Governor Seriakae Dickson was, yesterday, returned as the winner of the Bayelsa State governorship election. This followed the declaration of the results of the supplementary elections conducted at the weekend in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and 101 polling units in six other local government areas. The supplementary elections followed the cancellation of the election in Southern Ijaw and the 101 units due to irregularities in the governorship election conducted on December 5, 2015.

ABEOKUTA—The Social Democratic Party, SDP, in Ogun State has broken its silence over the controversial N100 million allegedly collected by its National Chairman, Chief Olu Falae from the former Chairman Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,, Chief Tony Anenih, saying, contrary to Falae’s claims of distributing the money to state chapters of the party, it did not get any money from him.

Worried by the deteriorating health of its incarcerated leader and Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, in the cell of the Department of State Service, DSS, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has raised an alarm, accusing the DSS of denying him medical treatment several times, claiming that attempts by his doctors to attend to him have been rebuffed by the DSS.

BENIN—FORMER Vice Chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, in Edo State, Mr Gani Audu, weekend, faulted the allegation by the former Chairman of Esan North-East Local Government Area of the state, Mr John Yakubu, that the Governor Adams Oshiomhole administration deducted money from local government allocations in the state while he was chairman of the council.

THERE was tension, yesterday, at Upper Afiesere Junction, Ughelli, as a combined team of policemen and vigilante engaged a gang of suspected armed robbers in a shootout, during which two of the bandits were killed.

BENIN—A governorship aspirant on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in this year’s election in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has denied allegations that he shared rice meant for the presidential campaign of former President Goodluck Jonathan in the state as his Christmas gift to Edo people.

LAGOS—Serving Overseer of the LatterRain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare has stressed the need for President Muhammadu Buhari to implement the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference, saying its outcome is in tandem with the APC manifesto.

Prince Bola Ajibola (SAN),was president of the Nigeria Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) between 1984 and 1985 when he led Nigerian lawyers in a boycott of the courts in protest against the perceived dictatorial tendencies of the General Muhammadu Buhari military regime.

HISTORY beckons on incumbent Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa after the keenly contested governorship election in the predominantly riverine state.

Operatives of the Rapid Respond Squad, RRS, of the Lagos State Police Command, weekend, arrested 11 suspected members of a robbery gang that specialized in attacking fun seekers at the National Theatre and other parts of Ijora area of the state.

Plans by a 25-year-old company driver to divert the company’s vehicle from Lagos State to Ogun State has been foiled by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, following his arrest alongside an alleged accomplice.

LAGOS— Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has sent an open letter to former President Goodluck Jonathan seeking explanations from him on what he knew on the diversion and sharing of over $2 billion meant for purchase of arms to fight Boko Haram.

LAGOS — With concerns over 2016 deficit funding, the Federal Government is looking at raising over N1 trillion from plugging revenue loopholes as pressures mount against the revenue estimates in the 2016 budget.

EKITI— Two men, who claimed to be President Muhammadu Buhari’s private security aides, were at the weekend, arrested at the Afao-Ekiti country home of the Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose for presenting themselves as staff of the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, with influence over the report of the military panel set up to investigate alleged involvement in partisan politics by some soldiers and officers during the 2014/2015 governorship election conducted in some states such as Ekiti, Osun, Rivers and Akwa-Ibom.

Makurdi—Former Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, who is also the Director General of the David Mark Campaign Organisation has said that no external influence or forces can foist anybody on Idoma people over the Benue South rerun election between the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and All Progressives Congress, APC.