Author: Vardiafrica

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked President Bola Tinubu to withhold allocations to states that have failed to conduct credible local government elections. On October 5, elections were held at the grassroot levels in some states like Rivers, Benue, Akwa Ibom, Jigawa. Most states, however, are yet to conduct local government polls and still collect money from the federal allocations for their respective local council. Displeased by the development, the group described the action of some state governors as wrong. In a statement on Sunday, SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, specifically wants Tinubu to “direct Mr Olawale…

The Nigerian government has officially launched its Naira-for-crude sale agreement with Dangote Refinery, effective October 1, 2024. This announcement was made by the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, in a statement shared on the Ministry of Finance’s official X account on Saturday. Edun emphasised that the initiative aligns with the directive from the Federal Executive Council (FEC). “The sale of crude oil and refined petroleum products in Naira has officially commenced as of October 1st, 2024,” he stated. “Following the launch, key stakeholders convened on October 3, 2024, to conduct a post-commencement review of the Crude Oil and Refined Products…

On October 5, residents of Rivers State came out to vote for the next set of representatives that will govern them at the grassroot level. It was an election that had generated a lot of controversy before its commencement over its legitimacy, however, the Action Peoples Party(APP) emerged victorious sweeping 22 of the 23 LGAs. The state electoral umpire suspended the declaration of results for Etche Local Government Area (LGA) because the collation is ongoing. Declaring the results on Saturday in Port Harcourt, the Chief Electoral Officer of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Adolphus Enebeli, said that announcement…

Governor Umo Eno has appointed his daughter, Mrs. Helen Eno Obareki, to assume the role of First Lady of Akwa Ibom State in an acting capacity after the death of his wife, Pastor Patience Umo Eno. The government said the decision comes as a way to continue her legacy, especially her pet project, the Golden Initiative For All (GIFA). The decision was made known during Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s condolence visit to the Eno family in Uyo on Friday, while praising the governor’s decision, stating, “This is a thoughtful way to sustain Patience’s legacy, much like practices in the United States.”  Governor…

The Rivers State Police Command says it is investigating two explosions that rocked the city of Port Harcourt in the early hours of Saturday amid a local government election in the state In a statement by the Command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, the police acknowledged the explosion at the Rivers All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat and another one at Rumuodumaya, the council headquarters of Obio/Akpor. “The first explosion was reported at the APC Secretariat on Aba Road at approximately 3:00 AM. A security guard reported hearing a loud bang and, upon investigation, observed three black Toyota Hilux vans speeding away from…

A former president Goodluck Jonathan has cautioned against the derailment of the country’s democracy owing to the crisis over the local government election in Rivers State. Rivers has made the headlines for some months now owing to the council polls. A court verdict had barred the police from providing security for the election while also ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to release the voter register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC). But in a statement he released on Saturday, Jonathan warned that if not resolved, the crisis in Rivers may collapse the country’s democracy. “The…

Police officers, on Saturday, reportedly disrupted the local government election at Elekahia Primary School, Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital. About 20 patrol vans carrying heavily armed personnel reportedly arrived at the scene, with the officers firing teargases into the premises of the primary school where the voting exercise was underway. Earlier, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) commenced distribution of sensitive materials to LGAs for the conduct of the election. In the early hours of Saturday, voting commenced in several LGAs, with voters casting ballots in some polling units while others awaited election materials’ arrival. An explosion reportedly rocked the secretariat of the…

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has threatened to revoke the certificates of occupancy (C of O) of the plots of land owned by prominent individuals and corporate organisations in Abuja. This notice affects landowners in the Maitama district of Abuja, who have two weeks to settle outstanding payments for their C of O or risk losing their property rights. The two-week notice titled “Demand notice for payment of Right of Occupancy bills for issuance of Certificates of Occupancy on all lands allocated at Maitama II District, Cadastral Zone, A10, Abuja” was issued to 3,273 allottees. The administration cited infrastructural development…

An explosion has reportedly rocked the secretariat of the faction of the All Progressives Congress led by Tony Okocha, ex-chairman of the APC caretaker committee in Rivers state. According to Channels Television, the explosion is believed to be caused by a dynamite which reportedly ripped through the APC secretariat main entrance, security house and sections of an adjacent structure. The incident was said to have occurred in the early hours of Saturday ahead of the LG election. “About 3:20am, some gun-trotting young men with their explosives and all that, came here and dropped the first explosive, maybe because the one they dropped…

Voting has commenced in the local government elections in Rivers state. Voters have started casting their votes in some polling units in the state while in some other units, voters are waiting for the arrival of election materials. Earlier, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) commenced distribution of sensitive materials to LGAs for the conduct of the election. The Rivers LGA election is taking place despite the court order restraining the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other security agencies from providing security during the poll. On September 30, a federal high court in Abuja barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from…