The Nation Newspaper

Tag: accommodate

  • Poll: PDP rejects INEC’s move to accommodate Rivers APC

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected alleged moves by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accommodate candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the general elections in Rivers State.

    INEC had, through its National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, hinted at the weekend that certain circumstances could lead to the postponement of elections in Rivers State, to accommodate the APC.

    The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had, in two separate rulings, voided the processes through which candidates of the APC for the various elective offices emerged.

    A statement yesterday by the spokesman of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the suggestion by INEC to admit APC candidates to the election as distasteful.

    The main opposition party said the electoral body’s position only points to a collusion with the APC in a plot to stalemate electoral processes in some strategic states to pave the way for the postponement of elections in such states.

    According to the PDP, the motive is to use compromised security forces to effect massive rigging, “as was the case in the 2018 Ekiti and Osun states governorship elections”, a scheme, which the party said, would be resisted by Nigerians in the 2019 general elections.

    The statement said, “Currently, the APC is not on the ballot and has no candidates for the governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and State Assembly elections in Rivers and Zamfara states, following the voiding of the APC congresses in these states by the court.

    “In line with this reality, the ballot paper in all elections in Rivers and Zamfara states must, under no circumstance, bear the logo of the APC.

    “The PDP insists that INEC must base all its actions and contemplations for the elections on this reality and should under no circumstance predicate any action on a hypothetical condition.

    “It is also important for INEC to know that Okoye’s advocacy for the APC detracts from the commission’s neutrality and exposes it as a compromised umpire”.

    The PDP charged the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to be appropriately guided in the conduct of the general elections.

    “Unlike the APC, our party is fully prepared for the elections and will never allow the APC and some compromised INEC officials to manipulate the elections, just because the APC has seen that it has no chance of winning.

    “The PDP therefore calls on all Nigerians to unite in condemnation of this cowardly scheme by the APC in its bid to foist itself back to power against their collective will as a people”.

     

  • We should be ready to accommodate repentant Boko Haram insurgents, says Aisha Wakil

    Human rights activist, Hajiya Aisha Wakil (a.k.a Mama Boko Haram), is not about to stop negotiating for peace with the terror sect, Boko Haram.

    She is confident that many of them will, in due course, see the need to embrace peace and return home.

    “All my sons in the bush will come home and surrender for peace,” Aisha Wakil said yesterday during the commissioning of the multi-million naira office complex and fund raising of her non- governmental organisation, Complete Care and Aid foundation in Maiduguri.

    She added: “I will not stop from negotiating for Boko Haram to be granted amnesty and to be accepted by the people in the society.

    “These are our own children and we cannot throw them away. We must accept them back if they decide to return home.”

    She said her foundation; Complete Care and Aid foundation was established to care for victims of insurgency including orphans, displaced and the vulnerable children.

    It is also intervening in education, health care and psycho-social support.

    Over N100 million was realized at the event.

  • Megacity: Unionists urge Lagos to accommodate slum dwellers

    Trade unionists, activist, diplomats, academics and other stakeholders, have called on Lagos State Government to find alternative accommodation and means of livelihood to victims of demolished  slums, shanties, road side stores. Many residents, whose houses were demolished got dislocated in the state’s drive towards mega city project.

    At a debate organised by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in commemoration of its 40th Anniversary in Nigeria, which  focused on “The poor must live – Demolitions of markets and workplaces in Lagos”, some of the panelists submited that people’s welfare should always be paramount in all programmes and policy formulations to check the high rate of unemployment, crime and restiveness.

    The debate also focused on how to ensure that in turning the Lagos to a megacity, the informal sector is not harmed, but given a level of protection.

    A legal practitioner, Adeola Samuel-Ilori advocated that the informal sector should be aware and exercise their rights so as not to be taken for granted by the government.

    “The problem is that many people dont know their rights and the politicians take advantage of their ignorance to subject them to all sorts of maltreatments,”he said.

    German’s Consular-General in Nigeria, Ingo Herber, who was the special guest of honour at the event, hinted that the consulate and the Lagos State will be partnering towards improving people’s welfare in the informal sector.

    Resident eepresentative, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Ulrich Thum, advised those in attendance to always use their power as tax payers to demand for their rights from the state.

  • Foundation expands scope to accommodate more contestants

    Foundation expands scope to accommodate more contestants

    The trio of Master Olatunde Semiloore, Anyaegbunem Obinna and Ogbu Deborah, have come tops in the fourth edition of the Mathematics is simple contest. The trio were presented with medals, awards textbooks and cash prizes as rewards for their feat.

    However, for the first time since it berthed in 2012, Our Generation Foundation (OGF), organiser of the Mathematics is Simple competition spread its dragnet to more contestants beyond Owode-Yewa axis with more contestants accommodated from Yewa-South Ipokia and Ado-Odo/Ota local government which is one of densely populated in Yewa Awori zone hosting over 100 and 50 private and public schools.

    Mathematics is simple contest sponsored by OGF, tasks pupils knowledge of maths without the use of a calculator.

    Owing to this development, OGF a Christian nongovernmental organisation had to use three centres in conducting the first stage of competition in May 2. This year’s competition began its preliminary stage with over 996 contestants cutting across 100 schools. The second phase which was the knockout stage that held same month saw contestants being pruned down to 672 out of which 86 emerged in the final stage that held at AUD Ota, and which produced the 10 finalists for the ground finale.

    Wife of the convener Mrs Gbonjubola Odumusi, urged participants to see the event as a challenge that would motivate them into acquiring knowledge that would make them spontaneous in their response to maths questions.

    “The peculiarity of OGF’s Mathematics is simple competition which are solving mathematics without the use of calculators and giving out solutions to the questions immediately after the exams, have thrilled lots of our participants including teachers, with subsequent improvement at every turn,” she said.

    Despite limited fund, Odumusi said OGF was left with no choice than to expand the scope owing to growing interest of pupils in the competitions.

    “Although we do not have enough resources, yet we want to be fair enough by accommodating more interested contestants due to growing interest and resounding success in past competitions,” she added.

    Some of the pupils and teachers in this competition shared their interest with The Nation.

    “This is a great challenge to me and my colleagues back in school,” said Akinola Lateef Olanrewaju of Area Community High School Owode.  “We really learned we can study mathematics without lots of stress. Solving math without a calculator has taught me to study hard for external examination without thinking of engaging in malpractices.”

    Another participant Ogundele Qawiyat of Yewa(Egbado) College Ilaro also lent her voice  “The programme is germane in eradicating poor performance in Mathematics in Nigeria.”

    A teacher in one of the participating schools Mr Bamidele Lawal, noted that the initiative would further consolidate their efforts and help pupils who are hitherto scared of the subject.

    “We mathematics teachers have been doing our best and I think with a competition like this, the students are more encouraged to study and are now believing more in themselves seeing their colleagues making it.”

    “This programme is an eye-opener and brain -challenging which I believe will energise our coming generation,” added Mr Idowu Joseph of Tayese Community Secondary School. The event wrapped up with other side attractions such as dance and drama presentation.