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BIG STORY

Presidency Replies PDP, LP, Others, Says Tinubu’s Victory Stands

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The Presidency has said despite alleged irregularities and harsh criticism of the Independent National Electoral Commission, the results of the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections still stand until otherwise proven in court.

It also ruled out any possibility of annulling the presidential elections as was done on June 12, 1993; advising aggrieved candidates of the opposition parties to pursue redress in court instead.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, revealed this in a piece chronicling key takeaways from the President’s recently-concluded trip to Doha, Qatar, where he attended the 5th United Nations summit on Least Developed Countries.

Recall that long before INEC declared the All Progressives Congress Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, as the winner of the election, the opposing Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party called for the cancellation of the exercise altogether, citing irregularities.

In a press conference held in Abuja on Monday, February 27, the Vice Presidential candidates of PDP and LP, Ifeanyi Okowa and Yusuf Datti, respectively, demanded fresh elections nationwide saying INEC failed to transmit results electronically from the BIVAS to the iREV portal immediately after collation at the Polling Units.

However, the electoral umpire proceeded with the collation exercise which culminated with Tinubu securing over eight million votes to emerge as President-elect.

The governing APC and the opposing PDP and LP have since constituted their legal teams to battle in court.

According to the Presidency, however, Buhari remained reticent about INEC’s criticism by “wishful thinkers” because he had long decided not to take any decisions that would undermine the electoral process.

“President Buhari not only muted himself following the cacophony, he picked up international travel: “Bola Tinubu’s election stands. If you are aggrieved, and you have the locus to do so, go to court,”’ the statement read.

The Presidency said in the buildup to Buhari’s trip to Qatar, he was faced with orchestrated attempts to poison public opinion against national institutions, particularly the presidential election and its conduct by the Independent National Electoral Commission, as an institution, against which vile and unsubstantiated allegations were hurled.

According to Shehu, “The clear intent of this was creating an atmosphere of fear, polarising the public and demonizing the administration of the President.

“The wishful thinkers appeared to assume that the June 12, 1993 election crisis, the worst ever since the Civil War could be recreated.

“Those who sought to do this forgot what the President said at the palace of the Gbong-Gwon Jos when he went to the city to inaugurate the Tinubu-Shettima campaign: ‘this election will not be annulled; whoever is the winner will be president.”

The presidential spokesman echoed Buhari’s several iterations to world leaders in Qatar about handing over to a new President on May 29, 2023.

Earlier reports had it that the President spoke with the Iranian VP, Mohsen Mansouri, calling for continued economic cooperation with the next administration, especially in the sectors of energy, infrastructure, and culture.

Buhari also appealed to Nigerians in Qatar to support Tinubu’s government “so that Nigeria will continue to be the beacon of hope and prosperity in our continent and an example for other African countries to emulate.”

BIG STORY

Inside Jigawa: One Dead, Groom Hospitalised As Bride Allegedly Poisons Wedding Guests

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A wedding in Jigawa State has turned tragic after a bride allegedly poisoned food served at the reception.

The incident reportedly left the groom critically ill and one of the wedding guests dead.

The incident occurred in the Jahun Local Government Area of the state.

Eyewitnesses suggested that the bride’s actions may have been driven by a personal vendetta.

Speaking on Friday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Shi’isu Adam, confirmed the incident and stated that an investigation was underway.

“We received a report that the bride had tainted the food served at the wedding reception, leaving the groom critically ill.

“Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the alleged food poisoning incident that occurred during a wedding ceremony in the state,” Adam said.

He revealed that the two suspects are the bride and another female, adding that they are in custody and being interrogated by the Criminal Investigation Department of the command.

The police spokesperson added, “We will do everything in our power to ensure that justice is served.”

According to the police spokesman, all the wedding attendants who consumed the poisoned food have been discharged from the hospital, except for the one person who was confirmed dead.

“The command is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, and we will provide more details as soon as possible.

“For now, we can confirm that the incident occurred, and we are working tirelessly to unravel the facts. We urge the public to remain calm and assured that justice will be served,” he concluded.

The identities of the deceased, the groom, and other victims have not been disclosed by the authorities.

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BIG STORY

Peter Obi Hellbent On Inciting Nigerians Against President Tinubu, He’s A Doomsayer — APC

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described Peter Obi’s New Year message as “misleading and an attempt to score cheap political points.”

Obi, who was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, used his New Year message to criticize President Bola Tinubu, expressing grave concerns over institutional corruption, mismanagement, poverty, hardship, and an escalating debt profile.

The former governor of Anambra stated that corruption has been deeply entrenched in government and nepotism has become the norm under Tinubu’s leadership.

He also demanded “vigorous, positive actions” from the administration to bring succour to Nigerians.

However, in a counter-statement on Thursday, Felix Morka, APC spokesperson, stated that Obi’s assessment contradicted all indicators showing that the nation’s economy is rebounding across various sectors.

Morka accused Obi and members of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of relentlessly trying to incite public outrage against the Tinubu administration.

The APC further accused Obi of portraying himself as “a leading doomsayer, omniscient and philosopher’s stone” while failing to deliver “meaningful achievements during his eight-year tenure as governor in Anambra state.”

“In reality, 18 months later, the economy, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has shown a steady record of progress,” the statement reads.

“Despite these and other initial beneficial outcomes of ongoing reforms, the administration is doubling its effort to ensure their fullest benefits for the transformation of our country.

“It is a thing of irony that Obi, who now arrogates to himself to be omniscient and philosopher’s stone, when it comes to our nation’s challenges, left no record of significant achievement, let alone transformation of any kind, in his eight-year tenure as Governor of Anambra State.”

“Like his co-travellers in the PDP, Obi’s obsessive pessimism and endless but futile effort to incite public outrage against the administration is borne out of the realization that Tinubu is unwittingly cementing their political irrelevance by his visionary and full-throttle reform.”

“Under the banner of the Renewed Hope Agenda, President Tinubu is dutifully turning our nation’s fortunes around. We urge Nigerians to remain confident of better days ahead.”

The ruling party added that Tinubu’s goal is to reduce inflation from 34 percent to 15 percent in 2025.

“With the vigour in the administration’s war on corruption, evidenced by ongoing investigations and trial of well-heeled Nigerians, Obi’s pontification on the urgent need to tame corruption is a clear case of carrying coal to Newcastle,” the party added.

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BIG STORY

Five Arrested As Police Bust Female-Led ‘Phone-snatching Syndicate’ In Kano

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The Kano state police command has announced the arrest of members of a female-led phone-snatching syndicate operating within the Kano metropolis.

In a statement released on Thursday by Haruna Kiyawa, the police spokesperson in Kano, five members of the group, including its leader, 19-year-old Shamsiyya Adamu, were apprehended.

Kiyawa stated that Adamu was arrested on December 21, 2024, following reports of stolen mobile phones in Unguwa Uku Quarters, Kano.

He named the other suspects as “23-year-old Idris Yusuf, a tricycle rider who aided in transporting the principal suspect to commit crimes; Al’asan Dahiru, 24, who specialised in disposing of stolen items for the principal suspect; Abdulmajid Haruna, 27, who was buying stolen properties; and Salim Auwalu, 21, who was in charge of swindling money from victims’ bank accounts.”

“In the year 2024, the Kano State Police Command received numerous reports from residents of Kano Metropolis about a young lady who steals mobile phones from residential houses,” the statement reads.

“The reports indicated that the suspect was using a tricyclist and a cybercriminal to aid in her operations. The State Commissioner of Police, CP Salman Dogo Garba, raised a special intervention squad, and the principal suspect was arrested on December 21, 2024.

“The syndicate, led by Shamsiyya, specialised in stealing mobile phones from residential houses, using a tricyclist and a cybercriminal to aid in their operations. The suspects would deceive housewives, steal their mobile phones, and swindle money from their victims’ bank accounts.”

“Six mobile phones have been recovered so far, and efforts are ongoing to recover more stolen phones. Thirty complainants, including 29 females and 1 male, have lodged complaints against Shamsiyya, who confessed to stealing their mobile phones on various occasions in 2024.

“Anyone with a complaint against the suspects can contact the investigation team at 08032617800.”

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