Situation Room: INEC conducted a much improved election in Edo

 

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Monday, Clement Nwankwo, convener of the Situation Room, said the election in Edo state was relatively violence-free to the relief of the stakeholders.

“Situation Room commends INEC for conducting a much improved governorship election in Edo state and urges the Commission to ensure that the progress made with improvements in its conduct of the election are deepened and sustained during the Ondo state governorship election election scheduled for October 10, 2020,” Nwankwo said.

“The administration of the Edo state governorship election appears to have been a marked improvement on recent previous governorship elections. INEC’s processes appeared to operate smoothly.

“The logistics issues of distribution of materials, deployment of staff and challenges in the voters’ register were significantly reduced. In addition, security personnel acted professionally.

“It is a relief to the stakeholders who had feared that the violence laden rhetoric of the election participants could pose a threat to peaceful elections.

“It is noteworthy that the efforts at mediating peace and reducing political tension mounted by INEC, the Police, the National Peace Committee, the Benin monarch, the Oba of Benin and civil society groups paid off. These peace efforts commend themselves to future elections.”

Nwankwo also called on INEC to expand the use of its results viewing portal in order to deepen transparency of the country’s elections.

The convener said while the electoral body deserved commendation for introducing the COVID-19 protocols to address the public health concern caused by the pandemic, there should be more efforts on enforcement in future elections.

He said the incidents of vote buying during the elections was high and called for a “more effective enforcement of election laws that prohibit vote buying and other election offences”.

“In the Edo state election, this practice was widespread with all of the major political parties engaging in this infringement,” he said.

The body also called on the national assembly to urgently proceed with legislative action on the passage of the electoral offences commission bill, as part of efforts to ensure enforcement of election laws.

- THECABLE

COVID-19: UNICEF, UBEC, NCDC develop templates for schools reopening

 

As parts of efforts aimed at ensuring that safety protocols for schools reopening are adhered to strictly, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has collaborated with the Federal Ministry of Education, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDCl and Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to develop a school reopening template.

Schools in the country were shut down by governments at all level due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic which ravaged the entire world, leading to the lockdown of socioeconomic activities across the world.

With the flattening of the pandemic curve in the country, schools have begun preparations for reopening even as some state governments have already ordered those in their domains to be opened for academic activities.

Delivering a keynote address at the zonal stakeholders’ dialogue on readiness for schools reopening, held in Bauchi, the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, stated that the closure of schools was part of government’s strategies to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

According to the minister, school environments were considered to be veritable grounds for the spread of the dreaded virus.

Represented by a director in the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Asanbe O.F, the minister said it is imperative to hold the stakeholders’ dialogue on school readiness for the resumption of teaching and learning across the country.

He informed that the stakeholder’s dialogue is being held simultaneously in the six geographical zones across the country, adding that the readiness template requires the full engagement of all critical stakeholders.

“Generally, through the concerted efforts of government at all levels, there is a cautious belief and understanding that the pandemic curve has started flattening,” the Minister of State said.

While saying that the flattening of the curve of the pandemic in the country gives a positive hope, Nwajiuba lamented that students have lost a lot of grounds due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This news provides the impetus for positive hope that things are getting better. Regrettably, learners have lost a lot of grounds as far as education is concerned.

“It is on this premise that we are all here to deliberate and adopt the template for the safe reopening of schools and learning facilities.

“The template has some key roles and shared responsibilities to be played by the stakeholders at national, state, local government and at the school levels,” he said.

In his goodwill message at the stakeholders dialogue, the UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Bauchi, Mr Bhanu Pathak, lamented that since the closure of schools across the country, millions of school children and their teachers at all levels were currently staying at home.

According to the UNICEF chief, not only are the pupils missing out on education, which he described as a fundamental human right, but also are being exposed to more risk of education setbacks such as examination failure.

Pathak added that school children have been uprooted from their schools where they have been taught and sensitized on COVID-19 prevention protocols.

He said that with the flattening of the pandemic curve, there is the need to plan for schools resumption to conform with NCDC laid down guidelines.

“As the curve of the pandemic begins to flatten, there is the need to make plans for the reopening of schools and ensure that safety preventive measures are put in place as laid down by the NCDC guidelines for the reopening of schools.

“This resulted in our gathering today to share the school reopening readiness template with stakeholders for further review during which all stakeholders will look at the template and make an objective contribution to ensuring inclusiveness of all concerned,” Pathak said.

- DAILY POST

Sporting Lisbon rename academy after Cristiano Ronaldo

 Cristiano Ronaldo’s boyhood club, Sporting Lisbon has named their football academy after the superstar.

Ronaldo came through Sporting’s youth ranks before joining the senior team where he played for one season.

The forward played his first match for Lisbon in 2002 then joined Manchester United in 2003, Real Madrid in 2009, and Juventus in 2018

All through the 35-year-old career, he has won numerous club trophies and individual awards.

Ronaldo also has helped the Portugal national team win two international trophies, the European Championship and Nations League.

Lisbon believes its decision to immortalize Ronaldo would serve as an inspiration to young players who want to follow in Ronaldo’s footsteps

“The Academy will thus immortalize the name of the greatest symbol it ever produced and that will be an inspiration to follow for all the younger talents,” the 18-time Portuguese champions said in a statement.

“The Academia Cristiano Ronaldo will represent Sporting’s DNA in its excellence and will follow the destinies of the one that now gives it its name: to be the best in the world,” they added.

- PM NEWS

Arsenal sign new goalkeeper ahead of Liverpool clash

 

Arsenal on Monday announced the signing of a new goalkeeper, Alex Runarsson, ahead of their Premier League clash with Liverpool on September 28.

Runarsson joined the Gunners from French club, Dijon.

Arsenal stated this in a statement via the club’s official website.

The statement reads: “Goalkeeper Alex Runarsson has joined us on a four-year contract from French club Dijon.”

Reacting, Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta told the club’s official website: “We want to create healthy competition for places, and we look forward to seeing Alex bring further depth to the goalkeeping position.”

Runarsson, 25, will wear the number 13 shirt for Arsenal.

The Iceland international made 13 appearances in all competitions for Dijon last season.

- DAILY POST

‘10% of COVID-19 cases are below 19 years’ — FG calls for caution as schools reopen

 

The federal government has warned against flouting COVID-19 safety guidelines during school reopening to avoid a spike in infections.

.The federal government had asked school administrators to start preparing for the full reopening of schools after they were shut in March to check the spread of COVID-19

Speaking on Monday at the presidential task force briefing, Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, said there is growing complacency as the number of infections appears to be reducing.

The minister said records show that 10 percent of all positive cases treated in the country are below the age of 19.

“The daily figures of the past few days seem to show a downward trend in numbers of COVID-19 positive cases as well as fatalities, but we unfortunately cannot afford to rejoice or speak of success, for many reasons,” Ehanire said.

“International news media shows scenes of upsurge in COVID-19 cases, called the 2nd wave in several high income countries, many of which had been thought to have defeated COVID-19 and which now see threat to their health systems. This is a situation we must endeavor to avoid, and for that, all steps must be taken.

“It is important for us to generate national and international confidence in our data by conducting more targeted testing before we draw conclusions. It means that all states and local government areas must cooperate with NCDC by raising sample collection rate, using criteria listed, to increase testing to a desired rate and to report promptly; as we are still far from the target of 2 million tests.

“With regard to COVID-19 and growing complacency, it is important to stress that, even though adults, especially those 60 years and above are more vulnerable, complications do occur in all age groups. Records show that 10% of all positive cases we have treated are below the age of 19 years.

“They are also the same mobile group that can be without symptoms, but can easily spread the disease. Therefore, as schools begin to reopen in some areas, I urge caution and adherence to the protocols and advisories for reopening schools, in order join us to prevent COVID-19 surge.

“As we reopen our economy, it is time for us to take preventive measures even more seriously. I have directed all our hospitals to be alert and watch for unusual increase in number of persons reporting at our hospital as emergency Center.”

- THECABLE

Nigerian Army Colonel Bako dies in Boko Haram ambush

 Colonel D.C. Bako, one of the commanders of Operation LAFIYA DOLE of the Nigerian Army in Borno State has died in an ambush staged by Boko Haram.

According to the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 7 Division, Ado Isa, Bako was killed on Sunday 20 September at about 10 a.m

He was killed as he led a patrol to clear Boko Haram terrorists from Sabon Gari-Wajiroko axis near Damboa.

His patrol team was trapped in an ambush set by the terrorists.

Ado Isa described Bako as a gallant and fine war hero.

Until his death Bako was the commander of Sector 2 Operation Lafiya Dole

His death re-ignited social media calls for the removal of service chiefs, who have overstayed in office.

A security consultant and ex-armoured crewman of the Nigerian army, by the Twitter name of Mazi Okay, described Bako as an Iroko.

“Iroko has fallen, a very big blow to Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram insurgency.

“Col Bako until his death this morning was the greatest of all time since the beginning of the war against boko haram.

“A man who crushed and destroyed all Boko Haram cells and networks around Yobe”.

-PM NEWS

How Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram are recruiting Nigerians in North – President Akufo-Addo

The president of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, has said Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram are taking advantage of poverty in North-East Nigeria, to recruit new members.

Akufo-Addo stated this on Monday, while on a working visit to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission in Abuja.

According to him, the insurgents were also making inroads in the Lake Chad Basin, Mali and the Greater Sahel.

“This is most worrying, because surrogates of Al-Qaeda in the Sahel and Boko Haram militants operating around the Lake Chad Basin, the two most active terrorist groups in West Africa, are exploiting the unacceptable levels of poverty in these areas, in the recruitment and indoctrination of youth,” Akufo-Addo said.

The Ghanaian president called for a strong regional approach to contain the growing threats of terrorist and extremist activities.

“‘You will recall that, on 12th September, 2019, ECOWAS organised, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, an Extraordinary Summit on Eradication of Terrorism in ECOWAS. Following the summit, a 2020 to 2024 Plan of Action was adopted by the 56th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government in December, 2019, in Abuja. To this end, one billion dollars (US$1 billion) was programmed for the financing of activities in the Action Plan. We have to intensify our efforts to ensure that the Plan of Action is well financed, with a view to ridding our community of terrorism,” he added.

- DAILY POST

Famous Pastor shot dead

 

An Indonesian famous pastor, Jeremiah Zanambani and a soldier have been shot dead in separate incidents at the weekend in Indonesia’s easternmost region of Papua.

The shooting came amid a flare-up in tensions between security forces and separatists groups in the restive area.

Zanambani, is well known for translating the Bible into Papua’s Moni dialect.

He died on Saturday after being shot while tending his pigs in Intan Jaya.

The military said a statement the pastor was shot by a criminal armed group.

But the pastor’s church, the Indonesian Gospel Tabernacle Church (GKII), disputed this and in a statement said it had received information he had been shot by military officers.

Another pastor at the church, Timotius Miagoni, said by telephone Zanambani’s wife had found her husband bleeding in the pigsty and told Miagoni he had been shot by military personnel.

The military spokesman Colonel Gusti Nyoman Suriastawa declined to comment on the claim since he said it was a time for condolences and prayer.

However, since the incident, GKII said at least seven congregations in the area had fled to the forest and urged authorities to protect civilians.

In another statement, Indonesia’s military said it has stepped up patrols involving the army and police in the Intan Jaya district after a soldier died on Saturday from gunshot wounds inflicted by an armed criminal group.

His death, the military said, came two days after another soldier and a taxi driver were killed in a shootout with the armed criminal group, which is how the military typically describes separatists in the region.

Papua has been plagued by long-running separatist tensions since the former Dutch colony was incorporated into Indonesia after a U.N.-backed 1969 referendum called the Act of Free Choice, which has been widely criticised by human rights groups.

On Sunday, Suriastawa in a statement accused rebels of spreading “fake news” about the shooting.

- PM NEWS

Teenager raped, killed in Abeokuta

One Fathia Ojewoye has been raped and killed by yet-to-be identified persons in Ogun State.

The 14-year-old secondary school pupil, who was expected to resume school on Monday, was found dead in an uncompleted building on Saturday at Agbeloba-Oriyonrin area of Abeokuta, the State capital.

The Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the ugly incident.

DAILY POST learnt that Fathia had been declared missing by her parents on Wednesday, three days before her lifeless body was found.

It was gathered that the teenager’s mother had sent her to refill their cooking gas cylinder around the area. She did not return home since then.

Her parents, who became apprehensive, began to search for her, but to no avail until her body was discovered on Saturday.

Sources said Faithia was last seen with a young man at the time she was going to the gas station. The young man had since fled the area.

The teenager was reportedly defiled in a brutal way and later murdered by the fleeing suspect(s).

The Ogun State Police Spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said investigation had commenced to unravel the mystery behind the brutal killing of the teenager.

He assured that the command would ensure that the perpetrators were apprehended soon.

- DAILY POST

FILM TRICK !!! Registration for FG’s MSME survival fund to open Monday

 

The federal government has announced that registration for the N75 billion survival fund for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will begin on Monday, September 21

Mariam Katagum, minister of state for industry, trade and investment, said the programme is aimed at tackling the economic challenges faced by small businesses as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

Katagum was speaking at the virtual commissioning of the fashion cluster shared facility for MSMEs tagged ‘Eko Fashion Hub’ in Lagos on Friday.

Katagum explained that the programme, which would run for an initial duration of three months, would be opened for 1 .7 million entities and individuals across the country.

“The federal government is fully committed to empowering Nigerians; more so in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.

“In this regard, the government, through the economic sustainability committee had announced specific programmes aimed at cushioning the impact of COVID-19 on MSME businesses.

“These programmes include among others, the N75 billion MSME survival fund and Guaranteed Off-take schemes of which I have the honour to chair the steering committee for the effective implementation of the projects.

“The project, which will run for an initial period of three months, is targeting 1.7 million entities and individuals and has provisions for 45 percent female-owned businesses and five per cent for those with special needs.”

- THECABLE

Anglican Bishop blasts Nigerian govt over electricity tariff, new fuel price

 

Following the recent increment in electricity tariff and the price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, commonly known as petrol, the Bishop of the Diocese of Akure, Rt. Rev. Simeon Borokini has berated the federal government over the development.

According to the Anglican Bishop who described the hike as callous, he stated that the people are still grappling with impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which he said affected the businesses and finances of citizens.

Bishop Borokini spoke over the weekend during this year’s Synod held at St Stephen’s Church, Akure, Ondo State capital.

According to the Bishop who spoke on the theme, ‘Desiring the Word of God, “Many advanced countries were making life easier for their citizens through tax cuts and palliatives, the Nigerian government was doing the exact opposite. There was increase in electricity and fuel which are on called for at this time.”

While urging President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately freeze the accounts of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as well as the total overhauling of the commission and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs over corruption scandals, the Church expressed concern over the spate of insecurity in the country.

Speaking on the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), Bishop Borokini said, “we discovered that in some churches, the pastors are the alpha and omega. They don’t have age of retirement. If they retire, they will pass the baton either to their wife or their son and which doesn’t show for accountability. Even members don’t have much to say about how the finances of the church is being spent. They are the controller of everything. So, people have started raising questions on this.”

Meanwhile, with about two weeks to the governorship election in Ondo State, the Church appealed to security agencies to be proactive as the poll draws near.

- DAILY POST

Man City’s Gundogan tests positive for coronavirus

 Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has tested positive for coronavirus in the latest round of testing.

According to the club on its official website, the German player is now observing 10 days of self-isolation in accordance with Premier League and UK Government protocol on quarantine.

Manchester City is yet to kick-start their 2020/21 Premier League season. This is because of their involvement in the quarter-final stage of the Champions League last season.

Their opening league fixture holds today with an away trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

- PM NEWS

Messi reacts as Barcelona sell Vidal to Inter Milan

 

Lionel Messi has bid an emotional farewell to Arturo Vidal, who has left Barcelona for Inter Milan.

Vidal is set to be announced as a Nerazzurri player on Monday, after the Serie A club posted updates on his arrival last weekend.

The 33-year-old, who previously played in Italy for Juventus, is set for a €1million move after two years at Barca.

Vidal and Luis Suarez are Messi’s close friends in the Nou Camp dressing and they have both been reportedly told to leave by new manager, Ronald Koeman.

“I only knew you from facing each other and you always seemed like a phenomenon to me, but later I was lucky to meet you personally and you surprised me even more.

“They were two years sharing many things and you made yourself noticed. The dressing room is going to miss you.

“I wish you all the best in this new stage at your new club. We will cross paths again, for sure,” Messi wrote about Vidal on Instagram.

- DAILY POST

YIAGA rates Edo election better than those of Kogi, Bayelsa

 

YIAGA Africa, a non-profit organisation, says the Edo governorship election is an improvement on the Kogi and Bayelsa polls that took place in 2019.

The group disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Benin, the Edo capital.

While commending the people of Edo state for maintaining peaceful conduct throughout the exercise, the group called for deliberate efforts on the part of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address challenges regarding logistics in future elections.

“Yiaga Africa notes that the Edo governorship election is an improvement on Kogi and Bayelsa 2019 governorship elections and recommends the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) take all necessary steps to address challenges seen in the election before the Ondo state governorship election on October 10, 2020,2 the statement read.

“Yiaga Africa encourages INEC to address logistical challenges observed relating to late commencement of polls for the upcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo. In addition, INEC should ensure it enforces adherence to the COVID-19 health protocols in the Ondo election.

“The national assembly should accelerate reforms to the electoral act to legalize electronic transmission of results as the INEC results viewing portal deployed for the election has demonstrated how citizens’ access to polling unit results increases the integrity of the electoral process and encourages acceptability of electoral outcomes.”

The group also said it observed intimidation and harassment of international and national observers, voters and election officials by party thugs, which led to violent disruption of the voting process in some polling units.

According to the statement, the group said although harassment was reported in only four percent of polling units during counting, it confirmed 23 critical incident reports which captured instances of infractions that could undermine the electoral process.

“These incidents include violent disruption, ballot box snatching, vote buying, sporadic shootings, etc. While these incidents are serious and must be addressed by INEC and other stakeholders, they did not occur at levels and rates that would substantially undermine the integrity of the overall electoral process or the results due to the large margin between the contestants,” the group added.

YIAGA Africa said the INEC official result for the election was consistent with its estimate, adding that the counting process at polling units was transparent.

The group called on security agencies to remain non-partisan and professional during the October 10 Ondo governorship election, as they did in Edo state.

- THECABLE