Author: nationalpoint

In this interview with Emmanuel Obe of National Point, Dr. Joseph Obele, Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Rivers State Chapter spoke about the turnaround rehabilitation of Port Harcourt Refinery, removal of fuel subsidy, engagement of expatriates to head NNPC subsidiaries and other sundry issues in the oil and gas Industry. he Federal Government promised that the Port Harcourt Refinery resume production by December last year when it was expected that the turnaround of the plant would have been completed. But that was not to be because the turnaround is still going on. What is your…

The Edo State House of Assembly election held Saturday, March 18, 2023 across the state was characterized by fights, chaos, violence and marred by high apathy resulting in low voter turn-out. A visit by National Point correspondent to the Garrick Memorial Secondary along Ekenwan Road, Agbado Primary School, Emokpae Primary School and several other polling centres, all in the Edo State capital, showed the turn-out of potential voters was dismal unlike in the February 25 Presidential/National Assembly elections where there were long queues. Also, low voter turnout was observed at Emokpae Primary School, Oredo 4, Units 19-28; Oba Market, Ward…

There was crisis in some parts of Edo State as some suspected political thugs broke into Units 11 and 17 at Eresoyen Primary School, Uhogua- Iguoshodin Community in Ovia North East Local Government Area. The hoodlums stormed the primary school and carted away three BVAS machines and other voting materials. At the same polling unit, an INEC officials and voting materials arrived at about 7:30 am and accreditation and voting commenced simultaneously at exactly 8:30 am. A fracas ensued when the thugs numbering three, alighted from their vehicle and started shooting sporadically into the air to scare voters away. They…

Former governor of Edo State and now senator-elect, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has accused the Peoples Democratic Party led administration in the state of compromising security agencies whom he alleged gave cover to suspected thugs to disrupt elections in areas the All Progress Congress (APC) was winning. Oshiomhole said in a short video circulated in Benin city: “Our election can be better because of what is happening in many places “In Sobe (Owan West Local Government Area) the security people were supervising the destruction of polling unit materials. While security were present, some thugs came and had a free hand destroying…

As anger and condemnation continues to trail the two phases of the just concluded 2023 general elections the Southern Region Pastor of the Omega Fire Ministry, Dr Azemhe Azena has said changing our electoral process from analogue to digital will eliminate vote buying, ballot box snatching and electoral violence among other vices. Azemhe also said Nigeria will grow economically when the teaming jobless youths become fully engaged with meaningful ventures, mostly in technology. The cleric made the assertion at the 2023 General Elections Situation Room of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Edo State Council, Benin City, Edo State. “Vote buying…

There was a lot of tears, wailing and unforgettable pains on Saturday, in the family of a 33 -year-old graduate who was shot dead by unknown political thugs during the February 25, 2023 presidential and National Assembly Elections in Edo State, as his remains were committed to mother earth in Benin City. The deceased, identified as Festus Idahosa, who was killed alongside three others when some political thugs attacked a polling unit at Ogheghe in Oredo Local Government Area, where he went to cast his votes. The family members who gathered to bury their son amidst tears and pain, said…

The All Progressives Congress party in Rivers State has intercepted very credible intelligence of plots by the police authorities in thes State, principally coordinated by a few tactical teams under the command (e.g. C4i unit etc), to begin a manhunt for members of the APC in Rivers State, especially our House of Assembly candidates who are determined to reclaim their mandates through constitutional means in order to frustrate the push to reclaim these stolen mandates at the Election Petitions Tribunal (EPT). This latest strategy is to say the least, emblematic of the serial illegality, conspiracy, intimidation and harassment that the…

The much talked about 2023 general elections in Nigeria have come and gone, leaving in its trail a myriad of unresolved issues, most of which would have been averted had the electoral process itself been foolproof and as efficient as was promised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The theatre of action is now at election tribunals where aggrieved parties have started filing petitions to seek redress. It is hoped that the judiciary would do justice to the petitions. Nigerians believed INEC when it promised that innovations introduced into the electoral process would check over-voting, manipulation of results, vote…

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday issued certificate of return to 23 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly elected during the just concluded general election. The presentation which held at the Prof MahmoodYakubu Media Centre, INEC office in Yenagoa, the state capital, was witnessed by the supporters and family members of the elected lawmakers. In his opening address, INEC’s resident electoral commissioner in the state, Dr. Emmanuel Alex Hart said he took some pains to scan through the members-elect only to realize that the female gender are just a handful. He questioned why the women are not…

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has presented Certificates of Return to the Edo State House of Assembly members-elect, following their victory at the March 18 Assembly poll. INEC however issued the certificates to 21persons out of the 24 constituency seats contested for. They will replace the outgoing seventh House of Assembly members whose tenure will end on May 29, 2023. The Resident Electoral Commissioner Edo State, REC, Obo Efanga, at the presentation ceremony on Friday, March 31, at the INEC Benin office, charged the newly elected members to uphold the ethics of democracy and put personal interest behind them…