Ondo guber: PDP rejects Soremekun as Chief Returning Officer

The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Ondo state, said it has reliable information that plans are being made to manipulate and rig Saturday’s governorship election.
PDP alleged that to attain the nefarious agenda, INEC has concluded plans to use the same set of people who compromised the Edo election.
Ayo Fadaka, PDP publicity director, in a statement said Professor Kayode Soremekun, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, who served as Chief Returning Officer in Edo State has been recruited to serve as CRO in Ondo State to “use the same template that compromised that election in Ondo State.”
“We hereby warn INEC not to bring Soremekun and his unscrupulous gang to Ondo State. We emphasis that he is not the only Vice Chancellor in Nigeria and as such does not exclusively possess the skill to discharge that responsibility,” the party warned.

Ondo guber: NCP declares support for Akeredolu

Barely 24 hours to the governorship election in Ondo State, the National Conscience Party (NCP), has declared its support for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN).
The governorship candidate of the NCP in the election, Obayoriju Jimoh Abass, who disclosed this in Akure yesterday, said the support for Akeredolu became necessary because of the pedigree of the APC candidate.
According to him, “After accessing the political situation and the pedigree of all the candidates of the political parties in the election, we have decided to queue behind Akeredolu in the governorship election.”
He added that aside the experience and background of the APC candidate, Akeredolu is contesting the

Training of workers not political – Mimiko

The Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has denied the reports that the current training of workers is politically motivated.
According to Mimiko, the training organised by the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) is to sensitise workers to survive during hard times.
The governor, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr. Kola Ademujimi, said the criticism by the opposition parties was to discredit the patriotic efforts of the trade unions.
He said it was ridiculous that the opposition would criticise the training, adding that the workers had the choice of deciding whom to vote for at the governorship election.
The one-day seminar held in Akure, was titled: “The Survival of Workers in the Face of Economic Recession in Nigeria.”

One in three child migrants missing after Calais Jungle closure: charity

A bulldozer is used to remove debris as workmen tear down makeshift shelters during the dismantlement of the camp called the "Jungle" in Calais, France, October 27, 2016. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Nearly one in three migrant children tracked by a refugee charity have gone missing since the "Jungle" camp in the northern French town of Calais was dismantled in October, the organization said on Wednesday.

Refugee Youth Service said it could not locate a third of the 179 child migrants it had been tracking since authorities bulldozed the Jungle, home to up to 10,000 people fleeing war or poverty in the Middle East and Africa.

The fate of children staying in the squalid camp where migrants converged in the hope of making it across to Britain, has been a political problem for the British government.

Religious leaders, refugee rights campaign groups and opposition parties have accused Britain of dragging its heels in helping to deal with unaccompanied children.

Refugee Youth Service, which has worked in the Calais camp since November last year, said a lack of

Kuwaitis head to polls hoping to stop austerity

An election campaign meeting in Kuwait City late on November 23, 2016 (AFP Photo/Yasser Al-Zayyat)

 Kuwaitis vote on Saturday for a new parliament they hope will halt austerity measures forced by falling oil revenues in the emirate, known for its cradle-to-grave welfare system.

With the return of opposition groups after a four-year boycott, the outcome of the snap elections is seen as crucial for shaping the domestic politics of the oil-rich Gulf state.

The seventh polls in a decade follow one of the most intense election campaigns seen in Kuwait, with opposition and pro-government candidates trading barbs over corruption and other allegations.

The opposition is being tipped to make a strong showing, with many members of the previous parliament expected to lose their seats, but is likely to fall well short of a majority.

"The return of opposition groups is the most significant development in this election," said analyst Ayed al-Manna.

"The opposition comeback could lead to a national reconciliation after years of bitter disputes," the political scientist told AFP.

Kuwait's parliament is considered the most powerful in the Gulf Arab states thanks to its legislative and

South Africa's biggest union group backs Ramaphosa to succeed Zuma

South Africa's Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa (L) and President Jacob Zuma listen to the national anthem at the opening of Parliament in Cape Town, South Africa February 11, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings/File Photo

 South Africa's Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa saw his chances of becoming the country's next leader increase on Thursday when a powerful union group backed him to succeed President Jacob Zuma as head of the ruling party.

Zuma is expected to stand down as African National Congress (ANC) president at a party conference in December next year, ahead of national elections in 2019 when his tenure as the country's president will end.

The debate over who should follow Zuma has heated up since the ANC suffered its worst local election results in August, exposing party divisions.

The ANC's dominance of South Africa since apartheid ended in 1994 means it is widely expected to win the 2019 election, making its next leader almost certain to become president.

No one has declared an ambition to run but informal positioning is well under way, with the ANC split between backers of Ramaphosa, a former anti-apartheid leader popular with investors, and those who

Ondo guber: I remain PDP candidate – Ibrahim

Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Jimoh Ibrahim yesterday faulted the Court of Appeal verdict which nullified his candidacy as not having a ‘consequential order.”
Ibrahim described the Appeal Court judgment as “one day ruling”, adding that the Supreme Court would sit on the case today (Thursday)
“I have read the decision of the Court of Appeal delivered today (yesterday) without a consequential order. The ruling failed to specifically say that my name should be substituted by INEC.
“Since there is no consequential order directing INEC to do so, the judgement is therefore not binding on me and INEC cannot remove my name and as such I remain PDP candidate for Saturday’s election.
“But we are optimistic that we have nothing to lose as the Supreme Court sits on same case tomorrow. We