Headlines
Guber Polls: INEC Declares Sanwo-Olu, Makinde, Abiodun, AbdulRazaq, Buni, Others Winners
The Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday declared Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Muhammadu Yahaya (Gombe), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe) and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara) the winners of Saturday’s governorship election.
Also, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno; Dr Dikko Radda of the Katsina State All Progressives Congress and his counterpart in Jigawa State, Namadi Dammodi, emerged as the governors-elect.
The APC candidate in the Sokoto State governorship election, Ahmad Sokoto, similarly emerged as the governor-elect in the state, while Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum was set for victory having won the 22 local government areas declared so far in the state on Sunday.
There were also strong indications that the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, would be re-elected as he emerged victorious in 14 out of the 19 LGAs results declared as of 10.21 pm on Sunday, while his closest rival, Sadique Abubakar of the APC won five local government areas.
Similarly, the APC candidate in Benue, Rev Fr. Hyacinth Alia, is currently leading his opponents in the results so far declared by the electoral commission.
Makinde of the PDP was declared the winner of the governorship poll in Oyo State after scoring 563,756 votes to beat his closest rival, Teslim Folarin of the All Progressive Congress scored 256,685 votes.
Adebayo Adelabu of the Accord Party scored 38,357 votes. Makinde, in an interview with newsmen, shortly after he won re-election said he was overwhelmed by the show of love showered on him by the people of the state.
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, said the governor was joined by his wife, Tamunominimin and flanked by family members, friends and associates while celebrating the victory at his residence located in the Ikolaba area of Ibadan.
He thanked the good people of the state for the the confidence reposed in his administration and his ability to lead them.
Makinde speaks Makinde said, “The incoming administration which is tagged Omituntun 2.0, is a film that will be a lot better, sweeter and more effective when compared to Omituntun 1.0.
“Right now, I am just overwhelmed. I want to thank the good people of the state for the confidence they have reposed in this administration and my ability to lead them.’’
Governor Abiodun secured a second term in office after polling 276,298 votes to defeat his PDP opponent, Oladipupo Adebutu, who scored 262,383 votes and 12 other candidates.
The returning officer of the governorship election in Ogun State, Prof. Kayode Adebowale declared Abiodun at the collation centre of the commission in the state.
According to him, the total number of registered voters 2,688,305, while accredited voters were 666,406.
Adebowale said a total of 645,133 votes were valid while 18,835 votes were rejected out of the 663,968 total votes cast.
Sanwo-Olu was re-elected as he has polled the highest number of votes in the governorship election held on Saturday. The results were announced on Sunday at INEC’s collation centre in Yaba, Lagos.
The governor was declared winner with 762,134 votes while his closest rival, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party, polled 312,329 votes. The candidate of the PDP, Olajide Adediran, came third with 62,449 votes.
The Punch
The first hostages freed from Gaza under a long-awaited ceasefire agreement are back in Israel. The news sparked jubilant scenes in Tel Aviv where large crowds gathered ahead of their release.
The three freed Israeli hostages – the first of 33 to be released over the next six weeks – are Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. They are said to be in good health and are receiving treatment at a medical center in Tel Aviv.
In exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are set to be released by Israel from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli military withdrew from several locations in southern and northern Gaza after the truce began earlier on Sunday, an Israeli military official told CNN.
Displaced Gazans have started returning to their homes, while the aid trucks laden with much-needed supplies have crossed into Gaza. Here’s what we know about how the ceasefire deal will work.
Hamas, despite suffering devastating losses, is framing the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a victory for itself, and a failure for Israel.
One of Hamas’ main goals for taking some 250 people during its brazen October 7, 2023, attack on Israel was to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. As Israel pounded Gaza in response, Hamas vowed not to return the hostages until Israel withdrew its forces from the enclave, permanently ended the war, and allowed for rebuilding.
Source: CNN
The leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has said she doesn’t want Britain to be like Nigeria that is plagued by “terrible governments.”
Speaking on Thursday at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank producing research on economic and social issues, Badenoch expressed fears that Britain may become like Nigeria if the system is not reformed.
“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told the audience.
“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.
“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life.
“So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”
Badenoch has been in the news of late after she dissociated herself from Nigeria, saying she has nothing to do with the Islamic northern region.
She also accused the Nigeria Police of robbing citizens instead of protecting them.
She said: “My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive.
“The police in Nigeria will rob us (laughter). When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch.”
