SABINEWS EVENING NEWS UPDATE – FEBRUARY 28, 2019
INEC, RECs meet over governorship elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission is currently meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners at Abuja. The electoral officers are meeting to discuss the March 9 governorship and State House of Assembly and the Federal Capital Territory elections preparations. The elections will be held in 29 of 36 states across the country. Also, part of the agenda of the meeting is for the RECs to give assessments about the just-concluded presidential and National Assembly polls. The presidential election was held on Saturday, February 28. It was marred by delays, sporadic violence, and allegations of vote rigging. Incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari defeated opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party.
Why I won’t congratulate President – Atiku
The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the February 23 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, on Wednesday, said he would not congratulate the President Muhammadu Buhari because the election was not free and fair but marred by many irregularities. The former Vice President, therefore, said that he would challenge the outcome in court. Atiku, in a statement he personally signed early on Wednesday morning, said, “If I had lost in a free and fair election, I would have called the victor within seconds of my being aware of his victory to offer not just my congratulations, but my services to help unite Nigeria by being a bridge between the North and the South.
…We’ll deal with those behind Sokoto, Kaduna killings –President
President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the latest bandits’ attacks in Sokoto and the inter-communal conflict in Kaduna State, and has warned that “mass murder of innocent people by criminals would be met with full force.” Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement, said Buhari commiserated with the families of the victims of the latest bandits’ attacks in Sokoto and the inter-communal conflict in Kaduna states. The president said that, “the death of one innocent Nigerian is no less important than the death of a hundred”, and added that “it is a matter of time before these murderous gangs of criminals meet their Waterloo.”
YPP rejects presidential election result, calls for calm
The Young Progressives Party (YPP) has rejected the results of the just-concluded Presidential election released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), early on Wednesday. The YPP said the decision to reject the results of the election was reached after careful assessment of available facts and proper consultations with stakeholders. The party accused the major political parties of electoral malpractices. “The YPP after careful assessment of available facts upon proper consultation with relevant stakeholders unequivocally reject the results of the Presidential election, declaring President Muhammadu Buhari as winner.
Our candidate still in Akwa Ibom Gov race —APC
The Akwa Ibom State All Progressives Congress has said that its candidate in the state’s governorship election, Nsima Ekere, has not withdrawn from the race. The party said it was reacting to allegations on social media that Ekere has stepped down. A statement by its chairman Information and Strategic Communication Committee and spokesman of Campaign Council, Eseme Eyiboh, said Ekere has no reason to withdraw his candidacy. It said the statement which was purported to have been signed by its spokesperson, Eseme Eyiboh, was untrue. The statement reads, “Our attention has been drawn to (a fake news) currently making the rounds on the social media that the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the March 9, 2019 polls, Obong Nsima Ekere, has withdrawn from the governorship race.
Fayose commends Nigerians, says no victory songs for Buhari
Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose has commended Nigerians for their courage to stand against what he described as ‘gun-point democracy.’
He describing President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly election as one which was secured ‘at the barrel of the gun’ and as such, the winner deserves no celebration. Fayose, who reacted in a statement issued yesterday by his Media Aide, Lere Olayinka, said: “Rather than congratulate President Buhari, who will be leading our country against our wish as a nation, Nigerians deserve commendation for their courage.”
Court sacks Lulu-Briggs as Accord gov candidate in Rivers
A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on Thursday removed Dumo Lulu-Briggs as the governorship candidate of Accord in Rivers State. Justice E. A. Obile held that there was no record indicating that the plaintiff, Precious Baridon, relinquished his (Baridon) position as the authentic governorship candidate to Lulu-Briggs. he court also ruled that Lulu-Briggs should henceforth desist from parading himself as the governorship candidate of Accord.
Buhari’s COS Kyari, meets with service chiefs
The Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Abba Kyari, held a brief meeting with Service Chiefs On Thursday at the Presidential Villa. The agenda of the closed-door meeting was unknown. Those who were at the Villa included the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibok Ekwe Iba; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Abubakar- Sadique. They have since left the Villa.
INEC declares APC winner of Taraba Central Senate seat
The Independent National Electoral Commission Returning Officer for Taraba Central Senatorial District, Prof. Kolawaju Philip, on Thursday declared the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf, winner of February 23, election after polling 98,860 votes. Philip, who declared the results in Bali, said Dahiru Bako of the People’s Democratic Party polled 95,074 while Mr Gilbert Nyangaji of the All Progressives Grand Alliance had 13,319 votes. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the declaration of the senatorial results was delayed as a result of a dispute over the election figures from Kurmi, Sardauna and Bali Local Government Areas.
Nadal blasts Kyrgios for ‘lack of respect’ after Acapulco defeat
Rafael Nadal accused Nick Kyrgios of lacking respect “for the public, the opponent and himself” after a stormy defeat to the Australian firebrand at the Mexico Open. Kyrgios survived three match points to beat top-seeded Nadal 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (8/6) on Wednesday and reach the quarter-finals. However, 17-time major winner Nadal was furious with Kyrgios who at one stage complained of being sick, served underarm late in the match before cupping his ear to the boos of the crowd at the conclusion of the second round tie.
What the FIFA rules say about legality of footballers refusing to be substituted
After the infamous incident that took place in England’s Carabao Cup final on Sunday between Chelsea FC goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and coach Maurizio Sarri, there have been heated discussions and debates about the player power being harmful to the managers in the modern football era.
The Kepa Incident
During the end of additional extra time in the clash between Manchester City and Chelsea, shot-stopper Kepa seemed to be injured after having made a save. Examining the situation at the sidelines, manager Maurizio Sarri ordered goalkeeper Willy Caballero to don his gloves.
Honest Solskjaer keeps me hungry – Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku says he is enjoying working with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United because the manager keeps the striker “hungry”. Lukaku scored twice on Wednesday to end his six-game goalless streak in the English top-flight to guide United to a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Man Utd have now recorded 12 wins from 15 games since Solskjaer was put in charge in December on an interim basis until the end of the season.
Libya rivals agree to hold polls
The head of Libya’s internationally recognised government and a military strongman who backs a rival administration in the country’s east have met and agreed to hold elections, the United Nations said Thursday. Unity government leader Fayez al-Sarraj met Khalifa Haftar on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, where they agreed “on the need to end the transitional phase through general elections and on ways to preserve the stability of #Libya and unify its institutions,” the UN’s Libya mission UNSMIL tweeted. Libya has been torn between rival administrations and a myriad of militias since the NATO-backed overthrow and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.
Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un: Even without a deal, North Korea makes gains at summit
As Kim Jong Un and US president Donald Trump took their seats across from each other at the negotiating table, the North Korean leader confidently told reporters he had a gut feeling the two would conclude their second summit with some sort of an agreement. His gut proved wrong. A few hours later, he was speeding back to his Hanoi hotel, with no deal at all. Gauging Kim’s calculus in a negotiation is never easy, but the ending to his two days in Hanoi with Trump seemed like a major disaster. Kim came to Hanoi seeking sanctions relief, which Trump said he simply could not give. Before Thursday’s sudden rupture, Kim even seemed to be on the verge of something that had eluded his father and grandfather – a declaration by the US president of the end of the Korean War.
‘17% of adult Nigerians don’t have smartphones’
About 17 per cent of Nigerian adults are without smartphones. A study conducted by Pew Research Centre, based in Washington D.C., USA, which disclosed this, however said 39 per cent owned a smartphone, while 44 per cent use ordinary mobile phone. Nigeria, according to Woldometer is a country with 200 million populations. Pew Research Centre noted that smartphone ownership can vary widely by country, even across advanced economies.
Early Nokia 9 PureView sale shaves $100 off the regular price, but only for a week
HMD Global a few days ago unveiled the Nokia 9 PureView smartphone, the world’s first phone that features five cameras on the back. It’s the result of a close collaboration between Nokia, Light, and Qualcomm, as we were told during a meeting at MWC 2019. The handset should offer an unrivaled mobile photography experience, at least in theory, and you’ll soon be able to try it out for yourself. The Nokia 9 will be available in the US next month, and HMD is ready to knock $100 off the regular price if you preorder it early.
