The Nation Newspaper

Tag: 2015 poll

  • Obadan to PFN: Don’t endorse Jonathan

    Former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rev. Peter Obadan, has warned leaders of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria against endorsing President Goodluck Jonathan at the PFN Biennial Conference which kicks off in Lagos on Wednesday.

    He said it would be unacceptable for the men of God to use the occasion to endorse President Jonathan when the body has one its own, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo as the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Obadan, who spoke to journalists in Benin City, urged the Christian body not to use religion to blackmail Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the APC presidential candidate.

    The former Deputy Governor noted that the issues about Islamizing Nigeria and unearthing Buhari’s past because of his disciplinary measures were arrant nonsense.

    He reminded the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejiafor and the President of the PFN, Pastor Felix Omobhude, that the late Arch Bishop Benson Idahosa, who is regarded as father of PFN supported a Muslim/Muslim ticket when the late Chief M.K.O Abiola and Amb. Baba Gana Kingibe ran for the Presidency.

    He said, “I will advise the leadership of PFN to encourage all Christians to vote their conscience. And if PFN must endorse, we must endorse our own Buhari/Osinbajo. For Pentecostal minister to make a declaration for Jonathan is a vote for corruption, vote for inefficiency of which I am sure God will also hold them accountable for the sufferings of Nigerians.”

    “Capitalistic ministers who have been blessed with wealth including private jets, who are thinking that they may be called upon to account for the source of their wealth if Buhari wins, need not to be afraid because they will also have access to the Presidency because the vice presidential candidate of the APC is a minister of God which we have never had as a nation.”

    “All the blackmail and whatever against Buhari are ungodly because Buhari took over the reins of this nation when drug barons were almost taking over the entire nation and there was so much corruption in the civilian administration then. Majority of Nigerians applauded the military intervention then if not, Nigeria would have collapsed.”

     

  • NLC rejects elections’ postponement

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said rejected calls for the postponement of the 2015 elections, saying that is not the solution to the nation’s insecurity.

    The NLC urged the Federal Government to immediately put in place a conducive environment for the conduct of the elections.

    In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson and made available to The Nation in Abuja, the umbrella body of Nigerian workers, said it will not agree with those calling for the postponement of the elections.

    The statement reads: “Recently, the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, citing security concerns, urged the government to postpone the general election.

    “Some organizations and individuals have since lent their voices in support of a shift in date of the polls amidst equally vociferously dissenting voices which accused the government of orchestrating the postponement campaign, with some going as far as saying that government would rely on litigation and or street protests to achieve its objective.

    “While we at the Congress appreciate the security situation in the country, especially in the Northeast, we stand to be counted on the side of those who argue for holding of elections on their prescribed dates.

    “Certainly, the dangers in the land are unmistakably real. Nonetheless, we do believe, there are greater dangers in a postponement. For instance, what assurance do we have that the security situation will improve in the next couple of months.

    “Secondly, a postponement has the potential of lending credence to circulating allegations of manipulation by government. But beyond all this, the 1999 Constitution is clear and unambiguous about when and how elections are to be conducted and every effort should be made to meet with the provisions of the constitution.

    “In light of the foregoing, we urge the government to speedily create an enabling environment for holding of elections in every parts of Nigeria in fulfillment of government’s promise to the citizenry of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

  • 2015: 68.8m PVCs ready for collection – INEC

    2015: 68.8m PVCs ready for collection – INEC

    The Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) of all the 68.8 million registered voters for this month’s general election have been produced and ready for collection, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said.

    INEC also said that the PVCs of those who were affected when the commission had data loss were also ready for collection.

    This category may include the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos and many other registered voters who INEC had said that their cards were not among those initially produced because their data were mistakenly deleted.

    Also ready for collection are those of individuals that participated in the recent Continuous Voter registration.

    Speaking at a one- day workshop for journalists organized by the Commission in Kaduna on Monday, the Deputy Director (Publicity), Mr. Nick Dazang, said all the cards have been distributed to the collecting centres across the federation.

    He said so far 65 per cent of the PVCs have been collected, stressing that with the one week extension, it was expected that almost all of the PVCs would have been collected.

    Dazang also announced that some states have recorded about 80 per cent collection.

     

  • Disqualification: Court orders service of documents on Buhari, INEC

    Disqualification: Court orders service of documents on Buhari, INEC

    A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the service of court documents on the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Mohammadu Buhari, in relation to a suit seeking to among others, restrain him from participating in the February 14 election.

    Justice Adeniyi Ademola ordered a substituted service of the court documents on Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission after hearing the plaintiff’s application to that effect.

    In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/14/2015, filed by Max Ozoaka, the plaintiff raised eight questions for the court’s determination and prayed for among others, an order disqualifying Buhari from contesting or participating in the election.

    The suit has Buhari and the INEC as defendants.

    It is the plaintiff’s contention that INEC FORM CF 001 which the APC candidate submitted to the electoral body was incomplete because he allegedly failed to accompany the form with all relevant academic credentials.

    He also faulted some information contained in other documents he possessed including Buhari’s voter’s card.

    The plaintiff wants the court to restrain INEC from permitting Buhari to participate in the presidential election on February 14 or any other date the 2nd defendant (INEC) may fix.”

  • ‘Why Buhari is boycotting NEDG organized debates’

    The Buhari Support Organisation, the umbrella body of all support groups campaigning for the election of the Alll Progressive Congress presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has explained why the former head of state decided not to take part in the debate organised by the Nigeria Election Debate Group.

    The spokesman of the organisation, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe, said the composition of the debate panel is a clear indication that there was a ground design to rubbish the hard earned integrity of Buhari.

    He noted that if the military with its integrity could be roped into Buhari’s certificate saga, anything can be done by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to rubbish the APC presidential candidate, saying “it is our duty to be vigilant always and refuse to offer the platform for PDP to achieve their mischievous objective.”

    He said: “The Buhari Support Organisation wishes to underscore our candidate’s decision not to be hoodwinked into participating in the sham debates promoted by Mr. Sola Omole of NTA and some other pro-Jonathan individuals from African Independent Television.

    “A cursory look at the composition of the panel reveals that it includes the likes of Mr. Mike Omeri, a Director – General of the National Orientation Agency and a close associate of the last Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, who was a major financier of Jonathan’s election bid in 2011 and Ms Sally Mbanefo, the DG of Nigeria Tourism Board.

    “With such composition, the NEDG is certainly tinted and cannot be seen to organise a credible debate. In a severely corrupted third world nation, one cannot reasonably expect a political appointee to organise a fair debate that could result in an electoral loss for his employer.

    “The other principal promoters from NTA and AIT represent the two electronic organisations that have made no secret of their unalloyed support for President Jonathan’s re-election bid. These television stations are presently the overt campaign vehicle for the PDP presidential candidate.

    “The recent hate documentary that ran for several days on AIT is a pointer to the extent that Jonathan handlers are prepared to just rubbish the hard earned integrity of Gen. Buhari. We recall that in 2011, it was alleged that one of the President’s Chief Economic advisers obtained questions in advance and forwarded them to Mr. President’s ministers for answers.”

  • Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara PDM adopt Buhari, guber candidates

    The Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States on Thursday unanimously adopted the candidacy of All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and APC governorship candidates in the states.

    In a joint statement issued by PDM chairmen in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara, Abubakar Ainu, Ibrahim Master and Umar Gummi, respectively and issued to journalists, the party alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party under the leadership of President Jonathan had failed Nigerians.

    “It is clear that the PDP government has totally failed in the areas of security, corruption, youth empowerment and job creation, equitable distribution of oil proceeds as well as the naira value,” the party said.

    According to the party, it was necessary for Nigerians to join hands together “to ensure that our hard-earned democracy is not totally destroyed.”

  • The Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States on Thursday unanimously adopted the candidacy of All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and the APC governorship candidates in the states.

    In a joint statement issued by PDM chairmen in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara, Abubakar Ainu, Ibrahim Master and Umar Gummi, respectively and issued to journalists, the party alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party under the leadership of President Jonathan had failed Nigerians.

    “It is clear that the PDP government has totally failed in the areas of security, corruption, youth empowerment and job creation, equitable distribution of oil proceeds as well as the naira value,” the party said.

    According to the party, it was necessary for Nigerians to join hands together “to ensure that our hard-earned democracy is not totally destroyed.”

     

  • 2015 poll: Uneasy calm as PDP hires ex-INEC chair, REC as consultants

    2015 poll: Uneasy calm as PDP hires ex-INEC chair, REC as consultants

    Determined to win the February presidential election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has hired a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and a former Resident Electoral Commissioner as consultants.

    Also, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) will henceforth coordinate what the party has described as “strategic electoral matters”.

    The consultants are those who have their  loyalists in INEC’s critical units.

    It was also learnt that the consultants have the ears of some senior INEC officials, whose  sources said had been working to undermine Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “These consultants have been engaged to study the election process and get involved in the way the state and the PDP react to issues on INEC.

    “The consultants have also been mandated to sniff around, identify the weak points in the voting process and advise PDP on how to join issues with the election management body.

    “We are also suspecting that they want to study the system and how it can be subverted. In fact, their coordinator is expected to relate with some top members of INEC management.

    “I think they just want to rig the election. This is why they have hired those who are used to muddling up the nation’s electoral process as consultants.”

    Another source claimed that the consultants had been targeting two areas – the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), and the deployment of Smart Card Readers (SCRs).

    The source said: “You can see that already some parties have been influenced to call for the postponement of the general election.

    “They want to explore legal and constitutional loopholes in the Electoral Act to create distortion in the voting process and create a stalemate in February.

    “The danger at hand is that some of these former staff of the electoral commission have their stooges in sensitive positions in INEC who can easily be used for dirty jobs. We want to appeal to Nigerians to be vigilant and pay attention to their plot.”

    Meanwhile, there have been reports of mass burning and invalidation of bought PVCs in the North.

    Some of the states are Kaduna, Kano, Adamawa, Sokoto and Kebbi, which are rated as the strongholds of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The PVCs were bought massively from eligible voters by some politicians at N20, 000 per card

    A source said: “These politicians have been buying PVCs from their holders. What they do is to either burn some of the cards or technically invalidate them. When the invalidated PVCs are presented at the polling units, such voters will not be able to vote.

    “This is a sad development which Northern leaders and politicians must address. Voters should be educated not to sell their PVCs.”

  • We’ll curb insecurity – Buhari

    We’ll curb insecurity – Buhari

    The Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Gen. Muhamadu Buhari, said on Thursday in Benin City, Edo state, said the APC government will end insurgency in the country if elected on February 14.

    The former head of state also lamented the wastage of over $20billion on electricity by the Peoples Democratic Party government without commensurate result.

    Buhari, who addressed a large crowd of party supporters when his campaign train landed at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, said tackling of insecurity, unemployment and power challenges will form the three cardinal points of his administration.

    He said, “The first one is insecurity and that there is nothing we can do without security, so our priority is to secured this country. Secondly unemployment, the youths of this country are more than 60 per cent of the population and whether they are schooled or not, they need to be employed.

    “This is extremely dangerous for this country and of course there is problem of corruption which is responsible for so much wastage of the resources which can be utilized especially for education. There is nothing you can give people than better quality education. I have seen what Governor Adams Oshiomhole has done by inviting me to come and commissioned some projects. So, the APC government by the will of God from May 30, 2015, will remove insecurity from northeast, from Sokoto to Cross River, from Daura to Porthacourt.

    Governor Oshiomhole in his address said the APC will improve Nigeria’s fortune if voted into power.

  • Fayose mopping up PVCs in exchange for money – APC

    Fayose mopping up PVCs in exchange for money – APC

    …  Governor’s aide: It’s a lie

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has accused Governor Ayo Fayose of mopping up Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in exchange for cash.

    The party claimed that the governor is targeting students of higher institutions and artisans with the intent to collect their voter cards in exchange for money, warning them not to surrender their cards to the governor and his agents.

    But the Special Assistant to the Governor on Information, Youth and Sports, Lanre Ogunsuyi, who denied the APC allegation, said Fayose does not need to buy voter cards before winning election for President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Ogunsuyi said the governor enjoys enormous goodwill and love of the people of the state which he enjoyed in the June 21 governorship election and would not descend so low and start buying voter cards.

    The APC in a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, identified Fayose and his henchmen as the brain behind the massive mop-up of students’ and artisans’ PVCs in exchange for cash, describing the act as “callous mortgaging of the future of Ekiti youths.”
    ‎

    “News reaching us now is that Governor Ayodele Fayose has started visiting all the artisans and students in the higher institutions in Ekiti-State, demanding for their PVCs in exchange for cash.
    “Recently, the governor visited the School of Health Technology, Ijero; College of Education, Ikere; Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti and some other institutions where he deceived students to surrender their PVCs for cash.,” he stated.

    Olatunbosun reminded the students that the challenge before them goes beyond immediate pecuniary advantage.