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Ekiti 2018:NEC Declares Kayode Fayemi Winner

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Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Kayode Fayemi, has won the Ekiti State governorship election.

Fayemi defeated current Deputy Governor of the state and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Kolapo Olusola, and over 30 others in a keenly contested election.

He was victorious in 11 out of the 16 local government areas of the state, polling 197,459 votes, and edging out his closest rival Olusola who got 178,121 votes by 19,338 votes.

Based on the votes secured, INEC’s Chief Returning Officer for the election, Professor Idowu Olayinka, declared Fayemi the winner.

Saturday’s election was highly anticipated as it pitted both the APC and Fayemi against one of their biggest critics and a key member of the opposition.

The buildup to the election was filled with drama and heightened expectations but led to fears of violence, with more than 30,000 policemen eventually deployed to provide security.

It, however, started rather smoothly with electoral materials and officials getting to polling units visited by our correspondents on schedule.

In Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, there was a large turnout of voters and more than 60,000 people eventually voted there, the largest votes cast in a local government during the election.

Apart from reports now and then of card reader malfunction, one of the first issues to pop up was the allegations of cash inducements by observers and party agents.

A few hours into the start of the election, the police arrested some persons for allegedly distributing cash to voters.

By midday, both Fayemi and Olusola had suffered hitches at their polling units.
In the case of Fayemi, the card reader smoothly read his PVC enabling him to vote but it failed to read that of his wife and it took several attempts before she got to vote.

After voting, the former Ekiti governor told reporters he was confident of victory and that the day will be celebrated.

In the case of Olusola, the card reader failed to recognise his card when he tried to vote at his polling unit – Ofomofuru Hall, Ward 2, Okokuru in Ikere-Ekiti.

He only got accredited to vote after INEC National Commissioner, Anthonia Simbini, intervened.

Both candidates did not dwell on the hitch, however, with the focus more on voter inducement and intimidation.

The victory puts Mr Fayemi on course for a second term as governor of the state, an ambition he failed to achieve in 2014 when he was defeated by Governor Ayodele Fayose.

Fayemi had gone on to head the Policy, Research and Strategy Directorate of the APC’s Presidential Campaign for the 2015 election before becoming Minister of Mines and Steel Development.

Fayose, whose administration repeatedly accused Fayemi’s administration, was keen to ensure that his deputy succeeds him and that Ekiti remains under the leadership of the PDP.

When he came out to vote, the governor repeated his calls to supporters of the PDP to vote and protect their votes.

Although it was a close contest, Fayemi and the APC prevailed

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FG Raises Duty Tour Allowances, Others for Public Officials

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The Federal Government has approved an upward review of allowances for officers in public service.

Some of the allowances under review include Duty Tour Allowance, transport allowances, uniform allowances, and overtime allowances.

The decision was reached at the 46th meeting of the National Council on Establishment, chaired by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack.

The NCE, which serves as the highest policy-making body for public service matters, is chaired by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and includes the Heads of Service from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The meeting was preceded by a two-day technical session chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Service Policies and Strategies Office.

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Soun of Ogbomoso Urge Subjects Resident In Plateau To Promote Unity, Peace

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The Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye has tasked the people of Ogbomosoland residing in Plateau State to unite and corporate with the government.of day both at the state and federal so as to move the Nation forward.

Oba Olaoye who gave the charge at grand reception organised to welcome him to Plateau State by the sins and daughters of Ogbomosho land residing in Plateau State advocated for national unity and peace of the nation.

” I urge you all to cooperate with the Government of the day and respect constituted authorities. “

” I implore that we sustain our exemplary good work ethics and strive to uphold the integrity of the land at all times,”

Olaoye urged the sons and daughters of Ogbomoso residing in the state to join hands in supporting his quest to develop the town.

He said, “To achieve this, it’s crucial that the indigenous people embrace their town with love and pride. I believe this is the foundation for meaningful growth.

He said to achieve a great country, Nigerians must commit to patriotism and rededication to the ideals of nation-building.

Speaking further, Oba Olaoye said” I did not know I was going to be King, until God revealed it to me, and that was the reason why I left the United States of America. “

Oba Olaoye emphasized that his aim is to put Ogbomosho in its rightful place and that there is the need for the people in the town to unite with him for the development of the town and that it was God that sent him to rebuild the city and to work for the progress of the city.

“ We are working to ensure that Ogbomosho would be different. In terms of development, Ogbomoso will be different in terms of peace, Ogbomoso will be different. I want you to know it is a new thing in Ogbomosoland.

“We cannot solely rely on the government. While the government will contribute significantly, much of the effort will come from us. It is time for us to unite, roll up our sleeves, and work together to develop our town.”

Speaking earlier the Asiwaju Yoruba of Plateau Chief Olajide Olagbemiro welcomed the Traditional ruler to the state and restated their commitment to peaceful coexistence with their host communities.

Jide said, “The Yourbas are peaceful people who obey constituted authorities .

We would continue to stay peaceful with our host communities, he added.

Our correspondent reports that the Soun of Ogbomosholand also paid a courtesy call on his Royal highness Da Jacob Gyang Buba, the Gbong Gwom Jos.

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BREAKING: Namibia Elects First Female President

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Namibia’s ruling SWAPO party was declared winner Tuesday of last week’s disputed elections, ushering in the southern African country’s first woman president after a disputed vote that the main opposition has already said it does not recognise.

Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah took just over 57 percent of ballots followed by the candidate for the main opposition Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) with 25.5 percent, the election authority announced.

Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, becomes the first woman to rule the mineral-rich southern African country that has been governed by the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) since independence in 1990.

The November 27 election was extended twice as logistical and technical problems, including a shortage of ballot papers, led to long queues.

Some voters gave up on the first day of voting after waiting for up to 12 hours.

The IPC has already said this was a deliberate attempt to frustrate voters and it would not accept the results of the elections.

Its presidential candidate Panduleni Itula, 67, said last week there were a “multitude of irregularities”.

No matter the result, “the IPC shall not recognise the outcome of that election”, he said on Saturday, the last day of the extended vote.

Opposition Rejects Poll
Itula said the IPC would “fight… to nullify the elections through the processes that are established within our electoral process”.

An organisation of southern African human rights lawyers serving as election monitors said the delays at the ballot box were intentional and widespread.

The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) admitted to failures in the organisation of the vote, including a shortage of ballot papers and the overheating of electronic tablets used to register voters.

Of the nearly 1.5 million registered voters in the sparsely populated country, nearly 77 percent had cast ballots in the presidential vote, it said Tuesday.

The election was seen as a key test for SWAPO after other liberation-era movements in the region have lost favour with young voters.

In the past six months, South Africa’s African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority and the Botswana Democratic Party was ousted after almost six decades in power.

Namibia is a major uranium and diamond exporter but analysts say not many of its nearly three million people have benefited from that wealth in terms of improved infrastructure and job opportunities.

Unemployment among 15- to 34-year-olds is estimated at 46 percent, according to the latest official figures from 2018, which is almost triple the national average.

Nandi-Ndaitwah, a SWAPO stalwart known by her initials NNN, will be among the few women leaders on the continent.

The conservative daughter of an Anglican pastor, she became vice president in February this year.

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