INEC has no power to conduct LG election – Yakubu
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman, of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says the commission has no constitutional power to conduct local council elections except in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Yakubu said this on the sidelines of a two-day induction retreat for INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), on Monday in Lagos.
Reacting to the agitation seeking constitutional backing for INEC to be saddled with the responsibility of conducting local council elections, Yakubu described it as ‘a constitutional matter’.
According to Yakubu, unless necessary constitutional amendments are made, the commission will only continue to organise national and state elections.
“The same section of the constitution that establishes INEC also establishes the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) and we cannot take over their duties.
Abia govt suspends restriction of tricycle operations
Abia State Government has suspended the restriction on the operation of tricycles and motorcycles operation in the state. The suspension was contained in a statement issued Monday by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu.
Government had last week, given July first as the commencement date for the restriction of tricycle and motorcycle operation between 7 pm and 6 am. According to the statement, the suspension is a result of pleas from members of the public.
It read in part:” This is to inform the general public that the planned restriction of the operations of Tricycles[ keke] and Motorcycles [Okada] introduced by Abia State Government between the hours of 7:00 pm and 6:00 am billed to start today, Monday, July 1st, 2024 has been shifted to commence on the 1st of August, 2024.
” However, the enumeration and registration of all commercial vehicles, tricycles and motorcycles in the transport sector in Abia state will commence today as scheduled. “This adjustment is to accommodate the numerous pleas by Abians to be given more time to prepare for the effective implementation and enforcement of the policy.”
Facebook users with 5k followers in Nigeria, and Ghana to earn money from July
Social media giant, Meta has announced that Nigerian and Ghanaian content creators with 5, 000 followers can henceforth earn money on Facebook starting from July 1, 2024. This was as the company rolled out monetization features, In-Stream Ads on Facebook and Facebook Ads on Reels on Monday.
According to a statement released by Meta, the two features will enable creators to earn money for crafting original videos and cultivating community. It also said that eligible creators in both countries will be able to earn money for their video and reel content, with support in over 30 languages globally.
The statement reads: “To use either product, creators must pass and remain compliant with Facebook’s partnership monetisation policies and content monetization policies and they must be at least 18 years old. “Additionally, for in-stream ads creators must meet certain requirements such as having a minimum of 5,000 followers.”
25 cases confirmed as cholera outbreak hits Lagos Kirikiri Prison
The Lagos State Government has confirmed an outbreak of cholera at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre. The Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, while giving an update on Sunday, disclosed that 25 cases of severe gastroenteritis were reported but assured that urgent medical and environmental intervention measures had been implemented successfully.
In a statement known in a statement signed by the State Ministry of Health’s Director of Public Affairs, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, the commissioner disclosed an update on the outbreak that came on the heels of the “One Health” Inter-governmental agency strategic meeting held over the weekend.
He revealed that although no new cholera-related deaths have been reported in the last 72 hours, the government was intensifying countermeasures to eliminate transmission.
Children face stunted growth as food scarcity worsens
Recently, a report from the United Nations Children’s Fund pegged severe child food poverty in Nigeria at 32 per cent, and this raised concerns among paediatricians and nutritionists, prompting them to warn that many children in the country face increased risk of chronic diseases and stunted growth in months and years ahead.
They noted that the economic situation could cause a surge in childhood malnutrition, resulting in an increased rate of underweight children, wasting and suffering from low intelligence quotients.
The UNICEF report reveals that 65 per cent of children out of the 181 million facing food poverty are from Nigeria and 19 from other countries. It further pegged severe child food poverty in Nigeria at 32 per cent. However, this figure, when compared to the 45 per cent reported in 2012, reflects a steady decline in the food poverty rate in the country.
Meanwhile, previous reports stated that Nigeria holds the second highest burden of stunted children globally, with 12 million out of the 35 million children under the age of five experiencing stunting due to malnutrition.
𝐅𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐄𝐅𝐂𝐂 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐤𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐤𝐰𝐚 𝐈𝐛𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝
Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested four suspected fake Economic Financial Crimes Commission officers while planning to abduct and collect N150 million ransom from their victim (name withheld).
Parading the suspects alongside other suspects at the command headquarters in Ikot Akpanabia, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital on Monday, the Commissioner of Police, CP Waheed Ayilara, said the principal suspect, Emmanuel Akpayak, masterminded the kidnap of the would-be victim whom he owed over N12 million as he tried to extort money from him and subsequently kill him to evade repayment of his debt.
He listed the suspects to include one Emmanuel Augustine Akpayak ‘m’ aged 27yrs, Echem Ovurizichi Weneka ‘m’ aged 27yrs, Promise Udofia ‘m’ aged 28yrs and Jeremiah Johnson Okon ‘m’ 38yrs.
According to the CP, “Investigation revealed that Emmanuel Augustine Akpayak had arranged for the kidnap and killing of the would-be victim by engaging men on arms and procuring EFCC vest/uniform for the Operation.
The victim was invited and a search was conducted at the principal suspect’s house where four pairs of EFCC vests were recovered. Information at hand indicates that the suspect transacted the business of selling cars with the would-be victim and owed the victim about Twelve Million Naira (N12,000,000.00), to evade the repayment of debt, the suspect hired armed men to kidnap, extort the sum of One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N150,000,000.00) and also kill the victim thereafter but the Operation was foiled
Imo Community Condemns Governor Uzodinma For Demolishing Only Primary School Without Alternative, Leaving Pupils Stranded
People of Umuoba Village, Ezeachi Community in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, have lamented the destruction of their only primary school by Governor Hope Uzodinma-led state government.
The aggrieved people lamented that their children have been thrown into the open with no alternative place of learning provided for them nor compensation paid to the village to be able to provide an alternative school for the displaced pupils.
The Chairman of Umuoba Development Union, Engr. Chibuzor Okorie told SaharaReporters that the school was destroyed following a takeover of the land on which the school is situated by the state government without compensation or official communication.
He said the school had been in existence before the 1970s but at a point during the war, the government used the land, part of which, the school is situated to camp the military
Obinwannem World News
Trump wins as top court deals blow to Jan 6 case
Shortly after the Supreme Court issued its decision on his claim of presidential immunity, Donald Trump took to social media to celebrate.“Big win for our constitution and democracy,” he posted on Truth Social. “Proud to be an American!”
While Trump did not get the sweeping protections that he and his lawyers had sought, he got more than enough to achieve his immediate objective of delaying another trial until after November’s election.
The ruling from the six conservative justices dealt a serious blow to the federal criminal case against him on charges of attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Special Prosecutor Jack Smith and his team will have to significantly restructure their case against the former president, and the evidence they can rely upon to support it, if they want to continue. The trial was put on pause pending this decision.
