News

Ondo Poll: INEC Announces Date For Mock Accreditation

Published

1 year ago

October 24, 2024

The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced plans to conduct a mock accreditation of voters ahead of the Ondo State governorship election, scheduled for November 16, 2024.

The exercise, set for Wednesday, November 6, 2024, will test the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the real-time result upload to the INEC Result Viewing portal.

INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, disclosed this on Thursday.

Olumekun urged registered voters in the designated polling units to participate in the exercise, which will run from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm.

“The mock exercise will be held on Wednesday, 6th November 2024, at the designated polling units from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm,” he noted.

According to INEC, the mock accreditation will take place at 12 designated polling units across six Local Government Areas in Ondo State.

They are spread across the three senatorial districts of the state: Ondo Central, Ondo North, and Ondo South.

“In the Ondo Central Senatorial District, the exercise will take place in Akure South and Idanre LGs. In Akure South LG, the centres are Alagbaka Primary School in Akure and Ijapo High School also in Akure, while in Idanre LG, Our Saviour Primary School, Aiyetoro/Owena I, and the open space in front of Plot 6, beside the Teaching Service Commission, Owena, are the designated venues.

“In the Ondo North Senatorial District, the two LGs are Owo and Akoko South West. In Owo, Methodist Primary School, Fajuyi Road, and Imade College Gate, Ajaka Street I, shall serve as centres, while the open space at Ago Ajayi, Oba, and L.A. Primary School, Oba, are the designated locations for Akoko South West LG.

“In the Ondo South Senatorial District, the two LGAs are Odigbo and Okitipupa. In Odigbo LGA, the selected locations are St John’s Primary School, Ajue, and Isero Grammar School, Odigbo. In Okitipupa LGA, the open space at Oladipupo Lebi Street, by Zhomelo Lodge, and Baptist Primary School, Ode Aye, shall serve as centres,” the national commissioner listed.

He further explained, “In Ondo Central, the accreditation will be conducted at Alagbaka Primary School and Ijapo High School in Akure South LGA, as well as at Our Saviour Primary School and the open space near Plot 6 in Idanre LGA.

“In Ondo North, the exercise will take place at Methodist Primary School and Imade College Gate in Owo LGA, and at two locations in Akoko South West LGA: the open space at Ago Ajayi, Oba, and L.A. Primary School, Oba.

“In Ondo South, the designated centres include St John’s Primary School and Isero Grammar School in Odigbo LGA, as well as two locations in Okitipupa LGA: the open space at Oladipupo Lebi Street and Baptist Primary School, Ode Aye.”

He added that only registered voters with Permanent Voter Cards from these units will be allowed to take part, and no voter from outside the selected units will be accredited by the BVAS during the exercise.
So far, 55,859 PVCs have been collected by new registrants in the state.

News

Trump’s Airstrikes: Halt Military Cooperation With US Immediately – Sheikh Gumi Tells Tinubu Govt

Published

11 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has called on the Federal Government to immediately halt all military cooperation with the United States following reported US airstrikes.

Gumi warned that American involvement could worsen Nigeria’s security challenges and undermine national sovereignty.

Gumi made the call in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Friday.

He said while Islam permits the fight against terrorism, such actions should only be carried out by what he described as “clean hands,” arguing that the United States lacks the moral authority to lead such efforts because of its global military record.

According to the cleric, Nigeria made a mistake by allowing foreign powers to play a role in its counterterrorism operations, insisting that “terrorists do not truly fight terrorists” and that such interventions often result in civilian casualties and hidden political motives.

Gumi warned that allowing Nigeria to become a theatre of war would attract anti-US forces into the country, further destabilising it.

He also cautioned that US involvement, particularly under claims of protecting Christians, could polarise the country along religious lines.

The cleric further argued that airstrikes alone cannot defeat terrorism, stressing that effective counterterrorism requires strong ground operations, which he said Nigeria has enough personnel to carry out if properly organised.

“This is the mistake Nigeria has made. Terrorists don’t fight terrorists in truth; they may only kill innocent people and have ulterior motives behind the drama of fighting ‘terror’.

“As a principle, no nation should allow its land to be a theater of war. And no nation should allow its neighbors to be their enemies.

“If Nigeria wants military assistance, China, Turkey, and Pakistan can do the job effectively,” part of his statement reads.

News

Shehu Sani Reacts To Trump’s Military Strikes In Nigeria

Published

11 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Former lawmaker, senator Shehu Sani, has reacted to reports of United States military strikes on terrorist targets in Nigeria’s North-West, saying foreign powers cannot permanently handle the country’s security challenges.

Sani made the remarks on Friday via his X handle while responding to a post by the United States Africa Command, AFRICOM, which indicated that the strikes were carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.

According to him, if the reported strikes were indeed a joint operation with Nigerian security agencies, then such action was justifiable, given the threat posed by terrorist groups in the region.

He described terrorists operating in parts of northern Nigeria as “cancerous cells,” stressing that they survive through violence and should be confronted decisively.

Sani also dismissed narratives suggesting that terrorist attacks target only one religious group, describing such claims as false and misleading.

He said: “If actually, the military strikes against the terrorists targets in the North Western part of Nigeria were a joint operation with the ‘Nigerian Authorities’ as posted by the US AFRICOM on their verified X handle, then it’s a conscionable action.

“Terrorists have become cancerous cells in our part of the country.They live by the sword.The narrative that the evil terrorists only targets one faith, remains absolutely false and misleading.

“Again, the ultimate security and peace in our country lies with ourselves and not with the US or any foreign power. They can complimentarily or unilaterally strike, but they can’t eternally fight our battles.”