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Kogi, Imo, Bayelsa polls: Violence, alleged manipulation mar exercise

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Residents in Imo, Kogi, and Bayelsa states turned out to vote in the off-season governorship elections on Saturday, despite reports of violence and alleged electoral manipulation. Approximately 5,169,692 eligible voters collected their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVC) for the election, which took place in 10,470 polling units across the three states. Unfortunately, the process was marred by incidents of thuggery and suspicions of manipulation.

INEC had previously informed the public that the election would not be held in two polling units in Bayelsa and 38 in Imo due to security concerns. Violence erupted in several polling units, and there were reports of attempts to manipulate the election outcome. In Kogi, INEC officials were allegedly caught with pre-recorded result sheets, and Senator Dino Melaye raised concerns about result sheets being tampered with or prefilled in Ogori/Magongo local government areas.

Responding to the irregularities, INEC suspended the election in nine wards of Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area. In Bayelsa, an INEC official was kidnapped before the election, and a clash between APC and PDP supporters resulted in the death of an unidentified person. Armed thugs reportedly disrupted the election in Sagbama Local Government Area, carting away election materials and attacking an INEC ad-hoc staff and a corps member.

In Imo, the election at Amaimo Central School was disrupted due to reported gunshots. Security operatives, particularly the police, were accused of aiding thugs and INEC officials to manipulate the process for the APC. Incidents included the disarming of NSCDC officials by police and the theft of election materials by thugs at Umuchoko Umuohiagu Junction Polling Unit.

Kogi’s election was marked by violence, with reports of incidents aimed at snatching electoral materials. Military operatives intercepted and arrested the council chairman and party supporters for possessing ammunition and cash in Igalamela local government area. Fake policemen armed with AK-47s were also apprehended.

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A public affairs analyst criticized INEC and security agencies for alleged failure, stating that INEC’s performance in this election was worse than previous ones. He condemned electoral violence and claimed that incumbent governors influenced security agencies, resulting in a sham election with deeper levels of manipulation, violence, and rule violations. The analyst also noted higher levels of vote buying compared to previous elections.

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Hospital Board Suspends Doctor Over Negligence In Kano

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Dr. Mansur Nagoda, the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Hospitals Management Board, has sanctioned the immediate suspension of a medical officer at the Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital. This action follows numerous complaints from patients and staff regarding the doctor’s unauthorized absence from duty.

Dr. Nagoda disclosed that the suspended doctor, whose identity is withheld, left the hospital without informing any authority or management personnel. Despite attempts to reach her, she claimed to be on the premises but failed to report to the doctors’ quarters or fulfill her duties, leaving a dialysis patient distressed.

Emphasizing the ethical responsibility of doctors to prioritize patient care, Dr. Nagoda stressed the need for accountability and professionalism within the healthcare system. He warned that proper arrangements must be made with another doctor when absent from duty, and negligence will not be tolerated.

The suspension will remain in effect pending the investigation’s outcome, demonstrating the board’s commitment to upholding standards of conduct among healthcare workers. Dr. Nagoda reiterated the board’s expectation for all personnel to fulfill their duties diligently, emphasizing consequences for those found derelict in their responsibilities.

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Oyebanji approves 50% subsidy on improved oil palm, cocoa, cashew seedlings for Ekiti farmers

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Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji of Ekiti State has authorized a 50 percent subsidy on oil palm, cocoa, and cashew seedlings for distribution to farmers in the state during this planting season. Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, conveyed this information in a statement released to the press in Ado-Ekiti.

He explained that this initiative is part of the strategic measures undertaken by the Oyebanji administration to generate employment, foster wealth creation, and revive Ekiti State’s agricultural sector to its former glory, particularly harking back to the prosperous era of the 1970s when it was renowned globally as a leading cocoa production hub in Nigeria.

Boluwade emphasized that the program aims to rejuvenate the state’s agricultural prowess by replacing aging trees in existing plantations and those lost to bushfires with high-quality seedlings possessing shorter gestation periods. Furthermore, concerted efforts are underway to attract enthusiastic young farmers into cocoa plantation farming.

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‘We’ve no hotel’ – Nigerian Correctional Service clears air

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The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) clarified that the Correctional Service Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society (COCOS) Hotel and Gardens Project was not financed by the Federal Government. Umar Abubakar, the agency’s Public Relations Officer, made this statement in Abuja on Wednesday, emphasizing that the hotel was an investment of the NCoS Cooperative Society.

Responding to concerns raised about the facility, Abubakar stressed that the hotel, featured on the Service’s official Facebook page, was solely aimed at enhancing staff welfare. He attributed its establishment to strategic planning and efficiency within the agency’s cooperative unit.

Abubakar expressed bewilderment at attempts to discourage meaningful investments, highlighting that the “COCOS Hotels and Gardens” was inaugurated on March 1, 2021, by former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola. He asserted that the report in question is not only deceptive but also aimed at spreading misinformation. Abubakar clarified that the hotel was constructed in 2021 and is exclusively owned by the Correctional Cooperative Society, established in 1996 for all personnel of the service.

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