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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ AUGUST 12, 2018
NEWSXTRA Two Killed as Kogi Chief of Staff Disrupts Bye Election Yekini Jimoh inLokoja The Kogi State Police Command yesterday confirmed that two persons were killed during the Lokoja/Kogi House of Representatives bye election, which was marred by violence, intimidation and voting buying. Beside the two cases of death recorded, an authoritative source said two agents of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) shot during the process, which Chief Edward Onoja, Chief of Staff of Kogi State Governor, Mr. Yahaya Bello allegedly disrupted. Spokesman of the police
command, Mr. William Aya confirmed the incident in Lokoja yesterday, noting that electoral violence had claimed at least two person during the bye election. He said that the latest victim, who he identified as Yadau Umoru was killed at Ugwan Pawa polling unit, in front of Maigari palace while attempting to snatch a ballot box. According to him, the corpse of the deceased has been deposited in the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja. An unidentified man had earlier in the day been killed by a mob at the polling unit located
by Abuja Electricity Distribution Company’s office in Lokoja, while also attempting to snatch a ballot box. He noted that the identity of the unfortunate man was unknown. The by-election which started peacefully, with impressive turnout of voters, later became characterised by vote-buying and violence, including ballot boxsnatching. THISDAY checks revealed that the victim was killed at NEPA polling center, Lokoja just as the agents shot during the bye-election for Kogi/Koto-Karfe federal constituency.
THISDAY, also, gathered that some political thugs allegedly invaded the polling center to scatter the ballot boxes, leading outbreak of fracas that claimed one life. With the outbreak of violence, THISDAY learnt that officials of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) including corp members had to run for their lives. Among others, Chief Press Secretary to former Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Umar Ali confirmed that two agent of SDP were shot duringasessionwithselectjournalists. He said the names of the agents
“are still unknown as at the time of filing this report. The two agents have been taken to an unknown hospital for treatment. He said they were shot inside their vehicle along Federal Medical Centre road in Lokoja. Also, in paparanda and karaworo voting units in Lokoja, voters complained of intimidation and harassment by the government agents and political appointees. A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mallam Mohammed Balga was said to have been beaten in Lokoja. In ward B, some people, who
allegedly dressed in police uniform with red beret, besieged two polling units shot sporadically and carted away the voting materials. There were reports of sharp practices at a voting unit located at Osuku Primary School in Kotokarfi Local Government Area. There were also reports of sporadic gunshots to scare supporters of the opposition party from coming out to vote. An INEC officer, Mr. Joseph told journalists that they were arm-twisted “to follow the bidding of the APC,” noting that the officials had to play along to save their lives.”
Dogara: Nigeria Will Endure, Despite Threat to Democracy SegunAwofadejiinBauchi Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Yakubu Dogara yesterday said Nigeria would survive and thrive no matter the threat by those who are not comfortable with the nation’s democracy. Dogara, also, noted that despite the prevailing challenges confronting the country, democratic rule would definitely thrive at last. He expressed this view after casting his ballot at a polling unit located at Gwarangah Primary School, Bogoro Local Government Area during the Bauchi South Senatorial District by-election. After casting his ballot yesterday, the speaker expressed optimism that nothing would derail the democratic process in the country despite challenges here and there. While commending the electorates for coming out to exercise their franchise, Dogara assured that political actors in the country would continue to learn as democracy grow and take root
in the country. He further said dividends of democratic rule would be provided for the teeming populace in the country, thereby urging Nigerians to always support the government in its resolve to make positive impact in the living standard of the people. According to him, Yakubu Dogara however refused to comment on the present political situation in the country. It is part of democratic process as it will make democracy grow strongly. In his own reaction to the conduct of the by-election, Caretaker Committee Chairman of Bogoro Local Government Area, Mr. Elisha Tula Gwamis described the exercise as peaceful and orderly in spite of the low turnout of voters. Gwamis said the low turnout was caused by the farming season because 99.9 percent of the people of the area “are farmers and since this is the peak of farming season they found it difficult to abandon their farms for the by-election.”
Union Bank Unveils ‘Elite Experience’ to Connect with Customers Omolabake Fasogbon
as mixology classes; training on the art and science of mixing The Union Bank of Nigeria has luxurious cocktails. unveiled a new programme, Shedding more light on Elite Experience’ to connect the development, the bank’s with customers in a more head,Elite and Royalty Banking, relaxed atmosphere. Chioma Nwokike noted that Elite Experience is an the Elite Banking proposition initiative of the bank to hold is a tailored service for the across the country at select emerging middle class, debranches to enable the institu- signed to meet their personal, tion engage its elite banking financial and lifestyle needs. customers in a series of in “It provides them with value teresting and lifestyle master added benefits and a range of classes, fun and networking personalized banking services opportunities. which are usually reserved for The year’s events held at high net worth Individuals. the bank’s elite lounges lo“Elite Banking customers cated in some of the branches enjoy benefits including dediin Lagos and Abuja with cated Relationship Managers, customers hosted to fun-filled exclusive deals and discounts, activities including: music, access to exclusive Elite Lounges freebies, networking and located in specific branches as learning in a relaxed setting. well as Priority Pass cards The customers were also which grant them access treated to makeup master classes to 850 airport VIP lounges taken by popular cosmetics around the world amongst brand, Zaron Cosmetics, as well other benefits.”
WELCOME ON BOARD
L-R: Incoming President, Nigeria Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA), 81 Division Chapter, Mrs. Amina Yusuf, and outgoing President, Mrs. Grace Udoh, receiving an award from the Chairperson, National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Mrs. Shekinat Lawal, at a dinner in Lagos...Friday KOLA OLASUPO
Ogoni Chiefs Ask Court to Wind up Bank over N17bn Judgement Debt
Africa’s Talking Joins Open Banking Nigeria
BayoAkinloye
A mobile technology company, Africa’s Talking, has joined the league of technology companies partnering with Open Banking Nigeria in the development of Open APIs for the Nigerian financial industry. Africa’s Talking provides payments and communications APIs (SMS, USSD, Airtime and Voice) to help both startups and large companies communicate with their customers across Africa. It teamed up with Open Banking Nigeria to help extend this innovation to strengthen the objective of unlocking the potential of mobile communication networks across Africa by simplifying the process and technologies required to exploit them. Speaking on the partnership, the company’s Country Director, Simon Aderinlola, said “Open Banking Nigeria has a huge potential to drive financial inclusion and boost innovation in Nigeria which is why Africa’s Talk-
Five chiefs of Ejama-Ebubu community in Eleme Local Government Area, Rivers State have filed a fresh application at the Federal High Court in Lagos, asking the court to wind up First Bank Plc. The chiefs, who filed the application after the bank failed the claims, are Isaac Osaro Ogbara, Victor Obari, John Oguru, Joseph Ogusu, George Osaro, and Adanta Obelle, They filed the application through their lawyers, Lucius Nwosu (SAN), R. A. LawalRabana (SAN) and others, are praying the court to wind-up First Bank for claiming that it does not have money to pay the N17billion which the court ordered in favour of the community in 2010. The Ejama community had dragged Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Netherlands, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, United Kingdom, and Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC) before the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt for alleged oil spills that occurred when Shell operated in the community. After listening to the submis-
sions of the parties, the presiding judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba awarded N17 billion in favour of the representatives of the Ogoni people in 2010 The court equally granted the Ogoni chiefs 25 per cent interest charge on the principal sum of about N17 billion. SPDC then appealed against the judgment and applied for a stay of execution of the judgment pending the appeal. As a condition for granting a stay of execution, the court directed Shell’s bankers, First Bank to provide a guarantee of the judgment sum should they lose at the Court of Appeal. This condition was complied with, but Shell’s appeal failed at the Appeal Court on technical grounds, ostensibly because it filed its processes out of time and without regularising them. Since then, the Ogoni has mounted a lot of legal pressure on the bank to redeem the undertaking it signed to no avail. But the bank claimed that it had appealed the case at the Supreme Court, which the community said, was not part of the agreement.
ing is partnering with the organisation. “Open Banking Nigeria will create security and safety for customers to share their financial data with banks or third parties. This will open the doors to millions of Nigerians currently out of the financial market. We appreciate and believe in the future this work portends.” Africa’s Talking provides communications and payments APIs across Africa. Headquartered in Kenya with an office in Nigeria, the mobile technology company offers APIs to companies to build solutions and services on USSD, Voice, SMS, Airtime, and Payments. Open Banking Nigeria, a not-for-profit, non-partisan industry group, is committed to developing and advocating Open Banking API standards for the Nigerian financial industry. Visit www. openbanking.ng to know more about Open Banking Nigeria, objectives, partners, and progress made.