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Presidential Election Results Refused To Upload, INEC Officers Tell Tribunal

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Three ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) who were Presiding Officers for the Feb. 25 general election have told the Presidential Election Petition Court ( PEPC) that only the results of the presidential election refused to upload to IREV.

The three presiding officers were subpoenaed by Alhaji Abubakar Atiku and the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP).

Led in evidence by the petitioner’s counsel, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, the witnesses told the court that they were able to use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machine to transmit results for the senatorial and house of Representatives elections successfully.

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They, however, told the court in their separate testimonies that they were unable to use the BVAS to transmit the presidential election results thereby making them unsatisfied with the entire election process.

READ ALSO: Tribunal: Tinubu Kicks As Court Admits INEC’s Exhibit Containing His Bio-data

The three witnesses, Janet Turaki, Christopher Ardo and Victoria Sani told the court that they were presiding officers in Yobe, Bauchi and Katsina states respectfully.

The witnesses all agreed that other aspects of the election went well until it was time to upload the presidential results then the BVAS machines refused to work.

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Turaki, under cross examination by counsel to INEC, Mr Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN told the court that the accreditation of voters was successful and voting went on smoothly at her polling unit.

She said it was after she attempted to upload the presidential election result after capturing it with the BVAS machine that the network went awry.

READ ALSO: Tribunal: INEC Chair, Yakubu, To Testify Against Tinubu

The witness said that having failed to successfully upload the presidential election results, she handed over everything to her ward collation agent and filled the complaint form that INEC had provided for such purposes.

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She said that she and other party agents present signed the result on the form EC8A before she took it to the ward.

For his part, Ardo told the court under cross examination by counsel to President Bola Tinubu, Mr Wole Olanipekin, SAN, that he felt unfulfilled in his assignment with INEC on the election day.

He said this was due to his inability to transmit the presidential election result as required by law.

In her own testimony, Sani under cross-examination by counsel to the All Progressives Congress,(APC), Mr Charles Edosanwan, SAN, told the court that she believed that she performed her duties as a presiding officer to the best of her ability.

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READ ALSO: Presidential Tribunal: INEC Chairman Tenders Exhibit Containing Tinubu’s Age Voter Register

The five-member panel led by Justice Haruna Tsammani adjourned proceedings until Tuesday for the continuation of the hearing in the petition.

The News Agency of Nigeria NAN reports that Atiku and the PDP are before the court challenging the outcome of the Feb. 25 presidential election.

One of the grounds of their petition is that INEC failed to transmit election results to its (INEC Result Viewing Portal, (IREV) in real-time as the Chairman, Mr Yakubu Mahmood had said it would before the election.

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Rivers Crisis: Pro-Fubara Assembly To Screen Commissioner-nominee On Monday

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The Rivers State House of Assembly members loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and led by factional Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo, have invited a Commissioner-nominee, Danagogo Iboroma, for screening and confirmation as a member of the state executive.

Iboroma may be pencilled in to replace Zaccaeus Adangor, who recently resigned as the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.

Adangor’s resignation came after he rejected his deployment to the State Ministry of Special Duties (Governor’s Office) by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

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The nominees’ invitation was contained in a letter signed by the factional Clerk, Dr. G.M. Gillis-West, who asked Iboroma to appear before the House on Monday by 10 am and sent to newsmen.

The factional clerk directed Iboroma, to appear at the Hallowed Chamber, Rivers State House of Assembly, Auditorium, Admin Block, Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt.

The letter read, “The Rivers State House of Assembly hereby invites the following Commissioner-nominee for screening and confirmation as a member of the Rivers State Executive Council. Danagogo I Iboroma, SAN.

“Date: Monday, 13th May 2024. Time 10 am. Venue: Hallowed Chamber, Rivers State House of Assembly Auditorium, Admin Block, Government House, Port Harcourt.

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“The nominee is to come along with 10 sets of his Curriculum Vitae, photocopies of his credentials and the original.”

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Obasanjo To Adeleke: Keep The Dancing Spirit, Deliver On Infrastructure

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Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has urged Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to continue his dancing spirit while prioritising the delivery of crucial infrastructure projects in the state.

Obasanjo, who spoke at the inauguration of a VIP lodge, an edifice located within the premises of Osun State Government House in Osogbo, recalled a private conversation he had with Adeleke when he admonished him not to stop dancing, but to work very hard to improve the lives of the residents of the state.

The former president, who declared himself as Adeleke’s dancing partner, also challenged the governor to unite the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, implement good initiatives that would affect people positively and ensure proper documentation of all his achievements as governor.

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READ ALSO: Adeleke Lists New Retirement Age Conditions For Osun Teachers

Speaking in a mixture of Yoruba and English, Obasanjo said, “Some people once despise you, calling you a mere dancer. In reply, I told them that it is only happy people that used to dance. From now on, you are my dancing partner.

“What I have heard and seen since three days that I have been here If anyone is doubting you, bring the person to your state to see for himself or herself. If you remember at one time, I called you on the phone and I said don’t stop dancing but I added that, as you are dancing, ensure you are working.

“If I tell you that I don’t know what happened before you get to the government, I will be telling a lie. But you did something last week Sunday that I appreciated. You called the leaders of your party together. I am happy that you called them and brought them together. Senator Olu Alabi is here, ex-governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola is here and Fatai Akinbade too.

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READ ALSO: Osun: 18 Pupils Hospitalised After Eating Contaminated Meal, Adeleke Orders Probe

“You should bring everyone on board. That is the best thing to do. I have talked to two out of three of them. It is a good move which is not only good for your party but for the state and the country. You said government is a continuum. You also said that you are working on all abandoned projects, may God crown your efforts.”

He added that he is happy that Adelek is taking project deliveries one after the other taking them.

He urged the governor to be honest with his conscience, with the people and with God.

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“You have to be a man of character,” Obasanjo said.

READ ALSO: PHOTOS/VIDEO: Prince Harry, Meghan Visit Sanwo-Olu

Speaking earlier, Adeleke said his administration has completed some major capital projects, while work was also progressing on many others captured under his infrastructure plan.

According to him, the VIP Lodge would enable his administration to minimise the cost of hosting important personalities visiting the state, adding that with the completion of the project, a major milestone in cost efficiency has been achieved.

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Adeleke, nicknamed the dancing governor, took the oath of office as the 6th elected governor of Osun State on Sunday, November 27, 2022, following in the political trajectory of his late elder brother, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, who was the first elected governor of the state.
PUNCH

 

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Nigeria Medical Association Gets New President

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A professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bala Audu, has been elected as the new President of the Nigeria Medical Association.

The election took place during the annual delegates meeting held in Calabar, Cross Rivers state.

Audu obtained a degree in Medicine from the University of Maiduguri in 1988 and a Master’s degree in Obstetrics and Gynecology from the University of London in 1994.

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READ ALSO: U.S. Man Who Received First-ever Modified Pig Kidney Transplant Dies

He’s also a Fellowship in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1997.

In 2008, he obtained a hospital administration and health services certificate from the National Institute of Public Health, Japan.

Before his election, Audu served as the Provost of the College of Medical Sciences at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, in 2017 and later as Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare, in Bauchi state.

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Audu is recognized for his contributions to the field of medicine, having trained many young obstetric doctors and conducted numerous research works on cancer prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment.

Other leaders elected during the meeting include Benjamin Olowojebutu as Vice President, Usha Anenga as Vice President 2, Ben Egbo as Secretary-General, Wale Lasisi as the Assistant Secretary-General, Celestine Ugwoke as Treasurer, Harrison Omokhua as Financial Secretary, and Manir Bature as the National Publicity Secretary.

The NMA has announced that the new leaders were selected from NMA branches across the country and will lead the association’s activities from 2024 to 2026, after which another leadership cycle will emerge.

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