IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has launched the regulations and guidelines for the conduct of general elections in the country. INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, announced this on Friday during a meet of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

“With the coming into force of the Electoral Act 2022, it has become necessary to review the commission’s regulations and guidelines to govern the conduct of elections,” he said. “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022 and the regulations and guidelines constitute the electoral legal framework.

“On several occasions, the commission has assured Nigerians that we are finalising the regulations and guidelines for the elections. I am glad to announce that the document is ready and will be presented to Nigerians shortly. The soft copy will be uploaded to our website with the link shared on our social media platforms.”

According to the INEC chief, the electoral umpire has virtually concluded the planning processes for the 2023 polls nine months ahead of the elections, with the release of the regulations and guidelines and earlier publication of the Strategic Plan (SP) 2022-2026 and Election Project Plan 2023.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinu­bu, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Pro­gressives Congress (APC), said on Thursday that he was instrumental to the electoral victory of President Muham­madu Buhari in 2015 general election.

He also confirmed that he nominated Prof. Yemi Osin­bajo as Buhari’s running mate.

While saying it is his turn to become the next president, Tinubu said he agreed with Buhari not to joke with the Yorubas.

He further revealed that the presidency has been his ambition since his days in Action Congress, Action Congress of Nigeria and the APC, adding that he nomi­nated Osinbajo to be the vice president after a campaign of calumny was allegedly launched against him by the former Senate President, Bu­kola Saraki.

The former governor also said when he was asked to submit three names for run­ning mate, he pencilled down Yemi Kadoso, Wale Edun and Yemi Osinbajo.

He added that he later set­tled for Osinbajo as running mate.

“It is my time, I’m educat­ed, I’m experienced. I have been serving you for a long time, bring me the presidency, it is my turn.

“When Atiku was be­ing flogged out of PDP by Obasanjo, he ran to me for help, I let the ticket for him. Nuhu Ribadu came to me and I backed him.

“If not for me that stood be­hind Buhari he wouldn’t have become the president. He tried the first time, he failed, the second time, he failed, the third time, he failed, he even wept on a national television and vowed never to contest again but I went to meet him in Kaduna and told him he will run again, I will stand by you and you will win, but you must not joke with Yorubas and he agreed.

“Since he became the pres­ident, I have never got minis­terial slots, I didn’t collect any contract, I have never begged for anything from him, it is the turn of Yoruba, it is my turn.

“Since the time we start­ed with the Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Ni­geria (ACN) and now the All Progressives Congress (APC), I wanted to contest for presi­dent that time.

“This is me telling you between my life and God Al­mighty, Buhari called me to be his vice president. He said be­cause the first time he contest­ed, he picked Okadigbo, flam­boyant, Catholic, but Nigerians didn’t vote for him. The second time, he picked another Igbo, Umezuruike, Nigerians didn’t vote for him, that if he goes to bring the Pope to run as his vice, Nigerians won’t vote for him, but you Bola Tinubu, you have six governors, you have never lost an election before, come and be my vice.

“He knew all the calcula­tions then favoured us, that is why he wanted me as his vice, but I told him to let us build the party first.

“And when we finished building the party, after we brought in people from the PDP, Saraki now saw those from the PDP will not get anything if Buhari, a Muslim, becomes the president and me, also a Muslim becomes his vice, he won’t get the Senate President and the Senate President can­not also be a Muslim, that was how they started the campaign of calumny against me.

“And I told them that I have a candidate that is a Christian that I can nominate so that the party will not break, that was how I nominated Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. I surrendered my right to him (Osinbajo).”

He also took a swipe at Gov­ernor Dapo Abiodun, saying he wouldn’t have become a governor without his support.

“It has been over 25 years now that I have been serving them. This one sitting behind me, Dapo, can he say he can be the governor without me?

“We were together at the MKO Abiola Stadium, he was intimated, they didn’t want to give the party’s flag, I was the one that handed the flag to him. He knows that he cannot be the governor without the help of God and my support.”

The Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence, Samuel Kanu-Uche, who was abducted by hoodlums in Abia State, has said N100m was paid by the Church to secure his freedom.

The cleric, who spoke during a press briefing in Lagos on Tuesday, said the kidnappers showed him decomposing bodies of some past victims.

Kanu-Uche was abducted on Sunday along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway in the Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.

He was taken together with his chaplain, Very Rev. Abidemi Shittu, and the Bishop of Owerri, Rt. Rev. Dennis Mark.

The prelate said his team was going to the airport when they were attacked.

He said, “In order to catch up with my flight at 4pm, we took off by 2pm to go to the airport, oblivious of the fact that kidnappers were waiting on the road.

“As we were descending to Ileru in Abia State, they came out from the bush and divided themselves into three groups.

“Some were at the back, some at the centre. Then there was another group in front to make sure we did not run away. They fired shots at our vehicle and eventually abducted three of us. The communication man of the church and the driver escaped.

“They took us into the bush and tortured us. In the process of the torture, I hit my right eye on a tree and even when blood was flowing and was soaking my handkerchief, they did not feel like anything happened. All they said was that we should follow them.”

He noted that the eight-man gang was made up of “Fulani boys,” who claimed to be against the government.

The cleric said only one of the hoodlums understood English, while others spoke Fulfulde.

 “They even said that if they get Buhari, they will chew him to pieces because he had disappointed them.

“We were taken into the bush and we trekked up to 15 kilometres. Eventually at 11pm, they said we should negotiate and each of us should pay N50m, making N150m,” he added.

He said when he tried to reduce the ransom, the gang threatened to shoot him, adding that their leader was about 35 years old.

Kanu-Uche said the men later pegged the ransom at N100m.

The cleric said he reached out to leaders of the church and his wife to raise the money by all means.

The Prelate said he observed that military men were around the place where the hoodlums operated, while their cows were also around the vicinity.

“They pointed their guns at us. They threatened that if we involved the DSS, police or Army, they would kill us.

“They said down there, there is a gully of seven decomposing bodies and we cut off their heads. We also perceived the odour of killed human beings.

“Their leader asked for five Ghana-Must-Go bags for the N100m. He also said Lagos is on their radar.

“I am asking that the government should act now before another thing starts to happen.

 “The Methodist church sent N100m for the three of us who were kidnapped. The money came from members of the Methodist Church of Nigeria. The Nigerian Army is complicit in the kidnapping,” he added.

His wife, Florence, while thanking God for the safe return of the cleric, implored the Federal Government to ensure the security of lives and property.

Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has been named as the Champions League player of the season. The France international, 34, won the competition for a fifth time as Real beat Liverpool 1-0 in the final. He scored 15 goals in 12 Champions League games and is a leading contender to win this year's Ballon d'Or.

Benzema's team-mate Vinicius Jr, who scored the only goal in the final, has been selected as the tournament's young player of the season. The 21-year-old scored four goals and made six assists in the 2021-22 campaign. The pair are joined in the Champions League team of the season by Real midfielder Luka Modric and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who was man of the match in Paris.

Runners-up Liverpool also have four players included, with defenders Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson and midfielder Fabinho featuring. The team of the season is completed by Paris St-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe, Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne and Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to a presidential aspirant and former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha. He was granted bail on Tuesday by Justice Inyang Ekwo in the sum of N500 million and a surety in like sum.

Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the order while ruling on the bail application filed by Okorocha who currently represents Imo West senatorial district in the National Assembly.

The former governor is being tried on a 17-count charge to the tune of N2.9 billion filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was accused of conspiring with others, including a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and five companies to steal from public coffers, although he has since denied any wrongdoing.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met with governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the ruling party’s national convention to produce its presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections.

The meeting which is ongoing at the Presidential Villa in Abuja has all members of the Progressives Governors’ Forum represented.

It is expected to give guidance on who should emerge as the flagbearer of the APC amid the screening of the party’s presidential aspirants by the committee led by a former Edo State governor and former APC national chairman, John Oyegun.

Earlier, governors elected on the APC platform had expressed a desire to go along with the choice of the President on the emergence of the party’s presidential candidate.