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There are over 170 universities in Nigeria. Here's a list of some of the major ones, grouped by state:
Twenty two people were killed when a commercial bus lost control and ploughed into a crowd before bursting into flames in northern Nigeria, police said Friday. The bus carrying 21 passengers swerved off the road on Thursday when a front tyre burst, and crashed into a crowd sheltering from the heat under a tree in Udubo village, in the Bauchi state.
Police spokesman Ahmed Mohammed Wakil said in a statement that "the vehicle burst into flames with twenty-one passengers on board (all) burnt beyond recognition". Four bystanders, including a policeman, sustained serious injuries and were taken to hospital, he added. The policeman later died.
Accidents are common on Nigeria's poorly maintained roads largely due to speeding and a disregard for traffic rules. Nigeria has seen a sharp rise in road accidents for six consecutive years, with around 42 000 annual deaths, accounting for 2.82 percent of global road fatalities, according to World Bank figures.
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Credit: https://www.news24.com/news24/africa/news/bus-crash-kills-22-in-northern-nigeria-20230324
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Nigeria's 2023 Elections Marred by Violence and Alleged Fraud Claims
Angry voters objected to the delay tactics of the electoral body in releasing the results and the alleged discrepancies in the election results signed by party agents against what was uploaded at INEC portal.
Andrews said: “Obstruction and organised violence limited the free expression of the will of the voters, despite efforts by civil society to promote democratic standards.
“Throughout the Mission, we saw that Nigerians have a great appetite for democracy and are keen to engage in various civic activities. However, in many parts of the country, their expectations were not met. Many were disappointed and we witnessed voter apathy that is in part, a clear consequence of failures by political elites, and unfortunately, also by INEC.
The Mission also observed that voting started early with INEC ad-hoc officials present and ready to serve voters, but the exercise was unfortunately, disrupted by “multiple incidents of thuggery and intimidation of voters, polling officials, observers, and journalists.”
The Mission noted that Lagos, Kano, and other States in the Southern, Northern and Central parts of the country were mostly affected, adding that the election was equally characterised by casualties, fatalities, as well as vote-buying, which according to the observers, further detracted from an appropriate conduct of elections.
He said: “The Commission met today, Monday March 20, 2023 and reviewed the conduct of the governorship and state Assembly elections held nationwide on Saturday March 18, 2023. Arising from the meeting, the Commission took the decision to suspend forthwith further collation of the governorship election results in some parts of Abia and Enugu States.
“It will be recalled that our office in Obingwa Local Government Area was invaded by thugs yesterday, Sunday March 19, 2023 and our officials held hostage in relation to the collation of results from the Local Government Area. Similarly, reports from Enugu State call for a review of the results for the governorship election from the two outstanding Local Government Areas of Nsukka and Nkanu East.
“Consequently, the Commission hereby suspends the collation of results in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State and the two outstanding Local Government Areas of Enugu State, which are yet to be collated. A review will be undertaken immediately before the process is concluded.
While LP had complained of over voting in Nkanu East local council on the ground that the area returned over 30,000 votes in favour of the PDP candidate, Peter Mbah, against the 7,000 accredited voters by the BVAS, the PDP protested that there were intimidation and harassment of voters in Nsukka local council. Nsukka had equally returned over 30,000 votes in favour of the LP candidate, Chijioke Edeoga.
KANO State police command, yesterday, threatened to deal ruthlessly with any resident who violated the dust to dawn curfew declared by the state government.
The police handed the warning in a statement issued by SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, spokesperson of the command.
“It’s important to note that celebrations should always respect and be mindful of the fact that the people celebrating are inclusive of all people, regardless of political beliefs, religion, or culture.”
PDP chairman in the state, Francis Orogu, alleged that security personnel and INEC officials connived with the APC to alter the results.
The party’s agent at the state collation centre, Abdulmumini Kundak described the election as a ‘sham’. In a letter of complaint submitted to the Resident Electoral Commissioner titled: “Complaint of massive rigging, violence and electoral malpractice, which marred the Bauchi State governorship election conducted on March 18”, the party called for cancellation of results in affected local government areas.
Governor Mohammed of the PDP was declared winner, having polled 525,280 votes against his closest rival, Sadique Abubakar of the APC who polled 432,272 votes.
He also said there was violence in Toro local council and an operative of the Department of State Service (DSS) was beaten by PDP thugs and was receiving treatment at a hospital. He added that there was gunshot, intimidation, and harassment of APC members.
The party chieftain claimed further that the same was applicable to Warji, Zaki and Kirfi local councils with massive over voting and violence. Kundak declined to assent to the INEC Form EC8 for political party agents.
KADUNA State Government raised security alert ahead of the announcement of the result, claiming intelligence reports indicating plans by some individuals and groups to spread disaffection and instigate violence in Kaduna Metropolis and other major towns in the state.
This followed the declaration of Senator Uba Sani of the ruling APC winner of the election in Kaduna State with a slight margin over the PDP’s, Isa Ashiru.
Declaring the result, the State Collation Officer for Gubernatorial Election (SCOGE), Prof. Lawal Suleiman Bilbis, said the number of registered voters in the state are 4,335,208, accredited voters 1,581,662, valid votes cast are 1,546,747, invalid votes 19,114 and total votes cast 1,565,861.
In Ebonyi State, APC candidate, Francis Nwifuru, was declared winner of the governorship election, defeating his closest opponent, Chief Ifeanyi Odii of the PDP.
Announcing the result at INEC headquarters in Abakaliki, the State Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of University of Nigeria Nsukka, Prof. Charles Igwe said Nwifuru polled total votes of 199,131, while Odii got 80,191. APGA polled 52,189 to come third.
INEC also declared the governorship candidate of the APC in Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Otu, as winner of the election.
Otu won in 15 out of 18 local councils with 258,619 against the candidate of the PDP, Senator Sandy Onor who polled 179,636 votes, while Mr. Ogar Osim of the LP scored 5,957 votes.
Credit: https://editor.guardian.ng/news/protests-as-inec-suspends-election-results-in-adamawa-abia-enugu/
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An Oil and Gas Expert, Olanrewaju Aladeitan, has lauded the new oil and gas discoveries in Nigeria, which indicate that the country has huge gas reserves. The expert said Nigeria could be more described as a gas country than a crude oil country because it had trillions cubic feet of gas reserves. Aladeitan, an Associate Professor of Energy and Natural Resources, University of Abuja, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Abuja on Sunday.
NAN reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had in November 2022 inaugurated the Kolmani Integrated Development Project at Kolmani River II oil field located at a border community between Bauchi and Gombe States. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL) in 2019 had announced the discovery of crude oil, gas and condensate in the Kolmani Oil Field with over one billion oil barrels reserves and 500 billion cubic feet of gas. The NNPCL is also set to develop the first oil well in Nasarawa State in March 2023 in view of its confirmation of presence of substantial hydro carbon resources in the state.
Aladeitan said information from an insider revealed that data emerging from the Bauchi-Gombe axis showed that there was oil in commercial quantity, but with a caveat that gas could be more. He said some of the new frontiers that were also being discovered in the country even had more gas reserves than crude oil reserves. “Which means Nigeria’s reserve of gas is very huge. Somewhere around Igbariam in Anambra we have a huge gas reserve there. Luckily, there are new frontiers coming up, we have the Bauchi-Gombe new oil and gas discovery that is fast coming on and recently in Nasarawa and also Niger. By the time the efforts are taken to the Sokoto Trough, we may also find some reserves there as well,” he said.
Speaking on the perception of some people whether oil was truly found in the new locations, he said initially all the troughs had shown evidence of crude oil and gas in the past. But he said unfortunately the technology available then may not have made it possible to follow up the discoveries. He said though some people were skeptical about the discovery of oil in those environments, but it was not as if those areas never showed evidence of crude oil as there were traces. According to him, the kind of technology that existed in the past could not make them explore further, but now there is advanced technology that has made it possible.
He further said then Shell was exploring oil and given the entire country, but realised that the Niger Delta had more concentration of oil. This, he said made Shell to concentrate in that region, not that there had not been traces of oil in other places. “But we are not sure that if the exploration continues, whether or not it will show that it is in commercial quantity or not. But I can assure you from an insider view that the data emerging from the Bauchi-Gombe axis shows that there is oil in commercial quantity, but with a caveat that what they may get more might be gas. So, even in the Chad Basin, there are traces of it. There are evidences. It is just like what happened with shale gas; you know that there are some unconventional sources of gas and oil that is what the shale gas is all about. So, in some of those unconventional sources, you use new technology and you will definitely discover. What I am saying in essence is that with improved technology and improved knowledge now, we can get clearer pictures of those things we could not assess or have information about in the past.”
“Some people ridiculously argued that they connected oil pipelines all the way from the Niger Delta region to Benue, which is a ridiculous thing to say,” he said.
Credit: https://www.nannews.ng/2023/03/19/new-oil-gas-discoveries-indicate-huge-gas-reserves-in-nigeria-expert/
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INEC Uploads Results of Governorship and State Assembly Polls The wait is over for the governorship and state Houses of Assembly candidates of different political parties, their supporters, and other stakeholders as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) began uploading results on its results viewing portal. The electoral commission had been criticized in previous elections for not immediately uploading distinctive results from Feb. 25 presidential and National Assembly elections. INEC control, however, gave assurance that the governorship and state Houses of Assembly polls election would be uploaded in real time as it had fixed the issues. Results Already Uploaded in 28 States As of 10 pm, 77,143 results had already been uploaded to the portal for the governorship and state House of Assembly elections. The elections took place in 28 of the 36 states of the federation, while the state assemblies’ poll was conducted in all the states. According to checks from Sunday PUNCH, a total of 28 states had some results uploaded. Lagos State shows the most results uploaded with 7,375 followed by Oyo State, which had 4,907. Other states with recorded results include Plateau, Kwara, and others. Pockets of Violence Recorded This election was also characterized by pockets of violence in several states. Unfortunately, there were reports of at least 11 fatalities. Three persons died in Delta State while six were reported dead in Benue State; one person died in Osun and Niger States, and finally, one ad hoc staff member lost his life in Rivers State. Different cases of killings, intimidation of the electorate, and general low turnout of eligible voters were encountered. Reports of Violence and Ballot Box Hijacks There were reports of hoodlum invasions in several areas. In Okota, the Waheed Akanni Polling Unit 008 was invaded and election materials were destroyed. The crew of an Arise TV correspondent was detained, and their camera and drone were seized. Suspected political thugs attacked voters at polling units in Ikosi and Ketu. In a polling unit at the end of Owodunni Street, thugs with various weapons attacked voters, causing tension in the area. Hoodlums also hijacked ballot boxes at Tedi Primary School in Ojo and burnt some ballot boxes, forcing some residents of the area to close their gates for security. Fatalities Recorded in Delta and Benue In Delta State, irate youths attacked polling units at Mosogar, Ethiope West Local Government Area, during an exchange of gunfire with security operatives. Sadly, three fatalities were recorded, and a building belonging to the All Progressives Congress was set ablaze. Tension also gripped Evwreni community, whereby political thugs disrupted electoral materials and attacked some National Youth Service Corps members, causing injuries to several people. In the Gboko area of Benue State, six fatalities were recorded when security operatives allegedly shot them as they stormed different polling units to snatch ballot boxes. Hoodlums Disrupt Voting Osun State also recorded a fatality when Gani Gele was attacked due to an argument over a voided vote. Political thugs in Osogbo also hijacked and destroyed ballot boxes and disrupted voting. Also, in Ute community, Ondo State, there were reports of hijacked ballot boxes and other voting materials destroyed, which affected voting. Conclusion It is imperative for government officials higher security to curb violence and electoral malpractice as the electorate should be allowed to cast their votes without any threats or intimidation. INEC should step up in ensuring smooth voting and remain independent from any influence. It’s important to conduct free and fair polls for peaceful and democratic growth in Nigeria.
Credit: https://punchng.com/candidates-in-anxious-wait-as-inec-begins-results-upload/
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Hours after Nigerians commenced voting for the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections across the country, results from polling units have begun trickling in.
Governorship elections were held in 28 states while state legislative elections were held in all of Nigeria’s 36 states. Millions of registered voters did their accreditation and voting at the over 170,000 polling units across the country.
The 28 states where the governorship elections were held are Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Oyo, Yobe and Zamfara. Others are Abia, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, and Taraba states.
PREMIUM TIMES in partnership with the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) has deployed its journalists in all parts of the country to observe the elections and provide live updates of the voting process.
Follow this page for results from polling units across the country.
Credit: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/588451-nigeriadecides2023-polling-units-results-of-governorship-assembly-elections.html
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The National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) has extended Betway Nigeria's license, allowing the online betting and gaming company to continue operating in all 36 states and 774 local government areas in Nigeria for another five years.
The Director General of the NLRC commended Betway for its adherence to the regulations of the industry and encouraged them to continue with their impeccable record.
Betway expressed their gratitude for the extension, stating that they consider regulatory compliance a primary responsibility and are committed to providing a fair, safe, secure and responsible environment.
Betway has a history of community service in Nigeria, including donation of relief materials to flood victims and provision of potable water.
Credit: https://www.opinionnigeria.com/breaking-nlrc-extends-betway-nigerias-operation-for-5-years/
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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the number of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected and uncollected before the approaching elections on Thursday.
The collection of PVCs came to a close on February 5 after the commission extended the process twice.
Records showed that 87,209,007 PVCs were collected while 6,259,229 were still uncollected by February 5.
This data was presented by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu at the National Collation Centre in Abuja.
The documents showed that Lagos has the highest number of collected PVCs with 6,214,970.
This is followed by Kano with 5,594,193 and Kaduna with 4,164,473.
On the contrary, Ekiti State has the least number of collected PVCs at 958,052.
Abia has 1,949,197 collected PVCs; Adamawa, 1,970,650; Akwa-Ibom, 2,198,628; Anambra, 2,624,764; Bauchi, 2,721,780; Bayelsa, 1,009,895; Benue, 2,607,141; Borno, 2,447,209; Cross River, 1,672,810; Delta, 2,989,514; Ebonyi, 1,551,795; Edo, 2,128,288; Enugu, 1,995,389; Gombe, 1,534,954; Imo, 2,280,339; Jigawa, 2,298,365; Katsina, 3,459,945; Kebbi, 1,980,171; Kogi, 1,813,741; Kwara, 1,537,275; Nasarawa, 1,847,752; Niger, 2,633,728; Ogun, 2,278,063; Ondo, 1,729,641; Osun, 1,594,066; Oyo, 2,761,421, Plateau, 2,687,533; Rivers, 3, 285,785; Sokoto, 2,097,789, Taraba, 1,825,325; Yobe, 1,437,851; Zamfara, 1,850,055; and the FCT, 1,476,451.
INEC reported that as of February 5, 87,209,007 PVCs had been collected while 6,259,229 were uncollected across the nation.
With Lagos having the highest collected PVCs at 6,214,970, followed by Kano with 5,594,193 and Kaduna, 4,164,473.
On the contrary, Ekiti State having the least at 958,052.
The documents for each state's collected PVCs showed that Abia, Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara and FCT all recorded different successes in their collections.
Credit: https://punchng.com/87-2m-pvcs-collected-lagos-kano-kaduna-top-list/
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The Independent National Electoral Commission in Bauchi State has started disseminating the important materials to the 20 local government areas of the state in preparation for the forthcoming Saturday's presidential and National Assembly elections.
When our correspondent visited the INEC headquarters in Bauchi Thursday afternoon, materials meant for some LGAs were still being organized, while those for others were being loaded into waiting vehicles.
A strong presence of security personnel was sighted, made up of the Department of State Services, Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp, the Nigerian Army, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission.
In an interview with our correspondent in his office, the Head of Department, Voter Education and Public Enlightenment, Bauchi State INEC, Adamu Gujungu, disclosed that the commission in the state is all set to guarantee the success of the elections by providing free and fair elections all round.
He also added that the distribution of sensitive materials had kicked off and assured that the hard-to-reach and difficult areas like Zaki, would be given their consignments first.
He also acknowledged the intensified security arrangements that have been put in place, to ensure that no Electoral Officer would be allowed to take his ballot papers and other electoral materials without security escorts.
Gujungu revealed that a total of 5,423 ad-hoc staff have been contracted by INEC to participate in the conduct of the election in Bauchi State.
He stated that the ad-hoc staff will be allocated based on the number of polling units, and that each would be manned by a Presiding Officer and three Assistant Presiding Officers, along with other Collation Officers and supervisors at every level from RA to local government up to the state level.
All in all, with INEC beginning the distribution of sensitive materials and engaging ad-hoc staff, this weekend's presidential and National Assembly elections in Bauchi State are on course to be successful.
Credit: https://punchng.com/inec-begins-distribution-of-sensitive-materials-in-bauchi/
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The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Bauchi State coordinator, Mrs Rifkatu Yakubu, recently gave advice to corp members taking part in the upcoming 2023 general elections.
During her sensitization session for corps members, she urged them to not accept food from strangers.
She additionally advised them to bring some food themselves to the polling units to avoid any form of temptation.
In case of technical difficulties with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines, the NYSC boss warned them not to tamper with or adjust the machines as electorates might misconstrue it as trying to manipulate the process, which could lead to serious problems.
She instead asked them to direct it to the INEC technical officials present in the polling unit.
She urged the corps members to be security conscious and to go home and remain indoors immediately after submitting election materials.
Mr Ateli Samson, an Assistant Director from NYSC Headquarters in Abuja, also added that efforts are constantly being made to ensure their safety before, during and after the elections.
All in all, the NYSC is hoping corps members keep themselves abreast of possible temptations that may arise during the general elections and not to accept food from strangers.
They also urge corps members to remain security conscious, stay safe, and take necessary precautions.
Credit: https://dailypost.ng/2023/02/22/election-you-can-be-drugged-nysc-caution-corps-members/
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