Headlines
93.5m Nigerians to determine Tinubu, Atiku, Obi’s fate, says INEC
With the 2023 general elections about four months away, the Independent National Election Commission (INEC), yesterday, declared that 93.5 million Nigerians will participate in the exercise.
The commission disclosed that although 12.29 million Nigerians successfully completed the just concluded Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), about 2.78 million were removed as ineligible registrants.
The commission said the decision followed a rigorous clean up of the data, using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who revealed this during the third quarterly meeting with political parties, said 9,518,188 new voters have been added to the existing register of 84,004,084 voters.
According to him, the preliminary register of voters in Nigeria now stands at 93,522,272. Yakubu said among the invalidated registrations were double/multiple cases, underage persons and outright fake registrations.
“Consequently, the number of valid registrations (post-ABIS) is 9,518,188.
“In terms of demographic distribution, 7.2 million new voters or 76.5 per cent are young people between 18 and 34 years, while there is a slightly higher number of females (4.8 million or 50.82 per cent) than male (4.6 million or 49.18 per cent) voters.
“In terms of occupation, 3.8 million, translating to 40.8 per cent, are students. Hard copies giving the full details of the distribution of the new voters are included in your folders for this meeting,” Yakubu told the stakeholders.
The development means 93.5 million Nigerians will determine the fate of candidates in the 2023 presidential election, including Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi and 15 others.
According to the data released by INEC, the North West geopolitical zone has the highest total of 22.27 million registered voters.
As at the 2019 elections, the North West zone, comprising of seven states (Sokoto, Zamfara, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi and Jigawa) had 20.15 million voters. With an addition of 2,120, 670 (now 22.27 million), new registrants, the region maintains its lead.
The South West, which comprises Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ekiti and Ondo, has risen from 16.29 million in 2019 to 17.93 million, according to the latest data released by INEC. The number of new registrants from is South West is 1,640,374.
The North Central, which is made up of Nasarawa, Kogi, Benue, Niger, Kwara, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory trails behind with 15.33 million voters; having added 1.96 million newly registered voters to a 2019 figure of 13.36 million.
READ ALSO: Why NDLEA’s war against drug cartels is yielding results
In the fourth position is South South, which comprises of Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Cross River, Bayelsa, Edo and Delta states. The number of registered voters rose from 12.84 million to 14.4 million, while the North East, made up of Yobe, Borno, Taraba, Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe, added 1.25 million new voters to reach 12.5 million.
The South East, which comprises of five states (Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia, Anambra and Imo), recorded the lowest number. As of 2019, the region had 10 million registered voters. This has now risen to 10.9 million, with an addition of 930,987,738 new voters.
A state-by-state breakdown reveals that Lagos has the highest number, increasing its figure from 6.5 million to seven million. Kano State also maintained its second position; increasing its figure from 5.4 million to 5.9 million. Kaduna State now has 4.3 million registered voters, while Katsina added 412,977 to have 3.6 million.
Speaking further, Yakubu said the commission penned down 23 of its registration officers for severe sanctions, after they had attempted to engage in multiple registration.
Stressing that there is no going back on the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for voter accreditation, the INEC chairman insisted the transmission of results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in real-time on election day will be deployed.
According to him, INEC has buried use of the Incident Form, which he said enabled ineligible persons to vote using other people’s Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
Headlines
FRSC warns truck drivers against speeding, reckless driving
Mr Joshua Ibitomi, the Area Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC),
Ibeju-Lekki, Epe Division, Lagos State, has warned truck drivers against speeding and reckless driving.
He gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibeju-Lekki on Tuesday.
The FRSC official, who blamed speeding on the ghastly vehicle accident that occurred at Aiyetoro market in Epe
which claimed several lives and left some injured, said that with careful driving, such accident could be avoided.
He added that “the accident was as a result of speeding, reckless driving and loading of truck beyond its capacity.
“All these are factors responsible for accident when drivers are not conscious of the driving rules.
“Vehicle can develop technical fault at any time, therefore, speed limit and caution need to be applied while driving.”
He said FRSC had been sensitising drivers on the need to install speed limit device and be road conscious while driving, in line with the mandate to instill decent use of road.
Ibitomi also advised passers-by and the public to be safety conscious while walking on roadsides to avoid falling victim of accidents.
He attributed major road crashes on roads to speed limit violation, urging drivers to respect the sanctity of human life by obeying traffic rules.
He added that the FRSC had evolved measures to ensure accident-free yuletide and new year festivities in 2024
Headlines
Trump Victory Sparks Celebration in Florida, Disappointment for Harris Supporters
Jubilant supporters celebrated Donald Trump’s apparent victory in Florida early Wednesday as he claimed a return to the White House, despite most major news networks holding off on officially calling the race.
At an event in Palm Beach, Trump supporters reveled in the win projected by Fox News, cheering as the former president declared a “political victory that our country has never seen before.”
“I feel extraordinary,” said 68-year-old supporter Ted Sarvanis, dancing with arms in the air. “This is the greatest American political story in the history of the country.”
Joined by running mate J.D. Vance, Trump took the stage, celebrating his projected win. The atmosphere at the convention center was electric, with supporters sporting “Make America Great Again” caps and mingling in formal attire and Trump-themed clothing.
“I feel relieved. I was a little bit scared because you never know how things are going to turn out,” said Stacy Kurtz, 45.
In contrast, a far different scene unfolded for Vice President Kamala Harris’s supporters at Howard University in Washington, where they were hoping for a Democratic win.
As the night wore on and Trump gained electoral votes in key battleground states, disappointment swept through the crowd.
“I am scared, I am anxious now,” said Charlyn Anderson earlier in the evening.
Democratic watch parties in places like Atlanta and Pennsylvania grew somber as results rolled in, with Lynn Johnson, 65, expressing concern, “It’s going to be dangerous if he wins. I don’t feel safe.”
While Trump’s supporters celebrated a comeback, the mood among Democrats was marked by worry and disbelief.
“He’s a terrible candidate, so it just doesn’t make sense,” said Harris supporter Ken Brown.
The contrasting scenes highlighted the nation’s deep political divide on election night.
Headlines
Tinubu Congratulates Trump on Historic Re-Election, Eyes Stronger U.S.-Nigeria Ties
President Bola Tinubu has extended warm congratulations to President Donald Trump on his re-election as the 47th President of the United States, expressing optimism for stronger ties between Nigeria and the U.S. in an era of global challenges.
The congratulatory message, issued by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, emphasises the Nigerian leader’s hopes for a renewed partnership between the two nations.
Following his victory on Wednesday, Trump pledged to “heal” the country, marking a stunning political comeback as he edged past Kamala Harris in a closely contested election.
Tinubu, in his message, affirmed, “Together, we can foster economic cooperation, promote peace, and address global challenges that affect our citizens.”
Tinubu highlighted that Trump’s return to the White House reflects the trust and confidence of the American people in his leadership, praising their commitment to democracy.
Given Trump’s experience from 2017 to 2021 as the 45th President, Tinubu foresees a new era of “earnest, beneficial, and reciprocal economic and development partnerships between Africa and the United States.”
The Nigerian President also expressed confidence that Trump’s leadership will contribute to peace and prosperity worldwide, acknowledging America’s significant influence on global affairs.
-
Business3 years ago
Facebook, Instagram Temporarily Allow Posts on Ukraine War Calling for Violence Against Invading Russians or Putin’s Death
-
Headlines3 years ago
Nigeria, Other West African Countries Facing Worst Food Crisis in 10 Years, Aid Groups Say
-
Foreign3 years ago
New York Consulate installs machines for 10-year passport
-
Technology2 months ago
Zero Trust Architecture in a Remote World: Securing the New Normal
-
Entertainment2 years ago
Phyna emerges winner of Big Brother Naija Season 7
-
Business6 months ago
Nigeria Customs modernisation project to check extortion of traders
-
Business8 months ago
We generated N30.2 bn revenue in three months – Kano NCS Comptroller
-
Headlines5 months ago
Philippines’ Vice President Sara Duterte resigns from Cabinet