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11 DisCos creates N67bn deficit over poor remittance – NERC

By Favour Nnabugwu

 

 

Failure by 11 electricity distribution companies in Nigeria, DisCos, to fully pay for electricity allocated to them created a deficit of N66.85 billion in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, in the third quarter of 2021, according to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.

NERC in its third quarter report on the sector’s performance stated that while the DisCos were billed N208.54 billion for energy and administrative services by the Nigerian Electricity Bulk Trading Plc and Market Operator, MO, they collectively remitted a total of N141.69 billion (N100.16 billion for NBET and N41.53 billion for MO), translating to a remittance performance of 67.94 percent during the third quarter.

The report added that the remittance was however 17.84 percent higher than the 50 percent remittance rate recorded in the second quarter of 2021.

The report indicated that Eko DisCo recorded 103.29 percent (N20.40 billion) remittance performance while Abuja, Ibadan, Kano, Ikeja, Kaduna and Yola DisCos had remittance performances of 83.24 percent (N23.05 billion), 58.14 percent (N17.50 billion), 49.37 percent (N8.17 billion), 13.35 percent (N2.46 billion) and 21.19% (N0.96 billion) respectively in 2021/Q3.

“This remittance is consistent with relative stability in collections – the escrow mechanism has ensured that as much of the collections as possible is used to meet upstream market obligations”, the report added.

NERC explained that “as part of the conditions for the several interventions that the CBN has extended to the DisCos, an escrow agreement was set up. Under this arrangement, all the revenues of the DisCos are escrowed with DisCos only having access to these funds after necessary deductions (VAT payments, repayments of CBN loans, payments to upstream players in the NESI – TCN and NBET) have been made. This escrow mechanism provides visibility into the financial performance of the DisCos with respect to collections.

“In June 2020, the remit of the fund manager responsible for the escrow was expanded to include the implementation of the payment waterfall framework which was designed by the Commission to increase upstream market remittance to NBET to cover the cost of energy taken from Generation Companies and MO for transmission and administrative services. Prompt payment of upstream market settlements is critical for securing the availability of generation and transmission capacities. The waterfall regime pushes DisCos to boost their collections because a majority of their allowed revenues rank low in the waterfall.

“In the absence of cost-reflective tariffs, the Government undertakes to cover the resultant gap (between the cost-reflective and allowed tariff) in the form of tariff shortfall funding. This funding is applied on the NBET invoices that are to be paid by DisCos.

“The amount to be covered by the DisCo is based on the allowed tariff determined by the Commission and set out as their Minimum Remittance Obligation (MRO) in the periodic tariff Orders issued by the Commission”.

Patoma Admin by — July 25, 2022 in News 0
Akeredolu @ 66: A Hegemon With Collaborative Praxis, says Jimoh Ibrahim

By admin
Business mogul and All Progressives Congress’ senatorial candidate for Ondo South in the forthcoming general elections, Dr Jimoh Ibrahim, CFR, has described Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, as a hegemon  with collaborative praxis.
He stated this on Thursday while congratulating the governor on his 66th birthday anniversary.
Ibrahim said what God has been using the Chairman of  Southwest Governors’ Forum for in the country, particularly in the Souh-West, on security would remain indelible in the history of the nation.
He commended Arakunrin Akeredolu for the industrialization projects which manifested in Ondo State Industrial Park at Omotosho in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.
The popular senatorial candidate noted that the series of industries established in the park has reduced the hitherto high rate of unemployment in the state, particularly in Ondo South.
Jimoh Ibrahim explained that the efforts of the governor in attracting investors to the state paid off through world standard economic policies introduced by his administration in the state.
He said the thoughtfulness of the governor made him decide to construct flyover at Ore, which has brought an end to the ghastly accidents that usually occurred on the busy Ore/Benin highway.
According to Ibrahim, “Arakunrin is a hegemon with collaborative praxis. He ensures unity in our party, APC and members are working collectively with the governor for the success of the party in the forthcoming general elections and beyond.
“He carries everyone along and he’s a good leader who puts all his followers into consideration in all his decisions.
“We thank God for what he has been using him for in Nigeria, Ondo State and Ondo South senatorial district.
“He stands against insecurity in the country because he knows as a governor, the onus lies on him to ensure the protection of lives and property of his people irrespective of their political leaning.
“The governor is well red and enlightened. He is of the view that there’s no way any investor would put his money where security of life and property cannot be assured.
” I commend him on what he had done at the  Industrial Park Omotosho, which has reduced unemployment drastically in the state and Ondo South.
“He constructed the Ore flyover to stamp out avoidable ghastly accidents in which several lives had been lost in the past.”
Ibrahim, therefore, prayed to God to give the governor a long life and sound health to fulfill God’s desires upon him.
Patoma Admin by — July 21, 2022 in Metro 0
Former Nigerian President, Good luck Jonathan tasks African Parliament on accountability

By admin

 

 

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has charged African parliamentarians to rise above narrow partisan considerations and be committed to pursuing the public good.

Jonathan gave the advice in his remarks on Thursday in Banjul, Gambia, at the opening session of a two-day capacity building workshop for members of the Gambian parliament, organised by The Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) in collaboration with the ECOWAS Parliament.

Jonathan, who is the Chair of GJF, said that in the age of democracy and globalisation, Africans had no choice outside of conscious efforts to deepen democratic practices and use the instrumentality of democracy to advance the national interest and promote the public good.

The former President in in his remarks made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said that the parliament as the institutional pillar of democracy played a very important role in fostering political accountability and stability.
“It is understandable when parliamentarians want to assert their independence because they don’t want to be seen to be a rubber stamp or an appendage to the executive.

A parliament should exercise its independence to the extent that it does not compromise its duty to the people or loyalty to the state.

“This should be the foundation of politics. It is also at the heart of governance. Leadership is not about who gets what, how and when, but about impact and derivable benefits to the society.

“Democracy works better and delivers the most goods when the parliament promotes inter-party collaboration around good policies and initiatives,” Jonathan said.

The former President, who acknowledged the importance of separation of powers in a functional democracy, however, said that did not mean that the organs should function like three different governments within a system.

“It is important to emphasise that every country has only one government, one president, one speaker or leader of the parliament and one chief justice who is the head of the judiciary. Together, they form the government of a country.

“I believe that separation of powers works better when it functions like the concept of division of labour in elementary economics. Division of labour does not mean that a factory will have different production lines, working at cross purposes.
“It only means the sharing of responsibilities among different people or departments for optimal performance towards a common goal.”

He said that political leadership in Africa needed to renew their commitment to national aspirations and consciously seek to bridge the gap between partisan considerations and the imperative of national development.

“Many of us are not strangers to the stories of infighting and exchange of blows and punches in the parliament.

“Democracy loses its essence when politics is made to overshadow governance. Admittedly, politics, democracy and governance have the same goal; to advance the interest of the people through service.

“We notice that in most African parliaments it is either that the dominant party in the parliament is unconditionally shooting down all bills and motions from the opposition camps or the opposition is perpetually living up to its name by kicking against any initiative from the ruling party, no matter how good it is for the country.

“Parliamentarians, therefore, must be ready to support initiatives that are good for the country, irrespective of the source, so long as it promotes progress,” Jonathan said.

The former Nigeria president further said that the interest of a politician, either in the executive or the parliament should be to make the citizens happy.

He said added that for the citizens to be happy, they must be in a position to meet their daily needs and be free to travel to any part of their state without fear.

The former president said that the state fulfilled its responsibility to the people when the citizens could afford their basic needs and were able to exercise their constitutionally given freedoms freely without fear.

“Democracy as a government of the people implies a dialogical engagement between government and its people and the mutual understanding between the aspirations of the people and what the government is able to do to achieve these goals.

“The parliament is the centrepiece of this civic engagement.

“Through bills, motions and other debates, the parliament becomes a theatre of civic engagement where representatives of the people amplify the concerns of the common people whose voices cannot, ordinarily, be heard.

“Parliamentarians therefore are torchbearers who carry on their shoulders the interest of the masses and give strength, faith and hope to the ordinary citizens.
The parliament deepens democracy by providing checks and balances to the executive arm of government and its oversight functions, thereby promoting good governance and accountability,” he said.(NAN)

Patoma Admin by — July 15, 2022 in Foreign 0
Omar Alieu Touray is ECOWAS COMMISSION new president

By Favour Nnabugwu
Gambian diplomat, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray is the  New President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission alongside new statutory appointees of the Commission assumed office.
Dr Touray, is expected to head the Commission alongside the new management for a four-year term, 2022 to 2026.
Touray in his inaugural remark pledged to build on the legacies and successes of the outgoing President, Jean-Claude Brou and his team to ensure a more sustainable and secured West African sub-region.
He also harped on the need for institutional reforms, payment of community levies by ECOWAS Member states and the collaboration of citizens to address the challenges confronting the region.
This is also as Touray called for the collaboration and partnership of ECOWAS institutions and governments to lift community citizens out of abject poverty.
“For our member countries who are represented here by their permanent representatives to ECOWAS institutions, I would like to thank you for the confidence you have imposed in my colleagues and me.
“On behalf of my colleagues, I renew our commitments to work diligently for the welfare of our community.
“At the same time, I call upon you to continue to support ECOWAS by ensuring the full payment of community levies and the full implementation of ECOWAS protocols.
“You as permanent representatives of your various countries to ECOWAS is important and we look forward to deeper collaboration.
“Our multilateral and bilateral partners will all agree that no time has partnership been so important than now. The insecurity we face at various levels will require deeper partnerships and consistent collaboration.
“Our partnership should therefore be sufficiently equitable and efficient to enable us lift our people from abject poverty through capacity building, investment.
“Most importantly our partnership should enable us achieve lasting peace, security across the region and across the African continent.
“Allow me to reiterate the importance our leaders attach to institutional reforms. These reforms must be expedited to ensure more effective and efficient community institutions.
“Reforms entails trust, entails taking top positions but we are confident that with the full support and collaboration of staff and Member States, we will be able to the process to its logical conclusion,” Touray said.
Touray thanked the Nigerian government for being a generous host to ECOWAS institutions and for also for providing leadership to ECOWAS’s integration and peaceful efforts.
In his remarks, Brou said that the region under his leadership experienced a deepening and strengthened democratic culture despite the unconstitutional change of government in Mali, Guine and Burkina Faso.
He however bemoaned the spate of terrorist attacks and insecurity in Member states which he said has resulted in over fourteen thousand deaths with over five million ECOWAS citizens in need of humanitarian assistance.
He urged community citizens to remain united and extend their support to the incoming management,
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affair, Zubairu Dada also commended the Brou and the outgoing management of the ECOWAS Commission for a job well done amid all the challenges.
Dada also urged Touray and his new team to put the interest of the region ahead of other interest while dispensing their duties.
He also tasked them to carry out internal and external reforms, and meet the African Union and United Nations agendas for ECOWAS.
Patoma Admin by — July 13, 2022 in Foreign 0
OPAN calls for immediate release of Journalist Ikenna Ellis Ezenekwe

By Favour Nnabugwu
The Online Publishers Association of Nigeria (OPAN), the flagship organization for digital news publishers demands the immediate release of the publisher of 247ureports.com, Mr Ikenna Ellis Ezenekwe who was picked up by the Nigerian police at the FCT-Abuja on the morning of July 5, 2021 over an article published on his website.
In a statement signed by OPAN president, Mr Austyn Ogannahand appended by General-Secretary, Mr. Daniel Elombah stated that  Since his arrest by men from the IGP monitoring team, he has remained in incarceration and has not been charged to court. This is unlawful and an infringement of his fundamental rights.
Although the Police never formally invited him, he was immediately arrested and taken to the national police headquarters in Asokoro where he was interrogated in the absence of his lawyer.
A former chief of staff to the former governor of Anambra, Willie Obiano, Chief Primus Odili, who recently failed in his senatorial bid on the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), petitioned the IGP monitoring team to arrest and detain Mr. Ezenekwe claiming the article on him was libelous.
OPAN gathered authoritatively that Chief Odili has tasked the IGP monitoring team to unmask the source of the article, which Ezeneke has declined to identify citing confidentiality and privilege between journalists and news sources.
We find it disturbing and unacceptable that the police could allow a citizen to use it to intimidate a journalist.
The police have continued to intimidate and coerce Ezenekwe demanding to know the source of his story. This is wrong. Is the police above the laws of the land?
OPAN hereby calls on the police to immediately release Mr. Ezenekwe and apologise to him for his unlawful incarceration.
Patoma Admin by — July 13, 2022 in News 0
From Bondage to Freedom (Numbers 33:38) by Pastor Favour Onoja

FROM BONDAGE TO FREEDOM (NUMBERS 33:38)

 

Introduction
Bondage is the state of being bound usually against your will. It’s when someone is bound by a particular habit or character. Bondages are like little, little foxes that destroy the vine if they are not checked.

Bondage can hinder you from serving God effectively and becoming all that God has purposed for you. Beware of bondages. It is a weakness that must be expose and dealt with so that your work with God shall not be destroyed like Samson (1Samuel 16:1-25).

TYPES OF BONDAGES:

1. Fornication And Adultery.
The sin of fornication and adultery has bedeviled our generation today. These has led to so many homes being destroyed (1Corinthians 5:1-2; 6:15-20).

2. Fear.
Fear is false evidence appearing real. It is a torment that can paralyze and cripple your abilities and initiatives. It hinders you from taking a step of faith. Fear also hinders you from operating in love (Job 3:25; Matthew 8:26).

3. Greed And Covetousness.
This is when you are never satisfied with what you have and want to collect what belongs to others (1Timothy 6:10; Matthew 26:15).

4. Worry And Anxiety.
It is a state of being anxious or troubled about actual or potential problems. Worrying is a sin, so be anxious for nothing (Philippians 4:6-8; Luke 21:34)

5. Addiction.
This limits and contradict moral beliefs. It also destroys good health. Examples can be seen in taking of hard drugs, illicit sex, masturbation, social media, etc. It can lead to the waste of lives.

6. Materialism.
This is the attitude of someone who attaches a lot of importance to riches and wants to possess a lot of material things (1Timothy 6:9; Matthew 16:26).

7. Pornography.
This is the depiction of sexual behaviors in books, pictures, statues, films and other media that is intended to arouse and sexually satisfy the viewers (1Corinthians 6:9, 13, 18-20; 2Timothy 2:22; Colossians 3:5; Galatians 5:19-21; Job 31:1; Proverbs 7:21-27).

THE WAY TO FREEDOM FROM BONDAGES:

1. Knowledge.
The first step to your freedom is knowing who you are in Christ Jesus. 2Corinthians 5:17 says “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new”.
Therefore, if you are in Christ, you cannot be bound by any inhibiting forces of darkness. Also Proverbs 11:19b states that “but through knowledge shall the just be delivered” John 8:32 says “you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free”

2. Walking In The Spirit.
Walking in the spirit is something that cannot be brought about by our own volition but is something only the Holy Spirit can give. Galatians 5:22-23 talks about the fruits of the Spirit. Fruits in the life of the believer is something only the Holy Spirit can give.

3. Declaration.
A closed mouth is a closed destiny. You can enforce your freedom through the declaration of the Word of God through your mouth (Isaiah 43:26).

4. Stand In Your Authority.
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage (Galatians 5:1).

5. Service.
Service to God is a platform through which your liberty can be established. The reason for their freedom primarily from bondage in Egypt is to serve God (Exodus 4:23).
In the place of service, your character and weakness are exposed, molded and handled.

6. Prophetic Decrees.
The ministry of the prophets are veritable tools and instruments for your liberty and freedom from every bondage and oppression (Hosea 12:13).

7. Prayer And Fasting.
This kind goeth not but by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21). Prayer and fasting energizes your spirit to deal with the works of the flesh and it’s desires.

8. The Word Of God.
The Word is a deliverance tool. It purges, purifies and cleanse you from every form of defilement, dirt and guilt.
Therefore, arm yourself with the Word of God (Psalm 119:9; Proverbs 3:1-4; 7:1-5).

9. Counseling.
This is a way of seeking spiritual or professional guidance in solving personal/psychological problem. Victory can be achieved by this means (Proverbs 11:14; 15:22).

10. Fellowship.
It is a place of communion/ renewal of strength. Church is a service centre where you are serviced, ministered to, refreshed and transformed. Therefore, do not neglect the fellowship of the brethren. It is where you are loved and valued despite your infirmities (weakness)- Hebrews 10:25; Psalm 84:7; Obadiah 1:17.

If you are bound by any of these bondages and you want to give your life to Jesus Christ, kindly pray this prayer with me:

Lord Jesus, I come before you today to surrender my life completely to you. I have lived a self-centered life that is far separated from God. I have had priorities that are not eternity-centred. I have always lived in rebellion, disobedience and sin up till now.

Lord, I am sorry for the way that I have lived and I ask for your forgiveness and mercy. Lord, please cleanse my sins by your Blood and take your place in my life. Fill my heart Lord with the right desires and priorities. Give me the grace to live in righteousness and represent you well to my world.
Help me escape the tragedy of eternity in hell. Help me to make Heaven at the end of my journey on earth.

Thank you Lord for hearing and answering me in Jesus Name, I pray. Amen.

If you pray this prayer, kindly reach me through these platforms:

PASTOR FAVOUR ONOJA

+234(0)805 584 2594

+234(0)703 489 3375
E-mail:onojaaf@yahoo.com
Twitter/Instagram

Patoma Admin by — July 1, 2022 in Metro 0
Nigeria, Germany to sign agreement for return of Benin bronzes in Berlin

By admin

 

An agreement between the governments of Germany and Nigeria on the return of the Benin artefacts in German museums to Nigeria will be signed today in Berlin.

The historic signing of the ‘Joint Declaration on the Return of the Benin Bronzes and Bilateral Museum Cooperation between Germany and Nigeria’ is the culmination of years of agitation for the return of the cultural goods – famous Benin bronze heads and other artefacts – that were pillaged from the royal palace of the Oba of Benin in 1897 during a punitive expedition of the British Army.

The Nigerian delegation to the event, holding at the Federal Foreign Office, includes Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany, Alhaji Yusuf Tuggar, and Professor Abba Tijani Isa, Director General of the Nigeria Commission for Museums and Monuments. The German government will be represented, among others, by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock, and Minister of State for Culture and the Media, Claudia Roth.

After Germany announced that it would return its collection of the world-famous artefacts early last year, a Nigerian delegation, led by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, visited Berlin in July to conduct negotiations with their German counterparts. Other members of the high-powered delegation from Nigeria were Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, Professor Isa, and the Benin Crown Prince, HRH Prince Ezelekhae Ewuare.

It was at the meeting of the Nigerian delegation with German officials that a firm commitment was made by Berlin on the return of the artefacts.

In October, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Nigeria and Germany in Abuja on the repatriation of the about 1,130 pieces of artefact.

“The German Government and the German people have taken a bold step by agreeing to voluntarily, without too much coercion on the part of Nigeria, to return these artefacts. Because what the return of the artefacts will do is that it’s going to really cement further relationship between Nigeria and Germany. Culture today has become one of the effective tools for soft diplomacy,” Culture Minister Mohammed said at the event, at which a visiting German delegation, led by the Director General for Culture and Communication of the German Federal Foreign Office, Dr Andreas Gorgen, participated.

In his remarks, Gorgen said the release of the artefacts was part of a cultural policy that would contribute to healing the wound inflicted by the looting of the artefacts from Nigeria and to establishing new relationship between Germany and Nigeria.

In a related development, the Berlin-based Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation has announced that it would return artefacts taken from three African nations during the German colonial era.

The Foundation, which manages the city’s various museums, said on Monday it had begun negotiations to return the artefacts to Namibia, Tanzania and Cameroon.

Among the artefacts is a goddess statue, known as Ngonnso’, which will be returned to the kingdom of Nso’ in northwestern Cameroon.

“Bring Back Ngonnso,” a civil society initiative, has been campaigning for the statue’s return for years, as the Nso people say they have suffered numerous calamities since the statue was stolen. “The Ngonnso’ has a central role for the Nso’, as she is considered a mother deity,” the foundation said in a statement

Patoma Admin by — July 1, 2022 in Metro 0
ECOWAS Parliament suspends recruitment pending audit report 

By Favour Nnabugwu
The First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Idris Wase, has announced the temporary suspension of all recruitment, conversion and promotion exercise in the Parliament pending the outcome of Bureau of Investigation report.
Hon. Wase, made the announcement  while presiding over the closing of its 2022 First Ordinary Session  in Abuja ruled in favor of the motion for suspension of all exercises.
The motion to suspend the recruitment and promotion in the ECOWAS Parliament was moved by Hon. Awajim Abiante and seconded by Sen. Biodun Olujimi, aboth Nigerian lawmakers at the ECOWAS Parliament and upported by Hon. Yousoufa Bida and concurrently agreed by the house.
“I want to believe that all of us that are sited here are holding these positions based on trust and we are not going to betray that trust, your confidence.
“When I mentioned that we are going to go into that report of course, the other citizens out there are also our citizens and we will not like them to suffer unjustly because of one little problem or the other.
“So the first thing I will beg is that you allow the Bureau to consider, look into the report of the audit and any other matter that has been raised regarding the recruitment exercise.
“And this we will have to do it with all sense of diligence and integrity to ensure that the right thing is done within the shortest period of time.
“I will believe that of your very own exalted office that you are here and on behalf of you that the motion is in order but that you allow the Bureau to look into it.
“So that we do not unnecessarily delay the process and then report back to the plenary at the next sitting”, Wase said.
Earlier, Abiante while moving the motion said that “I as Awaji-InobekAbiante a lawmaker from Nigeria.
“Wish to move that all processes, actions, activities, aimed and geared toward the recruitment, promotion, conversion, interview and any other related matter be suspended.
“Until all issues that have been raised, all petitions that have been brought forth, all protests, all misgivings are comprehensively resolved and the Parliament is so briefed.
“I am bringing this up because I have further information that letters have already been served in this regards and if Parliament does not intervene, we might be chasing shadows at the end of the day.
“It might be that these processes have been concluded and they will just report to us. that is my position and I so move,” Abiante moved.
Olujimi who seconded the motion gave more insight on the situation in an interview with journalists at the end of the session also said that the suspension of the process is in the interest of community citizens.
“We found out that there was an audit report that should have allowed people who have been within the administrative cadre to move up so that there will be spaces down the row.
“We found that it had not been adopted and nothing was done about it and people were jittering, there was no doubt that everyone was jittering.
“You could cause despondency and a decline in the workforce if you do not allow people to grow properly within the system.
“So we thought that now that another recruitment was being undertaken, we felt that there was a need to look at that audit reports, situate it properly, move the people that should be moved before anything else could continue.
“And the leadership was gracious enough to agree that the Bureau will sit and look into it so that everybody will be in their rightful positions.
“It is a community, these are citizens and there is a need to make everybody comfortable in whatever they are doing”, Olujimi said.
“An issue was raised that there is an audit report. Can we have the audit report so that while waiting to have it, let everything be suspended so that we can look at it.
“It is not personal, it has to be a position of the Parliament. We have made a conclusion and we are coming back to it, meaning it is a very serious issue and we have to be very careful.
“When you listen to colleagues, you can see that people are speaking in terms of referral from the population.
“I want us to be very careful, let the plenary suspend the procedure even if it is by mail, let us have the audit report so that we can look at it.
Patoma Admin by — June 28, 2022 in Foreign 0
Felix Agiwegbemi Ayole ‘Big Felix’ laid to rest in Warri, Delta State

By Favour Nnabugwu

 

 

The burial of late Mr Felix Agiwegbemi Ayole a.k.a. Big Felix who died on May 1, 2022 and was laid to rest on June 24, 2022 at the age of 65 years in Iffie Tsekiri Warri, Delta State

CAPTIONS 

R – Mr Eyituoyomi Felix Ayole, the first son of late Mr Ayole, wife of the deceased, Mrs Rosemary Ayole; daughter, Miss Orighonisan Rosemary Ayole and Miss Rune Oghoghome, a niece to the wife and a daughter to Mr Ayole during the ceremony at Anglican Church Egbokodo, Warri, Delta State today

The late Mr Felix Ayole at the Anglican Church Egbokodo, Warri before he was buried.

This was at St Andrew Anglican Church at the Songs of Service at Okere Road in Warri, Delta State

Patoma Admin by — June 24, 2022 in Metro 0
UK Govt jubilates with Ekiti State on gubanetorial election

By Favour Nnabugwu

The British High Commission has jubilated with  Ekiti State and it’s indigenes for the just concluded being the first major election conducted since the enactment of the Electoral Act 2022.

The UK government in a statement released to journalists commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and all other relevant authorities for their efforts in the election

“Our team of observers on the ground noted commendable improvements in the electoral process including the timely opening of polls, better functioning of the Biometric Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) devices for accrediting voters, and the transparent and efficient electronic transmission of polling unit results to INEC’s results viewing portal.

“We are concerned about reports of vote buying during the election and call on the relevant authorities to hold any persons involved accountable. The buying and selling of votes has no place in a democracy.

“As Nigeria moves closer to the 2023 general elections, we encourage people to register and collect their PVCs and to participate actively in the political process. The UK will continue to assist INEC and our partners in their aspiration to support peaceful, credible and inclusive elections in Nigeria.

”We encourage INEC to reflect on other potential improvements to the electoral process ahead of general elections in 2023, especially the re-distribution and assignment of voters to newly established polling units to reduce queuing times, better awareness and implementation of electoral guidelines by INEC staff and improved accessibility at polling units to help with the participation of persons with disabilities.

“We urge any party or individual who is dissatisfied with the process to seek redress in a peaceful manner and through the appropriate legal channels.

Patoma Admin by — June 20, 2022 in Foreign 0