Olofofo 9ja

Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has declared that it will not be intimidated by politicians to undermine the 2019 general elections. Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) The Commission also declared its resolve to work closely with the Police to ensure that the elections are free, fair and credible. Speaking, yesterday, at a parley with political parties organised by the Benue State Police Command in Makurdi, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Benue State, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, promised that the umpire body would avail all the parties and their candidates a level playing field in the exercise. Earlier, the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Ene Okon, warned that the Police would not hesitate to arrest any politician caught encouraging thuggery and violence during the electioneering period. Represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Mr. Tunji Akingbola, the Commissioner said:...

THE unfolding political drama in the two major opposition parties in Benue State – the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Social Democratic Party, SDP, is somewhat creating a smooth walkover for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and re-election of Governor Samuel Ortom in 2019.  Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/2019-will-pdp-reap-from-apc-sdp-crises-in-benue/ The crisis rocking the APC stemmed from the fact the political heavy weights in the party have been at daggers drawn and are not prepared to shift grounds as to who becomes the running mate to the party’s governorship candidate, Mr. Emmanuel Jime. As at today, APC has not been able to pick a running mate from the Benue South district or Idoma-speaking area of the state where the position is usually zoned to. Findings from the Makurdi office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, indicated that the party picked one Isaac Vembe, from Gboko local government area, same sena...

ABUJA—THE internal crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC, has taken a new dimension as the national legal adviser of the party, Babatunde Ogala, has accused Adams Oshiomhole of hijacking his office. In an internal memo dated November 6, and addressed to Oshiomhole, Ogala accused the national chairman of denigrating the party’s legal department. This development is coming three months to the general election and at a time the ruling party ought to focus on the campaigns which kicked off yesterday,  in line with the schedule of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. In the memo, Ogala said since he became the party’s legal adviser on June 25, his department had not been funded. He alleged that Oshiomhole had sidelined him and refused to consult him over issues his office was supposed to handle. Ogala said:  “I am constrained to put this memo and complaint in writing in the light of the repeated acts of usurpation and deliberate encroachment on my...

The rate of change in our time is so swift that an individual of ordinary length of life will be called on to face novel situations which have no parallel in the past. The fixed man for the fixed duties, who in the old society was such a “god-send” will in the future be a public danger— Alfred North Whitehead, 1861-1947. Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/four-reasons-why-nigerian-economy-will-not-improve-under-buhari/ THE rate of change globally had accelerated several hundred fold since Whitehead wrote his observation. There was no internet then. Major economic developments affecting the lives of other nations took several months to be known to others and their reactions became manifest several months or even years after. First, the globalisation of economies changed that; then internet completed the job. Today, a change, up or down, in the price of crude oil registers its impact on prices of shares in all the capital markets around the globe. Every nation on...

ABA—Goods worth over N10 million were, yesterday, consumed by fire at the popular Nkwa Ngwa Market in Aba, Abia State. Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/n10m-goods-burnt-in-aba-market-fire oods worth over N10 million were, yesterday, consumed by fire at the popular Nkwa Ngwa Market in Aba, Abia State. The inferno, which started at about 7.15p.m., consumed the building materials and furniture sections of the market located at Obohia Road, Aba. Explosion averted as petrol tanker, truck collide in Lagos Also yesterday, 77 temporary shops at Kasuwar Kurmi (‘Yan Gumama) Market in Kano were razed by fire. On the Nkwa Ngwa Market fire in Aba, eyewitnesses told Vanguard it started through the ignition of a power generator and spread to the carpentry and building materials sections of the market. Chairman of Nkwo Ngwa Market, Prince Okechukwu Lawrence, said goods worth over N10 million were lost to the inferno as hoodlums frustrated rescue efforts and looted shops. He lam...

LAGOS—Senator, representing Lagos East Senatorial District in the National Assembly and Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, Gbenga Ashafa has commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to the completion of projects, describing it as “impressive.” Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/senator-lauds-buhari-on-projects-completion Ashafa made the remarks during an oversight visit by the Senate Committee on Land Transport to the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology, NITT, outreach learning center in Kano. According to him: “In consonance with our supervisory responsibility, we are very particular about ensuring that all the monies appropriated for the further development of this institute is properly utilized.” Ashafa who was accompanied by Senators, Osinakachukwu Ideozu and Victor Umeh all members of the Senate Committee on Land Transport were given a tour of the project site by the Director General of NITT, Dr. Abimbola Odumosu. Over N863b Subsid...