News

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

Published

5 years ago

September 4, 2020

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”.

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.

” 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.

” 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.

“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.

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.

” 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”.

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.”

News

Anglican Church Bans Partisan Speeches By Politicians During Services

Published

2 hours ago

July 12, 2025

Editor

File photo for illustration

The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, has released guidelines on how politicians and government officials should be received during church services and programmes, as part of efforts to maintain the sanctity and neutrality of Christian worship.

The directive was issued by the Primate of the Church, Most Revd Henry Ndukuba, during the Episcopal Consultation held in the Diocese of Nike, Enugu.

According to the Church, via a memo on Friday by the Director of Communication, Korede Akintunde, the guidelines became necessary following growing concerns about the increasing use of church gatherings as platforms for political statements, which risk undermining the core purpose of worship.

“The church remains open to all persons, including politicians and government officials.

“However, the church must not engage in or promote partisanship,” the memo stated.

The church emphasised that any guest expected to address the congregation must first have a prior discussion with church leadership to offer appropriate guidance.

“Guests are to be informed clearly that the church is not a platform for advancing partisan views or political propaganda.

“Church leaders and officiants must refrain from making statements or behaving in ways that could be construed as politically aligned or sectional.

“⁠No church official should eulogise or exalt any guest in a manner that might bring the church into disrepute.

“⁠Where possible, guests should not be permitted to use the church’s lectern when speaking, as it has been consecrated for the reading of God’s Word,” the statement read.

While affirming its responsibility to engage with government authorities on issues affecting the people and the nation, the church reiterated its commitment to being a moral compass for society.

“The church remains committed, under God, to being the light of the world and the salt of the earth.

“We will continue to uphold the nation in prayer and offer godly counsel to those in positions of authority,” Ndukuba stated.

News

Lagos LG Poll: Why We Did Not Shut Border – Immigration

Published

4 hours ago

July 12, 2025

Editor

Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Seme Border Command, Absullahi Adamu, says the service did not receive any directive to close the border over the Lagos State Local government election.

Adamu told the News Agency of Nigeria in Seme on Saturday, that the border is an international one, under exclusive list.

“Closing of an international border should come from higher authority.

“There is no information regarding restriction of movement till 3pm, so our status quo remains,” he said.

According to him, the border cannot be closed against people coming into the country but the service can only advise them to wait till 3p.m after stamping them in before leaving the border.

Adamu said that foreigners coming into the country through the border would be urged to hang somewhere, after stamping their passports till 3.p.m before leaving the border.

He, however, said the command would act accordingly if they received order to restrict movement.

(NAN)

News

FG Secures 44 Fresh Convictions On Terrorism Financing

Published

4 hours ago

July 12, 2025

Editor

Nigeria has continued to bolster its criminal justice system, securing convictions for 44 out of 54 individuals recently arraigned in Phase 7 of the Kainji Detention Facility Terrorism Trial.

This is contained in a statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, National Counter Terrorism Centre – Office of the National Security Adviser, Mr Michael Abu, on Saturday in Abuja.

Abu said the remaining 10 cases were adjourned during proceedings held across four courts, presided over by four Federal High Court justices.

He said the country had with the recent 44 convictions, secured a total of 785 cases involving terrorism financing and other terrorism-related offences.

This, according to him, reflects the country’s intensified efforts to combat violent extremism, dismantle funding networks, and strengthen national security through judicial enforcement.

“The verdicts delivered from the trials resulted in prison sentences ranging from 10 to 30 years, all to be served with hard labour, underscoring the severity of the crimes and the Nigerian justice system’s resolve to uphold accountability and deter future transgressions.

“The trials commenced on Wednesday, July 9, with an opening ceremony during which the National Coordinator of NCTC -ONSA, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, delivered remarks on behalf of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

“The Attorney General of the Federation and Honourable Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), was represented by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mohammed Babadoko Abubakar.

“Both officials reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to justice and its determination to confront terrorism through lawful and transparent means,” he said.

Abu said that 237 cases were heard, resulting in 200 convictions in the Phase 6 trials, adding that the convicted terrorists received a range of sentences based on the severity of their crimes, from the death penalty and life imprisonment to prison terms of 20 to 70 years.

He said their offences included heinous acts such as attacks on women and children, the destruction of religious sites, the killing of civilians, and the abduction of women and children during a brutal assault on the Gina Kara Kai community in Borno.

(NAN)