The National Security Council presided by President MUHAMMADU BUHARI has reviewed the security situation in the country, as it relates to the conduct of the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

The meeting that had all the Service Chiefs in attendance assured Nigerians of hitch free conduct of the 2019 general elections.

Minister of Defence, MANSUR DAN-ALI who revealed this in a statement shortly after the meeting at the Presidential Villa said it also recommended the deployment of security agencies to states, to enable INEC conduct the elections that will be acceptable to all.

According to him, the meeting addressed an attempt to put pressure on the electoral body by some notable personalities through demonstrations.

MANSUR DAN-ALI noted the Council also discussed the proliferation and stockpiling of weapons by some disgruntled elements with a desire to take laws into their hands at the slightest opportunity.

Inspector General of Police, IBRAHIM IDRIS addressed newsmen after the meeting.

The National Economic Council has asked the Federal and state governments to allocate 15 per cent of their budgets to education.

This was part of the resolutions reached during the Council’s meeting held yesterday in Abuja.

Edo state Deputy Governor, PHILIP SHAIBU who was among those who briefed reporters after the meeting revealed that NEC also called on the state governments to declare an emergency in their education sector.

He explained that the Council took the decision after it received the interim report of its ad-hoc Committee on the Revival of Education.

The Minister of State for Health, OSAGIE EHANIRE also rendered account on efforts by government to combat Polio in the country.

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has sent the name of Senate President, BUKOLA SARAKI, to the Independent National Electoral Commission as a senatorial candidate.

His name was among the list of candidates submitted to the commission in Abuja last night.

SARAKI, who represents Kwara Central District in the Senate, was among the 13 presidential aspirants of the party.

The PDP had held the senatorial primaries before that of the presidential primary.

While SARAKI paid for the Presidential nomination and expression of interest forms, it was however not clear if he paid for that of the Senate as well.

SARAKI’s name was used to replace the name of one OPE, whose name was initially filed as the PDP candidate for the senatorial district.

The State House of Assembly has ordered the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas in the state to call the PSP operators in their areas to go back to work with immediate effect.

Speaker of the House, MUDASHIRU OBASA, who gave this directive on Thursday on behalf of the lawmakers during plenary, also ordered the Clerk of the House, AZEEZ SANNI, to invite the Commissioner for the Environment, BABATUNDE DUROSINMI-ETTI to appear before the House on the matter next week.

This followed an Urgent Matter of Public Importance raised by Hon. GBOLAHAN YISHAWU on heaps of refuse scattered all over the state.

The Speaker emphasised that the Lagos State House of Assembly does not know about Visionscape insisting the state government ought to have consulted them before they started operation.