BREAKING News: Nigerian Labour Congress Calls Off Strike

The Nigeria Labour Congress has suspended its ongoing nationwide strike after the Federal Government agreed to reconvene the tripartite committee on national minimum wage on October 4.

The suspension of the warning strike takes effect from today.

Announcing the decision in Abuja on Sunday, the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, stated that the labour action was suspended to enable the tripartite committee to hold its crucial meeting and conclude its work.

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Man rapes, kills woman in Delta

In Ughelli a lifeless body of a woman in her late 50s has been recovered after she was reportedly raped and killed by her assailant at Okparabe community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.

The vicim’s corpse was discovered in her farm by a search party made up of youths from the community, a day after she was declared missing.

Confirming the incident, a Police source at the Otu-Jeremi Police Station, disclosed that a suspect has been arrested in connection with the incident.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “One person, a male in his early 20s, has been arrested in connection with the incident.

“The suspect has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Asaba, having confessed to the crime.”

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Police arrest 15 suspected child traffickers in Rivers

The police in Rivers State have arrested 15 suspects over alleged involvement in child trafficking.

The Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed, disclosed that the intelligence unit of the command, acting on a tip off, stormed four baby factories in the state and arrested the operators, including 12 pregnant young girls.

Ahmed said one of the alleged baby factory operators, Gloria Raphael, a General Overseer of Mount Sinai Ministry at Rukpokwu in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state, was arrested with about six pregnant women in her care, alleging that she and her accomplice (Esther Joseph and Maureen Martins) have been in the business of child trafficking until their arrest on September 28.

The police boss, while briefing journalists on the development yesterday, said investigation are on to unravel other suspects in connection with the crime. Ahmed said the General Overseer of Omega Power Ministry, Apostle Chinyere Chibuzor, has volunteered to shelter and rehabilitate the pregnant women.

Meanwhile, it was gatherede that one Mr. ThankGod Nduka, a chemist vendor, links girls who come to buy drugs for abortion to a pastor, one Mrs. Esther Joseph, who harbours them and thereafter, sells the babies to prospective clients and settle the victims afterwards.

Narrating their experience, ThankGod Nduka, a native of Apabu, said: “One Blessing came to my shop to buy drug for abortion for her pregnancy and while she was still asking for the drug, a woman (Esther Joseph), entered and on hearing the conversation offered to help her”. On her part, Esther Joseph, a proprietor of God’s Time Ministry, in Omagwa admitted to have been harbouring pregnant ladies.

Also, a 40-year-old Glory Raphael, the owner of Mount Sinai in Mile 3, Diobu, Port Harcourt, also confessed to the crime, disclosing that she works with Maureen Martins, a nurse who run a maternity home at Okocha street, in Rumuolumeni. Some of the pregnant girls who spoke with The Guardian said hard times and rejection pushed them into the act.

A 23-year-old Amarachi Isaac, who is four months pregnant, said: “My boyfriend died after I got pregnant, so his siblings took me to the ministry run by Mummy Glory. She gave me a 21-days prayer to be done in her ministry and that was where I was when the police came and arrested me.”

Others arrested include Gift Ufomba, 24 and Favour Gabriel, 17 among others.

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Police arrest 32 suspected cultists in Asaba, recover charms, guns, N100, 000

The Police Anti-Cultism Unit of “A Division Police Station” Asaba, Delta State in the early hours of Saturday arrested thirty-two suspected cultists within Umuagu Quarters of Asaba, and recovered from them charms in sack bags, guns and the sum of N100, 000.

It was gathered that suspected cultists said to be members of Supreme Vikings Confraternity, had in the last six months taken over Umuagu Quarters thereby posing serious threats to its residents especially during night fall when they allegedly commence drums of war battle, and sporadic shootings.

Worse hit in the present situation within Umuagu Quarters in Asaba, was a popular brothel in the area where these cultists frequent to hold their meetings on top of “green bottles”.

Sources said that inside the brothel, these cultists often clad in red-black trousers drink satisfactorily after which they retire into any of the rooms with their victims were allegedly engage in litany of sex bouts.

But the Police Commissioner in the State, Mustafa Muhammed who confirmed the arrest of the suspects to journalists in Asaba, said “in the recent times, we have been disturbed by activities of the suspects in Umuagu Quarters, and we have also received petitions on their illegal activities in the area, so the Police Anti-Cultism Unit of the “A” Division acted on intelligence gathering, and arrested the 32 suspects in the brothel including some of the commercial sex workers, adding that they will be charged to court on completion of investigation.

He said that upon interrogation, the suspects confessed to be recently initiated members of the Supreme Vikings Confraternity, adding that the police recovered from them charms in sack bags, guns and N100, 000.

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Minister for Women Affair, Aisha Alhassan dumps APC for UDP picks nomination form

Minister for Women affair, Aisha Alhassan,  resigned her appointment  and also dumped the APC on Saturday, has picked the United Democratic Party (UDP), nomination form to contest for the Taraba governorship seat.

Mrs Alhassan, at a press conference shortly after joining UDP and picking its nomination form, claimed that the APC had become “the weakest political party in Taraba” with her defection.

The former minister, also called Mama Taraba, claimed that she left the APC with thousands of her supporters, adding that many aspirants seeking the APC ticket to contest various offices in 2019 would soon pick UDP nominations forms.

Mrs Alhassan, who was disqualified from seeking the APC ticket, alleged that she was dropped by the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole.

“It was not the screening committee that disqualified me; the chairman of the party personally did it.

“But, I have put that behind me. I have moved to the UDP and will seek its ticket to contest the governorship election.

“Oshiomhole has used his powers to deal with me, but it is God that gives power,” she said.

The former minister, who contested the seat in 2015 and lost to PDP’s Darius Ishaku, advised President Muhammadu Buhari to pay more attention to the activities of APC leaders so that their actions would not affect the party’s popularity.

It was reported that the governorship screening committee of the APC on Thursday disqualified Mrs Alhassan from joining 10 other aspirants to fight for the ticket in the primary election slated for Sunday, September 30.

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2019 Election: SDP will accommodate Ambode if denied APC’s ticket, says Chieftain

Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, Chairman, Strategy and Mobilisation, Social Democratic Party (SP), South-West Zone, on Friday said that the party would accommodate Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State in 2019 election.

Pearse, a University teacher, told newsmen  in Lagos that Ambode would be welcome to fly SDP’s ticket if his (Ambode) party, All Progressives Congress (APC) denied him second term ticket.

NAN reports that Ambode’s second term ticket has been facing some opposition within his party following speculations that he has fallen out of favour with his political godfather, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Tinubu is said to be currently rooting for a former commissioner in the state, Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu, who has already declared his intention to contest the governorship on the platform of the APC party, where Ambode also belongs.

Analysts view the development as a trying political season for Ambode, who has since announced his readiness for the party’s direct primary on Sept. 30 to slug it out with his opponents.

Sanwo-Olu, the Managing Director, Lagos State Development and Property Corporation, and Femi Hamzat, a former Commissioner for Works, are in the race for the APC’s governorship ticket.

Pearse said: “I have to tell you the truth that our national leaders have asked us in Lagos to reach out to Ambode and to let him know that we will be ready to accommodate him in our party if he so chooses.

“The reason being that Ambode has not performed excellently but we think, he should have an opportunity for second term to complete some of the works he has started.

“More importantly, we see Ambode as a man who seems to be standing up to greed. That’s they reason why we feel Ambode should be given an opportunity.

“They are fighting him because he has not agreed to sell Lagos totally. So, we will welcome him if he comes.”

The SDP’s chieftain, however, said that whether Ambode came or not, the 2019 general elections were going to be the end of the ruling APC in Lagos.

He said that the National Leader of APC and former governor of the state, Sen. Bola Tinubu had made a big mistake by allegedly bringing somebody that is totally unknown.

“They can win the primary (against Ambode) but let it come to the general elections, people will show that this state does not belong to them”.

On SDP’s alliance with some other opposition parties ahead of 2019 elections, Pearse said that the alliance at the national level still subsists and would be used to oust the APC in the state.

He said: “We understand that it might be difficult to oust the incumbent that has been there for years. We need an alliance and that alliance by the grace of God will come into being.

“With that alliance we are sure to win 2019 elections for the people and to retire APC in the state.”

On the outcome of Osun poll, Pearse said that the alleged flaws that characterised the election and runoff had shown that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was not prepared for 2019 elections.

“INEC is not prepared for 2019 general elections with the conduct of Osun gubernatorial election. INEC is not independent at all and cannot conduct a fair, credible and acceptable elections.

“The reason being that, once the President of the country is the person who appoints the Chairman of INEC, the INEC is already compromised.

“Looking at the decision of INEC on Osun gubernatorial election, do you think if APC had been the party that won with 353 votes in Osun, they would not have declared the party’s candidate as that winner?

“So, INEC must be trustworthy, incorruptible and fair. People must stand firm to ensure that INEC is uncompromising.”

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Breaking: Oshiomhole, Lai Mohammed, yusuf, others visit Omisore

Recall that ever since the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared the Saturday September 22 gubernatorial election in Osun state inconclusive and had equally scheduled September 27 for a re-run, both members of PDP and APC have been visiting Omisore to woo him to support their candidates.

The senate President and presidential aspirant, Dr Bukola Saraki had gone to visit him with other PDP chieftains to beg him to support their party.

Atiku Abubakar, former vice president and presidential aspirant who believes so much in restructuring of the country yesterday went with his entourage to visit Omisore and ask him to support PDP.

On the other hand the governor elect in Ekiti state was reported to have visited Omisore yesterday to equally ask him to support APC.

Both PDP and APC have tried to woo Omisore who insisted that he would be willing to support any political party that would implement his agenda of good governance, payment of full salaries to workers and prompt payment of pensioners allowances.

His words, “I have given my programmes to both APC and PDP. My programme is like this; payment of salaries and pensions. Good governance is what is important to me. “Anyone between the two that will do that will get my support.

“I am passionate about Osun and my interest is the welfare of the people of this state. I have told those sent to me. At the appropriate time, we will tell you where we are going.”

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Flood kills nine-year-old girl in Anambra

A nine-year-old girl identified as Benedict Uzo has been killed by the flood disaster in Amiyi, Ogbaru council of Anambra State.

The Chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area, Mr Arinze Awogu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday that the deceased drowned while fetching water with a bucket.

He said, ‘’Benedict’s 11-year-old elder sister who tried to rescue her almost lost her life too but was quickly rescued by neighbours.

“The flood situation in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State has continued to take a turn for the worst and Ogbaru has lost two persons since it started.

‘’The latest casualty is a nine-year-old Miss Uzo Benedict Onyebuchukwu, a primary 3 pupil of Light International School, Okoti.

“The father of the victim, Mr. Izuchukwu Uzo told me that his daughter was swept away by the flood as she attempted to fetch water with her bucket.”

The chairman urged residents staying around areas prone to flood to move to safer areas or the Internally Displaced Persons Camp (IDPC).

He said, “We need better equipped hospital to enable us manage this emergency.

“It is a sad moment for us, we assure the family of our solidarity and support in this time of grief.

”I promise to inform His Excellency, Governor Willie Obiano about the loss.”

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NLC Directs All Unions, Civil Society Organisations To Embark On Indefinite Strike

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has directed all unions and civil society to embark on the warning strike which is starting from midnight, September 26, 2018.

The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, who gave the directive in Abuja said the decision was as a result of the refusal of the Federal Government to reconvene the Tripartite Committee on a new National Minimum Wage.

President Muhammadu Buhari had in November 2017, inaugurated a tripartite committee with the view of negotiating a new national minimum wage for the country.

The government assured workers that the committee, which started sitting in March 2018 will conclude its findings by the end of the month.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, had also assured the workers of a new wage by the end of the third quarter but later announced that the committee is yet to finalise.

He stated that the government needed more time to consult before arriving at a figure and later adjourned meetings.

The labour union upon the development accused the government of delaying the process and issued a two-week ultimatum which elapses today.

The organised labour is alleging that its request to reconvene a tripartite committee on the national minimum wage for workers was not met, and the leaders have cautioned the Federal Government against foot-dragging on the new minimum wage.

NLC President, however, states that the warning strike will remain in force until further directives are conveyed.

With regards to the state government insisting that some of the states cannot pay the proposed new minimum wage, he said the new minimum wage is constitutional and state governments should be compelled to pay.

The leadership of labour is expected to meet with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige at 1 pm today.

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Best FIFA Player Award: Lucas Modric end Messi-Ronaldo duopoly

Real Madrid midfielder, Luka Modric, on Monday beat Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo, to win the 2018 Best FIFA player award.

In doing so, the Croatian midfielder broke the 10-year duopoly of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, at the ceremony which held at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Monday.

Messi and Ronaldo have shared the prize five times each over the past decade. Official numbers released by FIFA, shows Modric garnered 29.05% of the total votes, Ronaldo finished second with 19.08%, while Salah ended in third place with 11.23%., Messi could only finish fifth with 9.81% behind Kylian Mbappe (10.52%).

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FSARS Arrest Female Kidnapper Who Abducted Borno APC Chairman's 4-Year-Old Son

Operatives of Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Maiduguri have rescued Kashim Bukar-Dalori, the four- year old son of the Borno All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman kidnapped on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the boy was kidnapped from school around 1p.m. by an unknown woman who falsely claimed to be a relative. 

Demian Chukwu, The Borno Police Commisioner, had earlier said that police personnel had lun Launched a full investigation to rescue the child from his abductors.

A source told NAN that three of the kidnappers were arrested in Maiduguri and Kano on Friday on thier mission to collect N20 million ransom from a family member of the victim.

The source said: “It has been an exhaustive investigation. The suspects, a male who pulled out to collect the ransom of N20 million in kano, has also been arrested by our personnel. 

“The boy, who was kept in Albarka Hotel in Maiduguri by a lady, was rescued and handed over to the family. “It was after collecting the money that our IRT personnel from Kano arrested her. After her arrest, they promptly told us where the boy was kept. So we quickly mobilised our men and cordoned off the hotel in Maiduguri. “She was the one that went to the school and picked him.”

FSARS arrest kidnappers of Borno APC Chairman Edet Okon, Police Public Relations Officer, Borno Command, confirmed the story. Okon said: “I can comfirm that the son of the APC Chairman that was kidnapped has been rescued and the suspects were also arrested. The suspects would be investigated and charged to court."

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Anthony Joshua Knocks Povetkin Out To Retain World Heavyweight Titles (Photos)

Anthony Joshua retained his world heavyweight titles by inflicting the first stoppage defeat of Alexander Povetkin’s professional career with a ruthless seventh-round finish at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

A previously close contest turned in Joshua’s favour decisively when he sent the Russian crashing to the canvas with a straight right hand and left hook.

Povetkin gamely beat the count but Joshua piled in before referee Steve Gray stopped the contest at one minute and 59 seconds of the seventh round.

Victory saw Joshua extend his unbeaten professional record to 22 wins from 22 fights, with 21 knockouts in front of a raucous home crowd.

“Povetkin is a very tough challenger and he proved it tonight,” Joshua told Sky Sports.

“I realised he was strong to the head but weak to the body.

“I got my knockout streak back, I found my right hand again.”

Joshua was putting his International Boxing Federation, World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organisation belts on the line against 39-year-old Russian challenger Povetkin.

This fight was the latest in a line of professional heavyweight title bouts, featuring the likes of Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and George Foreman, between two former Olympic champions, with Joshua having won gold in front of his home crowd at the 2012 London Games — eight years after Povetkin stood atop the podium in Athens.

Joshua, 28, had a significant height and reach advantage of several inches over Povetkin.

Friday’s weigh-in also confirmed a significant size difference, with Joshua tipping the scales at 17 stone 8 pounds (111.5 kilogrammes) compared to Povetkin’s 15st 12lbs.

This fight saw Joshua returning to the scene of arguably his greatest triumph, an 11th-round stoppage of former champion Wladimir Klitschko last year.

Klitschko was the only man to have previously inflicted a blemish on Povetkin’s now 36-fight record, with a points win back in 2013.

Joshua, born in nearby Watford but based in London, had been taken the distance for the first time as a professional in his last title defence — a unanimous points victory over New Zealand’s Joseph Parker in Cardiff in March.

The undercard of that fight saw Povetkin serve notice of his formidable punching power with a sickening knockout of Britain’s David Price.

Povetkin, who in 2016 was given an indefinite ban from boxing after testing positive for the banned substance meldonium that was later cut to a year, had insisted in the build-up he was a far stronger fighter than the one beaten by Klitschko.

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APC: Tinubu’s ‘candidate’ Sanwo-Olu speaks on ‘withdrawing’ from Lagos guber race

Lagos governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Babajide Olushola Sanwo-Olu, has reacted to reports that he has withdrawn from the race.

The former commisioner has the backing of Mandate Movement, a group loyal to APC national leader, Bola Tinubu.

He had also been endorsed by the 57 chairmen of local government and council development areas, top party chieftains, PSP operators, and most recently all 337 ward chairmen in the state.

In a statement on Monday, by Comrade Sesan Daini, Director of Media, Babajide Olushola Sanwo-Olu Campaign Organisation (BOSCO), said the claim that the aspirant won’t contest in Saturday’s prinaries was false.

“We hereby state unequivocally that the purported press statement did not emanate from our Principal, Babajide Olushola Sanwo-Olu, rather it is the handiwork of jittery members of the opposition to malign our Principal and mislead members of the public.

“For the umpteenth time, Mr. Babajide Olushola Sanwo-Olu has not and will not withdraw from this race and he is ready for the party primaries slated for Saturday, 29th of September, 2018.

“BOSCO is not oblivious of the fact that these cheap attempts to mislead and hoodwink members of our party and the general public will be made by these disgruntled elements but we will continue to repeal their falsehood with facts.

“Our Principal remains committed to his campaign while still consulting with party leaders and members and would not be distracted by cheap blackmails like this.

“We want to use this opportunity to urge our teeming party faithfuls to troop out enmasse on Saturday, 29th September of 2018 to cast their votes for Babajide Olushola Sanwo-Olu to be the Flagbearer of our great party, All Progressives Congress (APC), in the forthcoming general elections in 2019.”

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Senate Under Saraki Has Failed Nigerians - Senator Ali Ndume

Sen. Ali Ndume, the All Progressives (APC) Senator representing Borno South in the Senate said the Senate under the leadership of Dr Bukola Saraki had failed Nigerians.

Ndume stated this on Sunday in Abuja, adding that Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the House of Representatives, had privatised the legislative arm of government.

“I really want to admit that we have failed in our responsibility to the people somehow, but we the members are not responsible for that.

It is more of the responsibility of the leadership that shut down the Senate abruptly because of personal issues. “It is very unfortunate. The Senate is the Nigerian Senate, it is not the senator’s Senate; it is not Saraki’s senate,” he said.

Ndume added that it was very unfortunate that the Nigerian National Assembly had been reduced to Saraki and Dogara.

He further added that Saraki and Dogara had privatised and personalised the Nigerian legislative arm of government which should not be the case.

“They have privatised and personalised the institution, and the reason we were elected to be there, had been relegated to the background.

“This is very unfortunate, but I want Nigerians to know that the Senate had not been shut down by the Senators or members of House of Representatives.

“The Senate was shut down by Saraki and Dogara and they should be held responsible for that,”Ndume added. The Senator while expressing sadness that the Senate was yet to reconvene, stressed that the Senate must move on without Saraki.

He, however, said that he had made concerted efforts to see how the senate could reconvene, especially to consider about five matters of national importance, but without success.

According to him, the matters were abandoned by the National Assembly before it proceeded on the long recess. “We tried everything to get the Senate President or the leadership to reconvene the Senate, but that had not been successful,” the lawmaker said.

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Osun decides: I stand with Senator Adeleke – Atiku declares

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will resist every attempt by the Independent National Electoral Commission to tamper with the will of the people.

He said he was sure that the people of the state were behind the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ademola Adeleke, adding that the opposition party would win the re-run election on Thursday.

Atiku stated this in Abuja on Sunday while commenting on the governorship election held in Osun State on Saturday.

He said, “The people of Osun State have freely given their mandate to Senator Ademola Adeleke and the Peoples Democratic Party, and I urge the Independent National Electoral Commission to resist any and every temptation to be used to tamper with the will of the people of Osun State.

“I was in Osun on Wednesday, September 19, 2018, and I saw firsthand the love the people of Osun have for Senator Adeleke and the PDP.

“I told our people in Osun that their years of underdevelopment and backwardness will end with the election of Senator Adeleke and the PDP, and I stand by that promise.

“The attempt by the All Progressives Congress to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat will be resisted with every legitimate and democratic means at our disposal.

“As I said in my statement condemning the police invitation to Senator Ademola Adeleke this past Wednesday, I stand with him and the people of Osun. In good times and bad times, the PDP and I will always be with Senator Adeleke and the good people of Osun.

“I hereby offer Senator Adeleke and the Osun State chapter of the PDP my right hand of fellowship as they work to retrieve their victory, which is already in sight.”

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Osun election: Saraki reacts, blasts INEC for declaring poll inconclusive

President of the Senate and Chairman, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Council on Osun State Gubernatorial Election, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has faulted the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the election results were inconclusive.

Saraki, in a statement personally signed, expressed dismay over the decision by INEC to declare as “inconclusive” an election in which a candidate won the highest number of votes and fulfilled the condition for geographical spread.

“In my lay man’s opinion, the INEC was wrong in declaring the election as inconclusive because the votes in certain polling units were cancelled. The decision of INEC to cancel the election in those areas after voting had taken place means INEC had already excluded the votes in these areas from the election process and therefore those units should have no place in the overall results.

 My opinion would have been different if the election in the affected units did not take place at all, maybe as a result of malfunctioning of the card reader machine or unavailability of the electoral materials. Since the voting took place and was cancelled, only the courts could reverse the initial decision by INEC to cancel the votes in these areas.

“That is why I call on our party and its candidate to seek further legal interpretation on this decision by the electoral body. One cannot but wonder whether if the places were reversed and the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is the one leading in the election; the INEC will take the same decision it has taken now.

“At this point, it is necessary to also call on INEC to display courage, boldness, independence, neutrality and patriotism so as to send signals to the world at large that Nigerian electoral system has come of age and that our democracy has matured. The electoral body needs to re-assure all and sundry that the 2019 election and other elections will be free of manipulations and undue interference.

“The INEC should note that the Osun gubernatorial election is not only about that South-western state. It is about our country and the entire world is watching. Our national interest is at stake. The integrity of our electoral system is at stake. The reputation of the electoral body is at stake. The future of our democracy is on the line. 

The way INEC conclusively handles the Osun election will determine global expectations from our political process. It should, therefore, ensure that the wishes of the Osun State electorate eventually prevail.

“I praise the dedication and hard work of PDP supporters and the candidate of the party, Senator Ademola Adeleke. They have remained steadfast, resilient, focused and determined.

“Let me also commend all the other contestants in yesterday’s election for their gallant efforts because it is clear they are all working for the same objective from different perspectives and platforms to ensure that the era of misgovernance, pain, injustice and insensitivity to the plight of the common people comes to an end. It is our hope that they will all co-operate with Senator Adeleke to ensure that Osun State witnesses a development-oriented era.

“Let me remind our party supporters and the good people of Osun State that this INEC decision constitutes only a delay of the victory of Senator Ademola Adeleke and the PDP in Osun Gubernatorial election, as our triumph will come either through the judiciary or a further balloting.

“I thank PDP supporters and the general public in Osun State and note that we got to this point after many months of hard work, determination and focus. We should not despair and not lose our focus and determination to ensure that the final results reflect the will of the Osun people.

“Our party is ahead, despite the irregularities. Our people must remain resilient to see this through to the finish. Now is the time to re-strategize, reach out to all the other candidates and their supporters, build on our lead, and bring this election home.

“Our supporters and the entire people of Osun State should remain calm and maintain peace as we move forward to see the successful completion of the electoral process.

“Once again, I thank all supporters of the PDP and the people of Osun State who stayed up all night, both physically and on social media to monitor the numbers and protect our votes. We remain undeterred, and we all remain determined to ensure that Senator Ademola Adeleke becomes the next Governor of Osun State,” Saraki stated.

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Detailed results of Osun election

Osun election : The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Saturday’s Osun governorship election as inconclusive.

Prof. Joseph Fuwape, the Returning Officer for the Sept. 22 election made the declaration in Osogbo.

Fuwape, who is the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), while announcing the results of the election, said that Sen. Ademola Adeleke, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 254,698 votes.

He said Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), scored 254, 345 votes.

He said the election was declared inconclusive because of cases of ballot boxes snatching that occurred in some polling units during the election.

The returning officer mentioned the affected polling units to include Ife north, one polling unit, Ife south, two polling units, Orolu, three polling units and osogbo, one polling unit.

He said a total of 3498 votes were cancelled in the seven affected polling units

“Based on this fact, I cannot declare anyone the winner of the election,” he said.

Fuwape, however, said that the rerun of the election in the affected polling units would take place on Sept. 27.

He urged all the political gladiators to maintain peace, before, during and after the rerun.

Here are the details of the Osun election results.

1.Boluwaduro: APC LG:3843, PDP:3779, SDP:1766, ADP:858

2.Atakumosa West LG : APC: 5019, PDP: 5401, SDP: 1570, ADP: 718

3.Ifedayo LG: APC: 3182, PDP: 3374, SDP: 1377, ADP: 176.

4.Ede South: APC: 4512, PDP: 16693, SDP: 855, ADP:

5.Orolu LG: APC: 5442, PDP:7776 , SDP: 2043 ADP: 388, ADC:79.

6.Obokun LG: APC: 7229, PDP: 10859, SDP: 1907, ADC: 106, ADP: 663

7.Ilesha East LG: APC:9790 , PDP:8244 SDP:3620 , ADC: 188, ADP: 1275(APC)

8.Boripe LG: APC: 11655, PDP:6892, SDP: 2730,ADP:1137, ADC: 137(APC)

9.Ilesha West
APC: 7251, PDP: 8286, SDP: 2408, ADC: 127, ADP: 2363(PDP)

10.Oriade LG
APC: 9778, PDP: 10109, SDP: 2265 , ADC: 109, ADP: 1224

11.Irepodun LG

APC: 6517, PDP: 8058, SDP: 4856, ADC: 158, ADP: 2564(PDP)

12.Ila LG

APC: 8403, PDP: 8241, SDP:3134, ADC: 96, ADP: 183(APC)

13.Isokan LG

APC: 7297, PDP: 9048, SDP: 3460, ADC: 56, ADP:682(PDP)

14.Odo-Otin LG

APC: 9996, PDP:9879, SDP: 2941, ADC: 1034, ADP: 1112(APC)

15.Ayedaade LG:

APC 10861, PDP: 9836, SDP: 2967, ADC: 145, ADP: 1645(APC)

16.Atakumosa East LG

APC: 7073, PDP: 5218, SDP: 2140, ADC: 06 , ADP: 629(APC)

17. Ede North LG

APC: 7025, PDP:18745, SDP: 1382 ADC: 89, ADP: 758(PDP)

18. Ifelodun LG

APC: 9882, PDP:12269 , SDP: 1970, ADC: 236, ADP: 2844, (PDP)

19. Ayedire LG

APC: 5474 , PDP: 5133, SDP2396:, ADC:144 , ADP:1642, (APC)

20. Ife North

APC: 6527, PDP:5486, SDP:5158, ADC:94, ADP: 745, (APC)

21. Ejigbo LG

APC: 14779, PDP: 4803, SDP4803:, (APC)

22. Egbedore Local Government

APC: 7354, PDP:7231 , SDP: 3367

23. Ife Central Local Government:

APC:6957 , PDP:3200 , SDP:20494 ADC:194, ADP:1053

24.Irewole LG:

APC: 10049, PDP: 13848, SDP: 1142, ADP: 1915(PDP)

25.Olorunda LG

APC: 16254, PDP: 9850, SDP:7061, ADC:335, ADP:1407, (APC)

26 Ola-Oluwa LG

APC:5025 PDP: 4026 SDP:2104 ADP:2194 ADC: 1408(APC)

27. Ife South LG

APC: 7223, PDP:4872, SDP: 6151, ADC:136 , ADP:561. (APC)

28. Ife East

APC:8925, PDP: 6608, ADC: 237, ADP: 509, SDP: 17643

29.Iwo Local Government

APC:7644 , PDP: 6122, ADP: 16, 425, ADC: 1164, SDP: 4153

30.Osogbo LG

APC: 23379, PDP: 14499, SDP: 10188, ADC:413, ADP: 2478

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INEC Declares Osun Election Inconclusive, Adeleke, Oyetola To Battle In Re-run Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the Osun state governorship election inconclusive, in a declaration made by Joseph Fuwape, the presiding officer of the election at the INEC headquarters in Osun.

The election, which is one of the closest in Nigeria’s electoral history, was held on Saturday to elect a new governor for the South-Western state.

 At the end of the collation of votes, the PDP candidate, Isiaka Adeleke, won majority votes of about 254,698 votes while Gboyega Oyetola of the APC came a close second with 254,345 votes. Both leading candidates had a difference of about 354 votes.

“Unfortunately as the returning officer, it’s not possible to declare anybody as the clear winner of the election on the first ballot,” Fuwape said.

He explained that "the total registered voters in the five polling units where elections were cancelled is 3,498 votes. Since that figure was higher than the difference between the votes of the leading candidates, a re-run election had to be conducted.

“I, Joseph Adeola Fuwape, hereby, declare this election inconclusive,” he said.

According to electoral rules, a re-run election can be so declared if the margin of victory in an election is lower than cancelled votes, such as in Osun where thousands of votes were cancelled in various local governments while the vote difference between the leading candidates was less than a thousand. In that case, rerun will be held in only affected areas where elections were cancelled.

INEC is expected to formally announce the rerun any moment from now, as Thursday is being considered for the rerun.

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Driver Lands In Trouble As Prostitute He Paid For The Night Flees With Boss N5m Car

A 54-year-old driver of the chairman of an outsourcing firm located on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State, is in trouble after a s-x worker allegedly fled with his boss’ Kia Sorento sports utility vehicle valued at N5.4m.

 The prostitute, identified only as Nina, reportedly fled with the vehicle at a filling station in Ikoyi immediately the driver, Victor Dossa, came down to fuel it.

Dossa, who lives on Ikoyi Crescent, usually took the vehicle to his house after taking his boss home at the close of work.

It was gathered that Dossa drove the vehicle to Obalende around 11pm to convey Nina to his house, perhaps to have fun together overnight, and as they were returning home, Nina drove the vehicle and suggested that they stopped at a nearby filling station to buy fuel.

While Dossa came down from the vehicle to monitor how the fuel being bought was being dispensed, Nina zoomed off.

The case was said to have been reported to the police at the Onikan Police Division and the driver was arrested.

Dossa, who hails from Benin Republic, reportedly told the police that he first met Nina in the Obalende area a week before the incident.

He said,  “I was brought to Nigeria in 2004 by the company chairman. I work with him as a driver in charge of the Kia Sorento SUV with the number plate, BDG 644 BJ. Whenever I closed from work, I parked the vehicle in my house. The following day, I would go and pick my boss from his house to the office.

“My boss did not come to the office on August 17, 2018, so the vehicle was in my house throughout. Around 11pm, I drove it to Obalende to pick a sex worker whom I met a week earlier. I only know her as Nina.

“On our way back to my house, she drove the vehicle while I was at the front passenger seat. She stopped at a filling station along Awolowo Road to buy fuel. She gave money to pay for the fuel. The moment I came down from the vehicle, she zoomed off. I don’t know how to locate her. I don’t know any of her friends either.”

Dossa was subsequently brought before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court by a police prosecutor, Sergeant Francisca Job, on two counts of conspiracy and stealing.

The charges read, “That you, Victor Dossa and one other at large, on August 17, 2018, around 11pm, along Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area, within the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire to commit felony, to wit, stealing, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges and elected to summary trial.

He was granted bail by the presiding magistrate, Y.O. Aro-Lambo, in the sum of N1m with two sureties in like sum.

The case was adjourned till September 26, 2018 for mention.

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Osun governorship election: Police arrest two for vote-buying in Iwo

The police have arrested two men in Iwo Local Government Area of Osun State for suspected vote-buying.

According to a statement, the police recovered N604,000 from the suspects, adding that investigation had commenced into the matter.

“Two suspected vote-buyers have been arrested by a team of police personnel on election duty at Iwo Local Government Area of Osun State and the sum of N604,000 recovered from their possession.

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