Poll projects Peter Obi to Win 2023 Election
A new poll commissioned by ANAP Foundation projects the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi to win Nigeria’s 2023 election.
The poll shows a significant lead taken by Peter Obi while Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) respectively trailed him.
Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) emerged as a distant fourth behind Messrs Tinubu and Abubakar.
The results of the poll which was conducted in early December showed 23 per cent of voters willing to vote for Mr Obi if the presidential election were to be conducted today; and 13 per cent proposing to vote for Mr Tinubu who fell in second place.
Mr Abubakar came third with 10 per cent and Mr Kwankwaso was a distant fourth with only 2 per cent of voters proposing to vote for him.
Port Harcourt – Maiduguri Rail Promise Dashed
President Muhammadu Buhari had last March performed the groundbreaking ceremony to commence the reconstruction of the rail line, which was originally built by the British before Nigeria’s independence in 1960.
In his speech, the president had said that “The connection of the railway to a new seaport in Bonny Island and Railway Industrial Park, Port Harcourt is designed to increase the viability and boost transhipment of cargo and freight locally, across the West African sub-region and in the Continental Free Trade Area,”
Then, former transportation minister Rotimi Amaechi said the project would be ready before the expiration of the Buhari administration next year.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, Mr Amaechi’s successor, Muazu Sambo, said the delivery before May 29, 2023, when Mr Buhari’s tenure ends, was no longer feasible citing failure to secure loans to back the financing of the project.
Nigerians Face Bleak Christmas as Depot’s Dry Up
Queues for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, which were gradually abating recently, suddenly re-emerged on Wednesday in many cities, including Lagos and Abuja.
The development is an indication that Nigerians would face bleak Christmas as fuel scarcity has started taking a toll on motorists, who have hiked their fares.
It was reliably gathered that many depots were currently running out of the product. This has in turn reduced supplies from depots to retail stations across the country.
Many filling stations in Abuja, particularly those of independent oil marketers, remained closed due to lack of products, while the few outlets of major marketers that dispensed petrol started witnessing queues from mid-day till evening on Wednesday.
CBN Bows to Pressure, Raises Cash Withdrawal Limits
The Central Bank of Nigeria, has finally bowed to pressure to revise it’s cash withdrawal limits policy.
In a circular on Wednesday by the CBN’s Director of Banking Supervision, Haruna Mustafa, the CBN said it had reviewed upwards the maximum weekly limit for cash withdrawal across all channels by individuals and corporate organisations to N500,000 and N5m respectively.
He attributed this development to the feedback the apex bank got from stakeholders.
For transactions above the withdrawal limits however, financial institutions are required to get details of the customers and upload same on the CBN portal created for the purpose. Such information includes a valid means of identification of the payee (national identity card, international passport, or driver’s license), Bank Verification Number of the payee, Tax Identification Number of both the payee and the payer, and approval in writing by the managing director/Chief Executive Officer of the financial institution authorising the withdrawal.
Hoodlums Attack Another INEC Office
In a statement credited to the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, on Wednesday, the Independent National Electoral Commission surfers another attack on its office in Imo State.
The attack which was carried out on Tuesday is the fourth attack on INEC facilities in the state in less than three weeks following previous attacks on Orlu and Oru West Local Government Areas and the state headquarters in Owerri.
However, the commission has evaquated ballot boxes and voting cubicles to another INEC facility for safekeeping.
Soludo Vows to Stop Sit-at-Home in Anambra State
The Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, on Wednesday vowed to stop the weekly sit-at home trend in the state, that had continued for months.
Speaking on the occasion of the 2022 Public Servants Day, Soludo described Simon Ekpa, the organiser of the last sit-at-home, as “a mad man in Finland.” He said it was only in Anambra that the order was not obeyed, adding that by next year, the trend will be completely abolished because Anambra could no longer afford the loss of 20 per cent of its public life to sit-at-home which, which is already becoming part of life in the South-East.
Pele to Celebrate Christmas in Hospital
The 82-year-old football legend Pele‘s cancer has advanced and now requires treatment for heart and kidney trouble, according to a medical report released on Wednesday.
In an Instagram post, his daughter Kely Nascimento confirmed that Pele will spend Christmas at the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, under “elevated care”.
“Our Christmas at home has been suspended,” she wrote.
“We decided with the doctors that, for various reasons, it would be better for us to stay here with all the care that this new family at Einstein gives us.”
INEC Admits Over-voting in Osun Governorship Poll
Giving evidence before the Election Petition Tribunal hearing the petition filed by Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola and the All Progressives Congress (APC), a Deputy Director in the ICT department of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mrs. Abimbola Oladunjoye has admitted that there was over-voting in the July 16 governorship election that brought in Ademola Adeleke as governor of Osun State.
Oladunjoye, disclosed this while giving evidence before the tribunal hearing the petition filed by Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola and the All Progressives Congress (APC), against the declaration of Adeleke as the winner of the election.
