This is part of the N800 billion it expected from the federal government as total budget, including cost of more than five years preparation.

Its executive chairman, Alhaji Nasir Kwarra, made the declaration at a breakfast meeting with media executives in Abuja on Thursday.

Kwarra said the cost of conducting digital census was high considering the procurement of equipment and data required for the exercise.

He said the commission recruited about one million personnel in a bid to conduct a credible and acceptable digital census.

He reiterated its commitment to a credible and acceptable census and urged the media to sustain the tempo of publicity.

“It is important to sustain the tempo of the preparation for the census. The focus of the commission is to lay a foundation for future censuses,’’ he said.

Dr Inuwa Jalingo, Census Manager, stated that the commission worked round-the-clock to conduct a digital census.

Jalingo said the NPC had already set up a robust quality dashboard and data for a credible census.

In his remarks, Dr Isiaka Yahaya, Director, Public Affairs Department at the NPC, also called on the media to continue to emphasise to the public the imperatives of conducting censuses.

Yahaya noted that advocacy and publicity were critical to making the census successful.

Source: NAN

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I was privileged that I had her as my wife for 32 years and for an additional five years earlier as a schoolmate and friend in courtship.

Our friendship and companionship were designed like no other. Ours was carved in rare blocks from whichever angle you look at it.

We met in the course of an unusual circumstance and built up from scratch.

On our wedding day, we set out on a bus ride to the marriage registry.

We had no new dresses.

No Photographer.

No guests.

No wedding reception. We could not afford them all.

Our joy remains that despite her battle with cancer, which lasted ten years, she saw Bright and Clifford grow into very responsible young adults.

We had faith in God.

We were full of determination.

The defunct Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic gave me admission in 1983 to Study Mass Communications.

The same year, she gained admission into Ozoro Polytechnic to study Banking and Finance.

It is not difficult to conclude that unless something extraordinary happened, our paths could never have crossed.

Midway into our programs, both schools were shut down by the General Jeremiah Useni military administration in the then Bendel State.

The forced closure of the two tertiary institutions brought excruciating anxieties for students of both institutions who had their hope hanged in the balance.

Just right inside this anxiety and uncertainty was the story of our lives, our future, and our family.

Following the shutdown of the two polytechnics, Students of both schools were asked to report to Auchi Polytechnic for absorption.

But Auchi Polytechnic, for administrative and academic reasons, could not accommodate all the students.

About half of the students were provided space in Benin City at the Institute for Continuing Education (ICE) to study for the Auchi Polytechnic Diploma.

All the affected students of both

Ozoro and Ogwashi-Uki Polytechnics, including Mercy and I, resumed classes at ICE premises in Benin.

The closure of the two schools had a silver lining for us.

So, there was this beautiful girl, ebony black and well-shaped, Mercy Ogie, one of the students studying Banking and Finance from Ozoro Polytechnic.

We both entered this school arrangement without knowing that this was the most significant event to influence our lives. And it was carefully embedded by providence, destiny and fate inside this seemingly intractable crisis of the closure of our different institutions.

About three months before concluding the program at ICE, I was at the departmental block when I saw this pretty girl again.

Recently my eyes were on her, but we had never spoken to each other, except during our passive meetings at students’ brief meetings, where, as one of the students’ leaders, I explained the efforts to be sure we completed our program in one piece.

It was always like a general meeting where those of us in the forefront addressed the students. So I can say, and she confirmed that she knew me from those public meetings.

This morning I saw her again, smart, beautiful and exuding all the seriousness you can possibly infer from a physical demeanour.

My heart pounded, and my head went turning again. I couldn’t resist it this time.

And was it a voice I heard? It was loud inside of me, and it was clear. “That’s your wife.”

“Wife ke?”, (wife?), I queried, but without thinking, I ran after her to her class, Banking and Finance, about three class halls away from the Mass Comm hall.

I stood at the door and beckoned on her to be excused outside to the car park, a few steps away.

She obliged.

The message was straightforward.

It was respectfully delivered.

No introductions.

Just salutations and I dropped my message:

“I don’t expect you to respond to what I want to tell you. I am not looking for a girlfriend. I am convinced that you will be my wife.“

Classical.

She didn’t disappoint.

“Is that all” she responded.

I replied, “Yes.”

“Can I go now?” she asked, and I responded, “Yes,” again.

I was not expecting anything more.

The encounter was not more than 3 minutes.

I watched her step off and away from my sight.

She didn’t look back, against my expectations, that she would, at least, look back.

I was greatly relieved, and I didn’t see her again until three weeks later when I went to her class to invite her for a drink at the kiosk.

That was when we introduced ourselves, and we got to say a little about our backgrounds.

“I am Mercy,” she told me.

She told me she had been trying to process the message I had dropped with her. According to her, she couldn’t understand. I told her that I hardly understood too.

She wasn’t considering marriage, as the current academic challenge was big enough.

I wasn’t thinking of marriage either.

We became friends, got along, and we soon graduated.

I moved to Lagos to join The Guardian on an internship.

She got a job with the defunct New Nigeria Bank, and she picked the offer to resume in the bank’s branch in Lagos.

Five years later, we got married at the City Hall Registry, Lagos.

The entire marriage ceremony at City Hall couldn’t have lasted more than 30 minutes.

We were not quite ready financially, but we avoided unnecessary expenses.

We were packed with determination.

We had a budget of N14,000, about my annual salary on The Guardian Newspapers as a Staff Reporter, for both the traditional ceremonies and the registry.

A week earlier, on May 11, 1991, we were in Benin City for the traditional ceremonies.

It was attended by only our close friends and family members.

She had confided in her parents that our budget was nothing to write home about.

So in one of those pre-wedding visits, my father-in-law, Pa Gabriel Ogie, of blessed memory, a school Principal, took me into the inner recess of the house for a discussion.

“I know you don’t have all the means for an elaborate marriage ceremony. Just bring in your parents and immediate family members. I will bless you and my daughter in marriage. You don’t need to bother yourself with anything”, he said.

We had a wonderful ceremony: my parents, siblings and a few cousins. A few friends – David Ogah and Edetean Ojo, both of whom were my colleagues at The Guardian Newspapers, Frank Alabi of blessed memory from Daily Times, Gloria Oyerior, my course mate and a couple of my other friends and Mercy’s colleagues from New Nigeria Bank – it was a small group of family and close friends.

From the lean budget, we decided we could only buy new clothes for the traditional ceremony.

She didn’t insist on “standards.”

We couldn’t afford to buy any new dresses for the ceremony at the registry.

In the office, I told Edetean Ojo and David Ogah that we have decided to have them as witnesses to our marriage.

They obliged us.

On Saturday, May 18, 1991, very early morning, my Mercy and I headed to the bus stop.

We had no budget for a taxi.

Edetean and David found their way to City Hall at 8 am.

None of us had personal cars.

We took our first bus from Iyana-Ipaja to the Ikeja bus stop.

From Ikeja, we took another bus heading to CMS.

But something happened.

In Maryland, just before the bus stop, there was a slight traffic build-up on both sides of the road.

I sat near the window in the yellow-painted small FEDECO bus on the side of the inner lane, and right from the other side of the road, I heard a call.

I saw a senior colleague in The Guardian newsroom, Mr. Emeka Okoroayanwu. He sighted me on the bus.

He wasn’t aware of our marriage ceremony. He was one of the three reporters proudly owning a car, a Peugeot 504, in the entire newsroom of The Guardian.

“Austine, where are you headed,” he asked.

“Just get down from the bus and wait for me at the bus stop,” was his quick response when I told him we were going to City Hall for our marriage.

He turned around and took us to City Hall, to our delight.

Edetean Ojo and David Ogah were already waiting when we got to City Hall.

It was a few minutes past eight, and the Registrar was already waiting.

There were usually dozens of marriage ceremonies in City Hall on Saturdays.

I had pleaded with the registry that we desired that our ceremony be the first in the morning, and they obliged and fixed 8 am.

I wore my regular shirt and trouser while she dressed in her typical office attire.

No new dress.

No crowd.

No photographer and no reception party.

After clearing the doubts, which the Registrar very clearly expressed, he joined us together in matrimony.

The only spectator was my senior colleague, Mr. Emaka Okoroayanwu.

The other two, Edetean and David, took turns to sign and witness our marriage.

Both of them were bachelors.

From City Hall, we all, except David Ogah, proceeded to Blue Cross Hospital, Ogba, driven by Oga Emeka, to see a mutual friend, Emmanuel Okoyomo, who was hospitalized.

Mr. Okoroayanwu discarded his weekend engagements, drove us all around and took us home to Iyana-Ipaja.

None of the other tenants in the face-me-I-face-you room and parlour setting of our house knew it was our wedding day.

No family members were involved.

The man whose rooms were opposite our rooms was furious a week later when I told him the story.

He said he would have driven us down in his car if I had told him.

We didn’t know him much as we had just moved into the apartment from a single room where I lived.

I apologized and explained that we didn’t want to bother anyone.

Ours was a firm reliance on God for everything and avoiding unnecessary expenses.

Our experience in school was partly responsible for our desire and decision not to send our children to any university or polytechnic in Nigeria if we could afford it.

This desire was a family prayer point. For this reason, we didn’t have more than two children. We feared more children could hamper our desire to have our children attend some of the best institutions in the world.

The prayer was answered.

We moved our children, one after the other, midway through their secondary school in Nigeria to Southern Ontario College, a high school in Canada.

They ended up at the University of Toronto and York University, to our delight.

They are our story, our success, our perseverance, hope and commitment.

Our joy remains that despite her battle with cancer, which lasted ten years, she saw Bright and Clifford grow into very responsible young adults. They crowned it up with their marriage to the most beautiful, well-groomed and equally well-educated girls who have now filled the space for daughters in our home.

For over thirty-five years, I sojourned with an angel, a woman of class and ideas.

Her respectful disposition, intelligence, discipline, her sincerity and love have enabled our success, my success.

I derived my energy, my inspiration and courage from this woman.

She made more sacrifices to keep us going.

She wrapped up her job in the bank in Lagos to join me in Abuja.

She dropped her thriving telecoms business in Nigeria to join and live with our kids in Canada.

I valued and enjoyed her trust and unimaginable confidence and tolerance.

I saw the efficacy of her prayers over the children and me.

On average, she lived with and managed the children for at least 70 percent of our joint parenting, while I probably did not go up to 30 percent, most times, remotely.

She sets the rules and requests my endorsement.

For instance, at the ages of 14 and 16, when the children were alone in high school in Canada, it was compulsory, according to her rules, for us to stay awake till around midnight because of the time difference to be able to Skype with them before we sleep, every day.

Time-in for the children, even as adult university students, was set by her for 7 pm unless they had evening or night classes. Her love, submissiveness, good home management, sound financial management and loyalty combined to cover my inadequacies and shortcomings.

Adieu, my friend, my companion and my unconditional lover. I will meet you again on the day of the resurrection.

My huge success as a journalist is largely because she supported me. She gave me peace of mind, and God gave us a peaceful home.

For thirty-two years of our marriage, a third party was never invited to settle any quarrel.

She bridged the gaps at home and allowed me to be away, travelling around the country and the world while maintaining an unusual calmness, efficient control and trust.

I have not been able to stop the tears. It is difficult for me to process. We prayed, and we believed, but God made the final decision.

Her battle with cancer was a battle for the family. Our boys gave it everything they had. I was mostly in Nigeria during this period, but I relocated in 2020 to be with them. I had the opportunity to nurse her, gist with her, eat with her and pray with her.

I was by her bedside in the hospital night and day in her last two months. I took a few hours during the day to dash home, and during that time, my son came in to be with her and to read out Bible verses to her.

As she is laid to rest on Saturday, April 29, I bless the day I met her. I salute her courage, tolerance, trust, commitment and love.

Above all, we give all the glory to God, who formed us and who, from the beginning, permitted us to walk according to his plans.

We thank our friends and family members who believed in and supported our dreams.

Adieu, my friend, my companion and my unconditional lover.

I will meet you again on the day of the resurrection.

*Agbonsuremi Augustine in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, April 2023

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The development was confirmed by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, in a statement on Tuesday in Kaduna.

Aruwan said the students escaped from a thick forest along Kaduna-Niger boundary and walked for days before arriving at a location where they were harboured.

According to him, the government was subsequently alerted and the girls were evacuated by soldiers of 1 Division Nigerian Army and brought to Kaduna.

“It was credibly gathered that the terrorists were combing forests in the area to recapture the students.

“The students have been safely evacuated to a military facility where they are presently receiving medical attention,” Aruwan added.

He said Governor Nasir El-Rufai has praised the students for demonstrating sheer courage and resilience in escaping from captivity.

“The governor admonished them to view the horrific experience as a turning point, and pursue their education with renewed vigour for a purposeful future.

“The governor also commended the General Officer Commanding, 1 Division, Maj.-Gen. Olufemi Akinjobi for the prompt evacuation of the students.”

Source: NAN

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The Sector Commander, Mr Abdullahi Hassan, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Saturday in Calabar.

Hassan said the crash occurred around 12.41 p.m. on Saturday in Abakpa community, Ogoja local government area.

He said that the crash involved a Mercedes Benz tipper conveying 31 passengers to a burial ceremony.

According to the sector commander, the driver lost control of the vehicle when it had a burst tyre.

“Among the victims were 29 male adults, one female adult and one female child.

“Out of the 31 passengers, 24 male adults got injured, two passengers were not injured, that is one female adult and one female child, while five male adults lost their lives in the crash.

“Three of the corpses were taken to the mortuary while those injured were taken to the General Hospital Ogoja by FRSC officials.

“The other two corpses were retrieved by their relatives at the scene of the accident,” he said.

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Tinubu made the declaration in his Easter message to Nigerians.

He said as God’s children, Nigerians should remember their obligation to love their neighbour, regardless of tongue, faith and tribe.

The message which he signed reads in full:

“I send my best wishes to Christians in Nigeria and all over the world who are celebrating Easter this Sunday. As we all enjoy the well-deserved break, I urge every Nigerian to reflect on the priceless sacrifice and limitless love of God for mankind.

“As we celebrate, let us also remember our obligation, as God’s children, to love our neighbour, regardless of tongue, faith and tribe.

“For Christians everywhere, this celebration is in commemoration of Jesus Christ’s life of service and his supreme sacrifice for the salvation of mankind.

“And as we observe Easter this year, let us all imbibe the essential message of Christ’s ministry and truly begin to love our fellow Nigerians as we love ourselves.

“We will make faster progress towards the achievement of the peaceful, united, strong, progressive and prosperous country we all desire if we eschew divisive, parochial, ethnic and religious sentiments and rivalries, and begin to live more harmoniously with our compatriots.

“Easter is about Renewed Hope and Redemption. It symbolizes the triumph of hope over despair, love over hate and condemnation, and optimism over cynicism. Let us embrace this spirit and recommit ourselves to edifying and patriotic pursuits in the interest of our nation.

“I wish you all very happy Easter celebrations.”

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The home side took the lead in the 42nd minute when Izuchukwu Chimezie capitalised on a defensive error by Bendel Insurance defender Benjamin Tanimu.

But Deputy Echeta drew Bendel Insurance level in the 80th minute during a goalmouth scrabble in the Group A Match Day 12 fixture.

Head Coach of Bendel Insurance, Monday Odigie, later said his team, which was with the best record so far in the league, learnt from every game.

“This helps us to correct our mistakes and keep fighting,” he said.

Odigie described the encounter as top-class, pointing out that Plateau United recently played in the continent and were still a very good side.

The head coach said that even though his side was new in the NPFL, it was doing everything possible to leave a mark wherever they went.

“For every team we play, we give our best. We are not under any pressure, and we are just doing our thing our own way,” he added.

Plateau United’s Head Coach, Maurice Longmiap, said the result was frustrating for them.

“Having lost away, we came back home with the hope of picking the maximum points, only to now draw with Bendel Insurance.”

Longmiap however said they would go back to the drawing board, reassess themselves and ensure they got it right in the next match.

He described Insurance as a good side with quality attack-minded players.

Source: NAN

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Your Excellency, let me first of all, congratulate you on your hard-fought victory in the recently concluded presidential election. That you fought a real battle before the victory came as no surprise to many political watchers. Even before the main election, getting the ticket of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, which you co-founded, did not come easy. You were forced to make the now famous Emilokan chant in Abeokuta to remind those who wanted to rock the boat that it was your turn to become the next President of Nigeria, and that it was sacrosanct for a gentleman’s agreement for power rotation between the North and the South be upheld.

Becoming the President of Nigeria has been one project that you have nurtured for more than 30 years. During that period, you built political bridges between the North and the South, and cultivated like minds across the country. It was therefore easy for you to tap into the political you-owe-me from favours you have rendered to many across the divide. And when the time came, past favours were remembered.

Your call for healing and reconciliations is commendable. But you must do more than that. Extending a hand of fellowship to both Atiku and Obi and forming an all-inclusive government is the way to go.

During the main contest too, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and the standard bearer of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, gave a good account of themselves but you still managed to snatch victory, showing how resilient you are. You lost your stronghold, Lagos State, to the Labour Party due to several factors but you still triumphed at the end of the day. Your main challengers for the number one job in the land, Atiku and Obi are now in Court to challenge your victory, as it is within their constitutional rights to do so, and also part of the beauty of democracy.

Your Excellency, now that you are the President-elect awaiting your grand coronation on May 29, I want you to sit and examine the state of the nation you will be inheriting on that day. Nigeria is far worse than it was at the beginning of the present fourth republic in 1999. We are so very much divided now as a people and as a nation. The standard of living of an average Nigerian has plummeted. We are now rated as the poverty capital of the world. Maternal and child mortality rate is still very high while we also have the embarrassing record of having the highest number of out-of-school children on the streets. We have now accumulated a humongous foreign debt, and the purchasing power of our naira has been eroded over the years.

Again, the election that gave you victory, has further divided the country along tribal and religious lines. The tension in Lagos state and some other states in the southeast can be felt by all. The Lagos, being a ‘no-man’s land’ mantra, coupled with allegations that the Igbo are bent on taking over Lagos and the resistance put up by the indigenes during the elections has shown how divided a country we have become, and no longer feel proud to call our own. Now, there are calls on the Igbo to go back to the East if they no longer desire to live and work peacefully in Lagos without dabbling into the politics of their host or trying to change the political dynamics of the state. We are about re-enacting those things that led to the civil war 50 years ago. The ethnic cleansing between the Tutsi and the Hutu in Rwanda readily comes to mind. God forbid that we are headed in that direction!

Though you said that you do not pay attention to the social media again as you have been abused at several times and called various names there, the war of words going on there calls for sober reflection and you will need to find a way around the problem. A little spark or an innocuous tweet could lead to an all-out crisis if care is not taken. Now is the time to reach out and douse the tension. And one sure way to get this done is by reaching out to the youths and tackling the challenges facing them such as unemployment, religious and cultural differences, lack of motivation, inadequate technical training and skill development, insecurity, lack of health care, poor education, and lack of access to funds for entrepreneurship. Many of them have lost hope in the country, leading a significant number leaving the country to seek greener pastures. You saw a glimpse of the extent of their frustration during the EndSARS protests.

READ ALSO: Aftermath of the 2023 presidential election, By Kazeem Akintunde

During the week, you issued a statement on the state of things in the country and how the elections have further divided us. Your call for healing and reconciliations is commendable. But you must do more than that. Extending a hand of fellowship to both Atiku and Obi and forming an all-inclusive government is the way to go. The youths, majority of whom don’t align with your brand of politics must be carried along and their interest made a priority by your government. And you can do that by massive job creation in both the private and public sector. Graduates eking a living riding Okada to survive does not augur well for our country. With the deregulation of the power sector approved by President Muhammadu Buhari few months to the end of his tenure, you can tap into that by ensuring that State Governments invest heavily in the power sector. Once state government can generate, transmit and distribute electricity to their citizens and guarantee 24-hour electric power supply to households, we will be catalyzed on the path of industrialization. With constant power supply, you would have succeeded in tackling two issues- unemployment and job creation.

But you can’t start the process without reaching out to the Igbo, who feel marginalized and schemed out of political power in the country. Though I do not believe in their style of playing the victim all the time, you can accommodate them by ensuring that the Senate Presidency goes to the East. The argument that they contributed little or nothing to your victory should not be used against them but as a statesman that you are, work towards your party zoning the ticket to the East. Again, in the spirit of reconciliation, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, should be freed and allowed to go home. Perhaps he would have learnt a lesson or two from his incarceration.

One critical sector that you must pay greater attention to once you assume office is the economy. There is no gainsaying that the nation’s economy has been brought to its knees. Nigerians have never had it so bad. Over 80 per cent of our people are extremely poor and eating three square meals a day has become a mirage. It is so bad that some Nigerians are now eating from refuse dumps! Many of our compatriots are refugees in their own land due to no fault of theirs. The needless Boko Haram war in the North as well as the activities of bandits and kidnappers have turned the peaceful North into a no-go area for many. Farming has been abandoned in many communities due to the activities of rampaging kidnappers. The cumulative effect of this is the high price of most food items. So, you must do all within your power to ensure that the activities of bandits and kidnappers are curtailed so that our people can return to the farm. In the same vein, farmers/herders clash should be looked into by ensuring that cattle rearers establish modern ranching for their business. The practice of herding cattle from Kaura Namoda to Ilesha is outdated, and not in line with modern practice the world over.

Even before you were elected, you have been at the forefront of the call for true federalism in Nigeria. Now that you are going to be in charge of the country, we would like to see how far you can go in restructuring the country. This contraption cannot go on like this as we may wake up one day to discover that we don’t have a country again. Some zones feel marginalized, some are not happy that the resources that come from their soil is being used to develop other areas. Many are calling for devolution of power to the regions and we cannot join the rest of the developed world until we sit down to discuss how to manage our differences.

Mr. President-elect, you have cultivated friends in all parts of the country. Those investments in human resources came in handy for you during the poll and that should enable you to pick the best brains from all over the country to assist you in piloting the affairs of Nigeria. Don’t be like your predecessor, whose nepotism stinks to high heavens. I know you are good at identifying great minds that are even better than you and tapping into their God-given talents for the benefit of the nation.

Before I end this letter, Mr. President-elect, be mindful that majority of the youths in Nigeria don’t like you. They believe that you are part of the old order that has held the country down for too long.

You vowed recently to deliver on your words. Please note that the 80-page document you release as your manifesto is available both in soft copy and hardcopy. You will be held accountable for your words and what becomes of those promises once you assume power. Let the welfare of Nigerians be your utmost priority. You have made enough money that your great-grandchildren cannot be poor again, hence, you have nothing to lose if you devote the rest of your life for the well-being and betterment of Nigerians.

Before I end this letter, Mr. President-elect, be mindful that majority of the youths in Nigeria don’t like you. They believe that you are part of the old order that has held the country down for too long. They will monitor your activities and subject all your policies and programmes to rigorous examination. And they have social media at their disposal. What many leaders did in the past and got away with, may no longer be possible with the present generation.

Reverend Father Mattew Kukah said recently that you are the most prepared presidential candidate, of those that came out to seek our mandate last month. Now that you have it, what are you going to do with it? Will it be for the benefit of the masses or will it be business as usual? We are waiting and watching.

See you next week.

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Gusau, while speaking during the Nigeria leg of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy Tour, said the Falcons would put up an excellent show during the competition.

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will hold in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20.

“Nigeria is very excited to be amongst the 32 finalist countries for the Women’s World Cup, the first to be co-hosted and the first ever for 32 teams.

“It is indeed a historic moment for us at the NFF and the Super Falcons and indeed for all the other teams that qualified,” Gusau said.

He added that the government and people of Nigeria had high expectations for this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup competition.

“Our Super Falcons have been preparing hard and still preparing to make an excellent run in Australia and New Zealand.

“We want to assure you that our Super Falcons will not be going to Australia and New Zealand just to make up the number,” the NFF president said.

Nigeria leg of the FIFA Women’s World Cup trophy tour had began at the Anglican Girls Secondary School in Apo.

There, the school’s fascinated 115 students took turns to take photographs with the original trophy, alongside the five-member FIFA team and a number of NFF management officials.

The main event at the Transcorp Hilton also had the Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Leann Johnston, as well as Super Falcons captain, Onome Ebi.

The five-member FIFA team had Giulia Türkyilmaz, Alexa Sunderland, Felipe Chevita, Jot Jakher and Aurelien Fougere.

In her comments at the event, Johnston said: “We are excited to welcome Nigeria to Australia for the tournament and we’re looking forward to the group match between them on July in Brisbane.

“Australia is rightly proud of the achievements of our women’s national team, the Matildas, who are currently ranked 12th in the world.

“Australians know that the Super Falcons have a long reputation and are not to be taken lightly.

“The Super Falcons have played in every FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament and are by far Africa’s most successful women’s football team.”

Nigeria is one of only seven countries to have featured in every edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup since the competition was launched in 1991.

The others are the USA, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Norway and Sweden.

This year’s finals will be the first finals to be held in the Southern hemisphere.

It is also the first to welcome 32 teams and the first to be played across two countries in two different confederations.

Source: NAN

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The exercise began on Sunday at 12 p.m. at the INEC Media Centre located within the headquarters premises of the electoral umpire.

In his opening address, Mr Olusegun Agbaje, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, disclosed that no fewer than 16 out of the 20 local government areas, LGAs, of the state results were ready at the state collation centre.

“It is not possible for any REC (Resident Electoral Commissioner) to manipulate elections in Nigeria. If it happened in the past, it is no longer possible,” Agbaje said.

He said that the available results would be taken by LGA as they arrived.

According to him, there would be a recess if the results from the remaining four local governments had not arrived as at the time when the available ones would have been exhausted.

Agbaje, who reiterated that it was impossible for any REC or Electoral Officer to rig an election, decried the do-or-die attitude of politicians to elections.

“In Nigeria, we are still seeing election as a do-or-die affair,” he added.

In her remarks, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, the Vice-Chancellor of Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA, the Returning Officer for the Governorship Election, said that the centre must get the collation right.

Oladiji reminded all stakeholders that the correctness of the results brought to the collation centre would be judiciously tested.

“We must get it right and we must get it correctly,” Oladiji said.

Advising all stakeholders to be orderly in their conduct, Oladiji said whoever that wanted to do manual collation of results as being reeled out should do so to cross-check the results.

There is tight security at the INEC State Office, Yaba, the venue of the collation.

Representatives of political parties, domestic and foreign observers, the media and other stakeholders are on ground to witness the exercise.

Meanwhile, INEC’s rescheduled election in 10 polling units inside the Victoria Garden City (VGC) under Eti-Osa Local Government is ongoing.

Source: NAN

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Dr. Hale Longpet, Kogi Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, sounded the warning while reacting to the crises that erupted in some local government areas while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lokoja.

There were reports of thugs interfering with some polling units in Anyigba and Dekina in the Kogi East and Mopa in the Kogi West as well as parts of Kogi Central, where voting materials were allegedly carted away by thugs.

“You know the electoral law says that where there are disruption to the process, the result will be cancelled, the very particular units’ results will be cancelled.

“The issues, initially, were only in the Kogi East and Central but I can’t tell exactly where and where in the state have been affected until the results are brought by the electoral officers.

“We understood that because of the violence those affected areas couldn’t conclude election there.

“I’m shocked that people can go to that level and disrupt something that everybody should have enjoyed.

“Election is a peaceful and willful thing that people are offered to freely participate.

“Again, if people are given assurance that everyone will enjoy a pleasant experience, why then should we have thugs invading the whole town or the local government, disrupting the conduct of the elections?,” he asked.

Longpet said, “This is very sad and shocking, when you look at the loss of lives involved.”

He explained that “election is not war,” so, if you were standing in for election to provide services for your people, you don’t need to engage in these destructive activities.

He said anyone feels he does not want to be part of the elections, he or she does not have to go out there to vote.

According to him, people who have interest to bring good things to their communities do go out to positively engage and vote or exercise their franchise and they should not be stopped or denied the opportunity.

He disclosed that he went out with heads of the security operatives in the state in a motorcade to monitor the elections starting from Adankolo to Crucial, through to Kabawa and Falele.

He said, “yet in all these places, we didn’t see anyone angry but people were all smiling and casting their votes peacefully.”

The REC expressed happiness that everywhere inside Lokoja was very peaceful, not even a voice was raised.

Source: NAN

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