Author: Vardiafrica

The Labour Party candidate in the Edo state governorship election, Olumide Akpata, has lost his polling unit to Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). According to the result announced at Polling Unit 11, Ward 06, Oredo Local Government Area,, Ighodalo polled 41 votes to defeat Akpata who polled a total of 32. Monday Okpebholo, the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), scored 19 votes.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced an extension of the voting period in the ongoing Edo governorship election. In a statement on Saturday, Mohammed Haruna, INEC’s national commissioner and member of the information and voter education committee, said the process would be extended at polling units where voting did not start early. Haruna said the extension will allow voting until all eligible voters who arrived at polling units by 2:30 pm have cast their ballots. “The Commission continues to monitor the ongoing governorship election in Edo State from our situation room at the National Headquarters in Abuja,” the…

Ekperikpe Ekpo, minister of state for petroleum resources (gas), says the Nigerian and Libyan governments are in talks to develop a regional gas pipeline to strengthen energy cooperation between the two countries. In a social media post on Friday, Ekpo said he met with Khalifa AbduAlsadik, Libya’s minister of oil, on the sidelines of the 2024 Gastech exhibition and conference in Houston, USA. The minister said they discussed the possibility of “developing a regional gas pipeline from Nigeria to Libya”. “This strategic meeting aims to strengthen energy cooperation between the two nations,” the minister said. According to the post, Olalekan…

Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the September 21, 2024 election in Edo State, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of delaying voting in his strongholds in Edo Central Senatorial District. Ighodalo made this claim when he cast his ballot at Idionrio Primary School, Ward 1 Unit 3 in Ewohimi, in the Esan South East Local Government Area. The PDP candidate and others voted around midday due to the lateness of INEC officials. In a chat with reporters at the voting venue, Ighodalo said, “They (INEC officials) are here now and getting ready to…

The Labour Party governorship candidate in Edo State, Olumide Akpata, has described his voting experience as “seamless”. He, however, said that his wish is that every other voter in the state will have the same seamless experience as he did. Akpata cast his vote at Oredo Ward 6, Unit 11, beaming with smiles and giving thumbs up to the cheering crowd. “For my own process, it was seamless, the machine worked, I was captured and I picked up my ballot paper, I went into the booth, I thumbprint where you would imagine I would thumbprint and so that went well,”…

Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Asue Ighodalo has cast his ballot at Idionrio primary school, Ward 1 Unit 3 in Ewohimi, Esan South East LGA. This was after Channels Television reported that voting commenced around 11:45 AM due to lateness on the part of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission. While INEC officials were reported to have lagged in arriving the voting unit, voters arrived as early as 7 AM. Security operatives, as well as newsmen, were also sighted loitering in wait for the INEC officials. An angry voter, Christopher Adoghe had berated the officials for delay…

The governorship candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC ) candidate, Monday okpebholo has just cast his vote at polling unit 1, Ward 2 in Udomi Primary School, Udomi, Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State. He described the exercise as well coordinated, commending the electoral umpire for its efficiency especially as observed in his ward. Security operatives are on the ground to ensure a violence-free exercise at the centre. Electoral officers and materials are said to have arrived in good time for voting to commence The gubernatorial elections in Edo State are holding today, with over 2.2…

President Bola Tinubu has said that he is not in office to make money but to work for the good of Nigeria. President Tinubu stated this during a meeting with the Forum of Former Presiding Officers of the National Assembly, led by former Senate President Ken Nnamani, at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja. “I didn’t come to look for money and exploit the situation; I came to work. I asked for the votes, and Nigerians gave them to me,” President Tinubu said In a statement released, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said…

The House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill on Friday to bolster former US President Donald Trump’s security after the recent apparent assassination attempt. The Enhanced Presidential Security Act, which was introduced by Reps. Mike Lawler and Ritchie Torres, would require the Secret Service to “apply the same standards for determining the number of agents required to protect Presidents, Vice Presidents, and major Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates.” The vote was 405-0. However, it remains unclear how the Senate plans to handle the measure. Torres said on Friday that Lawler and he are “deeply grateful” to their colleagues in the…

The committee on Consequential salary adjustments recently constituted by the Federal Government arising from the new Minimum Wage Act 2024 has concluded its assignment with both parties’ signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOU). Speaking after the signing, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, mni, who doubled as Chairman of the Committee, commended members for the painstaking effort put in the task assigned. The HCSF said, “both the Trade Union and the Government sides have agreed on the Consequential Adjustments in Salaries arising from the new minimum wage of N70,000. Mrs Walson-Jack also…