Prof. Jega Appointed Plateau University Pro Chancellor

The immediate past Chairman of INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega has been appointed Pro Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the Plateau State University. According to a statement by the plateau state Governor’s director of press affairs, Mr Nanle Emmauel, the appointment is with immediate effect.

Top Rivers APC Members Tear Gassed At INEC HQ In Abuja (Photos)

Top members of APC Rivers state chapter led the party's governorship candidate in the April 11th governorship election, Dakuku Peterside, were tear-gassed at INEC headquarters in Abuja yesterday where they'd staged a protest to demand the release of electoral materials used during the last election for inspection by the party. See more photos as you continue...

49 PDP Senators Declare Support For Buhari

The forty-nine ‎Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers in the senate have declared their support for President Muhammadu Buhari. Speaking at a press conference at the national assembly complex in Abuja on Thursday, Godswill Akpabio, minority whip, joined 48 of his PDP colleagues to express their determination to support the president.

 However, they lamented that PDP members were being targeted in the anti-corruption crusade of the federal government.

 “The PDP senate caucus reiterates its support to M‎r President Muhammadu Buhari and his quest to bring about a greater Nigeria,” Akpabio said.

 “The PDP senate caucus, despite its formidable strength, has resolved to offer only credible opposition that would lead to the building of a better Nigeria. 

The caucus will give him all the needed support support to ensure his success as president.” 

“But the PDP senate caucus notes the crusade against corruption undertaken by the APC-led federal government and hereby declares her support to rid Nigeria of corruption.

 The caucus is not happy with the current trend that seems to suggest that the war against corruption is selective and targeted at PDP stalwarts and states.

 “The current war lacks transparency, fairness to all and appears to be aimed at political adversaries. It is on this ground that we condemn in particular what is happening in Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Abia states where election umpires are daily arrested, their families and associates hounded, and judicial officers involved in election tribunals intimidated and questioned using trumped up petitions bordering on corruption. 

“Yet, these officials were part of the 2015 elections that produced President Buhari, an election adjudged to be generally free and fair by the international community.” 

Akpabio also alleged that the Department of State Service (DSS) was being used to wreak havoc on PDP-controlled states.

 ‎”The PDP senate caucus is worried, alarmed and shocked by the recent development in our polity where the DSS is now involved in electoral matters,” he said.

 “A situation where officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers state, Akwa Ibom and Abia states (all PDP states) are daily being arrested, detained and questioned on politically motivated corruption allegations is worrisome and spells doom for our democracy unless the trend is reversed. 

“Reports reaching the caucus has it that INEC officials are being forced by the DSS to produce falsified documents to support APC candidates cases before the tribunals.

 “This is abominable and unacceptable. Mr President and all well-meaning Nigerians must intervene to preserve the independence of the tribunals and that of INEC.‎”

 While reiterating the pledge of the PDP to provide constructive opposition to the APC government, Akpabio urged the president to treat all Nigerians equally.


Thecable

INEC National Commissioner is dead

Professor Muritala Salau, the INEC National Commissioner representing South West has died at 67.

Mr. Salau, a former Vice Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, died at Turkish Hospital in Abuja after a brief illness on Saturday.

He was buried according to Islamic rites at the Muslim Cemetery, Moniya, Ibadan, on Sunday evening.

His corpse arrived at the Ibadan airport at 4.15 p.m. where the Janazah (funeral) prayers.

The prayer was witnessed by his immediate family members, INEC officials, members of the academic community, Islamic clerics, Muslim groups and other sympathisers.

The corpse was later led to the cemetery in a long convoy where he was buried amidst prayers.

An in-law to the deceased, Ishaq Sanni, who also double as the Chairman, Muslim Community of Oyo State, described his death as painful, as he was always concerned about people’s welfare.

Mr. Sanni said the Muslim community would miss him greatly because of his exemplary leadership qualities and kindness to the people.

Speaking in the same vein, a colleague of the deceased at INEC, Lai Olurode, said his death was sad and a personal loss to him as the two of them were from both the academic community and South West.

Mr. Olurode said he was with the deceased in Abuja before he took ill where he spoke as if he knew he was going to die soon.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Mr. Salau was born on November 21, 1947, in Ibadan, Oyo State.

He attended Islamic High School, Orita Bashorun, Ibadan on Western Region Scholarship between 1960 and 1964, and proceeded to University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Osun State to study Physics on Federal Government Scholarship where he graduated in 1971.
His passion for education took him to Stanford University Palo –Alto Ca94305, USA, where he obtained his Master of Science and Ph. D degrees in Applied Physics in 1974 and 1976, respectively.

He was Sole Administrator, LAUTECH from June 15, 1997, to July 5, 1999. He became Acting Vice Chancellor of the school on July 6, 1999 and he was confirmed as substantive Vice Chancellor on May 23, 2000, where he was till May 22, 2005.

Mr. Salau was sworn-in by former President Goodluck Jonathan on January 7, 2015, as INEC National Commissioner, representing the South West, the position he held till his demise.
A devoted Muslim, the deceased was survived by his wife and children.

(NAN)