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Edo Poll: INEC National Commissioner Colluding With APC, Oshiomhole To Subvert Edo Electorate Will, PDP Alleges

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It must be bad dream of whosoever imagine it  – Commissioner

Another ploy by PDP, Governor Obaseki to distract Nigerians – APC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has alleged that Dr. Mustapha Lecky, national commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is colluding with the APC and its former national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to subvert the will of Edo electorate in the forthcoming September 19 governorship election.

Mr. Chris Nehikhare, publicity secretary of the party in the state, while briefing newsmen on Friday in Benin, noted that to perfect the alleged plan, “Polling Officers (PO), who are supposed to be serving National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) members have been changed and Oshiomhole and Ize-Iyamu are nominating people.”

Nehikhare further alleged Lecky has skewed the election process to ensure it favours one party, “whereby the final list released for training of the adhoc staff has a ratio of 10:1, between the APC and all other parties”.

READ ALSO: Edo 2020:Obaseki’s Re-election Bid Receives Boost From Arewa Youths In Edo

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Nehikhare continues, ” Dr. Lecky, working with Oshiomhole and the candidate of the APC, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, is disrupting the process for the engagement of the various Ad-hoc staff to be used by INEC in the polls.

” The time-honoured tradition which mandates that all political parties involved in the electioneering process submit names of persons to be used as Ad-hoc staff is being abused by Dr. Lecky and his collaborators in the APC.

” The Polling Officers (PO), who are supposed to be serving National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) members have been changed and Oshiomhole and Ize-Iyamu are nominating people, most of whom are not youth corps members, to fill these positions to actualize their plans to rig the election

” The Supervisory Polling Officers are also being engaged by Dr. Lecky to serve the interest of the APC.

READ ALSO: Edo 2020: ‘Obaseki boycotted Debate Due Poor Performance’, Says APC

” For the Collation Officers (CO), Dr. Lecky has been influencing the engagement of persons, with personal ties with Oshiomhole and Ize-Iyamu, to rig the election in favour of the APC during the polls and undermine the electoral process.

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” Dr. Lecky, we have gathered, is working within the INEC to get its officials to cheat the system.

” It is unfortunate that the APC has lost the hope of getting elected through the ballot and are working with Dr. Lecky and others in the INEC to subvert the will of the people”.

While expressing confidence in INEC as an institution, Nehikhare called on INEC leadership to review the process of selecting their officials and request that Dr. Lecky excuse himself from the process.

READ ALSO: ‘Stop The Shootings, Don’t Turn Edo To A Laughing Stock’, Oba Of Benin Tells Politicians

“While we have confidence in the INEC as an institution, we are calling on them to rein in Dr. Lecky and his likes, in order to have an election that would uphold the will of the people and one that they can be proud of.

“We hereby call on the INEC leadership to review the process of selecting these officials and request that Dr. Lecky excuse himself from the process as his activities have been revealed to be threatening the integrity of the process, which will taint the outcome of the election,” Nehikhare concluded.

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However, in a swift reactions via phone, Dr. Lecky denied the allegation, just as he described it as false and not true.

“It is false and not true; I am not party to that. It must be bad dream of whosoever imagine it,” the National Commissioner reacted

In his reaction, APC publicity secretary in the state, Chris Azebamwan, said his party has not and cannot delve into the affairs of statulory body such as INEC.

This is a phantom and imaginary transaction, I can tell you authoritatively that the APC has not and cannot delve into the affairs of a statutory body recognised by the electoral law to conduct elections in this country.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Lives Lost As Edo APC Campaign Train Involves In Auto Crash

This is another ploy by the PDP and Governor Obaseki to distract Nigerians and Edo people from the matter at hand. Obasek is the outgoing governor, he should be preparing his  handover notes instead of misleading the people because he is aware of his obvious imminent defeat so there is no truth in this frivolous allegation”.

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In his reaction, Victor Oshioke, media aide to Oshiomhole said his principal is busy hence he has no time baseless allegations.

He said, ” Oshiomhole is busy selling the Simple Agenda manifesto to the Edo people and has no time to spend reacting to irresponsible,  frivolous,  baseless daily allegations coming from the PDP. It is now obvious to any objective observer that PDP has nothing to tell Edo people about Godwin Obaseki’s wasted 4 years as governor.  This is qhy they have relocated their campaign to the PDP secretariat where their Publicity Secretary reels about daily press statements of unimaginable scenarios onout hhe coming election.  

“PDP is known for rigging so they know all the ways they rig previous elections. The only way Comrade Adams Oshiomhole knows to win election is through campaigns based on what the candidate will do if he is elected.  

“This is exactly what APC is doing right now across the state. As we speak,  Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu , Mallam Gani Audu,  Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and all APC stakeholders in the state are in Edo Central campaigning.  Does that look like people planning to rig elections to you? The election of 19th September 2020 will be decided by Edo people with their votes, not by press releases of baseless allegations.”

 

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Police Hand Over Delta King, Ikolo To Military

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Wanted King of Ewu, Clement Ikolo, who turned himself in has been handed over to the military by the police.

The development has been confirmed by the Public Relations Officer, Delta State Police Command, Bright Edafe.

King Ikolo who was one of the eight persons declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters in connection with the killing of 17 military personnel in Okuama community, turned himself in to the Delta State Police Command on Thursday.

READ ALSO: Soldiers’ Killing: Wanted Delta King Surrenders To Police

The monarch was said to have arrived at the state police command headquarters at exactly 6:41 pm, to report himself to Police Commissioner, Olufemi Abaniwonda.

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Before he turned himself in to the police, the monarch spoke to journalists, insisting on his innocence.

Earlier on Thursday, the Defence Headquarters declared eight persons, including Ikolo, wanted over their alleged roles in the recent killing of 17 military personnel on a peace-keeping mission to Delta State.

Those declared wanted are Prof. Ekpekpo Arthur, Andaowei Dennis Bakriri, Akevwru Daniel Omotegbo (Aka Amagben), Akata Malawa David, Sinclear Oliki; a traditional ruler, Clement Ikolo Oghenerukeywe; Reuben Baru, and Igoli Ebi.

 

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Ex-NBA Pub Sec, Ogbankwa Assaults Edo NUJ Chair, Others Over Publication

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A former Publicity Secretary of the Benin Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Douglas Ogbankwa, late Thursday at the Edo State Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) assaulted journalists including the State Chairman of the NUJ, Comrade Festus Alenkhe and others over an online report of alleged case of stealing preferred against him by the state.

He was at the NUJ premises with plain cloth policemen to arrest a blogger, Friday Aghedo, who had published a story of his arraignment at the Criminal Court in Benin City over alleged attack on the matrimonial home of one Sandra Palmer-Kelvin for alleged issues with Ogbankwa’s client based in Denmark who is Sandra’s husband.

When he arrived at the premises of the NUJ with the policeman, journalists who witnessed what was happening informed the NUJ chairman who immediately met with the policemen and informed them that they should have announced their presence before the leadership of the union.

The chairman, however, assured the policemen that Aghedo would honour their invitation.

READ ALSO: Malabu Oil Scam: EFCC Loses Case As Court Discharges Ex-AGF Adoke, Others

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Infuriated by Alenkhe’s intervention on the planned arrest, Ogbankwa turned to the NUJ chairman where he roared “Alenkhe, even you, I will pick you up” and then threatened to deal with other journalists present including the Chief of Staff to Alenkhe, Simeon Osajie, the State Correspondent of Vanguard Newspaper, Ozioruva Aliu, Secretary of the Council, Andy Egbon, Treasurer of the Council, Solomon Obonzuya and several others.

Earlier, when his case was mentioned in the court, several lawyers including the Benin Branch chairman of the NBA, Nosa Edo-Osagie, Emmanuel Usoh and others pleaded with the judge to allow them intervene in the issue which they assured would be settled and report back in the next date where he was expected to take his plea.

In the charge sheet marked B/10/600/2024 between The State and Douglas Ogbankwa and others now at large, they were accused of allegedly stealing a stabilizer belonging to Sandra Palmer-Kelvin.

He is facing charges including felony punishable under Section 412 of the Criminal Law of Edo State, 2022.

READ ALSO: Iran Sentences Police Officer To Death For Killing Protester

The charge also reads: “Ogbankwa and others now at large, sometimes in the month of January, 2023 at 2nd Ugbor road, GRA Benin within the Benin Judicial Division did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: forcibly entry” which it said is punishable under Section 56 (1) of the criminal law of Edo State, 2022.

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“Douglas Ogbankwa and others now at large sometimes in the month of January, 2023 at the 2nd Ugbor Road, GRA, Benin City, Edo State within the Benin Judicial Division , did forcefully enter the residential house of one Sandra Palmer-Kelvin damage door keys belonging to one Sandra palmer-Kelvin.

“Douglas Ogbankwa and others now at large, sometimes in the month of January, 2023 at 2nd Ugbor Road, GRA, Benin City, Edo State within the Benin Judicial Division , did steal one stabilizer belonging to one Sandra Palmer Kelvin.”

Justice Ikponmwonba however adjourned the case for a report of settlement pleas not taken.

The prosecuting Counsel, Mr Orobosa Okunbor however did not oppose the defendant counsel application.

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MDCN Inducts 25 Graduating Medical Doctors In Bauchi

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The Medicine and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) on Thursday inducted 25 graduating medical doctors of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi.

Speaking during the induction ceremony, Dr Fatima Kyari, the Registrar, MDCN informed the doctors that they were not celebrating an arrival to their destination, but a commencement of the journey into their medical practice.

She said that the Council would register them after the induction ceremony and provide them with the Provisional Registration (PR).

“You are required to utilise the PR to create accounts individually on the MDCN Centralised Housemanship Placement portal and subsequently return there to select the available Hospitals of your choices for your mandatory housemanship training of two years,” she said.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: MDCN Suspends Four Doctors From Medical Practice

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Also speaking, Prof. Mohammed Shehu, the Guest Lecturer at the ceremony, urged the young doctors to respect human dignity and rights of their patients.

Shehu, who further called on them to always uphold professionalism and honesty, admonished the graduands to shun self advertisement unless if permitted by law and ethics codes of the profession.

In his speech, Alh. Yakubu Abdullahi, Senior Special Adviser on Unlocking Healthcare Value Chain to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare said that the federal government is working tirelessly to provide a conducive environment in the health sector.

According to him, the federal government is leaving no stone unturned in its effort to provide an enabling environment in the health sector for practitioners in the country and eradicate the ‘Japa’ syndrome.

He said when these efforts began to yield results, it would encourage even those who had left the country to come back home to practice and further enhance the sector.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Tinubu Re-appoints NAFDAC DG, Names New NCDC Head

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“There are two core areas of this initiative and the first one is the provision of an enabling environment in tackling every hurdle that is making it difficult for the medical and healthcare services in Nigeria less affordable and accessible.

“The second one is encouraging medical professionals that are even in diaspora to begin to see the reasons why they should come back home and put their talents, expertise, experience and knowledge in the healthcare service delivery.

“Thousands of them are out there in the UK, US, and other parts of the world for reasons being that the environment in Nigeria is not conducive and in this regard, we are trying to make some changes so that they are being attracted back home,” he said.

The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Muhammad AbdulAziz, commended the cumulative effort of both the Bauchi State Government, the Governing Council of the University and other stakeholders in ensuring that the College of Medical Sciences took off and was today getting its first set of students inducted by MDCN.

Represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor , Academics, Prof. Sani Kunya, the VC assured all the stakeholders that the College of Medical Sciences, just like the other Faculties in various other fields of study in the institution, would continue to provide the nation with quality trained graduates in both character and learning.

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