President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday departs Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja for Kano, to attend APC Presidential campaign rally at the Sani Abacha Stadium.
President @MBuhari departs Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja for Kano, to attend APC Presidential Campaign Rally at the Sani Abacha Stadium. #PMBInKano pic.twitter.com/0t3WAFSPBt
— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) January 31, 2019
The final list of candidates for Governorship, State Assembly and FCT Area Council elections will be published on Thursday, the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) has said.
Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said the list will be published in all the State offices nationwide and the Commission’s website.
Yakubu spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at the Swearing -in of a new Resident Electoral Commission (REC) Elder Monday Udo Tom from Akwa Ibom State.
This brings the total number of RECs nationwide to 36 out of 37 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Commission is awaiting the confirmation and appointment of the nominee for Osun State.
He also revealed the commission has implemented ten out of the fourteen activities outlined in the commission’s scheduled programs of actives.
“Your appointment is coming just 16 days to the 2019 General Elections. We have already implemented 10 out of the 14 activities in our timetable and schedule of activities.
“The final list of candidates for Governorship, State Assembly and FCT Area Council elections will be published in all our State offices nationwide and the Commission’s website, tomorrow Thursday 31st January 2019.”
Congratulating the new REC, Yakubu informed him that though he will be posted to a state within his geo-political zone, he can however be posted anywhere in the country.
He said: “Furthermore, as a REC, you can be posted to any part of the country at any time as the exigencies of service require. For now, you will be posted to a State within your geo-political zone but you will never serve in you State of origin throughout your tenure. In line with this principle, you are hereby deployed to Bayelsa State.”
The new REC holds a BSc. degree in Biological Science and a Master’s degree in Microbiology.
He served as lecturer and civil servant in Akwa Ibom State.
Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has assured that he has met with the nation’s security chiefs in Abuja in order to ensure peaceful elections in Kaduna state.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting at Kafanchan town, headquarters of Jema’a local government, the governor disclosed that recent intelligence reports have indicated that some people want to foment crisis in Southern Kaduna before or during elections.
According to him, the reports show that the planners want the violence to spread to other parts of the state because they have sensed defeat in the coming general election.
“I have met with the Chief of Defence Staff (General Abayomi Olanisakin), the Chief of Army Staff (Lt General Tukur Buratai) and the Inspector General of Police (Mohammed Abubakar Adamu) on the issue and they promised to strengthen security in Kaduna state before and during elections,” the governor revealed.
El Rufai further said that the security chiefs have assured him that they will deploy new personnel to tackle the security threats.
The governor advised parents to warn their children to be of good behaviour, adding that they should not carry weapons on election day.
“Tell your children and wards that the only thing that they should carry with them on election day to the polling unit is their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs). The police will arrest them if they carry weapons,” he warned at the meeting.
El Rufai further said that he has met with traditional rulers of Southern Kaduna yesterday to reiterate the warning.
The governor, however, enjoined the people of Kaduna state to come out and vote for their preferred candidates as adequate security will be provided on election day.
According to Governor El Rufai, election is about voting for ones preferred party or candidates and therefore there shouldn’t be a problem with this.
“But there are some people who bring ethnicity and religion on the issue. In spite of what the government has done for the people of Southern Kaduna, they have vowed not to vote for us because they say that our party is out to Islamize Nigeria,” he argued.
The governor pointed out that Architect Barnabas Bala Bantex has been his deputy for close to four years but he has not Islamised him.
El Rufai also said that his administration has executed projects throughout Kaduna state, irrespective of whether or not the local governments or senatorial districts voted for All Progressives Congress(APC) in 2015.
“Like I always say, after elections, public servants should cease to be partisan. They belong to everybody and so, they should be fair to all irrespective of whatever differences. This is what we have been doing since we assumed office,” he said.
The governor who said that the difference between APC and PDP votes in Southern Kaduna in 2015, was just 12,000 votes, promised that the coming election will not be easy for the opposition in the area as they assume.
The APC campaign trail went to the Kafanchan township stadium after the meeting, where Architect Barnabas Bala Bantex, incumbent Deputy Governor and APC senatorial for Zone 3, and Dr Hadiza Balarabe, El Rufai’s running mate addressed supporters at a rally.
The leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Monday evening asked all the members of group within the Aba metropolis to observe a mini sit-at-home ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the city.
A release by the spokesman of the group, Emma Powerful, asked IPOB members to be indoors from 6am till 4pm.
Powerful, while warning its members to stay away from any political activity on Tuesday, said their desire was to ensure a total boycott of Buhari’s campaign with the hope he (Buhari) would meet an empty stadium.
Meanwhile, our reporter who monitored the mood of the town Monday evening, reports that security has been beefed-up within the commercial city.
Sources from various security agencies stated that the President would use the opportunity of his visit to commission the Ariaria International power project of the federal government executed through the Rural Electrification Agency before addressing supporters of the All Progressives Congress(APC).
Security as at Monday evening has been beefed up around the Ariaria Power project with the Ariaria International Market expected to be shut for commercial and business activities as a mark of respect for the visit of the president.
The commissioner of Police and heads of various security agencies, were said to have arrived Aba Monday afternoon to put finishing touches to security arrangements.
Reacting on the press release by the IPOB leadership, a head of one of the security agencies in the state, who preferred anonymity urged members of the public to disregard IPOB’s order to go about their lawful duties.
He warned any group of persons who tries to disrupt the peace in Aba to rethink their actions as they would not watch anyone cause breach of peace in the state and Aba in particular.
Wife of the President Aisha Buhari has urged Kogi women and youths to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in the February 16 poll because Nigeria will remain secured in his hands.
She spoke during a town hall meeting organised by women and youths moblisation arm of President Buhari campaign organisation coordinated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Leader Hajia Salamatu Baiwa Umar-Eluma in Lokoja the state capital at the weekend.
She spoke through the wife of the Vice President Mrs. Dolapo Osibanjo, who represented her at the event.
She said: “Nigeria is secured in the hands of my husband because he will not steal Nigeria’s money and he is a very prudent man”.
She who described the people of Kogi State as kind and hardworking, assuring their future was guaranteed because president Buhari was already laying a solid foundation for that through the anti-corruption war.
Umar-Eluma challenged Kogi women and youths to begin door-to-door campaign to ensure a land slide victory for the party in the state in the forthcoming general elections.
The APC woman leader told them to work to deliver the party hundred percent from top to bottom in the coming elections.
She said Buhari had done so much to merit re-election come February 16.
According to her: “We all must give him our total support by going back to our homes, communities and villages to campaign for APC”.
She emphasised Buhari deserved a second term to enable him consolidate on the good work of rebuilding Nigeria for a better future for all Nigerians.
She noted he was very concerned about the plight of the ordinary Nigerian especially women, youths and children, which was why he instituted social investment programmes that are directly impacting on them.
The APC National Women Leader listed such programnes like school feeding, which has fed over nine million Primary school Pupils in 26 states; Marketmoni, which has so far benefited over 500,000 small businessmen and women; Tradermoni which has benefited over 2million individuals and N-Power program, which so far has provided over 500,000 young graduates with gainful employment and skills acquisition opportunities.
She noted these programmes were deliberately designed by the Buhari administration to uplift the downtrodden.
The well-attended meeting was also graced by the First Ladies of Kogi, Niger, Nasarawa and Plateau and several other APC female stalwarts, including the former Deputy Governor of Plateau State and a former Minister Mrs Pauline Talen.
Residents of Akure, the Ondo state capital have been urged to support the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari in order to benefit from various projects already mapped out for the community especially the proposed teaching hospital to be funded by the federal government.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress(APC) Tunji Light Ariyomo made the appeal while addressing people of Gbogi and Isinkan areas in Akure metropolis yesterday during a door-to-door mobilisation campaign for Buhari, Osinbajo and other APC candidates.
Ariyomo, an engineer and cabinet member of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s administration who led the campaign team to ward 2 of Akure South local government, said the APC administration at federal and state levels meant well for Akure and its environs.
The Special Adviser to Akeredolu on Public Utilities commended the executive members of the party in the Ward for standing firm.
He highlighted various achievements Akeredolu’s led administration in the state and some of the achievements of President Buhari in the last three and a half years in office, especially the infrastructural facilities as well as the fight against corruption.
While emphasising the presence of the Buhari-led government in their domain, Ariyomo noted that the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on May 4, 2018 flagged off the pilot project of Special Intervention in Energising Markets as Productive Clusters right there at Isinkan Market, Akure.
According to him, the federal project was powered by the National Rural Electrification Agency and Ondo State Government’s Office of Public Utilities.
Ariyomo charged the people to re-elect Buhari and other APC candidates to prevent the nation from being plunged back into the era of wanton profligacy.
The Akeredolu’s aide who until his recent appointment as Adviser was the Chief Executive of EVIS Limited promised to empower no fewer than 570 residents of the local government in a phased empowerment programme that would include interest-free loans for start-ups and small businesses as well as scholarship programmes for hundreds of indigent students.
Ariyomo said “I want to plead with you to rise up as Akure sons and daughters and vote for Buhari, Osinbajo, Alasoadura, Olowookere and other APC candidates in the coming general elections. Let us also deliver all seats in the House of Assembly for the APC.
“We have obtained assurances from the highest quarters possible in the APC federal government for the functional establishment of our teaching hospital in Akure kingdom which is very dear to the heart of our people.
“Let us re-elect Buhari and Osinbajo so that the corrupt people who had in the past looted our patrimony would not find their way back in the saddle again,”
The APC stalwart also promised the people his personal empowerment programme, saying “I want to state categorically that at least 36 people from this Ward will partake in my 2019 empowerment scheme and a total of 570 people in all Akure towns in the central senatorial district. The party executives would get theirs separately.
He pledged that women and men would benefit from the empowerment programme equally.
The APC Ward 2 Chairman, Boluwaji Jose appreciated the Special Adviser for his care and support for party members and supporters.
He assured that the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and other candidates of the party in the coming elections was not negotiable.
Other members of the party executive including Vice Chairman, Dare Ogunsuyi, Secretary, Oluwole Fadeyi, Assistant Secretary, David Monehin, PRO, Rufus Akingbola, Auditor Tope Jesse were at the event.
Former Abia governor, Chief Orji Kalu, has berated the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, for endorsing the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President Abubakar Atiku.
Kalu expressed his disappointment with the group on Sunday in an interview with newsmen in his Camp Neya country home in Igbere, Bende Local Government Area of the state.
He said that the John Nwodo-led executive of the organisation betrayed the people’s trust and exposed the body as being partisan.
“Ohanaeze is a socio-cultural organisation and so should not be seen to be partisan. What the leadership did by endorsing Atiku was not in the interest of the Igbo nation.
“The endorsement also did not enjoy the support of the majority of members but may be a committee’s decision,” he said.
Kalu described the endorsement as wrong and capable of decimating the organisation into two factions, if not rescinded.
He said: “I was very surprised that Nwodo, whom I have a lot of respect for, could do such a thing because that is not the right thing to do.
“What they just did implies that we have two Ohanaezes, or we are going to have another organisation in a different name.
“I will be in consultation with Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra and other people of goodwill to decide what we will do next, we are not going to accept it.
“These are card-carrying members of PDP, they cannot use Ohanaeze platform to endorse any candidate, it’s not acceptable to us.
“We want a level playing ground. I expected Ohaneze to be neutral, whoever wins, they should support.
“I’m not even expecting them to endorse Buhari, we want them to be neutral because neutrality is the hallmark of every independent cultural association,” Kalu said.
The former governor dismissed the fear that the endorsement would sway the voting pattern in the South-East against President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said that South-East APC had begun intensive campaign in churches and communities to showcase the president’s performance in the zone in just barely four years of his administration.
He further dispelled the speculation that the president hated Ndigbo, saying that Buhari had done for the area what PDP government could not do in their 16 years.
He cited the ongoing rehabilitation of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Enugu-Onitsha Expressway and the construction of the second Niger Bridge as some of Buhari’s major projects in the area, to buttress his point.
He said: “I don’t know why people always say that Buhari hates the Igbos because I know Buhari very well. He is a friend to Ndigbo. Am I not a friend to President Buhari?
“I know that on February 16, Abia will give him more than 85 per cent of their votes.”
Kalu, who is the APC candidate in Abia North Senatorial District, expressed great confidence that the party would have landslide victory in all the elections.
“The party has the antidote against rigging,” he said, adding that the party also had what it would take to win the polls at all levels in 2019.
“We will never allow anybody to rig us out in Abia again. We shall match them force by force and money for money,” he said.
He gave assurance that he would pursue the enactment of bills that would help to transform the nation’s economy, create jobs and ensure agricultural revolution in all the states of the federation if elected.
The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) has accredited 144 observer groups that will monitor the conduct of the forthcoming general elections in the country.
The figure, as published on the commission’s official website, www.inecnigeria.org, comprised 116 domestic and 28 international observer groups.
The commission advised all the accredited observers to abide by its code of conduct for election observers.
“INEC is pleased to announce the successful applicants to observe the 2019 general elections holding on 16th Feb. 2019 and 2nd March, 2019.
“All accredited observers shall abide by the code of conduct for election observers, which is available for download on the INEC website (www.inecnigeria.org).
“INEC reserves the right to cancel and withdraw the accreditation of any organisation if its members or agents breach the code of conduct,’’ the commission said.
It, therefore, advised the accredited groups to obtain and complete form EC 14A (ii) from its Elections and Party Monitoring Department, at its Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja between 8am to 4pm (Monday to Friday) starting from Jan. 28 to Feb. 1.
The commission, however, warned that it would hand over to law enforcement agencies any group other than those accredited, found in any state for the elections.
“Also, accredited field observers found in states other than where they are posted will equally be sanctioned.
The accredited foreign observer groups are African Bar Association; African Parliament of The Civil Society; African Union; British High Commission; Democrat Union of Africa; ECOWAS; Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) Republic Of Cameroon; and the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa.
Other accredited foreign observers are Embassy of France; Embassy of Japan; Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt; Embassy of The Republic Of Korea; European Centre For Electoral Support; European Union; German International Agency; High Commission of Canada; and the International Foundation For Electoral System.
The International Human Rights CommissionI; International Peace Commission; International Republican Institute; the National Democratic Institute; the Network for Solidarity; and the Empowerment and Transformation for All were also accredited to cover the elections.
Other international obsevers accredited are Nigerians in Diaspora Organization; Pan African Women Projects; Pan African Youth Training and Enlightenment Centre; Queen Zara Foundation for Human Resources Development; The Commonwealth; and the United States Embassy
On the domestic scene, Action Aid Nigeria; Advocacy for Quality Leadership and Health Awareness Foundation; African Centre For Leadership, Strategy and Development; African Christian Care Trust Organization; Transition Monitoring Group; and YIAGA Africa Initiative are some of the observer groups accredited.
Others are African Initiative for Sustainable and Positive Development; African Youth Leadership Roundtable Initiative; Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society; Alliance for Credible Election; Asabe Shehu Yar’adua Foundation; Centre for Citizens With Disabilities; Centre for Strategic Conflict Management; and the Centre for Transparency Advocacy
Still on the domestic list are Children and Youth Awareness Development Foundation; Christian Association of Nigeria; Christian Council Of Nigeria; Church Of Nigeria Anglican Communion; Citizens Rights And Leadership Awareness Initiative; and the Citizens Rights For Peace And Good Leadership Initiative.
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre; Cleen Foundation; Conscience Women of Africa Initiative; Jama’atu Izalatau Badi’ah Wa Ikamatu Sunnatu; Justice Development And Peace; Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria; and the National Orientation Agency also got the approval to cover the elections.
The others are the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (Policy And Legal Advocacy Centre); Nigerian Bar Association; Northern Patriotic Front; Northern Youth And Elders Awareness Forum; Police Service Commission; Shehu Musa Yar’adua Foundation; and The Albino Foundation.
Former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, has rejected Thursday’s Appeal Court judgement, which affirmed former governor of Cross River State Donald Duke as presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
This came as national chairman of the party, Chief Olu Falae, called on all aggrieved members of the party to bury their differences and support Duke’s presidential ambition.
Gana, addressing the media, on Friday in Abuja, through his campaign organisation, said having carefully weighed the views and options presented by SDP’s stakeholders and supporters, it was his considered opinion the judgement was erroneous, contradictory and a miscarriage of justice.
Director General, G19 Presidential Campaign Team of Prof. Gana,Dr Ike Neliaku, said: “Arising from the above and many other lacunas and contradiction in the judgement, we have carefully weighed the views and options presented by our stakeholders and supporters across the world and resolve to accede to what is in the long term interest of our democracy.
“It is therefore our considered opinion that the judgement of the Court of Appeal is erroneous, contradictory and a miscarriage of justice.
“The decision is therefore not acceptable to us
“Accordingly, our candidate, Prof. Jerry Gana, has resolved to appeal the judgement at the Appeal Court.”
Details later……..
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Jim Nwobodo has returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) less than 24 hours after Ohaneze Ndigbo endorsed the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar.
The former governor of old Anambra state announced his return to the PDP when some members of the Ohanaeze led by former chairman of Police Service Commission, Chief S. N. Okeke visited him in his Amechi Awkunanaw country home.
In the entourage were the secretary to the Abia State government Prof. Eme Okoro; former Foreign Affairs minister, Chief Dubem Onyia; Senator Ben Obi; former Minister for Health Prof. A. B. C. Nwosu; Oseloka Obaze and late Dr. Ekwueme’s daughter, Mrs. Ada Onyemelukwe.
They all appealed to Nwobodo to come back “to the house which he built.”
Nwobodo, replying, saying: “I am back to PDP.”
According to him: “At this stage of my life, I see myself more as an elder statesman than a partisan politician and I speak from this standpoint.
“I have served our country both at the state and the federal level. In the course of my political journey from second republic till date, I have had my fair share of ups and downs.
“I made mistakes and learned from my mistakes, I have learned a lot from my experiences and feel qualified to speak on burning issues confronting us as a nation.
“I cannot pretend that all is well in our country today with the escalating crisis, ranging from the economy, insecurity, tension among the three arms of government – executive, legislative and judiciary.
“Dangerous divisions along tribal and religious lines, and different militant groups arising from the hues and cries ofmarginalisation.
“What we are seeing are symptoms of deep rooted issues that should be brought to the table for discussions on how to address them.
“I am a democrat and a strong believer in democracy. Those of us who claim to be democrats have a duty to tell the president the truth and advise him appropriately.
“I have been chief executive of a big state and I appreciate how difficult it could be for the chief executive of a state or a country to know the true situation of things with the people you govern.”
He went on: “Just a few of the many undemocratic moves and sayings that are capable of igniting crisis.
“As a member of APC and a democrat, I got visibly worried when I heard party members boasting we have won the election and just waiting for results to be announced.
“My question was how? How? How was the election won when the elections are yet to take place?
“One of the tenets of democracy is the division of power among the different independent arms of government.
“The desecration of any of these arms of government portends danger to democracy.
“The ongoing attempt to arraign and prosecute the chief justice of the federation in disregard to due process is a mockery of the judiciary, which is the last hope of the common man.
“It is even more worrisome to read in the papers that President was not aware of such moves.
“Now that the President is aware, he should please intervene and stop the desecration of judiciary and restore respect for the rule of law. We are all aware of the implications of disrespect for the rule of law and its dangerous consequences.
“No genuine investor will take us serious and our image as country will be seriously bruised.”