The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State has concluded its Senatorial Primaries and announced the results across the three senatorial districts, with successful candidates receiving Certificates of Return amid calls for unity and party cohesion ahead of future elections.

The announcement ceremony, which was conducted in a peaceful atmosphere, brought together senatorial aspirants, members of the Senate Primary Committee, the Enugu State APC Working Committee, House of Representatives aspirants, state lawmakers, local government council chairmen, party stakeholders, and other dignitaries from across the state.

Addressing attendees at the event, Enugu State APC Chairman, Martin Chukwunweike, described the gathering as the formal conclusion of the senatorial primary process that commenced the previous day.

He said the Senate Primaries Committee had undertaken a detailed collation process to ensure transparency, credibility, and fairness.

He commended the committee for what he termed a professionally conducted exercise and expressed appreciation to Peter Mbah for providing what he described as an enabling atmosphere for a peaceful and successful primary election process.

Speaking during the event, Chairman of the Senate Primary Committee, Funkekeme Solomon, praised Governor Mbah for his leadership style and described the conduct of party members throughout the process as disciplined and mature.

According to the committee chairman, results collated across wards and local government areas produced winners in the three senatorial districts.

For Enugu West Senatorial Zone, sole contestant Osita Ngwu secured 70,015 votes and emerged winner.

In Enugu East Senatorial Zone, with a total of 161,334 votes cast, Kelvin Chukwu polled 111,743 votes to defeat Hon. Nnaji Shalom Nwakegwu, who scored 482 votes.

For Enugu North Senatorial Zone, where 152,886 votes were recorded, Ikeje Asogwa emerged victorious with 125,089 votes, defeating Hon. Eze Chinazo F., Hon. Edith Ngozi Ugwuanyi, and Hon. Dr. Charles Ugwuanyi.

Following the announcement, the successful candidates were officially presented with Certificates of Return amid celebrations by party members and supporters.

Speaking on behalf of the victorious candidates, Senator Osita Ngwu expressed gratitude to Governor Peter Mbah and party leadership for ensuring a peaceful and seamless exercise.

He also thanked party executives and grassroots leaders across the state for their support and pledged continued commitment to the party’s ideals.

In his vote of thanks, APC State Publicity Secretary, Chief Hon. Uche Obute, commended Governor Mbah and members of the state working committee for their efforts toward sustaining peace, fairness, and unity within the party.

The event ended with renewed calls for sportsmanship and unity, as party leaders urged unsuccessful aspirants to support the party’s candidates and collective vision ahead of future electoral contests.

The Anambra State Government has dismissed reports claiming Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo signed a “new burial law” imposing restrictions, including a ban on the use of cows and goats during condolence visits, describing them as false and malicious.

The state Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr. Law Mefor, while clarifying the matter said that no new burial law had been passed by the Soludo administration.

“For the record: No new burial law has been passed by Governor Soludo’s administration. The subsisting Anambra Burial Law is the 2019 law signed by former Governor Willie Obiano,” Mefor said.

The government said the claims circulating on social media and other traditional media outlets were not contained in any section of the 2019 law. It described the assertion that cows and goats are banned at condolence visits as a fabrication intended to mislead the public and incite outrage.

Mefor faulted media organizations for publishing the report without verification, saying journalism demands accuracy, balance, and a duty to confirm claims before publication.

“It is disappointing and irresponsible that established media houses would abandon basic verification and become conduits for viral fake news,” Mefor said.

The government urged the public to disregard the report and called on media organizations to uphold professional standards and avoid publishing unverified reports that could cause public disaffection.

Residents were advised to rely only on official communication channels of the Anambra State Government for accurate information on government policy.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has revealed that some individuals from Borno State allegedly warned President Bola Tinubu against wearing traditional outfits he gave him during the 2023 presidential campaign, claiming the garments had been used to charm him and could lead to his death.

Shettima made the disclosure on Tuesday while speaking at the public presentation of former Head of State Yakubu Gowon’s autobiography, My Life of Duty and Allegiance, in Abuja, where he represented the President.

According to the Vice President, the incident happened shortly after the inauguration of the Tinubu administration in 2023.

He said he had travelled to Beijing, China, in October 2023 to represent Tinubu at the 3rd Belt and Road Initiative Forum held from October 16 to 18.

Shettima said that upon his return, Tinubu informed him that some people had visited him with claims that the traditional Borno attire Shettima supplied during the campaign had spiritual implications.

“When I came back from China, where I had represented him at the Belt and Road Initiative Conference, he said: ‘Sit down. Your people came to me and said I should stop wearing those dresses you gave me. They said I must have been charmed, and that I am going to die and he will become the president,’” Shettima recounted.

He said Tinubu dismissed the allegation, noting that the claim did not make sense because both of them were only aspirants at the time the clothes were given to him.

According to Shettima, Tinubu told him: “Their story did not add up, because when you gave me those dresses, I was an aspirant. I wasn’t even the candidate. Neither were you the vice-presidential candidate.”

The Vice President added that Tinubu deliberately continued wearing the outfits for one week to dismiss the allegations.

“For one week, to prove to them that he is not fetish, he wore those dresses,” he said.

Shettima said the episode reflected what he described as growing suspicion within Nigeria’s political environment.

He compared the situation with an earlier account shared by the Sultan of Sokoto about how Gowon used to receive gallons of fura weekly from the Sultan’s family in Sokoto while serving as Head of State at Dodan Barracks in Lagos.

According to Shettima, Gowon accepted the gesture without suspicion, unlike the present climate of mistrust.

“Suspicion smears our relationships, and it ought not to be. We are essentially one people tied to a common destiny,” he said.