2019 Election: Declare Atiku winner now, PDP urges INEC (Punch)
The Peoples Democratic Party has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to declare its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, the winner of the 2019 presidential election held across the country on Saturday. PDP expressed the view that its candidate has won the election, and that INEC was only delaying the announcement to enable it falsify figures in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress’s candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari. Read more
18 corps members kidnapped in Akwa Ibom (Guardian)
A total of 18 National Youth Service Corps members were abducted on Saturday in different locations in Akwa Ibom by unknown gunmen. 14 have since been freed, resident electoral commission in the state, Mike Igini said. Ten youth Corp members, who worked as adhoc staff were abducted in Abak in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial, four in Itu and another four in Ikono. “At Abak 10 corps members that were abducted were released yesterday and at Itu, four corpers were also kidnapped,” Igini said. Read more
Nigeria Election: Thugs chase away INEC officials at Egor/Ikpoba-Okha collation centre (Punch)
Crisis brewing at Western Boys High School, Benin, as suspected thugs chase INEC officials conveying elections results out of the Egor/Ikpoba-Okha collation centre located in the school. The House of Representatives candidate of the All Progressives Congress and incumbent member representing Egor/Ikpoba-Okha federal constituency, Johnson Agbonnyima, who was accompanied by some of his supporters, alleged that Electoral Act had been breached, adding that “the results for Wards 1, 3, 4 and 5 should not be taken to the collation centre through the back door.” Read more
Moghalu, Durotoye condemn violence, killings during elections (Guardian)
Presidential candidates of Young Progressives Party (YPP) Kingsley Moghalu and that of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) Fela Durotoye have condemned violence and killings during Nigeria’s presidential and National Assembly elections. Ballot snatching, killings and other forms of violence characterised Nigeria’s general election that commenced on Saturday, February 23. Contrary to hitch-free polls promised to citizens by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies, about 11 people were declared dead during the elections in Rivers State and other parts of the country. Read more
Nigeria elections: Observers hail INEC over credible, transparent polls (Nation)
Election observers under the platform of Independent Foreign Observers have commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Nigerians for transparency and credibility of Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections. They gave this commendation at a press conference this afternoon in Abuja. The team leader, Dr. Stuart Young, an academic and diplomat spoke on behalf of other members of the team at its presentation of preliminary report. The observers in the text entitled, “A Preliminary report on the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly Elections in Nigeria” described the conduct of the elections as fair and an indication of non-interference by the government or any of its agents. Read more
PDP sweeps National Assembly polls in Awgu, Enugu (Guardian)
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won the National Assembly polls in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State. Announcing the result in Awgu on Sunday, the INEC Returning Officer in the council, Prof Emmanuel Eze disclosed that the PDP polled 18, 879 votes while the All Progressives Congress (APC) got 2,710 for Enugu West senatorial seat. For the House of Representatives, Eze said the PDP polled 18, 958 followed by the APC with 2,817 votes and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), 1,335 votes. Read more
Senegal votes in presidential election (BBC)
Senegalese voters are casting their ballots in the country’s presidential election. President Macky Sall is seeking a second term and faces four challengers in his bid. Since coming into office, Mr Sall has focused on new infrastructure projects, but critics say he has done little to improve the lives of ordinary Senegalese. He is also accused of preventing political rivals from running. Last month, two well-known opposition figures were barred from contesting the election because of past corruption convictions. Read more
No student was stoned to death, says Onitsha school (Nation)
Authorities of Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha, Anambra State, has described as unfortunate but accidental the death of Master Chukwuebuka Nnanna, a JSS 1 student of the school. The death of Chukwuebuka, rumoured to had been stoned to death by his classmate over alleged jealousy which went viral on social media was greeted with wide condemnation. Principal of the school, Rev. Can. Anieto Chigozie, in a statement, at the weekend, however, said the deceased would not have been killed out of envy as alleged, as he was just newly admitted to the school. Read more
Pope Francis compares child sex abuse to human sacrifice (BBC)
Pope Francis has promised concrete action to tackle child sex abuse at the end of a Roman Catholic Church summit on paedophilia. Clergy guilty of abuse were “tools of Satan”, the Pope said, pledging to face every case with “utmost seriousness”. Child sex abuse, he said, reminded him of the ancient religious practice of child sacrifice in pagan rites. Bishops would now review and strengthen their guidelines to prevent abuse and punish perpetrators, he added. Read more
Pompeo confident Maduro’s ‘days are numbered’ in Venezuela (Guardian)
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed confidence Sunday that embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s “days are numbered,” amid a violent impasse over humanitarian aid. “Predictions are difficult. Picking exact days is difficult,” Pompeo said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “I’m confident that the Venezuelan people will ensure that Maduro’s days are numbered.” Pompeo’s remarks came a day after a US-supported, opposition-led effort to bring humanitarian supplies into the country was repelled by Venezuelan border troops firing tear gas and rubber bullets. Read more
Bangladesh plane forced to land in ‘hijack attempt’ (BBC)
An airliner flying from the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka to Dubai was forced to make an emergency landing following a hijack attempt, local media report. The Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight, carrying 142 passengers, was surrounded by security forces at an airport in the Bangladeshi coastal city of Chittagong. Flight BG147’s passengers disembarked safely, reports say, citing police. A man suspected of trying to storm the cockpit was arrested, AFP news agency reports, quoting security forces. The aircraft was immediately cordoned off when it landed at the Shah Amanat International airport in Chittagong as police talked to the suspected hijacker. Read more
India toxic alcohol deaths jump to 143 (Guardian)
At least 45 more workers have died in northeastern India after drinking toxic liquor, police said Sunday, taking the death toll from the latest mass alcohol poisoning beyond 143. The deaths in Assam state came less than two weeks after tainted liquor killed around 100 people in the northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. At least 200 others were still hospitalised across Assam. Read more
Struggling Leicester sack coach Claude Puel (Guardian)
Leicester announced the sacking of manager Claude Puel on Sunday following the struggling Premier League side’s sixth defeat in seven games. Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Crystal Palace dropped the 2015/2016 champions to 12th, only eight points above the relegation places. A statement released by the club said: “Leicester City Football Club has today (Sunday) parted company with Claude Puel, who leaves his position as first team manager with immediate effect.” First team coaches Mike Stowell and Adam Sadler will assume caretaking responsibilities. Read more
Osaka will learn to deal with fame says Nishikori (Guardian)
Kei Nishikori is confident his Japanese compatriot Naomi Osaka will learn to cope with pressure as she deals deal with her new elite status in tennis. Nishikori, playing as top seed at the Dubai Championships starting on Monday ahead of seven-time champion Roger Federer, has been-there, done that-in terms of national superstardom. But he believes that the painfully shy 21-year-old ranks ahead of him as a national sporting hero after winning back-to-back Grand Slam titles at New York and Melbourne and igniting fresh tennis hysteria across the Pacific. Read more