Author: The Nation

Civil society organisations, certified by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to observe the 2023 general election, have urged INEC to investigate the activities of Georgina Ugwuanyi, a professor and returning officer for Abia South Senatorial Zone and Oko Nkem, electoral officer (EO) for Abia South Senatorial Zone in the just concluded Presidential/National Assembly elections.

They said the duo announced the result of the senatorial election three days after declaring same election inconclusive and called for a rerun in 108 polling units.

INEC last Tuesday declared Enyinnaya Abaribe of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), winner of February 25 senatorial election in Abia South.

Ugwuanyi said she had to return to declare results for the election, because she was asked by INEC office in Abuja to announce winners in the election.

Ugwuanyi had told party agents that a substantial number of polling units totalling about 108 had irregularities requiring a reschedule of the Abia South election.

She said Abaribe, who is the APGA candidate, got the highest number of votes in the election, having scored 49, 903.

She further announced that LP’s Chinedu Onyeizu scored 43,903, while Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia State Governor, scored 28,422 votes and declared Abaribe winner of the senatorial election for Abia South.

The group urged INEC to organise supplementary election in the identified polling units in Abia South Senatorial Zone to determine the real winner of the senatorial election.

This is as they also urged INEC to suspend Georgina Ugwuanyi and Nkem Oko from the supplementary and March 11, 2023 elections.

2023 Abia State Civil Society Election Observers is an umbrella body of organised civil society organisations accredited by INEC to work as domestic observers for the 2023 general election.

They are led by Nelson Nnanna Nwafor (Convener) Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), Okoye, Chuka Peter (Co-convener) Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS) and Nnamdi Elekwachi (Secretary) Society for Economic Rights and Social Justice (SERSJ),

They demanded that the commission corrects its mistakes, and complies with the Electoral Act in further elections, and also fixes a convenient date for the supplementary election in Abia South Senatorial Zone.

The group at a news conference held at the secretariat of the Aba Federated Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) insisted that the date be set on an acceptable day, not when it will be inconvenient for the people, and that adequate publicity be made to this effect.

The governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in Akwa Ibom, Obong Bassey Akpan, has promised to stop the payment of multiple taxes by traders, if elected.

He made the promise when a coalition of over 100 political support groups, under the aegis Obi-Datti Movement 2023, endorsed his candidacy at the weekend ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

He said the decision to end multiple taxation was necessary, to ease the financial stress on the traders as well as encourage them make turnover from their legitimate investments. 

He said: “For traders selling at markets in the state, I have heard your cry over multiple taxes and this act will be addressed.  Our focus will be that of creating a business friendly environment for investments to thrive. Rest assured that the government under my leadership will be government of the people by the people and for the people.”

“I am assuring you that my loyalty as the governor will be for the masses of Akwa Ibom State. Don’t support a governor whose loyalty will be to one man. Once he takes care of the interests of that one man, other interests will be nothing to him.

“For the women in the state, both indigenes and non-indigenes, you will enjoy same benefits accruing to you in terms of empowering you to become self-reliance,” Akpan stated.

While calling on the people to vote him as the next governor of the state and all YPP candidates on March 11, he added: “For all Akwa Ibom people, citizens and residents, let me also assure you that better days are coming. My government will not be about religion or tribe, but about the common good of all. That will be the focus of the incoming governor that will only be made possible through your votes”.

The YPP candidate advised voters against being financially induced to sell their votes, stressing that “the dollars and pounds thrown around now is a sign of failure and desperation. The dollars should be used in paying retirees.”

On his endorsement by the coalition as their sole candidate, an event that attracted resounding applauses, Akpan described the groups’ populist ideology as similar to the vision of YPP, hence he was comfortable with the alignment and support.

“I accept this endorsement with the greatest sense of responsibility. Together, we shall succeed,” he said.

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), a global organisation, has begun a14-month capacity building programme for farmers in four oil palm producing communities in Edo State.

The Managing Consultant and Chief Executive Officer, Foremost Development Services Ltd., an intermediary organisation for the RSPO, Mr. Fatai Afolabi, started the programme in Benin yesterday.

He said the selected farmers were youths, women, elders, including community-based organisations drawn from Madagbayo, Gbelebu, Udo and Maroghionba communities in Ovia Southwest Local Government.

Afolabi said the training was a Community Outreach and Engagement Programme (COEP) targeted at stakeholders within the oil palm producing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

He said the programme would take place in six oil palm producing local governments in the state.

He listed the benefitting councils to include Ikpoba Okha, Ovia Southwest, Ovia Northeast, Uhunmwonde, Owan West and Orhionmwon.

The consultant said between 90 and 120 farmers as well as other stakeholders would benefit from the capacity building in each of the local governments.

He noted that the programme was designed to ensure equitable level playing field for stakeholders in the oil palm industry.

”The programme will focus on three impact goals of Prosperity, People and Planet.

“With this training, RSPO wishes to educate the communities and other stakeholders in the oil palm value chain on the standards to adopt sustainable palm oil production.

“It also wishes to raise the level of awareness of the people on the obligations of the communities and companies producing sustainable palm oil.

“Also, on matters relating to their rights, livelihoods, social and environmental management, protection of communities and employees,” he said.

The managing consultant said in all of these, the overall aim of RSPO was to make sustainable palm oil the norm.

He said the organisation chose Edo for the COEP  because of its status as a major producer of sustainable palm oil in Nigeria.

He said RSPO was a global multi-stakeholder initiative on sustainable palm oil and non-profitable international membership organisation that united stakeholders from the palm oil sector.

In October 2022, during the official launch of the programme in Edo, RSPO said it had committed $300,000 into the promotion of sustainable palm oil production in the state.

The Chairman, Coalition of Asiwaju Support Groups Movement in Rivers State, Dr. Prince Jones-Adeleke, has hailed Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate, Sen. Kasim Shettima, on their victory in the presidential election. 

Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) standard-bearer, polled 8,794,726 votes to emerge President-elect in the February 25 election.

Addressing reporters in Port Harcourt at the weekend, Adeleke said Tinubu’s victory was well deserved.

He lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting a violence-free and credible election, adding that the victory was for APC family across the country and the entire citizenry.

Speaking about Tinubu’s leadership record, Adeleke, who is also the national coordinator of the Rivers State Non Indigenous Group for Asiwaju (RISNIGA), noted that the President-elect had the capacity to revive the country’s economy. 

“When Tinubu emerged governor of Lagos State in 1999, he designed a 30-year developmental plan for Lagos, with certain element of projects that are supposed to have been completed within the space of 30 years. 

“In that plan, it is expected that Lagos would have expanded into Ogun State because Lagos was over crowded, so they need to create a new haven for people to spread to that area. That plan birthed Lekki and Banana Island, and today you know what Lekki is all about,” he said.

He noted that Tinubu’s 30 years developmental plan also birthed Lagos State monorail, the Blue and Red rails, Dangote refinery as well as the ‘BRT’. 

He said the plan, which was also designed to have connectivity between Lagos and other African countries by train and by route had been achieved. 

Chief Ifeanyichukwuma Odii, the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State in the upcoming governorship election, has promised to prioritise the welfare of workers if elected.

The PDP standard-bearer made the promise when he met recently with the workers at the party’s governorship campaign office in Abakaliki.

The outcome of the meeting is contained in a statement issued in Abakaliki by Chief Abia Onyike, Director, Media and Publicity, PDP Governorship Campaign Council (GCC).

Onyeike quoted Odii as saying that workers are prominent capital in the development of any nation given their ability to create wealth.

He assured that all welfare benefits due for the workers would be paid, while all statutory allowances allegedly stopped would be restored.

“Ebonyi workers will smile again because workers’ gratuity, their salary increment and their leave allowance will be restored.

“There are happy days ahead and the time to sit on workers’ promotion and other statutory fringe benefits is over,” Onyike quoted Odii as saying.

The PDP standard-bearer said Ebonyi workers were among the most disenchanted group of citizens in the country because of the economic deprivation they were subjected to.

“If you pay workers well, they will contribute optimally to the state’s economy; money will circulate in the state and create a ripple effect that will boost the economy of the state.

“We shall partner very well with workers to build the state’s economy; we don’t need more flyovers.”

“We need human capital development, institutional reforms, educational reform, salaries must be paid, all your gratuities, pensions and salaries will be paid,” he said.

Odii, a businessman said it was unfortunate that Ebonyi was rated as one of the poorest states in the country because of lack of ingenuity in wealth creation by its leaders.

“They don’t know how to create wealth; they can’t give what they don’t have,” Onyeike further quoted Odii as saying.

Odii’s government, according to Onyeike, will build an independent and accelerated economy in the state.

“There is poverty because we have not elected those who understand good governance which is the demand of the people.

“I stand against inhumanity, injustice and poverty. I’m here to liberate Ebonyi; to make Ebonyi people proud, to restore dignity and trust, to rebuild the confidence of the people in government”, he said.

The statement noted that the workers endorsed Odii as their candidate in the election and pledged to work in ensuring that he emerged victorious at the poll.

• Congratulates APC senator-elect Ekpenyong, others

Cross River State chapter of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), has given pass mark to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), over the conduct of February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

The state chapter, which addressed reporters at Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre in Calabar at the weekend, said the Labour Party (LP) standard-bearer, Peter Obi, polled the highest votes in the state.

It hailed the senator-elect for Southern Senatorial District, Asuquo Ekpenyong and other winners, for emerging victorious during the elections.

Mr. Anthony Bissong, the state chairman of IPAC, spoke while reviewing the outcome of the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

He said: “The intention of the people was clear. The people wanted Peter Obi and the result was loud.

“We congratulate Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate, because the votes he scored in the state belonged to him. We endorse the outcome of the presidential election.

“For Asuquo Ekpenyong of the APC, the senator-elect for Southern Senatorial District, after our detailed interaction with our candidates, we found out that he was projected to win the election from our independent poll.

“He worked very hard, campaigned the most and deserves his victory.

“We understand how visible he was in the field and his victory is not in dispute.

“The majority of parties in IPAC have accepted the outcome of the elections in Cross River South. We congratulate him formally.”

Bissong added that IPAC was happy over his election, especially because he belonged to the younger generation and might likely emerge one of the youngest senators in the 10th Senate.

IPAC also commended other winners, including Ekpenyong Akiba of Labour Party, (Calabar Municipality/Odukpani federal constituency); Alex Egbonna (Abi/Yakurr federal constituency); Senator Jarigbe Agom (Cross River North); Victor Abang (Ikom/Boki federal constituency) and other winners, saying their victory was not in dispute.

The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Enugu State, Mr. Chijioke Edeoga, has said his mission is to restore the social, cultural and economic fortunes of the state if elected on Saturday.

He spoke about his readiness to intervene in a number of critical areas, including the challenge of water scarcity in the state capital, the deplorable state of education, housing and urban renewal, minimum wage for workers, among other issues.

Edeoga, however, lamented attempts by his opponents who, according to him, had been making political capital by fanning the embers of disunity among the people.

He vowed to heal the state from years of disunity and social and economic regression.

The LP candidate said the people of the state were united and shared a common cultural bond that could not be discountenanced by the actions of desperate political actors.

Decrying the efforts to pit the people of Enugu East Zone against their brothers in the Enugu North Zone, Edeoga urged the people to vote for him, because he was in the best position to heal the state of the imaginary divisions orchestrated by people whose only intention was political profits.

“It is unfortunate that a number of people have been laying emphasis on what divides us, rather than the multitudinous factors that prove we are one people. 

“But I have dedicated my life to making our state better. People are working hard to wrought imaginary lines of division between and among us, but I am here to blight those lines,” he said.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmen from the nine local governments of Ukwa Ngwa extraction have distanced themselves from the purported endorsement of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okey Ahiwe.

Our correspondent reports that rumours emerged at the weekend that APC local government chairmen of the Ukwa Ngwa extraction, led by Chief Joshua Onyekwere, at the weekend, endorsed the PDP standard-bearer as their governorship candidate ahead of Saturday’s Governorship and House of Assembly elections, during a visit to the PDP candidate in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government.

But in a reaction yesterday, a group of APC chairmen of Ukwa Ngwa extraction, led by Grant Nwaogu, at a news conference in Aba, debunked Ahiwe’s endorsement and dismissed the group as a fake body, who were unknown to the party leadership in the state and nine Ukwa Ngwa local governments.

Nwaogu, who said they were determined to deliver High Chief Ikechi Emenike, the party’s governorship candidate, in Saturday’s elections, added that no reasonable APC member would endorse another party’s candidate when APC had someone or people who were more qualified than those they were contesting with.

“It is also important that we remind ‘Abians’ that we have a fake gang, who claim to be exco members and leaders of the APC in Ukwa Ngwa extraction. All they claim they represent are purely lies from the bottomless pit of hell.

“It is also important that you know that the nine chairmen of the APC from the Ukwa Ngwa extraction are behind the candidature of Emenike.

“I warn those going about in the name of APC chairmen of Ukwa Ngwa extraction, who go round looking for candidates of parties to exploit for whatever purpose and intent to be very careful over their activities and actions. I want to inform those doing any kind of business with them that the group is representing nobody as far as our party, the APC, is concerned.

“APC is a party with excos made up of people with capacity. Our governorship candidate is Emenike.

“He is our candidate because we know he has the capacity to be the governor. He is transparent. Nobody is funding him; he is standing on his feet and he has credibility. This is why we have chosen him as a party to be our candidate for the governorship election. We will make sure we win this election.

“He is coming to rescue Abia. He is to develop Abia. He is coming to revive moribund industries. He is coming to make sure our youths and adults are gainfully employed. He is coming to make sure we have institutions that will make business to grow in the state.

“Thank God our presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has won. Abia will link up with the national APC. Abia will link up with the Presidency. Now that we have a President-elect, Abia needs to support the moving train, which is APC.”