INEC Declares Yahaya Abdullahi Winner In Niger State, Cancels Rerun Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced decision to halt the rerun for the Niger state House Assembly elections in Agaie constituency.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Prof. Sam Egwu, yesterday, issued a press statement declaring the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Yahaya Abdullahi, as winner of the election.

INEC said its decision was sequel to the earlier declaration of the PDP candidate winner of the election by the returning officer, Prof. Musa Kolo.

The REC, in a statement he personally signed, said, “the rerun in two units has been dropped after due consultations with stakeholders.”

However, in a swift reaction, APC chairman, Eng. Mohammed Jibril Imam said the commission’s decision declaring the PDP candidate winner was unacceptable.

He said INEC erred in declaring the PDP candidate winner of the election it earlier said was inconclusive.

“Why should the commission take such critical decision when the votes difference in the results under contention were just 106, while the two units the rerun was billed to take place boast of 1,437 votes.” Imam queried in a chat with reporters.

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Court declares Adeleke of PDP as the winner of the 2018 Gubernatorial Election

The rerun Osun governorship election on September 27, 2018 in seven polling units was illegal, The Osun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja has declared.

It stated the exercise was borne out of an illegal cancellation of results in the polling units during the September 22, 2018 original poll.

The Returning Officers who declared the results cancelled, according to the Tribunal, lacked the power to do it.

The Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke, petitioned the tribunal to declare Adeleke the governor-elect having polled the highest lawful votes.

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AFCON Qualifiers: Nigeria Vs Seychelles At 4pm Today

Flying Eagles captain Ikouwen Udoh has been called up to replace Bordeaux forward Samuel Kalu for the upcoming Super Eagles games.

Ikouwen Udoh has finally been handed a chance for his first game for the Super Eagles [CAF]
Super Eagles boss Gernot Rohr has called up Enyimba defender Ikouwen Udoh for Nigeria's upcoming games against Seychelles and Egypt.

The German tactician earlier listed 23 players for the upcoming games in the international break and has decided an addition is needed.

Rohr listed two left backs in his initial list Valentine Ozornwafor who also plays for Enyimba and Jamilu Collins who plays for Paderborn in Germany.

With Udoh joining Ozornwafor and Kastina United goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa as the home-based players invited for the games.

The Super Eagles have already sealed a place in the at the 2019 AFCON after a draw against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa.

Udoh was part of the Flying Eagles team that booked a place at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup scheduled for Poland after a fourth- place finish at 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations held in Niger Republic.

Ikouwan Udoah lead the Flying Eagles of Nigeria to book a place at the U-20 World Cup (CAF)
Udoh was the captain of the Flying Eagles at the competition and was included in the team of the tournament.

According to a report by the Guardian, Udoh’s performance seems to have impressed Rohr who is willing to give him a try at senior level.

He is expected to replace Bordeaux forward Samuel Kalu who has been ruled out due to injury.

Udoh is expected to join up with the Super Eagles when they resume camp and will have a chance to make his Super Eagles debut in either game at the Stephen Keshi, Stadium Asaba, Delta State.

The Super Eagles will first take on the Pirates of Seychelles in their final AFCON 2019 qualifier on Friday, March 22 before an international friendly against the Pharaohs of Egypt scheduled for Tuesday, March 26.

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See Why Super Eagles Coach Dunped Kelechi Iheanacho

Leicester town forward Kelechi Iheanacho must be more committed if he wishes to return to the Super Eagles, according to coach Gernot Rohr.

Iheanacho has been neglected of the Eagles games against Seychelles and Egypt in Asaba.

“We don't seem to be satisfied with his recent performances. He should be more professional, it’s not good enough to be all the time funny. you have got to be serious. He should be more serious in training,” demanded Rohr.

“He should do this if he desires to show he wants to come back in his club and also with us.”

The Eagles coach additionally said Iheanacho can use the FIFA window to show new Leicester city boss Brendan Rodgers he ought to be in the starting XI of the Premier League club.

“He must show his new manager at his club that he desires to get back to the first team of Leicester,” he explained.

Nigeria U17 coach Manu Garba, who gave Iheanacho his 1st breakthrough in international football, has also insisted the forward should work on his attitude to be back in serious reckoning for both club and country.

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Nigeria deports four Ghanaians for violation Immigration Rules

The Federal Government has announced the deportation of four Ghanaian nationals for what it attributed to their violation of some immigration rules.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Public Relations Unit of the Nigeria Immigration Service NIS, Friday in Abuja.

The statement reads: “The Nigeria Immigration Service has carried out a Deportation Order as authorised by the Honourable Minister of Interior in respect of four Ghanaian Nationals for violating various provisions of the Immigration Act and Regulations.

“This is in line with the powers vested on the Honourable Minister of Interior in Section 45(1) and (2) of the Immigration Act 2015.

“The Order which was issued in the interest of the Public affects three males and a female. They are, Florence Donkur, Simon Gyan, Yeboah Collins and Alhaji Isa.

“They were deported to their country of origin via Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja today 22nd March, 2019 by 0900 hrs.

“The Comptroller General of Immigration, Muhammad Babandede, uses this medium to reaffirm the commitment of the Service to enforce relevant laws whenever the need arises while encouraging regular migrants in the country to be law abiding”.

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Suspected Ritualist Burnt To Death After Killing Teenage Girl In Bayelsa

A suspected ritualist was subjected to jungle justice earlier today after allegedly killing a young girl in Akenfa, Yenagoa, Bayelsa state.

It was gathered that the alleged ritualist pretended to a homeless man loitering around the area before he allegedly slaughtered a teenage girl and was nabbed in the process. 

The angry mob immediately descended on him and lynched him to serve as punishment and also a deterrent to others due to the increasing rate of ritual killings in the region.

The latest victim will make it three ladies who have been gruesomely killed in Akenfa community in less than two months.

It was earlier reported that two women were killed by unidentified ritualists in Akenfa I in January 2019.

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Senate approves N30,000 minimum wage

The Senate on Tuesday approved N30,000 as the new national minimum wage.

This decision was reached after the upper chamber’s ad-hoc committee on new minimum wage headed by Senator Francis Alimikhena, submitted its report.

The Senate then went on to request the Federal Government to submit a supplementary budget to cover the new wage structure for consideration and approval.

The Senator representing Benue Northeast Senatorial district, Barnabas Gemade had insisted that no governor in the states of the federation should complain over payment of N30,000 minimum wage.

Gemade, who lost his senatorial re-election bid on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the just-concluded elections, insisted that states have enough resources to pay minimum wage.

He faulted those governors complaining of inadequate resources, adding that if resources available to states were prudently managed, payment of wages would be easy.

The lawmaker further explained that candidates including state governors spent humongous resources buying votes in the just-concluded elections, claiming that it was the state resources governors use for their elections.

He said, “There is no state in the country that cannot pay the N30,000 National minimum wage. They have enough resources to pay.

“I saw in the just concluded elections how votes were massively bought by the state resources and nobody should tell Nigerians that they cannot pay. They should pay,” the lawmaker insisted.

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