacting to Afegbua’s claim via video call on Tuesday, Obaseki’s Media Adviser, Crusoe Osagie, challenged the current administration in the state to visit the DMO to see whether Edo drew such debt.

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Crusoe, who said no government at whatever level has capacity to draw loans or enter into any debt arrangement without the knowledge and approval of the DMO, said lies being spewed by the Okpebholo’s administration is giving the country a bad image.

READ ALSO:PDP Crisis Worsens As Party Suspends BoT Chairman, Adolphus Wabara

He said information of such gives the impression that the state is being governed by people who don’t understand what it means to run a government.

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Crusoe described the claim as false and outrightly out of place.

On the planned probe of Mosium of West Africa Arts (MOWA), Crusoe noted that MOWA remained an international brand that entered into a business agreement with Edo State with all T’s crossed and all I’s dotted.

He insisted that every record about the transaction between Radisson Hotel and the Edo State government was contained in the transition report.

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READ ALSO:Obaseki: Leader, I Know How Pained You Are,’ Wike Apologises To Oshiomhole

He said: “MOWA is an international investment drawing funds from the German government, the United Kingdom’s government, and the French government for its development. You think such an investment will be put on a land that was not ceded to that organization by the state.

“These people just come out there and toss all kinds of irresponsible information out there. At the end of the day what happens is that all of these turn around to form the intelligence that gathered out of Nigeria by the international community.

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“It makes these countries think that the country is a failed state and the place is not being governed.”

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