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Cashless system helps in tracking election financing — Osinbajo

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By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says a cashless policy, when effectively operated in Nigeria, can help stem the surge of illicit election financing by making it possible to track funds.

Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement on Monday in Abuja, said the vice president received a delegation of the EU Election Observation Mission led by Mr Barry Andrews.

The EU Chief Observer is also a member of the European Parliament.

“I think that what we should be looking at is to provide more infrastructures.

“ The cashless thing has been really advantageous and helps with tracking.

“That sort of infrastructure is useful for more financial inclusion and the more financial inclusion you have, the easier it is to track.

“So much money can be spent without it being tracked under the current election financing practices in the country.’’

Osinbajo acknowledged the serious difficulty in controlling election financing because of cash transactions.

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According to him, there are still infrastructure issues required to be in place to ensure an efficient cashless system in the country.

“With cash transactions, it is still difficult to seriously control election financing.’’

On electoral offences, the vice president said the Electoral Offences Commission Bill was at the National Assembly.

He said he hoped that it would begin a new regime of dealing with electoral offences which would be helpful.

“By and large, one shouldn’t expect INEC to be the investigator of electoral offences.

“I think that law enforcement agencies should be responsible for arresting and prosecuting offenders, state by state.

“Electoral offences are always seen through a political prism; people will always feel that they are being prosecuted because they belong to a certain party.

“What is more important is that we have to find a system where the police could have a special unit for offences during the course of elections.

“The Federal High Courts could also have a special jurisdiction to deal with offences and not extend beyond the Federal High Courts.”

On the role of the judicial system, Osinbajo said that more attention should be paid to the monitoring of tribunals and their outcomes, calling for more scrutiny from the National Judicial Council.

He disclosed that discussions had been had in the past concerning malfeasance on the part of some judges and those found guilty should be brought to the fore.

“There should be sanctions and that way, we would be able to clean up and correct some of the problems,’’ he said.

In his remarks, Andrews said that the mission would be monitoring the elections coming up next month and hope for a peaceful and fair electoral process.

According to him, it is the 7th time the INEC is inviting the EU Mission to monitor the elections, adding that the team had been in the country since Jan 11 and will be around until the end of March, 2023.

Other members of the delegation include Ms Samuela Isopi, Ambassador, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS and Mr Thomas Boserup, Deputy Chief Observer, EU Election Observation Mission. (NAN)

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Group asks Governor Yusuf to appoint Ganduje’s daughter as Kano Deputy Governor

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A group has called on the Governor of Kano State to appoint the daughter of former Governor of Kano, Dr. Asiya Balaraba Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, as Deputy Governor.

The group, known as Haɗin Kan Jam’iyyar APC ‘Yan Dangole from Kano State, expressed its support for Dr. Asiya Ganduje to become the Deputy Governor of Kano State.

According to the group, Dr. Asiya Ganduje is a woman committed to serving the people, especially the youth, through various programs that have improved their lives.

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They stated that she has demonstrated competence and dedication in politics, contributing to opportunities for youth and women in areas such as education, skills acquisition, and self-reliance.

The group also emphasized that Dr. Asiya Ganduje possesses compassion and vision for improving the lives of citizens, while encouraging women to participate in politics and economic activities.

Furthermore, they praised her cooperative character and loyalty to party principles, saying this has made her a role model for women and youth.

In conclusion, the group declared that her appointment as Deputy Governor would help bring progress, unity, and prosperity to the people of Kano State.

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UTME 2026: JAMB to Release Day 1 Exam Results Today Before Midnight

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that the results of all candidates who sat for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) on Thursday, April 16, 2026, will be released on Friday, April 17.

Spokesperson of the board, Fabian Benjamin, announced this in a post on X, noting that an announcement would be made when the results are available.

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“This is to inform all candidates who sat for the 2026 UTME on Thursday, 16th April 2026, that their results will be released today before midnight. An official announcement will be made to the public and posted on this page as soon as the results are available. Thank you,” he wrote.

Scheduled to run through April 22, the examination is structured into four daily sessions beginning at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 6:00 p.m., a framework designed to manage the large volume of candidates and reduce congestion at Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres.

This year, nearly 2.2 million candidates are participating across 966 accredited centres, each expected to meet operational benchmarks such as functional computer systems, stable internet connectivity and electricity as well as adequately trained personnel.

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Anambra Workers Under Scrutiny for Lateness and Absenteeism after Soludo’s Visit

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Anambra State Government has commenced a probe of civil servants accused of reporting late to duty and absenteeism in the state public service.

Some of the affected workers appeared before the Special Disciplinary Committee on Violation of Public Service Rules, following Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s unscheduled visit to the State Secretariat in March, where it was discovered that over 90 per cent of the workforce were absent from their duty posts.

The committee, constituted in line with the Public Service Rules 2021, sat at the Office of the Head of Service, State Secretariat Complex, Awka, on Friday, and examined several workers over alleged lateness and absenteeism.

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Speaking during the exercise, the Chairperson of the panel and Permanent Secretary, Office of the Head of Service, Nkiru Nwankwo, said lateness and absenteeism violate public service rules and amount to a breach of employment terms.

She warned that such offences are punishable under the rules, stressing that the current administration is committed to repositioning the public service for efficiency and effectiveness.

“This exercise is set up to probe lateness and absenteeism, which violate public service rules and constitute a breach of contract of employment. Workers should have a change of attitude toward work,” she said.

Nwankwo advised workers with genuine reasons for absence or lateness to follow due process by formally notifying appropriate authorities in writing and in good time.

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