Category: Verdict 2015
Election in Nigeria 2015
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Photo: Security checkpoints in Otueke
A security checkpoint in Otueke. Photo: Joseph Jibueze
One-of-the-signs-warning-motorists-not-stop-around-President-Jonathans-home. Photo: Joseph Jibueze
An armoured personnel carrier parked on Otuoke Road. Photo: Joseph Jibueze -
Jonathan arrives Otuoke amidst tight security
There was tight security in Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area in Bayelsa State on Friday as President Goodluck Jonathan arrived his hometown.The president will cast his vote at a polling unit near his country home.Prior to his arrival, two Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) were seen on the Otuoke Road, one in front of the president’s house.The other was parked in front of Magels Resort, a hotel close to UBA, the only bank in Otuoke.Earlier, a helicopter was seen hovering around the town, apparently on security surveillance.Soldiers and policemen were also seen on the main road, as well as plain-clothes officers who guarded the president’s house.There were sign posts directing motorists to “keep moving,” while police officers shouted at drivers of vehicles which stopped within the vicinity of the president’s home to leave.The president arrived by 3pm in company of Governor Seriake Dickson and other aides.Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has warned its operatives taking bribes from politicians while providing security at polling units.The State Commandant Mr. Desmond Agu said any personnel found to have been compromised during the general elections would be prosecuted.Addressing the men, he said: “Do not compromise. Do not allow politicians to use you to manipulate the process.“Also, do not allow any other security agencies or your colleagues to influence you to collect bribes. Let me assure you that your allowances have been paid.“We urge you to go out there and conduct yourselves as a security agency with integrity and professionalism.“Let me reiterate here that the Commandant General of the corps, Mr. Ade Abolurin, has warned that no civil defenders should compromise. Your duties are to protect lives, staff of Independent Electoral Commission, ad hoc staff and citizens. Any compromise will be severely punished.”He also advised the personnel to work in collaboration with other security agencies.Also, the state command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has advised residents and youths to stay away from banned narcotics during the exercise.In a statement on Friday, it said the advice was to ensure that the elections were not marred by violence arising from drug-induced violence.“Officers and men of the command have been deployed and are fully on ground to ensure that such activities are reduced to the barest minimum by arresting anybody found involved in this deviant behaviour.“Parents and guardians are hereby advised to closely supervise the activities of their children and wards in order not to fall foul of the law and victims of the negative consequences of illegal drug trade and abuse,” the agency said. -
INEC strategizes on election in Borno State
The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Borno State Samuel Madaki has said that the commission is ready to conduct the Presidential Election in the state.
Briefing journalists in Maiduguri on the level of preparation for the election in the state, Mr. Madaki informed that the state has been divided into high risk areas; relatively safe areas; and safe enough.
According to him, 12 LGAs are in the high risk category, 10 in relatively safe areas and 5 for safe enough areas.
He disclosed that a total of over 1.8 million registered voters are expected to cast their votes on the Saturday election, adding that the number of ballot papers received is based on the projection of the total number of registered voters in the state.
Mr. Madaki however regretted that about 18,000 unprinted PVC are still being awaited from the commission’s headquarters.
He said the commission in the state has engaged a total of over 25,000 ad hoc staff for the election, stressing that the commission is working hand in hand with security agencies to ensure the safety of its stall in the field.
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INEC not for perfect election, says Kebbi REC
- Concludes distribution of sensitive materials
The Resident Electoral Commissioner of Kebbi State, Jibril Ibrahim Zarewa, yesterday said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is not out to conduct a perfect election today, but rather an election that is better than previous ones.
Zarewa who stated this at a press briefing in Birnin-Kebbi how ever added that the agency had successfully distributed all sensitive materials throughout the 21 local governments in the state in readiness for the polls.
He added that the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection in the state is now 95 per cent and that there is still a window to enable those who have not collected theirs to do so on the day of voting at the polling units.
He said: “We are going to have some challenges but if we are able to get the logistics right, we will set up small distribution centres so people can still collect their PVCs and vote.”
Zarewa while responding to a questions on measures put in place by INEC to curb corruption related activities between its ad-hoc staff and politicians, said: “The issue of corruption is not between the ad-hoc staff and politicians, but rather let us say in the entire process.
“I think Nigerians have settled for so many changes, Now those changes are intended to improve what we do. We cannot solve all problems over night.
“INEC does not expect to make a perfect election but our hope is to have an election that is free, fair and that is better than all the ones we have ever conducted and after we come to review, we will see the areas we made mistakes that will need further improvement in future.
“But it is not going to be a perfect election but we want it to better than all the elections we have had before.”
According him, the number of registered voters in Kebbi State is 1,470,648, while PVCs supplied to the state is 1,467,992.
He said that of the PVCs supplied 1,389,041 have been distributed representing 95 per cent of number of PVCs supplied.
He added that 1,459,725 were supplied to the state out of which 1,458,474 which include five per cent on the number of register voters in the state have been distributed.
He said the balance of 1,251 ballot papers have been returned to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for safe keeping.
He said that the elections will be conducted in a total of 3,190 polling units and voting points made up of 2,398 polling units and 792 voting points.
The Kebbi REC said a situation room to monitor the conduct of the elections as well as interface with the INEC headquarters in Abuja has been opened.
He said the situation room has been equipped with necessary gadgets to allow for online real time monitoring activities of field officers.
He said it would also allow the headquarters in Abuja to monitor election progress in the state during and after voting.
He said even though the INEC would receive substantial information from the field before the end of collation and counting of votes, it would announce election results until it’s officers turn their reports.
He said the advance information is meant to safeguard the sanctity of actual figures arrived at the polling centres.
He said the Commission had made provision for 170 buses to enable the movement of both men and materials to the polling units on time.
He advised the electorate to arrive the polling centres on time to enable the voting process to commence as scheduled by 8am.
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We are battle ready – Ekiti Police
The police in Ekiti said it is prepared for a violence free election tomorrow insisting that it has set aside 40 units of policemen to tackle any problems that may arise.
Speaking to The Nation in Ado Ekiti, the State Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Alberto Adeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the police have been deploying officers to polling stations across the state.
“We do not envisage any trouble because of the measures we put in place. No thug can come out because we will enforce the laws and I have warned all the thugs to go and farm because we are in charge here,” Adeyemi said.
On claims that some political thugs are sewing police uniforms, the police spokesperson also said it is an exercise in vain. “We know our officers, we have special tags for them that will differentiate them from any fake policeman,” he said.
It was also gathered that a detachment of mobile policemen is expected in Ado Ekiti for tomorrow’s election. Already, some policemen have been posted out while the rest were still awaiting deployment.The Nation’s correspondent observed that Ado Ekiti and surrounding towns like Iyin Ekiti were calm as people made final preparations towards the election.
It was observed that soldiers were deployed at border posts of the state but there are no visible “show of force” usually employed by the police.
“The election will be smooth; it will be a walk in the park with all the measures we have put in place. When we go out for international assignment, we excel, we want to replicate the same here,” he said.
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Ekiti residents besiege banks, fuel stations
Barely 24 hours to Nigeria’s Presidential and National Assembly elections, residents of Ado Ekiti have besieged banks in the capital for last minutes withdrawal.
The Nation’s correspondent who went round the capital reports that many of the banks witnessed unusual surge of customers to beat the 12pm deadline for banks to close.
At Wema bank Okesa, the queue on the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) was several meters long while banks on old garage road also witnessed long queue with some customers hanging by the fence.
On Bank road, all the banks witnessed a large surge of people with many customers running from one bank to the other. A customer, Adewale Joju, said he has been to three banks trying to withdraw “emergency cash” without success.
At other banks, frustrated customers who could not withdraw cash due to poor network signals on the ATMs were left fuming. An official of First Bank, who declined to mention his name, said the network is congested.
” People are rushing to make withdrawals both on the ATM and in the hall, our network is congested, we are working hard to restore service because of the deadline,” he said.
Meanwhile, long queue have also surfaced at some fuel stations in Ado Ekiti. Most of the stations began selling at N100 per litre. At the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Bank road, customers waited in line for a long time to buy fuel at regulated price.Residents are also in last minute shopping of foodstuff and other essential needs. One of the shoppers told The Nation: ” We just need to prepare, we are not praying for trouble, but we need to prepare.”
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USA/Chicago APC warns against intimidation of voters
- Seeks free, fair elections
The United States of America (USA)/Chicago Branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday warned security agencies in the country against undue harassment and intimidation of voters ahead of the Presidential and National Assembly elections today.
Vice Chairman/Assistant National Publicity Secretary of the association, Mr. Olawale Ebietomiye, spoke during an interview with newsmen in Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State.
Ebietomiye said that Nigerians deserves a free and fair elections from the government of President Goodluck Jonathan.
He insisted that no life must be lost or property destroyed during the elections.
He stated that Nigerians have the right to go to the polling booths, cast their ballots and return home peacefully to resume their normal businesses.He stated that most Nigerians in the Diaspora are prepared to return home if the Presidential candidate of the APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, wins.
Ebietomiye said: “We the APC in USA and Chicago wants to make sure that our people benefit from the dividends of democracy and the reason is because it is nice for us as Nigerians to make sure that we take care of our people regardless of any differences or any political party we are in support of.
“Our stand is that we must have a free and fair election and again, no life must be lost because of election. And again, property should not be destroyed. We are one Nigeria. We are not divided.
“We will not let anything divide us, neither anything to bring us back. This is 21st Century. We see the way they do it in other countries – the United States, Europe they did elections and they were free and fair. Somebody must win when there is an election.
“So, anybody that wins, let’s declare the results. Lets’s make it free, make it fair and let everybody go on their way. After the election we are still one Nigeria, so why should we destroy ourselves or kill ourselves down because of election.
“Our message is that for these coming elections, let us make sure it is free and let our people go out and and vote and exercise their right. We don’t want anybody to intimidate anybody during the elections.
“The atmosphere should be good for us to exercise our franchise – people should be able to go to the polling booths, cast their votes and go to their homes peacefully and if there is any observer to observe the election, they have the right to do that.
So we should not intimidate anybody. We should make sure we take care of people – they come to the polling booths, they cast their votes, they go home safe.
“They don’t want to go home injured or anybody being killed because of the election. So this is what we stand for.”
He added that the country needs change in all its ramification if it must develop and ensure good quality of life for its people.
He said: “As an APC supporter, we need a change. We need a change in everything – in the economy, agriculture and education. The way we are going is not the best.
“We want to go a direction that our people will have quality education, have sound economic system, have good agriculture and develop ourselves.
“We Nigerians are agile people – we work and we stay by what we do. Even the Nigerians in Diaspora, if you see them, they work, they send money home to their families to take care of their families and to take care of their people.
“All the things that we do here. So this is what we want our government to have at the backs of their mind.”
On whether he plans to relocate to Nigeria if there is change as a result of the elections, Ebietomiye said: “Of course, if there is change, I will tell you that 99 per cent of Nigerians will like to come back home because wherever you go in the world, no matter how good or how better it is, you are still a second class citizen.
“Your coming to your home country makes you a first class citizen. You will be free to work around.
“You will be free to communicate with your people, there is nobody that will intimidate you because this is a country that you were born and bred in, so if our country in conducive, for people to move around and there are good roads, electricity and water, our people will come back home.
“I will tell you, 99 per cent of Nigerians in abroad will not want to stay over there. They talk about it, they want to come back home.
“Personally because of the business I do, I have interaction with many Nigerians and they come in they share their feelings. We see our medical doctors, coming abroad to do to less menial jobs.
“That does not befit us as Nigerians because we have this sound education. Our people want to come back home if the country is conducive for them to stay.”
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Jonathan’s Election Message: 5 vital Points
1. I urge you all to troop out en-masse to peacefully perform your civic duty of voting for leaders of your choice tomorrow.
2. As we do so, let us all – political party leaders, contestants, party members, party 2agents, supporters and ordinary voters alike, be very conscious of the fact that the eyes of the entire world are on us.
3. We must therefore comport ourselves in a manner that will further strengthen our democracy and consolidate our place in the comity of truly democratic nations.
4. I call on all political parties and politicians in the country to allow the free, unfettered will of our people to be expressed without any hindrance in the coming elections in keeping with the hallowed principles and tenets of democratic governance which we all profess.
5. Let us all therefore be prepared, as true democrats, to graciously accept the outcome of the elections as the rightful choice of our people from whom all political powers in our democracy must emanate
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‘ Jonathan can‘t win in Southwest’
Former Ondo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Prince ‘Diran Iyantan is the Leader of Yoruba Ronu. He spoke with Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN on the marginalisation of the Yoruba, the purported endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan by the Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, the future of Ondo politics and other issues.
Do you agree that the Jonathan Administration has marginalised the Yoruba people?
Yes, it is obvious. The Yoruba contributed to the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. The Yoruba people singled him out of the crowd to become president, it follows that he should be fair to the race in political patronage, but he failed to do that. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo almost singlehandedly picked Jonathan and ensured he became President of Nigeria. He is an ingrate. He has short changed the Yoruba race.
The Yorubas are the most liberal people in Nigeria. When Obasanjo was in power, he incorporated every ethnic group into his government. There was no Yoruba man in his kitchen cabinet made up of people like Nuhu Ribadu, Nasir El-Rufai and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. It is opposite under Jonathan. This development made some Yoruba to indict Obasanjo that he sold off his tribe when he was in power.
What is your reaction to the purported endorsement of Dr. Jonathan by Afenifere?
The Afenifere leaders didn’t take the generality of the Yoruba interest into consideration before they took that decision. My father ( now 93 ) is the oldest Afenifere member. He was disappointed by the decision of his colleagues. There was no forum for discussion they just allowed the external forces to influence their parochial interest. It is unfortunate that most of these Afenifere leaders lack electoral value. They can’t win election in their wards. For instance, Olu Falae who was the leader of Peoples Democratic Alliance (PDA) lost in his ward in 2011. The Yorubas are not with them. We know our leaders. Jonathan will lose in Southwest, no amount of bribe he offers his promoters.
In my discussion with some of them, one problem they have is the meteoric rise of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to political leadership in the Southwest and in Nigeria as a whole. Tinubu achieved this through political evolution. His contribution to the Yoruba race made him the undisputable leader. If not for his steadfastness, Nigeria would have been in disarray. When the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dislodged Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the Southwest in 2003, it was only Lagos State under Tinubu that survived the PDP onslaught. With only one state, he was able to build Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) into a formidable party in the Southwest and Edo State. In 2007, ACN reclaimed some of the states and swept out PDP from the Southwest in 2011.
Will you say the Afenifere group are keeping to Awolowo’s political philosophy?
They have gone in the direct opposite of Awo’s political thought, an embodiment of egalitarianism and welfarism. Awo detest corruption in his life time. But the Afenifere leaders have been induced to promote corrupt government and leaders. In Yoruba tradition, when you attain certain age or when you become an elder, you retire from active participation in certain things like business and politics. Most of these Afenifere leaders are in their 80’s or above, they should quit the stage for the younger elements.
Are you surprised that former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba has returned to Afenifere fold?
I don’t think he was the closest to Awo while on earth as he claimed. Awo never jumped ship throughout his political career. Time was not auspicious for him to opt out of the progressive family. I feel sad for him for doing that at the twilight of his political career. At a time when the progressives are struggling to liberate themselves from the shackles of conservative elements, it is disappointing that a leader like Osoba decided to join the oppressors.
The Afenifere leaders hinged their endorsement of Jonathan on his commitment to implement the National Conference report. What is your comment?
I considered the national conference as a deliberate ploy to buy time for Jonathan. The progressives first mooted the idea of national conference which was rebuffed by Jonathn. When he became very unpopular, he believed he can use the convocation of national conference as bait. He is now giving an absurd condition that re-elect me first before I can start implementing the report. The time the report was submitted before now was sufficient for the President to implement the report if he was truly committed to its implementation. Jonathan knew what some Yoruba like his polemic. He wanted to keep them busy and engaged the likes of Femi Okunrounmu. He has also induced the Afenifere leaders to collaborate with the South-south in order to win the presidential election. They want to use creation of new states to justify the national confab report. Jonathan has been promising people that he will create new states if he was re-elected. What is the rationale of creating new states when most of the existing ones are not viable?
Are you surprised that the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) capitulated from his earlier decision not to endorse Jonathan?
We are pained that the Yoruba Council of Elders is now hob-nobbing with the oppressors of their race. The YCE is supposed to be apolitical. For them now to join the fray of politics of inducement and commercialisation, we are not bothered. Yoruba are united; Yoruba have identified with the general change; we want Nigeria to be rescued from the pangs of desperados. I know their off-shoots are not supporting what they (YCE) leaders are doing. Look at Chief Niyi Adebayo, he is one of those advocating change in the country.
The Afenifere leaders have described the merger of ACN with other parties from the North as a sell-out. Do you agree?
It is a belated and jaundiced argument. The little time we have stability in this country was when there was co-operation between the Southwest and the north. We believe the interest of the Southwest will be better protected by working with the north. The Yoruba in the Federal Civil Service are being marginalised and victimised. We cannot endure this sad experience for another four years. God willing, with Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as Vice President, the interest of Yoruba will be properly taken care of. We don’t want Yoruba children to be given dirty jobs like those assigned Femi Fani-Kayode, Doyin Okupe and Reuben Abati anymore. It is not in our tradition and culture to talk carelessly about our elders. Can you imagine Fani-Kayode casting aspersion on Tinubu who resuscitated the integrity of already bruised Yoruba race. Fani-Kayode should temper his problems with common sense and stop making unguarded statements because he wanted to satisfy his pay masters.
What is the political situation in Ondo State now?
The emergence of Governor Olusegun Mimiko in 2007 was a result of revolution in Ondo State. What happened in the state is a miniature of what will happen in Nigeria this year. Mimiko was a political orphan. He only had affiliation with the people who provided the arsenal to prosecute that revolution.
Mimiko started well but suddenly he deviated from the norms of good governance. He betrayed his benefactors including Asiwaju Tinubu and even engaged in unhealthy rivalry with Tinubu. The economy of Ondo State was not strong enough to cope with his inordinate ambition. The state has suffered because of it. There is poverty everywhere. Mimiko is now a political pariah. He is now the most unpopular government in the country. The wind of change is blowing across the state seriously. Mimiko is in a big problem. He has been rejected. His party-PDP will lose in the forthcoming elections.