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Kogi Guber Election: Police, INEC deny ballot box snatching, killing

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***Debunks Yiaga Africa report on fake result sheets

By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.

The Nigeria Police as the the coordinating force for security agencies covering the Kogi Governorship Election and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have denied incidences of ballot box snatching, fake result sheets and killing during Saturday election.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Ahmed Habu Sanni leading the security agencies on monitoring of the exercise in Lokoja on Saturday said the Interagency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICES) had not received any report to that effect.

The DIG who was responding to social media reports of alleged killings and ballot box snatching at Anyigba and Ganaja Primary School Polling unit in Lokoja said there was nothing like that from information available to him.

He said that the Ganaja Polling Unit was the largest in the country with about 13,000 registered voters and “that is why we’re here.

“We know that it has the largest concentration of voters here and we have not left any stone unturned to ensure that the place is really fortified well” adding that that they (Security and INEC officials) got wind of possible violence and had to come down.

The Deputy Inspector General (DIG) said the security agencies had taken full cognizance of the situation and and were going to reinforce the security team with additional men to secure the polling center.

Sanni said the move was particularly imperative as the election process was approaching a critical stage, counting period.

“We have already fortified the place. If you go out, you will see the various security outfits that are already on ground and I told you after assessing the situation now we are going to have additional manpower.

He said that at the Ganaja Polling center, there was a Commissioner of Police to coordinate security agents deployed to man the voting units at the center.

He urged the electorate to have confidence in the process and be law abiding adding that undèr such circumstance, the result would be counted and entered appropriately and escorted to the final collation center where every result would be collated for the state.

He urged the people not to entertain any form of fear saying, “they have nothing to fear. We have seen it and we have known that this place is the largest polling unit in the country with about 13,000 registered voters.

On the circulation of fake result sheets at local governments revealed by Yiaga Africa, the DIG said, “Well, if there’s anything like that we’re going to investigate.

“It has been escalated. I cannot talk on what I’ve not seen yet but what is there is, when our teams send in their report, we verify the report.

On reports about killings in some of the local governments he said, “I’m telling you as far as the process is concerned I’ve not seen any killing that has taken place in any place.

“I cannot confirm any, because I haven’t had such reports yet. I cannot confirm anything. Yiaga is not INEC. So, as far as I’m concerned, my men in the field have not reported this incident as you are referring to.

On his observations and preliminary reports so far received, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Hale Gabriel Longpet said We’ve all been able to check in the fact that people have been accredited.

“Voting has gone on smoothly in those areas we’ve visited. And so at this point, we’ve come here, being the largest polling unit in the country, with 13,000 registered voters. You yourself have seen the crowd that is here.

“We ensure that people should be very orderly. We ensure that as long as there are people in the queue, they don’t have to stop at 2.30. As long as there are people in the queue, that’s what the law says.

“And they will have to be accredited and they will have to vote. Until the last person on the queue votes, they cannot close polling”, Longpet said. (Ends)

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News From Kogi

Group applauds Senator Echocho’s relief efforts in Kogi East

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Jibrin Isah Echocho

The Kogi Democratic Group (KDG) has expressed appreciation for the recent initiatives by Senator Jibril Isah Echocho (APC/Kogi East) in addressing the hardships facing residents of the senatorial district.
In a statement on Wednesday, KDG Protem Secretary Inuwa Lawal highlighted Senator Echocho’s distribution of rice and essential food supplies, which brought immediate relief to the local communities.
The group also praised Senator Echocho’s commitment to long-term infrastructure improvements.
Among his achievements, the installation of boreholes has provided stable access to clean water, and the distribution of fertilizer has offered crucial support to local farmers, helping to strengthen agriculture in the region.

According to Lawal, Kogi East has not witnessed such progress with the past senators, citing Echocho’s active representation in the 9th and 10th Senate as a “leadership with vision and mission.”
He urged the senator to remain focused, despite distraction from his traducers as he acknowledged Echocho’s unique contributions at Senate proceedings, committee work, oversight activities and through motions and bills
The group encouraged Senator Echocho to continue his impactful work, calling on him to sustain the progress that has benefited Kogi East and enriched the lives of its residents.

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Echocho’s Constituency Empowerment outreach Continues with donation of Rice, cash to widows

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Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), representing Kogi East, has extended his support to hundreds of widows across the Senatorial disctrict with the donation of 50 kg bags of rice and cash.
His special Adviser on Media Mikail Ibrahim in a statement that was made available to tye National Update in Abuja on Sunday indicated that the philanthropic effort is part of a weeklong empowerment program aimed at providing relief and support to vulnerable members of the community.

The distribution, which began last week and continued on Sunday, the statement said has witnessed a large turnout of beneficiaries, many of whom expressed deep gratitude for the assistance, particularly amid ongoing economic difficulties.
The statement pointed out that that Senator’s initiative is seeking not only to address food insecurity but also to empower the widows by providing them with the financial resources needed to manage their households effectively.
A representative of the senator, Alhaji Danlami Garba, emphasized the importance of supporting widows, who often face significant economic hardship after the loss of their spouses.
He highlighted that by combining food assistance with cash donations, the senator is empowering the women to make independent choices that best suit their families’ needs, thus fostering both dignity and self-reliance.

Echocho’s empowerment programs also target to uplift the youth and women through education, skills training, and entrepreneurship to create a sustainable and supportive environment for community development.

The senator’s initiative is a reflection of sustained effort to strengthen Kogi East’s economy, provide hope for a better future, and promote resilience among the most vulnerable groups.

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News From Kogi

INGRA urges Kogi govt to complete Lokoja-Ganaja road, mass transit scheme

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Hamza Aliyu, Executive Director, INGRA.

***Commends Kogi Govt on construction of Zone 8-Kabba Junction, Assembly roads

By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.

THE Initiative For Grassroot Advancement in Nigeria (INGRA), a Kogi-based Civil Society Organization has called on Kogi State Government to urgently take over and complete the Lokoja-Ganaja road to assuage the pains of Kogi people and numerous motorists plying the road.

Mr Hamza Aliyu, Human Rights activist and Executive Director, INGRA, who made the call in a statement on Saturday in Lokoja also commended the State Government for the completion of Zone-8 to Otokiti-Shettima-Zango-Kabba Junction as well as on-going Zone 8-Junction-House of Assembly-Crusher roads.

The Executive Director said that the growth of Lokoja metropolis as a result of population and development has led to upspringing of settlements on the outskirts of the State Capital.

He held that this phenomenon which is not peculiar to the state capital alone was visible in other fast growing cities adding that such settlements around Lokoja include Otokiti, Shettima, Zango and Crusher areas as well as Ganaja.

He noted that many citizens of the State Capital reside in these areas but commute to work in Lokoja due mostly to cost of housing and transportation among others.

Aliyu however pointed out that the removal of Fuel Subsidy by the President Ahmed Tinubu Government on the 29th of May, 2023 had exposed the weak infrastructure and poor public sector service provision.

This, he said, is particularly in the movement of people, goods and services which is critical for development saying, “This is particularly true in these settlements.

“The absence of a road network and a proper mass transit system, further exacerbated the situation with it’s attendant consequences”, he said.

The consequences according to him include: insecurity, high cost of transportation, bad health situation due to the tremendous dust that residents are exposed to during the harmattan season, weak standard of living, with pressure on resources and facilities in the State Capital.

He hinted that several governments had attempted to solve the Zone 8-kabba junction road challenge to no avail until the Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello administration began construction in 2023 with fears on possible completion when the regime ended.

“However new administration of Alhaji Usman Ododo surprised everyone with the speed and dedication it has completed the project with 10 months of the administration.

“This has brought a huge relief to residents of the area and rejuvenated their belief in this administration. We wish to commend His Excellency for this feat as it has far reaching implications economically and health wise on the area.

In this regards we also call on the Governor to also take over and complete the Ganaja road so that Lokoja citizens will finally feel the full effects of the “Ododo Magic.”

“We also urge the Government to as a matter of urgency follow up this remarkable achievements on roads by establishing a functional mass transit system in Lokoja the State Capital.

It is sad that citizens are left at the mercy of Keke and okada operators who decide the mode and cost of transportation in the State.

The Civil Society man however called on citizens to always engage their government actively by paying their taxes and protecting public infrastructure. (Ends)

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