The Oba of Lagos, Alhaji Rilwan Akiolu, on  Sunday organised a prayer session for peaceful co-existence in Lagos and Nigeria in general.

The prayer was conducted at the Iga Idunganran Palace of the royal father on Lagos Island.

Akiolu said that the prayer was imperative to peaceful co-existence in Lagos and Nigeria in general, after peaceful conduct of the general elections in the state.

He urged different tribes in Lagos to work for the progress of the state.

The royal father urged the president-elect, retired Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to assist Lagos in repairing most of the damaged federal roads in the state.

Akiolu, who spoke in Yoruba language, said that when Buhari came to his palace during the campaign
period, he was three hours behind schedule.

He said that Buhari complained of bad roads and he told him that when he becomes the
president he should help the state to reconstruct the road.

The Oba said he was sure that God would give him the power to do it.

Akiolu urged the incoming Governor of Lagos, to do what he promised
the people.

The prayer was conducted by Imam Mujitabah Giwa, the Alawiye of Lagos
and his league of Imams.

Giwa prayed for peaceful coexistence in Lagos and also for political leaders in the country.

Some traditional rulers in Lagos as well as white cap chiefs were present at the prayer session.

Chief Rasak Okoya, Chairman of Eleganza Group was also among some dignitaries present.

From Uche Osibe

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) winner in the 25 State House of Assembly seats in which the elections were concluded last Saturday, April 11, this year.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Edwin Nwatalari who disclosed this in a press briefing on Sunday, a day after the exercise pointed out that the elections were  declared inconclusive in the remaining 5 state constituencies of the State.
He named the constituencies where the elections would be held as He said that Uga Ward 1 in Aguata 1 State Constituency,  Adazi-ani has 165 PVCs, 1590 voters with 1446 PVCs distributed, Adazi-Nnukwu 1, Agulu 1, 2, 3 and 4 in Anaocha 1 Constituency and , Nri Ward 1 and 2 at Anaocha II State Constituency and Ekwusigo.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Friday the Pentagon had ready a bunker-busting bomb that could destroy Iran’s underground nuclear facility, in case the U.S. ever had to resort to a military option to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

“We continue to improve it and upgrade over time so that there is this alternative,” Carter said in an exclusive interview with CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront,” referring to a weapon called the Massive Ordnance Penetrator.

U.S. and international negotiators have until June 30 to reach a final deal with Iran, which would exchange sanctions relief for limits on Iran’s nuclear program, which they believe is for a nuclear bomb.

Carter said though the Pentagon hopes the talks will successfully conclude, “We don’t know. My job as secretary of Defense is to, among other things, make sure that the so-called military option [is] on the table.”

Carter added that the U.S. has the capability to “shut down, set back and destroy” the Iranian nuclear program.

“I believe the Iranians know that and understand that,” he said. However, he indicated such an option could be futile, before defending the talks.

“If we were to do that, it is also important to think about what the next step would be. And as the president has indicated, they could over time than recreate a nuclear program; they would then be free of sanctions, of course, because this whole arrangement would have blown up. And we would be in a worse position then,” he said.

“So we could do it, and it would set back the Iranian nuclear program for some period of time.  And what the objective of the negations has been to get that much certainty through negotiation rather than through military action, because the military action is reversible over time,” he said.

Carter also said inspections of military sites must be included in the final deal negotiated with Iran, despite recent remarks by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khomenei indicating they would not be included.

“It depends on what you mean by military sites, but yes. Absolutely,” he said.

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Source: http://thehill.com/policy/defense/238515-defense-secretary-bunker-busting-bomb-against-iran-ready-to-go

The State Security Service official in Igboeze-South local government in Enugu State, Mr Preye Emmanuel, was attacked by suspected political thugs at Itchi during Saturday’s elections.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who monitored election in the area on Saturday observed that the situation in the community, the country home of the APC gubernatorial candidate, Mr Okey Ezea, got voters scampering for safety following sporadic shootings by the thugs.

Speaking with newsmen on his hospital bed in Ibagwa-Aka, Emmanuel said that he was monitoring the conduct of the election in the area when armed thugs attacked him, saying that they did not want any security man.

“They beat me to a pulp. l sustained injuries on my head, hand and leg. They spared my life because l denied being a security agent,” he said.

Reacting, the Chairman of Igboeze-South local government, Mr Festus Ozioko, described the situation as `unfortunate’ and urged INEC to cancel results from Itchi ward 1 and ward 11 as loyalists of other political parties were not allowed to vote by the thugs.

“The manhandling of Emmanuel who is on official assignment is highly condemnable. This is crude and irresponsible,’’ he said.

The Kano State Police Command on Saturday arrested 14 persons for allegedly snatching and destroying ballot boxes and papers in Kauran-Mata ward in Madobi Local Government Area of the state.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Magaji Majiya, confirmed the arrest during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano.

He said the suspects were apprehended in Kauran-Mata village after destroying the materials meant for governorship and state House of Assembly elections in the area.

He said the police was on the trail of five other persons suspected to be involved in the incident.

“The suspects were arrested with dangerous weapons, including cutlasses and machetes,” Majiya, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, told NAN.

He said the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, has visited the area, adding that the damaged electoral materials, including ballot papers had been replaced.

He warned that the police would not fold its arms and allow miscreants to breach peace in the state.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom, Mr Austin Okojie, on Saturday said security operatives had arrested a former NYSC boss, Maj.-Gen. Edet Akpan, for alleged electoral offences.

Okojie disclosed this in Uyo while briefing newsmen on challenges experienced in the ongoing Governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state.

He said 10 corps members were also arrested together with Akpan at his residence in Nsit Atai Local Government Area, while allegedly thumb printing ballot papers.

The commissioner said the suspects were being interrogated by security agencies.

Okojie said the commission had also recorded hitches in seven out of the 31 local government areas of the state.

He said the areas affected include Eket, Ibeno, Onna, Ibesikpo/Asutan, Ukanafun, Etim Ekpo and Mkpat Enin local government areas.

Okojie said the commission had received cases of  ballot boxes snatching and  indiscriminate shooting at polling stations from the affected areas.

He also said that two corps members had been injured in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area.

On  card readers, he said the machines had recorded 95 per cent success during the exercise, adding, “so far, the machines performed well today.”

State assembly candidates in Anambra have commended the peaceful conduct of Saturday’s election, saying they looked forward to the reflection the people’s will in the results.

Speaking on the election on Saturday, the PPA candidate for Aguata 2 constituency, Mr Geoffery Umeanka and his APGA counterpart, Mr Ikemefuna Uzoezie, commended the INEC ad hoc staff for coming out early but decried the low turnout of voters.

Also reacting, Mr Ikechukwu Umeh of APGA and Mr Ikenna Ezeibenne of PPA, both candidates for Aguata 1 constituency, said that the process was peaceful and called for its successful conclusion.

In his reaction, the state leader of PPA, Mr Godwin Ezeemo, called on INEC to entrust and empower its ad hoc workers for them to use of their initiatives to solve minor problems.

Ezeemo lamented that INEC officials posted to Umuchu Civic Centre Ward 1, could not resort to manual accreditation when the card reader failed to identify the voters.

“ Some voters lost interest in the exercise and went back home since the ad hoc workers were not ready to accredit them manually.

“I approached the presiding officer to tell him that the REC in a town hall meeting said that should the card reader fail to work, accreditation should be done manually but he did not listen.

“ We just commenced accreditation by 11 a.m. after wasting several hours. It is not encouraging at all,’’ he said.

Ezeemo said that the workers should be trained comprehensively to avoid distorting the objective of good and credible elections.

“If my blood will be sacrificed for this nation to get things done right, I am ready to give up my life.

“I sincerely feel pained when we cannot get simple things done right after so much fund and resources have been spent,’’ he said.

Ezeemo attributed the low turnout of voters to the high level of electoral malpractice recorded on March 28 in the presidential and National Assembly elections where peoples’ votes were taken for granted.

A voter at the unit, Mr Emeka Ifedima, called on INEC to improve on the card reader to reduce rigging in in subsequent elections.

Information available to 247ureports.com from Kaduna indicates that the gubernatorial elections in Kaduna may have gone to the All Progressive Congress [APC] candidate in the person of Nasiru El Rufai.

According to available results from early poll results, Malam El Rufai has gained a wide margin of lead over the incumbent Governor of Kaduna State – Gov Yero.

Kaduna state is also the home state of the vice president of Nigeria, Arc. Namadi Sambo.

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Stay tuned for the complete report.