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Tag: 2019 general elections.

  • Attah: Import of Buhari’s victory for Nigeria

    FORMER Governor Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom State has described the 2019 general elections and the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari as the triumph of the will of the common man and a death knell for the three power blocs that have constantly exerted their manipulative influence on the country.

    This, he added, would provide the opportunity for the President to set the stage for the much-talked about restructuring.

    Obong Attah, who spoke at a press conference in Lagos yesterday, said Buhari’s second term would bring to an end the influence of the two major parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as well as that of retired military officers that have been directing the political game from behind the scene.

    The former governor said Nigerians would not have been able to withstand the arrogance and the orgy of excesses that the PDP would unleash on the country, if its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had won the election. He said it took Atiku’s candidature in 2019 to galvanise the party to give Buhari a run for his money and that with the former vice president not likely to run in 2023, the party’s fortune is going to change for the worse.

    For the APC, Attah said it is President Buhari that has been holding the party together and that in the no distant future Nigerians are going to be singing its dirge. He said in the last four years nobody can say that the President was a truly party man in the conventional sense and that in his second term “it is my conviction that he is going to pay even less attention to the party”.

    He added: “There was yet a third group – the military block. They did not hide their support for Atiku and the PDP. They openly showed their hand and have been spanked. Their influence therefore is bound to wane. It is my prediction that from now on we are going to witness less and less of those pilgrimages to Abeokuta and Minna.  With this loss of influence, it is also safe to say that the military oligarchy is dead.

    “These were the three power blocks that constantly exerted their manipulative wiles on the country. If they did not approve of you, be as wise as Solomon, as brave as David, as strong as Sampson, you will not get anywhere and that is what has kept Nigeria down. The system has never allowed us to put forward our most capable.

    “Buhari’s victory is the death knell to these power blocks. It has started the process of dismembering these menacing Behemoths, pulling out their fangs, blunting the ir claws and neutralising their sting. Buhari’s victory has returned power to the common man. Positions negotiated in Abuja and Lagos over the heads of the people can no longer be guaranteed. His victory has therefore given Nigeria a long- delayed but much needed opportunity for a new life; an opportunity to chart a new course. That is why for me his victory represents not only the triumph of the common man, but indeed also a great blessing for Nigeria.”

    With this state of affairs, Attah said an opportunity has now been created for fresh hands to take over the leadership of the country. He said: “Nigeria can now look forward to a new birth. The phoenix can now rise out of the ashes and attain its destined glory.

    “If Atiku had won, it is possible that he would have atikulated this country to the next level – to borrow from the slogan of both parties. But I also had the fear that if Atiku wins and the PDP gets back in the saddle, this country would be plunged into an orgy of intolerable excesses.”

    The elder statesman said now that Buhari has won, he must take steps to put a stop to all agitations to split up the country, by restructuring the polity. He said: “He must see to it that we re-enact and reinstate the terms and conditions of the agreement that caused all the various peoples of this country, at independence, to agree to come together and form one country – federalism. Anything short of this is to court a disaster of unimaginable magnitude. The popular word today that describes this is restructuring. My prediction is that unless this is done, by the end of his tenure in the next four years, there may not be a country called Nigeria as we know it today.”

    Attah was categorical that there would be no Nigeria without restructuring. He added: “What is going to happen is that agitation for break up is going to get more violent, more virulent and the country will scatter. Certainly, Buhari would not allow that to happen.”

    The former governor said the entire process of restructuring may not happen within the next four years, because it would a lot of negotiation to arrive at an agreement. He added: “It would be like the quest for independence, some said we were ready, while others insisted we were not ready. But we must agree that restructuring is something we can do, so that there will be a Nigeria.”

    Attah said an effort was made before the general elections to convince President Buhari that it had become absolutely necessary to restructure the country. He said as interim chairman of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), he led a delegation that presented a 16-point agenda to the President, which centred on the Niger Delta and restructuring at the national level.

    Nevertheless, he admitted that the group committed a blunder by identifying itself with a candidate. He said: “We made the same mistake that the military bloc made; we identified ourselves with a candidate. So, we were seen as a party, even though we are not a political party. We would have been in a better position if we had asked each of the candidates to restructure after they win the election.”

    Secondly, former Governor Attah said the Buhari-led administration must work relentlessly to see that in the shortest possible time every hamlet, every corner of the country enjoys 24 hours constant supply of electric power. He added: “In today’s world, it is not a luxury but an absolute necessity.”

    He also urged the President to forge ahead with his fight against corruption. His words: “The fact still remains that if we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill us. This time the fight must be total and unsparing.”

    The elder statesman urged President Buhari to put a stop to all the killings, “whether by herdsmen, Libyan mercenaries, marauders, cattle rustlers or whoever”. Attah also wants Buhari to facilitate the release of the abducted Dapchi school girl, Leah Sharibu, and totally annihilate Boko Haram.

     

  • Army faults INEC position on Rivers State guber elections

    The Nigerian Army on Monday faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over the position it adopted regarding the governorship election in Rivers State.

    It maintained that the INEC failed to look at the circumstances surrounding its intervention during the conduct of the exercise and more so when it made a presentation to the INEC fact-finding committee during its visit to the State.

    In a statement issued by the Deputy Director Army Public Relations in Charge of 6 Division, Colonel Aminu Iliyasu, the Army accused the Festus Okoye committee of lack of sincerity in its final report.

    Colonel Iliyasu said: “Headquarters 6 Division Nigerian Army (NA) have observed with dismay and sense of betrayal in the statement made by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) signed by its National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee Festus Okoye Esq on 15 March 2019.

    “The statement according to INEC was the findings of its Fact-Finding Committee that assessed the situation in Rivers State.

    “It is, however, pertinent to note that, representatives of the 6 Division met with the Fact-Finding Committee on Tuesday 12 March 2019 at the INEC Headquarters in Port Harcourt and had honest discussions and made a written submission to aid the Committee in its task.

    ” Regrettably, none of the Division’s input form any of the findings of INEC as made public. This clearly indicates lack of trust by an institution that the NA sacrifices so much to assist in the course of performing their role.

    “Genesis of the suspension of Governorship/State House of Assembly elections process in Rivers State

    “What INEC failed to mention or even consider is the fact that at about 10:30 pm on Saturday 9th March 2019, troops of 6 Division NA detailed at the outer perimeter of Obio/Akpor Local Government Headquarters Collation Center were brazenly attacked by Governor Wike’s security aides and armed thugs who stormed the collation center with the Governor in a convoy of more than 50 vehicles while collation of results was going on. In the ensuing melee, Captain Adams Salami was shot at close range by the security aides of Governor Wike while Corporal Adeosun Adebayo was matcheted by Governor Wike’s thugs.

    “Both victims are currently receiving treatment at University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) Intensive Care Unit and Military Hospital Port Harcourt respectively with life-threatening injuries.

    “Thereafter, election materials were carted away and electoral officials abducted by the Governor’s thugs to an unknown destination. This was made known to the INEC Fact-Finding Committee but INEC does not see it worth condemning or mention in its report.

    “Consequently, after due consultations and considerations between 6 Division and the Rivers State Police Command on Sunday the 10th of March 2019, the Rivers State Police Command, on their own, – took the initiative to invite the media to the hospitals where the 2 victims are receiving treatment and thereafter to host a press conference on the matter with the view to dissociate itself from the unprofessional conduct exhibited by their men attached to Wike and tell the public what disciplinary action the command will take or is already taking.

    ” However, while the visit to the victims was accomplished and the 2 victims interviewed by the media, the press conference was aborted by the Police after journalists have been assembled.

    “Coincidentally, a rescheduled press conference on the matter was also aborted on Thursday the 14th of March 2019. Most disheartening is that while the Rivers State Police Command accepts the involvement of their personnel in the attack at Obio/Akpor LG Headquarters, till date those personnel have not at least been reprimanded.

    “To this end, – in the circumstance, – the 6 Division NA as a stakeholder in the 2019 General Elections takes exception to the lopsided and therefore unfair INEC report and is hereby strongly and totally rejected by the NA.

    “The Division is equally disappointed with the attitude exhibited by the Nigerian Police in this regard and hereby request the police leadership to commence full scale investigation of those security aides to Governor Wike that attacked troops at the Obio/Akpor LG Headquarters Collation Center and shot at Capt AA Salami with a view to appropriately sanction those found responsible/culpable. Until that is done, Headquarters 6 Division NA will have to review all existing joint  activities with the Rivers State Police Command.”

     

  • Amaechi apologises to Nigerians over suspension of free Iju-Abeokuta train ride

    The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi on Friday apologised to Nigerians over the suspension of the  Iju-Abeokuta free train ride during the 2019 general elections.

    Amaechi tendered the apology during the monthly rail inspection of the Lagos-Ibadan modernisation project in Ibadan.

    He said that the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) suspended the three months free train ride due to security and safety of passengers.

    “It was suspended by the Chinese and the excuse they gave me was that they cannot allow it run because of safety, since they have not completed the second line but they are almost through with it.

    “It is almost completed from Iju to Abeokuta. I want to apologise to Nigerians that they suspended it when they left the country, which I didn’t envisage, they will go back soon,” Amechi said.

    Speaking on his passion for the project, Amaechi said that the responsibility was given to him by  President Muhammadu Buhari, which must be delivered to create jobs and boost the economy.

    “I know you will say I’m stressed up but as a minister, I have a responsibility passed to me by Mr President and I must deliver on it.

    “Also, the economy of Nigeria can be driven most importantly,  if we can link the seaport to hinterland because when cargoes come, they must go.

    “The more you are able to move goods and services to hinterland, the more you will create jobs and the more you create jobs, the more growth that you will have and that is my drive,” he said.

    The minister, however, said that he was always passionate about his job, stating that if a new minister would takeover,  his was sure that the person would have the passion to complete the project.

    “You see, me and passion, if you watched me as the governor of Rivers,  that same passion was there. I was restless at delivering my responsibility.

    “I pray that whoever will be the Minister of Transportation should have the same passion and focus on that responsibility.

    “You can never tell, that passion is everywhere,” he said.(NAN)

  • Police to strengthen security in Lagos

    Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police coordinating the 2019 general elections in the Lagos State David Folarinwo has unveiled plan by the police to strengthen security to ensure a hitch-free governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    This is coming after the presidential and National Assembly elections, which was held on the 23 February.

    The presidential elections, it was gathered, did not go down well as reports had it there were pockets of crisis in some parts of the state, including snatching of ballot boxes.

    In Okota area of the state, hoodlums had attempted to snatch the ballot boxes, resulting to fighting and inflicting injuries to the perpetrators

    In a town hall meeting with the communities in the area, including the Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo communities at the palace of Osolo of Isolo Oba Kabiru Agbabiaka, while dismissing rumour of death, the AIG said the police would provide additional security to the state to ensure a peaceful outing in the governorship election scheduled to hold on March 9.

    Folarinwo said: “We don’t have any problem with the community leaders, but we need their assistance. We want them to assume leadership and let the people know that they are working for them. They should go and vote peacefully; we are expecting very peaceful outing in the next election.”

    Commissioner of Police Muazu Zubairo said the town hall meeting would strengthen the relationship between the police and the community.

    “It’s going to tell our followers that we are all one and all we need is peace; we are here for everybody. We assure you we are going to give the necessary security for safe and secure environment in the remaining election,” he said.

    Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State and Chairman, Igbo Council of Ndieze Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu agreed the meeting was necessary to ensure peace was restored among the people of community and to forestall future electoral violence.

    He agreed there should be consultation before, during and after election among the people with the host community.

    Isolo Local Government Area Chairman Samsudeen Adeye said: “The communities had lived together for a long time and whatever is being done whether as a group of people or as an individual that would endanger the peace of the people should be dropped.

    “Police will not enforce peace, but we have to work for it within ourselves,” Adeye said.    Oba Agbabiaka warned that nobody should take laws into his hands. He told the representatives of the community present to always bring their complaints with anybody to the palace or go to police station and make report.

  • Allegations of Islamisation, wicked, ungodly, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari has described the allegation of his plan to Islamise the country as wicked, deceptive, and ungodly.

    He made the remark in a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina.

    According to him, the fresh allegation is coming up as a result of the 2019 general elections.

    The statement reads “It has come to the notice of President Muhammadu Buhari, ahead of the forthcoming elections, that some unscrupulous Nigerians are again falsely and wickedly claiming that the administration has an agenda to impose Islam on Nigeria.

    “The objective is clearly to stoke up religious division for political gains. Some of these same persons made these devious and fabricated claims ahead of the 2015 election. They failed woefully.

    “The President strongly affirms the oath he took before the Nigerian people to faithfully defend the Constitution of Nigeria. That Constitution guarantees freedom of worship for every Nigerian.

    “It is this guarantee that enables all Nigerians to practise their faiths or religion without hindrance.” it stated

    President Buhari, according to the statement, further affirmed his commitment to freedom of religion and worship for all Nigerians, and that under no circumstance will any religion or faith be imposed on any Nigerian.

    “It is dangerous, deceptive and ungodly to play politics with religion.“

  • FG grants visa free waiver for accredited election observers

    Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) on Thursday approved a visa-free waiver for foreign accredited election observers and monitors.

    The development according to government is due to the rescheduling of the 2019 general elections.

    In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the Comptroller General (CG), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, affected individuals and organisations wishing to extend their stay or travel back to their countries and return for the next election are advised to visit Nigeria Immigration Visa Desk at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Headquarters.

    The minister emphasised that no fee is to be paid for the process.

    The statement reads in part: ” Sequel the rescheduling of the 2019 general elections to 23rd February and 9th March 2019 and considering the plight of accredited election observers and monitors who were caught-up by the re-scheduled election the Honorable Minister of Interior Lt Gen (Rtd) Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau CFR Phd has approved a visa fee waiver.

    “All affected individuals and organisations wishing to extend their stay or travel back to their countries and return for the next election are advised to visit Nigeria Immigration Visa Desk at the INEC Headquarters.

    “The desk Officers will attend to those requiring extension of their visa issued Gratis (No Fee Charge). This provision became necessary to afford those affected the opportunity to travel out or return without violating the Immigration provisions that relate to entry and exit with valid visa and document. 5All the affected Election Observers and Monitors are to take advantage and note.”

  • 2019: Cleric advises INEC, security agencies on credible polls

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies in the country have been told to faithfully work towards delivering a free, fair and credible 2019 general elections.

    The General Overseer of the Hour of Mercy Prayer Ministry Worldwide One (Alaseyori), Prophet Muyideen Kasali,  said the success of the polls depend largely on the good conduct of the INEC officials, its ad hoc staff from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and security agents.

    Kasali spoke during the February edition of Hour of Mercy programme which heralded the 13th anniversary of the programme and the prophet’s birthday celebration.

    “All eyes are on INEC, the security agents and the corps members who will conduct the polls .They must fear God and be thorough in their conduct during and after the election,” he said.

    He said his birthday celebration was unique as God sent people from around the world to bless him with gifts.

    Prophet Kasali said:”Since I was born into the world, I never had a unique birthday celebration as this year’s. God is using the negative news being peddled about me by one Estabod and Sunday Olowoyo to further bless and enrich me. That has also spur me to further assist the needy and the less privileged.

    “Surely the rumors mongers i.e Estabod and Olowoyo will soon meet their waterloo because I am serving a living God. I have been receiving gifts from my well-wishers from USA, UK, Canada and other parts of world since February 1st when we started the fasting and prayer which will end on 28.

    “ God has been using the negative stories written about me to take me to the next level of my glory. I want to thank Mrs Dorcas Adeyinka and her family who has been our spokesperson on social media by putting things in the right perspective to ward off the moves the mischief makers against our ministry.

    “I equally appreciate my wife, Oredolapo Awosika. She is the angel God sent to me during the times of trouble. She is one in a million woman to me.”

    On the impending polls, Prophet Kasali, said the elections is not about who wins but what Nigerians stand to gain and benefit thereafter.

    “The youths must eschew violence. INEC has power over the polls but it must be seen to be fair and do things right. Security agent must do their best to protect the people before, during and after the polls.

    “Electorate should be allowed to vote according to their conscience and for the candidate of their choice. Neither Buhari nor Atiku can declare themselves winners of the election but INEC. They should just do things right and allow peace to reign in the country.”

    The cleric, who urged Nigerians to pray for the country, said: “We should rely on God’s wisdom and not our own understanding.

    “We should pray against famine and the prices of goods the will go skyrocketed. Corps members should not allow themselves to be compromised so that the glory of tomorrow will not be taken away by today’s loss.”

  • SERAP threatens to sue Fed Govt over postponement of 2019 elections

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has said that successive governments since the return of democracy in 1999 and the leadership of the National Assembly should be held responsible for the postponement of the 2019 general elections now re-scheduled for Saturday.

     “Given the increasing tendency to postpone elections and the cumulative failures and corruption over the years, SERAP would, after the elections, pursue appropriate legal action against the government in power and the National Assembly leadership for the catalogue of breaches of constitutional and international obligations, and seek effective remedies for the citizens.”

    The organization promised to deploy the Freedom of Information Act to seek information on details of spending by INEC since 1999, as part of our initiatives to improve transparency and accountability of governmental operations and promote respect for citizens’ right to participate in the processes of government and governance in the country.”

    In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said postponement of Nigeria’s elections since 2007 has  shown a systemic failure of leadership at the highest level of government.

    It regretted that our electoral process is deliberately skewed in favour of politicians’ interests, who continue to profit from the corruption and impunity that have characterised the process since 1999, and against those of the citizens.

    According to the organization: “Calling for the resignation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu rather than addressing the root causes of persistent postponement of elections is a blatant attempt by politicians to scapegoat the electoral commission.”

    The statement read in part: “While the INEC leadership ought to proactively push for reform of the electoral system, successive governments and leadership of the National Assembly that have the legal responsibility but have remained largely impervious to revolutionary change of the electoral system, should be held to account for this fundamental breach of public trust.

    “Foisting outdated electoral system on Nigerians, and spending huge public funds to sustain it, seems in uneasy tension with constitutional provisions and Nigeria’s international obligations including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance to which Nigeria is a state party.

    “Rather than prioritising genuine and comprehensive reforms of the electoral system that would upgrade and modernize our voting processes, successive governments and leadership of the National Assembly would seem to prefer the status quo, presumably to undermine citizens’ right to participation and to continue to profit from the corruption and impunity that the current system and processes breed.

    “It is clear that the current electoral process is vulnerable to corruption but politicians would seem to have little incentive to comprehensively reform, upgrade and modernise it. It is unlikely that either the federal government or the National Assembly would take the steps necessary to sort out our electoral system, and improve transparency, accountability and integrity of the electoral process”.

    SERAP therefore urged Nigerians to take more active role in the fight against corruption, including by putting pressure on the authorities at the federal and state levels and the National Assembly to comprehensively reform, upgrade and modernize our electoral system and processes adding “otherwise, citizens’ right to participate in the governance system will remain a ‘hollow right’.”

    “Given that the right to vote is considered a part of an individual’s fundamental right to political participation, persistent postponement of elections in the country raises serious questions about the legitimacy and integrity of Nigeria’s fledgling democracy.”

    “Persistent failure to upgrade and modernize the electoral system has effectively relegated the right of participation to paper tiger status, undermining the ability of citizens to genuinely participate in the fight against corruption and to hold their leaders to account. Yet, a transparent, accountable and modernized electoral process is a prerequisite to the effective exercise of citizenship in a democratic society.”

    “No right is more precious in a democratic country than that of having a voice in the election of those who represent us. That voice is not lost when the electoral process is skewed in favour of politicians’ interests and against the Nigerian voters. Other rights, even the most basic, are illusory if the right to vote is undermined by the collective failure to upgrade and modernize the country’s electoral processes.”

    The organization said now is the time to push for revolutionary changes in how Nigeria conducts its elections. The changes should effectively deploy modern technology, which has been successfully used in the business and other sectors in the country. Such changes may include the introduction of a national system of Internet voting, to innovative ideas on how to adapt the election systems to facilitate participation by different sectors of the population, to conform with twenty-first century elections.”

  • Election postponement won’t stop APC’s victory, says Egbeyemi

    Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, on Sunday expressed confidence that the postponement of the general elections by one week will not stop the All Progressives Congress (APC) from winning the polls.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, Egbeyemi made the remark during a meeting with APC members at his residence in Ado-Ekiti on the heels of the postponement of the general elections.

    He urged party members not to be discouraged by the shift, saying that victory is sure for President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC candidates in the general elections.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the early hours of Saturday shifted the Presidential and National Assembly election to February 23 and the Governorship and State House of Assembly election to March 9 citing logistic challenges.

    The deputy governor gave assurance to the APC members that the Party was poised for victory on the new dates announced by the electoral umpire noting that the poll shift would only delay celebration of victory by its members.

    Egbeyemi explained that the APC, as a law-abiding party, had campaigned vigorously across the length and breadth of Ekiti and Nigeria and was confident of achieving victory at the polls before the shift was announced.

    While noting that although the postponement of the elections was painful, Egbeyemi described it as a price to pay for a long-awaited victory by the APC, which he described as a party to beat at the polls.

    The deputy governor said party members in Ekiti State has sold the candidacy of President Buhari and other APC candidates to the electorate whom he said are waiting to speak with their votes.

    Describing the poll shift as ‘blessing in disguise,’ the Ekiti deputy governor recalled that similar postponement in the 2011 and 2015 general elections resulted in overwhelming victory for the party.

    “I want to appeal to our teeming party members not to be discouraged by the sudden postponement of the elections by INEC.

    “APC members should see the postponement as an opportunity to plan better, re-strategize and work harder to ensure victory for our party on the new dates of February 23 and March 9 announced by INEC,” he said.

    Egbeyemi expressed optimism that APC would coast home to victory and the postponement would not stop APC’s victory, but only delay it by a week. (NAN)

  • Polls shift: Oyetola urges calm in Osun

    Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola has urged citizens to remain calm and peaceful without losing interest in the electoral process.

    In a reaction to the last-minute postponement of the elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the governor implored the people to turn out in a large number on Saturday.

    The governor, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary Mr. Adeniyi Adesina, said:

    “Let all citizens of State of Osun remain calm and peaceful in spite of the disappointment of the one-week postponement of the general elections.

    “I implore our people not to lose interest in the electoral process as a result of this temporary setback.
    “All eligible voters should not be deterred but turn out en masse on February 23 and March 9 to cast their votes for the candidates of their choice.

    “We should continue to have confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the electoral agency’s ability to conduct credible, free, fair and transparent elections as promised by its chair, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.”