News

Ekiti LG Election: Rights group deploy 400 observers

By Ologeh Joseph

Four Hundred election observers are expected to monitor the Ekiti State Local Government election slated for Saturday December 02.
In a Statement made available to The Harmattan News on Wednesday, the Nigerian Human Rights Community, NHRC said it has completed plans to deploy 400 local observers across the 16 Local Governments and 19 Local Council Development Area for the Saturday poll.
The observers are expected to monitor and documents pre-election, during election and post-election issues relating to democratic gains, challenges, threats and opportunities with the overall aim of deepening the democratic space in Nigeria and empower the people to take charge of their affairs.
NIHRCO is a coalition of 132 civil society and human rights group spread across Nigeria. The election will hold in 2,445 polling units, 177 registration Areas and in three Senatorial Districts across the State. The election is expected to elect Chairmen in 16 Local Councils and 19 Local Development Councils and about 177 councillors who will drive development in local areas for the next three years.
The group said Local Council elections are as important as national elections.
‘The local councils are the first point of economic reference by Nigerians. The councils are the closest to the people. The Local Council officials are the ones the people see and relate with on local, state and national issues of development. It remains a critical aspect of sustainable development that is unfortunately ignored by the people, the opposition and the local and international communities’, the statement signed by Taiwo Adeleye, Fred Ojinka and Kudu Abubakar said.
The coalition said majority of Nigerians live in rural communities and are directly affected by socio-economic situations at the local levels adding that electing the right people at the local councils will help eliminate public distrust and contribute to choosing the right people at the state and national levels.
The group said it was high time Nigerians began to take serious local government elections adding that in recent time, the allocation to local councils have increased to the extent that they should be able to make meaningful impact in the lives of rural dwellers.
In Europe and America, the group said, local councils are managed by the best in the society who have a long range of experiences with a blood bound relationship with communities, sharing their fears and aspirations with the political actors. ‘If Nigeria can get local government elections right, dealing with challenges in National elections will be easier’, the group said.

News

Presidential Spokesman Ajuri Ngelale Proceeds On Indefinite Leave Of Absence

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, has proceeded on an indefinite leave of absence.

Ngelale said the decision was taken after significant consultations with his family over the past days as a vexatious medical situation had worsened.

He made this known in a statement issued on Saturday to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

“On Friday, I submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President informing my office that I am proceeding on an indefinite leave of absence to frontally deal with medical matters presently affecting my immediate, nuclear family,” he said.

“While I fully appreciate that the ship of state waits for no man, this agonizing decision — entailing a pause of my functions as the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson of the President; Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen — was taken after significant consultations with my family over the past several days as a vexatious medical situation has worsened at home.

“I look forward to returning to full-time national service when time, healing, and fate permit. I respectfully ask for some privacy for my family and I during this time.”

The leave of absence implies that he would temporarily suspend his duties as spokesperson to President Bola Tinubu

News

No tenure extension for IGP Egbetokun – Police

The Nigeria Police Force High Command has clarified the rumoured tenure extension for Inspector General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, stating that there was no extension granted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Instead, the law governing the tenure of the IGP’s office was properly applied.

This clarification was made in a statement released on Friday in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Assistant Commissioner of Police, Olumuyiwa Adejobi.

The statement reads, “the attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to various misleading reports and misinterpretations concerning the tenure of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, and wishes to categorically state that what His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, approved for the IGP is not an extension of tenure, but rather the proper application of the law governing the tenure of the office of the IGP.

“Contrary to the misinformation being circulated on social media and in the news, an appointment letter in circulation was issued to the IGP shortly after his appointment was confirmed by the Police Council.

This letter, dated 3rd November 2023, clearly stated that the President had approved a four-year tenure for the IGP in accordance with the provisions of Section 215(a) and Section 28(c) of the Third Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

” It is important to emphasize that the IGP does not need to lobby for any tenure extension as his appointment letter explicitly grants him a four-year tenure from the date of his appointment

“The ongoing circulation of false information is clearly the handiwork of pessimists and mischief makers who are determined to spread baseless narratives against the office and the personality of the IGP for obvious reasons and pecuniary gains.

” Furthermore, the IGP has since been issued with another letter in accordance with the provisions of the Police Act, 2020 (as amended), which supersedes the earlier correspondence.

This clarification is necessary to put an end to the speculations and falsehoods being spread.

” We urge the public to disregard the unfounded reports and to trust that the tenure of the IGP is in full compliance with the laws governing the Nigeria Police Force.

In clear terms, IGP’s tenure of office is not subject to unnecessary debate and should not be a source of perennial distraction to policing system in Nigeria. The law is sacrosanct.”

News

EFCC grabs 44 for internet fraud in Kwara

Forty-four (44) suspected internet fraudsters were arrested at different locations in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State on Friday by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Spokesperson for EFCC, Dele Oyewale said in a statement on Friday that the suspects were arrested by the operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.

“They were arrested on Friday September 6, 2024 at Sango, Kulende, Taxaco and Harmony Estate, all in Ilorin, following credible intelligence over their alleged involvement internet- related offences,” the EFCC spokesperson said.

He listed items recovered from the suspects to include six different brands of exotic cars, laptops, smart phones and charms.

The suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

The Ilorin Directorate of the anti-graft agency had also arrested 56 suspected internet fraudsters two days ago.