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Ondo election: Sensitive materials to arrive Akure Oct. 5 – INEC

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Akure, Sept. 24, 2020(Nigerian News 24) The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says sensitive materials for Ondo State Governorship election will arrive Akure on Oct. 5.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this during an interaction with the media in Akure on Thursday.

Yakubu said that the non-sensitive materials for the election had been delivered.

“We have delivered all, but a few of the non-sensitive materials required for the elections. What remains can be accomplished within the days remaining to the polling.

“It is exactly 16 days to the election. If we exclude the election day, which is Oct 10, we have 15 days. So, we have two weeks and a day to the election.

“The sensitive materials for the election are ready. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will deliver them to their branch here in Akure on Monday, Oct. 5,’’ Yakubu said.

He said that the commission had moved enough card readers to Ondo State for the conduct of the election, adding that they were being configured and charged in Akure.

Yakubu said that the Z-pad used in Edo for the transmission of Polling Units (PUs) results to the commission result view portal would be deployed to Ondo State.

“As we speak, we are moving the z-pads from our state office in Benin City to Akure. The z-pads will arrive in Akure this afternoon (Thursday).

So, we will deploy the same technology to upload results, real time, from all the 3, 009 polling units, all the 203 Wards and the 18 Local Government Areas of Ondo state,’’ Yakubu said.

The chairman urged the media organisations to sensitise electorate to the need for peaceful election, voters turnout and adherence to the COVID-19 protocols.

Yakubu expressed worry over incidents of violence involving supporters of some of the political parties in the state.

On awareness, he said that INEC had produced many voter education materials for the print and electronic media to educate the voters to turn out en mass to vote.

“No effort is too small and no effort is too much to continue to engage and educate and inform the voters.

“That is why the commission has always appreciated the partnership with the media and would like to strengthen it

“Learning from the experience in Edo state, we should continue to emphasise the message of peaceful election.

“The importance of obeying health instructions in the era of COVID-19. No face mask, no voting; orderly queue in the polling units, including the observance of social distancing.

“Every eligible voter, who is on the queue before 2.30 p.m. will be allowed to vote even if voting goes beyond 2.30 p.m. No one will be disenfranchised.

“Expose vote buyers during the election. There are still some people who would attempt to compromise the integrity of the process, where that happens, please help us to expose them. We will be very grateful if you do so.

“As journalists, we are not only reporters, but citizens with responsibilities.

“Kindly report to the commission using our social media platforms, any malpractice you witness early enough so that we can respond immediately as the election is going.

“Ahead of the governorship election on Oct.10, there may be some observations you have for us to improve our communication and outreach on voter education.

“I am aware the office here in Ondo State is already doing a lot but we need to do a lot more,’’ Yakubu said.

Yakubu disclosed that the National Peace Committee chaired by the former Head of State, retired Gen. Abdulsalm Abubakar would also be organising signing of peace accord in Ondo state as it did in Edo.

He said the peace accord will take place on Oct. 6 in Akure, while INEC regular stakeholders meeting with the political parties and their candidates will hold on Oct. 5.

Yakubu said that out of the 14 activities scheduled for Ondo State governorship election, 12 had been accomplished remaining submission of the list of polling agents or political parties and the conduct of the election.

He said the commission would remain professional and neutral in the election, saying the electorate would determine the next governor of Ondo state.

Politics

Lagos Assembly Crisis: ‘No plan to defect to Labour Party’  —  Lawmakers

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Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have denied allegations of defecting from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Labour Party.

In a statement signed by Mr. Stephen Ogundipe, Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Strategy, and Security, the Assembly members refuted rumors circulating online, claiming that 25 members were planning to leave APC for an unnamed political party. A similar claim surfaced recently, suggesting that 27 members were considering joining the Labour Party due to leadership disputes within the Assembly.

Ogundipe stated that these claims had been unequivocally refuted, with members expressing their unwavering commitment to APC and their confidence in resolving internal issues through established party mechanisms.

“To avoid any confusion, no APC member of the Lagos State House of Assembly is considering defection. As true progressives, we acknowledge that challenges may arise, but we remain committed to addressing them through democratic and lawful processes,” he said.

He added that the party leadership is fully engaged, and any outstanding issues would be resolved amicably. Ogundipe urged the public to disregard the baseless reports designed to mislead and create unnecessary tension.

“We reaffirm our loyalty to the leader of our party and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Ogundipe concluded, emphasizing that the Lagos State House of Assembly would continue focusing on its legislative duties, enacting laws that promote the development of Lagos State.

Finally, he advised those spreading falsehoods to desist, reaffirming the Assembly’s dedication to its legislative mandate.

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Atiku Abubakar Denies Plans to Leave PDP for New Political Party

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The media office of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed reports suggesting that he is preparing to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for another political platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement released in Abuja on Saturday, Atiku’s camp described the rumors as baseless and misleading.

“We have observed that some news platforms are peddling unverified information that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is abandoning the Peoples Democratic Party,” the statement read.

The former vice president’s media team clarified that Atiku remains committed to the PDP and is actively working on forming a broad coalition to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.

“Atiku is advocating a robust coalition that would accommodate all opposition parties – the PDP inclusive,” the statement added. “It is fallacious and unfounded to allege that the Waziri is jumping the PDP ship.”

The statement further emphasized that Atiku’s focus remains on uniting opposition forces to “rescue Nigeria from the grip of the APC.”

Atiku, who was the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has been vocal about the need for a strong opposition alliance to counter what he describes as the failures of the current administration.

The media office urged Nigerians to disregard speculations about Atiku’s defection, reaffirming that he remains a committed member of the PDP.

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Anambra guber: Concerns over PDP aspirants’ inability to pick forms

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially adopted the indirect primary method for selecting its candidate for the November 8, 2025, Anambra governorship election. This decision was announced by the party’s National Secretary, Ajibola Bashiru, after a National Working Committee (NWC) meeting held at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.

 

Bashiru stated that the decision aligns with the position of the Anambra State chapter of the APC. He also confirmed that the Abdullahi Ganduje-led NWC will meet with aspirants and stakeholders next Tuesday to finalize the modalities for the primary. Dismissing speculations that the party had already endorsed a preferred candidate, Bashiru emphasized that all seven aspirants remain in contention.

 

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing concerns over its inability to attract aspirants for the Anambra governorship race. With the deadline for the sale of nomination forms fast approaching, no candidate has yet purchased the party’s N40 million expression of interest and nomination forms.

 

The PDP had recently expressed confidence in reclaiming Anambra, following a peaceful zonal congress in Enugu, where party leaders unanimously re-elected the Ali Odefa-led executive. However, reports indicate that high costs and internal crises within the party are discouraging aspirants.

 

With uncertainty surrounding the PDP, aspirants are now turning to alternative platforms such as the APC, Labour Party (LP), and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for their governorship ambitions.

 

As the election race intensifies, political observers will be watching to see how the PDP resolves its internal challenges and whether the APC’s chosen primary process will unify or divide its ranks.

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