News Bit

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Smart Adeyemi, has won the Kogi West senatorial district election.The Returning Officer of the election, Professor Olajide Lawal, announced this on Saturday at the collation centre in Kogi State.According to him, Senator Adeyemi polled a total of 88,373 votes to beat Senator Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 62,133 votes.Ambassador Rufus Aiyenigba of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) came third in the poll with 659 votes and was trailed by John Olabode and Adeyemi Taiwo of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Nigeria Elements Progressive Party (NEPP who) garnered 262 and 119 votes respectively.The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the APC candidate as the winner of the keenly contested election two weeks after the people of the senatorial district went to the poll.This came after the supplementa...

Six suspects have been arrested over the murder of Woman Leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the Wada/Aro campaign council in Kogi state, Mrs. Achejuh Abuh.This is coming barely 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari ordered security agencies to carry out a thorough expeditious investigation into the incident.Mrs. Abuh was burnt alive in her home by suspected political thugs after the Governorship election in the state.According to the Command Police Public Relations Officer, DSP William Ayah, who spoke to Channels Television, the six suspects were arrested on Friday in Ochadamu while carrying out a robbery operation.He added that during interrogation, investigation revealed that one of the suspects was a principal actor in the killing of the women leader.According to Mr. Ayah, the suspects will be interrogated to ascertain the level of their involvement in the crime.The police spokesman said the outcome of the investigation will be made public upon conclusion.

Belgian student Laurent Simons, 9 years old, poses during a photo session at his home on November 21, 2019 in Amsterdam. Laurent Simons is studying electrical engineering at the Eindhoven University of Technology and is on course to finish his degree in December.Like many other nine-year-olds, Laurent Simons likes TV and his pet dog. But he also wants to make artificial organs and is about to get the qualifications to set him on his way.The Belgian boy will in December receive a degree in electrical engineering from the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, which will make him one of the world’s youngest graduates.Far from being fazed by his achievements, which also saw him complete the course in just nine months instead of the usual three years, Laurent says it’s “normal” — although he adds too that it’s “cool.”“I’m currently studying electrical engineering. It’s about designing circuits and things like that. So chips, actually,” the mop-haired youngster told AFP in t...

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Nov. 30 for the conduct of supplementary and re-run elections for Kogi West Senatorial District and Ajaokuta Federal Constituency respectively. In a statement, Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, said the decision was taken at the meeting held on Thursday in Abuja. He recalled that at the conclusion of the court-ordered Kogi West Senatorial re-run election on Saturday, supplementary polls were indicated by the Collation/Retuming Officer for the Senatorial District. The affected areas includes 20 Registration Areas, 53 Polling Units and 46,767 Registered Voters spread across seven Local Government Areas of the Senatorial District. “In addition, the court ordered the conduct of Supplementary re-run poll in Ajaokuta Federal Constituency affecting 22 Polling Units.” Okoye said that collation procedures shall be in line with extant Guidelines for Collation at the...

The Senate on Thursday passed the Finance Bill presented to it by President Muhammadu Buhari to raise the country’s Value Added Tax(VAT) from 5 to 7.5 percent.The bill has five strategic objectives of promoting fiscal equity, reforming domestic tax laws and raising revenue.The Bill is entitled, ” A Bill for an Act to Make for incremental changes to Nigeria Tax and Fiscal Law and for Other Related Matters therewith, 2019( SB 140).The Amendments carried out were a total of fifty-six amendments of different existing Acts which include: Company Tax; Petroleum Profit Tax; Capital Gains Tax; Stamp Duty Tax; Personal Income tax and Customs and Excise Duty.According to the Bill, a large sum of money realized from the taxation would go the states and local governments while fifteen percent will go the Federal Government.The Finance Bill was read the third time and passed after the consideration of the report of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, All ...

A police Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Mubi North Local Government Area of Adamawa state, Mr. Ahijo Mujeli has been abducted by gunmen.The spokesman of the Police Command, DSP Suleiman Nguroje confirmed to Channels Television that Mr. Mujeli was kidnapped on Tuesday night along Mubi-Maraba road.Mr. Nguroje explained that the DPO was driving in his personal car between 7.30 p.m. to 8:00 pm near the toll-gate when he was abducted.He said sporadic gunshots were heard around the area and the Police were alerted but when they arrived, they met an empty car identified as that of the DPO.DSP Nguroje added that the anti-kidnapping unit and Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector General of Police (IG) have been deployed to the area to trail the suspected kidnappers with a view to rescuing the abducted Police Officer.The police, however, revealed that they are unaware of any demand for Ransom, but have assured that they are doing everything possible to rescue him from ...

The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole has neutralized some Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) leaders and destroyed their meeting venue at Jubillaram in the Northern part of Borno State.The airforce spokesperson Air commodore Ibikunle Daramola in a press release said the operation was executed on Tuesday, sequel to intelligence reports indicating that some top ISWAP leaders had assembled for a meeting at a compound within the settlement, which they also used to store some of their logistics supplies.He added that the air task force dispatched a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform as well as fighter jets to attack the location.“Several terrorists were observed around some buildings in the middle of the settlement and were neutralized in successive strikes by the attack aircraft as they attempted to flee the location.”He also said that the airstrikes also led to the destruction of some terrorists’ structures,...

A gang of cattle thieves killed 14 people overnight Sunday in a remote village in Zamfara State, police said, the latest assault in a long-running series of tit-for-tat attacks.Police said the bandits were taking revenge for an earlier killing of nine suspected gang members by local vigilantes in a nearby village in Zamfara on November 3.In the absence of a robust police force and effective judicial system in Nigeria, villagers created vigilante groups to fight off the gangs, but the villagers have since been accused of extra-judicial killings.Zamfara officials struck a deal in July with the bandits to end their attacks and vigilantes to stop extra-judicial killings, but sporadic outbreaks of violence have continued.Zamfara police spokesman Mohammed Shehu said assailants riding motorcycles stormed into a remote village overnight Sunday to Monday, shooting residents and burning homes.As well as the 14 people who were killed, 10 others were injured, Shehu said.For several years, ru...

Grammy Awards Here is a list of nominees in the major categories for the 62nd annual Grammy Awards, which will be handed out January 26 in Los Angeles: Album of the Year Bon Iver, “i, i” Lana Del Rey, “Norman Fucking Rockwell!” Billie Eilish, “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” Ariana Grande, “thank u, next” H.E.R., “I Used To Know Her” Lil Nas X, “7” Lizzo, “Cuz I Love You (Deluxe)” Vampire Weekend, “Father Of The Bride” Record of the Year, recognizing overall performance on a song – Bon Iver, “Hey, Ma” Billie Eilish, “Bad Guy” Ariana Grande, “7 Rings” H.E.R., “Hard Place” Khalid, “Talk” Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, “Old Town Road” Lizzo, “Truth Hurts” Post Malone and Swae Lee, “Sunflower” Song of the Year, recognizing songwriting Lady Gaga, Natalie Hemby, Hillary Lindsey and Lori McKenna, “Always Remember Us This Way” (from “A Star Is Born”) Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, “Bad Guy” Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth and Tanya Tuck...

Senator Dino Melaye, on Wednesday, stormed the head office of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja, presenting several video evidence upon which he is demanding the cancellation of the recently concluded Kogi West Senatorial election.The lawmaker who was received by officials of the commission said he came to present the pieces of evidence because he knows that he won the poll.He accused the opposition of leading thugs to cart away ballot boxes.Mr. Melaye further stated that he is confident regarding the outcome of the election because he has the results from the polling units.Speaking further about the election, Dino said, “In Egbeda ward, the State Speaker of House of Assembly led thugs to cart away ballot boxes and all these ballot boxes were taken to a designated, all thumb-printed in favour of APC and all these results returned in favour of APC.“All areas where there were killings, there were shootings, helicopters releasing bullets, helicopters releasing teargas...

Jose Mourinho was on Wednesday appointed Tottenham’s new manager to replace the sacked Mauricio Pochettino, with the club languishing 14th in the Premier League.The Portuguese former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United manager signed a contract until the end of the 2022/23 season, the north London club said in a statement.Pochettino, 47, transformed Spurs’ fortunes after arriving from Southampton in 2014 and although he failed to win a trophy he took the club to the Champions League final for the first time in their history just six months ago.But the Argentine was sacked on Tuesday, with Tottenham struggling in the league after picking up just three wins from their opening 12 games.This season they were knocked out of the League Cup by fourth-tier Colchester United and suffered an embarrassing 7-2 defeat at home to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.“I am excited to be joining a club with such a great heritage and such passionate supporters,” said Mourinho, who has won domes...

Some suspected Boko Haram insurgents have burnt down Ngurbuwa Comprehensive Health Centre in Gujba local government council of Yobe state.A resident of the community, Mohammed Mohammed explains that the attackers came in Hilux vans shooting sporadically before setting the health facility on fire.Channels Television gathered that the health centre was renovated and equipped in early 2019 by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to provide health services to the community.

Suspected political thugs have set ablaze Mrs Salomi Acheju Abu, the Women Leader of PDP’s Wada/Aro Campaign Council while in her home at Ochadamu in Ofu local government area of Kogi state following last Saturday’s governorship election in the state. The woman was burnt on Monday afternoon by suspected thugs alleged to be loyal to the ruling party in the state.The politician’s remains, which were burnt beyond recognition, had been taken to a mortuary for autopsy, Mr Aya said.“It was a very unfortunate incident and the commissioner has ordered a thorough investigation to ensure that all those involved do not escape justice,” the police spokesperson said.Mr Aya, a deputy police superintendent, said a preliminary police investigation of what led to Ms Abuh’s killing showed that it was a reprisal attack for the killing of an APC supporter in the community.“There was a misunderstanding between Gowon Simeon and Awolu Zakari, both members of the community,” Mr Aya said. “Mr Simeon stabbed Mr...

Kogi State government has condemned violent clashes in Ochadamu area of the state in the aftermath of the just concluded governorship election. Kogi Governor’s Spokesman, Kingsley Fanwo in a statement on Tuesday expressed disappointment over the “mindless attacks by rival parties in Ochadamu”, saying anyone who breaks the law will be punished regardless of party affiliations. He said, “We feel disturbed at reports of violence in Ochadamu that has led to the loss of lives and property in the community. “It was reported that a supporter of the All Progressives Congress was stabbed to death while party members were jubilating over the outcome of the Governorship election. “The reprisal attack by alleged APC members which led to the death of an innocent woman is criminal and condemnable. Our government would not shield party members who break the laws of the land. “His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello has directed security agents to quell the rising tension and also ensure that perpetr...

The Spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council, Kogi State, Faruk Adejoh-Audu says he cannot congratulate Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello because Kogi State was turned into a war field during the Saturday election.Adejoh-Audu said the election was marred by violence, claiming that nine PDP members were killed during the election.He also explained how the PDP women leader of Ochadamu Ward in Ofu Local Government Area, Salome Abuh, was burnt to death in her home by political thugs.“I will have congratulated Governor Yahaya Bello but unfortunately, I cannot because he won no election. What he won was a war waged by him and the Nigerian Police, so I cannot congratulate him.“His claim that there were just pockets of violence is incorrect. There is hardly any ward in Kogi State except a few that did not experience violence.“Violence is not necessarily when people die, but in this case, people died. At least nine people died, all of them were PDP members. The 10th pe...

Governor Bello was returned elected on Monday by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), having scored the highest number of votes in the keenly contested poll.The Returning Officer for the election and Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Professor Ibrahim Umar, made the declaration at the INEC office in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.The APC candidate polled a total of 406,222 votes to beat his closest rival, Mr Musa Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 189,704 votes.On her part, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Natasha Akpoti, garnered a total of 9,482 votes.Professor Umar declared the winner following the collation of results from all 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state, an exercise which lasted more than 24 hours.After several hours of collating the results from 19 LGAs, Professor Umar had announced on Sunday night that the exercise would continue on Monday morning.Of the results collated before the ex...

The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, David Lyon, winner of the November 16 Bayelsa governorship election.Returning Officer, Prof. Faraday Orumwense, Vice-chancellor, University of Benin, announced at the INEC Collation Centre in Yenagoa, that the APC polled 352,552 votes while the PDP scored 143,17 votes. The total number of registered voters was announced as 922, 562 and the number of accredited voters was put at 517,883.PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how Mr Lyon won in 6 of the 8 local governments in the state.In the results announced for Ekeremo local government, the number of registered voters was announced as 125,189 while accredited voters were 41,423. In the local government, the APC won by polling 21,489 votes while the PDP polled 18,344 votes.In Southern Ijaw local government, the APC candidate polled 124,803 votes to defeat his closest rival in PDP who polled 4,898 votes. The APC candidate hails from...

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the collation of results of the governorship election in Kogi State.The Returning Officer for the election and Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Professor Ibrahim Umar, announced this on Sunday in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.Professor Umar told party agents and other political stakeholders present at the INEC office where the collation of results took place that the exercise would continue by 9am on Monday.He explained that the announcement was necessary as the results of the election in the remaining two local governments have yet to be brought to the collation centre.The announcement followed the collation of results of the election in 19 out of the 21 local government areas (LGAs) in Kogi.Those collated so far are Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ankpa, Bassa, Dekina, Idah, Igalamela-Odolu, Ijumu, and Kabba/Bunu LGAs.Others are Koton Karfe, Mopa-Muro, Ofu, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, Okene, Olamaboro, Omala, Ya...

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared inconclusive the Kogi West senatorial election on the ground that the lead margin between Mr Smart Adeyemi who polled 80,118 votes and Dino Melaye who got 59,548 is 20,570 which is lower than the 43,127 registered voters in 53 polling units of 20 registration areas in the zone.The returning officer, Professor Olayinde Lawal who declared the election inconclusive said, he is constrained by law to declare a winner because of the lead margin between the leading candidates.He added that INEC will announce a new date for the conduct of a supplementary election in the 53 polling units before a winner can be returned.source:Channels Television

A Boeing 737-800 carrying 196 passengers burst into flames shortly after landing at Sharm el-Sheikh Airport in Egypt.The aircraft (UR-SQH), operating flight PQ7153 from Zaporizhia on November 9, had turned into its parking bay after landing when, shortly after it stopped, flames erupted on the left-hand main gear.Sun UK revealed that airport CCTV footage captures the moment the plane came to a stop and the wheels on the left side of the aircraft turned into a fireball.The fire was “quickly extinguished” by airport staff “without the use of special equipment.None of the 189 passengers and seven crew members was injured.Reacting to the fire incident, the Egyptian civil aviation ministry said the fire “could have turned into a disaster” but for the staff from EgyptAir Ground Services who dealt “professionally” with the fire, preventing it from spreading to other parts of the aircraft.The regulatory body attributed the fire to a leak of hydraulic oil.source: sky news

The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Operation, AbdulMajeed Ali, has warned those planning to snatch ballot boxes during Saturday’s elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States to have a rethink as the police will not condone such behaviour.“Anyone caught will not be spared and will not live to do that ever again,” Ali said.Addressing a press conference on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States, Ali, who is overseeing the Kogi elections said that the Inspector General had deployed enough personnel to adequately police the state and deal with any eventuality during the election.“We have enough personnel and capacity to deal with anyone that tried to foment trouble on Saturday. Just watch, if anyone tries to snatch ballot box on Saturday, he will pay dearly for it.“We are determined to provide the enabling environment for a peaceful election. We are tired of being held to ransom by Kogi and Bayelsa States every election period, we will put a stop to that this time ...

The All Progressives Congress has been disqualified from participating in the Bayelsa State governorship on Saturday.The Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa ruled in a judgment on Thursday that the APC does not have a candidate for the election.Delivering judgment, Justice Jane Inyang, held that the primaries were conducted arbitrarily outside the rules of the party.The suit filed by Senator Heineken Lokpobiri challenged the conduct of the governorship primaries of APC which held on September 4She held that since the process was conducted in violation of the party’s constitution and guidelines as clearly spelt out for the conduct of governorship primaries, none of the aspirants should be fielded as the party’s candidate.She, therefore, restrained the Independent Electoral Commission from including Lyon as the APC candidate in the governorship election slated for SaturdayInyang noted that according to the APC guidelines for the conduct of the 2019 governorship primaries, the results w...

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has suspended the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, over his role in the crisis rocking the state chapter of the party.The decision followed the vote of no confidence passed on Comrade Oshiomhole by the Chairmen of the APC in the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Edo State.According to a statement signed by Edo APC Chairman, Anselm Ojezua and Assistant State Secretary, Ikuenobe Anthony, “Consequent on the development, the State Executive Committee has adopted the vote of no confidence passed on him and the subsisting suspension order from the organs of the party in the state.”They said the decision was necessary to prevent a repeat of what happened in Zamfara State, where the party was unable to field any candidate in elections.“Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is the one behind the crisis in Edo APC. We have passed a vote of no confidence in him and he stands suspended from the party.“We don’t want what happened in Z...

The Kogi State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, has declared Friday, November 15, as a public holiday for all schools in the state.A statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Eric Aina, directed all public and private schools to proceed on holiday from November 15, 2019, towards the November 16 elections in the state.According to Aina, the break was to ensure that all students and pupils are united with their families during the election.He said that schools would resume academic activities on Monday, November 18, 2019.“All parents, school heads, teachers and stakeholders in the education sector are enjoined to take note and observe the break accordingly,” he said.News Agency of Nigeria reports that governorship election will hold across the state, while a rerun National Assembly election would hold at Kogi West senatorial districts same day on Saturday, November 16.

Kogi State capital, has been disrupted by suspected political thugs.The meeting — the second in the series — had in attendance the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu, and National Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.Trouble started when the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party was prevented from entering the event hall of Idrinana Hotel venue of the meeting, which resulted in altercation between SDP governorship candidate Natasha Akpoti and security personnel at the entrance.The security personnel tried to prevail on her to go back — a plea which she rejected, saying she was duly invited for the meeting.It was at this point that the Police released tear gas to disperse the surging crowed, while all those at the high table, including the Inspector General of Police and INEC chairman, ran for cover.The Chairman of SDP, Mouktar Atimah, was manhandled and beaten up while trying to mediate.Speaking shortly after the incident, At...

The Christian Association of Nigeria has criticised the National Youth Service Corps for expelling two corps members who refused to wear trousers or shorts for religious reasons.Two female corps members – Okafor Love Obianuju, with call-up number EB/19C/0523; and Odji Oritsetsolaye, with call-up number EB/19C/0530 – were expelled from the 2019 Batch C Stream 1 in Ebonyi camp over the weekend.Speaking with The PUNCH on Sunday, however, the Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the CAN President, Rev. Adebayo Oladeji, said the two ladies should not be victimised for holding on to their faith.Oladeji noted that the Nigerian Law School denied Firdausa Al Jannah Amasa from being called to Bar in 2017 because she refused to remove her hijab, but the institution had since retraced its steps.He said the NYSC also ought to be more tolerant.

Announcement made after the armed forces commander called on Evo Morales to resign over disputed re-election Bolivian President Evo Morales said on Sunday he would resign after the military suggested he step down and allies resigned amid a fierce backlash to a disputed election last month. "I resign my post as president," Morales said in a televised address, capping a day of fast-moving events in which several ministers and senior officials quit as support for Latin America's longest-serving president crumbled."I want to tell you, brothers and sisters, that the fight does not end here. The poor, the social movements, will continue in this fight for equality and peace," he said.The commander of Bolivia's armed forces earlier called on the embattled Morales to resign."After analysing the internal conflict situation, we ask the president of the state to renounce his presidential mandate, allowing for peace to be restored and the maintenance of stability f...

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed concern about the attack on the state secretariat of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) by thugs alleged to the loyal to a political party.PDP in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan on Sunday in Abuja, urged the Inspector-General of Police to bring the perpetrators of such heinous crimes to book.Ologbondiyan also condemned the threats of violence on the PDP, noting that such would never deter the party from attaining victory in the Nov.16, governorship election.He said that the party’s position was predicated on reported threats by a governorship candidate and his party to unleash violence and disrupt PDP campaigns in Kogi Central senatorial zone.He said that such a person was apparently distressed by the massive support PDP candidate, Mr Musa Wada, was enjoying across the state.He said that the people of Kogi were on the move with the PDP in their readiness to confront and dismantle planned viole...

  Jos residents lament as weather becomes scorching, dusty  Residents of Jos, Plateau, are lamenting what they call “unusual weather”, which compels them to adopt measures to cope with the condition. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday reports that the people have suddenly found themselves transiting from a temperature that ranged from 15 degrees to 22 degrees Celsius to a circle of between 24 degrees and 34 degrees Celsius, which makes them very uncomfortable, especially in the afternoon.Miss Josephine Pam, a student, decried the new weather, which she said was making life very unbearable for her. Pam said she had resorted to wearing Sunshade glasses to protect herself from the “scorching sunlight” being experienced in the afternoon. She said she had also resorted to wearing light clothes as against the heavy materials she wore, about two weeks before, in order to cope with the new weather. She also complained of having constant catarrh caused by the dust being brought...