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Carlos Ghosn is released on bail set at $9m after more than 100 days in detention in Japan.

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India's LGBT community describe "large fight for equality" six months after gay sex was legalised.

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Ethan Lindenberger hit the headlines after defying his mum and getting himself vaccinated.

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How Nicaragua's president was accused of sexual abuse by his own stepdaughter

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The children are often arbitrarily held and tortured to force confessions, Human Rights Watch says.

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The firm urged staff to use "good judgement" in their fashion choices as it relaxed its dress standards.

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The R&B singer was charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault - which he denies.

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Satellite images indicate rapid work to rebuild the partially dismantled Sohae site, say analysts.

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Relatives of the founder of JeM, the group behind the deadly Kashmir attack, are among 44 arrested.

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A US psychologist who specialises in conflict resolution overseas is now turning her attention to race at home.

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Algeria's president has barely been seen since he had a stroke in 2013, so how can he run a country?

A Coalition of Opposition House of Assembly Candidates has asked security agencies to declare Ondo State a ‘Red Spot’ ahead of the Saturday's House of Assembly elections.

The Coalition, which comprises candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), made the demand on Tuesday at an emergency press conference held in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Speaking on behalf of the candidates, Ebenzer Adeniyan, the SDP candidate seeking to represent Akure South Constituency I at the state House of Assembly, said the coalition had uncovered a "grand plot to cause violence and manipulate” Saturday's House of Assembly election.

He alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had “perfected plans to rig the Assembly elections” by contracting members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

According to Adeniyan, the plot being hatched by Rotimi Akeredolu, Governor of Ondo State, is to favour all APC candidates contesting in Saturday's parliamentary election.

The SDP candidate added that Akeredolu had been holding a series of meetings with artisans, government workers and traders in the state ahead of the election, and is “too desperate to manipulate” the elections.

He explained that the coalition had petitioned the security agencies in the state on the matter.

"We wish to bring to your notice the clandestine plot by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to cause mayhem in the House of Assembly elections on behalf of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said: "This plot was hatched as a result of the poor performance of the APC in the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections in Ondo State, particularly in the central senatorial district where the party did not win any seat. 

"The coming House of Assembly election has, therefore, been tagged a must-win for the party, using all means necessary.

"It is on this note that we are calling on all the security agencies to declare Ondo State a flash point and red spot in the build up to the House of Assembly elections coming up on Saturday in the state.

"The APC government also plans to influence a reduction in the presence of security officers in polling units where the attacks would be carried out. We should all take note that the factors that precipitated the 1983 election crisis in Ondo State, especially in Akure, are at play here again. 

"The Governor, as the number one citizen of the state and chief security officer saddled with responsibility to protect lives and properties of the citizens, should know the implications if he is the one emboldening, threatening and coaxing thugs to cause political violence.

"It should be noted that the citizens would be prepared to defend themselves against their Governor and his thugs. The people of Ondo State must be allowed to make their choice freely on March 9 without intimidation and violence.

"The desperation of Governor Akeredolu and APC to gain control of the state by declaring war on the people would be resisted by our members as this state belongs to all of us.”

In his remarks, Lade Fasua, the PDP contesting to represent Akure South Constituency II, said the opposition candidates are ready to resist any attempt by Akeredolu and the APC to manipulate the House of Assembly elections.

"We shall encourage our followers, members of our parties and the people to defend themselves and their votes on March 9. To forestall breakdown of law and order before, during and after the election, we therefore call on all the security agencies in the state, critical stakeholders to call the Governor to order and do everything possible to protect the people of Ondo State and their votes on March 9. The 1983 political violence and its aftermath still linger on; Governor Akeredolu should not set the state on fire because of his desperation,” Fasua said.

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Dele Belgore, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), on Tuesday told Justice Rilwan Aikawa sitting in Federal High Court in Lagos that he never met or dealt with Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources.

He said he was not aware that the N450million he signed for in 2015 came from her.

Belgore, who was the Goodluck Jonathan Presidential Campaign Organisation coordinator in Kwara State ahead of the 2015 general election, was testifying in his trial before Justice Aikawa.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged him; Professor Abubakar Suleiman, the former National Planning Minister; and Alison-Madueke (said to be at large) with money laundering.

In the nine-count charge, EFCC accused them of making cash payment of N10million to Dr Emmanuel Onucheyo, the Kwara State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), at the time.

The commission said they also paid N10million to Garba Saliu, a Commissioner of Police, on March 27, 2015 without going through a financial institution.

The sums, the commission said, exceeded the amount authorised by law and violated Sections 1(a) and 16 (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act of 2012 and punishable under Section 16 (2) (b).

EFCC said they “directly took possession of the sum N450million,” which they allegedly indirectly spent, adding that they “reasonably ought to have known [that the money] forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act”.

Belgore and Suleiman pleaded not guilty.

Two prosecution witnesses had testified that Alison-Madueke collected N23billion from three oil marketers, Northern Belt Ltd, Actus Integrated Ltd, Midwestern Company, and one Mr Leno Laitan, ahead of the 2015 general election, and that it was part of the money that Belgore signed for.

But Belgore, who said he did not know the companies, explained how he came about the N450million.

“I don’t know any of the said marketers that PW1 claimed provided the money. I never met or dealt with them. PW1 and PW2 (EFCC investigators) said the money was paid out on Diezani’s instructions. I have no information about that. I never met her. I have never spoken with her. I never dealt with or spoken with anybody claiming to be acting on her behalf,” he said.

Belgore said he was made to believe that the money was from the campaign organisation and not from another source.

He said: “On the contrary, we asked the presidential campaign headquarters for funds for the election, because there were agitations from candidates and stakeholders for funds. We were told there were no funds available, but that a series of fundraising activities had been lined up.

“I know that funds were indeed raised. I also know that within a very short time, the headquarters called me and said the funds were available. On March 26, 2015, I received a call from the financial director of the campaign organisation, Mrs Nenadi Usman, that the money had been sent.

“There was no basis, evidence or indication that the money came from any other place other than the presidential campaign headquarters. As a matter of fact, it was during my interrogation in November 2016 that I first heard from PW2 that said funds did not come from the presidential campaign headquarters as I was made to believe.

“Up until then, no one other than PW1 and PW2 had told me that the N450million did not come from the fundraising activities conducted by the Presidential Campaign Organisation.”

Two separate video clips from bank CCTV camera recordings were shown in court. They were tendered by Belgore to prove that he did not leave the bank with the money even though he signed for it.

“I did not see myself in the first and second videos. I could not make out anybody I knew in them,” he said.

The first clip lasted for about 55 minutes, while the second lasted for one and a half hours.

Justice Aikawa adjourned until March 27 and April 10 for continuation of trial.

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Adeleke Oyewole, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, has been attacked by thugs suspected to be political supporters.

Oyewole, who is also the Chairman of the association of commercial motorcyclists, was attacked during the APC ward meeting at Idanre in Idanre-Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State on Monday.

It was gathered that the assailants, who were all armed with dangerous weapons, made deep cuts on Oyewole's forehead after attacking him with knives.

The armed hoodlums have been accused as being "thugs" of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Toyin Adeyinka, who witnessed the incident, confirmed the attack to SaharaReporters via phone on Tuesday evening.

Adeyinka said the assailants were on a mission to unleash terror on members of the party who were peaceful holding their meeting. 

"The boys (thugs) were armed with dangerous weapons such as bottles, cutlasses, knives and planks with red-soaked eyes daring to kill. And they stormed the venue of the meeting in Ala Ward of Ehin Peti in Odede Idanre around 5pm; and before we knew it, they started destroying the chairs.

"They slapped and beat those who had the effontery to challenge them on their mission to disrupt the ongoing APC ward meeting. It was in the process they attacked Mr. Oyewole and cut his forehead with cutlasses, while other the APC members scampered for their lives, although not without injuries.

"The attacks have been reported to the Police but the fear now is that the APC members have all vowed to retaliate regarding the unwarranted attack on their members in Idanre. It might be bloody if they carry out the threat.”

Our correspondent learnt that Oyewole was rushed down to the hospital and is currently receiving treatment at the Alade Hospital.

Femi Joseph, Police Spokesman in Ondo State, confirmed the attack to reporters, noting that the command has launched an investigation into the case.

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Scores of women and youth on Tuesday staged a march at Nembe-Bassambiri community of Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State over “intimidation by the state government to cow them into voting against their choices” in the forthcoming state Assembly elections.

The indigenes of Nembe-Bassambiri bore various placards with inscriptions such as ‘Governor H.S. Dickson, Stop the Killings of APC Members in Nembe-Bassambiri’; ‘Seven Years in Office, No Single Project in Nembe-Bassambiri’ and ‘Toru-Orua for PDP While Nembe-Bassambiri is for APC’.

They insisted that the claim that the community was sacked by armed men is untrue.

Ingoebiye Braid, a woman leader in the area, said they are “faced with persecution” in the hands of the state government because of their political stance.

Speaking on the reason for the protest, Kombonimi Awo, the Community Development Committee (CDC) Secretary, debunked the reports that the community has been deserted due to violence between supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) during and after the presidential and National Assembly elections.

“People are carrying rumours and are being sponsored by the Bayelsa Government that the community has been deserted but all these are false. Nobody is running out of the community. The elders, chiefs, women and youth are going about their businesses without fear and molestation.

“There was no fight or crisis in the community during and after the National Assembly and presidential elections. The only people that are out of the community are those hired with fake uniforms and thugs.

“The rumours that the whole community has vacated is pure lie. Those paid to stage protest in the state capital are paid agents of stabilisation. The call for the cancellation of the last election is wicked and should not be honoured by INEC. We voted peacefully without intimidation.”

There had been reports that no fewer than 1,000 persons had fled and taken refuge in Yenagoa and neighbouring communities in Bayelsa as a result of activities of thugs sponsored by the All Progressive Congress (APC) and that they had mounted illegal road blocks.

The reports also claimed that the alleged sponsored thugs had resisted soldiers and policemen deployed to the area.

However, when SaharaReporters correspondent visited the community, people were seen going about their lawful activities with markets and schools opened for their daily activities.

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Scores of women and youth on Tuesday staged a march at Nembe-Bassambiri community of Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State over “intimidation by the state government to cow them into voting against their choices” in the forthcoming state Assembly elections.

The indigenes of Nembe-Bassambiri bore various placards with inscriptions such as ‘Governor H.S. Dickson, Stop the Killings of APC Members in Nembe-Bassambiri’; ‘Seven Years in Office, No Single Project in Nembe-Bassambiri’ and ‘Toru-Orua for PDP While Nembe-Bassambiri is for APC’.

They insisted that the claim that the community was sacked by armed men is untrue.

Ingoebiye Braid, a woman leader in the area, said they are “faced with persecution” in the hands of the state government because of their political stance.

Speaking on the reason for the protest, Kombonimi Awo, the Community Development Committee (CDC) Secretary, debunked the reports that the community has been deserted due to violence between supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) during and after the presidential and National Assembly elections.

“People are carrying rumours and are being sponsored by the Bayelsa Government that the community has been deserted but all these are false. Nobody is running out of the community. The elders, chiefs, women and youth are going about their businesses without fear and molestation.

“There was no fight or crisis in the community during and after the National Assembly and presidential elections. The only people that are out of the community are those hired with fake uniforms and thugs.

“The rumours that the whole community has vacated is pure lie. Those paid to stage protest in the state capital are paid agents of stabilisation. The call for the cancellation of the last election is wicked and should not be honoured by INEC. We voted peacefully without intimidation.”

There had been reports that no fewer than 1,000 persons had fled and taken refuge in Yenagoa and neighbouring communities in Bayelsa as a result of activities of thugs sponsored by the All Progressive Congress (APC) and that they had mounted illegal road blocks.

The reports also claimed that the alleged sponsored thugs had resisted soldiers and policemen deployed to the area.

However, when SaharaReporters correspondent visited the community, people were seen going about their lawful activities with markets and schools opened for their daily activities.

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says he will continue to criticise President Muhammadu Buhari.

Obasanjo said this in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State, on Tuesday spoke at a public lecture organised by the Centre for Human Security and Dialogue, an arm of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), to mark his 82nd birthday.

The event featured a public lecture, titled ‘Colonialism, Apartheid, Freedom and South Africa Rising’, delivered by Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi (MP), President of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in South Africa.

After Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, the Alake of Egbaland, appealed to Obasanjo to reduce his criticism of Buhari, his boss, Obasanjo responded that we wouldn't stop as he was also Buhari's boss.

Oba Gbadebo had said: “You all know that I was an officer under General Buhari so each time Obasanjo criticises my boss, I always stand to say my senior, please leave the President alone! At 82, Baba is still fighting on, please fight less and be a consultant to everybody.”

However, in response, Obasanjo told the traditional ruler to advise Buhari to govern the country right.

“I believe that Africa has no alternative to democracy, good governance and development, growth and progress of our economy. We have none and if that is not happening in any country, those who keep quiet about it are accomplices to the crime," he said.

“You see, in a democracy, you criticise a policy of government because it is not a family affair. Even if it is my brother that is there and he is not doing what I think he should do, he must be criticised. That is what democracy is all about: criticisms; saying the other side.

“So, if I say anybody in government in Nigeria or any government for that matter is not doing well, let that government prove that he is doing well. So, Kabiyesi, your boss, Buhari; there is nothing personal between me and him. Just as he is your boss, I am also his boss with due respect.

“The point is that I have been in that position longer than any Nigerian could ever be there. That is the truth because if any Nigerian comes in now and have two terms, he will not have almost four (4) years of military rule.

“I have been there longer than any Nigerian will ever be there. So, when I say something, I know what I am talking about. So, Kabiyesi, anytime you say ‘leave my boss alone’, I agree, he is your boss, but I am also his boss. So, you might also ask your boss to leave his boss alone or do what is right that his boss wants him to do.”

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says he will continue to criticise President Muhammadu Buhari.

Obasanjo said this in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State, on Tuesday spoke at a public lecture organised by the Centre for Human Security and Dialogue, an arm of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), to mark his 82nd birthday.

The event featured a public lecture, titled ‘Colonialism, Apartheid, Freedom and South Africa Rising’, delivered by Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi (MP), President of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in South Africa.

After Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, the Alake of Egbaland, appealed to Obasanjo to reduce his criticism of Buhari, his boss, Obasanjo responded that we wouldn't stop as he was also Buhari's boss.

Oba Gbadebo had said: “You all know that I was an officer under General Buhari so each time Obasanjo criticises my boss, I always stand to say my senior, please leave the President alone! At 82, Baba is still fighting on, please fight less and be a consultant to everybody.”

However, in response, Obasanjo told the traditional ruler to advise Buhari to govern the country right.

“I believe that Africa has no alternative to democracy, good governance and development, growth and progress of our economy. We have none and if that is not happening in any country, those who keep quiet about it are accomplices to the crime," he said.

“You see, in a democracy, you criticise a policy of government because it is not a family affair. Even if it is my brother that is there and he is not doing what I think he should do, he must be criticised. That is what democracy is all about: criticisms; saying the other side.

“So, if I say anybody in government in Nigeria or any government for that matter is not doing well, let that government prove that he is doing well. So, Kabiyesi, your boss, Buhari; there is nothing personal between me and him. Just as he is your boss, I am also his boss with due respect.

“The point is that I have been in that position longer than any Nigerian could ever be there. That is the truth because if any Nigerian comes in now and have two terms, he will not have almost four (4) years of military rule.

“I have been there longer than any Nigerian will ever be there. So, when I say something, I know what I am talking about. So, Kabiyesi, anytime you say ‘leave my boss alone’, I agree, he is your boss, but I am also his boss. So, you might also ask your boss to leave his boss alone or do what is right that his boss wants him to do.”

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Uche Secondus, the party’s National Chairman, on Tuesday in Abuja stormed the national headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register their displeasure with the outcome of the just concluded presidential election and the involvement of the military "as if there was war."

The protest began from the Presidential Campaign Office (Legacy House) in Maitama, Abuja, and was attended by supporters of the party.

The protesters bore placards with inscriptions such as ‘Give Us Our Mandate’, ‘Buhari Must Go’, ‘We Voted for Atiku’ and ‘Mahmood Give Us Original Result’.

Secondus presented a protest letter to May Agbamuche-Mbu, the National Commissioner, stating that the PDP was exercising its rights within the confines of the law.

He condemned the deployment of the military to the strongholds of the party in the South, adding that the party had submitted a petition to the United Nations and the Commonwealth on the matter.

“We want to state clearly going forward. Is that what is going to happen on the 9th? That you will militarise the entire exercise?” Secondus asked.

He also told the commission of the “rigging and manipulation that took place across the country during the elections”, adding that the party was challenging the declaration of the commission in the court.

His words: "As a matter of fact the whole Niger Delta has been declared a state of emergency and taken over. The governors there don't have power anymore. They cannot call Commissioner of Police. The military has taken over.

"We have come to register our protest with INEC on our displeasure with the conduct of the 2019 general election. We want to also register that as you conduct the affairs of INEC, historians are recording what is going on. Of course, we read what happened in 1960 and 1963 on the election that took place and their key actors. Where will history record INEC? It was a purely civilian exercise, and INEC involved the military as if there was war.”

He accused the security agents of bias and suppressing voters to prevent them from coming out to exercise their franchise.

Agbamuche-Mbu, who received the protest letter on behalf of the commission, assured the party that their grievances and observations would be examined.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged members of the public to dismiss insinuations that it will jettison the use of card readers for Saturday's governorship and state houses of assembly elections.

There were problems of voter accreditation via the smart card reader during the February 23 presidential and national assembly elections in many polling units across the country, meaning some voters were indeed manually accredited.

However, Festus Okoye Esq, INEC's National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, confirmed on Tuesday that this does not in any way suggest the commission  won't use the device on Saturday.

"Since the conduct of the February 23, 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections, there have been allegations from certain quarters that the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was selective in its use of Smart Card Readers (SCRs) in its conduct of the elections. These allegations have led to speculations that INEC may be forced to jettison their use in the March 9, 2019 Governorship, State Houses of Assembly and Federal Capital Area Council elections," read a statement released to SaharaReporters by Okoye.

"INEC hereby states categorically that the allegations are absolutely false and the speculations are without any basis whatsoever. The use of the Smart Card Readers is not only mandatory but its deliberate non-use attracts the sanction of possible persecution of erring officials in accordance with the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of election. This is in addition to the voiding of any result emanating from such units or areas, as was done in the Presidential and National Assembly elections of February 23, 2019.

"The general public and all officials engaged for the elections are hereby informed that the Commission is not reconsidering the use of these Smart Card Readers, which has greatly improved the credibility of our elections and instilled a high level of public trust in them.

"To clear any doubt or ambiguity, we wish to state that the deployment and mandatory use Smart Card Readers in next Saturday's election will not only be uniform but also universal, and the provisions of the Regulations and Guidelines will be strictly and vigorously enforced. All Stakeholders are to note and be guided accordingly please."

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged members of the public to dismiss insinuations that it will jettison the use of card readers for Saturday's governorship and state houses of assembly elections.

There were problems of voter accreditation via the smart card reader during the February 23 presidential and national assembly elections in many polling units across the country, meaning some voters were indeed manually accredited.

However, Festus Okoye Esq, INEC's National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, confirmed on Tuesday that this does not in any way suggest the commission  won't use the device on Saturday.

"Since the conduct of the February 23, 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections, there have been allegations from certain quarters that the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was selective in its use of Smart Card Readers (SCRs) in its conduct of the elections. These allegations have led to speculations that INEC may be forced to jettison their use in the March 9, 2019 Governorship, State Houses of Assembly and Federal Capital Area Council elections," read a statement released to SaharaReporters by Okoye.

"INEC hereby states categorically that the allegations are absolutely false and the speculations are without any basis whatsoever. The use of the Smart Card Readers is not only mandatory but its deliberate non-use attracts the sanction of possible persecution of erring officials in accordance with the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of election. This is in addition to the voiding of any result emanating from such units or areas, as was done in the Presidential and National Assembly elections of February 23, 2019.

"The general public and all officials engaged for the elections are hereby informed that the Commission is not reconsidering the use of these Smart Card Readers, which has greatly improved the credibility of our elections and instilled a high level of public trust in them.

"To clear any doubt or ambiguity, we wish to state that the deployment and mandatory use Smart Card Readers in next Saturday's election will not only be uniform but also universal, and the provisions of the Regulations and Guidelines will be strictly and vigorously enforced. All Stakeholders are to note and be guided accordingly please."

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It will happen to all of us, but how and when we die speaks volumes about who we are and where we live.

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The French are planning a new commemoration to the battle of Agincourt. How should a museum depict a famous defeat?

Cecilia Olufunke Akintayo, a Professor of Industrial Chemistry, will deliver the first Inaugural Lecture of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), the university has announced.

The lecture, to be held on Friday, April 12, at the university’s auditorium, is titled ‘The Place of Plant Oil Derived Products as Sustainable Replacement for Petrochemical Products in Industries.’

“This is a historic occasion for us,” Kayode Soremekun, the Vice Chancellor of the university, said.

Prof. Akintayo started her career as an Assistant Lecturer in 1997 and rose up the ladder as an Associate Professor in 2012. Three years later, she became a full Professor of Industrial Chemistry in Federal University, Oye Ekiti. She undertook postdoctoral work in the Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany between 2009 and 2011 under the auspices of the Alexander von Humboldt fellowship.

Prof Akintayo is also a Schlumberger faculty for the future fellowship and has visited Chemistry Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, United States of America for a postdoctoral research in collaboration with Professor Daniel Clark. She has published about 30 articles in international peer reviewed journals.

She has won several research grants including: International Foundation of Science Grants (IFS), Third World Academic of Science Grants (TWAS) and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) research grants.

She is the University Chairman of the TETFund Committee and the Director of Academic Planning, Federal University, Oye Ekiti.

In another development, the head of the university’s Department of Theatre and Media Arts, Mbachaga Desen Jonathan, has been approved to present a paper at the University of Iceland in May. The NORA conference has the theme: ‘Border Regimes, Territorial Discourses and Feminist Politics.’

Mbachaga’s paper is titled ‘Redefining Female Visibility in Cultural Space: Irene Salami’s ‘The Queen Sisters’ and Ola Rotimi’s ‘Our Husband has Gone Mad Again.’

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The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), a pro-democracy and non-governmental body, has described the just-concluded presidential and National Assembly election is a “charade and a monumental travesty of justice”.

The group has also encouraged Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to explore the legal option that he has alraedy said he would.

HURIWA accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of manipulating the outcomes of the presidential and National Assembly's polls in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and as such committed “more egregious and satanic crimes than the alleged billionaire kidnapper, Mr. Evans”. 

According to the group, "the double standards show that Nigeria is an unjust community of individuals that support travesty of justice committed by the elite but would very rapidly carry out mob justice on petty criminals".

The group cited instances in which they accused the President of tampering with the rule of law, such as the “unconstitutional suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen over nebulous charges and his (Buhari's) persistent disobedience of several court orders in the cases of erstwhile National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, and the leader of Shiites Islamic Movement, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky”.

HURIWA also accused Buhari of deploying the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) to “intimidate and sow fear” in the minds of judicial officers. 

A media statement by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, and the head of legal, Barrister Sylvia Nneka Okonkwo, referred to the presidential election as “the most predatory and roguish political enterprise that has ever happened in the twenty century world".

The statement read: “The election was anything but peaceful, transparent, free and fair, just as the collation of results at the national level was choreographed to appear like a scenario whereby a robbery gang took their time to allocate the looted fund to themselves whereas the victims are left to agonise and pass through trauma. The European and so-called observers from ECOWAS, AU and Commonwealth were bribed to endorse the sham elections by INEC.

“The election witnessed the most brazen acts of deprivation of the right to vote technically and systematically implemented by INEC against the southern voters and most especially, voters bearing Christian names because of the widespread perception that Christians would normally not vote for a government that did nothing to stop the genocide against them by armed Fulani herdsmen.

“HURIWA condemned the electoral violence that trailed the polls in Kogi, Rivers, Bayelsa, Lagos and the deliberate disenfranchisement of Igbo voters in Lagos and Sabon Gari, Kano by the political godfathers of those states in collusion with INEC. HURIWA stated that the pains of the manipulation of the election may take years to heal but the group has called on like-minded ideological citizens to organize themselves and champion the cause of achieving total electoral reforms to make the electoral body truly independent.

“HURIWA has therefore called on the police to arrest and prosecute all those who disrupted the polls as captured by the vigilant cameras of patriotic Nigerians which are circulating on verified accounts of several credible statesmen and women of truth.

“Sweeping the organized crimes that happened during the elections behind the carpets of impunity is no longer an option. We condemn all those who are gloating and celebrating over the results of the election which, in all honesty is worse, than the crimes ascribed to the Evans, the billionaire kidnapper.”

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Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency, Ondo State, have accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of colluding with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to “rig” the just-concluded presidential and National Assembly elections.

A statement by Agbajuni Oluwafemi, APC's Publicity Secretary in Okitipupa Local Government Area, noted that the election which held on February 23, 2019, was marred by irregularities.

In the statement obtained by SaharaReporters, the party asked INEC to declare Albert Akintoye, the APC candidate, winner of the election.

The party gave instances of happenings during the election, which was characterised by violence and irregularities, “purportedly organised by PDP in connivance with the electoral umpire (INEC) and security agents”.

The statement read: “Below are parts of the evil perpetrated in Okitipupa/Irele Federal constituency. In Okitipupa, the National Vice Chairman South-West of PDP, Olorogun Eddy Olafeso, led thugs who carried dangerous weapons and charms to Okitipupa.

“They chased voters away and manipulated the results of various units. For instance, card readers were not allowed to be used in Okitipupa ward 2 units 002, yet they recorded 66 for APC, 102 for PDP, and in unit 019, they recorded 54 for APC and136 for PDP without the use of card readers.

“Same thing happened to the entire three wards in Ilutitun, the home town of the PDP House of Representatives candidate, Mr. Ikengboju Gboluga, where voting materials for units 14 and 15 were burnt down by PDP thugs. As if that was not enough, card readers were not allowed to be used in virtually all the three units in Ilutitun. Yet, votes were unjustifiably awarded to PDP, which culminated into unwarranted allotment of the highest number of votes to PDP by INEC in the entire federal constituency.

“In Ode Aye ward 1, unit 002, thugs beat up APC members and did not allow the use of card readers. This incident led to the cancellation of the result of the unit. Also, Igbotako was not left out of this ill act as thugs invaded unit 001 of Igbotako ward 2. The unit is situated in the homefront of erstwhile deputy governorship candidate of ACN, Otunba Paul Akintelure. The thugs beat up whoever they sighted and set ablaze the election materials in the place. Also in Akinfosile unit, men in Army uniform snatched away already counted ballots and whisked away the corps member, who was the INEC ad hoc staff on duty for hours.

“Card readers were also not used in unit 011of Iju Odo/Erekiti ward where thugs casted all the votes, but then INEC still awarded votes at will to that unit. In Irele LG, virtually the elections in all the units were marred with various forms of irregularities ranging from no usage of card readers, ballot snatching, use of dangerous weapons and charms, to burning of electoral materials in the full glare of security personnel.

"Our prayer Sir, is that Honourable Albert Akintoye, the APC's flagbearer in Okitipupa/Irele federal constituency, should be declared the winner of the election more so that the candidates of other political parties concurred that Albert Akintoye genuinely won the election.

“Not this alone, there were series of protests on the streets of towns and villages in Okitipupa and Irele local governments against the conduct of the election.”

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