16 parties storm INEC, demand Rivers REC’s removal

                                                                                     Protesters at INEC office

Sixteen political parties from Rivers State stormed the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja on Tuesday, asking for the immediate removal of the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ms. Gesilia Khan.

They said the REC must not be allowed to conduct the Saturday governorship and the state House of Assembly elections in the state.

They also called for the removal of the Head of Operations at INEC, Mr. Bocco Ekong, for allegedly conniving with the REC to rig the elections in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The political parties accused the REC of conniving with the PDP and its governorship candidate, Mr. Nyesom Wike, to rig the April 11 elections in the state.

Chaos in Ekiti

                                                      Atikankan roundabout in Ado Ekiti.. . on Tuesday

Armed policemen and soldiers took over strategic places in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital on Tuesday as the anti-impeachment protests by the Peoples Democratic Party members entered the second day.

The mayhem which also took place in Igede,   Itawure, Efon Alaaye, Iworoko, Aisegba, Ikere, Ise, Ogotun and Igbemo,   led to the death of one person, accidents and the closure of banks.

Nineteen All Progressives Congress members of the state House of Assembly had served an impeachment notice on Governor Ayodele Fayose, citing eight impeachable offences,   including impunity, violence, stalking and other constitutional breaches, against him.

Use dollars for local transactions, go to jail – CBN

                                                                        CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Tuesday raised concerns over the increasing use of foreign currencies as a medium of exchange in the country and warned that persons caught in the illegal act risked a six-month jail term upon conviction.

The central bank said in a statement that some individuals and corporate bodies had been using foreign currencies, especially the United States dollar, to price some of their products and services, and were also using same as a medium of exchange.

The development, the bank said, was against the provisions of the CBN Act, 2007, and asked members of the public to report anyone caught transaction business in the country in foreign currencies to it or the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

I will support Buhari – Clark

                                                                                       Chief Edwin Clark

A former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, has pledged to work with the President-Elect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd.).

He said he will support him the way he supported the late President, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua.

Clark stated this in a congratulatory message sent to the President-elect, who contested the presidential election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress against President Goodluck Jonathan of the peoples Democratic Party in the March 28 presidential election.

He said, “I congratulate you and reassure you that as you get to commence the process of peaceful transition and government, you will have my full support, as a man who strongly believes in the unity of Nigeria, just as I supported our most respected late President, Umaru Yar’Adua, and his successor, President Jonathan, as along as you will, at all times, uphold the dignity of Nigeria and those things that bind us together as one united country.

Bode George, Fani-Kayode, group slam Akiolu

                                                                              Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu

The leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos, Chief Bode George, has berated the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, for allegedly threatening Igbo people to vote for the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, or face death.

George said this at a press conference in Lagos on Wednesday which was attended by a former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe; the PDP Chairman in the state, Tunji Shelle; and other party leaders.

George said it was unfortunate that Akiolu had openly taken sides with a political party. He urged the monarch to relinquish his crown and go into partisan politics if he could not remain neutral.

He said, “The Oba of Lagos is my friend but we belong to different political parties. I was shell-shocked when I heard the comments by my friend telling our Igbo brothers – because they decided who to vote for PDP – that he would curse them to run into the Lagos lagoon. By the grace of God that will never happen.