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| Blue Band late 80's |
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| Shelltox 1980's |
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday explained that the 30,000 new polling units across the country were created from existing voting points for the purpose of easing the logistic challenges of the commission.
INEC further stated that the new polling units were previously known as voting points and were appendages to existing previously polling units.
This was contained in an paid advertorial by the Commission published in today’s edition of Vanguard. Throwing more light on how the voting points were established and why the need to discard them arose, the Commission stated that “Since 2011 the Commission has employed the strategy of breaking large polling units into manageable structures known as voting points. Under this arrangement, large polling units are
disaggregated into multiples of 300 registered voters per voting point- with a polling unit having multiples of voting points depending on the overall population of voters.
These voting points were not autonomous units; they remained integral to respective polling units” According to the advertorial, the commission observed that these voting points elicited the suspicion of political parties which accused the Commission of secretly creating addition polling units adding that whereas the Electoral Act provides that there should be only one party agent per polling unit, some of the parties requested that they should have agents at all voting points.
The Commission further explained that another reason why addition polling units were created was because as presently constituted, the entire country would require the deployment of 250,000 electronic card readers which would have a huge cost implication for INEC.
According to the document: ” In order to address all the aforementioned challenges. INEC decided to reconfigure
the polling units and increase the number from the present 119, 973 units to 150,000 polling units. The guiding principles for the reconfiguration Include; Polling units Will be located as much as possible in enclosures ( classrooms and halls of public schools, institutions, community centres town halls). In open spaces, tents or canopies will be erected.
A public Institution that accommodates more one polling unit will be designated as a Polling Station; Polling units will be located within a reasonable distance to voters – a maximum radius of 1 kilometre in urban areas and 2- kilometer radius in rural areas; Each polling unit will have a maximum of 500 registered voters. In effect additional polling units will be created out of those presently having more than 500 registered voters in
multiples thereof; polling units will be located In secure places that provide for easy deployment of staff equipment and materials: as well as places that allow effective and unhindered management of polling day activities.;? Where existing polling units are located In places not Suitable, they Will be relocated to appropriate sites; ? emerging settlements With substantial voting age population will be considered for the establishment of new polling units. The Commission dismissed claims made by a group identified as Electoral Integrity Network adding that “The post-AFIS population of registered voters has been adopted as the valid baseline for the total number of
polling units created “because that is the existing number of identifiable voters. Those who failed the business rules
and do not have their permanent voters cards yet are ordinarily expected to re-present themselves for registration.”
A 26-year+old polytechnic graduate, Shola Egunle, has been charged before an Ebute Metta Magistrate’s court sitting at oyingbo for allegedly stabbing a commercial sex worker.
The defendant, who resides at 17, Fdafunmi Street, Iyana Ipaja, was said to be a 2009 graduate of banking and Finance from a private polytechnic in Lagos.
He was alleged to have stabbed the commercial sex worker, joy Osasuwa, with a knife on the breast and back at 3 Star Hotel, located at Otto Railway Crossing in Oyingbo area of Lagos on August 12, after he made love to the vicitm.
The defendant is facing a count charge bordering on assault proffered against him by the police.
It was said that the defendant had demanded a balance of N800 from the N100 he gave the victim for her service.
It was also said that the defendant made the demand for the balance on the ground that he did not complete the
act, adding that when the vicitim refused to comply with the defendan’ts demand, he resorted to self help, by beating the vicitm severely before stabbing her on the breast and on her back with a kitchen knife he found in her apartment.
The prosecutor, inspector A. U. Moses, told the court that the offence is punishable under section 243 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos state of Nigeria, 2011.
The defendant’s counsel, Obi Simon, informed the court that both parties have agreed to settle the matter out of
court and urged the court to grant the defendant bail in a most liberal term and adjourn for a very short date.
Following the submission of the counsel to the defendant, Magistrate K. O Ogundare admitted the defendant to a
bail at the sum of N200,000 with two responsible sureties in like sum.
Ogundare also ordered that sureties must show evidence of three years tax payable to Lagos State government, means of livelihood and have their addresses verified by the prosecutor. The matter was adjourned till September 24.
Wema Bank has introduced self dispensing hand sanitisers and body temperature scanners at all its branches in the country in a move aimed at curtailing the spread of Ebola.
The bank is also introducing protective
gears for members of its staffs especially
those who deal directly with customers. In a notice to customers released Monday, the bank said henceforth all customers and visitors to any branch of the bank would be required to use the hand sanitisers and be scanned for symptoms of fever before being admitted into their banking halls.
“In the wake of the recent Ebola Virus Disease outbreak across West Africa, we are compelled to introduce the following preventive health and safety initiatives at all our business locations in order to ensure a safe banking environment for all
customers and staff,” the bank stated. “All customers and visitors are required to use the hand sanitisers and also undergo a quick non-invasive body temperature scan before being allowed into our banking halls and business locations.
“In addition, some of our staff at the more
sensitive desks will also be required to
wear some protective gears while interacting with customers and other visitors during this period” the document added.
The bank did not say what provisions will
be made for customers who are denied
access due to their body temperature or
other health concerns.
Embattled Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Sunday Onyebuchi has been impeached by the State House of Assembly. Onyebuchi's removal carried out at exactly 10.39 am was sequel to the adoption of the report of the 7-man panel that investigated allegations of gross misconduct levelled against him by 22 out of the 24 members of the House.
The House Leader, Hon. S.K.E. Udeh-Okoye who moved motion for the adoption of the report said the panel of
investigation had come up with the conclusion that the "allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Onyebuchi by the House have been proved".
Details to follow
