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INEC To Conduct Mock Accreditation Of Voters In February 4

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced its plan to carry out mock accreditation of voters on February 4.

The commission said the exercise will take place at 436 polling units across the country.

Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, spoke on Friday at a meeting with the resident electoral commissioners (RECs) at the INEC headquarters, Abuja.

Yakubu said INEC is ready to conduct field tests with actual voters, having delivered and tested the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) machines.

“For this reason, and in readiness for nationwide deployment, the commission is conducting a mock accreditation of voters similar to what was done ahead of the recent Ekiti and Osun State governorship elections,” he said.

“The mock accreditation will hold on Saturday 4th February 2023 in 436 polling units nationwide. Twelve polling units have been designated in each state of the federation and four in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on the equality of the country’s 109 Senatorial Districts for the exercise.

“A comprehensive list of the polling units, including their names and PU Code numbers, as well as their distribution by state, senatorial district, local government and registration area (Ward) will be uploaded to the commission’s website shortly.”

Yakubu, therefore, appealed to registered voters in the affected polling units to appear on the scheduled date with their PVCs for the mock exercise.

“Doing so will help to reassure the public of the robustness of our system and to strengthen our processes ahead of the general election,” he said.

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In Serial Raids, DSS Arrests Retired Soldier, Five Other Criminals

A retired soldier and five other suspected criminals operating along the Lokoja-Abuja highway have been arrested by operatives of the Department of State Security DSS.

In a statement on Sunday, Peter Afunanya, DSS spokesperson, said the suspected criminals were apprehended on March 26.

The DSS, in collaboration with sister agencies, also arrested a 20-year-old suspected kidnapper, identified as Haruna Adamu, in Adamawa.

Afunanya said a suspected gunrunner was apprehended in Abuja while travelling from Nasarawa to deliver arms to bandits in Niger state.

“The sum of twenty-one thousand, four hundred naira (N21,400) was also recovered from the suspect. Earlier on 22nd March, 2023, Babangida Ibrahim, an arms courier to bandits in Zamfara state was apprehended along Bukuru in Jos South LGA, Plateau state.

“Recovered from him were four hundred and sixty-eight (468) rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammunition and the sum of twenty one thousand, ninety naira (21, 090).”

The DSS spokesperson said all the suspects are in custody and would be subsequently prosecuted.

He added that the DSS will continue to partner with relevant stakeholders to address crimes in the country.

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Pandora Papers: Law Firm Asks CCB To Prosecute Peter Obi For Not Fully Declaring Assets

A Lagos-based law firm, Lawflex has asked the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to prosecute Peter Obi, Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, over his alleged failure to declare secret assets stashed in tax havens while he was Anambra state governor.

In a petition dated March 23 and received by the CCB on the same day, Olukoya Ogungbeje, the signee, urged the bureau to commence an immediate investigation against Obi and invite him for questioning.

The law firm threatened to seek a “judicial review by way of an Order of Mandamus in a court of competent jurisdiction in a bid to compel performance of public duty” if the CCB fails to take constitutional action within 30 days.

Leaked files, which were retrieved from 14 offshore service firms around the world and revealed in a Pandora Papers project led by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), and which Premium Times was a part, had shown how the former governor failed to declare assets kept in tax havens.

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“A Fine Officer”, Lawan Mourns Diya

Ahmad Lawan, president of the Senate has sent his condolences to the family of a former Chief of General Staff, Lt. General Oladipo Diya, over his death on Sunday.

Lawan also condoled with the government and people of Ogun State over the loss of the one-time number two citizen under the military regime of the late General Sani Abacha.

He described Gen Diya as a fine officer who played his role dutifully during some of Nigeria’s most critical times.

Lawan said, “Diya kept his dignity under the unfortunate circumstances that ended his military career and remained a respected member of his community until he breathed his last.”

The Senate president also prayed for sweet repose of the soul of the departed General and for fortitude for his family, friends and associates to bear his loss.