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INEC Presents Douye Diri With Certificate-Of-Return

Published

5 years ago

February 14, 2020

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented the Certificate of Return to Senator Douye Diri.

The electoral commission in a briefing at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate winner of the November 16 Bayelsa governorship election.

INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu told journalists that Diri was declared the winner after top officials met on Friday morning to review the results of the election, without the votes of the APC which have been voided by the court.

“The total votes cast after excluding those of the APC now stand at 146,999. PDP polled 143,172 and scored 25 percent as required by the law,” Yakubu said during the briefing.

Diri’s victory follows Supreme Court verdict which sacked David Lyon, and his Deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieoyo.

Justice Ejembi Ekwo, who read the lead judgment on Thursday made the orders after disqualifying the APC’s deputy governorship candidate, Degi-Eremienyo, as a candidate in the election for submitting forged certificates to INEC.

The court ruled that Degi-Eremienyo’s disqualification had infected the joint ticket with which he and the governorship candidate, Lyon, ran for and won November 16, 2019.

A five-man panel of the apex court led by Justice Mary Peter-Odili then ordered the INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to the APC candidate.

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NSF: Oparaoji, Ekpeyong, Quadri Gear Up for Tough Quarterfinal Clashes in Abeokuta

Published

2 weeks ago

May 23, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The tennis courts at the ongoing National Sports Festival in Abeokuta are buzzing with intensity as the competition hits the quarterfinal stage in both the men’s and women’s singles events, following a gripping round of 16.

Men’s Singles Quarterfinals:

Abubakar Yusuf of FCT will square off against Rivers State’s Abua Canice. Yusuf booked his spot with a 4-0, 4-2 win over Ehigiamusoe Endurance of Edo, while Canice cruised past Azi David 4-1, 4-0.

Bayelsa’s Uche Oparaoji faces Adeleye Daniel of Ekiti in a clash of skill and strategy. Oparaoji outclassed Urenyang Nuhu of Taraba 4-1, 4-2, just as Adeleye powered past Kaduna’s Ibrahim Sulaiman with the same scoreline.

In one of the most anticipated ties, Danjuma Lucky (FCT) will lock horns with Bayelsa’s top seed David Ekpeyong. Danjuma came through a thrilling contest against Ekiti’s Abamu Matthew, rallying to win 1-4, 4-2, 10-5, while Ekpeyong dominated Taraba’s Rubi Toba 4-0, 4-2.

Home favourite Christopher Bulus of Ogun will battle Edo’s Michael Chima for a semifinal ticket. Bulus swept past Rivers’ Timibra Godsgift 4-1, 4-0, while Chima triumphed over Delta’s Iloputa Ikechukwu in a straight-set win.

Women’s Singles Quarterfinals:

Delta’s Barakat Quadri, fresh off a 4-1, 4-0 win over Rebecca Ekpeyong of Bayelsa, will face rising star Emmanuel Bright of the IJA (Invited Junior Athletes), who overcame Rivers’ Maxwell Timipre 4-2, 5-3.

Edo’s Omotayo Blessing will battle Akwa Ibom’s Udoffa Mary in what promises to be a fiery encounter. Omotayo brushed aside Ekiti’s Adeusi Jesutoyosi 4-0, 4-1, while Udoffa outplayed Moses Favour of Kaduna 5-3, 4-0.

Elsewhere, Ogunjobi Success of Ekiti will test her mettle against Aina Goodnews of IJA, and Akwa Ibom’s Etoro Bassey faces Ogun’s Yakubu Ohunene in a South-South vs South-West showdown.

With the quarterfinals locked in, tennis fans are in for a thrilling ride as the battle for medals intensifies under the Abeokuta sun.

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