POLITICS
UK Labour Party Victory Tonic for Nigeria’s Counterpart—LP Leader
Hon. Afam Ogene, Leader of Labour Party Caucus in the House of Representatives, has commended UK’s election process which led to victory for LP over the ruling Conservative Party.
Ogene, who represents Ogbaru Federal Constituency, said the opposition party’s victory should be a tonic for action for the Labour Party in Nigeria in the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued in Awka on Friday the lawmaker said that the election “tells vivid tales of hope for the opposition, competence and integrity of the electoral umpires in the UK.
The UK opposition Labour Party won a huge parliamentary majority in the country’s general election, unseating the incumbent Conservatives after 14 years in control.
While the Labour Party got 412 seats, the incumbent Conservatives got 121.
Ogene congratulated Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party in Britain and new Prime Minister, for his party’s victory Rishi Sunak.
Ogene said victory was not only a win for the opposition party in Britain but that of all believers in democraticy, transparency and integrity.
“The process in UK was free of glitches, as about 40 million voters took part, polls closed around 10 pm on Thursday and by daybreak the results were out.
“There was no judicial ambush, as immediate transition took place to the admiration of all lovers of democracy and free and fair elections”, he said.
“If we must practice democracy, we must also love, copy and abide by the transparency and accountability of democratic institutions in nations that allow the rule of law and democratic principles to thrive.
“The British Labour Party’s victory inspires hope and optimism, demonstrating that positive change is possible, when people come together with a unified objective.
“I urge the Nigerian Labour Party to draw inspiration from our British counterparts, close ranks, rally the people, and prepare to take the reins of power in 2027,” he said. (NAN)
NEWS
Benue LG Polls:Gov Alia cCasts votes, in Home Town, Expresses Satisfaction
By Bridget Ikyado-Tikyaa
Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has cast his votes in the State Local Government elections in his home town Mbagul in Vandiekya local government of Benue.
The governor performed his civic duties at exactly 2:42p.m with many citizens in participation.
It would be recalled that the governor had officially declared Friday, October 4th, 2024, as a work-free day for all citizens to prepare for the day.
He said that the declaration was necessitated by his desire to give the electorate of Benue State ample opportunity to travel to their respective local government areas in preparation for the elections
His Excellency commended the citizens of Benue for complying and participating activly in the electoral process.
He expressed confidence that with the right commitment and participation,as he has observed from various parts of the state,the elections will be conducted smoothly and fairly to the end
He restated the need for the citizens to prioritize peaceful conduct and collaboration during the elections, reinforcing the need for unity and cooperation among all parties involved.
POLITICS
Benue Assembly Amends LG Law, Approves 3-year Tenure for Executives
The Benue State House of Assembly has amended 2007 Local Government (LG) and approved a three-year tenure for LG elected officials.The amendment of the 2007 LG law took place on Friday, few hours before local government elections slated for Saturday. The house, presided over by its Speaker, Hyacinth Dajoh, unanimously agreed that the LG law be amended after clause-to-clause in consideration of the bill.
The house therefore expunged the two-year tenure, which was in the former law in sections 13(2) and 27(3), and substituted it with three-year tenure. Ruling after the legislative processes, Dajoh agreed that the amendment was necessary to allow the chairmen enough time to develop their areas.The bill has been sent to the governor for his assent.In a separate development, the assembly confirmed the appointment of Mr Halem Ikyo of Zone B and Mr David Ochapa of Zone C as deputy clerks of the house. (NAN)POLITICS
BSIEC Distributes Sensitive Materials to 23 Local Governments
Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) on Friday distributed sensitive materials to the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state.BSIEC Information Officer, Mrs Marvis Toryem, told our correspondent that distribution is part of preparations for local government elections slated for Saturday.
Toryem said that the distribution began at 3 p. m. with tight security.The information officer told our correspondent that the commission started the distribution with remote local governments to enable the elections to start early. According to her, the distribution was seamless and peaceful.She said that the state government-owned transport company Benue Links was solely used for conveying sensitive materials to various destinations. (NAN)