• INEC extends Continuous Voter Registration to July 31st
• PDP sues INEC, APC, Labour Party, wants Tinubu, Obi Disqualified
• Edo State begins clampdown on unregistered vehicles
• New gains on Naira at Investors, exporters window
• Adekunle Gold reveals struggle with sickle cell

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn‘t miss:

INEC extends Continuous Voter Registration to July 31st

INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education Committee, Barr. Festus Okoye in a statement released on Friday in Abuja stated that the Commission met in an extraordinary session earlier in the day and discussed among other things, the suspension of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration, and concluded that the deadline for the exercise is extended to July 31.

The statement read: “The exercise has also been extended to eight hours daily from 9.00 am – 5.00 pm instead of the current duration of six hours (9.00 am – 3.00 pm) daily; The exercise is also extended to include weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) as against only weekdays.

“We appreciate that the timeframe may be tight for many prospective registrants, but there is a lot that the Commission is required to do under the electoral legal framework in relation to voter registration and compilation of the register that will require time to accomplish”.

He added that INEC is also required to consolidate the national register of voters (existing voters and new registrants) and display the same on a Polling Unit basis for each of the 8,809 Registration Areas (Wards) across the 774 Local Government Areas nationwide for public scrutiny.

“We appeal for the patience and understanding of all Nigerians as we conclude the exercise which will resume after the 2023 General Election.

“We observed that following the continuation of the exercise beyond 30th June 2022, many of the registration centres recorded low turnout of prospective registrants. With this two-week extension, we appeal to eligible citizens not to wait until the last few days before they inundate the centres again to register.

“We appreciate the interest of Nigerians to register and participate in the electoral process and once again reiterate our commitment to credible and transparent elections. This can only be achieved with the support and cooperation of all Nigerians”, Okoye added.

PDP sues INEC, APC, Labour Party, wants Tinubu, Obi Disqualified

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has instituted a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, praying the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) to prevent the Presidential Candidates of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu and Labour Party, Peter Obi, from replacing their running mates with Senator Kashim Shettima and Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed.

Recall that Tinubu had nominated Masari as a surrogate running mate or placeholder in order to beat the June 17 INEC deadline. Obi had also nominated his campaign manager, Okupe, as an interim running mate. However, INEC gave a grace period of about one month to substitute their names.

The PDP is asking the court to declare that Tinubu and Obi be disqualified unless they contest alongside their previous running mates – Kabiru Masari and Doyin Okupe.

The PDP is also seeking five reliefs including a declaration that by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the constitution, Section 29(1), 31, and 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s timetable, both Tinubu and Obi must be bound by their submission.

One of the reliefs reads, “A declaration that by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Sections 29(1), 31, 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, the 1st defendant’s (INEC’s) election timetable, the 3rd (Tinubu) and 6th (Obi) cannot validly contest the 2023 Presidential election without the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Obi) respondents as their respective running mates.”

The PDP has also based its argument on the fact that the term ‘placeholder’ is unknown to Nigerian law.

Edo State begins clampdown on unregistered vehicles

The Edo State Government will, from August 1, 2022, begin a clampdown on all unregistered vehicles across the state.

The Acting Governor of the state, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, while constituting a task force to enforce the clampdown at the Government House, Benin City, charged owners and operators of unregistered vehicles in the state to register such vehicles on or before 31st July, 2022 to avoid prosecution.

Shaibu stated the directive has become vital following the need to protect residents of the state. He noted that investigations have shown how criminals use unregistered vehicles to carry out their harmful activities.

The task force is headed by the Commissioner for Transportation, Osasere Evbuomwan, while the Commissioner for Local Government, Monday Osaigbovo is a member. Other members of the committee are drawn from the Edo State Internal Generated Revenue Service (EIRS), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Edo Public Works Volunteers (PUWOV), and the Nigerian Police.

“If you want a safe Edo State, please register your vehicles. We urge cart pushers in the state not to allow themselves to be used for criminal activities or else they will be made to face the full wrath of the law. Let me also reiterate that the ban on motorcycles within the Benin metropolis still remains.

“Vehicle owners must carry out a background check before giving their vehicles to drivers because any vehicle whose driver is caught using such a vehicle for kidnapping or any other criminal activity, such vehicle owners will be arrested along with the drivers and they will be duly prosecuted”, the Acting Governor said.

New gains on Naira at Investors, exporters window

The Naira on Friday saw gains back at the Investors and Exporters window, exchanging at N430 to the dollar.

The figure represented an appreciation of 1.34 percent compared with N424. 62, which it exchanged for the dollar a day before. This was represented by the open indicative rate, which closed at N426.63 to the dollar on Friday.

It’s also important to note that an exchange rate of N444 to the dollar was the highest rate, and N414 was the lowest recorded within the day’s trading before it settled at N430 with a total of 63.19 million dollars traded on the floor in foreign exchange at the official Investors and Exporters’ window on Friday.

Adekunle Gold reveals struggle with sickle cell

Nigerian singer, Adekunle Kosoko popularly called Adekunle Gold revealed in a newsletter to fans on Friday his struggle with sickle cell anemia.

The newsletter spoke in detail of the hardships he faced growing up as a result of the disease and the financial challenges his parents faced.

The newsletter read in part, “It feels liberating to finally be able to share this part of my life with you, to finally be able to speak my truth. When I talk about how I struggled to get to where I am today, I need you to know that my struggle was real.

“I was born with sickle cell disease. It was life and death, it was physical, mental, financial, you name it and I went through it all. It was tough, painful, and frustrating. I lived with a sickness no one around me understood, I lived with restrictions all my childhood.

“I wasn’t able to join some of the most minor child play and liberating activities like going out in the rain. The times when I insisted and rebelled against my parents’ orders and went out in the rain, I would end up having a crisis.”

The singer also narrated one of his “most intense crisis” at the age of 20, which resulted in him praying to God for death, and later served as a turning point in his life.

Encouraging fans with his story, the singer admonished those dealing with sickle cell disease to ensure it did not define them.

“Don’t allow it to limit your dreams or cap your potential. Spread your wings and dream big! Hope to see you soaring the big skies,” he concluded.