The Nation Newspaper

Tag: 2015 elections

  • Vote President Jonathan, ex militant tells Niger Delta youths

    Vote President Jonathan, ex militant tells Niger Delta youths

    The National Leader of the Third Phase Ex –Militants, Tam Odogwu, has urged Niger Delta ex militants and youths in the region to vote President Goodluck Jonathan on March 28 election.

    Mr. Odogwu, in a statement in Abuja, also urged the youths to vote for the Delta state governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.

    According to the statement, Mr. Odogwu, during a reconciliation visit led by Bar. B. D Egbese, urged the people of the state to vote for all PDP candidates from the Presidency to state house of assembly.

    He said: “I want to thank the PDP national Chairman, the Delta State PDP chairman, the Burutu L.G.A chairman, the amiable PDP Governorship candidate Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa and the PDP reconciliation committee for the wonderful unity move.

    “I promise to always support and vote for the party’s candidates from presidency down to state House of Assembly.

    “As the national Leader of the third phase Ex-militants, I use this opportunity to call on all Niger Delta Ex-militants and youths to continue to mobilize support and come out enmass to vote our best performed President Goodluck Jonathan come March 28, 2015.

    “I also call on all Delta State Ex-militants and youths to mobilize and vote senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Kennedy Daubiri and others come April 11th and senator James Manager to continue with his remarkable contributions in the Delta South Senatorial District and Hon. Julius Pondi to the House of Representative.”

     

  • Bitterness,  trust and 2015 elections

    There  is  no  doubt  that  the postponement of  the February  14  and 28 ,  2015  elections  to March  28  and  April  11 has  created  a huge  political  divide  of  bitterness  and  mistrust  amongst Nigerians who  constitute  the electorate  of this great  nation. It is  a huge gulf of sharp  disagreement on the pros  and  cons  of the postponement and  tempers  run  high  on any discussion  on the postponement  depending on whether  you  are  for  it or  against  it.

    Today  I want  to do  some  fence  mending  quite  voluntarily  . Not because  I regret  any  thing  I have  written on  the  postponement for  which  I blame  INEC  for negligence and  inevitable disenfranchisement  of about  20m  Nigerians  if  the elections  had not  been  postponed,  but  because  of  the  admission  of the INEC boss  Professor  Attahiru  Jega at  his Senate appearance  this  week at  which  even  he admitted  that the post  ponement  has  been  a blessing . It  with  that  as a premise  that  I appeal  to  Nigerians especially  those    who  see  nothing wrong in  going  ahead as earlier  scheduled,  to  shield  their  hatchet  of condemnation of  the  other  side , and concentrate  on  pooling our enormous resources on  having a free  and  fair election as rescheduled  or open  themselves  to  charges  of  being more  catholic  than  the Pope  on the postponement .

    Perhaps  then  it  is with  this  background that I want  to  compare a  financially  beleaguered    nation  like  Greece that  has  used

    it  last  elections  to  position itself  against  austerity  measures  imposed  on it  because  it  borrowed  money like  Nigeria and other

    developing  nations from the IMF ,  and  in  the case  of  Greece from the EU  and  the  European  Central  Bank .  In  Greece  at their

    last election  in  January  this year  the  party    called  Syriza and  led  by  Alexis  Tspiras won    but  campaigned  on  an anti austerity agenda  to  renegotiate  Greece’s  loans  and won  the election massively  to move Greece to  the  left  politically .This has put  Greece  in direct  confrontation with  the EU and especially  Germany the  frugal and  very strong financial  member which  had  been  adamant  that the  Greeks  must  cut their  coat according  to their cloth and  swallow  the  bitter pill  of austerity  in  paying their  over due loans  and  debts However  it is in the way  that Greece’s  new  finance  Minister Yanis  Varoufakis  has been  pursuing the anti  austerity agenda against  a very  uncomfortable  and  highly  embarrassed  EU and ECB establishment  that has  caught  my  fancy . Especially  his  choice of words which can  provide succour  for us as Nigerians as we too face  an  election on which the main  issues to determine  who  to vote for are  corruption  and security . In  Greece’s  last  election the issues  were  austerity  and  corruptio. I  believe  that the issues  that  I  will  draw  out    from  the  Greeks  metamorphosis from  a  helpless  but  involuntary    austerity swallowing  nation to  an anti  austerity nation arising from a democratic  election, can  provide  some  impetus  for us  as  Nigerians ,  to  steer  our nation on a  decisive  corruption  free  and  secured  environment course,  similarly  arising ,  very  hopefully  from  the

    results  of a free and  2015  election  as  now  rescheduled.  It is  a tall  order  but  it is a possibility very  much  after  my heart . Let  me now  dissect  my admiration  of the new anti austerity  leaders  voted  into  power  against  all  odds in Greece .

    On  austerity measures  against  Greece  the  finance  minister Varoufakis  complained  that it is as if  the EU  has    decided  to place the greatest  burden  of bankruptcy  in human  history  on  the weakest shoulder  in Greece and that is the Greek  tax  payer and that is unacceptable . When  Syriza  won  the election Varoufakis said notably  that the Greeks have refused ‘to go  gently  into  the night’.  The  outcome  of the election  in  January  he said meant that the Greeks ‘ have angrily  refused  to allow anyone  to put out  their  light’.  On  the austerity  measures and loan agreements he  said  Greece  was like a customer  who  checked  out of an  hotel  but  can  never  really  leave  because  it  could  not settle  its  bill.

    The  Greek  Finance  Minister  has  since  become  a champion  of the masses  in  Greece because  of  the way  he  is brilliantly taking  on Greece’s  debtors  and  leading the way  to  renegotiate  the terms of Greece’s  loans  so  that it  does  not ruin all  Greeks

    economically  .  On the past  leaders  that brought Greece  to its present debtor status Yanis said  that  his  government  is  going to

    destroy  the  network  and  basis on which  for decades they  have sucked  the energy  and  economic  power  from  every  body  in society.

    Varoufakis  is a Marxist  Professor  of  Economics  who  has taught in Australia  and the US  before  returning to Greece  to  join  the party  that won 36%  of  the votes  to take  power  on  an anti austerity  ticket last January  . He  has  shown Greeks  and  the world  that there  can  be life outside  the IMF  conditionalities that  have ruined  nations  like Somalia and  have crippled  others fatally    and  economically  like  Nigeria. He  has shown  that nations can  renegotiate    their  debts  with  dignity  and that austerity  measures  can  have  a human  face without  the present very  high  social  costs.

    At  the outset  of the Greek  debt  crisis  I  gloated  that at  last the Europeans  were  having  a bitter  taste  of their  palliative for  repaying  debts  this  time in  the Euro  zone  their  own backyard . Varoufakis  has  shown  that the  past  and  present  fears of  the  developing world  that  IMF and  World  Bank  repayment terms were killing their  economies  were  human  and  genuine.  It  is economists  like  him that  should  run global  financial institutions  and bring debt  reliefs  that do  not cripple debtor nations  like  Nigeria  which  imported Nigerian  expatriate  World

    Bank  experts  on  austerity economics  to run and ruin our economy even  as they got paid  in hard  currency which  too  perhaps  was an  austerity  reward  for their  open  rape  of our  debtor  economy. For  now Varoufakis  had blazed  a trail in debt  renegotiation  and repayment at  low  social  costs and  I urge  Nigerians  to  take note    judiciously and  vote a party  in that reflects  that  way of running the  Nigerian  economy at the  2015  election .

    Undoubtedly  any  party  that favours the  present bunch  of Economic planners  and Coordinators  of our present prostrate  economy  should not  be allowed anywhere  near  the corridors  of power  in  Aso  Rock after  the elections.

    Again since  no less a person  than  the  INEC  boss  has  admitted that the  postponement  is  a blessing ,  one would assume  that this  is an opportunity  for  the  electoral  body  to  put  its house  in order  in terms  of getting as many as possible  PVCs  to the electorate  to maximise  voter  participation  in the elections.

    However the  scenes  or  pictures  of Nigerians  protesting on  not having  seen  or received  their  voters  cards have  multiplied  in the media  since  the postponement  .  Such  scenes  should  decline rapidly  if  INEC  fulfils  its  obligation and raise  further concern , mistrust  and distrust  of  INEC ‘s  intention  and capabilities  if they persist  too long into  the six week  relief  or postponement . In  which  case  what  has been  deemed  a blessing and accepted in  good faith as such  can  be  another  signal  for resurrecting    bitterness  and rancour.

    INEC  must  ensure that the social  capital  of trust  that the INEC boss  bought  for it  by calling the postponement a blessing  is not whittled  away by daily reports nation wide that  people  have not been  getting their  voters  cards or are  getting  them in trickles .

    That  will  erode  that trust which the INEC  boss has awakened d  and retooled  . It  is the type of trust that creates goodwill  and progress for any society especially in a  testy  election period such as this.

    It  should  not  however be allowed to degenerate to the  type  of trust that the Mafia  man  taught his son when  he took him  up a wall and asked him  to jump  down promising to catch  him when he did.

    When the son jumped the Mafia  boss  did  not catch him but allowed him  to fall. Actually what he wanted  his son  to learn is not to trust  anyone including his  family . With  these  rescheduled elections  Nigerians  need  no such  lesson  on  mistrust  and distrust . Our  rendez  vous with a free and fair  election requires that  we trust  ourselves  on  this 2015  elections and that every Nigerian  does  his or her duty  to  that effect,  especially INEC.

  • Elections’ postponement against will of Nigerians – APC diaspora

    Elections’ postponement against will of Nigerians – APC diaspora

    The co-founder, The Change Group, and Public Relations Officer, All Progressives Congress -Diaspora, Canada Chapter, Mr. Jerry Solomon, has said that the postponement of February 14 and 28 elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was against the sovereign will of Nigerians home and abroad.

    He stated that the security reason given by the INEC boss, Prof. Attahiru Jega, for the postponement of the elections was not satisfactory and convincing enough to Nigerians and the international community.

    Mr. Solomon in a statement in Abuja said that the decision of INEC to shift the election has generated a lot of negative responses across the world.

    He said: “The major concern is the unfounded excuse of the Boko Haram insurgency which did not just started in Nigeria today. More than 10,000 civilians have been killed by the sect between July 2009 and June 2014, in series of attacks occurring mainly in northern part of the country.

    “Boko Haram sect has abducted more than 2000 men, women and children since 2009, including the kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in April 2014.

    “The activities of the sect had led over one million people to flee the conflict zone and seek refuge in different places including neighboring Chad, Cameroon and Niger republic.

    “It is even more nerve-racking that the security chiefs could provide the obviously flimsy excuse of Boko Haram insurgency as a reason for not been able to support the conduct of the election.”

    He said that security agencies are supposed to be ready at all times to deliver on their constitutional responsibility of securing lives and properties including during an elections.

    Solomon, in the statement alleged that the postponement of the elections was as a result of President Goodluck Jonathan’s desperation to hold on to power.

    Even though the president has said there is no plan to sack the INEC boss, the statement,  Solomon said that there is a plan by the presidency to sack Prof. Jega by ordering the INEC chief to proceed on a terminal leave to pave way for a suitable replacement that would be in favour of the President before the rescheduled general elections on March 28 and April 11 respectively.

    He added; “Having come to terms with the fact that President Goodluck Jonathan is no longer popular and would not be able to win a free and fair election, President Jonathan is desperate for an avenue to manipulate the election in his own favour.

    “It is believed that Jega will be asked to proceed on a terminal leave soon since his tenure comes to an end in June 2015. The development will give the presidency an opportunity to bring someone whom the president is confident will not betray the party and his presidential ambition.

    “The rules of the game must not be changed in the middle of the game. Replacing the INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, at this point will not only connotes a shady agenda but capable of derailing the electoral process. Jega must be allowed to complete what he started.

    “Some political analysts have also said the postponement of the election will provide the president and PDP enough time to perfect their rigging tactics. It is therefore very important for all Nigerians to be vigilant as the rigging machinery has been set in motion. We all have to watch the activities of the ruling party and raise alarm whenever a foul play is perceived.”

     

  • How to reduce rigging, electoral malpractices, by Sagay, Alegeh, others

    How to reduce rigging, electoral malpractices, by Sagay, Alegeh, others

    Renowned professor of law, Itsay Sagay (SAN) on Tuesday blamed the judiciary for encouraging electoral malpractices at the highest level.

    “The loser to a president never wins in court. You can only know the truth in a minority judgment,” he said.

    He said for instance, the 2007 elections were adjudged the worst in Nigeria’s history, yet despite damning verdict, the judiciary never nullified the late president Umaru Yar’Adua’s tainted victory.

    The court, he said, found that ballot papers were not serialised in line with the Electoral Act, which meant that no one could trace where they came from or were printed or what quantity was produced.

    That alone, he believes, was enough to invalidate the entire process.

    Sagay spoke at a one-day workshop organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) branches in Lagos (Ikeja, Lagos Island, Ikorodu and Badagry) in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Justice.

    The workshop had the theme: “Countdown to the 2015 General Elections: Are Nigerians Ready?”

    Other speakers were NBA president, Augustine Alegeh (SAN), a former Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo; Lagos Attorney-General, Ade Ipaye; former Secretary-General, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Malachy Ugwumadu and chairman NBA election monitoring team, Dr. Momodu Kazeem Momodu.

    Sagay said while the 2011 elections witnessed slight improvements, voting patterns were highly questionable, except in Lagos State.

    For instance, he said in Rivers State, President Goodluck Jonathan polled 1.8million votes compared to the governor’s 1.1million, in Delta, it was 1.3million to 535,000 for the governor and in Akwa Ibom it was 1.1million to the President and 900,000 for the governor.

    It was only in Lagos that the governor polled 1.5million votes compared to the president’s 1.2million, which to Sagay, “is a normal thing.”

    He said elections in pre-independence Nigeria were devoid of malpractices and violence, but those conducted from 1964 till 2011 were characterised by rigging.

    He also pointed out that elections conducted by military regimes were less problematic than those handled by civilian administrations.

    The professor of law said there was need to make politics less attractive in Nigeria by reducing the jumbo salaries and allowances of political office holders.

    He also recommended part-time sittings for legislators as well as devolution of powers at the centre to make it less attractive.

    Alegeh said the security challenges cited by the Independent National Electoral Commission as well as the inability of millions of registered voters to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were sufficient reasons to shift the polls.

    “The postponement affords us the opportunity to have a proper election. It is in order for now but we will not allow any further postponement,” the NBA president said.

    Alegeh also disclosed that the NBA would deploy 8,400 observers to monitor the elections, adding that lawyers had a duty to help in the success of Nigeria’s democracy.

    Oyewo urged Nigerians to make sure their vote count, as the ballot is an infinitesimal power of the people to determine who governs the country.

     

  • ‘INEC not seeking to manipulate elections’

    ‘INEC not seeking to manipulate elections’

    The Independent National Electoral Commission has rejected the allegation that it is trying to manipulate the country’s general election.

    There are paid advert suggesting that the commission’s chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, is working towards manipulating the elections.

    Some have also called for his sack, saying the INEC chief has lost focus.

    But the Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said all the allegations against the commission are false.

    He explained that nobody delayed the distribution of the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to any of the states.

    He said the report that the distribution of the PVCs were skewed in favor of the troubled states was not true as states like Akwa Ibom and others have also achieved over 70 per cent collection.

    Idowu stressed that the card readers have been configured in readiness for the elections.

    “They have been sent to all the states and the people who went to configure them have finished and returned to the commission,” he added.

  • EU unhappy with polls’ shift

    The European Union has expressed disappointment over the postponement of the country’s general election slated for this month “because of insecurity.”

    While noting that the decision was delivered at very late notice, EU maintained that it would consider reacting to deliberate attempts to undermine the country’s electoral process.
    EU spoke on the development at Monday’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels.

    The regional group also called on the Nigerian security services to fulfill their obligation to support the constitution and to maintain law and order and allow all eligible citizens to freely their democratic rights.

    The statement reads in part: “The EU is therefore disappointed by the postponement of the elections on the basis of security advice delivered at very late notice.

    “The EU would be particularly concerned by deliberate attempts to undermine the electoral process, by violent or any other means, and would have to consider swiftly how to respond.

    “The EU strongly urges the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the necessary arrangements are in place for transparent and well-run elections. It calls on all parties to respect the independence of INEC, ensure that elections take place without further delay and enable each eligible Nigerian citizen to cast their vote fairly, including those affected by the security situation in the north east of the country.”

  • 2015 elections: Immigration deports 36 illegal immigrants in Edo

    Towards preventing illegal immigrants from participating in the forthcoming general election, the Edo State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Monday deported 36 illegal immigrants in the state.

    Those deported were screened out of about 300 immigrants arrested by the command during a mop up exercise.

    Others who showed genuine documents allowing them into the country were released but were warned against obtaining the Permanent Voters Cards or used as political thugs.

    In November last year, 40 illegal immigrants were deported from the state.

    Some of the immigrants said they were given fake papers to enter the country.

    The Comptroller of Immigration in the state, Alana Olusegun, who supervised the screening exercise, said the mop up was to ensure that non-Nigerians did not participate in the electoral process.

    Alana said officials of the command have been placed on red alert across the state to stop immigrants from voting during elections.

  • INEC facing new challenges, says Jega

    INEC facing new challenges, says Jega

    .calls for inputs from parties in resolving challenges

    The independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is facing some new developments  in the conduct of the 2015 general elections, Prof. Attahiru Jega has said.

    Jega stated this Saturday while addressing political parties at a meeting called by the Commission to update the party leadership on the preparation for the 2015 general elections.

    The major issue for discussion is whether or not the general elections will hold as currently scheduled. The presidential and National elections have been slated for next Saturday, while that of state governors and states House Assembly on 28th February.

    Jega in his short opening remark said: “The main purpose of calling for this meeting is to update you on our preparation for the 2015 general elections and in particular draw your attention to some new developments as to how the commission should address this new development.”

    Jega however did not state if the latest developments were grievous enough to warrant shifting of the elections as called for by some parties.

    But he said INEC would want the input of the political parties in addressing the challenges.

    In his reaction, Mr. Yunusa Tanko, chairman Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) regretted that some of the issues cone up now has been raised by the council but where not taken seriously by the commission.

    He explained that the smaller parties have never been treated equally, stressing that it is only fair for all the parties to be allowed to make input on the issue.

    Tanko also warned that the country must come first in whatever contribution the individual parties would be making.

    Already, political parties are divided over the issue and this may influence the argument at the meeting which is already on.

  • Patriotic Nigerians will re-elect Jonathan – Abati

    Patriotic Nigerians will re-elect Jonathan – Abati

    Reacting to the endorsement of General Muhammadu Buhari by The Economist for the forthcoming Presidential Election, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Dr. Reuben Abati said that it is patriotic Nigerians that will vote and not the magazine.

    According to a statement issued by him on Friday, Nigerians are aware of the achievements of the administration in the last six years.

    He said: “We have noted with surprise, The Economist’s tongue-in-cheek endorsement of General Muhammadu Buhari in the run-up to Nigeria’s general elections and the international magazine’s baseless, jaundiced and rather malicious vilification of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who retains the trust and confidence of majority of Nigerians as the outcome of the Presidential elections will undoubtedly show.

    “We are sure that many Nigerians and other readers of the usually urbane, thoughtful and well-reasoned editorial opinions of the Economist will be shocked that the magazine has taken the very ill-considered decision to throw its weight behind a candidate who, as a former military dictator, curtailed freedom of speech, ordered the kidnapping of opponents and jailing of journalists, and is accused of incitement to violence and grave human rights violations in Nigeria’s current democratic dispensation.

    “The Economist may feign ignorance of President Jonathan’s remarkable achievements as leader of his country in the past six years, but Nigerians who, unlike the magazine’s opinion writers, will actually vote in the country’s forthcoming presidential elections, know that President Jonathan has worked very hard to fulfill all the major promises he made to them on assumption of office.”

    He said that Nigerians know that President Jonathan has developed Nigerian economy, created more jobs, and has given policy support to the real sector of the economy.

    He added: “They know that he has encouraged locally owned enterprises to take advantage of our resources in growing the domestic economy and they also know that he has successfully attracted greater foreign direct investment to the country.

    “Nigerians are also aware that President Jonathan has worked tirelessly to improve power supply across the nation, rebuild and expand national infrastructure, improve public transportation and provide greater access to quality education for all Nigerian youth.”

    Speaking further he said; “They know very well too that President Jonathan has significantly improved healthcare services in the country, revolutionized agriculture, promoted gender equality and women empowerment, and done his very best to stem corruption in government.”

    Despite insurgency and other challenges, he said that contrary to the Economist’s assertions, Nigeria, under President Jonathan has made very considerable progress.

    “President Jonathan has ensured that Nigeria has become a more vibrant democracy with free media, an independent judiciary, free, fair and credible elections, and greater respect for human rights.

    “The Economist is entitled to its erroneous opinion on who represents the best leadership option for Nigeria in the coming elections, but happily for the country, it is not the magazine’s lead writers, but more knowledgeable and patriotic Nigerians who actually work and live in the country, that will vote and re-elect President Jonathan for a second term in office.

    “They will do so, because unlike the Economist’s opinion writers, they understand that a Buhari Presidency will, for their beloved country, represent a stark setback and retrogression from the tremendous ongoing positive transformation of Nigeria under President Jonathan’s leadership,” he stated

     

  • 2015 elections: INEC, political parties meet Saturday

    2015 elections: INEC, political parties meet Saturday

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and political parties will meet on Saturday to decide whether next week general election will go ahead as scheduled.

    The INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, will meet party leaders before reaching a final decision.

    This was part of the fallout of Thursday’s National Council of States meeting where Jega briefed the meeting on the commission’s preparation for the elections.

    The National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and service chiefs also briefed the Council on the current security situation.

    The meeting had advised INEC to consult widely before reaching a decision following the sustained calls for postponement of the elections by some groups, including the Chief Edwin Clark led Southern Nigerian Peoples Assembly.

    At the end of Saturday’s stakeholders meeting, Jega, according to a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kayode Idowu, will thereafter address a press briefing.

    The statement reads: “On Thursday, February 5, 2015, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, was invited to brief the National Council of States on the preparedness of INEC to conduct the 2015 general elections. He made a presentation titled: “Preparations for the 2015 General Elections: Progress Report.’

    “As a follow-up to that meeting, the Commission has scheduled a consultative meeting with chairmen and secretaries of all registered political parties, as well as a meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on Saturday, February 7, 2015.

    “Thereafter, the Commission will address a press conference to brief the nation on its decision with regard to whether or not the general election will hold as currently scheduled.”