IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

Personnel of the Nigeria Police on Friday held a show of force exercise ahead the Ekiti State governorship election. This comes barely 24 hours before the exercise to be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2,445 polling units across the state.

Sirens blare intermittently on streets while police vans conveying security operatives on election duty were sighted at different locations. There were also police choppers on standby for aerial surveillance, in a bid to ensure adequate security of the process and the electorate.

During a visit to the police headquarters in Ado Ekiti, it was observed that a full display of strength by the security operatives to quell any kind of violence during and after the election.

The general mood in the state capital was calm as most major markets were busy with residents coming out in large numbers for what could be described as last-minute shopping before the election.

It’s a solemn day in Owo, Ondo State as the victims of the deadly attack on St. Francis Catholic Church are laid to rest in the town. This followed a funeral mass held on Friday in honour of the victims whose remains had been deposited at the morgue of the Saint Louis Catholic Hospital in Owo.

After the funeral mass is completed at the Mydas Event Centre in Owo, families of the victims will take the remains of their loved ones for burial in the town.

Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, and a former governor of the state, Olusegun Mimiko, were among the dignitaries present at the mass. Some clergymen, including Bishop Jude Arogundade of Ondo Catholic Diocese and Bishop Matthew Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, were also in attendance.

No fewer than 40 persons were killed in the attack which has received wide condemnation across the country.

Liverpool have agreed a 41m euro (£35.1m) deal to sell Sadio Mane to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. The Reds will get a fixed 32m euros (£27.4m) with an additional 6m euros based on appearances and 3m euros based on individual and team achievements.

Liverpool turned down two bids from Bayern before accepting their latest offer for the 30-year-old, whose deal with the Reds ran until next summer. He joined Liverpool for £31m plus £2.5m in add-ons from Southampton in 2016.

News of his departure follows Tuesday's signing of Uruguay forward Darwin Nunez from Benfica for an initial £64m. Alongside fellow forwards Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, who are both 30, Mane has been integral to Liverpool's success in recent years.

The trio helped the club win the Champions League in 2019 and then end a 30-year wait for the league title in the following season.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reassured the residents of Ekiti State of its readiness to conduct a free and fair governorship election in the state.

INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, gave the assurance on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily monitored by Core TV News. He revealed that over 980,000 residents have been captured in the commission’s voters’ register but less than 200,000 of the figure were expected at the polling units.

“As of today, we have a total of 988,923 voters on the voters’ register,” Okoye said. “This is the number that will vote during this governorship election. “Out of this number, as of the 13th day of June 2022, 749,065 have collected their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs). So, we are ready for this particular election and every PVC that has not been collected will be mopped up and kept in safe custody pending the conclusion of the election.”

He recounted that the chairman of the electoral umpire had hinted that the collection of PVCs by residents would stop on Thursday.

The Federal High Court has dismissed as false an online report stating that the All Progressives Congress and its candidate, Biodun Oyebanji have been disqualified from the Ekiti State Governorship election slated to hold on June 18. A signed statement made available to media houses by the assistant Director Information, FHC, Catherine Oby Christopher described the report as unfortunate and unacceptable.

The statement reads, "The attention of the Federal High Court has been drawn to an online report in circulation on the above subject matter with a purportedly assigned Suit Number: FHC/ABJ/CS/528/22, claiming that Hon.Justice Inyang Ekwo disqualified the APC candidate, Biodun Oyebanji from the Ekiti governorship election, less than 48 hours to the polls. "The Federal High Court hereby debunks the existence of any such case in its entire jurisdiction and indeed the Court Order as alleged.

"The Contact Court states categorically that there has been no such case before Hon. justice I.E Ekwo. The said report is unfounded, very mischievous and aimed at not only misleading members of the public, but also causing tension. "It is worrisome that some media practitioners hasten to give false information to the public for their own selfish interests, thereby unduly heating up the polity. "Professionalism and truth remain ethical values that should guide journalists in their daily reportage of issues.

"This spurious reportage sold out to the public is most unfortunate and unacceptable. It should be totally ignored."

...they are expelled former IPOB members

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has released names of alleged kidnappers in the South East.

This was contained in a statement signed by IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful.

The secessionist group dissociated itself from the criminals, saying it had never been part of or behind the ongoing insecurity and criminalities in the region.

Powerful also made it clear that the group is working towards exposing those behind the ongoing criminalities in Anambra, Enugu, and Imo states.

“In Abia State particularly, a certain Nkechi Kalu and her gang of about eight kidnap members operating between Abia State and Igweocha, Rivers State are not IPOB members, they and their activities should not be associated with ‘IPOB family’ membership.

“In Enugu State, a certain group of criminal elements turned themselves into enemies of the people, the names of their gang leaders are as follows; Chocho and Mazi Ejiofor; [they] are not IPOB members and anybody associating with them is a confirmed criminal,” the statement read in part.

He added that “the above-named persons who were formerly IPOB members were expelled as a result of indiscipline and insubordination which is not tolerated by IPOB leadership.” DAILY POST