Headline

Govs Planned To Withhold Salaries, Sack Workers If They Didn’t Win Election: EU

Published

3 months ago

July 5, 2023

Governors planned to withhold salaries, sack workers if they didn’t win elections, EU observers allege

European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) says state governors intimidated civil servants and threatened to sack or withhold their salaries if they did not win elections.

This was disclosed in the ‘European Union Election Observation Mission Nigeria 2023 Final Report’, released penultimate Tuesday.

“EU EOM observers also received credible reports of pressure on civil servants by governors, for example through termination of work contracts as an intimidation measure or withholding salaries as a guarantee for delivered results in the campaign,” the report noted.

Days before the March 18 governorship election, Peoples Gazette reported that Madewa Badejo, the medical director of Lagos-owned JK Randle Hospital, directed all staff to present their permanent voter cards to the hospital management as part of strategies to help Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu win reelection.

Similarly, then-Governor Okezie Ikpeazu threatened to deal with Abia civil servants if they failed to vote for his anointed PDP governorship candidate, warning of “the consequences of your indiscretion.”

Relatedly, in the build-up to the gubernatorial poll, Governor Dapo Abiodun distributed expired foodstuff to civil servants in Ogun as part of his moves to solicit their support for his second term bid.

The EUEOM, however, did not mention the governors that intimidated and coerced civil servants to do their bidding. It stressed there was increased voting buying during the 2023 elections compared to past elections.

“Misuse of state resources was evident, primarily through the promotion of social protection and relief programmes, which significantly intensified shortly before the polls,” the damning report added.

It further noted, “Overall, stakeholders noted an increase in intimidation and vote-buying strategies compared to previous elections suggesting this was a deliberate move to subvert the tightened up electoral process after the introduction of new technology.”

It drew attention to the 2022 Electoral Act that prohibits “the use of state apparatus to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate.”

Headline

Navy disowns list of successful candidate for Batch 35 recruitment

Published

7 hours ago

September 25, 2023

Alero Danjuma

The Nigerian Navy (NN) has disowned the purported list of successful candidate for its Basic Training School (NNBTS) Batch 35 Recruitment, saying it is fake.

Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, the Director of Naval Information, said this in a statement in Abuja.

Ayo-Vaughan said the exercise was conducted in three centres across the country, namely; Lagos, Rivers and Kaduna States.

He described the information, being circulated recently as fake, and handiwork of fraudulent miscreants who were trying to dupe some unsuspecting applicants.

He said the list of successful candidates had not been released and that no form of invitation for training, via text message had also been disseminated by the Nigerian Navy.

‘’The alarming rate of circulation of fake information by unscrupulous individuals, regarding enlistment or recruitment into Navy is quite worrisome.

‘’Efforts are on to track and arrest the miscreants.

“Members of the public especially prospecting applicants who participated in the said recruitment are strongly enjoined to always authenticate information from the NN official website, https://www.navy.mil.ng, and other official social media handles, as well as other credible mainstream media platforms.

“Similarly, miscreants and mischief makers are warned to desist from this unwholesome practice, otherwise they will face the full wrath of the law,” he said.

Ayo-Vaughan said the text message, had invited unsuspecting applicants to report for military training at NNBTS Onne, Rivers, following their purported selection.

He said the criminals further claimed in the text message that the exercise would commence on Oct. 6.

Headline

Gov. Alia condemns kidnapping of commissioner, one other

Published

7 hours ago

September 25, 2023

Ifunaya Emeka

Gov. Hyacinth Alia has strongly condemned the kidnaping of Mr. Matthew Abo, his Commissioner for Information, culture and Tourism, and former Chairman Ukum Local Government Area (LGA), Mr. Iorwashima Erukaa.

This is contained in a press statement on Monday, signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Sir Tersoo Kula, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi.

According to the statement, while Mr Abo was kidnapped by unknown gunmen in his Sankara home at about 8pm on Sunday, September 24, Mr. Erukaa was taken away by a yet-to-be identified gunmen on Saturday, September 23.

The Governor, who described the act as barbaric and unacceptable, has directed security agencies to immediately commence operations to ensure the safe release of the duo.

He called on the people of the State to remain calm, as his administration would do everything possible to make the State safe for all.

“The kidnappers have made contacts with the family of Mr Erukaa but are yet to contact Mr Abo’s family,” the statement stated

Several gunmen had stormed the the commissioner’s residence in Zaki-Biam, Ukum LGA and kidnapped him.

Eyewitnesses who spoke to NAN, said that the kidnappers who came on four motorcycles, ordered everyone in the house, including the his wife and children, to lie face down and took him away to an unknown destination.

The witnesses said the abductors compelled the commissioner at gun point to sit behind the rider of one of the motorcycles while a gunman sandwitched him.

Mr Abo was sworn in as a member of the Benue State Executive Council on August 29.

He hails from Ukum Local Government Area of Sankera axis, a major flashpoint of criminal activities with rampant killings and kidnappings for years now.