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With less than three years to the 2023 presidential election, some political power blocs within the ruling All Progressive Congress are currently in a fierce battle to choose their loyalists as chairman and commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission, findings by SaharaReporters has revealed. Investigations showed that three influential power blocs in the APC were currently strategising for the 2023 general election, each trying to outsmart others to have their own INEC nominees’ team endorsed by President Muhammadu Buhari and thereafter to effectively seize control of the commission using their nominees. The emerging takeover of INEC first became obvious a few weeks ago when one of the contending groups quickly secured the nod of the President for the nomination of Lauretta Onochie, a well known card-carrying member of the APC, as a national commissioner for the electoral body.  Sources close to those directly involved in the ongoing power struggle wer...

Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State There has been tension in the Imosa Idasho community in the Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State after land grabbing hoodlums invaded the area and attacked some residents, hacking one of them to death. Witnesses told SaharaReporters that residents locked their houses in fear after the hoodlums started shooting sporadically and later attacked four men with cutlasses. Ibeju Lekki area on the map of Lagos State One of the four, whose name could not yet be ascertained, died. According to a police report obtained by SaharaReporters, tension started in the area on October 30, around 10 pm, but it was not clear yet which portions of land in the community were in contention. It was gathered that when the police operatives from Akodo division arrived at the scene, they found “a lifeless body and three others injured.” The police report said, “It is a case of suspected murder. On October 30, at about 10.05 pm, a distress call was received from Imosa Idasho...

One week after Joe Biden’s presidential victory brought about spontaneous celebrations in Washington, thousands of Donald Trump supporters have rallied in the nation’s capital, with the president making a drive-past in his motorcade as he sticks to discredited claims that mass fraud denied him election victory. Members of the Proud Boys, a white-nationalist movement designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, were also seen out on the streets of Washington. AFP – OLIVIER DOULIERY According to AFP, marchers close to the White House greeted Trump’s brief appearance with wild cheers, waving and whistles, holding signs and flags saying “Best prez ever,” “Stop the steal” and “Trump 2020: Keep America Great.” Several thousand people had gathered by noon on the city’s Freedom Plaza, with more still arriving from all sides, waving flags and shouting “Four More Years” in a festive atmosphere reminiscent of a Trump rally. The latest tallies gave Biden a solid final...

The Nigerian Senate refused to grant access to auditors from the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation who came to verify over N1.3billion claimed to have been spent on capital items supplied to the National Assembly, SaharaReporters can confirm. The management of the National Assembly told the auditors that some sections of the stores were under renovation and, therefore, the auditors could not gain entry to verify the capital items said to have been bought. These were contained in the Auditor-General of the Federation Report for 2017, the latest to be released, on the auditing of the Senate Account. The report, obtained by SaharaReporters, noted that the Clerk of the National Assembly must account for the total sum of N1,364,816,397.95 and the details be forwarded to the AuGF office for confirmation.  It was not clear whether the National Assembly official had made the stores available for inspection since the directive was given. The AuGF report said, “Duri...

Abubakar Gana The unearthing of fake academic credentials paraded by officials in some government agencies has taken a new twist in the National Examinations Council headquarters, Minna, Niger State. Investigations have revealed that moral corruption from highest quarters has been used to shield some indicted but favoured officials from dismissal, a punishment meted out to those found guilty. Abubakar Gana SaharaReporters learnt that the examination body dismissed 70 of its officers in November 2019 and another 19 in February 2020 and about 17 in October 2020 for presenting forged and fake certificates of educational qualification to the council. However, the exercise was fraught with injustice and fraudulent practices as it was discovered that while about 106 officers were dismissed for the offence, two close associates of the then acting Registrar, Abubakar Gana, were shielded and spared from investigation and dismissal over the same allegation. One of those shielded is J...

Sea incursion from the Atlantic Ocean has sacked over 2000 residents in Ayetoro community in the Ilaje area of Ondo State, SaharaReporters has learnt.  The incident occurred around 2:00am on Saturday while many residents were still asleep. Properties worth millions of naira were damaged by the surge.  The situation led to a protest among residents as they sought government’s assistance.  A fish farmer in the community, Bamidele Igbasan, told SaharaReporters that the incident had already rendered many residents homeless.  He said, “We were sleeping when the water started rushing into our homes and we had to quickly wake up and save some of our properties and belongings from being damaged. “Over 200 houses and shops have been submerged by the ocean. We had to evacuate people from their houses and relocate them to a safer place.  “Some community leaders told us that the surge was caused by the failure of the state government and the Niger Delta Devel...

Brigadier-General Ahmed Taiwo Weeks after the shooting of peaceful demonstrators in Lagos, the Nigerian Army has admitted that President Muhammadu Buhari in his capacity as Commander-In-Chief authorised the deployment of soldiers to maintain law and order at the Lekki Toll Gate area of Lagos. At least 10 protesters were killed in the Lekki plaza shooting og October 20, according to Amnesty International. Brigadier-General Ahmed Taiwo Twitter/EditiEffiong The army had maintained that its troops were not at the site but later said soldiers were sent to enforce a curfew.  See Also #EndSARS #ENDSARS: Nigerian Army Testifies Before Lagos Judicial Panel Over Shooting Of Protesters At Lekki Toll Gate 0 Comments 11 Hours Ago Appearing before the Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Saturday, Ahmed Taiwo, a Brigadier-General of the Nigerian Army, said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu could only have made a request but only the President and Commander-In-Chief can authorise the ...

Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Almustapha Haruna Jokolo. Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Almustapha Jokolo, a monarch from the home state of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has accused the AGF of witch-hunting former Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Ibrahim Magu. Reacting to the recent invitation of Magu by the Code of Conduct Bureau over some landed properties, the emir described it as “nothing but witch-hunting and persecution”. Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Almustapha Haruna Jokolo. He said Malami was accusing Magu of unsubstantiated allegations and has merely given him the opportunity to defend himself. He noted that without recourse to the process of the law, Malami removed Magu as EFCC boss and nominated replacement for his position. The emir said, “He (Malami) recommended three names as Magu’s replacement without even waiting for the President to consult the Chief of Staff, the Secretary to the Government of...

DJ Switch The Nigerian Army has said that it was not searching for popular Disc Jockey, Obianuju Catherine Udeh professionally known to as DJ Switch. This comes amidst claim that the army had been trailing the entertainer and threatening her life, forcing her to flee the country. DJ Switch See Also #EndSARS #ENDSARS: Nigerian Army Testifies Before Lagos Judicial Panel Over Shooting Of Protesters At Lekki Toll Gate 0 Comments 6 Hours Ago Commander of 81 Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island, Lagos, Brigadier Gen. Ahmed Taiwo, who spoke while appearing before the Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Saturday, said the claim was further than the truth. Taiwo also said the army can’t be bothered chasing one or two people, adding that there are “bigger fish to fry”. He said, “Some people take delight in misrepresenting Nigeria and particularly the Nigerian Army to the international community and our fellow Nigerians. This, I believe is done for pecuniary gains. “...