22032019- INEC holds make-up polls in 17 states, FCT tomorrow

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2019—13
Presidential poll: Atiku’s legal battle
may be a rip-off—Gov Bello
A
B
By Johnbosco
Agbakwuru
U J A —
GOVERNOR
Mohammed Bello of
Niger State, yesterday,
said those pushing the
former vice president and
presidential candidate of
Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, in February 23
election, Alhaji Atiku
Abubakar, to challenge
the outcome of the election
in court could be doing so
to get money from him.
He spoke to State House
correspondents after
meeting with President
Muhammadu Buhari at
the State House to
congratulate him on his
victory at the poll.
According to him, with
his victory, people of the
state should be assured
that his administration was
committed to providing
dividends of democracy to
them and to complete
ongoing projects it
started, adding that the
new ones to be embarked
on would be of benefit to
the general public.
On Atiku’s claim that he
won the election, Bello
said: “It is not unusual,
when you lose elections,
you go to court for so many
reasons. It could be that
you think you won or it
could be that someone is
telling you that you have
won or it could be that
someone is telling you
some miracles can
happen.
“It could also be that
someone wants to get
money off you. So there is
no reason why after free
and fair elections had been
conducted and it is clear
in the eyes of the world,
one still believes that there
are shoddy dealings.
"Anyone who feels
dissatisfied is free to
approach a court of law. It
is a free world, everyone
is entitled to his opinion.
But honestly, from what I
saw in Niger, this election
has been the fairest
election we have
conducted so far.”
Despite the declaration
of election inconclusive in
some states by
Independent National
Electoral Commission,
INEC, the governor said
that election was the fairest
Benue guber re-run: Tiv leaders, IPAC urge
youths, stakeholders to eschew violence
By Peter Duru
M AKURDI—
MDZOUGH U
Tiv, an umbrella body of Tiv
tribe in Benue State and parts
of the country and Inter-Party
Advisory Council, IPAC, have
appealed to political parties
and stakeholders in the state
to eschew violence in
tomorrow’s rescheduled
governorship election in the
state.
In statements issued
Deltans have shown
overwhelming confidence in
Okowa —UK Forum
By Perez Brisibe
AGROUP of Deltans in
United Kingdom
under the aegis of Delta
State Forum, UK, has
applauded the re-election
of Governor Ifeanyi
Okowa, saying, Deltans,
irrespective of ethnicity,
have shown overwhelming
confidence in his mandate
at the polling booths
having made an excellent
choice on his expertise,
experience and talent.
The forum, while reacting
to the outcome of the
election in a statement,
yesterday, expressed
confidence in the governor,
adding: “We are certain that
during your second term as
Governor of Delta State,
you will continue to
separately in Makurdi by the
two groups, Mdzough U Tiv,
through its President-
General, Chief Edward
Ujege, urged youths in the
state to observe restraint and
ensure that the rescheduled
election was held in a
peaceful atmosphere devoid
of bickering and crisis.
He said: “Our youths
should observe restrain and
know that there is a beautiful
tomorrow for them if they
make peace with the present.
And to the politicians, we
appeal that you give us the
opportunity to choose who we
want.
"Though, rumours are flying
around that security agencies
want to get directly involved
in the voting process, we
don’t want to believe this. Our
law enforcement agents are
well-trained and have also
election so far conducted
in the country.
He said: “I think INEC
did extremely well, the
security agencies did very
well as well. It is not
unusual when you hold
elections in a country like
Nigeria where you have
so many units to have
issues with one or two
units."
BRIEFING: From left, Adesola Alli, Head, Renewable Energy Strategy
& Innovation, Sterling Bank Plc; Bill Lenihan, CEO, Zola Electric; Abubakar
Suleiman, Chief Executive, Sterling Bank, and Abdallah Khamis,
Managing Director, Nigeria and Executive Vice President, Expansion
and Business Operations, Zola Electric at the Zola Electric Nigeria media
briefing and MoU signing on renewable energy with the bank, in Lagos.
promote cooperation,
dialogue and
reconciliation, essential for
the stability and prosperity
of the whole of Delta State.”
Chairman of the forum,
Jonathan Efemini, in the
statement, said: “We are
sure that under your great
leadership, wisdom and
guidance, our state will
strive to much greater
heights and achievements
as you deliver your ‘Smart
Agenda.’
“Your performance to date
has been commendable and
we look forward to the
opportunity of collaborating
with you in addressing
common challenges facing
the state and building a safe
and economically stable
State."
sworn to keep the tenet of the
Nigerian constitution.”
On his part, Benue State
IPAC Chairman, Mr. Godwin
Odeh, appealed to
stakeholders to abide by the
rules of the game.
He said: “This includes
INEC, political parties,
security agencies, electorate
and the entire people of the
state. This is the time to
demonstrate patriotism above
selfish interests. We reject
undue interference in the
democratic process in the
state from any quarter
whatsoever.
"The people must stand
together to ensure that their
votes count. We also call on
the people of the state to come
out in their numbers on
Saturday, March 23, to
conclude what they started on
March 9.”
Beverly Naya to premiere new documentary, Skin, March 31
ACTOR
and
entrepreneur, Beverly
Naya, who was named by
Forbes as one of Africa’s
most promising
entrepreneurs under the
age of 30, has produced a
new thought-provoking
documentary entitled
“Skin” under her
production company, Be
Naya Ltd.
The documentary
premiere, which is
sponsored by Nivea, is set
to happen in Lagos on
Sunday, March 31, 2019.
Godwin Harrison,
Managing Director,
Beiersdorf, said: “Nivea, a
skincare brand, is proud to
support this film as an
extension of the budding
partnership between Nivea
and Beverly Naya, who
continues to inspire
millions of young women
with her values of hard work
and courage to succeed.
"As a company, we exist
so people can feel good in
their skin. We believe that
NASU drags FULAFIA to
court over workers' sack
By David Odama
LAFIA —THE Non
Academic Union of
Educational and
Associated Institutions,
NASU, has dragged the
management of Federal
University, Lafia, FULAFIA,
Nasarawa State, to court
over alleged victimization,
suspension and sack of
eight of its members
without due process.
Deputy-General
Secretary of the union,
Festus Ajayi, and Nicholas
Bisong, one of the sacked
workers, confirmed the
development, yesterday, in
Lafia.
Ajayi claimed that the
allegations by the
institution that the workers
engaged in activities
inimical to the peace and
everyone should love and
care for their skin
irrespective of its shade,
and we invest a lot in
research and innovation to
offer the best products to
meet the needs of our
teeming consumers.”
Skin is a feature
documentary, which
identifies the meaning of
beauty in all shades of
black. Beverly Naya goes
on a journey to learn about
contrasting perceptions of
security in the institution
was not true, stressing that
the only offence was
rebuffing undue influence
of the management in the
election of officials in the
university.
According to Ajayi, the
decision of the union to take
the management to court
was the last resort by the
union after efforts to resolve
the crisis failed.
Contacted, Public
Relations Officer of the
institution, Ibrahim
Abubakar, confirmed the
suspension and
subsequent termination of
appointment of the affected
workers, but revealed that
the governing council of the
institution would be
looking into the matter
when members of the
council meet.
Ex-NYSC D-G, Obasa, begs
Buhari for entitlements 35
years after retirement
By Demola
Akinyemi
I LORIN—FORMER
Director-General of
National Youth Service
Corps, NYSC, Colonel Peter
Obasa (retd), yesterday,
pleaded with President
Muhammadu Buhari to pay
his gratuity and pension, 35
years after he was
compulsorily retired by the
military.
Speaking with journalists in
his Ilorin residence, the 81-
year-old retired military
personel, who served as
NYSC director-general
between 1979 and 1984, said
till date he had received no
letter of dismissal from the
army to have informed nonpayment
of his entitlement.
According to him, “I made
my appeal to Mr. President,
in the name of Almighty God,
in the names of all that are
holy, in the names of all that
are good, true, and are just,
to give me justice of the type
that will attract the approval
of God.”
The octogenarian, who
presented a book, entitled,
House of Exile, at the briefing,
chronicled his experiences in
1984, his prison accounts, the
nation’s democracy, and
judiciary.
He said: "The Federal
Republic of Nigeria official
gazette, No 56 of November
6, 1986, under Ministry of
Defence, Nigerian Army
Officers, voluntary/
compulsory and dismissal
page 1340 declares that I was
compulsorily retired from the
army. Under that condition, I
should be entitled to my
gratuity and pension. The
army has denied me both.
“They claim that I was
dismissed. If that was the
case, a letter to that effect
would have been served on
me, and army would have
withdrawn my officer’s
sword, ceremonial dress,
mess jacket and service suit.
I received no letter, and am
still in possession of the items
mentioned above.
“Like President Buhari, I am
favoured by God. I fought
through the tumultuous
and terrifying period of my
trial and more than seven
years in incarceration, and
I am here by the special
grace of God to ask for true
justice."
beauty. She speaks to
school children, traders,
artists, beauty
entrepreneurs and sex
workers.
“This (documentary) is
not an anti-bleaching
campaign. Instead, the
documentary aims to
inspire self-acceptance and
self-love. It is about
empowerment, not
judgement,” says Beverly
Naya while speaking
recently in Lagos.