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Tag: 2019 ELECTIONS

  • Role of judiciary, media and political class in 2019 elections

    Text of a paper delivered by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) at the yearly lecture of the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents (NAJUC), Ikeja Chapter

    In particular, The Punch Newspaper was very pungent in its editorial opinion titled “Nigeria Marching to the Precipice”; The Guardian was profound in its own opinion titled “Nigeria and the only way forward”; ThisDay Newspapers was very articulate in its own editorial titled “19 years of democracy: The Road Ahead”; The Nigerian Tribune was unequivocal in its own opinion captioned “19 years of civilian rule”; Vanguard’s comment titled “Nigeria’s Nascent Democracy at 18″ was very insightful; New Telegraph’s opinion tagged “Buhari: Three years in the saddle’ was sufficiently balanced; The Nation’s editorial captioned “Buhari at Three” was lucid; while The Sun’s comment titled “The need to Support Democracy” was penetrating, analytical and objective.

    It is hoped that the leadership of this country will soberly reflect on these snippets coming from our media houses; they honestly represent the feelings and yearnings of our people; they portray the minimum desiderata expected of any democratic government, more so as we approach the proverbial 2019.

     

    Now, to the political class and politicians

    Different leaders have sprung up and emerged on the face of the planet at different times and in different climes, who, through their commitment to humanity, rather than to self, have etched their names in gold, as well as the consciousness and sub-consciousness of their people, from generation to generation. A few examples are George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, J.F Kennedy, Winston Churchill, William Wilberforce, Chairman Mao, Lee Kuan Yew, Nelson Mandela, Julius Nyerere, Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ahmadu Bello, Mahatma Ghandi, Kenneth Kaunda, Thomas Sankara, Kwame Nkrumah, Mo Ibrahim, Franklin Roosevelt, Napoleon Bonaparte, General De Gaulle, Mrs. Hindira Ghandi, Martin Luther, Harry Truman, etc.

    There is a world of difference between a politician and a leader. There is still a marked difference between a leader and a statesman. There is also a remarkable difference between a statesman and a world citizen. Nelson Mandela, though an African, rose to become a world citizen by his candour, pragmatism, charisma, knowledge, temperament, valour, humility, forbearance, integrity, unusual act of forgiveness, and steadfastness. No wonder the entire world celebrated him in life, as well as in death. Although dead, he still lives in the consciousness of all people and races. The entire American Congress rose up to appreciate his eminence when he paid a visit to the Capitol. Reviewing his memoir titled “Long Walk to Freedom”, Washington Post Book Review described him as “One of the most remarkable lives of the twentieth century”; while the Boston Sunday Globe expressed that the book “should be read by every person alive”. What a pride Nelson Mandela was to Africa and the entire human race! Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore was also an exceptional leader and world citizen. His book, titled “Singapore: From Third World to First World: The Singapore Story-1965-2000”, represents and demonstrates the sobriety of the inner workings of a dedicated and committed leader. Winston Churchill gave his all to his country. The examples are not only legion, but also limitless.

    4.3        Be that as it may, it is rather worrisome that the type of politics we play in Nigeria does not pretend to bring forth statesmen, how much more of world citizens. Since 1999, successive leaderships that have emerged have always been engrossed in political acrobatics, both from within their political parties and without. A sizeable number of the politicians that spring up are desperate people, who want power and positions at all costs, who see and perceive elections as a do or die affair, whose primary objective is not the service to the people but acquisition of ephemeral wealth, they do not harbour or tolerate any dissenting opinion, even from within their political parties, how much more from opposition parties.

    The truth be told, our democracy stands out as perhaps the most monetized democracy globally. Across political parties and lines, votes are purchased at every stage of election. What dividends of democracy do we realistically expect from elected politicians who have purchased the franchise of the electorate? All they do in most cases was, and is still to recoup, settle their debts, and make further or sufficient savings for future elections, by pilfering from the  public till, on assumption of office.

    Arising from the foregoing unfortunate situation, is the fact that whatever efforts the Judiciary and the press make, or whatever positive collaborations emerge from the two institutions, not much can be achieved if Nigeria does not have statesmen as politicians, and if our leaders still assume that whenever they find themselves in positions of power, either through the wishes of the electorates or by rigging elections, they assume the role and positions of emperors and conquerors, or even tiny tyrants here and there.

    I want to repeat what I have been saying since the emergence of our present democratic experiment in 1999, that like the military dictators of the pre-1999 years, most of our successive leaders have been grossly intolerant, proud, dictatorial, autocratic, draconian, arbitrary, arrogant and uncaring. Not only that, vital institutions that make democracy work and tick and, by extension, sustain, nurture, water and nourish democracy, including the electoral umpire, whether INEC at the national level, or the states’ Independent Electoral Commissions, at the states’ level, have been hijacked, compromised, pocketed and often manipulated.

    The mantra among a sizable proportion of Nigerian politicians today is that with or without the electorates, they will ‘be returned’ as the successful candidates in any election, and the ‘losers’ are the ones who will go to Election Tribunals. Earlier in this presentation, I have reminded the audience of the constant boasting of some of our politicians that they will capture a particular seat, rather than winning at the polls. In my humble opinion, we are practicing democracy in a negative way; by and large, strangulating democracy and democratic institutions. These negative traits appear to be reaching a crescendo.

    Apart from INEC or SIECs, political parties themselves should evolve to the status of institutions, if our democracy must last. Any political party worth its name must have clear-cut ideologies, policies, ethos, ethics and traditions which are engrafted in the DNA of its members. In addition, it has to campaign and contest elections on the basis of clear manifestos. Members of political parties must also be sober and dedicated. It cannot be a question of ‘we are here today and gone tomorrow’. The United States of America has run a federal system of government since 1776, with a Constitution that has endured since then, subject to minor amendments. The two main political parties over there, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, have become institutions recognised all over the world. They even have teeming admirers and supporters globally, including Nigeria. Since 1828, when the Democratic Party emerged, and 1854, when the Republican Party berthed, each of them has alternated the production of American Presidents and control of Congress, based on their constitutions and manifestoes. Here in Nigeria, we know about the ideals of the Republicans as well as the Democrats. This also dovetails to the United Kingdom, where the Conservative Party, the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats are the main parties. Cross-carpeting or political prostitution or harlotry, as we have it here in Nigeria, is alien to their democratic culture. Here in Nigeria, we are facing an ugly situation whereby political parties, which should be potent institutions and harbingers of our democracy, have now been reduced to mere vehicles of strange bedfellows. A good number of leading politicians in our country today have migrated, without any qualms, from two to four political parties. Bereft of any ideals, or even the tiniest iota of principles, a good percentage of members of the political class of today alternate between parties in the same way, and with the frequency the British weather changes its moods. In as short a span as weeks, an average politician in today’s Nigeria could belong to three different political parties, depending on the exigency. Devoid of any moral fabric, these politicians engage in what I would like to call political osmosis, whereby once a party is out of power, or a candidate loses an election, they swiftly move allegiances to whatever party fits their mood. Yet, a good number of Nigerians, like the Biblical Pharisees and Sadducees, pretend as if all is well. Despite the Supreme Court’s decision in Abegunde v. The Ondo State House of Assembly , our politicians have learnt nothing.

    Preparing for party congresses is war, within the intra-party arrangement; while contesting elections along bi-partisan lines is a battle that must be fought with intimidating arsenals, including guns, machetes, acid, charms and I dare say, weapons of mass destruction. In my opinion, stealing of the people’s mandate, whether at intra-party level or at a bi-partisan level sits at the zenith of corruption. It is a crime akin to genocide, because it is a crime against humanity. Politics should not be a game of ‘the end justifies the means’ or ‘the means does not matter, provided the end is achieved’.

    4.8        Against the foregoing background, the statement credited to President Buhari by different national dailies on 30th May, 2018, admonishing Nigerians  to vote for who they want in 2019 was timely. In my view, the President was saying, let the votes count in 2019. This is how it should be, in theory and in practice. A corollary to the statement is that let the electoral umpires at both the state and national levels do their jobs un-teleguided, independent of powers at all levels, without any compromise, fear or affection. Let our elections be free of rancour, violence, victimisation, killing and maiming. Let the returning officers announce results as depicted by the votes cast and dropped in the ballot boxes; and duly counted in the full glare of the electorates. On no account should any electoral officer be kidnapped and made to announce any result at gunpoint. Security officers should not threaten or harass the electorates or disperse them while queuing to get accredited or while casting their votes or while patiently waiting for the votes to be counted. The truth must be told that for now, our democracy is one of the most militarised democracies in the world. We should remind ourselves that in nearby West African countries like Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Liberia, free and fair elections, globally adjudged as being so, have been held, with winners emerging, without rancour or strife.

    Another sad commentary of election rigging on the democratic process in Nigeria is that whereas when the democratic journey took off in 1999, all the governors were elected on the same day; but today, each of the states of Edo, Ondo, Anambra, Ekiti, Anambra, Osun and Kogi holds its governorship election on different and staggered dates from when the other states hold theirs. This has led to an unwholesome situation where and when Governorship elections are to be held in any of these states, substantial security personnel of the nation are deployed thereto, making it look as if exercise of franchise in a democratic setting is a warfare. My suggestion in this regard is that elections in the aforementioned states should be brought in conformity with the general elections for other Governors. I am not unaware of the Supreme Court decision in the celebrated case of Obi v. INEC , but the constitution itself will have to be amended, so that any chief executive who assumes office after the sacking by the Judiciary of another Governor should only spend the unexpired tenure of the sacked or deposed governor. This is what happens to members of the legislature.

    INEC was reported in several national newspapers on Monday, June 4, 2018, to have emphatically stated: “No card reader, no election in 2019”. The use of the card reader was introduced by the Professor Attahiru Jega led INEC in 2015 general elections. But for the use of the card reader, the general elections of 2015 would have flopped abysmally. Three years thereafter, INEC is enthusing that there would not be any election in 2019 if the card reader is not used.’’

    With respect to INEC, this is no news; it is also not an improvement on what Jega achieved. Even with the deployment of the card reader in 2015, a lot of electoral malpractices were still identified. The least that Nigerians expect from INEC for the 2019 general elections is the deployment and use of electronic device, which would ensure substantial rig-proof elections.

    The combination of the use and activation of the card reader and electronic device will assure and reassure Nigerians that INEC is indeed and in fact, prepared for a free and fair election. INEC should not enter any caveat or give any alibi for not being able to deploy the electronic device, which is now in use almost worldwide.

     

    Conclusion

    In conclusion, these are my thoughts on this very important topic. The Judiciary and the Media have made, and continue to make, their humble contributions at midwifing our nascent democracy. Indeed, both institutions are more committed to the sustenance and growth of our democratic norms and ideals than the politicians who reap most of the dividends of democracy, a la Nigeria. This might be ironic, but it is the truism and reality on the ground. This paper is also a call on the politicians to allow democracy to thrive in Nigeria, particularly in their own interest, and generally, in our overall interest. Democracy should not be seen, taken or even pursued as a rat race, for according to Lily Tomline,

    “The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you are still a rat.”

    To the members of the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents, I thank you for inviting me to make this presentation. The Judiciary Correspondents have always collaborated with the legal profession at ensuring prompt and graphic reporting of judicial proceedings in our various courts. The legal profession itself owes the Judiciary Correspondents a duty of collaboration, so as to ensure a seamless synergy between the legal profession and the Judiciary Correspondents in the pursuit and attainment of a fair, honest and undiluted reportage.

    A few years back, I volunteered to make funds available towards the training and continuous education of Judiciary Correspondents in Nigeria, and challenged the correspondents to key into the scheme. May I use this opportunity to remind the Judiciary Correspondents that the promise is still extant.

     

    • Concluded
    • Chief Wole Olanipekun, OFR, SAN, LL.D, FCIArb, FNIALS, Lagos,

     

  • 2019 elections won’t be shifted, INEC insists

    •Says no provision for international observers, except election kits

    The Independent National Electoral Commission  (INEC) has no plan whatsoever to shift next year’s elections, the Commission’s   Chairman, Professor   Mahmood Yakubu has declared.

    The Commission is currently battling   for the passage of its budget for the polls by the National Assembly.

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa on Friday, Yakubu said “there are no conditions under which elections should be postponed, under section 26 of the Electoral Act, the date is formed and fixed, February 16, 2019.”

    He added:”we issued the timetable way in advance. For the very first time in the history of our nation, citizens of Nigeria know when elections will take place; one year in advance. It has never happened before.

    “Secondly, for the very first time in the history of our country citizens know the budget of the electoral commission. (Election) budget has never been defended before the National Assembly, as citizens know line by line how much the commission proposed; what the money is going to be spent on. I think I am very happy with this process.”

    Asked if he was not worried about the delay in passing the budget proposal, the INEC chairman said: “well, we have made the clarification that the National Assembly asked for, and I am happy that the National Assembly and the two committees on INEC expressed satisfaction on the clarification that we made on the matter of appropriation.

    “So we look forward to hearing what the National Assembly will say.”

    He said there are no discrepancies in the budget figures before the National Assembly. On the voters’ registration extension, the INEC boss said: “we started the continuous voters’ registration exercise on April 27, 2017, as provided for in our constitution, registering voters consistently in the last 16 months.

    “In response to appeals by Nigerians, we have created more centres for the registration but finally decided that we should suspend the process as provided for by the law, six months to the elections.

    “But again in response to appeals by Nigerians, we have now extended to the end of the month. As at Saturday last week, we had registered 12.1 million citizens. This (figure) will eventually be added to the 70 million voters that are already registered for the 2019 general elections. We have voters register of over 80 million citizens.”

    He said that the extended registration is going to take place between 9a.m and 5pm daily, but excluding the Eid El Kabir holidays.

    He said that the end of the second voters registration exercise on August 31 does not mean the end of the collection of PVCs.

    “Collection of PVCs will continue until at least one week to the general election in February 2019,” he said

    Asked what brought him to the villa, he said “It has nothing to do with our national politics. Recall that in March 2016, I was elected the President of ECOWAS network of electoral commission.

    “In that capacity recently, we undertook a NEEDS assessment visit to the Republic of Guinea-Bissau and part of what they requested of Nigeria, is assistance with voters’ registration kits.

     

     

    “They want to start the voters registration on the 23rd of this month but they are relying on Nigeria to provide the assistance.

    “That is why I came and had a meeting with Ambassador Lawal who is the senior special assistant to the president on foreign affairs to facilitate Nigeria’s electoral assistance to Guinea-Bissau.

    “It is important to do so because you should also remember that for several years now, Nigeria has had troops in Guinea-Bissau to stabilize the country and that stability is dependent upon the conduct of proper elections.”

     

  • 2019 elections won’t be shifted – INEC

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, insisted on Friday that the 2019 general elections won’t be shifted.

    The Commission is presently starved of funds as virement for its preparation for the elections are still in the National Assembly.

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Yakubu said: “I have said this over and over again, there are no conditions under which elections should be postponed, under section 26 of the Electoral Act, the date is formed and fixed is February 16, 2019.

    “We issued the timetable way in advance for the very first time in the history of our nation, citizens of Nigeria know when elections will take place one year in advance. It has never happen before.

    “Secondly, also for the very first time in the history of our country, that citizens know the budget of the electoral commission, that budget has never been defended before the National Assembly, as citizens know line by line how much the Commission proposed, what the money is going to be spent on, I think I am very happy with this process.

    “On the virement, well, we have made the clarification that the National Assembly asked for and I am happy that the National Assembly and the two committees on INEC expressed satisfaction on the clarification that we made for the matter of appropriation. So we look forward to hearing what the National Assembly will say.”

    According to him, the Commission requested for N189.2 billion, which he claimed is what the executive proposed to the National Assembly.

    “So there are no discrepancies in the figures at all,” Yakubu added.

     

     

  • No date for National Assembly resumption, says Saraki, Dogara

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Tuesday said that no date has been fixed to reconvene the two chambers of the National Assembly to consider the budget for the 2019 elections.

    Saraki and Dogara in a joint statement informed Senators, House members and Nigerians that no date has been set for the reconvening of the Senate and the House of Representatives to consider the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 2019 elections budget request forwarded by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 17, 2018.

    Read Also:INEC Budget: NASS cannot reconvene now -Saraki, Dogara

    The statement by the media aides of Saraki and Dogara, Yusuph Olaniyonu and Turaki Hassan respectively, said that “the leadership of the two chambers had met and agreed to reconvene to consider the proposal this week before which a meeting between the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Electoral Matters and officials of the INEC must have held on or before Monday August 13, 2018.”

    The joint committees, it said, were also expected to meet with the joint Senate and House Committees on Appropriations, Loans and Debts on the Eurobond loan request after which two reports would have been ready for presentation in the two chambers.”

    “However, no such meeting had taken place yet as a result of which both Senate and House of Representatives cannot reconvene as there is no report to consider.

    “Until the Committees have a ready report for the consideration of the two chambers, it will be most irresponsible to recall members from recess especially those that may have travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj,” the statement said.

  • 2019 elections: Customs to deploy scanners in ports

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has okayed the deployment of scanners at seaports to check the influx of dangerous items into the country, it was learnt.

    Speaking with The Nation, its Area Controller, Tin Can Command Mr Musa Baba Abdullahi said the Service would deploy the scanners to boost 100 per cent cargo clearance.

    “With regards to the 2019 elections, the Service is trying to commission the scanners. Some of them are not there now, but the Service is working seriously to ensure that the scanners are put in place.

    “As soon as the scanners are put in place, we are sure of 100 per cent cargo examination through the scanners. At least,  we would be sure of what is coming, compared to the physical examination that is there now,  sometimes, human element can come in, sometimes you might forget certain things, which might end up being a serious issue,”he said.

    On the involvement of foreigners in cargo clearance at the seaports, Musa blamed the development on Nigerians.

    He called for a law that would  spell it out that certain jobs must be reserved for Nigerians, especially areas where we have the capacity and comparative advantage.

    “Our people prefer foreigners than Nigerians. We need to ask ourselves why it is so; many of the bike riders are from Chad, Niger etc, while those doing tilling are from Togo and Cotonou.

    “Nigerians have to change our attitude to work. Sincerely, we are not good managers. You can carry out an independent analysis of certain sectors; take note of the businesses, we work more, if we are controlled by foreigners.

    “For instance, if you give Nigerian companies, they run it aground. But if you bring in an expatriate from outside, they work hard for every seven days, you would find a Nigerian being engaged unofficially in some family issues and extended family issues. But for the expatriates, who is in the country for the job,  he would forget about those mundane things and focus on his job for 30 days,” he said.

  • Role of judiciary, media and political class in 2019 elections

    Being text of a lecture delivered by Chief Wole Olanipekun at the yearly lecture of the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents (NAJUC), Ikeja Chapter

    On the part of the Judiciary itself, I will advise that no Judge of whatever cadre within the Judicial organogram should allow himself or herself to be used, either in civil or criminal proceedings, to promote or enhance the interest of any political party or personality against the other. Justice itself should be rooted in law and facts, and never to be based on sentiments or road side stories and unsubstantiated allegations.

    Whenever the appropriate opportunity unfolds, lawyers should urge the Supreme Court to revisit some of its decisions on our electoral matters, considering the fact that election itself is a process, starting from when candidates vie for the ticket to contest elections within their political parties through to the time election proper is conducted and a winner announced by INEC . To my mid, any person who does not take part in any of the stages of the elections should not assume office, either as a legislator or chief executive.

     

    The media and our democratic pursuit

     

    The Nigerian press has come of age. It has demonstrated patriotism, pragmatism, determi-nation, altruism and a deep commitment to national growth and democratic ideals over the years. It has passed through many turbulent stages and phases in the hands and under the auspices of tyrants, particularly, when Nigeria descended into the valley of the shadow of death, and into the belly of the whale under the military. Three estates of the realm have always been recognised, and given preference over the press, which is often casually referred to as the fourth estate. The Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary are well catered for in our Constitution, and the independence of the Judiciary appears to be fairly constitutionally guaranteed. The Legislature is well protected constitutionally as well; while the Executive is the all-powerful. I am not satisfied with the combined provisions of sections 22 and 39(1) of the Constitution, respectively, to the effect that the press, etc., shall at all times, be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in the Constitution; and that every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, etc. I do not belong to the school of thought that believes that the combined provisions of these two sections suffice for press freedom. First, section 22 is under Chapter II of the Constitution, which spells out the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, which in turn, are non-justiciable sections of the Constitution; while section 39 is very omnibus, not tangible and, in fact, signifies nothing.

    The first amendment to the United States Constitution provides thus:

    “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the Press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

    In nearby Ghana, section 162(4) of its Constitution enacts as follows:

    “Editors and publishers of newspapers and other institutions of the mass media shall not be subject to control or interference by government nor shall they be penalized or harassed for their editorial opinions and views, or the contents of their publications.”

    In not too distant Malawi, section 36 of its Constitution spells out press freedom in this unequivocal term:

    “The Press shall have the right to report and publish freely, within Malawi and abroad and to be accorded the fullest possible facilities for access to public information.”

    I have deliberately juxt-aposed the constitutional provisions relating to the Press in the U.S.A. which is a foremost democratic country in the world with those of Ghana and Malawi, two struggling and developing countries in Africa in order to prick our conscience and question the intelligence or debunk the rationale behind the argument of those who belong to the school of thought that the Nigerian Press has been imbued with sufficiency of freedom under our Constitution and, as such, there is no need to amend the constitution to specifically provide for the independence of the Press.

    It is my considered view that for us to make any tangible progress in our quest for democratic stability, the Nigerian press has to be free, and the freedom has to be in diverse areas, including but not limited to freedom from censorship by either the government, its operatives and proprietors, of individual media outfits; freedom from fear or intimidation or oppression or punishment arising from genuine, brilliant and well-grounded publications; freedom from mediocrity, freedom from religious, ethnic, political, and partisan bigoted inclinations; freedom from hatred of persons, personalities, institutions and other ideas that do not tally with those of a particular pressman qua journalist or his proprietors or sponsors; freedom from poverty – for a journalist or pressman who is not gainfully employed, or who is under what economists call ‘disguised unemployment’ or who receives peanuts or nothing for his services to his employers cannot make any meaningful contribution to either the 2019 general elections or the evolution of our democracy. A hungry man cannot be a happy man; instead, he is bound to be an angry personality.

    The time has come for us in this country to actually, accurately and decidedly, appreciate the vital role of the press to every sphere of our life as a nation, including the 2019 general elections and our democracy. We must appreciate the great men, patriarchs and heroes that, through the instrumentality of the pen qua press, have shaped our nation and regulated our thoughts, right from the time we were under our colonial masters, through to the rise and fall of the first Republic, migrating into the several phases of military dictatorship, and now berthing at the experimental harbour of democracy. May the tribes of these patriarchs of our press continue to flourish.

    Right from December, 1895, when the first newspaper, ‘Iwe Iroyin’ berthed in Abeokuta, through to the present time, the Nigerian press has grown exponentially and today, we can boast of several media outfits, be they print, electronic, traditional or social media, etc., all competing for space at regulating and regularising our electioneering and democratic processes, amongst others. It is rather unfortunate that the major, if not the main, beneficiaries of the present political dispensation do not appreciate the heroic, hazardous and dangerous challenges surmounted by the Nigerian press before 1999. Lest we forget, between 10th to 14th August, 1994, three Decrees were churned out by the military, proscribing some media outfits; these are the Concord Newspaper and African Concord Weekly Magazine (Proscription and Prohibition from Circulation) Decree No. 6, the Punch Newspaper (Proscription and Prohibition from Circulation) Decree No. 7, the Guardian Newspaper and African Guardian Weekly Magazine (Proscription and Prohibition from Circulation) Decree No. 8. Within the Concord’s stable, the Weekly African Concord Magazine, The National Concord Daily Newspaper, The Weekend Concord Newspaper, The Sunday Concord weekly Newspaper, Community Concord Newspaper,  in all states of the Federation and Abuja, and any other newspaper or magazine in any form, under whatever name, printed and published by the Concord Press Nigeria Limited or any of their subsidiaries were proscribed and prohibited from circulation; under the Guardian’s stable, The Guardian, Guardian on Sunday, The African Guardian Weekly Magazine, The Guardian Express, The Financial Guardian, The Lagos Life, and any other newspaper of magazine in any form, under whatever name, printed and published by the Guardian Newspapers Limited, were proscribed and prohibited from circulation; in respect of the Punch outfit, The Punch, The Sunday Punch, and any other paper by whatever name called, printed and published by The Punch Nigeria Limited were proscribed and prohibited from circulation.  The Nigerian press, as at then, was run down. Its personnel became persona non grata. Despite these crackdown and tribulations, it continued to publish and communicate the evils of military dictatorship to Nigerians. Brave journalists like Femi Ojudu, Kunle Ajibade, Soji Akinrinade, etc., ingeniously invented other means of communication, which took the military junta off guard. These include The Tempo, The Tell, The News, among several others.

    More than any other time, our country is at a crossroad. Human lives mean nothing to us as a nation, as we step on the blood of our fellow citizens unperturbed. Hundreds of Nigerians are falling on a weekly, if not daily. Life is becoming unbearable, nasty and brutish, apologies to Thomas Hobbes. The hapless Nigerians who are falling in their droves, the legion of Nigerian youths who, despite having acquired the requisite educational qualifi-cations, are unemployed; winners of elections, whether at intra or inter party levels, who have been rigged out by the powers that be; the teeming population of Nigerians who have no sustainable means of livelihood, etc., all look up to the press for salvation and redemption. The Nigerian press cannot, for any reason whatsoever, afford to let Nigerians down at this point in time. In a paper I delivered at the invitation of the press on 11th April, 2000 , I posited that the press has a sacred duty to work in partnership with the Judiciary and the entire legal profession to enthrone the rule of law in the country, thereby fostering our nascent democracy. Among others, I suggested that

    “(i) It is the sacred duty of the Press to promote and encourage the sustenance of our democracy and discourage any military or civilian coup plotter from taking over the Government of Nigeria, contrary to the provisions of our Constitution…

    (ii) The Press should also take lead in the preaching and advocating the sustenance of the Rule of Law which is a sine qua non to a successful democratic dispensation.

    (iii)In the dissemination of news and information, the Press has           to be reflective imaginative, investigative, pragmatic,                 dynamic, responsible and sober.

    (iv) The Press should be at the forefront in the fight against bad           government, obnoxious laws and invasion of the citizens’                 rights by the government or the mighty”.

    One thing that amuses me about Nigeria and Nigerians is that we are always very eager to criticise and chastise leaders of other foreign countries, including successive Presidents of the United States of America, Prime Ministers of Britain, etc.

    We do not care at removing the log in our very eyes, but right here at home, we would want to remove the spec in the eyes of foreign leaders. In the aftermath of ‘Brexit’ in Britain, Prime Minister, David Cameron, honourably resigned; a good number of Nigerians criticised him for his indiscretion; when Prime Minister Theresa May called for a snap election and her party (the Conservative Party) did not do well as expected, Nigerians described her as a political neophyte. During the prelude to the last United States Presidential election, Nigerians were more concerned about who became US President than who governs us at home. In this self-created conundrum, the press is saddled with the responsibility of showing us the way out. Whatever might be the nuances of President Donald Trump of the USA, the American press curtails him, and does not give him any breathing space. The point being made is that the American press, British press or the French press or, any press within any civilised and democratic clime is, and must be, a formidable institution which cannot be pushed or brushed aside, just as President Donald Trump cannot uproot or push aside the American press.

    While the Judiciary is labelled as the last hope of the common man, I hasten to posit that the press represents the voice of the voiceless; it expresses and espouses the innate feelings of the people; it is the mirror of the populace. Through the press, the Nigerian leaders, that do not travel on the same bad roads like ordinary Nigerians, who do not feel the anguish that majority of our people are going through, etc., are expected to feel and appreciate the pulse of the people. Whenever any person looks at himself in the mirror, he might feel that all is well with him, particularly in terms of his dressing; but however meticulous that person might be, he might not be able to notice a stain at the back of his gorgeous apparel. Thus, he needs the assistance of a second party to draw his attention to that small stain, or change his dress for a stainless one. This is the role the Nigerian press is expected to play at this curve of our national life, and particularly, at ensuring that the 2019 elections turn out successful.

    It is the common thing in Nigeria that our leaders praise and eulogise themselves; they make no mistakes by their own perception; they are next to the gods by their own rating; they know all by their own assessment. Since the time of Abacha, the Nigerian political cap has always been befitting only one head. In fairness to the Nigerian press, particularly the print media, its verdict, as distilled in several editorial opinions of different newspaper outfits on Tuesday, May 29, 2018, were/are fair, dynamic, pragmatic, succinct and forthright.

    In particular, The Punch Newspaper was very pungent in its editorial opinion titled “Nigeria Marching to the Precipice”; The Guardian was profound in its own opinion titled “Nigeria and the only way forward”; Thisday Newspapers was very articulate in its own editorial titled “19 years of democracy: The Road Ahead”; The Nigerian Tribune was unequivocal in its own opinion captioned “19 years of civilian rule”; Vanguard’s comment titled “Nigeria’s Nascent Democracy at 18″ was very insightful; New Telegraph’s opinion tagged “Buhari: Three years in the saddle’ was sufficiently balanced; The Nation’s editorial captioned “Buhari at Three” was lucid; while The Sun’s comment titled “The need to Support Democracy” was penetrating, analytical and objective.

    It is hoped that the leadership of this country will soberly reflect on these snippets coming from our media houses; they honestly represent the feelings and yearnings of our people; they portray the minimum desiderata expected of any democratic government, more so as we approach the proverbial 2019.

  • 2019 elections: Ambode urges religious groups to champion peace

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday appealed to religious bodies to help to ensure that the 2019 general elections were conducted peacefully through constant prayers for the country.

    Ambode, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, made the call at a Muslim Leaders Interactive Forum.

    The forum was organised by the Muslim Community of Lagos State (MCLS) with the theme, “Make Your Life Count: Unity of Muslim Ummah in Focus”.

    He said religious organisations by their standing in society had enormous responsibility in ensuring that peace prevailed in their communities.

    According to him, religious bodies could impress upon their members on the need to eschew all forms of electoral violence during the elections.

    “There is the need for religious bodies and leaders to educate the people on the need for political tolerance to promote peace and tranquility before, during and after the elections,” he said.

    Ambode also expressed appreciation for the efforts made by religious bodies in supporting his administration and maintaining peaceful coexistence in the state.

    MCLS President Prof Tajudeen Gbadamosi, assured that the Muslim community in the country would play a significant role in the country’s bid to ensure a peace during and after the elections.

    “We are close to an election year. We know the peculiarities of this period – hate and inflammatory speeches as well as consequent killings and other damnable actions in the religious and social spheres. As a religious group, we have a duty to ensure peace and harmony,” he said.

    Shaykh Muslihudeen Kalejaye, in his lecture, said Islam was a religion that tolerated other religions and ordered its followers to respect and protect all humans.

    “Where there is no unity, it will bring about disruption, devastation and disputes,” he said.

    Dr Ridwan Olagunju of the Department of Islamic Law, University of Ilorin, urged all religious bodies to continue to pray for the peace of the country.

    Olagunju urged the Muslim faithful to adhere to the tenets of Islam as well as do good to make their life count.

    He also appealed to government at all levels to seek the advice of religious leaders in policy formulation.

  • Buhari wants NASS to approve N228.9bn for 2019 elections, others

    President Muhammadu Buhari has requested the National Assembly to approve the sum of N228,854,008,215 from the 2018 budget to fund the 2019 general election and other critical projects in the country.

    Buhari specifically told NASS to approve the N228.9 billion from N578, 319, 951.904 billion total projects sum inserted in the budget.

    This is contained in a presidential memo dated July 11, 2018 read by Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday.

    If approved, the request titled: “Request for virement and supplementary 2018 budget” would cut deep into the controversial constituency projects funding for 2018.

    The President said the aggregate cost of the 2019 elections is N242, 445,322,600.00

    From the funds, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is expected to receive N189.207 billion while the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) will get N4.2 billion.

    The Department of State Services (DSS) will receive N12.213 billion while the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) will get N3.573 billion.

    The Nigeria Police Force is expected to get N30.541 billion while Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) will receive N2.628 billion.

    The letter reads in part: “As you are aware, the 2019 general election is scheduled to be conducted early in 2019. To ensure that adequate arrangements are made for free and fair elections, it has become necessary to appropriate funds to enable the relevant agencies to commence preparations.

    “INEC and security agencies have accordingly recently submitted their requests. These have been subjected to the usual budget evaluation. The aggregate cost of the elections is estimated at N242, 445,322,600.”

     

     

     

  • 2018 elections: Buhari seeks senate approval of N228.9b

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday presented  supplementary budget to the Senate.

    Buhari also requested for approval of  N228.9b to fund the 2019 elections.

    Details later…

    Read Also:Stop blaming Buhari for Killings, MURIC tells Nigerians

     

  • Role of judiciary, media and political class in 2019 elections

    Being text of a lecture delivered by Chief Wole Olanipekun at the yearly lecture of the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents (NAJUC), Ikeja Chapter

    Introduction

    It would amount to self-deceit to restrict any discourse on our democratic journey, as it were, on the Judiciary and media, leaving out the major participants, who double as the major beneficiaries of our democracy, that is, the political class/elite, who cut across party barriers and delineations, and who also litter our political space, from Local Governments through to the State and Federal levels. To my mind, we cannot address or furrow into the success or otherwise of the 2019 general elections, as well as the sustenance of our democratic voyage, without this category of people. Otherwise, we would, deceptively, be acting Shakes-peare’s Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark. Let the reality be quickly recognised that in normal climes, where and when the political class plays and activates politics according to the rules of the game, not taking it as a do or die affair, or a means to an end, or an end in itself, or the core and crux of livelihood, or where politicians respect their respective national Constitutions, electoral laws, et al, the judiciary in particular, has a lesser role to play at midwifing such democracies.

    In modifying the topic, however, I kept on reminding myself that I must not lose sight of the very essence, meaning, intention and tenor of the original topic, hence the ‘amended’ topic, which is “The Role of the Judiciary, the Media and the Political Class in Midwifing the 2019 General Elections and Sustaining Nigeria’s Democratic Process”, which conveniently subsumes the original.

    In this presentation, permit me to do some random samplings or a sort of panorama, and in doing so, the first port of call will be the Judiciary, before moving to the media, and finally berthing at the doorsteps of the political class

    Nigerian Judiciary considered within the context of the discourse

    The last topical political case that agitated the entire labyrinth of the American Judiciary is the celebrated case of Al Gore v. Bush .  Before then, either at the state or national levels, there was a lull of election petition gymnastics in any of the superior courts in the United States of America, as it is very unusual for any politician or political party over there to think of doing or intending to do what our politicians here do. In effect, the Judiciary in America is not saddled with the unenviable and hazardous responsibility and thankless job of adjudicating on sensitive electoral matters, either to install a state Governor, a member of the Congress or President, or to nullify election results. Despite the ‘too-close-to-call’ nature of the last presidential election between the two candidates of the Republican and Democratic parties, respectively, Donald J. Trump and Hilary R. Clinton, the latter is not the petitioner or plaintiff in the action asking for a decree for the recount of the ballots in some areas. Be it noted that she and her husband, Bill Clinton, were conspicuously present at Donald Trump’s inauguration. India is reputed to be the largest democracy in the world, and my research of the number of election cases in that large country and democracy,  in juxtaposition with what we have in Nigeria            has continuously and consistently resulted in the truism that despite the fact that the political constituencies in Nigeria constitute a very negligible percentage of the ones in India, the number of election matters, whether pre or post elections, or whether arising from pre-election summonses or post-election petitions in Nigeria, dwarfs that of India. Let us pause here to ask a rhetorical question, that is, when last did we hear or read of a challenge to the election of a Prime Minister of India,? Or the Prime Minister of Britain? Or the President of France? Again, let us remind ourselves that the last snap election in Great Britain was also ‘too close to call’, and, indeed, the ruling Conservative Party did not have the requisite number of MPs to form a government; but within hours, concessions were made here and there, and based on democratic traditions which had evolved in that country for centuries, Queen Elizabeth II invited Theresa May to form the government. Jeremy Corbyn of the Labour Party did not approach any election tribunal or court to stop Theresa May from so doing.

    This audience might be wondering about these excursions into the democratic records of some foreign countries when we are dealing with the Nigerian political process. Let me make myself clear. The President of the Court of Appeal in Nigeria, is the equivalence of the Master of the Rolls in Great Britain. The high office of the Master of the Rolls is not saddled with the pitiable responsibility of constituting election tribunals and their memberships, as the President of the Court of Appeal in Nigeria does regularly and intermittently, even whenever there is a by-election to fill a vacancy in a state House of Assembly. The Chief Justice of Great Britain or the Chief Justice of the United States does not have anything to do with the constitution of election tribunals or panels. Unlike these countries and their judiciaries, the Nigerian Judiciary has lost most of its cherished dignity, prestige, honour and glamour, as a result of its continuous involvement at deciding high-tension election and electoral matters. When election tribunals are empaneled, the Judges constituting the panels are selected from different parts of the country and posted to States different from theirs. The Chairman and a member of the Tribunal constitute the statutory quorum; while a full panel consists of three judges of the High Court. In most jurisdictions in Nigeria, an average judge has between 14-16 cases on his cause list daily. Section 285(6) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), mandates the Election Petition Tribunal to deliver its judgment within 180 days of the filing of the petition. This means that depending on a variety of factors like number of polling unit results being contested, number of witnesses being called, modalities adopted for the calling of witnesses, an election tribunal may very well expend the entirety of the period allocated to it by the constitution in deciding a petition. In doing so, the Judges are uprooted from their courtrooms to the locus in quo. Not only that, pending trials and applications, will consequently be kept in abeyance and sacrificed on the altar of election petition expediency.

    • To be continued next week