Olisa Ifeajika

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr Frankland Briyai, made this known on Monday in Calabar, while speaking with newsmen after the declaration of results of the polls.

He said that the collation officer was assigned to Calabar South Local Government Area, but was later discovered to have disappeared.

He said that he could understand why the official absconded from the job, saying that the fellow was absent at the collation centre and his whereabouts unknown.

“The fact is that this did not just happen in Calabar South. We had experienced similar incident in the Presidential and National Assembly elections, so, we always have a back-up in case something like this happens.

“The absence of the Collation Officer has no implications other than that he is not going to be paid,” he said.

According to Briyai, the Cross River governorship and House of Assembly elections were free and fair.

“You could see the credibility of the process because after the announcement of the result by the State’s Returning Officer, Prof. Akim Ibhadode, there was no opposition from any political party.

“To the best of my knowledge, throughout the voting process in the state, nobody died, though we heard some information of people burning houses in Yakurr Local Government Area.

“Besides that, the security agents performed creditably well.

“Violence you know is perpetuated by humans; it could happen anywhere. There is no 100 per cent security in any country in the world.”

On his part, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Agent at the State Collation Centre, Mr Asuquo Ekpeyong, told journalists that his party was satisfied with the outcome of the elections.

“The people have spoken; they have given their mandate to His Excellency, Gov. Ben Ayade, returning him to office for another four years to continue the good works of his administration.

“The process was extremely transparent and it moved very swiftly since we started the collation process yesterday,” he said.

In the result declared by the returning officer, PDP won the governorship race with 381,484 votes. The All Progressive Congress (APC), which fielded Sen. John Owan-Enoh as candidate, polled 131,161 votes

INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu [Guardian]

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it would not pay a Collation Officer for Saturday’s Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Cross River, who absconded.

Absconded Collation Officer will not be paid – REC

<h1>The Federal Government has approved visa fee waiver for accredited observers and monitors of the nation’s upcoming general elections. </h1>

Comptroller-General Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr Muhammad Babandede, announced this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said that the waiver was sequel to the re-scheduling of the general elections to Saturday for Presidential and National Assembly, from Feb. 16, and March 9 for Governorship and House of Assembly, from March 2.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) gave logistics and operational problems as reasons for postponing the polls.

Babandede said that waiver was in consideration of the plight of accredited observers and monitors who were caught-up by the re-scheduled elections.

He urged all affected individuals and organisations wishing to extend their stay or travel back to their countries and return for the next elections to visit NIS Visa Desk at INEC Headquarters.

“The desk officers will attend to those requiring extension of their visas issued Gratis (No Fee Charge).

“This provision became necessary to afford those affected, the opportunity to travel out or return without violating the immigration provisions that relates to entry and exit with valid visa and document.”

Comptroller-General Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr Muhammad Babandede, announced this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday. 

FG approves Visa fee waiver for accredited election observers

<h1>The Embassy of Nigeria in Chad on Friday said no fewer than 102 Nigerians were in the country’s prisons, serving varying jail terms.</h1>

Charge d’Affaires in the embassy Mr Nasiru Waje disclosed this in N’djamena to some Nigerian journalists on a working visit to Chad.

He said that the inmates, some of whom had not been convicted, were in various prisons across the country.

Waje, however, stated that 39 of the prisoners had regained freedom following the intervention of the embassy.

He said that the Nigerians were held for various offences, including smuggling and attempting to use routes in Chad to enter Europe.

The envoy also said that 8, 000 persons who fled communities in the North-East due to persisting Boko Haram crises, were in Chad and had been registered as refugees.

He said that additional 5,000 victims of the insurgency were registered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR), adding that there were many other unregistered refugees also in Chad, from Yobe.

Waje said that Nigeria and Chad had very cordial relationship, stemming from their linguistic, religious and cultural closeness “and existing feeling of oneness among their border communities.”

He added that both countries had five agreements which he noted had strengthened the relationship.

According to him, the agreements are: Security Co-operation Agreement, Bilateral Trade Agreement, Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, Bilateral Air Service Agreement and Waiver of Residence Permit Payment for their nationals.

“All the agreements have helped in stimulating development in both countries.

“For instance, Chad has granted permit to Nigeria, based on the security agreement, to pursue fleeing criminals from Nigeria into the country, and Nigeria has also granted same permit to the Chadian Government.

“It has helped to reduce or eliminated havens of criminals in both countries.

“The waiver on payment of residence permit has encouraged more Nigerians to come into Chad and it is also encouraging increased marriages between nationals of both countries,” he said.

The envoy said that the air agreement had led to Chad Airline and Maersk Airline deciding to fly Nigeria’s route.

According to him, the coming of these two airlines will eliminate the monopoly being enjoyed by ASKY Airline, which goes to Nigeria only twice in a week and charges very high rate.

On activities of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Waje said that its operations had restored the corridor or business among the countries in the Lake Chad Basin, particularly between Nigeria and Chad.

“Chadians were really suffering and their economy was down, but the operations of MNJTF have significantly helped in boosting business activities in Chad and making the economy vibrant.

“Livestock business, which Chad is known for, is really thriving now and Nigeria is benefitting from it.”

Earlier, Col. Tukur Gusau, Public Relations and Liaison Officer to the Minister of Defence, who led the newsmen on the visit, had said that the mission was to acquaint the media with MNJTF’s operations on the insurgency.

He said that terrorism, especially in the Lake Chad Basin and the activities of the Task Force were under-reported in the media.

Gusau noted that the huge efforts of MNJTF and governments in the region in combating the Boko Haram insurgency had remained unreported, making it seem as if nothing much was being done to check the terrorism.

102 Nigerians in Chad’s prisons – Embassy/Illustration

Charge d’Affaires in the embassy Mr Nasiru Waje disclosed this in N’djamena to some Nigerian journalists on a working visit to Chad.

102 Nigerians in Chad’s prisons – Embassy

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Olisa Ifeajika

Articles written by the author

Absconded Collation Officer will not be paid – REC

FG approves Visa fee waiver for accredited election observers

102 Nigerians in Chad’s prisons – Embassy