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Anambra LG poll: No automatic victory for sole chairmanship candidates — ANSIEC

Published

1 day ago

August 26, 2026

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The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) says there will be no automatic victory for any chairmanship candidate in Saturday, August 29, 2026, local government elections, even where only one candidate is contesting a chairmanship seat.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday at a pre-election briefing at the commission’s secretariat in Awka, ANSIEC Commissioner for Information and Publicity, Sir Tony Chinedu, said sole candidates must still secure the required majority of “Yes” votes to be declared winners.

He explained that where two or more candidates are contesting a chairmanship position, the election would proceed through the normal voting process, with the candidate who polls the highest number of votes declared the winner.

However, where only one candidate is on the ballot, voters will be required to vote “Yes” or “No” for the candidate.

“A sole candidate will not be declared the winner automatically,” Chinedu said. “The candidate must secure at least two-thirds of the ‘Yes’ votes cast to be declared elected. If there is a predominant ‘No’ vote against the candidate, the election will be declared inconclusive and the process will start afresh from the party primaries.”

The commissioner noted that the same “Yes/No” principle would not apply to councillorship elections, adding that councillors would emerge through the normal voting process.

Chinedu disclosed that 22 candidates had been screened for the 21 local government chairmanship positions.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) fielded candidates in all 21 chairmanship positions, while the Young Progressives Party (YPP) fielded one candidate.

For councillorship, he said 346 candidates had been screened for the 326 wards across the state.

The commissioner said the commission was “over 90 per cent ready” for the polls, adding that preparations had reached an advanced stage.

He said the recruitment and training of ad hoc personnel had been concluded, with training conducted in the state’s three senatorial zones on separate days.

Chinedu also said the evacuation of non-sensitive materials to designated locations had commenced, while sensitive materials would be moved to their respective areas on Saturday morning.

On possible court actions, he said the commission would not be deterred.

“The court will not stop our election,” he declared.

He added that the tenure of the incoming local government chairmen remained two years.

Chinedu recalled that ANSIEC had earlier fixed August 29, 2026, for the elections, noting that the process had now reached its final stage.

He said only APGA and YPP had indicated interest in the election, adding that the commission had screened their candidates and published their names.

The commissioner also said the commission had approved substitutions where necessary and that all other arrangements were being finalised ahead of the polls.

On the lawsuit by about 56 councillors seeking postponement of the council election, Chinedu said the court action would not stop the scheduled poll.

News

Pension Implementation: Lagos, Kaduna, Edo, four others fully compliant, says PenCom

Published

1 hour ago

August 28, 2026

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The National Pension Commission (PenCom) says only seven states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are fully implementing the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and the Contributory Defined Benefits Scheme (CDBS).

PenCom disclosed this in its first-quarter report on pension implementation, based on an update from its States Operations Department.

The report showed that Lagos, Kaduna, Edo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo and Jigawa states, alongside the FCT, had fully implemented the CPS/CDBS.

It also showed that 13 states were at various stages of partial implementation of the schemes.

The states are Abia, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Delta, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Niger, Ogun, Oyo and Rivers.

According to the report, 10 states have pension laws that are currently inactive.

It said six states — Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Nasarawa, Sokoto and Taraba — had inactive CPS laws, while Adamawa, Gombe, Kebbi and Zamfara had inactive CDBS laws.

The commission further reported that six states were still at the bill stage in their efforts to implement the CPS.

They are Akwa Ibom, Borno, Cross River, Kwara, Plateau and Yobe.

PenCom said 18 states and the FCT had established dedicated Pension Bureaux to administer the scheme.

The commission’s update covers all 36 states of the federation and the FCT.

The CPS, introduced by the Pension Reform Act 2004 and retained under the Pension Reform Act 2014, is designed to ensure regular pension contributions by employers and employees towards retirement benefits.

PenCom has continued to encourage states to adopt and effectively implement the CPS to ensure sustainable pension arrangements for their workers.

(NAN)

News

Nigerian Forward Ndubisi Jonathan Begins New Chapter in Slovenia After NK Vrhnika Move

Published

2 hours ago

August 27, 2026

Preport

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Nigerian attacker Ndubisi Jonathan has officially completed his move to Slovenian side NK Vrhnika, joining the club from Austrian outfit ASKÖ Oedt.

The talented forward is set to compete in the Slovenian Second League (2. SNL), giving him a fresh opportunity to continue his development and make his mark in European football.

Jonathan arrives at NK Vrhnika after his spell in Austria, where he gained valuable experience and continued to develop his game in a competitive football environment.

The move to Slovenia represents another important step in his career as he looks to establish himself in a new league, adapt to a different football system and contribute to the ambitions of his new club.

Speaking after completing the transfer, Jonathan said:

“I’m looking forward to this new chapter and the challenge ahead. I’ve worked hard to reach this point, and now I want to give everything for the team, learn from every experience and show what I can bring on the pitch. I believe this move can help me take another important step in my career.”

The Nigerian forward will now turn his attention to settling into life in Vrhnika, Central Slovenia, while working hard to earn the confidence of his coaches and supporters.

His arrival adds another Nigerian presence to European football, with Jonathan determined to use the opportunity to continue improving and push towards bigger opportunities in the future.

For the attacker, the objective is clear: perform consistently, contribute to NK Vrhnika’s ambitions and make this new chapter count.

From Austria to Slovenia, Ndubisi Jonathan’s European journey continues.