The Nation Newspaper

Tag: 2019

  • Boroffice frowns at Fayose’s remark on Buhari’s birthday

    Boroffice frowns at Fayose’s remark on Buhari’s birthday

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Prof Robert Boroffice has disagreed with Gov. Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti over his suggestion that  President Muhammadu Buhari, should retire from politics in 2019 having clocked 75.

    Fayose on Saturday congratulated Buhari and said it would be honourable for the president to step down now, saying he had served the nation as he could with advanced age.

    Boroffice, who is representing Ondo  North Senatorial District, lambasted Fayose.

    “The advice from Gov. Ayodele Fayose that Mr President should not consider seeking re-election due to age consideration should be ignored.

    “Mr President cannot be blackmailed and his right to to  seek re-election should be respected by every Nigerian who believes in the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended),” he said.

    Read also: APC, Fayose felicitate with Buhari on 75th birthday

    He said  it was instructive to note that the constitution does not impose age restriction on a president who wishes to seek re-election.

    “Indeed, advanced age is not a liability but an asset. Also, septuagenarian level does not in anyway suggest a chink in the armour but it radiates gutsiness,” it said.

    Boroffice wished Buhari  many more hearty and healthy years in the service of humanity.

    NAN

  • 2019: INEC fixes presidential, National Assembly polls for Feb 16

    2019: INEC fixes presidential, National Assembly polls for Feb 16

    The 2019 presidential election is only 423 days away,the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced yesterday.

    Nigerians,according to the time table released by the commission,are expected to elect the president on February 16,2019.

    Also scheduled for the same day is the election into the Senate and the House of Representatives.

    News of the election dates was broken by INEC chairman,Professor Mahmood Yakubu, at an induction  retreat for Resident Electoral Commissioners in Uyo,Akwa Ibom State.

    The governorship, state assembly and area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory will follow on  March 2, 2019, Yakubu said.

    The implementation of the 2019 Election Project Plan is to begin on   January 1, 2018.

    He said an additional 3,630,529 voters were registered in the recent continuous registration.

    ”This is an important development in our efforts to ensure that electoral services offered to Nigerians are better, more frequent and easier to access than ever before,” he said.

    This exercise will continue until 60 days to the 2019 general elections, as a provided by the Electoral Act.

  • Niger North endorses Bello for 2019

    The Niger North Senatorial District has passed a vote of confidence in Governor Abubakar Sani-Bello, and endorsed him as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for 2019. This endorsement was given at a rally organised by the Zonal APC, comprising eight local government areas, at Adamu Bokane Memorial Stadium, Kontagora.

    Zonal Chairman and State Youth leader Shariff Usman said the endorsement followed the remarkable programmes and projects the governor has undertaken in the two years of his administration. He added that the governor has not disappointed the people.

    According to him, the endorsement followed the need to give Governor Bello another opportunity to provide more dividends of democracy to the people, and to give the zone the chance to spend its eight years as other zones had done.

    “Zone A, has done its two term of eight years by late Abdulkadir Abdullahi Kure, Zone B was by Babangida Aliyu who spent his eight years, while Zone C, where the incumbent Governor comes from, should be given its chance. He has not disappointed the citizens and he will not,” Usman said.

  • 2019: Will it be Atiku or Dangote?

    SIR: Political machines are getting oiled and lubricated. Events are unfolding by the day without delay and clarity as the game and its players are making heavy body movements.

    Welcome to 2019, the age of big business.  And the age of billionaire politicians; a defining moment and a decider-era for over 170 million black people on the surface of earth.

    Welcome, once again to a year without which we are nobody. The year, Waziri Adamawa, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President and most likely, Alhaji Dangote, Africa’s richest business man will be slugging it out in the field of play.

    Yes, Dangote; you heard me right. Be not deceived, Dangote may be on his way to contesting for presidency, barring last minute moves by the powers that be as political parties are stopping at nothing in making a big claim come 2019.

    He is, of course, one of a kind and one of the most credible and unbeatable elements any political party could field as a presidential material for obvious reasons.

    One, for his financial war-chest which undoubtedly, is his strongest selling point; the richest tag on his name is a brand on its own and a trade mark, generally. It threatens his-would-be opposition and then, sends jitters in the spines of his traducers.

    Two, he is a business man, with no overt political interest or record of participation in same. That on its own has kept his name on a cleaner slate than his peers, as no dent is traceable to him whatsoever. Three, he is a man of great ideas with unequal entrepreneurial capacity, which has undoubtedly given him a wide range of high network of friends across the world. So, his candidacy is a must, if not an easy sale.

    And for Atiku Abubakar, Waziri Adamawa and former Vice President, politics is a lifestyle and presidential dream. Atiku, as a matter of fact, is a major, if not a larger than life’s contender in the business of 2019 as he has hidden nothing, and obviously, spared nothing in leaving everyone with the message he is in the race for reasons.

    With a strong political background and experiences acquired over his hey-days as a vice president and then, political lessons learnt over the years he spent in active party politics, Atiku’s ambition cannot be said to be a tea party.

    His restructuring campaigns which has made him more popular than every other politician from the northern part of the country is an added advantage, just as his financial strength is to say the least, superlative. Just as the zoning of the presidential position to the North by the two major political parties, APC and the PDP is said to favour both Atiku and Dangote.

    It is therefore, on this premise, Nigeria’s next elections embody a big poser – “2019: Atiku or Dangote?” A question only time will answer.

     

    • Gwiyi Solomon,

    Enugu.

  • I’ll succeed Ajimobi in 2019, says Shittu

    The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, has said he will succeed Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi in 2019.

    Addressing reporters in Ibadan, the state capital, after a meeting with members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Egbeda Local Government Area and Ajorosun Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Shittu, who is a governorship aspirant, said he would take over from Ajimobi to improve on the governor’s record.

    The minister said he is the most experienced of the aspirants, having held several public offices and learnt politics from the Premier of the defunct Western Region, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

    He said: “I was a member of the State House of Assembly in 1979 and two-time commissioner in the state. I have also contested the governorship seat in the state twice before I became a minister.

    “These are experiences you cannot buy. Oyo is too advanced and sophisticated to be handled by inexperienced administrators.”

    Shittu dismissed the re-alignment in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the party was a non-starter at state and federal levels.

    The minister noted that 38 road contractors had abandoned work two years before President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office.

    He said the development contributed to unemployment, as workers, including labourers, bricklayers and iron benders, were sacked.

    According to him, the PDP administration’s negligence and incompetence in handling the Boko Haram insurgency at inception led to the escalation of the problem to the current security challenges facing the country.

  • 2019: Govs, ministers want Buhari to contest —El-Rufai

    2019: Govs, ministers want Buhari to contest —El-Rufai

    President Muhammadu Buhari has the backing of the majority of All Progressives Congress (APC) state governors and ministers to seek re-election in 2019, Governor Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State said yesterday.

    The Buharists, as the governor branded members of the group, have resolved to ask Buhari to contest the election.

    The group’s primary aim is to promote and defend the socio-political interests of President Buhari.

    El-Rufai met with the President at the State House, Abuja yesterday, and told correspondents at the end of the meeting that he personally hoped that Buhari would contest.

    “As far as 2019 is concerned, my position is the President is looking very well. He is recuperating very fast. My hope and prayer is he will contest in 2019,” he said.

    He denied suggestions that he was being groomed to replace President Buhari in 2019.

    He said that as a member of the “Buharist group’’, he has no presidential ambition as being speculated since he left office as minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in 2007.

    He said: “My name has continuously been mentioned as a Presidential aspirant sýince 2007 after my years in the FCT. There is nothing new about that.

    “What I want to say here very, very clearly is that I have never been a presidential aspirant. I have never even been a gubernatorial aspirant.

    “I am governor today by the grace of God because President Buhari called me and said go and run for governor of Kaduna State.”

    Asked to react to the recent statement by Women Affairs and Social Development Minister Aishat Alhassan that she would not support Buhari for the 2019 presidential election, El-Rufai said it was nothing to worry about.

    “I am not surprised. And as a Nigerian, as an individual, she has every right to express her views and support whoever she wants,” he said.

    “The Minister of Women Affairs Jummai Alhassan has been in the students union. In the APC, she was never in the Buhari camp. She did not support our candidates during the national convention. She didn’t vote for Buhari during the primaries.

    “But out of largeness of the President’s heart and to encourage women in politics, he felt that even though she was never a supporter of his politics nor his belief or ideology, and what she has tried to do in Taraba, he felt she earned being nominated as a minister.

    “Many in Buhari’s camp did not support it, but he overruled everybody because that is how he is. “He tries to be inclusive. He considers every Nigerian his own son or daughter and he nominated her to be minister.

    “Her comments are not surprising. She has never been a supporter. She has never believed in Buhari’s ideology.

    “But what I am saying is Nigerians should not be surprised or shocked. This has always been her position, because from time, she has never supported Buharism or what Buhari stands for.

    “Being part of Buhari government is a different thing, because government sets policies and if you are a minister, you execute the policies.

    “You can execute those policies while pursuing a different brand of politics. And it is okay. There is no problem with that.”

    On whether she should be retained, he said that it is the prerogative of the President to decide on what to do.

    He said: “It is the President’s prerogative. Look, you can retain a person in the cabinet even if he doesn’t support you. If he adds value to the country. Because this is a government, it is not a political grouping that we are fighting for some political progress.

    “If Jummai Alhassan is performing as Minister of Women Afairs and adding value to the government and the people of Nigeria, it is the President’s prerogative to retain her in spite of her political views.

    “But if she is not adding value in spite of her political views she can be dispensed with. That is the President’s decision.

    “I don’t think people should get worried about it. I have worked closely with the President, I know him and I know how he thinks. He doesn’t take these things personally or to heart.

    “What is primary to him is Nigeria’s progress and how well the government is doing and what everyone is contributing. That is what matters ultimately.”

    On the ongoing debate on restructuring the country, El-Rufai, who chairs the APC ýcommittee on true federalism, said the committee would start public hearings on the matter on September 18.

    It plans to hold 13 public hearings.

    The committee, according to him, has already been receiving a lot of comments and memoranda, particularly from young Nigerians.

    He said: “We’ll have 13 public hearings across the country.

    “What is important for us ýin the APC is to separate the signal from the noise. There is a lot of noise about restructuring; there is a lot of opportunism.

    “There are people that are restructuring their career. That is their meal ticket and we’ll put that as the noise.

    “But the signal is what Nigerians say. What do the young people who we are supposed to be restructuring for want?

    “And we are encouraging young people through the social media, through twitter, blogs and so on to tell us what they think because this country is theirs.

    “Eighty per cent of Nigerians are below the age of 35, and whatever structure we design for Nigeria is for them.

    “I have maybe a decade or two decades left, but these young people have years of their lives ahead.

    “So, the Nigeria we are trying to create is for them, and we want to hear them. We want to hear what they think; what kind of Nigeria they want.

    “And we are going to go round the country, and we will set up platforms on social media, virtually every social media platformý we have made available young people to send to us what they think on 12 key issues on the front burner regarding devolution, true federalism, restructuring and whatever you call it.

    “And when we get that, we will compile that and publish what Nigerians have said. Weý’ll make recommendations to our party and move on from there.”

  • 2019: Apc ‘ll defeat pdp in Gombe, says Mu’azu

    2019: Apc ‘ll defeat pdp in Gombe, says Mu’azu

    Prince Abubakar Habu Mu’azu is a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State. He spoke with reporters in Gombe, the state capital, on the imperative of power shift in 2019. Excerpts:

    You were a very active player in the pdp. Why did you quit the ruling party in your state?

    I left PDP in 2015, shortly before the presidential election because I discovered that the then President and PDP flagbearer was not salable in our zone, due to insurgency, our people felt Goodluck Jonathan was weak in fighting the insecurity activities of Boko Haram that bedeviled the zone, including my state Gombe. My decision to live the PDP was based on the love I have for my people and the country at large, I had no choice but to go with the decision of my people to support President Muhammadu Buhari. My people then had the belief that Buhari will be able to tackle the problem of insurgency and thank God our belief and support was not in vain as he is able to reduced the security challenges to the barest minimum.

    But, do you think,  your party stand the chance of defeating the incumbent party in the state?

    We all witnessed what happened in 2015, the APC overwhelmingly defeated the ruling PDP, so defeating the incumbent is no longer a problem or challenge in Nigeria. Nigerians are becoming more wiser politically, people no longer follow a political party but a candidate that they believe in. Secondly defeating an incumbent is not strange to me or to us in Gombe I was actively involved in the campaign and politicking that led to the removal of Hashidu under the ANPP in 2003 to usher in Danjuma Goje of the PDP. With my experience, determination and support I don’t think defeating an incumbent will be a big deal. Thank God I enjoy the support of the youths and women and even some of our elders with the support I am very optimistic that realising my ambition won’t be a big task.

    You mean even with the internal crises within the party?

    I don’t think there is any big crises in the party. What is happening in Gombe is normal in every political setting. That is party politics and some people are just over exaggerating the situation, we all saw what happened during the last local government elections primaries,  we worked as a team there was no any parallel conduct of the primary anywhere. Also, we have just one caretaker committee with local government executives at local to wards levels. Had it been there is crises we will have factional leadership, beside I am making all efforts to reach out to those aspiring for leadership in the party to come together and see the need of building the party and the response is encouraging.  I am not desperate to be the Governor but I am more interested in building a party that will take power in the state come 2019 and In-sha Allah with the support we are getting and the calibre of people dumping the PDP for the APC we shall make it. I also want to use this opportunity to call on all those who truely believe in the APC to see the  need of sacrificing in building the party. I am assuring you that APC stand the chance of winning in 2019 in Gombe but it depends on the degree of unity, quality of candidates, campaign strategy and effectiveness of mobilisation

    Don’t you think that you are declaring your ambition too early?

    As a politician and one who sincerely believes in party politics,  there is nothing like too early. I don’t want to be an Abuja politician that will come few days to elections and think they will just bring money and buy delegates.  I believe in building the party and my structures within the party and that’s exactly what we are doing. Like I said earlier, people are becoming more wiser in the game, they want to know your past political records, achievements and contributions to the development of the party and the State. Thank God my records are open for everyone to assess, I am not doing this because I want to be Governor but because I am a true politician that is so passionate about the well being of my people. I am not doing this simply because I want to be a Governor you can ask those that know me very well, I am not doing this because I have money but because I believe in the masses and I derive pleasure in being with them. Maybe those that are yet to declare are waiting for permission from their godfathers, they masses are my godfathers, the era of godfatherism is over, I am advising those looking at some politicians as godfathers to have a rethink and return to the people.

    You talked about building the party. Can you tell us some of the personal efforts you are making?

    The must important one is the one I mentioned earlier, I am reaching out and talking to our well wishers and supporters at all levels to see the need of coming together to build a viable party. I am appealing to them to forget the past and be more focus on the future, secondly you know no organisation function without resources, I am contributing in that aspect. Again it was our contribution and commitment that led to the massive support and mobilization the party got during the local government elections, although there was no election because the state electoral commission refused to even bring out the election materials due to fears that we will win the elections. I knew it was a difficult task for an opposition party to win local government elections but I also understand the important of mobilizing and gingering party supporters, that is why I am always on ground to ensure that we have some few activities in order to keep the party alive and moving. My area of specialization in politics is mobilization.

    If given the opportunity to govern the state, what would you do differently from what the  governor is doing?

    I am willing and ready to serve our people. The leadership and supporters of our party recognises my capacity and my sense of commitment in this regard. I intend to come up with innovative ideas to make lasting difference in the lives of our people, I am one individual that don’t see political position as a means of acquiring wealth, money is not always my problem but my desire is to see how I can touch lives and that’s what governance entails.

    If given the opportunity to serve, I will embark on a robust youth and women development initiatives to address the current economic challenges, I will also lay a foundation for the growth of our economy, focusing on agriculture and rural development, provision of basic infrastructure,  potable water and provision of adequate and affordable healthcare services.

    I want to offer hope, through actions, I want our people to be able to feed their homes and I also want our children and youths to afford their potentials.

    Let’s take a look at your background, what was your childhood aspiration, and what inspired you to join politics?

    Sincerely my aspiration in life then as a young man was to succeed my father as the Emir of Pindaga, but as I was growing up as a Prince, seeing what my father was doing, I developed strong passion in helping the people. Along the line I discovered that if I truely want to pursue my passion of serving and helping people I need a bigger and better platform, realising that being an Emir I will be restricted to my domain and there are some things I cannot do. As a strong, vibrant and courageous young man I then opted for politics to fulfill my passion and desires.

    What lessons have you learnt in politics?

    I have learned a lot both the good,  the bad and the ugly but I always feel bad when I see people that struggle in forming a government are not being assist. Politics is a game full of diverse experiences, how best you apply them gives you the desired results.

    How do you intend to consolidate on these experiences and lessons?

    Like I said, I have learnt a lot being an active player in the last three government, right from the period of Adamu Hashidu,  Danjuma Goje and the present government of Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo,  this are 3 different personalities, with different character and style of leadership I have learned a lot from them and I intend to consolidate on these experiences to add value to governance.

    Again, among all those so far contesting I think I understand the people and the State better, having spent all my life in the state. My past experiences with the people and my knowledge of the state gives me an added advantage. And it is very clear with the overwhelming support I am receiving we shall make it.

     

  • Signs of 2019?

    Events in the polity last week were probably the toughest for Acting President Yemi Osinbajo since he became Vice President. The happenings, which occurred in quick sequences, must have presented Osinbajo a test case to prove to those in doubt, or with ulterior motives, that he was fully in charge in his capacity as Acting President of the federal republic.

    What appeared to be the problem started last Tuesday when the Senate resolved to ask the Acting President to immediately implement its resolutions, which included the removal of Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu.

    Failing to comply, the Senate resolved to suspend confirmation of nominees until issues relating to the power of the Senate to confirm executive nominees as contained in the constitution are resolved. The Senate also resolved to ask Osinbajo to withdraw a statement credited to him that the Senate lacked the powers to confirm nominees.

    But Osinbajo through Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, last Thursday insisted that the status quo must remain in the appointment of Magu as EFCC Chairman. Like President Buhari, Osinbajo believed that Magu holds the key to eradicating corruption in Nigeria.

    Osinbajo, at the commissioning of the EFCC zonal office in Kaduna, said: “We have every confidence in Magu to fight corruption to a standstill. He would remain the EFCC chairman as long as I remain the acting President and as well as Muhammadu Buhari remains the President.

    “It is our belief that Magu would continue to remain a nightmare for corrupt people for years to come.

    “Mr Chairman, two weeks ago, I discussed the EFCC and your appointment with President Muhammadu Buhari and he told me he has every confidence in you and every confidence in the commission and the work that you have been doing, and as long as he is president you remain the chairman of the EFCC,” he said.

    But before Osinbajo’s declaration, some Nigerians appeared to be confused with the tunes that came out from the Presidency last week Wednesday.

    In a statement on Wednesday, the Senior Special Assistant on media and publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, said “Our understanding is that some remarks made by the Acting President some months ago when he was the Vice-President, because the President was around at that time, an opinion he gave is being misconstrued.

    “A senior lawyer in the country offered an opinion, in which he said some categories of public officers, traditionally cleared by the National Assembly, need not go through that process, that those ones can be appointed through presidential fiat; they don’t have to go through screening.

    “But several months ago, in his position as Vice-President, Prof. Osinbajo gave a personal opinion, saying what this lawyer said makes sense.

    “There is no official position by the government of Nigeria, and the Federal Executive Council never sat down to take a decision to say that some categories of officials will not be sent to the National Assembly any longer.

    “The authority of the Senate, under the Constitution to screen and pass nominees, has never been questioned by the government or the Federal Executive Council.

    “From the time the Vice-President gave that opinion till now, more than 20 nominations have been forwarded to the Senate and quite a number of them have been screened, sworn in and are now occupying positions.

    “Therefore, this is not a big issue as some people want to make it. The party, government and the National Assembly will sit at a round table and this matter will be discussed and resolved.” he stated

    Fielding questions from journalists on the rift between the executive and the legislature after the Federal Executive Council meeting, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed simply said that the matter, which came up during FEC, was being addressed.

    At the same press briefing, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami also responded to the question, saying: “The fundamental consideration about the alleged statement is the fact that at no point ever did the Federal Executive Council sit down to arrive at the decision in one way or the other as far as the issue of nomination or otherwise is concerned.

    “So I do not think it constitutes an issue for the Federal Executive Council to make any clarification about because it has never been considered by the FEC. So the Minister of Information will throw more light on the matter.” he said.

    By the time Malami’s remark was interpreted to mean that he disagreed with the Acting President on the matter, he had no option but to issue a press statement to clarify his earlier remarks.

    In the new statement, Malami said “It has come to my notice that a number of media organisations have been distorting and misreporting the proceedings of yesterday’s (July 5, 2017) Federal Executive Council (FEC) press briefing, and suggesting that the Presidency ‘disowned’ the Acting President on a matter relating to a presidential nomination.

    “As the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, I would like to make it categorically clear that: The President – and in this case the Acting President – is the Presidency, and therefore cannot be disowned by the Presidency.

    “All matters relating to Presidential Appointments and Nominations are strictly a matter for the Presidency to handle. They are not for the Federal Executive Council, and are therefore not discussed at FEC level. This was the point I made yesterday at the press briefing, and which was unfortunately distorted by the media.

    “I would like to appeal to the media to take seriously its responsibility to inform the public honestly and accurately, to refrain from distorting or sensationalizing the news, and to seek clarification when in doubt,” he added

    While Osinbajo has given the final Presidency’s position on Magu’s appointment, some Nigerians have wondered why the issue resurfaced last Tuesday.

    Everything became normal in March following President Buhari’s insistence on Magu after he was rejected twice by the Senate.

    The Senate, which then was threatening to stop screening and confirmation of all nominees, soft-pedaled and continued with its assignment. With that, it was thought that the hatchet had been buried, only for the threat to resurface last Tuesday.

    Political watchers are now, however, divided whether the new threat was purely for the good course of the functions of the Senate or corruption fighting back. Others also wondered whether it was part of a grand manoeuvering towards 2019 general election.

    But only time will really tell what the true motives of the latest resolutions are.

  • 2019: Akwa Ibom APC zones governorship seat to Eket

    The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has zoned the 2019 governorship seat to Akwa Ibom South of Eket Senatorial District.

    The move has narrowed the race to aspirants from the 12 local government areas in the zone.

    The local government areas under the senatorial district are: Mkpat Enin, Ikot Abasi, Ibeno, Eket, Eastern Obolo, Esit Eket, Onna, Okoko, Oron, Urue Offong, Udung Uko and Mbo.

    The party’s decision to zone the governorship seat to the area was reached at last Saturday’s stakeholders’ meeting in Uyo, the state capital.

    The meeting, which was presided over by the state’s Party Leader and 2015 governorship candidate, Mr Umana Umana, was also attended by APC State Chairman, Dr Amadu Attai, and Secretary, Dr Effiong Etok.

    Umana, who announced his decision not to contest the 2019 governorship election, said he backed the consensus that Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District should be encouraged to serve two terms of eight years as Akwa Ibom North East (Uyo Senatorial District) and Akwa Ibom North West (Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District) did from 1999 to 2007 under Victor Attah and from 2007 to 2015 under Godswill Akpabio.

    The party leader said his decision was to honour the people’s wishes at upholding the existing tradition of zoning.

     

  • Minister to INEC: make 2019 elections better

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Malam Muhammad Bello has said that the credibility of the 2015 General Election has enhanced the image of Nigeria to the outside world and therefore should be improved upon.

    Bello stated this while receiving the Presidential Committee on Constitution and Electoral Reform led by its chairman, Senator Ken Nnamani in his office.

    He said that the election was largely made credible, because of the use of biometrics and card readers by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The Minister therefore urged the Committee to look into strengthening the use of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) in all subsequent elections in order to sustain the achievements.

    According to a statement issued by the Deputy Director/Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule, the minister reiterated that the use of card reader in elections in Nigeria is a revolution that should be sustained, as it would go a long way in reducing the number of litigations after elections.

    He emphasised that Nigeria is ripe and Nigerians are now well educated and enlightened in the use of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) in elections considering how the populace make use of mobile telephone in addition to internet data mostly for new media (social media).

    The Minister assured that the FCT Administration will support the Committee in doing its work to ensure that the subsequent electoral processes are fair and credible, and seen to be so.

    Bello appreciated the contributions of Senator Ken Nnamani to the country when he was the Senate President; saying that history will remember him for the role he played to ensure that democracy is sustained.

    The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Constitution and Electoral Reform, Senator Ken Nnamani commended the Minister for the effort of his Administration in completing abandoned projects across the 8,000 square kilometers of the Federal Capital Territory.

    He said that the Committee is in the FCT Administration to pay the Administration a visit as they were in Abuja to hold a National Public Hearing to collate more information from the residents before turning out an all-inclusive report to the government as well as bringing up relevant Bills for enactment by the National Assembly.

    The FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye and other top officials of the FCT Administration joined the Minister in receiving the team.