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<h1>An International Election Observer group, Pan African Women (PAN) projects that monitored the General elections in Nigeria has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the amended electoral Act.</h1>

Ms Mphoentle Keitseng, the Publicity Secretary of PAN project 2019 who monitored Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Akwa Ibom made the appeal during an interactive session with newsmen in Uyo on Wednesday.

According to her, the electoral bill will help to facilitate and regulate a proper conduct of subsequent elections in the country.

She noted with dismay that the just concluded governorship and house of assembly elections were marred with irregularities such as vote buying, ballot box snatching, intimidation, thuggery and disruption of voting process.

Keitseng harped on the need to review the electoral act in order to help strengthen the electoral process.

She called on federal government to create election tribunal in order to prosecute offenders of the electoral processes.

Keitseng decried heavy presence of military personnel in polling units which she observed was scaring voters.

She advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to improve on arrival of materials and election kick off at the gubernatorial and state of assembly elections.

“We commend the transparent and credibility exhibited by INEC in Akwa Ibom in conducting free, fair Presidential/National Assembly and Gubernatorial/State House of Assembly elections,” said.

Keitseng also advised INEC to recruit ad-hoc staff that were above 30 years of age for sensitive positions as polling officers because as many polling officials who were young lacked the maturity to take decisions on time, especially where violence erupted.

President Muhammadu Buhari [@BashirAhmaad]

Ms Mphoentle Keitseng, the Publicity Secretary of PAN project 2019 who monitored Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Akwa Ibom made the appeal during an interactive session with newsmen in Uyo on Wednesday.

International Elections Observers beg Buhari to assent to electoral bill

<h1>The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom has staged a victory rally to celebrate the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari, as the winner of Saturday’s presidential election.</h1>

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that thousands of APC supporters, led by the its governorship candidate in the state, Mr Nsima Ekere, trekked from his residence in Ewet Housing Estate to the venue of the rally in Uyo, dancing over the party’s victory.

Ekere said the victory had given the party the opportunity to deliver its mandate to the people.

Ekere said that with the victory, President Buhari would launch Nigeria to the next level of achievements in the next four years.

He said that what the people did was to come to thank God for the president’s victory in the election.

Akwa Ibom APC stages victory rally for Buhari in Uyo

The governorship candidate added that the people had come to thank God Almighty for his benevolence in spite of the challenges the party faced during the poll.

“We woke up today to hear the best news of the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

“What Nigerians said is that Mr President, you have done well, thank you.

“Nigerians have said, Mr President thank you for your transparency and good governance. We are here to say thank you God for giving our President the victory.

“Let me thank the over 15 million Nigerians who voted for Mr President.

“I know in Akwa Ibom, many more people voted for the President, that is why they were busy cancelling our votes,” he said.

The APC governorship candidate expressed displeasure over an alleged high level of vote buying experienced in Akwa Ibom in the last elections.

He said that the party had received complaints of vote buying almost across the 31 Local Government Areas during the election.

He said: “Never in the history of Nigerian politics have we witnessed the kind of vote buying as the one we had in Akwa Ibom state on February 23.”

”They complained that there is no money in the state, but during the elections, they were able to give N10, 000 to N20, 000 to voters,” he said.

He urged his supporters not to be weary over the outcome of Saturday’s general election but should go back to their communities to energise the people to come out and vote for APC on March 9.

Ekere assured his supporters that the party would reclaim all stolen mandates that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had taken from them.

Buhari waving at APC supporters at the party's secretariat in Abuja shortly after he was declared winner of the election by INEC

Buhari’s victory guarantees uninterrupted development of critical infrastructure – VON D-G

He said Akwa Ibom could not afford to play opposition again, advising that the people must link the state to the centre of Nigerian politics.

Ekere called on APC supporters to be armed with their PVCs and come out in their large numbers in the governorship and House of Assembly elections on March 9.

 Ekere said the victory had given the party the opportunity to deliver its mandate to the people.

<h1>The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom, Mr Mike Igini, has said that the Commission has not declared a winner in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District election.</h1>

Igini said this at the resumption of collation of results for the Presidential and National Assembly elections in Uyo on Monday.

There have been speculations in the social media that Sen. Godswill Akapbio, who defected from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress lost the election to the PDP candidate, Mr Chris Ekpenyong.

While Akpabio is a former governor of the state, Ekpenyong was a deputy governor under the administration of Chief Victor Attah from 1999 to 2007.

The REC, however, dispelled the rumour going round on the social media, saying: “Nobody has declared election result in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.’’

The commissioner said that the election at Udung Uko Local Government Area had been cancelled due to violence and ballot box snatching.

Igini said the collation officer for the local government area, Mr Emeka Adizua, was held hostage on Saturday until the police rescued him on Sunday.

The collation of results for the presidential election in Akwa Ibom is still ongoing.

Igini said this at the resumption of collation of results for the Presidential and National Assembly elections in Uyo on Monday.

INEC says no winner in Akpabio's Senatorial District in Akwa Ibom

<h1>The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Akwa Ibom said on Monday that it arrested 120 suspects in possession of hard drugs during its Pre-election Raid Operations between September 2018 and Jan. 2019.</h1>

The State Commander, NDLEA, Mr Mohammed Sokoto, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the activities of the agency in Uyo on Tuesday.

Sokoto said that during the period, the command also seized5 1 kilogramme of cannabis, 250 grammes of heroin and 17 grammes of cocaine and 500 grammes of tramadol, diazepam and polypro.

It is customary that when elections are approaching, the NDLEA embark on pre-raid operations to ensure that the elections are carried out without any hitch or hindrance.

We know that drugs and crimes are symbiotic in nature.

As such, we carried out series of operations and raids on flash points where drugs are being sold, abused and peddled indiscriminately in the state.

Within this period, we arrested 120 suspects and they are now in various stages of investigation.

Youths, usually young men and women, can foment trouble and disrupt election processes, and as such the NDLEA is out to ensure that we curb crimes, so that election will be free, fair and peaceful.

One Joy Monday Adams (Miss), a notorious hard drugs dealer in the state, was arrested with 239 grammes of heroin and has been charged to court.

She is currently remanded in prison custody for trial within the week.

A total monetary exhibit of N301, 000 was recovered as proceeds from drug sales, Sokoto said.

The NDLEA state commander added that during one of the raids on Friday, it arrested one Prince Okon Bassey, in possession of 244 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) belonging to different voters.

Sokoto said that the suspect and the 244 PVCs had been handed over to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akwa Ibom for further investigation.

One Prince Okon Bassey was arrested with 244 PVCs bearing different identities is currently being transferred to INEC for further investigation.

This is to show that rigorous search and arrest of drug dealers can also yield to other sources of crimes and arrest of such criminals.

Although investigation is ongoing, we could not determine exactly what he intended to do with the 244 PVCs.

"I am sure the resident electoral commissioner to whom I have transferred these PVCs to, will definitely explain in due course," he said.

The NDLEA commander urged Akwa Ibom people to continue to remain drug-free and law abiding.

He stressed that the security of the country should not be left in the hands of government and security agencies alone.

He charged members of the public with useful information on hard drug dealers to feel free to visit the NDLEA Command in the state, assuring them of guaranteed confidentiality for such informants.

Meanwhile, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom, Mr Mike Igini, has confirmed that the 244 PVCs are now in INEC custody.

Igini said that the suspect had been handed over to the police for further investigation and would soon appear in court.

NDLEA declares drug baron wanted, nabs in-law in Anambra

The State Commander, NDLEA, Mr Mohammed Sokoto, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the activities of the agency in Uyo on Tuesday.

NDLEA apprehends 120 suspects, seizes 244 PVCs in Akwa Ibom

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isaiah.eka

Articles written by the author

International Elections Observers beg Buhari to assent to electoral bill

Akwa Ibom APC stages victory rally for Buhari in Uyo

INEC says no winner in Akpabio's Senatorial District in Akwa Ibom

NDLEA apprehends 120 suspects, seizes 244 PVCs in Akwa Ibom