INEC will replicate Ekiti success in Osun, 2015 polls – Jega

Commission, parties discuss campaign guidelines for next year’s elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, assured on Tuesday that it would repeat the feat it recorded in last Saturday’s election in Ekiti State in future elections.

The Commission’s Chairman, Attahiru Jega, who stated this in Abuja at a meeting with the leaderships of the 26 registered political parties, said the experience in Ekiti election would be improved upon specifically in both the August 17 governorship election in Osun State and the 2015 general elections.

The chairmen and secretaries of the parties attended the meeting held at the INEC Headquarters in Abuja.

The parley was part of the Commission’s efforts to harmonize and approve the guidelines for the commencement of the election campaign by candidates and conduct of election primaries by political parties ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Mr. Jega commended the efforts of the parties in contributing to the peaceful conduct of the Ekiti election and asked them to make the same commitment during future elections.

He said, “From the INEC staff, to the young men and women of the NYSC and other tertiary institutions, to the security agencies, political parties, civil society organizations and the candidates and host of other stakeholders, every one put together in their best and our collective best turned out to be good enough in Ekiti. That is how it should be and it is a very good lesson for our future elections.

“The successful conduct of a free, fair and peaceful election in Ekiti is a good omen for the subsequent elections to come, and indeed for the satisfaction of the aspiration of Nigerians for a consolidated democracy. We must therefore not rest on our oars, but continue to do our best collectively to sustain and keep on improving on this achievement.

“The coming election in Osun state, God willing should on the count be better, and the 2015 general elections must be the best. It is therefore a challenge for all of us to join hands and continue to work together to ensure this necessary outcome.”

He said the Commission was not happy with the way the parties and their candidates were flouting election campaign and threatened to sanction any of them who failed to follow the 90 days prescribed in the Electoral Act before embarking on campaign.

The Chairman of the Inter Party Advisory Council, IPAC, Tanko Yinusa, who congratulated the INEC chairman on the successful conduct of the Ekiti governorship election, noted that the Council had a 13-point agenda which it forwarded to INEC for consideration.

Mr. Yinusa, who is also the National chairman of National Conscience Party, NCP, stated that highlights of the agenda, which it intended to discuss with the National Assembly included measures to ensure the survival of political parties, registration and deregistration as well as funding of political parties.

UPDATE: Why I Buried Ex-Customs Officer, Daughter Alive ─ Herbalist

A 64-year-old native doctor, Alhaji Olatunji Azeez who confessed to killing a retired customs officer, Angela Uzo Kerry and her adopted 10-year-old daughter, Obiagulum after selling the victim’s landed properties was yesterday paraded by the Lagos State Police Command.



L-R: The suspect, Alhaji Olatunji Azeez, Kerry and her daughter, Obiagulum

The suspect who led the Police to the building where he buried his victims committed the crime on May 10, 2014.

It was reported on Monday, June 23 that the decomposed bodies of the woman and her daughter were found in Azeez’s house in Ire Akari Crescent, Ajuwon Akute, Ogun State by operatives of the Lagos State Special Anti-Robbery Squad and the building was marked as a kidnapper’s den bythe police.

Azeez, an Oyo State indigene with three wives and five children, said he was forced to kill the customs officer and her daughter after she threatened to kill him over a sum of money.

He explained, “I have been a trado-medical doctor for about 30 years, but I knew Angela over five years ago. She initially came to me for protection from family attacks. One of her friends called Lizzy introduced her to me. The relationship began to grow, and she kept patronising me for one thing or the other.

“Then, about three years ago, she mentioned her barreness problem, adding that the daughter that was with her was adopted. I was shocked. But when she told me her age, I told her it was impossible to make her pregnant. But she insisted that prophets in the churches she went had assured her she would get pregnant.”

According to Punch Azeez later lied to the woman that she would get pregnant and collected N9m from her for the job.

Azeez added, “I did the normal concoction for her, but it didn’t work because of her age. But I collected the money because I knew if I did not, she would go to where they would collect it. After some months without result, she came to my place to complain. She then demanded a refund, but I told her that I could not repay it. She then began to threaten me. Within a month, I tried to repay N2.5m. On that fateful week, she came back for the remaining N6.5m.

“It was Saturday, May 17. She came with her daughter and insisted that she wanted her balance. She said as a retired customs officer, she could kill me if I didn’t pay back the money. Then I thought, I must kill this woman before she killed me. The hole at the back of my house was not built for killing. It was dug for drainage during rainfall.”

Azeez added that he went to the backyard, covered the hole with a white cloth that Angela normally saw in another shrine in his house.

He said, “After we talked, we moved with her daughter to the place. I said she should kneel down on the mat with her daughter. She did so and fell into the pit with her daughter. The operation was successful because no member of my family was around in the house.

I then began to cover the pit up with sand. I poured in roughly 50 buckets of sand. The following day, I got two bricklayers to cement the portion. But I had first taken out the belongings she brought.”

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, stated that the police had concluded their investigations on the case, adding that the native doctor was going to be charged to court for murder.

He said, “The woman and her daughter were reported missing on May 10 at the Oko Oba Police Division by the family.

“Azeez was eventually arrested through a tracking device installed on the victim’s Toyota Camry. Azeez, an herbalist, had hypnotized the woman for a long time. He had taken over N200m from her both in cash and property. We discovered he cleverly constructed a well in his house, lured the woman with her daughter into the room, and buried them alive.

“We were able to recover the decomposed bodies of the victims from the well. We also picked their property which was buried along with them. We have finished our investigations, and he will be charged to court for murder. We will leave the rest to be decided by the court.”

Mercy Aigbe Respons To The Her Alleged Romance With Gov. Rotimi Amaechi

There were rumours about popular Nollywood actress Mercy Aigbe-Gentry having love affair with Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi.

In a recent interview with Encomium Yoruba movie actress and the mother of two refuted all the gossips about her close relationships with Gov. Rotimi Amaechi.

What’s the relationship between you and Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi?

I only know him to be Rivers State governor, and from his performances so far, he has proved himself to be very sensitive when it comes to the plight of his people. He has worked tirelessly to give them good roads, improved healthcare, etc. He has also alleviated poverty in the state. That much I know because I have family and friends who live in the state, and I hear from them regularly the way he governs the state. And how people sing his praises. Although, I have not had the privilege of meeting him in person, I have heard much about his achievements since he became the governor of the state.

But it was rumoured that you collected N5m from him to feature at the 2014 Children’s Day celebration in the state. What’s your reaction to that?

There is no iota of truth in it. I never at a point collected a kobo from him. I don’t even know him one-on-one. The rumour also has it that both of you are in a sizzling romance, that’s’ why you were invited to the May 27, 2014 celebration? It’s not just untrue but laughable.

But were you truly the only actress invited for the ceremony and did you actually attend?

I wasn’t the only one invited. What happened was that there was a book reading session organized by Best of Nollywood in conjunction with the Rivers State government, and celebrities were invited, among whom Alex Ekubo, Yomi Fash Lanso, Dayo Amusa, Olaitan Ogunbele and others. I was also invited but I was out of the country then. So, I couldn’t attend. I think it was the initiative of Rivers State government. I wasn’t the only actress invited for the programme. So, I don’t know what could have informed such rumour.

Cheating Husband Runs Over Pregnant Wife With Tricycle

A four month pregnant housewife named Njideka narrowly escaped being killed by her husband, one kingdom Ike who allegedly ran over her with his tricycle for interfering in his relationship with his lover.

Njideka who is from Okigwe local government area of Imo State was said to have travelled to her village and on her return home, she caught her husband kissing and cuddling with his lover in their matrimonial home.

An eyewitness, Mr Robinson Akunesi said the husband and his mistress were about leaving the house after their alleged romp but before the wife could utter a word to ask what he was doing with another woman in their home, he jumped into his tricycle , which he uses for commercial purposes, and ran her over.

The eyewitness revealed that the woman was hooked to the side of the tricycle and dragged along for few kilometres before she was rescued, adding that she was saved by the grace of God.

Leadership reports that the pregnant woman was taken to a nearby clinic by a good Samaritan for treatment of the injuries she sustained during the incident.

The husband reportedly fled with his mistress after the incident.

Two Little Sisters Found Dead In Shallow Stream In Ebonyi

Two sisters were found dead on Friday, June 20, in a shallow stream in Ephuenyim village in Ndiagu Okpuitumo community in Abakaliki local government area of Ebonyi State.

According to the traditional ruler of the community, Eze Pius Nwangele, the deceased children, Ibuchi Nwangele, 8, and Oruomachi Nwangele, 2, were discovered about 8pm on Friday at a shallow stream in the village.

He disclosed that the girls had disappeared some weeks ago and the community had undertaken an intensive search for the children.

As the cause of children's death still remain unknown, the Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Martin Elechi, the state commissioner of Police, Mr. Maigari Dikko, and the senator representing Ebonyi North zone, Senator Chris Nwankwo, visited the family.

The traditional ruler of the community said the community suspects fowl play by the co-wife of the father of the children, one Mrs. Felicia Nwangele, who had been having a running battle with the mother of the children.

2 Students Struck Dead By Thunder, Another Injured

Two students were reportedly struck dead by thunder while another sustained serious injuries in Plateau state.

The victims who were students of a secondary school in Shendam area of the state were said to be returning to their hostel in the evening shortly after a downpour, when the tragic incident occurred.

The principal of the school, Mr. Raymond Gofut, disclosed that the injured student was immediately rushed to an undisclosed hospital.

The bodies of the deceased students were later deposited at a local mortuary.

Related: How The 15-Year Old Son Of A Director In The Kogi State Ministry of Information Was Killed By Lightning

According to the state Commissioner for Education, Mr. Nanle Dashe, who confirmed the incident, it was not a government-owned secondary school.

He added that he was yet to receive full details about the incident.

Newly Elected Fayose Promises To Leave Government House In 2018

Peter Ayodele Fayose who was governor of Ekiti State in Nigeria from 2003 to 2006, and was declared as the winner of the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State in 2014 has announced his plans to serve only one term.

The newly elected Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, whose inauguration will take place on Oct 16 2014, promised not to run for a second term in office and assured that his deputy, Dr. Olusola Eleka, won’t succeed after Fayose's tenure expires in 2018. This information was made available to newsmen during a media conference in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday, 22 June.

As the Nigerian Constitution does not allow an elected office holder for the same office more than twice, Fayose will have to quit in 2018

“I have taken one and I will take another one in October. After that, I will find my way to my house. Again, I have chosen a deputy governor and I have told him from the beginning that the two of us will pack our load and leave the Government House because I don’t want a deputy that will start playing politics behind me when we are in government and will be distracting me. I don’t want that again.”

Soyinka Reacts Over Governorship Elections In Ekiti

Fayose also expressed his willingness to cooperate with Fayemi to ensure peace in the state. During a courtesy visit to Fayemi in his office on Monday, 23 June, 2014, Fayose described the incumbent governor as an unusual Nigerian leader and called him his brother.

“Fayemi is the leader of our state as of today. He has conceded defeat. He is my brother and forever will remain my brother. He has contributed his quota, he has done his best like every other governor that has served and we must continue to give him the necessary respect that he deserves,” Fayose said.