10 Things You Need to Know Inside the Nigerian Newspaper Today (18/11/2019)
Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:
1. The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief David Lyon, has been declared the winner of the 2019 gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa State. Chief Lyon, won six of the eight Local Government Areas of the state. The total votes recorded by the APC candidate, Chief David Lyon is 352,552 as against 143,172 recorded by the PDP candidate, Senator Douye Diri. Senator Diri won in just two LGA, which are Sagbama and Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Areas of the State. But the PDP has since rejected the result, accusing the Nigerian Army of rigging for the APC.
2. Further announcement of the results of the governorship election in Kogi State has been postponed till 9 a.m. on Monday (Today) The postponement was necessitated by the non-arrival of results from Lokoja and Ibaji Local Governments. The Returning Officer, Prof. Ibrahim Umar, said that the postponement would allow the staff to sort things out and give other stakeholders time to rest. Before the postponement, the incumbent Gov. Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was leading Mr. Musa Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and 23 other candidates.
3. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday rejected what it termed fictitious results being reeled out by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from Okene and other areas to favor the All Progressives Congress (APC). PDP demanded the immediate cancellation of such allocated results, particularly in Okene Local Government Area. A statement by PDP’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, maintained that nobody can accept the provocative alteration of results from polling units as well as the allocation of fictitious votes, particularly the awarding of 112, 000 votes to APC in Okene. PDP stated that the people of Kogi State have glaring evidence of alterations of figures to reduce their vote of and allocate imported figures to the APC, warning INEC never to declare such a result.
4. Dino Melaye, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for Kogi West Senatorial district, has described Saturday’s exercise as ‘helicopter election.’ The lawmaker said the result released by INEC was fictitious. Rejecting the results of the election, Melaye added that the election was marred by massive violence and rigging.
5. The Kogi State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. James Apam, on Sunday, confirmed the death of an ad-hoc Electoral Officer (EO). The deceased (names withheld) and others were involved in a boat accident in Ibaji Local Government Area on Saturday. The REC disclosed that the ad-hoc staff was a student of the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja and that efforts are on to convey the body of the deceased ad-hoc staff to Lokoja.
6. Mastercard and its agents have been ordered to stop issuing Nigeria’s National Identity card. The order was issued by Justice R.M. Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Lagos. The ex parte, which also includes an Anton Piller order, followed a motion by Chams Plc and Chams Consortium Limited (CCL) filed on August 28, 2019. In their statement of claim, the appellants are asking Mastercard to pay the sum of N114billion for damages.
7. A coalition of civil society organizations has called for the rejection of results from areas where elections did not hold in Bayelsa State. The coalition, representing various groups accredited by INEC as Observers for the Bayelsa election, made this call on Sunday evening, at a press briefing in Yenagoa, as interim election report. The election monitoring group said voting did not take place in Nembe and Ekeremor Local Government Areas, including some units in Yenagoa, where violence marred the process. At the briefing were, Mr. S. B Bafunsho of Organization of Justice for Equity Sustenance; Dr. Isaac Onyike of Centre for Strategic Conflict Management and Comrade Peter Nwokolo of Citizens Rights & Leadership Awareness Initiative. Sandra Osunde of Global Policy Advocacy & Leadership Initiative; Dr. Nwambu Gabriel and Rev. John Pofi of Reverend John Pofi Foundation.
8. Nigeria on Sunday defeated Lesotho 4-2 in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Maseru. The hosts took the lead in the 11th minute through Masoabi Nkoto. However, the Super Eagles fought back through Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze, to take a 2-1 lead into the break. Victor Osimhen, who set up the first two goals, then helped himself to a second-half brace. Collins Awaziem’s own goal did not do much damage, as Gernot Rohr’s men sealed a second successive win in Group L. Nigeria had won 2-1 against the Benin Republic four days ago and now top the group with six points.
9. The Social Democratic Party, SDP, governorship candidate in Kogi State, Natasha Akpoti, has called for the cancellation of the gubernatorial election in Kogi Central and part of Lokoja, the state capital. Akpoti claimed that “what happened in Kogi Central and other parts of the state was a far cry from a credible election,” hence the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, should cancel the elections and conduct a rerun. She made the call in a statement she personally signed and issued on Sunday. According to Akpoti, ballot boxes were destroyed and burnt in Okene, Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori Magongo, Okehi Local government Areas and other parts of the state.
10. Rev. Fr. Theophilus Ndulue, the Parish Priest of St. Patrick Ihuonyia, Amansi-Odo, Ezeagu Local Government Area, Enugu State, has regained his freedom. The priest was abducted on Friday, on his way back from the Diocesan Pastoral Council meeting held at Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu. Police Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the Priest’s release, said he was released unhurt.