Just in! INEC suspends announcement of the results in Rivers rerun elections

INEC has suspended the announcement of results from last Saturday's National and State Assembly election in Rivers state. The election was marred by high incidents of violence. The suspension is contained in a statement released by Oluwole Osaze- Uzzi, INEC's Director of Voter Education and Publicity.

The statement reads in part "The elections witnessed the disruption of the process, including the barricading of some of the INEC Local Government offices and Registration Area Centres(RACs) used for the distribution of Electoral materials which led to the late commencement of the exercise in some places and consequently, its smooth take off. Of more serious concern was the level of threats, violence and intimidation of election officials and voters by well armed thugs and miscreants allegedly acting on behalf of some politicians, which marred the elections in some areas.

There were reports of numerous attacks resulting in fatalities, kidnappings, ballot snatching, diversion of officials and materials, amongst others, which necessitated its suspension in 8 Local Government Areas. Regrettably, such deviant behaviour has continued today. Several permanent and ad hoc staff engaged have been attacked, again resulting in fatalities, while some have been forcibly abducted and taken to presently unknown destinations. Under such difficult circumstance, the Returning Officers were only able to collate and declare results in 1 Federal and 9 State constituencies where the disruption and malpractices were not so widespread.

Having reviewed the situation, the Commission is compelled to suspend all further action concerning the exercise in all the other constituencies in the State pending the receipt of a comprehensive report from its Field Officials and Monitors. For the avoidance of doubt, it should be noted that the suspension does not affect the constituencies where the exercise has been completed and the results declared by the Returning Officers”.

9ja Footballer Alexander Iwobi arrives Nigeria...

Seems like England's attempts to secure the future of Arsenal star & Jay-Jay Okocha's nephew, Alex Iwobi, has failed as he appears to have committed to Nigeria. Alex Iwobi tweeted his arrival back to Abuja on his official twitter page hours ago. This means he has joined up with the senior Nigeria squad ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Egypt this week and according to FIFA Rules, if the 19-year-old plays against Egypt, a competitive fixture, he would no longer be eligible to play for another FIFA Affiliated National team.

Drake Endorses @iam_Davido (OBO), Signs His Fader Magazine Cover (see Photo)

International artiste, Drake, has been spotted endorsing Sony Music act, Davido, at a recent Music and Film Festival in the US. Drake, was spotted signing the Fader Magazine Cover of the ‘Dodo’ crooner, at the ongoing South by Southwest Music and Film Festival in Texas. Davido, performed at the festival on Friday, courtesy of Fader magazine. The music festival, which has a couple of African acts billed to perform is an annual festival in the US. Among the African acts to perform at the event includes, Stonebwoy, Fuse ODG and Eddy Kenzo. Iyanya and Tekno, performed on Saturday, March 19.

5 awesome Facts Ekiti State Wants You To know.....

Ekiti is a state in western Nigeria. It was declared a state on October 1, 1996 alongside five others by the military under the dictatorship of General Sani Abacha.

The state, carved out of the territory of old Ondo State, covers the former twelve local government areas that made up the Ekiti Zone of old Ondo State. With little known about this state by Nigerians, Naijaloaded has put together 5 interesting fact to know about Ekiti.

1. The land is popular for its forest resources, notably timber:-because of the favorable climatic conditions, the land enjoys luxuriant vegetation, thus, it has abundant resources of different species of timber. Food crops like yam, cassava, and also grains like rice and maize are grown in large qualities. Other notable crops like kola nut and varieties of fruits are also cultivated in commercial quantities.

2. Ekiti land is buoyant in agricultural resources with cocoa as its leading cash crop:-It was largely known that Ekiti land constituted well over 40% of the cocoa products of the famous old Western Region.

3. Ekiti is also blessed with water resources:-some of its major rivers are Ero, Osun, Ose, and Ogbese. More so a variety of tourist attractions abound in the state namely, Ikogosi Warm Spring, Ipole – Iloro Water Falls, Olosunta hills, Ikere, Fajuyi Memorial Park Ado – Ekiti and so on.

The Ikogosi tourist centre is the most popular and the most developed. The warm spring is a unique natural feature, and supporting facilities are developed in the centre. The spring is at present being processed and packaged into bottled water for commercial purpose by a private company – UAC Nigeria.

4. The spring water is said to have some ther*peutic effects on some diseases like rheumatism and guinea-worm:-People who have access to the spring use it for the battery of their vehicles instead of the normal battery water.

5. Olosunta and Orole hills in southern Ikere-Ekiti are worshipped by the people of the area:-Both deities are credited with some feats such as provision of children to barren women and protection of Ikere from warfare. They are believed to be responsible for the welfare of the town. Ikere Ekiti is usually described as the only unconquered town in Ekiti during the popular inter-tribal wars.

Good Job!!! Troops Kill 7 Boko Haram Terrorists, Recover 2,000 Litres Of Petrol (Photos)

Troops of 7 Brigade have ambushed and killed 7 Boko Haram terrorists at Dawashi early this morning. The gallant troops that laid in wait at the terrorists suspected crossing point engaged them on sight, killed the 7 terrorists and recovered 1 Peugeot Station Wagon loaded with 2,010 litres of Premium Motor Spirit packed in 67 Jerri cans, uniforms, some materiels and Improvised Explosive making Devices (IEDs). Others items recovered include, dry cell batteries, 1 AK-47 rifle, tools and fish. Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman Acting Director, Army Public Relations.

@iam_Davido Chastised Those Who Are Angry At Other People’s Success

Davido who likes to show off his success took to his IG page to chastise those who are angry about other people’s success. Read What He wrote Below:-

INEC has Declared Rivers Rerun Inconclusive

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission has suspended all the election in all constituencies in the state. In a statement late on Sunday, the commission said it ordered the suspension, pending the receipt of a comprehensive report from its field officials and monitors. INEC had already cancelled election in eight local councils in the state because of violence.

Clarifying it’s latest order, INEC said “the suspension does not affect constituencies where the exercise has been completed and the results declared by the returning officers”. No result so far has been declared officially in the rerun poll for state and national Assembly seats. But INEC said results are ready in one Federal Constituency and 11 state assembly seats.

Elaborating on the suspension, INEC’s Director in charge of Voter Education and Publicity, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, said: “Rather unfortunately, some of these elections witnessed the disruption of the process, including the barricading of some of the INEC Local Government offices and Registration Area Centres (RACs) used for the distribution of Electoral materials which led to the late commencement of the exercise in some places and consequently, its smooth take off.

“Of more serious concern was the level of threats, violence and intimidation of election officials and voters by well-armed thugs and miscreants allegedly acting on behalf of some politicians, which marred the elections in some areas.

“There were reports of numerous attacks resulting in fatalities, kidnappings, ballot snatching, diversion of officials and materials, amongst others, which necessitated its suspension in eight Local Government Areas.

“Regrettably, such deviant behaviour has continued today. Several permanent and ad hoc staff engaged have been attacked, again resulting in fatalities, while some have been forcibly abducted and taken to presently unknown destinations”.

Mr Osaze-Uzzi, stressed that under such difficult circumstance, the Returning Officers were only able to collate and declare results in one Federal and nine State constituencies where the disruption and malpractices were not so widespread.

“Having reviewed the situation, the Commission is compelled to suspend all further action concerning the exercise in all the other constituencies in the State pending the receipt of a comprehensive report from its Field Officials and Monitors. “For the avoidance of doubt, it should be noted that the suspension does not affect the constituencies where the exercise has been completed and the results declared by the Returning Officers”.

INEC had earlier suspended election in eight local government areas of the state. Addressing reporters earlier on Sunday the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Aniedi Ikoiwak, said that the cancelation was due to irregularities at the affected local government areas. Election held in Etche and Asari-Toru Local Government Areas were the latest to be cancelled.

In a press statement, the INEC said: “Further to our earlier pronouncement on the suspension of the re-run in the six Local Government Areas of Khana, Bonny, Gokana, Andoni, Tai and Eleme, following disturbances and violence that impeded the electoral process in those parts of the state, it has become necessary to suspend elections in Etche and Asari-Toru LGAs for the same reasons.

“Please note that the suspension of the re-run elections by INEC is necessitated by the need to forestall breakdown of law and order in the event of further aggravation of crisis. “INEC needs to put all stakeholders on notice that we are still studying the situation in the other fifteen LGAs, where collations are currently going on”.