The number of elderly persons on N5,000 monthly stipend by Ekiti State Government under its social security scheme has risen to 19,270. Mr Oluwole Ariyo, the State Commissioner for Labour, Employment and Human Capital Development, told the News A...
Prof. Attahiru Jega, National Chairman of INEC, says he is prepared to have both domestic and international observers for the 2015 General Election.
Jega told the South Africa Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Johannesburg, South Africa, that election observation adds value and credibility to the electoral process.
``But the challenges are there, given that some of the international observers work to undermine the integrity and sovereignty of the country in the course of observing elections or their actions seem to indicate this.
``It is important to conduct election in such a way that there will not be external interference in the country's integrity.
``If the role of election observers are carefully defined, there should be less worry about whether they are African or non-African observers,’’ Jega said
He said INEC would be willing to have many observers for the 2015 Nigeria general elections.
``In Nigeria, we have recognised the value of election observers by creating an enabling environment for them to witness the process, produce reports we can look at and see how we can improve on conducting elections in Nigeria.
``They were there in 2011, we saw the value of their observation; we have taken many of their recommendations and injected them into our preparation for 2015 election.
``We will be glad to have as many observers in Nigeria to witness the 2015 election,’’ Jega said.
NAN reports that former President Olusegun Obasanjo and some African leaders have called for a ban of non-African election observers in the continent.
``I am very excited with my participation in this symposium which brought many experts and people of diverse background and experience together to asses and evaluate almost two decades of election in Africa.
``It is a very important undertaking because election observation mission has been striving to assess the free, fair and credible electoral process in Africa.
``The issue of domestic observers was given prominence and we now see the need to involve more of them in the electoral process.
``There is need to harmonise various election observer missions to derive maximum benefit in process.
``There should be diverse background in election observers, a situation in which virtually all the election observers are lawyers is not good for the electoral process,’’ Jega said.
The 7th Annual symposium of the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA), is to assess the two decades of election observation in Africa.
The Ebonyi House of Assembly Deputy Speaker, Chief Valentine Okike, has been removed from office for alleged insubordination, promotion of disaffection among members and improper dressing to official functions. Moving the motion for his removal, Mr Chr...
The Federal Government on Thursday in Abuja released N400 billion first quarter allocations for capital expenditure in the 2013 budget. This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Paul Nwabuikwu, Spokesman for the Minister of Finance and Coordinating...
The World Bank is to support Youth Empowerment, Social Support Operation (YESSO) and education in Nigeria with additional 450 million dollars. The Country Director, Ms Marie-Francoise Marie-Nelly, said this in Abuja on Thursday while briefi...
Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State on Thursday said that education in the country must now be geared toward meeting the nation’s needs to make graduates employable
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) on Thursday in Abuja shared N886.402 billion to the three tiers of government for the month of February. The Minister of State for Finance, Dr Yerima Ngama disclosed this while briefing newsmen o...
Reigning African Champions, the Super Eagles on Thursday maintained their 30th position in the world FIFA football ranking, released on Thursday by the world soccer governing body.
The sensational singer Tiwa Savage has released a new video Without My Heart which features multi-award winning musician and producer Don Jazzy.
Nigerian International and Millwall captain Danny Shittu headed his side into an FA Cup semi-final against Wigan as they won 1-0 against Blackburn, whose season took another dismal turn at Ewood Park.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday called for genuine electoral reform to guarantee internal democracy in Nigeria political parties. Atiku lamented the internal democracy is lacking and badly managed by the Peoples Democratic Party. The for...
The senior special adviser to the governor of Taraba State on media and publicity, Mr. Silvanus Giwa has expressed dismay over the way and manner Governor Danbaba Suntai’s state of health is being politicised. Giwa who stated this yesterday in Ja...
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have quizzed the former Taraba State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Sani Abubakar Danladi.
As the ad-hoc committee on Petroleum Industry Bill begins their assignment, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has warned members of the committee to resist inducement attempts by interest groups. The speaker was ...
As the issue of oil bloc ownership continues to occupy the front burner of national discourse, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other relevant agencies have been asked to make public a comprehensive list of all oil block own...