The Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, arrived at the Kano State Government House on Monday to condole with the government and families of the 16 victims killed in Uromi, Edo State, last week.

His visit comes amid growing outrage in northern Nigeria over what many see as a targeted attack on traders from the region.

The victims, mostly from Kano and other northern states, were reportedly ambushed and killed in Uromi, a town in Edo’s Esan North-East Local Government Area.

The killings have sparked anger in northern Nigeria, with protests erupting in Kano, Katsina, and parts of Kaduna as citizens demand justice and better security for northerners residing in the South.

In Kano, youth groups and community leaders have accused the Edo State government of not doing enough to prevent such attacks, calling for swift action to apprehend the perpetrators.

During his visit, Governor Monday Okpebholo assured the Kano State government that his administration was working with security agencies to investigate the killings and bring those responsible to justice.

He also expressed sympathy for the bereaved families, emphasizing that violence against any ethnic or religious group must not be tolerated.

His visit comes as pressure mounts on both state and federal authorities to address growing concerns over ethnic tensions and insecurity across the country.

The National Chairman of Labour Party, Mr Julius Abure has said the party will use the governorship election in Anambra State, which comes up in November this year, to test their expected victory in the 2027 presidential election.

Abure stated this in Awka, Anambra State capital on Sunday, during a forum organized by an organ of the party, Directorate of Mobilization and Integration, DMI, for aspirants of the party to meet with their delegates, ahead of the primary election which comes up on Saturday.

Abure who was represented by the national women leader of the party, Mrs Dudu Manuga said: “We want to use Anambra to test what 2027 will be. Labour party has grown beyond a briefcase party, we are in all the states of Nigeria and Abuja and we are getting ready not just for Anambra but for 2027.

“After the primary election this Saturday, no one is permitted to be angry. We will all join hands to emerge in the main election in November. Let us not be weak, let us not biker, let us all stand strong, be united and nothing will be impossible for us to achieve.

“This forum is to bring the aspirants together and make them integrate with the people they want to govern. We will plant LP in every polling unit. What is happening today in Anambra is crucial for our victory in 2027.”

Aspirants of the party; Dr George Moghalu and Mr John Nwosu attended the forum and also spoke to members of the party on their manifesto.

Moghalu in his speech insisted that the major problem of Anambra was that the people have lost confidence in government.

“People no longer trust government, security has collapsed, thugs are used to enforce taxes. If the government is doing the right thing, people will pay tax without being chased about, tax can also be collected electronically.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reaffirms its Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) are not scams.

INEC’s Director of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Dr Lawrence Bayode, made this clarification during a conversation organised by the commission on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday in Abuja.

In his presentation, titled “BVAS and IREV: Facts and Myths,” Bayode said both BVAS and IREV were technological innovations aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s electoral process.

He emphasised that INEC had taken bold steps and made concerted efforts to improve the credibility, transparency, and accuracy of elections through technology.

Bayode described BVAS and IREV as key components of Nigeria’s election process, noting that various misconceptions had created doubts about their functions.

“There is a belief that BVAS and IREV are scams.

“This misconception arises from misunderstandings, technical issues, and general distrust in the electoral process. However, this belief is incorrect,” he said.

“BVAS verifies voters using fingerprint and facial recognition, ensuring that only accredited voters cast their ballots.

“IREV is an online portal that allows the public to view scanned polling unit results for transparency. It does not count votes or collate results.”

He dismissed the notion that technical failures, such as slow uploads, server downtimes, or network issues, equated to fraud.

“These challenges do not mean the system was designed to deceive voters. Rather, they highlight areas that need improvement in election management,” he explained.

Bayode further debunked the myth that BVAS transmitted election results, stressing that its primary role was voter accreditation and authentication.

“BVAS does not directly transmit election results. Instead, results are recorded on Form EC8A, which is then uploaded to IREV,” he stated.

“BVAS is used at polling units for voter accreditation. IREV is an online platform where scanned polling unit results are uploaded for public viewing.”

“BVAS significantly reduces voter impersonation and over-voting, other electoral malpractices, such as violence and vote-buying, can still occur,” he noted.

He also dispelled the myth that voting could not continue if BVAS failed, explaining that INEC provided backup devices, and in rare cases, elections in affected polling units might be rescheduled.

Bayode highlighted BVAS’ role in reducing electoral fraud, stating that voter impersonation and multiple voting had been significantly curbed since its introduction.

“IREV has also enhanced transparency by allowing citizens to verify polling unit results in real time.

“Before IREV, election results were not easily accessible to the public. Now, discrepancies can be identified, which proves the system enhances transparency rather than being a scam,” he said.

INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity (VEP), Victoria Eta-Messi, added that the commission was collaborating with the National Assembly and stakeholders to amend the Electoral Act, particularly on election results management.

She also reiterated INEC’s commitment to voter education to build public trust, reduce voter apathy, and promote credible elections.

(NAN)