Headlines
INEC Conducts Lagos Supplementary Poll Saturday

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State on Thursday met with various security agencies in the state to ensure successful supplementary election in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Federal Constituency on Saturday.
INEC Spokesman, Femi Akinbiyi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) that the commission was ready to conclude the exercise.
NAN reports that the meeting, held at the INEC Office, Sabo-Yaba, had representatives of various security outfits including the Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in attendance.
Others at the meeting were representatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Department of State Security (DSS), the Nigerian Army, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Mr Akinbiyi said the security agents had given assurance that there would be safety of men and materials for the election.
He said: “The commission is fully prepared for Saturday April 27 supplementary election in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Federal Constituency.
“Today, we held an Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting on the issue, and at the end of the meeting, they (security agencies) assured the people of the affected area that there is going to be adequate security of men and materials for the elections.
“As such, people in the constituency should come out en masse and vote for the candidate of their choice,” Mr Akinbiyi told NAN.
According to him, the supplementary election becomes imperative due to the margin of lead between the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and that of the All Progressives Congress in the February 23 election.
“As a result of the court order that directed the commission to release the result of the election conducted on February 23, the commission declared the result on April 17 and the election was declared inconclusive.
“This was because there were anomalies, over voting and non-compliance to the use of smart card readers in some polling units in the area.
“We have 71 polling units where the elections were cancelled for reason of over voting and violence,” he said.
These, he said, cut across eight registration areas (Wards), with the total registered voters in the affected areas being 43, 660.
According to him, the materials for the poll are in the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and will be retrieved on Friday for onward movement to the constituency, then to the Registration Area Centres (RACs).
“We will retrain some of the ad hoc staff that will be engaged for the poll same Friday at the RACs. The smart card readers that will be used for the area have been reconfigured,” the Public Relations Officer said.
According to the commission, the affected areas are: Ward 02, Awodi Ora with three polling units; Ward 03, Wilmer with six polling units; Ward 04, Olodi with one polling unit and Ward 05, Tolu with 27 polling units.
Others are: Ward 07, Ojo Road with two polling units; Ward 09, Alaba-Oro with two polling units, Ward 10, Mosafejo with 18 polling units and Ward 11, Temidire 2 with 12 polling units.
The PDP candidate, Rita Orji polled 31, 982 votes, while Kolawole Taiwo of the APC scored 28, 758 votes in the result declared by the commission for the February 23 election.
The difference between PDP and APC is 3,224.
(NAN)
Headlines
2025: Again, Kenyan, Ethiopian Athletes Win Lagos City Marathon

The 2025 edition of the annual 42km 2024 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon has been once again dominated by East African runners from Kenya and Ethiopia.
Kenya’s Edwin Kibet on Saturday emerged winner in the men category, clocking a time of 2:14:06 to win the $50,000 price money.
Kibet came third last year behind his compatriot Bernard Sang who won it with a time of 02:16:49 and another Kenyan Cheprot who came second.
It is Kibet’s second win in the competition following his first victory in the 2023 edition.
In the women’s category, Ethiopia’s Guta Meseret Hirpa emerged victorious clocking a time of 2:37:04 for her first win in the competition.
First Nigerian to finish the race, Nyango Gyang Boyi, made history by finishing in the to 10 positions.
He finished the race in 8th place, clocking a time 2:25:41.58 which will earn him a prize award of $4,000. As the first Nigerian to finish the race, Boyi also won the N2million top prize in the Nigerian category.
The governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was also one of the participants in this year’s Lagos City Marathon.
The 42km race commenced at Western Avenue, in front of the National Stadium Surulere, and finished in front of Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island.
This year’s edition of Access Bank Lagos City Marathon had thousands of runners competing for the top prize.
The annual event was to a gold label by the World Athletics in 2023 less than eight years after its first edition.
Headlines
CDS Visa Denial: No Comments, Canadian Embassy Declares

The Canadian High Commission in Nigeria has refused to make further comments on circumstances surrounding the denial of visas to some senior Nigerian military officials, including the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, citing privacy policies.
The Authorities however, acknowledged social media reports of the situation.
Musa and some military officials were denied visas to attend an event in Canada honouring war veterans, a situation the CDS revealed during an event in Abuja on Thursday.
Responding on Friday, via its social media handle, the Canadian High Commission stated, “The High Commission of Canada in Nigeria is aware of media reports related to planned travel by senior officials. However, for privacy reasons, we are unable to comment on the status of visa applications of specific individuals.”
Headlines
PDP Crisis Deepens As Anyanwu Defies Party, Court, Resumes As Secretary

The embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, has defied the directive of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) amid the ongoing contention for his position.
Anyanwu, on Thursday, resumed at the PDP National Secretariat and continued his duties from his office, despite the position of the party’s NWC.
In a video call with Lere Olayinka, the spokesman of FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, Anyanwu said: “As you can see, I’m in my office. These are my people and we are working.”
Showing Olayinka around during the call, Anyanwu said: “You can see them jumping over the fence, that was how I stayed in my office to catch them through the CCTV.”
The video was posted by Olayinka on his Whatsapp status on Thursday.
The battle over the position of PDP National Secretary started when Anyanwu left to contest for the Imo State governorship election.
Following his departure, the South-East caucus of PDP endorsed the party’s National Youth Leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye, as his replacement.
Anyanwu lost the election and attempted to force his way back as the PDP’s National Secretary, a move which was vehemently opposed by Ude-Okoye.
On December 20, 2024, an Appeal Court ruled in favour of Ude-Okoye as the PDP’s National Secretary.
On January 28, a fight broke out between Anyanwu’s supporters and Ude-Okoye at the PDP National Secretariat during the party’s Board of Trustees, BoT, meeting.
The PDP Governors Forum had affirmed Ude-Okoye as the authentic National Secretary while the party’s NWC also took the same stand.
Similarly, the party’s National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade also backed Ude-Okoye for the position.
On Thursday, the NWC affirmed Ude-Okoye as the party’s National Secretary.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.
The statement reads: “After due consideration of the Memo and the attachments, the NWC overwhelmingly recognizes, acknowledges and confirms Rt. Hon. S.K.E Udeh Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the PDP in full compliance with and obedience to the Judgement of the Court of Appeal, recognizing that there is no subsisting or superseding Judgment or Order from any Court of superior authority or hierarchy.”