Nigeria

ABUJA, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's main opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday rejected results of the weekend's presidential election being collated by the country's electoral body in Abuja.

In a statement signed by its national chairman, Uche Secondus, the PDP said the results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are disputable.

"All results currently being announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is incorrect, thus unacceptable to our party and people," the statement said.

25 Feb 2019; DW: Unrest and uncertainty has gripped Nigeria after a second day of vote counting following the presidential election. Human rights groups have reported the deaths of 39 people, while Nigerian police have confirmed some 128 arrests following election-related violence.

Saturday's presidential election was fraught with difficulty, having been delayed a week by the electoral commission at the last minute, citing logistical challenges.

22 Feb 2019; DW: Nigeria's second attempt to elect a new president started Saturday with the polls opening at 8 a.m. local time (0700 UTC). All eyes are on the nearly 120,000 polling stations to see if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has overcome logistical difficulties to deliver the required number of ballot boxes, papers and results sheets — and on time. IT specialists reconfigured some 180,000 machines needed to check biometric identity cards and allow people to vote.

KANO, Nigeria (AP) — As emergencies go, it has a catchy tune. Faced with a Nigerian election that could spiral into violence, some in the popular film industry known as Kannywood gathered this week to shoot an urgent music video appealing for peace.

On an impromptu set outside the northern city of Kano, young women bickered between takes but at “Rolling!” smiled and swiveled in unison as male dancers sashayed by. While a drone camera buzzed overhead, a singer gestured and lip-synced a plea for Africa’s largest democracy to keep its cool.

KANO, Nigeria (AP) - Nigeria’s electoral commission says the presidential election is delayed until Feb. 23 over unspecified “challenges” amid reports that voting materials have not been delivered to all parts of the country.

Commission chairman Mahmood Yakubu spoke to reporters a little over five hours before polls were supposed to open in Africa’s most populous country and largest democracy.

The commission promised more details at a 2 p.m. briefing in the capital, Abuja.

ABUJA, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from a stampede during an election campaign rally on Tuesday in Nigeria's southern state of Rivers has risen to 15, a hospital spokesman revealed Wednesday.

Kem Daniel-Elebiga, a spokesman of the Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, said in a statement that casualty data from the hospital's emergency department indicated a total of 15 bodies were brought in dead, including three men and 12 women.

He said 12 injured people rushed to the hospital received timely treatment, and three of them had been discharged.

ABUJA, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- A total of 41,000 Nigerians were killed by cancer in 2018, out of an estimated 166,000 cases recorded in the country, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.

WHO's health emergency team lead in Nigeria, Clement Peter, made the disclosure here at a seminar in commemoration of the "2019 World Cancer Day," which is observed annually on Feb. 4.

The theme for this year's World Cancer Day is "I am and I will."

ABUJA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Saturday survived a helicopter crash while on an official trip to the country's central state of Kogi, a presidential spokesman has confirmed.

The six-seater helicopter, conveying Osinbajo and some of his aides, crash-landed in Kabba area of Kogi, presidential spokesman Laolu Akande said in a statement.

It was badly damaged but all the passengers and crew members were unhurt, the presidential aide said.

ABUJA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian government on Monday defended the president's suspension of the country's chief justice over alleged breach of asset-declaration rules.

Lai Mohammed, the minister of information and culture, told media in Abuja that the suspension of Walter Onnoghen was a consequence of his breach of the code of conduct for public officers, and has nothing to do with the forthcoming elections in February.

ABUJA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian government on Monday defended the president's suspension of the country's chief justice over alleged breach of asset-declaration rules.

Lai Mohammed, the minister of information and culture, told media in Abuja that the suspension of Walter Onnoghen was a consequence of his breach of the code of conduct for public officers, and has nothing to do with the forthcoming elections in February.