Mega Xplosionz

Elders of the People’s Democratic Party under the aegis of Akwa Ibom Elders and Stakeholders and Senator Godswill Akpabio on Friday traded words over the carnage in Obot-Akara Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

The mayhem which occurred on the eve of last Saturday’s botched election led to the death of two persons and the burning down of 13 INEC vehicles in the area.

The elders of the PDP who addressed a press conference at the banquet hall of the Government House, Uyo accused Senator Akpabio of masterminding the attack in order to cause panic and win the elections for the All Progressives Congress.

But in swift reaction also on Friday, Senator Godswill Akpabio described the allegations as spurious, baseless and unfounded adding that elders were playing the victim complex of an impending defeat.

Former Military Administrator of the state, Idongesit Nkanga, had, in a briefing earlier in the day accused senator Akpabio of hiring thugs from neighboring States.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared the Zamfara state All Progressive Congress (APC) to present candidates for the general elections.

This follows the Court of Appeal ruling on the matter.

The state APC was barred from presenting candidates following an internal crisis, which prevented the party from conducting its primaries within the time frame set by INEC.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Thursday over ruled the lower court on technical ground.

There were two conflicting rulings from two court of the same jurisdiction, one sitting in Zamfara and the other in Abuja.

While the Zamfara Court ruled in favour of the ruling party, the Abuja High court ruled against the party, which therefore forced INEC to take a decision.

Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has confirmed that the presidential and national assembly elections will proceed on Saturday February 23 as rescheduled.

Yakubu made the confirmation on Friday when he kicked off the final edition of the commission's daily media briefing to update the public on its preparedness for the election.

There had been fears that the losgistical issues that prompted the postponement may not have been resolved by now, however Yakubu declared on Friday: "Tomorrow is election day".

"A total of 72,775,502 citizens who have collected their Permanent Voter Cards are eligible to cast their ballots," he said. "Nigerians will elect a President out of a total of 73 candidates nominated by their politcal parties. Similarly, voters will choose 109 senators out of 1,880 candidates and 360 members of the House of Representatives out of 4,631 candidates."

NATIONAL leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has criticised President Muhammadu Buhari for directing security agents to deal ruthlessly with ballot box snatchers during the general elections.

Speaking at a PDP youth rally in Ilorin on Thursday, where about 10,000 decampees were received by the leaders of the party, Saraki said that a president who loves his people would not have ordered soldiers to kill them.

The PDP leader, who said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government has no agenda for either Nigeria or its people, enjoined Nigerians, especially the youths to vote for Atiku in the Saturday presidential elections “to say goodbye to hunger and poverty in Nigeria.”

Saraki, who said that government of Atiku Abubakar had promised 40 per cent appointment for youths when elected, added that votes for PDP would ensure growth and development of Nigeria and Kwara state.

He enjoined the youth to vote for PDP candidates in the coming elections, saying that their votes would ensure sustenance of integrity of Kwara state and its people.

The decampees included members of the Mega Party of Nigeria, APC, ACPN, Action Alliance (AA) and Labour Party.

Director General of Voice of Nigeria, DG VON, Mr. Osita Okechukwu has accused the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo of skipping laid down rules of the apex Igbo group to endorse the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Mr. Peter Obi.

Okechukwu also accused Nwodo of deliberate suspension of Article 10, sub section vi of Ohanaeze constitution to alienate the Ohanaeze General Assembly and made the endorsement.

He stated that if there was any presidential candidate that deserved endorsement, it would have been President Muhammadu Buhari whom he said his reelection would be the nearest route to attain a president of Igbo extraction.

In a statement on Sunday, Okechukwu said that most Igbo leaders such as Governor Willy Obiano, Senator Ken Nnamani, Dr. Chris Ngige, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama and a host of other prominent Igbo leaders have been outraged by Ohanaeze’s endorsement of Abubakar, last week.

The economic situation in Zimbabwe is getting worse, as Trade Unions and protesters call for a three-day strike.

It came after the cost of petrol and diesel more than doubled on Sunday.

Two people were reportedly shot in the capital Harare, as demonstrators barricaded roads and set tires on fire.

The government is dealing with shortages that have seen motorists sleep in fuel queues.

Al Jazeera's Raheela Mahomed has been monitoring the latest online developments.