NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
Elections

6 states in apex court to challenge presidential, NASS results

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Ebere Agozie
Six states of the federation have dragged the Federal Government before the Supreme Court over the conduct and subsequent collation and announcement of the Feb. 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
The plaintiffs in the originating summons marked: SC/CV/354/2023, are specifically asking for an order of the apex court “directing a holistic review of all results so far announced by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
They alleged that the collation and announcement of the results were carried out other than through the manner prescribed by the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and the INEC Manual for Election Officials.
The suit is filed by the Attorneys General of Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Sokoto States.
The Attorney General of the Federation is the sole respondent and was brought pursuant to SECTIONS 6 (6) (a), 14 (2) (b), 153 (1) (F) AND 232 (1) OF THE 1999 CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA (AS AMENDED); 2. SECTIONS 25 (1), (2) and 3; SECTIONS 60 AND 66 OF THE ELECTORAL ACT, 2022.
They predicated their case on the grounds that the collation of the national election results from the 36 States of the Federation, and that of the Federal Capital Territory, for the said 2023  elections have not been carried out in compliance with the mandatory provisions of relevant sections of the Electoral Act, 2022.
According to the suit filed by their lawyer, Prof Mike Ozekhome, SAN, the agents and officials of the federal government and INEC, failed to transmit the collated result as prescribed by the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2022.
They said the commission failed to adhere to the transmission of the results by the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in flagrant breach of the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022; the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023.
It is their submission that the “non-compliance” with the due process of law has led to a widespread agitation, violent protests, displeasure, and disapproval from a wide spectrum of the Nigerian populace, including International Observers, Political parties, well-meaning Nigerians and former Head of States of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
They further claimed that the widespread violent protests, demonstrations and rallies have endangered the peace, order, good governance, security and safety of the Plaintiffs.
Meanwhile, plaintiffs argued that the federal government through INEC, “is empowered by law to correct the elections due to technical glitches and errors arising from the conduct of the elections.
“Whilst queries were being raised as to the failure or deliberate refusal of INEC to transmit the results electronically, the INEC suddenly pulled down its portal harbouring the Regulations and Guidelines, thus leaving the Plaintiffs in the dark.
“Most Nigerians, including the Governments and peoples of Adamawa, Akwa Ibom State, Bayelsa State, Delta State, Edo, and Sokoto states, are entitled to a proper and electoral lawful process and procedure that guarantees a free, fair, transparent and credible election.
“There is no justifiable basis for the ongoing collation of results without compliance with the mandatory provisions of the law that mandatorily require the use of BVAs, electronic transmission to the IRev Portal.”
They argued that unless the court intervenes, the governments and people of Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Sokoto states, who have suffered and will continue to suffer irreparable hardship and damage of unquantifiable proportions.
They prayed a declaration that the entire results of the presidential election conducted on Feb. 25, announced by the Chairman of the INEC, at the National Collation Centre, Abuja, was in flagrant provisions of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
Meanwhile the plaintiffs brought an application praying the apex court for an order directing a departure from the rules of the apex court in the interest of justice by directing for accelerated hearing of the substantive suit.
Besides, plaintiffs also filed another application seeking for an order for abridging time for parties to file and serve responses for and against the suit.
No date has been fixed for hearing in the suit. (NAN)
edited by Sadiya Hamza
Foreign

China to partner countries towards building projects, improving people’s wellbeing

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By Fortune Abang

The China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) has promised to partner with various countries to build projects designed to improve people’s wellbeing globally.

The Chairman of CCCC, Wang Tongzhou, made the promise in a statement on Wednesday against the backdrop of the field visit by 111-diplomatic envoys of foreign countries to the company in Beijing, China.

“With a vision of making the world smoother, cities more livable and life more colorful, CCCC is willing to work with various countries to build more projects aimed at improving people’s well-being.

“Also to see that every person in every country shares more fully and fairly in the gains of cooperation.

“111-diplomatic envoys of foreign countries and representatives of international organisations visited CCCC witnessing the company’s achievements and capability in infrastructure construction at home and abroad.

“As one of the most successful Chinese enterprises to go global, CCCC has promoted high-quality Belt and Road development and deepened friendly cooperation with governments and enterprises in various countries.

“This is through the building of roads, bridges, ports, and cities, said Wang Tongzhou, Chairman of CCCC.”

He quoted diplomatic envoys at the event to have also expressed the willingness to enhance cooperation with China in the future.

He explained that the Diplomatic envoys visited the light technology and urban-upgrading exhibition halls of a subsidiary of the company and tried smart light technologies in person.

According to him, the company had built important infrastructure projects like the Gwadar Deep Water Port in Pakistan.

Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque also in the statement said that the country would cooperate with CCCC in social and economic projects.

Another envoy in the statement, Ambassador of Philippine to China, Jaime FlorCruz said, China and the Philippines enjoy economic complementarity.

“The latter expects more cooperation between the two countries to benefit each other and the two peoples,” the envoy said.

“More so, South Africa Ambassador to China, Siyabonga Cwele said, “I am deeply impressed by this visit, the new technologies need to be used to improve people’s lives in future,” the envoy said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Elections

Group commends Nigeria’s peaceful election

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By Emmanuel Oloniruha

Voters Awareness Initiative (VAI), an accredited observer group, has congratulated Nigerians for the peaceful and credible conduct of the Feb. 25 presidential and National Assembly elections.

Wale Ogunade, the group’s president, disclosed this in a statement by the Director, Media and Mobilization, Nelson Ekujumi, in Abuja on Thursday.

Ogunade described the outcome of the election as a reflection of the people’s will and victory for democracy.

“We deployed over 100 accredited election observers, monitored reports of other observer organizations as well as the media for situation reports.

”We observed the conduct of the elections in 176, 606 polling stations across the 36 states and the FCT.

“We can confidently report that the electoral process was duly complied with by the electoral umpire at the polling stations and at the different stages of the collation of results.

“It is in substantial compliance with provisions of the electoral Act, at variance with the campaign of lies, falsehood, misinformation, blackmail and calumny against the electoral umpire,” he said.

Ogunade commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its professionalism, objectivity and dogged commitment to the provisions of the electoral Act in the conduct of the elections.

“We are indeed proud and commend INEC for the professional and unbiased discharge of it’s responsibility in line with the provisions of the constitution and global best practices.”

He congratulated the President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu on his “national spread electoral victory”.

Ogunade advised aggreived candidates and political parties in the Saturday elections to seek redress in court.

“The Electoral Act provides mechanism for the resolution of disputes.

“We admonished any of the contestants who may be aggrieved to seek redress in court rather than through claims of incitement in the social media which has no place in law.”

He commended electorate for coming out to vote on election day even in the face of economic and social challenges.

He also commended the local and International observer groups for their unbiased observations and report of the elections.

This, according to him, has helped to deepen Nigeria democracy, adding that their final reports would help the electoral umpire to improve on observed shortcomings going forward. (NAN)(www.nannews)

Edited by Abdulfatai Beki/Ismail AbdulAziz

Elections

March 11 state elections to hold as scheduled – INEC

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By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says March 11’s Governorship and State House of Assembly elections will hold as scheduled.

The commission gave the assurance in a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, in Abuja on Thursday.

Okoye said all the processes and procedures leading to the elections were being finalised.

“The commission held its regular weekly meeting and deliberated on several issues, including the presidential and National Assembly elections.

“It also discussed the governorship and State Assembly elections and the pending elections in Enugu East Senatorial District and the Esan Central/Esan West and Igueben Federal Constituencies in Edo.”

He said that INEC would surely conduct the rescheduled elections in Enugu State and Edo on March 11 along with the Governorship and State Assembly elections.

“The commission is aware that in some Senatorial Districts and Federal Constituencies, Declarations and Returns were not made.

“The Commission is compiling the list of the affected constituencies. A date for supplementary elections will be fixed after the governorship and State Assembly elections,” Okoye added.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Olawale Alabi

General News

N-SIP feats should outlive political dispensations–Osinbajo

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By Chijioke Okoronkwo
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, says the Federal Government is proud of its accomplishments in the Social Investment Programme (SIP).
Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu AKande, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, said the vice president was speaking when he received a delegation from the FCT People Living With Disabilities Community (FCT PWD) on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa.
He expressed optimism that successive governments would build on the template already established by the present administration.
“We believe that as a matter of law, as a matter of policy, and our government must provide for those who have disability and who for some reason or the other, may not be able to work in ways that those who have no disability may be able to.
“It is not a favour, it is government policy and people must enjoy it as government policy, that is how things are done.
“We have tried our best to put in policies for the right things to be done government after government, so that it becomes normal for a government to do those things.
“I hope and pray that the next government will do the same thing.”
Osinbajo also referred to the Discrimination Against Persons With Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2019, saying by policy and law, the entitlements of the PWDs are already in place.
 According to him, the SIP is one of the biggest in Africa.
“We provided for young people who had no employment (N-Power); we provided Conditional Cash Transfer for the poorest Nigerians, although it was only 1 million, we were able to provide for. We provided TraderMoni, MarketMoni, for 2.4 million traders.
“Under the Homegrown School Feeding Programme, we were able to provide feeding for 9.5 million children every day. We are proud of the fact that we were able to provide these services to the people.”
The vice president also observed some of the challenges in implementation.
He said that some of the things were very difficult to do not because of money but it was difficult to find people of integrity who would deliver the projects in the same honesty.
The vice president commended members of the  FCT PWD community for their perseverance and commitment to demanding for better welfare of members.
“We must see improvement in our part of the world, things are tied to individuals, it shouldn’t be, especially when it comes to matters that affect the dignity of our own people.
“We must continue to pursue this as entitlement for people with disability because of the law and policy of government. Let’s be hopeful that the coming months and years will be better and fruitful,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the spokesman of the group, Alhaji Muhammad Dantani, thanked the vice president for all that he had done directly and indirectly for the PWD Community in Nigeria and particularly in the FCT.
He described the vice president as the father of the fatherless, hope for the hopeless and voice to the voiceless.
The highlight of the meeting was the presentation of Certificate of Occupancy to the PWD Community in the FCT by the vice president.
The PWD Community in the FCT with about 5,000 persons currently reside at Karmajiji, Abuja.
They were resettled there over 25 years ago but the parcel of land is no longer adequate to accommodate the community.
A request for assistance from the vice president was sought in 2018 following which the Office worked with FCT authorities and got a larger parcel of land allocated to the community.
In another meeting held earlier with promoters of the ‘Reading Against Intolerance Initiative’, Osinbajo emphasised the need to keep supporting programmes that would imbibe the culture of tolerance among young Nigerians in schools.
According to him, the whole idea of national unity and national bonding is a deliberate action that should be undertaken by those in power at a particular point in time. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Vincent Obi

Economy/Business

NGX Group grows revenue to N6.17bn

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By Olawunmi Ashafa
The Nigerian Exchange Group Plc has recorded a revenue of N6.17 billion in its audited financial statement, ended Dec. 31, 2022.
The Group said this in a corporate disclosure to the NGX, on Thursday, that the figure represented an increase of  6.8 per cent Year-on-Year (YoY) when compared  with N5.78 billion reported in the corresponding period of 2021.
The increase was attributed to the 51.2 per cent YoY appreciation in treasury investment income which rose to N2 billion in 2022 from N1.3 billion in 2021.
Also, transaction fees increased to 51.2per cent YoY of revenue which also grew by nine per cent YoY to N3.2 billion from N2.9billion in 2021.
From the Group’s profit and loss figures, total expenses grew by 35.5 per cent to N8.8 billion from N6.5 billion in 2021, primarily driven by interest expense on borrowings recorded as N2.1 billion.
Further breakdown of expenses revealed that personnel expenses that contributed about 42 per cent of total expenses also grew by 13.1 per cent to N3.7 billion from N3.2 billion in 2021.
Operating expenses which accounted for 28.4 per cent of total expenses fell by 7.7 per cent to N2.5 billion in 2022 from N2.7 billion in 2021.
With mounting expenses, the NGX Group closed the year under review with N823 million profit before income tax from N2.4 billion in the corresponding period due to the growth in finance costs.
Also, the Group reported 68.9 per cent profit after income tax decline to N688.5 million in 2022 from N2.2 billion reported in 2021, resulting in a significant decline in profit after tax margin to 9.3 per cent in 2022 from 33.1 per cent recorded in 2021.
The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, NGX Group Mr Oscar  Onyema, in a statement said, “NGX Group continued to bed-down its operations post demutualization and restructuring.
“Despite the economic headwinds affecting the country, as demonstrated by our year end results, we have continued to create lasting value.
“Our top-line expansion drove a 70.6per cent increase in Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) in 2022.
“In the same year, the Group leveraged its strong equity position and strategically increased its investment in an associate company in order to drive growth, boost efficiency and further maximize overall shareholder value.
“However, the bottom-line operating performance slipped mainly due to the interest expenses resulting from borrowing to fulfil the strategic acquisition.
“Our growth will be driven by deepening value creation in subsidiaries and expansion into adjacent businesses.
“As an organisation, we remain committed to becoming Africa’s preeminent integrated market infrastructure group.”
Meanwhile, the Group closed 2022 with total assets that expanded by 50.7 per cent to N57.1 billion from N37.9 billion as at year end 202.
This was driven primarily by 101.4 per cent growth in investment in associates to N29.7 billion from N14.8 billion in 2021 and a 57.4 per cent growth in long-term investment securities to N16.3 billion from N10.4 billion in 2021.
Total liabilities recorded a 439.5 per cent increase from N3.8 billion as at 2021 to N20.3 billion as a result of N14.1 billion increased borrowings used to facilitate the increase in investment in select associates.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Folasade Adeniran
General News

Why we’ll be involved in politics — NLC president

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By Esenvosa Izah

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it will continue to get involved in politics in order to bring matters surrounding the welfare of workers to the front burner of programmes and policies of government.

The NLC President, Mr Joe Ajaero, made the assertion during courtesy visits to some labour unions in Lagos on Thursday.

The unions include National Union of Electricity Employees; National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, as well as Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers.

Ajaero said that the labour movement owned the Labour Party (LP).

According to him, LP is a party that has the ideology of the working class movement with its charter of workers’ demands.

“We have an era that we are entering: era of politics, and we will not shy away.

“The Nigeria Labour Congress will be involved in politics; we are already involved in politics; NLC had a political party: the Labour Party (LP), and LP participated in the recent elections.

“Nigeria must exist before we practice our unionism; anybody, who emerges as the President of Nigeria will work with us, and the rights and privileges of the workers must be guaranteed.

“The current wage system, casualisation policy, and outsourcing are anti-worker; with such policies, we can’t be our brothers’ keepers,” he said.

The labour leader encouraged union members to show interest in politics, saying, “we have not been managing it by ourselves; we have been allowing people from outside to now answer LP”.

He urged members to continue enlightening workers in the country about the LP.

From Left: Deputy President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Adewale Adeyanju; NLC President, Mr Joe Ajaero; President, National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Mr Martin Uzoegwu during a courtesy visit of NLC executives to NUEE secretariat on Thursday in Lagos
From Left: Deputy President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Adewale Adeyanju; NLC President, Mr Joe Ajaero; President, National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Mr Martin Uzoegwu during a courtesy visit of NLC executives to NUEE secretariat on Thursday in Lagos

“That is what we are going to impose on them; even the ones that have emerged as senators or House of Representatives members, they must, as a necessity, meet with us and we will give them our programmes.

“That is the whole essence of thinking of LP in the first place; so that their actions, inactions, and utterances will reflect the affairs of the labour movement, and there should be no pretences about it.

“We are not saying that people cannot belong to any party of their choice, but we have a party where whatever we discuss here, we take it there as workers.

“Where, if we want new minimum wage, we take it to the people that represent us there; all these issues concern the workers, and we should no longer shy away from it,” Ajaero said.

In his remarks, the President, NUEE, Mr Martin Uzoegwu, said that the decision of the NLC president to undertake the courtesy visit could not have come at a better time.

Uzoegwu said: “Within a few days of your assumption of office as NLC president, your impact resonates across the nation through your unequivocal position on the ongoing Nigeria national elections, emphasising against subverting the will of the people; serious engagement of state governments who have denied workers their rights and the release of locked congress secretariat in a state, just to mention a few”. (NAN)

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Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

General News

Nigeria beat Uganda to advance at Under-20 AFCON, pick World Cup ticket

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By Babatunde Ogunrinde

The Flying Eagles of Nigeria on Thursday in Ismailia beat Uganda 1-0 to qualify for the semi-finals of the ongoing FIFA Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.

The Nigerian under-20 male national football team also in the process qualified for the 23rd FIFA Under-20 World Cup finals scheduled for Indonesia from May 20 to June 12.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in the second quarter-final match of the 17th Under-20 AFCON, the Flying Eagles had to battle hard all throughout the game.

They were rewarded with an own goal scored by Ugandan midfielder Ibrahim Juma in the 30th minute of the game at the Suez Canal Authority Stadium.

Goalkeeper Chijioke Aniagboso, who captained in the absence of the suspended Daniel Bameyi, did well to keep his team in the game before and after the goal.

As early as in the 10th minute, he had to enact a reflex save to stop a bullet header from a corner-kick.

Both teams continued to frisk for opportunities, with Nigeria’s Ibrahim Muhammad and Haliru Sarki probing deep.

But they were undone mostly by inaccurate passes and poor ball-holding in the final quarter of the game.

However, Muhammad who scored one of the goals which sank Mozambique on the final day of Group A helped his team to get it right by the half hour.

He latched onto a long ball on the left flank from the defence, controlled well and fired, an effort which saw the ball hitting the near post behind the goalkeeper.

The ball’s return into the goal area saw it richochetting off defender Juma into his own net for the only goal of the match.

Muhammad should have made it two to give Nigeria a cruise only four minutes after the restart, but he put too much power behind his turn and shot.

On the hour mark and seven minutes after, Aniagboso, however, saved point-blank efforts to sustain Nigeria’s lead.

Also, in the 80th minute, Samson Lawal pushed the ball away from goal from a free-kick 22 yards away.

NAN reports that victory has now earned Nigeria a slot in Monday’s semi-finals as well as a ticket to Indonesia.

The Flying Eagles will take on the winners of the clash between Congo and Tunisia, scheduled for the Cairo International Stadium on Friday. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Olawale Alabi

General News

NYSC coordinator tasks youth on national development, unity

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By Olatunde Ajayi

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Coordinator in Oyo State, Mr Abel Odoba, says the development and unity of Nigeria rests heavily on the youth of the country.

Odoba spoke on Thursday, in Ibadan, at the passing out ceremony of the 2022 Batch ‘A’ Stream II corps members.

He reminded the corps members that nation building remained the core mandate of the one-year mandatory national service they have undergone.

The coordinator commended them for their meaningful contributions to their host communities and their initiatives of executing various community-oriented projects and making positive impact.

Odoba charged them not to be deterred by the current situation of the country, but to take up leadership roles that would enhance the advancement of the nation.

“You must be disciplined and always exhibit such, because without discipline, you can’t be good leaders,” he said.

The coordinator also advised them to utilise the training they had received through NYSC to change the narratives of disunity among members of the diverse ethnic groups.
He implored them to make the unity of the country their priority and duty wherever they found themselves after their disengagement from service.

Odoba, while encouraging them on entrepreneurship and self actualisation, said that the world had become more entrepreneurial, making white collar jobs less attractive.

“NYSC places emphasis on self-reliance and wealth creation; I therefore urge the outgoing corps members to put into practice all they have learnt.

“They should explore all the facilities available to them for start-up capital from various financial institutions the NYSC is partnering with through the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme,” he said.

The coordinator advised the outgoing corps members to apply necessary acumen, right ideals and stay focused in their chosen career, business or other human endeavours.

Odoba said this was necessary to propel them to greater heights in the interest of the nation and themselves.

He enjoined them to be good ambassadors of the scheme, their families, and their various institutions of learning.

Earlier in her welcome address, the Local Government Inspector, Ibadan North, Mrs Kolade Comfort, said that most of the outgoing corps members performed excellently and deserved the Certification of National Service. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Deborah Coker/Oluwole Sogunle

Politics

NBA tasks INEC on online voting

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By Mercy Obojeghren

The Asaba Branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) has tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to introduce online voting in line with the global trend.

Mr Precious Nwadimuya, the Chairman of the branch said this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Asaba on Thursday.

Nwadimuya said that the introduction of technology in voting and not just accreditation would help to eliminate thuggery, ballots box snatching, suppression of voters as well as encourage more voters to exercise their mandate.

“With the introduction of technology in voting, I can sit down in my house and vote.

”Nobody will intimidate or suppress me or buy my votes at home,” he added.

Nwadimuya, who commended INEC for the introduction of the Bi-Modal Voter Authentication System (BVAS) for accreditation, said that it would have been better if such technology could also be introduced for voting.

He said that although the introduction of the BVAS impacted positively on the election, the machines did not function as expected.

”People are crying foul because accreditation worked very well with the BVAS, but failed in the transmission of results. This resulted in the speculations that the results were manually manipulated,” he added.

Nwadimuya stressed the need for INEC to also introduce technology that can be used for voting.

”In my view as an observer, I believe the BVAS impacted positively on the election in the sense that we used to have what the call Sokoto voting (having large amount of votes in some places to influence results).

”In spite of the enthusiasm of the people who went to vote, the figures are rather still lower than the number of registered voters.

”I can say that because of the BVAS they could not really manipulate the figures. Now that the BVAS captures the number of persons accredited, you cannot inflate the votes beyond what is in the BVAS,” he said.

Nwadimuya also faulted INEC in the area of logistics, saying that in spite of the huge amount of fund that was committed to the conduct of the election, INEC still failed in the area of logistics.

“The feedback we got was that polling unit officers could not leave the INEC offices where they were given the election materials because there was no logistics.

”So it was as if INEC focused on carrying the election materials to far away places, but failed to make arrangements for transportation for those areas that are close.

”Because of this, voters have to mobilise for transportation to transport INEC staff to polling units,” he added.

On his part, the state Coordinator, Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) Pastor Edewor Egedegbe, commended INEC for a job well done in the Feb 25 election that the first phase of the election had come and gone.

”I will say credit to the BVAS. The BVAS has been able to inculcate in the Nigerian electorates. The era of incident form and thumb printing is over.

”However the BVAS was not able to transmit the official results through the INEC portal and I think that is a minus on INEC part,” he said.

Egedegbe advised INEC to ensure that it’s portal began to receive results emanating from every polling units in the country.

He also advised INEC to step up its security architecture, saying that INEC did not live up to its promise in the area of security.

”As an observer going round the state, there was no security presence in majority of the polling units across the state. And that was replicated in most of the polling units across the country.

”March 11, is going to come with its own uniqueness because that will be state governors and House of Assembly election. The election will be more localised and there will be more attention by the citizens.

”Security architecture should be up and not only that, logistics should also be up,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abdulfatai Beki/Ali Baba-Inuwa

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