Below is the full statement by the APC Presidential campaign council in reaction to the postponement of the general elections by INEC.

We have just received with great disappointment and disillusionment the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its decision to postpone the Presidential/National Assembly and Gubernatorial/House of Assembly Elections to Saturday, February 23, 2019 and Saturday, March 9, 2019, respectively.

We condemn and deprecate this tardiness of the electoral umpire in the strongest terms possible. President Muhammadu Buhari had since cooperated fully with INEC by ensuring EVERYTHING it demanded to conduct free and fair elections were promptly made available to it. This news is therefore a huge disappointment to us and to our teeming supporters nationwide and around the world, many of whom have come into the country to exercise their franchise.

We do hope that INEC will remain neutral and impartial in this process as the rumor mill is agog with the suggestion that this postponement has been orchestrated in collusion with the main opposition, the PDP, that was NEVER ready for this election. We note that all the major credible demographic projections have predicted a defeat of the PDP and it seriously needed this breather to orchestrate more devious strategies to try and halt President Buhari’s momentum. It did the same as the ruling Party in 2015, when it realized the game was up, by orchestrating the postponement of the 2015 elections by six weeks. Now, it may be up to its old trick again.

We have earlier raised the alarm that the PDP is bent on discrediting this process the moment it realized it cannot make up the numbers to win this election. We are only urging INEC not collude with the PDP on this. We are truly worried because as early as Friday morning, some known PDP Social Media influencers unwittingly announced this postponement, but quickly deleted the message and apologized to the public that it was fake news. We do not want to be forced to a situation of announcing our total loss of confidence in INEC, because we know where that would leave our democracy.

It is in the light of the above that we wish to appeal to Nigerians and our supporters to be patient, calm and resolute despite this temporary setback. Let us not give anyone, especially the PDP, the opportunity to plunge this nation into a crises, which is what they earnestly desire. Its imminent defeat is just a few days away.

Lastly, we wish to draw the attention of INEC and the world to observe that the PDP has clearly and openly said it plans to announce parallel results through some funny device it has procured or developed. We wish to re-iterate that it is ONLY INEC that is legally and constitutionally empowered to declare results and it constitutes an offence for anyone to do so. We urge INEC to SPEAK UP NOW and warn the PDP to desist from this ignoble act that is capable of plunging the nation into a crises of immeasurable proportions.

FESTUS KEYAMO, SAN, FCIARB(UK)
Director, Strategic Communications, APC Presidential Campaign Council
(Official Spokesperson)

Atiku Abubakar has given his own reaction to the postponement on the elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The PDP Presidental candidate urged Nigerians to remain peaceful despite the provocation.

His words, “As you know, the Independent National Electoral Commission has announced a postponement of the elections until 23 February and 9 March respectively.

“The Buhari administration has had more than enough time and money to prepare for these elections and the Nigerian people were poised and ready to perform their civic responsibility by voting in the elections earlier scheduled for Saturday, 16 February, 2019.

“This postponement is obviously a case of the hand of Esau but the voice of Jacob. By instigating this postponement, the Buhari administration hopes to disenfranchise the Nigerian electorate in order to ensure that turn out is low on the rescheduled date. Nigerians must frustrate their plans by coming out in even greater numbers on Saturday, 23 February and Saturday, 9 March respectively.

INEC has announced that it has postponed 2019 General Elections which was earlier scheduled for Saturday, February 16th, 2019 to February 23rd, 2019.

INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu,while briefing newsmen at the commission’s headquarters, announced that continuing with the election as earlier scheduled for today, 16th February, 2019, was no longer feasible.

He therefore announced that the presidential and National Assembly elections had been moved to February 23, 2019. He also said that the governorship and state assembly elections have also been moved by one week to March 9, 2019.

Below is his full statement: “Ladies and gentlemen, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) met on Friday 15, February 2019, and reviewed its preparations for the 2019 general elections scheduled for Saturday, 16 February 2019, and Saturday 2 March 2019.”

“Following a careful review of the implementation of its logistics and operational plan, and the determination to conduct free, fair, and credible elections, the commission came to the conclusion that proceeding with the elections as scheduled is no longer feasible. Consequently, the commission has decided to reschedule the Presidential and National Assembly elections to Saturday, 23 February 2019.”

“Furthermore, the Governorship, State House of Assembly, and Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections are rescheduled to Saturday, 9 March 2019. This will afford the commission the opportunity to address identified challenges in order to maintain the quality of our elections. This was a difficult decision for the commission to take but necessary for the successful delivery of the elections and the consolidation of our democracy. The commission will meet with key stakeholders to update them on this development at 2pm on Saturday, 16 February 2019, at the Abuja International Conference Centre. Thank you very much.”

Breaking News: The #NigeriaDecides2019 Elections now to hold on; 23rd February, 2019 for Presidential and National Assembly while the Governorship, State House of Assembly and the FCT Area Council Elections is to hold on 9th March, 2019. pic.twitter.com/6zhvBLQe2a

— INEC Nigeria (@inecnigeria) February 16, 2019

President Buhari was captured on cemara performing the weekly Juma’at prayer at the Daura Central Mosque located within the Emir’s palace.

Buhari arrived the mosque at exactly 1:45 p.m today, joining thousands of faithful to perform the two raka’at prayer.

The Juma’at prayer was led by the Chief Imam of Daura, Malam Salisu Daura.

See the photos below:

A 35-year-old man has been arrested after he tried to blackmail his ex-girlfriend into giving him 100 rounds of sex or risk her nude pictures being posted online.

The man identified as Lazarus Masango from Mutare in Zimbabwe is alleged to have been so bitter at Patricia Findi for dumping him, that he demanded 100 rounds of sexual intercourse for him not to leak her nude images on social media.

The Daily News reports that Lazarus gave Patricia the option to pay him $1000 if she did not want to be intimate with him. After Patricia said that she preferred the monetary route, Lazarus demanded a downpayment of $256 and sent a friend of his to collect the money.

However, Patricia reported the matter to the police and a trap was set for Lazarus. He was arrested when he met up with the friend he had sent to collect the $256.

When the police went through his Samsung S6 Edge cell phone they discovered six images of an undressed woman as well as a pornographic video.

Lazarus was charged with extortion for demanding 100 rounds of s_ex not to leak the nu_de images.

He was also charged with contravening section 26(1) (a) of the Censorship and Entertainment Control Act Chapter 10:04 for having the por_nographic video on his mobile phone.

When he appeared before magistrate Perseverance Makala he denied the charges. He applied for bail pending trial but the prosecution opposed the application saying that he would interfere with witnesses.

The Magistrate is yet to make her ruling.

A female foreign journalist has thrown shades at the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the giant broom’ monument constructed at the city gate in Abuja.

The female reporter who works for DW News (a German international channel, Deutsche Welle), visited the location of the giant broom, where she shaded the ruling party ahead of tomorrow’s election.

In her words, “This giant broom is made of metal and has always been the symbol of the APC party, Buhari’s party.” The symbol means nothing else than they are trying to sweep away corruption but that did not happen”.

The APC had said that the party is not responsible for the ‘Giant Broom’ monument mounted at the city gate.

APC publicity secretary, Mallam Lanre Isa-Onilu, said the ‘Giant Broom’ was erected by Nigerians who support the Buhari-led administration.

In reaction to the Peoples Democratic Party PDP’s condemnation of the structure, the APC spokesman told the opposition party to erect its own symbol.

According to reports, a popular eatery ‘Mat Ice’ in Auchi, Edo state, has been shut down temporarily following the death of a young lady identified as Sarah.

According to reports, the deceased, a 300 level Nursing student of Edo University in Iyamho, went all the way from her school to buy cake for a friend’s birthday at the eatery in Auchi where the tragedy occurred.

It was gathered that Sarah who was on high heel, slipped and fell at the entrance of the eatery. The glass door of the eatery was said to have choked her neck after landing on the ground with her head.

She reportedly died while being rushed to the hospital after the incident.

According to reports, the eatery has been suspended from operating for now after the death of the girl which happened three days ago.

President Buhari has in a new interview with CNN’s David Mckenzie, boasted that nobody will unseat him in the upcoming election.

Buhari who expressed confidence in his reelection bid in the interview with CNN’s David Mckenzie, stated that nobody will unseat him as President when asked if he thinks Jonathan’s fate might befall him in tomorrow’s election.

“No, nobody will unseat me,” he replied tersely

The president was also asked if he has stamina for another four years, to which he responded: “Yes, I am ready for it”.

He was also asked about the menace of Boko Haram terrorist in the country, which he responded by stating that they have been weakened. he highlighted that in 2015, the terrorist were holding 17 out of the 774 local government in the country, but dont have any under their control today.

Watch the interview below;

#NigeriaDecides: President Buhari is confident ahead of Saturday’s election. He told CNN’s David Mckenzie @McKenzieCNN “no one would unseat me.” pic.twitter.com/EcDv8OPisu

— CNN Africa (@CNNAfrica) February 15, 2019