Gov Fayose raises alarm over plan to preload smart cards and disenfranchise 50% of Ekiti electorate

• APC accuses governor of plot to compromise NYSC

THE Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose has again raised the alarm over the plan by the All Progressives Congress (APC), with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to manipulate the July 14 election, by disenfrancihising 50 per cent Ekiti electorates and by heavily preloading the smart cards readers as well as release ballot papers to members of APC to justify the preload. Briefing newsmen in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, the governor said: “It has come to our attention that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has devised another sinister plot to disenfranchise thousands of eligible voters in areas considered as strongholds of the People’s Democratic Party ( PDP), particular where the PDP standard bearer comes from, which is Ikere-ekiti.

“The APC is working in collaboration with some unscrupulous elements in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to delete not less than 40 per cent names from the Voter Register, using the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) as a decoy and targeting Ado Ekiti, the state capital and Ikere Ekiti where the PDP candidate comes from. “The APC did not stop at this; they are currently distributing fake empowerment forms and cash to unsuspecting electorate, using a phony organisation, with the aim of deactivating voters cards, thereby disenfranchising thousands of voters. “They are also putting pressure on INEC to use incident forms as alternative to the Smart Card Readers, so as to be able rig the July 14 election. “We are concerned again by APC’S plan to cause violence again the state, ahead of the election.’’ And swiftly, the APC also raised the alarm over Governor Fayose’s alleged “liaison” with the state Coordinator of the National Youths Service Corps ( NYSC), Mrs. Nwanu Eze Ukagha, to compromise the governorship election.

It demanded for immediate transfer of the state coordinator from the state to ensure a credible poll.

A petition by APC State Secretary, Paul Omotoso, to the Director General of the National Directorate of NYSC raised issues of “mutual liaisons in night meetings” between Fayose and Ukagha, saying the alarm became imperative to save the July 14 governorship poll from compromise that can spark bloody clashes.

WHO begins measles transmission scheme for 200,000 children in Borno State

THE World Health Organisation ( WHO) yesterday commenced “measles interruption transmission” for 200, 000 children in Borno State.

WHO Country Representative, Dr. Wondimagegnehu Alemu disclosed this in a statement in Maiduguri. He said the move, which included technical and financial support to health authorities, is aimed at boosting the immunity of children against measles disease.

He gave the focus of the intervention as the nine newly liberated areas by the military. “The four-day exercise is targeted at 200, 000 children from the age of six months to 15 years.

According to him, the nine- targeted councils are Magumeri, Nganzai and Damboa, where suspected outbreaks of measles were reported in April 2018.

Others are Bama, Dikwa, Gwoza, Kukawa, Kala Balge and Ngala, where a large numbers of children who have not been vaccinated since 2014 are resettling.”