The Nation Newspaper

Tag: advocates

  • Between advocates and opponents of restructuring

    Between advocates and opponents of restructuring

    The souring of our national political discourse over the matter of restructuring the quasi-unitary system that the military imposed on the country since 1966 is not in the interest of anyone, whether advocates or foes of restructuring. Name-calling certainly does not help. Threat is counter-productive. There is no viable substitute for an adult discourse that privileges rationality over emotion no matter the depth of passion that the latter invokes.

    On the other hand, however, the state of the debate is a true reflection of who we are: true offspring of our founding fathers. They did not initially zero in on federalism. They had robust debates, sometimes inflamed with ruinous rhetoric, including, yes, name-calling! Threats of withdrawal from the union were made by all sides. But in the end, it was reason that prevailed and won initial opponents of federalism to the side of its advocates. The leaders saw the wisdom in the federal option, they embraced it and made the best of it.  Indeed, shortly after the motion for independence was passed in 1957, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, who would later be named Prime Minister of the new nation, celebrated the choice of the federal system for the new nation in the following words:

    “But to me the most important result of the constitutional changes in 1954 was the introduction of a federal form of government for Nigeria—a system which I had advocated as far back as 1948 in the old Legislative Council. I am pleased to see that we are now all agreed that the federal system is, under present conditions, the only sure basis on which Nigeria can remain united. We must recognise our diversity and the peculiar conditions under which the different tribal (sic) communities live in this country. To us in Nigeria therefore unity in diversity is a source of great strength, and we must do all in our power to see that this federal system of government is strengthened and maintained.”

    A few years later after independence, the all-powerful forces of human nature invaded the system. Instead of strengthening the federal system, they subjected it to series of assaults. Those who sought to strengthen the system were treated as pariahs and for their intransigence, they were made to pay a heavy price, including long-term incarceration.

    Its lopsided nature was the first major concern for the strength of the federation. From 1954 to 1960, there was nothing resembling a common national identity beside the occupation of a common territory. Political parties were formed based on regional and ethnic identities. An obvious population imbalance between the three regions meant that in a parliamentary system, the region whose census figure was more than double that of the other two can expect to rule the country in perpetuity. Obviously too, if the unity of the new country was the consensual vision of its leadership, this kind of imbalance needed to be addressed for the sake of a more perfect union.

    Working for a more perfect federal union which accommodated diversity without jeopardising the goal of unity was the rationale of the agitation for the creation of more regions and especially for drawing the boundaries of regions to coincide with linguistic identities, which Chief Obafemi Awolowo championed. It was what attracted ethnic minorities to his political philosophy. Unfortunately, it was what irritated his fellow political leaders, especially the great Ahmadu Bello and Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa both of whom had been staunchly in favour of true federalism and regional autonomy. The idea that the North can be broken up into more regions was unacceptable to them. And it did not happen even when the Midwest was carved out of the Western Region.

    The rebalancing of the federation, which political leaders failed to do, the Gowon military administration accomplished with the creation of 12 states. However, this was after the federal constitution had been suspended and the system had been unitarised to conform with the military ideal of unity without diversity.

    The 1963 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria opened with the following preamble:

    “Having firmly resolved to establish the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with a view to ensuring the unity of our people and faith in our fatherland, for the purpose of promoting inter-African co-operation and solidarity, in order to ensure world peace and international understanding, and so as to further the ends of liberty, equality and justice both in our country and in the world at large, we the people of Nigeria, by our representatives here in Parliament assembled, do hereby declare, enact and give to ourselves the following Constitution….:”

    That made the 1963 Constitution the first and last sincere declaration on behalf of the people by their representatives. It was a federal constitution that respected the diversity of the country, acknowledged the right of regions to have their own constitutions, and accommodated their rights and responsibilities in the running of the country with the establishment of exclusive and concurrent legislative lists. Since then, every military constitution that has parroted the language of the 1963 preamble has been a bogus lie. But it is not just the lie that makes those constitutions intolerable as the foundation of our union, it is also because they have proved incongruent with the aspirations of the teeming population of the nation.

    First, the fact that states have become mere appendages to the central government makes it impossible for them to effectively promote the interests of their residents. This is especially with regards to their responsibility for the social and economic welfare of their citizens. Whereas the 1963 revenue formula prioritises the interests of regions vis-à-vis the allocation of revenue, the 1999 formula reverses this in favour of the central government. In real terms, since states are closer to the people than the central government, they are better placed to know and promote the people’s social and economic well-being than the central government. Therefore, it stands to reason that more revenue be available to states/regions.

    Second, the security interests of regions/states have been compromised with the pivot of the 1999 Constitution to the central government in the matter of the institution of the police. It has become clear that the Nigeria Police is incapable of securing the totality of the country. The upsurge in criminal activities, including kidnapping, cultism and armed robbery is an incontrovertible evidence. But the Constitution has apparently barred states from establishing their own police. It is unclear which interest is more important—the abstract interest of the state in unity or the concrete interest of citizens in security.

    Third, the radical change from an emphasis on regional autonomy which respects diversity and healthy competition to state dependency which objectifies uniformity has been a mockery of the practice of federalism. It is more so when the change was not wrought through a democratic consensus but with the fiat of an unelected military junta which pretended that it knew better than an overwhelming majority of citizens what was good for the country. That majority has relentlessly voiced its concern for the direction that the military has taken the country and has demanded a return to a true federal structure.

    Fourth, while the creation of states has made government closer to the people than the former regions, it is also clear that the balkanisation that state creation represents has made the states weaker vis-à-vis the centre. Whereas the regions were almost self-sufficient in their economic needs, the states have proven incapable of satisfying the yearnings of their people.

    These are the reasons for the call for a return to regional structure. Human nature being what it is, this has not gone down well with those who have benefitted from the current system even if it is not working for all. It is clear, however, that we must come up with a creative approach to our governance structure. To this end, almost every zone of the federation has championed voluntary regional integration. While those efforts are commendable, they are not a substitute for a formal process that recognises the challenge of a wobbly system and summons courage to fix it.

     

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  • Advocates of break-up ignorant of God’s purpose for Nigeria, says Dogara

    Advocates of break-up ignorant of God’s purpose for Nigeria, says Dogara

    House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara has cautioned advocates of a divided Nigeria, saying they are ignorant of God’s plans for the country.

    According to the Speaker, who spoke at a church event in Abuja yesterday, the 1970 Civil War was enough to break-up the country.

    But, he said God had other plans and did now allow it to manifest.

    A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, reads: “Those calling for dismemberment of Nigeria don’t know the plan of God for the country.

    “Nigeria is not a mistake because it was God, who created the country and He has good plans for her people.

    “Those who think Nigeria is a mistake, it may be because they don’t know the purpose. But if you want to know the purpose of a thing, you have to go back to the manual, and who puts the manual together? It’s the manufacturer. So, I would challenge them to go back to the manufacturer of Nigeria, who is God. So that we can get the manual for Nigeria.

    “If we were a mistake, maybe during the first civil war, this country would have disintegrated. But God decided to keep this country one and God has never made a mistake.”

    The Speaker argued that for the country to have survived the civil war means that there was a purpose for the nation, adding that “until the destiny of this nation is realised, nothing will happen to Nigeria”.

    Acknowledging that the nation is facing multifaceted challenges, the Speaker urged Nigerians not to relent in offering prayers for the country as, according to him, nothing is impossible with God, including Nigeria’s challenges.

    He said: “For our country, we will never cease to ask that prayers be made, especially collective prayers. We all know the benefits of collective prayers; it is said that whenever two or three of you come together and ask of anything, God will do it.

    “We know the challenges we face, they are quite enormous challenges, they are very difficult, but they are not insurmountable. With God on our side, we will surmount them, and the only way we can do that is when we have the benefit of the wisdom of God; wisdom means application of knowledge.”

  • Kaduna school advocates cleaner environment

    Kaduna-based Jordan Science Academy, at the weekend, embarked on sanitation to raise awareness on the importance of preserving the environment by keeping it clean.

    The awareness campaign was carried out to inculcate the culture of cleanliness among the people of Unguwar Dosa in Kaduna North council.

    Teachers and pupils went round the community, sweeping streets and sensitising residents on the need to properly dispose dirt from their homes.

    The school’s Administrative Officer, Fadilah Ismail, said the exercise would inculcate the culture of community service in their kids, and complement the government’s effort at improving the integrity of the environment.

    “We are aware of the government’s effort at keeping the state clean. So, what we are doing today is to join hands in creating the awareness. If the environment is clean, it will eliminate diseases and prevent epidemic outbreaks.

    “Apart from that, it is important to also inculcate in the children, the habit of keeping their environment clean. As you can see, both the primary and secondary sections are involved in this campaign and we hope to make it an annual event,” she said.

  • Advocates urge youths to redefine their world

    Advocates urge youths to redefine their world

    African youths have been urged to redefine their world through innovative ideas that seek to make the world a better place.

    The charge was made at the unveiling of a non-profit organisation, African Youth Action Network (AYAN), at Kwara Hotel, Ilorin.

    With Create Your Own Story Campaign as its theme, the event drew dignitaries from Nigeria and the Gambia, including the former Secretary-General and Minister for Presidential Affairs of the Gambia, Mallam Momodou Sabally. It was attended by over 500 students from tertiary institutions, particularly the University of Ilorin.

    The future of Africa, according Sabally, depends on young bright minds that are determined to surmount obstacles and limitations. He noted that the emergence of the digital world has availed young Africans the opportunity of making their mark not as hackers, but as digital entrepreneurs.

    Recounting his political travails and how he was able to prevail, he called on the young to redefine and better their world by seeking innovative solutions. He advised that “You can’t cage me” should be their slogan, saying: “It has always been my slogan, and what has helped me to come this far against the odd”.

    For the founder of the organisation, Tida Nana Ndure, who is also a diplomat and a final year student of the University of Ilorin, young Africans have always been at the forefront of change. Desire to galvanize such bustling energies, she said, inspired the founding of AYAN. In her view, many African youths have the spirit to make things happen especially in this digital world. Hence, the theme, Create Your Own Story Campaign, would be an ongoing campaign that seeks “to connect youths all over Africa to find common solutions and common challenges/problems and opportunities, including ways of partnerships to build a better Africa”.

    Bringing together over 500 students and the dignitaries, she said, was a deliberate act that would be a continuous exercise. From time to time, the organisation would be bringing together African youths “to discuss common challenges facing the continent dispassionately and discuss issues of mutual interest irrespective of their background, nationality, language, culture, race and the list is endless”, according to her.

    “Create your own story campaign focuses on the impact, challenges and opportunities of African Youths in the continent and the Diaspora. Most youths in Africa are marginalised despite the fact that her youths comprise 60% of her population. In a nutshell, there is a youth crisis in Africa. The campaign is also an avenue for each youth present to pick a mentor, especially from guest speakers who they believe in. “Just we have done in our maiden edition, subsequently, stories of youths and great personalities will be shared and championed through education as the basis for the socioeconomic development of the African society. Our goal is to connect Youths in such a way as to find common solutions to common problems through effective participation, networking and interactions with our dignitaries that have distinguished themselves in diverse fields.”

    The high point of the event was the motivating speech by the Director, Creativity Development Centre and Counsellor trained by the Johns’ Hopkins University Center for Communication Programme in Ikoyi, Henrietta Ikediashi that got the audience thinking. While stating that today’s youth have no excuse not to be world innovators, Ikediashi, who is also the originator of Ire Celebrates and a radio/TV producer/director, told of how an Indian doctor had warned her mother to abandon her for death when she was born because of her frame.

    She recounted: “I was born a twin. When I and my twin brother were born, he was on the big side and my size was of great concern to the Indian Doctor that handled our delivery.  He told my mother to throw me away because, according to him, there was no hope of survival for me. But here I am, because my mother vehemently refused to succumb to his pressure. You have no excuse not to make something out of your life.

    “If I was thrown away, would I have been able to stand tall addressing this great and intelligent audience? If I was thrown away, would I have been able to contribute my quota to humanity? Would I have been able to carry you through the journey of self-discovery?”

    Ikediashi rounded up her speech with an exercise she tagged: Moment of Gossip, where she whispered “HIV, Oh my God” to a participant’s ear, and asked that the word goes round from one ear to the other. It was a moment of suspense, and when the word eventually came back to her, she advised thus: “Be careful my Brother. What you say about others”. Using the exercise, Ikediashi was urged the audience to shun all forms of gossip, saying it “causes distractions to focus minds”.

    The event also had in attendance Prof Amadu Sesay of Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin; the Director, Centre for International Education University of Ilorin, Prof M Ibrahim; National President, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Mallam Denja Abdullahi; and Senior Lecturer, Department of English, University of Benin (UNIBEN), Dr Mahfouz Adedimeji.

    It also featured African cultural dance displays ranging from The Gambia, Nigeria, Cameroun and Niger, and an energetic performance by contemporary folk artiste Ire D stage Devi who sang latest single, ‘Que Sera’.

  • OPC advocates regionalism

    OPC advocates regionalism

    The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has condemned the rejection of regionalism, by some northern elders, as agreed at the 2014 National Conference organised by the last administration.

    Rising from an emergency meeting in Lagos, OPC described the pronouncement of the northern elders as an affront on the collective psyche of Nigerians and a deliberate breach to a collective agreement.

    The group said regionalism was the minimum option for a united Nigeria, failure of which the country would be heading towards the path of disintegration

    The Northern elders, many of who members of the 2014 National Conference, rose from their meeting, decrying regionalism.

    The northern elders’ declaration came days after the British and the French envoys to Nigeria canvassed a one indivisible Nigeria, even at a time when self-determinism is gaining ground across the world.

    The National Coordinator of OPC Otunba Gani Adams, condemned the pronouncement of the Arewa elders, saying it was a call for anarchy.

    According to Adams, the declaration of the northern elders is a mere figment of imagination that cannot represent the position of the majority of northerners.

    He said: “We view the recent back out of some northern elders on the resolution for regionalisation of the country as panacea for a stronger Nigeria as a gross display of irresponsibility, reckless approach to sensitive matter bothering on national security cum unity and an affront on the collective psyche of Nigerians.

    “The agreement to the regionalisation of the country after failed attempts to unite the country in the past was a collective one at a rare seating where every ethnic nationalities that make up the country had the rare chance to sit together to discuss the future of the country. To now make a detour at this time that the country is almost approaching a brick wall on the path of national cohesion is simply unpatriotic.

    Adams added: “We are not unaware of the desperate moves going on underground by a cabal that have all the while constituted the tail wagging the dog of unity in Nigeria, that are so comfortable with the lingering lopsided presidential system that is deliberately skewed to favour indolence  and evil manipulations that allows a few to benefit at the expense of others.”

  • ECOWAS advocates training for lawmakers

    The ECOWAS Parliament has advocated  inclusion of legislative practices and procedure in African universities’ curricula.

    This, it said, would help improve the quality of lawmaking and democratic process.

    Its Secretary-General, Dr. Nelson Magbagbeola, said the legislative processes of West African states needed to be harmonised as the region worked towards economic integration.

    He spoke in Lagos at a workshop on Comparative Parliamentary Practice and Procedure for Parliamentary Workers of ECOWAS Member States, drawn from three linguistic groups, namely Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone.

    It was organised by the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NLS), an organ of the National Assembly, in collaboration with ECOWAS Parliament and the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF).

    Magbagbeola said the quality of legislative workers and lawmaking needed to be improved through specialised training, to equip African parliaments to discharge their oversight functions.

    “We want to encourage the universities to have curriculum on legislative practices and procedure.  It’s important that we are ready to sustain the democratic process.

    “Most of the officials in the executive arm of government are well trained. But there is asymmetric knowledge between officials of the legislature and the executive. It’s not easy to carry out oversight functions on people who know more than you do.

    “That is why we need to enhance the capacity of the parliamentary workers and the members of parliament. If a parliamentarian is not versed in financial reporting, how will he ask questions on oversight duties at ministries, departments and agencies? So we want to bridge that gap with this sort of training,” he said.

    The former Speaker, National Assembly of Burkina Faso, Prof. Melegue Traore, who was one of the resource persons, said the quality of legislation needs to improve if African parliaments must better control public policies.

     

  • ‘Advocates of restructuring have hidden agenda’

    ‘Advocates of restructuring have hidden agenda’

    Former  Lagos State Commissioner for Transport Chief Lanre Rasak is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He spoke with Emmanuel OLADESU on the anti-corruption war, the agitation for the devolution of powers and funding for the local government system.

    What is your reaction to the liberation of Sambisa forest from the Boko Haram sect?

    It is a wonderful achievement by our gallant officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces. That shows you a difference between a serious government and a lip service government. From day, one President Muhammadu Buhari never minced words in his utterances, in his actions that he is out to give Nigerians peace and stability; that the primary assignment of his government are one, to provide security for lives and property, and that he has demonstrated beyond any atom of doubt. Secondly, he has been able to demonstrate to Nigerians that he is determined to fight corruption in all its ramifications and he is winning on both battle fronts. I want to specially commend the military, the president and his team. I want to appreciate Nigerians, especially Borno people, who have been at the receiving end of the insurgency and the people of the North-east, who have been under such terrible situation in the last few years for the collaboration and accepting Mr. President’s efforts. I want to thank Mr. President and want to encourage him to do more. I also want to commend him for introducing another innovation in the war on corruption which is reward for whistle blowers and with the lot of people who will make money from that, more cases of corruption will be exposed. I think it is now very dangerous for people to engage in any form of corruption.

    There have been allegations that the President is selective in his war against corruption…

    That is far from being correct. I have challenged those who have been saying this. Such an allegation is like when you have a problem, you ask the people to look the other side and leave you alone. That is what they are doing by making such allegations. In the real sense of it, ask them to point out a particular person that they know is corrupt with sufficient evidence that the president through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC turned his eyes away from. I challenged them in the past to mention one and come forward with evidence beyond an atom of doubt and they have not been able to that. They are only making noise, ranting and nobody should listen to them. It is a deliberate attempt to divert attention from the real issues so one will want to commend the president for fighting corruption and getting the dividends from such efforts. A lot of money in the 2017 federal budget I am told is proceeds from the war on corruption which will assist in reducing the size of the loans the federal government want to borrow. I know that if the president sustains the graft war, he may not even push for the foreign loans. He may be able to recover more than the $29billion that  we want to borrow. We should encourage, support and appreciate the president so that he can intensify the war on corruption. I am happy he is doing just that and will do it better than what most Nigerians are expecting of him.

    How can Nigeria get out of the economic recession?

    The president and his economic team have started addressing the recession already and they are working assiduously looking inwards for solution to our economic problems. I want to appeal to the media to educate Nigerians on the good side of government current economic efforts. Government is working hard and I appeal to other governors to emulate Lagos-Kebbi partnership in rice production. With all these efforts I believe we can take Nigeria out of the woods without borrowing particularly with the federal government intensifying the anti-corruption war to recover the looted funds from those who stole our commonwealth. If you rake in such a huge money, we may not need to borrow. I want to also appeal to members of the judiciary, who are part of our problem to change for the better. If they cooperate enough with the executive in prosecuting corruption cases we may be able to fast track the process of recovering the looted funds faster than we are doing currently. I am not askiing them to ignore the facts of the corruption cases and deliver judgment against people arbitrarily because there is a saying that it is better to allow 100 people to escape justice than to jail one innocent person. We believe in such advocacy but I am stressing that justice delayed is  justice denied and that they are delaying the course of justice too much and that is what gives room to some of them getting involved in these corrupt practices. You can imagine how much Mr. President will be able to recover from corrupt judges. We need those funds and it will make lot of difference if such funds are invested in the economy as capital investment by government. But I want to advise the federal government not to devalue our naira further because the more we do that the more problems we have in the economy. We should also strengthen the naira by encouraging more local production of goods and getting more  Nigerians to consume made in Nigeria goods. Government should provide an enabling environment for local industries to thrive and for more goods to be produced within the country. And when they produce, we should not ask them to keep their products in the ware houses. Nigerians must buy the goods because the more we buy the turn over will be high enough to reward their efforts in the industries. Once you do that, Nigeria will be getting out of recession.

    Do you support the call for the restructuring of the country by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar?

    It is good that he is talking restructuring, he wants to be in the minds of Nigerians. No doubt, he wants them to remember his presidential ambition, ahead of 2019 general election. But, I advise Nigerians should be very careful. We have recycled leaders enough that we ought to know those who are committed to serving the people. I believe in the devolution of some of the powers from the centre and the allocation of more resources to the states and local governments so that they can effectively use the funds because they are closer to the people and should address the immediate and long term needs of the people. The Federal Government has too much money and that is why the stealing is massive at the federal level. They should allow the states and local governments have reasonable percentage of the resources of this nation so that they can meet the numerous needs of the people that they are very close to. But, there is no way you say you want  to take away the states and local governments completely from the Federal Government. But, I strongly recommend that the federal government share of the Federation Account should be reduced drastically so that the centre will be less attractive to those who want to be in the National Assembly and in the Presidency at all cost because economic incentives there are greater than the desire to render service to their people. The more we can devolve the powers and resources to the states and local governments, the less attractive federal appointments will be and the better for Nigeria. And the Nigerian government is running a federation as if it is a unitary system and that we should discourage. We are  federating units and we should see each of the federating unit sufficiently independent to plan their economic survival and not that the state should be looking forward to the federal government to pay salaries and do every thing. But, the states should think how best to strengthen their manpower base and generate more revenue through taxes and charges that will not hurt the people too much. They should employ more business oriented people who can think fast and bring about a better situation in their states unlike what obtains now when some of them will be sleeping and counting days of the month to end so that they will travel to Abuja for their share of the  monthly allocation.from the Federation Account. Let me seize this opportunity to congratulate Lagosians and thank them that since 1999 they have been lucky with good administrators at the state level. You can imagine what Asiwaju Bola Tinubu did as governor, the foundation he laid for his successor Babatunde Fashola to come in. You can imagine what Fashola did as governor before handing over to the incumbent governor Mr. Ambode who has done wonderfully well  to the satisfaction of Lagosians. Some states can’t pay salaries to workers, but Lagos governor has been paying salaries and embarked on many road projects. Transportation has improved tremendously, Health issues have been addressed. Education has not been left out, massive development of infrastructure ongoing in Badagry, Epe and most parts of the state, overhead bridges in Ajah and Abule Egba and such a government deserves our support. My appeal to Lagosians is to give full support to the Lagos state government by paying their taxes and charges. It is when these taxes are paid that the government will be encouraged more to render selfless service to the people.

    What are your expectations about the Ambode administration this year?

    I and Lagosians in general expect consolidation of the beautiful socio-economic programmes initiated by the governor since May 29, 2015. He is progressing in governance positively and the more he stays, the better understanding of governance he gets as experience has shown so far. For instance look at the Lake rice, a wonderful project he has implemented in conjunction with Kebbi State Government, it is a serious fight against eradication of poverty and sustenance of food security and we expect more of that in 2017. On roads, he has performed creditably well. He has done some scientific projects that worked seriously in addressing traffic jams in parts of the state. Take for instance on the Eko bridge before now, going to Lagos Mainland we always experience a terribly bad traffic situation in Oworonshoki and Alapere towards the old toll gate in Ojota. He has done a lot of work there. Simple you may think it is relocating these bus stops, it is yielding very good result; it is easing traffic on that route. It has not only saved man hours wasted all the time on that bridge and the Third Mainland bridge he has facilitated the turn a rounds of vehicles.

  • Body of senior advocates want Bar, Bench to confess their sins

    A senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Gbenga Awomolo  has called on the Bar and the Bench to humble themselves.

    Awomolo spoke on behalf of the  body of the senior advocates of Nigeria at the 2016/2017 new legal year in Abuja on Tuesday.

    According to him, this is not the time for blame games but a time for humble reflection.

    “This is the time to humble ourselves and confess our sins and turn to the Lord for forgiveness.

    “This is the time to plead with those senior advocates who claimed that they know those who are corrupt.

    “They should name them, our judges should play above ‘god ‘ in their decisions for allegations of corruption are so severe,

    “How can we clear the bar and the bench from this mess that  have brought  it so low before the eyes of the public.

    Earlier, Mr Abubakar Malami,(SAN), the Attorney General of the Federation, promised that the executive would bring to the courts cases of cogent nature and of substance.

    He said every citizen in the FCT should be given court services irrespective of religion or tribe and that the judiciary should place value in the discharge of their duties.

    Also, FCT Chief Judge, Justice Ishaq Bello, admitted that the judiciary was going through a trying time and they FCT judiciary was trying to be seen as an exemplary one.

    “These are indeed trying times for the judiciary of this country. I am bold to say that the judiciary is determined to eradicate corruption within its fold and it seeks the support of relevant agencies,

    “However this should be within legal limits and in line with laid down rules and procedure “he said (NAN)

  • NBA advocates use of electronic voting machine

    NBA advocates use of electronic voting machine

    The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to consider the electronic voting machine for future elections.

    Chairman of NBA’s Election Working Group on the Kogi State elections Mr. Dafe Akpedeye (SAN) made the suggestion in a post-election report on the conduct of the exercise yesterday.

    It said the machines would further enhance the credibility of future elections.

    The group urged the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Act, 2010,  to give Presiding Officers discretion to create separate queues for the elderly during election.

    Akpedeye hailed the commission for  a free and fair election in the state devoid of rancour.

    He advised  stakeholders, especially political parties, to carry out more effective civic education to increase the level of involvement of the electorate in future elections.

    The statement reads:” Some senior citizens had a hectic time standing and waiting  although they were allowed in some instances to have the first go. Some of them could hardly withstand the harsh weather and the surging crowds in some polling units.

    “The creation of a separate queue for senior citizens will encourage them to remain engaged with the electoral process and continue to perform their civic responsibilities.

    “The Independent National Electoral Commission should accelerate the process of constituency delineation. Also, some of the Polling Units are located in front of or too close to residential buildings despite the availability of schools and other public places.

    “The location of some of these polling units in front of or very proximate to people’s houses does not make for secrecy of the votes and independent electoral action by voters.’’

    It said “INEC needs to deploy adequate officials who can take decisions in each polling unit for future elections.”

  • IBB advocates private investment in education

    To address the decay in Nigeria’s education sector, former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida has advocated for more private investment in education.

    He said private investment would revamp the country’s education, noting that it should not be left in the hands of government alone.

    Babangida made this call at the 20th anniversary of the El-Amin International School, Minna founded by his late wife, Maryam as part of her contribution to the development of the education sector in the country.

    Babangida said her passion for the overall well being of women and girls informed her decision to establish the school.

    He said with the collaboration of government and private investors, Nigeria’s education system would be one of the best in the world.

    Also speaking, Executive Director of the School, Dr. Mohammed Babangida, said the school is living the vision of the founder.  He described it as the most vibrant and outstanding private school in the north.

    “El-Amin runs both national and international examinations such as WAEC, NECO, Edexel and Cambridge. It has over the years churned out students that have today excelled in their various academic and professional endeavors.”