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Category: Special Report

  • How we ended Russia’s weaponisation of energy, by U.S.

    How we ended Russia’s weaponisation of energy, by U.S.

    In this briefing, United States Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Energy Resources, Geoffrey Pyatt, discussed the outcome of the tenth EU-US Energy Council’s meeting and the current state and future of global energy issues. Prior to assuming his current role in September 2022, Assistant Secretary Pyatt was U.S. Ambassador to Greece from 2016 to 2022 and U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine from 2013 to 2016. United States Bureau Chief OLUKOREDE YISHAU was part of the briefing. Excerpts:-

    The tenth EU-US Energy Council’s meeting

    Last week, I joined the U.S. delegation led by Secretary of State Blinken and Department of Energy Deputy Secretary Turk at the tenth U.S.-EU Energy Council meeting in Brussels.  This was the first council meeting since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The meeting was a tremendous success, both in terms of our broad agreement on a range of issues and in the substantive nature of the joint statement that we issued.  During the meeting, both EU High Representative Borrell and Commissioner Simson expressed their appreciation for the United States leadership, working with Europe in responding to Putin’s weaponisation of energy resources last year.  High Representative Borrell also pointed out that this effort has largely failed.

    Commissioner Simson highlighted that as we arrive at the end of the winter, the EU’s gas storage is at 56 per cent – a historically high level – and U.S. and EU imports of Russian-piped gas have fallen to 9 per cent from 40 per cent.  This council’s discussion of natural gas led to a consensus that Russia has simply ceased to be the defining factor in the European energy security equation. Our counterparts admitted that the European energy system has largely reoriented itself faster than even they would have predicted in February of 2022.

      The council continues to strongly prioritise the energy transition and the opportunities that it opens for all of us. We talked about the historic nature of the United States Inflation Reduction Act, and how we are working with our partners and allies to address their questions and concerns. And we also talked about EU efforts to incentivise clean energy technologies. We did recognise, however, that clean technology supply chains remain vulnerable to disruption if China continues to monopolise everything from critical minerals to hydrogen electrolysers and solar power components.  But we also sense that there’s a great opportunity for the United States and Europe to do more to build out these supply chains and to develop new technologies together.

    LNG as transition fuel

    We have a clear understanding as well that LNG is going to remain an important transition fuel for the European Union, as it is for the United States.  But we need to work together globally to lower the carbon footprint of that gas. We will need to improve in particular methane capture, especially in countries that still vent or flare a significant portion of the gas that they produce. I’m sure you all have seen the council’s joint statement. A few things stand out for me. The statement strongly condemns Russia’s unjust, illegal, and unprovoked war against Ukraine. It notes the council’s strengthened resolve to ensure EU energy security and to support Ukraine and Moldova. It also maintains a clear focus on achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

    The statement also noted the concerns of developing economies, which struggle to balance rapidly growing demand for energy and economic growth with climate concerns. These countries also strongly are affected by the energy market and related food and agriculture volatility that resulted from Putin’s war. The council’s endorsement of just energy transition partnerships and economic and workforce development assistance are two examples of how we recognise and address these concerns. In light of current events and the interest of diversifying energy supply, I was pleased to see the council express the intent for the United States and EU to coordinate our support for transparent, integrated, and competitive energy markets within the Western Balkans, the Black Sea region, Eastern Mediterranean, and North Africa. The statement also noted our intent to continue to work collectively on maximising the abatement and capture of leaks, flaring, venting, and other emissions.

     The council’s plans include advancing standards for measuring methane emissions and leaks along the full value chain, fulfilling one of the goals of the Global Methane Pledge launched by the United States, the EU, and our partners at COP26.  Entities like the U.S.-EU Energy Council play an important role in setting goals and standards.  But I was also pleased to see agreement on continuing outreach to the business community on issues like offshore wind and small and modular nuclear reactors.

    Ample energy storage

    With the energy system as it stands now, the European Union will enter the winter of 2023/24 with ample energy storage, while conducting ongoing work to decarbonise, including in hard-to-abate sectors such as steel and shipping.  Going forward, Europe and the U.S. will also continue to focus on increasing efficiencies through broad adoption of technologies, such as heat pumps and industrial efficiency measures. While I was in Brussels, I welcomed the opportunity to spend some time with Directorate General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations Commissioner Várhelyi and with my counterparts at the European External Action Service, who work on our G7 group supporting Ukraine’s energy sector. The United States and the EU maintain our clear resolve to continue this work, and we welcome Ukraine’s return to being an energy exporter to Europe. Ukraine’s future energy system will be clean, decentralised and sustainable, and it will face west.  Working together through initiatives like U.S.-EU Energy Council, we have defied expectations, improved our international cooperation, reinforced our close transatlantic relationship, and stood firm in support of Ukraine and Moldova.

    Russia’s attempt to weaponise energy resources

    I think it’s clear at this stage that Russia’s attempt to weaponise its energy resources against Europe, against Ukraine, and against the world has failed.  You see that in the dramatic reduction in European consumption of Russian gas, something I mentioned in my remarks.  You see that in the successful implementation of the G7 price cap on crude oil and refined products and the impact that that has had on Russian revenues.  And you see that in something that was so clear to me in our conversations in Brussels, which is the decoupling of Europe from Russian energy supplies and the reorientation of the European energy economy towards reliable, trustworthy global partners, including significantly the United States but also critical partners as well in North Africa, in the Caspian region, and elsewhere. So I think that phase of Russia’s energy war is over.  This – Russia’s weaponisation of its resources – has also ironically accelerated the investment in Europe in renewables and helped to advance our shared commitment to our climate goals.

    The main lesson for Ukraine

    I think the most important lesson is the extraordinary resilience and ingenuity of the Ukrainian people.  You saw there was an excellent New York Times story this morning about Ukraine’s return to its status as an energy exporter to Europe, about the innovations that Ukrenergo and Ukraine’s energy workers made in the face of this relentless wave of Russian attacks that began last October. We have to recognise, however, that the Ukrainian energy grid today is about 40 percent degraded, so we need to work together to provide Ukraine with the resources it needs to restore that capacity but also to build the greener, more sustainable, more decentralised energy grid that your government, that the Ukrainian Government, has committed to establishing.

    I think Prime Minister Shmyhal’s visit to Washington this week is an important opportunity to continue that work together. What we’re doing through the G7 group is also an element of this.  The volume of destruction that Russia has inflicted on the energy system is extraordinary, on the order of $10 billion according to the latest World Bank estimates. But I have also been deeply impressed that even amid all of this disruption, the Ukrainian Government, Ukrainian energy companies, are so clearly committed to building a future energy system which meets the highest European standards of sustainability, is aligned with European regulatory and implementation standards, and provides the power that Ukraine is going to need to sustain its reconstruction process. 

    Iraq and Kurdis agreement on the export of oil

    National Security Advisor Sullivan’s statement on Friday reflects the strong level of U.S. support for this agreement but also the attention that we have paid to this issue across the U.S. Government, including with our teams at our embassies in Baghdad and Ankara. You asked why we care.  There are a variety of reasons that we – that motivate our attention here.  But one of them, of course, is the fact that you have significant American investment in the upstream oil and gas sector in northern Iraq and the Kurdish region, so we are keenly focused on finding a mechanism to see that the flows are restored as quickly as possible.  We welcome strongly the agreement between Baghdad and Erbil to facilitate that, and we remain engaged with our Turkish allies as well to facilitate this agreement and the resumption of flows through Ceyhan.

     I would also draw attention to the other aspect of National Security Advisor Sullivan’s statement, which is his strong support also for the agreement that was struck between Iraq and Qatar Energy and Total for a new programme on one of the issues that I – that we talked about in Brussels at the Energy Council, which is measures to address venting and flaring in the upstream sector in Iraq.  There is a tremendous opportunity to achieve additional gains for the Iraqi people through this agreement. High Representative Borrell when we were in the Energy Council in Brussels made the point that worldwide there are something like 250 billion cubic meters of gas that could be captured through full implementation of the Global Methane Pledge. So this agreement between Iraq and Total and Qatar is very, very important to make progress on that goal as well.  So we remain closely engaged on these issues.  And as I said, we hope for full and speedy implementation of the new agreement between Baghdad and Erbil.

    Europe soon becoming dependent on LNG deliveries from U.S.

    I will say a couple of things.  Let me start with the first, which is, having spent a little more than a half year now in this job traveling around the world, talking to energy ministers and foreign ministries and governments, it’s clear to me that Russia is never again going to be viewed as a reliable energy supplier because of what the Kremlin did last year to weaponise its energy resources and to use those energy resources as an element of a larger strategy of coercion aimed at Europe, aimed at Ukraine, and aimed at the world.

  • Chimamanda’s epistle of garbage

    Chimamanda’s epistle of garbage

    By Femi Fani-Kayode

    Chimamanda Adichie’s “hollow democracy” diatribe is a shitty little submission, in a shitty little letter, written by a shitty little diva. It was hardly worth my time to read and ordinarily I would not have bothered.

     Like all faecal waste, it belongs in one place and one place alone: the bottom of a public toilet. We do not need any lessons from this over-rated and Igbocentric new age diva. Neither do we need to respond to her self-serving, self-seeking, jaundiced, subjective, partial, primitive, tribal observations and implausible ethno-religious sentiments.

     If anyone needs to know that lawlessness has consequences it is her candidate Peter and not the Nigerian people. And if anything is hollow it is her well-manicured diva head and not our democracy. She is not in this league and she would do well to stick to writing fairy tales.  Running to foreign leaders to report your compatriots does not sit well with me no matter what your Uncle Tom credentials may be.

     If you do not have respect for your own people and nation and if you have to go cap in hand to foreigners for validation then you are not worthy of being called a human being let alone a Nigerian. Africa has come of age. We do not need to get a congratulatory note from any Western nation before we sleep well at night.

    Read Also: Re: Chimamanda’s seditious open letter to President Joe Biden

    This is not some Hollywood film script or fantasy fairy tale. This is about the destiny, future, welfare and fortune of 250 million Nigerian people who deserve to have their place under the sun as a free, progressive and independent nation and not to be treated like some vassal state or an appendage of others. What this unpatriotic, hate-filled and overrated little diva has written is nothing but a long-winded, empty, tendentious and boring epistle of dishonest garbage.

     It is a litany of unwholesome mendacities designed to undermine our democracy, impress her global audience and incite her local ‘Obidient’ tribesmen against the Nigerian people and state. It is a reflection of her low self-esteem and inability to grasp the fact that no nation or people on earth are perfect in all their ways and that the America she is reporting us to is also in many ways questionable and flawed and faced with many challenges.

     The little diva is not worthy of much of our attention. She deserves nothing from us except ridicule, scorn and contempt. She should give us a break, spare the world her unsolicited counsel, desist from denigrating her nation from a foreign land, stop reporting Nigeria to her slave masters and, as President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda would say, “go and eat her mother’s something” .

  • Controversy over N15b allocation to Refugees Commission as hunger ravages IDP camps

    Controversy over N15b allocation to Refugees Commission as hunger ravages IDP camps

    • Displaced citizens yet to get food supply in six months, beg for alms
    • How malnourished children were saved from dying
    • Questions also trail allocations to state emergency management agencies

    Internally Displaced Persons camps in Niger, Benue and other parts of the northern region of the country are yet to get food supply in the last six months in spite of huge annual budgetary allocations to the National Commission for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, the federal government body saddled with the responsibility of catering for the inmates. Following their inability to access food, the displaced persons have been left hungry and sick, INNOCENT DURU reports.

    ADO, an inmate of Internally Displaced Persons camp in Gwada Central Primary School, Niger State has become a recluse of sorts in the camp. The father of six avoids his children like a plague as they constantly weigh him down with cries of hunger.

    The camp, according to findings, has been hit by acute hunger in the last six months, following the failure of both the federal and state agencies saddled with the responsibility of catering for the needs of the displaced people  to supply them with  food.

    Consequently, Lado said: “I have been battling with hallucination that would not go away for some time now. The cries of my children for food reverberate in his mind everywhere I go. But I have no solution to their predicament because I am also a victim.

    “Every passing day, I try to get the thought off my mind, but this has been to no avail as the root cause of the problem remains unattended to.”

    To prevent the children from developing nutrition related illnesses and consequently dying, Lado said he and his colleagues comb their vicinity every day to see if they could get something to do and get some money to provide for their families.

    “I get between N800 and N1,000 each time I get somebody to engage me on his farm. The money is grossly insufficient but what can one do? I have seven children. Imagine feeding that number of children as well as my wife and I with N800 or N1,000.

    “It is better imagined than experienced because hunger has reduced our value as human beings. We look emaciated and weak every time because our stomachs are always empty.

    “It is God who has been saving us from slumping in the course of doing the hard labour we engage in to raise money to manageably cater for our families.” 

    With wrinkles lining his forehead, Lado said the children cry all day and night because of hunger, adding: “The camp is always polluted by their noise, but much as we are pained by their predicament, there is nothing we can do about it because we are also hungry.

    “The only difference is that we as adults can bear the pains of hunger but that is very difficult for children. 

    “The most painful part of all this is that when the children fall ill, we don’t have money to take them to hospital.”

    Another inmate, Joshua Bako, also looks ruffled by the fate of his family, wondering why the authorities don’t give them food  anymore.  “The government is very far from us, so there is no way we can ask them why they are no longer bringing food to the camp.

    “I have five children and it has been traumatising watching them cry because of hunger.”

    Aside from hunger, he said, “many of our children are also suffering from malaria and typhoid because they sleep in the open. Only a few people have mosquito nets while a good number don’t.”

    Decrying their plight, Dauda, a 35-year-old inmate, said life has been very, very unpleasant. “Food gives energy and you know the body cannot function well without food. We have been battling with hunger for a very long time.

    “Sleeping at night is a challenge, especially for the children because they are hungry. We also face the same challenge as adults but we can endure.

    “Hunger has emasculated us.” 

    Women are also not finding the ugly development funny as they are always with the children, watching helplessly as they  writhe in pains because of hunger.

    Asabi, a 32-year-old mother of six, said: “The children are crying daily for food. Before, we could manage to get something to eat twice daily but now, that has become impossible.

    “When we have something to eat, we will eat, and if there is nothing to eat, we would all stay like that.

    “It is disheartening to watch one’s children crying for food all day and all night. Their cries are heartrending and it is traumatising watching them holding their aching stomachs.

    “We never wished for this but that is what the challenge of insecurity has caused us.”

    Also decrying their ordeal, Rahab Moses, a  25-year old mother, said: “Surviving each day has been a miracle as we have no food to eat.

    “We go looking for food outside the camp every day. If we get food, we would eat, and if there is none, we just stay like that. Many of us have developed ulcer because of this.

    “We feel very bad about this and want to appeal to the government to speedily come to our aid. They should not just watch us die of hunger.”

    Benue IDPs yet to get food supply this year

    In Benue State IDP camp, Logo, checks revealed that the inmates have not received any food supply this year.

    The camp management told The Nation that the last time they got food supply was before the Christmas celebration last year.

    Levi Utim, Secretary of the IDPs in Logo area of Benue State, said the last time they got food supply was in December 2022.

    “Some of us go into the bush to look for firewood that we can sell to get money to at least get something for our families to survive each day.

    “The challenge we have here is that there is a limit to where we can go in the bush to get firewood. If you go deep into the bush, the herders will kill you.

    The implication of not having food for our people is that they feel very weak and always fall sick.

    “The pregnant women are worse hit because it is when a mother eats good food that the child will be healthy.

    “When a mother is hungry, how would the baby in her womb get something to eat and feel good?  This is disheartening for us.” Speaking on the efforts of the camp’s leadership to find a solution to their plight, Levi said: “Our chairman used to call SEMA, but there has not been any answer. It is very difficult to understand the SEMA in our state.  

    “We have never been lazy people. It was the menace of murderous herders that sacked our communities that brought us to this condition.”     

    Camp authorities confirm inmates’ claims

    The claims of the inmates were confirmed by the various camp authorities.

    One of the managers of the Gwada IDP camp in Niger State, who did not want his name in print, confirmed the inmates’ claims that they have not received food supply in the last six months.

    “Yes, it is true. Before now, the government, NGOs and politicians used to bring food for the inmates, but nobody brings food anymore,” he said.

    He noted that the inmates come crying every day “because we are their eyes.

    “We have drawn the attention of the authorities to their plight but there is no response till this time that I am talking with you.

    “When the inmates cry to me, I tell them to be patient until we get something to give them.

    “One thing that gives me joy is that the inmates are not lazy. They always go hustling to get something for their families.”

    A member of the camp management team in the Kuta IDP camp, Niger State said they have not had food supply for only four months.

    “The last time we got food supplies here in the camp was last year. It is about four months ago and that dates back to late 2022.

    “I can remember vividly that the new council chairman gave us some food when he came on board, and that was on December 12, 2022. No food supply has come to the people after that time.”

    Asked how the inmates have been surviving without food supply, he said: “It is by the grace of God that the inmates are surviving. Some of them are begging for help in the markets in order to have something to put on the table for their families.

    “The inmates, when begging, are always not after money. They just want foodstuff.

    “We have so many communities here in the camp. In the morning, some of the strong ones among the inmates will go into the bush to look for firewood while others will go to the town to see if they will get something to take home.

    “In the evening, they will gather everything they have got, cook them and eat.

    “They don’t eat very well at all. How can they eat well? I told you earlier that they are just surviving by the grace of God.”

    Explaining that the unpalatable development in the camp was not there at the beginning, he said: “When the camp was newly opened, the authorities were bringing things for them, but the story later changed.”

    On the challenge of hunger in the camp, he said: “There was a malnutrition challenge in the camp sometime last year. Four children were affected but we thank God that it didn’t lead to death.

    “The wife of the executive governor of the state has a non-governmental organisation that came to the camp to pick the affected children. They were taken to Minna, the state capital.

    “If you see those children now, wow, they have changed.”

    Apart from the problem of food supply, he said that the inmates are also bedeviled with the challenge of water supply.

    His words: “The motorised borehole was vandalized about five months ago. To get water, the inmates go to beg people in the neighbourhood for assistance.

    “We have some well-meaning individuals who have motorised boreholes in their compounds. We sought their help and they gave us time that we can always come and fetch water at their place. “Some disgruntled elements vandalised the motorised borehole in the camp. They removed the engine and it stopped working. Some boys were arrested for their destruction but they were later released after two to three days.”

    Questions trail multi-billion naira budgetary allocations to Refugees Commission

    Following the inability of the various IDP camps to receive food supply in the last four to six months, there have been questions about what the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs (NCFRMI) does with the budgetary allocations it gets annually from the federal government.

    Findings revealed that the commission has between last year and this year received over N15 billion allocations.

    In the 2022 budget, the sum of N5.74 billion was earmarked for the operations of the commission.

    In the 2023 Allocation Act obtained by our correspondent, the NCFRMI got a total of N10, 358,329,883 bringing the total allocations for the two years to over N15 billion.

    Though the sum released by the government to the commission could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report, it is surprising why there has been no single food supply to the camps within the periods stated above.

    The commission, in the eyes of the inmates, does not exist. They are unaware of such a body. The displaced people in close to five years they have stayed in the camps only make reference to state emergency management agencies and well-meaning organisations and individuals as providers of food and other relief materials to them.

    The Benue State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Director General, Emmanuel Shior, spoke along this line when he sometime last year took a swipe at the federal government for abandoning the state and its teeming IDPs.

    He said: “It is unfortunate that Benue State has been abandoned and the IDPs have been neglected by the Federal Government. And the challenge at hand is very huge that it cannot be left to the Benue State Government alone.”

    Efforts to reach the official of NCFRMI covering North Central was not successful as the mobile line provided by one of their officers was not reachable.Subsequent efforts to get another contact of the North Central coordinator was unsuccessful as officials of the commission reached out to failed to respond.   

    The commission had last year, through the South West Zonal Head, Mrs Erinfolami, said to our correspondent that it doesn’t leave out any state in its support programmes.

    Her words: “We have been catering for every state with IDPs. As I am talking to you now, I am in Maiduguri for an intervention programme.”

    Budgetary allocations to State Emergency Management Agencies questioned

    While the Niger and Benue State Emergency Management Agencies appeared to have made provisions for the IDPs in the past, one is left to wonder what has become of the funds allocated for the displaced people in the last four to six months.

    Niger SEMA DG, Ibrahim Inga had this to say when our correspondent requested to know the last time the IDPs were provided with food: “I will have to get in touch with the relief department, because when we started the campaign of a thing, honestly, I know we had a template of how we used to give them food.

    “I will find out. I shouldn’t be giving you wrong information when another thing is happening on the ground.”  

    Recently, he said, the government is looking at providing more security within the environs “so that people  can go back and continue with their normal activities.  “We are trying to avoid the issue of dependency. If dependency sets in in an IDP camp, it would be very difficult for the government to manage it.

    “So, the government is channeling more of the resources to providing security within the areas so that people can go back and continue with their normal activities.

    “If there is a complaint, we will look into it and see what we can do to give them a better living condition.

    “Somebody who is in an IDP camp would have reasons to complain. Leaving his home for the IDP camp is a form of complaint on its own.”

    The Benue State SEMA DG, Emmanuel Shior, said the allegations of the displaced persons were untrue. “That is not true, especially the IDPs in Ayiin camp are given food monthly,”he said in a terse text  message.

    Emmanuel had last year disclosed that the state needed approximately N500 million monthly to provide the basic needs of its close to two million Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs.

     He explained that the state government was struggling with the burden without support from the Federal Government, saying, “We need about N500 million to take care of the basic needs of the IDPs on a monthly basis.

    “We know that food is very, very expensive. A truck of 25kg rice which is about 1,200 bags is about N18 million for one truck. What we have here is not enough to go round.

    “So in terms of purchasing food and non-food items that should be enough, we need approximately N500 million to buy enough items for the IDPs monthly.

    “Fortunately, Governor Samuel Ortom has been relentless not only in working and ensuring that he mobilises Benue SEMA on a monthly basis to respond to some of the basic needs of the IDPs, but also ensuring that in other areas of human endeavour, he works to ensure that the lives of Benue citizens are actually better.

    “The situation we have in our hands is not only humanitarian, in most of the communities that they attacked they also destroyed the infrastructure, farmlands, crops, schools, markets, churches and even bridges so as to make it difficult for security agencies to access the attacked communities and those they are occupying.”

  • Aggrieved candidates, parties flood election tribunals with petitions

    Aggrieved candidates, parties flood election tribunals with petitions

    In line with the provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act, political parties and their candidates that lost in the just-concluded general elections have flooded election tribunals with petitions. Our correspondents report that this year’s presidential, national assembly, governorship and state houses of assembly election tribunals have swung into action in the various states to do justice to the deluge of petitions.

    Tribunals in Anambra, Cross River, Taraba, Bauchi, Katsina, Osun, Yobe, Niger and others receive petitions

     After the 2023 presidential, national assembly, governorship and state houses of assembly elections, the Anambra State election tribunal has received no fewer than 31 petitions from various candidates of political parties.

     The petitions were the aftermath of the window provided by the 2022 Electoral Act for aggrieved candidates who participated in the February 25 and March 18 elections respectively to seek redress over infractions.

     While seven of the 31 petitions were from those who contested for the Senate seats, 24 were from those who competed for the House of Representatives seats. No petition has been received from those who contested for the governorship and state houses of assembly elections.

     A breakdown of the number of the petitions revealed that the senatorial candidates of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Mr Chris Azubogu, the Labour Party (LP) Obinna Uzoh and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chris Uba are challenging the declaration of the candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Dr Ifeanyi Ubah as Senator-elect for Anambra South Senatorial District.

     The senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Princess Stella Oduah is challenging the declaration of Mr Tony Nwoye of the Labour Party (LP) as Senator-elect for the Anambra North Senatorial District.

    The senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Mr Dozie Nwankwo and that of the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP), Mrs Helen Mbakwe, are challenging the declaration of Chief Victor Umeh of the Labour Party (LP) as Senator-elect for Anambra Central Senatorial District.

    The Secretary of the tribunal in the state, Muazu Bagudu said the filing of petitions for the National Assembly election has closed, while that of the state assembly election held on March 18 is still on for the aggrieved candidates.

    Also, in Plateau State, the tribunal has received six petitions over the February 25 elections. Out of the number of petitions, five are for the House of Representatives while one is for Plateau North Senatorial District.

     The six petitioners presented their prayers through ex-parte applications

     The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ibrahim Baba Hassan is challenging the victory of Musa Agah Avia of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who was declared winner of the Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency in Plateau State.

     His counsel Ishaq Magaji (SAN) had urged the tribunal to direct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to grant him access to documents and materials used in conducting the election for inspection.

     They include lists of polling unit results uploaded by the BVAS machine.

     Baba Hassan also requested records of publications of all the units in the constituency.

     Ishaq Magaji (SAN) is also representing Chris Giwa (APC) who is challenging the victory of Dr Simon Mwatkwon Fwet for the Plateau North Senatorial District.

     Chrysanthus Ziphion John of the PDP is challenging the victory of Yusuf Adamu Gagdi for the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency seat.

     Also, Solomon Maren (PDP) representing Mangu/Bokkos Federal Constituency has petitioned INEC.

     Ibrahim Kanje Bawa of the PDP is also challenging the victory of the current Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Ahmed Idris Wase for the Wase Federal Constituency, describing his loss as a product of “superior rigging.”

     Fom Dalyop Chollom of the Labour Party (LP) through an ex parte application by his counsel B.I. Shehu is also demanding the release of documents used for the February 25 election.

     In Cross River State, the three-man election petition tribunal for the February 25 presidential and national assembly elections in Cross River State has received 13 petitions from different parties.

     Out of the 13 petitions, three are challenging the winners of the three Senatorial elections while 10 are jostling to overturn the results of the Federal House of Representatives.

     Confirming the number of petitions received by the Tribunal, the Secretary of the tribunal Mr A. D. Bambur noted that the Tribunal has sat and granted leave over applications by parties to inspect the election materials.

     He maintained that the parties are currently serving the various summons and petitions to one another.

    Further breakdown of the cases shows that the State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade who lost his bid to return to the Senate to the incumbent Senator, Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has his case listed as petition number EPT/CRS/Sen/2/2023.

     Governor Ayade contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress and was seeking the Northern Senatorial District seat of the state.

     The petition for the Central Senatorial District election has also been filed and listed as EPT/CRS/SEN/1/2023 and it is between Bassey Eko Ewa of the PDP and others versus Eteng Williams of the APC and others.

    The petition over the Southern Senatorial District is from Daniel Asuquo of the Labour Party and others versus Mr Asuquo Ekpenyong Jnr of the APC. The suite is EPT/CRS/SEN/03/2023.

     In the Northeast state of Taraba, the tribunal sitting in the Magistrate’s Court, Mile Six Jalingo has received seven petitions to look into reports of infractions arising from the senators and House of Representatives elections.

     However, petitions for the governorship and house of assembly seats are yet to be received.

     The petitions include one for the Southern Taraba senatorial seat and six House of Representatives seats.

     An official at the tribunal’s office, however, declined to disclose the details of the petition, preferring that he monitors the normal proceeding to get the details.

     According to him, a petitioner has 21 days to file a petition.

     But, it sounds curious that the election petition tribunal in Adamawa State is yet to receive any petition on the Governorship/House of Assembly election.

    The Secretary to the tribunal, Mrs Elsie Akpabio, said there is still time for potential petitioners to do so.

    In Bauchi, the situation is different. The election petition tribunal in the state has received 15 petitions.

    The Secretary to the Tribunal, Ibrahim Kala stated that five of the 15 petitions received were in respect of the senatorial election while 10 were on the House of Representatives polls.

     He said the petitions were received by the Registrar of the Tribunal between March 16 and 21.

     A document containing a list of the petitions made available to our correspondent showed that the petitioners are Ibrahim Tanko and the APC who filed a petition against the INEC, Dr Samaila Dahuwa and the Peoples Democratic Party.

    The case was in respect of the Bauchi North Senatorial District election.

    Also, Ahmed Nana and the APC filed a case with the number against Abdul Ningi, INEC and the PDP over the outcome of the Bauchi Central Senatorial District polls.

     In Niger State, the tribunal has received 11 petitions arising from the national assembly elections.

     The petitions include Isiyaku Ibrahim (SAN) and PDP against INEC, APC, Musa Mohammed Sani; Abdullahi Abubakar Lado and APC against INEC, Tanko Adamu and PDP; Abdullahi Usman and APC against Gana Joshua Audu, PDP and INEC.

     Others are Abubakar Shehu and PDP against Abdullahi Garba, APC and INEC; Haruna Abubakar Magaji and APC against Tanko Adamu, PDP and INEC; Shehu Mohammed Abdullahi and PDP against Sani Bello Abubakar, INEC and APC; Mohammed Nazeem Abdullahi and PDP against INEC, Shehu Saleh Rijau and APC.

     Abdulmalik Mohammed and PDP against Baraje Yusu Kure, INEC, APC; Said Abdullahi and PDP against Mamudu Abdullahi, INEC, APC; Abdullahi Mohammed Ricco and PDP against Ismail Musa Modibbo, INEC and APC and Bima Muhammed Enagi and APC against Jiua Peter Ndalikali, PDP and INEC.

     Senator Gabriel Suswam of the PDP has filed a petition against the declaration of Emmanuel Udende Jika of All Progressives Congress, APC by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as the Senator representing Benue Northeast Senatorial District.

    Investigation revealed that those who lost the election are reluctant to file petitions at the tribunal because of the efficiency of BVAS machines.

     In Ebonyi State, the tribunal has granted leave to Mr Ifeanyi Odii of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and Bernard Odoh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to inspect documents used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the March 18 governorship election.

     The permission was a sequel to two ex-parte applications filed by Odii and Odoh, who came second and third respectively in the governorship election won by Francis Nwifuru of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

     In Katsina, the tribunal has received 11 petitions arising from the governorship and state house of assembly elections.

     The Secretary to the tribunal, Mrs Lilian Ogbodo said yesterday that the tribunal is still expecting further submission of petitions from aggrieved politicians.

     She promised to update the media on the activities of the tribunal.

     In the Northeast state of Yobe, the tribunal has received three petitions.

     Our correspondent who obtained the petitions from the Tribunal Secretary, Innocent Okoro Akidi said two House of Representatives elections and one Senatorial election are being challenged at the tribunal.

     In the Senatorial petition, Kolomi Aji of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in petition number EPT/YB/SE/06/2023 challenges the election of former governor and incumbent senator Ibrahim Gaidam of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The petitioner joined the APC and the INEC as first and second respondents.

     Abubakar Adamu Waziri of the PDP is challenging the election of Hajiya Fatsuma Talba of the APC for the Nangere/Potiskum Federal Constituency while Mohammed Sarki Kasuwa of the APC has also filed a petition at the tribunal contesting the election of Mohammed Buba Jajare of the PDP on his election to represent Fika/Fune Federal Constituency.

     In Osun State, the tribunal has received 14 petitions for the national assembly election.

     Surprisingly, the Senate spokesperson, Ajibola Bashir of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who lost his re-election bid to the candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Olubiyi Fadeyi for Osun Central Senatorial District has failed to file a petition against his defeat at the tribunal. The 21-day time frame for filing of petitions for National Assembly election seats elapsed on March 18.

      The Secretary to the tribunal, Mohammed Magaji has said it has received 14 petitions so far for the National Assembly election.

     He explained that the panel received three petitions for Senate seats while 11 were filed for the House of Representatives election.

     He noted that candidates of the Action Alliance (AA) filed 12 petitions comprising three Senate seats and nine House of Representatives seats.

     He added that the candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Tijani Adekilekun filed a petition against the winner of the Ede/Ejigbo/Egbedore Federal Constituency seat, Bamidele Salam.

     Magaji also disclosed that Benjamin Adereti of APC who contested for Ife Central/South/North and East Federal Constituency also filed a petition against the PDP candidate.

    Ortom withdraws petition

    The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom who had filed a petition at the tribunal to challenge the election of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Titus Zam has withdrawn it.

    The APC zone B Senatorial candidate, Chief Zam defeated Ortom of the PDP during the National Assembly election.

    At a briefing at Government House Makurdi on Tuesday, Ortom said: “Even though there was glaring evidence of malpractices, including non-transmission of results electronically during the conduct of the Benue North-west Senatorial District election, I have decided to withdraw my case from the tribunal.”

     He further stated that “the decision to withdraw my case from the court is in the interest of peace and without prejudice to the suits filed by other candidates of our party.

     “As a leader in PDP, I will continue to support the party in collaboration with others to enable it to bounce back from the mistakes and drawbacks that are affecting it at the moment.

    “Let me reassure the people of Benue State that as governor, I will continue to provide selfless service in all sectors of development till the end of my tenure on May 29.”

     He urged those he might have offended to forgive him, even as he said he has forgiven those who offended him.

    In Abia State, the tribunal is yet to commence sitting.

    Our correspondent gathered that aggrieved candidates of various political parties have started submitting petitions ahead of the commencement of the tribunal’s sitting.

      According to a source at the Abia State judiciary, no date has yet been fixed for the tribunal sitting.

    The source further revealed that the presidential and national assembly elections petition tribunal began sitting in Umuahia, the state capital yesterday.

     The source disclosed that 25 petitions were received for the House of Representatives, while 10 petitions were received for the Senatorial election.

     It was gathered that Senator Mao Ohuabunwa filed a petition to challenge the election of Orji Uzor Kalu as the Senator-elect for Abia North Senatorial District.

    No petitions yet at Kwara tribunal

    The Kwara State governorship and house of the assembly elections tribunal is yet to receive any petition to challenge the outcome of the March 18 election.

    The Secretary of the tribunal, Aisha Fika said: “As of Monday, we had not received any petition as far as the governorship election is concerned.

     In the House of Assembly election, we have received only preliminary applications, but there is no petition yet.”

     Last week, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) candidates from Kwara Central Senatorial District vowed to reclaim their mandate using legal means.

     On behalf of his colleagues, the PDP candidate for the Ilorin North-west State Constituency, Isiaka Saka Saadu, accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of intimidation and harassment during the election.

     Other aggrieved candidates are Abdullahi Mogaji, Abubakar Sodiq Wankasi, Hassan Taiye Alaya, Isiaka Labaika, Isiaka Saka Saadu, and Mohammed Haruna Maigidansanma representing Owode/Onire Constituency, Ilorin Central Constituency, Ilorin South Constituency, Afon Constituency, Ilorin North West Constituency and the Ilorin East Constituency.

     Also, the tribunal in Edo State has not received any petition over the March 18 house of assembly election, according to its Secretary, Muazu Sanusi.

    The tribunal had earlier received 13 petitions from aggrieved candidates and their political parties in the February 25 senators and House of Representatives elections, at the expiration of the 21 days of receiving petitions.

     Investigation at the Edo State new High Court Complex on Sapele Road, Benin yesterday revealed that the 13 petitions were filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP), and their candidates.

     Out of the 13 petitions, three were on the senatorial election, and 10 were on the House of Representatives poll.

     The Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Isabo Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital has urged political parties and candidates who want to file petitions or any process to contact the Secretary, Abdulsalam Julde, according to a notice at the Magistrate’s Court Complex, Isabo.

     However, an investigation by our reporter showed that as of Friday, March 24, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and Oladipupo Adebutu have filed separate papers before the tribunal.

     The NNPP matter which was listed as number one is marked EPT/OG/1/Gov/2023 and reads: “New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) versus Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and two others.

     “Particulars: Motion ex parte filed on 20/3/2023; an order granting leave to the applicants to move this motion ex parte before the pre-hearing session of this tribunal.”

     In Delta State, the tribunal has received only two ex parte motions from two candidates, even as it is yet to receive any petition arising from the March 18 governorship/house of assembly election.

    A breakdown of the petitions reveals that the Social Democratic Party, (SDP) candidate, Olorogun Kennet Gbagi, and his Labour Party counterparts, Ken Pella are challenging the declaration of Sheriff Oborevwori of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) as Governor-elect.

    The Secretary to the tribunal, Mrs Okedara A. Adejoke said the filing of petitions for the National Assembly election has elapsed, while that of the governorship and the state assembly election is still on till next month for aggrieved candidates.

    • Reports from Nwanosike Onu, Emma Elekwa, Kolade Adeyemi, Victor Gai, Onimisi Alao, Ogochukwu Anioke, David Adenuga, Sunny Nwankwo, Augustine Okezie, Toba Adedeji, Adekunle Jimoh, Bisi Olaniyi, Ernest Nwokolo, Duku Joel, Okungbowa Aiwerie, Justina Asishana and Uja Emmanuel.

  • Tales of endangered babies, pregnant women in Benue IDP camp

    Tales of endangered babies, pregnant women in Benue IDP camp

    • Expectant mothers lack access to healthcare, suffer hunger, prolonged pregnancy, miscarriages
    • Cholera, malaria epidemics loom from open defecation, over-full latrines, mosquito infestation

    Pregnant women in internally displaced persons camp in Logo, Benue State, have for many years lacked access to health care. Some of them have consequently had miscarriages and narrowly survived death. Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, recently attested to the fact that lack of access to healthcare is the main factor contributing to high maternal, infant and under-five mortality in the country. The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) in its report titled ‘Situation of Women and Children in Nigeria” stated that the country records 576 maternal mortality per 100,000 live births while approximately 262,000 babies die at birth every year. Nigeria may be saved from recording a further spike in maternal and infant mortality rate if urgent steps are not taken to provide medical care for the embattled expectant mothers. INNOCENT DURU reports.

    ERZOO Denen, a 35-year- old mother, was  delivered of a baby last week in  Logo IDP camp, Benue State.

    She said from the time she took in till after she put to bed, she had not had access to medical care. She told our correspondent that she had not been healthy after delivery.

    “I have been having acute stomach ache and waist pain. I sleep on a mat in our tent. I don’t have the means of going to the hospital to see a doctor for treatment. Neither do I have money to buy soap for washing or bathing my baby and I.”

    Erzoo, according to the camp secretary, Levi Otim, is one of the lucky women delivered of a baby without complications.

    He said: “Our women don’t have access to ante-natal care. Some  of the women have miscarriages here in the camp because they don’t have access to healthcare. Some  have late deliveries. They deliver months longer than the usual nine months.”

    “Babies are five times more likely to die and three times more likely to have low birth weight when mothers don’t get prenatal care,” Mom Life, an online publication on mothers, said.

    Checks revealed that all the expectant women in the Logo IDP camp risk falling victims to the challenges identified by Mom Life for women who lack access to prenatal care.

    Comfort Jude, a  20-year-old  expectant mother, is carrying her first pregnancy. She is absolutely naive about how to handle her situation and has no access to medical care.

    “I am  carrying a six-month-old pregnancy. It is my first pregnancy but I have not visited or seen any doctor since I took in.

    “We don’t have any clinic here in the camp. I also don’t have money to go outside of this place for medical care,” she said.

    Before now, Comfort worked in farms for people and earned some income with which she fed and paid her bills. But all that has stopped and  she now battles with hunger on a daily basis.

     She said: “I used to get N1,500 per day working for people on their farms, but it was not enough for me to take care of my daily needs. Now I can no longer go and work for people on their farms because of my pregnancy. I am always here in the camp.

    “As a result of not having daily income again, I have been battling with hunger.

    “I quite know that this is not good for me and the baby I am carrying. I feel very bad about it but there is nothing I can do for now.”

    The husband, she said, was working before they came into the camp but had not been doing anything since they migrated to the camp to seek refuge from attacks by murderous herders.

    She said: “We ran to the camp after herders attacked us and vandalised our home. Feeding has been very difficult for us.  We live inside these tents riddled with holes and we are always at the mercy of mosquitoes.

     “We hardly sleep well all night because mosquitoes come to feast on our bodies. Unfortunately, we don’t have mosquito nets  to prevent them from biting us. 

    “Whenever it rains, we are seriously beaten inside the tents because they are not in good shape.

    “Imagine a pregnant woman being beaten by rain and feasted upon by mosquitoes. It really gives me cause to worry but I know that God will see me through.”

    Comfort’s kinswoman, Blessing Solomon, is nine-month pregnant. The 21-year-old by now ought to have known her due date and prepare for it. But all that is alien to her.

    For her, putting to bed is a matter of anytime and anywhere she falls into labour.

    “I have no money to go to hospital to be delivered of the baby. I will deliver right here in the camp.

    “I have not gone for ante-natal care since I took in. I don’t have the resources to do that.

    “We don’t even have any clinic anywhere close to the camp.

    “At the moment, I always feel very weak and I don’t have access to medications that could make my body strong.

    “I equally don’t have good food to eat. I often eat guinea corn. 

    “I have serious challenge sleeping because there is no mattress for us to sleep on.

    “We sleep on a mat, and that does not make me feel comfortable.”    

    For Lucy Emmanuel, a 29-year-old mother of two, the experience she is currently having differs from what she had during her previous  pregnancies.

    She said: “I went for ante-natal care when I carried the pregnancies of my two children before coming to the camp.

    “The baby I am carrying now does not enjoy that privilege. I don’t have money to go to  the hospital.

    “When you go to  the hospital, they request for money, and I don’t have money for food not to talk of paying medical bills.”

    Currently, Lucy said, she feels very weak because she  does not feed well.

    She said: “I used to eat very well before we came to the camp, but I don’t  eat regularly again since I came to this camp. I always have to go out looking for what to eat with my family.

    “This is a big problem for me  in this condition. I should be eating well at this stage so the baby in my womb can also feed well. But that is not happening because of the situation we have found ourselves here in the camp.

    “I pray that God will see me through.”

    More lamentations from expectant mothers

    The gale of lamentation is not restricted  to the earlier respondents. All the expectant mothers in the camp have unpleasant tales  to tell about their inability to access healthcare .

    Faith Mgboho,  a 25-year-old, is worried about the nutritive value of the food she eats.

    “Hardly do I get balanced diet.  I eat dry okro without fish and meat,” she said, adding: “There is no way of getting money to buy meat or fish. I don’t feel strong because I don’t feed well.

    “I had two children before I came into the camp. I went to the hospital when I had those ones.

    “I have not been able to access antenatal care since I became pregnant here in the camp. The feelings before and now are not the same.”

    Also decrying her predicament, Catherine Ochom, in spite of her condition, still struggles to work for people on their farms in order to have something to eat for her survival and that of her baby.

    “I always go and work for people outside the camp in order to get money to feed. I get about N1,000 per day.

    “I endeavor to go out to work every day in order to have something to eat. If I don’t go out to hustle, I will stay all day without food.”

    Though her dint of work enables her to have money to eat,       Catherine said: “I don’t feel happy going to work as a labourer order to have something to eat in this my condition.  

    “There is no doctor or nurse to attend to me. I still defecate in the over filled latrine. I know it is quite unhealthy for a pregnant woman, but what do I do when there is no alternative?”

    Naomi Teyem, a 31-year-old, said she resorts to self-medication anytime she feels sick and has money to buy medications. 

    Her words: “Mosquitoes  bite us mercilessly at night in the tent. I always have body aches.

    “When this happens and I have some money, I would go to the chemist to buy medications. But if there is no money, I will endure the pains like that.”  

    Speaking about her pregnancy, she said: “My pregnancy is  four-month old. I used to be a farmer but I have been doing nothing since I came into the camp.

    “Since I have not been going out to work and earn income, I may not be able to take proper care of my baby.”

    Camp management flay pregnant women’s predicaments

    The management of the camp bemoaned the conditions of their pregnant women, describing them as pitiable.          

    The secretary,  Otim Levi,  said the conditions of the nursing mothers in the camp was very bad.  Levi said: “They are suffering a great deal. They  don’t  have enough food to eat for the womb to be conducive for the baby.

    “There is also no clinic or maternity for them to treat themselves or go for test.”

    He noted that “no doctor or nurse comes around to see them.”

    The camp scribe noted that “some women do have miscarriages here in the camp because they don’t have access to treatment. Others experience late delivery. They always feel very bad about it.

    “One of them you spoke with said her pregnancy was nine months old, but because of improper feeding, she may not be able to deliver on time. She may deliver many months after.”

    Levi also noted that some of the women have their pregnancies going beyond nine months. “They have the problem of delayed delivery because of the unpleasant conditions in the camp aggravated by lack of access to health care.

    “Nothing is being done by the government to solve the problem. We have reached out to them for help to no avail.”

    Making reference to an inmate  who put to bed last week, Levi said: “The woman put to bed inside the camp and there was nobody to take proper care of her. We had no money to take her to the hospital.

    “The medical team brought by an NGO that was helping the women in the camp has left for Makurdi. They were here for a while and have completed their project and left.

    “The inmates are left without access to medical care, and that is highly condemnable.”

    On the challenge caused by lack of toilet in the camp,  he said: “We have informed the revelant authorities but there is no answer from them.

    “The last time the state government provided food for us was on December 24, 2022. The federal government doesn’t bring any food item to us.”   

    How lack of access to ante-natal care spikes maternal, infant mortality – Dr Adesanya

    A public health physician, Dr Rotimi Adesanya, has expressed concern over the predicament of the expectant mothers.

    The physician said it is mandatory for expectant mothers to have ante-natal care.

    He said: “It is during ante-natal care that one would be able to establish if they have pre-existing conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes. These are the things that are common and it is during ante-natal care that one would detect these things that I have mentioned.

    “These challenges can lead to maternal mortality, that is the death of the mother while pregnant.

    “The whole world frowns at maternal mortality. This particular development that you mentioned could add to our maternal mortality rate in Nigeria.”

    Without adequate ante-natal care, he said, “some  things  could affect the mother while pregnant and they are what we call eclampsia and pre-eclampsia.

    “Pre-eclampsia is also high blood pressure in pregnancy coupled  with protein in their urine. Eclampsia is when a woman that has high blood pressure gets to a stage of having seizure.

    “Because the blood pressure is not controlled, the person will move from the stage of pre-eclampsia to eclampsia.

    “Anytime eclampsia happens, it can take the life of a woman. That is why if a woman would have eclampsia at any point during the ante-natal care, they have to bring the baby out irrespective of the age.

    “Whether it is one week, nine months or six months old, the baby has to be taken out so that the life of the mother can be saved.

    “These things may happen if there is nobody checking their blood pressure, urine and sugar level while they are pregnant.

    “These are basic things.  Some of them can be done under the primary health care by sending the community health workers and midwives that are trained.”

    Going down memory lane, he said: “There was a community programme that the federal government launched some years ago. It was about sending some midwives that are trained to  communities to help to reduce  mortality.

    “These are cost-effective measures that can be done because it doesn’t require the wall of a big hospital or special equipment, but the skills of those midwives to help the mother.”

    Talking about the effect of lack of access to ante-natal care on the unborn child, he said:  “This could also make prenatal mortality, that is the death of new born around birth, to be high. Normally, if a woman should have challenges  like diabetes in pregnancy, high blood pressure in pregnancy, the babies normally die towards the end of the pregnancy, except there is an intervention from a doctor.

    “ Some of the babies could have birth asphyxia, and this can lead to cerebral palsy which is a form of disability.

    “It may make the women to give birth to children who right from birth are already having one problem or the other.

    “The recommendation I will make is that starting from our primary health centre,  health workers should be sent to  those IDP camps.

    “These health workers are readily available in the primary health centres and at times they don’t  have much to do.  They can be sent there on a daily or rotational basis.

    “If they have any issue during the ante-natal care, they can now refer them to the nearest general hospital. Leaving them without any skilled medical personnel is actually dangerous and it will continue to increase our maternal mortality.”

    Dangers of suffering from hunger

    Speaking on the women’s complaint that they are often lacking food to eat, Dr Adesanya said: “Pregnant women eat a lot because the babies have to take from what they have eaten. 

    “If they are not eating well, they will have what is called hypoglycemia, low sugar. Such babies will not be able to grow well inside the mother. We call it intrauterine growth restriction.

    “By the time the children are delivered, some of them will have what we call low birth weight- children who from birth are already having  stunted growth, and the mother, who is the carrier, will have challenges of low sugar and will not enjoy that pregnancy period because it will be so stressful.

    “There may be fainting  attacks. I am sure you must have heard of pregnant women fainting on the road. They need more energy.

    “If those women are not having food, it can actually add to the mortality rate we are having.”

     Challenge of mosquito bites for pregnant mothers

    He also frowned at the menace of mosquito infestation in the camp, saying: “Actually, in this part of the world, malaria in pregnancy is actually one of the causes of maternal mortality and the mortality of the new born. 

    “Insecticide-treated nets have been established for life saving, especially in this part of the world.

    “The women we are talking about are likely to have malaria, and when there is malaria in pregnancy, the immunity of the people who are affected is normally low. 

    “Those who are pregnant are badly affected. They will have children with intrauterine growth restriction: the baby will not be able to grow well.

    “When the baby is born, he may have what we call congenital malaria.  The child may have jaundice in the eye starting with malaria from  birth.

    “The mother’s blood level will also be affected by malaria parasites and  she will be anemic. The blood will be so low and it may lead to the challenge of maternal mortality.

    “Insecticide-treated nets can actually be obtained from well-meaning Nigerians. The government can also reach out to NGOs.”

    According to him, Nigeria has one of the highest maternal mortality ratio, and “this maternal mortality, anytime it happens especially at the secondary and the tertiary stages, there is usually a clinical audit whereby the doctor will do a post mortem analysis to reveal what has gone wrong so that such mistake will not happen subsequently.”

    Defecating in untidy toilet

    Condemning the  practice of open defecation and using  over-filled latrines, Adesanya said: “The World Health Organisation has said there shouldn’t be anything like open defecation anymore.

    “Like you said, because the pit latrine is filled they go for open defecation. That  means we are still far far behind.

    “As a result of the over-filled toilets, flies will be breeding in the place and spreading many diseases like cholera.

    “We have had outbreaks of cholera many times. The common typhoid fever that people mention is also through contamination from faeces. Then we have what is called shigella, and we have dysentery.

    “Worm infestation will start happening because the worm passed out by those who are infected, the eggs will develop and will from there get to those who are not infected. 

    “They will have a series of worm infestation and this worm infestation will drop the blood of the pregnant woman and make her anemic.

    “This will contribute to maternal mortality of those women.”

    ‘Self-medication among expectant mothers dangerous’

    For expectant mothers in the camp relying on self- medication, Dr Adesanya said: “That is very dangerous because where they are buying the drugs, those ones may not have been trained to diagnose sicknesses.

    “To diagnose sicknesses you have to do tests. Even for malaria, you have to do test.

    “If it is for blood pressure you have to check it, and the same applies to other health challenges too.

    “What they are doing is self-medication. The truth is that most of the drugs are not used in pregnancy because it will have adverse effect on the unborn baby.

    “We don’t use drugs indiscriminately for pregnant women. The drugs have to be prescribed.

    “Many of the drugs could also make them to have miscarriages. That is why such should be discouraged.

    “The government should come in.”

    Recommendation

    The physician recommended that “the government should have the political will to attend to the needs of the women. 

    “There should be primary health care. The issue is really under the purview of the primary health care.

    “Staff of primary health centres should be drafted to the IDP camp. The NGOs should come in to support with insecticide-treated nets.

    “Continuous health education should be carried out in the area so that the pregnant women there will not contribute to the maternal mortality and the infant mortality high rate that Nigeria is having.”

    Efforts to speak with the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Ngbea Joseph was unsuccessful as his mobile number was not reachable. He was yet to reply to a text message to him.

  • Parties intensify campaign for governorship, Assembly polls

    Parties intensify campaign for governorship, Assembly polls

    Following the rescheduling of the governorship and House of Assembly elections for next weekend and the consequent extension of the electioneering campaign, political parties have stepped up their campaigns, Correspondents KOLADE ADEYEMI, Jos; ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE, Kaduna; ADEKUNLE JIMOH, Ilorin; GBENGA OMOKHUNU, Abuja; DAVID ADENUGA, Bauchi;  SUNNY NWANKWO, Umuahia; CHRIS NJOKU, Owerri;  ROSEMARY NWISI, Port Harcourt, report

    PLATEAU:

    You can’t win, APC tells PDP

    head of March 18 governorship election, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State has warned  the main opposition party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to stop basking in the euphoria that it can win the election.

     It has urged the PDP to get ready to accept defeat.  This was contained in a statement by the APC Publicity Secretary, Sylvanus Namang, who indicated that it will not be in the best interest of the Northcentral state to be in the opposition camp, while the progressives control the Federal Government with the emergence of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu as president-elect.

     Namang condemned recent statements attributed to the PDP, where the party was expressing optimism that it would emerge victorious in the coming governorship election. He described the former ruling party as “desperate and shameless”.

    He said: “The APC Plateau State Chapter has just come across a press release by the desperate and shameless PDP in the state where it is putting high hopes on winning the March 11, 2023 governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state.

    “Without mincing words, this is a delusional hope as the PDP is only raising false hopes to its hapless and rudderless followers.”

    BAUCHI:

    Group, Dogara canvass votes for APC’s Abubakar

    A support group under the aegis of Friends of Air Marshall SB Abubakar has appealed to residents of Bauchi State to vote for the immediate past Chief of the Air Staff and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), retired Air Marshall Saddique Baba Abubakar.

     The group spoke at a news conference in Kaduna that the APC governorship flag bearer in Bauchi has the blueprint to modernise the state, adding that they are lucky to have such a distinguished Nigerian in the race for the governorship.

    The convener of the group, Alhaji Iro Sardauna, said SB Abubakar has what it takes to make a difference in the lives of the people.

    Also, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has endorsed  Air Marshal Sadiq Baba Abubakar (rtd.

    The former Speaker who was a member of the Presidential Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, while  addressing a mammoth crowd of supporters in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State, urged the electorate to tow the path of honor by voting out Governor Bala Mohammed from office.

    He described Abubakar as a father who will bring succor to the people of Bauchi State.

    The former speaker who controls three local government areas (Bogoro, Dass, and Tafawa Balewa), is not on good terms with Governor Mohammed after a misunderstanding between the duo. Dogara, who was among those who contributed to the governor’s emergence, had threatened to work against him at the 2023 gubernatorial poll.

    KADUNA:

     ‘ADP has not dropped out of governorship race’

    The national leadership of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) has dispelled the rumour making the rounds that its governorship candidate in Kaduna State has stepped down for the candidate of another political party.

    In a statement, its national secretariat said the party’s candidate Sani Sha’aban has no intention to step down for anyone because he is the choice of the people.

    The statement, which was signed by its National Secretary, Victor Fingesi reads: “The Action Democratic Party (ADP) has observed with dismay the malicious and mischievous rumour making the rounds that we are going into an alliance with another party and that our governorship candidate has stepped down for the candidate of another party.

    “This rumour is no doubt intended to malign the good name of our party and its governorship candidate ahead of the forthcoming governorship election. Without a doubt, the candidate of our great party, Sani Sha’aban, is the choice of the great people of Kaduna State. He remains the candidate to beat at the polls.

     “We hereby categorically state that he is in the race to win the election. He has no intention of stepping down for any other candidate.”

    KWARA:

     Students root for AbdulRazaq

    • PDP accuses governor of inducing voters with money

    The National Association of Kwara State Students (NAKSS) and the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) have endorsed the re-election of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

    The two student associations declared their positions during a colloquium organised yesterday in appreciation and recognition of the performance of the governor in the education sector.

    During the event, which took place in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, the state government donated two Sienna buses to NAKSS and the state chapter of NANS.

    NAKSS President, Mr Hassan Hawal who spoke on behalf of the students, said the education sector has experienced significant improvement since the advent of AbdulRazaq’s administration.

    He described the intervention as a paradigm shift in the literacy level of the state, adding that students in the state public schools now compete favourably with their counterparts anywhere in the world.

    Hawal recalled that many state-owned tertiary institutions were shut down due to unpaid salaries of lecturers and non-accreditation of courses before the present administration.

    Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Dr Afeez Alabi assured the students that the governor places a high premium on education as a way of developing the state into a model that would be second to none.

      Also yesterday, the  state chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the administration of Governor AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq of moving huge sum of money from the state coffers into private bank accounts for subsequent disbursement to induce voters during next weekend’s rescheduled governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    Speaking to reporters  in Ilorin,  the Director-General of the PDP Campaign Council, Prof Ali Ahmad said the party’s legal team has been directed to notify the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of the development.

    He said: “We have correct   information about how political office holders, private individuals outside government, influential people in our society, and even bureaucrats receive massive money from government accounts and these individuals then either retain the funds as their own to buy their support while some others are charged with paying a huge part of the money in tranches of N20,000, N30, 000 and N10,000 to ordinary voters.

    “This is a big political scam that is going on in our state. Thank God that the new financial regime being promoted by the APC government has also ensured there is an acute scarcity of cash and so the people involved in this scam are being forced to transact this fraudulent business using the banks. This means the transactions can be traced.”

    ENUGU:

    Ohanaeze youths back PDP candidate

    An Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide (OYC) has restated its support for the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Enugu State, Mr Peter Mbah.

    Its National President, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike said Mbah is the most competent among all the candidates standing for the election. The group’s position is contained in a statement  by Nnabuike  in Abuja.

    The OYC president urged the electorate to look beyond the party and vote for a man who could transform Enugu State. He said Mbah has outlined clearly how he would manage the affairs of the state.

    He said: “He has captured every sector and all segments of the society, including the youth. His competence is also top-notch as we have seen in his successful business career.

    “This is why we are begging the people of Enugu State not to miss this golden opportunity of electing a man who is prepared for the job.”

    Nnabuike said the choice of candidates should not be decided through party leanings, but on the capacity of the various individuals in the contest.

    OGUN:

     ‘Tinubu behind Abiodun’s re-election’

    The senator-elect for Ogun West Senatorial District, Senator Solomon Adeola has indicated that the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is fully in support of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s re-election.

    Adeola’s declaration is contained in a statement by his media aide, Mr Kayode Odunaro.

    In the statement, Adeola debunked a report on social media platforms that Tinubu was against the re-election of the Ogun governor.

    He said the president-elect is fully behind Abiodun and all the other candidates of the APC in Ogun in the forthcoming governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    Odunaro said the senator spoke at a stakeholder’s engagement organized to campaign for Governor Abiodun in Ota. He said: “The APC’s victory in Ogun during the last election is not complete until the re-election of Abiodun as governor and the election of all members of the State House of Assembly.

    “A fake news being spread on social media about Tinubu being against Abiodun’s re-election in favour of another party’s candidate from Ogun West is the handwork of desperate politicians. They already foresaw their defeat at the election.

    “Let me assure you that our party, the APC and the president-elect, are fully committed to ensuring that the party’s governorship and assembly candidates are returned elected without exception.”

    SDP candidate steps down for Adebutu

    The Ogun State Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate, Tony Ojeshina has stepped down from the governorship race and declared support for the candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Ladi Adebutu.

     Ojeshina, who was flanked by his running mate, Mr Gbenga Oluyemi, and the SDP Deputy Chairman, Mr Sola Coker, made the declaration while briefing reporters yesterday in Abeokuta.

     He said all the party’s state House of Assembly candidates are still in the race for the March 18 election.

     Ojeshina explained that the collaboration is designed to power from ‘the cabal at Oke Mosan’. He said: “The political alignment was informed by the need to forge a common front to remove our dear state from the list of misgoverned and impoverished states.

    “We have been assured of simplified and transparent governance processes, with the sole purpose of improving the quality and standard of living of our people.”

     He also emphasised that the alignment was only hinged on the need to work for the victory of the PDP, saying he has not left SDP for the main opposition party.

    RIVERS:

     Amaechi solicits Igbo’s vote for APC

    Former Minister of Transportation Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has appealed to Ndigbo in Rivers State to vote for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tonye Cole in the forthcoming governorship election.

     Amaechi, who spoke at a one-day stakeholders meeting of the APC and Igbo traders in the state yesterday regretted all the losses the people have suffered to policies deliberately skewed to attack their businesses and investments.

     He pledged to make it up for them if Cole is voted into power in the election, adding that an APC government will abolish the discrimination meted out against non-indigenes.

     He pleaded with the Igbo residents to support Cole’s governorship bid for a better Rivers State, urging them to come out en masse with courage and vote for the APC from up to bottom.

     He said: “I am begging you; on Saturday please every Igbo man and woman should come out and vote for the APC because your destiny will be determined by this election. If we win, we will go back to the plan of building a market, hospital, houses, and schools in Eleme that will cater for all traders in the state. We need you to stand, but you must come out and vote for us.”

    LAGOS

    Waste managers unite for Sanwo-Olu

    The Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAMN)  in Lagos has urged residents of the state to re-elect Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for continuity and consistency of a cleaner Lagos.

    The group said this during a media parley organised by AWAMN, in conjunction with the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), which held at Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday.

    Managing Director/CEO, LAWMA, Ibrahim Odumboni, commended Sanwo-Olu’s administration for its support for LAWMA in the past three years, adding: “There’s been improvement on the management of wastes in the state. We are here to let you know that a lot is being done by this administration to make it happen, with effective collaboration with our PSPs and other stakeholders.”

    While appealing to all tenants in Lagos State to return Sanwo-Olu for a second term to ensure continuity in waste management, Odumboni stated: “We also want to let you know that for this administration, we want continuity so that the PSP can begin to prosper, and we can begin to see a lot of changes.

    AKWA IBOM

     Court to INEC: List Udofia as APC  candidate

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to list Mr. Akanimo Udofia as candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the governorship election in Akwa Ibom.

     Justice James Omotosho gave the order yesterday in Abuja following an application by Udofia asking that a consequential order be made to allow the electoral umpire list his name as APC’s governorship candidate .

     Justice Omotosho, in his judgment, held that the case of the plaintiff was justiciable, subsequently granted the prayers and ordered INEC to list him as candidate of the APC in Akwa Ibom governorship election.

     Udofia and Sen. Ita Enang, a former presidential aide, were in court asking the court to decide the authentic candidate of the APC in the Akwa Ibom governorship race.

     The APC had declared Udofia as winner of its governorship primary having won a majority of votes cast at the polls.

    Enang, however, approached the Federal High Court challenging the nomination of Udofia.

    He based his suit on grounds of alleged irregularities, claiming that Udofia was not qualified to contest the APC’s primary election having participated in the governorship primary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) where he lost.

     In its judgment, the trial court agreed with Enang and voided the primary election that produced Udofia and ordered a fresh election to be done within 14 days excluding Udofia’s participation.

     OYO

     Accord sacks leaders for endorsing Makinde

    For endorsing the incumbent governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in next week’s Saturday governorship and state houses of assembly elections in Oyo, the Accord Party has relieved all its executive members in the state.

     The National Chairman of Accord, Muhammad Nalado,  in a statement in Abuja, said the Oyo State chapter’s decision to back another party’s candidate was anti-party and against the ethos of the Accord Party. 

    He said his party has a standing and a strong candidate for the governorship election in the person of Adebayo Adelabu.

    Nalado added that the NWC also resolved to constitute a five man Caretaker Committee to steer the party to victory and also manage the affairs of the party in the build up to the governorship and State Assembly elections.

    He said the five man caretaker Committee members are: Alhaji Isiaka Salami, who will serve as Oyo State Caretaker Chairman, Bashiru Ayobami, who will serve as Caretaker Secretary, Hon. Fatai Salawu, Bimpe Martins, Ayodele Oyajide, who are members of the Caretaker Committee.

    DELTA

     Group threatens sabotage against PDP

    Concerned Political Appointees’ Forum (CPAF) in Delta State has threatened to work against the interest of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if the incumbent fails to pay their allowances.

     The group that comprises Special Assistants, Senior Special Assistants and Executive Secretaries, said it will be better to lose the election if Okowa wants his political appointees to go home crying after serving the government for four years.

    “Governor Okowa should not expect the political appointees to reject juicy offers from the opposition parties when he refused to pay their allowances.”

    It said if the PDP must win the state all hands must be on the desk to work for the party which includes paying the political appointees their entitlements before the elections.

    “It is said that a hungry man is an angry man and no one should expect an angry man to be at peace with the man who made him angry. It will be better if we rock the boat than allow the Governor to have his way at all times. If Okowa wants his political appointees to go home crying after serving the government for four years, then it’ll be better we sink the boat for everybody to cry.”

     ABIA

    PDP raises alarm, alleges plot to rig

    The Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it has uncovered plots by two major oppositions in the state – the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP) to rig the upcoming Governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state.

    The PDP in a statement issued Thursday by its Acting Publicity Secretary and Vice Chairman Abia North, Abraham Amah, alleged that both parties have perpetrated the plot at several held in Owerri, Imo State capital and Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State.

    The party also alleged that some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were part of the planned electoral fraud.

     The PDP Publicity Secretary in the statement said “We have information and concrete evidence that the governorship candidate of the APC held a meeting with officials of INEC at Owerri and perfected plans to rig the election in his favour.

    “We use this medium to inform the APC that the charade that saw the emergence of Hope Uzodinma as the governor of Imo State through the backdoor will not be allowed under any circumstance to happen in Abia State.

    “A similar meeting was held at the Isiala Ngwa residence of the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, LP with officials of the INEC with a view to rigging the election for him.

    “That too, will not happen and has collapsed like a pack of sand.

     IMO

     LP governorship aspirants kick over N25 million interest forms

    Some aspirants of the Labour Party in Imo State have kicked against a sum of N 25 million being cost for governorship interest forms.

     They said it was abnormal for the fee to be unilaterally increased from N7.5 million to N25 million.

     The aspirants expressed their displeasure Thursday at the part’s secretariat in Owerri.

    Their outburst followed the dissolution of the state executive and inauguration of a new executive committee.

    Former State chairman of the party, Ambrose Onyekwere, who confirmed the dissolution, however said, it was normal as his tenure had expired.

    But a source from the party noted that the dissolution may not be unconnected with the scheduled primary of the party which comes up in less than two weeks.

    The source also claimed that this was also part of the reason why the governorship interest form was increased from N7.5 million to N25 million.

    The source however explained that the party leadership decided to hike the price to place a hurdle on the aspirants that had earlier indicated interest in the governorship position before some new money bag politicians took over the party in the state.

     “The governorship interest form was sold for N7.5 million last year but today it’s sold for N25 million. We’re already having a lot of money bags picking the forms. They have realised that the Labour Party is a good brand and everybody wants to be identified with it,” the source  said.

    ABIA

    Abia governorship candidates sign peace accord

     Governorship candidates of various political parties in Abia State on Thursday signed the Peace Accord ahead of the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections on March 18.

    The Commissioner of Police in the State, Mustapha Bala, who spoke during the exercise, said the state command would not compromise the peace and security of the state during the forthcoming Governorship and State Assembly elections.

    He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other actors concerned with the conduct of the election to provide a level playground for all the candidates participating in the election.

    “This clarion call for a peace accord meeting with governorship candidates and their party chairmen, is one of the numerous measures of achieving this desired objective.

    “Let’s remember that we are all brothers and sisters with different political ideologies; Adopt the spirit of sportsmanship with the hope of coming together later as there is always life after election.

    “We should also allow, support and encourage INEC as umpire to perform their duties without interference.”

    KADUNA

     Makarfi raises alarm over plans to arrest 80 PDP members

    Former Kaduna State Governor and National Caretaker Committee Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi has raised the alarm over alleged plans by authorities to arrest and detain 80 members of the party from participating in the forthcoming Governorship and state House of Assembly elections.

    Makarfi’s alarm was coming on the heels of the arrest of three top PDP members of the party in the state by security operatives over alleged inciting statements early in the week.

    Makarfi further alleged that PDP was in possession of the list of those penciled down for arrest before next Saturday’s elections.

     The former governor said those penciled down for arrest were drawn from Kudan, Sanga, Igabi, Lere, Kachia, Jaba and Kaduna North Local Government Areas of the state which are believed to be PDP strongholds.

    To this end, Makarfi warned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government in the state of arbitrary arrest of some PDP members.

  • Tracking INEC’s preparedness

    Tracking INEC’s preparedness

    Buhari chats INEC Chairman ahead of Saturday’s polls

    head of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections, President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, discussed with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The discussion was, according to President Buhari, at the instance of the Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, explaining that it was all part of the efforts that the elections hold successfully.

    The President hinted of the conversation while explaining his few minutes of lateness to the inauguration and handover of security equipment valued at over N12 billion to the military and Nigeria Police Force. According to him, he had been grounded by the electoral body for the five minutes he kept the CACOVID group waiting, reminding all that everything needed to be done for a successful election to be achieved. “I’m being grounded by INEC. You know next Saturday is a great day for us and I take instructions from INEC so that I make sure there’ll be no excuses for the successful election,” Buhari had told his guests.

    IGP orders restriction of movement, reaffirms ban on VIP escorts

      The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Usman Alkali Baba has ordered a restriction of all forms of vehicular movement on roads, waterways, and other forms of transportation from 12 am to 6 pm on election day with the exception of those on essential services such as INEC officials, electoral observers, ambulances responding to medical emergencies, firefighters, among others.

     The order, which is part of measures emplaced to ensure a safe, secure, and conducive environment for the conduct of elections, is aimed at ensuring public order management, safety of electorate as well as assisting the security agencies in effective policing, thereby preventing hoodlums and criminally-minded elements from disrupting the electoral process. According to a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi: “Similarly, the IGP sternly warns all security aides and escorts to desist from accompanying their principals and politicians to polling booths and collation centres during the election as anyone found flouting this directive will be severely sanctioned.”

     The IGP emphasised that only security personnel specifically assigned to election duties are to be seen within and around the designated election booths and centres. He also said the ban on unauthorized use of sirens, revolving lights, covered number plates, and tinted glasses is still in force, and violators would be sanctioned appropriately. The police boss said all state-established and owned security outfits/organisations, quasi-security units, and privately-owned guard and security outfits are also barred from participating in election security management.

     While empathising with well-meaning citizens on the inconveniences the restriction may cause, the IGP urged all active electorates to be law-abiding and turn out en masse to exercise their franchise. He however warned that the force will deal decisively with any individual(s) or group(s) that might want to test our common resolve and might to ensure a peaceful election. The IGP enjoined all citizens to shun vote buying, vote selling, hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation, snatching of ballot boxes, and other criminal act(s) as the Force and other security agencies will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that all violators of extant laws, most especially the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended), are brought to book. 

     “The Nigeria Police Force, therefore, urges all members of the public to contact the Nigeria Police Force and the Joint Election Monitoring and Operations Room domiciled at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, via the ‘NPF Rescue Me App’ available on Android and ios, or via the NPF Rescue Me Emergency Toll-free line on 08031230631 to report suspicious persons, activities or request security response. Similarly, other joint operations/election situation room numbers will be released by all State Police Commands respectively, for emergency contact.”

    It’s criminal to use phones at polling centres, INEC warns Ogun voters

    INEC has warned voters against using mobile phones at the polling centres during the Saturday’s election, saying it is a criminal offence. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ogun state, Mr. Niyi Ijalaye, issued the warning yesterday at the Commission’s office at Magbon in Abeokuta while addressing newsmen after a meeting with heads of security agencies in respect of the Saturday election.

     Ijalaye said voters would not be allowed to make phone calls or take pictures with phones while casting their votes, assuring of the preparedness of the INEC to conduct free, fair and credible poll. “We have been strategising and re-strategising on way forward to ensure that elections in Ogun state will be devoid of rancor or violence of any sort whatsoever. That is what we have been doing and we want to seize this opportunity to appeal to the good people of Ogun state, the gateway state to endeavour to just come out peacefully on Saturday and exercise their franchise, their civic responsibility to vote for people, candidates and parties of their choice.

     “On no account will violence of any sort be tolerated in this state and that is what we have been discussing in the last two, three hours. Maybe I need to emphasise this also that on voting day, when people come to the polling booths with their phones, when they approach the polling officer and they want to go in with their phones, they will not be allowed to use their phones to discuss with people or take pictures at that polling point where they will be voting. It is an offence, it is a crime and it will not be allowed. We appeal to those people who wish to come there with their phones to maybe switch it off for that one or two minutes, so that everybody would be seen to be acting within the law.”

    EFCC deploys officers for election monitoring

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday deployed its officers to the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, to monitor Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections. It said this was part of efforts to ensure the integrity of the polls.

     EFCC Chairman Abdulrasheed Bawa urged the operatives to be conscious of the country’s interest and to exhibit a high sense of professionalism. He gave the charge, according to a statement by the anti-graft agency’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren. Bawa said: “You are out on a national assignment, and I expect you to conduct yourselves responsibly in line with our core values of professionalism, integrity and courage. You have a responsibility to ensure that this election is devoid of financial malpractices, especially inducement of voters. The attention of the world is focused on Nigeria and we must do what is necessary to ensure that we have credible, free and fair elections.”

    The EFCC also said it had released incidents reporting hotlines for the 36 states and the FCT. The commission urged members of the public to report any case of vote buying or selling or other evidence of financial malpractices designed to compromise the electoral outcome through the hotlines. “Members of the public can also report anyone trying to buy or sell votes by making use of the EFCC financial crimes reporting App, Eagle Eye, which is available for download on the Google Play or Apple store. Additionally, the public can reach the Commission through our social media handle, @officialefcc or by email, info@efcc.gov.ng.  The hotlines and Eagle Eye App flyers are attached to this statement.”

    INEC begins distribution of ballots papers, result sheets in Osun

    Ahead of February 25th 2023 presidential election, INEC has commenced distribution of sensitive materials, including ballot papers and result sheets to Local Government Areas across the state.    The electoral umpire arrived the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) headquarters in Osogbo yesterday around 9:15AM in company of chairmen of political parties and journalists. However, journalists were barred from entering the premises of CBN to inspect the collection process which led to protest of Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Mutiu Agboke.

     Agboke faulted CBN leadership led by State Director, Mrs Oluyemi Adeyemi, who said she received directive from the headquarters that political parties’ chairmen and journalists should not be allowed inside the premises. After the REC insistence, political parties’ chairmen and journalists were allowed inside the premises to witness the collection exercise. Speaking in the premises of CBN after the collection, Agboke disclosed that the commission will commence dispatching of the sensitive materials to all local government areas of state.

     “Our sensitive materials, particularly, ballot papers, result sheets are usually in the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria. We are ready for the election. We are here to start batching of our material for onward transmission to these local government areas. What you have seen on (the) ground are the ballot papers, result sheet for the presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives election.

     “We will arrange and batch them to various local government areas. All these are indications that the Commission is ready. The Commission is in touch with our security agents. The synergy is there. All our local government offices are well secured.”

    INEC begins distribution of sensitive materials in Lagos

    INEC has commenced the distribution of sensitive materials to local councils in Lagos, in readiness for the Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections. The exercise is currently being carried out under the heavy presence of security agencies at the CBN headquarters, Marina, Lagos.

    All security agencies, including the Police, Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Federal Road Safety Corps and the State Security Service, are supervising the distribution. The deployment is also being carried out in the presence of journalists, observers — local and international, and party officials.

     The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Olusegun Agbaje, while speaking to reporters, explained that the electoral officers would take the items to their councils where they would be sent to the polling units on Saturday morning. “Party agents, international observers, security agencies are all on ground to witness the distribution process. You can see the synergy here. The DSS is also here. The commissioner of police has been here since 10:00am. We are loading the trucks that will go to various local governments.”

    Reacting to the transportation mode of the materials, Agbaje said: “We don’t have any problem about transportation. All trucks used today are provided by National Association of Road Transport Workers. All the materials for the Saturday Presidential and National Assembly elections are complete.”

    Reports by Bolaji Ogundele, Gbenga Omokhunu, Ernest Nwokolo, Robert Egbe, Toba Adedeji, and Alao Abiodun

  • Condemnations trail Buhari’s decision on naira crisis

    Condemnations trail Buhari’s decision on naira crisis

    Sequel to President Muhammadu Buhari’s broadcast yesterday, during which he said the old N500 and N1000 notes cease to be legal tenders, our correspondents report that many Nigerians and groups have condemned his stance in contravention of the Supreme Court’s pronouncement

    ‘Buhari cannot repeal order of the Supreme Court’

    Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN) has reacted to President Muhammadu Buhari’s rejection of the old notes, saying it is contrary to the Supreme Court’s stand.

    Onigbanjo stated this when he appeared on TVC Business Show during which he said petrol stations, banks and others who reject the old notes would be prosecuted. 

    The Attorney-General decried the lingering naira scarcity in the land and the high charges by Point-of-Sales operators that have fostered untold hardship on Nigerians.

    He noted that people who are hungry and have their means of livelihood eroded cannot care about any macroeconomic policy or its short or long-term gain.

    He said: “There is a contract between a customer and a bank that says when you bring your money to us you can have it back on demand. Any bank that refuses to give the money on demand has violated the terms and conditions of that contract and can be sued. I will advise Lagosians who have experienced suffering and injury as a result of the situation to press for charges.”

    He maintained that it is ridiculous that Nigerians are buying their own money.

    “Even the producers of goods and services are losing money due to the scarcity of new notes to purchase their products easily,” he said.

    On the recent Supreme Court ruling, the A-G noted that though President Muhammadu Buhari has enormous powers, he cannot repeal the order of the Supreme Court or any other court in the country.

    President Buhari announced yesterday that the CBN would allow banks to circulate the old N200 notes until April 10.

    This is contrary to the Supreme Court’s position that the old and new notes should co-exist until the substantive matter, which will be heard on February 22, is heard.

    In the same manner, the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has called on President Buhari to consider the agony faced by the Nigerian people as a result of the new Naira redesign policy.

    He also urged the president to obey the ruling of the apex court.

    Soludo made the appeal yesterday during the funeral mass for the first Aviation Minister, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi held in his country home, Ukpor, Nnewi South Council Area.

    “Since the Supreme Court has declared that the old and new naira notes should remain legal tender until judgment is rendered, the President should obey the ruling of the apex court,” he said.

    Zulum, Obaseki, Bagudu introduce palliatives

    In a bid to ameliorate the suffering of citizens of Borno State resulting from the new naira notes crisis, the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum has directed the release of drugs worth N300 million and other medical supplies to government hospitals for free distribution to patients most of whom were facing difficulties in making payments due to scarcity of new and old naira notes.

    The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Prof. Mohammed Arab made this known while unveiling the drugs in Maiduguri, the state capital.

    Arab said the supplies included drugs for prevalent illnesses, maternal delivery kits and other medical essentials.

    The commissioner directed medical directors and principal medical officers of public health care centres in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Jere Local Government Area to prepare procedural papers to receive their allocations for immediate deployment.

    Arab said the drugs must be given free to patients that have no money or those that have problems accessing their funds to pay for their medical services.

    “Officials will rely on patients to be honest because, some people may have money and still demand free drugs by pretending they have no money on them,” he said.

    Arab thanked Zulum for coming to the aid of patients during a critical period, a move which he described as “humane.”

    On behalf of others, the medical director of the State Specialist Hospital, Dr BabaShehu Mohammed, appreciated the government’s gesture.

    In Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki, yesterday directed all Edo City Transport Service (ECTS) buses to provide free services to passengers, beginning yesterday. The gesture was aimed at cushioning the effect of the cash crunch experienced by the people.

    This is contained in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media Projects to the Governor, Mr Crusoe Osagie which was made available to reporters in Benin-Citty, the state capital.

    Osagie said: “The directive is applicable to all routes and is effective till Monday, February 20, after which further announcement would be made on the matter.

    “The government urges the people to remain calm and be law-abiding as it is committed to ensuring that normalcy is restored.

    In Kebbi State, the state government, yesterday, began the distribution of palliatives to residents through the local government councils across the state.

    The distribution was carried out at the Kebbi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) store at Bulasa, a suburb of Birnin-Kebbi.

    The Secretary to the Kebbi State Government (SSG), Alhaji Babale Umar-Yauri said the essence was to ameliorate the current difficulties being experienced by the residents.

    The food item palliatives would be distributed to all the 21 area councils for onward delivery to people at the villages, wards and unit levels.

    The foodstuff included 3,220 bags of 50kg maize, 2,800 bags of 10kg maize; 1,550 bags of 10kg rice, 50kg millet, bags of 25kg garri- 1,200, 1,600 bags of 5kg garri, 4,000 bags of 30kg guinea corn, 2,322 and bags of 10kg beans- 1,200.

    The SSG said the items to be disbursed were relief materials provided by the state and the Federal Governments for intervention in the period of difficulty.

    On the mode of distribution, Umar-Yauri said the items would be conveyed to the poor and most common people through council chairmen, adding that all stakeholders, including religious, traditional and community leaders would be involved to ensure transparency.

    In Kwara State, businesses lose N30 million daily. This was made known by the Kwara State Coalition of Business and Professional Association (KWACOBPA) yesterday.

    The group said its members are daily losing about N30 million to cashless and Naira redesign policies of the Federal Government.

    KWACOBPA comprises over 21 professional and business associations.

    Chairman of the group, Alhaji Olalekan Fatai Ayodimeji said businesses in Nigeria are endangered.

    “The large and medium companies are in dire need of foreign exchange (forex) for their raw materials and machinery. Currently, micro and small enterprises are struggling to get the local currency for their business operations.

    The reasons adduced by the CBN for the naira redesign are understandable but implementing the same alongside the cashless policy is worrisome,” he said.

    ‘Take responsibility for failed naira redesigned policy’

    As the back-and-forth associated with the current naira redesign policy seems endless, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar has blamed the raging currency swap crisis on what he described as the maladministration of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.

    Reacting to the crisis and confusion thrown up by the mismanaged currency redesign policy, Atiku advised the ruling party to take responsibility for its actions.

    He knocked the APC administration for conceiving, giving birth to and foisting anti-people policies on Nigerians.

    In a statement yesterday, Atiku flayed the currency redesign policy for subjecting Nigerians to extreme hardship.

    Atiku said: “This crisis may be coming on the heels of the currency swap, but it is pertinent to remind us that it is a culmination of the frustrations of Nigerians arising from the maladministration of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the nearly eight years.

    “The crisis that we are witnessing currently was conceived, given birth to and nurtured by the ruling APC.”

    Atiku urged the ruling party to take responsibility for the policy and the challenges that have dogged its implementation.

    Atiku pleaded with Nigerians not to vent their frustrations through violent actions.

    Atiku is not alone in slating President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC-led government over the naira redesign policy.

    Worried by the hardship which the policy and its implementation have brought on Nigerians, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA) yesterday said Buhari has demonstrated his usual penchant for flouting court orders with his placement of a blanket ban on old N500 and N1, 000 notes despite an order of the Supreme Court.

    The group said the old N200, N500 and N1,000 bank notes should remain legal tender till a determination of the subsisting case on February 22.

    In a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko HURIWA said Buhari had, in a similar fashion, disobeyed an Appeal Court ruling granting unconditional bail to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu late last year.

    The group said President Buhari is laying a bad precedent by disobeying court orders which is crucial for the sustenance of democracy and its values.

    The group reminded Buhari that democracy is about the rule of law and not by fiat and decree as done by military heads of state of which the President was once one from 1983 to 1985.

    The group cautioned that the President should not rule Nigeria like a country under military rule.

    In the face of the crises which the new naira policy has generated, President Buhari made a nationwide broadcast in the morning yesterday. In his speech, he empathised and sympathised with Nigerians over the suffering that scarcity of the new and old notes has brought upon them.

    While some gave kudos to Mr President for the speech, others gave him knocks.

    For instance, residents of Jos, the Plateau State capital said the President’s speech over the naira swap crisis lacked substance, even as they described it as “a movement without motion.”

    Sabiu Abubakar, one of the residents said: “I see the broadcast as needless because it failed to address the problems at hand. The major problem we are facing is the non-availability of cash. Our problem is not about N200 notes; it is about people walking into the bank to withdraw their money and moving out; or going to the nearby ATM and get their money.”

    Another resident, Monday Fawul said: “All I expected Mr President to do was to issue orders to the CBN to make the cash available to Nigerians. You deceived people to take old money to the bank for a swap for new notes. People obliged but they can no longer see the new notes they were asked to swap. What sort of economic policy is that?”

    Pius Chuwang said: “As far as I’m concerned, Mr President has not addressed the problem of Nigerians over this naira swap quagmire. All we are saying is, to let banks release the new notes and the naira swap process will be complete. The so-called broadcast was just a waste of time and resources.”

    In one of the commercial banks in Jos, a member of staff who spoke in confidence said: “No one should expect cash flow until after the governorship election in March. All these issues of broadcast is just to buy time; it is of no effect at all.”

    In Calabar, former Governor of Cross River State, and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief Clement Ebri said his reaction to the presidential broadcast was that of sadness over the position of the President.

    His words: “The President’s panacea is not far-reaching enough. He needs to address the currency issue in a more drastic manner than the band-aid solution he has preferred.

    “You cannot give panadol to a cancer patient and expect him to recover from the ailment.”

    Also reacting to President Buhari’s broadcast, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has called on the Federal Government to suspend the process on the use of old naira notes across the country.

    It also described President Muhammadu Buhari’s broadcast which called for the re-circulation of only the N200 notes as “unthinkable,” “unfortunate,” and “perhaps preempting the Supreme Court.”

    In a telephone chat with The Nation in Warri, PANDEF’s Publicity Secretary, Ken Robinson said though the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders had earlier praised the initiative since “it was targeted at mitigating illicit transactions,” the impact on the masses have made the whole process “ridiculous.”

    Stating that PANDEF is worried by the development, Robinson noted that “the President’s broadcast further gives some kind of validation to speculations that some people are being targeted and the whole process is political. If that is true, it will look like pulling down one’s house to kill a rat.

    Police nab 13 over banks’ attack in Delta

    Police in Delta State have arrested 13 suspects in connection with the attacks on some commercial banks in the Udu Council Area of Delta State.

    The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bright Edafe, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) stated this yesterday.

    According to him, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Ari Mohammed Ali, had ordered the transfer of the suspects to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).

    Edafe said: “We have arrested13 suspects. The CP has directed that the matter should be transferred to the State CID. Two banks and two vehicles were set ablaze.”

    Recall that Union, Access and First Banks, all located along Udu Road, came under mob attacks following the rejection of the old naira notes by the banks and other business owners, including filling stations and transporters.

    The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) has appealed to Nigerians to remain patient and understanding, rather than attacking banks, which would escalate the crisis.

    ASSBIFI’s President, Mr Olusoji Oluwole made the appeal at a news conference yesterday in Lagos.

    Oluwole said that such attacks had amounted to personal losses by innocent Nigerians and injuries sustained by members of the public, while members in the insurance sector were faced with claims of more than N2 billion.

    He also expressed dismay over the lack of response or condemnation of those acts by bodies or individuals saddled with the responsibility of supervising or protecting the industry and its workers.

    “Some communities were attacked recently. In those communities, there are probably four or five banks in operation. After the attack, that community is going to be without banking services. So, what is the point of going out to attack those people? It will be better for those banks not to be opened if they do not have cash.

    Ekiti State Government has sympathised with residents on the challenges being faced on account of the lingering fuel shortage and scarcity of the new naira notes.

    Governor Biodun Oyebanji appealed to all residents to remain calm and go about their daily activities peacefully as concerted efforts were being made to redress the situation.

    This is contained in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Mr Yinka Oyebode which was made available to reporters yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    The governor, according to the statement, specifically appealed to all traditional rulers, religious, political and community leaders and leaders of thought to help prevail over the citizens, especially the youth.

    He said the call became necessary so that the youth would not allow themselves to be used to foment trouble on account of the current situation.

    Oyebanji reassured the people that his administration was committed to the welfare and well-being of all citizens of the state and was exploring all avenues to make life more comfortable for them.

  • Ogun and its peculiar supremacy politics

    Ogun and its peculiar supremacy politics

    Ahead of the forthcoming general elections, it is an open secret that the immediate past governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, and his successor, Governor Dapo Abiodun, are engulfed in an intense hegemony battle over the structure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. In this report, Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI and Assistant Editor EMMANUEL BADEJO examine the ugly development and conclude that the supremacy battle, which is now a trend in Ogun politics, dates back to many years.

    With the changing political dynamics in the country, a repeat of the disagreement witnessed within the local chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State before the last general elections is hardly what the party needs in the forthcoming elections because it could jeopardise its chances. But, that is what the party is currently grappling with.

     On Wednesday last week, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who represents Ogun Central Senatorial District at the Senate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led the campaign of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the forthcoming governorship election in the state, against his own party, which is fielding incumbent Governor Dapo Abiodun for re-election. Amosun, a former governor of the state, was the rallying point for the ADC governorship campaign flag-off held at the Ake palace ground in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, to mobilise support for his anointed candidate, Biyi Otegbeye.

     The high point of the event was when Amosun raised Otegbeye’s hand and that of his running mate, Tunde Awonuga, and asked the electorate to vote for them. He said his support for Otegbeye was based on equity, justice and fairness because the Yewa-Awori region where the ADC flagbearer hails from has never produced a governor since the creation of the state.

     In a rather bizarre manner, Amosun also called on the electorate to vote for the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, despite the fact that ADC has Dumebi Kachikwu as its own presidential candidate. Amosun said: “There are two reasons why I’m doing what I’m doing. The first one is based on equity, justice, and fairness….Ogun State is almost 50 years old now. Since the creation of Ogun State, nobody from Ogun West has been governor.

     “Some characters are saying Yewa doesn’t have good people; I know they have. Yewa has good children I know that they can do it. He (Otegbeye) is a lawyer; he has been tested and trusted. The second reason, which is very important, is that Ogun State must not derail. We have set the path of development for Ogun State; we must not allow it to be derailed.

     “For the presidential polls, I can assure you, both right, left and centre, that we are supporting one person (Tinubu). I believe we are supporting one person. On the governorship polls, that’s a different ball game. I don’t belong there. I don’t hide behind one finger to fight. On the governorship front, my supporters and I don’t belong to that side. I do not support the APC on that side. Biyi Otegbeye is the person I am supporting and ADC is the party.”

     This is not the first time a former governor or an outgoing governor will be backing a candidate flying the flag of another political party. The first time it happened was prior to the 2011 general elections when the then outgoing Governor Gbenga Daniel campaigned for Gboyega Isiaka of the Peoples’ Party of Nigeria (PPN). Olusegun Osoba, who governed the state between 1999 and 2003 on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), had also campaigned for the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) prior to the 2015 general elections, following the former governor’s defection to the party to protest against his being reportedly side-lined by the then Governor Amosun’s camp ahead of the latter’s second term election.

     Amosun had also openly campaigned against Abiodun, his friend-turned-foe in 2019. Although a member of the APC, the former governor backed Adekunle Akinlade, who ran on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) against Abiodun. But he lost to the latter with about 19,000 votes. Abiodun polled 241,670 votes, while the APM candidate got 222,153 votes.

     But, this is, perhaps, the former governor’s final opportunity to demystify Governor Abiodun. Otherwise, the way things are at the moment, the governor has the upper hand. This is because the former governor is not vying for a fresh tenure to return to the Senate and he would cease to be politically relevant in Ogun State politics the moment he vacates his seat at the law-making chamber, particularly if Abiodun succeeds in securing a second term.

     Amosun does not spare any opportunity to discredit Abiodun. The former governor runs parallel APC machinery in the state, along with the support of his APM supporters, most of whom have jumped ship to join Abiodun. Since he vacated the governorship seat, the immediate past governor has not deemed it fit to recognise Abiodun as the leader of the party in Ogun State.

     Indications emerged in August last year that Amosun is still adamant about campaigning against Governor Abiodun in the forthcoming governorship election when he reiterated that the 2019 governorship election was rigged in Abidoun’s favour and that he (the governor) must be removed from office. The immediate past governor, who spoke with reporters after receiving an award from the Abeokuta Club during the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the association, said he was not in support of the Abiodun administration and that the governor must vacate his seat at the expiration of his first four-year term.

     Amosun added: “Just wait and see; very soon, you will hear where we are going next. You know my stand, and my stand is my stand. I am not supporting the administration that is there now. He must be removed.”

     Amosun’s outburst at the event generated a swift reaction from the governor’s camp. For instance, the Ogun State APC Publicity Secretary, Mr Tunde Oladunjoye, had dismissed Amosun’s claim, saying the former governor is “obviously suffering from political amnesia and out-of-office loneliness.” The publicity secretary, who enjoined the people of Ogun State to pray for the former governor, described the immediate past governor’s claim as an insult to the psyche of the people. He said: “It is a sad indication that the former governor is yet to purge himself of extreme arrogance and intolerance that were his trademarks, which earned him a suspension from our party; even as a sitting governor.

     “There is absolutely no truth in the specious utterance of the former governor who is still sulking from the electoral defeat of his surrogate party in 2019. Our party and candidate not only won fair and square but the victory of Prince Dapo Abiodun was also attested to by his co-contestants, many of whom later joined the APC and are still in the APC.”

     Amosun and Abiodun have been engulfed in an intense fight for control of the APC structure in the Southwest state since the last general elections in 2019. This has seen the governor side-line the senator and his loyalists after getting the upper hand, following his victory in the last governorship election close to four years ago. Indications were that Amosun had intended to use the APM, the political platform he used during the last general elections, to thwart Abiodun’s chances of winning the forthcoming election. The party, which could not defeat Abiodun in the last governorship election, was reportedly reactivated by Amosun to challenge the governor for a second time.

     But, the APM slipped from Amosun’s hand because his (Amosun) former loyalists in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who are at the helm of affairs in the APM had a different idea. Twenty-four hours before the deadline of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the substitution of candidates’ names, the Chairman of the APM, Kehinde Sotayo, and its governorship candidate, Olutosin Jolaoluwa, disappeared into thin air.

    Jolaoluwa, later went ahead and released a statement denying withdrawing for Amosun’s preferred candidate, Otegbeye. The development almost thwarted the former governor’s plan. But he subsequently secured the structure of the ADC and quickly switched to the party, having lost the APM. It was reliably gathered that Amosun settled for Otegbeye, a businessman and former governorship aspirant on the platform of the APC as the governorship candidate because his profile suited the former governor’s designs.

     The ADC governorship flag bearer hails from the Yewa axis of the state, which is also known as the Ogun West senatorial district. The zone has never produced a governor since the creation of the state in 1976. Ogun East produced the first civilian governor, the late Chief Olabisi Onabanjo, who ruled between 1979 and 1983, and Otunba Gbenga Daniel (from 2003 to 2011). Ogun Central has produced Chief Olusegun Osoba who governed the state between 1992 and 1993, and between 1999 and 2003. Also from Ogun Central is Amosun who was governor between 2015 and 2019.

     Otegbeye, a law graduate of Lagos State University, has been the Managing Director of Regence Alliance Insurance Plc from 2011 to date. Incidentally, both Otegbeye and Akinlade participated in the APC primary where Abiodun secured the ticket of the party to run for a second term. The duo were reported to have scored zero votes. But, subsequently, Amosun’s preferred governorship candidate defected to the PDP, where he succeeded in clinching the party’s deputy governorship ticket to run with Oladipupo Adebutu.

     Abiodun contested the primary with five other aspirants, namely Abdulkabir Akinlade, Biyi Otegbeye, Modele Sarafa-Yusuf, Owodunni Opayemi, and Remi Bakare. Abiodun scored 1,168 votes while other aspirants had nil with two voided votes.

     Amosun had also, in October 2021, spearheaded a parallel congress at the Ake palace ground, where Chief Derin Adebiyi emerged as the chairman of Ogun APC. However, the party’s national headquarters recognised the congress conducted by the governor’s camp at the M.K.O. Abiola Stadium, Kuto Abeokuta, which produced Chief Yemi Sanusi as chairman. The election was conducted under the supervision of a seven-man state congress committee led by Chief Wale Ohu.

     The supremacy battle between Amosun and his successor in office dates back to the period before the APC primary in 2018. Amosun fell out with the governor before the APC primary. Following the emergence of Abiodun as the party’s candidate, against his wish, Amosun engineered the emergence of Akinlade as the flag-bearer of the APM. Abiodun eventually defeated Amosun’s anointed candidate with a margin of 19,517 votes. Abiodun polled 241,670 votes to defeat Akinlade who had 222,153 votes.

     Soon after APM’s defeat, Amosun, who won his senatorial election on the platform of the APC, was suspended from the ruling party for anti-party activities. Akinlade and Amosun have since parted ways. Amosun’s former godson is now the running mate to the PDP flag-bearer, Oladipupo Adebutu. Observers initially believed that Amosun gave his blessing to Akinlade’s decision to join the PDP. But recent political developments suggest that Akinlade was alone.

     Some loyalists of the former governor, who spoke to our correspondent in confidence, blamed both Amosun and Akinlade for the action. While some blamed Akinlade for being desperate to have gone to the PDP without the express permission and support of his former boss, others condemned the former governor’s action, which they described as confusing.

     Former Governor Gbenga Daniel, it is said, has refused to openly side with either Senator Amosun or Governor Abiodun in the race to decide who becomes governor of Ogun State after the current governor’s first term which elapses on May 29. Daniel, 66, is the candidate of the APC for the Ogun East senatorial race. Daniel has refused to be caught in the crossfire of the raging political fight by “solely focusing on protecting his political interest.”

     The former governor’s political interests include becoming the next lawmaker that will represent Ogun East in the Senate. A source, who confided in our reporter, explained why Daniel decided to stay aloof. He said: “The governor has simply stuck with his age-long approach that an experienced political leader does not show his hand until the last minute.”

     Daniel’s silence has, however, pitched him against Abiodun who is contesting for a fresh tenure and requires all the support he can get to win the election. Daniel’s ambition is said to have sparked the fire of a yet-to-be-put-off cold war with Abiodun. For instance, the cold war, it is said, was responsible for the governor, with his loyalists, to boycott the flag-off campaign for Daniel’s senatorial campaign in October last year.

     Amosun is said to have leveraged the “possible threats” posed to Daniel by his face-off with Abiodun to broker an agreement for them to work together. According to those in the know, Amosun’s singular most burning ambition is to stop Abiodun’s re-election by ensuring Otegbeye becomes the next governor of Ogun State.

     In exchange for Daniel’s support, The Nation gathered that Amosun has reportedly agreed to support his predecessor in office. As a result, Amosun is said to have deployed all his men within the APC and the PDP to support the former governor’s senatorial ambition. Daniel, as an outgoing governor in 2011, had campaigned for his then protégé, Gboyega Isiaka of the PPN, after he failed in a supremacy battle with former President Olusegun Obasanjo over the control of the PDP structure.

      Through Obasanjo’s intervention, the party’s ticket was given to the late Gen. Adetunji Olurin (rtd), to Daniel’s displeasure. This compelled Isiaka to seek to realise his ambition in the PPN, with Daniel’s prodding. Thus, PDP members and supporters divided their votes between the two candidates. Amosun of the AC eventually won the election with 377,487 votes. Olurin came second with 188,698 votes, while his PPN counterpart, Isiaka, scored 137,051 votes to place third. If the two camps had backed one candidate, the party would have won the election.

     After Daniel vacated power, an intense struggle for the control of the party led to more squabbles that further divided the PDP into several factions. The power struggle instigated Daniel to dump the major opposition party and joined the Labour Party (LP) in 2013. Many leaders of the party who, at the time, were loyal to Daniel pitched their tent with him in his newfound political family. Several reconciliatory meetings were held with Daniel during which, it was gathered, leaders of the PDP pleaded with Daniel to return to the party.

     In October 2014, Daniel yielded to the pressure and re-joined the party. He said at the time: “I have returned to my party. There is no situation in which there are no differences; these differences have been settled. All the challenges we have in the PDP have been settled. If Labour Party is actually strong in Ogun State, can it swallow PDP? It is the big fish that swallows the small fish. At the moment, the PDP has swallowed the LP.”

     By December 2014, Daniel declared his ambition to run for the Senate for Ogun East district in the 2015 elections but the party eventually chose the late Buruji Kashamu. The political brouhaha that followed the decision made Daniel to announce his withdrawal from the race.

     Osoba, a former governor of the state, also had a face-off with members of his party over preparations for the 2015 election. Osoba, who lost his re-election in 2003, was miffed after he was allegedly side-lined by the then Governor Amosun who was seeking his second-term mandate in 2015. Osoba was in control of the party structure prior to the emergence of Amosun as governor in 2011, following his defection from the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) with his followers. After Amosun emerged as the then Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate in 2011, Osoba was given the privilege to pick the deputy governor, the three senatorial candidates, and nine members of the House of Representatives. But, after the party assumed office, Osoba’s protege, Deputy Governor Olusegun Adesegun was allegedly given little or no power by Amosun.

     A source who preferred anonymity recalled that the animosity started way back in 2003 when Amosun mobilised the PDP to uproot the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) and Osoba, who was then governor, from the State House. The mutual suspicion was rekindled when they found themselves in the APC prior to the 2011 election. Friction was evident when the Osoba group initially rejected Amosun as the governorship candidate during the 2011 governorship race. It took the intervention of some personalities before Osoba soft-pedal.

     But in the twilight of Amosun’s first term in office, precisely in 2014, Osoba fell out with the incumbent. After several meetings and deliberations and the gladiators could not resolve their political differences, Osoba, alongside the three serving senators in the state, and seven of the nine federal lawmakers at the time, formed the SDP.

     Afterwards, the SDP became a household name in Abeokuta and gradually across the state and other parts of Nigeria. Sources said that three major grouses led to Osoba and his protégé’s defection. They included the congresses in April 2014, lopsided political appointments, and the alleged side-lining of his loyalists in government. Osoba reportedly vowed that he will not change his mind even if traditional rulers or the APC national leadership tried to patch things up between him and Amosun. Osoba was not happy that the ward, council, and state congresses produced parallel executives – one for him and another for Amosun. Amosun’s faction was recognised by the APC national secretariat in Abuja, which Osoba saw as a slight on him.

     Again, the duo also clashed over the choice of commissioners and members of the state executive council. The Osoba group felt short-changed. To pacify them, Amosun picked some of his special advisers, chairmen and members of the board of parastatals and agencies from Osoba’s group. Yet, the Osoba camp grumbled that it was not given enough chairmanship and council slots. The sharing formula, according to it, was lopsided in favour of Amosun and his supporters, which prompted Osoba loyalists to form a group known as ma ta gba mole (do not disrespect the elder). The supporters of Osoba said he was not accorded his proper place in the scheme of things, though Amosun insisted that the man remained the leader of the APC in the state and that there was no feud between them.

     Rather than abate, the supremacy battle over who controls the lever of political power in the state, is now assuming more interesting dimensions as the forthcoming general elections draw nearer. It is also fast becoming a permanent feature of politics in the state. Who will win the battle this time?

  • Insipid and hubris gang-up against Abiodun’s re-election

    Insipid and hubris gang-up against Abiodun’s re-election

    By Femi Ogbonnikan

    Due to the limitation of time left before the forthcoming general elections, there has been an expected increase in the tempo of campaign activities by the various political parties each trying to outwit the other. In our peculiar scenario here in Ogun State, electioneering by the opposition has been an extraordinary display of hubris by some of the state actors who have wittingly or unwittingly chosen lies, deceit, and blackmail as a means of achieving their goals. Of particular note is the frenetic energy with which immediate past former Governor Ibikunle Amosun has been promoting the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Biyi Otegbeye, against Governor Dapo Abiodun with malicious gusto.  

    Once again, he wants to lord it over the people just as he did in the 2019 general elections when he single-handedly propped up Hon Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade as his anointed candidate on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), while still claiming to be a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). For the same wrong reason, he is back again in the trenches, trying to play the old trick in the same old way. This time around, he is going about it more ferociously: lying, deceit, blackmailing, and outright disinformation.

    In his latest attempt to win the sympathy of the electorate for his candidate, he went beyond the call of duty, disparaging the image of incumbent Governor Abiodun for undoing some of the wrong things he had done while presiding over the affairs of the state. At the flag-off of the campaign rally of Otegbeye, he told the unsuspecting audience that the present administration renovated an abandoned Model School at Kobape built for N830m with N3b. But he did not tell them the reason he abandoned the project even having claimed that he had paid 100 percent for it. In trying to hoodwink the people, he maintained an undeserved silence on the benefits the youths had derived from converting the moribund school to a tech hub with a considerably far less amount than the false figure he quoted. 

    Before then, Otegbeye, in a similar deliberate mischief-making, had equally accused the Abiodun administration of expending N7 billion on building the Gateway City Centre contrary to the N350m committed to the project. 

    To put the records straight, however, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Kunle Somorin, in a quick rebuttal, clarified in a released statement that “the cost of converting that abandoned project is modest and not in billions despite the value it confers on the moribund school.”

    He dismissed the outburst as shameful, unfounded, and unguided. His words: “It is a shame that the former governor does not know the difference between converting an abandoned project to a socially desirable Tech Hub at this age and time.

    “Rather than applauding the ingenuity of Governor Abiodun for converting the moribund model school to a functional tech hub within three weeks of assuming office, Amosun is resorting to blackmail.

    “It should be noted that barely 24 hours to the mark of his 100 days in office, Gov. Abiodun launched the Ogun Tech hub in Abeokuta, the State capital.

    “The conversion of the model school to a Tech hub facility was in the interest of the Gateway State.

    “Gov. Abiodun will want to reiterate that his administration would complete all inherited projects capable of improving the fortunes of the people.”

    But for Somorin, who took it upon himself to respond appropriately to the tissues of lies being dished out to the public to confuse the electorate, on his part, Governor Abiodun doesn’t feel an inch perturbed by these ceaseless campaigns of calumny. As a man of honour and integrity, he has demonstrated immeasurable patience and forbearance in all manners of circumstances. In the face of all lies, deceit, and deliberate distortion of fact in a bid to smear his good image, he keeps an abiding faith in the social contract he entered into with the good people of Ogun State, refusing to succumb to any form of cheap blackmail or condescending to the level of engaging in a war of words with his political adversaries. Since the facts are open to the public, it is for the electorate to weigh the options available before them, and know where the truth lies.

    This is even more so that the administration runs an open, inclusive, transparent, and accountable government. It only behoves on those who see politics as a dirty game to rethink and do a possible review of their strategy for power acquisition. Politics itself is not dirty. What makes it looks like a dirty game is the way and manners the players go about pursuing their ambitions without a modicum of decency and decorum.

    In an election season like this, it is not unusual for politicians to do a review of strategic alliances for the mutual benefit of the parties concerned, while also remaining independent in certain spheres. With the ongoing alliance review in Ogun State, the future relevance of Senator Amosun in state and national politics is impressively on trial.

    Ordinarily, no one goes into an election to lose. But it is also a known fact that only one person will win an election into an elective position at a time. So, when two partners decide to go into an alliance it is usually with a conviction that the benefits derivable from the synergy will be greater than those from individual efforts. But the question here is: What is there for Amosun to benefit from his alliance with ADC and its candidate? Nothing.

    The truth of the matter is that Amosun is already at a crossroads in his political journey. He is inadvertently caught up in a delicate balance between the desire to be loyal to the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on one hand, with no less objective of promoting his preferred candidate in another party on the other hand. By so doing, he believes he can navigate through the political turbulence ahead of him to remain relevant in Ogun State politics. He got it all wrong.    

    For the latter option, the answer is predictable. Without necessarily pre-empting whatever may be the possible outcome of the governorship election coming up on March 11, it will be much easier for the proverbial camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for Otegbeye to unseat the incumbent governor.

    History is there to serve as a guide to political pundits who may want to hold a contrary view. But the problem is that people don’t learn from the lesson of history. Suffice it to say, however, that no matter how much you try to ignore history, history in all its alienating necessities will not ignore you. If in 2019, Amosun as a sitting governor with all the paraphernalia of office combined with the power of incumbency could not install his anointed candidate as his successor, how will he fight from outside now and win an election for his newfound friend? He doesn’t need a soothsayer to be told the home truth about the latest alliance which is already doomed to fail from the outset because nothing has changed in the power equations to turn the tide against Governor Abiodun. For all he cares, it will be rather delusional and presumptuous to think that the same electorate that rejected Akinlade, his anointed candidate in 2019, will now decide to embrace the same old antics of the power game and abandon the mandate freely given to the incumbent governor to serve the interest of the greater number of the good people of Ogun State.     

    By opting for Otegbeye, Amosun has completed the full circle of his political journey. For the benefit of hindsight, this same Biyi Otegbeye was the APC House of Representatives candidate in his constituency in 2019 that Amosun fought tooth and nail to defeat his ambition. Therefore, having run a full circle in all his trysts, the only alternative left to correct the error of judgment that led him into the current political wilderness is to retrace his steps and reunite with the APC family for the overall good of the state.

    Regrettably, with the gang-up and the desperation that has accounted for the sustained campaign of calumny against Governor Abiodun, it does appear that Amosun’s camp has learned nothing and forgotten nothing from the past. Because they have seen defeat stirring in the face ahead of the coming governorship election, they have continued to spin falsehood against the Abiodun administration. Such a strategy is doomed to fail as the people already know where the truth lies.

    In politics, as in conventional warfare, what matters is not your strategy but the strategy of the enemies. In this case, it is quite clear that the intention of the opposition for all the lies being told about the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun is to discredit the good work he is doing. But it is a road that leads to nowhere. It’s like building something on nothing. The strategy of concocting lies against the government cannot stand because the people’s eyes are open. In no time, every lie told about this government will come down like a pack of cards. One obvious thing is that every citizen of good conscience knows that the administration operates open, transparent, and accountable governance. That, primarily, is the essence of the government’s policy that makes the people part and parcel of the decision-making process to establish the necessary trust and confidence in the administration. And it is that confidence that forms the basis of the existing social capital between the government and the people. Social capital is a set of shared values or resources that allows individuals to work with the government to achieve a common purpose. In today’s increasingly democratizing world, evidence has shown that social cohesion is crucial for sustainable development. It is in keeping with that global trend that Governor Abiodun at the inception of his administration deliberately evolved the idea of citizen engagement through the concept of “Building of Our Future Together” which has now become a sing-song among the stakeholders in the state.

    So, it doesn’t matter the intention of those who prefer the option of bare-faced lies, subtle blackmail and outright misinformation to issue-based electioneering and constructive engagement, there will be a triumph of the light over darkness. As a people’s government, the records are there for public scrutiny.

    For the good people of Ogun State, a vote for Governor Abiodun is a vote for continuity. With the trust and confidence that currently exist between the administration and the people, there is no doubt that they will vote overwhelmingly for continuity because they have seen the good work Governor Abiodun is doing and will still do more with a renewed mandate. As they say, no one changes a winning team in the middle of the game.   

    Several times in the recent past, Amosun had been over-heard, boasting of his relevance and the power to dictate the shots in Ogun State. Without prejudice to the rights of the electorate to elect a candidate of their choice, all dynamics put together, the coming election is going to be a triumph of the truth over falsehood in the State. It doesn’t matter the gang-up, and all other forms of shenanigans exhibited by the opposition parties and their candidates, Abiodun’s victory is a sure deal, courtesy of the good people of conscience who have consistently continued to lend credence to the voice of reason and the imperative of power rotation after the second tenure of the present administration. Beyond the argument about good performance, the need to entrench the principle of justice, fairness, and equity in the system is another reason people must vote for the re-election of Governor Abiodun.

    • Ogbonnikan wrote from Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.