Good morning,
Welcome to the Channels Morning Brief. We are bringing you all the latest from the Anambra governorship election and the National Assembly’s grilling of Rotimi Amaechi over the Federal Government’s plan to extend the national rail network to Maradi in Niger Republic.
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Anambra governorship candidates sign peace pact
Candidates in the imminent Anambra governorship election signed a peace accord in Awka, the state captial, on Thursday.
The election is slated for Saturday.
The peace accord ceremony was organised by the National Peace Committee, which is chaired by former military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
The accord is equally binding on the candidate’s political parties and is expected to encourage signees to take proactive steps “towards ensuring a conducive environment for the conduct of a credible electoral process.”
Security measures: The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the restriction of vehicular movementin the state. This means there would be no movement of vehicles in and out of Anambra State from 11:59 pm on Friday, November 5 to 11:59 pm on Saturday, November 6.
Push forward: A coalition of Governors from the five South-East states have urged residents to ignore threats of insecurity, confidently go out on Saturday and vote for any candidate of their choice.
Final words: The candidates have made their last pitchto voters ahead of the election this weekend.
Lagos Govt, NEMA differ on high-rise casualty figure
The Lagos State Government and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) have differed on the number of casualties recorded from the 21-story Ikoyi building collapse as rescue efforts continue.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who visited the scene on Thursday, noted that 32 bodies have been recovered from the building collapse.
But earlier in the day, NEMA’s Acting Coordinator of the Lagos Territorial Office, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye said 38 people had been confirmed dead.
Meanwhile, the body of Mr Femi Osibona, the CEO Of Fourscore Homes, the real estate company responsible for the collapsed building, was said to be among those recovered on Thursday.
Forward steps: The Governor visited survivors of the building collapse at the hospital on Thursday before inaugurating a tribunal of inquiry into the incident.
Quotable: “As much as we sympathise with all concerned, we will also ensure that we are open and thorough in investigating the cause of the collapse,” the Governor said.
Babatunde Fashola: The Federal Minister of Works and Housing has described the building collapse as a “horrific tragedy“.
Lawmakers quiz Amaechi Over Niger Republic railway
Members of the National Assembly joint committees on land and marine transport have questioned the construction of a standard gauge Kano-Maradi rail line, while plans are being made to build what they describe as archaic rail lines for the South-East and North-Central.
Committee members made their feelings known to the Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi when he appeared before them to defend his ministry’s 2022 budget proposal.
“Why is the ministry doing a 287-kilometer of railway track from Kano to Maradi that you will fund with Nigerian money borrowed for Nigerians to be paid by our children to do a world-class railway to Maradi,” Hon. Pat Asadu said.
“I also know the economy of Niger Republic and I believe the economy of the South-East is bigger than that of Maradi. I am not even talking of South-South.”
Amaechi insisted that the Niger Republic rail-line was driven by economic considerations.
The construction of the Kano-Maradi railway has generated controversy ever since the Federal Government announced the project.
What else is happening?
Adamawa State: Seven persons have been killed with several others injured during an attack by gunmen on the Negga community in the Numan Local Government Area.
ASUU: The academic union has given the Federal Government a 48-hour ultimatum to rescue the victims who were kidnapped from the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) on Tuesday. The kidnappers are demanding a N50m ransom.
Unrest: Some commercial tricycle operators, popularly known as Keke Napep, clashed with police officers in the Meiran area of Lagos State after an officer reportedly stabbed a driver over a bribe.
Crime and punishment: A civil servant has been sentenced to 28-years imprisonment in Maiduguri for engaging in an N86.1 million contract fraud.
Kwara State: Two minors were raped after suspected Fulani herdsmen attacked Nuku village in Kaiama Local Government.
Tigray crisis: Ethiopian lawmakers on Thursday endorsed a state of emergencyafter rebels advanced on the capital, sparking a US warning that an aid crisis that has already plunged hundreds of thousands into hunger could worsen further.
Vatican matters: Pope Francis has appointed a woman to head up the governorate of the Vatican, as he forges ahead with a mission to achieve greater gender equality in the Church.
What to watch on YouTube
COP26: The biggest climate change event this year is all about encouraging countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions quickly enough to save the planet. Our correspondent, Ayoola Kassim, is in Glasgow.
Crimebeat: A man in Benin-city allegedly killed his wife over a domestic dispute and tried to hide it.
Pat Utomi: The former presidential candidate believes some powerful Nigerians are hoarding dollars for election campaigns.
And that’s it for this morning. Join me again tomorrow.
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