By Carol V. Utulu

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has won all the chairmanship and councillorship positions in the March 6 Delta local government elections.

The Chairman of the Delta Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC), Chief Mike Ogbodu, declared the election results in Asaba on Sunday.

Ogbodu said that the PDP cleared all the 25 chairmanship and 500 councillorship positions in the 25 local government areas of the state.

“The local government election in Delta State which was conducted on Saturday, March 6, 2021 has been won by the PDP.

“According to results collated across the 25 local government areas, the PDP cleared all the chairmanship and councillorship positions.

“Let me state here that there was no recorded incidence of violence during and after the election across the state,” Ogbodu said.

Meanwhile, the announcement of the results has been greeted with protest by Mr. Samson Uwandulu, a councillorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and his supporters.

Uwandulu, who spoke to newsmen at the premises of DSIEC, alleged that he won the election in Isele-Azagba Ward 6, Oshimili North Local Government Area.

“My name is Samson Uwandulu. I contested for the councillorship election in Ward 6, Isele-Azagba.

“After the election, the electoral officer for the ward counted the votes in the presence of all party agents.

“From the counted figures, I polled 408 votes, while the PDP candidate got 317 votes.

“But before I could be pronounced the winner, the officials stopped the process and they all entered a car and drove off,” Uwandulu said.

Efforts to contact DSIEC Director of Public Affairs, Mr Arubi Orugboh, for reaction on the councillorship candidate’s allegation proved abortive as he did not respond to calls or text message to him through phone.

By Muhammad Nasir Bashir

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammad Adamu, has emerged the winner of Saturday’s Kafinhausa State Constituency by-election in Jigawa.

Adamu polled 14,924 votes to beat other candidates in the election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the poll took place in the 120 polling units in the area.

Prof. Ahmed Kutama, the Returning Officer, declared the result at the collation centre in Kafinhausa Local Government Area.

He said the APC candidate defeated his closest rival, Garba Muhammad Tambale, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 8,612 votes.

The electoral officer declared Adamu the winner, having secured the highest number of votes.

The third contestant was Usman Isyako of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) who secured 72 votes. (NAN)

The Speaker, Delta House of Assembly, Mr Sheriff Oborevwori, has commended the peaceful conduct of Saturday council poll across the state.

Oborevwori made the commendation shortly after he cast his vote at about 10:05 a.m. in Unit 9 Ward 6 in Osubi, Okpe Local Government Area of the state.

“I want to tell you that the election is peaceful. Everybody accepts the candidature of Mr Isaiah Isiovwa as Chairman of Okpe Local Government Area.

“Victory is sure for the PDP in Okpe Local Government Area,” he said.

In the same vein, Isiovwa said that the election was peaceful, adding that the massive turnout was an indication that the electorate were ready to cast their votes.

Also, Dr Michael Tidi, the immediate past Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area, commended the peaceful conduct of the election.

Tidi said shortly after he cast his vote at about 10:30 a.m. in Idudu Unit 14 Okere Ward 6, Warri South, that the exercise was peaceful.

The immediate past chairman, who is seeking re-election under the platform of the PDP, said he was optimistic of clinching the chairmanship seat.

He urged those who had yet to exercise their franchise to do so noting that it was their civic rights.

“The election is very peaceful. If you were there when I cast my vote, you would have seen the warm reception accorded us.

“We believe we will be elected because we went about our campaign,” he said.

Meanwhile, Isaac Aguanah, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship candidate for the Patani Local Government Area, says he is optimistic of winning the election.

The PDP candidate who voted in Unit 3, Ward 13, noted that the process was peaceful.

Aguanah, while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in his Bulu Angiama country home, said that when elected, he would ensure meaning development in the area.

“My aim is to carry on with the ongoing development of the local government area.

“I will also ensure that my administration embarks on human and infrastructural development as well as provision of social amenities,” he said. (NAN)

By Mercy Obojeghren

Residents of Delta on Saturday obeyed the restricted vehicular movement order imposed by government as Local Government election holds across the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that markets, filling stations, shops, motor parks and other business organisation were closed in Asaba, Ughelli, Sapele, Agbor and other parts of the state.

However, few motor parks opened for vehicles travelling outside the state as early as 5.30 a.m.to be able to leave the state before daybreak as there was light traffic in some major roads in Warri metropolis.

Some of the commercial drivers complained that the restriction order had actuall affected their work for the day.

A bus driver at the popular Koka Park in Asaba, Mr Ben Ike, said he had spent hours without having any passenger.

”I came out here as early as 6:30 a.m. to enable me beat the restriction order, but here I am and there are no passengers,” he said.

Meanwhile, some residents of Asaba and environs told NAN that they were not aware of the local government poll.

Mrs Agnes Afam, a business centre operator, said, “I never knew today is election. I only came out to discover that today election.”

Sunday Ugwu, a carpenter who lives on Ibusa Road, said that he was not aware that there was an election, and as such, would not go to vote.

Others have also complained that their polling units were far from their homes and would not participate in the election as a result.

Mr Okechukwu Onu told NAN that he lived around ULO Ibusa Road and his polling unit was at the College of Education, Asaba, a distance he considered too far.

“I advise the people in charge of elections to bring polling units closer to us. I cannot go all the way to that place to cast my vote ” he said.

Anothe resident, Mary Uke, said that if the polling unit was close to her, she would go and vote.

“Considering the situation we are in right now, I cannot spend up to N1000 to and fro the polling station to cast my vote.

“Eeven when the politicians are voted in they will not remember us,” she added. (NAN)

The restricted vehicular movement lasts from 12 a.m to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

State governors and their deputies are to take the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday (March 10).

Dr Kayode Fayemi, the Chairman of  Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Governor of Ekiti, disclosed this at a virtual news conference on Thursday.

Fayemi said that the vaccination was part of resolutions made by the governors during an emergency virtual meeting held on Thursday.

The NGF chairman read a communique issued by the governors at the end of the meeting.

He said that the vaccination would be done publicly.

Fayemi  said the governors  would  enlighten more  Nigerians on the need to take the vaccine, which, he said, was safe.

He expressed the governors’ commitment to work with the Federal Government to ensure that the  required cold chain would be set up for the vaccine.

The governor encouraged citizens to use the e-registeration portal on the  National Primary Health Care Development Agency  website – nphcsaict.com.ng/publicreg –  to register for vaccination.

He said that Mr Boss Mustapha, Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation,  at the meeting, briefed the governors on the 3.92m doses of the vaccine received by Nigeria on Tuesday.

He disclosed that the leadership and frontline health workers would be the first to receive the vaccine as from March 6, beginning with President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

Fayemi gave the assurance that the vaccine was researched to be safe for persons up to 18 years.

The meeting also attended by the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire; Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu; Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, and other medical experts. (NAN)

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the leadership of the National Assembly, particularly members of the House of Representatives, over the passing of a lawmaker, Yuguda Hassan-Kila.

In a condolence message by his spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Thursday, the president commiserated with Hassan-Kila’s family, friends, associates, people and government of Jigawa State on the sad incident.

He urged all those mourning the deceased to have more trust in God who determines the fate of everyone on earth.

President Buhari prayed that almighty God would accept the soul of the departed, grant him Aljannah firdaus. (NAN)

By Precious Akutamadu

Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers on Thursday advocated that the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), currently before the National Assembly, should allocate 10 per cent oil revenue to host communities.

Wike made the call when members of the National Assembly Committee on PIB visited him at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

He said it was necessary that the bill specified, in clear terms, developmental projects that the allotted fund should be spent on, to actualise the goal and demands of the host communities.

The governor said that oil-bearing communities have suffered loss of livelihood due to the activities of international oil companies (IOCs).

“It is unfortunate that people produce oil but live in poverty. I believe that the PIB committee will make recommendations of how certain per cent must be given to the host communities.

“There are issues of education and health, so don’t just say 10 per cent to the oil host communities, it must be tied to specific projects so that whoever is in charge will take note of them,” he said.

Wike urged IOCs not to engage host communities in the sharing of funds to avoid their killing one another instead of using such funds for sustainable projects.

He advised that the mistakes associated with the Act establishing the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) be avoided as it did not specify what projects the commission should embark on in the Niger Delta.

He emphasised the need for the PIB bill, when passed, to be signed and not go the way of the Electoral Bill that has yet to be assented to.

The governor urged the National Assembly Committee on PIB to ensure that the bill was signed to move the country forward.

Mr Victor Onyemaechi, Deputy Chairman of the committee who led the delegation, said that the members were in Rivers for a town hall meeting with stakeholders to resolve issues of what should be allocated to host communities in the bill.

Onyemaechi commended Wike for the rapid infrastructural transformation ongoing in the state.

He said that a lot of people were misinformed about host communities, associating them with hostility.

“What we have seen in the last four days have proved people wrong. As we walked round these few days, we saw that people use wood as bridge to get to where Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) is exploring oil.

“We also saw the impact of SPDC operations on the people’s means of livelihood. (NAN)

By Ifeanyi Olannye

The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) says it would not feature in the March 6, Delta local government councils poll.

The state ZLP Chairman, Mr Emeka Nkwoala, disclosed this when he spoke with the Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday Asaba.

“We are boycotting the election because of the imposition of fees, and perceived lack of trust on the Delta Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC).

“Local government election in Nigeria has become a mockery of democracy.

“We are not participating in the election as long as its conduct remains in the hands of the state Independent Electoral Commission.

“We at Zenith Labour Party will not participate in the process. We are aware that over N1billion was allocated to DSIEC for the election and yet the commission taxed every candidate between N150,000 and N50, 000 depending on the position he is aspiring for,” he said.

Nkwoala said that even feelers from the electorate indicated that the whole process has been compromised.

“I think this is a problem across the country, irrespective of the political party in power.

“The party in power always clears all positions as if other parties do not exist at all.

“This situation has really endangered the trust of people in state electoral bodies.

“We hope that the proposed Electoral Act amendments will cure the trust deficit and increase people’s participation in the grassroots democratic process,” he said.(NAN)

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The governors of the 36 states in Nigeria, under the umbrella of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), will on Thursday meet over the COVID-19 vaccines and distribution in the country.

The governors, in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by Mr Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, the Head, Media and Public Affairs of NGF Secretariat, said the emergency meeting would be held virtually.

“The meeting is of a single-item agenda, which will discuss the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccines and their distribution in the country,” he said.

Bello-Barkindo said the meeting, according to the invitations sent to the governors, would commence at 5 p.m.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Federal Government had on Tuesday in Abuja received 3.92 million doses of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

The COVID-19 vaccine was shipped into Nigeria via the COVAX Facility, a partnership between CEPI, Gavi, UNICEF and WHO.

COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, WHO and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), working in partnership with UNICEF, the World Bank, Civil Society Organisations, manufacturers and others.

The federal government had also launched a website to register Nigerians for the  vaccination. (NAN)