Electoral Malpractice: 3 Varsity Dons Indicted, 3 INEC Officials Sacked In A’Ibom

Mr Mike Igini, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom, on Tuesday said that three university lecturers had been confirmed to have been involved in electoral malpractice during the 2019 general elections.

Igini, who addressed newsmen at the INEC office in Uyo, said that three officials of the electoral body had also been sacked over alleged involvement in electoral malpractices.According to him, the three university teachers will soon be charged to court.

Igini, however, did not mention the names of the institutions and the areas where the malpractice took place.“The lecturers, who were engaged as Collation and Returning Officers during the 2019 general elections, were reported to have manipulated and falsified election results.


“As I speak to you, not less than three of the staff of the commission from the ICT Unit and those in the rank of executive and administrative officers were also involved in actions that completely undermined the electoral process and integrity of the commission,” he said.

He said that the suspects compromised their positions and produced outcomes contrary to the will of the people, as expressed through the ballot.“A panel we set up subsequently established a prima facie documentary evidence of deliberate criminal manipulation of election results against the Collation/Returning Officers,” Igini said.

He said that the involvement of the three INEC staff from the ICT unit had been proved beyond reasonable doubt.“This action has become absolutely necessary because of the unsustainable belief by some members of the public that the commission does not sanction persons involved in electoral malpractices during elections.“We must have an institution that has integrity to protect the will of the people in any election.

“Punishing those involved in unwholesome electoral activities will serve as a lesson and a clear message to those who will be engaged by INEC in future.“It is good for them to know that INEC in Akwa Ibom will always be transparent.

People engaged as presiding officers are a very important link. They are the last set of people in charge of election materials, particularly the ballot papers and result sheets,” the REC said.He regretted that in spite of the training given to the electoral officers and staff of the commission, they went a different way and chose to involve themselves in unethical conduct.

Igini lamented that the officials manipulated and falsified election results, thereby producing outcomes that were contrary to the will of the people.“Following a formal request by the Commission, the authorities of the affected institutions released the lecturers to appear before an investigative panel set up by INEC Headquarters on Aug. 12 and 26, 2020,” he revealed.

Igini noted that the INEC workers sacked were shown the way out “in line with the extant rules and the power of the commission to appoint, dismiss and to exercise disciplinary control over its staff”. (NAN)

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Five Feared Crushed As 3-Storey Building Collapsed In Aba

About five persons were feared crushed to death when a three-storey building under construction collapsed in Aba, commercial hub of Abia State.

According to a witness, one of the five persons inside the structure at the time of the incident was killed while fate of the four others who were trapped in the rubbles were yet to be determined as at press time.


The building, which is located at No 85 Azikiwe road, in Aba South Local Government Area of the State collapsed at about 5:15am on Wednesday, September 16 following a heavy downpour.

Uche Kalu, the only survivor, stated that five other young persons were still trapped in the rubbles.

The remains of one of the yet to be identified victims, who tried to escape before getting trapped at the edge of the building, was seen hanging with stretched out legs, as the rubbles divided the victim into two from the head.

It was also gathered from Kalu, that the collapsed building, which has been under construction for about a year now, serves as shelter for some homeless youths. He however, told our reporter that he and some of the other victims were taking refuge in the building when the incident occurred.

Kalu, who said he is a bricklayer, explained that he was discussing a contract with one of the trapped victims, when the building collapsed and buried him under the rubbles.

Kalu, who had head injuries, was later rushed to a nearby hospital, by sympathizers for treatment. This is as no rescue team from Abia State government was sighted at the scene, 10 hours after the incident occurred.

However, members of the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), who arrived the scene at about 80am moved into the building, but came out helpless, as there was no excavator to help clear the rubbles.

Mr. Wisdom Okoro, member, Practice Committee, representing Abia State at the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria, observed that the collapsed building had no builder attached to it. He observed further that, lives of citizens would be saved and costs of buildings reduced, if government insists on having professional builders supervise buildings under construction.

He called on Abia State Government to discontinue the construction of the building and set up a panel to investigate its construction, to forestall future occurrences.

Mr. Leonard Eze, a building engineer and resident, who visited the scene, described the building, as a death trap and a disaster waiting to happen. He faulted the Aba South Local Government Area (LGA) Town Planning Authority and other relevant government agencies, for allowing the continuation of the building, which he observed was structurally faulty.

“Any day I pass here, I weep for what we’re doing to ourselves. It’s unfortunate that the small rain of yesterday proved that this disaster is even worse than I thought. How can one use substandard materials and expect a miracle? Someone ought to be supervising the job from government’s angle, but what do you see, shoddy oversight riddled with corruption, led to the loss of these lives that could have been avoided.

“Is there any year we don’t have one to three building collapses in Aba? What has government done about them? People attribute things like his to rituals, but there is nothing like that; as this is a clear engineering error.

“Some building contractors in this Aba will use poor methods/techniques, combined with substandard rods, poorly molded blocks, improper cement grades, disjointed support pillars and when relevant government agencies come calling, they’ll pay them off and they’ll go thinking they can have their cake and still keep it”, he said

Mr. John Ugwoeri, chairman, Nigerian Institute of Builders (NIO, Abia Chapter said this was the fourth collapsed building in Abia State, this year. He appealed to government to listen to the body and heed their calls to use professional builders to avert further occurrences.

#orientdailynews

PDP Hails Fresh US Visa Ban On Election Riggers

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has commended the U.S. for its fresh imposition of visa ban on those undermining Nigeria’s democracy and electoral process.

The party gave the commendation in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja on Tuesday.

Ologbondiyan urged the U.S. Department of State to include family members and assets of such anti-democratic agents who had destroyed the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.He urged the U.S. to also invite the European Union as well as other nations, particularly the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia, to impose similar sanctions on electoral violators, who were bent on destroying Nigeria’s democracy.


“The PDP further demands an extension of the ban to families as well as confiscation of assets of such individuals.“This is to serve as stronger deterrent to protect innocent Nigerians who are left to bear the brunt of the misdeed of such unpatriotic persons,” he said.

Ologbondiyan said that the visa ban, if taken across the globe, would be a final warning to political leaders as well as compromised security and electoral officials being used to perpetrate electoral violence and manipulations.



He added that it was instructive to note that the announcement by the U.S. was an unambiguous cautionary to those plotting to use violence to undermine the sanctity of the Edo and Ondo state governorship elections.

Ologbondiyan added that the U.S. ban was, therefore, a firm support to PDP stiff resistance to plots by those who had been overheating the polity in Edo with serial attacks on other political parties.

He said it was a warning on those assembling thugs, cultists, fake policemen who had been instructed to invade polling centres to unleash violence and undermine the electoral process in Edo and Ondo states.

Ologbondiyan advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and all security agencies to note that the world was watching, thereby the need for them to act by the rules.

“The PDP, in commending the U.S., urges Nigerians, particularly in Edo and Ondo states to remain at alert and strengthen their resolve by voting and firmly defending their votes from the polling and collation centres to the final declaration of results.

“This should be done with the determination to unbridle the instrument of resistance to anybody at all who attempts to undermine their will at any level of the process,” he added. (NAN)

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Nigerians Felicitate With Nollywood Veteran Actor Kanayo On Call To The Bar


Nigerians took to Instagram to felicitate with Nollywood Veteran actor, Kanayo O. Kanayo as he was called to the Nigerian Bar on Tuesday.

Some fans of Kanayo, said they were inspired by his determination in actualising his age long dream of becoming a lawyer inspite of his age.

Reacting, a fan, @1954andcodecor said: ” So proud of my best actor so proud 👏 I am motivated and inspired. I have always loved law since high school…”.

Another fan @ezeboy said: ” This is pure product of determination and diligence, big congratulations sir”.

In her reaction, @ princess_gift 28 said:”Yesssss! Congratulations sir more strength.

@chiggomartins, in a reaction, said: “ Happy for you sir, I believe someday I will achieve more than these in life by the grace of God Almighty who helped you to make this great success” while @angel_ kco said” Congratulations sir.

Similaryly, @hyacinthagomu said” Kanayo O. Kanayo , MFR Barrister band Solicitor a big congratulations my big ‘G’. I admire your courage , congratulations once again”.



NAN reports that the actor announced that he had been called to the Nigerian bar, where he shared a photo of himself after he was called to bar.

“God is good. Finally, my age long dream has come through. Anayo Modestus Onyekwere, Esq. MFR (Barrister And Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria),” he wrote.

The 58-year-old actor said he took everybody by surprise five years age, when he enrolled for a Law degree at the University of Abuja.

He added that after his graduation in 2018, he went to the Nigerian Law School, where he passed the examinations in July.

Anayo Modestus Onyekwere popularly known as Kanayo O. Kanayo is a Nigerian veteran actor, that hail from Imo State, Nigeria.

He made his debut in Nollywood in 1992 in his role in “living in bondage” and in 2006, he won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a leading Role.

Kanayo has been involved in over hundreds of films in the Nollywood.

He is currently a UN ambassador and bears the title of MFR. (NAN)

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Building Collapse: Delta Govt Seals 15 Buildings In Asaba

The Delta Government, has sealed off 15 buildings in Asaba to reduce incidences of building collapse in the state.

This is contained in a statement issued on Wednesday in Asaba by Mr Chidi Nwuko, Chairman, Delta State Taskforce on Operation Show Your Building Plan.

He said that developers of the sealed buildings failed to tender approved building plans within the stipulated time given to them or had none at all.


Nwuko said the enforcement became necessary to stem the tide of building collapse, protect the environment and ensure adherence to proper planning.

Recall that on Sept. 12, a storey building under construction in Asaba collapsed, leaving one person dead and four critically injured.

Also at Ughelli a boy identified as Gbenga who just finished his West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), was knocked down by a collapsing fence along Damure street in Ughelli, killing him instantly.



In Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state, a fire fighter, Ben Aladino and family members narrowly escaped death in their apartment when an overhead water tank collapsed on their living room.

The chairman urged property developers to abide by the laws guiding property development to prevent building collapse.

“It became necessary to nip in the bud the recurrence of construction collapse that could have been as a result of lack of approved building plan.

“Some of the standard procedures in land and property development is to obtain approved building plan and permit, complying with approved building plan and documenting same with relevant authorities prior to development.

“Such compliance will help eliminate building or construction collapses capable of causing wanton damage and in extreme cases, lives,” he said.

Nwuko urged land and property developers embarking on any form of development to as a matter of responsibility adhere strictly to standard procedures.

While commending property developers who follow due process, he frowned at those who flagrantly disregard them, warning that the law would catch up with them. (NAN)

My Wife Swore To Make My Life Miserable, Turn Me To A Pauper – Man Tells Court

A businessman, Mr Iga Bale, on Wednesday pleaded with a Customary Court in Nyanya, Abuja, to dissolve his union with his wife, Liza on grounds that she swore to make his life miserable and also turn him to a pauper.

Bale made the prayer in a divorce petition filed against his wife before the court.

“When my business crumbled, I moved to Abuja and luckily, I secured a job with a private firm and I invited my wife and children to join me.


“When my wife came, I told her to bear with me and manage with my small job, pending when the bigger job will come.

“Though, she agreed, but shortly after my plea, my wife started hiding food she bought with the money I gave her.



”She wastes food in order to create shortage of food in the house.

“When I confronted her, she told me that her plan was to make spend all my money and become a pauper.

”She had an abortion when she was four months pregnant. The same doctor she procured an abortion from is her lover,” he alleged.

The respondent, Liza, who was present in court denied all the allegations.

The Presiding Judge, Shitta Muhammad, adjourned the matter until Oct. 22 for the respondent’s defence.

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Emeka Offor Foundation Donates N100m Equipment, Drugs To UITH

The Sir Emeka Offor Foundations (SEOF) on Wednesday donated N100 million worth of medical equipment, drugs and other items to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH).

Mr Chris Ezike, the Chief of Staff of Sir Emeka Foundation, while presenting the items, said this is the second phase of the 2020 Medical Equipment Supplies and Medicines Distribution Programme.

He stated that during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic in June, the foundation in partnership with the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development donated a 40-feet container load of medical equipment worth millions of naira.


Ezike stated that UITH was also selected for the second phase of the donation which included 100 beds and accessories.

According to him, the fact that the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, is from Kwara propelled the impetus to include the UITH in the second phase donation.

He disclosed that the foundation was equally making a similar donation across 21 Teaching Hospitals in the country including those in Jalingo, Enugu, Abakiliki and Owerri.

Ezike, who stated that the foundation was committed to mitigating the challenges of COVID-19, noted that accessories and medicament were in high demand across the world.

According to him, this informed the ingenuity of Nigerian manufacturers which produced the hospital equipment.

He added that the equipment could rival those produced abroad.



“This is a modest way of intervention from the private sector on health as a healthy population leads to productive population.

“The equipment are not to be sold. They have no commercial value, they are to be used for the masses otherwise we will be demotivated,” he said.

He also stated that the foundation was at the forefront of the fight against polio, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari had acknowledged the foundation’s contribution to the certification of a polio-free Nigeria.

Ezike pledged that SEOF would continue to ensure that Nigeria remained polio-free while increasing surveillance to retain such feat.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health in Kwara, Dr Raji Razaq, commended the foundation for its humanitarian gestures.

He added that the foundation shared the same vision with the administration of Gov. Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq in ensuring the healthcare system was revamped.

Razaq, who noted that such gestures from the foundation would reduce medical tourism, appealed for more intervention from other organisations.

In his response, Dr Yusuf Dasilva, Chief Medical Director (CMD) of UITH, commended the foundation for the donation of the medical equipment and medicines to the hospital.

“This is a promise made and promise kept. We will continue to partner with the foundation and we will use the equipment for their intended purpose,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the items donated included drugs, hospital beddings, bedside lockers, patient tables and drips.(NAN)

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“I Discovered Banana Island” Terry Waya Claims

Father of Kiddwaya (evicted Big Brother Naija Lockdown housemate), Terry Waya has claimed he discovered Banana Island in Lagos.

Terry Waya made this claims in an interview with BBC pidgin where he talked about how he made his money as a young man, he reveals he got the contract to develop the luxury Banana Island in Lagos, Nigeria commercial capital.

Terry Waya revealed he was the first person that got the to develop Banana Island before he handed over to Lebanese-Nigerian Chagoury Group to complete the job.

According to Terry Waya nobody knew about Banana Island before and that one day he went to visit his tight friend, General Adisa, and that was when he saw a big poster where they wrote “Banana Island.”.

Terry Waya then asked the minister about the poster and he told him they were looking for a partner to collaborate with to develop the man-made Banana Island and then sell it, therein the partner will have his share and the government also will have its share.

Because of his friendship with Adisa, he asked the general to give him the project, which he did get, Terry Waya then called on Chagoury to do the project and this was how the luxurious island was found.

- As im pikin Kiddwaya gain fame for di Nigeria reality show BBNaija, na so di spotlight shine on im papa, Terry Waya.

Now, Terry Waya don open up in dis exclusive about im life.
#nairaland