The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says it will intensify consultations  with the party’s  governors’ forum among other stakeholders to find political solutions to its leadership crisis in Rivers.

The NWC disclosed this in a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Debo Ologunagba in Abuja, after the committee’s meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.

Ologunagba said that the NWC at the meeting, reviewed the issue of the PDP Caretaker Committee of Rivers.

He said that after an extensive deliberation, the NWC noted the existence of an ex-parte order issued by the Federal High Court, Abuja, restraining the NWC from further action with respect to the status of the Rivers State Caretaker Committee List as published.

“However, while the Rivers state caretaker committee list as published stands in compliance with the Order of the Court.

“The NWC notes the concerted intervention and efforts of various organs of the party, particularly the PDP Governors’ Forum to finding a political solution to the issue of the River Caretaker Committee.

“The NWC therefore resolved to, in conjunction with the PDP, intensify action in its continued consultation to resolving the issues of the Rivers State PDP chapter amicably,” he said.(NAN)

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says  four of its towers  along  the  Jos – Gombe 330 Kilo Volt (kV) transmission line have been vandalised.

The company said that the incident took place at about 3:32pm on Monday.

Mrs Ndidi Mbah, TCN’S General Manager Public Affairs said this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

Mbah said  that when the  transmission line tripped, TCN operators attempted to restore it to service but it tripped again.

She said that this prompted the dispatch of TCN men  to trace the line in order to detect and rectify the fault.

According to her, while  tracing the fault, TCN’s engineering crew discovered that towers 288, 289 , 290, and 291 were vandalised and that some tower members were carted away.

”Also, the towers had equally collapsed as a result of the incident.

”Presently, bulk power supply to Gombe, Yola, and Jalingo substations have been disrupted, affecting bulk power supply to parts of Yola  and Jos Electricity Distribution Companies’ franchise areas,”she said.

Mbah said that to mitigate the effect of the incident on electricity consumers affected by the incident, TCN tried to  back feed Gombe through its 132kV transmission line from Bauchi and subsequently  Ashaka, Potiskum, Damaturu, and Billiri/ Savannah.

She vowed that the company  would do everything humanly possible to ensure that supply was restored to the affected areas, while efforts were being made to reconstruct the  vandalised towers. (NAN)

Stakeholders in the electoral process have tasked the National Assembly to complete the amendment of the Electoral Act and the review of the Constitution, two years before the 2027 general elections.

The stakeholders said this in a communique issued on Monday after the National Multi-Stakeholders Forum on Electoral Reform Priorities, held under the auspices of Youth Electoral Reform Priorities.

The participants said this would enable all stakeholders and other Nigerians, to fully understand the changes made to the laws, for effective implementation and compliance.

The participants observed that the processes leading to the 2023 general elections fell below expectations.

“Constitutional reforms to strengthen the electoral process are national priorities for many Nigerians, especially the organisations represented at the multi-stakeholders forum.

“We urge the Federal Government to create special election committee with non-partisan people of impeccable character to take over the power of the President in appointing the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“This committee will also be responsible for appointing INEC National Commissioners and Resident Electoral Commmissioners,” they said in the communique.

The stakeholders also said that the amendments should ensure that all pre-election cases were concluded before elections and post-election cases concluded before inauguration of elected officials.

“There is also need for periodic audit of the National Register of Voters.

“INEC should transmit polling unit electlon results in near real-time to the dedicated portal accessible by the public. This should be induded in the Electoral Act amendment.

“INEC should be unbundled by creating the National Electoral Offenses Commission which will have the power to prosecute electoral offenders,” they added.

The participants called on government to empower and expand the scope of the National Orientation Agency to mobilise Nigerians for future elections through effective voter education programme.

“Nigerian youths and otherstakeholders should continue to be actively engaged in the electoral process, beginnng with the constitutional and electoral review,” they said.

The Forum was organised by Kimpact Development lnitiative with the support of National Democratic Institute and National Endowment for Democracy.

It was attended by a wide range of organisations including the Youth Electoral Reform Project; Nigerian Youths Parliament; National Association of Nigerian Students; representatives of political parties; Inter-Party Advisory Council, and the Conference of United Political Parties.

Others were the Nigerian Union of Journalists: Nigerian Labour Congress: Nigerian Bar Association; Christian Association of Nigeria; Jama’atu Nasril Islam; and Nigerian Medical Association.(NAN)