News

Disruption: ‘Don’t Push Me To Use My Powers,’ Kogi Returning Officer Warns SDP Secretary

Published

2 years ago

November 12, 2023

The otherwise smooth collation exercise of the governorship election in Kogi State on Sunday took a dramatic turn when the State Returning Officer, Prof Johnson Urama, threatened to use his statutory powers to remove the Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for disrupting the process.

Urama gave the stern warning after the SDP official, who did not give his name while giving his remarks on the results for the Okene Local Government Area (LGA), which had just been read out.

Once the SDP secretary introduced himself, the Returning Officer said, “I thought it was one party agent per [party]… There is somebody representing your party here.”

The SDP secretary was challenging what he described as “a doctored result,” alleging that the actual results were uploaded to the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV).

The party official retorted that though his colleague had spoken, he had “observed something that he probably has not seen.”

Describing the figures read out as “a doctored result,” the SDP secretary alleged that the results had been made known to the party “since yesterday,” adding that it was on the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV).

“I want to understand why the result was changed now. Why should the result be changed now? My party has been manipulated up until this point in time,” he said.

But Urama maintained that the SDP stalwart was not permitted to speak and was at risk of being thrown our.

“Secretary of SDP, you know I have the powers to remove anybody trying to disrupt this. Don’t push me to use those powers. You have an agent here and he has spoken,” he said.

The incident came hours after a Labour Party (LP) agent in Imo State, Calistus Ihejiagwa, was beaten and bundled out of the Imo State Collation Centre in Owerri, the state capital.

News

DSS Issues Warning, Arrests Man For Circulating Fake Recruitment Materials

Published

14 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

The Department of State Services (DSS) has disclosed the arrest of one Mr. Eze Ezenwa Benard, who was recently apprehended for circulating fake DSS recruitment past questions and answers on Facebook.

The agency, while warning the public in a statement on Saturday, said the suspect operated through a page known as “Jobs and Education”, where he advertised the fraudulent materials and charged unsuspecting members of the public one thousand naira (N1,000) for access.

“The public is hereby cautioned to disregard any materials, as the DSS does not sell or distribute recruitment questions, answers, or examination guides through private individuals or social media pages. Recruitment into the Service, when necessary, follows specialised procedure in accordance with extant laws and due process,” the statement reads.

News

‘Na Only People You Gave Work Love You,’ Singer Speed Darlington Tells Tinubu

Published

15 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Singer Speed Darlington has told President Bola Tinubu that public admiration cannot be bought, warning that only those who received appointments or jobs from the government truly support him.

In a video posted on Saturday, August 23, the singer said, “Everything isn’t about the economy! There is more to leadership than the economy. See as everybody dey call your name, dey complain. Nobody loves you. Na only the ones you gave work, na them love you. Even your own tribe dey complain about you.”

Darlington, an Igbo man, urged Tinubu to focus on police reform and respect for human rights. “The Nigerian police is an oppressive agency rooted in human rights violation. As a matter of fact, if they do not violate you, it’s as if they are not even doing their job.

“The idea of arrest before investigation is a pure human rights violation. You arrest and hold a person before you dey investigate. Please, before you leave office, please speak to your Yoruba brother IGP man,” he added.

News

Before You Leave Office, Reform The Police — Speed Darlington Urges Tinubu

Published

15 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Popular controversial singer Speed Darlington has called on President Bola Tinubu to reform the Nigerian Police Force, urging the government to prioritise citizens’ rights alongside economic growth.

In a video posted on Saturday, the entertainer criticised what he described as the police’s systemic human rights violations and oppressive practices.

“Mr President, before you leave office, whether you secure a second term or not, try your best to improve Nigeria. Everything isn’t about the economy!

“There is more to leadership than the economy. See as everybody dey call your name, dey complain. Nobody loves you. Na only the ones you gave work, na them love you. Even your own tribe dey complain about you,” he said.

The singer, who identifies as Igbo, urged Tinubu to engage with the Inspector-General of Police and implement reforms.

“As an Igbo man, the advice I can give you so people will know your name and remember you for something good is to reform the police. Reform the police.

“The Nigerian police is an oppressive agency rooted in human rights violation. As a matter of fact, if they do not violate you, it’s as if they are not even doing their job.

“The idea of arrest before investigation is a pure human rights violation. You arrest and hold a person before you dey investigate,” he added.

Darlington also recounted his personal ordeal with law enforcement, highlighting the system’s abuse of power.

“I was held for two months after the judge had ordered my release. FID held me for two months. According to my lawyer, the Nigerian law gives only 28 days for investigation.

“They held me for two months. What is the extra month for? Because they can. If you give them money, they oppress your enemy. I have experienced it,” he said.