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INEC insists there will be no voting with temporary voter card

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By: Oliseama Okwuchukwu

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says no voter will be allowed to vote with the temporary voter card, in the forthcoming general elections.

Prof. Francis Ezeonu, Imo Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), made this known at an interactive meeting with religious bodies- members of the Christian and Muslim communities in Imo, on Tuesday in Owerri.

He noted that the smart card reader which would be deployed for the elections was structured to read only the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) which has special features embedded on it with the voters’ personal information.

Ezeonu, therefore, enjoined all who are yet to get their PVCs to go to their different wards from Jan. 16 to get their cards in order not to be disfranchised.

“The smart card reader is expected to read the permanent voters card and once it could not read any card, the person will not be allowed to vote,” he said.

Ezeonu said the interactive meeting with the religious bodies was part of INEC’s move to reach out to all segments of the society to brief them on the progress so far and get suggestions from them for a free, fair and credible elections.

He explained that 2.27 million voters were registered in Imo with over 630,000 PCVs yet to be collected.

He urged the stakeholders to sensitise their members as INEC staff would visit the 305 electoral wards between Jan.16 and Jan. 21 to distribute the PVCs, adding that Feb. 8 is the last day for the distribution of the PVCs.

On smart card reader malfunctioning, he explained that the Registration Area Technicians had been trained to regularly monitor the card readers and put them back to work as soon as possible.

He said a form known as Form 60 E where each result of the election would be written would be pasted on the wall of buildings or trees for all to have access to, adding that all ballot papers not used would be cancelled immediately after election.

Speaking, the representatives of the religious bodies advised INEC to ensure there was no problem between the collation of the results and transmission.

They equally suggested full accreditation of voters before voting as against the simultaneous accreditation and voting stipulated by the electoral umpire.

The Chairman, Muslim Council of Nigeria, Imo Chapter, Mr Yusuf Nwoha urged INEC to ensure it matched its plans with action- effective implementation- as well as spend money on sensitisation and encouragement of the electorate on PVC collection.

“Imo at the moment is tensed up. The probability of miscreants fomenting trouble and disrupting the election progress should be checked. No election is worth the blood of any human being. INEC preparation is good, the problem is execution,” he said.

Nwoha also advised INEC to check fake observers, malfunction of card readers as well as step up its operational strategy.

Rev.Fr Innocent Osuagwu, who represented the Bishop of Owerri Archdioceses, Archbishop Anthony Obinna, enjoined the commission to ensure its staff exhibited some measure of uprightness during the election.

NAN reports that the meeting had in attendance various heads of the different religious bodies in Imo.

Source: The Nation

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King Charles Reportedly “Really Unwell” And Funeral Plans Are Currently Being Reviewed

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King Charles III’s health is causing concern for friends and the palace as he continues to battle cancer.

“Speaking to friends of the king in recent weeks about his health, the most common response is … ‘It’s not good,’” Tom Sykes of the Daily Beast reported Thursday, April 25.

A friend of the monarch claimed Charles “is determined to beat it and they are throwing everything at it,” adding, “Everyone is staying optimistic, but he is really very unwell. More than they are letting on.”

Royal writer Tina Brown also hinted at the monarch’s health struggles, writing recently that Charles’ cancer has put Prince William and Kate Middleton “in frightening proximity to ascending the throne just when they had hoped for a span of years to parent their children out of the public eye.”

“The prospect of it, I am told, is causing them intense anxiety.”

Sykes also reported that the king’s funeral plans, codenamed “Operation Menai Bridge”, are currently being reviewed.

A separate document that states what went well at Queen Elizabeth’s September 2022 funeral and what could be done better the next time a monarch dies is also circulating, according to the Daily Beast.

All the sources emphasized that royal funeral plans are constantly in review. However, one former staffer in particular conceded that Charles’ health woes have given his plans a different urgency.

“The plans have been dusted off and are actively being kept up to date,” the former staffer explained.

“It’s no more than what you would expect given the king has been diagnosed with cancer. But the circulation of them has certainly focused minds.”

Buckingham Palace announced in February that after undergoing surgery for a benign prostate enlargement, it was discovered that the king has cancer.

We hope the king gets well soon.

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EFCC: New Documents Extracted Shows Yahaya Bello Allegedly Paid School Fees To The Tune Of $845,852,84 For His Family Members

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Still on the EFCC trailing on Ex Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, Documents serving as exhibits have shown how he allegedly paid school fees in advance for his family members already in the school and even those to be enrolled in future with hundreds of thousands of dollars withdrawn from the state coffers.

A letter from the American International School of Abuja to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has shown the school admitting that Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, paid $845,852,84 into their bank account since September 2021 as advance school fees for 4 family members from the present class until they graduate.

Payment was also made for any future student to be enrolled by the family.

The document alleges that the payment was made by Mr. Ali Bello, alleged to be the eldest son of Yahaya Bello.

In the document, the school stated that they have deducted the fees for the educational service already rendered to the Bello children in the institution and what is left is $760, 910, which would be refunded to an account provided by the EFCC as the commission continues investigation into alleged money laundering levelled against Yahaya Bello.

the school fees documented payment

The school also added that from the Bello family kids, “no further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition until they graduate from ASIA.”

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Niger State Prisoners Run From Facility After Rainstorm Brings Down Part Of Fencing

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Many prisoners serving time at the Suleja Correctional Centre, located in Suleja Local Government of Niger state, fled the facility after a rainstorm brought down a part of the inner fencing.

This incident happened as a result of the heavy rainfall which fell on Wednesday night. This led to a cell being torn down, providing incarcerated individuals with a chance at freedom.

Reporters gathered that security forces fired many shots in the air, attempting to scare the inmates out of hiding.

While the State Comptroller of Prisons declined to speak to the press, it has been noted that security has been beefed up on the Minna-Suleja and Suleja-Kaduna roads, including the Madalla axis to Abuja road, which is a likely escape route out of the state for the inmates.

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