The Harbingerngr News

•Don't truncate electoral process with your inciting, provocative letter, FG warns OBJ •Says he presided over worse elections •Obasanjo's present danger to democracy, says Gen Akinrinade  The Federal Government yesterday warned former President Olusegun Obasanjo against truncating the 2023 general elections with his inciting, self-serving and provocative letter on the polls. This is even as former Chief of Army Staff, General Alani Akinirinade, also yesterday described Obasanjo as a present danger to the nation's democracy by his utterances. Recall that the former President had on Monday, called for suspension of announcement of results of the presidential election, following the irregularities that trailed it, and asked President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene. But the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who gave the warning, said what the former President cunningly framed as an 'appeal for caution and rectification' was nothing but a calculated attem

• NASS didn’t pass electronic transmission in Electoral Act — APC Senators  AS the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, continued with the collation of results of last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections, The Senate was stormy over the results being churned out by the INEC yesterday. Trouble started soon after the senators resumed plenary, after a break to enable them participate fully in the polls. When Senator   Ibrahim Oloriegbe (APC, Kwara Central) raised a motion on the need to call for calm and appeal to political parties, stakeholders and Nigerians to abide by the rule of law on the electoral process in the just concluded election.  In his presentation, Oloriegbe, who came under Orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing, as amended, however, urged all political actors, leaders, and every Nigerian to remain calm and allow the collation and announcement of the presidential and National Assembly elections to proceed based on the provisions of the elec

THE police has arraigned a 23-year-old man, Tope Falomo, before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing iron pipes. The defendant, was charged for stealing. The prosecutor, Inspector Olubu Apata, told the court that the defendant and others at large allegedly committed the offence on February 15, 2023, about 11.30 a.m., at Ajagbedu-Uso community in Ado-Ekiti. Apata alleged that the defendant and others at large conspired among themselves and stole iron pipes worth N250,000 belonging to one Falua Agboola. He said the offence contravened Section 302 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021. The prosecutor asked the court for an adjournment to enable him study the casefile and present his witnesses. The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him. Counsel to the defendant, Mr. Abiola Gboyega, urged the court to grant his client bail, with a promise that he would not jump bail. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Kehinde Awosika, granted bail to the defenda

A Kano Shari’a Court, yesterday, sentenced a 20-year-old man, Murtala Halliru, to six months in prison and ordered to be given 30 strokes of the cane for stealing 13 ceiling fans. Halliru, who lives at Gwammaja Quarters, Kano, was convicted on a count charge of theft after he pleaded guilty. Trial judge, Malam Nura Yusuf-Ahmad, sentenced him to six months imprisonment without option of fine and 30 strokes of cane. Yusuf-Ahmad also ordered the convict to pay N44,000 as compensation for the ceiling fans. Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Aliyu Abideen, had informed the court that the defendant committed the offence on February 23, at Kano State Polytechnic. He said on the same date at about noon, the Chief Security Officer of Kano State Polytechnic, Mr. Sani Suleiman, arrested the defendant in possession of two ceiling fans on his bicycle valued at N8,000. “During the course of investigation, the defendant confessed to have stolen 11 ceiling fans valued at N44,000 from the said polyt

A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna, yesterday, sentenced two teenagers, Abubakar Aminu, 18 and Abba Lawal, 18, to 18 months imprisonment for unlawful possession of Cannabis  Sativa, also known as Indian hemp. Trial judge, Justice Hadiza Shagari, sentenced the teenagers to 18 months imprisonment each without an option of fine. She said that the 18 months imprisonment was in cognisance with the record that the convicts were first-time offenders.. Shagari warned the convicts against indulging in such illicit business after serving their jail term, but should be young men of good behaviour. The convicts, both residents of Ali Akilu Road,  Kaduna were arrested on January 23, 2023, by officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at Ungwan Shanu in the Kaduna North Local Government Area. Counsel for the NDLEA, Mr T. J. Atserhegh, told the court that the convicts were arrested with 2.4kg of Cannabis  Sativa. Atserhegh said the offence was contrary to and punishable under Se

Chairman of Ezza Traditional Rulers Council, His Majesty Eze Igboke Ewa, was Sunday evening shot dead by unknown gunmen suspected to be political thugs in the state. His offence, according to investigation was because he was not supporting a particular political party, ahead of the 2023 general election. The victim is from Umuezekoha community in Ezza North Local Government Area of the state. In a statement by Uchenna Orji, Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, the  state governor has directed security apparatus to move into Ezza North for a rescue mission as anybody found culpable in the murder of the monarch will be arrested. It would be recalled that the monarch had some time last year escaped  the assassination attempt by some assailants. The development further angered his assailants who went to his wife’s shop at Ahiaofu along Enugu-Abakaliki expressway and burnt it down. According to the commissioner, “It has been brought to the attention of the Governor of Ebonyi

  A section of the multi-billion naira Blue Rail Mass Transit project at Marina, Lagos State, was, yesterday,  gutted by fire. It was learnt that the section, which houses a generator used in the facility, was affected by the fire.  However, no life was lost and no one was injured, as the fire was quickly put out by firefighters from both the Federal and State fire stations, before it could spread to other sections. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident. He said: "The fire at Marina started from the generator of the Blue Rail Mass Transit. Police patrol teams and the Fire Service were on ground to control the crowd and put out the fire, respectively. "People are urged to go about their lawful duties and not panic as the situation is under control." ACF seeks help for victims of Borno market  fire Meanwhile, the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has commiserated with the Government and people of Borno State over the fire t

President-Elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. By Abimbola Oloyede ...at 2023 Presidential Election *Wins 12 states, Atiku 12, Obi 12, Kwankwaso 1 *Tinubu - 8,794,726 votes; Obi - 6,101,533 Atiku - 6,984,520; Kwankwaso - 1,496,687 THE Presidential Candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been declared president-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, chairman,  Professor Mahmood Yakubu. Tinubu polled 8,794,726 votes and won in 12 states to beat Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who came second with 6,984,520 votes and also won in 12 states. The Labour Party, LP, Candidate, Peter Obi polled 6,101,533 votes to place a close third. He also won 11 states and the FCT. Former Governor of Kano State and New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Candidate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, came fourth with 1,496,687 votes. Tinubu won Ekiti, Kwara, Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Jigawa, Niger, Benue, Kogi, Borno, Kebbi, Zamfara and Rivers states. Atiku

Lionel Messi was presented the award by FIFA President, Gianni Infantino . Argentina and Paris St-Germain forward Lionel Messi has been named men's player of the year at the 2022 Best F IFA Awards. The 35-year-old beat French forwards Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema to the prize. The 35-year-old legend footballer beat French forwards Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema to the prize. Messi captained Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar, and scored 27 goals in 49 games for club and country in 2021-22. Barcelona's Alexia Putellas was named women's player of the year. Wiegman and Putellas? win major women's honours Messi, who won the award for a second time, said: "It's amazing. It's been a tremendous year and it's an honour for me to be here and win this award. Without my team-mates I wouldn't be here. "I achieved the dream I had been hoping for for so long. Very few people can achieve that and I have been lucky to do so." At the ceremony in Pa

By Abimbola Oloyede with NAN report CANDIDATES of the All Progressives Congress, APC, have been declared the winners of the three senatorial seats in Lagos State, after recording landslide victories. Former Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule, won the Lagos West senatorial election, polling 361,296 votes to defeat her main challenger of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Segun Adewale, who scored 248,653 votes. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Lagos West Senatorial District Collation Officer, Prof Solomon Akinboye, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the election The INEC also returned Senator Tokunbo Abiru as winner of Lagos East senatorial election.   The INEC Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Simeon Adebayo Oladipo, who declared the results in Somolu, said Abiru polled 178,646 votes to defeat the candidate of the PDP flagbearer, Akodada Nicholas Adekunle, who garnered 80,249 votes. Abiru is the incumbent senator representing the senatorial district.

*Says Nigeria at risk of the new virus • Alerts on 1st outbreak in Equatorial Guinea  THE Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, weekend said Nigeria was at risk of  Marburg virus disease (MVD)  following the  outbreak of the disease in Equatorial Guinea. NCDC further explained  that the likelihood of importation to Nigeria was high due to direct flight  between the two countries .  A press statement by the NCDC showed that the death of nine persons prompted laboratory testing on samples of individuals experiencing symptoms of fever, fatigue, blood-stained vomit, and diarrhea in two communities of the country's western Kie Ntem province.  "So far, one confirmed case, nine deaths and 16 suspected cases of MVD have been reported in Equatorial Guinea," the statement stated.   The statement signed by the Director General, NCDC, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, explained that MVD is a viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) caused by a virus from the same family as the Ebola virus

...as Obi's victory causing tension in Lagos FOLLOWING the outcome of the Presidential election in Lagos State which causes tension in the state, where the Labour Party’s Presidential candidate, Peter Obi won, the All Progressives Congress Presidential, APC, candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Babajidec Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, urged residents of the state to be calm and eschew any act that can lead to a breakdown of law and order. Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu made the appeal following pockets of violence that erupted in some parts of the state. The APC candidate, in a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga, said the outcome of the election in Lagos where the Labour Party won the presidential election should not be a source of provocation. He, however, said that the beauty of democracy is that people have a right to vote for the candidate of their choice. He noted that as a democrat he is bound to accept the outcome of any elect

  PDP Agent, Sen Dino Melaye, complaining at the Presidential Result Collation Centre in Abuja. ...at Result Collation Centre *Why we can’t review results now — INEC *Opposition shopping for court orders to halt collation, throw Nigeria into crisis — APC  NO fewer than four political parties walked out of the collation of the Presidential election results, in Abuja, yesterday, saying that “the system is compromised, INEC is compromised, so the entire process be stalled and cancelled.” They took the decision after raising point of orders which were overruled by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who is the returning officer for the presidential poll. Professor Yakubu said results of the election could only be reviewed after completion of the process. The parties included the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; Labour Party, LP; African Democratic Congress, ADC; and Action Peoples Party, APP. Speaking outside the collation centre, the PDP

*Warns politicians, urges INEC to rectify allegations raised against malpractices By Abimbola Oloyede FORMER President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has warned politicians not to set the country on fire. with their greed, irresponsibility and unpatriotic act. He advised INEC to stop the process and rectify the allegations raised against it from many quarters. Obasanjo appealed to the President Muhammadu Buhari, to prevail on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu, to stop the process and rectify the allegations raised against it from many quarters. The presidential and National Assembly elections were held on Saturday and the collation of results was being done at the National Collation Centre in Abuja. The Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party have kicked against the process, describing it as compromised. A former senator from Kogi West, Dino Melaye, and other party representatives walked out of the centre after raising issues bordering

*As APC, PDP trade blames over political killings  *l4 arrested over cult killings — Police Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye, yesterday, narrated how he escaped being assassinated by political hoodlums in Ilesa, Osun East senatorial distrct. This came as the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, traded words over alleged killing of their members in the town. Owoeye, who addressed newsmen, said the security personnel attached to his convoy resisted hoodlums, who opened fire on his constituency office in Ilesa, Osun State, while holding a meeting there. According to him, “It took the gallantry of security personnel around me to resist the hoodlum that started firing gunshots on my office while I was having meeting with a group in the early hours of yesterday. “I was also informed that the electrification projects, which I had expended over N15 million at Oke-Aga has been destroyed and riddled with bullets. I sympathized with the commu